lights out

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I get a little cranky when I have to work a bunch of days in a row. Last week, I worked 4 out of 5 days, and to say that I was irritated when our power went out halfway through the day and I was left without the ability to do the things I needed (wanted) to do on my day off was an understatement.

What's been on my mind for the last few days as I have reflected on our day without power was how lost Sam and I were when the lights went out. My immediate panic was "how am I supposed to get ready for work at 5:30 in the morning," which is legit..but I was more concerned about how my hair would look than anything. It takes the power of a blow dryer to tame the beast.

My not so immediate panic was that Sam and I had NO idea what to do with ourselves. I was hungry, with a headache, and without knowing how long the lights and power would be out, I was afraid to open the refrigerator too much for fear of the food going bad. We just stared at each other as if to say, "well..what now?" It was almost as if we were incapable of even speaking to each other without the use of our electronic gadgets.

After a quick break for a shower and a little bit of caffeine, we decided to go out to dinner and froyo. We hung out for a bit at dinner so I could charge my phone (thanks Noodles & Company), then decided to take a long drive. Luckily, about 10 minutes after we got home, the power came back on. And while the beginning of the night began in frustration, it ended up being a great surprise date night. And it was also a great realization that we don't need electronic gadgets to have a good time :).

throwback thursday

I mentioned in this post that Sam and I had been on vacation for a while in one of our favorite places on earth. Since I abandoned blogging around that time, I never wrote about our actual vacation!

Wouldn't it be your favorite place on earth, too?


Several members of Sam's family own property in Northwest Michigan, and let me tell you: it is to die for. Everywhere you go is so peaceful, and Lake Michigan is at it's finest. I've only been three times, and I'm in love. Sam has been there almost every summer (every summer?) of his life, and I'm so jealous!

 Eating some gyros at an art festival

These pictures are from the Sleeping Bear Dunes, which is a you-know-what to climb but is totally worth it once you get to the top! Look at that view!

Sam's best friend and his sweet girlfriend came up to hang with us for a few days! It was so wonderful to have another girl around with all of the testosterone (Sam has two brothers). 

Another one of my favorites--sweet shops in Fishtown. This one makes the. best. sandwiches around. 

Lots of beach time. As you'll notice, I'm wearing a sweatshirt in this picture. In August, it's not uncommon for temperatures to drop into the 40s at night!

Back porch sittin'

Here are a few pictures just to spark your interest. If you ever need a different kind of vacation, you should definitely head to the Traverse City area (we travel a bit more north) and check it out!

Can't wait for next year!

{DIY} tie bouquet

When Sam graduated from law school, I knew I wanted to get him something practical, that he would use, but that wasn't totally boring (ie: a fountain pen). I also knew that someone would likely get him a briefcase (and likely a much nicer brief case than I could afford). Also, I felt like it should relate somewhat to the business of law school, though on reflection this probably wasn't totally necessary because my favorite graduation gift (see below) had nothing to do with biology.

Me with my favorite graduation gift (and those two lovely parentals who gave her to me). 

So when I was thinking about what to give Sam, I simply thought to myself "What does a lawyer need that Sam does not have?" The answer was neckties. He had a couple, but when you wear a tie every single day, do you really want two or three ties to choose from? This is obviously something a female would think of...


I also knew that I didn't want to wrap up a bunch of neckties in a box and say "here ya go!". If you know me at all, you know that this is the last thing I'd be likely to do. So, about 6 months before Sam graduated from law school, I had the brilliant idea to make a tie bouquet. I'm not sure where this idea blossomed from, because I scoured the internet after I thought of it and only found a few different examples...and nothing telling you how to make one.

After I had my brainstorm, I had it in the back of my mind to look for ties on sale, so whenever I'd go to the mall, I'd keep my eye out to see if there were ties on sale anywhere. Luckily, I struck gold during Dillard's Semi-Annual Clearance Event. Everything in the store is an additional 40-65% off sale prices during this time, so I ended up getting 10 ties for a super decent price. I mean, we're talking such a good price that when my mom was helping me with this project, my dad walked by and said "ARE YOU SERIOUSLY CUTTING UP A $100 TIE?!?!"  Haha. Thanks dad. Also, no scissors were even in sight.


SO this is what my mom and I came up with. Mind you, I came up with these directions about 7:30 on a Friday night (Michael's closed at 8:00) and we just went for it.

This is what you need:

• neckties (the amount you need varies depending how big you want your "bouquet")
• a potting plant (similar here)
• a foam ball (similar here)
• garden stakes (pictured below)
• double sided tape

These garden stakes are a huge pain, but they were pretty essential to the whole process.


First, lay out your necktie folded in half (like in the picture). It doesn't really matter which way you roll the tie, but it worked better for us to end with the smaller side (the part that would go around the neck). Otherwise, it kept falling apart because it was too big on the outside.

Tie the garden stake with the wires it comes with to the part of the tie that you can slip the back part of the tie through to keep it in place (I don't know the technical tie terms). Place several strips of double sided tape along the tie.

. 

Start rolling the tie...

Then, forgive me, I forgot to take a picture before I stuck it on the bouquet, but make sure it's firmly attached together with double sided tape and then use the garden stake to stick it in the foam ball, then pop the whole thing in a planter. It admittedly does take some time to get them all positioned and the ties were pretty heavy so they kept falling off, but I did manage to get it to stay together...until I took it back to St. Louis. Then I had to basically redo the whole thing (without my mom's help, which meant the end product didn't look quite as great).

 I think it turned out pretty great! Sam said he was impressed, though he could have been just making me feel like I'm more creative than I really am.

In fact, here he is wearing the tie I demonstrated with :).

Just before we headed off to graduation!

Happy Necktie-Bouquet-Making!

it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

After a really cold and rainy weekend (okay, not a weekend, a winter), the sun broke through the clouds yesterday and it was bright and sunny and a whole 80 degrees! AKA it was glorious. My friend, her sister and I headed over to Forest Park to bask in the sunshine on Art Hill and this was my view for the afternoon. Pretty amazing, huh?

Yesterday evening Sam and I went for a quick 30 minute walk around our neighborhood. I never would have described our neighborhood as "beautiful" when we first moved in, but it definitely is when you walk down the different side streets.

Even our shadows hold hands :).

MIZ.

Feeling all sorts of nostalgic tonight and wishing I was going to be there to chant ZOU for my Tigers tomorrow. I feel sort of stupid because I liked going to games when I was in college, but I didn't love it. Oh the things I took for granted. Instead I'll be crying inside that my college days (the real ones at least) are over and that I'll have to settle for watching the majority of games on TV. Until Sam and I fulfill my bucket list item of owning season tickets to Mizzou Football games.

Here are some of my favorite Mizzou Football memories:

Love her.

Tailgating at Reactor before it got shut down, lame.

Prior to spilling nacho cheese all down myself (after doing the splits down the hill...just call me Grace..).

Camped out on the hill.

At Arrowhead for the MU/KU Border Showdown.

Side note: this isn't my video, but I was at this game. For about 30 seconds of it, before I wimped out and went back to Sam's apartment to watch the rest of it. It was freezing rain, so sue me.

oldies but goodies

I'm missing some friends and a boyfriend today, so I thought I'd reminisce a little bit and show you all some of my favorite ever pictures.

Celebrating w/ S & J the end of the awful MCAT. Also pictured: the traveling dress (on Sara).

My first summer in Michigan at the Sleeping Bear Dunes (recently voted most beautiful place in America by GMA, or the Today show... I can't remember which).

Happy Birthday to someone..I can't remember who, and it was likely not important. What is important is that this was my first of many trip to Addison's.

The Roots n Blues n BBQ Festival (coincidence alert: wore this shirt today).

Nerding out in our Team Twilight shirts.

Celebrating Sara's acceptance to med school!

Happy New Years from Harpos!

Finally done with school and still in love, 8 semesters later.

Happy Grads!

Back in Michigan!

Reunited for the Roots n Blues n BBQ festival once again.

Reunited again for S's birthday...and the last time I saw her. Since January. Sad Christmas.

Before Jake's musical.

a week in review

Ahh. At this weekend last time I was blissfully unaware how busy my life would become in just 3 days time. It was a better time indeed.

My first week of school was fine. I didn't answer anything wrong in front of the class (in fact, I got two questions right!), I didn't forget any assignments (at least none that I know of..), I didn't oversleep (which I had nightmares about). I did however get severely bruised up during a "team building" exercise, which consisted of each of us being hauled over a 15 foot wall, and I did trip up the same stair twice, resulting in a couple of severely damaged toes (those shoes will not be worn on anything but flat surfaces for a loooong time).

Some little gems from my teachers this week:

"This year is going to be hell, and you'll probably hit rock bottom during some point...maybe even a couple of weeks from now, but it's worth it."

"You may not feel like you have weekends for the next year...but it's worth it."

"I hope none of you lose any friends over this...although that has happened...but it's worth it."

"It's okay to cry, I know all of you will do it at some point. Even you, boys. But it's worth it."

How many times did I have to hear that "it's worth it" this week? Blah.

In summation, I'm so sorry if any of you feel neglected in the next year. I'm not trying to be mean, it's not that you don't matter to me or that I don't want to see you. It's the fact that I simply am swamped. I have a test on Thursday over 12 chapters of material, 9 of which we haven't covered in class yet. YIKES.


In other news, I have had a great weekend with Sam, because I'll go crazy if I don't have at least some fun. We went and saw Bridesmaids (with Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph) on Friday night and I HIGHLY recommend it. It's hilarious! Yesterday we went to the Cards v. Royals game and watched the Cards win 3-0! I only felt a little traitorous not cheering on the Royals. We also had a game night with my parents and youngest brother (plus his girlfriend), which was awesome. Turns out I'm not a great speller after 4 glasses of wine. We did however win Cranium, for which I am going to give all the credit to Sam. If it had been up to me we would have came in last place.

thankful

I have been in a bit of a funk lately. I'm stressed about school, and money, and life in general. I haven't been keeping up with people like I should, I snap at my parents, and I find myself wanting to burst into tears at the littlest things ever.

I'm pretty much tired of this nonsense, so I decided to make a list of some things I'm thankful for, to remind myself that my life is awesome and there is no reason to be in such a funk.

1. I have a pretty amazing boyfriend who never tells me I'm being a pain in the you know what, even when he maybe should.

2. I have great parents who are essentially paying all of my living expenses for the next year or so so that I don't have to worry about having a job during the most stressful year of my life.

3. My friends are awesome, and even though they may all be super far away, they still check up on me and I think that's great.

4. I'm so blessed to have realized what my calling is at 23, and to have the opportunity to actually go out there and get it. If only I'd have been so blessed at 18, so I'd already be doing it :).

5. I have a super cute puppy that just has to put her paw on top of my hand and I'm in an instantly better mood.

6. I  had a great job for 9 months, which made the money worry a lot less worrisome.

7. I'm healthy, which I absolutely know not to take for granted.

8. I have a car, with unlimited gas, which has AC, which means I will be happy during these miserable Missouri summer months. 

9. The weather (I know, I know) has been amazing lately, and I don't live in an area affected by tornadoes or floods (at least right now) or hurricanes or earthquakes or tsunamis.

10. Did I mention I have a pretty amazing boyfriend, who I love a whole lot? I love that we're doing a good job at a long distance relationship.

There. 10 reasons to be so thankful that I came up with in less than 10 minutes.

No. More. Complaining.


On another note, my parents and I are in a semi-healthy competition to see who can lose the most weight. It disturbs me that my father is winning, but I'm proud to announce I have lost 4 pounds in 2 weeks, despite the cupcake and a half from Georgetown Cupcake that I scarfed, plus all of the eating out in DC. Hooray!

april showers (and flowers)!

One thing that stinks about Missouri is that the saying "April showers bring May flowers" is all too true. I'm not a fan of showers (pressure headaches) or flowers (allergies + chronic sinus infections = horror), although I like to admire flowers from afar. I guess I do like looking at them...just through a window while breathing purified air. I like to give Sam a hard time about not buying me flowers, but the truth is they make me sneeze. Oh well, it's worth it (hint hint, Sammy).

Anyway, we braved those April showers (and hail and tornado) to go to our first Cardinals game of the season. Sam loves the Cards, and I admit I like baseball a lot more now. That could be because I know how passionate Sam is about it, which makes me like it more. Who knows. Anyway, there ended up being a two hour rain delay, and while we were standing right next to the exit gates, a tornado came through St. Louis and hit the airport. Yikes! We survived though, and had a great time!

Enjoying the game before the downpour...you can tell it was humid because of my awful hair.

Hooray!

Pouting because it's raining and we have to stand inside the concourse thing. I get claustrophobic really easily, so not my favorite thing, but there was a lot of stellar people watching going on :)

Sam enjoyed the rain delay!

Game on after only 2 hours!

A little hazy and a lot less people, but still enjoyable!

 There are also some beautiful flowers and trees blooming from all of this rain. It's also helping me practice my photography skills (although I'll admit, none of these were taken with my DSLR).

Tulip trees blooming in DC.

Bradford pear on my street with a mini tulip tree.

Pretty tulips at MEM near work.

 And one random thing to add: It's guilty pleasures night on DWTS, and Hanson is the band playing...um flashback to 1996 anyone? Aren't these guys married with kids now? Why are they still singing mmmbop (ok they haven't actually sang that to be fair, but still...)?