Tonight's post was inspired by a lovely Friday afternoon/evening I spent with a dear friend of mine who has been going through some rough spots at work. She was recently promoted (what should be a huge, wonderful time in her life). But that isn't the case. The work load is horrendous. She leaves work everyday with ZERO energy. She is STILL doing grunt work. Etc.... You get the picture.
As I was listening to her talk I could see the desperation in her eyes. Being a dedicated employee to a company that you have worked for for over half a decade, well, it can be hard to face reality. Is the paycheck worth it?
Not even two years ago I was in her position. You go to college. You get a degree. You land a decent job. Is it your passion? Not really, but what the heck. It is a steady form of income. So you do what you have to do to prove yourself. You become engulfed in your career. You receive bonuses, and with some luck, you get promoted. You have the mark of approval from your family. That is what most of the population here in America strives for. But what about life? Are you truly happy in your life? Does your career enhance your happiness? I am willing to bet that 99% of the answers to these questions would be a solid "NO."
A year and a half ago I made a decision that would change my life. I went home one day after a LONG day of work and decided to put some of my college education to real-life work. I wrote down the pro's and con's of my career in the Public Relations field. I thought long and hard about both aspects. After about an hour I had a list that was heavily weighed on 1 side...the cons. I had a very decent income and job security, but was lacking motivation, and most of all, happiness.
After this little exercise I decided to write down the things I was really passionate about. What gave me fulfillment in life. What I found joy doing. My list began to grow and I saw a common denominator. I wanted to help others. I wanted to make a difference in someone's day.
The next day I went into work and put in my two week notice. Some would call it irrational and impulsive. I would call it "A Leap of Faith."
Today, I don't work for a living, because I found a career that not only allows me to help my fellow man, but that makes me go to AND leave work with a smile on my face. Sure, I took a slight pay-cut, but I'm still making plenty to make ends meet. And above all, I am fully content. I don't curse my alarm clock in the morning. I don't count down the seconds until the weekend. In fact it is the opposite. I'm sad when I leave work and during my days off, I look forward to working again. And it is all because I took a Leap of Faith.
I shared this with my friend and at the end of our time together I saw hope in her eyes. I heard hope in her voice. And what I hope to accomplish with this post is to show others that they don't have to become a slave to a career that they dread. There are other options for you out there. You simply have to find the courage to pursue your passion. It is your life, not your parent's, not your friend's, not your boss's. It's YOURS and yours alone. I encourage each one of you who may be feeling the way that my friend is feeling to take 20 minutes to write down what truly makes you smile. Find a way to make that into a career and see your life change before your eyes.
Imagination Enhancer
Monday, April 15, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Your DREAM Wedding on a Budget...YES YOU CAN
I just read somewhere that the average wedding cost in California is $40,000.00. If I'm not mistaken, that amount could be a pretty decently large down-payment on a house. Before I begin to dig into this blog, I have just got to say that I have ALWAYS thought that weddings are a HUGE, ridiculous waste of money...just a personal opinion. So many brides (and grooms sometimes) lose site of what is important. It's like a competition with ALL females on who can have the most blown up, drawn out, expensive shin-dig, on what is supposed to be a day committed solely to the romance of you and your future partner. For this reason, my now-husband and I decided that a small, casual, simple, and easy wedding was the way to go. Not only was it the most perfect, meaningful day celebrated with our closest friends and family, but it saved us SO much money that we might now have otherwise had to, say, oh, put a down payment on a house, travel to Europe, etc... So sit back and enjoy these tips on how to have a dream wedding on a budget.
For all of you soon-to-be husbands and wives, I wanted to share a few tips with you on how my husband and I created a picture perfect wedding for $11,000.00 (including rings)...in California!
The hardest part in the wedding-planning process for us was when and where to hold the ceremony. Let's be honest. Almost every bride pictures herself frolicking through a grassy meadow filled with flowers while the sun shines down on her face, and for this reason, April through September are the choice wedding months. That being the case, prices for everything skyrocket during Spring and Summer. In fact, our first thought was to have a wedding in the local mountains of Southern California in July. Somewhere close yet in a beautiful, non-city setting. Then we really started thinking. What if we took a leap of faith and decided to hold a wedding in the "least desirable" month of the year, January, at a destination location?
We found a lovely place located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains called Convict Lake, a very popular wedding site for ALL seasons. First of all, the prices for the venue were very reasonable. The one gamble you play here is dealing with the weather. We decided to take a chance and book an outdoor ceremony. Here's why:
The gamble paid off in this case. The total cost to rent this site was a simple $500. Other places we were looking at, reception halls and such, cost upwards of a couple thousand and even higher during the prime wedding months.
The next choice we had to make was what to do reception wise. Would we do the normal reception complete with a DJ, a reception hall, dancing, food, open bar, etc...? After adding up all the costs for this we realized that it would be far out of our means to do the traditional reception. We were stumped So what did we do? We called all of the nice restaurants in the area and asked if they had perhaps a somewhat private area, or better yet, a private room to hold a nice dinner in. We booked a private room at a really cool place and they prepared a delicious 4 course menu for us at only $38 per person.
I know. $38 per person can add up fast, so the next thing to do is to determine a guest list. If you are like me with a zillion family members, that price could easily add up at an alarming rate. That's why I recommend keeping the guest list at a minimum for the actual wedding. We had a guest list of 31 adults and 2 children. One reason this worked for us was because our destination wedding was a 5 hour drive away from where we and most of our family lived. Also, for those who we decided not to include on the actual list, we had planned to hold a post-wedding open house at our place upon our return. Classy, yet cost-effective.
Finally, the details. Oh the dreaded details! Dress, Suits, decorations, photographer, dj, band... surely we must include all of these in our budget. Well, let me shed some light on all of you brides and grooms out there. Shop SMART! Get creative!
I bought my dress at David's Bridal for $250. It is a lovely dress too! If you shop smart, you will find the deals without being a "cheapskate."
The decorations turned from being a dreaded task to a fun, creative game. We went to Michael's, Home Goods, and Home Depot and found an array of items that we molded into beautiful wedding decorations. The total cost? $400!
Now, being that we opted out of having a tradition reception and took the path of simply having a reception dinner instead, a DJ was not necessary. Well, what about the ceremony music, and the after party, and the dancing you might ask? Easy. Make a playlist on an iPod and have someone you trust work the music at the ceremony. And there is still room for dancing after dinner! Simply gather those who want to make a night of it and go out on the town AFTER the dinner! This can be a great way to take advantage of the local nightlife while also meeting new people and gathering loads of attention.
Finally, the photography. I will say if there is ONE place to drop some serious cash for a wedding, it is to the photographer. In my case I was lucky to have a cousin who was not a pro, but had an eye for capturing beautiful photos. We paid him a couple of hundred dollars to shoot our wedding, and what a spectacular job he did. Ask your invitees if anyone has any experience with photography and book them! It will save you loads of money! There is nothing a MAC computer can't do these days to make photos look amazing. Here is proof...
For all of you soon-to-be husbands and wives, I wanted to share a few tips with you on how my husband and I created a picture perfect wedding for $11,000.00 (including rings)...in California!
The hardest part in the wedding-planning process for us was when and where to hold the ceremony. Let's be honest. Almost every bride pictures herself frolicking through a grassy meadow filled with flowers while the sun shines down on her face, and for this reason, April through September are the choice wedding months. That being the case, prices for everything skyrocket during Spring and Summer. In fact, our first thought was to have a wedding in the local mountains of Southern California in July. Somewhere close yet in a beautiful, non-city setting. Then we really started thinking. What if we took a leap of faith and decided to hold a wedding in the "least desirable" month of the year, January, at a destination location?
The gamble paid off in this case. The total cost to rent this site was a simple $500. Other places we were looking at, reception halls and such, cost upwards of a couple thousand and even higher during the prime wedding months.
The next choice we had to make was what to do reception wise. Would we do the normal reception complete with a DJ, a reception hall, dancing, food, open bar, etc...? After adding up all the costs for this we realized that it would be far out of our means to do the traditional reception. We were stumped So what did we do? We called all of the nice restaurants in the area and asked if they had perhaps a somewhat private area, or better yet, a private room to hold a nice dinner in. We booked a private room at a really cool place and they prepared a delicious 4 course menu for us at only $38 per person.
I know. $38 per person can add up fast, so the next thing to do is to determine a guest list. If you are like me with a zillion family members, that price could easily add up at an alarming rate. That's why I recommend keeping the guest list at a minimum for the actual wedding. We had a guest list of 31 adults and 2 children. One reason this worked for us was because our destination wedding was a 5 hour drive away from where we and most of our family lived. Also, for those who we decided not to include on the actual list, we had planned to hold a post-wedding open house at our place upon our return. Classy, yet cost-effective.
Finally, the details. Oh the dreaded details! Dress, Suits, decorations, photographer, dj, band... surely we must include all of these in our budget. Well, let me shed some light on all of you brides and grooms out there. Shop SMART! Get creative!
I bought my dress at David's Bridal for $250. It is a lovely dress too! If you shop smart, you will find the deals without being a "cheapskate."
The decorations turned from being a dreaded task to a fun, creative game. We went to Michael's, Home Goods, and Home Depot and found an array of items that we molded into beautiful wedding decorations. The total cost? $400!
Now, being that we opted out of having a tradition reception and took the path of simply having a reception dinner instead, a DJ was not necessary. Well, what about the ceremony music, and the after party, and the dancing you might ask? Easy. Make a playlist on an iPod and have someone you trust work the music at the ceremony. And there is still room for dancing after dinner! Simply gather those who want to make a night of it and go out on the town AFTER the dinner! This can be a great way to take advantage of the local nightlife while also meeting new people and gathering loads of attention.
Finally, the photography. I will say if there is ONE place to drop some serious cash for a wedding, it is to the photographer. In my case I was lucky to have a cousin who was not a pro, but had an eye for capturing beautiful photos. We paid him a couple of hundred dollars to shoot our wedding, and what a spectacular job he did. Ask your invitees if anyone has any experience with photography and book them! It will save you loads of money! There is nothing a MAC computer can't do these days to make photos look amazing. Here is proof...
Finally, the HONEYMOON! The best thing about a destination wedding is that no more traveling is required. You kill two birds with one stone. Hold your wedding in a place where you can have fun for a week or two and make a romantic get-a-way out of it after the crowds have departed. The best thing about a winter wedding...
The grand total for the biggest event of our lives, including the site rental, dinner, wine, lodgings, activities, photography, clothing, rings and music, came to just over $11,000! Not bad for the perfect day that every little girl dreams about, even in the Golden State where you pay close to half of $100k for a typical wedding.
I hope this gives some of you hope that you can have your dream wedding at a price that fits your budget. All you have to say is "I WILL and I DO!"
Friday, January 25, 2013
A Winter Wedding
"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."
These were the opening words of our wedding ceremony this past Saturday, January 19th, in Mammoth, CA. With the sun shining, it was a balmy 48 degrees, quite an unusual day for a Mammoth winter. In the presence of our closest friends and family, we said "I Do" while standing beneath the towering snow-capped mountains in front of Convict Lake.
What blows my mind is that we had been monitoring the weather weeks prior to our wedding, and the outlook was grim. Snow. Chance of snow. High of 17 degrees and cloudy. Hazardous road conditions. The list goes on and on. But 4 days before our departure to this Sierra Nevada wonderland, the forecast suddenly changed. 28 degrees...30 degrees....41 degrees...and as luck would have it, Saturday the 19th was forcasted to be 51 degrees and Sunny! It was as if God had paused the storms for the sole purpose of making our most memorable day something truly miraculous! We could not have been more blessed.
Jacob and I wanted to say thank you to all those who traveled to be with us in Mammoth, and to those who were there with us in spirit sending us their love and support. Everything was unimaginably beautiful and went so smoothly. We are SO happy and are so grateful for all of your kind words. Cheers to the newest chapter!!!
Jacob and I wanted to say thank you to all those who traveled to be with us in Mammoth, and to those who were there with us in spirit sending us their love and support. Everything was unimaginably beautiful and went so smoothly. We are SO happy and are so grateful for all of your kind words. Cheers to the newest chapter!!!
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Tolkien ~VS~ Jackson
What the "reviewers" have said:
"An Unexpected Journey does not match the scale established in Lord of the Rings, but there are still plenty of eye-popping visuals, enchanting action set-pieces, and intriguing character cameos, to prevent the film from being the underwhelming (and cheesy) experience that some skeptics were anticipating."
" What needs resaying is that the good stuff in "The Hobbit" is amazingly good. And mainly animated, from the motion-capture magic of Andy Serkis's Gollum (you can see the little monster's twisted mind and constipated brain churning away in the marvelous riddle game) to the depths of the goblins' tunnels, where the proscenium frame—or floating box, in the 3-D version—teems with life forms previously unimagined and hitherto unimaginable. An overlong adventure enlivened by wonders."
" I don’t mean to blame the cultural situation for the specific failings of the movie, which rises to weary, belated mediocrity entirely on its own steam. Mr. Jackson has embraced what might be called theme-park-ride cinema, the default style of commercially anxious, creatively impoverished 3-D moviemaking. The action sequences are exercises in empty, hectic kineticism, with very little sense of peril or surprise."
What I have to say about "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey":
We entered the movie at 10:15pm, and at 1:08am, when the film had concluded, it felt as if maybe 5 minutes had gone by. Not once was I "bored." Not once did I feel that the film was "long, drawn out, or mediocre." In fact, I felt entertained throughout the entire film.
It is true that there is much that was "added" to the film that one who has actually read the books would not have encountered in them. However, I found the film wildly entertaining and it was interesting to see what Peter Jackson had up his sleeve in hopes of drawing a crowd that has only ever experienced The Lord of the Rings films and not the literature.
I have to give Mr. Jackson a HUGE thumbs up for not leaving ANY aspect of The Hobbit book out. My fiance and I are both avid fans of the books, and it was very interesting to see the dwarves, Gandalf, and Bilbo, among others, come to life in the film. The acting was superb, the effects were wonderful. The only issue we had was where Jackson was taking the viewers by adding in all of the "extra non-literary" features. The answer to me is simple; many viewers have not had the privilege to read the actual books, and therefore Jackson had to keep them entertained by creating a film that is, as many believe, a prelude to the other Lord of the Rings films, and not the books. It would not have made much sense to them otherwise.
The Lord of the Rings literary fans may have an issue with this aspect, but for what it is worth, I give The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 2 enthusiastic thumbs up. And I for one will definitely have a hard time over the next year waiting to see the next two installations of the Trilogy, The Desolation of Smaug as well as There and Back Again. I think Jackson will deliver something amazing, as he did with The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. It will simply require patience and an open mind on the part of all fans, especially those who are Tolkien devoted.
"An Unexpected Journey does not match the scale established in Lord of the Rings, but there are still plenty of eye-popping visuals, enchanting action set-pieces, and intriguing character cameos, to prevent the film from being the underwhelming (and cheesy) experience that some skeptics were anticipating."
" What needs resaying is that the good stuff in "The Hobbit" is amazingly good. And mainly animated, from the motion-capture magic of Andy Serkis's Gollum (you can see the little monster's twisted mind and constipated brain churning away in the marvelous riddle game) to the depths of the goblins' tunnels, where the proscenium frame—or floating box, in the 3-D version—teems with life forms previously unimagined and hitherto unimaginable. An overlong adventure enlivened by wonders."
" I don’t mean to blame the cultural situation for the specific failings of the movie, which rises to weary, belated mediocrity entirely on its own steam. Mr. Jackson has embraced what might be called theme-park-ride cinema, the default style of commercially anxious, creatively impoverished 3-D moviemaking. The action sequences are exercises in empty, hectic kineticism, with very little sense of peril or surprise."
What I have to say about "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey":
We entered the movie at 10:15pm, and at 1:08am, when the film had concluded, it felt as if maybe 5 minutes had gone by. Not once was I "bored." Not once did I feel that the film was "long, drawn out, or mediocre." In fact, I felt entertained throughout the entire film.
It is true that there is much that was "added" to the film that one who has actually read the books would not have encountered in them. However, I found the film wildly entertaining and it was interesting to see what Peter Jackson had up his sleeve in hopes of drawing a crowd that has only ever experienced The Lord of the Rings films and not the literature.
I have to give Mr. Jackson a HUGE thumbs up for not leaving ANY aspect of The Hobbit book out. My fiance and I are both avid fans of the books, and it was very interesting to see the dwarves, Gandalf, and Bilbo, among others, come to life in the film. The acting was superb, the effects were wonderful. The only issue we had was where Jackson was taking the viewers by adding in all of the "extra non-literary" features. The answer to me is simple; many viewers have not had the privilege to read the actual books, and therefore Jackson had to keep them entertained by creating a film that is, as many believe, a prelude to the other Lord of the Rings films, and not the books. It would not have made much sense to them otherwise.
The Lord of the Rings literary fans may have an issue with this aspect, but for what it is worth, I give The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 2 enthusiastic thumbs up. And I for one will definitely have a hard time over the next year waiting to see the next two installations of the Trilogy, The Desolation of Smaug as well as There and Back Again. I think Jackson will deliver something amazing, as he did with The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. It will simply require patience and an open mind on the part of all fans, especially those who are Tolkien devoted.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
30 - A Recap
December 11, 1982:
The only thing I remember about this birthday are the stories I've heard from my parents. There was a huge football game on that day and apparently the doctor and my dad were pretty pissed about my timing on wanting to escape from my mom's womb. And when I DID finally show up, my dad said I was the most hideous child he'd ever seen, due wholly to the fact that my little snub nose was all smushed to one side. This earned me the nickname "Creature" for the first 4 years of my life.
December 11, 1986:
It was on this particular birthday that I received a treasured present from my Great Aunt Joy and Great Uncle Fred: Grey Kitty. If you know me, and I mean TRULY know me, then you know and love Grey Kitty. This lovely little stuffed ball of fur has been with me for 26 years now. It has accompanied me in bed every night for the past 26 years, has been on countless family vacations, has taken a tumble through the washing machine ONCE, has been dropped in the Pacific Ocean, and even shared a dorm room at Cal State Monterey Bay with me. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Grey Kitty! Thanks for stickin' it out.
December 11, 1990:
The good old OLA days. This birthday sticks out for one reason, and one reason only. My mom and dad took me, my sisters and a group of friends (Tara Naughtin, Scott Berman, Jay Horoshack, Roseanna Guilianno, Catie Lamb, Danny Lamb) to go see Beauty and the Beast, the timeless Disney Classic, when it first appeared in theaters. It was here that I got to see a softer side of Dad. Remember when the Beast gets stabbed and we all thought he died before he turned into the stupid looking feminine prince? Yea. My dad cried. Bawled actually. It was awesome.
December 11, 1992:
My first birthday as a Mountain Girl. My parents packed up our home in Upland to move us to the Southern California Mountain town of Lake Arrowhead earlier that summer. I remember how special my birthday was that year, because I was a decade old and my parents took me and my two best friends, Aaron Bobik and Chelsi Reynolds, night skiing at Snow Valley, in a BLIZZARD. I have a vague memory of my dad frequently pulling over on the way to AND from the ski resort to adjust his headlights in that storm. What a sacrifice! We are lucky to all be alive after that night.
December 11, 1998:
Sweet 16, and what a sweet day that was. Not ONLY did I receive my drivers license (DUN Dun dun), but I also was surprised by my awesome friends (Robyn Everhart, Kellie Geib, Heidi Snyder, Kelly Garthhoffner R.I.P., Angelina Wilkerson) at home with an Offspring CD and a card that outed me to my parents. The card read, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I'm glad that our similar interest in clothes, music and movies made us friends...or was it beer?" OOPS! Needless to say I was grounded for a while.
December 11, 2000:
18 and LEGAL! But just not old enough to drink. 3 of my girlfriends (Erin Moore, Lauren Hill, and Alyson Sweet) threw a surprise 18th for me! After singing Karaoke on a table, breaking a toilet seat, and witnessing Erin trying to escape out of the bathroom window when the cops showed up....well...To make a long story short, we got a ride home from the cops that night.
December 11, 2003:
21!!!!! Who can forget their 21st birthday, even if you have a hard time remembering. In true Mountain-kid fashion me and two buddys (Erick Davis and Kyle Cooper) decided to go offroading in a snowstorm. The last thing I remember was hitting a ditch that rivaled that of the Grand Canyon and it was lights out. Well, the boys got me back to the house, called Kyle's paramedic bro and got me to come to, at which point I jumped up and ran full speed into the sliding glass door. Epic Win.
December 11, 2008:
My last birthday on the Monterey Peninsula was my 26th. Myself and a group of college buddies were out on the town. I lost both shoes that night, lost the group I was with, and woke up on the front porch of the wrong house at 4am, in 50 degree weather. Oh the good old days of youth.
December 11, 2011:
Approaching the last year of my 20's, my future husband (boyfriend at the time, Jacob Burgstahler) decided to take me to recapture my youth at the Happiest Place on Earth, DISNEYLAND. It was probably one of the most memorable times of my life. And quite a way to ring out a decade of pure and utter chaos.
December 11, 2012, 12:45am:
I'm sitting in a gorgeous loft, in a gorgeous town looking at a gorgeous Christmas tree thinking about the last 30 years. There has been laughter, tears, excitement, heartache and I wouldn't change ONE SINGLE THING about the life I've been lucky enough to live. I have been dreading this day with a passion, but now that it's here, I have never been more blissful than I am at this moment. My 30th year has a LOT of wonderful happenings that are yet to come. I will be saying "I do" to the most amazing man that God has ever placed on this Earth, I will be beginning my new-found career as a massage therapist where I will finally be able to make a difference in people's lives, I will be moving to a place that I had only ever dreamed of, and who KNOWS what other adventures lie in store. Each person who has come into my life will always have a place in my heart, and even those who have left my life will always be a cherished memory. People have always said that 30 is when your life actually begins. As much as I didn't want to believe this, it really holds true for me. So with that, I will say LA VITA BELLA, because what a beautiful life it is!
Goodnight everyone, and here's to the next 30...
The only thing I remember about this birthday are the stories I've heard from my parents. There was a huge football game on that day and apparently the doctor and my dad were pretty pissed about my timing on wanting to escape from my mom's womb. And when I DID finally show up, my dad said I was the most hideous child he'd ever seen, due wholly to the fact that my little snub nose was all smushed to one side. This earned me the nickname "Creature" for the first 4 years of my life.
December 11, 1986:
It was on this particular birthday that I received a treasured present from my Great Aunt Joy and Great Uncle Fred: Grey Kitty. If you know me, and I mean TRULY know me, then you know and love Grey Kitty. This lovely little stuffed ball of fur has been with me for 26 years now. It has accompanied me in bed every night for the past 26 years, has been on countless family vacations, has taken a tumble through the washing machine ONCE, has been dropped in the Pacific Ocean, and even shared a dorm room at Cal State Monterey Bay with me. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Grey Kitty! Thanks for stickin' it out.
December 11, 1990:
The good old OLA days. This birthday sticks out for one reason, and one reason only. My mom and dad took me, my sisters and a group of friends (Tara Naughtin, Scott Berman, Jay Horoshack, Roseanna Guilianno, Catie Lamb, Danny Lamb) to go see Beauty and the Beast, the timeless Disney Classic, when it first appeared in theaters. It was here that I got to see a softer side of Dad. Remember when the Beast gets stabbed and we all thought he died before he turned into the stupid looking feminine prince? Yea. My dad cried. Bawled actually. It was awesome.
December 11, 1992:
My first birthday as a Mountain Girl. My parents packed up our home in Upland to move us to the Southern California Mountain town of Lake Arrowhead earlier that summer. I remember how special my birthday was that year, because I was a decade old and my parents took me and my two best friends, Aaron Bobik and Chelsi Reynolds, night skiing at Snow Valley, in a BLIZZARD. I have a vague memory of my dad frequently pulling over on the way to AND from the ski resort to adjust his headlights in that storm. What a sacrifice! We are lucky to all be alive after that night.
December 11, 1998:
Sweet 16, and what a sweet day that was. Not ONLY did I receive my drivers license (DUN Dun dun), but I also was surprised by my awesome friends (Robyn Everhart, Kellie Geib, Heidi Snyder, Kelly Garthhoffner R.I.P., Angelina Wilkerson) at home with an Offspring CD and a card that outed me to my parents. The card read, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I'm glad that our similar interest in clothes, music and movies made us friends...or was it beer?" OOPS! Needless to say I was grounded for a while.
December 11, 2000:
18 and LEGAL! But just not old enough to drink. 3 of my girlfriends (Erin Moore, Lauren Hill, and Alyson Sweet) threw a surprise 18th for me! After singing Karaoke on a table, breaking a toilet seat, and witnessing Erin trying to escape out of the bathroom window when the cops showed up....well...To make a long story short, we got a ride home from the cops that night.
December 11, 2003:
21!!!!! Who can forget their 21st birthday, even if you have a hard time remembering. In true Mountain-kid fashion me and two buddys (Erick Davis and Kyle Cooper) decided to go offroading in a snowstorm. The last thing I remember was hitting a ditch that rivaled that of the Grand Canyon and it was lights out. Well, the boys got me back to the house, called Kyle's paramedic bro and got me to come to, at which point I jumped up and ran full speed into the sliding glass door. Epic Win.
December 11, 2008:
My last birthday on the Monterey Peninsula was my 26th. Myself and a group of college buddies were out on the town. I lost both shoes that night, lost the group I was with, and woke up on the front porch of the wrong house at 4am, in 50 degree weather. Oh the good old days of youth.
December 11, 2011:
Approaching the last year of my 20's, my future husband (boyfriend at the time, Jacob Burgstahler) decided to take me to recapture my youth at the Happiest Place on Earth, DISNEYLAND. It was probably one of the most memorable times of my life. And quite a way to ring out a decade of pure and utter chaos.
December 11, 2012, 12:45am:
I'm sitting in a gorgeous loft, in a gorgeous town looking at a gorgeous Christmas tree thinking about the last 30 years. There has been laughter, tears, excitement, heartache and I wouldn't change ONE SINGLE THING about the life I've been lucky enough to live. I have been dreading this day with a passion, but now that it's here, I have never been more blissful than I am at this moment. My 30th year has a LOT of wonderful happenings that are yet to come. I will be saying "I do" to the most amazing man that God has ever placed on this Earth, I will be beginning my new-found career as a massage therapist where I will finally be able to make a difference in people's lives, I will be moving to a place that I had only ever dreamed of, and who KNOWS what other adventures lie in store. Each person who has come into my life will always have a place in my heart, and even those who have left my life will always be a cherished memory. People have always said that 30 is when your life actually begins. As much as I didn't want to believe this, it really holds true for me. So with that, I will say LA VITA BELLA, because what a beautiful life it is!
Goodnight everyone, and here's to the next 30...
Friday, December 7, 2012
I'm Not Turning Thirty...I'm Turning Twenty-Ten!
Well, I made it. I am approaching my last weekend as a twenty something year old. As of Tuesday, December 11th, I will officially celebrate my 30th birthday.
For those who have been within ear shot of me for the past year, my sincere apologies for my constant cries of agony over turning 30. For some reason I just can't shake the fact that there is going to be a 3 at the beginning of my age! In what alternate universe did I trade in my carefree childhood for a car payment and a career? I remember when 30 was "old!"
Ok, ok, I'm whining again...(Deeeeeeeeep breath)....
Now, although I have had a stage 5 case of the "birthday blues," I know that there is nothing I can do to escape the inescapable. 30 is upon me, and I just have to suck it up and make the best of it. Therefore I'd like to thank the endless droves of friends, family and co-workers for their never-ending ability to assure me that my 30's will be the best years of my life - I truly hope you're not lying to me. (And I'd like to send an extra special shout-out to the Cashiers at the grocery store for carding me every time I buy wine. I want to kiss you each and every time ; )
Seriously though, I have to say that I have had it pretty darn good as far as a life has gone: God placed me in a humongous, loving family; I always had the present I wanted most on Christmas day; I grew up in a beautiful place that instilled a great love and respect for nature in me; Good grades in High School got me into my #1 choice for a college; I have had an abundance of people come in and go out of my life, all of whom I view as teachers; And here I am today, on the brink of a new career, a new year, a new decade of life, and a new marriage! So what the heck have I been complaining about for the past year?
Sure, I have a few more laugh lines than I'd care to have, and spend a good amount more on skin-care products than I did 6 years ago, and sure my knees are starting to creak when I stand up after sitting for too long, and yes I have a grey hair or 5. But you know what? I'll take all of those things plus 10% if that's what got me to where I am today.
I know that many of you will be following me shortly. Some of you may not give two thoughts to the fact that you're turning 30. Some of you may be SUPER excited about it. And some of you might be depressed and/or terrified (that would put you in my boat). My only words of advice to you are these...
Get down on your knees and thank GOD you lived to see your 30th birthday! Try to think of all of the things you are thankful for. Look back on your memories and smile (especially the ones where you used to view 30-year-olds as "old mommies and daddies- cause we're there baby!)
Now in the words of Clark Griswold from the timeless classic Christmas Vacation...
For those who have been within ear shot of me for the past year, my sincere apologies for my constant cries of agony over turning 30. For some reason I just can't shake the fact that there is going to be a 3 at the beginning of my age! In what alternate universe did I trade in my carefree childhood for a car payment and a career? I remember when 30 was "old!"
Ok, ok, I'm whining again...(Deeeeeeeeep breath)....
Now, although I have had a stage 5 case of the "birthday blues," I know that there is nothing I can do to escape the inescapable. 30 is upon me, and I just have to suck it up and make the best of it. Therefore I'd like to thank the endless droves of friends, family and co-workers for their never-ending ability to assure me that my 30's will be the best years of my life - I truly hope you're not lying to me. (And I'd like to send an extra special shout-out to the Cashiers at the grocery store for carding me every time I buy wine. I want to kiss you each and every time ; )
Seriously though, I have to say that I have had it pretty darn good as far as a life has gone: God placed me in a humongous, loving family; I always had the present I wanted most on Christmas day; I grew up in a beautiful place that instilled a great love and respect for nature in me; Good grades in High School got me into my #1 choice for a college; I have had an abundance of people come in and go out of my life, all of whom I view as teachers; And here I am today, on the brink of a new career, a new year, a new decade of life, and a new marriage! So what the heck have I been complaining about for the past year?
Sure, I have a few more laugh lines than I'd care to have, and spend a good amount more on skin-care products than I did 6 years ago, and sure my knees are starting to creak when I stand up after sitting for too long, and yes I have a grey hair or 5. But you know what? I'll take all of those things plus 10% if that's what got me to where I am today.
I know that many of you will be following me shortly. Some of you may not give two thoughts to the fact that you're turning 30. Some of you may be SUPER excited about it. And some of you might be depressed and/or terrified (that would put you in my boat). My only words of advice to you are these...
Get down on your knees and thank GOD you lived to see your 30th birthday! Try to think of all of the things you are thankful for. Look back on your memories and smile (especially the ones where you used to view 30-year-olds as "old mommies and daddies- cause we're there baby!)
Now in the words of Clark Griswold from the timeless classic Christmas Vacation...
HALLELUJAH! HOLY S#*T! WHERE'S THE TYLENOL?!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
A Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Well...it's official. I'm soon to be Mrs. Jacob Burgstahler. We could NOT be more excited!
I wanted to first, thank each and every one of you for your messages of congratulations and your sincerely lovely phone calls and e-mails wishing Jacob and I all the best. I know that we are both truly blessed to have such amazing and supportive friends and family in our lives.
Secondly, this Many Mary Thoughts isn't so much a blog, but an answer to those of you who keep asking to hear "how it happened" and "what the ring looks like" and etc. : ) Being that I simply don't have time to make a hundred phone calls to share this story with each of you, I decided that the internet was the way to go. So here is the story...
Most of you know that Jacob is from Minnesota (and he has a slight accent to prove it : ). We flew out there for 6 days over this past Labor Day week to spend some relaxing time with his parents and family up in lake country at Pine Haven Resort located right on Black Water Lake. It is by far one of the most beautiful areas that I have ever had the privilege of visiting. The lake itself is crystal clear, smooth, and is loaded with a variety of fish. The surrounding wilderness is home to deer, bear, wolf and loons. I have to say that it was magical to be snuggled up next to a campfire and hear the hauntingly beautiful call of the loon in the distance.
Anyway, one starry moonlit night toward the end of our stay, Jacob and I decided to take a walk along the lake shore with nothing but the crickets and lapping waves for company. We were both reeking of campfire smoke and wearing nothing but our jeans and flannels. On our way back down the shore line, Jacob stopped and got down on one knee and it was there he asked me to marry him. I couldn't have pictured a better place or a better time for such an amazing moment. He definitely did me proud!
As for the ring, we currently have a "stand-in" as he wanted to do something really special for that aspect. So for you ladies, you are just going to have to wait and see : ).
I definitely feel like the most blessed woman on this Earth and thank God every second of every day for bringing Jacob into my life. He is 1 in a billion and something tells me that we are going to have a beyond wonderful life together.
One last thing...we JUST got engaged so you will have to be patient on "wedding details." We have NO clue what we are going to do yet, but we will keep you all informed.
Until then, CHEERS TO LOVE AND CHEERS TO US! Thank you all so much!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)