Places To Go, People To See

I had a super busy weekend a few weeks back! Everything was sort of last minute but it all worked out.

There was a hockey game that Fri night. Nick never knows if he will back in town in time to go but he did on this particular Fri. Our friend The Chad & his friend were there so they sat by us. We won yet again!! Nick decided to go out after the game & I decided to go home & go to bed since I was to get up at 7:30 the next morning!! Grrrrrrrr! It should be illegal to have to get up before 9:00AM on a weekend!! Anyhoo, it was my choice to get up that early so I shouldn't complain. Anna & I planned a trip down to Hope's Bridal to order my wedding dress & to try & find a prom dress for her. The roads weren't the best so it took us a little longer to get down there & back but we accomplished our goals. My wedding dress is bought & paid for & Anna found a prom dress!!

(Anna trudging through the snow since I couldn't get in the driveway!)

After we got back into town I traded Anna for Ashton when we got to my mom's & Ashton & I headed to Cedar Falls for his basketball practice. Steph & Ryan met us there & it was so-> cute watching all those little kids try to control a ball that was half their size!!

(Kobe!!)

Nick & I went to Steph & Booter's later on that night for dinner. Steph made pork chops, baked potatoes, & cheesecake! All, of which, was super good! We just chilled most of the night; watching TV, messing around online, playing Chinese Football! Ashton had gotten a finger football set for Christmas that Nick & Ryan tried out but decided to go old school instead & made the football out of paper. (Shrug) Boys will be boys!

(Oh the excitement!!)

(This is Nick's concentration face!)

The following day, Sun, we went to church & dropped off the marriage form they had us fill out! (We're getting closer!!) I later had dinner w/ Dad, Diane, & Anna & made a Walmart run w/ Anna to get some "healthy" food. We're on yet another diet. We'll see how long this one lasts. ;)

I'm thinking the 13th is a bad day of the month regardless if it is Fri or not! On this particular day I had a nice time having drinks w/ Dad & Brandon at Legends after work. I then met up w/ Nick & we renewed our cell phone contract & got new phones! Love it! Then, on the way home, I decided to pay a little visit to the ditch!! Yup, never been in the ditch before which, I think, is pretty good considering I've lived in Iowa all my life! Anyways, I was going east on Broadway & ended up in the opposite ditch facing west! YES! GO ME! It was all good though since I wasn't going very fast & Nick was just up the road at Kwik Star. It was cool cuz I hadn't been in the ditch 5 minutes when two people stopped to be sure I was ok. Then, when I got home, which was about 10-15 minutes after my incident, I get a call from the police department checking to be sure all was well! There ARE nice people in this world! Luckily, Nick was able to get it out the next day w/ his truck & w/ the help of Jay & some random dude that just happened to have the right size chain!! Thanks random dude!!

(My poor baby!!)

The day after my date w/ the ditch was Teresa's birthday! She was off at Wisconsin Dells w/ Gary enjoying their indoor water parks! JEALOUS!

*NEW* New Year

Since our actual New Year's Eve sucked butt we decided to pretend it didn't happen & to re-ring in the New Year over the following weekend instead!!

New Year's Day was fairly low key. After waking up...w/ puffy eyes from crying all night...I took a shower & Nick & I drove out to mom's to eat some leftover Chicken-A-La-King. We also wanted to hang w/ Anna since her & Ruzz had broke up that morning...yet another fun event that happened on New Year's. Don't worry though...they got back together that night but she was pretty bummed most of the day. Anways, we watched some movies & just relaxed...drama FREE!

The next day was Friday & there was a Black Hawks game. Anna, Keely, Lauren, Cassie, & I met at LJ's for some dinner & then headed to Young Arena. Anna, Cassie, & I decided to buy some COW BELLS!! Yes, that's right! I am now one of those annoying people w/ the bell! BUT hear me out..... It is really hard to clap when your holding a beer & it's no fun not to be loud & cheer so w/ a cow bell you have the best of both worlds...beer & the ability to be loud!! ;) Anyways, we WON...of course...because we rule & I think...because we bought the cow bell!!

(Lauren, Keely, Cassie, Anna, & I)

(I have a fever & the only prescriptions is MORE COW BELL!)

(*Y*)

(*M*)

(*C*)

(*A*)

On Sat I got my hair did & then met up Steph & Anna to see...you guessed it...Twilight! Again, it's an addiction! When we came out of the movie everything was ice!! I slide across the parking lot to my car & then contemplated whether we should go to the hockey game or not. I figured that since I was already out & about we might as well. So, I picked up Nick & Ryan at home & we went to the game. *Side Note* I fell on my ass walking to the arena. Well, I guess it wasn't my ass but close enough. I had a HUGE bruise on my left hip, left knee, & somehow, on my right inside thigh?? Oh well, I called it! Not a minute before I fell I said to Nick & Ryan that I was probably going to eat it & I did! Moving on..... We ended up losing...BOO! HISS!...but still decided to head over to The Penalty Box for some drinks.

(They had the WEE Black Hawks play!! SO CUTE!!)

Nick, Ryan, & I had met up w/ Brandon, Brice, & Brice's "friend" Heather at the game so we all walked over together...& I didn't fall!! Bethany met up w/ us there as well & we had a good time drinking to our NEW New Year! We also stopped by The Pump Haus for a bit were I WON at darts! I NEVER win at darts! GO ME!!

(*Happy NEW New Year!!*)

(This is Ryan's Beer Stupor face!)

(Patriotic Bar Wristbands! USA!!)

Sun was church as usual the then some down time. On Mon I saw Australia. Good movie!! Well, really...any movie would be good if you have Hugh Jackman...shirtless...washing himself. Ok, I think I need a bib to help me w/ this drool!! ;D

Not So Happy New Year

I've never been a big fan of New Year's Eve. It was all good when I was little & it was a privilege to stay up until midnight but ever since I've been old enough to do what I want they have all kinda sucked...this year especially.

It's always been a tradition of ours to celebrate New Year's Eve at Auntie's house. I remember it being so much fun hanging out, eating good food, & playing games w/ the family! I'm pretty sure that I'm just going to go back to that tradition from now on.

Let's take a trip down memory lane.....

There was one year...I think it was my senior year so New Year's Eve 2001/2002..... Our usual hangout was my friend Big P's (Jason's) pole building. We spent many a night drinkin it up, dancing, & playing cards! Well, one particular night I got a little too drunk & ended up making out w/ one of my friends b/f, ex-b/f...I still don't know if they were together or not?? Anyways, this was just before New Year's. Since he was part of our usual group he was there on New Year's Eve naturally. Well, I was a little too drunk again & he was acting like an asshole so I started in on the drunk crying. There was a scene & people comforting me & that's how I brought in the New Year! Yippy! Not only that but I threw up quite a few times the next morning! Hangovers! Yeah!

I started dating Nick the summer after I graduated. I don't quite remember what we did those first few New Year's together?? I do know that I didn't even celebrate w/ him for one or two of them. Anyhoo, one particular year, I think 2005/2006, we were not doing too well. We had gotten into a big fight the day before New Year's Eve & I ended up staying at my mom's. We came this close to breaking up but didn't. I guess you could sort of consider that a "good" New Year's since we made up for the most part on New Year's Eve day but still...I wasn't in any sort of mood to party. We just hung out at a few house parties, stopped by Auntie's for some food, & then went home.

New Year's 2006/2007 was pretty boring. Almost everyone, including myself, had a cold so we all hung out at Auntie's until about 11:30 at which time we walked over to my mom's because Auntie started to not feel well. So, we rang in the New Year around mom's kitchen table.

I thought last year, 2007/2008, was going to be super fun & it was...to a point. Steph, Booter, Nick, & I drove down to Springville to ring in the New Year w/ Bridge & Dean. We hung out at their house for a bit & watched a movie & then headed to her uncle's bar. We played pool & drank it up & all that. Midnight came & went & we were soon back at Bridge's where we played some Scattergories & chilled. I hadn't drank all that much but I decided that I didn't want a hangover so I drank some water & went to bed feeling pretty good. That feeling didn't last long. I soon woke up w/ a horrible stomach ache & ended up puking my brains out on & off all night & through the next day. Everyone had to wait until I could keep water down before we could take the hour long ride home. We didn't leave until 3:30-4:00 in the afternoon. I ended up calling in sick the day after New Year's cuz I still felt like crap so I lost my holiday pay for New Year's Day. Now isn't that special!?!

And now, we're on to this year..... I honestly was not in the best of moods to start w/. My job has been pretty frustrating lately & it was that time of the month so those factors really didn't help my dislike of New Year's. We all went to Auntie's to eat dinner, Chicken-Ala-King! Now I LOVE Chicken-Ala-King so I did have a good time eating that!! :P We hung out there for a bit & then Nick, the sibs, their significant others & friends, & I drove to Diane's for a New Year's Eve party.

Diane's house was packed! There was tons of food & they had everything decked out w/ decoration! I cheered up a bit & decided to make the best of it. We chatted w/ my dad's side of the family & met some of Diane's friends. The Beer Pong table was in constant use & there was music & darts...everyone was having a good time. Soon it was midnight. We did the champagne toast & the kissing & all that. 2008 was over!! This is when things started to spiral out of control. Now I'm not going to get into detail cuz I would prefer not to relive it but here is a rundown of what my 2009 started out w/.....vomit, someone passing out cold for about 30 seconds...scared the crap out of me, fighting (both verbal & physical...yes, physical) between family members, things being broken & thrown, & crying. I think that about sums it up.

(We so HOT!!)

(Drink it up bro!)

(He has to have the finger pic...at least we got him to wear the hat!!)

(Guard those cups w/ your life girl!!)

(Aunt Annie, Uncle Mark, Diane, & Dad...oh, & Brice)

(Chelsie My Love w/ her love Mike!)

(Alyssa & her b/f at the time Josh.)

(Nick & Ian)

(My Cousins, Missy & Morgan)

(We were blinding Eric w/ our camera flashes!! Oops!)

(Whoa Diane! Take it easy!! ;)

(I heart her!)

(She looks like the Grinch that stole Sparks!)

(Ruzz's HAPPY face!!)

(PEACE)

(WAKE UP RYAN!!)

(Almost midnight...)

(HAPPY NEW YEAR!!...or so we thought.)

So, to conclude...New Year's sucks & I plan on staying at Auntie's next year!