Where in the world am I now?

This week you will find us in Texas visiting familia. It was a super last minute decision but those are just the best trips in my opinion...plus staying with family is amazing. 

First, they break out the good stuff even if your arrival isn't until 11 pm on a Tuesday night. 

They are great people. 

My lips are still smiling from the happiness that came in this bottle. 

Then because normal people work all day, we get to lounge around their house being bums and feeling like real kids on summer vacation until they come home and ...

Take us out for some delicious seafood! 

My heart stopped, sang songs and then continued beating again. You are looking at shrimp wrapped in bacon filled with jalapeños cheese. 

Try your hardest not to be jealous. 

On a running note ...

When I get back home I need to get serious about mileage and this marathon in Novemeber. Finally being on a low key vacation I have had more time to read up on my different plans of attack via the interwebs and my dusty (breaks my heart) Runner World magazines that made it through our move. I feel a little panicky and behind :( 

Oand refocusing on a clean diet and hydration might be wise too. 

On a previous post I made some goals for 14 days and my two week mark was on Tuesday. I will talk results soon! 

In the meantime have a great Thursday!! I'm headed out the door to run until sweat burns my eyeballs, so probably only a mile or two... It is Texas after all.

Xo

Some thoughts with my coffee on a Sunday

This weekend we are back up north in Door County, WI !!!

For those of you who don't know, it's the most beautiful place on the peninsula or the little finger of the state, situated in Lake Michigan. I grew up coming here and when Jacob decided to deal with me for the rest of his life, he proposed here too. Smart guy:) this place has slowly become a part of us as much as it was a part of my family before him and it makes me so happy. 

                            

 

                                     

We have a huge reason to celebrate this weekend because Friday was Jacob's very last day of work. We are officially a one income couple living with his parents... Oh boy! :) 

My heart swells though when I think of what the future holds for him and the smile he gets just talking about it. School (law school) starts up on august 21st so he has just about a month to relax...

But let's be honest ... I will be his obnoxious BFF dragging him to everything I can and soaking him all up. Jacob has never had a job where second or third shift wasn't part of the deal. I wasn't too clear on that before because I didn't want crazy stalker internet people to know that I was home alone a lot but I can count the number of Tuesday night dinners we have had on one hand in four years. 

Every couple has their struggle and I am sure tons of couples deal with this, but his schedule has put the worse strain on us and our relationships with friends. When Saturday night is the only real evening together it is so hard to give it up to others... Its been hard but now it's all over !!!! &&&& I think unlike other couples we are really super prepared for the demands of law school. Pretty much if I get to see him for thirty minutes on a week night that is more than I ever have :) so I'll take it.

Well anyways back to Door County... I am sitting here in our little cottage feeling the cool breeze of the lake and drinking my coffee and feeling completely overwhelmed by how much I actually love just being here. This place ...the roads and trails and even the buildings and structures have not changed in 26 years. Each milestone of my life has been really celebrated here. From my first step, to my first heart break. I drove for the first time on an abandoned road here and ran my first half marathon. I have memories with every single member of my family (the ones still here and the ones in heaven). I said the most important "yes" of my life on my favorite pier three years ago &&&& I can't help but add this milestone into the mix ... Jacob and I starting all over again and pursuing what some people would really categorize as a huge risk. Sharing that leap and celebrating that here has been exactly what we needed ....oh &&& lots of ice cream, cherry pie and wine :) 

I may still be rather young but it's starting to set in not only how fast everything goes but how often we forget to really taste and enjoy our memories. We forget to stop and celebrate our leaps and our failures. I love Door County for all it's beauty but the reason it is so meaningful to me is it holds all those chapters of my life. I am just really happy that even as an adult the new chapters are still being celebrated here too.

I kinda hope everyone has a place like this.

One last thought this morning!

A very wise friend posted this on the Facebook the other day & I couldn't help sharing. 

"Two words. Live boldly. Every single time life offers you a choice that involves greater risk, take it. You will lose on many of them, but when you add them up at the end of your life you will be glad you did." 

Go live boldly this week!!! Xoxo

oh! hey Friday!

I am sneaking in one last post this week...

Remember when I said my "new" life would give me more opportunities to blog???
Ya, remember that?
I wish...I just need one more hour in the day but I am probably preaching to the choir so moving on...

I am so excited to try a new link up today!

Karli blogs here & if you blog you still have time to link up so GO :) 

{ONE}

first let me keep my promise and share the sangria recipe I used this past weekend to help achieve my drunken, food coma state.

here is what you need:

one bottle of cheap Merlot 

(NOTE: I am a wine snob but sangria doesn't need good wine--You are mixing in other ingredients that will alter the taste.)

one 1 liter bottle of zero calorie sparkling water 

(I chose an orange flavor. You can get these everywhere now. Try Target or Walmart.)

peach schnapps (6 shots)

two fresh oranges

bag of frozen berries

directions: 

I used a pitcher

& poured the bottle of wine in.

Then I poured six shots of schnapps in.

I dumped a little over half of the liter of water in. 

Pealed, diced, and added the oranges.

Poured a little over half of the bag of frozen berries in. 

I let it sit for an hour in the fridge. 

It was yummmmy !!!

{two}

I have been toying with the idea of getting a fitbit or a jawbone for awhile now...

Today is my half birthday so I decided it was appropriate to snag one 

(FYI it is completely okay that I am a twenty something and celebrate half birthdays. 

I don't care what you think. Actually I do, so don't make fun of me.)

I went with the jawbone and it is currently charging next to me. 

I was basically bouncing as I checked out at best buy. I need to stop being such a nerd. 

I will definitely review it once I spend some time figuring it out.

{three}

This weekend I am determined to achieve one goal. EAT every summer thing I love. 

I  have yet to devour fresh corn on the cob off the grill while sitting outside. I plan to only hydrate with watermelon for the next two days & I fully intend on getting a stomach ache from an obscene amount of s'mores. 

We have just been so busy the last few weeks & I haven't had much control over our whereabouts and  meals so I am really excited to make sure this weekend is the definition of summer cuisine.   

{four}

I am truly sad that Rachel McAdams is not having Ryan's baby. 

that is all.

{five}

I can smell dinner. 

It is stir fry that my brother-in-law is making. 

He just came to tell me it is my half birthday so therefore my celebration dinner. 

Boom!!!

I totally married into the right family. 

Have the best weekend, pretty people :)

the WIIB aftermath

If you read my previous post you know this past weekend was our family's annual WIIB fest. It was every bit as crazy as planned. The only downfall is that we found it appropriate to party the hardest on Sunday...you know the day before Monday??? BAD idea. However, if I had to do it all over again I would still make the same BAD choice & I don't think I would be alone.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend.

a taste of the chaos

WIIB love

 

I was super proud of my WIIB shirt.

 

the grill master himself- Jake's dad

beersbie is the offical game of the WIIB. playing brings pure joy to the boys



Sistas

Emma's happiest

the chair I lugged all the way home from Mexico was put to good use

***************************************************************************

I guess I should mention, since this is a "healthy-ish, lifestyle-ish" blog, weekends like this last one and if I am being completely honest, the last few weekends, have left me feeling less than great (health wise).

Thank goodness my job keeps me so much more active than my previous job and I have been really nailing some great workouts each morning but NEWS FLASH!!! "abs are made in the kitchen", or so they say, & my bloated self has made some really poor desicions on pretty much everyday that ends in day lately.

My struggle, my constant struggle, is that I love my life and I want to enjoy it but I also want to feel and look my very best.

I wonder when I let myself relax if I am just making excuses...

andddddddd then on the flip side, when I buckle down I constantly ask myself is it really that worth it to say no to social situations or family time because I want to eat clean and get some extra miles in???

Some days the answer is clear and other days it isn't.

I know many of you struggle in the same way. It's just recently with being back in Illinois we have so much more going on. More opportunities to do fun things but they usually include all the booze and all the yumminess of summer and I just don't want to completely derail. I also don't want to be consumed with caring so much either. It's just alot of noise for me.

Sooooooo I think I need to proclaim some goals on here, just to get my head back on straight.

Starting today and for the next two weeks...

1. I will not drink a sip of soda (I only drink diet but it is usually so much easier for me to stay on track without it. I don't like to admit it but it is true. I feel better without the crap.)

2. I will not step on the scale (I hope to write a longer post on this soon. I know my body & it is really hard for me to not focus on a number, SO I am being strong and removing it as a habit for at least two weeks.)

3. I will not eat after 9 pm (This could be the hardest. I know when Jacob reads this he will laugh out loud, really hard. I don't really snack but I am known to make a midnight MEAL. Even though I usually take note of it, stopping at 9 will help me wake up feeling better & if nothing else, hungrier for my all time favorite meal. BREAKFAST!!)

 

 

Okay so I will check back in with y'all on these three goals July 22nd!

If you want to join me, shoot me an email! I would love to support eachother if these are habits you are looking to break :)

One habit I will not break is wine so stay tuned for the Sangria recipe I used this weekend!!! It was actually relatively healthy and a huge hit.

XOXO

a holiday I can guarantee you have never heard of & a little running update

Like everyone else it seems I am super pumped and slightly freaked out that it is ALREADY JULY!!!

But I cannot be sad this week because it is a hugggge holiday in our house. HUGE.

Yes, it is the Fourth of July, which I actually do love a whole lot, but somehow this year our very own family holiday falls on the day after the 4th which has our house in shambles, freezers full of food, and more than a couple of air mattresses laid out in inconvenient places (please note: I keep saying "our house" really I mean our in-laws if you are new around here, god bless their souls).

The holiday is called the WIIB (Wings + Ribs = WIIB) & originally it was created as a day to celebrate and eat the amazingness that comes from the grill master himself, Jake's dad, but it has grown into a massive party full of family and close friends. This won't do it justice but in short... it is a wonderland of lawn games, too much booze and grown adults walking around with barbecue sauce all over their face and clothes for a full 24 hours. It's ridiculous.

Anyways this fiesta (read: fiasco) even earned a trailer this year to add to the excitement...


told you it was a big deal...

please note: I am not the creative mind behind that trailer. I can't even add pictures correctly to this blog :)

as if you need anymore details, the boys of the family seriously start emails and planning for this "holiday" shortly after Christmas. Crazy.

Which brings me to a very important point...I have promised to prepare the Sangria &&& if you have a great recipe please let me know!!! I will end up posting the recipe I use and I promise to give you credit and a shout out :)

Ok and a quick running update because booze and running is how we roll around here...

I got this email the other day...

19 weeks till the big day!!?! So in response I decided I need to be honest with myself. My left hamstring hates my guts.
It has this whole spring season.
So I am laying off.

A part of me feels nervous that I will end up losing some endurance but I am cross training like a beast and I know it is the right thing to do. It's hard to be smart though, and if you are a runner or a type A freak like me you know what I mean...

Ok well have a wonderful Thursday, which for most of you is really Friday so yay! TGIF :)

XO