The Official Start of Fall

Last Friday may have been the official start of fall on the calendar, but Sunday was my official start to fall thanks to my trip to Tanner's Apple Orchard near Peoria. Fall has always been my favorite season thanks to many things. The start of a new school year. Leaves changing in to beautiful shades of red, orange & yellow. Volleyball season. Football season. All things flavored apple & pumpkin...yum! And of course fall just isn't fall with out a visit to an apple orchard.

There's just something about seeing all the pumpkins, catching a whiff apple and pumpkin baked goods' delicious smell wafting through the air and seeing what crazy new apple and pumpkin products are in the shop (apple salsa was a new one for me this year) that truly makes it feel like fall.

I don't even necessarily have to physically pick apples myself to make the trip worthwhile. I didn't pick apples off the tree at Curtis Apple Orchard (the local orchard in C-U) until my freshman year of college yet have always enjoyed at least one trip each fall. Even if I didn't pick them myself, apples straight from the orchard just taste better. Maybe it's because I can actually see the trees they came from or maybe I'm just crazy.

It's a random dream of mine to own an apple orchard some day. Thanks to my lack of green thumb, however, this will probably remain a romantic 'some day' dream rather than a realistic one.

Crazy orchard owning dreams aside, I will always love a trip to the orchard each fall even if that means driving out of my way since the nearest orchard to the city is a good hour away...oh well, fresh apples and frolicking at the orchard are well worth the drive :)

My traditional pumpkin patch photos:

Sophomore year when I decided a bob haircut was a good idea

Junior year. For once I think this was the pumpkin I actually bought...

Senior year with my white sunnies from London :)

This weekend. Different orchard, same apple orchard joy.

What's your favorite fall activity?

Never Forget

10 years ago I was a 7th grader growing up in a small, Midwestern town who loved playing volleyball and being with my family. I'm embarrassed to say I had no clue what the World Trade Center was, but at that time in my life, it wasn't really important information to me.

That would all change when I walked in to my science class the morning of 9/11 and heard a kid say a plane had struck one of the towers. I thought it was a joke. Who would run a plane in to a skyscraper? Especially one I had never heard of. When the teachers started becoming visibly concerned and we learned of the second plane, I knew this was not in fact a joke.

Thankfully my life was not really directly impacted by the event, but I do believe each and every American was affected in one way or another that day whether they realize it or not. Even if you don't know someone who was directly affected, almost everyone has heard stories of friends of friends losing loved ones or chilling stories of people who were supposed to be in one of the towers but for some reason were not.

Even though I did not personally lose some one, I have noticed small things I think or do resulting from that day. During the Air & Water Show practice a few weeks ago, I became overwhelming anxious while the planes were flying over Chicago. I forgot the show was that weekend, and I hate to admit that my first thought upon hearing the planes was that we were under attack. I knew it was irrational fear, but for some reason I couldn't help but think one of them was going to hit a building. After going outside to get some fresh air and calling my dad, I calmed down, but it is still strange to think...would I have had these thoughts if it were not for 9/11?

This morning I woke up early and turned on the TV to watch some of the memorial ceremonies. It was so surreal to realize 10 years had already passed and tears somberly flowed from my eyes during the first moment of silence. When they began reading the names of victims, I switched off the TV and decided I wanted to have a great day. One truly worth living. And so I did.

I headed to Little Village to meet Jacqueline for a bilingual church service where we honored the victims of 9/11 but also gave thanks for so many other things. Then we headed to the Mexican Independence Day festival (which was hot but a blast), enjoyed some delicious homemade Mexican dip, chatted about life, and headed to the Craft Fair in Wicker Park. It may not have been anything earth shattering, but I had a great day enjoying the outdoors, the company of a good friend, and truly being thankful to be alive.

Jacqueline & me at the parade

The great mustache van we spotted in Wicker Park

Last but not least, thank you to all our military men and women who serve to keep our country safe, and thank you to State Farm for making this 9/11 tribute ad which brought tears to my eyes while watching the Jets vs Cowboys game.

How did you honor the day?

Labor Day Weekend

I know it's a bit strange writing about last weekend this weekend, but thanks to a randomly busy week, that's just how it's going to be. The more time I live in and love Chicago, the more I also appreciate going home. Over the summer, going home was mostly about seeing and hanging out with my family, but this trip home was full of visiting with friends as well.

There were so many moments to be thankful for throughout the weekend that I was planning on giving them each there own posts. However, thanks again to my busy week, I'm going to briefly list them below.

- Friday night chatting on the patio with my dad. Bug spray, a few beers, great weather, and a really relaxing time catching up with my dad.

- Saturday tailgating and the U of I game. Veggie burgers, my mom's brownies, and finally seeing Whitney after more than 3 months made tailgating a blast. The game was ridiculously hot, but still so enjoyable thanks to sitting with my brother.

Classic Jessica & Michael picture I make him take every game :)

- High school friends reunion for Jessica's 23rd birthday. When I arrived at her apartment, Jessica was sitting in the living room getting her hair and makeup done. As soon as she was done, Rachel jumped in the chair to also have her hair and makeup done. While that was going on, everyone else was also getting random help from one another getting ready. My friends are so giving, and it was nice to sit back and watch everyone help each other get ready for Jess's birthday dinner.

Rach, Jess, Jacq, Mikka, Katie & Me at graduation.
We were missing Mikka but also added Bethany & Sheraz :)

Rachel in the hair & makeup chair with her dog Toby

- Bon fire! As you could expect, there aren't many bonfires in the city. Coming from a small town though, I'm used to going to a bonfire almost every weekend. Sunday night, I went to my first and probably only bonfire of the year and even got to enjoy a delicious smore :)

- Hammocking on the Quad with Nat. Often times when I call Natalie now she is hanging out in her hammock on the Quad. When she suggested lounging in the hammock on Monday morning, I happily agreed to try it out. After a bit of fumbling and rearranging, I finally got comfortable and had a great time laughing and chatting. It's so strange to think I hadn't seen her in 2 months and definitely needed some good Nat & Jessica time!

Nat might kill me for posting this one, but it's my favorite :)

Love the Quad!

- Tea with Jackie. We know more about each others lives than I think we even realize sometimes, and it was so gratifying to be able to catch up with one another when we're both doing what we've always wanted. I live in the city and love my job, and she just started her first year of law school. It makes me so happy to see friends enjoying how their lives are going.

How cool is this door knob in her new apartment!?

- Running with Tori. It's hard to believe that Tori & I hadn't really run together in almost 2 years. We ran together almost every morning fall semester of my Junior year, but then I went abroad one semester, got injured the next, and then she studied abroad. I love catching up with people over tea or just hanging out, but there is something really special and bonding about enjoying a run with a friend. It was truly refreshing to run with her again on Monday.

Couldn't find any running pics, but this is Tori & Me at AOII convention

- Driving with Jacqueline. It's official, driving with a friend is better than the bus...hands down. I loved talking with Jacqueline all the way to Mahomet and back to Chicago, and we literally didn't stop talking the whole 3 hour drive there and back. Again, it's so nice to see friends loving what they're doing (she's student teaching in a bilingual kindergarten!) and where their lives are going, and it's always nice to know I have another friend in Chicago.

I couldn't figure out why I was so tired this week, but looking back, I had so many meaningful, refreshing moments over the weekend that I think it literally just wore me out. Moments like these are what make life so great, and I'm so thankful to have had so many in one weekend...especially now that I'm finally caught up on my sleep and able to fully enjoy all of them :)