TGIF

Soakin' up some final rays of sun here at the top of Mount Sequoyah overlooking Fayetteville before this so called ARTIC BLAST comes and intrudes on my blissful week here in Arkansas.

Nice High-Def picture of "Fay".

Can't hate the view from today's "office"

High on Life ;) No pun intended.

Peace, Love & Over The River and Through The Woods

Nom

PSA: If you have a GIRL SCOUT in your family or know of one that is trying to sell the most cookies:
 HIT UP the closest University/College's GREEK LIFE!
No college students with their parents money will turn down thin mints or tag-a-longs being sold by a child with pig tails and a sassy green vest....right?

How did I never think of this strategy?

BEST JOB/DAY EVER! Dessert at lunch... boxes and boxes of every flavor of Girl Scout Cookies, which turned into left overs at dinner, which turned into an assortment in a tub at breakfast.

I don't know if I should hate the Girl Scouts for their brilliant tactics, or love them because I have now tried every single flavor of cookies. Cheers to not going on a beachy Spring Break this year! 

Peace, Love & Cookie Monster

Big Foot

Just playing Hansel and Gretel out here in the Natural State.

So much fun exploring Lake Sequoyah and wandering down the road less traveled to find WATERFALLS. Can't hate the smell of the great outdoors and the sound of rushing water. If I had zero responsibilities I would wander around all day, but life called and I had to get back to "work" and the blog ;) .

All was fun in games until we stumbled across a FRESHLY laid animal (or big foot) droppings. I am currently using Le Google to determine what my fate could've been if I came face to face with this critter.

Who is ready for SUMMER and the LAKE??

Peace, Love & Dropping Bread Crumbs

This last couple of days I spent at Missouri Southern State AKA MoSo in Joplin, Missouri.

My eyes were opened to life at a commuter school with lots of "non trads" (non traditional students) and night life driving around town, exploring & ghost hunting. 

First I would like to give a shoutout to myself for driving the LONGEST I have ever driven thus far in life from Jackson, Tennessee to Joplin. 

Then I would like to give a SHOUTOUT to the sweetest group of Zetas that took me ALL around town to explore their city.

While in Missouri I had an encounter with the Wienermobile.. I freaked out so much I couldn't get it together for a hot second to take a picture, but luckily I had an assistant that captured the moment...Like LOL at my not turned on phone screen. 

Got to explore an enchanted land of rocks and waterfalls

See where Bonnie and Clyde hid back in the day where they had a shoot out with cops.. The bullet holes that are still visible in the stone was NOT scary at all.. Ha! 

Travel down Route 66

Meet MATER/see where the makers of Cars got inspiration for the movie!!!

And made it all the way to a major tourist attraction.. standing in three states at once.

We also went ghost hunting, which I voluntarily did not capture. No time to believe that any of that is real. I would like to continue to be able to sleep at night.

My visit would not have been complete without a picture with the one and only Roary the lion. Cutest little teen cub in his short shorts & green sneaks. 

So much fun in such little time!

Now I am off to Arkansas for the next 9 days!!

Peace, Love & The Natural State

365 Days a Year

A year ago today I put on my big girl panties and black pencil skirt and flew out to the Houston Airport to interview for A JOB (while calling my parents on the way to tell them "hey I got an interview.."). Exactly 365 days later I am embarking on the journey of a lifetime working for an incredible organization that I am so thankful for. Who knew that in a year from February 20, 2013 I would graduate from TCU, pack up my life of four years in Fort Worth to move my belongings back to McKinney, be the proud owner of my own luggage set, learn how to walk into a room of strangers every 5-10 days and make it a home, learn how to navigate around over 15 college downs, and the list goes on...Can't wait for my final three months on the road to finish this season of life traveling for Zeta Tau Alpha.

 

Shoutout to the other 19 "Road Warriors" traveling and being Socially Excellent today! 

Peace, Love & Started From An Interview Now We're Here

This morning good ole' BePa made his weekly trek to Sam's Club in Joplin to stock up on supplies for his restaurant and picked me up to be his assistant. I got to experience his routine walking in, hoarding Honey Buns and eating a banana as we stroll through the aisles. 

Nothin' better to wake up to than a quality hour spent with this Old Man.

Peace, Love & Family

Happy Birthday to my TRAINING ROOMIE!!!

I am so thankful that this job brought your friendship into my life. I don't know what I would do without our FaceTime calls and memories of being the first ones up in the morning and first ones to hope in the Mini Van to training. I hope you have the BEST BIRTHDAY on the road today and that you have cake WITHOUT red dye (she's allergic).

Peace, Love & LYLAS

Bye KC

The last week I got to hang at Rockhurst University, a small school in Kansas City, Missouri.

I am not gonna lie.. the vibe of this place felt a lot like my High School but I loved the close knit community!! I didn't love that every where I went people looked at me like when did that rando get here.. they all knew I was new to campus, but I would probably do the same if I noticed a Redheaded Intruder trying to sit in my area in The Caf. 

I wish I had gotten a picture of "the caf" that literally had long tables like Middle School with specific areas where each Fraternity sat with Sorority Women mixed in. Below is "The Pub" - notice the teacher table in the back.

I had to be a total tourist and take a picture in this $10,000 blue chair. The only reason I say how much it costs is because this was the dang TALK OF ROCKHURST! 

I also loved this random blue cow that greeted me on my walk to and from the chapter room. I asked so many people what his purpose was and no one knows...

 During my visit I got to have dinner with some family friends!! So much fun to catch up and hang out with familiar faces in familiar places in the midst of always being somewhere new.

 AND THE BEST MOMENT was seeing the KC Naked Cowboy on the streets!! 

The cold weather wasn't stopping him from "spreading the love". 

I do love the Midwest!!

Peace, Love & Be Back Later KC

Thanks to Social  Media I have been made aware that today is Valentines Day! 

My computer charger stopped working so this is all I have patience to post via phone. 

Feeling the love, Apple. 

Peace, Love & XOXO

Okay sooooo VIP TODAY and I didn't even know it. 

My friends picked me up and took me to "The Caf" to eat some lunch and nice priest came to sit with us while we ate. Of course, I think it's cool that I get to enjoy lunch with a priest, thats a fun travel story, right!? So I snapped a picture (stuff like this actually scares me because technology intrudes on all privacy in the world and I am GUILTY) ...as you can see below to BLOG because WOO fun memory for me to look back on.

We chatted and he asked me questions about if I am a visiting prospective student (LOL I WISH) or visiting friends, how I liked the campus, where I am from and yada yada. Lunch was great, he told me all about who sits where on campus and I got the scoop on this charming university. 1:10pm approached and people had to start getting to class at 1:20pm so Father excused himself. Right when he left the table my friends informed me that he was the President of the University!!! I for sure googled it and they definitely were not lying!! Humble people like this man make the world go round.

Too good.

Peace, Love & Roll Out The Red Carpet

15 essentials you could find if you opened up my purse...

So part of my annoyance with the airport the other day was my unreasonable heavy purse that I was toting through the airport. When I arrived to my destination I added "clean out purse" at the top of my to-do list. Here are some of my traveling ESSENTIALS that I could not take out:

1. My C-Wonder Charging Power Case - I never have to worry about not being able to contact my ride at the airport or sacrificing some bubble shooter time thanks to this brilliant purchase. I keep it fully charged and in my purse JUST IN CASE my phone juice runs low.

2. Beauty Products - Kleenex, Lip Color & Gloss, Chapstick and an Eyelash Curler -- all essentials just in case I need to do some touch ups. Never know who I might meet at an airport on on a college campus.  LOOKING TO BE HIRED & I'M SINGLE ;) 

3. Do Not Disturb Mask - "Do I Look Relaxed" it says.. AKA, BYE people. Gotta have this bad boy to block out bright lights that I sometimes come across in some of my sleeping arrangements AND sometimes people...

4. Gloves, Hat & Socks - No time to shiver and be cold. I come prepared with necessary objects to stay warm.

5. Ear Buds - Never hurts to have a pair of these on lock whether I am occupied with music/a phone call OR wanna play it off like I am.

6. Meds - Emergen-C & Dayquil should sponsor me on my travels. Constant changing air and water doesn't do the immune system well. No fear with good meds near.

7. Rainbow Loom - I've gotta have a trendy bracelet packed just in case I need to calm a child in passing/it was given to me by one of my favorite cousins ;) so gotta represent. 

8. SNACKS - Hungry Abbey is NOT a fun Abbey. Period.

9. Boarding Passes - If I had $$ for each of my boarding passes I would invest them and retire right now at age 23.

10. Lint Roller - I love my furry brother Kix and all, but geez his hair does not go away, can't be looking like I roll in dog hair every day.

11. Q&A Book - This is one of the BEST purchases I have ever made from Anthropologie. It's a little journal with questions everyday. This is my second year writing in it and I love looking back and seeing what I wrote the year before and how things have changed or remained constant. 

12. Buizzz Cards - Makes me feel MATURE & LEGIT. Nuff' Said.

13. Breath Mints, Gum & Strips - No time for no Smellllly Breath for me OR anyone else. Gotta have double the products just in case I need extra to offer to a stranger. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

14. Post Cards - Always travel with SOMETHING to keep yourself busy. For me, its post cards that I whip out and send when I am signaling to those around me that I am occupied.

15. Car Plug In Charger - This is the most NECESSARY thing in my purse. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to use it. I always carry my phone charger with me, so having this bad boy works out perfectly since my normal cord is the only other thing I need. 

Not that you cared, but theres the INSIDE scoop on why I will be scheduling a massage upon my arrival home in May.

Peace, Love & Shoutout to Longchamp for breaking & having my back.

use your words, but actually... don't

I made it to my 9th capital on the road ladies and gentlemen!! 

My flight was out of Denver so my ride to the airport and I made a quick pit stop parking an illegal bus lane just for me to snap this picture in front of this little doozy that was having a minor facelift.

 Although I LOVED the capital I had an ANNNNNOYYYYING airport experience... honestly was probably more annoyed than the day of the ripped zip . 

I walked into the security line and started to pull out my ID (thinking this was the security line) when this rude dude in a blue polo (TSA sir)  demanded that I "give him my hands"... if you know "my look"... which I don't know that it's something you want to know... but you can imagine.. I gave this man "my look" and was like excuse me? And he was like "give me your hands" so I flop my hands out like okay dude what do you want? and the man proceeds to start to swab this bandaid looking piece of fabric and begins to rub it all over my freshly washed hands. As I continued to stare like what.. are... you... doing he proceeds to tell me that he was checking for chemicals. I get that this is what the man had to do but he was RUDE and after patiently waiting for a person in the check in line to check my ID after 15 minutes of trouble with the kiosk I was NOT having it. All the man had to do was USE HIS WORDS to explain why and what he wanted from my hands.

Following this I go through security where I don't have to take my laptop out of my bag, or my shoes off, or my belt off...but I get SCOLDED for doing these things instead? I have been through what like 30 or more airport security lines and I do it EVERYTIME???  Instead of blue man number two using his words he gets on to me. So me feeling like the 4 year old Abbey getting scolded by my parents for bouncing balls through Target wanted to freakin' run away. SO DRAMATIC but like WHAT?? 

ALL WAS GOOD though after my MILE (annoyed again & seriously not over exaggerating about the mile) walk to Gate B77 (which doesn't exist and made me even more frazzled) WHEN I FOUND MY CARMEL APPLES!!!!

Guilty Obsession: $9 chocolote/carmel covered apples.

No. Shame.

 Then I got to check "flying like the first lady" off my list upon walking up... PROPELLLLLLAAAA PLANEEEEEE!

 My cool experience on this short plane was short lived when my Flight Buddy was a Canadian Woman (nothing against Canadians) that used TOO many words AKA asked me too many questions.

1. Why did you order a Diet Coke AND a Water?

2. Why are you going to Kansas City?

3. WHAT! Texas? How did you end up here?

4. What is it like having red hair? (no lie, umm??)

The best one yet..........

5. "DO YOU MIND IF I ASK WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR PINKIES"... EXCUSE me ma'am?

After 23 years of living I have NEVER been asked this by a stranger.

2/3 of that was me being drama, but next airport headphones are going in, hood will be up and sunglasses will be on. 

Peace, Love & DRAMA QUEEN

I have spent the last 2.5 weeks in Fort Collins, Colorado at Colorado State University.

Home of the RAMS

 This visit was a longer visit where I got to experience negative degree weather, tour every residence hall on campus by hand delivering 25 bids and see how students dress to survive having to trek to class in mounds of snow.

I was brave enough to walk around campus one day when it warmed up to a nice warm 2 degrees outside. I taped up my holey rain boots and tried to blend in as a CSU student....My plan didn't work out. I was the only one without my head down, angry and not covered head to toe in layers.

Cracked up at the lovely art displays in these residence halls. Who wouldn't love seeing Where the Wild Things Are every morning when you leave your building or a squatting ninja looking after you...

 I learned quickly that walking outside and screaming "WOO-HOO" with my arms spread out twirling in the snow would definitely let the world know that I am not from here.

I kind of forget what normal sidewalk looks like since this is what I have come to know for the past couple of weeks.

I'll miss the artsy pine trees covered in snow.

 & the snow covered bikes that belong on a post card.

These couple of weeks gave my luggage time to explode (not that it takes long anyway) and I brave enough to unload my strategically packed carry on that I am dreading trying to rearrange.

Successful visit here at CSU! Now I am off to the middle of the map, back to MISSOURI! 

Peace, Love & I hope my bag isn't overweight