Whoopsie

I thought one month was a long time to go without updating my blog, and here it is four months later.  I am pretty certain I have very few followers, but to those that I have, my apologies!

I must say that a lot has changed in the past four months, and I'm going to use those changes as an excuse.  I knew they were all taking place, but I didn't want to post anything 'official' until it actually was.

After spending two years living in the great city of Chicago and working there for the past year, I decided to start looking for another job.  The initial thoughts in March/April progressed to something completely different, and here I am, back where I started, sort of.

On July 2nd/August 6th, I moved back to Kansas City, and on August 29th, I will return to my old company, Cerner.  I moved to a new location in Kansas City that I haven't lived in before (west Plaza), which is a nice change.  I am living with a friend from college who happens to be male and has a dog, which is completely different than my past roommate situations.  And, in addition to all of that, I will be returning to Cerner in a new role that will be a new challenge that I'm more than ready and excited for!

I have three weeks between jobs which has been so great, thus far.  I've been able to spend time with both of my brothers and their families.  I've made it to the movie theatre twice, the gym four times, I've soaked up the sun once, got my hair did, visited with my cousin and her sweet boy, and I've ran some errands and done some shopping as well (shocker, I know).  And it's only the first week!  
This week I look forward to catching up with my friend Heather on Monday night, who is flying in from Philly to interview at Cerner on Tuesday, catching up with Janae in her new apartment on Tuesday, road tripping to Manhattan with Bono on Thursday for delicious food from So Long and Coco Bolo's, and driving to Kensington and Grinnell on Friday to celebrate Grandma Rietcheck's 84th birthday with the rest of the family.

I feel so lucky and blessed to be back in KC and to see so many friends and family before I start my new job and life gets busy all over again!!!
Most of all, I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store for me...

Snow in April

It's been way too long since I've updated this!!  I have been slacking and I really have no excuse!!  To give a quick recap....

I made it to London and Scotland and the trip was so awesome!!  Some of my favorite memories are:
Scotland
1)  Ashley freaking out about wether or not we would make it to the airport, sneaking in full sized bottles of lotions and hair products to hear Ashley say "Beckman, we really need to get out of here".  Apparently she was concerned that they were after us so we had to run through the airport, to make it with about 10 mins to spare.
2)  Ashley's own rendition of the bag pipes we could hear throughout the city.  'Nnnnnneeeeaaaaaarrrrr...rrrreeaaaarrrrr'
3)  The Caramel Delight dessert bars.  The melt like butter in your mouth!
4)  Made in Italy - the Italian restaurant we went to each day.  
5)  Our visit to Sin, the former church, turned Nightclub for Ashley's personal rendition of "Do you think you're beeetttttterr off aloooooone???"

London
1)  The weather was awesome!!  It's was sunny and in the 60's each day!
2)  We had a private tour at the Tower of London - We learned about all the ghosts that inhabit the  palace.  We got to drink at the bar and watch the employees participate in the 'changing of the keys' which is crazy!  They've been doing this EVERY night for OVER 700 years!!!  They've only been late once, and it was because the palace was bombed.  I also won a drawing and picked out a free bottle of wine.
3)  Kensington Palace is currently being renovated in to "The Enchanted Palace" where you go in a follow a story book throughout the palace to learn the secrets about the seven princesses.  A little odd, but very cool to learn the secret stories of each princess that lived with within those walls.
4)  Janae and I's discovery of the bar Jewel where they played awesome music and we met some french guys that had a few too many drinks.  The first time they came around, Janae said we were from Chicago, the second time I said we were from Arizona, the third time I told them we were from Canada, and then I realized most Canadians speak French, so I struggled to come up with where we were from in Canada.  Eventually, they didn't believe that I was 25, so I said I was 17 and they seemed to believe that.  I then said, "Well, isn't that illegal in both our countries" and he finally left!  Wow.
5)  We went walking around Notting Hill.  Such a cute little area!  We even spotted the lead actor from Avatar!
6)  Ashley and I met up with Stacey and her friend Marisa and the majority of Cerner UK.  It felt like we were back in KC having the same conversations.  Oh, "what do you do at Cerner?"

Such a fun trip!!!  All pics are posted on my Mobile Me Gallery.

Since then...I made a trip to KC to hang out with some of my KKG sisters.  It was such a great weekend to just hang out with each other and the weather was incredible!
I'm off to Wichita this weekend to FINALLY meet my newest niece Paisley Shae.  She'll be two months old on Wednesday.  I can't believe how fast time flies and I don't even see her on a daily basis!  I get the see the rest of the family as well so you can be sure that more pictures will be posted next week!

As for the title.  Yes, it's April 18th today and there was SNOW standing on street and covering the vehicles.  I am so ready to say good by to winter!!!!!!

Touching down in LondonTown

I'm approximately 36 hours away from my flight to London!  I couldn't be more excited!  We don't have much of anything scheduled but I get in Friday night and I meet up with my good friend and KKG sister, Ashley Frazier.  We fly to Edinburgh, Scotland on Saturday morning and we'll spend a long weekend seeing the sights in Scotland.  We fly back to London on Monday night so I can meet up with Janae and her two friends on Tuesday.  I see Nando's, the London Bridge, Kensington Palace and Big Ben in our future!!
Our friend James will be our tour guide, although he's already said that he doesn't know his way around the  city.  It could be interesting!  The weather appears to be in the 50's and sunny so I really shan't complain.
And, my travel friend from last year, Stacey, is actually going to be in the UK the same time!  Crazy!  We'll meet up on Thursday and Friday so that will be fun too.  It is crazy to think that we were in Greece at this time last year!  What a fun trip....

Work has been beyond hectic as of late and we've been supporting a conversion for all of the clinics so I've been working long hours.  I am currently doing some laundry so I'll have clothes to pack!
St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow and K-State has their first game in the NCAA tournament so I feel like tomorrow is already over and It's time for my flight.

Erin go braugh and Go Cats!!!
 

Is winter over yet?!?!?

I know for a fact that Punxsatawney Phil did not see his shadow, so doesn't that mean winter is over?  Or does that just mean there isn't an additional 6 weeks of winter?  

We had 40-50 degree days this week and I felt like summer!  Well, not summer, but I did get to wear my pink puffy vest to work and that = warm(er) weather.  But then today arrives and I wake up, lift my night shades from my eyes and what do I see?  SNOW!!!  I was certain I told mother nature that we had received enough for the first half of 2011 and there would be no need for it until next December.  Apparently she has no interest in listening to me.  Although, I am on call this week so I have been a prisoner to the pager, which also means, I stayed inside and watch her make a mess from the comfort of my own home.  I guess I can't complain too much.

However, I would like to make a request here and now.  I will be in the UK at this time in two weeks.(!!!!)  I would really appreciate it if their current weather of mid to high 40's and lots of sun sticks around.  It would really be best for all parties involved.  I would prefer to only pack my pretty pink puffy rather than my big wool coat.  I love my purple Hunter wellies, but I don't think I want to pack multiple pairs of boots either...

So, Mother Nature, what do you say?  Enough of the cold weather and snow?  Time for sunshine and daisies?  People are so much happier when they get their Vitamin D from you!!!  

And the second half of February

It's hard to believe today is already the last day of the month!!  Where is 2011 going?!?!?!?

Since my last post, the Cats dominated #1 ranked Jayhawks on Valentine's Day.  I spent the evening having a heart shaped pizza with Kelli and watching the game.  It was probably one of my best Valentine Days thus far!

My new camera arrived in the mail and I made a trip to KC to see my kiddos and celebrate Logan's 4th birthday!!  I can't believe how big they're all getting!!!  

 Mr. Gavyn is geting oh-so-close to walking!!!

 Miss Lexy has matured since starting Kindergarten and she now only goes by Alexis!

Brother Andy was trying to get Mr. Gavyn to look at the camera

The birthday boy that looks more like a Cullen with this lighting....
 

Getting a little up close and personal with Alexis.

Isn't he precious?!?!?!?

And the biggest news of that weekend....

Miss Paisley Shae Beckman made her arrival on Sunday afternoon, February 20th!!!  Unfortunately, I don't get to meet her preciousness until April, when I fly to Wichita for Easter.

This past weekend Abby and I hosted a Smashbox Makeup party.  Great food, great friends, and pretty makeovers!

And we also switched out all of my second hand furniture and Kirsten bought new couches and made some pretty pillows!

And, take a look at the picture hanging on the wall.  It's one of the sunset pictures I took while in San Francisco and I turned it in to a canvas print.

Ok, I think I covered most everything.  I also made it to Wade Bowen and Josh Abbott band in concert.  I finally have a few more friends that enjoy and appreciate  Texas Country music, which makes me very very happy!!!

The first half of February

I can't believe we're almost halfway through February already!!  The past two weeks have been jam packed.  We had a huge snow storm the first week of February and it resulted in two days away from the office.  Although, it also resulted in going to work a night shift at the hospital as a 'sitter' for a patient to make sure he didn't commit suicide.

Luckily the snow stopped and the highways cleared and I made it to the airport and my flight took off on time to make it to sunny San Francisco!  That city is a amazing!!  And, I was told that I lucked out with the weather.  We had all sun and no fog.  On Friday night, Payal took me up to Twin Peaks which is a spot that overlooks the entire city.  It was really pretty but a little difficult to get very good pictures.  Afterwards we met up with some of her friends at a club called Cellar.  This place was great!  One room was 80s and 90s music with a video screen to show the music videos.  And in the other room it was all Hip Hop.  It was fantastic!!!  The only thing that I would have enjoyed more, if there was a third room that played country music.

On Saturday we set out and walked about a mile down through Chinatown for some delicious 'egg tarts' which were actually custard tights.  They were warm and delicious.

Eventually we continued our walk to pick up a Tropical Passion Tea Latte from the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and then we walked on to the water to meet up with Faheem for long day of exercise.  We walked from Pier 1 to Pier 41 (1.5 miles) Then rented bikes and biked down along the water, up and down hills, and around the bend with a few stops for photo ops.

We threw up our signs- Faheem is now West Side and I'm still in the Midwest....I don't think he enjoyed this.

We made it to the bridge and stopped for another picture and simultaneously got yelled at by the other bikers.

We made it across the bridge and continued down in to Sausalito for a late lunch and some Ice Cream!

We took the ferry back to the city and we lucked out again because it was right as the sun was setting.  So so gorgeous!

The bike ride was approximately 8.5 miles and the ferry brought us back to Pier 1, so we had to bike back to Pier 41 to return our bikes which added another 1.5 miles.  And then we walked back to Pier 1, another 1.5 miles walking, before getting a cab and heading home.
That night we had a delicious dinner in Little Italy and checked out a bar not too far from the restaurant and eventually decided we were worn out and ready for home.

On Sunday we set out to find the Full House house, but unfortunately, we didn't realize that their house isn't actually in Alamo Square.  But they do have a picnic in the park so at least we got to see that!

 I miss green and blue in nature!!!!

I made it home safely on Sunday night after Midnight and I feel like I haven't had time to breathe since today!  On Monday, I embarked on a new journey of Bikram Yoga.  It's 27 poses in 90 minutes and the room is between 105-110.  Monday night I thought I may pass out.  I was seeing darkness and decided I should sit on the floor.  However, we went back on Wednesday and Friday and it went much better and I enjoyed it!

On Tuesday night, Abby and I went to The Meatloaf Bakery which was delicious.  However, they didn't plan very well so we didn't have many options to choose from.  But the concept is for the meatloaf to look like cupcakes.  They were great.

On Thursday night we had a work happy hour for the new guy that started on the tech team.  He's a K-Stater and his wife is too!!!  It was super to have someone to talk to about Manhattan and Aggieville and Kansas.  I am no longer the lone (Kansas State) Wildcat!

I think I have updated enough for now.  Hopefully the Cats play well tomorrow and we bring back the "Octagon of Doom"!

L is for Luxury

I took my first photography class today and I am still shocked at how much I learned!  A few of the highlights:

1)  The instructor said you should never use your flash, unless of course the event is more important than the actual photo.

2)  You should only use an ISO of 200-400 on average.

3)  Exposure composition makes all the difference.

4)  Indoor lighting can ruin a picture.

5)  You should take every picture in L (Recording Pixels) and Fine (Compression).  L = Luxury

6)  Aperture is the total exposure to light and how big the 'hole' is when taking a photo.  The smaller the aperture, the more in focus the picture will be.

7)  You should use a center-weighted average for light metering.

8)  Six mega pixels suffice, unless you want to blow up a picture to 40x60, then go for 10.

9)  The brand doesn't matter because all cameras are the same, it's all about how you use it.  (Although, I still prefer Canon.)

10)  Natural light and tri-pods are your friend.

Overall, this class was definitely worth it!  And, now I want an SLR camera but I can't decide if I purchase a used/refurbished one for $100 cheaper than a brand new one?!?!?  And do I do it now before San Francisco (in five days)?  Or wait and buy it for London?  Or just wait in general?  Decisions decisions...


PS- I ran 2.6 yesterday and made it to church for the second weekend in a row!  Happy almost February!