I've been missing!!

Hi everyone!

I went up to Wisconsin and went missing! I am so sorry for the silence. Here is what I have been up to:

1. A fabulous visit at home with my family. We went hiking, shopping, running, walking, touring - you name it! I had not been up north since last Thanksgiving, so it felt nice to see everyone.

2. Visits with friends! While in Wisconsin, I caught up with one of my best friends (we celebrated my 21st in Vegas together and have been inseparable since), and a friend I have known since nursery school. I was thrilled to visit with them and share stories from the summer.

3. Major shopping. Some how I came home with 4 new pairs of shoes. I have no clue how that happened... oops ;) You should have seen me try to get it all on the airplane.

4. The WISCONSIN STATE FAIR! Always an epic event; if you have never attended the state fair, you are missing out!

Huge corn is a "thing" at the fair....

5. Starting law school. I cannot believe it, but I started orientation on Monday and have been having a great time. I am really excited about classes starting next week and I finally ordered all my books. :) This is bittersweet because it means summer has officially ended, but I am excited non-the-less.

Have you marked the end of summer yet or are you still going strong? Any big plans for the last few weeks? 

x0x0, 

Hannah 

Weekend review & a trip up north!

It's Monday! I can't believe the weekend is already over. Mine was amazing (more on that in a second), but right now in sitting at the airport. I woke up at 4:30 today so I could go to the airport with AL when he flew out for work. This means I was at the airport almost 3 hours early, BUT I got to ride the train and wait with AL. Worth it :)

This weekend started with a yummy homemade Friday dinner: chicken tacos with homemade tortillas  via the Lean Green Bean and peach cobbler, followed by an early night. AL and I left early for a 14 mile run on Saturday morning. Ohhh marathon training.

Legs propped up to drain after the run.

After the run, we had to quickly leave for Alabama for my dear friend's wedding. She had the most beautiful, elegant wedding! We had such a wonderful time, but I confess, I was tired as sore from the run and went to bed pretty early.

Funny story: on the way to the wedding, we were running late and I was stressing. Then I realized Alabama was in the central time zone and we gained an hope. Saved!

Check out these adorable glasses from the wedding. Mine was filled with sweet tea, of course :)

We spent the night in Alabama, had brunch with the wedding party, then drove home to pack and relax before our travels. Eventful and wonderful weekend!

This week I'm staying with family up north- my first visit since thanksgiving! I'm so excited! I'll be sure to take pictures of my adventures and eats at the state fair :) here's what I'm running this week:
T-4 miles
W- 7 miles
Th- 4 miles
F- rest
S - cross train
Sun- 16 miles

How are you spending these last weeks of summer? Any last minute vacations before school starts?

Xoxo,

Hannah

Meal Planning Project

I've been a quasi-meal planner for a while.

I usually pick a few dinners a week to try before I head to the grocery store, and then I try to avoid making mid-week shopping trips for additional ingredients. This helps me in two ways:
1. I save money by avoiding hump-day impulse buys.
2. I avoid wasting food because I clean out my refrigerator each week.

This plan does have some negative effects..... due to half-planning, I've ended up with some major repeat meals and weird combos when there was little in the kitchen.

I want to put a stop to the weird meals, but also continue to save food and money by planning. The new project? Roughly plan out everything for my Monday-Friday meals and snacks, leaving the weekend open for whatever strikes my fancy :)

I will:
- Plan my meals around in-season produce, focusing on what I can purchase locally and at a lower price. 
- Use store ads and coupons to plan my purchases, working around items that are on sale.
-Take an inventory of my pantry before I start planning, prioritizing the items I need to use before they perish. 

My planning sheet looks like this right now, though it may change slightly.

I've been working through this meal plan for a few days and enjoying the results. I saved $12 on my grocery trip by utilizing sale, in season, and store-promoted items (yay!), and I haven't had banana oatmeal for every breakfast ;) Check back to see how my challenge is going!

Do you plan your meals in advance?
How do you cut costs with grocery shopping?

x0x0, 

Hannah 

First Week in Atlanta!

Hello all! AL and I have officially been in Atlanta for over a week! It is crazy to realize the planning and preparation is all done and our next adventure is well under way. AL is in his second week at the new job and I start law school in a couple weeks. 

The unpacking went smoothly - we only lost two wine glasses in the process (success!). Now I'm looking at new furniture, specifically a desk, shelving, and a sofa set. I've had some time to try new recipes, explore the neighborhood, and get some awesome workouts it. This morning I did 4 miles outside and then walked to the gym for a zumba class. I am going to miss mornings devoted to exercise once school starts.

After about 10 days in ATL, here are the things I am excited about:

1.... being half a mile away from the park. I love running to the park, completing the run, and then having the perfect cool down walk back home.

2... a farmer's market that is walking distance from my apartment. This is a must!

3... not living 3 hours away from AL. For those who don't know, we did long distance for almost 2 years. It wasn't our favorite. We are so happy to be in the same city now :)



4...the savory crepes and beverage list at Cafe Intermezzo. The spinach crepe with turkey, brie, and raspberry preserves was incredible. We've only tried 2 restaurants, but both have been amazing and I see many more yummy meals in the future.

5... a new running group that meets in my neighborhood. I miss my group in Texas and can't wait to try out a new group this Thursday.

6... GEORGIA PEACHES, which were on sale at Whole Foods for $0.69 a pound last week. My freezer and my belly are well stocked with peaches.

Looking forward to an excellent week here before I head off on a trip this weekend. See you tomorrow for WIAW!

x0x0, 

Hannah 

Confessional Friday: Q & A

Hey All and Happy Friday! I only have two more week off before school starts and i get sad just thinking about it. Obviously, I am excited to start a new adventure, but I will also miss my lazy weeks of exploring. 

This week in Friday Confessionals, the beautifully pregnant Leslie has offered up some Q & A's... let's see how this goes:

1. My worst fashion offense of all time has to be ...so many sad moments, but the worst were my Harry Potter Glasses in 6th grade before they were cool. I just looked pathetic. Which is why I don't recommend them to ANYONE, even though they are now semi-stylish.  

2. The most embarrassing song on my iPod is probably something from High School Musical. I know, how sad.

3. The last white lie I told was probably about food. I have this problem with saying "oh, yum!" when it is really awful and then I can never get rid of the food. 

4. The celebrity I most wish would disappear is Kim Kardashion. I admit, I watch her show periodically and I think it is funny, but I am kind of over her...

5. Sometimes I wish I lived closer to home. I've had some adventures and I love living in the south, but I miss my family. It is especially awful when they all go do things without me.

6. My childhood crush was any one of my older brother's friends. He is 2.5 years older than me, making all his friends the perfect age for me when we were younger ;) 

7. I've never turned down a trip to Target. Yesterday I went there and just walked around for like an hour. I will always say yes to a Target trip  - that place is like a trap. I also feel like I deserve an award any time I spend less that $30 there. 

8. Driving makes me a nervous wreck. My mother had to physically force me to get my license and i didn't have a car until I was 21. I hate driving and as a result, it hates me back. I've have the wheels stolen off my car, the windshields shattered, and I've been hit by a 93 year old man going 30 mph. Fail. 

9. I'd rather watch paint dry than walk on the elliptical. It is so boring and I never feel like I am doing much. I'd rather just walk on a treadmill. Or sit on the couch. 

10. Much like a train wreck, I can't turn away from watching other people's bad dates. When I go somewhere and see a bad date in the making, I just cannot turn away. The bf and I like to take bets on how long they've been together and what they are thinking. I can't help myself. Is that mean? We've all been there, I feel their pain, but I want to watch. 

What about you? What can't you stop watching? Please, make me feel better for my faults!

Have a lovely weeked, 

Hannah