Baby, You Can Have Whatever You Like

Hello All,
I hope this post finds everyone doing well. I feel as though I have lost touch lately as the first month of the year has already flown by. After my New Years party started the year off with a bang, the month only continued to get better! In the second week in January, we celebrated Joe's 27th birthday! This was followed by my family vacation to Park City & Sundance and capped off with my 27th birthday!

Our vacation was great! The night we arrived in Park City, UT, it snowed 33 inches! My dad rented a two bedroom condo that was very cute and cozy. Our first full day was spent skiing in a blizzard at Park City Mt. Resort which made for amazing skiing, but cold conditions! Here is a pic of Joe and I skiing Day 1.  That night, we went out to an amazing seafood buffet that we had been to the previous year. The buffet had literally any and every meat and seafood you could ever imagine. We had oysters, sushi, bass, mussels, crab legs, clams, steak, shrimp wasabi mashed potatoes, cheese, salads, scallops.. the list goes on. This was probably my favorite dinner! After a long day of skiing, nothing better then taking on an enormous buffet!

The next day, we woke up and prepared for skiing Day 2 at Deer Valley Resort. The conditions were much better on Day 2. It was warm and sunny, cold but not freezing. Perfect day to get outside and enjoy the scenery. That night we went out to an Italian restaurant in town. We sat down, and in walked Ice T and Coco (the rapper and his wife who have that reality show). Joe and I turned around and said 'whats up' to Ice, he was pretty cool about it even though it must be so annoying for celebrities. They are really odd looking in person by the way...

After two days of skiing, we were pretty tired and sore. (Especially Joe & Bren who skiied off the main trails, ending up in waste deep powder and off to another ski resort. Joe also ended up wrapped up in a pine tree--hahah--- but I digress.) On the third day, and Joes final day, we decided to go walk around the town and do some celebrity watching. We snuck into a few private parties, one of which we ran into Tommy Lee and both of which we scored open bar and free appetizers! Man, it kills me that these celebs have the most money, yet get EVERYTHING FOR FREE. Tommy & his entourage scored free Sorrell boots, each custom fitted, as we watched. We had a great time drinking and mingling and taking pics in front of the step and repeat like the celebs do!

On Day 4 we had to return Joe to the airport to head home. That day was pretty much spent relaxing and chilling. We went to a Japanese hot pot restaurant which was pretty cool. I had never been to one. Basically, you get a large pot with about 4 cups of boiling water in the bottom. They then season the water with soy sauce, hot sauce, garlic and spices and you order a meat and veggies to 'cook' in the pot, much like you would fondue. Once you have cooked all your meat and eaten it, the remaining broth and veggies are poured into a soup bowl for you to eat as well. It was spicy and filling, and something  fun to try if you ever get a chance. 

The next day my mom and I pretty much spent the day shopping and relaxing. We went to all the cute shops and bought some souvenirs. We saw a few more celebs that day including David Duchovny, Dennis Quaid, and some singers. 

The next day was spent skiing again, this time at the Canyons resort. I really liked the Canyons, it was not as steep as the other two and much more groomed. By the end of skiing Day 3 everything from my head down was just about killing me. Here is a picture I took while we were eating outside on the 'snow beach' at the Canyons!

The next day was my birthday, and I decided that on my birthday I did not want to do anymore work.. ahem.. skiing. So my mom and I went to the spa while Bren and my dad did a snowmobiling excursion that took them up to 14000 feet above sea level. I capped off my birthday with a jalapeno beer from a local brewing company that was absolutely fabulous. As well as dinner and drinks with my fam at a sky bar over looking main street and a new triangle shaped clock for my house as a birthday present.

On Saturday, I flew back to Philadelphia..when I arrived at my house, Joe was there with dinner, balloons, cupcakes and candles waiting for me to celebrate two milestones: my birthday, and my new roommate! Yes folks, that's right, Joe and all of his things now reside in Philly and were moved while I was on vacation (nice planning choice on my part). I am so thrilled to be opening up this new chapter in my life and hope that all goes well as we make this transition. Please wish us luck. 

A new year, amazing friends to celebrate with, a memorable vacation with my amazing family, a birthday, and a boyfriend to live with.  They say no one gets everything they want... but maybe every once and while.. life cuts you a break.. and you do... get everything you ever wanted.. and all at once. 

"There are two things to aim at in life:

 first, to get what you want; and, after that, to enjoy it."

A New Year..

This holiday season was a great end to a good year. Lets recap a bit.

Looking back, this year feels long to me and short at the same time if thats possible. I started 2011 in Manayunk at a house party with my boyfriend away in Mexico after a long stint of him traveling the US for work... I thought for sure our days together were just about numbered at that point.. but those days feel like a distant memory now in retrospect. A few weeks later I took off with my family to ski in Utah and had a great time celebrating my 26th birthday.















A few months later, Joe and I took our first vacation together to Aruba and had an amazing time there! Things started to become a lot better between us as well, because Aruba was followed by a new job for him, one that he absolutely loves, putting an end to all that crazy travel once and for all. We finally started to be able to be together like a real couple.

April brought more changes when my roommate got engaged and two months later, moved out and in with her new fiance. For the first time in my entire life, I was living alone, and in a 3 bedroom house no less. But even that didnt turn out as bad as I was expecting. As my time living alone winds down, I have come to be ok with the quietness that comes from being alone and enjoying your own company. As I sit here writing this blog, enjoying a cup of tea, I cant help but feel like I will miss this time when it is  gone. I have learned that I can handle just about anything, and while its nice to have a partner in life, if there ever comes a time where I only have myself to rely on.. I'll be ok.















In June, my family took a trip to Rehoboth beach to visit my brother who had a beach house there this summer. A lot of our time was also spent at our boat in Sodus, a place that will always hold a special place in my heart. Its a place of my childhood, one where I spent a lot of carefree summers in the days before work and adult life. I am so happy that we can still get together as a family out there, and when we do, its like nothing ever changed.

This fall was mostly spent going to Phillies games, decorating the house, and relaxing with friends. Nothing too crazy.

Which brings me to December. I had a great holiday with my family and enjoyed a week off home with them. I am so thankful to have my grandparents still with us and my immediate family happy and healthy. When I returned to Philly I got ready to throw a  New Years party, and although it was exhausting hosting the party, I thought everything turned out great. The food was wonderful, the drinks were flowing and most of all.. most the friends I hold dear in life were on hand to celebrate with me!

Reading back through this blog has made me remember what a blessed life I already have. Looking forward to 2012, my wishes are simple. I want Joe's move into my house to transition smoothly and to stop freaking out and measuring our relationship against my firends. Joe is a great guy, and I need to remind myself of that more often.  I want to enjoy the time I have with my family, even if it is limited. I want to spend time with my friends and make an effort to keep in touch with them regardless of our geographic location. I want to live a more enriched life by working out and reading more. And I want to live in the moment. Because lets face it, the best time in our lives is right now.... and there is no use worrying about the future because things never turn out the way you think they will..

Cheers to 2012 xoxo.

Random Happenings

This past week I returned to Philly after the Thanksgiving holiday. I had a great time at home catching up with my family and seeing some of my old friends. I have so much to be thankful for this year and continue to be so blessed. As always returning to Philly was bittersweet, on one hand I was excited to see Joe and my friends and on another sad to leave my family... and so continues the dilemma of all of the things I love being torn between two cities. I hope someday I will be able to figure out where I really want to be, but for now, I am just taking the 'wait and see' approach as a few key elements continue to unfold... Anyways, I digress. 

After another unexciting week of work and housework.. I was ready for another weekend. I bought Joe an Ipad for Christmas and was so thrilled when it had come in the mail on Thursday. I wrapped it up in an abnormally large box for an ipad to throw him off and hid it away. I spent all day Friday convincing him that I had bought him a ski helmet for Christmas for our trip to Utah. He did not want a ski helmet, but I have been saying its a good idea for skiing out west. He would have been disappointed with that gift. I lasted until Saturday afternoon, when I caved and gave him his Ipad as an early Christmas present. I know, I know.. its December 4th, but patience has never been my virtue and I love giving gifts probably more then I like getting them. Now I know why Oprah got a "high" off of her favorite things show! Its really fun giving people expensive things. We spent a few hours on Saturday messing around with it, it is so addicting. I am very excited because I also will be getting one from my mom for Christmas. Ipads for everyone! hahah. 

To thank me for being such a wonderful girlfriend, Joe took me to the Christmas village at Love Park in Philadelphia. We shopped around to all of the different Christmas stands and ate and drank our way through the village. After the Christmas Village, we made a brief stop at Macy's to see their annual light show. After that, we stopped and got a drink at R2L at the top of the Liberty Two building in center city. From the restaurant you can see the whole skyline on a clear night, it was beautiful. After that we went to Vintage, a wine bar that I had been previously last year for a wine and food pairing class. Our meal was great, and we were able to be seated right away which was good because by that point we had done a ton of walking!

Today we relaxed for most of the day, then Joe's parents stopped by on their way back from KOP mall. I had brought them back some Abbott's, so I am glad we were able to get together so I could give it to them. We went out for a nice dinner, and they stopped by after to see my Christmas lights and retrieve their ice cream. 

All and all, a great weekend. Looking forward to more Christmas celebrations in the coming weeks. In a week, Joe and I will celebrate our THREE YEAR anniversary. Time is really starting to fly lately. I have made it my goal for December to really try and enjoy today, here and now. Because soon, today will be yesterday... I have spent a lot of this year worried about the future. For now, I am just letting it go and enjoying all the season has to offer. xoxo

"For me, that year Christmas stopped being about tinsel and wrapping paper, and started being about memory. At first I was disappointed. Until I learned that memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you wish to never lose. And I learned from Winnie, that in a world that changes too fast, the best we can do is wish each other Merry Christmas." - The Wonder Years

Something to Laugh At

Hello,

I thought I would leave you for the holiday with something to laugh at.. enjoy.

Thirty Days to be Thankful... Week 3

Man these days are rolling around faster and faster!

Nov 14th: Today I am thankful that I get to go home in 10 days. Cant wait to see the family and some high school friends. Dorothy said it best, there is no place like home.

Nov 15th: Today I am thankful that I have almost survived living alone. Never thought it is something I would attempt or enjoy. But, it hasnt been as bad as I expected and at times I really like calling my own shots, finding things exactly like I left them when I get home, and watching whatever I want on TV with no one there to tell me that I cant. Having Joe potentially move in soon is exciting to me and scary at the same time, because I am going to have to give up complete control of my space.

Nov 16th: Today I am thankful there are weekends to end horrible weeks of work.

Nov 17th: Today I am thankful to be going over Joes house to a nice meal he is cooking for me. Its great to not have to cook for yourself every once and a while.

Nov 18th Today I am thankful to have a weekend where nothing is planned. I am looking forward to relaxing and doing whatever strikes me at the moment.

Nov 19th: Today I am thankful for my friend Allie. She is my only friend at work and always there for me. She is one of my few friends that I can always count on if I want to do something spur of the moment. She is the easiest person to make plans with.

Nov 20th: Today I am thankful for my mom teaching me how to be both domestic and handy. This weekend I made a Christmas wreath, cleaned the house, self-cleaned the oven, did laundry, hung Christmas lights and whipped up homemade vodka sauce. Productivity to the max.

Thirty Days to Be Thankful - Week 2

Nov 7: Today I am thankful for something simple - sleep. Sleeping is the best. This week we got an extra hour of sleep and I feel amazing at work -- for a Monday. Sleep allows you to forget all your worries and troubles and is one of the few "natural excapes" from a sometimes stressful life.

Nov 8: Today I am thankful for beautiful fall weather so I can sit outside at lunch. Today is supposed to be a high of 70 degrees, and nothing makes a day better like a little bit of sunshine to break up a long day in a cubicle. UPDATE: I went and sat outside for a whole hour today.. it was glorious!

Nov 9: Today I am thankful for plans with friends during the work week. Making plans with freinds can certainly brighten the long stretch between Monday and Friday. Last night I went out with Sara to our favorite Manayunk wine bar and tonight I am going with Joe and another couple we are friends with to the Tortilla Press, a mexican restaurant in Haddonfield NJ. Cant wait!

Nov 10: Today I am thankful for a little pick me up during my long work day: Venti Starbucks Gingerbread Latte with skim milk. Its the small things..that make a day better.

The cup says: "when we are together, I know I'll never fall."
 Since when did start in the motivational quote business?

Nov 11: Today is 11-11-11 and today is friday...need I say more?

Nov 12: Today I am thankful for old friends... even through today we are seperated by geography... we come together every so often and  for that day.. its like nothing ever changed. Whether from high school or college, I have the best friends a girl could ask for.

Nov 13: Today I struggle to find something to be thankful for becuase I am in a really bad mood. So I guess today I am thankful for tomrorow.. tomorrow I get another try at today in hopes I've learned something from yesterday.

Thirty Days to be Thankful - Week 1

Since it is officially November and almost time for Thanksgiving, I thought I would take this month to think about all of the things in my life I am thankful for and post them here at the end of each week. Here it goes

Nov 1: Today I am thankful for my job. It may not always be the job I want, or the job I would love to have. Sometimes its stressful, and other times it bores me. But it also affords me a great life style and the money to see and do all of the things that I want to do it life and for that, I am thankful.

Nov 2: Today as I was sitting at my desk I got a call from a cruise planner who planned a vacation for me and my girlfriends, what seems like ages ago. So today it reminded me how thankful I am for my girlfriends. My UD girls have stuck by me through thick and thin and I am so appreciative to have people like them to share my life with. Because lets face it -boyfriends provide support and understanding in their own way, but no one understands a woman like another woman.

Nov 3: Today I am thankful for the other women in my life: mom and my grandmas. My mom is my best friend and the person who I go to with any problem. I am so lucky to have such an amazing mother. I hope we can stay close and share this life for a very long time like her and her mom. Speaking of grandmas, I am so lucky to have both of them in my life. I hope they are around long enough to meet my future children.

Nov 4: Today I am thankful for my boss. Let's face it, a boss can make all the difference about whether or not you like your job. My boss is relaxed, laid back, and definitely a great boss. As long as I get done what I need to do, he lets me run my own show. I appreciate that he doesnt try to micro-manage my whole day and tell me how I am going to spend every minute of my day.

Nov 5: Today I am thankful for my boyfriend. We may not have it all together all the time but he makes a my life better in so many ways. Today we spent the day cleaning the gutters, it was a dirty, disgusting job, and he was a champ about it. He helps me out a lot around my house and he is always there for me even if he may not express it in the ways that I expect. I am really lucky.

Nov 6: Today I am thankful for my brother, Brendan. He drove down from Wilmington to eat dinner with me. I made us a nice dinner and we got to chat and catch up. Even though I am far away from the rest of my family, I am so fortunate that he is only an hour away and that we are close siblings.

One week down.. 3 to go... I must admit, this is tough for me. I am really good at looking at the glass half empty.. not as good at looking for the positives in every day. A good lesson.