roughin' it.

by Crystal

When we found out about the Perseids meteor shower last weekend, we knew we needed to be outside for the night. Considering we live in such a thriving metropolis (I mean, come on guys, there's like 10,000 people in this town), we thought it best to head out of town and in to the country - camping!

We planned on going Friday, but when we saw that there was 95% chance of storms, we figured we could wait, sleep in our own comfy bed for the night and head out in the morning. Yes, that's how committed we were.

After packing our vehicle to the brim, we head out.

When we got there, we set up camp and hiked to the top of a mountain.

Here we're doing balancing poses on the Balancing Rock. Only appropriate.

 While at the top, we decided it would be good to take note of my ensemble. I realize this is not the most fashionable or flattering outfit I've ever worn, but folks, when you're walking up a mountain in the heat, you need to think about staying cool and comfort first. Essentials to hiking attire:

• A hat, or something to cover your head (watch out for those tics!)
• A breathable top/tank top
• Comfortable shorts or pants - I usually choose pants to avoid bug bites
• A sturdy pair of shoes - mine cover my ankles too, to avoid sprains or rolls on uneven terrain

E wanted to take part in the fun too. Notice he honors the same hiking attire rules that I do!

At night, we hiked down to an area with an open sky, climbed a fence, and laid down a blanket to watch the show. We saw around 20 meteors. Seriously. It was awesome.

The next morning photo. A few other essentials to take note of:

• Sunglasses
• A bandana for greasy, day-after a hike hair
• A percolator - coffee is necessary
• Portable speakers
• Gallons of water
• Citronella candles - I can't stress enough how much I hate mosquitos
• Trash bags - keep our planet clean
• Food to grill on an open fire 
• Not pictures: board games!

 

I'm convinced my fiance should be a professional open-fire chef. Lemon-pepper tilapia with red potatoes, bell peppers, and onions. Aka deliciousness!

 Before we head home, we did a short hike that led to a small waterfall. Perfect way to end the weekend!

Don't be fooled. I'm about to fall down in that last photo. Definitely time to go home.

Weekend in food (and then some).

by Crystal

Hey everyone. How was your (last) weekend? Do you even remember it? I know, I know. It's a new weekend. That whole, "out with old, in with the new," thing. But I absolutely must share with you what happened to me last weekend.

Mine was phenomenal. And I don't use that word very often - phenomenal. I also don't italicize words very much, so please notice the emphasis. For my Birthday a few weeks ago, my wonderful fiance told me I'd be flying to go visit the one and only Katie (the "cheese" of the bunch, since she's in WI), and her gf Katie. That in itself was enough to make me cry with excitement!

I had a lovely time experiencing a day in the life of a dog walker; we walked probably over 7 miles, only to find out that was a slow day! Crazy. And tiring. About an hour after I had fallen asleep, I get a knock on my bedroom door to find Anita and two of our very good friends who drove up from Columbus, OH! That's not a short drive, my friends.

The next morning, while our lovely friend Angela was cutting my hair (huge advantage to having a friend studying at Aveda), in walks my mom. MY MOM. She drove up from IL to spend the morning/afternoon with us. Seriously? I found out E had been planning it for a few months. Needless to say, I was on Cloud Nine. And crying. I cry on either end of the emotional scale. That's just me, folks.

Since our weekend involved a lot of great food (and drink), I thought I'd share with you some photos we snapped of the deliciousness.

And now for the "and then some..."

It wouldn't be an occasion without jumping pictures, y'all. Has anyone else played Farkle or The Game of Things? A lot of fun (especially with a splash of wine).