Earlier this year, I started a blog where I share at least one small moment in my day that made me happy. You should totally check it out. :) A Happy Moment A Day.

This week's Monday Listicle topic is 10 tiny (or secret) things that bring you joy. Easy! I'll just look at that blog to see what I've blogged about most.

10 Things that Make Me Happy

1. Jeff. He is definitely what makes me the most happy.
2. Sallie. From watching her sleep to play to cuddle, she always makes me smile.

3. Eating. It might surprise my family, but I actually do love to eat and try new things in the kitchen. All within reason, of course. ;)
4. Movies. Nothing beats relaxing after work by curling up with Jeff and watching a movie. Thank goodness for Redbox!
5. Running. I know some of you might think I'm crazy, but running really does make me happy.
6. Blogging. I enjoy writing posts but even more than that, I love interacting with other bloggers!
7. Being outside. My work day always goes a bit better when I'm able to sit out in the sun for a few moments during my lunch. Also, just sitting out on our patio brings a smile to my face.
8. Laughing. I love to laugh. I love the sound of my laugh and I like the way it makes me feel - especially the day after a hard ab workout. :)
9. Freebies. If I'm offered something for free, even if it's something I don't necessarily need or want, I'll take it. 
10. Our apartment. It's nothing super fancy or great, and there are some quirky problems, but it's got a kickass patio and it's steps from the hot tub, plus it's in Vegas! So much fun!!

What tiny things bring you joy? Now go visit Stasha to read other lists of joy.
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Adding a Little Protein Boost

As runners or any athlete, really, we know the importance of properly feeding our muscles. Adding protein immediately after a workout or long any run can help with recovery as well as muscle soreness.

Plus, it just feels good to reward yourself for a job well done.

There are a lot of great protein products out there, but I'm always excited to try something new, so I was super pumped to have the opportunity to try out Designer Whey.

Great incentive to go work out, am I right?

I LOVE..

It's finally Valentine's Day!! Not that we're really doing anything special to celebrate. I think I'll finally make the nice pasta dinner that I've been threatening to make all week, and maybe we'll take a soak in the hot tub, if it's nice enough outside.

I've only got a few minutes before I have to dash off to work, but I wanted to share three things I'm really in love with right now.

1. My Family

It's a little weird to think that right now my immediate family consists of me, my husband and our dog. I'm 35yo, so I don't think I can really count my parents and siblings as immediate anymore. I still love them, of course. I always will. But the love I have for Jeff and Sallie (yes, I know she's a dog), is kind of a different kind of love. Jeff and Sallie bring me lots of smiles every day. I love talking to them. And playing together. We have a pretty great time together. And I certainly wouldn't change that for anything!

2. My Life

My job is going really well. Our apartment is wonderful. I've been running and working out pretty consistently. I'm enjoying being a #FitFluential ambassador. You already know why I'm loving my bike, too. More days than not I find myself smiling for no apparent reason and just being filled with all kinds of love and positive energy.

3. My Bed

This may sound weird, but I really am in love with my bed.

DynastyMattress New Cool Breeze 12-Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress-King Size.


We've only been married for 8 years, and this is the 5th mattress we've purchased. 5th time's the charm, right? It's a firm mattress, true, but it just envelopes me in a supportive way that is difficult to describe but absolutely perfect!

I'm not sure I've ever loved something more. Certainly no other mattress has compared to this. I could seriously go on and on and on, but I've got to get to work. If you're in the market for a new mattress, I'd recommend this. Hands down. Best part is that it's less than $700. For a mattress? Yep.

We've had it for almost two month's now, so I feel like this love is real and here to stay. :-)

What are you loving today?
Any big plans to celebrate Valentine's Day
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5 Simple Reasons to Love Running

There's just something about running. I love it.

Sometimes, I can't help but think WHY! It often hurts. It can be time-consuming. Sometimes people look at me funny. Sometimes I feel like people judge me.

Plus, I'm not necessarily a very good runner. I'm pretty average when it comes to pace and endurance. I'm far from a fanatic. I don't spend a lot of time talking about running or researching the best gear or latest toys. Outside of this blog, of course.

But you know what? IT DOESN'T MATTER. Despite all of that, I still love running.

5 simple reasons to love running.

In no particular order.

I ♥ My Bike

It's Monday, which means it's listicle time!! I'm straying off topic today, but I hope you'll stick with me. :)

I want to give a little love shout-out to my bike this week. Y'know, since it is Valentine's week after all. I may do a little running love later in the week, too. Stay tuned.

As you know, I'm a runner. I've always been a runner not actively, but it's always been my #1 choice of exercise, and resisted riding a bike for many years. Even as a little girl, I never really liked riding bike. I'd much rather walk.

Whenever anyone would ask me if I would ever consider doing a triathlon, I'd say, I'd love to except for the whole biking and swimming parts. I'm still not on board with the swimming, but I've really come to love my bike.

10 REASONS I LOVE MY BIKE

1. It's pretty. I like the green color and the overall design.
2. It's fancy. When we got rid of our car back in Aug 2010 and bought our bikes, we spared no expense and got a little fancy. It's got disc brakes and an internally geared 8-speed hub. That's about as technical as I can get and yes, I had to look that up to get the terminology right.
3. It allows me to slow down. Commuting by bike is definitely more strenuous physically, but it allows me to notice the mountains more and other things in my surroundings.
4. It helps save on gas. This is better on our pocketbook as well as good for the environment. Win-win!
5. It's fun! There isn't a lot of things that Jeff and I can do together outside he's not really a runner or a hiker, but we can enjoy a nice bike ride together.
6. It's cheap. Well, the bike itself wasn't, nor were the accessories, BUT I don't have to pay to use it. I just jump on and GO.
7. It's accessorizeable. yeah. I know that's not really a word. From panniers to pouches to safety lights and bells, there are so many cool things to make biking even more fun and convenient. Jeff recently ordered me a bunch of new stuff, and I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival.
8. It gives me bragging rights. You commute to work?! How many miles?! Wow! I'm jealous! I wish I could do that! I love hearing things like that.
9. It makes me a better driver. The more I bike commute, the better a driver I become. I've become more aware of what else is going on around me when driving - watching for cyclists, walkers/runners, and, of course, other drivers.
10. It gives me an excuse to eat more. This might not be such a good thing. ;-) Honestly, though, I think it helps me crave healthier, better energy burning snacks.

All that being said, I'm driving to work today. It's only 42°F feels like 34 outside with a 15 mph wind. Um. No, thank you!

Now, why not pop on over to The good life to read lists about top “OH NO YOU DIDN’T” GIFTS for Valentine's Day. I bet they'll be a lot of fun and will probably make you laugh a lot more than this one did.

If you bike ride, what do you love most about your bike?
What would be on your list of "Oh, no, you didn't" gifts?
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Grandma Lill’s 96th Birthday Virtual Race!

It was super windy yesterday. I know, nothing compared to Nemo or Orko, but when it comes to weather, sometimes I'm a big ole wimp.

I wanted to get in a 5 mile run, and I tried to convince myself to put on some warmer clothes and head outside, but I just. couldn't. do it.

I headed to our little fitness center instead. To run on the treadmill. I figured I'd do the first 3.1 miles for a virtual race.

I did this much later in the day than I usually hit the treadmill, and my heart wasn't really into it, so this was TOUGH! No surprise that I didn't PR.

My speed on this varied between 6.5 and 7.0, and the incline varied from 0.0 to 2.0. I think it was the inclines at a faster pace than I'm used to that did me in.

I paused the treadmill to snap a quick picture.

And had the hardest time finishing out my 5 miles. I tried running and then switched to walking for a bit. Even when I increased back to a run, I only went up to a 6.0 speed - and had some trouble maintaining that.

Of course, my goal for every single run is to do it with a sub-10:00 pace. Some days I really have to work hard for it. Like yesterday.

In the end, I did manage to eke out a 9:53 pace.

Have you signed up for this virtual race?  What are you waiting for? She's got some great prizes. Head on over to Livin the Sweat Life for all the details. You have until Feb 21st to run a 5K. Good luck!
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Date Night - Bahama Breeze

Way too long ago three and a half weeks, I got invited to attend a blogger event at Bahama Breeze. This was my first event like this, but not my first time at Bahama Breeze, but I somehow convinced my husband to join me.

I'm so glad that I did!

It turned out to be such a fun date night for the two of us. We hadn't had one in such a long time, and it was beyond needed. We enjoyed great conversation, delicious food, and lots of laughter.

Bahama Breeze really outdid themselves for this little shindig. They were rolling out some new drinks top left in above pic, so they invited Las Vegas bloggers out to help spread the word. I was so happy to lend a hand.

New Drinks

Yaka Hula Hickey Dula, Hawaii

Daisy de Santiago, Cuba

The Yaka Hula Hickey Dula was not only fun to say, but it was right up our alley - fruity, sweet and strong! :) Jeff slurped his down right away and tried to start on mine.

The Daisy de Santiago wasn't exactly our cup of tea. It was too minty and not as easy for us to down. These ended up sitting on the table, relatively untouched. *sigh*

Then they also brought out their Ultimate Pina Colada lower left in above pic, which I'd had on a previous visit. Now, this is a drink we could definitely get on board with. It's basically a mix between a pina colada with a strawberry daiquiri. They top it with Myers Dark Rum and fresh coconut. Jeff loved this drink and raved about it from his first sip.

We were also treated to some divine appetizers.

As you might know, we try to eat as little meat as possible, but we also believe strongly in not letting food go to waste, so we tried everything they provided.

They first brought out Jamaican Chicken Wings and Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sliders. We normally do not like eating anything off the bone - particularly chicken wings. Seems too barbaric to us. Still, we gave them a try. It was awkward, but the flavor was wonderful. I wonder if they'd make these boneless? The sliders, of course, were absolutely delicious. We couldn't get enough of them.

Next they brought out Beef Empanadas and  Coconut Shrimp. These little pastries, filled with beef and potatoes, were perfection. So much flavor in both the filling and the flaky crust.

I was really hesitant to try the coconut shrimp. I'm not a lover of seafood. In fact, nothing about it usually appeals to me. The smell. The look. But, I wanted forced myself to try these.

WOW! I couldn't believe how much I liked these. I seriously couldn't stop eating them. Probably because they were coated enough that I couldn't smell them and the shrimp taste was well masked.  Warning: These were pretty sweet, especially dipped in the accompanying sauce.

Sharing these four appetizers between the two us was way too much food. We had our fill - and then some. We got to take some home with us, and it was a delicious lunch for me the next day.

Oh, when I visited the restroom before leaving the restaurant, I saw this.

Yep, a mouthwash dispenser. Ha! A nice little touch. :)

In addition to the great good and fantastic drinks, we got goodie bags. Including a hawaiian shirt for each of us. A hulu doll. Plus some gift cards for next time.

And there will be a next time.
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Disclaimer: All food and drinks were provided to me free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. And my husband's.

They're back

Whiny Wednesdays

At least for this week.

I'm feeling a little whiny/grumpy/whateveryouwanttocallit, and thought it was time for a little Whiny Wednesday. Surprisingly, this is the first one of 2013, so I guess I'm doing pretty good. :-)

This morning, I declared this to be a REST day. I probably shouldn't have, but I just wasn't feeling it. After making this decision, I decided to step on the scale. THIS WAS A MISTAKE! I gained 3 pounds since the last time I stepped on. This wasn't terribly surprising since I've been feeling so hungry lately that I've been eating WAY too much. 

This should have motivated me to work out, but it didn't. Instead I decided to clean up my Inbox while eating breakfast (leftover pancakes with sliced bananas and maple syrup. Yum!) and watching GH.

Remember, how I wanted to ride my bike to work everyday in February? I don't know what I did exactly, but somehow I seem to have injured my coccyx (cuz that's more fun to say than tailbone) - making biking a wee bit painful. It seemed to be fine riding into work Monday morning, but the ride home was quite painful uncomfortable. I'm sure it's nothing serious, but it's irritating enough to keep me off my bike. Even sitting at work is annoying, but what's a girl to do? It's certainly not painful enough to call in sick.

I need more money. Doesn't everyone?? Jeff wants to buy all these things to improve our apartment and make our life more comfortable, but I'd rather grin and bear it and spend the money on trips to CA and/or races and/or nights out in Vegas. I'm trying to get on board with buying new appliances, but it's so hard for me to make that a priority. What if we don't end up staying in our apartment for at least 5 years? That's our current plan. Are new appliances, among other things, really necessary?

I mentioned my coccyx, but really I'm feeling a bit achy all over. I know some of it is still residual from Saturday's PR - the good kind of pain that reminds me of a job well done, but also my foot still hurts and I've added a little shin pain to the mix. Oh joy!

Also, I've been feeling fat lately. I know, I know. I'm not FAT, but sometimes I just feel like my tummy could really be a bit flatter. You only see pics of me really sucking it in. :-)

With feeling fat, comes feeling unattractive. I even got dressed this morning in my frumpiest looking outfit. I ended up changing into a different sweater before leaving the house, but honestly, it's not much better.

Ok. Enough with the whine! Time for lunch outside in the sunshine. That always makes me smile!

What are you whining about today?
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What's in YOUR Purse?

I usually lose at those What's in Your Purse? games at parties. I rarely carry a purse with me, but when I do, there isn't usually much in it. Any nothing all that unusual.

I considered doing something different for this week's listicle, but then I decided to go ahead and pull my purse out of the closet to see if there were even 10 things inside. Shockingly, there were. In fact, there were even a few more than what's on this list.

10 types of THINGS IN MY PURSE

1. 3 pens
2. 2 business cards (not mine)
3. 1 temporary tattoo
4. 1 DMV number/ticket thingy
5. 2 containers of lip gloss (one with 6 different colors)
6. 1 paper clip
7. 1 tampon, 3 panty liners
8. 1 crumpled up straw wrapper
9. 1 movie stub
10. 4 coins

Do you carry anything unusual in your purse?

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Don't forget to swing by The good life to see what everyone else is hauling around.

January in Review

I started writing this post at the end of January and by start I mean, wrote one sentence, but then for some reason I decided to wait to write it until after my Feb 5K. Now, that was just plain silly as I should've know that a race recap would be long enough to be a post on it's own.

So, here's my January recap with a tiny bit of Feb thrown in.

I'll confess. I was none to sad to see January come to an end. Personally, it was a great month, but work was stressful and crazy busy. Unfortunately, that really clouded the month. Plus, it was cold here relatively speaking, and the cold always makes me a bit cranky.

Since I'm still super stoked about my 2013 goals, I thought I'd do my month-end reviews centered around those goals.

Run Faster.
I know this goal will take me all year, but I started January out with a Virtual Race that proved I hadn't fallen too far behind my previous PR.

Previous PR - 28:12

January's 5K - 28:24

If you read yesterday's post, you know that my new PR is 27:09, so I'm definitely heading in the right direction to be able to conquer that sub-25:00.

Eat Healthier.
Overall, I could have done much better with this. Honestly, convenience food is just so much more, um, convenient. After long, hard days at work, I just don't feel like doing anything for dinner. But I did manage to try two new recipes.

Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls

White Bean Soup

The egg rolls were delicious, but the soup was inedible. Seriously, so bad that we ended up throwing a frozen pizza in the oven.

Train Harder.

Again, I could've been much better about this. In total, I did 17 workouts, which comes out to roughly 4 a week. I guess that's not bad, but I think it was so disorganized. I really need to make a better plan for Feb.

Still, I can see some progress in my arms.

I had to flex the shit out of my arms to make Feb look as good as I did. By the end of the year, I want them to look good without have the flex. so. damn. hard. :-)

Read More.

I definitely read more in Jan this year than I did last year. It's been really nice bringing my Kindle with me to work and reading over lunch. A great little stress releaser.

I even finished 3 books. Unfortunately, I've only reviewed 1. Great reminder for me to write a review (or at least rate on Goodreads) for the other two.

Come Hell or High Water by Marvin Leblanc

I Never by Bradley Convissar

The Incredible Tito by Howard Fast

Serve More.
This one was kind of a struggle this month. My impact was small, but I figure, hey, at least I did something.

CharityMiles Impact

9.1 miles healthier through Partnership for a Healthier America

11.4 minutes of cancer research through Stand Up To Cancer

5.1 antiretroviral pills through (RED) to benefit The Global Fund

The last Sunday of the month, Jeff and I went to one of the nearby washes with a couple trash bags to pick up litter along the bike path. Neither of us were really in the mood to do it. Plus, it was really windy, so we ended up going for a much shorter time than we'd originally planned. Still we picked up one pretty full/heavy bag of trash.

Jeff also did a LOT of service in our apartment community. When we moved into a bigger apartment at the end of December, we were supposed to get a parking spot assigned to us, but the parking assignments were a mess. The manager wanted to revamp it and reassign all the spots, so they were more logical. Jeff volunteered hours creating maps and spreadsheets to make it easier for the office to assign and track. He could explain it much better, but he put in a lot of work into it. Secretly, I know he loved doing it, but the office still hasn't managed to implement it. I hope all his hard work wasn't in vain!

That about covers it for my 2013 goals, but here are a few other things I did.

I started a Happiness Project. Originally on this blog, but moved it over to its own home later.

A Happy Moment A Day

I have managed to post a happy moment about each day, but there were a few that I cheated on by posting the next morning and just changing the post date to be for the previous evening. I'm so sneaky!

Wrote a couple great posts about running and staying healthy in college.

Won a blogger award.

Tried a couple new products. here and here.

Had a fabulous date night with Jeff, which I still need to blog about.

And gave my blog a face lift.

All-in-all, really not a bad month. Except for that whole work thing.

How was your first month of 2013? If you wrote a post about it, please leave a link in the comments. I'd love to read all about it.

What are you most looking forward to in February?

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National Heart Disease Awareness Month

TIP: Try switching out just one process food for something you make yourself. It doesn’t have to be complicated – it can be as simple as a soup. By switching over from processed foods, which are usually high in sodium, you can make a difference in your blood pressure and overall health.

**Facts/Tips from http://www.goredforwomen.org

Run for a Wish 5K

As I mentioned in Thursday's post, I signed up to run the Run for a Wish 5K this morning. I didn't go into this expecting to get a PR, based on my foot still bothering me a bit + kind of a crappy-I-wanna-die treadmill run on Wednesday, but **spoiler alert** I totally did!

I got up early this morning to get ready for the race. I desperately need to shave. lol. And my hair was in need of some serious help. Seriously, it took way longer than it should have to get into two tiny pigtails and a headband. I just want it to grow faster.

I woke up my driver husband, ate some oatmeal, and headed out to the race. Sallie even came along for the ride. We parked a little later than I would've liked. I wasn't sure how long the line would be for me to get my race bib and t-shirt. Turns out I had plenty of time.

I kissed Jeff good-bye, met up with a friend, and headed to the start line. I wanted to start closer to the front of the pack than I did for the Great Santa Run, so we bobbed and weaved our way through crowds until we got to the front. Seeing the 4:00 mile sign was intimidating, so I convinced my friend we should move back a bit. We ended up starting right behind the 8:00 mile group.

Once the race started, my friend shot off super fast. I'd already started my Rock My Run mix, so I just pressed START on my watch as I crossed the start line. I started out a bit faster than maybe I should have, but I was just feeling the music and, even though I wasn't trying for a PR, I really wanted to push myself.

I stopped for water at the first water stop. Had a couple sips and then carried on. Truth be told, my tummy wasn't feeling exactly happy with me, and the water sloshing around wasn't helping.

But I continued pushing. I know I slowed down on the big hill. Both out and back. I skipped all other offers of water - holding out for bottles at the end of the race. Cuz I knew I'd be desperate by then.

Once we re-entered the parking lot, the 5K met up with the 1 mile walk. This was annoying because the walkers kept spreading out over the entire breadth of the road, leaving just a sliver for the runners.

Around mile 2.5 (I think), I started to speed up. I thought I was nearer the end than I really was. It probably wasn't a steady increase, but by the time I rounded that last corner, I was ready to sprint it out.

I finished STRONG and HARD, and was completely shocked when I pressed STOP on my watch as I crossed the finish line.

27:09

I was panting pretty hard by that time, so I barely had the energy to smile - let alone jump for joy. Inside, I totally was, though.

After finishing so hard, it took a few minutes for me to re-coup. I mean I was scaring all the children. My face has a tendency to get really red, and I noticed a few kids whispering to their parents if I was okay.

The best part of this race was the post-race haul. Mostly, because I totally wasn't expecting anything at all. I grabbed a bottle of water and a banana, and then was handed a goodie bag. The lady handing it to me said it looked like I really deserved it. LOL.

I was stoked about the water bottle and beach ball alone, but it also included a small bottle of sunscreen, lip balm, a pen, BOGO at Jamba Juice and Frost Bite, VIP passes to Stoney's, at $50 GC to Planet Beach (a contempo spa), and a $500 GC to RedStar World Wear. I normally don't really go through all the paper in the goodie bags, but I'm so glad that I did today!! I also got a t-shirt, of course, and 5-hour energy.

This was such a fun start race! Plus, the timing was pretty perfect, as I can use this race as double duty and count it for my February 5 by the 5th Virtual Race. Even if you didn't run this is January, you can still join in the fun. You've got plenty of time. Just saying.

What are you running this weekend?
Ever get surprised by a goodie bag after a race?
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Go Red for Women + Getting Back to It

It's Friday!! It's February!!! Whoo hoo!!!

TODAY I'LL BE WEARING RED.

Red to raise awareness of the risk of heart disease. It's the #1 killer of women, and so many women myself included aren't really aware of the risks and the facts.

Today marks the 10-year anniversary of National Go Red Day. Visit the GoRedforWomen.org website for more information on heart disease, your risks, tips for living healthy and how to get involved.

Throughout the month, I'll also be displaying this little badge in my left sidebar linking you to the GoRedforWomen.org website.

If you're a fellow blogger, please consider joining me for BlogYourHeartOut on Feb 22. Throughout February, I'll share random facts to help increase awareness and tips for prevention at the end of each post.

In the meantime, I need to get back to it. I haven't consistently commuted by bike since Nov, and I need to get started again. What better time to start than NOW!

The weather forecast has the temps around 45°F, 0% chance of precipitation, and a 3MPH W wind. A little chilly, true, but the rest seems pretty ideal.

I'd really, really like to bike every day to work throughout February. I've missed riding the past 12 weeks, but I've gotten so used to that extra half hour in the mornings. Have I luxuriated in extra sleep? Well, yes, but mostly I've been sucked into social media or writing a blog post.

There are so many more important reasons to use that half hour to bike instead of sitting in front of my computer.

• Save gas and wear/tear on Liberty (our van)
• Bragging rights at work for riding. Period. Bonus points for riding in the cold.
• Great stress relief + increased endorphins
• Guaranteed cardio 5 days a week and all those health benefits

In addition to biking every day, I need to get back on track with my other workouts and healthier eating. I need to make a plan. 

BUT first, I need to get ready for work, so I don't run out of time and end up driving instead of biking.

FACT: Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined.

TIP: If you can't bike to work, like I do, try parking further away from the office, choosing the stairs, taking a walk after lunch and standing up every hour at your desk to stretch. 
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3 Things

1. On Tuesday, I got an email at work offering registration to run a 5K this Saturday.
   
   
   
   
   I quickly responded to sign me up. This is the same route as the Great Santa Run 5K back in December. As you know, one of my 2013 goals is to conquer a sub-25:00 5K, so as many 5Ks I can do the better. And free is always better. I know I'm still a long way from making this goal. Especially after yesterday's treadmill run. I doubt I'll even PR on Saturday, but every run gets me closer to my goal.



2. Email subscriptions. Please offer them on your blog. About a year and a half ago, one of my favorite bloggers wrote a post about why she loves email subscriptions. I thought she was a little crazy at the time. Who would want so many emails clogging their Inbox? Still, I quickly added the option to my blog. Now that I've gotten much busier with work, and I don't have the luxury of reading blogs as often, I get so overwhelmed with my exploding Google Reader. In fact, I haven't even opened it for months! Instead, I've really embraced email subscriptions. I know there are a couple more that I wanted to subscribe to, so please, please offer it as an option. :-)



3. Yesterday, I had a terrible headache all day at work. I'm swimming in numbers and crazy spreadsheets on top of my regular duties at work. It's a little overwhelming at times, and I think the stress is affecting me. No matter how bad my day is, though, my little Sallie girl always makes me smile.

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Weighing In - A Bathroom Scale Review

Earlier this month, I was given the opportunity to try out a new bathroom scale - the EatSmart Precision Tracker Digital Bathroom Scale. As you might recall, I've never really been one to tie myself to a number on a scale. If I think I look and feel good, then I'm pretty satisfied.

That said, I do like to have a scale around for those rare occasions when I feel like checking out that little well, not so little number. When we left MN, we sold our current scale, so when this opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance of getting a scale again.

This EatSmart scale is about as fun as a scale can be! It's super easy to use as all scales should be and it has some great features.

I really love it's sleek, slim design. It's kind of a classy, elegant looking scale, but the best part is the bathroom door can swing right over it. I've had trouble finding the perfect spot for most of my previous scales because uncarpeted space is at a premium.

Now, this scale works like many scales. You just step on and it does it's magic. But this one doesn't need to be woken up first. No tapping first to see the 0.0. You just step on and it weighs. Beautiful.

When I Grow Up

Stasha's birthday is coming up, and she thought it would be fun to celebrate with a list of dreams. Dreams of what we hoped to be when we grew up. Every child has grandiose dreams of being/doing fantastic things when she grows up, right?

10 Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew Up

1. Teacher. As a child, the only thing I can definitely remember wanting to be when I grew up was a teacher. In fact, I used to play house with my younger brother and sister. Complete with homework and tests. My desire to become a teacher started to wane while I was in high school, and by the time I started college, it wasn't even on my radar anymore. Of course I now have my master's in teaching, but am still not a teacher.
2. Famous Singer. Two problems with this. I don't sing very well. I'm a bit shy. Also, I kind of wanted this out of spite after auditioning for several school plays and singing groups only to be shot down because I wasn't good enough.
3. Dancer. Um, well, I'm actually not very graceful. Nor do I have rhythm. This was just kind of a wishful thinking dream. Like the Famous Singer one.
4. Actress. Again, there's that whole shy thing. And I don't really like how I sound on camera. Oh, and  I get so nervous in front of a camera, that I'm not very relaxed.

... And for a few more practical dreams ...


5. Piano teacher. From my home. I even considered being a music major, but some of the theory classes were too hard.
6. Computer programmer. I knew this computer science was a growing field, and I could be successful at it, but it seemed so tedious, boring, and my heart really wasn't in it.
7. Filmmaker. I even went to 1 1/2 quarters of film school. Unfortunately, there was too much emphasis on writing screenplays. I didn't want to write the movies. I just wanted to be the one behind the camera.
8. Musician publicist. I went through a music-loving phase and wanted to help musician get noticed and get contracts, but then I decided I really don't have the personality for promotions. I'm too shy.
9. Lawyer. Entertainment law. If I couldn't promote them, I could at least be their lawyer, right? It came down to not wanting to go to more school and really didn't want to have to learn about all the other types of law.
10. Doctor. This one should have probably been included in the first part of the list, because it was never really a serious consideration. It was born more out of a feeling of not knowing what I wanted to do or be after I'd been out of college for a few years and still didn't have a career.

More than any of these, though, I wanted to be a mom.

None of these have panned out for me, but what about you?
What did you want to be when you grew up? 
Did any of your childhood dreams come true?

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Changing it up

Every now and again, I get tired of the color scheme and design of my blog, so I take a day to change it up.

Here's a snapshot of what it looked like yesterday:

Obviously, I've changed the color scheme and the header image. My husband wasn't too crazy about the fonts on the new header, but I really liked it. What do you think? I also added a left sidebar to showcase how to follow me, awards/badges, plus some motivational pictures that I've created.

I like it for now, but I'll probably change it again in a few months. :-) I'd love your thoughts. Do you like it? Is it too cluttered with the new left sidebar?

You might have also notice that I've deleted all my Happy Moments. They're not really gone, I've just moved them to a new home.

A Happy Moment A Day 

I felt like these needed their own home because they were making my blog seem cluttered and overloaded. Plus, for the few of you that subscribe via email or RSS, I felt like you might be annoyed with the daily updates. If you would still like to be updated daily with my Happy Moment, you can subscribe via email here or RSS feed here.

My husband and I were up WAY too late last night. Me working on my blog redesign and him doing whatever. It's nearly 1pm now, and I need to go try to wake him up, so we can head out to enjoy the day. We're hoping to make it to a nearby wash to do some voluntary clean-up. The last time we were there, back in November, there was so much trash everywhere. We thought it would be a good little community service project, which is one of my goals for 2013.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Do you do your own blog re-designs or hire someone else? I'm way too cheap to hire someone, so I do it myself. Plus, I never really know what I'll like until I play around with it.

What is your favorite way to serve in your community? As this is one of your goals, I'm always looking for new ideas.

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I'm a Top Health & Fitness Blogger!

I was so excited to receive an email saying I was nominated to be a...

Top Health & Fitness Blogger

While it was a bit of a shock to me, I quickly decided to accept the nomination. It prompted me to write a post that I'm really proud of - Busy College Student? Tips For Staying Healthy.

I decided that even if I didn't win, at least I got a great post out of it.

So, when I got an email on Tuesday saying I was actually chosen as a winner, I was completely floored!

I'm proud to officially announce that I'm a winner!!

Best Online Colleges

Lots of other great blogs were selected, too. You can view all of them here.

Have a lovely weekend!! :-)
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Hair Experiment

If you've been following my adventures for awhile, you might recall that I primarily cut my own hair. The last time I cut it was for my birthday back in August (which apparently I didn't post about!).

But I did post it on Facebook. :)

At that time, I decided that I would try a little experiment. I'd only cut my hair once a year around my birthday. My main motivation for this? It's a lot of time, effort, and work to cut my hair? Nope. 

Simply Snackin'

If you know me at all, you'll know that the two things I love THE most are snacks and freebies. Okay, well, not as much as Jeff or Sallie or life in general.

But I really do love snacks and anything that's free.

So, naturally, when Simply Snackin approached me to sample their jerky, I practically jumped at the chance. Now, I do try to avoid eating meat as much as possible, but dangle FREE in front of me, and I'm a total sucker.

I was surprised to open my mailbox one afternoon and find a delightful surprise.

(photos take from their website)

What's in my closet?

Kind of a fun topic over at Monday Listicles today.

My closets are kind of a little boring - especially my bedroom closet. We've got stuff, but nothing really crazy or that dates back very many years. As you may recall, we sold most of our possessions back in May of last year.

We basically have three closets in our current apartment, so here are some relatively boring things in one or another.

10 Things in My Closets

1. SCUBA gear
2. Running gear
3. Biking gear
4. Camping gear
5. Sallie gear
6. Jump starter
7. Monoscope
8. Santa suit
9. Motor oil
10. 5-gallon water purifier

And thus concludes the most boring Listicle.

That's really all I've got time for this morning. I wish I could share some pictures of my boring closets, but I've got to leave for work now.

Have a great week! Why not pop over to Stasha's to discover what I can only imagine will be much more exciting closet finds?

What's in your closet?
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So, You Want to Start Running?

The other day, my little sister left this post on my Facebook wall. It left me with a huge smile on my face throughout the day.

I'm so excited for her to start training with her husband. Now, I just need to figure out why she's going to train, but not run?? ;-)

Now, I'm not the best or most consistent runner, but since she asked, I thought I'd share my thoughts in a post for anyone to read. Actually, last March my sister-in-law asked me some similar questions.

Running Shoes

It seems the first question I always get is about shoes. And, it IS an important question; however, I do not have a favorite shoe. I'm not one of those runners who swears by a brand/model. I find a pair I like, and I run them until I don't anymore. I rarely own more than one pair of active running shoes at a time.

That being said, my best advice for running shoes is to visit a local running store. This is what they do! :) When you walk in, just tell them you are new to running. If it is any kind of reputable store, they will do some kind of fitting for you - measuring, analyzing your gait, looking at your arches, or some variation of these. They will recommend a few for you and then just choose whichever is most comfortable. They may even have a treadmill for you to test out the shoes on.

Training Plan

While you're shopping for shoes, ask about their running groups. Many local running stores will offer different group runs during the week. They often break into groups by distance, speed, experience, etc. There are so many benefits to running with a partner or in a group, but that's really a topic for another day. Now, my sister will be training with her husband, so she's got a built in running partner, but running with a group can help mix things up, at the very least.

Some running stores might even offer training programs that you can sign up for. Having an actual program is really helpful when you're starting out - especially if you're starting with such an ambitious goal! If your local running store doesn't offer one, or you don't want to pay for their program, there are lots of available online programs. Try searching for "couch to 5K (or half marathon or whatever distance)" or "half marathon training programs" or whatever distance you might desire. I've also heard really good things about Hal Higdon's different training programs.

Tracking Progress

I don't know about you, but when I'm training for something ok, even when I'm not, I need some accountability.  Plus, I'm kind of a numbers/data person, tracking myprogess has been a good way to help me stay motivated. I really like to track all my runs on DailyMile. If you're not familiar with DailyMile, it's kind of like Facebook - but for runners, etc. You add friends, log your exercise, and comment on your friends' activity. It's fun, and I've made a lot of virtual friends. If you're on DailyMile, you should totally add me and say hello!

I also recommend tracking your runs in real time. I generally just use my smart phone. My favorite app is Cardio Trainer. I've tried a few, but this is the one that has worked the best for me. If you have an iPhone, I've heard good things about Runkeeper. If you have a little more money, maybe a Garmin is for you. If you're a little low on funds, a simple sport watch with a stopwatch would work for time, and then you could get your exact distance by logging your route into DailyMile.

Core & Strength Training

I think that many runners - beginning and more experienced - often make the mistake of skipping this important part of aspect of running. Having a strong core can really help your running performance and help prevent injury. I'm blogged about my post-run routines here and here - just some simple exercises and stretches that I've found helpful. I struggle with this a lot, but I'm trying to make it a focus. If you're not sure what to do, at least throw in some planks. Try searching for WOD (workout of the day) to find other ideas or you could always get a gym membership or maybe a personal trainer.

Part of this also includes cross training. It helps to mix things up and work different muscle groups. Go for a bike rike. Go swimming. Practice yoga. Take a fitness class. Dance in your living room. Go for a walk or a hike. There are so many ideas!!

HAVE FUN!

This is really THE most important thing to remember. I'm not going to lie. Not every run will be wonderful and tons of fun. Sometimes it will hurt. Sometimes you'll want to die. You'll want to give up. BUT always remember YOU CAN DO IT! Don't focus on the aches and pains or the fact that you feel like you cannot breathe. Instead focus on your surroundings. There truly is beauty everywhere you look. Focus on the fact that you are doing it and giving it your all.

Of course, this also means listen to your body. I'm serious. If you feel like you're about to die, it's not the end the world to stop and take a breather or walk for awhile. If you have a bad run, remember the next one will likely be better.

I don't always listen to music when I run, but sometimes it's the perfect way to enjoy a run. Get lost in your tunes. Or in your head. Or in conversation with a friend. Change up your pace or your stride. Tell yourself a funny story or a joke. Do whatever you can to relax and enjoy the run - even when it sucks. :) You'll be stronger and thank me later.

I think that about covers my advice to a new runner. I'm sure there's lots I left out, but I've already been working on this post for nearly a week work was crazy again this past week!, and I want to get it out there for my little sister to read.

What other tips or advice would you give to a new runner?
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10 Random Movie Quotes

Well, Monday's nearly over, but I say there's still time for Monday Listicles, right? This week's topic comes to us from Ally at Just a Normal Mom. Seriously, if you're not reading her blog, you should be. She's got great stories. Plus, she's just all around awesome.

Anyway, she tasked us with 10 BEST MOVIE QUOTES. Or ten best movie moments. Or ten something movies.

I love watching movies, and I have lots of favorites, but I also have a terrible memory for things like movie quotes. And yeah, sometimes even details. I could watch the same movie a dozen times and not remember parts. *sigh*

My husband, on the other hand, is crazy good with movie quotes! I could probably very easily come up with a list of 100. I was going to ask for his help. In fact, I still might, but I'm going to TRY to make a list all on my own.

Here goes...

10 RANDOM MOVIE QUOTES

1. "Whoa. Slippery little sucker."
2. "Lubricant. There's always time for lubricant."
3. "Thanks for breaking glass where my kids play."
4. "You have a last name, Guy." "Do I? Do I, really?"
5. "We stole the Statue of Liberty...! The small one, from Las Vegas!"
6. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner."
7. "I'm just sayin'. I want to cut the blonde one."
8. "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her."
9. "Did you love your father?" "What?" "Your father? Did you love him?" "Yes, very much." "Prove it."
10. "Well, maybe that's cause I just got hit in the head with the 10-lb ashtray!"

Wow! That was both easy and hard. I know I quote movies from time to time, but NOTHING was coming to me. I guess I'm more of an in-the-moment quoter. Something will remind me of a movie, and I'll throw out a quote. Jeff will almost always get the reference right away.

So, how did you do? I know some of these were *really* easy, but I'm interested to know how many you got right.

Busy College Student? Tips for Staying Healthy

Being a college student can be lots of fun! It can also be stressful and VERY busy. Early morning classes. Studying. Socializing. Studying. More classes. Partying. Being away from home. Making new friends. Exams. Papers. Presentations.

It's definitely an exciting time! But it can also be filled with lots of pressure and, at times, it can be difficult to remember balance. Let's be honest, maintaining a healthy lifestyle does not always take priority. 

Despite all the craziness of college, there are some things you can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle while balancing all facets of college life. While it's been more than a decade since I was an undergrad student, I was a grad student just last year, so college life isn't too distant a memory. ;-) Besides I think all the following tips are good advice for more than just college students.

Finally. It's Friday!

You know it's gonna be a long week when....

Monday feels like Thursday.

You turn off your work computer immediately after turning it on in the morning.

I've been consumed with a huge project at work. I've been working on it practically nonstop all week. It's just a lot of data entry, but for some reason it's exhausting.

Not to mention it prevents me from stalking all my social media friends. ;)

Though I'm not finished with this project, I'll be pausing it today to tackle another huge project. And then, I'll be able to get back to normal. I hope.

I'm Not Gonna Change!

We've made it a week into the New Year. If you're a resolution or goal maker, you've probably made a list, AND you've probably been pretty good about sticking with it. So far.

But, let's not kid ourselves. There's plenty that we'll likely not change in 2013, and that's just the topic of today's Monday Listicles.

10 THINGS I HAVE NO INTENTION OF CHANGING IN 2013

1. Doting on my little girl, Sallie, and taking and sharing too many lots of photos of her.



So stinking cute!

2. Watching General Hospital whenever I can.
3. Wasting time on social media.
4. Commuting by bike to work once the weather gets a bit warmer.
5. Pushing myself to work harder and run faster.
6. Waiting until the last moment to do laundry.
7. Eating cold, leftover pizza.
8. My last name.
9. My address.
10. My job.

What do you have no intention of changing in 2013?
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Book Review: Come Hell or High Water

Come Hell or High Water: Life Lessons From Hurricane Katrina: Facing Life's Greatest Challenges, No Matter What by Marvin Leblanc
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really didn't care for this book - mostly because it was not what I was expecting. I probably should have researched it a bit more before reading it. I thought it was going to be more about Hurricane Katrina and the stories of the survivors, the lessons they learned. I wanted more details about what happened and the aftermath.

Instead it was really only about the author's experience. He had been one to evacuate, but the parish (county elsewhere in the U.S.) where his home was was one of the hardest hit. He lost everything and had to rebuild. The book attempted to show just what he learned from Katrina and how he was able to move forward and become successful in his personal and work life.

I thought it could have been a lot better developed. There were many times it didn't seem to flow very well - giving a choppy feeling to the book. He would explain some experience of his with Katrina and then jis tying it to a lesson would seem a bit far-fetched, leaving the reader to wonder, "Where did that come from?"

I do think I might have enjoyed this book a bit better, if I were someone who enjoys reflective thinking and journaling as a way to further my career goals. Many of his lessons are centered around how he grew his insurance sales team in the first couple of years after Katrina. This book might be helpful to managers looking to assign their subordinates something to read to inspire and motivate them to work harder in their field. For personal growth, I felt it was a little too business-oriented.

If you are someone who likes to journal, each chapter ends with a Marvelous Moment where he poses two questions for the reader to contemplate and write about. That's not really my thing, but even it was I think it was kind of poorly done in this book. The questions seemed abrupt and out of nowhere, or just related to the final paragraph.

Despite this book not really being for me or what I expected, what it did provide was a lot of inspirational quotes that I did enjoy. Here are a few that I found the most inspiring or motivating. There were plenty more - especially if you're looking for more fulfillment in your career life.

As long as you're fighting, you're not losing.

Celebrate your failures and embrace what you learn from them.

...lots of days I don't feel like I'm getting a good hand from the dealer, but that's the hand that I have to play, so I do it with as much marvelousness as I can."

Lead your life instead of accepting your life.

Don't get caught up in the end result. Just get caught up in the process - the journey.

View all my reviews
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5 by the 5th Virtual Race Series

The 5 by the 5th Virtual Race Series began this month, and I finally got out for a run this morning. The last possible day for January.

With this race series, you have the option of running either a 5K or 5 miles. Since one of my 2013 goals is to conquer a sub-25:00 5K, I chose to run a 5K. I figured it would be great for accountability each month and a nice way to hopefully measure some progress.

Unfortunately, I did several things wrong for this run.

Hello, 2013!

I'm super excited for 2013. Are YOU?

In honor of goal making and accountability, I created a short video that explains some of my goals.



I do hope to include more video in 2013. They'll get better. I promise.

To sum up my goals, I'd like to:

• Run faster, conquering a sub 25:00 5K
• Eat healthier, trying at least two new recipes a month
  (check them out at Tale of Two Sisters and Their Kitchens)
• Train harder, achieving strong, beautiful arms
• Read more, finishing at least 12 books
• Serve more, including CharityMiles and community service with my husband

What are your goals for 2013?
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