life.

Time has been flying by and there is so much to do before April. First thing on that list would obviously be finding an apartment. Next would be working a ton to save money up before I leave my job. Third would be the actual move - packing, unpacking (maybe.. I could always leave that part for someone else ;) haha kiddddding), arranging, rearranging... but I honestly don't know if I'll have time for any of the moving. It will be something fun for me to throw myself into when I get back. I hope that this is a space we are able to make ours for a few years. I want to paint and decorate and have our own things and feel at home somewhere.

My dream apartment has the following: old, hardwood floors, classic lines, bookshelves built into the walls, a fireplace, a double sink (heaven), exposed beams on the ceiling, a bathtub, a kitchen with a lot of counter space and the ability to set up stools so we can sit and have conversation in between the chopping and the cooking, a little beauty nook - makeup vanity (it is sooooo annoying to try to put on my makeup or dry my hair while my guy is trying to shave or brush his teeth), and windows... a lot of tall windows. Oh, a terrace would be nice. I also really like having a big living room. It makes it easier to entertain guests and I love to entertain guests.

We are having a hard time finding an apartment that is old and classic while still a bit modern (not an old kitchen). We have found either old apartments that look old or newer apartments that are trying too hard to be modern but in a very cheap-looking way. I am confident we will find "the one" soon.

In the midst of all that is going on here, I am also really looking forward to going home mid-April. I always love spending time with my family. Although I miss them all the time, there is something a bit more... romantic, sentimental, heart-grabbing, about only having so much time with them when I see them. I feel like it's a constant race again the clock. I want to soak up every minute with them. I don't want the alarm to sound telling me my time is up. I don't think we cherish the time we spend with people enough when we see them all the time.

There are a lot of people I am anxious to see. It isn't fun being here without girlfriends, and I think it's about time we drink some champagne and dance on tables! Who's in??!! ;)

Did I mention I will get to spend a few weeks in sunny Florida with my best friend in the world!? Walks, bike rides, shopping, watching the dolphins from the comfort of home (!!), sunset drinks at On the Edge, FRESH fish sandwiches, more shopping, apple strudel at the market, the BEACH, and so much more with my Mom. I always loved and was proud of her a TON before but she has lost 50 (!!!) pounds and looks like her high school superlative winning self (class cutie woo woo!!!). She is such a babe, and she radiates beauty on the inside and out. She has inspired me to get my butt in gear and get exercising. She really is just an amazing person.

So that's all for now. I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend. I made homemade chicken pot pie in mini casseroles for the first time last night and the judge gave it two thumbs up! When I asked him if it's something he'd like me to make again, he pointed to the plate he had licked clean! :) Winning!

What I'm listening to right now... I really love this song.

YAY!

I thought this week would creep its way on by as I am very anxious for tomorrow, but it surprisingly flew by (like each week before it!). I had many classes, a lot of preparing, and a lot of drama with our car (thanks to the mechanics doing something terribly wrong to it and then not being able to figure out what they did wrong)!!!!  However, all in all, the week was a positive one, partially because I have been so excited for what tomorrow will bring..... MY MOM!

My Mom has had quite the travel bug lately. She spent last weekend at a very good friend's wedding (which I regretably could not attend) in Boston. She arrived back in NJ on Sunday evening. She flew out Tuesday morning to North Carolina for a little trip with her gal pals and arrived back in Jersey late last night. Tonight, she leaves for France! She'll be staying at the beautiful Best Western Hotel Belfort in the best room! Retired life is treating her well.

AND, not only will my Mom be coming, but today marks the last day (or at least this is what I have been promised) in the marathon work schedule my guy has had. Over 40 days (with the exception of the one amazing Sunday) he has worked non-stop - day and night - and usually until the wee hours of the morning. Let's put it this way - if I saw him before 10pm, it was a miracle! And, I don't really think I ever did. In fact, over the course of the last week, he was working until 2, 3, 4 and sometimes 5am!!! UGH! Glad that is over.

Not only will I be able to see my guy more, but I will have my Mom here, too... so it's perfect! I know my French man will be a perfect tour guide, and I am really looking forward to spending time with two people I really love.

I am looking forward to eating delicious food, seeing new sights, shopping, talking, and showing my Mom the town where I have lived for the past 7 months (with the exception of the one month vaca I took back home!).

I know the 10 days my Mom will spend in France will be marvelous. She will arrive tomorrow evening at Basel-Mulhouse Airport - on the border of Switzerland and France - just 45 minutes from my home!

So that's my big, exciting news! What are you all doing this weekend?

mother dearest.

Thank you for being my my biggest fan, my best friend, and my role model. Thank you for not judging me. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for understanding that which I say and that which I do not say. Thank you for everything. You truly are in a class of your own. PPP, you're the wind beneath my wings. I love you!

Loved

The world is a crazy place. People are killing. Mother nature is killing people. There is turmoil in so many countries. There are so many people in this crazy world without water, food, shelter, and education - without so many things that I take for granted everyday.  I want to take a moment to show gratitude to the two people who have given so much to me. They have supported me, loved me, and provided for me [without judgment, despite my falls, and to no end]. Although I may be halfway across the world from you both, you are never far from my thoughts and are always near and dear to my heart.

*Mom and Dad

Celine really says it all. My parents were always the best parents (still are). They weren't the kind of parents that did a half-ass job. They were the kind of parents at every soccer game, at every race, at every THING - spelling bees, chorus concerts, science fairs... really, they were ALWAYS there - no event was too small. They didn't just go to events nearby, they would drive however many hours to be somewhere so that they would never miss a thing. I had soccer tournaments in Virginia, Pennsylvania, DC, NY, and even Canada. No matter how far, they were there. They were always the parents volunteering to drive my friends when their parents couldn't be there. That's just the kind of people they are.

Looking back, it seemed normal to me that my parents would dedicate so much (if not all) of their time to driving me everyday to soccer practice, to games, sitting through games, going to meetings at school, helping me with projects, taking us on trips. It isn't normal, and not everyone's parents were doing that. Every weekend was somewhere different with soccer tournaments. If it was a rare weekend with nowhere to go, they were hosting a slumber party. When we would wake in the morning, my parents would have donuts, bagels, juice, and my mom's delicious home fried potatoes and fruit salad waiting to greet us! I never would have expected anything different. They were and always have been so giving. Whether it was car rides, money, clothes, or time.

As I've grown up, my father is more of a silent cheerleader. He only questions me when he feels he really needs to, but even when he doesn't say much, I know he cares. He is the most hard-working man I know. He goes early to work in the morning to offer extra help to his students (free of charge, of course). He stays late grading papers. He coaches everyday - even the weekends. He is the kind of teacher/coach that takes so much pride in what he does. The fact that the government wants to cut spending on education, take away things they were promised and are entitled to, etc. is unfair for so many reasons, but it's certainly heartbreaking and cruel to people like my father who have dedicated over 30 years to being a teacher, a mentor, a friend, and to many students and athletes, a father figure. I am not saying that there aren't teachers that go in there and don't teach a thing and have the students trade papers so they don't have any grading of papers to do later (I have had some of those teachers), but they shouldn't be representative of the profession as a whole. Students of my father's from years back will still call, stop by the house, etc. to see what's up, get advice on which college to choose, or to invite him to their weddings.

My mother was also a great teacher. I can't tell you how many people I have met that have said, "Oh, Mrs. Reabold, she was my favorite teacher!" The reason I loved her being a teacher was because it meant she had the summers off (dad, too!). We would go to the beach everyday or swim in our pool. She is the kind of woman that would take my sister and I shopping and never even look for herself. She's so unselfish. I think sometimes she should be a little bit more selfish! My mom has always been the cutest person! She would sneak post-its with words of encouragement or a simple "love you!" note into our lunch boxes. When I was in college, she would always send me cute cards with a gift certificate to Starbucks or something inside! Whether I had received a good grade or the semester was almost over, I could always expect a cute card in the mail! I loved that! My mom is the kind of person everyone wants to be friends with because she is bubbly, funny, and kind (not to mention beautiful!!). She is one of those people who can always cure your bad day with a few sweet words. I really have an endless amount of nice things to say about my mom (and my dad, too!).

Overall, I have lived a truly blessed life. There is nothing like the feeling of knowing you are loved. With my parents, I never had to doubt that (even at my worst). Thanks Mom and Dad! You rock!



                                  xoxo your baby girl :)

Spring is.. springing!

Spring hasn't completely sprung, but I can tell that it's getting close.

Today is sunny, warm and beautiful. I love these optimistic days, because I always find that people, like dormant animals, begin emerging from their homes. The streets seem to be bustling with energy. Especially in a quiet town like this one, it's nice to see some life!

And, because Spring is here and almost in full swing, I need to start eating lighter meals. It's easy, especially in France, to carb overload. I am so looking forward to moving into our apartment and being able to make my own meals, but until then, I will have to make do. C'est la vie! (It's life!)

My favorite quick and easy meal to make is a salad. I have found that what the French consider a "traditional" salad is very different from what I am accustomed to back home. However, no matter what kind of salad - you cannot go wrong with a salad. You can basically throw anything you have onto a plate and call it a salad. I enjoy playing with flavors and mixing fruits and veggies together in my salads.

This salad was super delicious! My mom inspired me with a recipe she'd sent me this morning to add mango to my salad. I didn't have all the ingredients she sent me but I made my own creation in the meantime! Try it, too! It's simple: lettuce (of your choice), tomato, avocado, mango, walnuts, and mint (adds such a nice burst of flavor!!) with my go-to vinaigrette (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper).  Mmmmm!!!

What are your favorite ingredients to add to salads?