happy three-day weekend

Hello, Memorial Day Weekend. Where did half a year go? Seriously, wow! I digress. No worries for 72 hours. Behold the 4th annual Truxall Camp & Canoe. I will eat s'mores for dinner. I will have a beer for breakfast. I will spend all day in the clothes I slept in. I will laugh until I pee. I won't wear make up. I will help compose ridiculously awesome campfire songs.

And I will remember. I am grateful.

my bucket list of extreme sports

All this toasty weather lately has made me long for outdoor adventures. I've found my mind wandering specifically to my bucket list of extreme sports. I long for the challenge and the sweet rush of adrenaline.

photo via columbus-skydive.com

If you're a bird, I'm a bird. Thanks to Geneva's recent dive from a plane, I am back on the skydiving wagon again. I've always wanted to experience this feeling of weightlessness and the freedom of plummeting through the sky.

I had to turn down the invite to zip line this weekend in Hocking Hills during our Memorial Day camping trip, because it was just too pricey. However, I do plan to hang from a wire and float through tropical foliage at some point.

photo via media-imdb.com

Who remembers Blue Crush? Who wouldn't want to be a sexy surfer chick like Kate Bosworth?

photo via enjoyourlives.com

I've always wondered if I'd enjoy rock climbing. Vertical Adventures in Columbus is only $25 for first time climbers and $10 after that. Worth at least one trip I'd say.

photo via ibackpackcanada.com

I've been white water rafting in West Virginia with my grandparents, but it was awhile ago. All I remember is I fell out of the raft. I was fine. I'd love to do it again.

photo via dmdatabases.com

I learned to water ski when I was younger (in the early ages that started with a 1). My grandparents had a boat, and every Sunday during the summer, my mom, sisters and I, along with a plethora of other relatives, would head to Holiday Lakes in Willard, Ohio for a day of sunbathing, water skiing and tubing. I miss those days.

what-to-wear wednesday: camping

This Memorial Day weekend is the 4th annual Truxall Camp & Canoe, which promises a plethora of seriously cool people, plenty of food and adult beverages, sunbathing, cabrewing and random awesomeness. This is the one weekend a year we kick style to the curb (note-you should be too intoxicated to notice). We camp all natural, so please don't bring your make-up, we'll make fun of you.

Here are my camping wardrobe essentials:
1. Paradise-patterned boxers, Old Navy $8.50
2. Ruffle-trim bikini, Old Navy $12 each piece
3. Hooded jersey cover-up, Old Navy $24.50
4. Infamous Old Navy flippy-floppies $3.50
5. Cozy team hoodie, Buckeye Corner $49.95
6. Embellished rib-knit tank, Old Navy $7.99
7. Funky sunglasses, Forever 21 $5.80

a & a inkwell designs

One of my uber-crafty sorority sisters, Ashlee, is starting her own greeting card business with her friend, Amy. Check out A&A Inkwell Designs. The cards are hand-made for any occasion and are beautiful, with the perfect personal touch.





And they customize! Check out more of their cards here.

the eyes have it

Last Sunday, I experienced what I'll call a visual episode. Suddenly my peripheral vision to the right went black except for a shimmering zig-zag line (metamorphopsia). When I tried to focus on one object, say a person's face, I only saw the left half of it. This episode lasted about 20 minutes, then my complete vision slowly came back. Weird, right?

Behold the ocular migraine. These migraines may only produce visual symptoms, as I described, or they may produce both the visual symptoms, as well as a raging headache that can last for hours or even days. I had a headache for four days, but that very well could have been my increasingly nagging allergies (I am falling apart at 26!).

I went to the eye doctor yesterday, and she said these ocular migraines, however strange and scary, are normal. They can be stress or hormone related. I've been getting them about once a month. What else happens once a month?

These migraines are not related to the eyes directly, but rather are a result of migraine activity in the visual cortex in the back of the brain (allaboutvision.com). My eye doctor said taking a magnesium supplement can help reduce the frequency of any type of migraine.

what-to-wear wednesday: in the rain

This is the first of what I hope will be a weekly feature of What-to-Wear Wednesday (at least that's my blogger goal). And on this Wednesday, it's raining. The third day in a row. And my hair is over it.
1. Come Rain or Shine Coat, ModCloth $114.99
2. Zetta tall rain boot in kelly green, Target $24.99
3. Raw-edge henley, Old Navy $7.99
4. Skinny jean, American Eagle $44.95
5. Bubble umbrella in silver ombre, Target $16.99

An outfit with a burst of color puts a little pep in your step on a cloudy day. The jacket is practical, but its cinched waist and patterned fabric won't make you feel frumpy. Though the rain may weigh you down, a simple cotton tee can make you feel light and fresh. A relaxed, skinny jean fits nicely into a bright pair of rain boots for all-day comfort. And of course, you'll need a trusty umbrella to stay dry and chic.

did i 'menchen' it's her birthday?

Happy 26th birthday to my beautiful BFF, Kristen "KRuff" Menchen!

This weekend, with the help of my lovely friends, I organized a surprise party for her. First, we went to dinner at her favorite sushi place, Kooma. Then we headed to our favorite bar, the Big Bang for the big surprise.

Look at all the fine ladies.

The evening was a success, complete with a surprised birthday girl, good friends, plenty of adult beverages, sing-a-long tunes and the best cake ever made (a big thank you to Karj and Kelly!):

Let's just say Kristen has a mild obsession with nipple tassels. Not that she wears them (though she did receive a pair at her bachelorette party), but she finds the whole idea of them to be quite hilarious. And when put on a cake, tassels are pretty funny.

Happy birthday, bestie!

on a day like today

Rainy days just make me want to curl up on the couch with a good book, catch up on Glee episodes and check out the movies I've been to busy to see. And today it rained all day. Not a hint of sunshine. If April showers bring May flowers, what do May showers bring? Hopefully not an unbearably humid June with an outrageous electric bill from an overworked AC.

But speaking of movies, here is a list of my has-beens, new releases and must-sees I want to watch:

Book Club Bonding: Eat, Pray, Love starring Julia Roberts (August 13). If you haven't read this book by Elizabeth Gilbert, it could change your life.

Girls' Night Out: Sex and the City 2 (May 27). Who can resist high fashion and insightful monologues from Carrie Bradshaw?

Date Night with Mr. Ritter: Date Night starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey (April 9) and Killers starring Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl (June 4).

Get Nerdy: Eclipse (June 30). Don't judge me.

A Night In: Marley and Me (December 25, 2008). Mr. Ritter bought me Marley and Me awhile ago, and I've yet to even remove the plastic wrapping. I think it's overdue. Plus, I'm curious to see how my Moxyn stacks up against Marley's antics. The Blind Side (November 20, 2009). I'm a sucker for a true story.

Edge-Of-Your-Seat Action: Avatar (December 18, 2009). Robin Hood (May 14). Russell Crowe - enough said.

What movies are on your must-see list?

because i had to

Duchesse Lace Skirt, Forever 21 $22.80

You would too.

It can't arrive in my mailbox soon enough!

how to dress my husband and other men's looks i love

Over the weekend, Mr. Ritter cleaned out his closet and declared to me that he was "frustrated with his clothes and neeeeeeeds more polos!" My inner fashionista was giddy with the excitement of going shopping with Mr. Ritter. I love shopping for men's clothes! Seriously, Iloveit!

Let me first give you a snapshot of Mr. Ritter's style:

1. Casual kicks from American Eagle.
2. Loose fit khakis from Old Navy.
3. Team half zip windbreaker.
4. Doc Marten boots.
5. Ohio State hoodies from the Buckeye Corner.
6. Loose fit jeans from Old Navy.
7. Striped polo shirts from Old Navy.
8. & 9. Not shown: Northface jacket and long-sleeve thermals.

Now, here are some of Mr. Ritter's wardrobe rules:

• Color palette: gray, navy blue, blue, white, brown, olive green
• No black, red, orange, or yellow (Are all redheads as picky about colors as mine?). He wouldn't be caught dead in pink, and he only has one purple t-shirt which he probably thought was navy blue when he thrifted it (did I mention he's color blind?)
• Be mindful of the thickness of the stripes on a polo.
• No designs on a t-shirt unless it's a sports team.
• Always a crew neck. Never a v-neck.

When I first started dating Mr. Ritter, he didn't wear shorts, except for gym shorts, and he hadn't expanded into browns or olive greens because of his red hair (though both colors are perfect for him!). And he absolutely did not wear flip flops! Now, I am happy to report he is wearing all three! I'm a proud wife.

Here is one of my favorite outfits that Mr. Ritter wears (mostly just around the house):

There is just something about a guy in a plain white tee and jeans (again, only crew neck for Mr. Ritter). Hubba, hubba.

I also love Justin Timberlake's easy, chic style.

And for the hell of it, here are a few men's looks I love from Express:

What's your favorite guy style?

dear mom

heather, mom, me, casey

Dear Mom,

There is so much I could say to you this Mother's Day. How wonderful, awesome, beautiful, intelligent and special you are. No one is perfect, but when it comes to being a mom, you are the best.

Thank you for sharing with me your life lessons of love, heartache, good times and bad. Thank you for letting me test the limits and see the world my way. You've helped me grow into the woman I am today, and if you ask me, I turned out pretty darn OK.

I know life throws its curve balls and can really be a bitch, but you'll always have me by your side through happy, sad or in a pinch. And I will be there, no questions asked, because you're more than just a mom, you're one of my best friends.

So thank you, thank you, thank you for all you've done and all you do. There is no one that comes close. I love you.

xoxo,
Holly

This weekend I am heading to Canton, Ohio to spend Mother's Day with my sisters and my mom. We'll treat ourselves to retail therapy, a relaxing pedicure, random adventures, good eats and some QBT (quality bonding time).

I'd also like to give a shout out to the new mom in my life, the other Mrs. Ritter. Without her, I would not be married to such an amazing man.

Mr. Ritter and his mom at our wedding.

How are you celebrating the moms in your life this Mother's Day?

this is why i love ohio

I bleed scarlet and gray and I'm a Gleek. This made my day. O-H!

feliz cinco de mayo

It's Cinco de Mayo! Most of us Americans don't even know what this Mexican holiday is all about, so let me educate you. The holiday of Cinco de Mayo, or the 5th of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It is primarily celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla. It's also celebrated in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population. As of 2005-2007, Columbus' Mexican population is only 4%.

Last week I asked the Mexican cook, Leo, at the bar I work at if he was mad that Americans celebrated his country's holiday. He said "nah." So go ahead, have a Corona and picture yourself on a deserted beach today.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo, amigos!

i wish i was forrest gump...at least for 13.1 miles

Saturday, A.Fry and I ran the Capital City half marathon in Columbus. In the rain. And we have no pictures to show for it. We scrambled to find a parking spot and got to the starting line 15 minutes before the race started. I didn't have much time to think about what we were about to put our bodies through, which was probably a good thing.

A word to the wise: TRAIN! If you can follow a training program, do it. It will help immensely! A.Fry and I trained poorly, and I felt it early and often throughout the race.

Another piece of advice: Stop and stretch during the race. It was my saving grace (the rhyming was unintentional). Last year, we ran straight through without water breaks. This time, we took water breaks and stretched to relieve some knee pain and prevent the inevitable soreness/stiffness that ensues after running 13.1 miles. The fact that I could still stand and walk on Saturday was a vast improvement from my last half.

Though I was soaked to the point of pruney and exhausted, I managed to sprint across the finish line. What a sense of accomplishment.

And in honor of my small victory, I met up with my tata-saving friends on their breast-cancer fighting bar crawl for a few brewskis.