2:07 Half Marathon!

Well, I finished another half marathon!!  Bo, Darcy, and I ran the first annual Rhythm and Blues race here in Houston.  I'd have to say I was pretty skeptical about how the race would go... my training was pretty poor and I've gained a few pounds since my last half in 2010.  My goal was to run under 10 minute miles... which sets a goal time of 2 hours and 10 minutes.
I'm happy to report that I beat my goal time and ran the race in 2 hours and 7 minutes!! A personal best!  I'm pretty pumped - and we got sweet medals!

Blogging is the New Domestic Skill

I find it hilarious when the topic of blogging comes up in conversation with my girlfriends.  Darcy is very diligent about updating her blog - I'm sure she's got a million followers.  And Maryam mentioned the other day that she's started dabbling with her new blog.  But of course she won't tell us the link until she's got the layout all figured out.  And Meredith is still pretty apprehensive about the whole thing.

But it's funny to me because it's become almost the equivelent of scrapbooking or sending newletters to your friends and family.  Every good wife blogs about their state of there home and the latest events in their household.  It's pretty cool.  I feel like I'm practicing for when I'm a wife and a mom.  Blogging is a great way to update friends and family about what's going on. 

I bet Meredith and Maryam will be blogging by this time next year...

The Things I Love About Valentine's Day

Bo and I celebrated our first Valentine's Day as a couple this year, and at one point in the day he made a comment, "You love Valentine's Day don't you?"  Well, duh!! What girl doesn't?? But it's so much better when you have someone to love on.  Here are a few of my favorite things about V-day 2012.

My Valentine ~ Bo - I was so excited to get to celebrate our love.  It's been a year now, and we have a lot to be thankful for.  I surprised Bo with a box of chocolates and personalized fortune cookies (see below) on his sink counter.  And then I left a card and teddy bear in his car.  Awww.... and then I was surprised to get 18 beautiful long stemmed red roses delivered to the office.  Sneaky sneaky - he got my office mailing address from Meredith.  I sure do love Bo!!

Friends and Family - I am so thankful for my friends.  I usually don't give material valentines to my friends, but this year I decided to make personalized fortune cookies for each of my closest friends.  My mom gave me the idea and I think they turned out super cute!

I was so blessed to have my dad in Houston for V-Day.  I marinated a flank steak and Bo, dad, and I grilled it up - it was soooo yummy!!!  It was a great evening on hanging out and enjoying each others company.  That's what Valentines day is all about!

Project Guest Room

I got in trouble today with my friends because I haven't blogged in awhile... haha seriously?  It's only been like two weeks... I guess I do have something to blog about, I just haven't found the time to sit down and upload the pictures and write the actual blog.  But you're in luck because now I have a little bit of time to write a post... on a Friday night at home... when the rest of the 20-somethings in the world are partying it up.

A few months ago dad told me that he was going to be down in Houston for a conference in February and he wanted to stay with me the last night he was in town.  Sure!!!  Dad hadn't seen the house yet so I was super excited for his visit.  The night he had planned to stay at the house was Valentine's day, but I didn't mind because what could be better than spending Valentine's Day with my two favorite men in the world - Bo and my daddy. 

Anywho, I have been putting off and putting off decorating one of the guest bedrooms because I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do.  The bedrooms are like blank canvases and I could do almost anything with them.  Do I want to paint?  Do I want new furniture?  Neutral tones?  Modern or classic?  Too many choices, so I procrastinated like I always do until I have a firm game plan.  So I did what anyone would do who is needing some creative inspiration - I looked on Pinterest! I absolutely fell in love with the room below:

The combination of the gray and white gets me every time.  I didn't want the room to be too dark nor have a true "accent" color, so I decided it'd be cool to have multi-colored patterns as the accent rather than purple.  Below is kind of what I'm talking about... I've got the flowers more or less purchased, and will be going to High Fashion Fabrics tomorrow to look for the something similar to the paisley.



Last Saturday I was a woman on a mission.  After a few minor setbacks, I had purchased all the bedding and paint for the room.  I got most of the basics from Home Goods - sheets, pillows, duvet.  At Bed Bath and Beyond I picked up a quilt and shams, a white duvet cover, and a few trashcans.  I wasn't 100% in love with the quilt, but BB&B has a great return policy and the quilt would work until I found what I really wanted.  Well, I found it on my next stop at Restoration Hardware.  They didn't have the quilt I wanted in stock, but I was able to order it - it should be delivered mid to late March. (darker graphite color below). And I also found my paint at Restoration Hardware.



I ran by Lowe's to get the painting supplies and headed home ready to tackle Project Guest Room.  I examined my supplies and realized I had forgotten a paint stirrer.  So I went back to Lowe's and while I was there, I decided to get some form of protection from the mosquitos.  With all the rain, my backyard has turned in to a haven for flying insects.  And big ole mosquitos too!! (I later found out that these are in fact not mosquitos, but mosquitos wasps that kill actual mosquitos... who knew??)  At any rate, I also bought a bug zapper... kzzz!~

I taped off the entire room and closet (which took forever!).  And utilimately ran out of tape... so that ended Day 1 of Project Guest Room.

Day 2 of Project Guest Room began with another trip to Lowe's (third trip) to pick up some more tape.  And then it was painting time.  I got the first coat done and was so tired that I had to give up for the evening and spend some time with Bo after he got home from a 4 day trip.



The time was ticking and my dad was going to be at the house on Tuesday!  I had one day left to get the second coat on the walls and get the room ready for dad.  I enlisted Bo's help, and we finally got it done at midnight on Day 3.  The next day I pulled the tape off the walls and fixed up the bedding.

 

 It's just a start, but it's a good one!  This weekend I'll search for the wall decor and accent pieces.  I really like how the room looks so far.  Now just have to finish the vision!  I'll post an update sometime next week!

The Live Fit Work Out - Bring on Phase Two!

Early January 2012 I started a workout program - just like I do every  new year.  My friend Meredith and I shopped around a little bit for a program and landed on Jamie Eason's Live Fit 12-Week Trainer.  Bo thinks that Jamie is the ideal specimen for the female body, and he's actually the one that introduced me to the program.  The program is very straight forward - it gives you the exercises for the day and dictates a pretty intense clean diet.  And if I end up looking like Jamie... I won't be sad.

So Meredith and I have just finished Phase 1 (4 weeks!).  We are pretty excited to move to the next phase.  I'm still limping along in my training for the half marathon, so the next phase will fall right in line with my running training.  The program focuses on weight training, but in Phase 2 we get to add medium intensity cardio.  After 4 weeks of training I still haven't lost any lbs.  But that's probably because I still haven't gotten my nutrition lined out yet.  I feel stronger, and my arms are re-gaining some definition.  My lower body has definitely felt some pain after the intense leg workouts coupled with running.

So here's what I'm gonna try - actually eating right!!  Shocker, right.  Bo gets back from work on Sunday and we are going to the grocery to fill the refrigerator with chicken, chicken, and veggies.  I just get so bored of chicken and veggies.  Oh well.  So I'm going to give it one month... until the end of phase 2.  If the weight doesn't start dropping, then it'll be time to go back to the drawing board.

On the bright side, the half marathon is now TWO WEEKS AWAY!  Sadly, Bo will be working and won't get to run it with me like we had planned.  But Darcy has volunteered to run it with me.  Yayyy!  We did an 8-mile run last weekend and I felt really good despite my lack of weekday training.  She and I are really good running partners - I challenge her on the pace and she challenges me on the distance.  We're scheduled for a 10-mile run tomorrow morning - provided the rain stays away!  I'm feeling good about it.  I better get to bed so that I'm fresh and ready in the morning!  Nighty night!