Eric & I celebrated one wonderful year of marriage this past weekend and it was simply lovely. Our anniversary was Saturday and to celebrate we had what I like to call “Eric & Morgan’s Day of Fun!” We woke up and swapped cards and gifts before we were off to the UC/UConn football game at Nippert Stadium. It was their last home game of the season and they won, woohoo! We were bundled in our red and black and cheered the cats on to a win. After the game we went home and bummed around before getting ready and heading downtown for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. We ordered champagne and toasted to the continuance of our blissful marriage and many blessed years ahead. We talked about what this past year brought us and what we would like to accomplish in year number two. There were Christmas activities going on downtown so while we dined we were able to enjoy fireworks. It was perfect. After dinner we had our picture taken in front of the Christmas tree on fountain square and then headed home and ate year-old cake that, surprisingly, tasted pretty good. All in all it was a great way to spend our anniversary and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings us. J

Hello, we meet again. Long time, no blog & I’m sorry…life is busy. Eric and I have been busy with work, school and such; nothing too crazy, just normal stuff.

We are entering into my most favorite time of year. I can’t get enough of autumn & all of the activities that accompany it. Not to mention, the ‘fall’ scented candles are the best!

Something exciting in the Lohbeck house: Eric and I made a big adult decision this past weekend and bought a new car. We are so grown up! My car, my lovely Ford Escape, was racking up too many miles so we figured we should take advantage of the fact that it is still in great shape and trade it in while the value is decent. So, we did, and we bought a brand new Mazda3. Eek. I love it! I drove an SUV for a little more than nine years, so switching to a sporty little car is an adjustment but so far it is so fun to drive and very cute. I will say, though, that getting rid of my first and only car was very difficult. I wish I could tell you that I didn't cry, but that would be a lie. I also wish that I could tell you that I didn’t have my picture taken with the car, but that would also be a lie. Let’s just say I get attached to things and have trouble with change.  I have so many memories in that Ford Escape and all 131,980 miles were driven by me! But, on to bigger and better things, right? Here’s to many many miles to be driven in my new car :)

There are certain things in life that will always bring out my inner child, and vacation is definitely one of those things. No matter how old I get, I am always so anxious before vacation. It’s the kind of anxiety that won’t let you fall asleep - even though you have to wake up at 3:15 am to go catch a flight – because you are just too excited! That’s exactly what happened to me last week when my husband and I flew down to spend a few glorious days on the beach with my family in Kiawah Island, SC. Nothing brings out that inner child more than going to the beach with your siblings and parents, no matter how old you are.

We had a blast; days full of sand, sun and endless lounging, and evenings spent eating good food and laughing a lot. One of the evenings, after dinner, we all went to the beach for some good photo ops and ended up walking along the edge of the water until we could no longer see our own feet. It was great – all of us walking together talking and laughing and just being with each other. I definitely treasured that evening because normally life moves way too fast and with everyone’s schedules and hectic lives, we certainly don’t find much time to just leisurely enjoy each other’s company.

Kiawah is easily one of my most favorite places to be. I love everything about being there and, as I told Eric, if they bottled up that ‘Kiawah’ smell and sold it as a candle, I would buy it. Although it was a short vacation for Eric and me, it was wonderful and well spent! Thanks mom and dad for everything J

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my mom and I are devoted Potter-heads. So, it goes without saying that we attended the midnight premiere of the final movie: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2. It is truly amazing the size of the crowd that comes together for this event. The midnight showing for all of the Harry Potter movies has always been impressive, but the crowd for the finale was unbelievable.

My mom and I arrived at the theater at 8:45pm and got in a line that wound its way all through the three story building and out onto the street. People were camped out with books, games, and food and so many of the movie-goers were decked out in their HP garb. It is such a cool experience to witness and be a part of.

They decided to go ahead and seat us at 9:30pm, so luckily we weren’t standing in line for very long. All twenty of their theaters were sold out for the midnight showing of HP! We bought our tickets weeks in advance and I am glad that we did. The movie was so good and bittersweet. The cast and directors did an amazing job with everything. They stuck very closely to the book and the changes and details they left out weren’t detrimental to the overall storyline. Now, of course since I have read the books multiple times I would have preferred them to include every single detail, but that is obviously not possible.

In my opinion this was the best movie of the series as far as acting, special effects and storyline go; I also felt as though I was getting to say goodbye to the characters. The deaths of some of our favorites and the fact that this adventure has come to a close left the crowd teary-eyed and wishing for more. It’s pretty crazy the effect a series of books and movies can have on a generation! Even though it is over, I will continue to re-read the books and enjoy the movies and wish I was part of that magical world. Here’s hoping JK Rowling will decide to write more!

Three day weekends truly are the best. I honestly can’t believe it is already July and time for a holiday weekend, but I like it J No crazy big plans for us – just some rest, relaxation and time with family and friends. I am going to try my best to cram as much summer as possible into these three days. I certainly miss being a kid and having what seemed like an endless amount of freedom ahead of me. So – here’s to the 4^th of July weekend and a little bit of freedom. Hope yours is happy J

June 18th

A quarter of a century. That is now how old I am. I turned the big 2-5 last Saturday and I am not lying when I say I woke up on Sunday morning feeling way more tired than when I was merely 24. I had a wonderful weekend of birthday celebrations, though, with a Reds game with friends, a massage, lunch with my dad, a wedding, and birthday pancakes with a candle served to me in bed by my lovely husband.
Speaking of my husband, he got me a kindle for my birthday. I am so excited about it and I spend as much time as I can playing with it and reading. I am a lover of books so I kept delaying getting a kindle. Call me old fashioned, but there is just something about the feel of an actual book in my hands and being able to flip through the pages that I love. I went back and forth so much because one of my dreams is to someday have a house with my own library. You know, the kind with the walls covered with floor to ceiling shelves full of books, and a ladder that is attached and has wheels and can move around the shelves. I could spend hours in there! So – I decided that I will still have that library one day; I will just also have a kindle because they are cool and convenient and will be great for traveling. Also – I can get newspapers and magazines on my kindle, so it is earth friendly :) Overall, turning 25 was pretty easy...here’s to a great 25th year!

don't worry, be happy

Happiness is one of those words with a thousand meanings. Meanings that are different for each of us. Happiness is a state of mind, a way of looking at life and seeing all the good that it has to offer. Happiness is a feeling of contentment and peace. To me, happiness is my family, freshly brewed coffee, a good book, new shoes, city streets, vacation, a clean house, nail polish, Christmas music, good morning kisses, babies, a glass of wine, carving pumpkins, summer sunshine, walks with Eric and Daisy, going out to dinner, scented candles, writing, chocolate, our wedding pictures and a very long list of more experiences and simplicities that keep me looking forward to the next one.

weekend

This past weekend had a bit of a bumpy start – the Daisy dog had an accident at doggy day care & left at the end of the day on Friday with a deep puncture wound in her shoulder. You would have never guessed that there was a problem, though, because when I picked her up she was happily wagging her tail. The wound freaked me out a lot, though, and I quickly turned into a worried mom and drove straight to the vet’s office. A half hour and two staples later, Daisy was ready to go home. 

When we got home I found an old t-shirt for her to wear so that she wouldn’t be tempted to pull out the staples. It was the cutest thing! The tricky part was trying to fool her into taking the amoxicillin. First, I rolled the pill into a piece of cheese – her favorite. She somehow ate all of the cheese around the pill and carefully spit the pill out. Of course. So, I then wedged the pill in the middle of a treat and held my hand in front of her mouth so that she couldn’t spit it out. Great, I have to do this two times a day for ten days? But, I will say, she was so good through the whole ordeal which made everything easier since Eric was out of town.

Saturday was enjoyable and low key and on Sunday we had a birthday brunch for me at my mom and dad’s. It was wonderful – full of family and delicious food. My actual birthday isn’t until Saturday, the 18^th, but my lucky mom gets to leave fro Italy on Friday, so we celebrated on Sunday and now I’ll just have birthweek instead of just one day J

a book report

I have decided to write a little book review. I have recently read, no, devoured The Hunger Games trilogy. I could not put them down - so good. To start, they are set in a post-apocalyptic North America in a nation known as Panem. Panem contains the Capitol and thirteen districts spread throughout Panem. Each district specifically handles some type of industry and is entirely controlled by the Capitol. Once the districts decide to revolt, the Capitol punishes them by destroying District 13 and creating the Hunger Games. The Games require one boy and one girl, ages 12-18, from each of the twelve remaining districts to fight to the death in an arena created by the Capitol until only one remains.
The main character is Katniss Everdeen and we see the world through her eyes. The story is full of struggle, control, and violence and at the same time, love, friendship and hope. While reading, the correlations between the way people live here in 2011 and in this future world are astounding and made me sit back and think.
I completely fell in love with these characters and the way Suzanne Collins creates this world - I felt as though I was part of it. With these three books, each one is more intense than the next and full of twists and turns and gripping surprises.
Also- starting at the end of this month, filming begins for the Hunger Games movie. I am pretty excited to see this book come to life. Hopefully the movie won't disappoint.
So, even though these books are classified as 'young adult', they will satisfy a reader at any age. I am very glad I stumbled upon the trilogy and my hat's off to author Suzanne Collins for creating such brilliance.

celebrate

Last week my mom and dad celebrated 31 years of wedded bliss. Pretty impressive! In a world with a ridiculously high divorce rate, celebrating your 31st anniversary is truly an accomplishment. Over the course of these 31 years, my parents had three children, accomplished so much and had a lot of good times. Just like everything, I am sure there were ups and downs along the way but mom and dad remembered the promises they made and didn't take their vows lightly.
Growing up I was always a witness to their wonderful relationship. One thing that has been constant in their marriage is laughter. They know how to make each other laugh and it is so obvious to those around them that there is so much love between them. Eric and I are so blessed to have their love and marriage as our example. I have learned so much from watching them interact and being a part of their relationship over the years. I look forward to the day-a little more than thirty years down the road-when Eric and I can look back on all of our years together and smile, just like my mom and dad do. So, congrats lovebirds - here's to many many more years of bliss <3

summer plans

This year the month of April has truly lived up to its reputation. Hopefully all of these April showers will bring beautiful and healthy May flowers. I am more than ready for summer in Cincinnati. I am eagerly looking forward to flip-flop weather, getting some kind of a tan and all of the outdoor activities that come along with the warm months. My husband and I went to our first Reds game this past weekend and while they unfortunately lost, just being there and having a ball park hot dog was enough for me.
It seems that the summer months are a challenge for movie makers in that they get out the big guns and try for the summer blockbuster of the year. Being the Harry Potter nerd that I am, I can. not. wait. for the second part of the 7th movie. My mom and I always go and see the movies at midnight when they first come out and this time will be no different. We have to arrive at the movie theater at least two hours early and wait in line to be seated. Of course we buy our tickets online weeks in advance. The countdown to July 15th starts....now.
Another movie I want to see is The Hangover part 2. The first one was hilarious, so I can't wait to see what they came up with for the second one.
I am also excited for my mini vacation this summer. My parents are going to Kiawah for two weeks and they have invited my husband, my brothers and me down for part of it. We can't stay for too long due to adult responsibilities but I am sure to enjoy every moment we are there. For those of you who don't know what Kiawah is, it's paradise; a small island in South Carolina, not too well known but commercialized enough. It has pretty beaches and the island-goers ride bikes everywhere. My family started going to Kiawah when I was a small girl and it really is one of my favorite places.
Other than our trip, I am sure our summer will be full of visits to the park with our Daisy dog, grilling masterpieces on our new grill, and lots of family & friends. I am very ready for my first summer as a married lady, so rain, rain, go away!

support the cause

My muscles are a little sore today, but it was worth it. My husband and I ran the Mini Heart Marathon 5k yesterday in the rain. Although the weather was less than ideal, thousands of people still showed up in support of a good cause. There were several options for runners: a half marathon, a 15k or a 5k and there was also a 5k walk for those who didn’t want to run. The event was sponsored by Dean Foods who owns Trauth Dairy and happens to be where my husband works. The companies that sponsor these events are very generous; giving away a lot of free products and donating money to the organization. This specific event was in support of the American Heart Association and focused on heart health.

On Saturday, the day before the run, there was a health and wellness expo at the convention center. I worked the event for Trauth and all of the sponsors, and other local businesses, set up booths to give out information and freebies. There was even a giant inflatable heart that you could walk through and learn about; pretty cool. The event ran from 11-3:30 and the place was packed. We were giving away ice cream, sweet tea and chocolate milk and we ran out very quickly. A lot of the same vendors then set up on race day and gave away more items. The Trauth trucks were there as well and I learned that chocolate milk is beneficial to drink after a run or tough workout in order to replenish your body and muscles. Trauth’s chocolate milk is delicious so I was glad for a good excuse to drink it.

Overall, it was a very successful weekend and event. Cincinnati offers a lot of race events like the Mini Heart Marathon. One of my favorites is the 10k Thanksgiving Day Race. I like it because then I don’t feel so guilty about all of the food I eat that day J Here is a link with information about all of the runs in the city throughout the year www.runningtime.net.

The Greatest Show on Earth

This past weekend my husband & I reverted back to our childhood and went to the circus. It was awesome :) I'm surprised to say that it was my first time going to the circus, but adult Morgan loved it. It was everything I had imagined it would be. There were elephants & tigers, clowns & tight-rope walkers, acrobats & fire jugglers...there was even a bearded lady. The singing, dancing, bright lights & fireworks made it very visually stimulating & easy to stay captured.
My husband & I were making fun of ourselves when we noticed how we were the only adults in attendance without kids with us. That night, we were the kids. We had really good seats & we loaded up on circus food - popcorn, nachos & candy - all over-priced and delicious.
I was amazed with the talent & nerve of the performers. I didn't think it was possible to bend your body completely backward & in half & fit in a small glass box with two other people. And how about the lady who was swung around by her hair while juggling fire?! Ouch. I also loved watching the elephants. They are very smart and gentle creatures.
Seeing the show as adults you notice a lot more, and we were impressed with all of the stage hands and how quickly they set up for the next act. There were a lot of employees on the sidelines that worked together seamlessly to keep things moving. Overall, we had a wonderful time & our inner kids were thrilled to finally get to see the greatest show on earth.

In my opinion there is not a much better way to spend a free afternoon than by going shopping. There is truly something magical about walking into the mall or a store and inhaling the scent of everything wonderful and new. I find that I can really relate to Rebecca Bloomwood, the main character in Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series. She tends to get a bit carried away with her spending, and while I am in no way as extreme as she is, I completely understand her love of shoes, clothes and accessories.

Since I tend to be an avid shopper, nothing makes me happier than when a company gives back. One of my favorites is the shoe company, TOMS. (http://www.toms.com/)
They have a movement called 'one for one' and for every pair of shoes sold, TOMS donates a pair to a child in need. So neat! Not to mention the fact that the TOMS shoes are cute and comfortable. It's a simple shoe, usually made of a canvas material, and it comes in many colors and patterns. I wear them and love them and what I love most is that by buying a pair, I am giving a less fortunate child a pair as well.

Another generous company that I am going to give a shout out to is one that my cousin and I discovered while we were shopping at a local boutique. It's a company called Willow Organic Jewelry and they make earrings out of recycled wood. Not only do they use recycled materials but they also plant a tree for every pair of earrings bought. I am proud of the fact that because of the two pairs of earrings my cousin and I bought, two trees were planted. Not only did I get a unique pair of earrings, but I helped make the world a little greener.
I am now very interested in finding out about other companies that give back. Any of you know of any? I am always looking for a good excuse to shop!

life

When you take a step back and look at your life it is usually those defining moments that stand out. Those moments that really show what you've done. Things like the first day of school, getting your drivers license, your first kiss, going to college, graduating, your first job, marriage and so on, you get the picture. There are also those defining moments that might not be so monumental but really do affect you. Things that for whatever reason you remember; certain conversations or people you meet. There are people in your life that define you and the decisions you make. Some decisions that can be so trivial and others life changing - all define what you do and who you are. So what happens when you are faced with a decision that you know is a pretty big deal and for the life of you you can't decide? How do you know what the right choice is to shape your life just the right way? You don't. It's all instinct and gut feelings. What feels right and sounds right for right now.
Looking back at my past almost 25 years I know exactly which decisions caused which outcomes and how specific people shaped who I am today. I like where I am in life and how I got here. What keeps me up at night is where I'm going. The unknown is the unsettling part. But, you know what, I've done pretty well up to this point, who is to say I won't continue on this way? My life will continue happening and I will continue having those moments, big and small, that define everything that I am. All I can really do is try my best to enjoy it, try my best to not have any regrets, and try not to think too much about which moments are defining me and just focus on living. One thing I know for sure is that I have some amazing people in my life making all of those moments worthwile :)

the Daisy monster

Today was Daisy's first day at doggy day care. I was a nervous mom, but she did great. We have started sending her to the Pet Athletic Club here in Cincinnati because they rock. My parents board their dog there and my cousin sends her dog once a week for day care. Both my parents and my cousin couldn't say enough good things about PAC so we decided to check it out.
A series of unfortunate events led us to believe that Daisy needed an outlet for her excessive energy. You see, Daisy was a stray that was abandoned and we rescued and spoiled her. Our thoughts were, hey - what a bargain, an awesome dog for free! Well my friends, nothing comes free in life, as my husband and I now know. We have appropriately dubbed her "Houdini". She finds a way to escape everything. And while I think she is safely detained she is in fact going through the trash, digging through my closet and overall wreaking havoc. I came home from work one Friday evening to be greeted by a very happy puppy. Hmm, that's weird, how is she greeting me at the door? And then...oh no. Apparently Daisy also enjoys nice luxuries because she decided to chew up two pairs of my Uggs. She also completely destroyed my running shoes, a brand new tote bag with my new monogram on it, and a really cute lamp that my mom had given me. As if that weren't bad enough, there was also a lot of garbage littered throughout the apartment. And the cherry on top? As I was freaking out, she looked up at me and peed on the floor. As my dad said when I later told him about it, "She was just giving you the finger." He was totally right. I was so upset and at my wits end.
That day was not the first time that Daisy has chewed up our stuff. I will never forget the Sunday morning I woke up and walked into the living room to find an inch of feathers coating the floor and my pretty throw pillows completely destroyed. I am not exaggerating when I say an inch of feathers. It was like a movie. They were everywhere, including all over Daisy as she lounged happily on the couch.
So - after these disasters we knew serious action needed to be taken. She really is a good dog, despite everything you just read, it's just that she is still a puppy with endless energy. She now gets extra walks, trips to the dog park, and our newest idea - two days a week at doggy day care. I really hope this helps, for Daisy's sake, our sake, and for the sake of all of my pretty stuff :)

an introduction to me

Hey there. I have joined the world of blogging and I must say, I am excited about it. I love to write and read and this is definitely a cool way to put myself out there. To start, I am a newlywed and life as a Mrs. has been incredible. So far it has been such a wonderful experience living with and loving my best friend. We feel like new parents as well since we have a giant puppy who goes by the name of Daisy. She is an adventure. She is a boxer mix and is always ready to play. We call her crazy daisy and we couldn't love her more. She is a handful, though, and although she is as cute as they come, she definitely tests our patience. Welcome to parenthood, right?
At this stage in my life I am working at a law firm and although it is not my dream job, I have learned a lot and I get the pleasure of working with some pretty great people. Some day, if I play my cards right, I would like to work for a big fancy magazine, writing and editing and wearing beautiful clothes. You see, I am quite a shopper. I love shoes and handbags and clothes, oh my! My husband knew all of that before he married me so I better not hear any complaining from him :) I can't wait to share my life and ideas and my two cents with all of you. Until next time...