The Mother Of All Posts

I meant to write a post first thing Monday morning (I swear), but yet again, time just wasn't on my side. So, I'll just have to put it all in one monster of a post.

Sunday was probably the most laziest, interesting, eventful day all wrapped up into one. We woke up to a tree falling on our neighbors' house. We're in a condo, so even though the tree didn't hit our unit, we still felt it. The whole house shook and at first I thought it was an earthquake. Somehow or another the tree managed to fall right onto a sprinkler head and busted the pipes. How convenient. Water was everywhere. Needless to say, we were without water for a good seven hours. It was not fun.

It didn't help that it was pouring down rain......all day. The wind was incredible. People were without power all day and tree brances were flying down the street. Despite the new rain of the season, we decided to make the best of it. We opened all the blinds and watched the sideways rain come down. We opened the kitchen window so we could hear the rain fall on the carport roof. It's one of my favorite sounds. I felt it was a good time to bring out the Halloween kitchen towels to help get ready for the holiday. And what better to enjoy a rainy, gloomy day then to bake chocolate chip cookies. The aroma of the cookies was amazing and the whole house smelled yummy.

Every year around this time I treat my little brother to a night at the pumpkin patch. Even though the kid is 14 now, and about 4 feet taller than I am, it's still "our thing" and we both look forward to it. And of course, like every other year, we had a blast. We picked our wagon and walked along the isles of pumpkins, trying to pick the best ones. Of course we chose the wagon from hell - which obviously had some bolts loose - and it would run over the back of our heels. The damn thing didn't know how to stop. But it made our night because we couldn't stop laughing. The wagon clearly had a mind of its own and decided to roll away a couple of times.

With the end of October here, you just have to sit back and wonder where this month went! It came and went in the blink of an eye. So much happened this month that I can't even believe I survived the craziness.

Halloween is here - which means I'll be hopping on a flight to Las Vegas first thing tomorrow morning for Lizzy's bachelorette party. I've got my dresses picked out an and my costume ready to go. It should be a fun weekend! I'll be back in time for all the Halloween festivities Sunday night though. We'll be at my parents' house shooting pool in my Dad's new man cave (he did such a great job). We'll open the garage door to hand out candy to all the kids; and Chardel will make her delicious chili and biscuits. Good times with great company.

Happy Halloween my fellow bloggers!

Take A Breath.

Can I just take a moment to vent? My life is officially on overload. I'm tired. I'm stressed. And I probably wouldn't even notice if I had my shoes on the wrong feet.

It's been so long since I've posted anything. I've wanted to - I just haven't had the time. There's been about 5 times over the past week that I've sat down and started to write, but something always comes up. Today I stared at a blank post...thinking about something interesting to write about. And don't get me wrong - I have plenty of interesting things I could write about. But I just don't want to. And quite frankly, that's not a good sign.

I've always been a writer. I have no problem sitting down and writing poem's, song lyrics and essays. So I know that life is what's making writing difficult right now.

I blame you School - for taking up my time in the evenings (and even during work, tsk tsk). I hate you and I wish I could wave my magic wand and be done with you!

I blame you Southwest - for charging me $350 for a flight to Las Vegas. It's an hour flight! Why must you charge so much?

I blame you Comcast Cable - for stealing my money. You're not even that great of a cable company...yet you seem to charge the most. Figure it out please.

Wow. Is it sad that I actually feel better after all of that non-sense?

On a happier note, I accomplished something I never thought I could do. I ran the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco on Sunday. I gave myself 3 hours to finish it - and I succeeded. It was rough. By mile 9 my knees were starting to hurt and by mile 10 the rain started to come down. But I didn't care about any of it. I was just excited to be running and proud of myself that I finished.

Did I mention that when you cross the finish line there are suited men handing out Tiffany's finisher necklaces? It definitely made it all worth while. Not to mention that all proceeds and donations went to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The views were breathtaking. I couldn't help but stop and take a picture of the golden beauty herself. For some reason, it's the most vulnerable I've ever seen the bridge look. A bittersweet moment for me...

I promise, promise, promise that I won't waste this much time in between posts. I'll be the first to admit that I let time get the best of me.

I'm back in my usual routine and I'll be posting away about life, wedding planning and vacations in no time.

Tonight is a clean-the-house-and-cooking-dinner-while-drinking-a-glass-of-wine kind of night.

Cheers!

And....October Is Here.

The weather sure represents the fall weather today. The wind is blowing; orange leaves cover the ground; and the skies are white and grey instead of their usual bright blue. It was so hard for us to get out bed this morning. It was so cold and all we wanted to do was lie in bed and cuddle. It’s always days like these that make you want to curl up on the couch with a blanket, sipping hot cocoa and watching your favorite movies.

The weekend was fun but busy! I feel like I barely had time to sit down and relax! I was constantly doing something. It was the big weekend where I met with my bridesmaids to officially ask them to be apart of my big day. We met at Elephant Bar and cozied up in a corner booth all to ourselves. We gabbed about life and all the details (so far) about my wedding. I gave the girls each a mini cake personalized to them, with a small note that simply said “will you be my bridesmaid?” It wasn’t a big deal, but it meant something to me. These girls are my best friends, laughing partners and my family.

Yesterday was a big day. I met with my Mom and Chardel to go dress shopping and have lunch. I must have tried on at least 15 dresses. A few I really liked and started to narrow it down. One of the girls who worked at the bridal boutique overheard that I was looking for something chiffon, so she brought me a dress she thought I would like.

I did. I liked it…a lot. Actually, I love it.

So, I bought it. I can’t believe I found “The Dress”. I knew too. I knew it from the moment I put it on that it was the one. I re-tried on the other dresses that I had liked, but none of them even came close.

I originally planned to not wear a veil. But for kicks, I tried one on. As soon as I did, I started to tear up. It went perfect with the dress. Something simple, but elegant.

I leave for Atlanta tomorrow on business…..so until then, have a great week. I’ll be back next week with pictures and new stories.

Calm Before The Storm.

Friday was a long day. Jon didn’t get home until late; so that meant that cozying up on the couch with a blanket and wine seemed appropriate. ‘Marley and Me’ was on and I felt compelled to watch it. It’s one of my favorite movies. Not because it’s cute, but because of how the movie is all about challenges; it’s not sugar coated at all. There are so many scenes in that movie that I can relate to – and naturally I started crying; bawling my eyes out to be exact. That movie always makes me cry. Of course the next movie to come on after that was ‘Dear John’; another sob-fest. Needless to say my eyes were red and puffy the next day.

Saturdays are my favorite. We woke up to a beautiful morning, made coffee and did our routine of cuddling up on the couch watching TV. Now that fall has hit, the only TV we watch on the weekends now is Football. But it’s ok…I’m starting to warm up to the sport – and to be honest it wouldn’t feel like fall without Football.

Jon went to work for a few hours which meant it was time to clean! Saturday was a BIG cleaning day for me. Sometimes I get in those moods where I just need to clean. Now that we have hardwood floors, cleaning just went to a whole new level. It usually requires at least two Swiffer pads (which is a lifesaver, by the way) to sweep the floors; then after that, I went over it all again with the Swiffer mop. The sheets and comforter were washed; laundry folded; bathrooms cleaned; furniture dusted; and bed made. It was definitely a process…but one that desperately needed to be done.

Sunday was a little more laid back…fortunately. We drank our coffee and ate yummy blueberry bread, over a game of Sequence. It’s “our thing” lately. We have a tally sheet to keep track of how many wins we each have. I’m officially three games ahead of him now (yessssss)…which he’s a little upset over. Let’s just say that Jon doesn’t take losing very lightly….

Four football games were watched and more wedding stuff was planned. I’m having fun jotting down notes and ideas in my bride book. I’m an organized freak, so this ‘bride’s book’ will be my life for the next 11 months; no joke. I’ve officially made up my mind on who my bridesmaids will be and I can’t wait to tell them this weekend. They all pretty much know, but it’s important for me to ‘ask’ them. Everything 'wedding' is coming along smoothly.

As I’m sitting here writing, I peek up at the calendar to check the date…and reality sets in…..

I can’t believe it’s already almost October. Feels like yesterday we were soaking up the sun at camping back in July; or walking along Lake Tahoe back in April. This year has gone by WAY too fast. And even though it's fall, it sure doesn't feel that way outside. We had a weird heat wave over the weekend that has chose to continue on until today. It's 100 degrees outside right now...and I'm stuck inside at work. Funny how it always works out like that.

With October here, that means that it’s time to start decorating for Halloween and preparing for costumes. I'm such a festive kind of person...and I look forward to decorating for holidays. Speaking of holidays, I can officially say that this month will fly by. We have plans every weekend this month; and moving into November. Before we know it, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here!

Even though we did absolutely nothing over the weekend but hang around the house, we needed it. It was our last weekend of being lazy. Our last weekend of sleeping in. Our last weekend of watching TV all day.

It’s going to be a stressful couple of months, but I need to remember to sit back and enjoy the days of fall…..it’s a beautiful season.

It's Official.

The venue has been chosen. The date has been booked. We’re officially getting married next year, 9/16/2011.

And now…a sigh of relief.

I was so stressed that when we would finally meet with the venue coordinator, our date would be taken. Or it wasn’t as beautiful as we imagined it to be. Or they didn’t offer what we were looking for. All these different “what ifs” scoured about in my head. But stress no more. The venue coordinator was lovely. The date we wanted hadn’t been booked yet. And the venue site was absolutely perfect. It was everything we imagined…and more.

It’s still so surreal to think that this is finally happening for me. I’m marrying the man I love in less than a year. I’ve been in so many weddings, and watched many of my friends walk down the isle,; but now it’s my turn. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.

And now, the real planning begins. Before I was searching endlessly through magazines, finding colors, ideas, dresses…everything. Now, it’s all starting to happen. I was putting together a timeline, and realized that by the end of December, our wedding will only be 8 months away. I can’t even believe how fast this year is going to go by.

Next week I’m meeting with the girls who will be my bridesmaids. Of course, my ever so creative self, thought of a clever (but cute) way to ask each of them. Something special, for special ladies. I know that once I ask the girls, then all the fun starts! We’ll have to plan a date to try on the bridesmaids dresses; late nights of putting center pieces together and stuffing envelopes for invitations. All things I’m looking forward to.

I love all this talk about planning the wedding. I love booking meetings with the vendors. I love writing in my Bride Book.

I. Love. It. All

But most of all, I love the person that I will be sharing the rest of my life with.

Twenty Six.

Officially. And of course, a year older doesn’t feel any different. What a wonderful birthday it was though. I woke up early Saturday morning to fresh roses, a balloon and my favorite Starbucks coffee from Jon. I sat in bed sipping my coffee, browsing over one of the many bridal magazines I’ve purchased. The French doors in our room were open so we could hear all the beautiful noises of nature on such a gorgeous morning.

A beautiful morning turned into a wonderful day. I introduced Jon to this fabulous little Greek restaurant in Downtown, followed by a birthday shopping spree. Only, I was having issues that day and (of course), nothing fit. I did manage to find two pairs of jeans. Later that evening we went to a local bar to celebrate with some friends. Great friends and good times.


Yesterday my Mom and Chardel accompanied me to my first Bridal Faire. It was a smaller faire since it was just for all the local vendors, but we had a blast! Tons of free stuff! And let’s face it; I’m all about the free stuff.


Last weekend we also went to try on a few wedding dresses. I only tried on a few since it was an "impromptu" visit, but I can honestly say that I may have found “the one”. It’s beautiful. Every dress I tried on, I liked…but this one, I loved. I have a feeling all the other dresses I’ll be trying on over the next few weeks won’t even compare.


Wedding planning has been fun but also a little overwhelming. I’m glad that I have friends that are newlyweds that can offer us advice and help. They all say to pick your venue first; and once that is done, everything else will fall into place. So, Saturday we are viewing the venue that we’ve had our eye on before we were even engaged. Once we pick our date, then we can move forward with everything else. We have a year to plan the wedding, so that should give me enough time. Jon has taken over the honeymoon planning (which will be kept a secret from me; it’s a surprise!); and I get to plan the wedding.


Definitely looking forward to it.

He Asked...I Said Yes!!

Yes…the title is exactly what you think. I am happy to announce that Jon and I are engaged! It was such a magical day and I will never forget it. I keep reminding myself that it’s really happening! I really have a beautiful ring on my finger. I’m really planning a wedding. I’m really walking down the isle in a year. I’m really marrying my best friend.
It’s been two days since he got down on one knee, and I can’t believe I haven’t rushed to the computer to write about it. But I have to write it all down now…while it’s still fresh in my mind. I want to look back, years down the road, and remember the exact way I felt on the day my dreams came true. Many of you are waiting for “the story”, so here it is…..

About a week ago, Jon said that he wanted to go to lunch together since we hadn’t in a while. He said it was a surprise lunch. I didn’t think twice about it since he has been known to do this, on many occasions. He picked me up around 11:15 and we hopped on the freeway and drove. He asked if I wanted to know where we were going. I simply replied “no, just surprise me”. As we continued to drive, and drive…and drive, past all the exits that had food, I began to wonder where we were going. I continuously asked Jon if I had been to “this place” before and he convinced me that I had and that we both “love their food”. As we got closer in the heart of Livermore, I thought to myself, ‘I know I’ve never had lunch over here with him before…perhaps he’s losing his mind?’.

 I asked one more time and he said “well, we’re not eating yet…first I wanted to take you to Alden Lane so you can pick out any plant you want”. He continued, “A year ago today, I asked you to be my girlfriend, so today is special. I know how much you love this place, so whatever plant you want, it’s yours”. Now, mind you, the man hates plants, so I was just excited to be able to have some plants in the house!

 We got out of the car and started walking towards the nursery. We looked around outside for about 5 minutes. I remember thinking how beautiful it was outside and what perfect weather it was. I could feel the sun on my face and I could smell all the different scents of the flowers. A perfect mixture. Jon then said he was going to ask where the restroom was…so off he went.

 A few minutes later, I heard him call my name behind me. He was carrying a beautiful plant with baby blue flowers. As he sat the plant on a bench near a big beautiful water fountain, I walked towards it thinking how pretty is really was. I went to pick up the plant and a name tag with my name was sitting perfectly in the plant. I made a joke that “this plant has my name on it”. I then realized that there was a small black box behind the name tag. I set the plant down and opened the box to find two flawless rings placed inside the box – one being a diamond wedding band, and the other, an engagement ring.

 I immediately turned around to face Jon, the exact moment he was kneeling to the ground. My heart was racing; my fingers were trembling; the tears started to well up in my eyes. He got down on one knee, took my hand and said “I love you so much. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you…and I promise you that I will take such good care of you. Jennifer Elizabeth, will you marry me?”

 I looked at him, smiled and with a shaky voice, said “yes!”

 He stood up, we put the ring on my finger…and it was a perfect fit. The diamonds were so sparkly and I couldn’t help but stare. Word of our engagement around the nursery caught on very quickly and the entire staff was so happy for us. They took our picture and made our day so much more special. We even made it to the main page of their website.

 It was a day that I will never forget. I’m so lucky to have met him and I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together. We were meant to be…something we’ve known from the moment we met.

So there you have it...our proposal story! And so the planning begins….

Jonathan & Jennifer
September 1st, 2010

Alden Lane, Livermore CA

Mini Vacation, Big Events

I love coming here on Mondays to write while everything is still fresh in my mind. Especially after a great weekend. I'm still able to hear all the laughter and conversations that went on. I still see the amazing scenery; and I still feel the touch of family and freinds' gentle hugs. There were so many of those "taking it all in" moments.

Jon and I had a mini vacation in Southern California over the weekend. And when I say "mini"...it was just that. We got up bright and early Friday morning to drive down there, and we were back in our home early Sunday morning. Although it was quick, we did, and saw a lot. Our first stop was Hunnington Beach to visit our friend Josh. He was kind enough to let us stay at his house for the night. He brought us to a bar where we met up with a group of people for a fun-filled night. Great people and new memories.

We woke up early again the next morning to continue our trip down to San Marcos; where Jerod and Cassie's wedding was. As we got closer, we kept seeing signs for San Diego - and it made me miss my sister. We originally didn't think we would have time to visit her. But Jon, being the amazing man that he is, knew how much seeing her meant to me and we drove down there anyways. The best part was, she had no idea of our sudden plans. I couldn't get there fast enough. The 25 minute drive seemed like an hour and I was driving like a maniac anticipating the sight of her. As soon as I walked up to her screen door and asked her roommate, "Is Lauren here?"....there was a pause....and then a scream. She recognized my voice and came running to the door. The look on her face was perfect - and the hug that she gave me was priceless. We hugged for (what seemed like) forever...and I didn't want to let go.

We were only able to spend a few hours with her, but we quickly got back to our routine of doing what we do best. Laughing. Giggling. Gossiping. Sharing memories. Just.....being us.

Jon treated us to frozen yogurt and then it was time to say goodbye. Even though she's been living down there for 2 years now, it still isn't any easier. She's my sister. My partner in crime. My go-to girl. My best friend........and I miss her.

We made it back up to San Marcos in time for the wedding. And what a beautiful wedding it was. The bride was breathtaking and the groom was handsome. Their vows were emotional and I, of course, bawled my eyes out. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Simpson!

We stopped at a Target to pick up a few things while we were down there, and I finally found my dream camera. The last time I was there I wanted to test out a Canon but it wasn't working. This time, well, this time I snapped a couple of shots and immediately fell in love. Holding the lens, focusing...it all seemed so natural. I want, no, I have to have this camera. I'm on a mission to pay off my last credit card to I can finally get my Canon. It gives me motivation.


I will get this camera. I will get this camera.

All Grown Up

Saturday night was our second annual "girls night out". It's our new dedication to getting together at least once a month to have cocktails, and gossip about....well, everything. Stephanie and Analiese came over and saw our new place, which they absolutely loved. We mosied on over to Elephant Bar for Happy Hour where Analiese sipped on water all night, and Steph and I both had a Margarita and a half before we called it a night. We couldn't even finish our second drink! It reminded us of how old we're getting. All three of us were yawning and had droopy eyes before we realized that it was late....all of 11 o'clock. Yes, we're definitely old.

It was a great time though. We gabbed all night about our lives and things that are new with us. I couldn't help but think about how much things have changed. Years ago we were talking about fun parties and how "drunk we were"...now our conversations are about kids, marriage, houses and husbands. And you know what? I love it. Even though growing up and growing old scares the living daylights out of me, I undeniably love everything about it.

I can't wait to marry Jon. I can't wait to find out that I'm pregnant. I can't wait to hold our child in my arms for the first time. I can't wait to be 35 years young and taking our children to school and field trips. I look forward to it.....every bit of it.

Thursday we're hosting a dinner at our house with the parents. They'll all come together to see our new home that Jon and I have made for ourselves. I'm actually really looking forward to it! I'm not used to preparing a meal for a huge crowd, so I'm known to get a little flustered; but I'm honestly looking forward to it. Jon will be cooking the pork loin and chicken, while I tend to the potatoes, salad and asparagus. It should be a fabulous meal with great company.

Enjoying The Day

Another beautiful day in our beautiful home. I'm fortunate enough to work from home the rest of the day since cable is being installed. And I'll admit, I love it. I've got the windows open, letting the sun shine in and listening to the cars drive by. I never thought working could be so relaxing...

I'm sitting here thinking about everything that I still want to do to the house. Pictures, mirrors, paintings...all stuff that will come over time. The guest bedroom was looking half-way decent, until my Mom dropped off all my old boxes that she was storing for me the past few years. It's not a lot, but now the room is once again, a project. I went through a few of the boxes today and found some old pictures from high school. It brought back memories. It's so hard to believe that high school was almost 10 years ago. It makes me realize how fast I've grown up.

It's only Tuesday and I'm already looking forward to this week being over. I really enjoy my weekends. There's so much to look forward to....

Being home with Jon....going to the Farmers Market....putting our house together....

I'm also looking forward to getting together with two dear friends of mine, Stephanie and Analiese. Drinks with the girls is always a fabulous time....although, one of us won't be drinking for the next 9 months! Congratulations Analiese!

Work In Progress

Well, we finally spent some time in the guest bedroom, and actually made it – a guest bedroom. We unpacked the rest of the boxes and put everything away. I washed the sheets and made the bed. It still needs some work (decorating, bed frame), but for now, it’ll do. We got the 2011 Ikea book in the mail, which of course, made me really happy. I’m like a kid in a candy store with that place. I saw a nice bed frame with a headboard and foot board for $199. Score! Once we get past this month it’ll get a little easier. I’m itching for a shopping trip at Ross or Target. I still have some things I’d like to get for the house. Other than that – the place is coming together nicely. Very nicely.


I’ve been having a fascination with photography lately. I’ve always loved to take pictures, but never paid attention to lighting, or focus – I just took them. But now, I have a new interest. A very expensive interest. One day I’ll buy a nice Cannon, probably when we have kids. But for now, I’ve learned that my iPhone Camera works just fine, actually. The camera has a focus option and the photo apps make it fun. I’m sure my Digital Sony Camera has a focus as well – I just haven’t ever noticed it.


Relaxing with a glass of wine has been my thing lately. I wouldn’t say it’s an every night thing, but I definitely have a glass maybe twice a week. It’s nice, soothing and not to mention, delicious. This reminds me, I need to get another bottle. I went to a gorgeous winery up in Napa a few months ago and bought the tastiest bottle of wine. I finished it very quickly and have been craving it ever since. I went to order it online but unfortunately you can only order it in cases of 6. I guess I won’t be drinking that wine again unless I go back up to the winery and buy a bottle, or spend about $200 for a case of 6…

Saturday we went to our first Farmers Market since living in Downtown. In fact, it was my first Farmers Market, ever. I’ve honestly never been to one before – and I have no idea why! They’re so much fun and so cheap. We bought fresh fruit and veggies and spent less than $10. Best part is, we’re in walking distance. I love being able to walk across the street to everything. I also found the most darling little place the other day. It’s a nursery, but their gift shop is absolutely adorable! It’s a must that we go back there. I could probably spend a good hour just in the store alone – and another hour looking at all the different plants and flowers. I just can’t wait to decorate our place! Before when we lived in the apartment, it was home, but it didn’t feel like home. I didn’t have the desire to hang up pictures, or really decorate because I knew that we wouldn’t be there long. We also didn’t have much room, considering it was a small one bedroom apartment. But this place……this place is home. We both felt it the moment we walked in the door during the open house.


Life is good.

Home Sweet Home

Wow. I apologize for writing absolutely nothing for a month now. July was busy, busy, BUSY!

The big highlight of my life right now is that we got a new home. It's beautiful. Every time we're sitting in the living room looking around, we feel like we're house-sitting. Almost like it's not really ours. That's how amazing it is. We found an adorable condo right in Downtown - literally in walking distance from everything. Main Street is a 2 minute walk and the Fairgrounds are right down the street from us. I can't even explain how perfect it is. We're so happy! There is still a lot to do with the house. Our guest bedroom is still housing all of our boxes (which secretly bugs me). A major unpacking sesh needs to happen.....and I see a trip to the Salvation Army in our future.

Since July was absolute craziness, school completely (and honestly) slipped my mind. I went to sign up last week and realized that school starts in TWO WEEKS! I almost had a hernia. So I made a trip out to the school to see a counselor, and surprisingly got into a class. Between the ONE class that I'm taking, and its unnecessary cost of a book, I walked out paying about $350. Whatever.

So...August, here we are...already. It's so hard to believe that half of this year has come and gone! Before we know it, it will be December. Amazing. Remember when you were young and the years went by so slow!? It always seemed like the months couldn't come fast enough! Now I feel like I'm begging for it all to slow down again!

I have a feeling the rest of this year will go by fast, which stresses me out a bit. So for now, I'll take it one day at a time.....and relax in our beautiful home.

Thankful Thursday

Well, you've probably noticed that I haven't done a Thankful Thursday in a while. Hopefully I will really continue it this time.

Today I am thankful for:

~ Having an amazing, supportive family ~

~ Waking up everyday to my best friend ~

~ Finally getting the new iPhone 4 (pure awesomness) ~

~ Coffee ~

~ My week long vacation coming up ~

~ McDonalds french fries ~

So, as stated above, I finally got the phone. Wow. Just wow. I'll admit that I'm crazy for getting up (a second time) at 3am to wait in line for this damn phone...but it was worth it. I'd do it all over again.

iPhone 4 Fail

As planned, I got up this morning at 4am to wait in line at the mall for the anticipated (and oh-so-cool, might I add) iPhone 4. So, that's what I did. I waited, waited....waited some more until I finally gave up.

That's right...just gave up. Around 8am an Apple employee came around and told me that all the 16gb were sold out and they were only selling 32gb...plus another 3 hour wait. My response?

F*ck that!

Apparently I didn't need the phone that bad because I left. The line is still ridiculous. Yes, STILL. 8 hours after failing miserably, the line continues to wrap around the perimeter of the mall. This must mean a lot to people.

Besides the iPhone nonsense, today is actually turning out to be a fantastic day! I paid my last and final payment on my car! It is officially PAID THE HELL OFF!! No more $350 payment! I actually own my car...amazing feeling.

I also signed up for the Nike Women's Marathon today as well! It's October 17th, in San Francisco! I'm actually going to run the full marathon too! SIKE! Haha...there's no way. I can't even believe I'm running half! 13 whole miles. Twice as many miles as the 6 that I have yet to run. I wish myself luck.

Not sure what high I'm experiencing right now that has caused me to do things that I wouldn't normally do. But I'll go with it! Awesome!

Speaking of awesome...I finally got my 1st place trophy in for the 9 Ball pool league I play on!! Yay to me! I even got a girl trophy......and she has boobies!

In A Weird Funk

Today is just one of those days for me. I'm sad. But I have no idea why!? I have absolutely nothing to be sad about. My life is amazing! I had a wonderful weekend down in San Diego with my sister and Mom and now I'm happy to be home with Jon!

I think I honestly just miss him. I didn't see him all weekend, which felt like a lifetime. He works late and on the weekends now, so it's definitely a change that I'm having a hard time getting used to. I'll come around...I know I will. I know he's only doing this for us and for our future family, so I really shouldn't be complaining. I just miss the guy to pieces!

***********************

Apple unveiled it's latest and greatest - the iPhone 4. I'm truly amazed at all the crap that it can do. Face to face phone chat?! HD video recording?! Works at lightening speed?! Who wouldn't want it! I've been reading different reviews for it hoping to find at least ONE that puts it to shame.

But I cant.

Not. a. single. review.

You can reserve the phone on the 15th (which I'm debating) or it comes out for purchase on the 24th. What's a girl to do......

A Little Something Special

I never really explained where my blog title came from. Driving to Los Gatos over the weekend and passing by Campbell made me reminisce about it. A long time ago (I was about 10 or 11) my mom used to live in Campbell and I would visit her on the weekends. She lived in a very cute and quiet neighborhood. On Saturday mornings, we would take a walk to a nearby coffee shop to have breakfast. Mom always had a bagel and coffee; me, a bagel and juice. After our breakfast we'd walk to a cute little stationary shop called, "A Little Something Special". I loved that place. I would always buy pieces of stationary paper. I never really used it, but I loved buying them. Each sheet of paper was about $0.60 or so, and my mom would give me money to pick out what I wanted. I don't know why I was so infatuated with that place, but it definitely became a wonderful memory. Probably because it was me and Mom's place...and I'll always remember it.

So, wow...is it really JUNE already!? I can't believe how time flys by. It's almost summer!! There's so much stuff going on that I'm excited for. Camping is coming up, Lauren is coming home and Jon and I celebrate our anniversary next month! I also have a huge milestone in my life....the 10k (yes it's that big of a deal for me). I've been doing my training for the run and I'm hoping to be prepared enough for it! I keep telling myself that 6 miles isn't that bad....but then I get on the treadmill and at 2 miles I feel like my heart is going to stop and my legs will fall off.

In addition to my 10k training, I'm supposed to be eating healthier too (as I snack on a Charleston Chew), but apparently I don't know the meaning of that. After a hard workout I usually go home and ruin it all by eating cookie dough or having a delicious bowl of Cocoa Puffs (which by the way is my new favorite cereal). Tonight I will be making pasta...which probably isn't the best thing to eat after a workout......BUT in my mind, the fact that the Alfredo sauce is "light" and I'm putting asparagus in it, makes it healthier ;)

Tuesday = "The Office" marathon! It makes me smile just thinking about it .......that's what she said.....

Big Man On Campus

That's what Jon is! He got the job!!! I'm so happy for him. They officially offered the job to him yesterday afternoon and I am so excited. I can't think of anyone more deserving of that position, then him. He worked his ass off for it. He's been working such long hours lately and taking on more projects to prove himself. This is so good for him...and as he puts it "it's good for us and for our future". :)

We've got a big weekend ahead of us. Jon's best friend is in town for his engagement party. I'm really excited! I finally get to meet his best friend. I even just bought a nice shirt for the occasion. Sunday I have my pool tournament...which I'm a tad bit nervous for. Unfortunately I have to wake up at the butt crack of dawn to be there. Who starts a pool tournament at 9am?? Oh well...I hope we do good...since we're playing for money!

I also get to see my auntie's this weekend!! It's not very often that I get to hang out with them so I'm super excited! When my mom and her sisters get together, it's almost like you have to pull up a chair and popcorn because the three of them are comedy. They're the funniest people I know.

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BATHROOM VIOLATOR UPDATE!!! ........

........she clogged the toilet yesterday and made it overflow. This is not a joke.

Summer...

...is almost here. Thank Goodness! I am so tired of this rainy cold weather. We're nearing the end of may and it's raining today. I have a million tank tops hanging in my closet that need to be worn.

Summer also means that school is just about done. Last night, the first part of my final project was due. Econ kicked my ass. As much as I hate it, I have another semester of Econ left. I should just take it in the fall and get it over with while my mind is still fresh on it. But knowing me, I won't.

I've been on the hunt for a new bathing suit. Apparently all that delicious McDonald's I eat is going straight to my ass and hips...and now my bathing suit bottoms fail to fit. I'm kinda-sorta digging a Victoria Secret bathing suit that I saw online. However, when I went to order it, it says that it wont ship until 7/31. Great. Awesome. Fantastic. Looking forward to wearing my new bathing suit.........in two months. Fail.

Camping is going to be AMAZING this year. Only because Jon will be there enjoying it with me this time. He'll finally understand why it's the best place ever and why I look forward to going. I love not thinking about work or home...or anything. Waking up to the water right outside of your tent, the sun beating down on you and sipping on a beer for breakfast. It really is the life.

Jon's interview is tomorrow!! I'm so excited and so proud of him. He's worked really hard to get this position and he deserves it. I'm doing my happy dance in my cube right now!!

The Brazilian

Yes. I did it. I survived the retched pain of the almighty Brazilian Wax. These were my exact thoughts when my hair follicles were being ripped out of my hoo-ha...

F&CK!!

HOLY MOTHER OF @^^%$

SON OF A BITCH!!

But, in all reality it wasn't that bad. I could (and will) definitely do it again. In fact, I've already made my next appointment. I guess the outcome is well worth it.

I just signed up for a 10k!! I'm so excited. It's interesting that I chose to do a 10k run, because I've never even done a 3k or 5k. Hell, it's been over 6 months since I've even stepped foot in a gym. But...I've decided to challenge myself and skip the measly 3 and 5k's. Go big or go home, right?! With that being said, it looks like I'll be spending some quality time with my new BFF...her name is Treadmill. We will become great friends over these next few months. I need to build up my stamina! As of now, I can probably run a good 2-3 minutes before I'm out-of-breath-exhausted! Sad, I know.

Bathroom Violator

In our building, we have four floors; I work on the fourth floor. Every floor is equip with a bathroom, with two stalls. There is a woman who works on the first floor, but for some unknown reason, she comes up to our floor to use the bathroom. Sometimes it's just to pee...but most of the time, it's to drop a deuce. Now, I have no problem with taking a crap at work if it's needed. But seriously!!? Why must she feel the need to violate our bathroom?! It's very hard for me to understand. She never goes to the second or third floor...just ours. Makes no sense. It's almost like she would rather walk up four flights of stairs, and risk the chance of shitting her pants, instead of just using her own bathroom. Whatever floats her boat, I guess.

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In less than a week, 6 days to be exact, I will put myself through the mother of all "Ouch's"..........a Brazilian Wax. I'm mentally preparing myself for this God-awful pain that I will endure in 144 hours. Hopefully my hoo-ha will survive the pain that I am about to cause it. The results better be worth it.

Thankful Thursday

This is my first edition of, (what will hopefully be) a weekly Thankful Thursday entry.

~ I am thankful for ~

My family

Meeting the most amazing man

My much needed weekend trip with Jon to Tahoe

Milano cookies

My job, which I absolutely love

My car, which is about to be paid off

Heineken Light

The house that Jon and I so happily share together

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So there you have it. These are the things that I am most thankful for. I was not, however, thankful for my Popeyes lunch today. I ordered a 3 piece chicken strips and only received 2. I also didn't get any utensils...AND they gave me my box meal in a tiny bag and turned it sideways so all the gravy leaked out. Jerks.

Busy!!

So, I finally had my follow up appointment for my miscarriage - only it was a waste of time. I was under the assumption that they would be running some tests on me. All she did was tell me to wait at least two "normal cycles" before trying (which I already knew) and she referred me to a fertility specialist (which I could have been told over the phone). Sigh. So now I have to make the appointment to see the specialist, who will then finally run all these tests on me. Bleh.

Gah! There's so much going on lately I can't even keep my head on straight! Work is busy, school is busy, Jon is busy...life in general is busy. Thankfully our Tahoe weekend is finally here. It is a much needed vacation; just the two of us. It's supposed to be beautiful up there too. It's snowing there right now but it'll be nice and sunny for us this weekend. Our life has been on overload these past few months, so this weekend will be a chance for us to put everything on hold and enjoy each others' company. I can't wait!

Arizona

On Friday I took an early flight out to Arizona to meet up with some family at my grandma's house. They did a girls trip there for spring break and I was jealous that I couldn't go. Although my trip was way too short, I still had a fun time - it was worth it. The weather was beautiful...in the 80's! We played our favorite game, Tomo Todo (you must play it) all day. Apparently the girls all made up rules on when to take jello shots. In addition to taking a shot every time you won a Tomo Todo...if someone left the table, take a shot. When someone came back to the table, take a shot. You could even buy someone a shot for a quarter. The rules were hilarious. Needless to say...we were all drunk by dinner time.

On our way back home (I drove back with them) we had to stop off on the side of the road so my 3 year old niece could use the bathroom. Since there weren't any restrooms, and she "had to go now", we stopped off so she could squat. Now, as we were exiting and pulling off to the shoulder, we noticed a white Honda with the driver door open. We saw someone, who we thought was a woman, squatting to pee. As we drove a little closer, past the person, we realized that it was a man......AND he, um, wasn't peeing. He was taking a shit! On the side of the road!! For EVERYONE to see! He even had toilet paper in his hand...and his, ahem, business was clearly visible. SICK! About an hour after that disgustingness, we stopped off at a 7-Eleven to get coffee and guess who the guy was standing in front of me??? YES! The road-side-shitter! I couldn't believe it! He even started talking to me, asking "have you ever been to death valley?". I wanted to reply back and say "have you ever taken a shit on the side of the road?". Gross!!

I'm glad to be back home now. I missed Jon...a lot. I hate leaving him. I know that people say that they need their space away from their significant other...but I don't. Call me crazy, but I genuinely love being around him. I hate when we're apart. He's my other half and my best friend. I missed being with him in our little home. I feel so cozy in our place. I love the days when we're lazy and we wrap up in blankets and watch TV. Sigh....it's where I wish we were right now....

Spring Cleaning

I'm a fan of it. And for some reason, especially lately, I've been doing more cleaning and straightening up with the house. It's sad that I actually look forward to going home and cleaning. Yesterday I was at Walmart (that's a whole other subject) and I was actually excited when I bought multi-use dust clothes. I'm not gonna lie, I'm looking forward to using them tonight when I get home. I've been itching to redo the bathroom too. I was at Bed, Bath & Beyond last week, shopping for a candle. But you can't not look around when you go there. Every single item in that store calls out to me. I try to make up every excuse in the book as to why I need some random utensil. But that damn good angel on my right shoulder usually wins that battle. Anyhoo, I found my way in the bathroom section and now I want to redo the bathroom. Maybe next week...

So, back to Walmart. Don't get me wrong...I like that their prices are decent and much more affordable than other places; but I swear that place attracts the most annoying people ever. Lately it's got to the point where I actually dread going there. I'm a Target shopper, so when I go some place different, I get all bent out of shape.

On a side note, the leggings that I'm wearing with my skirt and boots today are officially "the leggings from hell". With every step I take, they slowly fall down my leg. I'm on the verge of taking them off, cutting them to shreds and then setting them on fire.

Catch Up

I've been absent for a few days (Jon reminded me) so I'm doing a little catching up.

Jon's birthday was a success. He loved his cookie cake, the decorations and the gifts I got him. Seeing him so happy, puts a smile on my face. I love him.

We took Lauren to the airport last night. I hate when she has to leave. Sometimes I secretly wish that she would finish college up here where she's much closer. I'm selfish, I know.

Yesterday I came into work, logged on to my computer and a really crappy red X popped up that said "Danger: Your computer has 30 infections". Dun dun dunnnnn. Yep, a virus. IT took my laptop and have been working on it ever since. They gave me a temporary laptop, which gives me limited access to, well, pretty much everything. I feel so useless. I'm actually sitting here waiting for emails to come through. I've never been so bored at work before.

At least I get to leave work early today...but it's only to go to the dentist. I don't mind the dentist, but I always have to mentally prepare myself for it. I don't know why...it gives me a sense of ease I suppose. I never understand why the dental assistants talk to you and ask you questions when they're working on your teeth. It's not like we can give them an answer. I just end up feeling like an idiot speaking jibberish. I think they do it on purpose.

Well, that's it for today. I'll go back to patiently waiting for emails to arrive.

Excited!

I'm so excited; which is good, because I need all this fun to get my mind off of the recent heartbreak. Lauren is finally home...although I haven't seen her yet. But just knowing that she's back here makes me feel so happy! Not sure what we'll do yet. But I definitely need to have her come over. Maybe we'll have a sleep over and watch lame shows all night like old times. Perhaps we'll break out the cookie dough and laugh at each others lame jokes. Damn, I miss her.

Jon's birthday is tomorrow and I'm SO excited! It's so hard to keep things a secret. I find myself *almost* spilling the beans on what I bought him. I'm such a goof. I got a lot done today and I have to be sneaky to make sure everything is taken care of by tomorrow. He's definitely got a fun-filled day ahead of him.

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To top off my excitement, Jon is planning a secret getaway for us! After we lost the baby, we were thinking about taking a mini vacation, just the two of us. We couldn't really think of anywhere, so we decided to put it off. But, being the amazing man he is, mentioned last night that he's planning our vacation and that it's a secret. He's the best. I can't wait...we definitely need this. Traveling with him is one of my favorite things to do!

Short and Sweet

I had a breakdown last night. I feel like such a baby about now. But I just needed to cry. I miss my Dad...and I haven't talked to him since we lost the baby. I just needed that "dad reassurance" I guess.

Today is a much better day though. I have a lot to look forward to. Lauren is coming home from college for a few days and I'm really excited to see her! I hate that she's 400 miles away from me. Jon's "golden birthday" is also this week. He'll be 26 on the 26th and I've got a few tricks up my sleeve.

Until then, I'll keep sipping my coffee and staring at my utterly boring cubicle walls. I sense a desk change coming...spring cleaning perhaps.

New Beginnings

So...here I go. My first blog post. It's a tad bit bittersweet, but I find it appropriate at the moment.

Jon and I found out we were pregnant earlier this month. After testing, and testing...and testing; low and behold, two beautiful pink lines. We couldn't believe it. After being absolutely in love with being pregnant for, oh I don't know, about a week or so, it ended as quickly as it happened. Thursday, March 18th I had a miscarriage (or what I think was a Chemical Pregnancy). Whatever the hell it was, it sucked. Complete devastation for both Jon and I. The promise of being pregnant and having a baby was gone...just like that. It's crazy how much emotion you feel. However, through it all, Jon was by my side. He was (and is) amazing.

Since going through this, we've realized how excited we were about having a baby. We were born to be parents. Hell, we're even thinking about giving this another try in a few months. Getting my body back to "normal" is the first step. Until then, the baby books and all other baby crap we've bought is going in a cute little keepsake box. On to the next chapter in our life...