The Art of Bustling

This was a good weekend. I didn't have too many items on the "to-do" list, nowhere to be early in the morning- and it was cold outside, which made it perfect weather for doing whatever is was that I wanted to do.

While I would like to be able to say that I spent most of my weekend curled up by a fire with a good book- that would be false. Instead I had other things to accomplish- such as watching the Baylor game, eating some Bush's chicken, and baking some banana bread. Oh yeah- and that other thing- learning how to bustle my old roomie's wedding dress.

Yep. I said it. Jenny- my former roommate and good friend from Baylor- is getting married in December. When did we grow up? When did we get old enough to have weddings- and jobs? I still wonder that. I wonder when the transition happened. In my head, I'm still this little girl- that still needs help with silly things- like remembering when to change my oil, and wondering how many clothes are too many to stuff in the washing machine. Weddings and jobs are for old people- for grownups- not for me.

And while in my head- I might still feel like this little girl- somewhere along the way- I must have grown up. Somehow- sometime. And in that process- I have grownup friends, who are now having very grownup weddings, grownup jobs, and grownup responsibilities. That being said, I found myself in a bridal store on Sunday, learning how to bustle Jenny's wedding dress.

It hit me sometime between the first step of the bustling process (tie the strings marked #1 together) and the third step (tie strings 2-10 together). We have come a long way from arguing about dates for "roomie Christmas"and hanging undergarments around the living room because someone left them in the dryer too long. Instead of wondering who our dates will be for semi-formal or how many people we should invite to "finals fondue", questions now revolve around jobs, brand-new nephews, and fiances. So while I'm just now dabbling in this new grown-up pond. And I'm still testing the waters, and making rookie mistakes- like maybe not knowing what the hell a bustle even is- I think I'm doing alright- and I'm ready to embark on many other new grown-up adventures- rookie mistakes and all.

*I would share the pics of the bustling experience, but I can't have nosey fiances looking for sneak peeks of the dress*

Christening the Kitchen

I can't cook. I'm no domestic goddess- nor do I claim to be. I sometimes wish I inherited the chef genes that run in the fam- but they didn't make it into my set of chromosomes. While I might not ever be able to whip up a five - or even three star dinner- I can bake a pretty mean cupcake.

That being said, after living in my new apartment for two months means that I was way past due to christen the kitchen. I pulled out my dusty trusty cookbooks and went on the hunt for a recipe I hadn't tried in awhile.

After I happened across my Zeta cookbook from several years ago, I settled on oreo balls. For the domestically challenged like myself- it only has three ingredients: oreos, cream cheese, and white chocolate bark. Yes please.

They were super simple to make- and so yummy if I do say so myself. A girl's gotta have her chocolate.

So while I didn't get all fancy and gourmet on you all- they definitely didn't look like this:

Just picture those, and subtract the fancy chocolate drizzle- and the perfectly even white chocolate coating...... and you have something that looks more like this:

But tastes equally as delish. Let's just put it this way- homegirl doesn't need no five star oreo balls to make her happy. An oreo ball- is an oreo ball- fancy chocolate drizzle or not....

I passed the cookbook along to a friend- once I get it back- I'll stick the recipe up here!

The Ebb and the Flow

I've been in a creative rut lately. The bad kind. The kind of rut where you want so badly for something intelligent or witty to flow from your fingertips- but.... I got nothing. I've found myself the past few weeks starting to write a post, but nothing good enough seemed to come to mind. So I would hit the delete button, and end back up at square one. Instead of forcing it, I just decided to give it a rest. And like a really good friend- that sometimes you need a break from- I put my laptop aside- knowing that when I was ready- it would be there.

So here I am- I'm back. I missed writing, but sometimes you need to just give it a rest- and you'll know when you're good and ready to come back. It's the ebb and the flow. Always present- and always faithful. It might ebb for awhile, but it'll be back. And when it does come back- it's better than ever.

That being said- this calm November is a great juxtaposition to my crazy October. The ebb and the flow. It is just what I needed to balance myself out a bit. I'm just now finding the time to finish unpacking those last few stubborn boxes from the move- and the finishing touches are being put on the new apartment. Pics to come once it's all finished. Now that I'm not out of town practically every weekend, I'm finding the time to settle into my new routine. This is a new sense of comfortable to me. And I like it.

Last weekend, a co-worker and I ran Race for the Cure. I'm not going to lie. I wasn't exactly thrilled about getting out of my bed any earlier than I needed to on a Sunday morning- but I'm glad I did. I don't personally know anyone that has been affected by breast cancer, but I sure have interviewed quite a few woman who have survived-or are still battling it. They inspire me.

After that, J-fred and I had a massage scheduled. It. Was. FABulous. And exactly what I had been needing. Work has been stressful lately. Tight deadlines, late nights, and some tough projects have been wearing on me. It would be a lie if I said otherwise. Don't get me wrong. I still love my job- but a girl has got to draw her sanity from somewhere. I found my sanity in a 45 minute massage in a dark room. It worked wonders. After that, a trip to the farmer's market, and a late lunch- made the perfect ending to my Sunday. The ebb and the flow.

Don't you wish you had one of these in your house?

Sorry it's a little blurry- NOT my best photo- but it was the light in the waiting room while we were waiting for our massages. I want one in my house.

And while I wish I had some really eloquent way to end this post- it's just going to have to wait until my creative juices slowly seep back. The oreo balls calling my name on the counter- also aren't helping the situation ;)

Hives and Homecoming

October is one of my favorite months for several reasons:

1. It's finally FALL
2. Baylor homecoming

This month has been crazier than normal- but I guess that is what makes it interesting. Since we have a lot to catch up on, and I finally found my camera cord- I'll share my October so far with some pictures.

The first weekend of October was a benefit concert for my work. It was at the Spider House- good company, good music- and most importantly- for a good cause. The money that was raised- was to provide micro loans for women in third world countries to start their own businesses. Ryan and I had fun, and I was glad that he finally got to meet some of my co-workers. 

The next weekend, Ryan and I went to the Baylor v. Tech game with his fam in Dallas. It was super fun- and I'm sad we lost. The game was at the Cotton Bowl- so we got free passes to the state fair, which was going on. It was SO hot that weekend- definitely wasn't prepared for that- since I wore jeans.... oh well- at least I got to try some fried nutter butters and a corny dog. There was some interesting people watching to be done. Sic 'em!

Last weekend was Jenny's bachelorette party/lingerie shower weekend. I'll have to blog separately about that soon- but it was a fun-filled weekend. It was SO nice to meet the other girls in the wedding party that I hadn't met before, annnd catch up with some good friends!!!!! I'll share a sneak preview:

So- by now you might be wondering about the title of this post... well... let me explain. I am a "like to know-er." I don't like to NOT know something. In fact, I might agonize over something until I find my answer. Which brings me to the hives. The Sunday after Jenny's bachelorette party, I noticed I had three red dots on my thigh. No big- I thought it was just a mosquito bite- after all- it's fall. In Texas. I didn't think twice about it. Until Monday. When I got into work- and little red dots started popping up on my arms. I was slightly freaked out- but what was I supposed to do? Leave work. Nope. Soo... I got home Monday afternoon- and took some Benadryl, because by then, they had started itching. I still only had them on my arms/hands/thighs. I had client meetings Tues-Thursday, so I had to prepare for those- no time to go to the doctor.

So Tuesday, as I'm sitting in the client meetings- I get really itchy- and I just don't feel well. I knew I had to go to the doctor. After work was over- I ran home, and Ryan and I went to Urgent Care... sure enough- I had hives. All over. And. They. Itched. Even worse- no one could tell me how I got them. Was it a reaction with my migraine meds and the Claritin? The unfiltered wine I drank over the weekend? Strange detergent? So, I was put on a strong dose of steroids and Benadryl. It was the worst itch I had ever felt in my life- so I'm glad to put that little incident behind me. But, I'm still pretty freaked out by the fact that I have no idea what caused them. Let's pray it never happens again.

So that brings me to this weekend: Baylor Homecoming 2010. I. Love. Homecoming. It brings back great memories spent at what I claim to be one of the be one of the best places on earth with some of the best people. It's a great weekend to catch up with old friends and make some new memories. It always goes by too fast- and I'm always exhausted at the end of it- but totally worth it. I'll be back year after year. Here are some of my favorite pics from the weekend:

 I found JPax at the bonfire.

 We had a little impromptu photo shoot in the campus visits golf cart...

 Visited my old room in Collins. Collins 235

 Took our annual pic in front of Pat Neff.

 Went to Zeta breakfast and caught up with PC '05. Love you girls!!!

 Made it to the ATO tailgate- where the Ryans found each other.

 Before the rain happened....

Our place of refuge while it poured... 

The best ending to the weekend: Baylor beat Kansas State to become BOWL ELIGIBLE. Sic 'em bears!!!!!!

It's Fall Ya'll

So I know I have taken quite the blogging hiatus over the past month- or maybe even two. But no worries, I'm back- and more ready to blog than ever. So as not to bore you with all the little details- I'll just give you a quick recap. Sorry for the lack of pics (my camera cord seems to have gone missing during the move).

Lately I...

1. Moved to my new "big girl" apartment, which I love, but now a month later- and I'm still trying to unpack. Thank God for boyfriends and drills. Pics to come.

2. Went for a weekend trip in Galveston for my 24th birthday. Pics to come. I'm officially old.

3. Have been freelancing for the magazine. I recently wrote a story on breast cancer survivors.

4. Started another bootcamp- this one is only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A co-worker and I go after work since it's right around the corner.

5. Have been working like crazy, but loving it. In between meetings, deadlines and calls, the past three months have been quite the learning experience. I really enjoy it- and I love our team- I am exactly where I should be right now.

On the "To-Do" List: 

1. Take some time to slow down and just enjoy life a little.

And I say that because I am guilty as charged. Too often we go running through life- always with the "next" thing in mind. We jump out of bed in the mornings, run to the coffee pot, desperately wait until the first sip of caffeine does its job, rush through a shower, frantically pull on a work appropriate outfit, and rush out of the door.

Then, we sit in traffic- checking our watches and anxiously tapping our steering wheel as we edge closer to the person in front of us- as if those few inches will get us there faster. When we finally arrive at work- we rush through the door with a few minutes to spare before the first meeting. Well... you get the picture. There is a whole lot of rushing around- until Sunday afternoon rolls around and you realize your entire weekend was spent checking things off of your social calendar- and that you have literally spent maybe 20 minutes to yourself just to be still.

We (and by "we," I mean "me") totally forget to pay attention and be thankful for the things that matter. We become grumpy and rundown. We forget that life- and the people in our lives- make it beautiful. We forget that the 75 degree weather we have been dreaming of all summer- is finally here- and that we should make it a point to take advantage of it on our new balcony. We forget that fall- our favorite season- has finally arrived- and that it's long past due to break out the fall decor. And most importantly, we forget to be thankful.

So now I'm taking time to remember to be thankful for- that first drop of coffee that I know will wake me up, for the smell of fall when I open my door to leave in the morning, for the briskness in the morning that holds all the promise of a nice 75 degree day, for the weekends that are filled with friends and fun- and surely even a few moments where we can squeeze in some relaxation.

And be thankful for these:

these:

And these:

Happy Fall- I'm glad to be back :)

This weekend...

I've been up to my eyeballs in packing paper, packing boxes and packing tape. Oh the joys of moving. I'm moving twice because my new apartment won't be ready until the end of August, and my lease here ends the 11th. So in the meantime, I'm moving in with the Webers! But that means I have to move twice. Thank God for movers :)

I've sifted my way through the past two years of stuff- and it has now all made its way to boxes. I still have a few more things to add, but tonight- I'm relaxing- and enjoying an episode of Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami and catching up on some blogging.

On another note, last week was my first full week of bootcamp. Elena and I signed up for a 3 week bootcamp, from 6-7 a.m., Monday-Friday for three weeks. I decided a few weeks ago that I needed a new way to refresh my workout routine. I'm not going to lie- I didn't think I'd be able to handle waking up at 5:30 to go workout... but I made it through the first week- and actually really enjoyed it. I don't think I've ever been so sore in my life though...

There was one day last week- where I thought I was going to die. Most of the instructors were pretty nice- but the one on Wednesday was out of control. We got to run hills for an hour- not my idea of fun at 6 a.m. We didn't just run the hill once- oh no- we ran the hill 4 times. I was to the point where I was literally having to lift my legs up the hill- oh man.

I'm looking forward to week two... and looking even MORE forward to a nice massage (already purchased) with J-Fred at the end of the three weeks.

Sorry this was so short- with no pics- a better update to come once this packing craziness ends!!!

The Road Not Taken

Okay- so maybe I stole the title of this post from Robert Frost. But these are words of wisdom, people. I'm not one for poetry- I find it difficult to weed through what the poets of the past are really trying to say. But I will admit- I do like the very last few lines of Mr. Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken."

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

I always marvel about how I ended up to where I am today. Not just location-wise, but my career, my education- and where life has taken me so far. It's funny how life is slowly carved and formed over time by the decisions we make, by the things we do- or maybe don't do, by the people we meet and the relationships we form. 

I think there is a lot to be said for following your heart. It denotes courage, strength and most of the time- a pretty good story. I think it's hilarious how I ended up smack dab in Austin, Texas. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would end up here. But I love it.

I guess I've been thinking about this a lot lately- because I feel so blessed. And I'm seeing some really cool things happen for the people around me. I haven't always made the most obvious- or even easy- decisions. My decisions are based on a lot of thought and prayer. I didn't want to move to Texas- but I knew it was where I needed to be... and it turned out better than I ever could have expected- because I trusted my heart.

I passed up another chance at Boston University (once for undergrad and once for grad school) for UT- and I couldn't have made a better choice. I could have moved to Boston and lived this fabulous East coast life- but would I have been happy? Would that have been a place that fed my soul? Probably not. It might have been glamorous for about... 4 months- until winter hit. And we all know how much I love the cold. Maybe other people would have snapped up that opportunity in a second- not me- I knew that UT would suit me just fine.

And the job- I prayed and prayed- that I was on the right track during my job search. And it turns out- I was. Funny how things happen. I kind of came to a fork in the road- and I took the way that I knew would feed my soul. And I couldn't be happier.

So there is a lot to say for taking responsibility for your decisions. For thinking them through, for evaluating what will truly make you happy. Oh... and a few prayers don't help either. Everything happens for a reason.

This all being said- I'm going to a "good-bye dinner" for my good friend, Ameera, tonight. She was the first person I met at orientation for grad school and has turned into a wonderful friend. She is about to embark on SUCH a fun journey. She is actually moving to Cali- to pursue a career as a reporter in Merced, CA. We swapped places. And I couldn't be more excited for her. She has carved out her own path over time and she it doing what will really make her happy. She will only be blessed because of it. I can't wait to hear all about your new journey- you deserve it!!!!! And you will be MISSED!!!!

So congrats for not settling! Too many people lack a vision, aren't listening hard enough or simply don't know what will make them happy at the end of the day. I'm proud of you, girl!