Photos

please, please, please- don’t wait

There is no other way I can say it besides now is the time.

Like right this minute. 

If there’s something you’ve been wanting/wishing/trying to muster up the energy, confidence, “right time” for- start today.

If you’ve really wanted to make a change for a long time but haven’t gotten around to it- start today.

If you’ve been meaning to clear your schedule to take care of something important to you- start today.

If you have the choice to take an hour to spend with yourself, with your partner, your kids, your friends, neighbor, your aunt, your uncle, your grandparent your parents, your dog, or your frog, and ditch on that never-ending to-do list or time-wasting work meeting- do it today.

If you love someone and haven’t told them in a while, stop anything and everything you might be doing right now and pick up the phone and tell them, go next door and hug them, get in your car and drive to them, open up Skype and blow kisses through the screen at them, write them a letter, run outside and scream it out loud…

…while you can. 

Today I have to say goodbye to this smiling face:

My Friend Katie

…who’s been in my life since I was a middle-school kid.

My Friend Katie

Katie, my constant hometown friend of years and years who was a most amazing sweet, kind, genuine, generous, selfless, happy, funny and positive person- passed away last week. The above photos were taken during my BLR Play It Forward event time last year in Vermont.

I didn’t get home in time to see her this summer, and she lost her fight before our coffee date that was scheduled for this week.

My heart feels ripped to shreds, but Katie inspires me to share this:

Don’t wait. Life is so short. We get busy, we think tomorrow will come for sure, we always think we have more time- and sometimes we don’t. Please give yourself a gift by reaching out to your loved ones to tell them what they mean to you. Follow your heart, your dreams, your crazy ideas. Go do, be, see, laugh, love, live it up. Be courageous. Fear is nothing. Nothing is scary until you lose someone you love so much and no longer have an option to spend time together.

Remember what’s important, celebrate the memories you have, and live like today is the day.

Thank you, Katie for bringing so much joy to this world and so much light to my life. I promise to live, love, and celebrate everyday I have. You will always be in my heart.

8
0

some faces that inspire me to always keep trekking

Our event weekend is approaching fast, just 10 days away! Thanks to the Bennington Banner for getting the word out locally for us.

I’m honored to host this annual community event, and so appreciative to all who come out, donate, and/or participate so we can keep the memory of these amazing girls alive:

Dedication page

Here’s to loving & living like today is the day.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

#ThingsThatMatter #PlayForwardGiveBack #StrongMojoForever

1
0

LET. LOVE. RULE.

Well this is some of the best news that could ever come across the airwaves!!! (And it totally deserves a triple exclamation point.)

My sister visited this week. I took this photo of her to send to a sick friend, but how perfect an image for a day like today?

With heart

So incredibly happy for many friends and families today. Love will always win. Period.

YAY! Finally!

#LetLoveRule #Equality #LoveAlwaysWins

0
0

this week last year

Because I am a nerd, and I live a life of reflections, I thought I’d peruse the ol’ iPhoto today to see what I was up to during this week last year. I found photos of cocktails & dinner in Charleston during a work trip!

Check out our visit to Xiao Bao Biscuit- recommendation from an old foodie friend who lives in Charleston:

IMG_5032

Xiao Bow Biscuit is located in an old auto shop/garage and a cool, hip, clean space. The servers/bartenders were all attractive & fit young guys wearing simple grey v-neck t-shirts. (Ahem, single ladies- let’s just say charm, talent, and good bod be found here. Come one and all! Meow.) We ordered the recommended cabbage pancake from the menu, which I usually would have made the barf face at, until it came and I ate it- then we ordered a second one because it was that good:

Charleston Eats

Who likes cabbage?! I do now.

My silly partner in crime mimicked what the fish he ordered looked like:

Charleston Eats

I’m not a fish girl, so this was not my thing, but he was like a ravenous beast in heaven eating dinner. Results?

Charleston Eats

…just skin & bones, baby!

We had a great time here, then wandered the streets to the next recommended bar where we got yummy cocktails & dessert. Charleston is chucked full of endless delicious eateries and places to get good drinks. Mark your calendar and plan a trip to this little charming southern city- you will be glad you did.

#RoadTrips #Flashback #Foodies

0
0

as i sit here

…I’m breathing in a moment of feeling lucky.

I’m house/dog sitting in Uptown Charlotte, NC currently, sipping through sunset to night skyline time and doing a little reading & thinking. Pretty awesome:

CLT sunset

Sunset Charlotte

CLT Sunset

CLT Sunset

Loving summertime warm nights. Loving a balcony on the 35th floor. Loving watching a city skyline light up as night comes in.

What’s your sunset view?

#CLT #LifeInTheSouth #SkylineSunsets

0
0

time to get your soccer on!

Calling all MAU Women’s Alumni! We are just one month away from our Annual BLR Play It Forward event. Time to register is now!

Click here and get your name in the mix of hometown fun & doing good. We want YOU!

A perfect time of year to be inspired by the Women’s World Cup:

BLR PLay It Forward 2015

July 11th

2pm

Willow Park Fields

Bennington, VT

Be there!

BLR Play It Forward 2012

BLR Play It Forward 2012

BLR Play It Forward 2012

Remember. Celebrate. Live.

#BLRPlayItForward #PlayForwardGiveBack #StrongMojo

0
0

dashboard ride along

Smiling this morning because of an unexpected text message coming in at 8:20am from my friend Franklin with this photo:

Dashboard Road Trip

…accompanied by two little words:

ROAD TRIP.

Yeah! I even love the bug guts. It’s like I’m along for the ride with him. Totally awesome.

Now if I could only get these stickers spread throughout the land even more, and cheerlead more people to just hop in their cars and hit the open road of everything possible in this life.

*(Insert side note interruption of post…bonus! As I sit here at Starbucks writing, a guy sits next to me and I compliment him on being the second well-dressed man in that seat since my arrival. He’s reading a book about travel, National Parks, etc. We chat, chat, chat on general life stuff, writing, the importance of young people taking a Gap Year, etc. Super pleasant surprise? Absolutely. I could’ve talked to him for hours. A perfect stranger who shares much of the same thoughts on life. Love those kind of random interactions. It’s as if they are meant to be:)

There I go on a tangent again. Off to the gym…

Thank you for the photo Franklin, and the coffee chat, Russell!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all. I don’t know about you, but freedom is my absolute favorite thing, so here’s to honoring, appreciating, and giving huge thanks to those who serve so we can have it.

What do you do that makes you feel free?

#RoadTrips #GoingPlaces #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad

0
0