valentines day

Valentine’s Day Plans!

| cheriarmour

First up, I know I’ve talked about this place, Happy & Hale here before on the blog, but I have to sing its praises once again.

Lots of changes going round in the Samples household, and as a result, I’ve had to work really really hard to stay on track with a decent diet and stuff.  More on that later.

But I was really in a rush on Tuesday to get a good lunch in that didn’t involve anything gross, anything friend, and was quick, and the first thought was Happy & Hale.

I did my usual, a quinoa bowl (without the onions) and here was the finished product.

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I’ve seen Katherine, the nutritionist here, a few times, and she is highly encouraging of incorporating lots and lots of color in each meal. This meal TOTALLY has it. I mean, it’s gorgeous to look at.  Unfortunately for me, this was a lot of fiber, so I had to watch the fiber at dinner and do something that was a little less psyllium-y.  TMI.

Valentine’s Day Plans. 

I think this is the first V-Day that we don’t have something special planned, but I really think I’m okay with that.

In years past, we’ve always done dinner around Valentine’s, and given little gifts, but nothing super major.  This year, despite my efforts to get to bed much, much earlier than I have, I still am battling some fatigue as I adjust to earlier start times, and we’re looking forward to dinner in and making our way around Lake Johnson that day.  It’s boring, but it works for us.

One thing I will ask my hubby really really nicely for is a mani/pedi.  That’s still one of my favorite treats in the world.  I’ll happily oblige with his favorite treats (probably a trip to Harbor Freight to buy more things to put in the shed).

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day?

On hating Valentine’s Day.

| cheriarmour

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First off, I have had to work so hard with myself to resist the feeling like I want to get a heart-shaped donut from Krispy Kreme and a coffee. And the main reason is because even though when it goes down it tastes good, that thing will sit in your stomach like a sweet rock.  Plus I’m kinda trying to decide if I want to get a package of those red velvet Oreos so I can eat a few and go to town writing about the delicious medley inside of my mouth.

So, I feel like in high school, that it was really cool to hate on Valentine’s Day. Wear all black, pull your hood up, and profess that the day was “stupid,” “manufactured by Hallmark,” and that “you shouldn’t have to wait for a special day to tell your spouse/partner that you love him or her”.

I always loved the day because I guess I’m just a hopeless romantic idiot, but even single, the concept of pinks, reds, whites, and candy candy candy at a time when it’s not Halloween is simply magical to me.  To demonstrate this, enjoy this summary from one of my favorite books when I was like in 7th grade.

This sassy Cinderella story centers on 14-year-old Ashley Ella Toral, who has just received an invitation to the biggest bash of the season, a New Millennium’s Eve party held at the prestigious Ocean Crest Country Club and hosted by her heartthrob, Trevor Cranston. Thwarting her chance to usher in the year 2000 in style are her two bratty, scheming stepsisters, Paige and Jessica, and Ashley’s stepmother, Phyllis, who wants Ashley to baby-sit on the night of the big event. At the same time the unpampered princess is wallowing in self-pity, her unlikely fairy godmother (Phyllis’s grandmother) is flying in from Florida to bestow enough gifts, cash and service upon Ashley to make most of her dreams come true. Besides offering plenty of laughs, this updated classic adds much color to characters traditionally painted in black and white. Ashley’s stepmother is not evil so much as self-centered and overwrought by financial concerns, and Ashley, virtuous though she is, can be rather testy at times. Jukes has a ball adding new twists to an all-too-familiar plot, and readers will want to get in on the fun, too. Ages 10-up. (Sept.)

All I wanted was romance.

So…need a few reasons to love V-Day?

  • Reese’s hearts.  On par with the Reese’s big cup, Reese’s eggs, and Reese’s trees, Reese’s hearts are perfect for one reason, and for one reason only.  The peanut butter to chocolate ratio.
Yes Daddy.
Yes Daddy.
  • The colors pink and red. They ain’t nobody who doesn’t look good in a hot red dress.
  • Glitter.
  • And finally,  75% off CANDY?!  Now granted, this will only occur in the day/days following the big day, but HOLLA for some candy.  When I was in social work, I may or may not have taken full advantage of this to get clients to accomplish their goals.

So…do you love or hate the day?

Lake Street Dive! And Valentine’s Day recap!

| cheriarmour

So I gave you guys the little teaser yesterday.  In case you like, forgot or didn’t read it or something I provided that awesome linky for you to review.

But we swapped everything all around Valentine’s Day weekend.  Since Lake Street Dive was recently on Colbert Report, and had blown up, the tickets were super sold out, so a lot of my snowy week was spent begging for tickets on the internet, which I found, 4:00 pm the day of the show.  So hubby and I headed down to Carrboro, the land of the super-cool and laid back hippies, parked, and headed in for the show.

First, we passed by the Fleet Feet Sports there, and I chatted for a little while with the guy who was closing up the store.

P1160173Very pretty store!  And we headed in for a sold out show.

P1160175We were right up at the front, and it was a super, super sold-out show.  Also, side note.  It is a CARDINAL SIN to try and push your way to the front of a general admission show when you came in late.  Don’t do it or I will say something to you.  So serious.  

The opening act was awesome, and they were super sweet.  Here’s Miss Tess…

photo 3-1Who looked like they stepped right out of the ’50s.  Here’s me and the drummer after.

P1160178Sweet guy, and we gave him some suggestions on where he could eat in Asheville, where he was headed the next day.

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The show was awesome.  Rachael Price, lead singer, has a voice that’s like butter, and really really refreshing to hear.

And the best moment of the night?  

P1160177When me and my Elon University Jazz professor got to meet Lake Street Dive!  Can you tell from the photo how excited I am?!

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Ugh.  I cannot tell you how freaking excited I was.

But the show was awesome, I wish I could have taken you guys out there with me 🙂

photo 4-2And finally, we headed to the Irregardless Café in Raleigh on Saturday for our Valentine’s Day date.  I forgot to take a pic for you guys until I’d eaten all the veggies, but this is the vegan shepards pie.  Super tasty, and Austin bought us a lot of Prosecco to split.  It was really romantic because we got to dance with all the old people to real music.  Two nights in a row of good music!  How did I get so so lucky?

So I really hope your V-Day weekend was great, and single or taken, I’d love to hear about what you did!  How was your Valentine’s Day Weekend?  

Why we Work

| cheriarmour

Time for a mushy-gushy pre-Valentine’s Day post.

264558_696428549623_6702677_nI’m marrying this guy in 190 days.  And I couldn’t be more thrilled about it.

I could tell something was different about him, because from the beginning of our relationship, I really really protected it.  I didn’t talk about it a lot to others and I didn’t feel the need to gush to cover up some sort of shortcoming he might have had.  Trust me, I’ve been there.  He took me on real dates, not just to Applebees.  He insisted he pay, and I always felt safe with him.  And now, three, almost four years later, here’s why we work.  

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  • We’re really different.  But our insides match. We’re obviously interracial.  I am all over the place, wildly creative, and he is analytical, and he thinks things through before he does them.  I decide to do things, and do them.  But inside, there are a few things that are really important to us.  Health/wellness.  Animals.  And treating others the way they deserve to be treated.  These are our cardinal rules.262787_1937735048582_6179921_n
  • When we fight, we fight fair.  You’re a rotten dirty liar if you want to claim that you have a relationship with someone and that you never fight.  And we do.  But when we do, we fight fair.  We don’t hit or scream or call names.  And if we slip and do one of these, we put it in reverse, and asses where we need to apologize and do better next time.  Besides the hitting, we’re not animals.  We don’t do that.
  • He supports me.   I say I want to run a marathon, and he watches me cross the finish line.  When I started this blog, he was all about it.  When we first started dating, and I went to audition for X-Factor, he gave me his iPod FM transmitter thing for my car, and kissed me goodbye.  I made it that year, and part of it was the support. Similarly, whatever he needs or wants to do?  I want to give it to him.  If he wants to start a business?  A new website?  Wants to take apart the washing machine?  I don’t get it, but I will be behind him.
  • I feel safe with him.  When I used to run into trouble, I would call my Dad.  Now I’m a grown-up, and getting married, and I feel 100% cool calling him for help.  He can change a tire, one drove to DC to pick me up when I was stranded in the middle of the night, and dusted the snow off my car and my steps today.  It means so much.

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  • We laugh together.  A bunch.  I could go on for days about our inside jokes but that’s why they inside, playa!
  • He keeps me grounded.  I am a weirdo.  A beautiful, tall weirdo.  And sometimes, my ideas get a little crazy.  I adopted a dog out of the blue a few weeks ago.  I still did it, but he asked me all the important questions.  And I keep him fun!  Life wouldn’t be any fun without my randomness.
  • He went out in a snowstorm to get me coffee today.  Can I please tell you that I didn’t ask him to do this, it was a surprise.  But it was still a nice surprise and it made me feel like he pays attention to what I like 🙂 .

This list is by no means exhaustive, but it’s what comes to my mind when I look at our differences and still can see why we work.  Big ups to Life of Bon for the sweet idea on the day before V-Day!

whywework

 

And if you love it, grab that image ^^ and link up!  Why do you and your significant other work?