Good List Fridays, 11.11.11

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First and foremost, a heartfelt thank you to all the incredible men and women who have served and continue to serve our country and protect our freedoms, our rights and our lives. My words will never be enough, but I am forever grateful.



Good morning & Happy Friday, friends! I hope you have all been having a wonderful week :)

This week has positively flown by for me, and I am looking forward to a busy weekend (really! looking forward to it!): filled with shopping with Laurie & my mom, yard work (must admit, that one I'm not looking forward to as much ;), and hopefully sneaking in a Sunday afternoon run (side note: I've been trying to get in a "Gahanna Run" since before I sprained my ankle my marathon ... and it hasn't happened yet. ...So, here's hoping! ...And if I get a chance to do that this weekend, I'll totally "take you along with me" :)

We are entering the time of year where it seems like time defies all convention and picks up speed. ...There is always something to do and someone to see....And somehow, even when we cannot get it all done, it's "all good". ... The holiday season is beautiful and magical like that ♥ ...I actually have some more "Holiday thoughts" to share with you in the coming days...so be on the look-out.

...And I'm chugging along happily through the 'time warp'. Last weekend I hit up a holiday bazaar to get a jump-start on my Christmas shopping, and a good friend and I are discussing a post-Thanksgiving "Thanksgiving Dinner Party" that I am really looking forward to (hello, dinner parties are my love language!) ... I am hoping (and will be working to set things in motion!) to open my house to friends and family multiple times during this season of love. ... Shorter days and cooler temperatures mean cozy fires, warm homecooked meals, snuggly blankets & gathering in.

"It's all good."


And fittingly, now it's time for a "Good Friday post", to reign in all the other miscellaneous goodness that has impacted my life over the past weeks.

Good List:


(Sneak Peek from my marathon re-cap, coming soon!)

1. Jon. Great husband... great friend :)

2. Answered prayers ♥

3. Wisdom from valued friends & mentors



4. New boots (Yeahhh, baby!)



5. I don't want to brag, but our weather here has been stunning lately. Crisp & breezy, with breathtaking red-orange trees agains dark skies. This is what I live for each year. ... Makes the accompanying yard work totally worth it ;)


Ignoring the traffic, isn't this a gorgeous fall sky? ..Love this.

6. I've got to be honest: as much as I love the fall-like weather that's come in the past week, I am *really* struggling with the time change. It's nice to go to work in the light, but it's awfully hard to come home and stay motivated when it's dark. Still, I am embracing the ebb & flow of the seasons, and giving myself grace as I adjust to the change. A good thing about the time change? Gorgeous night runs.


Do you see the tail wrapped around him & the paw over the eyes?! I die...

7. The kitties. They never fail to make my life more exciting. ... Also, Baron voluntarily sat in my lap last week. Miracles occur every day, folks.

8. California wine.

9. I'm going to be a tease and not reveal anything yet ... but I am *really* excited for next year. It's going to be a really great one for our family.

(Okay, okay... I won't be totally cruel. Because I think this sounds suggestive, and I field enough of these questions I will tell you, I am not expecting a baby, although we will be welcoming another one into our extended family... and I couldn't be more thrilled about that!! ... This statement envelops that and... something else...)

10. "Our truest dreams are when we are in dreams awake." - Thoreau


Your Turn: Are you getting excited about the holidays like I am? How's the Fall weather in your neck of the woods? ... What's one "good thing" from your week?

Good List Friday: volume viii

Happy, happy Friday, friends! Also ... Happy Autumn!

I hope you have been having a wonderful week :) I apologize for flying a bit 'under the radar' the past couple days… but I'll be back for good tomorrow! (I promise I'll be back to commenting, etc., too! My internet connection has been a little wonky lately, and, pained as I am to admit it, that has left me feeling sadly lost & out of touch!) I have all sorts of really exciting things to share with you--- I think you will enjoy the mini-series I've got coming up next week ;)

It's been a gorgeous day here, and, while I did get a little depressed this morning watching GMA and hearing about all the "worldly happenings", overall I am filled with hope, and my heart is happy. …Also, it's pumpkin spice Friday ♥ … and that never fails to lift my mood!

Just a quickie post for you today… but, like I said, I'll be back tomorrow evening ;)

Let's start the weekend off right with another installment of Good List Friday:



Good List:

1. Jon. I've had such wonderful adventures with my best friend this week!
2. Good sunglasses :)
3. Red wine & Dark chocolate
4. Warm sunshine & cool breezes
5. Comfortable sneakers
6. Coffeeeeee
7. Courage to speak up
8. Encouragement
9. Friday night "date night" ♥
10. "A woodland in full color is awesome as a forest fire, in magnitude at least, but a single tree is like a dancing tongue of flame to warm the heart." ~Hal Borland

Your Turn: What things make your "good list" this week?



PS: A special "Good Luck!" shout out to my friend, Hannah, who is running a 5k tomorrow :) You are going to rock it, girl!! Can't wait to hear about it!

Challenge II, D16: Good List Friday, volume vii

Gooooood Friday to you, friends!

Although I didn't sleep very *much* last night, I slept well. Overnight the temperatures in central OH got down to a crisp 47*, and with the bedroom windows open an inch and the delicious weight of a down comforter pressing on me it was recipe for a perfect night's sleep. It was hard to get up this morning ... made harder by the fact that I had the dead-weight of a sleepy Gracie nestled into my chest ♥ But, here I am, coffee in hand, ready to take on another day. TGIF, indeed :)

While there were moments when it seemed like this week would never end, now that I am at the waning end of a 40 hour work week I can smile and pat myself on the back,"That wasn't so bad now, was it?" Still, as good as the week was, I am (as always) looking forward to the weekend so much more. This weekend's plans include lots of reading, mopping my kitchen floor, baking an apple pie, and 12 miles with the MiT group.

I hope your plans are equally comforting, renewing & exciting :)

Let's kick off the weekend goodness with a Good Friday, shall we?



Good List:

1. Jon. I cannot believe that we've been married almost 2 years. It feels like just yesterday that I was planning my wedding-- the dress, the details... And yet, at the same time I am hard-pressed to remember my life before Jon. This marriage stuff is crazy & mysterious, maddening & wonderful ... ♥
2. Pumpkin Spice Friday!
3. Tomato sandwiches (I think the season is winding down for these babies... farewell my loves!)
4. Connecting with family, even across the miles ♥




5. MacIntosh apples
6. Invigorating breezes through open windows
7. The scent of freshly baked cookies :)
8. "Cleaning out the clutter"... tangible & spiritual.
9. Heart moving, thought provoking posts. (Check out this one, by my sweet friend, Hannah. What mark will we leave on our world?)
10. As an engineer, this quote hits home for me: "Running and science draw on similar traits—stamina, ambition, patience, and the ability to overcome limits." --Wolfgang Ketterle, Nobel Laureate and MIT Professor

Your Turn:What tops your good list this week? Do you have any good (fall-y?) weekend plans?


Wishing you all a wonderful Friday afternoon :)

Challenge II, D12: Good List Friday, volume vi

Ahh, Friday.... So good to see you again!

I love Fridays for so many reasons. First, it's got the obvious-- 'It's almost the weekend' thing going for it... but also, for me, it's S-bux pumpkin spice latte day, AND my day to sleep in!

And don't even get me started on the loveliness of Friday nights! Friday evening in our house means sweat pants, spaghetti & movies on the couch. ... Which I know may not sound like much (my 20 year old self would be sighing & shaking her head...) -- but it's perfect. A cozy & relaxing way to end a work week; a time of quiet renewal before another great weekend of memory making ♥

I hope your Friday is equally lovely! And I'll let you get back to it, after another installment of Good List Fridays:



Good List:

1. Jon. Sometimes I am completely awestruck that this man loves me, and has chosen me to spend the rest of his life with. I am so blessed.


2. Pumpkin Spice Lattes. "Come to Mama...."
3. Snuggling Gracie close, and feeling her little heart beating. Life is so precious ♥
4. Red Wine
5. Fall-scented candles in mason jars
6. Courage
7. Seriously, nothing beats a pair of worn-in, well loved jeans.
8. This morning when I awoke, our town was blanketed in thick white fog. This provided for a mystical (if slow) drive in to work ;)
9. Encouragement from friends. ...And the way it always comes at the perfect time ♥
10. "There are as many reasons for running as there are days in the year, years in my life. But mostly I run because I am an animal and a child, an artist and a saint. So, too, are you. Find your own play, your own self-renewing compulsion, and you will become the person you are meant to be." - George Sheehan

Happy weekending, friends!

Your Turn: What tops your "Good List" this week? What are your weekend plans? ...I'm running 20 miles & picking my favorite apples (McIntosh!)

Challenge II, D8: Good Friday & Inspiration

Happy September, friends! ...More importantly, Happy FRIDAY!
(Personally, I had several "false positives" this week-- you know, when you wake up thinking it's *Friday* and it's actually ... um, Wednesday? ...yup, this weekend has been a loong time coming...)

SO, when I last left you, I was really excited to write my Thursday challenge post about Inspiration...what inspires me, who inspires me, and what sets me on fire to write.


And then, last night when I sat down to actually expound on my ideas and 'abracadabra' them into words, I was feeling rather, erm, "uninspired". In fact, I had a major case of writer's block, which rather quickly turned into a very cranky Amy. Blah. Eventually, after 3 different blog posts starts, and 2 hours of staring at a blinking cursor on my computer screen; I decided I was just tired, and gave myself permission to go to bed and "try again tomorrow" :)

I have discovered that there is no way (for me at least) to force inspiration & creation. I'm sure that if I keep searching, I'll be able to find a couple magic ingredients that can jump-start my creative writing brain -- but for now, I am learning to be content with seizing the ideas as they come. It's rarely convenient, but it's a blessing all the same, and I'll work from where I am ♥


Anyhoo ... I hope you all had a wonderful yesterday! Did you do anything special to celebrate the 1st day of September? I must admit that while my heart celebrated the beginning of my favorite month with fervor, I didn't do anything out of the ordinary :) No PSL's for me, as I was typically running late on my way to work. ...I did manage to pin some "fall inspiration" on Pinterest, if that counts ;) However, I plan to welcome in the season full force this weekend, with a top-to-bottom house cleaning, and by bringing out the fall decorations on Monday (if I can wait that long!)

Whew. Can I tell you how grateful I am that this is a holiday weekend coming up?! I know that I don't have too much longer now before the 'Big Vacation'... but my soul is craving a day off to just be still and "catch up with life".

It's funny because as excited as I am about having a day off, I can all ready tell that I am going to have to actively remind myself to slow down. There's a lot I want to do this weekend, but more than the doing, I really want to be present & enjoy every moment. My plan is to have 1 working day (I'm thinking Saturday, after a good night's sleep & leisurely breakfast with Jon -- pumpkin pancakes, perhaps?), and then have 2 days to just 'go with the flow'.

I'm looking forward to telling you all about it, as it unfolds :)

For now, I am thrilled to present you with another installment of 'Good List Fridays'



Good List:

1. Jon ♥ Gosh, I love that man.
2. Coffeeeeeeeee. It has very much been a 2 cup-a-day week :)
3. Having the luxury of being about to take a step back and look at the big picture: how far I've come :)
4. New magazines
5. Holiday Weekends
6. Cleaning the clutter from my house & my mind
7. "California Dreaming..."
8. Morning runs with the ladies!
9. I know in a couple months I will be lamenting the short length of the days and the scarcity of daylight ... but right now I am enjoying the gentle forward creep of the sunsets. I love the sweet warmth & scent of early September nights, and I love the way the lengthening shadows beckon us to come in, come together, and relax at the end of a long day.
10."Your body will argue that there is no justifiable reason to continue. Your only recourse is to call on your spirit, which fortunately functions independently of logic."
- Tim Noakes


And now, just for fun, another list for you! Fitness blogger Gina (over at fitnessista.com) has put together a to-do list at the beginning of each month of tasks that will make the following 30-days especially great. I love this idea, and am creating my own list for September:

"Make September Spectacular":

- Go apple picking
- Bake an apple pie from scratch ♥
- Plant vibrant-colored mums
- Burn "Fall-Scented" candles
- Sleep with the windows open (once it get a bit more temperate... we're getting in to the mid-90's today, yikes.)
- Clean out my closet - put away summer clothes to make room for cozy sweaters & scarves & boots
- Begin strength training (for real this time.) Do push-ups/ sit-ups etc. 2 days a week.
- Start walking with Jon on week days after work.
- Make Pumpkin Chili
- Host a dinner party!

Your Turn: What are your weekend plans? What is one thing you plan to do to make this September the best one yet?

Challenge II, D4: Good Friday Happenings

And Happy Friday to you, friends!


I don't know about you, but for me it feels like this week has just flown by. It's both exhilarating and calming to be on the cusp of another weekend. Now, I don't want to get ahead of myself, but this is looking like its going to be a really great one.

In the plans:

* Peach butter!! (via Savvy Julie!)
* I have some great dinners to cook up, too -- Yay, meal planning! (Roasting my 1st cornish hen this weekend! Squee!!)
* Sonoma / San Francisco Planning (Our trip is almost upon us, and I am getting more excited by the day!)
* 18 miles tomorrow morning with MiT (which I am disgustingly excited about, hehe...)
*... and on a not-unrelated note, a blog post coming at you tomorrow that I am also crazy excited about :)
* Possible apple picking tomorrow (Gala)
* Church on Sunday morning ♥ I haven't gone to worship in a couple weeks, and returning after any length of absence always feels like coming home...

So, bring on the weekending! But before we get there, it is a good Friday, after all... and you know what that means:



Good List:
1. Jon. I'm excited to get to spend time with my best friend after a busy week!
2. Inspiration...



3. Trader Joe's salsa. Yum, yum, yum.
4. Favorite books that you read over, and over and over again. ... And that you fall a little more in love with each time.



5. My lunchtime treat today was to take myself to my favorite Uptown Westerville Coffee Shop for what is quite possibly the best fall drink out there. ... And I don't say that lightly. Pumpkin Chai ... I think you are a missing piece of my soul.
6. Laurie passed her nursing boards! Wahoo!! Laurie, RN has such a nice ring to it :)
7. "Superwoman days". You know those days when you get everything checked off your to-do list? They are a rare and precious commodity... and so worth the wait.



8. Good hair days (heh... which, for me, are also rare & precious commodities.)
9. Girlfriends
10. "Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. Unshakable faith is faith that has been shaken." ~ Unknown



Your turn: Any good weekend plans? Spill 'em... Did the past 7 days fly by for you, too? What was the highlight of your week?

Good List Fridays: volume iii

New MiT shirt. I'm bad at taking self portraits, but the part you can't see reads:" Change your life, one mile at a time." Love this concept... and it's certainly proved true for me ♥

Happy Friday, friends!

And happy August?! How did that happen? I had just lulled myself into complacency thinking that although the tv & radio are innundated with back to school commercials, the retail seasons are always at least a month in advance. ... and in fact, it's just that time is sneaking past me :)

I hope you all had a wonderful week. I am (as usual) singing Friday praises and looking forward to the weekend. Let's do a little Good List-y recap of the week, shall we?



Good List
1. Jon. Who is, and will always be, one of the coolest people I know. I'm excited to have him back next week (i.e.: Jon has a break from being on call for a couple weeks :)

2. Last night while Jon was playing volleyball with some friends from work, I spent the evening doing completely "Amy-like" things: I cooked dinner and cranked up some jazz music, poured myself a glass of wine, and just sat and let my mind be at peace. How my how my soul needed this night!

3. Happy text messages. Little sister is doing just fine in the big world :)
4. Striving to do one thing a day that scares me. I don't do this often enough. It makes me feel invincible.

5. New sneakers.
6. Soft, damp nights punctuated by the song of cicadas. This is quintessential August.

7. These. Sweet heavens. 'How Sweet Jessica' sure knows what she's doing ....
8. Dreaming of peaches ... and peach butter.
9. Fabulous 14. {The running post is coming your way tomorrow!}
10.

"Living a great love story is like prepping for a marathon. Most people show up out of shape and expect it to work. It won't." - Donald Miller

(I love everything about this quote. ...and it inspires me to reread one of my favorite books, Miller's "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.")

Your Turn: What tops your 'Good List" this week? How would you describe a "perfectly YOU-like" evening? ♥

Good List Fridays, Volume ii

This kitty never fails to amaze me. What a silly girl ...

...I know, right?!... Hang on to your hats: I'm posting for the second time in 2 days! :) ...

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you've all had a wonderful week :)


I've had a busy (as always) but good one, although I am definitely counting it as a blessing that I have 2 days of respite before another Monday rolls around.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the second installment of "Good List Fridays".



Good List
1. Jon.

2. Chocolate milk (I'm loving dark chocolate almond milk!). Best. post-run treat. ever.

3. It's that time of year again... Time for the State Fair! I LOVE the fair. The sounds, the smells, the sights & the tastes (roasted corn & funnel cake? Don't mind if I do...) It's an essential component of summertime for me. ...Now just to convince my husband to go with me... This conversation actually took place: Amy:"I'm upping the ante: if you take me to the State Fair, I'll do dishes for a week!" Jon:"We'll see..." ...I think I'll wear him down yet!

4. Nerdy running moment of the week: I am ridiculously excited about my new fuel belt. I may or may not have worn it around the house for a while on Monday evening. ... In my defense, it gets really tiring to carry a handheld water bottle after 10 miles...

5. This week has calmed down enough (or perhaps I've adapted to the new pace?) that I'm back in the kitchen. Preparing dinner every night is therapeutic for me. All is right with the world again.

6. Yeah. ... So I'm running 14 miles on tomorrow morning. 14 miles. This is huge for me, physically, mentally & spiritually. This will be the farthest I've ever run. And while I'm crazy excited, I'm also scared to death. Assuming I live through it, I plan to write about my experiences in marathon training sometime soon :) (Feel free to send positive thoughts & prayers my way tomorrow morning from about 6:30 - 9:30 am ET ...)

7. The nights when I am absolutely on fire to write. Sometimes I go for weeks with just a tiny, flickering flame that I'm struggling to keep lit... but then something clicks and the words flow freely. Last night I poured my heart and soul into this post. ...This is my favorite kind of 'work' ...

8. Charcoal grills, sunshine & ice cold beer.

9. Taking chances. This week I'm making some big, bold moves. ... Hoping to fill you in soon ♥

10. "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ~ Mark Twain

Your Turn: What tops your list of "Good Things" this week?

Good List Fridays

(Listening to vocal tracks at Lifeway on Monday night. ...The only picture I took all week :)

To say that this week has been exhausting may be an understatement.

... In fact, it may be the understatement of the century. I think even
my diaphragm is tired, as I've had the hiccups for the past 10 minutes
;)

Between Jon's new job (which has him "on call" 24/7 for the first
several weeks, marathon training and the heat (which has been
ridiiiiiculous....), it's safe to say that I am completely wiped out.
... but nothing 10 straight hours of sleep can't fix, I'm sure ;)

Anyhoo... I have a couple of "Love Letters" posts in the pipeline,
that I'm really hoping I can get out to you this weekend. I miss the
blog, and my sweet friends... I miss hunkering down with my keyboard
and getting lost in my own thoughts... I haven't been short of
inspiration, just short of energy & time.


So, for the time being, please accept my apologies for being such a
sporadic blogger these past few weeks. I'm finding that (at least for
me, and at least for now), time management seems to be a very fluid
concept: it's as soon as I get some of my (proverbial) balls in the
air that I realize I am tripping over 2 or 3 that have fallen,
unnoticed, to the floor.

... Nevertheless, life is sweet, and there is a lot of good to be
recognized :) I will continue to practice my juggling skills in the
hopes that someday I can gracefully & effortlessly keep all the joy,
work, obligations & pleasures afloat... but in the meantime I will
celebrate the everyday. Even when it's not perfect & I'm not
"all together".

And this is the concept behind a new series I'd like to start: "Good
List Fridays". I haven't been posting my "Good Lists" as often as I
used to, and this fact does not escape me. Therefore, I am hereby
instituting "Good List Fridays" here on Amy Around the Corner. Care to
join me?

The inaugural list:

Good List:

1. Jon. This may sound crazy, but I love that I miss him on busy
weeks. I definitely wish that we could spend more time together, but I
am awed & excited to find that when we don't get to spend a lot of
time together I crave his presence... his steadfastness... his
reasoning & his kindness... even after all these years :) I think
that's how true love should be.
2. Girlfriends. I spent this past weekend with Jenny, and had a lovely
dinner with Kaitie on Monday... and if that wasn't good enough, I
talked with bff Saundra for an hour on Tuesday night. ... And then
there are my running girls. I find that I am surrounded by strong,
compassionate, inspiring women. What a blessing.
3. Coffeeeeeee.
4. My little sister got a job!!! I'm so excited for her!
5. Watching Jon snuggle babies. Ladies, is there anything sweeter than
watching your man love on little ones?... It makes my ovaries hurt, in
a good way :) (We got some Lucas-snuggling time in the weekend, at our
nephew's 2nd birthday party. Lucas, at 6 mos, is at that deliciously
round & huggable stage in his babyhood... I just can't get enough!)
6. Baron has been super "talkative" this week, which is absolutely
hilarious delightful (#catlady)
7. Our new vacuum cleaner. I'm still absolutely enamored.
8. Popsicles
9. The scent of a charcoal fire.... yummm...
10.

“Do the things you used to talk about doing but never did. Know
when to let go and when to hold on tight. Stop rushing. Don't be
intimidated to say it like it is. Stop apologizing all the time. Learn
to say no, so your yes has some oomph. Spend time with the friends who
lift you up, and cut loose the ones who bring you down. Stop giving
your power away. Be more concerned with being interested than being
interesting. Be old enough to appreciate your freedom, and young
enough to enjoy it. Finally know who you are. ”
- Kristin Armstrong

Your Turn: What tops your list of good things this week?

Happy Friday, friends!