Monday, November 28, 2011

No Make-up Monday



Sleeping in, staying in sweat pants, and not wearing make up. That's what my Mondays usually look like. Well, I guess that's what every day looks like. :)
December is almost here. That means I'll have lived in New York for 8 months so far. That's 2/3 of 2011! So far, I've gotten to see Niagara falls, the Adirondack Mountains, A few big cities here and there (Buffalo, Rochester and NYC. Sidenote: I saw NYC long before living here), and swam in the great Lake Ontario. I have not, yet, been across the border to Canada (I live 30 minutes away), been to Palmyra, been skiing, or  have driven in a snow storm up here yet. Thank goodness. I still have a job, a few friends up here that are slowly dwindling as time goes by, and a close relationship with my cat and my books.
I've spent more time alone in the last 8 months than I ever have in my life. I've never had the issue of not having any one around. You know, having a twin always solves that issue. I've dealt with loneliness, boredom, anger, and borderline insanity at times while living here more than I could've ever been prepared for. Oh, whoa is me.

I'm sure I haven't seen anything yet. I'm sure December is going to open up a whole world of "whoa" for me that I have never seen before. I'm sure there will be times where I will be parked on the side of the road crying my eyes out with 4 feet of snow all around. I'm sure there will be days I spend mostly playing zelda because going outside in the negative 10 degree weather is not an option. This world up here is so different than the world I've known my whole life. I'm not used to not seeing the sun for weeks at a time. I'm not used to people not holding the door open for you or completely taking your parking spot when you obviously had dibs first.
I guess the point to all this is that everyday i'm here, I learn something new. I learn how to deal with rude people and how to work a thermostat (I grew up with a wood stove, people!). I learn how to deal with constantly missing my family and friends, especially the ones I don't talk to anymore. New York is teaching me that whether or not I drown in my pity, things won't change so I might as well pick my self up and keep trucking along until the time comes I can find my next adventure. December, you better be good to me. Please don't give me your harshest winter. Please give me memories of sipping hot cocoa with my husband while watching movies. Most of all, please don't let me be discouraged when I'm sick of being here and I just want to give up and go someplace with sunshine. Please give me some sunshine every once and awhile.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

I'll Meet You In Virginia



Got home late last night from a vacation to Virginia. Although I was gone for two weeks, it felt two weeks too short. If i could move in next door tomorrow, it wouldn't be soon enough. I'm happy when I'm with my family and when I'm in the sunshine. For the last couple weeks, my days have been full of fun projects, shopping, baking, mario playing, talking, laughing, and staying up late with my youngest older sister Hillary to either watch Arrested Development or whatever movie we felt we were in the mood for.

"Chomp" pinata for our Super Mario themed Birthday party we threw for my niece, Emma.
Home made Pumpkin, Pecan and Apple pie I baked for thanksgiving dinner. 
My sisters had the chance to finally meet Dugan and I think he made the stamp of approval. Thanksgiving morning, Brooke and Hillary and I woke up to run a quick 5k before our long day of cooking and fun started. We had lots of people in one house, snacks all over the place and lots of food left over.
Mid day on Thursday, here I am, doing what I'm told, cooking up some green beans and in walks my TWIN BROTHER. That sly guy. Gone and surprised me like that. The day was great and I was quite happy after that. Here's the video in case you haven't seen it yet.

Sorry I'm not a prettier crier.

The day after thanksgiving we played football with some friends. That never ceases to be fun.



Of course, I dreaded the thought of coming back to the gloomy state of New York. Seriously, you should see outside right now, the sun must be on vacation (in Virginia, no doubt!) I wish my whole family could've been together, but those of us who were able to get together certainly made it work. I love my family with my whole heart and every second I spend with them I wish wouldn't pass so quickly. I'll be back at work tomorrow and it'll be like I never left. 
Here are my favorite pictures from our fun times!






There are a few pictures I am lacking from Christmas lights down at the Boardwalk and our lunch out at Witners our last day. (hint hint hillary)
Love you all, I'll let you know if i get buried in snow any time soon up here.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Good Days-a-Comin

Went to a Yoga class this week, and i'm still sore. Yoga kicks my butt, but I loooove it.
Anyway, this week I've been a weird mixture of mad and sad and... complacent? I walked around the mall for a little bit by myself yesterday and stopped to look at a bulldog calendar (don't judge me) and I had no one to share my ecstasy with. So, that's the sad story of the day and i'm stickin to it. Point of the story is, I miss my friends and family an extra dose this week.
Fortunately I am leaving for good ol' Virgina Beach on Saturday evening to get some Family time in. We'll cook pies (no coconut in the pecan pie, Brooke, I promise!) and we'll go on runs and play scrabble. Basically exactly what I do here but we'll be doing it together.

Switching topics here for a second; remember when I said it was always freezing in New York and snow was surely about to bomb us with unceasing fury? Well, yesterday I woke up to blue skies, didn't wear a jacket outside and headed to bed with the heater off and a temperature of 79 degrees in my house! We opened up the windows  before bed and it felt like August again. It was fantastic. Here's my proof incase you think i'm bluffing.


Another thing that happened last night before bed had to do with our furry friend. We heard her meowing from the kitchen, and she only meows from another room when she's stuck somewhere. We looked around for her in all the cupboards and couldnt find where she was. Finally, Dugan looked down at the dishwasher and this is what he saw:


Yes, folks, that's Ramona UNDER THE DISHWASHER. Figure that one out.

Friday, November 04, 2011

It IS Possible!

Ok, so I've been a little obsessed for the last couple years with getting my hair to grow... at all! It doesn't grow. I was very cruel to it for several years- straightening every day, blowdrying, curling, hot hot showers. Needless to say it was a bit damaged and has refused to grow when I decided to start taking better care of it a couple years ago. But this is proof of what diligent vitamin intake and proper care of your hair does. Getting it trimmed, taking cooler showers, small amounts (or zero) heat on your hair, not brushing when it's wet, and lots of expensive healing conditioners and oils. My hair is finally growing, and I can tell a difference!
   
                     June 2010                                                                   November 2011