First sunburn of the season

Aaaaaand I'm back from St. Louis! After a 3.5 hour car drive complete with loud, bad singing (we rock) and cinnamon roll french toast. Yes, that's a thing. And it's awesome.

So yesterday it was about 80 degrees and sunny, so we decided we'd take a trip to wine country. Great plan, if I do say so myself.

Public service announcement time. Notice the sleeveless dress I'm wearing? Guess who forgot to bring sunscreen? That would be me, and my shoulders are paying for it. WEAR SUNSCREEN! Yes, even in March. When it usually snows round these areas.

As an added bonus, this is Xena. She's precious. Tom really liked her.

A lovely trip all around, and I had really been missing my family, so it was great to see them all. Also, I was pretty happy to be of age. I like wine. Sampling it was fun. I felt like a grown up. 

-Heather

A trip to the zoo

Ok, St. Louis has graced us with some seriously beautiful weather. I'm thrilled.

And since yesterday was extra beautiful, we headed on over to the zoo! Which, by the way, is probably the best one I've ever been to. And it's entirely funded by donations. Great, right?

Some zoo highlights:

Daddy, my adorable cousin and grandma!

Tom and Max, my stepbrother

This one liked to jump up, put its paws in the air and go "Eeeh!" Pretty cool.


It was such a fun day! And today it's all cloudy and rainy, so we're heading off to a bowling alley. If I'm lucky, I might break 100. If there are bumpers, that is.

Enjoy your Sunday!

A Spring Break tale: The Snuggie

Spring Break is finally here! To celebrate, I'm going to tell the haunting tale of Spring Break my freshman year. 

[PROCEED WITH CAUTION. STORY IS A BIT DISTURBING.]

My friend invites me to go with her and two other girls on vacation with her family. Totally free, in Cancun. Um, that's a no-brainer.

So we get there, and the very first night there, we can't go swimming because it's too late. But damn it, we wanted to swim! The ocean was off-limits (because of the creatures who come out after 10 p.m.,) and the pool was closed. Next best option? The bathtub in the master suite.

Me on our balcony. To protect the identities of the snuggie-offenders, their names and photos have been left out.

So we're all chilling in the tub, telling secrets and whatnot. Because that's what ladies do. And suddenly my friend says, "Heather, I need to tell you something."

Ok, whenever someone says that, I obviously assume the worst. What could have happened? Did someone die?!

But no. This was worse. Kind of.

A couple weeks earlier, I had lent her my wild side snuggie. Aka, it's leopard print. She taught a mixed martial arts class at the time, and she decided a fair punishment for talking in her class would be to have to do jumping jacks in a snuggie. My snuggie.

After forcing sweaty people to jump around in my snuggie, she promptly washed it. And then it sat in her car for two weeks because I kept forgetting to pick it up. WELL. Back to the tub.

I learned that while it was in her car, she and her boyfriend decided to have a good time in the back seat. On top. Of my. SNUGGIE.

Which they did NOT wash, ON PURPOSE because they thought it was funny!

Even worse? The day I got it back, I took a nice long nap all wrapped up in my snuggie.

I'm still not over it. The snuggie isn't either.

And it hasn't been used since then.

Sorry buddy.

Anyway, I've enjoyed reading all of your spring break stories! Happy Friday!

-Heather

Coffee at 2:30 in the afternoon

Listen. Today, a little afternoon jolt is absolutely necessary after the night I had.

No newspaper this week

+

Bored coworkers

+

Craving martinis

=

A very, very interesting night.

It may or may not have involved dancing at a gay bar to several Britney Spears songs.

And the occasional Usher tossed in for good measure.

But it happened.

So here I am, in my pajamas (that doesn't mean I've been in bed all day. I've gone out, went to class, did some errands...all from the comfort of the same clothes I slept in!)

[Please tell me I'm not the only one who does that on occasion.]

But anyway, this weekend I'm heading down to St. Louis to visit my dad! Plus everyone else who resides there. I can't wait.

Daddy and me a few years back, at his wedding. I miss him.


AND I am bringing the boy. I'm sure I'll have some good stories from this event.
Also, I have been inspired by everyone's great spring break memories. So tomorrow, I will share my own.

I call it, "The Night of the Snuggie and the Too-Small Bathtub."

Just let that sink in for a bit.

:)

T.G.I.T., friends!


P.S.-I'll be on live TV next week, confronting democratic Congressional hopefuls. More on THAT, later.

The week in snippets/my night with Nora

It's been kind of a stressful week, but with lots of goodness sprinkled in.

And then...I killed my plant.

Hope your week is going well!

Spring Cleaning

I love March.

I mean, not really. It's typically kind of gross and snowy and sometimes has hints of spring, which makes me fervently antsy for some sunshine. But it's a transitional month, and I like those.

In honor of the upcoming season, I did some closet cleaning and sold some clothes. I usually donate, but I figured this time around I could use some extra cash, seeing as I'm a broke college kid and all that.

Also in the spirit of spring, I finally got me some cowboy boots! Cowboy-ish boots. On sale. Fantastic.

I love them enough to put up this photo despite my legs, who haven't seen the light of day in ages. A worthwhile sacrifice.

Sidenote about all things country: 

I grew up in the Chicago suburbs. And as such, I grew up hating most things related to farms, corn fields and songs involving beer and honky tonks.

Then I come to central Illinois and I suddenly have a newfound appreciation for country music and small-town communities. And maybe even cows and llamas and things.

Hence the sudden urge to buy cowboy boots. But deep down, I'll always be a city girl at heart. Just one who loves Keith Urban.

Anyway, I had a fun-filled weekend filled with some quality friend time, so that post will be up later. I love my friends. They seriously make living totally worthwhile.

Happy Monday!

Writer's Block

It is our last newspaper to put out for two weeks.

Me in the office. With my neverending stream of caffeine.

Let me just say: I am utterly, completely thrilled by this. A break is totally called for. Now, that doesn't mean I won't have work to do. Because, um, I'll probably end up having more stuff to do.

Different stuff. And that's okay with me, as long as it's not writing on deadline. Which I love, but hey, it gets old after several weeks nonstop. 

This morning I'm trying to write the editorial for this week, and let me tell you...it ain't happening.

Instead, I will make some coffee, do my homework and take a hot shower. 

But for now, I will pretend that I will be somewhere exotic over spring break, somewhere I can wear cute swimsuits and SPF 65. Fabulous.

Instead, I will be visiting my daddy, stepmom and stepbrothers in St. Louis. I miss them like crazy, so really, it's better than an island somewhere.

Where are you jetting off to this spring break?