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!

One day at a time

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." (Robert Brault)

Right now I am trying to enjoy every day, and live in the moment. Especially now as Kevin is searching for a job, there is a possibility that our lives could drastically change in the coming months. I am not going to lie, sometimes I do get filled with anxiety, but for the most part, I am giving it my all to take one day at a time and appreciate the mundane....

Schlafly dinner/farmer's market with family...


sweet animals that love unconditionally...


flowers to brighten a home...


having ice cream with the strongest and most good-natured father in the world...


homemade yummy food and drink, more often than not inspired by healthy, talented Maggie.




coming home every day to a hardworking, loving husband


watching a classic, timeless film


...and no matter what happens with where we live, work, travel, etc it truly is these everyday things that make up our lives, and I know no whether things change in the coming months, I can count on having these simple and wonderful experiences with people I love.

Hiding Under the Bed

I think we all experience moments in life when we would like to hide under the bed... maybe after a long, tiring day at the office... an occasion when we speak before we think... to avoid doing something we're dreading. Well, lately Cocoa has been finding reasons to hide under the bed. For contentment? Because she's scared? Sad because she's alone more (my work schedule, Kev's studing, Mag back to school)? Sick? Any of these reasons are possible. For now, I can't decide whether I am worried or think it's cute. Only time will tell.





P.S. Sorry for two posts in a row about Cocoa!

A is for All Alone

I remember an alphabet photo book from my childhood, and A stood for "all alone." The photo was of a little girl standing all by herself by a small lake I believe. Really strange image for a children's book. I wish I could find the book, I imagine it is maybe somewhere in our basement. I remember my mom told me I would get teared up when I saw the photo and read the "all alone."

This morning I thought of the "all alone" image as I was getting ready to leave for work and snapped the below photos of Cocoa. I slept in a little bit this morning so I think she thought I wasn't leaving for work. When I started to get ready she got so sad and just laid on the bed, with her little paw by her head. She doesn't like to be alone... none of us do... and it just made me sad for some reason.

This is just one of those weeks I have been feeling a little down, maybe too much time at work, haven't seen my dad, brother and SIL for close to three weeks. So my sensitivity level is definitely heightened and I am so ready for the weekend... ready to keep my Cocoa company!

I will get by

First weekend in a long time I will be working all weekend. Not that I want to wish time away.. I don't, it is too precious. But I am not going to lie, not looking forward to working 35+ plus hours this weekend...and then right back at it Monday morning. I will keep this image in my head to help me get through...



We'll be here in about two months. For now... back to work.

Signs

We all do it - get caught up in the details of daily life. Sometimes we forget to live in the moment, see the beauty in everyday life and realize life will go on, missed deadline or not. Every now and then something little will remind us of the simplicity and beauty in life. I had one of these moments this weekend while I was at the Lake of the Ozarks to celebrate one year of marriage to Kevin.

Kevin and I had just returned from a hike than turned from relaxing to stressful with the realization that we had been "attacked" by ticks. I found a couple on Kev and he found some on me. We rushed home to check over each other again, shower, wash our clothes and check Cocoa. Fast forward about 30 minutes, we had (hopefully) removed the tickets and were clean. I decided to take a beer and my book to the pool while Kevin ran out to get groceries for dinner (thanks babe).

I found a nice spot at the pool, which was very quiet considering it was a hot day in June. I started reading, looking out at the Lake, relaxing in general. All of a sudden, I noticed that a breathtaking dragonfly had landed on my magazine, which I had laid on the chair next to me. I literally have never seen such a beautiful creature in person, it was truly stunning... and really meaningful, as my mom had become attached to dragonflies during the past year or so and Maggie even got a tattoo with dragonflies representing the members of our family. The dragonfly sat on my magazine for probably less than two minutes, but it seemed like a lifetime. Then, it just disappeared. I swear I didn't even see it fly away, it was so quick, graceful, one with nature.

In this moment I just felt overwhelmed with peace and comfort. I had felt really guilty about going to the Lake, not spending the weekend with my family. It was the first weekend I hadn't been to St. Louis or had my dad come to Columbia literally in months, since our lives have changed. But I really felt this was a sign, telling me it was OK to slow down, relax and even take some needed alone-time. We all need to do this in our lives.

I really wish I had my camera. I don't think I will ever forget the beauty of the dragonfly but I wish I could share it. I searched google images for a while and below is the closest I could come up with... but I really don't think it does it justice.



It you made it through this long post, thanks for reading! What signs have you seen reminding you of life's beauty and simplicity?