Bites of My Life

Hello spring, hello allergies! Nothing is better than getting a few peeks at spring weather, except when that means the inflow of torturous spring allergies. I had been un-anxiously awaiting their arrival and low and behold I woke up Friday morning to a bite from the allergy bug. I was joking with my mom that I knew I was going to get sick soon because as a kid I always had to miss the Valentine's Day party at school because of allergies.

Sneezing, coughing and sore throats aside, last week was a good one.  I think my January/winter depression has finally made its way out the door. Things are looking up up up. In my personal and work life things are pointing north. The new addition to the Tucker family isn't making anything hard either. If you follow me on Instagram you have already met #GabeTheBabe. My parents finally pulled the plug and brought a new puppy home. We are completely smitten and I'm having a hard time letting him out of my site. I'm going to be his most popular babysitter/dognapper...

-Homemade red sauce and spaghetti squash happened three nights in a row last week.
-New breakfast alert: Almond milk, frozen berries and granola. Amaze!
-My days at work are split between planning events and being the resident barista. Our new office coffee machine is sliiiiiightly distracting. 
-Not to toot my own horn, but I can make a mean bowl of guacamole.
-Visions of green after a pit stop at The Fit Pig for a Vim + Vigor juice and the new RXBar.
-After the allergies swooped in, my diet consisted of hot tea, cough drops and chicken noodle soup. Have y'all seen these new Campbell's Soup Keurig pods? Not bad.
-First meeting with my new puppy brother. I swore I would never be that obsessed dog person...oops!
-Doctors orders called for froyo.
-#GabeTheBabe getting his daily modeling in.
-Sundays, sniffles and steel cut oats. Power of three I suppose?
-Unexpected quickie visit from one I miss the most!
-Craving for vanilla wafers = make homemade vanilla wafers.

Annie
 

Twenty Two

Today is my twenty second birthday. I'm not going to lie about it, I love birthdays. I love other people's birthdays and I love my own birthday.

Twenty two is an interesting one. I still feel extremely young, honestly younger than when I turned 21. Twenty one has such a title attached to it, unlike 22. I have no fear that my twenty second year won't to be anything short of awesome. So much change and new experiences are happening at 22. I'm pumped for it.

Just because I have to, "I'm feeling' 22."

Annie

Farewell Twenty Fourteen

In 2014, I started the new year in New Orleans watching OU defeat Alabama in the Sugar bowl

I learned a new skill

I channeled my inner cowgirl at the Fort Worth Rodeo

I met my new best friend

I experienced the charm of Charleston

OU Kappa turned 100

Take A Bite turned 1!

I was published for the first time 

Take A Bite did it's first giveaway

I made some of my favorite bites, like these Sea Salt and Lavender White Chocolate Chip cookies

and Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies

and corn cakes

and Verde Turkey Chili

and Lucky Pecan Pie Bars

and Quina Salad Acorn Squash 

and finally, Christmas Crack. 

The Tuckers moved from my childhood home in the suburbs to the big city

I turned 21

Then did my first big girl thing by moving to Washington D.C. for the summer

I moved in with these roommates who quickly became some of my dearest friends

I had one of the finest summer internships that sometimes led to standing on chairs to get the perfect shot

I discovered all the amazing bites D.C. had to offer, like the mediterranean goodness of Cava Grill

 Good Stuff Eatery turned me into a burger person

Ted's Bulletin took pop tarts to a whole new level

and Farmers Fishers Brunch left me in a food coma for hours.

I took a side trip to New York City

spent the 4th with these crazies

mom and dad came to the district

and then I had to say goodbye.

I moved into my first little college house which is now my happy place

I started my last sorority recruitment

and after two weeks of hard work, it ended.

I welcomed senior year with multiple gamedays

I went back to D.C. for a weekend

went to my first music festival

finally met up with my blogger bestie

we beat Texas 

Barre3 came to OU

I dressed up like a circus freak and came out a winner

played fake bridesmaid

then sis got engaged and now I'm going to be a real bridesmaid!

She said yes to the dress

I ended first semester with the best roommates

and also with my best friends

months of hard work with this group led to a Capstone success

realized how much has changed in just a few short years

but also, how much has changed from this...

to this.

And finally closed out the year with a winter wonderland. A sign of peace from the past year and hope for the new year.

Annie

Dear Diary...

Yes, I'll admit I keep a diary. Instead I like to refer to it as a journal. A journal doesn't sound as middle school drama queen as a diary does. 

-quick disclosure- 

Go ahead and just excuse my sappy diary like post today. Instead, just sit back while I "journal" real quick. My blog is definitely not as personal as some, but a little more personal than others. I like it that way, but today I'm feeling the need to just chat about life.

  I am feeling so refreshed lately. This summer has treated me right and I have never felt so happy-go-lucky. I love my     internship, I love the times spent with friends, I love the time spent with family, I love the opportunities and experiences     I've been having, I've loved blogging etc.

image via pinterest

{how could you not love life if this was your backyard?}

After catching up with a new friend last night, who seems like an old friend because we can't get together without talking for hours, I knew this post was going to be about how much I've been loving life lately. We were on the same page about everything and everything the future holds. I feel like so many people these days are so narrow minded about life and what's ahead. Go to college, get a degree, get a job in that field, get married, and go on your way. Um hello boring. (If that's your future there is nothing wrong with that, it just isn't for me.) I'm not saying I'm about to drop out of school to go travel the world and never look back, I just want to keep things exciting. I realize more and more how important it is to me to have fun, try new things, see new place and fill my life with only things and people I love because really there is no reason to waste my time doing anything I don't love. 

I get anxious and giddy when I think about what I want to do in the future. Is it own my own business, move far away, work at a company I love? Who knows, but I know I won't settle for anything less. 

College in general has really made me think about life; like it does for most. Everyday I get more inspired from things which make me confident everyday that I am in charge of what my life holds, so I'm going to do whatever it takes to make it great. 

So here's to loving the people around you, the things around you, and the opportunities around you. Love your life people because I am loving mine!

-end of sappy and obnoxious love everything post-

xo annie