Recurring Series

Five For Friday

1. I mentioned this on my post yesterday but I’m currently planning a trip with a bunch of other bloggers to visit Washington D.C. in June. After seeing everyone tweet about registering for Bloggers in Sin City, some of us were a little bummed since we either couldn’t afford the trip or the scheduling didn’t work out. Allison first tweeted about it, then I jumped in, then a whole bunch of others joined the conversation! Currently, it looks like the weekend of June 21-23 will work out the best and we’re thinking about renting an apartment off AirBnB.com to accommodate all of us. We’re totally up to having more people join us and make this a fun blogger weekend so if you’re interested in joining us and think you’ll be free around that time to meet us in D.C., please let any one of us know! We’ll have some D.C. locals to show us around and I just think it will be a really fun weekend!

2. I wrote about my mission to write 50 guest posts on a variety of different blogs on Tuesday and have gotten a great response so far! I’m quickly closing in on the halfway mark and that’s just crazy. I’ll be sending out emails this weekend to all those who have expressed interest or filled out my form to get the ball rolling and I’m really excited I’m taking this first step in discovering how to live my dream job. It’ll be a rocky road, and quite frankly, I’m terrified of failing but that’s the beauty of figuring out your path. Triumphs and failures and lessons to learn. It’s all part of the process and I’m proud of myself for taking that first step.

3. Today marks Day 6 of quitting soda cold turkey. I feel so different this time around. Usually, all I can think about is the next time I’m going to have that golden sip of soda but I’m not doing that. I’m not craving it, although I do feel more tired and I get slight headaches in the afternoon. I finally feel done. I feel ready. I feel as if I’m going to break my soda addiction for good. I’ve never felt that way in the past. Tuesday night, my mom brought home Chick-Fil-A for dinner and accidentally got me a Coke. And I freaking poured that soda down the drain. I felt so empowered! I didn’t even take one tiny sip from the cup. I think that was a big step in this journey. And honestly? For the first time in a very, very long time, I don’t feel like I will die if I never have soda again. I will be okay.

4. Tomorrow I will finish up my second week of Best Body Bootcamp. So far? I love it. I love that I can go at my own pace and the workouts are challenging. I also love how it changes up every two weeks. I’m the type of person who needs to be constantly changing up her workouts, otherwise, I get bored and find reasons to skip. I’m only doing the strength workouts currently, and combining that with running but it’s going really well. I don’t really have to modify anything, aside from the core workouts. I’m excited to see how my body transforms over these next few months, especially coupled with better eating habits!

5. This weekend, my family will be rooting for a Harbaugh Superbowl! Obviously, we want to see the San Fransisco 49ers in the Superbowl and we’re keener on the Ravens over the Patriots because, let’s face it, the Patriots have had their time. And for those who don’t know, Jim Harbaugh (head coach of the 49ers) and John Harbaugh (head coach of the Ravens) are brothers and it would just be neat to see a Brother v. Brother Superbowl. GOOOOO, NINERS!

Happy weekend! Any fun weekend plans?

If you’re up to hosting me in my quest to write 50 guest posts this year, please fill out my form or send me a tweet!

Categories: Recurring Series

Five For Friday

1. I had a successful massage on Saturday! The massage therapist recommended a deep tissue over the sports massage, and so I had that instead. I was really, really, really, really, really nervous about the massage. Really, really. I wasn’t so much nervous about the massage itself, but the whole getting nekkid part and some strange man rubbing his hands all over my body. Yeah. The therapist was young, around my age, and I felt at ease and comfortable around him from the minute I met him. He was easygoing and settled my nerves quickly. Thirty seconds into the massage, I realized I really should have been worried at the massage itself because GOOD GOD IT HURT. It was so painful. I didn’t go into the massage with any sort of expectations, but it was a billion times more painful than I imagined it would have been. That said, it was absolutely, 100% necessary. The therapist told me my calves were “jacked up” which was actually thrilling to hear! It means there is a reason why running is more painful on my ankles than it should be. While I spent most of Saturday and Sunday with intense muscle soreness and pain, I can feel how much looser my calves are and I know it was absolutely worth all the pain. My ankles still ache when I run, though, so I know the problem hasn’t completely fixed itself. I’m not an expert of this, but I’m guessing I’ll need another massage or two before I really start seeing the benefits. And the fact that the therapist told me he could work on my legs for another two hours after my hour was up is probably a good indication I need more of them. Yay.

2. On Sunday, my brother and my nephew came over to watch the playoff games. (Happy about Baltimore winning, not so happy about Seattle. Womp, womp.) My sister-in-law came to pick my nephew up around 5:00 so my brother and I could watch the late game alone, which was awesome. It was just the three of us as my mom was away in Orlando for the weekend. It was a really, really fun afternoon! My nephew was in the greatest mood and I found out that yes, it is entirely possible to play with a Hot Wheels racing track for three hours straight. It was just a blast to spend some quality one-on-one time with him.

3. Yesterday brought terrible news to my family. I always hesitate to write about family matters on my blog (and keep the vast majority of it off) but since you all have been through this journey with me, I feel like I should write about it. In January of last year, my grandma found out her cancer was back. She opted for a treatment that would laser the tumor out of her body and finished that in February. Yesterday, she found out the treatment didn’t work and her tumor is still there. So she is starting her THIRD round of chemotherapy treatments. It’s aggressive and it’s going to be tough but she miraculously made it through her first two and I know she has the strength and grit to make it through this one. Her doctor is hopeful, this is by no means a death sentence, and I know God is in this every step of the way. It’s still scary and it was news I wasn’t expecting. So any good thoughts and prayers you can send my grandma’s way as she battles through this once again would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

4. As some of you may have noticed, I closed comments on my Letters to My Future Husband post from Wednesday. I mainly did it because I wasn’t looking for feedback on that post. I am not feeling the same hopelessness as I felt in that letter, but also wanted to put it out there to remind myself that this is where I have been and to let myself be okay with these intensely sad emotions – even when it’s hard to be so vulnerable. And I want anyone who does feel the way I felt then to know they are not alone and it’s alright to not be 100% okay with being single. Sometimes, it does suck.

5. This weekend is going to be a busy one! My mom’s boyfriend (!!) is coming down to spend the weekend with all of us. This will be my first time meeting him and I hope I like him! My mom is deliriously happy, which makes me happy because goodness that woman deserves this more than anyone I know! He’s taking my mom and me out to dinner tonight and then he’ll be around to watch the playoff games on Saturday and Sunday, where he’ll meet my brother. Interestingly enough, his favorite football team is the San Fransisco 49ers – the team of which my brother is a diehard fan! I also have a breakfast date planned with one of my good, good friends whom I used to work with. She was basically my better half at the preschool and I miss her something fierce so it’ll be good to catch up! And, of course, lots of playoff football to watch! I am rooting for San Fransisco, Atlanta, Denver, and Houston to make it to the championship games.

Happy Friday!

Categories: Recurring Series

Five For Friday

1. I love daily calendars. You know, the ones with a theme where you rip off the day for something new. Last year, I had a dachshund calendar (of course) but I wasn’t too impressed with it because the pictures started rotating after a few months. This year, I decided on a “Damn You Autocorrect” daily calendar which is hilarious as hell but, um, probably not very appropriate for work. Eek. (Good thing I work in a casual office!)

2. Over the long weekend, I went on a social media sabbatical. I had planned to do it over Christmas, but I just didn’t feel like it. (I was in a strange, lonely mood and sometimes, I need to be “around” the constant flow of conversation that happens on Twitter.) So after work on Friday, I sent a “goodbye!” tweet, deleted Twitter/Instagram/Facebook from my phone, and just stayed away. And it was really, really nice. It’s nice to get away from needing to tweet every silly thought that pops into my head and quiets my mind. Last year, I made a resolution to take a social media break once a month and I want to continue that this year. I’m planning on taking one weekend (from Friday – Monday morning) a month where I delete my social apps and just live in the moment. I love social media a lot. But I think it’s good to get away, too.

3. Tomorrow, I am getting my first massage EVER! And it’s a sports massage. Dun dun DUUUUN. I’m nervous about it, but I’m also looking forward to finding out if my tight muscles are the reason why running is so painful for me. Or if I’m just a wimp. Earlier this year, I went to a sports podiatrist to find out why I had so much pain in my ankles when I ran – even when I wore supportive shoes/insoles. The verdict is that my hamstrings, quads, and calf muscles are extremely tight which is causing my other muscles to overcompensate and thus, ankle pain. I kept putting off the sports massage until my mom mentioned a place with reasonable prices. I’m mainly going to get my muscles stretched out and loosen up any kinks. I just hope it helps!

4. I had someone ask to see what my nightstand looks like. It is, far and away, my favorite present I got for Christmas this year. I had a slight suspicion I was getting it since I saw a large box with Target insignia sitting at my doorstep one day (sorry, Mom!), but it was still a delightful surprise! I had put it on my list, but didn’t really imagine I would receive it! And I’m very proud of the fact that I put it together all by myself. I had joked with my brother that I needed him to put it together (which he totally would have) but I wanted to try my hand at it at first. It was pretty easy to follow the steps – but I will admit my brother’s electric drill would have been handy! I woke up with my elbows and wrists hurting because of all the twisting I did with my screwdriver. Anyway, the nightstand is below and isn’t she gorgeous? It’s the perfect height for my bed and it’s just nice to have a place to put my odds and ends.

5. I have a very exciting weekend ahead of me and I really can’t wait to start it! Saturday morning will start off with my massage and then a hair appointment. Then, my brother is possibly coming over for the Saturday playoff games which will be a lot of fun! We always have a great time together, especially when there’s football involved. And he’ll be back for the Sunday playoff games, so YAY. Lots of brother time this weekend! And some great playoff games to watch. I don’t have any particular favorites in the Wild Card round, though I would like to see the Redskins demolish the Seahawks. It’s the Niners fan in me.

Have you ever had a massage? Any fun weekend plans?

Categories: Recurring Series

10 Things I Loved in December

1. So You Think You Can Dance Tour. My mom and I bought tickets at the last minute so our seats weren’t awesome (we were literally in the last row, alllllll the way at the top) but it was still a special night, as I’ve been watching this show since the beginning but have never been to a tour. I’m definitely going again!

2. A Christmas bonus. I used this to buy the rest of my Christmas presents, pay off a credit card, pay another one off halfway, and keep chucking away at those medical bills. It lifted a few burdens off my shoulders!

3. Time off work. Thankfully, my company gives us Christmas Eve/Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day off and also gives us a “shopping day off” to use. I also had one day of PTO I could use so I had lots of time off work in December which was really nice. I didn’t do anything majorly exciting, but it was fun to sleep in, lounge around the house and get some writing done.

4. Buying Christmas presents. I was so excited to see what my mom thought of her presents (which included a racing medal rack, some of her favorite bubble baths, and a Kindle Fire) and it’s just plain fun to buy for other people. My nephew was so excited this year opening presents and it was fun to share in his enthusiasm.

5. Holiday Week 2012. I had another fantastic week of holiday posts in December. It’s fun to get into the holiday spirit and write about it.

6. My mom’s brand-new car. After finding out her old 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer would require over $2,500 in repairs to run again, my mom decided it made more sense to buy a new car than to keep shoveling money into that car. On the recommendation of a friend, she went to a Ford dealership where she bought a 2013 Ford Focus! It is an intense upgrade from the Lancer and something she totally deserves. It’s beautiful.

7. Movie dates. My mom and I went on two movie dates this month. We saw Playing For Keeps (blah) and The Silver Lining’s Playbook which was really, really good. I am a Jennifer Lawrence fan.

8. Finishing The Holiday Council. After The Holiday Council ended in early December, I spent the next few weeks going through the challenges and worksheets by myself to make sure I was taking in everything I needed to. I wanted to make sure I spent enough time on the work and even ended up creating a vision board and declaring a theme that means a lot to me. It was a great way to end the year and put plans into motion to make 2013 my best year yet!

9. Christmas! Well, of course, Christmas itself has to make it on the list! It was a low-key holiday but I enjoyed (almost) every bit of it. I was thoroughly pleased with my presents, loved having my brother and his family over, and finished off the night by eating McDonald’s (don’t ask) and playing Scattergories. A win all around!

10. My new Christmas presents. I was spoiled this Christmas! Some of my favorites include: my new nightstand, my Ninja chopper, my first-ever pair of TOMs (you guys! I am in love!), an Amazon gift card, an Otterbox case for my iPhone (that I’ve already dropped twice outside), and the game Scattergories from my brother. It was a successful year for sure!

What was your favorite moment from December?

Categories: Recurring Series

10 Things I Loved in November

1. Obama wins! I exercised my right to vote on a dreary Tuesday in early November. I stood in a long line, shared an umbrella with a stranger, and excitedly voted for Obama. (Did anyone else get a strange catch in the pit of their stomach when they voted? I did. I was a little emotional!) And then I spent Tuesday night tuned into news stations as the results began pouring in. As per usual, Florida didn’t know what they were doing when it came to voting. (We’re such an embarrassment!) But I was thrilled when Obama was announced and I truly believe he is the better choice over Romney. I know some people were surprised to hear I’m not as conservative in my political views as I may seem and I’m not here to get into any kind of debate. The bare bones? I make educated voting decisions, I don’t vote based on political party. Here’s to another four years!

2. Running of the Wieners. My coworker linked to this for me on Facebook and the moment I saw it, I knew Dutch had to participate! A race for dachshunds – perfect! I thought he was going to win, no problem. Well, I didn’t expect there to be NINETY dachshunds signed up nor for him to be in the “heat” with the three-time champ. So, Dutch ended up placing second in the Senior Sausage division (and didn’t advance to the semifinals) but I was proud of him because the majority of the dogs got freaked out and started running backward. Ha! And I was surrounded by dachshunds for a few hours which is my own personal heaven. Once I move out and get settled, the search for another dachshund to add to my little family is ON!

3. Writing my first novel. I did it! I wrote an entire novel. No, it isn’t a masterpiece and I’m sure when I read through it, I will cringe in embarrassment. I could go down a list of all the improvements I will need to make with my next novel but I want to revel in this accomplishment. At the end, the total count was 51,874 and I love the way it wrapped up. I’m really proud of myself for completely blowing my goal out of the water and sticking to it. Aside from past attempts at NaNoWriMo, I actually felt deep in my heart I was going to complete it so I did. I didn’t question it. I just wrote. Hm… makes a girl wonder what else she could accomplish if she actually believed she could.

4. Hosting Thanksgiving. My mom and I have hosted a few holiday dinners before, but it’s usually just us and my brother and his family. This year, we added three people to the mix (and the sweetest baby in all the world). It was a really fun day of cooking and preparation and family time. Everything went off without a hitch with no drama or fuss. My nephew was in a fabulous mood, baby Mia was her adorable little self, and we all enjoyed one another’s company. I felt so blessed to be able to spend the day with my family. I put away my phone, no tweeting or Instragramming my day, just simply enjoying the people sitting in front of me and the time I got to spend with them. Hosting a holiday meal is a big task but I think we’re up to hosting more!

5. My first post-injury run. I went for my first run last Sunday and it was beautiful! I had no pain and was able to really push myself. Of course, I was only doing week one of Ease Into 5K, so it wasn’t anything majorly life-changing but I need to take things slow. My run pace was fantastic (for me, after not running or doing any strenuous exercise for 3 months) and I felt really good during it. I still need to get a sports massage to loosen up my tight quads/hamstrings/calves but I felt good being able to run! Although I woke up the next day pretty sore, which just goes to show me how out of shape I’ve gotten in three months!

6. Decorating for Christmas. The tree is up. The lights and ribbon are draped. The ornaments are hung. The window clings are… clung? Oh yes! Our house is decorated for Christmas! My mom and I had thrown away our artificial tree from last year and bought a new one on Black Friday. It’s a bit crooked but has character. (Artificial trees can have character, right? Right.) I have already found myself buying more holiday window clings. But only because some of my window clings from last year met a terrible demise. And I needed a gingerbread house and dancing elves, okay?! There’s just something about a glowing Christmas tree, stockings on the wall, and decorations throughout the house that makes the apartment feel more homey and warm. I love this time of year!

7. Signing up for The Holiday Council 2012 with Stratejoy. I participated in The Holiday Council 2011 and enjoyed it so much. Molly helped me break down 2011 and visualize what I wanted from 2012. Still, I didn’t put as much time and effort into it as I would have liked so I didn’t achieve all the goals I had set. When the time came to sign up for this year’s Council, I hemmed and hawed for a few minutes before realizing the price was reasonable and I really wanted to participate. We’re in the first week of the Council and we had our first training call on Wednesday night. The call was fabulous and I am so excited to see the discoveries I will make in the next few weeks. I think it’s going to set me up for a wonderful 2013!

8. My birthday. Oh, my birthday was an amazing day. I didn’t do anything too out of the ordinary and I had to head to work for a few hours but I felt showered with love and affection – from the Facebook messages and tweets, to the text messages, to work and my family and even the Holiday Council Facebook group! I love social media so much on my birthday! Ha. I had breakfast with my mom and had a really relaxing afternoon at home. Then, my mom and I met my brother and my nephew for dinner and then cake back at the house. I ended the night with the first call with the Holiday Council. I am so ready to rock 25!

9. Starting my Christmas shopping. Oh, I know the holidays aren’t about the gifts but I absolutely adore spoiling my loved ones on Christmas. My brother and I still do Christmas lists and I still get that giddy feeling in my tummy when I see presents under the tree. My mom and I go a little crazy with our gift giving but it’s tradition and we still know the true meaning of this season. And my mom went without for so many years that I always want to spoil her a little extra. I spend the first few weeks of December rushing here and there, but I honestly love it and I don’t mind the hustle and bustle this month brings. I’ve been able to buy a really great present for my mom and a few things for my brother. Yay!

10. Cooler weather. Yes, fall finally hit Florida in November. The mornings and nights are cool (upper 50s, low 60s) while afternoons are in the blissful 70s. It has been absolutely gorgeous lately. I’ve even had two opportunities to wear my boots! Cooler (but not cold) weather makes everything so much more manageable!

What did you love about November?

// inspired by Amy