Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Slovakia: Possible Living Situation.

Here are some of the pictures my friend has posted from Bratislava. What do we think?

 This is her 4th grade classroom, so I am assuming my Kinder or 1st grade would be similar. 
So cute right!

 This is going to be my room! From what I can tell it needs a SERIOUS makeover. 
Thank goodness there is an Ikea. 
 The other side of my room. 



 Our living room ^

and kitchen/laundry room \/

The castle you can walk to from the school!

Slovakia: Now this is happening.



Interview with the school in Slovakia went great this morning!

I have a TON of documents to pull together that require fingerprints...notary...scanning and copying...AKA a lot of work. So I am going to try and get that all together Thursday, apparently certain documents take a long time and you can't work or live there without them so I need to get on it asap.

I will hopefully be getting a salary offer and contract offer within the next few days and can make an official decision.

Unofficial decision: I'm moving to Slovakia January 6th.

However...right now I am still getting over this awful cold, am super tired even though I went to bed early last night, and am in denial about leaving Bella, the amount of packing and moving I have to do in the next month, leaving my family...and trading the sunshine for dark and cold snow.

Plus, my apartment is FREEZING today! So back to bed we go.

Lovelove.

Monday, November 29, 2010

The ACE.

Palm Springs was AMAZING!!! Such a fantastic night making friends, free drinks, dancing, late night swimming, you name it was DONE. Oh the fun that was had...
 Can't get enough of these windmills!


 Our KICKASS room!!!

 We relaxed in our robes and listened to vinyl while reading magazines...I just kept saying to myself "I am so relaxed"

Annie and I enjoying the bathroom/eating snack

 Ready to chill.

Pretty window to the patio and fireplace outside. 

Post weird sci fi movie screening (let us know if you need reenactments)
 partying it up in the Amigo Room.

 Our new friend Eleanor who stole that deer from the Hyatt. 




The Flashdance was ROCKING and we all became friends and danced the night away. Obviously.



After a night of shenanigans, we awoke to more shenanigans. 




To begin with, I refused to take off my poncho. 

Then I made Annie take pictures of me with the pretty signs. 

I just loved this.

And this.

Ohhhhh Annie so hot right now!

Love Ace.

Beautiful vintage buildings surrounded by snow capped mountains.

And then we found a random Mexican buffet where Annie could gamble.

The face I made when I saw the lady wearing her brown sweat pants underneath her knee length jean shorts. 

And then this happened. 

I know right.

The following pictures are an excellent display of why we are friends with Annie.




Annie: Make sure and write that Im jiggling his belly like a bowl full of jelly!




Just the mini vacation I needed! I feel so blessed!



Saturday, November 27, 2010

I. Am. Combelling.

O.M.G.

I just won a free night! At The Ace Hotel! Thanks to the amazing blog and twitter community I am totally in love with even MORE now!

Special Thanks to Anne Sage


For this amazing mini vacation I am DESPERATELY in need of.

Got the email that I won and immediately thought "Oh thank GOD! My luck is finally changing!"

Too bad the momma can't come:(

So Annie and I are off to party it up in Palm Springs tomorrow. 

Which is probably better, so I can make Annie dance with me all night.

Oh, I am just combelling!




Deluxe Fireplace Patio Suite? Don't mind if I do. 

Friday, November 26, 2010

Beautiful Family.

My aunt recently found these pictures in a suitcase in her house. She scanned them in and we got to see our beautiful Indian side of our family from long ago. I love the Indian garb mixed with the black and white. Plus, getting to see pictures of my grand father who died when my mom was only 4, is pretty amazing to say the least. 




Pretty.

Not Alone.

My previous post I tried to be positive in looking back over the year and my life and being thankful. It was tough after the year my family and I have had, but I am still extremely blessed in many areas so it wasn't impossible. Although I was feeling AWFUL with this retched cold, I still put a yummy dish together and headed over to my parents for the festivities with my family and extended family.

Then as we all sat down to eat, held hands, and bowed our heads to pray. Dad started this heart felt prayer:

"God, its tough to look back and be thankful after the year we have had (stopped to choke back tears-which of course had all of us crying). Uncle Junior died right around this time. Shortly after that we lost baby Samuel. Then Shiela was diagnosed with cancer. And thats just the stuff I remember. It was difficult to hear your voice and feel your presence throughout the last year. But just as we are surrounded today with these precious friends and family, they were your voice over the last year. We are so thankful to them for everything they have done for us. And we continue to ask for your blessings in our life...Amen"

That was almost exactly the prayer as I remember it. Even mom was crying -despite everything she really isn't much of a crier.    

I have to say. I constantly feel like I am being told to be happy and to feel blessed for everything I DO have. To be happy where I am. That there are lots of people in worse situations so I shouldn't complain.

So it was nice to feel validated in my feelings.

It WAS a tough year.
Its ok if I was having a hard time being thankful for the year of suck.
I wasn't the only one who felt overwhelmed and forgotten by God.

So really, I think this year I am thankful for not being alone.
For having my feelings validated.
I really am thankful most for my friends and family who supported me during this last year.
You come to treasure them even more when so many of them suddenly disappear.

Now off for some more Thera Flu...

lovelove.                              

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Thanksgiving.

Sometimes its tough to be thankful on Thanksgiving. Especially when your fighting unemployment AGAIN, trying to get over being broken hearted, and then managed to catch a cold thanksgiving eve that has left you sleepless and with a raw nose. But despite all of this, I am still thankful.

For my family. My mother who has survived cancer. My father who carried her through it. And my cousin and brother who always kept us laughing despite it all. I am thankful for them helping me to GRADUATE this year. What an accomplishment I didn't do alone. 

Thanksgiving last year. Love this.


Not sure how I would function without my girls. This shows only a few of the loves of my life- but the women in my life MAKE my life. I love you all. Without you. I am nothing. 

Furthermore...
Music.
India.
Art.
Books.
Bella.
Snuggly Beds.
and of course, God.

Always reminding me, I truly am blessed. 


Now, off to try and cook some vegan side dishes without sneezing on them the entire time.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A Dress for All Seasons.

I am not rich.
I am not skinny and tall.

If anything, I am a poor recent graduate with high tastes and a hourglass figure.

Ok fine, I am a hot piece of ass.

BUT a poor one. Who can rarely be exactly on trend because half the crap doesn't look right on this booty and these double D's.

And so I have discovered the ART of the little cotton dress.

With the right accessories and shoes, I can wear my handful of dresses year round.
And these babies were all less then $30.
(Take that fashion magazines and blogs that make me so angry because HELLO I was not "gifted" a coach bag and Marc Jacobs dress and neither was majority of America- OK.)

And now for an excessive amount of pictures of myself. And Bella.

SEE? You CAN be productive, sick, and unemployed all on the same day.

SUMMER



Just paired my little red stripe dress with some cute gladiator sandals, my vintage faux leather green bag, and a fedora. Don't forget my gold statement necklace to boot. Everything in this outfit was on sale and less then $20 each. BOOM

Dress: H&M
Bag: Vintage c/o Buffalo Exchange
Necklace & Hat: Detour Salon Store
Shoes: Jessica Simpson c/o TJ Maxx

Fall & Spring


When it starts to get colder I just add some leggings, flats, and a cute sweater. Finished off with a little bow and some pearls because apparently the puffed sleeves weren't girly enough for me.

Sweater: H&M
Leggings: Express
Flats: Target
Pearls: Vintage from my great grandmother!
Bow: Gift from mi amiga Kelsey c/o H&M

Winter

I know your REALLY laughing at jealous of my Russian hat, but try to keep your hands to yourself. I love that thing. And 2min after taking this I was sweating, so it totally works. For winter I just keep adding layers until I am warm. Under the dress I am wearing a long sleeved tight black shirt, my puffy sleeve sweater on top, AND THEN the jacket. You can also wear multiple layers of leggings if one layer isn't enough. And always, warm snuggly socks with ridiculous patterns.

Hat: Target
Scarf: Macy's
Boots: Ross
Long sleeved shirt: Target
Faux leather bomber jacket: TJ Maxx

Literally, every item pictured was less then $30.