Note to Self...

Clearly it was meant to be...

2012-01-27T06:23:00.000-05:00

Wednesday was my last day of work. Besides a few good coworkers, I really wasn't sad to go and enjoyed finishing up my last-minute things, passing off any remaining files, and clearing out the remainder of my desk. In my exit interview, I wished my bosses farewell and told them I would keep in touch, stating I am curious to see how everything turns out with our latest projects and to get updates on what everyone is doing down the road. Then I said all my goodbyes and left without any regrets.

Yesterday, while we were in the middle of the packing and moving process, one of my coworkers sends me a message. She tells me that they just got out of an office meeting whereby they were told the office is going to be shut down in a few months and everyone is out of a job. Wow. Talk about timing being everything. Clearly, us taking on this new move to Charlotte was the right thing to do and I am even more certain we are making the right move at this time.

I guess things really do happen for a reason.

Bucket List: Try Mussels

2012-01-26T08:10:00.000-05:00

I always like to accomplish goals, even when I'm out on the town. Last night I went out with a couple of my best buds to Bonefish Grill, a great seafood place with excellent drinks. We sipped on some delicious cosmos (so scrumptious), enjoyed some appetizers of bang bang shrimp and decided to order another that is on my bucket list. The mussels.

Mussels have always intrigued me. Here in south Florida, I see many people ordering these suckers up in pizza places, Italian restaurants, and of course anywhere seafood can be found. I found these little critters to be interesting yet daunting. But, since I had put it on the list and the ladies, of course know all about my bucket list, we decided to give them a try. The best part was that neither AC or MN (the girls) had tried them before so it was a first for us all.

They came to the table in a huge bowl and we just sat and stared at them for a moment. Then everyone grabbed a shell with our cute miniature forks and we did a round of pictures cuz you have to have pics of these momentous events in life! After staring down the little critter, I took the plunge and ate it. The girls followed suit. I had a few more just to put a dent in our bowl and pulled out the list (oh yeah, a copy of it is in my purse, what of it?) and marked the occasion. Our waitress even congratulated us on our first mussel meal, and them took the rest of them away.

The verdict on mussels: they're not horrible or slimy and the consistency is not bad. The sauce they were cooked in: a lemon garlic sauce with tomatoes, was delicious. Overall though, I probably won't get them again. I think I'll stick to my shrimp and lobster, but I'm still happy I finally tried them and got to do so with some awesome friends as well. It turned out to be a great night with lots of laughter, good drinks, great food, and a cross off the bucket list. Can't beat that.

I'm gonna miss those girls...

60 Days

2012-01-25T09:40:00.000-05:00

I really want to get back into running again and have found a race to sign up for, the Charlotte Motor Speedway half marathon on March 25th. They claim it’s a relatively flat-surfaced race overall so I wouldn’t have to deal with too many hills, but it’s a mere 60 days away. I am wondering if it’s really logical that I could train hard enough to be able to run the distance in such a short period of time.

Should I give it a whirl or wait for a later race…any thoughts?

Weekend Recap

2012-01-23T08:30:00.002-05:00

Even with all the chaos going on right now, we had a pretty nice weekend. Friday night we spent time doing projects around the house/garage getting things in order and then spent time lounging on the couch catching up on all our saved TV episodes from the last week. So much to watch and so little time!

Saturday was more of the same with household cleaning in the morning and some organization for the afternoon. I did get in some coffee and reading time in the afternoon, which was glorious! In the evening, we met up with a group of our friends for some farewell food and drinks. It was a great evening and we will definitely be missing everyone a lot.

Sunday we enjoyed a lovely barbeque with all of our neighbors and hung out for most of the afternoon. I love a good bbq and we had all the good foods from wings to burgers, hot dogs, and some great grilled veggies as well. It was fantastic! It was a pretty great weekend and let us know that we will be missed by a lot of wonderful people. Thankfully there are so many ways to keep in touch nowadays so at least we can still stay involved in their lives.

As for this week, I have a feeling it’s gonna be crazy! I have 3 days of work left, the movers come to pack us up Wednesday and Thursday and leave with our stuff on Friday, my car leaves for the journey on Friday, we have to pack our personal stuff for the trip, oh and we need a place to live. No pressure :-)

Here’s to a successful week of craziness and chaos!

5 Things Friday

2012-01-20T08:17:00.000-05:00

1. That lovely house we had picked out in the Concord area? The owner up and sold it as a relocation sale. So, now we are trying to pick a home via internet pics. And that, my friends, is just awesome sauce.

2. I have only been working out again for the last 3 days but I already feel much better. Why do I ever let you go, exercise?

3. My house is in disarray due to boxes, Goodwill piles, etc. As you know, I prefer a nice, tidy house so I have done my best to live happily in my organized chaos. I’ll be happy when everything is in its place once again.

4. Wilson is definitely our fur baby. We were gone for 4 days and since our return, he has gone from happy to see us to pissed that we left him. Wait till he has that 12 hour car ride coming up, then he’ll love us again.

5. Chips and salsa sound awesome right now.

Likes & Dislikes

2012-01-19T09:25:00.000-05:00

With only a little over a week left in our stay here in Florida, I’ve been thinking a lot about our time here and my likes and dislikes of the sunshine state. This is the longest I’ve lived in one place since my college days in Minnesota, so we have definitely made a lot more memories and had several adventures along the way. Don’t worry, I’ll keep it short.

Some likes:

1. Disney World. Need I say more? We basically made a trip up there at least once a year, whether it was for fun or the couple races I did there, which will always be my favorite. No one does a race like Disney!

2. Our wonderful group of friends. We have met some great people here…funny enough, several are not only from MN, but we also all graduated from the same college. Small world indeed. We will miss the parties, the kiddies, and just hanging out with you guys. It’s been fun.

3. The winter weather months. 70 degrees in January is awesome.

4. Living so close to the beach. Even though we don’t go as often as I would like, being only 20 minutes from the beach has been pretty sweet and I started my running along the beach as well.

5. There is so much to do here. We can always find something to do on the weekend or just hang out by the pool in the backyard.

6. Last but not least. Key West. I love the keys and when I make my first million, we will be buying a cute little shack somewhere in the keys. It’s simply the bomb diggity.

And the dislikes:

1. Overall, the people suck. They are rude, inconsiderate, and ignorant. Besides our group of friends, most people here are not friendly at all and I am sick of the attitudes.

2. School systems suck. Although I don’t have munchkins yet, we will someday soon and I want my kids to have good schools to go to when the time comes.

3. Bad drivers. Everywhere. Everyday.

4. Florida summers and humidity. I hate humidity. Bad on hair, skin, sweaty all the time. Just plain icky. I hear it does get humid in NC but not to FL standards.

5. Closer to family. It might only take us a day to drive home and 8 hours to fly instead of a 2 day drive and 12-15 hour/3 plane ride trip.

6. Lastly, my job. I won’t miss it. There are a few coworkers who I’ll miss but that’s about it.

It’s a bittersweet experience. There are many good times and bad times spent here and I am sure I will eventually look kindly on the good ones and forget the bad ones. Not to mention that we are driving distance from here and can come visit now and then. I’ve got more Disney races to run yet so we’ll be back! However, as a travel bug, I love to explore new surroundings and try out new things so a move, although scary since I don’t have a job lined up yet, still means excitement and lots of exploration. It all works out in the end.

weight loss wednesday

2012-01-18T08:58:00.002-05:00

To me, the universal sign of weight gain isn’t the scale’s number but my clothes. When the clothes start feeling snug and uncomfortable, I know it’s time to do something about it. I’ve been happily coasting on holiday fumes for quite some time now, enjoying junk food, cake, ice cream, highly caloric coffee beverages, etc. and I think I finally reached my fill this past weekend.

The clothes are snug.

Junk food doesn’t sound good anymore.

The exercise bike looks inviting to me.

Yep. I think that’s my sign that it’s time to get back on an exercise/food plan and see where it takes me. Last night I started out with 35 minutes on the exercise bike and some sit ups. Tonight I’d like to do one of my exercise videos and maybe do some running this weekend as there is a half marathon I am eyeing up in Charlotte in March (which means I’d better start running).

I’ve also found a few gyms for us to check out when we get settled and a kick-ass bootcamp that I’m sure I’ll be checking out as well. There are definitely plenty of options, now it’s up to me to make it happen. I figure 30 minutes a day is not too much to ask for right now so that’s my plan until things settle down.

Baby steps…

And we're back....temporarily

2012-01-17T08:34:00.002-05:00

Overall it was a pretty good weekend visit to the great state of NC. We were up at 3:45am on Friday to head out to the airport and had easy travel the whole way there. One thing stands out the most upon arrival to Charlotte: COLD! It was only in the high 30s to low 40s, which meant the flip flops were retired to the suitcase and the shoes, socks and sweatshirts came out. Glad we packed appropriately or there would’ve been a quick shopping excursion immediately upon arrival.

After checking into the hotel and grabbing some lunch, we met with a realtor and spent the entire afternoon running around the Concord/Harrisburg area looking at different homes. We did find one we really like and put in an application so hopefully we hear something today. It’s a beautiful home in the Concord area and is only about 5-10 minutes from the Charlotte Speedway.

Saturday through Monday were spent bumming around in the car checking out the surrounding cities, downtown Charlotte, Lake Norman, and downtown Concord as well as checking out Brian’s new job location. The chilly weather stayed with us all weekend and definitely means I will need to update parts of my wardrobe soon, although I am excited to wear my boots again since I rarely get to wear them in Florida. We checked out the mall (very nice), saw the Sherlock Holmes movie and ate lots of good food. Overall it was a good trip and as long as the house goes through we can call it a success.

Now it’s back to FL and the job of getting things in order for moving day. I have a week of work left to power through, packing up our personal stuff for the journey, and covering all loose ends. I’m sure these next few days are gonna fly by.

Off to NC

2012-01-12T09:23:00.002-05:00

At the ass-crack of dawn tomorrow, we are heading up to Charlotte to look for a house. I am looking forward to getting away for the weekend and getting a chance to explore our new location as I’ve yet to visit North Carolina so I’m pretty excited to see what the area looks like. It’s too bad we didn’t know about this sooner cuz I would have totally tried to sign us up for House Hunters to look for a house. We could have seen three lovely homes, analyzed each one and decided how much bang for our buck we could get out of each, how much renovations would be needed and the costs associated with each, and then sat down with theme music in the background while we made our decision. Oh, how lovely that would have been!

Guess we’ll just have to settle for my own theme music and ponderings. As long as we find a nice house with a fenced yard in a good neighborhood, I think we’ll be happy. Can’t wait to do some exploring of the local scenery as well. It should be a great weekend! I think I’ll try some fried pickles…I hear they’re delicious there.

Tuesday Tidbits

2012-01-10T09:12:00.002-05:00

1. I got on the scale this morning and have actually lost 3 pounds without trying too much. I think it’s a little bit of anxiety mixed with some busyness and topped with an I-don’t –have-time-to-care-about –this-right-now attitude. I’ll take it!

2. I gave my notice at work today. It was one of those bittersweet moments. I am ready to move on but I was there for over 5 years and a small part of me will miss the place…at least the craziness that ensued there.

3. I’ve been pretty good with my goal of taking more pictures. I took some cute ones of Wilson and some nice landscape ones as well. Maybe if I take enough over the year I can validate that shiny new camera I have been eyeing up for the past year.

4. Starting to stress about getting a new job. I am sure I can find something but it’s worrisome nonetheless, especially when you’re trying to find one so far away. It’ll happen; I just have to be patient I suppose.

5. My plan was 5 things but I can’t seem to think of one now so I’ll just ramble about how I can’t come up with the last tidbit as my last tidbit. There, now we have 5.

Let's get organized!

2012-01-09T11:04:00.000-05:00

I was sitting on the couch watching House Hunters International yesterday (p.s. I want to live in Italy and Paris now) and was thinking that I could really use a project right now. Yes, I could make weight loss a project but that’s never ending and I hate to put that much emphasis on one goal. Plus, I would like these projects to be short, monthly things I can do and accomplish to show my awesomeness throughout the year.

So, this morning I decided this month’s project will be dedicated to organization. With a pending move, there is obviously a lot of packing and prepping involved in getting things together. As I was going through the kitchen, I came across an entire drawer full of miscellaneous recipe books, copies of recipes from the internet, magazines, etc. that are all just piled into the drawer with no organization at all. So, I am going to put all the loose recipes into a binder with tabs and the whole works. This way, I can actually find things when I want a new recipe. I’ve already cut out all the recipes from the mags I want to keep and now I just need to organize them into categories and put the book together.

After that, I need to tackle the office cuz there is a lot of organization to be done in there! I am also going to start up my recipe Sunday for new recipes. Hopefully I’ll even include pics with them. Last night I made homeade pizza with side salads. The pizza turned out great, although I would’ve used an airated pan instead of a regular one for a crisper crust.

So, that is the plan for the rest of January: find organization in the chaos.

How about some wedding pics

2012-01-08T11:03:00.000-05:00

My girls

The boys

I was going to add a few more pics but blogger is taking about 15 min per pic to load so three it is.

5 Things Friday

2012-01-06T09:24:00.000-05:00

1. Tomorrow I am re-starting my skinny bitch exercise/food regimin. I allowed myself to take the first week off of January cuz it always seems to be too much effort to start right away on January 1st and, well, I just didn’t want to. But, after a week of eating whatever I want and exercising via the remote only, my body is telling me it’s time to grab those healthy habits again.

2. I think Wilson also needs to go on a 2012 slim down as he had way too many tasty treats over the holidays and I think it’s going to be a shocker when I put him on the scale again. It’s so funny to watch him though. As soon as I put the scale down, he walks a circle around it and puts his front paws up on it, then looks at me to help him sit down properly. Such a good boy!

3. We have been having glorious weather here in south Florida. Highs in the 60s and 70s and lows in the 40s-50s, one day it even dipped to 38. I love this cool weather and look forward to enjoying more of these cool temps on a regular basis. Hooray for less humidity! One would think this would have motivated me to get out there and run but, alas, this is not so. I have gone out for a few walking excursions so that’s something.

4. I need to go clothes shopping. Due to wedding planning and expenses, I basically didn’t buy anything not related to the wedding for the past year or so. I could use some new goodies, not to mention the fact that I pretty much only own open-toed shoes and flip flops, which is not going to cut it in NC. Maybe some shopping will be in order next weekend.

5. To cut my hair or not…that is the question.

New race possibility

2012-01-04T13:18:00.000-05:00

Originally four of us girls had planned to do the Disney Princess half marathon in February this year, but as circumstances have changed, I will not be able to attend this one, although I do love running the Disney races. So, I have been looking for a race to sign up for to keep me motivated to run and keep running this year and I think I found one. I am eyeing up the Charlotte half marathon in April as my first attempt of the year. I haven’t signed up for it yet since I just found out about it last week, but I am definitely keeping it in the back of my mind. I didn’t run races last year and noticed how much less mileage I ran overall, so I think this is just the ticket. It’s also great to see how cheaper these other races are from Disney. You can do 3 races for the cost of one of theirs.

So that’s my tentative plan. I won’t sign up until we have moved up there and gotten settled to make sure I have enough time/effort to train. With job hunting, house hunting, packing, moving and all that jazz, I may end up looking for a later option. Decisions…decisions…

2012 Goals

2011-12-31T09:03:00.000-05:00

I had actually compiled an ambitious goal list for 2012 with specific things I wanted to target for the year, just as I have in the past. However, having written my 40 before 40 list, as well as having the Master (bucket) list, those goals are already written down and displayed for me to pick and choose from at will.

So, for this year, I am keeping it simple:

1. Try something new every month.

2. Live each day to the fullest.

3. Take more pictures.

I have read so many goal lists, resolutions lists, 101 in 1001 lists, the 365 project, and of course bucket list posts. It's always interesting to see the array of different goals, hopes, and dreams people have for themselves. Some are very simple tasks while others want to accomplish extraordinary things. I say, more power to you whatever your choices are, be it small (boring) goals or crazy, time-consuming, lofty goals. As long as the effort is put in to reach your goals, you can accomplish anything and to hell with the haters.

Happy New Year everyone!

40 before 40

2011-12-29T09:38:00.001-05:00

As many people know, I am list maker. I love to-do lists and goal lists and have also created my bucket list so it should come as no surprise that I have come up with my 40 before 40 list. Many of these items are taken off the bucket list and then there are some small ones sprinkled in here and there...things I've always wanted to do but usually forget about when I have the spare time to do them. So, with a solid six years to go, I feel I can make a big dent in this list. There may be times when I do some editing as time passes, but for now this will do. It's never too late to start!

40 before 40
1. Take surf lessons
2. Get scuba certification
3. Take pole dance classes for one month
4. Learn a new language enough to carry on a simple conversation
5. Write a novel
6. Reach and maintain my ideal goal weight
7. Take a trapeze class
8. Get certified as personal trainer
9. Weekend trip to Las Vegas
10. Go white water rafting
11. Have a baby
12. Forgive past wrongs
13. Swim with dolphins
14. 2 week trip to Italy
15. Travel to Australia
16. Run a marathon
17. Enjoy an expensive champagne, i.e. Dom Perignon or Cristal
18. Get a professional pedicure (that's right, never had one before)
19. Cross country vacation
20. See the musical Wicked
21. Have a drink at each “country” in Epcot in one day
22. Hot air balloon ride
23. Throw a hotel birthday bash
24. Learn to knit
25. Host a costume party
26. Buy a REALLY EXPENSIVE pair of shoes or boots
27. Buy myself something from Tiffanys
28. See the Nutcracker
29. Plan a 5 year wedding anniversary bash
30. Complete the 100 push up challenge
31. Zipline baby!
32. Create wedding scrapbook (coffee table book is done)
33. Complete 4 half marathons
34. Establish 3 family traditions now that we are married (New Year's day steak/lobster dinner; midnight mass on Christmas)
~~35. Try eating mussels or oysters~~ (1/25/12)
36. Eat at 5 of the food locations featured on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives
37. Become active in my community
38. Be able to do 5 pushups while in a handstand pose
39. Run a race/raise money for the American Cancer Society
40. Throw a kick-ass 40th birthday party!

There is also a 2012 Goal list in the making. See, I really am a list-loving girl.

2011 Reflection

2011-12-28T08:32:00.001-05:00

With 2011 ending in a few short days, I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on the goals in January and see how I progressed. Here’s how those goals panned out:

1. Run another half marathon. I really enjoyed running the Princess half early last year and I would like to do another one this year. I have been thinking about the Chicago Rock n Roll half in August but it may depend on how wedding plans/costs are going. At least Brian's family is there so we could visit and stay for free...I just wish it wasn't in August! (Did not complete this one. With wedding plans and everything else going on, I barely ran enough to even attempt a half marathon, let alone actually run it).

2. Get through all wedding plans with my sanity intact. (Completed…and so happy for that. Some people may like to do all that planning stuff, but I am not one of them).

3. Make more time for friends and family. (Completed. With the wedding there were lots of phone calls and family time this year than in the past so this one is a go).

4. Take the LSAT. I'm thinking the June one sounds good to me. (Not completed. I was busy and didn’t want to).

5. Lose 40 pounds. (Not completed. Busy eating cake).

6. Do something daring and/or exciting. (Completed. Got married!)

Overall, I did pretty well. When I make these lists, I never expect to finish everything on the list (although that would be nice one of these times) so I think I fared pretty well. I have already made my 2012 goals and there are several more to choose from for next year. I’ll probably post them in the next day or so.

Tuesday Tidbits

2011-12-27T16:34:00.000-05:00

We had a pretty good holiday weekend. I had Friday off so we headed down to the beach on Thursday night and ate at Flanigan’s restaurant for some yummy rib rolls and shrimp and followed that up with a walk on the beachfront.

Friday we ran some errands and headed to the Village Tavern for dinner for some prime rib while I had steak marsala. Food was excellent and the atmosphere was beautiful. That whole shopping complex is very nice but it being the next to last shopping day, it was crazy busy and the traffic was ridiculous. Good thing we left early and made reservations.

Saturday we watched football, I read a lot, and we had dinner over at our neighbors’ house followed by drinks and some chit chat. Sunday was a big turkey dinner, presents, and lots of pie. Yesterday I did some cleaning and we hit the mall for some shopping…lots of good sales out there.

Overall it was a really nice weekend but I think we both agree that we want to spend next Christmas with our families since we haven’t done that since we moved down here. I would actually look forward to some cold and snow if it meant chilling with Xander and Morgan next year. Today it’s back to work through Thursday and then another four-day weekend. Not too shabby!

I found my jump start...

2011-12-22T08:36:00.001-05:00

It’s funny how things fall into your lap when you want them to. I have been looking for a bootcamp style workout for the last month but refuse to sign up for any long-term contract with a gym cuz everytime I sign my name to something, I cease to attend the establishment. Yes I know…I know…

After a lot of searching I found a nice 2 week post Christmas bootcamp class to get me back into the exercise routine. Then, depending on how it goes, maybe I’ll pick up some other classes after that, or start doing my own exercise videos at home, or run a marathon, my options are limitless.

The classes are from 5:30-6:30am on M-W-F, which would normally be a deterrent for me as this cuts close to me getting ready for work in the morning but this place happens to be walking distance from my house. Literally just around the corner...it’s like it was meant to be. That and I only have to work 3 of the 6 days of class. I got this.

So, here is hoping I have found the jump start I need to get back into “skinny bitch” mode. Cuz that’s one of my goals for next year…reach my skinny bitch status.

Skinny bitch = lean, mean ninja machine

Last Minute Shopper

2011-12-21T11:46:00.002-05:00

Since I’ve used up the majority of my time off for the wedding, I only have a few days left for December, which I am using this Friday and next Friday for some 4 day weekends. Yay! However, because of this, I have not gotten my Christmas shopping finished yet. Both sets of parents are done (wedding albums-they were easy), and there is no gift exchange with the siblings so that leaves my niece and nephew along with a few gifts left for Brian.

Yes, I do realize there have been weekends I could have shopped but I don’t do crazy-ass crowds and weekends seem to be so much worse than evening shopping. Plus, it’s a tradition for me to push some things to the brink of the Christmas deadline, why buck tradition?

So, this evening I will probably be venturing out to pick up these last few items on my list and get everything under the tree. The kiddies’ gifts will be shipped later on as they are enjoying Christmas with my family this weekend and will enjoy more presents upon their return home. I also want to whip up some cupcakes to bring to work tomorrow but we’ll see. Baby steps….baby steps.

Thoughts on Poetry

2011-12-20T10:24:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it’s funny to think how we end up thinking about certain topics throughout the day. For instance, this morning I was listening to Jen Lancaster’s book, My Fair Lazy, this morning on my way to work and she was talking about poems. If you haven’t read it, this book focuses on Lancaster realizing her life has revolved around too much reality TV and she is trying to “better herself” by becoming more cultured. This particular part of the book was her talking about how she hates most poetry and her search to find some poems she likes, which she does find.

It made me think about poetry and how I don’t have a lot of experience with it myself. I don’t dislike it, I just haven’t really given it much thought. So, I did a little research on some poems and did manage to find several that I like. With many changes on the horizon, this one caught my attention.

My Comfort Zone
Unknown

I used to have a comfort zone
where I knew I wouldn't fail.
The same four walls and busywork
were really more like jail.

I longed so much to do the things I'd never done before,
But stayed inside my comfort zone and paced the same old floor.

I said it didn't matter that I wasn't doing much.
I said I didn't care for things like commission checks and such.
I claimed to be so busy with the things inside the zone,
But deep inside I longed for something special of my own.

I couldn't let my life go by just watching others win.
I held my breath; I stepped outside and let the change begin.
I took a step and with new strength I'd never felt before,
I kissed my comfort zone goodbye and closed and locked the door.

If you're in a comfort zone,
afraid to venture out,
Remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt.
A step or two and words of praise can make your dreams come true.

Reach for your future with a smile; success is there for you!

Sometimes we all need a swift kick out of our comfort zone, whether it’s willingly on our own or by someone else’s hand. Sometimes it turns out to be the best thing that could happen.

Weekend Recap

2011-12-19T13:44:00.000-05:00

For starters, a weekend recap: Nothing too exciting was on the horizon over the weekend. In fact, we pretty much kept it low key, which was nice. Friday Brian was out of town so I spent the evening watching Christmas movies, which then morphed into horror movies as the evening progressed. I’m guessing there was just too much cheeriness for me to handle!

Saturday was cleaning day and I got most of my weekend chores done i.e. laundry, floors, and all that other fun stuff I just love to do on Saturdays. We spent the afternoon running some errands, checked out some Christmas lights around the surrounding neighborhoods and then came home with some DVDs of Dexter. Love that show!

Sunday was pretty relaxing. I went for a long walk and read a book for the majority of the day but did manage to finish up some photobooks of our wedding for our parents so I did feel like I accomplished something at least. Of course there was football playing in the background for all of this as well.

As for this week, I have some shopping I still need to do and hopefully the Xmas cards will arrive so I can send those out in the next day or so. I am looking forward to having 2 four-day weekends coming up and can’t wait to not be at work. I’m sure there will be more Xmas movies, shopping excursions, and good food to eat throughout the week as well.

A Hint of Gratitude

2011-12-14T14:53:00.002-05:00

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, sometimes we let the mundane aspects of life take over. We go through the motions, focus on the negative things that happen to us, and forget to remember all the good things that are in our lives every day. With the holidays here and Christmas fast approaching (which reminds me, I need to start shopping), I find myself thinking of things I am grateful to have in my life already. There are many that are big and small…here are some I can think of right now:

1. my loving husband

2. my wonderful family

3. Wilson

4. my ipod, or else I’d never be able to run longer than 1 mile

5. a nice home, clothes, food, all that good stuff

6. good friends

7. living in the U.S. where there are endless possibilities

8. clean water and fresh air

9. cupcakes. Lots and lots of cupcakes

10. iced coffee

11. shiny things

12. scary movies

13. smart phones

14. being able to have received an education

15. Morgan and Xander

16. hugs

17. weekend trips

18. post-it notes. they are totally awesome

19. Lots of laughter

20. health and happiness

It’s the little things that count in life. Sometimes we just need a little reminder to be grateful for what we have in life instead of constantly looking for more to come our way. Even with life’s little curve balls, life is good.

Experiences vs. Stuff

2011-12-13T10:14:00.002-05:00

With everyone in the Christmas spirit of giving, I often think about the idea of giving and receiving gifts. The vast amount of stuff that we accrue over the holidays can be crazy, especially all the things we get that we don’t want and then have to spend our time in the return line at the department store. I am one of those people who would much prefer spending money on experiences rather than stuff. I would rather spend a weekend at Disney or go on a cruise over the holidays and forego the gifts rather than receive a bunch of stuff I don’t want, need, or will tire of in a couple months.

For example, we bought ourselves a Wii a couple years ago…so exciting to play all these games. Now we use it for Netflix only and if it weren’t for that, that baby would be collecting dust right now. Even with my siblings, we don’t exchange gifts with one another and haven’t for the past couple of years. Now it’s just gifts for the kiddies, which I find more enjoyable to shop for anyway.

Don’t get me wrong, I like to get gifts now and then, but only when I need or really want something that I’ll actually use more than once, like a camera or new clothes or running shoes. Overall, I’d much rather spend the money travelling and experiencing new things and places. That and I’m sure my future children will be much more excited to hear about all the cool places I’ve been and things I’ve done than the new shirt I got in 2012.

Monday Randomness Take 2

2011-12-12T15:50:00.002-05:00

1. Enjoyed a lazy Sunday yesterday watching football and topped the evening off with a steak dinner. Yummy!

2. I haven’t started Christmas shopping yet. Guess it’s good I don’t have too many people to buy for this year and I know what I’m getting my niece and nephew. Hopefully I get to it this week.

3. Exercised 5 days last week with 3 of them being running.

4. Haven’t touched my to-do list in 2 weeks. It’s been GLORIOUS!

5. Have been looking at the 2012 running schedule across the U.S. Have found some good choices for races, now just need to see where we land…

6. There are 101 things on my bucket list now. Maybe instead of New Year’s resolutions, I’ll just plug away at that list. Well, maybe just a few of them for starters.

7. Still addicted to McDonald’s iced coffee.

That about sums things up for the last week. Now I’m ready to tackle this week. I’ve already done my studying for today and I plan on doing a 3 mile run this evening. Maybe I’ll get ambitious and get those Christmas cards done too. Happy Monday!

A Good 3 Miles

2011-12-07T09:09:00.002-05:00

With the beautiful weather we are currently having here in south Florida, I felt last night was a good night to get back out there for a run. So, around 8pm last night I laced up the running shoes, got the Garmin warmed up, and did some stretches to talk myself into running. That first run after taking a break is always tough. It’s hard to get back into the whole running routine and finding my rhythm all over again but I told myself to just go out there and enjoy the nice weather and see what happens.

I am definitely a “winter” runner down here. I completed my 3 miles with no difficulty and actually enjoyed them. That’s not to say my time was great. I think the first mile was a 12 minute mile which is fine with me. Time was not important, just enjoyment. Today I feel pretty good, only a little sore in the legs but that’s just cuz they were not used to exercises beyond my couch exercises I’ve been doing lately.

Even Wilson got to partake in the running. After my run I took him for a run/walk. He ran ½ a block in the beginning, walked a half mile, and finished with a run. Such a trooper!

Tuesday Tidbits

2011-12-06T13:31:00.000-05:00

This week's random thoughts:

1. So proud of one of my good friends for getting accepted into law school. All those years of studying and LSAT tests finally paid off!

2. I have also been doing some LSAT practice tests and have fared pretty well so far so I guess I will keep plugging along with them until I get some perfect scores. I want to avoid taking one of the overpriced courses if I can avoid it.

3. I’ve decided to hit up the exercising again. What better time to start eating healthy and exercising than a few weeks before Christmas, right? With my birthday looming, I always do some reflection at this time, as opposed to around new years day, and feel this is as good a time as any to get some exercise and healthy eating in….I will still partake in the yummy foods but may have more of a healthy balance on the side.

4. The inside and outside of the house are completely decorated for Christmas. Now I feel like I should do some baking. Maybe I’ll get ambitious over the weekend and whip up some goodies…after I run of course 

5. I need new books for the Nook and new songs for the iPod. Any suggestions?

6. I think it’s time to dust off the Christmas movies and start enjoying them again. My faves are definitely: A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, and Elf. How about yours?

7. Lastly, a big happy birthday to Erin!!

Well, that’s it for today. Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Congrats!

2011-12-01T18:45:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to my brother, Mitch and his girl Becca. Today they got hitched! I am very happy for the both of them, as they have been together for over 10 years and finally took the plunge.

Hope they have many wonderful years to spend with one another.

Books on Tape

2011-11-29T13:25:00.000-05:00

Just as the outside cover of a book is used to appeal to the reader’s eye, I think the same concept should be applied to books on tape, except that instead of appealing to a reader’s eye, they must appear to the reader’s hearing. I have listened to several books on tape in the past few years and have enjoyed many of them. I have also disliked many of them as well, and some of those in the dislike pile were not because the book itself was poorly written or not intriguing, but the narrator was a bore.

Two examples: the narrator for all the Jen Lancaster books is awesome. She gets into the book and actually makes you think you are listening to what Jen Lancaster would sound like if she read the books herself. They are enjoyable to listen to and I can listen to them more than once without being bored with them. However, the latest book I’m listening to: The Weight Loss Diaries: sucks. And no, it’s not the book as I have read the book itself. Rather it is the narrator, who clearly has no personality and is completely monotone, reminding me of my Advanced Biology professor in high school. This is annoying for the simple fact that I enjoy the book but it’s not enjoyable to listen to, which I like to do while running/walking or even at work sometimes.

I have read that these people do voice screenings before they are employed as narrators and some even take courses on this so I guess some people must like this type of narration but it is not for me. Can’t we save the monotone voices for the nonfiction books, or self-help books, or books I’m not interested in at all…thanks.

Or I’ll just become a narrator myself. That could be fun.

Monday Randomness

2011-11-28T19:54:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I had some random thoughts so here goes:

1. Just finished the last glass of wine I received from Shannon. It was delicious! Makes me think we all could use a wine night soon...

2. Made a fantastic lasagna this evening and ate way too much. That's about how it works, right....

3. I am halfway through reading The Litigators by John Grisham, his latest book. Must say it is pretty dang good...wondering what I am going to read after this one...

4. I am trying to motivate myself to start exercising in the a.m. again. My goal is to start tomorrow and I've already come up with my excuses: I'm tired. It's still dark out. I don't want to.

5. If I eat a cupcake and no one is there to see it, does it still have calories?

6. Lastly, my little brother is getting married this week. Yay Mitch!

I'd probably have some more but this wine is too yummy so I must go and enjoy it properly. Have a good night!

Weekend Recap

2011-11-27T13:12:00.001-05:00

Weekend recap and Thanksgiving as well that is...so our Thanksgiving was pretty low key this year. We made a deep-fried turkey and some sides and headed over to the neighbors house for a great dinner. Everything was delicious and I ate tons of food along with some samplings of cherry, pumpkin and pecan pies. The rest of the day was spent enjoying lots of football and relaxation, which is all I could manage to do after all that food.

Friday was back to work for me, which I always think is such a waste since nobody really works anyway seeing as over half the office is gone but what can you do. Still can't believe they made us stay till 5pm, first time in the 5 years I have worked there that we haven't gotten out early. Brian and I went out for some good pizza and rented Bridesmaids. Awesome movie!

Saturday was cleaning day so I spent the majority of the day doing the weekly chores, laundry and "supervised" Brian while he put up the outside decorations. Today I put up all our indoor decorations and all that is left is to pick out a tree and get that decorated. It's beginning to look like Christmas! I think we also get the joys of watching both the Vikings game and the Bears game, which is a rare occurrence here in south Florida so looking forward to some midwest football. Hope everyone had a lovely weekend as well :)

C'mon 3pm

2011-11-23T13:56:00.000-05:00

It’s Thanksgiving eve and all through the office not a coworker is stirring cuz hardly anyone is here….except me of course. I am just patiently waiting for 3pm to arrive so I can boogy on out of here and head home for Thanksgiving. We are keeping it pretty low key this year and just doing a Thanksgiving with the neighbors this year but can’t wait to get my hands on some deep fried turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie!

Along with the poor saps who have to work retail on Black Friday, I too have to be back at work on Friday as well, which is fine with me. Yeah a four-day weekend would be great but due to our wedding, I’ve only worked 8 days this month so I think I can handle it; that and it will be super quiet in the office so maybe I can get some work done.

As for the weekend, I think we may put up some decorations in the house this year but nothing extravagant like in previous years. I’d like to pull out all the Christmas movies again and maybe do some light shopping as well…probably not too much cuz I loathe crowded malls and department stores. Thank goodness for online shopping!

Hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving with lots of good food and great football!

Yep...Back Again

2011-11-21T10:40:00.002-05:00

After another 2 month hiatus, I am back and ready to do some writing again. It feels so good to have all the wedding craziness done and the incessent planning come to an end. Finally! Freedom! A friend of mine told me I would miss the planning because I wouldn’t know what to do with myself but that is so not the case. I have so many things on my bucket list and to do lists to accomplish it feels refreshing to be able to focus on these things once again.

Plus, with the holidays approaching and recent events that have transpired, there is a lot to think about and plan for at this time. Many decisions to make and things to do but I am taking it all in stride and doing my best to maintain a positive attitude about all of it.

I started exercising again yesterday and my plan is to get myself back in shape over the winter months. I cancelled my gym membership so I have one month left to utilize that plus running and my many exercise dvds should be able to keep me entertained, at least for awhile.

This week I am just looking forward to Thanksgiving and munching on some scrumptious turkey and pumpkin pie. Should be a great day. Hope everyone has a great week!

Productive Weekend

2011-09-12T19:48:00.000-04:00

So maybe categorizing that scary to-do list was a blessing in disguise because that scary list is 3/4 complete now! Hells yeah and it feels good! Almost can't wait to start filling a new list up already...ok, I can wait a wee bit longer I guess.

Wedding plans are coming along as well and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. Just need to do all the finishing touches on everything and survive our families and we will be golden. I am hoping clearing up some of my list will motivate me to get into my running again. I've been doing some walking and biking (indoors) but have a race on the 24th and would like to get a few runs in before that time. It's only a 5k so I'm not too concerned but I would like to be a bit faster than a turtle :)

To reward myself for being productive, I think I'll enjoy an hour or so of reading and maybe watch some football too. After the heavy rains this afternoon, it's way to muggy for a run. Maybe I'll try and get up early tomorrow morning for that. Yeah, sure I will.

Dreaded To Do List

2011-09-07T21:40:00.000-04:00

When you have to break down your to-do list into 5 different categories, you know it's gotten bad.

Enough said.

It's September Already?

2011-09-02T18:14:00.000-04:00

I don't know if it's just because it's been a busy year but man, the time has flown by...hard to believe it is already Labor Day weekend. Hello 3 days off! Woo hoo! Seeing as I haven't been on here in a months, bullets are probably the best way to summarize life.

I'm still running 2-3 days a week.
I signed up for a 5k this month in Deerfield Beach to get/keep me motivated.
I'm still employed, which is always a good thing!
I enjoy long walks on the beach...
The wedding is fast approaching now...we are nearing the final stretch!
Had my hair and makeup trial last weekend. Loved the makeup, still debating about the hairstyle.
Did a massive cleaning a couple weeks ago and got rid of two garbage bags of stuff for trash and four bags for Goodwill. Now there's room for some shopping!
Still love my iced coffee but have cut down a bit...most days anyway
Been reading a lot of books lately and loving it!

So, that about sums up August. A pretty laid back month for the most part but now, with the wedding approaching and races filling the Florida calendars, things will start to pick up a bit. Yay!

Eat well, laugh often, love much...

Still Running

2011-08-03T19:35:00.000-04:00

That's right, I'm still going strong with the running. The first couple days were tough ones cuz my body just didn't want to respond well to that whole movement thing again...it really got used to the comforts of the couch. However, as of last night's run, I could definitely tell there was some improvement. I could run a wee bit farther last night than before and, although I'm still in the 2-3 mile range, it's a good enough start for me.

Besides running, I've managed to get off my butt and go swimming, which is a totally different type of cardio workout. I did a good 20 minutes of laps and could definitely tell I need some work! It's tough getting back into things but once I get into a routine, things will work themselves out I think.

Other than that, there has been a lot of pool time over the weekend (all floating-no swimming) and I've been enjoying reading some good books. Looking forward to another weekend in a couple of days.

Hope all is well with everyone!

Back to Running

2011-07-23T11:41:00.000-04:00

This past week, I have decided to dust off and lace up my running shoes in an attempt to get back into running once again. I ventured out for a quick run on Wednesday and Thursday night and both went fairly well with me doing about 3 miles each day. Although it was humid, it being evening and the sun already set helped keep me somewhat-not really-cool but it was at least tolerable.

The same could not be said for this morning's run. The goal was to get up around 630 and get my run done before the sun came out but I didn't make it out until around 830 or so. It was hot and so friggin humid I could barely breathe. The humidity is bad enough but that sun overhead was the icing on the cake. But, at least I got through my three miles, albeit a wee bit slower than I would have liked. That's ok though cuz at least it's done!

I do think I'll have to either get up earlier or wait till the evenings for these runs cuz it's just too miserable out there for me when the sun is out. At least for the next three months or so until the temps (hopefully) cool down again. At least there was an iced coffee to look forward to afterwards!

A Little Something

2011-07-20T21:16:00.000-04:00

So my good friend in Minnesota has found out she is pregnant and I wanted to get her something special to celebrate her great news.

So, being we were drinking buddies in college (as well as the present) I decided on this:

Nothing like a good book filled with all the yummy drinks we love to share in mommy form! I also found a great mommy-to-be wine glass to go along with it. I am sure this will give her a chuckle when she receives it...hopefully the glass makes the trip as well.

Tuesday Tidbits

2011-06-21T18:34:00.000-04:00

Well, things have been moving right along here in good old Coral Springs. Nothing too exciting to report about...work has been about the same the last couple of weeks-dull and boring. I am ready for a change but this lovely recession has not helped speed up the process of change by any means so I keep plugging away until something worthwhile comes along that will encourage me to leave. It's definitely time though!

Other than work, Brian and I have been doing some work with the patio to spruce things up a bit. We got new furniture at a superb deal and also picked up a bunch of flowers for some added color...hopefully I can keep these buggers alive! I also got a patio tomato plant as I love, love, love tomatoes and am anxiously awaiting their arrival, in about 90 days or so. I also started a very small herb garden with some parsley, basil and rosemary. Once I see how often we use it, I will probably add some more herbs to the mix.

My fitness course has been going in spurts but I have managed to get 2-3 chapters done so far but all that lovely medical terminology takes time to soak up so I've been plugging away slowly; that and there is no deadline except the one I put on me...which can be moved back at any time, of course.

Wedding plans are in a pretty good place. As for this whole buff bride thing, I've been a total slacker. The goal is to get back on the exercise wagon within the next week. I go for a couple days, then take a week break and this has been the cycle for quite some time. I think I need to push through a solid 5 days or so and get myself used to it again. I blame the heat and humidity..and cupcakes.

Time to grill some pork chops and read a bit more. Hope you're all enjoying a lovely Tuesday!

Tuesday tidbits

2011-06-07T18:28:00.000-04:00

It's only Tuesday? Really?! Gosh, I swear I thought the work day would never end today. The morning was okay but the afternoon just kept dragging on. At least I can chill at home with a scrumptious beer or two and unwind for a bit.

I've been a good girl with my exercise the last few days. I've been on an exercise bike kick lately. I just hop on there for 45 min to an hour and peddle away. Of course, I can't do so without a myriad of distractions, i.e. my numerous magazines, the nook, another paperback book (in case I don't want to read any nook selections) and I usually have a tv program going on in the background as well. What? I NEED it all! I've also done some hula hooping and sit ups as well. I really want to start back into a running routine...except for that whole starting part of it. It's so friggin hot and humid out for starters and, having been out of the loop for the past few months, minus a run here and there, I don't want to start from scratch again cuz that sucks. Can't I just return to my running prowess post-half marathon status? Please??

Other than that, I am busy reading up on my fitness course and trying to decide which one(s) of my Bucket list items I want to cross off next. For the record, the list on this site is the small version. I think there are another 20 or so on the main list. Man, I have a lot to accomplish!

On that note, I think I'll go do some reading/hula hooping and see where the evening goes from there. I'd like to say I'll go for a run but chances are I won't be feeling it by 9pm when it's cool enough to venture out there. Never know though...

Back Again

2011-06-01T20:30:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's really been nearly two months since I last wrote on here? Huh! Time has certainly flown by. I think I needed a break from it all....either that or it was just a really boring couple of months :)

So, what's been happening lately? Well..

been busy working on the wedding plans. Nearly all of the big ticket items are done and now it's just the little things to iron out so that is coming along pretty well.
just came back from a week's vacation in good ole Chi-town. Brian and I spent some time with my future in-laws and some friends over the week. We had a good time, even with the crappy weather for much of the duration of the trip. What can you do but grin and bear it!
have watched a lot of the Real Housewives. They have 3 different shows going on and all I've got to say is that it is perfectly clear that money does NOT buy class.

I'm sure there are other things I've been up to here and there but nothing super exciting. Tomorrow I plan to start up my exercise regimen again cuz I feel out of shape after a wishy-washy month of exercise attempts. Maybe I'll even start eating right too! I'm also taking a fitness course so that will hopefully encourage me to stay away from the cupcakes as well...at least during the week :)

Time to relax. We got in late last night so it's been a long day. Later gators

Ugh

2011-04-13T18:43:00.000-04:00

That about sums up my last week of work. It has been absolutely brutal and I can say I have never had a worse week at work since I started there. Nothing like having to verify over 50,000 cases in your office...as soon as possible...preferably yesterday. Yep, no problem! I was there for 6 hours last Sunday doing projects and the last two days were spent doing statistical analysis. Huh, who ever would have thought I would use that pesky stats knowledge after all?

With respect to careers, I am planning a major career change in the not-too-distant future. It requires more schooling (shocker!) although it is all broken down in into segments, which won't be too bad. I have decided to take this new path for quite awhile and this past week only makes me more anxious to start. If I'm correct, I can start classes the beginning of May. Why not try to train for a whole new career 6.5 months before the wedding...piece of cake! Ha!

So, as long as all goes well, Crystal will be hitting the books again in a few short weeks. At least this schooling is cheaper and will be done in a shorter time period than some of the others.

As for wedding plans, I am just starting to get myself focused on them again. All of the big items are done so it's a lot of the little stuff...and those pesky flowers, of course. Time to go be productive!

In the words of Dwight Schrute

2011-04-05T21:01:00.000-04:00

I read this quote from Dwight and thought of my two pregnant friends today. After our conversations on Sunday, it seems to be about right!

" Pam is constantly throwing up because of the pregnancy. If she eats something the fetus doesn't like, she is screwed. It's amazing: a three ounce fetus, is calling the shots! It's so bad ass. "

I wish you well, ladies!

Hooray for Pool Time!

2011-04-02T17:46:00.000-04:00

We've had such beautiful weather lately that the pool has finally started to heat up...very slowly. Today was the first day I was able to find the courage to brave the brisk waters, but once I was in and floating on my mat, I was golden. Our pool is not heated so the winters months deem it relatively useless. I usually like it around 84-86 degrees but today I settled for a wee bit chilly 80 degrees. Since there wasn't a cloud to be found in the skies, the sunny rays kept me nice and comfortable while I floated the afternoon away. I love this lazy Saturday afternoons where all I have to do all day is enjoy a good book.

Well, there is actually a lot of other things I could be doing, but this seemed to be the most enjoyable :) Now we are cooking up a steak and shrimp dinner and maybe I'll enjoy a drinky or too. Love these Saturdays!

Karate 101

2011-03-23T19:19:00.000-04:00

In order to add spice to my exercise regimen, I decided to try out some karate classes. I used to take Tae Kwon Do back in my college days, albeit for only a year as it got to be too expensive at that time, and I figured now is as good a time as any to get back into it.

Tonight was just a short 20 minute lesson where I learned some basic blocking, kicking and punching moves but I had a blast the whole time. I love the discipline of the martial arts, the history, and the punching and kicking of course! I decided to sign up for their trial course, which is 3 lessons, and then I may become a regular member. I love that this is a life long art form and one can continue learning and growing over the years. Did I mention the punching and kicking?

As for my 30 day challenge, I must admit that I did take yesterday off. I just wasn't feeling the whole exercise thing and didn't even have the desire to bike or hula so I said screw it and just enjoyed the evening. If I can keep it to just the one day, I figure that's not so bad.

Time to find some grub to eat!

I'm an Auntie Again!!

2011-03-20T12:38:00.000-04:00

After a full day of anticipation yesterday, I finally received the news at 1:53 am this morning that my nephew, Xander James Johnson, has graced us with his presence!

He came in weighing 8 pounds, 6.5 ounces and was 20.5 inches long with a full head of hair.

This baby was a big anticipation for us as my brother and Becca (his girlfriend) chose not to find out the sex of the baby, so to finally find out was wonderful. I am so happy for the both of them and can't wait to see the little guy, who is already known as "the xan man."

Now it's time to go out and buy a bunch of John Deere clothes and other boy stuff. Can't wait!

The Key is Movement

2011-03-19T16:15:00.000-04:00

Today is Day 4 of my 30 Day Challenge and I can say it is so far, so good. I have been able to get myself to do some type of exercise each day without throwing a temper tantrum so I consider this progress.

Day 1 consisted of the hula hoop and my exercise bike; Day 2 was a nice long walk with Wilson; Day 3 was similar in that I went on another nice, long walk; and today I rode my exercise bike for an hour, did the yard work (including mowing the lawn-kinda fun!), cleaned the patio area, and then went roller blading. My legs and lower back are a bit sore now so I must have done something worthwhile!

My biggest obstacle is telling myself that I don't have to do a typical exercise routine in order to count each day as actual exercise. Mowing the lawn burns a great many calories as well as a long walk with Wilson or even hooping. The key is movement. I am better off moving around doing tasks around the house than sitting on the couch with the remote. Also, with the weather being absolutely fantastic lately, I am excited to get out there and enjoy it.

That doesn't mean that I won't continue to incorporate the typical exercise routines into my schedule, such as running, swimming, an exercise class, etc...rather I will learn to feel like I have accomplished my goals from the other types of movement as well.

On a different note, my brother's girlfriend went into labor today and I should be an auntie again real soon! So excited, especially since the buggers refused to learn the sex of the baby so I swear the suspense is even greater than normal! Can't wait!

I ♥ Reality TV/Memoirs

2011-03-17T19:30:00.000-04:00

Okay, I must start out by admitting that when all these damn reality tv shows began coming out, all I ever had to say was, "What the hell? Another friggin reality show? Can't anyone come up with a good sitcom nowadays?" So, it kind of pains me to say that I have fallen victim to the reality tv train that's been heading through town these last several years.

My favorites would be The Real Housewives of: New Jersey, New York, Orange County and Bethany Frankel's show. Also, I watch Teen Mom 2 (so embarrassed right now), Heavy, Ruby, and Celebrity Apprentice. Not to mention all the reality car shows I watch with Brian. It's completely ridiculous how many of these shows I make sure to tape on a weekly basis (hint: all of them) and I look forward to their weekly shenanigans every week. For someone who complains about all this crap tv, I sure do watch a lot of it!

The funny thing is sometimes I want to be on one of these shows...not the crap listed above but something more my style, like Survivor or Amazing Race. I really wanted to do Amazing Race with my buddy Desi but we never got around to it and at this point in our lives, I doubt we would. I always thought Wipe Out would be fun, too, but you have to live in California for that one (yep, I checked). So, I guess I will continue to watch my never-ending supply of crap tv until I find something better to occupy my time. If it's any consolation on my part, I am usually on my bike or hooping when I'm watching these programs.

My other love lately has been for memoirs. I think I've read every "fat/weight loss" book out there and they can't write them fast enough for me. Also, I've enjoyed Ambulance Girl and The Happiness Project. I find it enjoyable to read about how other people have been living their lives and can always find some inspirational moments that make me all teary-eyed...unlike reality shows which show you how to be cunning and deceiving...necessary qualities as well, I'm sure. So, I guess I will continue to pursue both these topics in my life until I no longer find them useful or entertaining. Cuz they are just that: both useful and entertaining....

30 Day Challenge

2011-03-16T19:55:00.000-04:00

My motivation is still hanging around, so to entice it to stay for awhile, I've decided to give myself a 30 day exercise challenge. Basically, I want to do some type of exercise for at least 45 minutes a day every day for the next 30 days. No, this does not mean lifting a beer to my mouth or extreme channel flipping but actual physical activity.

My hope is that exercise will become a habit for me once again and that, after 30 days of working out, I will want to continue exercising at least 5 days a week for 45 min to an hour. That is the goal anyway. I am going to try and incorporate swimming, running, cycling (at home) and rotate in some of my dvds as well. For tonight, I am thinking about riding the bike and doing some stretches...maybe some hula hooping as well.

I'm hoping regular exercise will jump start my energy supply cuz I feel like I've been running on empty for the last couple of weeks. I am exhausted all day long, no energy, just feel completely drained lately. I am wondering if the good ole thyroid is acting up again and I'm contemplating heading to the endocrinologist to get all my levels checked out since my regular doc only does the TSH to check my levels. I may just do it anyway just to find out since I haven't seen an endocrinologist since we lived in Chicago.

Of course, some of the tiredness could be from my diet as well. I suppose cake, ice cream and other treats aren't the best for stimulating the metabolism :) Alright, time to do some cycling!

Found!

2011-03-14T19:34:00.000-04:00

My motivation has been found! Yippee! No, it was not under the cushions, either. Motivation can be funny sometimes. It disappears for hours or days on end with no warning and then reappears when you least expect it...or just when you need it to arrive again. Today, I was thinking about the countdown to the wedding. Now, I usually think about my countdown in terms of days (235 to go!), but today I broke it down into weeks. When I did that, my big number vanished and a wee little 33.5 weeks appeared in its place. Yikes! That just seems like such a short amount of time, especially with how quickly the weeks seem to speed by nowadays....and that's exactly when my good old motivation reappeared.

The wedding countdown is just one tracker that I have; however, there are several things that I want to accomplish this year that I need to start working on once again. The mud run is just around the corner on May 1st and with my ankle injury, I have been unable to do much running. Then there's my test that I'm taking in June that I need to start studying for as well. Not to mention getting myself into shape again and trying a few different classes that I've been eyeing up recently. I also am checking out a possible career change and need to continue my research on that. There's plenty to keep me busy and I bet that is the reason my motivation ran away scared. Sometimes the more that's on my plate, the less I want to do any of it.

The key is just going to be taking it one day at a time and seeing how much I can accomplish with each day. Some days will be better than others...and some days are going to be couch days. That's okay too, as long as the majority of the week is fruitful!

Time to hit the bike!

Still Looking...

2011-03-13T17:56:00.000-04:00

...for my motivation. I know it's around here somewhere. I wish I could find it cuz I really have some goals I would like to reach for the year and it's hard to do so with my missing component. Maybe it's in the couch cushions somewhere....

In a Funk

2011-03-07T20:01:00.000-05:00

I have no desire to do anything productive. It was enough to come home and clean up the house and cook. I think I am in just one of those funks where all you want to do is chill on the couch with a book or the tv remote and just veg for a couple hours...days....the week.

I made myself a paltry to-do list for this evening and am almost through with it, so once that is completed, I am off the hook for the night! Actually, I am going to get myself to ride the exercise bike and hula...both can be done in front of the tv.

Here's hoping for a wee bit more motivation tomorrow. Maybe even a run, if the ankle will allow. Nighty night!

ABCs of Me!

2011-03-01T20:02:00.000-05:00

Since it seems to be going around, I figured I might as well participate:

(A) Age: 33
(B) Bed Size: King
(C) Chore You Really Dislike: Cleaning the bathrooms. Ugh.
(D) Dogs? Wilson...our not-so-little puggle
(E) Essential Start Your Day Item: Iced coffee please
(F) Favorite Color: It tends to change with the seasons. Right now I'm all about the purples
(G) Gold or Silver? White gold or platinum
(H) Height: 5'2"
(I) Instruments You Play: Saxophone
(J) Job Title: Corporate paralegal aka lawyers' bitch
(K) Kids: nada
(L) Live: Coral Springs, FL
(M) Mom's Name: Denise but everyone calls her Neesar
(N) Nicknames: Chris and Crissy (by a select few people)(
(P) Pet Peeve: Ignorant drivers
(Q) Quote from a Movie: Do you like apples? Well I got her number, how ya like them apples! (Good Will Hunting)
(R) Right or Left Handed? Right
(S) Siblings: I'm the oldest with 1 sister and 1 brother...all of us 2.5 years apart
(T) Time You Wake Up? 6ish during the week and whenever on the weekends
(U) Underwear: Yes
(V) Vegetable You Dislike: green peppers. Gross...icky....blech
(W) What Makes You Run Late: just my OCD making sure the house is locked up like Fort Knox
(X) X-Rays: elbow and ankles. As for MRI's .....
(Y) Yummy Food You Make: tator tot hotdish or pork loins in gravy
(Z) Zoo, Favorite Animal: monkeys!!

Sunday Miscellany

2011-02-27T18:48:00.000-05:00

Annoying sprained ankle = no running for me. I tried last night and only made it a mile before hobbling into the house. Maybe if I run with it wrapped....
I bought a new exercise bike on Friday and have already put a number of miles on it over the weekend. At least I have something productive to do while watching tv!
Brian and I looked at wedding bands today and we found some pretty good choices. Got to say my ring looks pretty sweet with more bling surrounding it!
Just signed up for the GRE for June. Now I suppose I should get some study materials and start reviewing. Yeah! More learning...or is it relearning??
Wilson got a refreshingly cool bath outside this morning. He was not too happy with me. But he did get a scrumptious-looking cookie for his suffering so I think that helped ease his suffering. Man, you would think this dog melts like the Wicked Witch with his hatred of water. Good grief.
We now have Netflix through the Wii and I am happily watching 1001 tales of Bugs Bunny. Good times!!

Other than that, I am enjoying the weekend and totally not ready for Monday to rear its ugly head tomorrow. Back to my cartoons and maybe a refreshing cold one. Later gators!

I Love the Keys

2011-02-21T18:10:00.000-05:00

Since it was a long weekend, Brian and I packed up and headed south to Sugarloaf Key to hang out with my matron of honor, Desi, and her family.

Here we are on the drive down...

We enjoyed soome lounge time around the house....

Yep, they have their own tiki hut too!

The gals did a looonnngggg kayaking trip around the bay....

Hit up No Name Pub for dinner and refreshments (yes those are dollar bills-I have a few of them up there)

Me and Desi....yes there was alcohol involved :)

We had a very relaxing weekend with some shopping, people watching and drinking in Key West and a relaxing time at their home in Sugarloaf. I also got a new Coach purse! Woo Hoo! It was good times had by all and I'm sad we are back to work again tomorrow. Sigh....

Friday Randomness

2011-02-18T09:59:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! Today is an absolutely beautiful day...clear skies, sun is shining and I am not at work! Absolutely perfect! I have nothing of substance to say today, just a bunch of randomness from the mind of a blonde gal :-)

I love McDonald's iced vanilla coffee but have a feeling we will need to part ways if I expect to reach my goal weight this year. Sigh.
I have a great love for both salt and ketchup. In fact, I choose many of my meals based on what condiments I want at that time. Helps narrow things down.
I have become a tv watcher of all weight loss programs as well as a reader of all weight loss memoirs. Do I have a fat complex? Possibly. But better than some of the other complexes out there.
I want to mark off 5 things on my bucket list this year....wish they all were free items but most are going to cost me some scrilla.
There are so many damn birds in our neighbor's backyard (cuz the morons feed them) that it sounds like a damn pet store when the doors are open. Where are those firecrackers?
I love Key West! Can't wait for us to leave this afternoon. Hmm...maybe I should pack?

There's plenty more but I have to take off to get my hair done did. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, especially if you're lucky enough to have Monday off as well!

Decisions....Decisions.....

2011-02-17T18:07:00.000-05:00

I want to run a marathon. It's on my bucket list and I think if I start in the next couple months, a full marathon could be attainable. After all, I could only run 6 miles and had no trouble with the half marathon last year. The only decision is which race to do? I am currently eyeing up two of them:

Vegas Rock n Roll marathon on Dec 4, 2011

Disney marathon January 2012

The good thing about Vegas is, um, that it's Vegas and it would be a good way to end the year. However, this one will be more costly with flights, hotel, etc. Disney is always a good choice and I enjoy these races, it's close by so no flying although will still need hotel, and it would be a great start to the new year. They are about a month apart so it's just to decide which one sounds more feasible. I have a feeling it will be Disney...but maybe flights to Vegas will be super cheap! I guess I'll just have to see.

Second decision is school. I really would like to get back into school this fall or next January at the latest but I just can't decide quite yet. I pretty much know what I want to do, make that two choices that veer off in totally different directions, but it's whether I want to add stress before the wedding or not. Deadlines are beginning to loom so I need to decide relatively soon on this path.

Lastly...

I need to pick bridesmaid dresses! So many styles and choices to choose from! We will commence shopping once more next week at a different boutique and see what happens. Heck, maybe I'll find my rehearsal dress too.

On the fitness front, I have been totally slacking. Last night I spent the majority of my evening cleaning the house as we leave for the Keys tomorrow for some fun and booze with my maid of honor and hubby. As for the other days this week, I just didn't feel like it. My plan is to get back into the swing of things next week. As for tonight, it's pizza night!!

6 Month Challenge

2011-02-09T20:09:00.000-05:00

I've decided to enact a little 6 month challenge to lose some weight, get in shape, and try some new things. One reason could be the upcoming nuptials...or encouraging a friend to get healthy again....or just because I like challenges and I want to reach my goal weight once and for all. Whatever the reason may be, I am going to take the next 6 months (starting tomorrow) to exercise, eat more healthy meals for at least 5 days of the week, try new exercises, and really work on increasing my strength and endurance with respect to running.

Even though it is a long 6 month challenge, I am going to think of it in monthly increments. So, tomorrow begins the first month's goals. My goals for this month are as follows:

1. Work on my running i.e. speed and endurance. Having taken several months off, I am very slow again and do not have much endurance, although this ankle injury is some of the problem.

2. Work on flexibility. I have always been relatively flexible. Splits are not a problem, for instance. However, I have noticed a decrease in my flexibility over the past few years since I do not focus on it nearly as much as I used to in the past. Time to increase that again.

3. Try a bootcamp class.

4. Eat healthy meals 5 days of the week.

5. Start jumping rope. This used to be so easy as a child and now it's a pain in the arse!

So, that about sums up the first month's goals. I think it's pretty doable if I stick to it. Yes, there will be tough days and I'm sure obstacles will arise now and then, but the overall goal of my 6 month challenge is to lose the rest of this stubborn weight, be more flexible, stronger and healthier overall.

~The wedding is a definite motivator as well!

Where Did the Weekend Go?

2011-02-07T18:23:00.000-05:00

That was one of the fastest-moving weekends I have had in a long time. At least it was a pretty good one overall, which usually explains time flying by so quickly. Last week, I managed to get in 6 days of exercise, ranging from hula hooping, weights, running and yoga. It felt good to get back into the swing of things and burn some calories so I hope this week can be just as successful as last week was, especially considering all the junk food I consumed yesterday.

To review the weekend quickly...

Friday I had the morning off from work for an interview with a new company. Although it's not a law firm, I would be a paralegal with their company covering all legal and compliance issues under the direction of a few attorneys. It sounded like a promising job prospect, albeit a little boring at times, but I will wait and see what they have to offer before making any decisions. They are still in the interview process so we shall see what happens. In the evening, Brian and I just relaxed and watched The Departed as I knew Saturday was going to be a busy day.

Which it was....a couple of my good friends and I went shopping for wedding dresses. It was such a blast hanging with both of them, there was champagne, pictures and lots of laughs. The best part is I found my dress! Yay! One more thing off the list! It's a beautiful gown that I was leery about trying on in the first place so it figures that the one I was most skeptical about turned out to be the winning dress. Next up is finalizing the bridesmaids' dresses and then starting on the groomsmen.

Sunday morning/afternoon was spent cleaning and doing laundry. I think I squeezed in some reading, too, but I don't think I retained too much of it so I may be rereading those few chapters. Then we were off to a Superbowl party with friends whereby I stuffed myself full of junk food and guzzled some beer. Diet starts tomorrow, right?

Overall it was a good weekend and this week has started off pretty well already. Work day was relatively stress-free and this evening I plan to watch some shows and get in a quick run. Maybe I'll even take Wilson :)

Something New

2011-01-31T20:44:00.000-05:00

I bought Jillian Michaels' yoga dvd in December and it has been sitting on the shelf ever since. So yesterday, seeing as I was already sore from my workout on Saturday, decided to try out this yoga tape...as a nice calming exercise.

Ha!

First of all, I should have known that Jillian Michaels never does anything at a slow speed. Although this certainly wasn't at the level of a regular cardio video, it was pretty fast-paced for my perception of yoga speed; although with only 30 minutes to work with, I guess she wanted to get through as much as possible. Second, I have never done yoga before so I could only guess what to expect, which was slow and boorrrrinnnggg. I have really never had any desire to do this type of exercise before but figured, why not? First time for everything.

My thoughts on it...it wasn't too bad. I actually liked that she kept up a reasonable speed because it kept me from being bored. It was nice to learn some new types of stretches, and she definitely taught me the importance of balance. The yoga terms are somewhat annoying but I'm sure, with time, I will learn the proper terminology and won't have to keep glancing up at the screen to figure out what she is talking about. Overall, it was a good first experience and I think I will try to incorporate some yoga every week. The dvd has two choices so there's a little variety too.

Tonight I was back to running..just a couple miles and then some sit ups. Now to find my boys and go for a walk.

Time to Get Down and Dirty!

2011-01-30T12:52:00.000-05:00

I am all signed up! On May 1st, my bridesmaids Meagan, Adriana and I will brave the mud pits and compete in the 2011 Down and Dirty 10K mud run in Miami!! Military style obstacle courses, water crossings, cargo climbs, and let us not forget....MUD!! I am really looking forward to this race because it's different, it's certainly not for everyone, and I personally get very bored with traditional running so this is right up my alley.

Here's an idea of what will take place:

This is going to be a fun race, and being able to do it with friends just makes it that much more appealing. Only 88 more days to go till race day :)

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words...

2011-01-28T19:02:00.000-05:00

So, as an attempt to get myself back in the saddle with this whole let's lose weight for the wedding thing, I decided to take some "before" photos to really capture my progress. I already do my weight and measurements so I decided this would be a nice bonus to it.

Um...yeah. If I wasn't motivated before, I sure am now! I've got a lot of work to do but it will be totally worth it in the end. So, starting tomorrow (as tonight is reserved for fun) I will be working the "Crystal will not look like a Snowball cupcake in her wedding dress" weight loss plan. I know it can be done cuz I've been at my goal weight before...many years ago. It just takes dedication and planning and I know I can get there. I think dress shopping next week will solidify the motivation, too.

So, that is the plan. The ankle still hurts a bit but I can work with it just fine if I wrap it for a few days. It's go time!!

As for tonight, it's time for wine and girls' night!

Sabotage or Clumsiness

2011-01-25T20:06:00.000-05:00

My ankle has been on the mend this past week...so process but I can tell it's been getting much better. Reduced swelling, greater range of motion, etc. So, since this means I would be able to return to exercise soon, what would happen this morning? Why, I would completely roll my ankle and feel just as crappy as I did a week ago.

Sabotage or Clumsines? Hmm...maybe a combined effort. Back to the couch I go!

Promotion!

2011-01-22T13:15:00.000-05:00

After four very trying years, I have finally been promoted! Yippee! Now I am paralegal extraordinaire! Well, that's my personal title for my new status. Basically, I've moved up a notch in the legal department and I am happy about that. I am still searching for new and exciting opportunities at other locations, but being appreciated for my hard work at my current job is always a nice way to start out the year. I know eventually I want to leave my current location and move on to a different area of law but until the right opportunity comes along that is worth the effort, I guess I will keep plugging away.

Brian and I have gotten back into the wedding plans and met with our caterer today. She sent us home with some sample foods to try which is great cuz that means no cooking for me tonight! Next comes the dress search...both mine and the bridesmaids. Hopefully I can find the one I want...I already have an idea of what style I would like, now it's just to see if my style matches reality. Two of my bridesmaids will be with to shout out opinions so this should be fun! I hope ;-)

The ankle is still on the mend and, thanks to my impatience, is now a wee bit swollen again. I have no patience at all for injuries or illnesses. I see both as weaknesses and just want them to go away as quickly as possible. So, fighting a head cold from hell and an injury at the same time is really annoying to me. Yesterday my ankle felt better so I was doing some mock jogging in the house to see how the pressure would feel and some ABC movements and now it's swollen again. Good job! I guess that's a no on the running department. Hopefully I can get back to some type of activity soon. That about sums up life here right now. Hope all is well with everyone!

Or Not....

2011-01-19T21:20:00.000-05:00

We had a great weekend in good ole Orlando. Friday we hit up Universal Studios, making sure to hit all the roller coasters, ate some tasty treats (funnel cake!!!) and saw Blue Man Group in the evening. Those boys put on a great show! There was everything from paint to Captain Crunch used in the act, good times.

Saturday was spent at Disney. Now, when Brian and I hit up Disney, we don't mess around. We had a park hopper pass so we managed to get through three of the parks in one day starting with Hollywood Studios, then Magic Kingdom and ending with Epcot and a tour of the countries. I love that place, so many good foods and beverages to partake in and all in one convenient location. The only down side was falling over a sprinkler head in the parking lot and ending up with a nice sprained ankle. Kudos to me! No vacation is a good vacation unless someone gets hurt!

Sunday we kind of just chilled out...partly due to my ankle and partly due to football. Both of us are major football fans and it was nice to chill in the hotel, relax, eat junk food and watch the games. Brian was thrilled to have his beloved Bears win so after the games we headed to Downtown Disney to walk around and enjoy some drinks.

Now it's back to reality. The ankle is getting better...the swelling is almost gone and there is only slight bruising. Still a good deal of pain but it should be gone by the end of the weekend. Many sprained ankles in high school make me fairly knowledgeable with my timeline :)

So much for my good start with running. Guess I will have to take a couple more days off until it's good enough to run again. That's okay cuz all my tv shows are new this week. Time to catch up!

A Good Start

2011-01-12T20:11:00.000-05:00

I've been a good girl and went out for a run both Monday and Tuesday evenings. Monday was a nice 3 miler and yesterday was just a little 2 miler but it was still a good run since I pushed myself to run a little harder last night to make up for that extra mile, that and Brian and I took Wilson for a walk after I got back so I made up for some distance. With Wilson, it is never a slow walk around the neighborhood, he is constantly pulling you in some direction!

I am planning on doing some hula hooping and I should do some cardio but I can't decide on what. I've decided I want an exercise bike for the house. I used to have one years ago but the poor thing finally broke down one day and now I have none :( So, after a few years off, I think I may start searching for a used one...or have Brian do it during his spare time. I never feel guilty watching tv if I'm biking while I'm doing it!

Other than that, it's been a busy week at work with coworkers out so I am taking care of all their fun responsibilities. It's not too bad cuz the work days fly by...which is great because Brian and I are heading up to Orlando on Friday for a nice, long weekend and I can't wait to leave! It's been several months since we had a nice break (Labor Day, if I recall) and I am so ready for it. Bring on Mickey and Goofy!

Time to hula and maybe even enjoy a frosty beverage....or two

Starting Over...Yet Again

2011-01-05T19:36:00.000-05:00

Last night I finally put on the running clothes, laced up the sneakers and went out for a nice run. Having not run for about three months, I had no goals at all except to actually go from a walking pace to a running pace. I wasn't even sure I could handle a mile as it's been so long since I ran consistently cuz, although I ran once or twice in September, I haven't ran consistently since....the half marathon? Wow.

So, I did manage, after much bargaining with myself, to start running after about a quarter mile of warmup and it went pretty well. I managed 2.5 miles before I went back to a walk and headed home. Although this is not very far, I am happy that I not only got my butt off the couch and ran, but also ran further than a mile. At least I am better off than when I first started running and could barely master a half mile! I am going to try and make running a regular item for the week and see if I can't get in at least 2-3 runs a week, along with some other activities to get back into shape.

On that note, I think I'll take Wilson for a nice walk. He could use his exercise too :)

2011 Goals

2011-01-02T18:29:00.000-05:00

I can't stand the word resolution, sounds like I've done something wrong and just sets me up for failure, so I am going to go with good old-fashioned goals. Here's what I've got so far...

1. Run another half marathon. I really enjoyed running the Princess half early last year and I would like to do another one this year. I have been thinking about the Chicago Rock n Roll half in August but it may depend on how wedding plans/costs are going. At least Brian's family is there so we could visit and stay for free...I just wish it wasn't in August!

2. Get through all wedding plans with my sanity intact.

3. Make more time for friends and family.

4. Take the LSAT. I'm thinking the June one sounds good to me.

5. Lose 40 pounds.

6. Do something daring and/or exciting.

I have some other short-term goals that I want to accomplish so I am hoping for a good year. Today we put all the Christmas decorations away and I cleaned the deck and did some household chores. Now, it's back to work tomorrow (no time off for this gal) so I had best go and figure out what to do about dinner.

Happy New Year!

Rip Off

2010-12-30T21:01:00.000-05:00

Well, after researching for the last few days on different personal trainers, I have come to conclusion that the whole personal trainer thing is a giant rip off. Unless your rich and then it doesn't matter. $200 a month for 4 sessions? Umm, no.

So, I think I may just have to do this the old-fashioned way....using my own efforts to lose weight. What a crazy concept! I have a gym membership, several exercise dvds of all types, a jump rope, hula hoop and a great pair of running shoes so there should be no excuses. So...I think I will try and map out some sort of plan and see what I can come up with for January. Gonna take this one month at a time, I think, that way I don't get bored.

Here's to a happy new year to everyone! Be safe and enjoy a little bubbly tomorrow :)

New Purchases

2010-12-22T20:05:00.000-05:00

Tonight I hit up Target (pronounced Tar-jay) for some last minute gifts and managed to find a couple things for myself. Looking forward to checking them both out in the next few days.

Hmm...do you see a pattern here? I figured after 3 months of slothful behavior on my part, it was time to give myself a jump start back into the fitness world...and what better way to do that than with new swag! So, I think I will check out my new book first and try yoga later on. The yoga should be interesting, seeing as I can't keep quiet or sit still for more than 5 minutes without thinking about a ton of stuff. Hopefully some strange poses will inspire me.

Did you notice I love the meanest trainers out there? If I had the money, I would hire them both so they could yell at me on alternative days. In a perfect world...yes, in a perfect world.

All Done!

2010-12-20T18:55:00.000-05:00

Hurray! I am all done with school! Woo hoo!! Finished, finito, all friggin done. So happy this day has come. Even though it only took a year to complete my remaining requirements for my psych degree, it is nice to be completely done and over with it all. And no, I will not be walking in the graduation ceremony. Been there. Done that. Nope, the next time I will walk is if I make thru law school, or some other graduate school if law school rejects my ass.

So, what's next on the agenda for Crystal? Well, I hear the LSAT calling my name. I think I am going to study (ha!) and take this friggin test once and for all so I can see if becoming a lawyer is worth my effort or not. It's all in the test, or so they tell me :) So, I am looking at either the Feb or June date. All depends on how ambitious I am feeling about this whole studying thing again. Regardless, I think I am taking the rest of December off for some relaxation, drinks and presents!

I have also been looking for a new job and just had a pretty good interview so am keeping my fingers crossed that it all works out well....meaning they want to pay me well, that is.

As for wedding plans, they have been on a stand-still for the past month but I will be hitting that to-do list with the new year cuz time is creeping up fast! So, that about sums up the past couple of months. There's been some drama here and there but what would life be like without that, I suppose. So, now I think it's time to have a little eggnog ice cream and read a book that isn't a school book. Good times!

P.S. I have basically not exercised in months so that means the whip will be cracked once the holidays are over cuz this cycle must end. It's time to get fit again! After my ice cream of course.

Ft Lauderdale Half??

2010-10-19T21:10:00.000-04:00

Yeah, I'm thinking....not a chance. I had signed up for the Ft. Lauderdale half marathon several months ago, thinking that would give me the motivation to keep running during the summer but, alas, with school and pool time, I did very little running. Now the race is a mere 3 weeks away and I am in no condition to run 13.1 miles.

How do I know this? Cuz I went running this evening and was so happy to stop I could hardly stand it! Sweating, shin splints, the whole works. And my mileage? Just over 2 miles. Good friggin times kiddies. So, needless to say, I think I am going to sit this one out and maybe do one later this year or early next year. There are plenty to chose from and, considering I am practically starting from scratch in my running abilities...yet again, I need lots more practice. On that note, I am gonna park myself in front of the couch for some nice tv time....and meditate. Yeah, that's what I'll do :)

No more chunky

2010-10-18T18:33:00.000-04:00

Let Buff Bride Bootcamp Begin!!!

or

Bridezilla Gets Fit!!!!

Either way, today is Day 1 and my goal in this process is to put down the cupcakes and pick up some weights. I have been looking at a lot of wedding dresses and I can say with certainty that chunky bride is not how I want to look, especially since pictures add, what, 20 pounds....30 pounds.....

So, today I have been eating like a good girl and this evening I am going to go for a 3 mile run. It is absolutely gorgeous outside and I am actually forward to a nice run since the humidity isn't so crazy this week. I may even add some crunches/sit ups or some hula hooping.

Alright, I'm off to finish making dinner and the rest of this evening's plans. Have a great evening everyone!!

Couple of Pics

2010-10-11T14:45:00.000-04:00

My mom, aunt Laurie and cousin BreeAnna were here for a visit this past weekend and I just dropped them off at the airport a few hours ago. I was sad to see them leave but I am sure Brian has had enough with all the women in the household!

Here's a couple pics:

My mom and my aunt Laurie

My cousin BreeAnna and I finishing a refreshing margarita

Wilson....not quite sure what he's doing

We had a great time and, as usual, it went too fast. The next visit will have to be when Brian and I head "up north" sometime next year.

Sick and Tired

2010-10-03T21:32:00.000-04:00

Yep, that pretty much sums up my weekend. Brian was sick most of last week after we came back from our Minnesota trip and I was oh so fortunate to catch the little cold bug on Friday. Needless to say, there has been a lot of sleeping, tv watching and just feeling lazy all weekend trying to get this bug to run its course. At least I got all my pesky homework done!

What sucked is that the weather was freaking gorgeous this weekend and I would have loved to have been outside but what can a girl do? Oh yeah, watch Disney's Princess and a Frog three times. ( I like it)!

Now I think I'll park myself back on the couch and finish watching the Bears game with Brian. Good times.

150 Days

2010-09-29T20:06:00.000-04:00

to the 2011 Disney Princess Half Marathon!! Can it be done twice?

I think so!!!

Good Times

2010-09-27T19:40:00.000-04:00

Headin Up North

2010-09-23T17:20:00.000-04:00

Brian and I are off to Minnesota at the ass crack of dawn tomorrow morning for my BFF's wedding!! I am so excited for her and so happy to be included in her big day. It's going to be a great time seeing old college friends and hanging out with people I haven't seen in several years. Plus I get to get all prettied up in a nice dress, get my hair done and drink lots! What's not to love? Well, maybe my speech but I'll work on that on the plane ride up there. There's so many good memories, I have plenty of material at my disposal :)

So, now it's just to finish my homework (midterms this week), pack and get a decent night's sleep as I have to get up at the great hour of 3am. Yippee!! Hope everyone has a great weekend. I shall return with good stories and some hopefully some great photos.

Venue Shopping

2010-09-19T13:36:00.000-04:00

Brian and I spent the day doing some wedding venue shopping and all I can say to that is...wow, what a reality check that was. I never had any doubts that the wedding would be expensive but some of these venues are just friggin crazy!! $400 per night for a room? Yeah, no problem...I'm sure my family would love to pay for that (this would be one of the Keys locations). We looked at four places yesterday: one was too small for the reception but had a beautiful beach; the second one in Hollywood (Crowne Plaza) we didn't even stop in cuz it looked crappy; the third was in Deerfield Beach and was really pretty but a little on the pricey side for rooms, not to mention the ceremony was not included in the deal and was kind of out in a public space. Lastly was a place up in Jupiter Beach which we both really liked but, once again, a little on the expensive side; but at least this one included ceremony and reception.

So, the Jupiter Beach one is in the "maybe" pile and we will just keep looking until we find what we really want. Or win the lottery and do whatever we want...I'd be okay with that too :)

Other than that, I am trying to get motivated to do all my homework since Brian and I are heading up to MN for my BFF's wedding this weekend. Yay! That and the 50 other things I have to get done before we leave at 4am on Friday. On that note, it's time to get to work!

P.S. To my dear Vikings....you'd better pull your heads out of your asses and kick some Dolphin ass!!

Running Mantra

2010-09-15T21:14:00.000-04:00

I will get up and run tomorrow....

I will get up and run tomorrow....

I will get up and run tomorrow.....

ooh....shiny object! What was I talking about? Oh well, where's my beer?

So So Sweaty

2010-09-13T20:41:00.000-04:00

Just ran 3 miles.

Haven't run in over a month.

It's humid as hell out there.

Which makes me sweaty as hell.

Now I know why I haven't ran in the last month.

But I will admit I feel pretty dang good.

Now if I could just stop sweating....

A cold beer and a jump in the pool should cure that!

Huh

2010-09-12T15:22:00.000-04:00

so it appears that if you decide to eat whatever you want and dont exercise, you wont lose weight. huh. well i guess that means its time to get off my butt and get back into my exercise/healthy eating routine again.

i will definitely start tomorrow....i refuse to be a chunky bride. hee hee

Holy Crap! I'm Engaged!!

2010-09-10T17:52:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited there are few words to describe it right now. Now for all the planning and partying to come! Woo hoo!!

Key West Bound!

2010-09-03T18:35:00.000-04:00

My homework is done....
The house is nearly clean...
My bags are so not packed yet...
But, I am ready to head to the Keys!

Brian and I will be departing early tomorrow morning for Key West and I can't wait for a nice long weekend hanging out by the pool, hanging out on Duval St. and soaking up some sun and alcohol. It's gonna be great! Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend!

Wide Awake

2010-08-31T05:37:00.000-04:00

Who needs sleep, right? I have been wide awake since just before 4am. After laying in bed for what felt like forever, I finally gave up and got up. So, I think I'm gonna go hula hoop for a half hour (not enough time to go for a run now) and then proceed to get ready for the day.

Yep, I have a feeling a large coffee will be necessary this morning. Hope no one at work feels like talking to me till about 10am this morning...that should give the coffee enough time to make me happy and chipper!!

Ha! Yeah right ~ alright, time to hula.

No More Stats!!!

2010-08-29T15:07:00.002-04:00

Life makes sense again.

Pool Time!

2010-08-09T21:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was a good girl and did a nice 3 mile run. It had rained all day yesterday, so I was happy it finally stopped around 8pm or so and I could get out there. The humidity was so thick my shirt was damp just from the air, let alone my sweaty self! But totally worth it.

Today I finally got myself to the gym (yep, I know I joined a couple weeks ago, what of it?) for a 30 minute swim. I got in a good 50 laps, with about 12 of them being arms only exercises. Gotta get me some strongs for the strapless dress cuz flab plus strapless equals not so sexy. I felt pretty good about those 50...ya know, didn't feel like I was gonna die, kept up a good pace, no stopping, all that good stuff. Now, an hour and a half later, I am feelin it. Every. Joint. Hurts. Every. Muscle. Hurts. My. Hair. Hurts. (that last one could be chlorine effects). But again, totally worth it. I feel better already and I just keep picturing myself in the dress to keep me motivated.

Good thing a put two copies of it on the fridge....and my phone.....

Alright, time for a beer and some stats. Don't be jealous now, it's loads of fun. Really. Well, after one more beer it will be.

Cupcakes are not the Answer

2010-08-08T08:02:00.000-04:00

I've been waiting patiently for my bridesmaid dress and it finally arrived yesterday. Now that it's here, I feel this is when I need to start getting serious about my workouts. Yes, I agree that my workouts would have been much more beneficial months ago, well before the dress arrived but I am a procrastinator to the end so here we are. Overall the dress fits quite nicely right now, maybe just needs to be shortened a bit (I am a whopping 5'2" after all) and brought in here and there but it's a pretty good fit. What I really want to tone up are my arms and legs....and everything else but especially arms and legs.

So, to commerate this great moment, I did the scale/measurements routine this morning to start me off. Um, guess what? If you want to lose weight, cupcakes, chips, iced coffee, etc. are not the answer. The scale betrayed me, which is normal, but then my tape measure joined forces and I found myself completely annoyed with all my numbers. And there is no one to blame but myself. I have been playing the "start tomorrow" game for months now and, after about a dozen cupcake under my belt, I am now paying the consequences.

It's time to get back to the gym, get back to running and try to eat a hell of a lot less sugar. Although a life without red velvet cupcakes will be a wee bit gloomier in the beginning, I am sure I will survive.

The Second Half

2010-08-04T17:35:00.001-04:00

I've been a running no-show for far too long lately. I decided the only way that was going to change was by signing up for another race. Well, I keep going back and forth with Disney. It's expensive, you have to get a hotel, food, driving, etc. although it is an awesome place to run a race I just can't decide if I really want to fork out that kind of money. Also, why not try a race a wee bit closer to home? One I can just drive to, run and head back home for a soak in the pool. So that's what I did.

Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon here I come! It's in November so that gives me plenty of time to get my butt back in gear and start running again. I went for a quick two miler last night and thought I was gonna die. Oh, that and I hit a car. Yep, while running. Cuz that's how I roll. No bumps or bruises, just a lot of swearing.

So now that I've signed up, I feel ready to lace up the shoes on a regular basis and start running for shiny objects again. Can't wait! Just hope the humidity is gone by then.

Out with the old, In with the new

2010-07-29T19:45:00.000-04:00

I think it's time over a major overhaul. Encompassing every aspect of my life. There's just a whole lot of crap that I think I can ditch and what better time to start than right now?!!

Anyone else ever feel like this? Like you just need to clean house inside and out and simplify things again? Sometimes I think this pertains to friendships, too. Sometimes you outgrow certain people in your life or just can't find positive reasons to remain friends with some people. I foresee some of that happening too.

Well, to start my "summer cleaning" I think I'll have a beer. Beer makes it all better!!

Back to the Gym

2010-07-26T19:16:00.000-04:00

My gym membership and I are like a bad relationship. We have gotten together and broken up 3 times now and hopefully this is the last one! I really wasn't looking to rejoin the gym, but they kept offering me sweet deals until I could no longer refuse! Their timing was perfect, too, since it's summer and hot as hell out there...that and I have been missing my lap swimming. Not to mention a wedding coming up and I have been stress eating like a crazy person...can't be a chunky bridesmaid!!

So, I am officially heading back to the gym. Hopefully I can get into a nice routine of cardio, swimming and maybe a class here and there. I am looking forward to it!!

At Capacity

2010-07-16T17:35:00.000-04:00

So I decided to go on Disney's website and see if the Wine & Dine half marathon had it 90% yet. Well, it not only hit 90% but it at full capacity for both the half and the relay. So, I guess Disney made my decision for me....no wine and dine race for me!

I am a wee bit disappointed that I didn't sign up in time since a night run...at Disney of all places....would have been awesome, but there are plenty of other races to enter and most of them are far less expensive. I think I am going to do the Key Biscayne 10K in November and maybe the Fort Lauderdale half later this year/next year..whenever it is.

That doesn't mean I have put Disney out of my racing mind quite yet. There is the Disney half in January or, if I'm really ambitious (I'm not), the full marathon. The full is at 50% and the half is already at 70%. Let's see if I can beat the clock for one of these!!

Decision Time

2010-07-13T19:33:00.000-04:00

I have been stalking the Disney race website for the past couple of months, going back and forth on whether or not I should sign up for the Disney Wine and Dine half marathon in October. I really do want to do this race but there are some down sides too.

The pros and cons:

Pros:

it's a Disney race and will totally rock
the start time is 10pm - nothing like a night race through the parks to shake things up
it's during the food and wine festival...need I say more?
i would get a shiny medal

Cons:

it's the following weekend after we come back from MN. that's a lot of travelling
sometimes it's still friggin hot in Oct-last year it was up near 100 degrees at that time

Okay, so my pros outweigh the cons. Right now the race is at 86% full capacity. Maybe I will wait till it's at a solid 95% and make my decision. What to do, what to do.....

Sweaty Mess

2010-07-12T21:14:00.000-04:00

After having a great, relaxing weekend spent mostly floating on my raft in the pool, I decided to head out for a little run this evening. My original plan was to do 3 miles but, after seeing the skies light up with some flashy electricity, I decided to cut it a mile short and head home.

HA!

Who am I kidding?! It's friggin hot as hell out there..even at 9pm. Running in Florida summers can be described as putting on a full cotton track suit and cotton hat and then locking oneself in a wet sauna and running in place for a half hour or so. Sound fun? Cuz it's not.

The sucky thing is all the races in south florida are, of course, if the late fall/winter months. Great! But to be fully prepared for this runs, I have to get my lazy butt out there and run in the outdoor sauna during the summer months. Blech.

Alright, enough whining, I am going to take my sweaty self for a quick dip in the pool and then unwind for the evening. Maybe even do some more homework. I am loving this forensics class....for once I look forward to my homework!

Peace out homies!

75 Days

2010-07-11T08:42:00.000-04:00

I've got 75 days to look great in this bridesmaid dress.

That means it's time to step it up a notch (or two) and start my "must look hot in bridesmaid dress" exercise/nutrition plan today! Please note that I have been saying I'm going to start this plan since the 90 day mark but there have been just too many good foods for me to try so I had to wait till after the 4th...and give myself an extra week just for leftovers....but now I am ready for action!

Here's hoping I make it through Day 1 with no slips!

Helllooooo!!!

2010-06-28T19:15:00.000-04:00

On my third and most delightful Bud Light Wheat yet. Oh, it is so nice to be done with that last school session I can't even describe it in words...except to say that this session, upon reading the syllabi for both classes, appears to be worse! Ugh. Now I've got Experimental Stats and Forensics. So excited for forensics but so much work to do in that class.

Good thing I am the bomb-diggity or there would be problems!! Alright, back to my beer, dinner and a relaxing evening. I am doing nothing tonight but will start fresh with goals and plans and all that stuff tomorrow.

Later gators!!

All I Can Say Is....

2010-06-22T17:37:00.000-04:00

After this school week from hell, I am gonna need a wine night. With lots of bottles of wine. In different colors and flavors. With little wedges of cheese. And some delightful crackers. Mmmmm......

Running Boycott

2010-06-17T22:39:00.000-04:00

I have been boycotting running lately. Actually, I did go out for a nice 3 mile run last Sunday...it was so friggin humid that I was thrilled when it started to rain a little. Then it started to rain a bit harder. Then it said, screw you, and the downpour came down. I just kept on running and actually ran by the house cuz I refused to give up till I got my 3 miles in-Brian was just about to come look for we when he saw my soaking self come hydroplaning around the corner. Funny enough, I much preferred running in a torrential thunderstorm than the humid hot box I was formerly running in.

So, until this stupid weather cools down..or I sign up for a race and feel guilty...me and running are going to be distant buddies. My Scandinavian self just can't handle it!!

Maybe it will cool down one of these days..or I'll just need to take up water polo for the summer months. Sounds kinda fun!

What's Up

2010-06-16T18:01:00.000-04:00

Let's see:

it's friggin hot out
I have lots of homework to do and I don't wanna!
Wine sounds good right about now
or a frosty beer
beer and homework go quite well together. At least the first three, then things start getting fuzzy
kinda like exercise. beer works well for a good 3-miler but only 2-3 beers. after that, it goes downhill
it's still hot out
crap! i forgot to let Wilson back in the house!
okay, I'm back. He's a little pissed but I'll give him a treat and we'll be buds again
i'm hungry
not sure who's gonna get an ass-kicking: the mailman or the garbage men for throwing the garbage cans across the driveway. had to move them before i could even pull in today.
can you tell i'm trying hard to put off my stats homework?
know why? cuz stats totally sucks
yep...i think i'm gonna go with wine this evening when i meet my buddy for dinner.
alright, time to do my assignments...boo!!
and yes, it's still friggin hot outside.