WHAAAAT?!

Um. So talk about a surprise.

I was planning on casually strolling into work right on time, getting on with the days meetings, I check my email, & sweet Taylor from The Daily Tay & also (in collaboration with super cute Whitney from I wore Yoga Pants) The Browse sent me an exciting email that I was chosen for BLOGGER OF THE WEEK! 

Me?!?! You shouldn't have ;)

No but seriously, how fun?!?!?! I'm so excited about this! Its so cool to know that so many of you come back each and every day to read the nonsense that I'm usually talking about! I seriously love that I get to talk about whatever the heck I want, usually random, mostly silly, but always me, and you all just accept it.

THANK YOU!!!

Since this is a first for me, I decided lets keep with the tradition of firsts going! I'm linking up for the first time ever for....

Dear Friday, you got here quicker than usual... and I can't say I'm mad about it! Dear bloggy BFF'S, you know who you are. You keep my heart pumping. I love our late night texts, snail mail & packages, planning meet-ups and sharing real life moments with each other. Dang, sounds like Caleb's got some fierce competition! Dear Valentines Day, why am I completely unprepared for you this year?! Typically, I'm all over you like a hotcake... however, this year seems like Caleb is winning that award. Dear mattress, you have to stop being so darn comfy, you almost make me miss work every day. Dear Insanity, I know we've been slacking. But Caleb's knee needs to be back at 100% before I'll risk it again! Dear little red bikini, I will rock you this summer. I promise (if Shaun T has anything to say about it). Dear Erin & Lyndsie, thanks to you two, I am over the moon excited about both of my upcoming Bridal Showers. Cannot even WAIT! Dear flower girl, your mom and I are taking you out for breakfast tomorrow, shopping for your adorable dress tomorrow, and treating you like a princess all day long. Dear YOU, you are loved.

Thanks again for always sticking around and reading my lil' space that I love so dearly. As Drake would say: you daaa bessst.

Cry me a river; throwback edition.

Happy Thursday! Goodness guys, over 300 followers?! I seriously love you all... I love having new friends. Cause thats what you all are to me... 300 new friends ;) please email me so we can get to know each other. I'm so thankful for this little spot of internet I can call my own!

... so I realize lately I've been posting about a lot from my past, but hey... I didn't have the guts back then to do this whole blog thing.. now I do. Moving on, shall we? :)

I be excited.

This post is all about my birthday from summer 2011. I turned 20 years old. My family and I went downtown to eat at Benihana for dinner, and made it a huge celebration. We always make birthdays a big deal around my family... whether its a big family night IN or OUT... we always have a blast. & this night was no exception. 

There is that stud I like to call my MAN!

Of course our better halves had to be there. When I say "OUR better halves", I mean mine and Caleb's... as in these two complete us. Got it? ;) k cool.

The night started out amazing... I mean, Erin not only got me the hottest nail polish on the block... but TWO floor center freaking stage seats to see our girl crush KATY PERRY!! I mean, how could this night get any better!??! That was already one of the coolest presents I'd ever gotten!

Then my mom & Caleb hand me a giant bag with some kind of book-bag inside and I couldn't have been more confused.

I believe I said something along the lines of "SHUT YOUR FACE!"

It was a camera. My Nikon. The baby I never could afford on my own. I got it. & I felt ready to take on the world (okay, I'm being dramatic.. but this night is a top night in my mind). I felt like I really could finally start focusing on photography as a TRUE hobby.

Here came the waterworks.. yeah, I cried.

I quickly wiped away the tears... and started to shoot!!

I really felt like my "dream" began that night. I've always known I wanted to do photography, whether as a hobby or a full time career. I'm still figuring all those details out, but regardless.. that was one of the sweetest gifts I'd ever received. Caleb and my family went in on it together and found a great deal apparently, enough so that they got me lights/equipment to go with. I was a giddy girl, to say the least.

How did I become so blessed?!

So, what was the best birthday present YOU ever received?!

GUYS!!!

Huge news. HUUUUUGE! {thats what she said: Michael Scott}

But seriously. Okay so if you follow me on twitter, you already know this but I'm going to announce it as if you don't already know....

WE OFFICIALLY HAVE A HOME!!!!

Two Friday's ago we filled out the applications for our apartment, and WE GOT IT!

Caleb will officially move in March 1st. 

Guess what else? We get our own washer/dryer... INSIDE our apartment. I don't have to share with anybody and keep 97 quarters on hand at a time...WOO!

Matter of fact, our apartments aren't even BUILT yet! So that makes me excited... they will be finished at the end of the month, we get the keys and Caleb will be moving in first thing March 1st. We are SO excited. A lot of prayer went into this decision and I am SO thankful God gave us this place to start our new journey together.

YAY FOR DECORATING!! (Caleb, there may be a ridiculous amount of yellow in our new home...#sorrynotsorry)

It is also somewhat comforting knowing we will be the first people to EVER live in that particular space... new everything! Looks like I'll have some decent size counter space too, so I'm being FORCED to brush up on my cooking skills for Caleb! & for all my blogger besties that want to visit this summer? We have an extra bedroom, so come on over ;)

My thoughts on...

what other than the Super Bowl? & no... I'm not talking about the game.

We have lots to talk about, ladies. Yeah I know I know, everyone and their momma's are probably posting about this this week...oh wells ;) ... I know if you are anything like me you were screaming like the 5th grader inside of you would be proud to know when you saw Kelly Rowland and her hot bangs pop out of thing air and onto the stage... and then little miss Michelle to follow! and what do we have here? 

DESTINY'S CHIIIIILDDDDDD YAAA'LLLL!!

So many memories came flooding back to my at this moment in time... they brought the house down so hard the power went out! Just kidding... I bet someone actually will get fired for that, oops!

Back to the topic... they rocked it out. Brought me back to a few years ago when a friend and I actually sang Bills, bills, bills at a karaoke night. video to come... KIDDING.

aside from Beyonce's lack of clothing... her attitude was NOT.

Her crazy moves:

Poppin like craaaazy.

She was the definition of fierce. Love her or hate her (which, how can you?!) ... she is pretty awesome.

Know who else was pretty awesome?? Oh, I know you do...

THE INTERPRETER! This man was amazing, his teeth, his hair, his perfect tan. I mean... he basically MADE the Super Bowl.

Now... I may or may not have saved the best for last, because everyone seems to be forgetting about my girl J. Huds. Girlfriend needs no introduction. She is incredible, and look at her new hot bod!!

I could've done with a little less bangs, but she seriously sounded like an angel. Those little children singing were just too precious for words, too. I wouldn't have even minded her performing the Super bowl halftime show! Anything is better than Madonna last year!

Worst commercial of the night? Those stupid Go Daddy ones... I know you know what I'm talking about. I literally gagged my guacamole up and watched it like a bad car accident... I couldn't look away, however absolutely disgusted I and the rest of America may have been.

Best commercial?

The taco bell one with all the old timers having the TIME of their lives! Too cute, and yes.. that is me up there in 65 years!

Yes, I was very sad that the Ravens won... but honestly? I don't favor either team so to me, I'm good! I just can't wait until black and orange is plastered all over a stadium because the Bengals took over! Ahh, one day.

So there you have it, my thoughts on Super Bowl 2013... because I know you all were just dying to know. What was your LEAST favorite commercial? Please don't tell me I'm the only one who hated seeing that blonde woman eat that poor boys face for dinner. ?!?!

Happy Tuesday! Linking up with my ladies!

SUPER BOWL!

Unless you've been living under a giant rock, you know that this weekend is the SUPER BOWL!

Unfortunately, our Bengals couldn't make it this year. Sad, I know.

So, it looks like I'll be rooting for the San Fran 49ers. I mean, who could root for Ray Lewis? I think for every time he fake cries tomorrow during the anthem or at any other point, I get to treat myself to a cookie.

Sounds fair, right?

Caleb and I will be hanging with our soulmates (duh), and having a ball, per usual.

Some of the best times with these two are celebrating Bengal's wins, or crying together over a loss. We truly care, typically more than others. 

I remember the first few months Caleb and I were dating, I had always told him I'd wanted to go to a game but never had the chance too. So, I'll give you one guess at what my Christmas present was that year?

We were babies!

You guessed it. Center field, 14 rows back from the middle. I was ecstatic! We played the Lions, spilled hot chocolate on each other, and stuffed ourselves full with popcorn. It was magical.

Another reason you know the four of us love the Bengals? Well, my soulmate Erin got engaged on the bengals field. Whaaaat?! I know, right? & she currently holds Caleb's "dream job" of working for the Bengals in ticket ops. She is kind of amazing.

Here is too wishing you a safe & happy Superbowl full of chips, too many commercials, and Ray Lewis' tears.

K byeeeeeeee.

The day I was feeling adventurous

Friday is here, *party*... and I'm finally going back to work. Apparently the school districts surrounding my home are CLOSED today due to snow... so I'm hoping the roads are alright on my way in to work today!

I told you all in my Wednesday post about my random facts... and one of them was that when I turned 18, my birthday was on a Sunday, & I got baptized in my church, by my uncle... and my mom's present to me was to take me skydiving.

I had ALWAYS wanted to "make the jump", and that is what she asked me when I woke up... "You ready to jump today?" and I knew exactly what she meant. I don't think I could've hopped out of bed any quicker!

My baptism was the very best moment of my life, there are no words I could use to describe it but I can try:

Amazing.

Life changing.

Freeing.

So you can imagine my excitement as I leave church, with people asking "How are you going to spend your big 1-8?!" ...."oh you know, the standard. Jumping out of an airplane. Good thing I got saved today, right?..." I am so awkward.

So, we hopped in the car... and headed to the little airport that runs this thing. I was so excited I could hardly stand it!

We get there and I realize I totally was unprepared... I mean, what the frick am I wearing!? (skank) ... besides, I was wearing flip flops... did I really think those would stay on during the free fall!? I had NO socks.. and had to wear my brothers disgusting shoes.

I apparently got over it...

I met one of THE coolest people on the planet. His name is Dale. He was celebrating his 80th birthday, and we were plane partners... it was very cool getting to know him. Even funnier? We found him on facebook and keep up with he and his family from time to time. He's still kickin!

That is me training with my instructor who (I would be awkwardly strapped too) was teaching me the ropes.

Part of the package my mom bought me was for the company to document my entire visit there. They hilariously interviewed me as I got ready, as I was entering the plane, etc. The photographer "assigned" to me was wearing a helmet with a camera strapped to the top. I asked him how he took the pictures with out seeing and he said attached to the camera is a mouthpiece... and every time he bites down on it, it snaps a picture.

?!!?? How freaking cool!

I can honestly say... I wasn't a bit nervous until the thing on my wrist showed me how high we were... wowzaaas. We were getting up there. I mean, above the clouds. Like the view from a window seat in an airplane... except then I realized, I don't get to stay in this airplane.

My heart started racing and I actually started to pray, HA!

People started falling out of that plane one by one...Dale was SO ready he couldn't hardly stand it. I was the last one out... and I got hit by that wind so hard my lips couldn't stay shut. It took me about 4 seconds before I remembered how to breathe!

I must've forgotten the photographer was there because ALL I could do was stare at the ground I was plummeting towards! Then the little dude on my back yelled "CAMERA!!" in my ear... and I remembered. HECK YES!

My hair was CRAA(z)Y!

This shot was where I tried so hard to blow a kiss but I couldn't, for the life of me, get my lips to pucker. 

At this point we had been free falling for a good 30 seconds, and you can see we are STILL above the clouds. I mean, this was high.

He told me when he threw his arms infront of me like that and began to wave, he was going to pull the second parachute which is what would immediately slow us down...

& just like that. WOOP! Up we go. My poor legs didn't know what to do with themselves!

If you're wondering "wasn't it awkward? Gradually falling towards the ground at a really slow pace with a man uncomfortably strapped to your back?" .... why yes, yes it was. We talked about his kids, his tattoos, our hobbies... you know, the usual.

That was Dale, from my photographers perspective. Isn't is BEAUTIFUL?!

Success! Cannot wait to go again. Except Caleb swears that he'll never let me. He thinks I'm going to die. Doesn't he know its perfectly safe? ;)

Next on my list? Bungee jumping!