Chillin' at the Cape

Long time no talk, bloggy friends!

Sorry for the absence, but I just returned from a simply glooorious trip to Cape Charles, VA. A cozy little beach town on the Chesapeake Bay. Sean and I stayed in a gorgeous house:

There was a little of this:

And of course, plenty of this:



Hope you all are enjoying (what's left) of your summer! I am currently going through some major life changes that I'll reveal as soon as I am able. All positive things, or so I am hoping!

A review and giveaway may also be in the works, so be on the lookout.

Happy Thursday!

The 3 B's

Sorry I haven't posted in quite some time.

Things have been crazy.

Work is busy, life is busy, and this summer is flying by without fair warning.

I feel like I haven't had a chance to relax.

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Until this past, weekend that is....

Booze, Boyfriend, Beach...

What more does a girl need?

Happy July...5th?

Ok, ok, so I'm a day late.

Maybe that's 'cause I was soakin' up the sun while kayaking, jetskiing, boating, tubing, drinking, swimming, and eating with this lovely (and slightly rowdy) group of friends:

Ahhh, what a lovely weekend it was.

Now, it's back to the daily grind.

Have a great week!

P.S. Here are a few photos from my birthday celebration, which included dinner at the harbor followed by drinks at the bar with my roomie:

2 Flat Tires and a trip to the country

This Memorial Day weekend has been action-packed!

Friday I got off work at 7pm and was immediately ready for some fun! The boyf, his roomies, and I headed to the square to grab some drinks. We ended up running into the boy's brother and his girlfriend, plus some other familiar faces. It was a fun time.

Saturday, I got together with my best friend, her sister, and our moms to see the movie BRIDESMAIDS. It was HILARIOUS. Yes, a bit raunchy at parts, but the actual message of the film was great and it was all-in-all amazingly funny. Plus, it was especially relevant to my life because the movie is through the point of view of a Maid of Honor--and I am my best friend's Maid of Honor for her upcoming September wedding!!!

However, something not so funny happened on my way TO the movie theater. I was almost there, turning left onto the road leading to the theater, when I bumped the car to avoid a car drifting into my lane. 2 seconds later I heard a "POP! POP!" and immediately, my 2 left tires went FLAT. And I mean completely flat. SO, I had to pull over and put on my caution lights, and we had to get the car towed.

4 new tires and 2 days later, my car is in my possession....and I am $300 poorer (my parents offered to pay half). Speaking of money, would anyone be interested in a budgeting post? I have started budgeting now that I am working full-time, paying bills, and investing, and I'd love to do a "beginner's budget" type of post.

After the movie, the ladies and I headed over to Don Pablo's Mexican restaurant for quesadillas and margaritas! It was much-needed after my car troubles. Then the boyf drove to the restaurant (about 30 mins from my apartment) to pick me up and crashed ladies' night--and everyone loved him! It's super important to me that my family and friends like whoever I'm dating, so I'm glad he got the seal of approval.

Then, yesterday and today, the boy and I went to Gettysburg, PA, for a romantic little excursion planned and paid for by yours truly. I must really like this guy to splurge on a hotel AND lunch AND dinner AND drinks! It was totally worth it though. He had never been to Gettysburg before, so we did the whole historic battlefield thing. And it was a gorgeous day for it.

Then we had lunch at O'Rorke's Pub & Eatery, which was a little slow but hit the spot after a day of walking around. Afterwards, we checked into the hotel, "took a nap" (wink wink), and then got all dolled up for dinner at The Dobbin House Springhouse Tavern. The Dobbin House is a landmark in Gettysburg and was built in 1776 and is full of history and character--it is truly awesome. In the Tavern, the stone is exposed, it is dark and cool with candles everywhere, and the servers wear civil-war-era garb. It really is an amazing place.

After that, we hit a couple of area bars, but it was pretty dead on a Sunday night. So, we headed to the hotel, cuddled in bed, and watched TV while sipping some Kenwood Pinot Noir, which is described on their website as follows:

Kenwood’s 2009 Russian River Reserve Pinot Noir is sourced entirely from our own estate vineyards located in the heart of Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley. This cool region is best known for growing delicate and flavorful Pinot Noir. Raspberry and cherry are predominate in the aroma followed by more subtle spicy notes of vanilla and cinnamon. Elegant mouthfeel with rich tannins and a long, rich finish.

Then this morning we checked out of our hotel, had breakfast #1 at the hotel (oatmeal for me, muffins for him), and breakfast #2 at the Ragged Edge Coffeehouse, which proudly serves all-organic fair-trade coffee and goods (I had an egg, veggie and hummus wrap and some organic black coffee; he had a sausage, egg, and cheese English muffin sandwich).

Then we drove home, I retrieved my beloved car from the parents' house, and now I am at home in Baltimore catching up on laundry, cleaning, and blogging!

What did you do this weekend?

Back from the Beach

Long time, no blog!

I arrived home this afternoon and boy, do I feel overwhelmed on all the blogging I missed out on! I am going to try and catch up on everyone's lives as best as I can this evening.

Rehoboth Beach was a blast. I enjoyed some fun in the sun with my best friend and her family (who are my second family). Now I only have 2 weeks until the semester starts. This week Brooke, her sister Erin, and I are going to look at bridesmaid dresses for Brooke's wedding! So exciting.

Oh, also--I broke up with B, the boyfriend. I know, I know, the last time I mentioned him I said how great he was. But it honestly just wasn't working out. The sparks weren't there and he was making me feel inferior by talking down to me. Oh, and there might be another man who has stolen my interest...more on that another time.

Too tired to write anything else...but I'll be reading about your lovely lives, and I'll post more again soon...including info about an upcoming GIVEAWAY!!! stay tuned!

Pictures etcetera

First things first--here are a few snapshots from my weekend at the Outer Banks, as promised:

our beach house. literally right ON the beach!

Cape Hatteras lighthouse


Us in front of the lighthouse

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OOPS! how did this picture get in here?! ;-) this is a random breakfast of blueberry pancakes topped with strawberries & whipped cream...my new summer favorite.

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So, other than getting back in the groove after vacation, I have been babysitting. I also went into mom's office with her today (yes, on a Saturday!) to help her get some stuff done. I was her personal filer/paper shredder/report proofreader. It was actually kind of fun!

Recently I have been doing a lot of thinking. About life, the future, where I want to be in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years...and also, my current relationship. I admit, I wasn't completely honest when I spoke about my trip with B in my last post. Yes, it was fun, but we also had quite a few disagreements over the course of a few days. I have noticed that things between us aren't the same as they were a few months ago. We've only been dating 5 months, but I already feel unsure about where this relationship is going, and to be honest, I don't know where B really fits into my future. I don't want to go into too much detail on the blog, for fear of him (or someone close to him) reading this, and because I respect the privacy of our relationship. However, I have been feeling uneasy about us lately, and I often find that he is condescending towards me and does not take my feelings into account. He will brush something off, even when I tell him it is important to me. Small example: While driving, he took control of the music selection with his phone and iPod. I happened to mention that I liked a song that had just come on, and B said "Ugh, this song is SO overplayed!" and proceeded to skip to another song. Is this a big deal? Nah, not really. But things like this happened often--it wasn't just an isolated incident. I feel that in a relationship, you are supposed to be a team, and both partners' opinions and feelings should be taken into consideration. Compromise is healthy and necessary. And right now, I feel like I'm compromising everything, while he is compromising nothing.

Any advice? Am I being too sensitive and I should just let it go? Or should I listen to my gut, which is telling me that if I have a serious talk with him about this and things don't change, it may be time for me to let go.

Leaving Bright & Early

The past 2 days have been sunny and beautiful! And HOT!

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I just wanted to post a little farewell, as I'll be sans internet for a few days. That's right, folks--I'm leaving tomorrow morning BRIGHT & EARLY for North Carolina!

The boy is picking me up and then we are driving the 7 hours to get there! Maybe we'll stop off and do some random sightseeing along the way.

I will be there until Tuesday evening. Don't miss me too much ;-)

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Do you like having internet access on vacation, or do you enjoy taking a break from technology and "unplugging" for a few days?

I definitely am hooked on the internet when I'm at home, but part of the experience of vacation and "getting away from it all" is to limit my computer and phone usage! I'll stick to my old-fashioned book-reading while I soak up the sun :-)

Spring Break Update

Happy Spring, everyone!

I am so relieved that spring is finally upon us. The weather here has been up and down (rainy and cold one day, sunny and warm the next), but I am just thankful that all of the SNOW has melted and that it seems like spring is finally here to stay!

Well, the wedding in Florida was incredibly fun. It was so nice to see my brother and his girlfriend--I haven't seen him since New Year's! And it was also nice seeing other friends I hadn't seen in a very long time. The wedding was beautiful, and Ryan & Emily, the bride and groom, were glowing with happiness. It was lovely.

Then, Monday through Thursday of last week, B came to visit me! We spent lots of time together and still managed to like each other, so I think that's a very good sign! We did a variety of random activities, like visiting the museums in Washington, D.C., hiking to a waterfall, and doing a historic walk and hike through Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. We also had a few nice meals out, and spent some time talking and getting to re-know one another. It was awesome, and I am so glad to have finally found a guy I really click with on every level.

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Yesterday, I had a rude awakening as it was time for CLASS. Spring Break is officially OVER, ladies and gents! But that's ok. Today is my Daddy's 55th Birthday, so Mom and I are taking him out to dinner at his favorite--Bonefish Grill! Then, I baked him a cake, so we are going to come home and do cake and presents. One of the perks of living at home this semester is that I am able to be around for this kind of thing.

On Friday, I am planning on going to SU and having a GIRLS NIGHT with my friends. Then, Saturday, B and I are driving to his parents' house in the Pocono Mountains so I can officially meet them (and his 4 younger brothers--yikes!). Then, Sunday, I meet even MORE people at his family's annual Palm Sunday dinner at his grandparents' house in New Jersey. I'm a little nervous, but I think I'll be alright. Wish me luck!


I'll leave you with a couple photos from this past week, courtesy of B's camera (I have yet to upload my own!):

on one of our day hikes :-)


Harper's Ferry, WV

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I hope you all are having a lovely start to your week. Take time today to do something nice for yourself. For example, I painted my toenails a lovely shade of pinkish/purple called "Plum Seduction" the other day. So, don't forget to pamper yourself, because as L'Oreal says, "You're worth it!"

Off to Florida!

Just a quicky post to let you know things are going wonderfully with the boy toy! He visited earlier this week, and we have plans to go to the zoo and hiking next week during my Spring Break! School is also going well--got an "A" on my first paper and my first quiz :-)

And now, Mom, Dad, and I are off to PENSACOLA, FLORIDA for a wedding! My brother's best friend is getting married, and we are all invited since my bro is in the wedding. I am very excited to soak up some warm beachy weather and perhaps even catch the bride's bouquet! hehe.

I'll update next week with lots of photos. For now, here's a super cute one of me and the boy:


have a fantastic weekend :-)

Oh, how I miss Paris....

leisurely strolls to the Eiffel Tower...

visiting Claude Monet's home...

experiencing the majesty of God...

standing at the base of the Arc du Triomphe...

fountains and beautiful gardens and castles....

& luscious pastries galore...

Just a handful of the splendid experiences I miss from my trip to France......

BACK TO REALITY!.....

Ok, so, thank you all SO INCREDIBLY MUCH for your kind words of support and encouragement on my last post. And thanks also for kicking some sense back into me! I WILL beat this thing, and I have already come so far, and I am NOT fat, and I probably never will be. 

Saturday night made things a whole lot better. Once again, I would post pictures but my camera cord is at school. So, when I move in this weekend (THIS WEEKEND! I can't believe it!!!), I will be sure to post some. Except, we haven't set up our cable or internet in our new house, so I may be MIA for a few days next week til it all gets worked out.

Ok so SATURDAY NIGHT:

Originally a group of girls was going to go out and drink and dance, but it ended up being just my friend Kristen (one of the girls from my 21st birthday bash) and I. And actually, it was really really nice just the two of us. She goes to UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore County), and I met up with her at her apartment, which is only 30 minutes from my house. I met her roommates' 4 adorable little kittens, and then Kristen took me to this place for a late, swanky dinner:

http://www.therumormillrestaurant.com/

It's a Japanese Fusion bar, and I got a shrimp teriyaki bowl with veggies and rice, and a Ninja to drink--it was divine! The "Ninja" includes: Van Gogh Double Espresso Vodka, Creme de Menthe, Creme de Cacao, and a splash of cream. Basically, it tasted like mint chocolate chip ice cream with a twist. We also split the Banana Wontons for dessert, which are fried wontons with banana, chocolate, brown sugar, and cinnamon inside, topped with chocolate sauce and served with Kahlua espresso ice cream! Needless to say, I felt very well-fed and satisfied.

After our meal, the rain was letting up (thank goodness!), so we drove into Baltimore city for a night on the town. Our first choice, Fells Point, seemed lame--there were people my parents' age at all the bars! We quickly changed our minds and went back to Federal Hill, where we had spent my birthday. We spent our whole night, from 11pm to 2am, at Mad River Bar and Grille! It was amazing!!!

I felt SO much better about myself. I wore the black and white dress I posted pics of before, and I actually felt pretty. Men bought us drinks, men danced with us, and 2 British boys invited us back to the Holiday Inn with them (we went, which was stupid, but then left right away because it was super sketchy and Kristen and I are NOT sluts. Flirts, yes, but sluts, no! haha).

All in all, Saturday night was fabulous. I was SO happy that I drank (I still have a weird complex about caloric beverages, alcoholic or otherwise, and am still trying to overcome this by trading my usual Diet Soda at lunch for a glass of juice or lemonade). I drank vodka and cranberry, which in my ED days would have been considered WAY too caloric. I also had a shot of sweet tea Firefly vodka (paid for by a man named Alex who was supposedly "24" but I think was probably 30 hahaha), and also had a gin and tonic.

Sunday, I paid for it though. I was feeling suuuper hung over for the first time since my birthday! I am going to try not to make binge-drinking a habit at school. Yes, going out to the clubs and dancing is (and was!) super-fun, but I am going to try to pace myself more. Plus, I'm spunky even when I'm sober, and totally not afraid to dance like an idiot even if I haven't had a drop of alcohol. So my goal when the semester starts is to limit drinking to the weekends, and to never have more than 3 drinks in one "sitting". I think this is reasonable. I can still get "tipsy" and have fun and dance, but I won't be feeling like crap the whole next day.

Sunday, my parents and I went shoe shopping and I bought this ridiculous pair of SILVER 4-inch heels that I plan on strutting my stuff in at the bar. WOO! They were $19 on sale, and something VERY outside of my comfort zone, but I figured why not! You only live once, right??

I also took a 2-mile jog with my dad, which I haven't really done in awhile. It was nice, but I definitely am kind of "out of shape". Oh well. I need to focus on getting to a healthier, happier body weight before I stress myself out about my pathetic 9-minute-mile pace.

I am going to try to be positive this week. It's my last few days at home, so I am spending my days packing, doing yoga, reading and writing, collaging, and getting everything ready for school. I want to enjoy my last few days of boringness. I've been complaining all summer about boredom, but now that work is right around the corner, I want to put on the brakes and take some time to relax!!!!!

Hope you all take some time to relax, as well. 

Thanks for everything. You ladies have changed my life, and in some ways, even saved it. I am incredibly thankful for the support of this community of beautiful, strong, intelligent women. 

Do something for YOURSELF today!