Thoughts from a Working Housewife

11

2012-01-24T18:29:00.002-06:00

I was tagged in the fun '11' post going around the blog world by little Mrs. Pregnant Hannigan and thought today would be the perfect day to share. Because, you know, beautiful Tuesdays in January are the ideal days for tagged posts. Right?

The Rules:
1. You must post the rules.
2. Post 11 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post. And then create 11 new questions for the people you tagged.
4. Tag 12 people and link them on your post.
5. Let them know you've tagged them.

Let the fun begin! I know you guys are just dying to know more about me. Why else would you read my blog that is all about my boring, mundane life?

11 Fun (or not so fun) facts:
1. I danced for 16 years of my life, 6 of which were competitive. I wasn't bad, but I sure wasn't best. But as a result, I can rock the Kinect and Wii dance games. Seriously, I got some moves. Challenge me.
2. I had a pot belly pig growing up. He was black and his name was Babe. He was then ran over by my cousin while he was backing out of the drive way. Tragic.
3. I hate tomatoes. I want to like tomatoes- they are so pretty and look so juicy and tasty, but every time I try one, YUCK! So nasty.
4. I studied abroad in Australia for 3 months during undergrad. It was the best time of my life and I am so blessed I was able to do travel there. Australia/New Zealand= best place in the world.
5. I was looking through our honeymoon pictures the other day and it made me want to A)grow out my hair, B)kick butt in the gym, and C)start a count down to our vacation.
6. My brother won a 5-day cruise in March, but insisted that he didn't want to go and talked my dad into giving the vacation to Josh and I. Free vacation? Yes please!
7. Whenever I begin to have baby fever, I look at my bank account, my travel plans, my running/triathlon goals, and remind myself I get to sleep in on Saturday and it usually satisfies my cravings. Usually.
8. My husband does the majority of the cleaning. That, my friends, is the benefit of having a spouse go to school full time. Coming home to a clean house daily is quite amazing.
9. I'm really interested in vegetarian/vegan eating for health reasons. I try to only eat meat 1x a week, maximum, and that is only because I think my husband would die if I didn't feed him meat.
10. I am currently in a wonderful girls Bible study and we just started my first Beth Moore study. I am taking the huge challenge of (trying) to memorize the book of James. So far, I am incredibly shocked by the blessings I've received by reciting the few verses I now know. I can only imagine how my relationship is going to grow over the next few months!
11. In elementary school, my friend and I started a duet dance group named The Spandex Twins. We chose that name because the only thing we owned that matched were a pair of spandex shorts. We sold out at every performance. Obviously.

Jennifer's Questions for me:
1. What is your favorite blog? Ooh, started off with a hard one. Probably Jenna of Eat, Live, Run because I love her writing voice and recipes, and I'm super jealous of her California life. But The Pioneer Woman is a close second.
2. If you had a completely free day to do whatever you wanted, how would you spend it? Sleep in. Run. Have a big brunch. Read. Take the dogs to the dog park. Then win the lottery.
3. What is your biggest food weakness and why? Pizza. Even bad pizza is good pizza!
4. What is one skill/talent you would love to learn? I wish I could sing, but I'm so bad no one could ever help me. So, more realistically, I'd love to play the piano
5. What is one thing your dream house would have to have? Only one thing? A huge front and back porch/deck. (Okay, I cheated- that was really two)
6. What is your favorite TV show of all time? Seinfield. It's classic and it will ALWAYS be funny.
7. What is your favorite childhood toy and why? My Barbie Mansion. It had an elevator. Enough said.
8. If you were to have a patronus (a shield against dark forces that takes on the shape of an animal) like in Harry Potter, what animal would yours be? A white tiger. Dementors are probably terrified of white tigers.
9. Where did you grow up and would you change that location if you could? Central Arkansas- And no, I wouldn't change it for the world.
10. Are you a dog or cat person? Or neither? Why? Both! While I have two dogs, I LOVE kitties! If I had a huge house and yard, I would have lots and lots of dogs and cats. The more the merrier (as long as someone else fed and cleaned up after them).
11. What is something you always dread? Folding laundry. Always

My questions for you:
1. Mac or PC?
2. What is a song you can't help but dance to?
3. Do you collect anything or have way too much of something?
4. How do you separate your clothes while doing laundry? This may seem like a boring question, but I always wonder if there are better ways to do it.
5. What is the most adventurous thing you've ever done?
6. What would be your last meal on earth?
7. Where do you have no desire to travel to?
8. How would you describe your decorating style?
9. Name something you are really good at. Go ahead, brag!
10. Did you have a pet growing up?
11. What is your dream career?

Tag! You're it!
(Because I'm cool, I'm only tagging a few people. Fun fact #12: I'm rebellious)
Jessi of Jessi Makes Things
Shelley of Mile High Healthy
Bonnie of Sweet Caroline and Thomas
Lindsey of The Savvy Speechie
Stephanie of Run, Knit, Get Hitched
Errign of Errign's Adventures
Sommer of The Leonards
Lauren of The Stewarts Living

Change of Plans

2012-01-21T09:12:00.000-06:00

So I had planned to log 16 miles today, but I had a restless night (dreamed that Josh died and I had to call our family and friends to share the news! Woke up crying, tried to go back to sleep, and dreamt the same dream. Horrible!) and the windchill is below 20 degrees so I decided I'd postpone the run until tomorrow.

This is not ideal because I have church in the morning, then I'm trying a hot (the room will be 85 degrees!) vinyasa yoga class tomorrow at 4:00. It might result in me being in child's pose for the entire 90 minutes, but we'll see!

So, to embrace the change in plans, I'd thought I'd share some things on my DIY-ToDo List, which Pinterest has so kindly organized. Thanks again Pinterest. Have I told you today how much I love you?

Recovering a chair tutorial. I have an antique vanity chair that is currently a rotten yellow color and definitely needs some updating.

Love this idea! Maps of where you met, married, and live.

And more with some cute, romantical decor. I'd love to hang this by our garage door!

I'm loving my theme of seasonal wreaths, and this one is perfect for spring!

I need more cross stitching in my life. So relaxing.

What are some things on your DIY-ToDoList?

I'm back

2012-01-11T20:40:00.003-06:00

Guess what?! I got to run 14 miles this past weekend! And while it ended with this:

it was fantastic!

But lets back up a minute. After my awesome 12-miler, I had some strange inner hip/groin pain for a few days and I was afraid I either pulled a muscle or created a stress fracture. To avoid injury, I thought it would be smart to take time off. Since I had built in some cushion in my training plan, missing my long run was not going to set me back.

Then the Friday before the following week's long run, Josh and I went rock climbing. Look how cute Josh looks in his climbing gear.

And here I am. Excited and ready to climb!

Too bad I am also a super clumsy and majorly stubbed my big toe, which left me unable to climb and limping for days. Seriously, I'm not exaggerating the pain; I could not put any weight on my toes and running was obviously out of the question. Luckily my toe wasn't broken, just badly bruised. (And still isn't back to 100%).

So, after missing two weeks of long runs, I was nervous to jump back in. But, with my marathon only 8 weeks away, I had no choice.

I coordinated to run parts of my run with some of my favorite running buddies. After running four miles on the Fayetteville trail, Rachel met me to run three nice and easy miles.

Who wouldn't want to run with that face?!

Then, I scheduled it perfectly so as Rachel and I were finishing our three miles, Jessi showed up to run three more with me.

This is not a picture of us running. But we are laughing and having fun, which is how we feel when we run. Sometimes.

Hey Jessi. Let's go to Mojitos again. We had a lot of fun there. Maybe after this weekend's long run? Awesome.

After Jessi and I finished our three miles (in case you've lost count: 4solo miles + 3 with Rachel + 3 with Jessi= 10miles), I was feeling pretty defeated. My knees were aching and my IT bands were furious.

Despite the pain, I was determined to finish all 14 miles. During the last four solo miles I kept envisioning crossing the finish line in New Orleans and it gave me enough strength to push through until the end. These miles were not pretty and I use the term 'running' very loosely (more like using momentum to move forward while I scuffed my feet...I'm sure fellow trail-users were jealous of my stellar form) but 14.00 beeped on my Garmin and that is all that matters!

Even though the run wasn't pretty and ended in an ice bath,

and then even more icing that evening,

I consider it a complete success! It re-ignited my excitement for finishing my first full marathon. So ladies and gentlemen, I'm back!

I'm Taking 2012 By Storm

2012-01-10T09:10:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite times of year- Making my new years resolutions!!

I absolutely love January. You are able to reflect on the past year's accomplishments, failures, and everything in between. And then get to have a 'clean slate' and set a new bar. Your dreams can be limitless!

Eek! Just makes me giddy with excitement!

Cue drumroll....

My epic 2012 New Years Resolutions

1. Run a marathon.
Unless something goes horribly wrong, this should be completed in March when I run the New Orleans Rock N Roll Marathon. So incredibly pumped about this!
2. Run a half or full marathon in at least 4 new states.
I have ran races in Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, and Oklahoma. I only have signed up for one race in 2012 (in Louisiana) and am still researching on what/where my other 3 (at least) races should be. Any suggestions?
3. Complete an outdoor triathlon.
After completing (and loving) my first indoor triathlon last year, I am determined to dabble into the sport in 2012. Triathlons kind of intimidate me, but I think I can do it!
4. Learn how to maintain my bike.
To me, this is the scariest part of a triathlon-and I am clueless about mine. Despite the fact that I have had it for 3 years, I've only taken it out a handful of times. I have no idea how to change a flat tire, and no real concept about the gears. If I want to complete Goal #3, I need to learn more about my bike!
5. Hold a 5 minute plank.
Planks = flat abs. And 5 seems like an even (and ridiculously hard) number. Fun, right?!
5. Save 20% of our income.
Josh and I did this last year and I now love the cushion in our savings account! We still don't have quite enough to buy a car (we don't want a car loan) and we are wanting to travel some, so this goal is a repeat! Three cheers for savings!
6. No sweets until our vacation in March.
My sweets intake over the past few moths have gotten out of control. My body is trained into thinking it needs sweets after every meal. This is my attempt to shock my system and get rid of my over-the-top cravings. There is no way I could do this for an entire year, but March is definitely doable.
7. Start a skin care regimen.
While I always wash my face each night, I want to start really taking care of my skin. I mean, I do turn 26 this year and you know what that means...one year closer to 30! I better take care of my face because I'm kind of stuck with it.

Looks like this year is going to be a wonderful year. May all your dreams and resolutions come true in 2012!

Goodbye 2011

2012-01-09T09:10:00.000-06:00

So, yea. This post was due well over a week ago, but between the holidays and my obsession with The Hunger Games Triology, I've been WAY too busy to set aside 20 minutes to blog. I wish I could blame it on spending way to much time logging miles in the 'ole Asics, but sadly I've been battling stupid non-running-related injuries which have kept me sidelined for the past few weeks.

But alas, my holidays were splendid. They were spent with my favorite people and I was reminded how blessed I am. Kind of like this past year.

2011 was pretty amazing, to say the least.

We saw lots of snow at the beginning of the year.

A lot of time was spent with friends.

I rocked some awesome races:

like a wintery 5k,

my first triathlon,

an awesome half marathon with friends,

and a memorable half with my hubs.

We went on a family cruise.

Josh and I spent my birthday in Hot Springs, hiking and staying at our family's lake house.

We celebrated our 1 year anniversary!

We moved to Fayetteville.

My mom got a pool.

And we got a puppy!

At the beginning of the year I proclaimed my love for new year resolutions and set a few for myself. Lets see how I faired...

1. Run a 5K, 10K, and half marathon; and set a new PR

Partially accomplished: I completed a 5k and a half marathon and set personal records in both. Wahoo! But I never even signed up for a 10k.

2. Save 20% of our yearly income

Done! Despite the cost of moving, we were still able to keep our savings at 20%, with $8 surplus.

3. Take a photography class

Complete fail: Never gave this more than a second thought.

4. Become more confident in my sewing abilities.

Between baby showers and the need to decorate my house, I consider this partially completed. I suppose you can say I am more confident in my abilities, I still have no real clue what I am doing.

Taking this time to reflect over 2011 has me even more excited for the possibilities of this new year. Stay tuned for the epic resolutions of 2012!

My Favorite Christmas Tradition

2011-12-19T21:51:00.002-06:00

After a successful long run last Saturday, Josh and I spent the rest of the day doing one of our favorite Christmas traditions:

A puzzle!

Yes, we are an old married couple who love puzzles!

We love puzzles so much that we even completed one on our honeymoon. Seriously, Josh and I were made for each other!

Honeymoon flashback: British Virgin Islands 2010

We set up the kitchen/living room so we could spend all day working the puzzle and watch marathon episodes of Dexter. Such an amazingly perfect weekend!

We have very different strategies for completing puzzles. I like to work the edges first and Josh likes to tackle an object in the middle. Since I work the puzzles outside-in, and he works them inside-out, we rarely get in each other's way.

We dominated you Santa!

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?

Long Run Surprise

2011-12-19T21:50:00.002-06:00

Is it already Monday night?! These past few days have flown by. Between last minute Christmas shopping, cleaning of the house, and quality hubby time, I haven't stopped. Luckily, I've been getting out of work early each day so I've had plenty of extra time to get things done.

Last Friday night was spent catching up with friends over dinner, then hitting the sack early for my long run Saturday morning. I had plans to meet some people from the local running club, Northwest Arkansas Speed Association (aka: NASA), at 8:30 to tackle 12 miles. I was super nervous because 1) these girls planned to average a much faster pace than I was use to, 2) meeting new people makes me nervous, and 3) did I mention these girls were fast?

Eek! I basically introduced myself as "Hi, my name is Alex. Thanks so much for inviting me to run with you guys. I'm really slow, so you don't have to wait on me."

Yea, steller first impression. I really know how to talk myself up.

The girls were super nice and welcoming. They said they were in no hurry and planned to just take it easy. Ha! This sentence replayed over in my head a few times during the run as a cruel joke. Such a mean thing to say to this slow runner.

But you know what happens when you set the bar low for yourself? You are very impressed when you do better than expected!

Exhibit A:

Mileage: 12.00; Time: 2:01:48; Pace: 10:09

Booyah!! During this run, I beat my 5K and 10K personal record, and would have stomped my half marathon personal record if I would have ran 1 more mile! It definitely wasn't easy, but it felt SO good!

Here is the mileage broken down:

Mile 1: 9:41

Mile 2: 9:01

Mile 3: 9:23

Mile 4: 9:25

Mile 5: 9:49

Mile 6: 9.57 <--Turn around point. Start the slow incline.

Mile 7: 9:29

Mile 8: 10:17

Mile 9: 10:23

Mile 10: 10:52 <-- Walked a few times. Getting way too tired.

Mile 11: 11:15 <-- Nasty hill. So over this run.

Mile 12: 12:14 <--Longer nasty hill. Get me outta here!

Ouch. Okay, so the splits aren't amazing. But look at those first 7 miles! Yep, those are 9's at the front. Rocking.

I was able to keep up with the group during the first 7.5 miles, but after the turn-around spot at mile 6, the trail was slightly uphill the rest of the way. I slowly started to lose them and then the last 2 miles had some nasty, unrelenting inclines. Yay for hills at the end of a 12 mile run!

So, while I started to bomb toward the end, my average pace still rocked. And this makes me super happy. Apparently what "they" say is correct: Running with fast people make you a better runner.

I may start making this a habit. Hopefully no one will mind the slow girl tagging along.

Fayetteville Half Marathon Recap

2011-12-11T17:00:00.001-06:00

Alternate titles: I Love My Husband, Walking a Half Marathon Still Hurts, or I Heart Local Races.

Well, this was a race of firsts. My first race with my husband. My first race in the town I live. And my first race where I walked 3/4th of the time.

Since the race was in Fayetteville, I woke up in my own bed and felt the luxury of having my entire running wardrobe to choose from (instead of waking up in a hotel and searching through my suitcase for some packed running clothes and wishing I had X clothing article). Otherwise, the morning started off a like every other race: I choked down my breakfast of toast and PB (I seriously have eaten this for breakfast about 3x a week for the past year, but on every single race day I have to force myself to eat it. So strange), drank some coffee to get the bowels moving (TMI? Sorry, it's the reality of being a runner), and attempted to dress warm for the 26 degree morning. Burr!

Josh was super nervous about the knee/joint pain he had been having, which resulted in his longest run being 7 miles 3 weeks before. He hoped to keep a good pace as long as he could, ignore the knee pain as long as possible, and walk very little.

Isn't he cute? Poor boy was one of the only ones in shorts- we need to get him some proper running gear!

As evident by the possible alternate titles, the race didn't go so well. We were keeping a 10:00 pace and were feeling great until mile 4. Josh was wincing in pain with every step and I could tell he couldn't go much longer.

We walked for a few minutes then tried to pick it back up, but he couldn't run for longer than 1 minute at a time. He described the pain as sharp, electrocuting, and worse with each impact. We walked the majority of miles 4-7, with occasional 1 minute sprints. He was so defeated and angry with his body and it made me feel so sorry for him. I know he wanted this to be a great first half marathon and it was completely out of his control.

At mile 8, Josh was limping pretty badly and merely starting to run was sending unbearable pain through his legs. This is where the running stopped and the mental task of walking 6 miles began. Seeing him so upset, there was no way I was going to leave his side! If we were to walk the rest of the way, we would. And I would be his little cheerleader the whole time.

Yea, it super sucked. And yea, my IT band was strangely killing me for walking 13.1 miles. But I wouldn't trade that 2 hours and 52 minutes for anything. I got to see my husband push himself when others would have quit long before. I got to be there for him, quietly walking beside him, while he struggled to complete his first half marathon. A lesser man would have given up, but we walked together, hand in hand across the finish line.

I would be lying if I said I didn't have tears in my eyes while we walked across the finish line. I was so proud of him.

The Fayetteville Half Marathon was a great race! It was a wonderful course, cold but sunny weather, great volunteers, and lots of yummy goodies after the race. But best of all, I finished with my best friend.

Ready To Run

2011-12-10T20:06:00.001-06:00

This post was written on my iPhone, which was super awkward and quite difficult. Please excuse any strange picture placement and missed typos.

Tomorrow, Josh and I are running the Fayetteville Half Marathon. This will be my 5th half marathon and falls perfectly into my marathon training schedule. It's crazy to think that I am almost half through!

Tomorrow's race will actually be Josh's first half marathon, so this race is a huge deal!! If I were running this by myself, I wouldn't think of it than more than a long run with a bunch of other people plus a bonus medal at the end. But since this is Josh's first, we're going all out.

Including photos at the Expo:

Some carb-induced comas:

Ugh! Horrible, hazy eyed photo...

And awesome pep talks from your's truly:

My only goal is to stay with Josh and ensure he has a blast. No time goal or pressure of a PR; just good ole fashion running to put a smile on my face!

Josh's only goal is to finish in one piece. Let's just say he hasn't been able to train as diligently as he would have liked (cough cough, merely running 7miles about 3 weeks ago). This is largely do to joint/knee pain, and the fact that he decided to start training 1 month ago. Crazy boy.

I'm just happy that I'll be running tomorrow with my best friend. Wish us luck!

Solo miles

2011-11-26T14:58:00.001-06:00

I have officially completed 4 weeks of marathon training. Crazy how time flies when you're having fun!

Before this week, I had practically hit all my goal mileage for each week. However, due to holidays, travel, and plain laziness, I wasn't able to get all my runs in, putting me -2 miles below my target. I know it might sound like I am being a little too nit-picky about it, but those two miles mean a lot! I try to follow the rule of 'no more than 10% increase each week' to prevent injury, but it looks like I will have to bend the rules a little bit.

Here is what the first 5 weeks looked like. The red indicates the changes I made that day.

I have already adjusted Week 5 to bring down the mileage a bit. Originally I was to run 5 miles on Tuesday, making the total milage 21, but that would be increasing my mileage by 23.75%. Yikes! Now that it is set at 20 miles, it is only a 17% increase. Not great, but much better. (You can thank my smart husband for all that math)

To look at the full 18 week marathon training schedule just click on the link below:

NOLA Marathon Training Schedule (Google Document)

So this morning I had 9 miles to tackle. My husband's legs weren't feeling up to par and all my trusty running buddies were out of town for the holidays. That left me to face the miles solo. Boo.

And on top of that, the weather didn't look so inviting either.

So I put on my happy face and mentally prepared for the worst run ever.

(Even though I felt like this...)

But you know what? The run rocked! I blared my music, smiled at everyone I passed, and thanked the heavens that it didn't rain one drop.

And to put a cherry on top (even though I don't like cherries) I ran an extra mile because I felt so good! Bam! 10 miles with a 10:27 average pace.

Here's the breakdown:

Mile 1-10:38

Mile 2-9:48

Mile 3-10:29

Mile 4-10:26

Mile 5-10:01

Mile 6-9:59

Mile 7-10:23

Mile 8-10:46

Mile 9-11:17 <---continuous incline with crazy headwind

Mile 10-10:39

I am so happy that I pushed myself to not only run by myself but to do more than I had planned. Who I am?!

Have you ever surprised yourself with your abilities, when you didn't even want to do it in the first place? Do you hate running solo as much as I do, or do you enjoy the time to yourself?

Thankful Thursday

2011-11-24T18:16:00.001-06:00

Thankful Thursday

2011-11-17T20:27:00.001-06:00

It's late so I'm gonna make this snappy.

What? Who cares that it is only 8:30. I'm tired and exhausted and I just want to climb into bed and fall asleep reading a good book.

And by the way, don't you love that I am starting my Thankful Thursday post with '...I'm gonna make this snappy.' Such a great way to really sit down and think about my blessings. Aren't I getting good at this God?

1. I am thankful for a women's bible study I joined last week. These girls are so welcoming and make me feel like I have always been a part of the group (even though I assume they have all been friends for quite some time...). It is easy to see God's presence when people are so genuine and loving. I'm really excited to grow closer to God and to these new friends. (Too soon to call them friends...? I don't know. But if we are gonna be friends, I might need to learn all their names. Yea, I'll work on that.)

2. I am thankful that I see my family this weekend. I miss them.

3. I am thankful, yet again, for my awesome husband who can follow a to-do list. The house was picked up, the kitchen was clean, and the dogs had grooming appointments. He rocks at getting things done (All I have to do is leave a little list each morning)

4. All jokes aside, I am thankful that my husband rocks.

5. I am thankful I had a girls weekend this past weekend:

Spa Night + excessive cupcake consumption + Wii Dancing = Amazing Friday night.

Cold run + Rick's Bakery + Shopping + More cupcakes/dancing= Amazing Saturday

That is math I can do!

Now, I hope you have a wonderful Thursday. I am off to read now.

Thankful Thursdays

2011-11-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

I always look forward to writing these posts. I'll be the first to admit that I don't sit and think about the blessing in my life near enough. I busily go throughout my day not thanking God for everything I've been given; sometimes, when you're in the middle of it, it's hard to appreciate how wonderful your life is. These posts force me to reflect on the wonderful things in my life.

So, and I thankful for Thankful Thursday. These posts force me to reflect on the wonderful things in my life. Looking back, I've done a lot of thanking:
Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, and Here

On a more superficial note, I am thankful that I wear scrubs every day to work. I don't have to give my outfit a second thought Monday-Friday and it is glorious. Who wouldn't love wearing pajamas to work every day?! The only downside- I do kinda miss looking nice some times. But only kinda.

I am thankful that Jessi posted pictures of her Halloween Extravaganza so that the whole world can see my husband in short shorts. Woah Woah!

I am thankful that Girl's Weekend is this weekend. 7-ish girls are coming to overtake the Clark house for primping, shopping, and other girly things. Poor Josh. He plans to banish himself in the game room and live off of video games, Doritos, and root beer. It's going to be a blast!

I am thankful for good runny buddies, new and old. They make the miles go by faster. They keep me accountable. They are a necessity to me. Thanks running buddies. You are all rock stars.

A running husband-So dreamy!

I love racing with friends like a fat kid loves cake!

Runners are really graceful; just look at those moves.

Thumbs up to sun in your eyes!

I am thankful for my big brother who turns 28 tomorrow! Words cannot describe how awesome Derek is and I hate that I cannot be there to celebrate his birthday with him. Luckily, he could care less, as long as I get him a Best Buy gift card. This boy loves him some Best Buy.

What are you thankful for today?

Fast is Relative

2011-11-07T09:00:00.000-06:00

My little bloggy got a face lift the other day. Nothing too snazzy, but it was time to change things up a bit. I like my life to be simple and clean, and I feel that this new look captures that.

What do you think?

On Saturday I completed my first long run of my marathon training schedule. I realize that I have yet to post my official 18-week training plan, but I am still fine-tuning it. Once it is finished, I promise to post it asap (Who cares Alex! Moving on now...)

Northwest Arkansas was blessed with another beautiful fall today on Saturday. The temperature was cool, the sun was shining and the leaves were full of color!

I can't say enough how much I love running in the fall. Honestly, how can one resist the trail on a day like this?

Luckily, I'm not the only one who couldn't resist a good run that day. Rock star Rachel (who ran the St. Louis Half Marathon with me) and her friend Dee Dee joined me for Saturday's run.

Dee Dee is somewhat new to distant-running so she agreed to run 2 miles (yea, she's claims she doesn't run but she demolished those 2 miles) and Rachel and I decided to bang out 6. And when I say "decided" I mean, "Rachel agreed to my 6-mile demand". She's a good friend.

Another snapshot of the Skull Creek Trail in Fayetteville. I'm loving that I have miles and miles of trails to run my little heart out.

Our times were as followed:
Mile 1- 10:05
Mile 2- 10:35 (<---We walked a tad at the end, then said "adios" to Dee Dee)
Mile 3- 10:03
Mile 4- 9:57
Mile 5- 10:13
Mile 6- 10:08
Total- 61:01
Average Pace- 10:10

Whoop Whoop. I'm proud about that pace. And look at mile 4! Yep, that's a 9 right there. I know I won't be winning races any time soon, but I'm getting faster each week. What more could a girl want?

One thing I've learned when it comes to running, is 'fast' is a relative term. Each person's perception of fast is completely different from the next. And what I considered fast 6 months ago is completely different then my idea of it now. That is why I love running so much-it is constantly changing yet always stays the same.

Look at that girl run.

Wow. She's going fast.

Thankful Thursday

2011-11-03T17:53:00.000-05:00

Are you ready for me to be all giddy and happy about how blessed and amazing my life is? Good. Cause here we go!

I am thankful that I no longer work weekends. I never realized how much I hate working weekends until I didn't have to be on-call anymore. Not having to schedule out visits home, or when people can stay over is nice. I'm open every weekend all weekend people!

I am thankful that I love my veggies. I mean, they are just so darn good! Carrots use to be the only vegetable that I liked, and that was only if they was drenched in ranch dressing. Now I like them all, whether that be raw, steamed, grilled, broiled, or baked! Well, except beets. Who in their right mind likes beets?

I am thankful that I have quite a few friends who are prego (Yay Jen!)! This way I will know what to expect when it is my turn; it's pretty much a built in 'trial and error' system I have going here. Plus, I love holding, cuddling, and smelling babies and parents don't like to give their child over to a stranger to be smelled. Hopefully my friends won't mind!

I am thankful that marathon training started this week. Remember when I said I now have free weekends just a few sentences ago? I take that back. The next 18 weekends of my life are all scheduled out. I won't know life without Saturday morning long runs after this...granted, I've spent the last 12 weekends completing a long run so I'm already kinda use to it.

I am thankful that I get to go home three times this month! I don't remember the last time I visited home so I'm super pumped to see friends and family. I kinda miss 'em. I am not, however, looking forward to the drive. But I guess that's what I get for moving three hours away.

I am also thankful for: leftover Halloween candy, good running socks, the DVR, and pumpkin scented candles.

Now, what are you thankful for today?

Perfect Fall Day

2011-11-01T19:12:00.000-05:00

This:

{via}

The beautiful, albeit windy, weather...not the goofy weather man

Plus this:

{via}

Peak of foliage on the Lake Fayetteville Trail

Equals this:

A great 3mi run with an average pace of 9:20.

Boom!

Done son.

Couldn't have asked for a more perfect run!

How did you spend this fall day?

A Not So Halloween Surprise

2011-10-31T18:29:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween Folks!

Josh and I celebrated Halloween by attending the Leonard Halloween Extravaganza; however, I'm a horrible blogger and didn't take one photo. Boo. I really wished I had because Josh dressed up as Richard Simmons, and boy was he wearing some short shorts.

Sweatin' to the Oldies

And for the Surprise ...

I don't know if you knew this, but I am very goal-oriented, and this is especially true when it comes to exercise. I work best and I am much more dedicated when I have something to achieve. So, before I even toed the starting line of the St. Louis Half Marathon, I signed up for another race.

And not just any race. If you caught this post, you might know what I'm talking about...

I signed up for MY FIRST FULL MARATHON!

Eek! I'm totally pumped and ready for this new and exciting challenge. I'm especially even more excited that my family is planning on making the trip down to New Orleans to cheer me on.

This will be me in 18 weeks:

Except I definitely won't be starting with the Kenyans.

So I apologize in advance if posts tend to be more 'running oriented' because my life will be consumed with marathon training for the next 126 days.

Food will be for fuel. Sleep will be for recovery. And I will be counting my waking hours until I can pull on my Asics and hit the pavement. Aka: Running will be my life. And call me crazy, but I can't wait!

Stay tuned for my New Orleans marathon training plan.

St. Louis Half Marathon Race Recap

2011-10-29T17:52:00.000-05:00

If you want to catch up, please see the following St. Louis Half Marathon related posts:

St. Louis Half Marathon Training Plan

St. Louis Half Marathon Training- In Numbers

St. Louis Half Marathon Goals

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I finished my fourth half marathon. Going into this race I had a range of goals from simply finishing with a smile on my face, to smashing my PR with a sub 2:20 time. I am proud to say that I ran the best race I could and gave 110%.

Boom!

Thats right. I ran a sub 2:20 and set a new PR of 2:18.

Heres how the event went down.

Like I've said before, I recruited my friend Rachel 4 weeks prior to run this race with me. Being the all-star that she is, she agreed to spend her weekend driving to St. Louis, running 13.1 miles, and driving back. Thank goodness, because this race (and training) wouldn't have been near as awesome without her.

Rachel arrived at my house at 8am on Saturday morning to make our 6 hour trek to St. Louis. With a quick detour to Illinois, we made it to the Expo at 2:00 with just enough time to pick up our race bib and packet, explore the booths, and pick up some last minute running-needs.

Exhibit A: These fanastically awesome headbands.

My true goal in any race.

After the expo, we were both craving pasta. The hotel concierge (I love that word) recommended a small family-owned Italian restaurant right up the street.

Holy yum! Needless to say, we stuffed our faces.

We then headed straight back to the hotel. Our crazy Saturday night ended with me in bed at 8:30 and out like a light by 9. I prefer "dedicated runner" opposed to "boring grandma" thank you very much.

Even though we had 2 alarms plus a wake up call for 5am, I was up by 4:30 do to pre-race jitters. It was pointless to lay there tossing and turning so Rachel and I got ready and pumped up in our room. We both packed tons of options. Rachel decided to go with the most comfortable option; I decided to go with the most mismatched option.

See that excitement?!

Rachel dedicated her race to her cousin Jennifer.

And I dedicated mine to my rockin' Big Brother.

Since our hotel was about 20 minutes west of St. Louis, we decided to take the MetroLink into the city. I am not confident driving through big cities, especially if the city is packed with 25,000+ runners (hence, accidently making a detour to Illinois the day before)! So I would strongly recommend this option, as it was easy, cheap, and dropped us off right by the start line.

Don't let the tired faces fool you...

...we were pumped!

We made it to the start line by 6:40, stopped at the Porta Potties (which were plentiful and moved quickly), and found our corral with plenty of time to spare.

The starting line was beautiful, as we could see the arch in the background. Tons and tons of people!

The race started at 7:30, and by 7:50 we finally crossed the start line. Clearly, Rachel was ready to get this race started.

During the first mile we passed by the iconic St. Louis Arch and by Busch Stadium.

At the start of races, I am always extra cautious not to start off too fast, as that is supposedly the #1 mistake with runners. The first few miles were flat and beautiful and I had to keep telling myself to slow down because I didn't want to crash and burn at the end. As a result, the first 2 miles were some of the slowest miles of the race.

Mile 1- 10:48
Mile 2- 10:42

At mile 3 I saw a man in his full military outfit (is it called an outfit? or uniform? or ensemble? I don't know) running the full marathon. So incredibly inspiring, and totally worth the few emotional tears that came. I love being a patriotic sap. Rock on soldier!

Mile 3- 10:24

Mile 4- 10:29

At mile 5, these cute little YMCA girls had a mini-finish line and were cheering their little hearts out. My favorite thing about races (besides the medal) is crossing the finish line, so I was not going to miss the chance to cross two finish lines in one race!

Mile 5- 10:27

I'd like to take this moment to comment on the race volunteers and spectators. Being a Rock-N-Roll series race, there were bands at every mile and each were amazing. But between the mile markers and bands were crowds and crowds of support and spectators cheering their little hearts out. I can't recall one quite moment on the course as there was always a crowd at every corner and sidewalk with signs and noisemakers. Made the first 6 miles fly by!

Rachel enjoyed all the entertainment as well. Two thumbs up for the volunteers! Plenty of water and hydration at every station!

Here we are reaching mile 6, where we were at our fastest. At this point in the race I felt amazing and was enjoying every second!

Woo Hoo! My legs were feeling great and I was on top of the world!

Mile 6- 10:06

Mile 7- 10:27

Then there was the mile 8-9 stretch. During miles 1-7, there were a few rolling hills but they were easy and we got an immediate pay off by having a decline once we reached the top. But miles 8 and 9 was horrible.

Beautiful? Yes. But it was completely up-hill the entire way. I am proud that I did not walk once, and I didn't even let my pace really slow down, but it took a toll on me physically and mentally. I was hurting once I finally made it to the top.

Mile 8- 10:34

Mile 9- 10:26

At this point, I stopped taking pictures. I could only focus on pushing forward and keeping one foot in front of the other. Despite the fact that my pace hadn't yet suffered from that 2mile incline, it was quickly catching up to me. Even though mile 10 was slightly down-hill, I began having a sharp pain in my right hip and knee and my pace began to slow.

Mile 10- 10:46

Rachel was being an amazing cheerleader and I could tell she felt good. At this point I felt I might be able to finish by 2:20 but my knee was only getting worse. Rachel kept saying "We're rocking this. We're totally going to do this!" She said it enough times, I actually started to believe her.

At mile 11, there was another hill. Its funny how I tend to go faster up hill, then slow down once we are going downhill. Each hill slowly picked away at my mentality and I kept thinking to myself "Why in the heck did I not train on more hills?!" It wasn't that the hills were bad, it's just during training I avoid hills at all costs so any incline totally kicks my butt. When will I learn?

Mile 11- 10:34

Mile 12- 10:56

To reach the top of mile 13, we had to climb another small hill (I was cursing in my head at this point- dang those hills!), then it was a decline for the last .1 miles.

Mile 13- 10:23

Mile .2- 1:58 (a 9:34 pace)

Total 13.2 miles- 2:18

(My Garmin read and extra .1 miles, which means I really need to pay more attention to running the tangents!)

Victory is sweet my friends! Thats the smile of a new personal record by more than 10 minutes!

Rachel smashed her PR too, maybe because she is a rock star.

And look who we ran into at the finishline. Good friend and fellow speech pathologist Amber, who rocked her half marathon with a time of 1:54. Yea, she's a rock start too.

Yay for running SLPs!

So that my friends is my fourth half marathon story. Amazing and perfect in every way. Here is the final breakdown, per my Garmin:

Now I have a sub 2:15 goal on the horizon, and a marathon in my future. But that's a whole other post....

Thankful Thursday

2011-10-27T19:26:00.003-05:00

Agh! Did you know today is Thursday? Which means today is Thankful Thursday. Which means I almost forgot to post what I am thankful for today. Phew, that was a close one. I know you were so very concerned that I hadn't checked in yet, but you can rest calmly now. Here we go.

1. I am thankful that my husband fixed my car last week. Luckily, he's not one who's afraid to make mistakes. If he doesn't know how to do it, YouTube is his best friend. And while an auto-mechanic 'quoted' us for a $1000+ fix, my Hubby did it himself for 50 bucks. Take that over-priced mechanic! My husband rocks.

2. I am thankful tomorrow is pay day. I mean, who doesn't love pay day? Makes all the craziness seem worth it.

And did I get a face-full of crazy today.

Exhibit A:

3. I am thankful I got to run today. I have taken the past 3 days off due to the St. Louis Half Marathon and I plan to only run a few miles, as to not over do it.

We actually went to a really snazzy and cool fitness club in Fayetteville to cash in our guest pass and I loved every minute of it.

Club Haus has a real modern feel to it, state-of the art equipment, and awesome group classes like Bodypump, Pilates, Hot Vinyasa, and even ballet barr classes! The down side includes no pool and the steep price of $79.99 a month for a family of two. Ouch. Guess we'll keep shopping for the perfect gym.

4. I am thankful that this amazing recipe got two thumbs up at the Clark abode last night. Anything with the words 'soup', 'potato' and 'cheese' is bound to be good in my book!

Plus Jenna is a complete genius.

5. I am thankful for fall TV. I swear our DVR is so backed up, we would last months through another writer's strike.

Remember when they had that writer's strike a few years back. Man, my entertainment levels sure suffered during those times. Those were dark, dark times my friends. I had to resort to reruns, board games, and face-to-face conversations with people. Lets just stop talking about it...

6. I am thankful I have two dogs, that way they keep each other entertained and I don't have to pay as much attention to them. I'm only slightly kidding. Sort of.

Seriously kidding. But it is nice that they play with each other all day, then sleep soundly at night. This gal isn't gonna complain.

7. I am thankful it is cold and raining. Scratch that. I'm just thankful it is cold so I can wear my cute jackets and scarfs. I definitely don't prefer the rain.

Cold rain just makes me want to snuggle up with my hubby by the fireplace and drink hot tea. Actually, now that I think about it, that doesn't sound too bad.

Okay, so another edit: I AM thankful for the cold and rain. Anything that increases snuggle time is more than welcome!

8. I am thankful it is documentary night in the Clark household. Film of choice: Forks over Knifes.

This might result in another vegetarian/vegan experiment again. You in Josh?

What are you thankful for today?

A Little Lazy

2011-10-25T20:40:00.000-05:00

So yea, I've been a little lazy these past few days. I keep looking at the pictures of the past weekend and relive it in my head over and over again. It was amazing. It was awesome. It was wonderful. And I promise to share it with you soon.

Here is another teaser from the race.

Just some more proof that I actually did finish and I'm not just making things up.

And to make this post non-pointless, here is a cute little video.

This makes my little speech-therapy heart burst with joy.

Well, I finished!

2011-10-24T09:40:00.000-05:00

Well, I finished!

Recap to come soon.

Spoiler alert: Awesome race. Awesome weather. Awesome run.

My St. Louis Half Marathon Goals

2011-10-21T17:23:00.001-05:00

The laundry is not done.

The Garmin and Ipod are not charged.

My bags are not packed.

The music playlist has not been made.

The car is on empty.

So believe it or not, I am totally ready for the St. Louis Half Marathon!

As mentally ready as I am, I'm nervous thinking about my goals for this race. I obviously want rock this race's face off, but I don't want to set myself up for failure. So to avoid that, I am going to prioritize my goals. That way I can at least accomplish something!

Saturday goals: (yes, pre-race goals totally count)
1. Have an awesome road trip with no junk food.
2. Limit my spending at the Race Expo to $25.
3. Eat a filling, yet healthy pre-race dinner.
4. Get a good night's sleep without anxiety or nightmares of sleeping through the race.

Sunday goals:
5. No regrets. Give it all I've got!
6. Cross the finish line with a smile on my face.
This is not what I mean. That race was not entirely fun.

7. Run the second half of the race faster than the first half.
8. Set a personal record (under 2:28)
9. Finish at or below 2:20.

Since this is my fourth half marathon, I want to leave everything on the course and give it all I've got! NO REGRETS! If I don't finish below 2:20, I'll be okay, but only if I give 110% and couldn't have pushed myself any hard.

So, friends, wish me luck! Cause I might just need it...

Thankful Thursday

2011-10-20T21:03:00.000-05:00

This week has literally flown by.

How come on Monday I always feel, "Ugh, can't believe I have a whole 5 days until the weekend!".

Then on Tuesday I wake up saying, "Monday wasn't so bad, but I still have 4 days left! Ugh!"

Wednesday I feel, "Ugh, it is only Wednesday? At least the week is halfway over."

But Thursday always sneaks up on me, and I'm like, "Woah! Today is Thursday? That means tomorrow is Friday?"

Crazy how that works.

Luckily, the entire world now has a song to remind them of this progression:

(I don't know what is more pathetic: this song or the fact I am referencing it.)

So, I am very thankful it is Thursday today, and that tomorrow (aka: Friday) is the last day of the work week. In general, Thursdays are very good days, don't you agree?

I am thankful that I am running my fourth half marathon this weekend. I know I've mentioned it before, but seriously, I'm super pumped to rock this race's face off! Though training hasn't been as diligent as I had planned, I still accomplished a lot of goals and I'm happy where I'm at.

And I haven't mentioned it before, but I am over the top thankful for my impromptu, running buddy Rachel who has decided to run this half marathon with me. This hot mama jumped into training in week 8 and has rocked all our long runs. I am stoked to have such an amazing running/traveling buddy like her.

The fact that she is a little nutty like me doesn't hurt either.

I am thankful for Donut Wednesday at work. Sometimes the donuts are from infamous Rick's Bakery, sometimes Krispy Kreme, sometimes Harps, but always good! And the yummy frou-frou coffee adds to the awesomeness. Oh, and it is all free. "Free" gets me everytime.

Speaking of free, I went to a random salon's 'big event night' tonight because they were giving free eye brow waxings. Sign me up! If it is free, I'll practically do anything. Plus they were giving away free champagne, cheese and crackers, and door prizes! So, really, I am thankful for anything that is free. But who isn't, right?

I am thankful that the past few days have been crisp and chilly! Fall is here ladies and gentlemen, and I'm loving every minute of it! I've been getting to wear scarfs and cute jackets, and not sweat when I drink my morning tea. Oh so nice.

I am also thankful for all the little things in my day, such as...

when my socks do not have holes in them.

when somebody changes out the toilet paper roll.

that I am a heavy sleeper.

and that The Husband tucks me in and kisses me every night.

What are you Thankful for today?

St. Louis Half Marathon Training in Numbers

2011-10-16T17:59:00.001-05:00

I can't believe the Rock and Roll St. Louis Half Marathon will be here in 1 week. A mere 7 days away before I toe the line of my 4th half marathon, before I can cross another state off my running list. I am so excited to be starting this race off injury free and feeling the strongest I've ever felt. I only hope that my progress during training will reflect in my abilities on October 23rd.

Since this has been such a long process, I thought I'd break down my training into some numbers. Lucky for me, I keep a detailed calendar of each run so I can look back and see what I did right and wrong:

Number of

...training weeks: 12

5 weeks of 'pre-training' and 12 weeks of official training

...long runs: 10

Definitely skipped a few, oops!

...long runs with friends: 9

Makes the miles fly by.

...speed workouts: 5

Oh, so now I know why I'm not any faster...

...speed workouts completed solo: 4

Despite being a low number, at least it's better than zero!

...runs with the puppies: 0

Ajax couldn't keep up and Sully is too young

...runs with the Husband: 5

Life and running are better when he's around

...runs in the rain: 0

Lets hope I'm as lucky on race day

...toast with PB consumed before long runs: at least 20

I easily ate 2 before each long run. Why fix it if it ain't broken?!

...coconut waters consumed after long runs: 8

Refreshing and replenishing!

While I didn't cross off every run on my half marathon training plan, I am happy with my dedication to this race and my injury-free body. (Number of times I've mentioned my excitement over not being injured...countless!).

Next time I will share with you my goals for this race and what I hope to accomplish! FYI: I probably won't be breaking any amazing records.

Thankful Thursday

2011-10-13T10:45:00.029-05:00

I woke up in a wonky mood this morning. The kind of mood when I know I'm 'off' and could care less about snapping out of it. Where I almost expect and want things to go badly, just so I can stay in my pissed off mood.

Definitely woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

Definitely do not want to be thankful this morning.

Definitely have probably dragged you down with me in this somber mood. So let me put on a forced smile and be thankful about some things in my life.

Fake it till you make it, right?

I am thankful that my kitchen is no longer in the middle of the house. Now that it is in the back corner, you can sit in the living room and not even know that the dishes are piled high and the counters need to be cleaned.

If I need a glass of water, I'll just do it with my eyes closed.

I am thankful for sunny, warm afternoons.

I am thankful for walks with the husband and dogs.

And when the sun shines ~~in my eyes~~.

I am thankful for amazing friends who encourage my craziness and even give me tips on accomplishing my outlandish aspirations.

This said friend's name is Nora, who is attempting to qualify for the Boston Marathon and rocks my running socks off. Although she is my fastest friend, she always slows down to run my pace. Now that is a true friend!

Yes, that is an old picture of our Memphis weekend. Recycling is good.

I am thankful for having an active husband, who I can coerce into running with me.

Funny how I've been training months for a half marathon, and this man can keep up without barely breaking a sweat. And when I say funny, I mean totally makes me sick.

However, I am NOT thankful for my wacky hair in the above photo.

I am thankful for progress in the craft/game room. And having a handy husband.

I'm gathering my inspiration from Pinterest. Pinterest is heaven for the decorating dummies like me.

{via}

I am thankful for the awesome rock climbing around Northwest Arkansas. The husband and I ventured out to Lincoln Lake a few weekends ago and we loved every minute of it!

Of course, I'm not nearly as skilled as Josh is, but I can hold my own on 5.7 routes like this one.

Well, look at that. Apparently I did have a lot to be thankful for today.

And you know what, I'm in a much better mood now.

Faking it DOES make it.

I hope that you have a wonderful Thursday!

Am I Crazy?

2011-10-11T19:53:00.001-05:00

I think I'm coming down with something.

It is definitely something in the air.

And it is very contagious.

I think I've caught the Marathon itch.

After reading post after post of marathon recaps, and feeling so strong at this point in my half marathon training, I think I am ready to sign up for my first full marathon.

Cue the dramatic music.

I am slowly trying to recruit as many people to join me in NOLA. My husband, who has never ran more than 6 miles, has agreed to help me train, and if all goes well, he will run it with me. I'm also currently trying to recruit some of my favorite friends to take on the adventure as well. Woo Whoo!

Since my step-dad is from New Orleans, he and my mom are also trying to make the trip down for support. This is going to be a huge event, and I can't wait.

Now, the real question: Am I crazy?

Decorating for Dummies

2011-10-09T17:46:00.001-05:00

When I was younger my parents always told me how great I was in everything I did. Once, in 4th grade, I told my mother that I wanted to sing in the school's talent show. She told me that was a wonderful idea because I had such a beautiful voice.

Lies. All lies.

I know for 100% fact that I cannot carry a tune in a bucket. Anyone who's sat by me in church or heard me karaoke can attest to it as well.

Thankfully, I never ended up singing in said talent show. That would have been the end of my social life. I did, however, clog in a super puffy skirt to Alan Jackson. My costume looked something like this:

Obviously, my friend-count sky rocketed. Not.

Now that I have a firm grasp on my own personal skills and talents, I know what I am good at and know what I suck at.

Good at:
cleaning (my mother taught me well)
meeting new people
making small-talk
school (I'm such a nerd)
baking
dancing (15+ years baby)

Bad at:
staying up late (Hello, 9:30pm!)
singing (please see above)
fashion
decorating

I am happy with these lists. I'm proud of what I can do and have accepted what I can't do. I still sing at the top of my lungs whenever the mood hits, and I still need to decorate this new house. Just because I don't have the 'creative eye' doesn't mean I should force my husband to live between blank walls.

Thats where you come in. Please, I mean PLEASE help this dummy decorate my house. Here is what you have to work with:

This is the front door. I have no clue what to put on the blank wall...maybe a 'frame wall'? Apparently, they are all the rage now.

This is looking from the front door into the living room. On the other side of the room is the kitchen

A fire place! Super pumped about this thing during the winter. But how should I decorate it? Currently, I just threw up a bunch of random decorations which I had no place for.
Seriously, I need help!

The kitchen. It's huge.

This is looking from the kitchen into the living room.

Introducing: The Orange Rooms. I pray for the people who choose this paint color. How in the world am I suppose to work with a room the color of a burnt pumpkin?!

And not only do I have to work with ONE orange room, but I have to figure out with to do with TWO orange rooms! Seriously, I'm over my head here folks. What colors go with Jersey Shore Fake Tan Orange??!

Last, but not least, the master suite. Huge with lots of empty walls and windows. Also, please notice the ceilings. "They" painted in alternating blue and grey colors. How artsy. Not.

Another view of the master looking from the bathroom. Yes, that is a strange cubby hole that perfectly hold's Sully's crate. Maybe we should hang portraits of the dogs in that corner. Maybe not? See, I need help!

Now, looking into the Master Bath. Bright blue, but nothing special. I get my own closet. Booyah.

I don't have pictures of the guest bath or the laundry room, but they are blank and boring as well.

So there you have it folks. Our new house and my daunting task of making it a home. Pinterest has been my best friend lately and I've found some really great ideas, but I honestly have no idea where to start. So much to do!!

Any and all ideas are welcome!

Thankful Thursday

2011-10-06T08:45:00.032-05:00

I try to thank God everyday for the amazing husband, family, friends, and job he has given me. I say 'try' because there are days which I completely forget to pray. There are days where it is all about me:

What I need to get done that day.

How busy my day at work is.

Fitting in my fun-time with friends.

It is hard to admit that my day is mostly filled with me and not a lot of Him.

"He must become greater; I must become less" John 3:30

Today I am thankful that God sent his Son to die for my sins. Today I am thankful that God has come into my heart and saved me from myself. Today I am thankful for another opportunity to be a light in a world that is in desperate need of Him.

Today I am thankful because I am undeserving.

What Month Is It?!

2011-10-04T20:35:00.001-05:00

Are we already in October?! What the heck?! Where did September go?

Oh, that's right. Moving can completely suck away time.

Speaking of time sucking away, the St. Louis Marathon is in exactly 19 days! Agh! SO not as prepared as I hoped to be at this point.

Ideally, I would have hit every speed run in September and increased my average pace. Sadly, during these past couple of weeks, the best I now hope for is to merely finish my long runs and hope to get in a few shorter runs in between.

These life changes have made it super hard to focus on my goal. Frustration! I wish I was one of those people who, when stressed, ran. I, on the other hand, cement my butt to a couch and drown in a sea of Parks and Recreation episodes while stuffing my face with tortilla chips.

I have such a strange obsession with tortilla chips. Preferably Mission Chips. They call to me. Literally, I hear them whispering my name now.

But readers, I'm holding something back. I am not mentioning something in particular, in fear that I might jinx it.

I really don't want to jinx it. But here I go...

I'm not injured! I am 3.5 weeks out until the race and no physical setbacks have occurred! This is so incredibly amazing, and I attribute it to 1)consistent strength training at the beginning and 2)gradual mileage increases by no more than 10% each week.

I'm crossing every finger, toe, and limb that I can continue to train smart these last few weeks.

Would you mind crossing a toe or two for me too? Thanks a bunch.

Patty Cake Kitty

2011-10-03T20:56:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I ran 9 miles with a friend and kicked butt.

Then I went to church.

Then I rock climbed with The Husband.

Then came back and watched this video

a few too many times.

Seriously, made my amazing Sunday even better.

AHHH! Haha!

This makes me wish I had my own kitties.

Only my dogs would play with/eat them.

Fayetteville Update

2011-09-26T08:30:00.002-05:00

Howdy from Northwest Arkansas!

Where Razorback Love runs deep and cute little shops are around every corner!

It has officially been 11 days since we moved to our new home in Fayetteville. So far, we are loving Northwest Arkansas: the Farmer's Market is awesome, the running trail is perfect, and the proximity to friends and Walmart is amazing!

However, we have yet to fully adjust to our new home: it is still strange to wake up in a different house each morning, we keep forgetting which drawer holds the silverware, and decorating a bright orange room is proving to be a little difficult. (Actually, two orange rooms...believe me, horrible pictures will be up soon).

The Pups are loving the new house. They have an extra large play-area in the living room and their very own fenced-in backyard. Seriously, they couldn't imagine more. Their little puppy brains are in puppy heaven right now.

But surprisingly, I am already feeling more at home here as opposed to Fort Smith. This is largely due to our friend quota increasing by 500%. It is nice to have couple-friends to do things with...we actually have plans for a dinner date tomorrow night. Crazy! Having friends in the same town as you = more fun!

Also, we have already found a church! It took us over a year to find a good fit in Ft. Smith, so I am pumped that we already have an amazing place to plug in and get connected!

And even more exciting news, we are having our first guests this weekend! Our goal is to spruce up the house as much as possible, but did you know moving is kinda expensive?! After 100 trips to Walmart and a billion utility deposits our checking account is slightly lower than I would like. Decorating with a limitless budget would be so much easier. Stupid expenses.

So, as we continue to settle in, I plan to post pictures and keep you updated on our life in Razorback Country!

Disarray

2011-09-12T07:25:00.000-05:00

My house is currently in utter disarray.

Mad chaos.

I don't function well in this kind of environment.

Blog world, please excuse me while I attempt to ~~neatly~~ frantically pack up our lives.

If this move doesn't kill, I shall be back in a few days.

Wish me well.

Thankful Thursday

2011-09-08T07:50:00.002-05:00

This Thursday I have a lot to be thankful for.

1. We have a house!

Yesterday Josh found us the perfect house and I couldn't be more excited. It might be a tad over our price range, but this late in the game we didn't care. We will be pulling into our new home in 7 days and we have LOTS to do.

2. New neighbors.

Due to #1, we will now be neighbors with cool cats Jessi and Jacob. I'm totally pumped.

2. Football!

Seriously, who doesn't love football season? College. Pro. I love it all.

3. Big Brother.

Yes. We devote 1 hour, 3 nights a week to reality TV. Am I proud of this? No. Do I want to stop. No way!

4. Running buddies.

I have been blessed by having an amazing running community here in Fort Smith. All the amazing ladies I have met are encouraging and pure awesomeness. I only wish to find people half as amazing once we move.

5. Fall mornings.

The past few mornings have been cool and crisp here in Arkansas. Awesome sauce. Perfect running weather.

What are you thankful for?

Story Of My Life

2011-09-07T10:30:00.018-05:00

Story of my life.

In 7th grade I was left off the nomination list for Homecoming Court because the school's office thought I was a male.

Tramatic.

Thank you 'unnamed charitable organization' for these free return address stickers. Thank you for reminding me how it felt to be a 13 year old, awkward girl who was easily confused as a boy.

Thank you Mom and Dad for giving me the most gender neutral name ever.

Now please excuse me. I need to have a good cry.

Moving Mania

2011-09-06T19:57:00.001-05:00

Wow. 3-day weekends rock! Am I right, or am I right? Seeing how Josh and I are moving in just a few short weeks, we took full advantage of our extra time.

On Saturday, I woke up to meet the butt-crack of dawn and some friends for my weekly long run. The schedule said 8 miles and I was ready to rock it's face off. This is how I felt before the run.

Sadly though, after bragging how well my long runs have been going, it sucked. (Karma's a B!) Miles 1-3 felt great, but 4-8 were horrible. By the last mile I was constantly negotiating with myself to go just a little bit farther.

" Run 10 more minutes and you can get some ice cream"

"Run 5 more minutes and then you can walk for 30 seconds"

"Run 1 more minute and you will never have to run again in your life"

"Run 30 more seconds and you can buy a new car...screw Josh and your savings!"

This is how I felt after my run. Now where is my new car?

Of course, I have to blame my bad run on something other than my abilities, so I contribute it to: 1. Speed work of 4 miles the day before, and 2. Not enough calories before and during the run. Now that I'm upping my mileage and running more than 1hour at a time, I really need to start some calorie intake during my runs.

On Sunday Josh and I got serious about our packing situation. We completely packed up our guestroom and closet, broke down the bed, and took all living-room decorations down. It's nice to know we already have so much accomplished. Good thing I consider myself a 'professional mover' seeing as how I have moved in and out of dorm rooms, apartments, and houses 5 times in the past 4 years. Yikes!

So now we have boxes filling up our guestroom; the only scary thing is we have no place to move to. Apparently, people do not want to rent to a married couple with a good steady income. Boo. I have a feeling it has something to do with our picky 'must-have' list and these two crazy mutts.

Adorable, Yes.
Ideal for rentals? No.

Speaking of my two perfect furr balls; we took them to the dog park for the first time on Monday. This was Sully's first trip and she loved it!

The dog is the complete opposite of her big sister.

Water-Loves it! Fetching-A natural!

Despite the stress of moving, this holiday weekend couldn't have gone better!

September Goals

2011-09-02T17:56:00.001-05:00

After reviewing my goals for August, I'm eager to get my September goals rolling!! Although I didn't meet all the goals I set for myself last month, I'm pretty certain I did more than I would have if I hadn't set any (*cough* research articles *cough cough*).

My September goals are:

1. Personal: Intentionally Improve My Marriage- Sarah from Peas and Thank You posted earlier this week an email-exchange her and her husband use to do to keep connected during the day. So I did what every good blogger does and stole the idea (and giver her credit of course!) Each day I will text three things to Josh: 1. Today I feel...; 2. I love you because...; and 3. [insert any question].

The first day went like this:
From Alex: "1. Today I feel excited about our new adventures; 2. I love you because you calm me when I'm stressed out; and 3. How are the puppies doing today?"
Josh responded: "1. Today I feel relieved from a poop I just took; 2. I love you because you are my sugar momma; and 3. What time are you getting off work?"

Wow.

So sentimental.

Thanks Hun.

2. Random: Walk the Dogs Daily- Ajax loves to go on walks and walks on a leash perfectly; we want Sully to walk just as well. Seeing how Sully will be a much bigger dog, we want to train her now, instead of waiting a trying to yank around a 50 pound dog. Plus, they could both use the exercise.

2. Fitness: Complete All Speed and Long Distance Runs- I did so well with this goal last month that I decided it needed to stay. A small gift for myself, if accomplished, may or may not be involved.

Ps. My long runs have ROCKED! I look forward to them every week. I actually enjoy waking up at the butt-crack of dawn each Saturday. Who am I?! Tomorrow I have 8 miles on the schedule and I am pumped!

3. Professional: Transition To My New Job With Limited Hysteria- That's right friends. I have put in my 2-week notice with my current job and my first day at the new one will be Sept 19th.

I am torn with emotion over this huge change: First, Josh won't be driving an hour to school for all his classes and I've always loved the Fayetteville area, but I have the perfect job with the best coworkers and we have no place to live in Fayetteville yet. I'm scared, excited, nervous, and stressed all at the same time!

So much change happening so fast!

So, while I don't have a lot of listed goals this month, I know I will be crazy busy and will be happy if I merely survive it all. Moving and changing jobs is going to be huge and stressful, so if I become MIA for a while, I'll probably be in a corner hoping the boxes will pack themselves.

Please pray for my husband during this time. I'm afraid my text messages my turn out like this...
1. Today I feel like I could strangle a baby kitten; 2. I love you ~~because~~ despite the fact that you are a horrible packer; 3. I'm so nervous starting my new job I could vomit...will you hold back my hair?

August Update

2011-08-31T19:07:00.000-05:00

August has come to an end. Crazy right?!

To make August the most productive August yet, I decided to set some goals. While I didn't quite reach the bar I set for myself, I got pretty darn close.

I am actually trying really hard not to beat myself over the fact that I didn't meet each of the goals. While my Type-A personality is mostly a blessing, it is very difficult when I am not able to officially check off on the things on my 'to-do' list. It irks me to the core that I didn't do everything I wanted to do.

But alas, you can't meet all goals right? Especially when unexpected events and life changes occur.

So here's the break down:

Professional: Read 5 Research Articles- I read three and loved every single one of them! Two of the articles focused on patients with dementia and Parkinson's Disease and the other dealt with voice disorders. To my few speechie-readers out there, if you would like more info let me know; they were great reads! To my non-speechie-readers, I know you don't really care. :)

Personal: Intentionally Improve My Marriage-When I asked my husband if I was a better wife this month he just smiled and said "You are an amazing wife every month!" He always knows what to say.

Personal: Read two books-Well, I almost got this one: I read 1.5 books. The first one being The Glass House, a memoir by Jane Walls. Her poverty-stricken childhood and crazy parents made for an amazing read! I am currently halfway through Widow of the South and love it; you can't beat a good historical fiction!

Fitness: Complete All Speed workouts and Long Runs-Done and Done. I'm proud to say that I have completed all my runs each week. Meeting this goal might have something to do with the fact that I promised myself some new workout gear if I completed it. Nothing wrong with a little self-bribery right?

Stay tuned for September's goals!

Peach Mango Slushie

2011-08-29T08:15:00.001-05:00

There are many ways to know summer is coming to an end:

School starts

Day light is getting shorter

A faint crisp of cool in the morning

And the local slushy booths start shutting down

As a kid, my dad and I loved getting slushies on Saturday afternoons. And as creatures of habit, we would both always get the same flavor: Grape! To this day, if I can convince my husband to splurge $1.50 on the sugary, brain-freezing concoction, I will always get grape. Why fix what is broken? (Plus, the flavors "tiger's blood" and "cinnamon" do not sound appealing)

But alas, you don't have to wait until Summer 2012 to get your slush fix again! This Peach Mango Slushie is refreshing and satisfying, but the flavors are a little more mature for your taste buds and easier on your waistline.

I suppose a 25 year old needs to eat like a grown-up sometimes.

And who says you need a 1/2 pound of sugar to enjoy a sweet summer drink?

Recipe: Peach Mango Slush

Ingredients:

1 peach- pitted and sliced

1 cup frozen chopped frozen mangos

1.5 cups coconut water (the magic ingredient!)

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients into a blender and puree.

2. Pour contents into a 9x13 pan and place in the freezer.

3. Every hour, take out the plan and run a fork over the frozen top layer. Do this gently and try not to stir/mix too much.
4. After about 3 hours you should be in slushy heaven!

Summer in a glass!!

Thankful Thursday

2011-08-25T19:10:00.000-05:00

Lately I have felt less than inspired to blog. I can enjoy random musing on blogs from friends and strangers all day, but after a long day of work and a trip to the gym, I have no effort to put together concise and grammatically correct sentences.

Ask my husband. At night, I often speak in fragments and grunts.

Uff. TV loud. Prewf.

So, to keep things simple, I thought I'd jump on another band-wagon (or is a a ban-wagon?...and where are on earth did this term come from) and state some things I'm thankful for.

Because lets be honest, we all have a lot.

1. My large thighs

I used to hate my monster legs, but now I love them. Well, I might not love them, but I sure am thankful for them. Each week I am impressed with my legs' ability to push through my long and tough runs. My big legs rock!

2. Cameras

Even though my puppy is still a puppy, she isn't as much of a puppy as she used to be. And due to the wonderful technology of digital cameras, I can reminisce of the days when she couldn't jump on the couch and barely barked.

3. Veggies

{via}

We received our 4th CSA basket this weekend and it was packed full of squash, herbs, beets, bratwurst, tomatoes, and okra. Fresh, organic veggies = Happy Alex.

4. English Breakfast Tea

{via}

Because hot tea every morning is reason enough to get out of bed. Yes, even in the dead of summer.

What small (or big) thing are you thankful for?

Weekend Plans

2011-08-19T17:56:00.001-05:00

While my husband plans to build a fence this weekend (manual labor..yuck!), I plan to sit by the pool.

Just in case you were wondering, I have no intention of exercising.

And I have every intention of stuffing my face full of food.

Don't judge me. I need cheat days...or weekends...or weeks.

Ugh, give me more chocoloate!

I do, however, plan to knock out some {late}summer reading. Seeing how September is quickly approaching, I need to check off some August goals that I set for myself a few speedy-weeks back.

I dropped by my local library today and picked up this weekend's cast of characters:

The Widow of the South... "follows the saga of Carrie McGavock, a lonely Confederate wife who finds purpose transforming her Tennessee plantation into a hospital and cemetery during the Civil War."

The Glass Castle..."is a memoir by Jeannette Walls. The book recounts her and her siblings' unconventional, poverty-stricken upbringing at the hands of their deeply dysfunctional parents."

Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet... is "about the love and friendship of a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl during the Japanese internment in World War II."

I'll keep you posted about my pool-side adventures!

What are your weekend plans?

Cranberry Protein Granola

2011-08-17T19:17:00.000-05:00

Well hello strangers. My apologies for being MIA for so long. After my new puppy chewed up my computer charger, she then again chewed up my newly bought computer charger.

She must have a vendetta against my poor Mac. I think she is a PC kinda girl.

To get back into your good graces, I come bearing presents. Yummy and perfect presents.

I love you. I miss you. Please take me back. Here is a scrumptious granola recipe to sweeten the deal.

So easy a child could make it!

And it makes your house smell like heaven.

Throw it in a smoothie, ontop of oatmeal, or simply eat it by the handful (the latter being my preference).

Cranberry Protein Granola
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup Craisins
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp water

1. Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease baking sheet.
2. Mix together oats, almonds, Craisins, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Add protein powder and cocoa powder- mix until evenly distributed.
4. Stir in honey, oil, and water until dry ingredients are coated.
5. Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring once at the 10 minute mark.

The Best In Me

2011-08-09T20:56:00.000-05:00

They say that true friends bring out the best in you.

Despite the fact that I do not know who 'They' are, I find this statement completely true.

Best friends listen when no one else will

and tell you things you don't want to tell yourself.

They don't mind that your sleep schedule is that of a 90 year old woman

or that you can't attend their b-day bash because you live 2 hours away.

And even if you hadn't seen each other in months,

when you get together it is though time never passed.

After 10 years we now have our careers, husbands, and babies

but our relationships with each other are irreplaceable.

I miss my dear friends

because they just plain rock.

If

2011-08-05T21:18:00.000-05:00

If I hadn't bought a new puppy...

If my husband hadn't stayed up late with said puppy...

If this puppy didn't have a desire to chew everything...

If this puppy hadn't chosen to chew my computer charger...

If said charger didn't cost 80 bones at Best Buy

If it didn't take 5-7 days for Amazon to ship chargers....

...I might be able to download pictures

...I might be able to upload pictures to my blog

...I might be able to share with you my new recipe.

But no "if's" in this story.

My new puppy did chew my computer charger and I am waiting patiently for Amazon to send me a new one.

In the mean time I am typing on my husband's ancient laptop.

It is a *gulp* PC.

Yuck.

I'm a Mac girl. Through and through.

Yet here I sit, on a PC

counting down the days until UPS brings me a present.

And my assumption is your counting down the days too.

Because this said recipe is quite delicious.

I might or might not have given myself a tummy ache last night from eating way too much.

But I can't share the recipe yet, because recipes without pictures are boring.

I hate recipes without pictures.

What's the point!

I need to see what the end result is going to look like.

Is a picture too much to ask?

So once I have my charger

and once I can upload my pictures,

I will post this amazing recipe.

Because it is awesome!

A List in Disguise- My August Goals

2011-08-02T10:21:00.002-05:00

One thing I have noticed about fellow-bloggers is that many of us love lists. I have professed my love for lists many times- they keep me organized, focused, and motivated to get through each day, week, or even month. I have even rubbed some list-love off on my husband, who (whom?) actually requests for a daily to-do list for things I need accomplished around the house.

Yes, my husband is awesomely amazing. Yes, I know how lucky I am. Yes, I really just want some flowers. (Hint Hint Husband)

But really, lists are just goals in disguise. And like many other bloggers, I have decided to create official monthly goals which I will proclaim for the entire world to see/read/ignore.

August Goals:

Professional- Read 5 Research Articles pertaining to speech language pathology. When in graduate school, I had a deep-pitted hatred for research articles and vowed to never read one again. Now strangely, I LOVE them! I miss learning and I crave the knowledge again. I suppose since I’m not required to read them, I want to read them. Crazy how that works. However, I haven’t been devoting near enough time to expanding my knowledge-base. This month I plan to make steps in changing that.

Personal-Intentionally Improve My Marriage. Yes, the past 14 months have been the best months of my life. And no, we are not having ‘marital problems’. But I want to keep it that way. It is so easy to get caught up in my daily list of to-dos that I forget to spend quality time talking, listening, and snuggling with the husband without distractions. This month I want to make a point to have quality dinner-time each night. Also, I really need to be more respectful to my amazing husband in the words I choose and the tone I speak. I quickly become annoyed, impatient, and snappy at those closest to me and I want to make a conscious effort to speak more with love. I want to be quick to encourage, not snap. Because my goodness, I honestly don’t know how my Husband puts up with me!

Personal- Read 2 Books. I want these to be fun reads. Completely thoughtless reads. Something I can escape to and live in a world created by words. Any suggestions?

Fitness-Complete All Speed Workouts and Long Runs of my half-marathon training schedule. This is pretty self-explanatory. I just really want to kick-butt in training this time around; I CAN’T miss these vital workouts!

So there you have it. My official list for August. Small and VERY doable.

Eek- just looking at this list makes me excited for this month! It’s going be the best one yet!

What are your August goals?

Do you have any book suggestions?

Benefits of Healthy Snacking

2011-08-01T08:00:00.044-05:00

Back in college when I first began struggling with a little extra weight, I thought the obvious solution was to limit my eating. I would skip breakfast, have a small lunch, and then be starving by dinner time. And snacking was out of the question. I had the formula down pat:

Small meals + no snacking = fewer calories

and

few calories = weight loss

Boy was I wrong. The benefits of healthy snacking is tremendous and when you add exercise to the mix it becomes a must! I kinda stumbled upon this revelation during training for my first half marathon. I was hungry all the time. I knew I needed extra calories due to my increase in mileage; however, I would reach for the Cheetos opposed to the carrots. Since that time I have completing changed my eating habits. Processed foods are a rarity at our house and the fridge is stocked full of fresh fruits and vegetables. And lets just say, I am now the queen of snacking! Before heading to work I stuff my lunch box FULL of my day's food.

My eating schedule looks a little like this:

7:15-Breakfast

10:00- Snack

12:00- Lunch

3:00- Snack

6:30-Dinner

8:00- Snack (only if I've worked out that day)

Snacking Rocks! And you don't just have to take my word for it. Apparently I'm not the first to discover this secret because there is a lot of research that supports snacking! I found tons of articles that spout out nutritional and exercise science jargon, but here is the main jist of it:

Benefits of Healthy Snacking

-Foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and legumes are satisfying and are packed with the nutrients, fiber, and protein your body needs, and they guard against sugar highs and lows, so you are less likely to succumb to your sweet tooth. [source]

-Due to snacking at small intervals you tend to eat lesser during your regular meal times which helps digest food faster. [source]

-Eating frequently prevents hungry pangs and the binges that follow, provides consistent energy, and may be the single most effective way to maintain metabolism efficiency. [source]

Some of my favorite go-to snacks are apples, bananas, raw snap peas, carrots, whole-grain pretzels, and of course smoothies. These snacks leaving me feeling clean and completely satisfied. Much better than the yucky, heavy feeling of chips or candy bars.

Choosing healthy snacks is hands-down one of the healthiest decisions you can make each day. Eating every 2-3 hours keeps me from eating way too much at meal times and choosing healthy foods ensure that I get nutrient-rich calories. This means that I recover faster from my workouts and keep my metabolism up in the mean time. Everyone wins!

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist, dietician, or anything of the sorts. I am only expressing what works for me and advice you to seek the guidance of a professional if you have questions regarding your dietary needs.

Blast From the Past

2011-07-30T13:40:00.000-05:00

My alarm went off at 5:00am for my Saturday morning run. Why do I continue to do this to myself?

The plan was to meet with Ft Smith's running club at 6:00am, so I woke up extra early to have plenty of time to choke down some toast and peanut butter, take out Sully and Ajax, and arrive early for a little warm up jog.

Once everyone arrived at 6:00, we headed out for a loop through Ft. Chaffee, a military base close to town. I averaged a nice 10:21 pace for 5 miles, using the 4:1 run/walk method for the first 3 miles then kept a 9:45 pace for the last 2 miles. I felt strong the entire time and I could definitely have pushed myself a little harder.

Does anyone know how to find the individual stats of each mile on a Forerunner 305? I'd like to know my splits (hoping they were negative) but I can't figure out how to view them. The Garmin Training Center only shows the average pace.

I felt especially sluggish during the first mile because the night before Josh and I were partying it up 90's style with Jacob and Jessi. The Leonards threw a 90s-themed party in honor of the recent Nickelodeon addition of The 90's Are All That.

They put together a taco spread for dinner- just what I was craving! I stayed away from the meat and cheese and stuffed my taco with refried beans, black beans, guacamole, salsa, and lettuce.

Pic via Jessi

But there was NO WAY I was resisting Jessi's slime-inspired cupcakes. Seriously, they were moist and covered with green slime. I felt 11-years-old all over again! Holy yum!

Pic via Jessi

After chowing down, we sat ourselves in front of the TV and watched DVR recordings of Doug, All That, Melissa Explains It All, and Kenan and Kel. Blast from the past!!! When I wasn't crashing from my sugar high (yep, I passed out on my husband's shoulder at 10:00...I'm so cool), I was laughing my butt off!

And for a little 90's flash back, here is one of my favorite skits from All That: Cooking with Mandy and Randy.

I may or may not have tried to recreate this scene with a childhood friend, thinking if we sent in the tape we could totally be their understudies. Who cares that we were both females, white, and were horribly not funny. We thought we were legit.

Did you grow up watching these shows in the 90s?

Do you think shows for kids these days even compare to the shows growing up?

Summer Snapshots {Week 6}

2011-07-27T07:15:00.001-05:00

As I sit back and think about this week's events, it becomes obvious to me that I am a grandma. I am an OCD, schedule-loving grandma who loves Judge Judy, BlueBell Fruit Bars, and naps.

Hi. My name is Alex and I am boring.

Curious that such a boring person has a blog to document all of her boring antics. And I am by no means implying that you must be super boring if you read a blog about a person as boring as I. I would never suggest such a thing...

But I digress.

My day typically looks like this:

6:15-Wake up to take out Ajax and Sully

6:30-Get ready for work

8-4:30-Work

5:00-Gym with the Mister

6:30- Make dinner

7:30- TV/Hubby time

9:30-Bedtime

Hi. My name is Alex and I am boring times 234817739.

At least I made some really yummy and healthy dinners this week.

And I really spiced it up by painting my nails. Oh La La.

And I played with Ajax and Sully (Yea, I know, I'm an amazing parent). They'll do anything for a treat. They are addicted- it's like crack I tell ya!

Yes, I know. Sully is getting SO BIG! She is now 9 weeks old and it makes me want to cry.

Highlight of my week: I went to the eye doctor, who proceeded to dilate my eyes. But he gave me these cool glasses to wear since lights were too bright.

Yep. That is a shade under my actual eyeglasses. Live Long and Prosper.

And, of course, I'm continuing in my training. Apparently "thumbs up" has become a new thing of mine. Too bad my thumb is small and misshaped- please divert your eyes.

How was your week? Please tell me it was more eventful than mine!

Healthy-Eating Recipes

2011-07-25T09:00:00.050-05:00

When I embarked on my week as a vegan adventure, I was a little nervous about not only finding recipes that I would enjoy but also providing my hubby with satisfying meals as well. Seeing as how this was my choice to change my eating habits, I wasn't going to force the Husband to give up his meat or dairy intake.

The first resource I utilized was Shelley at Mile High Healthy, a friend who switched to a vegan diet seven months ago and hasn't looked back. Shelley gave me wonderful words of encouragement and the confidence I needed. Now, 2 1/2 weeks later I continue to eat a mostly vegan diet (with a few greasy indulgences of course).

But with 25 years of cheesy casseroles, burgers and chicken recipes under my belt, I was presented with quite a dilemma. What am I to eat? Thankfully, I have a plethora of healthy-eating bloggers at my fingertips who have mountains of wonderful, delicious, and versatile recipes.

I compiled a few of my favorite finds in hopes that you might get a little crazy this week and add a healthy dish to your cooking repertoire.

Healthy-Eating Recipes

One of my first vegan meals was a Tomato Basil Cream Pasta from Angela at Oh She Glows. This was yummy-deliciousness and the Husband had no idea the 'cream' was non-existence. Granted, I didn't go out of my way to fill him in...

I also utilized Pealightful Plans at Peas and Thank You. Mama Pea put together a full week's menu of vegan meals complete with a grocery list!! The only way healthy-eating could be any easier is if someone shopped and cooked for you. If I only have the money to hire a personal chef....

Veggie Burgers with avocado. Josh grilled himself some good 'ole beef burgers that left him happy and smiling- any dinner that lets that man grill is a-ok in his book.

Sweet Potato Pinto Stew. This was a little too 'fallish' for a summer dinner, but it was delicious nonetheless.

Lentil Spaghetti. This may look like a pile of 'blah', but the lentils gave the spaghetti some extra texture and extra protein. Yum yum in my tum!

Stuffed Sweet Potato. The hubby just added grilled chicken to fill him up.

However, I didn't take one picture of my some of favorite meals via Mama Pea: Vegan Taco Salad and Veggie StirFry. Holy Yum! I was too busy scarfing these down to pick up my camera. Josh even devoured them without question, broccoli and all. *Gasp*

And of course I partook in some refreshing summer snacks in between meals...

My favorite smoothie combo includes spinach, strawberries, mango, unsweetened almond milk, and protein powder- nutrient packed and fully satisfying!

As you can see, with a little planning healthy eating can be easy! If I can do it, you can do it! So strap on your big girl (or boy) panties because you can do this. You can change your eating habits for the better. All it takes is one healthy choice at a time. Eat an apple instead of that bag of chips. Choose a salad instead of fries. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. All of your choices add up- it is all up to you and I know you can do it. And best part about it, you'll never regret choosing healthy.

Side note: You do NOT have to eat a vegan/vegetarian diet to be healthy! This was my personal decision to limit meat and dairy from my diet because it made my body feel better. All bodies and beliefs are different and your diet should reflect that; to assume otherwise is naive. Bloggers such as Tina at Carrots N Cake and Courtney at Sweet Tooth Sweet Life have been one of my long-time resources for amazing crowd-pleasing dishes. Plus, these girls know the importance of dessert :)

Group Run and A Sign

2011-07-23T09:36:00.000-05:00

This morning my alarm clock went off at 5am. My first thought was "No way is it time to get up; it's still dark outside!" But alas, I double checked my watch and the kitchen clock and they were both reading the same thing "it's time for your run!" (Yes, my clocks are pretty high tech and display time-appropriate phrases...)

I'll be honest, if I was running alone I would have turned off my alarm clock and would have continued to snuggle with my hubby. But I had running buddies to meet! Say hello to the wonderful men and women of W.A.R- Western Arkansas Runners, Fort Smith's local running club.

We all ran at different distances and paces, but it is always so encouraging to have friends to cheer you on.

My run was nice and easy, but more importantly I got to sport my new purple visor-I sure have my priorities straight this morning. Josh told me that no one has worn visors since the 90s. But I just told him to talk to the hand, then he proceeded to 'free-willy' (BAM! Junior High reference!).

And on a random note, I found this short film and it brought tears to my eyes. It is all about perspective!

New Rules of Lifting For Women Stage 1 Recap

2011-07-21T21:17:00.000-05:00

Almost 1 month ago I read and started the New Rules of Lifting for Women, an 8-stage weight lifting program designed specifically for women. My goal was to do strength training 3 days a week with the hopes of 1) getting stronger-duh, 2)increase my running speed, and 3) decrease running-related injuries.

I enjoyed Stage 1, but I'm glad to see it go. The workouts never took me more than 30 minutes, which rocks!, but I was becoming a little bored and I was ready for a change. Looking ahead at Stage 2, I can already tell there will be more core-work which I like.

10 workouts and 3.5 weeks later, am I stronger? Did I increase my running speed? Are there any new injuries?

I am definitely faster than I have been, but I think that is due to my increase in speed-works via my half-marathon training schedule.
I have no new injuries. I continue to nurse my right hip to prevent my IT band from flaring up. But so far, I have kept this at bay.
Am I stronger? Let's take a gander...

Workout A:
Squats: Workout 1- 50lbs; Workout 8- 90 lbs
Seated Rows: Workout 1- resistance 4; Workout 8- resistance 6 (I don't know the weight value on these pegs)
Step-Ups: Workout 1-30lbs; Workout 8- 50lbs

Workout B:
Deadlifts: Workout 1- 75lbs; Workout 8- 95lbs
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Workout 1-10lbs; Workout 8- 20lbs
Wide-Grip Lat Pull Down: Workout 1- resistance 4; Workout 8- resistance 6
Lunge with Dumbbells: Workout 1- 20lbs; Workout 8- 50lbs

As you can see, I definitely became stronger across the board, more than doubling in some areas. And I really surprised myself with the strength of my upper body. Go me! One thing this program has really given me confidence in the weight room. Move over big bulky boys, this strong runner is coming through!

Now for the nitty-gritty pictures:

Before on 6/23/11:

After Stage 1 on 7/21/11:

Measurements:

6/23/11 7/21/1

Chest 33in 34in (<--How did those get bigger?)

Right Bicep 11.75in 11.75in

Left Bicep 11.75in 11.74in

Waist 30.5in 27in

Hips 35in 32.75in

Right Thigh 22.75in 23.25in (<--gotta love those thighs)

Left Thigh 22.5in 23in

I think I measured incorrectly on my waist and hips; I know I didn't lose that many inches because my clothes still fit the same. I made better notes this time around so hopefully I will have more accurate measurements.

Luckily, I now have a week off to rest my muscles and prepare for Stage 2. And I won't lie, I like being able to have my entire week to focus solely on running and cross training- seeing how running is my first true love. Come back in a few weeks for stage 2's recap! You might not even recognize me by then....

A List

2011-07-20T21:32:00.000-05:00

1. I finished Stage 1 of New Rules of Lifting for Women. I owe you an update on my progress.

Spoiler: I am stronger!

2. My pre-marathon training is going well. My mileage has been pretty consistent and I'm right on track. I owe you an update here too.

3. I want one of these. Badly. And no, I am not addicted.

3. I am eating vegan again this week. If you gotta know, I kinda liked it. Something about feeling clean, energized, and healthy. I guess you can call me crazy.

4. Sully turned 8 weeks old on Tuesday. My baby girl has been a live for 2 whole months. She is such a big girl.

She currently likes playing with her big sister Ajax, sitting for treats, and biting at mama's hair. PS. We need to invest in more carpet cleaner, if you know what I mean...

5. I've been slacking on my blogging this week. My apologies...but I've got some pretty awesome ones lined up. (See numbers 1 and 2)

6. I love my husband. He is my favorite.

Wedding Flashback

2011-07-18T08:44:00.000-05:00

This weekend I was able to watch two high school friends make a beautiful commitment to one another. Sarah and Aron are an amazing pair and their love for each other is radiant.

Their wedding was elegant, tear-jerking, and a little reminecent of a wedding I attended about a year ago...

It was my first time to return to Albert Pike since our wedding last year and it brought back a flood of memories. It reminded me of the words Josh and I exchanged and the promises we made in front of God, family and friends; it literally brought tears to my eyes.

Weddings tend to do that to me. Don't they do that to you too?

But soon after the tears, the party started. If Sarah and Aron know anything (besides cooking and tattoos) they sure know how to have a good time! Since we all graduated together, it was like a mini-high school reunion full of all my favorite people.

Best friends for 9+ years! How did I get so lucky?

Me and the Mister

Me and Shelley, the MOH and my favorite vegan blogger!

Me and Jessi, my night's dancing partner. She got some moves!

Congrats Sara and Aron!

I wish you guys a lifetime of happiness!

The Unexpected Hangover

2011-07-15T07:23:00.000-05:00

This past Wednesday Josh and I drove to Fayetteville to eat with friends at the Mellow Mushroom and test our useless trivia knowledge.

As far as trivia goes, I felt that we did pretty well as a team. We had a well-rounded group full of movie-lovers, sports enthusiasts, art aficionados, and then me.

I didn't contribute too much, except for some biblical knowledge and random dog knowledge; although I did answer a question correctly that my team decided against:

What is the drink that the British called Arabian wine??

More questions from that night (answers at the bottom):

What is the capital of Montana? (I'm embarrassed to say no one on our team knew this!)

What creepy crawling insect did the ancient chinese believe was the cause of earthquakes?

But we weren't there just to play trivia; this fine establishment boasted some amazing looking specialty pizzas on their menu. However, since the previous week and half I had not eaten meat or dairy, I was a little reluctant to give in. But once everyone was taking their turn to order, I quickly choose the Red Skin Potato Pie. Here is the menu's description:

Olive oil and garlic based pizza loaded with red potato, applewood smoked bacon, caramelized onions. cheddar and mozzarella cheese, sprinkled with chives and drizzled with sour cream and spicy ranch dressing.

Holy yum! After my 'vegan week' ended, I said that I would start eating meat and dairy again if I craved it. Well boy let me tell you, there was no way I was gonna resist this temptation. I dove right into it, but two slices later I was stuffed.

Since I had only had two slices + a gallon of water, I actually felt pretty good going to bed that night. However, when I woke up the next morning I had a pounding headache and was light headed, weak, and nauseous but starving. I felt horrible and I couldn't understand why. I didn't drink the night before...what had I done differently?

Then it hit me. Apparently, when you spend 10+ days eating nothing but veggies, fruit, and whole grains your body is super happy. But THEN you dump a big 'ole greasy, cheesy pizza in your stomach and your body will rebel.

So with the support of the kitchen counter, I slowly assembled my Hangover Smoothie.

And since I've had quite a few emails and requests for my smoothie recipes, here is a loose description of how I made it:

one handful of spinach

5 frozen strawberries

1/4 cup of frozen blueberries

2 slices of watermelon

1/2 cup of almond milk

1/2 serving of protein powder

By the time I was finished getting ready in the morning, I felt SO much better. This smoothie was packed with the nutrients and hydration that my body was desperate for. Next time, I won't be so drastic in going from one extreme (wonderful healthy eats) to the other (a delicious greasy mess). Obviously, my body knows what it wants!

Answers to the trivia questions:

What is the drink that the British called Arabian wine? Coffee

What is the capital of Montana? Helena

What creepy crawling insect did the ancient chinese believe was the cause of earthquakes? Spiders

Did you get all the questions right? Are you a trivia master?

Summer Snapshots {Week 4}

2011-07-13T07:47:00.000-05:00

I say this every week, but I can't believe we are at {week 4} of summer! Where do the days go?! This week was crazy and stressful. Josh and I have some big changes on the horizon and daily pictures were the last thing on my mind this week.

This past week was "Vegan Week", an self-imposed experiment to overhaul my diet for 7 days. I didn't take any photos of my evening meals, but I did take a few of my snacks. After workouts I made sure to have a protein packed smoothie consisting of spinach, blueberries, mangos, strawberries, protein powder and almond milk.

Don't let the color scare you; you can't taste the spinach and it is delicious! Seriously, you must try this- a perfect cure for these hot summer days.

And for dessert most nights I snacked on peaches or watermelon. Nothing says summer more than a fresh slice of watermelon!

And breaking news! I forgot to water my plants on Sunday; shocking, I know. My once resilient flowers are now looking quite depressing. They were literally scorched in the sun-Poor flowers. I am trying to slowly revive them.

Our new addition turned 7 weeks old on Tuesday! She currently enjoys barking in her crate at night, playing with big-sister Ajax, and digging in her water bowl.

Here's to hoping things slow down this coming week and that daily photos take more of a priority!

Vegan For A Week

2011-07-12T07:45:00.002-05:00

As a fun experiment (and yes, you can argue my definition of "fun") I decided to go meat- and dairy-free for a week. I didn't do this for ethical reason, however I did recently watch Food, Inc. and since have been much more strict about where I get my meat. And I didn't do it for weight loss or health reason; I feel that I have a pretty balanced diet (with the occasional indulgence, of course) and I'm pretty happy with my weight. I did it merely to see if I could- to see if I had the ability to limit my intake to vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes (which is basically a bean).

And to my surprise? It was quite easy! I don't eat much red meat, so staying away from beef, chicken, and fish wasn't too difficult. However, I'm a girl who loves her dairy and eggs! But instead of craving milk, I found myself craving grilled asparagus. And instead of wanting chocolate for dessert, I found myself instantly reaching for watermelon.

The best part was that I ate all the time! Keeping up my caloric intake was very important to me because I'm still weight lifting and increasing my mileage; I have to provide my body with enough nutrients and fuel so it can heal itself and perform stronger the next day. Since the things I was eating were dense in nutrients but low in calories, I was able to eat all day long- quite awesome!

My typical day looked like this:
Breakfast: Overnight oats with almond milk; Iced coffee
Snack: Apple with peanut butter
Lunch: Salad with black bean burger; peach for dessert
Snack: Protein fruit smoothie, with extra spinach
Dinner: Bean and salsa wrap with grilled veggies.
Snack: Watermelon

I was literally eating every 2-3 hours and keeping myself constantly hydrated. I found myself having more energy throughout the day, pushing harder during my workouts, and getting a much deeper sleep. I loved that I could stuff my face yet not have the heavy-full feeling. I was full, but it was a clean-full; hard to describe, but I never felt "gross" -a feeling I often get when I eat a meal heavy with meat, diary, or loads of fat.

I don't want to belittle the decision that others have made in becoming vegan/vegetarian by saying it is 'easy' to choose this life-style. I suppose knowing that I was only doing it for 7 days gave me a finish line to cross. Those that choose this lifestyle due to ethical and/or health reasons are truly going against the American culture, something that I got a small glance at. Even though my husband and family were very supportive of my 'experiment', at times I felt others were being accusatory of my decisions and that I was constantly having to defend my choices. Why do people question your choices for eating healthy when no one questions choices for eating unhealthy?

So where does this leave me now? I still have not eaten meat or dairy because I haven't wanted meat or dairy. The next time I crave it, I'll eat it, but until then I'm happy eating only veggies, fruits, and whole grains. So am I a vegan? Definitely not, but I'd like to believe I'm a healthy eater!

Are you interested in looking a little deeper at your eating habits? I received inspiration and motivation by Shelley at Mile High Healthy and Angela at Oh She Glows. They share yummy recipes, great fitness tips, and show how easy healthy eating can be!

And I also checked out Veganomicon from the library (the title makes me laugh so hard!). This gigantic cookbook is 298 pages of amazing vegan recipes that even Josh liked! And it also shows you how to cook every fruit, vegetable, grain, and legume known to man kind! (Okay, maybe not every type of food known to man kind, but it sure has a lot!)

Have you ever felt the need to defend your food choices?

My Name Is Pride

2011-07-11T08:10:00.134-05:00

My name is Pride, I am a cheater.

I cheat you of your God-given destiny because you demand your own way.

I cheat you of contentment because you "deserve better than this".

I cheat you of knowledge because you already know it all.

I cheat you of healing because you are too full of you to forgive.

I cheat you of holiness because you refuse to admit when you are wrong.

I cheat you of vision because you'd rather look in the mirror than out a window.

I cheat you of genuine friendship because nobody's going to know the real you.

I cheat you of love because real romance demands sacrifice.

I cheat you of greatness in heaven because you refuse to wash another's feet on earth.

I cheat you of God's glory because I convince you to seek your own.

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.

And you like me because you think I'm always looking out for you.

Untrue

I'm looking to make a fool of you.

God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry...

If you stick with me you'll never know.

-Beth Moore

This may not resonate with you, but it resonates with me. Yesterday's sermon on pride and humility really hit home to me. I don't want to sound preachy, I just want to be open and honest. The following has been very heavy on my heart and I want to share it with you:

My life is consumed with vanities, stubbornness, comparisons, and boastings: Look at all I have. Look at all I have done. Look at all I have accomplished. I want the best house, the best car, the best job, and the best marriage. I want to be the best wife, best daughter, best sister, and best friend. I want all of these things because I need approval of others; I need others to look at me and think "Wow, she has it all. She must have it all figured out."

I take the credit for all that God has given me. I look at my own life and I feel impressed with myself. I have the perfect job at age 25. I have an amazing husband that loves me. I have the best friends in the world. I have my health because of the healthy choices I make. I..., I..., I..., I...

I have become enamored with the gifts, that I have forgotten the Giver. What do I have to be prideful about? What do I have that God hasn't given me? I control nothing. I know nothing. I am nothing, without Christ as the center of my life.

Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

I want to choose the path of humility. I need to have the constant filter of "Not what pleases me, but what pleases Him. Not what I want, but what He wants." I imagine what my life would look like if I constantly put God and others before myself; I imagine what my marriage, my friendships, my career would look like if I served and exalted others with a pure heart.

My prayer is to push aside all vanity and boasting and for God to give me humility in everything I do.

Importance of Speed Work

2011-07-10T08:45:00.000-05:00

If you're looking to increase your pace, speed workouts are the key. While I was training for my first few half marathons, all my runs were the same effort and pace, mainly because I only cared about completing the distance and not the time it took me to get there. Now that pacing and time are more of a goal, I am incorporating speed workouts into my weekly training schedule. Speed work helps you run faster because it teaches your body to tolerate running at an uncomfortable pace for longer periods of time.

Here are a few types of runs which I incorporate into my training schedule:

Easy Runs:

Top coaches and exercise physiologists believe that most runners should do 80-90% of their weekly training at the easy run pace (this includes your long runs). Easy runs build your aerobic fitness and muscular and skeletal strength. They also help you burn more calories and recover for harder workouts.

Fartlecks:

Isn't that a funny name? Fartleks is actually Swedish for "speed play" which is exactly what this is. It is an unstructured and fun way to introduce speed workouts into your run. Imagine being a child just running around, and then all of a sudden a burst of energy comes and you run as hard as you can- that is what fartleks make me feel like, that I'm a kid just running around with spurts of energy ever-so-often. While running at an easy pace, inject spurts of speed at varying speed and distances. The bursts can be anywhere between 15 seconds to 2.5 minutes long, and the speed should merely be harder than your easy pace. There are no rules, so it is hard to describe fartlecks- so just enjoy it and see how far you can push yourself!

Tempo Runs:

Tempo runs help you improve your running economy and your running form. Different from farlecks and intervals because tempo runs force you to hold an uncomfortable pace for longer periods of time; these are more endurance speed workouts opposed to sprinting. They are sometimes described as "threshold" or "hard but controlled" runs. Tempo sessions generally fall into one of two categories: steady runs of 2 to 6 miles; or long intervals with short recoveries. Here is an example: 4 x 1 mile at tempo pace with 2 minutes of recovery jogging between efforts. You should do tempo runs no more than once a week, and they should make up no more than 10-15% of your total training.

Intervals or VO2-Max Runs:

With these runs, you are running at or near 100% of your maximum oxygen capacity, which scientist call VO2-max; this is a dead sprint! These runs help you improve your running economy and racing sharpness. Here is an example: 4 x 400 at max pace with 200 recovery jogging between efforts. The key during the recovery time is to not let your heart rate drop; you're training your body to sprint when it is uncomfortable. You should do interval workouts no more than once a week, and they should make up no more than 6-10% of your total training.

Tips I follow for speed work:

1. I do speed training once a week and usually alternate between the different workouts, which keeps me from become burned out from doing the same workout over and over again.

2. You may hate to hear it, but during speed training the track and treadmill are your friend. You'll learn to love them because of the predefined distances which takes away the guess work.

3. If possible, I always do speed work with friends; having a running buddy keeps me motivated and always pushes me farther and faster than I would have normally gone on my own. I can always see a significant difference in my speed when I compare my solo workouts to those done with friends.

Last note:

Are speed workouts necessary? No way! If you're the kind of runner who loves to just lace up and go and these types of workouts seem way too structured, then just get out there and run! By no means do you need to have speed workouts to be a runner; I didn't do them for years. However, if you want to improve your speed or endurance, doing some kind of speed training would be beneficial.

Do you do speed work? What is your favorite type of training run?

Out Of Control

2011-07-08T19:58:00.000-05:00

Nothing that is can pause or stay;

The moon will wax, the moon will wane,

The mist and cloud will turn to rain,

The rain to mist and cloud again,

Tomorrow be today.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Why is it we don't like change? Is it the possibility of failure? The fear of the unknown? Or the chance we might not find fulfillment on the other side?

I resist change because I can't plan for it. I can't put the unknown onto a timeline or on a list to check off. It leaves me feeling frazzled, unnerved, and not in control.

I hate not being in control.

But I have to constantly remind myself that I'm not suppose to be in control. If I were then things would be in disarray, because honestly I have no idea what I'm doing. HE is in control. HE has a perfect plan for my life. I find comfort in HIM alone, not in my perfectly planned schedule or detailed timeline. I need to set aside all fears and anxiety and trust in the Master Creator.

Josh and I have some big changes in the near future and we are overwhelmed with emotion. Fear, excitement, anxiety, stress, anticipation, spontaneity- It can all be quite daunting. But I know (somewhere deep inside) that it will all work out in the end.

Continuity gives us roots;

change gives us branches,

letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.

Pauline R Kezer

Summer Snapshots {Week 3}

2011-07-06T07:30:00.011-05:00

Wow. I can't believe it is already time for {week 3} of summer snapshots! This weekly post has made me deliberate in taking photos each day to document the summer; if you know me, you'd know that I have a horrible memory so this will be very helpful in a few months when I can't remember what I did on the 4th of July. This blog in general has helped in the memory department, especially in documenting my life as a newlywed! I can't wait to look back on these posts in 5 or 10 years and relive it all over again!

Thursday: Josh and I had date-night at a local mexican restaurant. We listened to some live music while Josh enjoyed a humongous beer and I sipped on some lemon water. A perfect night spent with the hubby.

Friday: Josh and I drove to Little Rock to spend the weekend with some family. My mom just put in a new pool this week and this was a great weekend to break it in! Fun was had by all.

Saturday: I got to meet perfect Miss Reagan, who was born 10 days earlier. She is incredibly beautiful, just like her momma. Josh even took a turn to hold her, and he looked like quite the natural. I'm slowly trying to warm him up to babies :)

Sunday: More fun in the sun! The day was spent by the pool and eating my body weight in grilled chicken, corn on the cob, and salsa.

Monday: I spent half of my holiday working, and the other half relaxing with the hubby. We went down to riverfront to watch the local fireworks; it was a pretty nice display. We mistakenly took Ajax who absolutely hated the noise and hid in Josh's arms the entire time.

Tuesday: We welcomed a new addition, Miss Sully Clark, into the family. We have already been laughing our heads of with this little girl; she is quite the character!

You can join in the fun too!

Our New Addition

2011-07-05T17:05:00.000-05:00

The Clarks have exciting news!

Josh and I have been wanting to grow our family for a while now and the time has finally come.

"The time for what?", you ask...

A new puppy!!

World, meet Sully Clark- our beautiful new golden retriever.

She is perfect in every way and we are so excited to have a second fur-child. My apologies to those who were hoping for a human-child; that won't be for a few more years. :)

Happy Fourth!

2011-07-04T19:36:00.000-05:00

Happy July 4th

from the Clark family!

Ajax refused to look at the camera-such a diva!

We spent the weekend in Little Rock relaxing by my mom's new pool. A-mazing! Each day consisted of lots of sun, lots of laughs, and lots of food.

And of course, awesome karate kicks off the diving board. KEYAAAAH!

Josh can't resist pestering his favorite wife. I think the only reason he really didn't shoot me with water is because I had my fancy camera. Nikon camera saves the day!

I worked this morning and we are now off to enjoy fireworks along the river. Let's hope I don't melt away from the humidity.

How did you spend your holiday?

Happy Friday!

2011-07-01T08:00:00.003-05:00

Yay for friday! And not just any friday, but a friday leading into the Fourth of July weekend!! While most people are getting a three-day weekend, I work at a hospital and, call it crazy, but people still get sick on holidays. Sounds like blasphemy, right?!

Despite only getting a regular two-day weekend, I plan to soak up as much of the festivities as possible. Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays; call me a patriotic sap, but I get emotional every time I sing the National Anthem. I am truly honored to live in this amazing country. Sure we have our fair share of problems, but there is no place I'd rather be (however, vacationing in other countries is a complete different story).

And here in Arkansas, it looks like the weather got the memo that it was summer. Look at our weekend forecast! Ugh! Good thing I'll be poolside all weekend long, with my skin coated in SPF 80.

I've been swimming in this 100+ degree humidity for so long and it seems like there is no end in sight. I know it is only July, but I find myself wishing for December all ready. I suppose I'll never learn that the grass is never greener on the other side, especially in Arkansas! I decided to cool myself down by bathing in an ice cold bath and reminiscing the cold days of early winter. I invite you to join along...

(pic via Jessi)

Ahhh. Now wasn't that nice? Can't you almost feel that nice breeze?

Are you getting a three-day weekend? What are your holiday plans? Is it this hot in your part of the country?!

St. Louis Half Marathon Training Plan

2011-06-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

Look what I did!

Whoop Whoop! I am super excited to have finally signed up for my fourth half marathon! I've been scouring my Runner's World magazines and the inter-web in search for my next race, and the Rock'n'Roll St. Louis Marathon quickly made it to the top of the list. This is the first Midwest race for the Rock'n'Roll tour and I'm pumped to be apart of this inaugural event. The Rock'n'Roll series is known to have wonderful organization, great courses, and spectacular support and I can't wait to experience it first hand. And bonus: St. Louis is an awesome city known for the soaring arch, great cuisine, and beautiful riverfront. (No I am not being paid to promote St. Louis or the Rock'n'Roll tour, I'm just stoked to have finally signed up for a race)

Random fact: All 3 (now 4) of my marathons have been in different states. I've run races in Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and now Missouri. At this rate, I may as well up the ante and set an ultimate goal of running a race in all 50 states!

I'm surprised that I love races as much as I do. Inflamed IT bands and runner's knee have been the bane of my running existence and I have yet to start a half-marathon without an injury holding me back. This time around I plan to do things a little differently.

All of my training mistakes and errors have helped me learn to listen to my body and be in-tune with what it needs. I know that I must slowly increase my weekly mileage and that my body needs two rest/stretch days focusing on loosing up my hips. And I also know my body needs strength training while I'm increasing my mileage, specifically in my hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. I believe running can be trial-and-error and hopefully I have worked out most of the kinks!

So, without further adieu, here is my St. Louis Rock'n'Roll Half-Marathon training plan:

Yea, I don't expect you to be able to read that. Here it is in a Google Document.

I loosely based the plan on Hal Higdon's 12 week intermediate half-marathon program. And for the first time, I am serious about the speed-work! You will also notice where I incorporated my strength training from New Rules of Lifting for Women. The orange weeks show the 'pre-weeks' before my official marathon training begins (which is in the blue). In the weeks leading up to August 1, my main focus will be hitting those weights!

When it comes to training schedules my motto is flexibility, flexibility, flexibility! If I'm feeling good that week and want to kick it up a notch, you better believe I will! And if three days of full-body strength training becomes too much, I'll will be quick to scale it down to two.

I'm really excited about this plan and even more excited about the possibility of completing it injury free! And hopefully, in four months, I will have a new PR under my belt!

Disclaimer: I designed this training plan for my current fitness and commitment level. I am not a professional, I am not saying this plan will work or is safe for you

Summer Snapshots {Week 2}

2011-06-29T07:20:00.012-05:00

Happy {Week 2} of Summer Snapshots!

I had a crazy night celebrating my one year blogiversary yesterday. One thing I know, the Clarks know how to party: baked cabbage and sugar snap peas for dinner with a bedtime of 10 o'clock. PARTAY!

Speaking of my blogiversary, did you see the new fitness page? It's a one-stop shop for all things fitness and I'm super excited to expand it even more. Ideas are running through this little brain of mine.

This week was kind of random and event-less. Our dinners were sparse due to the fact that we will be gone this weekend so I did't want to make a trip to the grocery store. We are currently living on veggies and peanut butter- I'm loving it cause I could eat veggies all day everyday; Josh on the other hand is having quite a hard time.

But, without further ado, here are my week's snapshots:

Thursday: My flowers have a love/hate relationships with me. They love me when I give them water (which is rare) and they hate me when I don't (which is often). But these pretty little guys have some tough skin, because they are flourishing despite my negligence.

Friday: Ajax had some fun with a luna moth. Yea, Friday nights are crazy at the Clark house. Like I said, we know how to party.

Saturday: Racking up at the local farmer's market! It was bustling this weekend with lots of veggies and specialty items. I bought some honey-almond goat cheese from a local farmer and it is divine.

Sunday: Day 1 of New Rules of Lifting for Women.

Monday: Fetch with our fur-child. I love summer evenings of extra daylight and warm weather!

Tuesday: Pizza night! I'd like to say this is the only night of the week where we indulge, but I'd be lying. But at least I make sure I have a good workout in to make up for it. That works, right?

You can link up to!

Happy Blogiversary!

2011-06-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday dear Blooooggg

Happy Birthday to you!

And many more....

Today is the blog's 1 year old birthday! Can you believe it? If I was a good blog-momma I would have gotten a cake. But then you could have called me crazy because I got a cake for an inanimate object, and that is just strange. Although there is no cake, I did get my blog a little present: A new page! Make sure you give my blog some birthday-love and check it out!

I have a lot planned for this next year and a lot that I want to accomplish. I want to thank you, my awesome readers, for having an interest in what I have to say and I am really excited about what the next 12 months hold!

Lets take a stroll down memory lane and take a look at some of my top posts:

He Never Makes Mistakes. -An ode to my amazing brother.

The New Year -Recap of 2010 and resolutions for the new year.

The Journey of Route 66 -My Tulsa Route 66 marathon race recap

Gamers -Life married to a "Gamer".

Happiness -There is no better time to be happy than now. Live and enjoy the moment!

Here's to another year!

My Running Story: Goes On

2011-06-25T11:59:00.001-05:00

Way too long ago I began a series of posts retelling of my relationship with exercise and running; however I never finished. Today I want to share with you that spark which has led me into the person I am today. To catch up, please read the following posts:

My Running Story: The Beginning

My Running Story: Continued

Not only was my running buddy unable to train with me, we also found that she was unable to run the race with me. WHAT?! I was heart broken. I was semi-okay with training the final 4 weeks alone (2 were taper weeks, so it wouldn't be so bad), but the thought of running the entire 13.1 miles solo was completely horrifying.

So I did what any ~~insane~~ normal person would do and stopped training. I didn't pick up my ipod or running shoes for that entire 4 weeks. I was in denial that I would be running the Mid-South half-marathon by myself and I didn't want to face the truth. However, reality was that I had already paid my entry fee and booked my hotel and I was way too frugal to waste money. So on November 7th 2009, with fears and anxiety at it's highest, I arrive at Wynne with absolutely zero confidence in myself.

Don't let the smile fool you, I was shakin' in my Asics.

Luckily, my boyfriend at the time (now husband) was there to cheer me on and encourage me to give it all I got.

Looking back, I was so clueless about what to expect. I showed up at the start line with 200 other runners and thought this was a BIG race. Since I had only been in local 5Ks, I was excited to see all the support! And on top of it all, they even had these people called "pacers"- a then foreign concept to me of people who volunteered to run the race and give you a steady pace.

I attached myself to this man in the yellow, who was the 11:00 minute pacer; God bless this man. I don't remember his name, or anything about him, but he kept me laughing and talking the entire time I was with him. He made the first 6.5 miles fly by!

However, since I was only doing the half (and the course was an out-and-back) I turned around at 6.5 while my amazing pacer continued on with the full marathoners. Before turning around, I had a fleeting thought to continue onto the full just so I'd have the company. Yes, I was that scared to finish by myself; I truly didn't believe I could do it. But I quickly came to my senses and turned around knowing I would have to tackle the next 6.5 miles on my own.

Worst 6.5 miles of my life. I was hurting, bored, tired, hurting, hungry, thirsty, hurting (did I already mention that?) and completely done.

But after 2 hours and 31 minutes and an average pace of 11:50, I finally crossed the finish line. I had completed my first half-marathon.

I had done something that I never thought I'd be able to do, all within less than a year's time. My biggest reward? Knowing that I didn't let fear or anxiety stop me. That I accepted that I was scared and unconfident, but did it anyways. I fought hard to accomplish the goal I had set out months earlier and it was one of the proudest moments of my life.

This one goal, this one experience has changed my life forever. Since then I have completed 2 additional half marathon, a sprint triathlon, and countless other races. I have found a love for exercise and healthy living that I never knew existed. And I don't intend to stop. My life has changed for the better.

So if you have some audacious dream which you think people would merely laugh at, don't be so quick to throw it out. With determination, you can accomplish anything. If you really want it, it's yours. And it might just change your life in ways you can't even imagine.

"I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept my faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

The New Rules of Lifting for Woman Plan

2011-06-24T21:48:00.001-05:00

I haven't always been one to love exercise. In high school I participated recreationally in soccer and track, but not because I was good or I liked it- it was just something to do. In my first few years of college, exercise was the last thing on my priority list. Sure you might have found me at the gym couple of times a week, but only to delay that thing you call "studying". However, even then, not much effort was put into training or accomplishing anything in particular; I would just get on the elliptical and pedal until I was tired. And lifting weights? Puh-leeze! That is what boys do to get all big and bulky, which was the opposite of what I wanted my muscles to look like- which was long and lean.

Since college I have found a love for running and training for races. I truly believe that it was my Type-A personality, and a few loose hinges, which drew me to the beauty of training plans and set schedules in which you need to prepare your body to run long distances. I would hang my schedule in multiple places, allowing myself to circle the day if I completed the workout and cross out the day if I missed it- motivation at it's finest.

Strength training was a completely different story. The only reason why you would see me pick up a dumbbell was because my running scheduled said to. I had heard that lifting weights would decrease my risk of injury and increase my speed, but I had no idea what I was doing in the weight room. No rhyme or reason; no plan. Basically I dreaded my 'strength training' days. I had the same mindset as I did in college: weight lifting=big, bulky muscles.

Today I change my mindset. Today I know what strength training can do for my body and for my endurance running. Today I pledge to follow the New Rules of Lifting for Woman and to "lift like a man, but look like a goddess." I pledge to stick to this program like I would to training for marathon.

The NROLFW provides you a day-by-day, move-by-move exercise program which makes it simple and easy to follow. The workouts are detailed and the days are scheduled, which is what drew me to the program in the first place. The plan is broken into 8 stages and each stage contains 2 workouts which alternate 3 times a week. Sounds like a lot of numbers, and it was a little confusing at first, but the author Lou Schuler goes into great detail and explains it efficiently.

The only thing I am concerned about is incorporating the NROLFW schedule into my half-marathon training program, which I plan to start by mid-July. I hope to set a solid foundation with the NROLFW program these next few weeks and then ease it into my marathon schedule, with the goal of not over training.

In attempt to keeping me motivated and honest, I am going to get real with you guys. Yep thats right: awful pictures, embarrassing numbers-the works. I know I will regret posting these photos for all of the inter-webs to see, but hopefully it will keep me accountable and help me push myself to change.

As of 6.23.11

BMI: 21.5

(On the outside I'm smiling, but on the inside my crying)

Beginning measurements:

Chest- 33in

Right Bicep- 11.75in

Left Bicep-11.75

Waist- 30.50in

Hip- 35in

Right Thigh- 22.75in

Left Thigh- 22.50in

Summer Snapshots {Week 1}

2011-06-22T20:14:00.001-05:00

Did you notice my new picture above? I figured since my wedding was over a year ago, it was time to change it up a bit.

I've never joined a linky party before, but have always wanted to be apart of the fun! It's like a secret club that anyone can join... and everyone can be the cool kid. You can't beat it! So when I came across "Summer Snapshots" from Starfish Jewelry, I was super pumped to link up!

I am to take a picture everyday of the week to document this hot and humid season! Hopefully, it will keep me motivated to take photos all summer long; my husband is practically jumping with joy.

I was a few days late this time around, so hopefully next week I can follow the rules more strictly. My type-A personality loves to follow the rules...one of the many attributes I got from my mother, along with my hair color, freckles, and big 'ole bee-hind.

Friday-We picked up our 3rd CSA basket to enjoy organic, local produce all week long. Yum! (Still not quite sure how to prepare my cabbage...I tried to eat it raw in a salad-Yuck!!)
Saturday- I competed in my first triathlon. It rocked. I'm hooked.
Sunday- A mountain of laundry to do. How do only two adults wear this many clothes?!
Monday- I had an awesome swim/run workout with friends. Speed workouts are much more efficient with running buddies! And I love that I'm incorporating more cross-training in my workouts now.
Tuesday- Josh let me help with grilling just long enough to take a picture of me grilling. He immediately put down the camera and took away my spatula.
Wednesday-Pizza day! Domino's pizza has made a weekly appearance at our house lately; the 7.99 deal is literally too hard to resist, especially to my pizza-loving husband.

You can link up too!

CSA: Basket #3

2011-06-20T17:43:00.001-05:00

If you need to catch up, check out these previous posts:

Basket #1 and basic information on CSA's

Basket #2 and thoughts on seasonal eating

Basket #3 has been by-far my favorite basket! When Rose sent out the email last Monday listing the basket's contents, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist. Plus, we still had 5 more baskets to use so it was like free food (well, if free means you paid for it months ago...but it now seems like free produce because it doesn't come out of our monthly budget).

The basket contained:

Salad Greens

Nabechan green onions

1 quart blue crop blueberries

Lavender flowers

Grass fed and finished ground pork

Primax green cabbage

Blueberries? Lavender flowers? Ground pork? Sign this girl up!

I've been eating blueberries and sniffing lavender flowers at every chance I get! Josh has been giving me some pretty weird looks, but I don't care. Best part? Josh doesn't even like blueberries so I get the whole quart to myself. Pure bliss.

Not quite sure what I'm going to do with the cabbage yet; I've never actually cooked cabbage so I'm in new territory here. Also, I have no clue what to do with these lavender flowers...Can you cook with them? Maybe some kind of tea? I have no clue; I'm too busy smelling them. I think I have a problem.

Hello. My name is Alex Clark. And I have an addiction to lavender flowers....and blueberries.

Obviously, I need to stop cramming my face full of blueberries and research some recipes.

How should I prepare my cabbage? What am I to do with these lavender flowers?

Tri for the Roses Race Recap

2011-06-18T21:10:00.000-05:00

Well, despite angst and doubt I completed my first sprint triathlon. And, bonus points, I far surpassed my goals- I finished 4th in my age group and 9th overall! In spite of my training being lack-luster and my run-throughs being less than impressive, I was able to push myself harder than I realized I could (kind of like I did during the Route 66 half marathon)- shows that racing is a very mental sport!

The night before, I eased my fears by doing what I do best- organize! Who knew you needed so much for a triathlon?! My bag contained: big and small towels (I was unsure if they provided something to dry off with, which they did), flip-flops, shoes, socks, a change of clothes, race outfit, water bottle, head band, goggles, watch, and ipod. Whew! Thats a lot.

A quick shot before heading out that morning, nerves at their highest! Bag packed and ready to go!

Josh, being the wonderful husband that he is, volunteered to be my official groupie- taking pictures, lugging around my bag, and cheering as loudly as he could. However, I'm not a fan of this creeper photo- here I am walking into the fitness center. The triathlon was all indoors, which was awesome because it reached the upper 90s today! Racing in a 70 degree air conditioned room does wonders for your time.

Like any other race, first thing I did was pick up my packet. I was given a bib to pin on my shirt for the bike and run; you are also body marked with your number for the swim. #10 rocks!

We went in waves of 7 due to number of lanes and stationary bikes; I was in the second wave which started at 8:05. During the swim, I tried to remind myself not to hyperventilate and go too fast at the beginning.

I felt like I paced myself well; my legs and arms didn't get tired but my lungs sure did! For me, swimming is so hard because you can't breath continuously like you can when running or biking; you have to condition your lungs to breath in a completely different way!

I finished my swim leg in 5:43, smashing my run-through times! Next, I ran to the transition area where I had my shirt, socks, shoes, and ipod waiting for me.

I hopped on the bike and began peddling as I got dressed- I had watched the first wave do this and it saved some major time during transition. I only had to bike 6 miles and I pushed myself hard.

The biking leg is where I did much better than I thought I would, knocking over 4 minutes off my run-through time and finishing in 20:27. Having someone peddling furiously next to me brought out a competitor-side of me that I never knew I had.

Before I knew it, I was off the bike and running laps around the track, 28 laps to be exact. Yea, I felt like a hamster running in so many circles. My trick was to choose a girl ahead of me and try to 'pick' them off one by one- very effective! It caused me to finish in 18:52, with an average pace of 9:26.

The person who was recording my laps finally signaled I was on my last lap and pointed me towards the finish. Victory!

My final race statistics:
Swim: 5:43 (initial goal-under 6min)
Bike: 20:27 (initial goal-21min)
Run: 18:52 (initial goal-under 18min)
Transition times: 1:23
Total: 46:25

Looks like I ended up being pretty close to my original plan! And look, a finisher's rose- my kind of race!

The top three in each age group, plus overall finisher, received a beautiful bouquet of roses. Sadly, I was a mere 1min,40sec from being in the top three of my devision. At least I have a new goal for next year!

And the best part about the day? My dad and brother came up to support me! Now that I think about it, they could have possibly been the key to me reaching my goals.

My muscles are super sore-I'll make sure and get good stretching in today and tomorrow.

And I think I might check out more spring triathlons- I feel so confident now! This may be my new obsession...exciting!

Tri Training

2011-06-15T19:39:00.000-05:00

The day is drawing near....
We are now in the single digits....
My first triathlon is this Saturday and I am super nervous!

My dedication to training hasn't been quite as hard-core as I had planned and, compared to my initial run-through, I haven't whittled off as much time as I imagined I would.

That may be because I feel like this in the water:
(source)
I haven't spent nearly enough time in the water this past month. I assumed that since I already new how to swim free-style that I wouldn't need that much training...but boy was I wrong. I feel no where faster now than when I tested my skills over a month ago!

And, as slow as I'm going, I might as well be biking through mud:
(source)
This is one of the hardest parts for me. I can't seem to find a balance between pushing myself and saving my legs for the run. I find that when I push myself hard my legs immediately cramp up during the run.

It doesn't help that I have elephant legs when I'm running
(source)
Like I said with the biking, my legs immediately start to cramp up when I get off the bike! It takes me 5 minutes to get warmed up for the run, but 5 minutes is way too long for a little 2 mile leg. Cardio-wise I could run at a really fast pace, but that dang bike kills my legs!

I now only have two goals going into this race. 1) Finish. 2) Don't finish last.

Not too high of expectations, huh? I'm just going to try to enjoy the race and do the best I can. And the best thing about this being my first triathlon? I will definitely PR, no matter how slow I go!

Do you sometimes set expectations too high for yourself? Are you flexible with your goals?

A Few of My Favorite Things

2011-06-13T13:13:00.000-05:00

I'm home sick today from a wicked stomach bug. I haven't been able to keep anything down and I feel super weak from being up all night. Here is a post I had saved for a day just like this. Wish me a speedy recovery!

Just like Fraulein Maria, there are a few things in my life that make me happy. While cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels do sound nice, here are a few of my favorite things that I couldn't live without:

My tea kettle: It is green. It is cheerful. And it gives me steaming water for my tea each morning. What more could a girl ask for?

My Asics running shoes: specifically the GT-2150s. This is my third pair since 2008 and they have never let me down. Best running shoes ever!

Google Reader. How else am I suppose to keep track of the 50 blogs I read, most of whom post 2-3 times a day?! I won't tell you how many hours a day I spend on this thing, but it can easily be classified as obsessive.

Teen Mom. Yes, I know...I'm 25 and still watch MTV. Some girls I love and some I just want to slap, but there is something about this show that keeps me coming back for more. Plus, watching it reminds me that I am not ready for a kid. Is it sad I need MTV for a reality check?

Laura Mercier's Eye Basic concealer; I use the color 'Wheat' because I am pale like that. It goes on thin and non-cakey however completely hides the circles under my eyes and makes my eye-shadow go on smoother and stay on longer. I started wearing Mercier's Eye Basic about a year ago and it was life changing. I try not to leave the house without it on!

Our TV remote: Now, I'm not a techy kind of person but this little guy sure makes my life easier! Josh has a million things linked to this touch-screen remote and it is quite simple to work. Also, we only have one remote for everything and No clutter = A happy wife.

And now a little Julie Andrews to brighten up your day:

What are some of your favorite things?

CSA: Basket #2

2011-06-09T10:30:00.019-05:00

Incase you missed it, here is my first post about Community Supported Agriculture and our first basket experience!

Josh and I received our second basket of produce from our amazing CSA farm- Mason Creek Farms out of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Since the recent devastating floods in the region, we missed a few weeks due to damages; however, lots of yummy veggies and fruits were saved and Josh and I were able to enjoy the spoils of our CSA share.

In the basket we received:

2 bags of salad greens (best I've ever had!)

Carrots

Philadelphia white box radishes

Shiitakes mushrooms

Sorrell

Salad is coming out my ears and my lunches are packed full of fresh veggies. The bag 'o' mushrooms was ridiculously huge and I ended up giving half of them to a friend. I haven't really touched the radishes much; I'm not the biggest fan of radish in my salads and I'm not quite sure how to cook with them. As for the carrots, I don't think I could ever go back to non-organic carrots again. The flavor, the crisp, the color... holy yum!

Eating through my CSA has got me thinking a lot more about eating locally and seasonally. I have been eyeing the book Clean Food by Terry Walters which is actually more than just a 'cookbook':

"CLEAN FOOD is an encouraging, easy-to-understand guide to eating closer to the source and benefiting from the rich nutritional profile of the freshest, in-season, locally grown ingredients. " (source)

Due to world-wide distributions and modern processing, we rarely think about eating produce that are in season. The grocery store shelves look the same in January as they do in June. By choosing to eat seasonally (weather you are apart of a CSA or not) you receive the utmost health and nutritional benefit from your produce (sou rce). Plus, in-season food is packed full of much more flavor.

So next time you are browsing through the produce section, imagine what your ancestors would think as you pick up that watermelon in April or that corn-on-the-cob in February. Now don't get me wrong, a non-season veggie is better than no veggie at all, but stop and think about what you are actually putting into your body. Make a conscious decision to choose health over convenience.

Have you read Clean Food? What are your thoughts on eating seasonally and locally?

Summertime Love

2011-06-08T10:59:00.083-05:00

Despite the Arkansas heat, Josh and I made it a priority to spend some time outside this week. I love summertime! I love being outside and I love soaking in the sun (even though my skin repels sunlight).

One of Josh's favorite summertime activities is grilling. (Yes, our neighbor is a rock star and owns a limo)

And I have to say, I kind of enjoy it myself. I don't really touch the grill; my job is just to prepare the food. But I like being out there to watch Josh work his magic.

#1 Grilling Rule at the Clark household: An adult drink is a must! Josh's choice of beverage is an ice cold Corona with a slice of lime.

I do not do beer. Uck! The smell; the taste...grosses me out!

Wine for me please! White or red, I don't care! But I can only handle a small glass or two; anymore and I definitely feel it the next morning.

Ajax loves when we spend the evening outside. We attempted to teach her how to catch frisbees last night, however she couldn't quite figured it out. They kept hitting her in the face. Then Josh and I would laugh at her; we are such good parents.

"Hi. I'm Ajax, and I love to eat grass."

What is your favorite summertime activity?

Holy Yum

2011-06-07T18:38:00.000-05:00

If you have been around the blogging world much, you have heard of the beautiful creation of overnight oats. I have an obsession with oatmeal and until recently have only read of these mysterious concoctions through my favorite bloggers Kath, Tina, and Emily (just to name a few).

Well, this past weekend I needed my oatmeal fix, however Arkansas weather doesn't quite call for a steaming bowl of oatmeal in June. Instead, I decided to join the crowd and see if overnight oats would hold up to their reputation.

Holy Yum! What took me so long?

My simple mixture consisted of...
1 cup rolled oats
2 cups vanilla almond milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp of ground flax meal
...placed in a practically empty jar of PB and popped into the fridge to soak overnight.

These add-ins are all I had on hand, however the possibilities are endless: raisins, granola, greek yogurt, molasses, banana, chia seeds, chocolate chips...

Excuse me, I have to whip the drool off my keyboard.
Sorry about that.

Please, go to your kitchen right now. Whip up the mixture and stick it in your fridge. You can thank me tomorrow morning when you wake up to an already-made piece of heaven.

Recent Eats

2011-06-05T12:50:00.000-05:00

Do you know Jenna from Eat, Live, Run. Well, I don't know her, but I follow her blog religiously... practically the same thing, right? She has amazing recipes, beautiful photography, and wicked writing skills. Lately I've been a little obsessed and I filled this week's menu with her creations:

First I found these Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Blondies. I made them for some co-workers and then went home and made a second batch for myself...I let Josh have some too.

Perfect blend of chocolate and PB!

Then I found her amazing Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Pablano and Avacado Salsa.

Holy Yum.

And speaking of avacado, now that I have this recipe I will never need another one again.

So simple. So perfect.

Now if you will excuse me, I need to go appease my grumbling tummy with all the leftovers!