random stuff

I got my new recumbent bike on Tuesday afternoon at work.  My dad convinced me I should let one of the guys at work put it together instead of trying to do it myself.  Turns out this was a smart idea as my dad had to help the dude put it together...it was a bit complex.  My dad was then soooo soooo nice and brought it over to my house for me.  He kept trying to help me out further by placing it, but I couldn't have him do that since I wasn't entirely sure how I wanted to make the room work.

As a kid, I LOVED moving furniture around in my bedroom.  I thought it such an adventure to have a different room design.  Unfortunately for me, I have a small home and a fondness for furniture.  This means there is very little room for my creativity.  =/

I had a vision, however, and carried it through.  I was afraid, you see, of having to get rid of my coffee table ottoman that I absolutely adore.  I managed to make it work without going to such extremes.  I just moved things around a bit to give my bike a great view of the TV.  I do, however, feel a bit guilty.  In case you haven't caught on, my one true love Penelope went blind over a year ago.  She is 10 years old and was raised in my house, so she knows it forward and backward.  It's kind of mean to move things around at this stage in the game, but I think she will figure it out.

Another issue I've been having lately is with my WiFi.  I apparently forgot my passkey.  So, I've been all old school connected through what seemed like an endless supply of wires.  I had no clue how to create a new password or reset my router, so I did some Google-searching, learned how, and managed to do it ALL BY MYSELF.  Mind you...I'm not very computer savvy, so this was a BIG deal to me!

In other news...found out today that my Galveston Seawall Half scheduled for November 19th has been canceled.  This makes me sad as it seemed like a really cool race.  Ah well...maybe they will do it again next year!

and then there is...training.

Training is going...okay.  Since I made the decision to walk The Hottest Half (not a decision I'm proud of, but one that is necessary for survival), I've determined that the new shoes I bought aren't going to make the grade.  They are a really great motion control shoe for "the heavier runner".

New Balance 1012

I like them as far as comfort and feel go, BUT it's a heavy shoe.  The weight is 12 oz.  Yikes!  I did some shopping on Amazon last night and found a lighter (7 oz) shoe (a cross-trainer) that I think will be better for the walk.  With training wearing the heavier shoe, though, I should be super speedy once I get to lighten the load!  ha!

New Balance Women's WX20 NB Minimus Training Shoe

Last, but not least...I got the biggest craving EVER for green bean casserole.  I decided to feed the beast and make me some.  I forgot to take a picture (bad blogger), but trust me when I tell you it turned out delish and it was oh so simple to make.  I just took one can of 98% fat free cream of mushroom and whisked in 3/4 of a cup of skim milk.  I added salt and pepper to taste and then a 19 oz bag of frozen green beans that had been thawed out.  Next, I took a small can of French's fried onion and put all but the last 1/4 in the mixture.  I poured the mix into a casserole dish, topped it with the remaining onions, and baked it on 350 for 45 minutes.  I've determined that 1 cup is about 200 calories.  That's a lot of green bean casserole happiness!

So, that's about it in a nutshell.  I guess I've been kind of boring the last few months with my posts.  Welcome to my world - haha!

Hope y'all are having a lovely week!

I heart my weekends!

I started off my weekend the right way.  I met up with my friend Amy for dinner at Alicia's Mexican Grille.  Do you know how I met Amy?  I always say she is the only good thing that ever came to me from Craig's List.  I did the dating thing for a while (no, that isn't how I met her) via Craig's List and although I met a couple of nice guys, I didn't meet the right guy.  I also met some weirdos, wife cheaters, etc.  I have since vowed to not go that route again, by the way.  Anyway, I posted a CL ad about 3 years ago seeking out a gym buddy and Amy was the only one to answer the ad.  We became fast friends...eventually foregoing the gym for dinner/tv nights at my house once a week.  Amy moved to the other side of town a while back, so our dinners have become less frequent, BUT the good news is that she is moving closer to me (ironically in the same apartment complex I lived in before buying my house) come mid-August, so that makes me happy!

After our delicious fajita dinners, we decided to go to the bar Amy works at once or twice a week for a drink.  I saw this sign in the bathroom and it made me laugh:

I went home relatively early because I had to work for a couple of hours on Saturday.  Boo! 

On Saturday, after work, I decided to hit up Target and Walmart to look at their recumbent bikes.  A wise woman I know encouraged me to purchase either an elliptical or a bike to ride while I'm doing my zoning out (reading, watching tv/movies, etc) thing after work.  This way I'm at least getting some kind of movement in and I can do so in the comfort of my own home.  Target, it turns out, only sells recumbent bikes on-line.  Walmart, on the other hand, didn't let me down.  I found the one I wanted (having done a bit of research on-line) and discovered that I could buy it $15 cheaper on Amazon.com, so I instantly ordered it.  Yay for the Amazon.com application on my phone!  It will be here on Tuesday - can't wait!  =)

I then went home and showered in preparation for my family lunch - this time at ol' faithful BJ's Brewhouse.  I ate the jumbalaya - delish (but my mouth was on fire - haha)!

After lunch, I went home and took a much needed nap.  I was exhausted for the week's work stress.  After a 2+ hour nap, I went to my parent's house for a puppy-welcoming party!  Older sister Cathy and brother-in-law Jay brought home their cutie patootie little puppies.  They are Shih-Poos (formerly called Shitzapoos) - a Shihtzu/Poodle mixed breed - named Willie and Waylon.  We had the best time watching the puppies play with their new toys and with Oliver!

On Sunday, I went out to do 6 sweaty miles.  I walked them and met my goal pace which was to keep it under 16 min/miles.  I am capable of better...or I will be once I get back into my routine and get into better shape.  Just hoping that 3 weeks is long enough to get me where I want to be!  Lesson here - procrastination does NOT pay off when it comes to race training!

I chilled at the house for a few hours and then I went out to my Meliska's house to hang out with Meliska and Liam!  We had a blast!  I can't get enough of Liam's smiles and laughs!!!

Last night I decided to make the infamous overnight oats (Fit Chick Britt is always posting about them, afterall).  I Googled how to do it (cuz I was too lazy to search through Britt's posts, although I should have) and then I got down to business.  The tip I read was to do 1 part oats to two parts liquid.  I had a peanut butter jar with a little bit of peanut butter remnants hanging out.  I added 1/2 cup of oats, 1 cup skim milk, cinnamon, a Splenda packet, and half a banana (sliced).  I then shook it all up and put it in the fridge.

I couldn't wait to try it this morning (after stirring it up, of course), BUT then...when I did...I was kinda disappointed.  My oats were runny.  I'm a fan of thick oats.  My usual routine is to mix 1/2 cup of oats, 1 cup of water, 1 TBSP Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, and cinnamon and then cook in the microwave for 2 minutes.  It's heaven in my mouth.  These overnight oats have potential, but I think I have to work on the right mix and measurement of ingredients.  Good thing I've been stocking up my "empty" jars of peanut butter!

So, all in all a nice relaxing weekend...just what I needed to get me through another hell week at work!

Hope y'all had a lovely weekend, as well!

blah

I'm in a funk.  A bad funk.  I do nothing but work, think about work, play my Zuma Blitz on Facebook to zone out, read from my current book (Wither by Lauren DeStefano) to zone out, and/or watch my latest obsession on Netflix (Eureka) to...yeah, you guessed it...zone out.  The zoning out is my version of survival mode to get me through this awful summer at work.

I've put on quite a bit of weight over the past few months.  I'm terribly embarrassed over this.  It's not just from a lack of movement.  My diet plan has just been non-existent.  Well, to be fair...every day I wake up with a plan, but my follow-thru sucks.

I've been getting sleep, finally.  That's a plus.  I'm just not happy, though, and my lack of happiness combined with my stress is causing some emotional eating.

I don't have a plan on how to get on the right track.  I know that I have to get this excess weight off of me STAT.  It is making me uncomfortable in mind, body, and spirit.  I used to be so proud of myself and now...I just feel...discouraged, disappointed, disgusted...

My training for my upcoming half marathon is a joke.  You would think I have 4 months before the race by the way I've so nonchalantly done absolutely nothing in preparation. Tonight I managed a pathetic two miles - mostly walking.  My body hated it.  My mind rebelled.  My heart is just...not right.

I have thought about dropping from my race, but well...isn't that just too easy?  What about the next one on Oct. 9th?  Or Oct. 29th?  Am I just going to continue to fall deeper and deeper into a hole I can't get out of?

No...I'm going to face the music and do The Hottest Half.  I just know it isn't going to be pretty and that I deserve the wretched results.

So...until 8/12 when I leave for Dallas...I vow to move every day in someway.  Let's see what I can do in 3 1/2 weeks.  I may still be struggling emotionally, but it's time to put the big girl pants on and do something about it.

what's making me happy NOW

Last month I posted what was currently making me happy, so I thought I would do it again cuz....maybe these things can make you happy, too.  =)

Chobani yogurt.  

Eureeka!  I *finally* found it.  A little background story...while my family vacationed in Orlando over Thanksgiving doing the whole Disney/Universal thing, my parents requested we all make grocery lists of what we wanted them to buy for our rental home.  Older sister Cathy and perhaps a couple others put Greek yogurt on the list.  My parents bought Chobani.  Everyone raved about them, but stubborn me never tried it.  Maybe I felt guilty cuz I didn't put it on my list or maybe I was too busy getting my dairy fix with the sugar free pudding I had requested or maybe I'm just a dumb-dumb.  Who knows?  Over the past month, I've decided I want to try it.  I've checked out my H.E.B., but to no avail.  I looked at two different Krogers...still no luck.  I searched the Walmart by work on the off chance that maybe they got cool and started carrying trendy brands, but came up empty handed.  I finally found Chobani at the Kroger near my parent's house this week.  Oh wow.  I see why everyone loves this brand of yogurt.  It is creamy decadence.

source here

Lenny's Sub Shop's Chef Salad

Salads seem to cost an arm and a leg these days.  Lenny's Chef Salad is $6.77 including tax.  It is filled with lettuce, tomato, green pepper, black olives, onion, pickles, red pepper relish, banana peppers (I nix these), and then turkey, ham, and provolone cheese.  It comes with your choice of dressing - I go with the light ranch - and croutons (I nix these), sunflower seed kernals (yum), and crackers (I nix these).  Since I've decided to remove bread carbs from my diet for a yet to be determined amount of time, this is the perfect lunch for me.  Too bad there isn't a Lenny's close to the office.  =/

SoBe Lifewater 0 Calories

As with all of these kind of beverages, certain flavors are enhanced with the bonus of providing additional benefits.  C-vitamins are added to some flavors, for example, while electrolytes are added to others.  Favorite flavors include, but are not limited to:  Strawberry Dragonfruit, Mango Melon, and Strawberry Apricot.  I find these drinks to be refreshing and sweet without some weird/gross after taste.  They can get a bit pricey, but you should be able to find them for $1.00 a piece when on sale and/or at Walmart or Target.

source here

Chainlove.com

That Pink Girl knew I was considering purchasing a CamelBak for my upcoming Hottest Half race next month.  Yes, yes...you might think me the queen of the mcdorks, but this dork has had one two many incidents with dehydration cramping during races and doesn't want to take any chances.  Being the sweet friend that she is, TPG saw an awesome deal on the website above and sent me a text right away letting me know I had about 20 minutes left to purchase this 72 oz hydration pack for only $20.  What a deal!  So...if I'm to understand Chainlove.com correctly...they run short-term deals (30 minutes each) constantly throughout the day and it's a "you snooze, you lose" kinda thing.  I'm just thankful TPG wasn't snoozing!  Thanks, girl!  =)  By the way...you can download an alert for Windows and/or for Explorer or other web browsers to help you not miss out on great deals!

source here

Sleeping in my own bed. 

After having been at my parent's house for the past 6 nights, I can assure you I am WAY ready to crash in the comfort of my own lovely cushiony happiness.  My parents like firm mattresses and placed them in all the spare bedrooms of their home.  It's like sleeping on a board.  My body isn't happy....but it will be...soon....I can't wait!

RedBox

I love being able to rent a movie for $1.08.  Their website is so helpful, too.  If you want a specific movie, it will tell you which Red Box closest to you has it.  How thoughtful is that?!  You can also pick a future release you want to rent and set a reminder for Red Box to alert you when it is ready for rental.  I also love how there are so many Red Boxes located pretty much everywhere for my convenience and that I don't even have to return a movie to the same Box I rented it from.  This was an ingenious business design!

source here

The Harris County Public Library

Meliska is the one who encouraged me to start hitting up the library for books instead of spending my hard earned money.  I am forever thankful.  I have a tendency to borrow audio books above all else because there is less of a wait for the popular books in audio format AND because it helps occupy me during my commute to and from work so that I am not focusing on work 24/7 and/or road raging.  It has also provided me with a great means of "reading" more than one book at the same time since I can be listening to one while reading another.  I love how I can request a book and that the library will notify me when it is available for me.  They keep it for me for a week and they have such great hours that even a girl with cRaZy working hours like myself can find time to check-out/return books as necessary. 

The Goose.
I cannot believe I forgot to put a pic of him in his 4th of July outfit when I wrote up my 3-day weekend post.  What's wrong with me?  Of course my cute mom decked out the house in 4th of July decor - stickers on the guest bathroom mirror, table cloth on the kitchen table, the fireplace mantle, etc.  We all know the main attraction is always...The Goose.

So, tell me...what is making YOU a happy camper these days?

Day 21: Favorite TV Show

Did you think I forgot all about my 30-day Challenge?  Nope...just went on hiatus.  2/3 of the way done.  No worries...it's only taking me 5 months+ to get through these!  Oye!

We are on Day 21 - A favorite TV show

I have to go with my favorite show of all time.

Do you know what it is?

Do you know me at all?

source here

I remember watching the very first episode all by myself at home.  I really wasn't sure what to think.  I mean I guessed I liked it.  I was intrigued enough to keep watching.  Sometime during Season 1, I started watching the show with some friends (who I'm no longer friends with for a very good reason).  We would get together each week either at their apartment or at my house and watch our beloved show and then discuss it afterwards.  We did this for Season 2 and part of Season 3, as well.  Then our friendship ended and I believe I watched the remainder of Season 3 by myself, but I knew I needed to find some other friends to get LoSt with.

See how my Meliska is always there when I need her?  So true!  Meliska and Greggy-D opened up their home each week for friends to get Lost together.  It became one of my weekly rituals that I cherished!

I watched Season 4 through Season 6 with my buddies.  We theorized all kinds of crazy ideas (mirror matter moon theory) we found in our research (obsession what?).  We would get together at the season finale each year and sort of make a party of it.

I would discuss the show with my brother-in-law the day after it aired, as well.

I remember Meliska's parents inviting us over to their house for the series finale (Mellie's dad was a HUGE fan, too).

I know a lot of people weren't down with the conclusion of this epic adventure, but I was satisfied, for the most part.  Really there is sort of a mourning you have to go through when a beloved television show comes to an end.  I know our parent's generation might have felt that way about MASH, for example.

Never before has a television show made me just think and wonder and theorize and research before.  Never has one intrigued me.  Never have I eagerly awaited each and every episode of a program before.  Never have I gotten so enraptured in the characterizations and I kind of wonder if I ever will again.

What is/was your favorite TV show of all time?

3-day weekend

Watched 6 movies.  Must have been Red Box's best customer this weekend.

Morning Glory - cute/sweet
Vanishing on 7th Street - ugh/don't waste your time
The Last Exorcist - okay
Battle:  Los Angeles - not my kind of movie
Conviction - pretty good
Devil - decent

Went swimming twice.  Starring...THE DOGS!

Ollie wears a kerchief so his head doesn't get sunburned and then he floats in his "boat".

Ate WAY too much food.
 
homemade suchi - Craig made most of them and they turned out beautifully.  I tried my hand at forming the California rolls and failed miserably.  See if you can figure out which ones are mine.  =/

HB Steakhouse - yum!

and other unmentionables...

There was some bone-hoarding coveting going on...

Delilah looking innocent despite her stash.

Coco on "her" ottoman

Some just plain cuteness...

Sweet Penelli

Oliver with his new toy named "Chef guy"

Might have watched most of the entire Teen Mom marathon on MTV.  Yes, Meliska...I'm all ready for the new season.  =P

Had to rescue Craig and Linda when Linda's battery died and they got stranded at Babies R Us.

It was just the kind of weekend to refresh/recharge me.  Now I just need to make it to Labor Day weekend.

Hope your weekend was everything you needed it to be and more! 

Happy July!

I hated June.  I think I hate June every year come to think of it.  Oh well...it's neither here nor there cuz a new month is upon us.

One little cool thing about June though is that mi casa turned 11.  Ye gads, can you believe it?!  11!!!  How am I old enough to have bought and lived in my very own home for 11 years???  I can tell it's 11, though.  Ruben is needing some work.  My second garbage disposal blew out and needs replacement.  The whole interior of the house could use a fresh coat of paint.  The master bathtub/shower is needing some retiling.  Pretty sure two new toilets would be lovely!  Once I open up the can of worms called home-improvement, there will be no turning back.  The cool thing is that in less than 7 years, Ruben is 100% mine...all mine thanks to some refinancing I did several years back.  Now that is a good feeling!  =)

Let's look at July...

The parentals are abandoning ship AGAIN.  My father is heading out to Scotland on a golf trip with two of his brothers and my mother is going out to Los Angeles to visit with my brother and sister-in-law and then continuing her jaunt out to Vegas for some R&R.  This means I head to their house for Oliver-sitting.  I thought to ask Linda and Craig (and Coco) to join me and my monsters for a long-weekend staycation. We plan to eat, watch movies, and soak up the sun poolside.

I also plan to get some mad mileage in.  We need not mention how The Hottest Half is *gulp* six weeks away and how this chickadee isn't nearly where she should be training-wise.  I blame work for zapping the life out of me, by the way....well and a stupid blister on the back of my heel, but whatever....

Since I'm gonna be at the parental's house for about a week, I figure it reaps a couple of advantages.  It saves on my electric bill at home (thank God) and they have a home gym.  I can cross train my heart out on the bike when I'm not walking, running, skipping, crawling out my mileage on the pavement in this AWFUL heat. 

So happy July to you all!  May you have a wonderful much needed holiday weekend filled with fun, family, and friends!