An ode to Columbia

Tonight is my last night (at least for the time being) as a full-time resident of the great city of Columbia. It is funny because I hated this city for a good part of college, always wanting to go back to St. Louis to see family and be at home. But now this is my home. When I came here, I knew no one in the city, expect of course fellow Mizzou students I knew from high school. Now I know people practically everywhere I go, and they know me. Kevin and I have build a life for ourselves, and now we are leaving it all behind. I am excited about a new opportunity, especially the fact that both of us will be employed at the same time. But I am so sad to leave Columbia. As clearly I like lists, here's a list of some of the things I will miss the most about Columbia. (no particular order... except #1).

10. The "feel" of the city - you can feel the excitement and energy on home football weekends. But there is also the quiet calmness that comes during Mizzou breaks. I love it all.

9. The beauty that is Jesse Hall and the Columns at night.

8. Most of my favorite restaurants are here - Flat Branch to Addisons to Broadway Brewery to Uprise - I love eating in Como!

7. The memories of mine and Kevin's relationship that I can feel nearly everywhere we go. Some of them are momentous - our first apartment together, the first place we kissed, the place we adopted Cocoa from. Then there are the simple and mundane - the Taphouse where we have spent many a Sunday this year, the parks where we've taken Cocoa, the many places we have eaten, shopped and built a life together.

6. Going to work everyday at the University of Missouri. While my job has its ups and downs like any other, but I am proud to be employed by such an awesome place. And even though I still get to work from home and will be back probably more than I would like, our rental house certainty doesn't compare to the MU campus, a botanical garden in and of itself.

5. As I mentioned above, I love knowing people most places where I go. They know my account at Kinkos, my name at the Post Office and me and my sister at the nail salon. I know these are simple relationships you can develop most anywhere you live. But for me, this is the first place I have ever really had this experience.

4. The "culture." True/False (even though admittedly I have worked every year during this)...Roots'n'Blues...the Show-Me State Games... MU sports.... Columbia has something fun to do pretty much every weekend.

3. The location and size. To build upon number 7, the best thing about these events is that they are not 45 minutes away as they would be in a bigger city. I can get everywhere I want to be in about 15 minutes, max. I LOVE this. Not to mention the fact that Columbia is less than 2 hours from KC and St. Louis - can see family quickly, but the distance makes me appreciate more when I do see them.

2. The parks. I love to walk, and both of our apartments here have been within walking distance of beautiful parks.

1. And the number one things I will miss is my sister. I know she probably won't be in Columbia forever, but for now, she is and I will sooo miss our walks, lunches at Uprise, relaxing nights at the nail salon, her hooking me up at Kaldis, and just being able to see her whenever I want. Like I built my relationship with Kevin here, I feel in many ways I did with Maggie too. We have gotten so much closer and I definitely will miss her more than anything.

And for good measure, and because I know nothing is ever perfect, and you only remember the good memories when you're leaving, here's a few things I am happy to leave behind...

1. The mall sucks!

2. Kevin bought a HDTV the morning before we found out he got into MU law. ANd the whole time we have lived here, we have not been able to get HD.

3. Sharing walls for three years has been long enough! Not to mention no backyard, garage, etc...

4. There are some bad memories associated here, too - my car accident, losing mom, heart attacks for both of my Grandpas.

Columbia has been a part of my life for 7 of the last 8 years...but Springfield here we come! I am certainty ready to live with my husband after three weeks apart. And, on a final note, "If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies." (author unknown)

Why I am not blogging right now: Round 2

Packing. Moving. Working. Stressing. Enjoying last weeks (days for Kevin) in Columbia. Exploring Springfield.

New house. Still needs help but we were there for less than 24 hours, so I think it looks pretty darn good all things considered (much thanks to parents-in-law and dad)

Frontyard


Backyard


Living Room


Our bedroom


Guest bedroom


Loft/second guest bedroom/our office




Kitchen


Dining Room




Bathroom

October

October is my favorite month of the year. Beautiful leaves, cooler weather, Mizzou football, pumpkins, quiet and mostly work-free weekends. Clearly I have been enjoying this month, way too much so to even spend time blogging.

So here's a quick recap of the top 5 best things about October 2010.

1. Roots N Blues - went to this event for the first time this year. It was by far the coolest weekend weather-wise this month (yet) but we still enjoyed listening to the great music, eating some delicious food, and best of all spending time with family.




2. Sunday Fundays - For the past few years, I have really come to dread Sundays in the fall. All Kevin does is watch football. I don't really like football very much. But I do like beer, bar food and hanging out with friends/fam, and sitting outside watching football. So therefore I have been talking Kevin into going to Taphouse 1839 on Sundays to watch football. And so far, Rams are 3-0 when we watch the game there. I think I have some more Sunday Fundays in my future!


3. Lunch walks - Although of course Kevin and I are both anxious for him to get a job, I will admit I like coming home for lunch and being able to see him. Lately we have been walking Cocoa at the park during my lunchhour. It's a great way to break up my day, spend time with Kev and enjoy the beautiful fall days.

4. Being at Home - this year has been an incredible whirlwind and we have no idea what the next two months hold. But this October, we have done minimal traveling, and have just relaxed at home. Not that it is always (or ever!) exciting - most of the time I am working on stuff for school or reading and Kevin is working on job stuff or reading about football. But it has been nice not to be in the car a whole lot, and to watch Thursday night TV, actually keep the place clean and enjoy our fall decor! (Cocoa likes being at home too :)


5. Shakespeare's with Maggie - Last Thursday, got to do three of my fave things - get a haircut, eat pizza and hang with Maggie. I am so grateful we live close and are able to get together to just talk/vent/laugh/reminisce.

and number 6 is soon to come... one of my greatest job perks is these:



Happy October!!

Monday Blues?!

I've been thinking about posting all day, mostly to complain about having the Monday blues: work worries, another week in limbo, missing family after a great weekend at Roots n Blues. Well, now that's out of the way, and I want to focus on the GOOD.

1. Professor provided awesome insight on my thesis. So helpful and a relief because she had the same thoughts as I did.

2. Yummy Uprise with Maggie. Nuf said.



3. This beautiful fall weather we are having. Absolutely can't wait to get out of the office and take a walk.

4. Going along with #3, wearing scarves. I don't even care if people at work make fun of me...

5. Puppy! Got to spend some quality time with Ollie this past weekend. Doesn't get better than sweet, innocent puppies.


6. Rams are in first place!! (technically three-way tie I believe but I'll take it!) This fact makes watching football on Sundays way more bearable. As does the company of great friends and family. And a good beer doesn't hurt.

7. Damages is coming back. On DirecTV exclusive, but I am sure I eventually can get it on DVD or the Internet.

8. Michael and Laura gave Kevin season 1 of the Good Wife on DVD. Can't wait to lay on the couch with the windows open watching it.


9. 34 days until my birthday. I feel like I am borderline getting to the age where I should dread birthdays instead of anticipate. But it is hard not to look forward to some extra cash, a nice dinner out and an excuse to buy myself a couple things!

10. We got a call last night that our landlord thought our washing machine was defective and causing leak to below apartment. She was on the phone with Kevin and told him she just turned it off - he was like, I am here, and you're not. Luckily, she had called the wrong unit! So just thankful we don't have to buy a new washing machine!


OK it was a little bit of a struggle but made it to 10. There is always, always things to be thankful for and happy about - just need to remind myself sometimes!

Congrats to Kevin!

Wow does time fly, can't believe it has been more than two weeks since I posted. Have been busy with work and school and bothering Kevin about his job search :)

Kevin found out earlier than month that he passed the bar!!!! And last week he took the oath at the Missouri Supreme Court Building and is now officially a licensed attorney. I know he will hate this blog post so I won't say any more other than congrats, I am so proud of you!

The seasons they go round and round

It is really an amazing experience when you "hear" a song for the first time. I have had Joni Mitchell on my iPod ever since I've had it and of course she has always reminded me of mom because mom loved her music. Heard "The Cirle Game" on shuffle this morning and it brought tears to my eyes on so many levels. It's about growing up and the passage of time. Here's the intro lyrics of the beautiful song -

Yesterday, a child came out to wander
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar
Fearful, when the sky was full of thunder
and tearful at the falling of a star

and the season's they go round and round
and the painted ponies go up and down
we're captive on the carousel of time
we can't return, we can only look
behind from where we came
and go round and round and round in the circle game

Europe Faves

This week was really hard to go back to work after a wonderful three day weekend, plus knowing that I have class all weekend is making it even harder. However, I borrowed my dad's hard drive with all of the wonderful photos from our trip and it is like I am reliving it. Maggie, Michael, Laura and my dad are seriously talented. I am so jealous and want to learn from them!

Here are a few of my favorite artistic shots, one per country, hope they don't mind me sharing.

Dublin, photo by Laura


Paris, photo by Michael or Laura


Prague, photo by Dad


Tuscany, photo by Maggie


Barcelona, photo by Maggie


These BEAUTIFUL photos are bringing my mind back to the trip and making the week much easier. Much thanks to Maggie, Michael, Laura and Dad for documenting our trip so wonderfully.

Everyday reminders

As hard as it is on many days to think about mom and miss her in so many ways, it is also so inspiring and important for me to remember her love every single day (which trust me, is not hard to do).

For the past couple of months, whenever I have a sad or bad day, I pull out a bookmark mom made for me. She actually gave it to me two years ago this month, right before I left for a 5-day trip with my boss that I had been really dreading, especially because of my anxiety over driving a long distance soon after my major car accident. She was always doing thoughful things like this for people, her constant support, empathy and understanding were what made her such a great mother (and person). Her bookmark reminds me of how much she loves me and believes in me. I have been wanting to frame this for months, so I see it every day, and finally found the right frame this weekend, thanks to Annie who suggested we make a run to the Pottery Barn outlet during our time in Memphis.

The frame was a little bigger that I originally wanted, I had envisioned simply the bookmark and letter, but this worked out so I could include a few other items, including a photo of me and her when I was a baby and one from my wedding, as well as cut-outs from cards she had given me earlier this year (the hummingbird as well as bird nest). I also included the packaging from the ring she gave me for Christmas. She told me she thought the message "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished" was really imporant for me this year, as she knew it could be tough with Kevin looking for a job, possibly moving and being patient in terms of starting a family. Boy, she really had no idea how hard the year would be, but it gives me comfort to wear the ring every day and remember to (try to) live simply and cherish the journey, that is all we have.

Finding Balance

"There’s no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves”
-Frank Herbert



I am constantly trying to find balance in life - between being a good wife, sister, daughter, in-law, friend, co-worker, student, community member, not to mention trying to find that me time to regroup and maintain sanity. I truly can't imagine being a mother on top of this, the older I get, the more I am awed and inspired by mothers, both who stay at home and who work.

I love the above quote about balance, because it is spot on, there is no secret, no easy answer. We all have to prioritize and accept that there are waves in life and nothing to do but ride them out (and try to have fun in the process!).

This past weekend I tried to find simple balance between my family and Kevin's. Really enjoyed both parts of the weekend. With Kevin's family, we spent two nights in Memphis, not doing much but drinking, eating, laying by the pool, some shopping and just hanging out.





Kevin and I returned on Sunday to St. Louis and spent the afternoon and evening with my family, watching baseball, dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's and then drinks back at my dad's. Monday, we returned to Columbia and I spent my "me" time "piddling around the house" (as mom used to say). Then I spent the night grabbing pizza with Kevin and partaking in his favorite pastimes, watching football and Anthony Bordain.

Now for my other roles... marketing coordinator and student. Not as much fun, but like they say, without the mundane in life, the good things wouldn't be quite as exciting in comparison!

I'm Back

Wow it has been way too long since I have blogged. A little thing called vacation got in the way! We had a wonderful two weeks in Europe and I hope to blog more about that soon. Because Michael, Maggie and my dad all have really nice cameras not to mention much better photography skills than I do I left the photography up to them. The good thing was I wasn't worried about taking photos at all during the trip. The bad thing is now I want them all to start printing/framing, making a photo book, etc. but that's not easy to do when I don't have them!

Anyway, in the meantime, since we have returned, things have been nice and quiet. For the first time literally since January, Kevin and I had a weekend in Columbia together - no traveling to St. Louis, no work for me, no studying for Kevin, no frantic packing or anything. Just movies, good food, sleeping in, walks with Cocoa and a couple meals out, one with friends, one with Maggie.

While being abroad was amazing and I hope to have the opportunity to return, especially to Italy and Ireland, being home is sooooo nice. Clean (and unwrinkled)clothes all of the time. Ice cold, free water at restaurants. Clean and free bathrooms. Sleep. Cocoa Bean. Regular access to news and the Internet. I know it is soooo cheesy but there really is no place like home. And a nice quiet weekend with Kevin was just what I needed. Now this thing they call "Monday" - especially a gloomy one, after such a wonderful weekend, well that's another story.

Some of the things from home I missed most.
-first three from great din at Flatbranch. Loved trying new food but did come to miss American dining "staples" - fries, pretzels, brownies. (no wonder Americans are so overweight...)
-fourth photo from great din Kevin cooked. definitely missed quiet dinners at home
-and last one of course Cocoa :)

Downhill from here

Yesterday marked the halfway point in between my 19 straight days of work... and I celebrated by taking the day off!

Had a great day, sleeping in, walking and lunching at Uprise with Mag, getting my hair cut and highlighted (always makes me feel refreshed!) and watching the last few episodes of Mad Men Season 3 in anticipation for the premier of season 4 on Sunday! Can't wait.

Here's me with my new hair


and me "Mad Men" style


A week from now, the bar will be over and I will be one day away from having my weekends back! I can do it.

Why I am not blogging right now

19 straight days of work, about 100 post-its. (but only 22 days until Europe!)

Such Great Heights

The other night Maggie and I were sitting outside... enjoying the beautiful weather this week... when suddenly we heard a loud, torch-like noise. Freaked out for a few seconds, we soon realized a hot air balloon was literally right above our apartment. It was moving so fast but I was able to snap a few photos.





I was thinking it would be really cool to take a hot air balloon ride, so I googled to get some pricing and other information. One of the first facts I came across was that the hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. Also, the first successful hot air balloon flight was made in 1783 in Paris - a city we will be visiting in just about a month.

While I checked the prices of a hot air balloon ride in Paris, it is definitely out of our budget (169 euros/person). Interestly, this is about the same as it would be to take a hot air balloon ride over Columbia, MO...

Anyway, we might have another opportunity to view a city from above (sorry, Laura!) as Maggie found this awesome "to-do" in Barcelona- Cable car on Montjuic mountain. Only 12.50 euros, a much more affordable opportunity.


image from barcelonaphotoblog.com

Home

Probably for as long as people have been writing songs, and especially as musicians have been going on tour, leaving behind family and friends, they have been writing about home. Over the years, different songs about home have connected on different levels with me.

As I graduated high school, OAR was very popular and their song “Home” reminded me of leaving behind close friends as we went to college, but knowing we could always come home and reconnect.
I feel home,
when I see the faces that remember my own
I feel home,
when I'm chillin outside with the people I know.
I feel home,
and that's just what I feel.
because home to me is reality

During college, as I actually got much closer with my parents and was constantly homesick, I remember listening to the live version of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Homeward Bound” on my way back to Columbia. It always gave me comfort, especially knowing there was about an 80 percent chance I would be homeward bound in just a few days.
Like emptiness in harmony I need someone to comfort me.
Homeward bound,
I wish I was,
Homeward bound

The summer I moved back in with my parents after graduating college, Michael Buble’s song “Home” was popular. It was a perfect summer song, and one of the American Idol contestants that mom and I liked, Elliot Yamin, even performed it live on the show. It is cheesy, but the song reminded me that no matter how exciting people’s lives seem, there is often nothing better than being at home.
Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home

Last summer, as I was facing some challenges, I fell in love with the movie Away We Go and really enjoyed the soundtrack, featuring many songs from Alexi Murdoch. The song “Orange Sky” is really beautiful (actually also in another great movie, Garden State) and just reminds me of family and the idea that the ones we love are our “home.” It made me appreciate my family so much, especially Kevin, during that time in my life.
When I am alone
When I've thrown off the weight of this crazy stone
When I've lost all care for the things I own
That's when I miss you, that's when I miss you, that's when I miss you
You who are my home
You who are my home

Finally, my latest obsession with a song about home is “Home” from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. What a powerful, beautiful, uplifting song!! And I know it is cheesy again but I love the idea that this song emphasizes that home is not a place. It is a state of being, with the people we love.
Ahh Home. Let me go home.
Home is wherever I'm with you.
Ahh Home. Let me go ho-oh-ome.
Home is where I'm alone with you...


My home:

Grandpa-isms

This past weekend we went to Kansas City to see the Cards-Royals and also visit family. The last time we saw Grandpa was about two days after he "almost had a heart attack" as he likes to say! Needless to say, he seemed tired and was dizzy and lightheaded from the medication when we last visited. This time... what a turn-around! He looked better than maybe I have ever seen him and was full of energy and life.

Grandpa has always had a dry sense of humor and boy did it come through this weekend! Here are a few of my favorite quotes from him...

"Hey, Pete, don't forget your chalkboard!" (in reference to my dad's iPad).

Anne (to me): I love your dog! Can you leave her here?
Grandpa: Yes, you should definitely leave her! That way in three months when Anne gets tired of her, I can have her!"
(background: his dog Sneakers, used to be Anne's, and I am pretty sure that wasn't the first dog of hers that he ended up with :)

Anne: Hey dad, how are you doing?
Grandpa: Never been better. (about :30 seconds later)... well actually I've been much better!

Grandpa: Hey, did you know Kevin is outside?
Me: Yes, he is walking the dog.
Grandpa: Better keep an eye on him, he's liable to wonder off.

There were many, many more... hopefully they will come to me and I will add them up. He was just so much fun, it lifted my spirits to see him and I know he was happy to have us there. He stayed over at Anne's hanging out with us until 9:30. I can't remember the last time he did that. It was just great to see him feeling well. Hopefully we will make it back soon to get more grandpa-isms!



Grandpa playing with the iPad! So sorry for poor quality...not sure what's going on with my camera. Here's a better one of him from our wedding...



So proud that his trademark cigars were nowhere to be found!