2014 - The Year of Rejuventation

I can hardly believe today is the first day in 2015. This past year just flew by. I imagine that every year will feel like it's going by faster than the last. As usually, this year was really busy for us, but I'm also naming it the Year of Rejuvenation! I still need to add some of Alex's pictures, but here's a recap of what we've been up to the last six months.

As of my last posting in May (wow, I am ashamed of myself), Alex had recently graduated from his MBA program. He suddenly had all of this time back on his hands and he used it to focus on taking care of himself and continuing on his path of learning. This time he zeroed in on real estate investing, which was a topic he had already been researching in his sparse spare time.

Something must have stuck, because before we knew it we were knee deep in renovating a house in Cleveland. It was an amazing feeling to take a place that had been neglected and breath some new life into it. Alex loves the number crunching side of things and I get to flex my creative muscles. We make a darn good team, but none of it would've been possible without my father-in-law who runs the projects through his contracting business. The project kicked off in July right in the middle of our summer travels. {To see more photos visit my facebook page, OrganizeDesign by LPJ} During the 4th of July we were able to visit and do a little hands-on painting at the house. We had fun exploring Edgewater Park with the Janesz clan too. 

In June, Alex and I ended up in Chicago over the same weekend for some of our friends' pre-wedding activities. I found myself back in Chicago later that month to celebrate another friend. Bachelorette and bachelor parties are a great excuse to get together with friends and let loose.

Girl's Weekend for my College Roommate Erin

Lucky in Love Cocktails!

Bachelorette Party for my friend Michelle

We had three weddings in July, two in Cleveland and one in Hocking Hills. One of our Cleveland weddings was the wedding of Alex's high school friend Matt Stricker to his lovely bride Laura. Matt and Alex spent their baseball playing days together. The same day we also had Michelle and Chase's wedding, who are our friends that we met through Alex's other high school friends from St. Ignatius. The last wedding was my college roommate Erin! I met her when I was a freshman and then we lived together for three years. After college we even worked together at the same company in Human Resources!

Alex and I at Michelle and Chase's Wedding July 19th

Michelle and Chase Gardner!

College Roommates with the Bride-to-Be, July 25th

Erin & Tim Ruark, July 26th

Alex and I at the Ruark Wedding!

In August we had a wedding in Murray, KY for Alex's friend Pete from his MBA program. Pete's wife Jenny and I would have dinner together occasionally while they were at class. It made the weekdays not quite so lonely!

We made a little weekend of the wedding and stayed in this quaint little cabin on a small lake nearby. I think that was officially the only time we have driven south for a wedding! Although it was a short weekend away for the two of us it was very peaceful and a wonderful break from our hectic lives. There was even a community dog that took walks with us and rested on our porch while we had breakfast, which we both really enjoyed. It was great to get away from technology a little bit and get some fresh air!

Alex and I at our Cabin Getaway in Bumpus Mills, TN

Jenny & Pete Thackston, August 2nd

He can't resist dancing at a wedding

Favorite picture session of the year!

MBA Guys with the Groom

The rest of August went by in a blur! One weekend we drove up to Springfield, OH to participate in the Happy Marathon organized by my college roommate's boyfriend. Another weekend there was a golf tournament through our church that Alex participated in. I helped set up the mixer/dinner the evening before, and we ended up bidding on a trip to Myrtle Beach during the silent auction {we'll be heading there with both families this upcoming June}. We celebrated my mom's birthday in Cincinnati, went to Cleveland for a weekend and celebrated Labor Day with a pool party at my parent's house!

My parents and I out for my mom's birthday

In September Alex traveled to Denver for a long weekend to celebrate another friend's last few months as a bachelor. While he was there I took the opportunity to travel to Columbus to spend some time with my college roommate Karleya.  In September the official RCIA classes at our church started up on Monday nights. Alex has been attending with me as my co-sponsor. He and I also took over the coordination for a volunteer activity the RCIA group does together once a month. We go to the Catholic Action Center near downtown Lexington loaded up with all sorts of hot food and we feed everyone breakfast. It's such a rewarding experience.

Along with CAC, since joining our new church earlier in the Spring there have been numerous opportunities to get involved. These opportunities and the church community have had a profound effect on rejuvenating our spiritual lives. And a bonus, it's right around the corner from our house so we can walk to church when the weather cooperates! We headed up to Cincinnati to take in a Red's game with my parents for my Dad's birthday and that final weekend Alex drove up to Cleveland to partake in his family's Annual Par 4 Golf Weekend.  He was so excited to spend time with the guy's in his family because he hadn't been able to attend in a couple years due to school. 

Mom and I at a Red's Game

In October we hosted some family and friends for a weekend at Keeneland Race Course. We rented a party bus and had a little too much fun. It always feels good to host our loved ones and just laugh for an entire weekend. Laughter is definitely a cure for what ails you. At the end of the month Alex took part in a weekend retreat at our church called CRHP (Christ Renews His Parish). It was a men's only retreat and he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. He had not been to a retreat since high school; it was spiritually enlightening, but also provided a superb opportunity to meet some more people at our church.

At Keeneland

Following Alex's retreat I traveled to California for the first time ever with my work. When I got off the plane in Ontario, CA (near Pasadena, north of LA) I was struck by the beauty of the mountains. And the weather. There was so much sunshine and a gentle breeze. It's a great place to visit, but I still love the Midwest! I need Seasons! And greenery! It was a wonderful time of year to visit and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Santa Anita Race Track. Our purpose for traveling to California was to host an awards luncheon to recognize three people in the horse industry. One had saved a jockeys life and the other two had committed themselves to bettering life on the backside.

Santa Anita Race Track, Arcadia, CA

(Side note: the backside is the area of a horse racing track that you don't normally see if you're just in the grandstands. There are many people that live on the backside and they work 7 days a week doing hard labor. It can be very dangerous, there is a lot of negative temptation (drinking, drugs, gambling) and the accommodations are usually very run down. They don't always have reliable transportation, they are sometimes without their families and many do not speak English. Our organization supports Chaplains on these race tracks, who minister specifically to this community of people. They hold bible studies, they perform baptisms, coordinate counseling sessions and all of the other activities that a pastor in a church would do. They also have programs for the children, ESL classes and free dinners etc.)

From California I flew directly to Pittsburgh, PA for our last wedding of the year, a past co-worker of Alex's. Alex met me at the airport and we went straight to UPS to get the closing paperwork for our flip notarized. The house had only been on the market for 6 days before we received a full price offer! What an amazing first experience, we got to work on flip #2 immediately. (It's about 2 weeks away from completion right now). Again, to follow our flips and see photos you can check out my facebook page, Organize Design by LPJ. We had an awesome time in Pittsburgh celebrating our friends.

Myself and the LDP Ladies

Pete & Chrissy Steele, November 2nd

Alex and I outside St. Bernard in Pittsburgh, PA

It was a relief to only have 5 weddings this year instead of 10 like the two years prior! It was a lot of fun to have one to look forward to in November. Usually they all seem to be back to back. This year Alex and I celebrated our four year anniversary (Oct 2). The groom and a few of the other people at the wedding had also been at ours so we had fun reminiscing over all the times we've been together. They live in Houston, TX and Pittsburgh, PA so we do not see them all the time. 

For Thanksgiving we decided to take it easy and keep our travels limited to Cincinnati, Many years we've celebrated in both Cincinnati and Cleveland which is quite exhausting. It was very refreshing to stay in the same city and we even went home early so we could have a day to relax.

Dad, Alex and I outside the Incline Public House, Cincinnati, OH

In December we tried to take it easy in preparation for the hectic holidays. One weekend we did take an impromptu trip down to the Abbey at Gesthemani. It was beautiful scenery and learning about the monks is quite inspiring. It's difficult to put it into words, but if you ever have the opportunity I would encourage you to visit a monastery for yourself. Unfortunately, we weren't able to take in a service while we were there, but we did catch the tail end of one. Just down the road from the Abbey is Maker's Mark Distillery so we extended our day trip to take it all in. One thing we've really loved about Kentucky is all of the history and how Kentucky is still known for the same things today {like bourbon and thoroughbred horses}. 

Abbey at Gesthemani

Maker's Mark Distillery

For Christmas we did spend time in multiple cities, but we had the full week off so it ended up being very relaxing as well. We did not want it to end! We started off in Cincinnati with my parents. We saw my friends from college and Alex's mom's side of the family as well. On Christmas Eve we drove through Toledo to visit my mom's mom before making it to Cleveland. We stayed in Cleveland until Sunday morning and then stopped in Cincinnati for a Christmas meal with my dad's side of the family.

A few of the Harshman Grandkids, Cincinnati, OH

The Janesz Clan at St. Stanislaus Church, Cleveland, OH

It was definitely challenging going to work this past Monday, but it was so worth it. We had such a peaceful and enjoyable time over the break. It was nice to get away from our house and our to-do lists.  And last night, New Year's Eve, we stayed home together and went to bed early. It was fabulous. At the end of the day, Alex and I just want to be together no matter what we're doing and we've had a heck of a year of adventures doing just that.

Cheers to 2015! May you have a happy and healthy new year!

"May he grant all your heart's desires and make your plans succeed." Psalm 20:44

September = Celebrating

After Alex and I returned from our East Coast trip and Columbus we were ready to be home for a little bit. Unfortunately our schedule said otherwise. After having a low key birthday celebration at home it was time for something bigger! I headed to Cincinnati and had a relaxing dinner with two of my friends from college. Alex met up with me later that evening and we had cake and gifts with my parents. I also gave my Dad his birthday gift since it was coming up soon after.

The next morning Alex and I got up early to take part in an Alzheimer's {Association} Walk. It was a great excuse to get up early and get a three mile walk in, as well as a way to support my friend Amy who helps plan the association's walks. So far in our lives our families have been blessed as far as this disease goes, but other families have not been as fortunate. The money raised from events like this help fund research and programs that can help.

Alex's company CE Power Solutions was one of the event sponsors

After our invigorating walk we headed  back to my parents' house for the afternoon. We met our friend's Rob and Tricia in Mt. Lookout Square at The Wurst Bar for dinner. It was their first evening away from their new baby and they did amazing, I was impressed {even if you guys don't feel like it is, you do a great job at making it look easy!}. Everything on the menu features sausage of some kind. Yumm.

As always, our dinner went too fast and then it was time for the next thing on our agenda, the Darius Rucker Concert. We drove the rest of the way downtown to the Horseshoe Casino. It was packed and there were so many flashing lights my brain almost overloaded. We had bought our concert tickets three or four months in advance so we had been looking forward to it for a while. It was a good concert, although a little bit short! We were standing outside the entire time so I didn't mind the length too much.

The next day we went to church with my parents and had a little lunch before heading back home. We had a busy week and then it was time to travel again, this time to Cleveland. We were able to get there a little bit early and considering we had driven quite a bit over the last few weeks the trip went pretty fast. As soon as we arrived we enjoyed a "Friday Night Round Table" as has become the tradition in the Janesz household. Usually when Alex and I, or one of the siblings, is coming in for the weekend everyone gathers around the dining room table on Friday night with a beer and we just talk and reminisce for hours. I love that spending time together is a priority for them. It's so special and I am honored to be part of it.

The next morning Pat took us to his new house to show us around and tell us about his plans for renovating. The place has great potential and I am very much looking forward to seeing what he does with the place. Later that afternoon we got ourselves all prettied up and drove to the Elyria Country Club to see Alex's friend Billy get married. There were a lot of people he knew from his high school years there and it was fun to meet them. It was an amazing wedding ceremony with lots of love and laughter and an entertaining reception as well. As beautiful as it was, and they have all been this year, I was a little glad that it was our last! All that dancing and traveling will wear on anyone after a while {the tally was up to eight}.

After our typical Sunday of mass, brunch and football it was time to head home again. The next weekend we had "off" and we were able to relax and just spend some time together. Alex has been traveling quite a bit for work and is busy during the week with school so it was nice to have some quality time together. We went apple picking and bought some fresh apple cider, pumpkins and pumpkin nut fudge. It was the perfect weather for it and the apples we brought home were gigantic!

The next week brought more traveling for Alex, which unfortunately fell on our three year anniversary. We celebrated the night before with a cookie cake and the same wine we had on our honeymoon in Costa Rica {part of Alex's birthday gift to me}. It's fun to celebrate big sometimes, but I love the low key celebrations and instead having impromptu moments amidst our everyday routine. A little spontaneity makes life feel special. While I feel really proud of our three year anniversary both of our parents have numbers that follow a three. At the beginning of September my parents celebrated 35 years and at the end of the month Alex's parents celebrated 31 years. Something to aim for, wow!

This past weekend we hosted Alex's parents and his brother Pat at our house. I loved planning the menu and coming up with ideas for their visit. If you've read our blog before you know these are some of my favorite things to do! While most of your guests are just happy to see you, I also like to try to make them feel as comfortable as possible while they're away from home. This is the tactic I use to ensure that they come back again and again ; )

Friday night when they arrived we had our "round table" around the kitchen island. After a good night's sleep we all convened for breakfast and then Alex, Ed and Pat went out to golf. Linda and I did a little pilates and then went to a tea shop I've been wanting to check out. We might have also had a little fun shopping for accessories too!

After we all had lunch back at the house we sat out on the patio and relaxed for the afternoon. We had a celebratory dinner out at The Village Idiot {one of our favorite places for beer and food} and then we watched the Ohio State game with a little homemade apple pie and homemade Jeni's ice cream. This morning we went to church and had a delicious brunch before they had to hit the road. It's been raining most of the day since then and it's quite fitting because now the house is so quiet and it's a little depressing. Well, maybe some more pie and ice cream will cheer me up!

At The Village Idiot

Here 10 Tips for Making Your Guests Feel Comfortable:

1. Think about your weekend menu. Make sure you have everything you need and prep anything that you can in advance so you can spend more time with your guests. {Check out this weekend's menu in the next posting}. I also like to take into consideration what we will be doing. For example, I knew we were going out to dinner on Saturday evening so I planned a light lunch.

2. If you're planning on cooking make sure each meal is made up of a few different items so people have something to eat even if they dislike your main entree or have a food restriction you were unaware of. Buffets are a great option because it allows people the opportunity to pick and choose without feeling rude turning you down on certain items.

3. If you're planning on going out to eat make reservations if you can. Be conscious of picking somewhere that fits the entire group, instead of just picking a place you've been dying to check out that only caters to a very specific clientele.

4. Make sure water and drinks are always easily accessible and that you have snacks out {I like apples and bananas}. Your guests don't want to go through your cabinets and may feel uncomfortable asking. I always like to make sure coffee and tea are ready to go first thing in the morning so everyone can help themselves whenever they get up.

5. Provide fresh towels and extra blankets in visible spaces in each room. If you have to set someone up on an air mattress make sure to layer a couple blankets under the sheets to make it a little more comfortable. I also like to provide extra pillows and leave the air pump accessible for them as well.

6. It's always smart to have extras in the bathrooms as well. Extra toilet paper and maybe a few items in the drawers in case somebody forgets something vital. We have a couple soaps and shampoos in the shower and a whole jar in the guest room as well. In the bathroom drawer we have extra toothpaste, a toothbrush, bobby pins, feminine products, a hair dryer etc.

7. If somebody asks you if they can help, let them! Your guests don't want to feel useless or guilty that you're doing all the work. Keep it simple, like asking them to open the wine, or cut up veggies for a salad etc.

8.  You don't have to go crazy planning everything, but it's nice to have a few activity options already thought out so you can all enjoy the weekend without messy logistics. I like to have a variety of activities written down so we can pick in the moment, but still avoid those awkward moments of sitting around saying, "what should we do?", "well what are the options?"

9. Even if you don't have time to do a thorough cleaning of the house, at least make sure it's tidy and smells decent! No one is going to notice if your floor isn't spotless {only you will}. I love to spread out candles and flowers to make the house feel cozy. I also like to turn on the lamps in each room instead of using the overhead lights.

10. Don't get so caught up in the details that you don't enjoy your guests! Make sure they know you appreciate them making the trip!

East Coast Road Trip + Alex's Bday

Alex and I have had plenty of opportunities to travel over the summer. Most of these trips have been over a short weekend, or maybe an extended holiday like our 4th of July trip to Charleston. We finally had the chance to take a "vacation," once again extending from a holiday weekend, Labor Day Weekend! This trip stemmed from our friends' wedding in Maine! We've never been out that direction, so we boldly decided to drive so we could see some people along the way, and take in more of the sights than we would be able to if we traveled by plane.

We had determined our plans for the front half of our trip in the middle of the summer, but the second half was tricky! There were so many possible stops on the way back that it was really challenging to narrow it down, but finally a couple weeks ago we made a decision! Here's a little more about our crazy trip of 2600+ miles:

DAY ONE {420 MILES}
Alex and I drove six hours to Pittsburgh, PA to stay with the groom-to-be for the night. There was going to be a caravan leaving from Pittsburgh the next day so we were inspired by their route and timetable for traveling. {I forgot to mention that before this even occurred Alex had already driven 700+ miles throughout TN and NC earlier in the week for work}.

DAY TWO {436 MILES}
In the morning we met Alex's sister Eileen for breakfast in Oakland {near downtown}. She's a Senior in Musical Theater at Point Park University there. Typically during the year she's busy working and performing so we don't get to see her as much as the other siblings! We had to take advantage of the opportunity to see her while we were in town. After breakfast I was a little disappointed when we had to drop her off at class, because we had such a nice visit!

Then it was back in the car again for our next destination in New York. We drove about six more hours before we arrived in Pawling, NY {near Poughkeepsie} at my friend Maria's place. We were college roommates at Ohio State and now she's a wife, mom and grad student! Maria, her husband Kevin and their two year old daughter Josie, have been living in Upstate New York and the surrounding area since graduating, so needless to say, our opportunities to see them are few and far between! We had dinner and enjoyed a relaxing evening together. It was wonderful to see them in their own element and spend some quality time together. I always want more time with my friends and family, but I've just learned to appreciate the time we do have together because it's better than nothing!

DAY THREE {296 MILES}
In the morning Kev made us a delicious frittata and then we explored their new digs and the school campus where he's teaching and coaching this year. It was so fun to see and I can't wait to hear their stories next time we're all together!

Then it was time to get in the car again for some uncharted territory this time. We drove through quite a few states that we have never been to which is always intriguing. There are so many similarities between each state, but there are also those little unique identifiers as well that are fascinating to discover.

We finally arrived in Maine at the Kossow Lodge around dinner time {located in Raymond, ME about 30-45 minutes north of Portland}. The rest of the gang from Pittsburgh was there as well so there was quite an entourage of friends. It was really cool to see so many people come to town for the special occasion. After a quick change we all drove over to the bride's {Ashley} mom's bar in a nearby town. We enjoyed pizza and beer, their version of a rehearsal dinner. It was great to unwind, play some games and try some new beers with new friends.

DAY FOUR {0 MILES}
The next morning Alex and I went for a nice long walk and explored the area around Lake Crescent. Our legs definitely appreciated the exercise. The rest of the afternoon we helped prepare for the wedding before getting ourselves together. It was pretty hot and steamy, but luckily it cooled down by ceremony time! I was expecting it to be warm during the daytime, but was pretty surprised at how warm it remained in the evening hours as well.

After the ceremony we enjoyed cocktail hour while the bridal party took pictures. I loved trying some of the local seasonal beers. I am a sucker for a good fruit beer or a pumpkin beer. Dinner consisted of lobsters, clams, corn and baked potatoes. Ashley's family is from Maine so they came around to check on all of us Midwesterners to see how well we were doing with the lobsters. It seemed a little involved if you ask me! I was glad that I ordered chicken. I got a few lobster bites after Alex had put in all of the hard work haha.

Then the dancing ensued until finally the only people left were those staying at the lodge. We just couldn't resist the amazing weather so we all decided to get into the lake around 10 or 11pm; it was such a blast!

DAY FIVE {542 MILES}
The next morning we woke up and it was down pouring! I was glad the weather had held out for the wedding, but wasn't so excited to have to pack up the car in it! This was the longest leg of our drive, but it went surprisingly smooth {9+ hours}. We passed what felt like an infinite amount of Dunkin' Donuts and went through toll booth after toll booth. After driving through Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and half of Delaware we finally made it to Rehoboth Beach with our wallets about $40 bucks lighter {Note to self: don't forget to budget toll roads next time}.

We checked into our hotel about two blocks from the boardwalk and after freshening up we hit the town on two legs with the goal of not using the car until it was time to leave. It seemed like a lot of the crowd had headed home now the the official holiday weekend was over, but it was still pretty busy! We found a great little spot on Rehoboth Avenue called the Back Porch Cafe. We ordered some crab ravioli with lemon sauce and a filet to share. It was rewarding to indulge a little bit after all of our driving! Afterwards we walked along the ocean and grabbed some ice cream to share {Love to share everything with Alex because then I can try more food without getting so full and it's more cost effective!}.

The Boardwalk from the Beach

DAY SIX {16 MILES VIA BIKE}
After a good night's sleep we walked back to the boardwalk to pick up a couple of bicycles. We biked over to the next town, Lewes {the first town in the first state} and then back to Rehoboth Beach. I don't think I have ever biked that far so I was pretty proud of myself! After returning our bikes and changing we split a couple of fish tacos at a nearby Mexican restaurant before hitting the beach. The sun was shining and there was a perfect breeze. I love a good warm breeze. We even spotted a few dolphins pretty close to shore! Unfortunately, the water was a a little too chilly for swimming by our standards, but all I really needed was the view anyways!

After we were both showered and fresh again we hit the town for a little restaurant/bar hopping {I  know I am on vacation when I'm showering every night before dinner}. We ended at a restaurant with the most amazing rooftop. It was a Japanese restaurant and the entire roof was a giant coy pond. There was a deck built on top that had one main walkway with a few alcoves off of it where there were wooden tables and pagodas with white curtains. We enjoyed a few cocktails and some Smoked Edamame while the sun went down. The only thing that would've made it better would've been a view of the ocean.

DAY SEVEN {278 MILES}
After a brief, but relaxing stay, it was time to pack up the car again! We drove about 20 minutes to the Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, DE where we had a tour and enjoyed some beer sampling as well as a couple beer flavored Italian sausages {I'd love to try to replicate some of those. What a perfect pairing}. Then we drove to Alex's Aunt Wendy and Uncle Bill's place in Verona, VA. It was our first time there and it was almost idyllic. I wish we could've stayed longer to visit them and explore the area, but it's definitely close enough to home to plan another trip out there! Normally, when we see them during the holidays it's when all of the extended family is together, so it was nice to have a little time with just the four of us.

DAY EIGHT {397 MILES}
The next morning we packed up again, this time for home. Since leaving Rehoboth we had gained a pack of beer from Dogfish Head and a few fresh zucchinis and cucumbers from Wendy and Bill's garden. Yumm! After one more six hour stint we were finally home! I loved seeing how the scenery changed from state to state. Our final drive through VA and WV was really picturesque {Ohio is still the winner for the most boring drive!}. Once we arrived home Alex had to head to his first class of his second and final year of his MBA Program. I promptly unpacked everything, hit the grocery store and started all of our laundry {a week's worth of clothes x2, four beach towels, a set of sheets and a few blankets}. It's not fun to unpack right away, but I find it gives me more peace of mind that night and I don't have to dread it the next day following vacation!

And as if that wasn't enough, there's more to this "vacation"...

DAY NINE {16 MILES}
The next morning we got up early and headed downtown to a Habitat for Humanity build site. The timing was just too perfect, we couldn't pass it up! Alex gets time off for community service so he was able to add it on to our vacation. It's something we'd been wanting to do for a while. Alex and I spent the whole day working out all of our muscles, including those that I didn't even know that I had. It was so rewarding to see the house go from just a foundation to one with walls and a floor plan.

They still have quite a lot more work to do on the house, but we're hoping to volunteer again once it's time for the interior painting. That's really my forte as opposed to swinging a hammer and carrying 2x4's!

DAY 10 & 11 {210 MILES}
After an evening of pizza and an episode of Sons of Anarchy {our guilty pleasure} we packed up again for another road trip! A shorter one this time. Alex had gotten alumni tickets for OSU vs San Diego State. He wanted to go to the game and it happened to be his birthday as well, so we said why not? We drove up to Columbus and met up with two of his brothers, the youngest is a sophomore at OSU and the other lives in Cleveland so he had driven down to meet us.

We tailgated and then went to the game where the sun beat down on us and the team beat down on San Diego State. After the game Alex spent some time with his brothers and their friends and I had a relaxing evening with my friend Karleya, whose birthday also happened to be this past week! This morning we all went to brunch together at North Star Cafe before Alex and I headed back home. Home Sweet Home. For at least five days anyways...