fall

greetings from rexico, blog stalkers.  i am back for my 7th semester and i have to say that this semester is definitely looking to be the best one yet.  i will give you a summary of my past week [i can't believe it's only been a week...] in pictures.

this is my [beautiful, if i do say so myself] photo wall that makes me feel like i have all my friends and family with me right here in rex.

before school started our new friend janelle invited us to a bonfire.  squeezing 6 people into a truck actually wasn't all that bad.

 this is my first day of school outfit.  the only thing that would make this picture complete is if i was holding a handmade sign that said "first day of senior year of college"

 logan and i semi matched on day 1 with our white tees and blue jeans :]

 i still feel very proud that i picked out this outfit all by myself.  it even won sister erika's approval.

we survived our first week of school! back to school block party with some exceptionally good music and some exceptionally good friends.

slightly obsessed with this dress.  only slightly...

this is my little freshman roommate, brooke.  i call her my freshturd [it's okay, she laughs]. it's her first semester in rexico and she is definitely fitting in very well.  i help her with her math and she contributes her sarcasm and wit to the party.  definitely love her.

so this semester is definitely looking to be a great one!  probably going to be the hardest semester i will ever have [yay for intermediate financial accounting part 2] but i will try to enjoy it every step of the way!

xoxo stressball ollie

BEST WEEK EVER - camp twitch and shout 2012

**CAUTION: long blog post ahead.  BUT IT'S TOTALLY WORTH IT.

let me just start off by saying that it felt like i JUST wrote my post for twitch and shout 2011.  i can't believe the best week of the year has already come and gone.  this year i had the 13 year old boys.  most of them were going into 8th grade, but we had a few 7th grades and 1 9th grader.  they came from all over -- we had a few from texas, a few from georgia, 1 from new york, 1 from illinois, 1 from south carolina, 1 from north carolina, and 1 from florida. we started out with 10 boys but after a few unfortunate circumstances we dropped down to 8.  camp has changed my life again - and i know i say that every year, but this year was different.  i saw a group of boys go from picking on each other and some being bullies/bullied to encouraging each other, loving each other, and most of all, learning to love themselves.  i don't think i've ever been more stressed, frustrated or anxious in my life.  but i would give anything to have this amazing experience at camp again.  each year at camp is new and interesting and you never know what lessons you'll learn about others or yourself.

saturday [july 28] - today was counselor orientation day.  all of the counselors meet a day before camp starts to discuss logistics, have team building exercises, build friendships, make our weekly camp schedule, and go over our camper profiles.  i knew a lot of returning counselors from last year, and it was absolutely incredible to see them.  i also met a lot of new counselors whom i love dearly and already miss.

now let me tell you about my co-counselors this year.  their names were mindy, AJ, and cody.  i don't think i've ever had a friendship develop more quickly than with these 3 people.  by the first night with the campers [sunday] we could already tell that we would be best friends by the end of the week.  our camp director, hailey, advises us to give ourselves to the campers during the day and be the best counselors we can be, and then hang out with the counselors at night.  usually one counselor stays in the cabin while the rest chill in the dining hall or play games in the gym.  the 4 G2 co-counselors somehow ended up staying the cabin every night and would hang out/bond with each other.  we never planned on it, but it just happened.  it usually started out with mindy and i [who slept in a girl counselor cabin] saying, "oh we'll just stay until the boys fall asleep and then we'll leave", but then we stayed up for an hour or 2 after and talked in the cabin.  we usually reminisced about the day and tried to stifle our laughs so we wouldn't wake our campers.

we were also assigned 2 CTl cabin buddies, shelly and derek, who are our honorary co-counselors.  we definitely couldn't have made it through the week without them.

sunday [july 29] - so today the campers came.  i was on airport duty [a lot of the campers fly, so i was one of maybe 10 counselors who had to go to the airport to pick them up] so i got back to the camp around 2:30ish.  one of my G2 campers flew, so i helped him check in a then i went to meet my other campers back in the cabin.  i got to meet most of their parents, which was really nice.  out of our 10 initial campers, 5 of them were first timers at camp twitch and shout, and i think the parents [hopefully] felt reassured talking to us.  our campers were incredibly different and unique in their own special way, but the one thing that set them apart in the real world was the one thing that bonded them at camp -- and that was that they had tourette's.  their TS severity ranged, and i don't think i saw some of them tic.  a few of them actually had the same eye-blinking facial tic as me, so that was pretty funny because we set each other off when we were talking.  after everyone in our cabin was there, we had a scavenger hunt [and since we found all 20 clues, i got pied in the face], dinner, opening ceremonies, and bed.  our campers had a rough time getting to sleep [because they're so sleep deprived from being excited about camp but now that they're here they just want to make new friends and meet each other] but it all worked out.

monday [july 30] - first official day at camp!!! 7:15 wake up call [too early, in my opinion] followed by flag pole and breakfast.  our first activity of the day was mountain biking.  the camp director, hailey, came with us and we brought up the rear and had some bonding time.  but before biking even started, one of our campers told us he didn't know how to ride a bike.  cody and AJ volunteered to stay back with him and try to teach him how to ride a bike.  and you know what?  they succeeded.  and that camper will remember that moment for the rest of his life.  but back to my mountain biking experience.  i don't think i've been on a bike since i was 12.  but riding a bike is something that will always stay with you.  thankfully.  after the first 10 minutes we had to ride down a steeper little hill with a sharp turn.  before you even guess what happened, let me tell you.  i ate it.  hard.  i didn't turn quick enough and i hit a rock and fell. and hailey was in front of my laughing her butt off.  the reason she was laughing was because i was laughing.  even before my crash, i knew i was going down.  and when i'm scared, i laugh.  and that's why it was hilarious.  i [still] have a nasty bruise and bump on my leg.  but it's okay because i mountain biked and LOVED it.  and when we got back from our trail ride, our camper who just learned to ride a bike showed us his newly acquired skill.  and i think that was my first proud moment at camp -- seeing someone accomplish something new.  and his cabin mates were stoked for him!  after biking we had nature craft and made leather bracelets.  not too difficult.  then we had lunch and shoes off time.  shoes off time is a rest hour where we highly encourage the campers to sleep for an hour before the next activities.  our campers did not like to sleep.  schmeh.  after that, we had rock climbing and the pool.  at the pool everyone has to take a swim test.  our same camper who just learned to ride a bike, let's call him justin, was really scared for the swim test.  after he finished he said, "miss ali, i didn't think i could do it! but i did! i passed!"  i told him, "justin, this just goes to show you that you can do whatever you put your mind to.  don't ever think you're not capable of doing anything."  and that was another epic moment for me.  after cabin choice and dinner we had the luau pool party, where the entire camp swims [about 200 people].  we had the third annual belly flop contest, which one of our campers won for his second year.  then the 13 year old + campers watched iron man 2.  and then we went to bed.  today i learned how to be patient.  i learned how to encourage others.  my campers learned that encouraging others and having a positive attitude will make you a happier person, and sometimes bring rewards [we won the spirit stick!!!].  i learned that while people come in all shapes and sizes, they strive for one thing -- acceptance.

tuesday [july 31] - today was an interesting day, to say the least.  everyone in the cabin was exhausted from the lack of sleep they were getting [their choice, not ours] and we had a rough start.  but after sports, arts and crafts, lunch, shoes off, pool, boating, and cabin choice, everyone was happy and doing well.  i think we were finally getting in the groove of camp.  it also rained today.  MASSIVELY rained.  like a torrential downpour.  and because of this, we had the talent show tonight where not 1, not 2, but 3 of our campers performed!!! camper 1 opened the talent show by playing the guitar and singing 'let it be'.  and he was amazing.  camper 2 performed maybe 5th or 6th and sang justin beiber's 'boyfriend'.  he was awesome.  camper 3, who lost his voice and demanded that we tape his mouth shut, closed the talent show with an original song he wrote and composed on the guitar.  and he sounded INCREDIBLE.  he was really scared that his voice wouldn't sound great, but multiple people came up to him after the talent show and told him how amazing he was.  proof that sometimes all you need is a little re-encouragement from your peers.  today i learned that my cabin of 13 year old boys can tie-dye better than i can.  i learned [per mindy] that sometimes all you need is to liberate yourself by peeing in the lake.  i learned, again, that encouragement really can change someone's perspective.  i learned that actions speak louder than words. and i learned that everyone has something, no matter how put together they seem.

wednesday [august 1] - by today, i think all of us counselors were freaking out because camp was practically over, even though we still had 2 1/2 days.  today was another great day.  we drummed, did archery, went fishing, and went to the pool. i also ate a worm. let me tell you that story.  our cabin buddy, shelly, was fishing with us today and she told us that last week she had gotten 12 girls to eat worms. that statement may or may not be true.  now these worms had been sitting in a large bucket of dirt the entire week, so it wasn't like they were clean.  2 of my boys were eating worms, so i decided to do it.  and that's the story of how i ate a worm -- because i didn't want to be stood up by my 13 year old boys.  but i was the only counselor in G2 who ate one, so i'm awesome.  oh and then tonight we had wacky olympTICS, which is really messy color wars.  i was on the blue team and as a counselor i was expected to participate fully and encourage all others to participate.  i did a great job, let me tell you.  i even let my campers get me messy without fussing over it.  including when one of them had a shaving cream and scooped it into my eye.  i wasn't a happy camper, but i was a good sport.  before wacky o started, we had a surprise skype phone call from james durbin from american idol.  holler to my friend drew who arranged it.  he has tourette's and is an inspiration to a lot of campers, so it was incredible for them to hear that life gets better, especially from someone who is living their dream.  today i remembered how awful middle school was.  my campers and i had a few conversations and i felt their pain.  as the only G2 counselor with tourette's, i understand what these kids are going through.  not that the other counselors don't, but i think that my tourette's helped me connect with them in a special way.  one of my campers, who i absolutely adore, was always on edge.  let's call him wyatt.  whenever someone would say "wyatt", he would always say, "WHAT!?!?!", like he was in trouble, even though he never was.  i had a few special bonding times with wyatt this week and i made him my special project.  i wanted him to realize that people were there for him and were on his side.  i think it was today, or maybe earlie in the week, that one of the other kids pissed off wyatt to the point of tears.  he sat down and started sobbing uncontrollably.  i told him, "wyatt, we're here for you" and he said, "no you're not.  you're teachers and you have to be nice to me."  i proceeded to tell him that i was an accounting major, not a teacher, and that if i were a 13 year old kid, i would want to be his best friend.  he then said, "you have to say that".  he just always felt like people were against him.  that's what i wanted to make sure that he knew people really did love and care for him -- and also that we were rooting for him.  throughout the week, wyatt and i developed an incredibly special bond.  he would tell me things, like that he wanted one thing at camp -- to get a camp girlfriend [it happened and they were adorable], and whenever i came up just to talk to him, he would be honest with me and tell me that he was happy.  that's why camp is amazing -- because you help campers realize that they are special, and while they do have tourette's, they are loved.  if i didn't touch another kids life at camp [i think i did, so no worries] it would have been okay, because wyatt learned that people have his back.  today i learned that sometimes all we need is someone to talk to confide in.  i remember what these boys are going through [i was an 8th grader once] and i just wanted them to know that everything will be okay.  even though they are going through hell now, life gets better.  and i think my campers started to realize that today.

thursday [august 2] - so today was the last full day of camp.  we had arts and crafts, pool, and the high ropes course.  the high ropes course is about 40 feet off the ground and you have to maneuver across 3 obstacles, going from one telephone poll to the other.  you conquer your fear of heights and you learn about team work.  this challenge is something that cannot be done without the help of your team -- which was 4 of the campers and 2 of the counselors [including me].  now i'm not usually scared of heights, but for some reason being 40 feet off the ground walking on a tightrope had me freaking out a little bit.  i knew i was safe, but i had a few issues.  my issues were usually starting the challenge [like walking across planks of wood to the next telephone poll] but once i was actually completing the challenge, i was good.  i probably freaked out most of everyone, but i finished.  all 4 of my campers finished.  and they learned teamwork in the process.  i don't think camp could have ended on a better note.  after camper justin completed the ropes course he said, "miss ali, i didn't think i could do it."  but he completed the ropes course.  with flying colors.  then we had the camp dance.  and it started to sink it that camp was over :/  today i learned that camp is a life changing experience.  my campers learned that as well.

friday [august 3] - after a back to back sports session of dodgeball, football, and basketball, we had lunch and closing ceremony.  the closing ceremony is the best part of camp.  i cried.  cody cried.  stephanie cried.  we all cried.  not because camp was over [well, partially], but because we knew we had changed our campers lives.  they had changed ours.  and we knew that even though this was the most emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausting week of our lives, we wouldn't have traded it for a free Caribbean vacation.  i love camp twitch and shout and the ability it has to change lives.  i love the way that it allows kids to learn and to grow - and to learn to love themselves.  i can't predict how my kids will act over the next year but i know that in their heart of hearts, camp changed their lives.

 this is julie and i before wacky o.  julie is the funniest person you'll ever meet. and that's coming from me.

 the theme of the dance was superheros, so my michelle, jo, steph, and i were the ninja tourettles :]

the amazing 2012 twitch and shout counselors!!!

the G2 counselors, on saturday before the kids arrived.

 and this is our post camp picture.  we were just a little exhausted.

 thursday was superhero day, so i wore this beautiful homemade t-shirt.

 this was me right after my campers pied me in the face.  

camp twitch and shout 2012.

ollie's adventures in NY

i returned from my [much needed] vacation to Manhattan a few weeks ago.  how was it, you ask?  it was the experience of a lifetime.  one of my friends from high school goes to NYC and she stays in New York during the summer to take a few credits and intern.  i was lucky enough to visit her and experience NYC like a real new yorker [minus having my iphone in my hands at all times to use google maps].  here's my travel log for your entertainment.


day 1 - june 25 [monday]
my flight was originally supposed to have left a 1:45 pm by of course something went wrong.  the window seal next to the pilot was having issues so they had to make sure the cabin was pressurized properly.  it ended up not being safe so a whole new plane from NY was coming for us.  at this time, i was supposed to land in NY at 2 am - and since i was staying with a friend, i didn't think showing up at her apartment at 3 am would be a great way to start my vacation.  long story short, i ended up being able to get on a 9 pm red eye that got to NY at 6 am.
day 2 - june 26 [tuesday]
my dear friend, christina, had to go to work from 9-9. so what was a tired tourist in NY supposed to do?  take a nap, of course.  then i walked around her area.  she lives in east village and there are some pretty cool shops around there.  after indulging in an incredible vegan lunch accompanied by some amazing vegan ice cream, i made my way back to her apartment for nap #2.  hey, it's my vacation and i'll do what i want.  christina got off work at 9 and we went to S'Mac for dinner - a cool macaroni and cheese place that makes bunches of varieties of mac and cheese.  they even had GF/DF macaroni and cheese, which was perfect for me.  we walked around the city and she showed me where she goes to school and works.  we ran into some incredibly crazy people- including, but not limited to, a drunk girl with crazy hair who wanted to initiate a fight because we wouldn't help her, a guy [probably on drugs[ who was pretending to be a velociraptor and got way too up in christina's business, and a plethora of homeless people.  we went back to the apartment and watched Chopped.  epic day.
day 3 - june 27 [wednesday]
got up at 11. met christina at her school [she had to take a final].  we walked from east village to chelsea marketplace and then along the hudson river and somehow ended up in chinatown. it was just a really fun and casual day.  in chelsea marketplace we found a pop shop art festival and bought some cute things.  we had another great lunch [christina said new yorkers don't kid around about food] and relaxed in her apartment for a few hours before dinner.  it was super hot and humid, so the heat took a lot out of us!  we dressed up really cute and went out for dinner at this posh place called beauty and essex.  her friends, grace and gabriel, joined us and i LOVE them.  

day 4 - june 28 [thursday]

slept til 11. again. it was super hot. again. duh. when i got to NY on tuesday christina had a little itinerary waiting for me with cool neighborhoods to walk around, cute shops, good food, safety tips, etc., so today i walked around the east village and went to some of those cute little boutiques.  one shop was half trinkets and clothes and i wanted to buy EVERYTHING.  for those of you who know my love for [useless] trinkets, you probably understand.  you might even share the same love for them. because who does't want a mini plunger to hold up your iphone? or a deck of cards in a cassette case?  anyways, NY is gorgeous. i kept taking pictures of the landscape and buildings and christina was like "don't you want to be in the pictures?" and i jokingly said that i'd draw myself in if i ever felt the urge.  christina interned today so i met her at her work and we got dinner at this amazing mexican food place and then went to this comedy club to watch some stand up.  for those of you who know my love for 30 rock, judah friedlander [who plays frank] concluded the show.  i was so excited- it was a little ridiculous.  at the end of the show i got a picture with him [he said he liked my old school disposable camera] and then we walked over to another comedy club called UCB, which is the comedy club established by amy poheler.  jim parsons from the big bang theory was there with some actor from mad men who's name i forgot.  so it was a fun night of comedy.
day 5 - june 29 [friday] 
woke up and got dressed.  went exploring around the east village.  the good thing about NY is that it's like impossible to get bored - there's always something to do.  i walked along broadway and went shopping.  i got a cute dress and some shirts.  more boutique shopping and exploring.  picked up christina and went to dinner.  those of you who know me know that i am a foodie.  i appreciate food as much as the ex fat girl.  i am not joking when i saw that this meal was in the top 5 best meals i've ever ate.  oh my gosh.  i got this flank steak with balsamic sauce and these perfectly crunch fingerling potatoes with some sautéed spinach [with pine nuts, raisins, garbanzo beans, in a vinegar-y sauce] and christina and i shared this saffron tomato rice that i'm still drooling over.  it's called Boqueria and if you are ever in manhattan i command you to go to that restaurant. after dinner we went to watch some 30 rock cast members and writers do improv.  it was hysterical!!! it was only 45 minutes long, so that was kind of a bummer.  i wish it was a little bit longer.
day 6 - june 30 [saturday] 
today we explored brooklyn.  there's this little food market called schmorgesburg [i apologize if i completely butchered the spelling] with a bunch of different vendors who sell everything from beer cookies to loaded has browns to asian cuisine to bbq.  epic.  i got these has browns with scrambled eggs and pork. #winning. we saw Oprah's bff gail at the market too.  we sat in a little park overlooking the brooklyn bridge and enjoyed the shade.  then we shopped in some cute little stores. i got this dress and christina got an old school night gown - the one with lace and it's all frilly.  when we got back to the apartment she put it on and kept twirling around and saying "i'm a cupcake. i'm a lemon drop."  haha after a subway ride back to her apartment and 2 downton abbey episodes later, we went to dinner at this amazing raw/vegan place.  then we walked to the flat iron building and took pictures.  amazing end to an amazing vacation with an amazing friend.


disclaimers:
[1] i apologize if i misspelled anything. my fingers are tired.


and that's my vacation.  definitely a wonderful adventure.


xoxo ollie the new yorker

happy mothers day to my sueeeee

happy mothers day to my ollie. 
my chauffeur for 16 years. 
my personal chef. 
my shoulder to cry on. 
my snuggle buddy. 
my shopping partner. 
the second, and only, member of my book club. 
my nurse when i'm sick and afflicted. 
my appointment schedular. 
my homework helper. 
my birthday perfectionist.
my crafting specialist.
my paper proofreader.
my professional packer.
my laundry do-er.
my hair brusher.
my bank account.
my fashion savvy, technologically retarded, perfect mom.
my biggest cheerleader.
my best friend.

i love you the millionest.


xx ollie

ruby's tics

preface: my squeaking tic is back.  


let it be known that i babysit for the cutest kids in the world -- leo, ruby, and miles.  they are absolutely precious in every single way possible.  


so today while ruby and i were coloring she started to squeak, just like i do.  it usually happened right after i would tic.  here is the conversation that occurred between myself and ruby, the 4 year old.


R: why do you go like this [she proceeds to squeak and blink her eyes, like i do]
A: well, ruby, i have something wrong with me.  i've told you that before.
*we continue to color in silence.  and then ruby squeaks*
A: ruby, why are you squeaking?
R: you do it.
A: well do you think it's funny? or cool?
R: i think it's cool.
A: are you trying to be like me?
R: yes.
* conversation over.


[1] oh, the innocence of a four year old.
[2] who knew tics could be so cool that others want to have them?


xx squeaking ollie

jean vests and stripes

suzy got my this wonderful jean vest for easters.

casual outfit for work

 new striped shirt and $30 shoes from tj maxx

oh, what a beaut.

i think i'm in love with my jean vest.  and striped shirts.  and looking absolutely adorable.  hi ollie.

xx fashionable ollie who loves her jean vests and stripes

summer 2012 playlist

it's summer. which means it's time for a new mix CD to be played nonstop in my car while i drive aimlessly from point a to point b to point c back to point a. just incase you were wondering [which i know you were], here's what's on my summer 2012 'nonstop epicness to jam out to while having a great summer' playlist.

atlas hands by benjamin francis leftwich

autum by big scary

blackout by breathe carolina

blood by the middle east

free fallin' by john mayer

half of my heart by justin and michael

i know i know i know by tegan and sarah

imitation of life by R.E.M.

new slang by the shins

pursuit of happiness [steve aoki remix] by kid cudi

rainbow by jack johnson

the road by matt costa

saviour by lights

sky [feat. ingrid michaelson] by joshua radin

slow dancing in a burning room by justin and michael

sunshine by matt costa

verona by geographer


now, i must warn you -- these are some pretty stellar songs.  i wouldn't even be offended if you took this playlist and burned your own 'summer 2012 nonstop epicness to jam out to while having a great summer' cd.  hell, i'd be outright flattered.


happy listening & happy summer.


xoxo ollie the music lover