I know I’m a bit late to the game, as it’s already mid-January, but Happy New Year! I hope everyone’s 2019 is off to a great start. The new year was celebrated like most of 2018 with travel. We welcomed 2019 in Tampa with a group of friends at Busch Gardens and then traveled around Florida seeing our family and friends. Upon returning home Allyn started his new job with Intel and I started my fourth semester at the University of Kentucky. I should backup and note that we both returned home with colds, which was kind of rough. Ahhhh! I know. Awful. But honestly. I’ve been in a pretty great mood despite this. Getting back in the routine of studying and preparing for classes with students has been a little rough. Three weeks of holiday travel took a lot out of me and left a lot undone around the house. Balance between school (both as a student and teacher), home, and trying to have a social life is a challenge. Since I started the PhD program, I have put taking care of myself aside. Various factors have led me to see the importance of starting to take care of myself again, both physically and mentally. Given my decision to take care of me, I really want this year to be a year where I dedicate time to evolve and feel better with myself mentally and physically. I think we all (well, most of us anyway) have a little bit of work to do when it comes to self-love, self-esteem, self-happiness, and self-confidence. So, I hope that 2019 will be the year I take proper care of me.

We have now officially been traveling for a whole month. There are 15 days left in our trip.  While I have not blogged as much as I would have liked, I want to take a few minutes to write down my thoughts…

• I am not as “homesick” as I thought I would have been. I miss our cats and couch the most. I miss being able to talk to my mom on the phone, as often as I would like.
• Without a doubt Allyn is the best – I could not imagine doing this trip with any else. We complement each other well. The biggest issue we have with each other is that I need very little sleep and he needs about 12 to 14 hours, so I am ready to go, while he still wants to sleep.
• On average we are walking about 8 miles a day.
• My feet hurt at the end of every day. I feel bad wearing my running shoes everywhere I go, but without the my feet would not hold up.
• I have not watched a single television show or listen to news programs since we left.
• I liked the food Germany better than in Italy. Italian food is nothing but carbs. Carbs are not my friend!
• The myWiFi device Allyn decided to go with for Internet service was a major fail. Since Allyn needs the Internet for work, I don’t feel I can use the Internet.  Many of the hotel connections are super slow. My lack of blogging and posting pictures is cause/effect of both.
• My favorite city so far has been Rome – classic, full of history, great food, and art.  I loved that down every street or around every corner is something new, and many times different.
• Meeting Allyn’s Italian family is a little bit overwhelming. I feel like I comes from such a different heritage and background that it is hard to relate. But they are very nice and welcoming!
• Driving in Germany was okay for the most part. Driving in Italy is just scary at times.
• Photography is still my favorite part of traveling – I have taken well over 30,000 photos so far.

The next 15 days…

Today is Allyn’s cousin’s wedding here in Florence, Italy. Then for the next three days, we are doing group tours with his family.  Friday, we will have the day to explore Florence. Saturday we will leave for Venice, Italy.  After Venice, we will head to Naples, then to Sicily. In Sicily, we will get together with the other side of his “Italian family”. Then we will return home.

Like I said in my post earlier today, we visited Mercedes Benz (museum/factory) today …

It is our third car company in three days.  While I don’t mind car stuff, I think I need a break from looking at cars. At this point, the story of and process by which Audi, Porsche, and Mercedes makes their cars are all starting blend together.

Out of all of the car companies we have visited on this trip Mercedes’ museum was probably the best, simply because it integrated historical events in with the story of the company and the cars. It was also the busiest out of the company’s we visited.  I think what made Mercedes different from the other companies, is through it research, design, and innovation the company has reached every sector of daily life – from driving to flying to emergency/service vehicles – and that was reflected at the museum.

After the last three days, I am ready for a change in pace and ready to get back to being in the outdoors and exploring different cities and sites.

My goal for this trip was to blog every day… major fail so far.   But I am going to try to do it from here on out, but first a little update of where we have been and what we have been doing.

We spent the first week of our trip in Berlin (Germany) and the surrounding areas.  On our first full day we explored Berlin’s Cathedral, walked along the Spree River, went to museum island and took in the Altes and Pergamon Museums. Our first full day ended with a candlelit dinner at the top of the Berlin (TV) tower, at sunset.

Sunday, on our second full day, I woke up with a bad head cold. Walking around was not an option, so we hung out at the hotel – I slept, and Allyn worked. The next day I felt somewhat human again, and we went back to exploring Berlin.  Our day started by going to Germany’s parliament building – Reichstag building – and walking up into its glass dome.

Then we explored the Brandenburg Gates.

Followed by the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

Then we walked over to Check Point Charlie and different parts of the Berlin Wall.

The next day started with the drive out to Wolfsburg, Germany to tour Volkswagen. After the tour, we visited Autostadt, which is a museum/theme park for Volkswagen enthusiast.

Our last day in the Berlin area was spent in Potsdam, where we visited Cecilienhof, took a walk by a lake and then visited Sanssouci Palace and Park.

After a short flight from Berlin, we arrived in Munich. Shortly after we arrived at our hotel, thunderstorms set in and we decided to relax for the rest of the evening. The following morning, we got up and went to the BMW factory and museum.

That evening we went for a short walk into downtown Munich, did some shopping and got dinner.

The following day we were supposed to get up and drive out to the Alps, but we both overslept so we decided to get up explore downtown Munich some more.  We were able to make it downtown by noon to see the Rathaus-Glockenspiel (basically a big cuckoo clock) go off.  Then we explored a few churches and walked through a traditional German market.

We had a late lunch at the (original) Hofbrauhaus and then did some more shopping before we headed back to our hotel.

The next morning, we did manage to get up and get moving, so we did an early morning drive out the Berchtesgaden where took the first bus up into the Alps to visit Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) and do some hiking.

On our way back to Munich we stopped in Chiemsee and explored one of the lakes and visited Herrenchiemsee, which was King Ludwig’s summer castle. Additionally, Herrenchiemsee is a copy of the Palace of Versailles, just done in a much grander Germany style.

While the Herrenchiemsee and grounds were pretty, Allyn was disappointed that he could not take pictures inside. He said he didn’t want to go to any more castles where he could not take pictures inside.  So, with that noted. I changed our plans from visiting Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, the next day to visiting the Munich Residenz. The change was probably for the best because Neuschwanstein castle and the Marienbruck (Queen Mary’s Bridge) was undergoing preservation work, which interferred with the photography plans.

At the Munich Residenz, Allyn got his fill of taking pictures. So much so that this camera battery died halfway through. Like many other places, the Residenz was undergoing preservation work, so some of the rooms were closed off, which was fine because it is a palace that can go on forever.  While it contains some beautiful rooms, it is not air conditioned, so it gets quite miserable after a while, due to lack of air flow.

In addition to visiting the Residenz, we also visited several other churches in downtown Munich.

Later that afternoon I found laundromat and did laundry, which was an adventure in itself!

The next day – this past Tuesday – we got up a drove to Ingolstadt to visit and tour Audi (factory and museum).

Then after we finished at Audi, we drove to Stuttgart, where yesterday we visited Porsche.

Today our plan is visit Mercedes-Benz and maybe explore a little bit of downtown Stuttgart.

So far I have taken around 10,000 photos and I working on going through them, editing and posting them.  I am hoping to go back and write about the places we have visited.   I am posting my pictures on my photo blog – http://www.canonscanon.com – in the Germany album – https://canonscanon.com/portfolio/germany/

As I am writing, I am on my way to Berlin, Germany…

For the next six weeks, Allyn and I will be exploring Germany and Italy.  I am super excited and look forward to the adventures that are to come. The European Adventure 2018 was dreamed up when in 2013 when Allyn and I were dating. Because of that, I want to discuss how trip came to be, planning and why it is such a LONG trip.

….

When we meet six years ago, Allyn and I tested our relationship with a road trip (New York City, Washington D.C., and a few other places) to purchase Allyn’s GTI Fahrenheit.  We said that if we could survive together in a car for a little over week, our relationship would work.  Little did I know the road trip would be a breeze, it would be the next six months that would be more challenging, for Allyn had a new “toy” (car) which he (we) would eventually rebuild.  After our trip to get the GTI, most of our evenings were spent in the garage working on the GTI.  One evening I was sitting in the garage editing pictures, from the road trip we took. Loving our adventure to get the GTI, I asked Allyn if would want to visit car factories around world. He said “yes” of course and listed several.  Volkswagen was of course on the top of his list followed by Aston Martin, Audi, McLaren, Koenigsegg, Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, and Lamborghini.   Within a few minutes of him listing off manufacturers, I had a basic trip planned.  Allyn was impressed, and after talking about it for a while, we decided it would be our honeymoon if we ever decided to get married.

Two years later we were married.  We didn’t have time for a honeymoon because Allyn and I decided to move to Florence, KY for he could join PC Perspective full-time.  The following fours years would be nothing short from hell – we lost my grandmother (my rock), Allyn’s dad, my dad and five aunts and uncles. Additionally, my mom needed foot surgery, which took me home to Texas to care for her for three months. I messed up my ankle and knee while running a marathon. Allyn’s work schedule had him scheduling every two weeks or so.

While we did travel a lot between 2014 and 2018, our trips/travels were largely connected to Allyn’s work and often resulted in me doing things on my own or involved me running a marathon or visiting family. When I came back from taking care of my mom in March 2017, Allyn and I decided that in 2018 we would finally take our Europe trip. We both felt we needed to do something for ourselves.  I started planning.  Shortly after we started planning, Allyn’s cousin got engaged and decided to have a destination wedding in Florence, Italy, so we decided we would schedule our trip around the wedding.

I started emailing car manufacturers so that we could decide on where we would go and when.  Volkswagen was a must for Allyn – for he was lifelong Volkswagen owner and owner of 3 limited editions Volkswagen models (a Sicrooco, GTI Fahrenheit, and a GSR Beetle).  After several months of email conversations between myself and Volkswagen, the only time we could get in for a factory tour was at the end of May. Driving on the Numbering was another must for Allyn. During my trip planning, I meet Chris from RSN Racing, who helped me schedule a track day for Allyn.  Family was the other things we wanted to integrate into our trip. All of Allyn’s dad’s family is from Italy and several cousins still living there.  After talking with them, we finally settled on a date at the beginning of July, which worked for all of us to get together.

With the major anchors for our trip in place, I went to work on the other parts of our trip.  I wanted to see Berlin, Rome, and the Vatican.  Allyn also wanted to Venice.  I also wanted to show Allyn several places in Germany, most importantly – the Alps. Hiking in Alps is probably one of my favorite memories from past trips, and I wanted to share it with him.

So here goes nothing … I am not sure how I will do living out of a suitcase for close to 6 weeks, but I am willing to make the most of it. Stay tuned for travel updates!

I have never been “skinny,” but I have always been active and somewhat in shape.  Between 2013 and 2015 I was in the best shape of my life and the thinnest.  Towards the end of 2015, I fell into a deep depression, and I tried to combat that with running, but in October of 2016 I ended up injuring my knee and ankle while running a marathon. Then, 2017 brought on different challenges, which resulted in me getting more out of shape and putting more additional weight. Currently, I am in the worst shape of my life, and I the heaviest the I have been in years.  Over the recent months, I have become frustrated with myself.  I hate the way I look and feel ugly. Most recently I have even gotten to where I don’t want people to see me (in person or in photos) because of how heavy I am – it is embarrassing.  Although my schedule is extremely busy, I must get back into shape and more importantly get healthy.

Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in probably a year.  It was hard. I cannot do what I use to be able to do, which is partly due to the weight I put on but also because of the knee injury from 2016.  I am trying to cut out eating out, sodas, and snacking.  I am going to start tracking my weight and body measurements.  Additionally, I am going to take body pictures, to help track my progress.  I am also trying to focus on getting 5,000 steps in daily, with the goal of increasing this number weekly and monthly.

So here’s to getting back into shape and health!

Today was the hubby’s birthday…

He said he didn’t want to a big celebration, so we celebrated at home just to two of us. I got up and went to store this morning and got him an ice cream cake,  cupcakes and balloons. He was awake by the time I got back home.  The look on his face when I walked in the house with a bunch of balloons was priceless.   He was like little kid opening his gifts …

He always says not to get him anything but I think he secretly likes it when I spoil him.

Happy Birthday, Allyn.

 

Today was my first Father’s Day without any of the men whom I saw as father figures in life. My Papa (my dad’s father), my Grandfather (my mom’s dad), my Uncle Clifton (my mom’s brother and my Godfather) and my father-in-law and father have all passed. I like to think they are relaxing and enjoying their enteral reward in the heaven.

I try not to be sad; I try to remember the good times we shared and the advice they gave me that helped me grow into the person I am today. I am thankful I still have one great-uncle, and three uncles left. I am also thankful that I have a loving husband who is a good daddy to our cats and daddy to children he didn’t have to be. Hopefully, one day we will have kids of our own.

This year was the first year I could not call my Dad or spend the day with him, for he passed away suddenly in August of 2016. When I think about past Father’s Days, I remember ones where we went swimming or at the zoo together, cards I sent him and phone calls we shared. Our relationship was not perfect, but he was and is still my dad, and I love him and miss him.

So this Father’s Day I hope all my friends call their fathers, grandfathers, uncles or whoever was an important male role model in their lives. As we all grow and get busy with our adult lives and families, we often assume our parents are going to be around forever. If there is one thing I have learned from the passing of so many great men in mylife, communicate with them regularly – let them know you love them and that you are thankful for the role they played in your life.

This was the last picture of my father and I; it was taken at my wedding in 2014.   It shows the love we had for each other and it is a picture I will always treasure.

2017 is flying by. The last time I blogged, I was in Texas caring for my mom, as she recovered from foot reconstruction surgery. Upon returning home to Northern Kentucky, blogging took a back seat so that I could spend time with the hubby, the kitties and get caught up with life in general.

Like always there are many things I want to blog about.  The purpose of my blog has always been (and still is) a place where I document life happenings. To keep up with all the little events, I have decided to do a reoccurring post, which I will call “Current Happenings,” where I document events I don’t want to forget. My hope is, this will become an easy way to document everyday life happenings, I don’t want to forget. Additionally, I hope it encourages me to blog more frequently and on topics beyond daily life happenings.

Moving onward here is what has been happening since I last blogged …

• January 1 to March 17 was spent in Texas taking of my mom, after her foot surgery
• While in Texas, I reconnected with my ranching roots

• Matthew, my half brother and I, spent a Sunday together; we hung out at Texas State University in San Marcus, where he is a freshman, and were I completed my master’s degree
• Patrick, my King Charles Spaniel and I spent a LOT of quality time together

• I got to spend some quality time with my aunts and their families, which was long overdue
• For the first time in years, I hung out with my buddy Jason, a childhood friend; we even celebrated his birthday together, for the first time in years

• My sister-in-law surprised me with the news I am going to be “Aunt Amy” in September
• The day before I left San Antonio we celebrate my mom’s 65^th birthday

• My first weekend back in Kentucky was spent on the couch with Allyn and our kitties, watching movies and cuddling

• I returned to work at the AJA
• My friend Sue and I celebrated my return home with a girl’s night out to see Beauty and the Beast   
• On March 23^, I was offered a place in the incoming graduate class of 2017 in the History Department at the University of Kentucky, as a Ph.D. student

• At the beginning of the April, I attended my 5^th ambassador circle briefing at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, GA, which included a weekend visit to Plains, GA the home of President and Mrs. Carter
• Driving back from Atlanta, I stopped in Chattanooga, TN and explored Lookout Mountain, Rudy Falls, and Rock City

• Allyn and I attended our first Reds’ game of 2017 season

• At the beginning of May, we drove up to Alfred, NY to see my cousin’s senior art show
• From Alfred, NY we drove to Niagara Falls, Canada where we got to hang out with some friends and see a few sites in the Niagara Falls area … This was our first trip to Canada

 

 

 

I started this blog after I encountered a major hurdle in life.   I am never sure if I really used the blog in the way I intended but rather in away to keep up with how life was going and what I was doing.

It’s the beginning of 2017 and I am lost again.   This time I have returned home to take care of my mom, after she had foot reconstruction surgery. What I thought was going to be a 3-week stay has now double and continues to get longer.

Coming back “home” after being gone is not easy. Being away from your husband, friends, the comforts of the home you established, your pets, job, and general routine and schedule is neither easy nor fun. It’s very challenging. At times it’s down right frustrating and depressing. I think tonight I reached my breaking point.

I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep and it just hit me … the Amy I found and was so happy with, is no longer.   It’s just not because I am away from home and away from the comforts I am use to, but because I lost focus on the true Amy and on maintaining that Amy.   Now I am asking myself the question, how do I get back to that true Amy? Plus, I wonder if that Amy even exist anymore or if she has changed and grown?

The biggest challenge or issue is that I keep telling myself I will fix things when I get home. When I get home I will change, again.   Well I think that is part of problem, the change needs to begin now. It does not need to depend on me being in a certain place or having certain comforts or people around. It depends on me knowing what I want, accepting what I need to do to get there and doing it.

So what do I want? I want the Amy back that is physically and emotionally fit, that can handle anything, professionally secure, intelligent and over all happy.

What is it going to take for me to get there? This is a loaded questions, it is going to take lots of focus. It going to take me finding time to get back to the gym, to eating healthy, to finding time to grow my mind, to let my mind relax, finding time for friends, love ones and for myself and above all reconnecting with the things I enjoy.

How am I going to do this? I am going start by examining myself daily – what I am thinking, how I am feeling, what do I need to do to fine peace and comfort within and am I doing what I need to be doing to be the person I want to be.   This also includes making time for the gym, eating healthier and holding myself accountable to do so. Additionally it includes communicating what I need to the people around me.   Then it includes setting and knowing my limits.

Today is a new day … Carpe Diem, Semper Fidelis … Seize the day and always be loyal to you.