What's Up Wednesday: March 2016

What we're eating this week:

So, I've been challenged by my trainer to adhere to a strict diet these last two weeks of camp. Since the last two weeks of camp are high intensity, she thought we could maximize my fat loss by cutting some calories, cutting dairy out, and cutting my weekend cheat meals. I was super sad when I heard all the things she was asking me to give up (and even some things she was expecting me to eat), but it's only two weeks of my life. I've got some big goals, so sacrifices have to be made sometime. Here's a snapshot of what I have planned to "fuel my body" this week:

What I'm reminiscing about:
Before I started my one on one training sessions, I was asked to set some goals. If you want to see those goals, you can catch that post here. I was thinking back to when I was in the best shape of my life. I was my thinnest at 17, but not in the best shape. That came later at 23....back in 2009 (the year I caught a husband). I dug back in the Facebook archives to find a pic that I love that shows what I'd like to look like again.

I'm not by any means "skinny" in this picture. In fact, I'm still proudly sporting those double digit curves. I was in shape and felt great. I want that back. I'd probably resurrect the hair style again if it wouldn't be such a tedious process to undo all the red in my hair.

What I'm loving:
My one-on-one training sessions with the "Tiny Person of Torture". I'm greedy and selfish and need that undivided attention to get to where I want to be. This is my first time working with a female trainer. I love that I'm getting to lift weights more now. I love me some weight days! #strongisthenewskinny  #thickandfit

What we've been up to:
I enjoyed Spring Break....sad to see it come and go. However, that just puts me that much closer to summer vacation #praisehandemojis
We went to a wedding, I had my monthly brunch with the twins, we did another painting class (this time Mr. B chose the painting #obviously). Here's my Spring Break Recap.

What I'm dreading:
The application process to try to get hired closer to home. It's no secret to those that know me that I want something different in my career. I'm still looking for where my best fit is. This time of year is really hard for me because I always face rejection and defeat. I'm hoping this year will yield promising results and a change of scenery for me.

What I've been working on:
As mentioned, I've been working on my applications in other districts closer to home. However, there has been something on my mind lately that I've been thinking about pursuing. I'm contemplating starting another blog that details our journey to becoming parents. This is something else we've been working on.....trying to get pregnant again after 3 years. I will say that I'm not as stressed and emotional this time around. I feel that writing about it may help me sort out how I feel about the process. This is just an idea in the works......

What I'm excited about:
We really don't have anything big planned.....So if I have to choose something to be excited about, I choose my results. My results from my PT sessions. My results from my CG workouts. My results with Shakeology and reformed eating habits (daily struggle). I'm also excited about a new Beach Body workout DVD coming out this summer: Country Heat. I'm going to get in some cardio by doing some country dancing in my living room!!!! I'm also excited about the fact that there are only 2 more months left in the school year!!!!!!!!!!!! #praisehandemojisfordays

What I'm watching/reading:
The Bachelor has finished. Downton Abbey has finished. I'm now watching The Voice and Dancing with the Stars. There are a few other shows that I watch, but I just don't feel like making the huge list. Game of Thrones is about to get started again! Time to get sad, mad, disgusted, happy, and frustrated all in one hour every Sunday night.....
I've finally got back into the reading groove. I finished "Twilight: Life and Death" by Stephanie Meyer. I also read "Wolf by Wolf" by Ryan Graudin. I'm working on "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith. If you want to know my thoughts on the books I read, head over to my "Book Worms Only" page for my thoughts.

I've got a couple of other books on stand by for when I finish these. I'll have them added to my book page when I'm done.

What I'm listening to:
So, we recently acquired unlimited data on our cell phone plan. Now I'm streaming Internet radio like a boss. I'm enjoying Pandora and Spotify for all my guilty pleasures: the music of my youth. Y'all, that's a lot of Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, N*Sync, Spice Girls, and so forth. I'm also listening to a new podcast (along with all my other favorites) called "Marriage is Funny". A married couple shares their thoughts on marriage and what goes on in their life. I'm only a few episodes in, but it's a good one to listen to while I'm roaming the aisles of Kroger and Target.

What I'm wearing:
It's maxi dress season once again. I broke one out over spring break. I'm back to my beginning of the year wardrobe for the nice weather. I am sad that my boots and scarves didn't get to come out and play as long as I would have liked. I'm also spending a lot of time in workout gear. I doubt you'll ever see me in shorts (unless they come to my knees), but the cropped pants work great for me.

What I'm doing this weekend:
There's nothing really on the agenda this weekend. This makes me kind of glad because I feel every weekend there has been something. Sometimes I just like to be at home and do nothing. I'd really like to spend some time reading. I feel like I'm not getting in as much time as I'd like. I may take Mr. B to go see the new Batman vs. Superman movie since he's been talking about it for a while. Since we just did a painting of it, might as well see the movie now. I'll have to refrain from the popcorn since I'm being super strict with my eating these two weeks(insert eye roll emoji here).

What I'm looking forward to next month:
Right now we don't have anything huge going on next month. I like the sound of that actually. Knowing us, however, I'm sure something will come up.

What else is new:
I like to think that I've been keeping everything up to date on here, so nothing huge to report. I do have a new hobby/interest I'm into: Younique makeup. I've blogged about how much I love this stuff on several posts. I've decided to invest in the presenter's kit and become an independent consultant. So, if anyone wants some great, long lasting makeup feel free to hit me up or check me out here.
I've also started crashing Mr. B's Bible study sessions with our preacher on Wednesday evenings. I went to one while I was on spring break, and they invited me back. I hope they're ready for all the rabbit trails I'll go down.

Post Spring Break Reflections

Spring break is over. As I'm typing this, my final day off until the end of the year is pretty much over. I realize I have 9 weeks left in the school year. There's no way I'm going 9 weeks without another 3 day weekend. I'll take a personal day. #becauseican

All complaining aside, my first week back wasn't so bad. I finished my application for Northwest ISD and have spoken with my contacts there. My Keller ISD application is still active, and I'm still pursuing my growing list of contacts with that district. I'm still praying something will come of these opportunities this year. If not, I'm hoping for a change at my current school next year. I've requested second grade, so we shall see....

We had 2 great sermons at church Sunday! The morning service was titled "Ready to Grow," and the evening was titled "Getting More out of Your Bible Study." I felt that those sermons were made just for me. OK, so maybe that's selfish of me. I'm sure many benefited from those sermons. I've been trying to get in daily Bible reading time and make it a priority. I just felt this was a way for me to hear how to do it and what I need to do to make it happen. It all starts with growth. I have to be ready to grow. This coincides with my current mindset of getting healthy physically. I love how both of these things are coming together at the same time. Steven tied so many physical analogies to the spiritual aspect of growing. I've got to start making the time. Scheduling it in. I was good at doing it first thing in the morning there for a while, but as soon as I started AM workouts, that stopped. Now I try to get it in during "Read to Self" time in my class. When my kids read, so do I. I've got to give myself the room to grow. Challenge myself. Set goals. Here are some things I listed as what I can do to help myself achieve these things:

• daily Bible reading
• daily prayer
• devotionals (journaling about what I'm stuying)
• attending more classes

I need the right attitude, an open heart, and self-confidence in myself to understand what I'm studying. I think that's the biggest problem I face: do I really understand all this? I recently started crashing Mr. B's Bible study classes with Steven. I ask a lot of questions and have comments on a few things. OK, so sometimes I have comments on A LOT of things. I'm looking forward to these weekly sessions as a way to learn more and get things answered. I don't ask a lot of questions in group settings, but get me one-on-one and I don't hold back.

My journey to a physically healthier me is progressing very well. A lot of the same principles apply. I've got to have the right mindset. I need to make time to workout. I have to be disciplined in my workouts and with my eating. I need the right tools. I need the self-confidence that I can do this. I WILL do this! I'm half way through my sessions with my trainer (who shall henceforth be known as "Tiny Person of Torture"), and I'm already doing things that I thought were difficult. Friday, I did 20 weighted burpees. They weren't modified either! I also did 10 big girl push-ups. No knees. I'm still holding a plank for 30 seconds....I will get to a minute eventually. I feel one day "Tiny Person of Torture" will say these words to me mid plank:

 I just feel stronger. Like I can conquer any exercise she throws at me. I'm trying to get the "I can't" mindset out of my head. "TPT" does not let me say those words. I must rephrase to "I'm not there yet." Now that she works with me one-on-one, she knows what I'm capable of. So no more cheating holding back at camp. She will call me out. She did call me out on Monday even though it was only a 2 second drop to me knees before getting back up. Whatever. I digress.....

We talked meal plans. The last 2 weeks of camp are upon us, and they are the most intense weeks. To maximize my fat loss, I'm going to be cutting calories, dairy, and cheat meals for 2 whole weeks. Yay! (where's that eye roll emoji when I need it?) Here's my meal plan for this week:

I gave her fair warning that I was going to live it up this weekend. My weekend of gluttony started with my Starbucks usual (bacon gouda egg cheese sandwich with my sugar free hazelnut blonde roast). I was so angry with myself when I realized I ordered the wrong stinking sandwich! You know I ate it anyway. Guess I'll have to get another one on Saturday.

Then I'm off for my weekly "me time" to the grocery store. I'm in snobby shopper mode with my earbuds in listening to the "Marriage is Funny" podcast. I'm really loving that one! I went in all my post workout glory.

While at Kroger, I had chicken strips and onion rings for lunch (the gluttony continues) with Mr. B on his break. For dinner we had gyros at our Greek restaurant next to our painting studio since we were going painting. Or we would have had gyros if we didn't arrive to find out they had closed down. We were so sad. Even more sad since we had to settle on Subway for dinner since it was the closest restaurant to the studio. There's nothing too terrible to engage in gluttony at Subway. Oh well, at least we looked adorable!

Mr. B chose this month's painting....Batman vs. Superman. He always lets me pick, so I guess I owed him one. It turned out pretty good!

Saturday I started my morning off with another session with "TPT." She KILLED me this morning. We met at the track....sprints happened. To be fair, I did ask for them. I even did some resistance sprinting. I also held my plank for 45 seconds-OK, so it was 43 seconds. But when I totally would've made it those extra 2 seconds had "TPT" told me how much time I had left when I asked. I need something to push for. She also told me today that come camp time, she was going to be super hard on me. Bring. It. On. I work harder when pushed. Tell me I can't, and I'll prove you wrong. I will say, I do appreciate that she feeds my addiction to 90's pop music. She has a playlist where I can hear all the Britney, Backstreet Boys, and N*Sync (you get the picture) that I want! When Britney comes on, I may or may not bust out in song and dance between reps....

 After workout I went back to Starbucks to get the RIGHT sandwich. Hey, protein is protein. I had a leisure afternoon of reading and writing before heading to Mr. B's parents for early Easter dinner: smoked chicken, cheesy potatoes, salad, sourdough bread, strawberries and chocolate cake.

Sunday was another leisure day. Church, laundry, prepping for the week, and reading. I've committed to a week of AM camps this next week. I have sessions scheduled with "TPT" for Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. If I feel extra motivated (and not exhausted), I may try to hit a PM camp or two this week, too. Hey, if it doesn't challenge you it doesn't change you! Change is going to happen these next two weeks. Stay tuned.......

Spring Break 2016

I was so thankful for the later break this year and the beautiful weather that came with it. I had a nice, fun, and relaxing spring break. I kicked it off Saturday with running my errands and attending a wedding. I've really started to look forward to my Saturday mornings where I meander around the aisles of Kroger, Target, and any where else I need to go while sipping on my Starbucks coffee and eating my bacon gouda egg breakfast sandwhich. I just put my earbuds in and listen to my podcasts or jam to my guilty pleasure on Pandora or Spotify: 90's bubble gum pop! Yes, please. As I type this, it's playing in the background.

Side Bar: I decided since I was obsessed with my Younique makeup, that I would just go ahead and get the presenter's kit and start earning discounts on my makeup by sharing with others. I got $225 worth of product for $99. When my kit came in, I might have done a happy dance.....

Isn't that a sweet kit and case? My mom and sisters will love me come birthdays and Mother's Day:)

Date night consisted of a wedding to celebrate one of Mr. B's friends. This was our first wedding to attend since we'd been married. I loved the chance to play dress up with my makeup products. I was really happy with how my makeup turned out for the wedding.

I put this makeup on around 1:00 in the afternoon, and it lasted until 10:30 that night when I took it off. Yes, even that lip stick. Can we say #makeuponfleek

The secret is Younique lip liner colored all over your whole lip then add the lip stain on top (or lip stick....I do both). I'm also in love with their cream shadows that don't crease and dry to a powder finish. Let's not forget the awesome mascara that gives me lashes for days!

This is me just wearing their BB cream and under eye concealer because while my mother gave me her beautiful skin, I must accept the curse of under eye circles. Hey, I can't have it all. I'm also wearing the Lucius lip gloss in a light pink. 

We had a good time at the wedding with Mr. B's brother and some of his friends. The wedding was nice and the reception was so much fun. We left early since we wanted to see baby Owen before they headed back to Austin that night. Here are some pictures of me and my hot date.

Love this picture

I married one handsome man!

I haven't seen baby Owen since December. He's getting so big and cute. Everyone knows I love and adore all 4 of my nephews to the moon and back. I'm in love with this picture. This reminded me of when I used to cuddle on his big brother. We even got to see him master the art of rolling over while he was here.

Sunday Mr. B had the day off. We went to church together then I left him alone all afternoon while I went to hang out with my girls. We did our monthly brunch (which we had to skip in February because I was a loser and had so much going on). This time we went to Trufire in Southlake town square. I had this delicious omelet with sweet potato hash. So good. We tried to walk around a bit, but I was a loser again and had to spoil that since I didn't wear sensible shoes. It also wasn't practical to walk around that day because the wind was fierce and we were all in dresses. That wind would have made Marilyn Monroe blush. I just wasn't in the mood to let all of Southlake admire my flesh colored granny panties. We found a cupcake place and indulged in a cupcake and an expresso shot before heading our separate ways. Of course we documented the occasion with a #TRIO pic

We just get better with age, in my opinion. Thanks, Misty, for your filter skills.

I made it back in time to go to evening worship with Mr. B then we came home to relax all evening. 

Monday morning was busy for me. Our insurance adjuster came at 9:30 to check out our roof and assess the damage. We had a big hail/wind storm come through a week ago and it did some damage. This sounds bad, but for us it was actually a good thing. We have the original roof on our house (which is 19 years old) and it's had several patch jobs. It was time for a new roof anyway. Then I had a hair appointment to take care of my roots and shagginess. Then I came home and caught up on some TV and reading. I even made dinner for us. We went to CG at 6 to get our first workout of the new camp in. Then it was the Bachelor finale for me and night night time. 

Tuesday Mr. B had to work, so I had an easy morning. I got the laundry done and finished a book (that I ultimately didn't enjoy as much as I'd hoped). I went to McKinney to visit friends from work. I had a nice chat with my work girls. The food was good, too. I also got to love on 2 sweet baby girls. I had to cut out early since I HAD to go to CG (OK, so I wanted to go). I barely made it on time for camp since traffic was awful and took me 1 1/2 hours to get there. It was after I left that they decided to take the group picture. I guess they weren't feeling me in their picture since I came looking rough in my workout getup.

They still get a shout out and spot in this week's post since I love them.

Wednesday found us both off of work. We slept till 8 and finally got out of bed around 8:30 and made ourselves breakfast. After breakfast, I went with Mr. B to his weekly Bible study. After that, we went and grabbed lunch at Panera. After lunch, Mr. B went and did some yard work while I got tortured by Robin in my first one on one training session. Things I learned from that: 1) I'm stronger than I think I am 2) I'm going to hurt so good the rest of the week 3) I have a mission to beat my plank time each workout...made it 30 seconds today. 

After that, we went to do some window shopping before coming home to do this

Even the dogs were lazy. 

We woke up in time for dinner and Wednesday Bible study. Then home to relax. 

Thursday I woke to a cloudy day. I guess it rained over night. I slept later than I intended, but I was still up in time to make myself breakfast and have time to read and write before my 10:15 training appointment. My hamstrings are on fire! I'm kind of hoping that fire is my cellulite burning away forever.....#wishfulthinking

I had to run and get our $20 meal of the week from Fresh Market and check out the goodies at Trader Joes. I decided that I wanted to spend my day reading. I'm really starting to get into "Wolf by Wolf." I made dinner for Mr. B and I before heading to our CG workout with Steve. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment. I think I earned my night time relaxation time. I discovered today that I am stronger than I gave myself credit for. I'm able to workout with 15lb weights and held a plank for 45 seconds. Tomorrow's goal: 1 whole minute

Friday....my last day of spring break #lesigh

I had the worst night's sleep and have no idea why. Of course, every muscle in my body is screaming at me for what I've put them through this week. Thursday was a double weight day for me, and I'm feeling every bit of it today. I have my last session with Robin for this week at 9:15. I'm really looking forward to 2 days of nothing but maybe some yoga and foam rolling. After my session, I decided to run my errands so I could spend Saturday on my couch doing nothing but reading. Mr. B and I went out for dinner at 54th Street Drafthouse. I had their chicken fried chicken, mac n' cheese, and mashed potatoes and gravy. It had been a long time since I indulged in some southern comfort food. We came back home and sat on our opposite ends of the couch and watched our own shows.

Saturday was a nice, lazy day for me. The only "work" I did was my Sunday School lesson and wash the sheets on the bed. Other than that, I spent the day on my couch watching Hallmark movies that I've been saving on my DVR (even though it drives Mr. B crazy that I refuse to delete them). That afternoon we went to Mr. B's parents' house to celebrate his dad's 65th birthday. I got to love on my niece and nephew (which I love) and visit with my sister in law. I love days when I get to spend time with family. Then it was another quiet night at home. I got the strange urge to watch the Twilight saga. I got through Twilight and New Moon before bed.

Sunday we went to church and then our monthly potluck. Man, I love those things. We have an awesome group with lots of people to talk to. The food is great, too. This month we had some GOOD food! When I got home, I did some laundry while Mr. B did some meal prep for me so I could watch Eclipse and half on Breaking Dawn 1. We went back to church for evening service. I came home to finish up Breaking Dawn 1 and go on to watch part 2. I used to be #teamedward when the movies first came out. Now that I'm older, I really appreciate the werewolf. So now I'm #teamjacob

#dontjudgeme

 Then it was time for bed since a new work week was starting the next day......

Goals

It's time for a mindset change. I don't change my mindset, then my body won't change. I have to work for it. We all have to work at different levels to achieve the same goal. I know, for me, that if I want to get in shape and be healthy that I have to WERK!!!! I've got many things working against me that I can't change. But there are some things working against me that I can change: will power, laziness, ambition. Before I start this new camp and my one-on-one training sessions, I've got to set some goals: both short and long term.

Long Term Goals:

• My ultimate goal is for me to get back to where I was at 17. I know everyone wants their high school body back, but I truly believe that it's possible. That means I must lose about 65 pounds and 3 sizes. That's a big mountain to climb.
• Get stronger. I want to build that lean muscle that will help me look good in summer clothes
• Have a healthy pregnancy. It's no secret we're trying to get pregnant again. I want to be healthy when it does happen, so it's easier on me and the baby. It will also help my body bounce back after birth.
• Be able to say "no" to every day temptations and feel OK about it. Just because there are donuts in the teacher's lounge does not mean I must have one (although, I really feel that is exactly what it means).

Short Term Goals:

• Develop consistent healthy eating habits with less cheat days. The weekends are a struggle. I'm trying hard to change my mindset about weekends and reign myself in.
• Work out 5 times a week. Sometimes this gets done, but other times it just doesn't happen. I do feel pretty good if I make it a priority to get it done at least 3 days a week. That just won't have the effect that I am really searching for.
• Work harder and get stronger when I am working out. I want to stop modifying most of the exercises and do a few reps of the non-modified versions. MAN! I really want to nail a burpee without dying. Just one!!!!
• Eat more protein. This is such a challenge for me. I'm committed to making this happen. I just need more sources.
• Get rid of my "wings". Ladies, you know what I'm talking about....that upper arm fat that flies in the wind when you wave or jump or just move in general. That is not tank top ready. I mean, I will still wear sleeveless shirts with my wings, but I prefer to have a little more (OK, a lot more) tone.
• Get rid of some fat. I don't want to put a number on it because the scale is an evil, evil thing. I want the muscle, but the extra fat gots to go. 
• Fit comfortably in a size smaller than what I am right now. My larger goal says I want to be about 3 sizes smaller, but I have to start with one size smaller first. I can get into a size smaller, but it's not comfortable. I'm holding on to my current jeans now because they're comfy and make me feel skinny. 

This list will evolve and change as I continue my journey. I have to start somewhere. It's time to do this. It's my time to shine!

It's OK to Feel PHAT

I'm so late on this week's blog.....

Last weekend I went to a nutrition seminar hosted by one of the top CG trainers. It was two hours well spent, in my opinion. I learned so much and really enjoyed all the information. I've been trying to get this nutrition thing on track so that my workouts are not in vain. I thought I would write about some of the take-aways that I received from this talk.

1. It's all about the macros....Protein, Carbs, and Fat: We need a balance of all these nutrients to lose weight, maintain weight, and gain lean muscle. The protein helps build our lean muscle. The carbs give us the energy we need. The healthy fats help us burn fat (imagine that!). You've got to find the right balance of these nutrients that fits your specifically. There's a website you can go to that will do this for you: whataremymacros.com
2. Drink LOTS of water: Yeah....I'm so bad at this. I don't really drink much else, but it's the amount I get in each day that is the problem. You're basically supposed to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. For me, that's over a gallon a day. I can do pretty good when I'm at home because I can really focus on it, and going to the bathroom all day really isn't an issue. At work, now that's a different story. I'm so busy most of the time that I forget to eat my snacks. Forget take a drink. I'm lucky if I get in one cup of water while I'm at work. Not to mention that it would be really inconvenient to have to go to the restroom every 30 minutes. Tiff would get really annoyed at me.....
3. You're probably not eating enough: Say what!? Yeah, if you're working out you need more food. Did you know your body burns 200-400 calories just while you sleep? That's crazy! You should eat a good source of protein before going to bed. I've been drinking a double protein shake before bed. That's about 70 grams of protein right before bed to feed and repair my muscles. You can find out how many calories you need when you go to find out your macro count.
4. It's all about the protein: Like, for real! This was shocking news: you need 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Y'all!!!! For me, that's an obscene amount of protein. I usually fall about 60 grams short each day. Some good advice I received was to take my actual weight and my goal weight and find the middle ground. I need to make that my target protein goal for now.
5. How do I get all that protein in? I'm still trying to figure it all out. I'll be consulting my trainer when we start our one-on-one sessions this upcoming week. I've been trying to incorporate more eggs in my diet. I also eat chicken and fish, the occasional beef, nuts, peanut butter, and protein shakes. My Shakeology has about 16 grams of protein per serving. I've been supplementing with ISO 100 protein powder (a lot of CG peeps love this stuff). We've tried the strawberry so far and like it. I just got some vanilla in, so we will be experimenting with that flavor. I'd love to try the birthday cake flavor.....When asked what the best protein drink is: one that is low in sugar and the one you like to drink. If you don't like it, you won't drink it. Also, the fewer ingredients the better. You don't want a lot of fillers because then you're not getting as much protein as you think. I also enjoy 1-2 Quest bars a day. They taste like a candy bar and packed with protein.
6. Preparation is key: I've been doing meal prepping for a while, so this isn't a new concept for me. I just like how it was mentioned in this talk as being very practical and helpful when you want to stay on track. It just takes the guess work out of everything.
7. Finally.....have FUN!!! Everything in moderation. If you just can't live without that soda each day, fine. Just log it in your "My Fitness Pal" and it will factor into your macros somewhere. You shouldn't feel guilty when you have that cheat meal. Go ahead and enjoy it. Get the notion that you're "fat" out of your head. Instead, be PHAT (pretty hot and tempting). I think I can do that. 

I've been tracking my food this past week. I fail at reaching my protein count and way over exceed my carb count. It's a work in progress. Next up for me, setting some short and long term personal goals for myself. I took a week off from working out this week since it was recovery week and I tend to get lazy....I'm back at it next week with a new round of camp and some one-on-one training sessions. It's my time!!!!

My Weekend Adventures and some of My Favorite Things

I had a busy, but fun, weekend. Friday night, Mr. B and I went to BJ's Brewery for delicious burgers before heading out to do our grocery shopping. I had been doing my shopping on Saturday mornings recently, but I knew this particular Saturday would be busy. Mr. B really has a disdain for running errands. I usually have to bribe him with dinner beforehand. After shopping, we came home and started our binge on Fuller House. #love

Saturday morning I woke up at 6:30 (way too early for a Saturday). Technically, I did get to "sleep in" since I usually wake up either at 4:30 or 5:30 during the week. I had just enough time to drink my shake and grab a couple of Quest bars before heading to pick up Mr. B's dad so we could do our 5K. It was a beautiful morning for a 5K. 

We snagged a selfie before our race started.

Tiff came over to corral 3 illegally so she could start with us. And by illegal, I mean she swapped spots from someone in our corral who wanted to be with her group who was in the corral next door. It was an even trade, so everyone needs to just calm down. She decided to run her 5K while dad and I mall walked it.

I finished in under an hour. I sprinted that last 100 yards like a boss. I needed a picture with my baby finisher medal. My goal was to run some of the race, finish the race, and not die in the process. When I told this to one of my CG trainers, he said to me: "Do you know what the difference is in the first place medal and the last place medal? Absolutely nothing!"

This was my 3rd time to do the Cowtown. I would really like to make this a regular thing for me. My goal is to add in some other 5Ks this spring with some friends. It's always more fun with friends. 

Here's a little throwback to our first Cowtown circa 2010. Mr. B and I weren't even married yet. We both did the race with his dad and sister-in-law. However, we were super ambitious and did the 10K our first go around. It was a lovely, but cold, 6 mile walk. I finished though.

After I ate all the after race snacks that were offered, I hit up Starbucks for an iced coffee and my favorite breakfast sandwich....smoked bacon gouda egg! I have to have one at least once a week. I made it home just in time to shower and get ready to head to my friend's bridal shower (which I was helping host). Being that I was super busy, I totally forgot the gift and had to buy it after the shower and just give it to her at church the next day. I had so much fun helping host her shower. I was elected to be the BINGO MC. I may have enjoyed doing that more that I should have. Anytime I can crack jokes and entertain.....

It was a bittersweet moment. I'm happy for her and her new venture in marriage. I'm sad because she's moving off to Florida and leaving all by my lonesome on Sunday mornings in our pew. I may need to relocate....

I came home (briefly) before heading to Target to buy her gift. I decided to meander a bit. I could spend all day in Target. I came home and paid the bills. I got excited when I checked my bank account and saw my paycheck AND the tax refund had come in. #feelinrich

We were invited to have dinner with some friends of Mr. B's. OK, so they're kind of my friends, too. When you're cool, you're cool. They wanted to have dinner at Boo Ray's in Saginaw. A couple of them had been there before, but we hadn't. I felt like we had to drive through the middle of no where to get there, but the food was great. We shared the seafood platter with a few others and added a side of crab cakes. The seafood platter had (all fried) catfish, alligator, crawfish, shrimp, oysters, hush puppies, and fries. Oh yeah, there is a tiny little bowl of green beans in the center (which no one ate).

all that food for $26.99!!!! And that tarter sauce (insert lip smacking emoji here)

We were invited back to their house for more fun, but we had to decline since we were exhausted (and we wanted to continue our Fuller House binge). Sunday, we both had the day off. I needed it! We went to church then had lunch at Pollo Tropical. We came home and finished Fuller House and did laundry before going to singing practice and evening worship.

I just have to share a few of my favorite things right now:

This juice we bought at Trader Joes. It's organic and only $3.99. It's very sweet, so I mix it with a can of natural flavored La Croix sparkling water. So good.

This is my new favorite Shakeology recipe. I finally got to try the new Cafe Latte flavor shake. I can't stop drinking this delicousness. 

Some other favorites:

• Quest Bars. I can't get enough of these protein packed bars. It feels like I'm eating a candy bar, but I'm not. They're even better when warmed. My favorites now: cookies and cream and vanilla almond.
• I already mentioned my Bacon Gouda Egg sandwich at Starbucks.....
• CG workouts....my trainer, Robin! She's so much fun and knowledgeable. I'm getting ready to start some one-on-one sessions to get myself where I need to be health wise. I need that extra kick in the butt, and I'm hoping she can help me!
• Fuller House: We watched all 13 episodes this weekend. The first episode was a little cheesy for my taste the way they tried to throw all the nostalgia in, but overall I enjoyed the series. The kids are hilarious. I also loved the way they kept throwing shade at the Olsen twins throughout the series. #bringbackmichelle
• OK, I'm just going to say it....my hair. I'm loving how easy it is. With my long hair, I had the lazy side braid or ponytail. This short style is even easier. Wash, towel dry, mousse, scrunch. DONE! It's even next day ready with a little fluff and maybe some styling spray.