Trip to Brazil

So we use the Outlook calendar system a LOT at work. We all have it set up so you can see other people's calendars, and we use it for all of our social stuff in addition to of course our work meetings. So we planned out this trip to Brazilian BBQ in Seattle a few weeks ago, and Andy made the calendar invite and called it "Trip to Brazil". So the big joke for a few weeks was that we were going to Brazil. It's been fun! Anyway, so tomorrow I got home from work, watched The OC, went running (great run!), took a shower, and went tanning. Then I met up with Amanda and walked over to Andy's (he lives super close to us too, we feel like it's college again! I'm never moving...). Geoff and Vin were at Andy's already, so we hopped in Andy's car and headed north. I tried to sleep a little bit in the car ride up there but of course that didn't happen. But I did get to rest and got to chat with everyone some. So when we got there, we went to Pike's Place first off... yaaaaaay I love that place! Then we went and got food at one of the stands across from Pike's, then went to Seattle Center and went to the carnival near the CN Tower or whatever that thing is called... oh, the Space Needle I guess. Anyway, we chilled there, did the bumper cars and a kiddie coaster, laughed it up. Then we went back to the grassy area by Pike's and rested for a bit before dinner. Dinner was GREAT! Super yummy food, drinks, laughs, good times galore. I was a little tired so admittedly I was crabby, plus my tummy's been bothering me lately because my Remicade is due Tuesday. So that was a little rough, but other than that dinner was good. And Geoff once just kinda rubbed my back and asked how I was doing, which for some reason made everything okay. I love how guys can sometimes do sweet little things that totally cheer girls up, even if the girl is not interested at all. Friends are so great! And I love that guys are "fixers". The car ride home was weird... Amanda and Vin were sitting next to each other and got in this big deep discussion (sort of, really it was the same as Amanda and Geoff on the way up), but it was SO AWKWARD for me and Andy. Geoff was sleeping, and every time I tried to get in the conversation I was rejected (like 3 or 4 times). Vin was trying so hard and flirting and the rest of us were just sitting there. And I was in the back with them, and Andy was up front driving, and it sorta sucked. So after that we were all pondering what to do, and I was annoyed with Vin having sat on what felt like a first date because he was trying so hard, so I was just going to go home. It was awkward and no one knew what to do, and we all wanted just Vin and Amanda to go watch a movie, but they didn't want to and so finally I was going home and Amanda walked me home and then she asked me if I would do something else. It's a long story, but we finally decided to go to Old Chicago! I told him that he was being annoying before we got there, so he was nice to all of us and we had a GREAT TIME there. It turned into a sweet night, and it was awesome. And after 36 hours of being up (maybe 30 minutes of sleeping on the ride home), I went home and slept for 10 hours!! Gooooooood.

Vin called me at like 9:30 this morning, and wanted to go running (we had planned a 5 mile run today). But I didn't answer until he called back at noon... and by then he was sick. But he'd gotten a lot of errands done, even though he claimed to have been sick all morning. He didn't know what to do being all alone for a whole morning. Anyway, so we decided to get lunch, so he came over and collapsed on my couch to take a nap... so I watched the rest of 24, which he sort of got into. Then we went to Red Robin (formerly RRGBAS, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Spirits, THERE'S an acronym for you!) for lunch. Then we went to REI so I could ask out REi boy, but to no avail... he was there, but much too busy with customers. I don't think there's a chance for that until I rent something again. Oh well, at least I did get a new hiking book! Yay! Then since I've promised Vin for months I'd take him clothes shopping, we went to lots of stores and made him SO CUTE. I fixed his hair like 6 months ago, now it was time for the clothes. So now he's a little hottie... hehe yeah right. But he's cute, and looks pretty good. Amanda will be impressed! After that he taught me how to drive stick shift... yay!! I got really good and tooled all around Hillsboro and Beaverton. Good thing because we're switching cars tomorrow so I need to know how to drive his. Then we went to Chipotle and got dinner and then I came home. It was such a fun day. I love shopping with him, he's actually a lot of fun to be in a mall with. The 2 times we've gone to malls it's been great. So yeah!! Goodness all around. Amanda called and we were supposed to hang out or go to the hot tub or something tonight, but it just never worked out. Hopefully tomorrow or Tuesday... I'm keeping my fingers crossed! When I go to Cabo next week I'll miss my friends... I'm so happy to be able to say that!!! It's so great to have not no one, and not just Vin, but lots of people to miss. But yaaaaaaaaaay to Cabo with the girls! Woot!!

Andy and I had a great conversation tonight. I love that he and Amanda live so close and that we can hang out and all of the goodness that I miss SO MUCH since college. I can be happy again!!

Quick family update... my parents are doing well. They put their house on the market and are thinking about moving to either Texas or Chicago, more likely it will be Texas. I'd love it to be Chicago because then I could see all of y'all when I come home for Christmas and stuff, but I'm guessing Texas which will be cool too. Anything is better than Iowa, right? (sorry McCracken) My sister is a Gamma Phi at Iowa and LOVES IT. She's kind of at the top of the heap at Iowa rather than just a face in the crowd at Wisconsin, if that makes sense. She gets like straight As and is in honors organizations and all of that cool stuff. She's of course still getting all of the guys and also almost fluent in Spanish and Portugese, and hopes to move to Brazil. :-)