an Epic adventure

In October-November I had the opportunity to travel to Verona, Wisconcin {3 times} for classes that will eventually lead to a certifican to give me a little leg up at work.  The first week was glorious!  Steak for dinner everyday, someone to make my bed in the morning, not having to check email for a week!  By the time the 3rd trip rolled around there was 3 inches of snow on the ground, the temperature was single digits, and I had aproximately eleventy-million unread emails.   Needless to say, I am happy to be done with the training classes and not sure how people travel regularly for a living!  I'm more of a standard routine kind of girl that likes to see my husband in person on a daily basis, cook my own meals, and drive my own car on roads that I am familiar with.   Though the travel was trying on my mentally and physically, the Epic campus is a remarkable place to see and puts a unique twist on casual work environment.  Besides the Treehouse meeting room, and 2 story spiral slide {because using stairs is hard?} here are some photos of the eclectic decor throughout campus.  It is a tradition that you MUST get your photo taken at the banana!

One big perk is that Wisconsin knows their beer, chocolate, and cheese.  How else are you going to stay warm when it is going to be NINE DEGREES outside?

give thanks!

As I wind down from a wonderful 5 day stay-cation, I believe it's time to pull the trigger and resurrect the ole' L3 blog!  So many things have happened in the past 2+ years and as time continues to fly by I want to have a place I can come to remember and share the laughter, heart breaks, milestones, miracles, and events that are life!  I hope to play a little catch up in future posts, but for tonight I want to reflect on the things I am thankful for after my first "big girl" Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving started by crashing the Tryptophan 13.1/10k/5k.  As police blocked traffic at the entrance of Fowler Park I quickly realize that there is a scheduled race on the Greenway.  I found a parking space about a mile from the entrance and jumped in with the half-marathoners and 10/5K-ers.  It was nice to get some extra cheers in the 40 degree cold, and a few awkward looks as I turned around to go back at a point that was NOT on the course map.  No records were broken on this particular morning but minimal walking occurred!  I was thankful to pound out my own 5K even though I did not get a t-shirt!  

Once home, I made a batch of my mom's famous "milk punch" {i.e. Bourbon Smoothie} and started working on the turkey.  This was the first time I have roasted a bird of any type for my first 'real' Thanksgiving in my first 'real' house using 'real' plates!  Beyone thankful for my mother-in-love for putting together the centerpiece for the table and helping prepare food for 20 even though there were 6 of us.  We stuffed ourselves silly and had 4, I repeat FOUR desserts to choose from as we watched football. {still only 6 people}

Friday was my first go at Black Friday!  The hubs and I went around 10 am and shared a kiss as we parted ways to fight the crowds.  A new Belk credit card and 4 trips later we should have enough clothes for our upcoming trip to Japan and the luggage to get it there!

Saturday was the Tech/GA game in Athens and I was happy my dad was able to get a ticket with some old friends of his!  Dad sort of stuck out sitting across the stadium in the middle of the front row with the Smiths!  Even though the bad guys won, in my eyes it was a fun day overall.  

All in all a successful kick off to the holiday season!  So many things to be thankful for.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4

the last ten

So everyone says that the last 10 pounds are the most difficult to lose… right? What do you do when the first 10 and the last 10 are one in the same?  To be honest I'm not so much of a "lose pounds" kind of person… I think it all lies in the tape measure and how you look and feel.  So after a 10 week hiatus and a number of "Pinterest Hours" I am unwilling to disclose, I figure its time to maybe "do" some of the tips from my "fit and fab" board!
I have also been reading some pretty fabulous blogs about others' "weight loss" journeys and I say… if they can do it… I can certainly get to feeling "better" too- be it LBs or inches.  {off the record… I am not going to say that "my hip is better" but I will admit that I have not had to cry painful tears after the past 4 attempts to work on my fitness!!}
I have seen a lot of my new friends of the blogosphere get results with Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred.  So for $7 I ordered it… measured everything on my body, and took "before" pictures!  This is a little bit what they look like "before"!

{YOU BETTA RED-NECK-IGNIZE}

Lets see where I can get in the next 29 days!  Maybe somewhere between there and here:

someone has too much time on their hands

the great exuma honeymoon {5 months 'late'}

and since i am about 5 months late… here are some pictures from the honeymoon!  i am clearly going to have to tell the story with pictures to get caught up on all of the non-blogging i have been doing with my non-exercising!

First day as newlyweds we went to a 2 year old birthday party for one of our florists  daughters!

Living at the beach and having a super creative event designer for a mom makes for a kick @$$ birthday party.

It was nice to relax and be done being all "bridal". 

Hanging with the wedding planner off the clock!  She is a ROCK*STAR

…and then I scratched my cornea.  That 2 year old birthday party was crazy pants!

bumped up to first class on the way to the Bahamas!
we were in the purple section of first class!

thanks champagne and xanax!  the Miami airport… less than a first class experience!

Welcome to Sandals Great Exuma, Bahamas

getting ready to meet our butler!

a room with a VIEW!!

room service!  and then time to go to bed at 9 PM!!
{it was CST… so we did make it to the 10s where we come from}

our little villa!  {ours is the far right}

day 1: driving range

not sure what i am doing… just trying to look good doing it.

cheesy.newly.wed.golf.pose

not sure why i love feet pictures so much… pre-dinner

/me… forgetting how long my hair was :(

busy day!

if only the water could've been more beautiful

waiting for our frosty drinks at the pool bar!

dinner at the pub

 

just anoter day at the office

loving the outfits

…learning the swing of things

my patient handsome instructor

he's taken ladies

showing off my coconut{s}

HAPPINESS

cabana #3 (PFC)

heading home… in the same oufit… not in first class!

home <3 sweet <3 home

the "kill"

so who else is obsessed with volleyball and abs now?  i.want.abs!  this comes with frustration though.  i just got off my spinner… and the same class i used to TEACH 4 times a week and 2 times on saturday i could barely get through in the "comfort" of my own home with some serious cheating.  we are taling U-G-L-Y!  but the good news is that i was actually able to "try"!

…flash back 3 months…

so after taking a 2 month "honeymoon" from the i am about to be a bride crazy "diet" i was feeling extremely motivated to get those abs that i didn't even know i wanted so badly until becoming interested in beach volleyball 10 days ago.  so why not dive into Insanity for the 5th time?  …in a hotel room in wisconsin… well {something} happened to my hip.  sciatica? bursitis? whatever it is it hurt like hell, to do anything… it even hurt to do nothing.  so i kept doing nothing for 2-4 weeks… saw a chiropractor… 6 weeks {still ouch}… 8 weeks {8 pounds}… got a shot… waited 10 days… tried doing something… the hurt came back.  NERF!  and couldn't be more frustrating especially seeing all of the beautiful bodies on tv.  

well its been almost 3 months now… and i am just happy to have completed 349 core exercises and a piss poor spin class in the past 48 hours.  baby steps right?  

i do have an appointment with an orthopedic sports medicine specialist in a couple weeks.  hope to get some "answers" and a plan!  i don't want to do anything stupid and hurt it all over again.  maybe i am just getting "old."  too bad i am not accepting that!

WFT: Call Me Maybe

Just listen to that song and TRY to be in a bad mood at the end!  Serioulsy just finished 7 times on repeat on my way home from work today!!  Don't forget to check out the hilarious video at the bottom!

Call Me Maybe

CARLY RAE JEPSEN

I threw a wish in the well Don't ask me, I'll never tell I looked to you as it fell And now you're in my way I trade my soul for a wish Pennies and dimes for a kiss I wasn't looking for this But now you're in my way Your stare was holding Ripped jeans, skin was showing Hot night, wind was blowing Where you think you're going, baby? 

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy But here's my number, so call me maybe It's hard to look right, at you baby But here's my number, so call me maybe 

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy But here's my number, so call me maybe And all the other boys, try to chase me But here's my number, so call me maybe 

Your stare was holding Ripped jeans, skin was showing Hot night, wind was blowing Where you think you're going, baby? You took your time with the call I took no time with the fall You gave me nothing at all, but still you're in my way I beg and borrow and steal Have first sight and it's real I didn't know I would feel it, but it's in my way 

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy But here's my number, so call me maybe It's hard to look right, at you baby But here's my number, so call me maybe 

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy But here's my number, so call me maybe And all the other boys, try to chase But here's my number, so call me maybe 

Before you came into my life I missed you so bad I missed you so bad... I missed you so, so bad 

Before you came into my life I missed you so bad And you should know that... I missed you so, so bad 

It's hard to look right, at you baby But here's my number, so call me maybe 

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy But here's my number, so call me maybe And all the other boys, try to chase me, But here's my number, so call me maybe 

Before you came into my life I missed you so bad I missed you so bad... I missed you so, so bad Before you came into my life I missed you so bad And you should know that 

So call me maybe

a resurrection and wednesday's favorite thing

i saw my newest favorite thing coming soon on TLC this evening and it reminded me that i have a blog.  and that i used to update it regularly.  is it sad that it took several tries before i could even remember the website for this thing!  …luckily the third time is a charm!   enjoy this video.  you know what i will be doing august 8th.

take THAT c-word!

Just want to give a shout out to my mom for kicking some major JASMINE @$$!

Today was the first day of the rest of her life after finishing:

back surgery with 5 spinal fusions

1 bone marrow biopsy

3 rounds of chemo {R-CHOP}

2 PET scans

22 days of radiation

…but who's counting!

Look what she got today

Can't wait to see them when they all bloom!

We are beyond blessed that the {miserable} list is as short as it is though!  I know many are not as "lucky" as we have been… prayers and thoughts go out for those that have traveled this path before, those who have "won" it, those that "lost" the battle, those who are still on it, and those just beginning… 

We have an official WEDNESDAY'S FAVORITE THING!!

BABs and I had a BALL this past weekend spending our Costco rebate check!  No one will go thirsty at the pre-wedding bon fire, we got a super awesome Keurig, and a SodaStream {as seen above}.  I still got $9 in change!  We broke it out tonight and made some homeade diet grapefruit soda {or Fresca}.  I drank a whole liter of it… and then we added 9 flavors to our BB&B registry!  We aren't kidding folks!  We want soda flavors as a wedding present!  Then I read a blog where you can buy liquid caffeine and add it to your soda for a little boost!!  Might be trying that sooner than later!

Speaking of wedding… thirty-one days!

Except for one more run to Kinko's and a frantic first day when I get to Florida I am pretty much "done"!  Super looking forward to my "girls' weekend" in A-town this weekend!  WOOT WOOT!

Feel free to leave any last minute wedding advice in the comment section!  

forty days...

things accomplished

• finalized proposal with florist… {well my pharmacist eye saw where she has an 8 instead of a 4 for "# of table arrangements"… luckily the price is only for 4} …so almost finalized floral proposal
• first day back at the office without a resident to train or precept or teach or proofread or correct… you really take for granted just doing thing your own way {the right way} the first and only time!  accomplished lots there
• found yankee candles at Kohl's for 80% off!  {the reception bathrooms are going to smell sooo pretty!}
• DIY programs with tiny bows done & done!  {very therapeutic for an OCD girl} on another note: tiny bows are the devil!
• burned and delivered 1 of 2 photo cds necessary for wedding celebration!  {21, if you are reading this… as soon as i write you back it will be in the mail!}
• valentine's day crock pot chili ingredients ready to go!  ground beef has been browned and drained and is prepared for chili tomorrow

things i learned today

• you are silly to call your florist the day before valentines's day!  she sounded really busy for some reason!?   
• gf: "fisher's flowers"
• kd: "hey grove! its kd.  i am so glad i caught you in the shop!"
• gf: "yup! busy day with all the valentine's flowers coming in"
• kd: "i am so dumb… you can call me back wednesday if you need to"  {so dumb, for real}
• luckily i DID pick the ONE day of the year she was actually IN her shop!  she was even awesome enough to talk to me for the {final} changes! i heart grove fisher
• thou shalt not try to carry a macbook in one hand with a glass of water in the other hand whilst balancing iPhone ON TOP OF aforementioned glass of water whilst walking across the house in the dark whilst also face timing fiancé!  iPhone is "sleeping" right now in a delicious bed of jasmine rice!  isn't the name of the rice ironic?
• i am "allergic" to wedding planning… all of the planning i have accomplished has been WONDERFUL but has also sent an invitation for my little buddy "the terrible shoulder knot" to make an appearance again!  i must need another massage!

things that were not so accomplished today

• dishwasher is still full of clean dishes {glass half full perspective: i ran the dishwasher yesterday!}
• the self proclaimed 40 day less-cheese-more-core-work challenge did not start.  {i am considering this a plus though… since the 40 day challenge wil spill over in to married life now and i won't just immediately "let myself go" once all of these wedding shennagans have come and gone}

things i am looking forward to

• BABs comes home from 6 days away for work and a brotherly bonding weekend!  
• valentine's day chili!  all i have to do is open 6 cans in the morning and add beef… 10 hours later dinner will be served!
• first official meeting with my new group at work!  {new jobs are pretty cool!  will be ready to give this old one away soon… cause doing 2 jobs, and getting paid for one, is less cool}
• finishing the hunger games!  {like 10 chapters left in book #3}
• 5 ingredient girl's dinner thursday!
• waking up tomorrow to a functional iPhone {a girl can dream right?}

g'night y'all

Happy Birthday Blog!!

I just counted and this makes post #52!  That is an average of one a week!  Happy Birthday Blog!

For several years I have started my "new year" on February 1st!  I consider it… I am just getting started {when >90% of people have probably "blown" their resolutions}!

Tomorrow starts my "new year" and I couldn't be more excited about it!

And thanks to those of you that continue to read this and have prayed for strength, encouragement, relaxation, and blessings in the past year!!  My what a year!!

got the keys?

a little taste of my day…
click on the link and watch the youtube video… 
atleast the first 65 seconds.
{they have blocked embedding it for some reason}
GOT THE KEYS?
remembering this scene is pretty much the only thing that got me through the day!

yes… i walked out of my house without any keys… house, car, office, badge.  for a few seconds i thought i left my phone on the charger too but WHEW!  at least i have Pinterest!  i allowed myself to cry for 45 seconds… i timed it... then remembered that FRIENDS episode!  thank the good lord there is a KP less than 2 miles from my house.  {i walked there once during the blizzard of 2K11… the first day of work in my 30s…}

today was a beautiful day so i dried my tears, put my big girl panties on {well, already had them on… otherwise they would have been locked inside too}, and headed up p'tree d'woody!  actually made it to that office on foot in less time than i would have made it to my regular office in the car!  it was much easier today also sans 6 inches of ice and snow!  

it is interesting the thoughts that run wild through your head as your body goes in to a complete defense mechanism!  i realized that my plate is full!  this "key thing" was much needed sign that i need to STOP for a second!  

i was stuck with myself for 20 minutes and quite surprised that the constant list of things i need to do wasn't flashing before my eyes!  seriously ya'll my brain has been non-stop since the monday after thanksgiving when i realized i was probably going to get another job, not going to move to alpharetta, getting ready for a week in NOLA, and those pesky holidays!  

imagine watching ESPN

you have the games coming up flashing on the left side of the screen {that's my wedding "to do" list}.  the main story {working three jobs at once for KP} i am only paying 1/2 of my attention to cause there is also a little ticker at the bottom moving at the speed of light with updates {exercise, laundry, oil change, grocery shopping}, and all of those scores at the top {email, text messages, facebook, oh my}.  that is what my mind has looked like for the past 2 months.  i thought for sure i was going to have a bad day since i couldn't even get to half of those things without being in MY office…. however the most serene calm came over me.  a little voice was just saying slow down… stop… you need rest!  it wasn't the easiest thing to do but as soon as i logged on the the computer i literally cleared off my entire social calendar for then next 9 days.  breaking plans with friends, 'disappointing' parents, closing the wedding notebook!  it was hard!  but it has resulted in one of the best most productive days i have had in a LONG time.  i later realized today that if i was not getting married {in less than 2 months}… i would be on a plan to Haiti for a medical mission trip!  maybe this time of rest is for me to focus on prayer for my friends, their safety, and that the Lord will provide the medication, supplies, and skills they need to help those so desperate for their arrival!  i mean really… the group comes back from Haiti in 9 days.  {the little voice asked me to "be still" until my wedding shower… happens to be in 9 days}

so i am just going to put it out there… "if its not bleeding & you can't see the bone" then don't call me.  if you are still itching to call me… then stop and say a prayer for international allied missions.  

who would have thought that locking yourself out of your house would be the best thing to happen to you all day!?

{and i know you are all wondering how i got in the house… BABs picked me up from work and bought me CFA for dinner. he has a key. then we went to our last pre-martial session and PASSED!!}  

59 days and now we have "permission"!

the belated {engagement} session

We finally received the cd with all of the photos from our engagement photo session in October!  That was a beautiful relaxing weekend… UGA beat FL!  We watched the Halloweiner derby {if you have never watched a disabled wiener dog racing in a wheel chair you really haven't lived!}… ate our favorite gouda cheese grits! And I wish I could have botteled the weather up to sprinkle it on 3.24.12!  It was difficult to narrow the 300 pics down to 100… now I'll see if I can narrow it down to a dozen for this post!

GOTTA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO LESLEY ISACKS and JESSICA MILLER {hair/mua}!  

this wedding will be brought to you by coca-cola!

grilled cheese from heaven! 

showing a little sass!

purple.wall.of.love

practicing for the W.DAY!! 

look @ those CLOUDS!

…long walks on the beach!!  {a favorite thing}

Deep.Thoughts

cute sandy feet!

Playing in the WAVES!! 

I feel like this should be some sort of advertisement!!

…well a bakers dozen of photos!!

Goodness gracious I can not wait until the BIG day!!