Hi there. I have changed locations since you last heard from me on the Fourth of July. :) More on that in a second but here’s a quick overview of my super low-key holiday. After publishing my last blog post, I had my car washed, cleaned up around the house, did a driveway workout (details [...]
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Friday Update + Florida Eats
May 22, 2020 { 13 comments }Happy Friday friends. It’s been an eventful week being home in North Carolina. Our governor announced on Wednesday evening that we are moving into phase two of our state’s phased reopening plan today at 5p. The most significant change this brings is that restaurants can open at 50 percent capacity. The drama came in because [...]
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Florida + Family + Finn’s Second
May 19, 2020 { 12 comments }I arrived home from Florida about an hour ago to Thai delivery waiting on my porch and two large dogs eager to greet me. Once again, Finn was a trooper for the nine-hour ride. He slept the first two, played with toys the next two and watched Little Baby Bum on and off for the [...]
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The Long Way Home
May 15, 2020 { 32 comments }Happy Friday from the place that makes my heart the happiest. Over the last several weeks I have been talking with my family about how and when we could make a visit happen. With some restrictions easing in Florida and North Carolina moving into phase one, we made the decision as a family that we [...]
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Bright Sunshiny Days
May 7, 2020 { 10 comments }Hi and how’s the week treating you? Every day I am so grateful for the mild, low humidity and sunshine-drenched spring that we are having. I feel like so often in the south we go from 60 to 90 degrees in 2.5 seconds during spring so this has been a treat. I know that talking [...]
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A Simple Easter Sunday
April 13, 2020 { 6 comments }Happy Monday and I hope that you had the nicest Easter Sunday that you could. It was definitely a different one, but not a bad one for us. I was missing my family big time but I tried really hard yesterday to practice gratitude and focus my attention on abundance, blessings and future opportunities. Since [...]
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Just To Make You Smile
March 26, 2020 { 6 comments }Hi everyone. How are you holding up? It’s been a roller coaster over here with some highs and lows. I mostly feel like I can’t clean and straighten up as fast as Finn, Zoey and Benji can dirty and mess. (I have a feeling that many of you can relate to this!) While I am [...]
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10 Things I’ve Learned From My Dad About Food and Cooking
January 28, 2020 { 27 comments }Today is my dad’s birthday and wouldn’t you know that he sent ME a present on HIS birthday. And it should come as no surprise that it was kitchen-themed. Before I left Florida on Monday he told me to be on the lookout for a package from him in the mail. Well, it arrived today [...]
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Life Lately + Last Post of the Year
December 31, 2019 { 7 comments }Happy New Year’s Eve friends! I have had a really good day. I taught two classes this morning. The first was hot yoga at Charlotte Yoga and the second was a strength class at VIBE5. Both classes were great but my strength class was a PARTY! My playlist was “best of the decade” themed, the [...]
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Christmas 2019 in Florida
December 26, 2019 { 4 comments }Christmas 2019 is a little over one hour away from being a wrap and I’m sitting in the dark in the guest bedroom at my grandmother’s condo typing this post while Finn sleeps in the pack and play. Our Christmas Day started at the early hour of 5:40 but I’m finding myself holding onto the [...]
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Fa La La La Weekend
December 16, 2019 { 6 comments }The weekend was everything I needed it to be and more. It was extremely low-key and I soaked up lots of quality time with Finn and Zoey! :) Consider this your warning that this post is mostly toddler talk so check in with me later this week if the mom life posts aren’t your favorite. [...]
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Close
December 2, 2019 { 13 comments }Hey y’all. I wish that I could say that this weekend was a super fun one given that my mom is with us and it’s the holiday season but the truth is that it was kind of hard. I had a cold earlier in the week that I tried so hard not to spread but my [...]
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A Beautiful Day
November 29, 2019 { 2 comments }Thanksgiving 2019 was maybe the most relaxing Thanksgiving of my adult life! I enjoyed spending the day in the kitchen preparing a meal for two, a long walk with Zoey and an evening at the movies with my mom. I had hopes of sleeping in but woke up shortly before 7a. I made my way [...]
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Peaks and Valleys
November 27, 2019 { 16 comments }Happy Thanksgiving lovely friends. Life is full of peaks and valleys but one thing that has become abundantly clear to me since becoming a mom is how powerful gratitude is in accessing happiness, joy and love no matter if I’m high on a peak or low in a valley. This little guy has brought me [...]
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Weekend + Welcome Mom
November 25, 2019 { 5 comments }Happy Thanksgiving week, friends! :) My mom arrived in Charlotte yesterday morning to spend some time with me and Finn. We are so happy to have her here but definitely missing my dad and grandmother down in Florida. Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday of them all because I love how it’s family and food [...]
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18 Things I Love About 18 Months
November 21, 2019 { 23 comments }Finn turned 18 months old on Monday and true story, I had tears in my eyes during his preschool drop-off. They were happy tears but my guy is growing up so quickly! I simultanesously want to hold on to him being little and embrace each new age and stage. I know you guys get this [...]
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10 From Our Weekend in Florida
November 4, 2019 { 2 comments }My Monday had the most wonderful start. Lots and lots of snuggles with Finn (he has been in such a cuddly mood in the mornings lately), a run with a friend (during which we literally tag teamed pushing her double stroller at the same time), a trip to Whole Foods and a big pot of [...]
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The Best Florida Weekend
September 24, 2019 { 11 comments }We have been home from Florida since Sunday evening but I’m just getting the opportunity to go through photos and put this post together. Monday was a busy day but the good kind of busy, not the stressful kind! :) We flew out on Thursday afternoon from Concord Regional on Allegiant. We almost always fly [...]
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A Whole New World
August 17, 2019 { 13 comments }Warning: this is a very mom/baby-focused post. Come back in a day or two for lots of recent eats if the mom stuff isn’t your thing. :) Being a mom has surprised me in countless ways but one of the most significant is how much I joy I feel watching Finn see and experience life [...]
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This Week + Your Summer Workout & Chill Playlists
July 25, 2019 { 6 comments }Finn and I are journeying home today. Can’t say I’m looking forward to that airport trek with crutches and wheelchairs again but it was worth it to be with my fam for the week. It’s been a gorgeous week at the beach but I have only been able to enjoy it from the balcony as [...]
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Let’s Talk Smartwatches + Florida Weekend Photos
July 16, 2019 { 25 comments }Hi there friends. I hope your week is off to an excellent start. While I appreciated my budget Chromebook for getting me through a week without my MacBook Pro, I sure am glad to have it back. My first stop after arriving in Charlotte yesterday was the Apple Store to pick up my laptop. PRIME [...]
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Goodbye Sullie Girl
June 11, 2019 { 86 comments }Dear friends I am writing to you today with a heavy heart and tears streaming down my face. I said goodbye to my angel Sullie on Monday afternoon. She passed peacefully at home lying on the floor in our den. Her vet of over 10 years came to put her down. I laid in the [...]
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A Perfect Charlotte Afternoon
May 3, 2019 { 3 comments }HAPPY FRIDAY. What a week. It was busy with work and life, and it was tough given what happened at UNCC. I am still trying to wrap my head around all of it and will have more words soon. In the meantime, our community is holding up all of the students and faculty of UNCC [...]
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Catching Up + Coxsackie + Climbing
April 24, 2019 { 8 comments }Hi and I’ve missed you guys! To say that I hit the ground running when I arrived back in Charlotte would be an understatement. Things have been absolutely nuts in (mostly) the best way. Let’s rewind first… Our last day in Florida was perfection. The temperature was in the high 70s and the sun was [...]
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From Darkness to Light
April 21, 2019 { 9 comments }I hope that you all enjoyed a lovely Easter weekend. I think the best way to start this post is by sharing what I wrote on Instagram tonight. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jen | Peanut Butter Runner (@jen_pbrunner) on Apr 21, 2019 at 6:19pm PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js “Last year [...]
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Happiness
March 28, 2019 { 6 comments }Hello! Tomorrow is Friday and I am just getting a chance to sit down and share this post with the highlights of our long weekend in Florida. To say that I hit the ground running in Charlotte would be an understatement. It has been an absolutely insane two days and I’m flying out to PA [...]
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A Heart Full of Family
February 20, 2019 { 20 comments }Finn and I arrived home from Florida around noon today and I can’t lie…this goodbye was a tough one. We had the best and most relaxing visit with my family. I was sad to leave…but of course grateful for the time we got to spend. I do fully realize how fortunate I am to be [...]
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Florida + Family + The New Year
January 2, 2019 { 7 comments }After a 2018 that was all over the map, I had the absolute best end of the year and beginning of the new one. I woke up on this first day of 2019 feeling full of hope, energy, creativity, possibility and love. For the first time in a year, I arrived back in Charlotte tonight [...]
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14 Layers of Love
December 26, 2018 { 13 comments }Finn and I hopped on an 8 a.m. flight this morning that put us in Florida by 9 a.m. (There is a one hour time change so that helps a lot when traveling here.) Meeting my parents at the airport has taken on a new level of special since I now have Finn in tow [...]
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Christmas 2018: Friends are Family
December 25, 2018 { 4 comments }I am writing on this Christmas night with a heart full of joy and gratitude. Finn and I take off for Florida tomorrow morning to spend some time with my family but Christmas in Charlotte was truly special this year. Over the years, I have been fortunate to form bonds with some of my friends [...]
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Thanksgiving in Florida + Finn’s First!
November 23, 2018 { 12 comments }Hi. I hope that those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday had a nice day. Finn and I traveled to Florida on Tuesday evening so that we could spend the holiday with my family. The Charlotte airport was super insane and I was very glad that I finally got TSA pre-check a couple of months [...]
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Thirty
October 21, 2018 { 31 comments }I tried to start two other “regular” blog posts today but they just weren’t coming together. This post has been on my heart but I wasn’t sure whether I was going to write it. I guess the words need to make their way out so here we go. Today would have been my brother’s thirtieth [...]
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Home + So Much Good Food
September 11, 2018 { 27 comments }Finn and I flew into Charlotte on a 6:30 a.m. flight this morning. It definitely gave me pause to fly on September 11. It’s a date that so many of us will never forget. My heart is full of gratitude for a long weekend spent with my family in Florida. We spent a lot of [...]
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Labor Day Weekend With My Little Loves
September 3, 2018 { 3 comments }I have quite the Labor Day weekend recap for you today. I have really been missing my nieces since I wasn’t able to plan a visit for their spring or summer breaks due to the end of pregnancy and newborn life. I was texting with their mom on Thursday morning and asked if they had [...]
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Weekend Adventures with My Mom
August 20, 2018 { 6 comments }It’s been really great to have my mom here with me these past few days. I am very thankful that she made the trip up to spend time with me and Finn and for her presence. It’s been a comfort. We have enjoyed some adventures since she’s bene here, both in Charlotte and in Asheville. [...]
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Our Thursday at 13 Weeks + A Visitor
August 17, 2018 { 17 comments }It’s a happy Friday here because my mom is here to spend a week with me and Finn. :) Speaking of Mr. Finn…he’s 13 weeks old today! Craziness. I think now seems the time to transition to saying he’s “3 months” instead of the number of weeks when people ask how old he is? Here’s [...]
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Weekend for Two
August 13, 2018 { 56 comments }The weekend was…long. My intention is not to make my blog pity party central but the reality is that I’m struggling. Weekends are extra tricky thanks to the added layer of social media and seeing all of the posts about family life and adventures. As someone who works in the space of blogging and social [...]
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Florida Family Eats
August 3, 2018 { 22 comments }Hi there. Happy weekend. I don’t really have exciting things to share today but I do have some photos of what I ate while I was in Florida over the last week. To say that it’s been nice to have someone else cooking me dinner would be an understatement. I am SO GRATEFUL to my parents [...]
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A Rainy Day Inside + Out
August 2, 2018 { 29 comments }I awoke to very rainy skies in Florida. The last few days have been on and off rain and storms. While I felt bad for all of the vacationers who were getting a rainy week at the beach, I somewhat enjoyed the storms for their beauty and how much they cooled things off. The rain [...]
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We all get lucky in turn.
July 17, 2018 { 49 comments }Last weekend I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to book a super last-minute flight to spend a few days with my family. I had only been back in Charlotte for just shy of two weeks but really needed the support of my family. I am grateful that American Airlines Super Saver mile redemption [...]
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11 Tips for Flying with an Infant + Favorite Travel Gear
July 12, 2018 { 20 comments }Hi from Florida…again. I booked a last-minute flight late Wednesday afternoon to spend the weekend with my family. I left Thursday morning and will return to Charlotte on Sunday. The water has cleared so much since my last visit just two weeks ago and the moment I got here I had this irresistible urge to [...]
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Florida Photo Journal
July 2, 2018 { 46 comments }First, thank you for your beautiful comments on my six week postpartum post. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed reading each and every one of them. Second, Instead of a weekend recap, how about a past two weeks in Florida recap? I took hundreds of photos while I was visiting but I’ve narrowed [...]
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Lately: Weekend, Birthday, Finn’s First Flight + Florida
June 19, 2018 { 22 comments }Hi from Florida. Finn and I arrived on Sunday evening to spend some time with my family. I was in desperate need of a change of scenery after a month of staring at my living room walls while breastfeeding. It’s so nice to be here. Backing up… As you guys know, my mom came to [...]
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Mother’s Day Coffee Chat
May 13, 2018 { 16 comments }Good morning, happy Sunday and happy Mother’s Day. I woke up at 6:30 a.m. feeling pretty rested so I decided to get up and begin my day. I sat outside in meditation for a bit and now I’m enjoying my morning coffee. Since you’re hearing from me this morning, clearly I still haven’t gone into [...]
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6 Ways You Can Help the Older Adults in Your Life
May 1, 2018 { 5 comments }I’m proud to be working with CVS Pharmacy to help spread the word about #BetterHealthMadeEasy, how to #FindYourHealthy and #DiscoverCVS. All opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared should be verified at CVS.com or with the appropriate manufacturers. Hey guys, this is the third in a series of three posts that [...]
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Weekend: Family, Food and Baby Shower
March 26, 2018 { 12 comments }Hi and happy new week. I hope it’s off to a good start. Having my mom, aunt and cousin here over the weekend for my baby shower made for a very special time. There was minimal working and lots of fun and hanging out. FRIDAY I subbed out my Friday classes so that I could [...]
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Friday Things
January 19, 2018 { 38 comments }I hope that your Friday is off to a nice start. I finally arrived back in Charlotte last night just in time to dash from the airport to the studio to teach my 5 p.m. strength class. And let me tell you, after not picking up a weight for a week…I am feeling it this [...]
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Weekend: From Charlotte to Florida
January 15, 2018 { 19 comments }Hi and happy MLK Day to my U.S. readers. I hope that whether you’re spending the day working or enjoying a day off from work that you take a moment to remember how much power you have in using your voice when something matters to you. My weekend began in Charlotte and ended in Florida. The [...]
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New Year’s Weekend
January 1, 2018 { 6 comments }Happy New Year! I’m currently watching the Rose Bowl and hoping my Dawgs pull out a win but gosh, it’s been a crazy game. Our New Year’s weekend was a very low-key one. Per usual, it included a lot of yoga. On Saturday I taught at 11:15 and then Dorie and I led a vision [...]
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Our Last (for a while!) Quiet Christmas
December 27, 2017 { 5 comments }Hey guys! I have absolutely loved following along on Facebook, Instagram and blogs to get a glimpse of everyone’s Christmas festivities over the last week or so. I was a little bummed not to be seeing my family for Christmas. I considered booking a last-minute flight to Florida but in hindsight I’m so glad I [...]