Thursday, December 13, 2012

A Topic of Firsts

Hey friends! I saw this post on Amber's blog a few days back and I was in love with the idea. I think it's a fantastic way for you guys to get to know me better. Here are some of my firsts!

First thing you do when you wake up in the morning:
I usually groan at the fact that it's time to get up and usually check my emails and social media before getting out of bed to actually get ready. Priorities people!




First thing you reach for when you open the fridge:
Probably milk. I am obsessed with it and could drink 4-5 glasses a day, there's no such thing as dairy overkill is there?! Oh wells!




First things you do when you get to the gym:
I've fallen off the gym wagon lately, but when I do go I usually head straight to the nearest open treadmill to get a run in.




First thing you do when you get home from work:
Since the sun is going down earlier it is usually dark by the time I get home from work so I usually get changed into my sweats {if I'm not going out after work} and get right on my laptop.




First car:
My first car was a '96 Toyota Corolla in a deep red. I loved that car, that is until my sister crashed and totaled it.


First accident/traffic violation:
This actually happened just a few weeks ago the day before Thanksgiving, you can read about it here. It was my fault and I rear ended the car in front of me {to be fair, she did short-brake me}. Coincidentally, I got my first traffic violation that day too for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.


*my poor car :(*


First thing you wanted to be when you grew up:
Why a princess of course. It was either that or a ballerina, can't remember exactly, but definitely was reaching for the more achievable career choice don't you think? Now I'm just about done with school to become a medical assistant and I couldn't be happier with my decision to choose this path for myself. Definitely not a ballerina or princess, but I'm making a name for myself and really isn't that what we all want for ourselves?!



*I think I just really wanted to rock the tutu*



First choice beverage:
Vitamin water-Fuji Apple or if it's nighttime {or just a hard day} White wine!






First choice breakfast:
Bagel and cream cheese, preferably Panera bagels.




First choice dessert:
This is definitely hard because I have a huge sweet tooth, but it's either cheesecake or cupcakes.






First song that comes to mind:
I am obsessed with Taylor Swift's new CD Red and a song that is constantly roaming around my noggin' is Begin Again.




First major purchase:
The only thing I can think of right now is my plane ticket to India a few years ago. Those bad boys are expensive and I was proud to say I could pay for it myself!



First job:
My first job was at Mrs.Field's Cookies at the mall. I loved the eating cookies and drinking Icee's all day at work, but hated being in the mall during the summer missing out on all the fun! 


*Not the one I worked at, but looks similar*


First time you flew on a plane:
My parents took me to India when I was just a wee 7 months old and I guess that would be the first time I flew on a plane, do I remember it, hell no! 


*Yup that is yours truly my first time in India*

Well I hope this was a way to get to know me better, also thanks to Google Images for the majority of these pictures! What are some of your firsts, leave your links if you did this post in the comments below I'd love to read yours!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Tuesday Topics {Instagram Faves}

Hey lovers! Happy Tuesday, it has been rainy and gloomy around these parts and I am actually wishing for a little snow. I mean I do live in Chicago, we are known for our horrible winters. I'm not wishing for any horrible storms, but a little snow that sticks around would be nice, I always did love watching the snow fall. Anywho, I wasn't going to post today, but I saw Tiffany's post for this week's Tuesday Topics and wanted to join in on the fun! 



This week's topic is:
6 of our favorite Instagram photos!

You can follow me on Instagram here or @npat62

These were pretty hard to choose, but it was fun to go back and look at all the pictures on my Instagram, enjoy!


If you know me at all, you know I am obsessed with Starbucks and cannot function properly without it so of course the drink pic {one of many} had to be a favorite.


This was me lounging poolside at the MGM Grand pool in Vegas, how I would love to go back to Vegas and be nice and perfectly tan again!


I'm not 100% sure why I love this picture, but maybe because my hair isn't doing it's own thing and actually cooperating with me has something to do with it. 


These 2 girls keep me sane 99.9% of the time and this was taken late summer at Gameworks where we all just let loose and had a blast! 


I have really gotten into my wine nights and I'm glad my friends are all wineo's because it helps having drinking buddies! This picture was from an impromptu wine night we had at my girlfriends house, love those kind of nights.


This picture I picked because I quite frankly love this outfit. It makes me look skinny and I absolutely love wearing summer dresses, too bad I have to wait 5-6 months to be wearing them again.


What are your 6 favorite pictures you've posted on Instagram? Link up and leave links in the comments section below!

Toodles lovebirds!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Let's Get Social!

Happy Sunday! Currently I'm browsing the outlet mall with my girlfriends getting the majority of my Christmas shopping done, so thank god for scheduled posts! I'm linking up with the wonderful ladies Neely and Ashley for a little Sunday Social time! 


Sunday Social
1. Fave holiday movies/TV specials?
Love watching Elf, Home Alone, Love Actually, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and a lot of those super cheesy Christmas movies on Hallmark channel and Lifetime!

2. Do you do any volunteering during the holidays, if so what? If not, what would you do?
Every year at work we have a holiday assistance program where each department brings gifts and food items all wrapped up and in baskets and it is given to employees that need a little help around the holidays and families in the community. It's a little way we all give back and we have fun in the process! 

3. Favorite toy received as a child for the holidays?
I love Disney movies and my favorite one was Aladdin so the best toy my parents got me was my very own Jasmine stuffed doll. I loved getting her and carried her everywhere with me, she still hangs out in my room!


4. What was your must have item in high school for the holidays?
My own telephone line and phone for my room! It was back before I had a cellphone of my own and I needed to be able to talk to my friends on the phone while simultaneously chatting on AIM! 

5. Item you begged for the most and never got?
I always wanted the Barbie beach house. My younger cousin was the one who had all the cool Barbie toys and I was super jealous of it and my parents never got me that Barbie house, but every year I asked for it until I got too old to want it anymore. {When & if I have a daughter, she will get the coolest Barbie toys!}


6. What do you do on Christmas eve?
Most years all of us cousins just get together to exchange our gifts, bake goodies, and watch countless Christmas movies all night long. It's really the only time we get to really let loose and enjoy ourselves together since a lot of us are busy with work and school!

What were/are some of your favorite gifts and items you lusted over?
Any fun plans for Christmas?
Leave links in the comments below!

Friday, December 7, 2012

Nail Files {12/7/12}

Happy Friday lovers!! I could not be more excited for it to be Friday and getting this weekend to just relax and hang out at home, plus get a ton of studying for finals done! I've been in a mood for the past few days where I just can't stand people, do you guys ever feel that way. Like there are some people at work that cannot let a minute go by without complaining, that pisses me off so much. Sometimes I just want to yell please shut up and stop complaining, people just aren't thankful for what is around them and instead find reasons to bitch and moan about each and every thing. These are some ecards to just sum up all this...




"Jeez, tell me how you really feel Nikki" is what you're all thinking aren't you? Well that's just a combination of hatred for stupidity in people, complainers, and raging hormones, a super lethal combination I'll tell ya! 

Anyways, here's the real reason for the post, linking up with Vicki and Tara for Nail Files.


This week I wanted to try something a little different with my color mixing. I love a neutral nail and have been rocking one for a few weeks now, but I wanted to throw in a punch of color with a polish I've had laying around for a while. I think the sparkly hot pink accent nail is the perfect color to off-set the neutral polish. I re-used my Butter polish in Yummy Mummy and for the accent nail used L.A. Colors BCC 575 Pink. 


I love the polish quality in the Butter polish and even though it comes with an expensive price tag, having a few staple colors is important, plus those Ulta coupons come in handy for these or you can ask for some as a stocking stuffer!! 

What are you lovebirds sporting this week?
Show off those pretty nails and leave links in the comments below! 

Toodles princesses!

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Life Lately

Hey friends! I wanted to do a quick post today {I feel like they have all been quick lately, but that's what the holiday season will do for you}. I've been quite the busy bee finishing up this last semester, only a week left until I'm on break until Jan 16th! I can't wait to not have to worry about homework assignments, quizzes, studying, etc. Next semester I start theory and lab along with my externship in March and I couldn't be more excited to get hands on!! Work has also been crazy, we've been busy since the end of the year is quickly approaching. 

I have not done too much of my Christmas shopping, but I have gotten a few secret Santa gifts all done and shipped out. While I was at the mall doing some shopping over the weekend, I stopped by Godiva and picked up their dark chocolate decadence shake {which is amazeballs by the way} and my free truffle for the month! 


I also stopped by Toys R' Us to get my cute little nephew his Christmas gift. I had a really hard time shopping for him because I'm not sure what he likes at this age. Also I don't know what he already has, cons of living in diff states, but I think I picked some great toys. What do you think, is it age appropriate for a 2 1/2 year old?!



His dad is in the air force and he is big into cars/trains/motorcycles/etc, pretty much anything with wheels he loves. I figured getting him the jet from Cars would be a nice reflection on his pops air force life and isn't that Mickey the cutest! 

The next part of my life I suppose I can do an update about is my love life. So things between N & I are going swimmingly. He has been super busy during the week in rotations and weekends are the only time we have been getting to really get some conversations out, but the texts throughout the days make it go by. He sent me this text a few weeks ago and I was smiling from ear to ear. The context behind the text is I was talking about how I am learning more about fractions, decimals, metrics during my one class this semester than I ever did in elementary school and how it will help me out when I need to teach my kids. He on the other hand said he doesn't remember a lot of math and I suggested I could tutor his kids in the future. So this is what the text said:


Disregard the ghetto fabulousness of the picture of my text, I'm not high tech enough for the iPhone quite yet, so this is my "screenshot". He is the sweetest thing and knows just the right things to say to make my day go better and make me smile awkwardly {in a good way though}. 

So hopefully you guys got a little glimpse into my life lately. What's going on with you guys lately?! Leave your comments and links in the comments below!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Pin, Pin, Pin, Just Keep Pinning

Hey friends! Happy hump day! This post is being brought to you super quick. As in 7 minutes until I have to leave for work so I'm pumping out a semi-decent oh who am I kidding post. I'm linking up with the gorgeous Michelle @ The Vintage Apple for Oh, How Pinteresting. I have found myself wasting away hours at Pinterest lately, maybe it's all the holiday cheer and fun crafts that I'm not doing, or all the gift ideas I am getting for other and myself! Whatever the case may be, this is what I've been pinning lately:





Source: google.com via nikki on Pinterest






Source: imgfave.com via nikki on Pinterest






Source: google.com via nikki on Pinterest



Source: houzz.com via nikki on Pinterest







Now that my friends is how you crank out a post in just 7 minutes. Sorry for the craptasticness of this post and I promise I will give you guys something of more sustenance at a later date! Have a great Wednesday folks!

Monday, December 3, 2012

Friendsgiving 2012

Hey friends! It's the first Monday in December and not that it makes it a better Monday, but the holiday season is in full swing around these parts and I cannot be happier! This past Saturday, we had our first annual Friendsgiving dinner and it was a super success. There was so much food, awesome laughs, and plenty of adult bevvies. I'll let the pictures do most of the talking, beware of a picture overload!! 


Food and drinkage


nachos!!

Pumpkin pie

Pinwheels

Pecan chocolate pie

Fondue time!

Apple pie shots

Love these guys


Epic fall  after a group hug

All of us 

My favorite!



Google hangout with one of the guys who couldn't make it


Sorry for the obscene amount of pictures, but with a busy week at work and extra time spent studying for finals, pictures are all I got peoples. I used Sunday to do a lot of recovering, aka sleeping until noon and then spending the rest of the day perusing the mall for secret santa gifts. I hope you all had a fantastic weekend!! 

Linking up with Leeann, Sami, and Dana for Weekend Update!