Face time

Since moving down to “the OC” (you have to put it in quotation marks) I haven’t had a ton of quality time with Lo. I mean, I was used to seeing her everyday for almost four years and it went down to zero. That’s hard for a girl! We talk on the phone as often as we can, but that doesn’t make up for face time! SO, I was incredibly pumped to see her this weekend and have her all to myself.

Some fun highlights:

Getting lost on a 2.5 hour hike…..twice

Realizing your friends are your therapists, so choose them wisely

Mozzarella, Tomatoes, and basil are the BEST on a hot summer afternoon

Red wine cures all things

Buyer’s remorse is a real feeling; however I can overcome it too easily or ignore it all together

Notting hill is a great movie!

Apparently I suck at cleaning dishes…..

Horrible bosses made me giggle…a lot

I was horrible about taking pictures this weekend (I think it’s because we were having too much fun), so I am adding some classics from the past.



My favorite! Lo's Birthday



Moving day 2010



Halloween 2009





Laker Girls!





10 Years ago....

I realized after visiting University of Arizona this past weekend that it has been 10 years since I pledged Alpha Phi (my sorority). Time really does fly by. Alpha Phi was such a big part of my life for four years and it brought back some really good memories when I ran through the halls of the Phi (it’s what we call the sorority house)!

Some fun highlights of living in the Phi and visiting it 10 years later:

*Leaving your name and the year you were there somewhere in the room before you move out and being able to find it years later. (See picture)

*Seeing the composites of when we were there. (Composites are like a year book.They are pictures of all the girls in the house that year with their positions)

*Seeing the house with all its new improvements. It looks really nice!

*Being jealous of the new girls that will be pledging next month and starting college!

Some phrases I learned while being there:

“Get Excited”
“Phi-nominal”
“Hottie – Tottie”

AOE!




Aphi Love




My composite picture when I was Prez!




Kelly and I in 2002-2003 composite!




When Kelly and I lived together in the Phi



Phoenix + Tucson = Lots of Driving

This past weekend was a bitter sweet time. Thomas and I took a mini road trip out to Arizona for the memorial of a friend from college, Taylor Perkins. One of my best friends, Kelly Tealdi, set up a beautiful memorial at UofA, where I got to see people I haven’t seen in years. It was nice to see everyone, but it was unfortunate the circumstance.

I did however get to show Thomas the beautiful school I went to, and we even got inside of my sorority, Alpha Phi. It was fun to run the halls with Kelly showing him all the different rooms we had lived in. Great memories!

We ended the trip in Phoenix playing a life size Jenga game at “the Lodge.” We definitely got into the game! I won J

We got home in time for the Women’s World Cup….still disappointed we didn’t win.

Dirtbags!



Taylor's family handing his license in Dirtbags



Mollie and Jack

 

Concentrate





JENGA



KIVA

I love finding great companies that give back and help people less fortunate. I try to help out in anyway I can. I came across Kiva a while ago (I can’t even remember how) when I thought that this is something I can do and hopefully it will make a difference.

Kiva is a non-profit, which gives out small loans to people in other countries to help them start a company in order to be able to sustain themselves and their family. It’s essentially “start-up” money. You can contribute as little as $25 dollars to all different people. It is a loan, so therefore you aren’t just giving money to people; they will repay you.

I am on my 9^th loan as of today. I contributed 50 dollars 3 years ago and keep recycling the money once it’s paid back. I haven’t had anyone not pay back the loan as of yet. Kiva doesn’t make any money on the loans. The only way they make money is if you donate something when you contribute to the loan.

My goal is to keep recycling the 50 dollars to different families and people all over the world. Probably the best 50 bucks I have ever spent, since it has changed 9 people’s lives. This has definitely put 50 dollars to its best use. I encourage you to do the same!

Angels WON

This past weekend consisted of fun with friends. It was Jason’s birthday, and since he loves country music as much as we do, it centered around Derks Bentley playing at the Angel’s game. We started with a BBQ at the Tait office, moved over the PACKED stadium where we watched the Angel’s kill the other team (is it bad that I don’t remember which one it was?), and then enjoyed a little country throw-down concert. I took away that I need to learn the words to more Derks Bentley songs and get an Angels t-shirt!

Happy Birthday Jason!

Da Boyz




Da Girlz




The Crew



Show me the $$

I thought I would share an amazing secret that I found out about 3 years ago. It’s called ebates.com. It’s a website that pays you to shop online. Like most people, there are a few things I enjoy buying online and if I am going to buy it anyway, I might as well get a few bucks back for doing it!

How it works:

Let’s say I want to buy a computer at Dell.com Go to ebates.com before you buy the computer.  Log into your account and find the store at which you want to buy the item. In this case it’s dell. Every store has negotiated a different percentage of money back, so every store will be different. You click on the Dell and ebates connects you to their website. What you don’t know is there is a tracker or cookie attached to that link that will track what you buy and the dollar amount, so you don’t have to do anything other than buy the computer. Once you have purchased the computer, ebates will calculate how much you get back in cash. Every couple months it will send you a check for what you have owed to you.

The trick is to remember to go through this site before you make your purchase!

I have been a member for a few years and have received over $70 bucks back in stuff I was already going to buy. It’s amazing!

Here is the link if you want to sign up:

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=Q%2F83Wi%2BwZxQGTfILkxCPhA%3D%3D

 

Happy Shopping!

Ediquette 101

I think it’s funny that there are different ways to use a knife and fork. There is the “proper way” (says my mom and dad) and then there is the “American way.” A lot of people don’t know there is a difference between the two.

American’s will cut their food with their knife and fork, put down the knife, switch the fork into their right hand, then proceed to eat.

The proper way is to keep the knife in the right hand and the fork in the left with the fork facing down when you eat and cut. For people that are right handed, it makes it a little more difficult. Just remember this when you go for a nice dinner out.

It’s the little things you notice when you are from another country. Enjoy!

FUN on the Fourth

This past weekend went so quickly. Maybe it was because we were so busy and having a lot of fun. We survived the parents meeting the parents! They actually hit it off really well to the point where they were about to exchange email addresses. Thomas and I exchanged worried looks. There could be a conspiracy happening here…

Some highlights:

Wild Animal Park almost killed us with the heat

Pools are the best remedy to heat exhaustion

Seattle Sounders tied against LA Galaxy on the Fourth

Neon green shirts are IN!

Fireworks took our breathe away, but not without our necks aching

The entire family!

Pool time

Deep in conversation

Hawksworth Family

The Seattle Sounders BIGGEST fans



T and I in our neon green



Fireworks!



Happy Fourth of July!