Thankful: Voting

Today I am thankful for the opportunity to vote.

This was my first voting experience in Kentucky and I will say it just did not feel as patriotic. I was able to walk three buildings down to my precinct. Nobody was campaigning and there were no signs. I walked in and was asked for my ID before I even got to the table. No wait. In fact, nobody was voting when I went! Made my choices and walked out. No sticker. So I took this picture to document my experience, but it had nothing to do with the voting area as it was in a different room. When leaving the building, I was then hit on by a man sitting on the steps. (Convo went like this... "Did you hurt yourself when you fell?" "I didn't fell." "I meant when you fell from Heaven."... Yep, it happened.) It made me miss good ole Nashville where people are handing you stickers and trying to change your mind all the way to the door. 

Still glad that I took the 2 minutes from my day to let my voice be heard. I would have gladly done it even if it took hours.

God bless America. May God bless our future president.

(Fun fact of the day: In Kentucky (and South Carolina) you cannot sell/buy alcohol on Election Day.)

Thankful: Dreams

Tonight I am thankful for dreams.

Over my lifetime, I have had dreams to come and go. Some that were realized, some that were not, some that changed, and some that might be realized in the future. Let's take a look, shall we?

1. Go to college ✔ (Completed in 2006)
2. Live in a foreign country ✔ (2006-2008: China)
3. Become an anchorwoman
4. Have 12 2 children
5. Own a yellow house (Not as much as I once did)
6. Get married (Hmmmm.....)
7. Own a B&B (Getting there!)
8. Own a Vespa ✔(Thanks to Jan P!)
9. Live in Italy
10. Design a window for Anthropolgie
11. Go to culinary school
12. Be a teacher ✔(2008-2012)
13. Adopt
14. Write a book
....

I could go on and on. My dreams have helped carried me through some rough patches and made my life more full. I hope that I never quit dreaming. What are some of your dreams?

Thankful : Internet

I am thankful for the internet. (Thank you, Al Gore.)

Now you might be thinking what a shallow thing to say, but let me tell you how the internet has helped my life.

1. Keeping up with friends especially when I was half a world away in China.
2. How anyone majored in education before the internet is beyond me. Great lesson plans, activities, and so much knowledge out there.
3. I use the internet daily to pull recipes from... tonight was a cranberry mock/beertail and I just found a Pumpkin French Toast that will be making an appearance at the Inn.
4. Tutorial videos.... how do you think I learned to fix an egg over-easy or pin my hair in Victorian style?!?
5. I balanced my checkbook with online banking.
6. I can watch a podcast or church online when the Inn is full on Sunday mornings.
7. You get to read this post. :)

Shallow maybe, but oh-so-useful.

Thankful:Charlie

I am thankful for our dog, Charlie. (Also known as Charles and sometimes Charles-in-Charge.) We have had her for about a year and a half. Yes, you read that correctly. Charlie is a she. J started calling her Charlie and it just stuck. She found him when he was taking his canoe out of the water and after a search for her owners she became ours.

Charlie has been a source of happiness and companionship. We were heart-broken when we first moved because we did not think she could come with us, but thankfully it all worked out. (Thanks to some very sweet teacher friends who fostered her and then gracious bosses.) While she definitely loves J more, every now and then we have moments. I find myself just watching her often because she is so stinkin' adorable. We are so blessed to have this squirrel-loving, trip-taken, plate-cleaning, ball-chasing, fur ball.

Thankful: Stories

I am not sure how it became November already... Fall is zipping by. I can already feel the start of winter chill in my bones and the blanket hogging begins.

This month I will be joining the ranks of thankful bloggers and Cathy Zielske and posting for 30 days about things I am thankful for. Would love to see what you are thankful for each day either on your blog or in the comments section. It might be cliche, but actually taking the time to acknowledge things you are grateful for really can change the outlook of your day.

Day #1... I am thankful for stories. There is hardly anything I love more than hearing the stories of others. That might explain why I love my job (getting to hear the stories of travelers) and why my favorite radio show is This American Life. I love photographs because it has captured a moment in someone's story. I read through books like I cannot get enough. The telling of stories is therapeutic and releases a part of us. The actual participation of stories have helped shape us into the people we have become and are emotional. There are stories worth repeating and others that you wish were not brought up as often. Never do people laugh more than when I tell the story of the Harbin squatty potty.I am still amazed every time we tell the story of how we came to Louisville. I cry often when telling stories of my childhood.  No matter the good or the bad, stories connect us to others, our history, our present, and our future. I look forward to the stories that will unfold soon.

Our Victorian Weekend

Our neighborhood began developing in the 1830's and thankfully many of the old Victorian homes still stand. We have heard that it is the largest collection of Victorian homes in the country. When you walk around, it seems as though you have stepped back in time in many ways and this weekend even more so.

Taken on the staircase in our home

Saturday night was the annual Spirit Ball. The Spirit Ball is a fundraiser for the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum. The museum gives guests the chance to peek into the history of the neighborhood. While Victorian costumes appeared to be the norm, it is by no means required. The cast of the Wizard of Oz, Abe Lincoln, witches, pirates, etc. all made appearances. Attendees could have their face painted, fortunes read, bid on Silent Auction items, eat, drink, and dance. We saw many of our neighbors, met others from Louisville, and there were even people who came from as far away as Texas. We really enjoyed the evening.

If you came through Old Louisville at night, you might have noticed men in tails and women with hats parading around. It was also the weekend for the Ghost Walk. J and I acted as tour guides last night. On the tour, you were able to see some of the old homes and hear their ghost stories from actors. Nothing too scary (because you all know that I am the biggest scaredy cat in the world!). I will say that I am so grateful for the little fur wrap that I had because it was quite a chilly night for a stroll in a lace dress.

While we are still learning more about the neighborhood, I really have enjoyed all of the events and neighbors we have met. It is a thriving neighborhood with creative and social people. Our neighbors take pride in their homes and restoring Old Louisville to the grandness it once had. I am thankful to get to experience/play a small role in that.

Today it is back to modern times and work, but we had a blast stepping back in the past.

Taken at the Conrad-Caldwell House

This Is The Way We Roll: Victorian Edition

We were schooled in Victorian style this weekend. Here is what we learned...

*If looking for a costume in Louisville, go to Louise Cecil's on Floyd St.
*I am becoming a hat girl. When in Kentucky...
*A simple ribbon around the neck can be a great choker.
*Walking canes need to fit you. If not, you will have back pain later.
*Cropped fur wraps actually do keep you warm while wearing as a tour guide in mid 40's temps.
*Long john pants under lace dress also help. :)
*J learned how to wear an ascot.
*J looks very handsome in tails and a top hat.
*Black Radiance lipstick does not come off. Ever.
*I now know why there was not physical closeness when dancing in late 1800's... big hats.
*When in doubt, Google and YouTube. Speaking of, here is a wonderful tutorial on Downton Abbey Inspired Victorian Hair.



*Getting dressed up even as adults is super fun!