Top 11 of 2011

I would say that it seemed like it was just yesterday that we were ringing in 2011, but in reality it seems like it was a long time ago!


I decided to make a couple of lists to commemorate 2011.

Top 11 Books I Read During 2011 (in no particular order)

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Read it now if you haven't already.
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. Mockingjay by Suzanna Collins
4. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe - One of the best classic novels I've ever read
5. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
6. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
7. Something Blue by Emily Giffin
8. Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee by Hoda Kotb
9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
10. Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow
11. P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

Top 11 Roadtrips of 2011 (in no particular order)

1. Maine (July) - By far this was the best roadtrip ever! I am so grateful to Patti and her family for taking me. I got to spend a week with one of my most favorite families that treat me as if I am their own!
2. Harrisonburg (April) - I had the opportunity to meet one of my tumblr friends and tour the new performing arts center. I gotto attend two of Beau's baseball games and hang out with some of my absolute favorite JMU/Harrisonburg loves.
3. Charlotte (April/May) - Though I was down there for a job interview, I got to spend time with my old roomie, my birthday twin, and my boys! And I actually got to stay in the city this time and see more of Charlotte.
4. Arlington (January) - I brought in the new year with my roomies and got to go to Tyson's, which reminds me - I need to go back there.
5. Harrisonburg (August) - I always love going to Harrisonburg for fantasy football weekend. On this particular weekend, I got to catch up with one of my MCCs, go to the book fair, and go dance like a crazy fool at The Blue Nile, which was the absolute highlight of my weekend!
6. Norfolk (May) - I traveled down to Old Dominion University, a place I always feel at home, to celebrate my little cousin's graduation! A good time as always!
7. Arlington (August) - It was my first time in Northern Virginia during the warm months in years! I had a blast walking around D.C. in the heat and visiting museums and monuments!
8. Arlington (September) - I went to D.C. for some job interviews and it was the first time I rode the metro by myself and I did it correctly!
9. Harrisonburg (October) - Homecoming 2011 was amazing! I got to surprise my favorites! And watching the game with Jim in the brand new stadium was AMAZING!
10. Arlington (February) - This trip happened so long ago that I can't remember what I did. But I do remember not having to spend Valentine's weekend alone and I got to see my Bea! I think I also went to Potomac Mills and IKEA for the first time ever!
11. Blacksburg (August) - Moving my sister into college was fun because it brought back memories of my 4 wonderful years at JMU! And I got to spend time with my Little Duke turned Hokie, Tori. 

Top 11 Moments of 2011 (In no particular order)

1. My little sister being crowned Miss DHS in March.
2. My little sister graduating as valedictorian of her high school class.
3. My cousin graduating from Old Dominion University.
4. Watching my JMU Dukes beat those Richmond Spiders as my first game in new stadium for Homecoming 2011.
5. Watching the Dinwiddie Girls Cross Country team become regular season district champs and win the district championship. And I was there every step of the way!
6. The birth of my niece, Raina...but maybe not the part where I was actually in the room for it.
7. Being invited to vacation in Maine with Patti and her family! I swear the whole week before I went I was so excited, I'd just say Maine and smile like a goober because I could not wait!
8. The Earthquake of 2011
9. Seeing Wicked at the Landmark Theater
10. Having two articles and photos published in The Progress-Index
11. That moment when they announced that there was actually was going to be football this year, which led to me drafting not one, but two fantasy football teams!

SWEET FROG =)

It turns out that Twitter is an awesome way to set up a fun afternoon adventure with some old friends!

A week or two ago, Jessica tweeted something about Sweet Frog, which is this frozen yogurt place that has a toppings bar that's fairly new around here. I tweeted her back and told her I really wanted to go since my sisters went without me earlier this summer.

Well then Courtney saw our tweets and she said she wanted to go. And then Jessica's sister, Brooke, jumped in on the action. After a couple of tweets back and forth, we made plans to hit up Sweet Frog in Chester on Thursday.

I met Jessica and Brooke at their house and we drove to Chester to meet Courtney, who had just returned from outlet shopping in Williamsburg.

For those of you who've never been to Sweet Frog, let me explain it to you. You get in line and you grab either a small, medium, or large bowl. Then you pick your frozen yogurts. The wall is lined with several dispenser each dispensing a different flavor and you get to choose which you want! I opted for vanilla, cookies n creme, and cake batter (yum!).

Then it's on to the toppings! And they have everything! From fresh fruit, such as strawberries, mango, maraschino cherries to typical ice cream toppings, like chocolate chips, sprinkles, chocolate syrup, to completely random things, like sunflower seeds, chocolate covered sunflower seeds, Fruity Pebbles, and Cap'n Crunch!

Then you get place your bowl on the scale in front of the register and you pay 39 cents per ounce! It really is an amazing deal!

My creation!

We found a table, enjoyed our frozen yogurt, and caught up. I swear it had been years since I had seen Courtney.

Then that's when the excitement started. All of a sudden the lady at the table next to us asked Courtney to sit with her mother and make sure she didn't fall over because her blood sugar had just dropped suddenly.

Then everyone is the place is coming over to assist this lady and her mother, Miss Beverly. They're giving her orange juice, Coca Cola, offering them their unpaid for ice cream, and taking her pulse.

Then the manager calls 911 and the EMTs and ambulance show up and they're trying to convince Miss Beverly that she needs to go the hospital. Poor Brooke was about to cry through all this; she loves old people.

They finally convinced Miss Beverly that the hospital was a good idea and off they took her.

The girls and I stayed a little after that talking and after awhile we left. I headed back to Jessica and Brooke's house where Jessica made me a salad and Brooke made me some chicken nuggets and some macaroni and cheese! =]

All in all, it was a good time and I can't wait to go back! Hopefully next time I'm there I won't witness a medical emergency! And we hope Miss Beverly makes a full recovery!

Have you ever been to Sweet Frog, or a place like it? How do you like your Fro Yo?

Fried Rice, Pool and Potluck

I'm behind a week because the Internet at my house has been on the outs. Anyways, I've been uber busy!

On Monday, I went out to eat with Tori, also known as "Little Duke." After she graduated from DHS, she followed in my footsteps to James Madison University.

We went to eat in Hopewell at Elephant Thai and I had the best fried rice ever! It was so good I practically proposed to Tori (inside joke - you had to be there)!

Best Fried Rice Ever!

We went back to Tori's house afterwards and I showed her stuff on the Internet about JMU Alumni groups. She said that she'd attend events with me! Finally someone to go with me!

On Tuesday, Aspen and I headed out to Sutherland Manor to hang out with Tricia (JMU c/o 2015) and Cannithy! And I got sunburnt! Epic fail! I now understand that it is of utmost importance to put sunscreen on my face, though I usually don't burn. I put sunscreen on my shoulders and my chest and I still got burnt! It hurt so badly!

Then on Thursday, I finally got to meet Matt, my friend, Jessica's boyfriend from England. Tori and I met them over at her house for a potluck dinner! We had a great time, lots of good food, and did nerdy things on our computers! Brooke joined us after she got off work and read stuff to us off of Tumblr! It was hilarious!

Anyway, I'm off on my next big adventure! Don't worry, you'll hear all about it!