40 mangos later.

Fun fact: the plural of mango is either mangoes or mangos.  This makes me very uncomfortable, and I’m really not sure how to approach this.  Advice is welcome on how to reconcile this battle within myself.

Moving right along.

So, happy Saturday. I’m obsessed with you and I kinda hope you’re pretty obsessed with me too.

So, Friday after work, I sprinted over to the Raleigh Convention Center to work the Rock ‘n’ Roll Convention, and as a little preview to the race, I made sure to snap a few pics so that you all could share in the experience.

DSC_0219I pulled up into the expo lot and started getting excited (and very itchy from that yellow pollen) for all of this.  There is something so special about a good expo that makes your stomach do these amazing flips when you think about a race.

DSC_0221Hello!  Jambo!

Jambo

DSC_0222

Also the camera Sharon, my MIL got me is incredible BYE.

DSC_0223I worked the Gu booth with some really fun partners 🙂

DSC_0226The Brooks “booth” which I’m working tomorrow, is a small city.

DSC_0228Literally not kidding.  It’s a planet.

It has been so fun.  I am working the expo tomorrow as well, and really excited to work and run this race.  I also ran into Benjamin and Juan, the two boys from ESPN walking around the expo, and they said that I was gonna be really really happy with the footage.

After the expo, I ran over to Whole Foods, where Mexican Champagne Mangos were 69 cents each, so I stocked up on about 40. Don’t judge me, you’re being rude if you’re judging me right now, and I’m not interested in hearing it.

photo 1There were actually more mangos…

photo 2So I dehydrated some, I cut some up for smoothies, and made some mango baby food (mango sauce, sorta like applesauce but with mangos) with the help of my little sister, who’s pretty dank as a chef.  If you like the idea of mango sauce, shoot me an email, and maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll post you a recipe.

DSC_0229Austin got me these mason jars, which I sorta guess I need for our wedding anyways, so it worked out for my mango baby Cheri food.

How was your Friday? 

Here’s What! What three things are you obsessed with?

How is it Friday again?

Idk, I feel like I’ve been asking that a lot lately.  But I love it.

Okay, so if you missed on on last week, here you go 🙂

4.4.14

And onto my obsessions!

1.  Zyrtec.  Spring has sprung in good ol’ Carolina, and since I spent the entire afternoon outside, I am sick as a dog.  My throat is killing me.  Yes, I’ve been killing em with the neti pot, but I think my best bet is another Zyrtec, begging Austin to pick up some essentials for me from the Eckard/Rite Aid or whatever the hell you call it, and go to bed in like 5 minutes.

 

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Mama loves you.

2. “Quit Sleeping on Us”

This is my brother and he’s ridiculously talented.  He’s the one with the green mohawk PS.

3.  Holley Mangold

Duh.

4.  And I added a fourth cause I’m the boss and I can.  It’s Rock ‘n’ Roll time and I’m so excited I’m dead!  I’m also sorta bummed that my allergies have chosen this week to act up, but c’est la vie, right?

Okay, what three things are you excited about/obsessed with?

I brought my neti pot to work.

You may feel as though I’m a very glamorous woman, seeing as how I spent the better half of yesterday and today filming for an ESPN show that primarily airs in Latin American Nations, however, that is not the case, and after spending the better half of yesterday outside with that yellow pollen stuff floating around, I officially feel awful.

No congestion just yet, but my throat is on fire, and I want to die a little bit.  All of this is going on three days until Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh.  Ah well.

So anyhoo, when I’m feeling terrible, I pack up my plastic Neti Pot.

imgresAnd I pack the little saline packet that comes with it, pack an extra water bottle (so it’s clean water that I’m using), and head to the secret bathroom on the third floor to get to work.

I flush a few times a day when my throat is really sore, in hopes that I can at least get some of the yellow powder out of my nasal cavities, and because the warm water feels amazing on the back of my throat.  Fun fact: someone once walked in on me and looked disgusted with me, but jokes on her, cause it made my throat feel amazing and now I will never share my pot with her.

I’m not a doctor, but I”m convinced that this this totally heals.

Anyone else neti? Know what I’m talking about?

 

Austin gets interviewed, or Sh*t Men Say

My husband-to-be is hysterical, even though he doesn’t always try to be, and folks, when I tell you he didn’t disappoint in this interview, I am not lying.

First, I stole this from Pleas and Carrots, who saw it on  Maegen spot.  And then I’m gonna up with Amanda and Danae.  Do you follow?  If not, just pretend you are following so we can move along.  

 

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Onto the interview!!

Me: What is the name of my blog?

Your blog used to be named Running for Haiti, but now you have switched to Overactive blogger.

Me: What do I typically write about?

Usually about running, lately though lots of writing about wedding related items <-True dat. 

 Me: What’s a popular fashion item for women right now?

Yoga pants!!! <-I’m really trying to understand what fashionable women he’s been witnessing running around in yoga pants lately, because unless I’m working out (which is a lot of the time) I try not to just randomly wear yoga pants.  And they’re not really fashionable….

Me: What’s the best place to shop for women?

Zappos is usually a good bet.  Plain old amazon works too though if you know what you want to buy.  <-He knows I hate to shop, so he’s spot-on for me with this one.  

Me: What’s a Hunter wellie?

Ummm, Im not 100% sure but I think it is a women’s shoe or boot style. <-Nice job to Austie!

Me: What does YOLO stand for?

 YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE. <-Nice touch with the all caps!  A little aggressive, but you know….

Me: What is our favorite thing to do together?

Go out to a nice dinner and have a beer. <- 🙂

Me: What does a perfect evening look like to me?

In an ideal world I would say your ideal evening would include the following

 A good run

Going to get sushi and a beer with me

Getting to watch Girls/Real Housewives/ Courtney Loves Dallas/ Teen Mom/Keeping up with the Kardashians and blogging about it

Me: What do women keep in their purse?

I dont really ever go in them….but it seems to me that they clearly do not generally keep their phone or their keys in there <-He’s making fun of me because I lose my keys all day long.  

Me: What do I do when I’m home alone?

Nap, blog, run, watch your stories and clean

Me: And what do you do when you’re home alone?

Watch netflix documentaries and fall asleep on the couch.  Practice spanish and pet the cats

Me: What’s my favorite accessory?

This one is pretty broad, I would say perhaps your Garmin 610 

Me: What’s an acceptable amount to spend on a makeup item?

$10.00 <-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. 

Me: What is your favorite trait about me, not physical?

I really like that you are always so kind and loving to our pets and animals in general

Me: What’s my favorite TV show?

The order of these seems to change over time but right now I think this is the lineup

 1) Real Housewives of Atlanta

2) Keeping up with Kardashians

3) Courtney Loves Dallas

 Me: What is my cocktail of choice?

Vodka and club soda

Me: Anything else you’d like to say?

 I love you very much!  I really love all of the work you are doing on your blog.

And there you have it!  The boy is back!

Voyage of the Mee Mee

Because I’m happyyyy….a link-up!

Hi guys!  I hope you’re enjoying your week as much as I am, even though I must admit, being a little overwhelmed with working out, going to work, keeping my apartment clean, taking care of pets, and scheduling things for the wedding, I have been really tempted to play hooky, tell everyone that I’m sick, and take a day (or two) to catch up on life.  But I won’t do that.  I’ll just wake up a little earlier, and stay up a little later, until the day when I sleep allll day long and snuggle with my dogs and never have to wake up for like two days in a row.  But to remind me of how fortunate I am, here’s a little link-up I’m joining with Erin from Two Thirds Hazel and Sarah from Venus Trapped in Mars.  Ready?

FvboMFx

 

Love this idea.  My legs are not that of a Caucasian woman, but if you love this too, grab this photo, and link-up!  Onto the list!  32 Things That Make Me Happy!

1.  Coming home to Coco. She looks at me right in the face like “Whaddup” and I’m like “Hey favorite dog” and she’s just the literal coolest dog ever.

photo 22.  Good runs.  The kind when you want to karate chop everything in sight.

3.  My friends.  I have the best friends in the world.  The ones who I group text, call, send pictures to.  I am so lucky to have you all in my life.

4.  Whole Foods.  Don’t judge me, I really love that place.

5.  That post-workout shower. 

6.  My family.  Even though they drive me nuts sometimes.

7.  My new family that I’m getting when I marry Austin.  They’re really cool.  I like them a lot.

8.  Blogging/writing.  I think it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, but I’m so glad I jumped off the edge, and finally did it.  It brings me a lot of joy, and it’s a cool feeling when I run into friends and they’re like “Oh snap, love your blog!”

9.  New cosmetics. 

10.  Coffee.  I need to learn how to get Starbucks to deliver to my home.

11.   Body pump.  I’ve been going to Body Pump a few times a week in addition to my running, and I’m totally dead at good it’s been making me feel, and how good my body has been looking.  I’m in love a little bit with this one teacher, Monica, who looks like a fitness model.  When she sweats, she starts to glow, I swear it.  I never thought, as a fitness instructor, I’d be idolizing one of my own.

12.  The kids from Teen Mom 2.  I don’t care, judge away, but this had me rolling.

13.  Yankee Candles. Duh.

14.  The Hoover Steamvac with Clean Surge.  If you have pets, and you have carpets, you have to, have to invest like a hundred some-odd dollars in this amazing machine.  There is nothing as cathartic as dumping that dirty water collect in the tank and dumping it out.

15.  It’s bikini season!  My favorite season in the whole world, plus that means you get to lay out a LOT.

16.  I’m getting married soon!

17.  We ordered my wedding bands from the store last week.   About three weeks til them thangs come in!

photo (9)That’s not one, but two rose gold bands.  Because I’m very particular and visual and just one didn’t look right.

18.  Fiber.  But I been kinda overdoing it with the beans lately.  I need to chill.  And that’s all I’ll say about that.

19.  My inner Martha Stewart.  I lot of folks think if you’re skinny and a vegetarian, you can’t cook.  FALSE, ladies and gents, because since I’m poor now because I spend all my money on bills and wedding stuff, I have been throwing down in the kitchen.  I made homemade scones, homemade black bean burgers, and have made magic with tofu over the past few weeks.

20.  This. 

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It started out like this….

10014582_10152390048987240_4989775158462462920_nAnd my friend Andrew photoshopped this horridly awkward wedding party, and put all of our faces in there.  I am the bride.  I can’t stop looking at it and crying.

21.  My foam roller.  I think it’s gonna save me tonight.

22. My save-the-dates.  You guys will get the big reveal when I feel like most of the people have received theirs.

23.  Wicked humor.  This includes Andy Cohen, the fellahs over at Class and Trash, and yours truly!

24.  Taken.  Really anything with Liam Neeson in it though.

25.  Race week!!!!

26. The haters.

article-2599937-1CE8E3B200000578-567_634x865This is flawless.

27.  Partition. 

28.  Popular song. 

29.  British accents.  I would do anything for one.  Dang it!

30.  The girls crying about Miley canceling.  I love Miley. These girls crying though are ridiculous, and make me giggle so hard.

31.   When I think about LaToya and Latavia, the original girls who were in Destiny’s Child.  

32.  Teen music, including Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, and Miley, who tragically canceled all her NC shows this week.  I’m honestly bummed, and I hope she’s okay.

Link up!  What’s making you happy?

My running partner.

You guys remember when I introduced you to my running partner?

In case you forgot, my partner was Beagle, a foster Beagle who came to me about a week ago.   I tried to call him Nelson for a while, but I kind of fell into a habit of calling him Beagle, Poops, or Pooper Scooper for a while.  And despite the fact that I always knew he was a foster, in the week I had with him, I got a little attached.

Because he was really energetic, I got into the habit of waking up early to take him out to the dog run to hang out with him (and to let him poop).  That was our bonding time.  But I knew it would have to come to an end eventually, and I wasn’t sure how I would take it.

unnamedSo Sunday morning, a friend came over to look at him, and this friend and his parents had had a beagle for 14 years before Sam, the beagle passed.  It ended up being a love connection, and Steve and his parents decided that Beagle-Nelson was going to be going to a new home.

I wanted to be selfish and upset, but truthfully, the fact that Beagle was going to a home with a doting mom and a yard meant so much to me, and if they could give him something that I couldn’t, they needed to be the ones to give him that home.

So I’m blogging tonight, and there’s no beagle breathing on me, stinking up the couch, and creating a drool spot that just grows and grows, but I know that he’s doing that for someone else and making them very happy.

Here’s to my foster beagle getting a new home!

Weekend recap.

I hope you had a really really good weekend.  I would say that not only was my weekend good, but it was really really productive, and it’s high time that I’ve been productive on a weekend.  Unfortunately, that means that it kinda feels like I didn’t stop working all weekend, but at least I got shiz done, right?

So Friday night, I’m pretty sure I told you guys that since I went to body pump early, that I went to bed pretty much when I got done with work.  That was that.

Saturday, I headed down to Elon, about an hour away, to teach at Elonthon, a 24-hour Dance Marathon that benefits the Duke Children’s Hospital.  To say it was nuts (in the best way possible) would be the understatement of the century.

DSC_0214Since I get sort of nervous before I teach any class, walking into this group of spirited college students made me a little nervous.  But I hopped on stage, and as soon as I started my first song, I felt he nerves sort of disappear, and launched into 30 minutes of a class, that I hope pumped everyone else for the last 4ish hours of the marathon. As always, Elon kids continue to do amazing things, and I’m impressed by their spirit.

I managed to continue my little personal tradition, and go for a short little run around Elon’s campus, and as I was doing that, I couldn’t help but wonder if I looked old, and if folks could tell that my old ass didn’t belong there.

I’d planned to stop by the wedding venue since it was right down the street but as usual, I overbooked myself, and I didn’t have time to stop anywhere because I stopped by a few art stores to grab more buttons for a project that was to come later on this week.

And, to wrap up Saturday I headed to Raleigh Beerfest to drink, and to hang out with my hubby and his friends.  I drank enough until my old self was ready to go home and go to sleep.  God bless you folks out here in these streets who was able (proper southern grammar) to keep the party going after Beerfest, my hubby included, but that was not me.

10171077_10100299026849773_1888318097_nBeerfest!

And then on Sunday, once I woke up, I scrubbed the apartment (thanks to the foster Beagle, I had to scrub a few really ripe spots in the carpet), and then set out to getting down to wedding stuff.  Do you guys mind if I give you a little sneak peek into Wedding Wednesday?

10151197_10100299276958553_1782262188_nI spent a few hours creating a practice bouquet that will act as a template for my girls.  It took a while, but I’ve given myself enough time to make a unique bouquet for each and every one of my girls, and one to throw, so that they will have something to keep as a token from their time spent with me.  What do you think?

Okay loves, how was your weekend?

 

Sunday coffee date.

Today’s coffee date is happening from the comfort of my living room because I wanted to clean and spend some time with the dogs before the week begins.  And instead of coffee, I’m drinking one of my guilty pleasures, Diet Mountain Dew today.  I know I’m sorry I’m the total health queen, but that is one really unhealthy pleasure that I indulge in once in a while.  OH WELL!

Okay, so let’s pretend that we’re on a coffee date together.  Here’s what I might tell you!

Photo on 4-6-14 at 10.54 AM

 

  • I went to Beerfest last night, and had a great time with some friends.  But since I’m an old lady, I drank only until like 9, and took a cab home so I could walk the dogs.  I was asleep by 10:30.
  • I’m still trying to train the foster beagle on better bathroom habits, so I’m planning yet another date with my carpets and the Hoover Steam Vac.
  • I accidentally bought Resolve Spray-n-Wash for laundry items to pre-treat some of the scary stains on the carpet.  I hope the carpet cleaning machine doesn’t mind.  Living on the edge!
  • Monica from Run Eat Repeat is a redhead who’s obsessed with sriracha, and I think I caught that bug.  I had a sriracha egg and cheese bagel on Monday last week, and I’ve already purchased some to make my own at home!  Why did you all keep this from me?
  • It’s beautiful here in North Carolina, and as it’s half marathon week, I’m already planning a little run before the days end.

What are you up to today?  

Today.

Last night was great.  For the first time in weeks, and weeks, and weeks, because I woke up early and went to body pump, I really had nothing to do after I got off of work, especially seeing as how I worked on a good chunk of wedding projects on Thursday night.

So immediately after work, I laid down with the foster baby (beagle) and took a nap.

Then, me and Austin hung out and watched this creepy creepy Netflix documentary on Jeffery Dahmer, which is pretty funny (not ha ha funny, but “omg this is crazy funny), because I read Jeffery Dahmer’s article on Wikipedia the other day.  Don’t ask why, I love Wikipedia articles, they’re really a fun pastime.  Not Jefferey Dahmer’s per se, but sometimes the articles I read are fun.

So today, I get to do something really fun.

Screen Shot 2014-04-04 at 8.39.22 PMEvery year, Elon hosts a dance marathon called Elonthon that benefits the Duke Children’s Hospital, and every year for the past few years, I have gotten a chance to teach a short Zumba class to sleep deprived students at Elon, and every year, it’s been really fun.  I’m honored to be able to do it again this year, and hope to snap a few pics of the sweaty, beautiful faces of my Elon folks.

What are you doing on this beautiful Saturday?