One Week Ago Today

From left to right. TOP: Karla, Jessie, Natalia, Erin

BOTTOM: Amy, Barbara, Leah and Alexa

One week ago today I was preparing to leave Colorado and enjoy the beautiful sun and beaches of Key Biscayne, FL. Well here I am and I love it...the weather is wonderful, the beach is beautiful - even though I've been suffering a burn for a few days, and the work is totally hard, but right up my alley.


My Condo-mates are fun! I have four of them. Auravelia is from Canada - she's my roommate...we enjoy late night talks and staying up till the wee hours of the night talking and commiserating. Her family's from Nicaragua, but she most recently lived in Canada - so she speaks English, Spanish and French. I feel like a giant around here because she's shorter than I am, but full of energy and praise for Pope Benedict (her favorite alive person). She reminds me of Shannon Wallace - full of zeal. :-)

In the room next to me, we have Amy and Karla. Karla's from Cancun, Mexico and speaks with a beautiful Mexican accent and makes all the guys heads turn. She's one of the most spiritual people that I know and has quite the devotion to the rosary that we have all started praying it every night before bed. Amy has an amazing sense of humor and we are both VERY sarcastic with each other! She's hilarious - by far the funniest person I've met from Nebraska, or maybe the only person I've met from Nebraska and I swear one day she will be writing and directing for SNL!

Alexa lives by herself and it's a good thing too because she's got enough shoes for everyone in the house...It's ok with me - I wear a size 8 too! She's the drama queen - not in the bad way. She is the actress of the house so her expressions are dynamic, her laugh is just as big as mine and she speaks her mind - good, bad or ugly! She's got great facial expressions (always a good photo face), big beautiful eyes that catches your attention when she talks and a passion for what she's doing. She reminds me of Katie Corder!

We've all adpoted using the phrase "hey bitches" - to be said in a high-pitched squeal...yes, mind you, we are all Catholic women!

I'm known around the house (and the office for that matter) as the Lindsay Lohan look alike - I don't see it, but each of the girls individually has told me I looked like her when I met them all separately - even the day interns and friends who have come over to the house have said there is some resemblance...this isn't even the first time that I've gotten this comment! The girls took photos tonight to show their friends that they "met Lindsay Lohan."

We had a Mexican fiesta last night with my famous taco salads. Monday night we enjoyed Sushi boats at Sean Wolfington's house (the executive produer). He lives in Cher's old house - literally with the ocean in his back yard!! The picture above is one that we took in his foyer...the paintings behind us were made by the assistant director of the Passion. VERY COOL!

Saying Goodbye

WOW - where do I begin? Thursday was my last day of work at Dance Trax - a bittersweet moment as I cleaned out my used-to-be-home office...I worked in that office everyday for the last year and two months and I don't even have a picture of it :-(

Friday was busy with errands and lunch dates and helping out a friend at the convention downtown.

Saturday I met Chef Robert Irvine from the Food Network's Dinner: Impossible. A very talkative, friendly fellow...don't worry none of the rumors are true. He was very inspirational and told me that life gives you opportunities only once and you need to take them because they don't come around again! (Ain't that the truth).

Then I was off to the Rockies game - yes we lost, yes it was cold and yes I did have fun with Cindy!!! Then it was off to meet up with Hudd and Kiki and Annie-bellie...we enjoyed my last night in Denver together and got to meet up with some old college hallmates, which was quite a treat if I do say so myself. Word to the wise - Maloney's has good music...GO GREASE LIGHTING, YOU'RE BURNING UP THE QUARTER MILE!

Sunday, I was paying for the night that I had on Saturday and definitely learning my lesson...don't drink the night before your parent's are throwing you an open house, especially when your sisters spend their entire morning listening to the orders of your frantic mother as she cleans the house. This, right here, is my public apology to my family, and especially my middle sister Lydia, for my selfishness on Saturday night and my immature behavior. My family was very supportive as they laughed while I couldn't keep anything down...it was a little nicer than I make it sound, but not by much - I was hurting.

The open house was lovely - thank you to all who came. We had a packed house and I enjoyed filling everyone in my adventure - or at least what I know about it - and having everyone write in my journal. It truly amazes me how supportive everyone is!

Sunday night was dinner at John Holly's with my close friends...I loved having everyone of them there. I did not get a picture with Shannon Wallace, so I have to mention her here. Check out the photos: Click Here.

I loved having all of my friends around one big table and I am so blessed to have all of these people in my life. Thank you for celebrating with me...PLUS I LOVE John Holly's food!



Monday was full of errands and appointments - I made dinner for the family as a Thank You and apology for Sunday morning...I think they accepted. Food was great - my usual: Chicken Parmesan (thank you Morgan), mashed potatoes (thank you Marshall), and broccoli (thank you Dominique)...and thanks to Dana for keeping me company while I cooked!


Finally, today was full of more errands and appointments and friends! I got to go to my Theology of the Body class with Welona - it's amazing! More to come about that in later posts - I can already tell this will be a huge thing in my life and I'm introducing it to more people. I was blessed with a little celebration after the class with some of my favorite people - I got to see Kirsten and Christina and Karen and Lisa...and new friends Billy and Todd joined us!


I am so absolutely grateful to all that I have seen and said goodbye to. I know it may or may not be a long goodbye, but regardless it has been great to know that so many people support me and are praying for me. God has truly filled my life with some of the most amazing people that I know.


Leaving still feels very surreal - I cannot imagine that I will not drive up my driveway again for a while...not enjoy the messiness of my jeep...not sit in my kitchen at the wee hours of the morning and write my blog. I will have new faces, new experience and new places to encounter, but as the old girl scout song goes:

Make new friends, but keep the old.
One is silver and the other's gold.
A circle's round. It has no end.
That's how long I'm going to be your
friend.

With that I'm off to pack - right it's 1:20am on the day that I leave and I'm still not packed...I'm not really worried about it. When I'm on the beaches of Key Biscayne, I'll write more. For now, pray for safe travels and patience!

Welcome :: My First Blog (not on the beach yet)

Hello, Hello...

Welcome to my blog. I've never done this before, but I thought it might be fun to keep a blog and make sure I was documenting this new adventure. It's called "Life's a Beach" - the blog, an I guess the adventure as well! Not only did I title it this because I'll be living on the beach, but also because it's one of my mom's favorite sayings and she might be the thing I miss most about Colorado ("My Baby's home" will no longer greet me as I walk in the door!)

So here's what I'm doing: I'll be moving from Denver, CO to Key Biscayne, FL (an island 10 minutes away from Miami) to work with the marketing staff (VP of Marketing, Film Producer and Graphic Designer and other interns) to promote the film Bella.

This "new chapter" of my life is going to be a bittersweet change. I have resigned my position at Dance Trax Entertainment as General Manager and gave up my position on the leadership board of the ISES Denver Chapter. I am sad to leave all the people that I have worked with and all the great progress that both our company and this organization will have in the next few years. I know that I have contributed to them and that my passions lie elsewhere, but I cannot help but wish they prosper in my absence.

I am VERY excited about the beach!!! I can't wait for the sun, the sand, the water, wearing flipflops and skirts and the beautiful bronze color that I hope to become! I think I'll even soliciate the help of a cute beach bum to teach me how to surf...what could be better?!?

Thanks for starting this journey with me and for your support as I make new friends, learn a new industry, and create a path for myself!

In Christ - natalia