SPRING BREAK PART 2

W and I left for Chicago on Thursday after snuggling with Lucy all morning and making a quick stop at a grocery store for provel cheese. Have you heard of provel cheese? Have you tasted provel cheese? Smelled it? Dreamed about it? Thought about it for hours every day, wishing you could have just one more grilled provel cheese sandwich with tomato soup? ...no? I am the only one? I guess you're just missing out.
The drive to Chicago was long and painful, and, unfortunately for any and all reading, I didn't take any pictures. I think we were just so "go, go, go" that it never occurred to me to take any. I was a little sad when I realized it... but I also didn't want to be that person in a crowd of people taking pictures of buildings that could just as easily been found on Google. AND W and I were constantly getting lost on the train, on the street... in buildings... that it would have wasted time if I was snapping pictures.
Anyways, we had so much fun in Chicago. We stayed with a friend from high school (Tricia) who currently attends Columbia. The week as a whole was fabulous, but there was something extra special about staying in Chicago and feeling like I was on my own that has really given me something to look forward to. We took a tour of Columbia during Admitted Students Day. ASD was full of the usual: workshops for prospective majors, financial aid meetings, time management, blah, blah, blah. Even though it wasn't anything I haven't heard from any other college planning meeting or orientation day, I think it helped me decide that Columbia is the right place for me. They addressed any grievance I ever had at MSU, and I feel like I will be really happy living in the city. AHHHH! I CAN'T WAIT!
So: day-by-day:
Thursday we made it to Chicago after about four and a half hours in the car. A 45 minute trip into the city (including bus, train, and walking about a bajillion blocks) lead us straight to Columbia for a gallery showing and meet/greet with The Guerilla Girls. I didn't know who they were before last week, but I'm glad Tricia made us go because it was awesome. The Guerilla Girls were pretty inspiring... they make me proud to be a loud mouth kind of lady. Tricia, W, and I went out for amazing sushi afterwards. Mmmmm.
Friday was Admitted Students Day at Columbia. Basically the day was pretty boring and scheduled from 9:30 until 3 when W and I decided to sneak out a little early to catch a train to Michigan for a little shopping. We hit the pants jackpot at Gap.
Saturday we woke up a little later, got ready a little slower, and stopped for breakfast bagels at Panera before getting a little lost on our route to Shedd Aquarium. After about 20 minutes of being lost and 30 minutes on a bus, we finally got to the aquarium only to turn around and go back to the bus stop because the line was about 300 people deep and the wind was a howlin'. W was really disappointed, but I couldn't wait in the line and the wind... next time we will wake up super early and be the first people in line! Since we had all the extra time, we went to The Cheesecake Factory for lunch. Long story short: found a long hair in my fish taco and flipped out. The food was a HUGE disappointment, but the cheesecake was to die for. Next time I'm only getting cheesecake.
We left the city around 7:30 and made it home by 11:30. It was basically the best vacation I've had in a long time, and I would like to attribute it to my awesome travel partner. No one has shown me as much patience, sweetness, and love. Like crazy.

SPRING BREAK PART 1

My first Spring Break without my parents was a success. I was pretty nervous about going without them. "What if the car breaks down?" "What if we get lost?" "Who is going to calm me down when I freak out?" This all may seem a little extreme for a 19-year-old, but I tend to have little freak out sessions when things don't go as I expect them to.

W and I started our vacation on Sunday... sort of. He made the trek from the east side, and we sat around watching movies all day and working on schoolwork. It was really nice to just chill out together for the day, considering we would be on the go for the next week. I had a normal Monday, and he stayed at home with Libbey. I think the two probably spooned all day and watched action movies, but he didn't disclose too much information.

We left the house around 8 on Tuesday morning to set out for St. Louis. I drove first considering I woke W up about three hours before he would have regularly started his day. We listened to Tell All by Chuck Palahniuk for about three hours before I gave up trying to understand what was going on - chirp, rawr, skiirt! A quick stop at a gas station/McDonald's combo for lunch (we made PB&J, but W really wanted a hash brown and I really wanted a Shamrock Shake... so we splurged) and we were on the road again. We made it to St. Louis around 2:30 - just in time to see little Lucy wake up from a nap! 

I am so in love with that little baby. It's really silly... I know that moms and dads always love their kids unconditionally from before they're even born, but I never expected to love her this much! I was always excited to meet her... feeling her kick and bop around in Katie's belly, buying her sweet little clothes and kick-ass cowboy boots, seeing her ultrasound pictures... And I knew I would love her; she is my first niece/nephew-type baby... I guess I just was anticipating so much unconditional love. Even when she spit up on me a little (although it seemed like a bucket of puke at the time), I still wanted to snuggle her up. I just cant get enough of her. Holding her, kissing her face, seeing her smiles... it's hard to look at her and not say things like "You are so smart, Lucy. You are the smartest, sweetest, most beautiful and kind baby in the whole world." I know it sounds a little fruity, but it's totally how I feel.

Wednesday we met up with Katie's sister Kristen and her daughter Lilah to visit the St. Louis Zoo. Lucy slept the whole time... she didn't even wake up to see the baby elephant (who was almost as adorable as Lucy). But we still had a really great time. We ate lunch at Fitz's. Since Spring Break is during Lent, I usually let myself indulge in a sweet or two during the week. I had limited self-control at Fitz's and ordered a huge root beer float. No regrets.

Thursday we made a quick stop at Old Navy to use my Gap Employee Discount for the very first time. Also no regrets. We had to leave pretty early in order to make it to Chicago before rush hour, so the morning was low-key with as much baby snuggling as possible before we had to leave. 

SPRING BREAK

In high school, Spring Break meant that I got to go somewhere warm. My parents and I would pack ourselves up and take ourselves out. I always had wonderful spring vacations.
This year will be no exception. W and I are packing ourselves up and taking ourselves out just like my parents and I did every year before now. We're jamming a cooler full of fruit and bread and driving my little car to St. Louis to sleep on my sister's futon and snuggle with little baby Lucy.

LOTTERY

2/23/12 by mjeanne featuring a cheetah print blazer

LE WEEK-END + NEW JOB + WONDERFUL NEWS

(Le Week-End) This weekend was very eventful.
Friday, I had my second interview at (New Job) Gap for a sales associate position. Hired! I can't wait! The benefits are awesome, I think I'm  really going to get along with my coworkers, and I finally get to have a job in retail. The stars have aligned, my friends.
My mom and I went shopping to find some clothes for her to take to Florida with her this week. I stumbled upon an Anthropologie I had no idea existed! I can't believe I've never been there before! It's HUGE. Like, HUGE. I mean, I guess I've never been to an actual Anthro store before, so I had no idea how big they are. When I get my first place, I am going to save up my money so I can have beautiful things from Anthropologie and Ikea.
Sunday I had orientation at Gap along with an absurd amount of homework I'd put off all weekend. (Wonderful News) Whilst scrounging around my email to find some things I'd sent myself, I stumbled upon my acceptance letter (or email, really) to Columbia College Chicago! It was so exciting! Well, it still is exciting! I'm going to try and add in as many exclamation points as I can right now until you understand how exciting this is! I can't wait.
Being accepted to Columbia also makes me a little nervous... Moving to a big city where I basically know no one is intimidating. It means I would have to find an apartment. It means I would have to pay rent and buy my own groceries. It means I would have to take the subway or train... alone. It means I would have to walk around a big, strange city at night... alone. It means I would have to try and make friends, and as a transfer who wouldn't live in the dorms how would I do that? It's nerve-wracking. And if I am this nervous, how will my mom handle it? I just really don't know.
But I want this. I've wanted this for a long time, and I've decided to dive head - first into it. I can handle it. It's not a big deal. I'll be okay... everything will be okay, and I am still so excited to see what happens!

LOTTERY

2/16/12 by mjeanne featuring see through shades

LE WEEK-END

Every time I see W, I wonder why we live so far away. Most people are spoiled because they get to see their other half on a regular basis. Our basis is not so regular. The weeks we spend apart between visits seem to drag on, and the short little weekends we get together never seem like enough.
This weekend was our Valentine's Day celebration. I am a fan of Valentine's Day. I would say, "Who isn't?" but I know lots of people hate V-Day. I guess I've never really had a bad one, though. Sure, there was the year that a boyfriend broke my heart just a week before the big day, but my greatest friends took me out for a surprise dinner that ended up being the best Valentine's Day I've ever had.

So W and I decided to celebrate with the most frightening movie I've ever seen in my entire life - The Woman in Black - and sushi. While most people have been pretty apprehensive about Daniel Radcliffe appearing in something other than Harry Potter, I was excited to asess his actual acting talent. It's difficult to judge his acting skills based solely on HP... I mean, my generation literally grew up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. We are biased. I'm happy to say that I think he did really well, at least from what I saw. I spent the majority of the movie with my hands over my face, whispering how scared I was. A woman sitting near us in the theater actually got up, said to W and I "This is just too scary for me... I need a drink," and left! It was ridiculous!
Sushi was good, as always. It's kind of difficult to mess up my favorite - the Spicy California Roll, and W ordered an array of tempura rolls... also kind of hard to mess up. But it was good! We were happy!
Sunday was a very hectic day. W's sister Annie is moving to Costa Rica to work for the Peace Corps, and Sunday was her going away party. It was a family effort to prepare for the approximate guest list of 100. While we had some ups and downs with the rice cooker, I think everything turned out pretty well.
W and I decided to start a tumblr to share things with each other. Appropriately dubbed "139" for the number of miles that sit between us, it's going to be a kind of diary or journal to document our days, our successes, and our disappointments. You are the peanut butter to my jelly, my very best friend. I love you, W.