Sunday, July 31, 2011

I Heart My iPhone...


1-lunch with ash steph priscilla & brian before they all head out
for the weekend! 2-latenight regal shifts with dan & tifah. 3-trey
enjoying the shade of the dog park. 4-the after effects of a new
tie dye method. 5-dad & trey trekking along through the woodsy 
path on our walk. 6-step to the beat of my heart; thank you
ashley for the newfound nail polish addiction.

Well, it seems that all of my friends have gone away this weekend! No problem, I've been enjoying my time at home and my shifts at work. Big Brother Jim came home this morning and the family went out to breakfast downtown at The Roxy. Absolutely delicious. I can't wait until all of my friends get home to hear all of their crazy stories and to, once again, laugh until my stomach hurts :)

Happy Sunday everyone!

   

Saturday, July 30, 2011

we should never stop listening to our parents...





there are many times within a given week
where i think to myself,
wow, i really hate this or
i'm so tired of this by now.
I start to despise this...thing, we'll call it.
dread it, really.
twist every thought of it in my head into 
something much more horrible than it actually is.


but then, like today, my mom
will so cleverly put it into perspective.
& will remind me of all the good that
came out of this thing.
& it all starts to look a little better again.


so maybe, thinking about all the good things
that come out of something else
will make it all seem a little bit more bearable...
maybe.


  

Friday, July 29, 2011

Slow It Down...



"so, easy does it my friend
got a long way to the end;
slow it down,
slow it down again
or you'll never be let back in."

-Larry & His Flask




thinking of you always<3

   

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Because tomorrow...Carly becomes Crippled...

Tomorrow is the day. The day that Carly undergoes her third knee surgery. Yes, I said third. This is the third time that she's torn her ACL. She didn't quit playing sports after her first tear. And not after her second. And she doesn't plan on quitting after this third one either. She's the strongest girl I know. She's determined, and she probably works harder than anyone I've ever come across when it comes to getting back in shape for her sport (whether it be soccer or basketball) to be better and stronger than she was before. She's one hell of an athlete and she's got enough drive, that I'm sure she's going to be amazing once she's back out on the field again sometime in the future.
But back to business; tomorrow is her third surgery. Meaning, tomorrow she becomes...what we like to call: Crippled Carly (it's a recurring theme, we needed a name for it!) So what better way to end her summer of being an active person than with a pool party? How do you throw an awesome pool party for someone who's about to spend the last month of their summer basically confined to a couch? Well, I'll tell you how!

Ingredients for a Bangin' Pool Party:

1. Most importantly: you need great friends. I don't care how you find these friends. You can find them at school, at a sporting event, work, or through other friends. Hell, you can find them online! (although, I don't entirely recommend that)...just find some awesome friends who you know will have a good time doing anything. nothing. everything. all of the above. The point is, you need to know that they're up for a spur of the moment plan and that they're willing to get wet.
2. Good food. Hot dogs and hamburgers do the trick. You'll need a Grill Master (thank you Mrs. N!) and you'll need a grill...obviously. Throw in some pasta salad. Bottles of water. Some soda. And of course dessert. It's not a party without dessert. If you complete item 1 on this list, maybe you can even talk some of your awesome friends into bringing some food. If you do, well those are some serious bonus points.
3. A pool. This item, I would hope, doesn't really need explained. If you're gonna throw a pool party...you're gonna need a pool.
4. Floatation devices: safety first. And you may have a few friends who can't swim. Let's be nice to those few friends.
5. Good music. Again, I wouldn't think that this one needs explanation. But, just in case it does, I'll give it. Good music = sing-a-longs. And sing-a-longs = a good time. Therefore, good music = a good time. It's the simple "If A=B and B=C then A=C" formula. Get it? Good. That was simple.
6. A cool underwater camera to take cool underwater pictures (did you see that one coming?) If you're like me, and you like to document just about every event that you attend, then you're going to need something to withstand the elements. To be there for you, rain or shine. And to capture those underwater moments that a normal camera just couldn't capture. And well...if you bring a normal camera to your Bangin' Pool Party...I don't think you're gonna be looking at those pictures later. RIP normal cameras..
7. Lots of towels: again self explanatory. Ask your awesome friends to bring their own even. If they're awesome, they will!
8. A diving board. And pool toys. And goggles. It's a pool party...you should have these items anyway. If you don't, go get them. Now. Stop reading this...go get them. It's no fun jumping into the deep end if there's no diving board..
9. Fireworks. What better way to end the night than with some incredibly bright and incredibly loud fireworks? It doesn't need to be the fourth of July! In fact...if you throw your party afterrr the fourth, then I'm willing to bet you'll get some pretty kickass discounts on these said fireworks! Set em' off in the street, ooh and awe at how pretty they are, don't worry about whether or not your neighbors are going to wake up...it's summer. it's one night. They'll get over themselves. 
10. An attitude that says: I'm going to have an awesome time tonight. Because when you're surrounded by your best friends, this is the easiest rule to follow...
Enjoying you always, summer nights...

   

thank you.

When you work 5-6 days a week over the summer, I've learned that you really need to take advantage of your days off. I mean, when you think about it...if you work, and your friends work...the odds of you all having off on the same day is pretty slim. But today was one of those days. I like to call these days: perfect. And there was absolutely nothing that could have brought this day down...
These are my two favorite sisters in the entire world: Colleen and Jen. They're not myyy sisters, but they may as well be. When the three of us are together...I feel like a pretty awesome person. Colleen and I have been best friends since kindergarten. I remember perfectly the first time we met...sitting on the church stairs waiting for our buses to be called at the end of the school day. Crazy right? If you ask her, she'll repeat the same exact memory. That's how you know you're meant to be best friends forever. I remember the times when I used to spend just about every day at Coll's house. And when I wasn't there, she was here. So her family sort of became my family. And here we are...sitting in Neato Burrito..she, Jen, and I. Jen has basically known me my entire life...through all those awkward stages that we all go through. I absolutely love the fact that two sisters can hang out without bickering once. Without freaking out and acting all crazy. It's days like these I love. And days when Coll's friends and Jen's friends all get together for a good time. You just don't find siblings like this everyday...
But anyway, we ate lunch. We had long discussions about Snapple bottles. We laughed about stupid things. Talked about upcoming concerts and plans. And ate some bangin' burritos...it's sort of become our tradition! We walked through the good ole' city of Harrisburg...all the way to the Treasury, where Jen works. And we walked back! The weather was amazing...not too hot like it has been lately. And when we were done with that, Coll and I took a little trip to Midtown Scholar. 
This just happens to be one of my favorite places in the entire world. And I am completely confident with that statement. I love this place. It's exactly the kind of place that I would (someday) love to own. It's this little (yet not so little) book store right in the city (in Midtown, duh). It used to be an old vintage store which was also cool. It's four different levels and has every single book you could probably imagine. It has this awesome old feel to it and smells like coffee and books. The perfect combination. If you ever get a chance to go in, I guarantee you'll see people sitting at tables all around the place, sipping their coffee or tea and reading a book. And if they're not at tables, you'll see them propped up against the bookshelves, sitting on the floor. This place hosts concerts and art galleries too. It's the most relaxing place I've ever been to. Perfect for rainy days or those days where you just need to escape from reality for a little while. I always thought books were the best ways to get away...
After a wonderfully perfect afternoon with Colleen, she dropped me off to head to work (request her at Fridays! She's a wonderful waitress!!). I met up with Carly and we got ready for a wonderful evening (separate blog post to come!) of good friends and swimming to keep her mind off of her surgery tomorrow...

So now I am here, blogging away...thankful for such an awesome day off and for such incredible friends. I really do love the life I live. :)


1-Colleen & Jen at Neato Burrito 2-Colleen & a cool advertisement we came across 3-Midtown Scholar
 4-Ashley & Gabby poolside at Carly's 5-The greatest puppy in the world; Trey

  

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

it's just tuesday...

sometimes you just need an incredibly large
cup of coffee to start your day.
(especially when you work a double)...

I wouldn't consider myself too much of a morning person. I'm a night owl. I enjoy being up when everyone else is asleep. I like to stay up late and then start my day around eleven...things are gonna have to change though when that 9:00am class schedule hits. Ouch...

Haven't been living too much of an incredibly exciting life lately. Mostly just doing a little bit of shopping for school (i got a toaster!) and lots of working at the theatre. It's different now that I'm not going to have any roommates this year. There are pros and cons...but mostly it means that I can't rely on Laur or D when it comes to something I forgot...or when I lock myself out of the room. Because, trust me, it happens. And it'll happen to everyone before their college years are over... 

So here's to Tuesday...not quite the middle of the week, but not Monday either. Just...Tuesday. Take it how you may...at least you're not working twelve hours at a movie theatre on a gorgeous day! (let's hope I can get through today without some disaster, unlike my past two shifts!) Ahwell, it'll all be worth it when that glorious payday rolls around ;)

And now just one month until I'm back at Pitt. Officially one month. Even just the thought of it gets me so excited! I can't wait to be reunited with the friends I've made; the friends that already feel like family to me.

Stay safe everyone; enjoy this summer weather!!! :)

  

Friday, July 22, 2011

Birthday Wishes!

This is one of my best friends, Rach. 
yes, she is featured in the post below.
and yes, I am featuring her again.
and that is because
today she turns 19!

So Happy Birthday to one of the most beautiful girls I know. 
Someone who can make me laugh the second I see her.
Who's little giggle is the most contagious thing I've ever come across. 
And to someone who is so driven to succeed, that her hard work can be seen
in every single thing that she does.
Happy Birthday to a best friend who knows how to brighten up
anybody's day with something as simple as a smile.
And thank you, for these past five years of best friendship;
I wouldn't trade them for the world :)


isn't she the cutest little person ever?
bahahaha
I LOVE YOU RACH!!
I HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAY
IS AMAZING<3
   

raci.paci.

thanks for a great afternoon of:
scorching heat and getting burnt in my car.
(and excessive sweating)
rach; you rock.

reunited and it feels so good! :)

wishing everyone a happy friday
and an even happier weekend to come!

  

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Hot (and Dangerous)...

Why do I have the coolest friends ever? Who else would call me unexpectedly, stop by the house, bring me iced coffee, AND hang out for an entire day inside a non-air conditioned (and incredibly hot) house while I waited for the AC man to come and fix our broken (again) AC? That's right...no one else. Just Ash. She's the best. She makes me laugh nonstop. She doesn't care that I never shut up. She sings just as awfully as I do. And can eat just as much. She's a pro at life.
Also spent a wonderful evening with the best dad in the entire world! The three of us made a banginnnnn' dinner together: steak, baked potatoes, and salads. We ate together. We laughed (a lot) together, and we picked some cucumbers together! We bonded with Trey the crazy dog. And then we enjoyed some Harry Potter 7 Part 2 together. Yeah, that's right...I have a dad who is cool enough to watch Harry Potter with. Now THAT is pretty awesome, if I do say so myself ;) 
Ended my night working another midnight premiere. This is two weekends in a row of these things! And another one next weekend too...they're killin' me here. 
Also bought some "Nicole: by OPI" nail polish today with Ash...awesome glitter colors. Justin Bieber-themed. So of course I had to go purple. (it's my favorite color)! We only almost died twice today in the parking lot...but that's besides the point! We're safe. We're glitter-fied. And we're happy! And that's all you need in life, really.

thank you photo booth! :)
and also, happy 100th post!
  

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

When we're together: "Bored" isn't in our vocabulary...





Nothing beats spending a scorching hot Wednesday afternoon
trying on hideous clothes and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle 
 back packs with your best friends at the mall...