Wednesday, January 11, 2012

A trip to NYC that I will NEVER forget!!!!

If I wait until I finish everything I need to do today to post this blog, I will never get it done so here it is!!

Yesterday was.....incredible. Absolutely, positively incredible. Just a recap: I found out last week that Jennifer Hudson was going to be in NYC for a book signing yesterday. I told my sister in law that I was thinking about going. She told me "If you don't go, I will drag you there myself. You have accomplished so much, she's your inspiration, and she needs to know it!" So in a matter of an hour we had decided we were going.

In case you need to refresh on how much I love Jennifer Hudson, you can check out posts here, here, here, and here

Fast forward .....

2:30am yesterday we drug ourselves out of bed, into a cab, and onto the bus NYC bound!

Posing in the bathroom at 3am! 

sitting at the bus station 4am...

We arrived in NYC at 7am and made our way into the big city. I haven't been there since I was young so I was in complete awe. I love that city!! 

We stood outside of Good Morning America hoping to get on TV but we didn't want to waste any time getting in line for the book signing...


Of course along the way we had to stop and take our touristy pictures in Times Square ! 

We arrived at Barnes and Noble on 5th Ave. at 7:15...those 3 people in line were the only people ahead of us! I was so excited we were going to be one of the first people to meet her and seeing as how they were music fans, I figured I was going to be the first weight loss success story to meet her, which made me even more excited!

Yes, we waited for 5 hours out in the cold!! It was so worth it!!
Anxiously waiting!! 

Video #1 : Waiting for JHUD




We met some awesome friends in line and I'm so upset that we forgot to get their contact information! If you guys are reading my blog, make sure you email me! This young guy Dan doesn't realize how much he could do with his interest and knowledge about celebrities. I told him he's the next Perez Hilton!

Waiting...waiting....loading up on caffeine.....looking like super stars....and waiting some more LOL

We went in to get our books....then waited some more!

Now would be a good time to explain something: Bridgit and Peter, the other two winners of the Story Of You contest have become good friends of mine! The only way I was able to afford this trip was because I won that contest and they deserved to be there as much as I did! I also purchased them books. I would have loved to purchase all my WW friends books but then I would be broke so please don't take it personal that I only did it for Bridgit and Peter!

So after all that waiting.....we made it inside the book store...and then waited some more. Here I am, dorky as ever, excited as ever!



Then the moment finally came....there she IS!!

Signing MY book!! 

I told her that I was so excited to meet her, that she has been a huge inspiration to me with my weight loss journey, that I lost 94lbs, and that it was on my bucket list to meet her. The above picture is her reaction to me saying that meeting her was on my list of things to do before I die. Cannot believe she held my hand and everything!! 

Her shocked face when I told her how much weight I lost :)
When I showed her my before picture, she asked me if she could keep it! I have no idea what she might do with it but I sure as heck told her yes! I was wishing I put my contact information on there! LOL! 

Then, despite the fact that there was supposed to be no posing for photography, I asked her for a photo. The security guard started getting madd but JHUD didn't care, I sure as heck didn't care, and Tamara didn't care....
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She is everything I imagined her to be!! She is just as beautiful in real life as on camera and just as genuine! I was on cloud 9! ....I still am! It's incredible to experience something that you thought you may only dream of. Thank you Jennifer for being my first inspiration to take this journey of changing my life. 

So after I hugged Tamara for the longest time ever and we cried together, went to the bathroom, and semi calmed down, I recorded a reaction:



Then we celebrated: 





So after all that excitement....the day wasn't over....we still had all day in NYC! So we did what you do in NYC...we shopped, we drank more coffee, we hung out in Times Square, and we took pictures!
*Stay tuned after the pics...there is more awesomeness coming!*

I died......


and then went to Forever 21 Heaven!!! Four stories of non-stop F21 shopping!!! 

Now I'll give you 3 guesses what we bought, first 2 don't count....

Yup....we both left with nothing but workout clothes! haha I want to go back when I am at my goal weight and buy some SUMMER clothes!! 

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Hanging out (and charging my phone!) in F21

Only in NYC 

Free hugs that cost $1 donation.... -_- 


Yes, we split it!! It was to die for. 


Sooo....after allllllll that there is still more awesomeness!! One of the very first blogs I started reading was the one and only Bitch Cakes aka Sheryl Yvette. If you don't already follow her blog, which you should, check her out at Www.sherylyvette.com . She is one of the coolest people ever! She is taking a bit of a break from blogging for personal reasons, but take the time to catch up on her because you will fall in love. 

Anyway, being in NYC, I mentioned to her that I would love to meet her so she invited me to attend her Weight Watchers meeting!! How cool? Hanging out in NYC and attending a WW meeting with all new people! 

Her meeting was super hidden in a basement and it actually turns out that it's the same meeting center that Jennifer Hudson attends! But she wasn't there last night lol. 

I told you it was super hidden! lol
But we finally found it! And found Sheryl! 

So excited to finally meet her! 

and her adorable WW leader Melanie! 


So after that we walked her to the subway she was catching and then we booked it back to Penn Station to catch the bus home! 



On top of ALL of that.....I received an email from the territory manager for Weight Watchers telling me that she has already heard so much about me and asking me to fill out a questionnaire so that we can set up an interview to work for them!! So of course as soon as I got home I did that...just waiting to hear!!

Thank you all for all the love and support!! Yesterday is definitely a day I will NEVER forget!!!

HUGS!!!!

18 comments:

Unknown said...

OOH WOW! What an awesome awesome day!!!! I cannot wait to get that book, I must order it ASAP!

So exciting about your news RE Weight Watchers, you would be the most amazing leader!

I am so happy for you! xxx

Elaine Steele said...

OMG! I love and miss you so much! I am so thrilled that you got to spend a few precious seconds with your inspiration! I am also very happy you didn't pee your pants, lol. Good things are going to continue to come your way with your positive attitude, keep it going!

Bzybee said...

What a great story.. very happy for you :)

Letrice said...

SO awesome!!! Thanks for sharing it in detail! And you're going to be an amazing leader!!! You are SUCH an inspiration and blessing. Keep pressing on. Your story needs to be heard by ALL

Unknown said...

That is so awesome!! I'm so happy you got to meet her. I'm relatively new to you blog but your excitement brought tears to my eyes and made me think about some of MY goals for the end of my journey!
Thank yoU!

Unknown said...

OMGosh girl -- this is the coolest most amazing post i have EVER read! i adore jhud! she is just so freakin' gawgeous!
and you met sheryl to?!?!! i have been reading her blog forevaaaa & even when i fell off the weight watcher wagon the last time.
just awesomeness!
you deserve it!

xxoo!

melissabct said...

FANTASTIC, i am so happy for you, what a great day

DaphneCT said...

Can I just tell you, I literally cried from excitement for you!!! I'm so very happy for you! HUG HUG HUG!!!!!!!!!

Jen Newsham said...

Wow! That is so awesome! Thanks for sharing about your NYC trip! I'm so glad that you were able to connect with such wonderful people and to meet Jennifer Hudson! That's awesome.

Michelle said...

So great! :-) That's so cool she kept your picture

OMG! That's where my meetings are. Small world.

KstyleFit said...

Awesome!! I need to find JHud's book! I would have been all nervous and shaking when I met her.

Miesha Roshawn said...

That's great that you were able to meet J HUD! Love all of the pics too! Thanks for dropping by with kind words, I appreciate it! Best of luck to you in all that you want to accomplish!

Ashley S. said...

WOW what an amazing trip! I love your blog and think WW would be even more awesome if they had you :) I've been on and off WW and I have to say your blog got me back on the program. Seeing all you have done and accomplished, it is so inspiring, I must say even moreso than seeing a celebrity lose weight. The days I am ready to throw in the towel and not bother working out or tracking I think of your blog and it gets me going. So just so you know, you're kinda MY Jennifer Hudson :)

Sarah said...

Holy crap! What an exciting day! Saying it looks like you had fun is an understatement!

Sarah
notaneffingdiet.blogspot.com

dankoenigggg said...

Hey !! This is dan ! :D I tried to make a blog but no one looked at it ! Haha my fb is daniel Koenig so be sure to add me !!

Krystle kjb Bailey said...

Thank you guys for all the love!! It was an incredible day to say the least!!!

*Bitch Cakes* said...

I'm so glad I got to meet you (and Tamara) and be part of your amazing day of awesomeness! I loved all your pictures too. See you in a few weeks :)

Aimee | Irresistible Icing said...

What an amazing trip! I just found your blog and cant wait to read more.

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