Blog Giveaways? I win.

So this other time, I won a blog giveaway.

Pretty sure it was my first blog giveaway that I entered...Maybe second. 

But I won a bunch of goodies from the Houston Blogger Symposium and I'm happy!

The e-mail's timing couldn't have been better:

I'm sitting at a job interview, sweating, heart racing, impulsively checking my email/twitter/instagram so I could calm down.  And then I see a "congratulations!!" e-mail saying I won a cool bag of stuff and I thought "this could be my lucky day!!"

Verdict is still out on whether I got the job or not, but it was definitely not a disaster of an interview (thank goodness).

Actually, it was probably one of my best.

(Thanks Burt for mock-interviewing me.  I told you they would never ask about management ideals, and they did, so thanks for adding the word "micromanagement" to my vocabulary last night).

Anyway, the girl (She has a name! Megan)/blog that hosted the giveaway is probably one of my favorites.

Here's her site: Greetings From Texas!

She's a cancer survivor, owns a VISZLA (just like Taz!!!!), just adopted a baby and the middle name is in homage to Jay-Z...I could go on and on.

*I actually won it through the Houston Blogger Symposium site.  She organized that herself too.  Pretty cool in my book.*

Excuse my grammar in this post, but I had to wake up at 8:45am today and everyone who knows me knows how BRUTAL that was for me.

So, more updates on my real life later.  Bye for now!

America's Next Top Model. Obviously.

So this one time, I pretended I was a model.

It made me realize that I will never, ever be a model...But it was one fun experience.

Hannah was a trooper dealing with my non-model self.  She is one talented photographer.

(She was supposed to photograph my wedding, but alas that didn't work out..So we used my deposit on my own personal photo shoot.  Because that's right, I'm way cooler than anyone else and I like myself.)

Go check out Hannah's work!!

I don't have the majority of the pictures, but she gave me a couple that she has edited so far.  Here are the ones I am willing to share:

My "senior picture" glam shoot that I never got to have!! :) 6 years late, but better late than never, right?

I'm back out West!

I'm back in Utah.  It feels as if I've never left this place!

I'm happy.

I had the best road trip a girl could ever ask for.

I was so, so worried about not being able to survive that.

It was the most peaceful experience ever!

I listened to a 9 1/2 hour-long audio book and my, how time flew by.

I was almost irritated when people would call and interrupt my book-listening...But then I remembered that those people love me and wanted to keep me company, so it was okay.

New York -> Pennsylvania -> Ohio -> Indiana -> Illinois -> Iowa -> Nebraska -> Colorado -> Utah

5 new states to cross off on my list of never-have-been-to states.

Illinois was my least favorite to drive through.

In Iowa, we visited the largest truck stop in the world.  We met a trucker who was playing with a remote control car.  He was from Buffalo.  Let's just say, after the stories he told us of sliding sideways on the freeway in the snow and how awesome it was, I will never trust a truck driver for as long as I live.

World's Largest Truck Stop: The museum.

In Nebraska, we visited the Great Platte River Road Archway, which stretches across and over I-80 in Kearney.  It's a $64-million dollar archway.  The people who invested hired Disney World theme park designers to make it one sweet, sweet museum.  It made Nebraska bearable.

Platte River Road Archway:  The entrance to the museum.

Platte River Road Archway: The first room in the museum.  The walls/ceiling changed weather.  Pretty cool.

In Rifle, Colorado, I finally (so long-overdue- try 4 years) got to meet my friend Kari and her daughter Piper.  It was SUCH a fun visit!  We walked around town and just enjoyed each other's company.  It seriously felt like we had already met, we know so much about each other.  She was so kind to invite us into her home.

(Can you believe I didn't get a picture of this?!?! - so upsetting!!)

Burt was a trooper and drove the whole entire rest of the way from Chicago...And I didn't sleep once.  We had too much fun for me to sleep!

I'm now sitting in my old roommate's living room.  So happy to be back here again!

BONUS ROUND:

Pictures/video of cats and dogs to make you smile.

My mom's cat Frankie got bored when we were cleaning out the basement.  He decided to climb the pipes and posed for me.

Taz on a field trip to PetSmart.  Apparently he was a fan of the guinea pig.

I miss my boyfriend, Taz.  This was what I got to watch all summer:  He is quite the avid hunter.

Until next time.

Small Utah update.

For those who haven't seen it yet on facebook, I am moving back to Utah.

Small reminder/preface to all:

(minus the "I didn't cry at the Doctor's part).

I had all freaking summer to think about this.  Literally, you have no idea how insane I was getting from cabin fever.  I toyed with ideas in my head about going to DC, Hershey, Virginia, etc etc...But my heart kept going back to Utah.  Not because of a boy or something stupid like that (a mistake which I have made before).  

But because, I was too stubborn to say it before but I fell in love with Salt Lake after all was said and done.  I was supposed to move back to NY mid-April and I waited until June procrastinating and having the time of my life.

You know what draws me to Salt Lake?  

-It's a city that's small enough that you could memorize every building if you wanted to.  

a) it's cheap living.

b) there is stuff to do.

-Friends.  Lovely, lovely friends.

-So much food packed into one little city.

-Being able to walk around everywhere.

-My aunt and family live 3 short hours away at an amazing ranch!

&

It makes me happy! And I want to be happy!!!

One thing I've learned this summer:  I need to look out for myself.  Me, myself and I.  I'm at that point in life where I need to remind myself of that continually.

Let's be honest, it's been a great "summer break".  I never thought I could have said that at the age of 24!!  I am so lucky that I was able to pull that off without any worries financially.  I am so blessed, you have no idea.  I am blessed with a welcoming family who loves me.  I am blessed with New York in general, my home state, where my heart will forever be.

It goes without saying that I will miss these moments, family moments I will forever cherish...Especially at the Lake:

Thankfully I have a little brother to help me through the "hard stuff".

My little brother and my best friend Taz.  I will miss them so much.

Regardless, I am so thankful for my family, this summer and the future.  I know it is a shocking decision to some, but my heart is really in it.  Trust me!

Utah, Mexico, Olympics.

This was written a few weeks ago - I am so lazy.

Well, it's been forever.

I am home from so, so many adventures.

So many that I don't even think I have the energy to post about because I'm in lazy mode..But I'll try my best.

In three words this is what happened:  Utah, Mexico, Olympics.

Okay, maybe I didn't go to the Olympics...But I pretend I'm there every night.  I am basically a part of the gymnastics team in my dreams every night.

Utah: Amazing....I got to spend it with such amazing people.  Seriously, some of the most amazing people I've met in my life..I say amazing too much, I know.  I guess pictures will suffice.

I climbed a freaking mountain (literally, Mount Timpanogos) to get to this cave with Hilary, Cassie and Chase.  Was it worth it?  Yes. Will I probably go back so I can go "caving" and learn how to be a real cave-woman?  Most likely.

Burt's band had a reunion.  This picture may not be HQ (high quality y'all) but it was amazing.  Above and beyond good.

I went to a zoo with Sherra and her Gunnison friends, and then an aquarium with Cass, Sherra and Brittany.  I have decided that zoos and aquariums are very amazing, albeit zoo-wise not in 90+ degree weather.  P.S.  I saw a polar bear and seals.  I love polar bears and seals.

This is Burt and I out and about in Salt Lake.  He's sweet :)

Mexico:  Burt and I went to Puerto Vallarta.  Sun, relaxing, zip lining (absolutely amazing/the heights we got up to were astounding), snorkeling, getting hit up by vendors/drug dealers.  Pretty sure we were the only English speaking people on our resort.  It was weird being a minority for a few days.  Overall, it was just what I needed.  Absolutely.

This was our view from our dinner table.  Absolutely perfect.

This was from the early morning we went snorkeling and to this tiny island which's name escapes me.  Dang it.

Remember how I said drug dealers hounded us?  Well we found a marijuana plant, and as advertised: "You don't need prescription!".  My past patients would have had a heyday.   (we don't condone weed btw).

Olympics:  Well, let's just say I was glued to the TV every single night.  Didn't miss one night.  And I screamed, cheered, and cried along with them as the National Anthem was playing as the athletes won their medals.  Gymnastics, swimming, diving (especially synchronized diving).  I have a confession to make: I had a crush on Ryan Lochte initially.  And then, I saw this video -

Speechless.

On that note, bye everybody!!

Keuka/BFF Love.

It was the Fourth of July last week, I know I'm late....

But how could I resist putting up a fireworks picture taken on Seneca Lake last week?

Can I just say this past week has been amazing?  My best friend since second grade came home from DC for the week and I spent the majority of the week with her at the Patterson Cottage on Keuka lake.  Her family is my second family.  I am in love with every single one of them (pretty sure I've professed my love for them in a previous post somewhere).

BFFS

It was the most beautiful week ever.  I think the pictures explain it all.

Nichole's family decided to strand us in the middle of the lake.  It was brutal.  To quote Nichole, "We would never have survived the Titanic sinking."  So true, so true.

At one point of vacation, Nichole turned into a lobster....And apparently I am expecting a child (as evidenced by the picture below....I'm SO KIDDING).

Oh, and Nichole and I had the best slumber party ever at my dad's on Friday, had to just throw that out there.  We had our Soffe cheer shorts on just like the old days, we ate Pudgies Pizza and wings, watched a movie....The best throwback night ever.

The sunsets on Keuka are to absolutely die for.

To end the week, yesterday Nichole's cousin (and my "second cousin") Kendall had her bachelorette party.  We had a spa morning, toured the wineries, and ended up at the Switz - This amazing restaurant/bar conveniently located steps away from the Patterson's Cottage. We had so much fun (maybe too much) and laughed so much.  Incase you forgot, July 7th was supposed to be a big day for me that involves a white dress (hint)-- But honestly, I wouldn't have traded yesterday for the world.  Thank you, everyone for the most amazing girl's day ever.  I needed it so badly!!!

The bachelorette party girls -- Kendall is next to me.  Obviously Nich and I coordinated outfits.

What's a Bachelorette Party without some OG ?! (Olive Garden slang)

 I'll end this post by announcing: My dad bought a new boat!! I don't have pictures quite yet --- But here's a pic of the family swimming at sunset on Seneca Lake last weekend (yes, I lake hop):

We all look so happy, I love this picture!!!

TTYL.

Voyeuristic Suburbia

Well, my most loyal follower (aka my little brother) was a little disappointed that I haven't written a blog post all week.  

Matt: Why haven't you posted all week? 

Me: Because I have no life and absolutely nothing exciting to write about.

Matt: Oh yeah, that's true.

Thank you, Matt for your utmost honesty. 

Right now, I'm sitting on my deck in the middle of suburbia, so pumped that it's 92 degrees, not humid and it's breezy.  This never happens in New York.  It's always so humid. 

This backyard is interesting.  It's spacious and pretty, but since the development is relatively new, there's not much privacy.  I know what most of my neighbors are doing just by sitting out here.  I sit out here a lot since I have nothing better to do.

Suburbia.

The house to my left: Two cute little blonde boys always running around, and I may or may not have a crush on their dad.  He doesn't know who I am.  He's married.  I'm terrible.

The house to my right: A very liberal retired old man.  He's always gardening.  He is also very liberal- My dad and him had an election war back in 2008.  He had Obama signs all over his lawn (I don't even want to get into Obamacare, no way).  My dad retaliated by making sure our front yard, windows, etc were covered in McCain signs.

The house in front of me:  My brother's old best friend used to live there.  A visitor once said she saw the dad walking around the house in his underwear.  The kid my brother was friends with once IMed me back in the day and told me he wished he could watch me change through my window.  Sorry buddy, blinds are closed.

A few houses down:  They have some blow up contraption that their children bounce on.  It's weird.

This is voyeurism at its' finest.

I feel like the guy with the broken leg who stalks their neighbors for entertainment in Alfred Hitchcock's movie "Rear Window" -- If you haven't seen it, you're missing out.

Oh, and every summer is "Lawn Wars" season.  Whoever keeps their lawn the most green and mowed perfectly through the summer wins.  This of course is a silent war.  Pretty hilarious though.

Did I mention that I have no life?