Random Thoughts

1. I want to figure out my next steps with running. I thoroughly enjoy running races, but I can't say that I truly enjoy running. If I have a goal, then I am all about following the schedule to complete the task. But I just can't wrap my head around running to just run. And I have to admit, I am little jealous of all these running blogs I read where these wonderful women are out running full marathons! I guess I just wish I enjoyed it more. I am definitely not a runner. It's frustrating.

2. Anyone work out at 6 am? I tried to get up early this morning and get my workout over with, so that I would have more time in the evening to get all this stuff done.. yeah..... that didn't happen. I just feel like I have a ton of stuff to do lately, and having to take an hour out of my already short evening just kind of sucks. While I like working out, most of the time, it is totally time consuming and sucks!

3. We are still looking for a bed. I was completely SOLD on the West Elm bed from my previous post. However, when speaking with my "all-knowing" mother, she kind of suggested I wouldn't like it in a few years, and would find it hard to match with things. So now, G kind of agrees and wants a wood bed. Searching for a good quality, solid wood bed is HARD! They all start to look the same. I found a few the other day for G to look at, but he is going to have to decide.

4. And on that note.. I am in a desperate need to decorate. I know I have talked about this before. But seriously. I get crate and barrel and pottery barn magazines. I am in complete awe of homes that have been complete gutted and redone to a modern, yet comfy flair. I am in love with all things west elm. But have NO idea what I am doing. I need someone to come in and just decorate for me. Make it look cool.

5. UGH! could I complain some more.?!?!?

Birthdays

My birthday is a week from today. Kind of weird that I am going to be 28. I remember when 28 seemed OLD! haha. Now, I still feel like I could go back to college! (well maybe not). And what is so crazy about this birthday is that I have nothing that I want. Usually I have at least one thing I am asking for, but this year, I dunno, nothing really comes to mind. I guess that's a good thing. Meaning, I am pretty content in everything I "have" right now. But it does become a little difficult when people ask, aka my mom! I guess what I want is just to see my friends and family.

I love birthdays. Doesnt matter if it is mine or not. I just love to celebrate them. One day out of the whole year, that is just for you. Your day. If I know it, I will try to do my best to make sure you have a wonderful day. If not on the exact day, at least celebrate it one day close. I just like that its a special day for you (or whoever). I think I like birthdays more than holidays.

This year we are having a bunch of friends over on Saturday night to hang out, grill some food, carve some pumpkins, maybe play some cornhole. I can't wait to see everyone and just have a relaxing night with our good friends.

I had a whole point to this blog post, and now it's kind of gone wonky. Just know birthdays are the best!!!

What do you ask for for your special day?

New Feature!

I have decided to add a new feature to my blog. Every monday, there are going to be fitness and healthy living tips from my Beachbody Coach Andi. This will be "Andi's Healthy Advice".

Here is a little bit about Andi:

I'm Andi. I work as a Senior Media Buyer at an advertising agency. I'm also the lead singer in a rock band called Point1Zero, and it is a blast! I'm happily married to my super cute loving husband and have three amazing stepkids. In my spare time, I play competitive volleyball, coach my stepdaughter's volleyball team, write music, run, and oh...I love to buy shoes. :)

When it comes to fitness, I NEED to work out 4-5 times a week. If I skip too many days, I start to feel lazy and groggy. Exercising your body releases those natural endorphins that make you feel great! Staying fit and healthy is about so much more than just looking good. It's also about being able to get around and do the things you love for the rest of your life as well as feeling awesome about yourself from the inside out! You have one body in this lifetime, and it is your personal responsibility to take care of it if you are well and able. 

And her story:
Soon after turning 30 I began to realize that exercise alone wasn't cutting it anymore. Instead of maintaining I started gaining weight, because I wasn't eating right. I read a book about whipping yourself into shape back in Dec. 2007 that would forever change the way I eat. I was deeply affected by what I read in that book! I had my last steak on January 17, 2008 and never looked back. Since that date I haven't had a single bite of beef, pork, turkey, or chicken. I educated myself on all of the amazing veggie and soy products on the market and began incorporating more salads/fruits/vegetables into my diet. I was maintaining my weight at that point, but more importantly after a few months...I started to feel lighter and feel so much better overall. I still wasn't getting the toned body I wanted though, because I wasn't pushing myself physically. Then...in the summer of 2009, I was in a conversation in which the term "P90X" was introduced to me for the first time. My curiosity grew as they talked about people they knew that completed the program and how unbelievable they looked. I honestly thought I had reached an age where I was past my prime and had to accept I couldn't look the way I wanted. There were those stubborn 5+ pounds that would never go away. Well, P90X changed that dooming idea! After completing the program, I had lost 8 pounds and looked better than I did in my 20's! I truly believe in P90X, which is why I've become so interested in Beachbody as a company overall. They have amazing products that can change and improve people's lives, and I've decided I want to be a part of that! 

So please welcome Andi!!!

(Andi is not a trained professional, but gives her advice based on her personal experience through using P90X and other Beachbody programs. If you have any questions for her, please respond to these posts and she'll be sure to answer all your questions!)

New Bedroom!!!

 G and I have decided we are in desperate need of a new bed. Well, this decision was made quite a while ago when our current bed frame warped (from being CHEAP! and not put together correctly ....). So probably a year ago, we ended up putting our mattress and boxsprings on the floor, with the CHEAP bedframe around it (so it wasn't totally ghetto ;) )

And well, that only is OK for a while. So we have talked about needing an actual bed frame for a long time. And most recently we got a new Tempurpedic mattress. G is totally sold on this concept, me? I haven't slept any better, but it's what he likes. So now, we are using a regular box spring (because our stairwell wouldnt allow us to get the Tempurpedic boxspring up the stairs, way too narrow - and did you know the Tempurpedic boxspring is just like plywood?! crazy!) with our tempurpedic mattress, that is all on the floor.

Last weekend, we went out on our first official furniture shopping day.. Oh, let me also say that, basically everything in our house was either a hand-me-down, furniture from college, used furniture from friends (or craigslist purchase) or nice pieces my grandfather made. We have not really bought any NEW furniture for ourselves (well minus the bookcases I just bought from Crate & Barrel). This was/is going to be our first BIG purchase. We originally thought we wanted a nice solid wood, platform bed (for our tempurpedic). I figured that if I was going to buy a bed, I didn't want to by junk, but have a nice piece of furniture (and actually get side tables and dressers to go with it).

But then today, I came across this from West Elm!!!

upholstered bed

And I just love it! And I even love the paint colors on the walls. I am completely inspired, and hope that this is what we get. I sent the pics to G and he really liked it too. And while its not wood, I think the gray color will leave us wide open to lots of different options in the future.

I also found a ton more on West Elm that I'd really like to have as well... shopping spree anyone?

Do you love it!?

Mad, Angry, Hurt, Confused today.

Sometimes I wish my blog was completely anonymous.
That anyone who read it didn't know me in real life.
Sometimes I just want to vent and get opinions on whether my feelings are accurate and OK or if I am a totally looney tune!

But I can't.

I fear of hurting others with my feelings.
So I don't post about them.
And they get bottled up because, frankly, my husband doesn't need to hear me whining all the time.
So I try to let them go and not say anything.
Maybe it makes me a push-over in the end, I don't know.

Whistler

In trying to keep this blog light, and have a sense of variety.. I must vent a little.

I work with a "whistler". What's a whistler? It is someone who whistle's non-stop to various tunes through out the day. All of the tunes are annoying songs that get stuck in your head and won't go away.

Let me give you some background...

I work in a VERY quiet office. Meaning, there could be hours where not a word is said between anyone. No music. Nothing. It's all very strange in and of it's self, but that's a whole other post. But, since our office is so quiet, you can hear people a mile away... (let me tell you there are 13 people in the office.. two in the same room as me).

But the whistler is in the other room!! And it goes on ALL day if there is nothing to be discussed work wise. I am not even sure he is aware that he's doing it. And let me also say that, I can tolerate a lot of "stuff". I live with a person (love you G!) that can't sit still for a minute. He constantly has a foot shakin' or singin' or even whistling! And I know sometimes it's totally involuntary, his mouth just has to be moving. So while I can put up with a lot of "noise", this drives me insane!! Everyday I just want to shout out "SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE WHISTLER!!" Not that I wouldn't prefer our office to have a little more noise, but whistling ain't it.

I think its just that it's soo quiet, and that's the only noise, and they are songs you don't ever want in your head. Today I think I even heard a xmas tune! Really?!?

body issues?

I am starting to realize after my last few posts, that it seems like I have a major body issue. (and who doesn't really?). But it seems as though I am obsessed. I don't know if I can clearly state that. But blogging seems like a place I get vent a little bit. My husband G is definitely sick of hearing about workout programs, how to eat right, why I want to lose weight, etc etc. And I am sure you, my fellow (but few) readers are probably sick of it too.

Som I am going to try, from here on out, to by more conscious of my words and how I am portraying myself. Yes, I want to shed a few pounds. Yes, I am trying to make better eating choices. Yes, I am doing extreme* workouts to get into shape. But I don't want to make it seem like I am totally unhappy with myself. I am just trying to take steps to a healthier me!

I have plenty of other things going on in my life to talk about (I think). So I will work on being a better blogger. I am hoping to try out some new, yummy recipes soon, so stop back by for reviews.

I hope you continue to read. And ask questions, pass along posts you find interesting, whatever.

* in some people's mind