Trips!

Tom and I talked about and decided we didn't want to do Christmas presents this year. Christmas is a couple weeks before our anniversary so we decided to do a trip instead. After pretty much discussing the pros and cons of every city in the US we decided to go to Disney World in January over MLK weekend. We are so excited! I have not been in years and Tom has never been.  We had hotel points and flight vouchers so it's working out well. We have traveled to a lot of cities together but we have never flown together. I'm so looking forward to getting on a flight together and going home together.

Speaking of trips we leave for Phoenix one week from today! Tom and Mione are going to pick me up from work and we are going straight from here. Its a 15 hour drive so we are breaking the trip up into 2 days. I'm excited to finally meet his family and see where he grew up. Not to mention meet his friends. So much to look forward to :)

I don't want to get anyone's hopes up yet but we are going to try to be in Denver over Saint Patrick's Day weekend. I miss it like crazy and would love to see as many friends as possible.

Ok---lots to do. Talk to you soon.

Snow Days *

Dallas got a pretty bad snow storm of Thursday night. Tom had to stay in a hotel that night to work on Friday but I had a snow day Friday. I spent the day cleaning a bit and watching TV. The entire city was pretty much shut down. Fortunately, Tom was able to make it home safely. We spent the rest of the weekend at home watching moves and making food.  THEN UTD cancelled closed school today as well because the ice has not been melting fast enough.

It took me moving to Texas to get a 4 day weekend due to snow days :)

Shock is gone

I have been thinking a lot about death...I'd assume that is due to Uncle Dennis.

I found out my uncle died a month ago yesterday. I found myself in a state of shock until this week. Unfortunately the comfort that comes with shock is gone. I can no longer deny that he passed away and I'm having a hard time accepting it. My grandfather died in April of 2009. He was 86 years old and had been sick for a long time. He was in a lot of pain and death seemed right. He got to live a long happy life and we were all as prepared as one can possibly be to say goodbye. When he did pass it hurt but I found peace in knowing it was his time. I'm having a difficult time finding that peace with my uncle. He was a healthy 61 year old and we had no warning. My family was completely unprepared to deal with his passing and so I'm here struggling to come to terms with it.   I always talk about my mom and her 4 brothers and sister. It's always been the 6 of them. Now I need to come to terms with only having 5 of them. It's a tough pill to swallow.

I know time will help but I death is never something one gets over.

December!

November was a pleasant surprise. 

December is busy but I have been really needing that. 

Here's to the last month of what has been a pretty fantastic year.

 Let's wrap it up with a trip to Phoenix. 

Brr---it's cold out there!

Texas is under a severe weather alert. We are supposed to have a rain/slush/ice situation occurring around midnight and lasting until noon on Monday. I work unless the school closes. Hopefully if the roads are bad UTD will close. Texas is not prepared to handle bad road situations. Tom's work booked hotel rooms near the office for tonight to ensure that necessary staff is able to make it to work tomorrow first thing. In other words he is currently at a hotel in Addison drinking beer and watching football with his co-workers. It's cold but there is not a single rain drop to be seen.

It's only one night but I miss him.

On the bright side this does provide me with the opportunity to update my blog, organize my closet and watch girlie TV--the Broncos game totally counts :) I was looking forward to a girls night but Mione is sleeping and not being good company. She loves when it's just me and her in bed. Not such a fan when Tom is there so I think she will be extra happy tonight...if she isn't all slept out.

Tom and I have been looking at houses. Yeah, I know. It's a lot to take in. We also looked at houses but it is a lot more cost effective to buy. Rent is high but the prices for houses is not. We have a lot we need to sort out but the lease is up in February so we need to start seriously considering our options. The idea of having a house of our own to personalize is really exciting. We've narrowed the area to Far North Dallas. The commute from downtown to where we work is insane. It took me an hour and a half to get home on Friday---it's only supposed to take 23 minutes. Traffic is THAT bad every Friday. I've only been working for a few weeks and I'm already over the commute. Tom also works North so that's where we are headed...at least that's the plan.

Ok I need to give full attention to the Broncos :)

Texas gets cold?

I'm not sure if it is because I have been out of the cold for a few months but it is in the 30s and I was not prepared for this. While I type this I'm wishing I had a cup of hot chocolate and was snuggled under blankets with Tom and Mione. I think it is only ok to be cold if the cold comes with snow. In Texas it does not.

In other news things are good. Works keeps me busy and it is SO nice to be busy again. I didn't realize how much I had missed that. I bought pretty new dressed for this job which was more fun than I would like to admit. I didn't really have dress up clothes. As soon as Ashford told us we didn't have to dress up anymore I was done and done. Now I feel good about the outfits and dressing up sets me apart from all of the students. This is my first higher education experience on a traditional campus and I am so glad I was granted the opportunity to take this route. So different than for profit education. I have one degree from each of the types so I can't say which is better than the other. Though this campus is dork heaven. Most are science type majors. Everything is named based on a space theme. We have a computer lab that named the rows after Star Wars characters.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy Assassination. Tom and I live right down the street from where he was assassinated. We unfortunately missed the events due to work but we may head over to the memorial tonight. I'm a dork but I think its cool to be where history happened on the anniversary of the occasion. Just have to figure out a way to stay warm :)

Traffic is the worst on Friday. Always takes me over an hour to get home (should take me 25 minutes). I cannot imagine it will be better in the rain. Wish me luck and have a good weekend everyone!

Date Night

 

Tom and I were able to go to the Christmas Light Festival in Downtown Dallas.

 It was right outside out apartment which made it even better. We drank and headed downstairs to enjoy the festivities. It was cheesy but not so many people that it was overwhelming. They closed Main St and we were able to meander around and eat good food. The above picture was taken on a fill a couple blocks away from our apartment. It ended up being a really fun date night. 

Catching up

I survived the first week of work :). Mind you it has been completely exhausting. The commute does not help things. It can take anywhere from 25 minutes-over an hour to get here or home. On top of that my speedometer is not working...again. Oh, fun times. I really do need to write a book about the silly things Texans do on the road. One day I'll laugh at them but now a days I'm so annoyed with them that it's impossible to find the humor. Well, I suppose after a glass of wine it is a bit better.

Contrary to the last paragraph I am excited to be working. Really. It feels good to get dressed up and be around people all day. The college campus is really cute and they have all those events I used to love. Bring on the college swag!

In other news Tom and I are adjusting to having to get ready for work in a very small space at the exact same time...while making lunches and breakfast. It's tricky to say the least. I just cannot wait to move to a bigger more functional apartment come February. It will be busy until then. We had to move the Phoenix trip from Thanksgiving to Christmas due to me getting a job. I only get two days off for Thanksgiving but I get two weeks off for Christmas. Fortunately, Tom was able to change his vacation time so it's working. We will just do a small Thanksgiving here and then go to Black Friday somewhere. Because this is me and that is what I like to do :) Tom has never experienced it so that will make for an adventure. 

Finding a job that pays well and enables me to have time off and amazing benefits makes this move worth it. I love living with Tom and being with him in general but I would be lying if I said that it was not challenging not having a job. I know I was becoming more and more stressed by the day and it was rubbing off on Tom. I need to have stuff going on outside the home so I'm so grateful that I do again. Tom has been my rock through this entire emotional experience.

Thank you for the kind words about my uncle. I'm still in shock. It frightens me that a healthy 61 year old with no heart conditions can die of a massive heart attack. They say he didn't feel pain. For that I am grateful. He was stubborn at times and did things his way. Now, I am so happy he was able to enjoy his short life on his terms. My heart still breaks for the loss but I feel he is in a good place.

Ok, so lunch time is over and I need to get back to work.

Bitter Sweet Day

I started to post a blog earlier today but found I did not have anything to say. Now I have a lot.

Lets start with the sweet.

I got the job at University of Texas at Dallas as an Enrollment Services Processor. Basically I was be supervising a team of 3-4. We will be evaluation applications for admissions and interviewing students that have applied to determine if they are qualified candidates. I really like the campus and the members of the team I had the opportunity to meet while going through the interview stage. I start tomorrow. Fingers crossed it goes well.

Now the bitter...

My Uncle Dennis died. I'm still in shock while I type this. He was so...alive for lack of a better word. He is Kasi's dad and I spent a lot of time with him growing up. Especially when I was younger. He also worked with my mom so I would spend my days talking to him about everything. He was just a good guy. Stepped up to the plate and helped my mom, brother and me when my own father wasn't in the picture. I will forever be grateful for him and proud to have known him. We aren't sure how he died...early assumption is that is was a massive heart attack and he didn't suffer.  I'm not sure what I believe in terms of God but I feel that my Uncle is in a better place. I'm comforted to know that my Grandpa is there with him but my heart breaks for us still here. My grandma lost her son today. His three brothers and two sisters are trying to wrap their minds around him being gone. His daughter lost her dad. There is no fix for that.

Hello November

I have mixed feeling about the month of November. 

In my head its never good but then I always end up pleasantly surprised that it ends up well. 

Hopefully this year it ends leaving me surprised.  

Today marks three months in Dallas. Still not sure how I feel about it. Not completely happy with it but I don't know if that is because I don't know it well enough or if it is really not the right fit. Tom and I have talked about the idea of moving but that is expensive, a lot of work, and we would just end up needing to adapt somewhere new...again. I'm sure we will move at some point but I think we need to give here more time. My family wants us closer to Ohio and his family wants us closer to Arizona. I have no desire to ever live in Ohio again and Tom doesn't want to live in Arizona. So...it's tricky. Fortunately, it is not something we need to worry about right now. BUT when I'm having a bad day it is fun to think about. 

Tom and I are trying to figure out something fun to do this weekend. I will let you know what we come up with.

Waiting game

It's nice to be able to relax and unwind after a stressful few days. I had another interview yesterday and I think it went really well. The guy who interviewed me said he was really impressed. It would be a great opportunity. I would be a supervisor to a small team as well. Which is great. I worked really hard for my promotion at Ashford. It would be nice to not have to work up to management again.  I got an email from the community college I interviewed with last week asking me to complete a background check. I think that's promising? Now...I just wait.

I'm trying to get my dress clothes in order (just in case). I have not had to dress up for work since last September. I'm not thrilled about that. I really did like wearing jeans but these jobs all interact with students face to face. SO it is what it is. If anything I'll have an excuse to buy more dresses :)

I'll keep ya'll updated ! 

Interviews

Phew! What a day. I'm exhausted.  I had two interviews today---really far apart. My first interview was at UT-Arlington. I think it went really well. The interview was at 1:00pm and ended at 1:30ish. From there I had to make it to my 3:00pm interview at University of Phoenix. Without traffic this drive ie supposed to be 40 minutes. I don't know when there is ever NOT traffic in Dallas but it ended up taking me well over an hour. Fortunately, I was not late for the second interview. I also think that one went well but it's so hard to tell. They are interviewing a lot of people. I have another interview on Monday for an Enrollment Processor position at UT-Dallas. I don't really remember what that position entails but its an interview and at the very least I want the practice. Earlier this week I had an interview with a community college in the area but I don't feel very good about it. I was painfully over qualified and I'm sure that came across. That's ok though. It's all about the process. Pretty sure I have seen most of the colleges in Northeastern Texas. Blah.

I switched up my resume and I'm getting more calls---which is a good thing! 

Keep your fingers crossed!

He did good!

Tom cam home with a Build-A-Bear teddy bear. As you can see she is pink with a tutu. What you may not be able to see in this picture is that she is wearing a white gold and diamond heart necklace. 

What an adorable way to give me a necklace, eh?

 Everything about this is perfect!

Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday to me!

I can't beleive I am already 27. 

Where does the time go? 

I can honestly say that 26 has been one of my favorite years. I fell in love and I traveled more than I ever have. Since last October I have been to Seattle, Chicago, New Orleans, San Antonio, and then there is the whole move to Dallas thing. It's not that many places but it is a start. 

I made a list last year of what I wanted to accomplish while 26. Lets see how I did!

1. Go to Mt. Rushmore with friends. Seeing Lincoln in stone seems like a great idea.
2. Fall in love and have him feel the same way about me.
3. Be a better friend. Celebrate all the Birthdays and be up for anything!
4. Go to Chicago in the Spring with Cindy
5. Ski the Rocky Mountains
6. Learn to drive stick shift
7. Expand my taste in wine
8. Pay off my car
9. Lose 20 pounds
10. Teach Hermione a trick
11. Go to a Bronco's game
12. Go to one of my favorite band's concerts
13. Get a passport
14. Freshen up on Sign Language
15. Hang out with my mom
16. Make more money
17. Watch basketball again and love it like I used to
18. Try whitewater rafting
19. Dance in the rain
20. Lay under the stars with a bottle of wine and good company
21. Go camping
22. Step outside my comfort zone at least once a month
23. Memorize a Zumba dance
24. Drive until it stops scaring me.
25. Figure out what role I want politics to play in my life
26. Do what my mom did. 

So I did 11 of the 26. It's a start. I'll make it a goal to accomplish everything else while 27. Er, not Mt. Rushmore. Living in Texas makes that a lofty goal.

Tom and I had a great birthday weekend in San Antonio. If you haven't been to San Antonio they have a cute little river that runs through town and it is surrounded by restaurants and stores. Completely cheesy and a tourist trap so of course I adored it. We went to a nice and small Italian restaurant. Had an amazing meal with lots of wine. It was perfect. Tom made the dinner special. I wouldn't change a thing about it. After dinner we went to Dick's Last Resort because I'm me and I think that's funny. We drank far too much and were a bit frightened we may end up falling into the rive (no railing!). After drink far to much we went to bed and woke up early to take out time driving home. We are on a mission to find Tom some cowboy boats. We plan to visit again sometime. Not for a bit though. Next month we are driving to Phoenix for Thankgiving and trying to figure out where we want to go for Christmas. Life is good.

I have two interviews this week. If that isn't a reality check I don't know what is. Time to get back into the swing of things I suppose.  Tonight we are going out to dinner and relaxing. Much needed after this past weekend!

I'm trying to stay open minded about Texas. So far I have decided that I like Texas but I don't like Dallas. Inconvenient considering I live in Dallas. I just really have no clue where I would live if I could live anywhere. Maybe Chicago...it's just so expensive. It's fun not knowing. I'm so excited to see where 27 will take me!

Thank you all for the birthday love. I really appreciate it! <3

TOM IS HOME!

TOM IS HOME!
TOM IS HOME!

TOM IS HOME! 

Have I mentioned Tom is home? I couldn't sleep Friday night because I was so excited to wake up and get him. THEN I remembered that would be the last night I would have the entire bed to myself for who knows how long. SO eventually I fell asleep. I found the airport without the help of a GPS (win) and located the International Flights Arrival gate. It's a cool set up, obviously new. It was odd though. They had a television playing footage of troops coming home and patriotic music. Regardless, Tom's flight landed on time and I attacked him as soon as I saw him. I could not stop talking to him the rest of the day. Mostly about meaningless garbage---I had definitely been lacking in person communication.  He was a good sport about it. We dropped his stuff off at home and eventually went to get a burger from our favorite neighborhood bar. Once we got home he was exhausted and fell asleep for a few hours. I was WAY too excited to sleep. He woke up and we lounged around and caught up more. He didn't manage to stay away that long and I stayed up far too long watching SNL. This was a good plan until 6:00am rolled around and he was wide awake and I had only had 5 hours of sleep. Needless to say, I needed a nap after running errands this morning. We both wore our Broncos jerseys all day while running around town. Surprisingly enough, people were friendly about it. It was a good communication starter if nothing else. We came home made a big dinner and watched the highest scoring football game in NFL history. THE BRONCOS WON! Thank goodness. I would have never lived it down if we lost to the Cowgirls.

So things are good. Tom took Monday and Tuesday off work so we have a lot of time to get back into our routine. I got so used to him not being here and doing things a certain way that I have to readjust to our way. I'll get there. Mione was happy to see him and slept with him the entire day. I'm just so happy he is home.

Is it just me or is everyone's Facebook blowing up this past month with engagements and babies? I had 5 friends give birth within a week of each other and I cant keep track of how many engagements. It just seems like more than usual. No biggie.

It's my Birthday month

Happy October! 

I'm choosing to be optimistic even though I live in a state that doesn't feel like autumn. I'm determined to make the most of it. Tom is home on Saturday (thank goodness) and I managed to find quality pumpkin roll. It's the little things I suppose.

T*E*X*A*S

I decided to go to Trader Joe's today to pick up some fruit and veggies. There's is the best :) Normally it's about a 10-15min drive depending on traffic. Well...I should have looked out the window and noticed the INSANE about of traffic. Once I finally made it onto the street from the parking garage it took me 30 minutes to drive 5 blocks. Completely insane. I did make it and was able to run some other errands. Luckily the traffic cleared up by the time I got home. For some reason all of the roads connecting two one way streets were closed....at lunch hour...on a Friday. Texas is dumb.

I got my hair cut yesterday. Its a lot shorter...I'll post pictures soon. ANWAYS the women who cut my hair knew what she was doing but she wasn't the brightest crayon in the box. She asked me if I loved Texas to which I said no. People are ALWAYS shocked when I answer that question honestly. She then said "well why not? There is so much to do here!" To which my go to answer is..."Like what?" Now, please note I have said this to a few people and NONE of them every know what exactly there is to do. I'm also amused when they find out where I live. "Oh! Right in the middle of everything!" Again...like what? Texans are in love with their state but they have no idea why. Neither do I. I am a firm believer that I need to give this city a fair shot but I won't be heartbroken when we move somewhere that is actually filled with things to do.

Maybe I'm just bitter that Tom isn't here and he is the reason I am here. He is home one week from tomorrow :)

Happy First Day of Autumn!

The Broncos aren't playing today but apparently the Browns won. I cannot help but be amused by how proud Brown's fans are simply because they won a game. Oh, to be an Cleveland's sports fan.

Friday was a lot of fun. We went to this adorable pizza place in Deep Ellum (I'm not sure about the spelling). It's a nice little area of downtown with really good food. It reminds me of some areas in Denver AND trust me folks when I say that I miss Denver. I wouldn't want to live there again but I miss it greatly. Denver was good for me.

I'm trying very hard to stay open minded about Dallas. The people who live here love it and I'm determined to find out why.

Still waiting to hear back from a couple of jobs. I am not patient enough  for this sort of thing. None the less, keep your fingers crossed for me :)

So I have a new obsession. Ready? Headbands! I LOVE them. Especially if they have big bows. Bows are another obsession. AND I've recently started wearing earrings frequently.  I obviously have too much time on my hands.

Downtown living!

I decided to explore the basement of our building. I am so glad I did! I found a food court fully equipped with a Subway, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and many more establishments including a Starbucks. A Starbucks in my basement! How cool is that? There is also a Chase Bank. I'm pretty impressed and I didn't even go that far. I'll explore it more next week. I wonder what I'll find?

That's the bright side of the apartment we live in. Yesterday was a rough one. The washing machine died in the middle of a load of laundry. The water wouldn't drain and I had to move all the towels into the tub. They came this morning and apparently it isn't even worth fixing so they brought another one. Perk to renting I suppose. After the washing machine broke so did the garbage disposal and the handle to the microwave. So frustrating.

Tonight, I am going out to dinner with a couple of Tom's friends from work and their significant others. I have met a couple of them a few times but I don't know who the other two are. Hey, moving to a new city requires a person to step outside of their comfort zone. I'm looking forward to a night out and meeting new people.

Tom will be home two weeks from tomorrow. The days are getting easier everyday. I've been going to interviews and exploring the city. I'm finding some cool food places around the apartment. I have been able to relax and catch up on books I have been wanting to read. I can watch whatever I want on Netflix and Mione is able to adjust to the space without Tom taking all my attention. She is thrilled to reclaim her spot on the bed and doesn't hide when someone knocks on the door anymore. Progress. I think she finally thinks of it as home and understands that she lives here now.

It's raining here for the first time in a very long time. I'm LOVING I it. Thunder and lightening, oh my :)

Roar!!!

It's been a long week. No way around that. I'm trying to keep positive and most the time I succeed. I appreciate that support of friends and family. Tom is not a fan of India. It's chaotic and confusing. He is finally adjusting to the time difference. He is 10.5 hours ahead of me so it makes communication difficult but we are making due. It gets lonely  though. I got in touch with one of Tom's coworker's wife. We spent today at the mall. It was so nice to spend time with a girl. Guys are great but sometimes I need quality girl time.

I had an interview on Wednesday. It was for a school in North Texas. It would be a great job but I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I had three interviews with a different school two weeks ago and they ended up giving the position to someone else. They told me they would be more than happy to recommend me for the admissions position available. I politely declined (while rolling my eyes). I've done that job and it is not a position I would want to do again. I have an assessment for a different position. SO I may not have a job yet but things are heading in the right direction.

I'm not sure what I think about Texas. It's just so big and spread out. To get anywhere decent it's a half hour drive. I'm so used to driving everywhere that this has been an adjustment.  I think once Tom and I move a little more North in a few months it will be better. All the people we know live there and we won't have to drive so far to get anywhere. I think Texas is fine for a while but I do not want to be here long term. I still miss water and now I miss Autumn too.

I'm sitting here watching the Avengers (SO CONFUSED) and drinking yummy wine. Hermione heard the Hulk roar and it scared her. The poor thing is now hiding. It took everything in me to not laugh at her. I wonder what happened in her past that brings about this fear? I will never know.

My thoughts and prayers go out to my friends and family in Colorado. I'm thinking about you during these floods and sending love.

Wake me up when September ends

So...I took Tom to the airport this morning. That sucked. A lot. I really don't know why I'm being so pathetic about this. We did a long distance relationship for 6 months. We have gone a month without seeing each other more than once. Deep down I know it's a mix of everything. Being alone in a new city. Looking for jobs daily and just worried about being bored. What am I going to do to fill my time?  I just need to get a grip and rise above everything.

 I. Will. Be. Fine.
We. Will. Be. Fine.

I sincerely hope that Tom has a great time in India. It's a wonderful opportunity. He gets to fly business class  and stay in a 5 star hotel for a month. Sounds pretty awesome, eh?

Bitter, party of 1.

Can I take a moment to complain about Tom leaving tomorrow? I was really dramatic about it last night. Probably the last thing I should be doing two days before my boyfriend is spending a month on the other side of the world. But I digress. Regardless, he handled it like a champ (he always does).

A month away wouldn't be a big deal if I was working or with friends. I'm in Dallas without a job. I have been going on interviews so hopefully that changes shortly but this is me complaining and refusing to look on the bright side. I also don't have friends here (yet). I feel like I have forgotten how to make friends. I never had this problem in Denver. I just always had them. I don't remember how I made them? Its just something that takes time and I have not been here long enough.  Thus, my breakdown last night. Hopefully that doesn't happen tomorrow when I am driving home from the airport...alone. I'm just really going to miss him. I'll try my best to take it as an opportunity to establish myself here. Piece of cake. Not to mention its an amazing opportunity for him :) 

In better news the Broncos are playing tonight!!! FOOTBALL IS BACK! Time to get revenge against those pesky Ravens! GO BRONCOS!!! AND it's Big Brother double eviction night!!!! There will be lots of wine, pizza, good television, cuddling and all around love in this apartment tonight. Not going to lie. I'm excited.

New Orleans!

Tom and I ended up in New Orleans over Labor Day Weekend. If you haven't experienced that city you really need to. It's a mix between Las Vegas and a cute little french village. Er...it's one big party packed with culture and tradition. Yea...I know.  We stayed in the Garden Distract but spent a lot of our time in the French Quarter.  Burbon St. is complete chaos, even in the afternoon on a weekday. It smells like vomit and is filled with drunks. All of this on a cute brick street with cute little houses. Tom and I couldn't handle being on Burbon St. very long---or at least we weren't drunk enough to be there so we wondered towards to river and such. The people there were super friendly and we ate more fried food than we should, mostly at little mom and pop places where tourists probably don't go to often. The entire thing involved entirely too much walking (working off the fried everything?) but it was a blast. It's awesome that we live within 7 hours of such a cool city. Dallas cannot even compete on the entertainment level. With each passing day I'm more and more convinced this city doesn't offer much in terms of entertainment. Though I may just be grumpy because I really miss my friends and Tom is leaving for a full month in India on Friday and I have absolutely no idea what I am going to do with myself while he's gone. In my head I'd be working by now and have things more put together. In reality, I'm still unemployed and that limits my options on what I can do. It would be a great opportunity to travel. I have friends scattered about that I would love to see. I just don't think I can justify spending the money on a vacation. Siigh. I still truly believe that quitting my job and moving was the right thing. I just get frustrated. If anyone is bored over the next month you should come visit Dallas.

Okay...end of rant. Back to the New Orleans trip. We happened to be there during their Gay Pride which made for many interesting occurrences.  I couldn't stop myself from wishing that Tristian had been on this trip with us! Next time we go back we are going to go on a swamp tour and maybe the ghost or vampire tours. Oh! Let me geek out for a second. We were able to go to Shreveport LA which is the city of the Sookie Stackhouse books. It was a dreary as I envisioned it to be but sadly it was daytime and we did not have the opportunity to see any vampires :(

Weekend Trip!

I have written three blogs this week but end up deleting them before I post them. I'm not sure why but I'm having a hard time figuring out what I feel comfortable saying. This blog may be more difficult to keep up than I originally thought it would since the move. I just need to get into my groove.  I'll have a lot of free time over the next month with Tom being in India. I cannot believe he is leaving a week from today. It's going to suck. No way around that.

Speaking of Tom, we are planning on getting away this weekend. We will figure out where we are headed tonight. We are willing to drive 8 hours so we could end up in a lot of cool places. I'm excited!




So I'm sorry for my lack of updates. I will try to get better. 

First Impressions

When I first moved to Denver I spent a lot of time ranting here about everything that was different there than in Ohio. I'm really glad I did that because it is amazing to look back on.  In truth, I am thankful for the experiences Denver gave me. I know it's making the adjustment to Dallas a lot easier than if I had moved here from Ohio. So I thought I should take some time to rant about Dallas. I'll need the laugh later.

1. Downtown all of the traffic lights are on the sides of the roads. VERY easy to miss. I ran a red light the first night here. Thank goodness they don't understand the concept of traffic light cameras.
2. The public transportation consists of all yellow buses or trains. Yellow? It's like a million school buses. They also call them DART. I'll think of a reason to make fun of that later.
3. The highways. Oh. My. Goodness. I HATE them! They have a mash-up (or something like that) which is a highway to merge onto other highways. Talk about a cluster. But really, they are big and there are a lot of them. At most I have counted 7 highways on top of each other---this does not count the highways that are next to each other. For the time being I am doing everything in my power to avoid highways and stick to the side roads.
4. The politician inside of me loves that I the tollway is called the George W. Bush freeway. More importantly, I live a few blocks away from where Kennedy was assassinated. I need to go check out that grassy knoll.
5. They really do say ya'll and I grin like a 5 year old EVERY single time I hear it. I am determined to say it frequently.
6. Cannot determine my thoughts on humidity. I don't know a lot about it in that its WAY too hot to spend time outside.
7. Central time zone is amazing! HELLO LIVE TV! How I have missed you! It's better than Eastern because we get the new stuff at 7:00pm. I can read the live tweets for the Bachelor in real time? Yes, thank you very much.
8. The restaurant here is lame compared to Denver's week. In Denver it is $52.80 a couple. Here it is $40 or $45 (depending on restaurant) per person. LAME. 
9. People are VERY friendly. Cashiers ask your plans for the day and wait for an answer. Whoa. Still strange but I'm enjoying the southern hospitality.
10. I am loving living with the boyfriend. Seriously, it's a fun sleep over every night.

I'm sure I'll add more soon.

Ya'll

I have been officially been in Dallas for 5 days. It still feels like I'm on vacation. We had to take Tristan to the airport to fly back to Denver yesterday. First, let me say I'm really going to miss him and I appreciate him driving with me to Dallas and being here my first few days. It was really great. The drive was REALLY long and not much to see. Just A LOT of country roads through the never ending state of Texas. Hermione was awesome in the car. Once we took her out of her crate all meowing stopped and she slept most of the way.  We got to Dallas late but it was all good. We made it and thats what counts :)

This past weekend was good. We got everything unloaded from the pod and moved into the storage unit. My closet is a tight fit but I think that everything will fit...fingers crossed. We were able to explore some good food places and escape the extreme heat in air conditioning.

Last night was nice. It was strange coming home with Tom from the airport. It felt like he was supposed to be dropping me off. It's so much better this way. We were able to go grocery shopping and get everything ready for the week. Then we just hung out. We. Live. Together. It's awesome and I'm still trying to let it sink in.

Last few days in Denver!

I am so bad at updating this thing. For that I apologize. My mom and Tom met, finally! My mom adores him and feels a lot of more comfortable with me moving to Dallas to be with him. I'm glad he finally got to meet her and see where I come from. Needless to say it's been a busy couple of weeks. My mom had been here since then. It's tough entertaining a guest and packing to move to a different state. Once I get to Texas I'm going to need to sleep for at least a week.

The job hunt is moving along...slowly. I had a phone interview today that went well. I have to take an assessment then I will move on to the next step in the processes. I have an interview on Friday at a different University that I am especially excited about. I'll keep you updated on that :)

I got everything moved from my apartment and put into the POD on Saturday. THANK YOU to Ryan, Tristan and Doug.  It only took us 3 and a half hours to get everything done. The next day we went back and cleaned everything. Hermione has the place to herself until Wednesday when I move....I hope she's okay with that.

I had a going away get together at Punch Bowl Social on Saturday night. SO many people came and showed their love and support. I'm so lucky that I have such a great backing in my move.  I really do appreciate all the support you guys are sending my way!

Other than that I am just VERY ready to leave. I have been ready to leave for a month. I'm leaving early on Wednesday to get there later that day.

My next update will be coming to you from Texas!

Dallas Trip!

 

Obviously we ate a smurf :) 

I spent the last few days in Dallas with Tom. It was a relaxing trip with a lot of emphasis on getting things ready for me to move there. We had a washer and dryer installed. Rearranged the apartment; that as not as easy and I would have predicted. As Tom said, "I love you but you are full of ideas I don't like right now". Ha! I think we eventually discovered a compromise that will work for 6 months. We started looking at apartments in the city. We aren't sure what area we want to live in. Plano is a bit far our from the city. I'm okay with that because the apartments are new and I they have a nice little town center. Tom is not ready for that so we looked at apartments closer to downtown Dallas. I'm sure we will do a lot of exploring in the next few months. 

We went to a AA baseball game with a couple of Tom's friends. It was a lot of fun! We also went to the Rainforest Cafe for an afternoon date. I heart the ridiculousness of that  place.

My thoughts on Dallas? It's hot and humid. Part of me hates the humidity and part of me is thrilled that I don't need to apply chap stick every half hour and my hair won't be a hot mess. I'll adjust to the heat. I love that they have every restaurant imaginable and  the cheesiness that comes with Texas. I don't love that it will still be 70 degrees in October :( So much for my autumn obsession.  All in all I'm excited to move there.

Last month in Denver!

Things are coming together. I have everything lined up for the move. I'm far less freaked out. I have some boxes packed, the movers set, friends to help, and I have Tom. It really doesn't get much better than that. I'm still applying for jobs. There are a lot of education jobs--I just haven't heard anything. I have faith that the right job will fall into place.

I leave for Texas on Wednesday. This trip was planned prior to the move. It would probably work better if he was coming here but I'm looking forward to spending a little more time in Dallas prior to moving there. Not that it matters---like it or not, here I come!

I think I'm still in a little bit of shock that this is my LAST month in Colorado. I made a photo book with all of my friends these past three and a half year and the quotes that got me through. I'm really glad I have it. It's going to be so hard to leave the friends that have become more like family. The traditions we started to celebrate the holidays and random nights. I'm going to miss the happy hours and laughter until early in the morning. I'm slightly afraid I won't keep in touch with everyone. I have regrets I wasn't better at that when I left my friends in Ohio. Maybe it will be different. I'm not just leaving friends I am leaving the life I built for myself, by myself.  I didn't have help. I loaded my car and headed West. Everyone I met and encountered here taught me who I am . I am leaving a better more complete person than I was when I came here. With that said, I am ready to leave. Colorado served its purpose...now it's time to find out what Texas holds.  It will be different, I am sure. I know who I am. I am not trying to prove anything to anyone. I'm happy. I'm ready....just going to go with the flow.

It's all about taking chances, eh? 

My best friend lost a dear friend of hers earlier this week.  I know he is in a better place but my heart breaks for my friend and everyone that he left behind. I pray they find peace. She has talked about him for years and I have never heard her say anything bad about him. Think about that people. We all have moments when we become frustrated and say things we may not mean, but still they are said. That never happened with her. I had only met him once or twice but feel like I knew him.  Rest in Peace.

I can't sleep...

Which isn't all that surprising considering what a big day it was. My severance was approved! I am officially moving to Dallas at the end of next month to live with Tom. I know right!?! It's a lot to take in. I'm just sitting here in awe. It is working out really well but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't freaking out. Before it was just talk and now it's real!

My mom said wow, you really don't go for small changes do you?  You go big. It's true. I moved to Colorado only knowing my cousins, and I didn't even know them very well. I made it work. I'll go into more about that in a later blog. This isn't the goodbye blog  yet. I have 6 weeks left to spend with my friends here. I plan to take advantage of it. 

I have always felt in my hearts of hearts that I would leave Colorado with Him. He's here and it's time. So excited for what's ahead :)

I started this blog to keep up to date with people in Ohio about my life in Colorado. I've decided to keep this blog once I'm in Texas. I know how easy it is to fall out of touch with friends when you move to another state and I just don't want that to happen again. Blogging is one way I will continue to stay connected.

Spring Cleaning

Not working is a lot of work. I started by cleaning out my bedroom closet. This is something I have been trying not to do for years  but it needed to be done. I ended up clearing out half of my closet and donating 5 bags of clothes to Goodwill.   To keep the momentum going I organized the cabinets in my living room and scrubbed the bathroom down. I threw away an entire box of old shampoos, lotions and such. I still haven't heard from work so I might as well...keep working. I cleaned out my refrigerator and pantry. I scrubbed the kitchen floor, counters, stove and washed dishes. My apartment has not been this clean since I moved in. I just can't help wonder if I'm cleaning to move or cleaning for the sake of cleaning. Siiigh. The anticipation is killing me slowly. 

Hmm...what else can I be cleaning right now?  I'm trying to avoid cleaning out the kitchen cabinets. I know it will only end with me donating a bunch of stuff to Goodwill and that just seems like a lot of work right now. I suppose I could clear out under the bed. See, I am SO exciting right now, eh? This all needs to get done sooner or later. Hopefully sooner than later. 

Much love to all. 

Reduction in Force

I can honestly say I have no idea what the date is. These past two weeks have been such a stressful blur. First, Tom finds out that he has to go to India for 6 weeks with work. It's a 13 hour time difference. It took me a few days to let that sink in. Fortunately, it is only 6 weeks. Skype will be out best friend and he should be back in time for the craziness that will be October. He is supposed to leave at the end of August but we don't have the exact date just yet.

Well, once I begrudgingly accepted that everything hit the fan at work. Everything. I'm not sure how much I can go into so I'll just reiterate what is all over the news and leave out the specifics. Ashford is conducting a reduction in force---aka providing employees with a severance package if they voluntarily quit their position. This was supposed to provide us security in round 2 (non-voluntary route). My first thought was no way. THEN I thought more about it. The plan is to move to Texas eventually. Let's face it, Tom has the better job and the cost of living there is much more reasonable. It wasn't going to be right now, but why not? Taking this package will provide me with the necessary time it takes to me while still getting paid. My mom will be here next month so she could help me get everything better. Obviously, Tom and I had a lot of conversations about it. Yes, it's sooner than we planned but thats great! The sooner we can be together the better.

So...here's the catch. A LOT of people are trying to take advantage of this package and I think they are having a hard time determining who stays and who goes. I filled out the form on Wednesday right after lunch. Went into work on Thursday with an email that I needed to clean out my desk, turn in my badge, and leave until I was notified that that accepted my willingness to quit or that I needed to report back to work. MANY people had to leave that day. Well...fast forward to Sunday night and the vast majority of people still have no idea what is going on. I have not received any communication so as far as I know I am not going to work tomorrow. The bonus is I am in the mix of what is currently a paid 4 day weekend. The negatives are obvious.

I hope for things to work out in the best way possible. I am too involved in the situation to see things clearly. Keep your fingers crossed that they accept my offer!

Why did I grow up?

I need to vent. Sometimes being an adult stinks. This has been one of those weeks and it's only Monday! I had to call my doctor...if you know me you know that I hate doctors. My check engine light came on in my car last week so I had to figure out a repair shop to take it to. Thankfully, Tom is a Yelp fanatic and recommended a place a couple of miles down the street. The catch? They open at 8:00am and close at 6:00pm. So I rushed home got my car and Tristian and I managed to get it there by 5:40pm. Of course while I am driving there the check engine light isn't on (!!!!!!!!!). Whatever, the speedometers don't work so I don't know how fast I am going or how much gas I have. It needs TLC. So it's there. After walking allll the way back home I find that of course Fed-Ex did not deliver my package. They have a difficult website so I had to call them and get them to deliver my package to the fed-ex store. Going to have to find time to pick that up at some point. There is just a lot that needs to be done this week to have everything better for Tom's Birthday this weekend. It'll be fine but sometimes I miss having my mom here to deal with all of this. I have no idea how she handled everything and raised two kids on her own. I sometimes struggle to take care of myself.

Chicago!

Hi everyone! So Chicago was awesome, cold but awesome! We really did not dress for the weather. Siiigh, such a shame. I had packed some really cute dresses. Moving on...The first day there Tom and I got lunch with his sister, Jessica. It was a really good pizza place. Let me just say I REALLY like his sister. We were able to spend a lot of time with her over the long weekend. It was nice to have a local showing us around and providing us with feedback on where to go. She even humored us and took us to the Giant Bean and spent a lot of time on Michigan Ave with us. Tom was thrilled :) Anyways on Thursday we were able to see Book of Mormon. Completely inappropriate, very funny and I loved the songs. I recommend seeing it, but go in open minded and don't take it too seriously.  There will be a dancing Hitler and people pretending to have sex with frogs...

Another bonus to Chicago was being able to spend time with Cindy. We had the opportunity to spend the entire day together on Saturday. She finally met Tom.  Can I just stop and say how amazing it is to have my boyfriend and my best friend in one city? Seriously, in the real world I only get one at a time and even then it's not very often. Having them both in front of me is nothing short of epic. We went to Wrigley Field and drank at a local bar. I miss you Cindy!

The day are all kind of a blur together. Cindy and I went shopping and to Dicks Last Resort. Everyone with to Margaritaville and spent time on Navy Pier. I'm a fan of cheesy. In case you didn't know. Tom and I went on a freezing boat tour. It was nice to be able to see the city from the lake and learn a little about the city's architecture.  It wouldn't have held out interest much longer than that. 

We also spent time exploring the different areas of Chicago. Tom and I have very different definitions of "nice" areas but we always seem to find compromise. Goodness gracious I love that guy. Leaving him at the airport to go to my flight to Denver when he went to his flight to Dallas (way on the other side of the airport) was awful. Its just better when we are together.

I loved the city. I would live there no questions asked. Of course, its crazy expensive and nowhere near what we can do right now. Something nice to think about none the less. He will be back in town next weekend for his birthday. I got him a pretty bomb birthday present if I do say so myself. We also have tickets to go to a Rockies game and plans to end up at a winery. Other than that I'm just trying to get back into the swing of things.  Ashford had a really cool networking/alumni event. It was nice to meet graduates and students rather than just talk to them on the phone. It was also nice to get to know the other leads too. All in all it was a good night. Ashford is having their company pic-nic at the zoo this weekend. Ryan is celebrating his 31st birthday that night at Punchbowl Social and on Sunday it's Mey Mey's baby shower. it will be busy, but busy in a good way :).

Book Season!

GUESS WHAT!

I get to see The Book of Mormon with Tom in 8 days!!

I. AM. SO. EXCITED. 

I have been wanting to see this play for sooo long. Fortunately, I have an amazing boyfriend that is game for pretty much anything.  I cannot wait for our Chicago vacation. In addition to a Broadway play we made dinner reservations to what appears to be an amazing Steakhouse. Reviews agree. We are also going to spend some time on Navy Pier listening to music and enjoying fireworks. I insist that we go to Marquritaville and Tom wants to fire the ferris wheel. It's a win/win situation for everyone. Other than that we want to eat lots of pizza, hang out at bars far too late, take many pictures at the bean and of course spend a good deal of time with Cindy! I'm just overall really excited to be with Tom. It's been over two weeks and that's a very long to time to be away from that guy. Regardless, I am very excited for next week. I will keep you updated! 

I finished the last Sookie Book. Let that sink in. The. Last. One. I thought it was great. She wrapped it up exactly how I needed her to. It's sad though. I look forward to those books every year and feel like I am closing chapters on dear friendships. I adored the years I spent with those characters.  13 books is a time commitment. I still have my well read mass-market paperback of the first book. Many friends have borrowed it. Joanna has it now. It's one of my favorite things. Sharing words and great stories bring people together. The seem is bent and I could not be happier about that. Books were not make to just be read once.  Other great things are going on in the book world.  Deb Caletti just released her first adult fiction book (she usually writes young adult). I'm having a hard time getting into it but I'm sure once I am into it I won't be able to put it down. Sarah Dessen's next book comes out in June. See, this is why I love Spring :)  

Who I am Hates Who I've Been

 

Do you ever feel like you are playing with fire? Tempting fate?  How far can you push things before it's been too far? It reminds me of the Relient K song-Who I am Hates Who I've Been. Siigh---what a trip down memory lane. This week has felt kind of like that. Nothing bad happened or anything like that so no worries :)

I went to dinner with Tristian but I got there earlier than him. Normally I would just wait outside for him but today I went in by myself and got a table. I was alone there for a while and you know what? It felt good, I'm glad I didn't end up waiting outside.  I think people need to be ok to be by themselves. When did being alone become a bad thing?  Stupid social "norms".

I wish I was there to be give a really big hug and kiss to Tom this week. He needs it. Tom makes it work it but sometimes long distance relationships are really hard. I just want to be there for him.

Whoa I drank far too much. 

Spring is in the air

What's up?

It finally decided to stop snowing and turn into summer overnight. Only in Denver. The nice weather has been a great change of pace. Tristian and I went to Red Rocks yesterday. We almost ran out of gas which would have been awful given the location that we were in. Fortunately, we made it in one piece.

I'm thinking of taking Sign Language courses again. I hate that I have waited so long, all of my Sign Language courses have become rusty. FCC offers an interpretation course. To get in you have to pass the entrance exam or have an A or B in ASL 1 and 2. I had that in ASL 1-4 but I have forgotten a lot of it. I doubt I could pass the proficiency exam at this point. Another HUGE con against their program is the fact that it is during the day. I cannot do that with a full time job and I cannot give up my full time job.  I also don't like the idea of re-taking courses at a CC that I have already passed in the past.  Its a waste of money. So...I'm currently leaning towards finding a deaf tutor in the area to brush up on my skills. This will enable me to go into an Interpretation program. Maybe not one in Colorado, but at least I would have up to date skills. Its supposedly one of the best ways to learn the language. Hmm...perhaps I should just learn Spanish---see I'm in a funk.

Other than that things are moving right a long. My mom promised to visit soon and I'm so excited...it's been a year in June since I've seen her.  That is the longest it has been not seeing her. I think this is a correlation to the random things about Ohio I have been missing. I miss Bob Evans, Cedar Point, Lake Erie, Amish Country, The Barn, and the Cavs. I find it ironic that it took me over three years to feel homesick towards Ohio.

HUGE Congrats to Leslie for getting engaged this weekend! I am SO thrilled for her :) Love is good.

Denver weekend!

It's snowing...again. I'm officially over the snow. I also feel like I have watched everything there is to watch on Netflix, not really but kind of. I decided to watch Walking Dead season 2. I have low expectations after  how bad season 1 was. I haven't kept up with any of my shows and giving up cable has made tv a very low priority.

Regardless, life is good. Time is flying. I don't know how April is almost over already. This past weekend was a lot of fun. On Friday I went to the Avalanche game with Natalie, Ricci and a friend of theirs. I love sporting events but this was a bad game. No fights and the Avs were demolished.If a hockey game is doing bad the least they can do is pick a lot of fights with the other team. I don't think  that's asking too much.

Tom got here on Saturday. We went to a bunch of our favorite Denver places and our first Rockies game together. After we went to Cowboy Lounge for Nick's semi-surprised birthday. Not really Tom's scene so we left with Natalie O, Danielle and Kirk to go to Breckenridge. Tom drank a bit much so we called it a night after. On Sunday we ended up at Cherry Cricket and explored the record/book store. Fun :)  I HATE taking him to the airport on Sundays but it helps knowing he will be in 12 days.  Blah, when did I become that girl.

In other news...I want to start figuring out what to do in Chicago. Any suggestion?

When I'm losing my control, the city spins around.
You're the only one who knows, you slow it down.
-The Fray

Boston!

Sometimes I really hate the world I live in---though, hate is not the answer.

Children can't go to school without fear of being shot. 

People can't catch a flight without going through security. 

Now people can't run a marathon without fear of dying. 

Isn't a marathon hard enough?! 

Who wakes up one day and thinks to do something this awful?

An 8 year old boy died. 

People lost limbs and many more are injured. 

I'm heartbroken for everyone involved. 

Lots of hugs to Boston. 

 

May they catch those who did this. 

May the wounded heal and those lost be forever remembered. 

Texas!

When things are going well I tend to update less and less. I'll try to be better about making the time to update this. I don't have any intentions to stop blogging in the near future :)

Work is busier now than ever. I wouldn't change it for anything but there is going to be a slight adjustment period. So far so good though. I really like my new team and I'm still optimistic that things will continue to go well. 

Last week I went to Texas to visit Tom. I left right after work on Thursday. On Friday we spent the day exploring Dallas. We went to this huge mall right by his work then drove around various neighborhoods. Spent some time at a lake enjoying the weather. We went to this megga sprouts like store. Best chocolate covered coffee beans ever! That night we drove around trying to find quality BBQ and failed miserably and ended up at a really good burger place near his apartment. On Saturday morning we headed to Austin! It was a 3+ hour drive but fun. We jammed out to country and ate the best kolachkis  EVER. Once we were in Austin (and finally found our way downtown) we went to a little whiskey bar then ended up wandering around for a long time to find a place we wanted to eat. Neither of us were super impressed with the  city but we had a good time. Went back the next day for brunch and explored a record store (Tom is in to that sort of thing). Once we were back in Dallas we were both tired and didn't want to go out. We ended up ordering Chinese food and watching TV. I had to leave really early on Monday to get back to Denver and go to work. Blllaahhh, I hate leaving him or having him leave.

Other than that I'm just moving right along. Working on getting the apartment in order. There is a lot to look forward to in the next couple of months. Tom will be here this weekend and we are going to my first Rockies game of the season. Then next month we will be in Chicago (YAY for seeing Cindy!). In June Tom and I are going to Saint Louis for his cousin's wedding. Three cheers for meeting his entire family in one weekend :) I'm just excited for everything!

Promoted

I'm happy to announce I have been promoted to Lead Student Advisor! 

I have been working really hard toward this and I'm up for the challenge. There is no denying there is going to be an adjustment period. I am not only moving to a new team but I am moving to a new division. I have a new manager I have never worked with but I think that may be a good thing. I have no preconceived notions and I am going into this blind.. I'm just really excited for everything. My co-lead seems like he will be great to work with---definite bonus.

I'm leaving for Dallas on Thursday to spend a long weekend with Tom. We are going to spend a night in Austin too :)

Super Snow Day!

Hey there! I hope everyone had a great weekend, though it wasn't as good as mine. Tom managed to get to Denver even through the freak snow storm. Thank goodness for early morning flights that land before the cancellations got of control. There was no way my car would get to the airport so he took the bus and I walked to 16th St. Mall to get to him. It was freezing so we stopped for brunch and bottomless mimosas-delicious! The rest of the day was great and ended with date night at Magianos. We were able to see friends on Sunday and just hang out. This is a luxury when you live in different states. Dropping him off at the airport sucks but I'll be in Dallas next weekend. Cheers to that! 

Otherwise I'm just waiting in limbo for a big decision at work. I'll provide you more details as soon as I hear more information. I'm not good at the patience game---just for the record.

Denver is so cold! It's really not THAT cold but I was just starting to get used to the warm weather. I bought some really cute dresses this weekend that I'm excited to wear--once the snow stops and weather gets better. Such a girl problem, eh?

“I know that if the universe is meaningless…that’s a joke at our expense. If it’s meaningful…a different joke. Any meaning we make ourselves….that’s us pretending we’re in on it”

-The Joker

St. Partick's Day!

Happy St. Partick's Day and Happy Birthday Shioko (a few days late)! So I  had a lot of fun on Saturday...too much fun. I'm not doing that again. I hope you enjoy the duck face photo. That was me sending snap chats to Tom. Tristian had to participate. Don't judge. Anyways...I didn't see much of the parade and I don't remember everything about the day. Like I said I am not doing that e v e r again. St. Patrick's Day wins again! At least I didn't have to work the next day. Sunday was awful---very apparent that I am not a big drinker.

I want to fast forward to Friday morning at 7:30am so Tom can be here already. Man I miss him! We have a lot of good times planned though. I am going to Dallas the first weekend of April and we are going to spend a night in Austin. In May we are spending 5 days in Chicago and we will be in Saint Louis in June for his cousin's wedding. June is also his 30th Birthday. I'm dating an old man :) There may be a trip to Ohio late summer. I'm not thrilled about that, not that I don't want to go and have him see where I'm from. I do, but a three day trip would require a hotel and renting a car. Ohio so isn't home anymore.

"You meet someone and you just click. You have the same ideas about life. You don't even have to finish your sentences because the other person already knows what you mean."

Wallflower

I decided to have an impromptu movie day. The new Twilight movie is awful and I'm glad I didn't spend the money to see it in theaters. THAT bad. So far The Perks of Being a Wallflower is adorable on a lot of levels. I'm aching for a really good movie, It's been too long. I'm not talking great like Lincoln, I'm talking mindless good entertainment. Like Something Borrowed...I guess what I'm trying to say is we are overdue for an amazing chick flick. Where is the next Notebook or How to Lose a Guy in 10 days? THAT is what I am looking for.

I went to my first NHL game on Friday with Danielle, Kirk and Carly. It was awesome! The perfect mix of fighting, scoring and everything I am looking for in sports...just on ice. If more game are like that I can see myself becoming a fan. The little boy sitting in front of us was furious. Completely hates us for no good reason at all. Thus we had to do everything in our power to annoy him, because we are the adults in the situation. Yes, no...not really. Regardless it was a blast and the Avs kicked ass!

Fogo

Hey guys! Did everyone have a good weekend? Tom was in town to visit from Dallas. We spent a lot of time not doing a whole lot which I think we needed. We did manage to go out to drinks with friends then head to Fogo. Unlimited steak? Yes, please! It was delicious. On Sunday we went to lunch with Chester and then HAD to have ice cream. Sadly, I had to take him to the airport Sunday night. Boo!  Tristian was an awesome friend and drove with me so I wouldn't have to drive back alone. Really appreciate him doing that with me. Tom will be back in a couple of weeks, so cheers to that :)  

As I type this I am getting sucked into American Idol. I declare Aubrey my favorite. How does one even vote for this show? Why have I not been watching this? Probably has something to do with getting rid of cable this past weekend. It's a good thing but I expect to experience growing pains. Netflix and I are going to get to know each other really well. Regardless, I'm trying to cut monthly expenses and I refuse to stop eating out.

There are good things on the horizon. I'm excited to hear how things turn out. Have a great Tuesday...I'll talk to you soon.

Oscars

 They slipped briskly into an intimacy from which they never recovered

-F. Scott Fitzgerald

It has been snowing since 10:00pm last night. It stinks that I had to cancel plans for restaurant week with Katherine but I would be lying if I said I didn't adore e v e r y t h i n g about the snow. I have been waiting for a big snow storm all year. Now, if only Netflix was working the day would be made.

There was a shooting 1 block from my apartment. Crazy, right? Some guy was shooting at the cops from his upper balcony for four hours. I slept through the entire thing. Probably better that way. It would have scares the crap out of me.

Now I'm watching the Oscars and crossing my fingers for Lincoln to win every award possible :)

Is it Saturday yet?

Flowers

Have I told you that my boyfriend is amazing? Not yet? Well, he is. We couldn't be together on Valentine's Day because the silly boy lives in Dallas but he made up for me by sending me the most beautiful flowers ever. He isn't amazing just because he sent me flowers. That's just the icing on the cake :) See---pretty!

 

Sorry, I promise to not turn into one of those stupid giddy girls. I might be in 12 days when he is in town but I won't blog about it.

Other than that I am enjoying a 3 day weekend. On Friday I went to Stonies with the Natalies. Saturday I ran errands with Ryan then we went to Kirk's house for dinner. Yesterday Craig and I went to Blackhawk for the afternoon. Not too shabby a way to spend the weekend.

I'll keep you updated :)

 

Valentine's Day

"I don't like missing you, but I love having you to miss."

What happened to January?

I was doing so well posting and then February happened. I spend a lot of time with Tom prior to him moving...for obvious reasons. I have so much fun with the guy and now that he is in Dallas I miss him A LOT. In hindsight spending ALL of my time with him before he left made it that much harder for him to not to be here. I wouldn't do it any differently though. He is going to be in town the weekend of March 2nd. I'm really looking forward to that :) The plan is that I go there sometime in April. Maybe visit Austin--we haven't decided yet. All in all things are really good. This is a great opportunity for him I'm excited to see what happens next.

This is a picture from our first date. Yes, it is a screen shot. I find it completely ridiculous that they charge $17.99 for a picture. Regardless...its super cute and the only picture we have from that night.

Otherwise things in Denver are rolling right along. Ryan and I went furniture shopping last weekend. I got a really good deal on a new table and Ryan got a couch and love seat. It didn't occur to us that the couch wouldn't fit into his apartment. Oh my goodness! We tried EVERYTHING we could think of for 2 hours. His neighbor even came by and said that AFW couldn't deliver her couch because it wouldn't fit. WELL...I'm stubborn. We somehow managed to finally get the couch into his apartment. It's never coming back out but I feel crazy accomplished. I mean we did something even the delivery men couldn't do.

I'm trying to get caught up with laundry and cleaning. My weekends just seem crazy busy through forever. It's good stuff and its better that I stay busy but its just exhausting to even think about. Did I mention that I miss Tom?

It's college week at work. They have teachers from all of the different programs here to talk to us about the classes and such. It's actually pretty great. Regardless this is a picture of me and my work "bestie" Jon with Ashford's mascot Champ. YAY for cheesy picture. I look so freaking smart in my glasses, eh? lol

Happy Birthday Hermione!

Happy 1 Year Together Hermione! 

(I made this day her Birthday)

I am completely smitten with this little girl

 Contrary to what the picture shows...she loves me too :)