{ Last & Last }

Two 'lasts' today-
Last day of school for the semester.
Last day of YMCA job EVER.

I wish I could post photos of my kids at work, but sorry, I think that would be crossing the line of confidentiality. I worked there for about 2.5 years, and wow, has that time ever flown by! I hated the job at first, mostly because of the 4 year old tyrants that went there at the time, and some super gossippy teachers, but they are all gone now, so the past year has been awesome. I loved going to work -- I worked in the "Wobbler Room" -- which is ages 6 months to about 1.25 years. Will miss those babies!!

I'm not working there anymore because I am moving home for the summer and working at a daycare there, and then in the fall when I return to school, I will be taking 18 credits in 8 WEEKS! Then the second half of the semester I will be in an Elementary school Monday-Friday from 8 am -4 pm. So no room for a job with that schedule!

Then in the spring semester....drum roll please.....I will be student teaching .... and now an even bigger drum roll... I will graduate college after 5 years next May! One year to go, baby! For the spring, I will be student teaching half the time in a 1-5 elementary classroom (not sure which grade yet) and the other half I will be teaching health education in a middle school.

So, 2 lasts today, but lots of things to look forward in the months to come!

{ Utah ReCap }

First day:

Here is Alanna and me at the top of the LDS conference center building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the mountains in the background. Totally aswesome!

Here's the Temple in Salt Lake City. Gorgeous building!

When we got back from Salt Lake, IKEA, and more places...we started the photoshoot! Joe (Alanna's fiance) had to run to his office, so while we were impatiently waiting for him, we took pics of eachother --- here's one of me. (I will post lots of shots of the engagement photos when I'm done and they've had the chance to see them first! They're awesome!!!)

Day Two:

Surprise surprise! We took more shots! Almost all day long! We did go buy my maid of honor dress for her wedding, though! Something productive....Anyway.....Here's one of my FAVORITE SHOTS I've ever taken! Look at the sunlight hanging behind them! Drool!

Yeah....this one too.....soooo perfectly as I imagined this shot would turn out!!! I saw this bad @$$ orange truck come....well, truckin'....down the street and I set my camera super quick and HERE is the result. In Love. Yeah, them too :-)

Snuck in a self portrait...

Saturday night....this pic was taken before we met up with Lindi at a party at one of her friend's houses! Hi Lindi!

Day Three:

Time to go home already!? We had sooo much fun and the time just FLEW by! We took a hike in the morning in the canyon. Here's a couple cute smiles for you.

SAD! Flying home....notice the other plane!?

{ Yes, It's True ... }

Utah was 100% A GOOD TIME!

More later.

{ New Blue Crew Stuff ... }

Enjoy!

{ T O M O R R O W ! ! ! }

...I am heading off to Utah for a long weekend with my favorite girl!

I am also planning to meet up with { Lindi }!

Can't wait!

{ Where .... }

is your cell phone? in front of me, to the left of the computer screen
is your significant other? work
is your hair? sort of curly/wavy today, as i didn't blow dry it straight
is your mother? probably at home or with her new husband
is your father? i think on a business trip
is one of your favorite things? my camera
was your dream last night? i did not have one
can you get your favorite drink? gloria jeans
are you right now? college library's computer lab
is your ex? no clue...
is yourfear? i dont want to know
do you want to be in 6 years? in a steady career & happy
were you last night? my apartment studying for a math test
was the last place you drove? from work to the parking lot i have to put my car
did you grow up? wi
was the last place you ate? the couch at my apartment
is (are) your TV(s)? living room, bedroom
are your pets? at my mom's house
is your computer? on my desk at home
is your mood? tired/overloaded
is your oldest friend? no clue
is your car? in said parking lot
is your wedding ring? waiting for someone to buy it
is your favorite store? american eagle, pottery barn
is your favorite place to be in the summer? a cookout, or the beach but we dont have one :-)
was the last place you laughed? at work today
was the last place you cried? yesterday at my computer
are five places you go on the internet on a regular basis? bloglines, scrapjazz, blogger, email account, bank account

{ Bachelorette Par-taaay }

With every good wedding something prior is required...



ONE HELL-UV-UH BACHELORETTE PARTY!



And my brother's fiance sure got one!

Before the night, Shannon's family held one amazing bridal shower! There were *so many* people there, and it was just an all around fun afternoon with great food, great games, and of course, the opening of some GREAT embarressing sexy gifts! I don't think she was embaressed, do you??? :-)

Ok, onto the party time...

Her best friend from college arranged for a party bus to drive us around all night, all 30 of us! She had the thing chocked full with multiple bottles of champagne and coolers full of boozy punches....I think there were 7 bottles of liquor in the punch alone. Wooowie, good stuffs.

Here's Shan on the bus, all decked out and ready to party.

Me filling the punch cups...

And back to the champagne...here's the one who planned the whole shindig, popping the first bottle of champagne. *disclaimer...although nobody, or objects where hurt in the popping of all these bottles, this blog author thought for SURE someone would end up losing their eye ball or someone would be footing the bill for a broken bus window. thankfully, none of the above occured.*

Shan taking the first swig....

So funny, the mother of the groom, and the mother of the bride...

Can't forget the sister of the groom.... ;-)

And this is where we were headed to on the bus, the state capitol, Madison. We went to a Comedy Club on State Street and then out bar hopping around the capitol! At the Comedy Club, we cheered so loud they took SHannon onstage for some funnies....! Good times!
Now on the way back from Madison, the little afterparty in the bus! Combine a chocked full party mixed iPod, a bus stereo system, and a bunch of crazy drinking girls -- and THATS what you can label a GOOD TIME! This dancing apparently was cool at the time, looking at the photos the next day reveals some hilarious drunken dancing!!! Show those to the kids someday, Shannon!
And this, my friends, is what the aftermath of a bachelorette party looks like!
Can't wait for June 7th!

{ HouseKeeping Type of Post - Odds N Ends }

So, if I am sane, it's April 28th, right?

And that qualifies as Spring, ringt?

And that should mean it's been Spring for quite awhile, right?

Riiiiight.

So, tell me this...

Why the heck is it snowing?

And not only snowing, but accumulating on the ground?

Like 4 inches?

It's Spring, right?

Riiiiight.

Ok, more on that later.

Onto my birthday celebration from, oh, a week and a half ago.

Better late than never, right?

Riiiight.

(Ok, I'll stop that now)

My friends and I being silly...actually, this was going to be a nice picture, but someone's boyfriend decided to dish out some bunny ears, and for some unknown reason, I have a really stupid expression!

Here's the nice one....lol! Oh well! We tried for a good one. This will surely do.

Ok, back to the SnowShitCrap. I took this photo to celebrate the flip-flop-ness that I got to occur for the past two weeks. But nope, apparently Mother Nature isn't happy with flops as my footwear of choice, so now I'm back to ugly gym shoes. *sigh*

You see, this post actually started by me scouting my computer for newer pics to share, so that's why it's so random, hense the Odds N Ends title. So here we go, from a week ago, when I IRONICALLY took a photo of myself with my little point and shoot. Well, it's dead now, I think I jinxed myself with this photo. It's not like I gracefully dropped the camera or threw it in anger or something like that -- it simply just doesn't work anymore.

When the lens comes out, it makes this horrible crunching noise....no good Senor....this is how the photos look when you try to take a picture....pretty and crisp and clear hey?!

So....I got a new one.
Here's the new one....not as high end as the last one, but PEOPLE, I have been saving for a lens for a LONG TIME and crap keeps coming up, causing me to spend my LENS money elsewhere. At least this is a good purchase. No crunchy lens from this camera :)

The last of the Odds N Ends....

These two, are quite the pair.

A yummy package from Michele (from New Zealand)...she also sent some awesome scrapping stuff....thanks chica! Love it!! I have a package for you that I'm getting ready to send soon!

This was the scene outside the other day.

Notice how there is no snow????

Yeea-aaah....

Green?

I swear, I never thought I would have jumped on this little bandwagon about "being green" and "saving the planet." And, honestly, I'm hardly there.

My motive is mainly just to re-use and do things to save more money more than "saving the world."

What are some other suggestions you can offer that save you money?

These are some things I have done lately that I never cared about in the past

• Water/Drink Bottles: I used to use a NEW one everyday and throw it away EVERY DAY. Now I just reuse them. Saves $ not having to buy bottled water. (A duh, I know, but I just didn't care before).
• Turn off lights
• If I used to use 2 lights in a room, I just use one now
• Turned down the heat LOW in the winter....we're talking 63 degrees people.
• Don't go to Madison or bigger cities shopping....just stay home and don't buy much
• Simply don't buy food that I only eat 1/2 of before it spoils (which is bad, because now I'm getting way less nutrients....bad...the freezer at my apartment sucks, so even frozen stuff gets icky fast.)
• No more paper cups/plates...used to use these all the time and be lazy
• Turn water off when brushing teeth (I NEVER used to do this)
• Open up more drapes/blinds to let warm sun in
• Use let shampoo/conditioner...hair still turns out the same
• Don't impulse shop!

Things I Need/Want to Work On:

• Using up more scraps scrapbooking instead of throwing away
• Not buying so much coffee; should just find an excellent bean and buy a bunch and make it at home...but I swear, it never tastes the same
• Making lists and going to get items from the store less often
• Impulse shopping...those little things add up, only if they are a couple bucks
• Eating out AT ALL....nobody needs to do it, and even though I only eat out once about every 2-3 weeks....I could save that money....I could save those calories

{ Twenty Two }

I figured today would be a good day to post this photo....since it's my birthday and all...22 today...I would feel very comfortable staying this age forever, thank-you-very-much. It's not til I reached this blissful age that I realized I don't need to get any older! LOL! I think 29 may be a little traumatic....!

We celebrated my birthday this past Saturday, complete with a huge cake and a cookout. My brother had to grill the food in a snowstorm...lol. It was way too nasty to go out and take photos of that, but now I'm wishing I would have!

Then Sunday, my granda, aunt, and my mom hosted a very small bridal shower for my cousin's fiancee (or is it fiance? whatever...) Heather (left) and my brothers fiancee/fiance Shannon. Heather's wedding is June 21, and Shannon's is June 7!

And look who was also at the shower! (pictured with my mom)

{ Write this one down }

It's April 15 and I am leaving the house today without a coat! First time since the fall!

Could spring possibly be here for real!?

It's supposed to be 70 degrees tomorrow....my birthday! Heat wave!

{ As Seen On ... }

{ Jessica's blog }

Finish the sentence:

Maybe I should...put away my laundry and other stuff I bought today
I love the smell of ...coffee....oh god heaven....and pizza.
People say that I'm....a little bit crazy/silly
I don't understand....drinking and driving
When I wake up in the morning....I want to go back to sleep
I lost....no weight. LOL. I need to work harder.
My life is full of ....dreams and ambitions
The Past is....bittersweet.
I get annoyed when....I'm trying to do something important and there is background noise. I also get annoyed at my mom's on her...s l o w.... computer. Its very surprising the thing hasn't gone through the window yet! Very suprising!
Parties are....sometimes fun. I'd take the cake and balloons and presents kind over any drinking party!
I wish....it was the last day of college...May 2009...
Cats.....the only cat I like is my own.
Dogs.....I love love dogs....but since the beagle puppy Lola moved in at my moms....no no no ..... I will never have a dog when I'm out on my own....!
Tomorrow.....I have class, and then work, and then....probably some homework.
I have a low tolerance for....looking at raw red meat and seafood. Also smoking. I get really sick for about a week after I'm around smokers. Such as, right now. FUN!
I'm totally terrified of....germs on my dishes. Yep, it's a fact.
I wonder why.....no current wonders....I'm stuck on this one.
Never in my life....have I visted NYC. I really really really want to go.
High school was....a pretty heck of a good time, sans working so much.
When I'm nervous....I bouce my leg. Or doodle.
One time at a family gathering...I danced with my best friend Katelyn on top of a countertop. Fun times.
Take my advice....DON'T try the caramel iced coffee from McDonalds. Still as yucky as the other flavors.
Making My Bed....Seems pointless. I'm a college student. In a crappy apartment. Nobody comes in my room but me. So...why make it?? I dont even make it when I was the bedding and put it back on. I kinda just throw on the sheet and blanket after I put the fitted sheet on. But, one day, when I have a nice place, it'll happen. :-)
I almost always....really early for anything that's scheduled.
I'm addicted to....coffee. It's not a crazy addiction, and hey, I don't drink it every day. But it's the closest "addiction" I have to anything. Oooohhh wait. I want to change my answer to the internet. I'm obessessed with checking my email. Send me some!
I want someone to.....treat me nice, spoil me, and marry me. Hey, is that so much to ask!?

{ U N O }

I saw this on Michele's blog so thought I'd give it a go.

You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.

Where is your cell phone? desk
Your significant other? work
Your hair? undone
Your mother? dieting
Your father? generous
Your favorite thing? camera
Your dream last night? photography
Your favorite drink? mochas
Your dream/goal? success
The room you’re in? dark
Your ex? questionable
Your fear? lonliness
Where do you want to be in 6 years? parent
Where were you last night? home
What you’re not? graduated
Muffins? chocolate
One of your wish list items? lens
Where you grew up? small
The last thing you did? dinner
What are you wearing? uniform
Your TV? off
Your pets? annoying
Your computer? always
Your life? interesting
Your mood? bored
Missing someone? yes
Your car? beautiful
Something you’re not wearing? ponytail
Favorite store? expensive
Your summer? distant
Like someone? yeppers
Your favorite color? unsure
When is the last time you laughed? today
Last time you cried? Sunday
Who will repost this? you

{ Today }

Took some photos of a friend's kids today . . .

One tired little boy who fell asleep while swinging...

Hope everyone in blogland has a great upcoming week!

Lens FOR SALE!

I am selling one of my lenses if anyone is inerested:

Canon Zoom Lens EF 75-300mm f4-5.6 III
Asking price: $75/OBO
Email me at: krich332@uwsp.edu if you're at all interested:

I got it a few years ago from Best Buy for around $250. Used only a couple times. Perfect condition. Reason for sale is that I recently upgraded to an L series telephoto.

Same exact lens for sale at BHPhoto sells for $160.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/169267-USA/Canon_6473A003_75_300mm_f_4_0_5_6_III_Autofocus.html