Roswell Living

 Roswell, Georgia holds a special place in my heart. It is where we bought our first house, hosted showers and parties for our friends,and where we have cerebrated big moments like promotions. So I thought I would share a few of our favorite spots! There are too many to count, because the city of Roswell has done such a good job on making this town feel small in a large suburb of Atlanta!

Outdoor: 

Hiking the Roswell Mill. This is an easy hike and pet friendly. A ton of people love to come and hang out by the banks of the small waterfall when the weather is just right. Roswell began as a mill town and you can still see the remnants on the hike!  The covered bridge is perfect for overlooking the mill and a photo op if hiking isn't really your thing! 

Food: 

There is no shortage of food options in Roswell. You can find everything french inspired food at Roux to down home BBQ!  Roswell Provisions provides that local cafe feeling with delicious sweet treats. The inside decor transports you into a little french cafe. Definitely stop in if you are exploring and want a quick pick me up!

While MacMagee's  isn't exclusive to downtown Roswell, it definitely gives you a local feel. This is one of our favorite places to grab a drink before dinner or take friends to listen to the local bands on Friday nights. The food is always good!

There are several BBQ spots in Roswell, but one of our favorites is Spiced Right Rib House. This family owned establishment always has great service and the freshest food. We love to take our family here because there is plenty of seating and great portions!

Local Breweries:

Gate City Brewing was one of Roswell's first breweries and has expanded due to the quality of service and the fun environment they bring to the downtown area. This is a family, dog and people friendly brewery. They also bring in local bands on Friday and Saturday nights. 

If beer isn't always your thing but your friends are really into the craft beer scene. they also have water and sodas for sale. The other great thing about downtown Roswell is that there is an open container policy. As long as you have it in a plastic cup you can walk around with your beverage. 

Newer to the local Roswell craft beer scene is From The Earth Brewing Co. is similar to a Wicked Weed vibe for those of you who have been to Ashville. Great food and an upscale atmosphere. Perfect for a relaxed date night!

OTF Transformation challenge: WEEK FOUR

Stronger, healthier, sleeping better: just a few things that participating in this challenge has done for me. I haven’t lost any more weight, but once again I can feel myself getting in shape.

 I am challenging myself to go faster, use heavier weights, care about the rowing portion. I used to hate rowing. Now I can see how much it does for my abdomen and is helping to sculpt my arms.

Next week is our official midpoint weigh-in. Hopefully this lean muscle I am building will help shred a few more pounds! 

An Annual Girls Trip Is Good For The Soul

My friends and I made a promise our senior year of college that we would always do a girls trip once a year. So far we have stuck to our promise and have made some pretty fun memories. Of course since most of us have gotten married some of these girls trips have been bachelorette parties, but only because we have done multiple in a year.

Last year was one of the first times we didn't have a bachelorette party and actually had to plan and pick a destination!

Austin, TX was our city of choice and it did not disappoint. The city has so much to offer and was surprisingly walkable. We did yoga, a drag queen brunch and of course hit the two bar scenes on Rainy St. and 6th street. 

Brunch at Irene's

Group yoga at Wanderlust

Yummy dinner at this Tokyo inspired spot

I am so thankful for these important relationships and that my girls value our friendship as much as I do. We are a priority in each others lives and it makes all the difference. 

We have already picked our spot for this year...Portland, ME!

If you have any suggestions on what to do, eat, etc. we would love to hear them!

Caring for Skincare

As I get older skincare is becoming more of a priority. I have been using Dermalogica's Barrier Defense Booster and Calm Water Gel post workout and post shower. The results are real y'all! My skin has less whiteheads and the sun damage I have collected over the years is disappearing. I thought I would never get rid of what seemed to be permanent redness. 

Using this product for only about a month I am so happy with the results! My skin looks so much healthier. 

PRE APPLICATION

POST APPLICATION

*I received these products for testing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Old Friends, New Places

 This weekend we got to explore our good friends new home town of Greenville, Sc! We weren’t quite sure what to expect, but we quickly felll in love. 

With 80,000 residents this city still has that perfect small town feel. So many unique restaurants and a beautiful city walk makes for the perfect weekend getaway.

One of our favorite spots was a local brewery, Birds Fly South Ale Project. This spot not only had great brews, but a fun sister restaurant White Duck Taco Shop! Everyone knows I can’t turn down a good taco! There is not one bad taco in this place and the queso is as good as it gets.

OTF Transformation Challenge: WEEK THREE

Week three of the OrangeTheory Transformation Challenge is done! I can't believe we are almost to the half way point of this program. I have been eating better, drink WAY more water and seeing results! 

Proud to say I am now down a total of four pounds! A big part of OTF is your base pace and I have  bumped mine back up to a 6.0 on the treadmill! This is a huge accomplishment and was one of my goals to hit during this program. 

Like I have mentioned in my previous posts, I can't thank the OTF John's Creek Coaches and Staff enough. They are so motivating and really get to know their members.The experience they create makes you want to workout! 

Today, after attending a Chris Young concert the previous with my mom (so fun!) I was feeling a little groggy. I had pre-booked a 12pm class with my FAVORITE coach, Phillip. He brings the best energy to his classes. If you are struggling to get started with a workout, I would recommend coming to one his classes! 

Coach Phillip also pushes you to be your best. Pushes you to bump up your all out effort, drive more on the rower and not to quit until time is called. 

Working out can be a mental battle sometimes and Phillip is the person who helps you say 'I can give it a little bit more!'

I could go on and on, but mostly just want to thank Coach Phillip and the part he has played in my ongoing fitness journey!

Waffle House Valentine's Date Night

There is one special tradition that Jared and I love on Valetine's day. No, it's not flowers, candy or fancy dinners. 

We LOVE celebrating at Waffle House! 

Starting four years ago we decided to go out to eat at Waffle House instead of doing something fancy. We both don't like over crowded restaurants with long wait times just because it is expected. 

The Waffle House staff and management really go above and beyond to make this a special experience. Each restaurant puts so much effort from the moment you walk in the door. There is red and pink decorations everywhere, a photo opportunity and love songs on the jukebox! The staff is always in the best mood and it keeps us coming back year after year. 

Galentines Celebration & OREO Candy Bar

Happy Galentine's Day!

Celebrating all the positive females in your life is always a happy day! A little chocolate makes it even better! OREO has just released a chocolate candy bar and it is so yummy. I have been picking up these sweet treats for me and my gals! 

You can find these yummy treats at your local Kroger! 

 I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.All thoughts are my own.

OTF Transformation Challenge: WEEK TWO

Week two of the OrangeTheory Transformation Challenge is in the books! Another week of pushing myself to be better.

 I didn't drop any additional pounds, but I can tell I am getting stronger. My legs are losing cellulite, which is a huge plus for me and my jeans are fitting better. I love seeing my hard work pay off and it is only the second week!

This Friday's workout consisted of Olympic themed workouts. Everyone was encouraged to dress in red,white, and blue, so of course I went all out! I even convinced Jared to let me borrow one of his treasured throw back 1996 Atlanta Olympics sweatshirts! 

It was also a partial team workout and my team got the gold in our 7:30 am class by rowing a combined 5,048 meters! I am super competitive and this challenge had me rowing my best. I can't say enough good things about the coaches and staff at OrangeTheory John's Creek! They help push me to be my best. 

Updated White Chicken Enchiladas

While I am working out to create a healthier lifestyle, I have been trying to make healthier meals this week too. 
The Pioneer Woman is my cooking spirit animal. Everything I have made from her cookbooks has been a hit! Literally everything!

In an effort to get healthier, I did switch up a few ingredients but still got the same great taste!

I made this recipe for just my husband and I so everything was made cut in half!

Pioneer Woman's White Chicken Enchiladas

2-1/2 cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken

2 cups Reserved Broth From Chicken

3 Tablespoons Canola Oil

12 whole Corn Tortillas

1 whole Large Onion, Diced

3 whole 4 Oz Cans Whole Green Chilies, Diced

1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced

1 teaspoon Paprika

1/2 cup Heavy Cream   (I used fat free half and half)

2 Tablespoons Butter (Subbed with greek yogurt)

2 Tablespoons Flour

1 cup Sour Cream (Subbed with greek yogurt)

2-1/2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated

Salt And Pepper, to taste

Cilantro, Chopped

RuMM Color Studio

Spring time is coming to the south no matter what General Beauregard Lee says. To welcome spring, I got a refresh on my look. A little lighter thanks to the fabulous team at RuMM Color Studio, especially Layla! Great staff with options to fit every person's budget. 

10/10 this is the best salon in North Atlanta! 

OTF Transformation Challenge: WEEK ONE

Reflections Week One

The first week of the OrangeTheory  transformation challenge is in the books! I haven't worked out five days in row in a while. I thought it would be hard go everyday, but the coaches and staff at OrangeTheory John's Creek are great motivators. To kickoff the week they had DJ Rockafella play while worked out. I should have asked him for his mix because I need it to pump up my runs. 

After fighting through the initial soreness early in the week, I began to see my stamina getting better! I am proud to say I am three pounds done already and getting stronger. Part of this is not only the workouts, but making better choices in the food and drink category. I am traditionally an over eater, but working out makes me think about my choices more. Instead of adding a cookie to my lunch I choose the fruit instead. Last year, I wanted to drink more water than soda and so far that is still holding true. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate is my new motto! 

I can't wait to look back on this challenge to see how many lifestyles changes I kept!