Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Christy!

23 was a pretty big year, and I'm not sure how 24 will top it. But I'm sure starting your new life with your husband, going to grad school and moving to WVU will provide good life experiences. I'm so lucky to call you my BFF. I love you and hope you have an amazing birthday!

Christy and Me, at her wedding.

Happy Birthday!

How perfect, today's 100 Day Challenge calls for:
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you.
Who better to choose than the birthday boy himself?

The man, the myth...the legend.

Happy Birthday to my great grandfather. He turns 100 years young today. That's right...the big 1-0-0. He's seen a lot in his long lifetime and I'm hoping he's around a lot longer. To the very best human being I know, I hope his birthday is all it could be and more...goodness knows he deserves it!

Love you :)

Happy Birthday!

Instead of including a long explanation of just how funny/goofy Richie is (and why he's one of my BFF), I thought I'd let the pictures say it for me....

Happy Birthday Richie!

Happy Birthday!

And even though he doesn't read my blog, Happy Birthday Kenny! 

I love you more than I could ever express and I'm so proud of everything you've accomplished so far. I can't wait to see what the future holds. 

Thanks for being my love and my best friend.

Love you :)

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Natalie! 

One of my best friends for almost 10 years (how scary that is to say)! Thanks for always having my back, giving me advice and making me laugh. Love you!

Me and Natalie, at her wedding - Summer '07

Happy Birthday Momma!!

Happy Birthday to the best mom and friend any one could ask for!

If I can be half the person and Mom you are, I will have been successful in my life.

Love you always.

Happy Birthday Susan!

Dearest Little One,

I can't believe you're turning 23, it makes me feel old considering I met you when you had just turned 18. I remember you walking into Meet the Chapter in your grey Blacksburg soccer sweatshirt (I'm a freak with a photographic memory) and knew that you would be my little. So after some stalking (and fighting off other people), you finally made the right choice and chose me as your big and life hasn't been the same since, I'm sure ;)

Thanks for choosing me so I could talk you out of dropping DSP, and we could have these past 5 years of awesome memories like...

...Parties (and the subsequent taking care of you after the party); the informative 'the optimal position' conversations; finding future husbands at the Brigades; snuggling at sleep-overs; going to Hokie football games; stopping traffic on 95 so I can pull a U-turn in the median; using IP relay to find out definitions for new things on urban dictionary; going to National's games; spending hours at the pool; True Blood marathons; SVC and Sweet Tea enjoyment; being OCD together; Costco shopping excursions; enjoying the influence of your susie-homemaker ways...and lots of stuff I'm probably forgetting in my old age.

Thanks for being one of my best friends, I hope you have an amazing day!! Love you :)

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my favorite Riva roommate :)

Kathryn and I lived together (and I mean shared the same room) for 4 months while we were in Europe. We took care of each other when we'd had too much to drink (tequila night for example); kept each other safe in foreign cities; laughed @ the drama; made fun of people; watched Harry Potter re-runs and kept each other's secrets. We don't see each other as much as we'd like to, but when we do...it's just like old times.

So Happy Birthday Kathryn! I hope it's amazing and I can't wait to celebrate with you :)

Happy Birthday!!

She likes to keep her birthday on the downlow. I LOVE celebrating birthdays. So, as a comprise (not posting on Facebook), I decided to do a little blog post, so here it goes...

Happy Birthday Jen!!

My "judging people, watching ridiculous tivo'd tv, laughing @ random things @ random times, advice giver, bitching partner, walking buddy, going to National's games, laying by the pool, sarcastic, kind hearted" best friend.

Thanks for being my best friend and awesome roommate! I hope you have an amazing birthday! :)

Please don't kill me for posting pictures of you. I was actually proud that I found enough (where you're not running away or hiding) to use for this!

Happy Dad's Day!!

In honor of my dad's birthday (June 12) and Father's Day (June 20), I'm going to do a Top 10 post on my dad.

Top 10 Reasons I Love My Dad!

10. He's given me the confidence to be an independent thinker. Whenever I would get fired up about a subject, he'd play the devil's advocate with "well WHY do you think they think that way?" and "What reasons do they have for their actions?" I've been able to step back from situations and see both sides.

9. He's passed on his love of sports. He's OBSESSED with sports. I'm his only child, the fact that I was a girl wasn't going to stop him from teaching me all things sports. I appreciate the fact that I at least understand all games and can sit down and watch about anything.

8. He never stops trying to embarrass me. Ever since I hit pre-pubescence my dad has been trying to come up with ways to embarrass me. Throwing tampons in the middle of a crowded parking lots (filled with cute boys, no less!), singing loudly and dancing in front of all my friends...he always tries. But he only embarrasses himself, and makes me laugh in the process :)

7. He takes really good care of my Mom. What's that song? What Lola wants, Lola gets...replace that with Wendy. He's shown me that treating a woman right makes you more of a man...

6. He tries to act tough, but his bark is bigger than his bite . Lots of people say they're intimated by him, but just watch him around babies. He turns into mush.

5. He gives good advice. I might not have taken it in the past, but he's usually right. (Don't tell him I said that)

4. He spoils me. I'm not a spoiled brat. But he'll help me out with things, buy me things, make me amaretto sours when he knows I've had a rough day...

3. His insistence that I become an independent person/adult. Sometimes I would look @ him doing things as him being mean, but looking back on it, it's made me the person I am today. I can figure out how to build things/take things apart/move things/cook things without anyone's help.(even though I like to be re-assured and supported!)

2. He makes me laugh, whether unintentionally or intentionally. Whenever I'm sad, I can turn to my dad for a good pick-me-up.

1. He loves me, no matter what. No matter how many times I've screwed up, he's been there to support me.

Happy Birthday and Father's Day to my Daddy!! Love you :)

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Christy!!Christy turns 23 today, hooray! She's such a youngin ;) I can't believe this will be the 7th birthday we've celebrated with each other, the years are flying by!

Thanks for being one of the most caring, loving and understanding people I know. Thanks for providing me with lots of laughs (whether intentional or not) and laughing with me when no one else will. Thanks for being a sounding board and a support system.

I love you and hope you have an amazing day!!PS. making this collage made me realize that we're a little ridiculous when it comes to taking pictures with each other ;)

Pop's Birthday Party

As in the previous post, Friday was Pop's birthday. On Saturday (very early in the morning) we made our way up to Carlisle, PA for his surprise birthday party.

Pop has an affection for the old western movies, John Wayne style. We decided to go with this for his birthday party theme. Read: a plastic curtain that had wooden swinging doors painted on it, complete with fake bullet holes.

All of his family was there (1 daughter, 6 grandkids and their families) and his friends. Unfortunately, my grandma/his other daughter was unable to make it as she's not mental well enough.

I think he was very surprised...when he walked into the room he had the "why is everyone I know in the room?" face

After he went around the room greeting everyone, he decided to check out what the spread for lunch was, I think he approved.

Next we did cake.

And then it was present time. He took that time to read all his cards and open his presents. Pausing in between each one to tell me a story that was related to the present :)

After presents, it was time to take pictures...

Uncle Joe and Aunt Sue with Pop

Me and Pop :)

Pop and the O'Brien's

Uncle John and Jenny with Pop

Pop, with his grandkids

Richie and Christy with Pop

"The Wendy's" and Pop, Wendy Ann (Aunt Dee-Dee), Wendy Beth and Wendy Ann (Mom)

The Whole Family :)

I think all in all, the party was definitely a success. I can't wait for next years 100 year celebration :)

Happy Birthday Pop!

George Howard Ditzel, or Pop as I affectionately call him, was born on February 19, 1911. Yes, you read that right, 1911. That makes him 99 years young today!

He's my favorite person in the whole wide world, and an inspiration to those who know him. He's the patriarch of the family, whatever Pop wants, Pop gets. Who could say no to him? He's an example of love, strength, patience and good humor. I love him and hope he's around for another 99 years!

Happy Birthday Pop!