I've been everywhere man....

Zoinks! Can't believe it, just got home from KY and packing for HI. Just in a months time I'll have been in four states. MN, KY, TN, and HI. I feel like we travel so much that MN doesn't always feel like home but The amazing thing is that wherever I am, I DO feel at home. I've had a couple instances where I didn't know where I was. In Germany in June I woke up to the weeooo, weeeooooo a German emergency vehicle and had to think for a bit before I realized where I was. The only other time this has happened was in Costco. (I should probably blog about my affinity to Costco to give you a better understanding...) They're all pretty much the same building with the same set-up and same products. I was pushing a cart around one day when I suddenly couldn't remember which state I was in. Thankfully someone said y'all and cleared it right up.

Bye bye KY

I'm sitting in SDF waiting for my flight back to MSP and just can't believe it. 5 months just flew by and now I'm heading back to MN for good. Mixed emotions because on one hand, I'm excited to get back and have a more regular life, not hopping on and off planes every week, driving where people use their blinker, and seeing my besties and family (miss you guys so darn much!) on the other hand, it's going to be weird not being in store as much, I don't get to live in a frat house, and most importantly, Matt's going to continue this schedule so I'm going to miss him like crazy.

When I first got down here I couldn't believe the amazing journey I was about to embark on with my husband. What a blessing to have this opportunity, and more importantly, a boss who let me take a leave for 6 months. I've met some wonderful people and had some fantastic experiences but I'm ready to be home. Deep down I'm a Minnesota girl but will always have a special place in my heart for the great state of Kentucky.

God must hate babies.

My own personal hell is life without coffee. Honestly I can't think of one other thing I do every day that I love as much as drinking coffee. I'm sure you're saying, "But Beth, what about running?!" It's true, I love to run but I REALLY LOVE COFFEE.

Sometimes I go to bed, excited to wake up, so I can have coffee. I guess you could say coffee is my Christmas. Well as it turns out, and there isn't any conclusive evidence, caffeine may hinder your ability to get pregnant. So while there are not any cold hard facts, pretty much my life motto is "Better safe than sorry" so, I gave it up. Coffee, my best friend, there for me each morning, hot and steamy and again in the afternoons, cold and satisfying. Giving me the extra boost I need to get going no matter the task ahead; a marathon, staying awake for the birth of my little lovey bunnies (my niece and nephew), work, putting new siding up on the house, or traversing the country I love, the USA. It's been there with me through thick and thin, dates, heart-breaks, true love and a wedding.

The first day didn't seem that bad, I was tired but ok. It was the second, third, etc. days that really got me, I feel like I have a perpetual hangover. 

And now, the cruelest of all jokes, I have to give up what I love to get what I'll (most likely, especially with the added incentive of trips to Disney World) love. All in all, as if being pregnant wasn't hard enough, you have to do it without coffee. 

I blame Eve.

My brand new coffee pot at KY House that I
haven't used. 

So crabby in the AM w/o coffee.

Caffeine on the go. Waste.

One of my favorite things to do is sit on the deck at Mom & Dad's and drink coffee.

My little Lovey Bunnies.
Cayden & Elyse

Brand new color changing mug I never get to use.

With hot stuff inside.

Uncle Animal in the Flesh

As we were driving down to Murfreesboro, TN for meetings last week, it dawned on me my Uncle Kevin lives down here! This might seem silly because I should obviously know where my uncle lives, right? Well this is a little different, I haven't seen, or talked, to Uncle Kev since my Grandma's funeral 10 years ago. Kev was the bass guitarist in a band called Live n' Kickin', a country band that toured everywhere, their theme song could have been "I've been everywhere man". Unfortunately this lifestyle was not conducive to family holidays or nieces birthday parties.

I think the life my uncle had growing up must have been different from his three older siblings, his dad, my grandpa Swede, died at age 51 when Kev was 7. He was 17 years younger than my dad and 10 years younger than his closest sibling so he was essentially raised a single child by a single mom.

It was alway such a treat to receive news Uncle Kev was coming home. In my young eyes, he was a world traveler and a celebrity. Little did I know his world travels and celebrity brought him to state fairs and VFW's throughout the country. To me it may as well have been Times Square. Visits brought stories of his gigs and more barbies than Erin or I could find the time to play with. Unfortunately, he usually left town as quickly as he came and was lost again to late nights bandshells, and booze from Iowa to New Mexico.

Kev lived a hard life of partying and touring I think it took a toll on him. Just as the band was signed with Warner Brothers out of Nashville, things started to fall apart. Tempers flared and the same music that had given them a life, was taking it away.

Never really having a passion for Country music, Uncle Kevin threw in the towel. He stayed down in the Nashville area where he bounced around from job to job and is currently working on the billion dollar Nashy Convention Center.

We met at the IHOP off 24 and Bell Rd, there was a ferris wheel in the parking lot. Not knowing what to expect, I was nervous. It was like a blind date but more intense. Matt and I pulled in at 10:02 and as we walked in, I saw him. He was slightly worse for the wear but it was Uncle Kev in the flesh. I don't think there was anything he could have done to disappoint me, he was my childhood hero. We sat at that IHOP for two hours with our spouses and just talked, reminiscing about days gone by.

He's tired now, an old 47 he wants nothing more than to sit at home with friends and his TN family. He hasn't picked up a guitar in 10 years and doesn't feel the need.

We hugged goodbye and I cried. Not because I was happy or sad but because of the unknown. Will I see him again? It's a weird thing to be an adult and see life through different eyes. Love you Uncle Kevin

http://new.music.yahoo.com/live-n-kickin/albums/you-dont-need-to-knock--114372

Moving to Kentucky, gonna drink a lot of Bourbon

So far I have drank NO Bourbon but have been exceedingly busy with life! What's funny is that these are some photos of what I thought life would be like.... Oh life!!! 

Me at the Derby

My playing for UK (In Lex, NOT L'Ville!)

More like Runassee!

OK, obv you know I LOVE to run, almost more than anything. So, I jumped at the chance to take a trip with husby where I knew he would be busy with work because it gave me a ton of time to go for a nice long run and explore. We pulled in to Murfreesboro about 2 on Wednesday and he took off for meetings and I got my running gear on. I ended up on the Greenway trail because we were in an industrial type area which usually doesn’t bother me but, with a fantastic trail, why run around "off broadway shoes" and "Mimi’s café"? Am I right?! I pulled up to the trail and took off, this was by far one of my slowest runs but it was so much fun! I can’t remember the last time I went out and just made myself go slow. There were a ton of people, I saw some wildlife, I saw some history. All in all, fantastic run. I guess, maybe going slow isn’t the worst thing in the world as long as you enjoy yourself!

Proof is in the pudding, er, sign.

Oh this is Awesome!

Just a little history on my run! 

See! I'm here!

Dang little fruit ball tripped me and almost broke my ankle! 

Running humor. 

Stony River in the background, I thinks this path was the underground railroad, maybe not...

Jackass was stuck. 

Better view...

Wildlife, score!

Oh little Furbaby! He would have LOVED this run!

The path. So pretty!