Journal Keeping while on vacation

So the first time I traveled abroad I wanted to remember everything. So the geek that I am I bought a moleskin journal to write everything down in. So on this trip I decided to do it again. I'm also a crazy pack rat traveler and keep mementos of what we do. Ticket stubs, random interesting receipts. I scan it all and it goes in our blurb album when I make them.  Keeping a journal is also a handy place to keep flight information, hotel info and other important details that you need handy.
It is also fun to read a few years later and remember the little things that cracked us up or drove us crazy.

I think this trip I drove Eric crazy with a jingle I made up.
Sad hungry (American) humans that we are Eric dipped into a Mcdonald's for breakfast one morning and I saw on the menu a Chicken move-it. All I could think of is the cartoon Madagascar  and I like to move it move it. Which in my double espresso head became " I like the chicken move-it move-it" McDonalds if you are listening it could totally be an ad campaign for you. It got stuck in my head for days! These are the things I think of and journal. Traveling in a foreign country where you speak a handful of words can make you sink into a crazy sing-songy type of world. Ok maybe that's just me.

Either way it was good times.

So creative.

While in design school I was fortunate to meet and befriend some of the most creative people. Quite a few who I still talk to on a regular basis. Being stuck in a room drafting for days has a way of bringing people together. Almost everyone there was not only gifted in design but also in creative endeavors, jewelry, painting, photography, sewing. This brings me to my friend Jen. She is extraordinary skilled and talented and she now has an Etsy shop. In this her shop I had been coveting this amazing little clutch. I fell in love with it's adorableness.

Not to mention that the inside is teal. I love colored linings. Alas, I wanted it but never bought it for myself. One of those I want it maybe someday someone will get it for me. While what do you know. My other amazingly creative friend Rebecca (also a design school alum) got it for me as a thank you. Oh how I love it. In fact I plotted my wardrobe to the symphony to go around it. So check out her shop if you get a chance. It's full of elegant items. 

Gasp.. My very own macbook...

So my wonderful husband decided to spoil me rotten. He bought me my very own Macbook Pro this weekend. I have been longing for one for a very long time but would not have spent the money for one.  I am absolutely in love though. It is so amazing and nice. I can not wait to move all my files, tweak it and make it my very own. I feel very designer-y. (Yes I made that up.)  He had a whole hour before he gave me it. He hid it in our oven so I wouldn't see it. Lucky I didn't come home and start dinner. The horror.
I am going to get a copy of illustrator for it and then it will be official.

Thank you Eric!!! You Rock

Life is awesome lately.

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Things are finally all coming together for a lot of people I care about. Eric and I are moving to the city. We will finally be back living in an area where things are happening. Currently we live in a very small community where the biggest thing that's happening is the traffic light in front of Wal-mart. We will be closer to our friends, closer to our families. I am so excited.
Today sealed the deal on something I've been hoping for and waiting for. My Brother -in-law, who I am really close to, got into the law school that he wanted! CONGRATULATIONS! Meaning he is also moving to the city! It will be like old times, but better, we lived next to each other during college and it was a lot of fun.
My friend Jill has also had some great changes She's now dating my Brother-in Law, and I have never seen either one of them happier. :) It is really awesome to see people you care about so happy. As happy, I hope, as I am with Eric. She's also trying to get in to Gradschool and is waiting on her YES. I know she'll get in. She's to fantastic not to.
Another friend who has been looking for a job also just found a new one. I am so excited for her. She'll also be working nearby so hooray for lunch dates.

So here's to an awesome Summer! Time to create new memories with great friends and enjoy the living in a big city!


I only have one last thing I'm waiting on..to make this a perfect deal. Here's hoping I find out about that soon. :)

Squirrel fishing.

I love these fuzzy little creatures. I think they are adorable. I have no idea why or when I really started liking them. To take a stab at it it was probably as a little girl and feeding them on my Grandma's picture window in Detroit. So of course Eric knows of my love of squirrels  and tells me about Squirrel Fishing! The conversation went a little like this..
Him: Hey have you ever heard of squirrel fishing?
Me: (looking over the arm of the couch) What!?!
Him: Squirrel fishing its when you place string with a nut and try to get a squirrel to catch it.
Me: OMG I sort of want to do that. Especially after I saw a picture of what it looks like.

 

It just makes me laugh. I love it. It seems to be growing in popularity. Check out this page where I got the above image for some other funny squirrel images.

It even has it's own wikipedia page. Maybe I need to pack up some string, make a trip to North Campus, in Athens at my old college to try my hand at squirrel fishing. I say Athens because the Squirrels on North Campus are friendly. 

Olympics

Every 2 years I camp out in front of my television, captivated by the Olympics. I've been sort of obsessed since the '92 Barcelona games when my brother was a basketball fanatic.  Then the Summer Olympics came to my hometown, Atlanta. It was awesome. I attended a baseball game, I traded pins with other people from all over the world. It was so much fun.  Fast forward to 2010 and the Winter Olympics are in Vancouver. I wish I could go. Instead I stay up to ungodly hours in the morning watching and cheering for the athletes.  Watching Shaun White fly in snowboarding, Johnny Weir skate his heart out and even the o-so scary skeleton. Who came up with that!  Which brings me to something that is super cute, makes me wish the Americans had something so cute to symbolize our country. I have seen them at all the outdoor coverage... the maple leaf mittens! They make me so happy. I totally want a pair.  So though the athletes have had me cheering and excited for them. These little mittens in all their cuteness have captured my attention.

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$137.49

That is the amount I spent on paint and supplies to repaint my bedroom furniture.  I think I made out like a bandit. I really wanted new furniture but with trying to save for a house, and not knowing where we are going to live in a few months it seemed silly to buy new stuff. I also like refinishing and redoing stuff. (Thanks Mom and Dad for that inherited hyper active syndrome.) Regardless I am pretty stoked by my hard work. I think It really did come out like my picture inspiration.

 

  

All in all I think It came out pretty well. I now want to hang out in my room instead of escaping it. :) Just in case you are curious here is a close up of what the furniture used to look like. I have one piece left to paint and wardrobe that is in my office since we don't have space in our bedroom for it.

 

It is a pretty big difference. 

Just one more reason..

Why August is going to be an amazing month, My wedding, my brother's 30th birthday, Barcelona, and the return of Madmen. I love this show. I'm addicted. There are few shows that I will run home to watch, and this is one of them. I am so excited for the premiere of the third season on August 16th. I was on AMC's website to day and found a way to "madmen yourself" and created the fun version of me above. If you haven't caught the show you can rent them all at Blockbuster, just know you better rent a few discs because you'll want to know what happens next.

Party!

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Wowza, this weekend was my last night out with the girls. Two of my all time favorite people and closest friends not to forget the fact that they are my Maid of Honor and Bridesmaid planned a crazy slightly secret (I had to know the date,time and place) party for me. They planned the party in Athens a city that is near and dear to my heart. They rented a awesome hotel suite downtown, decorated it to the ceiling with pink and blue and filled it with my favorite snacks, and beverages. In three words.. IT WAS AWESOME. I was completely surprised by all the effort it was so much.
After we got situated in the hotel, ate a few snacks opened some terrific gifts from my girls. Thank you so much for stocking my house with good wine and liquor. A few more snacks and drinks were drank,we freshened up a bit and they got me to go on a scavenger hunt for places that have meaning for Eric or myself when we we lived in Athens. I also got to show of my fantastic sparkly veil/tiara, it lite up with pink,white and blue tulle. Very festive. I have never gotten so much attention. I did not know that you got honked at or cheered for when one goes out in such a get up. :)
Once the places were found it was time for dinner, drinks and dancing. As well as a great drinking golf game. It was an amazing unforgettable fun night. I can not thank my friends enough for it. I love you girls so much thanks for making sure my last "girls night out" was marvelous.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday Mom!

You are amazing. You inspire me daily. I look up to you, and I wouldn't be where I am today without you. I hope you have an amazing day. Love.. your peanut head.

*yes that is me as a baby with my mom.

Red Wing Love

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I love hockey and I really love the Detroit Red Wings! They hold a special place in my heart and tonight is the first game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They are playing against the Pittsburgh Penguins. I grew up watching Wings games with my Dad. It has been one of the things we've done together and something that I look forward to doing every year. I was born in Michigan and a lot of my family still lives there. I just had to put a little hockey love on my blog. I hope they win again this year. Goooo WINGS! (I'm off to go watch the game. :)

Goodbye to being single.

This weekend is one of my dearest friends,fellow bride, and last but not least bridesmaid's bachelorette party! The festivities begin this Saturday afternoon. I am so excited! I can not wait to celebrate. We are going to have so much fun. We will have a few drinks and it will be like old times in college when we went to Georgia games all dressed up and had so much fun. *Side note it's traditional for UGA students to dress nice for came days. Polos and dress pants for guys and cute dresses for girls* I can not wait for this weekend!

Life other than wedding related

Sometimes my job is full of paperwork, but most days it is fun. Today is one of those really great days. I am an interior designer but I also design Pedini Kitchens. This morning we relieved one of Pedini's newest kitchen styles. It's called Dune because it echos sand dunes. It came in this morning in a crate straight out of Indiana Jones. I am so excited, I can't wait for it to come out of the box.

So-o Cute!

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I love cute and fuzzy animals. I get teary eyed when I see them. In my random internet readings I came across these images and had to share them. If I came home to being invaded by koala's I would just loose it. I think they are so cute. I can't wait to go to Australia, and when I go you better believe seeing one in person is on my list!

Side Note: I don't think this is normal Koala behavior. There is a major heatwave going on in Australia currently.