Cedar Rapids Bucket List -- Balloon Glow

The past two summers, I've seen aspects of the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival, but never really participated in various activities throughout the city. Claimed as the "mid-annual Midwest celebration of our nation's birthday," the Freedom Festival hosts a plethora of activities for the two weeks leading up to the fourth.

The one event I've wanted to attend for two years was the Balloon Glow. It happens on the lawn outside of Brucemore as the sun sets. There is live music playing, food vendors, and it always sounded like a nice way to spend a night.

So this summer was going to be the summer where I went to the Balloon Glow. Tuesday after work, I grabbed a blanket, packed a snack and a bottle of water, and walked with a few of my friends to Brucemore. We set up camp and it was a good thing we came early; it was packed by the time they lit the balloons.

It was a beautiful night and lots of fun.

A selfie attempt: L to R, Hailley, Olivia, Alexis, and Connor 

A failed selfie. But, we're having fun! 

The whole crew! Hailley, Olivia, Connor, Alexis, Amy, and Rachel

The Studio Life is Pretty Sweet

The past two summers, I've been able to live in a four person Coe apartment. I loved having my own room, sharing a bathroom with just one other person, and then having a great kitchen and living space to share with three other girls. The apartments were just the right amount of public and private, and I knew I could always escape to my room if I needed some space.

These were also the apartments I lived in during my junior and senior academic years. These apartments are heavily loved and were showing some wear and tear. So this summer, our housing got switched up so these apartments could receive some tender loving care. 

Instead, I got to move across the street from Coe in the Hampton Court apartments. 

Fancy, right? Because I can totally say I'm summering in the Hamptons. 

What is extra nice about these apartments is that there are a handful of single, studio apartments. I was lucky enough to get one and while I do occasionally miss having roommates, having a space to entirely call my own has been GLORIOUS. 

My family came down a couple of weeks ago to help me move from space to space. It was definitely bittersweet to leave my apartment. While heading to a new space is exciting, leaving good old Schlarbaum is only another reminder that yes, I have graduated, and yes, life is moving forward at what seems like lightning speed. 

The Hamptons are lovely. The studio is classic Hailley, in the sense it's organized, filled with books, and has just the right amount of quirkiness and charm. It's comfy with a clear sense of thought in terms of colors (aka lots of red, the color I picked out my freshman year). 

And so far so good, in terms of living alone. I've learned I really enjoy having a space all to myself. I keep it pretty clean and like that if there's a mess, it's all mine and it's up to me to clean it up. I don't have to worry about fridge space (it's all mine) and can make as many cups of coffee as my heart desires. 

Things are shaping up to be a good summer. Have lots of friends either on campus or in the surrounding area. I've got a to-do a mile long (so nothing new there), and so much excitement for the next chapter of my life starting in August. The next two months will be my final months posting on this particular blog, so get ready for all sorts of Hailley adventures. It's time to go out with a big bang!  

The Busy Summer Life

In many ways, I shouldn't be surprised by the fast-pace that my summer has taken since I arrived back on campus. At the same time, I was hoping for a slow down (you know, as a "thank you" for all the busyness and general crazy schedule I gave myself during my time at Coe).

It didn't happen.

I'm on week two of my official, working-at-Coe-one-last-time-summer. It's been a lot of fun; I've got great co-workers and many great projects coming up. I'm still giving tours in Admission and helping prep for the first-years to come to campus in August. When I'm not at work, you'll find me at the Clark Racquet Center getting a solid (and sweaty thanks to Cedar Rapids humidity) workout in, in my apartment (see post later this week about my new digs), or be-bopping around Cedar Rapids. I've dubbed this summer the summer of all summers aka the perfect opportunity to do all the CR things I haven't accomplished yet. Last weekend I brought back my bike, giving me the chance to see Iowa's second largest city via two wheels and a bike helmet.

This will also be my last summer blogging on this particular blog. Don't worry, you can't get me to stop blogging yet. Once I move into housing to start grad school, I'll put together a new blog (in case you're interested to see where I end up and what I do).

So stay cool, and get ready for a great summer of blogging and adventures!

The Bottom of the Ninth..the Final Class

Last week, instead of hopping in a car and heading back home to Wisconsin, I was getting out of a van after traveling from Kansas City to Cedar Rapids. It was nice to stretch my legs and know I wouldn't have a long car in the near future. As I unpacked, did laundry, and finished packing up my apartment, I couldn't help but feel like something was missing. I switched on my TV and stumbled upon WGN's coverage of the Chicago Cubs. Instantly, I felt better and went about my business, being both productive and enjoying seeing the Cubs win.

Apparently I was far from "baseballed" out.

Saturday rolled around and we had our final class period. In the Writing Center, our class held group conferences. It was nice to hear what my classmates had been writing and also to share my own writing with them. With suggestions and ideas bouncing around in our heads, we headed to Xavier's for our final class meal.

Our pizza was delicious and the entire time we shared inside joke after inside joke. I loved being so comfortable around the group. We laughed until our abs hurt and our pizza was gone. Once the meal was over, the group parted ways. It was bittersweet for me. I was ready for my summer of work to begin, yet still not ready to leave the group. Lucky for me, I'm on campus this summer and many of my classmates are as well. It will be nice to see them on a regular basis and play catch every once and a while.

However, class wasn't quite over yet. We still had our final portfolio to turn in. I worked hard on it Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday before I turned it in. We were required to write three essays and I was pretty proud with how they turned out. I also finished up the class blog, so if you haven't checked that in a while, you should. I'm quite pleased with the final posts (there are even some summer reading suggestions if you're interested!).

Overall, this was a great May Term. It's hard for me to compare and rank this one with the other two that I've been on. They all have been out of this world and unique in their own ways. Per usual, I've learned so much during the month of May, both about baseball and myself. I know there are many more games for me to watch (and keep score) and lots of catch left to be played. Going on this trip was an excellent way to end my academic career at Coe. It was an unforgettable trip and I'm glad you were here to read all about it!

The Final Game and the Return to Kauffman

With the trip drawing near a close, the group was ready for our return to the Midwest. We packed our bags Thursday morning and made the drive north to Kansas City. It was a long drive but lucky for it, it was a beautiful day. Dr. Bob let me drive through part of Oklahoma and I was so happy that the west Texas wind had disappeared. The roads were pretty empty and it was a lovely drive.

We made it to our hotel a little bit before the game. For our final night, we got a little fancy, staying in the infamous Muehlebach Hotel, which had been visited by every president from Teddy Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan. Today, it has not only expanded into another building, but also serves as spot for famous people to stay. Upon our arrival, the hotel was getting ready for many Republicans to arrive for a convention. The place was a buzz and we were swept into an elevator to the 13th floor. Changing out of our driving clothes, we jumped back into the van headed to Kauffman. After a few wrong turns and quick stop for dinner, we arrived, only about 10 minutes before game time.

This Kauffman was much different from our first two times at the K. The Royals were taking on the Cardinals, a long time rival and also a fiery one. The place was packed, groups of red or blue seen on every level. The game was great, both sides doing their best to nab that victory.

For the first part of the game, I was lucky enough to spend some time with my great aunt and uncle, Jim and Marilynn. We had a nice time catching up and rooting on the Royals.

The second half of the game was spent with the class, having the most fun at a game I think all trip. Don't get me wrong, we've had oodles of fun, but for this last one, it was just perfect. A super nice family sat in front of us, the grandparents having gotten the family tickets as a Christmas gift. The children were no older than 10 and it was so awesome to see their excitement at their first MLB game. The family was a die hard Cardinal family, the kids having no choice about who to root for. They knew their players and their knew their stuff. It was fun to talk to them. 

In the end, the Royals pulled out a win. It was an exciting, yet quick game. We left the K, side to side with all the other fans, feeling bittersweet. Sure, it was going to be great to be back at Coe, with a full summer ahead of us, but at the same time, I think we all wished we could just stay at the stadiums and keeping watching baseball.  

We got back to our hotel and I was lucky enough to have a friend in the area, Luke, who came by for a quick visit. Again, similar to seeing Krista in Illinois, I hadn't seen Luke in several years. It was nice to catch up and share my travels. I went to bed, knowing it would be time to head home in the morning.