Lovely Saturday Am

This is my last slow Saturday am for a while. Lacrosse season is getting ready to start which means Saturday games and weekends out of town. I took advantage of the slow morning by enjoying a cup of joe and working on a painting project. It's crazy how I have come to cherish simple Saturday mornings like these :)

This mug does make me quite happy in the am...especially since it is from a dear friend who I get to see far to rarely. Cheers to a slow winter weekend.

Winter is something terrible

I really, really hate being cold. Really hate it. Unfortunately, I am often freezing. If my feet get cold I am cold all day. For this very reason I own way too many, cough 7, pairs of Ugg boots. Every year I struggle through the winter once New Years has past. It is so much easier to make it when the excitement of the holidays are around. So, this year I have a couple strategies to help get me through January and February.
One of those is my new ceramic hot tea tumbler. I just recently bought this and some whole tea leaves. I drink about five cups of hot tea a day which A. keeps me warm and B. supplements my terrible coffee habit. I love it... it's kind of cute and hippie too :)
My other trick to keep warm is using my booties nightly. I warm them in the microwave for three minutes before I go to bed. They warm me completely and help me to fall asleep. I'd strongly suggest getting a pair if you are a cold feet person...they are awesome.

Only 7 more weeks until March........blah. I think I can make it.

And so it begins....

It's January. The students have all returned. I'm in my last semester of grad school. Practice starts next week. And everyone keeps asking if I'm excited.

Excited?

I am not sure that is the word I would use. I am anxious. I am overwhelmed. I am apprehensive. I am not sure I would say I am excited. My schedule the next few months is crazy.

This is what my schedule will look like:

Monday practice 6:30-8:00 work 9-3 night class 5-9
Tuesday internship 7:30-10:00 work 10:15-1:30 Practice 1:30-3:30
Wednesday internship 7:30-10:00 work 10:15-1:30 Practice 1:30-3:30
Thursday internship 7:30-10:00 work 10:15-1:30 Practice 1:30-3:30
Friday practice 6:30-8:00 work 9-3

Weekends include agency internship hours, travel for work and fun, and games

This is my schedule until May when I will be going to the internships more.

Is it so bad that I am not really excited at all? There is only one season like this but I just want it to be over. I feel pulled at least three different directions. In better news... more to come on my internships. I think they will both be great opportunities even though every other day I have to answer the question, "Are you trying to get a job?" with "No, I am just trying to get a degree!"

Blues Game

For Christmas this year I gave Tom tickets for the two of us to go to the Blues game. I also painted him a popcorn bowl with the bluenote in the bottom of it. We exchanged gifts at the very beginning of December so we had both been anticipating the game for quite some time. The Blues played the New York Rangers and although they lost 2-1 we had an awesome time. It was so fun seeing the game that close and having food and drinks for free all night. Definitely something I will do again. Not a night to soon be forgotten.

SOO CLOSE!

view of st. louis from the blue note lounge

the ice

in the blue note lounge between periods

Such a fun night to finish off the holiday season.

DISPATCH!!!

I would NEVER go so far as to call myself a music junkie or an avid music fan or even one who knows music. I often listen to songs without a clue as to who I am listening to. However, there is one band that strikes a cord with me unlike any other.

You may recall this entry from last January:

http://katiesfavphotos.blogspot.com/2010/01/no-big-deal.html

I was at the US Lacrosse National Convention and ended up at a breakfast with Brad Corrigan... a band member from my favorite band, Dispatch. I introduced myself, gave him a big hug, and told him how much I love his band.

WELL...today I was bored at work and decided to plan my summer trip to Colorado. We want to plan our trip around something fun out there so I began to search festivals and ended up looking at the the Red Rocks Ampitheater events schedule. OMG Dispatch at Red Rocks on June 4th. My goodness, people, I am so excited. Their last show was in New York in 2007 and that was a reunion show after years off. They are a fabulous band and good people to boot.

SO... In short I am Colorado bound the first week in June and couldn't be more excited about it.

Listen to some Dispatch, specifically Elias... you won't regret it. I may have had two good friends say to me just this month, "Have you ever made a mixed cd without that song on it?" LOVE.

Welcome 2011!

I will be the first to admit I have been a terrible blogger...AGAIN. However, I am giving it one last try in 2011. I am going to make an effort to blog three times a week in the new year. We will see how this goes. I will blog some updates shortly, but, first, my resolutions.

* To blog- day three of the new year and I am off to a good start

*Organize my photos - both print and on my computer

*The Great American Apparel Diet- This should be the most difficult. Tom has decided the two of us should attempt this for 2011. He saw it on the news and directed me to the website: http://www.thegreatamericanappareldiet.com/

After buying a few items at the JCrew outlet last week I think I am ready. We will see how this goes. I am excited to try and feeling confident in my attempt- even though I LOVE to buy clothes. BUT remember this people: I am a Vegetarian because someone bet me 14 years ago that I couldn't go a week without eating meat. I am competitive and love a good challenge.... I'll keep you posted on this one :)

So, there are the resolutions.

Check back soon for some Christmas updates and other fun festive stuff.

My Sweet Penpal

In May my best friends fiance got a job in Portland. He moved in early June and I had the summer to spend with Heather and her sweet, adorable kids. It was a blast. By the time they moved in late July they were calling me Aunt Katie. Katrina, her second grader, and I have kept in touch as pen pals from across the country. She is just an absolute doll.

Heather, Katrina, and I on their last night in St. Louis

This past weekend Tom and I got the opportunity to go visit them in their new home. The trip was an absolute blast. The kids were awesome, Portland was beautiful, and it was such a treat to see Heather and Dave. I can't wait to go back.

Katrina with her new dog, Boggs

Katrina and I the morning of the half marathon

Katrina supporting us despite the rain :)

She has become buddies with Tom and he is just so sweet to her. This is her watching the half marathon from his shoulders.

Hanging out on the couch- she always insisted on being between me and Tom :)

The sweet Baker kids

Me, Katrina, and Tom Sunday night for dinner

What a great trip with my sweet pen pal and best friend's family!