Lilies and Limes

Starting to like this city

2011-09-14T22:00:00.000-04:00

Because we now have 3 bedrooms, a living room, dining room and kitchen, we need to put stuff in each. Not to mention there are some minor upgrades that we want to do just to put our own touch on the living spaces. So, I am now on the hunt for these minor touch-ups and decorative items to put in the house.

My bargain-hunting nature led me to search a Big Lots-esque store called Tuesday Morning, and also our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Can I just say that I love the ReStore! They have flooring, tiles, decking, fencing, hinges, toilets, stoves, dishwashers, doorknobs, doors (for cabinets and exterior), furniture, books, luggage, TV's, painting supplies, glassware, and a lot of other items that are for or can go in your house! It's like Goodwill but for items and not clothes.

Reason number 2 is that I found a coffee shop about 5 minutes from my house - guess where I'll be on Sunday! =)

New Blog!

2011-09-02T07:18:00.000-04:00

... because I keep up with this one so well. =)

The new one is more about my schooling (only 3 classes left until CPA exam review starts!), and new adventures that I am learning more about and hoping to get into soon - investing in the stock market and real estate. So, if you are interested in any of that, check it out - it's called Accounting, Investing, and Trading - Oh Why?!.

In other news, we are all settled in to the new place. Just have to finish cleaning the old apartment and getting finishing touches for the new place.

To aid in that venture, I read about an awesome website that is just up my alley. It's called Freecycle. It's a similar concept to Craigslist, except the platform is Yahoo Groups (for my city at least), and its all FREE! The point of the website to recycle items, rather than throwing them away. So, you can use the website if you are looking for something, or have something to give. We are giving away small appliances that we have and aren't going to use (coffee pot, toaster oven, etc). I think its really great and am glad that I found it!

House Hunt Complete!

2011-08-15T17:39:00.003-04:00

We have found a new place to live!

It's not the 3 BR / 2BA that I mentioned before, but it is a 3 BR / 1BA with a yard (again, not fenced) and separate dining room, laundry room.... and it's not just a closet with hookups, its an actual ROOM.... and log fireplace.

Move in day is next Thursday, but our landlord is awesome and is letting us take little stuff / boxes over before then. So, we are trying to plan and buy little things that we will need right off the bat.

Which reminds me... For my birthday this year (in roughly 60 days), I told Mike not to get me any actual presents, just to get me decorative stuff for the house! We have so much space that we need to fill, and I am ready to start making where we live our own.

Any good ideas on places to shop / DIY projects to try...? I scour Pinterest for ideas, but I'll never turn down personal tips. =)

Song of the Week: GaGa!

2011-08-06T11:37:00.000-04:00

I love listening to music (who doesn't), and a lot of songs have a deeper meaning for me. There are always those songs that remind me of people, songs that remind me of experiences, and then there are those songs that make me think about my life - present and future.

Currently, I am loving Lady Gaga's 'Glory'. If you haven't heard it, please enjoy:

I am sometimes guilty of only really listening to the chorus, and not the entire song, which, as you can imagine, leads to not understanding the entire song. I didn't really listen to the verses of this song until 30 seconds ago, and realized its about going home with a guy and being on the edge of falling for him.

When I hear this song, I have this vision of being on a cliff and the trek up was my life so far, or the last 6 or so years, and I'm at the edge of finishing my degree and being able to live the life that I want. I can't quite jump yet, and I don't fully know who I'm jumping with yet, but I'm getting closer and closer to the edge and I want to make sure I jump rather than fall.

Plus, its really catchy and I like dramatically singing the chorus.

House Hunting

2011-07-31T12:47:00.000-04:00

The end to our apartment lease is quickly approaching, and we have decided apartment life is no longer ideal. We want to have a yard for Mac and LuLu, and a space for Mike to start up his detail business, so we are searching for a house.

We have been looking online and talking to property management companies. We looked at a couple last week, have an appointment to see one today, and are looking at a couple more later this week. All we want is 2+ BR, a yard (ideally fenced) and either a garage or carport or enough space to park 2 cars at a time side by side - not that tall of an order, but not working for us so far.

We found a great house last week that is actually 3BR / 2BA with a garage and yard (not fenced) but with a deck. Its pretty new, in a great location, and the owner might not allow pets. So, we are waiting to hear back tomorrow to see if we can start the process to get into that house, or if we continue our search.

I will make sure to keep you updated as our process continues.

Southern Charm

2011-06-19T21:15:00.000-04:00

Mike surprised me yesterday with a trip to Walnut Grove Plantation in Roebuck, SC. It was about an hour NE of us, so not too far. Fun fact: the term 'plantation' simply meant that you owned at least 2,000 acres.

Walnut Grove was the home of Charles Moore, a Scotch-Irish immigrant, his wife and their 10 kids. He was a farmer, and the local school teacher. Charles built the home in 1765, and stood through the Revolutionary War and Civil War. It now belongs to Spartanburg County Historical Association, but the structure is original (with the original paint on the only closet in the house and Mr. Moore's trunk from Ireland), as well as some of the other buildings on the property.

We took the tour and walked the grounds, and got to learn a little bit about SC's history, and the Upstate (or Back Country, as it used to be called). I loved it, and Mike really enjoyed it too - we are going to check out more plantations/estates in the area, and maybe even venture to neighboring states to explore a little. I am a total nerd and love history, especially Southern history, and I think Mike is slowly coming around. =)

If you'd like to see pictures, here is Mike's album.

New Addiction

2011-05-27T17:52:00.000-04:00

I have discovered an amazing website called Pinterest.

I actually found it on one of the blogs that I follow, Cupcakes and Cashmere, and decided to take a look. It is basically a place to create several different 'inspiration boards'. You can create as many as you'd like, and categorize them as you please.

Take a look at my boards, to get an idea or just go to pinterest.com. If you want to be a member, just let me know and I can send you an invite (yes, its that kind of site).

Greek Festival 2011

2011-05-22T18:50:00.000-04:00

'When Greenville turns into Greekville!'

I learned last week at work that there was going to be a Greek Festival in Greenville this weekend, so I HAD to go. It was so much fun! There were little shops, Greek wine & beer, souvenirs, live Greek music (in language and instrumentation), traditional Greek dancing and of course wonderful food! They had Greek pizza (on pita bread), gyros, Greek fries (fries with Feta and olive oil), Greek salads, and some of this..

Baklava Sundae

Frappe - whipped Greek coffee over ice

Loukoumades - fried dough dipped in honey, then sprinkled with cinammon

The baklava and frappe reminded me of being in Ioannina and the loukoumades reminded me of the Greek Festival in Tacoma that I went to a couple times. I didn't get to see the traditional dancing (only perform 2 times a day), but I did have a lovely afternoon in the lovely sun!

Playing Catch Up

2011-05-11T18:19:00.000-04:00

As we all know, last weekend was Mother's Day. I wanted to get my mom a Kindle because she LOVES to read, and was asking all kinds of questions about mine.

Well, about 4 weeks ago, my stepdad thought of a better idea - how about we get her me for Mothers Day!

They live in Dallas, and I hadn't seen them in a year and a half. So, we got a plane ticket (only a 2 hr flight) and told our family, but kept it a secret from my mom. My stepdad got her to come to the airport with him 'to pick up a customer', and when she saw me she had to do a double-take and then fight back the tears - it was perfect!

I got to spend about 48 hours with my mom, which was a lot of fun. I also got to see other family that I hadn't seen in almost 3 years. It makes me miss my mom and stepdad, but we don't agree on where to live, so vacations will have to suffice for now.

Did you do anything special for Mother's Day..?

Book Exchange..?

2011-04-12T21:58:00.000-04:00

So, you know about my sometimes random way of thinking, correct? Well that happens on an almost-daily basis, and today happened to be one of the days that those thoughts actually amounted to a good idea (at least, I think so).

It all started a couple days ago when I was reading Nissa's blog. She has an icon 'I pledge to read the printed word' (that I totally stole, btw) and it caught my attention because even though I LOOOOVVVE my kindle, there are hard-copy books that I'd like to read and/or own. One of those books is 'Water for Elephants'. I have heard so many good reviews, and I have seen the previews for the upcoming movie, which makes me want to read it NOW - I usually like to read the book before the movie, if I have knowledge that such exists.

Because I don't like to buy things, use them once and then let them collect dust (aka books, among other things), I thought about asking Nissa to borrow it. I'm slightly OCD when it comes to being prepared for things, so I like to plan out my asking-for-things conversations before hand. In said pretend/future/for-planning-purposes conversation, I would tell Nissa about the books that I own, in case she hasn't and would like to read one of them (because its only fair to offer when requesting).

Then, that led me to the idea of a book exchange among friends (or even magazines too)! We could all let each other know what books we have, and then just mail them to each other when we are done or want something new to read! Think of it like 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' meets the library!

What do you think? Any takers?

Looky Looky

2011-04-12T21:23:00.000-04:00

Mike and I before his birthday adventure

A new nail polish color... that matches my phone!!

(and also reminds me of Easter eggs)

New Loves

2011-04-10T13:20:00.000-04:00

Not so recently Mike and I went looking for a wine rack -- We have learned of the joys of wine, and love the experience of continuing the education -- at TJMaxx. There was no luck in finding one, but we did see a patio set that we loved, and I got a few trinkets of my own!

I have been searching for a purse for quite some time, and just couldn't say no! And we all know about my love affair with coffee.... If not, I have a cup every morning, and on weekends I sip on it all day from this amazing mug! I like it because it lets everyone know what's inside.

I refuse to spend a large amount of money on clothes/shoes/accessories (normally no more than $25 per item), but I had to splurge and get this amazingness for $35! It keeps me organized and it's just so pretty!

America's Largest Home

2011-03-21T18:42:00.001-04:00

The front of the house from the Esplanade.

Last weekend Mike had the AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL idea to take a trip to Asheville (only 1.5 hours away) and take me to the Biltmore!

The Esplanade from the 4th story balcony, above the main entrance

I have been wanting to go for as long as I can remember, and I loved every minute of it! We had the audio tour (tells you history and stories about the Vanderbilts and life at the house), and took the Architect's tour which takes you into rooms on the 4th floor and onto private balconies (including the one above the main entrance!).

View of the old stable area and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Then we went to the winery, did some wine tasting and even bought a few bottles to bring home. We spent about 5 hours there, and we probably could have spent 5 more to REALLY see everything (winery tour, gardens, conservatory, shops, restaurants, etc) and soak it in.

We decided our next trip will either be in the spring (when all the gardens are in bloom) or at Christmas-time (they have Christmas trees in every room) and we might stay at the Inn on the grounds, and get a two-day pass.

I can't wait to go again and I'm so glad Mike took me and enjoyed him self also!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2011-02-26T11:08:00.000-05:00

Why do people feel that 'changing' is a bad thing..?

We change the channel, change our clothing/hair style, change diapers, change doctors/dentist/insurance, change the oil in our car but yet actually changing as a person is seen as an insult and the thought of it a punishable offense.

But yet, there's songs about it - 'Everything Changes' by Tracy Lawrence, 'Changes' by TuPac, 'Man in the Mirror' by Michael Jackson... you get it, I don't need to go on - and still anytime it's mentioned, people tense up and get defensive and justify that they don't need to change because 'it's my life and I don't care what other people think'.

A friend of mine once told me (and had it on his Myspace) that the only things certain in life are death, taxes and change. Things change - the weather, towns become cities, businesses open and close, people are born and people die, and people (whether they like it or not) change. Experiences change you - your perception, your way of thinking and behaving; New information changes you, learning changes you. If you have an open mind, a song or a book or a conversation or even a single phrase can change you. We shouldn't resist change, we should welcome it and embrace it because that's one of the great things about living - the ability to change and grow as a person.

Mission Accomplished

2011-02-23T22:24:00.000-05:00

Mike got me a Kindle for Valentine's Day! And I just ordered a case, skin and screen protector (for $21 on eBay, thank you!)

I've already downloaded (uploaded?) about 15 books, and have started reading all about Alice and her adventures! Next up is the adventures of Dorothy...

Also, I am reading a hard copy book called 'The Mission' by Jason Myers. It came recommended to me by a friend, and it is pretty intense. Basics: Kaden's brother, Kenny, is a Marine who gets killed in Iraq. Before he died, Kenny planned on taking Kaden to San Francisco to visit their cousin, so Kaden goes ahead with the plan. Their cousin is a best-selling author who lives off his royalties doing coke, getting drunk, having sex and enjoying live music (I'm not giving away any plot lines here - no worries). The book is about Kaden's week getting to know his cousin, and his lifestyle.

Oh, and the reason I have so much time on my hands is that I took my final for 'Federal Taxation and Tax Law' on Sunday, and don't have another class until this Sunday. So, basically I am filling up my time as best I can with books. I can't wait until Saturday when I can enjoy reading while being in sweats with a good cup of coffee!

I'm Not Gonna Lie

2011-02-07T19:20:00.000-05:00

..... I want a Kindle.

I didn't use to want one, but when I was purchasing my Christmas cards (in December, not like last week) I saw the Nook and kinda 'test drove' it and thought it was pretty cool. But, me being the rational person that I am, figured a) it was too much unnecessary money and b) the only reading I should be doing on a regular basis should be accounting-related (ya know, since I'm getting that whole Masters thing...).

Oh, but then today happened!

I was at work and did not have much to do (ok, ok I had nothing to do), and I had just gotten a nasty phone call from a person wanting to return the litter they bought, so I thought I would check out our product reviews on Amazon, just to see what folks are saying about us. Side Note:: Now, if you have been on Amazon anytime in 2011 you know that the Kindle is front and center. Because I was not on a 'real' mission, I decided to see what all the hype was about. Side Note #2:: Yes, I really did look at our product reviews for work as well. What I really wanted to know was why I should buy this, instead of experiencing the fun (and somewhat relaxation) that comes with perusing a library or bookstore, sneaking a peek at books until you find the one that you're looking for, or one that sparks your interest. The first thing that caught my eye was the thousands of classics (pre-1923) that you could read for free (yes, it was the word free that grabbed me, as it does most people)! I clicked on the link because I definitely wanted to 'Learn More', and that brought me to a page that had several places where you can find and download books. Some sites may have a charge for downloading to the Kindle, but others did not.

I picked one, Open Library which strives to give every book its own web page, because on every Kindle page and linked page to the Kindle was 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', which I have not read but honestly want to, and cannot find in any local library. So, on Open Library I searched for Alice and her adventures. Here's why I want a Kindle.. Not only can you purchase Alice, but you can borrow or READ IT RIGHT THERE ON THE WEBSITE!!! How awesome is that???!! Having that knowledge, and the ability to read it online, makes me want to buckle down and study hard all week so that I can spend time on the weekends reading! Which brought me to the idea that it would be great if I could just read all the time on the weekends -- at the lake, at a dog park, in bed, on trips, wherever, but not have to bring a whole bunch of books when I want to do it!

Another pro of getting a Kindle... I hate clutter, and buying books just creates clutter. But at the same time, part of me really wants to have a floor-ceiling bookshelf filled with all sorts of books! No, I definitely want a Kindle. Maybe I can splurge when taxes come in.

Night Out

2011-01-31T19:52:00.000-05:00

Meet Greg. He is a new friend.

Downtown Greenville is very user-friendly.

COFFEE STREET!? It's fate.

Mike and I at The Gathering Spot.

We have lived in SC for over a year now, and yes we have our bar that we go to (everyone else in there is literally 40+), we haven't been out 'on the town' like we used to do when we lived in Charlotte. Last weekend that changed!

We decided to trek up to Greenville, have dinner and do a little bar hopping. We had dinner at Sticky Fingers (ribs, barbecue, etc) and then headed over to Wild Wing Cafe for some cheap beers. We decided to just wander down Main Street until we found a bar that looked interesting. The first one we found had a roof top bar - Carolina Ale House. The second one had live music and then switched over to a DJ with dancing - The Gathering Spot. We liked the drink prices and the music, so we ended up spending the rest of the night there. It's definitely a bar we will be going back to!

All in all it was a great night (even though we got a little lost on the way home) and I am super excited for a chance to have my next adventure in Greenville!

Apologies

2011-01-26T19:06:00.000-05:00

I have been in MIA lately, and I apologize.

I have been kept busy with puppy classes and school and new friends! Nothing too crazy, just nights out at the bar and good, home-cooked dinners... and a little football. Speaking of puppy classes, MacIntosh graduated and will usually do as he's asked (as long as you have a treat nearby).

In other news, I am IN LOVE with this song! Don't ask me why, just listen to it.... Yes, it's country and yes, it's a love song but I LOVE IT!!

That's about the extent of my recent activities. I'm sure something fun will surface soon.

A Step Up

2011-01-08T12:30:00.001-05:00

So, we all remember when I left the call center and went to work in an office - first doing customer service, but working into accounting, right..? If not, take a look here.

I actually got hired with a temp agency, Find Great People. I had to work 560 hours with Ultra Pet, and then if they liked me (and I liked them), Ultra Pet would make me a permanent employee.

Well, the 560 hours have been worked and I have been hired on permanently! That means a pay increase, benefits, more responsibility and a path to the career I am looking for - all with a great company that I love working for! I am so excited and so happy that I have a job that I have a future in and can almost carve out the career I want to have.

Welcome 2011

2011-01-02T09:51:00.001-05:00

2010 was a great year! Some highlights:

~ We moved to SC

~ I started my Master's program

~ We both got jobs.

~ Then we both got better jobs, that we love.

~ We moved into our own apartment, which we love.

~ We adopted Mr. Mac (we love him too).

~ We had OUR first Christmas (complete with tree and decorations) together.

~ We've met some great people, and gained new friends.

~ We went out for New Year's with said friends, and brought in 2011 the right way!

Because last year was so great, and the beginning that we have been looking for, I am so excited for 2011! A year of not moving out of state, a year of staying in our own place, and a chance to keep building on the life that we've started.

Taking a Look

2010-12-27T10:40:00.000-05:00

from Apartment 34

I hope your Christmas was wonderful and filled with family, or friends, and lots of laughter!

We spent Christmas Eve with some new friends. We had dinner, wine, 'It's a Wonderful Life' and just an all around great time. Christmas Day was great -- Mac loved his presents, Mike liked his framed autographs, and I got a new opal ring! It's so pretty - there is an oval opal in the middle, and 2 rose zircon (the 'normal' October birthstone) on each side!

Now, it's time to take down the tree and decorations, and get ready for 2011!

Oh, before I forget ---- we got about 3 inches of snow Christmas night. Mac did not know what to do with it, so he ate it!

And.. I have started my travel journal!! I got the journal, printed pictures and have started to pen my journey in Europe.. I'm super excited to put it all together!

Presents and Stuff

2010-12-20T19:14:00.000-05:00

Remember how I was looking for a photographer in Anderson so Mike and I could get pictures taken?

Well, we found one! And we got really good pictures of us, and us with MacIntosh. Here is her website, if you're curious. We went to the SC Botanical Garden because we wanted a very autumnal setting. I apologize that I cannot post them for you to see because she put them on a CD that mr. compy, of the MacBook persuasion, does not agree with. But we are still working on it, and will hopefully have them online somehow sometime soon.

In other news, I am super excited about my gift to Mike! Wanna know what it is...? Good!

A while back, he got signed pieces of an old basketball court from eBay. The signatures are from Michigan State and Detroit Pistons players, plus a signed picture of one of the Pistons players. So, I am having them framed! They have just been sitting in a box, what with all the moving that we seem to do, but now that we have a place to hang things, I want to put them on display!

Happy Holidays

2010-12-08T18:43:00.001-05:00

As you may remember, last year was really the first year that I got really into Christmas. The baking, the decorating, the 16 inches of snow....

But this year, I'm even more excited about it! I've started mixing in Christmas music

~The classic stuff, not any of this "its the 21st century and lets sing the same stuff we normally sing about but just add words like 'snow' or 'Christmas' and it will be great"--NO!~,

it's gotten cold outside, and we got my first Christmas tree!

It's always been tradition that I decorate the Christmas tree (my sister lost interest when she was about 8), so naturally I did that with ours. My favorite part is the 'special effects' we added--frost and pine cones! ~We live in the south, and they smell great!~

There are still a couple things that we need to do and get, but I am super excited and cannot wait to watch all the movies and eat all the food!

For the record, the best Christmas movies are (three-way tie):

The Year Without a Santa Claus
White Christmas
It's a Wonderful Life.

The best holiday scent that is also the best holiday food (in any form): Apple Cinnamon

Giving Thanks

2010-11-25T10:02:00.000-05:00

I am thankful for...

- my family. We are stretched out all across the country, but we make it work.

- my friends. Even though they aren't close, I love them and all the memories we've made.

- my boyfriend. I am so blessed to have someone that loves me so completely.

- our puppy. He's still a somewhat new addition, but he makes us laugh and keeps us on our toes.

- our apartment. It's a place to call our own, and we are making it our own.

- my job. I have a sense of ownership of my work, I enjoy it and there is long-term potential.

and all parts of my day-to-day that we usually take for granted. I am thankful for every aspect of my life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh Snap!

2010-11-14T21:26:00.001-05:00

Mike and I have been together for 2 years (officially, in 10 days) and last Christmas I wanted us to have professional pictures taken, and sent to friends and family. Well, that didn't happen.

This year, we have MacIntosh in the mix and it is happening! They aren't going to be anything too elaborate, just nice pictures that we can give friends and family, and that we can have.

Right now, I'm trying to find a photographer in Anderson or Greenville that we like and is available when we are. Side note:: Sunday is Mike's only day off and we live in the Bible belt. I've stumbled across a couple prospects, but still scoping out the area and trying to figure out what kind of pictures we really want.

In other seasonal news, this is my first Christmas not staying with a parent, so we need a tree! And ornaments and garland and a wreath and all other festive decorations that say 'It's Christmas time!' Yeah, I'm pretty excited for the holidays.

The First

2010-11-06T18:48:00.000-04:00

Weekends around our house are sports-filled. After 5pm on Saturday (when Mike gets off work) there is football on, and on Sunday its either football or racing that's on. Side note: I am usually attempting to do school work so I treat it as background noise. But I'll admit, I kinda get into it, now that I mostly understand what is going on!

Well, I got to thinking.... I wonder how the game of football evolved. There are so many numbers, and they had to come from somewhere. Think about it..

Touchdown = 6 pts
Extra Point after TD = self explanatory
2-pt conversion
Safety = 2 pts
Field goal = 3 pts

Not to mention, the whole premise is for 2 teams of 11 players on the field, to play 4 quarters of 15 minutes (NFL time) each, staying within a box of 100 yards attempting to get the ball to their team's respective end. The way that they make their progression is to try at most 4 times to get the ball at least 10 yards, and if that is accomplished, they get another round of 4 tries to go another 10+ yards, and so on until they reach the end.

At that's just the start of it.

But what I want to know is where all these numbers came from. Was there a guy or group of guys that arbitrarily picked some numbers and just started playing? And because I know that things are not created and maintain in that original state forever, why was the original game changed, and what kind of conversations took place? And there is not any kind of pattern, either. There are 4 quarters, 4 downs, 15 minutes, 10 yards for a down, 100 yards on the field---how do you get these numbers?

Let's take an example of the number of downs. Was it always four? Maybe they started out with no limit, and just said 'Get the ball down to that end as best you can and as quick as you can'. Well, that's not a very interesting game. So maybe then, they decided you get 2 tries and then the other team gets a chance. I'm sure they figured out that only 2 tries to make it all the way down the field wasn't going to work either....

So you see where I am going with this. And it's not just football, but other sports and also certain instructions (medicine, cleaners, etc which I'm sure there were trials for, but do you ever wonder what those trials are like, for lets say, bleach--someone's clothing was not the same after those trials!).

What are your random wanderings...?

Travel Journal

2010-10-23T12:49:00.000-04:00

For over 2 years now, I have been carrying around a Ziploc freezer bag full of mementos from my trip to Europe. I have plane/bus/ferry/train tickets, maps, guides, literally hundreds of pictures on my computer... and they are sitting in a freezer bag.

Why a freezer bag? I couldn't decide if I wanted to make a scrapbook, or 'scrap box' (think shoe box with keepsakes inside and decoupage on the outside).

I have now decided that I want to create a travel journal.

I want to include all my keepsakes and pictures, but I also want to record my experiences. I'm excited to get started, finally!

Mr. Mac

2010-10-18T18:13:00.000-04:00

This is MacIntosh......

We rescued him from Crossroads Animal Hospital about 2 weeks ago

(via Pet Finder).....

He is part Beagle, part Dachshund (a Beenie, if you will) and a little over 8 weeks old.

Mike calls him 'Big Mac' or 'Mac Daddy'.

I call him 'Baby Mac' or 'Mr. Mac'.

Just a little Shoutout

2010-10-13T07:55:00.000-04:00

It's my birthday!

Another year has gone by, and I feel like I am headed in the right direction!

In other news, I promise to update you on

New Additions
Getting in the Holiday spirit
and general Life, Love and in-between!

Party on....

Falling Slowly

2010-09-26T15:04:00.001-04:00

Fall is slowly creeping in, and that's getting me excited!

I mean, with fall comes my birthday (17 days and counting), pumpkins (I had so much fun last year, we have to do it again) and then the holiday season!

A few things I have been spotting in regards to my birthday are a new purse and new boots. Now, I'm not usually big into fashion, but I've been perusing the internet to trim down what styles of each that I want, and just happened to come across current styles that scream Amber! (I even found a purse named Amber here)

My purse curiosity led me to the current Louis Vuitton collection...

Ummm..... yes please!

My hunt for boots brought me here:

I like the top brown, and top right black styles the best--the strict-vertical/single ankle strap makes me think 'biker' and the 5+ straps make me think 'asylum'

Now, we just have to wait for the temps to drop ever-so-slightly and trust me, I will be ready to pounce.. uh, I mean purchase.

New

2010-09-18T10:02:00.001-04:00

We are all moved in and settled (mostly). We are still decorating/organizing and getting the details that we want. Life is moving along quite nicely--new apartment, new bed (king size), new job..... Oh, have I not mentioned that yet?

I have a new job that I actually started last Wednesday. I interviewed last week, and at the time, it was going to be part time that led to full time. On Wednesday though, they told me I'll be starting at 35 hours a week for now, and then move to 40 in just a few weeks!

The company is called Ultra Pet. They manufacture and supply cat litter made of silica (those little white packets you get in new shoes or clothes). You can get it at grocery stores like Publix or Kroger, or Amazon and some specialty pet stores. Check them out here, or just visit ultrapet.com.

My job duties are logistics and customer service, which will transition to being an accountant. Can we say perfect for me?! I'm still learning the role and duties, but I really like it, and the people I work with are great! They are answering a lot of questions and trying to fit me in to their already-busy schedule.

As Promised

2010-09-09T18:58:00.003-04:00

Allow me to introduce to you 235 Allison Circle in Anderson, South Carolina (29625).....

<--- Our bea-u-ti-ful kitchen

A little bit of SVU on in the living room ---->

<--- Our pretty (and pretty big) bathroom
*With a garden tub*

Our deck and back half of the complex --->

The bedroom/closet is in no condition to be photographed at this point, but rest assured knowing it is quite large (for an apartment) and the perfect size for us and our clothing!

Walden Oaks

2010-09-05T09:23:00.000-04:00

Moving Day is done!

We are in our new apartment.

We have cable, internet and food.

We have furniture and a large bathroom.

I think I'm gonna like it here.

p.s.... Pictures will be coming soon.

Laundry Tip #23

2010-09-05T09:17:00.000-04:00

Fabric softener is not laundry detergent, no matter how deceiving the size/color of the bottle may be.

Hey, I like your name!

2010-08-27T15:00:00.001-04:00

I googled 'a lily and lime' to see if there was a picture of the two items together. I did not find a picture, instead I found a charming gift boutique, Lily and Lime.

Check and Check

2010-08-27T10:14:00.002-04:00

We signed the lease on Wednesday. Deposits are paid. The moving truck is rented. Dishes and towels and fixtures are bought. All we need now is to move in, and decorate!

We did a little bit of window shopping and list-making yesterday at some of my faves--TJ Maxx, Ross and Target, just to get ideas and do some research.

We found fun kitchen stuff (mostly Mike) and I found everything else! I'm thinking of decoration/organization/general functionality.

Here are some of my ideas for now....

For our closet.

For our kitchen bar.

For our patio.

2010-08-20T22:38:00.000-04:00

You know the Five Star Music Insider commercial...? No, well allow me to introduce you....

The opening line is "I got no beef with repetition" and then goes to depict a guy playing guitar at a concert. Here is my train of thought...

I wonder if rockstars/singers/music icons get bored doing the same show all over the world for a year/years on end? I mean, same music, same dance, same clothes...... I'm sure it could get pretty repetitive. >>> Maybe that's why they come out with new songs so often--just to break up the monotony. >>> No, stupid, they come out with new songs so they can make new albums and make more money. >>> But then the cycle just repeats itself after they make a new song. New song, same routine on tour. >>> Well then, maybe that's why some wait for months in between new songs. >>> What do they do in the mean time then? They have a lot of money, but it also takes a lot of money to tour. There's people to pay, food to buy.... And even though they aren't touring all the time, they still have expensive cars and big houses to pay for. >>> I wonder if a rockstar/singer/music icon gets bored of the lifestyle but just keeps doing it because they are good at it.....

And then the show that I was watching came back on.

Hands On

2010-08-20T21:54:00.000-04:00

I had a job interview today!

It's not a different full time job, it is an additional part time job. Its part customer service, part accounting. I would be mostly 'doing the books' and partly helping follow up with customers. It is a PERFECT way for me to dive in to the accounting world and get some experience while going to school and working. Yes I'm slightly crazy, thank you.

Kinda hoping it can turn into a full time thing and develop into something real.

Who's Got More...?

2010-08-18T14:58:00.001-04:00

Ok, so you might have heard about the 10-year-old opera singer on America's Got Talent....

I almost didn't believe it was really her singing when I first heard her. She almost reminds me of Connie Talbot from Britain's Got Talent a few years ago....

I realize that their styles of singing are completely different, but I just think it's crazy that they are so young and can sing like they do.

**Miss Talbot has also performed 'I Will Always Love You', in case you're interested.

It is what it is

2010-08-12T11:16:00.000-04:00

Is it just me, or have more and more people been saying that, and using it as a response or reaction. Some people cringe when they hear it, others use it regularly.

Personally, I think it seems apathetic...

"What do you think about the new toll road being built?"'It is what it is.'

"How 'bout that healthcare plan?" 'It is what it is.'

Maybe it's not that people are being apathetic, though. Maybe they are just saying that they don't want to comment, or don't even have an opinion. Maybe it's a situation/event that they feel can't change or have a different income, so they don't want to worry about it.

It then makes me question if the saying (and reason behind it) somewhat mimics the sentiment of the serenity prayer...

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference. "

Oh, and p.s..........

I cut my hair. =)

Apartment, step 5:

2010-08-11T11:12:00.000-04:00

Yeah, I skipped a few steps, sorry.

That is because our time frame got pushed up a little bit and we have had some life events take place.

We are moving in on the 25th (yep, two-weeks-from-today 25th). We have furniture (minus washer and dryer), and all of our utilities/cable set up, so it should be fairly effortless.... except for that whole heavy lifting part.

So we are pretty excited, and even more excited that Mike got a new job! We were out at dinner with my work people and he ran into people he used to work with/for in Charlotte. One thing led to another and he was offered a job as a mechanic at a dealership, which is what he wants to do! Oh, and another bonus is that its basically right across the street from our apartment!

Apartment, step 1:

2010-08-01T09:41:00.001-04:00

We filled out an application. We set a move-in date for Sept. 16. Only thing we need is a bed, W/D and second bathroom items. Oh yeah, its 2 bd/2 bth!

Happiness.

i wanna be an author

2010-07-23T20:17:00.000-04:00

When I was 10, we moved from Wilmington to Tacoma, stopping in Dallas along the way. My mom, sister, 2 dogs and I made the trek in a 2-door burgundy Thunderbird.

My mom is not one for sight-seeing. She like to get to her end destination as fast as possible, safely. So, needless to say, we didn't make many stops food and gas, and to sleep---food and gas were in the same stop by the way and because of that, my sister and I had to entertain ourselves. Sara mostly slept and I started to write some stories.

They were just short simple stories, but I liked them. They were about things that I wanted an answer to, but couldn't be explained. The first of these being 'How Leopards Got Their Spots'. pretty self explanatory if you ask me. I had several of these planned out, but never followed through because we got to Tacoma, and I found new things to do to occupy my time. ya know, like get to know a whole different world.

I think about these stories from time to time, and sometimes I think that I would like to follow through with those stories, write them and maybe even make it a collection of short stories that could potentially be made into a book. I haven't done any kind of research or foundation-building, if you will, just thoughts.

If I do want to pursue this, I think the best first step would be to actually write the stories.

New Living Situation

2010-07-14T21:48:00.003-04:00

A lot has happened since the 4th...

First of all, Mike and I have made new friends here (Yay!!). Their names are Michael and Jill. They are a married couple we met through someone at my dad's work. We stayed at their house the weekend of and week after the 4th because my dad decided to invite half of our family down, and Mike and I still had to work.

Once we got to their house, they realized how awesome we are and wanted us to stay with them forever and ever..... Ok, maybe not that long, but until we got our own place (yes, there is an update on that). We are 25 min closer to our works (which means we only drive approx 15-20 min now) and that means less money in gas spent (thank you, Gladys) **Side note: Gladys the Green Monster is my 1996 V-8 Ford Explorer that gets between 16-18 mpg** , so of course we took them up on it! So, now we are staying in their basement until we move into our own apartment, which is going to be this fall (October/November).

We decided to live in Anderson, since we both work here and found an amazing complex! It's called Walden Oaks (www.walden-oaks.com) and we fell in love with the apartment and the amenities (no-entry pool, bark park and visitor suite for starters). We are saving up to get furniture and washer/dryer so that we can be move-in ready when we decide we are able to. I'm really excited!

I know I have said this before, but things just keep getting better and I could not be happier with life right now.

Happy 4th of July!!

2010-07-04T22:21:00.000-04:00

July 4th is usually my favorite holiday...

It's in the middle of summer (my favorite season)
There's festivals/carnivals/parades and lots of food!
It a festive, active, exciting holiday

because it's all about friends, sometimes family, and fun! How can you have a bad 4th of July...? For my family, it's a time when family comes down and get to play on the lake at my dad's house. This is family that we only see once or twice a year, and we choose 4th of July to be one of those times. We light fireworks and have a cookout and generally a good time.

Hopefully you're 4th of July is just as fun-filled and is something you look forward to every year like I do! =)

small rant

2010-06-17T22:24:00.001-04:00

I am not one for politics.

I was raised for the first 10 years of my life in the South, between Texas and North Carolina. Both of my parents are Southern, as well as each of their families (ok, 90%). But I spent the next 12-13 years of my life in the Pacific Northwest. So, basically I have conservative ideas on some things, and liberal ideas on some things. I don't like to classify because I think that goes with 'judging a book by its cover'. There are assumptions tied into Republican or Democrat (don't deny it) and I would rather not be judged by that.

Also, I don't watch the news.... correction, I avoid watching the news.. because it's depressing. I'd rather not know who stabbed their girlfriend, what mother abandoned her baby in a ditch/dumpster/river etc, what wreck happened, who's fighting and how much more money I'm gonna have to spend than I already do. I accept all of these as facts of life, but it's not what I want to focus on in life, and that's all that the news does.

But, because I have a 50 minute drive (one way) to work, I listen to the radio. And I'm sorry, but some strongly political people baffle me. I hear people talk about big government vs small government and the government shouldn't be choosing health care and free trade and ....................... These are the same people that are now pointing the finger at our government and what they aren't doing in relation to the oil crisis (yes, I am calling it a crisis---countless animals/habitats/livelihoods are being destroyedwith no end in sight).

So, do you want the government involved in regulating

companies/lives of American citizens or no...?

I'm just frustrated with all the negativity and how everyone complains about EVERYTHING!! It doesn't matter what it is, someone has to complain about it (I know I'm being a slight hypocrite right now, but if I may, I don't complain about everything).

Can people just stop arguing and fighting and pointing fingers and making a big deal of everything long enough to see what that mindset is doing to the world around us.

On the list

2010-06-13T22:22:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was an eventful day. Mike and I did a little bit of apartment hunting. As I mentioned yesterday, we have decided to move closer to Greenville to be 'back in the action'. Now, I'm not saying that Fair Play doesn't have its share of action, but our highlight over the past few weeks has been the county coming into our neighborhood to mow and trim the trees. (oh yeah, that's exciting around here).

Mike did a little investigating via online last week to get an idea of what the area has to offer. We have some ideas of what we want, having lived in apartments before, and we have a price we would like to stay around (don't worry, I put my accounting classes to work and came up with a rough budget) so that we can pay all of our bills and still have some left over to play and even save (gasp!). I'm just excited we are in a position to pay bills, play and save!

So, we headed up to visit Simpsonville (we were introduced by Freedom Weekend Aloft) to scope out a few places. What is great about Simpsonville is that its only 30 min from Anderson, about 15 from downtown Greenville, and its a growing city--complete with the amphitheater and an IMAX (just to name a few). We found some good ones, and some not so good ones. We are still exploring because we are not rushing into moving and still have some things to pay off/buy before we get an apartment again.

Here is what we are looking for in an apartment:

1 or 2 bedroom
open kitchen (Mike likes the space, I like the bar)
attractive grounds/buildings
somewhat updated interior (doesn't have to be brand new, but I don't want to feel like I'm in the 80's)

And then some things that we would like to have are amenities, washer/dryer, close to freeway and/or city area.

This may seem like a lot, or that we are kinda picky, but really we are just looking for the overall feeling because we plan on being there awhile. And believe it or not, all of this is available within our price range (which is the best part)!

We are still looking and still keeping our eyes out, and keeping Anderson as an option. We just have to wait until Mike has a Saturday off again so we can do more exploring.

Startin' to Climb

2010-06-12T21:51:00.004-04:00

It has been a crazy week!!

Mike started working 1st shift... 4:30am to 3-4pm (yes 10-12 hr shifts), so we got to go to bed together, but not really see each other except for an hour or two in the evening....

And that is because I was working 8:30am-7pm all week. It is a very busy time in the home warranty business (it being summer and AC's going out, and all) so even though we are in training, they offered us overtime. I thought it would be great because once I'm out of training, I will be working 4 10's so this gave me a chance to see what my day will be like (except the whole 5-day workweek thing).

To start the week off, on Sunday I got a call from my stepmom to tell me that my dad is in the hospital in CA with pancreatitis. gggrrrrrreeeeeaaaattttt!

He is ok, but the DR has removed fried food from his diet completely (this is like telling me I can't eat tacos) and he needs to revamp his diet completely.

Yesterday, we had some family friends/dad's co-workers stop in for the night so they went and played on the lake, and we went out to dinner--watched a little bit of college baseball and the world cup.

Mike and I both have the whole weekend off again (YAY!) so we decided to start our apartment search. We spent most of the day in the Greenville area driving around and getting to know the area a little bit. We decided we wanted to move closer to city/night life. We LOVED living in Charlotte because we were so close to anything we wanted to do, and we miss that. Greenville is only about 45-60 min north of Fair Play, so we aren't going that far but it's more of where we want to be.

All in all, it was a good week and I'm feeling like we're in a great place to start living our life the way we have wanted to for the last year and a half.

Happiness.

Summertime

2010-06-05T09:55:00.005-04:00

Now that we are working, Mike and I don't get to see each other too much. I work the ol' 8:30-5:30 and he works 2-11/12/whenever they get done... And we all know Amber does not stay up that late... and if I do its to say hi and goodnight.

But we both had last Saturday off and we wanted to do something fun. I did a little research and found that there is quite a lot to do in the Greenville/Anderson area.

There are a lot of..

Golf courses.. but we don't golf. Only putt-putt for me!
Historical homes/plantations... but Mike isn't into history like I am.
Gardens/parks (bc well, we live on a huge lake)... but we wanted something more upbeat.

And then I also found some fun spots to try, like

McGee's Irish Pub in Anderson, complete with pub and fine-dining menu, dozens of wines, local, domestic and imported brews, and live music.... Definitely a contender!
Frankie's Fun Park, a Dave and Busters/Gameworks kind of place... Definitely more of our style.

But the winner was Freedom Weekend Aloft in Simpsonville. They had carnival rides and games, a car show, hot air balloons, a 5k walk/run, family shows, dog shows, community sporting events (we saw baseball and lacrosse) and concerts!! The concerts definitely won us over! Admission was $10 and $5 to park.
What were the concerts...? On Saturday, the Piedmont Boys--a somewhat local Beatles cover band with the haircuts and all, Joey + Rory-- winners of Can You Duet, and on the Overstock commercials, and Luke Bryan--he was on an episode of this season's Celebrity Apprentice, and some of his songs are 'Do I' 'Country Man' and most recently 'Rain is a Good Thing'
Did I mention the $10 admission included the concerts too...? The whole event was at Heritage Park and the amphitheater that is there. Just to give you an idea, they had a Zach Brown Band concert there last night, and tickets were only $35! We are definitely looking into Heritage Park Amphitheater for upcoming shows!
Basically, last weekend was a great weekend and I am super excited to find more and more things to do in our area.
Happiness.

The Moment We Have Been Waiting For...

2010-05-22T09:11:00.001-04:00

I HAVE A JOB!!

And not only do I have a job, Mike is working also! We both got full time, 40-hour (Mike 40+) jobs with long-term potential in Anderson!

This all started a few weeks ago when we went to a job fair in Seneca. There was a good amount of companies there, but many of them were just there to give information about their company/job line rather than seriously looking at people to hire. Mike talked to a few people about some opportunities, and one of them worked out really well because he is working there now because of it. P.S.--he likes it and is doing amazing! He's picking things up quick, meeting new people, and his supervisors dote on him constantly!

I heard about my job from my insurance agent. I went in to enroll us in automatic payments, and he was asking about renters and life insurance for us. I told him that we hadn't gotten there yet because Mike had just started working and I was still looking. He told me that he had just gotten an email from an HR manager at a place just around the corner that was looking to hire 20 new customer service agents (hello!! what else have I done in my work life...??)

So I went over there to inquire, ran home to change and get my resume--I needed to be interview ready and have a copy--went back, filled out the application and interviewed at the same time. I was called 3 days later with an offer and I started 5 days ago!!

The company is Cross Country Home Services. They sell home warranties, maintenance and referral programs. I am working in one of their call centers, answering customer questions and processing claims for the programs. I am still in training, and just learning about the products and features right now.

Check them out ---> http://www.cchs.com/

I am no longer working for the Census--school and full time job was enough to handle. School is going ok--midterm is this week (definitely behind on studying, but its ok). Life seems to be just fitting into place now and I couldn't be happier!!

Guilty Pleasure

2010-05-04T23:21:00.000-04:00

I'm not 'addicted' to any show, but I do have some faves...

... and some of the ones I feel I shouldn't like, but really do....

I know, I know.. they are reality shows but I think the people in them are funny and just fun to watch--you can relate to parts of them (excluding that whole celebrity/being famous and having crazy amounts of money part) and its about the happy parts of life--love and family. =)

Up, Down and All Around

2010-04-30T14:15:00.002-04:00

Last weekend, Mike and I took a road trip to Beulaville, NC to help my grandmother pack up her house. She sold her house, and is moving to her old house that she was renting out, but has since become vacant. She is hoping to sell that house (in addition to the one in Beulaville) so she can move closer to Greensboro and Raleigh, where my aunts live.

Yes, my family likes moving, and yes Mike and I enjoy road trips....

I had never been to her house in Beulaville, and Mike has only met her twice, so it was a nice chance for us to spend some time with her, and help her out a little bit. We were only there for a day and a half (it being a 6 hour drive up there) but we enjoyed it. We got a VERY scenic view of the Carolinas, because we had to take detours and state highways but it was fun.

I'm glad to be back around family because I haven't seen them too often in recent years. Also, we now have a place to stay if we want to venture to the NC coast for a few days! =)

School Days and Census Taking

2010-04-26T14:08:00.002-04:00

Round 2 of class has begun!

I made it through my first online/masters class successful. As of right now, I have an A but the final test has not been graded yet. I think I did well on it, so I'm not worried.

My second course started today, and it gets more into the nitty-gritty of accounting and using financial statements. I am looking forward to it and excited to be past the basics!

I also am working for the Census again. This time though, I am doing the door-to-door part and talking with people that either didn't receive a form or didn't mail it in. I am hoping that people aren't mean and cooperate with me. People seem to have a very nasty opinion of the Census and what it is about/used for. Training starts tomorrow, and will hopefully last a few weeks.

The full-time-job hunt continues. Mike and I went to a job fair last week, and several of the companies were just there giving out information, as opposed to giving out applications. It was the usual 'Go to our website and apply there if we have anything available'. I have a couple potentials out there, so just hoping something pans out and I can start working. Until then the Census is a nice alternative.

New Movie

2010-04-13T20:07:00.002-04:00

There is a new movie coming out in June that I am already dying to see.

It is called 'Dinner for Schmucks' and it is the American version of 'Le diner de cons', which is a French comedy about a businessman that has an 'idiot dinner' with his peers every so often.

HILARIOUS!!!

I watched it in both HS and college for French class and loved it each time.

The cast of 'Dinner for Schmucks' includes Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and Zach Galifianakis. Here, IMDB it for yourself, and make sure to watch the trailer!

... and if you would like to explore 'Le diner de cons', you can IMDB it here.

Ma Familia

2010-04-09T11:34:00.000-04:00

This is one half of one third of my family... but not quite one sixth. =)

This is my dad's mom's side of his family. My dad is in the back, center, with his two sisters and then his mom sitting, followed by my cousins (the strawberry blond to the left of my grandma is a cousin by marriage). The only people missing are my brother and sister, Meagan.

My dad's dad's side is the Pearces and there are substantially more of them. My dad has 3 more sisters, 2 uncles and an aunt {RIP Aunt June} and I have about 12 more cousins/second cousins. This is the other half of the one third.

The second third is my mom's family. There's a large amount of them too. My mom has a brother and sister, 3 aunts and 2 uncles {RIP Uncle Danny}, and I have cousins/second cousins that I've never even met! If we were to have a family reunion, I would say there would be at least 40 of us.

The third third is my stepdad's family, and his is the largest of them all. My stepdad has 5 brothers and a sister. I think he has approximately 9 aunts/uncles on his dad's side, and they all have multiple kids. When they have family reunions (which they do every 2-3 years in various parts of the country) its in the 100's, literally. I haven't been to one yet, for various reasons, but I'm sure I will get to and I'm pretty sure its going to be crazy.

Happiness.

Happy Birthday

2010-04-03T11:52:00.000-04:00

Today is Mike's Birthday!!!

He is pretty excited.. not because he is turning 23, but because Michigan State plays in the Final Four tonight. Silly boys....

We all remember how I am no good at gift giving...? Well, for Christmas I didn't do that bad. I got him an all white Michigan State hat, but it had the green S and STATE in gray on the side-ish, along with a vintage-style Michigan State T-shirt (yes, he LOVES Michigan State)....

But for his birthday, I decided to do a little something different. I wanted to either take him to a Japanese steakhouse I found in town, or get him a massage.... I decided to get him a massage because he has been wanting one for awhile, and I figured it was HIS birthday so HE should enjoy it, not necessarily US.

I found a great spa in town wtih good prices, but they are closed today --> side note: EVERYTHING is closed today because Easter is tomorrow. it's crazy! <-- so he is going next week. I am going to attempt to create a Chinese-inspired dinner tonight because another thing he LOVES is Chinese/Asian food, except sushi.

Little Known Fact

2010-03-31T18:44:00.000-04:00

Little known fact about Census employees:

We are legally bound to keep anything we see or hear on the job confidential.

For example, if I go to a nursing home or assisted living facility and witness abuse by an employee toward a patient/resident I LEGALLY CANNOT report it... to anyone. Or, let's say I go to your house and I see that you are growing marijuana in your living room, all I can do is find out the name, age, sex and race of those living in the house. I CANNOT tell my supervisor or the police about your choice of herbs.

A little strange..? Yes.

A little unnerving...? Potentially.

Let's just hope I don't witness a murder or anything while I'm working.

Valuable Lessons

2010-03-26T23:05:00.000-04:00

I love the lessons you learn around the age of 4. My favorite being what I call 'Thumper's Rule'... If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I think this applies to everyone everywhere in any situation. There is no need to be mean, or cruel or talk down about something or someone.

Also, simple lessons, such as 'Put things back where you found them' applies to so many things throughout life. For example, at training this week there was several questions about where to put forms once we were done. After our trainer stated 4 different times to put them into the envelope they came in, I assumed that after the first time he stated it, it would be common sense to just apply this rule.... but nooooo.

Which brings me to another rule, this one is courtesy of Hitch, and not one you learn when you're young but I think it's appropriate--'Listen and respond'. If you listen first, process the information, and then speak, less questions will be asked and less time wasted.

Another good one is 'Don't talk over someone else/when the teacher is talking'. At the end of training today, two people next to me were carrying on a conversation about the military/boot camp/why they got kicked out while our trainer was telling us about what we were going to be doing next week... and they were not whispering! Why can't you just close your mouth for 10 more minutes and then you can talk all you want outside..?

I just don't understand how or why people don't exercise common courtesy. Is it too much to ask to be polite and aware of people around you when you're in public? I don't think so!

Do It!!!

2010-03-26T22:40:00.000-04:00

The 2010 Census that is...

Why you may ask?

Besides the fact, that its in the Constitution? Well, I am working for the Census Bureau as an enumerator and I feel that I should pass along the request.

Right now my job is to visit group living quarters [dorms, nursing homes, etc] and count the residents. But, the next part will be to go door-to-door and count the people that did not fill out their form.

It is really simple--It's 6 questions... Name, Age or DOB, Sex, Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin, Race and do you live at your address most of the time.... that's it [and really you don't have to put anything about race if you don't want]! We don't want to know anything about your finances, marital status, job or anything like that--we just want a count.

The reason the count is so important is because it determines population for your city, county, state, and population determines representation in the House of Representatives, and potentially funding/taxes for cities, counties and states.

Here is the official website for the 2010 Census.

Life Update

2010-03-13T11:59:00.003-05:00

<> School is going great! I am grasping the concepts pretty quickly and doing my reading/assignments and doing well with them. I'm glad I decided to do this!

<>Looking for a job.... Had an interview on Friday, and it went pretty well. It was to be an Office Assistant for a finishing-product supplier. I won't know anything until the end of the week.

<>Mike's birthday is coming up (April 3)... Have some ideas for it that I think he will really like. =)

<>My sister got engaged recently--Congrats Sara and Denorris! It's a little crazy to think that my 20 year old sister will be getting married in the somewhat-near future, but I'm happy for them.

<>My mom and stepdad Wayne are moving to Texas beginning of April. Also, very happy for them. My mom is from Texas and that's where her family is, and Wayne is ready for a change of scenery, so YAY! them.

<>Living with my dad and stepmom Betty is going good. They like having us here, and we help them out with what we can. It's getting warmer down here, so we will be getting the boat and jet skis out soon. =)

<>Mike and I got SC insurance and tags for our vehicles the other day, now all we need is license and we will be all set!

<>I am working on cooking more and creating a recipe book/file online (saving the trees and all), as well as other mini projects I try to fill my spare time with.

Happiness.

Soo, funny story

2010-03-13T11:46:00.004-05:00

Have you ever seen the movie 'Airplane' (or any of its sequels)?

I first saw this movie when I was maybe 7 or 8 and living in Texas with my grandparents. It was on TV and is one of my grandpa's favorite movies, so we watched it. Clearly at this age, one is unable to grasp the sarcastic parody aspect, so rather than laughing, what do I do....?

I ball like a baby!!!

I was so sad that all those people were going to die. And I felt so bad for the pilot because he was trying so hard to save them and he just couldn't..... This of course, is my 7/8 year old self thinking all movies and TV shows portray real events/stories.

I haven't watched it again, but perhaps I should and enjoy the movie as it is supposed to be enjoyed---by LAUGHING

What Kind Are You?

2010-03-09T23:46:00.002-05:00

I am not much of an art lover.... Correction--I am not much of a painting-lover. I LOVE photographs and hand-crafted art (anywhere from sculptures to jewelery).

First of all, I'm not a very analytical person. I don't tend to 'interpret' things around me or make assumptions to experiences. I like to take things at face value, or take the time to explore them if need be.

Call me crazy, but painting seem so 'busy' to me, even still-life. I don't know if it's about the colors, or visible brush strokes, or what exactly it is, I just always see movement and activity, even in still life. But there are some paintings that I like, such as the one on the left of the page by Gergios Gounaropoulos (Greek). I also tend to like abstract art, such as those found here, at iOffer.com.

What I do love is photography, and that's because it's a moment captured--it's still, it's peaceful. Sometimes it's emotional, but it's just what it is. Some of my favorite pictures are also on the left of the page, and others can be found via Facebook or Winkflash.

I apologize

2010-03-06T16:35:00.001-05:00

Allow me to take a few moments to apologize for the lack of picture in my recent posts (I know you have missed seeing me)....

It seems that we forgot our camera chargers (yes, both of them) in Michigan. 'Why not go and buy a new one?' you're probably asking... Well, a new one is $40 while a brand new camera is $80 (prices according to Best Buy). So, we need to phone some of the peeps in Kingsford and see if they would kindly send us our camera chargers.

Once our dilemma is solved, you will see more pictures of myself and my projects. =)

First Week Back

2010-03-04T11:40:00.002-05:00

Class started on Monday with introductions and an overview/assignments. So far, it has been great! I've never been much of a studier, even through my undergrad. I can usually listen to a lecture, or read material and retain it well enough to take the test (that being my ultimate goal). But now I realize that passing the test isn't going to get me the knowledge I need to have a successful career.

So, I have actually been taking useful notes, and participating in discussions, and reading the book (these 3 things have never occurred simultaneously). I want to learn this stuff not just so I can say that I have a Master's degree, but because I am genuinely interested and want to have a future centered around Financial Management.

The name of my course, by the way, is Financial Accounting and Managerial Use. It's kind of a broad overview of accounting, and a nice transition into the meaty stuff. It is pretty time-intensive.. Each week (8 total) we have at least 2 chapters to read, 2-3 discussions that we must participate in at least 3 seperate days, lecture to read/listen, professor notes to review and 1-2 assignments to complete, not to mention the course project due in parts on weeks 3, 5, and 7 plus the midterm in week 4 and the final in week 8!

I'm excited though. I think I've started managing my time well and hope to continue it, especially if I start working soon.

ABC, 123

2010-02-25T01:42:00.003-05:00

I am officially a graduate student. I am enrolled, I have a student number, I have received the syllabus from my professor and class starts on Monday.

I am getting a Master's degree in Accounting and Financial Management from Keller Graduate School of Management. It's DeVry's graduate school. I looked at a couple of programs, but I chose theirs because it incorporates the prep 'class' for the C ertified P ublic A ccountant or C hartered F inancial A nalyst exam (whichever I choose down the road) into your last few classes. That way, you don't have to spend money on your degree, plus money on the prep class to take the exam. You can take each part of the test after that section in your class. Basically, it kills 2 birds with one stone.

I am hoping to go more towards the route of finance and financial advisor vs accountant, but I'm not sure yet. I'll get a better idea of the two realms after a few classes.

I'm nervous, but I'm also excited. I think this is a huge step towards a career that I will enjoy and will be useful. I didn't know if I was going to go to grad school when I was an undergrad, but now it feels right.

Happiness.

Just One Quick Moment

2010-02-25T00:47:00.010-05:00

Please allow to be a stereotypical girl for a moment and express my thoughts about my wedding. No, I am not getting married anytime soon. No, I am not dropping hints to Mike. and No, I am not planning every detail before I even get engaged. Some girls just think about these things from time to time, and today I am one of those girls.

There are three things that I really care about surrounding the actual wedding.... 1) My ring. 2) My wedding dress. 3) My cake.

1) I don't really know what kind of ring I would like. For some reason I am drawn to this style of ring--large square, a set with small bands, but I don't want all those diamonds. I want to simplify it.

2) I have always thought that I wanted a strapless gown, but I fell in love with this when I saw the movie...

Again, it's simple but also elegant and flattering. The movie is Monster-in-Law with Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda.

3) The cake I want is simple, but with a little bit of pop! My inspiration is which was featured on WEtv's show Amazing Wedding Cakes. It was done by Cake Alchemy in NYC. The owner/designer was inspired by Dale Chihuly (check out the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, his home), who is a glass blower. I also fell in love with this when I saw it on the show. I don't necessarily want the sugar balls on the side, but definitely something dramatic on the top.

This is really the extent to what I think about in regards to my wedding. Just thought you'd like to know.

Just Dance

2010-02-17T19:53:00.003-05:00

We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance (Japanese Proverb)
Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing (Clive James)
Kids. They dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music (William Stafford)
We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh (Friedrich Nietzsche)
Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live like it's heaven on earth (Mark Twain)
There was a star danced, and under that I was born (William Shakespeare)
Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune intoned in the distance by an invisible player (Albert Einstein)
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music (Angela Monet)
Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance (Rabindranath Tagore)
The dance is a poem of which each movement is a word (Mata Hari)
There is nothing more notable in Socrates than that he found time when he was an old man to learn music and dancing, and thought it time well spent (Michael de Montaigne)
Dance is the hidden language of the Soul, of the body (Martha Graham)
Live a balanced life--Learn some and think some, and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some (Robert Fulghum)
When you take dancing lessons, you learn steps and you learn and you learn steps. It can go on for a long time. And then one day, you just learn to dance, and it is so different (Bill Austin)
Please send me your last pair of shoes, worn out with dancing as you mentioned in your letter, so that I might have something to pres against my heart (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good (Edwing Denby)
On with the Dance! Let joy be unconfined; no sleep till morn', when youth and pleasure meet to chase the glowing hours with flying feet (Lord Byron)
Discourse on virtue and they pass by in droves. Whistle and dance the shimmy, and you've got an audience (Diogenes)
How can we know the dancer from the dance? (William Butler Yeats)
I would believe only in a God that knows how to dance (Friedrich Nietzsche)

**taken from a poster

Going good

2010-02-11T15:23:00.003-05:00

I feel like I'm headed in the right direction...

No, I haven't found work yet, but I have decided that I want to get my Master's degree. I'm looking at online courses, because I really can't afford to 'go back to school'. I need to work and pay bills. I was a little unsure about an online degree (it seems a little 'fake' to me) but after reading some reviews/opinions, it sounds perfect! I'm a pretty independent learner and hated sitting in 2 hour lectures (I fell asleep A LOT)--I like discussion and interactive learning. Also, one person put it as 'online degree for an online world', and also that getting an online degree takes more drive and concentration because you are doing it on your own. That made me feel better.

I have taken the steps needed to become a bulldog foster! I'm sure you have caught on to my bulldog fascination, and this way I will get to have one while also volunteering my home and helping an animal in need. I am just waiting for the program operator to get a bulldog that she can let stay an hour away (one that doesn't need a lot of close vet attention). You can check out the organization, Georgia English Bulldog Rescue, at http://www.anthonymurrell.com/

Mike and I are brainstorming business opportunities for ourselves. We are looking at realistic things that will make us money, but doing it on our own. We haven't solidified anything yet, but I am excited for the possibilities!

My Thoughts

2010-02-04T10:26:00.003-05:00

Besides a few friends, my other inspiration for doing a blog was my random thought pattern. I tend to jump topics pretty quickly, and sometimes in no logical order (well, logical to me). I thought I would share an example from laying in bed last night:

My nose is getting stuffy --> Probably because of the dogs (2 pugs) --> But they aren't always here, only 2 days a week --> Maybe it's because they layed on my blanket and now I'm using it --> Well, I need to get used to it because there might be another dog soon (more on that to come) -->I wonder if those dogs shed, and how much --> Maybe if I brush the dog pretty frequently --> Is there a special brush or mit that will capture the hair as I brush, because if I just brush all the hair will either go onto me or in the air and that wouldn't be any help at all --> What about that Pledge pet brush thing-it works for cats and couches, would it work for dogs? --> I think it would pick up pet hair just the same on the couches and blankets and the like...

At this point, I asked Mike what he thought. He didn't know but thought it would work. I then fell asleep.

Oh, Life

2010-01-30T18:33:00.005-05:00

My recent (and final big) move has got me thinking even more so about what I want out of life and what I want my life to look like. I've never had 'real' goals--none of the 'career by 23, married by 25, kids by 27, home by 30' plan. My goal in life is to be happy and financially secure. That's it. I want to be financially secure because I grew up with my parents not being. We were never homeless or anything to that extreme, but there was never any 'extra'--no family trips or even outings, no nice dinners out, nothing above necessary or holidays. Now, I don't want a lavish life, I just want to be able to live where I want, go out wherever whenever I want and just make memories.

I want to be happy, not just content. I don't want to settle for anything and I want to make my own happiness. That's why I seem to be a little crazy the last year or so--bouncing around to every part of the country. But I know now where I want to live and I also have a career direction that I'm really excited about (another new development).

These 2 hopes are my motivation, but there's also little things that I want to be a part of my life, or at least do once:

shop at second-hand places for most material objects, whether that be clothing stores, antique stores, flea markets, etc.<>have a magazine subscription that I enjoy and is useful<>go to a drag show<>go to local music venues for big names and up-and-comers<>take dance lessons<>find exercise that I enjoy and want to keep doing<>eat better and smarter<>be more conscious of current political affairs<>get to know the town I live in by getting out and enjoying it<>go to the symphony>

I'm sure there's more, but these were on the top of my head. And now, more Zelda Wisdom

P.S... Sorry for the somberness of the last few posts. The next one will be fun!

Oh, People

2010-01-24T10:35:00.003-05:00

I am fascinated by people. And I am a 'nurture' believer in the 'nature vs nurture'-brain vs society-psychology vs sociology- because if you took me and put me being raised by my father in North and South Carolina, I would be a different person than who I am now, having been raised by my mother in North Carolina and Washington (both place and parents would have different affects).

I studied sociology in college because of this fascination. At that point I was so interested in just general differences in people, in society. Throughout college, and even today, I like to look at people and how they handle situations or how they view a situation. It makes me think. I don't try to assume what a person has gone through to make them who they are, or make up a story that I think would fit. I simply acknowledge the (usually) different personality/view point and then think about my own.

My most recent fascination is with people who are, let's say strong minded. They have faults, as does everyone, but they won't recognize them or listen to you when you point them out. Even if it is something that is affecting loved ones feelings and opinion of them. Now I know, if you love someone you love all of them and accept their faults, which I do, but I draw the line when it becomes an issue of respect (please don't get me started on respect).

What I am wondering if why it is so hard for people to admit their faults and be so adament to not acknowledge them..? Is it something they have done before, and back fired? Is it simply a learned trait to only admit strength and not weakness? Whatever the case, I hope people with this obstacle can face their weaknesses and accept a little more humility.

For the record, some of my faults are: I am indecisive, I'm so easy going that I sometimes let people take advantage of me, I procrastinate, Not many friends/family know what I honestly think and feel about them.

Oops.....

2010-01-21T12:16:00.003-05:00

... I did it again!

Oh yeah, that's a Britney Spears reference, don't worry! =)

What I am referring to overall though is the fact that Mike and I have moved.... again. We had been talking and thinking about what we really wanted for ourselves in terms of lifestyle and we realized that we both LOVE the south. It's where I grew up, and it has been his favorite place to live.

So, we talked to my dad (because we couldn't just up and move to a brand new place) and they were ecstatic to have us come live with them. Witihin about a week of deciding that we wanted to return to the Carolinas, we were all packed up and on the highway heading S.

We are now living in Fair Play, SC and already have a couple hopefuls of job opportunities. We have only been here 2 days--we left Michigan Monday morning and it was an 18 hour drive--but it has been great and it just feels right.

Happiness.

Corn Salsa

2010-01-10T23:51:00.002-05:00

I have started to make a list of foods that I like, or would like to try, and have set out on a quest to find recipes for them, thus creating my recipe book and cooking more. My first craving was for Qdoba's corn salsa (of course it was Mexican food).

For those of you that may not know, Qdoba is like a Mexican Subway--comparable to Taco Del Mar and Chipotle, but with AMAZING 3-cheese nachos. One of their salsas that you can choose from is a corn salsa, and it too is amazing! I went on the hunt for the recipe so that I could make the salsa at home because the closest Qdoba is in Green Bay, which is 2 hours away.

I found the ingredients, no problem, but I didn't find the amounts or any instructions. I assumed Qdoba wouldn't post their recipe, but I hope someone out there had an idea similar to my own and re-created the salsa and then posted it online for people like me to steal [=)].... No such luck. So, I am left to attempt to re-create the salsa myself and adjust amounts of ingredients according to taste. Wish me luck!

Who Knows

2010-01-07T23:36:00.003-05:00

I feel like I am surrounded by babies--Mike's sister is pregnant, and due within the next 2.5 weeks, one of my friends has a 7-month old daughter, another friend is hoping to have a baby within the next year or so, and it seems that any time I hear about a person I graduated HS with (5 years ago) has at least one child, if not more.

I have no issue with these people, it just gets me thinking about how I feel about children. First of all, I'm not good with them--I don't respond well to them and they don't really care for me. Second of all, I just don't have that drive, or itching to be a mother. I'm not saying that I don't want kids in the future, just that its not a necessity in my life in order to be fulfilled. I don't get any kind of feelings when I see babies and I'm not exactly prone to what seems to be common-baby-knowledge. I don't think about 'my biological clock' or want to look at the baby/kids section when I go to department stores. I have certain ideas about parenting and how to raise children, but I don't look at a lot of situations and think 'How would I handle that with my kids?'.

I think about my career, and getting married and where to live. Maybe once I get those things nailed down, kids will factor in..... but who knows when that's going to happen!

There and Back Again

2010-01-04T20:50:00.005-05:00

Mike and I met in Charlotte, NC, then moved to WA and are currently living in Michigan. Here are some pics of our trip from Tacoma to Michigan. You can find the rest of them here, on Winkflash!

Sunrise in E. Washington

Hello Idaho!

Going through Montana

Gotta Love North Dakota!

Sunset in Minnesota

A New Decade Begins

2010-01-02T13:44:00.003-05:00

Welcome 2010!!

Wow, has time flown. I can remember my New Year's from 2000 (hopefully Nissa you do too), and I thought that the new millenium was crazy, but now we are in the second decade of that new millenium!

I spent it at home, watching Dick Clark and then playing some Guitar Hero drinking beer. It was pretty uneventful, but it was nice. Since I didn't have much to do, I thought about resolutions. I've never made any because I need support if I'm going to start/change something--someone to motivate me and keep me on track--and I don't want to disappoint myself by putting something in writing and have it not work out.

But, I do want to make a 'wish list' if you will, for the next year and the next decade. These are not resolutions, more like goals and things I would like to do....

This year:

> Start a recipe book

> Learn to cook more, and do it

> Get healthier--eating better or working out or taking vitamins, or all of the above

> Get some debt settled, or at least on a plan for being settled

> Get a start on my new career path (info about schooling, internship, etc)

This decade:

> Be settled into my career

> Get married

> Buy a hybrid SUV

> Be settled into a house or apartment

> Visit Europe again

> Be part of a volunteer organization

Throughout this year and this decade, I also want to maintain friendships and stay close with my family. I have let some friendships go, but have kept the best ones, and I have also gotten closer to more of my family members recently and I want to keep that going!

And I leave you with a little bit of Zelda Wisdom...

New Direction

2009-12-30T23:07:00.000-05:00

As you may have read earlier, I have not had any real career direction in life. Even thoughout college, I figured that I would figure it out when the time came. Well, the time came............

........ and it went without me deciding or finding something.

Now, I have settled on accounting or personal finance. I have always known that I am good with numbers. It has been a natural ability for as long as I can remember (I taught a math lesson to my classmates in 4th grade) and through my many and various jobs I have learned that I am good with people--plus I enjoy both! What better way to utilize not only my natural talents, but also activities I enjoy than helping people decipher/plan/organize their finances (I am also good at organizing and giving logical advice).

My plan was to find an accounting firm here in town, get an internship with them for a couple hours a week and then go from there as far as certifications and liscenses. I figured that as long as I wasn't working, I might as well help myself get a job in the future. But, I got a call and I have an interview lined up next week!

It's at a foods company (I'm thinking grocery store) as a bookkeeper and cashier at the customer service desk. I look at this as yet another avenue to break into the accounting world through. To say the least, I am excited!

Happiness.

My First White Christmas

2009-12-27T15:35:00.000-05:00

In my 23 years of life I have lived in Wilmington, NC (~15 min from the Atlantic Ocean), Dallas, Charlotte, Seattle/Tacoma, and currently Kingsford. Given the various climates the previous cities and regions, snow was not very likely and certainly not in excess (excusing the current year because Charlotte and Dallas each got several inches of snow--freakin' El Nino). So, prior to this year I have never woken up to a white Christmas.

This year, we not only had 8-10 inches of snow already on the ground, but we got more snow, some sleet and even rain throughout the day to bring our total to about 12 inches of white fluffiness on the ground. I have to admit, it is rather pretty (if you don't look at the sides of the road).

But this Christmas was also different because I was not spending it with either my mother or my father (first time ever). Instead I spent it with Mike and his family, including his 2 uncles and their immediate families. In total we had a Christmas dinner of 14 people--quite the change from being with my mom and step-dad at his family's house when we have at least 30 people for any kind of family gathering.

Also, Mike and his family love to cook and bake, so I got to 'help' in some of that. I say 'help' because I am an ok cook when I want to be, but I am NO good at baking. I'm not much of a sweets eater to begin with, so I never have a drive to create sweet food. So rather than creating the sweets, they let me put it onto the baking trays.

In the end, we had ginger snaps, caramel corn, peanut butter cookies with Reese's cups on top, home-made Thin Mints, 'Special K bars', almond bark cookies, and chex mix, not to mention all the food for the actual meal. Granted, we didn't do this in one day, but rather 3.

Yay for new expereinces! =)

I am a Knitting Genius....

2009-12-27T15:21:00.000-05:00

... ok, maybe not, but I did finally finish my first project!

It is a potholder to place pots on, rather than fetch them from the oven. It was fun knitting and seeing my creation take place, but the needles I had were so thin my fingers crept cramping up. Mike's mom is going to teach me to crochet soon (she doesn't like to knit) and then I can decide which I like better. Crocheting seems to be faster and less complicated, but we shall see!

Stuck in a Hairy Situation

2009-12-20T22:12:00.000-05:00

There is not a lot one can control about their default appearance (default meaning no make-up, hair styling, or primping--just basic, roll-out-of-bed look). I am fortunate to have a pretty pleasant default look, but I get bored easily. I get restless looking at my same face and hair every day and trying to think of a new way to enhance the two, plastic surgery not being an option.

I am still exploring the world of make-up, with all its colors, techniques and effects. So what I am left with is my hair. I have been almost-bleach blonde (naturally in my younger years living at the beach), a dirty blonde (after I moved away), dark brown (experimenting in college) and have tried all lengths from the bottom of my ear lobes to the middle of my back. I have had perms, used straighteners, tried gels, hairspray and serums. I usually like the initial change, but soon grow restless and want something different in a matter of months.

That time has come again. I am growing my hair out (again) and hoping to get lots of choppy layers at my next hair cut, so that I can style my hair into a wavy/almost-curly do (with the help of several products and devices).

Simple Pleasures

2009-12-06T23:38:00.000-05:00

I must admit.... I am easily amused and entertained.

I find most of my daily joy in small things. Today, it was the fact that after 3 library cards and literally 5 different libraries I have found The Poisonwood Bible for my literary pleasure!! I read Barbara Kingsolver in high school and loved her, and now get to continue my journey with her novels.

Happiness.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-02T19:31:00.000-05:00

Black Friday is something I have never been too keen on participating in--'waking up' at 2am to go stand in the 30 degree weather at some major store for 4 hours hoping to claw your way in and push through the people to get those few items on your wish list. I'm not much of a pushy person and don't really feel the need to fight with 300 people for a discounted product that I probably don't need anyway.

But this year, I ventured out. We (Mike and I) woke up at 8am, took our time to get ready, eat breakfast, have our respective coffee and energy drink, and then head to Walmart, Kmart and Shopko--Kingsford's major retailers. Most of the crazies had gone by this time.... except in the electronics section. We were looking at getting a GPS and gifts for our families, but it looked like a tornado zone. DVD's and video games were everywhere, boxes dissheveled and lining the aisles, people zooming their carts up and down, in and out without a care. We found what we were looking for and quickly left that area to go check more items off our Christmas list.

Steal of the day: Winter coat at Walmart, originally $45--now $15. I am now ready to brace the Michigan winter!

About a year ago...

2009-11-26T16:14:00.000-05:00

Mike and I started dating.

Our anniversary was on Tuesday, and we celebrated it by going to dinner and a movie. It was nice and simple, just some time to ourselves since it has been kind of crazy lately with the move and everything. At dinner he gave me lillies and an opal ring, which I have been wanting for awhile now (opal is my birthstone). It made me smile.

2009-11-26T16:03:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I am thankful for my family, friends, Mike and his family, the opportunities and experiences I have had in life, the opportunity that I have right now, my health and happiness.

And so it begins

2009-11-22T23:26:00.000-05:00

We made it to Michigan!

The road trip was long, and moving was stressful, but now that we are here, it was all worth it. We have gotten settled in for the most part (still have to unpack) and we are going to look for jobs tomorrow.

I had to get a new phone because Sprint does not have coverage anywhere in the UP of Michigan, so I am now the proud customer of Verizon, again.

Oh, and our anniversary is on Tuesday. Not sure what we are doing yet.. I'm thinking a nice dinner at least.

I feel like we are headed in the right direction.

Tattoos and Piercings

2009-11-15T18:32:00.000-05:00

I went through my piercing phase in middle school and high school, getting my second earring hole at 10, my cartilage pierced at 12, belly button at 14 and tongue at 18. I never had my nose, lip or eyebrow done, and all of the above mentioned holes have closed up, leaving me with my original ear piercing that I have had since I was 2 months old (thanks Mom).

Tattoos are a different story. I got my first one when I was barely 18 (a lily and Japanese symbol for beauty on my R hip), second when I was 20 (my sorority letters ΑΞΔ and TFJ as the same on my L ribs) and my third at 21 (4 hearts representing my mom and her 3 kids on my R wrist)-my mom and sister have that same one.

And now I am researching my 4th. I want it on my foot (I live in flip flops when its not raining/snowing outside) and I want some sort of yin/yang but beach/city theme. The beach and city are two of my favorite places to be, and representative of the two places I grew up. The problem is I don't want sky scrapers or the Space Needle on my foot--I want something softer.

And so my search begins....

Small Town USA

2009-11-07T17:07:00.000-05:00

I have never lived in a small town. I have always lived in the burbs, and in Seattle for college. I've always liked being close to a big city, and always wanted to live literally downtown. I love the idea of walking to errands more than driving, and of being in the middle of a city so big, you could live there your entire life and still never see all of it.

But I have also come to appreciate small towns. Less people hurrying about to get all of the days tasks done, and more willing to stop and chat. There's also the 'small town charm' of shops and stores and family owned restaurants. I'm excited to actually live in a small town (I stayed in Kingsford for 3 weeks at the beginning of the year) and see what all it has to offer.

Not as many people, not so much craziness, a slower pace, and familiar faces. Doesn't sound bad at all.....

November brings....

2009-11-02T00:56:00.000-05:00

Daylight Savings (an extra hour of sleep), Thanksgiving, our anniversary...

... and our move to Michigan.

We have been talking about moving away from Tacoma for a few weeks now because we aren't happy with our current situation. The cost of living in the Seattle/Tacoma area is so high, not to mention additional expenses (student loans, fun, etc) and we aren't living the life we want because of that. Not to mention my family (there has been issues).

We will be leaving in about 2 weeks, staying in Kingsford, where Mike grew up, for a little bit and then either moving on to Green Bay or South Carolina (depending on job availability).

So, the painting project and decorating is going to be put on hold for a little bit, but the knitting is still a go. I guess the Let's Go Do Something doesn't really apply now... maybe I'll start over in another city. =) I'm looking forward to starting other projects, and picking up some cooking tips (all of Mike's family knows how and likes to cook).

Yay for road trips!

Pumpkin Carving Time!!

2009-10-26T02:34:00.000-04:00

As you last read, I have never had a pumpkin for Halloween. I think my mom always thought it was too messy and too fussy. So, with this being my first year out on my own, and Mike being well versed in pumpkin-carving knowledge, I wanted to get one and celebrate!

We went to Picha's Pumpkin Patch (in case you forgot) and they had so many to choose from--big, small, round, oval, Cinderella, gourds and more! We decided to get moderate ones, probably about 10 lbs each, and we got baby pumpkins. We even got some medium ones that were striped orange and white. We brought them home, carved the bigger ones and put the rest on the table. I'll let you see how much fun it was!

More pics here.

We Conquered the Corn Maze!

2009-10-24T19:53:00.000-04:00

Tuesday was an eventful day...

First we went to get me allergy tested because I have always had seasonal allergies but never knew exactly what I was allergic to, and also because I had a very bad reaction to Chapstick last February. At the end of the 4.5 hour appt (I had to leave and come back because he was running behind schedule) I found out I am really allergic to dust, feathers, grass, weeds, and some trees, and slightly allergic to other trees, pollen, dogs, and cats. I also have the indicators of migraines and asthma. All of this is an 'at-first-glance' list, with a more extensive and specific list coming December 3 after my follow up visit.

Next we went to the pumpkin patch. I found Picha's Pumpkin Patch here and decided to go because it has a trivia corn maze where you get a free pumpkin if you find/answer all the questions (you have to find posts in the maze that have hole punches attached to answer each question)! An added bonus was the price of the pumpkins--only $0.26/lb! It was my first time going to a pumpkin patch or corn maze or getting a pumpkin for halloween at all, so I had tons of fun!

There are more photos on Winkflash, if you are curious!

Travel Blog

2009-10-16T23:59:00.000-04:00

I have moved around quite a bit in my life, and been to several states (driving through and stopping in via airport) but my absolute best and most special travel experience is when I studied abroad in Greece. That was one of the two things I knew I wanted to do in college (the other being join a sorority), and I barely made it happen. I was in Ioannina, Greece for my last quarter of college and it was the perfect way to cap off my 4 years. I traveled all over Greece, and even ventured to Italy, Germany and Albania while I was there.

Before I went, I decided to start a travel blog to document my time and whole experience. It isn't quite finished (only a couple more places need to be added), but I am going to finish it over the next couple days and wanted to share it with you. Perhaps you are thinking/wanting to go to Europe, or maybe you're just curious... Either way, it's called Ioannina, Gyros and European beaches... Oh My!

Happy Birthday to Me!!

2009-10-16T00:39:00.000-04:00

So... there was drama on my birthday (and in the days after) but I am over it, and don't feel like talking about it anymore, so I'm not going to.

Instead, I'm going to tell you about the good parts. On Saturday Mike, myself and a couple of our friends went go-karting and played indoor putt-putt (I'm madly in love with both of these) and then went to dinner at Azteca (again, a love of mine). At dinner, they told the waiter it was my birthday, so I got to wear a sombrero and got sang to by the staff--good times!

Then, on Monday, Nissa sent me a bouquet of Lilies and greenery (I think she thought of my theme here) to work and it was really pretty! It is now gracing my living room with its presence.

Tuesday was my actual birthday and we kept it pretty low key. Mike and I had friends and my mom and sister over for some tacos (oh yes, Mexican once again!) Mike got me a bouquet of Lilies too, but he had a purple and gold theme (I went to UW and am a huge Husky fan). He also got me a Build-a-Bear dog with a collar and tag with 'Zeus' on it (told you he was amazing).

It was a great birthday all around and I feel extremely lucky to have Mike and friends like mine. They put forth a lot of effort to give me a great birthday and I can't thank them enough for that!

My Birthday!

2009-10-10T02:57:00.000-04:00

... is on Tuesday, the 13th and I have been thinking about what I want to do for a little while now. I had intended to think of something random and new, and let my friends know and whoever could come, would come. What turned out happening though is that Mike and my friends decided to plan a surprise something.

I am super grateful that they would think of that and want to put in the effort for it, but there is now some drama surrounding it (as is usual amongst some of my friends). I am trying to not get involved and not let it worry me, but it is my birthday. I just hope things can get worked out by tomorrow (when the festivities take place) and that everyone will have a good time. I just want people to be happy and have fun and not have drama at my birthday.

But that led me to thinking a little--I don't often sit and analyze things or ponder, but sometimes I do--why is it that I attract people who HAVE to have drama in their life. Some of my friends (definitely not all) both former and current seem to have conflict and chaos surrounding them 24/7 and if its not, they don't know what to do with themselves. The normal conclusion would be that I am one of those people (like attracts like) but I am SOO not. I don't like stress/chaos/conflict, I like harmony and balance and compromise (it's the Libra in me). I am a pretty mild-mannered person, but I am surrounded by loud, strong-personality people.

Does this make any sense at all...?

Ten

2009-10-03T22:12:00.000-04:00

October is here!

And it is my favorite month. Not only is my birthday on the 13th (oh yeah, sometimes its Friday the 13th of October), but my mom's is the 1st, my dad's is the 12th, Nissa's is on the 23rd (she is my amazing best friend) and other family members' birthdays are also scattered amongst the days. October also kicks off the big holiday season! It is the true beginning of fall (in my mind) and the countdown to Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year (my second fave holiday).

I am just super excited for this month and all the festivities it includes, as well as inaugurates!

Lassie, Old Yeller and Zeus...

2009-09-29T22:17:00.000-04:00

... OK, so maybe Zeus is better known as a Greek god than America's beloved pup, but that is the name of my future beloved pup!

I have wanted an English Bulldog for as long as I can remember and I have gone through a couple names, but I like Zeus the best. A couple other contenders are Napoleon, Samson and King Louis (like from the Jungle Book--its my favorite Disney Movie). Ideally I would have 2 bulldogs with another of the above names. Bulldogs are a little pricey though from a breeder, but I have found an amazing website called Cascade Bulldog Rescue that has bulldogs that have been rescued and are available for adoption! I am hoping when we are ready to get a puppy that we will get it from here!

In my search for bulldog rescues (yes, there was a search because I want a rescue dog and I want a bulldog), I came across another great site, Adopt a Pet that has all kinds of cats, dogs, and other animals for adoption. Just wanted to put it out there and let ya know, in case you are looking for a new pet!

Pictures and Places

2009-09-26T16:15:00.000-04:00

Time for an update...

I have finished compiling my Lets Go Do Something project and am now going to transfer it to my computer, and then have it on here for you to access, in case you are interested in exploring Seattle, or simply seeing what is out there.

Also, we finally got some pictures framed in our Ikea Clips Frames. I made a collage of us with our friends, and then us together in the 2 large frames. Right now, its the only thing on our walls, but its a starting point for the rest of the frames...

... and this is the wall space I am using for my picture project. Its not that exciting right now, but it will be soon!

Meet Mike...

2009-09-26T15:43:00.000-04:00

This is Mike and I at Nehalem Bay State Park in Oregon--we were camping with a group of friends, and it was his first time to the Pacific Ocean!

I thought it was time for you to meet him (though you've heard about him a little already) because I have a dilemma.... Our anniversary is in November and I am trying to figure out what to get him. I don't want to get anything like clothes, movies, or whatever but I am horrible at gift-giving (no, really... just ask my friends... I avoid it by taking them to dinner or an outing of some sort)! He loves sports of any and all kinds--mainly football, baseball, racing and bowling--so I can always go to that, but I want something even more creative/special that isn't crazy expensive.

Here's what I'm thinking so far... something vintage from/about Michigan. I've been looking around already (I need 2 months of help) and have found some vintage maps and postcards of Michigan and the UP. I'm also thinking about trying to find a picture of a Ford Flivver (story: he is from Kingsford, and his HS mascot is a Flivver which was Ford's very first car).

This may seem like something silly to plan 2 months in advance, or to stress over, but I just want to do something special for him because he is just amazing! We always have fun together, even if its just sitting at home, we're always laughing and joking around, we agree on a lot of things and have a lot of things in common, but at the same time are completely different and have different opinions and backgrounds and interests. We can't always relate to each other but we always understand and support each other. And I absolutely LOVE all the little things he does to show me he cares about me--they make me smile over and over again every time I think about them! Basically, he makes me happy every day and because of that I want to make our anniversary really special!

Any ideas..?

Getting Crafty!

2009-09-21T22:17:00.000-04:00

By now, I'm sure you are thinking that I have a lot of projects that I want to do, or have started.... well, you are right! There are so many things that I want to incorporate into my life/home! And I am SOOO much better at starting them than I am at finishing them, but I think that's another reason I have started this blog.

Rather than simply talking about starting projects, or thinking about things I want to do, I am putting them down on here, and that in turn makes me feel accountable. I feel like you are checking up on me and making sure I follow through with what I say I'm going to do.

So, here is an update for you:

My "Let's Go Do Something" project is still a work in progress--I am compiling all the articles into a notebook, and then transferring them to the computer. I need to look at them all at once before I sort them and figure out exactly how I want to compile them. I am working on it though--I have made lists of breweries to visit, the 'Urban Safari' (visiting different Seattle neighborhoods) and a list of fun summer things to do (I know summer is over, but it never hurts to plan in advance).
I haven't started my Colorful projects yet. I am going to make prints of pics we have and frame those this week. I will make an honest attempt to go this weekend to look for cheap picture frames so I can start buying and painting. I also haven't started painting the bathroom because I think it needs a little more research into how the whole project will work. I'll keep you posted.

Now, I am going to add another project to the mix, and that is Knitting! I taught myself to knit via YouTube videos. I'm not an ace yet, but I can make my way down a row quite nicely. I'm making a pot holder first because it's a nice square shape. My goal is to make an adorable hat very similar to

because I think they are super cute! I haven't looked at the pattern yet, or what kind of stitching it takes, but I think I can handle it. I will keep you posted on this as well!

Let's get some color!

2009-09-17T21:54:00.000-04:00

One thing I love about our apartment is the fact that we can paint!! We can paint any room, any color as long as we paint it back to the original color when we move out. Naturally, once I was given this option/opportunity I immediately started thinking of what room(s) to paint and what color(s). A friend at work suggested starting with the smallest areas in the apartment (at least one) and I like that idea, so I am starting with the bathroom!

And I like this color! We don't really have any bathroom decorations/colors (our towels are shades of blue) so I think this will be a nice jumping off point.

My small project is picture frames. I am going to go exploring (swap meet, antique stores, craft stores) to find various shapes and sizes of wooden frames and then little bottles of paint, and I am going to design my own frames! I think this is cheaper and a little bit more fun than just buying all kinds of different ones.

I will make sure to post pics of both projects once I get to them and get them completed! I'm so excited--painting is so much fun!

Steak, Chicken and Furniture... oh my!

2009-09-16T01:45:00.000-04:00

Dinner tonight was amazing! I was in the mood for fajitas, and Mike makes this amazing steak/chicken concoction with taco seasoning that we love, and so the idea came to me to make fajitas out of the concoction. It's really simple to make...

Slice steak, put in frying pan with garlic salt and butter (simmer)

Boil 2 chicken breasts

Start cooking Vigo Yellow Rice (takes 25 min)

When chicked is fully cooked, shred it (BBQ style)

Combine chicken and steak into one pan (steak should be about 95% cooked)

Add taco seasoning

Dinner is ready after a few min, to let steak finish cooking and seasoning to seep in.

You can serve this together as a meal itself, or add some beans, salsa, etc and make fajitas!

Our dinner table... complete with some iTunes playin on the Mac =)

Mike's plate. He had his steak/chicken on top of the yellow rice with some soy sauce and Chipotle Tabasco Sauce.

And this was my plate. I added some refried beans and Chipotle Tabasco Sauce (no sour cream, salsa or guacamole because we forgot to get some at the store), and in true Amber form created Mexican!

Again, no veggies, but this is VERY tasty. We ate at the table again and it made me just as happy!

On another note, we are still building our apartment--my dad is sending us some of our kitchen things from NC and we are hoping to get a love seat in the very near future so we can have more seating in our living room. At the moment we have a papasan chair and extra dining chairs--not very friend friendly.

I am also hoping to make a trip to Ikea to get things like shelves and cheap "fillers" to make our apartment more comfy. Perhaps I can convince Mike to browse the swap meet or antique stores with me for that whole 'one man's trash is another man's treasure' idea--looking for funky, but simple, and fun.