Vacation!

So, for Thanksgiving, my mother took my brother and I to Aruba! And it was a fabulous trip, let me tell you! I had a few firsts while I was there, which frankly, was surprising because I mostly just sat on my tush all day on the beach!

Now, this is more a "technical" first, because I have gone wakeboarding before...but this was the first time that I ever wakeboarded on the ocean! I think that counts! And hot dang, it was HARD! Those waves make it much more difficult than doing it on a lake...I was so sore the next day, I could hardly move! But I was very proud of myself because I got up out of the water on my second try (after not having wakeboarded in about 6 or 7 years!).

Also, this will be the first time I've posted a picture of myself in a bathing suit on my blog. That is a little scary...I mean, yeah, it's from kind of far away, but still, I'm a little self-conscious!

Now, this is a BIG first! This trip was the first time I EVER gambled! And let me tell you, I SUCK at gambling! I was too afraid to do anything too tough, so I stuck to the slots...and when I would run out of money or decide to cash out (cause I didn't WANT to run out of money!), I'd go help my mom by pulling the little lever on her machine.

And while we were gambling together, we hit the jackpot! Like for real!! We made $300 on a 25 cent machine! So I guess it was not only my first time gambling, but my first time winning the jackpot! WOO! Trying new things actually paid off this time! ;)

See those "WILD"s across the board?? We are awesome!

On our last night, we stayed in our room a little while longer before dinner and watched the sunset. Now, this may sound crazy...but I have never just sat and watched a sunset. And WOW. I have about 25 pictures of it because it was so incredibly beautiful! And once it gets close, it happens so fast! Very cool. And a great way to say goodbye to Aruba.

Now I'm back...and my fabulous tan is fading...which is just so sad! But, this does mean that Christmas is coming! AND before Christmas, my birthday! YAY! 20 days til Christmas! 16 until the "First Day of Winter"! And 12 until my birthday!!

Until next time... I'll be listening to holiday songs pretty much 24/7! I have a collection of approximately 215 songs. What about you? :)

The Thing I Said I'd Never Do, But I Did

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am going to warn you now: this post talks about things underneath a swimsuit. If you are at all uncomfortable with that, stop reading now. Cause I don't want you mad at me!

I'm getting ready to go on vacation to Aruba...and as I was thinking about preparations for my trip I thought, "This would be an ideal time to try something new". So I decided, after much thought, to try something I said I'd never do.

I said I would NEVER do it! And as I learned more about them in recent years, I was absolutely SURE I would never do it. But I did it.

My weekly challenge? A BIKINI WAX.

Yes, folks. I waxed a very sensitive area. Well, to be precise, I had it waxed. I didn't do it myself.

I started by researching it on the website of the place I've gotten my eyebrows done before... It's an all-waxing salon on the UWS. Great place, by the way. If you're looking for a good waxing place, ask me about it! I highly recommend it.

Well, let me tell you, I went in knowing next to nothing about different kinds, prices, etc. And I could not stop giggling at the names/descriptions of these things!

The Goody-Tw0-Shoes (your standard bikini line)

The Deep Bikini (....they leave some...their examples, a landing strip or triangle! think they do custom? initials, perhaps?)

The Playboy (this one goes a little farther than a bikini line, if you get my drift)

The Sphinx (doesn't leave a thing)

I'm not saying which one I got...but I will say... Wow. That hurt. My legs started shaking about half-way through. Fortunately, the pain subsides fairly quickly. Plus, it's awkward to have someone down there purely for...cosmetic purposes. ...I'm just saying...

But, so far, it is worth it! I will look fabulous in my bikini! Well, at least, my bikini line will! Thanksgiving may not make me look quite as good.

So yes, perhaps this is TMI (too much information!). But as someone who had no idea what a bikini wax was like, I would've loved to read a blog post about it. So here it is for all you curious people!

Ok, now stop thinking about my bikini line and go do something else.

Until next time... Happy Thanksgiving!

There's No Place Like Home (And Why I Don't Understand Pumpkin Spice Lattes)

I love walking home. I live at the bottom of a big hill. And as I walk down it, I have a beautiful view of the George Washington Bridge. It's hard to appreciate in a photo taken on my iPhone, but you get the idea...

Beautiful, right?

Well, every day it seems to look different. The sun hits it at a different angle, the weather changes...it's always new.

Today, since it was raining and I had nothing to do, I decided to go up to Starbucks (which is right at the top of the hill! kudos to my neighborhood!) and grab a rainy day latte. Here was my view of the bridge walking home:

I could barely even see it! And it was STILL beautiful! Ahh, autumn in New York. You amaze me.

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On a side note, I have completed a second challenge! For my rainy day latte, I decided to try something completely new for me: A Pumpkin Spice Latte!

...Ok, folks, what is the big deal with these things? I mean, I get it. It's a cute idea. Thanksgiving is coming...the holiday cups are here (which I adore; how festive!), but I did not enjoy the flavor. It just tasted like ...bad spices and coffee. Not even like pumpkin pie...which I wouldn't mind...but...just...spices in coffee.

Now, I'll admit, I went skim and no whipped cream...could that have ruined it for me? Because at this point, I am completely unimpressed.

Also, what an UGLY color it is...really. Eww.

But, I still tried it! Yay me!

Next time I may go for the gingerbread latte...but please, warn me if I'm going to run into the same problem here.

Anyway, here's to rainy Saturdays.

My First Challenge

You may not know it...but I'm a fairly optimistic person. Usually. But recently, life has thrown me a few curveballs (as it tends to do) and I've hit a bit of a slump.

But that's over. Or at least, that's what I'm telling myself.

I'm hoping this blog can be an outlet for my pain, joy, excitement, love...anything that's going on from day to day. And not only that...but can push me to be better. Suggestions are welcome! :)

I will write my fears and try to find a way to overcome them. Starting with a big one...

Trying

New

Things

And I mean anything...a new food, a new book, a new activity, a new place...

I want to try SOMETHING new at least once a week. You'd be surprised, but really, I don't try something new every week...I have a routine and I like it. I stick to it. And I don't go outside the box.

But today, in hopes of turning myself around, I did!

I took my first Ballet class here in New York. I was petrified. Yes, I've taken Ballet before, but always in school or at PCLO... So I was scared to go into an NY Ballet class...who knows what kind of people I would find or what the teacher would be like!

But I LOVED IT. Fabulous teacher...HUGE class...and I was actually smiling through the grand battements! I came out feeling so refreshed and so proud of myself for being brave enough to finally go try it.

So, there's one thing checked off my list. What's next? Trying brussel sprouts? Oysters? A bikini wax? Could be anything. I'll be thinking about it.

Til next week.