Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving all!

I ditched classes on Monday and hit the road to Ohio.

I’ve driven the Florida-to-Ohio route a few times: a couple trips in college, when moving to Florida, when going back to Ohio to get married, going back to Florida as a married lady, and then to and fro last Christmas. ... But I never did it ALONE!

(The hubs is somewhere between the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic right now).

Okay, so I was not completely alone.

I had my navigator:

who promptly fell asleep about 30 minutes out of Fort Lauderdale.

Luckily Morgan stepped in, back seating driving a majority of the way.

About two hours into the road trip, it started to get not fun anymore. As much as I love my dogs, they offer sparse conversation.

A few hours later, as darkness fell and I entered Georgia I found the all Christmas music, all the time radio station. Thankfully singing Christmas carols kept me alert and awake enough to make it to Macon for my overnight. (I apologize to Martini-dog and Morgan as my singing ability is on par with their conversation skills).

For all of you road tripping/vacationing with dogs, there is a must-use Web site: Bringfido.com. It lists pet-friendly hotels, restaurants and attraction across the country.

After a night in Georgia and breakfast stop at Chick-fil-a, I was on the road again. An unfortunate one-lane traffic pattern (for 6 miles) and then a tropical storm-like rains in the mountains slowed me down, but when I got closer to Ohio, I saw this:

A blurry rainbow ... A welcome sign?

I crossed over Ohio into rush-hour traffic, but after hours of driving by myself, I was super excited and thankful to be home safe! (Oh, and people in Ohio actually let you over when you have your turn signal on ... eat that Miami!)

Oh, and something exciting happened on my drive north. Remember the baby shower for Christie?

Well, she was induced on Tuesday afternoon, and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on Tuesday night.

Baby Charlotte. Totally gorgeous.

Stolen from the hospital site, but I had to include a headband photo!

On Wednesdays, my bestie Kelly came over with her new baby … fur-baby that is. Carly, her Boston Terrier pup, and Morgan got along really well. I’m just sad we don’t live closer. It would be awesome to have regular puppy play-dates.

How cute is that coat?

Kelly and I stop in to see baby Charlotte. It was my first post-partum hospital visit ever. It was also my first time holding a newborn ... ever (While I have younger brothers I was too young to have any memories of hospital views or holding them).

Let’s just say I don’t think I’m ready for a baby anytime soon, since I froze when they put Charlotte in my arms. I was too afraid to do anything in fear I might hurt her or place her in the wrong position.

Plus, on the way to the hospital, Kelly told me babies sense fear, which made me even more nervous. Luckily, Baby Charlotte is polite and such a sweetheart that she barely stirred as I held her (I think she even gave me a smile).

My brother came in from Chicago last night and we drove to our lake house. We have five dogs and five people in a little cabin (my other brother is working/studying abroad in London). But it’s been great sitting around all day, watching the parade, and the dog show (nerd, I know) and then football all afternoon.

Once I checked my email this afternoon I had even more exciting news. My friend Michelle and her man are engaged!!!!

Stolen from FB, but Michelle looked so pretty I couldn't not post it.

So, as I am getting ready to celebrate with my family, I just want to say how grateful I am for everyone in my life. Despite not being completely in love with my living situation, this time apart from friends and family has made me become even more appreciative of them.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Hair-story

I have attempted three other posts, but I haven't been able to complete them. Perhaps it's my multitude of finals and quizzes plaguing me, or maybe it's the fact that the hubs is about to leave for the season (I get to see him at Christmas, which a only a crazy few weeks away, but I sort of liked having him around all the time :) ...)

But as any writer knows as they are facing writer's block, write what you know. And all I know is this home-girl needs a haircut! Well, a bang cut. What are these?

Every time I mention my bangs the hubs says, (middle column, 8th quote down).

Not helpful.

This will be my first professional haircut since oh, um, February 2010 when I did this:

Yes, that is my real hair

Unfortunately for you, photos from my high school days are under lock-and-key. Those of us in high school in the late 90s, probably remember the Sun-In obsession.

I had always wanted to be of lighter hair color, so I followed the trend. But what happens to dark brown hair with a cheap spray-in hair lightener? It turns orange.

So years later, when I had the opportunity I decided to go lighter, professionally.

I only lasted two months, and once I went back to black, I wanted to make an attempt to grow it out for my wedding. I EPICALLY failed and wore faux-hair.

HairDo Wrap-Around Pony

HariDo Chignon

Before I met my husband, I always had long hair. But a year out of college, I started working a corporate job, and I felt like I was conforming too much, too soon. So I did what any rebel-Yuppie would do: I chopped my hair.

In the middle with Mecs and Shan.

It was modeled after Mrs. VB herself.

My then-boyfriend (now the hubs) mentioned the ‘do reminded him of fellow South African Charlize Theron’s hair from Aeon Flux.

So what does any all-American girl who is trying to impress a handsome foreigner with an cute accent? I went even shorter:

And when Mark and I began dating, we would fly every weekend to see each other. My flights usually had super-short layovers. During one trip, foot traffic in the airport was re-routed and everyone had to re-enter through security to get to another terminal. I was late for my connecting flight, so I stood in line, cursing under my breath, throwing items into a bin, and quickly walked through security (you can’t run, as I learned at a later date and during a different story). As I picked up my items, a woman behind me told me, “Cute haircut.”

I thanked her curtly, barely glancing at her. I didn’t even bother with my shoes as I sprinted through the airport. My flight was delayed, but finally when we finally boarded I saw the pilot: the woman who liked my hair … and I had been a bit rude too. I was so embarrassed. After I sat down a flight attendant came over to me.

“The pilot has something to ask you,” she said.

I thought she was going to say something about relaxing and being kind to people. Instead she asked, “Where did you get your hair cut?”

Whew! (By the way, it was Greg at Mitchell’s Salon and Day Spa in Kenwood, Ohio, but I don’t know if he even works there anymore).

After the wedding I was about to cut it again, I realized the hubs has never seen me with my long locks.

When longer, my hair is naturally wavy. Actually I should clarify, it waves ... just one. And itholds nothing, as my curling efforts are often in vain. So when a friend in college had a short bob with really slight perm in it (think beachy-waves that are popular now) and it looked super cute, I went to the hair salon and asked for a perm with the loosest waves possible.

Unfortunately the style didn't transfer well to longer hair, and I ended up looking like Ashley Simpson, pre-nose job:

Rememba when ...

Sick of being compared to her, I decided to start-over. I stripped my hair and cut it short. The next day, I opened People, only to open it up and see this photo:

My hair was dead-on this 'do

A week later I was back to black.

Okay, so that about all to my hair-story. The long and the short of it, I need a cut. I would like to do something fun for the holidays, but one of my besties is getting married in June, and I haven’t figured out a hairstyle to wear yet, so I’m keeping it longer in the meanwhile. Though I guess I can always sport one of my faux-dos.