Let us pause for a moment of Erin...

I am a very traditional person. I love being this way! Just about every holiday there is some tradition that I feel I must continue to participate in to make it the best time yet. This ties in with how sentimental of a person I am. These traditions are so important to me because of that sentimental side. It warms my heart to feel the memories of my past through continuing a tradition. Well it's Halloween weekend! This holiday season always makes me think of my life-long friend, Whitney. For as long as I can remember, we spent the Halloween night together at some point. When we were kids, we would go trick or treating with our siblings and parents like all other kids. Once we were finished, Whitney and her family would always come to our house. It was so much fun! Our parents would sit in the kitchen or living room. They would talk, play cards, have coffee - grown up stuff. We would have the real fun however! (me, Nick, Whitney, and Kortney) We would begin by all getti...

I love my kitchen. I love the retro looking yellow stove. I love all the cabinets and counter space. I even love my window I look out of when I wash dishes. The truth of the matter is, the kitchen is one of my favorite rooms in my house. In any house for that matter. Cooking has always been something that interests me. If you know much about me, you know that a dream of mine has always been to have my own bakery. I remember thinking that over seriously when deciding my career in life. I then remembered how I am not exactly an early riser, and decided I couldn't pursue that dream. Just yesterday I was gazing at all the beautiful baked goods at Panera and wished to be in my kitchen baking away something that would fill the house with a delicious smell. I love to bake. If I had my little way, I would be making pies all day long. I love the movie Waitress, where she sits around and thinks up new pie recipes when the rest of the world gets her down. I would be in heaven if...

A little over five years ago, my brother moved out of the home that we had lived in our entire lives, and moved twenty minutes away into his own house. Having lived with him for around 23 years, it was quite an adjustment for me. I am a very lucky person to have a brother who is one of my very best friends. Him moving out was the signal that we were grown ups, and it was time to take that next step of independence in our lives. I lived with our parents for three more years before I got my own house. We are now independent and grown up, but thankfully we remain each others' favorite person. Every year since Nick's departure from our childhood home, he has had a hayride in October. This party includes all the best things about fall: bonfire, hayride, good food, friends, cold fall nights, and always some kind of humorous shenanigans(like photos with that road sign in the driveway - ha ha!). It doesn't seem to matter whether he has it the first weekend in October, or th...