for kelsey

Y'all, today is Kelsey's not-21st birthday. Holla.

Kelsey, me and Harrison after an Ol' Ags crush party, spring 2009 and proof that I've third-wheeled with them for what feels like forever
(note: It's true -- I even third-wheeled it into their surprise engagement party this past December. EMBARRASSING.)
I've mentioned her several times via this blog as she is one of my very closest friends. You may recall her as the girl I spend my Jerzdays with. We met through her now fiancé, Harrison, back when they first started dating in the fall of 2008. I was dating one of Harrison's good friends at the time and, as a result, we all spent quite a bit of time together. Even after Harrison's friend and I split, the friendships between myself and the friends I had met through that relationship continued on, and for that I am extremely grateful.

Santa's Wonderland, Christmas 2008
We've known each other for years now, but the past year in particular has brought us closer together than we ever were in college. Being that we both live in Dallas, Kelsey and I (and Harrison, too -- we just can't seem to get ride of that guy) began spending more time together, whether it be couples' game night, going away for a weekend at Lake Granbury, sitting with me while I got my tattoo, scouting an 80s cover band, or simply spending every Thursday together watching the Jerz.

Jersey Shore party, September 2010
(Note: Kelsey made those awesome glasses I'm rocking)
In December, Kelsey and Harrison got engaged, by the way, and I'm entirely too interested in their wedding planning, maybe even more so than Harry. C'mon, August 11, 2012!

And Kelsey, seriously...if you can convince Harrison to let you have an adult flower girl...you know I'm all over that shit. Just sayin'.

Finally.
You know, moving back home after graduation last December was something I really dreaded, especially since all of my friends had moved to Austin. However, Kelsey living nearby and having the opportunity to deepen our friendship has been one of my greatest joys. She's smart, fun, beautiful, and damn crafts-y (seriously, she can make anything out of anything, it's ridic). I look forward to Thurdsays every week and I think she'd agree that we're both pretty blessed by the bromance going on between our boys. :)

So today (and this post!) is for you, Kelsey. I wouldn't have made it through my first year back in Dallas without you, your love and support. Happy birthday and I love you!

They are a very attractive couple.

dinner of champions

Growing up I hated Red Bull.

You know, the energy drink? During middle school and the early years of my high school career, my mom worked for the promotional company in charge of getting people psyched about Red Bull. We had cases all over the house because, duh, they were free. I long to go back to a time filled with free Red Bull because, well, I'm addicted. I used to think it tasted like Sweet Tarts mixed with tin foil, but now? Now it tastes like everything that's right with the world.

Too much?

This week has been a particularly busy one, work-wise, and I ended up having three (practically) all day shoots in a row. You don't realize how physical photo shoots are until you find yourself setting up and then breaking down stand after stand after stand after stand, hauling heavy tripods to and from location, running back and forth between the gym and the cafeteria because the schedule is too tight (read: impossible) and you need to be in two places at once. Not to mention all the crowd control, posing, and screaming. It's just a lot of work, okay? You get in the car when the last light has been loaded and the day is finally done and you realize: oh my god, I could pass out right here, right now.

That's how I felt Thursday night after the second shoot of the week: totally and completely exhausted. However, for the better part of a year, I've had a standing Thursday night date with my friend Kelsey (and her fiancé - ahhhhhh! - Harrison) who lives in Uptown. It started out as just getting together to watch Jersey Shore (judge away, please), but even after season 2 ended, we kept on with what had become something of a weekly ritual. Now that Mitch has moved back to Dallas and season 3 of the Jerz is upon us, it's become more of a weekly double date. Beverages ranging from cocktails to Sangria to bags of Franzia (don't deny it, Kelsey) followed by casual conversation and ending with an hour of DVRed Jersey Shore goodness come together to make one of my favorite evenings of the week.

Sidenote: you know what's awesome? Having couples friends. WHO KNEW. Don't get me wrong (and this is mostly directed to Mitch and I's single friends who I know secretly read my blog -- I'm on to y'all), I love my friends. Remember how bangin' I said they are? And I love Mitch's friends. I might even love Mitch's friends more than he does (shoutout to the Forneytown Boys, HEY-OH! and Trevor, too!). But having friends who are also a couple and who are also awesome has been a badass experience for us. It just had to be said.

End sidenote.

Basically all that's to say that this past Thursday I was tired, maybe a little too tired to make the forty minute drive out to Uptown. But when I texted Mitch saying, heyyyyy, sooooo, I don't want to bail on tonight, but..., his reply? Stick it out. Just drink a Red Bull.

Oh, hitting me in my weak spot. Well-played.

I couldn't very well bail after that. ALL I NEEDED WAS A RED BULL. OF COURSE. But you know what I also needed? Dinner. And, parents, since I also know y'all read this from time to time, can y'all PLEASE go grocery shopping soon? I really hate those granola protein bars and they're all we have to eat. I'LL STARVE FIRST. But instead of starving on Thursday, however, I decided the smart move was just to take some vitamins. Well, eat some vitamins.

Well, gummy vitamins.

Hello, beautiful.

I stuck the whole bottle in my purse and drove to Kelsey's apartment, chugging the aforementinoed Red Bull and eating handfuls of gummy vitamins. At one point I remember thinking, hey, maybe I should ration these, like, only eat one every mile? But then I realized that would be thirty vitamins and also, I'd only driven three miles and eaten eleven, so...that clearly wasn't going to happen.

Needless to say, I didn't restrain myself. I ate almost the entire bottle (they're 200% Vitamin D!) and had a great night. So great, in fact, that when I woke up at the crack of dawn the next morning for the next shoot and wanted to kill myself? I did the same thing.

Red Bull and a bottle of gummy vitamins. The new Wheaties?