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new year...new chair??

With the new year comes new resolutions as we all know too well, but I decided this year to let the dust settle on January before making any resolutions. I mean who says that I have to get started right away on nearly impossible goals, and instead of trying to come up with something spur of the moment I can take the time to think of a few things I really want to accomplish.

I will say for sure that I do want to keep up this healthy lifestyle I have been living the past six months so naturally I decided to buy a stability ball...for work. I call it "the onion." Check. it. out.

Totally Normal

Balancing Act



wait...you're still alive?

That's right. I'm back. Alive. And well. Last year was a pretty awesome year including the 9 months that you know nothing about which included a volunteering stint at the Life is good festival (talk about a seriously happy atmosphere).

But enough about last year...it is over and it was awesome. Viva 2012. I have a lot of good things in my future, and my year started out with this...





Enough said. Happy new year.

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.

    soup season

    Well guys. It's that tights wearing, soup making, hot chocolate drinking, carol singing, fire warming time of the year.

    Now I'm a pretty big chowder person. Don't get me wrong, I like my thin soups, but there is just something about a creamy soup that makes me melt. One particular lobster bisque I had in San Diego may have been in the top ten of best things I've ever eaten. However, that creamy deliciousness normally comes with a price to pay...it's not the best thing for you.

    Not so fast my friend (thanks, Corso).

    I've found a soup that is chowder-esque and healthy. This soup has been a staple for me during the past couple of winters, and I'm actually whipping it up as we speak.

    It's Ellie Krieger's Corn and Vegetable Soup and it, my dear friends, is amazing. Check it out here.

    It's so easy to make, and I substitute the red peppers with orange just to add another color to the mix. Enjoy!

    phlog: sec championship

    So I actually wrote some things for this post, but they magically disappeared. Imagine that.

    View from our seats...not too shabby.

    Sir Charles. Four (okay...maybe five) rows in front of us.

    Heisman Finalist Winner
    Me trying to get on the big screen for fans of the game, but the broseph's AT&T 
    coverage wasn't allowing it. Then again my Verizon wasn't doing too well either. 

    Georgia Dome = Black Hole

    a few of my not so favorite things...

    Okay. Maybe just one...


    Now I'm not one to normally judge hair because lets be honest...I'm not known for having my hair perfect all the time or any time for that matter. However, I also don't have my own personal stylist, and I'm not on tv everyday. I mean come on. That is a styled mullet. And as my then 4 year old nephew said one Christmas Eve while hiding under my parents bed..."I just can't take this anymore."

    Lady. Fire. Your. Hair. Stylist. PLEASE. KThanksBye.

    cyber monday and how it owned me

    Cyber Monday has really been catching on the past few years, and this year...it caught me. You like that play on words? Thought so.

    I can honestly say that I cannot believe what all I bought Monday. I am basically finished with my Christmas shopping as of Monday aka November aka that has never happened in the history of my life.

    So besides the wonderful presents/steals that I bought for the rest of the fam, I bet you are really wondering what I bought for myself. If you are not, you might as well quit reading this post now.



    +



    +



    =


    NEW PIANO(-ISH)!!!!


    Other purchases:
    New running shoes
    Seasons 1-3 of Mad Men
    Beatles Rockband Bundle

    Woot!

    archived post: norah jones

    What do I have to say about FINALLY getting to see Norah Jones live at my favorite venue ever...a lot. So here it goes.

    First of all, it was pretty awesome to know that Norah was just as excited to play at the Ryman as I was to see her play at the Ryman. I mean after all (as she explained) she did play her first song ever at the Ryman with Willie Nelson.

    She played quite the variety, and I was pleased with her song selection. Who am I kidding though? I love all of her songs. I was surprised to see her not only play the guitar for a good amount of the songs but completely rock it. I mean you try to play riffs while singing (I just hope that most of the time I can get strumming patterns down while singing). It's harder than hard, and she made it look easy.

    For those fans that strictly love her piano playing ways, she did have a small set where it was just her and the piano. She played Cold, Cold Heart, Man of the Hour, and Don't Know Why (classic). Pretty magical.

    After I thought the concert could not get any better...it did. Her encore was completely acoustic. Her and the band used a single mic that was used back in the Grand Ole Opry days, AND they played Creepin' In. This is one of my faves of hers, and she had not been playing it in her recent sets so I was more than thrilled. I almost felt like Dolly was about to walk onto the stage and join in.

    For those of you who are fans, you HAVE to see her live. For those of you who aren't fans, you STILL HAVE to see her live... and what is wrong with you? She has always had one of my favorite voices. If I could describe it in two words they would be smooth and calming. Those of you who are familiar probably already know this and also probably won't believe this when I tell you...

    Her voice is even better live.

    Funny sidenote: I called my mom during the show so she could listen to some of her favorites (like I did with Regina). Well she listened to three or four songs, so I called her afterwards to see if she liked it. Turns out my dad was the one listening since my mom was already asleep when I called. Oh Pops.