Knives + Stairs + I Hate a Man Named Darryl

I went to a personal training session for the first time in my life on Tuesday. I made the mistake of telling the trainer, Darryl, one of my goals was to tone. Which apparently means we do lots of weight training. I have never done any weight training whatsoever. He warned me I would hate him the next day. Needless to say, my legs (and arms... and abs... but mostly my legs) have been in the worst pain I've ever felt in my life (so far) ever since then. They felt like someone was stabbing my quads with 20 knives, each leg, every time I walked up or down stairs, tried to sit on a chair, stood up from a chair, bent over to get something out of my suitcase, walked anywhere. There was a lot of wincing and lip biting and almost falling over trying to do things. Stairs were definitely the worst, though.

The day after the session I came down to DC for an event I planned. We had the check in table upstairs, by the front door to the venue, but the event was held in a space... down... two... flights... of... stairs. STAIRS. KNIVES. THE PAIN.

Side note here: I always wear high heels to work functions, even though I'm usually standing for a long time and doing a lot of walking around checking on things. I think it has something to do with when I wear flats I'm like negative 2 feet tall and feel like a little girl, but when I wear heels I think I look like an adult. So when I'm around lots of people at my firm, I like to look adult and professional. I also don't (usually) find heels uncomfortable like some people do. I usually will wear flats preparing for an event so I can run around, then throw my heels on when it starts.

I brought these flats with me to run around in, but didn't plan on wearing them all evening because of what I said above, but also because they didn't really match my outfit. Let's just say if I were another female and saw someone wearing those shoes with what I was wearing I'd judge her on her shoe choice. But maybe I'm just judgy like that. So I wore my flats running up and down those stairs until the reception started and then I bit the bullet and threw on my 4 1/2 inch heels. Remember the 20 knives? Let's go up to 30 now with the heels on. The pain. Oh the pain... there were a few points where I thought I was going to just fall because my legs were obviously just going to break if I was in that much pain. Also sometimes the pain would get so bad that they would kind of turn to jello. Jello does not make for very supportive legs. I seriously must have looked like I had never worn heels before to all our guests. Gritting my teeth, wincing at every step, holding onto the handrail for dear life... So I guess that whole adult-looking thing probably flew out the window.

Today it only feels like 15 knives, so I guess that's an improvement. Also, I'm able to wear low heels again after wearing only flats. Still can't sit or bend down without wincing, though.

Hopefully tomorrow we'll be down to 10 knives so I can actually enjoy exploring DC. Fingers crossed.

I hate you Darryl.

But I'll see you in a week for our next session. Hopefully I'll have forgotten about all this pain by then.

Lesson of the day: Don't go to a personal training session for the first time in your life if you have ANYTHING to do for the next week that involves standing or walking or sitting, and most importantly not going anywhere that has two flights of stairs you have to take 40 times in a night. OK FINE and maybe, just maybe, pack flats that match and don't wear your 4 1/2 inch death wish heels.

-C
xxx

SMBHD - Doesn't Get Why I Clean For Guests

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His rationale: He is not going to notice you didn't vacuum.

Mine: But I will.

It doesn't matter if someone's coming to visit for a day, a weekend, or two weeks. I still want my house to be as presentable as possible. Yes, I'm going to put more of an effort in for my in-laws and any other guests who would be staying for an extended period of time, but I'm still going to put an effort in for my BH's friend Mark who is only staying with us tonight through Sunday. Do I think people are going to think my house always looks like this? No. Do I try to make them think that? Nope. I'll fully admit to them that it's not normally this clean. I don't know, I just can't be laid back about it. BH is like, "No big deal, just make sure everything's off the bed in the guest bedroom, and he has some towels, he's not gonna care." He clearly doesn't get it! But I also can't explain it… I just… can't not put at least some effort into making our house look presentable. So I ended up staying up pretty late last night cleaning and getting things ready.

My BH sent me a very nice email this morning thanking me for all the effort I went to for this weekend. He appreciates it, but he still doesn't get it. Lol.

Ok so some of it may be because we rarely have anyone over our house. Our house isn't really conducive to having large groups over. Our living room can pretty much fit 6 people MAX - and really only 4 comfortably. And our back yard had a disgusting green pool in it up until a few days ago (courtesy of our neighbors, with whom we share the yard), so barbecues are pretty much out. I like to entertain. I like to cook for people. I want to have dinner parties and barbecues. Maybe this is why I want to buy a house so bad (probably). So, in addition to cleaning last night I also put a lasagna together (to be put in the oven for dinner tonight), and made sangria. And went to volleyball (first playoff game - we won!). And made dinner. And picked up my two cases of pumpkin beer!!! (I'm already starting to think I should get another one, because I'll be so sad when it's all gone…)

Am I crazy? Ok, yes is probably the answer in general, but I mean with regards to this post! :)

-C
xxx

Our Trip Across the Pond

We got back from our trip to England on Monday afternoon, and boy were we "knackered" (as my BH would say). It was a great trip, though! We got to stuff our faces with my mother in-law's delicious meals, see some of the Derbyshire countryside, SHOP, and go to his friend Smithy's wedding! More on the wedding to come, once I get around to taking all of the pictures off my camera - but it was awesome, and beautiful!

Guess what, Americans - it was about 65-70 degrees for our entire trip. Can you even imagine what that feels like?? I couldn't either. And now that I'm back I can't again. I even bought a jacket while I was there! And wore it to the airport, over a few layers of shirts, and jeans. Yeah, when we got into Philly I wasn't wearing the jacket... or the cardigan under it... or the t shirt. Just the tank top under it all (I really needed those pants that zip off to shorts), and was STILL sweating. Welcome home! It was nice to not sweat for a few days, and actually get to blow dry and straighten my hair. And wear foundation without it dripping down my face. Although I'm glad I brought jeans and cardigans, even when Tim scoffed at me and tried to tell me I wouldn't need them! Yes, yes I did need them actually!

So, shopping. Right. Because that's what you want to hear about, I just know it. The first day we were there we went to TK Maxx. Yes, you read that right. TK Maxx. In the UK they change the "J" to a "K". Why? I have no idea. When I first encountered one of those, Tim told me I was crazy to think it should be TJ Maxx. Obviously he underestimated my knowledge of the TJX Corporation that owns all TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Home Goods, and apparently TK Maxx stores. So his argument of "No, "K" is right." kind of went right out the window when I told him my rationale that it's owned by the TJX Corporation and therefore there is no good reason for the K to make an appearance. Mystery still unsolved. I could probably google it, but I don't feel like it. All I know is that it should be a J.

Anyhoo - first stop - TK Maxx. It was HUGE. I was in HEAVEN. I also had completely forgotten what my size was in the UK. I think the sizes are smaller there because all the smalls I picked up were super extra small. I was having a hard time spotting things quickly, especially when looking for skirts because they weren't listed as small or medium, only double digit numbers I'm not used to seeing. So I walked out of there with a pair of running pants... non exciting, I know. But wait! I also walked out of there with a super cute purse AND THIS:


Can you tell how big it is? Tim was like, "You are never going to get that thing home." But my MIL was like, "Use it as your neck pillow on the plane." I like how she thinks. Although I'm the one person who would get in trouble for that and end up having to pay $600 to check it so I ended up squishing it into my suitcase somehow. Also, I should point out that Tim's the one who showed me this pillow, and the ottoman next to it that I really wanted to ship home. So this is his fault, and therefore that's how I justify half of my luggage going into his suitcase for the trip home so that I could fit this pillow in mine. :)

The next day we went for a fish pedicure! (Me and my MIL, the men wouldn't even come in the shop!) I read an article about it a couple years ago, and have always wanted to try it, but it wasn't what I expected really! I don't know why, but I think I didn't expect to actually feel them, and maybe I didn't expect there to be so many! My mom would FREAK OUT. I just know it. I giggled like a little girl most of the time. I couldn't even look down at my feet for the first 5 minutes. It was so weird! But my feet were definitely nice and soft after, so job well done fishies.

After that we got to see Nottingham Castle (Castle Rock, actually, we didn't go up to the castle)

...and the oldest bar in England. No, really, it's been there since 1189AD. See?


We also took a picture with the Robin Hood statue, because we were in Nottingham after all… and apparently very near "Maid Marian Way".


We went for a hike in Derbyshire on Sunday and it was unexpectedly beautiful! Not that I thought it wouldn't be beautiful, I just didn't expect to see this:


As you can see, we were nowhere near the riots.

Also, any idea how I could ship this home??

I'm pretty sure I want need it.

-C
xxx

My "Special" Running Approach

via Google Image Search

I can't help but think when I run how much of a rookie I am. Yes, I am still a rookie (or at least I feel like one) even though I've been running since I was like 13. It's because I haven't kept running since I was 13. I think I just don't consider myself a "runner". I don't know if I'll ever be one of those people with an "I ♥ running" t shirt or stickers on my car. I don't ♥ it that much. Plus, I'd feel like a fraud because, like I said, I still feel like a rookie. Running's easy. You just move your feet. Which is probably why I do it. I don't have to go to a trainer and find out how to use my feet properly. I just move them and watch other people to make sure I move like they do. Easy enough. When I run I tend to think of my "special" approach to running and thought you'd really like to read about it. Ha.

I don't like to learn new exercises. I like to be able to just do it. Hence running is for me.

It took me a very long time (and several tries at this "consistent running thing") to figure out that I don't need to run fast.

I get "side stitches" if I run too fast, hence the need for running slower. Oddly enough, I only ever get them on my left side. I think my breathing has something to do with this as well.

I can't figure out how to breathe right. Yeah, for real. I think it's in through the nose, out through the mouth. When I concentrate on it too much I get really out of breath. If I don't concentrate on it I get side stitches. Lose-lose. Help?

I can't run uphill or downhill (slight grades only) or I get shin splints. I learned that the hard way many moons ago.

I FINALLY discovered the joys of running shorts. I guess I've always been under the impression that since I don't work out that much, why spend too much money on clothes to work out in? However, sometimes it pays off. Because apparently there have been running shorts out there all along that I never knew about and finally discovered and rock my world. I was in TJ Maxx (yeah, I still didn't pay a lot for them, but if I had known about these a long time ago before they hit TJ Maxx, I would've!), and picked up two pairs of running shorts to try on. The first were plain black. I went to put my feet through the holes and was like "WHOA WHOA whoa. Is this a men's bathing suit? What is up with the mesh underwear inside? Weird. NOPE." and didn't even try them on. The next pair had a green stripe on the side. So when I went to try them on, and found out they also had the mesh underwear inside… they got a chance (due to the green stripe). And I bought them. And I love them. No shorts riding up on me anymore! BONUS: there are tiny little pockets inside the shorts for a key or something, and the back one I use for my Ipod.

Until recently, and without my super awesome inside back pocketed shorts, I had no idea how to put my Ipod on without it getting in the way. I tried those arm strap thingers (I sweat too much under them and they annoy me). I don't like holding things when I run (plus, again, sweat too much and don't want my Ipod to get all sweaty!). And even now with the Shuffle (that clips on), I still didn't know of a good spot to clip it without my arms getting in the way. I would always find a way to knock it and get perilously close to it flying into the canal. Gross. I am NOT going in there. So thank god for those shorts because they now saved my Ipod as well.

I have a really hard time resisting the urge to mouth the words to some songs when I run. Sometimes I don't resist.

I have to chew gum when I run. This will probably make a trainer cringe, but I'm serious. I also get side stitches if I don't do this. My theory is that because I drink a ton of water on a daily basis, but refuse to carry a water bottle with me when I run because, as we've already discussed, I don't like running with things in my hands, that my body isn't used to going that long (and working that hard) without hydration. Gum keeps me hydrated by way of producing more saliva, I guess, but whatever, it works. It helps. And when I forget my gum? I get stitches and dry mouth and am miserable and don't run for as long. FACT: I also have to chew gum when I sing. I always used to chew gum in choral concerts and stuff and my instructor would always yell at me. But I didn't actually chew it, I just kept it in my mouth so my mouth wouldn't get dry.

I have to keep my hands open and (I guess) above my heart level when I run. I'm assuming it's my heart level - all I know is I have to keep them angled upwards and not fisted. If I keep them by my waist, or even when I'm walking if I keep them down by my sides, my fingers swell up like sausages. So when I'm doing the walking portion of my run (yes, I still have to do that a little), I have to keep my hands pumping or put them on my head. I can actually feel the swelling happening instantly if I don't.

Other people on the trail path probably look at me funny when I'm pumping my arms or putting them on my head while I'm walking. I wouldn't know because I avoid eye contact with them.

I don't want to know how far I actually run. I think it's because if I run 3 miles one day, and 1 mile the next, I'll feel like a failure. Versus if I run to the the fork in the path one day, and only to the red bridge the next, it doesn't feel like that. I only know that I run for about 45 minutes on an average day. Sooo... whatever that means. Yes, I suppose I do like to play mind games with myself.

I like to run outside so I can get some color. I usually wear very thin strapped tank tops to prevent major tan lines. I wish they would make tube tops that stay up while running.

My neighbors are probably going to notice soon that I only have one pair of running shorts. People sit on their front stoops in Manayunk, so I'm constantly running past the same people.

I'm sure this all gives you a fantastic picture of me running down the trail path along the dirty canal with a wedgie, accidentally ripping my Ipod out of my ears with my jazz hands, mouthing the words to "Last Night" by Katy Perry, while wearing a tube top.

I secretly hope that people don't notice my special-isms and think I look like an awesome runner. Or at least that they're not thinking I should be in the special olympics.

-C
xxx

Ship Me Up To Boston!

Something you might not know about me is how much I love Boston. I have this weird obsession with it. Would LOVE to live there. But, alas, it's too far from my mom, and other considerations. I don't know, maybe I'll convince her to move there someday... (we could go to lots of Red Sox games, Ma.)

Anyway, I already told you my husband planned a trip to Boston as my birthday present. Now I'm just going to tell you what we did. We were only there for, oh, a day and a half, but it was such a great trip!

We started off by getting up at 4am. OWWWWW. That's all I have to say about that. Got to the hotel, checked in, and got to the first stop - Harpoon Brewery! Yes, we were on a brewery tour at 10:30 in the morning. Don't judge. It was the best brewery tour I've ever been on! Ok, so it's only the 2nd, but still the best, and anywhere is going to be hard-pressed to beat it for a few reasons:

1. The first thing they do on the tour is fill up your glass for a tasting.
2. They let you taste beer directly out of the barrel - you'll never have fresher beer than that!
3. They're SUPER passionate about their beer, and it shows. They also give you some tidbits about their competitors, which was really interesting. Did you know that Sam Adams doesn't even brew beer in Boston?? But yet, they have a "brewery" tour... interesting. They actually brew it in Pennsylvania. Double interesting.
4. The "grain waste" that is created in the process is picked up by a local farmer to feed his cows. Talk about reduce, reuse, recycle!
5. They let you sample ALL 12 of their beers on tap, if you're quick! I think they give you a half hour to taste whatever you like. If you can taste 12 beers in that time, you can taste 12 beers in that time. I only got to 3, but that's because I didn't know there was a time limit (ok, again, don't judge, the tastings are like 1/4 of a pint glass).
6. And, FINALLY, Harpoon just finished brewing their very first PUMPKIN ALE. I LOOOOVE PUMPKIN ALE!! It's not even out in stores yet, and I got to taste it. I'm not joking, the aftertaste was like eating pumpkin pie. It was amaaaazing! Tim refused to try it because he "hates pumpkin ale". Probably like how he "hated pumpkin pie" before ever trying it and is now obsessed. Someday he'll try the ale... someday... and then I'll probably have to part with half the case of pumpkin beer I get every fall. Hm... maybe I shouldn't make him try it... good point.


Ok so clearly I just wanted to post about Boston so I could tell you all about the Harpoon tour.

We also...

Visited the Public Garden and Boston Common

Where I made Tim ride the swan boats with me.
He keeps telling me I owe him for that.

Notice how thrilled he is.

Got to go to Fenway!

... and see Big Papi!!

And they won! Thank god.

And, get this, we randomly got to meet up with some family of mine! Through the magic of facebook, I saw that they were at Fenway, and we got to meet up with them! I can't even remember the last time I saw them. It's been quite a long time, that's for sure! This is going to sound weird, but I can't figure out if they are cousins or aunt/uncle... um. My grandma's brother's son. So that makes him... either my uncle or my 2nd cousin (since it would be my father's 1st cousin)... well, either way, they're family, lol. Anyway, my cousin/uncle Mitch has a blog chronicling his MS over at EnjoyingTheRide.com if you're interested.

Found Mooo... (this one's for you Cass). Yes, it's a restaurant, and apparently those tubes are portable air conditioners. Weird.

And, AND I got to drink a Green Monstah IPA!
Why did they not have these at Fenway???

I'm pretty sure Tim's favorite part of the trip is that we found a Wagamama!

If you don't know, which you probably don't, Wagamama serves pan-Asian and Japanese food. There are, I swear, 50 of them in London alone, and the only 3 in the US are in Boston! We had sooo much clam chowder and other seafood this weekend that we were ready for something else and lo and behold, there's Wagamama in the Fanheuil Hall Marketplace.
He was thrilled! For real this time.

Boston, we miss you already. *tear*

-C
xxx

Identity Crisis

Today (or tomorrow, depending on how long the line is) I will be going through a very traumatic change in my life. No, I already changed my name legally (on most things at least, I'm still working to update everything). Now I'm… wow, I can't even say it. I don't WANT to say it. But I guess I have to… Now I'm finally going to get my Pennsylvania driver's license and become an official Pennsylvania resident. You have no idea how much it pains me to say this! And yes, it only took me 6 years and a marriage to finally succumb to doing it. Don't tell the po-po or they might lock me up. I'm sincerely going to miss my New Jersey license. And not just because I had a REALLY good picture somehow, and I can guarantee it won't look as good today (or tomorrow). I like being from New Jersey! (I also like being from Maryland, but that's not the point.) You don't have to pump your gas, just your fists! And gas is cheaper! And you don’t have to pay to get your car inspected! And the license plates are tie-dye-esque! I hope to someday again be a Jersey resident, but for now… it's ugly PA license and license plates for me. Boooooo.

via Google Image Search

via Google Image Search

So long New Jersey... :(

via Google Image Search

Also, I'm really going to miss how easy my license plate number was to remember. Let's just say out of 6 characters on the plate, 4 were the letter "U". People used to ask if I ordered it that way.

Sigh.

-C
xxx

Fourth Stuff

We went camping this weekend. It was awesome. We were originally supposed to go with my BFF Cassie, her boyfriend, and two other couples, but one of the couples dropped out last minute and since there was a maximum capacity per site (so my husband and I couldn't meander over to the other camp or we'd get in trouble), we invited my newlywed friends Bonnie and Matt to join. It ended up being a great camping group, if I do say so myself! And the site was pretty frickin' sweet, too! Minus the bugs. G. D. bugs ruin everything.

We headed down on Friday night, put up our tents, and encountered a crazy amount of bugs in our faces. We hiked on over to the other site for the evening - which, for some reason, had a significantly less amount of bugs! On Saturday we went to a nearby beach (like, a 3 minute drive) which was great! I highly enjoyed this version of camping that we did - where we spent an entire day at the beach! Of course, I got burned to a crisp (literally), but totally worth it. Plus it's already starting to turn tan. :) All weekend I had been telling Tim to watch Matt while he built a fire so he could learn. Sunday morning Tim woke up and said, "I'm pretty sure I could build a fire on my own now." Then he got up and started, while Matt, his fire mentor, gave him tips. So Tim earned his Fire Badge this weekend, lol.

via Google Image search

After breakfast we packed up and went on a hike to a nearby lighthouse.

The lighthouse was pretty cool, but also pretty scary. There were these stairs and a ladder you had to climb to get up.

I'm convinced these two are unable to take a serious photo.

Cass and I were pretty much the wussiest people there, crawling on hands and knees, lol. Pretty sure the little girls that went up before us were less wussy than us... Then we went to a delicious restaurant in town on the way out and had some yummy crab bisque and crab cake sandwiches. We were in Maryland - we had to have crabs! It's what Maryland does!



My friends are scattered allll over the place at this point, so it was really nice to be able to meet up with Cassie (almost) halfway between Philly and DC. It's not like I can really do that with Arizona or Kansas... lol. Vegas is halfway between everywhere, right? No? Come on. Vegasssss.

Anyway, the whole weekend, I had to keep a secret from my BFF... that her boyfriend fiance was going to propose on the 4th of July when they went to watch the DC fireworks! Side note - I've had to keep the proposal in general a secret from her since DECEMBER. Do you know how hard that was?!

Fun weekend for all - but most especially for Cassie, I suspect!

CONGRATULATIONS TO TWO OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE:
CASSIE AND STEVVY!!!

I am so glad I no longer have to keep this secret. Phew.

The couple that wears skeletal shoes together, stays together. Or something.

Oh, and did I mention we rode cows and pigs?

We rode cows and pigs.



-C
xxx

Birthday Sparkles

So, they're not EXACTLY what I had in mind when I decided last minute that I NEEDED sparkly shoes for my birthday, but they worked. What I really wanted were these:

via Amazon

Didn't you just hear an angels singing when you saw those? No? Just me? Really?? Oh well. I heart them so bad. I love that they're multi-color sparkles instead of just gold, which is pretty much all I could find last minute at DSW this weekend. It really pains me that I saw these shoes at every Marshall's and TJ Maxx I went to over the winter, and wanted them, but couldn't think of one place I would wear them. STUPID! STUPID! One should always remember that one is entitled to sparkly birthday shoes. ALWAYS. Write that down.

Ok, enough with the shoes. Today is my 25th birthday. It may not be the first 25th birthday I've had (nor will it be my last). I'm forever 25, just remember that. There is no big 3-0 on the horizon for this girl. I'm going to continue to have 25th birthdays since it WORKS. I think the only people who actually know how old I am are those the same age as me, and my mom. My friends who are older or younger never quite seem to know... and I've even fooled myself. I seriously have to count if I have to write it on a legal form or something. I've tricked not only most of you, but myself as well! SUCCESS!

In my 25th year...

~Life in my THIS 25th year is pretty sparkly. No, it's not perfect. I've had to deal with deaths of three loved ones so far this year, and it's only June. I'd like a new job. My husband is stressed out about his. We don't own a house or a nice car. But for the most part I'm comfortable in my everyday life, and that makes me happy, which = sparkly. Some day I will get a new job and we will buy a house (don't really care so much about the car - you know why if you've seen the streets I have to park on). Then I will be SUPER SPARKLY. But for the time being, I'm happy in my life with my husband. I love seeing him occasionally in the middle of the day for lunch, and in the evenings when we get home from work (NOT IN THE MORNINGS). I love the things we do together. I have a permanent concert going partner (EXCEPT HE REFUSED TO GO TO BRITNEY WITH ME). I also enjoy the things we don't do, together - like sit on the couch and watch bad TV. I love how easy it is being married to him, every day. Ok, don't tell anyone, but I smile sometimes just walking around the house when I feel that easiness and that happiness. That's gotta reach my mush-quota for the quarter.

~I've been doing some reflecting recently and had a eureka moment the other day. Holy crap, I'm a grown up. Sure, I've pretty much always been a responsible, mature person, but I guess I just realized there are some things that are more important to me that weren't before, and there are things I used to tolerate that I won't anymore.

~I've realized who my friends for life are going to be. I'm sure there will be additions along the way, but for right now I know who I'll be talking to still in 20 years. It's a comforting feeling.

~I'm trying to just "let things go". It doesn't mean things don't bother me, just means I don't dwell on them because I've realized there's no point. I'm letting go of some of the things that stress me out. I have come to realize that people do the things they do, and there's a certain level of frustration you reach where you realize it's time to stop trying to make them not do those things. Apparently there is a point where screaming and yelling at your brother who just doesn't "get" the world gets you so frustrated that you just don't even want to deal with it anymore. At all. Instead of letting things like this continually frustrate me and stress me out, I'm letting them go or at least settle so that I can deal with them better and not irrationally.

~As we get older, we all change. I think the realizations I've been having are a direct result of me changing. Changing the way I deal with people (or don't), changing the way I view things, changing how I deal with frustrations, changing my general outlook on everyday life. We all will change. Some for the good, some for the bad. The problem is you can't, well, change someone else's change. You have to realize they've changed and they aren't the same person you once knew, and adjust the relationship you have accordingly. I've had to do some adjusting like that a few times in the past couple years.

~I've been trying to eat right, and have been drinking less. I enjoy a good night of drinking, but I used to have a beer or glass of wine every night, and I don't anymore. No real conscious effort to do so, I just don't. I think it has helped my sleeping to be honest (I used to have to take Ambien every night).

~Time has flown in this past year, but I feel like I've grown a lot. I've learned that respecting someone means more to me than I ever knew. I've accepted that things don't happen immediately and you have to wait patiently (OK, I MEAN LIKE NEW JOBS. NOT SPARKLY SHOES. THOSE NEED TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY STILL.).

Ok that's enough realizations for me for the year.

Happy Sparkly Birthday To Me!

-C
xxx

Birthday Fun

So my birthday celebration was all sorts of fun! I'm so very, very behind on uploading pics to facebook. As in, last night I uploaded pics from NEW YEARS and a trip I took in February. (Yeah. I wasn't kidding.) So hopefully tonight I'll get a chance to upload pics from March to June, including birthday celebration pics. In the meantime, here are a couple to tide you over.

We started off at this cool place called Graffiti bar. It's pretty much just awesome. It's outside (but with a clear roof over most of it), and there's all this bright graffiti everywhere. Oh, and they had $2 foods for happy hour. Yeah, they were small portions, but still. Yummy and $2. ALSO, the men especially loved that in the bathrooms they played looping movie quotes. One of the guys was gone for like 15 minutes just to keep listening to the quotes. Also - how perfect is it that there was this one long table that fit us all? Meant to be.

PHOTOBOMBED!
(By Dave from my CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING volleyball team, not by some random dude. Oh, did I mention we won?? Guess what... we won! Seeded #7 at playoff time. Beat #3, then #2, then #1! Amazing.)

Non photobombed photo.

Shannon doesn't like to look at the camera.

Tim will hate me for posting this. I like to think of it as proof that we're meant to be. Why? Because we're singing Livin' on a Prayer. With gusto. And fist pumps. He swears he's British, but I think my Jersey is wearing off on him a bit...

-C
xxx