Weekend Recap: 6/14-6/15

This weekend started off on the right foot Friday afternoon when mom and dad finally returned from their trip up north to my favorite place on earth, Pittsburgh. I headed out to Hendersonville right after work and pizza was already ordered when I walked through the door. 

Saturday morning we were all up for coffee and to catch up on all the travelers' stories, from Falling Water to getting caught in the rain at PNC Park watching the Pirates win! Oh, and there were presents too,

After diddling around the house, mom and I were off to Publix [the usual] and back home for a mid afternoon couch crash. I headed over to Sara's house to see her new fence and patio set [grill is coming] and play with the dogs. Love those sweet things and their momma! We ended the night with a redbox movie and an early bedtime. 

Sunday was FATHER'S DAY!!

Like any other morning we started the day with coffee in the garden room. Then it was into the yard! 

[No, that's not league MVP Andrew McCutchen washing the bug]. 

Dad and I tag teamed our cars just like old times minus me spraying him with the hose every 45 seconds. 

Then it was down to the end of the driveway for trimming, raking, and wheel barrow-ing.

Dad finally called it around 1:30pm and we all headed straight for the pool!

No bikini, no problem in the Pekarsky house!

We rounded out the day with steaks and veggies on the grill and the whole family [even Sophie] watching the Game of Thrones season finale [I can't even talk about it yet.] I've come to find that the 10:30pm drive back into downtown isn't so bad after such an amazing weekend.

So, another holiday in the books..now onto deadline week!

Friday 6/13

"Post Grad" playlist #7

I have been in need of some new music so I turned to the fool proof The 1975 Pandora station.
This song popped up on my drive to work yesterday and I have already fallen in love with it.
Kodaline was featured on the Reign [Thursdays on the CW] soundtrack this season and yes all of their stuff is this good. Another great post grad life playlist song.



"Yeah, it's just the way it goes
Maybe you die young before you're old
Yeah, it's just the way it is
Nobody's gonna tell you how to live"

Mondays with Emily Giffin

In case you were under a rock last night or your WiFi got knocked out and you missed me blowing up all forms of social media, I met Emily Giffin last night! 

*back track to April*

Sara and I had Emily Giffin themed birthdays this year. You see, her new book The One and Only came out just a couple weeks after Sara's birthday in April. So naturally I pre-ordered her copy for her birthday present! THEN we found out Emily Giffin was coming to Nashville on her book tour the day after my birthday. So Sara got us tickets as part of my birthday present. We have been living for June 9th ever since.

*fast forward to yesterday*

With tickets, Something Borrowed, and The One and Only in hand we were fourth and fifth in line. Sara got there early and held our spots like a pro. 5:45pm we were in the door and front row center. 

After what felt like the longest wait ever the most precious person ever in white jeans, a pink flowy top, and nude heels made her way out on to stage and I about exploded with excitement! 

A) Emily Giffin has amazing legs

B) She is hilarious

C) She love sports and the ACC 

D) She and Sara communicated with their eyes about Rachel and Dex in Something Borrowed, it was magical

She talked about The One and Only, her journey to becoming a New York Times Best Selling author, the writing process, and how much she loves naming characters and babies. So if you love Emily Giffin and her books just as much as we do here are some fun facts:

-Rachel and Dex were originally not going to end up together in Something Borrowed, but "you have to be true to your characters."

-Her one regret is the title of Baby Proof

-The inspiration for Baby Proof was Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt's divorce and the tabloid rumors it was because she didn't want children

-Darcy has twins in Something Blue because Emily Giffin found out she was having twins while writing it

-It took her 14 months to write Something Borrowed in London

-She always makes sure she has something in common with the main character [being a lawyer, having twins]

-When she started writing Something Blue she didn't like the character of Darcy, "Every time she said something I wanted to slap her and say 'Shut up.'"

-Something Borrowed was rejected by every publishing house with her first agent

-She uses baby name books when naming her characters

-Shea from The One and Only is the only character whose name she's changed while writing the book

-It really is her on Twitter and Facebook

Yes, she really is as gorgeous in real life as she is on the back of her books and so sweet.

She recognized me and Sara from Twitter and was so nice about taking pictures! 

Oh, and we made sure to tell her our birthdays were Emily Giffin themed.

Best. Night. Ever.

That time I turned 2-4

So, um, where do I even begin?

If you hadn't heard it was my birthday this weekend!

For some reason 24 sounds so much older than 23 [plus, no one likes you when you're 23.]

Even though my birthday was Sunday the party got started Friday morning. 

I ended up with more chi tea lattes than any small white girl could ever need, got surprised by Sara at work with a special "Happy Birthday" labeled Starbucks, and had a wonderful lunch in the sunshine with the best media team. 

Saturday I had been instructed to be ready by 9:45 so naturally I was ready by 9:15 [I had been up since 5am I was so excited.] Sara and I had our own little present party before heading off to my surprise and my bar cart is now even more precious thanks to Mrs. Leitch! 

Now Sara Lumley Leitch is the Queen of Surprises, there was half marathon morning when she was outside my door at 6:30am and my Sweet Caroline Starbucks Friday morning but what she had up her sleeve Saturday morning I could have never imagined! We got to Bricktops around 10am and I was just so excited to get to have a yummy brunch with my best friend when I walked into my very own surprise birthday brunch with all my Nashville girls already waiting for me! I was FLOORED! Lots of "OH MY GOD"s were said and lots of hugs were given! 

There were my Whitehardt girls [Rachael, Kylie, Sarah, and Maggie], the newly minted Mrs. Morgan Clingan, and the mastermind behind it all: Sara. After I said "OMG" a couple dozen more times, Bellinis were ordered, mini donuts were consumed, and I laughed my abs sore all while radiating with love and gratefulness for this amazing group of friends! 

I came home to birthdays cards from my Aunt Holly, college roomie Oller, and my little Molly. 

Could this day get any better? Yup, I was headed to Hendersonville for my actual day of birth with my family!

Dad was the first one out the gate with surprises, new mats for the bug!!

Once Joe got home from work we had a yummy homemade dinner followed by the best birthday cake ever, southern style red velvet with cream cheese icing and it was MONOGRAMMED!

And that was all just on Saturday!!!

Sunday, my actual real birthday, I woke up to Sophie licking my face and dad with a coffee ready to hand me! A bottle of Bellini, lots of laughing with mom, and a couple packs of tissue paper destroyed by Sophie later I officially felt 24!

We laid low the rest of the morning [I may have taken a nap around noon] then headed downtown for a yummy lunch at Chuy's followed by more cake at home, Game of Thrones and Penny Dreadful. I finally headed back to my house wayy too late with a full heart and sleepy eye balls. 

I have a feeling 24 is going to be a very good year.

I have the best family a girl could ask for, some pretty amazing friends, and a job I love!