Come on!

I have soooo much to blog about a ton of half-written blog posts and I just cannot get motivated to finish them! COME ON!!! Ok, that was nice, I think I'm ready now:)

Just Call Me Susie Homemaker...

Well, I am finally doing it... Domesticating myself! I bought a crock-pot, I've been cooking alot, I have turned into a real homebody, I want to start to sew and re-learn knitting. I am pretty excited about all of these things and I'm feeling really motivated and encouraged:) My family basically thinks I am retarded in the domestic department, and I will admit I kind of am. I am not the best cook in the world, but I think that is only because I don't have that great of an imagination when it comes to cooking, and it is hard to get motivated to cook an involved meal for 1. I will tell you one thing, I am real good at cooking Mexican food:) haha. I am a nacho connoisseur and could eat them every day of my life. Does that count as cooking?!

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I am not big on baking either, but I can make a mean Zucchini bread. Maybe I should get some tips from my sister Hillary who is a baking maniac and whip up something fantastic! Wow, when I talk about making all of these things, I get a little nervous! But, I am totally up for the challenge and to learn new things and hobbies! Who knows, maybe be I will totally dominate ?! One can dream, right?

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I need all the encouragement I can get! Here's to becoming a domestic goddess!!!

Let's Pretend for a Minute...

Disney Movies...Creepy or awesome? Well, most are creepy and downright scary, but there are a select few that are magical, such as Robin Hood (ultimate fave!), Fox and the Hound and Beauty and the Beast. Let's discuss the scary ones: Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Fantasia (ok, that movie is just a joke how scary it is). These are kids movies, right? Not so sure.

I got a text from my sister Hillary a few months ago "I couldn't get Cinderella, it's in the vault" My response: "Vault?! Like the creepy Disney vault?" That's the one! We were discussing what princessy things were were getting our niece Jane for her third birthday. Jane loves Disney princesses right now and, strangely, is not scared of Beauty and the Beast?!?! Back to the vault...I imagine it being the scariest place on Earth. This is NOT a theoretical vault, this bitch is real! Imagine all the movies they made but noone ever saw...As much as I love Disneyland and some Disney movies...it is creepster town. And I really do not think it appropriate to bring some movies out of the vault every 5 years and charge $26 for them. Not that I am in the habit of buying Disney movies, but that just seems ridic to spend that on a cartoon, or any movie, really. Oh well...

Disney Vault...I am not impressed and you scare me.

I Love You Beautiful Mother Dear...

My mom came to visit me in New York for 10 days the end of Jan./Beg. of Feb. I have not seen her since July and that was waaaay too long! She was only with me in Nyack for a total of 2.5 days, but thankfully, I was able to take some time off of work and go upstate with her for a 4 day weekend with my G-parents:) I enjoyed every minute of our time together and needless to say... I miss her more than I ever thought possible. Oh great, I just started to cry. When I dropped her off at JFK Airport to head back to AK, my heart broke and I sat in my car for 15 minutes literally balling my eyes out. I am surprised I stayed on the road on my way home, I was a basket case.

My mom drove me from my first out-of-state living adventure in Minneapolis to Nyack in September 2009 and she fell in love with Nyack and really liked NYC, which I think was a surprise to both of us. We were not able to spend alot of time in the city this trip, but next time she visits, I have big plans! But, we were still able to do alot and get some much needed mom-daughter time in:) We spent a day in Nyack shopping and walking around to all the boutiques, she met all of my co-workers at the lawfirm and at Nordstrom (and my East-Coast mom, Marion!!), went into the city to see our friend James and his showroom and of course, my mom could not leave without cleaning my apartment! I just adore her!

The most common phrase said when I introduced my mom to people, "You two look so much alike". I'll take it:) My mom is so wonderful. My mom really brings our family together, either with amazing meals, or beegaritas (yum-o!!) and just being an awesome, supportive, kicking ass and taking names Mom/Grandma. I am alot like her, we don't take alot of crap, so you better look out, haha! My mom has always been tough love and that is why I think my sisters and brother and I are so strong and the people we are today.

After my mom I said to myself, "what have I done? Why do I live so far away from my family?!" But I quickly got a grip and remembered that moving to NY was the best decision I ever made and without the support of my mom and the rest of my family, I would not be able to survive here. I LOVE my life in NY! I just wish I had unlimited air miles to go to AK about 5 times a year:( One can dream, right? My mom now says she wants to visit NY a couple times a year to see me and my grandparents and I am TOTALLY ok with that:) Thanks mom, for visiting me in NY and making my life so much better:)

Holiday Season...Done.

Most adorable couple in front of the Bergdorf Goodman windows.

Eugene and I and the TREE!

A Little holiday fun with Becca and Alakai.

Gram and Gramp!!

New Headband from Kim:) Love it!

Walt, Sharlee, Emily and Sadie.

Eugene and I at my G-parents.

Why am I soooo lame at updated my blog lately!?! Well, it could be a myriad of reasons; One being that I have been working like a maniac the past 2 months. I work a full time job at the law firm, then work about 3 nights a week and every Saturday at Nordstrom. Needless to say, I am a walking zombie most of the time, but I think I have learned to thrive on little sleep. I just do what I have to do and work my ass off, that is the story of my life. Second might be that I have been lazy. I feel overwhelmed at how much I have to write about! Grip gotten...let's do this!

The holidays came and went and they were delightful! I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with my Grandparents upstate and my boyfriend, Eugene, of about 8 months met them for the first time and he was a hit:) I will get back to Eugene later... My grandparents mean sooo much to me. I wish I could just live with them, they are so fantastic! Eugene and I then headed up to Vermont to spend the rest of the holiday weekend with my Uncle Walt and Aunt Sharlee and their girls. I spent Christmas with them last year and this was no different! Wonderful food, tons of booze, old movies and a fantastic time with my amazing family and Eugene!!

We then got stuck in the "Blizzard on 2010" as it was called in NYC. We decided not to chance it and stayed at my G-parents on Sunday night to wake up to a foot of snow! Can you say snow day?! After shoveling our cars out and helping with the paths, we were on our way back to the city. It was such a fantastic Christmas weekend. It is always hard being away from my family for any event or holiday, but at least I am with people that I love and people that love me and it I feel very fortunate for that:)

I said last Christmas and will say it again. Christmas in NYC is the most magical thing on Earth! I am sharing some pics of Christmastime in the city and hope you enjoy them. That handsome black man is my boyfriend Eugene who adores me and I adore him:) Life is beautiful!

Snowy/Salty Roads

If you have not heard on the news lately, the East Coast has been dominated by snow lately and let me just say... enough already. I know I am from Alaska and I am supposed to love the snow, but let me clarify something. I do love the snow, but I don't like walking in it everywhere I go. This was my problem in Alaska. I hate having to trudge through snow, but I am totally fine driving to it, or it even being in my yard and mountains. And I love skiing. There are a few differences with Alaska and New York winters. Alaska is dry NY is humid. Therefore, when it is 20 degrees here, it often feels like zero degrees. It is a cold that I cannot even describe except to say it is cold to the bone! It is completely different than AK. And the wind comes off the Hudson and through the valley and is absolutely ridiculous. Winter in the city it crazy cold! The wind just whips through the buildings and your face almost falls off.

Another difference: Salt v. gravel. I personally hate salt on the roads. I mean really, do I need the bottom of my work pants all covered in a white salt stain? NO. Do I need my car to be covered in a massive film of salt making it look like a cocaine wagon? NO. Do I need my already rust prone Suby to rust out because I cannot keep washing the salt off my car every two days? Def. NO! Stupid. In Alaska they used sand/gravel and it did its job. Tires grip, don't have stained pants, yada yada. Problem with gravel? My windshield was DOMINATED on a regular basis. And when I say dominated, I mean to the point where my NY friends were seriously afraid that my windshield would implode on me while driving. haha. Well, that did not happen because I got pulled over and this adorable cop made me fix it:)


Let me make something really clear. Snow plowers in NY are the WORST! I am beginning to think that I could do a better job. Every plow driver should probably go to Alaska to be trained. The time it takes to clear snow and the serious lack of skill to get the snow actually OUT of the road is ridiculous. This has been a big problem in NYC and in Nyack. Nyack is alot like the city, in that everything is really close together, right on the Hudson and there is nowhere to put the snow, so they kind of just push it around. Ridic. My driveway has not been plowed since Christmas. Nice, really nice. Guess this is just something I am going to have to get used to.

My Aunt Sharlee said to me a couple weeks ago when I was telling her that I had virtually no snow gear here, it was all in Alaska, "We have winter on the East Coast too!" Boy, do we ever! But, at least it does not last 6 months and we have real hot summers! I can live with that:) Now it is supposed to snow again on Tuesday for the 4th time in 3 weeks. Awesome.

I'm embarassed...

Well, the deed is done. I purchased a Jessica Simpson handbag on Saturday. Needless to say, it was an embarrassing moment in my life. There are some celebrity related situations which I refuse to engage in. The ultimate: Liking Angelina Jolie...that will never happen. 2) Buying ANYTHING from Jessica Simpson's fashion line. And if purchased on accident, return it. This is not because I think it is a horrible line, I just think she is horrible. But, I found this amazing handbag that is so adorbs, so me, and functional. BOOYA!! Against my better judgment, I bought the bag...Many people have informed me that in her shoe line is incredible. I refuse to believe that and if see a cute shoe with her name on the insole, I promptly put the shoe down as quickly as I picked it up. I draw the line at handbags, my foot is down...