Costa Freakin' Rica!

In exactly 27 days, I will be headed to Costa Rica!!  That's less than one month people!  Can you tell I am just a little excited? :)

I am going with my wonderful BF, and he just so happens to have a good friend from grad school who is a native Costa Rican that lives there currently, so we will definitely be experiencing the local flair!  I can't wait for authentic food, beautiful scenery, fun fruity drinks, and most of all, a winter-time tan!  And, as an added bonus, I will have the opportunity to put my Spanish to use! (guess I should find those text books from college because I am RUSTY).

To get me into the spirit for this vacation (as if that was going to be difficult) I took some time this morning to find some pictures of what we might be seeing during our time down south, and all I can say is . . . ENJOY!

Courtesy of http://www.bobbyrica.com/

Courtesy of www.costaricatours.com (We are doing this!!)

Courtesy of www.costa-rica.no

Courtesy of www.liveincostarica.com

WOW.

I think in this month of November, when thankfulness is at the top of everyone's mind, I can certainly say I am grateful for a world that has places like this and for an amazing man that wants to experience them with little old me :)

Hasta luego! (yep, I'm practicing!)

Marathon running for type A personalities

I admit it.  I'm a type "A".  My happiest world would be one where everything is planned out and in everything I do, I reach the goal I set, which in most cases would be perfection.  To put it nicely, thinking this way is unrealisitic.  And to put it in a "just get to the point" kind of way, it's downright crazy.  I only point out my ridiculous tendencies so that you know the kind of thoughts I was fighting during my first attempt at 26.2 miles.  But don't worry, you can breathe a sigh of relief because in the end, I overcame my perfectionist self, and realized that regardless if I completed the race in the exact time I wanted to or in the exact "way" I wanted to, I RAN A FREAKING MARATHON, and I should be extremely proud of that accomplishment.

The race was unlike anything I've every done and really, I don't think there was anyway I could have known what it was really going to be like before I was right in the middle of it.  Going into race day, I was very confident because I had a great group of Nashville friends I trained with and we had been very dedicated and consistent with our running.  Coley had created a great weight program for me that I had been following religiously as well, so I felt ready to go.  Emotionally and mentally, I was also in a great place because I had an amazing support system with me the day of the race.  Coley, his parents, my parents, and my dear friend Christi were all there to cheer me on.  And boy did they ever!  If you need an education on the "L" train system in Chicago, you can ask any one of them because they owned those lines in order to find me at various points during the race.

Overall, the race went really well.  There were a few things that threw me off my game, and if I had it to do over again, I would make a few changes that I think would have helped me reach my time goal.  Before the race started, my two race buddies and I weren't even able to make it into the start corral.  So we ended up crossing the start line with the 12-minute per mile folks, which made it a bit challenging to speed up to my desired pace early on.  At mile eight I dropped my Gus (the energy boosting gummies I ate consistently during all my training), and though I don't think it actually made that big of a difference, it really messed with me psychologically. So, note to self, next time I will be in the start corral with the pace group of my choice and I will have a better system for my chewies :)

In the end, I crossed the finish line at 4:21ish.  About 6 or so minutes slower than I had hoped for, but still not too shabby for my first experience!  And the major mark of success- I have the itch to run another one!

Most important, I had the opportunity to visit a great city, and spend time with great friends and amazing family.  I feel so fortunate to be healthy enough for this accomplishment, and to have the kind of support system that makes it worthwhile!

Awkward pictures and surprise parties

THIS is not a flattering picture of me . . .

However, I'm sharing it with all of you because that face is the result of a wonderful surprise Coley had for me on Friday night.  I recently accepted a new position at Vanderbilt (sorry for just filling you all in), and I'm completely switching gears.  It's a good move, one that I feel will lead to a lot of opportunities in the future, and honestly, one that I wouldn't have been so confident in pursuing if it weren't for Coley's encouragement.

So, as far as I knew, Coley and I were heading to one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Nashville to celebrate with a little "date-night".  Instead, I found six of my favorite people waiting to surprise me and celebrate my new job!  Supposedly a picture says 1,000 words, and my expression in the photo above perfectly captures my confusion, amazement, and shock at what Coley had managed to pull together.

We had an amazing time talking, laughing, eating, and drinking really great wine.  And as if that wasn't enough, I had my very own cake and the chef signed a menu for me! (Excuse the phone-camera picture quality)

It really was an awesome night and I'm looking forward to my next professional adventure!  I can't thank Coley enough for this celebration.  It was more than I ever expected, but just what I wanted . . . of course, he already knew that :)

Daddy-O

Last Tuesday was my wonderful dad's birthday.  I'll spare him public humiliation and leave the number he turned unknown, but I did want to give him a shoutout.  And as it happens, my friend Sarah recently wrote a wonderful dad-blog, so I'm going to steal from her a little bit :)  Well and actually, I'm double stealing, because the thoughts below originally came from the post "50 Rules for Dads of Daughters".  I've added in some personal memories my dad and I have shared to spice it up, so here's to you dad!

-Love her mom. Treat her mother with respect, honor, and a big heaping spoonful of public displays of affection. When she grows up, the odds are good she’ll fall in love with and marry someone who treats her much like you treated her mother. Good or bad, that’s just the way it is. I’d prefer good.

I can't imagine who could better compliment my mother than my dad.  He simply ADORES her and I've never doubted his love for her for one second.  He is a great example of what a husband should be to his wife.

-Always be there. Quality time doesn’t happen without quantity time. Hang out together for no other reason than just to be in each other’s presence. Be genuinely interested in the things that interest her. She needs her dad to be involved in her life at every stage. Don’t just sit idly by while she add years to her… add life to her years.

My dad was there for EVERYTHING.  In fact, there were times I remember thinking he was TOO involved.  But now that I'm older and wiser :), I realize just how important it was that he made me  his priority.  I'm sure he sacrificed more than I could ever know, but those sacrifices gave me the great sense of family I have today.

-Pray for her. Regularly. Passionately. Continually.

No one prays like my dad.  After I left home, I would sometimes call on Saturday mornings and when I would ask my mom what my dad was doing, she would say "Praying for you and your brothers".  Just knowing that made me feel like I could face anything life threw my way.  I have no doubt that many of the blessings in my life are directly tied to my dad's prayers.

-There will come a day when she asks for a puppy. Don’t over think it. At least one time in her life, just say, “Yes.”

In my case, it was a kitten and the obstacle was my mother.  My dad was a champ, and eventually convinced my mom that the perfect present for my 7th birthday would be a cat.  Even though I ended up being deathly allergic to my dear Peaches and had to give her up only a week later, I'll never forget how hard he worked to get me what I wanted.
 
- It’s never too early to start teaching her about money. She will still probably suck you dry as a teenager… and on her wedding day.
 
I have no doubt my teenage years resembled a money pit to my father.  And, I'll make no excuses for the cost of my wedding.  But, his financial advice has made me think twice and I oftentimes buy one pair of shoes instead of two because of his guidance :).

-Learn to say no. She may pitch a fit today, but someday you’ll both be glad you stuck to your guns.

My dad NEVER had trouble saying no.  And oh there were days when his "no" was the end of my world.  Obviously now I realize that little word was the best thing he could have said and it saved me from things like eyebrow rings and kool-aid based hair dye.  And that's just skimming the surface :)

-If there’s a splash park near your home, take her there often. She will be drawn to the water like a duck to a puddle.

I would say I was more of a fish than a duck.  We belonged to a pool growing up, and my mom took us practically every single day of the summer.  I would swim all day long, but my best memories are with my dad, when he would come to the pool after work and go down the waterslide with me for hours on end.

-Never miss her birthday. In ten years she won’t remember the present you gave her. She will remember if you weren’t there.

My dad has gotten me some pretty awesome birthday gifts over the years, but the truth is I could take them or leave them.  What I most look forward to is the early morning call  (many times before I'm even awake) and the voicemail of him singing me the birthday song.

-Tell her she’s beautiful. Say it over and over again. Someday an animated movie or “beauty” magazine will try to convince her otherwise.

Were it not for my dad, I wouldn't be nearly as self-confident as I am today.  Don't get me wrong, I still strive to be more in-shape, to keep up with the latest trends, and I will never give up highlights!  But, my dad has always told me I'm beautiful, both inside and out, no matter what the circumstances, and those words are worth their weight in gold.

-Learn to trust her. Gradually give her more freedom as she gets older. She will rise to the expectations you set for her.
 
I know this was harder for him than he would ever admit, but he managed to do it so incredibly well.  I owe the woman I am today to his ability to let me grow up. 

Love you Dad :)

Lessons from marathon training . . .

Over the past four months I, along with a number of my runner friends, have been pushing our bodies farther than many of us had ever dared in hopes of completing the Chicago marathon in October.  We are 2/3 of the way there, and the list below if a small sampling of the things I've learned during this experience.  As you'll notice, most of them aren't too profound, but in the end, it's the little things that matter most anyway, right?


- Chocolate milk is without a doubt the best after-run drink known to man.


- Gatorade of all flavors can be mixed together to provide sweet, sweet, mid-run hydration.  It may be brown in color when all is said and done, but nothing has ever tasted so good.


- Bongo Java breakfast puts a smile on my face no matter how many miles . . .


- Bikers are mean; runners beware!  (This of course excludes all my wonderful biking friends!)


- Long runs are better shirtless.  Thank you Sarah Shearer for giving me the courage to rock the sports bra/shorts combination.  It has changed my life . . . and the amount of laundry I have to do.


- Morning runs really are the best and I'm more used to 5:00 am wakeup calls than I ever thought I could be.


- I have never felt so good about consuming enormous amounts of carbs and the quantities continue to grow with each long run.


- A cold beer is worth its weight in gold.


- When you have to go, you have to go.  Running routes with bathroom stops are a hot commodity.


- It is faster to run to Wave Country than drive thanks to the Greenway.


- If you find you've locked your keys in your car when you finish your run, you can just run home for extra milage. :)


- Nashville is a seriously hilly but seriously beautiful place to run.


-Last, but absolutely not least, nothing bonds people better than sweating together.  To all my running friends, you are bad ass and there is no way I would have made it this far in my training without you all.  You have inspired me to push myself farther than I ever thought I could go.  We are going to ROCK Chicago and I can't wait to celebrate with everyone after our 26.2!


(Of course this post wouldn't be complete without a special shout out to my sweet sweet Coley.  You have helped me during this training more than you know and I wouldn't feel nearly as good about this race if I didn't have your support.  I'm so excited you will be there with me in the Windy City!)

Sweet Sweet Summertime . . .

Wow!  Where has this summer gone?  It's hard for me to believe that August 1st is right around the corner.  And really, I shouldn't be so surprised.  I've packed a lot into the past few months with truly wonderful people.  So cue the picture montage that will help you relive the past two months of my terribly exciting life!

I kicked off summer by taking Coley to his first (and most likely last) Indy 500.  Let's just say the people watching paid for the ticket.

Then I took a long overdue trip to the Outerbanks with Coley's family.  I LOVE the Outerbanks and it was even better than I remembered (which I think had to do with the company!).  The only disappointing part of the vacation was coming home.

But luckily, my family was in town to welcome us back to Nashville for the 4th of July weekend so the shock of the real world didn't slap us in the face quite as hard.  And of course, the U2 "experience" also helped ease our pain!

  
July also included a trip to Louisville for one of my bestie's weddings.  Christina made an absolutely gorgeous bride and I was glad to be able to celebrate with her as she became Mrs. Brown.

In recent weeks, I've had friends' birthdays to celebrate, LOTS of running, and some wonderful lazy, beer-filled days by the pool (I mean I have to balance out the running right?).  I'm happy to say that, save one night in Lexington,  I will be staying put in good ole' Nashvegas in August.  And honestly, I think that's going to be a must, seeing as I have 17, 19, and 22 mile runs in my near future.  Ahh . . .the joys of training for a marathon.  But I really have no one to blame but myself for that, now do I? :)

There is nothing quite like sweet sweet summertime, and this summer has definitely been one of the sweetest to date.  I'm looking forward to all that August brings, which will no doubt include some great memories with even greater people.

The Great Outdoors

Ahhhh adventures . . .

Yep.  I'll be taking one on the Ocoee this weekend with 10 other crazy daredevils.  I've been whitewater rafting once before in Colorado, and I remember being terrified and thrilled all at the same time.  At any rate, I know it is going to be one heck of an adrenaline rush!  And I'm ready for it, because these are the types of experiences that make for the best memories.


Add to this an amazing cabin complete with a hot tub, firepit, and awesome food and I think we rafters are in for a great weekend.


Now, let's just hope we can find our in-the-middle-of-nowhere cabin and not lose anyone to a rapid!

From the Heart of It All to the Wild West

Coley and I have been quite the travelers lately!  When I think about it, there are a total of two weekends that we will have been in Nashville during the month of May.  It's pretty crazy, but we are having so much fun on these trips so I'm glad for the whirlwind!

So far, we've been to Ohio to visit Coley's family and spend some time at their lakehouse.  I experienced a lot of new things that weekend, like ziplining . . .

and fishing . . .



and a visit to good old Ohio State . . . (of course I supported the CATS for my tour through campus!)

Not to mention I had my first martini with dry ice and one of the most amazing steak/crab combinations ever!


This past weekend, we were off to Phoenix for my brother's birthday/graduation celebration.  Coley hasn't experienced much of the Southwest, so I was excited to introduce him to the incredible heat, crazy desert plants, and amazing mexican food.  The latter ended up being one of the biggest highlights of our trip . . .

I don't think Coley or I will ever be the same after tasting that corn.  We were seriously raving about it for the whole trip.  We brought the menu home so we can attempt to recreate it, but I don't know if it will be nearly as delicious as it was at America's Taco Shop!


To wrap things up, we decided to hike Camelback Mountain.  Let me tell you, this was no easy feat, but we made it to the top! 

Just don't EVER ask Coley to do it again (and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be too excited about a second try either).


It's been fun traveling from one part of the country to another over the past couple weeks.  I've had some great experiences and seen some awesome things.  But I don't think these trips would have been nearly as memorable without my amazing travel partner.  Now onto our next adventure- the Indy 500!

V.I.P.

It's not too often that I get to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous, but last night I got a little taste thanks to this guy . . .

Coley managed to get us tickets to the Predators playoff game in the lower bowl.  I'll admit, I'm not an avid hockey fan, but I will say that there is nothing quite like the playoffs and it was so fun to be at the game!

In addition to these great seats, our tickets gave us access to the Patron Club, and yes- it's just as fancy as it sounds.  We steered clear of the $34 per person buffet, but we did grab a drink at the upstairs bar and it was pretty cool.  It was like a little tast of Vegas right here in good ole' Music City!

Even though the Predators ended up losing the game, it was a great one to watch.  The combination of good beer, great company, and the illusion of wealth helped me work through the loss, and I will definitely file it away as a night to remember!  :)

CM 1/2 M

At 7 am on Saturday morning I will be running in this . . .

I wish I could say I am confident I will kick this race's butt, but to be honest that just isn't the case.  This past month has been a rough one for me when it comes to running thanks to a lovely cold that went away and came back two weeks later as an even lovelier sinus infection.  Of course, my problems started before that when I couldn't run for a week as a result of falling off the Vanderbilt shuttle in my high heels. 

Yes, you read that right- I take a shuttle, and I fell down its steps.  (Just in case you are wondering, my middle name is NOT Grace.)

Needless to say, I'm a little nervous for Saturday.  On the plus side I will have wonderful friends cheering me on at different points throughout the race, and afterwards, I will get to nurse my aching muscles with good food, great wine, and awesome company. 

Luckily all of the above isn't dependent on a stellar personal record. :)

So, if you think of it, say a little prayer or send a little thought my way on Saturday morning.  And for those of you running, I hope your race is fun, fast, and not anywhere near as painful as I'm predicting mine will be!

Off to the Races

For the next two weekends I will be here . . .

I'm so ready for two great weekends of friends, bourbon (okay okay, I don't really like it but I do respect it!), amazing food, racing, and everything else that makes Kentucky great.  Throw in some birthday and engagement celebrations and the opportunity to introduce racetrack Saturdays to a few new people, and it makes for a pretty great April!

Bring on the mimosas and Pazzo's, and let's hope I win some money!

Back At It

It's been quite a while since I've graced my blog readers (thanks to all five of you!) with a new post so I figure I'm due for an update :)  My life has been crazy lately- crazy GOOD, and so instead of blogging about it, I've been living it!  While I can't share all of the great things that have been happening (because what fun would life be without curiosity?), I will say that one of the most exciting things about my life the past couple weeks is this . . .

On Saturday, my wonderful Cats will be playing UConn in this . . .

 . . . and I can hardly believe it!

The only way this could possibly be better is if I were back in college burning couches on Euclid Avenue with fellow fans!  And since that's probably not going to happen, I'll settle for a great group of friends to watch the game with on Saturday night and a prayer that I'll get to do it all again next Monday for the championship!

So here's hoping your March has been just as exciting as mine!  Go Cats!

My Ole' Kentucky Home

This . . .

is where I spent my Saturday.  I LOVE being a Kentucky fan.  It was great to take a trip down memory lane.  I wouldn't trade my four years of college for the world, and as much as I would like to relive those days, I don't think anything could ever top my experience the first time around!

Go CATS!

Random Amusement

Because it is a dreary, rainy Monday here in the great city of Nashville, I thought I would share some random fun with you.  Go to the website below, turn up your volume and start clicking on the squares!


http://lab.andre-michelle.com/tonematrix

Happy music making!

Fashion Frenzy

While procrastinating (again) this morning, I was virtually wandering around to various blogs of friends and friends of friends.  Low and behold, I found a blog post that just happened to lead me to some of the most wonderful online shops ever!  So of course, I wanted to share.  Now, some of you may already be familiar with these happy places, but for those of you who are not, I hope they bring just as big a smile to your face as they did to mine.

http://www.modcloth.com/

http://www.shopruche.com/

I'd like to say your welcome and I apologize at the same time because while you girls will look fabulous . . . you may also run out of cash. :)

Happy shopping!

The Cookies Are Here!

Well . . . they aren't actually here quite yet.  But my order of Girlscout cookies will arrive in a little less than two weeks and I am thrilled!  I mean what better way to start a February than with two boxes of Thin Mints and two boxes of Do-si-dos?

Out of curiosity, and honestly because I wanted to delay the start of my workday, I decided to investigate these lovely treats a little bit more.  And because I'm sure you are just as interested as I am in knowing all there is to know about these delicious little guys, here are some random facts that caught my eye:

- There are three mandatory varieties of Girlscout Cookies that have to be produced every year: Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Shortbread.

- Girlscout Cookies are sold by weight, which is why the number of cookies in each box varies for each type.

- The best selling cookie type is Thin Mints, which makes up an average of 25% of the sales each year.  Samoas are second, with 19% and Tagalongs are third with 13%

- Girlscout Cookies are kosher

- 70% of the proceeds from Girlscout Cookies goes to the troops that sell them

So there you go; a few little tidbits of knowledge to make you think and hopefully get you as excited as I am about these yummy treats!

And really, would this post be complete without a video demonstrating the excitement Girlscout cookies bring to the lives of people everywhere?  I think not.  So I'll leave you with this . . .

Happy snacking!

The Real Deal

I found this excerpt from The Velveteen Rabbit today . . .

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful.
"When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
 
My hope for the New Year is that I can endure difficulties with a resilient heart, fully revel in the joys, and jump in head first to the unknown in hopes of becoming more REAL day by day.
 
Happy New Year!