Photo Shoots & Cold Pressed Juices

One of my favorite things about Cincinnati is that, especially now, it's constantly evolving and adding new dots to the map. Ten years ago, OTR wouldn't have drawn any legitimate interest from many people, but now it's a hub for some of the most delicious and attractive places here in the city.

Today started off with all smiles anyway; it was our 2015 marketing kickoff today, which meant dolling up in Express gear and bringing our A-game smiles. I love these opportunities because for us, it's never just pictures - we have a blast doing this sort of thing and inevitably have some hilarious outtakes when we're done.

Here's a couple of the highlights that we chose for our New Year's greeting card!

i ♥ this team!

It's been said that your work family can definitely be your second family; I don't know about the rest of you, but that couldn't be more true for me and this group of people. These ladies [& one gent] are the people with whom I spend most of the weekday daylight with, and I am beyond grateful that they are who they are and that we can blend the way we do.

Oh, and of course: where there are photo opps, there is always yoga.... duh!

elisa & cori : office yogis! 

Goooo figure ;)

Aaaanyway, once we'd reorganized everything that had been displaced for the sake of photography, Elisa suggested we try out a new place in Hyde Park Square: The Weekly Juicery.

the weekly juicery | hyde park, cincinnati, oh

Now, before you jump to conclusions off whatever preconceived notion you have about juice bars, let me say this: You're probably both right and wrong.

the weekly juicery | hyde park, cincinnati, oh 

If you're in the camp of people who think these places are frilly, overpriced watering holes for the privileged yogis with a weird obsession for $10 shots of wheat grass, well.... you're 90% there. This place is placed strategically across the street from a Lulu Lemon shop, on a block of retailers that yes, cater to the more... refined shopper, if you will. If you are one of those folks who frequents that level of spending on the reg, well hey, good for you - I'm not knocking you, but let's all level up here: Juice bars are a luxury, and as such by default need luxury surroundings to survive.

So that's true. Now, if you happen to be one of those artsy, free-range folks fascinated with all things local ... and fun... and artsy-fartsy like you are, then this place-and those like it- will appeal to you at face value based on those things alone.

See?

i admit i do love that. :p 

Well anyway, I'm certainly not one of those people who would be at this place every day, but I'm never opposed to checking out new things and giving them a shot.

never take yourself too seriously ;) 

Long story short, $20 later, Elisa and I had two bottles of cold pressed, locally bottled goodness:

$10/ea.

I'm 50/50 on the experience. I'm glad that Cincinnati is joining the ranks of juicebar cities, but at the end of the day, I don't know that it's gonna become one of my things, if that makes sense. It'll be a while before I'm on that level.

I'd definitely recommend you at least check it out, whether you're into that kind of thing or not. Expensive or not, it's still yummy, & a refreshing break in the day!

Here's to a day well spent, & a week hopefully the same!

xo | cmd

And It Begins!

Let this be NOTED... that for the first time in.... EVER, Rob and I have together started planning something IN ADVANCE.

Yes, I know the date we've just tentatively chosen is something close to 20 months from now, but one of my resolves from yesterday is to pace myself, and to act with patience and purpose, combined. That being said, the fact that we've identified a date for ourselves is a hugely monumental accomplishment for me. So yeah.

!!!!

On top of that, we've identified our intended bridal party. With hopes that that won't change in the next 20 months, either, we're pretty certain that those things are now taken care of. 

From here on out, the planning's going to come in increments, so for now, I would greatly appreciate any and all prayers for the process and for us as we cover the ground in between and prepare for the commitment of spending the rest of our lives with each other. 

Oh, and from the planning standpoint, let's keep it light-hearted! 

;) 

Cheers to love, patiences & lots+lots of Pinteresting! 

xo | cmd

Treehouse Trekkers

It is safe to say that this weather is just... drab. It's gray everywhere, and on top of that, it's raining. It's just... meh.

Gee, thanks for the sunny opener, right?
Don't worry, the middle part was actually pretty daggone awesome.

This is Becky:

hi becky! 

In case you're stumbling on this for the first time, or probably the more realistic scenario of having your own life and not keeping constant tabs on me and mine, here's my relationship with Becky in a nutshell:

2003: Met her for the first time. She was my RA (resident advisor) for the 12th floor of good old Calhoun Hall on UC's campus.
2003-2007: Played soccer at UC, and then all over God's green earth (indoor, by that) with this girl.
2004: Specifically noted, she somehow talked me into running Nippert stadium. Every. Single. Step. Consecutively. DIE, STADIUM STAIRS. 

2009-2012: She & I stay in minimal contact as we travel all over the place in separate directions.
2012: We reconnect after we both crash & burn in totally unrelated but very similar ways.

2014: We fast-forward through the past couple years of personal re-building, healing & growth. She is .. and I see now has always been.. one of my best friends. 

*Tear! Yep. So that's Becky. On top of her grade-A friendship, she's one heck of a human being: from being an EMT, to fighting forest fires, traveling across the world several times, and managing the area's largest farmer's market, she's a force to be reckoned with, and I'm honored to call her a friend of mine. 

She's taking this personal growth thing to whole new levels. I introduced her to yoga at the end of 2014, and in turn, she introduced me to Earth Joy, which is a whole other world of awesome. I'm a hippie by default, so trees are kinda my thing. Climbing them, growing them, learning from them and of course being IN them... well, I'm all about it. 

So back in November when she said, 

Hey, wanna go on a retreat with me? It's in a treehouse built by Treehouse Masters, & we'll be meditating, journaling, hiking and just.. centering ourselves. You in? 

It took me a full .000034 seconds to oblige, and that came to fruition today.
She picked me up and we were off into the hills of Kentucky, pushing further and further away from the city, the business of life and all the obligations that are so good sometimes at redefining us right under our own noses. Shelly, the owner of Earth Joy, was there to meet us as we hiked from our car to the treehouse.

Yep. The treehouse:

so. flippin'. cool. ♥

That, ladies and gents, was completed in December 2014, and will air on the Feb 6, 2015 episode of TreeHouse Masters. That's right, Pete Nelson & Co. had their very hands on this project & turned at least 20 people today into believers of the work we previously only saw on the show.

We hiked down the hill and back up another to the treehouse.
Inside....

view from the main room up to the loft

balcony down.. hey girls! 

My favorite touches:

woodburning stove! 

& yes, that's an attached outhouse! ;) 

We joined a group of 18 women who were brought out today for their own reasons. We were together for a very short time today, but in that time were able to realize one very specific truth: Our concerns, fears, frustrations, expectations and goals are not that far off from the woman next to us. We are each entrenched in life at full speed, and whether it's a broken marriage, dissatisfying professional lives or just the general lack of spontaneity, we all came together today knowing that there's a better "us" buried beneath all the layers of life piled on top.

I couldn't unpack to you in this simple blog the bigger picture that I know could be achieved by consistently being serious about timeouts. Like.. treehouse serious. If I were to truly level up with my life and demand a breather to re-calibrate me, boy oh boy... watch out. :)

Except wait a second... that's exactly what we started scratching at today. Shelly led us on this journaling exercise that brought the past and present to parallel grounds, and provided a visual representation of the ground we've covered [or lost, in some cases] since that time. She challenged us to reckon with our goals for the future, and figure out why or why not we were holding them at an arm's length instead of pursuing them, wholly invested.

BOOM. Thanks again Becky, for inviting me to something that clearly was designed to speak to specifically me... haha. No really, though. After some journaling, small group encounters and open discussion, we embarked on a paired hike through the immediate terrain that completes nearly 200 acres of wooded property.

I felt like Katniss Freakin' Everdeen.
Minus the 'I'm-hunting-and-literally-being-hunted' part. 

bramble marries barn
deer rub tree
cicada shell.. gone for the winter 

We hiked, and we hiked a little bit more. It's amazing how much ground you can cover in just 30 minutes...

over the creekbed and through the woods... to the treehouse we go! ;) 

The process of maintaining myself for the entire year isn't something I could accomplish in just one day out there in the woods of Kentucky, but it's a surefire way to start. Where I want to be, verses what I want to be, versus what I am... those three things need to align with each other so we're moving forward together in the same direction and firing on all cylinders as we go.

My greatest gratitude today goes to Shelly & the EarthJoy operation. Thank you for having us out to that insanely beautiful treehouse, on property that in itself urges all the inner voices to silence. Thank you; I needed that!

we'll be back! ♥

Becky and I made it back to civilization, refreshed and encouraged to be committed to our goals. We just finished some sushi with Rob & Sydni, and have parted ways. I'm here with my little family now, thankful for their very existence, let alone what they contribute to my life. I think that's a pretty good way to wrap up a weekend!

Love & Honor from here!

xo | cmd

Guest Blog: Boulder Locavore [AKA... FOOD!]

The world wide web is home to literally every piece of information out there. Sure, the validity of some of what's posted may be questionable, but I don't know if I've yet hit the search engines with a question that answered, "No Results Available." The worst I think there's been is that little dinosaur guy from Chrome:

rawrrrr

^ And yes, I Googled that image. See my point?

Anyway, I was on a quest today for some new recipes to refresh my collection. For once in my life, I actually went on this mission with a full stomach, so as to avoid an impromptu grocery run right in the middle of it - you know, hungry shopping? My wallet hates hungry shopping.

So yeah, there I was, brain open to suggestions and the web at my fingertips. To say there is a plethora of foodie pages out there is like saying there's a couple drops of water in the ocean, but fortunately I managed to stumble on some good ones.

For the sake of time, here's the one I'm highlighting today: Boulder Locavore. It's authored and kept by this gal Toni Dash, and it's chock-full of that light & healthy - but still edible food that so many of us have promised ourselves for this year. Not only does she post the recipes, she additionally shares the nutritional value of what's in them, and why our bodies depend on some of the staple elements in each of her recipes [protein, amino acids, etc.]. Having grown up with my own mother and her holistic approach to... well, everything, I have to say I agree with a lot of what she has to say here!

One recipe that immediately caught my eye was this:

SLOW COOKER ALMOND MILK TAPIOCA PUDDING

1. I love tapioca pudding. 

2. I have - and enjoy using - a slow cooker. 

3. This one is dairy-free! 

4. I seriously... love tapioca. 

If you're a fan of tapioca the way I am, and either need or want a dairy-free option, do yourself a favor and go save that somewhere for yourself. Here's a preview: 

........ want. 

I will make that. NOM! 

Also on her page: 

GLUTEN+DAIRY-FREE OVERNIGHT QUINOA-CHIA CHOCOLATE BREAKFAST PUDDING

That's a mouthful.... but LOOK: 

yum! 

yes, please.

^ AND, it's overnight?! Bring.. it.. ON. 

The more I share this with you all now, the more excited I am to actually get this stuff in my fridge! 

Just a couple more. Perhaps something I highlighted that isn't a breakfast/dessert option.

LEAN TURKEY+BLACK BEAN QUINOA CHIPOTLE BURRITO BOWLS

I'm tellin' you, this gal knows the way to my heart! Lean turkey? Black beans? Quinoa? AVOCADO?!

Okay okay okay, one more. 

For something even lighter than lean meat, fresh fruit & quinoa options: 

COLD CUCUMBER NOODLE SALAD

Gahhhhhhhhh, YES. There's a lot going on with this salad, which includes toasted sesame dressing, watercress, mint & a few other things. 

drooling.

Folks, I will gladly be in the kitchen for a few days; Ms. Dash [wait... no way....]. your page has been bookmarked, and if you should ever roll out an app, consider it downloaded here. 

A lot of those recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free or otherwise catered so that you can adjust to your specific dietary requirements. I'm pretty excited to get on these. Oh, and for the record, in case you didn't notice, all of those pictures and recipes above are property of Boulder Locavore, which means that I didn't create, devise or otherwise own in any way/shape/form... any of that material. What I WOULD claim is a call for you to get yourself over to that page and see what looks like a fit for your kitchen :). 

Happy Eats! 

xo | cmd

Soccer, You Stranger....

Holy WHAT IN THE WORLD is wrong with my body?!

Okayokayokay. Let's get real here. I am nowhere near A) the peak of physical ability that I was this time even 6 years ago, and B) still in college soccer shape.

Like, not at all, apparently. I'm still not over it.
Tonight I was harshly reminded that in spite of any cardio I have currently incorporated into my regimen, and with complete disregard to anything yoga has grown in me, soccer will continue to prevail as one of the most demanding cardio activities ever.

With a mixture of severe disdain for my current lack of field tenacity and a [re-]developing resolve to demand my body to obey a revised course of immediate action, I fumbled my way through 40 minutes of indoor soccer. It was a pathetically-executed endeavor on my part, making the contrast of my field presence in 2004 to 10 years later all that more defined.

LONG STORY SHORT, this year will NOT end with me feeling the same way I do now.

ohhhhh, it's been a while! 

I do want to thank Rob & Sydni for being troopers and coming out to cheer Becky and me on, for the short time we were there. If I had to choose any two to sideline me, it would hands down be those two.

So there's that.... 2015's not gonna know what hit it when I come out on the other side. We can go ahead and label that a New Year's Resolution for the sake of categorization, but it's not going to stop there. Thirty and forward is gonna stay fit.

I'm gunnin' for you all over again, field ;)

xo | cmd

Proverbs 4:23

I was doing a little bit of reading this morning, something that I admit escapes me more often than not due to my love of sleeping in. Let's be honest: I'm not nearly as diligent as I need to be. 

BUT, this morning, I managed to get my Bible open before the work notebook, and realized that in spite of its worn-out spine, pages rubbed thin by my flipping them over the years and the overall appearance of a book, this thing... could never be fully absorbed. 

Here's the deal: I'm heading out this weekend with Becky for a mini retreat; we'll be in a treehouse reflecting on the road behind us and re-calibrating ourselves for the road of 2015. So much of what that will demand of me requires me to do one simple thing: 

Guard. My. Heart. 

guest blog : marianne! 

As with every worthwhile objective, it's easier said than done. It's a huge undertaking in and of itself; applying it to the daily drudge can be daunting if we don't know how to do it. I had that spark of inspiration to get in and do some writing of my own. That's kind of my thing whenever I feel compelled to translate the mess in my head into strings of words. 

And then.... I remembered that my awesome friend Marianne is currently overseas embedded in the field of missions and giving of herself to the field. There was a post of hers from December that is wholly applicable both then, now and really at any point. 

I give all the credit for this entry to her, and am thankful that she took the time to sit down and organize those thoughts into something we can all follow and reference. 

So if you're ready to really examine the question of why it's mandatory that we guard our hearts and minds [or what that even means??], then click HERE. 

If for some reason you can't click that, then just follow this link: 

http://isaiahsixeight.tumblr.com/post/105042431882/between-the-cappuccinos-and-the-gospel

Powerful stuff, am I right?!
Except seriously, I'm insanely proud of that girl & I'm grateful to have her as an added source of encouragement. Love you, Mare!

If you're interested in what she's doing over in Italy, check it out HERE.

prov 4:23

xo | cmd

Italian Skypes!

I had a Skype date with [The REAL] Slim Shady tonight! 

marianne!!!! 

Hey, she said it, not me. haha. Seriously though, if you didn't know, that's MARIANNE! And she's in Italy! And..... it's like 4am her time, and we just finished up talking.

For a Wednesday, I didn't have any extravagant things to report, but to say that I'm grateful for the conversation with Marianne today is a fair - and more than adequate - thing to be celebrating today.

If you've any interest in checking out her journey right now in Italy [and if you like being inspired!], check it out HERE. I really recommend that you do.

Oh, and while you're at it, maybe add in a prayer or two for that girl, for the mission she's on and for her safe return home in just a few short weeks. Love you, Mare!

xo | cmd