What’s Up Lately.
Episode 003.
I’m sitting here on a Sunday morning waiting for the storms to roll in.
I hope that you’re having a lovely Sunday.
This past week has found me returning to some moments of self-care.
Pilates.
If you’ll recall from my last update, I was on the final push for decluttering and some deep cleaning. Since it includes scrubbing baseboards and mopping wood floors amongst other things, I ended up not going to my Pilates classes.
This week, not only did I attend Pilates, but after each class, I spent some time in the steam room. Over the summer, on the days that I was able to make it to Pilates, I was always in such a rush that I needed to leave directly after class. Taking the time to go to the steam room made me feel like I was finally making some time for myself.
Hair.
It was also time for my six-week refresher on my cut and color.
I used to go sooo long between hair appointments because I felt guilty about taking time for myself and the cost involved in having my hair highlighted.
Around the first quarter of this year, I started booking my next appointment while I was there getting my hair done. This made all the difference. Now I show up every 6 weeks. I catch up with my hairdresser and leave there feeling beautiful.
Falafel.
We are still trying to eat closer to vegetarian. I was telling my husband about this wrap that I had in London where the main ingredient was falafel. Also, over the summer, I met a friend at a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant in Naples and had falafel. Then Joey was talking about falafel, so we looked it up and found that the same Mediterranean restaurant was in Roanoke.
It’s called Zoe’s Kitchen. We went to dinner there and had the Mediterranean Trio bowl with falafel. I knew that it would become my husband’s new favorite style of food to eat.
I was right.
I may try to recreate these “bowls” at home.
Have you tried falafel? Do you have any good Mediterranean recipes to share?
Sunrise and Birthdays.
Wednesday was my birthday.
I wrote a post about turning 41. If you missed it, you can find it here.
It’s amazing how much difference a year can make. Last year, my family had just ridden out Hurricane Irma. I detailed the experience from my end in this post. At the time, I wasn’t sure if my mother would have any cell service to be able to get through for her traditional singing of “happy birthday” to me. She did end up finding a sliver of a signal and was able to sing to me.
This year, no storm was looming across Florida and she called to sing to me. She followed up with a gorgeous shot of the sunrise that was seen on her way to work.
German and Birthdays.
Big Mr. has decided that he would eventually like to visit Germany. In preparation for that, he has started to study German every day. He is using the DuoLingo app that I used during my month of working on Spanish.
He did call me to wish me a happy birthday. Then he followed up with a text in German. While I suspected what it might say given that it was my birthday, I do not know German. I ran it through Google translate.
Isn’t Google translate amazing?!
Birthday Dinner.
Originally, I thought I’d be sitting near the fields and reading a book while Miss Sunshine had soccer practice. However, the rain had left the fields saturated and practice was canceled. We decided to set reservations at this fancy Brazilian restaurant that overlooks part of town.
I’ve only had a martini once…a chocolate one at that…and I don’t think I liked it much. My husband had one (years ago…before I knew him) and didn’t think he liked it that much.
However, this restaurant felt like stepping back in time and we decided that it called for trying a martini. I opted for one that was called “sunburned” and he went for a classic. Mine was okay but definitely strong. I tasted his…and omg…it tasted like straight gin. We decided it was a fun to drink out of the fancy glass, but we probably won’t be ordering another one anytime soon.
Ancestry DNA.
Recently Ancestry.com had a sale on their DNA kits. We asked our teens if they’d like to take the test just for curiosity’s sake. They all did. Miss Sunshine’s came back last weekend and the boys came back on Thursday. Ancestry has an update where they refined the ethnicity due to more reference samples. Miss Sunshine just got in under the update and so we are able to see both estimates. Even though they arrived the same day, the boys were processed after hers and I can’t see what the estimate would have been under the old testing.
The results were not that surprising, but I have a variety of thoughts regarding the outcomes. Be on the lookout for a future post on that.
Photography.
I also found my way back to one of my loves this week.
Photography.
I began working on editing my photos once again. You may have seen some of them on Instagram.
This one is of Carolina Beach, North Carolina.
Hurricane Florence.
Our family normally vacations at Carolina Beach, which is just outside of Wilmington. North Carolina has obviously taken the brunt of the hurricane.
I spent part of this week gathering supplies for the arrival of Hurricane Florence. At one point, it was estimated that Roanoke could receive 10-20″ of rain. Our grounds are already completely saturated from prior rains.
The estimate has gone down as the storm has pushed westward. However, they are still expecting some flooding due to the rise of rivers and possible mudslides on the mountains.
I hope that you are not in the path of the storm and that the sun is shining brightly wherever you are.
Let your light shine!
Amy
Enjoy your day.
Thank you! I hope you’ve had a lovely day. 🙂
Thank you
Enjoy life. Keep writing. You workout after having 3 kids. Great motivator for laZy people
Thanks so much! I’m finally becoming more consistent with my workouts, but that’s a more recent addition to my life. I definitely have my days where I’d rather sit and read. 🙂
Hmm. Cool . Do share some regime , if you follow.
Great post 😁
Thank you!! 🙂
No problem 😁 check out my blog when you get the chance 🙂
I’ll be sure to check it out. 🙂
Your hair looks beautiful!! So glad you treat yourself Having your hair done and minimal roots makes ALL the difference.
I love falafel! So good!
That’s also so inspiring your husband is learning German.. how cool.
The martinis look great! I definitely get them on very rare occasions too- would much rather have a glass of wine!
So fun that you did Ancestry.com. I’ve wanted to do the 23 and me for a while, but am thinking maybe asking for it as a Christmas gift or something since it is pretty pricy!
Thanks for sharing, Amy! Always love your updates.
Thank you Mackenzie. Minimal roots do make ALL the difference!!
Next up, I need to make falafel.
My oldest son is practicing the German, but he’s trying it out on all of us, so I’m hoping to learn a few bits and pieces!
I agree…wine over martinis any day for me.
I like the extra things 23 and me looks at and have considered having my done there as well, but I think I’d have to get it as a gift too. 🙂
Oh I’m glad you had some falafel! I had another today 🙂
For years I drank dirty vodka martinis, that was my drink. After I had the babies, I stopped liking them so much and I’m kind of a rum person now. *shrugs* The last good martini I had was at this place called Tini, where the specialize in them, and it’s called Sex on the Avenue. It’s been about a year now, but if I went back, I’d order one again. I’m glad you got to celebrate!
We went back to Zoe’s that Thursday. I opted for a spinach, mushroom and cheese piadina, but the hubby went back for the same falafel trio bowl.
I like rum drinks. A good margarita may be one of my favorites. I don’t do a lot of overly sweet so the drinks I used to enjoy when younger are too sweet these days.
It sounds like your corner of the world is starting to return to normal – in spite of the scare of Hurricane Florence.
Thanks for the nudge about falafel. I love falafel and never think of making it. You can guess what’s going to be on my menu this week 🙂
It is slowly returning to normal. It couldn’t have come a moment too soon.
I haven’t attempted to make falafel yet. It needs to go on my list too!! 🙂
I love falafel. I made falafel wraps for the kids last night (Soup for me still). But the big kids love it. Little one’s end up with salad in theirs – which is still a win! Also so loving your beach pic!
I need to learn to make falafel. I haven’t attempted that yet. Great win with the kids! I hope you get to move beyond soup soon!!
I’m glad you loved the beach pic! 🙂
I love Falafel’s, and Sharawarma, and oh, I could on, and on, but I love food, and I’ll eat anything that doesn’t eat me first! He-Man and I went to a favorite Greek place last week and had a veggie sampler plate we love and share. It has falafels in it or on it.
I bought a falafel mix years ago and made some falafel balls, but it requires deep frying, which is messy, and what to do with all the used oil has kept me from making it again. I just go out for it.
Your hair looks lovely! I’m glad you’re getting back to normal over on the East coast.
Ancestry.com just sent me my updated results…I’m still surprised by them, and mine had some interesting updates besides, but more in line with what I expected. My kids and He-Man aren’t interested in doing theirs, but I keep asking.
I haven’t tried shawarma, but I looked it up and I need to add that to my must try list!
There are some Greek restaurants around town that I’m making note of to visit.
I don’t love the messiness of deep frying.
Thank you! I’m so happy that things are slowly becoming normal on this coast.
My results were in line with what I expected, but when you take into consideration all of them together, it makes me think they still have some tweaking to do.
Hope you had a terrific birthday! 😀
I love falafel! Unfortunately, I don’t love to cook, so I mostly have to be dining out in order to get to enjoy it. 😛
Thank you!! It was a nice day!
I used to love to cook, but when the kids became pickier and pickier, it took away my interest. Maybe in the future. lol.