Summer Finds

You know how Oprah does her “Oprah’s Favorite Things” every year, we’ll I’ve been fortunate enough to discover some awesome things this summer that I feel you must know about! If I forget anything that is list worthy, please comment below so I can #1 try it out, and #2, add it to my list! 1. Baseball So, I’ve rediscovered MLB baseball. I’ve always been a fan, but the Red Wings (and in the past few years, the Pistons) have overshadowed my interest in the Tigers, hence baseball in general. I mean, I haven’t even been to Comerica Park yet… and this is sad in comparison to my one to five visits a year to Tigers Stadium, and now that I have moved across the county… I don’t think I’ll be going anytime soon. Now let me tell you why this is a bummer. Baseball is an awesome sport. Since being in Atlanta, I’ve REALLY gotten back into watching. I went to the Braves game last night and found myself yelling and cheering as I would at any hockey game. People down here LOVE baseball… not as much as Detroiters love hockey, but it’s still nice to be in a city where the fans are enthusiastic about their team. It is summer! What sport is better to watch in summer! I understand the frequently made comments about watching baseball on TV, but to watch it live isn’t comparable in my opinion, and makes for an AWESOME summer day/evening. Go Braves! And Tigers! 2. Veronica Mars (UPN) Seriously people, this is one of the best shows on TV. I discovered it this summer during re-runs when the series premier was aired. The minute the show was over I went to my computer and started downloading every episode from last season (season 1) I could get my hands on. So good! It’s basically about a girl that is working for her father’s detective agency… but that’s just the very small gist of it. Don’t take my word for it, read the reviews… Kristin Bell should have been nominated for an Emmy. 3. Lost (ABC) Again, this show was discovered on a bored summer night flipping through channels. I decided to find out what all the buzz was about, and I was not disappointed! A lot more people have been watching this show than the first… but for you that haven’t been, seriously, check it out! Only bummer here is that the ONLY TWO shows I am plugging are going to be airing this fall both on Wednesday nights at 9pm. I’m seriously considering TiVo. 4. Victoria Secret Pink Extreme Low Rise Bikinis Thank you to Kimberley who introduced me to these. They’re SUPER comfortable, really pretty, and actually affordable. 5 for $25 is normally more than I’d like to spend on underwear, but it’s hard to find a cheaper price anywhere now a days… 5. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince I’m still sticking to my firm opinion that #4 (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) was the best, but this one certainly does not disappoint. Some HUGE events happen… especially at the end, which really sets up book #7. I’m hoping us fans won’t have to wait another 2 years for that one! There is always the movie, based on my favorite Harry Potter, which is coming out in November, to give us a quick fix… 6. Edy’s Fruit Bars (In the ice cream section) I’ve only tried the strawberry and lime ones… but they are AWESOME and only 80 calories. I eat like two a day… so yummy for summer, TRY THEM! 7. Movie Rentals Some of these are new, and some of these aren't so new, but summer movie rentals are frequent, so I'll share some of my favorites that you probably haven't seen. 1. The Royal Tennenbaums. This is one of my ALL TIME favorite movies. I love it. I watched it a year or so ago when my Mom got it from the library of all places... so worth it. 2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I'm sure a lot more people have seen this one because of the press it got in the past year, but again, it really is a great movie. Jim Carey is a really awesome dramatic actor. It's very different, you have to keep up, but it's definitely worth a rental. 3. Buffalo Soldiers. This movie was made probably 4-5 years ago, but never came out in the U.S. and went straight to video because of the controversial issues. I actually saw it at a movie theater in England two summers ago because it had all American actors (Joaquin Phoenix, Anna Paquin, Ed Harris) and I was suprised I never heard of it. It's another dry comedy, this time about the military, and again, definitely worth a rental. 4. Sling Blade. This movie is SO GOOD! Really. Even if you think you wouldn't like it, please please rent it. Billy Bob Thorton is an amazing writer even though he's a little creepy in real life... I still like to check out most of his work. (He also co-wrote the movie The Gift, with Kate Blanchett, Greg Kanear, Katie Holmes, which is another reccommendation). 5. Hotel Rwanda. This movie is the most recent, with Don Cheadle receiving an Oscar nomination last year. It's a true story that takes place in the early 90s (I believe) about the tribal fighting which led to the murder of hundreds of thousands of people. A definite must see.

My new boyfriend Jeff Francoeur... OMG I'm obsessed!

Oh my GOSH!

OH MY GOSH, I just finished reading Harry Potter last night... well, so I don't give anything away I will just say OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!! So good...

I'm a busy girl!

So the school year has begun... I started teacher training on Monday and will continue for the next 2-3 weeks until the kids come on August 15th. I can't believe summer vacation is over already! Michigan starts a lot later... but at least I'll be done in May! Training has been REALLY boring so far, BUT I'm getting paid, and even better, I've met some AWESOME people! A lot of people are my age and new to Atlanta, which is so exciting because I'm not the only one. I really do love it here so far. I miss my mom and my friends at home of course, but it's been a lot easier being here than I anticipated. This city has so much going on all the time! I've just dusted the surface... Friday I'm going to a Braves game with Allison and Saturday we're going to the Wynonna concert. I found the COOLEST place while walking down Peachtree last week, it's called the Shakespeare Tavern. They have a bunch of Shakespeare plays year round AND it's a tavern (hence the name), so not only do I get to see a lot of awesome plays, I also get to drink while watching them, which brings me back to the good ol' London days... I'm going to try to go to every play they have! I met up with my friend Meghann yesterday who moved to Georgia also from Michigan. She was in my MSU intern program last year. She lives about an hour and a half away from me, but is in Atlanta almost every weekend because one of her good friends lives here. I'm so happy I'm meeting friends and keeping busy! Not that I didn't think I would, but of course everyone gets anxious about that stuff. I'm so blessed to have had this opportunity to move down here! I know it's only been a month so far, but I already feel like this is really what I was meant to be doing at this point in my life. I'm a very happy girl right now, and am excited to share this experience with everybody I love! So, come visit all! Oh yes... also, my spring break is wacky this year. It's not the week after Easter like everybody else... it's March 31-April 9. So here's the deal: I REALLY want to go somewhere this year considering I actually have a good paying job and at last can afford it :) Only problem is I'm friends with basically teachers that have Spring break around Easter. BUMMER! So if anybody wants to go anywhere with me and can go during that time, LET ME KNOW! Ok, I'm off to bed, I have to wake up at 5:30am everyday, ugh... traffic in Atlanta is as bad as you have heard, maybe even worse, and it takes about an hour to get ANYwhere you want to go, especially during rush hour, thus I have to get up at 5:30am... double ugh! Until next time...

Kimberley's visit

I had SO MUCH FUN this week when Kimberley and Mike were here! Mike basically had no free time from his conference that ran from 7am-7pm everyday (yuk) so Kim and I hung out most of the time and did some touristy things while trying to stay out of the 95+ degree, 90% humidity weather (again, yuk). Tuesday after she flew in we met Michael for dinner and went to a pub downtown... I met a bunch of people that were from the U.K. here on business, so I felt like I was back in London again :) Wednesday, Kim and I went shopping all day, then I found out my school switched my grade level, so I will be teaching 2nd grade this year instead of 1st... yippee. At lease Aimee and I are teaching the same grade now! Anyway, as I was saying... Thursday we laid out by the pool and went to Midtown at night with Mike and a bunch of people from his conference. Yesterday, we went to the World of Coke which is supposedly one of Atlanta's best tourist attractions... then we went to the Underground and walked around a bit before heading home. Inbetween all of that running around this week Kimberley made me laugh so much that my stomach hurt :) She's a great friend and I'm SO HAPPY I got this opportunity to spend so much time with her. I miss her already! I can't wait for everybody else to come visit! BF Kimmy from KY is suppose to come with her new stud of a boyfriend that I CANNOT wait to meet sometime in August... and I believe my friend Jayme is coming to visit around the same time, so I should be a busy girl! I start teacher training on Monday ALL DAY so it should give me a small glimpse as to how this year is going to go. Wednesday I might go to the Braves game because Allison (my awesome next door neighbor who I LOVE) might be able to get company tickets from her work if nobody else wants them. I hope I get to go, they are PSYCHO about baseball down here! Go Braves! Enough gabbering, until next time...

Kimberley and Mike

Me and Mike at some pub across from his hotel... it reminded me of London. I miss London!

Me and Kim at Coca Cola Factory

Kimberley outside of the Underground

Me and Kim, outside of Hooters

The most beautiful girl...

I just had to post these really quick because she is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen... AND I MISS HER SO MUCH!

Natalie

Natalie 2

My Apartment!

So... I've been in Atlanta for a week now, and other than missing my family and friends I LOVE IT! I met my neighbor who is AWESOME! It's nice to already have a friend. I would have posted pics of the apartment sooner, but I was waiting to be completely unpacked and have the place all nice and neat, but then decided, that's probably NEVER going to happen, so I took pictures as-is (excuse the mess!) Kimberley flys in tomorrow! I'm so excited! We are going to go around and do all of the touristy things while Michael is at his conference all day... it should be fun! Ok, that's about it, nothing too exciting went on this week... I went shopping a lot, that's about it, so I will write more when Kim gets here!

My living room (and Rylie, on the couch). The door goes to my patio.

Living room #2

My bedroom. I need stuff on the walls DESPERATELY! Also, you can't see from the pic, but across from the foot of my bed is another door to my patio!

My bedroom #2

My huge closet...

Closet #2

My kitchen

Kitchen #2 (sorry, it's a mess!)

Here's my deck/patio... I love it, it's huge!

Aimee's Wedding!

I'm finally back in Atlanta... this time for good, or at least until Thanksgiving. After the move, I went back to Michigan for Aimee and Matt's Wedding! First things first... the move went pretty well. My sister ended up coming with me, my mom, and my dad. It was actually really awesome for all of us to be together! I'd post the pics from the move, but considering we all look scary from the large amount of sweat all over us, I will pass... In the next few days when I get everything all situated I'll post some pics of my apartment, it is HUGE!!! My bedroom is double the size of my bedroom at home, and that doesn't include the closet. My closet is the size of my Mom's bedroom at home... I'm a lucky girl! The Wedding was AWESOME! I had so much fun! Aimee looked BEAUTIFUL (see pics below). It was a really great time... I partied like a rock star, and I didn't even cry too much :) I'm so happy for her and Matt... Anyway, I would write more, but I'm EXHAUSTED from the drive back today and I know everyone just wants to look at pics anyway :) If you want to see the whole album, send me your email and I'll shutterfly them to you. Till next time... P.S. Contrary to popular belief Atlanta is NOT under water... downtown might be, but where I'm at is ok... reguardless, I am a swimmer :)

Aimee is BEAUTIFUL!!! I don't have a good pic of her train... but it was georgeous...

Matt and Aims

Aimee, Me, and Kim...we were Dancing Queens!