Christmas!

Hello all!

It's Christmas!  Well, yesterday was Christmas, but still!  It's so exciting!

I'll go ahead and skip to the good stuff.  The presents.  :)

We had some really great gift giving going on this year.  Now, I for one thought that the best and my favorite reaction was going to be the family's reaction to all the grandkids buying a new toilet and faucet for the cabin (you see, the old folk were complaining about the crack in the toilet seat and how it kept pinching their bums and then Granny complained about the water stains the sink had because of the dripping faucet... Us grandkids listen well).  However, this was definitely not the best reaction.

The parents got Grandma and Grandpa Berger an iPad.  If you know my Grandpa at all, you know he was livid.  There was a solid ten minutes of him shaking his head at this gift.  He had just got done telling Granny that she wasn't allowed to have one because she would never accomplish anything around the house.  Hahahaha, jokes on him.  BUT, this still wasn't the best reaction.

My absolute favorite and all-time best Christmas reaction goes to my wonderful mother.  Mike and I secretly bought Mother a Kindle.  She was definitely surprised.  Not only was there the classic gasp and wide-eyed situation, but there was tears.  A LOT OF TEARS.  And of course, Mike and I just giggled. Because we're weird like that.  Best reaction ever.

Oh! And my lovely cousin Bridget was wonderful as always and gave me a wonderful scarf with a quote written on it.  So classy and so lovely.  :)

I hope everyone had the best Christmas ever and their time spent with families and friends was magnificent and full of memories!

That's all for now.  Happy reading.  Stay excellent, Me. :)

Cousinly Love

Hello once again!

This past weekend, my cousins and I ventured to our other cousin Danielle's apartment in Wilmington.  There was pizza, beers, the kitty cat, and of course some tears (and yes, I did just spend on moment on making that rhyme).  It was a great time.  And somehow we all ended up in the bathroom, again.  Not doing what you are probably assuming, but hugging and laughing and spilling drinks and it was just a weird situation.

Kimi and Tila went to the store, so we had a tiny photo shoot. :)

Whiskers!

My favorite part was probably my strange and awkward conversations on my phone, thanks to  Paige.  My apologies to all affected (or is it effected? I really don't know).  

Saturday night we met up at La Fiesta for Bridget's birthday dinner!  My favorite place.  Seriously.  And the fried ice cream is just wonderfully delicious.  

Happy Birthday Bridget!!!

This is a short post.

More to come on this wonderful break.

Happy reading.  Stay excellent, Me.

Where did the time go?

I am officially home sweet home for the holiday break!  FINALLY.

As I lay in my bed, and by my bed I mean MY bed.  The one that I have known since I was a little girl and probably threw up in several times and peed in as well, but neither of those things are that important.. or relevant to this post.. or sanitary for that matter.  ANYWAY, I'm home.  And as I lay here, I can't help but wonder, where did the time go?

I have successfully completed the fall semester of my second year of college.  Not only does this mean that I'm one semester closer to graduating, but I'm also one semester closer to Spain.  I have several friends (S/O to Nicole, Katelyn and Evan!) who are going abroad next semester, and it just seems so crazy to me that it happened so fast!  I literally feel like the semester started three weeks ago, not a whole semester!

But I guess I'm okay with being at home for awhile.  When I start to think about Spain, I always think about my family.  I am SOOOOOOO beyond excited to be able to live a year away from everything I've ever known and to be able to start over and be whatever I want to be, but a little tiny piece of me, somewhere way down in the pit of my being, the size of the little dust speck from Horton Hears a Who, is a tiny pang of guilt.

HOW CAN I LEAVE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR AND SURVIVE?

Then I remember.  I'm awesome.  It's as simple as that.  I'm awesome and I know I can do anything I put my mind to.  Whether that be tackling a foreign country for a year with my pal Jody, or actually finishing a painting for once.  I can do it.  Simply because I'm awesome.

Sorry for tooting my own horn there for a second, but TOOT TOOT!  (You knew that was coming.  I'm too witty to not throw that in there, let's be real.)

On a lighter note, I'm super stoked (do people say that anymore?  Not that I'm old, but did that word ever actually happen? I don't know.) to be spending my 3 and 1/2 weeks at home with nothing on my agenda but painting, reading, baking, and spending time with the most wonderful people ever.  That includes you.  Yes, you.  The person reading this blog, because if you're cool enough to read my thoughts, I think you're cool enough to be graced by my presence.

Now, that my friends, THAT is what you call a conceited blogger.  WHOOPS.

Stay tuned for a special post about my Boo Boo and of course, wonderful times spent with family and friends.

Happy reading.  Stay excellent, Me. :)

P.S.  Good luck to Nicole, Katelyn, and Evan with their travels to Spain!  Keep me posted! :)

Finals week!

Wow, I have seriously been slacking.  Seriously. My apologies.

So here's what you missed:

Last weekend I went on a party bus for my friend Kyle's 21st birthday, and it was legitimately the best night ever.  I got to spend so much time with my boo boo and Jeffy!  I love them.  Enjoy these wonderful pictures and their impressive quality:

Natalie and Boo Boo!

Boo Boo!

Taylor... and a duck!

So there you have it.  Next up, what college folk like to call "hell week".  The week filled with last minute projects thrown at you by every professor and exams even though you have a final the next week.  It's just awful.  This girl, well she was productive.  I'm so proud of myself.  My to do list consisted of 17 items.  I completed 16 of the 17 by Thursday night.  That's crazy talk.  And the last item?  It took me until 3 hours ago to complete it.  It was rough.  

Why would one stress themselves out so much the week before finals, you might ask?  Well, I promised myself I would complete my to do list or I wasn't allowed to go to Dayton on Friday night for a sweater party.  And we all know how  much I love sweaters, especially the ugly ones.  So I accomplished that list, with flying colors.  I should bribe myself more often.. 

Enjoy a few snap shots:

Brooke, Ashlin, Taylor, and Lindsey!

Brooke and Val!

That was a great night as well.  I just wish a certain someone who's name starts with M and ends with arisa would have been there! (Hello by the way!)  A nice S/O to Aaron Eilerman for being a wonderful host as well!  And Jeffy Grilliot for entertaining us on the car ride home!

And now for Saturday night.  The last weekend in BG.  Of course I had to spend it with the one and only Jodi Wellman.  This girl keep me on my toes.  I won't share our story of Saturday night because it's more of her story to tell, but it ended with an adorable roomie sleepover and a movie the next day.  Great end to a stressful semester.  

Just look how cute we are. 

And that's pretty much all you missed.  Oh! Except for an awkward encounter I had tonight.. but we might save that one for next week.  It's a little too fresh in my mind right now.  Too salty still.  

Until Sunday, happy reading.  Stay excellent, ME. :)

P.S.  Good luck to everyone on finals! See all my wonderful hometown friends soon!