Here We Go Again!!!!

As always time seems to slip away and life gets the best of me and I've slacked at up dating this hear blog of mine. But I'm here updating now and that's all that matters right?!?!?! 

With a week of class left we decided to have a class pot luck / surprise baby shower. Tell me why I volunteered to make a cake for this little shindig we where having. I was leaving right after class to head out of town. So the day's leading up to class where super crazy busy. But I have to toot my own hour because this cake turned out fabulous!!!! It was homemade from scratch all the way down to the icing. I was so proud of it, I haven't baked in forever and I loved every minute of being back in the kitchen doing what I love. This fabulous master piece didn't let down either. Every one LOVED it and I'm not just saying that because I made it, really my class-mates couldn't stop raving about it. I will defiantly be keeping this one for future baking goodness. 

 The night before my last class and said above pot luck followed by a 6 hour road trip I ran a 5K Glow Run about 45 minutes away from my house. Now back up a few days, my Director at work was suppose to run this as well. She was the one who actually talked me in to doing it. Unfortunately for a few reason's she wasn't able to make it. I decided to tough it out and still run the race. It might shock you to know this was the first race I'd ran alone not knowing anyone there. I was a little nervous and hesitant going into it alone but I embraced myself and rocked it. 

It was raining and ugly out, we had a 15 minute rain / lightening delay due to a storm. Once we finally got going I was passing people left and right. I kept checking my pace making sure I wasn't pushing myself to fast in the beginning and I wasn't. The rain kept coming and a few bolts of lightening here and there. In my head I kept thinking this was the worst idea I'd ever had. Part of the course was dark back streets that I ran by myself because others where way ahead of me (so I though) or further behind me. I was a bit scared not going to lie, being somewhere I wasn't familiar with at all. They had water stations in the worst places, you'd think they'd have them on the streets with no lights or store fronts vs. on the main roads, simply for safety reasons. 

Pretty soon I caught up with this little dude and he was struggling a bit so I tried encouraging him to keep going when he wanted to stop. I asked him if he knew how many people where in front of him and there was only one he said. We stayed together for the last half mile of the race and then I booked it through the finish line. I hadn't looked at my watch much through the last mile since it was raining, I was trying to keep it down from getting wet. Yall I came in 2nd place. I had no clue, I mean he had mentioned there was only one other person in front of him but I wasn't totally positive. I've NEVER placed in a race and I ran my fastest 5K time ever. I was so stoked and proud of myself. Yes it was a smaller race only 80 out of the 100 people that signed up came (due to the bad storms we where having) and everyone has told me that a race is a race no matter the amount of participants not to use that as a excuse. And I'm not, there where some awesome runners out there and I just happened to be on my game and totally kicked butt!!! 

First race ever when we lived in Hawaii. (left) May 1, 2011 5k- time 43:57. 

Most recent race June 26, 2015 5k-time 25:35.

Yall, I still can't believe it!!! 

PS: look at those chubby cheeks on the left. I know I know not really but yes really. 

After I came back from my little girls weekend get away (I'll recap that later) I made this delicious little treat for our work 4th of July Pot Luck. I came across the recipe on Pinterest (it was a birthday theme) and new I wanted to try it and though it would be perfect to incorporate it into our Red, White and Blue theme. 

Yall, this was AMAZING, like I'm talking there was only one slice left. It was scrumptious, melt in your mouth delicious. I've been on a roll here lately in the kitchen and defiantly enjoying it. 

With a bottom layer of freshly homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie dough, top that with a layer of Oreo's, the gaps where filled in with M&M's, topped with a layer of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and polished off with another layer of M&M's. Baked in the oven for 20 minutes and you've got heaven in a pie dish. :) 

Another month down and one more closer to the hubbs coming home. The end feels so near yet its still so far away. I miss him with all my heart and can't wait to wrap my arms around him again. I'm actually gonna miss doing this fun little monthly counts, but I wont miss doing life alone that's for sure. 

 Speaking this crazy deployment.....1) I've seriously slacked on keeping up with his truck. It's a standard which I'm not able to drive due to my lack of skills. It's on my 30 b4 30 list to learn, one day one day. It's been driven twice in the last 8 months so when I asked Amy to come over the other evening to help me get it going we had no luck what so ever. Even after letting it charge connected to my car for about 20-30 minutes it still wouldn't even attempt to turn over. I knew I had to cough it up and buy a new battery. Sometimes that's the price you've gotta pay and I did. A big Thanks to some awesome guys he works with (that returned early from deployment) they picked it up the next day and had new tires put on and the brakes checked. So it's all set for his return, I've just got to keep it going till then and not let the battery sit so long with out being started. 

2) This massive backyard of ours, its amazing, I love it and the pups do to. But it also comes with a bit of maintenance. Sure I could pay someone to do it but that would be wasting money when I am more than capable of doing it myself. I don't love doing it but I don't hate it either. I look at it as another way to get a workout in. However I've learned I really need to make sure I stay on top of it, meaning mowing it every week. YALL!!! I let it go a week and a half, 4 day's longer them normal and it was killer. I struggled. Yes we had a lot of rain with in that week so that didn't help. Although, I'm not complaining because its helped keep it nice and green but man was it tough to cut. The bag kept getting full and I'd have to stop and empty it after less than two times around. I was so frustrated. I ran out of gas at one point and thankfully had just enough in the tank in the garage to finish out the yard. It might have been 8:30pm before I was done with everything, weed-eating and blowing included but I got it done. I kept telling myself I could finish it up tomorrow but I knew I'd be kicking myself in the butt if I did that. 

I remember always giving the hubbs such a hard time on the weekends when he would say he was going to sleep in and then he'd be awake on his 2nd cup of coffee around 6am sometimes. I'm like dude what happen to sleeping in and he would always say "that, that was sleeping in for him." I'm like no, "sleeping in means not getting up and outta bed till close to 8am" I couldn't sleep much past that or I felt like I was wasting my day away. And now I find myself laying there wide awake most mornings before 5:30am. I just can't help it, no matter how late I go to sleep, even on the weekends... I'm up and my brain is going 90 miles a hour thinking about everything I could / should be doing. 

This morning for example, 5:35am laying there thinking of everything I was doing today and figured I might as well go ahead get up and get started. Morning workout (40 minutes), Dog's walked (20 minutes), Dressed, Laundry going, Shake-o made and dishes done all BEFORE 7am. I decided to switch my morning plans because sitting around the house for the downtown market to open at 8am just made no sense at all. lol. Originally I was going to the downtown market first then, make the 25-30 minute drive out to Guthrie, KY to the most amazing little Amish Bakery. To pick up a box of freshly made donuts and some cinnamon rolls. I plan on freezing the cinnamon rolls till the hubbs gets home and taking the donuts to work with me on Monday. They only make and serve the donuts on Saturday's, and they don't last long so you've gotta get there early. I was kinda sorta itching for one and decided to treat myself. It worked out perfect because I got there right at 8am when they opened. From there I headed to back to Clarksville to our market. Sometimes I'll go and simply just walk around it a couple times checking out the vendors not purchasing a thing. I just enjoy going, gives me something to do on Saturday mornings. But today I knew I wanted to pick up some local honey since I was getting low. The food trucks and baked goods looked so yummy, I sampled some different breads and a fruit tea which I wasn't crazy about before heading out. I was so tempted to give into a yummy waffle, a tamale even the homemade Amish ice cream but I didn't I knew I had donuts in the car, lunch plans and jazz on the lawn later that evening. Not to mention a couple homemade M&M cookies at home. I didn't need it. 

One last stop on my way home. I remembered The Mill, a little local antique / craft store was having their re-grand opening today. It's super small and I normally never find anything there but I always enjoy stopping and looking since its so close to home. I ended up picking up this cute little "Tennessee Home" plaque that will fit perfect on our Christmas Tree to represent out time here. 

All of that and I was still home before 10am. With lunch plans not till 1pm I decided to tackle the upstairs. Our bedroom and bathroom needed a good deep clean so I figured why not knock it out before lunch. Nothing's better then a freshly clean home. Well yes there is, having someone to help me with it or at least keep my company while cleaning. Blah Blah Blah, I know soon enough he'll be home. Lunch was fabulous, I hate that L and I haven't gotten together more over the deployment then we have but we always have such a great time when we do. It'll be great once the hubbs is back and the four of us can all get together. 

I spent the rest of the afternoon into the evening lounging around and kinda being lazy at home. Out girls night at Jazz on the Lawn got canceled since a few couldn't make it and honestly I was totally fine with that. There's always next time. 

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. 

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!!

Springing into Summer!!!!

I'm absolutely love loving this warmer sunshiny weather we are having. It's done wonder's on my pale skin and brightened up my home as well. I've brought in some beautiful flowers through out the back and front yard. Even added some veggie and fruit plants, well see how long those hold up. However I have been really good about remembering to water them, so fingers crossed. I've been enjoying our back patio quite a bit here lately. It's so relaxing to come home from a long day at work and just sit outside with the pups, have dinner and listen to the birds and bugs. I've spruced it up a bit so its cozy and cute, I've still got a few idea in mind to add to it but for now its just perfect!!! It's much more enjoyable then plopping in front of the tv, which I find I'm doing less and less through out the work week. I am oh so excited about the new season of the Bachelorette starting up this Monday though. Should be interesting to see how this season play's out with there being two Bachelorette's. Sadly I'll have to wait till Tuesday night's to watch it since we do not have cable, only Net-Flix and Hulu. It took a while to get used to not having cable but I can proudly say I don't miss it one bit. We didn't watch it nearly enough before and so it just made sense to do with out when we moved to TN. I don't know that we'll ever go back, I like to enjoy the simpler finer things in life and I grown to realize tv isn't one of those.

Everybody loves a little local Strawberry pickin. Sarah and her sweet little family where kind enough to share part of her mother's day with me. We met out at the strawberry farm to do a little picking of our own. Little AB couldn't stop eating them, she was def. enjoying the her first adventure of S. picking. I didn't blame her one bit though, they are so fresh and tasty!!! 

This past week at work has been absolutely crazy and exhausting. I'm so glad the weekend is here and I hope it creeps by because I'm not ready to start another work week yet. I am scheduled to work a 40 hour work week and from time to time I'll have a hour- two at the most of collective over time though the week. Yesterday when I clocked out at 5 min. till 6pm mind you I am suppose to get off at 4:30pm, I had 46 hours for the week. That's 6 hours "SIX" hours of over time. That's more than a hour a day people. Talk about one of the longest weeks ever!!!! I still managed to come home and walk the pups and pick up the house a bit before settling down for dinner. But boy was I beat, between my weekly workouts, runs and non-stopping working I was more than ready for a break.
I'm not sure though how long this "break" is going to last. I start a new workout / nutrition plan on Monday. (some of you may have heard of the 21 day fix extreme, through beachbody, ya I'm going to do it, wish me luck!!) And we have less then a month till our pre-school graduation, so I'm going to have to really start buckling down with my kiddos even more to get them ready for that. Not to mention there was / is a possibility for me to take a summer course and when I say summer I mean a whole 15 week course crammed into a single month. Through the month of June. A little part of me was kinda hoping it would fall through and I wouldn't feel so overwhelmed but it didn't and here I am. I have the weekend to decide if I'm going to do this or not. Like the husband said, I've got to take it at some point so why not just go and get it over with. But hello its 5 Tuesday night, 2 Thursday nights and 4 Saturday's through the month. 45 whopping hours aaaahhh!!!! I don't know what to do. The one good thing is I know the instructor teaching the class, and my girl A who took the last two classes with is doing it, so at least I'll know someone. And I suppose it would probably help pass more time with the hubbs not being home.
Speaking of that handsome fella himself, he really needs to hurry and get his booty home. I know not like he has any control over that matter. But would be nice if he did. Still no word on when he's coming back either, which totally down right sucks, seeing's as his whole company came back early April and he was moved to another company. Talk about a bummer. But we have officially decided where we are going for his / our post deployment trip and I'm beyond excited. Crazy as it was to it was all his idea, I most certainly didn't see that one coming. We're keeping it under the radar for now but I can't wait to share!!!!

Well now that I've sat out and enjoy the morning rain and chirping birds this lovely gloomy morning I suppose it's time for me to get ready for the day, Sarah and I've got a little adventuring to do this morning. Time with her is always the best and frankly not always that often enough so I'm soaking it in and enjoying it while we can. Because I'm sure gonna miss her here soon, but we aren't talking about that. I'm in denial!!!!!

Cooking For One

I've been missing this handsome fella something fierce here lately. Time is creeping by and its got me going stir crazy. I feel like there's still so much time to go and so much happening before he gets home. I'm swamped with work and school, on top of trying to maintain a healthy well balanced diet and work out plan. I'm managing I am, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have my bad days. 

Hurry home baby I miss you, to pieces and your dogs are driving me crazy!!!! 

This is one of the pictures from the night he left, which I never posted because they break my heart every time I look at them. 

While G's been away I've completely changed my eating habits.... for the better. I'm by no means converting to going 100% clean but I am happy to say that I am now eating 75-80 % clean meals which is a huge change for me. I did a straight 15 days clean eating the last part of March and well I only caved twice during those 15 days. Progress and Practice People. 

I've enjoyed making some yummy new meals and even revamping some of our favorite meals into a healthy cleaner version. 

Scrambled Eggs, Grilled Chicken and Spinach for breakfast. 

Baked Apple Slices for a afternoon snack. 

Turkey Taco Salad w/ Fresh Canned Salsa for dinner.

 Are just a few of the yummy dishes I've been cooking up here these past few weeks. 

Speaking of being swamped with School, My friend / Co-worker / Classmate and I met up at Starbucks last weekend for a study date and spent a good 3+ hours working on one paper, ONE!!!! Only to find out a few days later we still needed to add to it. Not much but still, the fact that I had it or though I had it done and now its not is so aggravating. This whole back to school thing is still new to me, but I'm making it work. I'm so blessed and glad to be back in the classroom, but ready for summer break. (did I mention I might be taking a summer class aahhhhh)

Oh and I'm officially back on the streets!!! I took the winter off from running, why well because it was freaking cold out and I'm a wimp. I feel like a new person out there running. I was worried I'd struggle a bit at first to get my grove back but that hasn't been the case and it just makes me want to push and strive that much more. It just goes to show that this new life style I've created for myself has really benefited me in more way's then one.

 It's My Birthday Month!!! Holla!!!! 

And I've set a goal to run 29 miles in the month of April to celebrate my (soon to be) 29 years of life!!! 9 miles down and only 20 to go, I'm off to a great start!! 

And just for fun.....we got new jump ropes at school this past week and I had so much fun getting out there and breaking them in with the kids. I seriously felt like I was back in middle school gym class. Anyone looking to get me a birthday gift, here's a idea!!!! lol. No but for reals!!!