One Year Later

So I have two really really ripe bananas waiting to be baked into something delicious (this will be another post, stay tuned), and while searching for a banana bread recipe I came across this:

What is this? This is a piece of paper exactly one-year-old! Yup, being that it's the final day for May to shine, I was digging through what I thought were recipes and found this. If you can't read it (sorry I'm not a photographer, nor do I have fancy schmancy camera), it reads "Two steps forward > What I want to accomplish." So a year ago I had my thinking goggles on and determination sprinkled in my pocket. What does this leave you? A list of 10 things.
Please read:
1) A new job in "Charm City." Focus, Focus, Focus. Apply, Apply, Apply.
2) Save for a dog (Airedale, Golden, Bull Terrier, Great Pyrenees)
3) Run the Baltimore Half-Marathon . . . October 16th
4) The most amazing 25th Birthday.
5) Plan-of-action for stationary line.
6) One month of cooking every meal followed by no candy or ice cream. May is your month.
7) A handwritten letter sent to grandma every month.
8) Reunion with Tuba, summer 2010!
9) $$$ in the bank for Amana's graduation (2012).
10) Adventures full of love and laughter with Mike.

So now I'm looking over this list, one year later, and what have I accomplished:

1) A new job in "Charm City." Focus, Focus, Focus. Apply, Apply, Apply. 

2) Save for a dog (Airedale, Golden, Bull Terrier, Great Pyrenees)

3) Run the Baltimore Half-Marathon . . . October 16th 

4) The most amazing 25th Birthday. 

5) Plan-of-action for stationary line. 

6) One month of cooking every meal followed by no candy or ice cream. May is your month.

7) A handwritten letter sent to grandma every month. 

8) Reunion with Tuba, summer 2010!

9) $$$ in the bank for Amana's graduation (2012).

10) Adventures full of love and laughter with Mike. 

I would say 7 of 10 items is pretty amazing. I landed one of the most rewarding jobs anyone could ask for! I have more saved for a future dog than I do for myself. I ran the Baltimore Half-Marathon in 2 hours and 10 minutes (not bad for a girl who doesn't like running)! Granted I was working on my 25th Birthday, but Mike surprised me, I was surrounded by 30,000 people, I was working with volunteers all day, I was able to witness my very first Komen Maryland Race for the Cure, and I couldn't have been happier. I was able to reunite with one of my very best friends, Tuba, after 6 years apart. (She is from Turkey and was brought to Boise through an exchange program.) I've been setting aside all of my coins for Amana (one of my dearest friends I met through volunteering with refugees). And last but not least, I have had soooooooo many adventures full of love and laughter with Mike. We find ourselves with something new every weekend. 

All I have to say is May, one year later, you have been too good to me! I'll be following up with this blog next year and making sure the remaining three items are crossed off! 

Beach Bound

Have a fabulous weekend!

Difference in the B's

Can you guess the biggest difference between Boise and Baltimore? 
- People
- Grocery stores
- Political views
- Famous favorite food

I'll give you a hint ... it's not what I listed above, although those are up there. Nope, the biggest most uncomfortable and hard to get used to difference is:

Hu (oh my gross) midity

Thank you, Nasa.

It's truly awful. The worst. The grossest. The "I should have saved my time showering this morning because I'm already drenched 2 minutes later."

Just a little FYI of what I'm trying and trying (and will probably never try hard enough) to get used to. 

Another little FYI, I'm heading to the beach this weekend!!! I suppose that's the glass half-full side of the humidity story. When you ask for the beach, you get water vapor.

Girly Girl

I used to pretend I wasn't a "girly girl," and didn't mush or ooo and awww over romantic things, but then I would go home and fill a bowl up with ice cream and plop myself in front of A Walk to Remember. I lived for so-called "girly" things. Heck, I am a girl why wouldn't I live in all of these wonderful, over dramatic stories?

Okay so that was a bad intro, but it served the purpose. I am a girly girl. I want all things romantic and tear jerking. I wanted nothing more than to be swept off my feet. This was during my closet days of pretending - I thought being an independent woman meant the world was at my fingertips and I would spend my days happy and alone. Como what? Ya, I know. Ridiculous. I was swept off my feet, I was taken back my one boy, I was twirled around town ... okay this is getting too Disney like. But, I fell in love and I couldn't believe it.

So I'm a few months shy of one year of being in the same city as Mike. I still can't believe, but I like it. What does being in the same place mean? I kinda forgot what long-distance dating was like (we did this for a year while I lived in Colorado). Well let me just say I received a big ole slap in the face reminder about life in two cities. Mike has been in Vegas for 5 days and returns tomorrow. Phew! I didn't think I would miss him like I have. I didn't think I'd ever crave going out to dinner or making an ice cream run the way I have these past few nights. I didn't think I'd want nothing more than to just talk and talk and talk to him on the phone. I didn't think I would hate Vegas the way I do right now. I'm ready for our Monday night dinner date, I'm ready to swing by Coldstone and copy his creation, and most of all I'm ready for this boy to be back in town doing all of the cute things that he does.

Yup, this might just be the corniest post I've written. But heck, I'm a girl, I'm thinking you're a girl, and we all secretly love a good "girly girl" story.

Halloween - We went as Squints and Wendy Peffercorn 

Tempting Tuesday

If I could treat myself to a few things right now, it would look something like this:

 

\

I miss working at a coffee shop.

Somehow I think I could really get into kayaking.

Marc  by Marc Jacobs. I would live in this dress ... all ... summer ... long.

The Great Dogbate

You see these faces?

I want them. I want their puppy face, their bad face, their you're the best dog in the world face, their you make my world face, their growing old with me face, their protective face, their mischievous face, and of course their I'm yours and your mine face. 

I've been facing this debate about whether I'm ready to get one or not. I've wanted a pup for the past two years now. I've felt ready for the past two years. But all of the sudden, I'm feeling even more and even more ready. I think it's go time. 

I received word that a litter from a wonderful breeder (took me days to find one I was 100% confident in) will be born in July meaning August could bring a little bundle of joy into my open arms. 

Really this isn't a debate. I know I want one. I know I'm ready. I think I just needed to write to myself to say,  "Brittanie, go for it! What are you waiting for?"

Today is my lucky day!

I'm going to skip the apology and list my excuses for where I've been and what I've been doing. Let's just say it involves a whole lot of work. But there are better things to discuss, such as today truly feeling like it's my lucky day! Let me list the ways:

1) So this didn't exactly happen today, but I'm thinking it started it all. My wonderful friend, Nicole (check out her amazing blog), posted about this exciting opportunity to join in The Traveling Journal circle. If you didn't check out the link, basically it was a first come first serve type of thing where Kaitlyn was wanting to  start something new in the world of all things creative. There were a handful of bloggers picked to participate in this project, and guess what? The list was full...it was finalized and ready to be printed...but then something happened. Something I call luck - I was added to the list! So here I am ready to paste, print, cut, glue and photograph! This could take a few months, but I'll definitely show you the end result! 

2) Remember me begging, asking and wanting friends? Remember I didn't grow up here and therefore meeting life-long friends has been a struggle? Remember how I joined a meet up group to meet friends? Well this morning something dare I say lucky was floating in the air. I went for a run and spotted this girl who was going at a nice pace, but then I saw this hill and one of my biggest challenges is pulling my legs up a hill. I decided this morning to push myself so I ran and I think I ran fast. I passed this girl, but then just as I made it to the top and decided to walk for a minute, she passed me. Long story short, I was following this girl so closely trying to keep up with her stride and after realizing I probably seemed like a creep staying a little too close, I grew some balls. I picked up my pace and ran next to her, pulled out the ever-so-inspiring Gaga from my ears, and asked, "Do you want to run together?" She said, "Yes!" So fast forward one-mile, we hit it off! We're in the same boat, not from here, searching for friends, listen to the same music, laugh at the same stories, wish the mid-west mentality could teach these east coasters some manners, and in the end exchanged digits! It's not everyday you meet a friend while sweating and coming off as a creep. 

3) I was out and about shopping for myself and shopping for a friend's upcoming bday. Well I happen to be in the market for some cargo linen pants. Whenever I'm in the market for something, it's either $300 bones or size 0. 

Guess who found the perfect pair that look something like this - 

This girl!!!!! So after strolling along on my merry way, guess what else I landed? Someone's PF Chang's gift card! I didn't steal, I didn't swipe, and I didn't dig for it. Nope, it was just laying next to a tree and no one was in sight. So I leaned down thinking a) this is a prank or b) it's empty. But I snuck it in my purse and carried on my way. Next thing you know I sit down at my computer, enter the card number, and find out it has $25 on it! Talk about being lucky! So to my mom who love PF Chang's, dinner is on me (and whoever lost it)!

Because there is still some time left in the day, I'm treating myself to a nap and possibly a lotto ticket!

When I think about my Mum...

When I think about today and I think about my Mum, I think about one of my very first memories: Dragging my little body into her bedroom, passing by the tv, her dresser full of treasures, and leading myself into her bathroom. I would plop my rear down on the toilet and gaze at the most beautiful woman putting on her makeup, planning out her day, brushing her teeth, reminding my brother to do something he knows he needs to do, venting about work to my dad, and then looking down at me smiling. At this moment, every day of every morning, I wanted nothing else than to see this look. I wanted her style, her grace, and her love for everyone. I remember the look she would give my shy and raspy-little-voice self - a look that said I love you more than this world will ever know and I will protect you with every little ounce of my soul.

When I think about my Mum, I think about the desire she has to make everything she owns, has, wants, needs, etc. the best. A few examples - her nails, she loves those bad boys and treats them every other week to the very best attention. Her yard, trust me you'll never find a more eye-catching, green, and trimmed lawn than my mum's. Her organization skills, she can pack up a house in two minutes, the kitchen accessories are exactly where one should put them (mine are scattered in the most inconvenient cabinets), and her bedroom is always kept and made. Her work ethic and her work - she is admired by all, leads all, and doesn't settle for anything less than 110%.

When I think about my Mum, I think about the places I've gone. How did I get there - her. How am I where I am today - her. How did I pack my life for adventure after adventure even if she wasn't joining me - her. Through every suitcase, teary eyed departure my Mum was the one who encouraged me to go, gave me my boundaries, realized in the back of her mind I would break a few, set aside her saved pesos so I could have the time of my life, helped me settle in at each arrival, and made sure to visit me a few months into my new move so "home" was nearby. When I think about where I am today and how far I've gone from her nest, I think about how she wanted me to explore, shed my fears, build up my courage, and taste the world. Being here isn't so far because when I look around, I see her in everything I do. 

When I think about my Mum, I think about about how not only is she a mum, the very best mum, to my brother and I, but so many others. She is and will forever be a momma duckling willing to take someone under her wing. Whether that means assisting in homework help, buying groceries, pushing them to do more and be more, laughing at their jokes, or giving them a hug, my Mum has been a mother figure to more than she will ever know. She has a heart as big as this world and love that has no limits. She might only have two that call her Mum, but a sea of little ones who have depended on her at some point in their life.

When I think about my Mum, I think about laughter. She taught me the beauty of having laugh lines. She is witty, smart, bold and flippin hilarious. She'll crack your back with her jokes. She doesn't understand or realize how much I admire her care-free style, but I constantly wish I could just "go with the flow," kick aside the debbie downers and spin a few jokes to break up the tension. She is this way. She makes you laugh until you pee your pants. She doesn't try, she just does.

And last but not least, when I think about my Mum, I think about a woman who is unlike any other. She is my best friend, my backbone, and my go-to call when the world comes crashing down. She will interrupt her getting ready routine because I'm calling about something pointless. She will wake up at 3 in the morning because I can't sleep and need someone to talk to. She will send me cards that don't mention a holiday or a thank you, but simply an "I am thinking about you" written in her handwriting that brings a tear to my eye. She will step out of an important meeting because whenever the words "it's your daughter" are spoken by the secretary, more important business is apparently on the line. She is the one who wiped my tears when I was 5 and couldn't deal with the death of a fish, to now wiping away my fears from 2,000+ miles away and letting me know I'm bigger than any of my doubts. She is the one I would have picked to be mine, but thankfully I didn't have to. When I think about my Mum, I think about the life she has given me and the love that continues to grow. When I think about my Mum, I think  about how much I want to be just like her.

Happy Mother's Day, Mum!

Pinko de Mayo

Work is a little different today. We're busting out the salsa, the guac, the chips, the sombreros and the love for Pinko de Mayo!!!! Working for Komen, I always feel encouraged to incorporate the color for breast cancer awareness! Why not bring it to the table and celebrate! Hope you're having a fabulous fiesta amigos!

I'm on the far left. My head is too big and my sombrero string broke.