How Far We've Come

Paid Off!
Last Friday I dropped Dustin's last car payment check into the mailbox. I was so proud and excited for him. Five years of payments and now he's done. I can't believe that was so long ago. It definitely doesn't feel like it.  I immediately thought back to that Friday evening spent inside a dealership in Daytona. Hours and hours. Deal! No deal. Ok deal! I mean it was excruciating. We were there for what seemed like days. I remember eating McDonalds for dinner in the waiting area. We didn't make it home until very late but it was worth it. One night of bullshit is worth a reliable vehicle. And the greatest thing is he has super low mileage.

Below is my LiveJournal entry about it. THIS is why I like to write/type things down. I love to look back at exactly what was going through my mind on any given day.

Fashion Bare
Dustin and I are rarely in the downtown area anymore. Now that Erin's gone there isn't much of a reason to venture over that way except for maybe Drunken Monkey and/or Sam Flax. But we happened to be on that side of town and so we decided to walk around the Fashion Square mall. This is the mall I lived at every single weekend throughout middle school. Oh the memories of buying hideous jewelry (usually bright, bulky, hippie or alien themed) at Claire's and then splitting a cinnamon and sugar pretzel with a friend. It was pretty sad to see how much it's changed. I love that it has a movie theater built into it now. Dustin and I used to go all the time when we first started dating because it had just opened, so it was fresh aka no weird stains on the seats yet. Ha! Ew. I mean, back in the 90s us teenagers had to walk outside, across the parking lot to get to a non-stadium theater. The torture! Anyway, that's about all this mall has going for it. I'd say maybe half, if not more, stores are closed. Bath & Body Works? Empty. Victoria Secrets? Gone. It's like a damn ghost town. But at least they have giant bowling pins as decor.

Big Bang Bazaar
My craft show is about a week away and I am fuhhhreaking out. I feel like there just isn't enough time to get everything done. I'll obviously have to purchase a time-turner or maybe Hermione will let me borrow hers. But something has got to give. I'm still finishing up painting ceramics on top of sewing more pillow covers. I already have a ton of both products but I want there to be a good variety. Dustin's been helping me price things and organize how it's all going to go down. It's seriously exhausting. Every local, hand-made, do-it-yourself business deserves so much credit. I know it sounds like I'm complaining but I'm not. I'm just a bit of a perfectionist and I want everything to work out because honestly I'm super excited. Next Saturday will be a very long day but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to meet more friends and maybe make a little extra money at the same time. I actually should probably be working on sewing instead of blogging but whatever.

Pockets Required
Last night I met up with Sam, her mom and the rest of her bridal party for dinner at Panera. I had met her friends previously but I've never hung out with them. It was nice to get to know them a little better. I'm sure by March we'll know know each other even more so! After dinner, we all went to David's Bridal to watch Sam try on dresses. She scheduled an appointment but of course they were running behind. We tried to make the best of it by walking through aisles of dresses. There were SO many that I was feeling overwhelmed and I'm not even the one getting married. Ha! There was one in particular that was on a mannequin (that we all almost knocked over several times) that I really thought was beautiful. She ended up trying it on but it didn't end up being "the one". She tried four dresses on total. The second one was "the one" and we all knew it. All of us girls gasped and squealed as she walked out in it. Even Sam's expression said it all. She said YES to the dress and even got to ring a special gold bell to make it official. It was such a fun and easy experience and I'm really excited to see her in it the day of! Now I feel extra pressure to get my bridesmaid dress. I've been going back and forth between a handful but I think I've finally narrowed it down. Dress shopping is serious business and should be treated as such!

Found

Conan and Dave Franco join Tinder. FUNNIEST video I've seen in awhile.

Andrew's got a new song out and of course I love it.

Let's Stop Judging Women With Tattoos

What's the point in going to Europe if they don't have peanut butter, ice cubes, and pancakes?

Epic Facebook Cover Photos

Pittsburgh proud.

You're getting old. 

Fuck it all, Frozen style.

I love this pro-choice couple who hold up signs of their own.

How Much of a 90s Girl Were you?

And here are some of my favorite photos from last week's Comic Con because why not?

Out With The Old, In With The New

I haven't been over to my grandparent's house for about a year and a half. I remember the last time I was there I took a bunch of photos and video, did a final walkthrough, and said my goodbyes. And then I came home and wrote this post. I heard through the grapevine that it sold awhile back and that the new owners had started remodeling it. A few months ago my mom told me she took a tour of the house. I immediately asked if she could arrange a showing for me to see it too. Thankfully the new owners are super nice and today I finally got to see all the hard work they put into it. It was weird walking into that house for the first time since under new ownership but it had to be even weirder for the homeowners to welcome in strangers. I'm so glad they did though. Thank you thank you! Some houses are just a place to live and then there are the homes that become part of the family; this one was always the latter. I loved every change they made. I don't have a bad thing to say about any of it. I really thought it would be sad to see it completely re-done (because I'm extremely sentimental and sappy) but it wasn't at all. It was exciting to see it modernized. They took down all the crazy wallpaper, ripped up the carpet (who knew the entire house had beautiful hardwood floors under there?!), gutted the kitchen (they took down a wall so the kitchen is open to the dining room and added a wall to create an office), and added a deck.   It's so much brighter, fresh, and more open! Of course I loved the redesign of the house and all the cosmetic work but what really made me happy was to see them use the living room as the focal point of the home. It was always a more formal area as I was growing up that got use but was more of a walk through space more than anything. I always thought it was the coolest house even when it was outdated.  And I always hoped that one day someone would see the potential it had and was able to do something about it. I'm so happy for this family and I wish them as many wonderful memories in that home as I have. Thank you for giving it a new life.

*  *  *  *  *

I tried my best to include a before photo for each room. More before photos can be found here. 

The front yard sure has changed over the years. 

Front door modeling. 

French doors on the right lead into an office. That used to be part of the kitchen. 

I love how you can really see the nice built-in now. Before it just seemed hidden.





Formal dining room. My picture from today came out super dark but I assure you the wallpaper is no more. 





Looking into the formal dining room. There was a door on the right leading into the kitchen. Now that entire wall has been taken out and is open to the kitchen.



The eat-in area beyond the burners is now an enclosed office.

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6/30/14
The Diagon Alley special is so great. I'm squealing left and right.

7/1/14
That moment you've poured your heart and time into something you really love just to get news it was all for naught. THAT.

7/1/14
Oh and the fireworks have started in our neighborhood. Gave me all the attacks.

7/2/14
Since no one buys CDs anymore, bands should really put lyrics to their songs on their website! #iwillalwaysloveCDjackets

7/5/14
I got dressed to go to the gym but I'm just not feeling it right now and I'm sure as hell not going to beat myself up about it.

I wish Mendl's had a Food Truck.

7/7/14
Bored? YouTube Andrew Ucles. Dustin and I Can't stop watching this guy. He's nuts but awesome.

7/10/14
I'm in my car eating a go-cart because I'm too embarrassed to do so in the break room.

I hate when people karate chop pillows. It may be fun but it doesn't make the room look any better.

My fave part of Iggy Azalea's 'Fancy' is when Charlie XCX sings the chorus.

7/11/14
Lebron James could take his talents to the moon and I still wouldn't care.

For maybe the first time ever, I walked out of Target empty handed.

7/13/14
I should be crafting but I rather read.

I haven't heard thunder this loud since the summer of 1997.

7/16/14
And people actually give me a hard time for keeping a raincoat/rain boots in my car. When it's not the Sunshine State it's the TStorm State!

7/17/14
Michael Strahan is the new Ryan Seacrest.

7/21/14
I have a weird freckle formation starting to appear right next to my lip that could be mistaken for dirt and/or chocolate.

7/22/14
My Rushmore pillow cover sold! Max Fischer would be so proud.

7/22/14
My goal for tonight is to find a new @oliviamunn desktop background.

Just bet Dustin a meal at 5 guys that @TheSims 4 won't come out for Mac until 2015. He thinks by the end of the year. I hope I lose.

7/23/14
There was a girl at the gym who made out with her boyfriend & texted the entire time I was on the elliptical. That's one way of working out.

7/24/14
Opened our pantry and a wasp flew out. I screamed. Then I killed it with a magazine. HEART ATTACK!

When Summer Was Real

My last "real" summer happened 14 years ago. Half my lifetime ago. At the time I was just so anxious to do all these adult things I didn't think to cherish it as something that would never come to be again. And even if I had, I'm sure I'd miss it now just the same.

I miss the last week or so of school where I spent time stressing and studying before all my exams. I remember the nerves before a final presentation. That time always seemed to rush by and in a poof it was over and I was officially moving on to the next grade. But first, SUMMER. I miss the signing of yearbooks with "KIT" scribbled next to a phone number. But no one did keep in touch unless you were already besties. The thought was sweet though. I remember when that last bell of the year rang out and we all stampeded out of our last class. We'd race out of school with no where to go. Nothing to do. And that's what I miss about the summer most. The time. There was so much time. Time to do stuff. Time to sleep. Time to be bored. Time ran wild during those real summers.

My summers always started out at my mom's house. During that time, I celebrated my birthday every year a few weeks after school was out, got to have sleepovers, & hung out at my grandparent's house (mostly because of their lake). During my younger years I rollerbladed and biked A LOT. But as I got older but not quite old enough to have a job, I'd spend time with friends going to movies or driving around town.

The second half of the summer was spent out at my dad's. He lives 45 minutes away in the middle of no where. I remember summers where I loved being out there for a month and summers when I felt like I might as well be on a different planet. As a kid, I would play with cousins on four-wheelers, slip-n-slides, and just explore the great outdoors. During my teen years, I felt so isolated when I had to go out there. And this was well before social media days but I'd hear about parties or hangs or drama and I didn't get to be apart any of it. On second thought, they can keep the drama. I remember watching a lot of TV in my room. I'd watch Nick at Nite when they played all the classics like The Brady Bunch, Laverne and Shirley, & The Lucy Show. I'd also watch lots of music videos and Daria.

I did not have the kind of family that went on summer vacations. There was no road trip. No travel of any kind, really. I did go to camp one year for a week which was quite the experience. It was actually really fun minus the religious aspect and being on my period most of the time.

For me, summer always ended with some clothes shopping. This was both awesome and not. I mean, does anyone ever have fun shopping with their parents? No. The answer is no. It's never fun. Everything you pick out they either think is too expensive or "not appropriate". Puhhlease. Parents just don't understand...fashion.

I remember going to sleep on that last night of summer every single year. I'd lay in bed and think to myself how in the world is the summer over already? And now that's how I feel after every weekend. Real summers were the shit but like everything good, they can't last forever.

Now my summers are just like my winters and springs. I go to work and I get weekends off. My free time is very limited. I still have bills to pay in the summer. I'd take more vacations if they didn't cost so much. Basically, summers these days aren't really summers at all. Summer used to be a lifestyle but now it's just a season you get to wear sleeveless dress shirts to work.

Oh to be young again.

This Week (month) In Photos

When we were in Target this past weekend, I stumbled upon a "Sam" and a "Pat" coke and so I put them together and took a photo. I texted it to them and said "Just took you're engagement photo. You're welcome." - obviously as a joke. But then I went home and started sprucing up the pic on one of my apps and they kind of came out pretty cute! Ha!



I'm going to be one of Sam's bridesmaids! I feel so honored to return the favor all these years later.



Dustin tried on my glasses so I took a photo. He immediately wanted to see it and once he did he said "I look like a dad!". // Super moon wasn't very super in our part of the world.

Glasses problems. This happens daily! I crank the A/C in my car then as soon as I step outside in the 95 humid heat - POOF!

I downloaded this app. because why not. Pretty interesting/scary. 

Dustin showing the future Mr. & Mrs. Bunce the funny MarioKart trailer with crazy eyes Luigi.

I tried.