They have more than just corn in Indiana, but they also do have a lot of corn

My most recent trip was to Elkhart, Indiana. Not one of my bucket list destinations but it has three things I can't find anywhere else: My brother, sister in law, and adorable baby niece moved to northern Indiana last fall, and now it's one of the places I visit the most. I've been four times in the past year, and I'm sure I'll be back many more because, seriously, she is the CUTEST.

I now have two selfies of us like this. I think I'm going to keep it up for the next 12 years. Stick Out Your Tongue: A Photo Series will be released in 2030.

Both of my grandparents are from Terre Haute, Indiana. Well, my Grandpa technically is from Chicago (don't get it twisted because he will correct you) but grew up in Indiana. Then they moved out west to California where they had their kids, then those kids had kids, and then THOSE kids had kids. And then those kids moved back east when they realized SoCal was too expensive. I don't have any children, I'm not ready to be a mamma and may never be (which is FINE btw, women have value and worth even if they don't have children Y'all). So when my only sibling had his first child, it was a BFD. I was for sure meant to be an auntie. My aunts meant the world to me growing up, and I am stoked to get to be that for someone. She's not my kid, and it's insane how much I love this little person who I've only known for like 18 months.

I ALSO GET TO SEE THIS LITTLE CUTIE. I IDENTIFY AS A CAT PERSON, BUT THERE IS A HANDFUL OF DOGGOS I AM PARTIAL TO AND THIS LITTLE chihuahua IS ONE OF THEM.

Born on the west coast, moved to the east coast and never had any reason to visit the middle, it now looks like I'll be hanging in the midwest pretty often. When I first began visiting, I hunted for the cheapest travel option, of course, and that was to fly into Chicago, then take the Airport Supersaver bus to South Bend. It's a great travel option if you need to get between Chicago and Indiana; they stop at both Midway and O'Hare as well as many stops along the way to South Bend International Airport. And I can snag a flight from NYC to Chicago for an awesome price pretty easily. Taking the bus is an excellent option though it is a very, very long travel day. This last time I was able to find a great deal on a direct flight with United from Newark to South Bend, and it was terrific. I was there in two hours, and I hope to find similar flights in the future. The trip back, however, was not so terrific. I booked a basic economy ticket, which has its restrictions like no full size carry on or seat selection, but one thing I didn't notice was no online check-in which means you have to go to the counter to check-in. Be aware of this if you opt for a basic fare with United. I was not aware and got to the airport just after the cut off and couldn't get on my flight which was a total bummer.

THIS DIRECT FLIGHT IS ONE OF THOSE LITTLE PUDDLE JUMPERS WHICH I HATE. FLYING WAS NOT SOMETHING I GOT COMFORTABLE WITH VERY EASILY, AND THESE TINY PLANES ARE WHAT I IMAGINE HELL WOULD BE LIKE.

My brother turned 30 a few weeks ago, so I invited myself for a long weekend. When my sister in law and I were searching for a place to go to dinner, we, of course, used yelp. I can't imagine anyone reading this wouldn't know what yelp is or how great a resource it can be, but then I think of my mom who probably doesn't, so just putting it out there. Yelp is amaaahhzing; not the most useful in every country but here in the US it's my go-to for finding food and drink. And it did not fail in the Hoosier State. We went to Evil Czech Brewery which was way cool. The food was delicious, the brews tasty with quirky names (cashmere outside was my fave name), it had a funky vibe, and they make most, if not all, their items in-house, including the mustard. We loved it so much we asked to buy a soup cup full of it, and they were so sweet to accommodate. No joke, next time I visit my fam, I'm taking a checked bag and an empty mason jar to fill up with this mustard to bring back home. I got the Spanish Inquisition, one of their handmade sausages, with beer battered fries, and of course a side of the mustard. It was unreal. Even the kid's mac & cheese was fantastic; thankfully they gave a portion way too big for my niece because I kept picking at it. They had a real clear brand, which was environmentally conscious and posted about their 'nose to tail' philosophy in the menu. I very much appreciated the respect they seemed to genuinely have for animal life and the world as a whole. Definitely my kind of place.

Forgive the blurry pics, I was just so hungry and excited I couldn't think straight... or hold the camera straight. Food from left to right: Spanish Inquisition, Carne Asada, pretzel with house made beer cheese & buffalo curds. gaaahhhh.

I haven't explored much of Indiana. Every time I've gone it's been short trips, there's usually some family function to attend, and my sole focus is to spend time with my niece, bro and SIL, which is a lot of lounging around the house. A few highlights I've had over the last year:

• One visit we drove around Notre Dame, and the campus was be-yoo-ti-ful. People were jogging, and families were walking all around the lake. I'd love to go back sometime and get out of the car to see more of it close up.
• Another time we watched a storm roll in from way far off; I'd never seen anything like that before. It was mesmerizing, and I could spend many a night just sitting on a porch watching the thunder and lighting creep up on us.
• Most times we stop at least once by Culver's, my sister in law's favorite place and THE fast food chain of the midwestern U.S.
• I've seen a lot of Amish out and about with their horse and buggy, but it would be interesting to visit a community and look at the goods and food for sale.

Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to hanging out in Elkhart, but this last trip got me a little more excited about learning what else is in the area. I can be a bit judgy and at times have some closed-minded opinions about particular places, as I did with Indiana, assuming it wasn't very interesting. Adventure can be anywhere and just because a city isn't on everyone's 'must see' list doesn't mean it isn't worth exploring. I apologize to you, Hoosier state, for devaluing you based on preconceived notions, and I promise to get to know you better. If you've got favorite places in the area, let me know in the comments so I can check it out next time I'm in town!

Those Indiana storms on them Indiana nights. Any Tom Petty fans? I was really into Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in high school.