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 :)