2009

I have composed numerous posts in my head, for whatever reason I have yet to get out of my head and into my computer.

Here it is New Years Eve - where does the time go? Remember being young and thinking time just drags on and on BUT THEN you blink and the next thing you know you are - in college, old enough to drink, approaching ten years since high school, married, have a house, have pets of your own, some have children, people keep looking at your tummy like you are old enough to reproduce (more wine please).... AHHH! Where does the time go?

This year alone I have - adopeted another cat, did well enough in my career to do it again next year, became engaged, became married, my brother turned 40, I'm one more year closer to 30 and once again drank too much :)Went to New Orleans, Las Vegas, Norfolk, Va, CT and home (twice).

2009 was a lovely year. I am excited to see what 2010 holds for everyone.

Here are my goals for 2010
- Make it to Europe
- Produce more in real estate then I did last year
- Try to work on being patient
- Have a better work - life balance (this probably not happen,lets keep it real)
- Continue to be madly in love with Hubby, like madly deeply honeymoon period happy I will work on that until we are dead, I want to be one of those old couples that hold hands and kiss a LOT
- See my parents more then a few times a year or in a an emergency/surgery situation

Pictures of Vegas

VEGAS

Bert and I went on a mini-honeymoon. Three days of Vegas, that was all we needed. We both our work-aholics. I had to make a deal with Bert that I would leave my cell phone in the room, and I had an amazing agent taking care of two transactions that were occuring. But, three days of not knowing what was going on in my business freaked me out :)

Anyway, back to Vegas. Super fun time! The city does NOT sleep! Even when were up at 5am (thank you time delays) there were people gambling, getting coffee, returning from the club... We were in bed by 10pm everynight. That is our kind of vacation, sleeping. We don't do enough. I don't know how people have children and work. We stayed at the MGM Grand and had a view of the strip from our room. We went to a magic show, and to see Zoomanity. We ate good food and gambled a little. Here is the thing - We both work so hard for our money it is not easy for us to let it go. I played the penny slots for two days on one dollar, and Bert played enough blackjack to double his money then cashed out. I don't think the MGM will be asking us back because we are high rollers. I think it would be fun to go to Vegas with a group of friends in the summer, maybe a trip next year? More then likely not. My business is too crazy in the summer to take time off. I think I went to the pool twice this year? And thank goodness for Bill & Bffness otherwise our lawn/garden would have not exsisted.

When the clients are hiding

In my profession there are times when your clients are hiding. For me two weeks ago all of my clients had purchased a home/in the end process of purchase/were still on the fence and didn't want my help. SO, what is a newly married girl to do?? BAKE!





YUMMY bread! I have been scared of yeast for awhile now, but I took the plunge and it worked out well. I have now graduated to whole wheat bread, super good with homemade chili!

And what about this?

We ELOPED!!!

That is right, we ELOPED! After much thought and lots of talking we both agreed that we just didn't care if we had a wedding. We didn't really want the stress that everyone else brings to weddings, we didn't want to spend that much money, we would rather take that money and go to Europe. SO, we went to the court house with Bill & Tom and we eloped. It was a lovely, fun and sunshiny day. After our stint at the courthouse, we went to La Casa (tapas) for lunch and martinis, then we went to the Harris Grill for another martini, and then BOWLING!!! That is right, bowling in all our finery. There was no stress, no tears, no stupid people ruining a perfectly good day. The sun was out all day the boys and I had the best time, and I would like to repeat it every year.

SO, I am a married women now! Yay!! We are both super excited to see what this next chapter holds for us.

In love with vinegar

I use vinegar, baking soda and water for EVERYTHING in the cleaning world. For the longest time I have had issues with our dishwasher. The glasses always end up cloudy and just yucky looking. Today I decided to put a bowl of vinegar under the blade of the dishwasher and OH MY GOODNESS!!! It was beautiful the glases where shiny, the dishes were shiny the silverware, oh the silverware, mmmmm..... my whole day was made with the founding of this miracale cleaning solution.

Flowers for the Wedding

SO! Those that know me know I try to be as green as I can. In the wedding details I have been trying to keep the amount of cut flowers to a minimum. Think about it - people like the flowers as they walk down the isle and then during pictures, but that is it! The flowers are then placed on a table and promptly forgotten. WELL, I found this today -



I want, I want, I want! They are feathers! Everyone will keep them FOREVER! So different, so me, so kinda sorta expensive :/ But, I really really really like it!

I want a lot

These are the shoes I really really really want to wear for the wedding. Really really really.....

Alphabet with me

A - Age: 28
B - Bed size: Full
C - Chore you hate: Weeding
D– Dessert: cheesecake
E - Essential to start your day: Coffee
F - Favorite flower: Lilac
G- Gold or Silver: Silver
H - Height: 5' 3/4"
I - Instruments you play(ed): xylophone (in highschool) Soprano now
J - Job you had in high school: Librarian Assistant
K - Kid(s): eeew...
L - Lunch spots: Patrons or home
M - Mom's Name: Mary
N - Newest item bought: Purple tshirt
O - Overnight hospital stay: never
P- Pet Peeve: People who don't listen to me like they should
Q- Quote from a movie: "The snozeberries taste like snozeberries!"
R - Right or left handed: Right
S - Siblings: 2 Brothers
T- Time you wake up: 7:30 or 8 am
U - Underarm deodorant?: Yes
V- Very surprising fact: I'm a control freak
W - Ways you run late: I don't, it gives me a stomach ache
X - X-rays you've had: On my knee in college
Y - Yummy food you make: Lemon Spaghetti
Z - Zoo animal: Monkies

ENGAGED!!!!

Robert and I are finally engaged!!! It was romantic and it was perfect!!

Musing of 27

I have now been 28 for a few days. The best comment people can say is, "WoW gettin' close to thirty?! Aren't you old?" UGH! I am excited for 30, bring it on! But, I degress or is it digress??
ANYWHOO, 27. What a fabulous year. Just like wine, vodka and a lot of other expensive things I get better with age. I would never want to be 21 again. I'm glad I made some big mistakes when I did, when it didn't matter as much and so much wasn't on the line.
At 27 the following things happened -
1. The hardest thing. I spent the first full year of my life without my
grandpa, that sucked, it was hard and I still miss him.
2. I was accepted in a PhD program and I refused a PhD program
3. I started my career and it has been the best decision I could have made! I
love it AND I am good at it :) 4 transaction in one week (my personal best,
I hope to repeat it often)
4. I have found my core group of friends and strengthened my outer (live to
far away) group as well.
5. I have found me. I have found my inner FABULOUSNESS, my inner DIVA,my
inner CRAZY CRAZY Girl, and I have not had to compromise that at all.
6. I have fell more madly and more deeply in love with Bert. This past year
solidified my decision that he can either marry me or be locked in a
basement :)
7. I had a great year, too much fun, too much wine, too much excess but I
think I kept myself in check enough to allow karma to be kind.
8. We bought a house - and a super cute wonderful house at that!
9. We adopted a dog - and a super cute wonderful hot mess he is :)
10. I grew up just enough to realize how lucky I have been, how blessed my life is and how thankful I am that my parents still like me!!

I am looking forward to more years of being wonderful. Hopefully next year I am closer to being married ;)

More Maps

visited 47 states (94%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or another interesting project

These are all the states my dad has been to! Anyone for a week in Hawaii???


visited 38 states (76%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or Best time to visit Charlottenburg

This is my mommies...we will let her go to Hawaii with us.


visited 32 states (64%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or Like this? try: Sea Level Rise

And...this is my new one! YAY! Three new states on this trip :)

Arkansas

I've made it to Arkansas! Today we met up with my dad's cousins who he hasn't seen in 35 years!!


We had a super yummy meal of burnt hotdogs, potatoe salad and some type of bean. We drove 1.5 hours to Pine Bluff, Ar to enjoy an afternoon of new family. Tomorrow we will be traveling 5 hours to Ok. Aunt Suzie (my FAV aunt) and I will be sharing a flask during this uber fun car ride :)

Centerpiece

At some point I will get married and I will have a reception! So, I have decided that I will start planning now, that way I won't be stressed when the actually time comes! I am done to a choice of three centerpieces...

I LURVE my dog

Happy Weather

I love spring weather. The rain, the chilly days, the hot car in the afternoon with the windows down....it all makes me happy.

I forgot to metion that I now have two listings with a listing appointment on Tuesday, which will make three listings (fingers crossed)

I figured it out

After a wonderful two days in Nemocolin for Bert's award banquet I have learned a few things about myself.

A. I LURVE being pampered. A mani and a pedi and Bert all to myself for two days yup, I love to spoiled. Good thing Bert already knew this.

B. My next house will have a jacquzzi tub....ahhhhh....

C. I am REALLY good and smoozhing with the higher-ups AND their wifeys...
Bert is so lucky!





D. I LURVE my dog the way most people feel about their children.

Trying to be good

This is me trying to pack for five days. I have managed to reduce my suitcase space to half, so that Bert can have half. I am only taking 5 pairs of shoes. It took me half the day! It is hard!!

Real Estate

SO, I have decided to just try Real Estate all by itself for a few months and see what happens. Fingers crossed, peeps. This is the first time in a long time I haven't had two jobs. I make sure to have lots of things to report to Bert, I want him to know I am truly working and not eating bon-bons all day.

I think what Bert likes the best about this job is how clean the house is! AND, on Mon night I cooked dinner. Enough dinner that he could pack his lunch so far this week. The grocery shopping is done, the house is clean, there is food in the ref, laundry is washed and put away....OMG I am f'ing Martha Stewart!!!! AHHHH!!!! Make it stop!!! I need more businnes because I can't go on like this! :)

I'm packing for New Orleans!! I'm going to meet the sinners of Berts family! YAY! No one to judge me!!!!!

visited 29 states (58%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or try another Douwe Osinga project

I'm ok

Since starting real estate in Oct. I have had the safety net of a very nice part-time job. Two weeks ago they had to terminate my position due to the economy, BUT they gave me til the end of the month. I still haven't found another part-time job to replace this one, but I do have a closing in the beginning of March. I have enough saved to get me through the next month, should I just wait out Feb without a paycheck and concentrate on real estate or should I just work at Starbucks???

Running

I have decided that in order to keep healthy I must have a goal. SO, my goal this year is to run the 1/2 marathon in Pittsburgh. I can run 4-5 miles already, so what is another 7-8? I think Bert is going to be joining me for this run, although he is WAY ahead of me in the training department.

We had a fab weekend in Towanda with my parents. Winston was SPOILED!!! He is now is doggy bootcamp. He didn't have to wear a leash all weekend, there were cows to play with and he was fed people food. He didn't sleep the entire time we were there. When we piled into the car to drive home he was passed out in the backseat in 10 minutes. Today is back to the crate and dog food.