chicago

This past weekend, my mom and I went to Chicago to celebrate my {belated} birthday and simply spend some quality girl time together. She and I are both {kinda} shopaholics, although my mom may have a difficult time admitting this! Chicago is the perfect place to indulge in our addiction while getting away together for the weekend. 

We got to Chicago late Friday night {courtesy of my dad's bad directions}. When we checked into our hotel {finally!} we were told that our room was on the 46th floor. Not only did I feel like I was going to plunge to my death in our unbelievably high room, our air conditioner was leaking onto the floor. Needless to say, we quickly called and asked for them to switch our room. Finally we were in a {lower & cooler} room so we could quickly unpack and hit the hay. 

We woke up somewhat early {for me} on Saturday so we could get in a full day of shopping. After eating a {scrumptious} buffet breakfast, we quickly headed out to the first store...{a HUGE} Forever 21. {*Anyone that knows me, knows that I HATE shopping in stores like Forever 21. I get very annoyed with how messy these types of stores are and how many people are there. But, the most annoying thing is how they operate the dressing rooms!!! I'm not even going to get started on this! Oh, and I wish I had the patience to shop at stores like this because they have great deals....} Good thing this was the first store because I was in a good mood and they had some great things! By the time we checked out, I was about to have a panic attack because we were in there for so long, but I survived and made it out with some really cute {and cheap} new things! 

(This is what we dropped off at our room after the first couple hours!! Successful trip for both of us!)

The afternoon continued on with more and more shopping. We stopped to have lunch at a cute little pizza place in one of the malls. It was really yummy and much needed energy! One of the most eventful stores we went to was the American Girl store. When I was growing up, I loved playing with dolls, especially American Girl dolls {I have 5 of them that my mom has saved for me to give to my daughter(s)}. The stores weren't around when I was younger, so we had no idea what to expect. We wanted to go check everything out, but we were really going in to find something to buy Julia, my niece, for her Bitty Baby. O.M.G, this is paradise for any girl {old or young}! If you're ever in a city with an American Girl store, you should check it out just for the entertainment aspect. 

After a very successful day of shopping, we went back to the room to freshen up. We then had dinner at this Italian restaurant {the oldest in the city}. It was pretty good. The tiramisu {one of my favorite desserts} was fabulous!!!  We then walked around for a little bit before our show started. We went to see Jersey Boys. It was phenomenal! I can't wait to see it again in Indy this coming Winter. 

(Enjoying our dinner together. Notice the huge tiramisu that I ate all by myself...oops!) 

On Sunday, we ate breakfast, packed our things up, checked out, and then decided to take advantage of the awesome weather. So, we walked around for a little while {and stopped in a few more stores} before heading home. It took us forever {or so it seemed} to drive home. We were so hungry when we got home, we decided to meet Kurt and my dad for some great Mexican food at a little family owned restaurant in Broad Ripple. 

(Mom and I modeling all our new clothes and accessories while waiting for a table.)

(It's good to get away, but even better to come home and see the one you love!) 

Thanks for a great weekend, mom! I had so much fun and can't wait to wear all my new things!! :) 

Betty Crocker

One of my best friends, Susanah, came over last night so we could make dinner together. We were going to meet and get dinner out somewhere, but since we're both trying to save money, it sounded fun and cheaper to eat here. It's always so much fun hanging out with her and I wish we did more often! I was somewhat sad last night because she is planning to move to Miami soon to be with her boyfriend (who is a rookie for the Dolphins!!!). While Kurt and I will have a fun place to visit, it sucks not being able to make last minute plans to hang out and chat. It's really crazy when we hang out because we always end up talking about things from forever ago {we've been friends since 2nd Grade!} It's always funny reminiscing about things we did when we were young. But, it's really crazy to sit and have "grown-up" conversations about moving, getting married, and having kids with someone you remember having sleepovers with while staying up all night talking about our crushes like it was yesterday. I didn't want her to leave and tried to talk her into staying the night. But, she had things she needed to get done and then I ended up passing out on the couch! Hopefully we'll see her and her boyfriend {Kurt needs someone to talk to so he doesn't have to listen to girly talk!} very soon so we can catch up some more and have fun together!!

On another note, I did not eat the entire tub of ice cream last night!! We met with our leasing manager yesterday and she's going to hopefully get some things worked out so we don't have to pay the extra money. She said she'd let us know by today or tomorrow....so I'm guessing tomorrow. BUT, Susanah, Kurt, and I were hungry for some dessert so we walked to Bub's to get some ice cream!!!! {ha} It was a great excuse to have my favorite Peanut Butter Moose Tracks for the second night in a row! {Now that I've had it the past two evenings, I'm REALLY craving it tonight!} 

My mom and I are going to do some major shopping and spend lots of girl time together in Chicago this weekend!!! We're leaving tomorrow after I get done with a work meeting. Enjoy your weekend and hope that I find a lot of good things! :)

I'm off to find something to take care of my ice cream craving....... 

don't mess with me

I am angry, fuming, foaming at the mouth...

I don't know where these emotions come out of, but some things just get to my core and I absolutely cannot get over it for quite some time. It's very bizarre because I'm a hard person to anger and typically very understanding. On one hand it is killing me that we can't get this resolved {or attempt to} tonight, but on the other I know it's good for me to have some time to cool off before we have a chat tomorrow afternoon {and hopefully leave in a better mood}. 

Kurt was very insistent that I do not share too much information because he wants to keep all of our bases covered. But, I will tell you these feelings come from some issues around us moving out and money. {that we don't have!} I will admit that I've always been {or tried to appear} as a "goodie goodie" and I've always hated the feeling of getting in trouble....so I don't get in trouble often {knock on wood}!! Not that we're in "trouble," but there were some miscommunications that may cause us some big-time mula. :( {Some money that I'd much rather save up to use on some of those dreamy house things.}

So...I'm pissed. And I can't s.t.o.p. thinking about it. It's driving me c r a z y!!! I decided the only thing that was going to keep me sane tonight was {drumroll.............}

Bub's  Peanut Butter Chocolate Moose Tracks Ice Cream

Don't you worry -- I made sure I got a hunkin' big cup FILLED with chocolately peanut buttery goodness. 

 Tip for you: When mad, always indulge in amazing ice cream that takes your mind off of being angry and "fixes" the problem {even if it's temporary}!

Clearly, this strategy worked for me....for the 7 minutes it took me to finish this entire bowl and lick the bowl, too.

And then it was gone...yum.

Poor Kurt was trying not to think about it and I kept bringing it up...

Coop didn't really care because he knows we'll still love him and he'll get some ice cream...even if it's just one TINY little lick, it's good enough!

Hopefully, we'll be in a better mood {and not be broke} tomorrow afternoon. If not, I will be joining Bub's tomorrow evening, and this time I'll be asking for the ENTIRE tub of ice cream...no matter the cost. 

Goodnight, sleep tight, and dream of us keeping our money in our pockets.

 

happy birthday, belle!

Today is Belle's birthday. She is my family's bichon that we got the summer before I went into 2nd grade. You do the math as to how old she is now!! Belle is still kickin' it, but things continue to get harder for her. :( She adores Bailey {the big black lab} and that's the reason she's stayed with us for this long.

Belle and I-Christmas 2005

Here's to a happy, fun, and l o n g doggie-life that Belle has survived. And of course, to many more great days!

Love you, Bubsie.

I ♥ you, daddy

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Thanks for everything you do...I couldn't ask for a better dad! 

I hope you had a great day. 

I love you!

♥ You're Little Girl 

great news & feeling sad

Luckily, these two things are completely unrelated! 

I'm so excited to share my great news with you! I officially got a job today....teaching at the SAME school that I absolutely l.o.v.e. While I won't have my own classroom yet, the style of teaching at Orchard is different than many because we work in close knit teams {so I'll be in the classroom a lot}. The best part is, I've already worked with this team for a whole semester!! I can't wait to see what this new year of teaching brings; many exciting ideas are floating around in my mind. I feel so relieved. I'm so lucky to be at such an amazing school with teachers and kids that I adore. I'm sure you'll be hearing more news via Orchard in the upcoming months! :)

On the complete other side, I was feeling quite blue today. As I was shopping, {for a father's day present and Josh's birthday gift} {HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOSH!!!} I couldn't help but to notice how utterly perfect all of the house items were. Ever since we decided to move into an apartment, I love admiring {and occasionally buying} things to spruce up the place. I have a new found inspiration to decorate a place...especially with all of the talk of us trying to buy a house. I couldn't be more excited to find a place and get started on the renovations. 

But there is one {LITTLE} detail holding that inspiration back...

We're moving home, not buying a house anytime in the immediate future. And that means I won't be buying any of the stunning items that would make our place look fabulous. Also, it means that when I'm shopping, I can either make myself miserable while drooling over things I can't have or quickly peek at these items while I sadly move my cart down the isle to the less interesting side of the store. Call me dramatic, but I'm almost jumping out of my pants with the excitement of {hopefully} decorating a house. Until then, I'll keep designing rooms in my mind of where I'd love to live {and be writing my blog}. 

But, hey guess what? Moving to a house is a little more realistic now, because I HAVE A JOB!!!! Going out with Kurt to celebrate a little tonight. Enjoy your evening; catch you on the flip side :)

P.S. - Happy 25th Birthday, Josh! Hope you have 25+ more amazing years ahead of you! :) 

refreshed

Today I spent the afternoon at the spa relaxing thanks to a fabulous birthday present from my lovely boyfriend!! I was well overdue for a much needed facial. I decided that while I was pampering my face, I might as well pamper my body a little too! I've never had a hot stone massage before and thought I'd give it a go. Both were wonderful and I can't wait to go back again soon. {Realistically it won't be for eons, but one can wish right?}

My trip to the spa has left me completely unmotivated even though I have a gazillion things to do in the next 3 weeks. I was feeling a little overwhelmed last night so I made Kurt and I a color coded calender complete with 4 colors {blue-Kurt, purple-me, green-both, and orange-events}. While I've only been adding things to the list since last night, I can't wait to start checking things off and kick this moving stress to the curb {even though I r e a l l y don't want to move away from Kurt and Cooper}. 

Well, gotta run .... just thought of more "to-do's" for my calendar that's becoming more colorful by the minute! 

hooked on blogging

It's true, I'm a total addict. 

My blogging fixation began with wedding blogs. {Kurt and I have been together for close to 6 years and are hoping to get engaged soon...not to mention I've been obsessed with weddings ever since I can remember!} I continue to follow some really great wedding blogs and save things I'd like to remember when my time comes. A couple months ago, I couldn't wait any longer {to get engaged} to start a blog. So even though I don't blog about wedding planning, hopefully sometime {soon} I will. :) 

Our engagement plans were put on somewhat of a hold a couple months ago. Our apartment lease is up in July and we had to decide if we wanted to stay or leave. We are smitten for where we live, BUT it is pricey. So pricey we could probably get a mortgage for less than what we're throwing away each month. With the way the housing market is {and the $8000 tax rebate} we decided to save money and try to buy a house by the end of the year. Sounds great, huh?!? 

Not. So. Much.

There is absolutely no way that we could save money for a house by renting our apartment monthly. We don't have enough money to buy a house now. And, we don't want to get locked into another lease by moving into another apartment. So the solution is for us to move home. To our parent's house. Separately. It's really not the end of the world and moving back home isn't the worst part {of course I'll miss both my boys extremely}, but hopefully everything will work out in the fall. 

Long story short, lately I've been drawn to reading house blogs {since buying a house will most likely occur before planning a wedding.} I am t o t a l l y hooked on This Young House. If you haven't checked out this blog, you're missing out big time! Be prepared to be glued to the computer screen for hours - you have to start at the beginning. I love that they have totally redecorated an older home because we are looking at buying an older house that will definitely need lots of work. Instead of me blabbing more about how great this blog is, just go check it out....I'll probably be reading, too! :) 

In the near future, I hope to be blogging about redecorating a house AND planning a wedding. But for now, I'll continue to drool over all the other great blogs and dream about my turn to do both of these things. 

I'm not the only one dreaming. Cooper was dreaming about how much he {and his mommy and daddy} wants a doggie sister and a nice BIG yard where they would play a lot. 

food & drinks...yes, please!

Indianapolis was a busy place on Saturday afternoon. Many events {which we had never attended} were being held, some more desirable than others! We decided to check out the Italian Fest {instead of the Strawberry Fest, the Gay/Lesbian Pride Parade, or an art fair}. It seemed more like our "cup of tea" since it's focus each year is on eating and drinking! :) {I'm sure all of the other events were fun, too!}

Kurt and I met up with Josh and Meredith early in the afternoon. We decided to head downtown and grab a bite to eat before the fest started. I was very excited that we choose to go to a tapas restaurant I've been eyeing for quite some time. It was a beautiful afternoon to sit outside on the patio, drink some {margaritas}, eat some awesome food, and people watch.

I can't believe Kurt and I had never had tapas before; it was great!

The Italian Fest is free to get into, but you have to buy tickets to buy any food or drinks. We all decided to stock up on tickets knowing we'd want to try some great {Italian} food and have a few beers. We got a drink and walked around to check out all of the offerings. Everything looked and smelled SO great {too bad we just had tapas...none of us were hungry quite yet!} The fest took place in the street and parking lot by a Catholic church. Behind the parking lot was a great park for you to sit and relax or play some bocce ball. Too bad we never got the memo to bring a blanket or chairs with us!!! Kurt and Josh found a man rolling cigars, so they decided to smoke a cigar while we all sat {on the concrete} while we hung out.

Smoking their "petite" cigars.

Shortly after we found our {not so comfy} spot, we felt a few rain drops. That quickly turned into more than a few drops!! We sat under the tiny shelter for 15 minutes or so to see if it would clear. I checked the radar on my phone to find that it was only going to get worse and probably last for awhile. We decided to leave and try to get back to the car before we got too wet. We got back to the car but we definitely didn't stay dry!! :) We headed back to Josh's house, to begin cooking dinner {since we didn't get to eat any of that great Italian food we had hoped for!}

The women "prepping" the kitchen so the men could do the cooking!

Mer and Kurt getting something ready...while I waited for the wine to chill :)

Josh was being the cheerleader...

(He helped out shortly after.)

Isn't this how it should be?!?! Men grilling out while women sit and drink wine!! :)

Although the rain spoiled the Italian Fest, we had ourselves a great little Saturday together!

Oh and by the way, the food was AMAZING that we made! I'm salivating thinking about it right now. Maybe I'll snack on some more of my jell-o {that's almost gone!!!!}

jell-o

I'm sorry...this is SO random. I absolutely L.O.V.E. jell-o, precisely cherry. But, I am quite annoyed right now. I just made a batch of cherry jell-o and it sounds utterly amazing right now. The {HUGE} problem is, is that it takes 4 hours to set!!!!! In 4 hours {hopefully} I'll be asleep, not to mention I'll probably have eaten a billion other things to try and suppress my craving {for jell-o}!!! Put a cold bowl of freshly made cherry jell-o in front of me and I'll eat it all. 

3 hours and 45 minutes..... :( 

i feel good!

I'm pretty excited. Kings of Leon tickets went on sale this morning for their concert in Indy in September AND we're going!! :) They are one of those bands that I like every song and want to listen to them all the time without ever getting sick of it. I hope they are even better live! 

Tonight I'm going out with ladies from school to celebrate my birthday {and spend time together since we haven't seen each other in over a week!}. Normally things get pretty crazy and I end up coming home way too drunk! My theory of teachers being crazy closet partiers {because we have to be so good all day every day} always proves to be true when I go out with my work friends!!! 

Week 1 of Summer Camp was successful. Can't wait to get that $400 in my pocket! Next up is Dr. Seuss for Preschool! Unfortunately I'll be spending most of the day on Sunday at school and/or running errands to get ready for next week. Have a great weekend!

beauty is pain {in my wallet}

I've been thinking a lot lately that I don't take care of myself enough. I think there is a certain degree of pampering {whatever that may be...golf, massages, shopping, etc} that everyone needs in their life. I haven't felt great about myself in a long while and I'm kinda over it! I received a ton of gift cards for end of the year presents and my birthday. Yesterday Meredith and I went shopping all afternoon. It felt really great to buy some new things that actually fit my body. I scheduled a hair appointment for next Monday which couldn't come soon enough!!! Kurt bought me a gift card to a local spa that I'm going to use next week and I can't wait. 

Tonight was the ultimate feel good pampering one could have. Long story short, there is a young {new mom} at the church I grew up at who recently found out she has stage 3 lymphoma. With the new addition to their family and only being 26 {and not being able to work}, they are having a hard time paying all of her medical bills. She works at the local spa {where I'm going next week}, so they decided to have a Spa Night at our church and all proceeds went directly to her. My mom and I each had a 30 minute massage for $30...what a deal! Not only did it feel great for my body but also made me feel good for helping out someone in need. 

I do have to admit, it was VERY weird laying half naked in the church basement, which doubles as the school's cafeteria {where I ate lunch for 8 years of my life}, AND I had a man masseuse!!! BUT it felt wonderful and made me realize how important it is to take care of yourself every once in awhile. 

Note to self: splurge on a massage a couple times a year because it makes you feel great {and helps your very achy back}!! 

PS:

Phillipe's is having another Spa Night for the same family at the spa on Sunday, June 28. While all the services are full prices, EVERY penny is going straight to her. If you want more information on this, or would like to go {with me!} let me know. I'll be there, why not make yourself feel good while helping someone else! :) 

napping

Do you remember when you were in school and your teachers would always say something along the lines of, "Trust me. I promise you that you do/don't want to do that. I did that when I was your age..." My students hear things like this from me all the time. Or do you remember thinking, "How in the world did she know what I was doing that?!?" Yup, you guessed it. I can tell from the looks on my kids' faces that they think this too! Don't you just wish kids understood that WE did all of those things that they are doing when we were little?!?!? 

One thing that really confuses me is how awful {most} kids think napping is! If I could take a nap {or be told I had to take one} every day, I think I'd be in heaven! :) If only little kids would listen to adults and figure out how utterly amazing napping makes you feel.... 

For now, I'm going to take my own advice and take a nap with Cooper {who's already alseep!} .

  

Cooper loves sleeping on his dog bed! 

weekend...part 2

The weekend seemed as though it couldn't get any better after Friday night. But, sure enough it did! Kurt and I slept in {late!} on Saturday morning and it felt wonderful :) By the time we got home {we spent the night at Meredith's}, ate breakfast/lunch, {wished I could take a nap and thought about how sick I felt}, and showered/got ready, it was time to head over to Patrick and Allison's {brother and sister-in-law} house for Beer Olympics!

They had planned a whole party full of drinking and events. There were four teams playing against each other in events such as: ball hopping, beer pong, beer bong {from the dong bong and boob tube!!!!}, quarters, flippy cup, etc... Also, many people brought food to munch on throughout the day...it was SO good!!! Like Friday, the weather was perfect all day Saturday allowing for a fun {and interesting} day!

The Teams

The best one and the "true winners." -The Headbands

The PP and Va JJ Team

The BEST dressed team...White Trash! {I'm so proud of Kurt and my Brother, Patrick.}

Superman Team

The above pictures were all taken before the events began! You may notice differences as the night unfolds.... :)

Apparently we weren't drinking enough beer, so the boys thought it would be a great idea to take a  team Jager shot. {YUCK!} 

Jessica {a good friend from IU} joined in the fun! 

Before we beat Kurt's team in almost every event...!

Kurt shocked us all {and made me proud...ha} while he ended the competition, beating all odds. The top 2 teams, Headbands {my team} and White Trash {Kurt's Team} were in the final event, "Das Boot." One person from each team was chosen to chug the Boot {as seen on the movie "Beer Fest"} and all three other team members had to chug one beer. The boot was the last person to drink. Josh, Kelly, and I had all finished our beers before the first person on the other team was even done. It was a for sure win for us, all Chase had to do was chug the Boot {and he didn't even have to do it that quickly!}. Well sure enough, it took him awhile to get all that beer down and soon Kurt's team had caught up. When it was finally Kurt's turn, he chugged that 4-beer Boot in about 10 seconds, beating Chase and taking home the gold {unfairly!}. 

Drinking "Das Boot"

I couldn't be MORE proud of my boyfriend's chugging abilities {said in my most sarcastic voice}! Good job, Babe. I still love you even though you beat the best team in the competition :)

weekend...part 1

As you've heard, last weekend was crazy but SO much fun! Friday proved to be another jam-packed day. After I blogged on Thursday, I ended up getting asked to come in for an interview on Friday morning. {The interview went well...I'm still waiting to hear back, even though I was told I'd hear yesterday afternoon?!?!?!} My interview ran WAY over {started an hour late...}, then I rushed to my Math Workshop at school. After the workshop ended, I ran a few errands on the way to Meredith's house. When I was finally ready for the concert, it felt really great to sit on the porch, drink some good beer, and hang out with friends. 

 

Josh and Ross chillin'

Mer and Vince getting excited...!

Quickly, it was time to head for the concert. Mer and Josh bought a VIP parking pass, so it took us about 10 minutes to get into our parking spot! Luckily, Kurt and Josh packed some beers for us to drink before heading into the concert. It was great to sit outside, listen to some good music, and drink some {cheap} beer before making our way into the venue. 

Getting excited to listen to some awesome music!

Kurt and Josh hangin' out.

I'm impressed with this one...we NEVER take good pictures together!

Coldplay is an amazing band, especially live. The night was perfect all around! Great friends, awesome music, perfect weather...couldn't get ANY better. {None of this would have happened without my good friends, Meredith and Josh.} 

Thanks for being such great friends and for the unforgettable birthday present!!! 

girls rock!

Girls Rock!?! Sure...but they're stressful! :) That's the theme of my camp I'm the Coordinator for this week. Today proved that I need some more activities for the week. I now have a long "To Do" list. I just keep thinking, "$400 bucks for working 9-12." If I get all my stuff done for the week soon, I'll post some pictures from the weekend!! :)

summer equals crazy?

It's been a long day of math workshops, phone interviewing, and running around. This weekend {while it will be SO much fun} is going to be crazy and exhausting. Not to mention I have one more full day of my math workshop and full planning of week #1 of summer camp, "Girls Rock!" How come I always think I'm going to get so much done over the summer, along with relaxing, and taking up new hobbies?!? None of this ever seems to happen! Although summer just began, I feel as though it's already flying by and filling up! 

Realistically, you probably won't be hearing from me until sometime next week. Here are my crazy weekend plans:

-Friday:

     *Wake-up early to shower/pack for the night

     *Leave straight from workshop to Mer's house {40 minutes away!} 

     *Change/Freshen Up for Coldplay :)

     *Listen to fabulous music all night long

     *Depending on situations, either stay at Mer's house or drive home late!?!?

-Saturday:

     *{Hopefully} Sleep In!

     *Go to Brother and Sister-in-Law's house

     *3:00 is "Go-Time" for Beer Olympics

     *Hopefully survive all events during the afternoon/evening

     *Spend the night at their house {FOR SURE!}

-Sunday:

     *Pick-Up Coop from Kurt's parents on the way home

     *Clean-Up from the night's events

     *Go to Michael's and completely plan upcoming week of Summer Camp {and math tutoring}

     *Possibly play as a sub in a flag football game

     *Find time to clean up our messy apartment and do laundry 

PHEW! I'm exhausted just thinking about how much fun I'll be having {until Sunday rolls around.} I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures to share come next week. Have yourself an amazing weekend! 

lucky girl

As I tuck my toes under my sheets, I can't help but to think about how I'm suddenly 24 {where has the time gone?!?} and how I keep getting luckier with age. Last night Kurt, Josh, Meredith, and I went to a fun little Irish Pub by our apartment to watch the hockey game and celebrate my birthday {a tad early.} The beer was awesome and the burger was yummy! Mer and Josh decided to buy me a ticket to the Coldplay concert on Friday!!! I wasn't expecting them to get me anything, I simply wanted to hang out with friends as my present. But, being amazing friends they knew how badly I wanted to go to the concert. {Kurt knew the plan, and bought his own ticket!} The ended up spending the night here, too {after a trip to the liquor store to stock up on Bailey's!} 

I was awoken this morning when Cooper jumped on the bed because he was trying to eat my breakfast {in bed.} Kurt made me homemade french toast and bacon :) Coop sure liked it, too! 

Unfortunately I didn't get to go to lunch with my friend, Susanah, like originally planned. I ended up having too many things to get ready for my interview and didn't have time. My interview went really well, so we'll see what they have to say. I knew Kurt was planning on doing something special for dinner. 

This is what I came home to... {organized chaos?!?}

 

Cooper was patiently waiting for his daddy to make him dinner....well that's what he was hoping! 

I wish pictures included smells. When I walked in the door it smelled awesome! 

I was not allowed to help with any part of making dinner. Kurt said he was enjoying it, he looked like it, too. 

Cooper was being REALLY patient tonight and paying extra special attention for when food fell on the ground. I think he has learned that patience is a virtue because his mommy always accidently drops yummy things on the ground. 

What a cutie!!!

I also had to be patient, so I decided to enjoy myself while waiting. 

And the final product. Chicken with white wine sauce {yum}, broccoli {yumm}, and homemade (with peeled potatoes and everything...wow!) au gratin potatoes {YUMMMM!} 

Oh, and if that wasn't enough....he made my favorite shortcakes to have strawberry shortcakes for dessert!

After dinner, we rushed to my parents house to spend some time with them and eat our dessert. Julia and Quinn came over to hang out, too. I haven't gotten to spend time with Julia lately so it was great to get some time together today! 

She sang happy birthday to her Kiki.

She even helped me blow out the candle...{apparently I turned 0 today!}

Eating our amazing strawberry shortcake!

And why not learn how to be a gymnast, too! 

Julia helped me open up my presents. Looks like there is some serious shopping in the near future for me!!!! I love getting gift cards and can't wait to use them. My mom is also taking me to Chicago at the end of June for a long weekend to do some great shopping and spend some time together :) Kurt also got me a $100 gift card to the spa {ooo la la} and he's going to pay for me to get my teeth whitened {which I've been wanting to do forever!} Julia decided she wanted to try on my new shirt/dress I got. It was a little big but she did a great job modeling it! 

When I pull the covers up over my head tonight, I can't help but think of all the amazing people who make my life great. While things have been tough lately and things haven't been working out like we had planned, I have to learn to enjoy the moment and realize the great things going on around me each and every day. Here's to great family, friends, {shopping,} and a new year! 

stress

I was blessed with the "stressed-out" genes! I'm not sure my day would be complete without stressing about something, whether it be big or small. I had not planned on any stress coming my way today, but SURPRISE it's here!! There is one {very} good thing about today's stressor...it's because I have a job interview!!! :)

So, while I had planned on spending my night with friends while watching the hockey game {and celebrating my early birthday!}, I will be getting things together for my interview....it's TOMORROW! 

Okay, I know I'm making it sound so terrible. I'm still going to go out with friends and have fun, but I'm thinking I probably shouldn't be out as late, etc. I'm going to be spending my time tomorrow getting ready for it, and I'll be sure to let you know how it goes tomorrow night!! 

Wish me luck!! 

monday evening

I've spent the evening

1. Planning my first week of summer camp beginning next week {Girls Rock!}

2. Applying for jobs

3. Watching Reality T.V. {a weakness of mine!}

Who doesn't love John and Kate Plus 8?!?! {I love everything about it, but her hair!} And, The Bachelorette...she's pretty cute and who wouldn't want all those guys after you! 

Tomorrow is day number two of our L.O.N.G. math workshop at school. My butt hurts already and I still have 3 more days! :) 

g'night