Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde and FMM - Music Playlists

First things first, sorry for those that read the post yesterday.  Do you ever have moments when you look back at something you wrote and feel totally like you had a Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde moment.  That was me yesterday.  I am not sure what was causing me to feel so "funk-alicous", but I don't feel that way at all today.  So strange...  I am not going to delete the post because it does show real thoughts, but I am going to address some of the mess I wrote yesterday.  Today's encouragement to myself is in pink.  Here goes:  

• Why aren't you losing weight?  You are going to be right back at 340 pounds before you know it you lazy sloth.  You aren't losing weight, but you aren't gaining weight either.  You need to realize that just because the pounds aren't coming off, doesn't mean you aren't doing well.  Your smaller size clothes fit and some of them even fit better than they did when you bought them (even though you were at a slightly lower weight when you bought them).  Just keep working!
• Why do you even go to hot yoga?  You look like an idiot.  You can't do half the poses correctly.  Who cares if you look like an idiot!  Do you enjoy it?  (Yes)  Do you feel good after? (Yes)  Then enjoy every single sweaty moment!
• Why did you decide to dress as Belle for the half marathon?  You weren't nearly as cute as some of the other girls.  Belle always has been and probably always will be your favorite princess - of course you decided to dress as Belle.  You worked hard with your mother-in-law to make a cute, but functional Belle costume and you rocked it!
• 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?  Yep!  You are gonna sign up for another one.  You love it, you are gonna keep doing it.
• 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?  Come on!  Give yourself a break!  You ran a half marathon at Disney World on Sunday!  You had to get up at the crack of dawn for that race and you haven't slept well since then.  It is ok to take a day off!

It is interesting to look at the self-talk from one day to the next!  Today I feel awesome and I can tell in the way that I respect myself and encourage myself.  Here's to positive thinking and lots of positive self-talk!

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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. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. 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: What’s On Your Workout Playlist?

All I can say about music is thank goodness for my hubs!  I didn't grow up listening to a ton of music.  Sure, I listened to the radio in the car, but I can hear a song and have no clue who sang it (but somehow know every single word!).  

Anyway, my workout playlist is pretty interesting.  When I am at the gym, I tend to listen to Katy Perry radio on Pandora.  If I am running, it is a completely different story.  The hubs loaded my iPhone with music and some of it isn't so nice... It is a blend of electronic, dance, hip hop, and some music with explicit lyrics.  The music doesn't always convey the nicest message, but the beat keeps me moving.  Here are some of my favorites (in alpha order):

• Baby One More Time (Britney Spears)
• California Girls (Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg)
• Forever and a Day (Fragma)
• Hummingbird Heartbeat (Katy Perry)
• I'm a Stunna (Birdman)
• I'm So Paid (Akon, with Lil Waye and Young Jeezy)
• Seal it with a Kiss (Britney Spears)
• Throw it in the Bag (Fabolous & The-Dream)
• Trip Like I Do (Crystal Method)
• Welcome to the Jungle (Guns N' Roses)

Voices in the head

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

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

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

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 agoAbout 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

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

"...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

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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!
6. Do you prefer to travel at a certain time of year?  Nah, we will go anytime...
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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...

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

(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

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: Before Photos

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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...
4. 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.
5. 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!

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

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

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: Habits

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. How often do you make your bed? Everyday
8. 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!
9. 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.
10. 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!