Atlanta Half Marathon...

Last year, I posted this huge announcement on our Four Fat Chicks website about my decision to run a half marathon. I set the date of December 12th to participate in the Kiawah Island Half Marathon. What I didn't know at the time was, that was my older brother's graduation date... I could not miss that for the world because... well... he started working towards his Bachelor's degree in 1997. This was a HUGE accomplishment to say the least....

I decided this year that I was going to do it, and since there is a great half marathon right here in Atlanta, I figured it was the perfect time. It was the morning of Thanksgiving, and I thought what better way to start off a day of glutinous eating.... I'll run 13.1 miles, and eat to my heart's content with not one ounce of guilt.

This experience was such a time of great self reflection for me. First of all, I am not a runner. In fact, I don't even like running. I can say this now because I spent the past 3 months telling myself that I did like to run because I needed to stay in a good head space until after the race.... now its over, now I can say it... I DO NOT LIKE RUNNING! Why then would I EVER decide to participate in a half marathon?

I guess I just decided that I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone, set a goal that would be very hard for me to get through and accomplish it. When I found out that my brother's graduation date fell on the race day of the first half marathon that I planned on doing, my first reaction was relief. I was SO relieved that I didn't have to put myself through that... It was nice to say, " Well I started training and I was going to do it, but something beyond my control came up and I couldn't." After I thought about that, I was kind of disgusted. When did I become this person that runs from a challenge? I knew then that I had to prove to myself that I could do it.

I would love to say that I woke up with a fresh sense of strength and purpose, and was very disciplined and dedicated to this new task....... but I can't. I had meltdowns, breakdowns, my limbs went numb, pains in my back, my shins, my hair was a mess.... I was a mess. I know one thing for sure. It took the support of my very loving and patient friends to get me through this. I could never have done this without their great advice and words of encouragement through this entire process.

I still can't believe I finished. But I did...

I was pretty sore all weekend but I am feeling much better now...In fact... I think I wanna go for a run today.... It's so weird, now that I don't have the pressure of getting in a certain amount of mileage, I kind of just crave the moments I spent deep in my own thoughts while running. There might be hope for me yet....maybe I do like running....

Terri's Engagment Party....

Let the festivities begin!!

Last week was the first of many celebrations for Terri and Adam's wedding. Travis and I threw them an engagement party at Beleza to celebrate. It was a HUGE success, and we had a bunch of people to come by and celebrate with us.

Their cake! Adam loves Transformers, and Terri loves shoes...thus, the perfect cake for them!

Leave it to me to bring a little bit of white trash to the celebration...these are the names I so lovingly call them, slathered on a vanilla Publix cake with cream cheese icing...yuuuummm....

The bride to be....

The very happy couple....

Congratulations Terri and Adam!! Cheers to the first of many celebrations!!

Happy Birthday Paul.....

This post is about 60 days late...but you all know i am a lazy blogger... :-)

I get teased all the time about the fact that I have multiple "best friends." It's kinda true....I have accumulated a lot because I have moved around a lot in my life. I was a military brat and moved 7 times growing up, then moved away for college in Tennessee, then moved to Atlanta, then Chicago, and now back to Atlanta. I think growing up I really hated it, but as an adult, I realize it really has shaped me into the person I am today.

There is one friend that I have known the longest...my friend Paul. We met in seventh grade, working at the concession stand in school to raise money for Student Council. Every week we had the same shift during lunch, and we have been best friends ever since. He actually took me on my first date to the Puff Daddy and the Family concert....(he was the only guy my dad trusted to take me out....i think we all know why now...wink, wink).

Our friendship is very different from others I think, because we have been friends for 15 years. He has been around for every major event of my life so far. Typically, as a military brat, you don't keep friendships that long. You move, you lose touch, but never with Paul... Since I have been back in Atlanta, we get together every week, and recently realized, after 15 years of friendship, we have never gotten in one argument.....not one.

I have tons and tons of stories of laughter and fun, and I could probably do an entire separate blog full of stories...but some things should just stay between old friends....
I do however want to take the time to thank you Paul for some very specific things throughout the years....one for every year that we have been friends:

1. Thank you for not telling our Student Council advisor that I stole 1 pack of Now and Laters every time we were in the concession shop. Well, stealing is a harsh word...i just conveniently gave myself a 50% discount for my complimentary services. :-)


2. Thank you for always engaging in ridiculous songs that we made up in honors English. In fact, you should be thanking me...now that you are a part of a music production group, it was probably my influence that got your creative juices flowing.....i'm just sayin....


3. Thank you for letting my copy your Algebra homework....you knew I sucked at math and never held that against me...


4. Thank you for convincing my dad to let me go to the Puff Daddy concert with you. It was the perfect first date, and opened the door to my entire dating experience. (it all went downhill from there)


5. Oh and speaking of that concert, thank you for buying me pancakes at Ihop after my friend Tiffany forgot where she was supposed to pick us up, and we ended up walking aimlessly around the Alamodome for hours.


6. Thank you for not telling my brother that i made out with BJ at Tre's end of the school year Pajama Party....he would have killed him and then Judson wouldn't have made it to the state championship that year! AND! He wouldn't have been alive to be an extra in that Disney movie about that college basketball team....


7. In fact, thank you for telling my parents that I spent the night at your house instead of at Tre's house that night...even though nothing happened...they would have been PISSED!


8. Furthermore, thank you for protecting me when Tre became psychotic about me years later.


9. Thank you for spending an entire Sunday looking for my lost keys after that wild and crazy night out with the "kids." Even though, it was kinda your fault...you let big Paul make me all those drinks with Vodka and Crunk Juice....i can hardly be held responsible for losing them in his couch, and making you drive back to every place we went to the night before until finally realizing around 9pm where they were.


10. Thank you for bringing our middle school yearbook to my wedding....really....thanks a lot.


11. Thank you for always finding a nice way to tell me when i look a mess....instead of just saying..."Tina....you look a mess." wait.....you do say that...so thank you for saying it in a way that never hurts my feelings...


12. Thank you for always driving 30 miles to my side of town to go to dinner. I know its a pain in the butt...but so worth it once you get here right?


13. Thank you for never judging me....EVER....when you had every right to...


14. You don't have a selfish bone in your body....thank you for that...I always know what you tell me comes from a truly loving place


15. And finally, thank you for your friendship. I can't imagine my life without it.

Happy Birthday Paul! I LOVE YOU!

July....

Well good grief...July is OVER! How did that happen? Well maybe because I have decided that I can cram everything that pops up in my mind to do into my daily schedule. I have not had such a busy schedule (some of it work, some of it self inflicted) EVER in my life.... I read that the most successful people in life don't sleep...I believe after reading that, I have unconsciously taken away 2 hours of sleep each day, and you would be AMAZED at how much I can fit in my day now....apparently blogging is not one of them because I haven't updated in forever...

I have come to grips with the fact that my digital camera cord got lost in my move to Atlanta, so although I have been taking awesome pictures of everything that has been going on...they are trapped on my camera until I can get them off. I was looking through my pictures on my iphone and thought it told a lot of what has been going on for the past few weeks.... If you follow me on twitter, you have already seen all of these...but here is a little bit of my month of July in pictures.... told my my iphone...

Went to Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati Ohio for a week long work trip. We had a client event in a suite at the Cleveland Indians field. I love baseball games...

Also made it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame... super fun...

Made it back from Ohio to see the concert I have been waiting on ALL year... BEYONCE!! It was amazing.....She is an incredible performer....I had goosebumps for the entire show...and she worked it out.. Two and a half hours of singing and dancing... no intermission...

I was so glad that I made it down to Alabama for the 4th of July with my family...It was the first time in 3 years that I was able to spend the holiday with them. We had a wonderful time, and I got to love on my sweet little baby... This is my cousins baby Josh in his batman pajamas... I must admit, I think I got bit by the baby bug a little when I left him....I love that little guy...

Here is Ken and I at the Braves game... much needed outing for us. Ken has been working 80 hour weeks since he got down to Georgia...but if you know him, this is no suprise. Hopefully things will slow down at work for him soon...Although, him working late has eliminated my temptation to not go to the gym...by the time I get back, he is just getting home and then we get to have dinner and some alone time together...

Ended out the month with a work trip to Kansas City. I was only there for 3 days but every moment that I wasn't working I spent in my hotel room sleeping...it was exhausting. I did find this cute cupcake place where I picked up treats for some clients....and...YES..i did get a cupcake for myself... Raspberry Lemonade Cupcake....ummmmm....

This is my sweet friend Kori. We have been such great friends for almost 10 years now. I have a group of friends that all get together EVERY weekend. Typically we get together for a drink on Friday night, then meet up on Sunday nights to watch True Blood, Hung and Entourage. We all went to my favorite dive bar last weekend and had a blast. We were out much later than we usually are but ended our night on Kori's rooftop overlooking the city. It totally reminded me of my old rooftop in Chicago...I guess I do miss Lake Michigan and the skyline...

Can you guess where I am in the picture above?? There is only one place in Atlanta where your plate is this empty EVERY time you eat there and they use such fine china.... You got it! Waffle House! Honestly, I have been in Atlanta for 3 months now and last weekend was the first time I went.... yes...it's good to be home...

What's Been Up...

It's been a long time since I blogged, and honestly I have been living life in fast forward for the past month. I started this blog when I lived in Chicago as a way to keep my friends and family informed on what was going on in my life. Well now that I am here with 80% of my friends and family, it hasn't really felt like I needed to update as much. I can't even believe how quickly 4 weeks have flown by. I have kept myself very busy by choice. I went from doing things every now and then in Chicago, to having my phone light up every Friday with invitations to spend time with people. I haven't even been taking pictures which is the most upsetting. I did happen to get a few in here and there to share......

Terri and I at the Braves game....

Me and the Hubby at my brother's graduation.....

Celebrating Cinco De Mayo....

So that's it. No awesome vacation, no major announcements. Just good times with good friends, and a loving family. Two week countdown to my husband's birthday weekend/The Flowers come to town! Can't wait!

i love the 80s......

Terri throws the best parties...we all know this, but this one i think by far takes the cake. There is a running joke with Terri's friends that i don't live in Chicago, because every time she throws a party, i fly 800 miles to be there....they think that in fact, i probably live at Terri's house. When she told me that her and Adam were throwing an Ultimate 80's Prom Party i knew i had to be there... big hair and sequence?? I'M IN!!

So then comes the biggest question... what to wear? I had been searching online for a few weeks, and lost a couple of bids on E-bay. This was very frustrating for me, because i decided very early on that i HAD to have the best costume, so that i could be voted Prom Queen. This was my one shot! The week of the party, i found this atrocious dress, and knew i had to have it.

Terri went all out as usual.... there were balloons EVERYWHERE, beer pong and darts in the garage, lots of yummy 80s snack food, and an awesome playlist of music. To top it all off, there was a prom picture setup where everyone got their picture taken. The pictures were then printed and posted on a wall so that everyone could vote for Prom Queen and King. Can you guess who won Prom Queen??
The Prom King (Sean) and i both had our high school dream answered...about 10 years too late. Next year we will have to hand off our crown to someone else, but we will be sure to enjoy our reign until then! Here was some of the competition:

Fall Weddings 2008....

Before i got married, i think i had been to 3 weddings...tops! From what i hear...this is lucky....i hear stories of friends of mine who were at and in dozens of weddings before their big day. I feel very honored to go to weddings now. I go in like a veteran.....been there, done that....let me know if you need some help.....its all gonna be OKAY! Although I have been a bride once....i have YET to be a bridesmaid... always the bride, never a bridesmaid??

Anyway....I am proud to say that I have been blessed to see three of my dearest friends get married in 2008. Here are some highlights..........First...the Go-Ho Wedding..... I am not kidding....Marlene Go married Jordan Ho in September of this year....

Marlene and Jordan had the ultimate Chicago Wedding. Their ceremony was at a chapel in downtown Chicago.....and their reception?....in the Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier....it was absolutely beautiful....

I know that i am a big baby, and i will probably cry at every wedding that i attend...but seriously....it was so emotionally moving, you would have to be a corpse to have not shed a tear. The evening came equipped with great food, great music, moving and tear-jerking words to one another, a traditional Chinese Dragon Dance, and a solo from an Opera trained singer (the bride)that led to the ultimate happy ending....FIREWORKS..............


As if all that wasn't enough... it provided a perfect photo opp for another happy couple.....

Next up....the Williams/Sparks wedding that took place in Birmingham, AL in October. Bronjalin is one of my irreplaceable Atlanta friends. Honestly....i hit the jackpot with my job in Atlanta...i met the most wonderful people anyone could ever know. I love the fact that i was there to share Bronjalin's special day.... Bronj and i have a plethera of stories of all of our late night Atlanta excursions...but what i remember most were the more subtle moments where we would sit around talking, wondering if we would ever slow down long enough to get married....i guess we got our answer!

The very happy couple....

Stu, Myesha, E.O and Curt.....

The Sorensons....

There is nothing better to me than a southern wedding....and that's exactly what i got the day that Bronjalin and Thomas vowed their lives to one another. Any time my Atlanta crew is together, there are always two things for sure...we are going to laugh until our sides hurt....then we are going to wake up in the morning, and laugh as we talk about the evening again!

And last but certinly not least, the Dohman/Jawor Wedding. I met Megan at the first hotel i worked at in Chicago. I knew she was a sweetheart before i even met her, because she called me in my office in Atlanta, before i transferred, to welcome me to the hotel. I knew we were a lot alike when we first met....she is he only other person in the world that has more random things happen to her than me! We were both in relationships with wonderful men and were anxiously waiting for them to prospose....and of course in their own time...they did... Megan's wedding was a great time, there was great food, great music, and lots of old friends to catch up with. But more than that, it was one of those warm, loving, intimate experiences that makes you fall in love all over again.....i have never seen her look so beautiful and happy....and i can't think of anyone who deserves it more....

The beautiful bride......

Addie and I.....

The Sheraton crew....

Me and Tiff.....

All in all, it was a wonderful wedding season. Can't wait for 2009!! Who's next?

Halloween 2008

I never went trick or treating as a child and as an adult I never participated in Halloween festivities. So this year, when Terri announced that she was throwing a big Halloween party/Adam's b-day party, i figured this was the year to do it up. Plus i figured i owed her a helping hand. I often throw parties at Terri's house when i am in town, and she always so graciously opens her home to me and any guests i want to invite...actually...i have come to be so comfortable with throwing these "impromtu events" at her house, sometimes i forget to invite Terri.....

So i hopped on a plane, headed to Atlanta, and experienced the best party Terri's house has seen yet. Terri spent weeks planning and getting all the supplies, and we spent all dayFriday fixing the house up with spooky decorations....hmmmm.... actually i would describe the decorations as spooky/gross. Here are some examples:

SPOOKY........

GROSS!!!

SPOOKY.....

GROSS GROSS GROSS!!!

It made for an awesome party though, filled with good food, drinks, beer pong, and fun costumes....

Sarah and Bristol Palin......

3 blind mimes.....

Terri as the crazy deranged nurse that cut up all the grossness in the house....

Dr. Driver, and Correctional Officer Jennifer

Terri, the gool...and Adam....

All in all, the party was a complete success....and rumored to be an annual event now. Can't wait till next year!!