I Have a Thing & Puppy Sleepovers

After twenty-ni twenty-something years of life I've found my "thing". I've never really had the coordination or fearlessness to play a contact sport. My natural reaction when a ball flies at my face is to duck or run the other way while screeching like a girl. Not really a good thing.
With 2 races under my belt, I've realized, with a little help, that running may be my thing. This excites me because I never though I'd find something in the sports area that I'd be semi-good at. I say semi because I was told my time wasn't that great. However, the person that said this gets winded getting off the couch. I took it with a grain of salt ;)
It never occurred to me that I may have a competitive bone in my body, but when I'm out there it feels spectacular weaving in and out of the slow-pokes and pushing ahead. Maybe one day I'll actually beat them all. Not likely, but a good dream anyway. It is always a plus to be rewarded with wine/beer at the end of a race. The race I just signed up for is the Philly Beer Run. Nothing like a frosty brew at the end of a run!

Goals:
My longest race so far has been a 5k. Eventually I would like to work my up to a 10k and even a 10 miler. I'll leave the Half to my Runner Sister. The last race's mile time according to the race records was a 9:06; my device said 8:58. I'll stick with that number and aim to beat it next time.
Problems:
Bunching shorts and wedgies.

Now that it's getting warmer out I'll be wearing my fitted shorts. I always seem to have a problem with them riding up the middle. Anyone have any solutions? I was told to try BodyGlide Anti Chafe-Balm. So far my thighs haven't ignited any fires, I just want the shorts to stay where they're supposed to be.

After Saturday's race, Lulu, her friend Miley, who was spending the weekend, and I all cuddled up and took a lovely 3 hour nap. #expertcuddlers Afterwards, we spent a little time outside- me throwing the ball for Lulu while Miley chilled on my lap. On Sunday we went to watch Papi/Uncle Danny's soccer game, where they also met up with friend Hamlet.
Here are just a few pics from the weekend :)

They liked to watch me do my  hair & makeup

Gal pals

Enjoying the view

Lulu, go get the ball. I'll stay here.

Blue Skies

Blue skies smilin' at me...


Nothin but blue skies do I see



Never saw the sun shinin' so bright



Never saw things goin' so right



Noticing the days hurrying by

When you're in love, my how they fly.


Happy Friday! :)

P90x Torture & A Good Cause

I continuously find myself getting bored with my workouts...I've strayed from my typical Jillian Michael's workouts and started P90x this week. The one con I've found is that the workouts are 2-3 times longer than JM's. I'm only 2 days into it and have only been able to get half way through the videos, primarily for two reasons: 1) my legs/arms turn to jello, 2) I need to stuff my face and sip on some delicious wine.

 I had planned on doing half of the plyometrics last night before going out to dinner with my lovely ladies. By the time I was done I was gasping for air and sweating like no other. 

The best part of the whole scene- my lovely bf was watching/yelling at me while eating Taco Bell. #rude


Today I'm so stiff, sore, practically immobile from Day 1's Arms & Back, Ab Ripper X and last night's Plyometrics. Can't wait to see how tonight's Arms & Shoulders, Ab Ripper go. I may lose a limb. My goal is to get at least 3/4 of the way through it before collapsing. #makingprogress


Considering my inability to complete the videos so far, I'm thinking of making it a P180x and repeating weeks until I can get through the whole thing. It's a great workout and this way my hope is that I won't become bored so quickly. I also need to take it a little light this week if I'm going to be able to complete a 5K on Saturday. Speaking of which... 
The Animal Welfare Association is hosting a 5K to raise money for animals. The AWA is an organization dedicated to eliminating animal suffering, promoting the importance of the human-animal bond and improving recognition of the role of animals in the well-being of people. AWA has been 'caring for animals...benefiting people' for over 60 years. It offers a wide variety of services and programs including animal adoption, low-cost veterinary clinic, foster care, pet therapy, humane education, rehoming support and so much more! My goal is to raise $100, so please, any & all contributions are welcome and extremely appreciated.

Good Food, Great Friends, and One Serious Hangover

Last week was my boy’s birthday. He wasn't nearly as excited about this as I was. I may have gone a little crazy trying to get him on the same page as me. Because it was the first real gathering we were having in our new place, I frantically cleaned all week and tried to find a place for everything that was in the last few boxes I was hiding in the spare bedroom. The birthday boy’s request was to have friends over for dinner and cake. On the menu: crab mac & cheese, pulled pork, spinach, and strawberry cheesecake (not one ounce of chocolate- boggles my mind). Recipes are at the end of this blog J

I had to work the day this was all occurring, so everything was prepared prior- including opening presents…again, I was way too excited for this to wait. I was prepared to do presents at midnight, so technically his birthday; however, my old man was already falling asleep at 9:30pm. I had to lure him awake with gifts (& a milkshake). Among his gifts: Ray-Bans, Javier Hernandez t-shirt & toy (for the kid in him).

Ray-Bans :)

& then he fell back asleep

Thursday rolled around and I was extremely happy with myself for having everything basically prepared for when I got home from work and was actually able to sit and relax for a bit before everyone started arriving. In the end it was a success….I’m thankful for everyone that came to celebrate & hope they enjoyed themselves as much as my birthday boy and I did.

Uncle Danny & Ryder (most popular guest)

Making a wish <3 

Recipes:

Crab Mac & Cheese: I couldn't find manchego cheese so I substituted with a colby & monterey jack blend.

Pulled Pork: Pork loin in the crock pot with about 1/2 c. of chicken broth & 1 bottle of bbq sauce on low for 6-8 hours.

Spinach: fresh spinach, chopped, and sauteed in minced garlic & EVOO

I made Chicken wrapped Asparagus this weekend:

Topping: 1/2 c. mayo, 3 tbsp brown mustard, chopped fresh basil

Pound chicken breasts out to 1/4 inch. Cover with shredded mozzarella cheese and 4-5 pieces of asparagus (pre-cooked in the microwave 1 1/2-2 minutes) and wrap up tightly, placing the seam side down in a baking dish. Spread some of the topping on the chicken   and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, pressing into the topping. Bake on 425 degrees for 25 minutes. #delicious I paired this with bow-tie pasta with fresh tomatoes & basil and a spinach salad with strawberries and goat cheese in a balsamic vinaigrette. I received a leg massage (ran 3.2 miles that day in preparation for a 5k on Saturday) after dinner. #itwasthatgood #winning

Home Sweet Home

First, I'd like to say that I have the best boyfriend for doing the most of the move. Anyone who rents a truck, makes 5 stops, and carries all the furniture (+ the help of some wonderful friends) into our new apartment, all while I'm at work, gets an A+++ from me! Now finding a place for everything that was brought from 2 different houses into a 2 bedroom apartment was not necessarily an easy task, but I accepted the challenge (& won!). 

The first weekend was consumed with unpacking and getting Lulu accustomed to her new environment. My baby does not welcome change with open arms. Elevators are a non-starter for her. She put on the brakes at first sight of the monstrosity. Thankfully her tiny lil 5 lb body glided very easily. She also had to endure a change in potty habits. Since we're on the top floor, walking her just didn't seem like a good idea to me. We bought a turf potty for her. I'm not sure who this was worse for, the boy or Lulu. She peeked through the door with her sad eyes, and he buried his face in a pillow unable to look at the level of patheticness. After several days of holding it in, she finally mastered the concept. The clapping and praising was endless (at 8 am). #ProudMommyMoment

It's been about 3 weeks and the last box has finally been unpacked. I can finally rest...until I need to start obsessively cleaning, cooking, etc...Having a place where you can only blame yourself (& the boy) for a mess is exhausting. I'm obsessed with Clorox wipes and 12 am vacuuming. #wackadoodle

Here are some pics :)

The first meal was prepared Day 1 at 12 am ;)

This view has been altered to include a new 55" LED Toshiba & stand. #boys&theirtoys

Lulu approves of the new couch

Master Bedroom

Cannot wait until the rain stops and I can enjoy this!

In love with this view #sellingpoint

While it hasn't all been up's (obviously a huge adjustment), there is no one I'd rather come home to then him. <3 

My boy's birthday is tomorrow and I'm (super excited to say the least) looking forward to hosting our first real gathering with friends.