Nicole's Bridal Shower

I remember last year when Nicole went to Mexico and came back with a ring on her finger. 

I remember gathering around with everyone as she told us the engagement story. 

I remember when soon after the news we threw her a little surprise engagement party. 

She and Nick went back and forth throughout the year with different ideas on how they wanted to spend their big day. Invite everyone or elope just the two of them? Stay local or on the coast? They had a lot of good ideas but it wasn't until she told us in February that they had chosen a date and place that it all came together. And not only had they figured out the important details but it was happening in a month. We were all like "Wait. What?! AWESOME!". And that was the moment we scrambled to get some kind of bridal shower under way. It evolved several times but in the end we just celebrated the five of us in a quaint corner of The General Public House which is a new restaurant that none of us had tried out yet except Alyssa. My burger and especially those fries were totally on point! Plus it's got a very cute rustic vibe. Originally we tried to keep everything a secret but here and there things slipped out. I'm not sure if it was a complete surprise but it was still fun seeing her face light up when she walked in. We immediately made her put on her flower succulent crown and sash because she's got to look the part of bride-to-be! We decorated the table with baby succulents and framed photos of her and Nick. It was such a great evening celebrating Nicole in such an intimate way. 

After a very long year of bad news it was such a joy to see her beaming ear to ear. 

You deserve every happiness, friend. 

 
 

Funemployment: The Glass Knife in the Black Booth

Just as Amanda and I had discussed we got together just the two of us to catch up. We hadn't hung out in probably a few years. We just fell out of touch, which happens, but I realized the minute I saw her at the House of Blues just how much I missed having her in my life.

She suggested meeting at The Glass Knife. I hadn't been yet but I have seen several insta-friends post photos of their experience over the past few months so I was pumped. I got there early because that's just who I am. If you don't know that by now you haven't been paying attention. So I took a stroll around the place. When you walk in there is this little area with all of these cute little gifts and some of them are by Orlando artists/creators. For example, I will be buying The City Colorful coloring book the minute I get a damn job. Ha! From there is a giant spinning case of beautiful cakes. Next to the cakes is a lovely display of all kinds of treats from doughnuts, macarons, cookies, brownies, oatmeal cream pie, big wheel, and so on! They also serve coffee and some savory food too but that was an afterthought personally. I mean, who wants real food when all you see are these lovely treats?! Not I. Nope. If I'm showing up at this little slice of heaven I am going sugar crazy thankyouverymuch.

I sat at one of the half circle booths and waited for Amanda. While I sat there I just couldn't stop looking around and taking pictures. I am not exaggerating when I say it has the most bomb ass aesthetic. It's got this vintage meets modern meets cozy feel that is so pleasing for your eyeballs. I was so impressed with all of the details. Their website and menus say "Smoke-Free | Friendly Dogs Welcome | Cash-Free". A place that only takes card! Hallelujah! Obviously the color scheme is on point but then there is the cute flooring and matching M&M dispenser. It doesn't stop there! Oh no, I totally took pictures of their bathroom too because why not? It was so pretty with that black subway tile and gold fixtures. I was about to pack up Dustin and the cats and move right in. Not the bathroom specifically, but you know, into the whole establishment.

When Amanda arrived she took me on a tour because she is the official Fan Club President. She could tell me about most of the desserts and was on a first name basis with our waiter. So yeah, she's official as hell. She suggested we sit in the fancy black booth that there is only one of. It was available when I came in but I didn't sit there because I thought you had to reserve it. Or maybe it was only for VIP people like Paul McCartney and Beyonce. But no, Amanda confirmed that any ol' regular person could sit in the booth - so we did. I found the picture below on their instagram and it really shows you how elegant AF it truly is. Had I known prior to our meeting up I would've dressed more like Meghan Markle and less like a peasant. It's like Alanis says, you live you learn.

 

A post shared by The Glass Knife (@theglassknifewp) on Nov 27, 2017 at 6:34am PST

It took us forever to decide what to actually order. She has tried several different things as per the Fan Club President requirements so she wasn't sure if she wanted to try something new or go with the tried-and-true. She decided to live on the edge and go with their Salted Caramel Petite Cake and a coffee. I went with their apple fritter doughnut and a hibiscus lemonade. Both were phenomenal but her cake was incredibly rich and way bigger than it appeared in the display. 

We sat in that fancy booth eating our fancy sugary items catching up on everything. And I mean everything. For hours. It brought me back to our weekly Starbucks meet-ups when we were 19 and thought we had it all figured it out. Ha! She has always been one of my favorite people to have a conversation with. She is one of the greatest listeners and always so incredibly supportive. It's beyond that though and honestly I don't even know how to accurately describe it. But being with her talking about life felt like home. 

She and I weren't ready to end this party quite yet so we headed across the street to Five Below so I could pick up a USB mobile fan for my phone. I had seen Amanda use hers at the Fleet Foxes concert because it was ridiculously warm in that venue and freaked out. I had to know where she got it and why I had never seen one before especially living in the miserably hot state of Florida. She told me they were at Five Below and it had been my mission that day to get one for both Dustin and I. Also it was the first time I had been in a Five Below in Florida. The one and only time I had been inside one was when I visited Erin in Frisco. I didn't even know they were in Orlando. Not only have I reunited with an old friend but she is introducing me to so many new things! She keeps me young. And cool. 

It was such a perfect afternoon and I can't wait to do it again. Soon. 

Funemployment: Fleet Foxes and Friends

Right after I lost my job Lauren texted me and asked if I'd like to go see Fleet Foxes with her because she had an extra ticket. I was upfront in telling her that I knew of them but didn't know their music much and that I'd love to go but if she knew someone who was a true fan she should ask them. She didn't have any one else so she was stuck with me. Ha! I told her I'd drive since she was giving me the ticket. So I picked her up and off we went except it took us awhile because traffic was a nightmare. As soon as we arrived at Downtown Disney all of the parking garages were at capacity. Of course they were. So I drove us in and out of garages and parking lots for a good 20 minutes before Lauren spotted a guy walking to a car with his son. I immediately rolled down my window and asked if he was planning on leaving and he said "Yeah we are. Just give me a minute." No problem. AT ALL. We waited patiently until he backed up and boom we were parked. I swear that place is worse every time I go there. They did such a nice job with the renovation but the crowds kill it for me. 

Lauren picked The Edison to eat dinner since neither of us had been. After we fought the crowds and arrived at the restaurant we were told there was a 2 hour wait. Unbelievable! We ended up eating corn dogs from a food truck because it was the only thing that didn't have a wait. They were pretty good though so at least it wasn't a total bust. 

We waited at the very end of the line that wrapped around the House of Blues building. And when I say the end of the line I mean THE END. We were the very last people in line for the longest time. Every person that came after us would turn the corner, look at the line with wide eyes, and sigh. We totally feel your pain! We got in way before anyone started playing so it wasn't a problem. We scouted the place to find optimal viewing area. Once we settled on a spot these girls stood right in front of us blocking our view. 

My old friend Amanda had posted on Facebook earlier that day that she was excited about seeing Fleet Foxes later in the evening. I left her a comment letting her know my friend Lauren and I would also be there and I hoped to run into her. She texted me before the show and described her location so Lauren stayed in our spot that got ruined and I went to say hi. Amanda's spot was so much better (she had a table right near the stage) and she and her sister offered us to hang with them for the show. So Lauren joined us and I made introductions. The funny thing is Lauren works with Amanda's BFF (whom I also know from high school). It's such a small world sometimes. The four of us talked and talked and just had THE best time. It truly was so much fun. The opener came on but none of us were really feeling her music so we continued to enjoy each other's company. Then our server came by to ask Amanda and Melissa if they wanted anything else to drink. As she was talking to them I kept looking at her and quickly realized she was my childhood friend who I haven't seen since, well, childhood. She was a year younger than me and once I went to middle school I don't remember seeing her again because she was zoned for a different school when it came her time. I said to her "Chelsea?" and she's like "Yeah...". I'm all "It's Ashley from Fern Creek!!" and she immediately was all OMG. And I was all OMG. And my other friends were OMGing. Not only is the world small but it's so random and weird sometimes but also cool as hell. At the end of the night we talked a little bit and took a picture together to mark the occasion. 

Fleet Foxes were really great. I was very impressed by their whole set. I'm so glad Lauren invited me. Is there anything better than a fun night with music and friends? I don't think there actually is. When they played their final song and the lights came on we all shuffled our way outside. The four of us stood there talking for quite awhile. Amanda was so cute. Every time we'd start to go our separate ways she'd think of something else to say and we'd stand around talking some more. She told me she'd text me so the two of us could properly catch up and we did but that's for another post.

That whole night, although incredibly frustrating in terms of traffic and crowds, was incredible. It was just what I needed. You know that feeling when you spend time with people that make you really happy and you get home and your muscles ache and your eyelids will barely stay open but inside you're just all warm and fuzzy? Yeah, that's the stuff. That's what life is. It's not diets or jobs (or in my case not having a job) or traffic or any of the trivial stuff. It's the conversations and the relationships and the way people made you feel. 

Dustin Says

Mr. Pibb is just Dr. Pepper without a PHD.

Dustin and I trying to see who had the worst childhood...
Dustin: Yeah, well at least your family didn't have anything repossessed.
Me: That I know of.

My ass looks like two little squares of butter dripping down my legs.

Me: What are you listening to?!
Dustin: It's a pirate metal band.

Why the hell is Susan Sarandon an announcer at my hockey game?! What's next Lady Gaga as the equipment manager?

Me: Why are you so great?
Dustin: Because I have you.

Funemployment: Shark Teeth at the Beach

Funemployment: refers to unemployed individuals who decide to enjoy the free time that unemployment provides. 

I've got several more "funemployment" posts to share. It's a weird thing because on one hand I have all of this free time and on the other I've been insanely busy with job applications and interviews. I miss blogging and I'm really behind so bear with me. 

*   *   *

At the beginning of the month my aunt and uncle invited me to come visit them in Jacksonville. They even offered their guest bedroom in case I wanted to spend the night. I ended up just visiting for the day. It's about a 2 hour trip one-way but podcasts make road trips fly by, plus there wasn't any traffic. 

I pulled up as my uncle was doing yard work so I went inside and talked to my aunt for a little while. Once he got cleaned up they took me out to lunch at their beach club. Apparently I had been there years prior (like maybe 20 years prior - ha!) for one of my grandpa's parties. There were parts that looked vaguely familiar. It's really nice and it was a perfect day to eat outside. Usually, I'm not a fan of eating outdoors because of heat, wind, bugs, etc. but having the beach view was perfect. I got some kind of panini but my aunt let me try her lobster roll too. We caught up on all family business and then got to the important stuff like what TV shows and movies we had seen recently.  Everything was really nice, both the company and the food. 

After lunch we walked down to the beach to look for shark teach. I felt like an idiot walking on the beach in vans but I totally forgot to bring sandals. Oh well. My brain is just mush these days. I had told my uncle I have never found a shark tooth by myself and it was always something I wanted to do. Well lo and behold he finds one within minutes of us walking on the shore. Then another one. And another. I was just so impressed! He and my aunt taught me some tricks and by the end of our beach walk I had found TWO all by myself. 

photo

My uncle and aunt found most of the ones I'm holding in my hand but I found two of those suckers. Boom! That's a big CHECK! We went back to their house for a little while and sat on their back porch. I love their house as a whole but their backyard is just woods so you can watch squirrels and birds and occasionally their neighbor's very friendly cat Giuseppe. I said my goodbyes and headed back south. 

Sometimes taking a break from your every day life is exactly what is needed. Taking that trip was part of my self care throughout this ordeal. 

Found

Kids Deliver Brutal Review of Donald Trump's First Year In Office For Jimmy Kimmel

The Early November in video 2002-2016.

Steve-O's new BFF.

Bad Ass 13 Year Old Spoke Out Against Faith-Based Sexism.

Waiter Gets Surprise After Being Tipped Only $3.28

10 Careers Where Women Are Least Likely To Have Children

Mom Complains Their Son Won't Have Children

Mothers who regret having children are speaking up like never before Hey best lady friends...watch this.

9 Brutally Real Reasons Why Millenials Refuse To Have Kids Sorry not sorry.

Can You Be Addicted To Watching 'The Office'? I speak from experience and the answer is yes. Dustin and I are currently rewatching the series (about to finish season 5) for the I can't even remember what time.

The Office cast animated. These are so good!

Black Cats Might Be Getting Adopted Thanks to Black Panther  I love our little black panther aka
Olive.

To Stop Climate Change, Educate Girls And Give Them Birth Control

8 Things Science Says Predicts Divorce

The story behind 'Cute Without The E'.

My Need For Alone Time Is Not A Reflection On You. Good read about us introverts.

Penguins routines and superstitions.

People Avoiding the Biggest Disasters Get ready to gasp.

They Push. They Protest. And Many Activists, Privately, Suffer as a Result. I know this to be true. The stress and depression from caring so much for a cause can start to break you to pieces. I felt like that much of last year. Keep fighting the good fight but also take care of yourself.

The Best Quotes From 'My Favorite Murder'

Beards make almost every man more attractive. Just saying. I mean, it totally transformed this guy.

Drag Elsa for the win!

50 Unfiltered Celebrity Quotes About Their Divorces

Fahrenheit 451 trailer.

Baby Shower for Kamden

A couple weeks ago we all gathered to celebrate baby Kam! The baby shower was held at the Rio Pinar Country Club in this huge room. So huge I had the urge to do cartwheels but since I can't actually do cartwheels I spared everyone that disaster. I probably also spared myself some doctor bills. 

I, of course, got there a little early. I CAN'T HELP IT. It's who I am. Fight me. So I asked if there was anything I could help with but it seemed everyone had it covered. The games and decor were all so cute. I had never done the "Diaper Notes" before but what a fun idea! I've already forgotten what I wrote on mine but our table went diaper crazy especially Phoebe. Ha!

It was so nice to see family that I haven't seen in a long time especially my cousins and former/ex-stepmom aka Cody's mom. I know, it's confusing but we are the real life Modern Family. Ha! Also I got to see my middle school friend, Jennifer, who just so happens to be Kaelin's cousin. Small world indeed! The baby shower was open to guys so I got to hang with the father-to-be for a bit. Dustin didn't come because he doesn't do baby showers and/or children's birthdays. It's nothing personal it's just not his thing. He will, however, take kids to see Star Wars and buy them shit! So it balances out. He ordered their gift (a carseat) and had it mailed directly to them. See what I mean? Generous but not about to party. I was so pumped when they got to opening up my big box of presents. I got them a variety of clothes, a couple books, a Terrible Towel bib, a bunch of wipes, and so on. Dustin had to reign me in from buying everything. I probably will only last until he's born and then I'm going to go crazy. 

I can't believe how soon he will be here. Next month! OR even sooner. Who knows!