Six Months Later

Hey y'all!

Well, its been a few minutes since I've visited blogtopia. I missed it. Loads. I have months of catch up to play reading up on all my favorite blogs; but I also wanted to update anyone who is curious about my life as of the past 6 months. We will do a little month by month break down:

August
1. I moved to Texas!
2. I started my first real-life job. And I love it. A LOT.
3. I turned 22!
4. I got my first car!

September
1. I taught my first class at school!
2. Made lots of friends at work.
3. Played Maid of Honor at my best friend's wedding.
4. Went tailgating for the first time.

October
1. Went to my first college homecoming (No, it wasn't my school. awks)
2. Batman for Halloween.
3. State Fair of Texas.
4. 1989 by Taylor Swift was released

November
1. Texas Thanksgiving
2. Mockingjay part 2

December
1. Matching tattoos with my best friend.
2. Colorado road/ski trip
3. Visited Wisconsin for the first time since graduating
4. I first saw gas for under $2
5. New Years with my girls and Trampled by Turtles!

January
1. Second semester teaching
2. Road trip back to Texas
3. Got serious about working out (and have lost 6 lbs to date!)
4. Paid to get my hair done for the first time ever!
5. Colorado Bend State Park camping trip

February
1. Its been 6 days so I've got nothing for you yet!
2. Accepted the position to go back to Camp for a third summer!

It's been a crazy half year since I last blogged, and I have been so incredibly grateful for everything I've done! But of course, I have some goals for 2015

1. Keep up with this weight loss. I've felt better in the past month than I have in the past year.
2. Save up and really start paying off my student loans.
3. Allow myself to be happy without a significant other.

Before I leave, I have one last thing to do. An obvious photo dump. Obviously.

Road trips with the boys!

Colorado Bend State Park

New Years Eve with the bestestes

Best friend tattoos

The Wisconsin Crew

Continental Divide ski time selfie

A perk of the job.

My very first ever tailgate!

The day I fulfilled a promise made 9 years prior.

Astros-Rangers game. (possibly the worst baseball game in history)

Day in the life.

State Fair of Texas!

so kiss me and smile for me

As this weekend comes to a close, there is one song that comes to mind (minus the countless camp songs running through my head)

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

If you have read any posts from this summer, you know how much I really and truly do love camp, but this year felt different in terms of leaving. Last summer, I shed tears for my friends that I knew wouldn't return, and even the ones that would, but the fear of missing them and never seeing them again was overwhelming last summer. This summer was different. Although I did shed a massive amount of tears for the amazing friends and co-counselors at the end of the night, I shed tears for my campers this summer.

Throughout the past 7 weeks, I created a bond with a group of 13 year old girls I don't think could ever be replicated.

So here it is, one last photo dump from this summer before I transition into my normal blogging schedule and life!


Day off adventure in Boston

Selfies are a must of nights off

I'm literally obsessed with the Berkshires

13 year old girls LOVE selfies

Like LOVE them

Did I mention they like selfies?

Got paid to go to the Cape Cod Chip Factory

And water parks

And Nauset Beach

The Sub Senior Staff of 2014

It's a tradition to decorate a rock in the camp colors and add them to the rock pile in the campfire area after the candlelight ceremony on banquet night.

My campers are absolutely beautiful

Like, GORGEOUS

Can they stop growing up?

I'm so lucky to call this guy one of my best friends.

These two have been there since our first day of camp in 2013. I'm so glad I got to spend another summer with them

selfiez for dayz during banquet

Sub Senior Girls and Staff 2014 <3

love this guy

One last selfie on the way to the airport :(

I cannot put into words what this summer did for me in terms of growing and experience and just being all around life changing. The transition back into the real world is one I'm not looking forward to, but I am so grateful I have all these memories to get me through the next 10 months. As the campers say, I'm living 10 for 2.

I love my job!

After graduating college, I questioned sometimes if I chose the right career path and if I would be successful or if I would still love my job 25 years from now. After recently accepting a job in Texas (mind you, that's ACROSS the country from all my friends and families) I really started to second guess my life path. Then I received the reminder I was so desperately searching for that I did indeed chose the correct path.

My first reminder was just last week. As part of my outdoor education program I co-head at camp, we took a camping trip to Mount Greylock State Reservation which is the highest point in not only the Berkshires, but also Massachusetts. 5 staff took 18 kids from 7-13 to do a one night overnight on the top of this beautiful mountain. It was not easy, it was actually quite stressful. Who would have thought 7 and 8 year olds are needy?! But it was flawless and the kids had an amazing time.

My second reminder came just a few days later. I was given an extra night off because my exceptional work with the kids. Just when I thought that I was running out of steam to finish out the last two weeks of camp the way I started them, I got a compliment like this. All the campers also had a meeting with the director and head of girls camp and I was given exceptionally high rankings and endless compliments about my enthusiasm and love for the camp and the campers. That is the greatest reward of all. When you're told you are good at what you love and are making a difference in someone's life; that's the best compliment of all.

With how well the past weeks have been going at camp, I can't wait to start my new adventure in Texas! I know that I've chosen the right path for me and I feel ready to start this new chapter in my life.