Sunday Update!

Hi friends! It's been a few weeks since my last post- and what a busy few weeks it has been.

Sweeps at work. YIKES.

Little brother graduated from college. Tear.

More work.

Doing projects around the house.

Running & biking.

My first facial!

Did I mention work?

Now that sweeps is winding down, I'm getting into full-on summer mode. Planning lake trips with friends. A beach vacay with the family. A little break from Gamma Phi volunteer projects. Justifying frozen yogurt multiple nights in a row.

Ah, sweet summer. What used to be my least favorite season, now in the top two!

I don't have much more to report, except that I'm still here!

So with that, I'll leave you with my MAY TOP 3 list.

1) Favorite recipe: Korean Beef & Kale. I'm eating tonight, you should too. 
2) Favorite song: Come & Get It
3) Favorite book: Divergent series. Just finished book 2, have to wait until OCTOBER for book 3.

Have a great Sunday evening!

Gift of Health

Happy Friday!

This week felt like an eternity! Mainly because I had a full-blown sinus infection all week. I'm just now beginning to smell, hear and taste normally again. Thank goodness for modern medicine!

Also- "Sweeps" is officially underway in the TV world. That's a big ratings period that happens four times a year. May is a big one. So... work is demanding. Always! But especially so for the next month.

One of the hardest things about getting sick is putting everything on hold. Your life is trucking along at a good pace- ok, not just good, an insanely busy pace. But then- it comes to a screeching halt so you can do everything it takes to feel better. No errands. Definitely no working out. It took everything I had just to put a newscast on the air every night.

But, I'm so much better. Now that I can breathe again, I'm going for my first bike ride in a week tomorrow. And it can't come soon enough!

Just little reminders to slow down. Our bodies can't always keep up with our to-do list!

Feeling under the weather always reminds me what a gift and privilege health is. I'm so passionate about eating the right foods- not LESS food- the right food. Ones that nourish and keep us strong. I'm passionate about exercise- the physical benefits, and the mental ones too.

And even though I sit at a desk most of the day- ok, ALL day once I get to work- I love to spend my mornings outdoors. Fresh air, exercise. Good breakfast.

I really think that living a healthy lifestyle helps you heal faster, too- from sickness, even heartache!

Good health is a gift- and not one to be taken for granted!

Hope you have a great weekend- full of lots of fresh air and sunshine!

New Growth



Happy Sunday! I hope your weekend has been a restful one. What a week. Honestly, this was a draining week to be a human. And especially a human that works in the news business. A lot happened between the blasts at the Boston Marathon Monday morning.... and the capture of the second suspect Friday night.

 

We also can't forget the fertilizer plant explosion in Texas... and severe storms Wednesday night that caused damage all across northeastern Oklahoma.

 

Whew! I promise this isn't a bad news post. But I feel like I can't not mention those things. I'm struggling with a cold this weekend- surely the result of long hours at work this week.

 

But in the midst of it all- it reminds us to appreciate and love one another, love the lives we're living. Give thanks.

 

For me, nature is a way of connecting with God. It's so weird to write that sentence- because I always think of myself as a non-outdoors girl. But, I don't think that's true. I love running and biking outdoors. I love sitting outside, soaking in my surroundings. And, I may just have more of a green thumb than I thought.

 

 

A few weekends ago, my beautiful weeping willow in the back yard had to come down. It started falling last fall- and my dad and I built a stand to prop it up. But strong winds knocked it off the stand, and it started falling. Into... power lines.

 

So, the handy crew at PSO (electric company) came to take care of business.

 

And reduced my beautiful willow... to this. Very sad day. I cried. 

 

But, as with everything in life, you just go on. Replant, rebuild. I made my first "by myself" trip to the nursery this weekend to select some flowers for the yard. New growth: step one. (Any guesses what my favorite color is?)

 

I got to work first on the small planters in the back yard. Cleaning out years of old soil, leaf pile-up, cigarette butts (gross) and even a spare key. Replenishing the planters with new soil. Packing tiny buds of orange, yellow into the new soil. So very gratifying.

 

Just step one! Next up: front yard, new tree, salsa garden.

 

God gives us a lot of beautiful things in life- especially in the wake of tragedy. Opportunities to start over, rebuild, plant new seeds, experience new growth.

 

How can we not embrace and love the outdoors for that reason alone?

Better Tomorrow

Happy Tuesday! I hope your week is off to a good start.

I know everyone is a little shaken up by what happened in Boston yesterday. Working in news, it's sort of surreal to cover events like that. For 10 or 12 hours, you're in "news" mode- trying to understand the facts, finding ways to tell the story. And then afterwards... the emotion of it all comes crashing in.

I've always believed that being a good producer means wearing your heart on your sleeve. Some- many- disagree, but the human spirit is always the best story at the end of the day, the one worth telling. And it's against every fiber in my being *not* to wear my heart on my sleeve. It's who I am. So I don't shy away from letting people be people and have their emotions.

But personally... I set aside some emotions in order to get the job done. So, the emotional "crash" afterwards is tough. The same thing happened after the Sandy Hook shooting.

The day *after* a terrible tragedy is always fascinating. It's the day true human goodness comes out. It's like covering a tornado the day after it hits; the sun is always shining.

So, I'm about to head into work and continue to piece together the events of yesterday. It will be sad and exhausting. And there will be good stories, too- ones of courage and heroism and survival.

I guess it's a reminder to take the good days with the bad, focus on a better tomorrow. And make every day count!

Here's a few shots of Boston- we were there just last month.

What I'm Doing to Stay Healthy

Happy Friday! I hope you had a great week! Mine seemed a bit slow; for some reason, taking a day off makes the rest of the days drag by! But I have big plans this weekend, including:

*Getting my car detailed! A treat, since I paid it off last month.
*Wine on the back patio! (Even though my tree is gone; post to come.)
*Long runs & bike rides

Today is another post in my "What I'm...." series, this time--- "What I'm Doing to Stay Healthy."

At the beginning of the year, I started having some anxiety. I think it centered around traveling a lot, stress at work, etc. I was one big bundle of nerves & deadlines.

It made me feel not very good, and question a lot of aspects of my health. I got a bad case of vertigo coming home from Miami that took a couple of weeks to shake off. But nothing was truly wrong with me; I just felt off. In sum, I found myself really appreciating the value of being healthy- and knew I would do whatever I needed to do to feel good again.

 

I went to the doctor- a couple of times. I had things checked out, blood drawn. All good. (Although in full disclosure, I do have a blood clot disorder called Factor Five. It's not a big deal, it's not what caused me to feel "off." But it's something good to know down the road!)

 

I'm feeling 100% better these days- rest? the comfort of knowing everything is OK? life slowing down?-- but I'm being especially mindful to take good care of my body. Being burnt out, running on fumes is not good.

I also decided I needed to switch out my "quick and easy foods" (Healthy Choice for dinner every night) for REAL food. Smoothies, Fit & Fresh meals (have you tried those?) I'm also cooking more on the weekends. Eating more fruits & veggies, hummus, eggs, etc. Who knew real food could make you feel so good?!

 

 

 

It's also odd to report that I am not signed up for one single race right now. Oh, I plan to do a couple this year. But right now, I'm just training on my own timeline, own schedule with no looming race "deadline." And I feel stronger than EVER when it comes to biking. I'm running longer distances than I have in a long time.  In this picture, my bike is on a trainer; it helped me learn how to use my clip-on pedals!

 

I'm also doing more weights & ab work, drinking water constantly. Exercise is one third of the battle when it comes to feeling healthy; what you put INTO your body is another third, one I neglected for a long time. And- I'd say the final third is all mental. Being in a good place, feeling confident about your health, about your body.

 

As I get older, I find the running-on-fumes method of life no longer suites me. Physically, spiritually or mentally. It's harder to recover once I hit "empty." So, I'm making sure my tank always stays full, so to speak!

 

 I'm kicking off this Friday with a bike ride- and a good breakfast. :) Have a great one!

 



Building Strong Girls

Happy Tuesday! I hope you're having a great week so far. My "work week" is actually just beginning, after a 3-day weekend.

Last night, I had the opportunity to visit a Gamma Phi Beta sorority chapter in Stillwater, and give a presentation about "Building Strong Girls."  I took the night off work, arrived in Stillwater early, had a nice dinner by myself, and then gave my presentation before heading back to Tulsa.

I just love having the chance to talk to people about the things I'm passionate about.

Sometimes, I feel like I know what I'm good at, what my passion and purpose is in life. And other times, I feel like I'm just figuring it out! There are a lot of things I'm passionate about, and I feel like God hasn't quite led me to that "ah-ha!" place yet. I feel like I'm still discovering the best way to mesh and meld all of my loves and interests and passions- into one or many purposes.

The thing I love about the "building strong girls" presentation I gave is that it means something different to everyone. Spiritual, mental, physical.

I'm still figuring out what "being a strong girl" means to me. I have a lot of inspiration; last night, I shared my ultimate "strong girl" with the sorority: my mom.

But, the best part of the presentation- and the message- is that even though we may have work to do when it comes to being the best strong girl we can be, we should embrace who we are right now, at this moment.

We all have so much to offer! Whether it's in a workplace, at home, among our friends and family, at church- or out in the world.

I wanted to share my thoughts about strong girls while it's fresh on my mind. :) Do something you love today!

What I'm Wearing

Ah, the weekend! A Saturday at home... such a rare thing these days! So I'm making the most of it. Heading out the door for a run along the river, followed by errands and a much-needed Girls Night Out tonight!

But I'm not in a big hurry; I'm perfectly content to sip my coffee a bit longer, and of course write the latest installment in my "What I'm..." series. Not a catchy name for a series, I know, but... it's too the point.

So, today.... "What I'm Wearing!"

I bought a grey infinity scarf last year- or mom bought it for me? can't remember- that I absolutely adore and wear everywhere. It's warm and comfy; but I'm trying to tell myself it works for spring, too. It's cold at work?!  (Also, I take emo pictures on the airplane every now & then.)

 

I'm getting a LOT of wear and tear out of these- my first official pair of bike shoes. I love them! They "clip in" to my bike pedals, which help me push myself faster. Being connected to my bike, and all that.

 

Which means I'm also wearing a few more of these.... scraped knees! I've fallen on my bike twice since getting my clip-ins; fortunately, I was at a standstill and just tipped over.



 

 

I lived in Texas for 11 years, and I've been in Oklahoma for 11 years. And yet I just got my first pair of cowboy boots for Christmas. I LOVE them.

I tried out this look, too; so cute! In fact, I may need a manicure today....
 

This tri suit of mine is also getting some good use. I competed in two indoor triathlons- one in January, one in February. I tell ya- it's so nice to jump out of the pool and straight onto the bike, no extra attire needed.

 

I'm basically living in leggings these days. These leggings are my favorite; black and gray. My coworker likes to remind me that leggings aren't pants; I beg to differ.  Also, my best friend's son took this picture of me. He's so precious.

I'm loving curly hair these days, I think because my hair is SO long. My sister and I tried out Dry Bar in Dallas, where they only do blow-outs. It was so luxurious.

 

This is me waiting for race results after a triathlon; but I'm wearing my favorite purple Northface jacket that has been worn non-stop the past three months.

 

Basically, I'm starting a clothing line of fashionable workout clothes that can transition from working out.... to running errands... to going to work. It will include jackets, leggings, and a variety of shoes. Imagine: bike shoes that can turn into running shoes that can turn into high heels! Who's in?!

In a doctor's office dress/shirt. Sometimes I take self portraits to make myself less nervous. I was nervous.

 

I also went to a sorority conference in Boston, where it was mandatory to take photo booth pictures in crab hats. So, DUH, we did.

Another thing I'm wearing and LOVING these days? Alex & Ani bracelets. We discovered them in Boston. ALL of the girls have an armful of these adorable bracelets, that come with different charms. My mom & I hunted down the store and bought ourselves some bling. My collection is starting to grow!

 

I'm also loving red lips. I think red lips are a must for black and white outfits, a night out on the town, or catching a Muse concert- as I was shortly after this photo was snapped.

 

Are you loving scarves & leggings? Workout attire 24/7? A new cute pair of heels?  Cowboy boots?

 

Whatever you're wearing- have a perfect Saturday!

What I'm Eating & Drinking

So, yesterday I started a quick "catch-up" series on my life lately. We started with "Where I'm Going." I've had the joy of seeing some really cool places this year; and it's only April!

And in those cool places... I've had some DELICIOUS meals. And divine drinks. And more clam chowder than one person should really ever eat, ever. Especially in a 3 day span.

Um, hello! I was in Boston! When in Rome, right?!

So today, my little series continues with "What I'm Eating/Drinking."  It may seem odd to dedicate an entire post to food and drinks; but a healthy breakfast, drinks with friends, a Starbucks on the way to work- those are all "life" moments I'd rather not pass over!

 

My favorite breakfast of 2013. Cinnamon toast, Trader Joe's raspberry jam, one egg over easy. Breakfast of champions.

 

My "Joy The Baker" smoothie! My co-workers fondly reference this as my "gross green drink." But, it's delicious. Try it.

 

More toast. This time with a homemade Matcha tea latte (um, yum!) and the latest issue of This Land Press.

  

 

Moving into the coffee portion of the post! Starbucks fueled me on many of my trips this year.

 

 

Nothing like an iced coffee before a long day producing.

 

 

And.... a coffee to treat myself after an indoor sprint triathlon. I find Maizy & The Pioneer Woman are also a great way to unwind! :)

 

 

This meal.... I could eat this entire meal again every day of my life. Until I got tired of it, of course. But I always look at this picture, and my mouth starts watering. Clam chowder in Boston; and the "clam casino"... basically a baked clam cake inside of a clam shell with lemon squeezed on top.

 

Oh. my. word.

 

 

I followed up that meal with a vanilla birthday cake Georgetown cupcake.

 

 

That place is famous for a reason!

 

 

And of course, happy hour. If Boston is the place to go for clam chowder... Miami is the place to go for a great cocktail. Wine at the hotel....

 

..... drinks at the Fountainbleau hotel....

 

.... and back to Tulsa, for a beer with friends after work.

So there you go, my year so far in food and drink!

Hungry yet?

Where I'm Going

Hey guys! It's been so long since I last blogged.... that I forgot my log-in password. I just went through a series of passwords to get here.  Oh well; getting here is half the battle!

It's been a busy, non-stop, breathless whirlwind of a 2013 so far; and we're only a quarter of the way through! But, somewhere late January- I had a mindset change. Instead of constantly trying to find more balance, stay put more often, and say "no" to more projects (ha, yeah right)- I just embraced the fact that this is the season of life I'm in. It's busy, I'm on the go a lot, I'm on the road a lot. But I want to stop trying to change that- and embrace the madness for a bit.

Because... to be honest..... I like it that way. There will be a season of my life where I stay put. This is the season of life to go.

And oh, has that mindset change opened windows and doors to me. Now, all I want to do is go! A quick drive to Dallas here, a flight to Boston there, a swing through Stillwater or Norman. Biking, volunteering, staying out too late with friends, waking up too early to do it all again. God has led me to this very point in my life; who am I to try and fight it?

Having said that, I thought I'd play a little catch-up here on the blog. It's going to be my "Who/What/Where I'm...." series.

Starting with.... "Where I'm Going."

 

 

I've spent a lot of time.... high above the clouds.....

 

... landing in dreamy destinations. Like Miami. Where a shrimp salad and a mojito make everything right.

 

Oh, and an afternoon on the beach isn't that bad.

 

 

A perfect beach hat is always a must.

 

 

I'm trying to get better at taking "selfies."  True story- I kept thinking someone was REALLY close behind me in this picture. But, it was just my reflection in the mirror. It truly scared me multiple times; my sister witnessed this charade.

 

Sister love! SO glad she was in Miami with me! Especially because I developed a bad case of vertigo on our way home. She was such a rock star, getting me onto the plane and getting me home.

 

About a month later, I traded in the warm beaches of Miami.... for a snowy skyline in Boston!

 

 

After two solid days of conferences for Gamma Phi Beta, my mom & I toured this beautiful, old city. And fell in love.

 

They had a FOX station! (And yes, I'm a TV nerd.)

 

 

They also had a tribute to Ducks Crossing! (The little girl "riding" the duck in this picture wouldn't move, ha.)

 

So glad my mom came with me on this trip. We had to end our weekend with a glass of wine at Anthem.

 

The view from our hotel room. Boston, I will be back.

 

Whew! Someone was VERY happy when I finally returned home.

 

I also squeezed in a trip to Kansas City (another Gamma Phi conference), a trip to the lake- and multiple trips to Dallas in the last few months.

And.... even though I'm embracing this busy season.... the fact that I have NO travel plans for a solid month... makes me very happy! :)

Who I'm seeing, what I'm eating/drinking, what I'm listening to..... all coming up in this little catch-up series of mine. Stay tuned!

And happy Wednesday!