Weekend Update {I'm a Half Marathon-er}

Hey y'all,

This past weekend was an exciting one! After months of training it was finally the weekend of the Bull City Race Fest Half Marathon. Friday was low key at work. I am in the middle of a large project so that kept me busy and it was Employee Appreciation Day for all UNC employees so it was filled with free food. Not a bad way to kick off the weekend. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing watching TLC's Brideday Friday.

Saturday after babysitting in the morning I set off for downtown Durham to pick up my race packet. After picking up the race bibs and exploring the expo I decided it was time to treat myself to a new pair of riding boots after my last pair bit the dust after four years.

 My baby sister, kDi, arrived that afternoon to run the race with me so we set out our clothes and then it was time to head to Village Pizza and Pasta in Pittsboro to carb load.

 We took our pasta back to my place and it was time to ice my shins while watching Beauty and the Beast. I mean, the best thing about racing might be the necessary carbs the night before. I mean, who doesn't love garlic knots and penne in a pink basil sauce. 

 At 5:20am the alarm went off as we got ready to head to downtown Durham before the race kicked off. Yep, it was an early start and we got there in plenty of time before the race start at 7:30am so we had to take selfies and pre-race pictures between checking our bags and stretching.

 All smiles before the race!

 A quick selfie in line to start the race!

The race was filled with hills and my baby sister trained on flat land so it went a little worse then expected. My ankle was having a lot of issues after the first few miles and both of our hips were not our friends by the end of the race. Towards the end of the race we walked a lot but we finished without any major injuries and I am actually not terribly sore today! YAY for completing 13.1 miles!

 After the race and being stretched out by Empower Fitness!

One of my small group leaders was even there to cheer us on (we had to grab a quick selfie)! Thank you Ginger! 

The rest of Sunday included showering, grabbing food, and then heading to my parent's house for naps and watching some Downton Abbey!

How was your weekend?

A Whirlwind Weekend

Hey y'all,

So this weekend has been a bit of a whirlwind and I thought I would share a slice of my life. *beware of picture overload!

Friday was very busy at work but I was able to have a nice lunch out with friends during the middle of the day. After work I hit the road and made it to my parent's house in time to enjoy some yummy bbq ribs and chicken. The rest of the night was spent hanging out with my big bro, kDw, and catching some of TLC's Friday Bride Day. I mean, I don't have cable so I need to cram in my Say Yes to the Dress and I Found the Gown when I can. 

Saturday began at 5am. Yep, 5am on a Saturday since we had to hit the road by 6am for kDi's college graduation. We were out of the driveway on time and hit the McDonald's on the way. It had been so long since I enjoyed one of these.

We got to the PNC Arena a bit early so we had to wait in line for the doors to open but hey, we ended up with the perfect seats. The KID sister was one of 100 valedictorians, aka she graduated with a 4.0 GPA! Yep, she is a smarty pants which also meant she was seated at the front of the arena (sorry for the bad iPhone pics, I got the nicer camera later). 

Selfies before the ceremony!

Yep. Perfect seats. She also made it on the jumbotron due to her grad cap and the News and Observer had a picture as well!

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After the ceremony we grabbed a couple of pictures (and yes everyone was commenting and loving the cap!)

With the graduate! I am so proud of this KID!

Yes, her initials are KID and she is the kid sister ;)

The day continued with stopping by her apartment and packing her up. Then a quick lunch at Jersey Mike's commenced before we headed to Reynold's Coliseum for her departmental graduation. Again, we got there a bit early and found great seats. The only problem was that it was 3pm and there was no air conditioning. Luckily, the ceremony was pretty short. 

The NCSU College of Sciences Department of Biological Sciences graduates

SHE DID IT!
She crossed the stage and turned the tassel!

 After the ceremony we had hours to kill before our dinner reservation so we decided to take a picture break since kDi didn't take any senior photos. Here are some of my favorites including some pictures after the ceremony with the family and a few friends.

M and kDi went to Namibia together last summer!

 Outside of the Departmental Graudation

 All of us kids

 Candid pictures are the best. 

I mean, she is a Daddy's girl after all.

 All of the family. 

Myself, Mommy, kDi, Daddy, sDe, and kDw + photobomber

I think the wolf would be proud of her cap.

Then we were off to Brasa (a Brazilian steakhouse) for dinner but of course we took a few selfies in the car. SHE IS ALL DONE! GOODBYE STATE!

 She thinks NCSU is better than UNC.

 Yes the cheesecake was delicious. The entire meal was soooo good!

 This was the sunset on our ride back to our hometown.

Sunday was a lazy day after all of Saturday's adventures. We had a nice big brunch to celebrate the graduate and Mommy. The rest of the day was spent laying around the pool reading and watching some tv. Dinner was a yummy cookout with our family friends and neighbors and then we all watched Saving Mr. Banks.

Today, I had a dental appointment (yes my dentist is still in my hometown) and took the day off so I spent a bit of time with the graduate and my siblings before hitting the road back to the Triangle. 

I hope you all had a great weekend and congrats to all the graduates out there! I'll leave you with this last picture.

Weekend Update

Hey y'all,

This weekend was pretty jam packed and not with only babysitting or teaching Sunday School although that was mixed in as well.

The weekend started Friday evening with a quick dinner, running to the grocery store and then heading to my friends' book club! In February we were discussing John Green's The 
Fault in Our Stars which I reviewed a bit last January. It was interesting to see everyone's thoughts about it and I am glad I was not alone in people who were not in love with the book. Next month's book is The Sword in the Stone (it's part of The Once And Future King by T.H. White). So if you have read the Fault In Our Stars or The Sword in the Stone please leave a comment with your opinion on the book!

After book club I headed over to babysit for a couple of hours, translation I watched the 30 for 30: The Price of Gold on Netflix since the kids were asleep by the time I arrived. I guess I am having Olympic withdrawals already but it was an interesting documentary on the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan story. I know that NBC aired a special called Nancy & Tonya on the day of the closing ceremonies this year so the story will never really go away.

Saturday morning began with a quick run to Rite Aid to grab wrapping paper and a card for Laura & Chuck's wedding that morning. I must say I am disappointed in Rite Aid though, the wrapping paper was expensive ($5) for a small amount of paper that was thin and ripped easily. I know you pay for convenience but next time I will have to not procrastinate and hit up Target. Rant over. Then it was time to get ready for the wedding.

The wedding was beautiful, although a bit cold since we were outside and for some reason NC decided to freak out with freezing temperatures. Luckily, the heaters were a lifesaver and our table was under some heating as well. Laura was a beautiful bride and the moment she 
walked out with her Dad I began to cry. The ceremony was so meaningful and filled with lots of prayer, laughter and heart and yes I cried some more. After the ceremony it was time for hor d'oeuvres:fried green tomatoes, vegetarian spring rolls, and chicken biscuits! After that we began brunch: biscuits, eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, grits, fruit, and waffles. YUM! Then the party began and yes more crying during toasts and the father daughter dance. I am so happy for the new Mr & Mrs! There are a few photos from the day on my Instagram as well.

The rest of Saturday was spent at church teaching Sunday School, attending church and then heading to dinner at Firewurst and ended the night at Mary's enjoying homemade cinnamon rolls. Sounds like a perfect day to me.

Oh, and Saturday I received my February necklace of the necklace club from Caroline G Shop. It's the White Teardrop Necklace. I believe the necklace club is closed but Carrie posted an opening not to long ago on her Instagram so follow her for great inspiration and deals!

Sunday began with my typical babysitting followed by a trip to the gym. I recently (Thursday) signed up for the Girls on the Run 5k on April 12th which means I have 6 weeks to train to run 3+miles and I have not really run since June. So there is that so I was expecting to have a rough time yesterday but I hopped on the treadmill and was able to crank out 0.5miles no problem. I thought to take it easy so after my mile (walking and running) I hit the elliptical. Then a quick shower and lunch happened before I called my Daddy to go over my taxes. It was a long call and I misplaced a sheet of paper so I kind of destroyed my room but it has been found and this week the room will go back together somehow. Then it was off to babysit for a family attending an Oscar party and staying up until midnight watching the big show. 

Anyone surprised by an of the awards? Favorite dress?

How was your weekend?

Weekend Update!

Hi y'all,

So this past weekend ended on Thursday for me with leaving work a bit early(after lots of wonderful work birthday celebrations) to head to my parent's house. With the snow that fell on Tuesday, the roads still had some ice so I wanted to make it home before it got dark. While I was pulling into town I caught this sunset below. It was such a great reminder that God is the creator and even after a long day of work we can revel in the beauty of this earth.

After arriving home it was time for lovely home-cooked dinner, watching Jeopardy/Wheel of Fortune, then watching Reign and Elementary before crashing.

Friday I was able to sleep in (after waking at 4:30 when some cats decided they wanted to walk all over me) and watch Live with Kelly & Michael before getting ready to head out for my birthday! My mom and I decided to hit the Old Navy where I got a pair of black flats and a nude pair of flats along with this dress. Then at Barnes & Noble, in the bargain book section I picked up Time Untime(in hardcover) and The Runaway Princess. After a nice lunch at Ruby Tuesdays and some Coldstone (I mean you have to indulge on your birthday) we headed over to Target. At Target I was able to find this beautiful scarf and picked up some other items that were necessary but I hate to buy bras so why not make them part of your present? Finally we ended at Marshall's where I got a bash and chop!

The evening ended with some Quiznos, skyping into book club, watching Say Yes to the Dress, watching Parental Guidance and opening up the rest of my presents to find a Vera Bradley large duffel in Baroque, Downton Abbey Series 1-3 on DVD, and a Willow Tree figure. 

Max and Lilly liked my present.

Saturday was a lazy day. It was raining outside so we spent the day in pajamas watching movies like Dolphin Tale on ABC Family and The Butler. We also made it to mass that evening and while we were going to go to a new Italian restaurant near my parent's house the wait was 40 minutes so we went to the Harris Teeter next door and got salads and ready made meals. Lazy Saturdays are the best.

Sunday was my last day at home so it began with homemade waffles, eggs and sausage. After breakfast I packed up my stuff while watching Say Yes to the Dress and my Mom and I watched Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters before I hit the road. Once back I hit the Aldi for some groceries and then unpacked, made dinner and watched Downton Abbey.

I would call the weekend as a nice relaxing time away! What did you do this weekend?

Weekend Update

Hey y'all,

If you were like me and had yesterday off I hope you enjoyed the long weekend, for those of you that were hard at work yesterday I hope you were able to take a moment and relax remembering MLK and his acts of service. Since it has been a really long time since I did a we into my life. thought I would share a glimpse into my life. Sorry if it is too long!

Thursday night, I opened my mailbox to find this:

It says "I have my mister...but I need my sister...Maid of Honor?" Yep, I am officially in Jenn's wedding this August! If y'all are wondering about the lamb, it is our sorority symbol and all of us bridesmaids were in PBX together.

Friday I was in a funk at work and was really glad to be home with a long weekend ahead. After deciding to do stretches instead of hitting the gym I ate the last of the beef stroganoff I made for my book club. Around 7pm I headed over to Top This to have dinner with Traci, Jordan and Melanie and no I am not a Hobbit eating twelve meals a day, I just had a small salad. It was such a needed time to catch up and celebrate Melanie's pilot's license! We headed down Franklin Street to grab some Gigi's cupcakes. I might be in the minority but I am not the biggest fan of Gigi's. I think the ratio of icing to cake is wrong and the cake itself was on the dry side. We then headed to Traci's place to watch Just Friends. It was a great start of the weekend and I was able to get to sleep by 11pm which ever since the new year my sleep schedule has been wonky and I figured MLK weekend was the time to reset.

Saturday began with reading in bed until noon. I then get ready to head to Raleigh to spend some time with the lovely bride-to-be Laura at her Bridal Shower.  It was a great shower filled with lots of joy, laughter and a few tears. I can't wait to watch her walk down the aisle in less than two months! 

After the lovely shower it was home to relax and watch some of  the Smuckers Skating Spectacular (and re-watch Gracie Gold's Nationals performance)and then head to church. The sermon was all about discerning God's path for our lives.

And since it had been an emotional few days I decided to make spaghetti sauce at 8pm. Yep, I cook when I am stressed.

Sunday began a bit later than usual since the family I babysit for did not need me, I still helped out at the church nursery and then headed home. I was able to squeeze in lunch, a trip to the local Aldi's for some produce and then head to the dealership in Raleigh for my car's 10,000 mile service. 

Waiting Rooms are for planning and reading.

After heading back from the dealership I met up with some co-workers to catch Frozen at the local discount theater. Yes, it was my third time seeing it and yes I still got tears in my eyes near the end. Let it Go still never gets old.

The rest of Sunday was filled with Downton and Sherlock like any good anglophile would enjoy. I also was able to pick out a few options for the bridesmaid dresses so that is one more thing off of Jenn's list.

Monday. Since I had the day off for MLK, I did nothing until 4pm Monday, yep, all I did was watch daytime-tv, do some chores, and read. Around 4pm I emerged from the apartment to head to the gym and then grab dinner before small group. Small group was very chill since we really just wanted to love on one of our leaders who is going through some rough times. So sweets and a chick-flick it was.

And now I think I am getting sick so it is plenty of fluids and medicine for me.

Any big plans for y'all today? 

Weekend Update

Hey y'all,

Work has been pretty busy and all of those projects plus Vacation Bible School every night this week means I am going to go ahead and not promise lots of blogging. So, here is a mini update of my weekend.

Friday

Friday after work I headed to the grocery store to pick up some lettuce for salads and guacamole and came out with that and 3 pints of Hagan Daas (they were on sale). After unloading the groceries, having chips and guac and watching a few episodes of Gilmore Girls I began reading The Elite (The Selection Book 2). I was supposed to go to see Monsters University with my small group leader but her showing sold out before I had a chance to grab a ticket. So then around 8:30 I got a text from RH asking if I wanted to grab some fro-yo to celebrate the start of summer which I of course said yes to so we went to YOPO and talked for a few hours before saying goodbye since we were having to get up early in the morning for our 5k!

Saturday

Saturday morning began at 7am getting ready and heading to Raleigh with RH for the Color Vibe 5k! We thought the race began at 9 but it was 9:30 so we hung out and decided to throw our color before the race. We were in the second heat and ended up finishing around 45mins. I thought that wasn't bad since the race was on an equestrian farm so there were a lot of rocky path/hill things. After that we went to the photo-booth and headed to Taco Bell to celebrate. Yes, the guy at the drive through thought we were kind of crazy. 

Before the race

All Finished

I got home, showered (it all came out), read and then it was time for my preschoolers at church and church service (and I am much happier since they brought back the middle screen). I was pretty wiped after the long day so after church I went home and walked for 2 miles then went to bed.

Sunday

Sunday morning I finished the Elite, went to babysit like usual and then came home to cook meals for the week, watch the beginnings of Season 4 of Gilmore Girls and then hit the elliptical for 3 miles before going to bed.

What did you do this weekend?

Weekend Shenanigans: J.Crew & Carolina Baseball

Hey y'all,

So today I thought I would do a little weekend update and link up with Sami to discuss my pretty busy weekend. So Saturday began with waking up at 7:30am, breakfast, the news, etc. then off to drive over to nCn's house to begin the adventure to Lynchburg with CW & eCs as well! So off we went and unfortunately the drive included a lot of downed trees since the Carolinas/Virginia had an awful storm Thursday night. We arrived at the first J.Crew Clearance Center around 10:30 (25 Millrace Dr.) and found out they were having an additional sale. This location had a lot of swimwear, a men's section and a bit of everything else but beware of the wait for a fitting room since they only have three available. I tried on a few things and ended up with the dress below for under $40.

No Longer Available.

After shopping adventure #1 we checked out a place to eat and the lovely people at the Millrace location recommended we try Depot Grille. It's a restaurant right off of the train tracks (live ones where you can see the trains go by) built in a railroad car.

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They also have crayons out with butcher paper on the table so we all got crafty while waiting for our food. By the way, the chicken tender salad has GIANT chicken tenders on top of a bed of lettuce (go for the half-salad) or any of the other items.

MY CREATIONS

After lunch and exploring a small Antique Mall, eCs is an amazing antique finder we were onto store #2 (101-A Northwynd Circle). This location has a better atmosphere in my opinion of a store, it also includes Madewell and more special occasion dress including some gorgeous wedding dresses I saw for $250!

I tried on the scalloped dress everyone was raving about this spring but yellow is not my color.

More things to try on.

The winner!

I picked up the Mandy dress in mint seersucker for $60! So I grabbed two dresses for under $100 so I say it was a successful day. Then we drove back to Chapel Hill and I ran to the grocery store, worked out, watched Gilmore Girls on DVD and called it a night.

Sunday began with heading to church and seeing some big changes to the space that I am not too fond of but it is what it is. Then I headed to check out Homegoods/Michael's since I have decided that I am not loving my bed set and nothing was amazing but I did grab a Despicable Me coloring book for $1! I grabbed one for the college bestie, jCm for when she comes back to UNC for homecoming.

After the window shopping I got a text to watch the Carolina/State baseball game with some of my friends from church so I ran home, ate a quick lunch and changed into some Carolina blue. It was a tough game to watch but it was great to have fellow Carolina fans to commiserate with. Here's to hoping that we can beat UCLA and stay in the College World Series!

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I hope your weekends were great! Here is to another busy week!