Where Did She Go?

Dear Friends,

Don't you hate when you follow a blogger religiously and then she just seems to drop off the face of the planet?

**Hangs her head sheepishly**

I'm so sorry for abandoning you, my wonderful followers. The truth is, I started a new blog and I feared it wouldn't be a success so I never shared it with you. Lo and behold, it does seem to be a success and I miss you, my faithful friends!

I have especially missed you this week as I am coming up on my first wedding anniversary. I find myself coming to this blog often, seeing what I was up to a year ago at this time. Many of you probably remember my last minute antics! Thank you for seeing me through such an absolutely wonderful time in my life.

I am now blogging at The Wannabe Athlete. I posted a little bit about my running and triathlons on this blog, but it didn't really seem to fit. Well, I'm happy to say that I am still running (I even ran NINE miles on Saturday!) and will be doing my next (and longest yet) triathlon in less than a month!

But don't worry - I don't just talk about those things. I still talk about "normal" life and my family. Although those two things in the same sentence might be an oxymoron. Hehe. I kid! I kid!

So please update your Google Readers and follow me at http://wannabeathlete.wordpress.com. It will be nice to see some friendly faces over there!!!

Love,

august15wife

Madeira Beach Mini Tri Recap

Yesterday, my dad and I completed the Madeira Beach Mini Tri! This was my second triathlon, and my dad's first. We had a great time!


While the distances of this tri weren't that different than my last, the difficulty definitely increased! Total distances: 200 yard swim, 5.4 mile bike, 1.2 mile run. The differences? The swim was in the Gulf of Mexico (as opposed to a pool) and the run was on the beach.

Conclusion? I hate sand. With a passion. But I'll get to that later. Let's start at the beginning, shall we?

I tried to go to bed semi-early, but laid awake too late, panicking because I wasn't sleeping. I woke up at 5am and started getting ready. Immediately I knew that my stomach was not cooperating. Uhoh. Enter: Immodium. Didn't help. Hmm. Just kept getting ready.

Dad and I headed out around 5:45am, on our way to Madeira Beach (about a half hour away). Yep, we had a bathroom stop at a nearby McDonalds. Luckily my stomach calmed down after that. For the most part.

We arrived at the parking lot with plenty of time to get set up. We grabbed our bikes and headed to the transition area. We got body marked and found our bike racks. Once again, I had great positioning! I was in the second rack back from the bike start. Awesome. But...there was no individual marking for each bike meaning it was a free for all as to whose bike went where on our rack. Not cool. But we managed. I recognized a few ladies from my last mini tri and we had a good time chatting. I guess it's true what they say about triathlon being a small, social family!

We all headed down to the beach for the swim. I expected to be running into the water, but that wasn't the case. They actually had us do an "in-water" start which was probably a much better idea since our route was only about 30 yards off-shore. We all lined up by the buoy and then got ready to swim straight down the beach to the other buoy, then turn into shore to run out onto the beach. Everyone crowded near the buoy, but I went deeper, away from the crowd. Best. Decision. Ever. The current was going to pull us in toward the last buoy anyway, so I decided to use it to my advantage rather than fight it. And I am so glad I was not in the mess of women down by the buoy! The buoys were so close to shore that they could stand - and many of them ended up walking through the "swim" portion! Not me. I was deep enough that I swam the whole thing. It was TOUGH! I'm not sure why, but the swim took a LOT out of me. I definitely need to get some more open water swims under my belt before my next tri! But before I knew it, I was heading to shore, on my way to transition! Official swim time: 5:11 - but the timing mat was at the top of the beach so count some running in that too. Don't you love my swim cap? :)

My first transition felt pretty smooth. Having the trisuit helped so much! I poured a water bottle on my feet to wash the sand off and toweled off quickly. I threw on my shoes and socks, put my helmet and sunglasses on, as well as my race belt, and headed out on my bike. My first transition time was 2:39 - a full minute faster than at my last triathlon!

The bike is my favorite portion of the triathlon. I know I'm not a strong swimmer, and I am a REALLY slow runner, so this is the point where I can gain some ground. And I did! I was passing people left and right. My only complaint about the bike portion is that you had to do 3 laps, and each turn was a hairpin turn - not good for time! But I had the fourth fastest time in my age group on the bike - 19:22! My last triathlon (also a 5.4 mile bike ride) took me 21:53! Those new tires really helped!

I rode into the transition area, put my bike up, took off my helmet, put on my visor and took a swig of Gatorade. I guess I spent too long here since my T2 time was 1:20 - ten seconds slower than my last triathlon.

But then...the hardest part of the race. The run. I kept telling myself "It's only 1.2 miles!" But it was 1.2 miles on the SAND. I got passed left and right. It was very depressing. I know I am a slow runner, but this felt SO slow. I even had to walk a few times. I just had nothing left. I finished the run in 13:55. :( That's definitely what I'll be working on for the next one! Look how bad my form is in this picture. Hands bunched up in front of my chest - I really need to work on technique! Any running tips for me? The view is beautiful though!

But then, it was all finished. I crossed the finish line, once again a TRIATHLETE. My total time? 42:24. Better than my last tri time, but not good enough to place in my age group. I was 7th out of 10. :(

I definitely didn't walk away from this tri with the same euphoric feeling as the last one, but I do feel a ton of determination. I want to do better. I want to swim harder, run faster. And bike even better. I'm not giving up at this triathlon thing. Oh no. I've only just begun! Stay tuned to hear what I'll be up to next!

Modern Grandmas

My mom is not (yet) a Grandma, but she can't wait to be one.






In fact, she is so enamored with the idea of being a grandma that she and her best friend Janet have started a website: http://www.moderngrandmas.com/.


I may be biased, but this is a great website. Please share it with your mother or grandma - or just follow it yourself! :)

And do you think this might be a subtle hint that she is ready for my husband and I to have kids? Haha.

I'm a Biking Queen

Well, maybe not. But I'm proud of the 12 miles I did in one hour yesterday! And remember, this is my bike (and my husband):

Not exactly a speed bike! My daddy bought me road tires this past week, and I am so excited to (hopefully) put them on today and see the difference when I ride. I know I need a new bike, but it's definitely not in the financial cards right now.

This is my dream bike:

This is Jenna from Eat Live Run. She is raffling off this bike this week and raising money for cancer research at the same time. This bike sells for almost $5000! Feel free to enter the raffle, but only if you'll be giving the bike if you win. :) All the details are here.

The sunrise is BEAUTIFUL this morning. Have a great day everyone!

Looking the Part

It has been a very full day. I went to the 5:50am spin class at my gym this morning, then headed to work. I hadn't been to a spin class in quite a while, and I was pleasantly suprised with how well I kept up! Hopefully this endurance training is paying off!

After work, I met my friend Taylor at the pool for a swim. I did 1200 yeard - in my new tri suit! I wanted to see how it felt to swim in it. You know what they say - never wear something for the first time on race day!

When I got home, I threw on my running shoes and headed out for a quick 1.5 mile run - mostly to make sure my tri suit didn't...uh...rub me the wrong way if you know what I'm saying. :)

I'm happy to report that the tri suit is wonderfully comfy in every way.

My only fear about the tri suit? Looking too much like a triathlete. I want to wear a sign that says, "I'm a beginner - my sister got this suit at Goodwill for $7!" I just have a feeling people will be feeling really good about themselves for passing this girl all decked out in her triathlon gear - not having any idea that passing me really isn't any great feat. I guess the joke is on them. :)

Birthday Present!

Look what my sister gave me for my birthday!!!!

I have been drooling over these tri suits for quite a while. My sister found this exact same tri suit for me - AT GOODWILL! No joke! The right size for just $7!!!! Can you believe it???

I'm so excited to wear this at my triathlon next weekend! WHOOHOOO!

Imma Be

Imma be...a triathlete? If I'm going to keep this up, I need to keep the motivation up. What better way to get motivated than with some great music? (Anyone catch the Black Eyed Peas inspired title?)

I turned 27 last week (yikes!) and my boss gave me an iPod shuffle for my birthday! It's hot pink and SUPER cute. Don't you agree?

I can't wait to clip it to my shirt the next time I work out to jam to some tunes! My husband and I have been sharing an iPod for a while that I can't add music to...and we don't always have the same taste in music. So I'm looking for some great workout songs for my new iPod!

This is my playlist so far:

I Got a Feeling - Black Eyed Peas

Poker Face - Lady Gaga

Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z and Alicia Keys

Bad Romance - Lady Gaga

Run This Town - Jay-Z and Rhianna

Party in the USA - Miley Cyrus (what can I say? it makes me smile)

I think this is a good start, but I obviously need some more songs. Help me out! What are your favorite workout songs?

Triathlon Training

I haven't been blogging much lately...because I have been busy triathlon training! This week's recap:

Monday: 1600 yard swim
Tuesday: Rest (not planned - but sometimes it just happens that way!)
Wednesday: 2 mile run
Thursday: 1200 yard swim/1.2 mile run (my first "brick" workout!)
Friday: 15 mile bike ride
Saturday: Rest (well planned)
Sunday: 3 mile run

My 3 mile run today was TOUGH! I didn't start running until 7:10pm to try to let it cool off a little, but I should have waited longer. I passed a sign on my run that said 89 degrees. YIKES!

I ran the 3 miles in about 36 minutes - my typical 12:00/mile pace. I'd love to get this down, but today's focus was all about finishing. The heat was unbearable! I've been so spoiled by the beautiful weather lately. Unfortunately, there is a lot more of this humid/hot Florida weather to come this summer! My swimming days will feel like such a blessing. :)

I AM A TRIATHLETE!

Or at least a mini-triathlete. :)

I survived the St. Anthony's Meek & Mighty Triathlon last weekend. Actually, I did more than survive - check this out!

That's right. I got 3rd place in my age group! And no, there were not just 3 people in my age group. :) I got 3rd out of 9 women age 24-29! I have NEVER been so proud of myself.

The triathlon was the MOST fun I have ever had doing an athletic event. I was terrified the night before, running around like a crazy woman, stressing about every little thing. I woke up at 4:50am (ten minutes before my alarm) and was READY to go! I ate some toast, almond butter and banana (my favorite pre-race breakfast) and then...got really sick to my stomach. Uhoh. Nerves maybe? But my sisters and my friend Katie were picking me up at 5:30am so I gathered myself and was ready to go when they got there. After fighting to add my bike to the already full bike rack, we headed downtown.

One of the best things about this race? Being local. We took the back roads to the starting line and were able to park RIGHT by the race start. SWEET. We grabbed our bikes and our bags and headed to the transition area. First we were body marked. I felt soooo cool at this point. I actually LOOKED like a triathlete! We headed into transition and were thrilled with our placement. I was on the end of a rack and we were all toward the bike start end of transition. This meant a much longer time running after the swim, but I didn't mind! We got all our gear set up and then headed to the pool. (Yes, the picture is from after the race - sorry!)

The breakdown for this mini tri was:

200 yard pool swim

5.4 mile bike ride

1 mile run

And it was PERFECT. We all lined up on the pool deck and my nerves were racing through my veins. They started each swimmer about 10 seconds apart and I was 65th in the pool. As soon as people started jumping in, I felt better. I was afraid I would be the worst swimmer out there. Not even close. I saw every stroke known to man - even a few I think were created right there in the pool! I jumped in and quickly started passing people. Then I quickly got passed by my friends Katie and KellyAnn. They have been swimmers all their life. And it showed. We swam "serpentine" - up one lane, under the rope, back the next lane. I tried to keep count, but thought I still had two laps to go when I saw the stairs! SWEET! I got out of the pool and ran toward transition.

Transition went really well. I decided to forego a shirt, so I just threw on my workout capris (with my race number already pinned to them), put shoes and socks on, grabbed my helmet and headed out of transition. I got on my bike too early though and had to get off and walk/run it to the "start bike" line. Whoops. Once I was out on the bike course, I felt GREAT. I had only ridden one time in training (yikes) but I think all the spin classes really helped! I started flying by people on my little mountain bike. I really gained some ground on the bike and enjoyed most of it - except the awful head wind we had to deal with for most of the ride!

I kept thinking "Keep pushing - after this, all you have to do is run ONE mile!" I got to transition with a big grin on my face. I had no idea how I was doing time-wise, but I felt great! I racked my bike, took off my helmet, threw on a baseball cap, and headed out on my run. Oh and I took a nice swig of Gatorade too - I needed it! I started running and...felt like I was running in quicksand. Holy crap. I'm a slow runner anyway, but I felt like I had lead in my shoes! I just kept pushing through. I couldn't stop smiling. I felt so proud of myself! I was sure I was running a 15 minute mile, but I didnt care. I just kept going. And then...I was rounding the last curve. My dad was there cheering me on as he had been at every point during the race. Those cheers mean SOOOO much to me! And then there it was - the FINISH LINE! I raced toward it (in my mind I was flying - in reality, it was a slow jog - haha). I finished with a HUGE smile. The announcer even commented about my smile. I couldn't believe it. I AM A TRIATHLETE!

I ran around for the next half hour, cheering on my friends and sisters and everyone did a GREAT job. My friend KellyAnn finished first in our age division - no suprise there!

Friends...

Sisters!

Here is my overall time/split time:

Overall time: 42:31! (I was hoping for under 45 minutes - I crushed my goal!)

Swim: 5:05 (better than I thought it would be)

T1: 3:39 (need to improve on this!)

Bike: 21:53 (averaged 14.8 mph - not bad!)

Run: 10:46 (actually REALLY good for me - especially since it was so hard!)

If anyone is thinking about doing a triathlon, I would HIGHLY recommend doing a mini tri like this one. I've already signed up for my next one - May 22! I'll give you the details of that one soon, but it will be a step up in difficulty from this one. And I can't wait!!

Anyone else out there thinking about doing a triathlon?

ESF 5K Recap!

Don't worry - I didn't die out there on the race course! It has just taken me a while to blog...life has been crazy busy lately! Sooo...here is the race recap (just a few weeks late!)


6:25am: Woke up, five minutes before my alarm. Love when that happens. Crawled out of bed and started getting tried. Tried not to wake my hubby. Didn't work. Dressed in "race day" tank and shorts. Checked the weather. BRR! Debated wearing running pants. Really glad later that the shorts won. Made some breakfast - whole wheat toast, almond butter, banana. YUM.

7:00am: Left the house. Drove to Tampa. Sunrise was BEAUTIFUL. Tried to get a few pictures by hanging my head out the window. Hubby was more worried about the camera than my head. Typical.



7:15am: Hubby's advice all morning has been "sprint the whole thing." Hubby establishes his goal for me - 30 minutes. Tells me if I run the 5K in under 30 minutes, we can have a baby. He plays dirty. His motivating cheer the rest of the day? "RUN FOR THE BABY!" Crazy boy.

7:30am: Arrive at the race course. Say hi to friend Dom who is volunteering at the event. Love her! Check in, get race number. Try to warm up. Tummy is nervous. No bueno. Try to ignore it. Begin focusing on the blister on my foot. Hubby tells me to ignore that too. Can we just start already?

7:55am: Crowd begins to assemble at the starting line. Starting line is a yardline on a football field. Start of the race? Run across the football field. Worked pretty well actually.

8:00am: They weren't kidding when they said it was an "intimate race". About 500 runners. An old guy stands in front of us and shouts directions. He also shouts "Ready, Set, Go" to start the race. Love it.

8:01am: Running. Through. Sand. After the grassy field was some THICK sand. Not packed. At all. Remember this later.

8:05am: Finally on the "real" course. SUPRISE! It's a trail run. Totally cross country. Not prepared for this. People around me are exlaiming, "There are hills!" This is like a foreign land.

8:06am: See my husband standing beside the course, cheering me on. He has NO idea how much this meant to me!

8:07am: Pass a sign that says "2 miles". Huh? I've only been running for 7 minutes. Could I have just run the fastest mile of my life? No way. I keep running.

8:11am: Pass a sign that says "1 mile". Thoroughly confused. Then I figure it out. It's a loop. I just finished one mile. The "2 mile" sign is for the next loop around. Talk about depressing. I run on.

8:15am: The first place running is lapping me. He's almost done. He's flying. I trudge on.

8:18am: First walk break. Dangit. So much for my goal of not walking.

8:23am: Saw my husband again. Tried to get him to jump onto the course and run with me. No such luck. His foot is still too sore from his Relay last weekend. Just seeing his face gives me motivation.

8:25am: Walk again. Dangit. Make myself start running again.

And so it goes. Tried to run as much as possible, but walked more than I wanted.

8:32am: Finish my second loop. Back to the straightaway for the finish. Running my heart out. Looking for my husband. Uhoh. I'm back to the sandy part of the race. And it feels like quiksand. Just. Want. To. Finish.

8:36am: FINISH LINE! My husband is there waiting for me. Official time: 36:35. Not great. But I'm fine with it! I'll just work to be faster at the next one!

Worst part of the race: The sand pit.

Best part of the race: My husband cheering me on.

Oh and update? I ran 4 miles this past Tuesday!! I may become a runner after all!

I Am Running a 5K in the Morning!

Crazy, right?

I'll be running in the Epilepsy Services Foundation's "Hare Racing Experience" tomorrow morning. My goal? Run the whole thing! I'd love to run fast, but I'm trying not to set unrealistic expectations. I'll let you know how I do!

Wish me luck!

I Ran THREE Miles This Morning...

...and felt great!

Just had to report back to you! I'm going for 3.2 tomorrow morning!

I Ran Two Miles...

...and felt great!

And it only took me about 21 minutes!

Who knows - maybe I could be a runner after all! :)

Hellooooo from Venice!

No, not Venice, Italy. Or California.

I'm at my parents' house in my hometown of Venice, FL. We have a beautiful beach here...that I haven't seen today. I'm sitting in my parents' kitchen having a business meeting with my sister about her photography business. (Can't you tell I'm paying attention? Hehe.) We have some really excited things we are working on so stay tuned!

I slept in LATE this morning. I think I stayed up too late last night worrying about my hubby. The good news is he is almost done! I got this picture of him from last night. They have someone ride a bike with the runners when it gets dark. I was glad to volunteer my bike for the cause! :)

He told me this morning he is working on ONE hour of sleep. Almost 24 miles in 24 hours on one hour of sleep? No thank you! He sounds pretty delirious (and pretty sore) at this point. He should be finishing his final 6 miler about right now. I'm sure he'll be glad to be done!

I decided not to run this morning. I had great intentions, but I woke up so late, had to finish laundry and wanted to get to Venice. Oh and add those blisters to my list of excuses. :) I'll try to get back to it tomorrow!

Time for me to focus on the photography biz. Quick question: How did YOU find your wedding photographer?

Blisters are Sexy

I know. I'm really reaching here.

I couldn't resist a run after work today. I figure if I have the urge, I need to follow it! I had one blister from my two miles this morning, but I covered it with a few band-aids and hoped for the best.

The weather outside was BEAUTIFUL. I tried to push a little harder than this morning, so I ran 2.7 miles in 30 minutes!

My blister hurt as soon as I headed out the door, but after about a mile I could feel it growing, and it found a friend on the other foot! The two blisters hurt really bad, but I pushed through. When I got home and took off my socks, I found these beauties:

EWWW. I don't like blisters. Sad face.

But I am excited about running 4.7 miles in one day! Happy face!

Oh and an update on my hubby! He's out on the race route, and has run over 12 miles already today! He'll have another 6 mile leg tomorrow morning. (He traded his short 3 miler for someone else's 6 miler. Crazy!)

I got this lovely photo of him right before he started his second 6 mile leg. Sexxxyyyy.


I'm so proud of him!

So fellow runners...what should I do about these blisters? Any idea how to prevent them in the future? Any suggestions or recommendations are greatly appreciated!

Ode to My Dress

No, not this dress.



I'm talking about this dress.



I love this little dress. Yes, it cost a fraction of my wedding dress (1.5% of the cost actually) but I love it. Obviously, not as much as my wedding dress...but...you get the picture. I found this little beauty on a clearance rack at TJ Maxx for something crazy like $12. It has been my "go to" dress for the past two years. I have worn it to a wedding (above), a bridal shower (below) and a graduation event (bottom photo), along with a million other events in between. I even once wore it to church where another girl was wearing the same dress! My husband thought that was hilarious.

Well, my dress died yesterday...in the most embarrassing way. I wore it to work (loving the summer weather!) I felt so cute. Then I went to choir practice at church. That's when I realized the back of the dress had split open, right over my hiney. Thank the LORD I was wearing "big girl panties" as my friend Katie calls them. I have no idea how long I had been mooning the world with my pink panties. I can only imagine...

I got home, and literally cried on my husband's shoulder over the destruction of my dress (and maybe a little over my absolute embarrassment?). The rip was irreparable. (How's that for alliteration?) I thought all was lost.

I emailed my boss to tell him my incredibly embarrassing story. His suggestion? Turn the dress into a shirt! Oooooooh. The dress just might live on. But that would require sewing. Hmm. This chica has no sewing skills. Mom to the rescue! We'll see what kind of magic she can create out of my dress!

Have you ever had a favorite piece of clothing die in an embarrassing way?

I Am Not A Runner

...but I can't seem to give up the idea!

Some of you faithful readers remember me talking about running here, here, here...and probably a few other places I haven't found.

My husband? He is a natural runner. But he hates to run. Oh the irony. He is actually running a race across the state of Florida this weekend. Yep. He's running three legs totaling over 15 miles in just over 24 hours. Has he trained for this? Not really. He runs two miles just about every day at gym as a warmup. Only takes him 15 minutes. BLAH. But he will be fine. He's just naturally gifted like that.

I, on the other hand, ran my 2 mile loop again this morning. I don't have a watch to wear when I run so I looked at my cell phone before I walked out the door, and when I walked back in.

Oh yes. Two miles in 24 minutes. Told you I'm not a runner.

AND I got a blister.

Life just isn't fair.

Abed and Sheldon

Let me introduce you to my two favorite men on television.

#1 Danny Pudi


a.k.a. Abed on Community

This guy is absolutely hysterical. We started watching this show from the very first episode and it has really grown on me. The fact that I work in higher education makes it even better. All the characters are great, but Abed is epic. Absolutely love him.

#2 Jim Parsons

a.k.a. Dr. Sheldon Cooper on Big Bang Theory

There is something so endearing about this group of scientists and their hot neighbor, Penny. But the star of the show (to me) is Sheldon. He is so socially awkward, but in the funniest way.

Have I mentioned I have always had a thing for nerdy guys?

Probably don't have to...

Who are your favorite characters on tv?

My Friend, Buddy Fruit

Let me tell you about my friend, Buddy Fruit.

Has anyone else found this wonderful little secret? It's pure blended fruit - to go! These things are so easy to transport and are all natural. They are a great little serving of fruit that you can fit into your diet at anytime! This one is Multi-Fruit. The ingredients? Apple, banana, passion fruit juice, mango, strawberry, concentrated apple juice. Nothing artifical - just pure goodness!

I definitely had one of these little babies today.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with 1tbsp almond butter, cinnamon, half banana, drizzle of honey

Snack: Buddy Fruit!

Lunch: Hummus and spinach on a Flat Out (these things are so good!), salad with ranch dressing

Snack: Orange

Dinner: Pretzels with hummus, apple with almond butter (wasn't hungry enough for a "real" dinner)

Oh and my cheat today? Two Girl Scout cookies and one mini Reese's! I couldn't resist!

Hubby and I went to the gym tonight. I should have followed my gut and ran outside - the weather was so beautiful! I did 5 miles on the bike in 19 minutes, and then ran/walked a mile. I really need to work on my endurance. Remember - I have that mini-triathlon coming up soon!

Do you have any fun nutrition finds?

Sweaty is the New Sexy

...or something like that. :)

It has been a GREAT day. Well, besides sleeping in when I wanted to get to work early, and having tons of work to catch up on. Once I got that out of the way, it has been smooth sailing!

I knew I'd have to work late, but I still managed to catch the 5pm Yoga class they offer at my work, and then returned to my office to finish work. We did a combo of power yoga and meditation and it was wonderful! Last night, I found a running route by my house using Map My Run. I tried to run the two mile loop last night, but gave up after a mile and walked the rest of the way. I was determined to make it the whole two miles today when I got home from work. Well, the sun was setting when I pulled into my driveway, but I ran inside, threw on the BRIGHT orange shirt I got while volunteering at the Miami International Triathlon and headed back out the door. And guess what?

I ran the whole two miles!!!!

It may have been slow, and it may have only been two miles, but I did it. And without my iPod to boot! (My hubby and I share an iPod and he is at the gym right now...) Usually the silence kills me. But I just kept repeating in my head, over and over, "You are strong. You are SO strong." It really kept me going!

So yes, sweaty is the new sexy!!!

Have you achieved any fitness goals lately?

A Budding Photographer

Okay, so you'll have to forgive the pun of a title - I couldn't resist. :)

As you may remember, my sister has a photography business called Artistic Avenues. I currently do the marketing for the company, but we have been talking about trying to train me to be a "second shooter" for the weddings she covers.

I have no photography experience, other than enjoying beautiful photos taken by others! My husband has a pretty sweet SLR camera, so I'm trying to learn some of the basics with that. I took these photos of some beautiful flowers my sister bought me...





It's not much, but it's a start! I'm excited about learning how to take beautiful photos. I'll be sure to share the process with you. In the meantime, do you have any photography "how to" sites I should know about?

Sports in Our Family

Yes...that title is right. Sports are a part of our family. Not because we play them. Well, he does play on a men's softball team. And he is a sports correspondent for our local newspaper. But the bottom line is that we watch sports. A lot of sports.

Doesn't everyone talk about football season when discussing when to have children? (His argument - we should have a boy during football season so I can take him to a game every year for his birthday.)

Doesn't everyone plan their wedding around sporting events? (We did - we got married in August becaues it was before football season and while baseball was in the "dog days of summer.")

Doesn't everyone wake up to Mike & Mike in the Morning? (The morning show on ESPN just in case you somehow don't know).

Doesn't everyone DVR "Sports Reporters" on Sunday mornings?

Doesn't everyone have to DVR their own shows to watch when their husband isn't home because if he is, ESPN is always on?

Doesn't everyone listen to their husband yell at the TV whenever a game is on? (Lets just say there has been a lot of yelling now that the NCAA basketball tournament is on.)

Sports are not just a part of our life...they are part of our family. :)

(Oh and just for the record - I love sports too. I have been known to refuse to decorate the Christmas tree with my family because the UNC game was in triple overtime. True story.)

Can anyone out there relate?

New Weight Loss Plan

Almost a year ago, I started a blog called "Those Pesky Ten Pounds." The premise? I had been stuck at the same weight for a long time, and had ten pounds to lose. My husband started laughing about that today because...well...those pesky ten pounds have become those pesky twenty over the past year.

I'm down about 4 pounds this week - but that is clearly sickness induced.

So what is the new weight loss plan? Not focusing on weight loss.

I have spent so much time fretting over the scale, over tightening clothes, etc etc that I have forgotten the entire reason I should be striving to be twenty pounds lighter. It's not to look better in a bikini (although that would be nice). It's about being healthy.

Rather than focusing on "diet foods" with empty calories, I'm trying to focus on eating more "real foods". Foods with health benefits.

For instance, this is what I have had to eat so far today:

Breakfast: half cup of oatmeal mixed with half banana, 1 tbsp almond butter, cinnamon, drizzle of honey

Snack: 1 serving fruit

Lunch: Chipotle - burrito bowl with rice, beans, tomatoes, corn salsa, guac and sour cream

Snack: "Green Monster" smoothie - 2 cups raw spinach, half banana, 1 cup milk

I certainly have not perfected this, but I'm trying. I have been inspired by several blogs I wanted to share with you:

Kath Eats Real Food
Eat Live Run
Oh She Glows
Heather Eats Almond Butter
Healthy Tipping Point

These women provide amazing ideas for a healthy lifestyle. Be sure to check them out!

I will try to keep you posted on this effort toward a healthier lifestyle by eating "real food". Wish me luck!

Anyone else out there trying to eat more "real food" rather than "dieting"? Any other inspiring blogs you want to share?

It Has Been a Rough Month

As you all know, I was sick at the beginning of the month. I had a cold virus for the first two weeks of March. I had a terrible cough, stuffy nose, etc etc. I was FINALLY feeling better this past weekend. Saturday, Sunday and Monday were pretty good days. Then, this past Tuesday hit.

I am in Miami, leading a group of students on a service trip. I woke up Tuesday morning and couldn't keep anything in my stomach. I'll spare you the details but it was a rough day. I can't remember the last time I have felt so sick.

I'm feeling a little better today. I've actually been able to keep some saltines and an apple down. I'm not nearly as weak as I was yesterday either. I could barely walk to the bathroom yesterday. I'm really hoping I'll be better by tomorrow so I can drive the four hours back home!

Sorry the blog posting has been scarce at best. It has been a rough March!

Sick

This is me today.





Actually, this has been me all week. I went to work Monday, stayed home on Tuesday. Battled through another day of work yesterday, but am home sick again today. Blehhh.

My husband is on a mission to get me well. Apparently, I was battling a fever all night long and kept him up all night with my incessant coughing. I miraculously slept through most of it, thanks to my dear friend Nyquil. (That stuff really knocks me out!)

So today my husband is disinfecting the house, buying me extra vitamins, making me drink orange juice all day long, etc etc. I'm glad he chose this route since he admitted this morning that he was tempted to smother me with my pillow last night when I wouldn't stop coughing. Haha.

That's love right there.

Attention Span

I have the attention span of a hummingbird.



This drives my husband crazy.

I hate sitting through an entire tv show (even if it's just 30 minutes!) without doing something else at the same time. Usually that something else is being on the computer.

I love to start new projects. I love new ideas. "I'm going to do ________ every day!" I usually last two days. Or three if I'm really dedicated. Then the idea gets old. I get bored. And I move on to a new idea.

Going to the gym? I'll get inspired for a few days. Then I won't go for weeks.

Eating healthy? This usually only lasts a few hours.

My husband, on the other hand, is incredibly dedicated. Unusually so. If he says he's going to do something, he'll do it. Every day. Without fail.

He keeps saying to me, "Just commit to doing something and DO it."

Sounds like a good time for a new project to me. :)

Anyone else have a short attention span?

Defying Gravity

That song has been in my head all day. Why? Because I finally saw Wicked for the first time last night!

I. LOVED. IT.

My wonderful boss bought my whole office tickets to see the show for Christmas. We were about six rows back and the cast absolutely blew me away. I didn't know much about the storyline so everything was an amazing suprise. My face hurt from smiling so much!

Our cast featured Donna Vivino as Elphaba and Chandra Lee as Glinda. Fabulous!

Have you seen Wicked?

Warning: Baby Fever Inducing Photo Ahead

I know I'm not the only one out there with baby fever, and I'm not trying to make it more difficult for any of us, but I had to share this photo.

This is baby Liam. Isn't he precious??

Sigh...be still, mothering instincts.

Oh yeah, and the photographer is pretty darn talented too, isn't she? You may remember her - Super Crafty Sister? Yep. She's pretty much amazing. But you already knew that, didn't you? :) In case you forgot, her blog is http://www.artistic-avenues.com/. Check her out.

Now back to trying to ignore my biological clock...tick...tock...

An Epiphany at JCPenny

I have a confession to make: I have been a clothes shopping snob. But what happened today may have changed me forever.

I'm not opposed to buying clothes at Salvation Army or Goodwill. But for some reason I have had a serious objection to buying clothes at JCPenny or Sears. No idea why - I just have.

Enter: my new job. My boss always looks super sharp. I often ask him where he got his shirt/tie/suit/whatever. His answer? Usually JCPenny. Say what?? I would have guessed Nordstroms. Or Brooks Brothers. Or...something not JCPenny.

My husband is starting his career in the financial services industry. He has a few good dress clothes, but can use a few a more. My boss wanted to stop at JCPenny today, and of course I never say no to shopping! What I found AMAZED me.

I got all this for $20.99.





Yep - that's 2 shirts and five ties. For $20.99.

The white shirt was the most expensive purchase of the day at $11.15, down from $42.00. But my husband could really use a new white shirt so there you go. It only gets better from here.

That purple shirt? Not all guys could pull it off, but my husband can! It was only $1.97!

And those ties? $1.30 each, down from $36.00/ea. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??? What's that? You want to see a close up? My pleasure! :)

Aren't they beautiful? The blue paisley one is my favorite. What's yours?

This is pretty beautiful too...my receipt!




Yes, that's right - "Your Total Savings Today: $237.38"

AMAZING.

I have seen the light. :)