Bring me a pint.

I miss blogging.

I’ve got a ga-zillion things to do today, but right now, I choose to write.

It’s St. Patrick’s Day! Shaun & I started our morning with some yummy Guinness pancakes at Bag of Nails, then I went to a Zumba class and Shaun hit some yard sales. Afterwards, we headed to Mohican State Park and checked out the Gorge Overlook and adventured down a trail or two. The weather is awesome today—75 degrees in the middle of March! Woohoo!

I just started working 2nd shift at the Y and I love it! I’m starting my Field Experience II next week and the week after I start a class at OSU Mansfield. It’s going to be a busy month! Hopefully we will be getting an important phone call this month as well! I will give you details as soon as I can.

Here’s some pictures from the last few months! Enjoy.

Larry and Meredith's Wedding @ Landoll's Castle

Wooly Mammoth Antiques and Oddities in Chi-town

Us @ Millennium Park in Chicago

Mmm, sweet tea & barbeque...

Shaun and I got to spend 7 whole days in Alabama over Memorial Day Weekend! Justin, who is in Europe as I'm typing this, graduated from FPHS on Friday, May 27th. Congrats, Oots!

I really enjoyed spending time with family and some old friends! I even made the trek to Rome, GA, and ate dinner with THE Laura Smollar and hung out with Jessica Smith (preggo) in the K-mart parking lot. :-) Here's some pics!

To Amish country we will go...

This week Shaun's dad and step-mom came up to visit. We took them to Berlin and Millersburg...Amish Country...ate at a great homestyle cookin' restaurant, antique shopped, and enjoyed ice cream from Dairy Belle. Here's some pictures of their trip!

P.S. If Mickey ever stays with you, be prepared to keep the heat on... :-)

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend...

Celebrating Valentine's Day in Columbus!

My awesome sugary goodness--Strawberry Shortcake

Shaun's sugary goodness at Claddagh Irish Pub (we even met a real Irishman!)

Us in the hotel lobby

Our sweet hotel room

Thanksgiving 2010

Shaun and I were so thrilled to enjoy 9 whole days in Alabama over the Thanksgiving holiday. It started off a little rough (I had a horrible stomach bug), but once we made it to our homeland it was smooth sailing...

It was a fun, relaxing week enjoying time with our families and eating lots of yummy turkey, deviled eggs, and pecan pie (just to name a few).

The day after Thanksgiving, Nathan and I waited "patiently" at Wal-mart until the midnight madness began. We purchased a few $2 movies. It was INSANE!!! Several hours later, Shaun and I headed South to Tuscaloosa, AL, for the Iron Bowl (compliments of my Dad). We had awesome seats and had a great time...even though Bama couldn't pull off a win. :/

Here's some pics of our trip!

Baby it's cold outside...

I’ve been a bad blogger lately. In fact, a whopping 4 and a half months have passed since I posted on our adventures in Ohio. So here’s an update!

Shaun and I both celebrated our birthdays in August. I turned 24 and he turned the big 30. For my birthday, Shaun bought me tickets to see Hanson (yes, the trio from the late 90s). The concert was ah-mazing…I even think Shaun became a fan.



In September we celebrated our 1 year anniversary! I can’t believe we’ve been married a year already. I made Shaun a photo book of pictures from our year of marriage. It was fun seeing everything we’ve done in a year---the big move, our new jobs, our new church, fun outings, and special memories.




October flew by in a flash. The leaves turned to burnt oranges, cool yellows, and ruby reds. The warm summer atmosphere changed to crisp, cool air. We pulled out our winter coats and gloves. Yesterday, we had our first snow of the season. Shaun is sick with pneumonia. Thankfully, I am well.

Happy Halloween!!

Southern Born, Southern Bred

Fort Payne, Alabama, used to be the place I couldn’t wait to get out of. At an early age, I was certain that I was a big city girl stuck in a small town girl’s body. I traveled as much as I could, and at the early age of 14, I got my passport to go “across the pond,” as my dad liked to call it. I marveled at the chaos and speediness of the city life, where no one knew you and you could stop for a cappuccino at any block you wanted. I loved meeting people on the subway, reading Faulkner in the park, and spending every dollar I had to see a Broadway show. I felt free. I knew as soon as I graduated college that I would pack up my life and fly away to this fairy-tale place that I loved so much. But God had different plans. I stayed in Fort Payne after college, got a job, and fell in love. I got married this past September and three months later, my husband and I headed North—Ohio to be exact. I’m over 500 miles away from Fort Payne, something I’d looked forward to for a long time. I didn’t realize how much I would miss the Sock Capital of the World, as it was once was called. I miss the beauty, the warmth, the southern hospitality, even the Wal-mart. I miss the mountains and its trails, the sweetness of snow cones, high school football, and the spontaneous back yard BBQs. I’m writing this today to the wonderful community that is the city of Fort Payne, which I no longer take for granted. If you have felt what I once did, imagining selling a right lung to be able to leave the South, just think of all the wonderful things that make Fort Payne so unique. I promise you will miss it as I do. As the wonderful Randy Owen put it, “My home’s in Alabama,” and I hope that yours will stay that way, too.