Good morning from Jacksonville Beach!
I worked until a little after 8 p.m. yesterday and when I got off, I swung by the house to pick up Sadie and drive to Jacksonville. Ryan left on a business trip Sunday night and since I am flying out of the Jacksonville airport tomorrow and wasn’t scheduled to work today, I figured I would spend the evening at my parents’ place so I could have a full day with them before I leave for New York City tomorrow morning.
My drive to Jacksonville went well but it’s kind of spooky to drive through the Ocala National Forest at night. A solid 45 minutes of my drive to Jacksonville takes me through the forest where I always see animals and feel extra paranoid that a deer, coyote or bear is going to dart across the street in front of my car. I saw a bunch of deer yesterday, but they were content to graze along the side of the road rather than run across the road to check out the happenings on the other side of the street.
As I drove, I had fun listening to the holiday music station on the radio (with the exception of the horrific Christmas Shoes song <— Whyyyy!?!?) and arrived in Jacksonville a little before 11 p.m.
Breakfast
This morning, I woke up a little before 7 a.m. and brewed myself a cup of salted caramel coffee from The Fresh Market.
My mom enjoys trying new flavored coffees as much as I do, so I knew my parents would have something fun to try. I didn’t really taste the salted caramel flavor too much, but I liked it!
For breakfast, I made myself an egg white and oatmeal protein pancake. (I made one for my dad, too, and he loved it!)
Served with a cup of strawberry banana yogurt on the side.
Now I’m off to get dressed and head to the gym with my dad!
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Christmas Shoes…I have to change it everytime! I’m heading to Jacksonville tomorrow after a week of finals. Well, Orange Park. But close enough! I’m making a special trip to Jacksonville to visit Sweet Theory Bakery. You MUST try it. Everything is all natural and mostly organic and they have amazing donuts 🙂 Happy travels!
I’ve never had coffee from the fresh market before! I’ll have to check it out!
The Christmas Shoes song is just too much…it gets me every time. SO heartbreaking to listen to. Can’t wait to hear about your time in NYC!!!
I wish someone else other than me liked flavored coffee in my family. It would let me try out all their finds 🙂 North Florida has so many areas that give you a nice creepy ride. I went to University of Florida so I know that area is surrounded with scary night time sceneries. Its so nice that you are so close to your family that you can just pop in the car and see them.
Enjoy your family day!
Driving in the dark in the woods is definitely scary! One time, my husband and I were driving down a wooded road in the dark and a deer ran out and I had no time to stop, so I hit it. Luckily, we were okay…the car, on the other hand, was not. No fun!
Oh my gosh I agree – that Christmas Shoes song should be banned from the radio! And I would be freaked out driving through the forest too! Although I rarely drive through areas with animals (since I live in Chicago…) whenever I do I’m so scared of one darting in front of the car, especially deer since I’d not only hit them but then your car an be totaled! It happened to my friend’s dad, so scary!
Your drive through the forest reminds me of the Ragnar Relay I did. My leg was at 2:30 am and on a trail through a state park…in complete darkness. I definitely ran a little faster to get out of there! Have a great day with your parents!
I’m sitting here being very jealous of your coffee!! I with a new flavor and it is, well, not good!
Have fun with your parents today 🙂
Father daughter gym date! I wish I could get my dad to go!!! Heads up on the yoghurt…they have a double hit of aspartame and acesulfame..
I tear up the first time I hear that song every single year. I know a lot of people hate the song but I think it really embodies the spirit of the season.
Way jealous of Florida at the moment. Here in WI we have a HIGH temp of 2 degrees with some ridiculous wind. I think my lips froze together when I walked outside. Time to find a job that allows me to work down south in the winter!!! 🙂
I know exactly how you feel. I live in Michigan and our weather is no better by any means.
Yum! That coffee sounds absolutely wonderful! I’m such a big fan of flavored coffees and always searching for new ones. Also, I love Yoplait yogurt, they have such great variety in their flavors! Plus, I heard they just came out with a new Apple Pie flavor in their Yoplait 100-Greek Yogurt line!
Salted Caramel Coffee sounds so good! I’ve been seeing a lot of salted caramel flavored drinks and desserts lately. It makes me want to try all of them! 🙂
I never think of a FOREST when I think of Florida! Haha. I’m glad you arrived safely! And wow – that coffee sounds incredible!
The Christmas Shoes song is a little too much–thankfully it’s just one song and the others make it better.
I love trying new coffees as well, but I usually get disappointed when I take a sip and realize chocolate cake coffee doesn’t actually taste like a bite of real chocolate cake! Go figure! 😉
OMG The Christmas Shoes song! I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks it’s a highly inappropriate holiday song. NO I don’t want to cry on Christmas, thankyouverymuch. =)
The Christmas Shoes movie is actually one of my all time favorite holiday movies, but alas, I can’t sit through it without crying at some point. It ALWAYS gets to me. But I honestly think that it brings out the true meaning of Christmas and makes me feel more thankful for what I have and especially for my parents. I can’t go through the holiday season without watching it and very rarely can I get anyone to watch it with me–my dad absolutely refuses to watch that movie.
that coffee looks amazing, I love salted caramel anything! What do you put in your coffee?
Almond milk and sometimes drops of liquid vanilla stevia. 🙂
I don’t like running through wooded forests by myself at night either! I remember even my husband and I were driving through some back roads in VA to go visit family – there were no lights, very hilly, and I was terrified the whole time a deer was going to jump out in front of me!
I hope you have a nice visit with your family!
I totally agree with you on that Christmas Shoes song! I love Christmas – and I live in Calgary, Alberta so it is definitely Christmasy up here – but every time that song comes on I cringe!
Enjoy your time in NYC! 🙂
days with the parents are the BEST!! have fun 🙂
I’ve never really like the Christmas shoes song either! I like to stick to the more traditional happy-warm feeling songs! Enjoy your time with your parents!
That coffee looks divine! I lovelovelove trying new coffees (hence the 5 different-almost-gone bags in my cupboard!) but I’ve never seen salted caramel. It’s going to find its way into my choices… juuuuuuuust wait 😉
Oh my gosh, on the radio this morning they were discussing Christmas songs that should go away forever and the Christmas shoes song was at the top of the list! I’ve been on a flavored coffee kick lately too. There are so many good flavors this time of year!
I guess I’m out of the loop because I’ve never heard this Christmas Shoes song. Sounds like I’m not missing much!
When your driving at night like that and see deer on the side of the road, honk your horn a few times. That sufficiently scares them enough so they won’t dart out in front of you!
I heard Christmas Shoes on the radio the other day and before i QUICKLY turned it off I thought of you. . . that song really is HORRIBLY sad!
There is a hilarious blog post called “The 5 best ways to survive Christmas Shoes.” It is awesome, Google it!
This was lovely…thanks! I totally laughed.
PS. Wow. The comments. There are even better than the post!
The beach looks so peaceful; I could go for a nice long walk out there!
Hope you get to go to Body Pump!! I drive through that forest to Jville too!
Too bad you cant really taste the flavor, salted caramel coffee sounds amazing!
Oh man, that Christmas Shoes song! Because nothing says Christmas like a terminal illness, right?
That coffee sounds delish! I saw your pic on Insta while I was at the gym earlier and it made me want to run and find coffee immediately.
Salted caramel ANYTHING is amazing! Not a bad view to enjoy your breakfast either. It looks a little colder in Jacksonville compared to where I am in South Florida.
I’m not a fan of coffee, but I know a couple that could try different flavors! Driving through forest can be scary at times, specially at night, and if you are driving alone. It’s this feeling of Jason is chasing me that I always have. Weird, I know. However in Puerto Rico I don’t expect animals crossing the road, it’s unusual, except for dogs and cats!
Thank God I’m not the only one who hates that song. With a fiery vengeance do I hate “The Christmas Shoes.” Great message, but why do people feel the need to talk about tear jerkers at Christmas? Knife, heart, twist. Doesn’t help that the song played almost constantly on K-LOVE a few years ago (prompting me to find another radio station for good. Bad form, K-Love.).
Hope you have a great trip!
Have you heard that country Christmas song Christmas Cookies?? Ohhh my it is terrible haha! “I sure do like those Christmas cookies sugar, I sure do like those Christmas cookies babe!”
Omg, I’m glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t like the Christmas Shoes song. I have to turn it quickly or the tears start flowing.
Yah, driving in the forest at night would def be a bit freaky! Have fun at the gym!
Hey Julie, do you try to eat less calories on days where you don’t work out?
Nope!
BAHAHAHA oh my gosh, I haaaaaaate the christmas shoes song!!! Worst one ever!!!!
I laughed out loud when I read your thoughts on Christmas Shoes. I probably sound evil saying this, but I DESPISE that song! My husband has the same thoughts in that category and we actually put it on our wedding do not play list (even though we got married outdoors in June with nothing Christmas-themed) just to be sure no one would decide to request it as a practical joke.
Enjoy Santa Con!
I’ve not heard that Christmas shoes song but that sounds like a good thing!
You’ve made me want egg white pancakes for breakfast now too.
That’s a bummer about the salted caramel coffee. I was super excited when I saw your Instagram but I can’t stand when a flavored coffee doesn’t taste like the flavor it claims to taste like…or has no flavor at all!
I’d be super paranoid about those animals too!
I HATE Christmas shoes, it’s so cheesy and unnecessary. Have you seen this?http://www.buzzfeed.com/joannaborns/the-christmas-shoes-best-christmas-song It seriously made me laugh out loud, but I guess you have to have a certain sense of humor (i.e. be a terrible person, which I obviously am) haha
Oooh I need to get to Fresh Market ASAP and look for that coffee! Sounds like the perfect Christmas brew. Have fun in NY!!
Wow, that coffee looks amazing! Wish we had a fresh market in VA.
So I had to go look up Christmas Shoes. Never heard of it. Didn’t finish it. Latte Land is still worse. Far worse. Be glad you don’t live in the Seattle area. Now I am off to google “The 5 best ways to survive Christmas Shoes.”
Have a good day, Sam
I love trying flavored coffees — especially around the holidays 🙂
Hi there! I’ve been following your blog for awhile, and love it! I grew up in Ponte Vedra Beach, so I loving hearing about your trips to Jax! Merry Christmas!
Jacksonville is so fun!! I love visiting!