Cutest Dog in the World

Not to brag or anything, but we have the most adorable dog ever. And I have the evidence to prove it. Just take a look...

Just another walk in the park

Afternoon nap on the couch

Catching up on "The Dog Whisperer", his favorite show

Circus dog begging for food

Nap time for both my boys

Couldn't quite make it all the way up on the bed

Don't worry, there will be plenty more photo opportunities coming up.

Party in the NYC

I just got back from a FABULOUS trip to NYC with my sister. We were there for 6 days and had just the right combination of cheesy touristy activities and "real" New Yorker activities. I spent quite a bit of time before we left researching and planning our trip and it really paid off. We fit in so many things and enjoyed every last one. So for anyone who plans on taking a trip to the city anytime soon, let me share our perfect (if I do say so myself) itinerary for getting the ultimate New York experience.

**A special thanks to Phil for letting us use his midtown apartment and making this all possible and affordable!!

Day 1

We got to NYC late afternoon the Friday after Thanksgiving. Black Friday. I hadn't really put two and two together when we decided to wander around midtown and the Times Square area (which is a huge shopping area). We went to Macy's to enjoy all the Christmas decorations and window displays. It was wall to wall people with a line to even go up the escalator. That was a bit too much to handle, so we continued on an wandered up Broadway enjoy the sights and sounds. After we had our fill of the Black Friday crowds we met up with Bethany one of my good friends from college at La Paella, an awesome tapas bar on 9th Street. After catching up and enjoying a pitcher of sangria we headed out to a wine bar and then to a Texas style bar, Rodeo.

Day 2

During the course of my research I spent a lot of time on Trip Advisor and the number one recommended NYC activity was a walking tour with Real New York Tours. The tour was amazing! We must have walked like 10 miles all over the city. Keep in mind, I was in a boot for our whole trip because of my stress fracture. But that didn't stop us! We started out in midtown and then took the subway up to Central Park and explored The Dakota and Strawberry Fields (where John Lennon was killed and the memorial dedicated to him in the Park). We took the subway back down to Greenwich Village had lunch at Famous Joe's Pizza (where they filmed Spiderman), and wandered around SoHo. Next we headed over to the best smelling part of the city, Little Italy. You could smell the garlic as soon as we turned the corner. Heavenly. One more turn and we entered one of the worst smelling parts of the city, Chinatown. It smelled like dirty feet mixed with fish. Next, we headed to the World Trade Center site and visited St. Peter's Church, where the recovery efforts were based during 9/11. It was incredibly moving to see the memorials and pictures from that time. If you go to NYC, it is a must see. We also went to Wall Street which in all honesty looks a bit Disneyish. We were there at night so there wasn't the normal business crowds and the way they were lit made it look a little fake. The tour ended at the South Street Seaport and Carolyn and I ate at The Paris Tavern. The tour guide was great at mixing historical sites with pop culture sites and had lots of stories to share. If you were only in NYC for one day, I would highly recommend doing this tour because you see everything and really get a sense of the city.

Day 3

Game Day! The Panthers' game was the original reason for this trip so we hopped the train and headed out to New Jersey. We met JJ's Aunt, Uncle and cousins in Short Hills and had a fabulous breakfast and tour of their neighborhood to admire the beautiful, historic houses. Next in true game day fashion, we left for the stadium and had the ultimate gourmet tailgate where we were joined by Bethany (she wrote a much better account of our day and included pictures so I'm going to cheat and link to her blog). Unfortunately the Jets and the Panthers played what might the most boring game in NFL history. Just to prove my point, the man in front of us fell asleep for the majority of the third quarter. At one point I actually considered poking him to make sure he was still alive. A fan trying to get out of his row saved me the trouble and woke him up on her way to grab her 4th or 5th beer. Regardless of the game, we still enjoyed the experience at the Meadowlands.

Day 4

Because it was a rainy day and we were still recovering from the non-stop action of the past few days, we took it easy on Monday. A little light shopping at Macy's, getting my phone fixed at Verizon, and lunch at Pret a Manger. Next a visit to the New York Public Library to admire the beautiful architecture and...visit the site of the wedding from Sex and the City! We also got tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the ultimate New York City holiday experience! I was feeling pretty fancy, so I had a glass of champagne while we waited for it to start. The show was a blast and I am so glad I talked Carolyn into seeing it! She was only hesitant because she didn't really know what it was all about. (Interesting side note, our tour guide from Saturday is married to a Rockette!) After the show, we met up with Bethany and Cori in Little Italy at a restaurant our tour guide had recommended. Da Nico was a great place for dinner, but apparently we were there a little too long because the waiter came over and told us they were ready to close and were just waiting on us to leave, haha! Wait...this is NYC! I thought everything was open late! We continued our evening at Ferrara, also in Little Italy, and enjoyed amazing Italian desserts and coffees. I wish I could go back for another cannoli! Great food and catching up with old friends is a fantastic was to spend an evening.

Day 5

Our friend from high school Kat, who is finishing up at Fordham University, joined us for the day. We met downtown and walked across the Brooklyn Bridge to explore one of the other. boroughs. According to my research you can't go to Brooklyn without eating at Grimaldi's, the best pizza in New York, and then getting ice cream at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, right on the water. Both were quite good and worth the 25 minute walk across the bridge. While we were there, we also wandered around The River Cafe, wich had a beautiful garden and amazing views of the Manhattan skyline if you aren't in the mood for pizza when you go. After walking back across the bridge, we went to the home of the Food Network, Chelsea Market! Being a foodie and huge fan of all cooking shows, I was really excited and it did not disappoint! I probably could have spent the entire day there, eating my way through all the different gourmet food stores. After some window shopping, we stopped for wine and cheese at The Green Table. Next up for the evening was a true New York experience on Broadway. We saw In the Heights, winner of many awards, at Richard Rodgers theatre. I have seen a few Broadway shows and this might be my new favorite. It was really fun and had great music, I would highly recommend it!

Day 6

What would a trip to New York be without a day at a museum? We spent the morning at The Met enjoying the more art than I knew what to do with. My favorite part was the European decorative arts displays, which were basically rooms from houses or hotels set up to look just like they did hundreds of years ago. It made you feel like you were transported back in time to see how they lived. Amazing! Carolyn really enjoyed the 19th century Italian paintings section, because she has spent a lot of time studying them in her art history classes. We worked up quite an appetite wandering the museum and headed to Alice's Tea Cup for a late lunch/afternoon tea. What a blast! I wish they had one in Charlotte because afternoon tea is now my favorite meal of the day. That night we met up with Bethany one last time to celebrate her birthday with her coworkers at The Wharf. A good time was had by all.

So blessed to be fortunate enough to see old friends, spend quality time with my sis, and explore one of the greatest cities in the world. Can't wait to go back!

Pictures to come!!

In All Things Give Thanks

There was an interesting editorial in the New York Times today. It was a Thanksgiving toast about being thankful for the unpredictability in our lives, appreciating the fact that we cannot plan out every detail.

For all the control freaks out there, that is a tough pill to swallow. We often think that we know best, and our way is the only way. But I have found that some of the best moments in my life are things that couldn't have gone better than if I had orchestrated every last detail. Sometimes we just have to trust in the process and trust that there is someone else who knows better. Who knows all things and all people. Who loves us and wants what is best for us.

I feel that this especially true for us with JJ's job. We often feel like the uncertainty is unbearable, but it is the uncertainty that makes our lives so exciting. We have lived in places that we would have never even visited otherwise (i mean really, who would have thought we would end up in the Frozen Tundra for 6 months??). Been able to explore different parts of the country and learn new cultures (yes, even though it is part of the US, the South has its own culture). Meet new friends and keep in touch with old friends (because it seems that everyone ends up on the east coast).

Thanksgiving can be seen as a benchmark in our lives. We can see where we've come from, where we are and where we're going just by looking around the table at Thanksgiving dinner. I know this first hand by just looking back at my recent Thanksgiving dinners.

This year we are in Charlotte, NC far away from family and close friends celebrating our first Thanksgiving as newlyweds with new friends. Last year, we were in Green Bay, WI celebrating our engagement with good friends that felt more like family. The years before that we celebrated apart, me in Phoenix, AZ with family and lifelong friends and JJ wherever the football season took him, usually South Bend, IN.

We have come a long way and ended up in a place that we never could have predicted. And as scary and stressful as the changes were at times, I wouldn't change anything. We are happy, healthy, and loved. We have wonderful families, faithful friends, and the best puppy in the world. Who could ask for more?

I just wonder what state we will celebrate in next year...

Gimp

I have been having a hard time writing over the last week. Even though we've been busy nothing seems to come to mind when I sit down to write. So frustrating, until I figured out what the problem is. I usually "pre-write" my blog in my head as I'm running and I haven't gone running since the half marathon.

I don't run with an ipod, or friends or even Barney. It's too distracting. I really love having that time to clear my head and gather my thoughts. It is really the best part of my day because I feel so much better after I run, even when my body is hurting. I think JJ has started to notice how much easier I am to get along with I am on days I get in a good workout.

Originally I had planned to take a break from running after the race to let my body recover fully. I was really excited about 2 weeks of yoga and the elliptical machine at the YMCA. Well, I will be getting my 2 week break, but I won't be at the Y or the yoga studio. I will be hobbling around the house on crutches due to a self-diagnosed stress fracture. Yes, self diagnosed. Why would I go to all the hassle of visiting the doctor when I have WebMD at my finger tips and JJ's access to the Panther's medical equipment?

According to my research, stress fractures are quite common in female athletes (mainly distance runners, due to the repetitive motion over extended periods of time) who have recently had a sudden, significant increase in their activity level. I'd say a half marathon counts as a sudden significant increase in my activity level. It also said that most stress fractures are not detected on x-rays and are usually diagnosed based on patient exercise history. Like I said...who needs a doctor??

I made the mistake of sharing my self diagnosis with my father who was not impressed. Silly dad, he just doesn't understand. I did reassure him that I was going to use the crutches for a week and then if it was still hurting I would go to the doctor for a real diagnosis.

Well, this is day 6...

Winner

After almost 8 weeks of training, Saturday was finally race day. I had been excited/anxious all week, so I was ready to go. Allison came into town the night before and we had fun carbo loading with a pasta dinner. Saturday morning we were up at 6 and on the road at 6:45. The weather had been beautiful all week so we were hoping that it would continue for the race. It did!

Excited and smiling before the race!

I don't think I ever realized how hilly Charlotte is. I found out the hard way once the race started. I swear we ran uphill for the first 6 miles. After that, it seemed to get better and I got a second wind around mile 7. Maybe it was the Powerade at the last water station, or the fact that we had passed the half way mark.

JJ came out to support us at Mile 3 and took a few action shots so we would have proof that we actually did this. It was really nice to have him see what I had been spending so much time training for. And it was also nice to switch roles and have him in the cheering section for a change!

Other things I liked about the race: running with a buddy, beautiful weather, scenic course, feeling like a rockstar. Things I did not like about the race: spitters, never ending hills, roadkill, the annoying peppy girls we ended up running with most of the time (but finally beat).

Around Mile 12 I decided to slow down a bit, enjoy the scenery and take it all in. FALSE. I had no choice but to slow down because I thought I was going to die. All those hills finally got to me. But, even with the slow down at the end, I finished right around my goal of 10 minute mile pace. In all honesty, the goal was just to finish, but about half way through the training I figured out a pace I thought I could keep up.

Proud finishers with our medals

As hard as it was during the last bit, I started thinking about doing another one about 20 minutes after I finished. Maybe the Rock and Roll Half in Phoenix this January??? I'll see if I can convince someone to run with me, even if its just for a few miles.

More pictures to come!!

Home Sweet Home

I have been lucky enough to take advantage of many of JJ's awesome away game locations this season. This trip to Phoenix was the third away game I have been able to attend, and I took full advantage of the opportunity. I got to Phoenix on Wednesday to spend time with the fam.

When my parents picked me up from the airport I learned that Carolyn had the flu and unfortunately would not be joining us until she got better. Actually, my dad banned her from the house. It sounds a little harsh, but with my mom's upcoming surgery no one wanted to take any chances. So she had to miss out on our Wednesday night cooking class at Sur la Table.

Thursday I went for a 6 mile run along the canal, escorted my my father on a bike. Not only did he carry my water, he was full of monologues (stories) to keep me entertained and helpful tips on running...gee thanks Dad! We also hiked North Mountain that day. One of my favorite Phoenix activities. We also had a wine and cheese evening at JJ's parents house.

Friday we had a dinner party at JJ's parents house with JJ, because the team came in day early to adjust to the time change. We got to see one of JJ's best friends, Mike, and Carolyn because she was feeling better. Saturday was full of shopping with my mom and then another family dinner with the Jansens and the Blisses. Lots of family time.

The best part of the weekend was game day and an awesome win over the Cardinals. What an impressive stadium too. I had never seen it and although I mentioned previously how impressive Cowboys Stadium was, I think University of Phoenix is a little better. Don't tell Jerry I said so.

This post is a little late, but better late than never!

Halloween: Part 2

One of JJ's teammates threw a Halloween party for the team at a bowling alley downtown and we had so much fun. I was really impressed with the costumes the everyone came up with! My favorites included Dog the Bounty Hunter and wife Beth, Captain Jack Sparrow (seriously, he looked exactly like Johnny Depp, eye liner and all), and a cheesy American tourist (complete with a Hawaiian shirt, visor, huge camera, and socks with sandals). Loved it!

JJ and I went as Dwight and Angela from The Office. Unfortunately, a lot of the guys on the team don't watch the show because we were asked if we were A) Mormons, B) Nerds, or C) Jehovah's Witnesses. The correct answer was D) None of the Above. Maybe next year we will pick something more widely known!