Weekend Recap

Ah, the first weekend of the summer! It truly came and went so quickly. This weekend we headed to Fayetteville to visit Joe's family. We spent Friday catching up with his sister and nieces.  On Saturday we adventured out to Fuquay Varina. We took my mother in law thrift shopping and explored the local markets. There were some great finds on furniture that would have been perfect in our home. Unfortunately, we had no way of fitting it into Joe's tiny Honda. Now I am determined to find some great deals in town. If there is an antique store or estate sale nearby you better believe I will be there! Sunday we headed home and spent the day catching up on home projects. We planted a vegetable garden and are starting to see produce!

The start of our vegetable adventure

 Last week, we had home grown lettuce and kale. This week I am hoping to have vine ripened tomatoes! The night was spent watching the passing summer showers and catching up on Mad Men. We are still a few seasons behind so please no spoilers! 

Just a side note to end... this is my current view while writing this post:

Sleepy Charlie

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! 

Best Wishes,

Ashley

Five on Friday

One of the huge benefits of working for a school system is the summer break. This past week has been my first full week off of work for the summer. I have to admit I have been working hard for this break for the past month. I have spent my days week catching up on cleaning that had taken the backseat, soaked up some sun and spent quality time with our new pup Charlie. It has been so nice to just relax with no real schedule or pressing deadline. I also have been thinking about what I want to accomplish this summer during the break. For today's 5 on Friday I came up with 5 things I want to accomplish off my summer bucket list.

1. Stand Up Paddle Boarding- This sport is becoming extremely popular in my little beach town and I think it sounds like a blast!  I think the best way to describe it is a combination of kayaking on a surfboard or paddle board. There are several companies nearby that offer lessons by the hour or half-day tours.

(via)

2. Make home made ice cream. - I am a sucker for homemade ice cream. The more unique the flavor the better. I have an ice cream maker that has been gathering dust all winter. I truly need to break it out and try out new and exciting flavors!

(via Pinterest)

3. Build my own planters for the porch. - Starting from scratch has been very hard with knowing what to plant and where. Our patio is a work in progress, we have made a lot of changes but there is still a long way to go!  I think these planters would bring a lot of structure and color to our bare patio.

(via Pinterest)

4. Take a road trip.- I am itching for us to go on vacation. The location does not matter as much to me as the chance to get away for a long weekend with Joe. We have been throwing around heading to Charleston, Raleigh, Atlanta or Savannah in August before school starts back. I am so ready to start planning!

(via)

5. Host a cookout. - I would love to have all of our friends over this summer for a cookout. We can hang out by the neighborhood pool with drinks and grill out. No worries, just catching up and enjoying summer! 

(via)

What's on your summer bucket list?

Best wishes,

Ashley 

Workout Wednesday

Here is a quick rundown of my fitness routine these days, I typically run a few miles 2-3 times per week for cardio in addition to strength training. I have been itching for a goal to train for and to keep me motivated this summer. So, this week I have started training for the Marine Corps Half Marathon in September. The major change to my running routine is going to be consistency and getting in higher mileage. This also means lots of early morning runs to beat the heat.

  Here is this weeks training schedule:

Half-Marathon Training: Week 1

Monday: Off

Tuesday: 4 miles

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: 4 miles

Friday: 3 miles

Saturday: Off

Sunday: 6 miles

I typically do my longer runs on Saturday followed by an amazing brunch  but we will be out of town visiting Joe's family Saturday. So I am hoping to squeeze in a quick run before church Sunday. 

In addition to running, I will be going to Pure Barre classes 4-5 times a week. 

It is a great compliment to running. The classes help me focus on my core and upper body which get neglected when I just focus on running. I have been going to Pure Barre for 3 months now and am in love with the results! My thighs and booty are much more toned. Also, my abs are starting to get definition. If you have not tried this type of workout I highly recommend it! If there is not a Pure Barre near you Fitnessista and Tone it Up have great barre inspired videos.

Best Wishes,

Ashley

Five on Friday

Tropical Storm Andrea is currently visiting our wonderful little town. I am praying that everyone stays safe and (relatively) dry. I love living on the coast and have learned that unfortunately with the warm weather and beautiful beaches comes hurricane season. While we are forced to stay indoors for a few days, I am staying dry and dreaming of summer sunshine that is sure to come. I am already planning my bag in my mind. Here is what I would love to bring as part of my five on Friday.

Beach essentials: 

1. An adorable bikini (or two)

 Mara Hoffman

Mikonos Bikini

2. A large beach bag filled with delicious snacks and drinks. 

Scout Bag

Summer Drinks

3. The perfect sun hat and neutral sandals.

Sun Hat

Tory Burch Sandals

4. A monogrammed cover-up for breezy summer nights.

Monogrammed Fishing Shirt

5. A few good reads. 

Summer Reading

Best Wishes,

Ashley

Weekend Review 5/31- 6/2

This weekend we headed up to Topsail Island to visit some friends at their beach house. We spent an relaxing Saturday enjoying the quiet beach watching the waves roll in. There were a few brave souls swimming. But it is not warm enough for me yet!

For dinner Saturday night, we headed to Daddy Mac's a local oceanfront seafood restaurant. 

We split the homemade crab dip for an appetizer which was the perfect blend of creaminess and crab. I had one of their specialty drinks called the Captain Loco. It was a mix of rum and bananas all topped with raspberry puree. It hit the spot after a long day in the sun. For dinner I had a house salad and bowl of lobster bisque. I am normally one to order soup but after trying this seafood based dish I am going to have to do this more often!!  Joe had the crab cakes which were also amazing!

Sunday we woke up early in time to go on a short walk on the beach before heading back home.

 Sundays are always the catch-up day. So we spent most of it tending the garden, running errands and getting ready for another work week! I was able to squeeze in a Pure Barre class and a nice run  before dinner. For dinner, we hung out around the grill cooking local veggies and hamburgers which is the perfect way to end the weekend!

Best Wishes,

Ashley