June Update

Sorry it has been so long since I have updated. I have been kept on my toes at work and at home. There also isn't a pic to go with this post, because I am too freaking busy to take pictures! Lets see what happened in the last couple of weeks. Lori had her bachelorette in DesMoines which was awesome. I went to Ryan's family reunion which was interesting. And my old apartment is under water! Thank god for my job otherwise I would still be living there. Luckily no one I know has had anything damaged or lost in the flood water although a few of them are a little displaced.

Otherwise life is going well but busy! Ryan and I are going canoing next weekend and then heading to his aunt's in Nebraska for 4th of July. Things are busy and I will try to update later with some more fun news!

All Hell Breaks Loose

Run for your life! Kansas City, that town of greedy and debauchery is falling! This one is going to be a short post because I am at work and super busy but I loved this picture of Kansas City. The fire was on Tuesday night from a lightning strike on a gas holding tanks near the railroad. It burned for about 24 hours! Ryan and I could see it from the living room windows and we had fun watching it on TV and in real life at the same time. It was crazy. So far we have survived all the storms that have been hitting the city, it is an advantage to live in a super old brick building with giant wooden beams! Tonight is First Friday and Ryan and I are going to go see my Beautiful and Talented Aunt Mary perform with her African Drumming group. Tomorrow it is off to DSM for Lori's bachelorette. Wish me luck!

The Pool House Invades KC

Kansas City was decimated this weekend by a group of attractive and thirsty girls from around the country! You guessed it...Pool House Reunion 2008!

The usual suspects were all there in their finest. Annie Rossi flew from California to attend the star studded event in her new ultra hot bod! Rachel Allen took time from her busy law student schedule to take in the sights (and beers) of KC. Laura Berger came in her limo from Iowa to reunite with her long lost friends. And the illustrious Katie Korn was also in attendance, cutting her tour of Texas short to join the group in Missouri.

"When these girls get together it is one gala of an event!" said innocent bystander Kate Pickett. The group invaded on Thursday night (or in Annie's case early Friday morning) and stayed at the residence of Kate Pickett and Ryan McNair, one of Kansas City's most beloved couples. As is tradition with all Pool House Reunion's Ryan was sent on an all expenses paid (by himself) trip to Minnesota to leave the girls time to giggle and watch Princess Diaries.

Friday we caught the girls getting their hair cut at Chop Tops, one of Kansas City's most unique salons. That afternoon the girls were sighted at the Boulevard Brewery tour enjoying some original brews. Apparently that wasn't enough beer for the group when the went to dinner at the River Market brewery enjoying more local tastes.

Saturday the girls helped the lagging economy by visiting the local shopping centers, Oak Park Mall and the Plaza before getting glitzed up for an appearance at Jack Stack BBQ Restaurant. The group was caught up in a fairly embarrassing incident at JP Wine Bar later that night but their publicists refuse to comment.

Sunday the group enjoyed the red pandas and sea otters at the Kansas City Zoo. The girls left, slightly pinker than they arrived, to enjoy snacks and drinks at another KC eatery before hunkering down for the night with BBQ and beer.

Kansas City was deemed safe again for average citizens when the group departed early Monday morning. Scattering to the winds until next year's reunion...watch out Baltimore!

24 and loving it!

I can't believe that I am 24 already! I suppose it should come as no surprise to me but it kinda snuck up. I visited Iowa City to celebrate the big 2-4 with my buddies from JVA while Ryan went to a sky diving boogie in Brooklyn.

This weekend has helped me, once again, to realize how lucky I am! I have a pretty great life! Great friends, a great boyfriend, a great job, an awesome apartment, a supportive family and financial security that some people don't get a chance to enjoy. I am very grateful for everything that life has given me and I hope that someday I can help people with my success.

OK. I am done with the mushy existential crap. On to what I got! Michelle and Mel gave me an awesome case of the crabs! Actually I got a fun pack from them with a super cute purse, crab pate and cup (which I enjoyed eating my dinner on this week), twizzlers (I blame all my weight gain on them) and a tennis type game to play outside. My grandmother and aunt and uncle gave me money which I promptly spent on decking out my new phone with jazzy stuff to make it into an mp3 player. My parents gave me an awesome piece of art and are going to pay to have it framed (once that is done i will put up a pic). And my sweet Ryan gave me a headlamp, some camping stuff, a date with a personal trainer and a facial at a local spa. All in all a pretty good haul for 24.

Well I am going to go love my wonderful life a little bit more by watching Juno (which was also purchased by my grandmother and relatives). Don't expect any news for a while. The Pool House Reunion is in less than a week and I totally plan on falling off the face of the planet in to my girlfriends arms to shop and laugh and once again, love my life!

Back to the Future of the Past

Well Ryan and I celebrated another awesome first friday this weekend. We had a great time running around crossroads. There was a guy who had outfitted his dilorian just like Back to the Future! It was awesome. I took a bunch of pictures so look for a great pic from me and Ryan for x-mas!

Meanwhile I am experiencing financial fustratingness. I am trying to save money for the pool house reunion in just a few weeks. But now matter how hard I try this seems to be amazingly hard to do! I can't figure it out! I finally have a job but I can't seem to pay the bills! How is that possible!? I will keep trying and hope it all works out in the end.

But I am still looking forward to the Pool House Reunion in just a couple of weeks! Hopefully we can have an awesome weekend without spending too much money. I can't wait for all the girls to be here so we can party! I am headed to IC in a week to celebrate my 24th b-day with some buddies. Ryan is heading up with me to go skydiving in Brooklyn and then we are driving back on Sunday in time for mother's day dinner at Pank's! I love mother's day and this year it will fall on my bday. Hopefully, bday will provide some financial assistance or at least something fun and shiny to distract my from my banking woes!

Ooo! I almost forot. Ryan and I went to go see Iron Man yesterday. It was awesome! I won't ruin it for anyone but I really loved it! I want to go again!

Wedding Bells

As I promised last time...Lori's getting married! Ha! I bet you thought it was me, well you're wrong. I will try to make this quick as I am on break from work and have to go back on desk in 10 min. Lori and Tom got engaged a couple of weeks ago and are getting married in Aug/Sept in Ankeny. Everyone is excited, including Jemma. I went dress shopping with Jemma and Lori in Ankeny. Jemma is getting to be quite the photographer. Does it amaze anyone else that a 3 year old knows how to work a digital camera most 50 year-olds don't get?

Ryan and I dropped by Ankeny on our way to the Freeman Spring Concert just a few weeks ago in Ames! It was another great year at the concert. About 2,000 people showed up for Amber Pacific, the headliner from Seattle. No one who they were but we all enjoyed the show. It was a long night but well worth the effort. I did miss several people who weren't at the concert this year because they have more of a life than Ryan and I. Next year I think we might hang back...unless they finally get Jason Mraz. Then you know I want to be his band host!

I wish I had a picture to post. Sadly, Enrique my latin laptop has be experiencing viruses lately. Ryan is supposed to be at home right now, diligently saving Enrique's life, but we all know that he isn't. Hopefully these matters will be cleared up soon and I can get the pics of Lori's wedding dress of there before she kills me! I will share a sneak peak when I can! Until then, it is time to head back to my noble duty of staffing the youth desk while a small chinese girl talks to me in a language I can't understand. Sounds confusing and it is!

Naked Sushi!

Yes I have actually eaten sushi off a naked woman! Doesn't that make me cool? Actually I took this pictures at First Friday in April but it has taken me a while to get it up. First Friday is when all the art galleries in KC open their doors and give you free food and wine in the hopes that you will buy their overpriced art! We didn't buy any art but we did gladly eat their food and drink their wine while looking at art an acting pretentious!

After that I went to KLA (Kansas Library Association) conference in Wichita. There wasn't a lot to do there because our library is sooo far ahead of the curve of most Kansas libraries. But I got some good networking in.

This last weekend Ryan and I visited Ames again for the Freeman Spring concert, with Amber Pacific as the headline band. It was a good visit but a little depressing. Everyone we know is getting ready to leave Ames and by this time next year we won't really have anyone to visit. Which is guess is the way it is supposed to work in a college town right?

I stopped by my old house on my way to the concert and it was horrible! The people who live there have changed a lot and I don't feel like they are taking care of it very well. This is why you aren't supposed to go back! Never again will I look at but I will treasure my memories there of my first home!

Well thats about it for now! I will attempt to foreshadow my next post with.."Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue..."