Regan's Ruminations

Voices in the head

2012-03-04T16:51:00.001-05:00

Since we got back from the Disney Princess Half on Tuesday, I have had a nagging little voice in my head bothering me. I have been putting a happy face on and being a little less than genuine so that everyone around me thought life was perfect....

Sometimes my feelings of self-doubt come roaring around my mind and I feel like I have no control over them. Here's some of the crazy crap that has gone through my head just in the two days of the weekend:

Why aren't you losing weight? You are going to be right back at 340 pounds before you know it you lazy sloth.
Why do you even go to hot yoga? You look like an idiot. You can't do half the poses correctly.
Why did you decide to dress as Belle for the half marathon? You weren't nearly as cute as some of the other girls.
Are you really considering signing up for another half this spring and 2 in the fall? Are you trying to set yourself up for disappointment?
If you say you love to run so much, why didn't you get your behind out of bed this morning to run with your friends?

Sometimes this just happens... I usually end up in a funk for the day, but eventually I am able to tell that voice to shut the heck up.

I guess life can't always be puppies and rainbows, but sometimes you just gotta think puppies and rainbows or you will be miserable. I guess this is just part day-to-day life... It is just annoying when it happens.

Here's to thinking puppies and rainbows.

NaBloPoMo - Choices

2012-03-03T23:49:00.001-05:00

For some reason, I am having a terrible time coming up with something to blog about tonight...I know that NaBloPoMo weekends are for "freewriting" but it is late and I am having trouble coming up with inspiration to write about a topic. So, I am going to use the NaBloPoMo prompt from yesterday:

Would you rather make your own choices or have someone make them for you?

A or B? This or that? Chicken or fish? Life is full of choices - some are easy, while others are not. I am not good at making the actual decision about one choice or another, but I like to have an impact on the decision made.

A prime example of this is when the hubs and I are planning to go to dinner... The conversation usually goes something like this:

Me: "Would you like to out for dinner tonight?
The hubs: "Of course!"
Me: "Where do you want to go? Your choice." (I tend to offer the hubs the choice for most meals because he is much more of a foodie than I. It is just easier for him to pick the place.)

Hubs: "We could go get Mexican."
Me: "I am not really feeling Mexican."
Hubs: "Well, how about Chinese? We can run errands near (insert restaurant), then get an early dinner."
Me: "I am not really feeling Chinese either."

Hubs: "We aren't getting anywhere. Can't you just pick a place?" (Obviously, he and I think differently... He thinks it would be easier for me to just pick, but if I pick I have the "pressure" of knowing that I might pick something he doesn't really want. Dang double-edged sword!)
Me: "No. I am not going to pick. There are two of us and we should both agree. I am going to count to three and you should name off 2 places you want to go. I will find something on one of the menus. "

In the end, we usually come up with a mutually acceptable place to eat... However, it isn't without some work. The restaurant example is just a small piece of the big picture. Unfortunately, this applies to almost everything in our lives as a couple. The poor hubs....He is a patient man!

I want the choice, but I don't want to choose. Yes, I know that it is not really realistic, but that's just how I roll.

Grateful for opportunities

2012-03-02T15:59:00.000-05:00

The past week or so, I have been thinking a lot about the many opportunities that have come my way because of running. Thinking about these things actually makes me kinda emotional because I can't imagine my life without them:

NCRC Women's Beginner Running Group: I joined the NCRC Women's Beginner Running Group in July 2010 after a friend convinced me I could do it. I will be forever indebted to Alison for this push. I have gained so much through this program with the "least" of it being a love of running. I have met so many wonderful people (Hi Sarah! Brandy! Debbie! Mary! Suzanne! and everyone else that I won't name off. Seriously - you don't want me to...that would be like a ~~bazillion~~ hundred awesome women!) through this program. These women have been supporters and are now life-long friends. It is through the support of this program that I have been able to complete three half marathons since May 2011. This program has done nothing short of help me do a 180 and get my ~~ass off my shoulders~~ rear in gear. This summer, I will be coordinating this program. I am working on the training calendar, lining up speakers, and trying to drum up "swag" from running companies. While I am excited about this opportunity, I do have a little small fear that I won't be as good as the previous coordinators. However, I know that with all my NCRC WBRG buddies, I will be fine!

Girls on the Run: The easiest way to say this is to say that this spunky group of 15 makes every day better. While I only see the girls on Tuesday and Thursday, just thinking about seeing them for the next session makes me smile. I first learned about GOTR when I participated in a Reindeer Romp in December 2010. As I said before, I kept debating volunteering because I didn't think I fit the image of GOTR. Well, I am so glad that the opportunity came along because I can't imagine my week without the girls. They are wild, crazy, sweet, sassy, opinionated, and everything you want a confident 8 to 12 year old girl to be. I have said it before, and I will say it again - I wish this program was around when I was their age!

I am so very grateful for these opportunities. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would start running...and actually enjoy it. Now, I can't imaging my life without running, the friendships it has provided, and the "new" me.

NaBloPoMo - Uncertainty

2012-03-01T15:38:00.002-05:00

My cousin, Natalie, sent me an email last week regarding National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo). Since we were at Disney World when I received the email, I didn't give it much thought. Yesterday, I read the email through and thought it may be something fun to participate in... It is actually really simple - You just commit to writing on your blog each day during the month of March. For those without a ton to say, they even provide daily prompts for a little extra motivation. So, here goes...

How do you feel about uncertainty? Is it exciting or scary?

Here's the deal, and I am not gonna sugar-coat it.... Uncertainty scares the ever-livin' sh*t out of me. Plain and simple.

However, allow me to explain... I enjoy having a schedule, a plan, a guide or whatever other term you want to give it. I thrive off planning things for myself and others. It is just my thing. I prefer having some kind of general idea of what's coming next. Unfortunately, I was forced to get over myself about uncertainty and transitions in life. I can plan, plan, plan to my little heart's content, but that doesn't mean something won't ~~get fu**ed up~~ change.

~~Many, many years ago~~About 2 years ago, my fear of uncertainty, feelings of inadequacy, and a few other things caused me to basically "lose my cookies". I ended up going to therapy and working through coping mechanisms and cutting through all the crap. So, it has taken a lot of work and it isn't without a daily kick in the butt...But, uncertainty isn't all that bad. I don't love it, but I don't freak out at the sight of it. Sometimes uncertainty can be really cool, like a new adventure. Just all depends on how you think about it.

Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend in Review

2012-02-28T22:34:00.000-05:00

Hold on tight...This is gonna be a long one... I am still dealing with my "Disney high".

Friday:
The alarm went off at 4:15 a.m. The hubs and I got ready and were on our way to RDU by 5:30 a.m. Jason loves to catch the early morning flight because it allows us to maximize our Florida time. Boy that guy loves him some Florida! While at RDU waiting for our flight, we met a family from Wilson (mother, twin daughters, grandmother and grandfather). The mother was going to do her first half marathon at Disney! We talked for a bit about her nervousness, etc.

We arrived in Orlando a little after 9 a.m. We quickly gathered our things and headed to catch the bus to our resort. We decided to try a different resort for the half marathon weekend - we chose Port Orleans French Quarter. After checking in, we went over to Epcot. We had a nice lunch at Les Chefs de France. We ate at this restaurant in 2007 and I loved it. I have been wanting to go back and made sure it made the reservation list for this trip.

After lunch, we went to the Fit for a Princess Expo at ESPN Wide World of Sports. The layout was a little frustrating - you had to go to a tent to gather certain items, then to the Jostens Center for other items. I guess that is what happens when you have 20,000 participants in the half marathon! I picked up my race bib and was able to move up from Corral G to Corral C. This was a definite relief for me - I knew I would be fine in G, but I didn't want to have to "fight" to get around crowds to get ahead, etc. Jason and I wandered around for a while and I secured a few items I had been eyeing...

From left to right: Race tech shirt, Champion tech jacket, "Storybook" Program,
"I Did It" t-shirt with race route on the back

I saw this shirt and regret not buying it - perfect for me!
(Thanks for taking a picture of it Kerry!)

After the expo, we headed back to our resort to drop off my purchases and to get ready to head to Epcot for dinner. We had dinner at J's favorite - Nine Dragons. By the time we were done with dinner, we were both exhausted! We were back in the room before 9 p.m. and I was probably asleep within 1 minute of my head hitting the pillow.

Saturday:

On Saturday morning, we took our time getting ready, but still got a pretty early start. We headed over to the Magic Kingdom - and it was nuts! There were so many people! We spent some time on the train, wandering around, people watching, and just soaking it all in. The weather was beautiful! After spending our day in the Magic Kingdom, we headed over to the Polynesian for dinner at Kona Cafe (J's other favorite). Unfortunately, this probably wasn't the best choice for "carb loading", but I don't tend to eat a bunch of carbs the night before a half. I enjoyed the Kona Coffee Rubbed Pork Chop, served with mashed sweet potatoes and broccolini. It was so delicious!

After dinner, we headed back to Port Orleans to get ready for an early Sunday morning wake up call! I knew that I needed to get all my things laid out the night before. I put everything out on the bed and on the table. I knew that I would be able to sleep better knowing everything was out and in its place!

We also took time to lay out all of Jason's clothes too. He decided from the very beginning that he was going to get up and go to Epcot with me, even though he would be sitting and waiting for about 3 hours. See??!! Don't I have a great husband!

Sunday:

The alarm blared at 2:45 a.m. I hit the snooze and laid in the bed stretching for about 10 minutes. When I finally got up, I went through my normal pre-race routine - peanut butter on a bagel, a glass or two of water, applying a little make up, brushing teeth, putting Body Glide on every nook and cranny of my body, and getting dressed. If I ever meet the person that invented Body Glide, I will probably kiss their face!

Terrible lighting and I look very chubby, but this
was my version of Belle.

Before we left, J took a picture of the cute costume my mother-in-law worked so hard on (thanks Emily!). My outfit included a Bella yellow sparkle skirt, yellow running tank (thanks Mary), and some other accessories to make me look more like Belle.

We got out to the shuttle to Epcot at 3:40 a.m. and there was a terribly long line! Because we needed an accessible shuttle for J, the nice gentleman from Mears called a shuttle for us. We ended up going to Epcot by ourselves and not on a big bus. That was a definite help for my pre-race jitters!

Once at Epcot, I helped the hubs get over to the "Race Retreat". He was going to be hanging out in the tent while I was gone.

I started following the crowd of race participants to get to the starting corrals. The entire time I was walking, I was so worried that I would never be able to connect with Annette, a fellow NCRC Beginner Women's Program runner. Luckily, about 15 or 20 minutes before the race started, I got a text from her. Somehow she was able to get into Corral D. I was already in C and I wasn't going to try to press luck and get her moved up. So, I started walking toward D and found her! I breathed a huge sigh of relief! We ran together for the first several miles. I ended up losing her as we left the Transportation and Ticket Center area (somewhere between miles 4 and 5). This left me running "alone" for the rest of the race, but I did my best to keep it from slowing me down! The Princess Half Marathon route went from Epcot, through the Magic Kingdom and back to Epcot. We passed the WDW Speedway, ran through the Transportation and Ticket Center, past the Magnolia and Palm golf courses, etc. To put it simply, it was just lovely!

After the race, I enjoyed a very nice glass of champagne to celebrate. Jason and I boarded the shuttle to head back to the resort for a while. When we arrived at the resort, I went right to the little restaurant and picked up a chocolate milk - one of my favorites after a long run! While the hubs watched some TV, I took a little catnap. I was so tired that I climbed right in bed without changing out of my running clothes! After relaxing a while, we got ready to head to Downtown Disney with Margaret and Gavin.

Margaret and Gavin met us at the resort and we took a little boat "cruise" to Downtown Disney. We were able to get into T-Rex restaurant with virtually no wait. Unfortunately, I was so hungry that I couldn't figure out what I wanted to eat. I ended up ordering a cheeseburger. It was pretty tasty, but it didn't fully hit the spot/fill the hole in my incredibly hungry belly. After lunch, we all wandered around for a while. Around 5 p.m., it was time for Margaret and Gavin to head home. We were sad to see them go, but we'll hopefully see them again in May!

Sunday evening, we had dinner reservations at the California Grill. This is one of our favorite restaurants on the Disney property. Unfortunately, we were way too exhausted to really enjoy this meal. It was good, but I wish I had not been so tired! After dinner, we made our way back to the resort and went right to bed. We decided we were going to set the alarm for 9 a.m., but would just get up when our bodies woke us up.

A couple pictures from the day... Sorry for the blurriness - kinda hard to take a picture with the phone so early in the morning!

Regan (Belle) and Annette (Cinderella)
before the race.

Porta-potty line! Crazy!!!

"Belle" in the Magic Kingdom

Jason and Regan after the race! Look at that bling!

Getting ready to head to lunch with Margaret
and Gavin at Downtown Disney

Monday:

We slept until about 8 a.m. on Monday morning. We knew that we needed to get all our things packed up, so we took our time getting ready. Once we had put our luggage in storage, we headed to the Magic Kingdom. It was so crowded (again!). We walked around for a while, rode Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, then decided we were done. We decided to go over to the Grand Floridian to see if we could have lunch at the Grand Floridian Cafe. The restaurant was pretty empty and we were seated immediately. Lunch was so delicious! I think this will be a restaurant we visit again.

After lunch we went back to Downtown Disney. We wanted to go to World of Disney to purchase a few things before heading home. After making our way back to our resort, we spent sometime enjoying the beautiful weather by the pool. After relaxing for a bit, we headed to Port Orleans Riverside for an early dinner at Boatwright's Dining Hall.

After dinner, we got on the Magical Express to head back to the Orlando International Airport. We stayed the night in the Hyatt Regency in the airport.

Tuesday:

This morning, we were up bright and early once again. We took the 8:35 a.m. flight back to North Carolina and were home by 11 a.m.

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend. I wish that we had been able to stay a little longer after the race, but it was a great four days nonetheless. I will definitely do another Disney race in the future, but likely won't do this one every single year.

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

2012-02-22T11:33:00.001-05:00

"...Leavin' on a jet plane...Don't know when I'll be back again..." In less than 48 hours, I will be at the happiest place on Earth. I am going to enjoy every moment of the trip, including the 13.1 mile run on Sunday morning (even though it is at an ungodly hour!).

runDisney posted pictures on their Facebook of some of the merchandise that will be available at the Fit for a Princess Expo. Jason and I plan to go to the Expo early Saturday morning. I am hoping that the two items I want are still available in my size when we get there! My plan is to go straight to the official merchandise area because I have heard sizes sell out quickly.

Here are the items that I am most interested in:

I am usually cold and can always use a good jacket.

Why not this cute jacket?

I like both of these shirts, but I am not sure which one I like more.

What do you think?

Friend Makin' Monday - Travel

2012-02-20T09:42:00.006-05:00

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Travel

Where did your most recent trip take you? As far as traveling anywhere other than to visit my parents at the beach... Some girlfriends and I traveled to Nags Head/Kitty Hawk to run the OBX Half Marathon.
Is there a place that you’d like to visit that you haven’t yet? If so, where? There's always a list of places I would love to go - Greece, the Netherlands, Belize, etc. I don't really have a reason why I want to go to these places other than to go.
Do you travel lightly, or do you cram as much into your luggage as possible? I am pretty methodical with my packing... I pack what I need and a few extra "just in case" items.
Do your eating and exercise habits change when you travel? If so, how? I try very hard to keep my same eating habits and schedule when I am traveling. I tend to have issues with extremely low blood sugar if I don't eat on my normal schedule. I try to exercise when I am away from home, but it definitely isn't my #1 priority.
Tell us about a place you’ve been that you’d like to go back to. The Bahamas... We went on a cruise last year and weren't able to get off the boat because of an issue with my husband's wheelchair. Atlantis looked beautiful and I want go back!
Do you prefer to travel at a certain time of year? Nah, we will go anytime...
If you had to choose, would you go to the beach or the mountains? I would definitely choose the beach! I love the beach. I am growing to love the mountains though.
Have you ever needed a passport to travel? Yes, for our cruise last May. I think it is a good idea to have one even if you might not need it.
Do you collect anything in your travels? We tend to pick up Christmas ornaments. It is great to remember different adventures when putting up the tree each year.
Where do you plan to go next? We leave for Walt Disney World on Friday morning! I am running the Disney Princess Half Marathon on Sunday!

Now it’s your turn! Don’t forget to share a link in the comments! Happy Monday!

Single digit countdown...

2012-02-19T13:28:00.000-05:00

Isn't the medal beautiful??!!??

The Disney Princess Half Marathon will be over by this time next Sunday... I will have my beautiful medal around my neck and the biggest sh*t-eatin' grin on my face!

I had the most awesome dream about the race last night. While I am always excited to run a race, especially a half, there is something about this race that has me beyond excited! I dreamed about donning my beautiful Belle outfit (thanks to my creative mother-in-law), completing the race, and getting a PR to boot! If I remember correctly, the time in my dream was 2:32:48 (11:40/mile). Totally random number, but a PR none the less. While I would love to PR at Disney with that time, I am doubtful it will happen. That time is about 7 minutes faster than my current half PR and it is a lofty time reduction. The goal of this race is to have fun and finish! I am so very ecstatic to have this coming to fruition!

Every time I think about running the Disney Princess Half, I am filled with so many emotions... I mean, I have said it hundreds of times, but this is the race that started it all. This is the race that I set as my goal when I started running in the summer of 2010. There have been many times since then that I wasn't sure it would ever happen... But, it is happening! I have worked hard... I have struggled through crappy runs, I have run in the rain, I have run in the miserable heat, I have run in the bone-chillin' cold... All in preparation for this race.

Jason and I will be leaving Raleigh very early Friday morning. We'll spend the day Friday in Epcot, followed by dinner at Nine Dragons (the hubs' favorite!). On Saturday morning we'll head over to the Expo and then we are hoping to meet up with my best friend and her son. As always, we are looking forward to seeing Margaret and Gavin - fun times always! On Saturday evening, we are having an early dinner at Kona Cafe so that we can get to bed early! Sunday will be a ridiculously early morning. I have to be in my corral by 5 a.m.! After the race, we'll probably head back to the hotel and maybe take a nap - who knows! Then we'll celebrate with dinner that evening at the California Grill! On Monday, we'll probably go to the Magic Kingdom, then that evening we'll stay at the Hyatt Regency at the airport. We'll be back home on Tuesday. Whirlwind trip, but it will be awesome!

What do I have in mind after this one? No one can guess. I am sure that there will be many more half marathons. Who knows??... Maybe a Disney Marathon is in the cards...

New Recipes 12 and 13 - Tex-Mex Rice and Bean Casserole and Shrimp Fried Quinoa

2012-02-15T17:01:00.000-05:00

(from WeightWatchers.com)

On Monday evening, the hubs and I tried a new recipe. The recipe was called Tex-Mex Rice and Bean Casserole and I found it on the Weight Watchers website. I selected this recipe because it was vegetarian - we try to eat a vegetarian meal at least once a week. Like most recipes I have found on Weight Watchers, this one was delicious!

A few modifications from our kitchen: slightly less sour cream (think I used about 1/2 to 2/3 cup); a little more diced chilis and a little more chili powder. The changes were not significant and can be modified for your family preferences.

We are having the leftovers tonight. I am very excited to warm this up, add some broccoli on the side and have an easy-peasy dinner!

Last night, we made Shrimp Fried Quinoa. I love looking at all the recipes on Brittany's blog. I love fried rice, but never thought to change it up with quinoa, until I saw it on her blog! I didn't make any changes to the recipe and it was yummy yummy! I had the leftovers for lunch today and they were even more delish!

Friend Makin' Monday: Before Photos

2012-02-13T14:03:00.001-05:00

FMM: Before Photos

Are you on a weight-loss journey? Have you lost weight in the past? Are you trying to lose it now? Yep. My heaviest weight was about 340 pounds, give or take, in 1999. I lost a ton of weight, but crept up to around 220 pounds after I got married. My goal now is to stay in the healthy range for my height.
Do you like being in pictures, or do you shy away from the camera? I used to loathe being in pictures. Now, I don't mind it too much.
Does looking at old photos of yourself motivate you? Sometimes it motivates me to look at old pictures; sometimes it just makes me incredibly sad. I wish I could go back and make the "old me" smile...
Weight-loss bloggers, do you post progress pictures on your blog? I wouldn't consider myself a "weight-loss blogger" but I do post pictures of myself often. This isn't necessarily about showing progress, but you can see the difference in many pictures.
Will you share a before photo with us (even if you don’t have an after yet?) Yep! Here's a few...

Meredith College Fire & Water Dinner (April 1999) - I am on the back row, far left

With my younger cousin in November 1999

College Mission Trip (March 2000) - I am second from the left (about 350 +/- pounds)

Disney Princess Half Update!

2012-02-12T09:44:00.001-05:00

Oh my goodness! Earlier this week, I got an email from runDisney with some final race information. I knew that the race was close, but this email just made it even more real!

In exactly 14 days, I will be in the middle of running the Disney Princess Half Marathon. (If you would like to follow me, visit here. My bib number is 13625.) Early on, I decided that I was going to do this race for FUN. There was going to be no concern with my time, etc. That's still the case - I am going to soak in every moment of having the opportunity to run a half marathon through Disney World.

Belle, from Beauty and the Beast, has been my favorite Disney Princess for as long as I can remember. I am not sure what draws me to love Belle - maybe it is because she is the smart, simple, pragmatic princess... She's just my kinda girl. When I first decided I was going to do this race, I knew that if I was going to dress up, I was going to be Belle. The past several months, I have hemmed and hawed about dressing up. I worried about being comfortable; I worried about looking silly; I worried about it all. Then, I realized - who cares!! This race is at Disney World! My mother-in-law also started getting excited about helping with the Belle transformation. So... Several weeks ago, I ordered a cute, "Bella Yellow" sparkle skirt. I will be wearing it over my black running capris (I know it kinda diminishes the "Belle", but you have to prevent chub-rub when you are a bigger girl). I borrowed a yellow running tank from my running buddy, Mary, that is a near perfect match with the skirt. This afternoon, my mother-in-law and I will be finishing the tulle accents to put on the skirt and the running tank. To top it off, the hubs bought me a Belle tiara. I can't wait to see the entire costume put together! YAY!

Jason and I will be traveling to Florida on Friday morning. We normally stay at the Polynesian Resort, but we are trying Port Orleans - French Quarter this time. Since this trip is shorter, we thought it would be the perfect time to try something new. When we arrive on Friday morning, we'll probably head right to Epcot for the day. On Saturday, we need to go to the Expo to pick up packets and do a little shoppin', then we'll probably spend the remainder of the day at the Magic Kingdom. That evening we'll be heading to bed very early! From everything I have heard, Disney is pretty strict about their arrival times for getting into corrals, etc. Looks like the hubs and I will be leaving our hotel by 4:30 a.m. to get to Epcot in time for me to get in my corral. After I start the race, J will be able to go into a nice tent for the race because we bought him the platinum ChEAR Squad package. Yes, it is a little cheezy, but provides him a comfy place to wait 2 1/2 to 3 hours or so. After the race, the plan is to head back to our room to get put together for a day of relaxin', visiting with Margaret, and soaking in the joy of completing the Disney Princess Half!

I cannot believe that the race that got me started running in July 2010 is finally here! This is going to be so amazingly awesome, exciting, and something I can't wait to experience!

My new office

2012-02-11T10:31:00.001-05:00

I work for a membership organization. To explain in the most simple terms - “We are a membership association of more than 540 greathometowns. For more than 100 years, we have promoted—and continue to promote –good government by offering non-partisan advocacy, insurance and otherservices, as directed by our membership."

In December 2010, we moved out of our late-1970s building and into another building, in preparation for renovations. The building was awesome when it was built in the 70s, but it hadn't had any type of real overhaul since then - and you could tell! The walls were this weird burlap stuff, the HVAC system sucked, and it just needed some major help!

The past 14 months have been very interesting, to say the least. Some coworkers have been double-bunking, some have been working from home, and some have been living out of boxes.

But, the time has come to move back into our new building! I am so very excited! Several weeks ago, I took some pictures of my new office before it was finished. Unfortunately, I took them with my phone and can't figure out how to get the pictures turned "right side up".

This week, I spent my entire week boxing up my temporary office, my bosses' office, and a storage area that we had been using for the last year. Here's the result... This is basically box hell. The sad thing is that this isn't even 1/3 of the stuff that I have to figure out how to store in our renovated building!

On Monday, we'll be moving... I am hoping to get to work a little early and move some of my personal items. I am definitely going to leave the heavy lifting of all the files to the movers. The rest of the week will be spent unpacking. While I have hated the process of packing my old office, moving into a temporary space, packing up the temporary space, and moving back into the old but new space, I am very excited! Look for more pictures next week!

Friend Makin' Monday - Habits

2012-02-06T10:49:00.000-05:00

FMM: Habits

Are you proactive, or do you procrastinate? I am proactive 95% of the time. If I really don't want to do something, I tend to procrastinate for a little bit.
Do you eat breakfast everyday? If so, what’s a typical meal like? Yep! Right now, I make little muffin frittatas on Sunday to have ready for the week. I usually add some turkey sausage or deli meat to my breakfast mix for a little extra protein.
How much time do you spend watching TV on an average day? The TV always seems to be on in our house, but is more noise than anything else. If I actually sit down to watch a show, I quickly fall asleep.
Do you talk on the phone, or do you prefer e-mail and/or text messages? It really all depends. I am on the phone a lot for work, so I don't love talking on the phone to most people. I tend to do a lot of emailing because I like to be able to go back and re-read messages, etc.
Do you exercise in the morning, afternoon or evening? A little of all, depending on the season. In the summer, I try to get in a morning run several days a week. In the winter, I run at lunch and tend to go to the gym or yoga at night.
Do you take time for yourself regularly? If so, how do you spend that time? I would say that I do ok with "me time". Sometimes, I think me time can be exercising and sometimes I enjoy going to get a pedicure, or window shopping, etc.
How often do you make your bed? Everyday
Do you plan meals? If so, how far in advance? I plan our evening meals for the week on the Thursday/Friday before. I also have a general idea of what I am going to take for lunch most days before grocery shopping for the week. I plan my meals for work days during my lunch on the preceding day - makes packing a lot easier!
Do you wake up at the same time everyday? I wake up at 5:40 a.m. on weekdays. On the weekend, I set the clock if I have a run, but normally don't sleep much past 7 a.m.
How often do you brush your teeth? As soon as I wake up in the morning and before bed. If I get a funky taste in my mouth during the day, I have an extra toothbrush in my desk.

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions! Don’t forget to link up in the comments! Happy Monday!

First week of GOTR!

2012-02-05T07:30:00.000-05:00

First things first, my co-coaches and I have our work cut out for us! Our 15 girls are very spunky and excited to say the very least. It is awesome to see them go about life with such spunk, but sometimes it makes it hard to talk to them.

Tuesday afternoon was the start of the spring season of Girls on the Run (GOTR)! The second session was on Thursday. Each session begins with a "Getting on Board" and warm up. This part allows us to get the girls ready for the day. The workouts are great. They are activities that cause the girls to move, but they don't even realize they are working out/running. After the workout, we do a nice cool down and discuss our final thoughts on the day's activities.

The first two sessions were awesome! The girls have done well with participating in the talking-type activities. I love that the Girls on the Run curriculum is designed so that the girls don't really even know they are working out/running! It seems to make it a lot easier.

Several of our girls have done GOTR before. They were very excited to teach us a closing cheer that they learned from a previous coach. (What is it with girls and cheers? Love it!) Here's my sad attempt at remembering it:

Girls on the Run is so much fun
Girls on the Run is tight like a bun
Word
The rain is drizzilin', our feet our sizzilin'
But we aren't fizzilin'
So, peace out
(That's all I can remember. I may have gotten something wrong though, but that's the jist of it. So cute!)

If you have volunteered with GOTR, what were some of your cheers, etc.?

New Recipes 10 and 11 - Dijon Pork Cutlets and Quinoa with Spinach

2012-02-04T12:12:00.002-05:00

On Thursday evening, the hubs and I had the opportunity to try two new recipes. We had Dijon Pork Cutlets and Quinoa with Spinach. Both recipes are from Weight Watchers, so I can't put links in. I am sure you could find something similar with the ingredients that I used and will list below.

The Dijon Pork Cutlets were really simple. There were only 6 ingredients - pork cutlets, dijon mustard, sugar (I used Splenda), apple cider vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, and water.

The Quinoa with Spinach was also simple. This recipe contained - a little oil, onion, garlic, quinoa, chicken broth, pepper, crushed red pepper, salt, and spinach.

There isn't too much to tell about either recipe. They were both very easy to prepare, but tasted like a million bucks! The hubs especially enjoyed the Quinoa with Spinach - that boy could eat spinach every meal and be as happy as a lark!

The hubs review - "It was a very flavorful meal. Both items were delicious and could be served to guests." I love how I ask him to tell me after the fact what he thinks. This is what I get. I should start recording his initial assessments when we eat. His descriptions of foods are so graphic and detailed. Oh well...

Sweaty workout

2012-02-02T21:35:00.000-05:00

When I work out, I sweat. No matter what I do, or how cold it is – whether it’s running, walking, or even thinking about working out. The odd thing is that even though I am able to sweat at the drop of a hat, I am always cold. Anyway, I digress.

A few weeks ago, a running buddy mentioned wanting to find a good yoga studio. I have seen Facebook posts and tweets about Arrichion, off Glenwood Avenue. When I saw they were running a $20 for 20 consecutive days of yoga, I couldn't pass up the deal! Even better... If you purchase online, you get it for $18. I was sold.

I was ~~scared as hell~~ ridiculously nervous about trying something new. I have taken yoga before, but it was Gentle Yoga at the Y. Hot yoga is a totally different animal.

Last Wednesday, I went for the first time. I have since been to two other classes and I am quickly falling in love with hot yoga. But, just to add a little fun to this, my initial thoughts were:

I look at the door to enter the yoga room and I start to sweat. Totally nervous for no reason.

I walk into the dark room and see my buddy in shavasana. Immediately feel some relief and get settled beside her.

Uh... I knew it was hot, but this is really hot.

OMG... Downward dog, chair...

Holy crap, it’s hot.

I am glad they suggested bringing a towel to cover the mat, but they neglected to say that it should cover the entire mat. Nothing like slipping on a wet yoga mat.

Sweat.In.My.Eyeball. This crap burns! What the heck!?

I think I am going to pass out... child pose. No, I am not going to pass out, I am just a big baby.

I don't think I have ever sweat so much in my life.

Yoga teacher turns off the heat and opens the door - immediate relief. I could kiss her face.

Ok... Time to get my bearings and get off the floor without slipping.

Yes! Feels so good! Get me a gallon of water please.

Needless to say, I thought I was going to die during practice, but I loved it. I feel so great when I am done, especially after I drink a ton of water. I am really hoping that it is going to help with my running and flexibility. Even if it doesn't, it is an enjoyable workout that I will continue well into the future.

New Recipe 9 - Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

2012-01-30T12:43:00.001-05:00

Last night was another new recipe... Well on the way to making 52+ new recipes this year! Unfortunately, there's no picture.

The hubs and I had plans for his parents to come over to set-up our new headboard. Keeping that in mind, we knew that something in the crock pot would be best. So, off to SkinnyTaste I went, in hopes of finding a yummy crock pot recipe.

Well, pretty quickly, I found this beauty - Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup. The hubs and I are both suckers for anything remotely close to Mexican. I took a look at the ingredients and it didn't look complicated at all.

The only thing I didn't know much about was the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I am not one to use any pepper much more exciting than diced green chiles. I thought that we could just give it a whirl... Needless to say, I should have done a tiny bit more research before using these peppers... After trying to figure out why the soup was so great for clearing out stuffed nasal passages (i.e., a little too spicy for my liking), I figured it out. A chipotle pepper is another name for smoke-dried jalapeno. I have never in my life used a jalapeno for any recipe, until last night. The soup turned out excellent, and we received the added benefit of clearer noses after eating!

This is definitely in the collection of make again recipes, but I would make a few changes:

Actually read some reviews from others that have made it beforehand and consider their experiences with the spice level
Use only one chipotle pepper versus the three I used last night because I didn't read the recipe close enough
Add some chopped veggies and brown rice for more umph

Friend Makin' Monday - Makeup Favorites

2012-01-30T11:05:00.000-05:00

Friend Makin’ Mondays: Makeup Favorites

1. Do you wear makeup everyday? I wear makeup on all weekdays, simply because I don't want to give my coworkers heart attacks. The weekends tend to be more low-key, with less makeup.

2. Does your routine change if you’re going out with friends/on a date/to a party? If the hubs and I are going on a special date night or I am going to see folks I haven't seen in a while, I tend to try to make things a little more interesting. Sometimes that just means a different color combo or actually putting on eyeliner and mascara.

3. Are you loyal to one brand, or do you use different brands for different things? I am Bare Escentuals girl!

4. Do you wear primer/concealer? If so, what’s your favorite kind? PrimeTime primer and Bare Minerals SPF 20 concealer

5. What’s your favorite brand of foundation? Bare Minerals Matte

6. Do you use blush and/or bronzer? Again...Bare Minerals... My favorite colors are "Joyous Jennifer" and "Giddy Pink" right now. If I am not in the mood to do a lot, I use their "Warmth" product

7. Do you wear eye shadow/eye liner? I have several favorite Bare Minerals shades that I like to mix and match. They tend to be in more neutral shades with a little spunk - Queen Phyllis, Celestine, and Dove with Hope, Passion, Imagination, or others in the crease of my eyelid.

8. What’s your favorite kind of mascara? I don't use mascara... Putting it on freaks me out.

10. Lipstick? Lip gloss? Both? Favorite? I don't tend to wear it often, even though the hubs begs me. I love the Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips collection.

11. Do you wear nail polish regularly? If so, share a few of your favorite brands/colors. Yes! I go to a salon every few weeks to get a new color of OPI Axxium. My current favorites are: Russian Navy, OPI Red, and Purple with a Purpose.

12. How do you remove your makeup at the end of the day? Well, if there is any left after my run or workout, I use Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Acne Wash or AquaGlycolic face cleanser.

13. Do you feel prettier when you’re wearing makeup? No, not really... I do feel a little more comfy in my own skin though.

14. Do you have any beauty tips that you could pass along? Not really... I should probably read everyone else's advice and take it to heart! If I don't start taking better care of my skin, I am gonna be one wrinkly old woman!

Now it’s your turn to answer the questions! And also be sure to come back and leave a link to your FMM post in the comments! Happy Monday friends!

The "Girl Box"

2012-01-25T09:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, during my Girls on the Run orientation meeting, a video excerpt of Molly Barker (founder of GOTR) providing the "herstory" of GOTR was shown. I found myself getting caught up in memories and becoming a little emotional during the video. That video showed me even more that I was where I needed to be... Molly talked in the video about the girl box.

What is the girl box? "...The girl box is the place where many girls go around middle school when they begin to morph into what they think they should be instead of being who they really are. The messages of the girl box vary but the overarching theme comes from a culture rooted in the belief that girls and women must conform to a set of standards that are often unattainable and dangerous to our health and well-being..."
(from http://www.girlsontherun.org/ourfounder.html)

When I heard Molly describe the girl box, my heart and mind were flooded with memories, both good and bad. I don't remember the exact moment that the girl box became an issue for me. I know that I had a difficult summer between 5th and 6th grade. I was dealing with some health issues, my PawPaw Pilcher passed away, I was moving up from the comforts of Beaufort Elementary to the unknowns of Beaufort Middle, I gained a bunch of weight, etc. I was hearing lots of "noise" and mixed messages all around me. I was starting to get stuck in the girl box...

Those thoughts of the girl box were not completely obvious. In fact, I would say they weren't obvious at all, at least to me. I was the average girl that was friends with everyone. I didn't have a place in the various cliques, but I was friends with them all. I didn't fit the mold of the cheerleaders, the athletes, or the band geeks. However, I did whatever I could do to fit in with those groups. I played this role very well for a very long time.

In my desire to conform with the standards, I ended up causing myself more pain and harm. I gained weight, I went from an average-sized kid to the fat kid, I was ridiculed at school for my clothing, I hid food under my bed and denied it when asked, I sassed my parents, I had very few really meaningful friendships, etc. Was this productive? Was this healthy? No. Not at all.

When I moved away from my small hometown in 1998, I was determined to come into my own. I did my best to remove myself from the girl box. I decided that I was going to "look out for #1" - me. I worked hard to maintain the one really meaningful childhood friendship I had - my friendship with Margaret. She was the one constant from diapers through high school, and never seemed to care that I didn't fit the mold that society pushed on girls. I worked to get involved at Meredith College, became a youth counselor at the Y, and started participating in a local church. These things helped me begin to get out of the girl box, but it was a long journey...

That was all back in the late 90s... As time passed, I continued to let myself go in and out of the girl box. I remember destructive behaviors and actions from the later years of college. I remember the awesome feeling I had when I got my first full-time job and bought my first car. I remember being hurt by friends that I thought would always be in my life because I wasn't quite what they thought I should be. I remember deciding that I was better than that...

I remember meeting my awesome husband. I remember Margaret encouraging me to take care of me and go with my heart. I remember the night that Jason proposed. I remember the joyous calls made that evening and the next few days. I look back with a full heart on the happiest day of my life and the celebration with family and friends... Those moments, good and bad, all led me to the ultimate, freeing moment...

I remember the day that I decided I was going to step out of the girl box for the very last time. First, I joined a new gym and got a personal trainer. I decided to start watching what I eat. Then, I started to run. That was it - the moment. I started running and it felt awesome. I can recall those terribly hot days during the summer of 2010 and how my coworkers would tell me I was crazy for going to my running program. I kept telling them that I had to go - it made me feel good. Running made me free. I was finally free of the girl box, some 18 years after it first came to me.

It is amazing what a bit of self-reflection will do for you... With the help of my husband, a couple of really awesome friends and my family, I can now say that I am out of the girl box. I am just doing my thing, conforming to no other person's expectation of how I should be.

That's why I am coaching girls on the run... I am grateful every day for the childhood I had, but I am so glad that this program is here for these girls because I could have used it when I was their age. I could have used the encouragement. I could have used the messages that Girls on the Run teaches.

The Core Values of GOTR are:

Recognize our power and responsibility to be intentional in our decision making
Embrace our differences and find strength in our connectedness
Express joy, optimism and gratitude through our words, thoughts and actions
Nurture our physical, emotional and spiritual health
Lead with an open heart and assume positive intent
Stand up for ourselves and others

Imagine how awesome life would be if we all taught and lived by these core values! I am going to do my best to help these girls understand and embrace these core values, so that they can stay away from the noise and hurt of the girl box.

So ecstatic - Girls on the Run!

2012-01-24T20:55:00.002-05:00

Please allow me to apologize now... This post will be all over the place I am sure, but it is simply because I am so very excited!

Let's start with the back story... Most of y'all know that I started running in 2010. This started with the dream of running a Disney race, specifically the Disney Princess Half Marathon, as part of an overall transformation of myself. As I look back on my goal to transform myself, I have continued to look for opportunities to build up myself while also building up others. I think that I have finally found the ticket! Girls on the Run!

I first heard about Girls on the Run in December 2010. Sarah and I participated in the Reindeer Romp in Cary. Little did we know, but this was the season culmination race for the fall GOTR program. During the 5K, it was so awesome to see these young girls running with their buddies. There had to be thousands of young girls out there... Well, maybe not thousands, but there were several hundred. They were all so excited. They were happy and smiling. Some didn't have fun the entire run, but they all worked to encourage one another. So awesome! After the Reindeer Romp, I hemmed and hawed about whether or not I wanted to volunteer. I kept thinking that I wasn't the right volunteer - not healthy enough, not "cool enough", not a good enough runner, enough of this, enough of that... Needless to say, I let my feelings of self-doubt keep me from volunteering.

This summer I volunteered for the NCRC Beginner Women's Running Program. This program was the program that got me started with running. This program is where I met so many awesome friends. I knew that I wanted to give back to the group. As we began our runs, I settled in on my role as an encourager. I am not into being a front of the pack pacer/leader. I wanted to be able to be there for someone that needed the little extra push. That's just what I did. Every run usually ended with me telling some of the ladies "...Just a little further...Push on through... Y'all are so awesome... Think about how far you have come..." It was such a wonderful feeling to pass along the same encouraging messages that others have provided to me. Through this, I realized that I wanted to do more...

So, yet again, I let my feelings of not being good enough, etc. keep me from volunteering for the fall season. I continued to hem and haw until yesterday. Jenelle posted a message on Facebook about there being a big need for volunteers at one of the sites for the spring season. When I read her message, I realized that it was time for me to sh*t or get of the pot. Period. There was no better time than the present. GOTR had a need, I had a desire to help. What else could you ask for?

The past 36 hours have been a GOTR whirlwind... I have applied to be a volunteer, talked to the Program Manager, attended orientation and picked up my program manual, and started prepping for next Tuesday's first session (eek!!). I realized even more during the orientation meeting that this is where I need to be right now. It is the right time and the right thing for me - and I hope it will be the same for these girls.

So, this post is getting long.... I am going to write about my thoughts on Molly Barker's GOTR "herstory" tomorrow...

(Video about GOTR Triangle)

Awesome weekend and New Recipe 8 - Sweet and Russet Mashed Potatoes

2012-01-23T10:24:00.000-05:00

The hubs and I had an awesome weekend! We got to catch up with family and friends, have some yummy meals, and enjoy being tourists in our own town.

The only negative of the weekend is the cold that I have... It was a little annoying at the end of last week, but today is has me on quarantine in our living room, snuggled under a blanket along with a cup of coffee.

Friday:

On Friday afternoon, my cousin and her hubs came into town. They were planning to go to the Carolina Hurricanes vs. Washington Capitals hockey game that evening. J and I were planning to go to the game too, but unfortunately, we had difficulty getting accessible tickets that didn't cost an arm and a leg. Luckily, it worked out perfectly that they were heading to the CharGrill near my office to meet our uncle and aunt for lunch. So, I took a nice little lunchtime stroll and joined them for lunch. I haven't seen Natalie and Chris since April, when they were in town for our Granny's birthday. It was great to catch up with them! Don't they look so happy! They just got married in October and are definitely perfect for one another!

After a long workday, the hubs and I headed to our normal Friday evening spot. A World of Beer opened about a 1/2 mile from our house in December. I affectionately call World of Beer "Cheers on Steroids". We tend to go most Friday evenings for a couple of hours. We enjoy talking to the staff and other folks that are there. World of Beer has a very cool Loyalty Card program. Since the hubs and I like different types of beer, we share a loyalty card. I tried a new beer on Friday night that was so good. It is by Southern Tier Brewing and is called Mokah. I loved reading the description on their website:
"... A stout brewed with chocolate and coffee...When empirical and creative impulses collide, the result is often timeless. The classic utility-art aesthetic of the coffee maker is an example of design and engineering working in concert.

It is through similar cooperation that the simple bitter cocoa bean is transformed into a sweet treat. As scientists, our brewers utilize their materials to exacting standards. As artists, they couldn’t resist the temptation to combine two of our highly acclaimed Blackwater Series Imperial Stouts: Jahva and Choklat. Alone each is perfect, but together as Mokah they are an inimitable expression of two of the world’s most sought after flavors. Enjoy Mokah stout with – or as – your favorite dessert!..."

Saturday:

I woke up feeling terrible! My throat hurt, I couldn't swallow, and I could barely breathe through my nose. Lovely way to start the day... I had planned to join some buddies for an 8-miler, but the rain and the way I felt changed that. I ended up just piddling around the house most of the morning.

The hubs and I met Debbie and her daughter for lunch at Cinelli's. J and I love Cinelli's and we were excited that Debbie's daughter had a birthday party at North Hills - perfect time to meet them for a yummy lunch. Debbie and I ordered a small Tuscan Pizza to share and house salads. The hubs got his new favorite from their restaurant - Chicken Marsala with Angel Hair. After our delicious lunch, we headed to the Starbucks to finish lunch off with a coffee and a little sweet treat.

We spent the rest of the afternoon running a few errands, before heading off to the in-laws for dinner. My mother-in-law will tell you that she isn't a good cook, but I have to beg to differ. When we arrived, we were greeted with cocktails and some small appetizers. For dinner, my mother-in-law prepared yummy beef ribs, greek-style green beans, and some wild rice. So yummy!

After dinner, we enjoyed some cake from Whole Foods and began to discuss my outfit for the upcoming Disney Princess Half Marathon (well, the boys watched election coverage while we talked about my costume.) I am going to dress as Belle for the half, since Belle is my absolute favorite Disney Princess. I am planning to purchase a Sparkle Skirt as the base. I have a yellow running tank that I am hoping will match. We're going to add some tulle to the top and/or skirt to give it a little more fluff. I have a Belle tiara that I got at Target. With this, the Belle costume is coming together nicely!

Sunday:

Yesterday we had the opportunity to be tourists in our own area. As I mentioned earlier, Natalie and Chris were here for the weekend... One of the things they wanted to do was visit the campus of the University of North Carolina. Since the hubs is an alum and loves campus, we couldn't pass up a visit. We met up at our house and loaded up to head to Chapel Hill. The first stop when we got to campus was Boshamer Stadium, home of Carolina baseball. I am ashamed to say that we haven't been to a game at the new Bosh since contributing to the capital campaign and renovations. Now that I have seen the "new" stadium, we're definitely going to be heading to some games this spring. Then we headed to the Dean Smith Center/Dean Dome. Unfortunately, it is only open for the public to wander around during regular work hours. While on campus, we also visited the Natatourium beside the Smith Center. On our way to Franklin Street, we passed by Kenan Stadium. By this point, I was frozen, so I stayed in the car with J. Natalie and Chris went into Kenan and Natalie even ran on the field. Looking forward to getting back into Kenan Stadium for some Carolina Football this fall!

The first order of business once we arrived on Franklin Street was to go to Chapel Hill Sportswear. They recently moved locations and their new location was huge, but I miss the character of their old location. After the boys procured their purchases, we headed to Time-Out for Chris to try the Chicken Cheddar Biscuit. I have never eaten at Time-Out (and I wasn't going to start yesterday), but it is a popular spot for Carolina students, especially after an evening of drinking. Chris had seen Time-Out on Man vs. Food and had to try it. As far as we could tell, the Chicken Cheddar Biscuit met his expectations - I am glad he was pleased! After Time-Out, we headed to Top of the Hill for lunch. Top of the Hill is another Chapel Hill favorite. We had a nice lunch, but then realized it was time to head out for Chris and Natalie to get on the road back to DC. It was a great day and I thoroughly enjoyed being a tourist in my own town!

Last night, we tried a new recipe to go with our dinner. We had planned to have a pre-marinated Pork Sirloin, roasted russet/sweet potatoes, and steamed broccoli. Before I headed to the grocery store, we both decided we wanted a little more of a comfort food feel. So, we changed things up a bit... We ended up having pork sirloin, sweet/russet mashed potatoes, and collards. The mashed potatoes were awesome! The sweet potatoes added a little something to boring old mashed potatoes. I think we'll be having these again very soon!

Friend Makin' Monday - Short Answers

2012-01-23T08:13:00.004-05:00

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers.

FMM: Short Answers

Mac or PC? Prefer Mac, but have used both
Do you paint your own nails? Heck no! They'd look terrible.
Beach or mountains? Beach!
What’s the title of the book you’re currently reading? Thin for Life
Do you dance? No, two left feet here
CNN or Fox News? Anything but Fox News!
Do you ride a bicycle? Yep. Nice and relaxing!
Do you get a yearly flu shot? Yes, but only because they come to my office and give them for free.
Best movie you’ve seen in 2012? Saw Beauty and the Beast in 3D last weekend - LOVE!
Do you prefer to workout at home or at the gym? Gym
Last airport you were in? Raleigh-Durham International returning from our Disney vacation
Married or single? Married :-)
iPhone or Android? iPhone
Do you prefer to be in pictures or taking pictures? I tend to take more pics
Favorite brand of sneakers? My Mizuno Wave Inspires are a current fav
Do you like snow? NO! Not at all!!
Do you have/want to have kids? Nope
Summer or Winter? Summer!
Do you know how to swim? Yep. Wouldn't mind going for a swim at Cape Lookout right now!
Do you prefer to shop in store or online? Depends on my mood.

Good question from Friend Makin' Monday

2012-01-17T13:31:00.000-05:00

My cousin left a comment on my Friend Makin' Monday post from yesterday that I thought I would answer for every one's benefit, since she isn't the first person to ask...

How do you handle the mess of getting sweaty at work and getting back into your day? Since I eat lunch at my desk, I technically have an hour to kill, but am nervous to workout and go back to my desk a literal, hot mess.

Well, there are a few different scenarios:

Scenario 1 = no meetings or after work activities to worry about: On these types of days, I tend to go run around 11:45 a.m. with a coworker or by myself if she isn't able to go. I tend to run longer/harder on these days because I am not really concerned about getting my "stank" on...When I get back to the office, I heat up my lunch and use the remainder of my lunch hour to cool off and eat. After eating, I go to our bathroom and get put back together. I generally just quickly dry off any sweat that may still be left, use some deodorant and some body spray of some form. Sometimes, I just deal with being a little "icky" the rest of the day and stay in my running clothes. Thank goodness my boss understands!
Scenario 2 = quick meeting or two with coworkers that know I workout often during lunch and/or obligations after work: On these types of days, I tend to go a little easier on my run. I don't go crazy and make myself work up a big 'ole sweat. When I get back to the office, I fix lunch and cool off. After eating, I go in our bathroom and (again) get myself put back together. This involves going into the handicap stall and pretty much taking a ~~whore~~ bird bath (Thank my Granny B. for that term!). I use a no rinse bathing wipe to get all the "ick" off. After I feel clean enough to make it through the rest of the day, I get dressed, reapply some make-up, etc.
Scenario 3 = meetings during the workday and/or obligations after work: These days are not fun. I generally just move my run to after work or switch the days of the week up. I guess these would be the days where I feel like work gets in the way.

Do you work out in the middle of the work day? How do you handle being a "hot mess"?

Friend Makin' Monday - Weight Loss Tips

2012-01-16T21:02:00.003-05:00

FMM: Weight-Loss Tips

Drink water, water, water. I have noticed a big difference in how I feel since giving up soft drinks. I, honestly, get a little tired of water sometimes though - that's when the little Crystal Light packets save me!
Track/log what you eat. This is huge for me. I don't think it matters what method you use to track/log your food, but do it. It is interesting to see what different foods do to your mood, energy level, weight loss, etc.
Make exercise an appointment on your calendar. All of my fitness activities and exercise are on my calendar on my computer at work and this syncs to my iPhone. The appointments are marked as private so that others at work that have access to see my calendar can't really see what I am doing, but they know not to try to schedule during those times (i.e., lunch hour 3 days a week for short runs, after 4:30-ish all other days of the week, etc.)
Pack food to take to work. I pack my breakfast, lunch, and two snacks for nearly every single workday. I also set a little "rule" for myself - If I didn't pack it, I don't eat it. This is especially helpful during the holiday cookies, lunches, etc.

I am always looking for tips and tricks to help me. I appreciate all the advice that I have gotten from others in the past and know that it has really been a huge benefit.

New Recipe 7 - Cajun Chicken Linguine Alfredo

2012-01-16T20:49:00.001-05:00

Last week, my cousin Natalie shared her weekly menu plan with me. One of the recipes caught my eye immediately - Cajun Chicken Linguine Alfredo. Normally, I am not one to go for any recipe that mentions Alfredo - I am not a fan. I decided to read the list of ingredients to the hubs, without mentioning the name of the recipe, and he said to add it to the menu.

So, tonight, this is what we had... A nice big serving of Cajun Chicken ~~Linguine~~ Angel Hair Alfredo and some roasted broccoli. I have to say that I was very surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. I am not a fan of heavy milk-based sauces. They just don't sit well on my tummy. This was so delish though!

Here's the hubs take on dinner tonight - "... I liked that the dish had some kick to it. When we make this again, I would probably use a different pasta and make it have a little more sauce. You may even be able to add some other vegetables or change the chicken to shrimp..." His assessments were pretty right-on with mine. Can't wait to doctor this one up again in the near future!

New Recipe 6 - Italian Pepper and Egg Sandwiches

2012-01-16T07:50:00.000-05:00

Sunday mornings are usually reserved for long runs. After I get back from my run and after the hubs is done working out, we take our time getting showered, etc. and tend to be fairly lazy for the remainder of the day.

When planning our menu for the week, Sunday is a brunch day. I love brunch - I love mimosas, waffles and syrup, eggs, and everything else that comes with brunch. However, we try to keep our brunches as healthy as possible and save the indulgent brunches for a nice restaurant brunch. (Oh, how I miss the Sunday brunch buffet and Bogart's!)

Anyway, our brunch yesterday was a new recipe. I found the recipe on Weight Watchers. These Italian Pepper and Egg Sandwiches were the recipe of the day earlier this week. When I saw them, I knew that the hubs would love them. He is a sucker for anything with a sauteed onion or pepper!

When I started prepping for brunch, I kept thinking "...What in the world makes these "Italian"?..." I sliced my bell peppers and onions and still kept thinking the same thought over and over. Well, to the right - you can see the picture from Weight Watchers. You also can see that those little peppers on their sandwich are not bell peppers! They are cubanelle peppers, also known as banana peppers... So, after looking at their picture, I felt sure that our version was destined to be a flop.

The sandwiches were very easy to prepare and brunch was on the table in no time, complete with hash browns! As you can see, my sandwich didn't look nearly as pretty as the Weight Watchers version. Despite my mess up with the peppers, I have to say that they were pretty dang delicious! The combination of the egg, onion, and bell peppers was great - like a western omelet on bread. The hubs seemed to enjoy his too. I think they will be back in the rotation, but with banana peppers next time!

Long run and heel pain

2012-01-15T16:00:00.001-05:00

Today's scheduled training run was a 10-miler with Mary. We were joined by several others from NCRC BWG for miles 1 through 8. While I don't mind running alone, running with someone is so much more fun! It is nice to be able to talk to others, hear various drama of family dynamics, etc.

I set my alarm for 6:30 a.m. to be ready for our 8 a.m. run. When the alarm went off I stayed in bed and stretched my left foot a little. Lately, I have been bothered slightly by some pain in my left heel. I have a feeling that it is plantar fasciitis. The slight nagging little pain started just before the OBX Half Marathon. After lots of stretching, icing, and rolling the bottom of my foot, the pain was pretty much gone.

Then, of course, life got in the way... After the half, I ran Thanksgiving Day, then only ran 3 or 4 times in December with the longest run being 7 miles on December 17. I didn't run again until January 8 and started off by bangin' out a little over 8 miles. So...obviously, my left foot is a little annoyed with me because I was an idiot.

The 10-miler today wasn't terrible, but the nagging pain in my heel didn't really make it enjoyable. I wasn't in pain, but I was a little uncomfortable. After our run, I stopped at Starbucks just south of the trail. The person in line in front of me happened to be a physical therapist. I guess it was obvious that my foot was hurting a bit and she gave me some ideas for stretches, etc. I have seen all the stretches she mentioned, but I tend to be a little lax with follow-through.

Lovely! I look like a hot mess! But, at least
it is helping my foot.

When I got home, I popped in the shower and got prepared to be nice to my foot for a while. Complete with my blue-white polka dot bathrobe and lime green CEP socks, I settled in a chair with an ice pack and my i-need foot massager. See that cute little striped sock? It is holding my ice pack. After 20 minutes of icing, I used the hardest shiatsu setting on my massager for 20 minutes. After the massager was done, I repeated this pattern two more times. After the last cycle, I am beginning to feel like I am on the mend. I am going to take it easy the rest of the day, and probably repeat my icing/massage pattern a couple more times.

Also, I have an appointment scheduled with Dr. Molly at Active Chiropractic on Wednesday. I am sure that she will tell me that my hips are terribly misaligned again and she will probably kill my foot with ART massage.

Oh well, I gotta get this stuff worked out. The Disney Princess Half Marathon is in 42 days and I am not gonna do anything to risk not being able to run that race!

New Recipe 5 - Spiced Shrimp Quinoa

2012-01-13T08:49:00.001-05:00

The goal of having at least one new meal per week this year is working out well. So far, we have had 5 new recipes in the first two weeks of the new year. At first, I was concerned that this goal was a little too much, but I have been able to discover even more food blogs. Blogs written by others on a journey to a healthier lifestyle make it a lot easier. Of course, that isn't to say that toward the end of the year it won't get hard...But for now we are enjoying it!

Last night, we had Spiced Shrimp Quinoa from TheChicLife. I love reading Diana's blog. I am motivated by her recipes, fitness ideas, and her awesome sense of fashion.

Anyway, back to the recipe... I was skimming Diana's blog one day and decided to look for something with quinoa. She has a section marked for entrees with grains and this little beauty was there. I read through the ingredients and was convinced it was on the menu when I saw shrimp and quinoa - two of my favorites!

The recipe is very simple and the "hardest" part is taking the 20 minutes or so to cook the quinoa before adding everything else. I love to fix recipes that allow me to take care of other things around the house while one part is being cooked, etc. Since I had just gotten home from work and a run, this was the perfect recipe for multi-tasking. I put the quinoa on the stove and while it was cooking, I was able to shower, fold and put away a load of clothes, and prepare lunches for today. Perfect in my mind...

As far as the flavors go, I messed up a little. I didn't have an onion or turmeric as the recipe called for. I also didn't have pine nuts. The hubs doesn't love nuts or anything that resembles a nut, so I knew they wouldn't be needed in our version. I am sure that the missing ingredients wouldn't have changed the flavor drastically, but I can't wait to make this again with all the pieces!

Try it!

New Recipe 4 - Chicken Pot Pie Soup

2012-01-09T20:08:00.002-05:00

Tonight's dinner was the ultimate comfort food - Chicken Pot Pie - in the form of soup!

I love, love, love good 'ole Chicken Pot Pie. You know the one I am talking about - a PetRitz pie crust filled with diced chicken, cream of potato soup, and a couple cans of VegAll. Unfortunately, that combination just isn't the best and most healthy option.

As usual, SkinnyTaste did not disappoint. When I was searching for new recipes to try this week, I knew that I wanted a soup of some form. We haven't had really good, hearty soup in a while. This seemed to fit that bill perfectly.

Assessment the hubs - "The soup was incredible, with a slight delectable sweetness". (Can you tell he is embellishing for my sake?). He did suggest that next time I baked a small pie crust and crumble the pieces on top. Sounds like a decent idea...

I definitely think this will stay in the "make again" rotation, with a few minor tweaks. Next time, I will try to use just a tiny bit less liquid. I would prefer that it be more thick, rather than "soupier". I also will be better about actually measuring the salt and pepper during preparation. I had to add some once I served the soup because it just seemed to be missing some flavor.

Can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow and again for dinner on Wednesday!

New Recipe 3 - Pork Chops Marsala

2012-01-09T11:08:00.001-05:00

Last night, we had another new recipe! I am on a roll with the new recipes. I want to make sure that I keep up with doing at least one new recipe per week for the year.

My in-laws came over last evening to help me get the Christmas tree down to our storage room. We also took time to talk about the best Christmas gift from my mother-in-law -- a bedroom makeover! After hanging out for a while, we decided it was about time to fix dinner. When we decided to invite them for dinner, I thought I would make them my guinea pigs for a new recipe.

Last night's dinner included Pork Chops Marsala, roasted red potatoes, steamed broccoli, and some Ravenswood Zinfandel. I think the recipe was a success.

My thoughts: The recipe was very flavorful. I did add a little extra salt and pepper, but that is just personal taste. If I were to make one change, I would cook the pork just a little less. I was the only one that "complained" at dinner, but I think the pork was just a little too overcooked/tough. The roasted potatoes and simple steamed broccoli were the perfect sides for an easy meal that presented very well. I look forward to having this again very soon!

Close up of my plate - (from left) pork chop with mushrooms and
Marsala sauce, steamed broccoli, and roasted red potatoes

Also... totally serious after seeing these pictures... The nice camera will be coming out for all future food pictures. The iPhone just isn't working for this...

Friend Makin' Monday - Getting to Know You

2012-01-09T08:23:00.003-05:00

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Getting To Know You

1) What is one of your favorite ways to spend a Saturday? I enjoy spending Saturday with my hubs. We usually hang around the house in the morning, then run errands, grocery shop, and end the day with a yummy dinner out.

2) List your top three favorite TV shows. This changes by the minute...Right now, I am loving 2 Broke Girls, Rules of Engagement, and The Biggest Loser.

3) Would you rather be in pictures or take them? I tend to take more pictures than appear in them. I guess that's a holdover from when I hated how I looked, etc.

4) Why do you blog? I started blogging in 2010 after my therapist encouraged me to start a diary. She felt it would allow me to get my feelings out, but also be an encouragement to others that may have similar feelings, etc.

5) Share five websites that you visit regularly…

6) If you could have lunch with one person from your Twitter list who would it be? Hmmm... Probably Kirstie Alley or Kathy Griffin. Not really sure why, but I think they would both be cool to hang out with for a little while.

7) List a few of your favorite snacks. Really??? My list is so long... Almonds, Trader Joe's Hummus and Carrots, Clementines, Cracklin' Oat Bran cereal, TJ's Valencia Peanut Butter on an Apple, Triscuit with Laughing Cow Cheese...

8 ) Do you have a pet? If so, what kind? Nope. The hubs doesn't really care for animals, so he is my pet ;-)

9) Which three material possessions would you struggle to live without? iPhone, laptop, and running shoes

10) What’s your favorite drink? I love a good Cheerwine from the fountain. However, I am resolved to no longer drink soft drinks, so water is the new fav.

11) Do you enjoy cooking? I love to cook. I love trying new recipes, tweaking them, etc.

12) Do you have children? No

13) What are your favorite hobbies? Is it sad that I don't really have a hobby? I consider running and maintaining a healthy lifestyle kind of a hobby. I love scouring the internet and reading books to learn more.

14) Would you consider yourself to be shy or outgoing? I have to admit that I am outwardly pretty outgoing, but it wears me out. So, technically, I am kinda shy. Clear as mud?

15) If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change? I would continue to work on being more healthy.

16) Who is your favorite actor/actress? I will always have a soft spot for George Clooney :-)

17) What’s the coolest thing you’ve done this week? Hmmm... No clue. Last week was pretty anti-climactic.

18) Do you live near your family or far from them? I live about 3 hours from my parents, my mom's side of the family, and part of my Dad's side of the family. I have extended family in Michigan and Washington, DC. My in-law's live in the same city, about 4 miles away.

19) List three of your talents. Organization, honesty (to a fault), and cooking/baking

20) What is your greatest attribute? I am persistent. Once I get something in my head, I make a plan and stick with it until I succeed.

Now it’s your turn to share your answers. Don’t forget to link up in the comments at www.alltheweigh.com! Happy Monday!

New Recipe 2 - Steak and Cheese Sandwiches

2012-01-08T08:12:00.000-05:00

Quick disclaimer: I must get better at taking pictures of my food! When I take the picture before we eat, things always look very appetizing. Unfortunately, this isn't the case with this one...

We tried another new recipe last night. I have to say that this was a total success! I love looking at Skinny Taste for recipes. I have never had a recipe from her site that wasn't a crowd pleaser!

Last night's recipe was Steak and Cheese Sandwiches with Onions and Mushrooms. When I saw the recipe on her personal Top 12 recipes of 2012, I knew it was one to try for us. The hubs loves sauteed onions and mushrooms and this recipe had them at the center of the meal.

We prepared the recipe as directed with only one small modification for serving. We put a little Dijon mustard on the baguette before filling with the steak mixture. So yummy! The hubs really liked this particular dinner. As you can see from the picture, it wasn't the most well-rounded meal ever, but that's what he picked - steak and cheese sandwiches; baked beans; and baked french fries.

I haven't really asked J, but I have a feeling this will be on the list of "have agains". If you are looking for something easy when having some friends over to watch football or hang out, this should definitely be considered.

Another shout-out for Keurig

2012-01-05T21:37:00.000-05:00

Well, after the great Keurig customer service experience last week, I had another great experience last night and today. After working with a corporate customer care associate last week, we got my brewer to work. Unfortunately, about 8:30 last night, the brewer crapped out again. Of course, I did everything that I could think of, including the procedures from last week. Around 8:50, I decided to take a shot and see if Keurig was still open. Just my luck, they were!

The associate with whom I spoke last night was unable to help me because of the type of brewer I own. She talked to me for a few minutes about the issues and seemed to make a lot of notes. She told me that she would note my account and forward my issue on for a return call today. Much to my surprise someone called me back! Travis, the Keurig staff member, and I discussed my previous issues and what I had done to remedy those. After talking a few minutes, Travis offered to send me a new OfficePro brewer at no cost to me. He agreed that the brewer shouldn't be having the issues and noted that it was still covered under warranty. Because I still wasn't 100% sure what I wanted to do, I asked Travis if I could call him back after talking with the hubs. He provided me with his direct extension number for me to call at my convenience.

When I called back, Travis wasn't available. I was able to talk to Mike about getting a new OfficePro. Mike and I had a good time talking through the issues with the brewer, Keurig's exceptional customer service, etc. Mike let me know that my new brewer should arrive at my home within 5-7 business days. I was beyond pleased.

LOVE my new Platinum brewer!

After my awesome calls with Keurig, I ended up actually going to buy a Keurig Platinum brewer at BedBath&Beyond (Thank heavens for those 20% off coupons!).

When the issues started with the OfficePro, the hubs and I had talked in passing about getting a new brewer. I also knew that I wanted to get a brewer for my soon-to-be-newly-renovated office. When my colleagues and I move back into the renovated office, I will be in a small semi-private suite with my boss. Since he has a kitchen, I thought that it would be nice for us to have our own coffee for meetings, etc. So, now the problem is solved! Either way, J and I were going to buy another brewer...May as well use the "free" one for the office. Win, win all around!

Water - how much is really enough?

2012-01-04T06:45:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I subscribed to follow Erin's blog. I was reading several of her previous posts and I was struck by her post about drinking water.

Her post was especially interesting for me since one of my goals for 2012 is to only drink water and black coffee on a regular basis. I have gotten caught up in diet soft drinks, flavored water mix-ins, etc. and feel like I need a little simplicity when it comes to hydration. After setting my goal, I have decided to tweak it a bit though. I will occasionally have a water mix-in (Crystal Light) or Gatorade (summer long runs, etc.), but water will be the main source of my hydration.

I also thought the formula she posted regarding water intake was interesting:
Half your weight (in ounces) + 3 cups per 30 minutes of exercise (1 cup before, 1 during, 1 after)

If I follow this rule of thought, I need to consume approximately 138 ounces of water per day.

Half my weight: 180 pounds/2 = 90 ounces
One hour of exercise: 2*(3 cups) = 2*(24 ounces) = 48 ounces
90 ounces + 48 ounces = 138 ounces!

I know for fact that I am not consuming anywhere near that amount on a daily basis. I have decided to start tracking this better. I have 2 24-ounce Tervis' at work that I will now use to drink water at work. My goal is to consume at least 4 cups each day - 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. That should put me well on the way to getting enough water each day!

Get in my belly - new salad combo

2012-01-03T12:34:00.000-05:00

I am not one to venture too far from the "normal" toppings on salads. My idea of salads have always been pretty boring - spring mix, cucumber, carrot, and light balsamic vinegar dressing. While my simple salads may taste pretty good, I burn out on them quickly.

Over the past year or so, I have started trying new things on my salads, but haven't gotten much past adding black beans and/or chicken. Goodness forbid that I actually try something new... maybe a different dressing or adding some crunch to the salad.

Well, today I tried something different... I have to admit, I was slightly concerned, but not any more! This salad was so delicious! What's in the bowl? Spring mix, cucumbers, bell peppers, red onion, carrots, sunflower seed kernels, black-eyed peas, topped with fat free Catalina. See the things in italics? Those are the new items. I've never had black-eyed peas or Catalina dressing - adding 2 new favorites to my food repertoire. Can't wait to have it again!

New Recipe 1 - Chili-Corn Taco Pie

2012-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

One of my goals for 2012 is to try at least one new recipe per week and blog about the recipe. Last night we had Chili-Corn Taco Pie from IMadeDinner.net. I find a lot of recipes on various food blogs, but this one is quickly becoming one of my favorites!

I ended up making a few modifications to the recipe, intentional and unintentional. I used regular long grain brown rice, versus instant. I cooked it earlier this afternoon while we were hanging out. I also accidentally left out the crushed red pepper. I am kinda glad that I left it out because I think it may have been a little too spicy with it.

As far as Weight Watchers goes, this recipe came in at 10 points plus values per serving. I cut four servings out of the 8"x8" pan. Next time I make this, I will use a slightly larger pan (6 servings) because the servings tonight were way too large. This also will reduce the points plus value to 7 per serving.

I think it is safe to say that we both liked this recipe. The hubs liked the corn mixed in and the "kick" from the chiles. If I were to change anything in the future, I would probably add in more diced/chopped veggies for just a little more umph. I like to sneak in extra veggies for color and texture. Just makes things more interesting.

Friend Makin' Monday - 2012 Goals

2012-01-02T19:50:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the first FMM of 2012! Because it’s a brand new year, the topic this week is goals. I have said this in the past, I am not a big fan of "resolutions", but prefer to call them goals. Every step in the right direction is better than no movement at all!

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so everyone else can see your FMM questions and answers. Please join in on the fun if you want and add your links. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM - 2012 Goals!

I have been thinking about my 2012 goals for several days, especially since I did a quick recap of my 2011 goals. I kept thinking that I didn't really have any new goals - just want to continue doing what I am doing... But, then I started really thinking and came up with a pretty good list. Here goes...

Continue to monitor my eating: I need to get back on the "straight and narrow" with watching portions, reducing sugar, eating more whole foods, etc. I want to do a better job with a modified version of intuitive eating.
No more soft drinks. I admit it, I love Diet Sunkist, Diet Mountain Dew, an occassional Coca-Cola Classic (especially if it is a fountain drink), and Cheerwine. The hubs and I decided on Friday that we were going to limit our drink choices to water and coffee (I drink it black) on a daily basis. Occasionally, we can have beer, wine, or liquor but will significantly cut back on consumption of alcohol. Beer, wine, and liquor are yummy, but hello! - empty calories!
Complete three half marathons. I am registered for the Disney Princess Half on February 26 - one down. Now I need to register for one more in the spring and one in the fall. I also hope to improve my time for the half marathon distance.
Try at least one new recipe per week and add new foods. I am usually pretty good about planning a weekly menu, but sometimes it seems to be monotonous. I am going to try at least one new recipe per week and blog about it. I also am going to try to incorporate some foods that I wouldn't normally eat.
Be a better blogger. I love to read blogs, but I rarely comment. I want to start being more active in the blogging community and support those that offer support to me.
Read more. I love to read. I have gotten out of the habit of reading both books and magazines. I want to read at least 12 books this year.
Give myself a break and BELIEVE in me. To say that I am a bit of a perfectionist and control freak would probably be classified as a major understatement. I am going to work to try to not be so hard on myself and realize that it is ok to just be relaxed about certain things.

Keurig Customer Service

2011-12-30T08:32:00.001-05:00

I am going to be totally honest here... I don't normally hand out compliments for customer service because I feel that is the person's job - to provide customer service. However, sometimes a company goes above and beyond to get a problem resolved for their customer and this was my experience on Wednesday with Keurig.

Here's the back story. In late 2009, I purchased a Keurig OfficePro B145 brewer from Capital Coffee Systems. I had been looking at brewers for a while, but was always left with the question of whether or not the water would brew the coffee hot enough (I like my coffee hot!). I mentioned this to our work coffee salesperson and he recommended the OfficePro. It is a commercial brewer, would brewer hotter and faster than a home brewer, etc. At that point, I became the proud owner of my Keurig machine!

The brewer has been an important member of our family for two years. The hubs knows that I have difficulty functioning without my morning cup (or three) of coffee. So, imagine my surprise when the brewer started "short cupping" me occasionally last week. This has happened in the past, but was easily solved by cleaning out the little "exit needle". Unfortunately, this wasn't the case this week. I think I wasted five or six K-cups trying to figure out what was going on, etc. On Wednesday morning, it finally went kaput and would not brew at all! This girl immediately called customer service (after going through all the troubleshooting) at 7 a.m., as soon as they opened. I nicely warned the customer service person that I was barely functioning without my coffee and she assured me that I wasn't the only person that has issued a similar warning. I talked to a very nice representative that morning and the department that I needed wasn't available for several more hours. She arranged for a call back later that day.

Fast forward to later in the afternoon... I decided to call Keurig back. I talked to the first representative and she did all she could to help me. Unfortunately, since I have a commercial brewer, she wasn't able to help much. She ended up transferring me to her supervisor to see if she could help me. The supervisor was in the same predicament. However, she offered to keep me on hold until she was able to reach the corporate technical care area.

After holding for about 30 minutes, I was finally connected with someone in technical care. (I know that most folks wouldn't remain on hold that long, but I was willing to hold to get my brewer working. Like I said, I need my coffee!). When my call was answered, I explained the issues I had been having off and on for several weeks. I reviewed my cleaning/descaling procedure, etc. In the end, she walked me through a very simple reset process. She also recommended that I descale the brewer more often (I had been doing it once a quarter/four times a year).

I don't know if there are proper words to describe how excited I was to see my brewer make the first cup of coffee! I was so happy that despite being on hold a while, Keurig was able to resolve my issues and make me a smiling gal again! The technical care representative even gave me an e-coupon for a free box of K-cups from their website.

So, long story short - Keurig customer service is awesome!!! They were very helpful and patient with me. I generally do not like to call customer service because I want to be able to fix things myself - without help. However, their attentiveness made the call pleasant.

Thank you Keurig!!

Review of 2011 goals

2011-12-27T08:33:00.001-05:00

As I said in January, I am not big on resolutions. I think that resolutions are played up and then they deflate by the end of the first month. Instead, I prefer to make goals for myself. Here's a review of my 2011 goals:

Move with pace, purpose, and intention every single day. I did ok with this goal. I know that I have missed many days of the year, but I did workout more than 4 days a week most weeks. This was an accomplishment for me for sure!
Run at least one race per month. I completed 11 races this year, including 2 half marathons! I would like to continue to set a goal to run at least 12 races per year.
Run a half marathon. I did TWO half marathons this year!!! I completed my very first half marathon on May 14 with Sarah, Alisha and Shruthi. The second was the OBX Half Marathon with Debbie on November 13. I am beyond proud of myself and can't wait to do another!
Continue to do well on Weight Watchers. I have done well with tracking my food via an online tool all year. Unfortunately, the weight loss hasn't come that easy. I feel good in my clothes and can wear things I couldn't wear before, but the pounds don't seem to be coming off. I will continue working hard on this goal in 2012.
Run at least 700 miles in 2011. As of Christmas Eve, I have run 712 miles this year! To be honest, I was shocked by actually accomplishing this goal. Must set a new mileage goal for 2012!
Volunteer with the NCRC Women's Beginner Running Program. Accomplished! The program started in late July and ran through late September. I had a great time and got to know some more great women. AWESOME!
Continue to work on my overall transformation. I feel like I continue to make progress, but there is always work to be done. I will continue to keep this as a goal.

All-in-all, it looks like the 2011 goals were a success! There's always going to be room for improvement, but I feel great about what I accomplished in 2011. Now it is time to start thinking of new goals for 2012.

Friend Makin' Monday - 2011 Holiday Experience

2011-12-26T08:56:00.001-05:00

FMM: Do you celebrate Christmas and/or Hanukkah? If so, tell us about your Holidays 2011 experience…Did you enjoy it? Do you wish it had been different?

The hubs and I celebrate our Christmas in Raleigh. We live in Raleigh, my in-laws live in Raleigh, and I don't really care to drive on Christmas. This is the one thing I would change about Christmas... My parents live at the beach - about 3 hours from Raleigh. While I would love to spend Christmas with them, the thought of spending 3 hours in the car on Christmas day is torturous. So, we go visit them for Christmas #2 the weekend of New Years. It allows us to spend several days with them, have a family gathering, and relax.

To recap our Christmas:

"Eve of Christmas Eve":

The hubs and I went to the Angus Barn for dinner. The first Christmas we were married, we decided that was going to be our little tradition. We get to the Angus Barn early and enjoy drinks in the Wild Turkey Lounge. Then we enjoy a nice, relaxing dinner of steak, baked potato/baked sweet potato, roasted tomatoes, and yummy bread.

Christmas Eve:

Debbie and I planned to run 8 or 9 miles on the Neuse River Trail. We met at 8 a.m. and were on our way. Unfortunately, we were only able to run about 3 1/2 miles before we had to turn around and walk back. This was a little bit of a downer, but we both realized the holiday eating and lack of drinking water were the cause of the issues.
The hubs and I dawdled around the house for a while and got ready to head to the in-laws.
The afternoon was spent with the boys watching football and Emily and I trying to act interested :-)
That evening we went to NeoAsia for dinner. This was a bit of a shift from our normal Christmas Eve dinner, but a wonderful change. My mother-in-law tends to spend an un-Godly amount of time planning delicious, beautiful meals and going out to eat allowed her to actually enjoy the evening!

Christmas Day:

The hubs and I tend to wake up pretty early to start the day. Yesterday was no different - 6:30 for me, 7 for the hubs. We get ready and begin the celebrations with the in-laws.
We open enjoy a few Bloody Marys (or Cranberry and Vodka in my case), coffee, and open a few packages.
Then it is time to fix brunch! Yesterday was spinach and artichoke quiche, Applegate Inn muffins, fruit, and mimosas.
After brunch, it is time for more packages! We spend a lot of time opening packages. We open gifts one at a time and savor each gift, no matter how small.
The late afternoon was spent watching basketball, enjoying a few drinks and preparing dinner.
Around 7:30 or so, the preparations for dinner were complete. We enjoyed ham, wild rice pilaf, spinach crepes, and corn pudding. Of course, no dinner would be complete without wine!

It was an absolutely marvelous Christmas! I received a lot of wonderful gifts and cannot wait to use them all. I hope that you all had a blessed Christmas!!

A few pictures...

Tuscan Martini - my drink of choice

The hubs got a personalized beer stein from his mom.
He was happy as a clam!

Delicious Christmas dinner!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours...

2011-12-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Jason and I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas! Now, I'll leave you with the lyrics of my very favorite Christmas carol.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.

Through the years
We all will be together,
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star
upon the highest bough.
And have yourself
A merry little Christmas now.

Christmas Tour of our Home

2011-12-23T13:50:00.002-05:00

I have been slack about posting the Christmas decor pictures. My mother-in-law and father-in-law helped the hubs and I with Christmas decorations the Sunday before Thanksgiving. This has been our little tradition since 2005 and it works well for us. My father-in-law brings the tree up from the storage room, my mother-in-law and hubs decorate. You may ask what I do while they decorate... I am usually being the "bartender" and fixing a yummy dinner. It works perfectly. My mother-in-law has an awesome knack for decorating, but most especially at decorating for Christmas.

So, without further ado...

Welcome to our home!

My mother-in-law made this awesome wreath for us. Isn't it pretty!?!

Details on each side of the front door...

Santa and reindeer on the foyer table.

The "sports"/UNC tree in our office

Our main tree with lots of pretty packages

I love this Santa! He is the perfect addition to our hutch. Even Santa loves a good martini!

Our dining table setting.

My other favorite Santa... He keeps me company while I am baking.

Friend Makin' Monday - Have you ever?

2011-12-19T09:57:00.002-05:00

FMM: Have You Ever?

1. …traveled outside of your home country? Nope... We were going to get off the cruise ship in May in the Bahamas, but the hubs' wheelchair wasn't cooperating.

2. …performed on stage in front of at least 1,000 people? Not on a stage, but I would count the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. During my sophomore year in high school, our band traveled to Macy's. You perform a very short 3-minute show right in front of the store. So cool!

3. …watched an episode of Jersey Shore? Never

4. …baked a cake from scratch? If so, what’s your specialty? Yep. I have tried to recreate my Granny Brown's chocolate cake and Jason's Mimi's Chocolate Pound Cake. Unfortunately, both tasted ok but just weren't the real thing. I have decided to stick with cookies.

5. …worked in a grocery store? Nope

6. …dated someone who was your best friend first? No.

7. …made a difference in someone’s life during Christmas? The hubs and I feel like we are doing something special each year when we adopt angels from the Salvation Army Angel Tree. We usually adopt a brother and sister. We have the most fun picking out clothing and toys for them. The only thing that would make it better would be to be able to keep in touch with the family all year and buy throughout the year.

8. …been on TV? Not sure, I don't think so.

9. …had cosmetic surgery? Not yet. I would love to have some surgery to "put things back where they go" after I lose some more weight. I am just a big ole chicken though.

10. …learned a second language? If so, what else do you speak? I took French in high school and Spanish in college. Needless to say, I know just enough of both languages to get me in trouble.

Christmas Traditions

2011-12-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

I read lots of blogs... Some are healthy living blogs, some are mostly recipes, and others I read just because. Anyway, there's an awesome little Christmas questionnaire going around and I thought I would join in on the fun!

1. Eggnog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate. I have only had eggnog once and it just wasn't my kinda thing.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or leave them under the tree? When I was young, I remember that Santa always left my presents unwrapped under the tree and/or on the couch. Santa wraps gifts now :-)

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? The hubs and I have white and colored lights on our tree. The tree is pre-lit with white lights and we added a couple strands of "old fashioned" colored lights for some "spunk".

4. Do you hang mistletoe? We have a "kissing ball" (mistletoe) between our entrance area and great room.

5. When do you hang your decorations up? We decorate the Sunday evening before Thanksgiving. Since the hubs uses a wheelchair and I am not Super Woman, we invite the in-laws over and make an evening of it. My father-in-law gets the tree from our storage room and puts it up, my mother-in-law and hubs do most of the decorating, and I provide the alcohol and a yummy dinner. It is perfect :-)

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (besides dessert)? Hmmm... I would have to say ham.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? I have so many great Christmas memories, but one general one is about all the visits. Most of my family lives in one county and the Christmas holidays involved visiting everyone. Yes, we did a lot of riding in the car from one end of the county to the other, but I loved it! If I had to name a specific memory, it would have to be the year I got a new bicycle. I had been given a hand-me-down bike and I just "couldn't" ride it. I tried and tried, and just could not do it. On Christmas day it snowed, and Santa happened to bring me a new bike. Needless to say, the incentive of a new bike (versus a hand-me-down) had me out in the snow pedaling away.

8. What is on your Christmas wish list? Nothing terribly exciting - lounging clothes, gift cards, LL Bean duffle bag, new earbuds, etc.

9. Do you open any gifts on Christmas Eve? When I was in high school, my parents and I started opening our gifts on Christmas Eve. I am not sure how we started that, but I always appreciated the little bit of extra sleep on Christmas morning. Now, the hubs and I do not open gifts on Christmas Eve. Everything waits until the next day.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I don't know how to describe our tree. It is colorful - think bright pinks, reds, greens, blues, etc. There are also lots of ornaments from various trips. It may be a little of a "mish mash" but I love it!

11. Snow. Love it or dread it? HATE, hate, hate it! It is pretty for about 15 minutes and then I am done! I do not like driving in it. I don't like being trapped in the house because of it, etc.

12. Real tree of fake tree? Fake! It is a lot easier to decorate and ends up being a lot prettier than a real tree.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I have no clue... I do have one gift that I will never ever forget. I was about 5 years old and inch worms were all the rage. I guess I had begged and begged for one. I remember opening my inch worm that my PawPaw Brown gave me. Oh, memories...

14. What is the most important thing about Christmas for you? The opportunity to spend time with family, relive memories, etc.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? It isn't really a holiday dessert, but it will always be my favorite - Granny Brown's chocolate cake!!

16. What is your favorite tradition? I wouldn't call this a tradition, but I do love going to look at Christmas lights. I remember riding around and looking at lights with my parents as a child. I am hoping that the hubs and I will go to see the "Meadow Lights" this year or at least out to Lake Myra.

17. What tops your tree? I don't know what they are called... There are sticks with balls, and glitter, etc. sticking out of the top. It is really classy and whimsical at the same time.

18. Do you prefer giving or receiving? I love to give gifts! My favorite part is to watch someone open something that I picked out for them and see their look when they open it (and hopefully love it!)

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

20. Candy Canes, yuck or yum? I might eat one or two each holiday season, but they aren't my fav.

21. Favorite Christmas Movie? Oh geez.... It is a tie between A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase.

22. What do you leave for Santa? Nada... Isn't he supposed to leave presents for me?

23. Do you have a Christmas morning tradition? The hubs and I are over at my in-laws for Christmas morning. We start the morning with Bloody Mary's and a late breakfast. After breakfast, we start opening packages and keep enjoying Bloody Mary's. It usually takes until early afternoon because we just take our time and enjoy it.

24. Do you prefer to shop online or at the mall? It really depends on what I am looking for. I do not mind shopping at the mall, but if I know I can get it a lot cheaper and/or without a ton of hassle online I am not opposed to ordering it.

25. Christmas letter, or Christmas card? Unfortunately, neither. The hubs and I do not have kids and we aren't terribly interesting... So, no cards or letters from us.

Gettin' back in the saddle (err...running shoes)

2011-12-16T11:37:00.003-05:00

I haven't had a really good run since the Turkey Trot 8K on Thanksgiving. Looking back at my calendar, I think I may have run maybe once since that day. Like I said in a previous post, I have been working out but not running. It isn't for lack of trying though!

The Disney Princess Half Marathon is on Sunday, February 26 - 72 days away. Needless to say, I need to get back into running and my butt in gear for serious training mode. I am so excited about running this race that I can hardly contain myself. 1) The hubs and I love going to Disney World. It is the perfect vacation spot for us. We get to the airport and from that point on, everything is taken care of. 2) This was the race that started the whole running thing. This was the race that was my #1 to accomplish in the very near future. Now it is becoming a reality. Seriously, look at the course! How could you not be excited about running from Epcot, around one side of the Seven Seas Lagoon, through the Magic Kingdom, around the other side of the Lagoon, and back through Epcot to the World Showcase??!!??!! The only reservation I have about the race is running it by myself. There is a group on the DisBoards/W.I.S.H that meets up and forms pace groups, etc. I heard about the group through a person I volunteered with at a race. Since I am normally one to "stalk" message boards as opposed to participating, I am not sure if I will meet up with the group or not. Also, since it appears the iPhones/music are not forbidden on the course, I may just get the hubs to load me up with lots of good tunes! Who knows...

So, I have been working on my training calendars for the Princess Half and through several spring races. Since December is almost over, I am not going to insert my calendar. The plan for the rest of December is to run 3 to 5 miles at least two times a week, then a long run each weekend. I am hoping to do 8 miles this weekend and get up to 9 or 10 in the next two weeks. What do y'all think about my training? Tweaks, changes?

Busy, busy, busy - and a new car!

2011-12-15T10:36:00.001-05:00

Yes, I am still here... The past week has been extremely busy! On one hand, life just gets busy at this time of year. Then I have been dealing with my car stuff at the same time.

There are so many great things going on though! Christmas is in the air... You can see it in the lights on the tree, in the decor on people's homes, in the yummy Christmas scented candle, etc. How can one not be happy at this time of the year? I am looking forward to finishing our Christmas shopping and celebrating with family.

As far as an update goes... I have only run once since Thanksgiving. Last year, Sarah and I were so consistent with our running schedule on Monday and Thursday afternoons. Unfortunately, this hasn't been the case this year. I am planning to run somewhere between 6 and 8 miles with Debbie on Saturday - we'll see how that goes. I have at least been going to the gym consistently. I normally do 25 to 30 minutes on the elliptical, ARC, or stairmill followed by the express circuit/weight workout. I can feel myself getting stronger from lifting on a consistent schedule. Feels so good!

I have been thinking about getting a new car for a while, but I wasn't quite ready to deal with the hassle. My little Nissan was approaching 10 years old. It didn't have anything wrong with it, but I just wanted something a tiny bit bigger and newer. Well, my wreck last week made that decision for me. After the adjuster came out to look at the car, he suggested that I take it to a collision center for a more thorough inspection. The collision center found a total of $3200 worth of damage and the car was only valued at $3500. So, needless to say - it was totalled. My little Nissan and I parted ways on Tuesday afternoon. I think it is a little silly, but I kinda got teary-eyed when I left the poor car at the collision center. That car was my first "big girl" purchase after graduation. I did all the research and negotiation with the dealership on my own - with a lot of phone consultation with my Daddy.

Mazda5 in "metropolitan gray" that I test drove

When I realized that I was going to be forced to get a new car sooner than I thought, I started thinking about my requirements - small but bigger than my Nissan, a little higher off the ground, a decent amount of room for others, hatchback, and big hopes that Jason's wheelchair would fit. We initially thought about a Honda Element. After we found out that Honda was no longer producing the Element, my research honed in on the Mazda5. I cannot come up with the proper words to describe it. It kinda looks like a hatchback-wagon style car and a mini-van had a baby - it is hatchback, but has sliding rear doors. I have a running buddy that has one. When saw hers this summer, I was quite curious. I did a lot of research on Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday afternoon, I went to Capital of Cary for a test drive. That evening, Jason and I went back to the dealership to see if he would be able to get into it, etc. Yes, we have the Dodge Entervan, but sometimes it would be nice to be able to go somewhere in something different! Jason didn't love the color of the one that I test drove (above), so the dealership checked on different colors. We were lucky that they had a black one in stock. So, yesterday afternoon, I signed on the dotted line and purchased it.

Terrible picture of me after signing on the
dotted line :-)

Again, the best part? Jason can ride in it easily. He can transfer to the front seat from his wheelchair and I can use ramps to roll his wheelchair right into the back seat. Even with his wheelchair in the car, there's still room for people and stuff! We are talking about taking a road trip to Florida toward the end of the summer. We have always been very conservative with trips in the van because we didn't want to put a ton of miles on it, especially since it doesn't get great gas mileage. Well, it looks like a trip to the "Trop" (Tropicana Field), where the Tampa Bay Rays play is in order! While we are there, we can take a trip to see Margaret in St. Cloud, visit Disney World, and do lots of other fun things! YAY!

This week

2011-12-08T17:08:00.001-05:00

Well, in good news... The recommitment to tracking in WW and MyFitnessPal is going well. I have noticed some interesting differences in the amount of WW points versus calories and vice versa. I think this will prove to be beneficial in meal planning. Not only have I been tracking well, I have been more committed to actually getting up and moving. I have gotten up every morning and done a 30-minute Walk Away The Pounds video. In the afternoon, I also have gone to the gym to do more cardio and/or the 30-minute weight-lifting circuit.

Until yesterday...

Yesterday afternoon, around 4:30 p.m., I was on the way to my gym. I was driving on a very familiar road, minding my own business. The traffic had been stopped for a light at an upcoming intersection. The traffic started moving slowly and I started moving forward too. The person in two cars ahead of me slammed on their brakes, then the person in front of me did the same - I obviously missed the memo and didn't slam on mine fast enough. Then the person behind me bumped me and had the nerve to leave. Needless to say, after that little fiasco, I didn't make it to the gym.

Anyway, I am good. I am a little sore, but not really any more than a really good workout. If anything "hurts" it is my ego - I am so annoyed that I "messed up". I have had a few scares in the past from using my phone in the car, and the last month or so, I have made a concerted effort to not use my phone in the car. Yesterday, my phone was in my purse, the radio was barely on - virtually no distractions - and I get in a wreck. Oh well, I can't do anything about it now... The adjuster for my insurance company is coming tomorrow to look at the car and give me an estimate. The plan after that is to forward the estimate to a coworker of my husband to see if her husband's body shop can do something for me soon. Once I hear from him, I will work with the adjuster to get payment and get my car fixed very soon because it isn't terribly pretty right now.

Either way, I might be in the market for a new car soon. My car was my first post-college purchase. I remember the entire negotiating process like it was yesterday. I remember that I did it all on my own and I was able to actually talk the salesperson down on the price. It is a 2002 Nissan Sentra XE, nothing fancy but it was the perfect car for me right out of college. My little car and I have been through a lot in the 11.5 years we have been together. However, it just might be time to let my car have adventures with someone else.

I am interested in looking for cars in the coming month or so. I need to really figure out what I really want/need. I like the little small cars, but I kinda want to be higher off the ground. I don't want to spend a lot of money, but I want something nice. I don't want new, but I don't really want the issue of possibly inheriting someone else's problems from buying a used car. I also need to keep in mind that I only drive the car back and forth to work. If there is a possibility of transporting the hubs wheelchair easier in my new vehicle, we may use it more often, but that's kinda up in the air right now. We'll see...

Pictures of my poor little car... Things could have been a lot worse, but the pictures are hard to see...

Friend Makin' Monday - I am...

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

FMM: I am…

1. I am good at…cooking, baking, organizing...

2. I am happy when…I am on top of staying healthy and spending time with those I care about the most.

3. I am working on... trying to "let go" a little more. I am quite the control freak and sometimes it gets in the way of my having a good time.

4. I am interested in… learning more about creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, traveling, learning about the "rest method" for exercising

5. I am always… happy to go to work, but happier to head home!

6. I am enjoying… my updated attitude toward my goal of a healthy life!

7. I am in… North Carolina! I don't plan to leave the state until the Disney Princess Half in February.

8. I am reading…nothing. I started Listening is an Act of Love but haven't made it past the first few chapters

9. I am concerned about…getting my Christmas shopping done and wrapping all the gifts pretty!

10. I am looking forward to… seeing my parents this weekend, celebrating Christmas in Raleigh, the heading to my hometown the weekend after Christmas!

Now it’s your turn! Don’t forget to link up at www.alltheweigh.com.

Pushing "Reset"

2011-12-04T09:54:00.001-05:00

I am pushing the "reset" button on my weight loss - starting today. The past few month has been a little off. First I was preparing for my second half marathon. After that was over, I started dealing with some fairly serious low blood sugar issues. During the past month, I haven't crossed over my "I don't ever want to get back to that number" weight, but I am getting close.

Yesterday sealed the deal... I had two episodes of very low blood sugar - 52 and 40 - after eating a balanced lunch. There's no rhyme or reason to it. It is beyond frustrating and is taxing on me, but also on my relationship with my hubs. He is beyond supportive, but the fact that it is happening at all frustrates him to no end.

So, here's to starting anew. Some of my goals for the week:

Track every morsel that goes into my body in Weight Watchers and MyFitnessPal
Only drink coffee, water or Crystal Light
Get up and move for a minimum of 30 minutes per day - runs at lunch, gym after work, walking video at home before work...The possibilities are endless
Keep with the "rule" of "If I don't pack it, I can't eat it..." - no mindless snacking on miscellaneous goodies brought into the office

Friend Makin' Monday - Holiday Shopping

2011-11-28T11:02:00.001-05:00

Friend Makin’ Mondays: Holiday Shopping

Do you like to shop? Most of the time
Have you started shopping for Christmas gifts yet? Yep. I try to start picking up things in September/October. I need to get to wrapping though.
Did you shop on Black Friday? If so, what did you buy? Not this year (Thank goodness!)
List a few of your favorite stores. Nordstrom, Belk, Crate&Barrel, Anne Taylor, Banana Republic
What is the last thing you purchased for yourself (food and drinks excluded?) A new pair of cute Toms from Island Traders
Do you prefer to shop in-store or online? Usually in-store
If you could purchase one thing that you don’t need at all for yourself today, what would it be? Hmmm.... A nice, pretty new outfit.
Does your significant other shop with you? Do they love it/hate it? The hubs loves to shop, probably more than I do. I don't know what I would do without his help when it comes to clothes!
Do you shop at thrift stores? I have, but I get frustrated when I can't find anything. I should probably give it another shot though.
When you’re holiday shopping, do you make lists? I tend to keep a general list on my phone with ideas. Sometimes I stick to it and sometimes I don't.

Now it’s your turn so copy and paste, add your own answers then go to www.alltheweigh.com and link up! Happy Monday friends!

What am I thankful for?

2011-11-24T09:20:00.000-05:00

So many things....

I am thankful for my husband.
I am thankful for my best friend.
I am thankful for my family.
I am thankful for all my friends, past and present, as they have shaped (and continue to shape) me.
I am thankful for my health.
I am thankful that every single day, I have the opportunity to be better than I was the day before.
I am happy for the beautiful sun that shines, the rain that falls, and all things that make me know there is a greater being.

Bottom line... I am thankful for all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me. I am not deserving of all the blessings, but I do my best to cherish them. Enjoy this time with your family and friends, wherever you are. Be thankful for your blessings, even when they don't seem like blessings.

Be thankful!

Thinking about being thankful - my best friend

2011-11-23T09:08:00.001-05:00

As I continue to reflect on the things for which I ammost thankful...

My best friend, Margaret, comes to mind. While I am thankfulfor all my friends, there is just something about her that I can't imaginebeing without.

Margaret and I met sometime in 1982. Her parents hadmoved to Beaufort and bought a home just in front of the neighborhood where Ilived. We both ended up at Miss Kay's "day care". Margaret was about 6 months old and I was about 15 months old.Miss Kay kept lots of children, but from what I understand Margaret and I werepretty close from the beginning. This was the start of a lifelong friendship that I can describeas nothing short of amazing.

Margaret and I have been polar opposites from the start. No matter our differences, we have had so many wonderful timestogether. I could sit here and rehash every memory, but suffice to say it would likely embarrass us both. Those are memories that I love to replay in my head - always followedby a long laughing session.

She is my confidant.
She is the person that I may cry to when Ihave no clue what I am crying about.
She is the person that an laugh right inmy face and I won't get offended.
She has no problem telling me when I ambeing an absolute spaz and need some sense talked into me.

She has tolerated my being quite opinionated and neverfaulted me for it. In fact, we still giggle often about my pointing out that abirthday cake her mom made when she was really young wasn't that pretty... Ohwhat a little opinionated girl will say.

I am so glad that Margaret's parents chose to move toBeaufort all those years ago. I am thankful that even though she lives inFlorida, we talk several times a week and see each other a fewtimes a year - never once skipping a single beat.

Can't wait to see her this weekend!

Thinking about being thankful - my hubs

2011-11-22T10:56:00.001-05:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about how thankful I am that the powers that be got Jason and I together. I am never nearly as vocal with my appreciation as I should be, but believe me - I thank God every single day for my awesome husband. As this time each year approaches, it makes me realize even more how much I appreciate J.

Dear J,

There are no words to express how much I appreciate you and how thankful I am each day for you. You have been a rock for me, through every single good and bad situation since we met in 2004.

Remember when we met? Remember how you had to pretty much fight for your life to get me to keep talking to you after our 1st date? Can you imagine where we'd be if you hadn't convinced me to keep talking to you, etc.?

You are so awesome to me. You are pretty dang patient with all my antics, even when I don't deserve your patience. You are always willing to help with anything, even when I am stubborn and insist on doing it myself.

You make me laugh. Your craziness provides moments of purely awesome belly-laughs and I love it. I love how you can make me really smile when I am stressed, sad, or worried. You make dealing with hard and annoying things easier because of your humor.

You listen to my ramblings about this work issue, this or that run. You listen and then ask questions to understand what I am really feeling/thinking. You let me blab on and on and sometimes give yourself the short end of the stick because I don't listen nearly as well.

You have been there for me through this entire healthy transformation. You have encouraged me to do the best I could, even when I wanted to give up. You have tolerated and supported runs, etc. when it sometimes imposed on our time together because you knew I had a goal.

Your personality allows me to open up and be me. You get that sometimes I am a crazy, obsessive-compulsive, maniacal mess. You get that sometimes I am in the mood to be a little silly and dance to the music in my head. You never know what you are going to get, and you understand that.

So, as I sit and think about the things for which I am thankful - I am most thankful for YOU. I can’t think of anybody else I’d rather spend my life with! You are an awesome guy, a wonderful husband, and I love you. I’m so thankful to have you in my life and I can’t wait to see what other adventures our life together holds!

Friend Makin' Monday - Thanksgiving Plans

2011-11-21T11:24:00.001-05:00

FMM: Thanksgiving Plans

What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year? Does your family have traditions? If so, share them…(I know that some of you live outside of the US so feel free to fill us in on other holiday traditions!)

On Thanksgiving morning, I will participate in the Ridgewood Turkey Trot 8K. After the race and some meal prep at home, the hubs and I will head over to my in-laws for the day. My mother-in-law and I will spend the afternoon in/out of the kitchen, while the "boys" watch football. The day tends to be filled with cocktails, yummy snacks, a delicious dinner, wine, and even better desserts.

Normally, my parents come up on Thanksgiving night to shop, etc. This year, we are actually going to my hometown to visit my parents. My best friend lives in St. Cloud, FL and she is coming up for the holiday. Since she doesn't come to NC often, we wanted to get to the coast to see her.

Should be a fun weekend!

The reason I am grumpy...

2011-11-17T09:39:00.001-05:00

Toward people 90% of the time.... It is simply because I am hungry.

I saw this on a blog this morning and thought it was too funny not to share...

My poor husband often has to deal with my being mean/rude because I am hungry. I can't help that my blood sugar tends to get too low and that turns me in to a ~~raging lunatic~~ meany.

Jason often says that I am just like a little baby when it comes to eating. I tend to eat on a fairly strict schedule. When I get hungry, I get fussy and you better get food in my belly or I will raise hell.

Like Janae said, the hubs just needs to carry around a bag of M&Ms, Reece's Pieces, or something equally yummy so that I don't go off on him or anyone else. :-)