Luck

On April 3rd, 2010 at 9:25 AM, my ringing phone woke me up. I, half way still asleep, answered the call from the caller listed as 'unknown' on my cell phone's screen.

"Hello?" I murmured.

"Hi, is this Amber?" a chipper woman on the other end asks.

"Yes..." I reply.

"This is Renee from the Hamilton Police 911 Emergency Center, I am calling to inform you someone reported finding your purse. A man found it in a river in Hamilton while he was fly fishing and wants to return it to you."

I immediately woke up...a week ago, my purse was stolen from my car.

She continued to give me the man's contact information and long story short- I GOT MY PURSE BACK! It was sopping wet and dirty. Obviously rummaged through, the contents that were once organized in my wallet where strewn about at the bottom of my purse. The hard earned cash was taken (of course) but my cards, phone, lip gloss etc. were left for a watery fate. While I have no more use for the canceled bank cards, dirty lip gloss, and destroyed cell phone, I feel like I received some closure. I was hurt and upset someone did this to me, but now I feel like this is a sign from God that it is time to move on...with a new purse of course.

"world peace"

Some may already know I am competing in the 2nd Annual Swimsuit Competition. I am not one of those 'pageant' girls but I had fun last year so I am excited to do it again! This year, they've added an interview portion that will be between the evening wear and the swim wear portions. Now this wont be like Miss America pageant questions- just silly little 'get to know you' questions. So like Sauce @ Girl & Guitar blog, I have decided to answer these questions before I am put on the spot:

1. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I have no idea, the world is my oyster and I know God will lead me in the right direction. However, if I were to play make believe and guess the best possible future for myself I'd say married to a devastatingly handsome, rich man with the 2.5 kids in a large suburban home with a pool and a golden retriever.

2. Whats the worse pickup line you have heard? "My attraction to you is like diarreah, I just can't hold it in" ....Enough said.

3. What is your favorite word? It is a total toss up between gerbil and musty. Don't ask why.

4. If you had a billion dollars, what would you do with it? I would invest it into my own trampoline business and buy every gum ball in the world

5. Do you have any nicknames, if so, what are they? Yes, 'Ambie Pooh' or just simply 'Ambie', I don't know why...it just sort of caught on.

6. Who is your favorite professional athlete? Honestly, Pro athletes have really been letting me down lately...can a person behave in the lime light??

7. Describe your dream man- Someone who is proud to be with me and isn't afraid to share it with the world! Handsome, rich and worships the ground I walk on is a plus too :)

8. What is your favorite feature? Physically, I love my chest...yes, they are real AND they're FABULOUS! Nonphysical, I'd say my honesty and spunk.

9. What was your worst dating experience? HAHA so many so little time, I'd say when a guy took me to dinner, let it slip he had a girlfriend and then took me to her house so I could meet her...awkward?

10. Have you ever cheated on a test? Yes and anyone who says they haven't is a liar!!

11. What is your favorite activity to do at work? Its a toss up between popping the balloons at the end of the night or dancing to the awesome 80's hits!

12. Describe yourself in 3 words- Witty, classy, and silly

13. Whats the weirdest thing to happen to you at work? A middle-aged man came in and honestly asked if we served breast milk...um no.

14. Describe your first kiss- AAAAAHHHH Justin W.....my first LOVE. 7th grade during the 4th quarter at a high school football game, I wasn't expecting tounge and we hit teeth. It was a slobbery, awkward good time.

15. What did you want to be as a child? A professional ballerina, that was before I realized I would turn out to be 5'3 and curvy, damn genetics!

16. What is your favorite food to eat @ work? Naked Daytona wings, extra crispy, hold the ranch, and a heaping side of hot seasoned curly fries with jalepeno cheese sauce. Mmmmm IF ONLY CALORIES DIDN'T EXIST!

17. What is the most memorable day that you've ever had? I have no idea, so many wierd things happen to me I could write a book.

18. Tell us your favorite joke- If a girl who is well endowed works at Hooters where does a girl with one leg work? IHOP :)

19. Why do you want to win this bikini contest? Because everyone here knows about the natural beauty Montana has, Now lets put it on the MAP!

20. What do you love most about Montana? The gorgeous sunsets, valleys that are hugged by big blue mountains, the open space and my family is here, this is home :)

Why??

I don't know how people can be so darn MEAN!!! I have been having a tough time lately, my boyfriend moved to OR, I absolutely despise the new nutrition plan I am on, I feel so burned out from work and this time of year gets me, well, a little depressed (I blame it on the loooonnng Montana winter!) So when I am finally feeling like I am getting over the hump- THIS happens to me:
My car is broken into and I am robbed.

See what happened was, after a stressful week of work, I decided to spend a night out with some close girl friends, something we plan to do together once a month and it is always a blast. So we go out to dinner, have cocktails, chit chat and go dancing...I was having so much fun until I decided to head home for the night. As I approached my car, I notice a lot of my things strewn about the parking lot, like my tanning bed goggles and a to-go box that I put my left-over steak in after dinner. I wondered if I accidentitly dropped these on my way into the club a few hours before but then I notice that my driver side window is completely blown out and a ton of small glass shards are littering the ground and my vehicle interior. In shock I opened my car door to hear more glass fall from the empty hole that used to be my window. I immediately started searching for any of my belongings. Come to find out my purse, my cell phone, my sunglasses and minsculaneous items are taken. Now, at this point of the story people ask me why I didn't have my purse with me and the reason is because I am notorious for losing/leaving my purse when I go ANYWHERE, so when I go out at night where I will be walking around from bar to bar I avoid carrying my purse (I just take my I.D., keys, and some cash in my pocket). I usually push my purse under the seat but that didn't stop the intruder(s).

So after the intial shock of finding my car vandalized and robbed, I borrowed someone's phone and called the police. I expected that a squad car would come and investigate the situation, but instead a woman asked me a ton of questions about what was stolen and it's worth. I asked her when the police would come, she said- 'sorry but the only thing we can do is write a report'. So I drove home without a window and any way to contact anyone.

I moved fast as soon as I got to a phone, I called the bank to have my credit/debit cards deactivated, my check account frozen, and identity theft protection to back me up (Lucky me, my social security card was stolen too). The bank, sympathetic to my situation, order me a new set of checks with no cost! As for my phone, it turns out that extra $5 a month insurance comes in handy- my replacement cell is being priority shipped and will arrive tomorrow. I got into contact with my car insurance company, they had replaced and cleaned up the glass fragments in no time (very impressed with Farmers Insurance!) with a suprisingly small deductible.

So I guess my day turned out ok, I just hope I can get past this and sleep better. It seems everytime I am ANYWHERE I am constantly thinking about my car and if it is ok. Im afraid to put ANYTHING in my car, even stupid things like hand sanitizer, because I am terrified it will be taken from me. Then again maybe this is a lesson to be more responisible with my things, or to not leave my car for an extended period of time at night? I am not sure but I sure don't know how to get past what happened. I highly doubt the person(s) that did this knew me or had anything against me, maybe they were on meth or homeless? Maybe thats how they get by or maybe they had a bad day...either way I feel violated, upset, scared and I am taking it personal, even though I shouldn't. Oh well...here is to a new day!!

Conversation Hearts 2010= not a good idea

I have always loved Valentines Day, especially for the CANDY! My favorite is sweethearts or conversation hearts made by Necco. I start buying them when they hit the stores after Christmas and make sure to buy in BULK BABY! But this year, I am very dissapointed. It seems Necco has decided to "modernize" the classic candy hearts...and it turns out to be for the worse. :(

I loved the pleasant, sweet, yet subtle taste of the sweethearts before, and the texture agreed with me. Now, all hearts come in bright (almost toxic looking colors) and gross fruity tangy flavors like: sour apple, blue raspberry, lemon, orange, grape and strawberry- then they crumble into a soft powdery substance in my mouth, Kory (the human garbage disposal) didn't like them either. I noticed the packaging was a little different but shrugged it off thinking they updated it to appeal to kids but wouldn't think Necco would ever mess with a traditional, American favorite. I bought two big bags before I tasted them and now I want my $1.98 back!

I have looked in numerous stores for the original candy but have yet to find them...my Valentines Day is ruined this year. But I didn't let my disappointment go un-noticed, I emailed a complaint to Necco and waiting for an explanation for such a drast change on my favorite candy. If you agree with me on the change, visit Necco.com and file a complaint in the 'contact us' section.

Can you tell I am passionate about my candy?

Hard Stuff

Sometimes I wish you would at least try to understand how hard it is for me to imagine such a big change in my life. You say that it is all on my plate and only I can make the decison but you should also try to understand that because you are such a big part of my life, I depend on you to help me with my decision. No matter how much you disagree, you ARE an influence in almost every major decision of my life. I am so scared of the unknown and I know that if you give me your love and support I will make the best decision.

What a year!!

As 2009 comes to a close, I can't help but be slightly glad. This year has been hard although have to remember there was good things about this year too... In chronological order, here are the highlights & lowlights of two thousand and nine:

January: began my final semester of college taking 21 credits (whew!)
February: celebrated a year anniversary with Kory.
February: Took the LSAT (worst 4 hours of my life).
March: Met Kory's family (well, some of it) during springbreak vacation in OR.
April: Competed in Hooters 1st Annual Swimsuit Competition.
May: Graduated from the University of Montana with a bachelors in Communication.
May: Ended a friendship and moved to my first apartment alone.
May: Kory leaves for the summer.
June: Grandpa suffered a stroke.
July: By surprise, I had surgery to remove an ovarian cyst.
August: Turned another year older.
September: Kory moves back to MT and into my one bedroom apartment.
September: Vacation in Vegas with Kory and see Britney Spears in concert.
October: Got braces, hate them.
November: Threw a baby shower with 30 guests, had a financial break down.
December: Have another health scare with ovary.
December: Grandpa has another stroke.

This year has been full of ups and downs, I am ready to move on towards 2010...overall I feel this year has made me stronger and more independent.

I {heart} Christmas

What a beautiful Christmas I had!!! I got to go home (to Kalispell, MT) and spend the holidays with my wonderful family and Kory. My grandparents were able to be in Montana for the holidays which meant turkey dinner and bingo!!!!!!!!!! My favorite part of the holiday was hearing Kory sing in church and see his excited face early Christmas morning (he was the first one up and ran upstairs immediately to start the unwrapping of gifts)...I think thats why I love him :)
Now, I have to go back to work...gross!