It's All About MEE

Project 365: The Beginning

2010-09-27T09:27:00.004-04:00

Oh my goodness, it has been far too long since I have been on my blog. I have been so crazy busy with moving back to school, the beginning of classes, and the craziness that life continues to throw at me! But I am back and with a new mission! With the arrival of my 20th birthday, I can still hardly believe that I am 2 whole decades old! I don't feel any different yet but whenever I think about that past few years of my life, I am absolutely amazed at how fast the time is flying by. And so, on the eve of my 20th birthday I was thinking about the excitement of the upcoming year. Turning 20 is more than just leaving my teenage years behind--it is the start of a plethora of new adventures! And so, in order to capture all of the wonderful adventures this next year will hold, I decided to begin a project, known as Project 365. I will document the topsy turvy times of the next 365 days of my life with a photo, one for each day of the year! And so begins the adventures...!

Here's To The Beginning of a New Year, a New Decade, a New Chapter!

Help Wanted!

2010-08-05T14:46:00.005-04:00

Heroes aren’t the people who star in movies. Heroes aren’t the people who make the most money. Heroes aren’t even the people who are the smartest or the fastest or the nicest. Heroes are those everyday people who do extraordinary things. From policemen, firefighters, and soldiers to doctors and nurses to mom’s and dad’s—heroes are the people who openly, willingly, and freely help others. Until recently though, I had never really thought about who my “heroes” were. Sure, I was grateful for all of the sacrifices that others had given--from soldiers laying down their lives to doctors going to countless years of school to learn to my mom’s endless love and support—but--I had never truly recognized or acknowledged the notion of “heroes.”

Yet, that all changed when my Mom and Chris chose to have my brother, Andrew and my sister, Erin become organ and cornea donors. Through this selfless act, my siblings were able to transform into heroes, who have not only helped 7 other people to physically live and thrive but have inspired countless others to give a little bit of what they have to help even more people. What exactly do I mean? Well, when my Mom and Chris made the decision to donate Erin’s cornea and Andrew’s cornea and organs, we were introduced to a wonderful group of people from LifeBanc. During the time at the hospital, as doctors and nurses worked to monitor and prepare Andrew to help make sure his organ’s were healthy and could be donated, LifeBanc covered ALL of the medical expenses. Then, after Andrew’s organs had been sent to different areas all over the country, LifeBanc helped us to contact the recipients and we have even received a thank-you letter from the man who received Andrew’s heart. And that is only the beginning. LifeBanc has continued to help us through this difficult time of healing by providing us with an outpouring of support, whether it is just a quick e-mail or a phone call to say hello, we feel so blessed to have had the opportunity for Erin and Andrew to become heroes.

And now I am asking for a small favor from everyone who reads my blog. LifeBanc is having a 5K/10K/1.5 Walk Fundraiser on August 14th at Blossom Music Center in Cleveland, Ohio. My family has formed a team, The Drewin Crew and would love to add to our growing list of runners and walkers. We currently have the largest team and have been blown away by the outpouring of donations we have received. There is even a press release going out about the event (click here to read!) to help generate even more support. Even if you can’t make it for the run (since I know most of my blog friends don’t live near Cleveland), we are also able to accept monetary donations for the team. All the proceeds from the Fundraiser are being used to help spread awareness about organ donation and to assist in offsetting the medical costs that LifeBanc incurs as a result of helping families cover the medical costs of organ donors, like Andrew.

I feel truly blessed to be able to share about this wonderful organization with all of you and hope that I can help to generate even more support for this great event through my blog! Please share this post with all of your friends, family, and fellow bloggers so that we can continue to help support the LifeBanc Event! So start sharing ya’ll!

Click here for a link to the LifeBanc Registration/Donation Page!

What's Up Wednesday!

2010-08-04T14:44:00.001-04:00

Lots going on around here—we got back late Monday night from a weekend trip to visit family in Atlanta. We had an absolute blast! They live in Reynolds Plantation, on Lake Oconee. Each morning we would wake up, go to breakfast, and then spend the day tubing, wakeboarding, wake surfing, and cruising around on the boat. As soon as I upload the darn pictures I will post about the trip. So until then, here is the scoop on the rest of the craziness.
*I did in fact complete my trial 10K (give or take…I was running at the park). I completed it in a time of 52:18 and I was excited to have finished it so well (this is what is leading me to think the park may not be accurate in their mileage of the trails) but nonetheless I was happy! In the mean time, I have been running my usual 3-4 miles and am hoping to do another 10K trial run on Saturday—the race is only a week and a half away!
*I head back to school on Sunday, which has me in a mad rush to pack everything up. I finally feel I have settled in after moving back from school to my house and then to Chris’ house and now I have to repack up all my stuff and head back to school. It is definitely not fun to feel like a nomad. Which I do.
*We cleaned out the fridge before we went to Atlanta and apparently we have decided that eating is an optional activity that we are no longer partaking in. We have absolutely nothing in the fridge. Nadda. Zippo. Zilch. Not even a box of baking soda in there. So I know where I will be headed after work…
*Speaking of the store, I love grocery shopping and I can’t wait to head to Costco this weekend to get lots of things that I need for heading back to school!
*On a lot of the blogs I read, everyone is talking about dieting and what not. Personally, I have never been on a diet, so I am not really at liberty to make too many comments but it has caused me to think a lot about diets. I don’t think I could ever do the diet thing. It’s not because I don’t have the willpower, I have A LOT of willpower, but I don’t think I would be happy on a diet. And since you only live once, I would much rather enjoy a few treats here and there than be miserable and on a diet. I guess it also helps that I like to run—but don’t let that fool you—I like to eat even more! So, for all you dieters, kudos to you, but don’t forget to enjoy every delicious moment of life—you only live once!
*I have not done too much shopping this summer but I have done a lot of working and so before I head back to school, I want to buy myself a little treat. I am thinking about getting a magazine subscription, because I LOVE getting mail and I also love to read magazines. I would love any suggestions on a good magazine to subscribe to!
*I started a fabulous book the other day—it’s called South of Broad by Pat Conroy. It is set in Charleston, NC and it tells the story of “a unique cast of sinners and saints…Leopold Bloom King, our narrator, is the son of an amiable, loving father who teaches science at a local high school. His mother, an ex-nun is the high school principal…” Since I just started, I took a little recap from the back cover to describe a little about the book but seriously, it is really great—I have laughed out loud about a hundred times already!
*Last, sorry to digress—but I am not too excited about heading back to school. It’s not that I don’t like Dayton. I love the school, my classes, my friends, and the independence. I am a very independent person and I like being able to decide when/how I want to do things. Its more the fact that, as my mom always says, “I was born at the age of 30.” I am just kind of over the whole college lifestyle thing. Anyone else ever feel this way when they were in school? I always hear everyone say that college is the best four years of your life…but I am hoping for greener grass on the other side!
*Well, I don’t want to bore all of you too much, hope you are all having a good week and I promise that my next post will have pictures and hopefully a little more pep and excitement!

Recipes and Running

2010-07-27T15:43:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I noticed that we had a copious amount of fresh produce that was going to go bad if we didn’t make something with it soon. And so, I set off to find a few recipes to help use up all of the cucumbers, tomatoes, fingerling potatoes, and green beans we had. Since I have to leave the house at 7:30 each morning for work, I like to have pre-made salads/meals available to pack up quickly as I head out the door. My favorites are usually tuna salad, broccoli and orzo, and turkey wraps but I decided to try out a few new recipes. I made two different side-dishes/salad type recipes and they are both delicious! They work well as a side-dish for a meal or as the main dish!

We had lots of these!

And these too!

Spicy Cucumber-Tomato Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa
3 cups water
Salt to taste
2 cups diced cucumber
1 small red onion, finely minced
2 cups finely diced tomatoes
1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers (to taste), seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 avocado, sliced, for garnish

1. Place the quinoa in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes. Drain through a strainer, and rinse until the water runs clear. Bring the 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt (1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) and the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and translucent; each grain should have a little thread. Drain off the water in the pan through a strainer, and return the quinoa to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dishtowel, replace the lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place the finely diced cucumber in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the cucumber with cold water, and drain on paper towels. If using the onion, place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water and drain on paper towels.
3. Combine the tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cucumber and onion, season to taste with salt, and add the quinoa and cilantro. Toss together, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve garnished with sliced avocado and cilantro sprigs.
Yield: Serves six.

Green Bean & Fingerling Potatoes (Sorry forgot to take pictures of this one!)

2 lb. Bite-sized fingerling potatoes
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 med. shallots, minced
1 T fresh rosemary, minced
1 T fresh sage, minced
1/8 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 lb. Green beans, trimmed

Dressing:
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
3 T white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 T fresh rosemary, minced
1 T fresh sage, minced
2/3 cup strong soft cheese, (I used gorgonzola)
1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts

1. Toss potatoes, onion, garlic, shallots, rosemary, and sage in olive oil and roast uncovered at 350 until potatoes are tender.
2. Begin checking after about 15 minutes; stirring occasionally. Drain excess oil and set aside to cool when finished.
3. Steam or blanch green beans al dente; drain and set aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients.
5. Add potatoes and green beans and toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature.

On a completely different note, I have decided that I am going to go for it and attempt to run the 10K rather than the 5K for the LifeBanc Run. This is a pretty lofty goal…thus far, I don’t think I have ever consecutively run that far. I do run at least 3-4 times per week, typically for a ½ hour (I am not sure of the distance…I just developed some courses at the park that take between 30-35 minutes) but I am guessing that a 10K would take me around an 1 hour to complete—nearly double what I am currently used to running! Tomorrow I am going to do a trial run at our Metroparks. They have a great path there that is 3.2 miles, so I am going to run it twice, which will actually put me at 6.4 miles, which is a little more than a 10K. My goal is to finish this run without having to stop and walk! I know that I will need to figure out how to maintain a good pace but I will work on that later; right now my goal is just to finish the course! If anyone out there has any advice/training tips for preparing for a 10K, I would definitely appreciate them!
Tomorrow after my pseudo 10K, I am going over to a friend’s house to make a variety of zucchini and banana breads—definitely a good motivator to help me get through my run! Will be sure to post the recipes/reviews after!

Whirlwind Weekend!

2010-07-26T14:56:00.007-04:00

As always, I can’t believe it is already Monday. The weekends seem to fly by, especially in the summer, as I try to pack in as many activities, adventures, and expeditions as possible! I kicked off the weekend by going to the Irish-American Festival on Friday at the Berea Fairgrounds. We haven’t been to the Festival in a few years and I had forgotten how much fun it is! This year, a few of our favorite Irish bands were there so we took advantage of the entertainment and enjoyed listening to New Barleycorn, Brigid’s Cross, and John McDermott. My mom was especially excited to see John McDermott because she had chosen his song, “Dance with me Daughter” for her Father/Daughter Dance at her wedding just a few weeks ago (I still need a post about the wedding!) After listening to a few tunes, we grabbed some dinner. While the Irish are certainly not known for their cuisine, we still found a few treats to keep us satisfied, including Corned Beef Sandwiches, Cabbage & Noodles, and Kettle Corn. Unfortunately the skies decided to open right as we were about to begin shopping so I didn’t get to buy any Irish trinkets—they always have the cutest jewelry, household items, and baby clothes—so I was really disappointed! After making a mad dash to the car and getting soaking wet, we headed home and played a game of Trouble and then headed off to bed to rest up before our busy Saturday began.

Chris (my stepdad) has never been an animal person, add in the fact that he is a neatnik and we had a slight predicament on our hands...named Chloe, the cat. Despite our most earnest efforts, Chris would not relent and let us bring Chloe to live at his house (our new digs). Sean (my brother) and I tried every tactic we could think of but all of our efforts were useless, which left us upset and Chloe without a home. Luckily, my Aunt Lili offered to take in Chloe and take care of her until I get my own apartment next year. Since Aunt Lili lives in Columbus, about 2 hours away, I decided to make a day of it and take Sean to the Columbus Zoo since we would already be down there. And to top it off, one of my best friends, Jenni joined us at the zoo. So Sean and I set off at 6:45am with a cooler of PB&J’s, pretzels, apples, waters, Twizzlers, and assorted other goodies; a wagon; a bag of sunscreen, sunglasses, maps, and baseball caps; and Chloe and all of her supplies. We also picked up Sean’s friend Johnny on the way so that he would have someone to keep him company. After dropping off Chloe and saying our goodbyes, we headed to the Zoo—somewhat sad to be leaving Chloe behind but excited about our adventures ahead. When we arrived, we met up with Jenni and got situated; applying sunscreen, putting on hats, and making sure our sneakers were double-knotted!

While I have been to the Cleveland Zoo, I had never been to the Columbus Zoo before, which is actually the #1 Zoo in America (who woulda thunK?) As the 2010 #1 Zoo in America, the Columbus Zoo tops the list, beating out the San Diego Zoo, Baltimore Zoo, etc! I never would have guessed that, but I can see why it is #1. It was a super clean park, filled with unbelievably friendly zoo guides, and tons of activities and interactive exhibits to keep the kiddo’s and adults entertained.

From petting flamingo’s to watching polar bears wrestle, Sean and Johnny had a blast as did Jenni and I. The only snafu in the plan was the scorching heat—Columbus was actually under a heat advisory for the day and with temperatures at over 90 degrees, not factoring in humidity, it was a toasty day! Of course Johnny and Sean reminded us incessantly of how hot it was and the copious amounts of water, juice boxes, and sunscreen we went through reiterated that fact! As lunch time rolled around, we found a picnic table in the shade to eat at and let the boys head off to play on the playground while Jenni and I spent some time catching up. After lunch we headed to the African Safari and checked out the elephants and tigers and ended our adventure at the Aquarium, where we got to pet sting rays and hold starfish. As we headed back to the car, Johnny and Sean were sweaty, hot , and tired and of course we had to trek across the scorching, multiple-mile parking lot to get to the car. After coaxing them to keeping trudging along with the promise of Frosty’s we finally made our way to the car, said goodbye to Jenni, blasted the air, and headed to Wendy’s. After getting 2 vanilla and 1 chocolate Frosty to go we hit the road. With Sean and Johnny in the backseat enjoying a movie and me in the front with the cruise control set, we were making good time…until Sean’s usual bathroom antics set in. Of course I told him to go before we had left the zoo, telling him that we would not be stopping on the way home and of course he insisted he didn’t have to go…until we were about half-way through with our drive. He began by insisting how much he had to go, which quickly escalated to his insistence that he was going to “pee his pants,” which topped out at him screaming, moaning, and crying that he could not hold it anymore! Despite my gumption to hold my ground and keep driving, I was more interested in keeping the seats in my car clean and so, we stopped. I was not too pleased with the bathroom stop and so I turned off the movie, which ended up being more of a punishment for me than for the boys...Finally we arrived back home, exhausted and hungry. After a quick dinner of burgers, watermelon, and oven-baked potatoes, we were all in bed by 9:00!

Sunday was just as busy—we started off the day by going to church and then went to the Farmer’s Market. I love going to the Farmer’s Market, I love to support the local farmers, eat local foods, and find delicious local treats to enjoy. One of my favorite treats from the market is the homemade peanut butter. If you have never tried homemade peanut butter before, you are missing out! The taste is unlike any other; honestly it just melts in your mouth! I love it on toast, with celery, in smoothies, and even just by the spoonful! We also picked up zucchini’s, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, and freshly picked flowers. After the Farmer’s Market we headed home and began our Sunday afternoon routine of cooking. Even though Sunday’s mean the end of the weekend and the imminent arrival of another long week, they are my favorite day. Sunday’s at our house are filled with lots of cooking, laughing, relaxing, and best of all—Sunday dinner. We always have a big meal on Sunday evenings and everyone is expected to be there. Sometimes we invite the extended family but usually it is just the skeleton crew of my stepdad, mom, brother, and I. Last night we had roasted chicken, green bean and fingerling potato salad, watermelon, and beer batter bread (my all-time favorite bread!) After dinner we relaxed and I worked on gathering a few things to get ready for heading back to school (ugh.) For a sweet close on the weekend, we had blueberry-peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream.

Another busy week ahead of me—I have a doctor’s appointment tonight, dentist on Thursday, and then on Friday we are heading to Atlanta for a long weekend to visit my cousins to wakeboard, tube, and catch some rays. What did you all do this past weekend? Anything good planned for this upcoming week? Hope you all are enjoying this beautiful day that God has given us!

Chinese Water Torture

2010-07-20T14:36:00.004-04:00

This post has absolutely no point, so I apologize in advance. If you want to stop reading now, I would completely understand, in fact, I may even recommend it. So if you get about half way through and are questioning if this post is some kind of cruel Chinese water torture, just remember…you were warned.

Normally I am not all that into slapstick humor but lately I have been finding the most ridiculous things funny. What types of things you ask? Well let me try to explain. So as I am talking to my friend Becky on the phone (a feat in and of itself because I truly despise talking on the phone), she begins to tell me about the date she went on to a restaurant called Steak on a Stone. Naturally I ask her what type of steak and side she ordered. If it were me going, I would go with a filet and a baked potato covered in enough butter to make Paula Deen cringe and I would probably want a roll or two to sop up the steak juices and also probably dessert. But I digress. So anyway, Becky tells me that she ordered chicken and steamed broccoli. Thinking I may have misheard or her or perhaps been in a caffeine-induced coma (I had about 4 cups of coffee that morning) I asked her to repeat what she had gotten. No worries, my ears and fine and no coma to report—instead I got a full-fledged ab workout from laughing, at the fact that my friend ordered chicken and broccoli at a customized steak restaurant, where they grill the steak in front of you. About ten minutes later, after I finally recovered from my hysterical laughing, I asked her why exactly she chose chicken and broccoli and she claimed “I no longer like the taste of steak.” Which set me off laughing again. For at least another ten minutes. And that is only one example of the ridiculous things I have been laughing at.
We put our house up for sale last Friday and someone is doing a walk-through tomorrow. Apparently these said home wreckers (in case you are a bit behind on my posts, I am not too thrilled with this whole moving thing) are from New Jersey. Which has lead me to imagine a woman with a Bump-It in her hair and a man popping ‘roids walking through my house and snarkily commenting on the lack of any Italian paraphernalia or a built-in tanning bed. Disclaimer: I have in fact NEVER actually watched the tv show Jersey Shore, nor have I ever been to New Jersey. I am sure it is a great state with many wonderful people. And I am also sure the tv show details the lives of very down-to-earth, normal people—I mean it is, after all, reality tv.
I have a slight obsession with watermelon. It is my all-time favorite fruit and since it is in season, I am addicted. Seriously. I may need to be in rehab when the fall hits and watermelon is no longer available. I am cutting up one of these bad boys about every 3 days.
I think I may have overfed my fish Felix. I feed him ever y night before I go to bed and the other night I accidently dumped in about ¾ of a container of fish food. He is looking rather lethargic and even after I tap on the glass he is still just kind of floating around—NO he is not floating around because he is dead. I think he just overate and can’t figure out how to recover, kind of like how I feel for about 4 hours after eating on Thanksgiving…

To try and redeem myself I will try to wrap up with a few comments that may in fact have some sort of substance to them.

As I have mentioned a few times before, reading is one of my all-time favorite hobbies. Currently I am reading the book The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. If you have not read it, I highly recommend it. It is set in the 1960’s and chronicles the lives of several different women living in the South. Specifically, it contrasts the experiences of 4 white women and from what I can tell so far, 3 African American women. It is a stellar read thus far and I am having a hard time putting it down.
While I love, love, love to run I have rarely tried out my abilities in a competitive context. I have run a few 5K’s here and there but nothing too serious. However, on August 14th I am training to hopefully run my first 10K. If you live in the Cleveland area and want to support a great cause, please sign up for the LifeBanc 5K/10K/1.5 Walk. LifeBanc is a terrific organization that needs help to spread awareness about all of the wonderful things it does to help support families who have individuals who are donor candidates as well as families who are donor recipients and of course the recipients themselves. Click here to go to the link for the event. My family is sponsoring a team called The Drewin Crew and would appreciate any runners/walkers/donations. Thanks in advance.

Well, if you made it through to here, kudos. I will try to post something more meaningful next time but I can’t make any promises!

Pledged Not to Pledge...Or So I Thought

2010-07-18T20:37:00.006-04:00

When I began college, I was "pledged not to pledge." I had absolutely no interest in joining a sorority--of course at that point my only point of reference was the movie House Bunny... As formal rush rolled around my friend Jenni kept trying to convince me that I should sign up and just see what I thought. Finally, I relented, figuring that if nothing else, it would help me get to know a few more people on campus. Walking into my first rush party should have required a passport. Everyone was decked out in the same shirt, jeans, shoes, and quite possibly the same underwear. There was singing and small talk and endless heads of blond hair...Ok, while I might be slightly over-exaggerating, I was definitely out of my comfort zone. Yet by the end of the first night, I was excited about joining a sorority. By the end of the week, I had narrowed down my top choice to Theta Phi Alpha and was thrilled when I finally became a sister! From getting my Big to getting my Little, it has truly been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only have I gained lifelong friends but I have also gotten a chance to take on new leadership positions and even discover a new hobby--sewing!

My Big and I--wearing my first two creations!

Big/Little Reveal--I became a Big!

Of course as soon as I joined Theta Phi, I wanted to sport my letters around campus. From sweatshirts to t-shirts to canvas bags, I was so proud to be able to wear my letters. The only snafu in the plan was The Greek House. The Greek House is a sketchy store about 5 minutes from campus that sells all of the Greek apparel and also houses a tanning bed (unregistered of course) in the back...I know it is college and the standards are a bit lower but this place is pretty shady! So as I ventured in and looked around I was a little skeptical. As I looked over the shirts, I could see that the stitching was loose, that the letters were not centered, and that in order to buy one I would need to take out another student loan. Turning to my friend Jenni, I jokingly said "You know, I could make one of these shirts myself." And so it all began.

If I am anything, it is strong-willed. Once I get an idea, I am off and running and I won't be stopping until I get what I want--sometimes not such a good thing. This time though, it worked out! After carefully investigating online, I discovered that I only needed a few materials to begin. So off I went to the craft store to buy fabric, shirts, patterns, etc. The first few shirts were certainly nothing to talk about but as I worked on more and more, I actually began to get pretty good. Eventually I braved actually wearing one of my creations and received a few compliments and so I decided to offer my talents up to my Theta Phi sisters.

Offering to sell the t-shirts for half of The Greek Store, I had orders flying at me. I was thrilled but also slightly worried--I didn't want to have people pay me for something I made them that looked like it came from Goodwill. I began the first shirt order with trepidation but as I got going, I was feeling pretty good. Holding up the shirt with the TPA sewed on, I could hardly contain my excitement. It looked good, great even--until I flipped it over and realized I had sewed the back and the front of the shirt together.Fortunately, the only way to go after a start like that is up. While my shirts won't be selling on 5th Avenue anytime soon, I am happy that I have found something that I enjoy doing and that my sisters enjoy wearing!

Two of my favorite shirts I have made so far--I cut up a Vera Bradley napkin for the pattern and even stepped out of my comfort zone and used turquoise thread!

Half Empty or Half Full?

2010-07-16T13:38:00.001-04:00

Lately I have been kind of bummed out. I just feel like I have been dealt a crappy hand and so I fold and hope the next hand is better…but instead it just keeps being dealt right back to me! I don’t like being down-and-out, no one likes to hang out with a Debbie Downer and it is even worse when YOU are the Debbie in the group! And while I don’t have too many blog friends just yet, I can already tell that I can be open and honest here without anyone judging me or thinking I need to be on Prozac! So, I decided to take a little inventory—while I do have some tough stuff going on right now, I know that I am blessed a million times more, so here is the count.
Tough Stuff:
1. Losing my sister, Erin, and my brother, Andrew in a car accident .Obviously this is the biggest obstacle right now. It has been so hard to lose not only one but two of my siblings—especially since it was in a car accident and thus completely unexpected. I have my good days and my bad days and I am trying to take each one in stride. One thing that is really helping me is the upcoming LifeBanc Fundraiser. Erin and Andrew were both cornea donors and Andrew also donated 5 of his organs. It is such a blessing to know that they continue to live on through the cornea and organs they were able to donate. The LifeBanc is a wonderful organization who has helped my family to accept and embrace the unique gift that my siblings were able to share with others and they are having a 5K/10K/Walk in a few weeks. We are looking for both walkers/runners or donations to help support the team we have created…I will have a post all about that ASAP!
2. Moving. I have lived in the same house my whole life. My parents were in the final stages of building it when I was born. My earliest memories to my most recent memories all center around our family house. We have a huge yard, a pond, garden, trampoline/swing set—all the things that make a house a home. The reason we are moving is twofold. First, my mom just remarried and second, because of the accident (which occurred right in front of our house). While I am thrilled that my mom has found someone who makes her so happy, it is hard to be moving away from my house, the only home I have ever known. My mom says that she will miss our house too but that it is just too hard to be there, especially having to pull out of the driveway each morning and seeing the skid marks and what not from the accident. Obviously I get that, but it doesn’t make it any easier for me to move.
3. School. I really am not looking forward to going back to school. I am not ready for homework, exams, and papers. I am not ready to have to be perky, excited, and nice to freshman (I am an RA in one of the freshman dorms). Plus, I am not really that big of a “partier” so having to go back to dealing with drunken idiots doesn’t sound to exciting either! Blech…
4. My nomad status. On a bit of a lighter note, since my mom just got remarried, she is changing her last name to my stepdad’s last name. I find it kind of strange not to have the same last name as my mom. I told her that I wasn’t too thrilled with the change and she pointed out that when I get married my last name will be changing anyway…Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that…but that doesn’t make me any more content with the situation. I feel like a wandering nomad, I have already had my family downsized by 3 and now I feel like I lost another piece!
Well, that’s enough complaining. To complement the glass half empty attitude, here are a few things that I feel so blessed and lucky to have.
Blessings:
1. Family and Friends. My family and friends have been so supportive, not only throughout the past few months but throughout my entire life. I am a big “family” person and love to hang out with my cousins, aunts/uncles, and especially my Mom. My mom and I are truly best friends and I know that I am so lucky to be able to say that. A lot of people do not have too good of a relationship with their Mom and so I know that I am blessed to be so close to my mom. And, my Stepdad is truly one of the greatest guys I have ever met. He not only takes care of my Mom but he spoils my brother and me to death too! From family vacations to trips to Costco (my all-time favorite store!!) I know I am blessed to have him in my life.
2. Hobbies. I have a lot of hobbies—my top 4 are: 1. Reading 2. Cooking 3. Sewing 4. Running. Jeez, looking over that list I seem like an old lady! But honestly, I love, love, love to read—I will read just about anything. And I am always looking for new recipes to try out, I cook all the time when I am home. My mom loves the break and I love being able to make things that people enjoy! Recently I have begun sewing and it is a blast! I have been working on sewing shirts for my sorority (pictures to come) and I love it. It brings me so much joy to see people’s reactions when I give them a finished shirt, decked out with the patterns and thread they chose! I know a lot of people are not too fond of running but it is one of my all-time favorite things to do. I like the challenge, the time to myself, and the thoughts I am able to reflect on as I run.
3. My freedom. I am so blessed to live in such a wonderful country, where we have soldiers who lay down their lives on a daily basis to protect us. Thank you to all the soldiers and veterans—I wouldn’t be here without you!
4. My internship, my education, the farmers market, the library, my i-pod, going to the movies, trampolines, gardening, peppermint gum, sunshine on my face, watermelon, holidays, vacations…my list of blessings can go on and on.
So, even on days when I am feeling down, it only takes a second before I remember that I am truly blessed and that is what is most important. My glass isn’t half full and it certainly isn’t half empty—rather it is overflowing with blessings! How do you all feel blessed?
Have a great weekend! :)

A Baby Shower and a Bachelorette Party

2010-07-12T19:37:00.006-04:00

The past few weeks have been super busy but they have been an absolute blast! We have been celebrating Baby Showers, Bachelorette Parties, the 4th of July, and my Mom & Chris' Big Day. So while my posts have been few and far between, I am going to try and catch up over the next few days.The craziness all began a few weekends ago when my Aunt Kathleen had her baby shower. Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Dean are pregnant for the first time and are so excited to become new parents and I am excited to have a new cousin too! Since they are not finding out if the baby is a boy or a girl, it has been dubbed "Baby DePiero" or Baby D for short. The shower was Aunt Kathleen's 2nd shower, since she is from West Virginia and already had a shower there a few weeks before her shower here in Ohio, which of course meant that when my Mom and I went to buy gifts off the registry, the pickings were slim! We ended up getting her a few different things, including a changing table mattress, sheets, outfits, and other assorted baby paraphernalia!

Grandi and I at the Baby Shower

Pam and the Mommy-to-Be!

As Uncle Dean said "We are going to need to buy a bigger house just to store all of this stuff!"
Uncle Dean, Aunt Kathleen, Grandma & Grandpa

After the Baby Shower came my Mom's Bachelorette Parties. Each of her different groups of friends hosted a party for her. The first of the three was at my second cousin Katie's house. It was very low key, we all enjoyed a great meal of roasted chicken, salad, fruit salad, and my aunt's famous scalloped potatoes and for dessert we had some of the most delicious pastries from a local bakery. Of course, it was a bacheloerette party, so my Mom was bound to get a few interesting gifts to say the least! Leave it to Aunt Kathleen to get her the best gift of all, a tuxedo thong...not for her, but for Chris--pictures to come, I have to find my other memory card first!Me, my Mom, Aunt Lili, and Aunt Kathleen

My Mom and Tony, Chris' Best Friend

My Mom and I

My Mom and Chris, meeting up at Tony's restaraunt after their Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties

I will continue the saga tomorrow, with another bachelorette party, the fourth of July, and the rehearsal dinner! I love the crazy busy days of summer! :)

Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous

2010-07-01T08:55:00.004-04:00

The glitz and the glamour, the bright lights and the paparazzi, no, I am not talking about memories from Senior Prom…I am talking about the elusive world of celebrities. As the clock struck 12:01AM last night and the calendar turned from June to July a flood of rumors, gossip, and maybe a fact or two began to swirl. For those of you who don’t know (and possibly don’t particularly care), LeBron James, aka “The King,” “The Chosen One,” or simply “LBJ” entered the NBA market as a free agent, leaving sports fanatics around the world to ponder, postulate, and predict what jersey the greatest player in basketball will be adorned in next season.

As a Cleveland native and a Cavs fan, I am hoping of course that James remains here in Cleveland but at the same time, I am starting to wonder if he is really worth all the hype. While he is clearly a phenomenal basketball player, who has brought excitement, energy, and hope to Cleveland, it has certainly not been unrecompensed. As the ringleader in this circus, LeBron has got the entire Cavs franchise and indeed even the city of Cleveland, wrapped around his finger. Every move the Cavs make rests upon the approval of The King and frankly it’s getting a little old. He is a 24-year old basketball player, who has the NBA world at his beck and call, making some $30 million a year. But now he wants to expand his kingdom, thus suitors are lining up left and right to offer up their thrones to The King. We have Russian Billionaires, Hollywood Rappers, and Billboards galore all vying for Lebron.

Seriously NY, is that the best you've got?

Chi-Town, in order to have "unfinished business" LBJ has to start business there first!

So as we all wait with baited breath for this three-ring circus to kick off, ready to toast our home-town hero or drown our sorrows at yet another Cleveland loss, I hope we are all able to remember that it’s just a show and at the end of the day there are more important things to focus on…like the divorce settlement between Tiger and Elin!

I mean seriously people, a $750 million dollar divorce settlement? What can you possibly do with that MUCH money? That is more than entire nations GDP. Obviously wealth is measured on a different scale in Hollywood than the one us common folk use to measure wealth but really, $750 million dollars?? That is an astronomical amount of money, and all because she was married to a “sex addict.” Now maybe Elin will use it for philanthropic acts and help lead the way in solving world hunger, the AIDS epidemic, and maybe bring about world peace as an afterthought, but I kind of doubt it. Instead she will probably jet off to Switzerland (which she may actually own at this point), in her private jet, to nurse her wounds after being betrayed by Tiger…one could almost say she is better off now than she was before…

While I am clearly a bit bitter about all the hoopla surrounding the lifestyles of the rich and the famous, I can’t help but be a little jealous. I’m not asking for NBA franchises, doting fans, or $750 million, I will settle for a good job, a boyfriend, and maybe just one vacation home—is that too much to ask??!!?

Stars, Signs, and Symbols

2010-06-28T11:24:00.001-04:00

I have never been a big believer in destiny or fate or the notion that the courses our lives take are predetermined. Thus, my interest in things such as my astrological sign and symbol has never been all too important to me. However, over the weekend at a family picnic I was at, (in between drinking a few too many and gossiping) we all began talking about what our astrological signs are. While I know that I am a Libra, my knowledge into the realm of-astrology ends. Apparently though astrology is a pretty big deal in my family because everyone else seemed to be much more “in the know” than I was and so I decided to do a little investigating into the odds and ends of being a Libra.

After doing a little research, I was surprised to discover that I do indeed appear to embody a lot of the characteristics typical of Libra’s. A few that really struck me were:

“Libra is also known as “The Scales” or “Balance” and in Greek mythology, Libra is considered to depict scales held by Astraea, the goddess of justice”—I am constantly trying to seek balance in my life, whether it is balancing work/school with my social life, juggling all of my commitments and obligations in clubs and community events, or even my obsession with making sure my checkbook is in balance (I am an accounting major after all!) I love to have a sense of equilibrium.

“Libra’s are all about partnerships and groups, they are the glue that holds a group together because they are the ones responsible for keeping harmony and peace. Libras have mastered the art of relationships, not just romantic but business, personal, and family relationships just to name a few. No one is able to see another person's point of view better then a Libra”—My family and friends are two of the most important aspects in my life. While I am not sure if I am necessarily the “glue that holds a group together” I definitely like “keeping harmony and peace!” I am not a fan of confrontation and disagreements; I would rather not get into an argument or altercation that could threaten a relationship. HOWEVER, that is not to say that I do not have strong opinions, I am very opinionated (ask anyone who knows me)—I just getting along with people and enjoying their company instead of fighting and arguing!

“Libra’s are also likely to hide or bend their own true feelings in order to bring peace with a group and to make others like them. Sometime this results in them not really knowing what their true feelings are because they are trying to make everyone happy”—Expressing emotions and feelings is definitely something I avoid. I have never been overly emotional, in fact, I have never even cried while watching a movie. I know, I know, how I could have never cried while watching a movie? The Notebook gave me a few sniffles, but beyond that, I have had limited needs for Kleenex at the theater. Now, don’t think I am completely cut-throat, cold-hearted and emotionless, I am extremely compassionate and empathetic, I just prefer to use these qualities to help change whatever situation caused them to arise instead of falling into a heap and crying over the problem at hand!

A few characteristics of Libra’s I did NOT agree with:

“Libras dislike hard work, they are lazy when it comes to getting their hands dirty and doing the work themselves”—I am an extremely hard worker and am constantly pushing myself to work harder and achieve more…or at least I think I am…! I love to make lists and goals and have something to work towards achieving, definitely no laziness here!

“A good way for Libra to become wealthy is through artistic endeavors. They can be painters, interior decorators, actors or writing screenplays or composing”—Unless I want to live in a cardboard box for the rest of my life...So, I think I had better avoid a career which centers expressing my artistic nature. My artistic abilities are lackluster at best, I have never been overly creative (i.e. I am an accounting major), I would rather hire an interior decorator to make my house look fabulous.

So, enough of about me, Do you all know your astrological signs? Do you agree/disagree with the characteristics associated with them? Tell me what you all think!

Moving In, Out, & On

2010-06-22T19:55:00.000-04:00

My first weekend with the ability to blog and I am already falling short! Oh well, I will try and make up for it by writing an extra long post today. As I said in my first post, I am very close to my family and love spending time with them, however, in light of recent circumstances, talking about them via my blog presents somewhat of a problem because very few people who may read this know my family. So I may as well spill the beans now and get it over with--my eclectic family.Dad: When I was in eighth grade, my Dad passed away. While this was certainly a difficult challenge for my family, I believe it actually helped to make us stronger and closer.
Mom: My mom is one of my best friends. We have always been close, but since I have gone away to college, we have grown even closer, I love spending time with my Mom and while we don't always see eye-to-eye, we challenge each other to expand our horizons and she makes a great running partner!
Chris: My mom's fiancee and truly one of the greatest guys I have ever met. He treats my mom like gold and spoils me and my siblings as well. We feel so blessed to have him in our lives, even with all his quarks and eccentricities--like not being able to fall asleep until all the laundry is done and the dishwasher is empty!
Sean: At 8 years old, Sean is all-boy, all the the time. From football and basketball to Wii and Playstation, Sean is in constant need of attention and entertainment, not surprising but certainly challenging! While there are 11 years between the two of us, we are still very close. I am his go-to-gal for haircuts, ice-cream sundaes, and countless games of Trouble!

Erin and Andrew: In late April, my siblings, Erin and Andrew, were killed in a car accident. My sister Erin was 17 and was a Junior in high school and my brother Andrew was 13 and in the 7th grade. Losing my siblings has been one of the most challenging and difficult things I have had to deal with, and am still dealing with. While I have my good days and my bad days, my hope is to live my life in a way that will keep their memories alive as well as their strong and vibrant spirits.

Moving on...as a result of my siblings recent deaths, my Mom, Sean, and I have moved in with Chris at his house. As a pseudo bachelor for the past 10 years (he lived with his son, Cory, who is a sophomore at Baldwin-Wallace) it has been quite an adjustment for him and us too! It has been great getting to decorate a new room, I even got an upgrade from a twin sized bed to a queen! However, it is a challenge for me as well because I have never moved before. Not only have I unearthed countless piles of junk to sort through but I am also sad to be leaving behind the house I grew up in.

Well, hopefully I haven't scared you all off yet with all of my family drama! On a lighter note, I have also had to move desks at work since another employee was transferred. On the up side, I now have a desk with a window view, on the down side, I am closer to my bosses office and now am having more difficulty working on my blog!

Hopefully I will be able to devise an incognito way to get onto my blog tomorrow without having to look over my shoulder every 5 seconds for my boss! Otherwise, I will be back tomorrow after work!

Work? Maybe next week

2010-06-18T10:49:00.000-04:00

One would think that beginning my first internship would be keeping me busy--instead it seems to have fueled a new addiction--blogging. First, I was content just reading others blogs, but now, I have decided it would be even more fun to start my own, so here we go!

I am not entirely sure what the protocol is for blogging, but from what I can tell, I can post just about whatever I want to, hooray. So, since I am at work and should be doing something 'work' related, I will just gloss over a few highlights about me to get things started!

-While I would like to think that things really are all about me, the name of my blog is not quite that shallow! When your name is Melissa Elizabeth Ehrbar, your initials precede you! Thus, the name of my blog

-I am going into my junior year at the University of Dayton, majoring in accounting and entreprenuership. My dream is to own my own bookstore someday, but for now I am moving towards finishing up my ungrad work and then going to law school. We will see, my indecisiveness has prevented me from deciding too much

-My family and friends are the center of my life, thus they will probably be the main topics in most of my blogs, hopefully the hoopla of our daily extravaganzas will provide some blog-worthy material! I am guessing it will... :)

So, thats it for now, hopefully my next blog will be a little my inspiring, or exciting, or at least have a picture or two included!

P.S. My internship is with the Vetern Affairs Medical Center, a deptartment of the federal government, so be prepared for a plethora of stories revolving around the ineptitude of our powers at be!

Ciao, Melissa