Color Me Happy

On Saturday, I participated in my first 5k, the Color Run!!  It was so amazingly fun!  If you haven't heard of the Color Run, it is a 5k run that has color stations along the route.  At every station volunteers douse you in colored powder.  By the end of the race you look like a rainbow!  Brandon and I got to run it with another couple from our small group from church and one of their family members.  We are so blessed to have amazing friends who made this so much fun.  

I got my colorful socks ready, my sweatband, and my clean white shirt just waiting to be colorified.  The start line is a huge dance party and the run was also a lot of fun.  There were a lot of hills along the route, but hey it was a great workout.  At the finish line we headed to the color party, which is essentially a huge dance party.  Every 10 minutes or so they do a color throw.  Each runner got a packet of colored powder.  On the signal everyone throws their color in the air to create a huge colorful cloud that rains down on you.  In one word- Fantastic!!!  This was the most fun I have had in a long time.  Next on our list of runs, the Electric Run in April.  So pumped!! 

Before

During

After

 It really is the happiest 5k on the planet!!!

We Heart the Olympics

I am so excited that the Olympics are here!  I love getting to watch all of the different sports that are not normally televised or the most popular.  These athletes are so amazing and talented and I truly admire them.  It is so awesome how one activity can bring the world together in a unified way.  I wish every day life could be like that.  I share my excitement for the Olympics with lots of friends and we got to share that love on Friday night for the Opening Ceremonies.  Our friends threw an Opening Ceremonies party, complete with dressing up.  It was so fun to cheer on the USA and welcome the games.  Personally, I thought the Opening Ceremonies were a little strange, but hey only my opinion.  We had a great time with friends and got to wear some pretty sweet shirts.  Even Brandon's broken ankle got festive :)   P.S. sorry for the photo quality, they are all from my phone

USA Badminton Team

The torch and the runner

Pumped

I am pumped for college football season!  I just thought I would let you know.  How could you not be after watching this amazing video?  I mean all  this talk about the NFL lockout ending just does not have me excited, but mention Wolfpack football and I am all ears.  Is anyone else a college football junkie?  Who is your favorite team?

A Little Randomness

I have a hodge podge of little things I want to share, so here is a little randomness. 

I have my first big-girl job interview tomorrow.  It is for a high school counseling job and I am nervous, excited, blessed, terrified, unsure, confident, praying, optimistic, hoping, anxious, waiting, preparing, etc, etc.  It is so intimidating to enter an interview with people you know are judging you, but I feel confident that if it is the right place for me then it will all work out.  So any prayers would be greatly appreciated.  I just pray that I can be myself and let my passion shine.  I know the Lord has the perfect place for me. 

Here is one of the cutest videos ever.  Our little Piper gets the hiccups quite often and it is so adorable.  She is the master of puppy eyes too, they will melt your soul.  This little video showcases both of these adorable qualities.  So enjoy!  Also, Brandon is seriously wanting to adopt a second puppy.  I can't decide if this is a good idea or a bad idea.  I mean I love dogs, but two in our little house, I don't know about that.  p.s. Piper is becoming way too much like a child to me, it's pathetic, but endearing at the same time.  

 

This weekend was full of mild injuries.  My mom and I drove down to the beach to visit my sister for the weekend.  Now, I am a redhead so sunscreen is a must.  Therefore, I slathered on the SPF 50.  FIFTY!  I still managed to get a miserable sunburn on my chest and belly and an odd-looking sunburn at that.  Oh the joys of being a redhead.  Then on Sunday, I had my weekly softball game.  First play of the game a lefthanded batter steps up to the plate.  I was playing second base, so I knew he was going to pull it to the right side.  Next thing I knew a super hard hit grounder comes speeding my way.  I couldn't get my glove down fast enough and POP it hits my ankle at full speed.  The picture doesn't really show the bruise too well but my ankle is swollen and a nice shiner has developed complete with the seams from the ball.  Such is the life of a softball player.  It was all worth it though because the next time he stepped up to the plate I backhanded his line drive and he was OUT!  I also randomly pulled the muscle behind my shoulder blade.  Standing on the field all of the sudden I felt it tweak.  Has anyone else ever pulled this muscle?  It stinks. 

                                         

Here is my only picture from the beach because I forgot my camera at home, so this is a phone picture.  Anyways, I hope you enjoyed my Monday morning randomness.  And, remember to send me your posts for my guest series Love and Marriage.  Have a lovely Monday!

Work It Out Girl

With no job and no schoolwork, I've had a lot of time on my hands.  This means I need something to do.  I am the type of person who gets very bored, very easily.  I need to be on the move most of the time, I need something productive to fill my time.  That being said, I have been focusing a lot more on fitness and working out.  I have always loved being active.  I grew up playing sports three seasons out of the year and spent the summers at summer camps and on the go.  Now that I am all grown up there are no more summer camps and I have to be diligent in staying fit.  So, what are my activities of choice you may ask.

I love, love, love step aerobics.  It is a great cardio workout and it also works your mental capacity through choreography.  I go to a step class at least once a week at the YMCA, my favorite is on Tuesday afternoons.  I much prefer going two or three times a week.  Step can be very intimidating for first-timers, but I promise I looked just as goofy my first time and it definitely gets better with practice, so keep at it and you will be doing the most complex choreography soon.  So, if you have access to step aerobics group classes, give it a try you might surprise yourself.   

Now, I am by no means a distance runner.  I can run about 2 miles and that's about as far as I go.  I just love the feeling and the challenge of running.  It is such a mental exercise because your body can always do more than you believe it can, so you have to train your mind to be in accord with the body's capabilities.  There is definitely a lot of self-encouragement going on when I go running.  I try to run outside at least once a week.  I either drag Brandon along or I bring my trusty Ipod.  I'm hoping to get Piper to be my running buddy as soon as she is big enough.  I usually pair running with some toning exercises like an ab workout or muscle toning and of course a nice stretching episode.  My goal (which is a lofty one for me) is to run the Cooper River Bridge 10K in Charleston next year and possibly the Warrior Dash in August.  I really should begin training, haha. 

This one is waaaay out of my comfort zone, but I love it.  In case you aren't familiar with Zumba, it is a high-energy dance workout that features Latin (i.e. salsa, meringue, bachata, etc.), reggaeton (my favorite), hip-hop, belly dancing, and any other kind of dancing you can imagine.  The goal of Zumba is to have a fun experience while burning calories.  I used to go to Zumba on a weekly basis, but then stopped going because I got busy.  I went to my first class in a while today and it was amazing.  There were about 100 people there and the energy was off the chart.  It doesn't matter if you can shake it like Shakira or you move like a white girl (like me).  All that matters is that you let loose, have fun, and get a great workout.  It is freeing as a woman to be able to embrace your sexy side and power as a woman.  I challenge you to try a Zumba class at least once, you might find you have moves you never knew you had.  

Finally, my favorite activity is softball.  I have played softball since I was 8 years old.  I played throughout school and continued with intramurals in college.  Now, I play on a rec league team with some people that I grew up in church with.  We play a game once a week and I absolutely adore it.  Even though it isn't fast-pitch it keeps me in the sport.  There is something about being on the field that makes me feel at home, fulfilled.  It indulges all of my senses.  I love the ping of the bat from a solid hit, the feel of the dirt between my cleats, the smell of the dirt and leather on my palms, the sweat on my brow, the breeze and sun on my cheeks.  It is a feeling I can't explain.  For that hour once a week I am free, I am at home.  Do you have an activity or hobby that gives you this feeling?  I hope you do. 

I love being active and try to make a part of my weekly routine.  Sometimes, working out can become a burden or something that is easily given up.  I try to schedule it into my daily routine as if it is an appointment that I have to go to.  It is one of my self-care activities and I not only benefit physically from it, but mentally, emotionally, and psychologically.  Also, having someone support you and hold you accountable is important as well.  I encourage you to find the workout routine that works for you.  It might be yoga, cardio, lifting weights, dancing, whatever gets you moving.  So, what are some of your favorite fitness activities?  

Wolfpack in the House!!!!!!!

For the fourth year in a row the wonderful Wolfpack have taken it to those tarholes!  What a joyous occasion it is when the Pack take out those bow tie wearing, searsucking, trust fund loving, overly obnoxious crap balls known as the Carowhina Tarholes.  Brandon and I watched the game at my parents house, which is notorious for its bad juju when it comes to viewing the games; hence the results of watching the ECU and Clemson games there.  Reluctantly, we agreed to give it another chance.  The game started off rocky,but I found the solution to overcome the bad luck in the house.  By the end of the game the Frick's and the Brown's were all on the floor watching the game.  I started the trend and lo and behold T.J. Graham runs it back for a TD! haha!  The rest of the family followed suit and sent the good juju to the Pack for the big W!  There is little I love more than a Wolfpack taking out a ram. Next stop...Maryland for a shot at the ACC Championship game in Charlotte!  Here are some of my favorite pictures from the News & Observer.

For all my Wolfpack family out there: Some Highlights

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!  We have been up to some fun things lately.  First, in honor of the Halloween spirit we carved our annual pumpkin.  Brandon did most of the carving while I baked the seeds.

 

The Finished Product

This past weekend we headed back up to Raleigh to watch the Pack take on Florida State with our friend Kyle.  We tailgated with some homemade BBQ, potato salad, dirty rice, beer and brandy slush.  YUM!  What an amazing game!  The Wolfpack held on to beat the Seminoles who were ranked #16 in the nation.  We also had our first experience with Priceline for hotels.  We booked the Country Inn and Suites near the airport for $58 through Priceline when it is normally priced $112/night.  What a deal!  We had an awesome time, as always, and enjoyed the big win!

                                                     

Wolfpack Weekend and Wedding Photos

We got our Professional Wedding Photos back this week from our wonderful photographers, JT Photography.  I love every single shot, they truly are amazing artists!  Click the link above to view all 1,021 of them!  

This past weekend we headed to Raleigh with my parents to watch the Wolfpack take on Boston College.  Of course, the Pack won uncontested!  We had a great time at the game, besides the 90* heat, complete with a good ol' southern Bojangles Tailgate before the game.  

After the victory, we headed to our hotel where there was some drama, drama, drama.  Both my parents and Brandon and I booked King Non-smoking rooms.  When we got there, the clerk proceeded to very rudely inform us that there were only smoking double rooms available.  Of course, we fought it and she magically came up with a King room for my parents but nothing for Brandon and I, except for the handicapped room.  She told us the only difference in the handicapped room is that it did not have a tub, which led us to believe there was an enclosed water closet shower.  Boy were we wrong!  We get to our room to find a tile floor in the shower with a floor drain and a curtain hanging from the ceiling!!  So basically we got nothing that we reserved at the hotel except for the free waffles the next morning.  My mom called the manager of the hotel and ended up getting both rooms comped to us for free, so in the end it all worked out.  After the drama at the hotel, we headed to one of our favorite restaurants in Raleigh, the Village Draft House, for some burgers and beers.  Our close friend Kyle came and picked us up after dinner and we headed out downtown for the evening to catch up with him.  We had a great time!!  We love getting out of town, even for just a night, and can't wait to go back to Raleigh again or possibly move back one day!!  GO WOLFPACK!!