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The Writing Chronicles: One

The Writing Chronicles: One

Some of you have asked how my book is coming and I didn’t realize how accountable y’all would keep me. To be honest, it’s a lot more work than I remembered. It used to come so easily to me. I’ve been writing the same story for over 7 years. In the beginning, scenes came to me almost every day or at least a few times a week. The words added up and then they just stopped coming. I tried creative…

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I am literally a week behind on this new year! I started journaling my New Years’ resolutions before the New Year and then crazy things happened and I haven’t even finished that journal entry! I don’t think my mind has slowed down and it’s not a bad thing!!! Just not my usual New Years.

I will warn you now, this blog post will be sappy and giddy because it was the best New Years Eve I’ve ever had! So, if you are not in the mood to be happy for someone else, STOP READING and there will be no hard feelings.

If you follow me on social media, you’ll know that on December 30th, I GOT ENGAGED!!!!!! While I really want to spill all the little details of that day, I will spare you. I know some of you may want to know, but I’ve written it out and it’s basically a novella that I’m sure you will all skip over. If you ever want to know in person, let me know and I will GLADLY share it!!!! For now, I’ll give you the bestest details.

My then-boyfriend, Jeremy, took me to the Friends apartment building (where they filmed all the exterior shots of their apartment for the show). If you know me at all, I am obsessed with Friends and I have basically every episode memorized! (That is not an exaggeration). He told me to stand at the corner and he would take a picture of me in front of the building. I think nothing of it, we take posed pictures all the time lol. I walk over to the corner and turn around to pose for the picture. When I turn around, Jeremy is down on one knee!!! With a ring!!!!! In a box!!!!!! My mind is screaming at me and I’m pretty sure it also goes blank because all I keep saying is “Oh my god. What are you doing? Oh my god. This isn’t happening?!” Which probably sounded really bad out loud.

I’ve been dreaming of this moment my whole life!! I’ve always tried to picture how someone would propose to me and I could never find the perfect place or the perfect way. But my now-fiance managed to pull it off! He combined my love for Disney with my love for Friends which I didn’t even know was possible because those things do not mix!!! OH! I forgot to mention when I finally said yes and I looked at the ring, the rose from Beauty and the Beast was in my ring!! Belle is my favorite princess because of her love for books and, I mean, that library is goals!

I immediately called my parents and brother and my best friend. I couldn’t believe what just happened!

How do people just go from dating to saying yes to a proposal to being engaged?!?! How do you go on about your day?! I finally understood why Monica was shouting from the rooftops because that’s all I wanted to do! I wanted to scream that I was engaged! And I wanted to shout everything this man does to make me happy!!! I still do!!! I don’t know how to not rub it in your faces!!!

Now, enjoy the pics!

  Rockefeller Christmas Tree

Rockefeller Center

The Vessel at Hudson Yards

The Vessel

Today Show

The Today Show

The Today Show

The Vessel

In front of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree (still as boyfriend and girlfriend)

NYE in NYC!

Yes, we did Times Square! This has been a bucket list item for me since the 7th grade! And not only was I about to experience it, I was going to experience it with a FIANCE!!!!! The waiting is probably as miserable as it sounds. In the moment, it feels like this will drag on forever and you have no idea how you’re going to last standing for 14+ hours. There were moments where we were so squished, I’m pretty sure my feet weren’t touching the ground. Probably around 8pm, it started getting more fun. Hats and balloons were passed out. People were dancing and singing along to the music being played on the speakers. Performers finally performed. Fun fact: soundcheck started earlier in the day, so by the time they performed for tv, we knew everyone’s songs even if we didn’t know them before that day. Which, I guess, is pretty smart. They also have the cameras panning the crowd and underneath the lens is a screen with the lyrics displayed so we are literally staring into the lens singing the words on the screen. A brilliant tactic in my opinion.

It’s finally 11pm and we are soooooo ready for this thing! We all contemplated leaving at some point during the night, but at the same time, we had already been standing this long, we can make it to the end! It’s getting sooooo close!!! This moment I’ve always dreamed of was actually happening!! We weren’t watching it on tv, we were here!!!! Post Malone comes out for his performance around 11:30pm! Everyone’s going crazy and we’re all excited, whether we like him or not. But honestly, almost everyone knew his last song so it made it that much more fun!

FINALLY!!!! It’s the count down!!!! The final 15 seconds!!! Oh my gosh!!!

The Ball Drops!

Fireworks go off!

Everyone screams, “Happy New Year!”

And for the first time in my life. . . A New Years Kiss! 😀

  Happy New Year everyone!! I’m sorry it’s a week late, but I’ve been on cloud nine for a while.

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years and I pray 2020 is an abundant year for you all!

Here’s to the roaring 20s!

-B ❤

Chapter Eight: Happy New Year! Welcome, 2020!! I am literally a week behind on this new year! I started journaling my New Years' resolutions before the New Year and then crazy things happened and I haven't even finished that journal entry!

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It’s been a couple months since my last post, but the holiday flying kept me pretty busy. A lot of people asked me if I was sad to be working the holidays and if it was hard for me. Honestly, it wasn’t! I absolutely LOVE my job (which you will probably hear me say quite often here on my blog)!! I’ve also moved around a lot on my own since I graduated high school so this wasn’t going to be my first time away from family during the holidays. Also, with my job, I am able to fly anywhere I want on my days off. So while I wasn’t able to celebrate the holidays with family and friends on the actual days, we had our own celebrations when I could be around. I am so grateful to my family and friends who understand my job and are willing to celebrate early or late to include me.

So, without further ado, here were my holiday trips!

Thanksgiving: Sioux Falls, SD

I had a three-day trip starting November 26th, which was getting me back in NYC on the evening of Thanksgiving Day. I had a trip the next day so I wasn’t going to be able to go home even after getting back. BUT what was great about this trip, we had a full day off on the second day, a 27 hr layover! I love trips like these because I technically get paid to have a day off of flying haha.

Anyway, Sioux Falls was FREEZING!!!! It had just snowed the day we arrived. The biggest thing to do in Sioux Falls is, well, obviously, go and see the falls! But during this time of the year, they weren’t open during the day but they have lights during the evening. My crew and I really wanted to see them, but we were told we needed to drive through and we didn’t know if an uber would take us through (they probably would). However, we also were getting picked up at 330am and we wanted to get enough sleep (which is extremely important as a flight attendant, we really LOVE our sleep).

During the day, I walked around the small town and found some fun little shops on Main St. They have lights and decorations around town which was perfect for entering the holiday season (I don’t know about you, but Christmas music is not allowed for me until after Thanksgiving).  Below is a picture of one of their trees decorated with ornaments. The statues are a little hard to see but the one in front of the tree reads: “The Angel of Contemplation”. There were these little statues and sculptures all throughout Main St.

If you find yourself in Sioux Falls, Zandbroz is a must! It’s a cute shop with a bunch of little knick-knacks. Books, toys, kitchen items, gifts. I actually got a few Christmas gifts for people here. If I had more room in my suitcase, I probably would have boughten a lot more!

I found this coffee shop that had a very rustic feel. I love the round wood table tops and their overall atmosphere was relaxing. I ended up getting a hot chocolate (because, well, it’s cold and hot cocoa sounds great during the holidays!) I sat and read for a little bit while enjoying my hot cocoa in an actual mug rather than a paper to-go cup (though I did get a pour-over coffee to go for my walk back to the hotel). On my walk back, I ran into the “i love you” sign on the rooftop of a building. I don’t even know what this building was, but I liked the sign, so, enjoy. 🙂

                San Antonio, TX

I had a layover in San Antonio a couple days after Thanksgiving. They had just decorated the riverwalk and their lights are lit every night! While it’s very crowded on the riverwalk, the lights are beautiful. The weather is still nice enough where you don’t really need a heavy jacket and the water just adds an extra element. Phone pics don’t always give the best quality, especially at night, but here’s what I got!

Riverwalk lights

Boat rides on the river

Cool church on the walk

  CHRISTMASTIME!!!! 

ICE! at Gaylord Rockies Resort

I LOVE Christmas! It’s my favorite second holiday after July 4th (I really, REALLY like fireworks). In December, I took my days off to go to Denver and Fort Worth to spend time with family and continue traditions.

If you’re in Denver during the holidays, the Gaylord Rockies Resort is a MUST!! They have so many different activities to do there for Christmas. My boyfriend and I took his nephew to ICE! which is a Christmas story carved into 2 MILLION POUNDS of ice!!!! That’s a lot of ice. This year, they did Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer which is my favorite Christmas movie!! When you first enter, they give you parkas because they keep the building at -3 degrees to keep the ice from melting! Seriously, one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen!

They also have a walkway with lights everywhere that really is beautiful!

27th Annual Christmas Cookie Baking with Grama

Every year, for as long as I can remember, the grandkids have always made homemade Christmas cookies with my grama Overman. We usually try to make them closer to Christmas, but this year we made them in the first week so that I could be there in person rather than over skype (which we have done in the past). This is something very special for me and is probably my favorite tradition. I love being with my cousins and making a mess (sorry grama) and it’s always fun to decorate with homemade frosting. The recipe for the cookies and the frosting was passed down from my grama’s grandmother which makes it all the more special.

NYC!!

The holidays are a big deal in NYC. . . duh! It was extremely hectic when I went, so I didn’t get a lot of pics, but it’s still really cool!

Cartier

Rockefeller Tree!

HOME!!! 

I was able to get about a week off before Christmas to be with my family and catch up with some friends. Even though I wasn’t home for actual Christmas day, we celebrated our own Christmas and it was just as wonderful!

Six Flags Christmas

Brunch with my TX Girls

Christmas Dinner with the fam!

  I was blessed with a long Denver layover on Christmas Eve. My boyfriend and I spent the first half of the day with my family in Loveland and the second half with his family in Thornton. I could not have asked for a better way to spend Christmas Eve while technically working. I actually don’t have any pictures from this day because I thoroughly enjoyed being in the moment.

  I hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving and Christmas! Thank you to the passengers who really were wonderful on these days (you can continue that on a regular basis you know. We appreciate it all year round, not just on these days lol).

  Stay tuned in the new year. . . my friends and I are conquering Times Square for New Year’s Eve!!!!!!!!

  B ❤

Chapter Seven: Holiday Travels It's been a couple months since my last post, but the holiday flying kept me pretty busy.

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Chapter Six: World Mental Health Day

Chapter Six: World Mental Health Day

Today is world mental health day and many celebrities have been posting their own struggles and experiences with mental health. I’ve never been this vulnerable before but I decided to be today. So, here’s my story:

  Growing up, I thought mental health was something that needed to be diagnosed. Someone who struggled with mental health needed a doctor to diagnose what they were dealing with and…

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Chapter Five: Starting Over

Chapter Five: Starting Over

I like starting over. I like fresh starts. I like the first of every month. I like Mondays (or Sundays depending on how you view your week). I like even numbers and numbers divisible by 5. I LOVE New Years! While everyone knows New Years is for starting over, I consider all these days a good day to start over.

It’s no secret that in January my family and I decided to take our health seriously.…

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Chapter Four: Prague <3

Chapter Four: Prague 

My favorite part about my job? Getting a last minute call to go to PRAGUE!!!!! What is my life?!?! Before I get to what you’re actually here for, let me give a little bit of background. As a flight attendant, I have 6 days out of the month that I am basically “on call” from midnight to midnight. I can preference specific or generic trips I want (specific: actual rotation available on our employee…

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Chapter Three: Mental Health Day (a.k.a sleep day)

Chapter Three: Mental Health Day (a.k.a sleep day)

One of the first things they tell you when you become a flight attendant is that you will get sick within the first three months, so take your rest seriously and don’t overwork yourself. I thought I was invincible, to be honest. My FA friends had all gotten sick within the first month, I had to just get through August — the last of summer flying. I started feeling congested on a Tuesday and…

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Two weeks ago I turned 27!! Sometimes I feel like I’m still 21. . . or 12 for that matter. Every year I say I’m more blessed than ever and this statement still holds true for this year. I don’t even feel like I have a job because I love what I do so much!

A little fun fact about me: I love setting goals and dreaming of the person I could be (whether I actually follow them or not is a different story). I set goals on my birthday and on new years because I’m very cliché. I made 27 goals for 27 — they’re not all big, there are goals within goals. One of those goals is to get back into my personal blog. So without further ado. . .

Hello Again

While I’d love to catch everyone up on my life, it would be way too overwhelming with just the past two weeks, so we’ll take it slow.

The life of a flight attendant (oh yeah, I’m one of those, did you know?) is unique — that’s the best word I could come up with to describe this craziness. I don’t really know what to tell people, so just ask away! The first question I always get: “Where’s your favorite place so far?” OR “Have you been anywhere cool?” Um. . . what constitutes as cool? I think being able to travel just within the states and get paid for it is pretty cool! I have yet to travel international (except for the Dominican Republic), but as far as in the states go, Philadelphia has been one of my favorite cities!

Originally I wanted to visit the liberty bell because that’s what you do in places — visit landmarks and touristy places. But, what was just a few blocks from my hotel? The Rocky statue and the famous steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art that he climbed during his physical preparation for his fight. My father basically raised my brother and I on Star Wars and Rocky, so I apologized to History and made my way to Rocky instead. Some people may not understand this, but Rocky has basically become a part of Philadelphia history at this point. There were people in line to take pictures with the famous statue and yes people were running up the stairs and posing at the top in various Rocky poses. It was quite the pop-culture experience and made me wish my dad was with me to witness it too.

Philadelphia Museum of Art steps

Rocky Statue

Top of the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps

After walking those steps (yes, walking, not running. . . Sorry Rocky) I decided it was time for lunch. . . for a Philly Cheesesteak obviously! You can’t really go wrong with wherever you decide to get one — they all have pretty great reviews. And they’re EVERYWHERE!!! Good luck narrowing down a place. I chose Jimmy G’s Steaks and it was DELICIOUS!!!! But again, you can’t really go wrong with anywhere you choose to go.

Philly Cheesesteak. . . You’re Welcome.

Besides the touristy things to do and see, take a walk down Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Flags from various countries line the streets and historical statues, museums, and libraries (obviously) are just a few great stops along the way. Or just sit on one of the benches and take in the beauty of city. Truly an unexpected surprise, Philadelphia became one of my favorite cities — so much so, I’m planning to go back in August to fully explore. Let know if you check it out!!

Benjamin Franklin Pkwy

The Thinker

Philadelphia Free Library

Stay tuned for more journeys of the Letter B. ❤

  Chapter One Long time, no talk. . . Two weeks ago I turned 27!! Sometimes I feel like I'm still 21. . . or 12 for that matter.

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Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi

Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi Review #amreading #review #badreview #notafan #RestoreMe #ShatterMe

Over six years after publishing Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi decided to release Restore Me — a continuation of the original trilogy. . . in my opinion, that was a mistake. The original trilogy introduced Juliette Ferrars as a young teenage girl with a lethal touch — literally. Only two people could touch her without dying — a soldier who ends up rescuing her, and the man torturing her (insert love…

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Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau

Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau #amreading #dividingeden #joellecharbonneau #YA

Audio books are hit or miss. Either the narrator is monotone and puts you to sleep, or they captivate you and keep you on the edge of your seat. If you get the right narrator, you can close your eyes and watch the novel like a movie in your head as they tell a story. Of course, the actual book has a lot to do with it as well. Summary: Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau and narrated by Lauren…

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On This Day . . .

My much needed lesson on Forgiveness this Easter season.

I’m enjoying this Easter season a lot more this year than in the past. I’ve always enjoyed this special holiday, but this year in particular has been amazing. Over the past few months, I’ve been doing studies on the Trinity as well as on forgiveness and I didn’t even know I needed to learn what I’ve been learning. I’ve recently admitted — out loud — that I haven’t forgiven myself for things that…

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Calling all my mid-twenties (or older), single ladies! Where you at?!

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know my hashtag #25andSingle haha! Don’t get me wrong, I like to embrace my single days . . . when I want to. But am I the only one that feels like the married life is suffocating me?! I’m not talking about being jealous of my married friends. While jealousy does happen from time to time, I can never blame my friends for finding their spouse and being happy! Besides, what we see online is every one else’s highlight reels right? Not their “behind the scenes.”

I’m talking about the things that change when you realize you are ready to meet your future husband sooner rather than later. For Instance:

Has anyone else started looking for rings on left hands lately? Like, where did that thought come from?! That freaks me out! Ladies, please tell me, I am not the only one who does this now! I don’t remember looking for that feature before because I don’t think I cared! (Not in a homewrecker kinda way, come on now!) I wasn’t looking for my husband, and therefore wasn’t looking for a ring on any man’s finger. Now, I’m apparently looking? I have to remind myself daily to sit back, breathe, and put it back in God’s hands. That doesn’t say that I still can’t work on myself and becoming the person I want to be for myself and for my future husband. But me looking, should be because God’s guiding me, not because my flesh is looking. Make sense?

Have your New Year’s Resolutions revolved around physical or even spiritual changes. Honestly, I think of the ones who said they loved me, then treated me as if they didn’t want me a part of their lives. Thoughts like, maybe if I was smarter, skinnier, funnier, prettier, more outgoing, then maybe they would have wanted to be with me. After all, if I am the way I am, and they didn’t want me, why would anyone else right? So I found that some of my resolutions were revolved around those thoughts and “fixing” myself.

And with the holidays, singles ALWAYS find one way that makes them feel lonely (if you’re not one of those singles, tell me your secret!). Whether it’s the Hallmark movies–which I’ve tried to avoid–family members asking when you’re going to meet someone or subtle hints of wanting babies around again, or the reminder that you won’t have a kiss under the mistletoe or a New Years Kiss, or the simple fact that you have no one to sing those Christmas love songs to/with.

I’m not trying to be negative and not even looking for sympathy. Just looking for all my single ladies to tell me I am not the only one who has these thoughts/feelings and who has suddenly become extremely aware of guys’ left hand jewelry haha! Besides searching for my single ladies, I also want those ladies to know, THEY are not the only ones either. I know it’s hard to hear advice from our married friends who say, “just be patient, it’ll happen someday.” Yes, they probably went through what we are going through, but some of them may be younger than us or we think, “that’s easy for you to say, you were married by the time you hit my age. . .” etc. So, for our married friends, forgive us for our jealous moments, and forgive us when your encouragement and advice sometimes doesn’t make us feel encouraged when your “Prince Charming” is sitting in the next room.

So, shout out to all my single ladies who are living the SINGLE LIFE in your mid-twenties or older in a society that is saying “Your clock is ticking.”

  See my non-engagement pics below! 😛

  Bare ring finger (relax, I’m not flipping you off)

Single Ladies Sound Off!!! Calling all my mid-twenties (or older), single ladies! Where you at?! If you follow me on Instagram, you already know my hashtag #25andSingle haha!

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Vulnerable

“. . . For she thought, ‘I will follow my lovers, the men who give me my food and water, my wool and flax, my oil and drink.’ Therefore, this is what I will do: I will block her way with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall, so that she cannot find her paths. She will pursue her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will think, ‘I will go back to my…

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone came out 20 years ago today! Check out my new post for Bookstacked! Link in bio! #harrypotter20 #HP #amwriting #blogger #amreading #wizardingworld #readingismagic #jkrowling http://ift.tt/2tNLYWi

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The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

Review: The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

Title: The Princess Diarist Author: Carrie Fisher ISBN: 9780399173592 Publisher: Blue Rider Press No. of Pages: 257 Release Date: October 18, 2016 Genre: Biography Rating: ��♥♥♥ Summary: The Princess Diarist is Carrie Fisher’s intimate, hilarious, and revealing recollection of what happened behind the scenes on one of the most famous film sets of all time, the first Star Wars movie. When Carrie…

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The Returning (The Seer Series #3) by Rachelle Dekker

Book Review: The Seer Series

Title: The Returning (Seer #3)/ The Seer Series Author: Rachelle Dekker ISBN: 9781496402288 Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers No. of Pages: 464 Pages Release Date: January 17, 2017 Genre: Christian Fiction Rating: ♥♥   SUMMARY: Twenty years have passes since Carrington and Remko’s baby, Elise, was kidnapped and they were forced to leave her captive in the Authority City. Elise has been told a…

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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (book 1)

Book Review: The Sisterhood of the TRaveling Pants (book 1)

Title: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Author: Ann Brashares ISBN: 9780385730587 No. of Pages: 294 Genre: Coming of Age Publisher: Delacorte Release Date: September 24, 2002 Rating: ♥♥♥♥   Summary: Carmen. Bridget. Lena. Tibby. Four  best friends–since birth–ate spending their first summer apart. Different stages;  different countries. The day before their separation they find a pair of…