M is for MOXIE.

 Spring has sprung, y'all. (thank God!)

And I know it's beating a dead horse, but we have been so crazy busy. And as you fellow bloggers can sympathize, when the days get busy, things like blogging? Well, not so much an immediate priority.

But back to spring.

 I'm thrilled to report that spring is in full swing in Nashville. The telltale, feathery yellow daffodil blossoms are the first sign, I've noticed--and as of last week? Trees full-on blooming, chirping birds everywhere, glittery sunshine illuminating everything. It is all kinds of beautiful.

But before spring came...

We holed up a little and binged on some Netflix--Maizie included (but no chocolate ganache for her, obvi).

My sweet boss and I braved a rainy workday and sampled Chauhan (yes, Maneet Chauhan, of Food Network fame) for lunch not long ago--this Indian take on grilled cheese and tomato soup was heavenly. Maizie got her semi-weekly bath and blowout (this must be chronicled, because her pitiful face is one of her sweetest). I snapped a foggy mist of a pink sunrise early one morning, and we celebrated my dear friend Courtney's 30th!

I made it to my first Local Levo event, which was really energizing and insightful (if you have a local chapter, I really encourage you to get involved--even if it's a small group, you gotta start somewhere!). It was really inspiring to meet and chat with fellow career-oriented girls my age. Power in numbers and all that.

My bosslady and I spent another lunch hour out and about (it's sort of our thing), and grabbed the first Jeni's of the season (while not technically native to Nashville, it is undoubtedly one of my favorite things about Nashville, for the record). Similarly, I headed to Crema one Wednesday for a coffee class--just amazing! (I'll post more about this later). I definitely recommend this too, if you're ever in the area (and sign up quickly enough!). I'm headed to another this Wednesday and can't wait! Crema is a truly innovative coffee house here in Nashville, as the owners travel all over the world to personally meet with their bean farmers. Maybe a little too hipster for you, but I dig it. Now, if only I could convince myself I don't genuinely need the $200 worth of barista equipment...

The same day my Bears gave up an unexpected loss in the tournament, I dutifully donned some cobalt in the spirit of my sweet Kentucky friends. I'm no bandwagon jumper, but I'm really excited for most of my Nashville girls--all UK alums, obviously!

My baking itch was dormant for a bit, but is back in full-force (for the first time, I refrigerated my chocolate chip cookie dough overnight--honestly? didn't make much of a difference in my cookies, but what say you?). I have been earnestly reminding myself to cherish quiet time, to not get too lost in my own bubble of business. Relatedly, Maizie and I (and ST too!) have been logging plenty of time on the greenway. I really freaking love that it's so close by... earlier this week, Maiz and I discovered a teeny hidden lake behind the country club and dog park--complete with ducks, herons and a couple of pondering fishermen--which is where we spent a couple of sweet, lazy hours this morning. And I've thought a lot lately about how technology has stunted us millennials--and then I'm reminded about how very wonderful it is when I get the chance to Facetime with my loves back home--specifically, my best friend and her precious baby boys (and their cheeks and chins).

I've fallen in love again with the dirty chai--this time, revamped over ice with coconut milk. If you have even the slightest affection for anything chai, go try this. I'm literally craving one right this minute. In other food-related news, I cannot get enough of brussels and eggs... what is it about that flavor combination?! I eat this meal about three times a week, minimum. Ah! There's my girl, posted up at our baby lake today. And in purely materialistic updates, I indulged in a Target binge last week--new Domino, shiny new camelbak I've been coveting, gardening gloves, a new trail mix, and gum for my car (fun fact: prior to buying this, this recovering gum-chewer hadn't gnawed on gum in years due to my hesitation linked to endless dental work... leave it to me to be swayed by the convenience of a pink car cup).

And you may have noticed a teeny revamp here! I changed my header a bit and have tweaked my topics--go check them out, will ya? More updates soon--I promise. I have determined I need to intentionally schedule blogging time if I'm going to enjoy this like I used to, so that's what I am doing. Pinky promise.

And in case you missed it, go listen to my spring playlist! I'm a little obsessed.

Happy Monday, y'all!