Day at the Zoo

After a big breakfast of eggs and pancakes, Ryan and I headed out to volunteer with our friend Dru and a group of other people from his church at the Central Florida Zoo.

Volunteer Group

We were initially told we’d be transferring sand into the tortoise exhibit, but since it rained yesterday and the sand was more like dirt, we were assigned a different task: demolition.

I think Ryan’s eyes lit up immediately when he heard he’d get to help destroy stuff!

Me + Ryan

We helped break apart an old reptile exhibit, stripping the wiring and tearing down the framework.

The final product:

End Result

It was quite chilly and my hands and feet felt like ice by the time we were done.

Fortunately we warmed up with hot chocolate and coffee before going on a tour of the zoo. It was neat to go on a tour led by a zoo employee who gave us the “inside scoop” and told us lots of funny stories about the animals.

Bird of Prey - Watch Out!

Jabba the Hutt the Toad

Beautiful Leopard

I’m not sure if it was the cold air or what but the animals were very active! 

Lunch

Our tummies were grumbling by the time our volunteer work and zoo tour were over.

Chipotle sounded like a great option and I ordered a big burrito bowl with extra guacamole.

Burrito Bowl

Yum

Ryan stuck to the traditional burrito with pork and let me enjoy a couple yummy bites.

Burrito Boy

Gossip Girl Marathon + Apartment Search

After lunch, I headed over to my friend’s apartment for a Gossip Girl marathon. We talked while watching a few episodes and muching on Girl Scout cookies, crackers and cheese, Valentine’s Day chocolate and fresh berries. I left quite full! 😀

I then joined Ryan to check out another potential house which also didn’t have a washer and dryer. C’mon! 😦 We ended up driving around different areas of Orlando we like looking for “For Rent” signs for about an hour. We have another appointment to see a place tomorrow and have a couple other possibilities we want to look into further.

Tonight we’re cleaning our apartment because our landlord wants to be able to show it tomorrow. I also see an ice cream break in our future… 😉

See ya tomorrow for Valentine’s Day!!!

Back to the Grind

This weekend was productive but also quite relaxing… a nice break from the day-to-day grind. Fortunately I like my job and welcome the routine of the weekdays, so I am an odd-ball who doesn’t really mind Mondays.

How do you feel about Mondays?

My normal morning walk with Sadie was very enjoyable due to the time change. It was nice to walk with the sun up! Sadie was extra chipper this morning as well. I think we were both well-rested from our Gossip Girl marathon on the couch yesterday evening. 🙂

Gossip Girl Marathon

Breakfast

Halloween in St. Pete was great! All I really wanted was to see some trick-or-treaters and pass out candy and I got my Halloween wish.

My favorite costume was a flasher. This 10-year-old boy showed up in a trenchcoat and when I asked him what he was both he and his parents started laughing. I said I knew exactly what he was but wondered what he told the older people in the neighborhood when they asked him. He said he was still thinking of what to say and we decided on a detective. 😉

Though Halloween 2009 is done, my love for pumpkin lives on. For breakfast this morning, I blended 1/2 cup cottage cheese with one cup canned pumpkin, sweetener and pumpkin pie spice.

Pumpkin Delight

I topped the mix with South Beach Living chocolate-covered soy nuts and served it with a cup of Mighty Leaf chocolate mint truffle tea. Tasty!

Monday's Breakfast

Great kickoff to the week! 🙂

Bagel Belly

I’m sad I left my family! 😦 We had such a nice time together at Leslie’s family weekend and I always get sad immediately after I leave them.

The Fam

(Note: Yes, I am aware I look like a gigantor in this pic… I’m wearing 4-inch wedges & everyone else is wearing flats.)

The breakfast at Leslie’s sorority house was catered by Panera and featured billions of bagels, danishes, scones, fresh fruit and hot coffee.

Fruit Plate

I initially planned to stick with fresh fruit to keep some room in my tummy for my upcoming lunch with my friend from UCF, Philip. That plan quickly changed after I snacked on a scone and a bagel. I was still full by the time I met up with Philip. Definite bagel belly!

Philip and I met for lunch at Cafe Gardens, a cute restaurant with lots of outdoor seating, which was perfect since the weather was gorgeous.

Me & Philly Phil

Still suffering from bagel belly, I ordered a light spinach salad with red onion, tomatoes and mushrooms as my lunch.

Spinach Salad

Philip was hungry and enjoyed a tasty lookin’ French dip sandwich with pasta salad. I adore French dip and praised his selection.

French Dip Sandwich with Pasta Salad

We both really enjoyed our lunches and hung out for a while after we were finished to catch up. Philip will graduate from UF’s law school in May. Can you imagine being a real lawyer at 24? What a smartie pants! I’m so proud!

After lunch I hit the road to head back for Orlando. I’m now facing the post-family time blues. 😦 I’m hoping that a trip to my friend Merri’s to pick up season one of Gossip Girl will lift my spirits! I’ve never seen the show and she’s in love, so hopefully I’ll enjoy it. I actually read the books (yes, I’m 24 and openly admit to reading Gossip Girl when I was in my younger 20s… don’t judge) and thought they were pretty entertaining.