Carmean Christmas Party

Everyone knows December is filled with parties galore, and this year was no different. One of my favorite holiday get-togethers was going up to Waco for the Carmean Christmas party. My coworker, Megan, is always a wonderful host and I love visiting and catching up with her and my other coworker, Brooke. Though the party was small, Megan had a signature drink and lots of yummy holiday treats for us. Megan and I also did some shopping at an amazing boutique called Spice where I found a handful of presents for my family and also for myself! I am making one of my New Year's Resolutions to go up to Waco more often in 2012 to see Megan and Brooke! Here are some photos from Megan's party.

Yummy treats. My favorite were the reindeer cookies!

With Ashlee, Megan, Brooke, and puppy Lucie too!

Family Photographs

I was lucky enough to be home for Thanksgiving this year and spend the week with my family. I honestly don’t remember the last time my parents, my sister and I were all home together. The night before Katie and I left, my dad showed me a few stacks of old photos from when he was growing up, when my parents were dating and first married, and when Katie and I were little. I absolutely love learning about my family history and the photos are a way for me to take a peak into my parents' and grandparents’ lives before I was around. Here are a few of my favorites.

Grandma Hayes in 1968.

Momma at Christmas in 1981.

1982 Christmas in Evanston with no snow!

{Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Marie, Mom, Dad}

My first Easter in 1987.

August 1994 in Evanston.

{Grandma, me, Dad, Aunt Marie, Grandpa, Katie}

Chicago

Chicago is one of my favorite places in the country, and possibly the world. Driving into the city always puts a huge smile on my face. The weekend before Thanksgiving my sister and I met our two cousins, Rima and Kira, in the city for a reunion weekend. The four of us sort of grew up together and I realized a few months ago that we hadn’t all been together in over three years. The weekend was filled with a lot of shopping (as usual), a trip to Second City, and a couple birthday celebrations for Katie. Katie and I got to spend time with all of our extended family who live in and around the city and I saw three of my college friends who I don’t get to see nearly enough. The trip was wonderful and I wish I lived closer so I could visit more often. Here are a few photos from the weekend.

Katie, Rima, Kira and I before we went to Second City for the late night comedy show.

Mandy, Megan, Lauren and I having a mini college reunion.

Katie blowing out the candles on one of her birthday cakes.

Girlfrans

In my previous post I briefly mention some of my close friends I've made over the last year. Oddly enough, the two girls I call my best friends in Austin had never met until last Friday. Amber, Ashlee, and I (along with a bunch of MBA students) went out for a night on the town. It makes me happy that they finally know who the other person is because they both mean so much to me!

Ashlee, Amber, and I downtown.

Amber was my first friend in Austin. She let me live at her house while I searched for a permanent place to live. She invited me on many outings with her so I could meet new people and experience Austin. Not only did she give me a few pieces of furniture when I moved out of her place, she pretty much furnished my entire living room when I got my own apartment in July. I am forever grateful! This summer we went to the Zilker Park Theater production of Footloose. The stage is outdoors and the seats are on the lawn. We brought a blanket and a bottle of wine, and sat back to enjoy the show. This is just one of the many reasons why I love Austin. Here's a photo from that night.

Amber and I at Footloose.

Ashlee is my coworker turned best friend. Ashlee and I began sharing an office last January and started hanging out a lot outside of work in the spring. Since we were together 8 hours almost every single day, we would talk about anything and everything under the sun. I think that is what made us grow close so quickly. Ashlee is what they call a Southern Belle and definitely a true Texan. One thing she got me into over the last six months (besides country music and cowboys) was cheering for all the Texas sports teams. When the Mavs and Rangers were both doing well, we went to different restaurants and watched the games. Here's a photo from one of the Mavs games we watched last June. #gomavs #gorangers were common tweets thanks to this girl! 

Ashlee and I watching the Mavs win (and also finishing an entire large pizza!)

One Year Anniversary

November 5th - the anniversary of living in Austin for one year. What a year it has been! A big part of me feels like I've lived here for years and that living in the Midwest was a decade ago. I have really made a home for myself in Austin and see myself living here for a while.

I've always been a pretty independent person, but moving so far away from home and everything that was familiar to me was challenging in the beginning. When I moved down here, I didn't have a permanent residence, any friends, and had no clue what H.E.B. was. One year later, I live alone (for the very first time), have many amazing friends (some of whom would be in that "best friends" category), and I most definitely know where all the H.E.B.s are located.

Moving to Austin was easily one of the best decisions I've made in my entire life. Through the experiences over the last year, I've only become more independent and gained a better sense of who I am and who I want to become. I can't wait to see what my second year in Austin brings!

One first for me this year was trying oysters while my parents were visiting Austin. I'm not sure I could eat a whole plate full of those slimy suckers, but I enjoyed the few that I had! Here's a few pictures from that momentous occasion.

Relay For Life of Thorndale

On Friday I experienced my first Relay For Life that I have been managing since I moved down to Texas. The Relay For Life of Thorndale is one of the smallest Relays I've seen, but one with so much passion and spirit. These volunteers worked so hard to put on an amazing event for their community. The Luminaria Ceremony was incredible and my favorite part of the night. I was so moved by the ceremony that I didn't even think to take photos. Part of the ceremony included "The Prayer" by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli, which is close to my heart. Here is the song performed a while back.

Sister Love

First: Congratulations to my little sister for getting an amazing internship this summer as a copywriter at an Ad Agency!!! I could not be more proud of her. All her hard work is starting to pay off. She's going to be living in Kansas City for two months this summer while she interns, so I jumped at the chance to go visit her (for some reason flights are crazy cheap from Austin to Kansas City). Although it's pretty far in advance, I booked my flight to Kansas City for a long weekend mid-July. I'm excited to see her again so soon and have some more sister time. Here is a photo from last summer when I went to visit Katie in Columbia.

Katie and I at a concert in Columbia last summer.

Brooke's 25th Birthday

Brooke, one of my coworkers in Waco turned 25 last weekend and I drove up for the party. My other coworker, Megan, hosted me for the weekend. I had an absolute blast with these ladies, as I always do. Decorations included dozens of photos of Brooke growing up, which was hysterical and my second favorite part of the night. The first was Brooke in a tutu and red cowgirl boots. Only this girl can pull that off! Happy Birthday, Brooke!

The Birthday Girl!

My favorite photo of Brooke growing up - one of her Senior pictures. Work it, girl!

Some of the guests celebrating.

First Taste of Relay For Life

Last Friday I experienced my first Relay For Life in Texas. I attended the Relay For Life of Taylor, a Relay that my coworker, Kristen, oversees. Since I don't hold my own Relay For Life events for a few weeks, I wanted to check out another one in the area. It was just as I expected - joyful, yet sad and reflective. I am anxious to see the hard work pay off in my communities and hope they all have some memorable moments just like the Relay For Life of Taylor.

Here are a few photos from the survivor and caregiver balloon release. I absolutely love these photos and want to start a collage of Relay 2011 photos because of them.

Visitors

It's been over a month since I've written on my blog, but for good reason. I have had two separate visitors stay for a total of 15 nights. All within a three week period. After all the hustle and bustle was over, I needed a little 'me' time to get back into my routine.

My sister came to visit for her entire spring break. It was wonderful to see her for a long period of time and after a while, it felt like she lived with me permanently. Ulisses, a good friend from college, traveled down from Iowa for a long weekend. We explored Austin and also ventured outside the city for some real Texas BBQ. I loved playing host and getting to show off the city I am slowly falling in love with. Here are a few photos with my visitors.

Katie and I at a rooftop bar downtown Austin.

Katie and I at Abel's on the Lake taking advantage of the sunshine.

Ulisses and I on West 6th.

Ulisses and I walking around Town Lake downtown Austin.

Charlotte's Bridal Shower

One of my coworkers, Charlotte, is getting married in a few weeks so we hosted a bridal shower for her at work. The decorations looked flawless on behalf of Mrs. Megan Carmean and Miss Ashlee Etheridge, decorators extraordinaire. We played a few wedding games, ate delicious food, including pickles and olives (Charlotte's favorite), and got to hear the stories of how Charlotte met her fiance and how he proposed. Congratulations, Charlotte. I wish you all the best!

Megan and Ashlee showing off their creative decorations.

Diamonds, pearls, and heels are a girl's best friend.

Most of the ladies who helped celebrate.

Outdoor Dining

Austin is known for how much there is do to outdoors. Last weekend I took advantage of the outdoor restaurants. On Friday I met some friends for happy hour at a new bar downtown, Hangar Lounge. I give this bar an A+ not only for the rooftop area with fantastic views, but also for the music they play and the drinks they serve. Saturday afternoon I went to Abel's on the Lake with my coworker, Ashlee, to meet some of her friends and to sip their famous Texas Tea. Needless to say, it was a gorgeous weekend and I can't wait to try the countless restaurants and bars with outdoor seating.

Our view from happy hour at Hangar Lounge.

Ashlee and I enjoying the beautiful day on the lake.

Mad Men

My roommate, Yvette, is currently in the Advertising Graduate program at UT. Naturally, one of her classmates hosted a Mad Men themed party last Friday. In my experience with themed parties, only about 70% of the attendees follow the theme. To my surprise, everyone at the party came looking like they just stepped out of the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce firm. Over a Skype date, my sister (who is a Mad Men fanatic) helped me become the character Joan. I had a fantastic time pretending to be someone else for the night and was able to meet many of Yvette's crazy classmates. Here's a few photos from the night.

My roommate, Yvette, and I all dressed up for the Mad Men party.

Me and Nea - photo courtesy of Yvette and Nea's classmate, taken with an SLR. 

I'm in the process of researching SLR cameras to purchase, so if you have any suggestions, please let me know!

Oscars with the Varner Ladies

Last night the 83rd Annual Academy Awards were on television. My lovely coworker, Lyndsay, and her fabulous mother, Becky, hosted an Oscar party. In true Becky fashion, the get-together was complete with Becky's homemade goodies and signature Bloody Mary recipe, which is probably the best I've had. Ever. And yes, that includes all the fancy Bloody Marys at Del's and Fayzee's in La Crosse.

The night consisted of fashion and film debates, plenty of snacks, and new friends. Lyndsay and Becky definitely know how to host a wonderful party. I look forward to many more to come. Here are a few photos from the evening.

Some of the guests gathered to watch the Oscars.

Treats made by Becky.

Me with the Varner ladies, Lyndsay and Becky.

Relay University

Surprisingly I haven't posted about my new position with the American Cancer Society yet. Relay For Life is a huge part of my life down here. I manage five Relay For Life events in Bastrop, Lee, and Milam Counties. I am privileged to work with some of the most amazing volunteers who show such passion and commitment to fight back against cancer.

Last month we held our annual Relay University where we invited all our volunteers in the Central Texas Region to come share ideas and learn new tricks to help make each Relay For Life successful. The room is filled with such a positive and motivating energy. It is truly overwhelming to be in the presence of these hardworking volunteers. I am so proud to be part of the Central Texas Region and help in the efforts to eliminate cancer. Here are a few photos from that wonderful day. 

If you're interested in learning more about Relay For Life in your community, visit www.RelayForLife.org

The room where we held the general session. Look at all those volunteers!

The theme this year was Relay Remodel. Survivors and caregivers could take photos in front of this backdrop, which turned out to be a big hit this year.

A few of my coworkers, Lyndsay and Ashlee, posing in front of the backdrop. 

They emceed the survivor and caregiver photos and to make it fun and silly.

We held a table centerpiece contest. Each Relay community decorated their table based on this year's theme.

The centerpiece my community, Bastrop, came up with for the contest.

My Pseudo Mothers

If you didn’t already know, I was born in Austin. I only lived here four years, so I don’t remember much, but my parents lived in the city for eight years and made some life long friends. I am lucky enough to have kept in touch with a few of them, who now act as my mothers, since mine is over 1,000 miles away.

Last weekend Jenifer, Mary, and Terry took me out for a belated birthday dinner at a delicious Vietnamese Restaurant in South Austin. I have to say, it’s nice to have Mothers 2-4 (as they call themselves) close by!

Jenifer, me, Mary, Terry at Hao Hao.

Birthday Celebrations

Last weekend a few college friends made the trip down to Austin to escape the frigid cold and help celebrate my 24th year. Although it did snow the first night they were in town, the weekend ended up to be gorgeous and I was able to show them what Austin is all about. We went for Mexican Martinis at Trudy's, ate some delicious ice cream at Amy's, shopped on South Congress, walked around Town Lake and Barton Springs, experienced both "Dirty 6" and the more classy West 6th Street bars, and joined other Wisconsinites to cheer on the Packers to a Superbowl victory.

Not only did my Midwest girlfriends help me celebrate my birthday, but several of my new Austin friends were with me throughout the weekend, making it unforgettable. Thank you to all who made my 24th birthday special!

Shopping on South Congress - had to try on cowboy hats!

Walking around Town Lake.

Amanda, Mandy, me and Shannon on my birthday.

The massive birthday fortune cookie dessert I received from Imperia. 

They even typed up a personalized fortune just for me.

Friends, new and old, celebrating my birthday.

Go Pack Go!

Blizzard

It seems like the entire country is experiencing blizzard-like conditions this week. My sister's classes at Mizzou have been cancelled two days in a row, Chicago is suppose to get record snow fall in the next 24 hours, and even here in Austin the temperatures are expected to drop to the teens with a chance of snow Thursday night.

My hope is that this weather does not stop my friends from making their way down to Austin. On Thursday Amanda, Mandy, and Shannon are flying down from Milwaukee and Minneapolis to celebrate my birthday. Cross your fingers they get here safe.

In honor of the storm, here are a few photos of the record snowfall in Rochester this past December. Keep warm out there!

My home in Rochester. I don't miss the snow, but this picture sure is pretty.

The snow is taller than my Momma.