Moving

Oh hey there. Long time no blog. I have not completely fallen off the face of the earth just yet. However between packing, transitioning out of my job and searching for a new job, I have not had time to spend in the blogosphere. I just wanted to give a quick update that yes! I will return to blogging as soon as I'm all moved to Minneapolis....which will be this Sunday!!!!!!!!! I can't believe it, I'm so excited. So in short, I miss you all and reading your fabulous blogs. I will obviously be undergoing yet another redesign so I'm open to suggestions. See you when I'm a Minnesotan!!

Cheers,

Marisa

Moving On Up....Literally.

Oh hi there! Long time no see. So remember that one time like a month ago when I said I had news but couldn't share it just yet? Well now I can. Finally. And can return to blogging. What is the news you ask? Well here it is.

I'm moving to Minneapolis at the end of the month.

We're both really excited and it's so amazing to finally be able to tell everyone. It's going to be a change but a welcome one. I am sad to move away from my friends and (non-biological) family, but I know distance won't ruin our relationship and I can't wait to have visitors in the Twin Cities :) You know once Drew and I find a place with a little more....space. 

HOLY FREAKING BALLS I'M MOVING TO MINNEAPOLIS!!!!!!!!!!!

So how have all of you been? I've missed you all terribly. I can't wait to get back at it and catch up with everyone. 

Twin Cities Cheers!

Marisa

P.S. Bears, Cubs, Blackhawks, Bulls for life. Sorry Minnesota.

Accent Video Log

I saw some people do these and thought they were really fun. So I decided to do one for the greatest region on the country: The Midwest. Enjoy!

So feel free to share with my your discrepancies. Are you a pop or soda person? Or just coke? Also does any other state say singles for $1 bills? Maybe it's just an Illinois thing. Oh! And one I didn't mention: casserole or  hot dish? 

Midwest Cheers!

Marisa

The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event

You guessed it....IT SNOWED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes Des Moines received it's first snowfall last night, and everything looked soooo pretty. Now the sun is out and it's warm and it's a big ole sloppy mess. Booooo. Still, this morning I threw on all my favorite winter gear to head out and enjoy the snow while it lasted.

(Hat: H&M Scarf: Burberry Sweater: Express)

(Pleated skirt pea coat: JCPenney Boots: Target)

 

I wanted to take some pretty pictures but by the time I left for work it had already started turning slushy :(

Oh well, I don't think anyone was ready for snow anyways.

Thanks so much for your kind comments on my last post. I know everything will be alright, but I'm the Queen of Worryland. I just need to take a deep breath and focus on ONE thing at a time.

First Snow Cheers!

Marisa

Lucid Dreaming

I'm a lucid dreamer. Are you? It's kind of an awesome thing really, it prevents nightmares from scaring the bejeezus out of me and also allows me to dictate my dreams ending. Which usually involves me being a bad ass and going all John McClane on someone. Anyways, while I allow myself to indulge my inner Die Hard fantasies, I always try to focus on what happened before I realized I was dreaming. I'm a firm believer that dreams are a manifestation of certain things going on in our lives that may be be bothering us that we aren't aware of or don't realize how much they are bothering us. Take Sunday night for an example:

So in my dream, I'm in some college town that I assume is supposed to be Ames, but it doesn't look a thing like Ames. Besides the point. I'm going to some house party to meet Drew and when I get there these two girls start talking to me and I have no idea who they are but they tell me I should ask Drew how his weekend was and I'm like alright you dumb whores I will. So I find him, and am all sooooo how was your weekend? (pretty sure it was the weekend in my dream...whatever I'm not a genius) and he's all oh it was fine. And the dumb whores behind me chime in something to the fact that he had hooked up with someone else. So dream self is all wtf is that true? To which he replies, well yeah, you live in Des Moines. It's at this point that I realize that I'm dreaming because dream self gets upset and storms outside and is making sobbing sounds but I. Can't. Cry. And in my dream I am all WHY AREN"T YOU CRYING? THIS IS THE SADDEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU!!!!!!!!!! Thats when I knew that I couldn't cry, because this isn't real because this would never happen. The boy who sends me good morning texts from his hunting tree perch to wish me a wonderful day and sends me emails that have strategically placed thought out emoticons wouldn't do that. So instead of going all John McClane in college dream land, I just woke up. 

I made myself wake up because I knew exactly why this dream happened. I've been stressing out about relocating to Minneapolis lately. I'm terrified that it could take me forever to find a job. And while I know I'm not technically from Iowa (and by technically I mean I'm not at all) this is still my home. And this is where my family is at. Okay not my biological family but the family I'm closest to. I truly do want, more than anything, to move and finally live in the same city, but my anxiety/ocd does not allow me to just skedaddle on out of Des Moines. There are so many things I want to make sure are thought out first, but sometimes it's just too overwhelming. 

Anyone ever had to relocate? Any advice? Suggestions? Good therapists in Des Moines/Minneapolis...???

Cheers, 

Marisa

BDE With The BBE

I am all about the acronyms lately. Haha. So It's Monday and that means recapping the Best Day Ever with the Best Boy Ever!!!!!!!  I don't really have any pictures as I forgot my camera at home which I think was for the best so then I wasn't constantly interrupting the day trying to get the right shot. Just got to enjoy all my time with Drew and boy did we do a ton of stuff! I'll recap it in list form.

8:00am: Breakfast. French Toast made by me. I concede that I am not as awesome at breakfast as Drew. I may not be as awesome at cooking as Drew. Ah well. 

10:15am: Head down to the East Village/Capitol. Perused the grounds while waiting for the shops to open up.

11:00am: Hit various shops in the East Village. Drew got some cool spices at All Spice and I got some more Caldrea dish soap at my all time favorite Eden . Drew being the best boy ever was a good sport and smelled a bunch of candles and voted for our favorite Votivo scent. And by our I mean we totally voted for two different candles. Whatever.

Noonish: Lunch at Noodle Zoo!!!!! It was so amazing. Seriously I have yet to take someone there that didn't think it was super amazing delicious. After an amazing lunch, Drew 100% proved himself worthy of the title of best boy ever.

1:00pm:

Harry Potter at the IMAX!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG it was so amazing! Beyond words! I want to see it 500 MORE TIMES!!!!!! 

After the movie we also spent time at the Science Center where Liam Neeson taught us about black holes, we built a rocket, race cars, and Drew helped a dad and his son build the Gateway Arch. 

Think the day is done? Oh no far from it!

4:30pm: Italian American Heritage Festival. We listened to some guy play some traditional Italian folk music with instruments made out of goat skin (ew), drank some delish sangria and learned about the different states in Italy.

6:00pm: Dinner at Cuatro with some happy hour margaritas. Good and much needed after the long day we'd already had. Once we were refueled it was off to the horse races!

7:00pm: Prairie Meadows race track and casino. Mostly did people watching. But occasionally watched the horses. It was such a perfect night out, I could've just sat there all night. But! After watching some craps and Drew deciding he didn't want to become a poor hobo, we met the bestie and her bf downtown for drinks

9:00pm: Royal Mile. We started here sitting on the patio, drinking some beers and enjoying the nice weather finally in Des Moines. ( It didn't last however. It's hot as hell right now.) The bestie however, enjoyed an entire butt.

After Royal Mile we went to another bar, more drinks were had and then we called it a night. It was midnight and we'd been out and about since 10am. Whew! Talk about a long day, but the BEST day!!!!!

Are you still with me? You're all such good friends :) So there you have it. The Best Day Ever. I have not had so much fun in a long time. Not since I was in Minnesota last :) I can't wait to do it again and very very very soon. How was everyone else's weekend? Hopefully just as amazing!

Cheers!

Marisa

BRB

Hello lovlies! Sorry I've been a bad blogger/blog friend. I have been crazy busy this week and am heading out of town tomorrow, so my apologies!  I'm meeting up with Will in his old college town this weekend and he will either give me the pics from the wedding weekend or I will beat them out of him. Either way I will get them and finish up this nonesense. Have a great weekend everyone, enjoy the nice weather my fellow Iowans!

Cheers,

Marisa

The Hangover- Part 2

Okay on to Part 2. Wedding Day! So basically I woke up and was like oh my god what happened last night? My head seriously felt like it would explode at any second. Like any sudden movement and BOOM no more head. Will felt the same. So at least I was in good company. We did absolutely nothing exciting the whole day and couldn't even be bothered to head down to breakfast so we had it brought to us. 

(hooray for being a lazy hungover bum)

However due to the inability to get out of bed, Will and I rediscovered an old love of a television show.

(We seriously watched this for hours. Don't act like you're not jealous.)

(via google)

Okay obviously the rest of our morning was lame and I won't bore you. Finally almost feeling better, we get ready and head for the wedding. It was at Wartburg College in Waverly Iowa, which is a nice little town and the campus was cute. The wedding was nice, her dress was gorgeous and I love when people look so happy :)

So because we are drunks were thirsty and hungry and had time to kill before the reception we stopped at the Applebee's in town and got some appetizers....and maybe a drink. Don't judge me. Because now it's on to the reception where a very good time was had that I shall just display in pictures. ( Don't worry I have a great story at the end.)

(And the evening started off so lovely...)

(The lovely couple we got to spend the weekend with)

(Then maybe some drinks were had)

(Okay as you can see a lot of drinks were had)

(Then the boys had a dance off)

(And then there was a photo shoot with "Uncle Denny")

So here's the story. We were about to leave and head out to the bars because as I said we are drunks were thirsty. But before we left Will wanted to take a picture with "Uncle Denny", because who wouldn't want a picture with a huge mobster looking guy with no shirt on under his sports coat? So he gives me his camera and I proceed to snap a few pics. As I'm doing this Uncle Denny's "woman" comes up to me :

"And whyyyy are we taking pictures?"

Me: Oh we're about to leave and the guys wanted to take a pic before we go.

"No, I know what my man is doing. What is yours doing?"

Me: Excuse me??????

"Do they even know him?"

Me: Um, that's Matt's (the groom) Uncle they're really good friends of his?

Apparently that satisfied her because she walked away. Still Heather and I looked at each other like, did that really just happen? Were we almost in a fight?

This was honestly one of the funnest weddings I've ever attended. I think maybe it was just my company :) Congrats to Matt and Jamie and thanks for the great times!

Stay tuned for Part 3-Post Wedding Party!

Cheers!

Marisa

p.s all pictures are from Heather unless specified, because Will is a lazy bum and STILL HASN'T UPLOADED HIS!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Spring!

This is what Iowa Spring is like. Either this:

Or

Plus this blaring from all corners of the state

Equals this:

 

Welcome to Iowa Spring. Two tornado touchdowns and snow Friday. Come visit!

Tornado Survival Cheers,

Marisa

Almost time for New Years Eve....

And I have nothing to wear. I went shopping last night and did not find one single suitable thing. And so here we are the day before, and I've got nothing. NOTHING. Except shoes. I have the shoes, just nothing to wear with them. Mayhaps sweatpants to dinner? It's looking like it may end up that way. Or undies and my fab heels? All I really wanted was something like this:

(image via google)

Alas I could not find anything like that. Well I am leaving work a little early tomorrow. Hopefully I can do some speed shopping and find something.

I am looking forward to the new year though. I have no resolutions per se. I suppose it would be to start up things I love again. My main one happens to be running. I haven't run since I last posted about the Race for the Cure. I miss it. So I'm looking forward to getting back in running condition, just hoping I don't break my neck running in this crazy Iowa winter weather. Ah well, I'm sure my winter weather running will make for some fun stories.

They say that New Years Day is the most depressing day of the year, and I hope that it's not for all you out there. This may sound lame but one of my favorite uplifting phrases comes from one of my favorite childhood movies, Rainbow Bright: "Every morning is a brand new day." Corny, I know, but it's so true. So heres to a kick ass start to a new decade and my next quarter century!