Monday, August 27, 2012

Playing dress up.

So recently I went thrifting on my way home from work. I probably shouldn't have since I'm about to move out and, therefore, don't need any MORE clothes to pack. But 1) it was pay day, 2) I hadn't been in a looooong time, 3) it was on my way home from work. How could I resist? 

Anyway, I was really excited about my purchases and I really wanted to show Anna all the cool things I got. But we've tried to show each other clothes over Skype and it just doesn't work. We usually have a bad connection and even if we don't, you still can't get a good detailed look at the article of clothing. So I decided to do a post about it. Now, I might have had a little too much fun with this assignment. I LOVE playing dress up. So take a peek at the newest additions to my wardrobe and let me know which is your favorite outfit! :)



{I like this one cause it brings out the blonde in my hair!}
Newest addition: Shirt!
Pants: Plato's Closet (Hollister)
Necklace: Target
Shoes: Thrift 

















































Newest addition: Shirt!
Shorts: Thrift (Village Discount)
Shoes: Thrift
Belt: Came with a dress





















 Newest addition: Skirt!
Shirt: I can't remember. Maybe F21?
Shoes: Thrift



















Newest addition: Shirt!
Pants: Thrift
Belt: Thrift (Village Discount)
Shoes: Ross
Sunglasses: Anna's
{I didn't have any photos with my first car to show the kids one day. Do now! (: }


Newest additions: Jacket and belt
Jacket: Thrift. From the boys section. Exactly what I've been looking for!
Shorts: Online
Shoes: Forever 21
Shirt: Forever 21

























Newest addition: Jacket. {IN LOVE}
Shirt: Forever 21
Pants: Plato's closet (Same from above)
Shoes: Plato's Closet
Necklace: Thrift

{That's my "biker" face...}


Whelp that's all I have for you! Hope you enjoyed as much as I did!

<3<3<3<3,
Marybeth

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Busan Beaches!


I am finally on vacation! Ah, the taste of freedom is sweet and sorely missed. A friend of mine, Greg, invited me to come visit a friend of his in Busan this weekend. I had no other plans, so I happily obliged! Busan is a south western metropolitan city which has the 2nd largest population in the country. Also, it's right on the sea. Which sea, you ask? It's kind of complicated.... Anyway, we left Saturday and I met Greg's 'ole college buddy, Gun. Then we went out drinking and clubbing (ha!) and we all got a little drunk and had ourselves a grand time.



Gun taking in some Sun.


The next day, we planned a trip to the beach! The weather threatened rain, but it managed to stay at bay. And then WE went to the bay! har har har... The water was warm and the air was warmer so it was nice to swim and lounge around. We went to Gwangalli Beach, the smaller of the two largest beaches. The water was a little dirtier but it was less crowded. It had this really big bridge out over the water. It was cool and an eyesore at the same time.





I wanted to do a beach post, so I took the opportunity and flashed some pictures! I also wanted to show off my new headband/handkerchief. Teehee!


-Anna-
swimsuit: Urban Outfitters (billabong)(also, from last year)
shorts: ebay
bandana: Korean subway

There was this strange little statue out on the water. I asked Gun, but he didn't seem to know what it was for.

On Monday, Greg and I were on our own with looking around so we hit up the fish market. Busan is right on the beach so they rely a lot on their seafood for revenue. It was basically just a long street with tons of sea creatures, alive, dead, and dying. Yeah, maybe a little gruesome. Now, I'm not too big on seafood, so maybe some of the appeal was wasted on me, but I will admit it was worth the trip. 
wtf gross phallic things which are not actual penis'.




We got lunch at a seaside restaurant which served.. you guessed it, fish! So Greg and I ordered sashimi (raw fish) and fried fish. We also got A TON of sides (which is typical in Korea, but DAMN). And they just kept coming! There was shrimp and smoked salmon and kimchi and soup and raw veggies, chicken, pork... and more that I couldn't even identify. It was all real yummy, you know, for fish, and we were thoroughly stuffed when we finally managed to fit it all in our bellies.
surprisingly not the full spread.
I also got a local dish, dwaeji gukbap (돼지국밥), which is a rice/pork soup. It's quite delicious! Add a few tiny shrimp and some kimchi for flavor, and you've got a scrumptious hot dish.

Oh and one more story:
So Greg and I went to this bar our last night out, and a few beers into the evening, I manage to drop my glass three inches off the table. Typical, right? Hahaha, so the thing shatters in to a thousand little pieces! Not even big chunks, noooo, tiny little bastards that land all over arms and thighs and table and floor. I have nothing too bad to show for it, but I did manage a few little nicks.

So that was my first adventure of my vacation. My second will begin tomorrow when I visit Elly's hometown on the eastern coast. I don't remember the name of the city, but it's not overly big. I'll be staying with a friend of hers, one I met a few weeks ago when I went camping! Awesome, right? I'll be hanging out with a normal Korean family who I barely know for four days. What a new adventure! I finished the first Game of Thrones book, but I have to wait to borrow the next one. So I'll be taking John Green's Papertowns, and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, so I'll crack into those during my trip. See you in a week or so!

Sincerely yours,
Anna

Friday, August 10, 2012

Wherever you will go


{I got this one guys!!}























Let us travel back to the last few weeks of July and I shall paint you a picture of my past. SO Liz and Joe went out of town for a week and I was appointed Wrigley-water. :) That was a fun week and right at the end of it, leaving our parents to watch the pup, I went to the Wisconsin Dells with the O'Neill's! We were only there a few days but it was SO fun packed! We stayed in one of the Kalahari's condos, boy, that place was sweet and I would love to go back there anytime! We filled our days with water parks, baby tiger, skyscrapers, mining, wizard quests, haunted boat rides, getting chased by zombies, pool tournaments, family, food, fun, and feeding deer! 







HAUNTED VOYAGE



























































While I was gone, my best friend Kaley came home from her month long stay in Barcelona, Spain! Although I was sad to miss her first day back in the states, her and her family and neighbors went to spend the day at her family's river house in Wisconsin, which was on the way home from the Dells! So I had Max drop me off there so I could spend the wonderful day with my two favorite people, Kaley and Elle! 

That day was an experience, let me tell you. We had a really great day boating and cooking up dinner with their parents. But then we decided to spend the night at the house and their families headed out. All was fun and games for a few peaceful hours. Just old friends coming together and talking about new experiences. We were outside by the dock, having just deciding to go for a midnight swim, when we got the pants scared out of us by a creepy lightless boat, blasting Eminem, that decided it wanted to get a closer look at our dock! :0 We were absolutely terrified and dashed back into the house, screaming like little girls. We couldn't get the back door locked on the house so we all three ran into one room and promptly starting barring the door and searching for weapons. With decretive oars in hand, we all fell silent to catch our breaths... and we could hear the music right outside the house!! We were all ready to fight to the death, luckily it didn't come to that, because after a few minutes whimpering and staring at each other, we decided to take the risk and go see if they were still there, to which we discovered that they weren't. We all sighed from relief and giggled nervously, but they night was pretty much over after that. haha I'm seriously never going to forget that night. Glad we're still here!! 























Unfortunately, they had to go back to school in a like a week after that day, so I tired to see them as much as I could before they departed for their different locations. Kaley and I had a wild night in Chicago for our friend Nicollette's 21st birthday! I got pretty drunk, but luckily I didn't do anything too crazy, just embarrassing. XD Fun pictures and videos came from that night. Also lucky was the fact that I was able to hang on to all my belongings! I had bought a cool vintage magazine called Movie Story from a book store in Chicago and I had it the next day still! Plus my phone and wallet! Phew! Way to go drunk self! The funniest part, for me, was that Kaley and I had gotten Taco Bell on our way home and, apparently, had trouble eating it because the next morning Kaley discovered a lot of cheese and beef on the front seats of her car! haha Gross. Still, I love my friends and I'm glad we know how to have a good time. 























The only downside of that was that the next day I was supposed to go back to Chicago with my mom and Liz to do our semiannual shopping trip! I woke up with a shock in the morning because I had left my phone on silent when I got home the night before so I missed all my mom and Liz's texts and calls so when my mom came down to see if I was getting ready, she found me passed out, and I awoke to not understanding what in the heck was going on! But I dressed quickly, ate breakfast, and we got in the car to go, first picking up my stuff from Kaley's house, which I had left in her car, but hey, at least I didn't leave it at a bar! When I had gotten up and was up and about, I had felt fine! Thinking that I must have had enough water to avoid a crazy hang over, but boy was I dead wrong. My mom and Liz ended up having to take me back home where I spent the whole day in a toilet bowl. Oh well though. It happens to the best of us. ;) 

On the 6th it was our mom's birthday but we had a little party on the 5th. Liz and Joe came over and made us some yummy shish kabobs on the grill while grandpa, dad, Max, and I all looked on and mom tried to help where she could even though it was her birthday. I made a simple spinach and fruit salad with breadsticks. All the food was fan-fucking-tastic! I'm hungry just thinking about it! The best was the cheesecake that Liz made for our mom's birthday cake. I was amazed at how great it looked and how delicious it was! Liz, you're the best!

































































*editor's note: is joe picking a wedgie, or what? sincerely, anna.




























































The next day I started my academy training at Petsmart in Schaumburg. 7 am sharp everyday! At first I was thinking, "shoot me now." But it hasn't been that bad and class is a lot of fun! I'm learning SO much! Not just about grooming but about dogs in general. I'm really happy I will get this experience so I can use it to other pet parent's benefit. :)

The biggest news in my life right now is that in September, I'm moving out! The little baby bird is finally leaving the nest. Brooke and Sam made the big leap and bought a house together!! A large, beautiful, characteristic house to call home and Max and I are going to move in with them for a year or so, to help out with money and what not. Luckily, we all get along very well, so it should be really great and fun! I'm so excited to move in and help start the renovations, like removing wall paper and painting. And even though my parents will miss me, and more importantly Storm, it's only in South Elgin so a very short drive and we'll still get to see each other all the time. I'm just excited for this experience and what life will have in store for Max, Storm, and I a year from now. :)

There is a lot to look forward to right now. And as soon as I get pictures of the house, I'll post them so you can all see our cute new home. PHEW! That's everything! Try not to get overloaded and if you made it this far down, well thank you! Thank you for reading, or skimming, and at least enjoying the pictures! All for now!

<3<3<3,
Marybeth