Just say no...well almost...

So my next topic of blogging has asked me about my views on drugs and alcohol.

I'm going to take the easy way out with my views on drugs...Coincidentally, as I was searching the  phrase "drugs suck," this picture showed up...I 100% agree with the shirt Donnie Wahlberg is wearing:

I have never touched a drug before in my life...and I would NEVER plan to ever!  I think they are horrible and they cause horrible things...

As for alcohol...I've had my fair share of nights with too much to drink.  I've made some mistakes as a result of alcohol, but I've also had some pretty fantastic nights with my friends.  I have no problems with people enjoying alcohol in moderation.

I've dealt with an alcoholic in my life, and I am horrified when people let it get that far.  I don't wish to really rehash what has gone on in my life, but let me just say this...alcohol in moderation is ok, but if it becomes a problem, then it needs to stop!

First Date...

I'm going to take a break from the 30 blog challenge because I am going to post a "fangirling" adventure blog today!

Yesterday, Jillian and I went to NYC to see the final performance of Broadway's comedy musical, "First Date."  I am sad to see the show end, as it is a fantastic show!  For those who may not know, it starred Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez.  Krysta was in NBC's Smash.  Zachary Levi was the star of the NBC show, Chuck.  He was also the voice of Flynn Rider in Tangled.

Aside from Zachary and Krysta, my favorite actor in the show is Kristoffer Cusick.  He is absolutely hysterical!  A perfect actor for his character!  His "bailout" songs from the show are always stuck in my head!

Just as we did the first time, we laughed our way through this entire show!  I am going to miss the show and the knowledge that Zachary Levi is just a train ride away!

Zachary Levi set a new standard for stage doors!  Following the show, he would come outside to sign autographs, like many broadway stars do.  What made Zachary and the cast of First Date special was Zachary would come outside dancing with music.  He would sign every autograph and then after all autographs were signed, he woud stand on one side and take pictures with EVERY person who went to the show and wanted a picture!  EVERY person!  And with every person, he had a genuine smile in the picture!  He is adorable and sooooo very sweet!!

On this final night of the show, I was lucky enough to get pictures with the entire cast, as well as autographs from them all and the creators of the show.

This night was one of my more favorite interactions with Zachary.  He was funny as always while signing autographs, and we had quite a few interactions while he was signing in the corner where we stood.  While waiting in line to have my picture taken with him, I had decided that since I already had two sweet pictures with him, that I wanted something different...a Chuck pose perhaps.  As I was turning to walk to Zac, his arm was out for me, and he called me "babe" as I walked towards him.  My mind went all fuzzy and I forgot to ask to do a Chuck pose...oh well...a third sweet picture with Zac and his genuine smile.

It might seem cheesy, but I will miss this show, and the cast.  I love finding shows where they stick with me.  It makes them so much more enjoyable.

Wish this was a "date" that never had to end...

a promise to write DOUBLE tomorrow...

Technically it is now Monday, January 6...which means that I missed writing on Sunday.  I had a busy trip to the city Sunday afternoon to see the final performance of "First Date."  My promise is this...I will write TWO blogs by the end of Monday!

Until later....Goodnight!!

In 10 years...

My 2nd day of this blog challenge....I am asked "where would you like to be in 10 years?"

I remember 10 years ago being asked that same question.  I suppose my answer is the same now as it was then.

While I currently love being single, and I am enjoying all of the adventures that I am having, I know that this will not last forever.

I will get anxious again...anxious for my own husband, anxious for a child(ren) of my own.  I love being an aunt and spoiling my nieces and nephews, but I know that someday I will want to spoil my child.  Am I in a place right now where I want children...definitely not.  However, at some point in the next 10 years I will definitely want them.

I am a kindergarten teacher currently, but not in a public school.  That is where I thought I would be when I graduated college with my degree.  I enjoy where I work.  The women and men I work with are like family, and I have freedom to teach my classroom how I wish...but someday....I would like to be in a public school.  It is, after all, where I saw myself when I began my career as a teacher.

So I guess, I wish to see myself teaching in a public school and married with kids...

Maybe these next 10 years will give me those things that I thought I would already have...Only time will tell...

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 1

I found this challenge online...it is 30 topics.  I will take one topic each day for the next 30 days!  Should be an easy way for me to get into the blogging tradition:

Day 1 - my current relationship

SINGLE...

It's taken me quite a few years to accept that I am single.  Accept and enjoy that I am single...  

Back in high school, I had these grand plans to be married by the time I was 25, and 2 kids before I turned 30....

Well, life has other plans for me.  Here I am 30 year's old and not a single prospect on the horizon...

For years, after receiving many wedding invitations and baby shower invites, I would spend hours crying over when I would get my chance.  I was miserable.  I hated being single.

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride...

It seemed like everyone was getting married and/or having babies, and I was just stuck...stuck in my boring life.  But then with one concert, my life changed...After attending a New Kids on the Block concert in June 2009, I began to meet some of the most incredible women.  After 4 years full of adventures, I am in a good place.

I am happy.  I don't need a man to make me happy.  I don't have a relationship from holding me back.  I have the freedom to attend as many concerts as I can rightly afford.  I can do whatever I want, as often as I want...without feeling as though I am leaving someone behind.

I love my life, single and all!  I am an auntie to 3 wonderful children, who are the light of my life.  I am living with my best friend.  We've had 5 years of single fun together!  I have an AMAZING group of friends, from all corners of the world!  I have met celebrities and been to places I probably would not have ever gone had it not been for the "family" that I am a part of now.

Do I want to get married and have children?  Sure...but I'm not going to let "looking for a man" run my life.  If/when I am destined to meet a man, I will.  Until then, being single is pretty great, and I am pretty darn happy with my life!

My Flipagram video from 2013...

Here we go...

Ok, I have 25 minutes left on my lunch break and I'm going to attempt to write for the 25 minutes.  I'm not sure what's going to come out, but let's see where this blogging thing takes me.

Yesterday's post, I said that I was only going to resolve to do what makes me happy, and not what makes everyone else happy.  How am I going to get there....well that's where a lot of other things are going to have to happen....I'm going to open up here and say some things publicly that maybe I wouldn't have said before.  I am going to resolve to put it all out there!  I can't hold back what I need to say...emotionally, it needs to come out.

I am going to attempt writing for at least 30 minutes a day!   Yes, that includes even on a vacation day or a day that's super busy.  I am going to find 30 consecutive minutes to write (I hope).  I'm curious to see where I will be in 365 days...but let's start small, because well...I give up super easily.  So small...I am going to write for 30 minutes for the next 7 days.  Challenge accepted.

Sorry if my thoughts are all over the place...today, I'm not sure at all where this post is taking me.  Perhaps tomorrow I will sit down with a topic in mind and go from there, but for today, it's a jumble of thoughts.

My weight....this morning I stepped on the scale to see a number I am horrified to see...I don't think I really said that clearly enough.... HORRIFIED.  I really can't believe I let myself get to this number...and no, I'm not going to post the number....let's just go with, my heaviest weight yet.  ANGRY AT MYSELF...HOW...ok I know how...

I'm the queen of making excuses...THE QUEEN!  I will find ANY excuse in the book to eat that piece of pizza, or half the bag of chips... oh and the snacking...forget about it...We're watching a movie, ok, let me just grab a bag of chips...oh crap, the bag is now empty!  Where did it all go?  There is no way I just ate it all...oh wait, yes I did.  I ate it all...every last stupid, delicious, crunchy chip!  I ate them all...without even realizing it...WHAT THE HELL!!

So the excuses need to stop...the "I had a bad day," or "there's nothing healthy to eat in the house" excuse needs to stop.  I need to go stock up on healthy food...it's just so damn expensive!  I need to find the money though...it has to happen...no more buying junk...

ok, so I have ONE more excuse for this week...It's SHITTY out there for the next two days...we've got that stupid weather called snow, sleet, and wind child temps in the -20 to -30 range.  I am NOT going to the grocery store after work today, so I will have to figure out what's at home for the next day!  I will see whats in the freezer, and go from there...  I will do my best to find something healthy for dinner tonight....That's my goal for the day...

I said I needed to start small, so there it is...

My goals as of writing this blog:

1. Find something healthy for dinner tonight.
2. Write for 30 minutes each day for the next 7 days.

ok...3 more minutes to write....

I'm getting easily distracted...I really am like the 5 year olds that I teach sometimes!! 

This is me:

I would seriously be rich if I got a dollar for every time I get distracted!  hahaha!!

alright...end of lunch!  Gotta run!  This was interesting!  Hope my jumble of thoughts didn't scare you away!  Comment and give me a topic...tomorrow I will try to find a focus for my blog!  :)

A look back at 2013's Top 10...

2013 is in the past, and 2014 has arrived.  As I begin a NEW year and a NEW chapter in this journey called life, I like to take a moment and reflect upon the past year.

2013 was quite the year.  It was an emotional roller coaster of a year.  It had it's lows, as all years have.  Family disagreements, my grandmother's cancer, the feelings following the Boston Marathon, and the ever continuing emotions following December 14, 2012's tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  Emotions which I already wrote about in my last blog (December 14th...One year later...).  As I have said in that blog, I am so grateful for the amazing family and friends who have supported me through the struggles over the past year.

This blog, however, is not about the sad and emotional moments of 2013.  This blog is about the happy memories!  2013 was full of some of my most favorite memories!  I turned 30, checked a few celebrity related things off my bucket list, and shared some of the most incredible moments with my friends and family!

In no particular order, here are my top 10 moments of 2013!

1.  Auntie memories - I enjoyed some pretty great days with my nephew, Brayden and my nieces, Aubrey & McKenna.  Aubrey turned 1 in January.  I celebrated Easter with Brayden & Aubrey before Miss McKenna arrived in April.  There was a christening, girls afternoon at the park, pizza making, and Brayden's 3rd birthday!   We went apple picking, had a sleepover, and celebrated another year of Christmas together!  These 3 children hold the biggest spot in my heart and I cherish every minute I get to spend with them.

In 2014, I look forward to more memories with Brayden, Aubrey, and McKenna.  I also look forward to the arrival of my second nephew (my godson), Kolton.  He will arrive in April and will take a 4th spot in my heart!

2.  NKOTB "10" Album Release Party:  At the end of March, I joined my BH sisters in a celebration "party/concert" at Boston's Orpheum Theater with New Kids on the Block.  We celebrated the release of their 10th album, appropriately called "10."  The guys performed some of the new songs, Jonathan even singing his solo lines beautifully!  They also did a recap of events since the reunion of the group!  It was funny!  Joey remarking at one point, "We made you guys like the Backstreet Boys!"  hahaha, clearly it was a discussion of the period of time called NKOTBSB.  The fans also presented an ad taken out in Billboard Magazine from the fans to the guys, congratulating them on the new album.  Tears were shed all around!

Following the show, we wound up at the Beantown Pub, just around the corner from Orpheum.  Jonathan Knight was at the same bar, and we got to talk to him and take some pictures before he left.  He was convinced that it must be someone's birthday at the table, and after asking my name, he decided it was mine.  Happy Birthday to me!  My favorite New Kid at the bar!

May was the beginning (and most crazy) of a summer FULL of incredible memories!!

3. Graduation:  May began with the most proud accomplishment of my year.  After 4 years, I graduated with my Master's Degree in Education:  Curriculum and Instruction.  Western Connecticut State University Class of 2013!

4. NKOTB Cruise 2013:  For the 3rd time, I boarded the Carnival cruise ship for the weekend of a lifetime with my fellow BH sisters and NKOTB.  It was a weekend full of sun, fun, and boy bands!  Donnie and I posed for a quick picture at the Red Carpet Gala.  I FINALLY got a picture with Joey McIntyre on the beach at Half Moon Cay.  I swam in the ocean with Jonathan Knight (again)!  Donnie Wahlberg visited our cabana on the beach.  We laughed and drank our way through the weekend!  Red Carpet Gala, Comfy & Cozy Movie Night, Remix Night, GPS Love Fest.  Game Show, Backrub, Nassau Bahamas, Half Moon Cay, Duets at Dusk... We cried with Joey when he opened up and wore his medal for the first time following the Boston Marathon bombings.  Another year, another boat, another great cruise!

Thought it was going to be my last...but then NKOTB cruise 2014 was announced...NEW year, NEW boat, NEW location, and now disembarking from NYC...NKOTB Cruise 2014, here I come!!

5.  Ultimate Meet & Greet with NKOTB:  The summer concert tour began with the most incredible of meet & greets.  An ULTIMATE m&g with my 5 favorite guys.  10 minutes in a room alone with Jonathan, Donnie, Joey, Jordan, and Danny.  The most unforgettable 10 minutes of my life!  I definitely want ANOTHER ultimate in my future!

6.  The Package Tour: The ultimate meet & greet was only the beginning of THE BEST SUMMER TOUR yet!!  Boyz II Men, 98 Degrees, and New Kids on the Block on one tour! It feels like just yesterday I was at opening night of this tour at Mohegan Sun!!  8 concerts, 6 states, 3 5* m&gs (1 ultimate), 1 98* VIP, and 2 after parties!  It was a summer of unforgettable meet & greets, concerts, after parties, traveling, new friends, and BEST friends!! I am so blessed to have shared in so many wonderful memories with so many amazing people!! This summer was ONE OF THE BEST!!! To quote Jonathan Knight's lyrics... "I don't want this feeling to end. Don't let the sunrise begin. To keep you here in my arms, I'd do anything!"

7.  Boston Red Sox Fun with mom:  Throughout the summer/early fall, I enjoyed trips to Boston to take in some Red Sox games with mom!  We enjoyed views of the games from various spots around the field.  Always a great time watching my favorite team with my mom!

8.  First Date on Broadway:  I checked another thing off my bucket list after seeing Broadway's new comedy musical "First Date."  I met Zachary Levi (of NBC's Chuck and Disney's Tangled fame)!  He is adorable and funny, just like that characters he portrays!  Such a sweetheart too.  He has a stage door signing "party" after each show with his equally funny and sweet cast mates, Krysta Rodriguez, Kristoffer Cusick, Bryce Ryness, Sara Chase, Kate Loprest, and Blake Hammond.

Looking forward to seeing the final performance on January 5!

9.  Nicholas Sparks:  In September, I met one of my favorite authors, Nicholas Sparks!  I have read all of his books, and was finally able to meet him at a book event in NYC!  I got a picture and he signed his newest book!  Super exciting to finally meet the man who wrote The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, The Lucky One, Dear John, and many more!

10.  2013 World Series Champions - Red Sox Victory Parade:  BOSTON STRONG!!  There is no denying that the comeback of the year is the 2013 Red Sox!  In a time when the city of Boston truly needed them, the Red Sox had an AMAZING season, and came out WORLD SERIES CHAMPS!!   Mom and I drove to Boston to meet my girls, Jill and Mel, for the victory parade.  Up before dawn and out on the city streets in the dark, we were ready for the long morning waiting for the parade of Duck Boats!  What a great day, capped off with seeing Mike Napoli at McGreevy's Pub, and running into Jake Peavy on the street corner before heading home!  A whirlwind 24 hours, but well worth it!!  RED SOX NATION!

2013 certainly had some great moments!  I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store!  I've only got three great things planned as of right now...that I can envision landing in this year's list!

Only time will tell what will land in 2014's Top 10!

I wish you all a blessed and happy new year!  May your dreams and wishes come true this year!

My only resolution for 2014...to continue to do what makes ME happy, and not what makes everyone else happy!

Happy New Year!!