Friday
The weekend began on a high note! fter I put Chase to bed, I had plans to meet up with some of my girlfriends for dinner. Ryan was home sick again on Friday and since we were trying to keep Chase away from him, I was pleased that the timing of everything worked out so well and I was able to nurse Chase and put him to sleep before leaving for dinner. Ryan said he didn’t make a peep the whole time I was gone and I was able to sneak into his nursery for his dream feed at 11 p.m. when I got home.
A night out with my friends was so incredibly nice, especially since it was the first time we’ve all hung out without our babies. We all met after our babies were born (through Stroller Strides, library story times, etc.) and I feel grateful to have connected with some great women who are going through such similar things so soon after Chase was born.
We had a great time and laughed a lot over wine, nachos and barbeque at Smoke Modern Barbeque in Birkdale Village. It was such a fun night and we’re hoping for many more just like it in the future.
Saturday
Saturday began bright and early! Chase started to stir around 6:30 a.m., so I fed him before he fell back asleep, ate breakfast and then got ready for the day. I headed uptown for a shoot with the Charlotte Marriott City Center hotel a little after 7:15 a.m.
The Charlotte Marriott is working with a handful of local bloggers to highlight different aspects of Charlotte and the hotel and I was hired to be in a short promo video focusing on their new fitness center for their Design Charlotte series.
Early last week, I met with several people from the Marriott and the videographers to discuss the shoot and everything went really well on Saturday! The shoot was very casual (just me and two videographers who were so laidback and fun) and I had a really good time.
The shoot took place in the Marriott’s new fitness center which is easily the nicest hotel gym I’ve ever seen. They have everything you could possibly need for a workout and their fitness on demand technology is SO cool!
To use the fitness on demand feature, you select a workout from a kiosk outside a small fitness studio and the fitness video you choose will then play on a big-screen TV in the room so you can follow along. It was seriously awesome and I was filmed doing three different videos and had a blast!
(Pic from my Snapchat. I am officially obsessed. –> juliepbfingers)
After the workouts, I did a short interview for voiceover purposes before we wrapped and I walked to 7th Street Public Market for a latte and green juice before heading home.
I made it back to our house around lunchtime and inhaled a sandwich before joining Ryan, Sadie and Chase on a walk around our neighborhood. It was SO beautiful outside on Saturday and we were sweaty by the end of our 60-minute walk. Spring is coming!
The rest of our Saturday passed by in a blur of cleaning, working and grocery shopping for a casual barbeque Ryan and I hosted on Sunday. Oh and we made it through a few more episodes of House of Cards. I’m SO glad this season is a good one! I missed ruthless Frank and Claire last season and still don’t understand how the writers make you root for two people who are so terrible. They’re crafty ones, I’m tellin’ ya.
Sunday
The time change hit us hard on Sunday but I think that’s to be expected when you have a little one, right? We really could’ve used the extra hour we were missing, but made the most of a few free hours in the morning. After a short 20-minute Grokker barre workout (I did Sarah Kusch’s barre #2 workout – no barre needed!), I prepped food for our barbeque and entertained Chase while Ryan vacuumed and cleaned the floors.
Then it was time for Chase’s morning nap, so I nursed him and put him in his crib before driving to the Charlotte airport to pick up my friend Ashley who flew in a day early for a conference she’s planning at The Ballantyne Hotel so she could spend some time with us!
It was so great to see her and her baby skills are seriously top-notch because she held Chase and my friend Carrie’s baby for a long time and both remained quite content with her the whole time!
She’s a baby whisperer!
We spent all Sunday afternoon just hanging out with our friends and soaking up as much quality time as we could with two of our favorite people.
I’m so sad to say that yesterday was our last day with our friends Chandra and Kevin. They left early this morning for Arkansas and while I’m sure a lot of wonderful things await them in their new hometown, it’s hard not to be really bummed to have to say goodbye to two of the first people we met when we moved to Charlotte who quickly became very close friends. I hope we see them again soon and wish them nothing but the best!
I had to make them a special going-away cake and decorated a big Rice Krispie Treats sheet cake I found at Publix on Saturday.
Have you guys seen this before!? It’s amazing! I simply topped the giant krispie treat with homemade buttercream icing, crushed Oreos and a “We Will Miss U” message (“u” because I ran out of gel icing and didn’t have enough for the “y” and “o”) and everyone seemed to enjoy it!
And that was our weekend in a nutshell!
I hope you guys had a good one!
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For your friends Chandra & Kevin… Welcome to Arkansas!
The hubby and I moved to Northwest Arkansas about 3 years ago. It’s a nice area (except everything closes quite early! :))
It’s a beautiful community.
So glad to hear you are loving Arkansas! We will miss them but I know a lot of fun awaits them. They just bought their first house!! 🙂
I LOVE rice krispy treats!! I have seen these giant ones at airports but never at my local grocery store, I will have to keep an eye out!
The only giant Rice krispies treat cake I’ve seen is a large Mickey in Disney World. I really want to make my own though, it’s such a good idea!
Rice Krispie treats are worth moving back to the states for. I loved them as a kid!! 😀 From someone who moves the second I can call a place home, I can tell you it’s the most bittersweet experience saying goodbye to those you’ve grown close to! But when you see them again, it’s like they never moved 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever had a rice krispie cake but it looks delicious 🙂 Sounds like a fun and busy weekend!
That giant Rice Krispie Treat – YES. Also, Scott grew up in NWA! I bet they will love the Fayetville area. People are so nice. 🙂
That is a neat idea for an easy cake! I love rice krispies so this is right up my alley. Also neat that your friends are headed to Arkansas because that’s where I was born and raised! In Northwest Arkansas (Bentonville, AR). It’s a beautiful state. I hope they enjoy it.
They’re moving to Bentonville!
That is so awesome that you were able to go and film! And that rice crispy treat looks heavenly! 🙂
hello way better rice krispie treat cake!!! rice krispie treats don’t do much for me, i like your style way better!! i could get down with that!!
Another fun weekend recap! Love these Juli. Oh my, I have never seen a sheet of Rice Krispies….that is the best idea. I am totally not a traditional cake girl and would love a giant Rice Krispie Cake for my birthday!
What a cool assignment! In the past I’ve stayed at a different hotel in Charlotte City Center for work trips. I always base my hotel choice on location as well as the best available fitness options. It is nice to know that there is another hotel in city center with a good fitness center.
I hope you’ve enjoyed your time in Charlotte!! 🙂 The Marriott’s hotel gym really is amazing — they have everything from free weights to stationary machines, traditional cardio equipment, TRX, kettlebells, etc. I was so impressed!!
Awww, love the little Purdue baby! Too bad they didn’t win yesterday.
I hope the time change goes more smoothly today! Our 9 month old had some trouble last night, but I loved her waking up at 8:30!
Brill such a cool cake idea!! Really pretty pic of you in the gym too…random but true!
It’s crazy that one hour can cause such an upset but I felt it yesterday too and this morning for work was not fun!
I was a little concerned when I did not see your post this morning as per usual. I kept checking my internet connection to see if it was me, LOL! But everyone understands because you have such a little one.
What a cool shoot to be a part of and you deserve it! Hopefully you can post a link or something in the future. Glad to hear you are making some mommie friends, it is so important.
Thank you for thinking of me this morning, Valerie! <3 And yes, I'll definitely share a link when the video is live!
Oh man, what a FUN opportunity that was!!! I need to follow you on snapchat…yay!
That rice crispy cake looks so yummy!! I’ve never seen sheets that big! Hoping I can recreate that sometime! 🙂
Looks like a fun weekend! I havent yet tried snapchat…you love it? That rice krispie treat is huuuge!! looks awesome!
Yes!!! I resisted it for SO long, but it’s quickly becoming my favorite form of social media.
I come to Charlotte frequently from Orlando for work and always stay in Marriotts, I will have to check out the city center one next time for that awesome gym! I saw Aria Tuscan Grill made it into your photo…have you and Ryan tried it yet? It’s my favorite and I always go there when I’m in town (hence the need for the gym!)…you must try the Caramelized gnocchi appetizer…so delicious/ life changing!
Yummmm rice crispy cake!
I LOVE House of Cards, I haven’t started season 4 yet, I need to get on that!
Did you like Smoke? They opened one at Stonecrest, but I haven’t had a chance to check it out. I heard good reviews of the place.
That giant Rice Krispie treat is genius! It would be such a fun and easy dessert to make, too! Such a throwback to being a kid with super-sticky fingers 🙂
Looks like such a fun weekend!! That is awesome that they make those rice krispy treats in sheets now!
Julie, you’ll have to connect me with Chandra (I remember meeting her at your shower)! One of my closest friends here in RVA has to move to Arkansas for work as well, and she and her husband don’t know anyone there. I’ll text you later to see if we can make something happen there! 🙂
Thanks for the FOD feedback.
rice krispy treat sheets… now that is awesome.
My daughter is all over that.
Cheers,
Welcome to Arkansas (for your friends)! I live in Little Rock, Arkansas. It’s a friendly place that’s pretty easy going. 🙂