Working for the Weekends

So it's been a while, but I must say that my life has truly only consisted of weekends since I've been back from California. My weekday usually looks like this: Crisp from 9-2, Lab from 3-5:30, Lion Line from 6-9:30. It's a long day, let me tell you. This is what I stare at on the computer screen for hours when I go into lab. It's pretty thrilling. The point of our lab is to try to find out how typical learners develop language and how atypical learners develop language with the hopes that we can then target how we teach atypical learners to match the way that they learn. That part is very interesting to me, but it's the analyzing data part that's really killing me.

So to break up the workweek, the past two weekends I have done well with entertaining myself (or rather, being entertained by my wonderful friends!) Two weeks ago we had a San Diahhhgo reunion with most of the kids who traveled to the West Coast (Leddy was still in CA, and Perri was sick, but everyone else made it!) We had canned wine, danced on the coffee table, got Iced, played card games, and brought out kitchen utensils:
All in all it was a fantastic weekend-exactly what I needed after throwing myself back into a 50 hour workweek from vacation. Weekend number two brought with it another incredible break. Saturday was Ambi's graduation party, so to prepare for our roadtrip to Allentown, Elaine, Kirsten, and I decided to cross one of the goals off of our summer bucket list before heading out: Whipple Dam. We spent a lovely two hours laying on the beach (the first time I had been outside besides walking across campus since I got back to the East Coast!) Our journey to Allentown then began. On our way there we stopped to pick up Coop who is in Reading for an internship for the summer. In a crazy coincidence, I discovered that he is living 2 minutes down the street from my Aunt's! An hour later we pulled up to Ambi's sister's house for the party. Before I even walked through the first set of lawn chairs I was being warned by a stranger that, "Mom's on the loose!" I looked at her confused before I heard a high-pitched yell, "Noellllle!!" I turned to see Ambi's mom, Nancy, staring at me from across the yard with arms in the air! "Nancy!" I responded, with a counter of, "We Are...!" This was the first of many times that evening that Nancy shouted my name, then the "We Are..." chant. Coop walked in behind me, 'terrified to meet the family' and introduced himself to Nancy, "Hi, I'm Will." "Cooper!!! Go Lakers!!" was her response. I informed him that Nancy is an avid facebook stalker, thus her knowledge of his last name and interests. We were all glad that Nancy set the bar so high for the consumption of alcohol for the weekend because we were ready for kegstands, canned wine, and karaoke. I would include the video of Coop singing "Genie in a Bottle" here, but he would murder me if he discovered that video made it to the world wide web.

After waking up the next morning and grudgingly leaving the wonderful hospitality of free food and drinks that came with the beautiful time spent with some of my closest friends (and their family), I was excited to make it home to Harrisburg for a quick stop to hang out with my Dad on Father's Day. After dropping Coop back in Reading I checked the gas gauge and decided we would be safe to make it back to the Hustle without stopping for gas. As we were taking the Linglestown exit the gas light dinged on, so I pulled into the station near my house to fill up. As I attempted to turn the ignition after filling my mini-van made a horrible yelling sound at me! I called my dad to tell him I was down the street with a car that wouldn't start...Happy Father's Day! So after several attempts and some very helpful gentlemen, we finally got the van started and Elaine, Kirsten, and I ventured to the coffee shop to visit with my sister, brother, and dad for a bit. A little while later I went to test the car and of course it would not start. So after jumping it again, my dad took my sister to test it out on the highway before we attempted to take it to State College. To make a long story short, it stalled out on the highway and my mom had to pick them up while the van was towed. She then brought Elaine, Kirsten, and I back to State College. Life is always an unexpected journey! (Update, the van is now fixed-woo hoo!)

This brings me to Sunday evening, just a short couple of hours after our arrival, we were reconvening at my apartment to celebrate Elaine's 21st! The three of us, plus two of the San Diahhhgo boys ventured to the Phyrst to ring in another year of Elaine's life! If pictures from this glorious evening ever see the light of day I will update with some illustrations, because we had quite a blast! Logan stole a tray full of french fries off an empty table for Elaine's birthday present-which may have been the hit of the evening.

All in all, my weekends have been full of laughter and wonderful memories with my friends. I am so blessed to be able to spend time with them! I am now getting ready to venture off to Millville, PA for my favorite week of the year, PA Vent Camp! I am looking forward to this week so much! Especially because one of my best friends in the entire world is joining us for a few days! After "graduating" camp three years ago, Kevin has been off spending his summers working for Obama (when he was still Senator), at internships in hospitals, and just being his fabulous self! But once again, he is joining us at camp, and word on the street is that I will be returning to the stage as a backup dancer for one of his famous performances! Stay tuned for evidence of my fabulous backup dancing moves!