A Lovely Life

It's New Year's Eve. I always find myself a little emotional (shocking) and a lot reflective when it's time to say goodbye to one year and welcome in a new one. This year, like last, though, there is a profound feeling of excitement. 2017. January. Goodbye to Georgia. Hello to #coloRADo. Snow. Tears. COLD. New job. Celebrating having Brucey for 1 year. ADJUSTMENT. February. Intro to hiking. Brewery visits. Cristy visits from Georgia! Fat biking. Snow shoeing. Pam visits from Alabama! My attempt to date again.. March. The Publix Half Marathon (marathon #2) with #TEAMNOAH. Visits with my Georgia family...lots of hugs. So much more snow (and stuck cars) April.  Snow. AGAIN. Chase visits from Georgia! Moved into my first, big girl apartment. Meet the Malloys and become fast friends. Sarah and Mike visit from California! First trip to Boston. The best visit with Uncle Paul and Aunt Irena. May. Starting to feel settled into my job. Summer! Hikes...

6 months ago today I arrived at almost 9,000 feet on top of a mountain in a snow storm in negative temps with a raging cold and a little bit of hanger (hungry/anger for those unaware). I was home and it felt nothing like it.  There wasn't much that was unexpected my first few days and weeks here: loneliness, altitude adjustment, lots of tears, SNOW, pure fear, more snow, gorgeous surroundings... Between those early days in January and now I've gotten used to this new place and settled into a routine. I live in my first grown up apartment. I run a bike shop and that place fulfills me. I live 5 minutes from miles of gorgeous trails. I've enjoyed many a brewery mixed with a few hikes and a couple of bike rides. I've continued to do things that scare me...like going to breweries alone knowing no one and sticking out like a sore thumb. I've learned to bring a jacket everywhere I go and that what I thought was bi-polar weather in Georgia doesn't hold a candl...

The path of life does funny things and the last year has taken me on quite the journey! There's all those old sayings aren't there? "When one door closes, another opens" "If it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger" "Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things" And my favorite: "Everything happens for a reason" I believe that last one and here's why: A year ago this time, I had just filed for divorce. My world was imploding. My heart was hurting and my head...well I can't remember where it was. When I heard a friend of mine was going to be doing a marathon with The Kyle Pease Foundation in one of my favorite cities, Washington, DC, I saw an opportunity to get out of my house and away from the pain. That weekend, where my only plan was to hold up a poster board with something like, "Don't Shit Yourself, Mike!", ended up being one...

Thanks for hanging out during this fun 10 Day YOU "Challenge".  This is the last day:   ONE Picture This was taken on our engagement trip to Jamaica in December of 2011.  It was the last night of this whirlwind adventure and I remember being so over the moon excited for what our future held!  If you're reading this, we should be in paradise currently.  Still as excited as ever.  Still filled with excitement about our future...we just happen to share the same last name now.   Stay tuned for pictures when we return!!

Taking a quick break from my YOU Challenge.  Don't worry, it'll be back tomorrow!  ;-) Today is sort of a weird one because it was six months ago tonight that we lost our shop.  I have those feelings of, "it feels like only yesterday" while at the same time thinking, "we're a world away from that night".   Sometimes, it feels downright silly to be a little emotional about a place.  But I don't mind being silly and anyone who knows me knows I can be a bit emotional.  The memories of what I jokingly call Peachtree Bikes Buckhead Version 1.0 are bittersweet.  They only occasionally come flooding back when I hear a song that always played on our XM radio or see an old familiar face that's popping in to "check out the place".  I miss the old space and things are different, but I hear change is good. :-) Those emotions aren't as raw as they were six months ago and we've come so far.  I jokingly feel like I can't really re...

Yesterday, I started a fun, 10 Day Challenge . Here's Day 2! NINE Loves Justin ...almost 5 years together and I'm more in love with this guy than ever. Family (this does NOT represent all of them!) I forever wish we lived closer to some of the best people I know!! My Bestie There are a MILLION words to describe this lovely lady, but my favorite is BEAUTY! Frank How can you NOT love those ears?! Workin' at Peachtree Bikes 3 Years at this place and the last 6 months have been the craziest!  Thankful to have a job that I love and challenges me. Travel We've been to some beautiful places and have so many more trips planned!  Life is wonderful traveling with people you love. Our Home Our first place together!  We're blessed beyond measure to have a place to call "home". Wine Because, duh. Macaroni and Cheese I think if I had to choose one food to eat for the rest of my life, this would be it....

Well, sort of.  The last week of work has been, well, INSANE and there's still some work to do, but the worst is over.  I kept saying all week that I felt like I was on an episode of HGTV mixed with a little Punk'd . Everyday included an early morning, often working late into the night/early the following morning. We were furiously working to get the construction phase of everything ready for our big party on Saturday night.  It was close, y'all but we did it! This was LATE Monday Night/WAY early Tuesday morning Thursday We used LOTS of this stuff Wednesday morning's "mud puddle" front yard Toilet seat replacement Saturday right before the party! Unless you've lived it, it's impossible to truly grasp the amount of physical and emotional energy it takes to go from where we were on Monday to where we were on Saturday night.  I was pushed further than ever before, but the feelings of pure joy and accomplishment at ou...

It's pretty apparent that I love a good list.   So, I thought I'd take a moment to make a list of things I'm loving right now just because.  :-) theSkimm. theSkimm is a daily email that I get with a quick version of the goings on in the world.  It gives me just enough info to be the "know" without having to read through a million news reports.  Check it out:   www.theskimm.com Julep.  LOVING this right now!  This is an service that sends you $40 worth of beauty products for $19 each month automatically.  What you receive is based on a quick and fun quiz to get your style profile.  You're given one of 5 different style profiles and that's how they determine what to send you each month.  I've already gotten 2 shipments and have loved the products I've gotten!  What I love even more is that your first box of goodies is FREE and once you're "in" you get a ton of great coupons, free shipping and sneak peaks of future products! ...

I'm not typically one to watch award shows, but I always find myself watching and listening to all the clips the next day.  I decided that this year's Oscars would be different and I was really happy I decided to watch!  From selfies, to pizza, Ellen, an amazing set design and a great tribute from Bette Midler, I was in heaven! In true form, Ellen was fantastic and hosted one of the most interactive and fun Oscars I've ever seen.  The shots of her in the audience paling around with some of the world's best actors was classic! I LOVE a good selfie and if you follow me on any form of social media there's hard evidence of that.  So, when Ellen looks as Meryl Streep and says she wants to take the most retweeted selfie ever, I was pretty pumped.  But then Julia Roberts jumps in.  And Bradley Cooper.  Then Jared Leto.  And Lupita Nyong'o and Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Lawrence and those Brad and Angelina people...  This was the result: I alm...