Happy 4th!

Happy Independence Day, American friends!  (And happy belated Canada Day to all my Canadians).

The 4th of July is all about celebrating our many freedoms.  I love my country and am so grateful to live in a place where I am able to be myself and enjoy my various interests without suffering or oppression.  Here are just a few freedoms that I remain thankful for today (among many):

• The freedom to choose my own career path and work at a place that I love.  I will be working all weekend, and it has proven over the years to be a very busy holiday weekend.  However, I am glad that I was able to go to college, choose a job that suited me, and pursue a career, without being directed by someone else with where I would work.  I have the freedom to spend my paycheck however I want to (less a large chunk of taxes).  So today, and all weekend, I will celebrate the fact that I have a job and that I still get to come home at night and sleep in my own bed when I am done each day.
• The freedom to marry who I want.  And I married a pretty freaking awesome man.

• The freedom to worship my God freely.
• The freedom to say whatever the heck I wanna say on this little blog.  And you have the freedom to agree, disagree, or tell me that I am cray cray and that’s okay.
• The freedom to walk out the door and run until my heart is content.  Whether it is for 5 minutes or 5 (or more) miles, I can go whenever I want and do so safely.

These are just a few out of so many.  Of course, Independence Day celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain, but it is also a celebration of the many people who have fought and continue to fight to defend these freedoms.  To those who have served (or currently serve): thank you so much for the sacrifices you have made for me and this country.

What does Independence Day mean to you?

What freedoms are you most thankful for this year?

Father’s Day at the pool

Father’s Day morning I got up and went to church with my parents.  One thing that stinks about A working night shift is that it kind of messes up holidays with the family because he has to sleep all day.  Luckily, after me and my brother worked it for so long, it is old hat to this family and we just adapt.  A wasn’t able to see my dad on Father’s Day, but we love him every day, so he understood.

After church, I went to lunch with them then an afternoon spin class.  A woke up shortly after and we went to his mom and stepdad’s house.  Note: there were a lot of dogs there.  What else is new?

We always have so much fun when Boyd, our nephew, is there.  Add in a day spent out at the pool and it is a guaranteed good afternoon.

PS- Swimming with a kid is exhausting.  After throwing him, spinning him, splashing him, and bouncing him, I was worn out.  How do you people do it full time?

He is just so adorable, right?

We had a nice little home cooked meal of steak and chicken, potato salad, fried green tomatoes, fried onions, garlic bread, and baked beans.  You should know that I ate two plates this size, then also had red velvet cupcakes.  I am not sure if I thought this meal was extra great because it was, or because I have been eating Ramen noodles 3 nights a week.  Whatever the reason, I want more right now.

We spent the rest of the evening relaxing at their house, while the weiner dogs showed their fur daddy how much they love him.

I hope you all had a wonderful Father’s Day either being celebrated or having someone awesome to celebrate!

Who loves fried green tomatoes?

Did anyone else’s gym still have classes yesterday?

I was kind of shocked that mine did.

Happy Father’s Day!

Happy Father’s Day to the greatest  dad a gal could ask for.  Yesterday he met me during the last bit of my race and ran with me, encouraging me the entire way.  Too bad I couldn’t hear anything he said because my music was too loud.  It didn’t matter, though, that I couldn’t hear him.  He is the only reason I didn’t stop and walk during the last hilly climb.  He was there for me then, just like he has been there for me my entire life.  I am infinitely blessed to have such a wonderful dad.

The only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair

If you missed yesterday’s post, I will be spending the next few days recapping our vacation.

We spent Memorial Day morning with thankful hearts and happy feet as we completed a 3 mile run along Thomas Drive in Panama City.  The best thing about running at 530am on vacation is that you get to run through sprinklers and they feel amazing.

It felt so good to change clothes, get barefoot, and sit at the shoreline in a sand chair and let the tide roll in over my feet that morning.  The water throughout this trip was so calm and crystal clear.  I have been going to the gulf my entire life and have never seen the water that clear.

I had been craving watermelon for weeks, so we did what any American family would do on an American holiday: cut up some on the balcony and eat it with our breakfast.  ‘Merica, y’all.

Another sunny day out on the beach where all I did was apply and reapply sunscreen, jump in the pool, play frisbee on the beach with the husband, watch the tide come in, and read.  It was glorious.

For dinner we went to Scampy’s and I had crab claws again (oh, how I love them).

These were not near as good as the ones from the night before, sadly.

After dinner, the family headed to the putt putt place, another family tradition.  My goal is always to NOT come in last.  I will never ever win (or even come in second)- a sad fact.

I came in last.  Go figure.  It breaks my competitive spirit, but I lost with whatever dignity I could and carried on like it didn’t kill my spirit.

 

We rounded out the evening with ice cream at Bruster’s (we had already eaten the homemade stuff) and some more puzzle working.  And of course, an early wake up call meant an early bedtime for MawMaw and PawPaw Phillips.

Favorite seafood meal?

Any fruit you tend to crave in the summer?

Do you eat healthy on vacation or let loose?

Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms and future moms out there.

And a very special happy day to my mom, nanny, and mother-in-law.  I love you three and am so very grateful for your unconditional love.

Have a wonderful Sunday!