Good Entertainment in Small Towns

Throughout my time with the OCC, I’ve seen and heard some very unique things.  This week, the job took me to Corinth, Mississippi.  Never heard of it?  Of course not.  That’s because it is in the middle of nowhere. While I’ve traveled to much smaller towns, this town is quite unique. Last night, while entertaining myself at Wal-Mart, I saw my first male reverse mullet.  Never knew they even existed for men until then.  The most famous reverse mullet is supermom/D-Lister Kate Gosselin.  She made it famous, but quickly realized that all of America was making fun of her.  Now she has longer hair, thanks to extensions, that brings her back to normal-minus the fact she has 10 kids.

The next unique thing I saw in this town is store called “Ginger’s” that sell used, unwanted clothes.  As I drove by, I couldn’t help but take a second look, while almost driving off the road from laughing so hard.  Such a great name for a store like that!

I’m so excited to have another 3 day weekend!  Scott told me that tomorrow night (Friday) we are going to see this new Navy Seal movie called “ Act of Valor”.  As I’m sure y’all know, Scott is fascinated with the Special Forces.  “Fascinated” might not be the correct word-it’s more like a love affair, obsession, and passion for the Special Forces.  I don’t mind it one bit.  It could be much worse.  He could be obsessed with gas mileage, not running the air conditioning in the summer, boxed wine, recycling, and saving the world like my father.

One more exciting this…..It’s my nephew’s 2^nd Birthday on Saturday!!  Happy Birthday William!!!

Staycation

While the rest of my family and friends are skiing in Big Sky, Montana for the annual Presidents Day Ski Trip, Scott and I will be staying in Birmingham.  The whole gang (Mom, Dad, Uncle Jim, Aunt Cyndy, Ann, John William, Susan Church, George (Susan’s new fiancé), Scott Helpling (coworker),Susan Fox, Jeffery Musser (john’s little bro) and his girlfriend) is up in Big Sky, enjoying the fresh powpow, drinking PBRs, and trying to keep up with Phil.  Scott and I decided to skip this year’s vacation since we were just up in Big Sky for our honeymoon about a month ago-which must I add was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. 

What I’m missing most about Big Sky is skiing with my dad.  Phil is an extreme skier.  Although he’s not your average extreme skier that jumps out of helicopters or hikes for 5 hours to get the freshest snow, but the type of extreme skier that gets 1^st lift every morning, only stops to go pee in the trees, knows all the back-country runs, and considers his day a complete failure if he comes home before 4pm.  And to top it off, he always has a granola bar to give me when I’m hungry.

The new person on the Big Sky trip is our coworker Scott Helpling.  He (use to) work with Ann (Ann now as a new job starting next Monday).  I hope someone pulls a good rookie joke on him, like we attempted to do to Scott last year.  Scott Helpling, who also answers to the name “Scottie 2 Naughty, is our first snowboarder friend.  Yes, its true, the Neidhardt family has opened their ski condo to a snowboarder.  Times have changed.  Our last encounter with a snowboarder was when one ran into Ann in Gatlinburg in the early 1990s.  Phil swore from that time on, that all snowboarders are gangster, rule-breaking punks.  Which, 2 Naughty may or may not fall into that category.

So, on this lovely 3 day weekend, Scott and I plan to have date night, which includes Scott cooking me a paleo dinner (which is a 1^st), and going to see some action movie he has been dying to see. 

Oh and one more very exciting thing that happened this week…drum roll…Susan Church got engaged! Whaaawhoooo!! Not only is the engagement ring absolutely stunning (think Princess Diana ballar) but now I can finally do the same thing she did to me on my bachelorette party …it went a little like this “get back in the club Jane!! We are noooooottttt leaving” everything went downhill after that.

Change is in the Air

Change is coming.  This weekend I decided a cancer patient would enjoy my hair more than I do; therefore, I head over to Oak Street Hair salon and chopped of 8 inches of tingly, split-end hair.  Thanks to Mrs. Anne Hercules’ information, I found out that you could donate hair to Pantene with a minimum of 8 inches.  Unlike Locks of Love, where you must have 10 inches to donate.  My new healthly hair cut looks more like an 8-year old’s hair, but nonetheless, my donated hair will hopefully bring excitement and confidence to a cancer patient.

The next big change is more of a gradual change.  Scott convinced me to join Iron Tribe Crossfit.  I started the Crossfit 101 class last week.  Normally, its a month long class, but since my work schedule isn’t normal, they made a concession for me, so I get to do the 101 class in 2 weeks by myself.  This is my last week of 101 and I can’t wait to work out with the big kids.  Iron Tribe has a bit of a reputation of being a “cult”.  I would have to agree, but it’s a good cult- I think- I mean, it’s a cult of likeminded people who workout like animals, eat like cavemen, and listen to blazing loud rap music.  I’m not going to lie- I love it, but I promise if I do join the cult, I’ll never be the president.  So, I guess the change is that (hopefully) in a few months you might mistake me for an Olson twin…yea right- I wish.  Here is the link if you want to become a cavewomen like me- with 8-year old school girl hair.  http://www.irontribefitness.com/

Since the last post...a year ago.

Wow!  It has been over a year since my last post.  I’m sure you have been wondering what could possibly be more exciting or important than posting on my blog.  Since you asked, I’ve composed a list of the top 10 awesome things that has happened in my life since the last blog.

10.  I still have a job.  The government hasn’t found plausible cause to fire me yet. 

9. Bama won the national title.  While this is not an exciting thing for me, it is for Scott, and when Scott is happy, I am happy.

8. My friend, Lara, moved to NYC.  This is exciting because (1) I get to live vicariously through her (2) now I have a friend to visit (3) I get to hear all about the latest trends before they hit Birmingham-which means, I’m 2 years ahead of the trend curve.

7.  My favorite person in the world, my nephew William, is still the most awesome kid EVER.  This year he learned too many things to write down.  This is because he is so advanced for his age.  Most importantly, he has learned to say my name.  My heart has never melted so fast than when he says my name and runs to my leg to give it a big hug.  He can even point to a picture of me and say “Jane” (which sounds more like “Aine” than Jane). 

6. I went to DC for the very first time in my life!  Thanks to the job, I got to head up to DC for a week and I’ll be going again soon for 2 weeks.  I’m slightly embarrassed my first trip to our nation’s capital was at age 25.  Safety Patrol, Honor Roll, or the school band was never my thing.

5.  My BFF, Katie Pauley, moved to Birmingham!!  She got engaged to Lee Kelley, who lives in Birmingham, so she moved here for him.  I’m so excited and happy for her but mainly I’m thankful that Lee lives in Birmingham, which brought her closer to me!

4. I got on national television.  In December, my sister, mother, future mother-in-law, and myself headed over to Atlanta for a taping of Say Yes To The Dress on the TLC network.  I signed up for the show one lonely night at some random Hilton Garden Inn out of boredom.  I figure it would be a good way to get my mom and sister in Tampa and Lisa together to go wedding dress shopping.  We had a blast!  Stayed at the Ritz and shopped all day and then filmed the next day.  The producer said they film 90 brides and that show takes about 20, so I figured I wouldn’t make the cut.  Nevertheless, low and behold somehow I made it. 

3. Scott got a dog!  He has been wanting a dog since he was in 3^rd grade.  Apparently, his mom got him a dog when he was a child, which was a Chihuahua that turned out to not like Scott, or anyone else for that fact, other than his mother.  I guess that traumatized Scott, so ever since that, he has been dreaming of a dog.  He picked out a beautiful German Sheppard named Nelli.  She is named after Scott’s grandfather, Joseph Leonelli.  She is about 10 months old, has gone to boarding school, and is the most spoiled dog I know, except Magic.  Magic doesn’t count.

2. Went to Miami for my bachelorette party!!!!  To say it was epic is an understatement.  9 of my closest friends came to celebrate the end of my singlehood.  You won’t find too many pictures from this event-sorry friends.  But I will report, all of our outfits were to die for!

1. I got married!  Yes, true story!  Never thought it would happen, but cupid hit me.  Scott and I got married on 1-14-2012 in Tampa FL.  The wedding was amazing and I wish I could do it all over again.  I enjoyed every little part of wedding planning- as corny as it sounds.  Lisa (Scott’s Mom) surprised Scott with the grooms cake he always wanted, and I got all the flowers I dreamed of.  Need more details- don’t worry- pictures will be out soon!