This was my first time visiting Savannah, despite the fact that I’ve lived in Georgia for four years now, and I loved it! The Hubs and I made the drive with my mom and her fiancé, who were visiting from Connecticut. We scarfed down seafood, sampled local cocktails, walked down River Street, and soaked up the sun on Tybee Island. … Maybe just a little too much sun. Every single one of us was sunburned.

You can’t see it yet in this photo, but I was in the middle of roasting my chest so badly it actually blistered. I know. I’m way too old for that, and I should have known better. I feel really, truly stupid. Also, I’m not sure why I look six months pregnant in that photo. I swear I’m not keeping anything from you guys. Incidentally, how do you like my new fedora?! I’m not sure if straw fedoras are cool anymore, but I still love them.

We shopped a little bit in the City Market area, and I definitely need to share my souvenirs with you all at a later date – particularly a certain geological structure that I’ve been lusting after for a very long time. I shall take pictures this weekend, perhaps, but until then, I’ll just leave you with this lovely family photo of the four of us by the Savannah River.

Did I mention you can walk around outside with alcoholic beverages there?! I LOVE SAVANNAH.

What nearby touristy area have you been avoiding? Come on, we all have one – YOU SHOULD GO!

So what’s new in the Glitter & Goat Cheese world? Well, first of all – my mom got engaged on Saturday! How awesome is that?! I’m so excited for her and her new fiancé, Rob, and am hoping they’ll let me get at least marginally involved in the wedding decor. I’m still upset that I didn’t discover Pinterest until the tail end of my wedding planning process. I would have been all over that shit. But I digress! Congratulations to my mommy (and happy Mother’s Day!)

The Hubs and I have been busy, busy, busy, and I know I always say that, but this time it’s for REAL. I work in one of those industries that gets CRAZY over the summer while everyone else is taking trips to the beach. It’s exhausting, but I also really love my job, so I’m happy to be challenged. At the same time, though, we’re still on a running schedule (my coach is now helping me get a little faster), and we’ve been really sleep-deprived, so we’re doing everything we can to take care of our health. And that’s where our brand-new Blendtec blender comes in!

Isn’t she beautiful? The backstory: I’ve been wanting a juicer for some time now, but I just couldn’t get Brad behind the idea. He’s a smoothie guy – he wanted something to replicate the fruity concoctions you can buy at Smoothie King. I’m a big smoothie fan, too, but I really wanted something to encourage a balanced diet – I wanted to drink kale and carrots and stuff.

While we were in Nashville, our friends’ friends Betsy and Mark were kind enough to have us over their home to carbo-load before the race. At their apartment, we were introduced to three fascinating things: two toilet-trained cats named Gronk and Izzie (you need to read their blog right now), and a Vitamix. Long story short, I found out that there are things called GREEN SMOOTHIES that you can make with vegetables AND fruit (and protein powder and flax seed and whatever else you want to throw in there), and you get to use the whole fruit/vegetable instead of just the juice, which gets you extra fiber. Sold!

Brad and I were trying to figure out which of our televisions we were going to have to sell in order to buy a high-powered blender when his parents came to the rescue and offered to buy us one for our birthdays. A few days later, our Blendtec was sitting on our counter. Thanks, Bill and Cheryl!

If “Blendtec” sounds familiar to you, it might be because you’ve seen the whacky “Will It Blend?” videos. We haven’t tried putting our iPads in there yet, but so far, it has blended everything we tried. This morning, I mixed up some Vita Coco, spinach, flax seed, frozen strawberries and blackberries, and fresh grapes.

(I did not spill those flax seeds out of the bag for artistic photography purposes – I just knocked it over by accident.)

For this particular combination of ingredients, I just hit the “Smoothie” button (with certain things, you have to try different cycles, even though they’re all smoothies). Then, the magic happens.

First, it chops up the greens.

Then, it pulls in the rest of the ingredients.

Last, it blends everything together into a smooth, drinkable consistency.

It doesn’t always look pretty, but 99% of my mixtures so far have been delicious. (I still drink them when they come out yucky-tasting. Produce is expensive, y’all.)

For the record, strawberry seeds are very stubborn. I haven’t quite figured out how to pulverize them, and they always seem to end up stuck in my straw. But everything else blends up perfectly! We’re still doing a lot of experimenting. I bought some protein powder today in hopes that it’d make my smoothies a bit more filling.

So, that’s what’s been going on over here. Hopefully my next post will be about something a little prettier than blended spinach and running gear! What’s been new with all of you, lovelies?

It was HARD, you guys. It was so freaking hot and sunny out, and so much of the race was on open stretches of road with no available shade … I thought I was going to melt into a puddle of sweat. But I kept dragging myself toward that finish line. I’d been planning on running eight miles and walking five, but at the last minute, my coach said that I could run up to 10 if I felt strong enough. So I did!

I took a couple quarter-mile breaks between miles 6 and 9, and then walked from mile 10 to mile 12. I was exhausted, but I forced myself to run the last mile so that I wouldn’t cross the finish line looking like a lazy slug! Just a few yards past the finish line, a group of volunteers was handing out medals. I was so happy to snag mine. IT’S GLITTERY!

I felt so lucky to be able to do this. I thought my knees were going to send me to the spectator area, but they didn’t even bother me for the majority of the race! No knee pain, no shin splints, no nothin’. Just some good old-fashioned exhaustion and soreness. We even got to see some sights in Nashville. Not all of ‘em, but enough for one weekend trip.

We went out to a bar called The Red Door Saloon near our hotel.

We went to the Country Music Hall of Fame (I’m pointing at that dude because my husband recorded him a few months ago).

I checked out Elvis Presley’s gold-leafed piano and desperately wished I could have it in my house.

We ate at 12 South Taproom, which had decent food but terrible service.

And we all ran the race! Brad, our friend Courtney and I ran the half, and our friends Matt, Kelly and Ed ran the full. This was Kelly’s first marathon, and she finished in 3:42. Frigging insanity.

I feel so badly that I’ve been such a bad blogger, but I think I’m still recovering. For now, it’s time to watch Game of Thrones. See you again soon!

We leave on Thursday, and I can’t believe that I’m heading to Nashville as a runner instead of a spectator. There were several weeks, when I was laid up with my knee injury, when I was sure I wasn’t going to be recovered in time to run the half. I felt it in my gut – it just wasn’t happening. I lay in bed night after night trying to mentally prepare myself to watch from the sidelines. I needed to be OK with that.

But I’ve come to the conclusion that my guts have shit for brains. Because that’s not happening! I’m going to line up at the start with everybody else. I’m going to do this thing.

Will I be running the entire 13.1 miles? No, unfortunately not. Will I be finishing with an impressive time? Definitely not. But I’m finishing, damnit. I’m going to get one of those finisher medals and I’m probably going to wear it to bed for the next month. And guess what! The medals have GLITTER on them. It’s like they were made for me.

I’m not going to lie – my training has been rough. I’ll essentially be going into this with only four solid weeks of running behind me, and that’s really not enough. My longest run was Saturday – I ran 6.25 miles and then walked another 1.75 for a total of 8. On race day, I hope to run between 8 and 10 miles, and I’ll walk the rest. According to my coach, that’s the only way to ensure I’ll make it through without re-injuring myself, and that’s just fine with me. If I finish, I’m happy.

This little guy – my favorite running buddy besides Brad – will be keeping me on track:

I can’t tell you how much I love my Garmin Forerunner 210. I have to write a separate post about it when I get back. I know GPS watches aren’t for everyone, but I can’t imagine running without it.

Today is my very last physical therapy appointment. It’s been seven weeks since I started, and well, I’m afraid to tell you how much better my knees feel because I’m terrified of jinxing myself. Let’s just say that physical therapy is magical and I am very, very, very grateful.

This is going to sound melodramatic, but I had no idea how much I took my body for granted until I found myself unable to use it the way I wanted to. I was miserable just because I couldn’t run – can you imagine how awful it must be to lose the ability to walk? Every day that I’m able to put one foot in front of the other is such a gift. I’m going to try my best to remember that.

So, anybody have any half marathon advice?

(Photos by Raw Photo Design)

She’s engaged! CONGRATULATIONS, BIANCA!

One prime example is my beautiful Jimmy Choo wedding shoes.

Photo by Raw Photo Design

I love the crap out of them, but I really don’t go anywhere dressy enough to justify their usage. I’m well aware that they’d probably still look amazing with a pair of jeans and T-shirt, but to be honest, slingback pumps just generally aren’t my style, and … shhhh … they’re not very comfortable. Still – we all know how I feel about gold glitter. A pair of shoes this beautiful – and expensive – just doesn’t belong in a box in the back of my closet.

Another example? A giant monogrammed glass dome from Pottery Barn.

Photo from Pottery Barn

When I registered for this massive thing, I had visions of using it to cover an artfully-arranged platter of baked goods, or a half-eaten birthday cake, or … I don’t know, something else Pottery Barn-esque. And I have done that, like, once. But it has spent most of its lifetime sitting on the bottom shelf of our console table. What a waste!

So, you can imagine my excitement when I saw a post on Arianna Belle’s blog about displaying a special pair of shoes under a glass dome.

Images via Arianna Belle Organized Interiors / From Lucky and Lonny

It was the perfect solution for me! I didn’t waste any time in rearranging the cabinet in my office (the one room in our house where gold glitter decor is acceptable) to accommodate my new display.

I’m in love. I don’t have a pretty pedestal like the ones in the inspiration photos, but a gold disc from T.J. Maxx worked out all right.

I think the “F” gives it a certain wedding-y touch, since it was one of the first monogrammed items we received.

And hey – they match my glitter art!

Would you ever put a pair of shoes on display in your home?

My husband The Easter Bunny may have gone a bit overboard.

As a non-practicing Unitarian, I really only celebrate Easter commercially, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it! I spent my weekend running, shopping and brunching, and it was fabulous. On Saturday, after I somehow managed to run five miles without dying, my friend Mary Alice and I hit up the North Georgia Premium Outlets. The main goal was to visit the Nike outlet, but I had a sub-goal of finding some grown-up clothes that would make me feel more appropriate in big meetings at work. I found plenty of pieces that fit the bill at the J. Crew Factory outlet. What a dangerous place.

I tried out one of my new outfits for brunch Sunday at one of our favorite local spots, BrickTop’s. (If you live in the Atlanta area and haven’t tried their chicken and waffles, you are MISSING OUT.)

Gingham and pencil skirts aren’t usually part of my everyday attire, but I think I Steph-ed it up with some spiked jewelry and gold sequins.

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban | Necklace and bracelet: Forever 21 | Shirt: J. Crew Factory | Skirt: J. Crew Factory | Watch: Nixon | Bag: Coach | Wedges: MICHAEL Michael Kors

Please pardon the goofy face I’m making. I was really embarrassed to be taking a photo on my front stoop where all the neighbors could see, but Brad refused to let me put our ugly backyard on the internet. SIGH.

Anywho, brunch was delicious. Brad and I both usually get the chicken and waffles, but since it was Easter, we went with Eggs Benedict. Had to get our ham fix!

What’d you all do for Easter? Want some of my candy? (Seriously, please help me eat it.)

This week, I’ll admit I found myself unprepared for the battle. The weekend went by way too quickly, and with much more activity than I’m equipped to handle. It contained sake bombs, cheap sushi, too much dancing to ’90s R&B , a going-away party for my dear friend Jeff, two stubborn hangovers, brunch, The Hunger Games, a one-mile run, and a new tattoo.

(It’s the last line from the children’s book Guess How Much I Love You, and it’s dedicated to my mommy. The tattooing process was very unpleasant, but obviously totally worth it!)

My body is freaking ravaged. But you have to have those kinds of weekends every once in a while, I think, especially when you’re in your 20s and don’t have any reason not to go a little crazy and push yourself to your breaking point.

For those keeping track of my injury adventures – my run was great! It wasn’t pain-free, or even almost-pain-free, but it still felt so good. In order for my physical therapist to be OK with new activities, the pain has to stay below a 5 (on a scale of 1-10), and I was around a 4, so I’m cleared to continue! I’m only supposed to do one run before I see her on Friday – a mile and a half – but it’s better than nothing. So much better than nothing.

So, guys, how were your weekends?

OK. I’m not here to complain about my knees more. I’m really not! Actually, I’m feeling pretty positive today. I’m finally, finally starting to improve … I think. I had an almost pain-free weekend, and yesterday, I had a great physical therapy session. I also hired a running coach, which probably sounds pretty silly for someone who can’t run, but some day – hopefully very soon – I will be running, and I could use some help.

My running coach, who I met with on Sunday, is going to help me with my form to make sure I’m running efficiently and not putting extra stress on my joints, and he’ll help me come up with a plan to get back in action. He might even help me come up with a plan to run this damn half-marathon, depending on when I can start again. I have to be honest with myself – it’s not looking very likely right now – but it’s not completely out of the question yet!

Want a peek at my all-star rehab and recovery line-up?

1. The Grid: My white foam roller was great, but after using it for months, I felt like I could use something more intense. “The Grid” has foam on top of a hard core, and the “triggerpoints” in the foam really bust into my muscles and rip ‘em apart. That sounds like a bad thing, but it’s not. It hurts so good!
2. Nike Tempo Short: While I’ve been toiling away with my single leg squats and my icepack, it has gotten hot outside. I’m not doing much outdoor activity lately, but I have to wear shorts to physical therapy so my therapist can get to my crazy kneecaps, and the only pair I own are from my college gift shop. It was time for an upgrade. These suckers are BRIGHT, and I love them.
3. Sof Sole All Sport Lite Socks: The Balega Hidden Comfort Low Cut Socks are still my favorites, but I can only afford so many pairs of $10 socks. These were $10 for a six-pack, and every single pair matches my sneakers. Win-win.
4. Nike Blaze Soccer Ball: Some of my physical therapy exercises use a ball, and strangely, I didn’t have one. This kids’ soccer ball works for everything, and plus, it’s pink.
5. New Balance WR1400: Yup, I finally bought them! I haven’t tried running more than a block or so in them, but I think they’re going to be great. My new running coach approves – he recommends shoes that allow you to “feel the road,” and he likes the completely flat sole. It’s better for a high arch like mine, apparently.
6. Nike Printed Tempo Short: Just because they were on sale for $20.97 and I couldn’t resist. Have you guys ever tried on a pair of Tempo shorts? I wish I could live in them. They even have “built-in briefs,” which I really appreciate while my physical therapist is stretching my legs in every direction in the middle of the workout area.

Maybe by the next time I post an update about my knees, I’ll be running! Or maybe not. I find it very difficult to track my progress, because I have good days and bad days. Yesterday was a good day. We’ll see if the good days continue.

Has anyone else spruced up their athletic apparel for spring?

I mentioned that the standard sizes on Society6 don’t fit in the Ikea Ribba frame mats. That was a bit of a deterrent for Earl the Octopus.

Luckily, I remembered that Jenny at Little Green Notebook had run into the same problem, and her genius solution was to just paint out the gap with a solid, contrasting color. I thought about mounting Earl on a piece of solid scrapbook paper, but I felt like he deserved better, you know? I really wanted to give Earl an ocean to swim in. So, I busted out my cheapo watercolor set and painted him one.

(Don’t mind the orange blob behind it. That might end up being a creation for the living room. Maybe not.)

Next, I needed to cut off Earl’s extra edges. I used my paper trimmer with the laser guide so that I wouldn’t screw up. Nobody wants a crooked rectangle on full display!

While all this was going on, I had also spray-painted my Ikea Ribba frame gold. I know, I know – cut it out with the gold spray paint, woman! – but I literally have eight white Ribba frames in my foyer already. EIGHT! It was getting out of hand.

After days of drying time and a lot of double-sided tape, I finally managed to get Earl mounted in the ocean, the ocean mounted onto the mat, and the mat and glass shoved back into the spray-painted frame. SUCCESS!

I LOVE how it came out. I had originally meant for the ocean to be a darker shade of blue-green, but my cheapo watercolors have very little pigment, so this was the best I could do. I’m happy with it, though! I think it really POPS. Total price for this framed art? $26. Bam.

I also finally hung the other print, Tchmo’s Untitled (Cloudscape), on the gallery wall. This sizing issue was resolved much more easily – I just got the size that was a little larger than the mat opening, and cut off a bit of the edges. No harm done. I wasn’t a huge fan of the red, anyway.

That frame on the bottom left always goes crooked for some reason! I fixed it after this photo was taken, I swear.

The giant piece of Pirouette marbled paper has been hanging up for a while, too, but I don’t think I ever posted a picture of it on the wall. Bad blogger!

So that’s all my foyer art! I’m a pretty big fan of it. Find out more about it here and here.

What process do you use to fill your walls with pretty things? Long-term collection, or buying all at once?