NC State Fair

Oh it is my FAVORITE time of the year - time for the North Carolina State Fair! !

Why I love the State Fair

1 - Food. Big fan of anyplace that offers country ham biscuits, french fries, corn on the cob, gyro's, and deep fry pecan pies within a 1/2 mile radius

2 - Animals. Love love love cows, pigs, sheep, and ponies! Jim Graham building - hands down my favorite place. Where else in the big city do you get the opportunity to milk a cow and buy the milk for $.50? No where - thank you NCSU Vet Students

3 - People. Oh the people are classic ... from the kentucky waterfalls and rat tails, to the baby daddy's, to the clearly traveling 3 hrs plus to the state capital is the high light of your social calender and dentists do not live in your county.

4 - Carnies. You are so creepy. Enough said.

5 - Village of Yesteryear. Ah it is here that I am provided with the opportunity to take a cotton and make thread ... or better yet - learn how to make a gun or a broom. You never know when these life skills might need to be used. I am a former brownie and ninja and know the importance of life skills.

Being Nice

How long do you have to be nice to someone even if you really do not care for them one bit? My mother always told me (and still does) - we are nice and gracious to everyone - take the higher road. Yah well I getting tired of taking the higher road and I chose the "if I have nothing nice to say - I'm not going to say anything at all" approach but it makes me feel like I'm being a snob.

But honestly I do not want to make small talk with you - I do not want you to ask me questions about my dog because if you liked my dog you would pet my dog and be nice to her and stop pretending like you are interested in how I am doing when I know really you are not. I would rather you just stay away altogether because you frighten me. And one more thing to be completely honest - I do not want to feel obligated to ask how you are - because I could care less. So that is where I am stuck - be rude and ignore or be nice even though it is not genuine and not sincere and makes me feel bad for being fake.

Suggestions?

Love to BitP

Hello Blog Friends!! It has been awhile - I know...I missed all of September ... some call it busy others slacking. However I feel as though I have a great post for y'all - this past weekend BitP, M&J, and I traveled to northern VA for a fabulous wedding. It was during this awesome weekend that we came to the conclusion a lady should never never leave ones home for an event without at least 4 clothing options and this is why ...

Friday evening the out of town guests have a party to attend - I get a call from M&J who just discovered something spilled (ie nail polish remover something of that nature) onto her dress bag during the five hour drive and her 3 dresses are not in good shape. Thankfully one of them had very limited damage and she had something to wear for the evening but a trip to the dry cleaners would have to be done first thing Saturday morning. Okay so dress disaster story numero uno.

Saturday: B and I decide after an awesome breakfast at Swirls in Winchester, VA we are going wine tasting and pumpkin picking. We have a great day but become a bit pressed for time for getting ready and getting to the wedding by 4:00. I go to put my dress on and the zipper catches - I pull - it goes off the track. It is 3:30 - panic - obviously can not wear that dress - so I switch into a pencil lined skirt and ruffle top. Okay its 3:50 and we are 15 minutes away from the church - we floor it to the church - last people to arrive- ie the bride is standing there ready to walk down the isle.

I go to slide into the pew and rip... oh yes the back of my skirt splits straight on up. I'm thinking - seriously?!! Really?!! What am I going to do now - because I brought 3 outfits and well there goes number 3. B suggests we go to Target and attempt to find something being that is the only store since we have been in the area. And I am not pleased - but figuring once I get to the reception and enjoy some adult beverages I won't care. This is all going on during the beautiful service which I still manage to cry 3 times during. Good ol ADD...

Service ends and I wrap my pashmina around my waste (I am sure it looked super awkward) and proceed out of the church. I meet BitP outside and explain my current situation of dress disaster and she hands me her room key and says "Go - I have an extra dress and it should fit"

I wanted to start crying yet again but B tells me we need to get a move on if we are to make it to the reception as well. So I yell my thanks as start running for the car and we take off to the hotel.

The dress fit perfectly and was super cute (of course!) - found jewelry and purse to go with - and I was ready to go! For a moment I felt like a celebrity with all of the dress changes ... then realized they changed not because of wardrobe malfunctions.

So in conclusion friends - never feel bad again about bringing multiple outfits to events. Never allow for someone to shun you for overpacking because you never know what might happen! ! !

PS - BitP love you.

Livin' on 40

Y'all I'm here - but nursing school has officially taken over my life. I have been a terrible blogger but these days you can find me at school, in the hospital, at the CV library, or on 40.

Soon I promise updates on my AWESOME rotations and life happenings.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Okay so after being on the floor this week (ie getting up at 4:45 and running around like the good little nursing student with her head cut off that I am) ... my brain is fried and this is what I have been watching since 7pm with a glass of cheap wine. And I'm not sure if it is because I am so tired but I am enthralled with these crazy women. They are nuts.

I miss these

Ahh I'm happy to be back - but - I keep waiting to feel that "Im back at home" happiness feeling and I don't. Does that make sense?

I'm just trying to adjust back to things and life and staying as positive as possible in the process. But somedays it is just harder. Today is one of those days.

I know I know - Im due for a post!

But not today ... and not sure how tomorrow is looking either.

Soon though - I promise!

The Good Ol South - Home Again

Hey y'all!! I am finally back in the south once again and what a road trip! I think it was something like 2,000 miles that good ol Mary Sue the 'Roo covered on this leg of the trip. I will be posting pictures and filling y'all in on how the Goose and I came home.

I'll give you this ... we started in Boulder - headed north to South Dakota - headed east to Chicago - picked up the roomie in Chicago - drove south to NC - just to drive across the state and back north to the Virginia border to go to the lake for the night. I mean when you have already been in the car for 11 hrs what's another 2 ?! Especially when cold beers, a hot tub, and great friends await you!

Okay tonight I will go into further explanation - right now I need to start unpacking and get to the grocery store.

Packing Up and Headed Out

Y'all I'm leaving Boulder tomorrow. 

and I'm bummed. 

BUT 

there is a fun road trip coming up because what fun would it be if I drove back the same way I came right?! 

That's how I roll

My days are cruising on by here and there have been many "Oh shoot! You have to do this before you leave!" moments.  Which is how the roomie Megs and I ended up on the Boulder Cruiser Ride.  This ride has been going on for over 15 years and happens every Thursday. Here are the rules for the cruiser ride. 

The Ride Guide
To have fun and to be nice to everyone...
To ring thy bell, To wish everyone well...
To sing, to dance, to make merry,
To not bring more than I can carry...
To leave no trace, to Cruise and not to race...
To ride in control and not be a troll...
To stay to the right and to ride with a light...

And of course to say... "Have a Happy Thursday!" 

Now what is even better about these cruiser rides is that they have themes.  Let's see past themes have been - Pirates, Gender Blender, 80's, and this past week - Industrial Wrap. 

See picture below: 

I would like for you to notice how Megs headband is made out of turquoise duct tape and I have sash made out of bubble wrap - I later added on Miss NC to the sash - it was hot.  Also please note the PBR Light Im holding - light on the budget and your waistline.  Just keepin' it classy out here.  

At this fantastic bike ride there are people of all ages and probably about 300 people that ended up coming out for the cruiser ride.  We ended up riding our bikes about 15 miles over the course of the evening (walking was an issue on Friday).  We all met in this huge field and proceeded to ride all over Boulder and I mean all over Boulder.  It was awesome.  Ahh let me take this time to show y'all my pony. 

Im too lazy right now to actually upload a pic of mine however mine looks very similar and it is a three speed. None the less Nancy (that is my bike's name) took me all over Boulder with ease.  I love her.  

Momma is so PROUD

of my baby Goose.  Okay she isn't a puppy anymore but y'all know what I mean.  Well as I may have mentioned before the Goose is not too fond of water.  She has never been one to see a lake, go charging for it, and before you can yell "Wait!" is in swimming around.  She will go up to it but put her feet in - I think not.  Well not anymore!  After living with her aquatic savvy cousins this summer the Goose is one with water.  She is now (all by herself) will walk or even gasp! jump into the streams when we go hiking.  See below as I had to document the amazing moment in our lives. 

No Orange and Pearls

Well friends good news!  I will not have to be sporting an orange jump suit with pearls anytime soon.  I went to court today - lovely experience - seriously the people were so nice and friendly! It must be this mountain air.  The judge said all I had to pay was my original fine and I was free to go. No more warrant or charges all of that was dropped.  

On a side note I was kind of sad that my days of a fugitive are over.  The past 14 hours had me living on the edge ... checking of over my shoulder every moment waiting for DOG the Bounty Hunter to come and get me.  

Warrants and such

Today I received an interesting piece of mail from the city of Boulder Municipal Court ... apparently there is warrant out for my arrest.  I was issued  a ticket the second or third week I was in Boulder for having three dogs off a leash at once.  Ridiculous I know - but Ranger Rick said it was the law and I was breaking it.  Sooo...I had to pay a $50 fine which in my head I had a month to do.  Apparently that is not the case - my fine was due last week and apparently since I have yet to pay I have a warrant.  Can we say awesome?! So Pav will be paying a visit to court tomorrow morning - hopefully the judge will spare me from jail.  

For now I'm laying low - because the lady from court who spoke with this afternoon informed me if I am pulled over I could go to jail.  Honestly my biggest concern is that DOG the Bounty Hunter is going to jump over the fence and him and Beth are going to bring my butt down to the county jail. 

Pray for me y'all ... I'm just not that hard core and orange is not one my colors. 

HELP!

is there a way for me to make a slide show for my pics within a post?! 

Is it really stalking...

if you are watching from your back porch? Or am I just being a creeper?  I bet if I explain myself - y'all would agree I was really just being a nosey neighbor and nothing more. 

So I just got back from a ridiculous hike - ie left at 10am and got home at 2pm and was starving. I made myself the most delicious wrap known to mankind and decided to sit out on the porch while reading some blog posts and enjoying said delicious wrap. (how is that for winded run on sentence ?!)  Well my neighbors - these hot hot college boys who are not wearing their shirts - are setting up a tent.  In their very very tiny backyard.  Now I know sometimes if you purchase a tent you need to waterproof it or check to see everything works but these boys are not doing this.  I know this because they set up a tarp in the trees.  Not only am I perplexed as to why they are setting up the tent but I can't help but watch these delightfully cut men.  

Oh forget this - I am going to ask them what in the heck they are doing or if they could use a hand. ;) 

Catch up!

Whoo-wee life has been busy and blogging has taken the back seat ... however have no fear I fully intend on catching y'all up on Pav's happenings.  

Let's see here ... last weekend Allison came into town and we got right down to business with bonding with nature.  Saturday afternoon we drove up to Frisco, CO (it's in Summit County - ie Breckenridge, Keystone, etc.) and kayaked on Lake Dillon.  First time ever kayaking and so much fun!  

Allison and I - clearly we are champion kayakers 

Christine & Robin (Allison's sister) who joined us on our most excellent adventure 

We finished up the day at the Marina listening to a local band play golden oldie favorites and sipping on some New Belgium beers.  Perhaps y'all can understand why I love this state! 

Sunday morning I was up nice and early (5:30!) to get ready for some wake boarding at the Boulder Reservoir.  Now I have been wake boarding many a time - however I think I may have gotten up for um 2.4 seconds before being dragged head first through the water.  Needless to say I was bit skeptical of going and being successful.  

But I did it!! 

I was so excited when I got up - I screamed and let go.  However I was able to get up again and hang for awhile.  I was so proud of myself and my apparent skills - haha. 

Monday morning Allison and I headed up to Estes Park for some sight seeing and hiking.  Gorgeous gorgeous place - highly recommend going.  

Is that not an unreal picture?! Allison thinks these are the mountains on Coors cans and I definitely agree, don't y'all? 

We found a waterfall on our hike which I am obsessed so of course I had to have a picture taken. 

Okay well I have a bunch more pictures to put up - which I will do.  However I want to go on a hike because it is a beautiful day. So y'all are just going to have to wait. 

Busy Busy Pav

Good gracious ... the past week and half has been a blur.  Where do I start? 

Utah was amazing!  I have never seen rocks/canyons/water/desert like that in my life.  The pictures do not do it justice.  I think I was in shock for the first two days...I just could not get over what I was looking at. 

Megs and I did some hiking on the trip and this is a picture overlooking the canyon where we stayed for two of the nights.  It was just gorgeous.  At night we would lay out on the roof of the boat and just watch all of the shooting stars.  

Now besides star gazing - there was a lot of laughing, drinking, swimming, eating, and card game playing going on.  It was just awesome. 

Let's see here ... ahh so on the way home from Utah - Megs and I made a pit stop at this fine establishment.  Turns out Ol Jed is from Havlock, NC.  How crazy is that? 

Friday afternoon we (all the roomies plus KJ) hopped in the Leave No Trace vehicle and headed up to Fort Collins to the New Belgium Brewery.  

Y'all this was the craziest day I have had in quite awhile.  I called up there to see if there were any tours left and there wasn't but the lady told me we could still go on the private one if we wanted.  Disappointed but in true Pav like fashion I was still excited to go to New Belgium.  So we start our self guided tour and I'm watching the Fat Tire cans go flying by on the conveyer belt and one of the workers walks up to me and asks if we are all 21.  Confused - I respond Yes... well he opens the door, walks up to the conveyer belt, grabs us 5 Fat Tires and just hands them to us.  Fresh cold Fat Tire - GLORIOUS.  Oh it gets better ... 

We continue down the hallway and another worker stops and asks us if we would like to go on one the actual ticket tours.  Um - yes!  We were able to go upstairs and sample even more free beer...followed by 5 free samples in the tasting room.  

The Ladies! 

KJ enjoying her delicious beverage fresh off the conveyer! 

C enjoying a spin on the mini fat tire bike on our tour 

C enjoying her samples

Me enjoying mine ... perhaps a bit too much 

Sliding down the slide during the tour ... in a dress not the best of ideas but this was at the end of the tour and decision making skills were not the sharpest. 

On the Road Again

The roomie Megs and I are hitting the road this morning with UTAH! in sight.  We have about an eight hour drive ahead of us - eek!  However the goal is Lake Powell (see above) and from what I have been told Utah is a gorgeous state to drive through.  Ms Goose is going to be staying with her aunts for this little vacation.  She is not the biggest fan of water and the thought of her on a boat for five days - well I'm not trying to give my dog a heart attack.  I will be back by Friday because Allison is coming into town for the weekend!!  Camping and fly-fishing here we come. 

It's the Simple Things

Like an ice cream cone on a hot sunny day in a sleepy town ... 

or new friendships 

or great hugs 

or just laying out and enjoying the morning sun 

One thing I have learned while being here is taking the time to enjoy the things we take for granted.  Our days are not getting any longer and we will continue to fill our schedules with as much as possible ... so take a minute and remember the small / simple things we so often overlook. 

Enjoy your weekend y'all! 

Rock Star

This weekend was filled with ridiculous events that make up my life at the current moment.  On Friday I cruised on over to Summit County - home of Keystone, Breckenridge, and Aprahoe Basin to see my cousin Matty play.  He is a rock star - along with his fantastic band.  

His band is called Big Richard a 6 piece rock band and AWESOME.  I danced to my hippie heart delight.  They write some of their own music but also played some covers such as - Widespread Panic (Ophelia), The Who (Teenage Wasteland - which I know that's not the right name but whatever), ACDC (Highway to Hell), and Grateful Dead (Black Star).  Ahh - it was fantastic - Moonbeam was in her element kids.  Moonbeam is my alter ego by the way for those of you who have never had the pleasure of hanging out in my company for extended periods of time.  Okay where was I ...  So I found some fantastic guys to dance with some not so fantastic - one thing I realized about these mountain towns is that some of these guys do not get off the mountain very often.  In some respects - an untapped resource for the single ladies and in other respects an untapped resource that should not ever be tapped.  But regardless free drinks for Pav!  

After the show I said goodbye to my men and headed out with the cousin to his pad.  Which being that is circa 2:30 in the morning I was unable to appreciate the view until the morning.  When I woke up the next morning and went out on the back deck this was my view: 

 Six peaks can be seen from his back porch - GORGEOUS!  After saying my goodbyes I headed back to Boulder.  I decided to choose the most scenic route for the trip back which took me through Loveland Pass and Clear Water Canyon.  

The top of Loveland Pass - which is somewhere around 11,200 feet in elevation.  The picture just does not do it justice - it was just beautiful.  And here is one of Clear Creek Canyon. 

At one point I just turned the radio off, rolled down the windows, and listened to the creek.  It was wonderful. 

Saturday evening Megs and I held a small cookout for the new friends that we have met and then took our gathering to the bars.  What a fantastic evening - we drank, we danced, we laughed - at one point we were all laughing so had tears were just rolling down my face.  Our jaws hurt from laughing so much.  Ahh good times. 

Sunday I got up nice and late - circa 9:30 - Megs made a fantastic breakfast and we headed off to the Celestial Seasonings Tent Sale.  I came out with 18 boxes of tea for $8.10. Yes that is right - $8.10.  It was AWESOME.  We were headed home when we saw a sign for a Winery Tasting and we both just looked at each and said - "Well I mean if we are in the area?!" So we went to Boulder Creek Winery and had a sampling of their 8 different wines.  Great winery - really nice people - and delicious wine! 

Sunday evening we headed down to Denver for a group meeting about Lake Powell.  Ahh - so this has been an addition to the adventure of Colorado - but I was invited by Megs and her brother to go to Lake Powell in Utah.  There will be something like 17 of us on a house boat cruising around Lake Powell.  I can not tell y'all how excited I am about this adventure to come!  

Environmentally Friendly & Gorgeous

This past weekend was just too much fun as per usual.   Friday a group of 17 of us headed down to Denver to eat at the Watercourse - a vegetarian restaurant that is YUMMY.  Before y'all meat eaters start making any faces - I'm telling you this is some of the best food I have eaten.  The menu was huge - the portions fantastic - the drinks refreshing - and the desserts delicious.  We all had a wonderful time.  The large group parted ways after dinner - some wanted to go dancing - while others (including myself) wanted to check out the bar scene of Denver.  Needless to say several several bars later - the new roomie Megs and I found ourselves catching the last bus to Boulder at 2:22 AM.  Now that was an experience.

Megs and I waiting for the bus ... we were trying to pass the time via a photo shoot.  

Saturday after being dragged out of bed the four roomies headed to the Soy Compound for some fun in the sun.  Now you might be asking yourselves - Soy Compound?  Well - one of our friends has the hook up and knows the people who created many of the soy foods you see in your grocery store today - and I'm not just talking about the tofu ... soy milk products, etc. Well as you can imagine their home is GORGEOUS and one of the most environmentally friendly places I have been.  It was like a resort...awesome way to spend the day with new friends. 

Walking into the house you cross a bridge and to your right is water fall - plus down below are giant gold fish swimming around. 

The view from the garden looking towards the pool and deck area.  The flower pictures from previous blog post are from the garden. 

The swimming pool / lake - it was all natural and had algae that self cleaned the pool.  After getting out your skin felt super soft - it was crazy.  Also - check out the view of the mountains in the back ground - gorgeous!! 

Sunday was filled with another adventure - Megs and I headed to where she grew up - Evergreen, CO.  Beautiful mountain town ... that happens to have a wild WHITE buffalo running around with one of the herds.  According to Native American Indians 2,000 years ago a young woman who first appeared in the shape of a white buffalo gave the Lakota's ancestors a sacred pipe and sacred ceremonies and made them guardians of the Black Hills. Before leaving, she also prophesized that one day she would return to purify the world, bringing back spiritual balance and harmony; the birth of a white buffalo calf would be a sign that her return was at hand. 

Prior to checking out the white buffalo we attempted to drive up Mount Evans... 

Y'all see the snow?! Thats right we got caught in a SNOW STORM in our attempt to drive to the top on the highest auto road 

Not sure if you can tell - but that is snow falling!! 

That's okay - because on Tuesday I went down to Colorado Springs and checked out the US Air force Academy and drove to the top of Pike's Peak (another 14,000 ft mountain).  I'll put up the pictures of that crazy adventure sometime this week. 

Pav and the Goose Happenings

Y'all I do not even know where to begin.  

Each day I have been going on hikes and attending yoga classes.  Yoga - my new obsession. Catherine of course has been raving about yoga for months and well I have been very intimidated by it.  Well with Catherine and Mandy by my side I have now attended several yoga classes, some twice in one day, and even several hot sessions!  It is amazing - I have never challenged myself physically, mentally, and spiritually.  If you have never taken a class - do it.   

Now let me step off my soap box and move onto the hiking ... so far the Goose and I have done Mount Sanitas and the Flatirons.  

The Flatirons - Lucy (in the middle) is having the time of her life with her cousins Misha (the one with the fluffy tail) and Oliver (the chocolate lab). 

 

So far I have summated Mount Sanitas twice - it is a great hike and has a fantastic view from the top.  You can see all of Boulder and then some. 

Goose and I at the top! 

Now besides hiking and yoga - I have been exploring Boulder and taking little road trips around the Boulder area.  The Boulder Farmer's Market is hands down awesome.  Not only is the selection of organic foods - fantastic but they have live music and a beer garden.  Two thumbs up.  I have gone to Nederland - a little mountain town north of Boulder, Evergreen - a gorgeous mountain town where my new fantastic roomie Megs grew up and Johhny Depp apparently owns a home, and Gun barrel - where Celestial Seasoning factory is located!  Of course I went on a tour and tasted tea from the menu of 124 options.  I also got to see Sleepy Time tea being made and package! 

This past week has been amazing - however here is the real deal - everyday I meet someone new.  I have met some of the most wonderful people - open, giving, friendly, intelligent people.  Each person who has come into my life I feel as though there is a reason - something I am to learn from this person.  It is such a beautiful thing - relationships - friendships - the humans ability to have this love and be able to share a level of themselves with others.  It is truly wonderful.