Currently...

Currently I am.....

Reading about learning outcomes in student affairs. As stated in my last "Currently I am" post, I am serving on a committee that is examining our Division's structure for learning outcomes. I am personally learning A LOT and really enjoying the process.

Watching too much Hulu and Netflix. It's embarrassing. I watched season one and two of New Girl and I love it!

Listening to my Christmas Pandora station. It just makes me happy!

Shopping for NOTHING. This is on purpose. We are trying really hard to stick to our budget in order to get rid of debt (created by our recent move and Gig's knee surgery) before the baby is born. And I am really proud of how well we are doing.

Wearing my favorite maternity dress as often as I can! It is a long sleeve black maxi dress from Old Navy and it is the most comfortable thing in the whole world, I feel like I am wearing pajamas to work. Actually if I don't wear pajamas for Thanksgiving I will definitely be wearing this dress.

Learning how to take care of a dog recovering from knee surgery! Gigi had her TPLO surgery 3 weeks ago and we have been begun the long process of recovery. Originally we were told 6-8 weeks, well that has turned into 12 weeks. Good lord, I don't know how I am going to keep her under control that long. She loves to run and jump. Right now if she isn't crated, then she is on a short leash in the house.

Bothered by how large I am. I was in the grocery store the other day and my cashier was also pregnant. She is due in December and when I said I was due in February she looked astonished. My belly was definitely bigger then hers. I feel like such a heifer. But huge shout out to some of my volunteer friends from church that told me I was a cute pregnant lady, they totally made my day!

Eating everything in sight and I need to stop. But I passed my glucose test so I am using that as an excuse to indulge. I am so bad.

Drinking pink lemonade slushies from the ZTA house. We finished up the elections process last week and I had spent a lot of time at the house and couldn't resist the slushies!

Loving my sweet sorority women. They got the baby the cutest bib, diapers and a gift card to Target. Warmed my heart. I will be resigning from my role as General Advisor this December and transitioning to the fundraising advisor and judicial advisor instead. I needed a little less time commitment, but I am sure going to miss seeing them every week!

Working on planning a conference for my entire department (over 200 full time staff). This has been such an interesting learning process.

Looking forward to THANKSGIVING and FAMILY and starting/finishing the nursery!

Why is the weekend only two days?

It has been unseasonably colder the last couple of days, and I have LOVED it. However, it rained the WHOLE weekend which wasn't as enjoyable. Saturday morning I woke up to this face:

 

 

She loves to sleep under the covers, snuggled right up next to me. She is so adorable in the morning.

 

Kyle really wanted to go to the Classic City BBQ Festival on Saturday. This was the first time the event was held. They sold out of tickets for the tasting competition, which was kind of a bummer, but there was plenty of other vendor options for BBQ tasting!

 

 

And adorable old men in bluegrass bands.

 

 

I will admit the rest of Saturday/ much of Sunday was spent on the couch watching season five of the Gilmore Girls. A fun and relaxing time was had by all.

 

Sunday I volunteered at church and that evening was the return of Executive Council meetings for ZTA. The women finished up recruitment last week, Monday was bid day. They had an excellent recruitment (as always). So proud!

 

 

 

 

 

Shamrock da Block!

I am getting back from a much needed four day weekend. Thursday I left Athens to go to DC to surprise my parents. Let's just say the looks on their faces were hilarious when I rang the doorbell. It took both of them a little while to process that I was in fact in DC. 

1. I got to spend QT with my dog nephew Shadow

2. I made Mom break her "No wine on weekdays" rule. It's a stupid rule anyway.

3. I got presents from my parents! New arm pretties from Alex + Ani.

Friday I headed down to Richmond for a reunion with some sorority sisters! There was a St. Patty's Day block party and Briana hosted brunch before we all headed downtown.

1. Yummy cupcakes, Irish soda break and a Rolo pot of gold.

2. Shamrock straws and Bud Light. Keepin it classy.

3. I miss these girls every day.

4. Making new friends!

Some highlights:

1. Yes this lady wore a green bikini with a cut up t-shirt on top. Out in public. 

2. Meet Tess. The garden gnome, and new addition to Briana's apt.

3. Bud Light out of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shot glasses.

Super fun weekend with super fun people. Now back to reality.

Spontaneous Weekend

What happens when your best friend calls on Wednesday night and says she has Friday off and she is coming to visit? You have a spontaneous weekend!!!!! And let me say this was a much needed girls weekend. My friend Briana drove down from VA to spend the weekend with me!

We went shopping downtown... in some of the more eclectic Athens boutiques!

She rand the Chapel Bell...

We went to Terrapin....

And listened to an "interesting" band...

Then we had brunch at my favorite place in town....

I got the Crab Benedict...

She got stuffed French Toast...

Then the rest of Sunday was spent with Gigi watching TV. (Kyle and I caught up on our TiVo after Briana left, I was so excited about the season premiere of The League. Does anyone else watch this show on FX? It is HILARIOUS!)

Thank GOD for such a relaxing, laid back, easy weekend.

Bid Day 2012

So, this post is way late! But better late than never!! Last Monday was Bid Day and has to be one of my favorite days on the year! The theme this year for the chapter was "Hopelessly Devoted to Zeta!!" and a spin on the movie Grease. Just check out the signs and props the women put together!

Grease Lightening!

Can't be Bid Day without a balloon arch!

PC 11, love them!

New members! Lovely!

One big happy chapter!

DJ Scrilla made an appearance again!

Great bid day. Wonderful new members. Happy advisor! And when I got home the bid day packages had already started arriving in the mailroom. My staff logged over 200 packages in 36 hours. So proud of them!

The tip of the iceberg.

What I am Loving Wednesday!

I haven't participated in this link up in awhile, so I thought I would use it as an opportunity to share some of the things I have recently acquired.

Jack Rogers is having a sale on Slim Ballet Flats, $60 off!

I got this platinum pair and a black pair, I look at as saving $120 which justified this....

SORORITY COLORED NAVAJOS! I think Themis would be proud!

I also picked up this Katie Shirt from Cape Madras.

And this "shorter" tunic.

I love my original tunic, and always get compliment when I wear it!

What are you LOVING?! Happy Wednesday everyone!!!

Weekend Wrap Up

What a weekend! I did not let the high temperatures keep me from celebrating my one year anniversary on Saturday! Kyle planned a great day for us, even if he had to modify his plans due to heat. We had breakfast at our favorite brunch spot Five Star Day. Then went to the Georgia Museum of Art, which is located on campus. We had never been before. Then we went back downtown for some shopping. Call us crazy but we walked downtown for awhile in the HEAT. It got pretty bad. I feel like whenever I shop with purpose I never can find anything I like. I did pick up a couple of things:

Print of the ZTA house by a local artist.

Love the coral and turquoise.

My new "D" bangle.

For our anniversary I got Kyle tickets to see comedian Louis CK in Athens in November and "tattoo credit." I realized that every milestone we have had in our relationship he has celebrated by getting a tattoo. He got two new ones, a ship and an eagle.

We went to dinner at the same restaurant we had our first date at. And then were home early to go to bed. I had a wonderful anniversary!

Sorry for the BRIGHT pic.

Saturday night I will admit I was a little distracted. It was the final night of Zeta Tau Alpha's Convention and the time for Silver Awards! Among the silver awards the top seven collegiate chapters are recognized, the last award is the Helen Margaret Harrison award for the most outstanding number one chapter in the country. Gamma Pi has been working towards this award for the last two years. Our tech savvy International Office runs social media VERY effectively and set up #SilverAwards to live tweet the ceremony. I was refreshing my feed every TWO SECONDS! Then it happened....

Picture sent to me from convention, you can't see the GIANT beautiful silver platter, but it is under there!

I am so proud of the women I advise. Everyone has worked so hard for this! I can't wait for them to all get back from summer break, I think this upcoming year is going to be WONDERFUL!

Sunday we ran errands. We went to the mall and I picked up a new dress and tanks from Gap.

All in all a WONDERFUL weekend on so many fronts. Hopefully after the storms we had last night it  will cool down, but "cool" is a relative term at this point. Stay "cool" friends!

International Badge day

Yesterday was International Badge day and I celebrated by wearing my Zeta Tau Alpha badge with PRIDE! 

I found my niche in college when I joined my sorority. It really helped define my college years and beyond. Zeta gave so much to me that I want to give back, and that is why I serve as an advisor. I love it. 

I hope all the other wonderful ladies of NPC were able to celebrate! 

ZTA Day, Georgia Peach style!

I spent this past Saturday at the Georgia Zeta Day. Zeta Day is a national event. Each state picks a day for all their collegian and alumnae chapters to get together for a day full of sisterhood, fundraising and recognition. Joining ZTA was one of the best decisions I have ever made. My sorority was pivotal in my development in college and has continued being a major part of my life as an alumna. Georgia has a HUGE Zeta Day with over 1000 participants!

Diane, Mary Frances and I representing Athens Alumnae! Diane and I are co-presidents of the Athens Alumnae chapter!

Gamma Pi, Zeta Band!

Diane and I had a great time hanging out with the Gamma Pis and other alumnae. There are so many great Zetas across the state of Georgia, it really makes you proud!

I won an award! Zeta Lady for Alumnae Province 7A. That is me giving a hug to one of my favorite Zetas EVER!

My pretty pendant, Zeta Tau Alpha in the shape of a lady!

I was really proud of the chapter I advise!!! They won top awards for their programming and fundraising! They were also recognized for all the service they complete. They are a great chapter. I am so happy to advise them and work with some great undergraduate women!
There was a special surprise at the end of Zeta Day. Rapper DJ Scrilla made an appearance and gave a performance. You might remember him from my Bid Day post. The girls LOVE him! The crowd went wild! Great Zeta Day surprise!

DJ Scrilla rapping about Georgia Zetas!

Everyone rushing the stage! Gamma Pi LOVES DJ Scrilla!

It really was an awesome Zeta Day. Next year is in Savannah, and I couldn't be more excited!