What I did (and ATE) while home in Ohio

I love going home from India. It works out that I can go home a month each summer (in Ohio), which is monsoon in Goa. There are about a million reasons why I love going home. We love Goa, but home is where my family and lots of my friends are.

There’s a third “F” though.. Friends, Family, and FOOD! I don’t need to do anything but sit on the couch with my mom watching TV, eat dinner with my family, hang out with friends, and just chill (and snack).

Even though I didn’t make plans, they sort of came to me. I had told the Ohio Tourism board I’d be in town for a month. They ended up reaching out to me and I came up with a couple of fun things to do with my mom (so she can see my job is real, lol).

We also had thought about going on a vacation, but I pitched to my parents like I do a tourism board, a trip to Toronto! I told them how it’ll be so international, cultural, and we’ll have the best time eating the best food and doing to fancy museums. It worked.

I bet you’re wondering why Ben didn’t come to the US with me. For one, it’s quite expensive and we were just in Hawaii, he’d just seen my parents in India, and he hadn’t been to England to see his own family since the last time he was in the US….. THEN there was the big reason, the one that made it impossible anyways…. Shanti ate his passport.

Some of my favorites things I did while home:

Trip to Hocking Hills with my mom

Hocking Hills is this gorgeous area of Ohio. If you’re from Ohio, you’ve surely heard of it! It’s a big vacation spot especially in the autumn months.

• A mother/daughter day in Dublin
• Glamping in Hocking Hills at Glenlaurel Inn
• Spa day & crafts in Cedar Falls

Family Vacation in Toronto.

Toronto is only 6 hours away from Lexington, Ohio by drive, it was an easy trip that I think we will make again. We seriously had SO much fun in Toronto and even though I was working with the tourism board, it didn’t feel like work. it was also cool to show my parents my new “job”.

• Family friendly hotel: Le Germain Maple Leaf Square
• 20 things to do in Toronto
• Splurging at the Four Seasons

The Bonfire @ Home

The most memorable thing was a cook out with all our friends just before I left at my house. It was so good to see Whitney’s twin babes, hear Erin talk about her new house, and have Arielle back at her second home. My college friend Colleen came up from Columbus with her boyfriends, and Rochelle my best friend growing up brought her husband over. Of course they ALL brought their parents, who are also my parents’ best friends. There were lots of other people as well, like the Cramers who are like second parents. It was such a good night!

Just chilling with my dog Brandi!

So, I had written this a couple weeks ago & now have to edit it because Brandi passed away. So, going through this post is hard since I have pictures of her throughout. I’m glad I was home as long as I was and pretty much spent the whole time with her. She was 12 and had skin cancer. She was the best dog ever. So, I guess her, Huck, and Piso are all running around in dog heaven!

Lake with my mom

We went up to Lake Erie which is less than two hours away for the weekend. It was pretty much the only sunny weekend we had. It was fun to just relax and sit on the beach. I read The Goldfinch which was pretty good but really long. We also stopped by my friend Jenna’s house and saw her cute baby Hudson!

July 4th @ Cincinnati

I went to Cinci to my BFF Rachel and her husband Ian’s house for fireworks on the 4th… partied with her parents, husband, and Melissa and Brad (Mel is my BFF from HS) & went to a couple breweries. That’s the thing to do back home now, drinking “craft beers” but I just get the lightest beer possible.

More fun things:

I also got to see my Grandma and Aunts and Uncles which was cool. I took yoga class with my mom, started working out (my friend Mel played basketball in college and came to teach me ones I can do at home)… and really we just hung out at home. I also got to meet my cousin, Des’s, baby. It was the perfect 6 weeks away from India! Also look how cool the present I got my dad was!!

Breaking Bad gifts from etsy

Amazing food I ate in the USA and Canada

(obviously the most important thing)

parmesan wings and breakfast tacos 

ice cream cake
broccoli salad is my FAVE

dad’s famous ribs

pot roast

pizza hoagie & loaded fries

I made this chicken haha, my mom made literally everything else we ate at home

PANERA
mexican food… yum

steak, wedge salad, home fries

favorite meal ever, stuffed peppers

Join my email list and get exclusive updates & news straight to your inbox. 

I will never give away, trade or sell your email address. You can unsubscribe at any time.

SUBSCRIBE!

You have Successfully Subscribed!