The right kind of weekend

I've been MIA and I owe y'all a bunch of updates but for now all I can think about is how excited I am to be spending the weekend in Philadelphia. I have had a hellish 4 weeks between work, class, my grandma passing away, doing homework, group projects, and traveling extensively. I'm just mentally, emotionally and physically spent. I had no idea I would be feeling this way when I planned my trip but sometimes timing is awfully uncanny...

These dudes are some of my favorite people around and I'm actually thinking I may cry seeing them. I'm tearing up just typing this! I can't explain it but you know those friends...the ones that just like you for YOU and ask nothing more than for you to be YOU. That's them. 

And then, if that weren't enough, 3 of the girls I met when I went to Costa Rica live here and another is flying in from London. I mean, y'all, FROM LONDON!! FOR ME!! And the others but come on. Costa Rica was such an incredible, life rebuilding experience and I can't wait to catch up with these ladies. 

This weekend I have such high expectations and I know they will be met 1000 times over. 

Happy Halloween!

Well played, Google +Plus

It was the perfect fall weekend. I'm trying really hard to be better about writing, documenting, sharing, but it's a challenge. Just know I miss all you imaginary people that I really know IRL (in real life, duh), I miss baring my soul to you and obsessing over how much I suck at running and discussing intimate details of my still non-existent love life. I feel it in my bones, the feeling is mutual. And don't worry - the documentation is still being captured for the world to see on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc, etc, etc.

 

But I am here to tell you about the newest, coolest thing Google +Plus has done. Or really, the only cool thing it's done that I know of.  

I might have had a (lot of) mini photo shoot this weekend with some of my favorite people. The pictures by themselves were adorable and hilarious, the pictures in sequence on my camera were amazing, but the best part was when I uploaded them to Google. Somehow they documented my relationship with WVP (beautiful man in blue, pictured below) better than I ever possibly could have myself.

So we start out with a series of 6 photos (I think the minimum is 5), and the below 'clip' is what it gave back to me, automatically, with no prompting on my part, after I upload to my photos:

 

 

Love this. Love the pictures, love the video, love our smiles, love how happy we are. This little sequence captures the essence of us. I had one of the best weekends in recent memory and I really have this guy to thank, and now Google just put the frickin' cherry on top.

 

I'm on to their game though, they're trying to get me to forgive them for doing away with my Google Reader. Nice try, but you'll have to do better than a measly picture video to win me back completely!

 

Big plans for October

Remember when I did the Lenten Adventure? I've been missing it a little bit. I've been missing structure, some sense of boundaries, rules, something to keep me in line. I thrive on routine, on the comfort of knowing what is coming next. And sometimes I let that all fall by the wayside just for funsies, and I have to rein myself back in. So, I'm re-adopting a few (just a few...) of the things I added or gave up earlier this year as part-challenge, part-being true to myself. It just needs to be.

 

1. Cheese - it's got to go.

2. Daily exercise - it's got to happen, broken foot be damned.

3. Church on Sundays - no brainer.

4. Snoozing the alarm clock - case and point, I should be at work right now and instead I'm working on my couch...

5. Making my bed daily - such an easy, satisfying chore.

 

We each have different coping mechanisms to deal with life, and creating rules for myself to live by is one of mine. Whatever works, I say, and I know this works for me. I haven't decided if I'm just going to do this for October or for the rest of 2013, but I'll report back.

 

What's the last thing you did in your own best interest? I also took myself home on Friday night rather than going out to another party and I call that a success by every count imaginable.

BB Cream... pass

 

I know I can be dramatic sometimes (who me?!), but I was so excited about BB Cream. I love me some color. And then it proceeded to ruin my skin more than any PMS or pre-teen years could. Seriously! I had more pimples than a 13 year old boy, and they were the nasty kind that actually, physically hurt. It took me a few days to figure out exactly what was going on, but I identified the culprit and have since moved on. I guess lesson learned - if you have sensitive skin, BB cream is not for you. I can do a lot of terrible things to my skin (not wash it, mainly) and have it be fine, but I guess BB cream is where it draws the line. So now I know.

 

Sorry, BB Cream, I tried, and now I have 6 store-brand and 1 designer brand tube of pore-blocking gunk to contend with. Anybody looking for a freebie?

 

PS - Sorry I trashed your pretty image, Whit.

PPS - I had the exact same thing happen when I took Biotin, but worse

PPPS - I did find an amazing sunless tanner that I have big plans to post about, thanks to my new favorite blog

Bloggy Makeover Time!

Ya'll may have noticed some changes 'round here if you click over frequently. I enlisted the help of my sweet friend Nicole to give the blog a makeover. We went back and forth on iterations and exactly what I was looking for and I pretty much love it. We're still working on some small tweaks like photo size and colors in different places, so bear with us. Maybe I'll have her do a guest post about some of the magic behind the scenes... would anyone be interested? I know I would, but not sure anyone else cares.

 

I think my favorite feature is the "Life, One list at a time" but honestly, I love the whole header.

 

 

In related news, I've been working some Pinterest magic on recipes, attempting to get my DIY on, and generally wreaking havoc on my own life. I bought season tickets for the Broadway Atlanta series, so I guess I'd consider that a win. I'm trying to do more activities that are cultural and fun and don't involve a hangover. I know, so grown up and responsible. Let's see how long it lasts... 

 

School is moving along, my foot is still broken, and I'm still single so really nothing all that new around here. I guess this is why I resort to a blog makeover as good blog fodder. Sorry if you were expecting more.

 

Upcoming travels: Houston, Dallas, Miami, Philadelpha, and maybe San Fransisco, although that one might have to wait until 2014. Also planning #kanda2014, we're thinking 10-12 days in Greece & Macedonia in between my spring and summer semesters. Ambitious, yes, but since when has that stopped me? One of my friends also went to yacht week in Greece late this summer, so maybe I'll just steal his idea instead of coming up with my own.

 

Anyway, that's life in a nutshell. I found my holiday party attire so one of these days I'll get around to posting that. You're all going to love it and be totally shocked that it's a Jessica Simpson number. I just love her clothes and shoes and her (even though when I think of her I think of Jessica & Nick & chicken of the sea... or is it tuna?)

 

I digress. Bye!

It only took 27.5 years...

I haven't posted about this yet because I guess I have kind of been in denial. But, it's starting to really impact me and what I can/can't do so....

 

I broke my foot while I was traveling for work in Texas a month ago, and I've been on crutches and then in a walking boot ever since.

To answer the most common questions, no I wasn't really drunk, I broke it stepping onto and tripping over a curb, and yes it hurts.

 

The 2 biggest disappointments have come in the form of exercise: no triathalon at the end of this month and no tennis this fall. I knew the tri would be out as soon as I broke it, but I was really optimistic about the tennis season. Unfortunately after seeing the doctor for a follow-up last week, I got the bad news that I would be in the boot for another 3-4 weeks, therefore ruining most of the tennis season. And who is to say I'll actually be healed by then, anyway? I guess it's better to just sit this one out, but it totally sucks.

 

The doc did tell me I could start doing some swim workouts and "light elliptical" (whatever that means), so looks like I can at least start getting a little exercise. I mean, let's be honest, I love a good reason not to workout, but my pants don't love it so much. So, clearly I started researching a good workout plan and voila! Ya'll know I'm obsessed with these little 1-page simple workouts so I couldn't resist.

 

My favorite elliptical workouts via Pinterest 1 2 3

 

 

I'm also going to add in some arm workouts, probably more in the form of these pagelets that I can save to my iPhone and access while I'm already in the gym. Seriously, I'm a huge fan. Whoever invented them gets major props from me.

 

So there you have it. It took 27.5 years, but I finally have my first broken bone and it is no fun. I will say, I am eternally grateful I'm not in a cast and that I didn't have to use the crutches for very long. Although I probably could have avoided the arm workouts if I'd kept up with crutches... so not worth it. 

The end of the monogram saga

I've been obsessing over monograms for a while. I took to the Twitters to complain, too. Sorry about that...

A few weeks ago I found a Groupon for one, and it finally came in the mail. I love it! I ordered the rose gold 18" extra-small monogram from monogramonline.com and it's wonderful! A little larger than I was dreaming and hoping for, but after 3 days it's grown on me.

I even bought one to give as a gift! Guess you'll have to wait until the holidays to find out who it's for.

Have you purchased anything lately that you are just obsessed over?