Counting Down

 This time, one week from today....I will still be sitting in my living room.  Actually, I will probably be packing.  9 days from today my hubby and I are leaving for Jamaica.  I am extremely excited, and ready to go!  We are going with some great friends, Josh and Jenny G.  :)  I am so happy to have a week to hang out with them.  It will be great.  Sitting on the beach (which I haven't seen in about three years) and drinking nice cold drinks.  It will be fantastic, I may never want to leave mon!
Let me tell you how much I love Skype.  It has to be the best invention ever.  I have Skype, some of my friends are on Skype..my parents are on Skype.  That is why I love it so.  Recently, my parents were babysitting my favorite niece Olive.  She is just so darn cute.  I got to skype with her and my parents, and she is just so funny.  She talks up a storm, and loves for me to be on the computer...I have no idea what she is saying half the time, but she does and that is all that matters.  Last weekend I started singing head, shoulders, knees and toes (yes I know...it's in my head now too), and she was doing the motions along with me.  She could say head and toes.  Shoulders and knees were a little harder for her to grasp.  In fact, her shoulders were her arm pits.  It's okay .. she will figure out the body parts soon enough.  Most of the time she went straight from the head to the toes, and just skipped the shoulders and the knees.  It's fine...you don't need those parts anyway.  It was just so funny to see her do this.  And then we stopped, and about 10 mins later...she started the song again...on her own!  Little kids are just so smart.  I think they are way smarter than us adults.  The things they can do at such an early age is just amazing.  I think my niece is a genius (but then again, who doesn't think highly of their own family?)  I cannot wait until my next Skype date with them.  Hopefully it's soon.  I cannot wait to go home in September.  She always seems amazed when I am there...like "how did you come out of that computer screen"?  One day it will all click for her.  But if you don't have Skype...get it!  Call all your family and friends that are far away or down the block.  It is the best thing ever! :)

Motivation

J and I at the finish line of our second 5K race :)

I just read my friend Jenny G's blog, and it made me want to write my own post.  Her blog was about her first 5K race.  :)  I am so proud of her for just going out there and running.  We talk every day through email at work (yup it is listed as party of my daily duties).  We always talk about running and training...kind of motivating each other to our running goals. 
I started running maybe 2-3 years ago.  I completed my first race in March for St Patty's day.  I did not run the whole thing, but I finished, in 36:24.  Which for me is fantastic.  I played softball in high school, but when it came to running the mile...let's just say I had no interest in doing that.  I never thought I could.  Finally at the age of 27 I went on a healthy/lifestyle change kick.  I dropped some weight and thought, why not start running.  I started slow...walking/running until I build up to running 2 miles.  Then I thought if I can run two miles, why not the 3.1 needed to do a 5K race.  I will admit, those thoughts didn't come until March when I actually signed up for my first 5K race ever.  With much encouragement from my hubby and my friend Jenny G I set off on that adventure.  I survived.
This past week, there was another 5K race in town.  The person who runs the gym talked me into signing up, though he didn't have to twist my arm very hard.  I was already thinking of signing up.  Ever since March I have been working on my running routine trying to finish a whole 5K and shave time off my first race.  :)  SO...I did.  I signed up without my husband even signing up at first.  He signed up later, so we were off for our second race together.
Guess what?  No I still didn't complete the whole race running (I only made it up 3/4 of the killer hill..but started running again right at the top) but I did beat my time from the first race.  I was so proud of myself.  At the end of the race, who was waiting for me...my biggest supporter and motivator, my hubby.  He was yelling "push it you can beat 36:00 if you push it!".  I was so grateful for the extra boost it helped me sprint to the end, where I came in at 35:38.  I almost shaved a whole minute off my time.  This does not make me an elite runner obviously, but I was so proud of myself that night.  :)  For the first time, I cannot wait to sign up for the next 5K race.  This coming from a girl who hated running.  Now I cannot imagine not running.  Amazing how sometimes the older we get, the better we get at certain things.  Maybe one day, Jenny G and I can sign up for a 10K race together, as that is what I will be training for next.  And who knows, by the time I am 40 maybe I can do a half marathon.  Thanks to my friend Jenny G and my fantastic hubby for continuing to push me to new levels!

Rattles

I haven't posted for a while.  I am sorry all my followers :)  I shouldn't ignore you like this.  It's just that I haven't had much to say.  So, I will just dot down some random thoughts for the day.
It is the wonderful time of year where the Cicada's come out to join us for a month.  As I sit here typing this, they are being rather noisy.  How rude of them.  It sounds like there are 1 million babies playing with rattles.  Rather annoying.  But at least they are only here for a month, right?  Yay, fantastic.
I cannot believe it is June already.  Lots of good things going on in June.  My hubby's birthday, our wedding anniversary, catching some baseball games.  :)  It's a good time of year.  My 5th anniversary is coming up next Friday.  I cannot believe it has been five years already.  It feels like it was just yesterday I was gearing up for the biggest party of the year.  I also cannot believe I will be celebrating living in Kirksville for five years.  Who would have thought we would still be here?  Not me.  But the town kind of grows on you, and we have made some great friends here.  Now if we could move the state next to Pennsylvania that would be even better.  Who needs Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana anyway?  And would it make a difference if we just moved some things around?  I don't think so either.
We got to go home a few weeks ago.  J's sister graduated from college.  It was really nice.  I got to hang out with my family, J's family and of course our friends.  Always a good time when we go home.  We went to a Phillie's game with J's sister and we had awesome seats.  We were two rows behind the Phillies dugout.  When I finally get around to loading the pictures on my computer I will post some. 
Finally, in 65 days we are going on vacation.  I am super duper excited.  We are headed to Jamaica for sun and beach and drinking.  Our good friends are coming along too!  It's going to be one week of partying.   I don't want to rush the summer by, but I am ready to leave for Jamaica!  Well, not really, I need my passport and to pack.  :)

Saying Good-bye

Today is Friday April 22, 2011 at 5:37 pm.  I have exactly three days left in my 20's (weird, because I was born at 5:23 pm - so I guess a little less than 3 days).  Three days of being 29.  Then I embark on a new adventure...my 30's. 
Last weekend my husband had a surprise birthday party for me.  So this past week, I have been reflecting on my last 10 years...that being my 20's.  Most people are sad and depressed when they turn 30.  I thought maybe I would be this way.  Especially now that my high school friends have started to have babies.  Babies, I think, officially make us old.  As I have reflected, I thought about everything that has happened in the past 10 years.  I finished college, which was a huge feat.  I was married, which was the best day of my life.  I moved away from everything I knew and all my family and friends in Pennsylvania to start a new adventure with my hubby in Missouri.  I made new friends, worked a few different jobs.  I became an Aunt (have I mentioned she is the most beautiful girl in the world?)  Started to think about going back to school.  I embarked on a huge weight loss/get healthy adventure.  I am still tackling this adventure today. 
People have asked me if I feel any different (which I don't yet because I am not 30 technically speaking)...but, I don't think I will either.  I have had so many great things happen in the past 10 years, I am wondering what is in store for the next 10.   I have decided I am going to welcome my 30's and be excited about it.  If my 20's were that good, it can only get better right?  I have many great things to look forward to.  I tackled my first 5K at 29.  Maybe I will tackle a 10K at 30.  I am healthier now and feel better about myself now, then I did when I turned 20.  I am married to the best person in the whole world, and I get to spend the rest of my life with him. 
To me, 30 is just a number - age is really a matter of how you feel.  I feel like I am still 21, ready to party at any moment.  So welcome 30...I greet you with open arms.  Hopefully you are as good to me as the 20's were.

My First...

Tomorrow is St. Patty's day.  A day to hunt for leprechauns and gold (I hope I find the gold).  Eat corned beef and cabbage and drink green beer (or Guinness if you prefer).  However, all those things will have to wait for me.  Tomorrow, I am running my first 5K race.  Its through downtown Kirksville and I am pretty excited about it.  I practiced the route yesterday, it's a pretty tough route with lots of hills.  I think I should be okay though.  It's sponsored by a bar downtown, so that is where the start and finish point for the race is.  So I guess I have green beer to keep me running to that finish line.  I will be dressed in green as I run through the streets of Kirksville.  Then have a green beer to re-hydrate myself obviously...and to finish off my  night, well its bowling night of course!  I am sure there at the bowling alley is where I will find all the little leprechauns and their gold.  Happy St. Patty's day.  I will try to get some pictures of this historic event and post after race day.

Lazy Days

I love lazy weekends.  This weekend started off fantastic, and I am sure it will continue that way until it ends.  Yesterday I only had to work 2 hours.  So, by 10:15 am I was home in comfy lounge clothes on my comfy couch.  It was nice to not have anything to do on a Friday.  I did some laundry, got some other work done, caught up on my favorite show Glee (which I can only watch when my Hubby isn't home).  Then I felt a little ambitious and decided to make a yummy dinner and dessert.  It turned out fantastic.
I love Gina's Skinny Taste blog.  It has all these great recipes and they are healthy for you too, or weight watcher friendly.  Last night I tried this recipe from her site http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/02/sicilian-rice-ball-casserole.html.  It was delicious.
For dessert, I made her Cinnamon Apple Crips, served warm with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt!  Another success.  I highly recommend anyone using her recipes as they are so good, and good for your weight loss goals.
Today, frozen pizza...but that is why I like lazy weekends!

It's Here...Almost

It's Friday!  Which happens to be my favorite day of the week, well not really.  But, I do get excited because it means it's the end of my work week.  This Friday is extra special.  Why you might ask?  Well, for starters the Justin Bieber movie comes out tonight, and I am just that excited to see it.  Wait, no that isn't it.  It's the start of a holiday most women love, and men hate.  Valentine's Day weekend is here.  Yup, I said weekend.  My hubby might kill me for it too. 
Valentine's day is really on Monday.  I love Valentine's day.  Not because I need flowers or gifts, but it's a day where you get to show the person you love, that you love them.  I know, I hear my hubby in my head as I write this...but what about every other day?  Don't you get to show them your love every other day?  Does love only really get one day?
My answer to that is, of course not.  I love showing my love for him every day.  But, I like the fact that on this day, we try to make it more special.  I remember the very first Valentine's day with J.  He brought me roses, took me to dinner at an awesome Italian restaurant and then we went to see Save the Last Dance.  Which at the time was a movie I really wanted to see.  It was perfect.  That was 10 years ago.  It is hard to believe we have been together 10 years.  As I think about our first Valentine's day together, I think about how every Valentine's day after that has been perfect too.  We were not always together for Valentine's day, but we would celebrate it when we got together.  This year I am doing something special for him.  Making him dinner and dessert on Sunday, because Monday I am too busy to cook.  With work and class, and then I have to work out somewhere in there, the day will just escape me.  So I will show him how much I love him on Sunday, and then again on Monday too.  And every other day of the year for the rest of my life.
I am so happy to have such a fantastic husband, I love you honey.  Happy Valentine's Day! xoxoxo