Vacation for 3 weeks.... but first...

I remembered I had a blog when my friend Pavun asked me about blogs.  Actually, I think I have another one out there somewhere... but I use that one as a website... that I've also haven't been on in probably over a year!  Crazy.  A lot happened in 2016 too... can't believe I didn't blog about it.  I'm not much of a blogger I guess.  And most people follow me on facebook anyways... guess Facebook is more my blog now.

Anyways, I digress.  I leave on vacation soon... for 3 weeks!  Going to London, Scotland, and Iceland.  I'm so excited!  But first, I'm stuffing my body full of vitamins and water (over a gallon today) to try to get rid of this cough!  Its so annoying and I've pretty much had it since January.   It went away for a little bit, then came right back.  I feel ok, just coughing.  ugh.  

I'm going to try to blog while I'm away... that is if the TSA gods still allow laptops to come on board.... I'll check rules before I leave.  So be on the lookout - see if  I can start this up again...  :-)

Happy? Veteran's Day!

As I sit here drinking coffee from this fabulous red cup and browse through old pictures, I'm remembering great times, sad times, scary times.  Veteran's day is a happy day... its a day to be thankful for what you have and reflect on why you have it.  Someone, maybe someone you loved, knew a little, never knew at all sacrificed so you could do what you do now.  Maybe you served yourself.

I served in the US Army.  I was only in for 4 years but I served for you all the same.  I suffered through basic training in the heat of Missouri (misery) and trained in beautiful Virginia.  Got stuck in Fort Drum NY for most of my time... but I had good friends there to help me through.  I pulled guard duty with loaded weapons on the fences of the Bosnia posts.  I've slept on the ground with just a sleeping bag and feet of snow around me.  I've been through things.  Many people have been through much more than me - war, enemy fire, snipers, all that stuff I was so scared to ever be in and am thankful I never was.  I have highest respects for those that were in these situations, still are in these situations.  I can only imagine.

As I look through my old pictures, I had a great time serving my country.  I met great people, lost great people, and wonder where some of these people are now because we never kept in touch.

Browsing through Facebook this morning, I saw lots of wonderful posts relating to today.  Some made me laugh, some made me cry.... but what I love the most is that people remember, if just for a moment, that soldiers are a huge part of what and why our country is what it is.  They forget to complain about a stupid red cup, forget about Glenn from walking dead, and instead remember why they can do all that in the first place.

So today, if not everyday, thank those that served, remember those that sacrificed, and pray for those currently serving.  Someone is always serving for you.

Motorcycle Class!?!

I want a Can-Am Spyder.  To get one, I have to have a motorcycle license.  Harley Davidson happened to run a special this summer for Active Military and Veterans offering a FREE 2-day class. So I signed up.  I've ridden as a passenger but never drove.  

I was nervous and scared and excited all at the same time.  I had so much emotion that after I dropped the bike the first time, along with the heat (90+degrees) and full gear, I basically had a meltdown.  I took a five minute break... Really wanted someone to yell at me - "Bikers don't cry" "What is wrong with you?"  Something like that... anyways, I made it through Day 1, dropping the bike a few more times. :-(  

Day 2 we started out by doing U-turns!  No warm up, just go right into tight u-turns... Of course, I drop the bike first thing.  No biggie.. with that out of the way, I did much better the rest of the day then I did the day before.  

I dropped the bike a total of 8 times throughout the weekend.... mostly because I'd be sitting in line and would accidentally turn the throttle and the bike would jump forward, which would startle me and cause me to lose my balance.  But I passed the test - both of them!  Just have to go to DMV now and get my license stamped :-)   

This class is definitely in my top 10 of hardest things I've done... speaking of, that will be a topic of an upcoming blog post soon.  :-)   

Wild Animal Sanctuary....

A few weeks ago... April 25th to be exact, I went to visit the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, CO with J.J. and her family. I never knew this place was here.  I grew up an hour away and never knew it was here!  Craziness.  Anyways, the Sanctuary started in 1980 by Pat Craig It is "the oldest and largest nonprofit Sanctuary in the US dedicated exclusively to rescuing captive exotic and endangered large carnivores, providing them with a wonderful life for as long as they live, and educating about the tragic plight faced by an estimated 30,000 such animals in America today" (quote taken from website www.wildanimalsanctuary.org )

It is a pretty cool place.  I've been to a few nonprofit sanctuaries in the past and this is definitely one of the best ones.  Check out their website for more info!  Here's some pictures from our visit:

Phase 3: Getting Moved into my New House!

Phase 3: Getting moved into my new house!  this is the last phase and I should be caught up on my blog... for the most part anyways.  :-)

I moved to Colorado, I found a job, and now I needed a place to live. I was going to live close to work so lessen my commute. I hate commuting! So I looked around in Boulder…. Wow, it is expensive! 500sqft for $1,000 month or get in a rent-a-room situation with roommates. Didn’t like those options, so starting looking around elsewhere. Turns out, it’s not much cheaper anywhere else. House prices are outrageous right now and selling for more than they are asking for in most cases. Which lead me to mobile homes/manufactured homes/trailers… whatever you want to call them.  For the same price or little cheaper, I get more space and no roommates. Sounded pretty good to me.

So I bought an over-priced mobile home…. in Firestone, CO. It’s mine and I don’t have a roommate. I could get one later if I wanted, but for right now, I’m good.  Below is my house:

Now I had house, time to move in:

Updated photos to follow later :-)

Update: Phase 2 (of 3): In Colorado, Looking for Work

I up and moved from North Carolina once I sold my house… without a potential job lined up in Colorado. I had a free place to stay in the mountains in the Poudre Canyon and enough money to last a few months so I wasn’t too worried.

The first week I was back in Colorado, I did absolutely nothing! My brother Brandon was getting married the weekend I got back so I was getting prepared for that. It was a fun small wedding in Blackhawk… a little gambling town in Colorado. They looked so beautiful together :-)

My brother Clayton works for Liberty Oil and scored great tickets to the Garth Brooks Concert! It was awesome! We had our own suite stocked with food and beer. Good times.

After the wedding weekend and Garth, I hit the ground running… went shopping for interview clothes, sent my resume everywhere I could, and talked to some staffing agencies. And the fun interviews begin....

While waiting in the mountains, my car was buried in snow! We watched a lot of movies, read, and ate… mostly popcorn. ☺

A month later I was not having much luck and was starting to worry. Then I got a call from Department of Commerce for an administrative position with NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology). I interviewed with them and then waited… a few days, I received notice that I had an offer coming to me. After all the background checks and paperwork filled out, I started work on May 4th. ☺ It is a beautiful campus in foothills of Boulder.

Stay tuned for the last Update, Phase 3: Getting moved in my new house! 

Update: Phase 1.... Back to Colorado

So my blog needs some updating...  This is going to be done in phases.  First phase is the trip back to Colorado.

I sold my house in North Carolina on March 10th.  Left North Carolina on the same day.  My mom came down to help me pack this container and drive across country with me.

 

We went Southeast before heading West... went to visit my Uncle Chris and his family outside Savannah, GA.  It was a good visit and nice to see everyone.

Then we headed West.  Since we were so far south, we decided to detour in Columbus, GA and see my 2nd family - the Jacksons.  I had lunch with some of them and had a great quick visit with them.  Can't wait to see them all again.

I failed to take many pictures... but on our route we drove by this farm house with all these signs... looks like a place American Pickers would stop at.  :-)

We also happened to drive the road to Selma.  I thought that was pretty cool... and we got a picture of the bridge as we crossed it.

 Our last stop before our final destination was Suzanne's house in Texas.  I wanted to take a bunch of pictures but it rained the full 2 days we were there.  My mom did a wine and paint class with me though.  It was so fun.

And we finally made it to Colorado...

so begins he search for a job... Update: Phase 2 coming soon....

My Christmas Card & Letter ....

2014 is almost over.  My house will be on the market in 2 weeks!  I've been so busy with work and getting my house ready to sell that I failed to make christmas cards...  I bought a bunch at Ollies Discount Store with all intentions to mail them out with my yearly newsletter but failed to do that as well.  I did write my newsletter... just never printed it.  So to my 10 followers and anyone else who wants to read it, this is my Christmas Newsletter for 2014 :-)

End of 2014… 

This year seemed like it flew by!  That didn’t stop me from traveling and having a great year with friends and family.  

Disney!

In February, I went to Disney with my now-exboyfriend.  My parents joined us the last few days.  It was a lot of fun.

Cape Lookout, Atlantic Beach

I took a small weekend trip to Atlantic Beach and Cape Lookout.  You have to take a boat to the lighthouse and you pass another island with wild horses.  Very cool.  Unfortunately, it was late October when I went so the lighthouse was closed for climbing.  I hung out on the beach.  :-) 

Ocean City,  New Jersey

In October, I went to visit Claire Mahoney in Ocean City.  The last time I was in OC was in 1992 I think.  I went across the Cheasapeake Bay Bridge to get there… it is definitely a marvelous marvel.  

I picked a great weekend to go… Claire’s family was having a surprise birthday party for her!  She was so surprised and loved every minute of it.  It was great to see everyone else as well.  I had a great time!  

Colorado… twice :-)  

I went to Colorado this year... twice.   In May, I went to go visit my best friend's new baby!  What a bundle of joy!  My mom and I went to Central City for a couple days.  We lost money but it was fun.  My dad and I took a little drive up and over Trail Ridge.  I spent much quality time with my nieces and nephew.   The girls received some awards and it was Lennox's birthday.   Alex and I took a trip up to Steamboat Springs to visit my friend Rich.  We did a little sightseeing and had fun.  :-)

                                                          

Labor Day Weekend I came back to Colorado because I missed everyone so much!  Did some hiking and fishing.  Great times!

Mom visited me in NC ! 

My mom came to visit me in North Carolina in August.  We went to the Dirty Dancing Festival located where the movie was filmed!  It was kind of a bust but we made the most of it and had fun! The best part was watching the movie on big screen outside.  

We also went to the beach, to the Art Museum, and just had a great time hanging out.  :-)

What will happen in 2015? 

What will happen indeed.  For starters, I am selling my house and moving back to Colorado.  I plan to live in Ft. Collins and hope to be there by spring... all depends on the sell of my house.  I'm very much looking forward to spending time with all my family and friends.  I feel I'm missing out on too much living so far away.  What will happen beyond that?  Who knows.  Hopefully I will find a job ;-)   Other than that, spending time with friends and family hiking, talking, laughing, fighting… whatever it may be, 2015 will be a great year!  And I hope you will be a part of it :-)   

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!       

I have a problem....

I have a clothes problem.  Specifically a shirts and jackets problem.  I had to combine my 2nd closet (in my spare bedroom) with my main closet in my room because my new roommate is moving in tomorrow.  I moved most of my jackets downstairs... which left the rest.

This was about 1/2 of my clothes... 

I have so many tops that some of them even have the tag on them still!  I did put some in my Goodwill pile as they are a few sizes too small... but apparently have a hard time getting rid of anything else.   So here's my solution to thin my closet a bit.... I put all the hangers backwards.

My goal is to not wear something twice until all hangers have been flipped.  If I put a shirt on and then change it immediately, the shirt goes to goodwill.  We'll see how this solution works...  Be on the lookout for updates :-) 

Hey, remember me? I'm your blog!

Yeah.... I do have a blog.  I'm the worst blogger ever.... haven't posted on here in over a year.  And I only have 10 followers :-)   Maybe I'll try to post more...