Animals with Attitude

Yesterday was Mick's sister's birthday. She and her boyfriend came to the house ( the house in Kent is Mick's gradfather's house. His step-dad is working in Kent right now, so they stay there a lot) to open her gifts. She loved all the pink stuff for the kitchen she'll have in the flat she and her boyfriend are about to move into. Then we all (me, Mick, Laura, Russ, mum and step-dad) piled into two different cars and drove about 40 minutes to Port Lympne Zoo.
The weather was very indecisive. We sat on a safari truck in the sunshine. Mick was near the window and seemed a bit bewildered because he was getting wet and he couldn't figure out why. As it turns out, folks, it can rain even when it's sunny. As we stopped for lunch and looked at meerkats, it really started to feel stormy. There was a charge in the air as black clouds came rolling in and we could hear thunder and see lightning. After a few minutes of this the rain came, so we went and checked out the reptile and insect house. Then it cleared up for a bit and we got back on a safari bus to head up to look at the carnivores. The rain started coming down really hard so we all had to rush for cover, but thankfully, it only held up for a few minutes so we could move on. BUT THEN! The sun came out and it warmed up and was disgustingly humid. I can deal with heat- I hate it, but I lived in it for 14 years, I deal. But when it comes to humidity I am a giant baby. Giant.
Either way, it was a fun day and I enjoyed being out with everybody very much. There was a strange moment when I ordered lunch for Mick and myself. The girl noticed my accent and said "are you here on holiday?" Mick piped up and answered "she is, I'm from here." I turned and looked at him and said "no, actually. I moved here. Remember, Mick?" You know, to like, marry you? Men. It is weird though, because, as I've said, it just feels like I'm here on vacation.

The animals at this zoo were really funny. They seemed very British to me in that they didn't give a crap.

We saw giraffes that didn't care if we wanted out the gate, they did too, so they were going to wait. The safari truck driver said that they tend to do this in hopes of escaping.

There was a Black Rhino drinking happily from his trough. He, too, didn't care if the truck wanted to get by. He wanted his water and took his sweet time in moving to the field to the left. But that's okay, it provided a great photo opportunity.

Mick was very into the snakes and lizards in the Reptile House. I refused to stop and look at the spiders. 

But my favorite part of the day was the amazing view. The zoo is built on a hill and provides an amazing panorama of Kent and the sea in the distance (if it's not cloudy).

See the hills between the trees?

A bit dreary, but still beautiful, don't you think?

After the zoo we went back to the house and got ready to go out to dinner with Mick's dad and his girlfriend to finish up Laura's birthday celebration. We went to a really chic pub in Eynesford, Kent where they actually have a ford. A ford is where a river or stream is shallow enough to wade or drive across (remember Fording the River in Oregon Trail with your oxen in front of your conestoga wagon? Yes.) Anyways, it's a gorgeous little village. Here's a shot of the ford

(image from geograph.org.uk) This is the ford. You can either drive through it or use the bridge.

Mick and I both had lamb and tomato soup and Eton Mess in The Plough. Eton Mess! I haven't told you about Eton Mess! More history lessons! It's a really good dessert made up of cream, meringue bits and strawberries. The story goes that there was some big to-do at Eton, which is a very prestigious boy's college (ages 13-18) and the person who was carrying the dessert (which probably looked something like this):

image from bbcgoodfood.com

Well, they dropped it. And they had no choice but to scoop it up and serve it anyway, so it ended up looking like this:

image also from bbcgoodfood.com

So, now they just make the messy version anyway. Viola! Eton Mess. I had it last summer for the first time and loved it.

Right, so. Back to the story....
Mick's dad dropped us back at the house. We had been directed by Mick's mom to be very quiet when we entered because both she and Mick's step-dad would be sleeping. It was about 11:00. We got in, flipped on a light switch and blew a fuse. We had no flashlight, so we used the light from the screen of my phone to search for the fuse box. Mick seemed fairly sure that it was in the cupboard under the stairs (yes! It's so Harry Potter!) and sure enough there was a metal box. We both tried to pry it open but realized you needed a screwdriver to open it. I thought that was kind of stupid, and I should have listened to myself when I thought "that really makes no sense. If you blow a fuse, and you're in the dark, you shouldn't have to search for a screwdriver..." So I unscrewed the panel and as soon as I did an annoying ring came from the house alarm. Mick looked in the box and began to curse. We'd opened the alarm control box which was just filled with wires. When we went back into the hallway and saw the alarm display, it said "tamper" and continued to let out one, long, never-ending beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. We decided we'd have to go out into the garage and search for the fuse box there. So, armed only with determination and the illumination from my phone, we found it and Mick flipped the switch and all was well. And thankfully closing the bedroom door drowned out the sound of said beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep because we didn't know how to stop it and didn't want to wake his mum or step-dad to do it for us. When we woke up this morning it was taken care of by his step-dad. And we didn't wake anyone up. Phew.
This morning we came back to Bognor with Mick's mum before she went to work. Early. We left the house at 6am and got here at about 8am. I took a nap and watched some television, then we went down to Tesco to get some stuff for dinner and lunch. We came back and ate and I worked on unpacking one of my suitcases, but I can't really finish until Mick clears some space for my underwear and jeans and stuff for me in his room (GIANT HINT, BABE!). I've got wardrobe space in the guestroom to hang stuff but no drawer space.

Anyway, it's nice to be back in Bognor. It's a boring town, but the weather is much nicer since it's on the sea.
Just to let you know, I'm doing more research for the second volume of Out of the Mouths of Brits. Hope to have that up for you in a couple days. Take care, everyone :)

Out of the Mouths of Brits, Volume I

Something that has fascinated me since I first set foot on British soil are the differences in American-English and English-English. There are all sorts of different words for words I'm used to, and different names for things. So, I thought I'd start keeping track of some of these and share them with you. I'll be doing a few of these from time to time, especially whenever I hear something that makes me laugh. And oh, do the Brits make me laugh. Here goes.

image from randomrockers.wikia.com

Chips/French Fries
First off, we call these french fries. The Brits call them chips. It makes total sense, really. Especially when Mick explains it to me. Not all 'fries' are fried. Plenty of them are baked, and we don't call them 'bakes,' now, do we? Alright, I can get on board with that. 'Chips' it is then.

image from allthingsjennifer.wordpress.com

Chips/Crisps
Next, we call these 'chips' but here they are 'crisps' which I can also get behind because, yes, they're crispy. But this is only for potato based 'crisps.' If they're made from corn (like Doritos or Tostitos) they're nachos. Even if there's no cheese on them. That one I can't get behind, it should be corn crisp. Or something. 

Pudding
Also, to us Americans, pudding is something very particular. A thick almost saucy substance made from a Jell-O box. Here, 'pudding' is what they usually call 'dessert.' The word dessert of course exists and is commonly used, but so is pudding.

Blatant: Used for what we would call "obviously." For instance, in America if we saw someone who was, say, very tan. You would say to your friend
"Looks like someone hits the tanning bed."
"Obviously."
Here, the reply would be "blatantly." This has taken me a while to get used to. Mick says it all the time and at first I didn't like it but sure enough, I'm saying it now :/ I tend to pick things up that other people say around me really easily.

Have a Butcher's:
Commonly said for "have a look." Now, this goes deeper than just the differences between American and English. In England there's something known as rhyming slang. Mick (with the help of the classic TV series Only Fools and Horses) has taught me a bit of this. Rhyming Slang began in London when crooks would talk to one another. It was a sort of code language so that nobody (police) would know what bad things they were up to. This is all a Cockney thing. Now, what's a Cockney? A Cockney is someone born within the sound of Bow Bells. (St Mary-le-Bow Church in Cheapside, London). It's a specific area of London. So, "Butcher's hook" rhymes with "look" so to "have a butcher" means to "have a look." There are loads of other things, it's like an entire language. Here are a few more:
Loaf of bread: Head (Mick's dad would always tell him as a kid to "use his loaf" ie. "use his head")
North and south: Mouth
Mince pies: eyes
Barnet fair: hair
Apples and pears: stairs
New Delhi: stomach (belly)
Pork pies: lies
The list goes on and on, like I said, it's like an entire language. You can learn more about it here.

Cheeky: Smart ass

Dodgy: Not to be trusted, shady

You alright/alright?
This one always threw me off at first. Commonly, in America, someone only asks you if you're alright if you seem upset, look down, are moody, etc. Every time Mick and I would talk, going back years, he'd ask "you alright?" or "alright?" And I'd be all alert and ask "yeah why? What do you mean?" And he'd just shrug it off. After a little while he explained to me it was nothing more than asking something like "how's it going?" This one's very, very common.

Gutted: Really upset, crushed. Also very common.

Knackered: Really tired, exhausted.


Pants: Underwear. This caused a lot of confusion the first time Mick's mom asked if I needed any laundry done.

Right: Really or very. For instance "I'm right hungry."

Ring: Call. So you don't "call" someone on the phone. You "ring" them.

Row: (rhymes with cow) argument. "We had a row."


Bits and bobs: Odds and ends, this and that, etc

Sack: to get fired from your job.

Cushty: when everything is great, comfortable. As far as I know, this comes from Only Fools and Horses, which I've mentioned before. It's like the cornerstone of British television.

Smart: If someone is dressed nice but not really formal, they look smart. "Wear some smart trousers" etc.


Sorted: Fixed or solved. Often when Mick and I trying to figure something out (how we'll get somewhere, when we'll go somewhere, how we'll pay for something) and we decide he'll say "sorted." Not "good it's sorted." Just "sorted."

Tosser/wanker: Used when you want to insult someone and call them a jerk. Also has a more yucky sexual meaning, but mostly used for jerk.

Having a go: If you're "having a go" at someone it means you're laying into them, lecturing them, tearing them a new one, etc.

Proper: Slang again for really or very. For instance "oh that's proper messed up!" would mean "that's really messed up!" This one is used a TON!


Bollocks: Ok, this one technically means balls, like testicles, but it has many uses. You could say you were "kicked in the bollocks" or you can just use it as an expletive. For example "oh bollocks, I can't find my keys!" This one is one of my favorites, though I tend to just say "balls." It's a fun word and it makes me giggle. You can also say "that's a load of bollocks" if you think someone is BSing you. It's a good all around word.


Zed: Ohhh, this one confused me for a while! If you're talking about the alphabet, "zed" is how Brits say the letter "z." So, if you had someone spell out a word for you, like zebra, they wouldn't say "z-e-b-r-a" like we would in America. They'd say "zed-e-b-r-a." Stupid if you ask me. But whatever.

Okay, that's all of that for now. I'm sure I'll be coming up with more as I learn more. There are also products with funny names, which I wanted to include but I've gone and forgotten them. I thought it would be a good idea to post these, because at some point I'm sure I'll start to actually use these words as part of my everyday vocabulary and it will be good for you to be able to use this post as a reference. I've already started thinking with a British accent, though not talking with one. I guess it's because that's all I hear now. It's strange and a bit confusing because the voice in my head no longer really sounds like myself and when I think something before I say it, I feel like it comes out wrong because there's no accent when I say it! Weird!

Not much is going on the past couple days. I went with Laura (my to be sister in law) and her boyfriend Russ into Maidstone today while Mick stayed at home and did some work. We had a quick lunch then Russ went off to try and find Laura a birthday gift. Laura and I wandered around a department store looking dress ideas. I need something cute to wear for the Registry Wedding next month. We didn't find anything, just looking for some ideas. I want to wait until closer to the wedding because I think I might be able to drop a few pounds between now an then as it's so muggy and we walk everywhere so I'm sweating something fierce. Also, my appetite isn't what it used to be so I'm not eating quite so much. Yay! Time to get some of that new relationship weight off! Then Russ needed some help picking out a gift so he came and took me away. So we left Laura on her own for a few minutes and picked a couple things out. I'm glad Mick has a sister. Especially a nice one. It's a built in friend for me. It's really scary, you know, moving to a new place and leaving your friends and family. I'm just glad Mick has such a cool one (family) to share with me.

Tomorrow should be fun, we're going to the zoo and out to dinner for Laura's birthday. My first English zoo! I'll take pictures and hopefully it won't be so stinking yucky out. The weather itself isn't so hot, but it's reallllly humid, so I'm a bit unhappy. Today it's only about 80F but the humidity is really high, nearly 50%. It's supposed to rain soon, though, so that will help. Thank goodness!

By the way, here's a picture of the Archbishop's Palace in Maidstone on the river. This is where we'll be getting married next month!

image from wikireadia.org.uk

Okay. That's all for now. My laptop is getting hot in my lap and making me even hotter.

Shop til you drop!

Just a short update... too tired to say much today!
We went shopping today at Bluewater, one of the UK's biggest malls. When it was built in 1997, it was the biggest mall in all of Europe, but apparently the mainland got it's butt in gear and built some bigger ones. (I'll be giving you little lessons on England and its history from time to time!) Today Mick's mum told me that it's built in the bottom of a quarry. And sure enough when I looked around as we left the mall, there are sheer cliffs surrounding the mall to prove her point correct. I've been here a few times on my various visits to England, and always end up leaving exhausted and satisfied. I can't wait until my mom and sister come to visit, because they will LOVE this place. It's a gorgeous mall. I picked up a few necessities like body wash and shampoo, and Mick and I got gifts for his sister's birthday.

Bluewater (from wikipedia.org)

 

Interior of the mall (from tonbridgesearch.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 While at the mall we got a sim card for my phone so that I can have a UK number and access to internet/email on my phone like I do at home, 300 minutes, and 3,000 texts a month. This is only going to cost me ₤10, which is about $15 a month. To my fellow Americans- we get SCREWED in the states when it comes to mobile phones. I suggest you all revolt.
We spent last night in Wrotham, where Mick's dad lives and visited with that part of the family. Wrotham is an adorable little village in Kent where you can still get your milk delivered to your doorstep in glass bottles by a milkman who drives the truck and everything! The first time I saw this I about had a quaint little heart attack of cuteness on the pavement (sidewalk).

Here's a shot of Wrotham (from geograph.org.uk). Excuse the scaffolding- old buildings means lots of upkeep, which means lots of scaffolding in England!

Sleeping patterns are still out of whack. Our first night here, Mick and I slept nearly 12 hours. Then last night we couldn't fall asleep until past 3am and had to get up at 9:30am, but I was awake around 8:30 and I'm still awake and it's 11:20pm! I hope things will get normal soon!

Also- just to keep you in the loop, we will be starting to plan the wedding very soon. I have to live in the UK for 9 days before we can give our Intent to Marry at the registry office. Apparently this comes from an old tradition called Banns of Marriage. Another history lesson! Basically, they post your names in the office (back in the day I assume it was the town hall or something) for a little over two weeks. This way, people see it as they come and go and if, by chance, you shouldn't get married because you're related, already married, sworn to celibacy (that one made me laugh!) etc, passersby who know this information can inform the right people and the marriage will be prevented. So, after our Intent is registered, we have to wait 16 days then we can get married. Next week we will register our Intent, wait the given period, and find a date when we can do all this. This will just be the little legal wedding, and next spring we'll do the big to-do.
I got to talk to my dad tonight- haven't spoken to anyone back home since I arrived because I've been too tired or busy. My mom was out (boo!) but I got to catch up with dad. I miss everyone lots. I'm okay during the day when I'm busy and surrounded by people, but at night when I get in bed and have the quiet surrounding me I start to get kind of worried and sad and miss everyone. Needless to say, I'm not too fond of nighttime for this reason. 
Okay, that's all for now, I'm beyond tired and need a bath. Hopefully I'll be doing some exciting things this coming week and will have some good posts for you!
This was supposed to be a short post!

A Year of Change

Woot! We made it to England in one piece! The weather is beautiful and calls for a nice hoody. The sun and clouds have been fighting over the sky all day, but it's perfect, in my opinion!

Yesterday (Wednesday? It's weird, because I should have had two nights of sleep since then but I've only had one!) my parents dropped us off at LAX. I did very good and only got a little teary saying goodbye to them. It was still very hard, but I know I will see them again before too terribly long. The lady at the baggage counter set us up so I didn't have to pay extortionate fees for my many oversize suit cases. In the end, I only had to pay $100 for my three large bags that I checked. I carried a small roller suitcase and my laptop bag on the plane with me. It was a long flight, but thankfully Mick and I were able to get our tickets changed so that we were next to each other. We weren't able to see the seating chart before we purchased our tickets so we didn't know that there were only about 3 seats left on the plane and they were scattered all over. We were in the middle two seats of the center row, so we were squished, but together. I was pretty content because I got to watch about 5 hours of Glee.
After about 11 hours, we finally landed at Heathrow, walked about halfway across the airport, and got into separate lines for Passport Control. EU Passport holders, go this way, and non-EU passport holders, go that way! Mick went to the EU (European Union) line and I went the other way. He got through faster than I did and caught all our luggage at the carousel. I was really nervous waiting in line because I didn't know if they were going to interrogate me when they saw my marriage visa. But the guy who stamped my passport was really cool, just made sure than I knew I had to do more visa requirements after the wedding, which I already know about. I had my thumb print scanned and met Mick at the carousel. We were met by his mum and his step dad. His step dad had to run to work, so he grabbed a few suitcases and went on his way since not all the luggage would fit into one car. Then his mum helped us to the car with the rest of the stuff. We picked up ready meals and headed back to the house. I felt awful. When we had been walking through the airport I felt nauseous from lack of sleep. I felt like I wouldn't last five minutes without falling asleep. I hadn't slept at all on the plane and was paying for it!
But, after a bath and a sandwich, Mick and I both started to feel better. I dosed a bit on the couch throughout the afternoon, then we had our dinner and tried to stay awake until the sun went down, but since its summer, that means it doesn't go to bed until after 10pm! We finally went up at about 10:30 and it was still a bit twilight-y out. We slept hard and didn't wake until nearly 11am.

When I woke up this morning, Mick mumbled a sweet "happy anniversary" in my ear. I smiled and remembered it was our one year anniversary. A year ago, on this day, Mick picked me up at Heathrow Airport and we spent that magical month together. The past year has held a lot of ups and downs for our relationship, but more recently it has held a lot of ups. We're, of course, engaged, finally in the same place for good, and feeling very content with where we are. We didn't really do any celebrating today, because we were in charge of taking the dog out for a bit and we are leaving tonight (more travel, boo!). We did grab a quick lunch out, but that was about it. We will probably go down to the pub with his sister (Laura) tonight and grab a drink, as well. But we plan to celebrate for real next week once things have calmed down a bit.
Happy anniversary, babe. I love you more than ever and can't wait to be your wife soon! I'm so looking forward to building a home and family with you in the years to come.

Us almost exactly a year ago! (funny, he's wearing that same shirt today!)

Hope you guys all have a great weekend! We are heading to Kent this evening until the middle of next week to celebrate Mick's sister's birthday and see more of his family. I'll try to post while we are there and I promise to start taking pictures!

My Last Day

It's weird to say it- this is my last night living in America. To be honest, it still hasn't sunk in. Tomorrow my dad is taking me and Mick to the airport at noon. Mom is going to stay here because there won't be enough room for all of us and the luggage in the car.
It's been a surreal day. A nice day, but still very surreal. I can't get over how normal everything seems. This is the biggest thing I've ever done in my life, the biggest thing I'll probably ever do. I keep expecting to feel something huge. All I feel is a bit of excitement tingled in with some sadness. It just doesn't seem...real. It seems like I'm leaving for England, but just for another trip. Not a move. Oh well, I guess it'll hit me soon enough.

Here is how I spent my last day in the good ole' US of A.
8:40am- Wake up and have breakfast in the living room while my mom, dad, niece, Mick, brother in law and I all hang out.
9:00am- decide to take a shower. Check my text messages and see that my best friend has asked me to come see her while she babysits so we can spend a bit of time together. Reply, yes. Shower, dry hair, do make up, throw in some laundry.
11:00am- Head up the highway with Mick to visit my friend. The kid is sleeping when we get there so we hang out and talk.
11:30am- Mick and I go to Subway and get lunch for the three of us, take it back to the house, talk and eat with Tabatha while the kid plays around the house.
1:30pm- Head back to my sister's house. Mick and I have accumulated souvenirs from our road trip last week, so we needed to shift some things in suitcases and reorganize. We spend some time doing this, completely unpack and repack all my suitcases. A few minor adjustments to Mick's as well.
3:00pm- Cool down after all the packing. My niece wakes up from a long nap, we hang out with the dog on the couch.
3:30pm- My sister gets home from work and cleans up while I watch Friends with dad.
4:30pm- My mom, sister and I head out to see Bridesmaids.
7:00pm- We get out of the movie, grab some dinner to take back to the house.
8:00pm- Eat dinner. I hunt for travel insurance online while Mom, sister, Mick and niece play Candyland.
Now we're all just hanging out watching a movie. Dad is going to bed and the rest of us are just getting some last minute time out of the night.
I'll update once we've gotten to England.

Sunday Quotes and Engagement Party!

First off, Happy Father's Day to my wonderful, wonderful dad! I love you so much and I'm really glad we got to spend the day together before I leave for England!
We had a really nice day, starting with brunch at a deli. I had a real pang of sadness watching my niece sing her favorite song, The Ants Go Marching (which just so happens to be my favorite childhood song, too) at the table. I teared up pretty bad and Mick and my brother noticed. I, gracious as always, shoved my face in my napkin and tried to regain composure. It was just so adorable and pure the way she was singing and it hit me how much I'm going to miss her. Then we came back to my sister's house and played Apples to Apples and hung out around the house. My brother and his wife left to go back to San Diego. Saying goodbye to my brother was really hard. All in all, it was a sad morning and Mick was constantly checking on me, attentive like he always is. I finally had to tell him I wasn't going to break so he could relax. I perked up a great deal when we went to the park to meet more family and friends and had a potluck. We sat in the sun, ate leftovers from the party last night, played football (our kind) and football (Mick's kind). It took Mick a while to get the hang of catching a football (our kind) because he's never done it before, but he did alright with throwing it. We hugged everybody goodbye and came back to my sister's again. She, my brother in law, Mick and I all got in the hot tub and cooked thoroughly.
That was our lovely Father's Day :)
Going with the trend of Father's Day, today's Sunday quotes are dedicated to my dad.

"There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself."
~John Gregory Brown

"He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it."
~Clarence Budington Kelland

Yesterday was the engagement party! My mom and sister went way out of their way to give me and Mick a special night! Enjoy some pictures :)

The Less Glamorous Half

I want to be really honest on this blog. And so that means I have to tell you the other side of how things are going right now. I'm really excited to move to England, but there have been some tears. I think of how beautiful England is, how much I love the weather and history and Mick's family, and I feel really good. But then I remember there are going to be days when that probably won't be quite enough. There will be days when I want to go shopping with my mom and sister, see a movie with my dad, have a drink with my brother, play a board game with my niece and brother in law, or have sushi with my best friend. There are going to be days when all I want is a dose of familiarity, a place I've known my whole life where I can go and have some "me time" and it just won't be possible.
There will be days when a Skype call won't be enough, and I will hang up feeling sad and lonely for the people who raised me.
When I think of these days I know are coming, I can't help but cry.

My life is going to be a great adventure, but one that includes some sacrifices. I am so excited to meet the future, but of course I am sad and afraid at times. I try to think of all the amazing things I'm going to see and do, of the home Mick and I will make and the things and memories we will fill it with. I really try to focus on a lack of 100+ degree weather and lots of rain and green.
I just wanted to share with you guys that this is a big deal, and it's not just fun and exciting. There is another side to it, a side much less glamorous which requires me to say goodbye to my family for nearly a year at a time.

Now, onto happier things. Mick and I are heading to Los Angeles in a bit to see Canter's Deli (which he informs me is famous for its food and celebrity clientele. I'd never heard of it. Wait, who's the California native again?!), and then we're going to go see the Venice Boardwalk (cloudy and rainy today...) and possibly meet his friend for drinks later. Then tonight my parents arrive and tomorrow is the engagement party! Yay!

Days 3 and 4

Wednesday, June 15, 2011
We woke up when we felt like it, which seemed to fall around 9am. We had the gorgeous golden view of the Mandalay out of our windows and snuggled, happy to be in such an exciting place together. I decided we should check out the buffet for breakfast, because I've always heard how amazing they are in Vegas. We thought we'd just get breakfast at the MORE Buffet in the Luxor, but when we saw the prices, we changed our mind. Breakfast for one adult was $15 or you could pay $30 for an all day pass. Come as often as you want and eat as much as you want. Trying to be as thrifty as possible (I AM unemployed now, after all...) we opted for this. Mick enjoyed being able to get eggs and bacon AND sausage like you get back in England, not this crappy eggs and bacon OR sausage garbage we do here. He was not, however, happy with my photographing him during a meal. Here he is exclaiming "WHY?" as I snapped a picture.

Next, we drove over to Ceasar's Palace. Mick was adamant about spending some time here, because it's where the Wolf Pack stayed in The Hangover. He was very impressed by the shopping area and the fountains, and especially the fancy benches in the shopping area. Ignore the closed eyes, he hates having his picture taken.

 

 After Caesar's we walked across the strip to The Venetian, which is my favorite hotel on the strip. We wanted to go on one of the gondola rides, but the lines were long and we figured we'll just wait until we go to Italy and do a real one. We even visited Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.

Then we went back to the hotel, hit the buffet again for lunch and went back to the room to rest up a bit and shower. We decided to hit some of the hotel gift shops where we got keychains, hats, shirts, and I picked out a Cleopatra cartouche necklace which I'm very excited about. Then we crossed through Excalibur and went to New York New York where we played games in the arcade. It didn't take me long to find the one quarter game machine that was glitching and would spit out, literally, hundreds of tickets for even putting your money in the machine. We collected 2,000 tickets and got a light up LED sign that displays Route 66. We were stoked, but I couldn't help feeling like we were doing something wrong! After collecting our winnings, we trekked back to Luxor and put our things in our room and hit the buffet yet again. I wanted to drive up and down the strip to show Mick how cool it really is, and I wanted to show him the old end too, which I didn't want to walk because its a) too far and b) kinda seedy. We checked out the Paris, which is definitely a hotel I want to stay at next time we go to Vegas! Again, exhausted, we returned to the Luxor where I passed out earlier than I'd planned to.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Today didn't start off too nice. I woke up freaking out around 4am after a terrible dream in which Mick was deported for no reason, and they refused to let me into England. I woke up and reached for him, woke him up and told him about it. We fell back to sleep but I was really itchy all night and knew my hives were trying to come back. I could tell the night before when we were at Caesar's so I bought some Benadryl, which doesn't normally help. Anyways, even in half sleep I could tell I was breaking out. I woke up and headed to the bathroom for a shower and looked in the mirror. The entire left side of my face was swollen. I had half a fat lip and my eye was swollen about 1/3 shut. I immediately began freaking out and took off my pajamas only to find the worst hives I've had in the past few weeks. Everywhere. Hips, sides, chest, legs, back, butt. Mick called the front desk to see if anywhere in the hotel sold Zyrtec (the only thing that helps me) but no such luck. We drove down to CVS on the strip to buy a bottle for me. I took one and immediately the swelling went down and the hives went away. We had breakfast sandwiches in the deli at the hotel, packed our stuff up, and headed to my sister's in Southern California. The trip was long and sweaty because my air conditioning seems to be dying.

After a nice hot bath upon our arrival at my sister's, I began to feel a little better. 

And that was our sort of unofficial anniversary trip! It was a lot of fun, but I'm so happy to be in nicer weather!

Day 2

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Continuing the trend of oversleeping, Mick and I woke up at 8:45 when continental breakfast at the hotel ended at 9. We jumped up and threw on clothes and rushed down to the dining area. We threw down the traditional cold cereal, toast and yogurt down and went back to the room to get ready for the day. We packed up the car for Vegas, checked out of the hotel and decided to go to a really cool place in Williams called Bearizona. It's a small wild life Drive-Thru park where you can see all sorts of animals, including bison, wolves, big horn sheep and even bears! 

We had fun looking at all the animals, especially the bears. They were not at all interested in the cars, which was both fortunate and unfortunate. Could have made for some very interesting stories if they had tampered with the cars. Then we headed on over to the walking area where we got to see baby bears wrestling with each other and checked out the petting zoo. Mick possesses a strange power- he seems to be a magnet for animals and children. Children take a while to get over the shock of his hair, but they do warm up. Animals, on the other hand, immediately gravitate towards him, as was displayed by the goats at the petting zoo. It was actually pretty creepy. We'd pet the goats and walk away to look at another animal, then we'd turn around and they'd be standing there, waiting for us to pet them. They did like me as well, but apparently, Mick is where it's at. I want pet goats.

We hit the road and stopped in Williams for gas and lunch (I was frugal this trip and packed sandwich bits to prepare on the road). Then we headed up to Vegas. Mick wanted to see the Hoover Dam, but they've changed things since I was last there. You can no longer drive over the dam. You have to drive over a new, massive bridge, then exit the highway to get to it. We weren't interested in doing a tour or anything, Mick just wanted to see it so he could crack jokes like this. And, yes, as soon as we left he kept bragging that he was on the Beavis and Butthead Road Trip. Sigh. Anyways, we parked and hiked up a little hill where you can access the pedestrian part of the new bridge and saw the dam.
Mick also posed for a snapshot in recognition of the third US state he has visited.
Time to finish the last home stretch.... we made it to Vegas! We stayed at the Luxor, which was right up my alley, since I'm obsessed with anything to do with Egypt. And, apart from the terrifyingly rickety and wobbly elevators, we can't find anything to complain about for the entire stay. Our room was nice and had a great view of the Mandalay. We cleaned up and got ready for dinner. I had wanted to take Mick to the Mandalay so we could eat at a really cool restaurant called The Rum Jungle, but it apparently closed. So we ate at Shanghai Lilly's and feasted on ridiculously priced rice and noodles. After that we pretty much just wandered up and down the strip, checking out the M&M store and the Bellagio fountains. I had decided to wear a pair of really cute gladiatorish sandals that weren't exactly uncomfortable... they just didn't offer any support. So, with feet on fire, we hopped on a bus and went back to the Luxor.

Unofficial Anniversary Trip, Day 1

Monday, June 13, 2011
Sunday night I had set my alarm for 6am. Mick and I wanted to start our long drive up to Northern Arizona early and leave by 7am. I woke up, fuzzy headed and confused Monday morning and looked at my phone. 7:06am! WTF? I scrambled out of bed and ran downstairs to wake Mick up. We got ready and threw all our stuff in the car. All my worldly possessions crammed into my car. We finally made it onto the road at about 8:30am and began the lonnngggg trip up north.
The curvy roads that led us up to Prescott proved to be problematic, as Mick is afraid of heights and I tend to get motion sickness. I managed to get us there safely, though, feeling the entire time like I needed to grab hold of something to stabilize myself. We stopped in Prescott for cold drinks and ice cream and to use the potty. We headed out of town and got onto the 89 which turned out to be a disaster. We ended up getting stuck in, not exactly traffic, and not exactly construction. But whatever it was, we were stuck in the road waiting for something behind a huge line of cars and an even huger line behind us. People were getting out of their cars and trying to see up the road, but nobody could figure anything out. Finally, and without explanation, traffic began moving again.
We finally made it up to the Grand Canyon at about 4pm. Mick began bouncing and making really annoying sounds in his seat due to over-excitement. We parked at a look out point and made the little trek up to the rim. Mick was very impressed! We looked at a few different look-out points and visited the gift shop and picked gifts out for people. Then we had dinner at one of the lodges before heading back down to Williams and checking into our hotel. It had been a really long day and I slept great!

Just a quick note...

Hey everyone, just wanted to let you all know Mick and I are having a great time in Las Vegas! It sure is hot, but so much fun! Once I get to my sister's house I'll give you a nice long update about the Grand Canyon and here, with lots of photos. But for now I'll leave you with just one!

 

 

 

In front of the Bellagio Fountains

Now we're off to do more exploring. And sweating... boo!

Sunday Quotes

I'm going to start a new routine for Sundays on my blog. I think I'll start posting some of my favorite quotes. I definitely have a thing for quotes. Sometimes when I'm down, I'll find a book or a website that lists them and just click on random topics. I like seeing things from the minds of other people, especially the brilliant minds of the past century.
So, here's the first quote.

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."
-Douglas Adams



Interesting, isn't it? This quote really makes me think, especially when you consider my current situation. If I  walked up to Little Aindrea eighteen years ago, knelt down in front of her, looked into those big brown eyes and said "you're going to meet a boy from a place called England. You're going to fall in love with him, move away with him and marry him and live happily ever after," I'd have looked at myself like I was crazy. I would have said "what are you talking about? I'm going to become marine biologist and swim with killer whales and never leave my mommy's side. I'm going to live in California, always close to my brother and sister and grandparents."
Ohhh, little did I know! I eventually learned that being a marine biologist would require me to scuba dive at least once in my life, and being a bit of a thalassophobic (someone who fears the ocean), this would prove to be difficult. Also, I didn't stay in California. I moved to Arizona with my mom and dad, leaving the rest of my family behind.
But I really do believe that everything happens for a reason. Now, when I don't get my way and I'm sulking about that and people tell me "oh it all happens for a reason," I'm bound to scoff at that. But in the end, years later, I will admit that it was probably true.
So for some reason it has all happened. Planets aligned, and here I am. Not where I intended to be in the beginning, but where I'm meant to be. Moving onwards and upwards. Meeting my destiny face on.

***                                     

It is my last night in my parents house, and yet it is so typical of any other day. My mom taking a nap on the couch, and my dad is watching television in his recliner. Mick sits next to me working on his website and playing games on his phone. It is another day, not unusual in anyway, and yet it is a milestone. So strange, and so typical at the same time. Tonight will be my last night sleeping in the bed I've had since I was eleven years old.
Goodbye, Yuma. It's been real.

Angry Birds, live

Mick and I are sitting here, side-by-side on the couch looking at our laptops. I glance over and see Mick looking at this:





How awesome is this? Now I need to plot a way to get to Barcelona, like, yesterday!
Just wanted to share this, real update later today :) Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone!

Stay at home... fiancee?

And now, for something completely different, unemployment! Not sure how I'll handle this, as I've been working pretty much steadily since I was 17. Everybody keeps asking me if I will teach in England, and my answer is no, not right away. I want to spend about a year just getting used to the culture and learning my way around before I throw myself into a room of children with lingo completely different from the lingo I'm familiar with. That would just be professional suicide. So, I think I'll get a job waiting tables once I'm able to start working after Mick and I are married, then, next year, we'll see.
Promotion was good yesterday. The girls looked like they were going to prom and some of the boys even wore suits. They all looked so cute and cried like they'd never see each other again. Some of my students asked to have their picture taken with me and said they'd miss me, which was very sweet.
At the staff luncheon my Language Arts partner spoke some words about me that made me want to cry and the school gave me a nice set of desert greeting cards with really pretty pictures so I don't forget where I come from. I packed the last bit of stuff in my car, turned in my keys and ended my two years at Centennial. I learned a lot at that place.
Yesterday afternoon was a whirlwind of cleaning and packing- I just have to finish this load of laundry and decide what I want to take of that, clean out my desk and throw away the last bit of trash and I'm done. Thank goodness! I never want to move ever again!
My brother and his wife got into town last night. My sister in law brought cupcakes, I had a strawberry milkshake one and it was fantastic. We didn't do much last night, just sat around and talked and I crashed probably at 9:30. Not sure what's on the agenda today, except for some time in the pool, finishing up my room, and probably lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings.
Hope everyone has a great start to summer vacation!

Another year gone...

This has been a really tough year as a teacher. Even though I taught last year, it was a small intervention classroom and this year I taught full blown 8th grade Language Arts, so really it was like my first year all over again.
I cannot count the amount of times I felt like banging my head against the wall, throwing students out of my class, pulling my hair, crying, kicking inanimate objects, and just plain giving up. I felt, so often, that because of how rowdy my kids were, that I wasn't making a difference. Any students who wanted to learn were not getting the best teaching out of me because I was so busy setting up roadblocks and wishing for a stun gun in order to perform damage control with the rest of the class. For the past few weeks, I've been feeling a mixture of excitement and disappointment. Excited because, duh, it's the end of the year and disappointment because I'm just not happy with how the school year went. I didn't get to teach like I wanted to. But today I was proved wrong by one single student.
Remember, as a kid, you had that one teacher and you looked forward to that class all day? They made you laugh, and unlike the other teachers, they just seemed like a regular person? Well, teachers think that about certain students, too. I met the particular student I'm about to tell you about at the end of last year. I had to stand in for a 7th grade teacher one day when she had to run home to grab something. I started talking to this little girl and learned all about how much she loves to dance. I remember thinking "wow, I hope I have that girl in my class next year." And sure enough, I did. This girl was that student I looked forward to seeing every day. I wouldn't say she was my favorite because, first of all, teachers aren't supposed to have favorites and two, I had lots of favorites! But this girl and I just "got" each other. I enjoyed having her in my class every single day and looked forward to her bright smile. I attended two of her dance recitals this year and hope to attend the last one I'll ever get to see tomorrow night.
Earlier this week, I wrote my email address on my whiteboard for any students who wanted to keep it and stay in touch with me. The majority of them are very excited for me to move to England and want to hear all about my wedding and what it's like to live in England. Today, as I left the front office, this girl came up to me with tears in her eyes and gave me a hug. She asked me to sign her yearbook and I made her promise she would email me. On my drive home I thought about how much I really hoped she did, because I want to hear all about her future as a dancer.
When I got home, I noticed I had an email from an unfamiliar address.

Hey Miss Muldoon,
I know tomorrow is going to be a crazy, exciting and sad day but I was never able to tell you how much I enjoyed being in your class learning from you. You were the best teacher this year and I will never forget you naming my hairdo :) Keep in touch with me when you're in England and I want to see pictures too.
Love you always,
*name*

All that crap I dealt with this year? Totally worth it after reading that email. If I made a difference to one child, I'm happy.

Ten Reasons I'm Stoked to Move to England

Bognor Regis Beach, West Sussex, England

Yesterday I wrote about what I'll miss in the Southwest. I also promised in that post that I'd write about what I'm looking forward to about living in England. So here goes.

1. Living by the beach. We won't always live on the coast, but Mick's home is currently in a seaside town on the very Southern tip of England. Last summer, I loved waking up to the open window and hearing the gulls crying as they drifted over the back yard. And even though the water is cold in the summer and the beach is rocky, it's still nice to know it's there. And the paths that run parallel to the shore make a great place to jog, which I'm going to force myself to do a LOT of!

2. History. For those of you who know me, you won't be surprised when I admit to you that I'm a bit of a nerd. I love history, and so I'm really excited to live in a place where so many historically significant things happened and historically significant people lived. Henry VIII's reformation of the church, the magna carta, the Inquisition, Bloody Mary, Elizabeth I, Shakespeare, countless battles-- the list goes on and on. All this fascinating stuff, and I get to live there.

A darling cottage in Wrotham, Kent, England

3. Architecture. I have lived my whole live on the West Coast (or near to it) and one thing this half of the country sorely lacks is architecture. Everything is built so quickly and thrown up so fast just to produce another neighborhood for all the yuppies that builders really leave out one thing vital to my soul's happiness- character. I love buildings with scallops and quirky windows, wood paneling, painted doors, thatched roofs, antique fixtures, secret passageways, stone work, bricks, exposed beams, archways, flying buttresses and so on. Everywhere you look in England, you see these things.

4. Rain. Oh my flippin' heck! RAIN! I grew up on the coast of California and while it doesn't rain ridiculous amounts, you get a fair bit. The town I grew up in had an annual average of 13 inches, and where I'm moving has an average of 28 inches. Where I live now? Yeah, annual average of 2.94 inches! I love rain. I love the taste, smell, the feel. The way it looks on the road and the sound of tires splashing through it. Nothing makes me happier than waking up to a cloudy and drippy sky. I am sick and tired of being in a place that is dry as a bone.

Arundel, West Sussex, England

5. What does all that rain result in? Green! I cannot wait to look out my window every morning and see verdant green. Trees, hills, grass. And for those of you who have never seen it, it's really hard to describe. England Green is a different green. There's California Green, which is really kind of a drab green. England Green is bright and almost sparkles for you. This photo isn't really the best example for how green it can get, but I love the photo anyway.

6. Kind of sticking with the weather trend I've set up here, I'm really happy to be moving somewhere that's not over 100F over 100 days a year. I've done my sweat time in the desert, and I'm ready to be finished. Thank you, moving on!

Photo from geograph.org.uk

7. Pubs. I. Love. Pubs. So many of my favorite moments in England have taken place in the pub setting. Great meals (even though Brits claim pub food is awful, I love it) and conversation and a homey, rustic setting. Some of my favorite moments include drinking a pint of Hobgoblin Ale in the Hobgoblin Pub in Canterbury. Also, after a long, misty trek in December through Hampstead Heath which left my hair fully wet (and not because I was sweating!), crawling and puffing up to a pub called The Spaniard where I gorged myself on Cottage Pie. My soon-to-be sister-in-law's birthday where she and I downed nearly two bottles of wine in The Bull Pub in Wrotham, Kent... which made for a very interesting and wobbly walk up the hill home. The Lobster Pot pub on the Isle of Wight, where we sat and had lunch while football fans screamed at the television when Germany stole the game from England in the World Cup last summer. The Moat, in Wrotham Heath, where Mick's mum bought me a Pimm's Cup which left me feeling very giggly and overly affectionate. I plan to clock many, many hours in pubs. Also, the names are just hilarious!

Photo from used-buses.net

8. Public transportation. I really love the fact that you can still have a life in England even if you don't have a car. Bus stops are located on nearly every corner, and nearly every town has a train station. And because everything is so close together in England, you are always within walking distance of said train station. And if you're not? Hope on the aforementioned bus and it will take you to said train station. Rock on! 

9. All the awesome things to do. We will be living less than two hours from London, and hopefully in a few months only 40 minutes away, and hopefully within the year, in London. It really is an amazing city and you can't really be bored there. Amazing restaurants, gorgeous parks, interesting museums (which are all free, by the way), concerts, markets, castles, cathedrals. It will be really nice to live in a place where I don't have to drive 3 whole hours to be somewhere interesting.

10. Getting started. For the past year and a half, everything has been up in the air. I didn't know where I'd be living, if Mick and I would make it, where our life would start, or even when it would start. It is so comforting to know that in two weeks we will be getting our life to some pattern of normalcy, arranging our wedding and not worrying who will fly where next. I am so glad the past chapter is finally ending, even though it's had its perks.

Ten Things I'll Miss About the Southwest

I called home during my lunch break like I do every day to speak with Mick. He's still asleep when I leave for work, so it's always nice to hear his voice before I get home. "We're leaving for England in fifteen days!" he told me. Whaaat? So, with time quickly running out, I decided to make a list of ten things I will miss about living in the Southwest.

Photo from http://www.hoalian.com

1. Mexican food.   I am never more than a mile away from an amazing taco stand or restaurant where I can get amazing food. Fish tacos, bean burritos, tortas, tacos, enchiladas, tamales, chimichangas, carne asada, ceviche, so many amazing flavors and spices. The other day my future sister in law posted on her facebook status "just ate my first burrito!" Are you kidding me right now?
2. Big cars. Big cars do exist in England, but it's not very practical when you consider how itty-bitty most of the roads are, apart from the major motorways. I like having a car big enough to move small furniture, and I don't have to worry about having enough space for people's luggage if I pick them up from the airport, etc.

Photo from http://www.minkler-photo-gallery.com

3. Mountains. While England is a very hilly country, there aren't a whole lot of craggy mountains. And when you do find them, they don't go more than about 2,000 ft. I have always loved driving in the mountains and just looking out my window and seeing them. 
4. The color brown. A lot of people probably think that's a boring color, but it really isn't. It's a warm, welcoming color. The sand, the mountains, the dunes, the brush. I love green, but I will miss brown.
5. The beach. Okay, you're probably thinking "but England is an island! Its entire circumference is a beach!" True, but it's not the same as the beaches of California. They're mostly rocky, windy, and cold most of the year. And even though I'm not exactly a beach bunny, I will miss the option of soft sand, salty lips and feet covered in tar.

Photo from http://www.ca-blog.com

6. The sky. I haven't really noticed it, but when Mick first came to Arizona, he couldn't stop talking about how big the sky is. I guess because everything is so spread out and it's always so blue here? Maybe? I don't know. But there is an openness I feel here that I don't feel in England when I look up. I love grey, cottony skies, but there is something about that deep blue that will always stick with me.
7. Diversity. California is an amazing state because you can be anywhere if you drive three or four hours. The desert, the beach, redwood forests, lakes, valleys, mountains, hot springs, rivers, rolling hills or echoing canyons. It's all so close.
8. My family. Need I say more?
9. The sunsets. I have seen more breathtaking sunsets in the desert than I can possibly recall.

Photo from http://www.fuelyourphotography.com

10. Running into people I know. I have lived in this town for nearly 15 years, and it's not uncommon to run into two people or more on a night out. It's going to be strange and feel a bit isolated to never see anyone I know. I suppose it's kind of funny to think about, but I suppose it's the little things we take comfort in, right?

I'll be sure to post what I'm looking forward to about living in England either tonight or tomorrow.

The Itchy and Scratchy Shoooooow!

I'm not entirely sure what's going on here, but I'm breaking out in hives randomly. It started last Friday, I woke up with some bumps on my chest, but I just thought it was a spider bite. Living most of my life in Arizona, I'm used to that and it didn't really worry me. But then when I got to work that morning, the palm of my hand swelled up, turned red and got really itchy. So I took a Benadryl and I was fine.
Over the weekend, nothing was wrong. I had kind of forgotten about it. But today I woke up and was covered in welts and red blotches. My thighs, stomach, arms, chest. It itched really badly and was driving me crazy. I was able to make an appointment with my doctor midday so took the day off to take care of that. I went and the doctor said he just thinks it's an allergy and gave me the names of medications. The rash went down after an hour or so, and now it's starting to come back again. I am going crazy with itching. I just took another Benadryl so I'm hoping it all calms down. I need to go get that other medicine tonight. I'm wondering if it's from the stress of the huge transition I'm about to make... But according to medicinenet, stress cannot cause hives. Apparently it can just be caused by nothing sometimes. Cosmic...
Worked on my room most of the weekend. Closet is 99% done, under the bed is 50% done. Just need to do bathroom, bookshelf and under the window seat. It's been hard to do any work today because I'm about to jump out of my skin.

The weekend was great! I spent the day with my mom on Saturday, kind of a last Mother Daughter day.  We went to see Bridesmaids and laughed the entire way through. Then we had lunch at Mimi's and did a bit of shopping. I bought some fantastic shoes that I cannot wait to wear at the Engagement party. They are made by Antonio Melani. They're surprisingly comfortable. Brittany came over in the evening, had dinner with us and helped motivate me to work on my room. Sunday we had a lazy morning and then spent the afternoon with Brittany and some of her friends and their babies. We gorged ourselves on pizza and chatted away. Then we got some stuff I need for moving at Wal-Mart and headed back to the house. My absolute favorite part of the weekend, though, was when we got in the pool and played and splashed and had a grand old time. It's the first time we've used the pool since Mick has been here. We always have so much fun. I'm so excited that I'm marrying my best friend!
Time to relax a bit before bed. Hope you all had a nice, hive free start to your week!

Bits and bobs

This is getting ridiculous. I am leaving Yuma a week from this coming Monday. Not forever, but in the sense that I'm moving. Moving. And how much have I done to prepare for that. Hah. Not much, really. I did do a bit of work last night, but, as I said, ridiculous. I have no motivation to go through 14 years of Stuff. So much Stuff. And it doesn't help that when I get home, mentally psyched up to get in there and do some work, Mick's always like "oh I want to go do this and this and this." Duuuude. So I've recruited a very strict friend to come over tonight and force me to do it while Mick watches her child. I'm hoping to finish under my bed and the window seat. And that just leaves the dreaded closet for tomorrow. My room is a disaster, though. I've always hated that, you know? That in-between stage when you are honestly cleaning, but there are stacks of Keep, Trash, and Donate and big black garbage bags. And so it looks dirtier than when you started. But I'm not embarrassed to have people over, because I have a good excuse for my mess.
Moving on. I'm so glad it's the weekend. Work is quickly just becoming a fight for survival at this point. Trying to keep the kids from going completely bonkers is quite a task. Next week is full of activities, though- we're finally going to watch The Diary of Anne Frank, which we finished reading a few weeks ago. There's an 8th grade pool party and BBQ, and then promotion is on Friday, as well as an end of the year luncheon. Then my brother and his wife are coming for the weekend, and Mick and I leave for the Grand Canyon and Vegas the following Monday. So there's lots going on, and this is why I need to get my butt in gear with the packing thing!
Today is mother daughter day. I'm really feeling the time limitations when I think of how I want to spend time with people before I go. So mom and I are going to go see Bridesmaids and have lunch and do some shopping. It's really weird and it occurred to me last night. You always start getting closer/getting along with people better when one of you is leaving. I also noticed this when I was 10 and moved from California to Arizona. I made so many new friends in the few months before I left, which made it harder to leave. Lately, my mom has been making me really laugh, and I'm noticing things in my dad that I'm really going to miss. Even my sister, who is ten years older than me, and I are finding all sorts of things that we have in common. I'm trying not to let this make me sad, though. I'm trying to think of it as a good thing, something that will help us all stay close when I'm living far, far away. But everything family related is really getting to me. I was picking out a Father's Day card yesterday at Target and just about every one of them made me want to burst into tears.
It's also happening with friends. Last night I went out with Brittany and Jake and some friends of theirs. I haven't seen them in possibly months, and of course all our best memories and laughs resurfaced. So, yeah, I'm basically in a mad scramble to spend as much time with everyone as possible.

And that's where we are this weekend. Hope everyone is having a great start to summer activities!