Ohio recap, 2011: The east side

Oh yes, just weeks before our next trip north, I finally have completed (and added photos, which for some reason always seems to take me forever to get around to doing) our recaps from the BIG trip of the year.  

Elle and I arrived at my parents on Wednesday evening. We had dinner, played around outside and basically tried to keep things calm since we'd had a long day of traveling.

On Thursday, our plans to meet up with a friend of mine for lunch were canceled because of a transportation issue, so we embraced the chance to hang out with my family.

Helping Uncle Doug.

On Friday, we met up with two of my good friends for lunch, and then we met up with Christy and Blaine for ice cream :)

At lunch with Lins and Sara!
(I was trying to keep napkins or the check or something away from Elle.)

We got home and waited for Daddy to arrive! He had flown in to Columbus, met up with my sister for lunch and got the car from her that we were going to borrow for the week (my sister and brother-in-law were going on vacation to the beach the next day and wouldn't need both of their cars, so we got to borrow one :)). That night, we let Tim recover from his long day of travel.

"Yay! Daddy's here!"

On Saturday, we went to my good friend Megan's wedding. Elle stayed with Grams, Gramps and Uncle Doug, and Tim and I had a blast. It was awesome to have an extended date night, watching Megan and Fred commit to each other, eat and drink delicious stuff and celebrate the nuptials with some of my closest, dearest friends.

Gorgeous bride Megan.

With good friends Jen (who just gave birth last week)
and Sara (who got engaged shortly after we returned to FL!).

At the reception :)

On Sunday, my uncle drove over from Pittsburgh and joined us for lunch to celebrate Elle's upcoming birthday. Elle LOVED the cake. She scarfed it down like she was afraid I would take it away if she didn't eat it fast enough.

With Great Uncle Dave.

Pre-cake.

Cake-in-progress.

Then Doug and Tim went to the movies, and Elle and I went to a baby shower for one of my best friends from high school. It was awesome to see her - we don't get to see each other very often, and she looks so stinkin' cute pregnant :) We can't wait to meet Baby Kate!

Teren and Baby Kate :)

That night, Elle and I met up with my friend Jen for some Starbucks :) We had been at the wedding together, but it was nice to have a chance to catch up more - and it was the last time I'd see her before her son arrived (which was JUST THREE DAYS AGO, YIPPEEEEE!).

Jen captivates Elle.

On Monday, Doug, Tim, Elle and I headed up to my alma mater, Kent State. We met one of my former professors for lunch and a tour of the new journalism building, which is ah-maz-ing, by the way. I was jealous. We took a brief walk around campus so I could show Tim some stuff (he'd been on campus with me in the past, but I think it was winter and not exactly favorable walking weather). We checked out the old journalism building, the May 4th memorial sites and the student center, which has undergone some major changes.

I spent a lot of time in this student center.

Elle was tired.

We headed home and basically just hung out for the rest of the night, because we were set to head out for the west side of the state after breakfast the next morning!