I love showing friends my city.
Especially these two long-distance ladies.
…
Tattoos, Snowboarding, and Our Anniversary Dinner [WIAW]
I’ve been married two whole years.
Who knew THAT would ever happen?!
One day I’ll learn to never say never. Remember that time I said I’d never get married… yeah…
As of Monday I’ve been married for 2 years. Now I have a tattoo to prove it. Sorry mom.
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Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That
Surveys spread faster than STDs in blog-land.
Sometimes I’m all…
BUT I’m in wine country for my birthday, so I’m going to use that as a reason to join in… and I secretly love doing these. Who doens’t want to spend 500 words talking about themself?!
Note: I always think these things will be an “easy” blog post… yet this took me a good 2 hours more time than I care to admit.
A. Attached or Single?
Single.
B. Best Friend?
She’s abandoning me for a job in another state…. but Mallory still has my heart.
C. Cake or pie?
Cake. Specifically flourless chocolate cake with sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil. It’s called the “Nemesis Cake” for good reason.
I will never admit to how many birthday cakes I’ve had this year.
D. Day of choice?
Squatterday…. eerrr… Saturday
E. Essential Item?
iPhone. I’m Laura and I’m an addict.
F. Favorite color?
Black. It IS a color. WHITE is not a color. It’s the absence of color.
G. Gummy bears or worms?
Why would you waste a good treat on that? Chocolate!!! (See C above.)
H. Home town?
Marietta, GA
I. Favorite Indulgence?
I can’t choose just one food… how about a fancy dinner out with wine and multiple courses. Or a beer and doughnut tasting.
J. January or July?
July. It’s my birthday!!!
K. Kids?
I figured out what causes that. See “A” above.
Can’t take risks…
L. Life isn’t complete without?
Ya gotta have friiiiiends…
Heather, Me, and Lindsay at Blend
M. Marriage date?
Again, see question “A.”
N. Number of brothers/sisters?
2 little sisters – 26 and 21.
O. Oranges or Apples?
Apples. Preferably eaten like a cupcake.
P. Phobias?
Throwing up. I am terrified of it. I used to have panic attacks as a kid where I would think I was going to puke and have to go home from school. It is avoided at ALL costs.
Q. Quotes?
So many… I used to keep quote books in high school!
The tattoo I got for my dad says “All I ask of living is to have no chains on me.”
R. Reasons to smile?
Good friends. Good wine. Good food. Preferably together.
S. Season of choice?
Spring – everything is so fresh and full of possibility!
T. Tag 5 People.
I’m pretty sure I’m the last person to jump on the bandwagon.
U. Unknown fact about me?
I had twins. Wait…
V. Vegetable?
Spinach. Or raw carrots. Or brussles in tahini sauce.
W. Worst habit?
I can be pretty insensitive. I don’t mean to… I’m just oblivious. I’m working on it.
X. Xray or Ultrasound?
I’ve had them… I’ve broken my jaw and my knee. Go big or go home, right?!
Y. Your favorite food?
That’s like choosing a favorite child. How about a category? Anything from Italy for $1000, Alex.
Barolo, Italy
Z. Zodiac sign?
Cancer. Did I mention it’s my birthday???
***
I apologize in advance for all of the wine tasting pics that are about to ensue on Instagram. #sorryimnotsorry
Pick one (or 5) and answer it!
Do you spend excessive amounts of time answering these things too?
Tattoos and Red Birds
Has a red bird ever flown across your path?
My Grandmother, my dad’s mother, used to say that seeing a red bird was good luck.
She passed away when I was very young so I don’t have too many memories of her, but from what I do remember and the stories I’ve heard we had a lot in common. MamMaw loved the Golden Girls, shopping, and baking. She didn’t take a lot of crap and had a sense of humor that could make people blush. I have always sensed a sort of kindred spirit in her…
…and every time I’ve had something big going on in my life – a new job, taking the GMAT, a death – a red bird has flown across my path.
The words in my tattoo read: “All I ask of livin’ is to have no chains on me.”
It is a line from a Blood, Sweat & Tears song called “And When I Die.” If you haven’t heard of this band, it’s a jazz-rock group that was popular in the late 60s/early 70s – lots of horns/brass and a good beat. It was one my dad’s favorite bands.
One of the memories of my dad that sticks out in my mind the most was when we were sitting in the car after a softball game and this song came on. He turned up the stereo wayyyy too loud and we sat in the car and jammed out.
It sounds small, but it was such a fun, happy moment. Not a care in the world. Just me and my dad with some good classic rock.
July 6th will be 4 years since he passed away.
I’m positive he would hate the fact that I have a fairly large tattoo on my back. 🙂 I do think he would appreciate the significance. Whenever I see a red bird, I think of my grandmother and my dad. It’s a reminder to me that they are somewhere out there watching my back and hopefully sending a little extra luck my way when things are tough.
The song lyrics with the red bird remind me that the sky is the limit. All I ask of life is to let me keep living it so I can see how high I can go. My dad approached life like that – he believed that anything is possible, as long as you believe in yourself. He was an incredibly intelligent man. He owned his own business, built our family’s house, and excelled at everything he attempted. I never heard him complain about getting a bad hand dealt. He may have hit some hard times, but he would roll up his sleeves and fight his way through whatever roadblock presented itself.
Maybe it’s hokey, but this tattoo reminds me of the example he set. It reminds me that with hard work, confidence, and a little luck, anything is possible.
Thanks to my best friend’s husband, Greg, for designing my tattoo – it makes it that much more special. And, of course, a huge thanks to Danielle at Only You Tattoo in Atlanta for doing such an incredible job.
***
PSA – put a towel down before you sleep on a new tattoo:
Do you ever feel like you’ve been given a little extra luck just when you needed it most?
Is there a song you associate with one of your parents/grandparents?
Manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday…
‘Cause that’s my fun day.
There was not an inch of free space on any Atlanta patio yesterday. The weather was perfect – 70 degrees and clear blue skies.
My softball team, Laid Back, had our first games of the season. We lost both by 1 run… but we had a great time! I got to do my signature split off of 1st base. I think I pulled my hip.
Super-old pic!
Here are a few more things that made this weekend fabulous:
1. My Sister, the Rockstar
Have a listen to Goose & Fox’s (my sister’s band) new song, “Fearless.”
2. iHerb Delivery
This was my first time ordering from iHerb.com and I was really pleased! I ordered Sun Warrior vegan protein powder (my favorite) and more peanut flour. They even threw in a sample bag of tea! Orders over $40 receive FREE 1-3 day shipping. I had my goods the NEXT DAY. Perfect for someone who expects instant gratification.
Additionally, I got $10 off my order because it was my first time. If you are interested, here’s the code: USO924.
3. Monday Night Brewing
Just when I thought I knew ever beer in Atlanta, I found this local craft brew from Monday Night Brewing at a local pub called Augustine’s.
The glass reads: “Weekends are Overrated.”
I should have stolen this glass.
It is called “Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale.” A little smoky with notes of chocolate, I instantly loved this cleverly-named Scottish-style brew. Tasty beer and the company was even better. 😉
4. Tattoo Consultation
I have been planning this tattoo forever. After procrastinating on the design, I finally asked my best friend’s husband, Greg, to sketch it out for me. He did a great job on the sketches, and I had a clear vision to bring to the talented Danielle at Only You Tattoo. It’s really special to me that Greg drew it; he and my bestie mean the world to me.
Danielle is a talented woman – April 28th was her first available appointment. I’m 1 month away from new ink!
5. Whole Foods Hot Mess Bar
A little Sunday evening dinner treat. The bar was LOADED with vegan options tonight – BBQ seitan, tofu cacciatore, vegan mac & cheese, vegan spaghetti with “meat” sauce… and raw kale salads galore!
I also ran into one of my favorite singers in the produce sections… I didn’t say hi…. but it was cool!
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Last week I mentioned that I may have found the root of the problem with my knee. I was told to take it easy this week… I kind of did. Against advice, I did run in the softball game. It was just short sprints between bases… but I didn’t feel pain! *crossing fingers*
Running makes me feel more sane. It’s my release. Saturday morning 5Ks give me something fun and athletic to look forward to every weekend. If Dr. Justin fixed it… I’ll set up a shrine to him in my room. LOL!
Workout Recap (3/18 – 3/25):
- Monday – Elliptical, this Fit-in-Heels workout, 100 PUs
- Tuesday – P90X Biceps/Back, 1-mile run, 100 push-ups
- Wednesday – This workout by Lori, 100 push-ups
- Thursday – This Body Rock (4x), elliptical, Ab Ripper X
- Friday – This BodyRock (those abs were killer!), 100 push-ups
- Saturday – This workout by Khushboo (4x)
- Sunday – Softball, stationary bike, 100 push-ups
***
I’m speaking to a bunch of MBAs at my alma mater today about post-careers… nervous!!
Have you tried peanut flour yet? What are you waiting for?!
What do you do to keep your mind healthy?
