Pages

Friday, June 28, 2013

Facial Cleansing

I got a facial on Wednesday and boy did I need it.  We have something here called Groupon.  They give you deals, like the one I purchased.  I got a basic facial (usually $70) for $35.  Not too shabby!  You tip on the full amount and you have to pay tax, but it's definitely a good deal.  I was exhausted, I felt better, but kind of crappy and for about an hour I was able to relax and my face felt great.

Now this was a basic facial, which didn't include any deep pore cleansing.  I will have to get a top of the line facial soon before my wedding so I can get rid of any black heads I have.  I may be pale and freckly, but overall my skin stays pretty clear!  Below is a picture after I left, I didn't smile because I wanted to show my skin with no lines in it.  I look hardcore!  Don't mess with me!

Post facial "glow"!

Yesterday was great!  B and I have been working hard this week communicating and figuring out how to communicate best.  We are 100% committed to getting through any issues (well mostly any issues, I am pretty sure I/we can't get past any cheating) that come up no matter where they come.  It is not always easy, like I said before, but I am praying and hoping it is worth it and so far it feels like it is.  We are connected and focusing on us and yesterday was a good day.  We felt happy again and I was able to get a great nights sleep!  I think I plopped down around 9am and stayed asleep until around 7am!  I woke up today feeling refreshed and focused!

Unfortunately, running was not in the cards for me all week.  I am waking up early tomorrow and getting a long run in, my goal is 5 miles.  After that, not sure.  Maybe a bike ride, maybe cleaning, grocery shop, I don't know, all depends on the weahter.  I'm not making plans this weekend, so my plan is to relax, do what I feel like and enjoy it!

Next week marks my official training schedule.  I am both nervous and excited.  Get ready to hear about the blisters, chaffing, bathroom breaks, oh yes, are you getting excited yet?????

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Weekend of emotions

Well this weekend started off amazing!

Friday night I chilled out and watched Oz the Great and Powerful with B.  Saturday, woke up early, took C for a super long walk, then took a super long bike ride with B, then took C for another super long walk with my girlfriend.  C was completely knocked out!  After the second walk around 2:30pm we headed down the Jersey Shore to celebrate Father's Day with my Dad!  We didn't hit any traffic, I made sure to note that time we left to go down, because traffic to go down the Jersey Shore can be a biotch!  We had a great BBQ, chilled on the deck and left feeling healthy, but full!

Satuday night, BAM, I felt like I took a bullet.  B and I hit a really really rough night in our relationship.  I found myself unable to think, feel anything except anger and hurt.  I am not going to go into specifics, but it was bad.  I wasn't sure if I was going to put it out there, but the truth is the truth.  Sometimes relationships no matter how strong they feel are tested. 

The very next day B was out the door to Las Vegas.  He left late afternoon and I needed an escape.  I hit the movies, at 9am in the morning.  I sat there, probably looking like a pedophile, escaping to Monsters U, then I went to a different movie theater and sat and escaped to James Franco's house in This is the End.  I was able to laugh, I was able to forget, for just a couple of hours, but that was enough.  Enough for me to know that I am ok.  I will be ok.  I laughed. 

When it was time to get back to reality, I did.  I went home, B was off and as life stopped.  I didn't take calls, I didn't want to speak to anyone.  I wanted to understand what was going on.  I didn't eat.  That may be the only good side effect to getting really hurt, my appetite is gone.  I can't even swallow food, it makes me sick.  I slept.

Monday morning I woke up, still ignoring conversation.  I went to work.  I worked and slowly my head began to become less foggy.  A solution and a path was forming and I was feeling slightly better.  After work, I was ready for conversation.  I talked to my sister, she was amazing.  She confirmed my thoughts about what is the best course of action and she also listened to me.  I got to get it out.  It felt like a weight was lifted.  I talked to B, my love. 

I didn't get much exercise during the last two days, but I actually lost weight due to the whole not eating when stressed thing.  My appetite is coming back, but my heart is still hurt.  I do plan on exercising this week and getting some good runs in, but I just didn't have it in me the last couple of days.

Like I said before relationships, all relationships in life are work.  You have to put in the effort, you have to want to make it work, you have to have love.  I do not have all of the answers, but I am willing to try and find them.  Wish I had a happy update, but instead I just gave you a real one, warts and all.

"Love isn't always perfect.  It isn't a fairytale or a storybook and it doesn't always come easy.  Love is overcoming obstacles, facing challenges, fighting to be together, holding on and never letting go.  It is a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.  Love is work, but most of all, love is realizing that every hour, every minute, every second of it was worth it because you did it together." - Ritu Ghatourey

Friday, June 21, 2013

Red Face

I felt it today, I really did!  It was easy!  The 4.5 miles flew by this a.m. and I finished strong.  My lungs felt great, my legs felt great, my feet, well they didn't feel horrible.  True is I need new sneaks and I need to get better socks.  When I run with my "running socks" my feet hurt much less.  I also need to bulk up on my blister blockers and the chafe roller.  Sexy, huh?  ahahahahah!

Although I was totally happy with my run, as I was getting ready for work I ran into a problem I totally forgot about...red face!

This is a couple of minutes after my run.  See how red my face is, I swear it is not always that red!

I took a cold shower to cool off and my face was still completely red.  Only my face, not my neck or any other part of my body get this red.  It is really difficult to get ready in your work garbs and look like you applied blush really really wrong ahahah!  It takes me about 2 hours for my face to back to its normal color.  I think today I am going to try and figure out what causes it and how to prevent/bring it back to normal faster. 

Last night I made a killer quick and easy dinner.  I didn't take any photos, but it was a super easy recipe.  So on Monday night B and I went grocery shopping and I put a bunch of our chicken breasts we purchased into the crock pot with some water, onions and seasoning.  Tuesday a.m. I took them out of the pot and put them in the fridge.  We made chicken salad on Tues, Wed was the tasting and last night I wanted to do something different, I made kale & chicken quesadillas!  Amazing!  I cute the kale off the stems, rinsed it, cooked it in olive oil, onions and garlic.  Then I took the chicken out, pulled it apart then heated it up in the same pan with kale.  I placed the cooked kale & chicken into tortillas with an italian blend of shredded cheese, put in saute pan with a lid over and flipped.  Voula!  A perfect quick dinner that B and I really liked!  I skipped on the tortilla part and just had the kale & chicken with sprinkled parm on top to save on calories.

I am not sure where this weekend will take me, but I hope it involves a bike!  TGIF!

Thursday, June 20, 2013

No Sleep for Hoboken

I didn't sleep very well last night.

We went to our tasting, it was amazing.  Every new plate was filled with beautiful colors and perfectly places sauces!  We all loved pretty much everything, but certain items definitely stood out and we cannot wait to have all of our wedding guests enjoy the food as well!

As amazing as all the food was, as soon as the tasting was over, it was stress.  It washed over our car like a 10 foot wave.  We are getting married in 70 days and we still have to pay so much money!  Now it is not like we do no have a savings for the remainder, we do, but we are going to be over and that means credit card debt.  That debt that is just out there, gaining interest, eating away at your financial soundness.  There is so much to do for a wedding and everyone and their mother has gone through it.  I am not complaining, I just had a night of "holy shit what did we get ourselves into" feelings.  I am not a relationship expert by any means, but when B and get stressed, we need to find a way to release it.  I wish I could tell you went up to the bedroom and released it like maniacs, but instead we decided to pick a fight.

It was long, it was knock down drag out and exhausting.  Now, don't be alarmed, I love B with all my heart and I know he loves me too, but we let it out.  If B is upset with me, he tells me and usually visa versa.  I am not sure if this works for everyone, but it's cleansing and therapeutic for us.  It makes us try and correct the things that are  important, however, during the release it's exhausting!  Unfortunately, not exhausting enough to go to bed at a normal hour.  We were up talking for hours and hours.  Each of us trying to understand the other.  One little stressor led to all of the stresses during this process. 

I woke up this morning bleary eyed and completely exhausted, but happy.  I kissed B good bye and headed to work.

Eating, well it was normal today, so far exercise was nonexistent, but it is really nice out and I am going to walk to the path and I am going to do the little stuff I do around the apt.  The "little stuff" includes leg lifts, pushups, crunches and squats.  A little here and there between commercials gets my heart going and then I go to bed feeling good.  Tomorrow is a run (FYI, I did run Wed. morning, longest run since pretraining, 4.5 miles).  Mojo is coming back my friends, slowly but surely!

In closing of today, just wanted to put a little note about James Gandolfini.  I did not know him, but New Jersey people share a kinship, rest in peace.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Playing Catchup

My life, like I am sure most everyones life, is passing me by fast!  The last week has been filled with moving and getting s*** done! 

First, I have been running about three times a week!  I am still not in the comfort zone where it is a breeze and I can just add distance and not feel it, but I am getting better.  My breathe is coming back.  My legs are starting to pace myself more easily.  Of course my face always looks like a radish when I'm done, but that will never change!  I mean half of it is from the sun, I'm very pale and freckly, sun burnt is a way of life for my summers!


In the elevator after about a 4 mile run, red faced and light haired! 

Pretty much I run between 3 to 4 miles three times a week and the mycoach app is showing my progress.  I have knocked a little over 2 minutes off my time since starting and I added more elevation to my routes.  I cannot say it enough how tracking your progress actually leads to progress! 

This past weekend was in one word, amazing.  The weather was perfect out and we took advantage of it!  Friday, B and I had dinner and Sangria with friends, delicous!  Saturday I hiked with Clyde & a girlfriend and her dog.  A little tid bit he is a three legged pitt after he got lost and damaged his leg.  He did such an amazing job hiking and we even got a bit lost!  Props to that pup!  After the hike, I went home, took an hour nap and then B and I went to a local pizza place for an early dinner.  Naps are so underrated!  I'm 31 years old and I love a good nap!  After pizza we got in a long bike ride followed by frozen yogurt and a movie at home!  I cannot say it enough, but days like this past Saturday make me so thankful for my life! 

Sunday was an early morning Clyde walk, a 4 mile run, then off to B's rents to celebrate Father's Day.  We are celebrating with my dad this Saturday since he was just coming back from a long vacation! 

Monday was filled with waking up late, argh, and totally rushing around in the a.m., working late, argh, food shopping and eating late, triple argh!  Monday was annoying, but I am happy we got a food shop in at least!  I put chicken into the crock pot at night with onions, a little water and creole seasoning and this a.m. it was perfect for the chicken salad I want to make tonight! 

This morning I woke up and was going to go for a run, but I knew we would be busy tomorrow night and Clyde got the shaft on a walk last night, so I decided to take him on a long walk and when we got home I did push ups, crunches & leg lifts.  Tonight I am going to try sneak in a quick run (2-3 miles) then make chicken salad and do laundry.  Ah, what a wild life we lead! 

Tomorrow, if I don't get a run in tonight, I will be running 4 miles tomorrow a.m. and then work, then our tasting!  Yes!  I cannot wait to try all the goodies from our venue!  We invited our dads to come with us since we only could invite two people and they really aren't too invovled in general with the wedding process. 

I hope wherever you are, you are having as much beautiful weather as we are here in NJ!




Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Pretraining, training

I officially start training on July 1st, but like I said in prior blogs, I start running consistantly in June, and I have!  My breathing is still a work in progress, but I already feel better.  My energy is up, I feel stronger already and it has only been a couple days into June!  Also, I am organically opting for better foods.  What I mean by organically is that I don't have to think about it, I just crave it.  I know it has been a while so let me catch you up.

The weather in NJ has been weird, super hot, rainy or colder than expected, but since June 1st it has been pretty nice!  Perfect for running.  This am I wanted to take Clyde for a walk, he was basically begging me with his eyes.


Look at those dark eyes, screaming WALK ME!

So I did!  I took him on about a 45 minute walk and he was plenty happy!  I was going to run in the am, because I just feel better running in the am, but I knew it was going to be nice out all day, so I am going to jog when I get home.  My goal is to do 3 miles at whatever pace feels right!

I have been using a new app called micoach. I know there is amazing things you can do with this app, but to tell you the truth I can't totally figure out how to work it yet.  I can, however, figure out how to make it track my runs and it is AWESOME!  It shows me how far I went, a map of where I went, the elevation, paces, etc.  Also, as I am running it tells me when I hit a distance and the pace I was going for that mile!  I have to say that I absolutely LOVE what it does for me!  I love hearing that little ding and the woman telling me my stats, it is so motivating!  I started using this on my last run and I plan on storing my workout history during training, however I can't figure out how to import the information so I can show you yet.  I have a friend that knows I.T.  really well so I will have to make sure to get more lessons from him soon!  I really want to be able to publish my runs, so anyone can see how to train for a marathon when you are not professional runners!

My birthday was amazing and low key, just the way I wanted it.  Spent with family and friends and barbecue!  The time has been flying by and things have been moving faster than I can keep up with.  Wedding invites are out, shower thank you's are getting finished!  It is so hard to write thank yous, it takes me a while to express the gratitude I have for everyone.  I really am humbled to how amazingly generous my family and friends are!  B and I are lucky people indeed!

One of my guilty pleasures these days are Starbucks Berry Hibiscus teas!  Amazing I tell you and as far as drinks from Starbucks go low on calories as well.  When it is hot, nothing cools me down like a Berry Hibiscus Refresher!!!  Get it guuuuuuuuuuuuurl!



I mean doesn't even look refeshing????