I was in college for the wrong reasons.

My love life was a big fat joke.

My days were mostly spent working 12-hour shifts and then hanging out with friends at the bar generally just being bored with everything.

There was a lot of feeling sorry for myself.

I wanted what everyone wants. To have the opportunity to flourish and truly shine.
I longed for a supportive and compassionate partner who would lift me up and be my champion.
Would I travel the world? Find career satisfaction? Stamp out my bad habits and embrace change?
I basically wanted EVERYTHING, but it seemed impossible.

Mostly because I refused to believe that it could happen for me.

I simply had to smash my insecurities and take a ton of huge life-altering personal risks and say “Fuck it! I am in control of my destiny. Let’s do this!”

And here I am now. I actually got it all. A big life in London full of chaos and art and frustrating public transportation and amazing people and I’m never ever bored!

I found the person I had always dreamt of but never thought I deserved.

I have a job that I love, that is helping me grow, and challenges me daily.
I’m surrounded by beautiful and interesting people!

There is so much to be thankful for…

So, yeah…turning 30 has been a really positive thing. And I never expected it to be.

And because I landed the most loving and thoughtful husband on Earth, my 30th birthday gift was a beautiful surprise road-trip to Cornwall.

He booked for us the most adorable little cottage…

With Alpacas in the front yard…SQUEEEEEE!

Oh to be able to sleep in as long as you want and wake up to warm sunshine streaming through your window with only the soft bleating of goats in the distance. HEAVEN!

We spent an entire day trying to absorb all of the exquisite botanical treasures at The Eden Project http://www.edenproject.com/visit-us/whats-here

Lots of photos of flowers and teeny tiny plants await you…Enjoy!

The sheer scale of the Eden Project is astonishing. This is merely a snapshot really!
I couldn’t have asked for a more colorful and blissful 30th birthday than galavanting through warm tropical biomes with my super sweet man!

Hooray for my 30s!!!!!!!

Next up: Even more Eden Project treasures…

Recently London was blanketed in snow and it seemed like everyone gave up their constant complaining for a few days and really enjoyed it! Imagine that!

I really and truly love snow days and was very excited to take the pups out and do some frolicking!

Pepper’s not so sure about it…

But she soon got some cuddles and warmed up a bit…

Snow is also good for wrestling!

Noodles happens to love the snow…as well as affection from his favorite park buddy!

Okay, so that’s officially enough snow for me!
Bring on some Spring!!!

My life would of course be much easier if all of my friends and family were located in the same city, but like most families, they are strewn out around the United States.

It’s always going to be challenging to see all of the folks that I would like to when I visit. It’s simply not possible. I will also miss weddings, births, and killer dinner parties whilst I’m abroad.

This is just a sad reality of my spectacularly fun new life. ;(

We flew into Cleveland first because that’s where a big chunk of my family live.

My beautiful Aunts did their best to make our stay the most relaxing and fun few days imaginable…

I even got to spend some quality time with the family pets!

And no trip to CLE is complete without stopping by Cedar Point.

We rodes some epic and terrifying coasters…

Ate some massive BBQ turkey legs…

Then we passed out from jet lag exhaustion!

Followed by a quick flight to Nashville!!

I immediately had a bar party and invited everyone to come out and give me a year’s worth of hugs.

They complied!

Toasts were made…

I was so excited to spend time with some of my besties…

And baby!

OOooohhh baby!

This one made me want one of my own…

Even with fussy scrunched up sad baby face…

There were lots of babies being made whilst I was away…

Big fat squooshy pretty babies!!!

And some of the babies I knew a year ago weren’t babies anymore, but little tiny people…

Simon made some new friends as well…Of the furry variety…

And the wacky-conspiracy-theory-Jesus-loving-rocker-chick variety…

Crazy girls are the hottest. Always. That is a fact.

LOVE YOU LALA. Forevs. PS. Her Dad MIGHT be Ziggy Stardust. FYI.

Moving on…

My mom was as pretty as I remember her being…

My brother was still a massive fantasy football dweeb…

Gorgeous sunny Murphmurph was just as gorgeous and sunny as ever…

Becca was still awesome and smart and sharing her love of great food…

She and her fantastic fiance took us out to Dinner at Silo http://www.silotn.com

Exceptional and elevated Southern cuisine welcoming me home proved to be JUST what I needed…

Especially deviled eggs three ways…

Deep fried greenbeans…

And pork belly…

We even visited my beloved Bombay Palace http://www.bombaypalacetn.com/

They were all super excited to see me too! Awwwwww!

Actually, we did a lot of eating.

And of course, we had to work some of it off…

No better place than Edwin Warner Park…

So that was our trip back to Nashville via Cleveland. A ton of photos I know, but some super wonderful days with friends and family! Hopefully I’ll be back sooner than later and can see more of my loved ones this time! See ya soon Nashville xx

I promise I’ll be quick!

A simple lunch…

Followed by a decadent dinner…

Tomato and goat cheese salad

Beef carpaccio with sheep’s-milk cheese

Tuna carpaccio with pink peppercorn and dill

Filet mignon with foie

Vanilla bean panna cotta with black currants…

Me pre-FACESTUFF

Me in action!

Grilled calamari for another yummy lunch…

A little scampi party…

Tasty tapas…

That is all! I hope you salivated at least a little!

Next up: LONG overdue Nashville Trip posts!!!

Needless to say, spending Christmas in Spain was exceptionally cool (as you have probably surmised from my last few posts).

I don’t celebrate Christmas for religious reasons (because I’m not a religious lady) but to be honest, I LOVE the aesthetic of Christmas.

Big fat glittery Christmas trees and shiny foil wrapping paper get me all swoony inside.

Eggnog, chocolate truffles, and roasted meat? Yes please.

To get to do, see, and experience all of these things in fancy pants Spain with my beautiful and FUN Spanish family was simply the best.

There was so much food. So many presents. It was quite simply the loveliest and merriest of Christmases I could imagine ever having.

I present it to you with limited comment!

The boys worked hard to prepare Christmas dinner…

They even served everyone!

My paleo plate!

The wine began to flow and so did the laughter!

And then the machetes?

And of course…dishes were tackled…

Snuggles were had…

Feliz Navidad!!!!! xx

And of course, because I am me, I took their photos…

Farm cats…

Scaredy cats…

“Jimmy”!!!

Look at his big fat grumpy head! xxxooo

This dog that looks like yoda…

My niece-kitties “Six” and “Seven”…

Snuggle time!

Super schnozzle close-up…

And last but not least, my Father-In-Law’s adorable beagle mix “Benny”

If this goofball doesn’t bring immediate joy into your heart then something is clearly broken inside of your soul.

Benny shows off his serious dog model good looks…

Benny loves his uncle!

Hooray for Spanish furballs! Til we meet again!

Next up…Christmas in Spain xx

I wandered around the farm and tried to capture as much of the magic as I could…

It is very easy to get lost in an olive grove, just FYI for next time you go exploring on an olive farm…

I stumbled across faerie ring after faerie ring and had thoughts of my younger days with Melissa and Audrey flood back to me like it was yesterday…

And all of these beautiful olives…

Much to my utter GLEE we were able to bring back 5 liters of Veronica’s deliciously rich and wonderful olive oil. I am very happy to report that we have been eating olive oil on everything and the day we run out I might have to fly back to get more!

Next up…The animals of Spain xx

The Alhambra!!!

I really don’t have words for how grand and beautiful the Alhambra is…simply stunning.

Next up…Christmas in Spain xx

There was so much to photograph yet I left feeling like I should have taken more.

Shall we begin?

Our first day in Alcalá la Real we simply could not sit still and took a nice brisk hike up the hillside…

Quite the view!

The clouds rolled in to create a nice moody light…

My gorgeous Sister-in-Law Veronica standing underneath her street sign…

The Magi…

My darling Brother-in-Law Andy, experiencing his first deep thoughts of the day…

Next up…Our road trip to Granada xx

Every day has been full of treats, big sleeps, and lots of photography!

I decided I wanted to wake up before the sunrise on December 21st and hike up the hillside to watch the sun break through the fog and hopefully bring with it a new age and happier days for the world.

My husband helped me navigate through the dark and find the best boulders to stand on the get these glorious shots.

The sky went through so many colors and the clouds created an amazing collection of patterns all within the span of 20 minutes or so…

All the tiny things come to life in the early morning light…

La Mota sits high above Alcalá…

The fog lingers…

Then the blue sky pushes through…

We feel lucky to be alive and refreshed to be in such a special part of the world together!

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday wherever you are. xx