my other half

...and I mean half as in half a person. However, is honestly probably considered a fourth of a person. 

This little person is who I spend the majority of my time with and have grown to love. She has a way of allowing me to forget that it is that dreadful Monday morning every week I walk in the door, as she greets me with a not all there smile and not all there hair (for real, hair when will you grow?). Whose favorite words are momma and bike and in no particular order. She also really enjoys saying butt butt as she smacks her bottom and throws in a huge laugh after, and no I did not teach her that. Whose favorite food is ham (she's such a little ham as well), who loves taking my empty Starbucks coffee cups and holding onto them for at least an hour minimum (I know this is probably how coffee fiends are created), whose favorite animal is the duck, whose favorite song is "What Does the Fox Say" but I'm trying to change that.  She thinks she becomes invisible when she closes her eyes and turns her head away from me whenever I tell her it's time for a nap.  Then laughs in disappointment as I tell her "Penny, I can still see you, and it's still time to lay down."  She plays the harmonica, loves to dance, and even throws her hands in the air as if she created "raise the roof."  She  loves showing off her shoes to anyone that will compliment them, even if they've already mistaken her for a boy. This is a cool girl in the making because not only have I taught her to master the art of highfiving at the age of one and a half, but she has also learned how to "pound it" all thanks to my notion that we need to keep it real. P-pie, you rock.

change up

I've never been a fan of change. Change of anything. Seriously. So much to the point that I order the same item at every restaurant, every time. I sleep on the same side of the bed every night (although it's the furthest side from the door so that could be considered a safety measure in case someone were to break in; it would take them a second longer to reach me?), I have the same routine for getting ready, and a certain place for everything. Now I'm thinking I should stop there with the proof because I'm beginning to sound a bit predictable and a tad OCD. But really! Change is not something I look forward to but it's something I'm working on. I just recently made the decision to go ombré, which is a big step! I've gone darker every time since I started dying my hair. My friend Nikki Wright did it and although I gave her a hard time for not doing enough blonde (see, I am changing!) I still love it and understand it's a process. More change is coming!

who wouldn't?

...want to live in a city where:

 there's a hot dog stand on every corner,

the most common way to get around is to travel underground,

crowds gather to watch random dancers...and then make you feel as if you were scammed since they only do it for money but then don't seem to show enough for it! it's still cool though, 

a park can provide you with a full day of entertainment,

and there's something new to discover every day?

I knew I'd love New York, but once I was there I was seriously on cloud nine. Now I believe I need to move there for at least a short period of my life.  I hear it's a hard place to escape though, and I absolutely believe that.  The food, the architecture, the people, and the diversity every street has to offer could keep me entertained for a lifetime.  I can't wait to return!

Hump Day

It's amazing to me that even from a 9 hour time change, my best friend knows how to make a seemingly imperfect hump day so much better. Although we like to refer to it as dump day, which is what it ended up feeling like this week...until I received my letter from over seas! The first one at that. I loved opening the mailbox to a flashy little envelope labeled "priority mail" and as I turned it over to see that it was from Megan I thought, "damn right, priority!" Life lately has felt a bit empty and I'm referring to the lately as the time since Megan has been gone. It's the strangest feeling and the only way I can think to describe it, is that a part of me is missing and I can't seem to find it.  I was in my element two Saturdays ago when I spent nearly two and a half hours Skyping with that lovely lady. I live for those moments these days because I no longer have her to come home to and complain about issues that only she could understand, or share with her the disgusting amount of food I was able to consume in one sitting (only to feel defeated because my intake was nothing compared to hers), or snuggle in bed together watching an episode of Friends (who am I kidding, correction: a season of).  So thank you Megan Rose for allowing my dump day to be filled with a moment of "loling" while I sat alone and shook my head at what you hoped for in my life currently.