{Oh how the years go by...}

And oh how the years go by...
And oh how the love brings tears to my eyes
All through the changes the soul never dies
We fight, we laugh, we cry
As the years go by...


College. Oh how I miss it. Well, I don't really miss the classes and homework/papers. Or the dining hall food. Our dining hall was called "Hasbrouck"...my friends and I lovingly referred to it as "Haspuke" because let's face it, it was NOT mom's home cooking! Although I was utterly upset when they got rid of the chicken patties that were on Tuesday/Thursdays...those were the days I liked going to the dining hall!

They say that college is the best four years of your life. Or sometimes five years in certain cases. You can meet your future spouse, make life altering decisions (like completely changing your major or something) and meet your life long friends. I had an amazing four years at New Paltz. Part of my heart still is up there in the mountains. I cannot wait to visit there when Steph is here in a few weeks! (Almost 16 days!)

I often get nostalgic about these memories. My friends and I made some interesting choices...to say the least. There were a lot of nights that we tried to piece back together the next day. Lots of laughs. Lots of memories. And forgive me for the picture overload now as I look back. =)

FRESHMEN YEAR (wow, we were such babies!)

Liz, Me, Heather & Olivia at church street

One of many nights hanging out in Room 204

The GIANT Dr.Seuss picture my RA put on our bathroom door

Pretending to be the Spice Girls haha

Springtime!

One of those many "Oh that night"

FYI Food Drive! {Note, I was not part of this first year group...all my friends were}

Sitting on the New Paltz sign walking to town

Spirit Day!

My birthday! And yes, my friends gave me a menorah.

Buddha & I

Suitemates! {Liz, Becky [my roommate], Esperanta, Kara, Theresa, Nikki [our RA/suitemate] and me}

HAHA Olivia...oh those "innocent" nights

Secret Santa!

Freaky hair night

Yeah, we had dry erase boards on the back of both of our stall doors. And had conversations.

My frat buddy Andrew. I miss my Vermont friend!

Me, Nikki, Jenny and Cara the day I moved out. These girls were Nikki's friends and I became friendly with them. I miss them all! <3

SOPHOMORE SLUMP (aka the year we'd like to all forget!)

Steph & I at a KDPhi Party

Dressing up as Jen A for Halloween

Orientation buddies! {Me & Eric}

Halloween....Britney Spears {her baby one more time video} and Girls Gone Wild!

Kindergarten night!

Group shot at KDPhi!

Ran into Cara outside the bar! <3

Girls Gone Wild

Cara & I again!

South Side Complex Girls

Heather's birthday

Me, Steph and Jenna @ KDPhi party

Playing around before Christmas break

One of my favorite pictures

Playing "Kings" in Lefevre 303!

Allison, Me, Steph and Steph's friend Kristen on Spring Break!

Water Balloon fight night!

Palm Trees! Anna Maria Island, FL

JUNIOR YEAR! (half way there!)
*This is a rather short year because part of my year was spent in Spain! My spring semester, I studied abroad!*

21st birthday!

Me & Mariel {I look pretty good for just getting off 9 different medicines for bronchitis}

First *legal* drink purchase at Applebee's!

My roommate Allison being a dork

Spirit Day!

Halloween...we both went as waitresses.

Roomies! {Lord, my hair was BLONDE}

Getting in touch with my Jewish side!
Allison & I used to have contests of balancing the recyclables until it fell over to see who had to take it down to the trash room.

Circle K conference in Lake George!

SENIOR YEAR! {Look How Far We've Come!}

Secret Santa

Me with the giant cookie Liz baked for my birthday!

Trailer Trash Night....interesting night!

One of my favorite pictures from senior year!

Fishbowl Thursday!

Halloween!

The weekend Steph came to visit. The best friends a girl can have!

The table at Church Street! <3

Best friend {My hair was really blonde!}

Heather & Me

One of our last nights hanging out at Church Street!
{Shannon, Amanda, Me}

{Girls Just Wanna Have Fun}

{Out to dinner for Heather's birthday!}
{Me & Olivia!}
{BFF Always}

Graduation!
{Emily, Jade, Olivia, Sarah, Shannon, Heather, Me}

{The best friends anyone could have asked for in four years of college}
{This depicts us all PERFECTLY}
{Olivia & I!}

{Exit off the NYS Thruway for school}

There are places I remember
All my life
Though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all

{motivation}

I really need some motivation. Like for real. Did I do anything productive today? Unless you count shopping with my lovely mother at Costco and taking a two hour nap....then no. Oh how I miss those days from college...which was pretty much every day of my four years at New Paltz. =)

i really want to start working out again. I did zumba classes a few times over the summer and it was great...despite the early morning wake ups followed by sitting in class for three hours. It just gave me more energy! I did work out at my uncle's gym when I was taking a class at a college near his gym four years ago (wow!). If it wasn't a 40 minute drive (20 mins there/20 back without traffic), I would totally go for it considering I would get a free membership.

And last year I had been at the gym that's 5 minutes from my house but after I hurt my back at work, I eventually stopped going. My brother went to that gym. Then, some time ago, they opened an "LA Fitness" near us (maybe like 5-10 mins from the gym that was 5 minutes from my house). Brian (my brother...well one of them) goes there now and even has a personal trainer. I just need motivation. I went to their website and right now there's a $0 initiation fee and $9.95 per week. So I just went to the website to play around with the one my brother goes to and its $25.90 for two weeks (essentially $12.95 a week). So roughly $50 a month. Is it worth $50 a month? The winter is coming and I do not like running outside. Actually, I cannot run outside because I feel (get ready for a lame excuse) ....I look stupid. HA! I was NOT a track star in school among any means so I'm not one of those hard core runners. I actually always felt better after working out at the gym. I would eventually like to run in a half marathon or something in a few years (maybe this can be my goal once I turn 25 in a few weeks to accomplish in a few years) but I do need to start at someplace. I read Christine's blog These Happy Miles, which I stumbled upon a few months back. She's running in the Chicago Marathon next weekend (you go girl!) and her posts make me want to put on some shoes and get my butt in gear.

So how can I get myself motivated?! (I would eventually like to drop back down to the size 8 jeans I once wore a few years ago....if that is AT ALL possible). Of course, I look at pictures on Pinterest (aka let's make Kristin procrastinate more in life!):

I would loveeeeeeee to have a stomach like this!

O.M.G...SHOES!

Who remembers this fabulous video of Kelly with the "Shoes" song? Totally brings me back to my sophomore year of college when that is all we said to each other. My friend Olivia even went as her for Halloween that year!
HAHA! I love it!

Well, needless to say....I HATE SHOPPING FOR SHOES!! I find it to be the worst part of shopping. I prefer simplicity when it comes to shoes. You know how some girls gravitate towards the shoe department? My mind gravitates towards the purses or anything else. I am on a MISSION to find shoes for a dress I am wearing to my friend Ashley's wedding in November. She is getting married the day after Thanksgiving and I know what dress I am going to wear:

It is from White House Black Market and I got it last summer to wear to a gala in the Hamptons. It was expensive so of course I want to get as much use out of it as possible!! I think I want to wear red shoes because I always wear the BORING standard black. I thought red might make the color pop more. Problem? I don't really like high heels....not if I wanna be dancing my booty off for the night.

So today, I started browsing Macy's website. There are so many options. I hope it does not take me forever and a day to find a pair. I hate shoe shopping so much I've already told my friends they might end up seeing me wear white flipflops under my wedding dress when I get married. HAHA!

So tell me: where are your favorite places to shop for shoes? At a reasonable price?!