Mountain Life

It's been snowing like crazy up here. 6 feet to be exact. Oh don't worry about that....Yes I sank down to my waist just trying to make it to the car. This seriously brings a whole new meaning to the word blizzard. I understand no one here would consider the last couple of days a blizzard...but I did! It was nuts! I'm completely serious when I say I've never seen this much snow in my entire life. In fact, this is our deck. Lucy usually goes out the to play, not today! We opened the door and she took one look outside before turning around and going downstairs. I reckon that's just a little too much for her to frolick in. She might get lost in all that.

Below you'll find my way out the front door. Before Adam so kindly shoveled it, I had to jump up in the snow, sink, jump to my next step, sink, and repeat until I got to the driveway. I love this, I really do. But, this much snow makes me thankful for the boots I got for Christmas. If I didn't have those boots and snow pants I'd be s.o.l. Before the snow shoveling takes place it literally is so funny to manuveur you're way around in the snow. I seriously felt like I was wading through the snow. I thought it was absolutely hilarious. Those who had been here in the snow before didn't find it quite as funny, more so annoying. Oh well, here's where my simple mind comes into good use and I find joys in life's simple things.

You'll see how the path continues and it's like walking through a maze. At home they have corn mazes for Halloween and it's a blast. I think snow mazes would be a hit, just a thought.

So it's really worked out that each time it's snowed, I conveniently have off work the next day. That means I can put off shoveling around my car. The other convenient thing is that when I have off, my roommates still have to work. So while I'm busy sleeping in, they get to do a little snow removal dance. Then, when I wake up all the snow is magically gone from our driveway...With the exception of on top of my car which fills the driveway back up upon knocking it off the top. That part I am responsible for shoveling. I would normally feel bad for not pitching in, but I live with a bunch of dudes. They shovel snow. I make them cupcakes. We call it even. That's the really great thing about living with a bunch of guys. They take great care of me. I'm like the little sister in the house. I'll be honest - I was a little hesitant at first, but it's worked out so well.  They're all really great guys and work at the Hyatt, too. It's nice because they've helped me with my car, gotten me acquainted with this snowy mountain life, and when we all go out I never have to worry about creepers...There are four guys who've got my back and won't let a thing happen to me. I think they all secretly like having a girl around, too. The house stays a little cleaner, I make cookies and cupcakes all the time, and I've given out girl advice. Needless to say, I quite enjoy living in the "frat house."

Today Rachel and I braved Mt. Rose and headed down to Reno. So the morning started off with Starbucks and then we put on the chains. Interesting how Rachel and I are the two most unlikely mountain women out there putting on chains and braving the snow. Go us! We weren't sure how the roads were and would rather be safe than sorry. Half way up the mountain though, we decided it'd be better just to take them off. The roads here are kept pretty clear and we were quite impressed with Mt. Rose Highway. It also was a beautiful drive. Now that the snow storm has passed, we're left with all the snow and blue skies. Such a beautiful sight!

I'm Learning

From a very early age (no seriously check the grammar in this quote) I've had an "I do it myself" attitude. That definitely has its pros and cons. I've made a lot of people mad by taking this approach in life, but I've also made those same people very proud when I actually succeed at what I'm trying to accomplish. This applies to moving out to Tahoe. "I do it myself." However, I've learned that doing it alone can be pretty taxing when your across the country from everything and everyone you've ever known. Sometimes all you want to do is run home to Mom and Dad's for some good comfort food and a big hug. And sometimes you just can't do that. I knew that by graduating I would truly be stepping out into the real world and on my own. What I didn't realize was just how much I took for granted. Here I'm learning how to do things on my own, everything, even if I don't want to. I mean I've definitely got friends here who would drop anything to help me, but the things I'm learning I have to do on my own...A part of growing up, I suppose. You'd think that with a college degree under my belt (the fine institution of UGA, I might add) that I'd be good to go. Well, there's a lot more to life than what you'll find in a text book. I actually am very proud to be a student who may not have graduated at the top of the class (and definitely not at the bottom either), but I did graduate with common sense and the capability to manage a balanced life. However, there are just some things that can only be learned by experience.

I'm learning how to live my life here and enjoy every moment of it while staying close to those at home. Living far away from so much that you love is difficult and I'm learning how to be in Incline and still be as much of a part of home as I can. I tell you what, the time zones get me every time. They make it very hard to keep in touch. I'm learning that I can be here and love it and still love home. Your heart grows. When it finds something new, it doesn't always have to knock something out of the way. It learns to make room and share. But just an fyi to everyone out there...yes, I stalk you on facebook. Yes, I keep up with your twitter updates. Yes, I love to look at pictures of everyone simply because I miss you and I want to see what you're up to. I love getting updates from people. It may take me a while to get back and I'll be the first to admit that I'm horrible at returning phone calls, texts, emails, etc. I love getting them, they make my day. But I usually check it or read it, then something comes up (or I'm just really tired), and I just plain forget to get back to you...I will eventually, though, I promise. So seriously, drop me a line, tell me about your life, update me, let me know what's going on. It makes me so happy to hear what's going on back home and how y'all are doing.

I'm learning to take risks. Life's about taking risks. You might fail, in fact, I have. It happens. But with failure comes learning from your mistakes and where to go next. You just have to hop right up and head down a different path now that you know where not to go and what not to do. And then again, you might win. But you never know. And I can't let life pass me by while I wait for something good to fall into my lap, it doesn't work that way. I have to try and I have to take risks. Well, here it is. I risked everything for a new life in Tahoe. I didn't know how it would turn out. I didn't know if I'd make any new friends, or if I'd fit in. I didn't know if I'd like my job or if I'd be any good at it. I didn't know if I would succeed or be able to make it on my own. I had no idea. I came to Tahoe with a dream. To begin a new life, not a new me, just a different part of me. I needed to expand. Get out. Experience. See the world. I am here because of the love and support of some very dear people. I am so blessed to have people who love me and care for me. Those of you who call to say 'you're in my prayers', or those who write to say 'I'm thinking of you'...That's what gets me through my day. That is what motivates me, helps me, gets me going. I'm in a new place all by myself but yet I'm completely surrounded by the love and support of so many familiar voices. Thats is incredibly comforting.

I'm learning that not everyone is like me. And that it's ok. I mean, I definitely knew this before. But here not only are there people different than I, but now I'm the only one who's different. But it's actually working out pretty well, I've turned into the token southern girl I suppose you could say. I've found myself a pretty great group of friends out here. We have a lot in common, but a lot of differences. We all come from different places and bring different aspects to the table. However, we share similar opinions in respect to important things like character, values, and work ethic. It's nice to have those "few good men" (or women) around and although we're each very different, I know I could go to them with anything and they'd be there for me in a heartbeat. There have already been so many times I've thanked God for putting such wonderful new friends in my life to help me through some difficult times, to be my friend, and just plain get me acquainted with a new town and unfamiliar life.

I'm learning how to be responsible for myself. Out here I have no one to fall back on. This can most easliy be expressed through my financial responsibility. I'm learning to get by from paycheck to paycheck. Not that my parents wouldn't help me out if I really needed it, but I'm learning that what I make is what I got. No one's going to pay my rent, or take me shopping, or buy my groceries. I'm learning to make ends meet where they have to and where to cut the extra spending. I'm just so happy to have a full time job and friends in the same boat as I am. We are all on the same page about how and how not to spend our money. It's ok when you're poor....just as long as you've got people right there along side of you. You learn to do poor things together. Anyone looking to graduate college soon, I'll teach you my tricks. But, I'll admit this learning point is a work in progress, and will be for some time.

I'm still learning...I'm learning that it's good to do things myself, but that's it is ok to turn to others for help.

I'm baaaaaaaack

Since I've been out of commission a while....it was Mama's BIRTHDAY last week. Happy Birthday Mom! I love you and I wish I could have been there to celebrate with you, at least I got to wish you happy birthday over the phone!

It's been snowwwwing here, snowing like crazy! Well, not so much anymore but it did snow for three days. We have so much snow here now and I love it! There's so much snow that if this happened in Georgia the whole state would shut down and no one would know what to do. It'd be a white blanket of nothingness on the road, empty grocery store shelves, and snowball fights everywhere. I was even off of work for the two days it was snowing. How awesome, right? Wrong. I was sick. Poor, poor, pitiful me. Just kidding, I'm much better now and feeling like a champ. Since I missed my powder days last week I'll knock em out this week when I'm off. I'm excited to hit the slopes after the snow-hopefully it won't hurt so bad when I (ever so often and ungracefully) fall. Maybe it'll feel like marshmallows under my behind, I'll let you know on that. Although I was posted up in bed for the better part of my "weekend," I was able to make it outside for a hot minute and experience this snowflake miracle! Lucy even enjoyed the snow....and how she manages to find the pine cones in all this, I have no idea.

She loves pine cones. You don't even have to throw them for her, she tosses them around on here own. Isn't she precious?! Although I felt terrible this day I made it outside with my hot tea in hand and made it down the hill for a sled ride. Pretty amazing, I'll admit. In this much snow even 22 year olds have a playground. It was awesome! I'm really excited about my days off  this week so I can play in the snow all day. I'm completely serious.

Don't get me wrong, it's so pretty while it's snowing and I do like watching it fall. But I like it a lot better when it's stopped and settled on the ground. That way when I shovel my car out of multi feet of snow, I don't have to do it again. And again. And again. One time is good. As much as I like the snow here, shoveling it out of the way is a pain in the rear end. And in the back. I never realized before quite how hard it would be shovel out my car until I did it and did it while I was sick. No bueno. However, it's a pretty good workout. You can't move out here and not stay active, even daily tasks lead to cardio.

Last week was quite a week. I really wondered if today would ever come. I just wasn't sure if this week was going to get here. I kept praying for Sunday, for a new week, for a new start. Just take a little gander into the life of Juanita for a moment. Put yourself in my duck boots, if you will. I get my weekend (yay) and then I get sick:( Then I shovel my car out (holy moly, still sick) and go to work, President's Day weekend = full Hyatt, I check people in for half in hour then go in the back to sit down and catch my breath, repeat, my amazing manager let me off early to go to the doctor and the key won't start the ignition (cool, what do I do now?), after 15 minutes of trying and crying I finally get it to start, make it to the doctor just in time before they close, finally get some drugs (things are starting to look up here), straight to bed, the next morning I shovel around my car and proceed to start out the drive way (things start to go back down here), shovel some more, attempt to back out, repeat, my roommate comes outside to find me struggling and late to work and attempts to help push me out and we fail, I get a ride to work, work, persuade valet for a ride home (having friends at work really pays off), and here's where the hoping and praying for Sunday begins. (Please disregard the punctuation in the sentence before. I realize it is an extremely long run-on and poorly worded sentence-graph.) Now, by the time I get home the driveway has already been shoveled and ready to go, thanks Taylor! I think to myself "Ok, no more snow in the driveway, no more sickness, we should be good to go now." However, I wake up this morning a little petrified of what might happen or what should go wrong today. To my pleasant suprise I made it to my car, into work, clocked in on time and all I encountered was a tree that decided to dump it's branch full of snow blessings on my head. I can deal with that. If that's all you got for me today, Mother Nature, I'm alright with that. So successful day, today. I knew it, a new week: a new start! I got a fresh start and I'm ready to roll. On to tomorrow. I'm ready for you, Monday.

Adventures....

A lot has happened in the last week. I made it up to Northstar for the first time last week. Northstar is anotherski resort around here (there are QUITE a few). It's a little ways out of Incline, but super nice! There are a lot more runs there and it's like its own little town. It has a village where there are places to eat, shops, and an ice skating rink. I've decided that would be the perfect date-ice skating. It's very nice there and I went with some girls from work. We had an amazing time...with the exception of when I superman off the lift! Yes, I'll admit I'm getting to where I can stand up and make it all the way down the mountain. However, getting off the lift is a little bit of a struggle for me and I still manage to superman fall straight into the snow. At least up at Northstar there was a little more powder to lessen the blow. Because it was such a large resort we could go all the way to the top and just ride and ride and ride before we got to the bottom, so fun! One reason I love working for the Hyatt are perks like that-it was a free ski day for us. We had started the morning off with Starbucks and headed out to the mountain for the morning. We got to ride for a while, paused for lunch at the top and then I headed into work about 2. Days like that I feel so productive.

Work's been great! We got 2 new girls at the front desk and they are super sweet. They're in town for a year and just moved from Spain-and I thought Georgia was far. Speaking of Georgia, when I come home next I'm going to have an entourage with me. I've talked about Georgia so much I've convinced some folks they want to come visit! Wahoo. I think I've got a list of things I'm supposed to cook (fried chicken, biscuits, well anything fried really, peach ice cream). I miss Georgia! I love it here, I really do. But there's a part of my heart that's stuck in Georgia and that's where it'll stay.

I'm pretty much getting into the swing of things. I've got my way around town and I've got the hang of working the front desk. The only thing I have left is questions about where to eat in Incline. I cringe every time someone asks me for suggestions. Those of you who know me well know that I'm a creature of habit. I pick out a few places I like and always go there. I usually even get the same thing. At home it was Chick-fil-a (number 5-8count with a coke...12 count if it was a bad day), Loco's (buffalo ranch wrap), anything with pizza, Chili's (honey chipotle chicken crispers with fries and mashed potatoes), etc. Anyway....I haven't gotten that far yet here. I've made it to a grand total of four places in town: Crosby's, Lupita's, Fredrick's and Cutthroat's (which is in the Hyatt). I suppose I should branch out a little and check out some other places. I really wish they had a cfa here. So many mornings I wake up and just crave a chicken biscuit...out of luck.

I've really enjoyed meeting everyone. That's one reason I love the front desk so much. There are so many stories I have from talking to people about where they're from and how I got here. It's so cool to see where folks are from. If they're in the area I start getting lists of things I need to see while I'm here. I've even gotten several business cards from people that I need to call is I ever visit a particular area. One lady in particular worked for a winery in Napa Valley and was telling me about upcoming events and when I should visit.  I already have a list going but it seems to grow and grow. I can't come all the way out here and not check out places like San Fran, Napa Valley, the Redwood trees, Yosemite, and SoCal. One of my roommates is from Southern California and I think the house may roadtrip down there and check it out. Maybe hit up Rodeo Drive. These things may be a several hour trip...but it's so much closer to me now than when I'm across the country. My goal is to hit all the places on my list before I leave because I'm right here-I need to go visit all these cool places. I'm really, really looking forward to San Fransisco! I want to go when the Braves are playing the Giants...I'm totally rocking a Braves jersey to that game!!! Represent for Georgia.

It snowed a few nights ago for the first time since I've been here! Love!!! Granted-I'm not crazy about driving in this...But it was so amazing! My car was covered-and yes, it blended in. I was with two of my roommates and we had a blast! Yes, we made snow angels and snowballs. I'm so glad other people embrace their inner 5 year old. I'm such a kid. Even though I've graduated college and have a full-time job, I still get giddy when it snows, drink juice boxes, and eat the macaroni and cheese with spongebob square pants on it rather than regular macaroni. I seriously thought I'd died and went to heaven. Everything was covered in a white blanket of snow and it was dark outside so with the stars and the snow was just the coolest thing. I'm so ready for y'all to come visit. I'll be waiting...