Summer Vacay

I’m one busy bee this summer. Would you like to know my day-to-day schedule? Of course you would. Monday through Thursday goes like this: wake up at 6:30 am, arrive at my nannying job by 7:40, chase a 1 yr. old and 3 yr. old around until 12 pm or 1 pm (depending on the day), get to FSU in order to go to class or my assistantship, stay in class until 8:15 pm, drag myself to the gym or grocery store, get home  by 9:30 pm. Fall asleep by 10:30 and repeat. Friday I work from 9am-1pm (this is my easy day). All this to say I needed a vacay. I mean if it wasn’t 102 degrees outside, I think I would have forgotten it is summer!

Which brings me to Memorial day weekend. My fab friend Jackie made an impromptu decision to join my road trip down south. Since I have a phobia of the interstate, we began our journey on Ol’ Highway 27. Every time I drive through the backroads on my way home I always pass by this old hotel in little Perry. Since I had a partner in crime, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to explore. Jackie is down for most anything. I am so excited to finally have pictures of this creepy place.

It only dawned on us after we were frolicking through hotel ruins that there may be some individuals that call this place home. slowly backs away.

So we played with flowers instead.

Then, I made Jackie pee behind my car. Don’t worry I ended up stepping in it so all is fair in love and war.

Next Stop: Tampa! We were Tampa-bound to visit my Scottish looking, French acting friend Rebecca. She just recently moved to Tampa for a real job and lives in real apartment and pays real bills. Her life makes me nervous (but don’t worry it doesn’t make her nervous, I think she quite likes it). We came to keep her company nonetheless. Rebecca, Jackie, and I got to fully experience the Tampa area by going out to the trendy Hyde Park, getting a taste of Tampa sushi, spending too much money at International Mall, driving around all the waters, and hitting up Clearwater beach. We made many inside jokes… none of which are appropriate for this blog.

I love you girls!

Grand finale of the weekend… drumroll please… Redneck Yacht Club! It is what you think it is. This was a very adventurous day. Jackie and I jumped off the top of the boat into the ocean with a crazy current. I’m still amazed at how cool we looked doing that. I believe a visual explanation is sufficient for this redneck tradition…

Our boat came complete with a stripper pole and slide… beat that.

Now prepare yourself for the cutest pic ever…

So excited it was truly summer for a minute.

Now, it’s back to busy worker bee status.

Quincy Revisited

Last year about this time I went to a little place called Quincy.

I loved my time there so much that when Mike, the youth pastor, asked me to lead the high school girls group again I responded with an enthusiastic, “Yes!… Duh!”

This year proved to be just as wonderful as last with its own unique happenings. My favorite part of helping out with the “Live Love” weekend is getting to know the wonderful girls in my group. I can pretty much guarantee I learn more from them than they do from me, but I like to think they like having me there. I kinda freaked out the first night when I found out I had ELEVEN high school girls alll by myself. Slightly intimidating. But it was no sweat. They had experienced so much life, good and hard. I was brought to tears the very first night. They had such great questions- some of them I couldn’t even answer. They are a special bunch, and I will be in their lives because I just can’t get enough of them! The best news was when Sara Beth (the youth pastor’s wife) called to tell me one of the girls in my group had become a Christian a few nights later! I can’t even describe my joy. This is what it’s all about.

My other favorite part of this fun(sweat)-filled weekend is the time we spend with the kids at the housing projects. I can’t get enough of these little munchkins! This time is always filled with hilarity, thirst, stickiness, boogers, fun, and lots of carrying. Let’s talk about my leech. And new favorite picture:

As Sara Beth would say “he had the croup.” He was so precious, and I think I held him for an hour before knocking (twice) on his Mom’s door and declaring it time for a nap. He just wanted to be cuddled.

Then came my vivacious little friend, Jamerika. One of the first things she said to me was “my name rhymes with America.” So, I called her America, Jamerika all day, and she liked it. America, Jamerika was in my group for story time. We told the kids the Easter story with plastic Easter eggs as props. When we got to the last egg to represent the ending of the story, Jamerika opened the egg with such anticipation. To her dismay the egg was empty. She looked at me like, please tell me there is a good excuse for this egg being empty. I proceeded to tell her that Jesus rose from the dead and he was alive. That’s why the egg was empty (like the tomb). She looked at me with an expression of awe and exclaimed, “Jesus is Alive!!!???…. I’m going to tell my Mom!” I lol’ed because it was that amazing.

She then dubbed me her best friend the rest of the time. Of course, we had to commemorate our new “BFF” status with friendship bracelets.

The most exciting aspect of our “Quincy Kid” time is that it will continue. The youth group continually goes to these kids’ homes and love the poo out of them. That’s the key, building relationship. This isn’t a one time thing. They will go back, and hopefully, I will go with them.

The weekend ended with the 2nd annual “movie on the square” night where I proceeded to get hit on. Last year it was a 16 year old thug… this year, a convicted felon. The Quincy boys can’t get enough. Watch out Justin, you have some competition. I loved every bit of the sweaty, wetty madness, and we definitely threw some love down on Quincy. See y’all next year

Changes

I’m in a reflective mood so bear with… Lately I’ve been reminiscing, realizing I’m on the brink of yet another life phase. With each phase I can identify the people I was surrounded by… constantly. That’s what differentiates the memories- the people. When I was in elementary school it was constant fun with minimal drama. Middle school was just constant drama. High school could be separated out into three phases: The “finding myself” freshman year, the crazy sophomore and junior years, and my first serious relationship senior year. College has been a whirlwind. My college years have been a combination of all previous phases not lacking the drama, the relationship (same one), and the fun. As I’m staring into the face of graduation, fear creeps in, and the prospect of a “real life” phase is making me fret. Words like job, salary, marriage, homeowner, insurance, car payment, make me itch. Most of all though, I’m worried about “the people” of my next phase. Maybe worried isn’t the right term, maybe anticipatory would suffice. Friends are graduating, getting engaged, moving back home, and doing all types of things that cause distance in relationships. I’m hoping my next chapter comes with fabulous people; that’s all I’m saying. I hope my next phase has a little bit of the carefree elementary school fun, none of the middle school drama, and the amazing high school friendships. I wouldn’t mind a little adventure too. It’s scary to take the step from a “summer camp lifestyle” (where you are constantly surrounded by friends and activities) to the personal life of family first with usually a much smaller social bubble. I can see the changes already taking place, and I’m just hoping for community like no other in my future.  Ode to the past:

Oops. I went on a Photobucket binge.

Bucket List

I’ve always wanted a Bucket List, but I’ve never gotten around to writing one. But! if I had one on paper it would include attending a rap concert. Well my friends, I can check that one off the list because I went to a LUDAcris concert at my beloved Florida State University. Kelly and I arrived early in order to get as close as possible to the stage. We were successful in getting close and the show was completely worth sitting on the ground for an hour surrounded by half standing half sitting strangers. We made friends. Sort of. We actually just entertained ourselves by taking pictures of each other and weird things around us… While the people sitting on some of our limbs watched and stared.

Once the concert finally began and they stopped throwing CDs no one wanted at our unsuspecting faces, we were blessed with a special opening act. I have no idea what their name was, but just think of the cheesiest R&B boy group and times it by three. They were mildly entertaining. Then, an actually famous rapper performed next. His name is Wale, but Kelly and I did not know how to pronounce his name. So, we listened to well-informed by-standers. It is not “whale,” but rather Wall-A. He was far more entertaining than the first abdominal showcase.

Finally came LUDA. It was pretty spectacular to be an essential part of a rap concert crowd- bobbing my head, repeating after Luda, and such. The highlight was when he performed his old hit “You’se a Hoe.” Brought me back to the golden days. So, minus the explicitly sexist lyrics and blatant support for substance abuse, I really enjoyed myself.

We then, immediately after the concert, celebrated Halloween typical Kelly and Lauren style. We were a not-sexy-at-all Pooh and Piglet duo. We were going out no matter what -just the two of us. We had a grand time being the outcasts of AJ’s and dancing like we were on some type of muscle spasm-inducing drug. Yes, people stared, but I think they liked it. Quotes in response to us: “What do you look like without the nose?” “You’re a gym coach!” “man whispers ‘Pooh’ in Kelly’s ear, Kelly ear-piercingly screams” “You’re piglet… but who are you?”…<– Really? You’re dumb, especially since it’s written on her shirt.

Fall = Football

This past weekend was the start of the 2010 Florida State football season… and I’m pumped.

It all began with a serendipitous sighting of the Samford football team driving into Tally, and, of course, I was there to witness the seven tour buses at the stop light in front of us. That’s when it got tricky. Kelly and I were in Pat, Kelly’s Ford Focus. Pat has some issues; for example, her window does not roll down on the passenger side. So, in this perfectly opportune moment I resorted to opening the door, leaning out to do the chop, and boo at the Samford Bulldogs. A fellow ‘Nole fan in the adjacent lane decided to join in the fun by doing the chop as well. It’s the little things in life y’all.

Then came game-day. After stuffing our face full of Denny’s Belgium Waffle Grand Slam with hash-browns, we were able to witness some very exciting people and events.

We got to meet the inanimate version of This Guy. We got to see This guy!Who knew “I like monkeys” was the phrase to sell tickets!? I need to catch up on the times.

Finally we saw THIS Guy!

Then, we saw This, and it was fantastic…. please excuse the annoying screaming.

I love me some Florida State Football.

My Hannah Canvas

My Awesome friend Hannah is very artistic, you see.

She paints quote canvases for a small fee.

You can make a special order

but none can be better

than this one right here…

but have no fear!

Just tell me what you want,

and soon it will be your turn to flaunt.

oh yea, and I go to Africa in 4 days! dah!

Most people already know but…

I’m completely obsessed with this commercial…

(extended/awesome version)

I mean I just love the way they move… so intriguing.

Also, don’t miss the cheerleader hamsters krumping/shaking it; as well as the burnt out drummer hamster (my 2 faves)

Spanglish

I’ve decided to brush up on my Spanglish skillz. By all accounts I should be fluent in Spanish, but my Dad didn’t feel the need to teach me such a valuable skill while growing up. So, I blame him for my sub-par Spanish skills.

There is a website called livemocha that teaches you languages for free! Now to get the entire lesson for each unit you have to pay $12.95/month, but the “learning” portions of every lesson are free. Sure beats paying $7594873.99 for Rosetta Stone.

Lesson #1: Ella no es delgada. Es gorda. (Translation: She is not skinny. She’s fat.) True Story. Hopefully I will never have to speak this phrase to anyone, but at least I know how to insult others now. I’m excited for Lesson #2; maybe I will learn common phrases for driving in Miami traffic.

Dance Dance Revolution

Such Drive.

Such intensity.

Such a use of a sweat towel.

Such water consumption.

Such freakouts.

Such entertainment, for me, that is.

I introduce you to the true masters of dance.

Superhero Status

At work we are putting on a Super-hero themed summer camp, and each staff member gets their own super-hero identity. Mine is spectacular and perfect in every way.

Reason #1 why my super-hero identity is so fitting: I am traveling globally!

Reason #2: I like to run!

Reason #3: I am so lanky just like the roadrunner!

My fellow employees know me so well; such a great surprise.