55 miles

I set a goal to run 29 miles in the month of April in honor of my 29th birthday. Well I not only passed it but for just getting back into the running season I crushed it. I finished out the month of April with a total of 55 miles logged. I was so and still and so pumped. I have been really working on my pace this past month and its improved so much, it's really boosted my self-esteem and given me the confidence that I can do anything I put my mind to. I've got the distance down and don't really have a problem with that. I typically only run short runs between 3-5 miles during the week though. I love being able to get my run out of the way during my lunch break from work. (I work out in the mornings before work) So coming home in the evenings and simply walking the pups and being able to have dinner and relax is such a great feeling. I'm hoping to continue and improve my pace as well as continue to build my miles back up per run. If you follow along on Instagram you've seen my progress post's but I wanted to share them here as well for ol' time sake and of course for me to have to look back on. I'm really wanting to get back into racing as well. I don't mind going alone, but when we lived in Cola. I had my running buddy and we always went together. I wish I had someone here to run races with. Maybe one day but I'm telling myself I can't let that hold me back. I've completely stepped out of my comfort zone / box since the hubbs has been gone and it's been great to really get out there and find myself. I know I can over come this as well.

I'm loving this new tank my Spouse Sarah sent me for my birthday, not only does it show my love for Texas but HELLO its Monogrammed!!!! 

I've got a little challenge with myself to get my 5k time down to 25 minutes. This just a smig over 2 minutes that I have to shave off my time. That's less than a minute a mile, totally do able and I'm determined to get there!!!

Spring is in the air and baby its HOT outside but that's not stopping this girl!!! I love that I've gotten to work on my tan all while getting my sweat on. Its a two for one deal. :) 

I crushed my goal for April with 55 miles, so I've set another mile goal for May. I know its totally do able but that mean's I'm going to have to up my game a little bit!!! 

Here's to another month of living a healthy fit life and working on a better ME!!!! 

Less Than A Week Away.....

I really can't believe that I'm less than a week away from running my very first Half Marathon. I'm sure to some your thinking, really big deal I've done plenty or even a full. Well props to you because I can only hope to be were you are one day. I've come so far in the last two months with my running then I ever expected. When Kelly first mentioned to me at the beginning of January about doing a half with her I had doubts of even being remotely ready. The thought "I only have two months to train" kept crossing my mind. Although I had been running for quite some time I didn't think I was ready for that long of a distance. Not yet any way. I mean a Half Marathon, 13.1 miles......that's A LOT if you ask me. 

 Well let me tell you exactly two months later after signing up I am SOOO READY. 

Two months was / has been plenty of time to train and get ready for it. We've lucked out pretty good with our training schedule and weather. Sure we've had some pretty chilly (crazy cold) morning and evening runs but after we get going, I always seem to warm up. Even through the rain and some sleet we've kept going and pushed through. I've gone through 3 different pairs of shoes and I've finally found a pair that I love. I've found some great running FB pages were I've read some really inspiring stories from other runners 5k-Full Marathon racers. I've ran many race's in between training which has totally helped and only pushed me that much more. 

I've come so far from were I was, I've changed so much and I've learn so much in the last two months and I owe it all to Kelly. She believed in me when I didn't believe in myself and didn't think I could do this. She's kept me going and pushed my butt that little bit more each time when I needed it. I'm doing this for me, to prove to myself I can do anything I put my whole heart, mind and soul into. 

I'm so excited and can't wait for Saturday to get here. Although when I have to get up crazy retarded early that excitement might be a little less. 

 I just wanted to give a big shout out and THANK YOU to each and everyone of you who have followed along this journey with me. Those of you who've supported, commented and left encouraging and inspiring comments and messages. Thank you all so much, it means more than you will ever know.  I can't wait to share my Half Marathon story with you next weekend. 

Best part is the hubs will be there to cheer and support me along the way. (from the start and finish line that is, he's not running it) Which is a super big deal seeing he's only been to one other race I've ran. 

5 days left y'all yikes, say a little prayer for me on Friday night Saturday morning if you'll please.

Dreamin, Wishin, Test Drivin

I had to take my car in to the shop (again) to have the door handles fixed they were recalled blah!!! I swear I never had a single recall or problem with my 2009 Challenger. Today is a day I still wish I had that one. While we were there the hubbs wanted to check out the trucks they had on the lot. OMG, if you have been following since before we left Hawaii you know we are crazy with our cars and we have gone through a lot. Frankly because my husband is nuts and always wants something new to drive. I knew though going into this that we would not be trading his Subaru in. He (thankfully) likes this one way to much, but in his words "I still like to look". In Hawaii we had a fully loaded Dodge Ram TRX V8 Hemi, that had every bell and whistle you could think of. But when he got back from deployment filling up two V8 vehicles at almost $100 each wasn't going to work. We decided after A LOT of back and forth to trade in his truck. It was a sad day, I LOVED that truck and so did he. Neither one of us really wanted to see it go. With our upcoming PCS we knew being on the mainland we would be doing a lot of traveling and driving. There for we needed something more fuel efficient.

He found a truck on the lot that looked just like ours the only difference was the color on the outside. He sat in it and dreamed, and drooled over it for a good 5 minutes. Then the sales guy asked him if he wanted to take it for a test drive "SURE" popped out of his mouth real quick. OH NO, here we go again I though. I made sure to let the salesman know we would not be purchasing the truck but he insisted we still take it for a spin. The hubbs was in love, you could see it in his eyes. He wants a truck again so bad but at the same time he knows that with gas prices right now its just not the smart buy. The Subaru is great, gas mileage on that thing is amazing, we have plenty of room in it and it GOES. There's no reason to trade it in and we didn't. When we were leaving after looking at a few other trucks, I couldn't help but ask him if he "really really wanted to trade in the Subaru." I'm a sucker, I want him to have whatever it is he wants. He said "no" & said that "since we were there he'd look, plus since we didn't have a TV at home he didn't want to spend the whole night on the computer." Made since to me and it really wasn't that bad, we weren't there super long. In Hawaii he loved going to look at cars, taking them on a test drive then going in and talking to the salesman on price. He enjoys it me not so but I go along with him because I know its something he enjoys, plus somebodies got to keep him out of trouble. 

 

~DAY 273~

I PASSED !!!!!!!!!!!

DAY 60

My CDA Test

After a long day at work I was at home finishing up a few things around the house when I realized I hadn't checked the mail yet. Any other day I would have just waited till tomorrow because it was so cold outside but I needed to pull the trash out seeings tomorrow is trash day. So while I was out there I walked across the street to check the mail. Were I found 3 small envelopes (2 Christmas cards & a letter from by bubby) & a large flat cardboard envelope. There was just enough light from the street lights for me to see that the large envelope was from the CDA Council in Washington DC. I seriously RAN back home with the biggest smile on my face I KNEW (hoped it was what I was thinking) what it was. I tossed everything else on the counter and quickly tore into the envelope. For a brief moment I "though" about waiting till Gabe came home in a few days to open it but I just couldn't hold out I wanted / needed to know the results like NOW. I worked so hard on completing my resource binder and studying for the final test yet I was still nervous about the out come. Gabe kept me focused and positive by being so encouraging and supportive through out the whole process.

I pulled out the papers inside and right on top was my official certification on completion of my Child Development Associate. I actually squealed for a moment with excitement I just couldn't contain myself. This is something that I started back in March while in Hawaii and honestly though I'd never see the end of it. But here I am 3 months shy of a year with the whole process complete and behind me. The certification is good for three years and then I have to renew it, no problem there though I did it once I CAN and WILL do it again.

Completing this and seeing it through to the end gives me that extra boost of confidence that I needed to really push myself to go back to school. In the beginning of this process I wasn't sure if I could do it but now that I have nothing can stop me.

Great things await me, I know its never to late to follow my dreams no matter what they may be or how long they make take to accomplish!!!

I am determined to see my next goal through to the end!!!

Out w/ the old & In w/ the new

When Gabe was home on R&R in November of last year we went car shopping for him. He was going to need a vehicle once we both got to Hawaii. We new we were already planning on taking mine but one was just not enough. We didn't want to buy in Hawaii because it just cost way to much. It's crazy how much they raise the price on thing just cause it had to be shipped over here. But whatever, that's Hawaiians for you.

So we ended up with a Land Rover Discovery 2003 which he was just so proud of & so happy. You would of though the guy landed on the moon & touch the stars or something. It was great, I love the Land Rover. We fixed it up quite well & replaced a few missing parts. The plan was to turn it in to a super awesome off road vehicle, since that's what land rovers are made for. They are the number one off road vehicle in America, they even out preform the jeep.

On the down side to owning a LR, they can be very costly when something goes wrong & needs fixing. Parts can be expensive & often hard to find in the US.
A few weeks ago, one of the brake lights on the LR went out & we tryed everything to fix it and it just wasn't working. The dealership told us they could fix it and the part would be around $800.00 plus the labor which would be in the couple thousands of dollars. "Yeah, ummmm no thank you". We were still going to shop around to see if we could fix it on our own. Then, this past Thursday rolls around & Gabe calls to tell me the passenger front window will not roll up. OMG, are you kidding me.
One thing Gabe's loves to do is car shop, even if he knows he is not the least bit interested in buying the car he will go to a dealership test drive it. Go in and talk numbers with the sales guy & have them work their butts off to bring the price down to what he wants. Then he is off on his way w/o a new car. THANK GOODNESS.

However this trip was very different today, we got a call from the Ford Dealership down new Pearl City saying they had a truck there on the lot that Gabe had requested information about a few days ago online & wanted him to come in & take a look at it.
Ok sure we will go I told him, know we would just look & ponder of it & then be on our way.
When we got there & they pulled the truck around front I was so shocked. It was just like a truck I had a few years ago, same color, make, model & everything. There was just a few things different. We test drove it, went it & talked numbers as always & got the LR appraised to see how much they would give us for it. (2wks ago when we were at the LR dealership they offered us $6000.00 for it which is what it is worth so that was good) They came back w/ offering $3900.00. Heck freakin no are you kidding me, Jared quickly laid it all out there to the guy & explained our visit to the LR Dealership. So the sales guy left & came back offering $4500.00 for the LR, as well as they have already dropped the price of the truck we were looking at down to around $18000.00 from $26000.00 which was the sticker price. (I tell you he is good at this car haggling) That still wasn't good enough for us to jump up & down about. So once again they did there thing & now they are going to give us $5000.00 for the LR & $17000.00 for the truck out the door. The payment were in the mid $300's which was not okay by me.
Gabe & I stepped out to have a talk. (alittle heart to heart if you will say)The LR is a big deal, & we don't want to get in to deep with it & end up having to pay more to fix things on it than it is worth or even what we paid for it. (seeing's we paid cash for it, it was paid off) After alot of talking & alot of figure out payments & what not, I really started to think that this was the right way to go (Jared of course was all for it from the start, he just wasn't taking less than $6000.00 for the LR)& if we were going to do this we should do it soon while we have found something that we both really like alot.
So I told him I would only do it under once condition.....they had to get the payments under $300.00 a month & no more than 60 months. So we went back & I told the sales guys our plan & how we would take the truck & they looked at me like I was crazy & said ok let me see what I can do. Back again, they were offering $6000.00 for the LR which is what we wanted & $335.00 for a monthly payment. NOPE, thank you and good bye. I said what I wanted you can't do it sorry you don't get our business.
The manager came down & said wait, wait let me try this. So he came back offering the truck at $16000.00 & got our payments down to $303.00, ok this I can work with. Not to mention this whole time the APR on the whole deal was incredible, thanks to our awesome credit we have. We went from a sticker price of alittle over $26,000.00 to $16,000.00 a difference of $10,000.00

(Our awesome sales guy, Sean!!!)
Gabe & I talked and decided to put down a $1000.00 to bring the payment right under $300.00, I couldn't believe this. We were really going to trade in the LR get what we wanted for it & get a new truck that we both really liked.


So we did it, sign the papers and got the keys and were on our way out the door.
We are now the proud owners of a 2009 FORD RANGER 4X4, it had 27 miles on it, which we put on it test driving it. It has 4 doors & is just awesome, Gabe really really likes the small truck & it fits him to a T. We couldn't be happier with the decision we made to trade in the LR and buy the Ranger.


He is so sad to see his Land Rover go, :(

Now the goal is to have it paid off be time we leave this stink place next June, which I know we can do. I can't wait, I'm loven our new TOY we got.


"OUT WITH THE OLD"





"IN WITH THE NEW"


I HAVE TO SAY GABE, GOT THE BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday LOVE!!!

The morning started off on a good foot, and the day just keeps getting better & better. Today is my Love's birthday and well last night he & his buddy Jason had CQ at the company area, lucky for them both they have today off. HIS BIRTHDAY!!!!

Last night I totally vegged out & cleaned up the house a bit (not that its ever in a mess or dirty)& got his gifts together on the front table for when he came home.
I work up some what early this morning thanks to the dog, and was down stairs messing around on the computer when I looked at the time & thought "I should take the guys donuts since its Gabe's bday". I new just were to go get his favorite ones to. At the Shoppette, Strawberry iced. So off Dingo & I went (yes yes, i took the dog to wish Gabe a happy bday morning) to the shoppette, we grabbed a few donuts & some for Jason to and a Rock Star for my love and headed up to the company area.
He had no idea that I was coming & I hadn't talked to him yet this morning it was only 7:00am so it was gonna be a super surprise.
As we headed up stairs Dingo was greeted by a old co-worker of Gabe's, Erik a quick Hello and then off we went to the training room. There he was sitting my poor Love so so tired from being up all night, but as soon as he saw me walk in it was like he was so awake and happy and surprised to see me there. After loving on Dingo for a bit giving him his breakfast & one of his gift's (a $50.00 gift card to game stop) I headed back home, he still had another 2 hours of work & then he would be off for the next 3 days YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!
Finally my boo was home, greeted at the door by Dingo and then rushed in to see the rest of his goodies. On top of the $50.00 game stop gift card I had already given him this morning I also got him the PLAYSTATION Eye (which is a super awesome web cam. we can use on the TV, so yes it benefits me as well lol) and a new game Nightclub Los Angeles. He was so happy he has wanted the camera for awhile now & the game he enjoyed playing it at a friends house so I new it would go over well. Off to shower and bed he went to rest up for a night on the town. Poor thing was pooped after a long long day at work.


After a nice long nap, Gabe decided to get up & well if you know him at all I'm sure you know just what he did when he got up. He opened up the PS3 Eye cam. & set it all up. Its so neat, I'm just as excited about it as he is. (we have a friend who's birthday is coming up & now we know just what to get them) And of course he put in the new game to play. Boy's & their toys, he is so funny when he plays because he gets all in to it & if he dies or looses he gets so mad and starts complaining & yelling at the TV. That's when I step in & remind him that it is just a game.

Shortly after playing a bit of PS3 we got dresses and headed downtown to Waikiki to meet up with Jamie & Anthony of course. Whats a dinner with out then :), we all met up at Red Lobster. I was starving and couldn't wait to dig in to some yummy food. Thankfully there was no wait and we were able to get right in. WOW, a Friday night in HNL that's not normal.

We stuffed our faces with appetizers & their yummy biscuit's and salad, when the main course came I was starting to get full already but that wasn't gonna stop me. I ordered their Cajun Chicken Pasta....I know I know chicken at a sea food restaurant well I don't eat sea food. We had all talked about dessert before & how good they looked but once it came time to order we were all way to full to even try. However whats a birthday with out a little sweet treat. So we broke down and order 3 different desserts to share around the table. OMG, at this point I am so overly stuffed, but every thing was oh so so good. I don't like sea food but boy do I love Red Lobster. Gabe just enjoyed every bit of it and finished off one of the desserts all on his own.


We decided to head back to post and meet up with some other friends who were up at the bowling alley and play a game or two. When we got there I had no intention of playing I was just going to watch and visit that was my plan and I stuck to it. Some how someone talked my love in to playing. Once he got started you could see it he was having so much fun. It was his birthday, we were together, and hanging out with some of his close friends that he has here in Hawaii.




After a round of cosmic bowling we decided to call it a night and every one parted ways and headed home.
It truly was a magical day and I am so happy that we will be spending all of our birthdays together from here on out. I couldn't imagine it any other way.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE, YOU ARE MY WORLD AND I LOVE YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART,
ALWAYS AND FOREVER AND THENSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE COMPLETE Each other & we have found a Love that is ever lasting!!!!

MY LOVE & ME!!!

Follow your Dreams

His Passion & Dream.....My Nightmare!!!!
Gabe currently has a 2003 Land rover Discovery and just Loves it to bits. He has a list of add on's and upgrades he plans to get for it and changes to be made. A week or so ago we went four wheeling down near North Shore and just had a blast.


Like me, He can not wait to get back to the mainland to get another one (me I'm gonna get my mini)...not just any old Land rover though. A OLD ONE!!! He wants a older model series that he can completely take down to the frame and rebuild up. He is always looking on line trying to find one. Surprisingly they are pretty cheap....although after its all said and done that will have changed.



He ran down stairs just a bit ago with his eyes lit up like a light build (which mind you they are looking amazing and clearing up so well),

he had found one on line that he liked and wanted me to come see. Its so sweet how excited he gets and how happy he is to be home and finally be able to start his dream of rebuilding a old Rover as our cousin Shae back in Texas would say. Just to see the excitement come from him makes me laugh because you would of though he just won the lotto or taught the dog to sit and stay there. lol but no its because he found another old crappy land rover on line.



I would say I feel the same way about the land rover and restoring it but then I would be lying. His Passion though and I will STAND by and watch and support him along the way.