back to reality

Well it's official. I finally returned to Disney after the longest hiatus of my life (5 years) and lets just say I'm never going that long again without some d. world. So what did I learn from my recent trip?

1. Walking around Disney for two days is adequate for half marathon training.
2. The monorail is still my favorite ride. Peter Pan is a close second.
3. I wish I was not a muggle.
4. I should be the poster child for roller coasters. 
5. My mom was a street performer in a former life (see video below)
6. Always go in February (I guess any other off season day would work too).
7. A plane's descension makes me sicker than any roller coaster ever could.
8. Butterbeer is actually quite delicious.
9. I really need a hot tub.
10. You can never outgrow Disney. Never ever.

Picture time...

My dad's attempt at getting the castle in the background.

Mickey at the Hall of Presidents

Umm...don't mess with the White girls.

HOGWARTS!

valentingrid

I am on a video craze. For those of you who have unfortunately not seen Ingrid live. Check our here VD special below. She says Valentime's just like mom. Loves it.

life ruiner

seriously. this mom just ruined her kid's life by documenting (and sharing) this...

believe it

basically the same...

but slightly more awesome

lady and her uke

original from the lady. no video/just audio...sorry.

I still remember the day that we first met
You said hello because you had taken a bet
That look on your face like you were just fine
You hid it so well even though you'd just finished a line

If I'd have known then the pain that I know now
I would have turned and ran or left there some how

Then you said "I do" through your bloodshot eyes
Nobody knew that our love was a bed full of lies
I wanted to leave but my heart made me stay
I wish I could say I'm the girl that got away

I think everyday "Why did I act so blind?"
Why did I say yes as if I was frozen in time

It's eight years today and we have two girls and a son
What do I say when they ask why there dad's always gone
With a tear in my eye I look at them and smile
and tell them that daddy will be home in awhile

I'm constantly worried the kids will turn out just like you
and break my heart into more pieces than two

I still remember the day that we first met

happy birthday carole!

http://performingsongwriter.com/carole-king/

in case you missed it...

...like me.

lady and her (long lost) uke

Why is Motown so good on the uke? I have no idea...but it most definitely is.

Baby Love - The Supremes

what I learned from enzo

One thing I really enjoy about traveling is my opportunity to read a good book and catch up on some sudoku (preferably while on a plane and not while driving). I know I'm cool. You don't have to tell me.

So I decided to start a new book during my winter tour 2011 that I have been wanting to read for some time now. It is The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, and it, my dear friends, is amazing. I finished the book up last night. The narrator of the book is a dog that goes by the name of Enzo, and let me just tell you I never knew I could learn so much from a fictional dog.

What exactly did I learn?

1) Live life to the fullest.

"To live every day as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live. To feel the joy of life, as Eve" (not of Adam and Eve) "felt the joy of life. To separate oneself from the burden, the angst, the anguish we all encounter every day. To say I am alive, I am wonderful, I am. I am. That is something to aspire to. When I am a person, that is how I will live my life."

2) Everyone has their flaws, but it's how you overcome those flaws that's the real test. That's what makes you stronger.

"The true hero is flawed. The true test of a champion is not whether he can triumph, but whether he can overcome obstacles - preferably of hi own making - in order to triumph."

3) Sometimes it's okay to escape (or "go wilding").

"I am not a dog who runs away from things. I had never run away from Denny before that moment, and I have never run away since. But in that moment, I had to run.

There was something about it. I don't know. The setting of the dog park, perched on the eastern bank of Mercer Island like that, so ready. The split rail fence, not a containment fence in any way. The entire scene begs for a dog to run, to flee from his captivity, to lash out against the establishment. And so I ran.

Off to the south, I burst off down the short path throughout the gap in the split rail and out onto the big field, then I broke west. Over the asphalt path and down the other side to the amphitheater I found what I was looking for, untamed wilderness. I needed to go wilding. I was upset, sad, angry - something! I needed to do something! I needed to feel myself, understand myself and this horrible world we are all trapped in, where bugs and tumors and viruses worm their way into our brains and lay their putrid eggs that hatch and eat us alive from the inside out. I needed to do my part to crush it, stamp out what was attacking me, my way of life. So I ran."

4) We all have a purpose here on earth. When it's our time to go then it's our time to go. We must trust God with that.

"He died that day because his body had served its purpose. His soul had done what it came to do, learned what it came to learn, and then was free to leave. And I knew, as Denny sped me toward the doctor who would fix me, that if I had already accomplished what I set out to accomplish here on earth, if I had already learned what I was meant to learn, I would have left the curb one second later than I had, and I would have been killed instantly by that car.

But I was not killed. Because I was not finished, I still had work to do."

5) Give it your best because anything less is cheating yourself (Okay. This one is not from the dog's mouth, but I couldn't leave it out).

" 'There is no dishonor in losing the race,' Don said. 'There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose.' "

Seriously guys, this book is awesome. Enzo not only gives you some serious thoughts to digest but he's also quite humorous at times. I highly recommend this book.

muzak

Okay. Maybe just regular music.

Tennis released their first full-length album titled Cape Dory today. It's superbly superb, and while listening to it today on my first day back to work in almost two weeks, I couldn't help but feel like I was on the beach somewhere during the 60s...not in a freezing office watching the rain fall.

Plus, the story behind the songs is pretty cool.

Cape Dory

my first post from a jet plane

I'm currently on my first of two flights en route to Phoenix, and I've decided to go for my first mile high blog post. Ironically enough I'm headed to the mile high city in time to run (or sprint) to catch my next flight to Phoenix, and with that I just managed to say mile high more times than in my entire life.

But enough about that.

I have recently come to really appreciate how truly blessed I am, and this awesome trip I am about to partake in just further proves that. I have always had a soft spot for traveling, but now being the self sufficient woman that I am (yes...I just said that), I feel like my travels are just starting and that makes me smile...bigtime.

So what's on the agenda for this 10 day journey? Well...

Friday: Nashville to Denver to Phoenix via air. Meet up with the bro and drive to the Grand Canyon.

Saturday: Grand Canyon sunrise followed by a morning hike and lunch at the canyon. Short drive to Sedona for a sunset jeep tour. Drive to Scottsdale to meet up with the parents for a late dinner.

Sunday: Day with the mom either at the hotel spa, a ranch, dunebuggy driving or Sedona. Random, right? Dinner with the bro for his bday and off to Sir Charles' legends party.

Monday: Musical Instrument Museum. Tailgating. National Championship Game.

Tuesday: Farewell to the fam and hello to solo travels. 6 hour drive to Utah (through the Grand Canyon). Tour of Best Friends Animal Society sanctuary. Possibly ATVing at sunset.

Wednesday: Volunteering. Dogs in the morning. Cats in the afternoon. Taking a dog home for the night.

Thursday: Volunteering. Pot-bellied pigs in the morning. Horses in the afternoon. Drive to Flagstaff or Sedona.

Friday: Drive to Phoenix. Fly to Nola to meet up with the girls for bachelorette fun. Bourbon street.

Saturday: All day in Nola. Hopefully some French Quarter eating and shopping and another night on Bourbon.

Sunday: More Nola fun. Flight back to Nash.

Monday: Day off = Rest.

So yeah. I'm just mentally preparing to live. it. up.

the Christmas present you wish you got

...and the Christmas present I did get...

It gets me every time.

are we officially in the future?

Well, well, well.

Happy 2011, everyone! 20-11. Twenty. Eleven. Can you believe it? Remember when people thought 1984 was scary (including my sister who read it in 1998)? Craziness. We are officially in the future. I wish we were all wearing matching silver onesies like in the movies, but unfortunately we're not.

I hope everyone had a very, merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year's Eve.

I will say that I am pretty sad to see 2010 aka "the year of weddings" end. Not only did I get to see many of my closest friends marry their best friends, but I just had a great year all around. I ran my first half marathon. I got to enjoy the rest of my golden year. And not to mention the travels galore...3rd annual rafting trip, Nola, Biltmore, Holiday World, San Diego (which I still need to update you on), the beach and lake and I could go on and on...but I'll save you for now.

AND even though most of my weekends during football season were booked, I still got to enjoy the best Auburn football season since 2004 (which I will continue to enjoy in a week in...Arizona!).

I can also say that at the end of this year I did a little soul searching, and I've discovered a lot about myself that was holed up. Maybe it was the dreaded quarter-life birthday that finally got me thinking although being the mathematically minded person that I am...I am less than convinced on 25 being the quarter-life birthday since most of us won't live to 100. Truth hurts.

I was actually thinking that since I did so well with myself that I should probably pursue a doctorate in Psychiatry, but then I realized I couldn't make it through a million more years of school.

Wow...tangent. Maybe I should put work on attention span on my resolutions list. Oh wait...I don't have a list yet. With that being said I guess I'll go with three resolutions (completely spur of the moment) that I have for the year...

1.  Find a church that fits
2.  Run my first marathon  
3.  Volunteer more

These are all pretty big goals for me, but you know what? I think 2011 is the year for me.

Number one is a must. Last year was a crazy weekend travel year for me, and I really want to get settled in to church that I love.

Number two...I'll be training with the lovely Miss (soon to be Mrs!) Amy Williford (soon to be Sloop!), and just like she helped me through the half marathon training last year, I know we'll be able to get through this training together, too. Must prove the doubters wrong.

And last but certainly not least...I already have a wonderfully/amazingly/tremendously awesome volunteer opportunity set up in Utah for when I head out to Arizona (more to come on that) that I could not be more excited about so I'm starting that resolution as of right now. Woot!

Hey guys...it's going to be a GREAT year.