Carolin-ing!!

What happens when things line up in such a way that you end up with an adult spring break? ROAD TRIP!!! Yes, you heard that correctly. A road trip through the Carolinas! And I couldn't have asked for a better trip. So what follows are some of the highlights from the trip.

I had to drive the longest leg of the trip right off the bat as I decided to drive straight through to Charleston. While it was a long drive, it was broken up by the driving through the Smokies, which was fantastic! The mountains and streams made driving a lot more scenic than the flat farmland I'm used to in the Midwest. Charleston had perfect weather and I knew the trip was going to be lovely when the first thing I saw after getting out of the car was a dolphin! Spent the first day walking around Charleston realizing that basket-weaving is the art of the city and eating as much seafood as I could possibly get my hands on. That was followed up by a trip out to Fort Sumter where I learned a bit of Civil War history. Overall, Charleston was a lot of fun and very different from most other cities. In the city proper there were no big skyscrapers, which made for a very unique skyline filled with old houses and churches!

Rainbow Row! While the houses on this particular block were all different most of the houses in the area looked like this. I probably could have spent a few more hours just roaming around taking in all the houses. Ghost tour next time? I think so!

 Fort Sumter as we approached by boat. Cool fact: Sumter was built on a sandbar that at low tide was still 10 ft underwater! They had to bring in rocks to build up the land before they could construct the fort!

The following day was low key and I was able to explore the small town of Summerville, the place where sweet tea originated. Born as a northerner, I can't say I completely understand the hype of sweet tea. I've tried it a few times and never been overly impressed. This didn't stop me from trying a glass since I was in it's hometown. (Honestly, I've had much sweeter tea in Mississippi, so this particular glass was pretty good!) I followed the sweet tea up with a shot that contained an OYSTER! While I don't recommend the shot (see the garnish in the picture? yes, that's old bay seasoning!), I was happy about getting an oyster!

The last day in Charleston was by far my favorite. Before heading down there I did some research and discovered that there was a blackwater swamp kayak tour. Sign. Me. Up. The swamp that we were kayaking was on the grounds of a plantation. So the only people in the swamp were the group of five of us signed up for the tour and the tour guide. It was the most relaxed kayaking experience I've ever been on. Not to mention it was gorgeous. Cypress trees are not something I get to see like ever (living in Indiana) so I was just soaking in this completely different environment. The water was dark but really clear! If you have a chance to get out to Charleston, definitely try the swamp kayak tour.

Next stop was a micro-distillery (I'm talking like only 4 bottling lines micro). But the guys working there were great. And I now have a new back up plan to life. Anyone want to be a backer? :-) But really, this place had great gin, rum and spiced rum. Following the distillery, we headed off to the beach to catch the sunset. And I really wanted to make it to the beach so that I could say this trip had it all... swamps, beach, and mountains! The beach was a great way to close out the first leg of my trip. 

Soon I was driving back west on my way to Asheville. The beauty of this entire trip was that I had been planning to run a half marathon there with some friends, so Charleston just became a fantastic bonus trip! Not even half an hour of being in Asheville, plans for the next major run-cation were being formed! (Stay tuned... I can't give it away already!) After checking in for the half and catching up with both grad school and college friends, we were calling it an early night. A very early wake up call had us on the grounds of the Biltmore by 6:00 am. There were many perks to this half:

• Only 1700 runners which made for less crowded bathrooms and not too terrible traffic.
• The Biltmore house was about the halfway point (important since the first half was solid hills).
• Enthusiastic volunteers at the waterstops between miles 9 and 10.
• Girl scout cookies on the course!
• Not only did you get a medal for finishing, you also got a blanket.

I'm such a serious runner. :-) 

After the race, we had plenty of time to catch up and hang out. It was very refreshing to know that this whole run-cation sickness is indeed contagious and I'm pretty sure all of my friends have a case of it! We spent the night walking around the downtown area of Asheville hitting up micro-breweries. If you are a craft beer fan, head to Asheville! We probably went to/passed 5 (and we weren't walking that fast given the morning activities!).

Post race picture as well as showing how well we can clean up for the brewery!

Most people needed to take off the day after the race, but a college friend and myself stayed in Asheville for an extra night. The extra day lead to being able to hike at Chimney Rock, eat solid Carolina bbq and hang out in a hot tub drinking gin from the previously visited distillery!

The view from Chimney Rock overlooking Lake Lure. The trails are pretty short in the park, but it was exactly what we were looking for the day after a halfie. There might have been one too many steps though! 

Now the name Chimney Rock makes sense. Yes, there were stairs that took us up there from the parking lot. 

On the last day of the Asheville leg of my trip, we went to tour the Biltmore. All I can say is if you haven't seen the Biltmore, you need to. Each room that we went into had a unique story or feature. I can't even begin to tell you how much I learned. Oh and we only had time for the basic tour. If I had the chance to go back, I'd definitely try the Butler tour, so that you can learn about the back passages of the house. Some of the thoughts I had while walking through the house:

• Can you actually use all 250 rooms of this mansion?
• The entire place is decorated so ornately, how long did it take to do all of the decorating on top of building it?
• What would it be like to sit in front of a triple fireplace?
• I could probably sit on the back loggia for forever.
• 7 story tall banquet room?
• Were there guests here all the time? Seems awfully big for 3 people!

The Biltmore with mountains in the background. 

The view from the loggia that I mentioned before. Could have sat there all day! 

 One of my favorite rooms. The indoor pool in the basement with the original underwater lighting! And because it was located in the basement the pool was only filled when it was in use, then had to be drained because there wasn't a good understanding of pool chemicals.

So overall it was a great trip. It did exactly what I expected it would do, which was fuel the fire for more run-cations! I'm excited that there's already another one planned for this year! Savannah in November!! If this trip sounded amazing to you, feel free to join in for the next southern adventure!

Oh the places I want to go!

I LOVE traveling. Absolutely favorite thing to do, especially when I have a travel buddy and an exciting new destination. I'd say I've gotten to travel quite a bit, but there are still so many amazing looking places that I want to have a chance to see. I think I'm all about talking about traveling because I'm about to embark on a pretty epic (SPOILER ALERT) Carolina road trip. (I'm saying there's a 99.95% chance that's what the next blog entry will be about. But until then, I'm just going to leave a little list of places I would love to go see. If you have any suggestions, feel free to let me hear about them!

1. Costa Rica - This tops the list because I've wanted to go here for a long time. Beaches look amazing. There's also rainforests with zip lines. Oh and waterfalls... according to the following picture!

2. Iceland - This is a newer dream destination. But the scenery looks pretty amazing and those hot springs? Yes please! Not to mention experiencing the northern lights!

3. Fiji - Not only is this one of the few places to pull off my dream two New Year's Eve countdowns in one year (see previous posts for more details), but the scenery is gorgeous. And I think everyone should try staying in one of those whole bungalow over the water things!

4. New Zealand - While I'm showing love to the south Pacific area, I can't help but be interested in going to New Zealand. Yes I would try Zorbing where it was created and explore mountains and some unique beaches.

5. Victoria Falls/Zimbabwe/South Africa - I would like to say that I've been to every continent (although I'd settle for six I suppose). A trip around southern Africa would be awesome. A chance to experience a safari, be an idiot and pose in the devil's pool at Victoria Falls (yes I'd learn to flip all crazy like the picture if I got to go) and maybe, just maybe see some filming for the upcoming year's Shark week?!?!

6. Switzerland - Because I could use more mountains, trains, crystal clear lakes and cheese in my life.

And this was just the international version of places I haven't been able to travel to yet. I also have a U.S. travel list, but I'll save that for another day. However, if any producers of the Amazing Race happen to get a copy of this list. I would be more than happy to be a contestant if you were going to take me to these places!

Decisions, Decisions

It may have taken a bit longer than I anticipated, but I am completely unpacked here in my new(ish) condo. (Personally I think it still counts as new for at least a year, right?) And while I have done some decorating... my killer gallery wall... I still haven't touched the walls of the master bedroom. I haven't quite figured out what exactly it needs, but I do know it needs something. Enter pinterest. That website... let me tell you... genius. While I will admit that I avoided it for quite some time, I've caved and it is well worth it. New food recipes (all with pictures, which truthfully is the only way to sell a recipe) right there. New workout routine because you just can't run every day, pinterest has something for you. And I've just really started embracing the DIY pinterest world. Face it, before owning a home there's only so many DIY projects a person can get into. Pinterest has done it's part and helped me select a project... DIY headboard. Now this is where I need a little help... Which method should I go with?

First we have the "old window shutters" style. Which from my perspective gets some serious points for looking like a very simple method. (Read: Lauren feels she has the necessary skills to make this happen all on her own!)

Next we have the simplistic "four stained boards" approach. Again points for simplicity, however I'm not sure it will fit in with the furniture I currently have in my room. However, I suppose I can stain/paint them how I see fit. 

In a similar style to the stained wooden boards, we have a more rustic look here. I'm a little unsure if my penmanship is strong enough to pull of this approach. (I will take any volunteers for the writing portion of this project.) 

Here we have the "old door" style of headboard. While this approach is interesting, I'm not sure how much an old door costs? If anyone is giving away an old door I will take it! 

A unique style that has definitely piqued my interest is the use of ceiling tiles. Again I like the simplicity yet originality. And I'm pretty sure that this is another approach that I can handle with very few problems. (Reminder: These statements of my DIY skills come purely from looking at pictures and reading very short summaries of the work involved.) 

And finally the style I consider to be a more traditional headboard, the upholstered style. I'm going to be honest... This doesn't seem like my style and maybe I'm saying that because I truly believe this is the most difficult headboard to pull off. Although, I really don't see this being my style.

So that's my summary of DIY headboards that I'm interested in. Any and all help/advice/thoughts/creative insights would be greatly appreciated. I'm ready to get my DIY on!

Little bit of this and a little bit of that

There's no theme tonight folks, just whatever comes to my mind. (I would take that as a warning that this post is about to get random.)

You know what is one of the most underrated "fun" things? Balloons. That's right. Now imagine how much fun say... 300 balloons could be in a cubicle comprised of mostly glass walls. I would say it's about this much fun...

That. Happened. I think the main lesson here is when you give immature people cubicles that can be completely closed off... they will be filled. I'm proud to say that this cubicle was around for less than a month before this fantastic event went down. For more details on the story feel free to ask me about it. (By the way... no that is not my cube.)

So being the beginning of a new year and all that "New Year, New You" shenanigans that happens about now, I've been trying to eat healthier. Now mind you we're having taco bar at work this week, so all bets are off. But generally... better eating for me. And I have to admit I have a new obsession. Crispy kale. (Or kale chips, depending on who you ask.) Absolutely amazing. Lil' olive oil and sea salt. 8 min in a 400 deg oven. Boom. Fantastic. Try it.

Winter has arrived in Indiana. And I'm saying it came in like a cheetah! One minute I'm outside running in a long sleeve and capris (and taking down my outdoor Christmas lights like a boss!), the next morning the entire road is a sheet of ice and temps aren't breaking 20! Cheetah like winter arrival for sure! I hope it's a short winter because, PEOPLE, I am like 8.5 weeks out from a half marathon! It's real this year! Halves and spartans and fulls... OH MY!

I just saw a 90" TV for the first time. 1. Never knew they made TVs that large. 2. Is this what the backstreet boys were singing about when they said "larger than life"?

Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

2015 has definitely had it's moments. Some better and some not the greatest. After having to re-read my entry from the beginning of the year, I recall I was going to #commit for 2015. Yes, yes I was riding the #craze. Good news for all of you... I outgrew that in about a week. Commit was a great word for me and I tried to commit to more things in my life. I won't bore you with the details of all of my commitment trials, but some were incredibly more successful than other attempts (i.e. I committed to being an adult by buying my very first home!). Since the year is definitely in it's waning moments, I've started pondering what I'm going to use as motivation for 2016.

The other week at Target, I found my motivation (I'm using this term instead of saying I have a certain resolution or list of resolutions). Simply put on a notebook "Today is the day." And that's how I plan to live out 2016. I know it sounds completely opposite of the 2015 mantra of commitment, but I assure you it's not that different. Perhaps today will be the day that I start eating healthier, or living more efficiently. I don't plan for those types of changes to last only one day. I hope to see them grow over the course of the year. At the same time, I hope that I have several days were I can say "today is the day... I tried sky diving, I made home-made ravioli, I saw the Grand Canyon". Today is the day is a perfect balance between making permanent changes and trying new adventures. So don't be surprised if you see an entry or two that begins with "today is the day", but I would be shocked if you ever had to read #todayistheday.

Here's to the new adventures that await in 2016!

Welcome Lil' Monster

Merry belated Christmas everyone! I had a fantastic Christmas with the fam this year, hitting up some favorite traditions and also trying out a few new things. While I could go through all the typical details of a Christmas for most families, I'm going to mix it up. A while back, I started this weird running tradition where I would dress up as Cookie Monster. It was a fantastic Halloween costume, that I just couldn't help but to use more than once a year. So obvious choice... Duh, why not run in it? People love it. (Except when Cookie runs by them. Then they're not so much a fan.) I love it. Tell me you aren't envious that I can just randomly yell out COOKIES!!! and people think that's just completely normal. There's a purpose to this back story, I promise. This Christmas I received one of those POP characters... of course Cookie Monster. This little replica Cookie is the most perfect traveling icon for me. So prepare yourself to witness some of the many adventures Lil' Monster heads out on.

Merry Christmas everyone! Introducing Lil' Monster!

Meeting some of the fam.

Doing what Lil' Monster does best.

Adventure #1... Heading to Chicago.

Stopped by the Great Tree at Macy's Walnut Room.

Taking in Lion King at the Palace Theater!

 Can't say you've been to Chicago without trying that pizza!

Escape!

Or as Dory (from Finding Nemo) says... Es-cop-ae! That was definitely the theme of this past weekend. I was able to escape from work early in order to head up to Muncie, Indiana (only my second visit there) to see my sister graduate college. I'm still not 100% sure how we've made it to her college graduation. I'm pretty sure I was just at her high school graduation like last year. Apparently I'm not the only one who is getting older.

I think (aka this is my opinion written here people!) that my sister would also like to say that escape could also be used for her this weekend as she is finally leaving behind the school life and heading into the world of big kid jobs. I have to give some mad props to Ball State for keeping their graduation ceremony to a respectable 2 hours! Way to go sister on graduating in December!

This all leads up to the main reason I say escape is the word of the weekend. I was not the greatest sister this summer and put off buying a birthday present until just recently. But I'm pretty sure I made it up to her. Shortly after the graduation ceremony ended, we all headed down to Indy to try out an Escape Room. Quick explanation: Escape rooms are a popular fad in which you and a group of friends (and potentially some strangers if you have a smaller group) go into a themed room and have to figure out several clues/puzzles to escape the room. Back to our experience... So we get to address of the Indy escape rooms and have to take an elevator up to the 2nd floor. Well... let the puzzles begin. We couldn't just push 2 to head to the 2nd floor. Oh no, we had to enter a code to get to the 2nd floor. At this moment I decided this was going to be a sweet little adventure.

So we ended up in the room with two people we didn't know (but it ended up being really fun that way. We all worked well together.) and our theme was hoosier hysteria. Premise: We were in a sport-y locker room like place and needed to find the state championship trophy that was stolen in order to escape the room. We had an hour to do so in order to get the trophy to the ref on time. Now... I don't want to spoil the mystery of the room for anyone who would want to try it out, but... It. Was. Awesome. We got as far as finding the trophy and getting a key to get the trophy out, but we could not figure out the final code to get the trophy! So close on our first try! Our consolation prize was knowing we were the group that got the farthest that day in that room. Fortunately there are 4 other rooms for us to try when we want to go back. Oh and the room we tried out was considered an intermediate level. There's an advanced room where you start off handcuffed!! Anyway... I definitely recommend trying out an escape room if you get the chance!

And just to keep up with the theme word of the weekend. We also had to figure out how to escape Indy! We sorta overlooked the fact that IU, Notre Dame, Purdue and Butler were playing basketball in a bit of a tournament that same day. Annnnnnnd that it was the last Saturday before Christmas. I've never seen so many people in downtown Indy before! One last escape for the weekend! All-in-all a fun weekend!