Speak Now

I've been thinking a lot lately about the idea of saying how you feel and telling people you love them. You never know when it could be too late. I was thinking about the prologue to Taylor Swift's new album, Speak Now, and thought I would share a bit of it:

"Real life is a funny thing, you know. In real life, saying the right thing at the right moment is beyond crucial. So crucial, in fact, that most of us start to hesitate for fear of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. But lately what I've begun to fear more than that is letting the moment pass without saying anything.

I think most of us fear reaching the end of our life, and look back regretting the moments we didn't speak up. When we didn't say 'I love you.' When we should've said 'I'm sorry.' When we didn't stand up for ourselves or someone who needed help...

Words can break someone into a million pieces, but they can also put them back together. I hope you use yours for good, because the only words you'll regret more than the ones left unsaid are the ones you use to intentionally hurt someone.

What you say might be too much for some people. Maybe it will come out all wrong and you'll stutter and you'll walk away embarrassed, wincing as you play it all back in your head. But I think the words you stop yourself from saying are the ones that will haunt you the longest.

So say it to them. Or say it to yourself in the mirror. Say it in a letter you'll never send or in a book millions might read someday. I think you deserve to look back on your life without a chorus of resounding voices saying 'I could've, but it's too late now.'

There is a time for silence. There is a time waiting your turn. But if you know how you feel, and you so clearly know that you need to say, you'll know it.

I don't think you should wait. I think you should speak now."

After reading this, my first thoughts are about the songs on her album and the messages she has sent to people from her past. I think about my own life and the things I wish I could say to people or wish people would say to me. I've decided that I'm going to add this to my Bucket List--to speak now, to tell people how I feel in the moment. It's never too late to call up an old friend and tell them you miss them, to let someone know you've finally forgiven them, to ask for forgiveness, to tell someone you love them. Like Taylor said, you don't want to look back on your life with regrets and wish you had said something. Then again, you don't want to look back on your life and wish you hadn't said something either. So think. Use your words for kindness and love and not to harm someone. And, as they say, speak now or forever hold your peace.

4 Loko Ban

Today will go down in history as one of the worst days ever in the eyes of college students in Ohio. Yes, today is the day that 4 Loko, an alcoholic energy drink, was banned from being sold in Ohio. A little background info on 4 Loko for those who haven't heard of it. The drink comes in a 23.5-ounce can in a bunch of fruity flavors. It contains 12% alcohol, making it equivalent to about six beers, and the caffeine is equivalent to about five cups of coffee. Oh, and the cost of these drinks? About $2.75. In the minds of college students, it's a really cheap way to get really drunk. In the last couple of months there have been numerous cases of alcohol poisoning and even a death in college students across the country who had been consuming this drink.

Rumors of a ban have been circulating and have even gone through in many states. The day came for Ohioans today. I have already heard arguments on the ban and people stating that people just need to pay more attention to how much they are drinking, or that the combination of caffeine and alcohol has no effect on them. I have a few points to make on that:

1. Yes, people need to pay more attention to what they are drinking, BUT we are also talking about college students. Many just want to get drunk and want to do it as fast as possible. That's where 4 Loko comes in. If they don't realize that they are really drinking the equivalent of SIX drinks instead of one, it could definitely mean trouble.
2. Just because a mix of caffeine and alcohol does not effect YOU, that does not mean that it does not effect other people. Let's think about it. Alcohol is a depressant, causing processes in your body to slow. Caffeine is a stimulant, which causes body processes to speed up. Our bodies are not made to process large amount of stimulants and depressants at the same time. Now let's consider someone with a heart problem. Think about two different substances telling your heart to speed up and slow down at the same time. Sound like a good idea?

I personally have never tried 4 Loko and never would because I don't know how it would effect me. I realize that some people can drink it and have no problems. My point however, is that there have been so many problems with this drink and other drinks like it that there is obviously something about it that is unsafe, hence the ban. A point was also made that there are plenty of other alcoholic drinks out there that produce the same buzz/level of drunkenness or what-have-you as 4 Loko. Fine. Drink those. Instead of being concerned about having one less option of things to drink to get wasted, why don't we think about the deaths and serious illnesses that have been caused by drinking it?

I'm not judging anyone who drinks 4 Loko or who disagrees with the ban. All I am saying is that working on a college campus has opened my eyes to how much this drink can impact an individual and if people really took the time to research the issue, they might be surprised.

That is all. Have a great day! =)

The Simple Things

Lately I think God has been challenging me and reminding me to appreciate the simpler things in life. I can be goofy and be entertained by the silliest things, so appreciating simple things is not news to me. However, I think that the stress of work and school makes it easy to be more uptight and overlook the little things that used to make me happy. Recently, though, more situations have been occurring that make me stop, smile, and just enjoy the moment. Here are a few examples from this weekend alone:

1. All week I was looking forward to a date night on Friday with Chris. We were going to get dressed up and go to dinner at Brio, followed by a movie which is one of our favorite things to do but we haven't done in awhile. After a long week for both of us I thought it sounded like the perfect date. Life, however, had other plans. On Thursday evening, Chris informed me that someone had scheduled him an appointment at 7:30 Friday night and that he had to work at 8:00 on Saturday morning, meaning he couldn't be out late. By the time he got home from work, showered, and we got to the restaurant it would have been close to 9:00 and a movie would've made the night super late. I was pretty disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I am so proud of Chris and how successful he has been in his new position at work and know that he has been working really hard to get there, but I was really looking forward to this night out.

So Friday came around and I was meeting a friend at Starbucks to do homework and study on the West-side before Chris got off work. I stopped at the gym to pick up his apartment keys so I wasn't stuck at Starbucks for five hours, and sat by the front desk while I waited for the manager to page Chris, who was working out, to come get me. Chris comes walking to the front from the free weight room with a huge smile on his face, greets me with a "hello gorgeous" and a big hug. Okay, seriously, how could I even be disappointed after that? I left the gym with a huge smile on my face and excited to see Chris when he got off work. We ended up going to dinner at Harry Buffalo where we watched the Cavs beat the 76ers (YAY!) and laughed at everything. Following dinner we went to Blockbuster where we took forever to pick out a movie and finally made it home. Now, I could've been really annoyed by the fact that my boyfriend, who is never cold, didn't even have the heat on, but instead I just looked at it as yet another perfect reason to cuddle up during the movie =)

2. On Saturday I drove to Beachwood to meet my mom, aunt, and cousin for lunch and some shoe shopping. (Side note: I ended up with three pairs of shoes for only $75. Now that is a simple thing to appreciate!) The closer I got to Beachwood, the more snow there was on the ground! I was talking to Chris on the phone and I was literally in shock over how much snow there was--it was like I was seeing snow for the first time! I am not a fan of cold weather or driving in the snow, but it reminded me of Christmas and everything I love about the Christmas season and, despite the fact that the roads are bad and it meant I couldn't drive to have a date with Biz =( I still smiled just thinking about the upcoming holiday season.

3. In the middle of the night Saturday night I was woken up by Bella getting sick. I'm talking like loud puking. Gross, right? Considering it was the middle of the night and the fact that I love sleep, I didn't get out of bed to clean it up because I figured it would still be there in the morning. Well, the idea of cleaning up cat vomit probably doesn't sound like a very motivating reason to get out of bed in the morning, but I will tell you that it wasn't so bad for me this morning. You see, I woke up to find that Bella had neatly covered her puddle of vomit with tissues, one of my new slippers (the rubber sole, thank goodness!), and one of her cat toys. I wish I had thought to take a picture, because the whole thing was so funny to me that I couldn't even be upset about getting out of bed to clean. Sometimes my cat's intelligence is frustrating, but last night it was just highly entertaining and ridiculously cute. I'm not sure if she was trying to clean up her mess or cover it up because she didn't want to be in trouble, but either way, it made me smile.


So yes, those are some random things that happened this weekend that made me smile or just helped me appreciate life a little bit more. They may not be things that other people find entertaining or appreciate at all, but when I spent all day doing homework today, it wasn't so bad because of the other things that happened this weekend that made me smile. On top of that, three out of my four papers/projects I have due next weekend are DONE which means that I can have another wonderful weekend next weekend. Yet another reason to smile =)

Inspiration

New albums from my favorite artists always inspire me to pick up a pen and my guitar and start writing. Kate Voegele was the inspiration that led to me writing my first song. She has continued to be a wonderful influence the music world.

And today, I thank the lovely Taylor Swift for releasing yet another wonderful album to give me that extra push I needed to write again. The powerful words she sings and the fact that she isn't scared to say everything she's kept bottled up inside is an inspiration to me to do the same. I have a lot to say that I never thought I'd get a chance to, but I am realizing now that it's time. School is stressful. Music is fun. If I'm going to help others find their outlet, maybe I should make use of my own.

Music heals <3

Off to write.

P.S. Check out Taylor Swift's "Speak Now," out today. You won't regret it.

Detoxifying

"With a taste of poison paradise
I'm addicted to you, don't you know that you're toxic?
And I love what you do
Don't you know that you're toxic?"
-"Toxic" by Britney Spears

Have you ever listened to this song and actually thought about what it was saying? The person our dear Britney is referring to in this song sounds like a romantic interest who is no good for her--yet she can't stay away. How unhealthy is that? It seems like common sense that if a person is "toxic" to us, we should stay away, right? It's not that simple.

Lately I have been examining my own life and the people in it. I have some awesome friends and I will tell anyone any day how blessed I am to have such incredible people in my life. However, I also think about old relationships, romantic or otherwise, and realize how bad they really were for me. Does everyone know what I'm talking about? These people may bring drama to your life, say things specifically meant to hurt you or make you feel bad about yourself, or just make you unhappy in general. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that these are bad people, just that maybe it's best that we don't have a relationship with them at all. That isn't to say that they shouldn't have any friends or any romantic relationships, just that maybe their personalities and our personalities don't mesh well together.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately and have come to terms with some lost friendships and further examined what happened. I had some good times with these people. We laughed, we made memories, they made me happy at times, but there is a reason why these people are no longer in my life. In most instances, a friendship ends because someone was unhappy and hurt. I am not saying that I was the one wronged in all of my lost friendships, because I think it takes two people for something like that to happen. However, my reactions to those people and things that they said to me were not good and not typical of me. I want to surround myself with people who bring out the best in me--not the worst. I feel like I'm not making sense, but hopefully I am!

I guess what I am trying to say is that I am happier now. I do my best not to dwell on lost friendships anymore and am thankful for the good times we had. I don't need people in my life who are going to bring drama to it (who likes that?!) or who are going to take away from my happiness. I think it's easy to get wrapped up in wanting to save a friendship or a relationship that is just plain bad for you because it is what is comfortable or because somehow that person has you convinced that you need them in your life. Don't fall for it. Maybe it's easier said than done and I know I still have work to do on this, but my life is so much happier and carefree without having to worry about people that are going to bring me down. Try it and you will be amazed by what it can do for you!

It's okay to walk away from relationships. It doesn't mean the person you are walking away from is a terrible human being. Both of you deserve to be happy and a relationship filled with drama and toxicity isn't the way to get there!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Okay, not really. I'm leaving in a van. Tomorrow. To go visit my sister in Virginia. I'm excited.

So my parents, family friends and I are leaving tomorrow afternoon to drive down to Falls Church, VA where my lovely big sister lives. The 6+ hour drive will probably not be too exciting, but I will be well-prepared with study materials for comps and hopefully a good DVD or two. Hopefully it will at least be productive.

Saturday will be a busy day that will involve a trip into DC, a trip into Georgetown (which will, of course, include some delicious Georgetown Cupcakes! I'm pumped!), and possibly a trip to the National Harbor. Lots to do. Many ridiculous pictures to take. I hope my sister (and my camera!) are prepared. Shopping will also occur. Hopefully my bank account is prepared for that! The Brady sisters+shopping=a very dangerous situation. Hopefully I'll find some good deals!

The only thing I'm sad about is not spending Sweetest Day with the "sweetest" guy I know. Corny, right? I know, I know, it's just a made-up holiday created for card companies to make money, right? Well, then call me a fool for spending money, but any excuse to let my wonderful boyfriend know how much I care about him and how thankful I am to have him around is fine by me! He should expect a card in the mail =)

I think that's about all I have to say for now. Just ready to get through this day at work, have fun tonight, and pack for my trip TOMORROW! Haven't been to visit my sister since July 4th (and boy, wasn't THAT an experience!), so I'm excited to explore NOVA with her, once again. Pictures to come, I'm sure!

New Poll!

Just added a new Poll to the page! Check it out and vote! =)

Can it Get ANY Better?

This weekend was amazing. Spent Saturday outside enjoying the fall weather with Christopher and my parents at Stan Hywet in Akron. This is a family tradition I love. Ended the day cooking a nice chicken sausage and rice dinner. Sunday was spent at the Browns game with Christopher--my first ever AND they finally won! On top of that, we got to see the Ohio State marching band perform too! Talk about an awesome game! Got a pre-cooked chicken and some sweet potato fries for a nice fall football meal. Now on to homework and preparing for another week. I love friends, family, and my amazing boyfriend. Can't wait for more awesome fall weekends!

Stan Hywet with Christopher

Gorgeous flowers at Stan Hywet



Script Ohio!



Go Browns!

One of Those Nights

Sometimes I catastrophize. Yes, I'm being a good little counselor and using psychological terms, but seriously I do. I'm not guilty of it all the time, but there are times when my expectations are too high and I get disappointed or something goes wrong that I was really counting on, and I turn it into a much bigger deal than it actually is. Tonight it was bad news. I don't know what's going to happen. Things could turn out being fine and there won't be anything to worry about. However, there is also the possibility that things won't be fine, and of course that's the possibility I've been focusing on this evening. A highly emotional episode of Grey's Anatomy didn't help, and the fact that I'm low on sleep probably makes it even worse.

I guess it's probably a good thing that I can recognize this trait in myself since it's my job to recognize it in other people and help them see it in themselves. Since I am aware of it I guess that means I can target it and nip it in the bud. We shall see how that works, but for now I am off to sleep!

I need a weekend to recover from my weekend. Seriously. I like to sleep in on weekends, catch up on sleep, relax. Of course I like to have fun and enjoy myself as well, but after the week I had it would've been nice to kick back and just enjoy some down-time. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my weekend. It was great getting to see an old friend and spend time with my sister while she was in town for the weekend. Shopping is always a plus, as well. Shopping with my sister and my second big sister...even better! I will say, I am pretty satisfied with my purchases!

That gets me to my next topic. Clothes. I really like them, and purchasing new ones to prepare myself for the changing weather makes me look forward to the cold that is coming just a little bit more. However, my closet is only so big. I mean, it's a decent size, but kind of annoying to get all the way in the back. I have decided once and for all, that my closet needs some upgrades. I don't mean with clothes, I think I have done enough of that lately, but some organization would definitely be great. It's to the point that I think I need to take everything out, sort through it, and put each item back in a logical place. This LOGICAL place may very well be a bag to be sent to Goodwill. I have come to the realization that as much as I think I might wear that shirt that I bought in 2002 again, I most likely won't since I haven't worn it since about 2003. Making the choice of what stays and what goes will prove to be a difficult feat for a person as indecisive as myself, but I am confident that with hard work, dedication, and possibly a good friend to put their foot down, I can overcome this terrible dilemma. My biggest issue right now is going to be finding time to start this daunting task, as it will most likely take the majority of an entire day. Anyone care to come help? =)

Shape it Up!

Chris and I had date night on Saturday. We started talking about Halloween costumes and our (slash MY) interest in doing a couples costume. Anyway, we're having this conversation and I say, "So I had an idea of a costume we could do that I think would be so much fun!" to which Chris replies, "I was thinking Aladdin and Jasmine." Can I just say that that's EXACTLY what my idea was? We may or may not be the same person...kind of scary. ANYWAY, that leads me to my next topic. Because I will be dressing up as Jasmine who wears a midriff-baring top I have decided I should probably get my abs into shape. Let's just say that date night dinner at Sushi Rock and dessert at Cheesecake Factory did NOT help (do you know how many calories are in that cheesecake?!)!

So tonight I decided to break out my new yoga mat I bought a few weeks ago, not to do yoga, but to do crunches, etc. on the hardwood floors in my apartment. I started with P-90 abs (my DVD is missing...who stole it?!) then moved on to arms and some thighs. I get Cosmo every month and always look at the exercises they have in the Fitness section but I never actually try them. Well that all changed tonight. This month's section was "Erase Arm Flab--Fast." I tried all four of the exercises shown on the page and three out of the four actually worked really well! Tracy Anderson, the trainer who writes the page, suggested using water bottles for the exercises. Because I do not have any plastic water bottles (hello, going green!), I used two cans of soup instead. Still quite the workout! I also looked last month's article, "Thigh-Slimming Secrets," but was disappointed. I could only "feel the burn" in one of the four exercises. Maybe I was doing them wrong. Oh well, can't complain! So anyway, I'm pretty excited about my newly discovered resource for all things fitness. Okay, maybe not all things, but for everything else I could probably go to my personal trainer boyfriend. I'm happy to say that I have probably a year's worth of Cosmo saved so I will be referring to those for some new exercise inspiration. I'm pumped! Hooray for getting into shape and for being able to do so at home!

Update and Thoughts on Life

So I've been told I need to update my blog, and I guess there is a lot to update all of my thousands of readers on (riiiiight), so I might as well do it now.

Since the last time I've posted, I've been crazy with school and work and trying to get things done for both. This has left me slightly stressed out, but not too bad yet (knock on wood!). Last Friday I was able to have a carefree day of fun with my good friend, Mrs. Elizabeth Cereshko (I love saying your new last name!). We had lunch, did some damage at the mall, and ended our day with a chick-flick. Needless to say, it was a great time filled with lots of laughs, as usual. It feels so great to have such wonderful friends! I am truly blessed!

This past week, things got a little more intense at my internship/work. Computer problems were finally fixed so I was able to actually complete some tasks for my GA position so now I don't feel like things are piling up on me. On top of that, I actually started working with my own clients! I have to admit, I was super nervous for my first session, and I will probably continue to be nervous for a little while. However, I am feeling much better now that I have two sessions under my belt. I was working with a client today who has been having a rough time lately, and it felt so great just to be there for someone and help them through a difficult period in their life. It is such a wonderful feeling! I can't wait to have many more days like this! It is so exciting to finally be applying everything I have learned and worked for over the years. I thank God for showing me that this is my calling in life and I am now so confident that this is His will for me!

Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky. Things have been so great for me lately, and at times I feel as though I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. It almost feels like something bad has to happen at some point. Isn't that how it always works? I think right now I am just discovering that I am truly happy with all aspects of my life. Sure, it would be nice to have a little more time to myself or to sleep or to relax, but at the end of the day, I am doing what I love and I am surrounded by wonderful people that I love and provide with amazing love and support in return. I'm not going to wait around dreading the day that something bad happens because, let's face it, something will happen, but I know I can handle it. Things won't always be perfect, there will be rainy days, but I am realizing more and more that at the end of the day, I have all the happiness in the world and that's all I need to get through the tough times.

Weekends?

So I have come to the conclusion that weekends should be five days long and the work week should be two. I mean, seriously. Everyone knows that everything fun happens on the weekend. You have more time to relax, have fun with friends, and spend time with the ones you love. Weekdays are always so hectic and I don't think I know anyone who TRULY enjoys going to work EVERY single day of the week and wishes they could work on the weekends. However, I know many people who wish it was the weekend when they are getting up to go to work. I propose a change in the way our country works and switch things up a bit. Five day weekends and two day work weeks. Any one with me?

Amazing

It is absolutely amazing how great my life has been lately! Now, I don't want to jinx anything because I know that things can always change, but I must say that I have been so happy lately! I honestly was not looking forward to the end of summer and the start of the new semester because I know that between now and May, things are going to get pretty crazy. Thankfully, this time next year I will have my Master's Degree and all of my hard work will have paid off. I've only made it through the first week of work and classes for the semester, but I am definitely really excited for my classes. I can actually apply my coursework to what I am going to be doing for the rest of my life, and because I am doing my Practicum and Internship this year, I will actually be putting those skills to use in the next couple of weeks! I have to be honest and say that I am a bit nervous about the idea of doing one-on-one counseling, but I know that my schooling has prepared me for this and that I have awesome supervisors who will be working with me throughout this process. So, in short, as hard as this year might be I am really looking forward to it!

On another note, only being half an hour away from Chris (as opposed to an hour like we used to be) has been wonderful. It's so nice getting to see him more often on weekends and even sometimes on weeknights depending on both of our schedules. Last night I walked out of class to find him in the parking lot waiting to go grab a late dinner and hang out with me for a little bit--just because he wanted to surprise me and he missed me. It made my night and was definitely one of the highlights of my week!

My sister is coming into town tomorrow evening for Labor Day weekend, so I am super excited to get to hang out with her for a few days. It should be a good time, and I know my little kitty is excited to see her aunt!

Overall, I'm excited for life right now and what God has in store for the next few months. I am being optimistic and plan on making the most of whatever opportunities I have!

Dream House!

Tonight I made the mistake of watching probably a good two to three hours of HGTV, the majority of which was spent watching House Hunters (my mom will be proud). Now, if you have never seen or heard of the show before, basically a person or a couple goes looking for houses with a real estate agent on TV. Maybe it sounds lame, but I promise you it is addictive. The last episode I watched was a couple looking for a home outside of Dallas in the $500-700k range. I absolutely fell in LOVE with the first house they saw which was a 4700 square foot house for $550k. The house was complete with a HUGE walk-in closet (and when I say HUGE I mean bigger than Carrie Bradshaw's in the Sex and the City movie), a huge shower with two shower heads, a media room, and a gorgeous library. The property did not have a pool as they had hoped, but the acre of land left plenty of space for a pool and an area for their kids to run around. Thankfully, the couple had brains and this is the house that they chose. Naturally, this incredible house got me thinking about must-haves for my future dream home. Here are a few:

1. His and Hers Sinks (in a bathroom connected to the Master Bedroom, of course):
Let's face it, when I am just waking up in the morning and getting ready to start my day, the last thing I want to do is have to fight for space to brush my teeth, wash my face, etc. I'd like my own space to do my makeup (although a separate counter would work, as well) without having to move every two seconds to allow someone else access to my sink. Also, I've seen guys' sinks before and quite frankly do not want to be anywhere near those messes!

I am loving the counter space here!

2. Big Walk-In Closet:
I will be completely honest here--I have a lot of clothes, and sometimes I get lazy. What I mean by this is that sometimes at night when I'm getting changed for bed or getting ready for work in the morning, I don't always feel like putting my clothes in the right spot at that moment. This leaves my room cluttered, at times, but gives me a good use for my futon. However, a walk-in closet with lots of space gives you more options for organization, but is also easy to cover up when it gets a bit cluttered. And what woman doesn't dream of having a huge closet?

Lots of room and storage space, as well!

3. A Platform Bed:
This really doesn't have anything to do with the house itself because you can put a platform bed in any house, but there is just something about these beds that I love! I think they are so unique and fun. Maybe it's just the fact that I've never had larger than a twin bed so I think that a queen- or king-sized platform would be wonderful, who knows! There is probably nothing even that great about them if you ask anyone else. The one bad thing I have heard is that they are not good for people with back problems. In other words, I would hate my back even more with one of these things. Hmm...maybe I can just find a really good one with a great mattress?

I don't know what it is--does anyone else agree with me?

4. Pillars:

Random, I know, but I love the way pillars look at the front of a house. When I was little I always wanted to live in a big house with pillars. Well the pillars never happened and I have been admiring them ever since. Someday, I'm going to have them.

Maybe a little much, but you get the idea

There are a lot of other qualities I would love to have in a house, but these are a few that the shows tonight made me think of. I'm sure I will come up with more, and I'll be sure to let you know when I do!

H.A.P.P.Y

I am ridiculously happy right now. School and work started today and it is going to be a stressful year, but it will all be worth it when I walk across that stage in May. It's going to be a long ride to get there, but I have an amazing boyfriend who makes me smile, and right now that's enough for me =D

Love is In the Air!

The last two weekends, I have had the pleasure of attending the weddings of two dear friends. The first, on August 14th, was the wedding of two high school friends--Stephanie and Greg. The two of them have been dating since our freshman year of high school, went to college together at Bowling Green, and are now living in North Carolina where Steph is getting her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Duke. The wedding took place at Lake Forest Country Club in Hudson, Ohio. The small ceremony was outside on the country club grounds surrounded by flowers. My other high school friends and I all agreed that Steph looked beautiful and we definitely had a hard time trying to keep ourselves from crying. The rest of the wedding was a lot of fun, and it was great getting to hang out with high school friends and dance the night away! Here are some pictures of the occasion:

Me and Steph after the ceremony



Getting a kiss from my handsome date



Perfect ending to their first dance as husband & wife

The next weekend, on August 21st, was the wedding of college friends--Biz and Dan. Funny story, Biz and I were acquaintances all throughout college...we were in Campus Crusade together and saw each other around campus but never really talked or hung out. That all changed our senior year when we both worked in the Psychology Office on campus and had a class together our last semester. Needless to say, we spent much of our time in class laughing--how we always spend our time together! Since then, Biz has become one of my closest friends and I felt so honored to be included in her special day. The wedding was held at St. Denis Golf Course and Party Center in Chardon, Ohio. Unfortunately the weather did not hold out for the outdoor ceremony, but that didn't stop Biz from being a glowing bride or Dan from grinning from ear-to-ear as his bride walked down the aisle to him. I cried throughout the ceremony and could definitely feel a lot of love in the room--from those attending and the love that the bride and groom felt for each other. It was a perfect day, rain and all. Below are some pictures of the wedding.

Chris and I with the bride and groom



Walking down the aisle toward her groom

So happy!

I love weddings, and it was especially nice getting to watch two friends marry the men of their dreams. Isn't love a beautiful thing?

Craziness

Life has been crazy lately. Bachelorette parties last weekend, babysitting all week, sister coming into town tonight, weddings the next two weekends. I promise to update soon when I have my computer up and running!!!

Birthdays, Galore!

This weekend, I was lucky enough to celebrate the births of two of my favorite people: Biz and Chris!

First of all, getting to see Biz was exciting in itself because I don't see her that often (although with all her wedding stuff, I have lately!), BUT on top of that, it was her birthday so we got to go out and have fun! It was a fun girls night with dinner and drinks followed by dancing at a nearby bar in Downtown Willoughby. The live band was great and played everything from "Poker Face" to "Ice Ice Baby." I can't wait to dance the night away with her again very soon at her WEDDING!

Biz and I taking a break from dancing for a pic

On Saturday, Chris got to my apartment a little after noon and the fun never ended from there! We started off by enjoying a picnic lunch poolside all by ourselves (it wasn't very sunny so we were the only ones there). Then we just laid out and chatted until Chris fell asleep (as usual). On the way home we stopped for some Mitchell's ice cream (so good!). We relaxed at home for a bit then got ready for Chris' birthday dinner at Mongolian BBQ. We ate until we were stuffed and it was absolutely delicious! After dinner we walked around Coventry a little bit and I got to show him a couple fun little shops. We stopped home for a few minutes then went BACK out to go see Inception. Seriously, SUCH a good movie! I now understand why everyone has been making such a big deal out of it. You should definitely go see it! After the movie we met a few friends out for a couple drinks to end the evening. It was a great day and I was so glad to finally get to celebrate the 25th birthday of my favorite Stinko =)

Chris and I before going to see Inception

Overall, it was a great weekend. I love birthdays and getting to celebrate the people I love!

Coupons!

Yes, I know I'm lame and somewhat of an old lady, but I absolutely LOVE coupons!

Today I went grocery shopping (like REAL grocery shopping) for the first time in probably about a month. Naturally, this meant I needed to buy LOTS of stuff. Considering the fact that I'm running on a pretty tight budget right now (the whole lack of income thing really stinks!), I decided to cut out some coupons to add to my collection before I left. Needless to say, between my Giant Eagle Advantage Card (if you shop there, get one!) and my coupons, I saved $22.61. That's almost enough to fill my gas tank (which I did upon leaving the store)! So for all of you who make fun of me and my old lady ways, maybe it's time you start clipping!

On a side note, I may or may not have looked like a cat lady checking out with FOUR bags of cat treats. What can I say? I missed my kitty while I was in West Virginia AND I had some expiring coupons!

You make it easier when life gets hard

I am excited to see this guy tomorrow for our first wedding together!

Thank you for always being there for me <3

Hello, Summer!

Summer classes have officially ended, which makes me happier than you could possibly know! I finally feel like my summer is actually starting, and I plan on making the most out of these next five weeks before I start classes again. Possible and definite plans for the rest of the summer include:

• Jenny's wedding
• Family vacation to West Virginia
• Celebrating Biz's Birthday!
• Celebrating Christopher's Birthday!
• Steph & Greg's Wedding
• Biz's Wedding
• Trip to Chicago (maybe I can check the Bean off my Bucket List!)
• Visit Kat at Ashland

Shaping up to be a busy five weeks, but I'm pretty excited about what is in store and pumped to use my new camera to document everything! Yay for summer! Jenny's wedding in 2 days and leaving for West Virginia immediately following the reception! Hoping to come back relaxed and TAN!!!

Something to Think About

So I was sitting in Applebees this afternoon, enjoying a drink with classmates before our last evening class, when we saw a minivan pull into the parking lot. The van was covered in what appeared to be bumper stickers about Jesus and Christianity. While I am a Christian, some of the statements on the stickers were a little too extreme for me, but to each his own. In my mind I was thinking that it was a little bit crazy that this van was plastered with so many stickers about Jesus, but at the same time realized how cool it was that in our country we have the freedom to display our beliefs and opinions on our car if we want, and these people were not afraid to do that!

That leads to what I saw next. The man, two women, and young boy who were in the van got out and started peeling the "stickers" off of the van. What I thought were stickers were actually just magnets that the owners could put on and remove whenever they pleased. This got me thinking about two things:

1. If you can drive around showing/telling the world your religious beliefs,
why is it that when you get to where you're going you need to remove
the proof of who you really are?

and

2. What could have possibly happened to these people's car that they
do not feel comfortable leaving the magnets on their car when it
is no longer in their sight?

While I don't know the answer to either of those questions, it got me thinking and got my friends and I talking about Christianity and what it really means to be a Christian. Anyway, just thought it was an interesting occurrence in my day that led to some actual intellectual stimulation--something I knew I wouldn't be getting in class that evening! Comment if you have any thoughts/opinions on what I experienced today!

Jess

New Obsession

PRETZEL M&Ms! Pretty sure I now have
a new obsession. Try them. You won't
be disappointed!

Furry Friends

So I just got home from a long seven hour day at school, only to be put in a much better mood by my four-legged friend the moment I stepped through the door. Now, I'm typically more of a dog person. I enjoy cuddling and I love the idea of someone being there to greet me at the door when I get home--typical dog behavior. However, I can't have a puppy in my apartment, so when my boyfriend's cat had kittens I decided I wanted one. I'm not sure if I just got a really weird cat or if it has something to do with the way I've "raised" her, but Bella is the best little kitty in the world! She greets me at the door when I get home, comes when I call her name (most of the time), cuddles with me every night, and definitely provides a lot of entertainment. She is pretty crazy and, at times, too busy to play with her boring old mom, but I love her to death and wouldn't have her any other way!

Bella relaxing at my parents' house

My parents, on the other hand, DO have a dog. Her name is Scout and she is about to turn 3. She is the best puppy! I always get excited to go visit my parents because I get to see her (and my parents, of course!). She gets extremely excited to see me--to the point that I worry her tail might fall off or carry her away like a helicopter. She sleeps with me when I stay at home and likes to cuddle on the couch. However, watch your bananas around her! This little puppy loves bananas and will sit in front of anyone eating them to make sure they give her a bite! She is also a bit crazy at times, but that's what makes having pets so fun!

This is Scout!

It's funny how two creatures who can't even talk can make your day and put a smile on your face. Now if only they could get along!

Bucket List

Tonight was my dreaded night class. This class, in particular, sort of makes me want to gouge my eyes out. Given the fact that I am leaving for my vacation to West Virginia on Saturday, I decided that making a packing list would be a wise use of my time.

A page later, I realized that it might take less time to make a list of the things I will not be packing (I tend to be one of those over-packers). Since that's not exactly useful, I came up with the bright idea of creating a "Bucket List," which has been on my Bucket List to do for quite awhile. So since I'm starting my new blog and all, I thought I would share it with all of you. So here we go:

My Bucket List:

1. Pet a koala in Australia
2. Go skydiving
3. Sit in floor seats at a Cavs game (yes, I'm still a fan!)
4. Have a picnic in Central Park
5. Sing the national anthem at a professional sports game (preferably the Cavs)
6. Go swimming with dolphins
7. Ride an elephant!
8. Completely finish writing a song
9. Make a scrapbook of college
10. Visit the Bean in Chicago (and take lots of fun pictures!)
    
11. Help Chris find his biological mom
12. Visit the Mall of America (without breaking the bank!)
13. Climb a volcano in Hawaii
14. Go swimming (slash floating) in the Dead Sea
15. Kiss Chris under the Eiffel Tower
16. Go to Times Square for New Years Eve
17. Visit Carlo's Bakery (you know, from Cake Boss!)
18. Go ice skating outside at Christmas-time
19. Camp out in the backyard
20. Do all of the touristy things in Hollywood
21. Spend a week with the girls in Vegas
22. Throw an anniversary party for my parents with my sister, Erin (shh, don't tell! And Mom, since I know you're reading this, pretend you don't know)
23. Learn how to cook some of my mom's specialties
24. Read the Bible all the way through

Some are more complicated than others, but I'd still like to do them all. I'm sure I will be adding to the list in the future, as well! Have a great Monday night!

Jess