Columbus with Cornhuskers

In our go, go, go style of traveling every chance we get ,we headed down to Columbus to see our friends John and Billie and watch the Nebraska Cornhuskers play Ohio State.

Looking at the calendar I realized that we have/will be busy every weekend from the last weekend in August until the last weekend in October. Wow! Too late to change it now but looks like Halloween will be low key this year so we can get some rest.

We spent Friday night just hanging out with our friends, eating my new favorite pizza Mellow Mushroom, talking football and catching up. Saturday while John went off to work to coach his team, we helped Billie tailgate with some of the Nebraska fans. We were in the biggest and fanciest RV I have ever seen. Somehow Jared even ended up on top of it to check out the view of Columbus. After hours, like 8, of tailgating we took our first pedicab to the game.

The weather was amazingly beautiful during the day but then got quite chilly that night. We watched John run out of the tunnel with the team, saw the Ohio State tradition of "dotting the i" in Ohio, the band, and cheered on the Huskers.



Unfortunately it was a painful loss at 63-38. And to top it off, we couldn't find a cab to get back to the hotel. We walked around downtown for over an hour trying to hail one to no avail. It was not my favorite evening.

The next morning we met up with friends that are family to me so I could finally meet their daughter. With them living so close, we are really going to try and be in better touch this year, especially since she has #2 on the way!

And in just a few days we are off on our trip to Italy!! So much to do, so little time.

Ackert Visit

J's sister's family came to visit this us in Cleveland this weekend and we had so much fun!! There was lots of playing in Uncle Jared and Aunt Jenny's apartment, trying on Uncle Jared's high school football uniform,

playing with Aunt Jenny's iPhone camera,

pizza dinner at Dewey's, special cupcakes,

watching Disney movies, chasing Hailey with the laser, sleepovers for the oldest kiddos,
and Maggiano's dinner with Great Aunt D and Great Uncle J.

Like I said before. So much fun!!

Indian Summer

I know fall has only been here for two weeks but it really got cold way too fast. I need some transition time. It seemed to be raining most of September, kind of like this past spring, with 25 of 33 days with some sort of rain. Not to mention that they predict the upcoming winter to be "brutal"! This week a little bit of Indian Summer started and it is just wonderful! No rain to deal with, no socks to wear, you don't even need a light sweater the highs are in the mid 70s and it is fantabulous!

And to top it all off, everything is starting to look a little bit Hokie around here. You know, maroon and orange. :) The trees are changing colors more and more each day. Next to a clear blue sky it is just beautiful!

Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hi!

We headed South this past weekend. Back to Virginia Tech to visit with friends and see the Hokies play. Unfortunately we had a late start into town on Friday, a ton of traffic, cold and rainy weather, and the saddest of all... a Hokie loss.

But we made the most of it. Friday night we headed downtown and hung out at Awful Arthur's with one of my college roomies, Courtney.

We listened to a band, enjoyed some tasty beverages, and ended the night with none other than Gumbi's Pizza Pokey sticks!

On Saturday we tailgated for hours on end, one of my favorite things to do! Catching up with another roommate of mine, Alissa...

along with her husband Stefano, son Vincent, Sean, Jill, their baby girl Charlotte, and a few other friends. We ran into sorority sisters, fraternity brothers, tailgated with our family friends the Ratcliffes, and hung out with Matt and Shannon, friends from Cleveland that are Hokies too!

During the game we even caught up with another college roommate of mine, Veronica, who was in town from Tennessee!

It was ridiculously windy, cloudy, dreary with spitting rain. And the game sure didn't go as we hoped... losing to Clemson 23-3. Ouch! But it was still Virginia Tech... still beautiful... still so much fun...

Cosmic Bowling

Saturday night had plans to bowl... bowl and watch football that is. And we had a great time! After another Hokie win we headed over to the lanes. On the way we saw this interesting rocket ship car...  very odd.

Our newly-wed friends Megan & Alex invited us along with a few other docs.

It was a bowling/dancing/drinking night that lasted until entirely too late. I didn't do quite as well as my 146 back in March but we still had a blast. Best of all, Jared got to be there the whole night... no operating! :)

First Weekend of Fall

We spent the first weekend of Fall at home in Cleveland and it was gorgeous! I was about to get webbed feet from the amount of rain we have been having lately. Luckily, the sunshine was saved for the weekend. Friday night was just chilly enough to throw on a cardigan sweater and scarf (still no sock weather, thank goodness!) and head to our favorite place for Happy Hour by the falls with our friends Katie and Jen.

Saturday we had the wedding of our friends Megan and Alex where it seems they planned the day perfectly, with the wedding at 2pm...

and a break before the reception with almost enough time to watch the whole Virginia Tech game. After another Hokie win, we headed to Windows on the River to dance late into the night and celebrate with our friends. They even had a photo booth...   

 Happy beginning of Fall!

Autumn is Here!

In celebration of the Autumn season, I made some pumpkin bread last night. And it is delicious! Hello Fall with that lovely chill in the air, sweaters, boots, vests, changing leaves into VT colors, pumpkin spice lattes and delicious clambakes!

Gobble Gobble

This year we get to spend both Thanksgiving AND Christmas back in Virginia. I am over the moon about this to say the least. As much as I love being with my husband and love my job, it is so difficult being away from my family and friends so I really cherish when I get to see them.

We drove down to Virginia on Thanksgiving morning. It was a really special time, almost my entire extended family was in town.

Mom with her son-in-laws...

Dad and my brother Jeffrey...

My sister's family, Jason, Julie and Madison!

My brother Joey, his girlfriend Jeni (my nephew slept through dinner!), and my cousin Kelly... 

Mom's family, Grandma B, Grandpa B, Uncle Robert, and Uncle Connie...

Great Grandma Connie, Great Aunt Nina and Uncle Connie (again!)... 

Uncle Barry with my cousin Peter and his girlfriend Erin... 

Aunt Carole with my cousins Nicholas & Zachary... 

I am so thankful for all of these people. So blessed to be able to see them as often as I do. And to top it off I was home for my most favorite meal of the year!

But my favorite photo of the weekend was this...

It makes my heart melt to see how much my sister loves her daughter. I am so happy for her. Thankful that she finally has what she has wanted for so very long.

Happy Thanksgiving!

First Snow

Yesterday we had the first snow of the season here in Ohio. Yep, in November. We live in the snow belt, right off Lake Erie. And when most people get flurries around here, we get something like this...

Hey, if it is going to be cold, at least there is snow! I have a fabulous pair of North Face boots to wear and my husband lit a fire...

So we snuggled in for a day at home laying like broccoli!

Catching Up with October

Back in mid October we had one of our more traditional football weekends, which also happened to be Homecoming for Virginia Tech. We went to Jared's old fraternity house to start off Game Day.

It was a little sad since Sig Ep is moving on campus (like Alpha Phi did soon after I left) but it sure was fun to walk through and remember all the crazy parties and late nights where we spent entirely too much time.  Ah, the memories!

And even though none of my roomies or sorority sister's were in town, our time was full of tailgating with some great old friends...

and new! I just happened to meet Tyrod Taylor at TOTS and snapped this pic!

But this has to be one of my most favorite parts of every visit to Virginia Tech...

Go Hokies!

Clambake

Before Jared began his residency in Ohio, I had never heard of a Clambake. I have grown to LOVE this Midwest tradition! Every fall the hospital hosts one at a country club where we eat too much chowder, lobster!!, sweet potatoes, corn, fried chicken, fillet, dessert, open bar with yummy drinks and of course, clams. And since I do not eat clams, I make up for it with some extra lobster. :)

This year in addition to the cornucopia of food, they had karaoke. Now I do not sing. I can dance, but singing... oh no. When I am belting out a song while driving and the satellite looses signal for a minute and I hear myself I wince, it is not a good sound. Yet, somehow I ended up singing MULTIPLE times last night.... and now it is up on YouTube.

And yes, I was apparently using my Bud Light as a microphone. Could have been the lobster, or the many, many hot apple cider and Captain Morgan... who knows....

Enjoy!

Harvest Moon

Today is the first official day of fall 2010. During each season, I feel like it is my favorite. With the leaves beginning to change color, I am getting ready for sweaters, jeans, boots, and that cool breeze that makes your face look just a little flushed.

Yet, when I was out shopping this week I noticed Christmas decorations out already! What the heck?!? It is only THE FIRST DAY OF FALL!!! I realize we need to have time to prepare for each new holiday, season, or style of clothing but come on. It also makes it difficult to envision those shortened days, long nights, and chilly months ahead with the record heatwave we are having. 92 degrees today... and I am looking at a snowman in Target. Weird.

Today is also the wedding anniversary of my best friend, Natalie and her husband Brian. Four years ago they were married at a historic plantation on a beautiful fall day in Virginia!

I was proud to stand by them when they were married with my soon-to-be husband and special friends from high school that I know will be in my life forever.

A month ago, Natalie and Brian moved across the globe for a few years.  And even thought I am missing them like crazy, I am so excited about the adventure they are on. Happy Anniversary!! Hope you are having a wonderful "fall" day on the island. (And that you don't mind making my blog!)

In the meantime, I am going to enjoy this fall season. I think I will go apple or pumpkin picking this weekend.