One of those days...

I feel disgusting and lazy.

Pic Here

I hate days like this. 

It doesn't help that I skipped the work out and ate WAY too much pasta for dinner.

(...and four croissants)

(...and m&m's)

Don't judge me.

I'm going to bed so this day will end.

Excited for tomorrow's possibilities...a good run is definitely part of the menu.

Goodnight.

Birthday Puppy!

Happy Birthday Ajax! My favorite puppy turned 3 years old today! 

Here is Josh and I (3 years into our dating relationship) with our new addition: Ajax Clark! 

10-weeks old- These are the only pictures we have of her as a pup...this was when I never used my camera. I shoot myself in the foot now. Friends, Family, Loved ones, even People that don't like me- TAKE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING!

Isn't she the most adorable white puff-ball you've ever seen!?

Now she is all grown up! And loves to give kisses to her mommy.
Joys in life include: fetch, chewing on bones, and sticking her head out the window. Here she is on the boat, a little wet from the ride. She just loves the wind blowing in her face!

Talents include: sitting, speaking, shaking, high-fiving, laying down, stay-ing, and my personal favorite-dancing. 

A little known fact: the Spitz was the first dog to ever walk a tight rope. They have the crazy ability to stay balanced on their hind legs for long periods of time. Hence her ability to dance and dance as long has her little heart desires. 

I attempted to load a video of her dancing, but I am technologically stupid and couldn't get it to work. So here is a horrible replacement: an action shot of her dancing with a Mii on the Wii. (Does that make sense?) This obviously doesn't do her justice, but is a snap-shot nonetheless: 

Here is a sneak-peak of my soon-to-be weekend project: Canning! I am thrilled at the possibilities of this little kit...yet moderately intimidated! I got the idea from Emily, a blogger I have become obsessed with. Stay tuned- hopefully it's a success story!

A Week's Diary

Warning this is way too long of a blog post:

As promised, I wanted to report my week of eating and exercising in hope to tackle these newly wed pounds. This week I made an extra effort to workout daily and attempt to eat healthy. I didn't always follow through but I did better than expected:

Monday

I ate a simple breakfast of PB on toast and a small apple. For lunch: tuna sandwich, grapes, and pretzels. Work was a little hectic (Mondays always are) so I treated myself with a small mocha…yum! After work, ate a protein bar before I headed to the gym. For dinner, grilled chicken with lemon, basil, and olive oil marinate, roasted red potatoes and veggies.

  Gym: 60 minute spin class. This was my first attempt at a cycling class and it kicked my butt! My booty and legs ached the next day.

Tuesday

For breakfast I had a bowl of cereal (boring). For lunch, I went for the same as Monday, except strawberries instead of grapes. Dinner: I sliced the grilled chicken from last night and ate it atop of spinach lettuce and strawberries with lite balsamic vinaigrette. Eek! I love these kinds of salads. 

Gym: 60 minute body sculpting class. It was 'okay', but I doubt I'll go back. It consisted of strength training for all muscles groups, but it wasn't intensive enough for me. Nothing like good 'ole Bodypump.

Wednesday

This was our 2-month ‘anniversary’. Yay! For breakfast and lunch, I practically had the same boring stuff I always have. But for dinner I made Pioneer Woman’s amazing Summer Stir-fry that Josh and I love! We have made this multiple times; it’s one of the few ways I can get Josh to eat veggies.  

Gym: Treadmill for 45 minutes-running/walking. Abs and lots of stretching! I love stretching!

Thursday

Josh made waffles for breakfast! Yum! Since I ate so heavy that morning, I packed an extra healthy lunch: roasted potatoes, squash and zucchini, grapes, an apple, and a protein bar (latter two I ate later in the day). 

Unfortunately, there was a pot-luck at work. I tried to be good, but I couldn’t resist the wonderful desserts. Oops. Then, when I got home, I was so hungry I finished off the waffles from that morning. Then helped myself to a bowl of cereal. 

Gym: NOTHING! Yep, that’s right. Not only did I eat horribly, but I didn’t even work out. Oh, well. No sweat of my back-literally.

Friday

Since Thursday was slacking (to say the least), I had grapes and an apple for breakfast. For lunch, there was a second potluck this week. And when there is a  shmorgishborg(?) of food, how can one limit themselves to a salad and veggies? So I helped myself to pastas, breads, and desserts. Oh, it was good. Feeling a little guilty, I was making myself go to the gym; even if Josh wasn't going to meet me there. He was cleaning the house becuase my wonderful family was passing through on their way to Springdale! They were on their way to see my brother and cousin off to Special Olympics National Games in Nebraska. For dinner we went to Market Place Grill and I had a lovely salad topped with strawberries and water chestnuts and their special blueberry dressing. YUM! I love fresh summer salads!

Gym: 2.5 mi run, with extra 35 minutes of the elliptical. Burn those calories!

Saturday

Josh and I visited our good friends Jacob and Jessi Leonard in Fayetteville. We ate way too much and, unless you consider karaoke exercise, I didn't work out. Nevertheless, it was an awesome day with friends and we always enjoy spending time with them.

 

If you made it this far into this blog, Bravo! I would give you a prize if I could. You must be a really good friend, or just really bored. But as for my week of healthy living, I would rank it about a 3, using my "Healthy Eating Scale"** as a guide. Not too bad, but it could be better....

**Healthy Eating Scale

1. Gorging and satisfying every desire

2. Eating junk, but throwing in some nutrition

3. Eating well, but need to satisfy a few too many cravings

4. Aware of what I'm putting into my body and making smartER decisions

5. So healthy, you'd think I was crazy

Gamers

I never really thought twice about it, but I am married to what people call "a gamer". 

Pic from here

No. Not the thriller-film from 2009 starring Gerard Butler, but the Xbox playing-first person shooting-monster slaying-gamer.  

Wikipedia (a horrendous and un-reputable? reference) casually describes gamers as those who "spend much of their leisure time playing or learning about games." This is an understatement. We get gaming magazines mailed to our house; we currently own unfathomable amounts of games, an Xbox, a Playstation 3, a Wii, a Super Nintendo, and a Sega Genesis (the later two are completely old school and totally awesome)… and he is trying to convince me we need more.

Pic from here

This is NOT my husband or his friends. My husband is extremely hot. I just thought the picture was really funny.

When dating/engaged/married to a gamer you enter a different world, usually against your will. I have been living in this world for 6 years now, and I have come to understand a few rules, which one must respect:

1. For quality “friend time”, all you need is Internet connection, a console and headset. Living in different time zones isn’t a concern. Boys don’t need to talk about their day or what they plan to do that weekend; they just want to strategize on blowing stuff up.

2. If you want your relationship to stay amicable, tolerate this ‘friend time’ without nagging or complaints. They all need their guy time (in appropriate amounts); don’t be the one to try and take this away.

3. Pretend like you care, and even ask if you can give it try. They get a kick out of you pressing random buttons and screwing up their kill-points. It’s kinda like how they pretend to care about our rants on Edward vs. Jacob. Return the favor.

4. Never, and I mean never, step or walk in front of the TV.

And lastly, 5. Be glad it isn’t hunting or fishing he is obsessed with, which takes him far away for weekends on end. I get to snuggle and fall asleep on his lap AND he gets guy-time: Cha-Ching

In the end, you have to learn to love the things they love. They appreciate the effort and you might find yourself enjoying it a little.

Home Grown

This morning I woke up and made my first trip to the Fort Smith Farmers Market. Oh, how I love Famers Market! There is something exciting about local farmers getting together and selling their week’s work- something so simple and genuine. “Here is the product of my land.” They say. “See how fresh and organic?” You see their sun kissed hands and the dedication in their eyes….LOVE IT!

I was able to get this amazing assortment of fresh veggies and herbs for a small little penny: mint, basil, flowers, squash, zucchini, bell peppers, and potatoes. 

I can’t wait to use the fresh mint in some tea! A little lady had some lemon basil that smelled heavenly! I would have bought some if I had any clue what to do with it. I should have bought it anyways just to have the scent overtake my house…I can’t express to you how divine it was! Maybe next week…  

This week starts a new chapter in the Clark Abode (or so I am telling myself). As of today, I am throwing out the sweets and junk food. This means, yes, I am even throwing out the amazing chocolate sheet cake. (Recipe from The Pioneer Woman- the most amazing woman on the planet. I have become comfortable in the kitchen because of her and plan to dedicate at least one blog posting to this wonder-woman)

I hate to admit this, but Mr. Clarkbar and I have gained 5 pounds since being married. 5 pounds! What!?? We swore we weren't going to be 'those newlyweds' that let themselves go. We swore we were going to eat healthy and exercise everyday. HAHA. I now laugh at our innocents. These first few months I have loved cooking for my husband. I would make the most evil things just to hear him 'ooh' and 'aah'. And the gym? Why go to the gym when you can just snuggle together on the couch? And our waistlines have suffered because of it.

So, I am promising you that this week will be full of exercising and healthy eating.  And to keep me honest, I will keep track of my activities  and keep a log of what goes into my mouth, and report to you (if there is anyone reading this to report to) by the weeks end.

Not gonna lie, kinda nervous about my dedication...

Happy Birthday USA!

IT'S 4TH OF JULY!! 

I love this holiday-it's one of my favorites. Fireworks, food, and friends...such a perfect combination! This year, we decided to spend the weekend with the Leonard Family. They were gracious enough to invite us onto their boat and boy, did we have a great time. This family sure knows how entertain and fill a tummy!

Josh and I set the alarm for 6:45 Saturday morning, but hit the snooze a couple of times (we both needed the sleep). We finally got on the road by 8:00, destination: Heber Springs. After Josh kindly allowed 1 bathroom stop, we arrived at the lake house by 10:30. After some soccer talk and packing of the day's necessities, we drove straight to the boat. 

I forgot how much I love being out on the water. It is such so darn fun!

Jacob and brother Chris after barely dodging the killer garr. 

Beautiful Sommer, newly mother-to-be! (CONGRATS!)

Josh helped clean up the boat before we headed back to the house. Isn't he just so dang adorable.

Jessi and I after a day in the sun! (We applied plenty of sunscreen and it paid off! Us fair-skinned girls have to look out for each other.)

When we got back to the house, we had a WONDERFUL meal of salad, steak, chicken, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, Edward herbed-cheese bread, brownies and homemade ice cream! It was a feast fit for a king...a very fat king! 

Then, a firework display of colossus proportions! I haven't had this much fun with fireworks in a long time! Josh and I usually only buy a few sparklers and roman candles for the 4th, but this year set the bar!

Here are Chris and Josh with "The Goliath":

And Josh and Jessi with my personal favorite, fountains!

A small portion of the remnants of that night:

I'm sad that I didn't get any shots of the actual fireworks, I was too busy enjoying them. I was very impressed with the quality; we could have charged for the show! (The dogs HATED them though)

Now, I get spend the rest of my 3-day weekend at home with my hubby. I plan to get a pedicure, bake and cook to my little heart's content, and see the new Twilight movie. This is going to be the best weekend ever!!! It feels like it should be MY birthday!

Happy Birthday America!