Mind Games

I ran approximately 4.7 miles yesterday.  I realized it was a run of mind-over-matter.  The first 3/4 of a mile went great, I was keeping a good pace and felt good.  Then I got hit with bad stomach pains, it wasn't like cramps, just pain.  I'm assuming my breakfast just didn't sit well with me.  I pushed on, but I know my pace drastically slowed.  After another 1/2 mile, I knew I needed to stop.  I stopped on a bridge and waited for the pain to go away, it slowly did and so I walked for a little while.  I felt good enough to run again, but my mind just wasn't in the game.  My goal when I left my house was 5 miles, so I really wanted to hit that, but I just wasn't feeling it anymore.  I ended up running most of the way home, but it was one of those runs where I'd tell myself that I'd run to the next tree and then walk.  Then I'd walk to a mailbox and run to the next tree, or something like that.  I had to find some way to keep on going!  I did make it home and was feeling pretty good by time I ran up our driveway.  After I got home I realized how much of a mind game this run was, my legs felt great, I probably could have kept going, but my mind just wasn't in the game.  I know everyone has bad run days, so I'm hoping that my next run on Monday is much better.

I still haven't picked a half marathon, but I'm thinking I might do one in September.  It's local, so I wouldn't have to travel a couple of hours and stay in a hotel for it.  I'm positive I'll be ready after 6 more months of training, but I am actually thinking that's too far away.  Hmmmm.....

This week's Bootcamp workouts were awesome!  I can tell that I'm improving and doing better on the workouts than I did last week, so I love that aspect.  I've adjusted the workouts to fit my training schedule: Mondays I run, Tuesdays I do Workout A, Wednesdays I do spin class and speed work, Thursdays is Workout B, Fridays is my long run, and Saturdays I do Workout C.  It feels good to have a great plan in place.  Monday begins week 3 of Bootcamp, and that means new workouts begin.  I'm looking forward to seeing what Tina has planned for us!

Friend Makin' Monday: Bookworms

Ahh...Monday already. Did you miss out on your hour of sleep this weekend?  Mike and I didn't...I set my alarm on my phone to wake us up at 8:30 (new time), so we'd have plenty of time to get ready for church.  We typically are awake by 8:30 but I figured with the time change we might need the alarm.  Well, I woke up at 8:20, according to Mike's alarm clock and I had to think twice.  I checked my phone, and it also said 8:20, so I asked Mike if he had already changed his alarm clock.  He hadn't, so I got a little confused.  After resetting my phone, it turned out that my phone never skipped the hour, so it was actually 9:20.  We jumped out of bed and began getting ready...we did still make it to church on time!

In other news, it was exactly 4 years ago today, March 12 (2008) that Mike asked me to be his girlfriend.  I'm so glad I said yes :)  Look at where God's brought us so far!

And now, on to Friend Makin' Mondays.  I am really diggin' the new design Kenlie made!

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section  at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Bookworms (Revisited)

1. How often do you read for pleasure?  I don't have a whole lot of time to read, so when I get a chance to, I'm always reading for pleasure!  I love to read, I just wish I had more time to do it!  Anyone wanna come clean my house for me?
2. Are you currently reading a book? If so, which one? I just finished reading The Help on Friday.  It was awesome, and now I can watch the movie!  I think the next book I'll read is the first of the Hunger Games.
3. Do you subscribe to any magazines and/or newspapers? If so, which ones? I do subscribe to magazines and the local newspaper.  I think I probably get 5 or 6 magazines a month including Shape, Fitness, Taste of Home, and Glamour.
4. Do you prefer reading traditional books or using an e-reader?  I think they both have their appeal.  Mike got me a Nook for Christmas so I'm just getting used to reading on it.  I think it will be super convenient for travelling.  But, there's also just something special about having a traditional book to flip through!
5. How often do you go to the bookstore?  Almost never!
6. Do you read at the gym? No.  I don't think you get as good of a workout if you're distracted by a book.  Besides, I can't read while running because I bounce too much.  I listen to music instead.
7. Have you ever been a member of a book club?  Nope.
8. Do you wear glasses when you read? I wear contacts all day, so I guess yes.
9. Has anyone read the Hunger Games? If so, would you recommend it?  See #2 :)
10. What is your favorite thing about reading?  I love the feeling of being involved in the lives of the characters.  I feel like I know them and they're my friends!

Now it’s your turn! Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments! Happy Monday!

Bootcamp

I did something big the other day...I signed up for bootcamp! 

Ok, wait, before you start freaking out, not the bootcamp you're probably thinking of.  I'm not joining the military (though it was considered in high school!)  I'm doing bootcamp with a group of awesome bloggers!

One of my favorite fitness bloggers, Tina, has put together an incredible program to help people acheive their workout goals.  It's very similar to the Accountability Adventure I've done a few times with the ladies at church.  Tina has spent a ton of time creating workouts for us, and now it's up to us to follow through.

Bootcamp runs for 8 weeks, and it started yesterday.  It's perfect timing for me, because it will end right before Mike and I leave for vacation.  Hopefully I'll be in awesome shape by then.  (Don't get me wrong--I do like how I look, but I'd love to be more toned!)

Each week will consist of 3 workouts that Tina put together.  We'll also have cardio days as well as a rest day.  This is awesome for me, because I can continue to train for a half-marathon while participating.  (My training has been slacking lately as I've been sick and still car-less so I can't get to the gym!)  We also have 2 individual goals that we will work toward over the course of the bootcamp.  My goals are to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day and to take a daily multivitamin.

I did my first workout routine yesterday morning, and I can definitely feel it in my legs.  I'm already in good shape (probably the best shape/fitness level of my life), but I know there's so much room for improvement.  If I'm feeling a workout, I know it's working muscles I may have ignored for a while, and so for me the pain is awesome. 

Over 300 other bloggers are participating and the amount of support is just incredible! I'll definitely keep you updated on my progress and how the workouts are going over the next 8 weeks.

What have you done for your health today?

Be-You-tiful!

It's been a while since I've had time to paint, and I was recently inspired to paint on canvas.  I'd never done it before, but once I got the idea into my head, I couldn't get it out.  I love how it turned out!

Friend Makin' Monday: Travel!

How was your weekend?  Mine was awesome--I got to go up to Cran Hill Ranch for a weekend retreat with my youth group kids.  We had an incredible time, growing closer to God and to each other.  I'll be sharing pictures later, but now I'm exhausted and not feeling 100%, so I'm just doing a quick Friend Makin' Monday post.  Feel free to play along!

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: http://www.alltheweigh.com/ so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!



FMM: Travel

Where did your most recent trip take you? I just got back yesterday from Big Rapids.
Is there a place that you’d like to visit that you haven’t yet? If so, where? There are so many places I'd still like to go!  Mike and I hope to someday do a mission trip to Haiti, and I'd love to visit the Holy Land someday. 
Do you travel lightly, or do you cram as much into your luggage as possible? Funny--we just had this discussion this weekend.  I'm a pretty light traveler.  I've learned to bring just 1 or 2 extra outfits (depending on the length of my trip), but to always put as much necessary stuff as possible in my carryon (if I'm flying)...I've had my luggage lost too many times!
Do your eating and exercise habits change when you travel? If so, how? It really depends on where I'm going.  This weekend I did a lot of walking but I had little control over my food.  When I have the chance, like when we went to Chicago or Canada last year, I did exercise when possible.
Tell us about a place you’ve been that you’d like to go back to. I'd love to go back to both Romania and Jamaica.  I want Mike to experience Romania and we'd both love to get back to Jamaica.
Do you prefer to travel at a certain time of year? No, it makes no difference to me!
If you had to choose, would you go to the beach or the mountains? I love warm weather, so I'd definitely pick the beach.
Have you ever needed a passport to travel? Yes, to Canada, Romania, and Jamaica.
Do you collect anything in your travels? Mike and I buy a magnet every time we go somewhere together.
Where do you plan to go next? We are going on a family vacation to Hawaii with Mike's family in May. 
Now it’s your turn! Don’t forget to come back to share a link in the comments! Happy Monday friends!

More Christmas--More Family :)

Christmas day was another busy day full of family and activities.  We started our day by opening our stocking presents.  Even Champ got a stocking!!!

Mike and I are trying to start a new tradition where we buy small items for eachother throughout the year to fill our giant stocking.  This year was pretty slim pickings, but we hope to improve this tradition in the coming years!

We enjoyed a wonderful worship service followed by tea and cookies at my parent's house before heading back home to do our gifts.  We were both pleasantly surprised by what we received :)

We topped off our Christmas day with another great family party--this time with Mike's extended family.  Everyone brought a dish to pass and there was plenty of delicious food.  After food we gathered around for gifts.  It's so much fun to see the little kids receive their gifts!

I also got to enjoy some cuddle time with our newest cousin--Bret!  He was just over 2 weeks old and such a sweetie!

Well, that's it for Christmas 2011...bring on 2012 :)

Family Christmases

Better late than never right?  I have one more Christmas post after today's and so I'm hoping you're not sick of Christmas yet. Only 11 months til Christmas 2012 :)

We started our Christmas Eve Celebration with Mike's immediate family.  His mom prepared a delicious lunch for us and we spent some time enjoying everyone's company before celebrating with gifts.  We were really blessed with some items we've really been wanting this year!

After a fun afternoon with Mike's family we packed up the car and headed out to Allendale.  First we went to church. Our church has a tradition of doing a "family Christmas" for our Christmas Eve service.  Whoever wants to can participate, whether sharing a song, poem, story, or Bible Verse.  Our church was decorated beautifully for Christmas!

After the church service we headed over to my parent's house for our family celebration.  This year was extra special because my Grandma (from Canada) was with us!

My parents have finally collected enough snowmen and Santas to line their stairs!  I love how it looks. 

I also love this table full of food.  Oh my!  Looking at all the deliciousness is making me hungry again!  We enjoyed spinach artichoke dip, homemade bread, bacon & mozzarella bread, a cheese/meat/cracker tray, cheeseburger pizza wedges, and some sweet treats.  I love our appetizer tradition!

Mom sent Mike and I on a treasure hunt for one of our gifts--a storage cube/foot rest.  We've wanted one for a while.  Mike thought it made a good pillow :)

My Dad's mom made the cross-stitched pillowcase he's holding.  She passed away a few years ago so memories of her are very precious!  My mom surprised my dad by framing the pillowcase for him.  Isn't it beautiful?

Friend Makin' Monday: Makeup Favorites

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Makeup Favorites

1.Do you wear makeup everyday? Sunday through Thursday, yes!  Friday and Saturday it depends on if I'm doing anything or just staying home all day.
2.Does your routine change if you’re going out with friends/on a date/to a party? If so, how? A little bit.  I typically put on eyeliner and maybe a little blush in addition to what I usually wear.
3.Are you loyal to one brand, or do you use different brands for different things? 95% of the makeup in my drawer is Avon.
4.Do you wear primer/concealer? If so, what’s your favorite kind? I don't wear primer very often, but when I do it's Magix.  I wear concealer almost everyday and I use Healthy Makeup Concealer.
5.What’s your favorite brand of foundation? I love the Smooth Minerals powder foundation from Avon.
6.Do you use blush and/or bronzer? If so, what’s your favorite kind? I rarely use blush because I don't need it and I'm not good at applying bronzer so I don't use that.  When I use blush I use the Smooth Minerals blush.
7.Do you wear eye shadow/eye liner? If so, what’s your favorite kind? (Are you liking the theme here? ) I wear eye shadow almost every day, and eye liner just for special occasions.  I can't find my favorite eye shadow anymore so I'm really dreading when it runs out.  (It's a roll on shimmery silver).  I love the new Glimmersticks eyeliner.
8.What’s your favorite kind of mascara? Once again, an Avon product (are you surprised?)  My favorite mascara is Supershock in Navy.

9.Lipstick? Lip gloss? Both? Favorite? Neither!  I use only lip balm :)
10.Do you wear nail polish regularly? If so, share a few of your favorite brands/colors. My toes are almost always painted, but my fingernails rarely are.  My go-to brand is Avon's Nailwear Pro and my favorite colors for my toes are Tropical Punch and Fuchsia.
11.How do you remove your makeup at the end of the day? Water and my regular face scrub.
12.Do you feel prettier when you’re wearing makeup? Yes, definitely.
13.Do you have any beauty tips that you could pass along? I really believe less is more.  I love the natural just woke up look and prefer it over cakey bright makeup.

Just my luck...

I still have 2 more posts about Christmas to share, but I thought I'd take a quick break to share more current news! 

You might remember that I don't have very good luck with cars, from breakdowns to accidents (those are just 2 examples), I've had more than my fair share of car issues.  Last Spring Mike and I decided it was time to get rid of my Stratus (we were putting way too much money into it!) and buy a more reliable vehicle.  We decided to buy a Saturn Vue, thinking it would last a few years and when our family grows, the Vue would provide ample room.

Unfortunately, my bad luck continued and in December we found out the Vue needed a new transmission.  Because of the kind of transmission, it was going to cost over $5,500 to get it fixed!  We spent a lot of time in prayer and talking about our options and decided that we would get rid of the Vue and buy a truck.  We planned on buying a truck in the future, but not for a couple more years.  We were able to trade in the Vue and 2 weeks ago, Mike got his dream truck--a 2008 Dodge Ram.  We both love it and are thrilled with  our purchase.

I got Mike's old car and we though we'd be all set for a while.  Little did we know...

On Thursday, I got up with Mike and headed to the gym when he left for work.  Same thing that happens every day.  Driving though our subdivision, I thought about how slick it was and the wind and snow were really blowing hard.  It was difficult to see, but I know that it's often worse in our subdivision than on the main roads.  I figured I would get onto the main road and if it was too bad, I'd turn around and go home.  It's about a 15 minute drive to the gym and I didn't want to drive that far in bad weather. 

I pulled out of the subdivision and got about 2 houses down when I saw a SUV swerving down the road.  He was heading right for me and I immediately knew that he was going to hit me.  I thought maybe I could avoid a head on collision by going off the road and into someone's front yard.  Too late though, I heard a sickening crunch and the airbags blew up in my face.  The other driver pulled his car off to the side of the road (still driveable--of course!) and I got out to see what happened. 

And this is what I saw:

 

I called Mike right away, and he had just gotten to work.  He turned around immediately and came to the scene.  He arrived just before the police officer.  The other driver got a ticket for going faster than conditions allow.  A tow truck came and had to wench my car out of the ditch. 

We found out on Monday that the damage would cost nearly $10,000 to fix and so the car is totalled.  Unfortunately we took full coverage insurance off my car when we bought the truck.  We'll file for the $500 mini tort claim from the guy who hit me and probably scrap this car.  We're really sad as we both loved the Grand Am.  Now we're in the market for another car.  We're hoping to just find something real cheap right now as it's all we can afford. 

I was still pretty shaken up and getting sore, so I didn't go in to work on Thursday.  I spent the majority of the day on the couch.  I did have pretty good company though! 

Friend Makin' Monday: Short Answers

It's Monday!  I will share details about my (not-so) exciting weekend later this week, but for now, it's Friend Makin' Monday time!  Please join in on the fun :)

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

 

FMM: Short Answers


Mac or PC? PC
Do you paint your own nails? Yes, but only my toes.  I can't stand the weight of the polish on my fingernails.
Beach or mountains? Beach!

What’s the title of the book you’re currently reading? The Help--just started it!
Do you dance? Not in public.
CNN or Fox News? I really don't care either way!
Do you ride a bicycle? Yes, when the weather is nice.

Do you get a yearly flu shot? Yes
Best movie you’ve seen in 2012? Mission Impossible
Do you prefer to workout at home or at the gym? The gym.  I feel like I get a better workout there.

Last airport you were in? Grand Rapids, on the way home from our honeymoon.
Married or single? Happily married

iPhone or Android? Android
Do you prefer to be in pictures or taking pictures? Taking pictures.
Favorite brand of sneakers? Mizuno.
Do you like snow? Sometimes, but I get sick of it pretty quick!
Do you have/want to have kids? Definitely want.

Summer or Winter? Summer!
Do you know how to swim? Yes.
Do you prefer to shop in store or online? Online--you don't have to deal with other customers!