Not So Cinderella

Sleepy Girl

2012-01-03T20:31:00.002-05:00

This may seem like a terribly childish problem for a 23-year-old business woman to have; however, that does not change the fact that it is still a problem.

Sleeping. Alone.

Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking right now: I slept most of my life alone, so why should it bother me now? Well, here's why. Because until I moved to Dublin, GA, in June, I rarely slept in a house by myself. Ahhhhhhh, you say. Makes more sense now. I'm not so bothered by sleeping in a bed by myself--in fact, I rather enjoy spreading out from end to end, or, like my boyfriend makes fun of me for, sleeping width-ways instead of longways. (I do, of course, love waking up to said boyfriend's arm around me, but we all need a little alone time).

The problem is sleeping alone in my house. I would say living alone is the problem, except I have no problem during the day or the evening when I'm watching TV, doing admin work, or cooking dinner. Nope, it all comes from SLEEPING alone. I have an overactive imagination (and I've seen too many horror movies thanks to my college roommates) so every bump, thump, and splat turns into someone breaking into the house, ghosts, or just plain creepy animals waiting for me outside my window.

Yes, I know I'm being childish. But seriously, what's a girl got to do to get a little shut-eye around here?!?!

The Beginning of the End (?)

2012-01-02T13:03:00.002-05:00

Wow, almost a year has passed since my last blog post. Needless to say, 2011 was a very busy year. Simplified, it went something like this:

March: I took my last official, school-imposed (not that I'm complaining) Spring Break to Myrtle Beach, NC, with my amazing boyfriend and our best couple friends. There really wasn't anywhere there our age (Myrtle Beach's high point was inarguably in the '90's); however, the retired Canadians flocking our hotel provided plenty of entertainment.

May: I finished up my last semester as a UGA student (forever a bulldawg) and graduated college with an undergraduate degree in Marketing and a minor in Anthropology. While it may seem these two subjects have very little in common, it turns out that it worked miracles for me. More on that later. Several of my closest family members and friends over the years joined me for a weekend of food and partying in the historic college town, and fun was had by ALL.

June: I moved to a little south Georgia town called Dublin by means of my first assignment as a sales representative for a company who, for now, shall remain nameless. Just put it this way: it is a huge company and I love the people I work with. It may not be somewhere I stay forever, but it will at the very least be an amazing catapult into my career as a future i-don't-know-what.

September: I celebrated my 23rd birthday and received many amazing gifts, one of which being my absolute favorite and highly coveted designer sunglasses from Tiffany & Co.

November: I took my first set of vacation days from work to go visit my mom and dad in West Virginia with Cody, which was spend indulging in yummy food, relaxation and lots (and lots) of wine.

December (only 2 days ago!): A week long trip to Orlando for a business meeting through me off of my routine this month, but I seem to be getting things back together now. Cody and I spend Christmas half in Atlanta with his family and half in Tennessee with mine. Though tiring and extremely hectic, we had a wonderful time and it was absolutely perfect to see everyone. I then spent the week after Christmas (more vacation!) in San Antonio, TX, visiting my grandmother who had a mastectomy two weeks earlier due to some very rapidly progressing breast cancer. It was a week of frustrations, arguments, and laughs; oh, and once again, LOTS of wine.

New Years: Hop to this weekend and I will tell you it was one of the best I've ever had. Cody and I spent the days leading up to the big celebration lounging around our house, catching up on movies we had recorded and making homemade pizzas. We followed that little luxury up with heading back to my alma mater and spending the holiday toasting champagne at midnight in the downtown area of Athens, where, I'll be honest, I've probably spent too much time in.

So, like I said, busy year for 2011! I hope that the year upcoming brings myself and yours lots of love, laughs, and a few screw-y moments for fun's sake, and without a doubt, more blog posts!!

Cheers <3

Yeah, Right...

2011-01-19T14:18:00.002-05:00

So, obviously my New Years resolutions are already not off to a great start. For one, I have not been blogging twice a week like I promised....so, I know, put me in time out. Also, I don't how much anyone pays attention to the weather outside of their own areas, but Athens got killed by a blizzard last week leaving everyone without cars or power, and drinking alcohol to keep warm. Maybe not the healthiest system but it definitely worked. I think one of the reasons I find it so hard to keep up with my blogging promises is that I sometimes have a very difficult time finding something to right about. This is the reason for one of my top complaints right now: I just don't really do anything that interesting. I go to school and work and babysit and then I go home and read and study for the next day. And you wonder why I'm ready to be done with college. Sometimes I cannot even figure out how people enjoy themselves as much they seem to with all this work....oh yeah, that's because business school kicks your ass so you're ready for the real world when it comes after you. Thanks, Terry College [I think].

Overall though, I think I am going to enjoy my last semester here at UGA: the classes seem interesting, the professors aren't boring, and I'm finally feeling like I know what I'm doing. I have been interviewing with a company that I'm very excited about but I don't want to jinx anything so I will hold off on the details until I know something concrete.

As for the "I don't do anything interesting" complaint, I'm working on that too. Cody and I went to Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn, GA this weekend to see some pretty crazy animals and we got to pet some! It was really nice to get out of the house and do something together so this weekend we will be going to a car show in Atlanta! I promise details and pictures of my favorite cars next week! [Remember, it's only Wednesday!] Also, I heard back from some of the volunteering opportunities I emailed people about and I'm really excited to start on some of those!

So anyways, I believe that was a longer than normal post for pretty much nothing....but it's going to get better!

A Year of Resolutions

2011-01-02T15:55:00.005-05:00

First off, let me start by telling you that I am having a marvelous Christmas break doing absolutely no school or real work. Okay, truth is, I am a little bit bored, but I am getting to spend all of my time with my man, which is workingout well for him since, when I'm bored, I clean. So his room is spotless and all his clothes are clean now. Haha. My room is a different story, but anyways....

We went out for New Years with some close friends of ours and met up with even more. I have developed this weird rash on my shoulders and chest so if I look a little weird, that would be why.

{Me and my friend Holly, all the girls (and Mike!), my man Cody, and me and Sabra}

So, ringing in the new year also means ringing in some new resolutions. I'm not going to lie to you, I've never been all that great at keeping these (or making them for that matter) soooooo this will definitely be a challenge.

1. Get a real, big girl, after college job.

2. Drink 8 glasses of water every day.

3. Exercise 3 times a week (at least). ***This is kind of cheating, because I'm signed up for a PE class that I have three times a week, but I'm hoping for this to be in addition to that. If not though, I'm covered :))

4. Stick to my budget. If I can do this, there is no reason for me to ever be short on money, not to mention, I'll still be able to have some fun, and save some too!

5. Make the dean's list again, for the last time. (Last time because it's my last semester in college!)

6. Do some pleasure reading, at least a little bit every week.

7. New blog posts at least twice a week (this one I'm a little nervous about, but I think I can handle it!)

8. Don't drop my new phone! I don't know if this is really a valid resolution, but I think I will just categorize it under trying to limit my clumsiness.

Okay, I think that's it! That is quite a few resolutions, but I can handle it. I think.

One of those "Lasts"

2010-12-01T11:58:00.006-05:00

Saturday day night marked my last home football game as a UGA student. I wasn't even planning on going until I met up with Kim and she had bought a ticket. Sooooo, we sat in the freezing cold for the entire game (which may have actually been a first for me), which was very exciting; and we did end up winning so it was a great night! I took lots of pictures which probably won't mean anything to anyone except myself but I knew I should. I met up with a couple of friends for a beer until my roommate got off work and then headed to The Grill for some yummy burgers and fries with feta (my favorite!). So, great (last) football weekend for me as a student, but I can't wait to come back next year and go as an alumni!

Birthday Wish #6

2010-09-17T09:48:00.003-04:00

So, I am seriously doubting that I am actually going to get to 22 wishes before my birthday. Oh, well, I guess that means I don't want a lot? Haha, I think it's more like I'm just indecisive. And I want things that are beyond my grasp. Maybe I'll start putting some of those down just to see what happens.

Anyways, this wish is actually completely attainable but I doubt I will receive it for my birthday. In fact, I'm pretty sure this is something I will have to indulge in for myself sometime soon.

In the last couple weeks I have realized that I don't like reading for class sitting in my desk chair because I can't get comfortable and reading on my bed is a complete disaster because I just end up falling asleep (my bed is really, really comfortable).

So my solution is this: a reading chair! (I know what you're thinking, Duh, Kayla). But yes, I definitely have room for one in my room and I think this is an awesome idea. I just can't decide which one I want....(of course).

This one is a red sleeper chair that folds out to a little single mattress, perfect for when I have people visiting!

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?itemdescription=true&itemCount=80&startValue=1&selectedProductColor=&sortby=&id=18883926&parentid=A_FURN_FURNITURE_SOFAS&sortProperties=+subCategoryPosition,+product.marketingPriority&navCount=35&navAction=poppushpushpush&color=&pushId=A_FURN_FURNITURE_SOFAS&popId=A_FURN_FURNITURE&prepushId=A_DECORATE&selectedProductSize=

And this one I really like the design on it!

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?itemdescription=true&itemCount=80&startValue=1&selectedProductColor=&sortby=&id=16229205&parentid=A_FURN_FURNITURE_SOFAS&sortProperties=+subCategoryPosition,+product.marketingPriority&navCount=112&navAction=poppushpushpush&color=&pushId=A_FURN_FURNITURE_SOFAS&popId=A_FURN_FURNITURE&prepushId=A_DECORATE&selectedProductSize=

And this one from Ikea is looks pretty comfy too!

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S79875786

Birthday Wish #5

2010-09-14T19:37:00.003-04:00

Okay. Don't know why these caught my eye because I have never really shopped from this brand before, but I love these shoes. They just look so comfortable (and cute!) for walking around and riding the Bf's motorcycle (when he gets it fixed, that is...).

http://store.dcshoes.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3478981&cp=3448757.3436167

**Oh, and I want the "crazy pink/white" ones. Adorable.

Birthday Wish #4

2010-09-08T14:32:00.003-04:00

Okay, I am not promising that this is the last piece of jewelry on my wish list but I promise I will break it up with some stuff in between if I find anything else. This is yet another piece of jewelry that I have been smitten with for over a year. It's from Tiffany, of course, what is a wish list without a little Tiffany's? Exactly, it's not one at all.

{Find it here.}

Birthday Wish #3

2010-09-07T18:46:00.003-04:00

Maybe it's because I've been in college for three years, but if there is one thing I am so tired of seeing, it's North Face jackets. And yes, I personally own one and it is great for chilly days and it goes with anything. But I found this lovely sweater from Anthropologie (which I adore anyways) and I think it would be perfect for those breezy autumn days walking in between classes.

{Find it here.}

Birthday Wish #2

2010-09-07T13:42:00.003-04:00

A girl's best friend? Jewelry, right? Of course. I love jewelry, but I usually stick with a couple of choice earrings, necklaces, and bracelets to get me through every day, then save the crazy stuff for when I dress up to go out on the weekends. Well, I have been looking at this necklace for over a year, literally. I love it. But I just truly cannot convince myself to dish out the $54 for it, because I know spending money on frivolous things will only get me in trouble later. However, I would absolutely love to add this to my everyday favorite collection! And it's a perfect little reminder that "what goes around, comes around."

{Find it here.}

Birthday Wish #1

2010-09-03T12:25:00.003-04:00

Okay, here is my very first birthday wish. As of March (and an infamous Cowboy and Aliens party) I have been minus a digital camera. For future reference, any electronic device and keg beer do not get along. And while throwaways were an interesting substitute, I hate not being able to see or post my pictures, well, immediately. So a new digital camera was an obvious and very necessary component to my birthday. After all, it's my last year in college, that is worth some documentation, right?

{Image from here.}

A Month of Celebration

2010-09-02T10:27:00.002-04:00

First of all, I apologize for my absence. It was my mistake to assume my senior year here at UGA was going to be easy. I was so so so wrong. Anyways, some of y'all may know this, but I have a birthday coming up at the end of September. The very end as a matter of fact.

I have always been terrible about making birthday lists and telling people what I want, so this year, I am taking a page out of Kim Julie's book and I am going to have 22 posts of things I would like for my 22nd birthday. Clever, huh? I thought so when she did it, so now I'm stealing it! Shhhhh, don't tell her! Lots of new stuff is happening in my life lately so hopefully I will be able to squeeze some posts in between all of my birthday w

ishes and let y'all in on some secrets!

{Image from here.}

Last First Day

2010-08-17T00:02:00.002-04:00

Today marked the beginning of the end of an era of my life. Today was the last first day of my senior year in college. It went pretty well, only 2 classes (supposed to be 3, but the last one got cancelled), a little bit of work, some gym time and more decorating the new house. My cute little place is now finally starting to look like humans live here, instead of just a storage unit.

Isn't it funny thinking back to your first first day of school, if you can remember that far? I don't remember that specific day, but I do remember being in kindergarten and the teacher and the room and the friends I had.

I also remember the night before the first day of my 6th grade year. I remember how I was literally freaking out, completely losing my mind in the hallway of my teeny tiny farmhouse in Tennessee screaming about how I was not at all capable of moving onto a new grade and a bigger school and how I would just die from all the stress. My dad gently and easily calmed me down by listening to all my fears and reassuring me that middle school was not as fatal as everyone claimed and he had complete faith that I would do the best I could, and that was good enough.

I like to think I've come a long way since then. One thing has never changed: I absolutely love buying school supplies. New pencils and pens. Notebooks and dividers. Cute little planners. Packing up my bookbag a week in advance and rearranging every night before the actual "day." There is just something so refreshing and cleansing about taking a big step with brand new shiny things that seem to completely erase any damage inflicted by the previous year.

I can only hope that my last year in school (maybe ever) is everything that I could possibly dream it to be. I want to experience every possible thing I can, I want to not worry about money, I want to make the dean's list (again!), I want to make my parent's proud, and I want to walk under that magical arch in May without any regrets about the time that I have spent here.

So my challenge to myself for the next 10 months is to live up to these dreams and surpass them. And I'll keep you lovelies updated as the time passes, I'm sure, much too quickly.

Stressed

2010-07-29T14:01:00.003-04:00

I have a lot to catch you up on, but I find it extremely ironic how my last post was all about how I was so excited to pack up and move into my new house. Did you catch the was? The last week has been so incredibly busy and stressful for me and of course, I didn't get much of any packing done. Problem with that? We move tomorrow. Oh, and I'm also taking my final in the morning for an extremely important final. Getting any sleep tonight? I think not.

I just keep having nightmares about this move. I have no idea if any of the other utilities have been transfered over yet, so who knows if we'll even have electricity when we get there? We also can't actually stay there until Sunday, the landlord is just allowing us to move stuff into the middle of the rooms because they are still cleaning and painting. And we HAVE to be checked out of our place now by noon on Saturday. Thank god for the boyfriend letting me stay at his place for a couple days (not that I don't do that every night he's in town anyways haha--it's been over a week since I slept in my own bed).

Seriously though, as soon as we are done checking out of our place Saturday, it will be pool and margarita time for me....and maybe nap time finally.

{Image from here}

Packing It All Up

2010-07-08T21:42:00.002-04:00

My roommate Katie and I have finally started to pack up our house since we are moving in just 3 short weeks! We went today to Lowe's and got boxes and bubble wrap and tape...all that fun stuff. And we stopped by the paint department to pick up some samples since we are contemplating painting our living room and our bedrooms. Katie is thinking purple for her room and I'm leaning towards blue. As for the living room, we chose a few greens and some warm oranges...so we'll see what our other roommate thinks when she comes up. I am so excited about our cute little house but I hate the packing process; unpacking I don't mind, but packing is terrible. The only up side is I get to throw away and purge myself of junk I haven't used in the last year. It's definitely a cleansing process.

{Isn't it adorable?!}

The Amazing Andrew Wills

2010-07-07T21:23:00.002-04:00

So, back in February, I wrote about a very dear friend of mine who was in a skiing accident in Colorado who was almost lost from life (here is the post, in case you don't remember). I honestly cannot imagine a world without this person in my life. He is one of the very few who I feel would do anything for me if I asked him, and he can make me feel better about anything.

You also probably remember the amazing progress he was making just weeks short of his close encounter with the heavenly world and I want you to know that not only is he writing his book, but he is currently in Oxfordshire, England studying with some of the most brilliant minds in the world. And he fits in quite well (we all knew he would, but he was a bit worried).

Thankfully, he is updating all of us unlucky folks still stuck in Georgia for the summer about his experiences and travels through his blog, Andrew in Europe. If you're reading this, please take a minute to go see what he is up to; I find it intoxicatingly exciting and I wish I was right by his side taking it all in.

Playing Catch Up

2010-07-07T20:34:00.016-04:00

Okay, so I know that I am beyond behind on posts. In fact, I am soooooo far behind I will probably never catch up so here is my compromise: I promise to fill you in on my life as we go so you aren't confused by my posts that, all too often, can be very vague.

I will say this, in lieu of an explanation for my absence: I needed a break. I needed to figure some things out. And honestly, I can't say that I really made any progress with that, BUT I miss my therapy of writing it all down. Seeing it on paper helps to make sense of the mess most of the time.

So I'm back, sitting on my couch enjoying a glass of (very) cheap wine and a movie, not to mention the peace and quiet I only know when my roommate is at work. I cannot believe it is July already and the summer is almost gone. I have absolutely no tan and I still hate putting on a bikini, butat least I am doing something about it. Fitness classes at the school gym are going great, and I do see some changes. I also have made A's in both of the summer classes I've completed so far (high fives!), but now I'm on the hardest one so hopefully I can continue the trend....

I just got back from an absolutely wonderful July 4th weekend at Lake Talquin, which is right outside of Tallahassee, Florida, for those of you who haven't heard of it (which I'm pretty sure is everyone). It was exactly the rejuvenation I needed, but it also made me miss my friends so much more. I have said it before, but college has not been the experience I expected or hoped for. It has been some of the hardest times in my life, for more than one reason. Between people I thought were my friends, sicknesses, terrible relationships, bouts of loneliness, and money troubles I have had it rough, but I hate complaining. I have also learned a lot about life and about myself and what is really important. I still can't wait to get out of here though.

So, as is tradition, here are some pictures from the last couple months to give you a visual montage of what you missed (by no fault of your own, of course, I'm taking full blame for this one). **By the way, the photos start from the bottom and go up, I have no idea why, but make sure you look at them backwards so you don't follow the story backwards**

{And, of course, I have been trying to spend as much of my free time at the pool as possible}

{My nephew was born on June 26th, say hello to Cole Alexander! I promise more pictures when I actually get to go see him...he came at a very inconvenient time hehe}

{Some of my favorite people from Bainbridge came to visit me! This is me, Joy, and Emily}

{I went to Tennessee for my Granny's 82nd birthday -- this is a pic of her with all the grandkids}

{A lot of healing was done as time was spent with friends in honor of Kerri's 1 year anniversary of her death.}

{Mom and Wade came to visit me in Athens, and for once, it did not involve manual labor, i.e. moving me in and out of apartments}

{Colleen, Enid, me and Katie took a road trip to Hilton Head, which involved lots of alcohol and shopping, and very little beaching because of the weather}

{Me and my roommates decided to throw a Toga Party, which got busted by the cops....a couple of times hehe}

{She got a little tipsy, but she was still amazing}

{Katie, Adam, me and Enid made the long drive to WV for my mom's 50th birthday}

That Time of the Month

2010-04-06T17:49:00.006-04:00

Before you get too scared, no, I am not talking about my lovely Aunt Flo being in town...I'm talking about getting the new Anthropologie magazine! This is one of absolute favorite reasons to check the mailbox, and getting it can make the worst day so so so so so so much better (especially when my body is producing an endless stream of snot due to this lovely pollen weather)! Of course I can't actually afford anything in this magazine, but it's reassuring to know that someday I will be able to buy all I desire. And I have absolutely vowed to spend my first big paycheck on a mini shopping spree from this wonderful store. Here are a couple of items I am coveting with all my might right now:

{This dress is so yummy, I just want to eat it up!}

{I love this color on me in the summer, not to brag...but it goes great with my blond hair!}

{I'm in love with this one...it just looks so comfy!}

{Aren't these teacups absolutely adorable?!? I would love to buy them for mine and Kim's apartment wherever we end up!}

Glorious, Glorious

2010-03-31T11:26:00.007-04:00

Here are the rest of the pictures from Spring Break! Standing next to itty bitty Ashley only reminds me of how much I need to be hitting up the gym but I'm working on it!

{Ashley and me out on the water}

{This is where I am originally from...St. Hedwig, TX}

{Yummy chocolate cake from Joe's Crab Shack}

{Me, Ashley and Teighlor out in the parking lot--Zeph was making fun of us for this one}

{Me, Ash, and Leslie drinking out by the water--it was so windy that night!}

{Me and the precious Teighlor! We matched in yellow that day!}

Change is Good for the Soul

2010-03-29T13:57:00.004-04:00

If you know me at all, then you know I have moved around a lot in my life, 12 schools K-12 and 5 different states! There have been many times I have resented my parents for all the upheavals because, to this day, I only have one friend that has stuck with me through it all. But to my parents defense, I have requested (no, begged) for more than one of those moves. And I like to think these, hmm, adjustments have instilled in me a sense of adventure and a longing to experience new ways of life.

That said, my bestie Kimberly and I have made the decision to move to Austin, Texas, when I graduate in a mere 411 days! I know she is the person to make this move with because if you remember, it was she who made the big jump from lil' Athens all the way to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands! And it killed me how much I wished I could have gone too! But now that I'm going to be a full fledge adult in the near future, I can go! It's the perfect opportunity to spread my wings (with Kim's help haha) and see what I can really do on my own! Take a look at our new home!

Whoa, That Took Forever

2010-03-22T12:40:00.006-04:00

So it's amazing how a couple of days off of blogging can turn into a couple weeks, right? And to be clear, I wasn't taking a break from blogger, per se, I was just on vacation taking a break from everything. And when I got back, my professors decided to punish me for that break, although I am assuming they enjoyed it as much as I did. So, now that I am caught up on tests, projects and papers for a few days, I can catch you dears up on my world. There are very few pictures that actually got taken due to me not being able to find my memory card, but here are a couple:

{Me and Ashley, the Texas part of Spring Break}

{Me, Ed, Jason, and Emily at the lake celebrating Ed's bday}

{And me and Emily, in sunny Florida}

I would love to tell you a million funny stories and awesome details of this Spring Break, but honestly, it wasn't very exciting. Which was exactly what I wanted. I got to relax, hang out at the beach, catch up with my friends, and not worry about anything for an entire week. So what if it wasn't exciting? It was perfect for me, and that's all that counts since it was my vacation, right?

Since then, I have just been studying and barely sleeping due to a combination of allergies and caffeine overdoses from trying to stay awake studying. I am so hoping to catch up some more this week, since I only have one test, and then a roadtrip home to West Virgina on Friday, because my mom is turning the big 5-0! Be on the lookout for the dedication post later this week!

Roo Roo the Miracle

2010-03-04T17:56:00.004-05:00

So, if you read my post yesterday then you know I finally got to go see my favorite best guy friend in the entire world {Andrew} last night in Atlanta! He was in a skiing accident, which you probably know, and they told his parents when it happened that he was not going to make it. But here he is, 3 weeks later, and is about to start out patient therapy, and his plan to go to George Washington University and London this summer is still in place! So here are some pics, he has a funny haircut so don't make fun of him! I love him anyways! And I almost can't wait to get back from Spring Break to go see Alice in Wonderland with him at the IMAX!

{Enid and I on the way to ATL}

{With our Roo Roo! We love him so much!}

{Eating at Cheesecake Factory, Kahlua Cocoa Coffee Cheesecake.....heavenly...}

Yet Another

2010-03-03T12:23:00.003-05:00

Okay, it's the Wednesday before Spring Break and I only have one school project left before I will be free! Not really free, because some studying will have to occur on my break, but still. Free.

Anyways, I also have a potential job interview at an advertising company in the next couple days, I will keep you updated but I am super excited that this could be my new job! And it pays so much better than what I have now!

I also get to go see my friend Andrew in ATL today, you remember my post from his accident? This is the first time I will see him since he's been back in Georgia and I am oh-so excited :)) I promise to take lots of pictures!

There is also another very happy birthday to wish today: my senior prom date and very bestest friend who is a boy, Preston, is now 20 and no longer a teenager! Geez, you're getting old, haha.

That's pretty much it for this Wednesday, just thought I would catch y'all up on my life....

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2010-03-01T14:15:00.016-05:00

Today is a very special day, my daddy turns the big 53! His name is Wade and I truly love him with all my heart. Seriously, this man could make me feel better about anything bad in my world, and ever since I was 8 years old I knew I had him wrapped around my finger. So here's to him teaching me to ride a horse, getting my braces un-stuck from the carpet (even if he was laughing hysterically), talking me through panic attacks about changing schools, putting up with my truly terrible driving, helping me with my math homework, cheering at my softball games, and scaring the sh*t out of all of my boyfriends. You're the best daddy a girl could ever hope for! Love, your baby girl.

{Such a pimp, with my friends from high school}

{After my baccalaureate}

{Shopping in Gatlinburg, TN}

{Before my high school graduation on our GA farm}

{At the muscle car museum, this is our fave}

{Senior Homecoming, this was his favorite dress of mine}

{Thanksgiving 2006}

{At home this past Halloween}

{Horse show in Asheville, NC}

Congrats Are In Order

2010-02-19T11:14:00.001-05:00

So one of my super close friends from high school got engaged this past weekend! I never really thought she would be the first, but when I think about it, I have no idea who I though would be so I guess that doesn't matter haha! She is super sweet and she has been with this guy since she was a freshman at GSU so I am very happy for her! She said Bucky was so nervous his hands were shaking like crazy and I think that is super sweet!

{I love this picture I took of them!}

{Her beautiful ring}

{Congrats Amanda and Bucky!!}

Last Weekend

2010-02-19T10:51:00.001-05:00

I am so excited to read all about this past weekend on Absent Minded, a blog that I adore and whose author Jenni that I just met this past weekend! My BFF Kim and Jenni met through the blogging world and have become best friends as well. And we all got to meet face to face this weekend! So head over to Jenni's blog and see the pics and hear all about what she learned in the Deep South. I so hope she decides to move down here!

Ughhhhhh

2010-02-18T19:16:00.003-05:00

I don't know where my high from yesterday went, but now I am just as extreme in the other direction. Today I feel like I'm suffocating, drowning, cannot breathe in this town. I just want out, but the funny thing is, I don't really want to go see anyone, I just want to be alone. But then again I don't. These are the times when I used to run to my ex who lived fours away and we would curl up on his couch and watch movies for days and eat his famous mac-n-cheese. I miss being able to do that.

Spring Break Plans

2010-02-17T12:17:00.003-05:00

I am literally jumping up and down in my office.....because I just booked my plane tickets for Spring Break! I am going to Texas to see my very first best friend Ashley. You might remember when I met up with her over Christmas [see here]. Anyways, it was not even close to enough time to catch up so we decided that I would spend part of my SB there and now those plans are concrete! And she lives by the beach so I will still hopefully get a tan! I cannot stop smiling, and I feel like finally, finally, I am doing something that I want to do and I'm not letting anything stop me. I could conquer the world today it feels like. :))))))

{Rockport, TX. Looks perfect to me! Image from here.}

Roo Roo

2010-02-16T09:01:00.006-05:00

I was holding out on writing this post until I was more certain of where this story was going, because for a few days, no one was really sure what the outcome would be. My very best guy friend was in a skiing accident on Friday morning out in Aspen and ended up in a coma with brain trauma. He had to be life-flighted to Denver. They performed brain surgery on him Friday evening to stop the bleeding and it was successful. By the end of the night he could wriggle his toes and lift his arms when asked to do so. By Saturday he was off the ventilator and knew where he was (no more coma!). He took his first steps yesterday and they are hopeful that he will be moved out of ICU in the next day or so. We were hoping to be able to talk to him on Skype last night, but no such luck. However, his boyfriend Brent spent several hours with him yesterday and told me that he was "very smart and sweet" and seemed to remember everything about his life, meaning that his cognitive skills and memories seem to still be present with him. Hopefully he will come home by the end of next week. I cannot wait to see him, although I know the road to recovery will be long and painful. Here are some pics to show you the progress he is making; they are very hard for me to look at, to see my friend in so much pain, but he is the strongest person I know and he is fighting very hard to get better fast....he is truly a miracle and an inspiration.

{Saturday, off the ventilator}

{Sitting up in a chair with his mom}

{His first steps yesterday}

{Brent and Andrew}

Valentine's 2010

2010-02-15T13:22:00.011-05:00

Sorry that I couldn't come up with a more clever post title, but it is Monday. Last night, my roommate Enid and I threw a little grilling party for some friends of ours [and ourselves, of course!]. The boys were in charge of grilling the steaks; Enid and I handled the rest, which included but was not limited to: stuffed tomatoes, shrimp paesano, oven-roasted potatoes, gnocchi, cream cheese brownies, chocolate cupcakes, and garlic bread! It was a feast. Did I forget to mention the wine? Oh yeah, there were several bottles inhaled by the end of the night and a mini dance party was the result. But it was a complete blast, and since I am not a big fan of celebrating V-Day, this definitely was my top ranked experience. Here are some pics:

{Me and lovely Enid}

{Mixing up that Shrimp Paesano yummm}

{Walker D and that steak seasoning}

{Enid and Matt}

{That time of the night}

{Why you running round, at 5 in the morning?}

{Candid moments are the best}

I hope your Valentine's was just as good as mine! Spending it with my friends was the best idea everrrrr.

Granted....

2010-02-14T03:10:00.004-05:00

Okay, I know that it is 3 a.m. So kill me. All I have to say is a couple words.

He kissed me. In front of many, many people. This has made me so entirely ecstatic that I'm not sure I will even sleep for a second tonight. Okay, okay, I will probably sleep a lot, but regardless.....I am so incredibly excited.

Fearless

2010-02-11T10:09:00.002-05:00

Why is it that kids are so fearless? I know when I was younger, I was so very outspoken and confident in who I was and was not afraid to go after the things I wanted, like solo parts in choir, and talking to boys, whatever haha. I would never never ever try out for a solo these days. I don't know what has happened to me, but in my quest to get my life together and grow up, it occurs to me I might be trying to go in the wrong direction. From now on, I'm going to try to be more like my childish self, and take some more risks. Yeah, this feels gooooooood.

Pick Me Up

2010-02-10T10:15:00.003-05:00

I know I haven't gone into too much detail about the going-ons of my life recently, and that's because, well, half the time, I have no idea what's actually going on. I know that I am facing many crossroads and I am trying to dig down to find my true self and what my true self wants. This is proving to be a very emotional and sometimes downright discouraging journey. So today I went looking for some things to make me smile, and this is what I came up with:

I Want I Want I Want

2010-02-06T15:31:00.004-05:00

A friend of mine went skiing this weekend up in North Carolina, and while I have never been on the east coast, I absolutely fell in love with skiing out in Colorado for the first time when I was in high school. I haven't been lucky enough to go back since then, but after hearing about his plans I am so wishing I could hop a plane to the mountains and play in the powder.....

Scratch Colorado. My roommate just showed me where she used to ski in the Alps in France. It's called Valberg and it looks amazing! Add this to my bucket list pleeeeaaaseeee.

{Picture from here}

Shhhhh, I Can't Keep a Secret

2010-02-04T22:06:00.002-05:00

Soooooooo......there is a new boy in my life. And I know I say that at least like, twice a month, but seriously, I think this might be one of those I keep around for a little longer. I have had my eye on him for awhile now, and little did I know he had his on me too! But now that we have gotten over the awkward figuring out we feel the same way thing, things are going great. I just can't stop thinking about that Darius Rucker song and how this could be history in the making.....

Oh my, I can still feel the butterflies I got from him kissing me for the first time last night. Or maybe that's just all the carbonation in the Coke I just drank. Hmmm.

I Know I'm Behind....

2010-02-03T12:49:00.003-05:00

Seriously, I know I'm behind in my life when it has been over a week between blog posts! And I haven't even recapped this past weekend when my two besties from high school came to visit me in Athens, one of them for the very first time! It was so exciting, and we had mucho amounts of fun enjoying alcoholic beverages and almost getting thrown out of the local late night hot spot, The Grill. Here are some pics for your enjoyment and I promise I will get my life back in order soon!!

{Our photo montage in the car: Me, Emily and Amanda}

{Me and Amanda a few drinks in...}

{This girl really does have my heart}

There is also a truly hilarious video of me line dancing to the Garth Brook's song "Baton Rouge". However, I am going to limit my embarassment to the Facebook population haha. Sorry lovelies....

Weekend Recap

2010-01-25T09:40:00.006-05:00

This was an awesome weekend! Especially since the short week we had last week seemed so looooonngggg. I don't know why that happened, but I know I wasn't the only one who felt that way, right, right? Okay, right. Anyways, I had every intention of curling up on the couch with a movie and going to sleep early on Friday because I was completely exhausted and not sleeping well by then due to the stress of my busy schedule. But, I was easily talked into going downtown with my roommate and a couple of really good friends, and we still managed to have a fun, but pretty chill night.

Saturday was a completely different story. We still had a blast, but for once, Katie {my roommate} and I both got to drink and let loose without worrying about driving home, since a friend of hers was kind enough to DD for us. It was our friend Andy's 24th and he had a party which we mingled around until midnight or so. Downtown was absolutely packed and we had a great time posting up at a bar called Firehouse singing our throats dry with songs we halfway knew and dancing to the rest.

{Me, Katie and our friend Morgan}

{Katie and I showing the birthday boy, Andy, some love}

{Me and my friend Phil}

{My other favorite redhead and dance partner, Walker}

Childish Desire

2010-01-20T20:41:00.002-05:00

I want to go home. I know, it's stupid and I am a grown ass woman and blah blah blah. I don't care, I haven't been home since October and I want to go back now.
The End.

A New Addition

2010-01-18T12:02:00.002-05:00

So, I told them they couldn't resist. I told them they would bring one home. And they denied it. Until they actually did. Haha. I'm talking about my parents bringing home yet another puppy. We are now back to four (we lost Jake a few months ago and this brings the number back). This is another Golden Retriever, and my dad is calling him "Cody". Why he wanted to name a dog after my ex-boyfriend, I have no idea, but now that I think of it, maybe it is fitting, hehe joke. He looks absolutely adorable and I can't wait to go home and meet him. Interestingly enough, they are making a committment to make Cody an inside the house dog, which is a new adventure for them. We'll see how long that lasts. But anyways, meet Cody!

Keepsakes

2010-01-17T18:25:00.002-05:00

It's funny to look back a few years and remember what caught our eye. I was looking for my birth certificate the other day (which I still haven't found, dammit!) and came across my scrapbook box, which I have neglected to do anything with since I came to college.....who has the time?! In it was a magazine article from my sophomore year in high school, that I have saved from a vaca with my friend in Naples, FL. With all of my friends getting engaged as of late, it seems appropriate to share it now. It is from a People magazine, and the article is about actor Kevin Costner's wedding in the Rocky Mountains. His wife is a designer and did her own dress of course, which is why I have the picture, because her dress is absolutely amazing and I want want want nothing more than to wear it when I get married. Maybe if I marry someone rich. Ha. Ha.

Image from here.
Image from here.

Aren't the mountains the perfect??

Number I Can't Even Remember What

2010-01-11T13:17:00.002-05:00

Yep, add another to that list that seems to growing exponentially and completely out of control. Yet another one of my friends is engaged. I don't know if it is just the time of year, or if I am actually so old that this is going to be a common thing for the next five years, but dammit, I'm getting a little sick of it. All the romantic stories of proposals and long term plans.......it makes me sick to my stomach. And not because I despise the lovey dovey PDA grossness that comes with most engaged couples, and not because I'm a teeny tiny bit jealous. Because I would have hoped I would at least be on a path towards that kind of life by now, instead of just recently ditching the 15th boy in a long line of 3 week flings that have occupied the last year and a half of my life. All I want is for someone to stick around a little longer, who can make me laugh and not feel like I'm going to die alone with a million cats. Cliche, I know. Get over it.

Late Night Thoughts

2010-01-10T22:16:00.002-05:00

If I had everything, would I be happy? If I had everything, would I even know?

Completely annoying and inconclusive, I know. Sorry, but that's just how I'm rolling tonight.

Ladybugs

2010-01-08T19:14:00.004-05:00

Have y'all ever seen the movie Under the Tuscan Sun with Diane Lane? I absolutely love her as an actress but I also love the story line and message it is sending. Anyways, the "crazy blond" in the movie refers to men as ladybugs. Definitely go look the scene up if you're curious and have never seen it....

All I have to say is, there are lots and lots of ladybugs flying around me this week! I'm excited to see if one sticks!

Image from here.

A Little Isn't Worth It

2010-01-07T20:02:00.004-05:00

I have lived where it snows and I have lived where it doesn't. And Athens just happens to fall right in between. Snow is not normal or common and it causes all kinds of fuss and school cancelations when it chooses to appear. We had a huge blizzard back in March and we all loved it (except for those without power for three days, but I was lucky to avoid that little pitfall). Today it started again, but it isn't the big flakes we got used to back in the spring and it isn't enough to stick. And I have decided that it isn't worth my excitement if there isn't a lot of it. So, go away, you stupid snow, unless you're going to make it worth my while.

[My roommate Enid and I out in the snow last March]

[Walker clobbering me with a huge snowball]

Par for the Course

2010-01-06T13:39:00.003-05:00

One of my best friends in the entire world put this quote up on her profile today. Not only is it perfect because I love love love Sex and the City, but it completely and totally describes my life (and hers) right now, and I have to say that we are absolutely loving every minute of it!

"Being single used to mean that nobody wanted you. Now it means you're pretty sexy and you're taking your time deciding how you want your life to be and who you want to spend it with." - Sex and the City

Resolutions and Beyond

2010-01-05T20:36:00.005-05:00

Well, my dears, it is a new year and with a new year comes a new perspective. Interestingly enough, mine is complicated and almost contradictory. Most new years symbolize moving forward, starting over, beginning again, etc. I would like to look back. I want to reconnect with long lost friends and family, and examine exactly what has happened in my fairly short lifetime to make me who I am today.

It started with this:

These are my girl cousins from my biological father's side of the family. I have met them before, but it has been about 10 years since I have seen any of them, or the rest of that side of my family. It was exciting and awkward and uncomfortable at times (especially because my dad was there, but that is a whole other story). But I loved being surrounded by a family that I remember little about, but they still seemed to embrace me without any second thoughts.

What concreted my resolution was this:

On the left is my very first best friend from childhood, Ashley. The picture is us with her Nana when we were much, much younger. Cute, huh? Well, she now is married to a wonderful guy named Zeph, and they have a beautiful little girl named Teighlor. It made me so happy to meet them and be a part of her life again. There are so many things I have missed and I can't wait to catch up in the next year! I plan on visiting them in Rockport, Texas, as much as humanly (and financially) possible. I absolutely will not lose her again :)))

This is me and her adorable baby, Teighlor, who has completely stolen my heart <3

A Little More Randomness

2009-08-06T14:25:00.003-04:00

So continues my series of you getting to know me. This is a visual for you lovelies today. Ever since I was little I have had bright blue eyes, with one exception. The bottom half of my left eye is a brownish-green color. I have had a doctor tell me that it is a freckle on my eye, but most people who know me in real life will say it is much bigger than a normal freckle. My grandma used to tell me God couldn't decide which looked better, so he gave me the best of both worlds.

And I swear, if anyone has the balls to say it's like Kate Bosworth's eyes, I will kick you in those aforementioned balls. Her eyes are completely different colors, and mine are wayyyy cooler.

Success At Last

2009-08-05T16:16:00.003-04:00

When my bestie Kim was still living in Athens [and by the way, I miss her very much!], we would have a weekly lunch at the most amazing pizza place in town called Little Italy!

It has. . . character. I won't comment on some things I know about it, simply because I want you lovely readers to only focus on one thing: the food is so good, that we ate there weekly, sometimes more.

When you walk in, you order and they give you a number that they call out when your food is ready. Kim and I always aspired to get the number "01" or "00", but we never had any luck with this.

Last weekend I went to Little Italy for the first time without Kim, and I had a bittersweet moment there, that I mostly just wanted to share with her, but also with you lovelies. And here it is:

Yes, here it is. The golden ticket. The prize winner. We finally got one!

Miss you bunches, Kim Julie!!

As of Late

2009-08-03T13:53:00.004-04:00

So....I know it has been a couple days sans posting for me, and I sincerely apologize. But I have an excuse [dun dun da.....drum roll, please]: I was moving!

Yes, I finally moved out of a my icky old apartment and into my brand-spanking-new, absolutely beautiful townhome! How can I say this? I.Am.In.Love.

Here are pics of it empty; I solemnly swear that I will take more pics of the inside, once the boxes have been discarded :)

Did I mention there is a built-in surround sound system in the whole house?!?! Yeah.

Force of Nature

2009-07-30T12:38:00.004-04:00

My friend Brandon recently went on a trip to the beach for a month (what a lucky guy!!) and while he was there, he got to catch pictures of a rare weather event: a water spout!

I, personally, have always been fascinated with any kind of force of nature, whether it be tornados, floods, thunderstorms, whatever. I also tend to sleep through them, haha.

Of course, I'm sure y'all know that a water spout is basically a tornado over the water, but I am also pretty sure that most of y'all have never seen one, so I wanted to share his amazing photos with everyone!

Isn't that amazing???

Wednesday is for Randomness

2009-07-29T15:45:00.003-04:00

As I am sitting here at work, coding the most boring information in that you have ever come across, I am simultaneously racking my brain for a post idea. So many things crossed my mind that could turn into a series of posts, for example, places I've lived or guys I've dated. Seriously, not kidding, either one of those topics would take me a very long time to cover. And maybe I will. . . eventually.

Until then, I have settled on getting you a sneak peek into the girl behind the blog, by giving you a random fact/story/whatever about me! Doesn't that sound fun!?!?

[All together now class, act enthused for my sake, please :) ]

This fact was actually inspired by my little project at work: seeing as I am entering names of study participants into a new database, I started thinking about [what else!] names. Why people name their kids some of things they do. . . . well that is a rant for a whole other day.

Sooooooooooo. . . . getting on with it.

Do you know someone who goes by one name to their family and another to their friends? Or maybe one for everyday use and another especially for work?

Here is the secret about me: I used to go by a different name. [Ohhhh, big shocker, Kayla, because I'm sure you're the first to do that, hmphh, hmphh]

I am not saying that I coined the idea, I'm just giving you a random fact about myself that I feel like sharing today, so just enjoy. . . .

When I moved to a new school in 5th grade, there were a freaking ton of Kayla's in my grade. And I wanted to be an individual, of course, because I was an idealistic dreamer of a child. . . right.

Actually, I kind of just had an obsession with Cover Girl model Niki Taylor. She was on all the ads on the backs of my teenie magazines and she was beautiful and flawless, in my opinion. In an effort to follow in her shadow, I decided to become "Nikki" for the remainder of my middle school years, until I made yet another move to yet another state. It wasn't too far of a jump from my middle name [Nicole] but there was enough difference from my idol's to feel like I was accomplishing my individuality.

See? I told you she was beautiful :)

Picture from here.

Loved and Lost

2009-07-27T14:47:00.002-04:00

I failed to mention one event of the weekend in my recap post, and I did this on purpose. I felt that this certain detail deserved its own special post, and therefore, I am giving it one.

Sunday marked the 2 month anniversary of a friend's death. Her name was Kerri, and she was....something else. In a good way of course! She was nothing short of spectacular, and anything but ordinary. She crosses my mind each and every day, and I know she's probably yelling at me, "For God's sake, go lay out at the pool and get a tan! You're too damn pale!"

This post is dedicated to her and her family and friends. I hope she knows how much we miss her, and how much we always will.

Camping, But Not Really

2009-07-26T12:43:00.006-04:00

The weekend recap:

We went camping! Not that you couldn't already tell that from the title, but still, I'm repeating it because it was so incredibly fun!

It was a little last minute (in fact, I was given 15 minutes to get ready) and it involved 15 of the best people I have ever met. Most of them are my neighbors here in the Polo Club (represent! jk), and a couple were some randoms that each of us threw in, but still an all-together amazing group. We stayed at my friend Ashley's, went swimming by the dam, ate an awesome dinner her mom made us, went sight-seeing, and then, of course, hit the booze.

We also all squeezed into 2 tents, after smooshing 7 of us in a Jeep for a little tour around the town, we looked a little funny, here is a pic for your own viewing pleasure:

As you can tell, it was a tight squeeze, and especially a little scary going around curves....the one thing we had going for us was we weren't hammered at that point. Just kidding, but really, we weren't.....yet.

And here is the whole gang:

And the amazing view from the famous fire tower (part of the New Deal, I've been told, but I can never be sure with this group).

Anyways, there aren't too many pictures from later in the night, but just trust me when I say, this group is absolutely crazy together, and I had a blast.

And I think it was a totally appropriate send off for my bestie Kim, who is getting on her one way plane to St. Croix on Friday!

Oh, and I cannot forget to mention the McDonald's with the fireplace in it! That's right lovelies, I shall tell no lies and if I'm lying, I'm dying! This was the nicest fast food establishment I have ever seen.....watch out world, Mickey Ds is stepping up its game!!

Open to Visitors

2009-07-24T15:06:00.005-04:00

Welcome.

Welcome to my crazy-ass, topsy-turvy, upside-down, sideways, absolutely wonderful, and at times, completely enthralling life.

Welcome to the story of how I became amazing again.

Okay, enough welcomes already, you get the point.

My name is Kayla, and this is me:

I think, therefore I am. Just kidding. For real this time: I am 20 years old, a business student at the University of Georgia, and...and...and....

I think I'll let you decide the rest.

This is my 2nd attempt at a blog, and no, my first is not available. . . . I deleted it. [Insert evil smile here]. Simply because I want you to get to know me from this one, and, oh yeah, I'm not really a fan of flaunting my failures. Just kidding, once again, I just felt like it wasn't a very good representation of who I am or what I can do.

By the way, I say "just kidding" a lot. A lot. Mainly because, I usually am just kidding. I am sarcastic, and dearly love to laugh, so I crack a lot of jokes, even if they aren't funny :)

My best friend, Kimberly Julie, is why I'm here. She dragged me into this blogging mess with her cute and wonderfully addicting posts that I absolutely adore reading. Definitely go check her out. That is an order, by the way. She is about to move to St. Croix (in the Virgin Islands, for those of you who have never heard of it) and her life is about to be an adventure for the storybooks, so show your love and appreciation to the woman who is living the dream most of us, well, dream about.

She is patiently talking me through this blog world I am just entering, so if I screw up, we all know who to blame. Yes, you guessed it, I am just kidding.

Okay, so like I said, I am in Athens, GA, going to college, but I have lived all over the place. Not kidding here, lovelies. Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, and West Virginia. But not just in the same town while I was in those states, there were many involved in each. And no, I will not list them all, that would just be ridiculous and annoying, so don't even ask.

One of the things I look forward to the most about blogging is comments, and I dearly hope the comment thing works on this one, because it certainly did not on my last attempt and that was utterly frustrating.

So, please, please, please, with sugar and a chocolate-covered strawberry on top, leave me comments when you feel I'm doing something right, wrong, or otherwise. I probably won't fix it if it's wrong, because this is my blog, and if I like it then it can't be wrong, right? Anyone see my failure of logic in this paragraph? Yeah, me too.

Trying to end this introductory post has completely stumped me as of yet, and since I have no suggestions from the peanut gallery (uhmmph, cough cough, sarcastic humor again!), I guess I shall simply say, I'm open to visitors, so come visit me!

Oh yeah, and I should probably give some credit for the picture that I used for my header; I got this from my bestie Kim Julie, who acquired it from here. Hopefully this will be enough to keep me out of trouble :)