I had a good day today. A really good day. I woke up at 6 am to head out for a run. I hit the beach with no music, no set goals/pace, and no plan. I ran with just my thoughts, God, and the sound of the ocean in my ears.

I had time for four slower, steady miles again to process some thoughts and simply be with myself. At the end of my run, I happened to come across two very special people – Peter and Makenzie. We strolled the beach a little longer together before coming in for breakfast. I once again had my favorite bowl of oatmeal and some refreshing iced coffee.

Something about iced coffee tastes that much more refreshing at the beach. I savored it over a chill morning before getting ready for a special lunch date I had planned for later.

Julie and I have been buddies through the online world even before we both began blogging. Last year, when we knew we would be in closer proximity, we made sure to get together for a lunch. We had such a great time and needed to continue that tradition again when I came to Florida this year. And luckily, two other friends managed to add to the fun as well – Meghann and Kelly! I couldn’t wait to get the chance to meet both of them for the first time since we have bonded online for so long.

We met up at the Virgin Olive Market in Orlando for a lot of girl talk and sandwiches.

We were all ready to eat so hit up the order counter right after my arrival. I ordered the “Laughing Uncello” sandwich, which included turkey breast, provolone cheese, fresh basil, tomato & onion with a sundried tomato aioli all pressed on focaccia bread.

The sundried tomato aioli made this sandwich. Also, the focaccia. Without a doubt, focaccia makes a good sandwich. I loved every bite…and I do mean every bite. I ate the whole thing over the span of our almost 3 hour chat. Yep. Almost 3 hours. I would expect no less putting four women who love to share their lives and participate in such a fabulous community together. We talked blogging, relationships, Healthy Living Summit, family, running, babies, and more. I cannot wait to see them again…which luckily I won’t have to because we will all have the chance to spend more time together at HLS in August and at the Savannah RNR Race in November. Yay!

picture taken from Meghann because mine was super blurry

Hanging out with blog friends never fails to provide a lot of wonderful conversation, laughs, and plain ole fun. Next year hopefully I will remember to plan ahead enough to make it a bigger meet-up. More bloggers just means more fun!

• What do you love most about the blogging community?

I think I need a new Bondi Band.

Instead of “Will Run for Margaritas”, I need one that says “Will Putt-Putt for Food”. After all, that described my day yesterday perfectly. After a typical morning at the beach and lunch/naps, we decided to take advantage of a Groupon we purchased for some putt-putt action.

Take note: sign up for deals in the areas to which you plan to travel. You can score deals on fun activities for the trip without extra hassle. That’s what we did to score a great price on a round of putt-putt, or miniature golf as some call it.

We picked up our clubs, balls, and scorecard and began a super serious game of golf.

Makenzie dominated the game, of course. She decided that the start of each part of the course was about 1 inch away from the hole.

Smart girl. I could have used such handicaps for myself. I clearly do not have good hand/eye coordination and scored at least a 3, but usually a 5, on each hole. Somehow Peter knocked out more than a few hole-in-ones.

Oh, well. I still had a blast. How could I not watching this little one have the time of her life? Although, I think she got more excited over the pirate flag than the actual game.

Once we finished our round of putt-putt we got showered and ready for our family dinner for the night. We went to one of our favorite restaurants – Stonewood Grill and Tavern.

We love this place. They have amazing food and drink. We look forward to it every year.

Tonight I started with a rosemary infused blueberry martini.

Then, a group of us split a bruschetta appetizer that included a fantastically delicious balsamic reduction. I happily devoured my piece.

Once again, my sister and I decided to share a dish. For tonight’s dinner we went with the filet and portabella ravioli combo. Each of our portions included a 3 oz filet, ravioli “pillows” stuffed with a wine sauce and portabella mushrooms, a Caesar salad, and creamed spinach for a side.

I wish the pictures could do this meal justice because it tasted incredible. Splitting a meal created the perfect portions, too. I left perfectly satisfied, but not overly full. I love when that happens after dining out. I know I can easily eat a bit past my comfort zone when faced with an abundance of delicious food. So restaurants that serve realistic portions always win in my book. Hopefully we will get the chance to return again next year!

• Is it easy for you to eat more when restaurants serve a huge portion?
• Do you call it “putt-putt” or “miniature golf”?