Weekend Wrap Up: 'Murica & July 4th

It's been awhile since I've done a weekend wrap up but there was A LOT to wrap up from July 4th weekend! 100% disclosure - the weekend was filled with cheating on my diet/lifestyle change/etc. but  it was a HUGE improvement over a year ago. I'm disappointed that I let myself over-indulge (again) but I'm also proud of many of the choices I made. Progress. 

Nick got off work at 3 pm on Thursday so we decided to go home to Cincinnati and meet some of his former co-workers for dinner and drinks at a rooftop bar in downtown Cincinnati.

I love seeing new areas of the Cincinnati - you can live somewhere your whole life and still experience new things and new people! 

Beautiful view as always!

It's not fancy like New York City or LA but it's home!

 On Friday we didn't really have any family plans for the 4th other than a quick lunch out so Nick and I went over to our friend's Holly & Nick's for a pre-Reds game party before we headed to the baseball game. Our friends are getting married next April and recently bought an ADORABLE house just outside the city. I thought it was perfect for a new couple and decorated so cute - I can't wait to have a little house to decorate :)

It was so great to see people we hadn't seen in forever - sometimes it's a little sad being the only ones living outside of Cincinnati. Life kind of goes on without you and there's always so much we miss out on!

Friends/couples from high school

Flashback to junior year of high school (2007)

This was our first Reds game of the season so we were anxious the get down to the stadium! We always had date nights at the ballpark - we always have a good time! Of course the stadium was packed due to the fireworks after the game so much of the time we walked around and hung out instead of sitting in our seats. After the game we met friends at Holy Grail across the street from the ballpark to hang out - we even saw some Red's players after the game eating dinner and hanging out! 

Another late out was followed by one of my favorite Westside breakfasts ever - goetta omelette from Price Hill Chili. Unless you are German or from Cincinnati, you've probably never had goetta. It's sliced like sausage and made from pin oats and pork - YUM. 

In anticipation for the night time events and due to the gorgeous weather, I made sure to get in a nice sweaty run at the park! Nick and his parents took the doggie for a walk too while I ran. 

Now for my favorite thing yet - the Shrimp Boil! Some very close family friend's of Nick's family wanted to have a wedding dinner for us but there wasn't any time before the wedding so we had on it on Saturday. OH EM GEE. I've never had anything so delicious and simple before!

The boiled sausages, shrimp, corn, and potatoes in a big stock pot and just poured scoops of everything on the tables so people could eat with their hands. Everything was so so so good! All of my favorite foods in one place. For dessert there were fruit kabobs and light key lime pie - everything was perfect.  What a great idea for feeding a bunch of people - there were about 15-20 of us! 

On Sunday, we rested. And ate again. Seriously, that's all we did this weekend - met my family for brunch, had lunch with Nick's parent's, and had dinner with in-laws and grandparents. 

So that was my July 4th weekend -- family & food. 

How was your weekend? 

Go America!