Isn’t it funny how certain smells can jog your memory and take you instantly back to a specific moment or emotion in time?! The other day, I caught a whiff of the fresh smell of new asphalt. I love the smell of new asphalt. I have very fond memories of this smell - it reminds me of going to Kings Dominion in the summertime! New asphalt is one of those smells that just makes me smile and takes me right back to being a carefree kid! It will always hold a special place in my schnoz!
Surprisingly, I learned that most of our smell related memories are formed from childhood memories. This is because as a child we are introduced to new odors. For the record, I also have a bottle of my Grandma's perfume that she hasn't worn in forever, but every time I smell it, it reminds me of her. And, there's a very distinct onion smell that reminds me of my other Grandma. (I mean a very loving, endearing, heart warming onion smell - not a 'Grandma needs to put some deodorant on' smell!) The fragrance 'Happy' by Clinique reminds me so much of high school, and there used to be a vanilla from Bath and Body Works that totally reminded me of middle school!
AND, a few months ago I bought this air freshener spray for our bathroom that was titled as some tropical scent but definitely was the exact same smell as my Strawberry Shortcake doll that I had when I was like five years old! (I still have that doll, by the way)! Even Brian said that the scent smelled like the old school Strawberry Shortcake! (He confiscated that scent for his car...)
My sniffer isn't the only sense of my five (sometimes six) senses that remind me of specific times throughout my life. Even certain songs take me back to middle school, high school, and college! Sometimes it's funny when Brian and I hear a song together. I'll say, "This reminds me of middle school!" He'll say, "This reminds me of college!"
It's just amazing to me how our senses can take us back to moments in time so quickly. Even when they only last for a couple seconds, it is totally worth the time travel!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
First Mow!
Believe it or not, Brian mowed our lawn for the first time this year today! With the above average (read: amazing) temperatures that we've been having and the additional rain, our lawn decided to start growing fast!
We think Spring is here, but now we're wondering what all these high temps mean for summer?! I suppose we'll worry about that when it gets here. For now, we are thoroughly enjoying having the windows open and the sun shining!
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| The casa! |
We think Spring is here, but now we're wondering what all these high temps mean for summer?! I suppose we'll worry about that when it gets here. For now, we are thoroughly enjoying having the windows open and the sun shining!
Monday, March 19, 2012
Niagara Falls
This St. Patty's Day weekend we met my parents in Canada at Niagara Falls. Surprisingly, Niagara is exactly six hours from Ottawa, Canada AND Columbus, OH, so it is a great half way meeting spot! Plus, we got to go to Canada for the weekend!
I had never been to Niagara Falls. Brian was there, but apparently he only drove past the falls. So, really, neither of us had ever been to Niagara Falls!
We met my parents and my brother, James, on Friday night and enjoyed a fabulous weekend of eating, laughing, enjoying each other's company, watching a really shoddy IMAX Niagara Falls movie (which led to many a discussions later and a few potential Christmas presents for laughs!), checking out the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Canadian Horseshoe Falls, going on a short hike in Niagara Gorge, and catching up! We haven't seen my parents since Christmas, so it was really wonderful to see them! Even though we're not that far away, it sometimes seems further.
Plus, the weekend weather was uncharacteristically warm and gorgeous for the area. We were told that there is usually still snow and ice on the ground at this point! We were all slightly disappointed that we couldn't hop on the Maid of the Mist, but that was because it hasn't even opened up for the season! We'll have to catch that ride next time!
One thing that surprised us the most about Niagara Falls was how commercial it was. I mean, it was like being in Vegas! There were lights galore, casinos, vendors on the streets passing out coupons to every attraction possible, crowds, etc. Now, we knew there would be crowds - this is a touristy spot, but we all thought there would be a bit more of a connection to nature since what we were there to see is 100% Mother Nature herself. It was only when we hiked down into Niagara Gorge that it felt like what we thought it would. It was a little disappointing to see such a natural beauty be built up to something so completely different, but it was nice to see areas that are still pristine and untouched by the commercial side of things.
We had such a fun St. Patty's Day this year, and it was amazing to see the fam! We love you guys!
I had never been to Niagara Falls. Brian was there, but apparently he only drove past the falls. So, really, neither of us had ever been to Niagara Falls!
We met my parents and my brother, James, on Friday night and enjoyed a fabulous weekend of eating, laughing, enjoying each other's company, watching a really shoddy IMAX Niagara Falls movie (which led to many a discussions later and a few potential Christmas presents for laughs!), checking out the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Canadian Horseshoe Falls, going on a short hike in Niagara Gorge, and catching up! We haven't seen my parents since Christmas, so it was really wonderful to see them! Even though we're not that far away, it sometimes seems further.
Plus, the weekend weather was uncharacteristically warm and gorgeous for the area. We were told that there is usually still snow and ice on the ground at this point! We were all slightly disappointed that we couldn't hop on the Maid of the Mist, but that was because it hasn't even opened up for the season! We'll have to catch that ride next time!
One thing that surprised us the most about Niagara Falls was how commercial it was. I mean, it was like being in Vegas! There were lights galore, casinos, vendors on the streets passing out coupons to every attraction possible, crowds, etc. Now, we knew there would be crowds - this is a touristy spot, but we all thought there would be a bit more of a connection to nature since what we were there to see is 100% Mother Nature herself. It was only when we hiked down into Niagara Gorge that it felt like what we thought it would. It was a little disappointing to see such a natural beauty be built up to something so completely different, but it was nice to see areas that are still pristine and untouched by the commercial side of things.
We had such a fun St. Patty's Day this year, and it was amazing to see the fam! We love you guys!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Birds a Chirpin'
It’s March 13. Our weather forecast for the entire week is temperatures in the 70’s with some scattered thunderstorms. Flowers are blooming, buds are popping, birds are chirping, and the sun is shining! We’re wondering if Spring is here. Can it be?
Last year we concluded that March doesn’t come in like a lion and go out like a lamb. It was quite the opposite, remember? Is it possible that the same is happening this year, or we will be delighted with Spring’s early presence? I believe Punxsutawney Phil’s Groundhog’s Day prediction this year was for 6 more weeks of Winter. I also recall the general public heaving a dreadful sigh, but, based on the recent forecast, I’m not so sure Phil brought his 'A' game that morning. I suppose only time will tell! Until then, we welcome this wonderful weather with open arms!
Hooray for Spring!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Sleeping Arrangements
Ever since we returned from Utah, we've had a permanent guest in our bed. Jack sleeps with us occasionally and sleeps in his crate occasionally. However, we have not set his crate back up, which means he is with us permanently.
Last night I woke up in the middle of the night. Brian was to my left on "his" side, sawing logs like you've never heard because he's been a bit under the weather. This is not uncommon. (Brian being to my left and sawing logs, that is.) To my right, however, Jack was sleeping in what felt like a Chinese star position. I, somehow, pulled the short straw and got stuck in the middle. (I must've missed that drawing because I don't remember that at all.)
I tried to move Jack. I felt a paw here and a paw there, but I could not figure out how the heck he was laying. I tried to ask Brian to roll to another position to perhaps relive the log sawing and give me a 5 second window to fall asleep before he started back up again.
All to no avail. Jack didn't move. Brian started snoring again. And I was still stuck in the middle.
I fell back asleep, somehow, and woke up to nearly the same situation.
Tonight I will be putting my foot down on these so called sleeping arrangements. This is just not going to work for me.
Something's got to give!
Last night I woke up in the middle of the night. Brian was to my left on "his" side, sawing logs like you've never heard because he's been a bit under the weather. This is not uncommon. (Brian being to my left and sawing logs, that is.) To my right, however, Jack was sleeping in what felt like a Chinese star position. I, somehow, pulled the short straw and got stuck in the middle. (I must've missed that drawing because I don't remember that at all.)
I tried to move Jack. I felt a paw here and a paw there, but I could not figure out how the heck he was laying. I tried to ask Brian to roll to another position to perhaps relive the log sawing and give me a 5 second window to fall asleep before he started back up again.
All to no avail. Jack didn't move. Brian started snoring again. And I was still stuck in the middle.
I fell back asleep, somehow, and woke up to nearly the same situation.
Tonight I will be putting my foot down on these so called sleeping arrangements. This is just not going to work for me.
Something's got to give!
Friday, March 9, 2012
The Stockade Stands!
Our fence is completely built, and we couldn't be happier with the outcome! Our fence masters really did a superior job! The construction is sturdy, the design is modern, and our yard looks massive! In addition, the guys who built our fence did a great job at cleaning up of all the weeds and junk trees that were along the pre-existing fence line. Now, we have a completely blank slate to start with our master landscape plans!
Without further ado, check out our new fence here!
(Note, we would just like to state for the record that we did not sharpen the tops of our fence as in a typical stockade.)
Without further ado, check out our new fence here!
(Note, we would just like to state for the record that we did not sharpen the tops of our fence as in a typical stockade.)
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Salt Lake
Brian and I had a little bit of time yesterday morning before our flight back to Columbus, OH via Dallas, TX, so we wandered briefly around Salt Lake City and stopped by the Great Salt Lake, where Salt Lake City gets its name from!
We stopped by the Salt Lake Temple at Temple Square, which is massive and beautiful. There are no public tours inside the temple, but we did take a quick walk around the outside. It really is a stunning building to see right in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City.
Afterwards, we headed to the Great Salt Lake which is also the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere! And it was big! We only drove to a part of it, but it was cool to stop by and see such a famous lake!
Overall, we had a great time in U-taw! We did so much and were able to see a part of the country that neither of us had ever seen!
While we have you, here are a few fun facts about Utah:
-Utah is known as the Beehive State.
-If you live in Utah, you are known as a Utahan or Utahn. (We prefer the latter.)
-There are many dinosaur bones found in Utah. One of them is called a Utahraptor!
-The state bird is the California Sea Gull...
And last, but not least:
-The "state cooking pot" is the dutch oven, which we find very funny on multiple levels!
We stopped by the Salt Lake Temple at Temple Square, which is massive and beautiful. There are no public tours inside the temple, but we did take a quick walk around the outside. It really is a stunning building to see right in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City.
Afterwards, we headed to the Great Salt Lake which is also the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere! And it was big! We only drove to a part of it, but it was cool to stop by and see such a famous lake!
Overall, we had a great time in U-taw! We did so much and were able to see a part of the country that neither of us had ever seen!
While we have you, here are a few fun facts about Utah:
-Utah is known as the Beehive State.
-If you live in Utah, you are known as a Utahan or Utahn. (We prefer the latter.)
-There are many dinosaur bones found in Utah. One of them is called a Utahraptor!
-The state bird is the California Sea Gull...
And last, but not least:
-The "state cooking pot" is the dutch oven, which we find very funny on multiple levels!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Park City
We spent our last night in Utah in the infamous town of Park City - home of the Sundance film festival and the United States Ski team, among other things! We made the drive which was about 30 minutes or so outside of Salt Lake City without any real direction. We figured we'd get there, wander about, find a place to grab some dinner, and mosey on back to Salt Lake.
And we did exactly that!
When we arrived, we headed to Main Street and window shopped. We saw a ton of local artists, lots of ski shops, some skiers, and typical main street type shops - ice cream shop, fudge shop, souvenir shop, etc. Once we had our fill of walking and looking, we stopped in at the No Name Saloon for some grub.
We both enjoyed our time in Park City, but we didn't enjoy the yuppity yup attitude that we noticed we were surrounded by. On several different occasions we noted someone in our presence being rude. Neither Brian nor I would like to spend our time around such people, so if I were to take a guess on whether we will be back to Park City, I would have to say not in the near future. We actually spoke to one of the vendors at one of the shops on Main Street about the attitudes around town and we were informed that summer is a much more enjoyable, laid back visit and there is a ton of stuff to do. So, I guess I can't really say that we won't be back ever, but perhaps just not again in the winter!
And we did exactly that!
When we arrived, we headed to Main Street and window shopped. We saw a ton of local artists, lots of ski shops, some skiers, and typical main street type shops - ice cream shop, fudge shop, souvenir shop, etc. Once we had our fill of walking and looking, we stopped in at the No Name Saloon for some grub.
We both enjoyed our time in Park City, but we didn't enjoy the yuppity yup attitude that we noticed we were surrounded by. On several different occasions we noted someone in our presence being rude. Neither Brian nor I would like to spend our time around such people, so if I were to take a guess on whether we will be back to Park City, I would have to say not in the near future. We actually spoke to one of the vendors at one of the shops on Main Street about the attitudes around town and we were informed that summer is a much more enjoyable, laid back visit and there is a ton of stuff to do. So, I guess I can't really say that we won't be back ever, but perhaps just not again in the winter!
Monday, March 5, 2012
The Yurt
We met our group of 20 at the Clock Tower on Solitude Mountain at 5 pm last night. Our guide outfitted us with either snowshoes or cross country skis, but we also had the option to walk without either because the snow was already pretty packed down. Brian and I decided to try our hand at snowshoeing since neither of us had ever done it before. (We were the only ones that decided to try anything. Everyone else walked in the snow boots they were wearing!)
We started our walk up the snowy mountain with the rest of our group, for we were walking to The Yurt, our dinner destination which was located in the middle of the woods. The walk was beautiful! The snow was billowy and perfect, and the evergreen trees were so secluding that they created a perfect retreat.
When we arrived at the Yurt, we saw a round, 20' diameter tent which was nearly completely covered by snow. (We also saw the outhouse which was our only "restroom" option.) This is where we would be dining tonight!
When we entered the Yurt, there were two long tables that sat perpendicular to each other, a hole in the center at the top of the tent which we learned is usually open for the fire that is in the middle (ours did not have that), and an area set up for our chef to whip up our five course meal. It was unlike anywhere we have ever been or eaten, and it was fantastic! The atmosphere was just incredible and totally worth the trek!
Over the course of about 3 hours, our chef concocted a five course meal for everyone in the Yurt. We started with a soup, followed by a small appetizer, followed by a salad, then an entree, and a dessert. I took a picture of the soup and forgot to take a picture of the rest of the courses! And they were so unique that I couldn't tell you anything about them except for the fact that the small appetizer involved a scallop, the salad had arugula and pear, the entree was some sort of lamb, and the dessert had a delicious fruit from the pear family.
Brian really enjoyed the menu. I, on the other hand, am kind of embarrassed to admit that my pallet is extremely bland, so while I absolutely loved the atmosphere, I didn't absolutely love the menu. Still, we had an amazing time despite my lack of mature taste buds.
Our dinner lasted well into the evening, and on our walk back down the mountain we were accompanied by the brightest stars and planets speckled against the beautiful, clear night. I can honestly say that the quiet, private, amazing walk down was one of my favorite parts of our Yurt adventure. It was so peaceful, and if I had a higher cold tolerance, I would've stayed on the mountain even longer and stargazed...if Brian wanted to join me, of course!
We were so happy that we got to experience such a unique dining atmosphere. It really was amazing, and again, it is something that we would highly recommend to adventurous travelers and diners!
We started our walk up the snowy mountain with the rest of our group, for we were walking to The Yurt, our dinner destination which was located in the middle of the woods. The walk was beautiful! The snow was billowy and perfect, and the evergreen trees were so secluding that they created a perfect retreat.
When we arrived at the Yurt, we saw a round, 20' diameter tent which was nearly completely covered by snow. (We also saw the outhouse which was our only "restroom" option.) This is where we would be dining tonight!
When we entered the Yurt, there were two long tables that sat perpendicular to each other, a hole in the center at the top of the tent which we learned is usually open for the fire that is in the middle (ours did not have that), and an area set up for our chef to whip up our five course meal. It was unlike anywhere we have ever been or eaten, and it was fantastic! The atmosphere was just incredible and totally worth the trek!
Over the course of about 3 hours, our chef concocted a five course meal for everyone in the Yurt. We started with a soup, followed by a small appetizer, followed by a salad, then an entree, and a dessert. I took a picture of the soup and forgot to take a picture of the rest of the courses! And they were so unique that I couldn't tell you anything about them except for the fact that the small appetizer involved a scallop, the salad had arugula and pear, the entree was some sort of lamb, and the dessert had a delicious fruit from the pear family.
Brian really enjoyed the menu. I, on the other hand, am kind of embarrassed to admit that my pallet is extremely bland, so while I absolutely loved the atmosphere, I didn't absolutely love the menu. Still, we had an amazing time despite my lack of mature taste buds.
Our dinner lasted well into the evening, and on our walk back down the mountain we were accompanied by the brightest stars and planets speckled against the beautiful, clear night. I can honestly say that the quiet, private, amazing walk down was one of my favorite parts of our Yurt adventure. It was so peaceful, and if I had a higher cold tolerance, I would've stayed on the mountain even longer and stargazed...if Brian wanted to join me, of course!
We were so happy that we got to experience such a unique dining atmosphere. It really was amazing, and again, it is something that we would highly recommend to adventurous travelers and diners!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Bryce Canyon Hoodoos
Brian and I arrived safely and soundly in Salt Lake City, Utah! Our first stop on the list of many, of course, was Bryce Canyon which was about a 4 to 4.5 hour drive south of Salt Lake. When we arrived on Friday night, we drove about an hour and stayed at a Sleep Inn in Provo, UT where we decided to ... sleep in! Then, on Saturday morning, we got up and drove the rest of the way south to Bryce Canyon!
The views in Utah are unlike any we've ever seen. Salt Lake City has a beautiful mountain backdrop (we've learned these are the Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain ranges), which are snow covered in March. For nearly the entire drive south to Bryce Canyon, there were mountains on either side of the highway. (A note about the highways in Utah: the speed limits here stay steady at 75 mph, especially once you're out on the open road, but there was a stretch were the speed limit was 80! Neither Brian nor I had ever seen an 80 mph sign on a US highway!)
Once we arrived at Bryce Canyon, we saw the infamous hoodoos that Bryce Canyon is known for. These strange geological formations are incredible! The view here is unlike any we've ever seen, and each hoodoo is unique and tantalizing in its own way. It was a chilly, windy day at the viewpoints. We actually had planned on an early spring picnic lunch, but decided to picnic in our rental instead because it was a lot colder then we thought!
We were so happy with the decision to drive to Bryce Canyon. It was such a cool place to visit, and while we didn't have enough time to go hiking down into the Canyon to view the hoodoos from the bottom up, we did get to take in some incredible views at Bryce Point, Inspiration Point, Sunset Point, and Sunrise Point. And we highly recommend Bryce Canyon as an incredibly unique national park stop if you are ever in the southern Utah area!
The views in Utah are unlike any we've ever seen. Salt Lake City has a beautiful mountain backdrop (we've learned these are the Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain ranges), which are snow covered in March. For nearly the entire drive south to Bryce Canyon, there were mountains on either side of the highway. (A note about the highways in Utah: the speed limits here stay steady at 75 mph, especially once you're out on the open road, but there was a stretch were the speed limit was 80! Neither Brian nor I had ever seen an 80 mph sign on a US highway!)
Once we arrived at Bryce Canyon, we saw the infamous hoodoos that Bryce Canyon is known for. These strange geological formations are incredible! The view here is unlike any we've ever seen, and each hoodoo is unique and tantalizing in its own way. It was a chilly, windy day at the viewpoints. We actually had planned on an early spring picnic lunch, but decided to picnic in our rental instead because it was a lot colder then we thought!
We were so happy with the decision to drive to Bryce Canyon. It was such a cool place to visit, and while we didn't have enough time to go hiking down into the Canyon to view the hoodoos from the bottom up, we did get to take in some incredible views at Bryce Point, Inspiration Point, Sunset Point, and Sunrise Point. And we highly recommend Bryce Canyon as an incredibly unique national park stop if you are ever in the southern Utah area!
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