Category: Random

Life Lately

Lauren6 Comments

Lately, I find myself seriously wishing there were more hours in the day.  I don’t know how to fit in all the parts of my life — the things I have to do as well as the things I want to do — while still giving all those parts the attention they deserve.  Actually, it’s more like work takes up a majority of the day and fitting workouts, dinner, post-work errands, couch/TV veg time, dinner and recreational reading into the 4 hours that are left over hardly seems doable.  Oh right, and let’s not forget blogging!

Unfortunately, that’s the part that’s been getting neglected lately.  So I thought it would be fun to catch up on some of the life happenings that haven’t made the blog lately.

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I found Joey biking in the gym and simultaneously eating a Cadbury Caramel Egg a couple weeks ago.

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I totally glazed over Joey’s actual birthday which was a full three weeks ago.  I made him these perfect pancakes for breakfast… Surprise!

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The birthday tradition is to go out for Mexican at Joey’s favorite restaurant.  I don’t know what happened but I was 2/3 through my house margarita when I decided I wouldn’t be able to drive us home if I finished it.  

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We painted the dog’s nails a few weeks ago.  Totally normal, right?  She’s just one of the girls.

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At yet another celebration of Joey’s birthday (does it ever end?!), Joey, his brother, his cousin and I headed to the restaurant early to make sure we’d have a table for 10, and enjoyed some beer samplers.  Also, I base my life’s success on whether or not I finish my beer before Joey.  That day, my life was a success.  

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I somehow got roped into another summer bowling league, so I’ve been begging Joey to take me bowling so I can practice and not embarrass myself in front of my team come May. I also managed to injure myself in the process… don’t ask.

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I love seeing this duck couple hanging out around my apartment complex.  They remind me of an old married couple.  Also, please note the crazy snow storm from last week in that third picture.

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I LOVE gumbo!  Especially when mom (or my uncle!) makes it for me.  I always wonder what people who’ve never seen or tasted okra would think of it.  It’s kind of an odd food, isn’t it?

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I got in a Twitter fight with Robert Irvine.  He was genuinely offended that I would point out his bad “Grammer.”  I’m genuinely offended, however, that he can’t take the time to spell things correctly in his tweets.  I guess we just don’t see eye to eye, Robert.

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Jenn and I went to Game 2 of the playoffs for the Nuggets on Tuesday night — I’m sure there was a way more technical way to word that if I had any real sports knowledge — and sadly we lost.  The game also continued on past my usual bed time but I didn’t even mind because I love Jenn 🙂

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I bought a new pair of Brooks this week and when I took them for a spin I had a really weird thigh cramp that I’m hoping was just a fluke.

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My sister, Hannah and I went to Happy Hour last night, where we feasted on an array of tapas.  And look!  Sushi!  We also ordered two deserts — one of which was essentially a giant Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup — and a side of ice cream.  I want to say that was totally unnecessary but at the time, it felt completely necessary.  Actually it still feels necessary!

It’s going to be in the 70’s this weekend and we’re planning our first trip to the Farmers’ Market, weeee!  Happy Friday!

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Tell me something that’s happened in your life lately?

What are your weekend plans?

Do you have a hard time fitting it all in?  And I’m totally talking about the components of your life, not dessert.

I Choose Hope

Lauren4 Comments

This Saturday will be the 14th anniversary of the massacre at Columbine High School.  Although this incredibly heartbreaking incident wasn’t the first or the last tragedy of its kind, the anniversary always weighs heavy on my mind because it happened here in my beloved home state.  My sister’s birthday was the following day and she showed up to class carting cupcakes and brimming with birthday excitement, only to be met with a somber classroom and a teacher in tears.

I was in the 4th grade.  Too young to really grasp the gravity of the situation, and for that, I consider myself lucky.  Now, every year when the anniversary comes, I find myself another year older and with a greater understanding of what a tragedy like Columbine really means.  It means that there is pure evil in the world.  That human beings are fully capable of killing each other.  That pain and death are real.

When news of the bombings at the Boston Marathon reached me, these realizations were once again upon me.  When footage of the explosion in Texas came on the nightly news, I felt those realizations reaffirmed.  With an already heavy heart, I watched the bottom line scroll across, reporting the poison that had been sent to our president and the latest details on the murder of two District Attorneys.  It is too much.  It makes me worry about the fate of our world.  A world where death, destruction and hate exist.

I am an emotional person and I need to allow myself to be sad.  To feel every emotion that massacres, bombings and explosions illicit.  It’s okay to feel sad.  To experience moments of despair.  To worry that the world is growing more dangerous.  Those feelings and worries are real and we as human beings, cannot ignore them.  I know this.  But I also believe there is so much good in the world.  I have to.  There is too much evidence not to.  And I wouldn’t be able to move on if I didn’t.  As hopeless as things seems sometimes, I choose to be hopeful.

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Wishing you all a safe and happy weekend.