Goodbye to the 2000's

Can you believe it? The 2000's are almost gone, and it still sounds so weird to me to say 2010, someone on facebook said it best "it sounds so futuristic" .so true.

Well when I actually sat down and thought about the past 10 years it surprised me how defining this decade has been in my life. In this decade I have: graduated from high school, college and graduate school (WOW), learned how to drive, learned how to drink (ha!), got my 1st and 2nd big girl jobs, finally got a sister, became an Aunt, moved more times than I care to share, made some awesome new friends, lost touch with some awesome old friends, fell in love, fell out of love, got my heart broken, broke some hearts, learned how to let go of the past and embrace the future, and have amazingly made it to 25 relatively quickly.

It absolutely boggles my mind to even think about where my life will be in the next 10 years?!?! Crazy!!

I don't really make new year's resolutions but I have decided that in 2010 I am going to 1.) take better care of myself 2.) Try really hard to save money 3.) Do more work for chairities or just find more ways to help others

Wishing you all the best 2010!

Welcome Getting to know you readers!

I was totally surprised to check today and see that I was Lynnette's "Getting to Know You"featured blogger today!



So welcome to my little part of the world, I am so happy to have you here! As Lynnette mentioned I just returned from a 7 day cruise to the Caribbean with my boyfriend's family, and tomorrow will be on the road again, to spend the holidays with my family.



Just a quick glimpse into this blog and my life. The past year has been crazy, we used to live in Pennsylvania, very far away from our family and friends but thankfully I got a new job in August and now we are back in Ohio having a lot of fun and making up for lost time. I have four brothers, ages 28,15,13, and 9 and one sister age 4 who are all amazing in their own unique ways. My mom is the most amazing woman I know and is totally my inspiration in life and I talk about her a lot on this blog (Hi Mom!) I have the greatest friends in the world (shout out to Kristen and Candy, who I know read this thing) and last but not least I have the greatest partner in crime who I share my every day adventures with, and who puts up with me on my good and not so good days, Josh, my wonderful boyfriend of 2 years.



So from our home to yours, Have a wonderful, safe Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Home Sweet (but cold) Home

Like I expected last week flew by and we are already back home to the cold and the snow. The cruise was fabulous and very relaxing. I didn't love the food as much as last year or hearing and reading everything in 6 different languages, but it was a nice get a way. We visited Magen's beach in St. Thomas, which we were told was a Top 10 beach in the world, toured the Bacardi factory in Puerto Rico, and went to the Atlantis in the Bahamas and all in all had a great time.

If you watch the Amazing Race this slide should look familiar. This was the slide (named the Leap of Faith) that the one girl ( I can't remember her name) wouldn't go down and they ended up losing because of it. Well, Josh and I can happily say that we went down the slide and it was so cool. We rode about 6 water slides at the Atlantis and it was well worth the money not worth how sore and bruised we were the next days.

So here we are back in cold snowy Ohio, tanned and tired and ready to take on the 4 day work week and hoping it goes just as fast as vacation did.

More photos and stories to come!

* Happy 101 Award*

I just got my 2nd blogging award from Jill over at Life After College. Thank you so much! I love her blog so much as I can totally relate to a lot of the things she says about life just not being how she thought it would be after college. You should definately go check her out!

Here's the award rules:List 10 things that make you happy, try to do at least one of them today, and tag 10 bloggers that brighten your day. For those 10 bloggers who get the award, you must then link back to my blog! :)

1. My family: As much as they drive me nuts I'd be lost without them

2. Josh: He is no doubt my soul mate and partner in crime

3. Starbucks Peppermint Mocha's: One of the best things about Christmas time

4. My Friends: They are all spread out all over the country but I love them and miss them so very very much!

6. Reading a good book: (Sorry Jill totally stole your list): I just finished Jodi Picoult's My sister's keeper and it was great! Can't wait to see the movie

7. Barnes and Noble: I'm a geek, I know

8. Unexpected phone calls: I feel like these happen less and less but I love reconnecting with an old friend or a family member I haven't talked to in a while

9. Vacation: WE LEAVE TOMORROW!

10: Being closer to home; I have worked so hard to get closer to my family and finally feel like I have made it!

Here are 10 Bloggers that I love to read about each day!

Katie @ Adventures of Katie and Josh

Kelsey @ The Seattle Smith's

Sonja @ For the Love of Stilettos

Sarah @ The Swiss Mrs.

Amy @ Chapters

Well I only have time for 5 right now...I have some travelling to do! Thanks for award again Jill!

Leaving on a jet plane

I wish I didn't know when I would be back but it will be one short week I am sure. Well the day has come, our bags are packed along with flip flops, tank tops and sunscreen. I am so excited about this trip, and it is needed as the past 5 months have just been insane it seems. We are heading to Cleveland in a few short hours to stay at my Dad's and someone is going to drive us to the airport tomorrow morning (at like 7 a.m...yuck!) But stay tuned, the next posts will be full of fun stories and pictures of the trip. Hopefully everything goes smoothly!

Have a GREAT week!

Holy Cow...

I can't believe tomorrow night we will leave for vacation, we are staying close to the airport and offically leaving early early Saturday morning. This past week has been the busiest week of my life at work and home, I can't even begin to describe it. I can't really say too much cause I have to go present a pretty big report to my boss in 10 mintures but I will try very very very hard to put a post up before we leave tomorrow. I will say I am so excited to be going to get a pedicure with Josh's mom tonight so my feet will be ready for the sand and sun. Can't wait!

Talk soon!

My Lifeline...My Mom

Today is my Mom's birthday, the last family birthday of 2009, seems crazy to me that this year is almost over. I rarely get to spend my Mom's birthday with her since in college it was always finals week and now its just too hard to get home with the holidays right around the corner.I talk about my relationship with my mom a lot on this blog and I know she is a loyal reader as well. My mom is 100% the reason I have made it this far in my life. I would have never survived college without her support and love to help me along the way, to take care of me when I was sick (which was A LOT in college), and to be there every time I told myself I wasn't gonna make it. She is the one person who has had faith in me when I didn't have any faith in myself.

As I continue to grow up (does that process ever really end) I see a whole lot of her in me. It took me many years to appreicate the "You look just like your mother" comments and to realize that I do indeed look exactly like my mother and I am turning into my mother one day at a time. My Mom has been the rock and the strength of our family. She raised my brother and I by herself and as now begun the strange journey of taking care of her parents.

In the past couple of days things have not been so easy or kind between my mother and I. But on her birthday and always she will always be my mom, the reason I am here and I reason I have survived the past 25 years and the reason I go home (not to mention she makes some amazing cookies).

So Mom, Happy Birthday, I love you forever and always!

If your family is crazy and you know it clap your hands

I feel like I haven't posted in forever. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, mine was nothing to write about. Same old story, same old tune. To be honest, I must confess I haven't wrote anything cause life has just been crazy and I feel like between work and home and some family issues my life is a roller coaster of emotions all the while trying to get everything done for the holidays before we leave for the cruise. It has just been insanity around here. I think this trip will be really good for me cause it will give me a chance to sort out some feelings I have been having.

I love my family, please remember that 1st and foremost I would do absolutely anything for them but sometimes I feel like they aren't keeping up their end of the bargain.

For example, I waited and waited on Thanksgiving for my Dad to call to wish my a Happy Thanksgiving since I knew he wasn't coming to my grandma's for dinner, and he never called. Part of me knows this is no big deal at all not like it was my birthday but the other part of me was just thinking...just another disappointment. I want him to be better, be better for me for all the kids and for his granddaughter but I just can't seem to make that happen.

I'm not sure why I am writing this, but it has been weighing heavy on my heart for the past week and here we are a week after Thanksgiving and I still have not heard from him. I sometimes feel like if my family was a game of what doesn't belong, I would be the one that got the boot.

I hate that this blog has a tendency to be a downer, and I and truly sorry for that. This is just how it seems to be right now in my life and I am praying for a time to come that will be better.

I am just ready to go see Christmas lights at the Zoo this weekend and then next weekend watch out Caribbean here we come and I cannot wait!!

Two wonderful years

On Monday Josh and I celebrated 2 years together. We weren't going to do anything to special but then we decided to head to the Melting Pot since I have been wanting to go there since we moved here.

When I called to make the reservation they asked if it was a special occasion so I said yes and they sat us in lover's lane. Which in the end I think we were only 1 of 3 tables that were in the restaurant but it was kinda nice to be secluded and have a nice quiet night. The dinner was definitely an experience, that took 2 and a half hours to eat and was very expensive, but it was well worth it.

Even though it has been a crazy, unbelievably challenging, up and down and all around 2 years I am so lucky to have such a great partner in crime. Love you bub!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Birthday Jim and Gram

Today is my brother's and my grandma's birthday! I talk a lot about my relationship with my brother in this post but don't think I ever really talked about my gram and I. When my parents divorced my grandma retired so that she could take care of us while my mom went back to work, we also lived in her and my grandpa's house for a short time right after we moved back to Youngstown. My grandma took amazing care of us, she would pick us up from school, make sure we got our homework done, fed us dinner and then send us home and do it all again the next day. I am so grateful for the fun and adventures her and I have had over the years.

I have begun to watch my grandparents get older and watch my mom start taking care of her mom and even begun feeling me trying to take care of my mom. It's funny how roles seem to reverse as time goes on.

I see a lot of her in me as I get older, and I see a lot of my mom in me (but that's a whole different post). My gram maybe crazy and have weird ways of doing things, and may still think I am a lost little girl who she can advise but I know there isn't anything in this world she would not do for me. I have her to thank for so many things: my love for craft shows, my massive Wizard of Oz collection, my undergraduate degree that her and my gramps helped pay for and so many great holidays, weekdays, weekends and just helping me become the woman that I am today. She doesn't have a computer and wouldn't know how to operate it if she did so I know she won't see this but Happy Birthday Gram and Jim, I love you both very much!

Welcome to Steak and Shake...my name is Janet

it's just something that happens as you grow up. you realize it's less important to have more friends and it's more important to have real ones..- laguna beach

We spent the weekend with some of my really good friends from high school, Kristen and Chase. Kristen built a house in the Cleveland area about a year ago and this was the first time we could get up there to see it. It was beautiful! I have no pictures cause I am an idiot and took the camera but left the battery in the charger at home. But her house is like out of a catalog (a hobby lobby one perhaps) but it was such a fun time. Kristen, Chase and I spent Saturday shopping, while Josh worked (boo!) and then we all went to dinner and met up with one of our old friends Carlie and her husband Steve. We spent most of dinner reminiscing about high school antics, our senior scavenger hunt (that we TOTALLY won, without cheating) and how old it seems we are all getting.

I must say the older I get the harder it gets to make and keep friends. Life gets so busy with just day to day things that it hard to keep up with everyone. I am so happy and so lucky to still keep in touch and see some of my friends from high school. We all shared a time in our lives that we will never forget even though sometimes we might want to.

It was a great weekend, like all others that went too quickly!

Wishful Wednesday

The topic this week: 'I wish' I never had to _______ again

I am so excited to do my first Wishful Wednesday! I found this amazingly cute blog this week and think this is such a great idea! Please stop by Kelsey's blog and join in!

My least favorite chore is absolutely cleaning the bathroom.

The irony of this post was that on my to do list today since I have the day off work was to clean the apartment but I am happy to report that Josh cleaned the bathroom cause he knows how much I hate doing it.

It is not so much the actual act of cleaning it that is the worst part of it. I hate that tomorrow morning as I get ready for work it will just get dirty again..so annoying!

Well I hope you all join in on this fun post and check back weekly to see what is going on!

Things I am looking forward to...

As if I haven't said it a million times on here things have just been crazy here non stop since the move in August, so I have decided to list some exciting things I am looking forward to

-Tomorrow... I have the day off work and can't wait to sleep in and just get some stuff done around the apartment

Thanksgiving...I have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off of that week and I love going shopping on Black Friday with my mom and I am super excited to spend the holiday with Josh since he is usually working but is going to be able to come and spend time with my family


Our cruise..really no explanation needed to be excited about a Caribbean cruise...I can already feel the sand between my toes

Christmas...this is an oddity on the list cause I am never really excited about this holiday but it is my niece's first Christmas and I am just really happy to be closer to home this year

Viva Las Vegas...an unexpected excitement...I got approved to go to Las Vegas for a work conference and I am excited to go back (yes, we were just there in August) I get to stay at the Mirage, which I have never stayed at before, so it is destined to be a good time.


So instead of being down in the dumps there is a ton of things going on over here to be happy about!

I'm still here

I know I have been missing in action lately but things have been absolutely insanely crazy around here. Number 1 I am still not feeling 100% and I am just tired all the time. Number 2 work has been so crazy and hectic as we start getting ready for the spring semester. Number 3 we are leaving in like a month for the cruise and then I am going to Vegas (again) for work and just feel like we have so much to do in the next 4 weeks it is incredibly overwhelming.

I have also been trying very hard to cut back on tv and computer time and spend more quality time with Josh since we have been very stressed and crazy.

Hopefully, we will be doing some more exciting things I will have to write about

Goodnight!

Honesty Time

When Josh and I first started dating I fashioned a time every so often when we talked on the phone deemed honesty time. It was just a silly way of me being honest not to be hurtful just to express how I was feeling, so as nice as I am I am going to have some honestly time with myself and my readers.

Things are hard right now. I know it seems like everything is always "hard" for us but this is way different than it was when we lived in Pennsylvania. I like my job, I am still struggling with being new and learning and adapting but that was to be expected. I love where we live, we have a great apartment (could be a little bit bigger but I think all apartments could be bigger), we have awesome neighbors who are super nice and around our age, I love being close to shopping and grocery stores and all in all just love the town we live in.

I just feel like things are different, and I can't seem to figure out how to make it better. Money is tight and that is a huge stressor in our relationship. I have not been feeling well at all and after 2 rounds of antibiotics still not feeling well, and with no sick time I am forced to work and try and get better (not likely). I am tired all the time, my fibromyalgia seems to be reacting terribly to the weather change which equals me being in a great deal of pain and very tired which is no fun at all. I am stressing about the holidays because that means having to travel all over the place, buying gifts we can't afford and just lots of stress for me.

I just feel like after surviving 6 years of school I would be in a better place than I am. I feel like I am just barely making it through living paycheck to paycheck. Just not how I envisioned my life.

Josh and I love each other dearly and I know nothing but good things are in our future. Josh will be starting classes in the spring and hopefully things will start looking up for us. I just feel like life gets in the way of a lot of things.

Sorry for the rant or for being a downer I just needed to get some of this off my chest. We are ok and will be just fine just needed to write this to feel some release.

I promise to be more uplifting tomorrow =)

My First Award!

My Sweet follower Katie gave me my first award today! I love it!

I don't have long to chat today, I am heading to Columbus for a work conference but please check out Katie's blog, it's so much fun!

Sick days

I called in sick today and didn't go to work and I hated it! I have a serious problem..I am legitimately ill (2 ear infections and a kidney infection) and my body was just telling me I needed to rest and rest I did indeed. But the entire day I just felt so guilty about not going to work. I have only been there 2 months and I already took a day off, just doesn't seem right. Although, with all his H1N1 crap they tell us to stay home so I guess that should cease my worry. I hate looking like a bad employee or a slacker, cause I am so not!

Anyways, rant over. I mentioned that we had some exciting news! So speaking of taking days off work Josh and I and his entire family are going on a week long cruise in December to the Eastern Caribbean (Bahamas, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas) and it's going to be great. I will be taking a week off work ( and yes I already feel guilty about that too) and having a great time right before Christmas.

So that is all on this surprisingly warm fall day that I spent laying in bed watching crappy tv.

Hope you had a great day =O)

Sweet Little Boy

It almost pains me to write this: my littlest baby brother turns 9 today!! Sweet Andrew is honestly the family comedian and entertainer. He always has something random and funny to say but at the same time spends a great deal of his time sitting back and watching the rest of us. As a child Andrew was usually playing by himself trying not to get caught up with the older two boys. It has been so fun to watch him grow and change, especially since Lauren was born. He has taken the big brother role very seriously and takes such good care of her. He loves soccer and baseball and video games and is trying desperately to be a little boy but fit in with his teenage older brothers all at the same time.


I wish this picture was not so dark and blurry but this is Andrew break dancing at our older brother's wedding. Best thing ever! He has already taught Lauren the robot and the soulja boy dance, like I said he is quite the entertainer.

So Happy Birthday to my sweet baby brother, who I love so much and am so proud of! You are an incredible little boy and I love being here to watch you grow up!

Harvest of Friends Blog Party

My old "chum" Lynnette (remember Wednesday's Walk) is doing a a Blog party so I thought I would join in.

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while you're blogging? I don't think I really ever eat anything while blogging

2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without? Air Conditioning or heat depending on the season

3. Beach, Mountains or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice? Beach for sure!

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty? I hate cleaning the bathroom

5. Who do people say you remind them of? When I was younger people would say Sandra Bullock, but mostly everyone and I mean even strangers so I look just like my mother

6. Prefer parties and socializing or staying at home with the fam? It depends

7. What's your all time favorite movie? The Wizard of Oz

8. Do you sleep in your make up or remove it like a good girl every night? I take it off every night

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it? I would love to learn how to play the piano or any instrument and I would love to learn how to sew

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at? I am really good at organizing stuff

11. What first attracted you to your boyfriend? His smile and his goofy ways

12. What is something you love to smell? Lilacs and cinnamon spice candles

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people. I am kinda bossy at times

14. When you have extra money (HA!) what's the first thing you think to do with it? Go shopping!

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?I am a loud laughter. I laugh at myself a lot, mostly cause I do stupid things and Josh makes fun of me for it

16. Where is your favorite place to shop? It used to be New York and Company but now its anywhere I can find something I like for cheap

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time? Read, exercise (ha!), crafty stuff

18. Are you a big spender or frugal? I spend too much and I know it
19. Who is your favorite character of all time (from a movie or book)? (Can't be real) Alli Hamilton from the Notebook, both a book AND a movie

20. Would you want to be famous? The older I get the more I think not. I enjoy my private life being my own and people not following me around all the time. I think I will keep it that way.


Hope you learned a little bit more about me! To join in click the button at the top of the post.

Being a "big" sister

Since we have moved we have been going non stop, which is probably the reason I am so tired and think I am getting sick but in my opinion it has all been worth it. As most of you know, I LOVE being a big sister to the boys and Lauren. They truly light up my life, but this weekend I had a small glimpse into motherhood and to be 100% honest I don't think I am ready for that at all.

I took 3 of the 4 kids to an apple/pumpkin farm near their house for their annual Fall Fest. We had all gone as a family several years ago but I wanted to just have a fun afternoon, with just me and them. I must mention that the day before we went it rained the entire day and I knew it was going to be a muddy mess, and it was. We climbed in the tree house, the boys went through the corn maze, Lauren and I roasted marshmallows and the 2 little ones jumped on a bouncy house, we ate some snacks and then after all of us almost getting stung by bees, I decided it was time to leave.

As a way to give my step mom some more quite time we went to the mall where Andrew picked out his birthday gift (a video game) and we played glow in the dark miniature golf. Lauren got tired half way through but we finished and went home.

Let me just say, being their big sister is the most rewarding experience in my life, but they are EXHAUSTING. I was so tired when we got home and they all just wanted to keep going and going. Not that it is important but it is also amazing how easy it is to spend money on kids without even realizing it. Not to mention how hard it is to keep track of them (don't worry I got them all home in 1 piece). But at 25 I was certain that I would have at least one child by now, and after seeing a car seat in my tiny little Jetta I don't think my life is even remotely close to being equipped for children.

All in all it was a successful but muddy day at the farm and mall. Regardless of any mishaps, I love being able to watch these kids grow up and become little people with opinions and interests. I am so truly blessed with the life that I have been given and the family that I love.

I also have some fun and exciting news that I will be posting about very soon...so stay tuned!

The Ins and outs of moving to a new city

Moving....yes it sucks. Moving everything down 3 flights of stairs, driving 6 hours and moving everything back up a flight of stairs. It was hot, it was stressful, but in my opinion it is not the hardest part of moving to a new place.

We have lived here for a little over six weeks and here is just a short run down of the good and not so good things I am getting used to.

1. Not knowing where anything is, or how to get there
Sort of an expected annoyance but thankfully Josh knows how to get a lot of places, we live right across from grocery stores and gas stations so at least that's easy, and I always have my GPS!

2. Toledo having terrible radio stations
This is probably an annoyance only applicable to me but with a 40 minute commute to work everyday I wish morning radio was LESS talking MORE music. Isn't that what a radio station is for???

3. Speaking of that 40 minute commute...it sucks an I'm dreading winter already

4. Not knowing any of the channels on the tv...
Not to sound like a huge tv junkie but I definitely have my shows but I still have no idea what channels they are on and I hate how our satellite goes out every time the wind blows or it rains

5. Finding really exciting places (This is a definite good thing)
I was out running some errands and saw that we have a "Onc*e U*pon A C*hild" here which is a consignment like children's store not that we have children but its so much fun to buy stuff for the other kids in our life and we have a C*lothes Ment*or which is a resale store for women's clothes, I will certainly be checking that out soon

6. Being Closer to home :)
One of the reasons I have not blogged pretty much at all. We have been constantly on the go visiting people and making up for lost time

7. Making new friends :0 )
As I am growing up I find this to be one of the most challenging things to overcome. After leaving grad school there is really never a time when you are surrounded by people doing the same thing you are. Now in the working world everyone is doing their own thing, getting married, having babes, etc. But I am super excited to be meeting a lot of new people and making some new friends.

8. BEING HAPPY : o)
I am starting to feel like this is where we belong right now in our lives and things will get better, things will work themselves out, and yes it is hard but its all worth it.

O-H-I-O

Although it doesn't feel like fall (it's been about 80 degrees here the past few days...and trust me I am NOT complaining) football season has begun in full force. I am not a big football fan but I am learning to love it.

Now that we live in Ohio and I date the world's biggest Ohio State fan I was determined to get us tickets to the Toledo game last weekend. And darn it I got them!

Even though it was a 38-0 blowout, and we sat in the direct sun sweating the whole game and getting sunburn I can honestly say I had fun at my first Ohio State game. It was so much fun to see so many people out having a good time.

But the true non football fan in me must admit the by far coolest part of the game was the BEST DAMN BAND IN THE LAND show at half time.

The Ohio State band making a Toledo Rocket with smoke and all!!!

The infamous script Ohio, they broke apart and did 2 mini ones on each side...so much fun!

So my first official Buckeyes game was a success!!

Look forward to more posts about all our crazy adventures we have been on lately. We just love being closer to our friends and family.

Happy Thursday!

I was doing some digging through my old grad school files at work today and found this and thought I would share:

24 Things to to Always Remember and 1 Thing to Never Forget

Your presence is a present to the world

You're unique and one of a kind

Your Life can be what you want it to be

Take the days just one at a time

Count your blessings, not your troubles

You'll make it through whatever comes along

Within you are so many answers

Understand, have courage, be strong

Don't put limits on yourself

so many dreams are waiting to be realized

Decisions are too important to leave to chance

reach for your peak, your goal, your prize

Nothing wastes more energy that worrying

The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets

Don't take things too seriously

Live a life of serenity not a life of regrets

Remember that a little love goes a long way

Remember a lot..goes forever

Remember that friendship is a wise investment

Life's treasures are people...together

Realize that it's never too late

do ordinary things in an extraordinary way

Have health, hope and happiness

Take time to wish upon a star

And Don't forget...for even a day..how Special you are

~Collin McCarty

Have a great weekend!!

Life Happens

I have been terrible at posting the past month. I will rationalize and blame moving and starting a new job, but I am vowing to get better if for no other reason so that I can remember this "interesting" time in my/our life. Things have been ok. I like my job... Josh transferred jobs out here but is not enjoying his at all, so he has begun another job search, no fun! He is also definitely planning to go to school come spring, so we are trying to save up for that as well. I make a little bit more money at my new job, but the cost of living here is much higher than before so I have been really stressed about making ends meet. Yet there are so many more fun things to do I have a hard time staying at home. Its a tough situation.

I have never really talked about any of our relationship problems on here, but I think it is important for me to write them so that I can look back and realize that our relationship is strong and we can survive anything. Josh and I are just in a funk. I use that word cause I don't know what other word to use. It just seems like we are not meshing well lately. I think he truth is I just need to find something to do for me. Josh loves football and obviously its football season so he is happy. I just need to find a fun, inexpensive hobby that I love..easier said than done.

This post is becoming long and pointless but nonetheless we are ok, we are still settling into our "new"life which I know will be full of ups and downs but I know we will be ok.

Happy Birthday to me...

Well in true JessBay style I always seem to do a homage to whomever birthday is approaching. Well, luck for you it's MY birthday tomorrow. A birthday that I have been dreading for quite some time...25. I know, I know, that is not that old, I am still young blah, blah blah. I just feel weird about it for some reason.

If you would have told me at 18 that at 25 I would be starting my 2nd "big girl job" after having one of the worst years of my life, that I would be living in Northwest Ohio with my boyfriend, and just feeling like my life is a blender on high power I would have looked at you like you were crazy! At 25 I was supposed to be married with maybe one child by now, damn those life plans me and my friends made.

I guess in the end all that matters is that I am happy, which I am. I have a wonderful boyfriend who has stuck by me when I know anyone else would have picked up and left, I have a huge, crazy, exhausting family that I love more than anything and friends that I would be lost without. Although I have always wanted to leave Ohio and live somewhere warm, there is always vacation.

Life just doesn't always go the way you planned. Mine sure hasn't, but I think I like this unplanned chaotic life instead. We don't know what we are doing, where we are going, or where we will be in the next few years, but that's ok!

So my plan for tomorrow is to embrace this new "stage" of my life. Spend more time with my family, make more of an effort to connect with my friends (near and far) and just live my life the best way I can.

So here's to another really crazy, really unpredictable, really fun 25 (let's hope more) years!

Have a great weekend!

Where did August go?

I just looked on my blog and saw that I have only done 2 posts this month. Wow that is terrible. But I guess that is what happens when you go on vacation and move and now have no Internet at home til the end of next week. UGH!

So far the move has been good. I love our new apartment and will post pics soon and I am already really liking my new job. As with any new adjustments there are lots of challenges to overcome and things are perfect but we are happy and taking it "one step at a time" lol...sorry I couldn't resist.

It's so strange to feel like we can actually have weekend plans and people to go see, I don't even know what to do with myself. Next weekend is my birthday, the big 2-5 that I have secretly been dreading for quite sometime but I got confirmation last night that my Dad, step mom and all the kids are going to come up and spend the day with us. This would have never been possible if we lived in PA still so at least I will have lots of fun on my birthday swimming and playing with the kiddos.

Well, hopefully there will be new posts soon once we get Internet or I sneak out and blog at a Panera.

Have a great weekend!

Moving is for the birds

As much as I am excited about starting my new job and being closer to home and my family...I'll be quite frank...moving sucks! I am currently sitting on the living room floor listening to the Steelers game with nothing but the tv and a lamp. We have packed up the truck....ok Josh and two of his friends packed up the truck while I supervised but anyways...I am still tired. Packing alone was annoying I don't even want to think about unpacking considering we move in on Saturday and I start work on Monday. But at least we will have lots of help, very exciting.
Tomorrow we are driving 1/2 way to my Mom's house to sleep for the night and then MOVING DAY! I feel like I have waited so long for this for so long yet it is just exhausting.

I have no idea when we will have Internet at our apartment so bare with me.

Have a good weekend!!

I'm so excited!

This post is a long over due exclamation of joy! We went up to our new town this weekend and fell in love with the first place we saw and I just found out we got the apartment!!!! I am so happy and I love this apartment..it is right by all the shopping and only 30 minutes from work. I am thrilled.

Also, I probably won't be posting for a while. We leave for Vegas in 2 days and then we move very shortly after that! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited!!!

Talk soon,

A Year in Review-Wednesday's Walk

Join me and many others in our Wednesday Walk Down Memory Lane. To join in click on Lynnette's button below!

This sure has been by far the hardest, craziest, most challenging year of my life. I thought to celebrate the fact that we will be moving soon (closer to our families) and my new job !! I would reflect on the fun times of the past year.

We gained a family member! My beautiful niece Lorelei Lynette was born and has brought so much love and joy into our lives!

Josh's family and I went on a wonderful Christmas Cruise to the Caribbean and it was fabulous and I got to accomplish one of my life list items of swimming with dolphins.

The Steelers won the Superbowl....Josh was excited!!

Lauren (the little sister) experienced her first Cleveland Indians Game!

and best of all we survived!!! Now all we have to do is survive a vacation in Vegas and a 6 hour move and we can start our new life back in Ohio with our friends and families!!!