One Year Ago

It is crazy to think where I was this exact time last year. It makes me sad thinking about it. Last year this time I was in Europe. I was just wrapping up my study abroad with a nice trip through France, Belgium, and the Netherlands with my parents and sisters. Now I am sitting at my desk at work....blah. Europe was way better, but I guess reality has to hit sometime right? If only I would will billions of dollars and never have to work again and just travel. Wouldn't that be amazing? I think everyone wants that. Too bad that will never happen.

Here are some pictures from that trip so you can feel my pain and longing for Europe.

We started in Paris and quickly took off to Normandy. What a moving place and we were there on Memorial Day can't get much cooler than that. (FYI you are only going to see pics with people in them because I am at work and that is what I had in my email. I may post again with pictures of the beautiful places we went. Although you can see it in the background of these pictures.)

Haha I love doing these pictures. Its a funny way to mix up your pictures on a vacation. (my friend Michelle said that she pics a specific thing to take pictures of in each place she goes ie trash cans. Kind of weird but funny at the same time) This was by a beautiful canal in a small French town.

My mom did a great job in cutting my dad out of this picture. This was Belgium. We took a guided boat tour through the canals. I think all cities should have a cool canal system like the European towns do.

Then we rented bikes and road them around the outer path around Brugge. It was a lot of fun and it was AWESOME cause they city is surrounded with windmills!!! Like actual windmills not the stupid white ones in CA.

What a cute little family....oh wait I think there are a few people missing.

Well that is a little better :)

When we were in Amsterdam my dad was determined to rent a boat. The rain obviously didn't stop him and it was fun....kinda. Well it was until we realized we were going to be late to return it. Haha good family memories.

He was very happy to be driving that boat and to be wearing his newly purchased hat.

The rain eventually stopped. It was definitely a unique way of seeing the city that not a lot of people get to see so although I was skeptical about it I am glad we did it.

Having my family join me in Europe was a fantastic was to end my study abroad. I could not be more grateful to have had the whole experience and it is definitely a time in my life I will never ever forget.

Now I just want to go back. Guess I should start saving my money.

Girlfriends, Chips + Salsa, Sangria, Pizza, & Hot Tub = 1 Fantastic Evening

The other day one of my best friends called me and informed me that we were having a girl's night at my place that night! Haha Lauren isn't the best planner, but that is okay. Luckily I didn't have anything going on that night so we planned to make pizzas and go in the hot tub and talk!

Lauren, Kimi, and Jessica came over and it was definitely a night that we all needed to just relax and hang out with each other before Lauren and Kimi take off and leave us behind. Lauren in going to North Carolina for pharmacy school and Kimi is moving to Texas for the summer and then to Australia or some cool place like that just because she is Kimi and that is what she is meant to do. At least Jessica is staying here with me!

Anywho. I had made some salsa that my sister had blogged about over here and it was delicious!!! It definitely had a kick, which would normally bother me, but I think because I made it it didn't bother me. I was very proud of myself. Salsa is something I have never tried to make before and I found out it is super easy. All you have to do is combine the ingredients together and blend!

No dinner date is complete without good ole sangria! I bought three different bottles so we could try different kinds. The first one was strange....it was bubbly. No me gusta.

Kimi helped me cut up the vegetable to put on top of the pizzas.

Lots of brightly colored toppings....too bad I don't eat 3 of the 5 things.

The four of us working on our pizzas (and Hannah in the back making some bomb snickerdoodles).

ps Kimi and I are wearing the same shorts (different color) just bought at the Gap outlet. haha

Patiently waiting for them to cook.

Lauren and her pizza fresh out of the oven.

My ginormously crusted pizza. I'm not complaining though, the crust is the best part.

Now that ours are out of the oven these two lovely ladies made theirs and popped them in the oven. Jessica had a great idea, she put ranch powder on the crust to make it like Hungry Howie's pizza.

Kimi was very proud of her finished pizza.

Kimi and Jessica's pizzas....They definitely have more veggies than mine and Lauren's. Oh well I am a picky eater I can't help it.

That was the culmination of the nights festivities....oh yeah and one more bottle of white wine. I swear we weren't drunk. I don't think any of us really felt it at all, probably because we spread it out over several hours.