Jackie (S)Miles

Many of us have that one person that we look to for help, guidance, compassion, and love in basically anything that life that throws at us. That person for me is Jackie Miles. Jackie was my PA my freshman year and although we have now been on staff together for two years I still think of her as my PA. Our relationship has definitely grown beyond that and I consider her one of my favorite people and one of my best friends.

She is truly one of the most caring individuals I have ever known. There is no doubt that this girl is going places and I love that I get to cheer her on for everything. And.... she is up for Homecoming Queen this year for Viking Days! I am almost exploded from excitement yesterday!

Great Mondays

I am starting a new addition to my blog: What Makes Mondays Great. I realize that some weeks I may have to make things up but thats fine! Today however had lots of great things!

• Coffea date in the middle of the day with my mom! I am loving the four hour break that I have on Mondays. We are making it an every week thing! My hazelnut latte with candied hazelnuts was just about the greatest thing ever!
• I changed into shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of the day!!! The title of this blog probably indicates to you that I love summer and summer clothing way more than winter and winter clothing. 
• Laffy Taffy Jokes!

How do you mend a broken jack o'lantern?

With a pumpkin patch!

• I started a new passive programming technique this year where I gave all of my girls a blank cd to put all their favorite songs on it. Their theme songs, if you will. Each weekend I play a different cd on repeat in the bathroom and each girl has her chance to be the 2N Weekend Dj. Two of my girls thus far have included "Daylight" by Matt and Kim and it has quickly become my new favorite song and the video is adorable!

Happy Monday everyone! Here is to a great Tuesday!

The First of Many Solberg 1N Reunions

Today my girlies from last year and I went to CherryBerry for a little reunion! These wonderful women were the first group of girls that I had the privilege of being a freshman PA to. They are all phenomenal ladies and made my first year as a PA extraordinary and are the reason why I love this job so much.

They are a group of lovely, intelligent, hilarious, delightful, welcoming and inspiring women. I could not have asked for a better floor my first year as a PA and I will always love seeing the mark they make on Augie.

Fall and a Friend-iversary

Approximately two years ago, the Lovely Abbie Fratzke complimented my shoes and then we became best friends. To celebrate that momentous compliment we had our two-year friend-iversary today. We ran the trails at the Outdoor Campus, went to two farmer's markets and explored the shops at the 8th Street Railway Center, met a bulldog named Truly and had a picnic by Ole and watched a wedding. It was a perfect beginning marker of fall and a perfect day to spend with my best friend. 

Photos from the Farmer's Markets:

I consider honey a food group

Abbie and I shared this for our friend-iversary breakfast

How cool does this sound?? Dark Chocolate Pasta!

Purple Cauliflower! 

8th Street Railway Center Pics:

Appropriate reading material for a friend-iversary

I was going through my photo library and found the first photo of Abbie and I together!

After we wrote a paper together and before our dance performance at Midnight Madness. Also it was in the rain! 

Love Train

I seem to have a theme going on... Love. This love is of course the love between my little three-person family: my mom, Brytten and myself. I am going to decline from commenting on how the other part of my love life is going... however freshman boys really like my dimple... here's hoping! Just kidding. 


My mom recently got Facebook and she posted this quote as her very first status:


"The difference between love and loving is the difference between fish and fishing." 


Naturally, Brytten and I both liked it. 


The three of us have hit a new point in our relationship especially because Brytten is now in college. We are now three grown women and can learn even more from each other. We have always been three friends but now being on a more similar level makes us appreciate each other even more! I have always appreciated that the three of us see the world the same way and it is even more apparent now in this new stage of our lives.


"May Your Wildest Dreams Come True" 


Check out my mom's blog!


http://jennybird-place.blogspot.com/

Love and the Three of Us

I always refer to my mom, my sister, Brytten, and myself as 'the three of us.' We have been one unit for as long as I can remember and we just go together. We are sisters, daughters, and friends. Nearly three years ago my mom got all three of us a simple ring that is a silver band with "May Your Wildest Dreams Come True" engraved around the outside. I have worn it every day since and my mom calls them our solidarity rings. Today is my mom's birthday which comes at a time during a very transitional stage for all three of us. I hope that she finds her next adventure during this next Jenny-year!

I heard this song on John's satellite radio as we were on our way to the Bighorns this summer. It was then stuck in my head for the rest of the trip and I have been a big fan ever since. The lyrics are beautiful and seem fitting for any day but particularly today.

If I were the sea I would love to see you smile at me
Walk the shore a mile with me 
If I were the trees I would love to shade you with my leaves 
I'd clean the air for you to breathe 
If I were you, I would love I would love I would love 
If I were a song I would love to be a symphony 
All together in harmony 
If I were the earth I would love to give you all that you need 
But you keep taking more from me 
If I were you, I would love I would love I would love 
Should it be so bad 
To want to do something good 
When this world tries to bring me down 
I would love I would love I would love 
If I were a book I would love to educate the youth 
Open minds by telling the truth 
If I were a pen I would love to write to your friend 
I’d be so proud of the love we send 
If I were you, I would love I would love I would love 
Should it be so bad 
To want to do something good 
If this life tries to get me down I would love I would love I would love 
If I were money I would love to end poverty 
Instead they keep on wasting me 
If I were a gun I would love to never kill anyone 
Melt me down and make me something fun 
If I were you, I would love I would love I would love


Today is also Talk Like a Pirate Day which ironically coincides with my Mom's birthday. 
Aaaaargh Matey! 

Three-Headed Sanna

Yesterday I babysat my cousins, Sam and Camille. Before we went outside and accidentally sat on sprinklers that went off underneath us we did a mini photo shoot. When I showed them the photo below Sam said that we looked like a three-headed Sanna. They are adorable! Later in the day Camille said that I should marry Katy Perry to which Sam responded, "But she is a girl" and I added, "And she is already married."

Thriving

The title of this post is my word for my life in its current state. Every year at Augie is more phenomenal than the last and so far this one is taking the cake. I feel absolutely in my element and that not only am I loving everything that I am doing but everything is making me deliriously happy. This is going to be a monumental year in terms of shaping the person I am destined to become.

Last night I wasn't feeling good but I sat outside my room with a bunch of my 2N girls and chatted for a couple hours. When I finally went to sleep I was feeling better and I think it is because I got to spend time with my girls being their PA and that is what I love more than anything.

I have said since I got this position that I feel as though I was meant to be a PA at Augie. More and more I am thinking that it would be AWESOME to get my masters in Journalism and Student Affairs at SDSU while being a hall director at Augie and then working at Augie for maybe forever. I never wanted to stay in Sioux Falls after college graduation mainly because in high school I was voted second most likely to stay in Sioux Falls forever but screw it... I love Augie!

This morning we had our group bonding for Viking Days at the Ropes Course. Going to the Ropes Course twice in one month was fantastic! I feel like I could dangle 30 feet in the air everyday now! Augie is filled with exceptional people and our Viking Days Committee boasts many of those wonderful people!

I had a coffee date with one of my 1N girls from last year which was sublime. I love that now I get the privilege of being a first-year PA to 61 girls! I also see one of them wherever I go on campus! Side note: Definitely try the Salted Caramel Mocha at Starbucks!

I know that I am blessed to love the life I live but I will always be grateful for the zest for life that I have and hope that I am passing that along to my girls.

Another side note: I went to Menards today and got Maple Nut Candies to think about my grandpa.

Rebel Yell

Fall is here and it hit really 'effing' hard. I absolutely despise wearing jacket, no matter how cute mine may be, until there is snow on the ground. But because I am surrounded by a family of nurses and my mother cares about my general well-being, I very grudgingly wore a jacket (purple with sailor buttons) yesterday. However, I still wore sandals because 1) I have really cute toenail polish and 2) Socks bug me.

That all being said I am glad that my mom shares the same belief that bright colors make everything better. Last Friday (I have been a little busy to blog everyday) she arrived at my dorm in the middle of the day with things to brighten my life. Some moms would show up with chocolate chip cookies or cash but my mom shows up with an orange teapot with vividly colored daisies. Orange has kinda been my color lately and I like pops of it in my outfits and my insanely adorable dorm room.

I am contemplating the idea of writing a book about how to be an awesome PA. One of the chapters will definitely go into detail about the importance of an inviting dorm room and my tricks of the trade on how to have the most adorable dorm room known to man (freshman girl).

Then this week she surprised me with a side table lamp that she had redone for my room. Last year I got a dainty vintage table with a turquoise top and red legs and have needed a lamp for it since. My mom found a base and shade at World Market but then painted them, of course. The base has an owl on it which is very appropriate because when people ask me what I do as a PA I say that I pass along my wisdom to wondering freshmen. My mom painted the base ivy green which looks awesome with the red and turquoise and the shade ties it all in with a flowered black-and-white pattern. The table is now complete with the lamp, stacks of books, a painted straw container, a picture of me and my grandpa when I was a little girl sitting in a wheelbarrow and a book by the author of one of my favorite blogs- http://www.girlsgonechild.net/

I stay up later than I should reading in the light from my new lamp. I am only a slightly obsessive person...