Kelly's Run & Fabric Flowers for the Soul

These pictures are from a previous weekend but I needed to make this shout out to the pretty lady in the birthday princess outfit who has been my friend for years. She has propelled me into the world of activism by giving me a wonderful supporter and partner in discussions. Now 20 years old, she'll be moving away again but our friendship always manages across distances so it's okay.

I took a mental health break from Philadelphia for the weekend before I have to do the projects and papers that are integral to the final weeks of the semester. I went home to enjoy the springtime weather, time with family, and a reunion with my love.

We got a chance to see my little brother (who is actually really big at like 6'1") play volleyball on Friday night. Sometimes I feel bad for the kid, since he's all alone at home now but he probably loves it.

 We went to Kelly's Run on Saturday afternoon and hiked for almost 3 hours. This trail is truly gorgeous - its just six miles from the Maryland border and takes a scenic 40 minutes to get to. My only complaint was the number of times where I had to nervously cross the water on slippery stones.

It was perfect hiking weather; just cool enough to wear long sleeves and avoid bugs but warm enough to soak in some sunshine. Needless to say, the long hike with an extensive incline at the end left us both exhausted for the afternoon. We then indulged in way more Olive Garden food than I'd care to admit and indulged in an evening of movies and conversation.

(Notice how one of us is wearing tie dye in both of the pictures of us.Typical.)

Sunday morning was for french toast and dollar store flowers for dorm rooms, and one last drive in the familiar sunny roads. We parted ways on Sunday afternoon after a very satisfying weekend of time spent together - no tears involved when so many great memories there are to last till summer time. 

I was rejuvenated by the time I got to spend with my mom, including helping to make a delicious dinner on Sunday night which the whole family was home for. I've gotten to the point where I just deeply appreciate the time I spend at home instead of missing home or being homesick. 

On the train ride back at 5:30 in the morning, I had three days worth of pleasant thoughts to motivate me to look on the next three weeks of papers, projects and exams with optimism. I will make the most of the last weeks of academic vigor and then gladly take a few weeks of time at home before moving on to the next adventure of summertime on my own.

Hope everyone is enjoying spring thus far.

Smiles, Morgen

West Virginia & Card Games, but most importantly peacefulness

After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I convinces my mom to make the trek out to West Virginia to surprise my oma.  My grandparents live in the middle of the woods, outside of Parkersburg. It is so peaceful out there, and a visit there is the perfect thing to help one feel re-centered  We were lucky enough to have some snow while there, making the landscape even more beautiful and adding an extra dose of serenity to Sam and I's morning walks. As you can see, we were all smiles building a snowman with my little cousin and playing in the snow. 

 We returned just in time for New years Eve, which is a holiday I'm not a huge fan of, thus why I volunteered to work on New Years Eve. Working holidays is actually kinda nice because all the customers are excited to be there, which makes it pleasant. After not seeing our best friends since before Christmas, we reunited after the week apart. We went to the movies on New Years day, after I had attempted to spend the day getting to know my sewing machine (basically getting half frustrated for six hours). And on Wednesday we went across the river to Lancaster to do some browsing and eat a really good meal. We stopped in at the Prince Street Cafe for dinner, one of my favorite places in Downtown Lancaster. Soups and sandwiches were used to warm up on the chilly evening, before we head back to York for dessert and card games.

 Now, for the first time over break, I'm spending time alone and in the quiet of my own company during the day. It feels amazing. The nipping thought of going back to school and dealing with the half-stress of assignments, the nagging guilt of expensive education, and the loneliness of dorm life are still here, but they seem far off still.

 I hope everyone is taking to enjoy just a little stillness as a way to great the new year.

Smiles, Morgen.

Thanksgiving Bake

As soon as classes finished up on Monday, I practically sprinted off campus to get to the train station. My beautiful best friend's face was there to welcome me back home & we caught up all afternoon - plus we baked Pinterest-style oreo brownies. I ended my first day home with a trip to a diner with an old friend who seemed better than ever as far as mental states go, which made me so happy.

I got up early and went to my high school for the all of the next morning. The vibe was different, but mostly the same. There were so many faces I wanted to see, but only so much time to see them. This ended up being my motto of sorts for all of breaks - I wanted to reconnect with lots of people but there are only so many days in a week. That good old Catholic guilt washed over me about not being able to see everyone. Spending time with my very close friends and my family were high priorities for the break, but I also wanted to work and bake and relax. Maybe winter break will give me enough time to get everything done and see everyone.

I made these two-ingredient pumpkin cookies, to which I added a from-scratch Nutella frosting with chopped hazelnuts. I brought them to Sam's house for the first of our two Thanksgiving dinners and I think they were a decent success. We started off the day of eating by participating in the Turkey Trot, a 5K race that runs through downtown York. 

Probably a good call on our part.

We also ventured out to the outlets at midnight, mostly to observe the crazy people rather than search for deals ourselves. We went with Erin and Ian - our favorite couple and the only people willing to do this sort of thing with us. Being the boring people we are, Erin and I were tired by about 1:30 and everyone went home, though the boys insisted on stopping for fast food.The next day was beautiful, and unseasonably warm, so we went for an afternoon walk and playground date in the park across the street which holds mixed memories for him and I.

I caught up with my work family at work on Friday and at our holiday party, which was fun because the whole dynamic feels a little different now that I've been at school. Not in a bad way, but not completely in a good way, just a new way. Sam and I also went with Sam's parents, his brother and brother's girlfriend, to get a Christmas tree. As soon as they started pulling out the decorations, I started to re-fall in love with the Christmas season. This much happiness is going to make it hard to be at school for three more weeks. Smiles, Morgen.

(look how cute our new favorite ornament is!)