Best of DC

I have wanted to do this post since Dave and I left the DC area almost one month ago. The DC area is where we lived together for the first time as a married couple and spent the next three years have mini adventures. We experienced many different things there; both great and not so great. We used to go into the city about once a month to see ALL the different things that the Nations Capital had to offer us. There are SOOOOOO many things that you can do for FREE in the city, that you can easily fill up your weekends on the cheap!

Here are my top 25 pictures from DC (+ 1 more): 

Lincoln Memorial

Jefferson Memorial

Air and Space Museum 

Red Pandas at the National Zoo

Friendship Arch in Chinatown

Arlington Cemetery 

Arlington Cemetery 

U.S. Capital 

Vietnam War Memorial

U.S. Capital at Night

Washington Monument

National Cathedral 

Mount Vernon

Lincoln Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

WWII Memorial

WWII Memorial

Washington Monument 

Constitution of United States of America - National Archives

Berlin Wall - Newsuem

The Awakening - National Harbor

War Nurses Memorial

Jefferson Memorial - Cherry Blossom Festival

Washington Monument - Kite Festival

Musician at Dupont Circle

View from Potomac River

If you haven't explored Washington DC yet, make sure you make plans to see the great city soon!

Welcome to Oz!

Hello! Hello! Hello!


Dave and I have been in Australia for almost a week, and it has been unbelievable! It feels like we have been here longer, Newcastle is starting to feel like home. Newcastle is a city without really being a city, if that is even possible. It is the 2nd largest city in New South Wales, after Sydney, and 2nd oldest in Australia. It is a city that was built by the hardest convicts sent over by Britain, something that the people embrace. The city is industrial at one end and then six blocks up it's a relaxed ocean city. Newcastle has beautiful beaches; Nobby's Beach & Newcastle Beach, a great artist scene, beautiful parks, and much more we still have to discover.

Dave and I have walked around most of the city, taking in the different cafes, local shops, ocean views, and friendly smiles. We even grabbed the train and bus to check out the local areas. You actually have to take a bus ride for 35 min. to get to a computer store  or bigger clothing store, this took me as crazy...you have to travel outside of the city to get to a computer store! It took awhile, but this place has started to grow on us. We decided that this could be a place for us and luckily we were able to find a fully furnished apartment that was in our price range. Our new apartment is just two blocks from Darby St., which is the artist area and has great little shops, restaurants, etc, close to the art gallery, and library. We are also only a 10 min. walk from the grocery store and outdoor mall, the only downside is walking up the STEEPEST HILL EVER back up to our apt.  Something pretty interesting is that in our little apartment complex is that it houses 9 other Americans, mostly students from Wisconsin who are attending University (Uni)!  Maybe Dave and I will meet them and have a MidWest Meet Up Down Under!


Language Differences:
University = Uni
Thank You = Ta
Great = Ripper
Breakfast = Brekkie
Elevator = Lift
Garbage = Rubbish
McDonalds = Mackers
To Go = Takeaway

C ya Down Under!

In officially 24 hours Shoave will be in the airport checking in for the adventure of a lifetime! We will be flying from Minneapolis, MN to Dallas, TX (then running our booties off to catch the next plane) to Brisbane, AUS to Newcastle, AUS! Holy flying, batman! We will be leaving for this adventure around 4p.m. on Friday, August 5th and landing at 1:30p.m. August 7th...crazy. There will be a total of 20 hours spent in the air. The worst part right now is that Dave has caught a major cold yesterday and can't seem to shake it. So I have him on a strict schedule of medicne, orange juice, and rest..the last thing we (or others) want is for him to be sick during the whole way to Australia.

So today will be spent doing errands and getting ready for an adventure of a lifetime. We still have no idea where we will live, where we will work, when we will come home, or what the heck we will do! This is what makes it VERY exciting and VERY crazy! Since we will be busy running around and have no wireless internet access this will be the last post from AMERICA!!

We will see you on the flip side,

DOWN UNDER!!!

Land of 10,000 Lakes

This past week Dave and I have been lucky enough to spend a few hours out on Lake Minnetonka. Our friends parents purchased a boat this summer and we took full advantage of it when visiting! We headed out with our swimsuits on, dinner packed, and the tunes playing. It was a perfect night (no joke), and we spent 3 hours going through different channels, areas, and gazing at the grand houses sitting on the lake.

Here are some pictures from our great evening!

I could spend hours and hours on the boat!

OOTW: Plus Size Fashion Blogs I'm Lovin

No pictures this week! Sad, I know, but with all the crazy traveling out of one itty bitty suitcase I don't feel my outfits are picture worthy. Plus many of them are repeats that you have seen. So the next time I will post outfit pictures I will be in Australia (holy moly)!

I wanted to share with you a few blogs that have inspired me and shown me that plus girls can rock it too. Check out these blogs and show the wonderful girls some lovin'!

 Bonjour Gazel
Fuck Yeah Chubby Fashion
The Curve and The Line
Allison's Adventure in FATshionland

Do you have any great fashion blogs to share? 

I would love to find more plus size fashion ones.

They truly do make me feel 1000% more comfortable 

with this body of mine!

Hope you get to feel like a princess soon!

bowl of mixed emotions

Being back in MN has been a BIG bowl of mixed emotions. It's great seeing friends and family, hanging out, laughing, BUT I'm stressed with all the things we have to get down before Australia (seriously..nothing has gone right) and on top of that I have found out that I may have to say my final goodbyes to my grandma. I wasn't really prepared for that, I knew she wasn't doing well, but I wasn't ready for this.

If you have read my blog, you may know how much my grandma means to me. She is my everything, she is one of the few people that get me for exactly who I am. I love that when I tell her about our crazy adventures or silly stories she just says, " Well, that's Shoave." She never tells me I'm crazy or that I need to think about what I'm doing and get my priorities straight.  This is one of the many things I love about her! 

I grew up living only 5 miles from my grandparents, we were on the farm and they were in "town". * I actually grew up on the same farm my grandpa, and mom grew up on * Since my grandma lived in town, I stayed with them probably 1/4 of the year. During the school year I walked to school from their place, my grandma helped me practice for my spelling tests, and rollerbladed around in circles in the basement. Being at my grandmas also ment; swimming my days away, reading in bed together, eating popcorn and apples on Sunday nights, watching cable tv, and walking to Dairy Queen for snacks. 

This picture was taken just over a year ago, this was the last time I saw her. She wasn't her healthiest (she has been sick since my mom passed away 5 years ago) but she was doing good. I took her to her appointments and we went on car rides through the country taking about the past. This year she is at her worst. She is always tired, she sleeps most the day, doesn't have energy to get out of bed or eat. My sister has prepared me for this a bit, but I don't know if you can ever be to prepared. I keep finding more times that we can stop by and see her, I keep putting off having to face saying the final goodbye. I know that I will have my fingers (and toes) crossed while in Australia, that this in fact won't be my last goodbye. 

So keep your fingers and toes crossed with me and help me gain strength to say and do what I need to do. 

Reunited and it feels so good

So Dave and I have been in MN for about 4 days thus far and it feels great to be back. Nothing really beats on seeing your family, friends, and getting into the flow of never have been gone. It has been a year or so since I have been home, and then it was only for a few days for my cousin's wedding. But now we are here in MN for two whole weeks visiting everyone and saying our "See Ya Laters" before heading down under.

Saturday was the IMPACT (Innovative. Memoriable. Programming. Activities. for Campus. Togetherness. ( MSU's Program Board)) Reunion. We met for a picnic at the park near the college and had a great time eating tons of food and joking around like old times. Later that evening a few of met to go hit the town like to good ole days! There was drinking, laughing, running in the rain, feeling old in a college town, and dancing galore. I love my IMPACTers, they truly are my second family. I started becoming the woman I am when I was with these people and they love me for all that I am, that is true friendship.

Here are some pictures from our visit thus far:

Introducing: Malia Grace Mackie

Proud parents, my cousin Melissa and her husband Jeff!

IMPACT Reunion

ASA Pledge Class

E has a BABY!

.heart. blue bricks

President and VPs!

Brunch at Rounders!

leaving kato in our dust

Niece Kenzi and I at Minneopa Falls

Minneopa Falls

Dave and Kenz discussing the bobbing 'head'

.shoave.

4th grade Arbor Day tree in my grandma's yard

Niece Emma with Devil Dog their new puggle puppy, Oreo

Hope you had a great weekend!

What are you plans this week?

Check back later this week to see all the people and things we are doing while in MN!