Birthdays, Cinco de Mayo, and Wal-Mart Galore!

This weekend was extremely eventful and definitely exhausting! I had 4 birthdays to celebrate, errands to run, and  (very little) sleeping to do.

Friday was my day off, making for a great kickstart to the weekend. I ate Jimmy's Egg for breakfast (which, if you haven't eaten there, you MUST go right now and try their pancakes-- I also recommend the Angry Burrito) followed by seeing Iron Man 3. I was originally supposed to see it at midnight Thursday night, but the old lady inside of me turned my 15 minute nap into a 9 hour slumber. The rest of the day involved chores/errands/bathing and reading outside for an hour. Then I was off to dinner to begin the birthday weekend festivities. My friend Kathryne was celebrating the beginning of her birthday week with dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Mi Cocina. I was able to get a free margarita out of the deal, which was a great surprise! After dinner I went and picked up my friend Kara to head to our friend Nick's birthday party. We both thought we had to be home early though, so the party was short lived for us. 

I was supposed to wake up bright and early the next day, but with it nearly sleeting outside (IN MAY) the volunteering was cancelled. Since I was already up, dressed, and sporting my snow boots, I decided I still needed to go out and about. Mallori and I went to Wal-mart so that I could by some paint to fix a dent in my car. While at Wal-mart, we realized we needed toiletries, then that Mallori needed things for work, and then I needed groceries. During our adventure we decided to throw an impromptu Quatro de Mayo dinner and have Tacos and Margaritas. After a long brunch with my brothers at Leon's, we hurried to the apartment to clean and start making margaritas cooking. We had quite a few friends head over, and it was a very fun night! Around 10 we moved the gathering to Caravan to celebrate Mallori's boyfriend's birthday (3rd one to celebrate this weekend). The Caravan wasn't as busy as usual, but that didn't stop us from line dancing, two-stepping, and dancing ridiculously.

Some Boot Scootin' Boogie:

Sunday I was up early for church, even though I forgot to set my alarm. Gotta love that internal clock sometimes! After church it was time to celebrate my brother Evan's 30th birthday with a crawfish boil. If you haven't been to a crawfish boil before-- you are missing out!! This crawfish was flown in fresh from Louisiana  and it made my stomach very happy (maybe since it was my first non-Mexican meal since Thursday). We got to eat, watch the Thunder game, and enjoy 60 degree weather that did NOT include rain! I didn't get home until night-fall, and all I wanted to do was watch Grey's Anatomy and sleep. 

  

This weekend was one for the books, but I am ready for another weekend just to recover!

A New Beginning

After 5 weeks of awesome summertime, it was time to begin my career. Work began in mid-June, and I absolutely love it! In the first 3-4 months, all of the college new hires are in an orientation program to learn about the company. There has been lots of bonding time in between presentations, projects, and travelling. 

Team Building Activities:

Yes, we walked over set mouse traps. I am now fearless!

We had to all get through the nets, without touching, and without re-using holes.

I was excited and concerned at the same time.

What is one way to bond quickly? Have everyone touch your butt..

The 20 best friends that anyone could have!

We went to a Drillers game, and Hanson sang the National Anthem. 4th grade Katy came rushing back to take fifty a couple of pictures.

Jennifer and Kathryne, two of my new favorite people!

Club 807, representin'!

I have made some amazing new friends this summer, and I am so happy to start my new beginning with them!

And then the friends start getting married...

Before this year, I have only been to 3 weddings in my ENTIRE life. Including the one where I was a flower girl at age 7. 

This summer began that time in every girl's life when her dreams come true her Facebook fills with engagement pictures and her mailbox fills with wedding announcements and scares the crap out of her. I missed the first one, a destination wedding in Florida. Unfortunately I had no denero to go. In mid- June I got to attend the first wedding of 2012 (2 more planned so far, plus 1 that I can't attend). It was my friend Kayla's wedding, who was one of the girls I studied abroad with to China in 2010.

On the night of the rehearsal dinner...

Chinese Lanterns! (yes, like in Tangled)

College friends

Got to see a couple of other girls on the wedding day!

Weddings make me feel way too old. And I wanted to bawl like a baby. I will blame that on the fact that I had just started work and hadn't slept for two weeks. You believe me, right? 

:)

Awkward and Awesome Thursday

AWESOME:

-The weather being in the upper 60s all week

-Groundhogs day says more winter! This is awesome because winter hasn't started yet.

-Ordering girl scout cookies! Samoas and Trefoils, here I come!!!

-Laughing to tears 3 times in the past week with my friends

-Discovering the animal "finger monkey" on Google Images thanks to my friend michelle

-Going to and 80s themed date party

-Pilates, Guitar, and Creative therapies being my most of my class schedule

-Frozen Sangria. Strawberry Margarita. Need I say more?

-Reading for fun!

-Organizing my jewelry and hanging up the rest of my decorations... 

including this new poster:

Awkward:
-Wearing summer clothes in January. I packed up all my summer clothes and took them home. : |
-OU put in the paper that we will now only have 1 day off school for snow because they upgraded the maintenance equipment. Womp womp.
-My friends thinking I am crazy for loving tiny animals (finger monkeys, dwarf goats, lap giraffes, and teacup pigs) and obsessing over them on Google image search.
-Having a class on Thursday nights from 6:30-9:20 that always gets out late.
-Going to a date party with a freshman/18 year old. I had fun though!
-Volunteering for "family mapping" in my Creative therapies class. You pick people in the class to be your family, then place them near/far from each other depending on how close they are. You also pick the emotion on their faces. I even had to pick someone to be me.
-Going to Ted's and being the only one dressed up in 80s attire
-Facebook. Timeline.

Weekend Numero Dos in DC

This weekend was a lot of fun, but kept me very busy! Friday I met up with some of the girls at Metro Center to do some shopping at Forever 21. Now, I know that I am from Oklahoma, but this was the biggest Forever 21 I have ever seen in my life. Too big. We walked in and I thought, "wow-- this is too much to handle." Then I found out that there were two other floors. I didn't know what to do. By default and because it didn't look overwhelming, I started at the jewelery. Unfortunately, that section is just the same size as at any store. After that section, I was forced to face the horror. Forever 21, if you don't shop there, doesn't know how to organize their clothes. They attempt having "themes" in certain areas, but really-- it is all over the place. In a normal sized store, you have to be in the right mindset to shop there. If you aren't ready for it, you won't find anything because you won't know where to start. You can have to frames of mind: 1- "I know exactly what I am looking for." Or 2- "I don't care how much I have to try on, I just want really cute clothes to make me feel like I am cute and trendy and make myself seem like an awesome person."

Well, I didn't have either of these mindsets. I wandered around aimlessly. Up the Escalator. Down the Escalator. Around the corner. Under the iron beam (really). Did you know that Forever 21 makes children's clothing? Did you know they make maternity clothing? Yeah, I didn't either. And of course, in F-21 style, there are no signs to tell you this. You just walk into a doorway and BAM. Clothing for toddlers that belongs on the front of InStyle Magazine. It was crazy. I tried on the least amount I have ever tried on at a F-21. That is just how overwhelmed I was.
When we got back, I was in a really wierd mood. My mind was in shock. Denise (one of my roommates) and I went to get dinner, and I wanted to choose the place with the least options possible. I felt bad because she had recommended Whole Foods. I just couldn't handle that many options. Forever 21 had ruined options in my brain. We went to this italian restaurant down the road, and I had Spaghetti and Meatballs. It was really tasty and comforting. Later that night, over half of us (there are 55 total) went out. It was a lot of fun to dance around and have fun with my new friends. I followed the night by a beautiful round of sleeping in on Saturday morning.

After I woke up Saturday, 3 of the guys and I went to the National Museum of Natural History. We weren't really into the museum thing, and were pretty silent the whole time. It was neat stuff, but we were all worn out from the whole week. After that we hung out in Adam's Morgan a bit, and then headed home. We ended up losing one of the guys when we all stopped for a bathroom break at McDonalds. We thought he died; he thought we left him. It all ended up fine though! While walking back to the dorms, I was plotting getting food, when we ran into two girls who were doing just that. I joined them and we went to "Steak n' Egg." It was a really small breakfast diner. The kind that only have room to sit at the bar, where you can watch them cook. It was so delicious, and I really would not mind eating there every single day. No lie. But, then again, I love breakfast. Apparently they also have really good philly cheese steaks, which I will definitely be trying! When we returned to the dorms, I joined yet another group to go see the movie "Super 8." It was pretty good, but not life-changing like I expected. Then it was bed time fo' real.

Sunday I woke up late once again, and was loving it. I found out really sad news about a family friend's murder in Tulsa last week. We used to spend a lot of time with their family, because their son's were the same age as Blake and I. I remember baseball games and randomly visiting their house, and all around really good memories of them growing up. It is a sad loss, and another reminder that we are not guaranteed every day. To lift up my spirits, I joined 3 of the guys (I guess I was all about hanging out with the guys this weekend) on a journey to a Taco Bell. It was truly a journey- about 20 minutes on the metro. It was worth it though. It was in Union Station, which had more places to eat than any mall ever (reminiscent of my F-21 visit two days prior). I knew what I wanted though, and the Taco Bell was just what my tastebuds missed. :)
The rest of the day was spent relaxing and at an emotionally draining group meeting about self-awareness. Lots of self-reflection. We were drained. I went to get pad thai to-go, ate it in our room, and pretty much laid in bed the rest of the night. It felt lovely.

:)

Orientation, Workshops, and DC Adventures

The next few of my days in DC were filled with more orienation and workshops. Things regarding the school's services, policies, professional development, and conflict resolution. Much of it seemed repetitive and some I already knew from OU, but it wasn't too bad. One of the presenters was fun and had us watch The Office- how could I not enjoy that? Also, she and I are birthday twins! She makes the third person ever that I have met who has my birthday(I thought she was the second, but I forgot about a girl I met in college Freshman year--thanks facebook!). Over the weekend, more people arrived for our program, and we have yet another OU person! OU is taking over DC. :) And there is still just one from OSU.. victory! Friday night we ended the day of orientation with a barbecue, which was delicious. Summer would be entirely incomplete without some BBQ. Later that night, a lot of us travelled down to the National Mall to see the monuments at night. I have driven by them before at night, but this was much prettier! Surprisingly, the reflecting pool is gone. I am sure it will be back for July 4th- at least it better. I realized that I haven't ever actually seend the reflecting pool in person. I am not quite sure how I managed to do that- but it is a good little ways from the Washington Monument.

During this adventure, we all slowly broke apart. I was with mostly Oklahoma people, with one whom was made an honorary Oklahoman. After we hung out with Lincoln for a while, we decided to walk to a different metro stop and find some food on the way. THERE WAS NOTHING. We picked the wrong street, apparently. We went through GWU (which has apartment complex-style sororities/fraternities that looked legit), and asked someone where food was. They said, "7-11 behind me, TGI Fridays that way." So- TGI Fridays it was! After all, it was Friday! We got there and were immediately segregated into our own room all alone. It was fine, aside from the fact that there was an old picture (those oval kind with the rounded glass-like a tv almost) of a boy that was really creepy. It is unfortunate, because I am sure at one point that was a fabulous picture. But, it's eyes followed us, and it was just not okay. I sat facing it. At dinner, there was a sign for a free desert on your birthday if you text a number. I thought I might be able to swing that since I was just 24 hours away. So I did. Unfortunately, they sent one back saying something along the lines of, "Great! I know you are eating right now, and really want the desert right now, but you can't get it until we send you the coupon code on your birthday. That way, you can come back and eat here again for your birthday. Because I know you like to eat the same thing for dinner every night." Actually, that isn't what it said- but that is how I interpreted it. :) And you know what? I never got my text message on my birthday. Jerks. After dinner I didn't want to sleep, and neither did my friend from OSU. So he and I stayed up talking for a while about life and whatnot. Both of us are in the same boat about not wanting to make these big life decisions this next year. Womp womp.

Waking up Saturday came way too early. We had a group activity for the day. We thought it would be a scavenger hunt, but it was actually a day for us to explore the city and do the things we wanted to do in DC as a group. Our group went to Georgetown first. Boyfriend suggested a coffee shop, but unfortunately it was closed. When I told him, he was upset with DC for a quick moment, because things tend to open and close often. We walked around and found another coffee shop that also served breakfast/lunch sandwiches. They looked delicious! I had some fruit that I forced a friend to share with me because it was a very large serving. We then walked through the neighborhood to Georgetown University. The first thing we saw was a large building that we decided is a castle. We were all IN LOVE with this campus. It was gorgeous and huge. They had cemetaries even, which was kind of creepy but cool at the same time. We wondered how much money you had to donate to be buried there. ;) Really though, it was cool just how historical it was. They were having a Reunion that day, so it was fun to see the activities they had going on. We went to their gift store and I bought a t-shirt. I also asked Mom and Dad to put the house up for sale so that I could transfer schools. I love OU- but this place was truly that amazing! If only...

After that we headed down to Georgetown Cupcakes (the company of the show, DC Cupcakes, on TLC). On the way we stopped by North Face, and I found the greatest Raincoat ever. I want it, but didn't feel like spending 200 dollars on a raincoat. We shall see how much money I have left after summer ends, haha! When we arrived at the cupcake store, there was a line, but not too bad. We got there at the right time, because the line got much longer while we waited. I had a White Chocolate Raspberry, which was the special that day. It wasn't quite a Sara Sara cupcake, but it was still amazing! Definitely worth the wait! Our next stop was the White House. We tried to find a bus, but all the bus stops in Georgetown come without maps. A girl who runs track for Georgetown told us it wasn't a bad walk. After about 15 minutes and little progress, we finally found a map, a bus, and soon the White House. We took pictures outside and got to listen about a man rapping/singing about Jesus. He was actually a little creepy because after every sentence he let out a really creepy laugh. We then went to the White House gift shop. I was disappointed with the keychains, which i desperately needed for our dorm keys. Another girl found lanyards that say "White House Staff" on them, with a removable keychain part. So, I got one as well. We also got to take some great pictures at the store. I don't want to ruin them, so I will just let you see later.

After all of that, we were super tired. We headed back to campus and felt pretty dead. I laid down for a bit, but then went to hang out with boyfriend while I still could. He took me to a suburb area to a mall so I could go to an H&M. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS STORE. I could do very dangerous things there. I was good though, and only got 3 things. Well, they actually ended up being birthday presents, so it was even better! I will definitely have to find another H&M before I leave in July. I am not even kidding- it is my new favorite store and Oklahoma needs one stat. We then went to eat at (yet another) ethiopian restaurant. Bf is obsessed, but that is okay because I love it too! The area we went to was on U Street, and it was this really jazzy district and it was fun to be in. I want to go back, but bf warned me that it is next to the really bad part of town, so probably not. Then it was time to split ways so I could go figure out plans for the very beginning of my birthday!

KT in DC

Hola from Washington D.C.!

I have almost finished my second full day here, and I must say that I am having a great time! When I got here, we went to our dorms, got our room, and then got our AU id cards. I have gotten to know the area a bit after wandering around yesterday. Some of us gathered for snacks downstairs, so I got to meet some other people in the program. There are 4/5 of us from OU!! And a lot from Oklahoma. A lot of the people in the group grew up on reservations, which I think is super legit. I am Cherokee and have only been to pow-wows and been involved in student clubs. So many of these men and women are truly passionate about their tribes and even speak the languages. I am impressed, and inspired to learn more/get more involved with my tribe. It is something I have always wanted to be more involved in, but my family isn't and so it doesn't come second nature! Hopefully through this I will get to learn more and feel more connected.

Some of us went to Whole Foods last night with Lisa, our CA(basically our RA but for our program) and I had a blast. We talked, laughed, and were just plain silly. I loved it! I can really get along with these people, and am sure I will make some great friends!

My roommates are also really great. One is from Alaska/Massachusetts, and the other is from Arizona- shout out to Erika! Our room is really awkward- three people in a size meant for two. We tried many ways of rearranging it, and ended up with one of the beds diagonal underneath my lofted bed. I am up high, which is fine, but they didn't give a latter! So, I use my desk to climb up. When moving one of the other desks, we found that the top wasn't attached to the bottom. Luckily, I think the one I have been climbing on is attached fully. We shall see! Hopefully I don't hurt myself! I tend to be pretty good at avoiding injuries though. Unless it involves coughing or sneezing (see: Bruised Rib).

Today began with bagels and the beginning of our Orientation. We learned a lot more about campus then I think I learned at OU's freshman orientation. We learned about police, the gym, counselling, and more. Some of us went to Subway for lunch, and I was really excited to try one of the new AVOCADO sandwiches, but the avocado "wasn't ready." I don't get what they mean by that! Silly Subway. It just wasn't meant to be today. We did some activities to get to know each other and went over some professional development things.

After orientation, I got to see boyfriend! He is here for a couple days, and they let us out early. I was very happy. :) He met me at my Metro stop and we went into the city to eat some Ethiopian food at Meskerem. Apparently it is Zagat Rated, so if you live in DC you should check it out in the Adams Morgan area! I got Zilzil Tibbs, which I already knew I liked from the restaurant Queen of Sheeba in OKC. I have a horrible habit of always ordering the same thing... what can I say? I like what I like! I feel no shame! :) This restaurant was really cool because it was set up with a low "table" which I discovered was actually a basket! They bring a really big plate out that goes in the basket, and they put all the food on it. It was delicious, and not very busy for dinner time which made me happy! Afterward, boyfriend had time to kill and came to see where I am living and met my roommates. Unfortunately, it was then time to go to our first class meeting. Little did I know, I actually missed the first one because I didn't realize I had two meetings today. I wasn't the only one that did so though, so that makes me feel better!

All in all, it was a great day! I think I will like it here, very much!

:)

Fun times in T-Town

So, this week at home has been GREAT. At first it was really hard being here, because I kept thinking about how my best friend/roommate/big would not be coming back with me to Norman next year. I nearly cried at very inopportune times and have really gotten to practice my skills at holding back tears. However, my friends have been good at keeping me distracted and alive! I have gotten to see lots of them, watching movies, visiting, dancing, and singing in my high school's reunion choir. It was great amazing to get to perform again. I did theater throughout high school and have been in choir since I was in 4th grade. College has been fun, but has lacked the performing part of life that I love so much.

I have gotten to spend time lately with some friends that I haven't really gotten to see much since college started, and it has been a blast. I wish the weather would warm up though, so I can get some swimming and sun-time in! I suppose I should be using this time to unpack and repack, instead of sleeping till at least noon, but then I wouldn't feel so relaxed!

Basically, I am very happy right now and feel great. It has been nice to catch up on sleep (the other night I slept 12 hours straight through). I look forward to the rest of this week!

Let's Play Pretend!

Who doesn't just love to do it?

Every dead week, our sorority has mandatory study hall called "Campusing." Each member does 4 hours sometime during the monday-thursday nights that week. I always choose to get my hours done immediately, meaning Monday. If I don't, those lingering hours eat away at my life the rest of the week, because other fun things ALWAYS come up that I would rather do. So, that is what I did Monday night. Sat in our dining room next to one of my best friends, Michelle, and attempted studying.

I say attempted, because it is pretty much impossible for me to ever do productive studying in campusing. I can't focus because there are so many people in one room and I just want to people watch and wonder what they are doing. I did pretty well though, for the first 3 hours. I kept to myself, and attempted answering questions for roommate's Tell the World Tuesday. Hour 4 struck. And the capsule inside of me that holds all of my craziness back from the world exploded. Michelle and I began skype chatting with roommate, who was proctoring study hall. Michelle is studying speech pathology, and I decide to start typing as if I have a speech impediment (sbeeech imperirmens). Now, I actually did have a speech impediment when I was little, so no disrespect to anyone with one!

Typing with a speech impediment turned into also have a Chinese/Swedish accent. I was absolutely ridiculous. We all started typing in all caps at one point, and were having a lot of trouble holding in our laughter.

It was great, though. I remember playing pretend when I was little. I was so unafraid of going outside of the box and trying something completely different than what I was. I miss those days! I love the creativity of children, and it is one of the reasons I am excited for the years (much far away from today!) that I will raise children. Children are so much happier because they let their mind explore. It is fun to pretend and use that creativity. It keeps happiness alive!

What are some ways that you use your creativity?

And I leave you with one of my new favorite commercials. Wal-mart has a new series of them out, but I could only find one on youtube. My favorite is the spatula one! Here is the one I could find:

:)

Because I can't focus at work..

So, although I love my internship, I just cannot focus today. I would like to blame my a.d.d., but I am going to instead blame it on the fact that it is Friday. I have never been the type to really celebrate Fridays. I like them and all, but I know that weekends are short-lived and I don't want to get my hopes up.

But today- I could scream how happy I am that it is Friday. And it should be a really fun weekend. This week has been our Sorority's Senior Week, and so we spend time making fun of each other in skit form and saying our loving goodbyes. I am really sad to see this year's Seniors go, especially roommate/big, as I have known them the best. We will be topping this week off with our Senior Date Party, in which the theme is, "The best things were made in the 80s." Boyfriend and I will be showing everyone our nerdy selves by dressing up in Tron* attire.

Also this weekend is my major's club's annual softball game. It is Alumns/Teachers vs Students. I love softball and played it my whole life, and was sad I couldn't play in it for intramurals this year. Needless to say- I am very excited for this!! Last year the Teachers won, and my old programming teachers keeps emailing us to say he is bringing us tissues for when we weep. I think hope we can give them a run for their money!

Last thing: I officially have an internship in Washington D.C. this summer! I am sad that I will (once again) be missing my birthday with my friends, especially since it will be the big 2-1! I am also sad that I will not get to spend the summer in Tulsa, because I love Tulsa summers: camping, concerts, Drillers Baseball games, swimming, going to the lake, tanning, floating the river, etc. I do know that I will still have an amazing summer though, and really look forward to living in such a great city for two months!

Okay. Back to work. Womp womp.

:)

*I didn't like Tron until I saw the new one. My brother used to make me watch the old one all the time, thus- I hated it. However, give me a movie that involves worlds inside of computers, add in a little action, and BAM! I am sure to love it. I plan on re-watching the original Tron movie, hopefully to find that I don't actually hate it at all.

Stimulating the Economy

So this weekend is OU's Mom's Day weekend. I am the photographer for our Campus Activities Council, so I have been running about getting pictures of all the shenanigans and happenings on campus. Well, I was waiting on the camera last night and so I stayed in all night reading. I finished the Hunger Games and CRASHED. The book was so so good. I want to start on the second, but have two tests coming up and won't let myself.

Today we had a brunch at the house, in which I was an "orphan" with my friends Kaitlin and Colleen. We always tend to be orphans together on these weekends- it is fun. We wanted to get away, so we decided to go shopping. And boy did we shop. Well, at least me. I have been in a funky mood the past two days, but by the end of our shopping I was much happier. I even got a jacket for 97 cents! All in all, I didn't spend too much. It was leftover money from Spring Break though, and I found some really good things (including a 27 cent fake arm sleeve tattoo). After that, Kaitlin and I headed to Whataburger and then to the Talent Show so that I could take more pictures. I won a 25 gift certificate to a Campus Corner store, so that was really great! There was an asian "glowstick-er" (think rave) and two boys who played Disney songs on violin and piano. It was fabulous, and Kaitlin is in love with one of the boys. One girl sung a song about Starbucks and the latte boy, so then I wanted a Chai Latte more than anything. I think this was also thanks to the cold front we got in last night.

After Starbucks, we went to dinner at a small amazing Italian Restaurant with some friends. Followed up by Gelato. Now I am finishing off the night watching The Ugly Truth. I truly love this movie!

So, I think I helped the economy was have a good day today. It really should thank me.

:)

Spring has Sprung!

But unfortunately, Spring Break is over.

That is okay though- because while we were in Florida the weather turned amazing!!! Today is the perfect first day of spring. Even though my mother does what she always does and woke me up too early sort-of-on-accident, and I am still laying in bed with my curtains closed, I can feel that it is an amazing day outside! And you know it has to be a super amazing day if I am feeling it from my bed in a slightly dark room.

We got back to Norman really early in the morning yesterday(because we had to drive all through the night) and ate Whataburger breakfast. I LOVE WHATABURGER BREAKFAST. Roommate does too. She even had one of her most blog posts talking about her love for their Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits. I have actually never had them, but that is because I am super addicted to their normal sausage/egg biscuits and taquitos. Some day I will try it, because I know it must be blasphemy that I haven't. Basically though- if you have not had Whataburger breakfast, you really should go to Whatburger between 11pm and 11 am and get some PRONTO. And pay the extra 60 cents for the Simply Orange orange juice. It is delicious!

So, we are technically not allowed back into our house until 2- but we had nowhere to go and needed sleep. After sitting at Whataburger for way too long, we decided we would be okay to go crash in our beds because we would practically be invisible. We did, and then at 1 Mallori and I woke up and went to Jack in the Box (which was our other option for breakfast earlier). I really wanted some of their tacos, so I got that and then a breakfast bowl. I am telling you- I freaking love breakfast. I could eat it all day every day. Sometimes I do just that!

Then I napped a little before having to drive a little more to get back home. I have a doctor's appt. later today. I hated that I would have to drive more, but as soon as I got home I was very happy. There is just something about my home lately that I love. My mom had opened up all the doors and windows, and my house felt like spring. We get great spring weather in Norman, but it never flows through the house like that. After two hours of country music and feeling that "Home Sweet Home" feeling, I was super relaxed and happy. Later I got to go play with my brother's new puppy- and who doesn't love puppies??

Well anywho, there is just a little blurb for today!! I have come up with a few more stories to tell you guys, so keep a look out!

:)

p.s.- My grandbig is b.a.-- she ran in a Triathalon yesterday. I thought the 10k I ran was absolutely ridiculous, and I am super impressed and keep thinking about it! I love swimming and biking, so maybe someday (in the really long future) I might consider competing in one. But you should go read her blog because she is awesome!

Angry British Woman

Last night as I was updating the look of my blog, I discovered a new way to deal with frustration. I know I said in one of my Costa Rica posts that I learned to just laugh at things- but this is better. Sometimes no matter what laughing just doesn't work too well- or it makes you insensitive.

I really don't know why I did this, but I started yelling in a British accent. Normally, I am not the best at British accents, even after practicing them all the time for a play in High School (Didn't get a lead role in that one- proof I just stink at British Accents). Then the yelling in British just became very fun and reminiscent of the scene in Anchorman where they start yelling and Steve Carrel yells, "I love desk! I love lamp!" Actually, those things were yelled last night as well. Kaitlin, Mallori and I had a ball. Kaitlin and I ended up weirding out some of the other girls, but I think they were just jealous of the fun we were having. :)

Given, I wasn't really that upset- just frustrated with technology (which I still love and we resolved our problems later). But next time I feel angry- I shall yell like a British woman to express myself.

BLIMEY!

Goodbye Endorphins, Hellooooo Snow!

So, my last post was all about how amazing I felt. Ironically, hours later I received some bad news which put me in a funk for the next few days. (I will not be an officer for my sorority during my last year.) I have become a good friend with rejection the past year, but this one was just a tough one. I love my sorority, and it hurt that I would not be able to serve it in that way. Also, my previous rejections were not from my friends- but from the mysterious "they" who don't actually know how amazing you are. "They" don't know what they are missing. "They" are stupid. "They" . So- I spent a few days being bitter, which is not normally my style. It was nice though, because I was able to make some fun jokes about it all, and ended up using my bitterness to laugh at the situation.

Friday night was my brother-in-law's retirement party from the Edmond Police Department. I got to see most of my family, hang out with my nieces and nephews, and get a free meal from my Pops. Saturday I went with Mallori to the Men's Gymnastics meet- and they are freaking AMAZING. I am very impressed with the power they have in their short bodies (reasons I will never date a gymnast- I am 5'10"). The rest of the weekend was filled with sorority shenanigans.

Now- as I am sure everyone knows- this week has been the SNOWPOCALYPSE. Dun dun dun!

I don't have Monday or Friday classes, so I will have been out of school for 11 days before having class again. I am afraid of what is to come when class resumes, but I have enjoyed getting to be lazy this week. Michelle and Katy boot camp has been put on hold, so the Endorphins are low. However, I have been able to stay happy with Goldfish, Cookies, Nilla Wafers, and 80s movies. Right now I am in debate as to whether or not I start reading The Hunger Games or if I start working on my classwork. Oh- decisions, decisions.

I think I am going to start posting random stories about my life. I used to write them up in Microsoft Word just for fun, but those have all been lost. Lots of shenanigans occurred in my life (due mainly to my 3 older brothers), and I think they would be lots of fun to share.

The day I discovered Endorphins

Today has been a GREAT day! Actually, it has been a pretty great week overall. Last week was the first week of school, but I had two papers due for my Costa Rica class. But now I am free! Classes are going pretty well, but I have only had 3 days of classes. I don't have Monday or Friday classes, and for some reason we had a snow day last Thursday. Oh well!

Today I had my lab for Dynamic Earth, which meant I drew arrows on a map and did some math. After, Michelle and I worked out- and it was great! Everybody always talks about how exercising releases Endorphins and you will be happier. I have NEVER experienced them before though, guessing I was just too out of shape. But today I didn't work myself too hard, but just kept a steady pace. It was really nice, and though I had a few moments of struggle I made it through with a smile on my face! Now, I only got a couple hours sleep last night (for reasons I wish I knew) but I was so happy/hyper tonight. After dinner Michelle and I went to Target and on our way back I was crashing. But we are motivated to go work out pretty much every day, because while we were at Target we tried on bathing suits. We probably should have just avoided them at all cost- but it made us decide for sure that we were hitting the Huff tomorrow(Huff = Huston Huffman Center/aka the Gym).

In other news, I got selected as an Alternate for an internship with the US Dept. of State. This is super cool, as 12,000 people applied for 1,000 positions. However, this doesn't give me any clear mind of what I will be doing this summer, which I don't like. They could call me up 4 days before and tell me that the spot opened up. This is something I REALLY want- and it would be the opportunity of a lifetime! So for now I am just praying that the people chosen get better offers of things to do for this summer- and that they are willing to turn down the DoS. So, despite the super cool-ness, I am having a little trouble getting excited about it. I am trying though, and I am sure the Endorphins are helping! :)

Sometimes you just have to laugh

So, today was our "Epic" trip to the Rain forest. On the schedule was a 3 mile nature hike through the rain forest, a barbecue lunch, and going on the zip-line.

First off: We were told that the weather would be nice, sunny, only a little colder than the amazingly warm weather we have here in Santa Ana. Instead, it was cold and later rainy, and for the first trip this whole time I left my jacket at the hotel, go figure. I was sucking it up though. We opted out of the hike because we were all underdressed and they could take us in cars instead. Come to find out, most of the "nature hike" was up a gravel road up to the forest. The rest of the hike was going through ten feet of mud in the forest to a water hole. By water hole, I thought we would see a small pond or something. Actually, it is an area that is even muddier, with a sewer-type opening. They lifted up the cover, and it was clean water running over rocks underground. I mean, it was pretty cool how it all worked, and the water is supposedly clean to drink, but it was extremely anticlimactic. Also, we didn't really see any wildlife, which was also a little disappointing. During the hike our teacher got really upset and started talking to the guide in spanish, saying something like, "If anything happens to these kids I am screwed." I thought this was entertaining, but needless to say she is picking a more tourist-y place next time. It was fun to hike around though, and we were pretty muddy afterward. People were losing shoes all over the place! Haha. One thing we learned was that there are primary and secondary rainforests. Primary are original, and secondary are ones that have been cut down but are being grown back. The vegetation is more heavy because there is more sun. Oh, and I forgot to mention- the cars we drove in were real jeeps. I have pictures.

Then it was time for lunch. We had to wait over an hour because we were really ahead of schedule. We were at a really cool place- a pool, pool house that was two stories, indoor/outdoor kind of thing. It had a foozeball table, comfy seats, and a high "jump" for the pool. The boys thought it would be a great idea to jump in off of it, multiple times. They never dried off sense it was so cold/wet outside. I was entertained though. The food for lunch was: 1 piece of chicken, 1 piece of sausage, 1 piece of beef, corn tortillas, and tomatoes. It was really strange.

After eating it was time to get in our harnesses for the zip-line. The first zip line was really cool- I went through fog and was in love. I couldn't see anything for a while, which was amazing. Then I was able to see some, and realized I was a million feet of the ground and there was a river. The second zip line would have been great, but right at my turn we got cut by a smaller group. By the time it was my turn again, it was raining and very foggy. So I was a little upset. I just wanted a clearish sky for at least on of them. Then I had to check myself and stop feeling that way. After that we had two more that would go faster. It started raining even more and we were all freezing, and I just had to laugh at the situation. It was a lot of fun, though I still couldn't really see. Two of the girls ran into a tree because they couldn't brake enough. Apparently this place has only been open for 6 months(originally a lawyer's fun place for his family that they decided to turn into a business). This explains that it was really disorganized and probably too fast for a zipline. Oh, and the fact it was raining. Haha.

Right before the ride back down the hill it grew even more rainy. The car I got in was one without a roof, and we just had to laugh at the situation. Well, Ashton and I did- everyone else was a little upset. But it was cold, rainy, and we were scared to fall out of the vehicle. No biggie. We arrived back at the bus, put dry clothes on(we were told to bring some for the mud) and then went across the street for hot chocolate. It was amazing hot chocolate. I could taste the lactose in it- but I didn't care. I love hot choclate, in case you didn't know.

I napped and studied on the bus. For dinner we ordered pizza and studied all night. Bed at 10:30 to wake up for our test in the morning.

Oh- and apparently there is a stomach virus going around Costa Rica, so that is probably what we all had.

500 Stairs

Today was one of our free days. Most of us got together and rented a bus to go to Baldi Hot Springs in La Fortuna. This city has the Arenal Volcano. We saw the volcano, but not the top of it like at the Poas Volcano. It was a three hour drive, and half of it (at least) was made of up really curvy roads, making some car sick. We ended up getting there 45 minutes before the Hot Springs opened, but we were able to entertain ourselves. The hot springs were amazing! They got hotter as you went up, and there were many pools. The first pools had swim up bars where later we all got smoothies. Continuing up there were some water slides, which were a ton of fun. At the very top- a really cool man-made waterfall with scolding hot water (though some people thought it felt great). I stayed in the water as long as possible, and was very pruney by the end. It felt so great to get to swim around again. It had been too long! After the hot springs, we went to a Mexican restaurant in town that was pretty good. I tried fried Yuka, which is like a potato and tasted similar to french fries, just less greasy.

After lunch, we headed to the La Fortuna waterfall. It was 500 steps up and down, some very steep and complicated, but we made it! The waterfall was beautiful, and I will definitely post pictures later! I didn't have my bathing suit on anymore, so I just got my feet in. It was fun watching the few that got all the way in attempt to swim toward the fall. Heading back up the stairs was difficult, but my group knocked it out quickly to get it out of the way. After that I watched the waterfall from a lookout tower, and did not want to leave. It was then time to head back, and we were all wiped out. After an hour nap, we all started waking up to a very, very foggy evening. I am surprised the bus driver was able to drive those curvy roads with so little visibility. We entertained ourselves with joking and singing the rest of the way back. Some of us then ordered pizza, and I went with a group to a nearby Chinese restaurant. She spoke Cantonese, and so does our friend Patrick, so he ended up ordering for us since the menu was in Spanish. It was fun.

Pereza!

Today we had class for a little while, and then left to go to INBioparque. It is a nature reserve type area that specializes in researching and protecting the environment and all the species in it. We ate lunch there, which was actually better than yesterdays. They had the best chicken I have ever had. EVER. It was perfect. I think most of the food here is just made so much better than in America. Surely not everything, but at least chicken and vegetables. Costa Ricans really love chicken though, especially fried. After lunch we got an introduction to INBioparque, and then started our tour. We saw two sloths!! They were adorable and really high in the trees. They were two different species, one was short-haired and one long-haired. Sloth in Spanish is "pereza," which literally means lazy. Apparently sometimes the sloths get out and the neighbors call- much like America and dogs. It made me laugh. Silly sloths. We also saw baby deer, which were incredibly cute. After the tour we listened to a speech about environment and corporate responsibility. We were all having trouble staying awake and were thankful that it was over in 30 minutes. Getting back there was a TON of traffic. Since it was taking so long, we began to entertain ourselves. My roommate, Madelyn, started a game with herself to high five people on the street. She automatically one the game if she high-fived someone in a car. She finally got a car high-five, and it was a victorious moment for the whole bus. She was going for people in a bus, but a guy that was obviously on drugs saw her and looked like he fell in love instantly. We were very grateful to get away from that bus quickly, because they guy was very creepy.

For the rest of the night, we went to dinner and went out dancing. Dinner was half McDonalds/half restaurant because it was farther away than we thought. We took the bus, and were told a couple blocks, but in reality it was much farther. We stopped at McDonalds because some of us were starving. Then we switched destinations to a better place, so we took taxis there. The clubs were right by the restaurant we went to. It was a fun night, aside from the fact my friend Mary's camera got stolen (we are pretty sure by the waiter). On the way home, our taxis raced each other, so we yelled things like "andale" and "bamanos" to them. They weren't speeding, just having fun. Our taxi one, most likely because I was the one with the directions. :)

#11, Check!

This morning was our trip to the Poas Volcano! First off, seeing a volcano is on my bucket list of things to do before I die. Check!! We had to leave an hour earlier than usual, but it was very worth it. Our tour guide was Louis, and he was great. He told us lots of fun stories about Costa Rica. Some of the fun things he said:

-His son will be president of Costa Rica someday

-The cows in the mountains produce a very sweet milk and it is very famous.

-He has us hold our hands in the air, crossing our fingers that we could see the volcano- and we did! Afterward he thanked god because he was Christian that we could see it. It was cool to me, because he was really cool about it- not afraid of being politically correct like in America.

-There were these giant leaves that were the first plant of Costa Rica. Long ago, Costa Rica was the last country to emerge and the volcanoes rose with these leaves on them. They only exist in the "cloud forest"- the forest that is high enough to be in the clouds.

-He really wanted us to experience things, so he had us stop many places along the way.

-He also told us we were learning Spanish today, and taught us Spanish words all day.

We drove across San Jose and into the province of Alajuela. The mountains began and we started out trip up with beautiful sights to see. Louis had us stop to take pictures with the Central Valley in the background. It was amazing to see. We continued on and stopped to get some Doka Estate cappuccinos (the coffee company we traveled to later). I don't like coffee, so I got a mocha. After adding sugar it was actually pretty good! It seems I keep travelling to areas of the world that specialize with my least favorite drinks(ironic?)- and I end up starting to like them!

Then we went to the Volcano. He told us that if it smelled like sulfur than we could only stay for a maximum of 10 minutes. Luckily, we couldn't really smell it and could stay a little longer. At first it was all foggy and we couldn't see anything. But then all of a sudden the clouds were gone and you could see the crater. It was one of the coolest things I have seen in my life! After that trail we walked up another to the Botos Lagoon. It was beautiful blue water surrounded by forest- very idyllic.

After the lagoon it was time to hit the road again to head for lunch. On the way, we stopped to buy strawberries. This area isn't just none for coffee and sweet cow milk, but for strawberries. I got a bag for 1-2 dollars and was in heaven. Then we stopped down the road for strawberry milkshakes. They were different than what I expected from a milkshake- but they were really good! Forget being lactose-intolerant. :)

Then we were finally on the way to lunch. We headed to the coffee farm, Doka Estate, and had a buffet lunch. The desert items were plantains and a coconut bar thing- which was actually pretty good despite my dislike for coconut. They gave us mango juice to drink, which had a strange taste but was better than nothing. After lunch we had a tour of the coffee farm. It was really cool- and like I said before, I don't like coffee. They took us through all the steps and it amazes me just how much goes into the process and how long it takes. The coffee is still hand picked, also, and people get paid I think a dollar per bucket of berries- which is a lot of picking! They said it is not a job people like, and I can see why. At the end of the tour, they set us free in the gift shop where they let us try chocolate covered coffee beans. I absolutely loved them, and bought two bags. I think I ate too many though, I could feel it.

When we got back to the hotel it was time to get some homework out of the way. After that, we went to dinner as a group with Cyndi(the director of JCPenney Leadership Program and our teacher for the trip). We went to a restaurant that looked like a house, and ate on the "patio," which meant that our chairs were in gravel. It was strange, but it was a nice place and the weather was great. I love getting to eat outside so much. Dinner lasted for a very long time, given that it is a nice restaurant and there are over 20 of us. I ate bruschetta and a tilapia dish. Dinner was also accompanied with a "panel" of boys and girls giving relationship/dating advice. It was very entertaining. After we finished, the bus had a flat tire. They boys tried to help. The first problem was it had rained all day and they had trouble with the jack. Then the nuts couldn't be taken off no matter how hard they tried (they even broke one). Someone said they were cross-something, if that means anything to you all. Cyndi ended up calling taxis for us, and that was the end of our night. Because dinner took so long, class got pushed back 30 minutes for tomorrow!

Lazy Day

Tuesday June 29, 2010

I could not focus in class today. It was very difficult. It got better as the day went on, but I was very happy when the bell rang to end class. For lunch I just had some ramen noodles, because I wasn’t very hungry. I started doing some laundry. I was going to attend Tea Ceremony class today, but it was cancelled. We watched Sherlock Holmes, but I stopped because I couldn’t hear very well, so I worked on my journal and talked to Mallori instead.

Afterward, Kayla, Rachel, and I had girl time and went to the Box for dinner. We got pizzas and did some things using their good internet that we can’t get done at the hotel. I also got some chocolate ice cream, which made my night. :) The boys called us and gave us a hard time about not inviting them. We came back, hung out in our room a bit, then I read and slept while Rachel watched Jeremy play Spider Solitare.