#ClutchTime... Game 7 Here We Come

So I had a blog post originally scheduled for today, but after last night's AMAZING win by the Flyers over the Rangers I decided that since the hubby and I actually got to go to the game I couldn't pass up the opportunity to recap it for you all today!  To say that I was excited to go to the game was an understatement as I haven't had the chance to go to a Flyers' game since the Flyers played the Devils in the playoffs two years ago.... yeah you read that right TWO freaking YEARS AGO. (And of course they lost that game and were out of the playoffs... making me some sort of bad luck charm for them?)  Now for someone who loves hockey that is an incredibly LONG time without being able to get to a game, but unfortunately my work schedule has just not allowed it because either a) I can't get someone to cover for me or b) I need the money too badly so I can't afford to take off.  So needless to say when I was able to get someone to switch their shift with me I was beyond thrilled that I was going to be able to go to the game.

M and I had planned to tailgate before the game and to get to use some of our new tailgating stuff (M bought a new table for tailgating as well as a new blue-tooth speaker so that we could listen to music), but unfortunately the pouring rain put the kabash on that plan pretty quickly.  BUT don't you worry, we still managed to have some fun tailgating, just in the car.

Cheers!

Before heading to the game (while waiting for M to get home from work) I headed to Primos to get us some delicious subs (or hoagies for those who live in this area and aren't from NJ like I am) and then packed us up a cooler full of delicious beer to drink before the game.  We hung out in the car and enjoyed some beer and our sandwiches before heading in for what we hoped would be a good game for the Flyers.

Once we got inside we discovered a face painting station, so OF COURSE I HAD to get the Flyers symbol painted on my cheek, because well what kind of a fan would I be if  I didn't get that done!  M thought I was crazy, but I was pretty excited about it!

Excuse the fact that I look super tired... I was... But I do love my facepainting!!

The game got off to a REALLY ROCKY start... in fact based on the first few minutes I was pretty convinced that I was a bad luck charm and that the Flyers were going to lose and get knocked out of the playoffs.  Thankfully Mason looked INCREDIBLE in goal and just kept making save after save after save to keep the Flyers in the game! FINALLY towards the end of the period Simmonds was able to score a power play goal giving the Flyers a 1-0 lead after the first period!

Mason... def one of the MVPs of this game!

Hubby & I enjoying the game

1-0 at the end of the first period!!

The second period started and the Flyers came out looking like the team that we know and love!  They came out with a vengeance and we knew that they weren't giving up hope! Before we knew it Simmonds had scored his third goal and the fans went wild throwing so many hats onto the ice. (BTW, does anyone know what they do with all of those hats? I mean they pretty much had I think hundreds of them on the ice by the time all was said and done)  Then the 2nd period was over and the Flyers were up 4-0!

Seriously this pile of hats doesn't even begin to show you how many were actually on the ice!

Just us... acting silly... ya know... normal

During the 2nd intermission I was lucky enough to be able to meet up with one of my bffs and of course we took a picture together before heading back in for the third period.

As the third period began the Flyers were still playing great hockey and were still up by 4.  Eventually the Rangers scored making it 4-1... but never fear, the Flyers weren't going to let that stop them.  The Rangers pulled their goalie and Giroux was able to score an unassisted goal into the empty net making it now 5-1.  Needless to say the fans were going CRAZY!  In fact during the third period the fans got so crazy there was actually a fist fight in one of the upper sections across the ice from us.  Watching grown men throw punches at each other definitely distracted me from the game for a few minutes, but oh well it happens.  In the third period Mason continued to make a bunch of fantastic saves, although the Rangers were able to get one more past him.  In the end the Flyers ended up winning 5-2 and are headed to NY today to MSG for game 7!

Let's Go Flyers!!!!!!

Do you watch hockey? What is your favorite team?

Dear Almost 55 Year Old Self

Dear Almost 55 Year Old Elizabeth,

Ok, well maybe you aren't almost 55, you aren't even  54 1/2 right now, but as you are writing this letter you are feeling like you are 30 even though you aren't quite there.  Yes, that is right, at this time 25 years ago you were pretty much freaking out about turning 30 because your life was not where you thought it would be at this point in time. Your 18 year old self would have said at this point in time you would be on your way to partner at a major law firm in NYC, you wouldn't be married (or even have a boyfriend/fiance for that matter), you would be living in some swanky NYC apartment, and  you would NEVER be considering having kids.  Funny how your priorities changed somewhere between 18 and probably about 25.

At almost 29 1/2 years old you are married to not only the love of your life, but your best friend.  When you started dating M in college you never thought that you would get married, but here you are.  You are now contemplating when the best time to have kids will be... although M really wants a dog, so you may have to take baby steps and get the dog first.  You have also been looking at houses, but not too seriously as you still don't have a job in your career so you don't want to take the plunge and invest in a house when you don't know where you will be in 3 months, 6 months, a year.

Yes, that is correct almost 55 year old self, at almost 30 you STILL don't have a job in your chosen field.  Although you feel very discouraged that you don't have a job as an attorney (especially after paying so much money to attend law school) you haven't quite given up hope yet.  You had an interview at a major law firm, and they even had you back for a second interview and even though you didn't get the job you still have hope that something will come your way.  You have also been applying for ANY and EVERY job that you may be REMOTELY qualified for because you have hit your limit with bartending and need to find something more career oriented.

You are still super involved with Chi Omega and even serve as the Philadelphia Area Alumnae Chapter of Chi Omega's President.  Besides being President of the alum chapter, you also serve as the Esoteric Advisor, as well as Social Advisor to the Iota Lambda Chapter of Chi Omega at Villanova.  You love working with the collegiate girls although they sometimes make you want to tear your hair out.  Last year you were able to go to Firesides at the "mothership" a.k.a. Chi Omega headquarters in Memphis, TN and this year it is possible that you will be able to go to Convention in Orlando, FL.  (You are keeping your fingers and toes crossed that you get to head to Convention, but know that it is a possibility that you may not be able to based on budget concerns.)

At almost 30, you are super busy so you want to remind your 55 year old self to stop and smell the roses every so often.  Life will not end if you take a breather and it certainly will not end if you say "no" to people at times.  Your almost 30 year old self HATES to say no and as a result is almost always very busy and/or over-committed.  Almost 30 year old me would also like to remind my 55 year old self that even if your life is not where you thought it would be, it doesn't mean that you haven't lived your life to the fullest.  Sometimes priorities change and that is ok.  It is ok to not be a partner in a law firm... perhaps at 55 you will be a teacher or a restaurant manager or in sales or in finance or work for a college/university... who knows.  Whatever it is that you are doing though it is important that you are happy and that you are taking time to enjoy your life.

55 year old self, here's hoping the next 25 years are AMAZING!

Sincerely,
30 year old Elizabeth (ok, almost 29.5 year old Elizabeth... but you catch my drift)

If you could say something to yourself in 25 years, what would you say?

Do You Know YOUR State Symbols?

The other day I was talking to one of my bff's and she was saying that she was really excited about these bird stamps that she had gotten to put on her wedding thank you notes.  So obviously I told her that she needed to make sure that mine had an awesome bird on it to which she replied that she was going to put the goldfinch stamp on it since the goldfinch is the state bird of NJ.  Then of course I couldn't remember if that was true so obviously we had to look it up and then obviously a blog post was born out of the fact that I couldn't believe that NJ had a state dinosaur... seriously, a dinosaur?!  AND when reading about the symbols we learned that there were fights about these things and they used precious legislature time fighting over some of the symbols... CRAZY!

So... here are the good, the bad and the ugly state symbols for NJ...

State Seal

The State Seal of NJ was designed in 1777 and has remained basically the same since it was designed with a few minor changes made to it in the 1900s. 

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State Flag

The State Flag of NJ was made official in 1896 although it had been designed in 1779 based on orders from General George Washington.

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State Flower: The Meadow Violet

The legislature originally tried to make the state flower the meadow violet back in 1913, but the legislative session came to a close before they could come to an agreement on it.  Finally in 1971, the New Jersey Garden Club insisted that the legislature designate a state flower, thus the meadow violet became our state flower.

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State Bird: The Eastern Goldfinch

In 1935 the legislature decided that New Jersey needed to have a state bird because 44 other states had one.

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State Tree: The Red Oak

In 1950 The Red Oak was declared the "official" state tree of NJ.  Although the red oak is the official state tree, NJ also has a "memorial" tree which is the Dogwood.

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State Bug: The Honeybee

The honeybee became the state bug in 1974 after a group of students from Sunnybrae School petitioned the governor with a presentation that included a song and a poem.

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State Fish: The Brook Trout

The brook trout became the state fish in 1991 for various crazy reasons that can be found in the Assembly Bill 2608 here.

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State Animal: The Horse

The horse became the state animal in 1977 while the governor was attending a horse show in Sussex County.  Fun Fact: The U.S. Equestrian Team is headquartered in NJ.

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State Dance: Square Dance

In 1983 things must have been slow for the legislature because they decided that folk dance was important and that NJ needed a state dance... so the square dance became the official dance of NJ.

State Shell: The Knobbed Whelk

In 1995 (yes, we were still naming state symbols well into the 90s), the state of NJ designated a state shell.

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State Fruit: The Blueberry

As if designating an official state shell in 1995 wasn't enough, in 2004 after urging from students at Veteran's Memorial Elementary School in Brick, NJ the blueberry was named the state fruit of NJ.

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State Ship: The A.J. Meerwald

In 1998, the A.J. Meerwald was designated the state ship of NJ because it is an "ideal symbol of New Jersey's great heritage"

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State Dinosaur: The Hadrosaurus foulkii

William Foulke discovered the first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton in Haddonfield, NJ in 1858 and thus the Hadrosaurus foulkii became the state dinosaur of NJ.

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So there you have it... the good, the bad, and the ugly state symbols of my home state of NJ.  Fun Fact: NJ is the only state without a state song... so how long do we think it will be before the legislature decides they need a state song?!

Of course I am posting about my home state of New Jersey... but that doesn't mean that I didn't look up the state symbols for Pennsylvania since I am currently living there.  The symbols of PA weren't as interesting to me.... BUT I did learn that the Official State Beverage is milk, they have a State Dog which is the great dane, and there is a State Fossil which is the phacops rana.  Other than than Pennsylvania's state symbols are pretty normal.  

Do you know your state symbols? Does your state have any bizarre ones?

#tbt... NACURH Conference in St. Louis

This week I am throwing back to the Summer of 2004 when I headed to St. Louis, MO for the NACURH (National Association of College and University Residence Halls) Conference.  I had just finished my freshman year at Bucknell and I was super excited to be on the executive board for RHA (Residence Hall Association) and even more excited that Bucknell was going to pay for me to go to a conference in St. Louis!  Can't believe this was almost 10 years ago already!!

Hanging out in the airport ready to go

RHA Executive Board 

Really want to know where I got that hat from... Because I KNOW I was NOT a Phillies fan back then....

Were you ever part of an organization that sent you to a conference? If so, where did you go?

"Almost" Wordless Wednesday... Adventures in Ridley Creek State Park

This past weekend M and I celebrated 6 months of wedded bliss.  Since I was scheduled to work on Saturday night I knew we were going to have to make the best of our time together during the day, so I suggested to M that we pick up sandwiches from our local hoagie place and have a picnic in Ridley Creek State park followed by perhaps hiking along one of the trails there.  I know it is shocking that I suggested that we go hiking on one of the trails because as most of you know I am NOT an outdoorsy kind of gal, but since the hubby likes the outdoors I figured that hiking through the woods would be fun for him and way more fun for me than say something like camping would be.

So without further ado, enjoy some pictures from our hike through Ridley Creek State Park!!

Cow at the Colonial Plantation at the Park

Piglets!

There was a baby lamb in there!

Trying to be artsy and capture the chickens

On the Colonial Plantation before our "trek into the wilderness"

Jumping over the little stream like a pro... I was not so good at this

Gorgeous Day for a hike

Taking a break for a picture next to the creek

See... I really was in the wilderness!

What do you and  your significant others do to celebrate anniversaries?