I love when I suddenly remember that I have a blog. So, April is where I left off, and what an April it was...
I don't know how many of you are aware of this, but Mother Nature is actually really, really mad at us right now. We went from a nasty, vicious winter to a cold, rainy spring, leading into a scorching hot, scary summer with tornadoes and lightning storms reminiscent of strobe-light-infused horror movies. Now, it's mid-June and we've had nearly a week of 50-degree weather. Hmmm...
But all that aside, my husband and I have been traveling all over the place and taking advantage of the little spurts of decent weather when we can. Let's break it down for you:
April
I decided to get a little wild this month. I got my third (and final - according to my husband) tattoo on April 9. It's the first measure of "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethovan, and it's on the top of my back. I love it! The next week, we took a trip to Washington DC on a long weekend and wore ourselves out completely on sightseeing, eating at interesting restaurants and pubs, and traipsing through the abundance of Smithsonian museums. We had so much fun - the first day was gorgeous, so we saw as many monuments as we could fit into the day - ending our 20+mile hike around the capital with a delicious dinner and some drinks at the local eateries (Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant turned out to be our favorite!). The second day was pouring rain, so it was perfect for dashing back and forth between the American History Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Air and Space Museum, the Library of Congress, Capitol Hill, and the Smithsonian Castle. You see, my husband and I are kind of history buffs, and this made for a fantastic way to make use of a wretched weather day.
We ended our DC trip by walking the grounds at Arlington National Cemetary. It was extremely beautiful, somber, moving and powerful. The place was virtually silent, aside from the shuffling of feet and whispers of families, although there were thousands of visitors that day. We saw JFK's eternal flame, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.
I certainly think Washington DC is underrated in regards to its appeal as a tourist destination. We loved every bit of our trip, and we can't wait to go back to see what we missed. It's a great place for families, but there were also a ton of places for young adults to enjoy. We can't wait to go back.
May
May was kind of awesome as well. MOST importantly, my neice Delaney Kay Phillips was born on May 21! She is so cute I can barely stand it. I can't wait to spoil her rotton. As far as vacations and mini-trips go, we did quite a few this month.
May 13-15, my husband and I drove down to our alma mater, Ohio University, to meet up with his little brother, his parents, and a whole bunch of our college friends. We forgot how much we adore that school (and how cheap beers are in college towns!). We had two perfect days catching up with some of our favorite people, walking the campus, eating at our favorite spots, and visiting our old haunts. It was absolutely awesome.
Later in the month, we went down to Columbus for our old college roomie's wedding, and spent some time with a few of our other buddies from high school. Columbus is really a cool city - I always forget how much fun we have down there.
We capped off May with a Memorial Day party at my in-laws' house - a tradition that we get excited about every year. The roughly two-acres of the backyard is transformed into a cookout mecca, complete with a tent, kegs, more food than you can imagine, football, baseball, a fire pit, and inevitably, my father-in-law setting off fireworks. We had so much fun with family and friends, and it was the perfect ending to the month.
June
So now we're halfway through June. We've had some decent weather for the most part, and we're trying to fit as much into our weekends as possible. My husband and I are on a co-ed softball team this year, and it's proving to be a blast, dispite the fact that we are awful. The first weekend of June, we opted for an impromptu trip to West Branch State Park to camp (yes... tents, fire-cooked food, the whole bit), and it was incredibly relaxing and wonderful. We met up with his parents and did a little kayaking, a little reading, a little jogging around the lake, a little relaxing by the fire... it was perfect. We even got cozy with the local wildlife - a raccoon who ended up mad at us because we didn't leave any food out for him.
The second weekend this month, we went to Chicago - again with his parents and little brother - to get my brother-in-law settled in his new temporary home. He moved to Chicago for a fantastic internship gig with Price Waterhouse Cooper, and is living right downtown by the Chicago Theater! We spent time with him and a few of our friends who live in the city, and it was awesome. The weather was truly bizarre - after topping 98 degrees on Wednesday, it had hit a low of 44 by the time we got there Thursday night. It was misty and cold all weekend, but that didn't stop us from having fun. Chicago is one of our favorite cities, and I'm sure we'll be back again soon!
So there you have it, I've caught up for now. The rest of the month should be a little quieter, although we have some fun plans. I fully intend on making the most of this summer, so be prepared for a few curve balls thrown into this blog in the weeks to come. Until then... treat every weekend like a mini-vacation to keep your sanity, even if it's a local trip!
