July

Well, it's July 31st and I have an hour and a half or so until the month is technically over. I am determined to get a post in! Needless to say, it's been a busy month for us (well, me) and I suppose it's as they say, "Time flies when you're having fun!"

I started the month out in New York City with a group of teachers from my school. I had a lot of fun learning about reading instruction at Teachers College of Columbia University while experiencing what NYC has to offer. I was able to see ground zero, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, check out Rockefeller Center on the 4th (the flags were awesome!!), watch fireworks over the Hudson, and of course, walk through Central Park. The last photo in this collage is a picture from Columbia's campus.

But that's not all...

Don't get me wrong here. I am SO not a Yankees fan. I LOVE the Rangers. But we got to go to new Yankee stadium for the game Derek Jeter hit his 3,000th and it was so much fun. If it was A. Rod. I may not feel the same way... 

So I got back from New York and tried to get back into routine before leaving yet again for a week, this time with my family to Branson, Missouri. I had fun spending time with them and getting to see my older sister, Amy and her husband, Joel, too. We saw a couple of shows, rented a pontoon boat on Table Rock Lake and went ziplining. I know what you're thinking and I have pictures to prove it. We also ventured to Springfield to see a Civil War battlefield and a cave! For a little town in a state I frequently reference as "misery" (no offense to any Missourians, I usually just drive through) it was pretty fun!

After getting back from Missouri, we spent some time with our families and celebrated my 25th birthday which I am sad to report that I have no pictures of other than the brownies Justin and I made in our brand spankin' new oven! On a side note, I have wanted this oven for MONTHS and it was on clearance at Best Buy (shout out!) while we were there randomly so we splurged! This is an excitement one can only understand as a first time homebuyer, I imagine. On top of the oven, my parents gave me the piano from their house (YESSSS!!!) and Justin got me the Michael Kors watch that I've been eyeing for some time now. It was a wonderful day!

Well, that's what I've been up to. If you're wondering where Justin was this whole time, it was at work. He's being the responsible one, as usual, and I appreciate it. I will appreciate it even more when he can take time off at the holidays. As much as I hate to admit it, I am getting ready to get back to work/school. So bring on August!