This has, so far, been the most busiest break from school. Between hunting and shopping and gym-ing and santa-ing and concerting and wedding-ing, I haven't really gotten a break from the constant go-go-go that my life so desperately loves - but hey! it has been nothing but exciting since my last exam ended my second-to-last semester last week!
Marking the beginning of a new week was my sister shooting her first deer ever! With our family being a pretty dedicated deer-hunting family, this was a really big deal to all of us. Eleven years ago I shot my first deer, but if there is anything you should know about the mindset of hunters is that it is never to late to shoot your first deer. Whether an individual is five years old or eighty-five, the first deer down is always a big deal {and most every subsequent harvest after the first are big deals as well}.
What I love most about hunting is that in every harvest there is a unique story to tell. Even though we no longer hunt together in the same stand {unless the weather is freezing enough to bribe us into sharing the portable 'buddy heater'}, I buddy-hunt with my dad. He was there with me eleven years ago when I shot my first deer; he was there when we simultaneously shot two separate deer {oh, what a story that is}; and he was there about nine days ago when we had to track two does on our hands and feet, racking up a total of three hours in deer-tracking-experience.
This week also consisted of a sister-date-day-&-concert-night. Every experience has its own story, and what wonderful memories those are.
This was our second concert of the year - and our second Gavin Degraw concert in three months. And let me tell you, that is the closest I have ever come to being able to say that I am a hard core fan. Our hard core fan-ness didn't end there -- nah, we didn't pay the extra money to be a VIP ticket holder or win a meet-and-greet ticket contest, instead, we stood in 30 degree weather for a solid hour and twenty minutes. That doesn't sound too bad? Well, maybe it isn't the worst thing in the world, but I sure couldn't feel my feet and I was getting cramps in my back from shivering so much. But no worries, we ended up making our first concert friends {which is the coolest thing ever} and we were about two rows of bodies away from Gavvy and his music-making boys.
"We need to start going to more concerts." Well, sis, I couldn't agree more. Bucket list: for you to finally get on my shoulders during a concert!
Rewind to before the concert -- we decided to hang out a little bit in the crazy and beautiful city of Raleigh. Of course, you cannot go to Raleigh without taking a trip to the mall {which if you know me at all, you know I absolutely hate the mall}. While we were at the mall, our cousin texted us and we ended up meeting up and getting a picture with Santa {pictured above}! Yet again, another experience that has its own unique story! Memories are such a beautiful thing.
Of course, three twenty-something year olds getting a picture with Santa is apparently not the social norm. Leave it to us Polish cousin hotties to just go straight against the social norm and the Santa-picture-workers took advantage of this wonderful photo-op by squeaking and shaking all the little toys they had that are normally used to get children's attention {which, we saw, they didn't really use for anyone but us}. What a sight we must have been.
Making some times for a late lunch / early dinner, we continued our sister-date-day to Panera Bread where my sister showed me how awesomely customizable your meal can be if you choose to use Panera's new tablet ordering system.
And of course, whenever we go on date-days together, we take a bunch of selfies - cause, I mean, the memories become more real when you have TONS of pictures to go with them.
#NoMoreDatesShesATate