The last time I wrote a blog post, it was about our trip to Slovakia… we flew back into D.C. the day the gov’t shut down… October 2013. Since then, I haven’t been overly inspired to do much more than post photos to FaceBook. Lame, I know. Here’s my attempt to get you all updated before I start posting about Nashville and how slowly people walk there (I’ve been warned!)
FALL 2013- WINTER 2014 UPDATE
This Fall was split between applying for Event Planner jobs, teaching swim lessons at the YMCA and helping my dad build a house. (In the photo I am DRYING a house, but I did get real handy with an impact driver and did some actual work!)
Then Cory came home for a wedding, the beginning of November and helped us out at the house.
Then it got insanely SNOWY and FREEZING! Dad and I had some very leisurely mornings, making eggs and watching Kelly & Michael on TV while the wind chill hovered around -18. (Dad went through a lot of Hot Hands this winter…) In late November, Mom and I went Silver Bells in the City- in Lansing. Freezing, but a fun time!
When it was warm enough to breathe outside (without your nose hairs freezing) Mom and I would take walks and have adventures. THEN, just before Christmas, we had a crazy storm that knocked out our power for 3 days. I slept over at Uncle Pete & Aunt Kathy’s. They had a FULL house and threatened to go to a hotel. Family Rocks!
We managed to cut a tree and put it up for Christmas. It was decorated with 30+ year old salt dough ornaments that were G’ma Smith’s. So adorable. I miss her. Merry Christmas!
Then we headed back to Pete & Kathy’s for Christmas Day. It’s always nice to hang out with the Smith crew.
What a bunch of cuties! Above: Betty Jane, Emma and Mom. Below: Uncle Petey & Callie, getting along just fine.
I rang in the New Year with the best bunch of college roomies a girl could as for! 1234 White Street may have been such a generic name that they refused to deliver pizza to us, but we know how to have FUN! So happy to have spent the evening with this crew! Also, Cards Against Humanity? You should buy it. Tentacles. That is all.
In January Mom, Dad and I drove out to Colorado to spend a week with my siblings. It DUMPED down snow on our ski day at Beaver Creek and the powder was almost to our knees. It snowed all day and the hill was so empty that we could ski RIGHT back on the lift, no wait at all. The NEXT day, there was a snow day and everyone flocked to the slopes. People were waiting 1.5 hours IN LINE for the LIFT! You could see the lines at the Vail lifts from satellite images.
Then, 4 of us spent 2 hours shoveling 2-3 feet of snow off of Cory & Maria’s roof. You do the math. Epic snow.
Jessie and I, doing a dance in our matching Patagonia jackets. We’re so spoiled!
It was also Dad’s birthday before we left for Colorado, then it was Mom’s birthday when we got back! There was much celebrating!
Let’s just skip February… and now it’s MARCH! My Aussie friend from YMCA Camp Jewell is doing a tour of the USA with his friends and invites me to meet them in Chicago for St. Paddy’s Day! What fun!
Troy & I, waiting for my favorite Irish Band, One of the Girls, to go on!
Chicago sure knows how to do a solid dye job!
Troy wore that Kermit head all day. Seriously, for about 14 hours. Drunks LOVE Kermit! (We have no idea who these girls are, but we will claim Sebastian- in the sunglasses. Surprisingly, he’s not drunk- he’s just Argentinian!)
And we’re all caught up to present day! Here is my motto for 2014…
It seems to have worked, I’m moving to Nashville, as we speak and developing/running a nature day camp in a 3,000 acre city park! Should be an interesting summer!
FestiBelt Adventures 
