Long Week--But Hello Friday :)

Hi Friends!!

So this week has been a whirl-wind...seriously, can't believe that it is already the weekend (whew!).  I have a huggge paper and presentation, and needed to finish my first draft this week and have my final presentation done because I'm presenting in front of 40 plus people on Monday...ek!

Anyways, last weekend was a blast (as I had to play catch-up all week, but it was totally worth it).  One of my best friends, Laura, came into town this past weekend.  I absolutely love when Laura comes into town--takes me back to college for a little bit, plus when we are together it is always fun (at least for us).  We had a packed weekend--even though the weather wasn't perfect, we made the best of it and pretended like it was amazing weather.

Yup--we are best friends ha!

We took Drew's boat out for the first real time this spring (even though we took it out in the winter), and let me tell you---it was awesome to finally be back out on the water.  Even though it wasn't the best weather for boating; it still wasnt too rough and we managed to go out right before it started to storm.  Then a huge storm blew through (they said there were tornadoes close by?), so we took cover at Red's Icehouse on Shem Creek.  I absolutely love Red's in the summer--the food is alright, but the atmosphere is the main reason to go--plus you can dock right on up!! By the time we were all finished--the storm had passed bringing along slick water and cooler temps.  Over all, it was a great Saturday spent with even greater (if that was a word) friends :)

On the boat--ok and thumbs up :)

Laura and me!

Everyone pulling into Reds...the calm before the storm

Everyone (including me this time)..

thanks to Grant's long arms!

Megan, Me and Laura!

That night, we all cleaned up and headed to get mexican dinner before going to a concert at the Pour House.  The last time I was at the Pour house was on Valentine's Day for Mishka!  It is such a cool venue and was a great shower.  Trevor Hall is a guy that is from SC and plays really chill but upbeat music (if thats possible).  It was so much fun and the perfect way to end a really fun day :)

Mexican dinner--and yes, I enjoyed a glass of wine

nothing finer than wine at a Mexican restaurant ha!

Laura, me and Drew waiting for in line! 

All the visitors of the weekend!

We got a little bored waiting in line...

As for the rest of this week--I have been a bookworm and been writing/reading/studying my little booty off! I guess it's because I'm in school--but lordy, it was a stressful week! As for some snapshots of what my plate has been like this week (if you were interested ha!).

32 degrees soo good!

First LoCountry Boil of the Year...welcome spring :)

Pasta bowl--with new veggie meatballs 

(soo good they just came out with them)!

Fro Yo (again)--it's so good!

Roasted Brussels, Sweet Potato Chips and Chicken 

(my meal for one)

I'm weird and get cereal sent to me in the mail..

Still not over my obsession whoospies!

Looking forward to taking a little break in the work this weekend (giving myself Saturday to chill and then get back to it)!  I have the bridge run in the morning (early, early morning) which is officially Drew's first race ever :)!! I love the bridge run...other than the fact that Charleston is just a mob of people everywhere, but it is all in the spirit of what I'm told one of the best races in the country woop wooop!!

Happy Friday y'all!

Beautiful Weather For Booty Kicking Workouts :)

Happy Hump Day!

It is another gorgeous in Charleston...seriously I can't get enough (promise I will stop boosting about it soon)! My appointment got cancelled yesterday, which allowed me to be able to relish in the sunshine and knock out a slower, but still awesome 5.5 mile run downtown Charleston.  I have a wonderful loop that takes me just over 5 miles and allows me to see some of the most beautiful sites of Historical Charleston :)

Water Front Park (or is it River Front?! Never remember!)

Pretty Palmettos :)

Fountain :)

I have been running with my iPhone so I can listen to Pandora (instead of having to purchase music).  Pandora is awesome because I can listen to all different genres of music depending on my mood.  Currently, I'm jamming to Firework Station (thank you Katy Perry) which is the perfect mix of music to keep me energized throughout my runs! Not going to lie--Motown Station is pretty darn good as well and got to love some T-Swift for a more mellow run :) But the added perk of running with my phone is that it allows me to act like I'm a tourist and stop for photo opts during my run :)

As for this morning, I started off with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with egg--still indecisive this morning about whether to have peanut butter toast or egg sandwich so I combined them!  It may seem strange but if you love ppjs and eggs as I do--putting them together just adds to the amazingness!  

Egg sandwich 

(before I decided to add the peanut butter toast)

After class, I went to the gym to take a bodyattack class with the hardest instructor at the gym (in my opinion).  I absolutely have become obsessed with bodyattack and am eager for the new release to come out next week :)  It is a fun, upbeat class that really kicks my booty without me focusing on the clock (which tends to happen in gym classes)!  Of course after the hard workout it was time to refuel--with more cottage cheese!!

Cottage Cheese Obsession Continues...

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday--only a few more days until the weekend AND my best friend Laura is coming in tomorrow :)!!

Cottage Cheese? Yes, Please!

Happy first day of Spring!!

Even though it has felt like spring for the past week or so--it is nice to know that winter (even as mild as it was this year) is finally over and sunshine in full swing!!  As I have said time and time again, I absolutely love Charleston in the spring/summer/fall and even winter.  But spring is exceptional because it isnt quite too hot yet, the sun is shining, flowers blooming and people are antsy to lay out and go to the beach!

With my window open this morning and the cool breeze coming in and the sun starting to shine--it was the most perfect start of spring and my Tuesday :)! I got a jump start on the day by having a wonderful breakfast.  I was indecisive about what to make for breakfast, so decided to have something sweet then something more filling.  I made some cottage cheese mixed with jam and cinnamon sugar then added an egg white omelet with peppers and goat cheese :).

Omelet and small cottage cheese (ate some before the picture whoopsies!)

Cottage cheese has become my new obsession.  Growing up my mom always ate cottage cheese and my roommate, Ali loves it.  But for whatever reason (probably because it just looks so chunky and like rotten cheese with an awful constancy) I have always been repulsed by cottage cheese and the idea to eat it made me want to cringe.  However, last week I decided that I was in the mood for cottage cheese--strange because I have probably only tried it once and really couldn't tell you why it sounded appealing--but I decided I was going to take a stab at it and try out the repulsive looking stuff.  I'm not going to lie the first bowl of it--didn't taste so good (the constancy got to me).  But after trying different varieties of it: sweet with jam, sugar, cinnamon, spice or savory with salt and pepper; I have finally found a love for cottage cheese!

It is strange how something that seemed so unappetizing can become my obsession two weeks later!  The same thing happened to me with tomatoes a few years ago--I used to hate them, but now can't get enough.  And I guess the same goes for squash, mushrooms and fish.  I'm starting to believe what my middle school science teacher told me: your taste buds change every 7 years...ha!

Thank goodness I found a love for fish back in the day--because that's what I have been munching on the past few meals.  I got cod from Costco on Sunday night and Drew whipped some pan fried cod and pan seared cod right up.  He had fish tacos while I opted for a fish salad--which I replicated for 2 left over meals.  I absolutely love cod it is so flakey and light.  The downside of this cod was that it was soo stinky (though I'm almost positive it hadn't gone bad) and left Drew's place smelling like fish even the day after :( but I assure you it was taste-y :)

Salad numero uno

Salad numero dos

Looks gross--but there is nothing better than homemade tarter sauce:

combine mayo, relish, salt, pepper and old bay :)

Hope everyone enjoys the start of SPRING  :)

St. Patty's Day Celebration On Folly Beach :)

Happy St. Patty's Day (a day late)!  This St. Patrick's Day I was planning on going down to Savannah, GA for the biggest bash in the US, but unfortunately I have a huge project due the beginning of April and couldn't dedicate an entire weekend away.  BUT we definitely made it up and celebrated on Folly Beach with a bunch of other people who themselves couldn't go to Savannah...so close yet so far!

It has been absolutely gorgeous in Charleston the past few days and I have been trying to take full advantage of the start of spring and warm weather (unfortunately that means I got a little too sun happy and got burnt)!  I started off my St. Patty's Day by running around the battery with Christina.  We have the Cooper River Bridge run coming up at the end of the month and both haven't been running many miles since the Savannah Marathon and decided that it was a perfect morning to jump start our training (10k).

Sun Burn :( No Worries I learned My Lesson For The Year:

WEAR SUNSCREEN!

As we were running I couldn't help but smile to see so many people wearing green!  Its kind of like the 4th of July when everyone wears red, white or blue; I just love seeing some unity (it's the small things in life)!  We ran through river front park and the fountain was dyed green for St. Pat's day...it may not be the entire river like in Savannah, but still got to love the Irish spirit!

The Green Fountain :)

A Photo Shoot Break From Our Run!

After our run, it was time to do a little work before rounding up the boys (who caught a 28 incher while fishing in the morning) and head off to folly beach.  It was quite the celebration with tons of people wearing tons of green!! I will have to say that this St. Patrick's day was definitely one for the books :)  I'm sad I didn't take any pictures, but I did manage to stag one of the sunset...too pretty to forget to take a picture!

Sunset over Folly Beach

And the cherry on top of the day was I was in bed by 10:00, which is what happens when you are out all day! Which I woke up refreshed this morning and ready to go!  Time to eat my wonderful homemade banana pancakes (I have been craving them all morning) and go for a quick run before it gets too hot!

Banana Pancakes...

Soo good I had to make 2 batches whoopsies :)

Spring Break in Maryland!

Hi Strangers!

I have been gone for a while because I was on my last spring break--and went home :).  I know it isn't the Caribbean or anything wild and exciting BUT it was the perfect escape for me, plus it was Drew's first time visiting my home!! It was also my birthday (forgot to mention) and I always love being around my family to celebrate! We had a blast and covered a lot of territory in the short amount of time back home...we went to DC, Baltimore, Fell's Point and tromped around good ol' MoCo (what people call Montgomery County).

Just a snap shot of our day trip to DC on my birthday..

On the metro (we ended up getting split up on the metro on the way home--ek!)

Lee took a lunch break to treat Drew and I to some awesome salads

(they mix all the toppings and dressing you want together)

Me and Drew with the Capital

Drew at Air and Space gift shop

(I used to think it was the Aaron Space--so intelligent right?!)

Jackie O's inaugural dress: timeless

American History Museum

(did you know that Kermit's eyes are half ping pong balls?!)

Had to get a picture of the Washington Monument before it started pouring on us

(and yes, not the best picture taking--the monument is 

sticking out of my head oops!)

Snap shots of our day in Baltimore/Fells Point with Mama...

Cat's Eye in Fells Point

Mom and Drew :)

Picture in front of the harbor

Snack time--Mimosas and Crab dip 

(It wouldnt be Maryland without some crab right!?)

Mom and Drew 

(with the inappropriate hat that they made me wear for my birthday...)

Me and Drew at the oldest saloon in America (apparently)

Drew liked the saddle bar stools...

Drew and Mom with their colorful jello 

(yes, I was DD--no worries folks!)

I still managed to slam my thumb in the car door 

(a trip to urgent care- meds, draining and lots of ice: back to normal :))

Best brunch in the world--Black's in Bethesda (seriously amazing) with Lee and Jeff...

Black's (all you can eat) brunch with endless 

mimosas and oysters 

Lee and Jeff (Jeff couldnt put his fork down!)

One of my 5 or 6 plates (and yes they were all this full)

Leaving Black's--I want to go back every Sunday!

Joint Birthday Dinner with Kyler (my cousin's birthday is the day after mine)...

Jeff and Lee at Grill Marx, a steak house in my old town

(Olney got a nice steak house when I left!)

Salad with Goat cheese, balsamic reduction and dried cherries 

Filet with veggies and mashed taters 

It was a wonderful trip home and I certainly ate my way all the way back to Charleston! I absolutely love being around my family and am sad that I don't get to visit more often--but it certainly makes time at home more special :)