Random thoughts ATM

- I love the way my car smells strongly of fresh pineapple after I've bought one at the grocery store.

- The orange tulips from meine Mutti are gorgeous on my dining room table.

- I have the best Mutti!

- In honor of Australia and my intense love for the country, I'm going to become an Aussie wine snob. Lindeman's Shiraz-Cabernet is currently topping my list.

- Today's imaginary bestie date: jogging through The Domain in Sydney followed by sushi and wine picnic-style overlooking the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

- I really need to start blogging about my trip, but I haven't even uploaded my pics yet for fear of becoming melancholy over not being in Australia...soon!

- That being said, I'm falling back in love with Colorado again, so the world is beginning to right itself.

- I may actually believe in the saying "distance makes the heart grow fonder" right now...both in terms of where I live and with the boy.

- Every time I watch Tangled my heart smiles. I love Flynn and Maximus.

-There was something invigorating and freeing about being single in a new, international city.

- Skype truly is a fabulous invention.

- Current song obsession: "Young Blood" by The Naked and Famous. Check it out.

Fill in the blank Friday

Hellooooo, Friday!

I have been waiting for you, and I am so happy to finally have you here.
Feel free to play along with Lauren's blanks.

1. The phrase or punctuation I overuse most is ". . ." and "seriously". Like Lauren, I love ellipses and, more often than not, do not use them correctly. Surprisingly, my inner grammar nazi isn't bothered by this.

2. Today I am thankful for my amazing parents who have made it possible for me to travel abroad 3 times in my short 24 years.

3. My best friend is the hilarious adventuress, Miss Jamie Lynn; and the lovely Mama-to-be, Miss Corey Anne. I have truly wonderful best friends.

4. A quirky thing about me is that I rarely take the first item off of the shelf...it's one of my little OCD things; I'll take the 2nd or 3rd item instead.

5. This weekend I plan on taking it easy, playing a little trivia, making some lists, getting some cleaning and organizing done and attending a baby shower for a coworker.

6. Something that worries me is something happening to my family and friends, especially my parents. It might have something to do with being an only child - although I'm sure everyone worries about something happening to their parents - but I do have a fear of being left alone in this world much earlier than I'm prepared for (not that I'll ever truly be prepared).

7. On my night stand you would find my alarm clock, stack of books, chapstick, bobby pins, a lamp, picture of my parents and box of kleenex.

Fill in the blank Friday

1. I am in love with my new Chamilia charm bracelet that my Dad got me for Valentine's Day (shout-out to Mom for helping him pick the charms). His thinking of me meant so much to me, and the charms are perfect...one is even a crab!!

2. The bravest thing I've ever done was probably making it official in my mind to visit Jamie while she's in Australia. I know that seems like a no-brainer and not very brave, but if you know me and my OCD ways, then you know this is huge. I'm a total control-freak when it comes to money and I live on a really tight budget. I have savings that I guard with my life and any time I have to dip into that account I'm guaranteed to have a cry- or shout-fest over it. Well, travel to AUS? Yea, good-bye savings! And, as Jamie and all of you know, I get nervous when I fly alone, and I feel better knowing the airport that I'm landing in. Well, an international flight alone and an airport I've never been to in a foreign country are bound to get my heart racing a bit. Now, all of that being said, I cannot wait to visit Jamie and play tourist in Australia, but actually doing it comes in pretty high on my bravery list.

3. I feel prettiest when I'm having a "skinny" day, when my bangs cooperate and when I have freshly painted finger- and toenails.

4. Something that keeps me awake at night is work, my to-do list, when I have something I need to get off of my chest, fighting with people, etc...pretty much anything that causes worry has the potential to keep me up at night, or cause me to sleepwalk.

5. My favorite meal in the entire world is dependent upon my mood. I know I've answered this question with butternut squash ravioli before, but today I think classic fish and chips is winning out. I don't have one specific favorite, but rather a list of food loves. I'm a foodie!

6. The way to my heart is through words and touch.

7. I would like to have a spa day. I could really go for an all-out day of pampering: facial, massage, pedicure, manicure, brow wax, hair cut, etc.

Wanderlust is getting the best of me

Do you ever have one of those mornings where you wake up and would rather be somewhere else? That's the kind of morning that I'm having. It's not that anything is truly wrong, it's just a general sense of wanderlust that I can't seem to kick. I'm a creature of habit and am happily settled into my little life, but every 6 months or so, I want out. I want to get on a plane, take a break from Colorado and immerse myself in new scenery.
If I could throw together a suitcase, grab my book and purse and hop a flight this morning I'd like to find myself:

- drinking Penfolds cabernet sauvignon and laughing with Jamie, Nick and Andy in Bathurst, Australia.

- in Cambridge, MA...browsing through the used bookshelves at the Harvard Bookstore with a soy latte in hand.

- Eating a pretzel the size of my head while wandering through old town Heidelberg, Germany.

- Bicycling from winery to winery in Napa Valley (there's sunshine and a sundress in my fantasy).

- in Paris with my Mom. I want to eat pastries at a little cafe, get lost wandering around the city and see my Mom's reaction to viewing the city from the top of the Eiffel Tower. I want to fight the crowds to see the Mona Lisa and then show my Mom my favorite Degases at the Musee d'Orsay. And, I want to be there when she's dazzled by Versailles.

- bundled up against the snow flurries in Vail, CO with Jamie. We'd window-shop, take too many pictures and gorge ourselves on spaetzle.

- strolling through downtown Providence, RI, eventually ending up at Amy's Cafe where I could sit at the little table by the window, reading and people-watching while enjoying a grilled cheese with tomatoes, sweet potato fries and a mug of coffee that never seems to empty.

There's nothing wrong with a little wanderlust...

Where would you all like to be right now?

Sometimes I just need to remind myself.

I'm tired. My sleeping has been all screwed up this week because I cannot seem to shut my brain off. I hate when that happens. I've never classified myself as a truly great sleeper, but normally I do pretty well...except for those nights when I feel the need to think through every. single. thing that is happening in my life, which always leads to psychoanalyzing myself, which in turn leaves me lying awake at all hours of the night. This is eventually followed by a restless night's sleep that is often full of strange dreams and sometimes a little sleepwalking. No worries if you think this is strange; I do too! Gosh, I wish brains came equipped with an OFF switch.


So, I'm in a little funk today. Not a depressed funk, but just a quiet, let's-internalize-everything funk. Easy enough to handle, but still a funk, nonetheless. I keep finding myself focusing on the many what-if's in my life, and playing out all of their options in my head. This game can sometimes be a fun one, like when you're planning a "what if my bestie and I met up in Chicago for a weekend" scenario; but sometimes they aren't so fun, like when you play out the "what if I'm selling myself short" game. Ugh. I don't like this game. And, as much as I am a worrier and I do sometimes get into a pessimistic rut, I'm normally more of the Pollyanna type. I'm good at seeing the glass as half-full, at twisting people's thoughts in order to show their optimistic other side, and I'm good at smiling and making other people smile. But today I need to remind myself to smile a bit more; to remind myself that my life is freaking awesome and I truly do love it because it's filled to the brim with:

-Coworkers who bring in Dunkin' Donuts coffee because they know it's my favorite.

-An adorable dog (my coworker's) who rests his head on my chest when I scratch the sweet spot behind his ear.

-A Mom who meets me for impromptu lunch dates.

-My Dad who listens to me babble about my books even though he doesn't really care.

-A job that I adore.

-A wonderful friend who needs an afternoon escape from the office in the form of a walk and gossip session just as much as I do.

-A best friend who knows me better than I know myself.

-An amazing apartment that is my own little haven.

-The warmth of Colorado sunshine on an otherwise chilly day.

-Being able to flirt with cute boys.

-The opportunity to travel and the support of my family that helps make it possible.

-The option to indulge in my nerdy, school-loving ways.

-Feeling accomplished and renewed after sweating it out at the gym while the music blasts.

-Lovely bloggy friends.

-A surprising amount of patience when it comes to someone or something that I truly care about.

-The constant presence of art and language in my life.

-A newly walking 10 month old who smiles when she sees me and always wants to play with my jewelry.

..and oh-so-much more...

Fill in the blank Friday

1. The most adventurous thing I've ever done is wander around Europe while on a school trip. Not overly adventurous, I suppose, but it certainly is when you're only 14 years old and cannot speak the language of the country you're currently in. I'm a pretty cautious, over-analyzing person.

2. If I were a pair of shoes I would be a pair of well-loved, colorful flip-flops: comfy, always there to slip on and able to brighten up an outfit.

3. My preferred mode of digital communication is definitely texting. I've never really been a phone person (other than with my Mom) because I kind of dislike having to just sit and focus entirely on the phone call. I much prefer being able to multi-task while texting.

4. I feel happiest when I've just finished up a good convo (in person, via phone/texting or skype) with my Mom or bestie, I'm decked out in loungeware and am either settling in at home with a cup of strong tea and a good book, or curled up at Barnes and Noble with coffee and a book. I also feel happy during evening walks when the sun is setting over the mountains.

5. A little dream I have for my life is to fall in love and get married...and explore the world together.

6. The one modern convenience I could NOT do without is my cell phone. It's pretty much attached to me and I would be lost without it. Also, Mapquest has saved my directionally challenged butt on many occasions. Oh, and I'd be lost right now without Skype to keep in touch with my adventurous bestie. Obviously, I cannot pick just one modern convenience.

7. Music, movies, TV or books: if I could only choose one to enjoy I would pick books, hands down! I love the feel of books, the smell of books and books' ability to whisk me away to anywhere I want to go.

I needed this

I truly believe there is nothing better than a best friend. I finally had a much-needed, long phone conversation with Jamie tonight and my entire world feels as though it's been righted. I've been on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster the past 10 days and really just needed to talk with the one person who would understand it all without my needing to explain anything. But Jamie's in the middle of a move, and is therefore without internet at her new house, so Skyping has been impossible. So, rather than clear out my psyche through good old fashioned conversation, I've been attempting to work things out through odd dreams and excessive sleepwalking. Obviously, something wasn't working...I needed an EJ fix! We hadn't had a legit conversation in 2 weeks, which doesn't seem like too long, but to us it's practically an eternity. But isn't that how it's supposed to be between true friends?

And tonight we talked, and talked and talked. Ahhh. My soul feels lighter, some weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I feel happier. Thank you, Jamie Lynn for knowing me so well and for needing tonight's phone call just as much as I did.

fresh tomatoes, velvety Pinot Noir and Jane Austen only add to my lovely evening.

Fill in the Blank Friday

1. Birthdays are wonderful things! I love birthdays - mine and friends' and family's - and I think every one should be able to indulge in a day that is all about them, to celebrate the day they became a part of the world.

2. My favorite birthday memory was my Mom always taking my birthday off of work so we could go play. We usually wound up in Estes Park playing putt-putt golf, eating lunch and shopping, but no matter what we did, she always made me (makes me!) feel like the most special girl in the whole world.

3. A birthday tradition I (or my family) has is letting the birthday person pick out what he or she wants for dinner, either homemade or going out to a restaurant. I know that's probably pretty normal, but it's what we do. Birthdays typically mean family time, or at least a family dinner. My best friend, Jamie, also always puts together the most amazing themed birthday gifts; definitely tradition!

4. If I had to choose one birthday meal to eat for the rest of my birthdays hence forward, I would choose ...I have no clue! Probably pasta with veggies and a cream sauce of some sort because it's total love on my part, but I like being able to pick whatever I'm in the mood for on my day.

5. My birthday is on June 20th - I'm a Gemini...totally emotional and bipolar. haha!

6. If I could take a birthday trip I would go to Ireland. I want to visit this country so badly and I think June would be a gorgeous time to visit. Plus, maybe I'd find an Irish hottie to be my birthday gift. Someday...

7. The best gift I've ever received for my birthday was a gorgeous ring that my Mom gave me for my 18th that I wear nearly every day. It's totally unique and I love it! This year's birthday package from Jamie also tops my list, probably because we miss each other and it was wonderful to essentially have a little piece of my bestie come to me in gift form. She knows me best and her gifts brought tears to my eyes.

Fill in the Blank Friday

1. The last thing I do before going to sleep is turn on my fan, turn off my light and snuggle in!

2. When I can't sleep I toss and turn and eventually turn on the light and read.

3. The first thing I do when I wake up is make my bed. Yep, I'm that girl. Then I brush my teeth, take off my eye make-up and grab my coffee.

4. When I'm tired I get whiney and/or snappy. I've been known to get a little weepy if I'm super tired and stressed. And, I usually hit that point where I'm so beyond tired that I'm hyper and can't sleep.

5. My dream bedroom would be in shades of yellow, white and grey with a little green and blue thrown in for good measure. It would have a window seat, an old-fashioned 4 poster bed, lots of soft throws for snuggling up with, a reading corner with an overstuffed chair or a chaise lounge and it would be a soft, welcoming space. Oh, and there would be a couple of awesome lamps...I love lamps.

6. If I could wake up anywhere tomorrow morning it would be in Tuscany with my Mom, Jamie and her Mom. I think a bestie mother-daughter wine and cooking trip would be amazing. And even though my Mom isn't a huge wine drinker, I think she'd appreciate it and would love to see Italy.

7. The longest sleep I've ever had was probably when I got back from Germany. I was exhausted and remember falling asleep on my friend's couch (while the superbowl was going on) only to wake up and go right to bed.

BONUS BLANKS:

8. I sleep on my back or right side.

9. When I sleep, I like to wear boxers and a tank.

10. My bedtime is usually between 10 and 11 because I am not a night owl.

She's my friend soulmate

(Vail, CO -- October 2009)

I'm craving time with my best friend in a way that I almost cannot describe. It's officially been 6 months since she left Colorado for Australia and it'll be another 6 months before she's back again. We've survived 6 months before, but not longer and I'm kind of worried that I'm going to turn into a cranky bitch towards the end of this next 6 month period. Jamie and I skype nearly every day, we email and facebook and we're lucky enough to be able to fit in (truly) long distance phone calls on a semi-regular basis. Our friendship is stronger than ever, and it's so nice to know that no matter where each of us are in our lives, we can persevere. We can still talk about anything and everything, more often than not we're on the same, sometimes completely random, page (the EJ wavelength) and she still knows me, and I know her, better than anyone else. She and I have found our friend soulmate in each other, and I love that...no matter how cheesy it may sound.

I miss you, Miss Jamie Lynn...get ready for one hell of an airport reunion in December!

(that's my Jamie!)

Fill in the Blank Friday/Saturday

Apparently I'm starting a new tradition of not filling in Lauren's Friday blanks until Saturday. Normally I would say this is unacceptable, but this past week was a bit shit, so I'm not too concerned with being off a day here and there. Now if this continues into the next couple of weeks, I really will have to berate myself.

1. My favorite thing about this week has been seeing my cousin Jill and her husband Michael. Jill is 3 years older than me and I haven't seen her since before she graduated from high school, which also means that I'd never met husband. Jill and Michael were in town from Michigan, and were able to meet up with my parents and me for dinner on Wednesday. It was wonderful to catch up, meet Michael and have a nice evening. I also loved working from home yesterday and getting my hair cut and colored!

2. The weather this week has been typical Colorado: hot and then randomly cold and rainy for a couple of days. Honestly, I loved the cooler weather, but the sun today definitely feels good!

3. The last (interesting) item I received in the mail was 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. I've always loved flipping through this book, and finally gave in and bought a copy.

4. The last movie I saw was From Paris With Love (currently watching). I love me some Jonathan Rhys Meyers, especially when he wears glasses!

5. If I could be doing anything I felt like today I would magically find myself in Australia with Jamie, drinking a bottle of cabernet sauvignon, eating homemade lasagna and talking about boys. I miss my best friend right now more than words can describe.

6. As a teenager I was mostly well-behaved, stubborn, thought I was smarter than just about everyone else and, just like now, a total Mama's girl.

7. I wish I could trade lives for the day with Jamie. I'd like a taste of grad school, to feel what it's like living in a different country and knowing what it is to be a bit more easy-going than I naturally am.

Fill in the Blank Friday

Hooray! It's Friday!! I'm currently finishing up my final accrual and already making plans to head out early for some family and friends time...aka, I'm going to see Eclipse with my Mom and one of my dearest friends, Chelsae. :-)

In honor of the Holiday Weekend, Lauren at the little things we do... has chosen July 4th themed blanks; how very festive!

1. This weekend for The 4th of July I'll be going to the Cherry Creek Arts Festival to sweat my little heart out from booth to booth, eating at The Cherry Cricket (amazing, wishing Jamie was joining), sleeping-in, hopefully reading by the pool, maybe taking in some fireworks and BBQing with my parents and my favorite cousin who is in town for the week.

2. Fireworks are, like Lauren said, a bit overrated. They're fun, but my world doesn't feel incomplete if I go a year or two without seeing them.

3. Nothing says summer like freezer pops, laying out by the pool, BBQs, reading outside until the sun finally sets at 8:30 or 9:00, roadtrips, mojitos, driving with the music blasting the windows down, fun sunglasses, playing at the park with friends and heading to the mountains on the weekends.

4. My favorite summer memory is when my parents and I roadtripped back to Michigan when I was 11 or 12. We stopped at my Dad's childhood haunts, visited family, got along for the entire trip and spent an amazing day on Mackinac Island. Roadtrips with Jamie to and from Minnesota and Colorado also tops my favorite summer memories list.

5. My favorite thing about summer is being able to go for a walk after dinner and having the sun still shining.

6. Summer in a word is nostalgic.

7. If I could choose to have summer or winter year round I'd pick neither. I love the Summer sun, but I get waaay too hot; and as much as I truly do like Winter, I couldn't live in it year round. I'm a Fall kind of girl.

Baltimore Day 4

We've come to the final installment of my wonderful trip back East. Day 4 was actually spent in Baltimore, unlike Day 1, Day 2 or Day 3. Corey unfortunately had to work this day, so Matt was in charge of entertaining me and getting me to the airport in time for my evening flight back to CO.

Matt and I had a mellow morning that mostly involved putzing around on the computer, drinking lots of coffee and eventually showering and getting dressed. It was actually kind of nice not to be in a rush to get out the door and on to the next destination. But, we did have plans to meet up with Corey for lunch at one of my favorite restaurants in Baltimore, Miss Shirley's Cafe. Seriously, this place is absolutely to. die. for! It's a bit pricey, but totally worth it! So, we grabbed Corey from the office and enjoyed a fabulously tasty meal. Corey and I said our good-byes, which is always kind of sad, but she and Matt will be out in Colorado in August for their WEDDING, so this farewell wasn't too bad.

Matt is my fellow History nerd (seriously, you would want this kid with you if you were ever on Cash Cab) and since it was just the two of us for the rest of the afternoon, we decided to go to Fort McHenry since I had never been. It was another effing hot day, but we had a great time exploring the Fort. I'm not a huge fan of American History, but the American Revolution is one of the time periods that I love reading and learning about. I wont bore you all with the details, but if you're a history nerd and ever in Baltimore, I suggest checking out Fort McHenry.

After a couple of hours at the Fort, Matt and I headed to a shopping area near the airport in order to kill some time before I had to leave. We did a little wandering, both found a few things that we just had to have, waited out a freak rain storm and then it was off to the airport for me! Little did I know that my flight was going to be delayed for 2 hours, causing me to not get back home to Fort Collins until well after midnight...but, that's ok.

I had a wonderful Memorial Weekend getaway, and it was so nice to see my friends.

Baltimore Day 3

The third day of my trip was a HOT one! We're talking high humidity and temps of 100 degrees! But, we weren't going to let that stop us, so we piled into the car and headed to Annapolis. Granted, there was a little whining from time to time and huge sighs of relief could be heard from all three of us when we would walk into any place with AC. But, I loved Annapolis. I had never been before, and I am so glad that we decided to spend the afternoon in the downtown area. It was beautiful! Lots of cute shops, cobbled streets lined with potted flowers and, of course, it's right on the water.

We wandered around town a little bit, strolled down to the docks and then decided that not only were we dying of heat, but we were starving! So, we found a great restaurant on the water, enjoyed a fabulous meal and lowered our body temps a bit. Stepping back onto the street from the restaurant was like hitting a wall of hot humidity; it was intense. I've had my fair share of experiences with humidity (lots of summers spent in the Midwest), but I am a Colorado girl who loves dry heat, so humidity always makes me a little whiney...this certainly isn't one of my best qualities. Luckily, I wasn't the only one totally floored by the heat and humidity, Matt and Corey were just as uncomfortable as I was. We quickly popped into a local coffee shop for 3 large iced coffees and then darted into stores and dashed from shaded area to shaded area on the way back to the car. The three of us also braved the direct sun just long enough to take several cute pictures near the State Capitol Building. Sometimes you just have to indulge in touristy urges.

Despite Matt's grumblings, Corey and I were able to sweet talk him into stopping at a local Outlet Mall for a bit of shopping (and a bathroom break!) on the way back to Baltimore. She and I were both successful and Matt was very well behaved. I have to give him major kudos for always putting up Corey and me and our shenanigans. He does it so gracefully (is that weird to say about a guy?).

After Annapolis and shopping, Corey and I dropped Matt off at the apartment because we had a girls' night planned! We killed a little time by wandering around Target, bought some candy for Matt as a thank you for putting up with us and then picked up Corey's friend Amy. She was such a sweetheart! The three of us gossiped over dinner and then went to see Sex and the City 2!! I was so excited! But, I have to say that I was a little let down. I loved the TV series and thought the first movie was wonderful, but I felt like the 2nd one was trying too hard to one-up the first movie. The clothes were beautiful, the scenery and locations left me awestruck and of course, the ladies were fabulous. But even with all of that, the movie left me wanting. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I wasn't as blown away by SATC2 as I had wanted to be. Once the movie was over, Corey, Amy and I met up with two other ladies, Carrie and Abby, for dessert and to catch up. I've known Carrie for about a year now and it was great getting to see her. Even though SATC2 was a little disappointing, girls' night was a success!

(Amy, Corey, Abby, Carrie and Me)

Baltimore Day 2

Much like Day 1 of my trip back East, Day 2 was spent in total relax mode. We slept in, ran into town for fresh coffee and iced tea and made a quick stop at Wal-Mart for a new, jump-off-of-the-dock-without-flashing-anyone bathing suit for Corey.

Once we were back at the house, Matt, Corey, Matt's cousin Mike and I all suited up, slathered on the sunscreen, stocked the cooler with beer and trail mix and hopped on the boat to head to "Redneck Beach". This is a fairly popular beach area that is best accessible by boat and attracts an interesting crowd, hence the family's name: Redneck Beach.

We drank a few beers, played football, swam around a bit and had a great time. Eventually the beach started to get a little too busy for our tastes, so we piled back into the boat and took our party back to the dock. Corey and I layed out until Matt started whining about us not swimming, at which point we both jumped, whole-heartedly, off of the dock! Corey and I get a little wussy about swimming with "things" in the water, so we weren't in the water for too long; just long enough to cool down.

We went out on the boat for one final evening cruise with Matt's Aunt and Uncle and then the three of us piled into the car and started the drive back to Baltimore. It was a quick two days at the Bay, but lovely, fun and entirely worth it.

Woe is me...

I just need a very small minute for a quick pity party:

Today was my Baltimore Bestie's bridal shower back in Virginia and I'm so sad that I wasn't able to be apart of it. The pictures are lovely, my gift made it in time and Corey had an absolutely incredible day, but I'm still very sad.

Ok, that's off of my chest, thank you for listening, and now I will focus on just how big Corey's smile is in all of her pictures. I love my bestie, but sometimes I really hate distance.

Baltimore Day 1

If we're going to get technical, the first day of my Baltimore trip was actually spent in Killmarnock, Virginia, as was the 2nd day. Matt's family has a house on the Chesapeake Bay (technically, an inlet of the bay, but there are too many technicalities going on in this post) and graciously opened up their home to Matt, Corey and I for the holiday weekend.

So, Matt and Corey picked me up from the airport at 12:30 am, we went directly to a 24 hour Dunkin' Donuts (because I'm obsessed & Matt needed caffeine for the drive) and then babbled the entire 3 hour drive from Baltimore to Killmarnock. Once we got to the house, we stumbled through the dark with our luggage and proceeded to find our beds and fall asleep as quickly as possible. It'd been a long day for everyone!

Come morning, the sun was shining, the humidity was rising and the three of us were feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day. And what a lovely day it was! We started off by going with Matt's cousin, his wife and their 9 month old daughter, Keira, to the pool to soak up some sun and play with the baby. The sun felt amazing, and while Keira wasn't sold on the older boys splashing around the pool, she did give us enough smiles to keep us all entertained.

After the pool we lounged around the house and hung out on the dock, spying for crabs swimming in the water. Corey and I gossiped about this and that, and crawled around on the floor with Keira, enjoying her happy baby talk.

(side note: while we were playing, Keira's dad made a comment about being able to just sit back because Keira was "in the hands of the psychologists, so she's fine!" Made me chuckle because Corey's a legit Psychologist, but I just have a Psych B.S.).

Chesapeake Bay blue crabs were next on the agenda, and I had a little too much fun snapping photos of the feisty (live!) little buggers as they were moved from their basket to the cooking pot. Sometimes I just can't help but play tourist with my camera! I love crab, but up to this point, had only ever had it in crab-cake style. Well, Matt and his Uncle were on a mission to fix that! I enjoyed a wonderful crab-picking tutorial and devoured some of the most amazing crab I've ever tasted.

After cleaning up the remains of our crab smorgasbord, Matt's Aunt and Uncle took us for a spin around the inlet on their boat and we toasted the start of an amazing weekend with Prosecco and graham crackers...we were kind of keeping it classy.

The evening ended with lightning bugs on the back porch and fireworks over the Bay.

A bit of catching up

Things have been busy! Do you ever feel like you plan too much, even though, when you look at it on paper, it doesn't really seem like all that much? Yea, sometimes that's how I feel about my social life. I'm an only child who relishes in her alone time, right? Yet I can have entire months where I have something going on nearly everything single evening. WTF?! So, apparently I am actually a social butterfly who plans, plans and plans until one day she feels overwhelmed by too many people and activities, goes into cranky-bitch mode and then takes some much needed time for herself before starting the process all over again. Yep, that sounds like me!

All kidding aside, I really love doing things with my family and friends, and because I'm a planner, I do like seeing my calendar full of writing...but sometimes I need a break. And this past weekend served as such for me. It was my first weekend since finishing up my Accounting class (I got an surprise A!), the sun was shining, the weather was CO-gorgeous and my pool was open! So, naturally, I spent a lot of time reading by the pool, frying my poor little body to a crisp and lazing about with my coffee. It was wonderful. It felt like summer break and I felt like a student again. My love of reading has been renewed and I once again have a stockpile of books from the Library. Yes sir, feels like summer break to me.


This week has been busy, and I've had some frustrating encounters at work, so needless to say, I am once again ready for a break. A real break, not just a weekend. You know, like a vacation break. And, lucky for me, I get to hop on a plane to Baltimore tomorrow evening and soak up some Chesapeake Bay sun, gossip with my Baltimore Bestie, eat fresh seafood and just RELAX. Hooray for 3 day holiday weekends from work and accumulated comp time. Oh, and, I also get to see Sex and the City 2 with said bestie! She had just moved East when the first SATC came out and we've pouted ever since about not having been able to see it together, so now we're making up for lost time and planning a girl's evening complete with Sex and the City amazingness! I'm pretty sure this weekend will have to involve a cosmo (or two) at some point, don't you think?

Tonight it's dinner with my parents, painting my nails, maybe dragging my butt to the gym (becuase I will be gorging myself on stuffed sopapilla goodness) and hopefully doing a load of laundry. I'm working from home tomorrow in order to put my multi-tasking skills to good use, and then it's off to the airport!

Does anyone else have something fun planned for their Memorial Weekend?

ps- I cried during the LOST finale and am not 100% in love with how they ended it, but that's ok. Still, my Tuesdays seem a little sad and empty now.

pps- I officially have business cards at work...that's right, I'm legit now!