Hip Hip Hooray

I was bummed to learn the New Kids would be in Chicago the same day I would be in Kansas City for Kim's wedding. What a coincidence, right? Well they've added another Chicago date! I might just be able to make a show after all!

Missing him

We all know that I've felt a little sadness and anxiety about leaving this town that I love so much. It's comfortable here. I have friends. And a routine. I have felt sad about leaving my job and scared about going somewhere new. Starting over. Tonight after work I was driving home still stressed from a very long week - and a hard day - with lots of new projects thrown into the mix and needing to unwind. I started running through my list of friends who could just go hang out on the fly and realized that virtually everyone I knew had other commitments. Other priorities. I felt sad. Lonely. More than anything, I just wanted to be with my best friend; I wanted to be with Joe in a bustling and fabulous city, sitting somewhere great, eating appetizers and drinking Pinot Grigio talking about my day. I miss him and I am so lucky to have found my soulmate. I really can't wait to be with him and it makes the moving and all of the change worthwhile. I settled for spending the evening with a true and amazing friend nonetheless. I hung out on Cristin's deck with her basking in the warm weather and enjoying the night. Tomorrow I get an hour and a half massage compliments of my darling fiance at my favorite spa - what a treat!

Extra dough

My friend, Tiffany blogged that she used her portion of her economic stimulus payment to buy an iPod. I used my stimulus payment to buy Joe's wedding band. Out of curiosity, what are you doing with your payment? Paying bills, saving, splurging or setting out on an adventure?

Donnie's girl

By now, I'm sure you all realize, if you didn't already know before, I was a huge NKOTB fan growing up. Loved them. Had a bedroom practically wallpapered with pages from Tiger Beat and any other teeny bopper magazine I could get my hands on. When my friend, Amber and I finally went to a concert it was a dream come true. (Three cheers for my cool parents for driving us and dropping us off!) So now that the reunion is happening, their new single is out this week and they are performing live for the first time in fifteen years on The Today Show this Friday, I am super psyched. I have found myself with some school-girl giddiness that I haven't seen for quite some time. (Maybe since Nichole and I had a run-in with Jordan a few years back.)

This brings me to my poll...Who was your favorite New Kid? Donnie was my favorite. I even had a button on my jean jacket that said, "I'm Donnie's girl." I also wrote him a very serious poem about how much I loved him and handed it to one of his security people after the concert I attended. I'd like to believe it's still floating around somewhere out there...

Who was/is your favorite New Kid?
	Jordan
	Jon
	Donnie
	Danny
	Joe
	Huh?
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Check

All wedding paperwork has been officially sent off and is currently en route to Florida and then once approved on to Jamaica. Sigh.

How exciting!

Out and about

Joe and I had a fun weekend together. On Saturday we were able to walk around campus for awhile. Below are a few of the photographs that we took. (Unfortunately construction was obstructing some of the best views.)

Joe and Thomas Jefferson. Hanging with Jefferson. On Francis Quadrangle looking at Jesse Hall.

Side view of the columns.

Feeling better

Already, Joe and I have finished registering, picked out wedding bands (one with lots of little, sparkly diamonds for me!) and we've had notarized copies of our birth certificates made so we can file our paperwork for our marriage license in Jamaica. We even took in a movie this afternoon and saw Redbelt. I can't remember the last time I went to a movie knowing nothing about it beforehand. I wasn't very excited to go but I ended up really, really liking it. Our photographer also called us this morning to see if we can reschedule our pictures at an earlier time tomorrow in order to try and beat the thunderstorms...I still have lots to do but I'm definitely feeling better.

Stressed

I'm feeling really stressed. Joe is supposed to be here this weekend and I'm really looking forward to that but my list of things to do is so long! Fortunately, he said he'd help me take care of things one by one. I honestly can't remember another time in my life where I've had so much going on...so many BIG things going on. We are supposed to have pictures taken on Saturday and scattered thunderstorms are in the forecast. And my apartment looks like a tornado has gone through it. And I have a late meeting tonight so no time to clean. And did I mention my list of things to do? Sigh.

A second chance

Just when I was lamenting about Bachelor-night with Taina and Rachel being over for good after next week’s final rose episode, I saw a commercial for the new Bachelorette series starting in two weeks. A reprieve! Long live Monday night trash tv!! Until I move…

Happy Saturday!

Monica and I decided to go out for a really bad dinner and bad service tonight. (I'm positive our server was running late for an NA meeting.) We made up for it by going to my favorite place in the entire world to see, Run Fat Boy Run. Okay movie but great atmosphere. Happy Saturday!

Friday

As my days and weeks here dwindle, I want to make the most of my time. Usually I am so ready to come home on Friday night after a long week at work and just veg in front of the tv. Tonight I just wanted to be with people; I wanted to be with friends. Luckily for me, Taina and Bryndyn had me over for dinner and then I went to listen to live music with Josh and Meagan. I'd have to say, it was the perfect night - thanks friends!

The happy couple

Some of my friends and I were talking about the budding romance between John Mayer and Jennifer Aniston (no, apparently we don't have better things to do) when my friend, Monica piped up and confirmed John's hotness. Well being the resident artist and Photoshop extraordinaire that she is, Nichole came up with a photo of the happy couple. I thought it was too funny not to share. Why the dog? This comes just on the heels of Monica telling us about a dream she had recently where she gave birth to a chihuahua. I thought it was hilarious but maybe you just had to be there...

Outnumbered

Breanne is having a boy. Sandi is having a boy. Kate is having a boy. And finally, Rachel is having a girl! It's baby season for sure.

Lemony fresh

I'm no Martha Stewart so I'm not sure if I'll ever be doing Works for Me Wednesday again but here goes...I am always paranoid that my garbage disposal smells (and sometimes it really does!) and I've never been completely satisfied with the products I've bought to clean it. So regularly I grind up some small pieces of lemon in my disposal. Not only does it make my kitchen smell fresh, afterwards it also makes me feel like I have a clean house. Works for me!

Movin' Out

I'm going to see Movin' Out tonight. Might just be my last show at Jesse. (It's weird when you start thinking of things in terms of "lasts.") Excited to see the show.

Wedding plans

I'm getting married three months from today! Joe and I have set our plans. We will be leaving for Negril, Jamaica on July 26 and after obeying the two-day waiting period, we'll be married on July 28 and will come home to Chicago on August 1.

Cheap thrills

I just got gas for $1.44 a gallon! Amazing, huh? Well one of the radio stations here was announcing that the first 144 people in line could receive this great discount as a promotion for the lottery. (You had to buy $5 worth of tickets to get the deal.) So I got in line and was number 120. I got such a rush from hurrying down to the gas station, finding the right line to get in and then getting my cheap gas. I'm sure I'll never see this great of a deal ever again. Good thing my tank was on "E" and my gas light was on.

Bye, Meggan

The girls and I gathered at one of our favorite establishments tonight to give Meggan a proper send off. She's starting a new job on Monday in KC. Good luck, Double G! We'll miss you.

Just for fun

I came home tonight to find this complimentary magazine bundled in the mail with my other travel magazine. Not only is it a fun read but with articles like this, I think I must be their target audience. Nothing says girlfriend getaway like stalking, right?