We made it!

Well, I know that some are anticipating a fantabulous post.  And, as I promised, I will post, but I can't promise fantabulous.  We made it to Park City.  After 3 days (a total of 31 hours), traveling through Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and then Wyoming, we made it to Utah.  After the torrential all day downpour on Monday, meaning wet dogs/muddy car, it was a beautiful day on Tuesday and Wednesday.  We saw beautiful sunrises and sunsets, rolling hills, corn fields, windmills, and so much more.  I will post more later, rights now I am just going to have some pictures, feeling very sleepy.

First snow since we've been here.  I think there was a total of 4 inches.  Also, it has been single digits the past two days.  Meaning 7 degrees, and the windchill makes it -1.  Brrrr.  Frozen toes/frostbite.  

This is food from Squatters.  It is a microbrewery.  Surprising for a state so against alcohol.  The pie is a peanut butter/oreo pie.  The beer is called Polygamy Porter - "why just have one?"  Kind of hilarious.

This is the house that I am renting and paying way too much money for.  It is an old miner house.  Super cool.  Come visit.

Very happy puppies.  They get to go hiking almost every day and frolic in the snow.  They are LOVING it!

Till later.  Much love - j

...

i can't tell you lots of things...

1. where i am living in Park City (currently homeless)

2. what graduate school i will get into (if one at all)

3. if my dog is going to be allowed to stay with me in PC

4. what i am going to do when ski season ends

5. where i will go when it ends

i can tell a couple things...

1. going to the Falcons game tonight with Heather

2. Leaving in 8 days for Park City, Utah

3. i have a suit (so if i do get interviews i at least will look professional, i got talked out of the leopard print top... a little too wild for graduate school interviews)

4. and i promise whatever i will be doing, it won't be boring

Happenings

The past six days I flew down to Miami to see these two

Mallard wishes everyone a Happy Halloween!

(Pumpkins aren't for decorations anymore!)

And it is official.  I have allowed myself to start a countdown!  There are officially 25 days until I pack up my bags and head out west.  It is still hitting me rather slowly.  We started pulling out all the ski stuff that I already have to take inventory of what I have and then what I need.  It's hard to go buy what I need because I am never in the mood to shop.  Maybe the next week or two I will feel inspired?  Yesterday, i got an email from PCMR.  I signed up for what days I want off each week.  

This has definitely made it more real for me.  Getting excited!  Do not have a place to live yet : /  ha.

When you go to Atlanta...

I promised my friend Heather that I would blog when I got back from my adventure in Auburn.  So this is my feeble attempt to come up with something top of the line.  I had a wonderful weekend.  I started in Atlanta and met with a man about the potential of teaching his employees English in Costa Rica.  I then got to spend time with my wonderful friend Heather.  We go to great restaurants when I am in Atlanta.  Here are two that I highly recommend. 

This is place #1.  It's called The Vortex.  It serves burgers primarily, but is a fun bar atmosphere with awesome food.  There are two locations I do believe.  I highly recommend it. 

This is location #2.  Ha, it is another burger joint naturally called Flip Burger.  This place is apparently owned by a guy on a cooking show.  It was good.  Going to have to try a milkshake next time.  Also, their sweet potatoes tots are awesome. 

And then I picked up BRIAN at the airport the next morning to go to Birmingham (visited my siblings and watched them play their collegiate sports, Scott - tennis, Kelly - volleyball, Me - scholar)/Auburn.  We had a wonderful time.  Here are some pictures that will explain the greatness of the weekend.  

Here is Stacie!

War Eagle Fly Down the Field

Brian's First Roll at Toomer's right after the game

 

War Eagle!!

I must say that I had a great time returning to my alma mater.  Downtown being extremely packed, seeing great friends, falling asleep when everyone else is wide awake, drinking beer at mellow mushroom, attempting to sing the alma mater after the game (normally I sing God Bless America with Cameron, we never learned the real words because we kept winning last season so we didn't want to jinx it... that's right, God Bless America won Auburn the National Championship folks), tailgating, camping in Chewacla, Panda/Niffers, Opelika football game, attempting to eat breakfast at Taylor's, laughing, boda geta, fight song, missing Cameron (game day partner for 3 seasons), Waffle House, rolling the trees, spending Brian's first actual football game at Auburn not in the band with him, and seeing friends again of course.

Oh yeah, did I mention that Brian is coming to Park City too????  Hello permanent ski vacation!

Someday my dreams will come

Ok, as I was singing that line in my head (someday my dreams will come),  I realized that it doesn't say dream but rather prince. 

Well, sorry Snow White, I like my version better at the moment.  Folks, my dream has come.  I have been dreaming about this since 3rd grade when I strapped my first pair of boots and skis on, when I met my first instructor, and when I first learned how to pizza.  I fell in love with skiing.  14 years later, from perfecting my pizza wedge to learning how to enjoy moguls to writing a research paper in 9th grade about a future career, my dream has come true.  Yes, I am doing it.  I am moving to Park City, Utah, and I am going to be a ski instructor.  Some may laugh, my parents included, BUT I am about to embark on an adventure that I have been dreaming of my entire life.  I am putting on my slippers (ski boots) and donning the uniform.  Hold onto your seats folks, it's going to be a crazy ride.

  

A Sequence of Herbert the Variegated Squirrel

Meet out good friend Herbert.  He is a variegated squirrel.  He drank Mom's coffee this morning as he sat on her lap.

He's the man.  

Kelly and Herbert.  Love at first sight.

Me and Herbert!  He's a baller.

Curious Herbert.

Herbert and Scott giving each other eskimo kisses.

Herbert on Scott's head.

Herbert tired from eating all the food.  Trying to digest.

Herbert in his natural environment.

Empieza las aventuras de Costa Rica

Meet my family's new friend... the tarantula.  

We saw a grand total of 4 tonight.  We were driving back from dinner, and I was sitting in front because I was getting car sick because of my dad swerving to avoid all the pot holes, and I saw a huge black thing run across the road.  I processed it in my mind and yelled "Tarantula!"  My sister proceeded to yell a very inappropriate curse word because she thought the tarantula was in the car.  She also crouched behind my mother and bent down.  My brother proceeds to get out of the car with the camera to take a picture.  My dad is yelling for him to be careful because he heard that tarantulas can jump.  I just looked that up, and they cannot.  It is a myth.  A car then proceeds to drive down the road and run over him.  Not just once, but both tires squished him.  My dad was giving a play by play.  So we have a squished tarantula friend and squished tarantula pictures.

We continue driving down the pot holed road, and we see another one.  Which scurries off into the tall grass.  Scott sprints out of the car, with the camera, to capture the moment, in the wrong place.  He was about 2 yards away from where the hairy spider went.  So we failed at attempt #2.

Continue driving, and lo and behold, another one scurries across a little slower.  Scott is ready this time.  Runs out of the car.  Gets really close, the tarantula stops dead in his tracks.  My dad is yelling for Scott to get back in the car because the tarantula was getting ready to pounce on him.  He didn't get pounced, and he captured our new tarantula friend above on attempt #3.

Tarantula #4 was also squished.

Interesting fact:  A tarantula bite is similar to a bee sting.