Texas Lou

Archive for the ‘Charlottesville’ Category

Good morning and welcome to Thankful Tuesday!

One thing I’ve been trying to do to make sure I express gratitude more often or when I don’t have time to post on this blog is to write a few things down that I’m grateful for each day in a little notebook I keep in my purse.  I’d say I remember/have time to do this about 3 times a week.  I have noticed that it seems to help me think more positively and have a happier outlook on all things.  I’ll hopefully continue to do that along with updating my “Thankful Monday” posts on this blog and occasionally practicing gratitude with my boys by writing what we’re thankful for on our kitchen chalk board.

Here are just a few things I’m thankful for today:

1. I’m grateful that Charlottesville now has an Alamo Drafthouse and I’m also thankful for a fun girls night out with Sarah, Lindsey, and Sherry to check it!  We went and saw the Dark Tower and had dinner at the theater and I was so excited and impressed with the new space!  Any time we get something like this here that reminds me of Texas, it makes Charlottesville feel a little more like home! 🙂  Bonus:  the owners are from Beaumont, Texas!
2. I’m thankful for Ben watching the boys and holding down the fort (doing dinner and bath/bed time on his own) so that I could enjoy possibly a last girls night for a while since the baby is supposed to come soon.  Thank you Ben for helping me have some “me time”.
3. I’m thankful I’m still feeling relatively well despite being between 37 and 38 weeks pregnant.  After my first pregnancy, I really had low expectations for feeling good (and still being pregnant) at this stage so I’m very glad that it hasn’t been torture like last time.
4. I’m grateful I *mostly* wrapped up a big project I’ve been working on for weeks last week before the baby arrives.  I was nervous about getting this project done in time especially since I had put so much work into it so having it finished has been a big relief!
5. I’m thankful for a fun pool day with friends and for my mama tribe!  Saturday, the boys and I spent a fun day at the pool with Sarah, Lindsey, and all the kiddos!  I probably wouldn’t have felt comfortable taking the boys to the pool by myself this late in my pregnancy so I’m glad Sarah and Lindsey were up for a fun play date to help us get out of the house.

Have a happy day!

Good morning!  It’s been a while but I keep coming back!

Here’s what I’m grateful for today:

1. I’m grateful that I live in a country where we all have the right to vote on this election day!  I voted this morning and regardless of who the winners are, I’m just grateful that I am a citizen of the greatest country in the world!
2. I’m grateful for a beautiful fall weekend filled with family time!  Saturday, Ben, the boys, and I ran the Wolanski 2 Miler to celebrate the retirement of my awesome OBGYN.  We then bought lots of goodies at the Farmer’s Market and continued on to Carter Mountain Orchard for some apple picking.  The boys had such a great time and I’m thankful I can give them fun and awesome experiences like these!
3.  I’m grateful to live in a city with such amazing preschool options!  We’ve been touring preschools to enroll the boys in next fall and there are so many great schools around that it’s overwhelming to choose one!
4. I’m thankful for the extra hour we got this weekend.  While I’m not a fan of it getting dark super early, it was nice to get that extra hour on Sunday especially when there are never enough hours in the day!
5. I’m grateful for a sweet sister.  She sent me a sweet card and beautiful bracelet to ask me if I’d be her matron of honor in her wedding!  I’m so excited for her and thankful to be her sister.

Happy day friends!

Happy Tuesday to whoever might be reading this!

Here’s what I’m grateful for today:

1. I’m thankful for a fun weekend with my boys which involved playing at Pen Park, Friday lunch with Daddy at Zoe’s, the Farmer’s Market, an awesome twin birthday party, and watching Zootopia!  It feels like we lived life to the fullest this weekend and I’m thankful for that opportunity.
2. I’m thankful for the nice pedicure I got on Thursday afternoon and the sweet lady who did my toes.  She is a twin and was telling me how much she loves her twin sister and this made me feel happy and hopeful for my boys and their future relationship.
3. I’m thankful for my mother-in-law and father-in-law for watching the boys so Ben and I could try out the new Random Row Brewing Co. on Sunday and see a movie.
4. I’m thankful to live in a great city that seems to always have so much to offer.  I’m usually overwhelmed with options for things to see and do and luckily, most of them are kid friendly!
5. Last but not least, I’m grateful for the opportunities I have to grow and learn at work.  I’ve been learning so many new things lately, ajax, Knockoutjs, database design, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity and the help and experience from my coworkers!

Have a great day!

Good morning!  Here’s a quick dose of gratitude to keep me positive this morning!

1. I’m thankful for nice weather this past weekend.  Even though it was hot and there was a heat advisory, I’m still happy the sun was shining.  The boys and I were able to get outdoors quite a bit (while making sure to stay hydrated) and to me, that is much more fun than being stuck inside because of rain.  We went on walks, attending the Charlottesville Farmers Market, and went to the Greenleaf Spray Park with friends!
2. I’m thankful for my in-laws and all that they do to help us.  On Saturday, they watched the boys for a couple hours so Ben and I could have an old-fashioned date:  lunch at Beer Run and seeing Suicide Squad at Regal Stonefield (yay for free movie tickets)!
3. I’m grateful for technology!  This one shows up often on my list but that’s because it is a huge part of our everyday life.  I’m so thankful we have the opportunity to watch the 2016 Summer Olympics thanks to the internet and television.  It’s so awesome seeing the different competitors and matches!
4. I’m thankful that my mom found a new job and that it is located close to where her family lives.  She started her new job yesterday after being out of work since late February and I’m so grateful my uncle and aunt are letting her stay with them until she finds a place nearby.
5. I’m thankful for Carter and Morgan.  They are constantly reminding me what life is really about.

Have a great day!

Oh wow!  It’s been a while since my last post!  Summer has been busy yall!  I need to remember to be grateful and keep a positive outlook on life so here’s a few nuggets of gratitude!

1. I’m thankful for the opportunity to fly to Texas with Ben and the boys back in July and introduce Carter and Morgan to so many friends and family and the place that I first (and will forever) called home!  They got to meet so many people who are some of the most important people in my life and that makes me so happy!
2. I’m thankful for an amazing summer so far!  We’ve done so much, including but not limited to, graduated from swimming lessons, tried out our first splash park, flew to Texas and back, ate authentic Tex-Mex, went to the Richmond Zoo, met and visited uncles, aunts, and cousins (in both Texas and Virginia), attended 2 beer festivals, went to King Family Polo with awesome friends, had so many awesome play dates, went swimming, visited new wineries and breweries, tried lots of new foods and restaurants, and went on lots of fun walks!  If I have time, I’ll do a detailed recap of the boys’ big summer.  What a blast it has been and I thank my boys and everyone involved for making it so much fun!
3. I’m thankful for a new restaurant in town I’ve discovered, Brazos Tacos.  It is owned and run by Texans, serves authentic Texas-style tacos and awesome salsas and guac, and is totally kid friendly!  I’m so thankful for a little taste of home here in Virginia.
4. I’m grateful for awesome coworkers and cool people I have the opportunity to work with.  I’m lucky to be surrounded by such talent and amazing personalities.
5. I’m grateful for all of the moms in my life…they make being a mom myself so much easier and so much more fun!

Love to you all!

Today I’ve got made thanks for the following:

1. I’m thankful that both boys slept all night because all 3 of us really needed it with fighting these colds!
2. I’m thankful we got through the time change this weekend without any major sleep issues.
3. I’m thankful for celebrations coming up…lots of fun baby showers and my boys’ first birthday party!
4. I’m thankful for a fun weekend that included brunch with my husband at World of Beer (awesome breakfast tacos) followed by the movie Chappie.  Then I got to meet awesome friends for dinner and drinks at Timberwood Grill for Collin’s birthday followed by cake and beer at his house.  Timberwood had Three Notch’d Brewery‘s new Biggie S’mores Imperial Stout that I’ve been wanting to try!  And to top it off, we took the boys to brunch at Fellini’s (they have a Make Your Own Bloody Mary Bar) with our awesome pals, Robert and Crystal, followed by a sunny, warm stroll on the Downtown Mall!
5. I’m grateful for my husband!  I love him so much and the older the boys get, the better partners in parenting we are becoming!

Happy day friends!

Good morning and happy Thankful Monday!

Here’s what I’m thankful for today:

1. I’m thankful that despite having a pretty scary fall down the stairs on Monday, both my babies and I are ok.  I got pretty banged and bruised up but had no serious injuries despite hitting my head against the brick on our house.  I’m also so thankful that the doctors and ultrasound office were able to fit me in last minute to check on the babies to make sure they were ok.
2. I’m grateful for a job that allows me to work from home on days like today when we are having a snow storm and the roads are not safe to drive on.
3. I’m thankful to live in a city that has such wonderful resources for expecting mothers.  On Saturday morning, we attended the Charlottesville Birth Expo where I learned so much and met so many supportive people and organizations.  Charlottesville definitely has its fair share of natural birth advocates and I’m grateful to live here.
4. I’m once again so thankful for all of the supportive moms out there who have been giving me advice, support, and free and discounted baby gear, especially the twin moms who have been sharing their stories and advice with me.  This week, I received a free double snap-n-go stroller from a fellow twin mom who’s babies have outgrown the car seats that work with it.  I’m so thankful for her generosity.  I’m also thankful for the constant help from another twin mom in helping me find good and cheap baby gear for twins.  Last Thursday she took time out of her busy schedule as a twin mommy to help me shop for great finds at the Here Wee Grow Again consignment sale.  I am really lucky to have so many great people around me.
5. I’m thankful for my continued energy and productivity which has allowed me to get alot done before the babies arrive (sorting, organizing, and filing 5 years worth of papers) and has also allowed me to spend time with friends before I take a sabbatical to raise newborns (like enjoying dinner with Robert and Crystal for Robert’s birthday last Wednesday at the Smokehouse Grille in Scottsville).

Hope everyone has a great day!

For the past six years, I’ve run the Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler, the most popular local race that raises breast cancer awareness and money to support local breast cancer research.  The race is overwhelmingly popular, so much so that it increasingly closes in record times.  Last year, it closed in 10 hours and this year it closed in 5!  I usually set my alarm to wake me up so I can sign up as soon as race registration opens so I can secure a much coveted spot.

This race is especially important to me because it is the race that got me started running.  I’d always been into treadmill running throughout high school and college but let’s face it, treadmill running and outdoor running are just not the same.  Back in the summer of 2008, I joined the Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler Training Program where they taught me everything from how to run properly to how to choose the correct type of running shoe.  Since then, I have run the Four Miler ever Labor Day weekend with my sister-in-law Sarah and many other amazing friends and women.  My sister even ran it unofficially a couple of years ago because she was in town visiting.  I’ve also gone on to complete 2 half marathons, the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco and the Yuengling Shamrock Half Marathon in Virginia beach, the Charlottesville Ten Miler (hardest race I ever ran), and many other smaller races since I got my start in the summer of 2008.  I owe my love for the sport of running and my incessantly improving skills to the many people who have organized the training program and the Four Miler.  If it weren’t for them, I may have never found this hobby or shared it with my husband (we run together alot).

I’m so proud of myself and all of the other women out there who run this race every year. This year, the winner of the race even beat the 30 year old record, running the 4 miles in 21:39…AMAZING!  I can’t wait to run this race for many years to come and maybe one day, if I have a daughter or a granddaughter, she might run it with me!

Sarah and I before running the Four Miler for the 6th year in a row!

Good friends and I getting pumped before the race!

This year, I beat my personal record for the Four Miler coming in at under 42 minutes.  Not bad for a 30 year old!

Here are my stats for the past 6 years:

2008 Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler Results

2009 Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler Results

2010 Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler Results

2011 Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler Results

2012 Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler Results

2013 Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler Results

Good morning and welcome to this week’s Thankful Monday post!  Here’s what I’m thankful for today:

1. I’m thankful to live in a city where you are almost always guaranteed to run into people you know.  Some may not consider this a good thing, but I love it!  Friday, while hanging out with my friend Kristen, I ran into Kevin, Dolly, Tracy, Wendy, Stephanie, Carolyn, and many other awesome folks!  It felt good to see so many friends!
2. I’m thankful for great in-laws who spent their entire Sunday helping to fix up our condo so that we can hopefully get it rented soon.
3. I’m thankful for a nice dinner last Monday at Guadalajara with good friends and their kids.  It’s always great to see my old friends from Albemarle County and their kiddos are growing so fast!
4. I’m thankful for a restful weekend.  After being out of town for the last three weekends, I was so grateful to have a travel-free weekend.  I did do alot of work around our house, yard, and condo, but it was still nice not to have to spend a significant part of the weekend traveling.
5. Lastly, I’m thankful for hope.  I won’t say what it is, but I’ve recently taken some steps to help myself and this action gives me hope for the future.

Have a great week!

Good morning!  Yesterday was Memorial Day and my brother was in town visiting for the long weekend, so I didn’t have a chance to log in and write my weekly Thankful Monday post so here it is for Thankful Tuesday:

1. First and foremost, I am so thankful for all of the men and women who have given their lives and those who continue to serve to allow us to live in a wonderful and free country.  Words will never be sufficient to honor them, but I am grateful for the sacrifices of them and their families.
2. Secondly, I am so thankful for a weekend with my little brother, Mikey.  He drove up from South Carolina to spend the weekend with us and see our new house.  We had such a blast hiking and swimming in Sugar Hollow, hanging out on the farm and shooting skeet, trying different beers and wines at local breweries and wineries all over the area, and of course watching Arrested Development!  I’m so grateful to get to spend time with my family and also very thankful that Ben’s family embraces my family and that we all get along.  I love my brother and can’t wait until we get to have another sibling weekend!
3. I’m thankful for the beautiful weather this weekend that allowed us to spend some time in nature and the outdoors.
4. I’m thankful for family, friends, and fun times.  We had a blast at the Market Street Wine Shop Free Wine Tasting, Fridays After Five, Beer Run, Timberwood Grill, the Beer Hound Brewery, Sugar Hollow, the Whiskey Jar, Commonwealth Skybar, Mountfair Vineyards, Jefferson Vineyards, and Stinson Vineyards.  I’m also thankful for the opportunity to live in such an amazing place with so many things to do.
5. Lastly, I’m thankful for the 3 day weekend and a short week!

Have a good one!