So What!

Late to the game, but non the less! Today i am saying SO WHAT IF...

• this will mark my third week being "sick" in some capcity
• i love the holidays but im not with the Christmas Spirit this year.
• usually i can't wait to watch my holiday favorites...and i havent yet.
• we leave Sunday for Florida for Christmas with the inlaws.
• its supposed to be snowing on Sunday.
• i dont mind traveling we do it a lot, but i am a terrible traveler while sick good luck T-Dubs
• id literally give anything to not be sick anymore
• a few more packages have arrived from family without notification.
• i opened said packages
• and didn't wrap them
• i plan on useing/wearing one on Sunday when we travel.
• i'm 100% selfish about Christmas, its my holiday.
• thats not realllllly the reason for the season
• nothing will make me feel better, and i want to eat my feelings. plus Buffalo Wild Wings would make my nose stop running.

And thats what i am saying SO WHAT to!

If I Won the Jackpot

The Jackpot is huge right now. I have never bought a lotto ticket. In my mind its never been worth my money. But in the spirit of all things blogging, this is a list of things i would do..

IF I WON THE JACKPOT - which i wont because i dont even know how to buy a ticket

Pay off our one car loan and the house we just bought. I hate debt, and was blessed to never really have much (family helped with student loans). UNTIL we needed a working car and then got this crazy notion to buy a house.

Buy a working washer. Ours was free from a friend. its older. but the hot water doesnt work in it. this doesnt even have to be new.

Pay someone else to finish the bathroom. Home ownership has been a series of one water disaster after another. And frankly I havent had the right tools for all the jobs, or the time (read: full time job, and travels too much).

 Hire a chef. food is my hang up with healthy life style. i want someone else to meal, plan, prep and shop. mkaaaythanks.

Buy my Dream Car.

Buy seasons tickets IN THE A SECTION. I am  huge Illini Basketball fan. Huge. We usually sit in the nose bleeds.

Save. Sad, but probably the most likely thing to happen. i often find Christmas money in July that I couldnt decide what to spend on back in the winter.

Give to the organization that we sponsor kids through. self explanatory.

Fly my sister to see me, Fly to see her. Fly. Fly. Fly. its a 12 hour drive back to Upstate, NY. Its doable but you waste all that time you could be hanging out.

Buy new running shoes. i bought some this fall, mistake. now i wish i had just gone to a specialty place and been fitted and spent $120. I hate spending.

Sell our house, Quit work, move to the Adirondacks! Live in the mountains.

What would you do if you won the Jackpot? Or any sum of money?

Busy is an Understatement

Busy is an understatement.

Personally, I wont sacrifice my real life for blog life. Just the way it is.

I started this blog because i was training for a 10K and got then i was injured.

Then it turned in to an outlet for grieving my injury.

Now its a jumble of things.

I'm not much of a blogger but thats ok, I only ever did this for me.

I cannot wait to get back to running regularly.

With temperatures plunging in the last few weeks, i havent run.

And for the last two weeks ive been nursing SINUS PRESSURE FROM HELL.

I have never had allergies, or sinus problems. Until this most recent year in the Midwest. No bueno. Lets just say i feel like i can't walk straight, exhausted, my head is 'buzzing' all the damn time. I gave up and hit up the doctor yesterday where i got a "you look fine" um thanks can i have my money back? Oh well. Needless to say at the gym, i hang on to the elliptical like its my life line. I tried doing month long challenge with Brew Mama and Fab Chick, yeah when i almost feel over in the gym, i said pass. But I am still going to the gym even if i've had to step it back some. I am trying better to eat right. My sister and I are going to try to loose weight by pie day (3.14). So this might turn into a weight loss story. hopefully!

We also have some friends moving back to town that i went and helped yesterday with their house. I love doing this kind of thing. And i need to work on my house. So things may take a serious back burner on the blog. It has for a while.

The loss of life in recent months has made me...reserved. But also the need to keep busy, so i can't sit idly.

So theres a little update on life. Oh, and we got an escrow check yesterday....for a lot of money... a lot. Does this happen every year? or just the first year? Hello home repairs COVERED! THANK THE LORD! (read: tile, tile saw, mortar, new fixtures, etc.)

Have a fab Thrusday, I am gonna eat right, volunteer for Meals on Wheels through my employer today, and make crepes for friends tonight.

Man, this is a busy time of year.

But look at this super cute wrapping my sister did with sheet music.

Dang she is one crafty mother effer.

FINALLLY, T-Dubs took me on a date to see Catching Fire.

I was pleasantly surprised and impressed. Notice they finally had the budget to do hoover crafts and claws to pick up the dead bodies from the arena? Nice touch.

I think they have set up the next two movies well. Not sure i am on board with the two movies. But oh well. Here is what i am 100% sure of, Books are ALWAYS better. No matter if you are Peter Jackson.

Always. how many nerdy references can i make?

One of my favorite things at the holidays is a newer tradition!

We sponsor two boys in Ethiopia and this will be our second Christmas sending them a package. We have to take our shipping box inside in order to make sure everything fits. Biggest thing we need to learn, stock up year round and dont try to shop after thanksgiving in general. the stores were crazy.

Anywho, after learning our decision to never procreate was wise (read: Toys R Us at Christmas). Our box was bursting! We wrote notes, packed it up, i filled out the customs forms and off it went. Every time i talk about our 'kids' and Ethiopia i think its time to write a series about how all of that happened. hmmmm.

Kiki musta noticed i was lazy this morning, because this happened while i was making breakfast.

Which means, i have to do the Brewmama challenge after work. BOO!

I love it when i forget..

....That my employer gives out CASH MONEY as a Christmas gift!
I dont usually post today, but then this happened.

I forget every damn year.

which is fine becuase i dont want to 'count' on that money,

plus, i am pretty sure we only get it when the institute performs well.

BOOOYA!!!!

$150 bucks is a lot of money to me.
now... spend it on me? Or shit for the house? i.e. freezer, tile, tiling tools, renting a wet saw, etc. or me = beer. :)

What do you think i should spend my money on? My cute Hubs HI BABY! Paint? Or beer?

Fitness challenge

I'm in over my head and I've only done day one!

I stalk follow Brew Mama and Fab Chick on instagram and the blog land.
And i LOVED Alicia's amazing results!

But for real? day 1 is 50 squats!? Um.... hi...... maybe 30???

I am off on my days already. I did Day 1 today.
and it sucked.
But i have the image saved from instagram and i am just gonna try to remind myself that...

pic

Well i have a million Christmas Traditions to read about today, because there is a nifty link up going on. Since I am waaaaay to into Christmas, i have already done this post, here it is!
I'll leave you with a picture of my In-Laws...

Getting back at it!

Holy Head Cold Batman!
No but really.
Last week T-Dubs was laid up with that shiznat! and then shared it with me. #worthit
So last night, i hopped up on ALL THE COLD MEDS! and called it an early night.

Its the first full night of sleep in a long time that started just before 8pm. Judge away.

Awesome sick selfie where i can barely keep my eyes open.

BUT, today i feel awesome! We FINALLY got back to the 5amclub! PRAISE THE LAWRD!

The Gym puts me in the right mindset for a good day.

I tracked everything I ate yesterday, and have today planned out well.

Trying to make good decisions.

I had ALLLLL kinds of time this morning because i didn't over sleep trying to catch up on sleep.

As i was getting dressed, i saw my already dressed T-Dubs.

Damn.

1) he will always be super sexy to me, no matter what. I'm the reacher (how i met your mother, anyone?)

2) even when he is dorky i love it, maybe more.

3) ThanksMas was a huge success this year i think!

Biggest thing that helps with our long distance families and shopping is the amazon Wish List. The fact that when you purchase stuff you can take it off of there is amazing. The only down side, is our family really needs to let each other know. And they don't always. Well we had a little mix up last night andddd i saw one of my gifts. Downside, I WANT IT NOW! Upside, i got something off my wish list. Downside, T-Dubs feels awful that he sort ruined it. Upside, it was super funny to me because he thought it was for him. Maybe even wished it was for him. :) Super funny and to me, I'll take it as a compliment. Two peas in a pod!

Recap and Another Wedding!

Our Non-Turkey day was a success in the shrimp Alfredo way! That my husband made. Bathroom remodel went about the same as its gone since August, small step forward, three back.

We also exchanged ThanksMas gifts. These are gifts that are Christmas themed and need to be used for Christmas not opened on Christmas. T-Dubs, the original crazy-cat-lady, got an awesome sweater, and i got this SWEET vinyl Exciting Christmas Stories. Winning.

Friday - I worked. Nursed a hang over and the beginnings of a cold.

Saturday - Christmas decor went up, no photos. But some awesome friends we adore got hitched. Well actually they got hitched in Florida a few weeks ago, then had a super fun reception on Saturday. So much fun! we are so excited for them!

Cake toppers done by T-Dubs and a 3D scanner and printer! - then he made dragons with their faces as a wedding gift.

laaawrd please ignore the AWFUL picture of me... beer gut!

Type writer earrings, boom box necklace and chucks for the win. BTW sneakers+dancing = winning!

I am following the blog trends and doing another So What Turkey-Day-Eve Wednesday!

Today I am saying SO WHAT IF...

• i am actually happy to not be traveling or having any plans for this Thanksgiving.
• we started Turkey-Day-Eves last night, with Blue Moon and Shiner, and i dont care
• i havent gone to the gym at all this week
• we arent even having turkey this year, shrimp Alfredo and cheddar bay biscuits, my meal at red lobster that T-Dubs is making homemade #keeper
• full on Netflix binge is expected
• no tile will be laid, hopefully backer board will go up
• there is literally nothing for me to do at work
• i was gonna play today by ear and then plan on taking friday, since most people wont be here
• then my boss announced in our meeting, that i will be the contact person on friday
• then i tried to explain i didnt have anything to do, to which the response was i could help decorate.
• my mental response was this "bitch, please! i got my own show to run!"
• today i am not very thankful for my job
• Type A personalities dont like to have their time wasted or sit idly well
• T-Dubs is getting a kick arse ThanksMas gift. deets will be on the instagram later!

And thats all i got today. Feeling a little pity party ish because i have so much more i could do at home than i could here. But alas i am grateful to have employment, benefits, a home, food, and mostly beer.

LUUURVE the Holidays!

Its no secret that I love Christmas. And I make this face when you say you don't like it or getting gifts.

As adult i attribute this to never living in the same place as a child, and Christmas being the one time we were all together and anything seemed possible. My parents and siblings. I was lucky to never have a Christmas without my military father. So here a few reasons I love Christmas, in no particular order.

Movies - with no cable or TV growing up, we had traditions of watching certain movies; Claymation Christmas, A Muppet's Christmas Carol, Home Alone, when we got older Scroodged.

Snow - I love snow. All of it. Every Christmas should be a white one.

Lights - are soooooo pretty. I say "oooooo, ahhhhh" like all the time. Havent found a good place to go see houses here yet....

Gifts - I love finding something special for someone. I also love getting something special. This is also my love language, and I struggle with a lot of guilt...post for another day. ** This is not to be confused with spending like a mad man, i get practical gifts, and i budget well.

Music - Hooray for Santa Clause, Kenny G, Straigh No Chaser, Michel Bubblely, She and Him (if you like New Girl get this album right MEOW!), Vince Guaraldi (peanuts xmas movie guy), Glee, Alabama Christmas, Statler Brothers, Frank Sinatra, and more than i can think of right now. All the billboard ones!

Decorations - THANK YOU Pinterest. Not that any of these are ever put into practice.

Food - rolos, reeses bells, butterfinger bells, homemade cookies, fudge other snacks, dinner, all. the. foods.

Family - yeah its cheesy. My parents always made us kids feel like the unbelievable could happen on Christmas Eve. Not to say that we were spoiled, because all 3 of us kids grew up thinking we were poor (ends up we werent my folks are just frugal). but it made Christmas all that much more special.

My brother is much older, he went off to college while we lived over seas. Christmas was so sad (for 9 year old me). I remember wishing and praying that he could come home. Welp, on Christmas Eve my big brother walked through the door of our apartment. Anything can happen on Christmas.

L-R: me, t-dubs, schsister

This is our awkward family photo from 3 years ago. T-Dubs and schsister often don't sleep on Christmas Eve and start demanding getting up around 4 am, I usually insist on waiting until 5. This is after hours of movie watching.

And those are a few reasons i love the holidays! Why do you love the holidays? What traditions do you have?

Five On Monday?

I love reading the Five on Fridays.
I think it is so neat and fun.
And just a great way to see people's personalities.

I usually dont get to them on Friday and therefore to me, Five on Friday means = "everyones five on friday for mondays"
Its actually very refreshing to read them on Monday morning!

And as i was sipping coffee and pretending to work this morning, i thought about how Five on Monday would look....

So heres my "Five on Monday"
1. Gone with the Wind - Ashton, ALWAYS makes me laugh the most on Mondays.
2. its Monday.
3. coffee.
4. ...
5. shut your face hole!

and there friends is why there is no "Five on Monday" plus it doesn't have a nice ring to it.

Highlight of my day, my True Oldies Channel on the radio is now ALLLLL CHRISTMAS! SOOO APPY!

The Non Post

Pretty sure my work got smart and I can't use blogger now.

Welp I had nothing for today anyways! 

A local friend had a wonderful surprise for a group of us lastnight, they are expecting and it was so happy and exciting!

We are elated for them, plus their 14 month old daughter is awesome! So we have great expectations :)

But today is game day! Beat Chiacgo State! Wearing my orange and blue at work! And a friend who's got access to good seats is taking me!

Have a great weekend!! Enjoy and don't stress too much about thanksgiving plans! Think of my bathroom :) MUHA!

The Things That Didn't Happen

Sooooooo i had some lofty goals yesterday.

A few things DID Happen:

• It rained/hailed when i left work
• I did get to Home Depotty to buy some Studs for the walls
• T-Dubs said he does, in fact, want to do something fun on Thanksgiving, not our bathroom
• I ate ice cream
• T-Dubs hairs got cut. damn, blogger fail, i should have done a before and after.

Here's what Didn't Happen:

• I didn't run. truth gun to my head: i wasn't even going to and then i went to car and rain/hail.
• The purchased Studs, only made it out of the back of the Prius, no further. No shower progress
• A two a day at the Y because of the weather
• Stretching. - my hammies are killin me from all the squatting in body pump.
• Laundry. self explanatory
• Coloring my GRAY HAIR.

Honestly, I am stressed about the bathroom and I am tried of sucking at it. My legs are currently sitting on a heated rice pad under me at work. ouchie. I don't cook. The long list of home repairs has my mental state with grocery shopping and meal prepping through the roof. This will be our first Thanksgiving in our home, and I was hoping to be tiling. Instead I think, I'll get hammer drunk while hubs makes me fancy dinner. Then go to work hung over. *heavy sarcasm: I am a drinker, but i don't get drunkenMCswirveandcrash. Just calling it like I see it today.

Gifford, Illinois was damaged by tornado's on Sunday. They are calling for skilled laborers tomorrow. I am skilled - sort of. This city is in my county. This is my home. I need to do a post on homes. This is the longest i have ever lived anywhere in my entire life. This is my home, and my community, and so i feel apart of that, even though i didn't grow up here. I hope I get some guidance on what steps i need to take personally.

That's all! Some deep thoughts today! Sorry i know I'm all over the place.

Monday blerg

Monday monday. la la laaaa.

Ok here is the deal, i gots things happening in life in general.

I used to blog from work. and its getting harder to do.

So don't expect a blog 5 days a week anymore. Probably not going to do Mondays and I might be skipping friday. I will try to blog at least 3 days during the week.

I love reading blogs, and often feel as though this project is wordvomit!

But sometimes i enjoy it, other times i feel like i repeat a lot.

So i dont want to write if there isnt anything to write about, or if im busy living!

I dont want to be stuck to my computer when i should be living life!

Re-cap real quick:

Punky stayed with us for one night, she was very sad, and anxious the whole time.

i love her she is such a great dog. T-dubs not so much on board with this.

He was stressed. I feel awful about that now.

Guess i should have done more, said more, taken more care of things.

I got an awesome run in after work on Friday.

The weather here was AWESOME!

I speed up a bit, and increased my distance a tad.

i LOVE LOVE LOVE running in my old neighborhood. (i miss it)

it was great weather and a great run.

one of the best i've had in a long time.

Bathroom update to come later this week!

Peace out, hookas!

Friday Friday

TGIF!
Sooooooo happy its the weekend time. Granted Ill be busting out the bathroom all weekend and puppy sitting.

Got a run in again on Wednesday after work

I am hoping this whole, i take a half hour lunch, and my boss lets me leave a half hour early to go run continues to work out.

I really love running near my job, as apposed to my home, where I'm just not into the neighborhood yet.

I also did all of my training last year here near my work, because i lived a short walk away.

so its nostalgic and familiar.

Wednesday: Farthest I've gone since injured.

Happy, very happy.

No pain. which is excellent.

feel really REALLY out of shape.

But, all that lifting must have worked because no charlie horses, no sore legs, tight muscles, etc.
and here i thought i was spinning my wheels for 6 months.

We skipped on Body Pump this morning. I was disappointed.
I was also nursing a food-hangover - see: pizza, ice cream samiches, and cake
but we can go tomorrow so here is hoping to we go ahead and go.

This also let me experiment with trying to straigthen my hair post shower pre work.
a little frumpy but im happy with it. might have to be better on my time in the mornings so i can always do this.
good grief, dye your hair already?amirght!

how do you take a selfie without man hands? I think all my mirrors are too tiny.

Also i need to find the scale at the gym, i have no idea what i weigh, and i need to start getting myself in check a bit here.

Home improvement goals

Soooooo I am a big procrastinator on this bathroom ordeal.

So the tile was failing and water was in the walls (coming in through the ceiling down stairs).

This was August.

I think I'm terrified to Tile without the help of my dad (who lives in PA).

But several people have told me i can mess it up and have to do it over 3 times for the cost to pay someone.

so here is the status update:

First row of felt on, sealant around tub.

GOALS!

1. Clean tub edge
2. Last row of Felt up
3. Buy Backer Board
4. Maybe start mounting the backer board?

I thought maybe if i started posting about it, i would feel like i actually had to follow through on it.

Heres to hoping that works and i get my ass in gear.

I would love to be tiling by next weekend or thanksgiving week.

We don't have plans for thanksgiving this year as we have been traveling for waaaay to much this fall.

In other home improvement news:

• we did buy a shelf to hide our kitty litter
• got a free credenza
• bought paint primer on sale and Sherwin Williams
• finished unpacking boxes and now have two rooms towering with boxes.
• cleaned out the unfinished space under the stairs, plans: buy some cheap paneling/sheets of wood/drywall and close it in, in order to use it as a secondary closet of some kind.

Thats all i got. think my plate is pretty full with the bathroom i can't committ to finish! Fingers crossed!

5 am slump

I missed 5amclub again.

Hate myself for snoozing it and sleeping.

I'm just so tired.
So i packed my running gear and took it to work. And Body Pump has a class at 430 and 535.
i loathe going alone though.

Then I got this message after I got to work this morning, from T-Dubs.

I died laughing in my office.

I found it hilarious!

I ran less than 2 miles yesterday, sucking.

Truth Gun to my head: I'm in a rut I have been since April.

Just being real, here

So I packed clothes today to run from work, been debating trying it out on lunch.

It's 18 degrees right now.

Yeaaaaaa.....

Oh well. I needed to hit the gym this morning for another BodyPump class. An it didn't happen so here is to Friday making that happen.

My blog Friend Alicia asked for a pic, so here it is!

My hair didn't turn out great this morning. 

I'll try to take a shameless selfie on a good hair day!

Chop chop

this happened...

Here are my before and afters:

Before

After!

In case you are wondering, i love it.
It was time.
I also wish it was straight naturally (grass is always greener, amiright!?)
Check out that grey on the part! DAMN! HEY LADY NEED SOME HELP CROSSING THE STREET?
Gosh.

Well my sister might have been equally as excited as my hair dresser. Seriously, they had way too much fun.
My sister also texted me at 7:30 am on Saturday (not cool. ever.)
She also wanted to know what it looked like curly, thats why she got this.
i am a super light sleeper so my ass was up then.

i laughed a lot. when i got her photo back.

Thats me top right with dime eyes and coke bottle glasses.

Whatcha think? (be nice)

Need to see it curly?

To cut my hair or not to cut my hair

To cut

Or not to cut?

 

Shamless selfie in the car yesterday.

Its long and goregoues, and a serious pain in the butt to maintain.

Cons:

• takes forever to do
• never dries fully
• no longer stays up in ponytail/bun/anything at the gym
• my gray/white is coming in so vicously i have to get it done every 4 weeks ($100)
• im poor enough

Pros:

• damn, its pretty looking.
• its really pretty.
• i love tri color, and i hate box coloring ($4)
• but it will make me $96 richer every month
• its so pretty.
• T-Dubs tells me how pretty it is.

please dont take this as im being big headed, i dont think i have any pretty features. At all. That being said, im really only happy with the hair for about two weeks becuase then the gray/white comes in with force. Hence the car photo so you cant see it on my part.

Here are some thoughts i have had:

Used furniture

What's your take on used furniture?

I've found every living room couch set from Craigslist for every place we've live (3 apartments and 1 house)

And made money or broke even.

We have this huge house and not enough shelves or book cases...
Or furniture to fill it right now.

Additionally I hate having the cat litter out and I'm trying to find a way to hide it, thanks Pinterest.

We have an excellent Craigslist in a University community and close proximity to Chicago.

But we also have a Habitat Restore.

With this restore you have to be a frequent flyer to get something real good.

Props to the SAHMs that can pull that off. its awesome.

I want to be a SAHW - stay.at.home.wife. kthanks!

With the bathroom shower still looming over me (who wants to come help!)

I dont feel like im allowed to ENJOY going and finding cool old bookcases.

these are awesome. not entirely sure they will work for us.

but i feel guilty about my need to 'nest' a bit

when our main bath looks like a war zone.

I pick up T-Dubs from work tonight and we are either buying, bookcases, shelves to hide the kitty litter, a desk, or a filing cabinet, or all of thee above.

Back at 5amclub

aaaaaaaannnnnddddd

imback!

3-4 weeks out of habit. booooo.

Me post gym/breakfast with T-Dubs mug for some coffee.

Beeteedubs, Dunkin Pumpkin Spiced coffee + Coffee Mate Pumpkin creamer = ahhhhsome!

Sooooo I am back at it.

I need to start tracking shootmenow

I need to not have a second bowl of pasta.

I had a bad moment last night trying on a bunch of hand me downs, 14s, none fit.

BUT instead of stuffing my face i got to bed early and hit the gym.

Today its raining but i packed my running gear anyways.

Running is the best therapy and always makes me feel awesome.

Plus, so abs this morning.

Got a good ab workout? or reps? Let me know! I am looking to BURN.

In other news, i have been gone 5 weekends in a row, and i am back up to my starting weight. boooo frickedy boo!

New day. better choices. Moderation!

We put over 3,000 miles on our Prius. Its an ok car, we travel so it really meets our needs.

BUT I CANNOT STAND THIS DUMB ASS ALARM!

I cant ever set anything in the set because the car beeps.

It is weight sensitive!

JUST SHUT OFF!

Sometimes my bag/purse sets it off.

grrrrrrrrr i hate you sometimes prius.

wheres my jeep?...