Bug Bites

Today I forgot my anti-itch cream in the car but by the time I reached my desk it seemed like such a journey to turn around and ride the elevator the 6 floors down to the parking garage where the Benadryl was waiting. I ignored those tiny, itchy, red marks until I was unconciously and feverishly scratching while I was working.

Suddenly about one o'clock I was in a panic. I could NOT take it anymore. I walked as fast as I could down the hall to the elevator, nervously rode it down to Parking Level 4, and as soon as those doors opened I made a run for my car. I was literally whimpering in pain and agony by the time I got my car door shut. It was crazy how the unbearable itch just hit me like that. Benadryl brought me relief for a little while but as I type I am itchy as I can get out. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH. Stupid bugs.

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24...Remember its only a number.

I love birthday week! I am used to being bombarded with many great events including mine and Courte's b-days, dress rehearsals, dance performances, going out to eat in far away places, family time, cupcakes, etc. I was bummed when I realized that my birthday was coming up and I wouldn't be able to share it with my family. Needless to say this year was very different than the rest. Although it did have one commonality in that it was still a very busy birthday week....

The big 2-4! What a wonderful day...the funny thing is I still act like a 9 year old on my birthday...not the 24 years that my drivers license portrays. I want to tell everyone what day it is, I expect everything to revolve around me, and oh ya lots and lots of presents are a must.

The morning started off with my love/hate relationship with Tanner's inability to keep a secret. He kept asking me if I wanted an early gift. He was like it's something you can use for work do you want it?...and there I was torn between whether or not I should open it now or wait....but oh what the hell...I told him I wanted it. He instantly pulled an unwrapped bottle of perfume from the kitchen cupboard and presented it proudly. A gift in the morning is like having ice cream for breakfast...and that moment truly marked my entry into adulthood.

My segway was also evidenced by the fact that I had to go to WORK on my BIRTHDAY which happens to be in the SUMMER. It was a pretty painful day, I tell you, that was interrupted by a delicious trip to the Cheesecake Factory with Tanner and Nance and the spirit of Jen (who couldn't make it because she got stuck at work). I loved enjoying a couple hours with two of my favorite people eating indescribable food and opening presents...and I hear their ultimate margarita is amazing.

Work...work...work...DINNER. My life revolves around food every other day of the week so why not on my birthday too? Tanner and I went to my favorite Ashburn sushi restaurant, Akira. It was 2 other restaurant diner's birthdays too. A 16 year old, a 24 year old, and an 82 year old, it was so weird to have so many people in one room with the same birthday. I loved all the birthday vibes : ) We ended the night relaxing, making rootbeer floats, and opening more presents. All in all I think it was a great birthday. I will tell about the rest of the birthday week festivities later, I'm tired of typing. To be continued...

Oh ya, thanks to everyone that sent me birthday wishes. It really makes you feel good inside to get lots of birthday wishes.

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Holy Baklava

Greek fair. Greek gyros. Greek music and dancing. Greek iced coffee. Greek Orthodox priest. Greek Baklava. And voile, an out of the ordinary, interesting Sunday night.

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The cute ones are always the crazy ones

Our dog Jack is known to go off his rocker at least once a day. The little puff-ball at some point during each day, without warning, begins sprinting around the house leaping over the furniture and bouncing off the walls. He literally goes from 0 to 60 in .2 seconds for no apparent reason (maybe to get Baxter's attention, but who really knows?). We find ourselves stopping whatever we are doing to watch this amusing display of speed and agility.

On Sunday afternoon after the pups received their weekly bath Jack began his daily spectacle. And there we were innocently laughing at him, saying how cute our soaking wet pup was, as he jumped up on our unmade bed galloping over the comforter and digging around in our pillows. We were in a euphoric, simple-minded state as we watched him fly off the bed and out of the room and down the stairs...and there we were smiling, it was almost sick how happy we were.

So you can probably understand our disbelief when a few moments later we both caught a glimpse of something shiny, liquid, and yellow all over our white comforter. Jaaaaack!!!!!!! I ran downstairs after him to take him outside to finish relieving himself, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when he only cowered and let out a dribble. I felt so bad, it was absolutely our fault and there he was shivering and feeling terrible. He knows better and he never has accidents it had just been like 6 hours since he'd been outside, and in our condo its hard for him to let us know, and he was shivering and wet and freezing.....way too many variables against him....so we took the blame.

Life lesson: When things get too perfect, be afraid, be very afraid.

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Roll out those summer nights

We have officially made a goal to spend more time enjoying ourselves this summer. Its pretty tough during the week but weekend nights are definitely devoted to fun activities. Last weekend was a perfect example.

Friday: After we got done with "work" we had a late night bbq at Nance's. She made the most delish meal ever. Her new friend Sam the cooking guy has enticed her to whip up some really amazing dishes lately. Who would have thought we would have been licking our fingers and plates after tuna burgers? We were all in such good moods, summer does that to you. I was off the wall with happiness to be off work and because I listened to Tanner on the radio all afternoon.

Saturday: We spent the afternoon and evening with some old slash new friends. Los Toltecos had top-shelf margaritas for $5 so we spent the entire afternoon sitting outside on the restaurant's patio (my favorite thing to do on the earth) sipping on margaritas...well some of us were sipping.

Sunday: Let me set the scene for this one...the sound of a waterfall in the background while we were all sitting around a campfire with good friends making girls camp style banana boats and s'mores...we spent a good portion of the night staring into the fire and that is pretty much all that mattered. We topped the night off with a soak in the hot tub, then against our will we forced ourselves to dry off and head home.

I thought this was the perfect way start to an amazing summer.

We already started planning our next weekend which involves us pitching a tent in the C's backyard...so until next time.

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Breathe.

I'll be honest I basically had a meltdown yesterday after a meeting I had with one of my teams at work. I knew that June was going to be a pretty busy freaking month, which felt awful yet achievable in my own little mind. But the moment someone else actually said it out loud was the moment that made me want to run away screaming.

Somehow I must manage to fit in 55-60 hours of work, 20 hours of studying, precious relationship time, working out to offset the many hours I spend at my desk, summer activities, and not to mention sleep into each of the next few weeks of June...and this isn't even busy season? Yikes!

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A Sun-Filled Weekend

A Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina getaway was just what we needed. It has been a crazy year and I can't remember the last time we went on a vacation just the two of us. I have been studying for the financial section of the CPA exam (I took it May 19th, wish me luck) so my sweet husband made the beach plans. We stayed at the beautiful SunSpree Resort right on the beach.

Our trip consisted of lots of relaxation. We turned off our cell phones and laid out at the pool, walked the beach, played in the ocean, people watching was really entertaining, and we went to a bunch of cool, nautical restaurants during our stay.

Some memorable moments included –

- The ocean taking its toll on me…causing me to lose a couple of items including my sunglasses and my top...I wasn't happy about either of these.
- Spending our time waiting for our poolside waitress to stop flirting with the hunky males and provide us with drinks.
- Oh, one night I asked Tanner do as many accents as he could do while sitting dockside, I could not stop laughing, he cracks me up.
- Sitting on the hotel deck sipping Bud-Light Lime listening to the waves roll in while enjoying the warm night air.

We have definitely found a new Memorial Weekend tradition.

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