friends – If You're Interested

10 Things to do in Quarantine

Hello from COVID-19 social and physical distancing! I’ve been working from home for the week, isolating myself from any and all humans, and really becoming best friends and a walk-o-holic with my dog. If you’re anything like me, this is a very difficult time for you. Being an extrovert is not usually something people feel concerned about. You excel in most situations that scare people. You feel confident when you talk to people and feel energy from spending the day in meetings or chatting with co-workers.

And now you’re stuck at home, with only texting, facetiming, and phone calls are your connection to people you know and love. Otherwise, your main human contact is apologetically smiling and nodding while walking your dog as he pulls like a crazy doggo toward the stranger.

So I’m here to help you (but mainly me) with ideas of what to do with your time while you’re social distancing, or better yet, physical distancing.

One: Clean your living space

Yes, I’m telling you to do chores. BUT, if we’re being honest, we’ve been putting off the vacuuming, dusting, sanitizing, etc. So get to it. Wash your dogs dishes, wipe those counters down, and for heaven’s sake, dust your bookshelf.

Two: Cook something new

I know grocery stores have been tough to navigate, but pick out a recipe you’ve been wanting to try and get to cooking! Afraid to hit up the store? Many are bringing your groceries to your car or will deliver. No excuses today, my friends! Still not wanting to purchase something? No worries, look in your pantry, and make something new! Get creative and let’s hope it’s tasty.

Three: Read

Who has an entire bookshelf of books you’ve been wanting to read? (Yes, I have a full pile in my to-read list). Now’s the time to hunker down and welcome yourself into a new universe, story, or world. Enjoy the time away from the TV, news channels, and work space. Some books I enjoy:

Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Recursion by Blake Crouch
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Four: Watch a movie

Netflix is releasing movies constantly. Disney+ released Frozen II three months before it should have. Hulu is releasing new binge-worthy shows as well. Enjoy that time of binging and give your mind a break from all things COVID-19.

Five: Call your family or friends

Facetime, give them a ring, whatever you need to do to feel connected. Instead of eating lunch in front of the TV, set up a lunch get together through Facebook. Enjoy a glass of wine with friends over the phone. Pop some popcorn and watch a movie on netflix with your people on the other line.

Six: Go for a Walk

Having a dog has made this easier for me, but get outside. We’re being encouraged to go on walks and be outdoors. Take breaks from sitting around and just go around the block. Find a park and pick a random trail. Enjoy the ability to be outside right now.

Seven: Do a YouTube workout

Yoga With Adriene. That’s it, that’s my paragraph. Enjoy her videos. Take the time to relax, build strength, whatever you need to do – in the comforts of your home.

Eight: Learn a Tik Tok Dance

I’m new to the Tik Tok world, but let’s be real, there are so many dances and trends on the app. I have no idea how to do any of them, so I’m going to learn one…maybe. It’s a list of ideas so we’re trying new things people. Give it a go and let me know how you do!

Nine: Do a photoshoot of your pet

If you’re like me, you’re obsessed with your pet. They’re probably the bestest looking boy or girl out there. So find the good lighting in your place and get to portrait moding. If you don’t have portrait mode, use the normal camera and have some fun editing.

Ten: Wash. Your. Hands.

For the love of all things good and pure, please just wash your hands. If you go out in public, wash your hands, use your bath and body works hand sanitizer from seventh grade, and protect OTHERS. Listen, I know we live in a world where we like to think about how you’re affected first, but please, think of others right now.

BONUS, Eleven: Support small businesses

So many local restaurants and stores are doing everything they can to make it easier on you to support them. Order some takeout, ask a store to pick out some items from their selection for you, do what you can to support those people who are still working and trying to keep their paychecks healthy. Do your part.

Now I know, not everyone is able to stay home and be quarantined. I want to say THANK YOU to those on the frontlines, treating patients in hospitals, checking people out at stores, restocking shelves of the supplies people are buying, and serving meals to those who need them. Nothing has been put more into perspective than how hard you all work and how undervalued you all are. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

While there are so many concerning things happening right now (i.e. the rich being tested over the middle/low class, people losing their jobs or not getting the pay they need to survive, and fear purchases). But, let’s find some silver linings of the virus:

Pollution lessening across the globe
People singing together to find community
More time with our pets
Recognition of notable companies who are taking care of their people
Finding the “helpers” in our communities

Together, we will get through this. And I have a feeling, we’ll all be better because of it. Maybe not in every aspect of life, but definitely as people, we will be better.

Thanks for reading – share in the comments what you’re doing during this pandemic!

Cas

P.S. Here’s me and Baxter, quarantining at the apartment!

Random Ramblings pt. 4

It’s been a few months since I’ve done a random thoughts blog post and I’m honestly so excited to do one. And yes, it’s because I don’t have any ideas for this week, hence why I’m two days late from my usual posting day. These are slowly becoming one of my favorite type of posts to write, because I can look back on them and know exactly where I was at and how I was feeling during that time.

So here we go, random ramblings…part four.

This weekend begins the marathon of wedding fun for the next few months. I. AM. READY.

When They See Us is an amazing series on Netflix and I would recommend it to everyone. It will make you angry, uncomfortable, and nauseous, but don’t stop. This is something people need to watch.

I don’t have enough pages to finish out my year for my bullet journal. I am very stressed about it. If you have recommendations on how I can add more pages, let me know. *I currently only have 13 pages left…*

Honestly, this week proved to me a long commute is seriously detrimental to my mental health.

I’m really proud of the work I’ve been doing, personally and professionally.

I am Chandler Bing in sad times.

I feel really, really lucky to have the boss I have. She is understanding, kind, funny, and an amazing mentor. And she puts up with my questions, weird personality, and obsessions with traveling, dogs, and the bachelorette.

Speaking of the Bachelorette, I loved Hannah. I think she is so relatable and really showed her growth throughout the entire show. Also, Tyler C. is the man America needed to see and he has officially set the bar very, very high.

2019 hasn’t been my year.

I really need a haircut.

I’ve been singing a lot lately since I live alone and I think I’m happier because of it.

I read an article about a 107-year-old woman giving the advice to stay single and you’ll live longer. And I said, “okay.”

I still learning to not keep the same expectations of others as I would for myself.

Planning trips with my friends is probably my favorite thing to do.

I miss my sister.

I bought a chips and salsa serving dish that looks like a volcano and little town. It’s awesome.

I haven’t been good at giving time to reading, someone help motivate me…

Finding a LBD is more challenging than you would think.

Still out here lookin’ for my perfect pair of jeans.

Going into these next few months, I’m going to try my best with posting regularly, but I can’t promise anything. It’s going to be a wild time in my life and I’m ready for it, I’m just not sure how I’ll be at balancing everything.

Just look forward to posts about weddings.

If you want to read the past few random rambling posts, please do!

Random Ramblings

Random Ramblings pt. 2

Random Ramblings pt. 3

Thanks for reading,

Cas

P.S. cancer sucks!

Ways to cure the travel bug without traveling

I feel like I haven’t been on an adventure in so long. I miss jumping on a plane in my home state of Minnesota and landing somewhere new and exciting. My most recent trip out of the state was to Texas, which was so incredible, but it wasn’t new to me. and the closest trip I have it New Mexico mid-April (I know, it’s not that far away, but still). So I’ve been trying to find ways to forget that I haven’t traveled in a while and just enjoy the place I’m at now.

Through this exploration of curing the travel bug without actually traveling, I’ve been finding some interesting tactics to cope.

Explore places in your city (or ones close) you’ve never been

This is probably the best way to cure your travel bug. I live in a city where I’m usually lost and have to refer back to my maps every time I go basically anywhere…directionally challenged in my middle name. This means there are always new places to explore, restaurants to try, and things to see. It’s amazing what you can find in the city you live. Recently, I was introduced to the cutest breakfast spot with my friend, Isaac. Your friends are some of the best people to explore with, as well. So if you’re balling on a budget this year and don’t have room to travel, or your best friends can’t travel with you, start exploring your city together. You’ll find some really fun spots.

Help plan a trip for a friend

Now you might be thinking I’m crazy for this, but sometimes all I need to do to cure my travel bug is look for flights. Looking at flights is a double edged sword for me. Sometimes, I see a great deal and get sad that the dates don’t work in my schedule, or I’ll see outrageous prices and thank the Lord above that I’m not currently trying to travel. Looking for flights for a friend not only helps them out, but also keeps you in the know of what trends are happening. I helped a friend look for flights recently to Los Angeles and that cured my travel bug right up (hello hundreds of dollars gone to the flight)…until she mentioned she and her friend are going to Warner Bro’s studio to see the amazing Harry Potter World (jealous forever).

Immerse yourself in activities

Find ways to get involved in your community, whether that be through a sport, a book club, or a simple get-together group. Meeting up with people in your community not only makes you feel more connected, but also makes you want to hang around to see what crazy shenanigans you’ll get up to next. Interested in learning piano? Sign up for lessons! Wanting to ski your heart out until winter ends? Grab some skis and hit up the local slopes (too Midwestern?)!

Ice Castles – Excelsior, MN *(are you kidding me?)*

Go to more events

Sometimes, I don’t buy the concert ticket I want because I want to save that money for travel. Or, I don’t commit to an event over a weekend because I want to see if I can get a weekend trip planned instead. Live in the moment and choose to go to the events happening near you. I went to a block party, Lucky Palooza, this past weekend and it was a blast! Tons of crazy Minnesotans, braving the snow storm, to enjoy some adult beverages, loud music, and the Irish heritage (okay, light on the Irish heritage, but so many people were wearing green). I had such a good time and couldn’t believe I hadn’t done more events like it.

I think we all know it’s next to impossible to fully cure your travel bug until you go somewhere (sorry for the clickbait), but I hope these tips helped. Sometimes, even after I travel, my bug gets significantly worse and I know for a fact I can’t travel again for a while, so I use these things to keep me occupied. Sometimes just getting immersed in your community, attending story-worthy events, and spending quality time with your local friends without breaking the bank, is all you need to keep you happy in the moment.

While I’m a huge supporter of traveling and seeing the world, don’t forget to see what’s close as well.

Thanks for reading,

Casie

P.S. What do others do to cure your travel bug? Stalk the internet for great deals, wistfully day dream about the vast possibilities, or simply wait it out? Let me know in the comments!

Texas, my forever friend

I’m officially home from my first trip of 2019! Spending a weekend in a place I called home for 10 years, with the people I called best friends growing up, and celebrating new life made for the greatest weekend trip to Texas. I feel so fortunate to be able to continue to go back to Texas and be with the people who know me to my core. But, if I’m being honest, the best part of going down to Texas is the food.

Let me just quick tell you what I got to eat while I was down there…brisket tacos, kolaches, brisket tacos, chips and queso, oh and a few more tacos. I was in heaven.

On a serious note, though, the food is not the most special part of Texas. It’s the people. If you had asked me five years ago if I still felt connected to Texas, I would have told you no. I would have told you I didn’t keep up with my friends like I should have. I would have told you we were all growing a part and that we would never be able to see eye to eye on the things that fundamentally make me who I am.

And boy was I wrong.

This weekend I got to be in Texas, celebrating my best friend Madison who is having a lil baby in March. Her second. I wasn’t able to celebrate her first child, Emil, because I was in college and couldn’t afford to be there. But this weekend, I got to know Emil on a whole new level and we’re best friends now and it’s the biggest accomplishment of 2019 so far.

Madison and I grew up together. We met when we were in third grade and clicked instantly. I was the extrovert who wanted to be best friends with everyone and she was the one who would keep me grounded. Madison was the person who inspired me to read more, be creative, and care about other people. She was the person who let me be exactly who I was and she loved me just the same. She saw me in my silliest, dumbest, and most vulnerable moments growing up. She was and is the definition of a best friend. Going into this new stage of life means the world to me. I’m hanging on to this friend forever.

With the celebration of Madison and me traveling down for the weekend, we had time to spare before and after the baby shower. So, I started to make plans to get together with the people I still kind of kept in touch with for dinner. This brings me to my friend, Joanna.

Joanna and I became friends at our middle school round-up (it’s the Texas version of orientation). She was new to the area and was having a birthday party that weekend. Me, being the extrovert mentioned above, saw Joanna and wanted to be her friend right away. Within the next few hours, I had gotten an invite to her birthday party that I would attend that weekend. From there, we were inseparable. Her and I share the funniest stories, have the cringiest videos on YouTube (no they’re all private now, so don’t ask), and were there for each other for so many monumental moments. My most vivid memories are with Joanna. And I’ve had concussions, so this means a lot (but actually, one happened in 8th grade and Joanna was there and was so worried about me and I just love her so much).

Joanna and I hadn’t seen each other for years. I would guess around seven or eight years. But right when we saw each other, we gave the biggest hug, squealed about how much we missed each other, and picked up right where we left off. I’ve been home for three days now and I am still missing Joanna. She’s a forever friend.

Another constant of this weekend is my Jennifer. She’s the person who has truly been around for every weird stage of life. Her and I met at soccer practice, wanted to keep hanging out, and then played witches for the entire night. Throughout the years we experienced our first heart breaks, watched so many movies, got into trouble, celebrated marriage, and continue to support one another every single day. I was her maid of honor, gave a speech that made her and her husband cry (booooooyah), and danced the night away with her. I talk to her constantly, miss her endlessly, and know she’s there forever.

Lastly, a friend I want to give a lil mention to is Brittany. She drove hours to come hang out with us on Friday night and I am thankful! Brittany was the friend who’s family asked me to move in when my family was moving to Minnesota. She was the friend who got me out of my shell (which I’m sure is confusing, but this girl was a good time compared to this extrovert). She was always there for me through thick and thin and even in our times of anger, she always wanted the best for me. I am forever grateful to Brittany for the friendship she’s shown me over the years and now we get to continue to build that friendship by her making almost monthly trips to the midwest. She’s going to be around forever.

I mention these four specifically on this trip because growing up, they were the friends I was always SO certain would be my best friends forever. When I look back at those years, it’s their faces I see. It’s the memories with them that I cherish. When I moved to Minnesota, every time I visited Texas, they were the ones who always showed up. No matter where we were at in life, we were always rooting for one another. I stalked them on social media when we all started losing touch. And I constantly wished for all of us to reconnect some day.

Then this weekend happened.

I loved this trip. It had been a long time since I felt like I could cry when leaving somewhere. As I sat in the 60 degree weather, eating cookie dough on the grass, looking at the faces of the ones I grew up with, all I could think was, “yep, they’re my forever.”

Thanks for reading,

Casie

P.S. I also wanted to cry because I was coming home to windchills of -60 degree weather. Sooooo while I love those friends, I also hate the cold.

2018: a wrap up

What. A. Year.

Seriously, I can’t believe 2018 has come and gone…besides the fact that it was also the longest year ever. Do you remember how the Olympics happened this year? Because I definitely forgot… In the United States we’ve had a lot of incredible moments in 2018, including many women and people of color being elected to office on varying levels, Black Panther being released, which provided much needed and deserved representation for a major super hero movie, and seeing great progress in the #MeToo movement. We still have so much work to do, but I see progress and it brings me joy.

For me, this year has been such a whirlwind. With starting my job at the American Cancer Society (donate so we can find a cure and I can be out of a job again), moving back out on my own, making new friends in a new city, and traveling to eleven different states, I am so happy with how this year turned out.

I want to look back on my post from the beginning of the year: “Hello 2018!“. I’ve been reflecting on my resolutions and how I kept up with them, and I’ve got to say, some fell off the tracks. Some I stuck with like it was my religion. So if I’ve learned anything, it’s to give myself fewer resolutions so I can give more focus and energy to the ones I choose, without feeling guilt over ones I don’t.

At the beginning of the year, my resolutions were:

Go outside of your comfort zone
Read more
Travel as much as possible
Write a blog post at least once a week
Learn a new skill (piano, cooking, sewing, etc.)
Be more active
Practice Spanish
Keep up with bullet journaling

Go outside of your comfort zone

I think this is the one that’s hardest to describe, but one that I tried very hard to do. While I don’t think I did this as much as possible, there were definitely moments in 2018 where I did this. Such as going on dates, starting a new job, applying for a “promotion” after only five months at my job, going to networking events to meet new people, and living in a “big city”.

I’m hoping to still get a few more books read in 2018, but all in all, I finally got back into reading this year. After being an English major in college, it was hard to get myself back into reading for fun. After reading 20 books this year, I feel encouraged and ready to read even more next year! P.S. Add me on Goodreads.

Travel as much as possible

I was able to go to eleven states this year! Starting the year off in California and ending in Missouri, I had the absolute best year traveling around the United States. While I can’t see myself going abroad again until 2020, I’m excited for the travels ahead for 2019.

Write a blog post at least once a week

I almost did this. July was a tough month to focus on writing, but otherwise, I grew my blog a lot within the last year and I’m so happy. I made the decision to buy my domain name and focus on writing good, fun content that I wanted to write. This meant writing about what was happening in my life at the moment and letting people in.

Learn a new skill

…this didn’t happened… maybe next year?

Be more active

I started working out again and doing activities that made me feel active and alive again. See my post about my relationship with the gym.

Practice Spanish

…this didn’t happen…maybe next year?

Keep up with bullet journaling

Woop, this was my favorite thing to do this year and I can’t wait to start designing my new journal for 2019. I recently updated everyone on my bullet journal, but I’ll share a new end of the year pages now.

This year has really been one for the books. While I accomplished so much this year, I also want to recognize my friends and their accomplishments. I got to see (and photograph) one of my best friends get engaged. I was asked by a couple of my dearest friends to be a bridesmaid in their weddings for 2019. I’ve seen my friends take leaps of faith by leaving their jobs they dislike to travel and figure out what’s next for them. I’ve had friends move across the country to a completely new place and thrive. And all of my friends at work have exceeded their fundraising goals to fight for a world without cancer. I am surrounded by awe-inspiring, intelligent, incredible people who push and encourage me to be the best version of myself every day.

Next week, I’ll let you know my resolutions for 2019 (and show you my new spreads for the bullet journal).

As always, thanks for reading and I’ll see ya in the new year!

-Cas

P.S. How’d you do on your resolutions?

Also, here’s my 2018 best nine from Instagram:

Random ramblings

This post is not going to do well. I know for a fact it won’t, simply because it’ll have no direction in any way, shape, or form. Or maybe it will and it’ll surprise us all. Who knows? Just keep your expectations low for this one, folks, because today, we’re just having a little get together of whatever random thought pops into my head while I’m writing.

I didn’t plan my post for this week (obviously), I don’t know why. I planned every other post for the rest of the year…yet here I am, totally unprepared. We can’t all be perfect.

Anyways…

Have you ever thought about how Charlie in The Santa Clause says in the future, he wants to go into the family business (because his dad became Santa), but in order to become Santa, his dad has to virtually fall off of a roof and disappear…I mean, Charlie…that’s rather morbid.

I have to admit, I wasn’t the original person to think of this…I have to give credit to my sister. So, good work, Molly…you totally ruined a pure moment in my favorite Christmas movie and now I’ve done it for whoever chooses to read this…sorry.

I was going to write about my creative outlets today, but realized I didn’t have adequate photos of really anything I do creatively, so I nixed that idea. Would you want to see a post like that in the future? Even if you don’t, I’ll probably still write one up at some point. It’s okay, you can skip that one if you want.

Anyone else craving that holiday PTO that’s coming your way? I know I am. I’m definitely in a head space where I wish I would have saved more PTO for the holidays so I could take a few days off next week. A lot of other people in my office are taking extra time off and I’m just jealous, so that’s probably why these days are feeling really slow.

I’ve been in a mood to read or watch all things cheesy Christmas. I’ve been reading Let It Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle and let me tell you, I am loving it. I’m a big YA fan anyways, so this is right in my wheel house, but for some reason my brain didn’t think each story would connect in the same town and share characters. If you’re looking for a quick, cute, winter-y read, with a little excitement and cliff hangers, I say read this one.

I think a guy chatted me up at the gym today. I’m no expert in the world of flirting, but I’m about 62% sure he did. Honestly, I felt pretty good about it. Did I handle the situation well? Probably not, it’s me. But hey, I’ll keep you updated.

Anyone have suggestions on handling road rage? I’ve tried distracting myself through podcasts or chatting with people on speaker phone and it’s not working. I literally feel my blood pressure rise and am starting to realize my life span is probably no more than like 50 at this point… Which means I’m 50% done with life…which is scary and I want more time. Help a girl out.

I’m feeling a little overwhelmed with life right now. Which is crazy because everything is starting to slow down. So many plans have already been set for 2019 (which is amazing), but I’m also really bad at looking to the future at times, so it’s been a little hard to adjust. Mainly, I have 6 weddings to go to next year and I’m excited for each one, it’s just weird to be thinking so far in advance (but that’s probably why it’s a good thing I just get to attend the weddings and not be the one getting married).

Ha, I sometimes do a really bad job at explaining why I would be a great partner in life…but I mean, I’m fun and cool and sometimes funny — I’M A CATCH.

Know what I’ve been really grateful for lately? No, of course you don’t. That’s why you’re reading my every thought. Well, I’ve been really, really grateful for my coworkers/friends. When I started my job, every day I would go home and wonder if these people liked me, if I was going to fit in, and if I was going to have friends outside of normal work hours…and guess what? Almost a year later and here we are going to happy hours together, spending time at each others homes watching movies, doing crafts, or stuffing our faces with food, dog sitting for one another, and just genuinely enjoying time together. I feel really lucky to have this group of people supporting me in my job and life in general. But if they’re not reading this post and don’t come up to me at work or text me saying “the fountain ran out of water yesterday“, then they’re no longer my friends.

Alright, I have no more thoughts to share right now. What a post, right? Do you feel like you gained something in the last 4 minutes? I sure do.

If you never want a post like this again, make sure to give it a like. Tell me in the comments that I should try harder to come up with more creative ideas. I love constructive feedback, my friends.

Or maybe you loved this post, which is cool, too. So if you did, be sure to give it a like. Tell me in the comments that I’m amazing and I can do no wrong. No, actually, don’t feed my ego.

Thanks for reading this smorgasbord of thoughts!

-Cas

P.S. What random thoughts come to your brain on the daily? This is just a sampling for me.

The Truth About Living Across the Country From Everyone You Know

Hello stranger friends,

We haven’t met but since you all follow my friend Casie I think we will get along just fine. I’ll give you a little intro before I jump into such an important aspect of my life. My name is Ellie, I’m 25 years old, and have been living in Utah for almost three years. I am from the Wisconsin/Minnesota area and lived there for the first 23 years of my life. I write a travel blog Roadtripable to document my adventures by car, plane, or sometimes just hiking. Entering the blogging world was scary at first but I have grown to love typing out my travels, it feels more complete somehow to have them written down to relive again and again. A full circle feeling.

(Casie heres an answer to your “Why do I blog” challenge, maybe I’ll get around to an entire post about it…eventually!)

Casie and I are fated to be travel buddies for life since we met at the London Heathrow Airport waiting for the rest of our study abroad class to arrive. We spent an incredible month together touring England learning about history and culture. I think it is safe to say we have caught the travel bug ever since.

Alright… This is my honest truth about the good, the bad, and the really unexpected parts about living 1,000 miles away from home.

Ever since I first saw the Rocky Mountains with my family in elementary school I had my heart set on living in them. I fantasized about owning a ranch out in Montana, skiing the slopes of Breckenridge, being a park ranger somewhere out there. I could never shake the feeling of missing out…My cousins who live in Denver always seemed so adventurous and care free. I visited a lot and every time I would head back to the Midwest my heart felt sick. After college I finally I had the opportunity to apply for jobs all around the country I decided that now it was my turn to get out there and live my dream.

I applied for plenty of jobs in Colorado but when I saw a job in Salt Lake City my spirits soared. At first I didn’t honestly know Utah had mountains, I envisioned a red rock desert covering the state everywhere the Salt Lake wasn’t. When I googled the city my jaw dropped. Seriously, google image search Salt Lake City, you won’t be disappointed. I was hooked. I didn’t get the first job I applied too out here but eventually I got one in Ogden, Utah (also google this one) and have loved the mountain town ever since.

The first year here was a whirlwind. Everything was new and I was so busy starting my career, meeting new people, and exploring my new backyard. I felt like there was so much *newness* that there wasn’t any room left to miss back home. I had mountains to climb, hot springs to submerge myself in, canyons to climb, and a new dog/fiancé to share it all with. We had friends and family eager to visit us in our new home. I planned detailed itineraries packed with sites to take them too so that their visit could also be a fun filled vacation.

One of the best parts of moving somewhere that nobody knows you is the opportunity to be your realest self. There is no one who has pre-conceived notions of you and who you are. There are parts of me I didn’t know existed until now. Writing, for example, is one of them. I have thrown myself into the outdoors and have so many new passions that have become a part of me. If I would have stayed in the Midwest I know that I would not have been challenged to become this person and I love this person.

Another perk (?) of moving away is the necessity of becoming independent. I had always thought of myself this way but never before had I actually have to prove it. Moving heavy furniture? Can’t just call up the neighbor with a truck anymore. Need to make a dentist appointment? Better find a whole new provider and establish care. We even needed to set up a new bank account because my cute little Associated Bank doesn’t have branches out here. I don’t think I really considered myself an adult until I lived in Utah.

After the first year everything began to slow down. I settled into my job, the new things that had been so exciting and overwhelming became a part of everyday life, and the visitors made fewer trips. I think that last part has been the hardest, living in such a beautiful place is great but sharing it with the people I love makes it shine. To be fair, this year I had to make a LOT of trips home because I was planning a wedding in the Midwest and was meeting with vendors. I always made time to see my family and friends during these trips but there was so much to fit into a weekend that everything felt to short. I crave uninterrupted time to spend lounging with my besties or helping my mom rake the leaves out of the yard.

The longer I have been away, the more I begin to miss home. At first it was just the people. You find out who your forever family is when you live away and I don’t just mean by blood. Your forever family are the people who make an effort to keep in touch. They will be the ones who send a ‘just thinking of you’ card in the mail, a snapchat of their morning commute (the everyday stuff), or even a surprise visit. That closeness means so much when you can go an entire day without seeing a familiar face. Now, I find myself missing the Midwest itself now too; the greenness of it, the lakes to jump into after a hot humid day, and most importantly the CHEESE CURDS. I got so jealous this year of everyone that sent pictures of the Minnesota State Fair! I could do without the below freezing temperatures but even so I still feel pulled back to that frozen tundra.

The truth is that living in Utah has been a time of self-discovery, personal growth, and filled with love but I miss home to much to stay forever. I get that heart sick feeling I used to get after a vacation in the mountains for the rolling fields of the Midwest. I want to milk every ounce of adventure out of this place because I know there is a deadline for me now. It won’t be for years yet but I already have so many emotions about leaving. Joy to have had the chance to realize this dream, excitement for all the more adventures to be had here, immense sadness to leave, and a warm fuzzy feeling knowing eventually I will be near friends and family again. If you would have asked me two years ago if I thought I would move back home I would have said No, Utah is that amazing. It is still amazing but more often then not there is something that will pull you back home.

Thanks for listening to me ramble about my two homes. Maybe Casie will have me back again sometime and I can tell you more about life out in the West (especially living with all of the Mormons and their wacky laws!). If you want to hear about some of the above discussed adventures then go sneak a peak at my own blog www.wordpress.com/roadtripable where I ramble some more.

With love,

Ellie

From Venice to Houston

One year ago I was standing alone in the Venice, Italy airport on the verge of a panic attack because I couldn’t find my group and the people I’d be spending the next two weeks with. I was desperately trying to connect to WiFi or get some type of service to get in touch with someone on the trip to ask where I was supposed to go, when I randomly heard a voice, “…Casie?” (it’s important to note this voice said my name correctly as KC and not Cassie). That’s when I met the spunky little red head, Brittany, and my soon-to-be adventure buddy, Shannon.

During our travels through Italy, Germany, and Switzerland (and a sprinkle of Austria and France), these two were my go-to, best friends on the trip. We roomed together in every city, explored together, tried weird foods, and created memories I wouldn’t want with anyone else. The only catch? We all lived in different parts of the United States and didn’t know how we were going to continue/maintain this friendship once we got home, but we were determined.

Flash forward one year later and my tickets were booked to Houston, Texas to visit Shannon in her hometown and be joined by Brittany (a new Austin, Texas resident). We had all been keeping in touch through Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, etc. throughout the year, but hadn’t really talked on the phone, texted rarely, and didn’t once think to Facetime each other. Yet, the night before the trip, we all got on the phone and talked through a few of the plans and let me tell you, hearing their voices again made my heart ache to be in the same room with them.

I, not-so-shockingly, got lost in the Houston airport when Shannon was picking me up, but the moment I saw her, it felt like no time had passed. We started off by doing a quick catch up, but not too in-depth since Britt would be with us soon, so our main topic of conversation was our playlists (something that bonded Shannon and I right when when we were sitting on long bus rides through the European countryside). Then, the moment had finally come and the three of us were all sitting in Shannon’s living room catching up about our jobs and everything about what was happening in our lives. All was right in the world.

We spent the weekend eating, eating, eating, taking a beach day, and exploring the city of Houston. Oh, and did I mention eating? I mean, come on. The food in Houston is amazing. You get BBQ, Tex Mex, Cajun, and the most important one, a dedicated mac and cheese restaurant. We went to fun bars, met some of Shannon’s friends and family, met Brittany’s boyfriend, went to an amazing dog park, and walked through some of the coolest shops. It was my perfect weekend.

I think what was so special about this short weekend trip were the moments we would all be sitting in a room together and all just look up at one another and express how grateful we were for this friendship. I distinctly remember looking at them with a smile on my face, in total bliss of meeting two strangers in the Venice Airport who became two of my favorite people in this world.

If you’re ever taking a leap of faith to travel solo, take the time to meet the people around you. I’m so thankful to EF Ultimate Break (at the time it was EF College Break, but I get it, inclusive language) and how they create a space and trips for people who want to explore but don’t necessarily have people to go with. If it weren’t for our trip, I wouldn’t have these two lifelong friendships. I wouldn’t have these new adventure buddies who I know I travel well with. I’m so lucky and so blessed.

Thanks for reading,

Cas

P.S. I had zero issues with flying this time — so thank you Delta for aiding in the absolute perfect weekend.

A friendcation for the ages: Birmingham, AL & Nashville, TN

There comes a point in our lives right after college where you no longer live near any of your best friends, unless you’re lucky. I’ve hit that point. Every single one of my best friends live in a different city than I do. Some just a few hours away and others are 10+ hours away, depending on if you want to fly, drive, bike, or walk. It’s rough. It’s not fair. It’s something life never truly prepares you for until it happens.

My college roommates are some of my very best friends. We’re typically known as the 207 girls (or girl band depending on who you ask). I share my favorite memories with these three girls and the bond we have together is something so, so special. Two members of the band, Amy and Dayna, now live in Birmingham, Alabama — I KNOW, small world right?! Seriously, it blows my mind every time I think about how they both ended up there. Our third member, Amelia, lives over in Madison, Wisconsin, (she’s working hard for the greater good in politics and doing a job I could literally never do) and then I’m here in Minneapolis, Minnesota, just waiting for the day the girl band can be back together again.

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Then, a glorious group texts arrives from Amy asking if we would want to go see Niall Horan (yes, from One Direction — internal fangirling!) in Nashville, 7 months from now. Uh, no questions asked, yes I will be there. From there, our friendcation officially moves forward into the planning process. Plane tickets are being booked, hotel for Nashville is being sorted, and Amy and Dayna are stuffing their faces to find the best restaurants to take Amelia and I to in Birmingham. I haven’t looked forward to something as much as this trip in forever.

Fast forward — it’s now July 19th, I’m anxiously awaiting the next morning to get on my plane to see my best friends. Amelia flew in the night before I flew in, so of course the FOMO was real (don’t worry, they literally refused to “have fun” without me). However, 3 a.m. arrived much faster than I expected and I quickly got ready, zipped up my bag, and went to the airport.

Day 1:

Now I won’t go into the knitty-gritty details of my amazing flight to Birmingham, Alabama, but just know, American Airlines is the worst and the maintenance issues on their planes are unreal and what could have been an easy 4 hour trip turned into a good 11 hour travel day. Thanks, AA.

BUT THEN WE WERE ALL TOGETHER. Hugs ensued, petting faces occurred, and uncontrollable laughter was inevitable. I was with my best friends again, in a city I was unfamiliar with, yet felt at peace.

The first full day was relatively chill. We grabbed dinner at the Little Donkey, went to two breweries, then went back to Amy’s apartment to have a relaxing evening with each other since I was delusional from exhaustion.

Day 2:

The following morning we decided to go on a hike in the gorgeous Birmingham humidity. I was sweating from just standing there, so that was exciting. We took Dayna’s sweet pup Sammy and her roommates dog Sandy (I know, they sound really similar when you say it out loud — go ahead, try it out — see? Yeah I ended up saying Sandra instead). It was a beautiful hike with the best of friends!

Afterwards we grabbed brunch at Another Broken Egg Cafe and then went off to the Birmingham Zoo to see where Dayna works. This is where one of the greatest surprises of all time happened… WE GOT TO HANG OUT AND FEED GRAPES TO RED PANDAS. Sorry, but nothing else that happened on this trip mattered and this is the end of the blog post. Just kidding, but this was a major highlight and it’s okay if you’re jealous, I would be too. (Also, this is where we discovered our new band name — The Social Animals)

To end the night we ate dinner at Taco Mama, played Forbidden Island (which we never actually won), and got ice cream from Amy’s favorite place because of the color changing spoons, but come to find the ice cream is actually from Madison, Wisconsin — aw, a little taste of home for Amy!

Day 3:

It was now Sunday morning and it was time to go to Nashville! We grabbed donuts in the morning, packed our bags, hit up Whataburger for lunch (seriously, send me 1200 packets of the spicy ketchup, thanks), then we were well on our way to the second half of our epic friendcation! We arrived in Nashville around 4 p.m. and we were ready to explore. Our hotel was close to Broadway St. so that’s where we spent majority of our time. We walked along the bridge and decided to hang out at the one and only, Honky Tonk Central. This is where we consumed many Yeehaw’s and continued on to hit Rock Bottom, where we ate french fries and drank some more — the necessities for a successful friendcation.

Day 4:

It was mural hunting day AND concert day! We explored all around the city of Nashville just to find some of their most famous murals. It was hilarious and fun and so exciting to see so many people looking for the creativity someone decided to give to the city. We also stumbled upon Colt’s, one of the oldest chocolate places in Nashville, and other little shops along the way. We also made a trip over to the Nashville capital where we saw amazing court rooms, bullet holes, and one of the best views of Nashville.

After finding all of the murals we were interested in, we decided to go back to the hotel to start getting ready for dinner and the concert. We went to Acme to get drinks and dinner, but no one was really hungry, so I ordered a massive falafel sandwich we all picked at until we were ready to go.

Finally, it was time to see Niall Horan, LIVE in concert with my best friends. We got an amazing lawn spot at Ascend Amphitheater, where we not only could see the stage perfectly, but we could see the famous people who came to watch the show as well. While I didn’t know who Dan and Shay were or I couldn’t name a Thomas Rhett hit if you asked, they were there and it was very exciting. Niall, of course, was endearing and wonderful, and it was so nice to see him showing off how talented he is. It was an amazing concert.

Afterwards we were just going to hang out at the hotel and drink wine, but then Amy wanted pizza and somehow we stayed out until 5 am on Broadway Street, where we of course, rounded out our trip at Honky Tonk Central.

Day 5:

I went on a cleanse walk on my own on Tuesday morning and just revisited some of my favorite views of Nashville before we had to go to the airport to get home. Once I got back we made our way over to see the Bluebird Cafe (anyone else big fans of the TV show Nashville?). Then it was unfortunately time to head back to the airport and officially end what came to be one of the best, most worthwhile friendcation’s I could have ever asked for.

Oh and my flight was delayed.

I think it is so important to make time for the ones who really matter to you. I felt relaxed, rejuvenated, and exhausted all in one when I came home from this trip. I felt the happiest I had felt in months and I was already craving more time with the three people who know me best.

The truest friends are the ones who make you feel at home in any city.

-Cas

P.S. shout out to my dad for dropping me off and picking me up at the airport when I was crankier than scrooge on Christmas morning.

up north

My weekend up north was a special one. Spending time with friends I hadn’t seen for months on end, hearing about their lives in a space all together instead of over snapchat, text, or a phone call. Being in a space where I could set my phone down and recognize the importance of being fully there instead of staring at a screen. It was exactly what I needed.

Before this trip I was feeling so consumed in the everyday social media life. Constantly checking my phone, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and email…I couldn’t get enough. I felt like I wasn’t present in my own life because I was so consumed checking in on what people were posting about theirs. So, to be in a place, where I was so busy creating my own memories, I didn’t care about the memories others were making for themselves. I finally, after weeks on end, felt free again and felt my life becoming my own.

The only use for my phone this weekend was: music and directions for the drive up, taking photos, and music and directions for the drive home. Sure, when there wasn’t anything happening, I did a quick check for text messages, social media updates, or to quickly text my best friend about the various dreams I had with her in them, etc. But not a deep dive like I usually do. I could completely set my phone aside and just enjoy my time with friends, whether we were hiking, drinking at a local brewery, playing card games, or just chatting with one another over a yummy meal, I felt present while with them.

I needed a weekend like this.

There are some weekend trips when the environment doesn’t encourage you to put your phone down and just enjoy the view. But a weekend along the north shore with friends you haven’t seen in a while definitely does.

Some of the things we did this weekend:

Hiked around Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory
Hiked through Lester Park
Drank and played games at Castle Danger Brewery
Went to dinner at Canal Park Brewery
Went flying with our fearless pilot, Emery, with a beautiful Cirrus airplane
Enjoyed lunch at Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake

I want to give a big thank you to our hosts, Haley & Emery, and my wonderful travel buddies, Sam and Amelia. Y’all made this past weekend such a blast and I can’t wait for more fun adventures to come.

If you’ve been to Duluth, what are some of your favorite spots? What time of year do you prefer to go? I’d have to say I prefer summer or fall, spring is nice and we had perfect hiking weather, but it did get pretty chilly as the sun was setting.

-Cas

P.S. I have to be honest with y’all, I did get a lil motion sick during our awesome plane ride, but I still had a blast and want my pilot’s license so bad.

P.P.S. I’m so bad with my phone, I checked it three times just while writing this…so embarrassing.

P.P.P.S. Huge shout out to Amelia for being a boss photographer of me this weekend. I’m so use to being behind the camera, I’m thankful my friend gave me a few good shots in front of one ❤