Family Vacation 2014

This years family vacation was the first joint-family vacation that we have taken, and it started purely by coincidence.  One of my cousins started in May as a park ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and Colorado has been on the list of possible family vacations for many years so it was our chance to go.  It just so happened that my aunt, uncle, and another cousin were planning on going out there the same week.  Long story short, we got a vacation house for the week and ended up with 9 people in the house most of the week, including my grandma who turned 84 a few days after we got back.

View from the porch of the vacation house

My immediate family drove out to Colorado, stopping in Iowa the first night to see family friends and stay the night in a hotel.  We have had lots of practice with long car rides but this was the first one in 12 years we traveled in a sedan.  At 5'8", I'm tied with mom for the shortest person in the family so the Fusion got a bit cramped at times.  Mom got The DaVinci Code on audiobook so we listened to that on the way out and I spent a lot of time knitting both there and back.

We spent most of the time there in the park.  Monday we drove to Alpine Visitor Center and did some short walking trips and turnouts from there.  It was absolutely gorgeous!  The altitude and I weren't getting along very well, especially the first day.  My ankles swell at high altitudes which is unpleasant when you want to spend most of the day on your feet.  Luckily that went away after the first day.

On top of the world!

That night we all went back into the park and walked around Bear Lake.  We went late enough that the sun was just starting to set and there were very few people there.  

Bear Lake

Tuesday we did some hiking to a few of the various lakes in the park.  With 2 families worth of people we were able to split up and do longer route for those interested.  I went on the longer route and the only reason I was the slowest person was because I'm uncoordinated and there were lots of rocks and tree roots I needed to not trip over.  We ended up hiking about 7 miles (with the last half mile being all uphill).

We hiked to Alberta Falls

On Wednesday we went to visit some of my mom and aunt's cousins in Boulder.  This was especially exciting for them since we didn't tell them until the night before that my Grandma (their aunt) was also going to be there.  While they caught up, the rest of us walked around University of Colorado-Boulder's campus.  It was gorgeous; nicer than MSU (and that's a tall order!).

Different Ivy covered halls

Thursday we drove to the other side of the park to Grand Lake. While we were there we witnessed the weather change faster than in Michigan.  It went from rain to hail and back to sun in the matter of an hour.  Once things dried out a bit, we went to a waterfall.  Even Nana made it up to see it.  We also saw more wild-life on this side of the park which was nice, especially for Nana who hadn't been out west much/at all before.

Just Stunning

My family headed out Friday morning so we could stop a few places along the way and make it back on Sunday.  We went to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs and saw some pretty cool rock formations before heading back through Kansas.  Kansas has a whole lotta nothing for a really long time.  I couldn't decided if Kansas, Nebraska, or South Dakota were more boring to drive across.  I was at least able to get some reading done in the car, something I normally can't do.  In Kansas we stopped at Flint Hills Discovery Center and learned about the tall grass prairie.  I got my museum fix in and we didn't stay long enough to make Pat verbally complain so it was good for everyone.

Check out that root system

 Saturday night, we stopped in St. Louis, Missouri to go up in the Gateway Arch and have dinner.  I am always aware how fortunate I am to have so many experiences to travel but was reminded when I realized I was the only member of my family to have been to the Arch before.  While we were waiting in line at the Arch, we heard the family in front of us say they also were coming from Colorado.  This family of 6 had spent 20 days together and were still talking to each other, a feat I don't think my family is capable of.  Further discussion revealed that they were from the same area of Pennsylvania my parents lived for a while, most the kids were born at the same hospital I was, and the dad worked at the company my dad used to work for and knew many of the same  people.  It really is a small world.

  

Night view from the Arch

As a whole, the trip was great!  We got to spend time with lots of family and see some amazing sites.  I had never been to Colorado or Kansas before so that checked two more states off my list (and put me at a 70% completion status).  As we were leaving that first morning, my family came up with a hastag to use for our vacation.  If you want an insight into the day to day occurrences during vacation, check out #frahmlyvacation14 on twitter.

Everybody

Summer Travels and such

This summer was the first summer since I was 16 that I have had less than 40 hours a week of work/school commitments.  After the first few weeks of stir-crazy boredom, I got used to a more typical college summer.  Working only one job with very flexible hours gave me the opportunity to do many things that I normally wouldn't have time to do.  Around the area, I went to the East Lansing Aquatic Center and the Potter Park Zoo for the first time ever (and we managed to go to the zoo on a promotional day so it was only $1!).  My roommates and I also went to a 60's Music Concert in the Park and a Lansing Lugnuts game.

I spent most the time at the aquatic center reading

Lansing Lugnuts vs West Michigan Whitecaps

Joe and I took a short trip to Battle Creek in June for two good friends wedding.  It was a beautiful outdoor wedding and reception!  Plus this was the first time Joe and I had taken (part of ) a weekend together that didn't involve staying with family.  We took the time to have lunch on both Friday and Saturday at Michigan Micro-breweries.  Gotta show the Craft Beer Industry some love!

And then I spent the next day figuring out this pic-stitch thing

This summer I was also able to go on the annual camping/canoeing trip for the first time in 3 years.  We had to wait til Joe got out of class at 9pm before driving up there but it was worth it to see everyone and go camping.  Many people kept saying that being in a canoe together for 5+ hours is a big test on a relationship but we were still talking by the end of the trip (which is a good thing since I was able to introduce Joe as my fiance to people I haven't seen since Joe and I have been together).

I was also able to do some traveling with friends this summer.  My roommates and I finally made it up to Frankenmuth (finally for all of us being there together, I had been home 10 days earlier) to have a tourist day/sleepover night at my parents.  It was nice to walk around town on a weekday and know that I didn't have to serve chicken dinners later in the day.  The pre-planned trip ended up being perfectly timed as I was able to see my parents and grandparents the day after I got engaged.

This is the only picture I took in Muth.  Didn't feel the need to take more; something about living there...

A couple days after our Frankenmuth trip, we went camping in another roommates backyard.  It was a lot of fun even if it rained almost all night so everything was damp and it got windy enough to pull a pole out of the key and collapse part of the tent.  The great thing about camping in someones backyard is you can go and sleep inside!

The final "friends" trip I took this summer was going down to Bloomington, IL to visit a friend from high school who had moved there this summer.  Since many of my other friends from HS didn't have big people jobs yet, we were able to have a car-full (4 of us total) driving down there which made the drive a lot of fun.  We had a fun day in Bloomington and hanging out together.  It was just like a girls night in high school only we were in a different state.

Lunch from a Double Decker bus in Bloomington.
I didn't want to be a super-tourist and take a close up picture but then we took a group pic in front of the bus

That just about sums up my summer thus far, with the exception of family vacation that is!  But that post will have to wait for another day.

Another Work Trip!

I was fortunate enough last week to go on a work trip to Washington, DC for Coalition for National Science Foundation to raise awareness of projects funded by NSF.  While it was a very short trip (I was only there for about 36 hours), I had a great time.  While I have a lot less travel anxiety after making my way through Europe, I was still a bit anxious about driving myself to the Lansing Airport (and flying out of an airport I've never been to) and having to take a Taxi from the airport to the hotel in DC, I managed all of that without any issues.

Since we didn't book a hotel til about 10 days before we needed it, we ended up staying in a very nice hotel in the Georgetown area.  The hotel was so nice that I felt very, very out of place on our Gold Club floor (my boss booked the rooms and is a member of the Gold Club).

The bathroom at the hotel, complete with slippers and a bathrobe

On Wednesday, we arranged for a driver (again, it was a very nice hotel) to take us from the hotel to the MSU office in DC and met with one of the MSU relation directors who showed us around for the day.  We had 5 meetings with two UofM professors who also had NSF grants.

Our first meeting was in the senate office buildings and we got a staffer from Senator Stabenow's office to take us on the tram in the tunnel that connects the senate building to the Capitol Building.  He then took us through the first floor of the Capitol and then back to the tunnels to get to the various house office buildings. It was really cool to be in the tunnels connecting the buildings and I was glad we got to go through the Capitol, however briefly.

I didn't know the schedule ahead of time, which was fine, until I had 2 hours of free time in the middle of the day and the only shoes I had were my pumps.  (But the other shoes I had at the hotel were flats which I won't have been able to wear without ruining my suit.)  My boss had a few more meetings so I decided I would walk the National Mall for a bit.  We were right by the Capitol and the MSU relations office was close to the capitol so I figured why not; what was the worst that could happen?

Suited Selfie in front of the Capitol

It had been 5 years since I had last been to DC and I forgot how far everything was away from each other.  I walked from the Capitol to the Washington Monument, in light rain for part of the way, wearing a suit and pumps.  My feet were killing me by the end and I think I had about 10 blisters at one point (and busted the heel on one of my pumps) but I couldn't just sit around while I was in DC!  Walking around in a suit apparently gives you an aura that you know what you are doing.  Lots of people moved out of my way and two guys asked me for directions to one of the Smithsonians; I had just walked passed it so I was able to tell them where to go.

I walked over a mile to get this picture- then walked all the way back

That evening we had a poster session where legislators, staff, NSF people, etc. came and talked to the various organizations presenting.  My boss was, for lack of a better phrase, showing me off  to anyone that came over as an undergrad that had been doing research for 3 years.  NSF has a push for undergrad research which is one of the reasons why I got to go on the trip in the first place.

At the poster reception

After a very long day we took a cab back to the hotel and were passed by the Vice President's motorcade.  The next morning I decided to split a cab with my boss on the way to the airport even though she had to be there an hour before me.  It gave me time to read and the opportunity to see a plane full of Korean War Veterans and their families arriving at the airport to a standing ovation (that lasted for over 10 minutes because it took a long time to get everyone off the plane).  I also finally finished Feast for Crows which I started on my way to Europe over 10 months ago.  Apparently I need to travel more because that's when I do the most reading.

This trip was a nice start to my summer.  I hope to have many more adventures (maybe with more appropriate footwear).

Spring Break Adventures in Kentucky

Throughout my time in college, I have done alternative spring breaks through St. John's.  My freshman year I went to Huntsville, Alabama and worked with Habitat for Humanity.  Sophomore year I got the first stamp in my passport from going to Cholula, Mexico and doing service work through an organization there.  Last year I traveled to Jonestown, Mississippi and did construction work.  I have loved all of my experiences through ASBs and knew I couldn't do anything else for my senior year.  In the past I had chosen which trip to go on based on location (states I have never been before) and type of trip.  I knew I wanted to do a construction trip again but didn't have any trips that went to states I had not been to.  Kentucky had always been my second choice for a trip and after someone from Christian Appalachian Project, the organization that we worked with, came and talked at Blessed Trinity when I was home over the summer I knew that was the trip I was going on.

Meeting the group for a few times before the trip made me reminisce on how I was before my first ASB trip freshman year and how little anxiety I had about this trip.  That was a nice change.  This trip had an added bonus of renting vans and road-tripping down instead of taking a bus.  After 20 hours one-way on a bus last year for ASB I was perfectly fine with that.

Hanging out on the ride down

We left before 6am on Sunday morning and drove through snow until Cincinnati where the precipitation  turned to rain.  This ended up being very problematic.  When it's raining and then gets cold it turns to ice and snow (just in case anyone missed that one).  We arrived around 3:30 and were told that there was a good chance we would be delayed going to the worksites.  That delay turned into spending 2 days inside and still getting out an hour late the day after that.

Sledding on cot mattresses 

Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) does many different projects, one of which is Work Fest, which takes place for three weeks over various college spring breaks.  There were seven different schools there for week 1 (when we were there).  University of Florida was the only school that traveled north to get to Kentucky and also the only school that was excited about the snow.  

Safety Fashion Show

 While we were stuck inside for 55+ hours, there was stuff to do.  We had more reflection time and a fashion show displaying our handiwork with brown craft paper and duct tape.  We also had a chance to learn how to use different skills and power tools that would have normally been done on the job site.

Proper attire for pulling staples from a house covered in lead based paint

The two days we worked, I spent most of my time pulling staples out of the side of a house covered in lead based paint.  The previous owners had stapled plastic over all the windows to prevent drafts.  We were working on replacing windows and eventually painting the house.  

Even though we didn't get to do as much work as most everyone wanted to, I still had a great time helping others over my spring break.  I am lucky enough that I am in a profession where I still have spring breaks and plan on spending the next few years finding some way to help others and give back to my community while I have a week off.  I can't think of anything else I would rather do.  

Quick trip to Texas

Originally I had intended to use my blog for more than just traveling; that clearly hasn't worked thus far.  To continue with my travel blog it would only be fitting to write about my recent trip to Texas.

As I had to explain to many people, I do research with the College of Ed designing biology curriculum for 5th, 7th and 9th grade genetics units.  One of the school districts we work with is in Cedar Hill, Texas and we are hosting an event where the national level senator as well as many other politicians come to see the 5th grade work showcased.

Simplified version: I was in Texas for a work trip.

As an undergrad I didn't expect to travel with my job, or at least not anywhere farther than East Lansing Schools.  Everyone on the project was flown down to Texas for PD in the summer but I had a minor schedule conflict of being on a different continent.  After a similar event of hosting Senator Stabenow at a school in East Lansing, the Dean of the College of Ed offered to pay for 4 people to go to Texas for the senator visit there.

I was exchanging e-mails with my boss about a letter of rec when she told me to call her since I was still awake.  It was 11:30pm and I was getting ready for bed so I was offered a spot on the trip to Texas while I was standing in my bathroom attempting to continue my nighttime routine one-handed.  After getting permission to fly out separate on Monday morning (my birthday was on that Sunday and I already had plans) I was good to go to Texas!

Sunrise at Detroit Metro Airport

I landed in Texas at 10am local time and was picked up by the 2 people that had flown in the day before.  I had had layovers at two different airports in Texas but had never actually been to Texas.  I stepped out of the airport to sunshine and 70's; much different from the 3 degrees it was when I left Michigan.

I have a habit of spreading out, not helped by having my own room.

I spent most of the time I was there at the various schools we work with but did have time for wonderful food including Cajun, Chic-fil-a, and authentic Mexican.  We even had a chance to go shopping the first afternoon I was there and I bought a dress.  It's much easier to buy dresses when you have some hope of wearing them in that weather (and when your per-diam is $71 a day and there was no way you are spending that much on food).

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson talking at the school

The event at the school was Wednesday morning.  Everything went great!  The students did a great job of explaining what they were learning and interacting with the guest.  It was a bit interesting to be thrown into the politics of Texas but there is nothing wrong with interesting I guess.

The students explaining their work to the guests

Our flight wasn't until Wednesday evening so we went to a mall in Dallas where they had an indoor ice rink.  I finally got ice cream which I had been wanting all trip (again, easier when it's in the mid 60's than below 0).

Ice rink in a Dallas Mall

The only downfall of all of this was I had a cold that started Monday morning when I left and continued my entire trip.  Anyone who has flown knows there is always one person around you that you get kinda annoyed with and that person was me this time.  For the flight back I had at stolen the box of tissues from the hotel so I'm sure the guy sitting next to me loved that (and let me tell you; heavenly soft tissues are neither heavenly or soft).

This trip brought my state count up to 33!  I think I'm doing pretty well turning 22 the day before I left.  In 2 days I will be leaving for Kentucky for spring break.  I am looking forward to a wonderful time working with Christian Appalachian Project there.  We will see when I get around to blogging about that trip though.  I should at least get around to packing sometime soon...