throwback thursday :: beach recap

I spent this past weekend at the beach with my godson Lucas, his family, and a few friends. Lucas's dad Dan is my oldest college friend... it's almost been 10 years now! We only spent a semester at college together but became best buddies quickly. It's so cool to see him as a father! They live about two hours away from me currently, so I jumped on the chance to spend time with them when they invited me to the beach. We had a lot of fun, from staying up late and catching up to beach times and boardwalk adventures.

Dan is a pale ghost, so he had to stay covered up ;)

Lucas is just the best. He LOVES the beach.

we went to Dogfish Head in Rehoboth for Father's Day... samplers galore! (that 120 is no joke)

Lucas's first time on rides!

always my car buddy :) 

(PS that thing around his shoulder is a wooden snake. he loves making hiss noises.)

we did the carousel together!

his blurry "CHEESE!" face haha and that starfish is a really heavy doorstop. go figure.

in love with this for the name & graphics alone!

before heading home. he was exhausted but gave me the sweetest hug and kiss.

a photo snapped by Britt's MIL. love that she captured this haha

Can't wait for another visit! 

throwback thursday

pretending to buy puppies // snuggling baby Evie // grill night // a beef jerky love text // peachy pink nails // random wine bar times // jelly shoes // the sweetest giant pup // banana chocolate smoothie

all things that are good.

throwback thursday + journal 7

Happy Thursday, friends! My weekend starts here and I couldn't be more thrilled. Here's a little reminder for today: help someone out if you get the chance. This morning I helped a girl with the pay machine in our parking lot because it's temperamental and loves to try to charge you $27 instead of the early bird $6. Silly thing. But she was so grateful for the help and I think it was a very good start to the day indeed.

It's been a few weeks since I did a throwback. Here's what I've been up to!

My friend's baby shower was on Saturday, and it was a wonderful time of reuniting with college friends and catching up on life. Not to mention celebrating the sweet baby that is arriving so soon! We don't know the gender, so it was a neutral rain cloud/raindrop theme. Too cute. (PS - that punch is both cute and delicious. Pineapple juice, 7-up, white grape juice, and food coloring. Rubber duckies mandatory.)

That's my best friend who is having a little boy or girl in May! :) And that's me holding her sister's kid. Too cute for words. Also, the daffodils have finally poked out of the cold, dead ground... fingers crossed that snow will stay away for good! I'm so happy to have invested in a record player (finally). Every day I've been coming home from work and listening to vinyl. It's relaxing and I can't wait to build up my collection!

And now for Journal Day 7! I think I skipped 6 by accident...

Do you use social media in your daily life? Do you think it adds to your relationships with others, or takes away from them? And furthermore, do you think social media adds more positive or negative to your life? Write about your relationship with social media, and talk a bit about how you got started, and what role it plays in your world.

Oh, social media. Such a useful and awful resource all at once. I do use it in my daily life, just Facebook and Instagram (@sarahfisch). I don't use Twitter or Vine or anything else that is basically Facebook and Instagram. :)

For me personally, social media is a very helpful tool. I started using Facebook in college, and Instagram when I got my first iPhone. It helps me keep up with my friends who live far away now (I love seeing my friend Emily's pictures since she moved to San Francisco). I recently had a conversation via FB message about something serious with a friend who is going through a tough time. And don't get me started on the FB messages/groups that I've been a part of for weddings! Overall, it's a positive forum for me. But I think that is because I choose not to participate in the many negative aspects of social media. I do not post twelve times a day about everything I'm doing (I think it's safe to say most people find that annoying). I rarely post daily; I don't even post unless it's important or I have something worth noting to say. I don't participate in criticism of others. I don't (often) join debate threads of controversial topics. I don't request that you "follow me if I follow you! Like my picture if I like yours!" And most importantly, I do not vent on the internet. That, to me, is the worst thing you could use FB for. I treat FB and Insta as a place to keep up with my friends and create memories of what's going on in our lives. I love going way back in my Insta account and seeing what I was doing a year or two ago. It's just plain fun!

Have a great day & I'll see you guys back here tomorrow!

throwback thursday :: journal day 3

This is the second journal of the week in effort to get caught up with Danielle's prompts... some people blog while on vacation, but apparently I'm not one of them! :) 

They say hindsight is 20/20, and with good reason- looking back at something always gives us a better view. We're often able to really see how our choices and decisions then shaped our today, and examine what we would have done differently given the chance. When looking back though, we often look way back, but for this exercise stay a little closer to present time and look back just 12 months. If you could go back just one year, what would you tell yourself? What advice would you offer about everything you've experienced?

Oh, my gosh. Nearly a year ago (10 months currently), I was at my old job and had no idea how my work life got so out of control. If there was one thing I could change, it would be that environment. I was there for three years, and the first two were fine. The third took a turn for the worst. There was a girl there that made life hell for me for personal reasons, and my boss did nothing to help me. I was severely underpaid. Not to mention the office environment was completely unhealthy, and I didn't even realize that until I left. Leaving was such a bittersweet thing since I had been there for several years (two of which were not bad at all) and did have a lot of great people in my life as a result. If I could go back, I would tell myself that no job is worth making you have an unsatisfying life, and no one should ever have the right to disrespect you and get away with it. I would offer myself advice about dealing with people, and about standing up for yourself even if it's to your superiors. But all bad roads lead to a good one if you look for it, because today I am getting paid a lot more to do a job with a title I actually like in a much better place.

And on that note... I used to listen to this song a lot at my old job. Music gets you through.

throwback thursday :: vacation

As the 16 degree weather welcomed me this morning, I felt a very strong sense that I hate winter and would much rather be where I was two days ago: sunny Fort Lauderdale, with its 80 degree breezes and beach times. Anyway... here's the backstory behind this trip. Last February, my friend Elizabeth and I went to see Further Seems Forever at one of our small, local venues. We went to dinner before the show and were sitting next to some dudes who looked like they were in a band. After we got to the show, we saw them on stage and realized they were the opener, Civilian. We both really liked their music, so after a little chat and drinks after the show, E offered them her house because they didn't have a place to stay that night. And thus a friendship is born! Ryan was so nice to offer to let us come visit and stay with him. We had a great time and I am really looking forward to going back at some point.

my girl!

palms everywhere.

corners!

beachin'. love this chick.

i am grilled cheese obsessed. this thing had like, 15 cheeses.

he took us to some awesome places. so good.

poolside.

what a way to start the morning.

the backyard view.

give me all the sun & sand!

Art Walk. that whole wall is books and i'm obsessed with it.

we checked out some art in Miami.

We had the best time and I was so sad it was only four days. I need more of this in my life! And check out Civilian's music when you get a second... the guys are so talented and their record is one of my favorites.

throwback thursday :: crossroads

photo via weheartit

Danielle over at Sometimes Sweet has begun her journal prompts again! Really excited about this project because it kind of forces you to take a second look at your life, whether it's past or present. More than anything, I like being able to reflect on memories.

Here's today's journal: 

Everyone has a time in their life they view as a crossroad. Sometimes you can see it as it's happening, and you're able to choose one way or another. Other times you may not realize you're there until you look back, and see what a turning point it really was. This week, write about a time you view as a marker in your life; a distinct place where things changed, for better or worse. 

I'm sure a lot of people will say this, but college was a huge turning point in my life. I feel like I didn't even know myself until I went through the experiences that I did there. It's the most distinct place I can think of for change in my life. I learned how to be independent at college. I made friends that are still my lifelong sisters and brothers. I figured out how to trust God but not be the kind of Christian that non-believers hate. I had my heart broken. I had so much fun it was sick. I taught myself how to play guitar. I started writing and recording music. I learned how to get past things that happened to me at home now that I didn't have to be there. People changed my life, and I changed theirs.

If I had to pick a specific time I was at a crossroad, I would say it was when I made an active choice to not be a pushover. That sounds kind of stupid on paper. But a lot of people know me today as someone strong-willed and very confident, I voice my opinions and won't take crap from anyone. That is not who I used to be. I used to be someone who was over-emotional and did things to please people. I never used to question the real situation when someone made me upset or got mad at me. I always assumed it was my fault. I look back on college and think of many times where I wish I could have had a thicker skin and stood up for myself. Even right after college, I wish I could have done that. But I am glad I chose at a certain point (albeit later) to go down a road that made me a stronger person. I am glad I finally allowed myself to feel and present myself in the way that I know I should have all along.

throwback thursday :: the millionth snow day

I just took this from my front door, and oh man. Close enough to a snowpocalypse! I don't have a ruler on hand, but my friend posted a photo with her ruler almost all the way covered up. The poor schoolkids will be learning until July!

Throwback to this week! Well, as you know, the Olympics are happening. So are a scratchy throat for me (blah) and cooking things! RECAP!

1. Hey there, roommate! She is a beautiful blonde goddess, you guys. Out for drinks and friend times.
2. The most gorgeous and delicious cappuccino from Caffe Pronto. Also a three-hour catch up time with two lovely ladies, and randomly spotting an old friend and a current one. Those are the best days.
3. Mus-tache-room! This made me smile.
4. My roommate is nothing if not an Olympics enthusiast. Two years ago she threw an insane party called "Bubble Wrap Olympics" in the summer because she found an industrial sized roll of bubble wrap in a parking lot. There were bubble wrap competitions. And medals. And drinks. And everyone loved it.

5. Yep. A car drove through a CVS down the street from my office. I got a great view out of my 8th floor window.
6. My dinner of choice lately... kale and eggs.
7. Finally writing after a dry spell of not getting anything out that I'm happy with. I think it's coming back!
8. THIS. People who cry about being single and use V Day as an excuse to say their life sucks is sad to me. I, for one, am having Galentine's Day! Dinner and a movie with some girlfriends is the best.

I'm resisting the urge to play Christmas songs because of this white stuff (why does it never snow like this on December 25?!). But since it's February, I'll leave you with this because it's in my head and the title is quite appropriate for today:

throwback thursday :: burgers & flowers

This day has been insane so I'm just going to get right to it. This was my weekend! Abbey Burger (yes, a fried egg on top. My cheat day), Pub Dog deliciousness, and Tresa's spoon skills. She'll hate me for putting this on the interwebs, but I had to.

Round two! Saturday was brunch. Oh, brunch. The love of my life. Eggs Benedict is my love language. So are apple cider mimosas. (Metropolitan in Annapolis, in case anyone cares.) Then my roommate bought me and our other roommate flowers! And then I opened the perfect avocado. 

In conclusion... Life is pretty great.

throwback thursday :: the sick diaries

As seen on Instagram (@sarahfisch) and my overloaded iPhone photo library!

I'm calling this one the Sick Diaries! Hooray. 

1. Notice my cozy feet. These + good socks are necessary for combating sickness.

2. Hot water with lemon juice and honey. (This will save your throat. I drank tons of this stuff and didn't get a sore throat at all! Tea is good too, but I didn't have any.) 

3. At the beginning of my sickness I had a fancy dinner  planned with some girlfriends. Do you know how hard it is to try to coordinate four busy schedules? I was not about to re-do that. So I went and prayed that I wouldn't sneeze all over the fancy bread. (In case you're wondering, we went to La Scala. Excellent! And we got all dressed up and did our hair and makeup together in my tiny bathroom.)

4. I've been eating really well this month (see yesterday's post), and this is one of my favorite meals. Salmon, sweet potato, and edamame. 

5. At the end of sickness, I resumed working out. This is what it looks like. I know you don't care, I just like my pink yoga mat.

6. How I generally feel during my workouts.

 Part 2 is all things that are good!

1. One of my best friends who came over when I was sick to have girl time and eat beef jerky while drinking a protein shake. She also worked on her amazing art project and we ate orange chicken and watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2). I love her.
2. My corgi friend! This little girl is so loving... she always climbs into my lap and wants to snuggle when I'm at my friend's house.
3. The other pup that lives with Maggie the Corgi. This is Bailey... she is anxious and weird and a hot mess, but she will stay by your side forever (mostly because she is afraid to ever leave you).
4. My roommate made me eggs and bacon when I was sick! She was a godsend. Also, she burned all the bacon by accident... luckily, I love burned bacon. The crispier the better! She was appalled by this but let me eat four pieces of it anyway.
5. A meal I saw recently on @bleubird's Instagram. Sauteed kale with a fried egg on top! I mixed my kale with olive oil, hot sauce and Old Bay.

And there you have it! I'm glad to report that I am feeling much better (though the continual Polar Vortex is not helping). Until tomorrow!