Fabulous Friday #11: My Coworkers

I have to say, my coworkers are some of the best out there. Come to think of it, I've always had great coworkers. My first job was as a cashier at my grandparents' grocery store, so my grandparents were among those I worked with, and of course they're fabulous. They are related to me, after all. Besides them, though, I worked with several other fun gals and guys who were always so nice to the boss's younger-than-everyone-else granddaughter.
I got my second job in college, at a tanning salon. I loved working there because I got discounts on Silver jeans, was often able to do homework at work, and made some lifelong friends in the Howes, my bosses. I also worked with some fabulous ladies who made cleaning tanning beds seem like fun, which is no easy task. I mean, wiping up pools of sweat ain't exactly glamorous. But the constant laughter shared with coworkers made it all worth it.
And this brings me to my current job at Tate Publishing. I'm so blessed to actually enjoy my job. And a large part of the reason I like coming to work every day is because of the fabulous folks I spend most of my time with. I work with a variety of people who are all so different yet get along famously. I don't think there's one person in my office that I haven't spent time with outside of work, which really says something. Even if I hated the actual work I do, I still wouldn't mind coming to work because of the people. So thank you, Tate Editing Department for making work not suck.
Here's to fabulous coworkers everywhere!

Meet and Greet Monday: the Bestie

Meet and Greet Monday is back, and this month's feature goes to my best friend, Jennifer. Jennifer and I became friends in elementary school, closer friends in high school, and sisters in college. We are almost the same person and basically share mothers. Our childhoods were freakishly similar---we were both named after girls our moms babysat, we were both painfully shy, and we both went through bad hair years (she had "sausage bangs," and I had a jerry curl). We were destined to be best friends.
In college, we bonded over no-bake cookies, boys, and our hopes and dreams. We can talk about everything and nothing and have a wonderful time together either way. When we graduated from college, I moved to El Reno and she moved to Okmulgee, where her husband was finishing school. For over three years, we had lived across the hall from each other and shared a bathroom. I wasn't sure I could handle us living two hours apart. But text messages, phone calls, and weekend visits made the time we lived so far apart bearable. I still remember the day she called me at work to tell me they were moving to Oklahoma City. I was ecstatic. Jennifer and I started having lunch together every week and could pick up and go to the mall or have a girls' day in whenever we wanted.
While life sometimes gets in the way and we aren't able to spend as much time together as we'd like, that doesn't matter because our bond is unbreakable.
Being such good friends, Jennifer and I have some wonderful memories together. Here are some of my favorites (in no particular order):

• Jennifer would sometimes come sit with me at the tanning salon I worked at in college because a) we stayed open until 9 and it was dark out and I was a baby, b) she got bored at the apartment by herself, and c) to bring me a sno-cone or Sonic drink. When I closed the salon and we got in our cars to go home, we'd each take a different route and race home to get the good parking spot right in front of our building. I'm surprised neither one of us ever got a ticket.
• One memory that makes me laugh every time I think about it is the time I stayed with Jennifer at a hotel in OKC the night before she attended training for a new job. This was in January, I believe, and it was freezing cold and icy out. After we put our stuff in our room, we headed to the IHOP across the street. Just as we got to the parking lot, Jennifer slipped on an icy patch and went down. I immediately went over to help her up...and promptly fell as well. It took us several minutes to get up because we were laughing so hard.
• Jennifer and I took summer classes in college so we could graduate early (what were we thinking?). One of the options for a summer session class was volunteering at the Special Olympics in Stillwater. Jennifer and I figured this would be an easy way to pick up a couple hours. As soon as we got back from our first Special Olympics, we knew we'd be coming back the next year. Both years, we left early in the morning, but not before stopping for donuts and chocolate milk for our road trip. We stayed on campus and got to help out at events of our choosing. Jennifer and I always chose bowling and swimming. We had so much fun and were really changed after working with the Special Olympics athletes and their coaches and parents.
• On one of our random late-night trips to Walmart, our friendly cashier gave us a recipe for blackberry wine bundt cake. We have no idea why he gave us the recipe, but we're eternally grateful to him because the cake is to die for. Unfortunately, at the time he gave it to us, neither of us was twenty-one yet, so we couldn't buy the wine. Thus, it took us a few years to finally get around to making it. Jennifer actually made me one for my twenty-fourth birthday, and then we both turned around and made it for Thanksgiving the next week.
• Midnight Taco Bell trips are one thing I miss most about college with Jennifer. When we first got to college, we felt so powerful and independent when we realized we could pick up and go anywhere at any time. So naturally, we made many, many trips to Taco Bell at midnight. We'd get greasy Mexican food and Pepsi, bring it back to the apartment, and stay up for hours, just talking and listening to music. Ah...those were the days.
• I will never forget the day Jennifer called me to tell me she was pregnant. I had just gotten home from work when she called. She asked me how my day had been and listened to me go on and on before I finally let her talk. I asked her what was up, and she told me she was pregnant. I screamed and said "no way" probably ten times. She was so excited, and I was just as excited for her. Another great memory is the day Jennifer had Reed. I took the day off work and spent the day at the hospital with Jennifer's family. When I finally saw her gorgeous baby boy, my heart melted. And it does every time I see him. Jennifer is an amazing mom and has made me such a proud "auntie."
• On Saturday December 6, 2009, I called Jennifer bright and early, and she immediately knew something was wrong. Not because of the ungodly hour, but because she could tell I was holding back tears. She asked what was wrong and was heartbroken for me when I told her my boyfriend of five years and I had broken up. Without hesitation, she told me to pack up my stuff and come stay with her, because he and I had lived together. I didn't want to barge in on her life like that, seeing as how she was pregnant at the time. But she insisted. "You would do the same for me, and it's no trouble at all," she said. I cried even more, but this time because I was so thankful and blessed to have such a wonderful best friend. I brought my stuff over...and stayed for a month. She and her husband were amazing those four weeks, never making me feel like a burden to them and doing everything they could to help me find an apartment, furniture, and a way to begin a new life.

I really don't know what I'd do without her, but I'm so grateful that I'll never have to find out.

And now for the best part, the part where I shut up and treat you to a few pictures of me and my gorgeous best friend!

Fabulous Friday #10: Birthdays!

We all know birthdays are fabulous, right? And I don't just say that because today happens to be my birthday. I've always loved my birthday, though, because my family and friends make it so special. My mom is always the first to call and/or text me, and I'm guaranteed a cake from one friend or another. Here's this year's, courtesy of my good friend Shawna, who has mad cake-bakin' skillz:

You thought the outside was fun, wait til you see the inside:

Rainbow cake for birthday breakfast

Yesterday I had a birthday feast with a couple of close friends. We piled our plates with lil smokies, guacamole and chips, puppy chow, and popcorn while watching Water for Elephants on Laura's wall---because we converted her living room into a movie theater, using a projector. (If anyone wants to get me a last-minute gift, I will accept a projector.)
When I woke up this morning, I had four text messages and too many Facebook birthday wishes to count, including a super-sweet one from my equally as sweet boyfriend, who is taking me out to dinner tonight.
Even though I am still in my pajamas, ate cake for breakfast, and haven't gotten a thing done today, I feel fabulous because it is my 25th birthday and I have family and friends who love me and have done so much already to make this day special for me.
So now I think I will have my birthday cake and eat it too!

Fabulous Friday #9: My Favorite Mascara

In my case, any mascara is fabulous because I look like the walking dead without mascara. I can kinda sorta get away without a full face of makeup, but mascara is a must.
On my quest for the perfect mascara, I stumbled upon Maybelline's Falsies. Okay, maybe not so much stumbled as saw a commercial for it, which isn't so miraculous because I'm pretty much always watching TV.
As soon as I saw the commercial, I rushed out and bought it. (And by "as soon as I saw the commercial" I mean when I got paid.) I mean, the commercial featured hot chicks dressed in black leather and riding motorcycles. Of course I needed their product.
And I was not disappointed. Here's why:

Don't mind the fact that my right eye (your left) is kinda cut off. Also, please disregard the unruly eyebrows. I'll get those taken care of soon. But how fabulous do those eyelashes look? You know you want them. So go out and buy this:

It just might turn you into a leather-wearing, motorcycle-riding hot chick with great eyelashes.