"It's been the greatest two years of my life."

Harrison, Henson and Kendall all announced they are going pro. I'm not surprised (although maybe a tiny bit about Kendall) and I don't blame them one bit.

But I cried. I didn't cry at the fact they are going pro. I cried at their sweet quotes about the school that owns my heart.

Kendall says, "it's been the greatest two years of my life." I sincerely believe him when he says that.

Harrison says, "Chapel Hill is a special place. Over the past two years I've enjoyed every single moment of my Tar Heel experience."

I know most people would say these boys are just saying what we want to hear. But if you've been to Chapel Hill, you know. And if you haven't, you must go.

Spring is one of the best times in Chapel Hill. The sun is shining, the dogwoods are out, there is a sense of carefree among everyone. It owns the hearts of many and this girl's is no exception.

Good luck in the NBA, boys.  Thanks for all that you've given us. And may you always be Tar Heels for life.

Kendall Wins the Cousy and Possible Announcement Today

Kendall won the Bob Cousy award, the award given to the best point guard in the country. He absolutely deserved it and I'm so excited for him.

On another note, rumor has it that Harrison has made a decision about leaving and announcement will come today. I'll keep you posted!

Latisse?

Has anyone out there ever used Latisse? What was your experience with it?? Fill me in!!

Just Your Run of the Mill Wednesday

Nothing too big to report on today. It's just an average, ordinary Wednesday. And goodness gracious, I'm pretty darn blessed because average, ordinary Wednesdays are nothing short of amazing in my life.

I had a busy morning at work which made it fly by.

At lunch, I went to visit my grandmother, Po, and my grandfather, Big. I haven't written much about them lately, but things have been tough. They have lived the fullest, coolest lives. They are constant reminders to me to ENJOY life. I know that sounds so cliche, but if you met them, you'd feel it too.

Po went to Auburn and I'm an Alabama fan (sort of. Really and truly, I'm a Carolina fan only, but I really like saying Roll Tide and wearing cute dresses to football games. I think they do that at Auburn too, so I'd probably like them as well). Halfway through my visit, we realized I was wearing Bama colors and Po was supporting Auburn in her (seriously cute) outfit.

Roll Tide and War Eagle!

After visiting Po and Big, I came back to work and had a salad that I made last night. Y'all, I don't know what kind of magic I possessed when making this salad, but it was delicious. I know I'm not a food/healthy living blogger (side note: what kind of blogger am I? Maybe I should figure that out), but I have to show y'all a picture. It doesn't really look spectacular, but mannnn it hit the spot. 

Also, sorry I didn't think to take a picture until it was almost gone.

How is your Wednesday going?

Shammond???

Jerrod Hasse, one of our assistant basketball coaches, announced today that he is leaving to become the head coach at UAB.

Honestly, I'm cool with this. Truthfully (and I admit this with shame as an avid Carolina basketball fan), I always got him and C.B. McGrath, another assistant, confused. Now I just have to remember C.B.

More importantly, I'm cool with this, because if Roy decides to hire a guy with little to no official coaching experience, word is, Shammond is on the list.

I.would.die. Legit.

Fingers crossed!

Monday Morning Review

The weekend started off well! Friday night was spent grilling out and watching the Heels win (in overtime!) to make it to the Elite 8. My best friend Emily ended up having to cancel her trip because of work so our friendship is still in tact.

Most of Saturday was spent at Dave Telep's Carolina Challenge. The star of the day? UNC commit Isaiah Hicks - a man among boys out there. This was also one of the highlights:

Man, were these cupcakes good.

Saturday night was for Chubby Taco's and basketball watching with Marcus. He just received some good news so we celebrated with taco salads and margaritas! Yum!

Sunday started on a high note with this:

Mac and Cheese from Poole's Diner

And ended on a very low note with this:

Kansas 80, UNC 67.

It was actually a great game and the score makes it look worse than it was (because of last minute fouls). In the end, we just couldn't overcome the injuries. Stilman did an amazing job though and combined for 13 assists/ 0 turnovers in his two games as a starter. Overall, it was a great season. It's easy to think "what if?" considering 4 of our top 6 players were out for the tournament (two for the season), but we have to remember how spoiled we are as Carolina fans. Elite 8 and ACC Champs is an incredible season. So proud to be a Tar Heel! Now the waiting game... who will be back next year? 

In love with this.

Friday!

Happy Friday, kiddos! It has been a long week and I'm excited the weekend is here. What are your plans? Mine involve watching my boys win tonight and working at Dave Telep's Carolina Challenge, a basketball camp for the top 80 high school players in the state, tomorrow!

It's a basketball kind of weekend!

LET'S GO HEELS!

Officially

A season football ticket holder! Go Heels!

#WristWatch Update

Kendall's cast has been replaced with a removable splint. Status still unknown.

Double Rainbow

I legitimately saw a double rainbow this morning. And it was beautiful. I tried to snap a picture, but my phone couldn't capture it.

It just reminded me that God's up there, taking care of all of us. How could you not believe in God after seeing something like that?

Best Friends and Basketball

This is the story of two best friends.

One was the new girl at school in 4th grade. The other had been there since Kindergarten and knew everyone. The new girl had blonde shiny hair and wore a cute jean jumper. She also tried to steal the established girl's crayons. At first, they were enemies. But soon, this happened.

Check out my sweet bangs.

Emily entered my life at 9 years old and has been my best friend ever since. She moved to Ohio (the worst state ever) in 8th grade, but we've remained close and always visit. (Let's be honest, she usually visits me. I hate Ohio and she fell in love with the South). 

We grew up in age and height, but always remained ridiculous and silly when were together. The way best friends should.

Thursday night, Emily is making her annual voyage to Raleigh for some much needed BFF time. I've been looking forward to this weekend for months. And then yesterday...

Yesterday we found out that our alma maters play each other in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament tomorrow night. Em went to Ohio University and I went to Carolina (duh). Em is a Carolina fan through and through but is understandably excited at her team's surprising run in the Tourney. She hasn't decided who she's going to pull for. She needs to soon - our 17 year friendship depends on it. 

Monday (Close enough!) Morning Review

The Tar Heels won our game against Vermont on Friday rather handily which advanced us to the next round to play Creighton on Sunday.

Unfortunately, I had to work during the game. I literally work one Sunday a year for an event one of my clients puts on and it was at the exact same time as the Carolina game. Le sigh, right? Fortunately, the company's management is a group of Carolina fans so we all checked my phone for updates regularly.

This was Henson's first game back and from what I understand, he got a technical that really fired up the team. We won 87-73 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. We play Friday against Ohio University (more on that later).

My mom sent me a few texts about how Creighton played dirty, but I didn't think much of it.

I didn't think much of it until I saw tweets saying that Kendall Marshall had fractured his wrist. I think Roy said it best a few weeks ago when he said, "No team has one player that is indispensable. But if we do, it's Kendall Marshall."

Kendall is the heart of our team. With Dexter out for the season, we don't have a very experienced backup. Kendall is second in assists in the country and our only experience ball-handler.

He had surgery this morning and his status is unknown for Friday's game.

The one thing that this awful turn of events has shown me is what an incredible guy Kendall is. I listened to his post-game interview last night and all he could talk about was how excited he was to be in the Sweet 16 and how much he loved his teammates. He is exactly the kind of person I want representing my University.

Step 1

Today is the first step in our journey to the national championship. We play Vermont at 4:10! GO HEELS!

Let's Do It

Linebacker Kevin Reddick on if he's considered transferring:

"No, I'm here. Here until I die, man. Let's do it."

Sunshine!

Y'all, it's 81 degrees here today. And the 10 day forecast shows nothing below 70. Which means it's time to lay out, grab a beer, play some cornhole, listen to beach music and hope my skin returns to this color:

It may not be "tan" by most people's standards, but when you're an eskimo like me, you take what you can get.

Get out and enjoy the weather!

Leinart

While I never want to wish anything bad upon anyone, sometimes things happen. Matt Leinart, the backup quarterback for the Houston Texans, was cut last night. It seems the Texans have decided they want their #1 backup to be this guy:

Bet people know his name now. Hate to say, I told ya. 

NCAA Rulings

The NCAA released their sanctions for our football program (finally) today. It was pretty much what we thought (a lot of it self-imposed) with the (huge, awful, horrible) exception of a 1-year bowl ban.

I live for bowl games. The trips, the games and most importantly, the opportunity to yell "BOWL GAME."

The first season I'm getting my own season football tickets and we aren't going to a bowl game. xjlkdjflskjf.

In case you missed it, here are the punishments:

• 2012 bowl ban
• 15 scholarships lost over 3 years
• 3 year probation
• 3 year show cause for John Blake
• vacation of 08-09 wins
• 50,000 fine

Now, if you're a Carolina fan, don't let this discourage you. The main thing is - it's over. Let out of a sigh of relief and support the boys this fall. I really believe Fedora has us going in a good direction and they need us loud and proud in Kenan.

Strength Training

Hey guys. I need your advice/help/insight/brilliance. 

You know I do pilates. And you know I run (sort of, if you can call it that). Now I'm starting to lift weights. I really want definition in my arms. 

Now, I'm looking for easy peasy moves that can be done with the 8 lb dumbbells I have in my closet. Nothing fancy, y'all. 

Monday Morning Review: ACC Tournament

Saturday we took on a tough and motivated State team (they were on the tourney bubble) without John Henson. It was extremely close throughout, but we won by two on a Kendall Marshall driving bank shot that many screamed was a charge. The game was full of questionable calls on both sides, so I'm just glad we got out alive. Following our game, FSU took on Duke and beat the Devils in a tight game, setting up a Noles v. Tar Heels ACC Tournament final.

Still John Henson-less, we got ourselves in a hole (up to 16 at one point) pretty quickly. We dug ourselves out of it at the end of the game, but lost by 3 after Hairston's long shot bounced off the rim. Florida State played great and is a really dangerous team. I'm ready to get John Henson back.

I think he COULD have played this weekend, but since our spot in the Tourney was pretty secure, everyone felt it was best to rest the wrist.

Last night they announced the NCAA tournament seedings. Despite our loss, we still got a 1 seed in the Midwest bracket. I'm really grateful for the Midwest as the South and West are really tough brackets. We play the winner of Lamar/Vermont on Friday at 4 p.m. Let's Go Heels!!

This makes my heart skip a beat (or two...)

Perfection.

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday, y'all! Any big weekend plans? It's ACC Tournament weekend here so my weekend will involve lots of basketball watching! Hopefully I'll manage to get off the couch for a run and some grocery shopping. Looking forward to a low key weekend with lots of awesome basketball!

Tell me about your weekend plans! Go Heels!!

ACC Tournament

The first game of the ACC Tournament has ended with Maryland beating Wake pretty soundly. That means we take on the Terps tomorrow at noon. Let's Go Heels!

Dreams

Ya'll, my subconcious has been in OVERDRIVE lately. Which I guess is a good thing because it takes being in really good, deep sleep to dream, so yay for that. Anyway, the content of my dreams has been bizarre.

Three nights ago I had a dream (nightmare?) that robbers were breaking into my mom's house. I got shot by them, but I was okay. I grabbed my mom, Tucker and some other rando dog and took them into the bathroom. The robbers were coming down the stairs. I was getting a ceramic vase ready to hit them over the head with when I woke up.

Two nights ago I had a dream that Kendall Marshall had a crush on me. I remember that we were trying to keep it a big secret and we met for a date in Kenan Stadium.

Last night I had a dream that I was next door neighbors with Clinton Kelly. I loved Clinton, but I could not stand his roommate, Hal. Hal was rude and scary. I was telling Stacy London about it and when I said, "Clinton is my friend," she said, "Well, he's really my friend. You know him through me." Don't be snotty, Stacy!

Fun, Full and Fulfilled

This morning I was talking to my sweet friend Anna (who lets me rant and rave and ramble when I need to, sans judging) and found myself gossiping  to her about people I knew. I quickly caught myself and thought, "Ew. Lindsay, this is not you. Why do you care what suchandsuch is doing or what whatsherface said? This whole judging others thing is not.cute." 

(I often have weird monologues where I tell myself things are cute. or not.cute. Sometimes Anna and others get to hear them. Bless their hearts.)

At that moment, I remembered a quote I'd seen on, of course, Pinterest.

I haven't been on quite the Pinterest kick lately, so the fact that I remembered this quote showed me it really stuck out to me.

Of course, ideally, we wouldn't judge or gossip even if we had all the free time in the world. But I think this quote makes it a little more realistic. Who are we to judge others' lives when we should be spending that time improving our own lives? 

That lead me to the idea of: fun, full and fulfilled. I want my life to be bursting with those three "f"s. I am going to seek these three things at all times through family and friends, my career and the organizations that relate to it, my spirituality, sports, exercise, fellowship and more. 

Any tips on refining and improving in order to live a fun, full and fulfilled life? 

Atlanta Trip

On Thursday, we headed down to Atlanta to see Radiohead in concert. The concert was absolutely amazing, but I have one gripe. One gripe about concerts in general really. They never play the ONE song I want to hear. I always pick some smushy, lovey-dovey song and the band never plays it. With Radiohead, I gave them options. They could play No Surprises, High and Dry or Let Down. Alas, they played none. Sorry for the sidenote there. The concert was amazing nonetheless.

We got to the airport way early (I always do!), so this began our trip to Atlanta:

Oh hey, rum and dc at AJ's tavern.

We got to Atlanta, got unpacked and had a cocktail at the bar before heading to the concert. Forgive the pictures. Pictures from an iPhone in the 3rd tier of an NBA arena aren't the best, but just use your imaginations.

We went home that night and ordered takeout from a pizzeria down the street. I had a calzone the size of half my body. It was perfect.

The next morning we navigated our way to the High Museum of Art. 

It was a great museum, but was PACKED with little kids on field trips. I have nothing against little kids, but it was hard to really get a close look at some things, especially the featured exhibit on Modernists.

We then made our way to North Avenue for a lunchtime stop at the Varsity. Marcus had never been to the Varsity so I was excited to show him, especially considering his affinity for fast food. We got there rather quickly and weren't hungry yet, so we stopped at a restaurant that was a converted fire station for a drink.

Enjoying my *shocker* rum and dc in the old firestation.

Then it was Varsity time. YUM. The food isn't anything exceptional (though it really is the perfect greasy diner /fast food food), but it's something you must do in Atlanta.

Here was my meal:

And Marcus enjoying his first Varsity meal. He enjoyed it, despite this face. I wish he would be more agreeable about pictures!!

Next it was off to the aquarium! The Georgia Aquarium has a lot of really cool exhibits including dolphins, beluga whales and otters.

After the aquarium, we rested at the hotel before our dear friend Liz picked us up for a drink before dinner. It was so great to catch up with Liz and get a "local's feel" for Atlanta. I enjoyed chatting with Liz so much that I forgot to take a picture of her pretty face. Hate myself for that!

Dinner was down the street at Ecco. We started with a glass of prosecco and toasted the trip. Next we split a meat and cheese tray and some red wine! I love restaurants that are upscale, but don't have a quiet atmosphere and this one definitely fit the bill.

Saturday we slept in and headed back to Raleigh. I had forgotten how much I love long weekend getaways.

P.S. I never saw T.I. A guy did yell out of his car window at me that T.I. had signed him and asked me if I wanted to hang out. That didn't seem like the safest decision, so I politely declined.

ACC Champs!

Hey y'all! Forgive my absence the past few days, there are lot of excuses (including a trip to ATL which I'll report on later!), but the point is, I'm back!

I'm back and happy to report the Tar Heels took the regular season ACC title with a pretty definitive beatdown (18 points) of Duke in Cameron Saturday night. Ohhh it felt so, so sweet to get back at them for that Austin Rivers 3! ACC Tourney (aka the best time of the year) starts Thursday night.

I'm so grateful to live in North Carolina where people "get" it. When I was in school, teachers would have TV's brought into the classroom so that we could watch the games. While I'll be at work when the Heels first play on Friday at noon, I'll get it to catch most of it during lunch!

Let's go Heels!!!