SPEDS take A.C.

Happy Tuesday!

Last Tuesday was quite possibly one of the best days of all time.  Why?  Well, about 20 SPEDs took A.C.!  *SPEDs are the 5 year special ed majors*  We had a blast!

Corinne, Julie, and I left after work:

Nice sunburn Erin!
I was subbing that day and part of my job was monitoring a 2 hour recess
Some girls need sunscreen

We stayed at Caesar's

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Yes, yes my friend he did.  (We were all dorks enough to quote this multiple times through the night)

Taken as soon as we got to the hotel!

Beth and Jaclyn arrived earlier that day and did what girls do best...shopped at The Pier.

We all met up for dinner at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville.  While we were walking to dinner (about 1/2 mile down the boardwalk) we all realized that it was getting reeeeeeaaaallly chilly so we linked arms and ran down the boardwalk.  We were all singing (thank you local beach shops for blaring JT, Jason Derulo, and John Legend), dancing, and joking around.  Feeling totally comfortable with our shenanigans, because we didn't think we knew anyone----Think being the operative word in that sentence---we did all kinds of fun dance moves.  Welp, about 5 minutes later we received this...

Yep, that's us skipping down the boardwalk....

Apparently, a few of our friends saw us from their hotel room and took our picture!  Isn't it a cute pic though?  It's so us!

So this happened at dinner...

BALLOON HATS!  FROM A REAL LIFE LADY ON STILTS!  

Princess Crown of course!

Cinderella

Little Mermaid!

Parrot hat in Spanish flag colors

We're on a boat!

Miss Thang with her mohawk hat

Our side of the table

The sky was painted to look like the Caribbean 

Turkey burger and sweet potato fries

Lit up Caribbean sky

Then this happened:

Meh hat browke!

So sad.....

Apres Dinner

Mirror Shot!

Boardwalk all lit up on our way back to Caesar's!

After dinner we went back to the hotel and got ready for our little night out.  We got free admission to Dusk.  We danced for a few hours, then we walked around the casino for a bit (I lost $2.70...I did win 30 cents though!  Score!)

Say it with me, sunscreen

My favs!

You know what this elevator would be good for?  Taking selfies!

It was definitely what we needed!  Fun, goofiness, laughter, good food, and beach air!  All the fixings for a perfect night with the ladies!

xoxo,

Erin

We Went To National Pancake Day...And We Brought Our Own Nutella

Jouex Mardi Gras y'all!

First, let me send a big Advil and Bloody Mary to all my NOLA friends.  I love NOLA and can't wait to go back this summer!  Also, Jess is coming (yay) so the whole Creative Writing Famsquad will be reunited and it'll feel so good!  A little NOLA nostalgia for y'all.  Please excuse my hair and face-this was the first day I was here and I'm really gross and sleep deprived.  Thank you Zach for always making NOLA the best!

In front of Princess Tiana's Castle in Jackson Square

Pirate's Alley sans the Pirates.  I'm jealous of my tan here...

Anyway, I'm T-1 hour until no more excess sugar for this girl.  LENTEN promise 2014?  No excessive sugar.  Wahhhh, I'm gonna be miserable.  Oh well, I need the detox.  

Anyway, here in NJ we celebrated Mardi Gras the best way we can.  In 24 degree weather, that is.  Jess and I went to IHOP's National Pancake Day!  That means FREE pancakes!  If it's free it's for me.  

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Now, we're not just their for the free pancakes.  No no.  We got the free water (lolz) and we brought our own NUTELLA!  I'm cheap, I'm frugal, and sorrynotsorry!  Grad school is expensive!  Nutella from home is free.  Nutella at IHOP?  Not free.  

So as I was telling my Deb my plan last night, she was like does Jess know what she's in for?  I'm like yes, duh!  Life is expensive and a girl's gotta make her budget.  

Just so you know, this is not the only way that I cut my corners.  No siree.  I'm a frugal girl and I like it.  In college I was a wiz at saving my money and stretching a dollar.  I rocked the poor college kid mentality.  Here's what I did.  I have no shame beeteedubs:

1.) The jellies at the diner.  I open my purse and put the strawberry jam right in.  It's free!  

2.) The 7 pm. cutoff for bread at Ewing's Shop Rite.  At 7 pm. the Ewing Shop Rite moves all the bread from that day to the "Day Old Bread" Rack.  This includes your bread, cupcakes, dough, rolls, treats, etc.  All of this was "Today's Bread" and guess what?  The difference between 6:59 and 7 is 60%!  I don't mind eating bread 1 minute after 7 for $1 as opposed to $3!  I honestly would wait around and lurk until the clock struck 7 and the bread became discount!

3.) Applebee's!  Applebee's is a gold mine for poor college kids.  First of all, the Lawrenceville Applebee's gives TCNJ students a 15% off discount.  SCORE!  No wonder we frequent them so much.  Also, Applebee's Half-Apps and Drinks make your eating abilities so much cheaper and more daaalish!  I would be able to grab my beloved wings and sangria for $6!  Where can you get that?  No where that's where!  Heaven.  On.  Earth.  

Those are my big three ways to eat cheap in college.  

Here are some pix from Pancakestravaganza!

When we first got there, the hostess said that we could wait for up to an hour.  We were like that's cool, the pancakes are delish and freeeeeee!  Why wouldn't you wait?!  And then, the hostess uttered the Golden Words of Restaurants..."The counter has no wait!"  It was like the heavens opened up and the angels were singing sweet arias.  We volunteered as tribute and because we're not fancy at the IHOP we got seated right away.  Suckers!  Why wouldn't you sit at the Pancake Bar as we call it?  You get your pancakes quicker people!  So we sat down, ordered the greatest pancakes ever (except McDonald's pancakes but McDonald's doesn't give their hotcakes away for free so they can be my second fave)  So we got our pancakes and out came the Nutella.  People talked.  People stared.  People judged.  But guess what:

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WE.  DIDN'T. CARE. BECAUSE. WE. HAD. NUTELLA. AND. THEY. DIDN'T. AND. OURS. WAS. FREE.

Before Ravenous Blondes Destoryed the Dollops

Jess Being Presh With Her Nutella

Shhhhh, Don't Tell Anybody!!

Jealous?

Blessed With Nutella

My Fave Kinda Bill

Happy Mardi Gras!

xoxo,

Erin

Thoughts of Summer!!

Happy Hump Day!!


Today is a great day in the history of Erin.  Why?  Oh many many reasons!

1.)  It was a 2 hour delay so I got to sleep in!  Thank you winter.

2.)  My class was cancelled tonight!  Thank you again winter!  Girls' Nite was supposed to be made up tonight but alas, it was cancelled.  Don't cry too hard because we've already rescheduled for next week.  Phew!

3.)  My roomie from college is coming to sleep over because she currently doesn't have power.  Sad about the no power but happy about the roomie reunion and and impromptu dinner plans

4.)  It's Wednesday!  My most favorite television night ever.  This is not sad and pathetic this is awesome!

• 8 pm-The Middle the most underrated tv show on the air now.
• 8:30 pm-OFF (aka cruise the channels searching for Modern Family) I came too late to this party but I am a fan!
• 9 pm-Criminal Minds daily dose of psychopaths.  Everyone needs that...if only to make yourself feel normal
• 10 pm-Nashville  Just a great show about country music!  What could be better!?

5.)  Speaking of country music...WE GOT THE MEGATICKET AGAIN!!  That means this girl and Kate and Jess will be grooving and jamming to a few of my friends all summer long!

Have you met Luke?

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Miranda?

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Jason?

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Brad?

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Toby?

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Tim?

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I thought you might know them <3  This is my favorite time of year!  You can also bet your bottom dollar that I already wrote these dates down in my Lilly P planner.  Can't double book my summer!  Kate and I have gone the past few years and this year we're excited to add Jess to our country cutie jam sesh!  Is it bad that I'm already planning my outfits?  Yes/No/Maybe?  Cowboy boots and cut-offs?

Jess and me Blue Steeling before the show

Kate and me selfie-ing it up before the always eventful train ride!

All the girls at Blake!

6.)  Speaking of jam sesh...Deb and some of her friends from work got Bruno Mars tickets today too!  Deb got me at ticket, too, just because she's the best Deb that ever lived.  

7.)  Also, I got my Phillies tickets for the season!  So more Daddy Daughter Phillies dates!

The time we lived large and sat 3 rows behind home plate!

It's going to be one music and baseball filled summer and I wouldn't have it any other way!  So now all this winter nonsense can slip away so I can jam out and cheer on my Phils with warm weather and the Philly skyline as my backdrop!

Beautiful CBP!

The best mascot in MLB

Da Bell!

Keep thinking those warm thoughts!

xoxo,

Erin

Favorite Things: Baby Showers

Happy Sunday Funday!

    With the fam returning Dylan to school I have the house to myself.  Mwahahahaha.  Since I loathe long car rides (10+ hours locked in a car with no internet connection is no bueno) I get to be the dog sitter.  Most 23 year olds would have a party while the parentals are away.  But not this girl!  I'm just pumped because I get to wear yoga pants, a messy bun, eat Panchero's burritos, and watch Bridesmaids!   Also, my woman crushes always, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are hosting The Golden Globes again tonight!  (YAY) I love awards season!  Mostly because I get to see Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Lawrence!  I'm planning on accompanying the Globes with some dessert :)

Yes Please!

     I digress.  We're talking about Baby Showers.  Baby Showers are the best!  As a early twentysomething I look forward to spending my weekends at baby showers!  The baby shower I was just at was amazing!  The mother-to-be is my cousin's wife and she would make Kate Middleton jealous.  She just looked stunning.  I doubt I will be that lucky.  I will look like Richard Nixon with his jowls and burliness.  It won't be cute.

    Why are baby showers amazing?  Oh I don't know, do you need a reason besides these cookies?

To Die For!

Look at these cookies?!  How cute is that onesie?

If you are not salivating yet and saying, "Yes, yes, Erin you are right these cookies make me love baby showers," and need more reasons here are a list:

• You get free wine.  Plus there is one less person drinking the wine...so...there is more wine for everyone!
• Baby shower food!  So much carbs!  Plus every kind of food that the mom-to-be wants!  Moms-to-be want cookies, cakes, pasta, fruit, tomato pie, chicken dishes, bread, and pretty much anything else you ever wanted!  It's heaven!  Plus the little mini-real-food-dinner-things-as-small-appetizers are genius!  I went to one shower where there was mini chicken parm on a stick!  That is a genius idea!  Take that to the bank!  It was a skewer with a piece of popcorn chicken coupled with a cheese cube and a tomato!  I enjoyed that!
• Games!  I love playing disgusting guess what kinda chocolate is in the diaper?!  Finally, I have some place to execute my candy-loving-sugar-monger skills!  I am a baby shower game wizard!  You want me on your team!  Why?  Oh I don't know maybe because I worked at a daycare with the infants to 2 year old crowd for 2 years?!  Maybe because I babysit all the time and have for 10 years?  I don't think I need to continue...you all get it!  I'm also competitive as a Russian gymnast so things can get real...pretty fast!  
• I pick out great gifts!  I am up on all the latest and greatest Caldecott Winners and Honorees because of my job and major.  I am also a great baby stylist because I watched that Friends episode where Christina Applegate dresses Emma and pierces her ears.  That's clutch.  Baby stylist Erin to the rescue!  
• I also thoroughly enjoy Babies R Us' aesthetic appeal.  Why?  Oh I don't know, maybe because I find the bright pastel colors soothing?  Or maybe it's the joy emanating from the parents to be?  Maybe it's the fact that there are pirate ship beds there?  #jealous Maybe because some of things at Babies R Us are hilarious?!  Butt Paste?  Come on people, that joke writes itself!  Funny stuff!  Plus babies are Cuuuuuuwwwwwtee!  There is nothing better than walking through Babies R Us and seeing an adorable baby and coo and ahhh at the baby and smile at the mom and know that you have zero financial/emotional/social responsibilities for that child.  You just get to look at that baby and say, "She/He is precious!"  That's kinda where I am in my life right now.  I just like to look at the babies and tell their mom that they are visually appealing.  
• I get to hang out with my family!  I love being with my family and I will take any excuse I can to hang with the whole fam!
• Girl Time!  
• Baby clothes are fun!  Baby stuff is fun!  Baby clothes are adorable!  At Babies R Us, my mom and I saw a precious red tartan miniature suit for a baby!  Whose baby doesn't need a red tartan suit?  Oh, did I mention it came with a beret?  Precious!  I died a million deaths it was so cute!  
• Children's books run amok at baby showers!  I heart children's books and the morals they teach.  Especially when they teach things like the importance of saying Good Night to all the objects in your home (Good Night Moon) revenge/karma (Chrysanthemum) and the importance of cutting down the one thing that has always helped you (The Giving Tree).  These are life lessons from literature folks!  
• Baby shoes!  The little baby received like 8 pairs of shoes!  That's great!  Babies need to appreciate the importance of shoes, too!  I have 50 pairs of shoes, so I think I know the importance of shoes in one's life!  The baby received 2 pairs of Chucks, little slip on booties, sneakers...I could just go on and on!  The baby is going to be well heeled let me tell you!  

Some people don't like baby showers but I don't like those people.  I love the merriment, the food, the trip to Babies R US!  It's all great!  I hope you all have a great weekend--what's left of it!

xoxo,

E