Keep Calm It's 46 Days, Baby!!!

I am SO ready for this vacation! I have so much to celebrate on this trip. I will be in Las Vegas for 5 days and 4 nights, my longest trip yet! We'll be staying at Treasure Island (see pictures below) which is where we stayed last time. The strip views are amazing from this hotel and the location is great, too! Superbowl Weekend just happens to be one of my most favorite weekends each year, so where better to celebrate than in Las Vegas AKA Party Capitol USA?! 

I am excited to experience Vegas in the Winter. I have been in spring, summer and fall before. We plan to try a few new things on this trip that we haven't gotten the chance to do before (and we should definitely have time to some of our classic favorites, too!) A few things that are on our "To-Do" list (and, yes I even make to-do lists while on vacation) are :

Rides at the top of the Stratosphere! 

Rides at the top of the Stratosphere! 

                                                                   Rides at the top of the Stratosphere! 

The Roller Coaster at New York, New York

And, yes, I am the done who wants to try an oxygen bar sooooo bad!!!

Okay, this is me again... I want to see the swimming mermaids at the Mermaid Casino. I ♥ Mermaids!

I know you're all tired of these by now....

....and I am a little tired of them too! I decided no more CONCERT posts. I will just keep track via pictures, not long annoying posts. Hahaha!! Just keep scrolling . . .

Silly Smelly Boy

You would naturally think something that happens all the time would never be forgotten, but it so easily is sometimes. That is why this blog is so important to me. I want to capture memories here, so I don't forget about them.

That leads me to this blog post...

It's about Ryder, as so many of them are. I subscribe to several magazines, a few of them that come with paper perfume samples. When this dog sees me walk in the house with mail, he immediately checks (smells) to see if I have any magazines, and boy, if I do... he goes nuts. He can be asleep upstairs and here me open up the perfume samples downstairs and he will wake from a dead sleep to come smell. Now, he not only needs to smells these, he needs them rubbed all over his entire body! He goes crazy! It's his favorite thing! I don't think I will ever be able to flip through a magazine and see one of those without thinking of my sweet boy. That will be bitter sweet for me someday I am sure.

 I cannot even put my perfume on in the morning without him getting a squirt too! ♥ When I became a Scentsy consultant (that blog post is coming soon!) he went crazy. He loooooves to smell the Scentsy warmers and smells all the scents when they come in. This boy love things that smell good - he must get that from me!

Reflection

Now that I actually have the time to blog again I cannot help, but to go back and re-read all of my posts. My life has been quite the roller coaster ride over the past 3 1/2 years. We are so quick to forget all the little things, hence the reason I enjoyed blogging my journey so much. I am sad that I haven't blogged much over the past 18 months, because although I was emerged in school a lot has happened, but I haven't blogged about it.

Blogging was my outlet during the most trying time in my life. There were so many "what ifs" but in the end it doesn't matter. I will never understand how I didn't see it coming or how I was left with an empty house, a half empty closet and an ache in my gut the size of Texas because nobody told told me.

 Sometimes I wonder if I haven't completely moved on because of the lack of closure, or if I will never be able to because I am left with so many unanswered questions. Actually, all my questions are left unanswered. I don't have a single explanation.

 One of the most heartfelt, meaningful blog posts I ever wrote was called "Broken Ribs" and I remember writing it like it was yesterday. It went a little something like this  . . .

"It's 2 a.m. in the morning, I'm wearing his sweatshirt because it smells like him and drowning in my own tears. I've been there. I've been the saddest girl in the world, with a mangled heart and the certainty of getting over him was impossible. It's hard being that girl that is so incapable of giving me what I need out of a relationship. I not only married him, but gladly gave away every last shed of my self-esteem to be with him."

"On the outside I wear the illusion that I am over it, but let the truth be told it's a charade, all smoke and mirrors and empty words. Being brokenhearted is like having broken ribs. On the outside it looks like nothing is wrong, but with every breath it hurts. Let's just say my ribs are broken."

The past is the past for a reason. I don't have any intentions of going back for answers. I just have to keep trucking forward and that is exactly my plan. ♥

Graduation!

Remember this post... First Master's Post? It seriously feels like yesterday! 

Done... Done.... Done... and DONE! After 18 long hard months I am completely finished with my Master's Degree. It feels so great to be done! There were times I really couldn't see the light at the end and I didn't know how I could finish. Working full-time and being in school full-time was the hardest thing I have ever done. I don't think that the reality has quite set in yet. I was telling a friend last night that I feel like I just served 18 months in jail for something and I am now emerging back into the real world! Haha!! I am just remembering all the fun things I use to do with my free time before starting school. I have lists, upon lists, upon lists of things I want to do in the next few weeks just because I can! I am so excited and thankful for my new found freedom, but I am also excited for the all opportunities that may come my way with my new degree. It has me thinking about life outside of Vancouver. I will finally have the opportunity to move North and seek a position outside of the actual classroom. This is still probably a few years away though! I wanted to finish my Master's by the time I was 30 and I did it by age 28! :) Now I just have my Professional Certificate left, which should take about a year. I think I will start that sometime next year and then be done. FOREVER!

Up next is a little me time and relaxation for the next 6 or so weeks and then off to Viva Las Vegas to celebrate!!! 

Travel

My very first thought when I finished school was . . . "Yes, now I can travel all I want!!" It's no secret that I love to travel, but it's been quite awhile since I have been anywhere new! I think my 2009 Las Vegas trip was the last "new" place I have been. I say 2014 will be the year of new travel! I have a huge list of places I want to go and I have come to the conclusion that IF I want to travel like I do; I will probably have to teach at least one session of summer school each summer to allow the funds to travel. Although, it is not ideal - I think 3 short weeks of work in exchange for the funds to travel throughout the year is fair. I came across this quote on Pinterest this week . . . 

....and I love it! Here's to 2014- the year of travel!! 

Concerts

Concerts

This was the first concert that I remember. It's Carmen. Yes, the Christian singer. It was at the Tacoma Dome and the place was ROCKIN'. Like I said, no hatin'.

Jamie O'Neal at the Puyallup Fair. What ever happened to her?!

Mmmmm. Mmmmm. Mmmmm. Yup, loved this show. Again, at the Puyallup Fair. 

Up until last summer, Rascal Flatts was by FAR the best concert I had seen. Once again, it was at the Puyallup Fair. 

BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE! This was the best concert I had ever seen and I don't think it will ever be beat!!

I also saw NKOTB with BSB at the Tacoma Dome and the show was ah-amazinggggg!  
2011 & 2013!!!

I loved seeing Britney at the Rose Garden in June of 2011. Very fun show!! 

I saw Nicki the same night I saw Britney. She was awesome.

I have seen Toby Keith not once, but TWICE! Both times I saw him at the Sleep Country Amphitheater in Ridgefield. Always a good show. I would probably even go again! 

I saw Trace in the summer of 2010 and what. a. show!! He is so tall... like 6'7" I believe. Love, love, loved this show!

Eric Church came with Toby Keith last summer. It was a pretty good show!

I'm not going to lie. . . she did not put on a great show. I was pretty close to the stage too. Not feeling it.

Matt Nathanson was in Kent with Kelly Clarkson. It was an okay show. Not exactly my kind of music, but still fun.

Kelly Clarkson is amazing. Seriously, this girl can BLOW! Her live vocals are just mind-blowing! 
Kent, WA 2011 & Ridgefield, WA 2013

I saw Matthew Morrison last summer and he puts on a great show!!! It was just him, no Glee and I loved it! 

September 22, 2012! It had been awhile (over 15 years) since the whole family attended a concert together and we had a great time! 

 Aaron Carter. Yup, this happen - April 2013.

Summer of 2013 . . .

We saw 98 Degrees as part of The Package Tour at the Tacoma Dome on July 9, 2013. This was like a teenage Nick Lachey dream come true! :) 

Boys II Men wasn't the best group I have ever seen, but it was still a good time! 

We got to see Carrie Underwood at the Puyallup Fair in September 2013. Great show. Great live singer! 

Thomas Rhett opened for Jake Owens who opened for Jason Aldean- September 2013

Jake Owens sure put on a great show! He came to Ridgefield as a part of the Jason Aldean Night Train Tour.

This was for sure the BEST concert of the summer 2013. LOOOOOVED seeing Jason Aldean!! 

The final concert of the summer 2013 was Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson. She, of course, is AMAZING and they weren't bad either! I could have done without the Adam Levine mustache!! ;) 

Ummmmmm.... this show was OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! Katie and I saw Macklemore and Ryan Lewis at the Rose Garden (Moda Center) on October 22, 2013. Amazing. Just WOW!!! If you ever get the chance to see them live DO IT!


Upcoming...

Friday, January 31st in LAS VEGAS!!!!
 SOOOOOOOOOOOO STOKED!!!

Wise Words

“He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you.”

― Bob Marley

I love this quote. Although, I don't believe this was actually a Bob Marley quote (it sure doesn't sound like something he would say) I needed to give credit to someone! I don't know what made me think of it today, but It has crossed my mind a few times. 

Anyway, that is all for tonight. I just never wanted to forget how powerful these words are, so now I have them here for safe keeping. ♥ 

I'm Coming Back, Y'all!

     It really hit me last night that the end of life as I know it, as a full-time worker, full-time student and full-time lady of the house, is about to come to an end. I began to think about the all things I used to do before school started. I couldn't believe all the things I used to do that I don't do any longer:

• cook homemade meals
• bake
• read
• work-out
• DIY house projects
• Pinterest projects   
• BLOG

       I long to actually plan out a menu and cook meals (I have eaten out 5-6 days a week for the past 18 months because I have had no time to cook), have my weekends free to bake, go to the library and get books to read for FUN, I will have time to join a gym again, my list of home projects and Pinterest projects are overflowing and I seriously cannot wait to get started on them! Not to mention, I used to blog EVERY.SINGLE.DAY! How in the heck did I have time for that?! I have no idea, but I sure miss it. I reflected back on this blog and I am so thankful I blogged about so many special times in my life. 

        I don't quite remember what it is like to have free time, but I am so excited for this new care-free chapter in my life! 

This new life starts in 18 more days . . . 

 

I.Miss.This.

I miss blogging so much. I had a little bit of down time today (uh, super rare this summer- that's for another post!) so I went back and read through my old blog posts, as I often do. I wish I had the time to keep up with it. Hopefully, after graduation I will be able to document more. I just wanted to say that I will be coming back!!

♥ xoxo