Pumpkin Chuckin'. OWLS!. Bluegrass | Asian x2!

Today was something of a random day. I know that's surprising. Haha.

It started off with my trekking down to Catie's place and heading out together to one of Cincinnati's park areas for a Pumpkin Chucking festival. It wasn't a huge production, but everything you could possibly need on a chilly Saturday was all in one spot: Hot chocolate, apple cider, grilled cheese, burgers, midieval trebuchets for pumpkin launching, an owl, a falcon, a goat & a sheep, and most importantly, one of my best friends playing some mean fiddle for a live bluegrass rundown.

+ I hugged the sheep. Let's be real, he looked warm.
Like I said, slightly random. But awesome.


owl! i almost stole him. | cincinnati

catie & her band! loved loved loved it | cincinnati

trebuchet for pumpkin launching | cincinnati


Once we were cleaned up from the perpetual dew that still hadn't burned off by the time the morning was over, we tailed it to Eli's BBQ [recommend!!] for some true pit BBQ, before we all split off on our separate ways for a bit. 

not even a hard decision. this place is amazing. | eli's bbq | cincinnati

>> Insert Nap. 
+ in a hammock. (:

Becky and I decided it would be a good idea once she was off work to head up to Kenwood to grab some coffee and then to Norwood for a window-shopping visit to REI [who does that?! Oh wait, we do..]. It was a successful mission until we started digging in to our personal lives and spilling onto each other all of the things that move us to the core. As Becky happens to be one of my closest friends, it wasn't hard to give her the raw, unaltered version of my life in real time, but not without the consequence of a few tears. We drove all over Hyde Park, O'Bryonville, Madisonville, Norwood and Kenwood in search of food that sounded good, but landed ultimately right back at The Comet in Northside. Go fig. We managed to pull ourselves together, grab some food, and head back to her apartment. She left to go have a slumber party with her aunt and uncle's dogs [sitting, yeah!] while they're out of town, and I managed somehow to put myself into a presentable shape for dinner at Sung Korean [another recommendation] with Catie & Jen.

jen & me! | otr.cincinnati

^^ Would you look at that? There's another Asian girl around these parts! Haha. I joke, I joke. I only say that because of the circle in which I typically ran the last time I lived here, it was myself and my two dingo brother bears and that was the extent of the Asian presence. I always thought it would be nice to have some mocha estrogen around, so as it stands now I'm pretty stoked to have JEN, who, in a streak of awesome coincidence, is Pinay, too. Bah-riiiiing it. Haha. I'm joking. (:

I love these folks.
Blessed, yeah.

xo | cmd

Happy Birthday, JENNIFER!

FLASHBACK:

circa 2001 | pittsburgh, pa

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JENNIFER!!

I can't even tell you how much I love this girl. She's one of those friends that will stick with you and just be there through the thick and thin, through your weakest moments and the ones that are worth bragging about. More importantly, she's a sound source of counsel and advice.

In honor of your birthday, Jen, I'm bringing back some of my favorite memories:



skyview kids: jen. corin. rini | singing w. jen @ the mv dan emmett festival

That's not even scratching the surface! (:

modern day loves ♥

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my dear friend!!

*****
As for me, I just finished lunch with the Gobles after a great church service... it's time for a nap and then maybe... just maybe .... some volleyball. We'll see.

xo | cmd

Friends On Tuesday

Nancy came back from Spain today! Welcome back from Spain, Nanc.. It's been a roooodeo here. So glad to have her back. That being said, it's been somewhat of a flurry of events from last week to now, and it doesn't look to be dissipating any time soon.. I have to admit, today was one of those days in which I left work feeling completely defeated, even in spite of leaving an hour early [to compensate for not taking a lunch]. Go figure.

I carried that irritating defeat home with me and channeled that into day TWO of INSANITY. In hindsight, it's probably a good thing I had some pent up emotion to use as fuel for that, because this thing's no joke, folks. Haha. I made it through day 2 though, and I'm still standing. I have high hopes :).

What I really didn't expect was be sought out in conversation by two different, unrelated girls I've known for years now, who've both been integral parts of my life at various stages, and both of whom I hold so dear still to my heart.

jen | circa 2008

Jen || Welp, it's been a long, winding, hill-infested road since I met her in in middle school. I was in 7th grade, she was in 6th, and we were quite the dramatically 1990's lookin' things.. I love everything about it. We've been through many of those angsty adolescent things that girls so typically go through feeling alone.. I was fortunate enough to see some of those things through with Jen, and her with me.. and from that stemmed a friendship that's lasted from then, until now, and I'm hoping for years to come. We've had roles in each others' weddings, shared in the joy and strains of new parenthood, but more importantly the transforming power of the GRACE of God that works so evidently in the real life struggles we seem to face individually but on parallel timing. Love. Her. to Pieces. 

arley | circa 2010

Arley || There's something to be said about a girl who helps you survive parts of your high school career without feeling like you're completely lost. Not just that, but someone who looks out for you after that when it comes to certain things, places and people about which you might've forgotten from being away for so long. I know without doubt that if and when I make it back to the good old Vern that I can find Arley, her adorable kiddos, and the rest of our friends from over the years ready to catch up, hang out, and kick back. She's always been the level-headed one in the midst of sticky situations, and for that I am oh-so-stinkin'-grateful. Hah. It also goes without saying that I need to arrange a high priority to reflect making a trip home.. SOON. Thanks lady, for everything (:

Anyway, I am anticipating something of a grueling 8-5 throughout the rest of this week at least, but I am so thankful for the refreshing conversation I had tonight, and for the timing it so precisely carried. I needed to slow down for a moment, and just breathe. I even feel pretty amped for day 3 of INSANITY tomorrow. We'll see if that particular resolve lasts past noon tomorrow ;). Just kiddin'.

Okay, week. Bring your best....

xo | cmd

Office Fridays & Breakfast for Dinner [Koinonia]

TGIF!

Phew. What a day! It's been a busy one :)

First things first, I'm amazed I hung on through the entire day after the metrolink fiasco from last night. I showed up to work a little groggy still, but nothing compared to poor Courtney. This is what found its way to my desk before we even got the day started:

kicks! 

nobody puts baby in the corner!!
... except express.
express will put you in the corner. 

^ Poor Courtney was at the Cards game last night, too, but had to do a little more walking than we did, in uncomfortable shoes. [It's a tough pitch being a girl sometimes] She ended up sporting these bad boys to the office today. Haha. Classicly done!

Oh, yeah, and speaking of office folk, there was some minor rearranging done today in lieu of our office expansion project. Someone stuffed one of our chairs in a crevice between a file cabinet and Marc's office; we decided that would be the best place to park Christine for the afternoon. She clearly loved it ;)

This buildout thing has been fairly taxing on all of us over the past couple weeks. Between the frame building, wiring, drilling, dry walling, sanding, and prepping, the wall completing Marc's new office space is now fully in tact, walling Nancy and I for the time being in a big cubby hole. Courtney's been shoved just about out the front door, and Christine... well Christine's temporarily nomadic as her desk sits on the open range of still-usable space in the office. Needless to say, we're ready for this phase to be done. Amen.

*****

breakfast!! | quiche. cinnamon rolls | y-u-m.

Once work was behind me, I made straight for the house to get started on breakfast. [Yeah, breakfast!] The Harris family joined us for the evening, and even Dawne stopped by for a bit! It was, as always, an absolutely amazing night with our small group.

Most of the regular crowd was in attendance: 1/4 of the Gobles [Tom! Jackie & the boys, praying for safe travels as they're out of town!], the Prescotts, Julie, Becky, the Sandvens, and now the Harriss clan, too. Sleemans, Babots, Jarod & Lyla - we missed you, and can't wait to see you guys next time! :)

In the absence of Evan, we were able to focus double the baby love on the little munchkin in our group who is certainly lovable. Check him out in his pink Bumbo [it was Sydni's.. haha]. Handsome Liam!

the cutest little chunk everrrrrrr... love him!

Our Micah 6:8 group is heading out in full force tomorrow for our laundromat outreach. Praying that it goes well and we have some response!

Time to gear up [aka, sleep. Chyeah!]

xo | cmd