Crowds, Cold and Chaos

This past weekend, a friend and I headed over to a local Ski Resort where we spent the day snowboarding. Well, I went snowboarding and she tried a version of it on the bunny slope. This day was comprised of my least favorite combination of C’s, crowds, cold and chaos. Being in college I have little sense of the public schools academic calendar. Apparently it was presidents weekend and every youth group and family seemed to have a trip planned to the mountains this weekend. I was there for the better part of the day and into the night. The lines for the lifts, rentals, shuttles and tickets were incredibly long. There was not adequate inside space to accommodate people, there was a crowding on the slopes, they ran out of helmets for rent and the parking extended outside of their parking lots and into local businesses parking lots. All of this and the temperature was in the teens.

However, through all of the crowds, cold and chaos I still had a great day. There was hardly a time when I wasn’t having fun and at times I was snowboarding by myself. So, why was i having such a good time despite the C’s? Once I made it to the top of the mountain, after getting off at the last ski lift stop I realized that it was worth it. As I type this it all seems terrible, like a horrible experience but yet, it was incredible. The wind can feel like little needles on your skin but the snow looks majestic as the wind carries it away, almost like ghosts, towering high to the people on the ski lifts. The powdery snow gets stuck inside my gloves but is a dream to ride on. Riding the lifts at night is like a mid-air haunted hayride but, the trees, covered in snow, look better from this angle. The lines can be a pain to stand in but, i’m glad people are here to experience the beauty of where I live.

Sometimes the weather stinks and people can be annoying but, thats the great thing about the outdoors. A beautiful landscape and some fresh air has the power to change your mood, lift your spirits and transform your day.

Have a good day friends and stay warm.

Five for Friday- February 14th Edition

Happy Valentine’s Day Friends! Honestly,I am pretty indifferent towards Valentine’s day but, after my friend gave me a Valentine’s day card, it got me in the spirit.

Here are 5 of my favorite Valentine’s Day themed things!

1. YOU!

No matter what type of relationships you have in your life remembered that you are LOVED.

2. New2Me Nikon Coolpix

This picture may seem like it has nothing to do with Valentine’s Day but it actually has everything to do with Valentine’s Day. The camera this was taken on was my Valentine’s Day gift from my Dad. Like I have talked about before my Dad is a professional photographer. He didn’t exactly tell me how he acquired this camera but I received an older Nikon Coolpix camera in the mail on Monday, complete with 3 lenses. Due to the crazy Boone blizzard, I haven’t been able to take it out much but, I did manage to snap this picture in my backyard when the snow lightened up.

3. To the Moon and Back

I stumbled across this print on ModCloth and thought It was appropriate for today. No matter what day of the year, I would love to have this hanging on my walls.

4. Turquoise Gold Ring

I am not big on jewelry. My active lifestyle has me taking jewelry on and off all the time which usually results in me losing it. However, if someone was looking for a gift to get me for a special occasion, such as Valentine’s Day, this would be my pick.

5. Hallelu Notebook

Since I started my Blog I have wanted to write EVERYTHING down. Idea here, idea there, I am always looking for things that inspire me or that I want to write about. I am loving this cute little notebook that was made locally in my hometown, Wilmington, NC.

Sending you lots of love today! Join me in the LinkUp

Love, HayUp

Hosting Your Broke College Friends For A Weekend

WHOA BABY as in… Whoa Baby finals are over and I am slowly making my way home for my Christmas break. Just days away from Christmas, New Years and then Costa Rica! I am proud to report that I got straight A’s this semester (Merry Christmas Mom and Dad) and now that finals are over I will have lots of free time to devote to blogging and being present here on the blogosphere.

I had an INCREDIBLE mountain weekend with my friends! I love Boone always, but even more when I have time to enjoy it without the stress of class. We had two big sleepovers and two days that were action packed at Appalachian Ski Mountain. Even though my friends were braced with some not-so-ideal snowboarding conditions they still learned like champions and in the words of my friend Kenzie “Shaun White ain’t got nothin on us.” Here are some of my tips on how to successfully host an awesome snowboarding weekend with your broke college friends. These might be really obvious but they are my fun little way of recapping the weekend.

1. Check Out Group Rates

We couldn’t get a group rate at the mountain this time because there wasn’t quite enough of us but, we got one with a big group last time and we all saved about 10 or 15 dollars. It is definitely worth giving the resort a call to see if they offer group rates and if you qualify.

2. Make your own magic

We had all just finished exams so we were all pretty exhausted and spent out on Christmas shopping. Friday night we made our own magic in my apartment. We jammed out to Justin Bieber’s Christmas album, played games in my apartment and caught up with each other. As for Saturday night…let’s just say we all headed to bed early. We are college kids…we just need to be together to have fun!

3. Pack Your Lunch

We saved a ton of money by not buying lunch at the Ski Resort and packing our own. We made a grocery list, divided the items evenly and took a group trip to Wal-Mart…which is always an adventure. Both Saturday and Sunday we took over a little space in the ski lodge and had our own picnic, complete with Christmas cookies. We may have received some dirty looks from the employees but I am thinking they were just eyeing our goodies.

4. Get an Early Start

Ski Resort tickets can be very expensive, especially on the weekends, so get an early start and get the most out of your day! My friends loved waking up to Christmas music, coffee, my bright and shiny face, waffles and scrambled eggs. We made it to the mountain at quite an impressive hour, beat the crowd and had a FFFFFUUULLLLLLL day seizing the slopes.

5. Rent Local

This is something that I wish I would have known long ago. Many local ski or snowboarding shops offer rentals which can save you lots of money from renting them from the resort. I have my own gear but my friends were able to get a student discount, faster service and a weekend rental from, First Tracks, a snowboard and ski shop literally seconds from my apartment. I give myself a pat on the back because that was my suggestion.

For all of the things I can’t describe through my typing i have put together this fun little video that captures some of the highlights from the weekend!

I am still learning how to make videos and i dont have the best software so i apologize for all the glitches

https://vimeo.com/82099767

Mid-Exams Board Break

Here are just a few pictures from my study break that i took today! They were blowing lots and lots and snow in anticipation for the weekend! So excited to be done with exams to finally read my national geographic and have to whole weekend to spend with some of my high school friends that are coming into town. So excited to show them how awesome life here in Boone is.

Stay warm my friends

xoxo-HayUp

What I Have Learned From Biking To School

This year, I no longer live on campus, meaning no more rolling out of bed 5 minutes before class to walk right next door to my classroom. However, not sharing a bathroom with an entire hall is worth waking up a little bit early. I still live walking distance from campus but it would be quite a lengthy walk so, i started riding my bike to school. I did much better at it in the first half of the semester but, once it started to get cold I chickened out and took the bus. I grew up riding my bike around my neighborhood and on fairly deserted back roads so it didn’t take me long to learn a few lessons about sharing the road with cars, busses, trucks, people and 18-wheelers.  Most of this was learned from kind strangers offering their advice to me by shouting at me.

1. Wear a helmet:

I know i know, this is biking 101 but, i’m serious. Despite the fact that it is illegal in my town to ride your bike without a helmet and wearing a helmet can protect your from serious injuries if you don’t wear a helmet people will yell at you to put one on and it will be embarrassing. About 2 weeks ago a guy, in a car full of a bunch of people, rolled down his window and proceeded to lecture me on why i should be wearing a helmet. It was humiliating, needless to say I wear my helmet every time i ride my bike now.  

2. Stop signs and stoplights are not optional:

I am not sure what the official biking etiquette is for this but, luckily I made the decision that when in doubt just follow standard driving laws. I made the right decision. One time I went through a stop sign and the driver coming from the other direction was not a happy camper about it. I didn’t cause him to stop or anything but i might have made it a little too close for comfort.  If we want drivers to respect us bikers on the road we have to respect the drivers also. Also, try and stay off sidewalks. Especially on a college campus.

3. It’s a simple Math equation:

If getting to class on time is dependent on the amount of physical effort i have to put forth ( like riding uphill) i am going to be late….and i was late. At the beginning of the semester i did p90x for a few days…oh my goodness…I could barely walk down my stairs much less ride my bike at a decent speed. Also, if the way I am going to look for class is dependant on if i am riding my bike to school that day I am not going to look that good. I cannot ride my bike very efficiently in jeans so this semester i probably had a high percentage of wearing workout shorts and yoga pants. I am not complaining abou that. Okay thats enough math

4. Be confident:

Bikers own the road just as much as drivers do so don’t feel bad about making cars go around you. It is going to be a little awkward when drivers get annoyed with you, honk at you, try and talk to you or your friends wave at you from the bus and they are obviously giggling at you but, OWN IT! Your mode of transportation is wayyy cooler than riding the applecart (yes, that is the name of my towns public transportation).

5. It had Rewards:

Mostly it saves a bundle on gas and paying for parking which is always a reward but it was also rewarding receiving applause from my friends. I would pass my friends as they were walking around campus and they would seem so surprised by be riding my bike to school. One girl said, “wow you rode your bike all the way from your apartment?” It is really not that far but it feels good to have people acknowledge and encourage your efforts. I got a lot of “You Go Girl.” Sometimes it rained, sometimes it snowed and sometimes i left my bike on campus because it was just too darn cold to ride it home but, looking back i have loved every second of it. Way in my future I want my children to have the opportunity to ride their bikes to school because…well…why not?  

Love ya always! Peace Out, HayUp

How One Mission Trip Changed My Future

When I was going into my freshman year of highschool, a mature 13 years of age,  I was finally old enough to go on my youth group’s mission trip to Colorado. We road tripped out there in our legendary First Baptist Church charter bus. All of my mission trips were life changing but this one was my first and it introduced me to something I had never been exposed to before….the mountains.

I grew up on the coast of North Carolina and Wilmington is as flat as a pancake so seeing the mountains of Colorado was a brand new experience for me. Our bus even overheated as we navigated up the mountain. We stayed in a very beautiful cabin where you could walk outside and see the mountain peaks. Throughout the week we spent there i fell in love with Mountain life; the simplicity, the natural beauty, the fresh air and mostly the fact that it wasn’t 100 degrees outside.

Our mission work for the week included leading a vacation bible school for children, leading a sports camp in a nearby neighborhood and doing repairs on a local church. I have memories of the children I met and have articles of clothing that are covered in paint from painting the church but unfortunately much of the 9 day trip has turned foggy over time.

However, what has continuously stuck with me over the years was the hike we went on during our last day. This was probably one of the first real hikes i have ever been on in my life and as we reached the top i could hear a waterfall and when i turned the corner and when saw it my heart stopped beating. Instantly the word “yes” popped into my head. Just the word “yes”. Like this is where i’m supposed to be. All at once i was looking at a waterfall and snow at the top of the mountain, two things i had had almost no exposure to. I was in awe of the view and in awe of the Lord’s vast creation. After this trip to Colorado, i wanted more, so much more. I wanted to see it all. Many things in my life may have changed since i was 13 (i no longer have braces) but my desire to see the world has not.

It was because of this mission trip that i decided to come the college in the Mountains of North Carolina and pursue a degree that would allow me to hike and see many more waterfalls well into my future.

Where are some places that you have had that “yes” moment?