you know I like my chicken fried...

Nothing beats small town livin' on nights like tonight. I was reminded of good ol' Cuba tonight after my friend Sean and I went for a walk around town. It was an exceptionally chilly walk. In fact, I believe both of us at some point during the walk stated that it was probably the coldest weather we had ever walked in leisurely. Anyway, the walk made me think about Cuba because we just walked and talked and had no true destination in mind similar to when I was younger and I used to go on bike rides with one of my friends for hours without any real place to go. I like that about small towns. You can walk/ride for blocks and blocks and just enjoy the comfort of knowing the folks next door and the kids down the street. I often contemplate where I see myself settling eventually because I've always been torn between the two extremes; city life and small town livin'. I would love to give my kids (if I have kids) the type of childhood I had. It was just like the movies. We played little league until it was dark, played hide n seek across town, went to the ice cream shop down the street, and took our bikes everywhere. I wouldn't have it any other way. But I do know that I don't necessarily see myself moving back to a town like mine. There are no jobs there and the closest thing to civilization is 1 1/2 hours away. I live for doing different, new things. That's why I like the location of where I am right now. I get the small town feel with "city life" just 30 mins away. I don't mind driving to get where I need to be, but if I have a family that will be one thing I'd have to consider.

Over the years, especially my last two years in college, I learned a lot about who I am and what really makes me happy. I've learned that I like to go out to the bar to watch the game and eat chicken wings and drink beer. I like to get dressed up and go out for a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant. I like to just take long walks without a destination. I like to go exploring and be outdoors. I like to be classy, but I like to get dirty. I like to drive go carts and play basketball. And I like to get manicures and drink fancy drinks. When I really sit down to think about what the "perfect date would be" I never really know because I like to do it all. And I think I finally realized this after being away from home and learning that small town livin' made me a "jack of all trades" so to speak when it comes to keeping me entertained. I love that I'm up for anything and like to do different things. I like me.

What I guess I'm saying is tonight was a great night to reflect on what my parents gave me as a child. My dad was my coach and my mom was my biggest fan. I grew up knowing everyone in my town and playing with the kids down the street. I can honestly say that I am the way I am today because my parents let us be kids and run around until dinner time. We never watched tv...we never wanted to watch tv- we were always outside. If the day comes and I have a family of my own, I hope I can be the type of parent my parents were for me.

So I leave you with a song that yes gets me every time...it's a song that makes me think about home and my friends from college. We used to always play it...no matter where we were or what we were doing...

I love me some good deals!

Retail therapy- it's the best kind. Whether just window shopping or out to find the perfect pair of work shoes, nothing beats a stroll through store aisles.I usually go shopping without much in mind. ..I am usually just trying to escape reality for awhile and have a little "me time." But it seems that whenever I walk into a store, sales and deals are jumping out at me! I'm pretty frugal with my money, but when a good deal comes my way I rarely pass it up and tonight proves that I have an eye for bargains.

First up, my post Christmas wrapping essentials purchase...



total cost = $7.82

Next, my "I don't really need these but they'll make great birthday shoes for DC" purchase...


total cost = $12.97

And finally, the perfect shoes for the perfect dress. I found all of the bridesmaid shoes on sale and in our sizes so I had to get them...



total cost = $6.49/pair

But wait, I know you are all wondering what the perfect dress is, so I will show you! Below is what we will be wearing as we watch my beautiful sister walk down the aisle in July...




I can't wait to stand by sister's side as she says I do!!! The shoes were by far the best purchase of the night because it made her wedding that much more real. I can't wait!

But...to get back to the focus of this post....BARGAINS! I love finding quality clothes/shoes for much less than full price. Some will say I'm a shop-a-holic and I'm okay with that! Yay for relieving stress and makin' out like a bandit during my 'therapy session' at the mall!

putting things into perspective...

Alright, alright so the moment I know you have all been waiting for!...Amber's New Year resolutions

1. Pull out my 101 list and look it over, think it over, and start fresh. Not with a new list, but a new commitment. I have really neglected my list and I want to get back the excitement I had for it when I started last summer.

2. Say it and do it! I am vowing to do the things I say I am going to do. Yes, small things I am very good at following through with, but it's the bigger things I often find myself pushing to the side. So, for instance, this semester I will travel to Rhode Island to see one of my friends. I will celebrate my birthday...big time! And travel somewhere and do something I want to do. I will take time away from my job and find things I enjoy to do. It's things like that I often find myself making excuses for why I haven't done them instead of just doing them.

3. Pay better attention to what I'm eating. Generally speaking I'm a pretty healthly eater in the sense that I really enjoy vegetables, I don't eat much red meat, and I don't really snack on junk food. But I do find myself being very inconsistant with my eating habits...I skip meals A LOT.

I have always been interested in looking though the "Eat This, Not That" books when I am browsing the aisles in various stores, so I decided to google it and found a great resource: www.eatthis.menshealth.com. I know I'm not a man, but the information on this website is really great and I want to spend more time thinking before indulging. And of course...I vow to get back in the gym--> I have a dress to fit in by the end of July and I want to fit in it right, if you know what I mean :-p

4. Be financially responsible. Again, I am generally very good at staying on top of things, but now that I have a full-time, salary paid job I want to start thinking about the future and setting money aside. I have started a savings account, but I want to be a little bit more mindful of that and not always spend money haphazardly because I have it.

There you have it folks...2011 New Year resolutions for yours truly. I must say, I don't usually identify any resolutions because I really try to make goals for myself throughout the year, but in this new chapter of my life I figured I would give it a shot! When I sit back and put things into perspective, these are some of the things I know I want to continue to focus on for me.

I hope you have identified some goals for yourself too! Cheers to the new year!

I've seen it all...

I need help. I'm trying to figure out what color fits me best....hair color that is. I've done just about every shade of blonde...some brown, and some multi-shaded looks, but I still can't figure it out. I like to change it up every once in a while, but I'm looking for the color that is me! So, below I have outlined a few of the different looks I have done over the years...they won't seem too drastic but if you look closely, you can tell they are all different. Starting from when I went to school until now, I have picked a few different pictures to highlight the changes...let me know what you think works best....

Freshman year (right before I went to college! don't mind the emo attitude...)

Freshman year (after Spring Break...)

Sophomore year (20th Birthday!)

Sophomore year (summer before Junior year..bleach blonde...wowzersss)

Junior year...

Senior year...

Summer after senior year...

And...now!

I need to get my hair done soon, but first I need to figure out what I'm looking for because it seems the past few times I have gone I have liked what she does, but I'm not 'happy.' I've seen it all...from brown to bleach blonde so now I need to find where I'm happiest at! Most of my friends like me better with lighter blonde hair, but then again some say either way. Such a predicament!

I've also been trying to figure out if I should cut my hair too. Not short, short! But just something different. But I'm hesitant mostly because my sister's wedding is this summer and I want it to be long for that...

Decisions, decisions....

July 30, 2011

And the countdown begins...208 days until my sister's wedding in the US. My mom and I have been busy getting some of the details worked out since it's pretty difficult for Allison to handle some of the things in France. Here's the break down of the big day...

Bride

Groom

Church

The Reception Venue


I suppose there are probably a few other details I could share, but for now that's all we have set in stone :-) Below is a picture from their wedding in France...


Love is in the air...that's for sure. Stay tuned for more details to come...