Cave Climbing

A few weeks back Molly and I were wanting to enjoy the nice weather and get out of the city, so we went to the Indian Caverns in the Powell/Lewis Center/Delaware area. We'd seen the signs and always talked about going, so we went.

The caves were not at all like we had expected. We thought there would be caves we could climb in, etc, but it ended up being a lot smaller and unnatural that we had expected. For example, there were lights and speakers down in the caves and after about 5 minutes we had seen everything. So that was a little disappointing. Especially because we had to pay $9 for it! 

(Side note: DO NOT PAY for the petting zoo. We did not, but the people in front of us did and we walked over to look at it and it was only 2 goats! $5/person to feed 2 goats? Um, no!)

no idea what this was a picture of now that i'm looking at it.

A fossil in the cave wall.

Molly climbing the stairs.

The stairway was called "Fat Man's Nightmare". Molly said her hips were too wide for it.

 

 

Cave explorers

While it was a fun little sister outing, it definitely wasn't the big hiking, cave exploring excursion like we had imagined. So I think we need to go to Hocking Hills sometime this fall and check out those caves.

Alma Homecoming

A few weekends ago I went back home for the day to visit my grandparents and attend the Alma Homecoming. The homecoming is something I've been going to off and on since I was little. All of the past and present residence of Alma come back for a little covered dish reunion. 

Alma is a little dot of a 'town' on a map, if it's even on a map. If you drive south on 23, you probably pass a cute white church, a log cabin that's now an ugly apartment building, and a gas station. That's it. (For a while there was also an adult bookstore, but they said it was outside of the jurisdiction. You know, the jurisdiction of nothing!)

Anyway, that's home for my grandparents and that little white church is my 'home church', all 14 regular attendees. :)

Because I completely missed/forgot about Grandparents Day, I went home the following weekend and spent the day with Mam and Papaw at the Alma Homecoming. The food is delicious. There were 3 different kinds of noodles, and yes I ate all three kinds. I love reunions because I love to eat! Especially reunion type food - mashed potatoes, chicken, noodles, green beans, meat loaf....yum!

  

One thing we do every year at the Alma Homecoming is have a crawdad race. Each year all of the kids go to the creek (crick?) across the road and get crawdads, then they race in two tracks (made from gutters). Now I'm not one to toot my own horn, but I may have been the runner-up in the first ever Alma Homecoming Crawdad Race about 20 years ago. I retired after my big win. :)

 

Everyone eating - and yes, crawdad is spelled wrong in the sign and they still use it year after year.

My Mam and Papaw taking advantage of a little bit of shade.

It was a great day spent with my grandparents and Uncle Randy. After it was over my grandma and I were hanging out in the back of the car while Papaw was talking (normal for us) and I was going thru the 49,390 maps they have tucked in the car doors. I found this one of Franklin County. It's fairly old because none of the people listed on that map have been in office for at least the last 8 years. Dewey would have been the last to leave and that was in 2006. So it's probably 10+ years old. No wonder we get lost when traveling to Columbus. :)

Get Your Shine On

A few weeks ago Alicia and I made a day of decision to go to the Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean concert at Crew Stadium. I had known they were coming to town for a long time, but hadn't really looked into getting tickets until the week of. 

I'd seen Jason Aldean in concert before - also at Crew Stadium - and I like his music, so I knew that'd be a fun show. And while I'm not a bandwagon FGL fan, I do like their new song "Dirt" a lot. Plus, a fun night out with friends is fun too. 

During "shine on"

Because iPhone's take horrible after dark photos, I don't really have any of the actual performers.

me and alicia

Jason Aldean

The concert was great. I love concerts and live music. Especially when I know all the songs, which I did for Jason Aldean. I did not know all the ones for Florida Georgia Line. They have a new album, not my fault. I only wish we'd decided to go earlier than 4pm when the concert was at 7pm so we could have headed over to Crew Stadium a little earlier and tailgated/people watched.

And for the record, Jason Aldean is not hot. He looks like he needs an epipen. 

Farm Science Review

Last week was a big event our college hosts. It's a farm show for the public that highlights equipment, crops, livestock animals, etc. I go because I set up in a building that showcases our college's undergraduate majors for the many high school students that visit for their high school ag classes. 

At this farm show, the majority of the visitors are male farmer folk. There are also women there, but the majority of men. And it's one of my favorite activities of the year because of this. There are cute old men who are there because they've been going for 40 plus years. There are the guys that are there with their dads. The young single guys. :) And the guys who bring their adorable kids in a wagon by themselves (or with their own dad/brothers/uncles. There's just an abundance of cute men there. Cute for multiple reasons. 

One thing you don't see a lot of is colored pants. ha. I've worn my red pants for the last three years and I usually get a lot of odd looks. Oh well. Jeans are a very common theme among these reviewers. I guess I just like to stand out in a crowed. This year I even threw my leopard flats in to the mix. Pretty sure I was the only person wearing this combo at FSR.

In addition to staffing my department booth about my majors, I also advise our student council, so I had to double up on responsibility and also help staff our pop stand. Staffing this comes with access to a golf cart and if you have a golf cart at this event you are lucky. 

Council advisors. (Ladies, Adam is single. Anyone interested?)

So I don't have anymore pictures from this event, but it was a great time. I got to see a few friends from college that I haven't seen in years (or maybe just since FSR last year). And we had quite a few a alumni come into the building, so that's great too.

And the food! The food is great at this event. Students make and sell most of it at different food stands. I had two Saddle and Sirloin pork chops and one day I hate a hot dog from the AES stand (it was a Schmidts hot dog). And the milkshakes are delicious too. I went broke while eating there, but it was still good.

Until next year FSR.

Ohio State Football

It's officially football season! Yay!!

I love this time of year because not only does it mean so many great football games on TV every single weekend, but it means it's tailgating season too and I love seeing so many people at one time that I don't normally get to see - friends from college, friends from back home, current friends all at one time. It just makes me happy.

Two weeks ago, for the Kent State game, I got to sit in the Board of Trustees suite with my student/friend Stacie. This is her second year on the Board and last season I didn't get to go when she invited me because of a conflict.

The seats provided a great view. The food was delicious. And the company was great.

During the third quarter I snuck down to A deck and visited my friend Fisher (his real name is Nick, ha) and sat with him for the third quarter. We have been friends since I started college in 2003. I have a picture of us from just about every football season.

At the end of the game, we sang Carmen Ohio with President Drake and his wife. It was their first time singing Carmen Ohio after a victory. I doubt they'll remember they sang it with me, but I will!

With the Drakes.

The lone photo of me and Stacie from that day. Stolen from instragram.

And Stacie gave us all a copy of the official group photo that the photographer took. And it's just perfect addition to my desk in my favorite "Block O" picture frame. :)

And because I made arrangements with the board secretary/gave him the idea for hot chocolate to be served with peanut butter whipped cream at a future game, I'm hoping to go back to taste it! wink, wink Stacie!

Weekly Workout Update: September 15-21, 2014

This week was hit or miss with workouts. It was Farm Science Review week, so that meant I was getting up really, really early and sometimes not going home til lateish. I did manage to squeeze a good workout in on Wednesday and a bike ride on Thursday. I walked a lot while at FSR, but I also ate a lot too!!
 
Monday:??

Tuesday:??

Wednesday: ran 5k, weights at gym

Thursday: 5 mile bike ride with Kayla up the Olentangy Trail

Friday:??

Saturday:??

Sunday: Ohio State 4 miler, walked 3 miles with Jill at Fred Beekman Park.

Weekly Workout Update: September 8-14, 2014

As you can see, I'm doing a stellar job of keeping track of my workouts. I actually did really well on them the beginning of this week. I mean, check out what all I did BEFORE 6am on Wednesday. I also blame that for the reason I probably didn't do anything on Thursday - Sunday. I was probably asleep as soon as I got home to make up for lost hours.


I had this goal to start getting up at 4:30 and do my Bible Study lesson and workout before going to work. It worked for one day. :/


Monday: 5 mile walk after work with Jill and Abra

Tuesday: 2 mile walk (to gym and home), weights, 1 mile on EFX

Wednesday: weights at the gym, 1 mile on EFX (all before 6am), sand volleyball

Thursday:??

Friday:??

Saturday:??

Sunday:??

In A Funk

This past few days I've been in a funk of being super tired, pouty, and just 'ugh'. I'm sure it's a combination of things - school started about three weeks ago, I got back on my regular med schedule which I had been slacking on over the summer, and just life in general.

It wasn't until lunch today when I was avoiding getting back to work and decided to read back on the blog to see what was going on at this time last year that I realized I was feeling similar last year. So I guess this is typical for me and this time of year when school is starting back up and my schedule completely changes. I need to get used to my new normal and new routine.

Last year I wrote that my goals were to separate my work life and personal life better. I need to unplug when I get home again this year and quit checking my work Facebook, twitter, instagram and email. And my personal one too. Sunday afternoon I got home and I laid on the couch checking social media for a solid hour and more. Ridiculous. I could have done something so much more productive. I'm tempted to just delete it all off my phone, but I keep it because I say I need it for work purposes. But does anyone really notice a phone of a chili cook-off alumni event gets uploaded during the event or two hours after? No.

We're in the middle of week three of school and tonight is the first night that I haven't had something in the evening. Not a meeting. Not a welcome event. A fraternity activity. An interview. So it was nice to just come home eat dinner, read a magazine, do my Bible study homework and walk to the gym. I even had time to call my grandma and chat, which is always nice.

My Bible study started back up last night and I'm really glad for that. I feel like during the summer I get so disconnected and have definitely noticed my attitude changing lately to "I have to make things happen" instead of "God will make them be how they are supposed to be." This me 'making things happen' and them not is probably another contributing factor to my funky mood. I should just leave it up to God.

I mentioned getting back on my med schedule. About three years ago I started regularly taking a small dosage of medicine to treat anxiety. In the spring my doctor and I cut it back even more for the summer with the option of me going back to my original dosage if needed when fall rolled around, it got colder, and be ahead of the game for the 'winter blues' so many can get. Well of course I decided to start that over the weekend after I had been taking the lower dose this summer (if at all). So the normal (for me) first week side effects of moodiness, fatigue and insomnia (which is fantastic with fatigue, I might add) hit me this week too.

I have two big events coming up over the next few weeks, then a little bit of a break before I travel out of town, which sounds nice, but it's for work and can be a little stressful in addition to some fun times too.

So that's where I am. I wish Labor Day was this coming Monday. I would appreciate it much more if it was than I did two weeks ago when it was basically still part of my summer.

Too Much Glitter

 A few weeks ago, I got together with some girlfriends for a little girls {craft} night in, that Holly appropriately named D-I-Wine - a play on the DIY of crafting and the drinking of wine.

The goal of the event was to complete some of those cute projects we all 'pin' on Pinterest (but never actually do), drink wine, and have some girl time. We had such a good time that it's going to become a monthly event.

Our first project of the series was glitter state art, inspired by the picture below.

find it here

Working hard at the end of the table.

Since I already have two gray Ohio's in my office with red (and white) backgrounds, I decided to do a silver Ohio on a black background. I still had a black frame left from a wedding present I never did (but still need to do), so I used that to frame it. Holly said that I had a sexy and sleek Ohio. I agree.

It found a home on my wall if my office. Once the craziness of the new school year moves on, I'll clean my office up and take some photos. It's pretty adorable if I do say so myself. :)

Sexy Ohio in the office.

 And yes, we had glitter all over the place. I'm sure Holly still is finding it around her place two weeks later. I'm looking forward to many more D-I-Wine nights at Holly's, despite my lack of love for wine. (Go ahead, shame me!) But I love to craft!!!

Weekly Workout Update: September 1-7, 2014

Last week was another pathetic week in the workout department. There were three nights when I didn't get home until after midnight because of various things going on. And who feels like working out after they've been away from home from 8am-midnight? Not me! I'm going to try do get better next week. I like the insanity workouts, but they are so da'gone long! I get bored during the stretching portion. I know it's good for you, but I have the attention span of a 5 year old sometimes and holding a yoga pose for 3 minutes is one of those times.

Now that school has started and all my activities are in full swing for the school year, I'm going to try a new morning routine and hopefully it helps with getting me up and to the gym bright and early. I'm hoping.


 
Monday: unexpected rest day, the gym was closed when I got there.

Tuesday: 'rest day'

Wednesday: gym workout, walked 2.5 miles with Jill, played three sand volleyball games

Thursday: Insanity day #6 workout

Friday: 'rest day'

Saturday: 'rest day'

Sunday: 'rest day' - literally a rest day. I slept until noon, then again from 5-7pm and 9pm-4am Monday.