A Weekend Away

As I mentioned in my last blog post, Ryan and I decided to have one final "weekend away" before my school year starts.

Friday night, some friends from church/dental school invited us to Seneca Lake, one of the "Finger Lakes" about two hours away from Buffalo, for an overnight of bonding, games, eating, and chatting.  It was a great time!  They reserved the use of a house on a beautiful campground, and we all shared the cost.

We chowed on pizza for dinner, walked down to the dock at sunset, played lawn games, chatted around the fire, played board games, and talked until 4 a.m.  It's been a while since I've been up that late!  It's wonderful to be able to relax with friends.

The next day, we did some tame kayaking (I just sat in my kayak and let the wind take me about 20 feet away and then I came back...I am a true athlete), and we went to one of the historical sites of our church, the Peter Whitmer Farm where the LDS Church was officially organized in 1830.  I love going to the church historical sights.  I feel a special reverence and gratitude as I remember the sacrifices that were made so that I can be part of a religion that I love and that brings me incalculable strength and joy.

Outside the Peter Whitmer home

From there, Ryan and I parted from our friends and journeyed to Watkins Glen State Park.  We had heard about this place from friends, and it did not disappoint.  The "hike" (it was more of a walk...I did it in flip flops) into the gorge was breathtaking with 17 waterfalls along the route.  Of course our camera died mid-way through the adventure, but here are a few shots that we managed to get:

It was romantic to walk holding hands through the craggy gorge past rumbling waterfalls.  At one point in the hike, you actually go behind a waterfall, and it's possible that I pulled Ryan into a dark nook and gave him a kiss.

Watkins Glen also has a free, Olympic size swimming pool, and we enjoyed a brief dip.  (We actually did this before the hike, so we could be walking at dusk.)  This sign cracked me up--I mean honestly, who swims when they have diarrhea?  (I guess enough people that they had to make a sign...Gross!  And please notice the second plea on the list.  Okay, now I'm going to throw up.)

That night, we camped and stayed nice and cozy in our tent.

The next morning, I had my run-in with Officer A. Madaffari.

I was reading my citation today, and it has this part at the bottom that says, "Please take notice that pursuant to section 71030(1)(A) of the criminal procedure law,  the people intend to offer at a trial of the above entitled action evidence of a statement made by you on 8/29/2010 at 11:00 a.m. to Officer A. Madaffari, a public servant, in which you substantially stated as follows: "Was I speeding?"

Oh man--"Was I speeding?"  Do I sound lame or what?  I hate it when they ask you if you know why you were pulled over!  (Not that I would know from past experience because I have never been pulled over before...wink wink.)

After attending the last hour of church (remember, we arrived there late, thanks to our friend the public servant), we spent the afternoon exploring Ithaca, New York.  The lake-front Farmers Market is funky and fun; the nearby state parks are filled with incredible gorges and waterfalls.  AMAZING.   We waded around in the water and climbed on to some waterfalls.  (Wish I had our own photos to prove it, but due to our dead camera battery, I'll have to rely on an image from yahoo.)

Pretty stunning, yes?

We drove home that evening and saw the sun set, and then there was glowing mist on all of the farmland.  I've never seen that before.  It reminded us of a Civil War movie.

I am going to miss the beauty of Western New York when we leave this place at the end of the school year.  But hey, we could end up living somewhere equally beautiful or perhaps more beautiful.  Ryan got his first interview offer for pediatric residencies today, and you'll never guess where:

Hawaii.

I think I could handle living there for two years.  

(But the final decision on that is still months in the future.  Who knows where else he will interview and where he will get accepted.  Still, it's exciting.)

xoxo.

After spending a week with my little sis, I have determined several things...

1.  It is a tragedy that we live 2,600 miles apart.
2.  She makes incredibly dramatic faces in photographs, and it is funny.
3.  I love comfy make-shift beds.
4.  We are good at setting up tents.
5.  I wish I were Amish.

 By way of explanation...


1.  Niagara Falls for shopping at the outlets and late-night fireworks

This was just fun.  Why doesn't Laura live closer?? I love having a shopping and hanging out buddy!

2.  Hill Cumorah Pageant, Palmyra, NY

Laura was quite thrilled about her clip-on OFF dispenser (please note her facial expression)--no more spraying smelly bug spray directly onto her irritable skin!   Although my glee might not be quite as evident, I was equally thrilled about our Mark's pizza.  Delicious!

3.  The drive-in movie

Ry made us a bed in the back of the Cardon's pick-up truck.  Sooo comfortable and fun!  I found myself wishing that I could sleep in the back of a truck on an air mattress every night.  The stars and the fresh air were lovely.  

4.  Camping in Allegany State Park

While Ryan got a fire going, Laura and I were given the job of setting up the tent.  We're not really outdoorsy girls, and if you look closely, you will see the obvious confusion on Laura's face as she wrestles with the poles.  BUT, we must have done something right because at about 2 a.m. it started pouring, and yet, we stayed warm and cozy all night long.  Here we are in the morning modeling our handiwork.  (I think we had just taken the fly off to dry.)  We must be good at setting up tents:

 5. And finally (I saved the best event for last) a journey through Amish Country

This was honestly one of the coolest things I've done since living in New York.  We felt like we had stepped back in time.  We watched in awe as boys in straw hats and girls in bonnets rode by in horse-drawn carts.  As we meandered through quaint farm houses and observed grazing sheep and fluttering laundry (the Amish don't use electricity which means no dryers), I felt a little bit envious of the simplicity and slow-pace of life.  I know, I know...it's surely not as romantic and idyllic as it looks, but I really admire the way that the Amish live.

Each family has a trade of some sort and sells goods directly from their home, so you just stop and check out their clocks or rocking chairs or wooden toys or farm-fresh produce.  Our favorite was, of course, the candy shop.  The dark chocolate goat milk fudge was TO DIE FOR.  

If you live in New York and you haven't been to Amish Country, I highly highly highly recommend it.  Take an afternoon off and go for a drive.

It was a great week.  I miss you already, Sister!  Come back soon.

Fun with Pepper

My cutie of a little sis (who I affectionately call "Pepper") came to Buffalo for several days last week. I loved it.

We stayed busy:

Drive-in! The movie was terrible (G-Force...talking guinea pig CIA agents...what were we thinking?!?) but the atmosphere was awesome. Tons of shooting stars!

Thanks, Tiff and Creed, for letting us borrow the truck!

Thanks, Ryan, for putting the air mattress in the back and letting the sisters snuggle as you drove!

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario...

All dressed up to see a play.

We were at least 40 years younger than everyone else in the audience...no joke!

Laura is quite impressed by Ryan's huge guns.

Niagara Falls...

Aren't we lovely?

Maybe not.

Palmyra, New York...

Outside the Mormon temple

Laura in the Sacred Grove, a historical site for our church

Shakespeare in the Park!

I miss you, Pep! Come back soon!

P.S. Laura was not the only cute person who visited me last week...stay tuned!

Fun and games in the Buff...

Ryan's mom and sister came into town last week. As you can tell from the photo, we had fun. (As you can also tell from the photo, Ashley is a former cheerleader, Ryan is a good basketball player, and I am...well...uncoordinated. I am a pathetic two inches off the ground.)

We went to Palmyra for a spiritual uplift. The church historical sights were crowded and therefore not quite as peaceful as usual; but the Hill Cumorah pageant was awesome. I was amazed by the special effects!

We also ventured into Canada for a day of shopping and fun in Niagara-on-the-Lake. We got in trouble for taking this photo in a hat shop. We didn't notice the 100 signs all over the store that say "no photos." Oops.

Ashley and Ryan were also quite excited to see Lake Ontario.

In fact, they were so excited that they just had to jump for joy again. (I, however, chose not to embarrass myself with a repeat performance of my uninspiring leap.)

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"Miss Ashley" (who is a fabulous cook) hosted the Cookie Club one afternoon. She helped the kids make caramel chocolate cookies, and I have to admit, they might be the yummiest cookies those kiddos have ever had at the Nielson's apartment. (I've been shown up!)

A highlight of the trip was the "cookout" with Deborah's family. Deb's mom, Patricia, was so excited to meet Sally and Ashley. When I called her a few days before their arrival to make final plans for the BBQ, she asked if we could come a little early to help her set up and grill the food.

"Sure!" I responded. "What time would you like us to be there?"

"How about 11:00?"

"Sounds good!"

"And if you come at 11:00, I figure we can eat around 3:00."

UHHHHH.

What was I supposed to say to that?? I was speechless. (And that doesn't happen very often.)

So, long story short, we learned that a real Buffalo "cookout" is an entire day event with lots of stories and soul food. (We especially enjoyed the greens.:)) It was rainy, so we sat in the garage and ate and listened to rap music. We also played a rowdy game of Jenga. They are delightful.

Deborah lost this round but blamed me for distracting her.

She knocked the tower over just as I snapped this photo. :)

The moms did all of the grilling.

Check out that old school grill...the ribs were smoky and delicious.

Before we left, Patricia found out that Sally and Ash (or Janice and Gail as she kept calling them) have never tried a buffalo wing. She immediately insisted, "Well, you'll just have to come over tomorrow after church and I'll make you some!"

I wasn't sure if I could handle two full-day cookout events in a row...but (perhaps fortunately), we already had dinner plans for the following evening. So Ash and Sal will have to wait another year to try one of Patricia's famous wings. The Tilleys are so generous and welcoming. We love Buffalo.

Overall, it was a great week. Sally spoiled us, and it was a treat to have a mom and a sister around.

Thanks, Ash and Sal, for coming to hang out with us in the Buff!

They say "a picture's worth a thousand words"...but words are all I've got!

Thanks to the Jerk, we currently do not have a camera to chronicle our summer adventures. So, I'll do my best to paint a picture using words of the fun things Ryan and I have been up to these past few weeks:

Concert at the Botanical Gardens: The Buffalo Botanical Gardens are in a beautiful, old, white-washed building surrounded by green lawns. We sat on a hill and had an up-close-and-personal view of three awesome groups (Safety Suit, Mat Kearney, and Matt Nathanson). The music was mostly acoustic guitar, and all of the performers have incredible voices, so we chilled out to their vocals as the sun went down on a perfect summer night. This concert is also a food festival of sorts, and local vendors set up stands (All free with admission!); so as I sat and enjoyed the music, Ryan brought me cups of hot cocoa, samples of fondue from The Melting Pot, barbecue ribs from Hard Rock Cafe, and all sorts of other goodies. Then we snuggled, sang along, and watched the seagulls swooping down over the crowd. It was really very picturesque, especially because the backdrop to all of this was the red-brick Our Lady of Victory Hospital and the teal-domed South Buffalo Basilica. LOVED IT.

Late-night bike rides: I cannot live without a bike in the summer, so I did break down and purchase a new one right after mine was stolen. I have to admit, this one may be even cooler than the original. It is another beach cruiser--but this one is bright red with chrome "fenders" and a wicker basket. As I was riding it around town the other day, some thugish looking teenagers said, "Yo, sweet bike." I thanked them but rode away as fast as possible. What is it with thugs liking my old-fashioned, cutesy bikes?!? (I am so paranoid that this one is going to get stolen as well!) I have been riding my bike everywhere lately, and I've found that riding an old-fashioned bike while wearing a skirt is very liberating. Ryan and I have also taken to hopping on our bikes late at night for a fun, fast, joy ride through the nice residential neighborhoods nearby. All of the houses are dark, the stars are out, the wind rushes through my hair as I coast down the hills. It's so relaxing.

Drive-in movie: The drive-in theater is about a 20-minute drive from Buffalo in a small town that feels very much like the "country" as compared to our bustling city. Just the drive is lovely and quite romantic. Then, the drive-in itself is, like all drive-ins, totally charming. We laid in the back of our friend's pick up truck, snuggled up with blankets and pillows, and watched a double feature, late into the night. We also saw some breathtaking shooting stars. Does it get any better?

Life is great.

Happy Birthday (Week) to Me...

I like to celebrate my birthday for an entire week. It gives me an excuse to eat as much junk food as I want and to demand favors from my very accommodating husband. ("Ryan, can you do the dishes tonight? I mean, it is my birthday week!")

My actual birthday isn't until Sunday...but I had an early birthday present this weekend when Katie Halverson, one of my favorite people in the world, came to visit for Memorial Day. Kat and I met in our college dorm hall, and we've been great friends ever since.

Some fun photos in many "exotic" locations around the area:

Mormon temple at Palmyra, NY

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

Niagara Falls

Some fun anecdotes:

-I've always called Katie "Kat." Well, a couple of weeks ago, I learned a very irritating yet catchy camp song entitled "The Cat Came Back" (Thanks, Adrian!), and for some reason, now I cannot say "Kat" without that tune popping into my head. Consequently, I was singing it all weekend, and Ryan and Katie wanted to kill me. The story gets better: On Monday morning, Kat and I were supposed to wake up at a decent hour to go shopping, but, of course, we kept hitting the snooze button and couldn't get our rear ends out of bed. Ryan was in the other room studying and got annoyed by the blaring alarm every five minutes, so he thought of a clever way to wake us up: He went to youtube and pulled up a stunning rendition of my camp favorite, and he blared it in the other room. Katie and I burst out laughing, and, sure enough, hopped up to start the day.

-This is the second time we've taken Deborah to Palmyra. Some of you may remember that she got a "Cadillac" electric wheelchair last time, and that's what we asked for this time, but instead, we got a "Monster Truck" four-wheeler. (Apparently, the electric chair had not been charged.) Now, I've seen some pretty crazy wheelchairs in my day, but this one takes the cake. Deb was lounging like a queen as Ryan huffed and puffed and pushed her along the trails and up the hills.

-On our way home from Palmyra, we were listening to some church talks on CD, and suddenly the choir started a special musical number. I joined in my best opera soprano, hitting the high notes with vigor. When I paused, Deborah announced, "Oh no, girl...that has got to go!" Apparently, I don't so sound good singing opera.

-We had our spunky neighbors over for dinner, and during the middle of the meal, David, the adorable seven year old, announced that he "had to go #2" and started running for the bathroom. His mother forbade him to use our bathroom (apparently, he can stink up an entire house) and made him run home to go. On his way out the door, he said, "Nobody touch my food!!" and then he looked at Katie, pointed two fingers to his eyes, and then pointed them at her, as if to say, "I'm watching you!" She burst out laughing.

It was a great weekend of fun with one of my closest, dearest friends. I love just talking and laughing with Katie.

Best birthday present ever!

Autumn in Buffalo...

Last weekend, it was freezing, gray, and drizzly in Buffalo. I was wearing three layers of sweatshirts in our apartment to keep warm. I kept thinking to myself in distress, Please tell me it's not winter already!! Buffalo winters are infamously long and dreary.

Fortunately, winter had not yet come to stay: It has been unbelievably gorgeous the past few days. Perfect weather, sunshine, colorful leaves, summer breeze...

It's not expected to last, but hey...we'll take it for now. After church yesterday, Ry and I went on a drive to see the leaves and then took a little hike called the "Eternal Flame." You walk through a forest and down into a ravine crevice, and at the end, you get to see a natural gas flame behind a waterfall. Pretty crazy!

We were charmed by this old cemetary on the side of a road.

The photo is blurry, but you should be able to see the flame flickering behind the water.