this and that. that and this.

i rarely share with you the "things" we do. i often discuss my thoughts, passions, concerns, and funnies. so, today i thought i'd give you a quick update on what we've been up to this year [can you believe it's already march?!]. our year is off to a slow, enjoyable start [thank goodness].

- during the first week of january keith and i spoke at UNC to a class of med students about my life with epilepsy. it was an awesome experience and would love the opportunity to speak again.

- over MLK weekend we were in raleigh for two hockey games. i was able to catch up with ashley for lunch on sunday at a new restaurant, chuy's. it was delish! [hockey was on a hiatus during the olympics. so we haven't been to a home hockey game in almost a month. that is crazy talk.]

- we've had a lot of snow days. i think we've either been delayed or missed between 7-8 days. it's been fun, but along with the rest of the southeast, i am ready for spring.

- valentine's weekend: keith and i really make no effort to celebrate valentine's day, but this weekend ended up doing lots of amazing things. we started our day with brunch at the scullery, a cute cafe downtown that we've been itching to try. it was so, so yummy [we will definitely be back!]. then we headed to kinston to mother earth brewing, followed by the boiler room for southern poutine and picklebackers. lastly, we got a drink and dinner at villedge, another favorite spot in town. we had a delicious food and drink tour of greenville.

pictures from respective facebook pages

- another great weekend in greenville was spent in the sunshine. we took orso to a new park. we hit some golf balls at the driving range. and ended our day with beers and apps outside at winslows.

- the last weekend of february keith and i took trips, separate trips. he went with the boys to asheville. they ate and drank their way through 13 breweries and countless restaurants. he is still exhausted. i went with the girls on a relaxing beach getaway to topsail beach. we went for runs/walks on the beach, enjoyed the sunshine and beautiful water views. we tried to shop [many stores and restaurants were still closed up for the season]. however, the trailer bar did not disappoint! it was a wonderful weekend to get away and catch up with my girls!

mountain vs. sea views

other things worth a mention:
i am so excited and happy with my physical fitness. i am running a 5k in april [yay!]. every day i feel stronger and more confident in myself. workouts are a vital part of my day. they help me through the best of days and through the crummiest of days. [a much more detailed blog on this is in the works].

i have the desire motivation to do more with my life and time. is it through writing? is it through art? is it through volunteering? is it through more education? is it through starting my own business? all of the above?


and now it's march. MARCH. and it is still freaking cold. what the hell? but the weather is supposed to be beautiful this weekend, so we are looking forward to yet another fun weekend on tap [hockey, ECU baseball, driving range, park...basically anything outdoors]. our year hasn't started off too busy, which is good because looking ahead i see many events on the calendar and a crazy, as usual schedule on the horizon. so, we will enjoy these next few quiet weekends while we have them.

i hope your year is off to a wonderful beginning and that you all are staying warm [spring is near...i promise]!

xoxo,
ks

SNOW DAYS

last week the entire southeast was shutdown. shutdown due to a massive winter storm. winter storm leon impacted nine states. even florida got snow! however, many will say us southerners "overreacted" to a "few inches of snow". those people are also known as the rest of the US. in my little town we got 1" of ice with 4.5 inches of snow on top of that. that is a big deal. mainly because we do not have the resources to deal with that kind of winter weather. we have three snow plows. three. i am sure the city of new york has three snow plows for one city block.

i know that winter weather makes southerners act ridiculous. let's just get that established and out of the way.

we are not well versed in snow. my town's average annual snowfall is 2.5 inches. the national average is 23 inches. so yeah, snow is kind of a big deal. snowfall = snow days. hell, just the threat of snow equals a snow day. it's ridiculous, yet true. the reason this happens is because...

we are unprepared for snow. sure we have some salt to put on the roads. but we ran out of salt during leon. we had none [how does that happen?]. however, in our defense, we really have zero motivation to be prepared for a snow storm. again, our annual snowfall 2.5 inches. it's not much. and typically those 2.5 inches occur over many light snow storms and flurries. so there is no need for a plow or salt. and the best news about snow in the south? it melts two days later. why? because it is now 60 degrees, that's why. we can just let mother nature clean up our snow and ice. we don't have snow storm on top of snow storm on top of snow storm. we slept with our windows open last night. insane.

so, yes, snow makes us ridiculous. we don't claim to be experts in it. snow makes us feel childlike. because snow happens so rarely down south, it is fun for us. it is not an inconvenience. we don't miss too much work or struggle getting around town. it goes away as quickly as it came down. we don't "learn" how to drive on ice and snow pack [because it's dangerous and stupid], but also because we don't have to. by the time we even think about driving in hazardous road conditions, it is already melting away.

needless to say, winter storm leon [yes, they have names now] was fun and exciting for us. most people missed between 2-4 days of work. leon was a different storm. it was a BIG storm. the snow only really started melting because it rained on saturday. 4.5 inches of snow?! wow!
keith and i enjoyed a mini, unplanned vacation. we played in the snow with the dogs. walked the neighborhood many times. watched movies. i completed several projects. on friday [when the roads were clear], we went out for dinner. it was nice to relax at home for a few days. ahhh....i feel rejuvenated! thank you, leon. 

i know people who live in other places will find all of this a bit silly, but when snow is not part of the everyday, it is exciting, debilitating, enjoyable, hazardous, and thrilling.

when things become a part of the mundane, everyday they lose their sparkle. so i guess you could say, in the south, the snow still sparkles.

xoxo,
ks