So, it's been about two months since I last made a post...and now the end of summer is here. Which in some ways is good, as that means cooler temps, the red/orange/yellow colors of fall, football games and caramel apples. It also means we are just that much closer to winter and the cold, snowy weather that I dread. But before we jump ahead too fast to Christmas and a new year, I want to take a few moments to reflect on what will go down in the history books for me as one of the best summer's ever.

It all started in June with a surprise birthday party my wonderful friends and boyfriend (aka Team Secret) threw for me. I had not even the smallest inkling they were plotting a surprise 30th birthday for me...so much so that when pulled up the hill, past the clubhouse (where the party was being held) and all my friends and family were outside yelling "surprise" I didn't think it was me they were there for. I just thought they confused our car for the real people they were there to surprise...and it took me a moment to finally realize that they were indeed all there for me. It was wonderful celebration with all the people that mean the most to me. And it reminded me of  truly how blessed I am with such kind, thoughtful and amazing friends and family. It was the perfect kick-off to what I would soon come to learn would be a summer full of wonderful memories.

July brought some heat and humidity, 4th of July fireworks and several cookouts. But the true highlight of July was the trip the S.O. and I took to Key West and South Beach to continue the birthday celebration. I am one of those people that can never tell you what gift to get me, whether it be for Christmas, birthday or any other occasion, but this year I knew the one thing I wanted to do was spend my 30th birthday on the beach...and that is just what we did! We plotted a driving route, booked the hotel rooms and left on a Friday night with a full tank of gas, and enough snacks and music to entertain us on the 21-hour drive. And for those of you groaning as you read "21-hour drive" let me just stop you  now...because it was just as fun as the other parts of the trip and since we broke it up over a few days, not bad at all. As a matter of fact we are ready to do it again already!

We arrived in Key West on Sunday and checked out all the tourist spots (Duval St., Southern Most Tip, Hemingway's House, etc.) and enjoyed a wonderful meal people watching and taking it all in. For our adventure part of the trip, we took a 28-mile jet ski tour of the Keys and what a unique, and fun perspective to see the island. We of course also found time in our busy two days on the island to catch the beautiful sunsets, eat some local delicacies and just unwind in paradise.

After two days in island paradise, we headed to South Beach to complete our vacation. We spent 4 days/nights hanging on South Beach, swimming in one of the four pools the hotel offered, dining outside on Lincoln Ave., and relaxing on our balcony watching and listening to the waves crash. It was the most relaxing vacation and perfect way to celebrate my birthday. If you've never been to South Beach, I highly suggest you add it to your places to visit. I could go on, and on for hours about how much fun we had and how beautiful they area is, but don't want to bore you with my vacation tales any longer.

You'd think that would be enough to round out a summer and qualify it for being one of the best ever. But no, there was more joy and happiness waiting around the bend.

And on August 20th, my best friend and soul mate got down on one knee and asked me one of the most important questions a girl could dream of, and that was "will  you marry me?" And of course I said "yes!" I am so lucky to have spent the last 6 years with such an inspiring, thoughtful and kind man, and am so excited and looking forward to planning our wedding and the rest of our lives.

So you can see, why for me these past three months have been a whirlwind of surprise, love, happiness and joy. I am blessed to be surrounded by so many unbelievable friends and family, that together have helped to make this one of the most memorable summer's of my life. And so it is bittersweet that the summer of 2010 is ending, but I will forever cherish the memories of the summer and hold them in my heart.

I'd have to say 4th of July is in my top three list of favorite holidays. Ever since I was a kid I have looked forward to the fireworks, cookouts, parades and joy that surrounds the celebration of our great country. I actually find it quite apropos that when my mom was pregnant with me her due date was July 5th; I would have been a great 4th of July baby! But instead waited 17 more days before finally making my arrival. (Sorry mom!).

As a kid we always had a big 4th of July party with tons of friends and family, lots of food, swimming and a fireworks show to complete the night. My fond memories include dressing in lots of red, white and blue (sometimes my sister and I even had matching outfits); being in charge of putting together the first aid kit (you never know what you might need); spending the better part of the day in our pool swimming, jumping, diving and splashing; and graduating from only being allowed to use sparklers or light those black pellets that turn into "snakes", to being right by my dad's side lighting off some regular fireworks, and eventually being old enough to set the street ablaze with fountains and shells spewing beautiful colors that lit up the sky.

I am definitely my dad's daughter when it comes to 4th of July. He loves this holiday! And even if there isn't a big party happening at the house, he still always buys a few fireworks and puts on a show for whoever is interested.

And yet for my complete love of this holiday, I actually considered not going to my parents party this year. You see we've got a great 360 degree view of fireworks for our condo...that is really quite spectacular. But the more I thought about it, the more I longed for the 4th of July celebrations of my youth. And so, I am going. It'll be a little different than when I was a kid. I'll still don my patriotic colors, but instead of being in charge of the first aid kit I've got dessert covered (I don't think we ever even needed the kit, but it was a great way for my parents to let me help). And I won't be the one lighting any fireworks off this year, I'll leave that to my dad, sister and nephews, but I will sit back and enjoy the show.

Most importantly today though, I am thankful for the freedoms that I have as a citizen of the U.S., and for all those that have or continue to fight for our freedom. I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July and celebrate with the traditions that bring joy to your life. I know I will be.

God Bless the USA!

I realized the other day that I need new summer pants. My capris from last year are too big...and as much as I'd like to pretend they aren't, just to save the money and torture of shopping for new, I can't. I tried to wear a pair of them the other day, and all day the chorus, "Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, looking like a fool with your pants on the ground," ran through my head.

And I know I should be happy that my pants are too big...better than being too small. And just let me say this now, I am not a skinny girl so the fact I need a smaller size  is not something to be jealous about. But the thought of having to go try on pants at multiple stores to find the "right" pair is draining just to think about it. I mean is it really too difficult for a size XX to be the sames at all stores?!? Instead a size XX could fit at one store, but you fight just to get it zipped in the next dressing room.

But I sucked it up, drug the SO with me and went out on a mission to find new pants. Let's just say the mission wasn't a success or complete failure. It was a bit defeating though. First store we went into I pulled the size I've been wearing for a few years and the size down, since the whole point of this trip is b/c my current pants don't fit. Smaller size didn't even come close to fitting, and the normal size didn't really fit either. I need a half size in pants...just like in shoes! 

At one point I contemplated just gorging on food and forgoing this whole getting fit and losing weight thing, just so the pants already hanging in my closet would fit again. But I perservered and after two shopping trips I've ended up with 4 or 5, I really can't remember, new pairs of pants, none of which I am sure I am going to keep! I was so defeated in the dressing rooms, I just decided to buy the ones that might work, try them on at home and make the final decision in the comfort of my home...not under the harsh dressing room lights, with eager sales women breathing down your neck and throwing out compliments like candy at a parade.

That was over a week ago now, and I've still yet to try them on again. Not really sure what I am waiting for. Not like waiting to try them on again is going to make a difference. Instead I let the bags just stare at me in the closet, taunting me and swearing I will take care of it tomorrow. No really, I think tomorrow is the day I will face the music and give the pants a proper trying on.

But in the meantime if you see an average girl walking around town, with dress pants about to fall on the ground...that's probably me.  

A wee bit behind on my blogging, but still thought I'd share some quick pics from our February trip to Florida.

This was the first vacation the S.O. and I had been on in two years, so we were more than overdue for a few days of relaxing and fun in the sun. And thought it would be a great opportunity to take our first trip with my parents too.

So, the four of us piled into the car with too much luggge for a long weekend (what can I say, like mother like daughter, we both overpacked) and hit the road for a 13 hour car drive to the North Redington Beach area (between Clearwater Beach and St. Pete).

In short the temperature never got above 60 degrees (but in the sun it was still hot!), and it rained the first day we were there. But we took walks on the beach, ate delicious fresh seafood, collected seashells, indulged in decadent desserts, laughed, watched the sunset, relaxed and most importantly made wonderful memories. Really not much more you can ask for from a vacation.

Here's a few of the pics from our trip:

I've been a bad blogger. And while I wish I had some great reason for the lack of posting I just don't, aside from some lame excuses I could conjur up for the sake of having an excuse, I just don't. Life hasn't been anymore hectic than it has always been, heck it's probably been a little less since we don't have the rehab project anymore.

And I have the words within me. Often times while driving in the car or lying in bed I will find myself drafting blog posts in my head. But by the time I have some stolen moments to put my thoughts to keyboard they are gone, or so far jumbled no one could make sense of them. And instead of experiencing the dreadful feeling of sitting in front of a computer screen, with the cursor blinking, but no words to type...I just skip it altogether.

Maybe it's because I spend all day in front of a computer and by the time 5:00 rolls around the thought of logging onto the computer at home is just the last thing I want to do. Or I could say it's because I spend my evenings working out instead...but that would be stretching the truth. I mean I have been working out WAY more since the first of the year than I have in a long time...but to be honest it doesn't take any more than 30-60 minutes out of my evening. And I don't even do that every night.

And there was that trip Florida. But that was 5 days of out 2.5 months...so that excuse is short lived. But check back later for more on that fantastic vacation.

I think the bottom line is I've just neglected the blog. And in doing so have neglected myself of experiencing the joy and passion I get out of writing. I've let myself slip in the habit of not expressing myself in words...and today is the day I snap out of it!

I need to make a more concerted effort to take 15-20 minutes several times a week to just sit down and write. To write what I want, feel and think. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll be inundated with blog posts from me (all 3 or 4 of you that follow my posts), but if I am successful you should see some more content from Life is a Series of Moments. I mean after all the title of my blog is about all the moments in life, big and small, and I sure do have plenty of those to share.

How is it that January is only a week away from being over and giving way to February? It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the new year, drinking champagne, eating the last of the holiday sweets. Oh how time really does fly!

And often times I feel like time is flying by without me being able to enjoy it, but that actually hasn't been the case so far this year. In the last three weeks of the new year I've made a point to enjoy life, and not just let it pass me by. To savor all the moments, from the fun to the everyday: girls night out for dinner and a movie, organizing the condo with the SO, cooking dinner, working out, field trips with the SO, hanging with a best friend and my god daughter, and so many more.

I am not going to let life pass me by this year. I am going to take it all in. I am going smile, laugh, envelop myself in happiness and covet all the memories yet to be made. And I know that the year won't be full of all good things, so I am going to embrace the not so good as well. I am going to let myself cry when I need to, and take deep breaths to work through aggravating situations.

I resolve this year to be a better me. And in doing so a better friend, girlfriend, daughter, sister, neighbor.

“Never anticipate a moment or day in your life, instead learn to anticipate every moment and embrace everyday. Find greatness in everything and purpose even in the hardest times.” - Anonymous

Have you ever spent time during the day dreaming about something happening and how you would feel when it came to fruition? At different times in our lives this "thing" we dream about could be anything.

For me the last 8 or so months have been spent dreaming about the "perfect couple" coming along and making an offer on the house my SO (significant other) purchased in May of 2008, and we have been rehabbing ever since. And when I say rehab I mean completely gutted a 3200 sq ft., three story, 100+ year old house. Over the last 1.5 years we brought back to life a home that was in desperate need of some TLC. From a new exterior paint job, to all new electric and plumbing, to new duct work for the new heat and air conditioning system, to jacking the house up to make it level again, 40 new windows, and the list goes on and on. If you can think of it, we likely did it, and than some.

It truly was a labor of love. And we learned so much, both about rehabbing a house and each other. Together over the last 1.5 years we have grown closer and become a stronger unit because of the house. So when I say I've dreamed about selling the house, it isn't for the negative reasons you may be thinking, but instead because I (we) are ready to move on, and take on the next adventure-- whatever that may be.

And so our hearts were filled with joy when we received an offer on the house in early November, and learned we were going to close on house before Christmas. I mean, what better Christmast present than to sell your home. But we found out just an hour before our closing on the 18th of this month that there was a hiccup...and we weren't going to be able to close. And even worse that it might not be until February that we would finally be able to seal the deal! I mean, the buyers had the moving trucks in front of the house, ready to move in. Talk about a stressful situation. It was like a rug had been pulled out from underneath us, and there was nothing we could do about it. So many thoughts and feelings were swirling through our minds....it was a tense weekend after the news.

But maybe there was something we could do about it...even if it was a hail mary. So, we took the advice of a friend and first thing Monday morning we contacted the local office for our Senator Jim Bunning. You see, the issue with the closing was due to the government. The bank had approved the loan, but because it was an FHA loan there was a lot of red tape we had to go through, and some recent activity on the title was a red flag for FHA and they considered it a flip...even though that was far from true. So, a quick call to the office, a letter detailing the situation and we crossed our fingers that the Senator's office might be able to lend a hand.

Fast forward 48 hours to the day before Christmas, running errands and trying to not think about our deal that was now on hold. And the call came! Our efforts had worked and we were going to close on the loan at 5:30 the night before Christmas Eve. A Christmas Miracle to say the least!!!!

All of our hard work for the last 1.5 years was coming to an end. And that day dream I'd been having for most of the last year was actually coming true. It was one of those pinch me moments!

It's been an amazing adventure, this last 1.5 years. And closing on the sale of the house was a bit of a bittersweet moment. But the weight that has been lifted off our shoulders has led to a new feeling of joy, and happiness. And it was a win-win situation for all involved. We were able to learn many lessons and get down to work on a house that truly needed our help, and pass it along to wonderful family starting anew.

Now it's on to the next adventure, and I am excited to see where this one takes us. And there is one thing I know for sure, as long as the SO and I are by each others side, it will be an amazing journey.