2009 Hopes

Here are my hopes and goals for 2009!

Take a fun trip with a group of friends
Hopefully a beach house vacation sometime in June will occur. We have been checking out some in Myrtle Beach, SC. Although I am partial to FL beaches, SC will have to do. I am going to take one for the team.

Complete more than half of my MBA
I start this joyous degree January 12th. I am not particularly thrilled about it, but I feel that as a young professional, it is almost necessary I have it. It is a 45 hour program, so I hope to have over 30 hours completed by next Christmas.

Trade my car by October
By fall, I will have had my SUV for two years. The mileage is average, but I do not want it getting too high. I will have paid enough of it off by then to make an even trade, hopefully. I cannot decide between another SUV or a fun car.

Shop less
I type this as I have J.Crew's final sale website pulled up on my screen... but, in reality, I would like to limit myself. I have clothes -- lots of them. Do I need more? Not really. I cannot even wear everything in my wardrobe per season. That is a clear indicator right there that I don't need to buy more clothing.

Limit coffee intake
.... we'll see

Show mercy
I have a personal issue with showing mercy to others. I need to work on and be more understanding.

Develop a stronger friendship with a new friend
Sure... we can all have acquaintances, but it's the ones you invest time in that count in the end. I want to spend more time with a new acquaintance and let it build into a good friendship.

Trust less
I know this sounds odd, but I need to not be so naive in thinking I can trust everyone with my business and personal life. 2008 proved that I cannot tell certain people certain things. So far, I have about 2 people other than my family that I can tell anything to and I know they will not share it with others or stab me in the back. Trust is valuable, and I need to guard it.

Take a weekend adventure
I want to go someplace I have never been one weekend with a friend!

Have a healthy relationship
... if God so chooses to place a man in my life.

Live in one place for one complete year
I have moved three times in the past 6 months, and will move again in June sometime when the house is put on the market. My goal is to lease a townhome for one complete year. I am not interested in an apartment anymore because you can almost get a townhome for only $150 more.


Happy New Year, everyone!

I can do it too!

Over the past year, I have placed myself in various situations where I have gone 'out of my comfort zone' as a woman. So, I came across some photos of me trying Man sports! Fishing, Golfing, Hunting.... you get the point. Just remember: "Anything they can do we can do better!"

I dated a golfer for a while, and after months of begging me to swing a club, I did! I got fairly good at it for a bit!

This is me 'casting'. Whatever that means!? I just know that I did some cool motion with my wrist in the air and the line lands in the lake. I practiced a lot at Smith Mountain Lake.

I got so confident in my fishing ability, that I wanted a fish pole for my very own! I found a nice pink one!

I have never killed an animal intentionally, but if I did, I would definitely be seen in this get-up.

Benjamin Button=Beautiful

I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button last night, and all I can say is that it is absolutely beautiful. It was one of the most precious love stories. I cried the entire ending. In real life, I know this type of thing would not happen, however, it is a must-see!

Finger Candy

My two new favorites for 2009:

Weekend Movies

One thing I love to do is go to the movies. I love seeing all the new hits that are out. Here are 3 movies that I will be seeing within the next four days:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Valkyrie

Marley & Me

They all look so good!

Outfit for Christmas Day

Christmas Eve-- the weather in TN is unusually hot! Yesterday was freezing and today I changed from a turtleneck to a tee. It has rained... does not feel like Christmas at all. However, I am looking forward to tomorrow for Christmas at the Cabin. We are having a big sprawl of ham and veggies and then the extended family will open gifts from one another. I tell ya, I about cannot fit anything else in my suitcase when I fly home. It was already 10 lbs. overweight! I may have to ship some things back home.

Here is my outfit for Christmas Day!

J.Crew Herringbone Fiona jacket in heather graphite. I think this is such a cute piece for so many outfits!

J.Crew Postcard Print merino cardigan. This is a piece from last season, but I love it!

Favorite-fit stretch vintage 5-pocket bootcut cords in deep persimmon

This has nothing to do with Christmas, but, since we all pretty much love Starbucks, I thought I would tell you about the experience I have had at this particular Starbucks in TN. I have gone everyday and they do my drink wrong each time! They cannot get it together. I will look forward to getting back to the fantastic Starbucks in the burg and DC! I mean, really, you pay $5 a drink, so it's only fair that you get exactly what you order each time!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

This is our family Christmas tree in Alabama:

Santa came to my house early this year, as he does normally every year. We left for Tennessee today, so we had to open our presents before leaving.

Getting ready to open gifts in our matching PJ's.

I love Vera Bradley. This year was the large duffel in Mod Floral Pink. I also got the Large Bow Cosmetic bag, and eyeglass case!

My sister always insists on tickling me!

Other gifts included:

I love this fragrance and was so excited to get it!

Pink iPod Shuffle-- too cute for the gym or fellow commuters in DC!

My favorite things

It's Tuesday, and raining. I cannot figure out what is up with the weather this holiday season, but it is dreary. Tonight should be fun, though, because we are having a girl's night in our PJ's baking cookies and watching Christmas movies. I finally got all moved in, so I will be happy to show off my new, quaint bedroom to guests. I need to stop by the store and pick up some baking materials. I actually brought my cookbook into work today to scan for an easy recipe that requires little time/counter space/effort/but are still delicious.

Here are a few of my favorite things!

Store

J.Crew is by far my favorite store. Yet expensive, if I can have a few basics from there each season, I am set. I love getting the email promotions they send weekly, and did I take advantage of the current promotion? YES, I certainly did! Right now, you take 30% off an order of $150 or more and receive Free Shipping! PayDay was yesterday, and I invested a sliver of that to myself. My girl, Jordan, called my office line, frantically asking what the code was for the J.Crew online checkout. Simple: JINGLE.


Phone

I currently have the BlackBerry Pearl in red. I have a Sprint plan. Although I enjoy my plan, the phone has its good and bad days. I like the red color--so pretty, but you definitely need a memory card. Every so often, it will start erasing texts and incoming calls if you're memory gets too full.

Restaurant

Underneath this upscale restaurant in Lynchburg, there is a trendy pizza eatery called Waterstone. Funny name, I know. When I heard Waterstone, I certainly did not think of pizza. But boy, is it good! You order your own personal pizza, and they have many varieties. They also have their own brewery. It is located downtown, and I really enjoy going here with friends!


Movie

My favorite movie! You have not experienced life until you have seen this. Though not appropriate for younger audiences, or those that are socially righteous, it is the ultimate must-see with a big group of girlfriends! I saw this with some of my good friends - Jen, Julia, and Jessalyn this summer. One week prior to opening night, I confessed that I had never seen a single episode of SATC. I borrowed Julia's entire season and stayed up every night until 3 am watching as much as I could.





Fragrance

Yes, I am one of those crazies that has different fragrance depending on the season. Burberry The BEAT was my favorite summer fragrance of all time. Each time I wore it, I got compliments. It smells different than any other fragrance I've ever tried. It is not fruity or flowery, but extremely sexy and almost powerful. You should really try it. You'll feel like a new woman.







Current CD

Taylor Swift did a phenomenal job with her new album, Fearless. I love every song on the CD! I think she is so cute, and her music relates to what a lot of girls go through as far as men go sometimes.




Bra


Call me taboo for talking about bras on my blog, but I am a woman, and bras, (and not just any kind of bra, mind you), are important. Sometimes a simple thing of choosing the right bra for the day can shape your outfit. I am a VS addict. I love buying new lingerie. I have several different fits and styles at VS, but the favorite one I have found thus far is the Dream Angels Demi Bra. It has something almost like memory foam in it and it is just wonderful. The have a large variety of both lace and solid colors in this bra.





Makeup

I was an avid Clinique makeup customer for years. I started wearing the powder when I was 12. However, when I moved to DC, I found myself strolling on up to the MAC counter at Macy's in Tyson's Corner. I started off with just a powder and lipstick, but after Christmas, I plan to get a make-over with all new MAC products. It's time to freshen up my makeup bag.

Family Christmas

Every year, one of my groups of friends has a 'family Christmas'. Since we have graduated, some of us have scattered to different locations due to jobs and such, but last weekend, everyone made it back to Lynchburg for some great quality time together as friends.

We exchanged presents, went to many dinners and lunches, went to Coffeehouse, and we saw Four Christmas's. Such a funny movie!

Jen, Dave, and myself

I love Vera Bradley

Melyssa and I jamming out in the back of the car.

How I spent my Saturday

Rise and shine at 7 a.m. I was actually eager to get started. My friend has a large truck, so we loaded my SUV and his truck bed and took ONE trip to the house. Okay, we did have to make a second trip only for the bookcase.

Getting pumped up.

AH... so embarrassing...

Tomorrow will be spent unpacking... I do not plan to move for as long as I can.

New Bedding

As you know, I am moving tomorrow! I am still unsure of who is helping me, and I admit I am a tad nervous, but I don't care if I have to haul boxes by myself-- that is what I will do. This is what happens when you break up with your boyfriend of one year and have no other guy friends in town because you spent a year with one man and don't have guy friends any longer. Boo. Oh well. Life will move on! =)

For my new 'take' in life, I have since purchased new bedroom furniture. I had a sleigh bed for my last year of school and while I was in DC. It was a queen size, but I had full mattress in it. I needed a dresser, and I just was not thrilled with having mis-matched pieces. So, I bought a new Queen size dark cherry wood sleigh bed, with the matching 5-drawer chest. I also included a new Queen size pillow-top mattress.

To go with this new bed, I got new bedding. For a GREAT deal. I checked out many different stores, but settled on this Vera Wang Collection Set in Pure White. The set normally sells for $329, but I got it for $132! Here is the bedding:
Instead of using the chocolate brown Euro pillows, I coordinated a chic purple Euro sham from another Vera Wang collection instead. Mixing + Matching is totally fine.

Here are the Vera Wang 100% Egyptian cotton sheets that were 50% off! I bought the lavender color with ivory pillow cases. I love the cute fringe at the end of these.

Discover Card

I have had this Pink Discover card for two years now. Of course, it has a 'B' on the front. I wanted to share with you about this because although credit cards can get you into trouble if you aren't careful, they can also be a good tool to build a solid credit history if you use it carefully. If you are in college or fresh out, I highly recommend joining the Discover network. Here are some reasons why: They don't give you a wide credit limit. It typically will set you at a lower limit that is manageable. Also, the website is easiest of all to navigate. To me, this is very important, due to the Internet being the source of almost all communication these days, and also because most pay their bills online. Having an easy, navigable, site will make building your credit a breeze. Start small. Get a card just to put gas on. Pay it off in full each month. Your credit will be so great, that you will easily qualify for the bigger loans you will need later in life: car, mortgage, grad school loans, etc.

I know some may disagree with me on having a credit card at all. Trust me, I know cash is always best! I do not think people should live on credit-- that is not smart. However, I do think having one card to place a set amout of purchases a month on, and then paying it in full, will boost your credit score and give you a good credit history.

Smiling

You may notice a different design theme going on! That's because Danielle at Girls Night Out Custom Blog Designs made-over my blog. She did such a great job! If you are looking for a touch-up to your blog, check out her site and packages she offers.

Here are some things I am smiling about today:

I love how my favorite coffee place in town (Joe Bean's) hands me my drink out the window right when I pull up... I don't even have to order--they know it by heart~

I am excited to turn in my "Continuing Education" form to HR today. Free MBA starting soon. I mapped out my degree completion plan last night, and should hopefully finish by May 2010. I plan to take two classes at a time, but sometimes I will take one depending on the work load of the class. I want to finish quickly, but I do not want to die in the process.

I got my pictures hung in my office. Looks much better now!

So sorry I have not posted pictures on here lately. When I packed my apartment to move, I accidentally packed up my camera cord! I will post some recent pictures this weekend!

Have a great day!

Rushed Mondays

Mondays are an important day of the week. Some hate it, but I actually like them. It gives me a jump-start on the week and puts me in work mode, which I tend to get a lot done when I am in that mode. However, this morning, my blessed Blackberry alarm did not go off. I woke up on my own at 7:35. I have to be at work at 8. It takes me 15 min. to get to work. You do the math. Ya, I was extremely rushed. I feel like I look a mess. It took 30 min. to get to work today due to traffic at LCA, so I scooted into work, and I don't think anyone saw me. But, I plan to stay later because I feel like I definitely should.

Mood: Flustered

Mascara:
Maybelline Colossal Brush (the bright yellow one)

Last movie I watched:
Four Christmas's

Lipgloss or Lipstick:
Gloss today ---

Outfit:
Express red turtleneck, black suit pants, black suit jacket, Stiletto heels (hair in a headband! ughhh)


Shoes:
Nine West

Blush:
None today?

Breakfast beverage:
Couldn't get my Joe Bean's fix, so Diet Pepsi will have to do. Yes, I know, scratch that post from last week.


Goals for the week:
- Move into the house successfully!
- Set-up my new office with some wall hangings
- RUN 4 days this week

This is so cute to do on Mondays: I got it off of this blog.

Have a great day!

Twitter

I discovered something today. Now, I know you may laugh at me because maybe I am behind the times, but my friends Jen and Dustin (cute couple by the way) told me about Twitter today. What's a Twitter?! It is status update on drugs. You can update your status every hour without looking like a total idiot with nothing to do. It's hilarious. Go make one! Twitter.com

Give it up

Yep. For one work week starting Monday. I want to do a little experiment with my body. For those of you who don't know, I love diet coke. Love it. I do drink water too, but just not enough. I want to see if my body feels better and looks better without it. We'll see what happens.

What are you wearing?

I traded in my usual suiting/business-professional look for a more casual wintry look today. I love the new whisper thin striped turtlenecks at GAP this season. They are definitely not meant to wear alone, because they are sheer, but they are such a good layering piece. So, I have on the yellow under a gray scoop neck sweater dress. I wore my favorite flats: J. Crew city metallic ballet flats in gold.

Lately

Lately, there has been zero going on. Nothing to report. I am almost to the point of being somewhat bored with my life, but I guess times like that happen periodically. I just go to work, the gym, and then to whoever's home I am crashing at for the night. I am so ready to get situated, you don't even know.

Okay, the other night I went out dancing with my friend Meghan, and we had such a great time. I think every once and a while, you just need to dance.

Not dating..... pretty steady in that area.... I feel somewhat behind schedule. I really shouldn't say that because I know everyone's life timetable runs differently. However, sometimes it's hard watching a lot of your friends getting married, or nearing engagement. I know my time will come.... it's no fun to wait, though.

Should be a fun weekend! Dave is coming into town. We are going to have a big time. Coffeehouse on Friday night, and then he, Jen, and I will exchange gifts at some point.

My job is going well! I will begin traveling a lot come January, which I am cool with.

News: I am starting my MBA January 12th! yay. It is free, too. Even better.