A wonderful trip to DC

Well, I just made it back from my trip to Washington DC yesterday and I had the best time! I went to go see my folks (mom and stepdad) whom are actually from TX but my stepdad is working up there for a year. Since mom is a teacher she's been able to spend the whole summer up there with him and they've been begging me to come out on my off days. It finally worked out where I had enough time to travel (It's a 2 leg trip through O'Hare...yuck!) so I spent the last 3 days up there.

Since my first and last day were pretty much all traveling, we only had 1 day to really go do anything. I've wanted to go to the Holocaust museum forever so that was number 1 on the list and then I really wanted to go see Tai Shan the baby panda at the National Zoo too. We were able to do both and I'm so glad we did!

The Holocaust Memorial Museum was breathtaking especially the permanent exhibit. They also had an exhibit called Remember the Children - Daniel's Story which is geared more towards kids but was just as amazing.

After the museum we took the Metro to the National Zoo where we got to meet Tai Shan (aka Butterstick)! I've never in my life seen a cuter animal than a baby panda! We must have stayed in the viewing room for at least 30 min. oooing and awing over them! Fortunately we were in the last viewing group that day so they weren't in a hurry to kick us out...I just didn't want to leave!

Are you jealous yet????? As you can see, we had a great time. All in all, my trip made for a short but relaxing vacation...I didn't want to come home! Well, it's mid afternoon so I reckon I better start getting things ready for my trip in the morning. I'll be working the next 5 days in a row...wish me luck! ;)

A lot to say with little time...

Hey ya'll! My goodness I've been busy but I'm having lot's of fun! I'm running short on time this afternoon as I have tons to get done before I leave again tomorrow on my trip but I wanted to get in a quick update for ya'll...

My trip to Texas was great! It was so good to see Sissie (and my nephew, J) and spend our birthday together. We didn't do much of anything...just lounged around and ate too much cake...can you blame us?!?

I was only in Texas for a day because my sister had to go back to work but I was excited to get home because I planned a special birthday present for myself...

I went on a hot air balloon ride in the Rocky Mountains and it was absolutely amazing! The ride itself was very peaceful...the winds were very calm and the visibility went for miles and miles. It was an amazing experience...it made me miss flying a lot!

All in all, I wound up having an awesome birthday 'weekend'! Like I said, it's back to work tomorrow and then out to Omaha for a couple of days starting Tuesday to see my friend who's leaving for Iraq soon. I'll try and get back here to post as soon as I can. Hope everyone's well! :)

Oh, I almost forgot...

I almost forgot to post these...just a few pics from the office... ;) Gosh I have it rough!

Back again...

Well, hope ya'll had a great 4th of July. I was stuck in Lincoln and the 'official' fireworks display put on by the city was a total disappointment! I only watched the first 10 min or so before I decided to take matters into my own hands and snuck on to the roof of the hotel and watched all the amateur firework displays around the city. It was actually pretty amazing because the building was about 14 stories high so I had a great panoramic view of everyone in town shooting off fireworks. I took this little video clip and you can see in the distance all the fireworks going off...

I got home the next day and one of my friends called me up and asked what I was up to. I didn't really have any plans so we decided to go to the city to go shopping for the day and then out to the bars. We had an absolute blast! I ended up spending way too much money (not the first time that's happened)...my bar tab was as bad as my shopping tab! :) But I got a cute new top and shoes to go with it and my friend also got a new pair of shoes!

After shopping we went to this fabulous bar...it's a dueling piano bar, and it was so much fun! We drank and sang our asses off!

This one guy was hysterical...he was super drunk and all his friends made him get up on stage and do the YMCA by himself. I'm really surprised he didn't fall off the stage he was so tipsy. I got a clip of it...sorry it doesn't have sound but it's still just as funny...



Anyways, it's back to work for me tomorrow...I start a 3 day trip and then guess what????!!!! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! (Thank heaven for 7-11!) I'm really looking forward to going down to TX to be with Sissie...it should be a blast...I promise to take lot's of pics!

Happy 4th of July from Lincoln, Nebraska!

Hello everyone and Happy 4th! I'm working today...shocking I know. It's a 2 day trip...easy money...I only worked 2 legs today and then I just have 2 legs tomorrow and I'll be home by 11am. Can't beat that! Although, I am a little jealous that I won't be at home for this holiday because all my friends are getting together tonight and it's sure to be a good time. (I got promised lots of drunk dials.) Oh well...someone has to work for a living. ;)

Things have been good here...this month is the 2nd month that we have bid for our schedules using the new system called PBS (preferential Bidding System) and I did pretty well...I got my first choice of trips the whole month except for the 3 day trip I just finished yesterday. Starting the 8th I've got 3 day trips the rest of the month with 4 days off in between. Now I know what your thinking...'You lucky duck...you've got 4 days off every week...now you'll finally have some free time!' But..........guess again! I never really slow down!

My birthday is coming up (thank heaven for 7-11) and I'm planning on going back to Texas to be with my twin sister for a couple of days. That should be super fun (double the trouble)...this is our first birthday we've gotten to spend together since our 21st! The next chunk of days off I'm going to try to get out to Omaha to visit an old friend of mine who's in the military and who will be leaving for Iraq in August. And then...the last of my days off at the end of the month, I'm trying to get up to Washington DC to see my Stepdad and Mom for a few days. They actually both live in TX but my Stepdad is in the Army reserves and got placed in DC for the next year and since my Mom is a teacher and has the whole summer off she's been up there for the last couple of months. They said if I could make it out there then we could go to NYC which I'm dying to do because I want to visit ground zero. I hope all the plans come together!

Gosh, I'm a little stressed just thinking about everything I have planned this month!

Lets see...what else...oh yes, I've got several book recommendations for ya'll. Remember...one of my goals this year was to read more!?! So, if you haven't read A Million Little Pieces by James Frey, it's a must. Forget all the hoopla that surrounded the book when people found out that it wasn't all exactly true...it's just a book for cryin' out loud and a very good book at that! I actually read it a while ago but just recently I picked up his second book, My Friend Leonard and I think that it is in my top 3 books of all time! Seriously...I happened to go to Starbucks the day that I was reading the last 50 pages or so and I was laughing and crying out loud so much that I think I disturbed the customers around me! I also just finished a great summer read by Jennifer Weiner called Goodnight Nobody. It's pretty much a 'chick lit' novel which I don't read too often but I really enjoyed this one.

Okay I've got to run now...I'm here at the business center at the hotel and there is this lady staring at me with the 'evil eye' wondering when I'm gonna get off this computer so that she can use it because heaven forbid she have to wait a few more minutes. Stupid lady. I hope she can read this! (hehehe)