Day 21: With Departures Come Snow

Well, my wintery vacation is officially over. As much as I hate leaving my family back in Ohio, I have to admit that I am a bit excited about putting on shorts tomorrow, and the next day, and the following 11 months thereafter. That cold weather stuff if fun, but only for so long. As we were departing to the airport, I got the ONLY thing I was wishing for while I was there; SNOW! Not only was I able to enjoy standing outside with all of the little flurries, I got to see a landscape of white the entire hour ride to the airport. I will admit, the white stuff is probably best observed from inside, with a warm coffee in hand. Although the snow greeted us on our way out, I was just glad to be able to see it before our flight back down South. Also, America had it's own excitement today as we practiced events of a free country with Inauguration Day. Although I may differ in opinion from the current politics, it was still such a warming feeling to be able to watch the events that happened today. It reminds me why I love living in this free country, where we have the freedom to vote for our leaders and our voices are heard by those in charge. Happy Monday!


Baby Snowflakes!

Snow on the car!

Runway full of flurries!

A clip of the Inauguration that I was watching on my phone!

Day 20: I Baked? I BAKED!

If you knew my baking track record, you would understand why I emphasized my excitement about the fact that I SUCCESSFULLY baked something today. It was not only edible, but delicious (And I'm not just talking about my opinion. I have other credible sources, I swear.) For whatever reason, I thought I would take the reigns and pull some baking experience out of my you-know-where. When I saw the recipe for "Bite Sized Apple Pies", my first thought was, "These have to be somewhat healthy! They have apples in them." Well, as I was brushing melted butter on crescent rolls, then sprinkling them with brown sugar and cinnamon sugar, before even adding the apple, I thought that these probably weren't the healthiest things I've ever discovered. Matter of fact, I don't even think they touch anywhere near the bottom of the 'healthy' list. Once I started assembling these, I couldn't stop. I disregarded all of the suggested amounts of every ingredient and just went with it. Again, they turned out amazing and I was a bit (a lot) proud of the job I did, hence why I HAD to document it.

Day 19: Wine Tasting

Another fun filled day in Cincinnati! After having lunch with my madre, we decided to prank one of my madre's best friends from high school. Being that they are huge Ohio State fans (I can't believe I just mentioned that University in my writing...), we HAD to add come spice to their lawn decor. Of course, we did that with orange and blue...lots of orange and blue. Following this quick stop, we headed over to another one of her friends houses to meet up with a bunch of her best friends. Of course, we had to make it a wine-infused gathering. After tasting 4 different kinds of wines, we were supposed to guess which country we thought they were from. Nope, I didn't get one single answer correct. But, I did get 4 different glasses of wine. Okay, maybe a few more than 4, but that's besides the point. Again, I've realized that I probably post a lot about alcoholic beverages, but I'll continue to use the "I'm on vacation" excuse.

Day 18: Sunshine

I can't even begin to explain how excited I was that the sun came out in Cincinnati today. I know I often complain about the horrid, still, dry Florida sunshine, but I won't do that anymore (well, not until the next time I complain about it). As much as I have loved the cool weather up here, I praised the weather gods when I was able to put on sunglasses this afternoon.

Day 17: Another Night Out

After a jam session with some 90's tunes, we arrived in Downtown Cincinnati for some family time. We all met at a Lager House for drinks and dinner, and I can't even begin to describe how impressed I was with this place. From the beer to the appetizers to the dessert--all of it was top notch. Highly recommended for those looking for a fun atmosphere and a full belly.

Day 16: Winter Sport

Disclaimer: I use the term 'sport' lightly when referencing what I participated in today.

Anywho, I have had a pretty action-packed day of what I would refer to as a sport; snow tubing. Now, even though I am a Florida baby, I can say that this isn't my first time snow tubing. This month, last year, I ventured to Perfect North for some tubing. Perfect North is just over the Ohio state line, in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The only difference this time was the lack of people, which I'm not complaining about at all. The weather was a perfect 37 degrees, with white as can be snow! The climb up to the top of the hill provides for SO much anticipation. But, as fast as my brother and I were down the "Super Lanes", we were right back up at the top of the hill, attempting to go even faster than the previous turn. After 2 freezing, then sweating, then freezing again hours, we took some time to take pictures. Enjoy the scenery. I will tell you that these pictures hardly do this location justice, but they are beautiful nonetheless.

Day 15: Too Much Food!

Today began with a bit of a slow start. Mainly because I was way too snug in my warm blankets, avoiding the walk outside into freezing weather. After a strategic layering event, my brother and I ventured out to grab some dinner at Champps. Why we thought these MASSIVE nachos would be a good idea is beyond me. We didn't even make a dent in them. Then, we thought ice cream would be a great way to top off the night. Let me tell you, I have NEVER had Mocha ice cream as delicious as Graeters, which is made right here in Cincinnati! Now, as I write this, I'm anxiously awaiting some snow fall. Is this how northerners feel on Christmas?!

Day 14: Dinner and Beverages

Had such a great night out in Cincinnati! This was the first time we were able to get out and be social this vacation and it couldn't have been better! After eating THE BEST fish tacos and sipping on some delicious White Wine Sangria at 'Nada', we all shared some adult beverages at 'Igby's'; this huge three story bar smack in the heart of Downtown Cincinnati. So glad we were finally able to get out of the house!

Day 13: Warm and Sweet

While my family and I enjoyed a day in the house, I couldn't help my indulge in some classic Cincinnati favorites. The pizza from LaRosas and the Mocha ice cream from Graeters were at the very top of my list! As I type this, I'm currently enjoying a nice, warm fire. Something is FLA girl isn't used to. Happy Sunday!

Day 12: Family Time

So glad I was able to spend this day with my Ohio family! After a Saturday morning of shopping, we finished it off with football, snacks, and 'Cards Against Humanity'! If you have never heard of 'Cards Against Humanity', look it up. You won't be disappointed.

Day 11: Travel Time

Vacation has started! My mother and I made it safely to Ohio! As much as I'm already missing my Dad, I am so stoked to be here with tons of family and friends. As you would imagine, I demanded to be taken to the airport waaaay before departure time so that my mother and I could sneak in some quality bonding time...at the bar. I would imagine by now that you probably think I may have some sort of obsession with adult beverages. You're probably right. But, I like to think of it was 'having a good time'. There's no shame in that. Anywho, I will admit that it may be a bit chilly here in Cincinnati, but I'll soak up this break from the sweat-dripping 80 degree weather that I left back in FLA.