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1 more nightshift
1 more day to CRUNK.....

Uhhh...

My best best best friend Erin, who is very upset at me for leaving nightshift was reading this blog and very nicely pointed out how I misspelled the word "Poured" in my Kentucky Derby post (and by nicely, I mean doubled over laughing and called me stupid). I spelled it "Pored". This is very embarrassing for me because I literally just sent an email to some people bragging about my vocabulary score on an online quiz. And I put PORED in all caps. Uhhh. I blame this error on nightshift.

Quiet Waters Park

On Sunday we wanted to go for a bike ride, so Mike and Emily suggested Quiet Waters in Annapolis, which I have always heard of, but have never been. The bike trail was about 6 miles, but totally shaded and with lots of places to stop and look around. We rented a paddle boat, which sounds like it would be a good time, but it was miserable! Don't ever rent a paddle boat, no matter how much fun your friends tell you it will be! It was harder than peddling a bike up a mountain while lugging a backpack full of rocks. After a nice long workout and exploring the park, we feasted at Fuddruckers. Which is ironic since the last time we ate there was after our first 5k. We like to work out and then soothe our aching muscles with ground beef I guess.

*this is just a reminder to myself when I look back on this picture to remember how Emily decided to get onto this fallen tree:) And in the future to remember to assist her should we ever go horseback riding.

Another Samsonite Blizzard album cover photo shoot. But I don't know why we even bother anymore since they haven't played together in months!

I think I mentioned how much we like jumping action shots.

I really did used to play volleyball and jump occasionally.

What is so funny Emily?

Wedding

We went to Jason and Amanda's wedding this weekend. Jason and Joe were roommates at Salisbury for 3 years. Joe and Bryan were co-best men and both gave great speeches. The reception was at Savage Mill, which was a really cool place and even cooler place for an after party!

Since my camera broke while we were in New Orleans, here is the one picture I have of me and Joe together courtesy of Holly's camera! Thanks Holly!

Enjoying the open bar.

Pretty ladies: Lindsey, Emily, and Steph. Notice Steph's cute braid and curled hair. She came straight from school with perfectly coifed hair...so jealous.

And I am behind them still enjoying the open bar.

We take a lot of pictures together, but we usually don't smile at the exact same time! Yea for us and Mike's inflatable flash attachement!

A horse is a horse of course of course

Joe and I biked 14 miles today and found a horsey friend along the way. I think he is wishing he was racing today at the Preakness. He galloped right over to the fence to say hi, but it's probably cause I am wearing red and he thinks I am giant apple. I look scared of him, but he licked my arm and it was gross.

Dayshift

I just remember being so excited in this picture on our last day because graduation was so close! And obviously the guy in the back felt the same way!

These pics are from Nursing school during my OB clinical rotation at Franklin Square, which is where I work now.

It's official! After 4 years of working full time nightshift (7pm-7am), I am moving to full time dayshift! I really haven't had any desire to make this change until recently. I love the group of people I work with at night and am having a really hard time coping with the idea of not working with them anymore. But, my body is beginning to show signs of deterioration due to this crazy lifestyle I have had. (or it's just that I am almost 30..uhh!) But, my friends get frustrated because I never remember anything short term, Joe gets frustrated because I am ALWAYS cranky the day after working, my family never sees me since my Mom is a nurse and works days and we are always on opposite schedules, and I can't handle the 45 minute drive and constantly having to scream at myself, sing, chew ice, hang my head out the window, and nod off and not know what road I am on! So I am very excited about this new change and I start the first week in June. And if you could just pray that Joe and I don't drive each other nuts in the first couple of months with me home more, that would be great!

Kentucky Derby

As close as I got to seeing Super Saver and Calvin.. the front page of the morning paper.
Max told Candice to bet on him cause he liked his name, so she won! Joe bet on Paddy O' Prado to show, so we won on him. Yes, WE won and if Paddy hadn't won, then HE would have lost.

Mrs. Stencel's to-go gifts of granola and candy.

There was a monument of Barbaro in the front of track that people could jump up and pose with.

My fav is the horse in the middle with all 4 legs in the air.

Once the Derby was over, everyone pretty much left. But there were two more races still and one of them was just the Filly's. So we felt it was important to stay and support the female horses of the derby. Plus we got to watch from the rail, which was definitely the highlight of the day.

I found out later that there were 100,000 people in attendance. It felt like a million!

The Granstand seats were right in front of the starting gate.

Classy on top, and practical on the bottom!

This is the center arena where they show the horses right before they race. This was the first horse I saw, so I bet on him. He lost.

The main entrance.

Erin and Kara or Kara and Erin?

So after we got all dressed up, we headed straight to Target to buy raincoats and galoshes. Cause it POURED the whole time we were there. The sun came out for a few minutes right before the main race, but by that time we were soaked through and through.

Our tickets. 4 in the Granstand Bleachers, and 4 in the Infield Club. I know there are only 7 of us, but Erin's twin sis, Kara joined us. She joined us for a couple spring break trips in college, so it's always fun to see her. I still get them confused even though they aren't identical!

Day Two, Derby Day!

We got all dressed up with our dresses, heels, and hats!

An unexpected treat! We got to visit with Candice's husband and kids. Max is 3 and Reese is 1. We met Max when he was a few months old during our Nashville trip and this was our first time meeting Reese. I was so happy we got to see them! They are the only babies of the group.. but not for long! Lindsay is hiding her little baby bump and we will have a new baby to play with in September!

Gotta make this for summer..cucumber dill dip with veggie chips, so good!

We had grilled salmon, spinach pies, and roasted veggies. And the best part?? We only spent $55pp on food for the entire weekend!

First Day

Everyone gathered by around 5pm for dinner. Kelly's flight was delayed and she didn't get in till 11pm. Sadly, I was already fast asleep when she arrived since I had been up since 3am driving. You can tell I have my "Teddy Ruxpin" eyes as Joe always says in this pic.

Ok, so here's this years trip. I drove 9 hours with only 2 quick stops. But that's really only because I was too scared of stopping in the boonies of WV by myself.

Wisconsin 2009

The girls in Wisconsin for Lindsay's wedding, which I couldn't attend. Sorry girls, this was the only group shot I found in the pics Linds sent me!

Nashville 2007

All of us plus Bekah, who I roomed with the second half of freshman year.

Miami 2008,

There was a very nice group picture but I thought this one was more representative of our personalties! My favorite is Amanda in the corner cleaning her coconut before it's photographed.

I put together a little mailer card of our trip, but I don't think I ever sent it to the girls!

San Diego 2007

This weekend I drove to Lexington, Ky to have my 5th reunion trip with my college girlfriends. We stayed with Erin's Mom, who graciously opened her home to us and let 7 girls crash there for 3 days! And when I say graciously, I mean it...we had delicious meals, bourbon balls by our bedside table at night, and to-go snack bags for the ride home.


These girls are dear longtime friends of mine and to catch up for only one weekend wasn't near enough time. Linds mentioned that we have known each other for 12 years now, which blew me away! Once we graduated in the spring of '02, we knew it would be extremely hard to see one another frequently. Lindsay is in Wisconsin, Erin lives Miami/Dallas, Candice, Amanda, and Katie in Nashville, and Kelly in DC. But I am so proud of us! We have seen each other almost every year since our graduation. We have traveled to San Diego, Miami, Nashville, and Wisconsin. We are lucky this year because we get to see each other again this coming October in Charlottesville, VA for Kelly's wedding. So here are some pics of our past trips and ones of this weekend!