Goal Check In: December 2018

Monday, December 31, 2018


DAILY

  • Drink eight glasses of water a day 
    • Because of marathon training, I drank way more than eight glasses of water a day! 
  • Journal everyday
    • This is still one of my favorite things to do! I can't wait to look back on my entries one day and see how much I've grown. 


WEEKLY

  • Workout four days a week
    • Between getting sick and going out of town I didn't get all my workouts in. I did however complete my longest runs ever this month so I think the intensity of those workouts made up for it. 
  • Cook a new meal once a week
    • Didn't try any new recipes this month. 
  • Work from a coffee shop one day a week
    • I tried out a new coffee shop but didn't bring work with me.
  • No TV or Social Media one day a week
    • This is one goal I failed at this year... oops! 

MONTHLY

  • Read two books a month
  • Try a new restaurant
    • Houston
      • Catalina Coffee: This is definitely a hipster coffee shop and I love it! When we went there was a long line of people waiting to order and a majority of the tables were full. Parking isn't the greatest either, but the coffee was good! 
      • Steamboat House: We had Christmas Eve dinner here and it was a cool spot! It's a restaurant but also a Texas History museum. The service was great and so was the food. 
      • Golden Bagels and Coffee: During my long training runs I always pass by this place and I'd been meaning it try it for a long time. We finally made it out there with Megan and Andrew. While I am not well versed on bagels, Megan is, and she said that the shmear to bagel ratio was off (insert shrugging emoji here). I on the other hand enjoyed my blueberry bagel covered in strawberry cream cheese!
    • San Antonio 
      • Paula Deen's Family Kitchen: I was a little nervous to try this place because the reviews on it aren't the best. Our friends picked it out and we went to dinner with them. My immediate thoughts about his place were that it was like a slightly better Luby's and I was spot on. The food was fine and the service was good but there wasn't anything great about it. 
  • Plan a girls night
    • Honestly the holiday season is a crazy time of year so I didn't get to plan anything.
  • Send birthday cards
    • Got the cards out this month! 

THIS YEAR

  • Run a 10k - Completed on February 24, 2018 
    • Finished my first timed 10k in 59:15.6 mins! 
  • Run a half marathon
    • Ran my first half marathon on July 15! I completed 13.2 miles in 2 hours and 20 minutes! 
    • Ran another half marathon on November 7! I completed it in 2 hours and 11 minutes. 
  • Complete a Whole30 - Completed April 13, 2018 
  • Plan our 30th birthday party
    • The week of our party my beloved grandmother passed away. Of course we cancelled and made our way to Eagle Pass to be with family and to say goodbye to my grandma.  What we had planned on being a day of fun turned out to be a day of sadness. 

Goal Check In: November 2018

Friday, November 30, 2018



DAILY

  • Drink eight glasses of water a day 
    • Honestly water is what I drink most. Coffee comes in a close second! 
  • Journal everyday
    • I don't think I'll ever stop journaling. I like jotting down what I've done during the day and my thoughts. 


WEEKLY

  • Workout four days a week
    • With marathon training in full swing I've had no problems keeping up with this! 
  • Cook a new meal once a week
      • We are great about cooking and eating at home, but we haven't tried any new recipes. 
  • Work from a coffee shop one day a week
    • Worked from Egg Haus one day this month! 
  • No TV or Social Media one day a week
    • I need to get better about this. 

MONTHLY

  • Read two books a month
    • I started a couple of books but I am not done yet. 
  • Try a new restaurant
    • Houston
      • Spicy Girl: I didn't like my noodles but Steven's spicy crispy chicken was delicious! 
      • EggHaus: This place is my new favorite neighborhood breakfast spot! We loved it so much we went two days in a row! Steven and I both had the "El Jefe" tacos and loved them! I am also a big fan of their Nutella latte and croissants. 
    • New Braunfels 
      • Krause's Biergarten & Cafe: Cute spot but the service was so slow. I think we waited an entire hour between ordering and when we got our food. I had a Bloody Mary and Ruben sandwich and both were just ok. 
      • Wicked Voodoo Espresso: The coffee at this little drive thru was delicious! I will definitely stop by whenever we are in New Braunfels.  
    • Franklin, Tennessee  
      • Puckett's Grocery: The BBQ Mac and cheese was delicious! 
      • O'Be Joyful: We stopped in for a drink while we were walking around downtown Franklin and both the service and drinks were good! We didn't eat anything but everything we saw coming out looked good. 
      • The Perch: This place was walking distance from our AirBnB which was convienent for our departure day breakfast. Steven ordered bacon and I saw them taking pre cooked bacon out of a container and reheating it in the microwave. That alone made me automatically made this place a no for me.
    • Nashville, Tennessee 
      • Biscuit Love: We waited outside in the cold for about an hour for this place and it was so worth it! I had the "Lily" which is biscuit French toast and I am pretty sure I cleaned off the plate! 
      • Killbrew Coffee: While waiting in line for breakfast at Biscuit Love we left the guys to hold our spot and went in search of coffee. We popped into Killbrew coffee and grabbed a couple of vanilla lattes. Not only is the coffee shop beautiful, the customer service and coffee were great too! 
      • Hattie B's Hot Chicken: Spicy fried chicken is my jam! This was the perfect meal to end our day in Nashville. 
  • Plan a girls night
    • Clearly I am terrible at this! Didn't plan a girls night this month. 
  • Send birthday cards
    • Got the cards out this month! 

THIS YEAR

  • Run a 10k - Completed on February 24, 2018 
    • Finished my first timed 10k in 59:15.6 mins! 
  • Run a half marathon
    • Ran my first half marathon on July 15! I completed 13.2 miles in 2 hours and 20 minutes! 
    • Ran another half marathon on November 7! I completed it in 2 hours and 11 minutes. 
    • Ran 15 miles on November 25 in 2 hours and 33 minutes! It's my longest run to date! 
  • Complete a Whole30 - Completed April 13, 2018 
  • Plan our 30th birthday party
    • Final plans are being put into place! 

Tennessee

Monday, November 12, 2018


While visiting Venus and Rob in Dallas I mentioned that Steven and I wanted to plan a trip out to Nashville. Rob said he'd been and loved it and wanted to take Venus out there too. That conversation led to us planning a weekend couples trip! Everything came together quickly. We figured out a weekend that would work for everyone, booked an AirBn, and mapped out a few places we wanted to try! 


Steven and I both took Friday off and arrived early in the day. Our first stop was our AirBnB in Franklin, Tennessee. Throughout the entire drive from the airport to our AirBnB I just kept saying "Wow, it's so beautiful here!". It was so nice to see some fall foliage - especially when everything is still greenish in Houston! 



After dropping off our things at our adorable AirBnB, we called an Uber and headed to Downtown Franklin for Lunch at Puckett's Grocery and a little shopping! 





Downtown Franklin is so cute! It was truly a quaint area lined with tons of local shops, bars, and restaurants. We lazily walking down the street popping into every little shop that caught our attention. 



Saturday was our Nashville day! Venus and Rob arrived Friday night after Steven and I had already gone to sleep so it was nice to wake up and get to see them! We all got dressed and ready for a fun day of exploring. Our first stop of Biscuit Love in the Gulch. Our Uber driver warned us that Biscuit Love is very popular and we'd likely have a long wait time and he was right! We ended up waiting in line for about an hour but it was so worth it! Everything we ate was delicious! 


 After breakfast, we decided to walk over to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Honestly, I didn't know much about country music before our tour and I was so glad we went. Of course I had to get a pic of Taylor Swifts display because #TeamTayTay 


After the museum we were ready for some live music and drinks! We headed out to the ever so popular Broadway and spent time listening to a ton of great musicians at places like The George Jones, Ole Red, Tootsies, and Nudies. 


All of our friends who have been to Nashville told us we HAD TO get chicken at Hattie B's and they were RIGHT! It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day of exploring and a quick trip with the greatest friends! 

Goal Check In: October 2018

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Goal Check In: October 2018

DAILY

  • Drink eight glasses of water a day 
    • I've gotten in the habit of chugging down a full bottle of water when I first wake up and that definitely helps keep me on track for the day! 
  • Journal everyday
    • Most days my journal is just a list of what I have done during the day but every now and then when I have a lot on my mind I find comfort in knowing that I have a place to pour out my thoughts. 


WEEKLY

  • Workout four days a week
    • With marathon training in full swing I've had no problems keeping up with this! 
  • Cook a new meal once a week
    • While I didn't cook anything new, I did prepare a new appetizer and cocktail! 
      • Cranberry Orange Cheese Ball: This was so good! I made it for movie night with friends and we loved it! I am planning on making it again for Thanksgiving. 
      • Apple Cider Margaritas: When I say Katie's Instagram about this recipe I was intrigued. I'd been looking for a fall cocktail recipe and decided this was the one I was going to try. At first sip I wasn't sure if I liked the smokiness of the Mezcal but once I had a few more sips I really liked how the apple cider and mezcal blended together. 
  • Work from a coffee shop one day a week
    • Didn't make it out this month! 
  • No TV or Social Media one day a week
    • Failed at this again. Why must this be so difficult? haha 

MONTHLY

  • Read two books a month
  • Try a new restaurant
    • Houston
      • Unos P'nches Tacos: We decided to try a new to us taco place and the verdict... it was ok. I had a fajita quesadilla and it was bland. 
      • Superica: When I heard there was a new Tex Mex restaurant down the street from my house I knew I had to try it. I met up with my friend for dinner and we both enjoyed our cocktails and food. 
      • Wanna Bao: We tried the spicy crispy chicken and a few other dishes and were not impressed. We'll stick to our go to spot in Chinatown for Szechuan food. 
      • Smoosh: Technically I've had Smoosh before, but it was from their food truck. I am so happy they put their first store front down the street from me. I love their ice cream sandwiches!  
      • Holman Draft Hall: We had fries and cocktails during our trip here and enjoyed both. I will definitely be back to try some more of their food! 
      • Spicy Girl: We met up with some friends for dinner after having a few snacks at the bar so I wasn't hungry enough for dinner. I opted for some noodles and they were ok. Everyone else though said that their food was delicious. I will be back to try some more of their dishes. 
      • East Hampton Sandwich Co: Met up with my friend for lunch and really enjoyed my sandwich and soup! Will be back for more! 
      • State Fare: So so good! A bunch of us went for brunch and everything  we tried was delicious! 
    • Dallas 
      • STIRR: We went for brunch before the State Fair and decided to order a bunch of appetizers to share. Everything we tried was tasty! 
      • Moxie's: We actually have a Moxie's in Houston and I've been meaning to try it, so when Venus suggested it for dinner I was excited! While our cocktails were just ok, our food was delicious! 
      • HG Sply Co: We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed a delicious brunch. It was a laid back place with good food. 
  • Plan a girls night
    • While I didn't have a single girls night, I did spend time with the girls at different times during the month! 
  • Send birthday cards
    • Got the cards out this month! 

THIS YEAR

  • Run a 10k - Completed on February 24, 2018 
    • Finished my first timed 10k in 59:15.6 mins! 
  • Run a half marathon
    • Finally ran my first half marathon on July 15! I completed 13.2 miles in 2 hours and 20 minutes! 
  • Complete a Whole30 - Completed April 13, 2018 
  • Plan our 30th birthday party
    • OMG I can not believe that my birthday is coming up. I finally started working on the party and I have a lot more to do! 

State Fair of Texas

Saturday, October 13, 2018

State Fair of Texas 2018

State Fair of Texas 2018

For years I've been wanting to make it out to Dallas for the State Fair of Texas and it finally happened! My friend Venus has lived in Dallas for two years and when my friend Megan and I were planning a trip to visit her we thought that the State Fair would be the perfect time to go!

Since Megan and I had never been to the Fair, we decided to spend some time going over the Fair website and Instagram page and mapped out all our top food picks. Fletcher's Corny Dogs were recommended to us by multiple people so that was at the top of our list followed by lots and lots of fried food. Not so healthy, but oh so good! Some of the food we tried is shown below.

State Fair of Texas 2018

State Fair of Texas 2018

The Frozen Hot Chocolate tasted like a chocolate milk shake. It was a nice cold treat and I am glad we were sharing it because it was way to sweet to drink myself. 

State Fair of Texas 2018

The fried oranges were ok - not my favorite. 

State Fair of Texas 2018

The Fair is more about food than it is about drinks. My fish bowl drink was super sweet and I was glad that it was a small serving. 

State Fair of Texas 2018

The girls got frozen cocktails in pineapples! 

State Fair of Texas 2018

This was our favorite! It was fried Arroz Con Leche and it was so delicious! Definitely worth the calories haha! 

State Fair of Texas 2018

The longest line I stood in was for a Fletcher's Corny Dog and it was worth it! I got a single Corny Dog but most people were up there buying five or more - so crazy! 

State Fair of Texas 2018

There were little photo ops spread out across the Fair grounds including this little pumpkin patch. 

State Fair of Texas 2018

On our way out we noticed there was a rainbow over Big Tex! 





Goal Check In: September 2018

Tuesday, October 2, 2018


September was a quick and super fun month! I started off the month with a cruise to Cozumel, took a weekend trip to San Antonio, started a new job, and ended the month with watching Taylor Swift on her Reputation Stadium Tour with the girls. With such an eventful month I didn't do as much reading as I would have liked, but thankfully I didn't let anything else slip. Here are my goal updates for the month: 


DAILY

  • Drink eight glasses of water a day 
  • Journal everyday
    • Keeping up with both of these daily goals! 


WEEKLY

  • Workout four days a week
    • Getting into a workout routine has been the best thing I've done. I workout out almost daily because it honestly makes me feel good, gives me more energy, and helps set a positive tone for my day. 
  • Cook a new meal once a week
    • We still cook all our week day meals at home, but I haven't tried any new recipes. 
  • Work from a coffee shop one day a week
    • While I haven't made it out once a week I have been better about this! 
  • No TV or Social Media one day a week
    • This has been so hard to accomplish. Trying to disconnect for an entire day every week was a little ambitious. I am going to try to disconnect one day a month for the rest of the year.   

MONTHLY

  • Read two books a month
  • Try a new restaurant
    • Houston
      • Night Heron: I'd been to Night Heron before for drinks but this trip I tried the food. I had a burger and it was delicious!  
      • Flower Child: I met up with Grecia for lunch after work one day and we had a yummy and healthy lunch. The line during lunch time was long but it went by quickly. The restaurant itself is bright, happy, and oh so cute. 
    • San Antonio
      • Liberty Bar: We had brunch at Liberty Bar before heading the the UTSA game. Everything I drank and ate was delicious and it didn't hurt that the restaurant was in a cute pink building. 
    • New Braunfels 
      • The Downtowner: When we showed up they had a long wait list which led me to have high expectations. I ordered a steak omelet and it was tasteless. I ended up not liking my food but Steven loved his chicken fried steak. 
  • Plan a girls night
    •  Spent the first couple of days of the month on a bachelorette party cruise with all the best girlies. 
    • Had a girls night out at the Taylor Swift concert. 
  • Send birthday cards
    • Got the cards out this month! 

THIS YEAR

  • Run a 10k - Completed on February 24, 2018 
    • Finished my first timed 10k in 59:15.6 mins! 
  • Run a half marathon
    • Finally ran my first half marathon on July 15! I completed 13.2 miles in 2 hours and 20 minutes! 
  • Complete a Whole30 - Completed April 13, 2018 
  • Plan our 30th birthday party
    • Slowly but surely working on this! December will be here before I know it! 

Goal Check In: August 2018

Friday, September 7, 2018

Goal Check In: August 2018

How is it September already?! I can't believe how quick this year is going by. It feels like I blinked and summer just disappeared before my eyes. I can't complain though, because this summer contained lots of fun trips and I am ready for a little less travel and a little more routine this fall. Below are my goal updates for August! 

DAILY

  • Drink eight glasses of water a day 
  • Journal everyday
    • Keeping up with both of these daily goals! 


WEEKLY

  • Workout four days a week
    • Aside from not working out while I was on vacation I've kept up with four+ days a week of working out! 
    • I also started doing P.volve workouts this month and am going to keep doing it for another month or two to see how I like it. 
  • Cook a new meal once a week
    • We still cook all our week day meals at home, but I haven't tried any new recipes. 
  • Work from a coffee shop one day a week
    • Finally made it out! I worked from my favorite coffee shop in Houston, Boomtown Coffee. 
  • No TV or Social Media one day a week
    • Well I completely disconnected for a day while on my cruise! Granted I didn't have service but I am voting it still counts! 

MONTHLY

  • Read two books a month
  • Try a new restaurant
    • Houston
      • Present Company: Met up with Grecia for happy hour and this place is an Instagram dream! There are fun wallpapers, neon signs, and pretty decor around every corner. I enjoyed my drinks, but thought that the food was fine for bar food. 
      • Gelazzi: Yum! I had the blueberry gelato and it was delicious!  
      • Oishii: I'd heard a lot of people rave about this place and maybe I just didn't order the right thing because my food was just ok.  
      • La Fisheria: Tried this place for Restaurant Weeks and was let down. My margarita was terrible and the food was mediocre at best. 
      • Maison Pucha: Wow, this place was amazing! We went for Grecia's birthday dinner and everything I tasted was delicious! This was another restaurant where we did the Restaurant Weeks menu and we were delighted.  
    • San Diego 
      • Fig Tree Cafe
      • Por Vida 
      • Parakeet Cafe:
      • Whisknladel
      • Communal Coffee
      • Hodads
      • The Great Maple
      • Better Buzzed 
      • S3 Coffee Bar
      • Rustic Root 
    • Los Angeles 
      • The Henry
  • Plan a girls night
    • Spent a week in San Diego with my sister and cousin so I am counting that as my girls night for the month. 
  • Send birthday cards
    • Got the cards out this month! 

THIS YEAR

  • Run a 10k - Completed on February 24, 2018 
    • Finished my first timed 10k in 59:15.6 mins! 
  • Run a half marathon
    • Finally ran my first half marathon on July 15! I completed 13.2 miles in 2 hours and 20 minutes! 
  • Complete a Whole30 - Completed April 13, 2018 
  • Plan our 30th birthday party
    • Slowly but surely working on this! December will be here before I know it! 

San Diego Area

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Greetings from San Diego Wall 

Oh San Diego! I absolutely fell in love with this charming city! I think San Diego was the perfect introduction to California - great weather, nice people, good food, and beautiful beaches. When my sister invited me to tag along on her trip I couldn't say no! Our cousin is stationed out there and we were lucky to have his amazing wife be our tour guide! Here are a bunch of snapshots from our trip! 

Point Loma 

We started off our trip with a visit to Point Loma. Immediately I was enamored with the incredible views of the city on one side and the vast ocean on the other. 

Point Loma, San Diego, California, August 2018

Point Loma, San Diego, California, August 2018

Point Loma, San Diego, California, August 2018

My favorite part was the cliffs. There were spots we walked/climbed down to where it felt like we were at the edge of the world. It was so nice to sit there and enjoy the sound of the crashing waves. 

Point Loma, San Diego, California, August 2018

While the temperatures weren't high, the walk/climb down made it feel extra hot. I ended up having to ditch my maxi dress for an airy romper. 

Point Loma, San Diego, California, August 2018

Point Loma, San Diego, California, August 2018

Coronado Island 

I LOVED Coronado. We went to Hotel Del Coronado our first day of the trip and I loved the hotel and beach so much that we ended up visiting Coronado three times during our stay.

Coronado Island, San Diego, California, August 2018

Coronado Island, San Diego, California, August 2018

Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, California, August 2018

The Del as Hotel del Coronado is affectionately called was so pretty! I loved learning about the historical hotel and walking around the grounds. 

Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, California, August 2018

Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, California, August 2018

Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, California, August 2018

My favorite sunset of the entire trip was spent on Coronado Beach. The beach wasn't crowded, the sand was clean, and the view of The Del at twilight was incredible. 

Coronado Beach, San Diego, California, August 2018

Coronado Beach, San Diego, California, August 2018

Coronado Beach, San Diego, California, August 2018

Coronado Beach, San Diego, California, August 2018

Thankfully I thought to pack my DSLR and tripod and was able to use it for this twilight shot of The Del. So magical!  

Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, California, August 2018

Sunset Cliffs 

I feel that if I lived in San Diego I would make my way to a different beach every single night to enjoy the sunset. I honestly just love relaxing while listening to the waves crash and watching the sky burst into lovely colors. 

Sunset Cliffs, San Diego, California, August 2018

Sunset Cliffs, San Diego, California, August 2018

Sunset Cliffs, San Diego, California, August 2018


La Jolla 

When my sister told me that we were looking for a secret swing hidden somewhere in the hills of La Jolla I thought that we were in for a wild goose chase. She found some instructions online of where to park and what trail to follow but they turned out to be pretty vague. We trekked on nonetheless and while I was ready to give up my sister did not. Good thing she didn't give up! We enjoyed being kids again while swinging and enjoying the view. 

La Jolla Secret Swing, San Diego, California, August 2018

La Jolla Secret Swing, San Diego, California, August 2018

After some time at the swings and a quick outfit change -  we walked around and explored the shops in La Jolla, watched the sea lions play in the cove, and enjoyed Sea Shell Beach.

La Jolla Cove, California, August 2018

La Jolla Cove, California, August 2018

La Jolla Cove, California, August 2018

La Jolla Cove, California, August 2018

Balboa Park 

It felt like there was so much to see at Balboa Park! We only had about an hour to explore so we tried to see as much as we could, but this is somewhere I would definitely go back to and take my time at. Between the park, museums, and artist village I could easily spend a couple of days just at Balboa Park.

Balboa Park, San Diego, California, August 2018

Balboa Park, San Diego, California, August 2018

Balboa Park, San Diego, California, August 2018

Balboa Park, San Diego, California, August 2018

Balboa Park, San Diego, California, August 2018

Oceanside Beach 

Oceanside Beach was my least favorite place. While the water seemed to be perfect for surfers, the beach was more rocks than it was sand - at least in the area we were in! It was nice to walk the pier and see the Top Gun house though! 

Oceanside Beach, California, August 2018


Mediation Garden  

The Meditation Garden near Encinitas was lovely! There were a few different sections open with different floral and koi fish. You have to be quite while in the garden which made the area super peaceful. I could have spent the day sitting on one of the shady benches overlooking the ocean and reading a book. 

Meditation Gardens, San Diego, California, August 2018

Meditation Gardens, San Diego, California, August 2018

Meditation Gardens, San Diego, California, August 2018

I miss San Diego already! Can't wait to go back!

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