Romping all over the Country!

Ok.. So I have been way way way busy and not blogging well! 
At the end of June I went to Vegas with a bunch of my friends from small group and the Ashley house.  It was great!  Our hotel was a bit off the strip, which was nice because we didn't need to be part of all the business.  The weather was GREAT.  DRY. HOT.  BEAUTIFUL.  SUNNY.  Yes, I could live there if it was a bit more laid back.  We played poker with our dealer Cass at the Bellagio until 4am.  (He was a Yankees fan - yuck!)   We went to the Grand Canyon, took on some Native Americans that were trying to take us for a ride with our money.  We saw the Hoover Dam and drove through the desert.  We took advantage of drink specials, went shopping, and hung out by the pool every day.  It was awesome.
Mah seester came out for my birthday, and we toured the strip, got some ice cream, some pictures, saw the fountain show at the Bellagio, and ended up at Planet Hollywood where Alex from Norway helped buy me drinks to ring in 24. 
Mah Seester and I headed to Arizona the next morning.  It was great to see our grandfather again, it had been such a long time!  We went to Jerome, this small artsy village in a mountainside of Prescott National Forest.  We went to Prescott, Sedona (saw the Red Rocks), and the Grand Canyon (from the other side).  Mah Seester and I then headed back to Vegas and flew back home the next day.  During the trip I had heat exhaustion, a good tan, and read all four Donald Miller books.

Last weekend I got to see mama and papa robs to be in VA Beach when I went down for the wedding for Jessica and Steve.  What a beautiful couple, I mean really.  It was a blessing to be there for their wedding, and so great to see my cousins again and especially celebrate the baby to be!

Tomorrow I head out to Younglife's Lake Champion camp in New York State.  I am very excited, and not only do I love the girls that are going, but it was the same place I went as a camper in high school (where I dedicated my life to Christ), and where I did summerstaff the first time I chose to volunteer.  Anyway, the next post will be entirely pictures and captions... capturing the adventures I've had over the last month.

Ignoring the white pants for Vegas and my diet

Sometimes a woman just needs to give in.  I mean afterall, some decadent things are good for us right?  Let me introduce my illicit love affairs this week.  Yes, you read correctly.  affairS.  As in more than one.

Let me introduce to you Joe.  Joe makes me happy, gives me what I want, when I want it, and makes me feel very good about myself.  Plus, he comes at at good price....

Let me introduce Mr Sun.  Mr Sun makes me feel warm all over.  He coats my body while I lie there, and brings color to my face.  It's a long cold winter without him, but how I enjoy these summer moments.

Let me introduce Frank.  Frank sings to my soul, makes me croon, and makes me feel like a woman.  He speaks to me the way any woman would want to be spoken (or sang) to.  He makes me feel classy.

Let me introduce you to Vino.  Just like Mr. Sun too much Vino will really get to me, but when Vino and I first meet after a long seperation, the reunion is smooth, tasty, bold, and everything you hope it could be.

Let me introduce you to Cocoa.  Ohhhhh Cocoa.  How would I like Cocoa to satisfy me today?  Maybe some toffee?  Maybe a little dark?  Maybe Swiss today?  Belguim?  Fine Italian?  Maybe some PA roots (like myself) with a nice Hershey Milk Component?  Who cares!  (Enjoy the nice email from my co-worker)

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CHOCOLATE!!!

Chocolate is derived from cocoa beans. Beans are vegetables; therefore, chocolate is a vegetable.

Sugar is derived from either sugar CANE or sugar BEETS. Both are plants, which places them in the vegetable category. Thus, it is further verified that chocolate is a vegetable.

To go one step further, chocolate candy bars also contain milk, which is dairy. So candy bars are a health food.

Chocolate-covered raisins, cherries, orange slices, and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.

If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.

The problem: How to get 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car. The solution: Eat it in the parking lot.

Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite, and you'll eat less.

If you eat equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate, it’s a balanced diet. (Don't they actually counteract each other?)

Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger.

Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done.

A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Now, isn't that handy?

REMEMBER: "Stressed" spelled backward is "desserts."

It's ok if you are jealous of my love affairs.  You can find your own and be just as scandalous as this good christian girl. ;-P

Life is so good.  And I do believe it's getting better. <3

What is a grown up anyway?

I have often wondered about how you get to that point where you feel like a grown up.  Do you need to feel like a grown up before you are considered a grown up?  Does the fact that I still say 'grown up' negate the fact that I may possibly be one?  (Just for the record, when I think about grown ups, I still think of Charlie Brown's teacher only saying "Wha wha whomp wha...")

One thought is that I feel like a grown up when I realize that money is there to be budgeted.  When you actually want to be responsible, pay off all your bills, budget accordingly, not just so you have fun money, but so you have future money too. 

Gulp... I'm there.

Another thought was when I don't immediately want to give back someone's baby or when I could see myself living in and fixing up a house and being happy with it, or when I see someone who is married or in a serious relationship and I think (if ever so briefly) "That doesn't look so scary.  I think I could do that." 

Gulp... I'm there.

Another thought is when you realize that more of your friends are older, married couples, and long gone are the single college and young professional friends that you used to be surrounded with. 

Gulp... I'm there.

Another thought is when you take a vacation.  Not because it's spring break, or someone's wedding, or a family obligation, but because you can and you want to.  You can tell work - Sayonara - and just go for an adventure just because you can. 

Gulp... I'm there.

Another thought is when you tell a teenager, because I said so.  Worst answer to a question ever, but when you find yourself saying that to a Younglife kid, it is a pretty sobering adult that is looking in the mirror back at you. 

Gulp... I'm there.

But I think the final and most accurate test is when you read a Dilbert Cartoon and you realize that that is your sad boring pathetic, grown up employee life.  When Dilbert and your Office 'Quote of the Day' calender, not only make you smile, but remind you of your daily life... this may be when you have officially reached grown up status. 

Gulp... I am definitely there!

For what it's worth, I still wear flip flops every chance I get, I still love the way my hair looks in twin braids, I still love rockin out to Taylor Swift, and drinking lemonade, singing in public, dancing with reckless abandon, making every hug and smile count, driving with my big sunglasses on with the music up and voice blaring, and drawing hearts in the dirt.  
Will I ever really be a grown up?  Probably not.  But I kinda like this pseudo-stage I'm in right now.  And plus... who ever said that 24 year olds can't play make believe?

Life is so good.  And I do believe, it's getting better... <3

new friends, old friends and everything in between

You know when you have a good weekend?  Just a great time with great smiles and great conversation?  Well I did.  It was great.
Friday I started the weekend at the car dealership where I was told that my tags were expired and I would be driving illegally.  Of course this was my concern on May 30, but the same mechanic told me that if I had proof of working on repairs (aka reciepts) than I should be fine in case I get pulled over.  Well apparently that was a lie, and I am not too excited about it, so my car is parked until I go to the MVA bright and early tomorrow morning.
But MH and her boyfriend came down from Philly for the weekend, and we hopped into Georgetown for the night where we met up with Joe, Dollar, and their girlfriends.  It was great to see Joe, who I haven't seen since college.  But a night with great friends, old jokes, memories, and just being around those familiar people that walked through four years of college with you is so nice, so like being at home again.  They put a sign on the newly renovated student union at Scranton "It's not where I breathe, but where I love, that I live."  I think that's beautiful, and you know what?  When I am with my old college friends, I love.  We went to a bar in DC, I met a nice guy named David, and we had a great night.  It was kinda a bummer that MH and her guy had to leave on Saturday but I still loved hanging out with them for the night.
Saturday night I went to Arlington for a house party for S's boyfriend's new house.  His friends are way different than the friends that I have, but were way interesting, and so much fun.  Yea it was a bit weird to one of 2 girls there for half the night, but I hung out with some of the most interesting, most down to earth people.  People who loved partying, people who don't believe in God, people who love life, and a person that loves Jesus.  We talked about jobs, travel, God, schools, work, and joked and laughed all night.  I hung out with a new African friend, learned some Hebrew from a Jewish guy who teaches kids and prepares them for bar mitzvahs (and obviously spoke to him about my own calling for high school kids to share the gospel), talked with a guy from rural Tennessee about being good stewards of the earth and of other people, different cultures, his testimony, dreams and passion for the future and for other people, and finally about traveling the world, serving others, and learning along the way.
Today I went to Eastern Market with Steph, walked all through DC, and just caught up.  I have to say that I love the relationships that I made with the people I have met at Younglife Camps.  Steph was my intern when I did summer staff at Lake Champion in 2006, and since she now lives in Arlington, we try to get together when we can.  Eastern Market is this great outdoor market in DC, and despite the sweltering heat, we had a blast checking out pearl jewlery, local and international photographs and artwork peices, local designs, large hats that would put the Kentucky Derby to shame, and sunglasses that cover the most varied shapes, sizes, and colors.  We had a delicious locally made lunch, and watched a newlywed couple dance around the ballroom and get their beautiful new wedding pictures.  And we did what Steph and I do best.  Talk about faith, friends, relationships, and the unfortunate disaster of having thick curly hair in the hot humid summers.   One thing I love about Steph, and about my other YL friends from camps, is that no matter how long it has been since we have last seen each other, we can dive right in to the deep stuff, encourage each other, and share what we know and have learned about following Jesus and derrived from the bible.  I love friendships like this that we just build each other up and encourage each other to draw closer to our great God. 
This weekend could not have been better.  I have seen more love this weekend than I remember experiencing in a long time.  And even though I spent most of my weekend drinking with people that don't know the Lord, I feel so encouraged, enlivened, and closer in my relationship with God than I did before experiencing this great weekend.

"And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the spirit, because the spirit intercedes with the saints in accordance with God's will.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:27-28

Life is so good.  And I do believe it's gettin better <3

Update on my bucket list!!

It's always good to cross things off a to-do list.  When it is chores/errands, it feels good.  When it is a list of things that bring joy to you... it feels great!  I revisited my list today, and I am making some sort of progress!!  Booyah!

1- Ride an elephant in the Jungle (Indonesia)

Alison is going in Indonesia for a year.  I am going to visit her, and I am going to make her go on an elephant ride with me.

2- Skydiving

This is something I might do in a few weeks when I go to Phoenix/Vegas, depending on my financial situation and my chiropractor's advice.

3- Missions trip in a foreign country

4- Hike to the peak of a mountain

Done!  And thank you very much Steven and Rag Top Mountain.  (I hope it's not the last one...)

5- Take a sailing trip

6- Go on a cross country road trip

7- Learn to drive stick shift

This has already kinda been done, but I am not good at it.  Not checking this off for now.

8- Kentucky Derby with a big hat

9- Ice skate at Rockefeller at Christmas

10- Ride on the back of a motorcycle

11- Give everything I have to someone (can be everything I can give, everything I have at that moment… I’ll know when it happens)

12- White Water raft on the CO River

13- Run a ½ marathon OR do a sprint triathlon

Septemeber 2010 maybe?!?

14- Worship with a different culture

15- Dance freely in front of at least 10 people

Done!  Thank you Ami & Angela and the drunk girl at the Enter the Haggis concert!  Also.. Cherry Blossom Festival 2010

16- Take a helicopter ride

17- Go rock climbing

18- See the Northen Lights

19- Visit and explore Rio de Janerio

20- See Victoria Falls

21- Visit all 50 states

22- Ride the biggest roller coaster in the US

23- Make my own wine

24- Read all 100 books (I have a list of 100 books to read)

25- Not be in control

26- Spend a weekend, just me and God

27- Do God’s will, not my own

28- Help build a habitat for humanity home

29- Spend Christmas at a shelter

30- Make a difference in someone’s life

31- Write and publish a book

32- Watch the 50 Greatest American Movies of all time

33- Be a loving mother and wife

34- Go on a safari

35- Spend mornings with my husband and coffee on the porch

36- Attend a professional tennis tournament

37- Act ridiculous

38- Live in the now

39- Start a collection of willow angels

40- Watch the mummers parade – live

41- Send my parents to a YL camp as adult guests

Guess who is NorthBay Bound in just a few weeks!! Momma and Papa Potts!

42- Drop everything to help someone

43- Have a life changing conversation with someone about faith

44- Go back to school

45- Stand out of the sunroof of a moving car

46- Grow a garden

47- Sleep under the stars

Weather pending... camping trip in a week and a half with Steph, Steven, and Yuco!

48- Build or fix something

I have a summer project planned...

49- Explore the beaches and ocean of Australia

50- Surf in the Pacific

Life is so good. 

And I do believe, it's getting better...

what you live is what you love is who you are...

So... yea I am a terrible blogger, but been really slammed at work and getting ready to move! I am excited to move in with another christian girl, but so much has been going on!

I got to visit my cuppa out in Chicago. Oh it was so great and beautiful, except even in April Chicago is freezing! Yea, I could never live there. But it is such a beautiful city, I can't even get over it. Makes me want to see Houston, because people say that Houston is like Chicago, only warmer. I say "mhmmm..."

My lil messers got married! Such a beautiful wedding, and so much fun! There is something so great about traveling to a place you would never go to on your own (like Mobile, AL) with a bunch of your girlfriends. You know it's gonna be a blast when you get 8 of your good friends to fly halfway across the country to experience a beautiful southern wedding.

I survived the cherry blossom 10 miler! Barely, but I did survive. And big thanks to my cousins and my friends that ran alongside with me. Having Vic run the last two miles with me make me thrilled, and was just the encouragement I needed. It was also really great because we were able to cheer on people who passed us, and encourage people who we were running in stride with/passing. It is amazing just how giving someone a little pep and encouragement at mile 9.5 can really make the last half mile worthwhile.

All in all, I have to say - life is going pretty well right now. I have a faith in a great Savior, I have a beautiful mother who drove three hours to see me on mother's day (<3), an amazing brother, sister, and dad, and the best friends a girl could ask for.

I promise that the next blog will have pictures, thanks for reading!

What can hold ME down?

You will find a lot of quotes from the bible in my blog, but this is one that I found on my friend's facebook status today, and really liked.

Setbacks, we face them every day. Some cause us to stumble, others bring us to our knees. And along with pain and heartache, each setback brings the opportunity to rise up. To be stronger and better and braver than before.

At the end of January I got in a car accident. Totalled my car completely, and went almost 2 months with pain in my back and neck, which subsequently lead to pain in my arms and head too. I had to take two months off of training for the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, which I had registered for back in November. When I did the 10K in December, I figured that a 10 Miler would be a challenge, but a good goal to train for. I made that decision before the car accident.

Over the last few weeks I have struggled with the challenge of this race. Do I run? Do I switch from the 10 miler to the 5K? Maybe it is all about my pride, but I figured that if I was gonna push myself it was gonna be to do a 10 miler, not a 5K. Well, I am still signed up for the 10 miler, and you know what? 4 miles is tough for me to run right now I have not been training for long enough again, and have not had the time to build up my running, so I have been pushing myself in distance to try to account for what I have lost in constancy.

But here goes. It is now Wednesday night, and the 10 miler is on Sunday. My only goal is to not get picked up by the bus at the end of the race, I want to finish it. My original goal was just to run it, but I now know that may not be possible. I have been praying a lot on it, and really just believing that I can not look like a fool with this whole race. I just hope I can do it and I am trying not to doubt.

But it does really give me more motivation. It's funny how adversity can help with that. It really helps you see that if you can climb this rock and that hill, that you really can do anything when you put your mind to it. It may be tough, and you may not always see it working out, but it does. That's why I love the quote up top there. The car accident along with the additional things going on in my life recently have taken me to all those points. I stumbled. I found myself on my knees with nothing left to offer. And for every reason I've had to give up, I had just that many more to push myself over it. To become stronger, and better, and braver than ever before.

Wish me luck! I'll post updates to the run next week!

Running races and other momentous things

Ok, where to start.
1. In a mere 25 days I will be running the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run in Downtown Washington DC. Let me assure you of two things. The first is that DC is most beautiful during the Cherry Blossom season, and if you haven't ever seen it, you should plan to at some time. I plan to take my family downtown for the festivities when they come to visit for Easter Weekend. The second is that I will not be running the full 10 miles of the race. The requirements for the race are to finish in 2 hours and 20 minutes, which according to my calculations is about a 14 minute mile. This means that even though my original goal was to run the whole race, I will feel very proud of myself for finishing the race. Unfortunately between the holidays and then the car accident, my work out and running regimen has been on hold for almost 2.5 months! That being said, I am working hard, getting back in gear, and praying that God work a miracle through my physical strength to help me do my absolute best on the race. Feel free to follow my daily mile tracking on here or on facebook. I found it is a great way to keep accountable for continuing my training.
Another momentous occasion is that I crossed another thing off my 50 Dreams to accomplish list. If you read the previous post about this list, you will already know that I completed #15 - to dance freely in front of at least 10 people. What you may not know until today is that I can check off #41- send my parents to YL camp as adult guests. This weekend at the Annual Younglife Banquet, an item up for bid was a trip for 2 adult guests to attend YL camp. I tell you, I really wanted the homeopener tickets for the Nationals/Phillies game, but this was the clear winner. So with great excitement and enthusiasm, I announce that momma dearest and papa potts will be heading to North Bay in MD in June to see what YL is like. I am really excited for them for this trip for a lot of reasons. And despite my father's first reaction ("Um, so these people won't be a big fan of cocktails, right? Like, can I bring my beer?"), I am still excited for their four days experiencing this.
Also..... I am seeing my cuppa! I am flying out to see her, a wedding, and old YL Summer Staff friend, some cousins, and suprise a very good friend of mine who happens to be at this particular place on this particular weekend. It will be a very busy weekend, and I can't post where I am going yet, on the off chance that the victim of my surprise finds out, but pictures will be posted and stories shared upon my return.
Hoping this Wednesday evening finds you with peace and joy in knowing that you are loved and are worth a great sacrifice buy one who loves you deeply.
<3

25 things I love

I was thinking that I haven't blogged in a while, and I didn't really feel like blogging about recent happenings in my life, mostly because they haven't been super exciting.

25. I love driving on a sunny day with my sunglasses on.
24. I love when I check my ditziness at the door and show someone how smart I can be.
23. I love sitting in my circle chair with a good book in sweats with my glasses on.
22. I love running (and I miss it, can't wait to get back into the swing again).
21. I love when I cooked something that turned out delicious AND pretty!
20. I love wearing dresses.
19. I love labs, Cavlier King Charles Cocker Spaniels, and St. Bernards... go figure
18. I love Audrey Hepburn movies.
17. I love playing games... trivia, cards, sports, any game, any time.
16. I love letting other people drive.
15. I love mah seester!
14. I love pearls... a whole lot.
13. I love kids. I think they are cute, inspirational, and full of promise.
12. I love water ice or gelato. Sure ice cream is nice, but yum... water ice.
11. I love new jeans that fit perfectly.
10. I love country music... sometimes.
9. I love pastelling and drawing.
8. I love to sing my heart out to music in the car - even though my voice sucks.
7. I love to meet new people.
6. I love when it is all about other people.
5. I love kindness in humanity.
4. I love friends and family.
3. I love hugs!
2. I love God!
1. I love discovering new places.

Just a few quick things. Thanks for stopping by! Share some things you love <3

My 2010 so far with pictures and stories!

We had a blizzard! In case you can't tell, that is a car buried all the way under there. This picture was taken about a week ago (6 days to be exact) and yet, they still have not shoveled the thing out! I mean you can tell that it is a car now, because some of the snow has melted, but ... crazy!! People around here freak out with snow, the roads aren't great, and they think it is an apocolypse, and they close school for a week. Yes. A week. We got three feet of snow and they got a whole week! And I know I am a grown up, so I shouldn't care, but you know who else got a week of snow days? Teachers. I definitely chose the wrong career field...



Sorry, I am quite aware this pictures are in terrible order, but Happy New Years! I went out in Bethesda with a few friends to ring in 2010, and it was great! I think we should celebrate New Years every month if it gives me an excuse to glam myself up! My friends Laura and Arash up there. I guess Lauren was taking the picture and Sarah and Jason never made it out... apparently they just threw food all over the kitchen to ring in the new years. (not kidding, it looked like they got robbed when we got back)


Ahh... yes. Please note that this is not normally how I dress. That man left of me in the picture is J. His wife is in my small group, and every year they have this rockstar party. We just dress up like rockstars and play rockband, because we are super cool like that. It was a really great party, and we rocked out with too much eyeliner, men in women's jeans, fancy boas, fake eyelashes, and an assortment of fake tattoos. It was a great night, and just like every time S or I plan a get together it was snowing.
Unfortunately the night didn't end as well. I ended up hitting someone on the way home when he blew a red light and slammed on the brakes. So currently my car is gone (RIP B Dawk...) and I am recovering from some minor injuries. Accident happened about a month ago, and things are just now getting wrapped up. But I am getting another car this weekend, and finally heading up to PA to see my family, so tht should be great. (God-willing I get there!) I still have to say that the night was still a blast (up to the accident) and honestly, can you believe I had to stand on the side of the highway wearing that and looking like that on a Saturday night?!? I am surprised that I didn't at least get breathalyzed, although I did get some honks from supporting passersby...


Ok so this band is called Enter the Haggis. I love them. Found them in college, and just think they rock. Real high-energy stuff and have the quintessential quality that makes me like bands. Being underrated, and having a sweet sound and good lyrics. Well, some of you might remember the post I made about the 50 adventures I want to have. Well it is 49 now. I went to the concert with Ang and Ami, and they weren't able to get my camera out and set it up to catch this, but you can ask... it happened. I got to live #15. I tried to find some security guy in between the Haggis's sets, but instead I found a drunk friend of the band's manager. She grabbed me, took me backstage, and pleaded my case for wanting to dance onstage in front of 10 people. Well, after loosing a contest, I had to do it myself, so he led me up to the stage, and I did it. I can't remember what song they were playing at the time, but I just ROCKED OUT. I just danced my heart out. It was great. only 49 more to go...


Meet my baby cousin, C. He lives near me down here in the DC area, but I don't see him often enough. I am excited to take him out this spring and summer and get him away from his TV obsession with Baby Einstein, and start him early on loving this great city he gets to grow up right outside of. What to do with a three year old? I have no idea, suggestions welcome, but I just generally enjoy spending time with kids like that, they are so refreshing to be around. And it's fun to blow bubbles, and run like a kid, and play hide and seek in ridiculous places that a grown up will never fit in. But I have to say, I am pretty blessed to live somewhere near family, and can't wait to see the new house! Congrats fam!


I'm doing it. I'm going dark. Actually the idea is to slowly migrate to a bright chesnut red, circa Lindsay Lohan, pre-crack days. Like this picture. Plus it makes sense to look like my birthday twin. It is still weird to me to see her on tabloids and think that she is one day younger than me. Weirddddd. But stay tuned for more pictures as the red slowly takes over!

Me and mah madre! She came down to visit me in DC and we went to the Hirshorn Museum. It wasn't one of my favorite museums in the area (I have to say some of these Smithsonians really spoil me). But it was fun. It is always interesting to look at modern art and think about how really I miss the art and beauty in simple stuff too often. But about halfway through our meandering, we decided to take a cute reflection picture off this reflecting glass box. Well, it just looks like I'm trying to be emo. Bonus points for the To Write Love on Her Arms shirt, but I guess I loose all emo points for having my mom in the picture?? Whatever, I love her, I don't care.

Anyway, that is my life in pictures and stories lately! Happy hump day, the week is almost over!