Haha!

Hey girls!

This morning, I woke up at 8:20! I did not have to go in today, because I had so many other things to get done, and needed to not be in the office! It wasn't until later today though, that I realized I only work Tuesday and Thursday this week! YAY!
Also, I am in the midst of applying for quite a few internships, and I had a few more to submit, so I got all of that done around 3:30 and I was ecstatic!
When I got up, I turned on Good Morning America! I just love all of the personalities on that show! Diane and Robin are amazing! I love their wardrobes! Also, okay, can I just say, I LOVE Sam Champion! He is like my favorite weather man...ever! He is so cute! He seems very sweet too, like if I were to run into him *fingers crossed* he would be extremely easy to talk to! I absolutely love Chris Cuomo! He wears the best ties, which isnt what I should be noticing, he reports well too, but YES I do love his ties! Such a sharp dresser!

Once Regis and Kelly came on, I got so excited!
Let me preface this by saying, I really didn't think I was going to win, I just don't get my hopes up for things like that. If it happens it happens, if not, its not the end of the world or anything! I feel so fortunate to have even gotten to meet them both, and have my picture featured in the first place! I cant wait to go back to the standby line this Thursday with my friends! However, if I had won, that would have been icing on the cake! I just love everyone from back home that sent me messages, called, or texted me! It was too funny, everyone recorded it and I am so thankful to know such sweet people! I felt like a mini-celebrity for 24 hours!

Then, half way through the show, there it was, my moment!
Kelly opened the envelope and said...AHHH
"The winner is...
is...
is...
A BRUNETTE!!!
HELLO, last time I checked Kelly was blonde!

Earlier on the show she said "Regis, there were those girls who were born blonde, and then those who were born to be blonde!" haha!

No, in all honesty, she looked a lot more like Kelly than anyone else! It was the perfect pick! Regis got an older guy for his look alike, and I was really hoping the little kid would win haha! Also for Kelly, I really wanted the woman with the beer in her hand to win, because that's priceless! That would have been hilarious!

This morning, after the fact, I called my best friend, T, and we were joking around and pretending to be extremely depressed about it! We agreed this *look alike* must have sent cruel threats to the studio or something, or maybe she had someone behind the scenes rig the competition! Clearly the only safe thing to do was give her the win. After the show, I put my big sweats back on, ordered a LARGE pizza, and a ginger ale, not even a DIET ginger ale, because yes, my stomach, and my pride hurt! haha! Its too bad it wasn't after 5pm, I would have ordered myself something a little stronger!
Don't even judge, I was grieving a significant loss!
This morning, it was tough to get out of bed, I started to get depressed and eat everything in site. I can say I at least walked to the elevator to take me to the snack machine for a twinky, or 5!
I decided today i'd let myself go, stay in my sweatpants, and of course, wear no make up.
Starting tomorrow, I really need to prepare myself for next years competition, I'm thinking of hiring a personal trainer, and making friends with the staff, so ill have the inside connection. Haha!

Okay, all jokes aside, I am getting so excited because 2 of my friends are coming into the city on Wednesday and staying through Sunday!!
I am so excited, because I know one of them has never been to New York before! I really want to see a play, and of course, shop! 1 of them wants to go to Regis and Kelly, or The View, so I think Thursday morning we are going to stand in one of the lines! SO much fun! I love New York!

2 of my other friends just left yesterday after spending the weekend, and it was great having them here too! Its always so nice to have friends visit from back home! While they were here, we did Canal St, SoHo, and many other things! I was so excited to just go around New York and see everything! We went in this church right across from Ground Zero. I am so sorry, I should remember the name, but don't, and don't want to guess, but when we went in it had tons of 9/11 memorials all throughout the church. I got chills the minute I walked in because I just felt such a sense of calmness, as well as sadness for all of the sad memorials, but really there was something about that church that was so calming. It was really emotional to see this church. We also saw the cross made out of remains from the World Trade Centers, that was amazing to me.

Today I have been looking up at home work out routines to tone my arms and abs! I feel kind of flabby, and really want to have a good work out routine for when school starts back! At the Raleigh house, there is a treadmill, and another machine to work arms, as well as exercise mats. I found a few exercises that I just have to share! They look so effective! I cant wait to try them!

Ab Exercises

Leg lifts-Laying on the floor on your back and lifting your legs.

25 leg lifts on each leg to start.

Every 2 days add 5 more leg lifts.

Start to lay on your side and lift your legs to tone your legs and love handles 25 times.

Crunches- Lay flat on your back, hands behind your head, knees bent, and slowly lift your head off of the ground about 8 inches.

I start out with 25 crunches and work my way up to 300 crunches per day. You do not have to do all of your crunches in one sitting.

Break them down to 100 immediately in the morning.

When you get home from work finish the crunches off.

Push-Ups- Do as many pushups as you can before your arms start to get tired. Once your arms are tired, take a 30 second break.

After your break, get into the push-up position with elbows locked and body straight like a board. Instead of gown down, hold this rigid position for a minute or longer.

After 20 seconds you will already feel the burn, keep holding until that minute is up.

After this set of push-up style exercises, your abs should be feeling the burn already.

Bicycle- Lay on your back.

Now lift your legs off of the ground and bring your knees towards your upper body, alternating left leg and then right.

Try to mimic the action of riding a bicycle.

Continue this for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.

Repeat 2 more times.

Arm Exercises

Two to three sessions per week!

Dips - For this exercise you will need a sturdy chair.

For beginners stand in front the chair with your hands on the seat.

Squat down so your feet are a few feet in front of the chair.

Now raise and lower yourself using only your arms.

To make it more difficult you can straighten you legs or bring another chair in and prop your feet on it. Advanced students can even add weight to their lap.

Triangle Push ups - Assume a normal push up position.

Now make your legs wider and bring your hands in closer until your thumbs and first finger touch and form a triangle.

From here just do the push ups as you normally would.

Push-Ups- Get into a pushup position.

Bring hands in until they are directly under your shoulders.

Keeping your body, head and neck straight lower yourself until you are almost touching the floor, then rising up again.

It's easier to start with kneeling pushups.

The triceps, the muscle under the arm as well as the chest and core muscles are worked in this exercise.

Start with 5, and then work up to a set of 10.

Those look like good ones to start with! I am also ordering a hot pink medicine ball, to throw up in the air and work my arms with. Also, I am getting pink dumbells to use for my arms too!
So excited!

I am also just realizing that I have 2 weeks left in this wonderful city! Its so bittersweet! I have had the summer of my dreams, and it will be hard to leave, but I am also very excited to get home and get back to the real world! I hope to be back here someday doing something big! I am trying to decide what to do with my sheets, and quilt when I leave! I bought everything before I came specifically for the trip, so im almost thinking of finding a shelter and taking it all there. I just cant see the point of lugging it all home, and giving myself back problems! I also just found out that the night I get back, my sister and mother are going to see Coldplay with everyone we know that night, so I will either be staying with my Aunt, or renting a car.
They said they wouldnt go to Coldplay, but HELLO, its Coldplay, you cant just miss that!
I pray that wherever I rent a car from, they can rent me an SUV! I drive a Volvo and its got tons of room! Also, every freakin time I rent a car in Salisbury, they give me the same thing because its Salisbury and options are limited...a Ford Focus. No offense to all you Focus lovers out there, but its just not my style! They are so tiny, and with my driving record, I could stand to drive an 18 wheeler for my saftey! My mother swears I will be able to get an SUV, but then again...it better not be a minivan! hahaha! If it is, you can bet I will take a picture of the beauty, and post it on here!
Im talking like a tahoe! I know they rent those in Charlotte!
Also, we thought of having a car come pick me up at the airport and drive me home, but im not really feeling that either! As fun as that would be, I just dont think so!

I'm sure if its up to my mother, i'm going to stay with my Aunt that night in Charlotte, which I really wanna do because I never see her, and the next day I can shop with Aunt, Mom, and Sister!!
Luckily, I dont have to worry about all of those details quite yet!

Have a great Monday!! I will post more later!

Here are some pictures from LIVE!