One bad apple ruined the bunch...

Hi everyone,

I have really enjoyed using this blog to act as a connection point with all my friends and close family while I am away on my Kentucky adventure.

Recently, it has been brought to my attention that my blog is being used for purposes that I did not intend it for. Apparently, there is someone using my blog as a way to "keep tabs on me" and use the information to create drama in my personal life. I feel extremely exploited by this misuse of my personal information and quite frankly, it makes me sick. I'm sure this person knows who they are, and if you are reading this, I hope you are ashamed of yourself.

To my friends and family, I appreciate your feedback and I'm glad you are enjoying reading this! I don't think I'm going to post anything in the near future, because it is difficult to alter the privacy settings on this blog site to prevent unintended viewing. I will however begin to use Facebook more for posting pictures and such, so for you fellow FaceBook-ers you can add me as a friend if you haven't already.

I did begin to create a page about my spring break trip with Alex, however I have chosen to take it down. I don't feel comfortable having that online, as that part of my life was the main target for sabotage.

I promise that despite this issue, I'm holding my chin high and am still having a wonderful time here in Kentucky. I will be home in just a few short weeks, and am so looking forward to sharing stories with all of you!

All my love,

Elle
 

Spring Break!

Spring break is finally upon us here at Murray State! The town is buzzing and so am I :) I thought I would give you some insight as to what my plans are for the next 10 days or so, and then once I'm back I'll do a bigger post about all my adventures.

Today I am driving to Atlanta to meet Alex at the airport. It's about a six hour drive, and I'm hoping that traffic isn't too crazy so I can make good time. We will stay the night in Atlanta and make an early start on our drive to South Carolina on Saturday. The drive isn't very long so we've planned a few stops on the way through Georgia to see some sights!

We've rented a beach house on Kiawah Island, which is about half an hour out of Charleston SC and the weather is supposed to be so beautiful. We stay on Kiawah until Thursday, just enjoying the beach and whatever else there is to see! I'm hoping to do some kayaking, paddle boarding, and hiking but this make take some convincing on Alex's part ;)

Next Thursday, we have tickets to the Luke Bryan concert in Florence, SC. It's around a two hour drive, and I'm sure there is lots to see on the way up there! Next Friday, we'll be on the interstate again travelling to Greenville, SC to see ol' George Strait on his retirement tour (omg omg omg!).

On Saturday, once again, we'll hop in the car and head back West to Nashville. Alex wanted to experience all the wonders of Music City before heading back to snowy Canada. We have two nights planned there, until he flies back to Calgary on the 25th.

So excited for this trip!!

Sending love,

Elle

Blonde Moment

So something mortifying happened today...but I figured it might give everyone a good laugh.

The story begins with me at the gym-I was planning on doing a light run today because I'm pretty sore from my 15km long run yesterday. So after 30 minutes of running on the treadmill, I made my way over to the elliptical to cool down a bit. So far, this sounds like a pretty normal day at the gym...don't be fooled!

But then, I noticed over my headphones that the elliptical was making awful crashing noises; I began investigating and saw that the front swinging arm was catching on the side of the machine. It was at this point when the blonde devil on my shoulder decided it would be a really good idea to put my hand in there. Yes, you read correctly, I put my hand between a rotating arm and a stationary object.

I can't even explain how much it hurt! As many of you know, I handle pain relatively well...however, I can't stomach things that look painful. As I'm staring at my stuck-in-the-elliptical hand, I began to completely panic. I could not get it out and there was no one else around. After attempting to move the arm and realizing it only got tighter before it could get looser, I could feel nausea encroaching. After a few more seconds of me slowly maneuvering my hand out of the machine I could feel the blood rushing out of my face, the sweat pouring out of my body, and then...the vomit.

I was completely mortified. There I was alone in the gym, hand stuck in the elliptical with vomit on the floor; this was not my proudest moment. Clearly, my body overreacted and decided that going into shock was the best way to handle this situation.

In hindsight, I'm glad there was no one else around to witness this. I was able to get my hand out finally, take a few breaths with my head between my knees, pour some water on my face, wipe up the nothing-but-water puke, and continue (extremely embarrassed) on my way.

I just don't think I'm cut out for being a Belle...

Spring Fever

Today was such a tease! It was so sunny and beautiful outside that it made me feel like summer is just around the corner! I walked by the pool at our complex feeling like a caged animal, it was 14 degrees here but apparently I was the only one who felt that swimming would have been appropriate...
Tomorrow it's supposed to be even nicer and I'm so looking forward to doing my long training run out in the sunshine. It will be the perfect day! I must say this weather is making me very antsy for spring break :) One. More. Test. and then I'm free to soak up the sun with Luke Bryan and George Strait in South Carolina, woohoo!

 

Campus is always so beautiful on sunny days, so while I was waiting at the doctor's office, I snapped a few photos. A very cute and unique feature of the campus is the Shoe Tree (picture below). Basically, if you happen to meet the love of your life while attending Murray State, once you get married you attach your shoes to the tree! Such a cute tradition, and there's even some baby shoes on there that people put up once they have kids!

 

But have no fear! At this rate I will not be contributing to the shoe tree, and I will be returning to cozy Canada without a Southern cowboy (despite their intriguing sexiness).

 



 

On a somewhat eerie side note, the birds in Kentucky give me the heebee jeebees! This video is of a huge flock of black birds straight out of a Hitchcock film that gave me the creeps. The worst part was that everything was silent except for the birds and the bell tower...
 

 

March 7th

Vlogging

 

Finding happiness!

Despite my last post, things are as happy and go-lucky as can be here in Murray KY. If you ignore my first bike accident, the freezing winds, and my disgusting roommates...things are really shaping up! This quote is keeping me inspired to continue making the most of my trip.

Okay so it hasn't been the best week, but I've begun to find comfort in the little things around here to keep my chin up. Things can only get better!

 The first exciting news is that our county is hosting a half marathon in April! This means that I'll need a strict schedule to get in shape on time, but I have about six weeks to train for it. Hopefully I can find some running buddies that are also interested in running the race :) wish Kayla was here though!

I have been running since I got down here, but more like "casual running" about three times a week. However, I started into my training on Monday at the stadium stairs! Such a beautiful place to sweat it out, had a great run!

Secondly, even though there is no Starbucks in town (and worse-no Second Cup in the country), I have found a heavenly study sanctuary. This morning, heaven shined light down through the Kentucky fog onto Fidalgo Bay. I love supporting this locally owned family business, and they make some damn good lattes!
In all my grumpy glory, I stumbled in here early this morning with very low expectations-how could anywhere be as good as the Rocky Ridge Second Cup?! Well I was so pleasantly surprised it almost brought me to tears (sadly, I'm not joking about the tears-I've been on an emotional roller coaster these days). On the outside, it looks like just another coffee shop, but on the inside it is such a homey little sanctuary and I can't wait to spend all my time here! I came to study before class aaaaaand guess where my bike took me after my run? Yes, as we speak I am blogging at Fidalgo  Bay, happy as a little clam. Thank you Jesus!

Missing Home

Before I get into this post, I think I should make it clear that I am having a great time down here and I'm still really glad I came. However, I think it's to be expected that some days I'll be more homesick than others.

Today was definitely one of those days. I'm not normally one to sulk, but I think the "honeymoon" phase of my adventure is beginning to wear off. I don't want to say the day was wasted, but I just needed to be alone with my thoughts today. I think being here has made me realize how important home really is. I don't just mean home in the literal sense, but I mean home in an all encompassing way. 
Being in a new place makes it hard to depend on the little things that made home, well, home. All the things I've known and grown accustomed to are gone. I can't go for a walk by the river when I need to clear my head. I can't call Kayla to go for a run and chat. I can't have Meg and Kayla over to drink wine, make crafts, and eat our weight in expensive cheese. I can't have breakfast dates with Tasha on Sunday mornings. I can't fill the cupboards with cereal and fridge with milk for Braiden when he's coming home from work. I can't escape real life and go to the farm to get pampered by mom and dad when I'm having a bad day. I can't make new memories with Alex. I can't sit at home and knit on the chaise lounge with a purring cat and watch bride night on TLC. I can't go  over to Mormor and Beste's for coffee and cookies in the afternoon. I can't go to Grandma's on Friday nights when I need family time...the list goes on and on.

But there's no sense being down in the dumps unless you can learn something from it. And what I've realized today is how lucky I am to have so much at home that I miss; it would be much more unfortunate not to miss home.
Making this realization not only makes me excited about coming home to all of these wonderful things, but it has given me a new appreciation for the closeness that I share with all of the people that make home so special to me. Being here has really affirmed how strong my family values are, and how important my family and friends are to defining what home means to me. I miss all my friends and family so much, and I am so looking forward to being back with all the people (and critters) that have shaped my life at home.

Love you all!
xoxo
-Elle the (wish-I-was-back-in-the-North) Belle

Vin Rouge

The devil himself has cast a dark shadow over Murray, KY. I for one, could not be happier about this! Murray got it's first liquor store and the grand opening was this past weekend while I was away! My excitement when I heard this news was not to be taken lightly; as my red wine craving was encroaching quickly and things were about to get ugly without it.
The first thing I did when I woke up this morning was try to google where the heck this little gem was located in town. The limiting factor in this equation was whether or not it's within biking distance from my house...
As it turns out, it is within biking distance...40 minutes worth of distance, but totally worth it. Plus the calories burned getting the wine will counter balance my indulgence ;) I've never pedaled so hard in my life, the old Roadmaster was reaching top speeds along Sycamore Ave.

Yes, I know what you're thinking...this place looks like a total dive. Well you are right in your thinking, it is a divey little joint on the sketchy side of town. But beggars can't be choosers, and Friendly's will be booming with my business. Despite the sketchy exterior, I met the owner today during my stop who seemed, you guessed it, quite friendly. It may have been because he was at least half cut, but telling me I was a "sight for sore eyes" with a Southern accent while holding a big old bottle of cab sav really won me over!

The wine choices were limited to say the least (Sutter Home, please be good to me), but I was assured that the store would take custom orders for any wine I desired. Mr. Friendly also promised that he would keep the cab sav and malbecs stocked just for moi!
Since then, I've been counting down the minutes until 5pm so I can crack this baby! Happy Monday everyone, looks like Valentine's Day is shaping up after all!

To add, I would like to remind you all never to take corkscrews and wine glasses for granted; for life without them is quite stressful.

Also, it leads to some problems. Such as having to push the cork inside, and spilling wine all over your white comforter (yes I was opening wine in my bed, don't judge).









Scissor innovation paid off in the end though :) and resulted in a happy Ellis sipping sweet Sutter Home nectar from a coffee mug.

I have been such a terrible blog-keeper these days! I feel like things have been so busy; between school and being at the barn, I'm out of the house for 12-14 hours every day! But as many of you know, busy Ellis=happy Ellis so although my blogging is suffering, I am thriving here in Kentucky!
I love you all for reading and I promise to inundate the blog with posts as soon as I get a free moment. Exam tomorrow morning and lots of things to do to get ready for the horse show this weekend!
Miss everyone so much and hope all is well at home!

¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!

So, this weekend I had my very first Taco Bell experience. To my Canadian followers: I do realize we have Taco Bell in Canada, so please don't think I came all the way to KY to have a 89 cent taco.
As with many things, I'm sure Taco Bell in Calgary is a little bit different than the one here...otherwise I've probably been missing out on great tacos for 23 years.




Anyways, my new American friends were so excited to take me for my first "T'Bell" meal this past weekend. We arrived, and there I stood, in front of a huge glowing menu of cheap greasy food.

My friends would like to remind you that

 late night T'Bell trips don't reveal true beauty.

 

If you're a close friend, you're probably thinking "Ellis must have had an anxiety attack!". Inside, I was definitely having a small, encroaching attack; but I suppressed my fear of fast food and put on a brave face for my new friends. I distracted my frantic brain with these entertaining hot sauce packets while our food was being made.

After some collaboration, I decided on the volcano taco and fiesta potatoes--anything spicy was right up my alley. At the time, this was a great idea. However, the next day there was definitely a fiesta volcano...sorry, too much information.







The general consensus from my perspective of T'Bell:

Definitely worth it at the time; a cheap and tasty meal when you don't feel like a big burger. Regrettably, the aftermath is a pricey experience in itself. I would suggest weighing the gastrointestinal pros and cons of eating cheap tacos.

Love,

the extra spicy southern belle

Winter Weather?

Something I still can't get over is the weather warnings that we have down here. The other night, there was a "winter weather warning" that called for falling sheet ice. My roommates were convinced that classes were going to be cancelled because the roads would be unsafe. Basically, the whole town went on standby for the remainder of the evening. I was a bit concerned-I mean, when we get warnings at home it's usually pretty serious and it effects the morning commute and such.
However, when I left extra early for class the next morning, I could not help but literally laugh out loud.

 

 

 

Granted, the grass was a little bit crunchy and you had to watch your step on the sidewalks. Oh, and god forbid (oops you can't "curse" here in the bible belt) everyone had to pull out their ice scrapers. 

Campus

Campus was so beautiful one this sunny day! I spent most of it diddling around on my bike taking photos like some Asian tourist, so I hope you enjoy them! Above is creatively called "the gate", and is a good meeting place for friends, as the campus bar, burrito shack, and hooka bar are just across the street.

This is my favourite building on the whole campus! And coincidentally where every single one of my classes is held. It is the brand-spankin' new Biology building, that is connected via the +15 type bridge across the center (I called it the +15 today and got some very blank stares from my Merican friends).












Below are a few snapshots I took around campus today.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

And this is my humble abode. If you're really curious, my apartment is on the right side on the second floor. I share with three other girls who are all very sweet and easy going. I think some friendships are in bloom! It is fairly quiet around here during the week, but I'm hoping our neighbors will throw a party in the near future! The complex I live in has about 6 of these buildings, and I've met a few friends in my classes that live really close by, which is highly convenient since I do not have a car here (real Belle's don't ride bikes!). I'm very happy with my apartment so far, and I hope it continues to go this smoothly!



There are no words

 

This photo was taken at the local Walmart. Obviously. I really wish I could come up with some witty joke to go along with this photo, but I think in this case, "a photo says a thousand words".

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I've never seen anything like this in Canada. What really cracks me up is that it's made by "Knotts Fine Foods"...more like NOT fine food. Some things just shouldn't be mixed...pickles, okay. Bologna, okay. PICKLED BOLOGNA?!

If anyone is a fan of this "fine food" forgive me. But my advice is, you can probably get some regular bologna and a jar of pickles for much cheaper and make yourself a decent sandwich.

 

My goal is to get a photo of a person buying it! I picture this person with buckteeth...hilarious. I'll get on it right away.

 

Love,

The Wannabe

Welcome

Welcome!

Just so you understand how to navigate through my site, I'm going to give a few pointers! My blog posts (this is a blog post) will stream on the home page when you first come to my website. In the future, I will post quick comments, funny moments, current pictures, and other things of the sort on a day to day basis. On the top navigation bar, you can find my larger posts that give more detail about what I'm doing in Kentucky, places I've gone, and various other big adventures.

I hope you enjoy hanging out with me on the web!

Elle the (wannabe) Southern Belle