Mar 15, 2012

I’m a Mrs… pt 2

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Friday was amazing and surprisingly I got to bed early, because I had work to do Saturday morning!  And by work, I mean…

a 5k!

Some of my girls and I ran the Rear in Gear Inaugural 5k! And what a blast we had… we popped champagne with my marathon training group (and yep. I burped bubbles til about mile 1.5), sweated in the sun the whole time, and watched two of my closest friends run their first race ever! Then I was taken back to Bridal Headquarters (BHQ) on Jones St (voted one of the prettiest streets in America by this beauty….

After cruisin’ back in style and a quick shower (don’t worry, my girl were escorted by bus to shower too!)… we were off to JW Salon & Spa for hair then back to BHQ where Glow Med Spa came and did some of the girls make up while others did their own! We ate, drank some bubbly, and chatted until it was time to put on dresses.

I feel like I should also let you know a few details of what should of happened around 3:30pm that day. My dad and I were to arrive in a horse drawn carriage to one of Savannah’s squares. We had the  chairs, flowers, string trio… yada yada set to go for outside. Well that’s all fine and dandy until you hear tornado sirens going off. Couple that with torrential downpour and you have yourself on the phone with your wedding planner saying “ok, let’s do the rain plan”.

I was actually surprised at myself that I didn’t freak and just rolled with it. It was our day and despite the ugly weather outside from about 1pm-midnight, everything was amazing!!

***Forgot a special shout out on Friday’s post– I mentioned on twitter I needed a steamer. Thank goodness Amy Brock, the Social Media Queen of Savannah retweeted. Well, Savannah Theater offered to let me borrow one! We swung by on the way to the rehearsal. It was a lifesaver, because we took first look photos (outside under umbrellas) on Saturday and I had to pick up my dress and organza wrinkles like an SOB. So we could steam it before I walked down the aisle.

Speaking of first look… here are the three sneak peeks I have thus far. You can’t see my full gown since it was down pouring at this point, but I got it at BleuBelle Bridal Salon . I swoon for them and their customer service, the owner Heather and manager Courtney really go above and beyond. I love those girls!

Photos below are by Jenn Hopkins Photography

Be back with a posts on reception, Sunday send0ff brunch, then honeymoon… but I will probably be posting some runs in between ;)

xoxo

Filed Under: Run, Uncategorized, Wedding ·
Mar 13, 2012

I’m a Mrs!

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I know you all have been thinking the same thing. WOW! It’s been quiet.

Well, maybe not everyone but I know my co-workers did while I was gone the past 10 days getting married and enjoying the honeymoon.

Once we get back all our professional photos and video from the photographer & videographer, I will make a separate tab filled with wedding love that may make some vomit it will ooze that much love ;)

But here is a brief recap of our three day wedding weekend! I will probably do three separate posts…

Friday–

Bridesmaid’s Luncheon at Cha Bella

I selected a three course menu paired with a seasonal mixed berry mojitos for all of my closest girls, Mother of Bride, and Future Mother-in-Law. We dined, drank, and I gave out their presents!

I did not do the typical Southern tradition of a ‘stand-in’ bride. We had some much fun at the Rehearsal. Note how pretty and sunny it was outside… Friday was a gorgeous day!!

 

We then went to the Welcome Dinner hosted by my hub’s family. We had about 100 people there to drink, eat, meet a fun Savannah celebrity then enjoy First Friday Fireworks on the River!

Check out his groom’s cake… I surprised him with a cake just like our dog holding the RnR Savannah marathon “medal”. Ashlee who owns Tier Luxury did an amazing job on this cake and our wedding cake!

This was just the start of the best weekend of my life…. can’t wait to show Day 2- Wedding Day aka Day of Tornadoes, Rain, and LOVE!

xoxo

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Wedding ·
Mar 7, 2012

Guest Blogger: Nicole Culver

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By the time you read this, I am probably somewhere frolicking with my new hubs! I reached out to one of my favs, Nicole Culver over at Making Good Choices for some blog love while I am out.  She is the owner of Pure Bliss Eats, which I fully support their goods.

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Hi Everyone!

I’m so honored that Victoria asked me to do a guest post on her new blog! It looks so good! I’ve
enjoyed getting to know Victoria through both being FitFluential Ambassadors. We have a lot in
common, especially fitness and our love for FOOD!

To tell you a little bit of background about myself… I am a health counselor and baker for my little
online health food company, Pure Bliss Eats. I balance my day working between helping people
get healthy AND literally feeding people healthy snacks. I LOVE both jobs….mostly because they
revolve around food.
I mostly follow a clean diet. I enjoy my time in the kitchen coming up with new recipes that follow
the clean eating principles.

Eating Clean basically means:
Eating 5-6 times though out the day, so you’re never starving.
No processed foods, refined sugars or flours.
Eating veggies, complex carbs, lean meats and healthy fats.

I try to follow this 90% of the time! I do sneak in some treats throughout the week, especially on
the weekend. Even my treats are usually a healthy version.

Part of eating a clean diet that’s the most fun for me is coming up with healthy recipes to help
me stay on track. I tend to plan my meals and make what I can in advance to make life EASY
during the week. I’m all about setting yourself up for success and for me make ahead lunches =
success.

What do some of my lunches look like? I am a HUGE fan of falafels. I love making them for
myself, so I can bake and not fry them. They are definitely a “clean” food AND can be eaten over
a salad, over rice or in a wrap. So easy.

Falafels

Ingredients

? 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
? 1/4 cup quinoa flour (or any flour)
? 1/3 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
? 1/2 cup ground flax
? 5 fresh basil leaves or 1 tbsp dried basil, broken up into pieces
? 1 tsp cumin
? 3/4 tsp garlic powder
? 3/4 tsp sea salt (use 1/2 if you like less salt)
? 1/2 tsp black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Ground pepitas in food processor to make into a flour like
consistency. (It’s okay if there are some small pieces that didn’t ground up.) Add chickpeas and
continue to process until it becomes pasty. Then add ground flax, basil and spices. Process
again until all mixed. Form into about 12 balls and place on a non stick baking sheet. Bake for 20
minutes and flip over. Bake for 15 more minutes. Serve in a wrap or over a salad.

These are one of my eat clean foods. What are yours? Thanks for taking them time to read my
guest post while the beautiful Victoria get’s hitched and enjoys her time as a NEWLYWED!
Hope you come visit me over at my blog!

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Wedding ·
Feb 26, 2012

Welcome to My New Home!

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I finally did it. Put my big girls pants on in the blog world.

There are a few reasons  I decided to make the leap. Let’s discuss.

#1- More accountability with a prettier face. Blogger and my capabilities with the platform, were not cutting it. I want to make my goals and dreams housed in a pretty box ie this WordPress theme that Shauna created.

#2- I want to challenge myself to be a better blogger which in essence will challenge myself in both fitness and eating healthy. Blogging is a public platform to express myself in those areas, along with other fun stuff!

#3- Being a part of the FitFluential community has really made me want to do something bigger than myself. I know I am no fitness model, but just a real person trying to be healthier. But maybe just one person can relate and by having a blog that is user friendly, that one person can learn from some of my peaks and valleys!

And on a not so mushy note…. because I think it looks so much cuter. I said it. Vanity reasons ;)

So you may see some of my past posts  below…. we up loaded them for all the newbies that will come over. It’s missing a few that were uploaded on blogger (my bad!), but it’s all good!

******

Hope everyone is having a great weekend thus far! I am enjoying reading about everyone down in Disney while I am up here blowing the heck out of my nose. So I am laying on the couch finishing up all the pre-wedding thank-you notes from all the fun festivities that have occurred over the last two weeks!

And did I mention that my girls and I are running at 5k on the wedding day? Am I crazy or cool? I have heard getting a massage that day is cray-cray because you are so stressed. So what beats stress better than a good ole run in a veil and tutu? DUH!

xoxo

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Wedding ·
Feb 21, 2012

Goal for the Next 11 Days….

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Source

That’s my #1 goal. I am surprisingly not too stressed. We had a few hiccups on Friday with one vendor, but am meeting with him today. 

I finished my vows last night and that is the part I am most looking forward to. Finn will not see/hear my vows, and vice versa, until that day. I. Can. Not. Wait. 

AND the adorable Bridal Party gifts (one of the items they will be getting) were dropped off by a local vendor yesterday. I can’t wait for the other! 

Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday! I went to spin class and did about 10 min of core workout. I didn’t push myself too hard in spin. My knee felt ok, but based on what I have read spinning and swimming don’t annoy the knee too much… it’s the pounding. I guess it’s why it is called “Jumper’s Knee”. 
Filed Under: Wedding ·
Dec 30, 2011

It’s Not a Resolution, But a Commitment to Myself

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Let’s recap how 2011 went in a few words and photos, before I say my commitments for 2012 to myself.
The BBD that happened. No, not bigger better deal. THE BEST, BIGGEST DAY of my life thus far… Finn proposed!
One of our engagement photos by Jenn Hopkins Photography. Collective… awwwww
Training then commenced for the marathon. My redemption. I DNF’d Disney three years before due to my knee around mile 15. My ego and knee both hurt immensely, but I still got to see three of my girls from college finish with great smiles on their faces!
Training was great. A 3 day a week program with cross training on your own. Problem was… I got off the cross training band wagon. Opps!! The program (through Fleet Feet Savannah) was awesome. A+. Stellar. I met so many amazing people I know call friends. We see each other outside of runs and it’s always nice to see more friendly races at our local races. It didn’t even matter that I was the slowest one in the group, we were a family and family doesn’t care how fast or slow you are. They just care that you complete the journey. 
So that pretty much sums up all I have talked about this 2011. Wedding and Running. Running and Wedding. I also mixed in a lot of talk about the American Cancer Society DetermiNation, as I fundraised for them. Such an amazing cause, feel free to check them out for your next race! And make every mile count :)
Drum Roll Please….. Cue the Trumpets….

Commitments to Myself for 2012!
#1- Become a Mrs. I CAN NOT WAIT. My favorite part of the whole wedding weekend is going to be the “I DO”… we have even practiced ;) But, I am really excited to see all the details my parents and I (with input from the groom of course!) have put into the wedding. It is everything I have dreamed about since I was a little girl. Yep, I was that little girl. I am committing my life to Finn. And I couldn’t be happier about it. squeal.
#2-My race schedule and training schedule for 2012. This will take another post… probably tomorrow. But the biggest training commitment looming over my head is the Augusta Half Ironman. This is a big commitment, but I believe I am mentally ready. Now to get physically ready ;) BRING IT! And I will add cross training. Something I did not do in 2011. I am committing to myself to work the schedule and enjoy the training.
#3- I was asked to be a coach for No Boundaries! I am flattered and so pumped. Even though I may not be the fastest runner, I love to help others succeed at their goals. Just like my coaches did with me. NoBo is a program through Fleet Feet in which participants will run their first 5k at the end of three months. I am excited to team up with the program head and learn from her, as well as, channel my old swim coach days! I am committing to myself to be a great coach and listen to the athletes!
#4- I want to cook more at home and bring in the leftovers as lunches. This requires meal planning. Finn got me a sweet apron for Christmas. I feel like this will help!
What you don’t wear goggles when cutting onions?!?
#5- Have more FUN. Well… folks. It’s BACK! FUN! That little word that some people are afraid to have. This is probably one of the best traits my dad taught me. F-U-N. Goofy. Silly. Life is too short to be all nose in the air. ahem. Snot-face-like. 
I am going to have FUN with my training…. yep, wearing costumes for short (ie 5k’s… yeah no more 5 milers while holding up a hot cocoa cup… my fingers still hurt!) and cheering (when not running) like those crazy fun ladies over at Once Upon a (L)ime and Sweat Once a Day.
I am going to train with fun. Push myself with fun cross training. I have a goal to try at least six new types of workouts next year. I am really pumped about trying paddleboard yoga this summer. Yep. Just what it sounds like.
Thanks Pinterest, because I know I won’t look that awesome…
This Monday, a few of us are trying out TRX. BAM. January 2nd… and already knocking off #1 of 6 new workouts in 2012. That’s how I roll.


QOD: Do you make resolutions? What are y’alls goals?
Filed Under: Fleet Feet, Wedding ·
Dec 16, 2011

Just Did It!

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This past weekend I was up in Atlanta for the wedding of our friends. Gorgeous. Gorgeous.
Josh and I
Oh wait. You thought I was talking about the wedding…. yep. That was amazing and fabulous too!
 Being that my client appointments didn’t start until Tuesday, I decided to lollygag up to G’Ville to see my new nephew. But that didn’t come without a few stops…..
 Nike Outlet in Commerce, Ga. Yep, I Did It.
So after more Fa La La La’ing and Christmas Shopping for myself, I made it up to snuggle with my handsome nephew. I swear, God knew what he was doing when he made him. I didn’t think you could package that much cuteness into one person. So after plenty of kisses, snuggles, and surprisingly not too many cries; I was on my way back to Atlanta to hang out with my friends (Joe & Josh) and get ready for work. 
************************************************
This morning started off great.  I was as bright as lemon in my new Nike gear for a run with Jake Gingerhall. 
Oh Nike. How I love thee. I have always had an affinity towards Nike. 

Nike really made it big when I was brace faced, awkward, and loving semi-hating life. My dad used to joke that he would “put swooshes all over the house and mark up the price”. I started wearing them because I thought they looked cool with my Jnco’s. Yep. I just admitted that. And no, I will not ask my mother for any photos. Now, I always tend to gravitate towards Nike in any running store, TJ Maxx-ish shopping chain, or Nike store or outlet. Nike seems to fit me perfectly. The tanks are long and don’t ride. The capris and run skirts fit perfectly. I always seem to feel slimmer in them, who doesn’t want to feel slimmer.
Funny. I didn’t have a Rudolph Nose or dreidel this morning.
This Saturday is the Reindeer Run 8k. Stay tuned for race recap and my first product review. Wahoo! Have a great night y’all. 

QOD: Is anyone running a Holiday run this weekend?
Filed Under: Run, Wedding ·
Aug 2, 2011

Should I book Adam Sandler??

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Wedding planning is a complete BLAST. I keep telling my Finn (our cute little, makes you wanna gag pet name for each other derived from ‘Finding Nemo’) that I want to have a wedding every year, with the same budget, and I guess to the same guy….. or Jake Gyllenhaal.

I feel like Finn looks like his reddish hair twin…. thoughts?

 Anyways- we have the welcome dinner site, ceremony site, reception site, photographer (OMG- Jenn Hopkins out of Jacksonville… check her out or on Facebook, she updates constantly!! LOVE!), cake, florist, etc etc. Don’t want to give all the fun details away to our guests…. BUT we can’t figure out a DJ. I have spoken to two and want to talk to more…. I just can’t commit. I am not a live music/band person. And I want a DJ that is fun, but not corny. UGH. I want to get people up and moving…. I love to have fun, dance, and be goofy. Come on… and I do the sprinkler and dive bars. I AM THAT GIRL.

…… but I Definitely Do NOT Want the Wedding Singer! Oh and by I, I mean We… because I and We are totally interchangeable when wedding planning. Because “whatever you want” and “makes ME happy” = “WE”!! Just Kidding, Finn!

Any who, tomorrow I have *hopefully* my final lab/test…. and I am hoping to get cleared to run. But we will see….. maybe they can hold off on anything major til after our wedding (and marathon!).

Filed Under: Run, Wedding ·