Running and Crafting

1.  Check this article out on running...basically it says that it increases your longevity.  Thanks Dad for sending!

Speaking of running and my Dad, I started running when I was a little girl.  It was something for Dad and I to do together and we ran many races.  He always stayed back and ran with me.  I have fond memories of that.  Then in high school I ran to stay in shape for sports (lacrosse, field hockey, etc).  In college I started running more and I played lacrosse so running was essential.  After college I have basically run mainly as a stress reliever.  It doesn't hurt that it is good for you and keeps weight down.  Dad has had knee trouble since a run he and I did together in November 2010.  He had surgery on it and the pounding still isn't good.  He rides his bike while I run now.  Always fun to do when I'm in Maryland or he is here in NC.   

2.  My buddy David kicked my tail running this morning.  We kicked up some sprints on the greenway.  Nice to get in on a Friday morning.

3.  Crafting....this week I tried to figure out how to get a printed G onto a white circle to paste onto coral cardstock.  This is to tie onto our guest bags at the hotel.  Yall, I'm soooo not crafty.  I spent 30 minutes at Michael's bugging the people about how to do this.  Well I've tried to do it how they said and I just can't get the G's centered.  I know I could stamp them but I want the G to be in the same font as everything else for the wedding.  I'll keep working on this! ;)

4.  I'm really looking forward to this weekend.  I have a couple events tonight and I plan to lay by the pool tomorrow.  Cannot wait.

5.  TGIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Favorite Singers

Today I thought it'd be fun to share my favorite singers as of right now.  Blake Shelton ranks right up there because he is so hilariously funny on twitter.  You must follow him.  Cracks me up daily. 

I've always loved Rascal Flatts.  Just something about them.  And helps that one of them is married to a Chi Omega!

Helloooooooo Josh Turner.  Kevin will tell you that Josh is my boyfriend.  Too bad he's married with three children.  SO cute. 

And I just think Carrie can sing SO well and we loved her concert a couple years ago here in Charlotte.  I need her legs.

(all images from Google)

As you can tell, I'm a pretty big fan of country music.  It's about the only thing I listen to.  I will be attending a Coldplay concert with Kevin, David and Jenn in July so I need to learn some songs quickly.  :)

Tell me your favs!

Wedding Wednesday - Bridesmaid Gifts

Thanks again for all your sweet comments on the race!

Okay so I think yall can already tell I'm pretty OCD and like to get things done ahead of time.  I mean our wedding is still over 11 months away and I'm wayyyy too into details.  I've ordered the bags for the welcome bags, thought of a design for them, I definitely know what's in them. 

Anyway today I wanted to talk Bridesmaid's Gifts.  Now don't be silly, I'm not spilling the beans on la blog since lots of my girls read it but I thought these were some fun ideas in case you or someone you know is looking for something!  I bought my bridesmaid's gifts this week and had the best time doing so! ;)

Kate Spade "As Good As Gold" bracelet.  Comes beautifully wrapped and let's be honest, aren't our bridesmaid's as good as gold to us?!

via

Everyone loves the 16 oz. tumblers.  Especially personalized in fun colors. 

via

And what lady wouldn't love a fun clutch?!  Can't go wrong.

via

Of course you can always do the jewelry that they will wear the day of or treat them to a mani/pedi the weekend of.  I personally am choosing not to do that because everyone is just wearing pearl stud earrings and we all have those and we can all do our own nails ahead of time (I know I usually do this before I leave for the wedding). 

So those are a few ideas.  Email me if you'd like any more ideas for BM's or anyone else in the wedding party.  My brain has been racking these gifts (and all the other gifts we get to buy!) since the day I got engaged.  I loveeeee to give gifts!!!  Sometime I'll do a post on Groomsman gifts too!

Nashville Half Marathon

Get ready for lots of pictures.

Friday I was able to make it home between my work trip and leaving for Nashville.  That was so nice.

All three of us flew from Charlotte on three different airlines and we landed within 10 minutes of each other.  It was perfect.  We rented a car and checked in at the Marriott Renaissance which connects to the convention center where the expo is.  It also is one block from Broadway.  Tara hooked us up with a fab room on the concierge's level 24th floor.

Country Music Hall of Fame, top of it like a guitar.

 We walked down to the expo and got our race packets and a couple headbands from Sweaty Bands (best ever - they do not move!).

We even saw Christin, her husband and also Amanda there!

We grabbed a bite in the hotel bar.  Then we got ready and our friend from Charlotte's twin sister Maggie picked us up for dinner at Tin Angel.  It was so funny being with Maggie as she sounds and looks just like Emily.

4:30am came early.  Kristen hooked us up with a Platinum package where we got our own parking area and buses to the start line.  That was nice to have!  Here we are waiting in line for the buses.  (We parked at the finish and they bus you to the start).

We also got to go in a special tent at the start that had private porta potties (hot commodity), food and drinks. 

And before we knew it, we were off.  I started in corral 18, they started in 8 (I think).  35,000 of my closest friends. 

I will tell you, the race support on the course was amazing.  There were people lining the course the entire way.  Bands every mile at least, entertainment all over the place, folks tailgating in their front yard.  It was sooooo nice to have that.  I did resort to my ipod around mile 6 but that's because I was almost dying.  Ha!

Tara and Kristen killed the race in 2:11.  Wish I could kept up with them but they trained a lot harder than I did.  I'm sooo proud of them both!

Tara

I have a new respect for Kristen after only doing a half.  She's run a full in Richmond and had also done this half before.  Insaneness.

Coach Kristen

I was thrilled just to finish.  I had been sick all week so I coughed the ENTIRE race.  It was also 81 degrees when we were done...hot.  The hills were absolutely insane.  We heard this was only the 2nd year of this particular course and they had changed it to make it harder...umm yes you are one of the hardest in the country.  And unfortunately due to my (travel) schedule, I was literally only able to run twice a week to train, occasionally three times.  Soooo those are my excuses for my crappy time but oh well, I'm happy to be done!

Honestly I never thought I could ever run a half so I was sorta glad I did it.  :)

Oh and for some reason my GPS said 13.56 miles.  Hmmmmmm.  I know with weaving it could be a little more but 0.46 more? 

We met up at family meet up area C for Charlotte! 

And grabbed our free michelob ultra.

Sparkly medal!

We headed to Jimmy Johns for food then went back to shower and get cleaned up for the Rodney Atkins concert that night.

He was pretty fun to watch!

Then we headed to Legends, the Stage, Tootsies, Paradise Park Trailer Resort and a couple other honky tonk bars on Broadway.

Maggie and one of her friends met us out!

And then we headed home.  We think the beer was good for our bones because the next day, we could realllllly tell we ran a half marathon.

We had brunch with one of Kristen's sister's friends from Clemson and her boyfriend at Copper Kettle.  This was an amazzzzing brunch. 

We cruised to the airport and I moved very slowly from the rental car facility to the terminal haha. 

I'm still very slow to get around.  4 advil every 4 hours is assisting.

During the race I kept texting with my Dad about how horrible it was and I couldn't stop thinking that I would never do this again.  We'll see...I may be coming around about doing it once more.  But I may choose cooler weather and fewer hills! :) 

Run Run Runnnnn

Today I'm heading up north for a work meeting then flying back through Charlotte tomorrow, going to do the ole switch-a-roo of suitcases in the parking deck then cruise back inside and fly over to Nashville.

For this... 

Country Music Half Marathon.

Meeting some girlfriends there.  Tara, Kristen and I from Charlotte then my friend Kim is coming in from Dallas and Christin is coming from Memphis.  All of us are on three separate girl trips, ha!  Should be a good time!

Honestly I never thought I could do a race this long, my legs are built for playing sports, not distance running.  But for some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to keep adding a mile each week last Fall.  Then the girls had me start running with them and we've become a good lil group.  I'm not going for any record time, honestly I just want to have fun and finish.  There is a band every mile of the race and if I want to stop and take a picture, I will.  No records here, just a good time!

I was up all night last night dreaming that I was totally spastic before the race and I didn't even get my number until everyone else had already finished it.  I didn't even get to run, ahhhh!  Let's hope those dreams go away so I get enough sleep the next couple of nights ha! 

Yall have a great weekend!  Hopefully I'll be able to walk on the plane Sunday to return to Charlotte and tell yall how it was.  :)

Wedding Wednesday - Website and Logistics

Since I've mentioned before that we aren't doing save the dates, we still needed a way to let close family and bridal party know about the hotel link.  Basically what this boils down to is that I sent a mass email out yesterday when I got the hotel link then personally called or texted most everyone to tell them to book that instant. 

There is a City Wide Convention the weekend of our wedding.  And our wedding was booked first! 

How dare them!

So it's been super important that all of our reservations are made.  Currently I only have 20 rooms but I'm working on getting more at other hotels.  Actually let me correct that statement, I've been working on room blocks since last July....  but those are just details.... ;)

I think it's going to all work out.  Honestly I'm probably looking way too into it and being too conservative. 

Anyway, so who did a wedding website?  We did and I can send yall the link if you email me and I "know" you. 

Did you all feel like guests actually looked at that and remembered how to get places that weekend? 

Did you include a map in your guest welcome bag?  How did you make this?

What I don't want to happen is me play hostess with the mostess and worry about where everyone will park uptown that weekend, how they will get around and who needs to be where at what time.  I want everyone to know that wayyyyy ahead of time.  And I'm doing everything in my power now to make that happen.  We shall see...I'm not good at letting stuff like that go.  I'll probably still do it.  :)

Lilly Finds

While the Lilly stores were having their big sale a couple of weeks ago, I snagged two things that I thought were practical for year round, work and every day.  Can't get any better than that.  As I think I've mentioned before, I'm not buying anything that I can't wear for work and every day...can't justify it!

I was in desperate need of a new black tee (mine is literally gray).  I love the slub material so I picked this up for $20 something (usually $58).  I'm actually wearing it today with Lilly dressy white slacks and my black revas.  I added a springy murfee scarf to jazz it up for the Spring and chilly weather. 

I must have ordered these below jeans too fast because I thought they were going to be white.  Just for your future reference - cameo white is not the same as white.  Cameo white is more of a winter white.  I'm okay with them though because I guess that means I can wear them year round.  I knew I loved the Main Line jean fit because I have them in regular white too.  But for $55 (originally $138) these things were a steal and I know I'll wear them a ton.

Tell me what yall got!