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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

January thoughts.

January has come and gone (already).  Weird. 

My birthday is in a week.  Also weird.  I'm significantly less excited for it this year than I have been in previous years.  And I don't know why.  If you know me at all, you know how excited I get about my birthday, so this especially strange.

Maybe it's me just getting older?  Whatever it is, I need to snap out of it.

Wedding planning update time.  The last big planning thing is that we need is to find a photographer.  I'm getting burnt out on the photographer search because most of them are well out of the price range, like double or triple out of the price range.  The photographers that we do find in the price range have an astronomical travel fee.  All I can see is dollar signs when I try to find a photographer. 

Mom, I know, we talked about this, but I am a cheap (I prefer thrifty) person.  I would totally do the wedding photography if I wasn't actually in the wedding. 

I think I need to lay off the photographer search for a week and dive back in.  That is the thing that is stressing me out the most right now.

Ho hum.

What do you have going on in January?  Any winter blues?

Monday, January 30, 2012

I forgot to mention...

I think I forgot to mention that I have a garden meeting on Thursday!

Yay, finally!

I will update when more information is known, but cross your fingers.  Kali wants to be able to have a garden this summer.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Give a pint, get a pint.

Sean and I gave blood today for Memorial Blood Center's blood drive at the St. Paul Winter Carnival

We gave a pint of blood, then got a free pint of beer from Great Waters Brewing Company.  Usually, my hemoglobin is too low, but not today.

I think it was totally a fair trade.

We were going to go ice skating afterward, but after meeting up with a friend of Sean's for our free beer, I was too cold.  We decided ice skating will have to wait for another day.

Donating blood is something I want to start doing more frequently.  A person is able to donate every 8 weeks and with so many places to donate in the Twin Cities, I think it is can be easily accomplished.  Who knows?  Maybe someday I need blood that someone else has donated.  I'm just paying it forward early. 

Seriously though, free beer for donating blood.  Awesome.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Weigh in Wednesday.

The weigh in today has been disappointing all around.

I did not complete my weekly goals from last week and I did not lose weight.

I actually gained weight - 3.3 pounds to be exact.

But.  I'm not going to make any excuses like, "I hope it's weight from building muscle," or, "It's probably water weight."  Moral of the story is I gained weight.  No pity party here, just hopping back on the horse. 

January 25, 2012: +3.3 pounds, -31 pounds total

Goal update.  Clearly, I did not lose two pounds and I didn't run four miles.  I ran 3.63 miles.  Last night, I was having some, how you say, stomach issues?  I had to stop running, so I switched to some weight lifting instead.

This week's goal are going to be a little different.  My goals are to walk to work every day and to log all of my food for the next week in Lose It.  I've been really bad about logging food and that will help me get back on the horse.

Have a nice week!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Wedding planning recap.

I'll try to do this quickly and (hopefully) post plenty of pictures to break up the text.  Let's do this bullet form, shall we?

  • Wedding is August 10, 2012 (8/10/12 - so fun to say!)
  • Friday night wedding
  • Wedding colors were chosen: gray and yellow
  • My dress was ordered last weekend
  • My veil was bought by my father from Ebay - I can't wait to see him (or be sent a picture) try it on when it comes in the mail
  • The ceremony and reception venues have been chosen
  • Location of events is the Sleepy Eye/Springfield, Minnesota, area
  • DJ and photographer are to be determined
  • Bridesmaid dress search is on
Ladies, you like?  I like.  It's from Modcloth
  • Save the dates are being designed and ordered - my inspiration is below
From WeddingPaperDivas.com
  • I'm going to be designing and ordering invitations as well in the next few weeks
  • Sean and I have begun picking up items for table centerpieces
Found this vase in gray at IKEA on last chance clearance
  • We're doing a lot of DIY projects for centerpieces and decoration such as making paper and felt flowers for centerpieces
  • My dad and his good friend Steve are growing all of the flowers for the wedding - Dad: don't forget about the huge zinnias!
  • Sean and I are registered for the Catholic pre-marriage classes
Am I forgetting anything?

Monday, January 23, 2012

I know.


I know I should blog more.
I know I should run more and eat less.
I know I should blog about running more and eating less.

I know a lot of things.  I worry about what I know I should be doing.

Things I know and don't have to worry about:

I ran 1.5 miles tonight.  I ran those 1.5 miles in 21:44 (slow) but finished the run.
I have a dress (!!) for the wedding!
I'm working on designing the save the dates.
I will do a quick blog post about wedding schtuff sometime soon, but I don't want to bore you.
I love wearing spandex running pants.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

And in case you were wondering...

...my birthday is in 20 days.

Yes, I'm probably the only twenty-something who still has a countdown to her birthday.  Hush you.  For as long as I can remember I've had a countdown to my birthday.  After all, it is my favorite day of the year. 

Here's to hoping birthday 2012 is better than birthday 2011 was.

Weigh in Wednesday

When I weighed myself this morning I was down 1.3 pounds.

January 18, 2012: -1.4 pounds, -34.3 pounds total

Let's see how we did on the weekly goal.  The goal was to lose three pounds and run three miles.  Clearly, I did not lose three pounds, but I am happy with the poundage I did shed this week -- it's way better than gaining weight.

As for the running goal, see totals below:
1/12: ran 1.29 miles
1/13: ran 1 mile
1/16: ran 1 mile
1/17: ran 1 mile
Weekly total: 4.29 miles - goal completed.

For all of my running/walking/biking/elliptical mileage, check me out on Daily Mile.

This week's goal is to lose two pounds and run four miles. 

Monday, January 16, 2012

I love holidays.

Since today is Martin Luther King, Jr. day today, I do not have to work. 

Lovely.

Instead, Sean and I made homemade chicken pot pie.  It smells so amazing!  Right now, we have to wait for it to cool for 20 minutes.  Boo.  We also went and worked out this morning.  I ran a mile followed by some weight lifting. 

Enjoy your day today, whether you're working or not. 

Also, happy birthday to my lovely sister-in-law, Becky!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Wombat love.


I don't like this song at all when Jessie J sings it, but when The Wombats sing it... I love it.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Weekly Goals

I'm thinking I should set a couple weekly goals for myself. 

Yes, my ultimate goal is to lose 119 pounds, but that number is so larger and daunting.  That is what is holding me back.  I keep saying to myself, "I want to get down to 150," but right now I'm far from it.  That is why I'm going to start making weekly weight loss and exercise goals.

For example.

Side note.  Every single time I say for example I think of every Spanish teacher I had in high school and college that would say for example in Spanish - por ejemplo. 

Again, for example, this week my goal is to lose three pounds and to run at least three miles. The running should be easily attainable since I'm probably going to be running tonight, tomorrow, and for sure next Monday. The challenge will be losing the three pounds. I need to keep my eating in check this week (and every week).  My week will run from Wednesday to the following Tuesday.  This may seem confusing, but with Weigh in Wednesday I need to have a base to start with.

In my mind, working to get those three pounds (or whatever my weekly goal is) will make my ultimate goal much more achievable. 

What do you think?  Are you going to have a weekly goal (or two) to work toward this week?

Weigh in Wednesday

Drum roll please...

I lost 2.2 pounds since last Wednesday.  Woo!

January 11, 2012: -2.2 pounds, -32.9 pounds total

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Running

I don't really enjoy running. 

There, I said it. 

But, I still do it anyway.  Slowly albeit, but running nonetheless. P.S. I just said my two favorite fancy words in one sentence -- albeit and nonetheless.

My legs are sore right now, but it's a good muscle soreness.

Monday, January 9, 2012

I'm in the mood to bake.  Anyone want to bake with me?  Wait, anyone want to eat what I bake?

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Me so funny.

Sean and I were headed home after working out tonight and we saw on the Gabe's sign they are having a band on Saturday night.

The band's name is Not Quite Bread.  Me, being the clever one, said to Sean, "Not Quite Bread... what are they, dough?"

Then, of course, I proceeded to think I was hilarious and slap my knee.  You know it's bad when you start making bad baking jokes. 

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

You know you're an old lady when...

...you take pictures and spend a lot of time organizing your stash yarn on Ravelry.

I spent more time doing that last night than I did working on the two right mittens I need to knit.

Weigh in Wednesday.

Good morning!

Drum roll please...

I only gained 1.1 pounds over the past two weeks.  With Christmas and New Year's and eating delicious treats, I'm only up 1.1. 

And I'll take it!

(Not going to lie, I thought it was going to be WAY worse.)

January 4, 2012: +1.1 pounds, -30.7 pounds total

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Cuteness.





These pictures were taken after Sean and I had found Boots laying in the bag of bubble wrap a few weeks ago.  Our guest room bed was in full force gift wrap mode.  Of course, when I went to get my camera she crawled out of the bag.

She's still adorable though.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Damn.

I was finishing the thumb on my last mitten.  And then it dawned on me I had made two LEFT mittens instead of one left and one right.

Some time has passed, so now it's a little funny, but at the time I was not happy at all.  Sean was trying really hard not to laugh.  Good thing I'll have enough yarn for two more right mittens.  Also, good thing my mom was admiring my mittens so much.  She'll probably be getting the second pair.

Now, to keep working on the RIGHT mittens.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy 2012!

It is 2012 already.  Where did 2011 go?

I don't make New Year's resolutions because it shouldn't have to be a new year to make a resolution.

But.

Here are some things I would like to accomplish in 2012:
  • Floss daily.  I floss a couple times a week (have been since about a month ago), but I am making it a habit to floss daily.  Well, nightly because I am always rushed to get ready in the morning.
  • Work on reaching my goal weight of 150.  I clearly am not anywhere close yet, but I want to be eventually.
  • Exercise more.  I say exercise instead of run because I currently have mixed feelings about running.  Yes, I run because I want to lose weight, but there are so many other cardio exercises I enjoy more than running.  Examples: I like biking and using the elliptical more than I like to run.  Running hurts my knees.  I wish there was no snow and it was warmer so I could go on 10 mile bike rides again.  Also, I really enjoy weight lifting to build my muscles.
  • Be able to run a mile without wanting to stop and walk.  Right now, I'm not looking forward to beginning running again.  My knee finally stopped hurting and I don't want to injure it again.
  • Knit more.  I'm working on my first set of mittens.  I have about 3/4 of a mitten left.
  • Be a better daughter/sister/fiance/friend/person overall.
  • Plan the wedding without turning into a crazy bridezilla.
  • Stay organized.  I can easily organize things, but I don't keep things organized very well.