Sisters...sisters...everywhere

In college I had the amazing good fortune of being apart of a sorority.  The relationships formed with my sisters have always been something that I have cherished most about college. 

I have amazing sisters, ones that I went to college with, ones that I meant after college and ones that I am still getting to know today!

When the opportunity came to go to dinner with some of my sisters, I was so excited to get out and spend time with some of my sisters!  First and foremost because I missed them and hadn't seen them in awhile and secondly because it is always nice to hang out with people my own age (working with people older than me...it's always a hazard....it's getting better now that we've hired younger staff members).



It was so great to hang out with these great women!  That is the best thing about the holidays...great food, great times and the company of great friends!

It was definitely a night to remember!

The next day Andrew, Rachel and I went on an apartment hunting adventure (for Rachel) and went to Bru Burger for what was seriously the best food I've had ever!  The salad was to die for and the Bourbon burger was amazing and juicy and melted in my mouth.  Oh my goodness it was amazing!  


Andrew is close to getting his license so we thought that he should start to learn how to put gas in the Acura...so Rachel and Andrew got out of the car and put gas in the car while I stayed warm and took pictures of them!

So to round out the fun filled two days...I finally was able to catch up with one of my dearest friends, loving called Sandwich!  She recently moved to St. Louis but came back for the holiday!  After almost 3 hours of talking and catching up it was like nothing changed.  That is the best part about great, long time friends...we can be miles apart but sit down and start talking like nothing has changed!

My bank account certainly doesn't need to be off for two weeks but my heart and my soul is loving this time off to spend with friends and family and all of my sisters!

With Love Always,

Alex

A Merry Christmas to All...and to all...Oh wait it's already morning!

So this was my first Christmas not living at home...we are not talking like when I was at college and I still had a place to sleep at home but that this year I have no bed, clothes or anything at my parents' house.  It was quite an adjustment for everyone.

For the first time we had to coordinate what time we would arrive at church, agree on a time to start the Christmas morning activities, and at the end of the each day...I am going home.  It's all a bit strange but not all of it has been bad.  Maverick and I are enjoying the peace and quiet of home and he likes the car rides to and from the house.  This has also been the first year that I have been up and showered before everyone else in the family.  And I didn't have to worry about hiding my gifts because I live someplace else. 

Last night, as we do every Christmas Eve, we went to Christmas Eve Mass, got our Chinese food, watched Christmas Vacation and then Maverick and I went home to snuggle up at home for the night!  Oh and did I mention we took the best Christmas picture ever....

Okay so for those of you who don't know...Rachel is holding our oldest dog Sugar, I am holding Maverick and Andrew is hoisting Mia up over his shoulders.  Yes, my friends that is how we do Christmas in the Kocher Household. 

This morning was fun as well...Maverick and I got up early and got ready to come over to the house and had coffee (me) and breakfast (him).  We came over and played until everyone was ready!  Rachel had the swell idea to play a trick on Andrew and they wrapped all of his presents and then put them in a box and wrapped the box.  We kept handing out gifts and Drew didn't get anything...I was worried and thinking that Rachel was being mean I kept asking them to stop...until I finally realized what they were doing.  Nice of them to clue me in!

So the presents are finally unwrapped...there were some pleasant surprises to the point that Rachel and I both looked at Mom and Dad like they were crazy!  So on to our comfy, cozy family, and dog filled day of movies, pinball and food!

With Love Always,

Alex

Small joys in life

I think it is great when you find something that brings joy to your life. For some people it can be a hobby like crafting or running (like Mom who needs to run all the time),  or cooking and baking.  Whatever it is, it makes your heart happy, it fills your soul and makes you feel content.

So a little over a year ago I found my joy (well one of them) in an opportunity to join Younglife in our community as a leader.  Right away it felt like it was what my heart and soul had been asking for.  I felt like prayers had been answered.  It's funny how the whole thing started for me, I was working a soccer tournament when a friend of my family's came up to me and just asked me what I was doing on Monday nights and invited me to check it out.  I was sort of hooked from there.

It's funny...the thought of an invitation.  So many things in life don't require you to be invited but there are so many things in life that we feel like we need invitations to be apart of.  Often times, I feel like they are the same things.  

One of the reasons I fell in love with Younglife is that it invites us into the lives of kids that in my case working in my room tucked into the office I wouldn't normally get to see.  When I think back over the year and think about all the relationships and friendships that have grown because of my time with this group I often find myself laughing at the jokes and craziness that has gone on and smiling at the conversations that have taken place and the trust that people can put into one another when we do invite people to be in our lives.

The other reason that this adventure with Younglife brings me joy is the people I get to lead with.  It is great to have such a wonderful support system in my life of other adults who believe like I believe and who want to see the same success for the kids as I do.  And did I mention they are as crazy as I am?

Because they are!  But I wouldn't trade them for the world!

With Love Always,

Alex

3 days to go...but seriously we aren't counting

It is hard to imagine that those crazy people who decided it would be so much fun to go to school only to go...wait for it...right back to school would actually be excited for a break but seriously it is getting harder and harder to get up every day and I could desperately use some time off!

The students are getting antsy, they are ready to break out of this  place like it's their job and I seriously don't blame them.  It feels like we are in school so much closer to Christmas this year than in years past.  Maybe it's because Thanksgiving was so late or that this year we have a whole week before break rather than our usual 4 day week.  Regardless of the cause it seems like this year it is harder to make it to the end.

So we are trying to do fun dress up days at school to make this last week slightly more bearable...today's theme is character day and I had no idea what to do it was the toughest one yet!  Tomorrow is mismatch day...that's so easy I can just go into my closet and be random and it will work...that's winning in my book!

Anyways, Michelle is totally feeling the same struggles that I am this week with trying to survive and make it to break.  Last night over some yummy pasta and baked zucchini we decided that we were in a rut and needed to do something.  Something...anything....just weren't sure what that something was.  This is why it's a problem that my seat at the dinner table faces the sliding glass door...because as  we were talking about doing something fun and spur of the moment I began playing with my hair...which used to be red and has faded to a soft red/blonde/brown/whatever color.  And the more we talk the more I was thinking that the night of the "Tuesday Night Dye Job" was about to happen!

So you know it's going to be a good night when the conversation with my mom goes as follows:
"Hi, Mom, you're going to be annoyed with my question because it's a serious question that you won't think is serious!"
Her response, "Okay...hmmmm!"
Laughing I responded with, "see this is my point, I knew you were going to say that...that's just what you do.  Anyways back to my serious question that you won't want to answer."
...no response....still waiting....take this as my queue to keep talking...
"How long should I wait to redye my hair?"
"Well how long has it been since you dyed it"
"I don't remember...everyone was gone and busy last time I did it I was bored and lonely."
"So that was like 6 or more weeks ago...that should be fine since the color is faded out but I would wait until the weekend if I were you."
"Yeah about that...I'm not waiting...we are doing it tonight!  That's for the advice...I'll call you if I go bald."
"You won't go bald."
"Well then I won't call you!"
"Okay the worst that could happen is that it turns out really red."
"I can live with that! Love you!"

This would be a good time to say that she doesn't like my red hair normally so going really red isn't the ideal outcome to the Tuesday night slum Michelle and I were in but it happens!

So 20 minutes later we are in the bathroom singing some JT and dying my hair. And suddenly I'm not all that mad about going to work today and I'm more excited not because anyone will notice because after all it's the same color I dyed it before but because it was fun and spontaneous and refreshing to do!  After all aren't all the best memories in life made like that!  

So with 3 more days until school's out for break...I have darker, redder hair and a better outlook on getting through these next three days!  And like Michelle always says...and by always I mean she sent me a pin once and now I say always!

With Love Always,

Alex

The Magic Of Movies

As I was crawling into bed last night after chasing Maverick through the snow in my pjs because he would rather lick the snow then use the bathroom like he was supposed to be doing...that's not the point....anyways back to my "story" if you will.  

So I am curling up into bed and I hit the guide button on my remote to see that one of my favorite movies, "Love and Basketball" was about to come on.  Serious moment here, this is one of my top 10 favorite movies (number one clearly being Top Gun...if you couldn't guess from the name of my dog).  So I am clearly conflicted...do I sit up and watch this movie or do I go to bed so I'm not tired at work in the morning.  (This is exactly why the DVR was invented but again that is a completely different story altogether.)  I hit record and watched the movie for a bit until I drifted off into a fabulous dream-like state, of course this led to me waking up this morning wishing I could go back to bed but that's again not the point.

So I guess that point is why do we fall in love with these movies, why do they put a smile on our faces and make us drop what we are doing and suck us in...real life doesn't always work like it does in the movies.  Some guy is not going to sweep me off my feet because I can play basketball...mainly because I can't play basketball.  You don't wake up one morning and realize you're in love with your best guy friend and he doesn't wake up one morning and realize he's been with the wrong girl this whole time.  Prince charming doesn't save you from a rolling dumpster, dump his fiance to come dance in the park with you.  (Okay, so I watch a lot of movies what's your point.)

I think that it's a comfort to know that that kind of magic is there somewhere even if it isn't obtainable, even if we can't have it.  But that for a few hours we can escape to a place where it can happen is so awesome.  Sometimes I prefer movies over real life just because everything seems easier, you can fall in love faster, the messy bits of life, relationships, fights they all get resolved faster and the guys are always more attractive!

It's nice to be able to get away every once and awhile and forget about everything going on in my life sometimes.  Just to fall in love with characters, to be sad when they are sad (you don't know how many times I've seen Top Gun...I still cry every time Goose dies), to be happy when they are happy and to have that sense of content when everything works out by the time the words "The End" appear on the screen.

With Love Always,

Alex

Tis the Season!

Okay so literally  my favorite time of year is Christmas...you can call it the holiday season or whatnot but to me it's Christmas!  Give me the snow, the trees, the lights the decorations....I love it!

We actually decorated before Thanksgiving this year because we had time to go buy a Christmas tree (fake of course because Maverick loves water and we knew there would be no stopping him from drinking the tree water). Of course in the midst of buying the tree, the lights and a snow shovel we decided the only logical thing to do would be to decorate the house that night!

Ignore the mess we literally took the picture right away!  As we have progressed through the month the tree has been added to, including a warmer that smells like a real tree that is turns on the same time as the tree!

There is something about Christmas time that makes me feel warm and fuzzy all cuddled up on the couch watching movies with the dog that I can't get any other time of year.  People seem nicer (and more stressed...a strange combination I know) during the holidays.  Families get together and friends reconnect and find time for each other...it's great!

So Michelle and I decided to craft on Saturday all Christmas related crafts!  It was so much fun...and there was so much mess!
First we wanted to find a fun way to hang the Christmas cards we would get...

Then we sprayed clothespins with green glitter spray paint to hang the cards with...the true test will be if this is still standing after I get home today!

Then came the true challenge of the night...create a hat for the school's Snowman Hat contest...I decided it would be fun to make a Christmas tree scene...I blame Michelle for inspiring me!

The darn thing is so heavy I don't know if I will be able to actually walk with it on my head!  Oh well it lights up so I should get points for that!

Well only a few more days to go until Christmas and I can't wait!  The snow is coming down and I have delicious coffee and a quiet office...for now!

With Love Always,

Alex

If I died tonight

Well...this week...December really has been so busy I can't even recall all that has happened!

But to highlight why I would be okay if I died tonight...which might happen if the Steelers lose again allow me to tell you what happened to complete my life!

A few months ago Michelle's mom asked Michelle if she wanted to go to the Justin Timberlake concert in December.  Of course being a logical human being she said yes...as if there is any other answer!  So her mom wanted to make sure she knew ahead of time who she was going to take so that she didn't get stuck going by herself. Logically she asked me to go for several reasons...one being that the concert happened during my birthday week, two because we live together and three because I love JT more than Diet Coke! 

So after months and months of waiting the night had finally arrived...the big night!  Justin Freaking Timberlake was in Indy and as we approached our seats we were amazed to see how close we were going to be to one of the best entertainers on Earth...no I'm not even lying!

                                           

So right away we were amazed!  I mean seriously how often do you get to be that close to someone you grew up listening to!  My first concert was NSYNC and I have loved Justin for as long as I can remember.  

That's the great thing about good music.  It connects with you, you can tie it to memories, both good and bad, it can change your mood, make you smile, make you cry, inspire dance parties, bring you closer with your friends...it can inspire that great thought...it can move mountains.

Maybe that's what draws me to his music that I can connect with it...I'm the person who dances around the house folding laundry, doing dishes, cooking...it's just who I am.  When I am sad...I want to go for a drive and sing sad music and get it out of my system.  Music has gotten me through so much in my life and Justin has been a huge part of that collection.   He joins a select few artists that I consider to be in my top favorite...Gavin DeGraw, Lady GaGa, Toby Keith, Rooney, Whitney, Michael Jackson and Miranda Lambert.

Anyways back to the concert....anyone notice the lady looking at me like I'm crazy in the picture above...it's awesome...clearly she was not as excited as I was!

                                           

                                 

                                    

                                  

                                 

Okay so I took over 400 videos and pictues from the night but it was worth it. These are the kinds of memories I want to spend my time making. These are the kind of memories that will bring a smile to my face on a bad day, when I feel lonely, when work has me down.  These are the kind of memories that Michelle and I will be thinking about when we are little (well we are tall so less-tall) old ladies and thinking back to the good times we had.  These are the things we should spend our times doing not wasting engery worryng about things that we can't change, or people who refuse to change, worrying about the things we can't control.  So I won't I'm just going to enjoy the ride and the music and dance it out!

                                                                                                                     With Love Always,                                                                                                                                               Alex

Shocked back to life

I don't know about you but I think sometimes that we get ourselves in a rut and we don't know how we got in it or how to get out of it.  We are just there and it is not like anyone can talk us out of it or help us out of it because it is not obvious that we are in it.  It's like a routine we get in, get up, go to work, go home, sleep and the feelings that are associated with that routine also become routine.  

I feel like that's been me for the past few months.  I have done the same thing day in and day out expecting a different result...a different emotion or reaction to life and it just wasn't happening.  And it's not like I knew that I was in a rut or anything and I wasn't going around saying that I was either.  I just went about my business...slowly trying new things...first it was the dog, Maverick, then the hair...it's sort of red and awesome if you haven't seen it, and while those things make me happy and I love them, they still became part of my routine.  

Yesterday something happened...and I am still trying to figure out what that something is exactly so this may not make sense at all...but like a volt of electricity being passed through me I just feel alive, awake and excited about everything again.  I didn't know I was in a rut before yesterday but now that I feel like me again I know I was.  All I did was let loose and take a chance and see what could happen if I did...its funny how life works sometimes.

For the first time in a long time I felt okay with something failing miserably and exciting with the possibility of what could happen.  It's nice to have that feeling running through your veins making you feel so alive.

I think that is the problem with routine and being safe sometimes, it's just that...safe.  It is predictable and you know what will happen and you become content with what happens in the day to day even if you are not okay with it.  Taking risks is risky but taking risks is what makes you feel alive.  Now lets go ahead and clarify that I'm not telling you to go jump off a cliff or do something reckless...I'm talking about getting up in front of your friends and lip syncing to Lady Gaga and dancing around like a goof or having the courage to be honest with someone after years of holding back.  (Non-life threatening risks people!)

It feels good to feel good again...I'm sitting here in my office with my high heels on and my red lipstick drinking my coffee ready to take on the world...or at least the work I should be doing right now!

With Love Always,

Alex

Being smart vs being happy

Two weeks ago my life changed forever...no I did not get engaged, married, have a child, or die (that would be crazy if I had while still being able to blog though!)  No in almost all seriousness...my life changed when I adopted a two year old dog named Foxy...however Foxy for a boy dog doesn't really work nor was he responding to Foxy so clearly the logical thing to do was to ask him if he wanted a new name.  I was sitting with "Foxy" and asked him, "do you want a new name" and of course the kiss on the cheek I got clearly meant yes!  So what did I name him you ask...well you should now this because I told you in the last post but here it is again...Maverick!  I'm a huge Top Gun fan...like huge!  Maverick loves his new name and responds to it more than he did Foxy!  I think it was a win-win!

So we have had some issues with Maverick and his crate situation and by situation I mean he hates them.  The first crate we had was too small for him so we went out and bought him a bigger one...in his first escape attempt he tried to shred my favorite beach towel. The second attempt he managed to destroy the bottom of the cage entirely.  So I had to go out and buy him a brand new crate (yes this is the third crate in two weeks).  

So while at lunch a co-worker of mine brought up the topic of money and pets. Originally  I stayed out of it entirely knowing I have a new dog at home and that I am not exactly rolling in the dough right now.  As the conversation progressed we were talking about the thousands of dollars people spend on their pets verses what else they "should" spend it on.  Still the whole time I am trying to stay out of it.  Well I strike up a conversation with one of the other people at lunch thanking them for helping me out giving me a few extra shifts for some extra money in the coming month...WORST.IDEA.EVER!  Any hope I had of making it out of there alive was now so far gone.  All eyes were on me faster than you could imagine.  So then of course the question came up, "So let me ask you this you just adopted a dog, but you need money why would you put yourself in that situation?"  To be honest I didn't really have a good answer and maybe the answer I stayed up thinking about last night still isn't good enough but here it goes:

Sometimes we do "stupid" things and let me be very and extremely clear when I say stupid...by stupid I mean something that I want to do that you don't agree with.  At the end of the day life happens, there is no redo button and the decisions we make are the ones we live with and learn from.  Sometimes we have to make decisions with our hearts not with our heads.  Now I am well aware of the counter argument here would be that would be, "in life you need to make those decisions with your head not your heart."  But here is the thing...I am not you.  I am in a different place in my life not only because of our age (and by that I mean you could be my mother) but of our life experiences.  I am a single twenty something woman who is on her own, trying to figure out life, working with people who have experienced so much more life than I have, who's friends are moving to all ends of the earth without me.  I work hard and yes I don't have much to show for it but can you honestly tell me that when you were 25 you have every detail figured out? I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up.  And can anyone sit there and say that they have never done anything "stupid" because I would go out on a limb and say they are lying.

So while maybe I haven't answered the question as to why maybe the more important thing to remember is that sometimes being smart isn't fun and doesn't make you happy.  I love Maverick, he's happy to see me everyday when I come home.  We play and cuddle and every morning when I wake up I have someone who is so happy to see me (other than my roomie).  At the end of the day I will take happy and broke over having money in the bank and the feeling like something is missing from my life.  

With Love Always,

Alex

Here Come the Puppies!

Went with the family to "Arfpacoplypse" yesterday which was put on in attempt to break a world record for most dogs in costume at one time...I don't actually know if they did it or not but it was fun to try!  My parents have two dogs however Mia is more social and younger so we thought it would be fun to dress her up and take her on an adventure.  We dressed her up as a bee!

Seriously, how stinkin' cute is she!  Her tutu didn't want to stay on but she didn't mind.  We kept stopping to pull it up.  By the end of the afternoon we finally gave in and took it off and let her run around with just her leg warmers on.  She was getting so many looks for how cute she was.  Mom was so proud!

Another big reason we went was because our...yes our as in Mom, Dad, Rachel, Andrew and me...favorite band, Here Come the Mummies was playing!  Normally, they play at the Vogue or the Blue Bird so Andrew who has listened to their music has never had the chance to see them live.  So clearly we had to take advantage of the fact that he could see them live!  And though he won't admit it I think he was only slightly embarrassed when all of us busted out in the Fenk Shui Dance...yes...Mom and Dad both! I think overall he had fun!

They are so good...I can't wait until Andrew can come with us when they play at the Vogue because then he will get the full experience! 

We did have a lot of fun...and I may have added on to the family...Meet Maverick!

He was at the event through a pet rescue and when I met him I fell in love!  He is a sweetie and Michelle and I love him already.  He follows us around the house and sits with us.  He is great!  He knows how to sit and stay and he understands "go lay down."  

What a weekend!  Next up is Halloween!  Which reminds me...I finished part of my Halloween costume!  I let GiGi wear it and she looks good!  72 feet of tulle later...next up...I will add the glitter!

With Love Always,

Alex

Why you should never use your bed as a workbench (aka: My first trip to the Noblesville Hobby Lobby!)

Last night I decided to finally get on my Halloween costume and FINALLY go to Hobby Lobby to get the necessary supplies to make my costume...first before we go on there are some rules you need to know about going to Hobby Lobby!

1. It is impossible to only get what you came for...you always come out at least one more item (or ten) than you came there for.
2. You must purchase glitter...or a product with glitter in/on it.

Now I don't think these are official rules but I'm not sure anyone can prove me wrong!

As for my adventure to the new Noblesville Hobby Lobby...it almost started off horribly wrong! 

I decided to go after work to go and get my nails done and I guess I forgot that they put the spacers in my toes because I almost got out of my car with them still in my toes! 

As for my intended purchases at Hobs Lobs (what we call it in Bloomington)...

So if we combine these purchases with the next picture...

Any guesses as to what I am going to be for Halloween?  I still have some stuff to buy but for right now I am going to focus on the crafting part of the costume which is sure to be an adventure as I have never made any of my costumes before.  I usually just use an outfit I've had for a while and go from there to dress it up and make it festive!  I am so excited this year because I get to really stretch myself by actually making my costume and I get to do fun makeup and we all know how I love to play with fun makeup!  (And yes even the makeup will have glitter in it!)  Now I need to acquire glitter that is safe for your lips...I feel an Amazon.com purchase coming...you can seriously buy anything from there!

As for the things that weren't on my shopping list...but in my defense they are awesome and they were SO on sale!

I just fell in love with these when I saw them yesterday!  I absolutely love both of these verses and immediately put them up when I got home...I had to completely rearrange the frames on my walls in my bedroom but it was totally worth it!  There were picture frames, tools, nails and plastic wrapping all over my bed but I was so excited to finally put up decorations and in this case decorations that speak to me so much!  

So I am getting really for bed and I was fluffing my sheets and fixing the fitted sheet that never really fits quite right when I found this IN MY BED...

I guess this is why you don't use your bed as a workbench and why you should always be careful when using nails!

At least I have pretty walls and something fun to do over the weekend!  

With Love Always,

Alex

Our First Holiday!

When we were trying to decide where to move Michelle and I looked at apartments, thought about houses and honestly couldn't figure out what we wanted to do.  It wasn't until a friend of my dad had a house for rent that we seriously considered living in an actual house.

So when you look at a house or look to rent a property there are some "normal" questions you should ask...
1. How much is the rent?
2. When is the rent due?
3. What is the neighborhood like?
4. What comes with the house?

So of course my dad is asking all of these questions and we are really liking the house.  I am chiming in with some questions that I have but Michelle says nothing...seems strange but I figured she was overwhelmed or distracted as it was a big undertaking for two 20-something girls to live in a house rather than a cozy little apartment.  When Michelle finally did ask a question what do you think she really, really wanted to know....
"Are there are a lot of kids who come trick or treating!"

This is exactly why we are friends!  Also because after I burst out laughing she still likes me!

So Halloween is quickly approaching and we figured we should probably get on this decorating thing since this is our first official holiday and we have an actual house to decorate!  So like the awesome people we are we needed a theme (Friendly Ghosts!) and proceeded to pick out decorations that went along with our theme.  

Next we needed to carve our pumpkins!  In our minds it was going to take a half an hour tops...in reality it took forever!  Oh my goodness!  Carving pumpkins is hard and gross (but I so knew about the gross part).  So after an hour or two...lost track of time and we were watching football...I present to you...

Michelle's pumpkin was titled "Frankenstein" (I think) and she named him Benedict.

My pumpkin was titled "One Brew Too Many" and I named the pumpkin Stella and yes she is missing one of her hands there was an unfortunate carving accident it was her hand or my finger...I chose to save my finger!

More pictures of our decorations to come...especially after I am done making...yes I said making...my costume!  Plus you all know that GiGi the Giraffe will be dressed up for Halloween as well!

With Love Always,

Alex

So lately I have been trying to focus on the little things in life that make my day or week brighter or more enjoyable...I feel like there is a lot of negative energy out there especially now with the government shut down.  People are posting negativity on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the like.

I decided that I would put together a list of things that we should do (or at least that I do) to make the life more enjoyable and less gloomy... Ready....Set...Go!

1.  Dance Parties!  All the time...I am not just talking at a club or at a dance but in the car on the way to work or school (or in my case they are literally the same thing).  I just think its fun to let loose and be silly and dancing, like Ellen DeGeneres says, is good for you!

2. Take time to actually listen to  people.  Crazy thought here...but people just need to have someone to listen to them.  It's nice to be able to talk to people and have them listen to you, not to judge, or to interrupt and tell you  how wrong you are, ,just to listen.   Sometimes I have found that if I offer to listen to someone about something they end telling me something else they really need to get off their chest...it's good for their soul and mine!

3.  Double Stuffed Oreos...I really feel like there is no explanation for this but they are great and Michelle and I love them!

4. Be silly and do silly things...like dress up the giant stuffed giraffe you have at home.  Does GiGi the Giraffe really need to wear my stylish cowboy boots and Michelle's hat...no...but did we laugh so hard we were rolling on the floor after we dressed her up...yes!  Did we need that kind of therapy after work...you bet!

5. Write letters and send cards...I love getting mail and as much as I love texting all day long, I love love love getting cards in the mail and I know my friends and family do to.  It makes you feel extra warm and fuzzy inside.

6. Movie nights with your friends....pjs and popcorn and whatever chick flick you can find!  There is something about watching 13 Going on 30 or Top Gun (well aware that it's not a chick flick but it's still my favorite) that can do as much good as a restful night's sleep!

7.  Diet Coke...I don't actually know if Diet Coke works for anyone other than Sarah and I but it works for us to it gets to be on the list, especially if it is from McDonald's ...they have the best fountain Diet Coke!

8. Send silly group messages to your family.  I don't know what it is, maybe its that I have moved out but I think they are funnier now that I mostly talk to them via our giant group text message.  And while I find it strange that they should either be working or at school and have way too much free time to be texting as much as they do it brightens my day to see the texts!

9. Take time to tell people why you appreciate them.  I know it sounds super cheesy but an unprovoked compliment can really brighten up someones day!

10.  Hang out with your parents.  Okay this one might only apply to people who have moved out of their parent's house but I know that ever since I've moved out of my parent's house I have more fun hanging out with my parents than I did when I was living with them!
Last weekend we went to listen to jazz music in downtown Fishers, and on Saturday went to an Oktoberfest (in September...which I thought was strange).  Strange as it is but they are pretty cool people!  

So there you have it....10 ways I'm making my day brighter....may not work for you but at least you'll have fun trying!

With Love Always,

Alex

Sometimes you just have to dress up your giraffe in cowboy boots!

What happens when you take 4 teachers and 6 High School leaders and take them to Kentucky for Leadership Summit...I'm so glad you asked (well maybe you didn't but since you're still reading I feel like that qualifies as you asking)!

Well for starters we had a great time! And I think I got the best ab workout I've had in FOREVER!

 It is so funny because I don't feel that old even though I complain about feeling old all the time but there is something about being around these crazy bunch of people that reminds me about how to be carefree again and how much fun life is supposed to be!  I think that sometimes we get so caught up in what we are supposed to do that we forget that sometimes you just have to ask people, "What are the odds you'll wear a diaper on your head?" or do the Wobble like it's your job, or do the best interpretive dance to Wrecking Ball in the world...ever...seriously Lauren you are my hero after that display of awesomeness!

I think as I grow older (yes I just got done saying how awesome it was to feel young again) I feel like I feel like I'm being pushed in a thousand directions and sometimes I forget what it's like to have a sleep over and talk to my friends until midnight because lets be honest...if I stayed up until midnight every night talking to my friends I would be less than pleasant in the mornings at work.  I feel like especially with people we call our friends at work it is so easy to forget them after 3 o'clock everyday and I am so glad that this weekend allowed me to grow my actual friendship with Sarah, Lori and Kathy.  It was almost like we were in high school again all in our bunk-beds talking about our lives, our problems and our victories.  

We talked about our sense of community this weekend as a Young Life Leadership team and I can honestly say this was something that helped us and I am so thankful that my schedule allowed me to be there.  Being an adult can suck sometimes and it is nice to have friends like them and even friends like the high school leaders that are as crazy as we are.  I was definitely something my soul needed this weekend!

What I think was even more crazy what all of this craziness happened in about a 24 hour time span. Talk about a whirl-wind experience!  The awesome thing about it for someone like me who always have a to-do list that is normally bigger than me (which is saying something seeing as I am 6 feet tall) is that I still had plenty of time to do things that I needed to get done!

First and this was important...

That's right friends...the wonderful K-Craig and Sarah taught me how to make a bracelet!  I don't even care if it's not fancy or perfect because I finally made one!

Last post I introduced you to the head of my creative team Luke...well another amazing member of my team is my AMAZING roommate Michelle!  Why is she amazing you ask...(again by continuing to read you are asking by default)

• First and foremost she agreed to live in a house with me
• and she is as crazy as I am

This is the amazing dinner I came home to yesterday! 

Fun fact of the day...White Cheddar Cheez-Its in Chili is AMAZING!

Her official title other than my roommate is the head of my proof-reading department...I really should have her read this before I post but I won't and most likely she will be sitting on the couch with me tonight telling me what I messed up so I don't look like a complete fool and this is why she is my favorite because we will both be laughing trying to figure out what I was trying to say!

Also she is my favorite because after decorating our house last night (see my Instagram: amkocher for video) we did this to our "third roommate" GiGi!

Have a great day!

With Love, Always!

Alex

The Project...a journey...a new adventure

So I have been trying to find my thing lately, you know what I am talking about...right?  A thing I can put my creative energy into when I am bored, something fun, something that is exciting and new and most of all not expensive.  (I'm not entirely sure why but creativity is usually expensive...see my credit card statements since high school and college they can prove this statement as fact!)  

So the other day one of my fabulous co-workers walks into my office as I am counting ceiling tiles. (Yes...counting ceiling tiles...oh so very bored.) And suggests that I take up knitting or something.  But then we both realize that stuff like that is expensive and hard to learn unless you know someone who can do it because learning from a book is so difficult (trust me I've tried...and failed...a lot!) Then another co-worker chimes in about me making those friendship bracelets that so many people make which is a great idea but I can't make those either and still haven't learned despite that fact that literally everyone around me can and does make them all the time!

So that was that...I was just going to count ceiling tiles and read blogs and news and whatever else I do during the day (after I am caught up on work) and leave it at that.  That was until the very next day when the wonderful two office aides came in and told me that they absolutely loved reading all about Sarah on her blog (http://livesoverlap.blogspot.com/) and they really thought I should do the same!  Well girls you are an inspiration and this is my attempt...my new adventure and hopefully a way to prevent myself from having to count ceiling tiles during the day!

So after talking to the head of my creative team, the wonderful and amazing Luke we decided that I should do this for real and that it would be fun.

Yes...Luke has an official title in my life...he gets a salary of absolutely nothing but he is one of the most creative, crazy, wild, hilarious, amazing people I know.  Regardless most creative decisions in my life get bounced off him because he is awesome so the name of this blog...With Love, Always Alex was created with his help.  

I am excited about this new project and can't wait to see what happens next!