Sunday, June 21, 2015

Where has the time gone?!?!

I was doing so well with keeping up with this here blog of mine and then the last two weeks have just been cram packed filled with life. All good, mostly that I can recall. Just busy busy busy. Keeping up with work, thankfully with graduation behind us now we can enjoy our summer program. Not that it slows down the work load at all. We are still busy bee's in class keeping the kiddos on their toes. My Friday nights typically consist of me mowing our massive yard. I try to get it done at least once a week, other wise waiting two weeks it can be a big head ache. If I can't get it done on Friday after work then Saturday after I get home from school and running around it is.

Taking this summer course has definitely kept me on my toes and busy with school work. I have had so so so much homework. Its been a great learning experience and I'm def. glad I'm taking the class and its helped the month fly by but OMG, the work load. My Saturdays and Sundays have been flipped. I have class Tuesday and Thursday nights till 8:30pm and then pretty much all day Saturday, from 8:30-3:30. When I would normally get up and go get my long runs in and then stop by the downtown market, I'm heading to class to get my edu-ma-ca-tion on. Then I try to get any running around done that I need to do after class before heading home. This way once I get home, I'm home for the day. We live pretty far out from where a lot of the stores and shops are so going back out can be a pain sometimes. So Sunday's have been my running / relaxing days. I've been getting up between 6:30 and 7am (that's with out a alarm, my body just doesn't know what sleeping in is) having a light breakfast and heading out the door to the Greenway for a run. I have to get it done early before it gets to hot and going in the evenings is just NOT a option since that is when the hubbs gets on line and its our only chance to talk and catch up on life.

Going early I also beat the crowd and am able to get good parking not that its a hassle to park but by 9:30-10:00am when I'm done the trails are getting pretty busy and cars are lined up along the road. It's been kinda a bummer missing church the past couple Sunday's but its a choice I've made. I really enjoy running and its a great way for me to get out of the house and clear my head. Getting my long run in puts me in such a better mood and mindset for the week to come. I'm able to think, breath, talk to God and simply have that me time with out any distractions from the outside world or social media. The rest of the day is generally spend meal prepping and finishing up any homework assignment I have due the up-coming week. This way I'm not cramming Monday night to get it all done.

Things aren't slowing down either, in fact that are about to get even busier over the next 2-3 weeks. I'm thankful to be able to stay so busy and active to help the time go by with the hubbs being gone but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't ready for them to slow down just a bit. Not really sure what I was thinking planning two weekend road trips back to back with only a full two days back at home in-between them. Having to meal plan and prep for both, making sure I have Fixed approved food options to take with me on my drive. Having to make a Pot Luck dish for this coming Saturday's class. Why on earth did I volunteer to make the cake. Coming home Tuesday evening and then on Wednesday night making a Pot Luck dessert dish to take to work on Thursday, cookies for my sweet neighbor thanking them for watch the pups, as well as a batch to take with me on my road trip to see the In-Loves. Not to mention laundry, and re-packing in between those two days. I should really make sure I do the yard one of those two nights but that's going to be a last resort. Oh and I've got to start meal prepping for when the hubbs comes home. I am making up a good handful of Fixed approved meals ahead of time and freezing them this way I'm not spending the first couple weeks each night in the kitchen when I get home and we can sit down and enjoy dinner together. It's early but the earlier I do it the sooner its done and one less thing I have do to and I can mark it off my "To Do List".

I've finally started tackling the "Truck, To Do List", before the hubbs left we knew there where a few things we wanted to get fixed on it while he was deployed. Like replacing a lost cap in the floor board, new tires, oil change and getting the e-brake fixed (it currently does not work). Well I've let time get the best of me and I haven't touch the darn thing. So much so that the battery is dead and we will probably end up having to buy a new one. A cost we did not factor in. But I mean what's a girl to do when you don't know how to drive a standard. Well I finally got the cap replaced this past week. Hubbs looked all over the internet looking for it and I just made one quick phone call and the next day had it. I went down to the tire shop and ordered new tires so those will be installed soon. Only thing left to do after that is the break job. Slowly but surly making progress on it. It would make my life so much easier if I could drive the stupid thing. I'm making it a priority when he gets home that he teaches me.

I think that pretty much sums up what's been going on lately here in the Music City Capital area of the World. Busy busy with work, school, running and continuing to live and healthy life and fine tuning my routine along the way. A couple pictures to go along with what's been happening. If you follow me on Instagram I'm sure you've seen some of these already. :)
Sausage Hash Brown Bites from Nerdy Birdy for breakfast last Saturday before class. Simply AMAZING!!!!! 
2013- 1st Half Marathon- 2:27hrs @ a 11'11min pace, last Sunday's Half Marathon (non-race) 2:04hrs @ a 9'28min pace. Major progress!!! 
Followed by lunch with a great friend we where stationed with at Ft. Jackson, you can't go wrong with Mexican food!!! 
A guy in our neighborhood owns a gun store and well this girl got the inside hook up on powder. You know just a evening stroll through around the circle with the dog to pick it up, no biggie. 
I made Fixed approved (minus the dash of powdered sugar) French Toast one day last week for breakfast and scramble up a single egg to go on the side. It tasted fabulous!!!! Quick, Easy and Healthy that's what I'm talking about. 
I helped with and attended a memorial service this past Thursday for one of my dear sweet friends at work who lost her boyfriend suddenly to a heart attack last Friday night. 
Had to run to the mall on Friday to pick up a few things on my lunch break, I walked by Auntie Annie's 3 different times and passed it up. That's victory there people. I decided on a fresh fruit smoothie instead. I know I made the right choice. 
Fulled and Ready to tackle another Saturday of school, H2O, Shakeology and loads or fruits and veggies to help get me through the day and stack on track. And it worked. I will NOT eat vending machine junk!!!! 
Because a piece of me will always be in Texas and Texas will always be in my heart. YALL, know its only the greatest state that was ever founded. Don't hate. 
Looking like a hot sweaty mess after this mornings 7 mile run at the Greenway but it felt great!!! 
I did a little window shopping at Miss Lucille's this afternoon and decided to treat myself to lunch and didn't feel the least bit guilty about it. I had Strawberry Basil Lemonade, Willies Brisket Sliders, Grilled Skewer Veggies and for dessert Homemade Banana Pudding. You bet I finished my plate. I'd eat here just about every day if I could. 

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Graduation Day!

The kiddos and I have been working really hard over the last month or so on our Graduation. They've been great at learning the songs and practicing day after day. I was a ball of nervous going into it. Having never done a graduation before I didn't really know what to expect but knew I wanted it to be just perfect and to make not only the parents / families proud but also my director. The kiddo's and myself took a field trip to our 2nd school location where the graduation was going to be held for a dress rehearsal the day before graduation. It was their first time on a bus and they had so much fun. They where so cute with their little comments and excitement. 
My morning started out super early, I couldn't sleep the night before. Maybe it was my nervous, my mind racing with everything I needed to get done. Maybe it was the fact that I had class before hand and wanted to get my workout in before that. I don't know, but I was up at 5:45 on a Saturday. Work out done, headed to class and then straight over to the location after our break. We had just under 2 hours from the time the first graduation ended before ours started to get in and get the room transformed and set up. Thankfully I had 3 fabulous ladies that really stepped up and helped bring it all together!!! There's no way I could have done it all on my own. 
It all came together perfect, I was so happy with the out come and it looked so cute!! The parents loved it and so did the kids. I got choked up when I had to get up and speak. I wasn't expecting that to happen at all. I didn't prepare or write out my speech, maybe I should have I don't know if that would have made a difference. But I almost broke down in tears, it was an emotional moment for sure. Lots of laughs while the kiddos sang and danced. A few tears shed from the parents during the slide show and many many full bellies later, I'll say it was a very successful day. I'll let the pictures do the talking. (no pictures of kiddos or the actual graduation but the set up it perfect!)












 Couldn't have pulled this wonderful celebration off with out these beautiful ladies I'm so blessed to call not only my co-workers but my friends!!!! 
A bit blurry but I love this picture of B and I. Love her!!!! She puts up with a lot from me and I thank her daily for always being such a wonderful supporter and friend!!! 

And with that the class of 2015 has Graduated and we are ready for a fun filled summer!!

Monday, June 1, 2015

JUNE!!!!

How in the world is it already June, don't get me wrong I'm not complaining at all. I need the month to fly by please!!!! It's going to be a BUSY one for me, for sure. I've got so much going on. 
Here's just a little preview of something I have going on....

*School - I'm taking a summer course that is 11 classes through the month. Tuesday & Thursday Nights and Saturday's. YIKES
*Preschool Graduation - I'll be graduating my first class of Preschoolers this coming Saturday. Can't believe the school year is already over. 
*21 DFX - I'll be tackling another round of 21 DFX, taking me all the way to almost the end of June. 
*Vacay - I have two road trips planned at the end of the month. 3 days in West Virginia to see the girls and then over July 4th I'm headed to Ohio for 5 days to meet up with the In-Loves and some friends from Hawaii. 
*Running - To log 80 miles. Should be do able, fingers crossed. I'm already 3 miles down as of today. 
*Weight - I have a goal weight I'm trying to get to. I'm determined to get there by the end of the month. 
*Blanket - I started making a blanket (crocheting) a few months back. My plan was to have it finished be-time the hubbs came home. I haven't touched it in a good few months, till this past weekend. I want to finish the spools of yarn I have on hand before I go to WV.
*Truck- We've got some work that needs to be done on the truck and the plan was for me to get it taken care of while the hubbs is gone and well I've kinda put it off. So I need to get that taken care of so it's done and ready for when he comes home.
*Weekends- Did I mention I don't have a free weekend with nothing planned till the middle of July.

It's going to be a busy month for sure. I know there will be some fun good times in there as well. I don't want to rush time along to fast but I can't wait till the end of the month is here to go on a much need Vacay or 2 !!!!

And because a blog post isn't complete with out a picture. I grilled out this past weekend for the first time this year. Its late into the season and I have many many more nights planned to grill out and even more when the hubbs gets home but I have to say it turned out pretty darn fabulously tasty if I do say so myself.

Grilled Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes and Seasoned Chicken. Get in My Belly!!!!! I planned ahead and made enough for two nights, so I didn't have to cook dinner Sunday night.  
 Sunday morning I did make breakfast before heading out for my run. 2 ingredient pancakes. I was a little skeptical at first trying them out. But they where pretty good and I'll definitely be making them again soon.
1 Banana and 2 Eggs mix it together in a food processor and then pour on the griddle to your size liking. Cook till done. I drizzled some honey on top and they tasted just like Banana Pancakes. So yummy!!!