Been There, DONE That!!

 From the Gas Works district, to Pike Place Market, to going up the Seattle Needle... YOU NAME IT, I have been there and seen it. Yesterday I was taken on the GREATEST tour of Seattle and LOVED IT! 

Our day started at Gas Works Park where I got to see a historical area, right near the water, that used to be a major hub for drilling for gas.

I had to get a picture here thinking this was the best skyline view I would see for the day... HA! This picture is nothing, but I still figured i'd post this high-def photo for your enjoyment ;) 

Following Gas Works we headed to Fremont where I was instructed to find the "Troll Under The Bridge".

FOUND HIM....

although this critter was a bit creepy, he was definitely a sight to see.

After seeing the troll I was DRINKING THAT SEATTLE juice. LOVING this city and didn't think I could get any more pumped up, but I WAS SO WRONG!! 

We headed to Kerry Park where I could see the whole entire Seattle Skyline. 

AND THEN came my FAVORITE part of the whole day.... 

Pike Place Market!!! 

Pike Place is a Market (hence the name of it) that goes on all year.. "The thing" about this place is that when you order fresh fish they THROW THEM TO YOU..... well being from out of state I couldn't go to the market and not catch a fish...... so..... yeah..... I DID IT. You can watch me in action by clicking THIS link.

The first time the dude launched the fish to me it slapped the sink. HARD. Couldn't let the people watching down a second time so I hustled to GRAB THAT THING AND HIS POOP SQUEEZED RIGHT ON OUT! No sir.  

Then I made my 999989th touristy deed of the day by posing on this little fella. These pigs are all over the city here in Seattle and this was a touristy picture that I just "had to have"...sitting on THE GOLDEN PIG.

Also near the market you HAVE to see the gum wall...so... I saw the gum wall. SUPER disgusting, but at the same time...KINDA NEAT! 

 You can bet I added a piece myself. I attached it to the back of a foam strawberry that I found in the bottom of my purse (what's inside my purse should be an upcoming blog post) and stuck it on to the wall...Sorry for the NASTY GUM in the pics... didn't think about how gross this was until now. 

AND THEN CAME. 

The. Seattle. Space. Needle. 

We got to the Needle right when the sun was about to set so I had an UPLIFTING experience ;) seeing Seattle during the day time, as the sun set AND during the evening. 

SUCH A SIGHT TO SEE!! 

Oh and I should mention that it was 25 degrees during ALL of these sight seeing activities... you can only imagine how cold I was. NO TIME TO COMPLAIN THOUGH, too many things to enjoy! 

I am so thankful that these women took time out of their crazy study-filled week during finals to make my trip so great!! 

OH AND I ALMOST FORGOT -- the night ended with a trip to see the Pacific Northwest Ballet Nutcracker!!

I still have three days here and already have had the BEST visit!! 

Peace, Love & Tis' the Season for Sisterhood

Throw-Away Thursday

I had been warned that there were "a few hippies" in Seattle, but no one told the truth about the  PASSION people have about reducing the amount of Landfills by adding a THIRD element to disposing goods, known as COMPOSTING. 

My first night here I had a "late plate" waiting for me in the fridge to be heated up and consumed. Not knowing about the ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY atmosphere I was now submerged (SAT word) in, I grabbed myself a plastic fork AND knife to use, which were QUICKLY intercepted by a chapter member who handed me a real (by real I mean metal) fork and knife... little did I know that we don't waste paper and plastic products up here in the Northwest. We reduce. We reuse and WE COMPOST.

As I have taken two walks around campus I noticed the trash cans (below) have two additional added on "waste baskets", one for compost and another for recycling. I was taught how to recycle growing up, but composting...I learned about it in fourth grade science, but actually practicing how is NEWS TO ME (is that the saying?)!

Today I will educate you about the QUICK lesson I have learned about trashing my scraps here at the University of Washington. 

Located by all of the trash/recycle/compost bins in the Zeta House there are signs that WARN you about where your trash is going. I was am so nervous that I will mess up the compost that I don't throw ANYTHING away without permission. 

Trash... is going to a landfill.

Compost is going to...? I don't even know where it goes...underground? 

SOOOOO with this being said, I have made a little GAME for y'all:

Below is some waste that I have either consumed or seen laying around...

IS IT TO BE... 

Trashed? Recycled? or Composted? 

(answers at the bottom)

1. A Banana

2. A Jimmy John's Sandwich Wrapper

3. A Plastic Cup

4. A Nature Valley Wrapper

5. A Slice of Pizza

6. A Plastic Spoon

7. This Safeway Bag

8. This Coffee Cup

9. Fruits & Vegetables (look mom, healthy eating)

10. Paper Towels

If you are having fun you can continue this game via this fourth grade online science website.

Peace, Love & Happy Trashing

1. Compost 2. Trash 3. Recycle 4. Trash 5. Compost

6. Recycle 7. Compost 8. Trash 9. Compost 10. Compost

(Don't hold me to these answers...)

Making History

First I would like to announce that yesterday I MADE HISTORY in Utah, breaking an 89 year old record for snow!

Here's my view from the plane... YOU CAN BET I WAS WIDE EYED SMILING while glancing at this view. I may or may not have stopped in the one foot gap between the plane and jet way to have a few snow flakes land on me...

Anyways, my trip in the Salt Lake airport was a bit of a frantic event. 

Upon arriving I had 18 minutes exactly to get from one gate to the next. If you have flown recently you might know that most of the time airlines will take your carry on for you and put it under the plane and when you get off you wait for them to give it back to you. Usually this process takes a few minutes, but I don't mind the wait if that means I don't have to hoist my bag up in the overhead compartment while throwing out my back. 

This time I was in seat 5A so I was one of the first people off of the plane and I was pumped because this meant time for a restroom break and then plenty of time to get to the next gate and maybeeee grab a snack.... But not this time! 

 Since it was so cold it took the men a few extra minutes to unload the bags but THEN when they got the bags on the cart to wheel over to the elevator thing the cart kept getting jammed in the mounds snow.  I watched the clock tick as my phone battery slowly went to the red zone (good fourth grade details in this sentence, I hope y'all can sense the imagery ;)). As the bags finally came up the elevator and the man unloaded them (you can bet that mine was the last bag...no joke) I was on my way to figure out what gate I had to get to. WHAT DO YOU KNOW - I had to get from Gate B to Gate D. What. A. Joke!! You don't need to picture me hustling through the airport, not a cute picture. But end of the story is, I made it, and BROKE history & wasn't even mad about this adventure!

 Here's the men shoveling the snow.. Bless their hearts!! (Those are people that go without being seen that I AM SO THANKFUL FOR).

BUT THEN another EXCITING detail of my day. This probably could wait for another post, but I am too dang excited about it!!! 

This chapter had a few of my favorite snacks laying on my bed in my room upon arrival with THIS backpack. 

If you glance at it, you might notice the TCU and might see that it says Washington at the bottom.... It was a MANUFACTURE ERROR backpack (I don't know the proper term). 

Where the TCU logo is, there is supposed to be a Washington W!! The chapter president was at Dick's Sporting Goods back at home and came across this and had to get it for me and I AM SO GLAD SHE DID!!

 Out of all of the consultants (there's 19 others) and ALL of the University logos that could have been there AND out of all of the places I could've been sent to... WHAT ARE THE CHANCES that this happens!! If anyone wants to do the math and figure out my odds that would be neat.... ;)

If you know me, you can imagine how CRAZY/COOL I think this is!!! All I wanted to do was text all my friends and tell them, but it was 2am on the East Coast and 1am in Texas, so I had to wait until today!! STILL IS AWESOME! Straight up FATE people!! 

Peace, Love & Too good to be true

On The Road Again

My last visit before Thanksgiving break I spent at a VACAY spot in Fort Myers, Florida, right outside of Naples at a newer school known as Florida Gulf Coast University!

Looking back I realize that I hardly took any pictures, but it is probably because I was extremely distracted enjoying a campus in PARADISE!

Since I was already in Florida, I had my first rental car experience driving from Gainesville to Fort Myers! During the ride, I blasted the radio and called home via my fancy Bluetooth hook up.

If you know anyone looking for a small campus size, with a public price, ON A WATER FRONT tell them to check this place out!! The freshman residence halls overlooked THIS beautiful scenery...

I absolutely LOVED my trip to FGCU and came home with this sweet souvenir that is so simple, but means so much!!

Today I am off to SEATTLE, WASHINGTON for a week before home sweet home for the Holidays!!

Peace, Love & Where's George? 

Rah Rah TCU

I can't say how HAPPY I am that I got to celebrate the end of my Thanksgiving Break cheering on the Frogs at their last game of the season!!

There's not many things I love more than being reunited with friends:

(I only have two ;) )

Tailgating in the DAY:

And the NIGHT:

Punting Baylor Bears across the parking lot:

(Check out Sam's form..LOL)

Eatin' some of Lance's SLIDERS:

Breathing that Fort Worth Air:

Seeing the TCU band, Live:

Watching O Bax be O Bax:

AND having our seats upgraded to the CLUB section - ON the 50!!

I am PROUD to be a TCU Frog!! 

Peace, Love & 272 Days Until 2014 Frog Football