Texas Love

Lauren is a Texas blogger I followed thanks to Marli, who mentioned her in a post on her blog. Ohhhh the blogosphere...

Anyways, she is having an amazing givaway here and wanted to share the Texas Love. Amazing earrings! I would so sport them in Israel!!!

the glories of a package

It is so nice getting something in the mail; nonetheless a package! Thank you mom for my wonderful birthday package with all its glorious contents!!!

It's funny what things you request to have sent over to you while living abroad. I was ecstatic to receive Burt's Bees lip balm, Cosmopolitan's October issue, Revlon's "Plum Seduction" nail enamel, a bag of mixed candy (which included my all time favorite chocolate indulgence: Take 5), Bare Essentials Faux Tan (crucial now that winter is arriving), a big, fat tube of LashBlast waterproof mascara and the sweetest card from my family.

I wonder what kind of package contents are being enjoyed everyday around the globe. Cheesy, I know; but something fun to think about. Mail is so underrated.

happy anniversary

to me and to the state of Israel. I have been living here for a year, yesterday.

On another note, I have worked in the agriculture department here on kibbutz Yagur since I began the Ulpan program in June and must say that I have had one of the best jobs possible to the ulpanists. Other job options for ulpanists are working in the kitchen/ dining room (which will make you never want to eat in there again), working in the nursery with the kids, working in the zoo (yes there's like a petting zoo here), working in the laundry room (folding and sorting clothes for 6 hours...kill me), working in the wedding gardens (which is another great job bc you get to attend the weddings with a guest if you work there, but wedding season is over- so the job is over) or working in one of the factories here on the kibbutz (which I did at my last kibbutz, so no thanks). So yeah, I had a great job of working outside, in a relaxed environment, learning about agriculture. Agriculture is a big part of Israel and this kibbutz, in particular, because Yagur sits on so much land. Anyways, so all this time I have been doing random, various jobs of like going out to the fields (tomato, hummus, cucumber, cotton, peanuts, eggplant..) and cleaning watering hoses or opening them so water can be dispersed properly, wheeling the hoses in when time came to pick the crops, cleaning and drying different crops seeds in preparation for sale and driving the tractors, my favorite. Cotton is the last crop that the agriculture dept handles and cotton season just ended. It has all been picked, packed, bundled and shipped off for sale and I need to transfer jobs. I think I will move to work with the kids in the kindergartens, but just wanted to share a bit of my experience working "in the fields" to those who had no earthly idea what I did with my time here.

Of course, working only takes up 3 days of my week, the other 3 days I'm in class for 6 hours leaning Hebrew. New words, conjugations, phrases, Israeli news and history. Some days I am so encouraged to conquer this language and become 100% fluent (at this point I would say I am 75% fluent) and sometimes I think I've had enough and all I want to do is be surrounded by familiarity again. But Israel is beautiful and I'm not sick of it yet. Let me just say that I am SO looking forward to June!

bed ridden

In bed sick today, and for the past couple days...hibernating. This hasn't happened in a while- can't remember the last time I didn't feel so hot. But went to the clinic this AM and got some meds, should be up and running in a couple of hours =)

So many birthdays this month!!! Don't want to name names, but you know who you are :) Happy Birthday Septemberites!!!

tic toc

so Mirelle's departure date is getting closer and closer and before I know it she will be heading to Dallas. I can't believe that she will be enrolling in college soon! 2 drops down to 1:

camped out

So, we went camping. I am fresh out of the much-needed shower at Dekel's house and just wanted to write about the experience I just had. It was so fun!

So Dekel and I drove to meet Mirelle and some of the kids from her kibbutz at the Kinneret, at this camping site called Dugit, and we arrived fully prepared around like 7, we set up shop (aka tent) and unloaded out things and then began cooking Shakshuka, a traditional Israeli side dish. Dekel is amazing and keeps this like stove top thing in his trunk so we brought a pan and ingredients (tomatoes, onions, red pepper, tomato sauce, eggs, salt, pepper, oil, water) and made dinner. You let some oil in the pan get hot over the stove top and then add like 2 onions cut up into small pieces, then you cut up about 2 tomatos, I liked them cut into small pieces as well, and then you add cut up red pepper. You let this all get hot and then add the tomato sauce, we used like maybe half a can, its really just up to your personal taste and how thick you want this little snack to come out, then when the sauce kinda melts and everythings getting thick, you add some water, not too much because you dont want watery, but just enough to make it kinda of pasty and then let that stand over the fire for a minute and then when that's all kinda cooked and browning, add about 5 or 6 eggs, again, its up to your taste, but you mix everything together and you have kind of like spaghetti sauce with scrambled eggs and we ate it with bread and hummus and I added green olives in mine, Mirelle added corn and tuna. Really, really tasty. So we got some grub in our bellies and then layed down for a bit, passed out a little then I got a spurt of energy and popped up and started doing jumping jacks..we were camping at the Kinneret, no time for sleepiness! So Dekel and I ventured down to the lake shore, we were camping like right on the beach, but the water was just murky and it was dark and I was creeped out by the fact that you could see the city across the water (Tiveria is the one I'm talking about) and so I got knee-deep and turned around..so we chilled by the campfire and hung out with everyone and eventually slept under the stars. I woke up to the sun shining on my face, but still managed to sleep till around 8:30 or so. We cleaned a little and threw away loads of trash from the night before and we about to go toward the water until Mel realized she wasnt wearing her bathing suit bottom, so she went to the campsite to search, we searched Dekel's car and trunk and we couldnt find it anywhere! So I thought maybe we threw it away, so we backtracked and Mirelle started searching the trash can and there enough! Mirelle's bathing suit bottoms were in a sack and someone thought it was a trash bag and threw it away!! I laughed for like 10 minutes thinking "this kinda shit only happens to Mirelle..." So we went to the water, which was refreshing because it is so hot here in Israel right now, its like a stiff, humid heat and water just makes everything better. So I wasnt reluctant to get in this time because you could see through the water now and we were with more people and the water was just calm, no waves. It was nice. Ended up leaving around noon, it was the perfect amount of time to be there...

Anyways, just wanted to share my night. Hope you all had (and are still having because its only Saturdsay!) a great weekend as well =)

Camping at the Kinneret. That is my plan for the evening. Heading north with Dekel, Mirelle and others from her kibbutz. I've never done this but have wanted to for some time...picture it- me...camping. I'll be fine as long as the spiders stay away.

Dresses are in!!! I haven't announced it on my blog, and I don't know who reads this who doesn't already know, but I am going to be a Maid of Honor in my best friend's wedding. I am beyond excited!!! This means a trip home. Molly & Sammy are gettin' hitched July 10, 1010, so I will make my trip around that, they are going to Hawaii to honeymoon after the wedding so I plan to fly to Dallas late June. Beyond excited about that too, it has been WAY too long since I have seen everyone and they better know that I plan to leach on and eat them up!!!

tic toc

so Ben's departure date is getting closer and closer and before I know it he will be back off to Dallas to be a senior in high school! First off I can't believe I've had him here with me this long and then I can't believe I wont be around him for who knows how long..and lastly, that he is going to be a senior in high school! the 3 musketeers drop down to 2:

with a cherry on top

Had a wonderful weekend, to say the least. Friday was spent with the family- Shabbat dinner as usual and then Mirelle, Ben and I went to Kapara's casa, where we just spent time talking and laughing. So fun to have my posse around.

Saturday we were up bright & early to go out on one of dad's friends yacht. We departed from the port of Haifa and planned on sailing to Akko, a nearby city, but the waves were too choppy and the wind too strong. So we docked up at a quite beach near Haifa and spent hours tanning on the oversized deck and jumping off the boat into the clear blue water. We swam with the jellyfish and when you play with fire, you will get burned. Ben, dad and I got stung pretty bad right as we were getting out of the water from our last dip in the ocean. It hurt sooo bad! Left a nice little burn looking mark on my foot and behind my knee (talk about akward spots to get stung!) Later that night we sat together with popcorn and watched Slumdog Millionaire, which I LOVED! Listening to "O Saya" right now and thinking I might have to make it my next running song.

Anyways, going with the Ulpan tonight on our first "trip," we're going to Tel Aviv becaus the opening ceremony for the Macabia Olympics is tonight- should be interesting. Mirelle is going with her Ulpan as well, we plan to meet up of course.

Sending love to the fam- grandmother, I will be thinking of you on your birthday. Wishing we could all be together sittin outside enjoying some watermelon and cantelope after having your favorite birthday meal. And I would wear green & pink in honor of you. Miss you and grandfather so much- hope you know that. Much love.

when time stands still

to the point of no return

I have invested myself. Fully submerged. I can feel it. My feelings are on the line and my heart in his hands. Every night I am without him, he is missed. It's taking over me, uncontrolable. But I'm loving it. He makes me happy and I always look forward to the next time I can be by his side. He loves me and he means it and it feels great.

I moved into Kibbutz Yagur last Thursday and will begin class Sunday and work Monday. Same schedule as the ulpan program before, study 3 days a week, work 3 days a week...same ol same ol. But it beats being cooped up in my dad's house with chaos all around. It was beginning to give me gray hairs.

Ben is here and it feels so good to look over and have him be right there, I hug him when I realize that he is in the flesh next to me. His dry sense of humor and sarcastic ways were missed...The best times are when Mirelle, Ben and I are together though. I will always be appreciative of our sibling love and strong bond.

wishful thinking

about to go here with my boy...


(Beach Dor, Israel)

but want to go here...


(Little Corn Island, Nicaragua)

why can't life be as simple as waking up, having that morning cup of coffee and just being?

and that's the way the cookie crumbles

Heather came and gone and it was an amazing time. We traveled from the most northern point in Israel to the most southern tip and all in between. We left no ground uncovered it felt like, hit up every view point, bar, restaurant, beach...
Those 3 and a half weeks will be vivid in my memory forever. There are over like 2,000 pictures and 10 hours of video footage to remind me of the good times as well. We were really on our shit.

So- back to reality. I am going Friday with dad to check out Kibbutz Yagur and it's Ulpan program, which I am enrolled in and expected to begin in a couple of weeks. Around the 21st I believe. I will continue to study Hebrew and work on the kibbutz and live that life which I am not thrilled about, but learning more Hebrew is just what I need to do if I intend on staying and working later on in this country. Having a hard time with the job search, I know I shouldn't be so picky, but I want so many different things. I want to work in media, then the next day I want to bartend and work in promotions, then again I want to be a flight attendant...jeez.

Ben arrives the 19th and I am so excited to see his face and squeeze the living hell out of him! I have missed that boy like crazy, just not the same without him around...Mirelle and I are missing our guy. Going to be great when he is here, will do a lot of things with the family Im sure, travel around. A trip to Eilat is in the works and I believe we are going from July 26th- Aug 2nd or something like that. Went to IKEA with dad and Simi yesterday to purchase a futon bed for the bomb shelter (that's the only room in the house left!!) and we got pillows and shelves, transforming the girls play room into a guest room I guess. Good move in my opinion.

Still seeing Dekel. My mind is exhausted from wondering what will come of us. It's such an easy relationship, we like each other, see each other, are honest and open about everything...everything is great. But. But do I want to get serious? What does that even mean? I can't deny my feelings, but for some reason it's obvious that I am trying to mask them and its so weird. I like him so much, think about him everyday, but don't want to get in too deep. He knows this and says that I should just go with the flow and let things evolve, play out how they are supposed to..but it's too hard for me to sit back and watch myself get wrapped up. What's wrong with me? I hear myself giving excuse after excuse for why I don't want to take the next step in our relationship, but its all bullshit. I need to let go.

10 things that make me terribly happy

baking/ cooking and watching them enjoy

exotic flowers

the color turquoise

being silly and laughing till it hurts

how close my sister and i have gotten, and how close i know we will remian from having gone through this experience together

baby animals; especially kiddens (i can be happy for weeks after playing with one)

fresh fruit salad

palm trees

wraparound porches and balconies

non-akward silences

tomorrow can wait

Can't it? I mean, why not? Today needs to be celebrated! In such a good mood after getting up to work out at 7:30. Ran for an hour, did 7 km. I never thought of myself as "athletic," but after Dekel told me I completed the hike we took the other day "like a man," I might have to reconsider. I loved hiking and think Im going to make it a routine thing. It was so nice to be in the teva (nature) and really feel unattached. We were so sweaty yet I found it so romantic that he took me by the hand when it started getting hard and led the way, reminding me that we were almost there. Think Im starting to like this guy...



Tomorrow is memorial day and there will be a minute of silence all over the country to remember the fallen soldiers. My thoughts will be with the ones who fought for this country's independence. Actually on Wednesday Israel can proudly say that she has been independent for 61 years- big accomplishment and I'm glad I am here to celebrate it.

uptodate

Mirelle started Ulpan #2 today, she started working at Mivrag this morning and will begin classes this week. Im back and forth between dad's and my grandparents house here in Ramat Yishay passing the days until Heather lands. Still cant believe Heather is actually coming to Israel, going to be surreal. I have 20 days, 20 days and 20 nights to do as I please. Obligation free and worry free, but I still worry. Why?

Daytrip

So we tripped a couple days ago. We "tiuled" to Haifa- we as in Mirelle, John and I. We were sitting around the kibbutz, after I woke up at noon because we were out dancing till 5 AM! and decided to do something fun. We walked to the front gate of the kibbutz to tramp, which Mel and I have done like only tweece (tweece is our new word for twice) because its not so safe unless you are getting a ride from a kibbutznik and its just plain akward to hold your pointer finger out at passing cars hoping they will pity you and give you a ride and then when you get in and its silent its just funny. We always argue who has to sit in the front and one time we trammped with Alex and it was SOOOOOO hot in the car but none of us wanted to roll a window down or say anthing so we just kept joking discreetly about it and were cracking up...but SO AKWARD! Anyways, we planned to tramp to Yoqneam today and from there to take a bus or tuk tuk to Haifa because theres a bus stop there and bc tuk tuk's come by there frequently and they are cheaper than cabs and faster than busses...but so we stood at the frontgate of the kibbutz for like 5 minutes and to our luck a guy pulled over after leaving the kibbutz and we were telling him our plans of going to Haifa and going to Yokneam to bus it there and he reminded us that busses dont run till later in the day because it was Shabbat (things close early Friday evening around 1 or so and open again only at like 7 on Saturdays to keep the holy day of Shabbat), so our tramp took us all the way to Tivon, which is actually near Ramat Yishay, where my dad lives. Our mission was to make it to Haifa and go to this falafel store so Mel could satisfy her craving. And John and I were wanting schwarma, I hadnt eaten all day and my mouth was salivating at the thought of that meat, bread and salad combination. Our dad took us to this falafel shop last week when he took us around Haifa, like to the University and we saw our old 2 homes from when we used to live here, and we went to eat falafel and dad calls this place the best in Israel. So from Tivon we bussed it to the mall Lev Hamifratz, the central train/bus station around to catch a ride to the restaurant. We cabbed it and got there and Mel got her "mana" (portion) to go and we asked around outside for where to go for amazing schwarma...and it ended up being right down the street and around the corner. Perfection. It was pure perfection, John and I got big ass schwarmas and shoved face while Mel finished her heaven. I swallowed it down the pinapple flavored water, just dont know how it could have gotten any better at that moment. Anyways, in short- our mission was accomplished and we were satisfied.

John had never really walked around Haifa and had never seen the Bahai Gardens so we walked around after eating and got ice cream at a place we were familiar with, I had one scoop passionfruit and one scoop german chocolate- great mixture btw. After that we waited at a bus stop for like 30 minutes and made it back to Lev Hamifratz, where we walked around the mall and then we waited for a bus back to Yoqneam for like an hour and a half! We were like passing out waiting, bc it was already like 11 at this point, but good thing we waited bc the 184 came and actually took us right into our kibbutz, it was some sort of weird luck. So fun, random day. I find I'm having a lot of those lately =)

begin again

Officially one of the 15 volunteers at Kibbutz Ein Hashofet. I keep questioning my being here and my future but then push it to the back of my mind because I am having the time of my life. I am living it up and living in the NOW.

So ran today...with an injured foot. That was fun up until the end where I was limping home, so dumb. I went to a wedding party for a brother of a friend of Steven's the other night and had so much fun, a little too much fun because I ended up busting butt down the gravel driveway on the way out and scraped my foot up pretty bad, Im even boycotting my manditory work boots and have replaced them with wearing my new balances- which my boss is hating. But not running was not an option, I geared up- and by that I mean- put on Mirelle's leggings, because mine ripped while slipping under barbed wire on a run about month ago to get to another field, my soffee shorts, tank, tshirt, long sleeve t if its chilly and beautiful fugenta nike shox. iPod is on the second I walk out the door and its like Im on a mission. I usually walk until I can convince myself that Im wasting time walking and just go. I used to give myself time limits like run 10 minutes, walk 5, repeat, but lately I have just been running till I can't stop. The thought has crossed my mind that I could very well pass out in one of those fields and I'm cellphone less and helpless, so I try not to go overboard but I push myself pretty hard. I ran so far today and planned out the perfect path that was just an extension to the path I have taken before and had expected to run today but got so far and ran into a huge puddle of still water with like bugs and spiders everywhere and snakes maybe so had to turn around and was so dissapointed but made the best of the situation by being happy that the way back was uphil....so I ran. Jammed out to When the Sun Comes Down (Dirty Rush Live In Rio Mix) and felt like I was making the beat, but the beat was actaully just makes my legs push harder- it was crazy.

Anyways, starting the holiday of Pesach this week, going to Tel Aviv with dad and Simi to her family's house for dinner Wednesday night. Should be interesting. Hope to make the best of our time off (we have all next week off and will be staying with our savta), we plan on hitting up some museums, the beach, plan to shop and just chill. The following week Mirelle begins Ulpan #2, the next level of Hebrew studies she needs and I will be volunteering until further notice. Job hunt is still in action, but having doubts that I want to land something this summer. I am eating this freedom feeling up and want it to last longer so want to stall. Hopefully enrolling in the 3rd level of Ulpan at kibbutz Yagur which begins in June as a backup plan in case I dont find a job. Heather is coming 2nd week in May and staying for a good amt of time, cant belive one of my friends will actually be in my presence that soon- miss them beyond expression. Then Ben! Then Dandi! Then mom! Have to see her this year, no doubt.

Working early in the am, more to come.

Collective

not in my right mind...or am I?

On season 4, disc 2 of Sex and the City series and loving it. Loving it so much that I want to despertly find my own Aiden. I want to be back in the states so bad sometimes and be in their routines. I want to own my own apt in NY or not, and have my own cute little job that pays the bills with a little left over for a pair of shoes, and have my girlfriends by my side and be dating like that. They make it seem so fun! I want to be going to events and bar openings and meet my girls for breakfast and talk about everything we dont talk to anyone else about. I miss so much

I am missing so much of their lives and they are missing so much of mine, even talking on the phone and the once a week facebook message doesnt come close to helping how far I feel. I feel like the great wall of china is between us. I tear up now remembering how it felt to be sitting around "lounging" with no worries except for what we were doing together that night. even if it was nothing. God, I miss them.

I'm holding up and still loving it here though. Still not getting enough of this country, im eating it up! I am so excited for summer and for Ben to come. And Heather. and Bridget, I need to see their faces and hug their bodies. The Ulpan is coming to an end in a month and Mel and I havent figured out our living/ working situation for April and through the summer, but hopefully we will get things figured out. Some thoughts are volunteering on another kibbutz or continuing on and enrolling in another Ulpan program to continue studying Hebrew...? Dunno...

If it were up to me I would peace out and go teach English in like Thailand or something..I gave that some thought, but figured it wouldnt pay enough and maybe I should conquer learning one language before I confuse myself with trying to teach one in another foreign country. Maybe in a year or so.

I didnt get a call on Valentines day. I didnt get a text, I didnt get an email. I want to say it was the worse feeling ever but it really wasnt. It sucked and I was hurt, still am, but Mel, Alex and I met some really cute soldier boys a couple weeks ago and were hanging with them all that weekend so my mind wasnt all Chris. They totally catered to us, invited us to stay with them in the "South," at their kibbutz Shoval, near Be'er Sheva, which is about an hr and a half away from here and they cooked for us and had made salad and took us out- it was really fun. we went to the beach, beach Zikim- its about 5 minutes away from Gaza I could see it while laying out, it was crazy. The south is so much different looking than the northern part of Israel I live in. Its so dry and mountainy and sand colored. In my area everythings green and there are fields and olive trees and ocean nearby, hard to describe but its amazing that geography is so different only 2 hours away. So, the soldier boys showed us a good time and they plan on coming to our kibbutz to visit this weekend..we'll see.

i love shooks and stinky cheese

We went to the Shook!!! It was our paradise. Our overcrowded, smelly, cheap, hectic, random paradise. It was shook ha'carmel and it was in Tel Aviv and we went with the Ulpan and got to walk around for a couple of hours. Mel and I purchased some scarves, jewelry, sunglasses and BOOTS for 20 bucks that are to-die-for!!! We left the shook and got back to the kibbutz and immediatly started trying on outfits with our new boots to wear that weekend and I put my boots on and the right one feels really tight. I asked Mel if she thought they would stretch out a bit or if it was my sock..and she was like yeah it should be fine. So I walk around our room a little more and realize that its too tight, tighter than the left boot so I look at the bottom and the stupid person at the show store sold me two differnt size boots! That would freakin happen to me!!! So Alex and I are going to TA this Thursday to return them and switch sizes, hopefully I will have no problems because in Israel customer service isnt like taking something back to Target, its always complicated. Dysfuntional is a word I like to sometimes use to describe stores and store owners here in Israel.

We went out Thursday night to Sogo where some reality show "celebs" were hosting a party; it was cool..kinda. It was basically just Mirelle and I on another one of our dates because Shiran was working and Shanie or Naama didnt go with us, but whatever we had fun. We make fun. On Friday we chilled at home, it was nice. Got in the jacuzzi with the little girls and splashed around for a bit, it was raining out so it was cold but so nice in the hot water! This just made me realize that I am not bathing suit ready, dammit! After the jacuzzi we rented "Over Her Dead Body" on tv and watched it with dad and Simi, kinda cheesy, kinda cute. Later that evening Saba, Savta, Yael, Yossi, Danielle and Ohad joined us for dinner, it was Saba's bday celebration, I think he's 77. Anyways, we had an assortment of cheeses that dad brought back from Paris, stinky cheeses and spreadable cheeses- yellow, orange and white cheeses...I was in love. We ate it with french brea

we're runnin- keep holdin' my hand, so we don't get separated

I miss them. Chatting with Marli just now made me so sad. I can hear their voices now and they are so distant. 6968 miles away.

I went running today. It felt so good, I was like bursting. I want to better myself, I havent worked out in so long and am sick of it, I feel my body begging me to be active so I responded today but not going back to work after lunch, and running. Running as fast as I could for 30 minutes. It's not much, but its a start. I walked to the nearby fields and just took off until I felt like I was going to pass out, then had to walk back. I would have stayed out there until nightfall if my lungs had let me, its the most beautiful place. I like to think of it as mine, although I know I'm not the only one to run there. You can see so much of Israel, its so open, so green. So peaceful. I dont think I could ever enjoy a treadmill again.

left us sore

Wow- its been a while since Ive written..its either so much is happening that I feel too overwhelmed to write about everything..or that nothing exciting is going on so I dont feel the need, or a mix of both.

The Gadna, by far one of the funniest experiences we've had since weve been here. Most probably dont understand what "Gadna" is and I dont really know how to explain it, except that everyone does a Gadna week or month, whatever, before joining the Army, while we were there there were 100's of high school kids that were there "for real." Its kinda like preparation and to get a feel for what you are in for, it is in no way a direct example of what it will be like at your base or anything, so its hard to explain. But anyways, so the Ulpan goes every year because there are a lot of new immigrants in these Ulpan programs that will have to serve in the army for a while and its just a good experience to go.

Mel and I had no idea what we were in for!! When we got there, from the second we stepped off the bus, it was military style. Standing in lines and rows and running around everywhere and answering the commander properly and addressing the officers. We had wepon lessons- M16 shooting, handling and self defense. We had a field training day where we went out to this giant olive tree field, which was red sand/ mud and rock infested and we learned how to run from granades and we learned hand signals used during war time and how to crawl and walk without leaving shoe prints..just really cool shit. We talked about the war and had interpersonal discussions and kinda got to know where everyone stands on some topics, good bonding experiences. One thing we did was our unit, which had like 14 Ulpan peeps in it, had to all stand on this army blanket (which was not too big) and we had to flip the blanket without stepping off of it. We all had to stand there and strategize real quick and try different things and finally 4 of us decided to get on the guys shoulders and one guy squatted down and flipped parts of the blanket over while others stepped around so it could successfully be flipped over, it was a challenge!

We had ceremonies every morning where we would sing the Anthem and they would raise the flag, it was cute but it was FREEZING there. We were on top of this huge mountain, we were about 40 minutes away from the Kineret and we could see it perfectly. We could see across it to the other side! It was amazing. The pictures dont even capture the beauty my eyes have seen. We would wear like 2 tank tops, 2 long sleeve shirts, the army shirt we were assigned and the big, puffy army jacket over all that and still be shivering. Leggings under our pants and 2 pairs of socks. Terrible, terrible situation for me since I get cold in the summer!!!!! But loved it.

Shout out to all the January bdays in the fam! Wish we could have been there to celebrate with you guys, just know we're thinking of you on your bdays...