Harry Potter 5K!

Very very few things bring me as much joy as Harry Potter.

I used to try to keep that under wraps, but no longer. I just straight up love Harry, JKR, and the whole Potterverse. So. Much. Happiness. I really do feel bad for you if you are too young or too old to appreciate the magic and awesomeness that is HP.

That being said, when I saw that there was to be a 5K on Harry Potter's birthday, I knew it had to happen. I looked and looked for someone who loved HP as much as I do, and I found an awesome friend who gets just as giddy as I do over this series.

Come July 31st, we showed up at Liberty Park, costumed up and ready to party! So much fun! So much birthday cake! So much happiness!!

I walked/jogged the first lap with my awesome friend, then I did the second lap on my own... and at the end, they gave me 4th place in the costume contest (which I didn't deserve, but that's another story)!! Such a fun evening!

It just doesn't seem like exercise when you dress like Dobby and have such a fun time!!

Little Red Riding Hood 2014

Ok, so yesterday's ride was simply amazing. I've totally fallen in love with this sport, and this ride pretty much cemented it. I want to do this every year! Women-only races are so much fun!

I drove up Friday night to stay with my awesome aunt, and we went to check out the pre-race festivities. There was food, music, booths (I bought a sweet cycling headband!), and just an all-around fun atmosphere.


This dude = one of the many awesome (all male) volunteers

Saturday morning, my start time wasn't until 9:35, so I got to sleep in and take my time getting ready, which was SO nice! Everything went super-smoothly with getting there and getting started, which was such a relief. I signed up for this ride with a friend, and when she bailed, I was pretty nervous to do this alone. It ended up being such a great experience though!! I'm so glad things turned out the way they did :)

Everything went so perfectly! The weather was ideal, the scenery was gorgeous, people were so incredibly nice (from the people drumming music on the sides of the roads to the people sitting on their lawns and cheering us on to the amazingly costumed volunteers to all the nice and encouraging ladies, these people were seriously the best), the cold I'd been dealing with all week didn't give me nearly as much trouble as I'd expected, the rest stops were great (ok oreos with peanut butter and banana chunks on top are my new favorite race food), and I felt really good on the bike (especially on the uphill - it's such a cool feeling to dig deep and pass people on those tough parts!)!


lunch stop

Crossing the finish line, I just wanted to bottle up that feeling and keep it forever. I love events like this! I love the preparation, I love the energy, I love the feeling of accomplishment, and I love the people!


finish line sprite and beads

Aaaaand I love the ice cream sundaes they give you



I had the time of my life, I'm excited to sign up for some more rides and races, and I'm thankful to everyone who was so supportive :)


Yeahhhhhhh race stuff :)

Dreaming of Paradise.... back from vacation

Remember that travel bug I posted about? Yay cruises! Different countries, amazing food, lots of sunshine, and a glimpse into the way other people live... love it. The only lame part is coming back home :)


Tony (our new buddy in Jamaica)

The Pinkleys (making new friends is the best)



Holding and swimming with freaking sting rays in the Cayman Islands



Cruisin the Keys with my love


And so much more. The Keys, Gramd Cayman, Jamaica, and Haiti. Love <3

Why I love going home

-Diversity.
-Over-grown beauty.
-Hip-hop and R&B on the radio.
-“God bless you.”
-Dancing in public.
-People picking me up.
-Friendly strangers striking up a conversation.
-Humidity.
-Simplicity – folks don’t try to complicate life.
-Open space.
-Farmers chatting on the side of the road.
-Real football.
-Festivals.
-The horizon.
-Thunder storms.
-Southern hospitality.
-The music scene isn’t a year and a half behind.
-Minimal traffic.
-No grid system – everyone just knows where things are.
-The obvious – my family and friends and pets and familiar stomping-ground.

There’s something to be said for going home and having nice chats with those individuals who had the greatest impact on my upbringing. I know I say this often, but my parents are smart. I have no idea how I’m supposed to be responsible for preparing children to face the world someday. How on earth did my parents give me the kind of knowledge, discernment, awareness, and desire to make good choices that allow me to survive this crazy life? How am I supposed to guide and foster healthy growth so my future children can be good citizens, have common sense, want to do what’s right, make something of their lives without too much trauma in the process, have a good perspective and decision-making skills, and everything else? I see so so so so many people that just don’t GET it, how am I supposed to help my not-yet-existent children avoid that? I know I am extremely far from perfect, but I feel like my parents did a great job of instilling good values, giving me a spine, teaching me how to take care of myself and be responsible, making sure I know how to THINK, and so many other things that are so difficult to teach...

I know, these imaginary children will be their own people with agency and brains and desires and personalities and all of that… there’s the whole nature and nurture theories and the fate of another is never entirely up to me…

But still. Parenting is intense.

Thanks, mom and dad, for not letting me turn out as a screw-up.