They say bad news travels in THREE's

In the last six months I have watched 3 of my best friends lose people who were extremely important to them. First my Big Sister in Chi Omega Kelly had to say good bye to her first love and high school sweetheart Nate in May. Nate was killed in a car accident in Kentucky, after leaving the Kentucky Derby. In June a VERY good friend of mine,Jeff, and probably someone who cares for my well being more than others said goodbye to his old brother Kris. Kris was killed in a car accident in Medina. He also had a little sister Jackie and a 12 year old daughter Tori. And now the third. My best friend in High school Ian, lost his little sister Kelly yesterday. The cause has still not been released to the public and even Ian is pretty unreachable. Each time I have felt helpless, each time I want to be there when they can't pretend it doesn't hurt anymore. I only hope they know how much I love them, and how I will always be there, but more importantly how much their loved one loved them. And how they have all touched each others lives, just like they have touched mine. Our family and friends are really all that matters in this world. Work, money, social life, don't mean a thing at all if you don't have the people who matter most to enjoy them with. Today, please take time to call an old friend..hug your sister..stop giving your spouse a hard time and the next time your parents ask you to come home..go..because these days..it seems..you just never know when it will be the last time you see them...please enjoy pictures of Nate, Kris and Kelly with their loved ones.

Nate and Kelly at their Junior Prom
Friend through College

my favorite picture of them.

Kris and his daughter Tori, years ago

The Utzler Clan

Kelly and I in 2005 in Cbus

Kelly and Ian in 1988

I wanted you to get a good look at how GORGEOUS she was...

End of August Updates

Hello! Now that we are officially into September, I wanted to just add a few notes about the rest of the month of August!

On August 21st my mom found out that her 1 year scans came back clear! So she is cancer FREE!!

On August 15th, my boss Jamie got married. Her wedding was absolutely incrediable. Unbelievable actually. It is safe to say that I never again in my life go to a wedding this extravagant. It was THE city wedding of all city weddings that took place at State Theater in Downtown Cleveland. Very cool. Enjoy the pictures.

My bestfriend Amanda's little sister Leslie is getting married this weekend, so last weekend we celebrated her bachelorette party. Amanda planned a layed back party which consisting of 15 girls at the Browns vs Titans game..and we WON! I had such a great time!Now on to another great weekend..shopping, football, weddings..oh my!

Now on to another great weekend..shopping, football, weddings..oh my!

p.s. does anyone have any tips about uploading pictures!! oye it is annoying how you have to rearrange your story for the picture! lol

more pictures

Here are some more SH pictures as promised..still no youngin ones..but getting closer :)

all the flavors!!

mmm mint chocolate ..my fav!!

Sherman's the best icecream EVER

the home my mom grew up in



my feeet

waves

another sunset

Memories to Last a Lifetime

Ever since I was 6 years old my mom, my sister and I would take the 5 hour drive up to South Haven Michigan. Back then our cottages were all owned by the Coehens and every year the same people would come the same week. I remember one year we actually got to go during the 4th of July. We got to use sparklers...I was the happiest 8 year old ever. Another year we were there for the Sailboat festival. The lake was PACKED with gorgeous sails..I can't even describe the sea of color that I looked out and saw. When I was nine we brought our puppy golden retriever Fergus. That was funny, we even brought along my dad that year. We continued to go to South Haven for a few years after that, even once or twice after my sister was sick.

South Haven means EVERYTHING to our family. In the 70's my grandma's WHOLE family moved there. My grandparents bought this HUGE red house on the Southside of the city, two blocks from the beach. At that time, they had no idea what they were giving up when they moved away 15 years later.

A few years after my sister passed away, my mom and dad decided it was time to return. My first year back, I brought my bestfriend Lyndsay. To this day, that week was still the warmest I remember. We had a blast. For the next two years I was allowed to bring along my high school boyfriend..South Haven has a way of making everyone who visits fall inlove with it. This past summer makes it 8 summers in a row that we have gone back and even though the past two years I have only been able to go for a few days, I could not pass up going to my safe haven. I even have a guest room dedicated to South Haven, and hope to marry the man of my dreams there some day... :)

Please enjoy some of my favorite South Haven pictures..(sorry there are none when I was little, I will add those as soon as I can find and scan them. So enjoy some from the past 8 years :))

Sorry that some of my favorite pictures are on here..these are just the few that I had on my computer :)

my parents in our cottage

the gorgeous lake michigan sunset

sunsets

me jumping for joy

i think lyndsay looks like a tigeress

Sign in my upstairs hallway

picture of South Haven that is over 30 years old. I had it rematted and framed :)

my favorite picture

nate and i making smores..not going to post anymore of us..that would be kindof weird lol

my mom and I at my favorite resturant

My bia comes to visit!

Michelle Park, or my bia..the name I gave her in college, came into town from Philly for 10 days. Sadly I was only able to see her one day, but it is better than nothing! Michelle, her little sister Stephanie, her chi o big sister Michelle and I all met up at McCarthy's in Lakewood for a mini reunion. Can I just take a second to tell you why I love Michelle?

I met Michelle when we both pledged for Chi Omega in 2002. Our friendship did not really start until the following summer at a Chi Omega event called Firesides, which took place in Cleveland, Oh. We became fast friends and since her hometown was only 3 cities away from mine, we were able to spend The Walk for Wishes, and a Crop Night together that summer. She even bought her first car from my parents. Going back to Kent we drifted in and out a little bit. I lived in the sorority house and she stayed in the dorms with her best friend. Between classes, the Kent Stater, my boyfriend and life, the only time we really got to see each other was when she would be at the House. It was hard on Michelle, that her closest friends all lived in one place and she lived in the dorms. It caused some separation at times, as it was hard for the rest of us to relate to all the amazing things Michelle had going on. Our friendship was not one that we needed to always be in touch. It was one, that when a boy was horrible to her, I would walk across campus, in the dark, alone to her dorm to sit with her. Or when I was publicly embarrassed by a boy and his girlfriend at a Greek event, she took it upon herself, and her incredible knowledge of vocabulary, to rip him into pieces. Michelle ALWAYS took my side on things no matter what. She ALWAYS had my back, when others were not so reassuring or positive, she would always say exactly what I needed to hear. When I wanted to hate someone, she would hate them with me. When I loved someone, she found the good in them too. When I look back on some college experiences that were very emotional to me, I see her there, feeling every emotion with me, the same way. *Brag Moment* Did I mention that Michelle is unbelievably intelligent. Not only did she have a dual major in Journalism and Spanish, but she was the editor of the Kent Stater, Panahelnic Delegate for Chi Omega, she was on the Panhel board, won the first Ann Walters Scholarship and accomplished a dozen other things that I know I am forgetting. She was worked for some amazing newspapers and has bounced from Cleveland, to AZ, CA and PA. Michelle has been a great friend to me, and no matter where her life takes her, I know we will always be friends, and that she will always be there for me. And for that I am so grateful to know someone like her. Please enjoy some of my favorite pictures of me and my "BIA"

She came to visit me in the city 2007

Senior Formal

Graduation for Michelle


Senior Retreat

Senior Cheeomunga

Her 21st!

With two of my favorites at a Sig Ep party

Cheeomunga 2004

Cage Dancers

I promise we are both good angels :)

Firesides 2003 :)

The weekend we feel inlove

Every Chi loves Owls

Chi Omegas

Our Bid Day

Deafiliation

Blast Off 2003

Getting some Love with Flash(Check out that disposable in my hand)

Drinking smirnoff at Sigma Chi

Pimps and Hoes..haha

Our most recent get together :)

Catching up

Okay so stick with me. It has been over 2 months since my last post. So I will try to fill you in on everything that has been going on since then throughout a few posts. Then I promise I will try to make this a everything thing..with the motivation of my favorite blogger ever (Ana) I am sure I will keep this up! Nothing to exciting happened in the rest of the month of June or July now that I come to think of it, so I will jump straight in to August..see that will keep you up to speed in no time! Keep reading! :)

Sorry It has been a while

Well since I can't remember what has gone in my life since the last time I did a post, I just wanted to check in with everyone so they knew I was still alive and kicking. I chopped my hair off! 7 inches! I love it, I feel like I can do more with it now! wahoo! I promise I will start posting more often, if not, keep on my case about it..(ana) kisses to everyone :)

Before hair cut a few months ago
Right after cutting off seven inches