fabulous friday #7

Posted on January 10, 2014 by dallaswoodburn

Happy Friday, friends! I am writing this at my grandparents’ kitchen table; we arrived back up north late Wednesday night. I miss my parents and brother and friends in Ventura, but it is nice to be back with my family and friends up here. I always try to think of that ache in my chest of missing someone as a blessing, because it means I just have so many people in my life to love and care about!

It’s always hard leaving Mr. Mur-dog because he doesn’t know why I’m leaving or when I’ll be coming back. Poor guy always gets upset when the suitcases come out of the closets. Apparently he’s been sleeping on my bed ever since I left. I’ll see you again before too long, little buddy!

Here are 5 things I’m loving right now:

1. This gorgeous painting that my amazingly talented and thoughtful brother made for me for Christmas. It’s of the constellation Cassiopeia, a constellation featured in one of my favorite movies ever, Serendipity. This painting makes me think of watching that movie countless times with Greg {he’s such a sweet brother, watching chick flicks with me!} and the beautiful shades of blue night sky make me feel content and at peace.

2. Speaking of thoughtful gifts, Holly sent me this beautiful bronze sunflower barrette. I smile and think of her whenever I wear it!

3. My Grandpap’s iPod playlist. This morning, Frank Sinatra serenaded me as I ate my oatmeal. Doesn’t get much better than that! {Especially when my Grandpap sings along. Such a cutie pie!}

4. Running into familiar faces around town. I stopped by Starbucks to do some writing after yoga class yesterday {I’m hopping back aboard the yoga train after some time away and it feels SO great!!} … I was sitting there typing away at my little table when I noticed three women sit down at a table nearby. I recognized them immediately: some of my grandma’s friends! I waved hello and we had a nice chat. After living here for five months now, it’s exciting to finally be at a point where I run into people I know around town.

5. Inspiring bloggers. In particular this amazingly empowering body peace manifesto by Heather Waxman. And these helpful budgeting tips by Whitney @sometimes.always.never.

Questions of the day:

What do you have planned for this weekend?
What are you loving right now?

fabulous fridayyyy

Posted on October 25, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

Happy TGIF, friends! I’ve noticed a lot of my favorite bloggers doing “things I love Friday” type posts, and they always get my weekend off on a good note. So I thought I would join in on the fun!

Here are five things I am loving today:

1. The wildlife in my grandparents’ neighborhood! It is not uncommon to see families of deer nibbling at grass as I drive past on my way to morning yoga. Every time I see them, I squeal with excitement. Earlier this week I finally pulled over and snapped a picture, not even caring that I looked like a tourist in my own neighborhood. Look at these cuties!

2. Speaking of cuties … my grandparents are so adorable! I am so grateful I get to have this year living with them. They make me smile every single day! Here’s a photo I stealthily took of them the other day when my Grandpap was trying {unsuccessfully} to teach my Grandma how to work the Google Maps app on her phone:

3. These s’mores pancakes from Peanut Butter Fingers. I WANT.

4. The other day when I was driving I heard the song “I Hope You Dance” by LeAnn Womack that I remember loving in high school but had not heard in ages … what a great song! The lyrics all came back to me and I was belting it out. Now that I’m older, the wisdom in the lyrics rings even more true.

5. I get to hang out with these two lovely ladies all weekend…

… and tonight we get to see Jess in The Producers! I can’t wait! I know she’s going to break a leg!

Questions of the morning:

What fun things do you have planned for this weekend?
What old songs always make you smile when you hear them on the radio?

the t.swift concert + my celebrity starbucks encounter

Posted on September 22, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

Last night, Holly and I headed into downtown Nashville to see our girl Taylor Swift in concert!

It was an amazingly fun night! Holly and I have loved T.Swift since college and we have gone together to two of her concerts before, so she is a special thread in the fabric of our friendship. The Nashville crowd was friendly and cheerful — my kind of people! It was the last show of the entire “Red” tour so there was an extra charge in the air. Hunter Hayes was a special guest; he came onstage and played his new song I Want Crazy, which I love. I had the best time singing and dancing with Holly to all of our favorite songs! Taylor even played some songs from her previous albums, which felt like a surprise treat. The entire concert lasted more than three hours, but it felt like it flew by in a flash. Here are some of my favorite snaps from the night:

That last picture was taken right before we left the house and I think it captures our friendship so well!

Before T.Swift came onstage, there were two warm-up acts: Casey James and Ed Sheeran. Holly and I both like Ed Sheeran’s radio hits, but I think we were even more excited for Casey James. American Idol fans might remember Casey from a few years back … neither Holly nor I are huge American Idol people, but the season Casey was on we both got sucked in for whatever reason. It was the year after we’d graduated from college and we were living halfway across the country from each other, but we watched American Idol every week and talked often about our favorite contestants. Holly was always a huge Casey fan, and especially loved his shoulder-length curly hair; I thought he was pretty cute but that he’d be even cuter if he cut his hair. (I’ve always been attracted to guys with short hair!) He became an inside-joke celebrity crush between the two of us.

Flash forward to last week, when Holly texted me with the exciting news that Casey James was going to be one of T.Swift’s opening acts! It felt like a gift from the concert gods just for us.

But the excitement doesn’t end there. On Friday morning Holly headed off to class and I went to the Starbucks right next to Vanderbilt to write. I was standing in line, not paying the slightest attention who was around me because all my energy was focused on trying to decide whether I should try the new chocolate chai latte or stick with my tried-and-true regular chai latte {I ended up sticking with my regular go-to… has anyone tried the chocolate chai? How is it??} I ordered and paid for my drink, and then the barista lit up with a smile and said, “Hi there, Casey! What can I get for you this morning?”

I turned, and there he was, standing right behind me — Casey James! All I could think was, “Why is Holly not here with me???”

He ordered a bunch of drinks, including a particularly fancy one that I like to think was for T.Swift herself. Then we both stood by the counter waiting for our drinks. The Starbucks was relatively empty and nobody else seemed to recognize him. I was torn between star-struck shyness and the knowledge that if I didn’t at least say hello, I would kick myself later. So I summoned my courage and said to him, “Not to be weird or anything, but I just wanted to let you know that I am a big fan of your music.” {His song Crying on a Suitcase is one of my favorites! So good!}

He flashed me a big smile and said, “Thank you so much!” I told him that Holly and I were going to the concert on Saturday and asked how the Thursday night show had been. We talked for a good five-to-ten minutes while we waited for our drinks. He could not have been nicer or more down-to-earth. I was a Casey James fan before, and I’m definitely an even bigger fan of his now. It was so neat to see him playing at the concert last night. He was fantastic!

After the show, Holly and I walked around downtown and stopped at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville for drinks before heading home. It has recently been pointed out to me that I drink out of a straw in the side of my mouth … does anybody else do this, or is it just me?

Anyway, it was a truly incredible night and I am so grateful that I got to experience the concert with Holly! Now we’re soaking up the final hours of my visit before I catch a flight back to the Bay Area tomorrow morning. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

my first time doing zumba!

Posted on August 2, 2013 by dallaswoodburn

On Wednesday, I went to my first-ever zumba class after my friend Emily invited me to join her at a local dance studio. I had never tried zumba before, though I had heard plenty of great things about it. All I knew was that it was supposed to be fast-paced, fun, and involved dancing.

I was a little nervous {and a lot intimidated} because while I enjoy dancing with groups of friends, I’ve never had much rhythm. Pretty much the only dancing I do on a regular basis is morning pajama dancing with Mr. Mur-dog:

Have any of you done zumba before? Any zumba novices like me out there? Here are some questions I had before my first zumba class, followed by answers based on my experience:

What is zumba?
Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that blends red-hot international music and fun, heart-pumping dance steps to form a “fitness-party.” The website of the local zumba center I attended has a great breakdown of the different types of zumba: http://venturazumba.com/ventura-zumba-about/

What should I wear to do zumba?
I wore capri yoga pants, a sports bra and t-shirt, and running shoes. Wearing some sort of athletic shoes is a must, and I would also advise you wear clothes that you feel comfortable in! You will get HOT and sweat a lot! Some other participants were wearing shorts and one woman wore a loose-fitting skirt.

What if I don’t know any of the dance moves?
Many of the dance moves were super easy to catch on to. You can also look up zumba videos on youtube if you want to do a little research before you go! The inevitable times in class when I felt a little lost, I just danced in place myself. The important thing is to keep moving, keep smiling, and keep having fun! After class, Emily and I asked the instructor for clarification on a couple moves we were confused about. She sweetly showed us, and she said that the easiest way to learn all the moves is to keep coming to class — you get better and more comfortable each week.

What if I feel self-conscious about dancing?
This was what I was most worried about — I’m ~~a little bit~~ a lot awkward on the dance floor, and I was worried that I would totally embarrass myself {not to mention my friend Emily!} and feel self-conscious the whole time. I pictured myself turning the wrong way and bumping into people. But once the class started, I didn’t feel self-conscious at all. Everyone is so focused on their own moves and on the instructor that nobody is paying attention to your dance moves. I tried to copy what the instructor was doing, and in my own pretty little head I was busting moves like Beyonce!

Is zumba a good workout?
YES! Your heart is pumping, your muscles are working, you are sweating like crazy! In the class I went to, we did a ton of squats as well as dance moves that worked our arms and shoulders. I woke up and was so sore the next morning! Definitely a sign of a good workout. Plus, the time flew by — it was the most fun I’ve had working out in a long time.

If you try a zumba class and aren’t thrilled, my advice would be to try again with a different instructor. {Actually, that would be my advice for any type of exercise class you try out!} I felt comfortable with our instructor immediately — she was funny, high-energy, and very encouraging. She also created a very welcoming space for beginners so it was the perfect class for me. Emily has done zumba before, and she said some of the other instructors are more fast-paced or less explanatory; every instructor has their own style. I feel like I lucked out on the ideal instructor for me.

Em and I have set a weekly zumba date for Wednesday mornings. I’m already looking forward to next week!

Happy Friday, everyone! Be kind to yourself and do something fun today!

marvelous monday: making the most of long car rides

Posted on October 22, 2012 by dallaswoodburn

Hi everyone! Hope you had a nice weekend! As I mentioned on Saturday, Mike and I spent the weekend visiting his family, who live in the Chicago suburbs, about a 2.5 hour drive away from us. I miss my family — it is difficult living so far away from them! — but Mike’s family is warm and welcoming and I always love seeing them.

It was a fun weekend! Home cooking, lots of laughter and long conversation, and a visit to the pumpkin patch! Yesterday was a beautiful autumn day in Illinois and we took advantage of it!

If there is one thing I dislike about visiting Mike’s family, it is the long car ride there and back … I am not the biggest car person and five hours in two days feels long to me! I get carsick easily and can’t read or write in the car. I am someone who hates feeling unproductive and I get antsy sitting still in a confined space for so long. But it is obviously worth the drive to get to see Mike’s family, and also I’ve found that by shifting my mindset and implementing some easy car-ride strategies, it has actually become time I look forward to and enjoy! Here are some tips that work for me that I’m hoping might make your next long car ride or even your daily commute more enjoyable:

If you have company, savor it! Take the opportunity to have some nice uninterrupted conversations. I love the long, wandering conversations Mike and I have during our car trips together — serious, silly, deep, insightful. It’s quality time we get to spend together, just the two of us, talking. It reminds me of when we first started dating and spent so much time talking-talking-talking, soaking up each other’s stories.

Driving solo? Why not take the time to call up a friend or family member for a catch-up chat? {Of course, make sure to use a hands-free headset and drive safe!}

Listen to a comedy album. My current fave: the insanely witty Demetri Martin! {You can check out his new album here.} The drive goes by so fast when you are cracking up the whole way there!

Listen to an audiobook. I got this idea from my dad, who often runs to audiobooks. {He’s made his way through quite some impressive tomes this way, such as East of Eden and Huckleberry Finn!} Audible.com is a great resource for downloading audiobooks. Or go the free route and check out CDs from the library! When I drove cross-country with my mom to move from California to Indiana for grad school, this is what we did. The CDs are admittedly a little clunkier than your iPod, but they still do the trick.

Scan the radio for new-to-you stations. Mike and I found a station that plays Irish-inspired music, which we both love. It felt like a special treat to listen to songs we’d never heard before, and I was scribbling artists’ names down in my notebook to look up later.

If you’re not the one driving, spend a little time being productive: pick up any trash that’s found its way onto the floor or between the seats, write checks to pay some bills, etc. One car trip, I organized Mike’s glove box. {Which I will share in a later post!}

Do something crafty. I have found long car rides to be an ideal time to knit! I am halfway through a new scarf for Mike right now, thanks to car-ride knitting time.

Gaze out the window and daydream. Sometimes we all need some time to reflect and let our minds wander. Tap into your imagination and see where your thoughts take you!

Anyone else have any tips to share? How do you make the most of long car rides or daily commute time?

Have a marvelous week!
-Dallas 🙂

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