Everyone…wish my grandmother a very happy birthday!
Last week I planned a surprise visit to come to Georgia to be with her on her birthday. I cleared my Monday and Tuesday calendar and drove down yesterday to surprise her!
I left on Monday morning. It’s a little less than 4 hours to get down here so I passed the time listening to an audio book, Jennifer Weiner’s Fly Away Home.
I stopped at the grocery on my way in to get stuff for dinner and brunch and then arrived at her house with flowers and a cake that afternoon. She was very surprised!
I think Sam was pretty surprised too!
I whipped up a feta, shrimp and asparagus pasta dish for dinner.
I sauteed asparagus, portobello mushrooms, diced tomatoes, onion and shrimp. I deglazed the pan with chicken stock and then used the leftover feta dip that I made for the cookout as a sauce (it was just a puree of feta, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic). I finished it off with some fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese and the dish turned out great!
A birthday dinner is not complete without cake and candles! I baked a lemon cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting on Sunday night and it make the trip to Georgia with me. The fact that it was the hottest day of the year to date did not do the cake any favors in transport but it’s the thought that counts, right?
I slept like a rock last night. Up and at em this morning making birthday brunch (including homemade cinnamon rolls!!!), heading out for a short run and hanging out before I have to head back to Charlotte. A quick trip but TOTALLY 100% worth it to be here with my Mema!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEMA!!!
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July 22, 2026
I am such a creature of habit when it comes to breakfast. 95% of the time I’m craving a breakfast that is on the sweet side. That mostly alternates between smoothies or yogurt bowls with overnight oats, chia pudding or oatmeal occasionally thrown in there. On the rare occasion I go savory – it’s scrambled [...]
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July 19, 2026
I want to bottle up this summer and make it last forever (well, maybe minus the wildly hot and humid weather that makes running a big thumbs down). I mentioned this in my last post…but I am really enjoying the slower pace and the days that feel like they have more space. While I’m trying [...]
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July 10, 2026
Happy Friday! I hope this post finds you well and enjoying the summer. We are in the dog days of it over here in Charlotte – the heat and humidity is off the charts – but it’s something I’ll embrace because I deeply appreciate the massive slow down that summer has brought. A lot of [...]
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June 21, 2026
I recently traveled to Big Bear Lake, California for the inaugural Big Bear Peaks + Pines three-day stage race hosted by TransRockies Running. This was my third TransRockies event in 12 months (see also Colorado + Moab) and I’m here to tell you that they can do no wrong when it comes to race organization [...]
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May 30, 2026
Happy weekend! Another week in the books! I got three runs in (6.5 miles, 5.5 miles, 5.5 miles) and I have a trail run planned for tomorrow. Total weekly mileage will end up around 30-35 miles depending on if I go for 13 or 17 tomorrow! I’m 16 weeks out from the Golden Ultra so [...]
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May 23, 2026
Happy Memorial Day Weekend. It’s a very rainy one here in Charlotte and while I am a little bummed not to be spending the weekend in Florida with the fam or by the pool at our swim club (just opened for the season!), I’m also welcoming a slower pace and time at home. It’s been [...]
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May 3, 2026
Hi and happy May! As we roll into the first full week of a new month, I have almost a month’s worth of lunch ideas for you. It’s a great mix of sandwiches, bowls, salads and wraps. I hope you enjoy and find some inspiration for your midday meal! Open-faced chickpea salad sandwich on toasted [...]
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