One Year

Ok, you know how websites that feature books and movies have a "spoiler alert"?  Well, I'm warning all of you with a "cheesy alert".  Don't say you weren't warned...

Yesterday, Mark and I celebrated our 1 Year Anniversary.  I can't believe it's been a YEAR since this:

And this:

This year Mark and I:

1) Adopted Levon

2) Celebrated Kaitlin and Ed's Wedding

   

3) Had TOO much fun at Ole Miss...

4) Rang in the New Year with friends at B&A Warehouse

5) Celebrated Alabama's 13th National Championship

6) Watched my sister get married

7) Helped host MDA's 2nd Annual Derby for Duchenne's

8) Spent some time at the beach with friends

I feel lucky to have spent this last year married to my best friend (I told you it would get cheesy) and look forward to spending many more with him. 

Cutting for Stone

This past month, I read "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese. 

The first 50 pages, I LOVED the book!  The middle, I HATED it.  When it was all said and done, I LIKED it.  I don't think I would recommend it, unless you know a great deal about medicine.  I spent the first part of the book looking up medical terms on my computer.  After a while, I stopped caring. 

I will say that discussing a book (good or bad) over lasagna, wine, and some pretty amazing cookies makes anything worth reading.

4th of July (A little late)

July 4th Mark and I went with my parents to their elegant tre-leur (aka: trailer) in what my mom fondly calls "geriatric park."  Valerie and Adam came up too, but they stayed at Camp Harmon, a place we used to go when we were little.  Check out their accommodations compared with ours:

Trailer where Mark and I stayed with my parents

Outside Valerie and Adam's Cabin

Valerie & Adam's Cabin

 We spent a very outdoorsy weekend hiking and seeing the sights.  Levon was especially excited to be included.  He doesn't usually get to tag along on family vacations:

Mark, Levon, and Me during our hike.

It was nice to have a little family time.  We enjoyed spending our evenings at the trailer cooking and just spending time together.  I learned that it takes 4 family members to determine when the steaks are done:

Confession

(This was previously posted, so I wont delete it, but it is all lies!  I did NOT stop watching The Hills, becaues I found out it was ending.  So, I said "good-bye" to The Hills when all of you did.  Still, one TV show down...)


June is almost up, and it's time for me to start a new monthy "better myself" activity.  You're probably wondering "what was Caroline's June activity?".  I slipped it in without really talking about it...I'm sneaky like that.  But for those of you who can't deal with not knowing, it was the book club.  A book a month is a big commitment for me...

Ok, for July:  It starts with a confession...I went to see The Last Song.  Yes...this is the Miley Cyrus movie (head hung in shame).  But, it did give me an idea for my July goal...  I want to learn an instument.  Yes, this is a lofty goal, and one I can not expect to complete in a month.  So, I'm cheating a bit (what's new).  My actual goal for this month is to cut down on my tv.  THIS is not going to be easy!  I currently follow 9 tv shows:

-Entourage
-Hung
-Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami
-Keeping Up with the Kardashian
-The Hills
-90210
-So You Think You Can Dance
-American Idol
-Project Runway

And, these are simply the ones I can't miss!

Clearly, it's time for me to give up a little reality... So, I'm officially giving up "The Hills".  And, in the Fall, when the new seasons start, I will not watch "American Idol".  "The Hills" will be the hardest...it has been a love of mine for years.  But, it will be easier since Lauren was replaced with Kristin Cavallari (as if that's a fair trade...).

So long my friends.... (please note: picture is from "the good ole days")

Undelete

Last month, I decided that I didn't want to blog anymore.  I wouldn't call it an impulse decision, cause I really went with it for a while.  Today, I changed my mind (impulse decision)... 

I haven't decided what it is, but I do really enjoy writing down my thoughts (especially during a slow day at work).  So...here's what I've been doing:

I joined a book club and LOVE it.  Our first book was The Help by Kathryn Sockett.  It was an easy read and was thought-provoking.  I actually scheduled a time to talk with my mom about the book before my group met.  I just wanted to get her perspective on it since it probably "hit a little closer to home" with her.  When my group met, it was nice to have my mom's thoughts and ideas to share.  She lived in the South during the time to book was set, so she was able to tell me what was true, what might have been true, and what she just didn't think was true. 

Other than that, I have been saying a lot of "hello"s, "good-bye"s, and "happy birthday"s.  My friend Carrie moved home from LA, but is now moving back after finding a new job and missing a certain someone...  I'll miss her, but I sure enjoyed her two week hiatus with us.

The Girls at Carrie's Surprise "Welcome Home" Party

My friend Chelsey celebrated her 25th Birthday in style.  If an "adult" pool party at one of our parents' house, with the Birthday Girl wearing a shark visor and a lei, doesn't scream "mature"...then I just don't know what does...

Weight Management (Part Deux)

Success!!
Ok, I hit one out of three of my goals.  To most, that would be a failure.... However, it was the most important one to me.  I ran 2 miles...STRAIGHT!... and 3 miles total on Sunday.  I think I pushed myself just a tad to get there, so I'm going to stay there for a while.  New goals:

1) Continue to run 2 miles straight, 3 miles overall.
2) Eat better!  I wrote down everything last week, but slacked a lot on the weekend.  Ok, AND today.  I wanted to hide it from you people, but it's true...I had MILO'S for lunch.  It was A-MAZING!  But I immediately regretted it.  So, it wont be happening again, for a long time.
3) Water, Water, Water.  I definitely failed here.  I need more water.  Again, I will try for 6 cups a day.

Weight Management

This month got off to a slow start.  I'm still in my weekly training class, but in honor of my commitment to try something new each month, I must move on.

So, I'm cheating a little bit, cause I'm not exactly trying something "new" this month.  But I do have a new goal...and since it's my blog, it totally counts.  I want to get to a weight I'm happy with and learn to manage it.  This is going to take some major changes on my part, because I usually eat whatever I want and workout when I feel like it.  In case you're wondering, this results in weight GAIN.  Who would have thought?

In order to keep with my overall goal, I need to set small, tangible goals.  So, this week:
1) I'll be writing down EVERYTHING I eat.  This way I can keep track of the little things that I don't even think about.
2) Running!  I am up to 1 mile straight and 2 1/2 overall.  This week I want to get up to 1 1/2 straight, 3 overall.
3) Water, Water, Water.  I'm going to try for 6 cups a day.  I know this is less than what you are supposed to drink a day, but I have a bad feeling that this will actually be more than I usually get.

This is were I want to be (by the end of the summer):

I feel like it's a nice, tangilbe goal.  I don't see myself making it to Bree's size by the end of the summer (that would be nice though), so my old size will do for now.