it's a great day to go to birmingham

so.

anthony is a nashville native.  but he went to school in texas.
and while he was there, he developed a love for whataburger.

especially the chocolate malts.

a couple of years ago we drove down to texas for a friends wedding and i had MY first whataburger

and yes, it was very good :-)

fast forward: last year a couple of girlfriends and i went to the beach.  destin, fl.
our hotel? right next to a...whataburger.  which until then, i thought only existed in texas.

this year when natasha and i planned out our trip
i specifically planned in a whataburger run
and asked anthony if he wanted me to bring him back anything
his request?
"if you can find dry ice, could you bring me a malt?"

on the way down there, we noticed something.
from birmingham to florida, there were whataburgers in nearly every city along the way.

whataburger is only 3 hours away from nashville.

anthony had NO idea.
when i brought him his malt, i let him think it was from florida.
he remarked on how well it had traveled
(3 hours in regular ice...but he didn't know that!)

meanwhile, my wheels were turning.

i planned this in freaking AUGUST, people :-)

but long story short, he now knows.
(it took 30 minutes of guessing on his part before he said
"wait...there's a WHATABURGER in BIRMINGHAM?!")

we're heading out this morning and hitting up whataburger for lunch.
followed by a visit to birmingham's zoo
(because we love zoos, and why not?)
and dinner at...whataburger again.

hey, we may as well make the most of the trip down there, right? :-)

have a wonderful day!

Thursday's Ten: Warmer Weather Edition

it's finally getting to be the time of year that makes living in middle tennessee completely worth it.

warm

not yet too humid

(although give it a couple of weeks)

and not over 100 degrees just yet

perfection

well, without a beach

THAT would be perfection

:)

here's my list of ten things i love to do around town when it starts warming up :)

1. go for a hike or a walk. besides the greenway, radnor lake is a favorite place. and amazingly enough i have just moved within a few moments of the trails there!

2. visit the zoo. anthony and i joined last year and i'm totally renewing my membership. with my new nanny gig(s) (more about that later...) and friends who love animals as much as we do it's pretty much a necessity. plus the reciprocal membership with zoos around the country is fantastic!

3. lay out. i know, i know, sun damage...skin cancer...but i CRAVE the sun. i'm never out THAT long...

4. eat. which kind of doesn't seem to fit with the above, but shall i explain? fresh fruits and veggies straight from the garden, avocados sliced up on a sandwich, organic stuff--just anything! i feel like eating so healthily during these summer months--which is probably why i don't have a problem with the diet and exercise routine!

5. garden. i'm excited because this year i'll be planting tomatoes in the ground, plus reviving my herb garden in containers!

6. head to the park--grown-up park with friends, playground park with kids. they're all fun, and everyone feels like a kid when we just play!

7. read. on a rainy or cloudy day, curling up in a chair. when it's nice outside, taking a book and a blanket to the yard and just hanging out with the characters for awhile.

8. take a nap. there's something about coming home on a sunday afternoon...opening the curtains...putting a comfy robe or pj set on...and laying down in the sunlight. it's my inner cat, i suppose--emi and i usually jostle for the most sunny area to sleep in!

9. have a popsicle. those fla-vor-ice pops from when you were a kid? yeah, i totally keep a box on hand at all times. pure sugar...pure fun

10. get a pedicure. ok, so this one is a self-done pedi lately...just can't justify the expense for myself at the moment! but there's something about walking around in flip-flops with pretty feet that makes life a little sunnier :)

what about you? as it warms up, what do you like to do?

...at least i twisted my ankle on sunday...

because our 5K was *awesome*

I left my house at 2pm (race started at 3) because I knew that it would take at least 30 minutes to get there. I live only 15 minutes away, but they had shut down one of our major roads for construction all weekend so the back way I had to take was sure to be jammed full of not-so-happy rerouted people.

Sure enough.

Anthony's aunt texted me while I was still waiting in a line of traffic on said back road, asking if I were there yet. I said no, but probably would be off this particular street within 5 minutes and it should be a short 5 minute drive from there. She said they were 1 stoplight down from the zoo waiting in line to turn in (they were coming the opposite way from me).

It took exactly 5 minutes for me to turn onto the next street (points for me knowing my Nashville traffic!), and not even 5 to get to where I could see the entrance to the zoo. That's where the real fun began.

(don't you love this overpass with the animals painted on? on the other side there's a cheetah stretching up to a bird. very fun.)

I only got pictures from my side of the line, because thankfully it moved really quickly. However, once I got around this corner:

This is what awaited me!

Once I was in, I texted them to see if they had parked. They were STILL IN LINE to turn into the zoo! My side of town for the win!

More waiting ensued...at least it's a pretty little drive up the zoo property to the parking lot...

(this sign always cracks me up a little bit)

I finally parked. There was a MASSIVE amount of people milling around the parking lot (including Gnash, the Nashville Predator's mascot). So I decided to just hang around the top of the lot and wait for Anthony's mom and aunt...because I figured there was NO WAY I would find them in that crowd.
(which I found out later was at least 3000 people strong--and that was just the participants)
I only ran into one other person I knew--a former coworker from when I was teaching. Since we taught together she has had a precious little girl who is now 2, and found out that she had cancer when Olivia was 3 weeks old. She thankfully was declared cancer free last October, and is doing these 5Ks and half-marathons just to show that she's kicked cancer's ass. I love it.

They delayed the start of the race until 3:15 because of the traffic, but eventually we were off!

The route was pretty cool--lots of little trails not open to the public and quite the backyard tour of the zoo! We're members there so I thought I had seen all the animals the zoo houses, but there are several that live off exhibit. I was lucky enough to walk by these tapirs. If I hadn't watched Rachael Ray earlier in the week I wouldn't have known that they were so special, but apparently they're a pretty rare sight.The path was paved at times, rocky at times, and muddy often. Several hills and twists and turns. I can't imagine having run those portions of it!

We got to see the Bengal tigers (who were quite interested in all of us too!) and the other big cats (Lynx and cougars were out) but most of the other animals were either indifferent or holed away somewhere. I didn't stop to take any pictures. Got a couple of drive-by shots, but they definitely show motion:

(lynx)We wanted to beat our last 5K time which was somewhere in the 55-60 minute range. Of course, we all were walking slower that race so we thought it shouldn't be a problem. We decided that somewhere between 45 minutes and 50 minutes would be great. Of course, we decided this when my iPhone app that we were using to time ourselves (we weren't officially timed, so we started about 5 minutes after the timed runners/walkers) turned to 40 minutes. So we were hoping we were within 10 minutes of ending the race!

Mess, Anthony's aunt, got a little burst of energy right at the end and started speedwalking. Anthony's mom and I looked at each other, shrugged, and kept walking at the same pace. She finished 10 seconds ahead of us...we ended the walk at 48:36. Not too shabby for walking the ENTIRE way...and definitely not to shabby for me considering that less than a month before it literally hurt to walk from one place to the next. My back did fine for the entire time, and I even began contemplating running some in the next 5K we do...which will be in 2 weeks!

finished! Anthony's mom on the left, aunt on the right

Mess and me

And then Sunday came.
And in true Lora fashion:
I completely wiped out in the back of our sanctuary after church.
Twisted my ankle.

Not TOO badly, but enough that I'm now wearing an ankle brace for support so that I'll be able to do the next 5K...

but I guess I'll be walking that one too!

(Next 5K: Nashville Predators Fangtastic 5K...February 6...12 days and counting!)

It's a Great Day to Run at the Zoo

today's wordle:(join Shannon to create your own and link up)

Nashville Zoo Run...Hop...Walk...Crawl...

Yep! Today I'm in my 2nd ever 5K. Because of the issues I had with my back less than a month ago, I'll be walking the majority if not all of it. But the important thing is that I'm DOING it. It benefits our zoo, it'll get me out in the sunshine (crossing fingers for that one), and it keeps me moving! A's mom and aunt are doing it as well (they're gonna start hating me for asking them to do more and more of these things--I have us all signed up for another one in March!) and two of the girls from the office I work in will be there as well.

I'm thinking that the route through animal habitats and the gorgeous scenery at the zoo will be a welcome change from most 5Ks. Since I'm walking I may even snap some pictures!

After the "run" I'll be hanging out with some of my best girlfriends, Meghan and April. We're going to see Leap Year and just hang out for awhile. SO long overdue, this girl time.

A and I are also squeezing in a quick run to our friends house to give their 4 year old daughter, Morgan, her birthday gift and say hello...since the 5K is during her party.

Whew! I think it's time to get moving!

Thursday's Ten: Where You Live

Welcome to Thursday's Ten! Please link up or grab the button (and let me know so I can visit you) and write your top ten list! It can be about anything or nothing, what's going on in your life or 10 of your favorite things. Or you can go with the theme I've picked out.



I have a friend visiting me right now, in town for a convention at Opryland Hotel. My house is slightly cheaper than the hotel :0) so she is bunking here.

Now, Angie's been here a few times, so I don't feel the need to "show her around town" like I once did. But if she were brand new to town I definitely have 10 places I'd love to take her (and a few of them she still hasn't done!)

So that's today's Top 10. What 10 places around where you live would YOU take a brand new visitor to your area?

Here's mine:

1. Radnor Lake
gorgeous area, great hiking, easy/intermediate and difficult trails (so something for all), and wildlife at every turn.
2. Pancake Pantry
you've gotta do it at least ONCE while you're in Nashville. The line out the door is legendary, but it's worth it for the experience!
3. Cheekwood
Botanical gardens--so with every season it changes just a bit. My favorite is the Japanese meditation gardens though. Soooo pretty and peaceful. I could spend hours.
4. The Zoo
We're members, so our guests (up to one per person, and children under 3) are free! It's a pretty zoo, and we're always getting new animals and exhibits. It's come a LONG way since I went for the first time in college and remarked "there aren't any lions or tigers OR bears...oh my!"
5. The Village
a grouping of eclectic shops and restaurants...definitely a cross-section of Nashville culture!
6. Parthenon/Centennial Park
A replica of the Parthenon in Greece, it even houses Athena (and an art museum). The grounds around are gorgeous as well, and hold events such as walks/runs for charities, swing dancing, Shakespeare in the Park, free movies on the lawn in the summer, and community concerts.
7. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
for the country music lover, or just plain music lover. It's something you do once.
Now if you're hardcore into country you should also do the honky-tonks, the Ryman, and Grand Ol Opry.
8. The Frist Center
Nashville's major art museum, and it's always got a traveling exhibit. My favorite so far was the Impressionists, which is really no surprise!
9. Trader Joe's
I'm not kidding. Unless they have Joe in their city I take my guests to meet him.
10. Franklin, TN
Voted the best small town in Tennessee for several years, Franklin is an adorable town with tons of history, a quaint town square, and cute shops and places to eat.

Of course, I'd love to take my guests to a concert or Titans game, walking up and down 2nd avenue on a Friday night, and to Opryland Hotel...but those are the places most tourists see. I like to be a little different!

What about you? Where would you take me if I came to visit YOU?

Sign up on the linky or grab the button and let me know you're participating...see you on your blog!

Thursday's Ten

With the economy as crazy as it currently is, I'm sure Anthony and I are not the only couple looking for cheap and creative date nights. None of these are particularly glorious, but they are things we enjoy doing and that keep us from falling into a rut.

1. Dinner and a movie, economy class.
We take turns cooking for each other and then catching a flick on the big ol' living room screen. The standard, moved home. This is a lot of fun for me since I love cooking, so trading off meals is a great thing...we're definitely doing a lot more of that than going out these days. And I have to say, having him cook for me while I sit on the sidelines is kind of a nice thing too :0)

2. Taking advantage of the natural beauty around us
Who knew exercise could be romantic? I'm lucky enough to live about 5 minutes from the part of the greenway that crosses the Cumberland. The other night we crossed the bridge right at sunset. It was gorgeous!
Greenways and state/national parks are great places. Or anywhere with a good walking trail. Even a neighborhood with nice big houses.

3. The zoo
This was an initial cost--it was $55 each. For a year. So we visit the zoo quite often these days--it's free for us now, and we can bring along another couple for a double date if we want since we each get a free guest.
(plus our zoo encourages people who want to run to come in the last hour or so, since the crowd dies down between 4:30 and 5. We have plans to run the zoo together soon)

4. Revisit childhood
When we were visiting his aunt in Atlanta the four of us (A and I, his aunt and little sister) walked down to a playground in her neighborhood. A and I both made a beeline for the swings, and competed to see who could swing higher the fastest, etc. We're both slightly competitive...
Anyway, what's stopping you from visiting a local playground together? I would suggest that you wait until most of the actual kids are gone...

5. Play
Have I mentioned we're competitive? Games we often attempt to slaughter the other in include Scrabble and Uno Attack. Games that we play with other couples or his family include Apples to Apples and (our favorite) hand & foot. We have discovered, however, that we enjoy competing as a team nearly as much as against each other. We were a force to be reckoned with the last time we played hand and foot as a team! Guess that dating ESP comes in handy :0)

6. Historical Landmarks
We're also both big history buffs, so the fact that we live amid such history is a positive. We're planning to go to the battlefield at Shiloh sometime later this summer, and of course in this area there's TONS of other historical stuff to see. One of our favorites (although not necessarily cheap) was the Ghost Tour in Nashville last fall. Fun stories mixed in with a bunch of history.

7. Video game nights
I've had a lot of fun on the nights that we sit with little controllers in our hand and escape to a world of...something. Anthony is still shocked and amazed that I enjoy playing Halo. I also love Little Big Planet, Flower and Infamous. And of course, there's always a little Rock Band action thrown in!
It's important that you don't do TOO much of this I think. But everything in balance, right honey? Speaking of...we need to do a video game night soon!

8. Live music
Nashville has a plethora of concerts and ticketed events to attend on a weekly basis. However, there are probably 10 small shows to every 1 large event. Covers range from 0-$15 a head, most falling in the $5 range. Supporting local musicians and the establishments they play in is a bonus.
(this brings in my favorite--the pub. Free live Irish music all weekend, Sundays is $3 pint night. Lovely. I can get a pint of woodchuck and a side potato salad and tip at 100% for $10).

9. Putt-putt or bowling
Sometimes more fun as a group activity, sometimes better enjoyed as a couple. You gotta love the prices, and if you eat before you go (dinner at your place or mine) it's even better.

10. Local wineries
Often free or very cheap, and one that's fairly close to us even encourages you to bring a picnic and enjoy the grounds for as long as you like. They're usually gorgeous, and they have good samples...
(of course in the land of Jack Daniels I should also mention that a trip to the distillery is in our near future as well)

Bonus: Just be
We've discovered that even the mundane is more fun when we're together. Hence our date nights often include a "honey? do you mind if we run to Target for a minute?" Anthony has suggested that once the humidity dies down we take blankets to a nearby grassy area and just read together. Possibly pack a picnic lunch, maybe play a game or something. We just enjoy spending time together, so at this point anything we do seems fun. Are we mushy-gushy or what? :P

Not ME!

McMama and Stellan are home! Go to her blog to catch up, and to join in on the not me fun!

So last week was not crazy, and I was not looking forward to a relaxing weekend...and it was not even better than I thought!

I did not get to babysit for 2 of my favorite families (oh, who am I kidding. I do not have tons of favorite families. My babysitting clients are not all wonderful!). But I did not get sweet toddler boy hugs (and lots of fire truck sound effects) on Friday night, and fun girly (x3) time on Saturday! It was not the best of both worlds, and I did not enjoy both evenings tremendously!

I do not also have pictures from the zoo again. Anthony and I did not join the zoo on Saturday and we did not go with our good friends Andy and Mandy. We did not have a blast even though it was misty-raining the whole time. This time, we did not spend most of our time at the clouded leapard exhibit. We did not meet the coolest guy there, who did not have an awesome camera and a fantastic website full of pictures he's taken of our big cats as well as other awesome things! I did not watch him take this picture! This guy does not work at the zoo, and does not travel to South Africa at least once a year. We were not all uber-impressed with him.

I'm not going to close by simply posting a few zoo pics. Do not have a fabulous Monday, all!


because we're dorks...

(Anthony makes a great meerkat!)

A barrage of photos and video...

Right off the nature channel...ew!


I Love how the Bengal tigers stopped and posed for me (top left pic)

Not Me Monday (version 2.0)

Before I get into all that, please continue your prayers for Stellan...I know they're much appreciated!

Now, on to confess what I have and (have not) done over the past few hours...

So my birthday weekend (was not) amazing and fun. We (did not) spend Friday with great friends playing rock band, eating jerk burgers {my request...I (do not) LOVE my beef!}, and teaching them...you guessed it...hand and foot. We (did not) leave at a very late hour and I (did not) stay up until 3 am watching tv after Anthony dropped me back at my house. I'm (not) a night owl at heart and (did not) decide to indulge that part of me.

Saturday I most certainly (did not) sleep in and upon waking (did not) decide that since it was my birthday I would be lazy and do nothing of a productive nature...I (would never!) do something like that. It (was not) an absolutely *gorgeous* day, which (did not) thrill me since it had been predicted that it would be rainy and gloomy all day long. That afternoon I (did not) go to rehearsal and then sing at Mass...and we (did not) have tornado watches and warnings by the time service ended at 6 pm! We (did not) decide to still go out to a Mexican place for dinner with the choir, and I (did not...absolutely DID NOT) end up with a sombrero on my head...and there is (absolutely NO) photographic evidence of this on multiple cameras!

Sunday I (did not) end up piddling around getting ready for church and my friend Angie's visit that I was late to class with the youth group...it was all good though :0) After class and church we (did not) go to the zoo where the main attraction (was not) WHITE BABY TIGERS!!! :0) Our zoo (does not) have them for only a couple of months, so this (was not) a special thing. Of course, Anthony (did not) drag me into the reptile house on the way... :0) On the way out of the zoo we (did not) stop by the gift shop where I (did not) fall in love with a stuffed white baby tiger...which Anthony (did not) sweetly buy for me.

After the zoo I (did not) babysit for a small groups--I (did not) get to play with 4 adorable boys between the ages of 11-22 months...and they (were not) a ton of fun! And after I (didn't) do that, I (did not) drive back across town to my house, where one of my best friends from high school (was not) waiting for me at my house...because she's (not) here to spend a couple of days! We (did not) turn around and immediately go to the Pub, which (is not) one of my favorite places, and I (did not) meet up with some other friends there.

I (do not) have pictures of all of this posted on facebook, and I certainly (will not) post some of them here. Oh, and I most certainly (don't) have video footage of the WHITE BABY TIGERS :0)