Blue Ridge, here I come!

My car is packed and after my quickly approaching poli sci test I am hopping in my darling Volvo for a road trip to gorgeous Blue Ridge, GA. The bestie's family has a fabulous and oh-so-cozy cabin in the mountains so we're heading up for a weekend of relaxing fireside. (There will be vast amounts of studying and paper-writing involved, but it's ok when you're sitting here... doing it!)



And this is where I'll be enjoying banana pancakes and coffee in the mornings...



And this is where I'll sit and watch it SNOW on Sunday! (With coffee and a good book of course.)



And this is where I'll loosen up those tight muscles from driving through Atlanta traffic at rush hour. (Yep, that's a hot tub next to a fireplace.)



Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!!!

Cabin love <3

Kissing frogs

I just read in an article that said "the average woman kisses 79 men before getting married."

79!!!???

That's a lot of frogs, I mean men.

So I decided to count up how many I've kissed and see how far I have to go before finding the oh-so-sought-after prince. 17 down. 62 to go.

You've got to be kidding me.

Maybe I'll start a kissing booth. Make some money and get the 61 out of the way all at the same time.

So pop a mint and pucker up 'cause I've got work to do.

"When I shop the world gets better..."

I've got the itch... the shopping itch... the overwhelming, all-consuming desire to walk through those mall doors and enter a world of shopper's bliss. I want to walk into a store and experience that warm, cozy feeling of being surrounded by sweaters, jeans, belts, scarves, dresses... all things I may or, more accurately, may not need.

The urge has been building over the last few days as I've tried my hardest to steer clear of all malls and put the blinders on in places like Target so I don't stray to the bathing suit section. But last night was the tipping point. The Oscars. I want one of those gowns. Where would I wear it? I have absolutely no idea, but I'm sure that one day, somewhere, sometime, I'm going to need a gorgeous pale blue, body-hugging, draping, super-flattering, Valentino gown and I won't have one and then I'll be upset... and there's no fun in that.

Don't worry, I'm not going to go blow all my savings on a dress I'll never wear. That would be ridiculous. But don't think I didn't dream about it last night.

I've heard you should never quit an addiction cold turkey. So maybe I should slowly work on cutting back. You know, buy a pair of jeans here, a dress there, get the basics covered so I really don't need anything and can't convince myself I do...

Who am I kidding? I'm hopeless. Maybe it's time for treatment...

Love, hugs, and resistance!

WHAT!? & Water fun

Sad news ya'll... while having a marvelous time in T-Vegas, GA (delicious food, gorgeous churches and homes, and oh-so-fantastic shopping) we came to a horrible realization. THERE IS NO DUNKIN DONUTS IN THOMASVILLE! We drove up and down Remington Ave, where said DD was supposedly located and found nothing. Not a hint of chocolate frosted with sprinkles to be found. So we went into this really cute store to look around and asked the lady behind the counter if we were just blind and couldn't find it.

"Oh, no, we did have one but it just closed."

WHAT!? NOOOOOOO... (picture this is slow motion). So we left Thomasville happy but donut-less.

Today was another eventful day as CBK, Liz, and I went out to FSU's Reservation (the Rez - a 70-something acre park with a huge lake, beach volleyball courts, swimming, etc.) and rented a canoe. Liz gets in the front and I take my position in the back to steer with CBK in the middle just relaxing. No sooner than the very handsome staffer pushes us off and CBK says, "Guys, my butt is wet. I am sitting in water." But it's not like she can move because then we'd tip over. So poor CBK toughs it out so I can have my hour of heaven out on the water. By the time we get back to shore, she's soaked. (She did not find this as amusing as I did.) She does manage to keep her wet bottom hidden from the very attractive guys working, an impressive task. So then it was off to get her into some dry clothes, J&M for some BBQ, WalMart for donuts (::sigh::), and Borders for more books (I had 2 coupons!)!!

Tomorrow we are heading back to the gorgeous Rez for some kayaking :).

Here's to keeping your butt high and dry.

Crossin state lines

Today CBK, L, and I are crossing state lines and entering the beautiful state of Georgia. Why are we doing this? Well because who doesn't love GA!? And the closest Dunkin' Donuts is in Thomasville...

But anyway, we plan on going to Georgia Louie's for some yummy lunch, then walking around T-Vegas, small bonfire ceremony (long story), and of course... stocking up on donuts for the week. Fatties much?

I also plan on meeting my slow-talkin' husband while we're there. He'll be wearing a plaid flannel shirt and a baseball hat, sporting the oh-so-sexy five o' clock shadow stubble, doing something manly like hauling firewood or hammering wood together. ::Sigh:: I'll keep you updated on the wedding plans.

Talk southern to me...

Two decades old!!

This morning I got a call from my mom and aunt in GA and woke up to the sound of "happy birthday to you..." and my mom reminiscing Gilmore Girl style, "This time 20 years ago I was spitting ice chips at the nurses, cursing your father, and screaming at the top of my lungs..." because today I turn 20 years old! Yay! I actually feel older, too, which is weird.

Unfortunately 20 is one of those crappy ages, like being a sophomore in high school, you're not a freshman anymore, but you're still an underclassman and no one really cares about you, but you're so close to being an upperclassman. 20 is pretty much the same. I'm no longer a teenager, but I'm still a year away from being completely legal and partaking in all the fun activities a 21-year-old can partake in. Boo.

But who doesn't love birthdays!? Honestly!

So I will be spending my glorious birthday in class, studying, and then birthday festivities with my amazing friends (delicious chocolate cake and Audrey Hepburn movies :-D).

Hope everyone has a fabulous February 18th!

((Some pics from last weekend's birthday fun in Orlando with my favorite people))

Hiatus - fail.

CBK and I decided this afternoon that we are going on a boy hiatus. Considering our recent luck in that department, we figured it might be best to just forget about 'em. Everyone says you find love when you least expect it, right?

So we began our boy hiatus feeling very liberated. But not 60 seconds into this liberating boy ban and every single male we see is hot, like jaw-dropping hot, the kind of hot you just don't see every day and least of all 50 in ONE day. It was ridiculous, really. We just walked around looking like idiots with our mouths gaping open and cursing our luck.

But of course that would happen. Of course.

4 hours after embarking on this new journey we came to another mutual agreement - the boy hiatus was a bad, bad idea.

Misadventures

I'm starting a new book. It's going to be titled, "The Misadventures on the Road to Love" and it will be quite hilarious considering it will be based off of my very own dating misadventures (which are many and very diverse).

Here's the first paragraph:

The search for love is like a road trip. For some lucky people, the ride is a short one. For others, it’s like hopping on I10 in Jacksonville, Florida and wanting to shoot your brains out around Baton Rouge, Louisiana. But like all road trips, the journey to love has its twists and turns, ups and downs, pits stops and speed traps, and I’ve certainly had my fair share along the way...

So? What do we think?

Danger!

Something about knowing I'm on a budget makes me want to shop even more than the ridiculous amount I already do.

Is that weird?

Also, I watched Confessions of a Shopaholic today (LOVED all the books) and I think I relate to Becky waayyyy too much. This is not a good sign.

Shopping and I have a love/hate relationship. I love buying cool things, but then I look at my bank statements and the love quickly turns to hate. (This lasts until I throw the statement away in disgust and spot the adorable shoes the girl across the room is wearing that would look so good with my new blue dress...)

I'm not even taking my wallet into stores with me anymore. It's too risky. Maybe I'll just freeze my debit card in a block of ice :-). Yeah, that should do the trick.

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope it was filled with love. Mine was, because as Becky says, stores always love you back :-).

love, hugs, and the dangers of a shopaholic...

Priceless

Dinner at the dining hall with CBK and H: Paid for by meal plan

Gas for car drive to movie theater: $3

Ticket to "He's Just Not That Into You": $7.50

Heather's sappy moment freakouts: $0

Realizing that it all makes sense now: Priceless

Procrastination Princess

I have a test on Thursday and I just downloaded the study guide. Wow. I can maybe answer three questions and don't have a clue where to find the answers to the others. It doesn't really help that it's pretty subjective. ::Sigh:: So normally I would be having a mild (bordering on major) panic attack and whipping out my books and notes. But what am I doing?

Looking at iPod touches online and writing to you.

It doesn't help that it's a gorgeous day outside and all I want to do is lay in the grass on Landis Green and read a book. ::Double Sigh::

So here's to studying tomorrow. It's supposed to rain anyway.

love, hugs, and doing it later...

Epiphanies...

Just the other day I was standing in the bestie's kitchen washing out my coffee cup when I had an epiphany. And who doesn't love that blissful moment of enlightenment when everything just falls into place and what you were confused and worried about just minutes ago all suddenly makes sense. Yep. Had one of those. And I feel fantastic.

So things haven't exactly gone the way I planned. So what!? God always provides. Always. I've got the most amazing friends I could ever ask for. Sometimes I don't even think I deserve them. I'm blessed with a loving and caring family. I'm smart. I'm young. And the world is in the palm of my hands.

Dry spell? Who cares? It'll give me a chance to soak up the sun. :-)

So here's to all you single ladies. One day it will all fall into place. But until then... ;-)

Poor Old Faithful...

Old Faithful (my dear old Volvo that will probably last forever... knock on wood) is really packing on the mileage lately. Three trips to Orlando in the past month will do that to ya. (And another trip next weekend for my birthday festivities and Valentine's Day!) That makes four out of five weekends. Oh yeah. The bestie is going to be sick of me.

So anyway, the plan is to head to Orlando this afternoon with the always precious Joshua Radin, maybe see "Dominic"... Who knows?, spend the night with my wonderfultwin, niceServe in the a.m. at the Orlando Day Nursery and then I suppose home to T-ville to see the fam.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Love, hugs, and the open road...

Flight of the Conchords, you're so big!

Dear Bret,

I'm a huge fan of Flight of the Conchords and can't wait to see you live at UCF in April. I just thought I should tell you that we're meant to be together, me and you, in the nude, by the food... but seriously, I'm pretty sure we're going to have a fabulous life and make beautiful children.

So if you feel the need to propose on stage at UCF, that's perfectly fine. I'll be the one up front with the huge I <3 Bret t-shirt.

Your soul mate,
AllyRae

Budgeting? What's that?

As ya'll know, I spent the weekend in Orlando with the bestie and some of my favorite people. Small sidenote: I have no idea what I would do without them. Period.

Anyway, the twin, her bf, and sis introduced me to a little concept called "budgeting." Ever heard of it? Yeah, me neither, but apparently it's a good thing and something I really need to take up. So I've been looking at signing up for an online budgeting program called Mvelopes. Basically you set up different "envelopes" where your money goes to. Like rent, groceries, entertainment, tithing, and apparently... I can even have a SHOPPING envelope! This way you know exactly how much you have to spend in each area each week.

To be honest, I was not loving the idea of budgeting. I was pretty sure that was code for "no shopping." Luckily... I was wrong!

So drop the Bloomwood and call me Budgeting Becky because I am now a responsible shopaholic!

love, hugs, and money management...

A note from the big guy...

Wouldn't it be nice if God would just send us a letter every now and then. You know, nothing special, just to reassure us that, indeed, he is listening and has his reasons for doing what he does.

Dear Alyson,

Relax. I've got this. Everything will be fine. Promise.

Love,
-God.

I mean, I know all that already, but it would just be smashing if I checked my little P.O. Box and pulled out a letter with Heaven on the return address label.

That would really be nice.

Love, hugs, and mail from the big guy...