Wednesday Wishlist: Ted Baker iPhone Case

I had to get a new iPhone last week and haven't gotten around to getting a case for it. Its looking a little naked these days and while perusing the internet this morning, I found this lovely Ted Baker case. To die for, no?

Peach Raspberry Crisp

Yum. There are simply no other words for this dessert. Ina, once again, you da best. 

Garden of the Gods

 I can't believe I've lived in Colorado this long and not been to Garden of the Gods yet. The place truly lives up to its name and although I tried my best, these pictures simply cannot capture its beauty appropriately. You simply must see it to appreciate it. Sev and I only had a limited amount of time there, so I definitely plan on a return trip for a biking/hiking excursion. 

Corporate Drop Out

A year ago today I started my first day of photography school and as I look back on the past year, I am amazed by how much my life has changed. Most of you that know me personally would have never dreamed that I would quit the job at Showtime that I had worked so hard to get. I was always so driven to be successful, get a badass job and conquer the world. I sped my way through college and moved to Atlanta without looking back. Life was great for a while, but ultimately I wasn’t happy.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved working in the entertainment industry, traveling all over the country, and I truly couldn’t have asked for better co-workers, but I hated working for a corporation. I hated all the red tape and restrictions and inflexibility.  I hated the inefficiencies and the waste that occurred all around me. I hated my 90+ minute commute to the office and the fact that, unless I was traveling, I had to spend 40 hours sitting at the same desk. And, above all, I hated the fact that, no matter how hard I worked or what I accomplished, I was only allowed ten vacation days a year. Having to choose between spending time with my family and Sev’s, friend’s weddings, holidays and taking time off for my own personal sanity was a constant stressor.  These days, while I’m not making nearly as much money (at least not right now), I can choose my own schedule and take on the clients and projects I choose. I spend my time being creative and interacting with new people each day while they are enjoying some of the happiest times in their lives. I can take a day off to go up to the mountains if the mood strikes me. Or sleep all day and stay up til 3 editing. All on my own terms.

Yesterday ended a ten day vacation I enjoyed with my family, first in Nebraska, followed by a long weekend in Denver with my brothers. A vacation that would have cost me all of my vacation days in my previous life. That’s not how I wanted to live and I’m so glad I realized it before it was too late. Being self-employed is a challenge, but one that I love whole heartedly and I wouldn’t trade my life now for anything. 

Parent's hammock, easily one of my favorite things about home

Best. Weekend. Ever.

I know I say I have great weekends, and they usually are great, but this one definitely takes the cake. Sev and I were back in Georgia visiting his family at their place in the North Georgia Mountains. Such a beautiful time of year to be up there and we filled it to the brim with loads of fun activities. 

Private Yacht Rock Concert in Atlanta

Farmer's Market Shopping

A new baby alpaca boy, Sinchi Roca. Sixteen pounds of adorable-ness

Bottle-feeding a two-day-old baby. So cute.  

Fishing with Sev

Time with my nieces

AND an amazing helicopter ride above the property.....

Sev+Libbie...awww 

Where Sev proposed!

Anniversary

I'd like to wish a very happy 4th to my amazing BF today. Thanks for making my life so rad. 

Uni's. 'Cause that's how we roll. 

AND, on this day of love, I'd like to give a huge shoutout to our President for making a very brave statement in favor of gay marriage yesterday. While I'm saddened it is even an issue in society today, I am proud we have a leader who has the courage to do the right thing, no matter what the cost. 

Home

I had a great weekend at home with my family. The 27th marked the first anniversary of the fire, so it was good to be back and enjoying the new house with friends and family. 

 I know, I know! More flowers. But I just can't help myself!

New artwork from a friend

My loverboy Fred

This April, my boyfriend's cousin, Graves, and his girlfriend, Ivey, will be running a half marathon in San Francisco to commemorate what would be the 30th birthday of Grave's brother Max, who suffered from Spinal Muscular Atrophy as a child. They hope to raise awareness of the disease, celebrate the medical progress that has been made since his passing, and honor the all too short life Max lived.  Friends and family will join them by running, donating and cheering them on during the journey.
To chronicle their training and build a community of supporters, they have created a blog called Miles 4 Max. They asked me to submit some tips and tricks to help them, and other runners, train for the race. You can check out my guest post here, and below you will find my first of three segments on training for and racing a half-marathon. Happy running!

Basic Running Tips

Upper body: Try to keep your upper body as relaxed as possible. I go through a mental checklist when I feel like I’m tensing up and I repeat this in my head: “relax your hands, relax your elbows, relax your shoulders, relax your jaw”. The last one is important. Its impossible to be tense when your jaw is relaxed. Everything else will fall into place.

Take small, consistent strides and keep a rhythm. This is when listening to music helps. Use upbeat music as a tool to motivate (ok, distract) you and a help you find and keep a rhythm to your stride.

  Focus on exhaling rather than inhaling. This will help relax your diaphragm and make it easier to breathe. 

Lean forward from the ankles. Your momentum will take you. This is especially true when you’re going downhill and momentum instantly becomes your BFF. Lean forward and take longer strides. On the uphills, do the opposite. Shorten your stride and stay upright.

After a long hill or a sharp corner, take about 10 really quick, short strides. Hills and sharp turns disrupt your rhythm and these steps will help get you back in your groove.

Last, but probably most important, forget all of this and just run. You’ve been doing it since you were a kid. Relax, don’t need think about the fact that you’re running (sometimes easier said than done). Your body knows what to do, so instead of agonizing over each mile and how much it may or may not hurt, think about what you’re going to have for dinner, talk to your training partner, or just use this time to clear your head.