Rocket?

This week I was asked to do a graduation cake for the son of one of my co-workers. His son is going to the University of Toledo next year so he (his wife) decided on a rocket cake. He was not the easiest client I have ever had...as he changed his mind about the design three times (and yes, I planed out the cake I was going to do three different times), never told me a flavor he wanted, and waffled on when it should be due. I was seriously annoyed by the time I started baking Wednesday evening. Then he had the audacity on Thursday to ask if it could be vanilla and chocolate. Um, no sir, it cannot. Maybe if you would've gotten back to me when I asked you to, but now, you will eat your vanilla cake and like it!

So yesterday I had to carve the cake, make the icing, and then ice this bad boy. The blue wing was giving me some major issues and I completely winged the design (ha!) as I was doing it...but when I was done I thought it turned out pretty well. My favorite part was my last minute addition of the fire!







So I sent the pictures of the cake out to my mom last night and I received this e-mail from her this morning:

"Looks neat but I am not sure what it is? What is it?"

Um, thanks. That made me feel just great. I was already concerned it was looking a little like fish...but I thought after I added the fire, the rocket was pretty obvious. Guess not.

But my mother did not stop there. When I ever so sweetly replied that it was supposed to be a rocket...this is what I got:

"Okay, we see it now. Susie was thinking dirty...................."

Susie is my mom's friend at work (and please forgive Mama's overuse of the periods...that is an everyday occurrence).

So now I am having a little panic attack thinking that my cake is now some sort of giant penis for a dude's graduation cake! Please tell me you didn't think that's what it was...please...

A Holiday Weekend

So...my long overdue Memorial Day recap!

My weekend was just about as relaxing as it could be with visitors in town. My in-laws came in from Indianapolis on Friday evening so there wasn't much time to do anything but chit chat until it was time for bed. Saturday morning I went for a run whilst Matt and his parents headed off to the West Side Market to pick up some goodies for lunch. They came back with watermelon, chicken, roast beef, cheese, potatoes...all sorts of loveliness! I even had time to run to Costco and finish our making our dessert for dinner before they got back. I made a WW dessert and it was fabulous. It was a frozen yogurt raspberry pie with a graham cracker crust. Yum! And...it was only 2 pts. per slice!! What, what!

Lately, the hubs has been itching to do some gardening, so we headed out to Lowe's to get some herbs, veggies, and fruit as well as some wood and dirt to make our own little garden! We don't really have the yard for one right now, so this is what he came up with!




Isn't it fabulous!?! Matt and his dad built this little beauty while his mother and I finished preparing the meatloaf (courtesy of Paula Deen) for dinner. It was the only thing in her cookbook without a stick of butter! I also fixed some baby red potatoes and our night was complete.

Here's another look at our "garden."




It will have to do for now, since the view from our porch is this...which leaves no room for a garden!





Sunday, we got up early for church and I snuck in a workout at the gym when we got back home. Matt's parents look me out for a little pre-birthday celebration (almost my birthdy week!) at a wonderful seafood restaurant for dinner and then out for ice cream! I stuck with the sugar free ice cream...but I opted for Moosetracks instead of just plain vanilla. Hey...a girl's gotta splurge for her birthday celebration, right?!?

After another early trek to the gym on Monday morning for me, we spent the rest of the early afternoon relaxing. Matt grilled chicken and corn on the cob for lunch (fabulous by the way!) and his parents were on the road by 2 p.m. I spent the rest of the day stuck to the couch watching reruns of Jon and Kate Plus 8 until the season premiere started that evening. Did anyone watch it? I just became a fan of the show last season, but I have been practically obsessed and I always watch the reruns when they are on. Well, I was just so torn up when the two of them couldn't even look at each other during the interviews or even say each other's names! It really just broke my heart, and I said a little prayer for Jon and Kate before I went to bed.

Overall, it was a wonderful weekend! Hope everyone's was the same!!

Weight Watchers Wednesday...on Thursday!

Yesterday I had my WW meeting and do you want to know what happened??



You do??



Well...






I lost 2 lbs.! Yeah! I'm so excited. That is the most weight I have lost in one week in such a long time! AND...it was over the holiday weekend with my in-laws in town and my routine all screwed up. Now my total weight loss is 13.6 lbs. Yeah! I am well on my way to hitting my goal of 35 ish lbs. Wow...that number seems so big right now, but I KNOW I can do it! Slow and steady, Jenny, slow and steady.

And a non-scale victory to report! This morning I fit into a pair of jeans that are a size lower than I was wearing!! I stopped wearing them a little while ago...remember when I ripped the huge hole in my jeans whilst sorting plastic bags at work??...well I wore them today anyway just because I was so excited! Who cares if you can see 1/2 my knee...I'm in them people! And they aren't tight at all!

I have one more pair of jeans to get into (another size lower...funny...I think those have a hole in them too!) and then it's off to the store for me! I am looking forward to that purchase so much! It will be my first pair of single digit jeans I have ever worn. Although I was able to get into a size 8 in my wedding dress, pants are an issue for me. My waist has always been small, but my booty and hips are made for birthin'!

I'm taking my day off of working out today because I have a cake order to get ready for tomorrow! It's going to be a rocket ship and I'm super excited to get to work on it. Why is it that work always gets in the way of my cake fun!?!

But it's back to the grind Friday for my workouts....because I have a special event coming up next week that I must prepare for...any guesses as to what that might be??


Give up??


It's my birthday!! The big 2-6 (yikes!) is on the 3rd and I'm super excited for it! Although I have another girl Dr's. Appointment that afternoon (hopefully this turns out to be nothing and I do not have to update y'all on this situation...but I am definitely in need of prayers this day!), I'm going to spend the rest of the day with my husband, the best birthday I could ask for. He has "surprises" and I simply cannot wait!


Happy Almost Friday!!

I'm a Reader

Last night, I finished The Reader. Has anyone else read this book? Hm.

I wanted to read the book before I saw the movie...it's a new thing I'm trying out. I've never been a huge reader, but the Twilight Series turned me around, so now I'm on the lookout for good books! I've gotta tell you though, this one, I was not a huge fan. I'm not going to give anything away (e-mail me if you want to chat!) but I just couldn't get over the huge age difference and the abrupt ending. I'm still intrigued enough to Netflix the movie...but I'm in no rush.

So, my fellow book worms, what are you currently reading?? What are your very favorite books and what is on your must read list?? I'm dying to know!

At the present time, I am searching for:











What do you think about these books?? Any others I should pick up??

I have to give a shout out to Shaina from Post Smith for posting about a lot of these a little while ago! Although I am not the speed reader she is (um, she finished Gone With the Wind in a weekend people!) I think they will be fabulous reads and I can't wait to get started! Thanks friend!

The Biggest Loser--Family Edition!

So the sister and I decided last week we were going to start our own Biggest Loser competition within our two families: Jenny and Matt vs. Jessi and Dave!

I am at a huge disadvantage, seeing as my partner looks like this...



AKA: The skinniest man on the planet. Now, Matthew, before you go all "this is an old picture" on me, I will include a newer one later on in the post to prove my point.

Meet our competition: The Newlyweds




I think we can take them, honey! Now put down your sweet tea and let's go take a walk! *Insert Matt's annoyed face here*

I mentioned this competition to my brother, who also wanted in on the action. I SO wish I had an old picture of him so you could get the whole "this is what college can do you to" effect, but nonetheless, here's my bro with the other men in my life.

Mook, Dad, Matt, & Dave

Okay, this guy could be tough to beat.

Except he went home to my parent's house over the weekend and his first week's weigh in put him UP 2.7%! Ha!

With our combined weight loss % being 0.58%, that puts us definitely ahead of Mook. We are currently awaiting results from the newlyweds.

I'm so proud of my husband for losing 0.5 lbs. this week! What a great job! AND...he had steak, mashed potatoes, Pepsi, and a hot fudge sundae all the day before weigh in. Can I get a "great job" and "I hate you" all at the same time!?!

I will definitely keep you up to date on our progress! Sis and I haven't quite worked out all of the details of the competition (such as how to win, what we will get if we win, challenges, etc.) but updates will definitely follow! We just thought it would be a really fun way to keep up with our weight loss and really motivate each other.

Good luck family!

I Need Rest!

I took a much needed day off of exercising yesterday to get my house in order for the in-laws' arrival this evening. I opened up the windows, put on some music, and proceeded to clean the entire house! Okay, okay, I cleaned the areas they would see. My bedroom as well as my bathroom were not touched. But, I did actually sweep and mop the kitchen, clean off the cabinets, sweep all of the hardwood floors, vacuum, and put ALL of our clothes away. Don't you feel so great when your house is clean!?! And it was so nice to have the doors and windows open! It was simply beautiful yesterday.

I was also able to get a grocery list together for food for the next two weeks, so hopefully I can knock some of that shopping out today before I do some running. That will leave the weekend pretty much free for family time.

So, going back to this whole "taking a day off from exercising" thing. I have a serious workout scheduling issue. Every week, I make a schedule of what I am going to do each day to work out. I have a goal of what I want to get done every week: 4 days of running, 3 days of the Shred, and 3 days of lifting. I also do other things on top of this, but these are my "must dos." I try to take 2 days off for recovery a week. Lately, this has not been happening and I am tired! I can't seem to fit everything into just 5 days. AND, when I do take a day off to relax, I feel like I'm being lazy and the guilt sets in. I feel like anytime I am just sitting on the couch watching tv I could be exercising. I have a lot of trouble letting myself relax.


For example, this is my schedule for next week (yes, I do them in advance...don't make fun):

Monday: 30 min. treadmill, 30 min. elliptical, weights
Tuesday: The Shred, weights, yoga class
Wednesday: 30 min. treadmill, 45 min. elliptical (WW meeting)
Thursday: off day (I have a cake due on Friday!)
Friday: 30 min. run, The Shred
Saturday: Zumba class, weights, The Shred
Sunday: 45 min. run

How the heck can I fit in another day off? And what would I cut out?? Should I be doing more in a day than I am?? Who the heck knows....

I know all of this stems from my wanting to lose weight...of course. It is coming off...but so slow...and I feel like I am doing so much! And then I'll have ONE bad meal and it screws up my whole week...so then I start to feel like I can't make a mistake. At my meetings, some of the women start incorporating small amounts of exercise 30 minutes a day like three days a week and they lose weight. Um, what the heck is that about? I wish I could go for a walk around the neighborhood three times a week and lose weight. No, I have to bust my butt for hours at the gym, sweating my booty off, and I'll lose 0.2 lbs. This whole dieting thing/lifestyle change is rough!

Please forgive my rant! I do enjoy the exercise (for the most part) and I know I am getting stronger and building so much more endurance running than I ever thought I could. It is just completely frustrating some days!

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

I will leave you with this gorgeous bag I found online today! Oh how I want you...


Sorry Lilly. Can't even afford you on sale.

Plans Change

Expectation:

A relaxing Memorial Day weekend with my husband! Matt and I ALWAYS go back to Indy for holidays, especially those we get off work. We've been home every Memorial Day since we moved to Cleveland. I mean, I AM from Speedway...the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway! Why would I want to be anywhere else, right?



These are some pictures from last year's race. You HAVE to listen to the pit crews and drivers during the race. It is a must for me. Plus, I look really cool.




Me and my huns...





Pops!




Our seats totally rock and you can see lots of pit action. They're also basically right in front of the start/finish line. But...living in Speedway...you have to deal with a lot! We are fortunate to be able to walk to the track from my house, but those who drive are stuck in endless traffic, huge crowds, and drunks EVERYWHERE! The night before the race...let me tell you...it's an experience.

But this year, we decided to stay in Cleve-burg. I can truly not remember a time when Matt and I both had a day off together to just enjoy each other and be together in our own home. I was looking forward to this weekend so much!


Reality:

My in-laws are coming up for a visit. They'll be here Friday-Monday. I truly love my in-laws and LOVE having visitors but now my relaxing weekend has turned into a to do list:

CLEAN! (sweep, mop, vacuum, dust, scrub, and simply pick up the whole house...before Friday)
plan meals
grocery shop
figure out SOMETHING do to with them all weekend
entertain them (an image of a circus bear just came into my head!)
be on my most polite and best behavior (exhausting...)

And of course I have not started on any of this. Hopefully they don't come in early on Friday!

Hope everyone has a fabulous end to the week!

I'm a Runner!

While we were out on the town Saturday afternoon (do you consider Chik-fil-a out on the town?? I do.) I picked up these beauties:




They are my very first pair of real "running" shoes! They actually said "running" on the sign with the price so I know it's legit. I've been wanting some new shoes but have been hesitant about spending boat loads. Have I mentioned I'm cheap? But I know running is something I want to continue to do so I figured it was an investment. I don't want to get hurt because I AM wearing the wrong shoes, right? Right!

So I forked over the $100 (DSW rocks my world and gave me a $65 discount from the original price) and got them! I just couldn't pass it up. I've used them twice already and I really like them. They have tremendous arch support which is great and are super light weight. I can almost feel the air moving through them as I run!

I now officially feel like a runner.

And I have amazing news! I'm on the last week of my 8 week training plan. This is the week where all of the interval training comes together into full out runs with no walking in between. Well, Monday, I ran 20 minutes without stopping...and without dropping my speed!!! I have never run more than a mile (without walking) in my whole entire life...and I finished 1.68 miles! I really wanted to stop after about 1 minutes...but I kept going. You know what gave me inspiration?? This amazing post by Chic Runner. I freaking love this girl and she is so inspiring. She just happened to write this post the very day I had to start my long runs and boy did it help. She really gave me the confidence in myself to keep going. So thank you so much Chic Runner! You rock my socks off...and even my new running shoes!

And another milestone to celebrate...my 100th post! You're looking at it! I was going to do one of those "ask me anything" posts...but everyone and their mom has been doing those lately...so I think I will hold off. But stay tuned!

Rookie of the Year

Monday night, we caught the last half of Rookie of the Year. Have you ever seen that movie??






I'm a sucker for baseball movies...Little Big League, The Sandlot, Angels in the Outfield, Major League. The list could go on from here...

Well, even though I LOVE all of those movies, little Henry Rowengartner holds a special place in my heart. No, it's not because he grew up to be the cutie-pa-tootie in American Pie:



It's because I was his co-star!

Yep, you heard me right, I was IN Rookie of the Year! It's hard for me to say that I was in a movie cheering on the Cubs, seeing as I am a White Sox fan to the core; however, it was pretty much awesome!

When I was about 10 years old and my dad took me to Chicago for the day to see a game. We actually did go see a Cubs game, and I can't for the life of me remember why, except for they must've been playing the White Sox. At my very first Major League Baseball game that I can remember, I proceeded to spill my entire serving of nachos on the two old women in front of me and get very sick...the kind of sick only ice cream can heal.

Well, when we got back to our seats the scoreboard said, "You're all going to be movie stars!" I was beyond excited! They brought out the "Cubs" from the movie and to get some shots. Then it was our turn. Want to know what my line was?? "Henry! Henry! Henry!" Yep...we were the crowd that cheered for Henry! Pretty neat huh?

So...although small, I do have a claim to fame. I wonder if my name is on IMDb??

Just checked...answer...no.

To Wear Or Not To Wear??

I get up at the butt crack of dawn...4:45 a.m. to be exact. It takes me about an hour to get ready for work, pack my lunch, my gym bag, and get out the door. My drive into work is about 30 minutes and I start at 6:30 a.m. Ick.

Although it is REALLY early, the schedule actually kinda rocks my world. I get off at 3 p.m., which is delightful, especially in the summer. I have time to go to the gym, start dinner, and even (if I'm lucky) watch an episode of Days all before Matt gets home. Even though we go to bed at 10 p.m. like my grandparents, it works for us.

So on my drive into work this morning something really awesome happened! I got to wear my sunglasses! I am crazy loving the fact that I can see the sun when I leave for work and it is staying light out later and later. Last night it was still beautiful at 8:30 p.m.

So this brings me to the purpose of my post...sunglasses. I am obsessed with them. I have been for as long as I can remember. I'm not really obsessed with the type of sunglasses I have, although I love my current pair, but really just wearing them in general. I think they are the best accessory of all time. They are a perfect head band when the sun goes down or to hold back any crazy fly-aways I oh so often get. Here's a look at one of my old faves:




I distinctly remember getting mean comments from my sister about these...as she found them to be a little "Star Treky." Think what you want, I loved them!

Here's my current pair (hard to choose a pic since I wear them in every single one....)



I love these sunglasses and they are by far my favorite pair I have ever had. They are huge and cover all sides of my face...not letting even the hint of sun in. I never pay more than $15 for sunglasses (because I tend to not treat them with much care, ie. sit on them) but Hubs secretly bought these little gems for me for Christmas and I have not lost/broken them for years! Go me!

Confession: I sometimes wear my sunglasses and use my headlights at the same time. Take this morning, it wasn't sunny enough for me to turn off my lights...but it was definitely sunny enough for me to have to wear my sunglasses!

Now I honestly think that I have some sort of eye sensitivity issue. I'm not sure if this is something that I have always had or something I have created by wearing my sunglasses 24-7...but I just have to now. The sun seriously blinds me. I'm really not wearing my sunglasses to "look cool" (although I most certainly do!) but because I NEED to. I'm always the last one to take them off when the sun goes down outside and I am constantly getting comments about it. It is seriously annoying. My favorite one is when people ask me if it's sunny when we're inside or it's nighttime when I'm just wearing them on top of my head. I mean...what is that even supposed to mean? If it was sunny, wouldn't I be wearing the sunglasses over my eyes?? It just dosn't make any sense.

So here's a tribute to my favorite accessory! Although it is sometimes exhausting sticking up for you guys, you look fabulous and protect my little eyes at the same time! What could be better!?!

Does anyone heart their sunglasses as much as I do??

Weekend Update!

My weekend was quite random and quite wonderful at the same time. Although I am a stickler for planning my meals weeks ahead of time..we decided to order pizza on Friday! Oh...how long it has been since I have ordered pizza! It's pretty much my favorite thing in the world. I'm a Papa John's girl to the core...but we opted for Little Caesars since they have that deal for a whole pizza for $5. It's pretty sweet...such a great deal! It was good...but come one. There's a reason it was $5. I miss my Papa!




Saturday, I started my day off with a little Jillian. Does it bother anyone else how often she mentions "no injuries please?" That really irks me. I also don't like when she says "a couple more" and then we do 6 more.

I showered up and hubs and I went to Chik-fil-a, probably our favorite fast food restaurant of all time. It's not super close to our house so it's not something we get to have on a regular basis. It's a treat!




I wanted to venture over there though because there is a Half Priced Books in the area. I'm sick of paying full price or waiting forever for Amazon to send them to me. I bought 5 new books for less than $20, score! We hit up a Borders Outlet across the street (totally lame by the way) and then I noticed a sign next door. You know what it said?? Puppies for Sale!!! I forced Matt to go in, even though he is allergic. Hey, it's not like he instantly started sneezing or anything. He was completely fine. He even said we could go in, on one condition...I couldn't buy anything. Fine....

It was the most fun! I got to hold little puppies and play with them! Oh my goodness...how I wanted to instantly take them home. I was in love. I definitely see a little hypoallergenic puppy in our future soon! Any suggestions?? No poodles please...

Our next stop was by a friend's house to check out their 2 1/2 week old son. He is just precious. He was a little squirmer though and would not sit still! He's the cutest thing and I can't wait to hang out with him again!

Sunday we went to church and then I went to the gym for my best run ever! I don't usually have a problem running the whole required time, but I usually end up slowing my pace down once I'm about 1/2 way through the run...and a lot down once I'm near the end. Well, this time I ran almost the whole time at my original pace! It was very exciting! Note to runners: you will be WAY more motivated listening to music than watching tv :) Shock! Good thing there is nothing on tv on Sundays!

I did the Shred later in the day, but spent most of it just relaxing. Matt did some cleaning and most of the laundry! He does the laundry a lot but I don't know what got into him with the rest of it. He was vacuuming, doing dishing, putting trash away, picking up, and gardening! At one point I even asked him where my husband was :) I did make Tortellini Soup last night which was fantastic and only 7 pts. for a huge helping.

And now it's Monday...and I am already looking forward to next weekend so I can spend some more time with my husband!

Friday Randoms

• I LOVED the Grey's finale last night!
• I was a total idiot and completely blindsided by the fact that it was George until he wrote 007.
• I think George will die (tear) but not Izzie.
• I'm irritated I have to wait months to find out if I'm right!

• I just joined Twitter!
• I have no idea what I am doing...
• Want to follow me? I promise I'll figure it out soon :)

• My 100th post it quickly approaching!
  
• What the heck should I do to celebrate that milestone??
• I'm so happy it's Friday!
• We're going to visit a friend's newborn tomorrow!
• I heart babies...
• I want one.
• Really I want two.
• I'm pissy that my husband has yet to kiss me on the lips since I've been home because of his fear of getting sick.
• I'm still a little sick.
• I ran my intervals outside yesterday in the beautiful weather!
• Thanks for all of the great comments yesterday.
• I was a little nervous to write the post...as it was a little controversial...but what wonderful and insightful responses I got!
  
• I do NOT want to run them again today...
• But I will!
• I lost 1.6 lbs. this week!
  
• I'm finally back to my weight from before the horror of Christmas treats killed my diet!
• I want fudge :)
  
• I can't wait to leave work...
• How about you?? :)
  

A Little Modesty...Please!

I've taken to listening to talk radio on my way home from work. I am SO not a talk radio kind of girl, but I tuned into this program one day that happened to be on one of my Christian radio presets after work...and I became a follower. The program was called Chris Fabry Live. I was not instantly hooked, as Chris's voice kind of got on my nerves (sorry Chris!), but as I began to really listen to what he was saying, I found him to be someone I really agreed with and from whom I found great inspiration.

Yesterday's broadcast was a continuation of the previous day's discussion of Miss USA Runner-up Carrie Prejean.




You've heard this story right?? She's the girl who advocated marriage being between a man and a woman during the Miss USA pageant a little while ago?? Anyway, I'm not here to discuss that issue...but something else that was said on the program.

One of Chris's guests was a woman by the name of Constance Rhodes who is the founder and director of FINDINGbalance, an organization dedicated to eating, image, and lifestyle management issues. They were discussing the fact that some listeners had a problem with Carrie being a spokesperson for Christians while participating in a swim suit competition and wearing other types of provocative clothing. Constance's main point was that young adults Carrie's age (...my age...) seem to have an integration issue with their faith. Meaning...the beliefs and faith that they have are not practiced in their everyday lives.

This topic was mainly directed to how women dress. Of course, the Bible encourages a certain level of modesty which seems to contradict what the world views as beautiful. According to the program, boob jobs are things high school seniors are asking for as graduation gifts (um, what?).
What Constance said next truly resonated with me. She said that Christian women struggle with feelings of wanting to be desirable, but also of not wanting to be a stumbling block for others.

Okay. Confession. I've PRIDED myself on being a stumbling block for others! Turning heads is a good thing, right? I mean, I actually went to a Halloween party one year dressed as "cleavage." Yep. Not one of my finer moments. Hey, I was always under the impression that it was my best quality (for sure!) so why not show it off??

Oh my goodness...it's like this woman was talking right to me! Now, don't get me wrong, I got rid of most of my cleavage shirts after college...but dressing appropriately as to not sway the looks of men is not something I have truly ever thought about.

Now, I will.

Sure, I want my husband to think that I'm beautiful and sexy...but do I really want the creep in the office next to me thinking I have great boobs or a nice booty?? No. AND...I shouldn't be consciously putting men in the position to think about that in the first place. I'm definitely not suggesting that we, as women, can stop men from looking at us or thinking sexual thoughts (HA...NOT A CHANCE!), or that we should wear sweat shirts and sweat pants everyday, but that we have the opportunity...and an obligation...to dress modestly. And by golly...modesty can be GORGEOUS!




I mean, to me, this is beautiful. Her boobs aren't hanging out...her booty isn't at risk of revealing itself...it's fabulous.

So what are your thoughts on this ladies?? Did this hit home with anyone else? Do you not agree with it? I'm dying to know!

I'm Awe-Summm!

I was recently bestowed with the Queen of All Things Awe-summ Award by the lovely and completely fabulous NYC Housewife-In-Training. I'm utterly in love with her blog and if you haven't had the pleasure of reading it yet...get your little booties over there pronto!



My Queen duties include:
1. List 7 things that make me Awe-Summm
2. Pass the award onto 7 bloggers that I love
3. Tag those bloggers to let them know they are now Queens too (and link back to the Queen who tagged you)


7 Things That Make Me Awe-Summ:

1. I went to Purdue!
2. I have the coolest case of hitch-hiker's thumb you will EVER see!
3. I love all types of fruit, but I don't like them in hardly any desserts or especially when they're baked. Ick.
4. I can pop just about every bone in my body, I'll do it in front of you, and you'll like it!
5. I can spend 5 hours decorating a cake that I could then eat all of in 5 minutes.
6. I know every line to Dirty Dancing and will quote it while I watch the movie...and I will not stop even if you look annoyed.
7. I eat peanut butter by the spoonfuls right out of the jar.


And who stall I honor with this prestigious award?? I present it to the following bright spots in my day:

Cristina at Another Day in Paradise
Nicole at Brown Eyed Girl & Her Beau
Ashley Paige at I Love You More Than Carrots
Emily at Living our own fairy tale
Mrs. G.I. Joe
Naturally Caffeinated Family
Shaina at Post Smith

Congrats ladies! You deserve it!

Running Just as Fast as I Can

I feel like I haven't done a running post for a long time! Sometimes I get confused about what I think about and talk about and post about...it all gets jumbled up! So if you're wondering how my running is going...




Still at it!

I'm on week 7 of my 8 week running plan. This week I am running 3 intervals of 11 minute runs and 1 minute walks. Hopefully next week I will be able to do a full 20 and eventually 30 minute run! If not though...I'm determined to keep at it. If it takes me longer than the plan, well who the heck cares, right? As long as I'm running, I'm happy!

Remember 7 weeks ago when I was running 1 minute at a time and I thought that was hard? Boy...what a difference! I've come to learn that running is so much of a mental sport as well as a physical one. I don't think I would've ever even tried to run more than 3 minutes if my training plan didn't say to. I just never thought I could do that. And now I'm running more than 3 miles...which is unbelievable to a girl who was, although athletic, ALWAYS at the back of the pack when it came to running. I may still be a slow poke...but now I can run longer than you...you itty, bitty, skinny, minnies from my high school would couldn't hit a free throw to save your lives!


Anyways....


Onto my weight loss...

I'm really great on WW at home when we have no plans and are in a routine. I'm a planner...what can I say. So the last four weeks have been crazy for me! I had the funeral where I was gone for 5 days...and then last week I was gone for the whole week. But...I weighed this morning, and if the scale did not lie to me, I am down! I'll let you know for sure after the meeting tonight, but hopefully I will see a loss in my weight column this week. We don't really have any plans that should get in the way until wedding seasons hits us in late June, so I'm counting on the scale being super nice to me for a good solid month! You hear that scale? I mean it! Don't make me hurt you.

On another note, (perhaps TMI...so stop reading if you wish) I had my annual "girl" doctor appointment yesterday...always a blast. I just wanted to thank those lovely ladies for offering me that free chlamydia and gonorrhea screening. I mean...did you even read my paperwork? I am MARRIED and have been in a committed, monogamous relationship for 6 years people! Well, if it's positive, at least I'll know who I got it from, right? Oh the trials of being a woman...

MASH

source

Did you ever play that game MASH?? You know...where you'd come up with all of these categories like who you were going to marry, the career you'd have, the type of car you'd drive, how many kids you'd have, the color of your wedding dress...etc., then choose answers for those categories, and finally leave it up to chance to tell you what your future would be??

I used to play this all the time in elementary school...but I have a confession to make. Sometimes, I still do :) Hey, my work is REALLY boring! I leave out the husband part...since that is already decided...but I like to find out how many kids we will have and what I will be when I grow up :)

So here is my MASH game for today (by the way...I always put in one answer that I would NEVER want...just to make things more fun!):

MASH

Car

SUV
Dodge Shadow (my first car!)
Hummer
Mini Van


# of Kids
1
2
3
4


Career
Pediatrician
Dog Walker
Cake Decorator
Physician's Assistant


Boy Names
Trevor
David
Michael
Paul


Pets
Dog
Cat
Fish
Bunny


Girl Names
Taylor
Madeline
Peyton
Gertrude


City
Houston
Cleveland
Baton Rouge
Greenville

My number is 34!

And my future is....drum roll please...(I can hardly wait to find out!!):










Matt and I will be living in a mansion in Houston, TX with our 2 kids, Trevor and Michael, and our pet dog.
I'll be working as a pediatrician whilst driving around in my mini van!

Not too shabby! :)

Yes...that did take me almost an hour to post (I'd recommend picking a number much lower than 34!)...and now I am 13 minutes away from lunch...I'd say...perfect timing!

Tagged!

I was tagged by the lovely Kristen from Happily Ever After to do this fun little post! Thanks friend!

The Rules
1. Mention the person who nominated you.
2. List six unimportant things that make you happy
3. Tag six blogs, state the rules & notify them with a teeny comment on their blog.

So...my 6 unimportant things that make me happy!

1. Great weather...I'm talking 80's, sunny, low humidity, and staying light outside until 9 p.m.

2. Finishing a run...I love running the most after I'm done and I didn't quit during the torture.

3. Seeing no dishes on the sink...and having none to put away.

4. Changing the month on my calendar...not sure why...just like it!

5. Deleting shows from the DVR...I have a weird and totally unachievable goal about getting it to 0%.

6. Getting to park by the cart collector at the grocery store...I hate walking far to put it away.

I'm skipping rule #3 and leaving it open to anyone who wants to participate! What makes you happy??

A Case of the Mondays...Reversed!

I'm still feeling a little sickly today. Do you ever have those sick days where you just feel exhausted?? Not really tired per say...just worn out? That's me. On my first day back at work in a week. Not good.

After getting bossed around by my co-worker...who ranks second in my "I hate your guts" category to only the Devil himself...I decided that instead of sitting here thinking of all of the reasons I hate my job and how all I want to do is lie on the couch and catch up on some Days...I'm going to post about what I am thankful for!

1. I'm thankful for church...yesterday I was feeling like poop and didn't even want to get out of bed let alone go to church....but we did...and my fave singers, The Getty's, were there and totally made it worth going.

2. ...for family. I got so much family time last week that it was overwhelming...but I am so thankful for my family and the time I got to spend with them. They may be crazy, but I'm lucky to have so many people that love and care about me.

3. ...for my sister. I wouldn't know anything about the casino without her :)

4. ...for my BIL Dave. He went running with my slow booty last week and it was so sweet. It was my first run with a friend...and he really pushed me.

5. ...for my job. Even though I hate it...it's a paycheck...and I am thankful that it is still here for me after a week off.

6. ...for Memorial Day...which is only 14 days away.

7. ...babies. Not that I have any...but I'm thankful other people do so I can pretend.

8. ...Banana Nut Cheerios. I just discovered these this weekend and I am in love!

9. ...for my husband, who I love more everyday. How he puts up with me I will never know...real love I guess :)

10. ...for my God. My life would be lost without Your guidance.

So today, on this cloudy, icky Monday...put a smile on your face and tell me...what are you thankful for??

Fun Times in Cleveland Today

So my dear father sent me the following videos the other day...

They depict two tourism videos for Cleveland...my dear, dear, city.

The sad part is...they are both entirely and utterly true.

At least my husband works in one of our two buildings.

Fun fact...I walked by just yesterday the place where all the poor people wait for buses...

And people ask why I would want to leave this? Hm.

I'm Home!

Last night, I finally got to sleep in my big comfy bed! Oh..how I missed that bed.

Let's take a look at how the hubs did while I was away...

As you may remember...I left him a list of things to do...how many do you think he did?? 2? 3? Let's see:

• Get yourself up on time for work...and don't make me worry that you are going to sleep the morning away. Remember to set your own alarm because I won't be there to wake you up. Check for setting his own alarm...but apparently he laid there for quite some time the first morning, waiting for me to wake him up. I give him 1/2 a point.
  

• Make sure to turn off the electric blanket when you get up from the couch. Sometimes I come home in the afternoon and it is still on...Wasn't on when I got home...gold star!
  

• Get the mail Check!
  

• Actually go through the mail...leave all of the bills for me...and throw out the junk mail He went through his junk mail...and left me mine. How sweet...1/2 point.
  

• Take out the trash on Monday...and please, please, please put a new trash bag in (including the one in the bedroom that has been missing one for a week) He gets two points for this just because I thought for sure he would not put a new trash bag in the bedroom...and he did!
  

• Put away your clothes that I washed tonight Big fat no to this one...
  

• If I could come home to no dishes on the counter I would be the happiest wife you have EVER seen This was by far the most important...and it happened!! There were still dishes drying in the rack from when I left...but I guess I didn't put that on the list...so how can I fault him for that, right?
  

• Bring in the newspapers and put them in the box I have in the "dining room"...not all over the floor I found some in the garage...and the Sunday paper by the door...which means it was sitting there for 5 days. Boo.
  

• Use the chicken I left you soon Used 1/2
  

• Throw it out before I get home if you don't I did this today...no points for you sir!
  

• Please don't buy a bunch of junk food at the grocery...you saw what I did to those cupcakes I don't think he bought anything at the store...oh wait...I found the ice cream he bought last night...
  

• Make sure The Hills, The Biggest Loser, Grey's, The Office, 30 Rock, and Days of Our Lives are all DVR'd Check!
  

• Check daily to make sure there is enough space left on the DVR...and if there is not...delete your crap shows Check!
  

So how did he do?? 7 1/2 out of 13. Well...more than 1/2!

What did I really expect anyways...a miracle!?!

His hug made up for the rest. I sure do miss that boy when he's not around...

Lucky Casino Outfit Strikes Again!

Last night at the casino I won another $52!



But...



Today I lost $20 :(



But that still brings my total winnings to $82...so I'm happy. And I still count my "lucky casino outfit" as being lucky!

Earlier today a few of us went to this little gem:




It was a candy store...named after me! How cool is that??

We hit a few more shops, including this one for some fudge...yum!




Then everyone went to the water park...and I took a nap! One of my aunts came here sickly...and I have officially gotten it. I had a serious sinus headache, runny nose, and was just down right exhausted. I took some meds though and slept for a few hours...so I was ready to hit up the miniature golf outing in the afternoon. It was this crazy 3D course with real live animals in aquariums all over the walls.



It was pretty neat...and I pulled out the victory! Okay, okay...I tied with two other people...but a win's a win, right??

We ate and then headed to the casino where I proceeded to quickly lose $20 and quit! I was by far the lowest loser of the night...so I look at that as a plus :)

We're heading home tomorrow...and I am so ready to see my husband. But...he will have to wait until Friday. I'm staying the night in Chicago with the sis tomorrow and then heading home to Cleveland on the Megabus on Friday morning. At least I will have the weekend to recuperate...and do laundry...and clean up the mess hubs has made being home alone for so long!

Water Park Fun!

Last night for dinner, all the girls went to this place called Moosejaw. This was a car they had outside the restaurant...what a huge moose!




The food was excellent. I had the most wonderful cup of Beer and Cheese Soup (to.die.for) and a small personal sausage pizza. Some of us also split this:




Yum! Well...for the most part :) I would say 7 of the 10 beers were really good...and 3 were totally ick! It was really fun tasting all of those different kinds of beers. Can you believe I've never done that before?? And I call myself a beer drinker...

Today I woke up...and totally flaked out on the days activities. I needed it though. I'm what you could say...cheap :) and I had no desire to shell out my hard earned cash on a tour of the Dells or the pic you see before you:



Instead, I caught up on blogs and ran my first interval training of the week...walk 1 minute, run 11! Yeah...that's right. That's not a typo. And ladies...I actually did that little number 3 times! This running thing is rocking my world and I can't wait until I can run the whole 30 minutes without stopping!

Then my mom and two of my aunts headed down to one of the water parks in this humongous place. We had an absolute blast! We started off in the wave pool and did a little water aerobics :) Then I laid by the pool and read a ton in my book. Then we all headed off to do a couple water slides...including one called The Hurricane! Are you scared?? You should be! It was intense!




We went three times! Well...my mom only went once...with her eyes closed the whole time :)

Now we're watching American Idol (even though I don't even watch the show...I know...don't judge...but I could really care less) and then we're heading off to the casino! Wish me luck! I need to win more money! That spa day was expensivo!!

Vintage Photo Debate...

What are y'all's opinions on vintage photos?? You know, the ones where you and all of your friends dress up and get your pictures taken...like this for example:







I didn't realize that these existed outside of theme parks until a few years ago when my mother came home from a Girls Trip with one. Now her and her friends get one every year...and as my dear sister so thoughtfully predicted, I was propositioned this morning.

As you can probably guess from my tone, I am SO not into these pictures. I don't like to get my picture taken anyway...let alone in some clothes billions of people have had on...looking all skanky with women twice my age.

(As an aside...my mother oh so lovingly announced the fact that I have a blog to the whole family on this trip...which I didn't even know SHE knew about...so I at first felt the need to censor myself in my posts....but then I decided that the reason I started a blog was so I didn't have to censor myself...and so the fact that these women will probably be reading this post...well...I am trying to place it out of my mind in order to be true to myself and my readers!)

So what are your thoughts ladies?? Have you ever had these pictures taken?? Are they treasured memories or photos you have hidden away in a box on the top shelf of your closet?? Would you take these pictures with your mother, grandmother, and three of your aunts?? Hm. I know my answer...

Spa Day!

So I got stuck had the pleasure of sharing a room with my mother. Boy...she is a snoring machine! Since she was at the casino until 12:30 am last night, I did get a little sleep in before she got home...but by 5:30 am I was out on the couch :) Hopefully tonight will be better.

I thought I'd show you a little of the condo we are staying in. Here's the room where I started my night (and obviously where I blog!):




And here's where I ended it:





Here's a look at the kitchen as well as the master bedroom:








We also have another bedroom with two double beds and a balcony. The whole place is super nice...and it's free...so that's even better!

Today was spa day for my mother and me! We were picked up around 8 am in a black Lexus and taken to the spa. They gave us a little tour of the place and showed us what to do. We started out with this thing called a purifying bath ritual. In your swim suit...you wet down and then rub this exfoliating stuff on you (it pretty much looked like really dark sand) to remove the dead skin cells. After you wash that off, you're supposed to spend 10-15 minutes in the sauna. My mom and I made it about 2. I literally thought I was going to die. I couldn't breath even a little bit and I have now discovered my newest and scariest way to be killed. We rinsed again and then spent some time in the hot tub. You were supposed to keep switching from the hot tub to the cool dip pool...but it was freezing (hence the name "cool dip") so I skipped that part :)

Then we checked out the outdoor pool...but it was a little too cool for me. Mom enjoyed it though...and we saw some deer across the street. It was a really secluded area and simply beautiful. We hung out in relaxation lounge and waited for our nail peeps to come get us. Mom was crazy about her manicure and it looks really great. I got the pedicure...and I'm happy with it...but I don't think it was worth what I had to pay. I mean...they didn't even have massage chairs! What kind of spa doesn't have massage chairs?? Hm.

After that it was onto our massages. Now this is an activity I can get behind. I was simply in heaven. I think I could've stayed all day in there. This was my mom's very first massage and she really liked it. She told everyone all about it when we got back...so I know she had a good time. She said she felt refreshed :)

Mom and I went to lunch and then came back to meet the rest of the crew at the condo. We decided some of us were going to go to the casino...and some of us were going to go to the water park. Well, since I had just spent a butt load at the spa...what do you think I picked?? The casino of course! I had to win some of my money back!

Well...after a LOT of losing...I'm now AHEAD $50! I'm totally pumped...so hopefully I can keep it up. I think it's because I wore my luck casino outfit :)

Here's Mom and me after we got back from the casino. This is my lucky casino outfit...and it has yet to fail me. You better believe I'm going to wear it everyday I go for the rest of the trip. Don't judge...I changed when we got back.



Well, we're off to dinner...pizza and beer. What a vacation!!