2000-2009 What a decade!

I cannot believe this decade is about over. There are about 14 hours left of it and it's got me thinking about everything that has happened in the past 10 years. It really has been a crazy one!

2000

This year I graduated high school and started college at Iowa State University. I moved into the predominately freshman dorms with one of my best friends from high school (do not recommend that) and fell in love with ISU. I started out as a journalism major and even wrote for the Iowa State Daily that semester but soon fell out of love with being a reporter. I had a couple of stories printed but it just didn't trip my trigger anymore. I wanted to do something else! But what?

2001

After my first year at ISU my friend from high school moved out of the dorms and into an apartment leaving me alone. I didn't mind though, I had met a group of girls that I would soon call my best friends and still do to this day. I also joined a sorority with one of these girls and fell in love with the sisterhood and passion that these girls had for their house. This is the year I also got back together with my ex from high school Looking back now I have huge regrets, but at the time I was very happy. I have chosen a new major and decided I wanted to be a buyer in the fashion industry. I began work on an Apparel Merchandising and Design/Production degree.

2002

Now, I am still living in the sorority house with my best friend and still loving it but having concerns that it's not what I want for the next two years. I have my doubts and know in the back of my mind I will probably deactivate. I am still off and on with my ex and wasting a lot of precious time pining after him when I could have been out meeting wonderful guys... like CY! We were both at ISU at the same time and didn't know it. We actually had the same exact favorite study spot. In the basement of the Memorial Union across from the cafeteria is a small (and I mean tiny!) little library that was always super warm and cozy. I would always go in there to study before class and apparently, so did Cy! I am positive we probably saw each other and campus and didn't realize it.

2003

This year I turned 21. Need I say more? I could legally drink in bars now and I was taking full advantage. My AMDP degree was well underway and I was doing great. I was finally getting A's because I was studying something I actually enjoyed. We also had to participate in a field study and could choose between places like Chicago, NYC, Paris and Guatemala. NYC was the one everyone wanted to go on and offered the most experience so I chose that one! I spent 7 days in NYC visiting places like Banana Republic/Gap and the Polo Ralph Lauren mansion. It as so cool. I fell in love with New York and decided I wanted to live there as soon as possible. On this field study is where I landed my internship with Ralph Lauren Childrenswear and would begin work on it that summer. During this time I met a great guy in Kansas City, and spent my entire senior year traveling back and forth from home to KC almost every weekend to see him.

2004

Ahhh, the year I graduated college. In may I would graduate college with plans to move to Kansas City to be with the guy I met over the summer. I did not have a job and I had no idea how I was going to use a Fashion degree in Kansas City, MO. Right after arriving, the boyfriend and I broke up. I was devastated. Devastated and also mad at myself for putting so much of myself into him. I was working in a restaurant and hating every second of it. I knew I needed to start looking for a job immediately. In college we always made fun of the fashion majors that ended up working at the mall in retail but one of my sorority sisters that was also a fashion major and living in Chicago told me about this great company that she was working for called Club Libby Lu. I decided what the hell? I'll go check it out. Little did I know that CLL would be a huge and important part of my life post college.

2005

I worked for Club Libby Lu as an assistant manager for about 6 months before being promoted and given my own store to run in Overland Park, KS. I fell in love with the concept, the products, the company... everything. In love, I tell you. I threw myself into this job and loved going to work everyday. My boss had to make me leave at many times because I was always there. My first store in Overland Park was like my baby and I still hold it very close to my heart.

2006

Club Libby Lu knew I was from Iowa and asked me if I would be willing to move back to Iowa to help with the store they had there that was struggling. It was a much smaller store and was a hard decision for me to make, but I really wanted to live in the same city as my friends and family before moving on to somewhere else. I had high hopes of working in corporate for CLL in Chicago and considered my time in Iowa only temporary.

2007

We all know many times our long term plans do not work out and mine definitely did not pan out. I planned on moving to Chicago and being a buyer for CLL, instead they decided to open a flagship location in Myrtle Beach, SC and wanted me to run it. At first, I turned it down because it was too far away. Then they sent me there to be the opening trainer and I fell in love. I knew immediately I had to run this store and live in this adorable beach town. So, in April I packed up my things and made the trip across country with one of my best friends to South Carolina to live at the beach. Living on a coast is something so surreal to me and I will never get over being able to look over to your right everyday and see the ocean but it just wasn't worth being so far away from my family and friends so at the end of the year I made the hardest decision of my life and quit CLL to move back to Iowa.

2008

I had found a job with a local college in administration that was your basic desk job. It was with one of my best friends and I am so grateful that she got me the job but I despised going to work everyday. I hated being on the phone all the time (which was predominately my job) and being chained to a desk. I hated the office gossip and the cattiness of the women employees. I knew I wouldn't last long. Almost the entire year I was there I was looking for another job, looking for something that I would love just as much as CLL. Then in August my old boss emailed me to say that she was searching for a new manager for the Iowa store and wanted to know if I knew anyone. I replied and jokingly said yeah... me! I was half joking, half serious but she replied and was serious. She wanted me back! So I came back to CLL and couldn't be happier! Then... a month later I got the worst news of my life. The company that owns CLL has decided to discontinue the chain and liquidate all 100 stores. It sounds crazy now, but I am grateful that I could be a part of the end of such a wonderful company. It truly was a special part of my life and I will forever miss it.

2009

At the beginning of the year all the CLL stores closed. I was now unemployed and depressed. I felt like I was losing a great friend and would never get her back. But, I knew that I needed to be an adult, chin up and start looking for a job. At first I planned on going back to school for a Masters in education. I figured I would love teaching elementary school since I loved that age group with CLL. Then I found out that the Limited Too in my mall was looking for a store manager and I thought, what the heck? Maybe I should check it out. I interviewed and a week later I had the job. Didn't hurt that I knew their district manager!

So, I started working for them back in March and that was basically my year until I met Cy... and I think you all know how that is going! Wink, wink! :)

So, that is how my decade has gone. How was yours?!

Bloggy award and and UPDATE!

I got this award from Kari over at The Kari Annalysis. Thank you so much!!!

List 10 things that make you happy. Try and do at least one of them today.

1. Kissing Cy

2. Vacuuming. I know weird, but I love to vacuum. Especially my store. My girls think I'm nuts because I always want to be the one to vacuum but it calms me down after a hectic day. Maybe it's just the mindless activity I love.

3. Cuddling with Zeke or Libby. They've been extra snuggly lately. I think it's because it's soooo cold here!

4. Burts Beeswax lipgloss in the winter. I get the worst chapped lips and this stuff really saves the day. (When Zeke doesn't decided to eat it!)

5. Smell good stuff for my home. Candles, plug ins, air fresheners... I love it all. I have an intense phobia of my home smelling like... cat litter or rotting garbage and I don't know it.

6. Reading a great book. Right now I'm reading The Lovely Bones. It hasn't really hooked me yet.

7. Visiting the library. I love, love, love the library.

8. Diet Mountain Dew. Cy and I are both diet dew fanatics. The addiction is slightly out of control.

9. Dry shampoo. I have been trying not to wash my hair everyday and this stuff I found at Sephora is ah-mazing!

10. Wendys. Cy thinks I secretly own stock in Wendy's because I eat there a. lot. I love their salads and baked potatoes!

Kari also requested an update on Cy's gift. Unfortunately, I have no good news. :( It's still not here and it's killing me not knowing what it is....

But, let's recap what I do know...

-He has been working on it since the beginning of December.

-He has put a lot of work into it.

-It is one of a kind and I will be the only one that has it.

-I cannot know where it came from because it will give away what it is.

-It is coming in through the mail.

Also, I got to thinking and remembered that he asked me if I liked white gold or yellow gold about a month ago. How could I forget that he asked me that?! I'm not sure if that helps any of you detectives out there but I sure know what I'm hoping for! What do you guys think?!

It is KILLING me having to wait! He told me that he would tell me what it is if I wanted him to but I told him no, that I didn't want to ruin it for him.

I will be sure to let you all know as soon as it gets here!

Christmas with Cy!

Goooooood morning, everyone! Happy Monday to you all!

I'm in one of those great (but, probably annoying) moods! My Monday's are not your normal Mondays because I usually work the day before!

Last night Cy and I exchanged gifts and I am still grinning. A huge, cheesy ear to ear grin that I cannot wipe off my face! My main gift from him hasn't made it here yet, so I haven't gotten it yet but I did get one gift from him which was an iPod docking station! He heard me say that I needed a new one because the one I have is on its last leg. I could not even remember mentioning this to him, but I find it so sweet that he noticed, remembered and bought me one!

If you remember I bought him one of these little baby's....

An, iPod Touch!

Now, I'm not sure if I mentioned it or not but he figured out what his gift was a couple weeks ago. He knew it was an iPod because he could feel a giftcard inside the greeting card I had for him. I knew he knew and we joked about it quite a bit, he also assumed it was a Nano and I let him think that it was! I may have even mentioned to him that I hoped I got him the right color. A touch doesn't come in different colors. Muwahahahaha! I have been so excited to see his face when he opened and it was SO WORTH the wait.

His face was priceless. Priceless.

He was so surprised. He literally stopped opening the box once he figured out that it wasn't a Nano and just looked at me grinning and goes "What?!"

It was so cute.

Then we spent the next few hours playing with it. Putting music on it. Getting on the internet. He was so freakin adorable, I loved every second. I could tell he didn't want to put it down and I just know that he will be playing with it all day today at work. It makes me smile thinking about that. :)

This is definitely the best gift I have given someone that was a complete surprise and was just one of those gifts that I know we will remember forever. He said it was the best gift he received this year (and he got some great stuff from his parents!) and possibly the best gift anyone has ever given him. Awwwww!!

I cannot wait to find out what his gift is for me. He offered to tell me, but after hearing him say he put a lot of work into it I told him I wanted to keep it a surprise. So, still all I know is that it is one of a kind and he put a lot of thought into it. Hmmm... What is it?!

As soon as I know I will be sure to post about it!

Have you ever given a gift that you were so excited about you could hardly control your excitement like my gift to Cy? Was it a success?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I borrowed stole this cute meme from The Many Thoughts of a Reader! Merry Christmas Eve! I hope everyone has a wonderful, blessed holiday!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I like the look of wrapped gifts so I do my best to wrap as many as possible! This year I actually got them all wrapped! Shocking, though!

2. Real tree or Artificial? I have an artificial tree that was a hand-me-down from my mom!

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually over thanksgiving weekend but I just got my tree up a little over a week ago. Oops.

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually the first week of January, or really whenever I feel like it. It's never as much fun taking it down as it is putting it up. Slightly depressing, in fact.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes I do! But, I try not to drink too much of the stuff....

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My favorite gift was an electronic keyboard. I have no idea why my parents got me it, but I would play for hours teaching myself the notes and learning new songs.

7. Hardest person to buy for? This year, it was my sister! I don't know why but I couldn't find anything for her. Instead, she got a gift certificate for the mall. Everyone likes those, right?

8. Easiest person to buy for? Cy. (shocking, right?) I knew right away two possibilities for him, so I got really, really lucky.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Nope

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. But this year I was lazy…

11. Worst Christmas ever? Probably about 10 years when my Grandpa died. Nothing has been the same since. When he was alive everything was traditions and predictable. Now, it's different every year. Sad. :(

12. Favorite Christmas Movie(s)? Definitely Elf. Love me some Will Farrell!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Just depends... Usually mid-December. If I start too early I spend too much money.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I'll admit it, I have!

15 .Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Frosted sugar cookies... Mmmmmm...

16. Lights on the tree? Of course! I like all white lights!

17. Favorite Christmas song? The Alvin and the Chipmunks song! It always makes me smile!

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We usually stay home. My work schedule usually does not permit me to travel anywhere :(

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? No, but I know my mom can!

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We always do them Christmas Eve because we are impatient and can't wait (and we all loooove to sleep in!).

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The high calorie sweets and food! It's so hard to resist, so I just don't!

22. Favorite ornament theme or color? This year it's blue and silver... I don't have a favorite yet, still trying new ones out. I really want to decorate a tree in all white and pearls one year. Wouldn't that be pretty?

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Honey ham! Yum!!!

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? Health and happiness for my friends and family! (oh, and you all know what I want from Cy! Wink, wink!) ;)

Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you so much for reading and stopping by my blog this year, it means so much to me!

What is it? What is it? What is it?!

I feel like a little kid... a giddy child that cannot wait to open her presents on Christmas morning. Usually, I know what most of my gifts are beforehand because the bulk of my gifts come from my parents. This year Cy and I are exchanging gifts and I cannot wait to find out what he got me!

Anyone want to take a guess what he chose for me?

All I know is this... it's coming in the mail and not here yet and had to be special ordered. Those are the only hints I could get out of him! He's worried it won't be here in time for Christmas morning and I'm really worried we won't be able to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning together because we're supposed to be hit hard with a big storm.

So... any guesses? I know what I'm hoping for, but it's a pretty broad category. As a matter of fact, you can probably guess what category I'm hoping my gift falls in. It's what most girls usually want for holidays, it comes in a small(ish) box and it starts with a "j".

I know I will be happy with whatever he got me though and I cannot wait to exchange gifts with him! (Even though... he already knows what I got him. Argh! No, I didn't tell him!)

Do you Zumba?

I mentioned on Twitter last night that I was going to try the group fitness class, Zumba last night. Well, I didn't make it to that class, instead I chose to go to Step class which was taught right after Zumba.

I love Step, it was the first class I started going to way back when during my freshman year of college. One of my best friends got me to start going and I'm so glad she did! She's a group fitness instructor now, teaching everything from Step, Bodypump, Zumba and Kickboxing. She's awesome!

Well, she has been raving about Zumba for sometime now. I'm thinking I will head to a class tomorrow because it's taught at 4:30pm and I get off at 4:00pm so it's perfect.

Have any of you heard of Zumba? If so, have you tried it? I guess it's kind of like salsa dancing. I watched the last 10 minutes of the class today and I have to say, I'm really excited to check it out! It doesn't look hard at all and looks like lots of fun!

I will be sure to let you all know how it goes!

Best of '09 December 11-15

December 11 The best place. A coffee shop? A pub? A retreat center? A cubicle? A nook?

The best place for me to relax and unwind (which I believe this question is really asking) is Barnes and Noble. It's not just any Barnes and Noble though, it's a two story, gorgeous store. Seriously, I have been in a lot of B&N's and this one is by far the best. It was the first one my hometown got (it has two now) and I have been in love with it since college when I would study there when I happened to be in town away from my college town. Now, I go there when I have extra time on my hands to browse the books, relax in it's comfy chairs or people watch. I used to be there at least once a week, but haven't been for awhile. Hopefully, when Christmas is over I will have more time to visit one of my favorite places!

December 12 New food. You're now in love with Lebanese food and you didn't even know what it was in January of this year.

I'm not very adventurous when it comes to food so I don't try new things all that often. I wish I did, but I just don't. I have a very boring palate! The only thing I did a lot more of this year was eat sushi. My good friend Krystal and I started going out for sushi a couple times a month to catch up and try something new and it's really stuck. We're actually going tonight and I'm really excited! Our favorite place is called Miyabi 9 and it's this tiiiiiny little sushi place downtown in the East Village that has like 8 tables but has the best sushi ever. We hardly ever go anywhere else anymore!

December 13 What's the best change you made to the place you live?

Well, I moved this year! Like I do every year, coughcough. Late last year when I found out I would be job-less early 2009 I moved into my friends house so I could save some money on rent and utilities. When I got the job I have now I decided to move back into my own apartment. Since college I have lived alone so having a roommate again was kind of a struggle for me. She wasn't a bad roommate at all, she was actually one of the best ever and I couldn't have asked for more but I think once you get used to living alone it's hard to go back to having roommates. Especially for females!

December 14 Rush. When did you get your best rush of the year?

Hmmm.... best rush. I'm having a hard time coming up with something! Everything I am thinking of has to do with Cy and the first few dates... I loved that we took things so slow the first few dates, we didn't even hold hands until the third date! We talk about it now and laugh but I think we were both so nervous neither of us would make the first move. It's so different from other guys that I have dated that it just made me fall harder for him and we did hold hands and kiss... etc, etc it was some of the greatest feelings ever!

December 15 Best packaging. Did your headphones come in a sweet case? See a bottle of tea in another country that stood off the shelves?

I'm coming up with a blank here too... I'm lame today! You should check out the pictures of some sweet packaging that Sam found though! They're pretty cool!

That's it for me, I'm all caught up. Again!