Updates and Bachelorette Weekend

Good morning everyone!

So---I gave up Facebook for lent. Usually I give up something that I definitely eat/do/etc, but this year, I am giving up something that I just spend too much time on. Facebook isn't blocked at work. WHich honestly, is a HUGE mistake. I don't understand why it's not. I'm sure that people (ahem: me) go on it periodically throughout the day. Honestly, I'm sure that there are people that actually spend HOURS on it wasting time and not working.

I have to comment on some of the comments that people have left me.

Steph: I hope you are having a fantastic time in Espana. I love that country and am so jealous you are there! Live it up, studying abroad was the best thing I ever did!

Jess: Ok, so the crab cookies. I love your idea. I think it would be even better if I topped the cookies with little black sprinkles, like ACTUAL crabbies, like you know - the ones in your crotch. Hahahaha, I think it would be hilarious. I'm getting giddy just thinking about it. How is your abrasion situation btw?

Please spread the word about my blog to others! :)

Ok - back to the real story.

Tonight I'm flying up to NYC for my bachelorette weekend. I.am.so.excited! I can't wait to get all my friends in the same place at the same time to have a blast with me! Yay! Tanzer and Vance and I are hanging out tonight when I get in, really low key. Tomorrow I'm going to go into Lehman and say hi to people/friends and then I feel like there are a zillion things I need to do before all the people arrive! We are going to have a great time. Biggs/Vance/Tanz did such a fantastic job planning and I really am so excited. I even packed last night instead of like throwing things into a suitcase early this morning per usual. Phew! Leaving right from work and it can't come soon enough!

I also wanted to alert everyone of some new blogs/links I've changed on the right of your screen. The first is Dr. Jane Shure's blog. She is the shrink for a really close friend and I almost feel like I know her personally b/c of how much she's helped my girl. She is amazing and also has a great practice if you need someone in the Philadelphia area. So, check it out. If you like SimplyLauren, you've GOT to check out her blog (even though they really aren't that much the same at all, lol). The next one is the link to my cousin's new book that they wrote. It's pretty awesome. You can read all about them/their book/their movie on the webpage. They are twins on my mom's side and they live in Cali like the rest of my extended family with the exception of me, my sister, my parents and Amos/Liz/Kate. Finally, There is Ethan World which is the blog that is run by Timmy's sister Jacque. All the art and things on the page are made by her son Ethan, who is an AMAZING artist and young man. I've had the pleasure of hanging out with him on multiple occasions and wanted to pass his art along so that others can enjoy!

Happy Birthday Charlie! I hope you have a great day! I'll be thinking of you! xoxxoxox

Ok, that's all for now, I totally have to get back to worky.

Love, SimplyLauren

Bald Eagles and Brewery's

Hey everyone!

So----just for the record, it's really annoying for me to sign into blogger b/c I originally signed up with my yahoo email and how it's like trying to be exclusively a google thing so I was prompted to sign in with my gmail email account, which I haven't started using it yet because it has my new last name and like---I didn't want to be that freak girl who wrote with her married name on an email before she was even married----so anyway, I need to find a way to switch this already existing blog to my gmail account without it being like messed up and having to start over b/c lord knows I am SOOOO not doing that.

One other day randomly at work this was blocked, so it's uber annoying trying to publish things when I'm supposed to be working. Anyway, I wanted to write about last weekend. It was so great.

So, for the past five weeks, Jake and I have been dog sitting for his parents dog: Doodle. Yes the dog's name is Doodle. Do you want to know why that's his name? Well---he's a goldendoodle, which is a cross b/t a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Jake's dad had the "bright" idea of creating a "unique" name for him: Doodle. But, I usually call him "Dude" or "Doody" which is also funny. Anyway, so he's really cute but he's kind of young, like a little puppy or a little toddler. He looks like a muppet, yes, that is the best way to put it. He is the best cuddle dog and I sort of miss having him around. Anyway, while his parents were away and we had Doody, we couldn't really go anywhere so we had decided that after they came back, we'd go away for a weekend. The Chesapeake Bay Hyatt was running a special where it was like $99 a night and so we booked a nice water view room for this past weekend.

After I got home from work on Friday, we drove up. It was like perfect b/c it was about an hour and a half away. We ate a yummy (but a bit overpriced) dinner at this resto that was right on he resort and then we just drank champagne and relaxed for the rest of the evening. On Saturday, that's when all the cool stuff happened. We had breakfast in bed and then headed out to the Blackwater Reserve. It is like a wildlife reserve where they have all types of animals, but specifically blad eagles. I know it seems quasi-logical that since a bald eagle is America's bird, that they would be easily spotted and found all over. They got over their endangered hump, I think they are actually off the list right now but I had still never seen one. We REALLY wanted to get a glimpse of one that day.

First we walked down this road and we saw an eagle flying. But it was REALLY high up and you couldn't get the full eagle effect ya know? So---we drove down this other path right by the water and we saw a group of snow geese that was like 1000 strong. Jake took out his camera and started taking pix of them and all of a sudden, this small group of like 10 birds got up to fly and then the rest of the pack flew away for their like "fly-away" hour or whatever. It was INSANE. It was like a cloud of moving feathers honking away for like ten minutes. Jake got some GREAT shots. There was this dude next to us on the road that was also taking pictures of the fly-away event and his camera was like the size of my whole body. Seriously people, the lens was like INSANE long. Then, right as the whole bird flying thing was happening, we saw a bald eagle fly by us and then land on a dead tree in the middle of the water. It was exactly how you would expect to see a bald eagle. A big as FUCK bird like totally dominating over the immediate area. They are so effing badass, it's not even funny. We have a kick ass national bird for shizz. We were also snapping away at this bird too, so was the guy with the super-lens. I asked him if I could look into his lens to see how close he could get and seriously it was like zoomed into the birds pupil.

Then we were driving away and saw ANOTHER one!? Jake took more pix. It was really stunning, and I'm not trying to sound like a nature loving nerd, even though I sort of am. It's the truth. We grabbed a quick lunch and then drove about 2o minutes to St. Michael's. It's a cute little eastern shore town with a bit of poshiness to it, but it's still cool, not stuffy. We walked up and down the street a little stopping in some shops. I was really excited b/c we stopped at this one craft store and I bought a crab cookie cutter. I am SO EXCITED ABOUT THE CRAB COOKIE CUTTER! :) I just need a reason to make some crab cookies. :)

Then we went into this brewery. It's the only brewery on the eastern shore and it sort of looks like a barn, it's pretty cold inside but it's AWESOME. The owner was there and his partner and then the owners parent's came in. They were so interesting and fun to talk to. Jake and I sat at the bar and drank there for about three hours. Then we were tipsy and hungry and walked down to his amazing resto called "Bistro" right on the main drag. The food was delicious and yum. After dinner, we rolled our stuff selves bak to the hotel for more wine and more fun.

Sunday was sort of gloomy and rainy so it was the perfect morning for lazy, sleep in and relax. We got a late check out and then drove home. It was such a great weekend. I suggest you all check it out!

Ok----well, I have to get back to work now.

Loveskies,
SL

Annoying Boss and Nasty Candy

So, as many of you know. I really like candy. Like A LOT. I recently discovered a candy that I actually hate. I had lots of Valentine's candy in a dish oat my desk for people in my office to share, etc. I had hershey's kisses and also peanut m&ms. Most normal humans like those. I also thoroughly enjoy reeses peanut butter cups as well. Anyway, my co-worker (and one of my bosses) brought in these things called "Kissables" and they taste like A$$. The bag smells like shit when you open it. It's like a combination of hershey's chocolate kisses but then covered in a candy shell like m&ms. It's like two worlds you shouldn't combine. Anyway, I hate them but I feel obligated to put them at my desk to share. I'm more than happy to share since I think they are rancid.



In other news my boss is being super annoying today. I don't really have an any specific examples I want to explain, but he's in one of those moods. It's like my coc-worker Tara explained, "you know when you are little and 'mom' is in a bad mood, then everyone else is in a bad mood because she is like the catalyst?". THat statement is EXACTLY how it is here. However, since I'm so usually cheerful in nature and rarely have blow out attacks, I am not going to let him dictate my mood. Screw that!



This bad economy sucks, I wonder how much longer it's going to last. Who wants to do an over under on three years until things start to bounce back, even remotely. This stimulus package isn't going to do jack shit in my opinion. Or at the very least, do minimal to help the average American.



Trying to decide what's for lunch today. I have to get lunch for the boss man but he's on a call right now and it's not like I can just go in and ask him. Oh well....

Happy Hump Day!

xo, SL


P.S. Sorry I thought I posted this last week!
xo

Comeback and Excitement!

Hello my friends!

I am happy to announce the comeback of SimplyLauren. Occasionally, I'll be in a group that remembers when I used to post regurlarly and they will mention that they "miss" the blog or they ask what happened to my aspiration to be "blogfamous". Well kids, I'm back and I'm back with a vengenace. Just kidding, I don't have vengenance or anything I just wanted to write that to be funny.

A LOT of things have changed since I was last a blogger. I mean, BRIEFLY, I should give those of you an update about what is going on in my life. If you want any more details about my life if you are REALLY out of date on things, I'll be more than happy to elaborate in the comments section.

1. I now live in Maryland
2. I work in Bethesda, at a Tax and Accounting firm where I work in the Valuation and Transaction Advisory Group. I like it.
3. I am engaged to Jake and we're getting married in May. May 16th to be exact.
4. My sister moved to Atlanta. Dr. Bora is 10 now...and his answers will be not nearly as cute and endearing.

I think that's all the real big deal updates for the time being.

Today is President's Day and when I worked at Lehman I used to get this day off because the market is closed. Unfortunately, my company now does not observe the market being closed as a holiday. Which is SO stupid. SO Stupid. Anyway---I can't do anything about it so there is no point complaining. Also---I have a lot of awesome vacations and things going on this year so not having one day off is totally fine.

So one thing I'm really excited about is that I just applied to be a volunteer EMT at the Wheaton Rescue Station. I did my ride along last week with the Wednesday crew and they were so awesome. I loved all the people there and I'm really excited about the prospect of joining the squad.

This past weekend Jake and I did a TON of wedding stuff. It seems like we have to plan out times to NOT do wedding things, but for the time being it's ok. Today the wedding is three months away. I can't effing believe that it is so close! It seems like just yesterday we were engaged! We did a cake, or rather, cupcake tasting yesterday and it was amazing. I could NOT be more excited about the flipping cupcakes. :) I also bought my wedding band, it's exactly what I wanted to I'm excited about that too. We didn't get Jake's b/c we are still deciding on what he wants and also, the men's ones were WAY more expensive that I thought they were going to be. Seriously, mine has diamonds and was still cheaper than some of the rings we looked at for him. Oh well...it's not really a rush just yet.

I know this post isn't particularly funny or witty but I just am getting back into the swing of things. Give me a few days!

Hope you all have happy, healthy President's Days!

Love,
SimplyLauren