Awkward and Awesome: Friday Edition

This week has been a little bit crazy.  Or a lot.  Which explains why I haven't posted in days (again).  I don't know what is going to happen to this blog next fall when I'm going to school and working.

The funny thing about my non-posting, I actually have a number of ideas started.  I just can't seem to muster up the energy to follow through.

Since I'm so behind, I've decided to throw up (not literally from my stomach) my awkwards and awesomes for the week.

(Spell check does not like the use of awkward and awesome as nouns.  Weird.)

Awkward and Awesome was started by Sydney over at the Daybook, though I haven't seen her post one in a while.  But I think it's a nice way to round out the week.

On to the main event....

Awkward:
- Not getting enough sleep.  I don't think any explanation is necessary for this one.
- Mosquito bites.  I obviously omit some sort of mosquito attraction signal.  After sitting in a friend's backyard for an hour, I ended up with at least 15 bug bites.  They all rub against my jeans as I walk.  It's lovely.
- Trying to catch up on blog reading.  After so many posts, I find myself skimming through only glancing at the pictures.  If a post doesn't have pictures, well, I'm probably not getting much out of it.  Sorry!
- Transcribing videos word-for-word ahead of time for classes.  The process is just so painstaking.
- My job means literally staring at a computer screen, which means I've spent almost 34 hours this week alone staring at a computer.  That doesn't count the free time I spend messing around.  My poor eyes.

Awesome:

- My trip to Portland and all the awesome pictures I found.

- The first Tuesday of every May is Dine Out for a local charity.  The 'rents and I got to have some delicious southern-style cooking.  Never has eating out felt so good.
- A friend's wedding this weekend!!!  Taco truck for food, lots of beer, and time with friends, a recipe for success.
- A normal, 5-day period.  After last month's 2-weeker, it's something to celebrate.
- The following text message conversation with my father (about Bin Laden and yes, sometimes my dad is ridiculous.  I love it!):

Me: Did you here (sic--I'm so disgusted with myself) bin laden is dead?
Dad: I got him myself.
Me: Congrats!
Dad: I'm going on David Letterman to talk about the sting operation.
Me: As you should.  That explains all the long hours at work i guess.
Dad: On behalf of Americans everywhere.  With liberty and justice for all!!!
Dad: The Criminal Minds people would have gotten him faster, though.

He makes me laugh so much!

Portland ahoy!

I'm sitting on the train, cruising along the Puget Sound, watching the sunset, and enjoying free wi-fi.  I had a lovely spinach salad for dinner (with a soda to balance out the healthy).  I'm pretty content with this moment.

There's something to be said for train travel.  I actually love driving, especially on sunny days with the windows down, the music blaring, and no agenda but to get there eventually.  However, the relaxing aspect of just sitting here and not worrying, at this moment, feels hard to beat.

And this weekend was, in a word, amazing!

Saturday my mom and I headed south to meet up with my oldest childhood friend and her mother for lunch.  I've known Chelsea since she was three months old and I was three weeks old.  We spent our first two years of life together on a college campus.  That's right, my first home was a college dorm.

Dad, me, Chelsea

My dad was in grad school and a hall director.  He would even take me with him when he had to confront the problem residents.  I was a super baby shield.  I mean, who would want to get angry at this?

After we made the plans to meet for lunch, Chelsea asked if I wanted to come back to Portland with them to check out a Timbers game and enjoy the awesomeness of their family.  Of course, I said yes.

We got back to Portland in time for a quick change before heading downtown.  The Timbers game was a blast and just made me more determined to go to a Sounders game.

Chelsea has season tickets in Timbers Army, the section of fans that stands and chants the entire game.  We got spots in the second row, with far more people than there was actually space.  The chants were varied and obnoxious, just as they should be.  We even sang "you are my sunshine" to the team.

The Timbers won!  Over Real Salt Lake, the last undefeated team in the league.  Probably because of my chanting whatever words I thought I was hearing.  I didn't exactly know what was going on.

The only downside of the game was the smoke bombs that were lit after the goal and the win.  It was a little bit difficult to breath.  Luckily I had a Timbers scarf to save me from certain death.  I wish I had a picture to describe how dense the smoke actually was.

This is kind of how the smoke made us.  By the way, we're on a waterbed.

After the game, we headed to Deschutes Brewery for a little post game snack.  Sweet potato fries (my new favorite) for all!  And hard cider.  Yum.

This morning we went out for a delicious breakfast at the Radio Room.  My plate was yummy and everything was incredibly reasonably priced.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

Chelsea and I even managed to fit in a little shopping, though I walked away empty handed.

Now I'm just counting down the minutes until I can climb into my bed, especially since the train is running a little late.  And enjoying the train ride.

Awkward and Awesome: Summer Come and Gone

What is this posting two-days-in-a-row business?!  I can't even explain it.

I'm not going too crazy with the awkwards and awesomes this week.  But I am happy to report a pretty equal division between the two categories.  Much better than a couple weeks ago.  Victory!

Awkward:
- The timing of the rain all week.  I've been teased by sun shining while I'm working and rain falling when I get off.
- Rumors of snow tonight.  Not okay.
- My current eating habits are just bad.  I need to get in a better schedule and I really need to plan my meals out more.
- I thought I found the perfect little booties to tromp around Europe in.  Instead they made my left foot fall asleep.  I don't think that's a good sign.  So I'm back to square one.
- Rats all over our basement.  One died and has been stinking up my parent's bathroom.  So we're all sharing one bathroom.  Overall, it's been a blast.
- I still don't know a lot about my Europe trip.  The details are getting ironed out and there have been a few bumps along the way.

Awesome:
- For my trip, I am getting up for a conference call with the travel agent tomorrow.  Unfortunately, it's at 6:45, but for Europe it's worth it.  And I'm going to visit my family in Finland.  Hopefully in the next week or so I'll have more details.
- The weather this past Saturday.  It was sunny and around 70.  For a day or so, it finally felt like spring was here and summer was just around the corner.
- The new reality show, The Voice.  It's all good singers and I'm loving all the music.
- This weekend!  My mom and I are meeting my oldest childhood friend and her mom for lunch on Saturday.  Then I'm going back with them to Portland for a Timbers game and some fun.  And I'm taking the train home, which is a mostly gorgeous trip.  I can't wait!!!!
- This video (from Rachael).  So hilariously cute.

Ten on Tuesday: the Prodigal Returns

Hey guys!  Remember me?  I used to write on this blog sometimes.  It's been a while.  But I'm back.  Life has been a little crazy and this post literally took me a full 24 hours to write.  I'm so skilled.

You probably already joined Ten on Tuesday for the week, since it's now Wednesday, but I've decided it's still not too late.

1. How many blogs do you read every day and what are they? (The ones you NEVER miss)
I follow somewhere in the realm of 100+ blogs and try to read new posts every day.  However, there are a few I just can't miss.  I'll try to keep my round up relatively brief, but I'm kind of an addict.  I was going to tell you a little blurb about the different blogs I read daily, but this question quickly became essay-like in length.  Instead, I'll give you a quick list and plan on doing an actual post sometime soon about more of my favorites.

I always read my mom (Hi Mom!), my sister, Christine, Krystal, Stevie, Sarah, Kendi, Amy, and Stacey (a recent find)

2. How many “best friends” do you have? Do you have different “besties” for different areas of your life?
I would say I have 3-4 really close friends.  They pretty much all know me.  That said, I'm tend to be a pretty private person, which is funny considering I blog.  I just internalize a lot and have some personal boundaries, if that makes any sense.  Also, I've been trained to be transparent.  Thanks Mom and Dad.  (But mostly Mom.)

3. What’s your daily make up routine?
It really depends on the day.  On Tuesdays and Thursday, when I don't have to be at work until 10, I often take the time to apply the full face: daily moisturizer with SPF, touch-up stick, undereye coverage, mineral foundation, bronzer, blush, eyeliner, and mascara.  I like to play with eye shadow a lot.  If it's a quick morning, then I throw on touch-up, blush and mascara.

4. What is your ideal girl’s night?
I like going out for happy hour or hanging out at home relaxing.  I don't mind a little dancing now and then, and a pair of cute heels.

5. Do you keep up with your nails/toenails or are they au natural?
I pretty much always have my toes painted, even if it's nail polish from a month ago.  Sometimes I'm lazy.  I paint my finger nails pretty often, but right now they are on a recovery break.  Last time I took the nail polish off, the top layer of my nails came off with it.  A little gross, I know.  They get a little beat up after a while.

6. What’s your best roommate story?
The second house I lived in college had radiant heating in the ceiling. (No, that doesn't really make sense.)  One of my roommates kept her room warm enough that she would often be in shorts and a sports bra.  My cousin and I kept our room at about 55 degrees, just to ensure that our bathroom pipes wouldn't freeze.  It was fun times.

I also lived in a one bedroom apartment with two other girls for a month and a half.  That was a good time.

7. What’s your “go to” outfit that you wear more than anything else?
I wear jeans and converse a lot because I have to walk so much for my job (and can dress casually).  But if I want to look cute, a dress, a cardigan and flats or boots are my go-to combo.  Or I throw on jeans and heels.  I love shoes.

8. Do you have a beauty secret?
It's just really important to find the products that work for your skin.  That said, I couldn't live without my Bobbi Brown touch-up stick.  I always have it on.  (Thanks a lot, continuing acne.)

9. Did you read Seventeen magazine growing up?
Who didn't?!

10. How did you learn to put on makeup?
By trial and error, by copying others, and with tips from professional makeup artists I've had.  Copying is the most sincere form of flattery, right?

Awkward and Awesome

I've turned into a lazy blogger.  If it wasn't for my internet addiction and these semi-regular weekly posts, you probably would never hear from me.

Also, I'm busy.

Not that busy, but still.  A girl needs her excuses for at least some of the laziness.

Awkward:
- Conversations with people on heavy-duty pain killers.  My boss had surgery this week and is doing fine.  I called her to check in.  It was funny.
- My avoidance of anything resembling a hair brush.  Seriously, the only time I might think about using one is when I blow dry my hair, and sometimes not even then.
- The fact that it hailed two mornings in a row this week.  That's not right.
- Getting a major tune-up on my car this Friday.  I'm already dreading the bill.  I'm also afraid they are going to say my brakes need to be replaced.
- Still needing to get a new windshield.  I decided to wait until after the winter.  You know, just because.
- I went to pick up a mattress set for my parents from Macy's today and the man at the loading dock just watched me as I put on the straps.  I knew what I was doing but the added pressure was annoying.
- Getting my financial aid for next year and having it be all loans.  This just solidified my need for a job down south.
- How out of control my room is.  I am a good piler of crap, though.

Awesome:
- My sister coming home for the weekend.
- A fun baking project that I will share (assuming it's a success).  Hopefully I'll be able to talk the sister into helping me out.
- Dinner with a friend tonight.
- The sun making an appearance today.
- Shabby Apple dresses.  Have you been tempted?  I definitely crossed the line of temptation last night.
- The puppy cuddling with me as a I write this post.
- We should be getting finalized details for Europe tomorrow.  I can't wait to find out and share!!!
- My general use of grammar and the English language.  Take "good piler of crap,"for example.

Well, I'm off to research some recipes.  I can't move because the puppy (and by puppy, I mean 4 year old) is literally resting her head on my left hand.  Today's post was a team effort.

Wednesday Quick Blog

I feel like this week is flying by.  I've been busy, with work and more work.  I haven't unpacked from this weekend.  My room is a disaster.  And I'm struggling to just keep up with all my blog reading.

If I've learned anything this spring, it's that I'll have to cut back on the blogs I follow come this fall.  Working while going to school will probably be fairly time consuming.  I'll deal with the problem later.

I don't want to borrow trouble.

In other news, our dogs ate an entire package of mint Oreos this afternoon.  They were on the back of the stove (the Oreos).  Needless to say, the dogs' energy levels were a little high when my dad and I returned from the mowing fields.

Well, I know this has been a riveting ten sentences, but I need to head to bed.  I have 6 hours of typing, a mattress to pick up, and dinner with a friend tomorrow.  It's going to fun, especially the dinner.

Although, who doesn't love a trip to pick up a mattress?!

Beautified, or I will be.

I'm having a blast with family here on the east side of the state.  I've seen my sister's play twice, eaten some delicious (mostly) homemade food, and gotten in some shopping.

I'll be back with more about the weekend, but I thought I'd share the shopping with you.  And it actually has nothing to do with shoes.  Though when the six women stopped by DSW, four of us did end up buying something.

I just held out for Ulta.  I had hoped we'd have time for a visit and had compiled a mental list of things to pick up.

I also love when other bloggers talk about their top beauty products, so I thought I'd combine the two into one post, since my purchases today combined things I can't live without and things I've wanted to try.

Some old faves:

- Maybelline the Colossal Volum Express: Why the ridiculous spelling, I have no idea.  But this mascara has become a favorite.  It gives me thick, wonderful lashes and doesn't leave them dry and brittle.  What's not too love?!

- Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer (with spf 30): Now that I'm older and wiser, I know that sunscreen is kind of important.  But I have no interest in wearing the thick, greasy product of the summers of my youth.  This lotion is light and doesn't cause my face to freak out.  An all-around win.

- Any nail polish by OPI or Essie.  I purchased a couple options today, in fun, springy colors.  I can't wait to try them all out.  But probably not all at once.

- Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat: I love wearing nail polish, obviously, but always smudge my nails when applying it.  Always.  Then some friends on Twitter suggested Seche Vite to me.  A. May. Zing.  Truly.  It dries to polish quickly and leave a nice protective layer.

New Stuff I'm Trying:
- Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo: This purchase is mostly for my Europe trip, though I've wanted to try a dry shampoo for a while now.  It comes well recommended and will help me wash my hair even less than usual.

- Stila One Step Correct: I was excited when Stila released this product and have put off purchasing it due to the price.  It's a primer, corrector all-in-one, that's supposed to deal with everything from redness to large pores.  Fingers crossed it works as advertised.

- Garnier Nutrisse in Dark Intense Auburn: I've been getting my hair professionally colored for almost two years now.  And I love it, but it's kind of expensive.  Ultimately, I plan on transitioning back to my natural brown, but I couldn't resist staying a red head a little longer.  I've loved the red and am not quite ready to let go so I'm giving the at-home dye job a go.  Just to put off the inevitable a little longer.

So there you have it.  If I remember, I'll try to let you know what I think of the new products.

**These were my own purchases and not sponsored in any way.  All links are to Ulta since that's where I made my purchases, but most of these products can be found any number of places.