I haven't blogged in so long I don't even know where to begin. So I will try and summarize everything to the best of my ability. This summer has been a blast and has really flown by! I can't believe September is just two days away. Where does the time even go?
First and foremost my most exciting news of the summer..my top braces are off!!!! Three months exactly is what I had them on and that in my mind was three months too long. I still have the bottom braces on but they don't even phase me. I am thankful to have a normal looking smile again with lips that aren't sticking out like Bubba Gump's. It's easier to eat foods and chew gum and smile at cute boys without worrying if a big piece of lettuce is stuck in my brackets.  |
| classmates and childhood friends |
I made it back to Iowa couple times this summer. The first time was the beginning of July for a family reunion. I saw aunts and uncles that I hadn't seen in a long time and it's always so refreshing to be around your family. We had a bonfire and roasted marshmellows and caught lightning bugs in the back yard. You forget how beautiful lightning bugs are floating in the breeze. I'm about ready to break out some Nitty Gritty Dirt Band right now!
The second trip was at the end of July for a classmates wedding. It was a good guy friend of mine who I have grown up with since pre-school. He was actually my first boyfriend ever in the first grade and after one day of being boyfriend and girlfriend, he broke up with me at recess for a different girl. That was the same day he had written me a poem and drawn me a picture. It's amazing the things you remember. I should have realized right then what my future was going to hold when it came to men! He married a girl I absolutely adore and the setting was at a winery in the middle of a vineyard and a cornfield. It was beautiful. It was great seeing people and catching up. And of course the infamous question I always face when I'm back home "are you dating anyone yet?" That's when I just have to look at you and smile as I mutter the words "no, not yet." I also got to experience my first "ragbrai." It came through Wilton this year and it was so crazy to see thousands and thousands of people and bikes in that town. It was an awesome sight. I definitely picked a good weekend to go back!
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| cheers!-michelle and me |
I made it to a couple Rays games and a Lil Wayne concert. Yes, I love Lil Wayne and it was one of the best concerts I have seen! I guess it's just the inner gangsta in me as Heidi would like to say. I also made it up to Jacksonville for a weekend to see Heidi and Dave. Friday night we stayed in like college kids and played happy hour to fratmusic.com (one of my fav websites) We had a blast! Then the next day we went to the beach all day and hit up the beach bars. It was a nice change to be at a beach with big waves! Heidi invested in a bocce ball set and it is so fun to play, especially on the beach!
My brother made it down for a weekend and its always nice when he's here to have the 4 of us together eating moms amazing home-cooked meals!
I also had a couple visitors. Michelle was one, of course. She now holds the trophy for most visits to see me! We had a great weekend consisting of the beach, bars, shopping, feathers in our hair, and more bars. (Wearing a feather in your hair is huge down here so I'm rocking the new style with a hot pink one and a white one and I LOVE them.) We made it to Blue Martini for the first time and I think this is where all of the hot men in Tampa go to hang out. Our eyes did not know where to focus. They just kept wandering, and wandering. Its an expensive hangout where we sipped on $14 martinis and complained about paying a ten dollar cover, leading the bouncer to let us in for free. We took advantage of her time here which meant little sleep and lots of adventures. It took me a week just to catch up on the sleep we had missed, but it was worth it!
We went out to a club on Friday night and these two guys came up to us and started hitting on us and wanted to buy us shots. The one guy looked at us and asked how old we were. When we replied "27" he gave us a look like we had the plague. For the first time in my life I actually felt like I was too old! So he quickly walked away. His loss anyways. :)
My other visitor was Jon..a boy who was a big part of my past and I have known for about 5 years now. When I first got out of my long relationship I met Jon at a college party. Thought he was cute, but didn't want to date. We still always hung out and always had a great time. Then the time came where I wanted to date and then he didn't. Typical. We lost touch and didn't speak for two years (since I had moved to the sunshine state). Well the beginning of this summer, on Memorial Day actually..he randomly calls. We hadn't spoken, hadn't seen each other, nothing. We caught up and randomly found ourselves talking almost everyday. I saw him when I went back to Iowa for my family reunion and we had an awesome weekend. My heart did a little flip wondering what was going to happen if I still had this crush 5 years later. After I left he mentioned he wanted to come to Florida. We started to lose touch and went weeks without talking. Well he calls the beginning of August and says he's coming down "next week." Booked his ticket and I quickly took off work for the long weekend and was so nervous. We hung at the beach and I introduced him to Florida the best that I could. We had a great time but he was just acting so different from the last time I saw him. On his second night here he admitted he was getting back with his ex-girlfriend. As I wanted so bad to scream at him "then why the hell are you here seeing me?" I kept my cool and played it off like no big deal. We still had a great time, even rented scooters and took them around Clearwater beach, a first for me! As I dropped him off at the airport the Beyonce song was playing "the best thing I never had" Here's your sign. But I give him props for being faithful to her and I really still enjoyed his visit. He is always someone I have a blast with and I'm sure we will hang out again soon in the future. That night I came home and ordered a pizza..for one.
So my summer has been so great consisting of trips, the beach, my pool, friends, family, and cocktails under the sun!!
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Now for the baby news in my life...not me of course, but two of my best friends! Britt FINALLY gave birth to Emersyn J and she's beautiful!!! I was able to meet her when I went home and she was just two weeks old. It was so crazy for me to see Britt as a mom yet so wonderful at the same time. I give so much props to Britt as she's basically being a single mother (her fiance is only home every other weekend due to work) and she's doing an amazing job. She is one of the strongest women I know and she is taking life on head on and doing great. I had never seen a live birth before and Britt quickly changed that as she had her sister tape it. I wanted to scream in pain for her as I watched it and if that day comes for me all I can say is bring on the drugs!!! Britt wanted to run some errands so I told her to go ahead and I would watch Emersyn. I have never been alone with a baby that young before. I cuddled her, fed her and burped her. I was so proud of myself and we had such good bonding time! I miss them everyday and am thankful for skype!
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| L-O-V-E |
And for the second part of the baby news..Jess is expecting! So excited for her and B and can't wait to meet their addition in the future. Yes I know what you are thinking, how are you surviving without the crazy shenanigans you and Jess get into? And truthfully, I miss it like crazy! So this explains why this blog hasn't consisted of tricking boys into buying shots with a plate game, the blue wave or mouthing off at sporting events. I've only seen her once this summer which is a huge adjustment from the every other weekend we were used to. But, this is life and we are doing our best. As always, I will be the best aunt ever! :)
So the end of summer is officially this weekend with Labor Day approaching and this means BRING ON IOWA FOOTBALL! I'm so excited! It's my favorite time of year! The Tampa Bay Iowa Club had a big ten kickoff party over the weekend and we all went and Heidi and Dave came down from Jacksonville. We had Iowa tenderloins and the Iowa boys dominated tug of war beating Ohio State in the championship. Let's hope this is a sign!
I hope you all have a great Labor Day weekend! I'm heading up to Jacksonville to spend the long weekend with Heidi and Dave and to cheer on the Hawkeyes together in their first game! I hope to follow up soon with fun stories and a victory!
