Goodbye MI Hello PA

Today is the day I have been waiting for this ENTIRE month. I get to make the 8 hour drive home to visit until Monday. Looking forward to seeing my family, my new niece, my bestie, getting a haircut from my haircutter, and just enjoying a relaxing time. 

Can't wait to hang out in this backyard! 

{picture via personal photo}

PA here I come! 

Shopping Trip

Decided to treat myself to a little retail therapy this week, not that there is anything in my life right now that needs therapy for, but honestly any excuse to shop sounds good to me!

{all pictures via personal photos}

My shopping included a new sports bra.

 Front of this adorable flower shirt I almost didn't see

 This is the back. It has a cute button hole at the top.

OBSESSED with this grandpa sweater. I got it oversized to wear with leggin's, I know it's going to be my favorite thing to wear this winter.

High low sheer pink shirt.

I have been searching for a good pair of black skinny's for awhile.

 AND finally my favorite find. This jean vest. I want to pair it with a white dress and fun scarf, but there are so many options for it.

This trip also included some intimates and only cost me $80! Find these at Aerie or American Eagle (keep in mind I get an employee discount). 

Missing PSU

The oddest feeling has come over me in the past week, with Penn State students heading back to school and for the first time I won't be joining them. Graduating is obviously such a great accomplishment, but I am missing it so bad. I miss my crazy friends, roommate, the bars, the beautiful buildings, the BJC, THON, my apartment, I miss absolutely everything. I thought I would take a walk through my senior year and all things that I miss!

{all pictures via personal photos}

One of the things I miss is THON, the community, the great cause, everything about it. 

 Being apart of the entire Penn State experience and leaving literally my handprint on State College.

I miss my fantastic apartment! And how it could be decorated super crazy and that was acceptable.

 I miss the little traditions of Penn State (like the Willard Preacher) And I miss the crazy students that go to Penn State

 I miss late night McDonalds after drinking

 I miss my roommate!

 I miss being able to let completely loose.

 I miss getting as many people as possible together and going out.

 I miss dancing all night long with my favorite people.

 I miss monkey boys (the drink below).

I miss these people and spending days on end with them.

Most of all I miss this beautiful campus and the experience I had there.

I got an incredible education and enjoyed every minute of being apart of the Penn State experience. I hope the students that are there now and to come truly enjoy the time spent there because it goes by too quickly. 

Summertime Reading

I am a HUGE reader. I didn't have much time to read during the year while I was in college, but once summer hit I had a list of about 30 books to get through. Last summer I read the Fifty Shades of Grey series that everyone was raging about so when I heard that their was a similar series out I had to read it. The Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day is a great read if you liked Fifty Shades. I have been distracted from finishing the final book of the series, but hope to finish it up on one of my days off. Josh's mom gave me her old kindle to finish the third book on and although I am a paperback book girl the kindle has actually been easy to read on and I forget its a kindle as I'm reading. I still can't help but feeling like a trader still!

{picture via Sylvia Day}

Chef Boyfriend

My boyfriend is an amazing cook. Don't be jealous, it's tastes better than it looks. AND is always paired with a delicious drink, wine, beer, gimlets, vernors, mimosas. Sunday dinner has slowly become a tradition since we don't actually get to eat dinner together most nights. As I type he is in the kitchen preparing something that looks and smells delicious for tonights dinner!

{all pictures via personal photos}

DIY: Bottlecaps

About a year ago I started collecting as many beer bottle caps as I could get my hands on. It was definitely a group effort between Josh the biggest contributor, my parents, and especially his parents who are also big beer drinkers. Being college students we just stole them from bars and friends. My original goal was to make coasters for my college apartment. I figured you only have 4 years to have trashy decor in your apartment and have it be acceptable and I wanted to participate. BUT this never happened so I graduated with about 2000 bottle caps and nothing to do with them...

I started to brainstorm what to do with them and decided a house warming gift from my boyfriend was necessary. I wanted to find a way for it to be considered art rather than just a bunch of beer bottle caps soooo this is what I came up with. 

{picture via personal photo}

I used the Detroit D and painted it onto a black piece of scrapbook paper with just a white paint marker. I also bought a shadow box to put it in, and glued the bottle caps around the D. I think it turned out pretty good and Josh really liked it!

Sorry for the lack of pictures this was from the days before blogging. 

I have some future bottle cap goals since I have SO MANY left. These are some ideas I found from Pinterest. I'm thinking lots of Christmas gifts!

{pictures via Pinterest}

Morning Runs

The start of this summer I got on a running kick since we live right on the river in Detroit. It's such a pretty view so I for the first time in my life ran almost every morning. Since I've been busy the last couple of weeks I have been majorly slacking, BUT this morning I forced myself to get up early before it got to hot and head out for run and it felt soooo good. It makes it so much nicer to run when your view is beautiful. 

{picture via personal photo}

{video via personal video}

Loved Ones

As I talked about in my last post Joshua and I are planning a trip home at the end of August and I couldn't be more excited to see my family. I am truly lucky to have the family and friends that I am surrounded with. I would love to share how awesome these people really are.

First is the amazing people who I am forever thankful for giving birth to me. My mom and dad are beyond supportive and I owe them for raising me to be the independent person I am. My mom has set out to lose weight over the past couple years and has taught me what determination really is. My dad is the most hardworking man I know and has taught me you work for what you want, nothing is just handed to you. 

My parents also raised another amazing person, my brother. He recently married a women that makes him incredibly happy which of course makes me happy. My brother and I have a fun relationship where we still act like we are little kids in the same house fighting, but I know he would do anything for me.

And if my brother wasn't cool enough he had some pretty cool kids. He has two kids from a previous marriage and new baby that I am patiently waiting to meet. This picture describes there relationship perfectly. They are not only the worlds cutest kids, but they are so good and fun. 

This is such a funny poised picture, as true brother and sister when it was over he probably kicked her 

This little doll baby is my newest niece that I already love without even meeting her

Every girl needs a best friend and I found mine in the 7th grade. She's probably the funniest person I have ever met. Knowing I can literally call her at anytime of the night or day and she will talk me out of whatever life ending event I think I'm going through makes me love her even more. 

This is her boyfriend (that I set her up with :)

Isn't she super pretty!

If your a lucky girl you also have a boyfriend or husband by your side. Joshua an I met junior year of high school and immediately became close friends. Although Josh was ready to date me right away it took be until freshman year of college to realize I couldn't live without him. He is the typical boy that isn't super romantic or sensitive, but he is always there for me. He bends over backwards to help, support me, and love me. On top of it all he is so freaking cute.

If it wasn't for Josh I obviously wouldn't have met his incredible family. I feel so lucky that from day 1 Josh's family welcomed me with open arms. They are so much fun and so supportive with everything I do. His little sister is the sister that I never had and I'm so happy I'm able to be so close to all of them. 

{all pictures are personal or family photos}

Can you tell that I'm homesick?

Five on Friday: Life

Sorry I've been sucking so much lately, but I worked over 100 hours in the past two weeks has kept me away from my blog. BUT I did not forget about my Five on Friday this week. This week it's going to be five things you've missed out on during the past two weeks.

1. Beach Boys

This is long overdue. Josh was invited through his work to first do a meet and greet with the lead singer of the BEACH BOYS! I used to love them from the days of watching Full House (I'm showing my age I suppose) 

{picture via personal photo}

I even got a signed CD!

{picture via personal photo, sorry about the sideways pic}

Then it was concert time and it was AMAZING!

{video via personal photo}

We danced, enjoyed meeting Josh's co-workers, and singing songs I was surprised I knew. After the show we were invited backstage to meet the rest of the band.

{picture via personal photo}

2. Trip Home

Exciting news that I will be planning a trip home finally at the end of this month. I am missing these little perfect people. Nora is my newest niece and I haven't met her yet, so to say I'm excited is an understatement. Isaac and Kara are in the picture below passed out after a long day of bike riding. 

{picture via personal photo}

{picture via personal photo}

3. Store Open

Working over 100 hours in the past two weeks was not only amazing overtime, but exhausting. As I shared before I started a new job since I've moved to Detroit. We recently opened a brand new side by side AE and Aerie store in the mall. It opened Tuesday so my schedule will become a little more open. 

4. Kentucky

Update on our move to Kentucky, Josh finally got his "okay" to get the process going. Just waiting on a few things and we will be house hunting.

5. Drinks and Casino

After a very stressful work week, I joined Josh and a few of his friends for a night of drinking and gambling. 

First we started at the top of the GM building at Coach Insignia. 

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This is the amazing view from the top floor

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Then we hit the casino where I made $40.30 off of $5

{picture via personal photo}

This is a side note, but Josh packed my lunch one day last week and this is what I found on my PB&J. How cute is he!!!

{picture via personal photo}