26 Things

Twenty six years ago this past Friday a blessed event occured.  I was born.  :)  In those years I would like to think that I have learned a lot.  Although I realize I have much more to learn, I thought it would be fun to come up with twenty six things that I have learned in my first twenty six years.  Here it goes...

1. How to be me.  I chose this as number one being that I think it is the most important.  It took me most of high school and part of college to realize that being the best version of myself that I can possibly be is much better than trying to be something different.  And I like being me.

2. I like wine.  Sweet, dry, with bubbles, and especially when shared with good friends.

With Brittany at a wine festival in Evansville

3. I like dancing.  I might not be coordinated and I might not be good at it, but its darn good fun.  I like dancing with my husband, with friends, and when I'm alone in my apartment.  Sometimes dancing like a crazy person in your living room with the music blasting is just what the doctor ordered.

4. I'm a cat person.  Not a dog person, a guinea pig person, or a rabbit person.  Just a cat person.  Caleb says that if we weren't married I'd be a cat lady.  Is there something wrong with that?

5. If I set my mind to it, I can do it!  Who would have ever thought that I would ever be able to run 13.1 miles?  If you would have told me ten years ago that I would be preparing to run in my third mini marathon I never would have believed it.

6.  I love to read.  Nothing beats a good book.  Harry Potter, Twilight, Nicholas Sparks... don't judge me!  The sappier the better.  Young adult fiction, great!  I can't help it.

Yes, I arrange my books by the color of the rainbow... You
mean not everyone does that?

7. Sometimes simple is better.

8. I love to travel.  Let me be more specific... I like to travel in style.  Five star hotels, new clothes to match my destination (flashy clothes for Vegas, linen and gauzy dresses for somewhere tropical... you get the picture).  I don't know where I got this expensive taste.  I think it might be a problem.  :)

Vegas Vacation with my hot husband.

9. My friends love me for me.  No matter how silly, serious, emotional, or grumpy they never let me down and are there for me when I need them.  True friends are always there.  No matter what.

10. It's important to live in the moment and make the most out of life.  Sometimes its important to slow down and relish whats going on right now, at this second.  Thats how memories are made.  

11. I'm optimistic and idealistic.  

12. I love the country.  Theres nothing like driving through the middle of nowhere with your windows down, breathing in the country air.  Its good for my soul.

13. Making memories is important and the smallest of things can make the biggest of memories.  This one goes along with living in the moment, but I find myself inventing little traditions for myself and Caleb for each season.  I want to remember these early years of our marriage and make the most out of every second.

14. Its important to take care of yourself.  Sometimes you need a massage.  Or a pedicure.  Or a slice of seven layer chocolate cake with fudge icing... Queue number 15...

15. Its okay to indulge.  Being skinny is not the most important thing.  Its okay if I'm not the thinnest of my friends.  Junk food makes me happy sometimes.  

Red Velvet Pancakes from Hoaglin To Go Cafe on Mass Ave

16.  I'm a sucker for a good chick flick.  Who doesn't love Sleepless in Seattle or How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days?  Just a few weeks ago I watched Something Borrowed two times in one week.  Its a good dayif it ends with a chick flick, a glass of wine, and something sweet.

17. My true passions are being creative, blogging, and planning.  Although I earn a living as a therapist its not my true passion and one day I hope to pursue my passions full-time.

18. I love to cook.  I love trying new recipes and I think my largest board on Pinterest is my "Yum" board which is filled with recipes that I daydream (and drool) about trying.

19. I hate taking a shower.  Let me be clear, I do it daily.  But I still hate it.  I wish that I was one of those people who can go two days without washing their hair and it stills looks perfect.  Unfortunately I wasn't born with those genes.

20. I care about people and I work hard to show it.  When its also your job, sometimes its exhausting, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

21. I have the best family.  Simple as that.

22. I believe that all people are innately good.  They are born good.  This is a concept that I remember first grappling with in the 6th grade after reading The Diary of Anne Frank.  She believed that at heart all people are good.  I think that my desire to believe this goes hand-in-hand with my choice to become a social worker and my belief that all people are capable of change.  

23. I love to smile. :)

24. Sometimes family are best friends.



This lady would do anything for me and I would do anything for her.

 25. I'm a lot like my mother.  Not only do we look a lot alike, sometimes I find myself saying something that I only could have gotten from my mother.  We like Harry Potter, helping people, and being goofy (maybe her a little more than me :) )

26. Life is good.  I don't think that this is so much something that I learned, but something that I have always felt.  Life is good and life it is what we make it.  And I'm going to make mine great!

Football

You know what else happens during Falltime?  Football.  This should be anything but a Fall post considering that it was about 8,000 degrees the day that this game took place.  But regardless, for me, football is a fall tradition.  I never know whether or not to consider the start of football season a blessed occurrence or something that I should dread with every fiber of my being.  On one hand football means more fall traditions and memories to be made.  It means tailgating, wearing warm sweatshirts and scarves while snuggling close to my hubby in the stadium, and having friends over to eat yummy food and watch the game.  On the other hand it means that most of Caleb's weekend will be occupied with work and I will have no control of the television on most nights.  :) 

Because Caleb has chosen to pursue a career in athletics football is a part of my life so I choose to focus on the traditions and memories that this season holds.  

 The season opening game for Ball State was held at Lucas Oil Stadium.  This was my first time inside the building and it was definitely impressive.  Everything still looked shiny and new even after a couple years of use.  

Micah and I were pumped up for the whole event... maybe Micah a little more than myself.

How cute is he?

Chirp Chirp

It was a fun evening.  Ball State beat IU and all was well in the universe.  Well, at least in Muncie.  

9/11/01

I remember.

Picture taken at Ground Zero while on a college trip to NYC in 2007.

Is it Fall?

A few days ago at work, I asked my friend if she thought that it was too early to put out my fall decorations.  Before she was able to respond I already knew the answer... Of course not!  The answer to that questions was obvious as soon as I saw the pumpkins and mums at the Farmer's Market and felt the crisp air on Sunday. 

I don't kow why I needed an affirmation that it would be okay to prepare for Fall because I knew that I would have the decorations out by the weekend... make that Wednesday.  The change of seasons is always a time of excitement for me.  It makes me think of all the traditions of my childhood and makes me yearn for the day that I will create new traditions with my children.  Even since marrying Caleb I have felt the gravitational pull to create new and special traditions for our own little family of two.

I already find myself planning the Crock Pot dinners that I am going to cook and different ways that I can use pumpkin in my cooking.

There are signs of Fall are all around.  The tree outside my office thinks that its already here... kinda like me.

And ever since I saw this add for Pumpkin Spice Lattes I knew I was doomed.

I raced to Starbucks after work one afternoon to grab one on the way home.  Okay, so maybe I didn't just grab one on the way home.  I stayed awhile.  And devoured a whole pumpkin scone.  By myself.  It was huge.  I couldn't resist.

I thought I was being sneaky, but I brought home part of the latte and Caleb caught me.  No big deal, but then I had to share my latte.  :)

Just a disclaimer... I am all about supporting local businesses and with the exception of Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Peppermint Mochas you will only find me buying my coffee from local cafes...  :)

I wore a scarf to work today.  And plaid.  It reminds me of going to a pumpkin patch or an apple orchard... instead I went to a community mental health center and played with/counseled kids all day.  Not bad either.

Food Network thinks its Fall too.  See...

Football.  Enough said.  Tailgate anyone?

AND.... I had an Octoberfest beer last weekend.  So if this isn't enough proof that it really is Fall I don't know what else to offer.  I'm loving this season change and all of the tradition that it holds.

Sometimes the simple things are the best things.

Cool Breezes and Campfires.

Sunday I knew that Fall was getting close.  The breeze was crisp enough that we needed a campfire when we went camping over the holiday weekend.  It felt like Autumn and I liked it.  The sky was just the right amount of grey to add to the effect, and a light jacket was just the right touch to trick my mind into thinking that the days of sweat and heat were behind us for the year.

I love these weekends with my family.  They are almost sacred.  An old tradition thats been around since before I was born.  Gathering at the lake and doing nothing in particular.  Maybe some cards.  Maybe a golf cart ride.  Lots of laughing.  Definitely some food.

Caleb with a baby makes my heart happy.  My cousin's little boy is so fun.   

The Fire Pie irons made an appearance and we ate hot pizza pies around the fire.  My uncle talked about childhood memories with my Pop and my grandma talked about the time that they got caught playing with matches and she made them sit outside in the heat until they gave their confession.  It was nice to talk about Pop and hear his name.  I miss him so.  He liked peanut butter and marshmallow fire pies.  So do I.

Monday we woke up to chilling winds that our bodies weren't used to after the heat of the summer.  We put on old pairs of sweat pants and wrapped in blankets for breakfast.  It was nice.

Sometimes the simple things are the best things.

My Prides and Joys: Splinter and a Camera.

Oh happy day!  I got a new camera!  Love, love, love.  Okay, so I barely know how to use it, but thats beside the point.  

When I brought my new baby home Caleb was at work so that left me with only one victim.  Splinter.  You can tell that he was less than thrilled about being the subject of my torture.  He actually swatted at me after picture 1,028.  I don't think he liked the clicking sound that the camera makes.  Music to my ears people.  Music.  

Look at the pretty colors!  And this is just in the automatic setting.  Definitely a step up from my crappy point and shoot that I've had since freshman year of college.  I feel all grown up now!

And look!  Just look!  I always wanted to be able to make the background all blurry like that.  Just ignore my crappy nail polish...

Caleb even had some fun with the new camera when he got home.  Splinter and I were all worn out from our photo shoot...  :)

Blue Skies and Apple Pies

Yes, I changed the name of my blog.  I wanted something with more character.  More pizazz!

I've been busy. 

I made the trip to Madison, IN to visit my SIL Micah  a few weeks ago.  Since she had to work on Friday morning I ventured out on my own and walked around the little town of Madison.  I LOVE Madison.  It makes me want to say words like charming and quaint.  Not only did I love Madison, but I discovered that I like spending time with myself.  While Micah was at work last Friday afternoon I walked around the town.  It made me feel brave.  Bold.  Independent.  I liked it!  Just me.  Doing exactly what I wanted to do.  Stopping to look at exactly what I wanted to look at.  Lingering perhaps just a moment too long in all the spots that I was interested in seeing.  No one rushing me or telling me that no, I don't really need that cup of coffee from Madison Coffee and Tea or that the cat in the window of the bookstore did not want to be stared at for five straight minutes.  Just me.  Doing what I do.

Madison is full of beautiful, historic homes.  I probably took two thousand pictures of the different houses.  Row after row after row of amazingly amazing homes.  I tried to imagine what the neighborhoods were like before the streets were littered with cars.  Later, I asked Micah what people in Madison did to make money back in the day.  She said they were pig people.  I guess the pig business was a big deal way back.

I went to this antique mall that was haaauuuuge.  Filled to the brim with stuff.  Antique malls have only caught my attention within the past few years.  My mama is an antique connoisseur and my childhood home was always filled with treasures.  When I was a kid I always said that I would never have antiques in my home.  I wanted new stuff... why would I want someone else's old stuff??  Now I only want other people's old stuff.    

But what was with this?  Ha!  Hello 1995 WalMart portrait of girl in pigtails... And a bargain... priced at only $1.75.

I managed to make it out of the antique mall without buying a single thing.  Nada.  It was an amazing feat!  I can't wait to go back to visit!