Pausing for SERIOUS note

It seems like all fun and games until someone gets hurt.  In this case it was my heart! So, this story starts out pretty sweet...  You see, when I started here at PATH I was introduced to my co-worker Loann.  Loann works from her house in Beach so she doesn't come to the office that often.  She is one special lady!   She loves a good laugh and will do pretty much anything to get one. She is full of life, jokes, and most importantly (in this job) LOVE!  

So, to start this scene off right I need to do some background info. on this.   My first week here I was with my boss Joan.  We decided to have lunch with the whole office that day.  Joan and I drove separate to the restaurant, we were waiting in the lobby for everyone to arrive.  The host asked if we were with the nurse we said "no" and proceeded to sit and wait.  After like 15 minutes we get a call., they had already sat in the restaurant.  So, Joan and I go around the corner and all of them are in red velvet looking basketball like suits.  Not only did they have these awesome outfits but they all had Velcro shoes to match!  If you haven't figured it out yet....these guys were the "nurses."  So who was behind this great outfit.... LOANN! 

After working here for a month or so I get a package from Loann.  Inside was this amazing pink outfit. It basically looks like a button up, crinkled, silk pair of PJ's. How so very weird sweet of her!!  We had this meeting coming up where the whole Western Region was gathering for business.  I mean wouldn't this be a great opportunity to wear all our matching outfits and show up like a BOSS!  YEAH!! So instead of wearing our awesome pink outfits, I just happened to get this amazing offer from "Woman's Within."  40% off and it could be used on clearance items.  So what did we purchase with this coupon.....

This could be yours for the low low price of $11

Yup....isn't it a beauty!  And so flattering I might add. Like it literally brings out the color in our eyes, matches our skin tone and makes us look so huge skinny!  Don't ya think??  All I can think of right now, which it doesn't pertain to this, but could kind of... is from the movie  Home Alone..."Buzz your girlfriend...WOOF!"  Yeah we knew.....but it just made these that much better!  Plus I don't know if you can see but there are POCKETS!  So the plan of attack was to wear these to the meeting and see if people noticed we matched.  We put on different cardigans and dressed them up a bit.  

 So here is my outfit and reveal of the day...

H-O-T-T hot! I know! No need to tell me...

Well we get to the meeting bust in the doors and no one really notices. We got asked individually for a while what the occasion was for the dress, questions like that.  Then one person in the MIDDLE of the meeting FINALLY notices and says something.  Our boss was laughing so hard I am sure she was tearing up.  It's cuz they are so awkward I know!  Our plan worked, we had fun with it, the day goes on.  

So this is where life gets serious folks!

When we travel to Bismarck for meetings together we always stop at Target because we don't have one of those here...SAD FACE!!  Plus they have super good popcorn!  Target is attached to the mall in Bismarck.  My co-worker who is so adorably pregnant, needed some clothes so she asked to go to the maternity store quick, since we don't have maternity stores here in Dickinson (we don't have much here).  I told her I would go with her since I didn't have anything other than popcorn to buy at Target.  So, we head on our merry way down to the other side of the mall.  This mall is pretty big it would be like walking from Sears to Herbergers in the Fargo Mall.  So we have a good ways to make it to the other-side.  On our little walk we stopped and looked at some sales that were on the sidewalk sale that just happened to be going on.  As I am standing there waiting to start walking again this lady NO JOKE walks by me with the most disgusted look on her face staring at my dress...COMPLETE judgement and a look of you are an outcast...as she finished walking by she turned her head and put her nose in the air.

NOW I know we wore these as a joke and they looked ridiculous I am completely and utterly aware of this HOWEVER this does not make it okay for people to treat you that way.  I brushed it off and laughed it off to be honest and kept walking with Natalee to the store.  The looks continued, the points started to come out AND the facial expressions were out of control!  I was so uncomfortable.  We got into the maternity store and the sales lady laughed and was like I just LOVE your dresses and asked why we did it and etc. Total supporter of fun stuff!  After the store, we obviously had to walk back through the mall.  I waited for Natalee to use the rest room and have NEVER been more uncomfy in my own skin.  

The situation...it was kind of like I was walking around saying this...

But in all reality I just found it crazy how people can affect your mood and attitude so much...and with out a word spoken.  As we continued our walk, the looks and smirks were given the whole way back to the car. While driving home we all talked about what happened and how we felt.  I was just crushed....and then I started to think...some people dress like this or dress in a way that is different then the main stream fashion and who are we to judge anyone on how they want to dress or look. Yes, I know that I have passed judgement and have been that person on the other end.  I am not innocent but I think that with age and growth we start to see things in such a different way.  All I could think is what if this was all I could afford. Or what if this is something I made and was so proud of.  All of these thoughts were just racing through my head and I just was so SAD!  Because of that, I decided I was going to blog about it and just send some reminders to everyone reading:

* Don't judge...you have no right and you don't like to be judged either, so why do it to others

* If you are disgusted with something or don't agree etc.  don't have it written all over your face,  learn to control yourself in an adult manner.

* Everyone has feelings, careful when dealing with someone else's

* Appreciate people for who they are, not for what they have to offer or what they look like.

* Looks are, and NEVER will be the main reason to have any type of a relationship with someone...if they are you should maybe re-evaluate that relationship. 

* Remember you NEVER know what someone else is going through....BE POLITE 

* Treat others as you would like to be treated.

* and most importantly....LOVE, LOVE, and LOVE some more!  Everyone needs LOVE

This world needs more giving, more thoughtfulness, and tons of LOVE!  Be that person!

Now that I'm over the serious part, you all can poke fun at the dress and laugh about it. That was the point of the dresses in the first place.  It was just the purposeful rudeness and mad judgement that was the problem!  

I'll end this one with a quote from one of the funniest and most loving people 

"Be kind to one another" -Ellen DeGeneres 

So Much Love,

Nicky 

JUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU----LY

 So here we go again.  Another month, another few weeks, without a blog entry.....*ashamed face.

It's just been a none stop month.  I was home in Dickinson probably about 5 days out of the whole month of July...It was rough! We had the fourth of July week then I trained two weeks...Just nuts! So I thought I would share this picture with the world because Trevor the one on the left took this down off of Facebook because he didn't think it was true, I will upload it on here because he can't delete it but.....He looks like Jimmy Neutron!! There I said it! AND I can't help but giggle every time I see this picture.  I mean it is not everyday you have a cartoon on Nickelodeon about your life.

Jimmy: Well the data seems to support this hypothesis.

Nicky:  That's right Jimmy, It sure does!!...It sure does! 

So over the fourth of July, I ventured back to the Abercrombie area for some POOL30!  I just can't get enough!  My mother bought some fun things at Walmart.  One included was this awesome balloon animal kit! Starting with the top right (cuz I know you are dying inside to know what these are after my HARD work!!)  TURTLE, bottom right: SWAN and the big picture with my cheesy smile....A PARROT!  WHAAAT?

I know!  I do...I know that all of you are sitting there wondering where I got this talent from and saying "how does she do it!?"  The answer......there were instructions!  But hey I mean I did pretty good with picture instructions and this was my first time so I will mark this one as a success!

 Our agenda for the weekend was celebrate 'MERICA and then go on a road trip to the cities to get some special people.   On our way we stopped at Albertville to get some things. Picked up this cute kitty cat up on the way too!  

Meow

Lick, lick, lick

HISSSSSSSSSSSSSS

 Anyway that was an adventure in itself....obviously I was bored!  Back to these special people!  We picked up my sister in law and my nephew!!  Below is a bonding moment between the two of us!  Just love this guy!

Mardee and Kassie chilling on the dock at Gma & Gpa's lake cabin

Our first special moment! All smiles with his Favorite Auntie!

 After the lake we went and chilled in Abercrombie.  I took a million couple pics to capture this magical bonding time.

AHHHHH yeah!

Girl...this is enough!

Just kidding I got more for ya!

Best friends! <3 

After a long weekend at home we headed back west.  We made a pit stop in Bismarck and saw some of our favorite cousins and auntie!  They met Adrian for the first time.

I'm surprised we got this much beauty in one picture!  Serious! Girl we look good haha....and done with the jokes

Now back to reality!  For like a few days...I went home and decided to go for a run! This is what it looks like by my place.  Do you see that white thing there....YEAH..that's right its a ginormous dandelion!!  Like the BIGGEST  I have ever seen in my life!  So my reward for running was that I get to blow the "leave" things off of it after ward.  So I proceed to run coaching myself like "there is a prize after this one! Keep going!  Best prize EVER!" So after finishing like a champ I am cooling down walking back all excited like a two year old with bubbles.  And then there it was!  The monster of a dandelion!  So I jump into the ditch grabbed the sucker and just stared at it because honestly it was so cool!!  Like this has to be the adult version of a dandelion!  Why else would it be that big?!  So then it happened! My lung filled up, my cheeks expanded and then I huffed and I puffed and I blew those "leaves" right off that dandelion! That's right.....I did it, and then stood there with a huge smile on my face because.....I.........WAS.......PROUD!

THEN!! After all this excitement my day go ten times more exciting!  So I was walking back on the road and I heard a semi coming.  I decided to run to the end of the driveway and get off the road.  You never know who is going to be around and if they will see you..etc.  So I get into my driveway and as the semi drives by my driveway I for some ODD reason turn to look at this semi....and you would NEVER believe who it was!  

Jake!!

As you can tell from our faces in this picture we were pretty stoked to see each other and the randomness!  It was awesome and made my week!! Love this guy!

This is the sunset I ran into....pretty sweet view if you ask me!  

I found this next photo on the internet and you know how everyone asks who your celebrity crush would be? 

Yup! He would be it!  I mean how could you not love him?  And he just says such nice things to me to encourage me!! IT'S LOVE!

So the following night I went into town to hang out with my co-worker Kim and her friend Marsha.  We went to the Alive at 5 event here in town.  It happens on Thursdays and they bring a band in to play.  You go and mingle and have food and drinks...etc.  Anyway then they have beer and wings at the Eagles YUM!  So we went over there and all of a sudden it started to sprinkle and the sirens went off in town.  So we drove to Kim's and waited it out.  This is the cloud that was over town. 

The middle of that cloud where the rotation was at.  I was standing right directly below it....INSANE!

Stopped at the fair on Friday night and saw this guy!  Favorite Cousin Zane!

Loving life in the back seat! 

These two cheese balls! How can you not love these two!?

I went back into town and spent some time with my friend Desi! <3   We stopped at the grocery store to grab breakfast food and saw this guy!!  He was one of my clients from CCRI!  He was waiting for a ride and I scared him, (nicely haha) and we chatted for a bit!  It's so crazy how much you miss people and when you see them it brings back so many memories!  This week that I had back in Fargo really made me miss CCRI and all my coworkers and clients!  They were all such an inspiration and they showed each and every one of us to live life to the fullest and appreciate the small things!

I got to go to supper with my dear friend Aaron.  We went to Doolittles, our old hang out.  Had some supper and caught up.  He showed me some renovations he did in his house (I used to live with him) and it looks so good!! I honestly feel like it is a brand new house compared to when I lived there!  So cool!

Jakester (in the picture below), kept calling and telling me it was time for me to come visit and take him out for supper at Texas Roadhouse.  So, I decided that he was about right!  I sent a message out to some friends that I worked with and we made a reunion out of it!  Talk about a great time! Thanks to Jake for telling me what to do! haha

The gang at Texas Roadhouse!  Best supper ever! Updates and lots of laughs shared at this table!

A little shopping trip before going to eat!  He is so tough!

Abbey, Me, Bill

Finally got the guitar strap for this!  He rocked out for us when we came over!

Group picture at the house

Me and Eric <3

So I went back to Bismarck after this weekend and did my first "adult" conference.  I realized that once I started going to these seminars that I actually went to one of these when I went to the conference a couple years ago for an award.  It still was nice to meet so many people in my field and who I have been communicating with over email.  

I made Kim take a picture with me since it was my first conference! I just love that she does these things to amuse me!

A while back I met up with Aaron and Brandon in Bismarck and they took me to the Blarney Stone.  Soooo good! If you have never been there I would recommend it (21+ crowd FYI).  Anywho it is so good!  SOO Good Kim and I ate there twice haha!  Here is a little pic of the cutest double date!!  And then there is a sign that is in there and I loved the saying! 

Then Kim was dress shopping for a wedding.  I went tried some on and then sat in the dressing room waiting and then this stuff happened.  I mean what else is one supposed to do other than sit there?!  The 15 year old girl comes out in all of us when we are by ourselves in front of a mirror...I mean seriously! I did realize I forgot the duck face in this so please excuse me for that and I'll make sure that I do one the next time lol.

Back to the grind at the office on Friday....well kind of...There was a slight delay in the process.  See Carla, Natalee and I decided to go to the side walk sales on our lunch break and go get a Italian Soda for $1.75.  Great deal...Right??  So anywho Carla stopped to do an errand and Natalee and I were going back to the office to start work again.  Well needless to say we didn't have keys and Carla was not back yet.  And Barb locked us out! We blame her!! Look at her having a party in the office without us! I mean she just sat there and kept blowing on that stupid party toy!! Didn't even bother to help us out!

Anyway Cheers to another month of making it out here in Dickinson!!

Life is great!  I have my struggles...but everyone does.  Depending on the day my answer could change but for the most part life is treating me really well!  I am trying to make the most of life and appreciate everything and opportunity that comes my way!  Thankyou all for being a part of it! <3

So Much Love,

Nicky 

This is one of my new favorite songs to run too!! ENJOY!