a spring engagement story

This post is getting to be long overdue!

I thought that life was going to calm down a little bit after I finished the thesis....

Little did I know that the excitement and craziness was just beginning.

I turned 24 on April 26th. It was one of the first legitimately warm, sunny days of spring so Ben and I went on a birthday hike. We walked along a ridge line until we came to a huge overlook, where he knelt on the rocky trail and asked me to marry him with his grandmother's ring.

Yes, BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!
I am still getting used to not having a "boyfriend" anymore, after four and a half amazing years.

And I am so excited to marry my best friend and the love of my life!

Autumn

[picture via weheartit]

I am so happy that the seasons are shifting into fall. For some reason I am loving the cooler weather extra-much this year. Even though it has been dreary and rainy lately...

These things have been making me excited about life:

• Chai tea
• New rainboots
• Snuggle weather
• Honeycrisp apples from the farmers market
• Scarves and jackets
• Homemade soup in Panera breadbowls
• Oatmeal with allll the toppings
• Ordering new cookbooks online
• Seeing Ben everyday (it never gets old!)

I have yet to find the elusive canned pumpkin in the grocery store, but I also can't wait for pumpkin cornbread and scones.

 

a little visit to Michigan

In the short space of time between coming home from California and heading back to Pennsylvania (which flew by wayyyy too fast) Ben and I made a roadtrip to Michigan to spend a few days at his mom's new home.  It was a perfect mini-vacation, filled with sunsets, ice cream, blueberry picking (and of course pie making), beach walks (so cliche but nice), and new kittens.  Michigan in the summer is pretty amazing, and the blueberries can't be beat (by PA's blueberries, at least).

springtime in Baltimore

I have spent all day today driving home, running errands, restocking my sad neglected refrigerator and trying to put some order in my life and get back into the swing of things after a beautiful beautiful amazing weekend that included

-delicious Greektown dining (pretty much obsessed with Greek food)

-Panera work marathon

-runs in the hot sun

-randomly running (literally) into a Privateer Festival complete with pirates, ships, and cannons in the harbor

-Saturday night homemade pizza and wine tradition

-GELATO!! 

Baltimore is only a three hour drive south from me, but it is seriously in a completely different climate zone. The MOMENT you leave Pennsylvania, the sun emerges, the temperature spikes up at least 10 degrees, and the trees all have their leaves already.

Proof: scenes from the park

sunset is my favorite time of day when it is warm and green out

awesome old twisty tree

the last daffodils clinging to life in the summery heat

fun paint-by-numbers sycamore bark

 

Cherry blossoms EVERYWHERE!

When I have a yard I want to plant it full of cherry trees.

Ben makes me run super fast and then overheat.

but I still love him because he is cute and buys me food.

CAUGHT YA! hehe.

Ships!

 Now it is time for a Reality Check for Anna.

Back to the school grind. Tomorrow.

Requirements for a storybook cottage

Requirement #1: Very steep pointy rooflines. And mossy stone.

#2: Round windows and Snow White chimneys

{Check out that perfect fairytale woodland chimney!!!}

#3: A bit of German Black Forest-style fachwerk

Fachwerk + chimney + pointy roofs + diamond beveled windowpanes + wisteria vine-tree over the garage! A-plus.

And a tower will automatically do the job. 

Especially with a hobbit-style door.

The historic neighborhoods around campus are disgustingly cute.

beautiful snow adventures

Over the weekend, Ben and I took a miniature getaway into the snow-covered landscape of central PA--just what I needed after a superstressful week!

When I say snow-covered I mean the highway runs four feet below the surface of the surrounding snowfields, with a plowed snow dike bordering the roads.

We made a stop at a little winery 

They gave us delicious wine to taste and let us explore

It was so gorgeous and magical in the snow

[please excuse weird wind hair]

[and taped broken sunglasses]

The original buildings were over 200 years old and dripping with icicles

I absolutely LOVE Pennsylvania stone. So pretty!

I love adventures with Ben even more.  Everything is mysteriously more fun when he is around :)