From Indy to Dayton: Another Fun Weekend

I love fall. I love the crispness of the cool air as it gently runs its fingers through your hair. I love the smell of fresh grass, the colors of falling leaves, and the undeniable changes that this season brings. It's that sound that leaves make as you step on them and lightly crush them together. It's the taste of fresh cider that you haven't had in months. It's that coolness in the air that makes you want to snuggle up just to stay warm. It's hooded sweatshirts and long pants....It's everything! Fall is such a beautiful time of year that is so full of exciting things to do and experience. Like most things, it is better enjoyed in the company of others.

This past weekend I had the chance to get out and enjoy fall. It started with a trip to Indianapolis to visit one of my roommates from Romania. She is leaving this week to go back for 6 months in an effort to brighten the lives of orphan children in Bucharest. In the years since Romania we have had many opportunities to hang out and I wanted to make sure I got to say goodbye and hear all about her plans when she gets there. Plus, Indy is a really cool city and it was nice to get out and enjoy it! My visit started trip to the arts district in Broadripple from some Vintage shopping and a great lunch at an Egyptian cafe. This part of town was soo neat even though it was a pretty cold and cloudy day. I took some pictures and got to enjoy some local music as well as make a few good vintage purchases. It was lots of fun and I promise to post more pictures of it soon! After that we got dressed up and went to downtown Indianapolis for a nice dinner and some conversation. I was anxious to hear all about her trip-her expectations, the children, where she would be living etc...so this was the perfect opportunity. Plus, dinner was awesome and they had delicious sangria plus sweet potato fries (which I have loved and not had since Corning last summer!). We went out for a bit after dinner before heading home for the night. Sunday we went for breakfast at this awesome little cafe in Amanda's hometown for Crepes and returned home for some great conversation with her family before I headed out for some more Fall Fun. It was a quick trip, but I couldn't be more excited for Amanda's return to Romania!

On the way back home from Indianapolis I stopped in Dayton for a little adventure to Young's Dairy in Yellowsprings, OH. This place is a dairy farm with TONS of activities. There are animals to pet, slides to ride, corn mazes to get lost in, many ice cream flavors to try, putt putt golf to play, wagons to ride, pictures to take, and fun times to be had by all! I'm pretty sure we did everything on that list actually, so it was a full day of activities but so much fun! After the dairy farm we picked up pumpkins for a little carving fun before I headed back to Celina. I am soo glad that I drove through and was able to take part in this adventure...There couldn't have been a better way to enjoy a fall day!

Okay, and here are some pictures from the weekend (more to come):

This is my super cool pumpkin

All of us on the wagon on the way back from the corn maze. Hidden throughout the maze are mailboxes with stamps...if you find all of the stamps you get $4.00 off putt-putt golf so we were sure to find them! Here we are proudly displaying our accomplishment on the wagon ride :-)

Feeding some goats!

John, Ben and I in the corn maze!

All four of our pumpkins! I obviously took the easy route...but they did such a good job on their much more difficult pumpkins!

Me, John, and Brittany going down the slide at Young's Dairy. Never too old for this!

All four of us on a happy face bale of hay...love it!

And me with my glass of sangria in Downtown Indianapolis!

It definitely wasn't Miami, but since I couldn't be there I decided to make the most of the weekend anyways!

Fall pictures and the big run!

So sorry it has been so long for an update! The past two months have slipped away as the days got shorter and my life got crazier. Lets see....so much has happened but here is the snapshot: I took part in a 5k walk for cancer research in Dayton, I started classes for my MBA, took a weekend trip to Cedar Point, spent some time home hanging out with my family, a weekend trip to Northern Michigan, and just this past weekend I ran the Detroit Half Marathon! Here are a few pictures from up north and some pictures of the race in Detroit!

This one is for my sister: A happy boy ready for his wagon ride!

Going for his first wagon ride with Grandpa
Gavin looks like such a big boy playing with his toys!

A sleepy boy in his wagon. Precious!

Thats me all ready for the big race!
About to cross the finish line 13.1 miles later! Thats me, being silly me even though I'm totally exhausted!

Half Marathon re-cap: I can't believe it was just 7 months ago that I really began running for the first time in my life and can now say that I have finished a half marathon! I spent months training only to get sick the week before the race. It didn't help my cause much, but I was determined to cross the finish line in some way, shape or form! I trained for and ran the whole thing by myself and while it proved to be more difficult than I had expected, it also proved to be more rewarding. I guess when you run with 18,000 other people you are never really alone. I was a lot more nervous than I had expected lining up at the start line and having no one to laugh with just to ease the tension. But after a really cold start I was on my way! Right after mile 3 we crossed the Ambassador bridge into Canada and the sun was just rising over the river. It was something beautiful-running along the bridge surrounded by thousands of strangers, seeing the colors of autumn and the hazy pinks and oranges of the sunrise thinking to myself "man, this is cool." From there it was 5 miles of Canada running, along the boardwalk and through some neighborhoods then under the tunnel back to America. Thats right, folks, I have officially run underwater for one whole mile! Following the tunnel I was pretty tired...that kind of tired when your body doesn't want to move anymore...but I knew it was just a few miles more to the finish so I trekked along at a slow pace just hoping to be alive at the end. Around the last corner, sooo close to the finish line I see my Dad yelling from the side trying to jog along side and get a picture (the one you see above where I'm giving a thumbs up)....it was pretty funny and I definitely enjoyed the laugh before crossing the big finish line. And not only was there a medal awaiting me (along with some much needed food and water!) but just past the finish line my mom, sister, and nephew were there cheering me on. It was a great feeling to be surrounded by family at such a cool moment for myself (probably not exactly what I was thinking in my exhaustion and severe need of food at the finish line, however). So, there it is. The half-marathon re-cap for you to enjoy. Was it hard? You betcha. Am I still sore? Oh yeah. Add in those parts where I woke up entirely too early to stand in the freezing cold then run for over two hours with 18,000 other people and you're probably wondering "was it worth it?" My answer to you, then: Absolutely. After all, I got to run in two countries, see the sunrise while atop the Ambassador bridge, enjoy a perfectly clear fall morning, and fill myself with this unbelievable feeling of personal accomplishment. All that for only two hours of my life. Of course it was worth it!

Climbing Rocks and Camping Fun

For Labor Day weekend I met up with my good friend Amanda from Celina. When she left Celina at the beginning of August she headed to Kentucky for an acting job in a theatre down there. We had talked about adventures the entire time she lived in Celina ( we have a very similar love for adventure and the outdoors) and decided it was time to make a trip. So, I picked up Travis, another friend from Celina, and Ben down in Dayton and we headed down to Red River Gorge just East of Lexington, Kentucky. I had been here jus a few months ago for a quick little hiking trip and it is truly a beautiful area full of tons of things to do. We camped at this little campground, went rock climbing in Red River Gorge, had a nice dinner and desert in downtown Lexington, hiked a pretty rugged trail, walked in waterfalls and streams, did a rock jump that was around 30 feet high right into the river, had a campfire, made new friends, ate at this incredible pizza place / rock climbers hangout called Miguels (it was so good we ate there twice!), laid out looking at the stars, and hiked some more before heading home! It was such a fun group of people and such a great adventure. It's always good to be with friends but its even better to be with friends in new and exciting places! Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the trip:


"Tent City" behind Miguel's where all the rock climbers camp!

This place was right up my alley-delicious pizza, rock climbing people and gear everywhere, and a completely relaxed environment!

A black and white of Miguel's. I loved this place!

My favorite climbing picture of the weekend. That's Ben almost to the top!

Me all ready for some rock climbing!

The whole group out to dinner in Lexington!
Me on top of Chimney Rock in Red River Gorge...it was BEAUTIFUL there!

Amanda and I being muscle girls at Chimney Rock.

For those of you who don't know; I love the outdoors! Hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, cliff jumping, camping,...the list is endless. I truly love experiencing nature for all its beauty and adventure. In the wilderness is life in its purest form and while you are there you become yourself in your purest form as well. When distractions of the busy world are stripped away you are free to be who you are embrace the world around you. You can hear the sound of water splashing quickly over rocks and riverbeds as it winds through hills and valleys. You can see the stars millions of miles away from you as they fill the night sky and dimly light the landscape around you. Out in nature, under the night sky filled with stars, among the trees and flowing rivers, you are completley and utterly free. There is no schedule-you wake when the tent is too hot or too light for sleeping. You hike as long or as little as you like. There is no internet or speedy highways and no television to distract you from the people that surround you. With those distractions gone you talk. And you learn about each others lives. Right there, in the middle of "nowhere" is where people are found.

Maybe that is why I love the outdoors so much: I love to "find" people. To hear them. To talk to them. To learn about them. No holding back, no insecurities. Just people. At their simplest. In the simplest ways. Out in the simplest places on earth: Under the stars. On top of a cliff. In the middle of the woods. Down by the stream...

August is Over?!

I'm not quite sure where the time goes these days!The last few weeks of August were quite busy...there were hydroplane boat races, demolition derbys, visits from a college roomate, a trip home for Gavin's heart surgery, water balloon fights, and lots and lots of work. What follows are photos to better sum up the end of my "summer vacation" (as if such a thing exists now that I am in the working world!)







Patty and I out in Celina!







Patty's remedy for hiccups: drinking water through a napkin...i swear it works!

a SUPER fast boat at the Hydroplane races!

All smiles hanging out with Gavin!

Ben with a goat at a county fair here in Ohio

The demolition derby!

Corning meets Cleveland

This past weekend I met up with two of my friends who interned with me at Corning last summer-Jason and Jaclyn. I saw Jason in September when I made a trip out to New Jersey and NYC and actually just spent Easter with Jaclyn and two other Corning interns in Boston. Regardless, it was really good to see both of them, especially since they are just graduated and headed off on their own adventures. We packed a lot into the weekend-a nice dinner, comedy club, the Cleveland zoo, shopping, a brew pub, dancing, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame- but it was a lot of fun! We shared some laughs, caught up on our lives, and really just enjoyed each others company! Here are some pictures from the weekend:
Kissing a turtle at the zoo!

Jac and I ready to go out dancing!
Friendship.All three of us inside the "Rainforest"! A cute picture of Jac and Ime with a glass of strawberry wine out in Cleveland!

Being our usual selves on the way to the zoo

Cleveland really is a beautiful city. Jac and I ran to this park Saturday morning and had to go back to take pictures!
A good quote for two girls who want to change the world!

I have been lucky enough to meet so many great people on all of my life's adventures. Last summer in Corning I became friends with people that I hope remain in my life for many years to come. It is a priceless moment with friends, when you are reunited after much time away from each other, and it feels as though you haven't missed a second and with Jac and Jason it was as if we were still in Corning hanging out every single day. From these two friends I have been able to explore more of life on our adventures, to learn more about myself and the world, and have been lucky enough to learn from them to become a better person who is more engaged in the world around me. And when we are all together laughter is never in short supply :-)

I am a lucky girl to have such good friends. Even if they are scattered all over the world.

Life in the North

Two weekends ago I spent the weekend up north with my family. It is a long drive for me from Ohio now, but always worth it. It was a really fun weekend that included a little bit of hiking, ziplining, wall climbing, going to see the Mackinac Bridge, hanging on the boat, swimming, kayaking, and an incredibly good dinner. It is always so much fun when my family is all together and with the addition of the baby things seem to always be exciting! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend:

Life is Good hanging out with Grandpa!

Krystal and Gavin on the frog!

My favorite picture I've ever taken of Gavin. Look at those BEAUTIFUL eyes!

Hanging out with his Grandma!

Krystal and I in front of the Mackinac Bridge...so pretty!
Ben and I at Lake Michigan

While we were up north I had the chance to go out kayaking late at night on Saturday. It was dark, the air was incredibly cool, and fog had slowly settled on the warm lake water. As I sat in the middle of the lake tilting my head back to stare at the millions of stars shining out above me I felt so small in a world filled with such grandeur. In complete silence it was as if I could see forever and hear forever and I enjoyed the moment of uninterrupted solitude. It's nice to strip away distractions isn't it? To get out and feel small again, to be quiet even for a few short minutes, and to just simply be while taking in the world around you? I hope you get a moment like that soon, it's so refreshing and re-energizing leaving you feeling like you can take on the world once again.

Goodbye Hello

This week I had to say goodbye to my good friend Amanda here in Celina. She was the very first friend I made when I moved here. She had me over for dinner a few times and I was always envious of her ability to cook up these awesome concoctions...plus she always offered desert! Then Monday nights became our meeting times and without fail we would watch the Bachelorette and hang out talking about our lives, our dreams, our passions, our futures-everything. And we woke up before the sun to go running. And there were bikerides, laughter shared over drinks as we ate good food and stared out at the beauty of the lake, and talk of all sorts of adventures. She patiently helped teach me to play tennis and I offered her running tips as I picked them up. She shared pieces of her life with me, stories of joy, of hurt, of overwhelming excitement. She was offering her wisdom.

I hate goodbyes. Amanda was my first new friend in my independent adult life. On my own in a new place, away from home, away from familiarity and I was lucky enough to make a friend who could teach me so much about life in a short 7 months.

Saying goodbye to Amanda wasn't easy but it made me realize that who we become friends with is not merely a coincidence. We connect with people and make the concious decision to invest in them. To open up and share pieces of ourselves with them. Life, I believe, brings you people when you need them, for as longs as you need them, in order to get you through a certain point, to learn a new lesson, and to create irreplacable memories. Amanda came to Celina to start her life over. I came to start mine for the very first time. Together we embarked on a journey. A journey to our better selves. Our richer and more experienced selves. Our happier and more fulfilled selves. Our more confident more caring selves. Our more adventurous more daring selves. And most importantly,our pure selves.

If I am willing, I can learn something from every person that crosses my path on my lifes journey. If I am willing to invest myself with a genuine soul to soaking up their wisdom my life will become greater. If I am willing, I will be able to one day impact other's lives in the same way mine is impacted by people all around me every day.

There is so much to learn from people everywhere. I love to meet new people and to learn more and more about people that I already know because everyone's life is a testament to something. A testament to love, or hope, or sadness. A testament to wreckless abandon, or freedom, or strength. Everyone is a testament to life and to the realization that the only thing that outlives our own lives is the impact we make on anothers. Relationships are what lasts.

Call someone you haven't heard from in awhile. Send a card. Hug a friend. Smile at a stranger. Lend a few nickels to the person counting change in front of you at the checkout. Leave an extra tip for your waitress even if your service wasn't the greatest.

Investing in people must be one of the greatest joys of life.

And with that, it is goodbye to my friend Amanda who invested in me with an unhindered spirit. Thanks for listening and for sharing your life with me.I look forward to the adventure that will be our next encounter (in the Kentucky mountains I hope!)

Goodbye always leads to another Hello.