SHOCKING!

THIS JUST IN!!

I enjoy jogging/running. Yup, it's true. The girl who used to always say, "I'll only run if I'm being chased," now enj0ys working up a sweat on a treadmill or the sidewalk. Thanks to my husband Pat's encouragement and the ease of the Couch-to-5K running program found at http://www.coolrunning.com/, I actually look forward to my "running" days. I'm not actually signed up for a 5K or anything (at this time), but I might in the future. As of right now, I'm just proud of my change in judgement towards running. Not only will my health credit from it (I'm already losing inches), but Dax will too!

image credit: http://ironann.files.wordpress.com

A New Era Begins...

Today is officially the first day of the last year of my twenties. For those of you who are boggled by word problems (like I often am), let me spell it out for you. Yesterday was my birthday; I turned 29. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about the 30's looming ahead 364 days from now. I'm a firm believer in "age is just a number" or "you are only as old as you think you are," but I'm starting to see 30 as kind of a scary number. Not end-of-the-world scary, but it's more of the go-hide-under-blankets-in-your-cozy-bed-for-a-while kind of scary.

As for my birthday, it was what I wanted. I didn't really want to go out to eat. Instead, I just wanted to order in my favorite veggie-loaded pizza and relax with my husband. I was able to indulge in some gelato earlier in the day, which was nice :). But once I got home, it just didn't feel like it was my birthday. Maybe it was becuase it was a Thursday, or maybe it was becuase I'm getting older and birthdays don't always hold that same magic and wonder. Regardless, I felt myself feeling a little blue (Eeyore-style) this morning. Maybe after my "birthday party" with some old (and new) friends tomorrow, I won't still feel like I'm being followed by a rain cloud...

Picture credit goes to www.itsallabouteeyore.awoodman.net and http://hipsquare.wordpress.com/

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall..

I've noticed a change in myself lately. I've been lingered a little longer while looking at myself in a mirror. It doesn't matter if I'm getting ready or just passing a mirror on my way out of the bathroom. Regardless of where or when, I stop to admire myself rather than criticize myself. I'm liking my reflection for the first time in years, and it's nice. Don't call me vain! This is a step in the right direction that should be congratulated rather than criticised.





Now...where did I put that mirror in my desk? Time for more admiring (just kidding!).

image from http://media.80stees.com

License to be Happy :)

So, last week (Tuesday I believe), I found myself pulling into the parking lot to the Government Center. My driver's license was one month away from expiration, so I figured might as well just get the whole experience over with. I carefully chose an outfit that brought me happy memories and made sure my face was freshly powdered. In the past, I have nearly hated my license pictures. My last one from four years ago gave the impression that I had four chins for example and no neck (you think I'm exaggerating...). I avoided looking at it each time I had to pull it out of Kitty (my affectionately and appropriately named card carrier). This is Kitty:

Anyway, I had the nicest lady walk me through the paper work and picture taking experience. She complimented me on how I looked and how natural my smile was. I actually felt good about the whole process for once! What really made my day was the fact that I didn't feel guilty when writing in my weight. That was a first for me. I left hoping the 6-8 weeks for my new plastic card would go by quickly.

Last night when I brought in the mail, I was shocked to find my license already there! I ripped open that envelope with the excitement you would expect from a former me (okay, may not that former) on Christmas morning. And guess what! I liked the picture. Woo Hoo! I have one chin and a neck. Who could be happier? ;)

Wall Talkers!

It's that time of year again. The time of year where Saturday's don't mean sleeping in. Saturday's now mean listening to high schools speak on various topics or present various pieces of literature...and I LOVE it! I'm not coaching (again) this year, but that's okay. That will happen again in time, and I'm enjoying having a choice. I'm really enjoying the freedom of judging. Last weekend was the first meet of the season, and it was also K-M's first meet EVER. I was in the tab room, and it was a nice way to start the season. I'll be judging most of the weekends in Feb and March which is going to be fun (and will be earning us a little $$ too). I'm really excited that Pat will be judging many of the meets with me. Speech season always gets me all nostalgic thinking about how our relationship started. When I'm judging at meets that we competed at together in high school, I can almost see shadows of our former selves walking down the hallways hand-in-hand, and it's nice...all warm-and-fuzzy feeling.

Okay, enough with the sappiness. I know. I just can't help it...

Other than that, things are going well. I'm back on track with working out and tracking which means I'm losing weight again. Woo hoo! School is going well, although my new prep this quarter has me frantically throwing things together at times. Dax has been awesome for both comfort and warmth lately.

Overall, life is good. Pat's been really active with the home brewing which is beneficial for me. We are outside geocaching when our calendar and the weather allow. My 29th birthday is quickly approaching which as me a little anxious, but with my birthday comes Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland which I am ECSTATIC for.

Yup, that about covers it.

Oops!

So, it's been a while since I have updated my blog. It's not that I haven't thought about it; I have. It's just, the times that I did think about doing it, there was no way of doing it.

Wow, this sounds like a some adolescent make up-break up, doesn't it? Hmmmm. Let's try this again.

So, I haven't updated my blog since July. There are some definite reasons for that. August brought some of my, not our, highest highs as well as some of our lowest lows. By the time I finally felt up to blogging again, school started. Needless to say, I ran out of "free time" for a while. October came around, and I thought about blogging again. Then we experienced another one of those high/low situations on Halloween, one of my favorite holidays of all days. November came around, and I was able to escape from reality to the Wisconsin Dells for my dad's birthday. It was pretty much awesome! November also brought Pat's birthday; it was nice to get together with some of our favorite friends and have some fun. The holiday season came in and kept me busy, too. It also brought my favorite Christmas present ever. Pat called me at about 12:30 on my lunch break on Dec. 12th and told me that we were flying to Vegas that night until Monday. We were getting picked up at 6pm. If you know me, you know that I'm not so great at the spur-of-the-moment stuff; I'm pretty much a plan-a-holic. Well, I was able to get a sub and sub plans created. I also was able to pack in less than an hour in a carry on, no doubt. Those 3 nights in Vegas were exactly what I needed. It also created some of my favorite memories with my husband so far (and that's saying a lot since we've been together for over 11 years). And that brings us to January of 1020, a new year, which we brought in with some amazing friends. I can't think of a better way to welcome the unknown.

My resolutions for the new year are pretty simple. I'm hoping to learn how to finger-whistle; you know, that whistle that can pretty much stop a room. I'm also hoping to continue working out at least three times a week (but hopefully more like 4 or 5). I'm hoping to keep up the healthy weight loss. And I'm also hoping to have more highs than lows, if you know what I mean :).

image from mikepaulblog.com