Ah, that feels nice.

I need to give you a little bit of background before I jump into this story.

Once upon a time I had a BFF (we'll call her Mary Lou Sue Who or Mary for short) whom I could talk to for hours and hours and hours and never run out of things to say. We just got each other. But we were so much alike, that we did bump heads every now again, but nothing serious. Eventually we became roommates and it was so much fun. At the beginning. Then started to drive each other nuts and would get angry with one another for using the last bit of shampoo or toothpaste or something else really stupid.

Mary eventually moved out and we completely stopped talking. I really can't even remember now what the actual demise was.

So I keep having this reoccurring dream that I ask her to be my bridesmaid. I haven't talked to her in 2 years. Nothing. We went from hanging out every day to just nothing.

Well finally, after having the dream about 5 times, I decided to email her. I was actually nervous writing the email because I wasn't sure how she'd react or if she'd even bother to email me back. I said something along the lines of, "I know I'm probably the last person you expected to hear from, but I just wanna say that I am sorry for everything that happened that lead us to not speaking and that I hope life is treating you well."

Ten minutes later, I get an email back. She was soooo excited to hear from me and said that she was debating on whether or not to congratulate me on my engagement (small town, remember? news travels) and that she missed talking to me and that she was sorry too.

Since then we've emailed each other like 10 times. Then we exchanged numbers with promises to call.

It feels good. Even if we never actually become BFFs again and start hanging out everyday, I feel very happy that we are on good terms.

Weird things kids do.

Remember in school when one person would buy something and then suddenly it was the cool thing to own until that person or someone else moved onto something else? You know, like Pokemon cards, Pogs, Walkmans, etc?


We had a temp in at work earlier this week and her name was Bianca. Every time I heard it, I thought of Binaca Breath Spray.

And I remembered when pretty much every girl in my class (like 8th grade) carried around Binaca like it was THE coolest thing in the world. Then of course, I got to thinking. What else did the girls in my class go coo-coo over?

1. Mint Strips. Nasty as hell, but we all had them in our pockets after the Binaca went out of style.

2. Tamagotchis. Do you all remember these things? You had to take care of them, like feed them and play with them, or they’d die (I think). Not sure what the appeal was.

3. Clear Lip Gloss. Every girl in our damn school looked like they were drooling at the mouth because they had layers and layers of clear lip gloss on. At any given time you could see a girl pull a tube out of her pocket and smear it on. I may or may not have had a large supply of clear lip gloss.

4. The Backpack Purse. To carry all that lip gloss of course.

5. Beaded Bracelets. This is a really sucky picture but it was the only one I could find with the very specific type of beaded bracelet. If you got any other kind, it wasn't cool.

6. Water Bottles. Yeaaaah. We would freeze water overnight, take it to school the next day and sip on it all day long as it melted. Don't ask, because I'm still unsure.

What were some odd fads when you were growing up?

Wee Bit Wednesdays

{one} what’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?

A blind date with some dude that thought he should try to make out with me and squeeze my hand like it was going to leave my arm through the entire movie. And it was Avatar. Long movie.

{two} if you could be any other person for one day, who would it be?

Angelina Jolie just so I could see Brad Pitt naked. :)

{three} what is your favorite kind of cheese?

Provolone, but I pretty much love all cheese.

{four} do you remember your 1st grade teacher?

I remember what she looks like but I can't remember her name.

{five} who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?

My BFF. She's a good listener.

{six} were you ever in a school talent show?

Um, I don't think so.

{seven} who is your favorite fictional character?

Oh good one. Probably Alice from Alice in Wonderland.

{eight} can you open your eyes underwater?

As long as its not salt water.

{nine} do you look at the keyboard when you type?

Only when I need to type numbers.

{ten} when was the last time you took a nap?

Saturday for like 20 minutes.

Jumble Bells

With the help of Amy, my wedding blog, Jumble Bells, is now up and running!

So, for all of you that could care less about my wedding, you don't have to read it!

And for all of you that do care...come on over!

Saving Money

So, no wedding blog yet. Actually I still can't think of a title, but anyways. I have some exciting news to share with you guys.

I am really racking my brain trying to cut costs in every way I can. Weddings are freaking expensive in case you haven't heard.

My awesome dad is covering most of the costs, but the decorations, invitations, programs, and dress are up to me. So how do I save money on flowers?

Step 1.
Decide that fake flowers will be just as nice as real flowers, especially when you have an aunt that is crafty as hell and would absolutely LOVE to put together some nice flower arrangements for you.

Step 2.
Shop around local crafts stores and Wal Mart. Realize that paying $2.00 per FAKE rose is ridiculous and start feeling like a failure.

Step 3.
Call sister and complain. When she seems distracted and acts likes she doesn't care if you can't afford flowers for a wedding, hang up and pout.

Step 4.
Put on a determined face and turn to the interwebs.

Step 5.
Ebay.

Step 6.
Find a seller that is offering 252 red roses for $37.99 with FREE shipping.

Step 7.
Faint.

Step 8.
Realize that it's too good to be true and start researching.

Step 9.
Determine that the seller has tons of positive feedback and the flowers have a 60 day money back guarantee.

Step 10.
Then debate with yourself whether or not it is too early to buy flowers.

Step 11.
Tell self to shut the hell up and click Buy already.

Step 12.
Do a happy dance because you just saved $466.01.

Cha Ching.

Come Closer...I Have Something to Show You

So...Fiance's best friend happens to go to art school and is an excellent photographer.

A week before our vacation/engagement he took our pictures.

I'm thinking....these could totally be engagement pictures. I only have a few of them back so far and I know I never ever share photos of myself, but hey, I love you guys and I think its about time you see us! And once I get them all back, maybe I'll hold a vote and you guys can pick which one(s) will go in the newspaper, save the dates and what not. Yeah? Yay!

And that's only 4 out of 120!

Also, I am thinking about starting a separate blog for wedding stuff in true Steph fashion so that people who could care less about my wedding don't have to read it! What do you guys think? I know...I know...I can barely keep up with Jumble Mash. Shush. :)

The Freebie Five

I'm linking up with Amy today to share with you my 5 Celebrity Freebies. The 5 celebrities that you can sleep with and not get in trouble! Here I go!

One.

Brad Pitt. Surprised? Yeah, I didn't think so. Ever since Meet Joe Black, I've been in love with Brad. I mean come on, he's gorgeous. Maybe not so much anymore...but that's Angelina's fault. Totally.

Two.

Have ALWAYS loved Ryan Reynolds, but it wasn't until he played Dead Pool that I added him to my list. *Swoon*

Three.

When I saw Gerard Butler in 300, I was all "HOT DAMN" but then he won my heart in P.S. I Love You.

Four.

John Krasinski is my dork. I absolutely adore him. You may know him as Jim Halpert.

Five.

Eric Dane. Aka McSteamy. Yummy. And I just noticed. I have a thing for dimples.

The Story

First: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE LOVELY MESSAGES!!!! They were seriously 20 times better than the messages my RL friends sent me. I was more excited to check the blog than to check my Facebook for comments! Imagine that!

Anyways....

Are you all anxious to hear my engagement story? No? Well too bad, cuz I'm gonna tell you anyway :)

We woke up to an absolutely gorgeous morning on Friday  (Friday the 13th might I add) and decided we would check out the Maid of the Mist.

Source

We got very lucky with missing crowds the entire vacation and the Maid was no exception. We only waited ten minutes before we got on the boat and made our way to the falls. It was freezing and really windy and really wet but it was amazing. A site that cannot be explained with words.

Feeling pretty freaking giddy about the whole thing, we got off the boat, took some pictures of ourselves in our ponchos and determined that we were hungry.

From the very start of vacation planning, I insisted that we just HAD to check out the Top of the Falls Restaurant.

Right behind where I stood to take this photo was the waterfall. Amazing view.

To get to the restaurant, you have to walk across Goat Island which is beautiful. It has trails that lead you right down to the falls.

Looks like you are pretty much in the water! And that bridge you see in the background? That's the bridge to Canada. But we couldn't go across because we didn't have passports. Boo.

Anywho...so upon walking to the restaurant, we happen upon a little trail off of the path that led right down to the water that was getting ready to go over the falls.

That's Boyfriend Fiance (that's going to take some getting use to), checking out the rapids. BUT! He was actually plotting!

I turned around to look at the water and watch it rush passed us. Then I turned around and he was on one knee.

It took my breath and I stared at him. He smiled and said, "Will you marry me?"

And I said squealed, "Are you serious?"

He shook his head and then I started jumping up and down saying "Yes, Yes, Yes" over and over again.

Then we kissed. Then we hugged. And then we cried.

It was truly perfect.

Now, I am pretty certain that I am going to have a heart attack before the wedding planning is over. Everyone is shouting out ideas and telling me things I HAVE to get and what I should skip. Like, I had no idea there were SO MANY DETAILS.

I've only been to two weddings. Ever. And the first one, I was like 5.

So I'm kinda hoping I can afford a wedding planner. Anyone need a job? :)

News from Niagara Falls

I am engaged!!!!
Boyfriend Fiance took me to a little place off the beaten path that was right next to the water on a huge rock. I looked out at the water and when I turned around he was on one knee. We both cried. I asked him if he was messing with me. He said no. And then just like that...we are engaged.

Don't make me miss lunch

So a good friend of mine just recently got a new job which just HAPPENS to be next door to my office. We keep trying to get together and go to lunch, but he’s a real estate agent (no I haven’t told him about the phone calls) and out of the office a lot so it’s been difficult trying to get together.


Here is our last text conversation:

Him: Hey, white rain (he calls me white rain and I have no idea why), let’s go to lunch today.

Me: Ok, what time?

Him: Like 2?

Me: 2:00?? I will flippin starve by then. I was thinking more like 11:00. Noon at the latest.

Him: I won’t be in the office until around 2.

Me: Well, we will have to try again another day.

Him: Dammit. What if I bring you some cookies…will you wait til two then?

Me: Hmmm….

Him: Cookies with icing in the middle?

Me: Deal.

Drops me off cookies before he leaves

Yummy. (not the actual cookies, but similar)

 ....and then at 2:00…

Him: Can’t make it, still showing a house.

Me: You son of a bitch.

Him: Don’t hate me. We’ll go tomorrow.

Me: I will have died by then of malnutrition. You can come to my funeral tomorrow.

Him: If you died today, your funeral wouldn’t be tomorrow.

Me: Yes it would. I have the right to a speedy funeral.

Him: I think that’s speedy trial.

Me: Fine, I’ll take you to court for neglecting me. You can get in trouble for that, ya know?

Him: Only if I’m your guardian.

Me: I can create fake documents that will say I’m underage and that you are my legal guardian. Then I’ll tell everyone that you don’t feed me.

Him: I’ll pay for lunch tomorrow.

Me: Ok. Have a good day and I hope you find a buyer!



So I’ve come to the conclusion that people can get away with a lot of things if they bribe me with food

Allow me to vent?

There is so much speculation going around my office this week that I am about to buy a pair of noise canceling ear phones so I don't hear them anymore.

Apparently, those here that survived the last merger (10 years ago) think they have a pretty good idea of how it's going to go down. We will all be re-interviewed and will have to list all of our job duties and what not. Then most of the senior management will be moved, fired, or asked to retire early. A couple people in our office have already started packing up their things. SCARY. Me? I'm business as usual until they kick me out. Actually, I've been working harder. In the words of Jim Halpert, "I only slack off when things are good."

We heart it

My boss thinks that all of our files will be internally audited. And that really sucks considering I have four SEPERATE filing systems.

It took me eight hours to reorganize one of them. Three more to go.

My biggest worry though, besides losing my job of course, is the change in benefits. Right now, our benefits are company paid. Will that remain? Because having to pay for my benefits will take a HUGE chunk out of my paycheck if I want them to be as good as they are now. Not to mention, I get tuition reimbursement now. Will that continue?

Will we still get all of our vacation? Will we get sick days? Will we get an opportunity to speak with someone and let them know our career and promotion goals? Who will my boss be?

We heart it

So many unanswered questions and you know what the new company has told us? Not a damn thing.

But you know what? I'm going on vacation next week and I've decided, that from this point on, I'm not worrying about it until I get back. Maybe not even then. Worrying changes nothing.

Niagara Falls..here I come.

We heart it

Thank you guys so much for listening. I know I've been a crappy blogger lately, and haven't been commenting on all of your blogs, but I am still reading, I am keeping up as much as I can. I love you all and all of your support!

Wee Bits

{one} when was the last time you used a pay phone (if ever)?

Like 5 years ago. Where I lived before didnt have cell phone towers and when my car ran outta gas, I had to walk to a pay phone.

{two} did you ever fail a subject in school?

Nope.

{three} where do you go to get your favorite hamburger/cheeseburger?

I don't eat hamburger...so nowhere!

{four} have you ever served jury duty?

Nope, thank God.

{five} how old were you when you moved out of your parents’ house?

It was like 5 months after my 18th birthday.

{six} what is your favorite color to wear?

Red, probably.

{seven} do you have a pair of shoes that you wear all the time?

Yes, I have had a pair of flip flops for like 10 years that I refuse to give up. They are so worn out that just about everyone comments on them (not kindly) but they are so perfectly formed to my feet. I can't get rid of them.

{eight} do you enjoy talk radio?

I listen to in the mornings on my drive to work, but that's about it.

{nine} if you could turn one unhealthy food into a healthy one, what food would it be?

Wow. Good question. Probably pizza.

{ten} who is the best speaker you’ve ever heard in person?

Erm, I don't think I've ever heard a public speaker to be honest.

Wow.

What a day.

Of course, most of you have probably heard about the death of Osama Bin Laden. If not, just go to yahoo.com and its all.over.the.place.

I never really thought about what would happen after he died, let alone if he died from a Navy Seal's bullet, but I never expected this.




Yeah, that is my town. I expected it in NYC, but here? Not so much.

So about an hour into work this morning, everyone gathered in the kitchen talking about Bin Laden, we get an announcement to meet in the conference room.

We sit down, our boss walks in and says, "We have been bought out. Blah Coal Company will take over in 45 days."

Wow.

In 45 days....I may not have a job. BUT I'm keeping an open mind and hoping that it will be a good thing. The take over will make us the second largest coal producer in the country. Hopefully that's good enough to keep our jobs.

We'll see.