Men!

Phone conversation with my husband, 3:30 this afternoon:

Dan: Hey, are you going to your thing tonight?

Me: Yeah, we're meeting in Collegeville at 6:00. I'll probably be home around 9:00.

Dan: Ok, well, while your out, can you pick up toothpaste? And, uh, do you need any other bathroom stuff?

Me: Um, no... I guess I'll just swing by CVS on my way home so I don't forget.

Dan: Ok, well, can you also pick up my body wash? ...Actually, I wanted to wait until after you get home so I can make you a list of things you can pick up while you're out.

Me: Wait a second... If I'm already busy tonight, why don't you go get the stuff?

Dan: Because I'm fat and lazy...?

Me: (silence)

Dan: Ok, you're right. I'll go. Love you!

Me: Good answer. Love you, too.

Top 2 Tuesday: Summer!

I did one Top 2 Tuesday and then kind of fell off the wagon. But, I'm back on board this week :)

I love this week's topic: Top 2 Favorite Things About Summer!!

I could easily write a very lengthy list, but I've boiled it down to the two of the things that I've been pining for since January. They're kind of generic, but that's ok. It just means that they're more all-encompassing.

1. The Weather!

Call me crazy, but I love, love hot weather - up in the 80's and 90's. I love wearing tank tops and flip flops (or even better- being bare foot), I love being outside, I love having the windows open, and filling the apartment with fresh air. It's been such a horrid winter, I'll even welcome the humidity this year.

2. Vacations!

Ok, so I realize that you can take a vacation anytime during the year, but they sure are much easier to take over the summer months. We are planning at least one trip to upstate NY to camp, and hopefully we'll be able to squeeze in another. I'm also looking forward to half-day Fridays at work (a mini-vacation - every week! You'll find me poolside with a good book on Friday afternoons), and, of course, weekend beach excursions.

What are your Top 2? Visit the Undomestic Momma to play along!

I'm a Winner!

I must have been one lucky lady last week!

First of all, I won a giveaway from Nen @ Living the Small Town Life. She has a lovely blog that you must check out. She is a loves to sew and gave away an adorable tissue holder (which has already come in handy!) and a matching drawstring bag. Even the package it came in was too cute. I love the little lamb sticker and the Garfield comic wrapping.

Thanks so much, Nen! I love my tissue holder and bag!

In other bloggy news, I was also awarded with the Honest Scrap Award from Sara @ A Note on the Screen Door. Sara has another wonderful, sweet blog about her life, her Prince, and her daughter, Pretty Little Barefeet. Thanks, Sara!

As per the rules of the award, here are 10 honest facts about me:

1. I have three tattoos. An Ichthus on my lower back, a cat laying in flowers on my stomach, and a dove on my left ankle.

2. I was a vegetarian for almost 3 years, from about age 14 - 17. There are weeks when I eat like a vegetarian, and I rarely eat beef.

3. When I first started college, I thought that I was going to major in Japanese. I ended up majoring in Psychology, because I loved my school (which only had a semester and a half of Japanese) and didn't want to transfer.

4. I've had four cars in only 7 years and they've all been named: Fluffykins, Priscilla, Pearl, and Polly.

5. The first thing I ever baked, I made chocolate chip brownies. They're one of my mom's speciality and they are amazing.

6. Chocolate is my favorite food.

7. I own a bowling pin.

8. Wegman's might be my favorite store of all time. I look for any excuse to go the one that was just built in Collegeville. I was even there on opening day (although, that was a big mistake). The store has a flippin' Pub inside of it. A Pub! How cool is that?

9. My favorite movie is Cinderella. At one point, I considered auditioning to be Cinderella in Disney World.

10. Although I love the flavor of coconut, I hate eating coconut. The texture reminds me dead skin. Yuck! I'll stick with Pina Coladas.

There you have it. Now to pass the award along to.

1. Genevieve @ Lil Miss Explorer (she just started her amazing travel blog. There is a ton of fabulous advice for traveling cheap).

2. Amy @ Brain Doodlies

3. Stephanie @ A Grande Life

4. Jena @ Abundance Massage and Doula Blog

5. Amanda @ Welcome to my Life

Make sure you check these guys out!

And lastly, I won this:

Four bottles of Chimay, and six Chimay glasses (I was really hoping to win the $60 gift certificate to Headlight Tatoo, but c'est la vie. Chimay is a pretty darn good prize, too).

Dan and I went to a fundraising dinner and silent auction in dirty Jerz this past Friday to support a great organization called Pet Savers. My SIL is really involved with the group, which helps support programs for companion animals and reduces euthanasia rates at a local animal shelter. It was a ton fun - great food, a great cause, and of course, great prizes!

I Hate Running: Log 4 - Everything But Running

Once again, my running log is going to be lacking in actual running. But, it is about a few things that will help me once I get clearance about my knee.

Thankfully, it is feeling much better. But, I have not yet tried to run on it because I mistakenly thought my doctor's appointment was early last week, but it's not until tomorrow (Monday). If all goes well, I should be up and running again by Wednesday and back on schedule.

I am also looking forward to running next week so that I can test out my new running shoes. Check out these little beauties:

They are Ascis Gel Kahana 3 running shoes. They are made for stability and will hopefully help to correct my over pronation (which I suspect helped contribute to my knee problem). I am so excited to have a real pair of running shoes! (and maybe even more excited that I picked them up for nearly half of their retail price of $75 - sweet!).

As for my "workout" this week I walked for 30-45 minutes for 4 days and added in crunches and push-ups, which I have been doing nightly.

I also made some changes to my diet by upping my water intake (9-10 cups a day), and following a plan that's essentially a hybrid between the knowledge from The Food Lovers Fat Loss system and The Zone (thanks to my good friend Amy @ Brain Doodlies for all the info and advice about these plans! We did not actually order either of these systems, just garnered info from infomercials, books, and the interwebs).

The plan is not what I would consider a "diet". Instead, it's about learning to eat sensibly and get the most out of your meals by having foods that will give you longer lasting energy throughout the day. In a nutshell, I have been striving to eat a "fast carb" (bread, pasta, etc) which gives you quick energy, a "slow carb" (leafy greens, berries, grapefruit, etc.) which gives you long lasting energy, and a protein (chicken, fish, cheese, etc.) that keeps you feeling full, with each meal. I've also been watching portion sizes and having a small, approximately 100 calorie, snack about two hours after each meal to keep my metabolism up.

I love this way of eating because it's practical and it is something that you can do forever because you're eating real food. It's not a fad diet and you don't become dependent on any nasty meal replacement shakes or weird pills.

And the best part? I lost 2.5 pounds!!!

I'm itching to get back into my running routine and I'm sure that fueling my body properly is going to be make a big difference. And, if all goes well at my appointment tomorrow, my running log will have a lot more to do with actual running next weekend.

A Blatantly Narcissistic Post About My Hair

I have a confession: I have not had a hair cut in over year. And man, do I need one... bad. I used to have bangs! I used to have layers! But, now my hair is an unruly, split-end infested blob that, more often than not, gets thrown into a pony-tail and forgotten about.

Why have I let this go for so long? I think it's a combo platter of being my cheap, coupled with the fact that I haven't found a hairdresser in PA yet (well, to be fair, I haven't actually looked for a hairdresser in PA...).

I've decided that it's time. It may not be this week.... but, soon. Very soon. My hair is starting to develop a mind of its own (blonde hair - genetically engineered to be smart!).

Here's the problem. I am on the fence about what to do with it (hence an entire, ridiculous blog post devoted to my hair). Last year when I got it cut, I really got it chopped. Chin-length, bangs, stacked in the back, layers, the whole nine yards. It was fun and sassy. And, I loved it.

(I think this have become my "token short hair photo")

So, why I don't I just get the same cut?

Here's the caveat. Before I was married, my hair was quite long. At least past my shoulder blades. It had face-framing layers. It was a classic, and I could do a lot with it. And, I loved it.

(yikes! Almost forgot about Dan's long hair days)

You can see my dilemma? =P

So, what do I do? The only decision I've made so far is that bangs are out because my hair just grows too dang fast, and I hate keeping up with them. Other that, I'm stuck!

Should I go short, long, in-between (mullet?), or just say screw it all., and get a pink mohawk? Help!

I Hate Running: Log 2 & 3 - Ups and Downs

I feel like a lot has happened (good and bad) since my first running log, which is crazy considering I'm only on Week 3.

The beginning of last week was fantastic! I was right on track with my Week 2 workout (run 1.5 min/walk 2 min) and even pushing myself to do 2 minutes of running on every other cycle.

I was really focusing on regulating my breathing (in through the nose, out through the mouth) and I have been amazed at the fact that I have not been losing my breath nearly as easily as I did the first week. Initially, I thought that was going to be my biggest hurdle, but I think the gradual increase in running (vs. just trying to run straight off the bat) has been much better for my body.

All in all, I was feeling really quite optimistic and excited last week...

Until Friday, that is. Grrr. That's when the pain in my left knee set in.

It was not just the typical, beautiful soreness that I've been experiencing post-run. It was sharp every time I stepped. I ignored it (which was dumb) when I first noticed it about half way through my run because I didn't want to feel like a failure. But, by my final cycle, I couldn't ignore it anymore and walked the last 7 minutes or so.

From what I've learned about running thus far, pain is not to be ignored, or pushed through. It means that something could be wrong and pushing it will only make it worse. I believe the culprit of the pain is my unsupportive old sneakers. Number one on my priority list at the moment is to acquire a good pair running shoes. Dan (who is a former cross country runner) also gave me a few pointers on my form, which may have also contributed to my pain.

As a result of the pain, I have been taking it quite lightly during Week 3, since even walking normally makes it hurt. I feel pretty bummed that I'm already out on the sidelines with an injury, but I want to make sure that I take care of it properly before continuing my training. Thankfully, I already have a physical scheduled for next Tuesday, so I can chat with my doctor about what to do with my knee.

This week, even though I wasn't running, I wanted to be sure that I was still doing something so that I don't get out of the habit of coming home, changing into my running clothes, and heading out. So, I filled my 30 minutes with extra stretching and light walks.

On Wednesday, I decided to walk to our local library, which ended up being closer than I thought and smack dab in the middle of a beautiful park with a perfect running/walking loop (you better believe I'll be taking full advantage of it). While I was there, I signed up for a card and checked out a book about preventing and treating running injuries and another book about stretching.

And now you can really see how much of a dork I am, because I was so enthused about finally finding the library and my selection of books, that I promptly called my mom to tell her about it and was practically skipping home while we chatted. I'm sure I had a big 'ole cheesy grin on my face, too.

All in all, even though my running routine has been interrupted, I feel like it's still been a productive couple of weeks. And, oddly enough, the fact that I'm sincerely disappointed about not being able to run is encouraging. If this would have happened to me any of the other times I tried running, I would have used it as an easy excuse to give up. But, not this time! As soon as I'm heeled, getting back out to run is going to feel so good.

Sweet Ride!

I'm free!!!

I officially have my own car again, and boy, does it feel good.

No longer do I have to bug the hubby to drive me to the thrift shop or the craft store. No longer do I have to hold off on making plans because of not being able to get there, or have to bug everyone I know for a ride. I can just.... go!

We picked up Polly (a 2005 Hyundai Accent) on Tuesday after spending weeks checking out the inventory of every used car place in a 20 mile radius, scouring eBay and Craig's List, and reading dozens of reviews. This little cutie was the perfect fit for us, and I'm looking forward to adding many miles to her odometer.

Wordless Wednesday: R & K

Just wanted to post to say that I'll be AWOL for a few days because my lovely sis-in-law Rose is getting married on Sunday! Yay!

The wedding weekend festivities will kick off tonight (well, technically, they started last night with a pre-wedding, pre-rehearsal dinner, dinner at The Suburban Gal's) and Dan and I will be in NJ with the family until Monday.

I will try to get my I Hate Running log up on Saturday (no promises, though) and then I'll be back to start afresh on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday: Inspiration

*Thanks to my equally Dinsey-obsessed SIL The Suburban Gal for bringing this awesomeness to my attention.

Easter Weekend Festivities

Baking:

Egg Dying:

And Easter Egg Hunting (starring the ever-adorable Ellie!):

Saturday - at Duffield's Farm (no photos with the Bunny, though - she was less than impressed with him):

And Sunday at Mimi and The Captain's house:

Hope you all had a lovely Easter!

I Hate Running: Log 1 - Just Do It!

I have been such a bloggy slacker the past few days. I started this post on Friday and somehow, haven't gotten around to finishing it until now. I blame it on the long weekend - and my awesome family for being so lovely and making me want to do nothing but spend time with them <3

Any how, as noted in last Tuesday's post, I started running and decided to keep a weekly log. It will be mainly to keep myself accountable, but I think it will also be great to look back in a couple months and see how far I've come. This week, I'm a tad late, but in the future, I'll be aiming to get this post up by Saturday (one of my "off" days). This initial post will also be a bit more lengthy than future posts, so you're off the hook if you don't feel like reading the whole thing ;)

Goals

I'm a notoriously bad goal setter, but I've realized I'm better at sticking to them when I don't look too far afield. For example, my ultimate and (very) long term goal for running is to run a marathon.

However, if this were my only goal, I probably would have given up already. So, I've broken it to little goal-ettes to help get me there:

1. Follow a hybrid of the 8 and 24 week plans from the book Beginning Running and be able to run for 30 minutes straight in about 16 weeks.

2. Run a 5K

3. Participate in the Broad Street Run (10 miles; either in 2011 or 2012)

4. Train for, and run, a half marathon

5. Train for, and run, a full marathon

I haven't established a time frame for goals 2, 4 and 5 yet, but once I figure that out, I'll post something.

I should also note, I did not start running just because I would like to run a marathon. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that my ultimate goal is get active and be healthy. I'm a huge exercise-phobe, but I also spend a ton of time complaining about how out of shape I am. So, I decided it was finally time to do something about it. I also owe a huge thanks to my good friend Amy because she made me realize that running is not as evil as I thought.

On the contrary, I've really been enjoying it thus far. I think a big part of that is because I now understand that I cannot go from 0 to 60 in a hot second. When I've tried running in the past, I would just run out of my front door, barely make it around the block, and declare myself a failure. But, our bodies were not designed to go from sedentary to marathon ready (or even mile-run-ready) over-night. Breaking it down into gradual steps makes running for any length of seem much more realistic.

Which brings me too:

Workout for Week 1

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: Warm up - Brisk walk for two minutes. Workout - Run for one minute, walk for two minutes - repeat 10 times (or 30 minutes total). Cool down - walk for 2 -5 minutes. Stretch before and after.

Tuesday and Thursday: Light walk or hike for at least 30 minutes.

I have to admit Tuesday I did nothing physical. Although, I did chat about running for a long while with Amy (that's got to count for something, right?). But, other than that, I kicked week one's butt!

Biggest /Win for the Week

I could say that my biggest accomplishment this week was conquering the hills that plaque the neighborhood around my apartment complex. Or, I could say that it was bringing my running clothes to work last Wednesday and going out to run before the meeting that I had to stay late for. I could even say that my biggest accomplishment was when I fell in the mud an scarped my knee, but got up and kept going because I was only half-way done.

But, none of that would have happened if I didn't make the ultimate decision to get off my big 'ole butt and run in the first place.

Therefore, my biggest /win this week is actually getting up and running. There are so many reasons to not run, but I've finally exhausted all my excuses and made the decision to find the reasons to run. And for that, I feel pretty darn proud of myself.