10 Days and Counting...

While I'd like to think that I'm wildly independent and more than capable to be away from friends and family for extended periods of time. I have finally reached the point where I am more than excited to go home for Winter Break! In 10 days I will gladly bundle up and board a plane back to the frozen Midwest for a two week break from the craziness known as my life. I'm ready to have margaritas with Mother (the house better be stocked when I get home) and sit on the kitchen counter talking to Dad about anything and everything, or just the same stories we laugh at time and time again. And of course, I am eager to spend some much needed time with the best friend in one of my favorite cities! While I'm not a fan of the cold in any way, shape, or form, I will try to soak in every moment while I'm in Minnesota cause I'm not sure the next time I will be back. The semester has been incredible and I have learned a lot, but for my sanity, I need to get away from this hotel. So Minnesota, get ready, cause I'm coming home!

Day with Dibbs!

Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends. -- Cindy Lew

This week I got to spend a day with my good friend Sarah Dibbern (Dibbs). This hang out time was greatly anticipated since I had only seen said lady once since the end of May. During our time apart, Sarah carefully constructed a list of things that her and I would be doing during my time here in MN.

Dibbs with "the list"

With the list in mind, we set out on our little day of adventure. First, we set off to do some shopping. She introduced me to a store named Charming Charlie. LOVE! It's this incredible jewelry store where the jewelry is all separated by color with all the handbags, belts, and other necessary accessories to match. Heaven on Earth I tell ya! After some more shopping, a run in with another great friend from college, and forcing Sarah to humor me and take some goofy pictures...

Yay Sarah!

...we were off to go ice skating in St. Paul. Yippee! As a child, I always had dreams of being a figure skater. On the lake behind our home, we would always clear off a spot to go skating. And while my brothers were off snowmobiling or making snow forts, I was busy daydreaming about skating for Olympic Gold with the likes of Kristy Yamaguchi and Michelle Kwan. So, needless to say, I was so excited to relive my childhood dreams.

 However, it had been quite some time since I had been on ice skates and although at one time I was very sure of myself on skates, I was certain this ice skating experience was going to be a shaky one at best. We went to the outdoor rink by the Landmark Center and for only $2 it was a pretty great way to spend the afternoon.

Landmark Center in St Paul, MN

Story time: While waiting in line to rent our skates, Sarah spots this guy that she had a crush on all summer. I, not knowing who the fella was, asked her to point him out to me so I could be on the look out. "The one with the black hat and coat, over there by his family." "Okay. Got it." I was thinking that a little rendezvous on a skating rink made for a pretty great story, a "Meet Cute" if you will. (for more details on a "meet cute", watch the movie The Holiday) Sarah, on the other hand, was not having it. She did all that she could to try and stay away from this guy. I threatened her that I was going to shout her name every time he skated by me, but after she pleaded with me that I keep my mouth shut, I respected her wishes. Later on when we decided to retire for the evening - fall-free I will have you know - we were about to walk out of the warming house when... dun dun dun...her crush appears! FINALLY! He greeted her with a sincere enthusiasm, and I merely stood back and observed. But the one thing I finally noticed was that the guy she was talking to WAS NOT the guy I thought she pointed out. This entire time I thought her crush was some other guy in a black hat and coat skating around with his family. Wing-man fail! Sorry Sarah! But after a nice little chat with her crush, Sarah and I left to round off our evening with a nice dinner.

All in all it was a great day with Miss Dibbern and I am thankful for the time I got to spend with her. Dibbs, remember you are always welcome to come visit me in North Carolina. Love you!

White Wedding

December 11th, 2010 was the date of two major events in MN: a blizzard and my brother's wedding. Not sure the bride and groom really wanted those two things to occur simultaneously, but nonetheless they did. I flew into MN around midnight Thursday night only to kick off wedding events just a few hours later. After a much needed trip to get manicures and pedicures, we were off for the rehearsal and the grooms dinner. Who knew walking down the isle would require so much practice?! It's probably for people like me who struggle with pacing and would just rather run down the isle. (slow learner, party of one!) So after some detailed instructions on when to pause, where to stand, where to look, when to fix the brides train, when to turn, when to walk off stage (without tripping on your dress) it was time to eat.

Under the overwhelming sense of excitement, there was a lingering sense of stress. A lot of people would be traveling a distance to get to the wedding and with the impending doom of a poorly timed MN blizzard, we were all left to pray and keep our fingers crossed that it wouldn't effect the "big day" too badly.

Next morning: we wake up to the fury that is mother nature. There is snow... everywhere. And the relentless wind -much like what it is in the mountains - comes at you horizontally. The morning includes a slow, white-knuckled drive to the hair salon (who cares that it was only a mile away; I forgot how to drive in that stuff) running through snow drifts higher than the protection of my newly purchased boots (darn it!) a momentary hiatus in the hairdressers chair getting a million bobby pins stuck into my head with an entire can of hairspray unloaded onto my product-free hair and then we are off to the church!  Beyond the shivers from the cold, smiles were in abundance. The bride was gorgeous. The groom was nervous. And then came the pictures...lots of pictures! But before you know it, we are getting set for kick off, no -go time, hmm... the big event?! Maybe.  The ceremony was personal and filled with laughter. A couple excited "I Do's" later and I have a new sister! Yippee!

The new Mr. and Mrs. :)

After braving a few pictures out in the snow (bad idea but at least the snow matched the wedding colors) we were off to the reception...a.k.a time to get our groove on! I don't think the bride ever left the dance floor!! All in all it was a great celebration. And even though the weather was horrible, so many people came to wish Trent and Liz well.

So here is to Trent and Liz: Trent, I am so happy for you! You found an incredible person to share life with. Love you. Liz, I knew before you and Trent started dating that someday you would be my sister. Thank you for loving my brother the way you do. You're incredible! :) Welcome to the family!

Winter Has Arrived

Not going to lie that I had high hopes that moving 20 hours south of Minnesota would mean that winter wouldn't last that long. Well right now it's not off to a promising start. Winter has officially arrived in Boone. There's snow. Lots of snow. And just because I grew up in Minnesota and can drive in this mess with the best of them does not mean that I am about to do cartwheels that it's here. It's cold! And the wind here blows horizontally. So that when you are walking around you can't make eye contact with the other poor individuals attempting to make their way across campus because the wind makes the snow pelt you in the eye. And when you walk outside, you have to look like this guy...

 Which, I think we can all agree on, is so cute! (hmm...) Not sure why the song "Fat man in a little coat" always goes through my head when I see this. But I suppose there are some great things that comes with the snow. It's an easy excuse to stay inside and watch movies. Lots of movies. Snow-angels. Simple yet fun. Sledding. Because who doesn't want to bring out their inner child and spend the afternoon sliding down hills! Snowball fights - sure, according to ASU rules I need your consent before I can unload on you, but I figure if you read this, you are giving me consent! And gosh darn it, it is the Christmas season and I haven't ever seen a Christmas where there wasn't snow. So while my apartment is about the average temperature of an igloo, I might as well get on the bandwagon and give three cheers to winter! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!