Oh Snap!

Its no secret I love photography.  I've always had an interest in it, but my desire to document every day memories was thrown into overdrive the moment I had my daughter.  In fact, three days after she was born we decided we needed a new camera to document her life.  Her first outing was to the camera department at Best Buy!  :)

Had I known then, what I know now...I would have sucked it up and bought an entry level DSLR.  We didn't know what we were doing, had no idea the difference between cameras at all.  So we plunked down a pretty penny for the top of the line Canon point & shoot.  Never mind we could have bought an entry level DSLR for the same price.  Oh well...live and learn! 

Two years later I bought my first DSLR...a shiny new Canon Rebel XSi.  From the day I started researching that camera, I knew it wasn't really the camera I wanted.  I thought I would at least get it, learn it and then upgrade eventually. 

Two years after that I sold it and bought a used Canon 40D.  Though I still was not in love with that camera, I knew it offered more and it was an upgrade.  Just not really the upgrade I wanted.

A year later...I bought a used Canon 5d mark I (some people call it the 5d Classic).  Finally, I am 100% content and happy with my camera.  I love it!  I really do!  I should have just found one three years previous!  Again, live and learn!  :)  Its a full frame, and although its considered "old technology" its plenty for me.  I can't justify anything fancier until (and if) I make money off my photography.  So for now, I am tickled pink with it!

Lens on the other hand...well lets just say I have a wish list!

Anyway, I have had a lot of opportunities to grow in my photography lately and I am loving it.  Over the weekend I decided to set up a small studio in my basement so that I can continue to experiment and learn.  In the winter, my camera tends to sit on the shelf far more than it should...but not this year!  Now I have a place to shoot in my house!  Luckily I have an easy subject to shoot too!

Anyway, for the backdrop I was inspired by this post by Dandelions on the Wall. 

I added a curtain from Target, some remnant vinyl flooring and some rubber millwork base.  I still need to add some lighting.

Even with a cheap set up and next to no lighting, I got a pretty decent photo!

 

We were inspired by some photographs on Pinterest to get this shot - and I love how it turned out!

 

 

count your blessings

When a special person walks out of your life and you have nobody to blame but yourself...well its a hard pill to swallow.  Take time to acknowledge those special people in your life.  Remember how important they are to you.  Don't take them for granted.  If you can't imagine your life without that special friend, then don't take it for granted that they will always be there.  Be careful and thoughtfull of all your words and actions with everybody you care about.  Don't assume unconditional love and friendship will always be there no matter how you treat a person.

Its a sad, lonely feeling to know you single handedly destroyed a special relationship.

Week 7: If I could turn back time...

I try to live with my life with no regret, and I would say I have been pretty successful at it.  For the most part I am happy where I am.  Would I like to make things better, sure...who wouldn't?!  But really, life is pretty darn good!

However, if I had the opportunity to turn back time, there are two things I would probably change. 

First off I would not have gotten out of the military when I did.  I often wonder how life would have turned out if I would have reenlisted and made it a career.  Now that I am older and wiser, I know career wise and retirement wise it would have been a good thing.  Although I really do love living in beautiful Colorado, I have built up a great network of friends and colleagues and genuinely love the climate 90% of the time!  I think staying here and not moving multiple times actually suits us better, but still its fun to wonder what might have been had we both stayed in!

Second, I would have had a second child somewhat close in age to Morgan.  That's easy to say, but for us we might have tried and tried and never ben successful.  We struggled for a long time to get pregnant with Morgan.  I suffered two miscarriages, one before her, one after her.  We were told we could not get pregnant at all.  Once we had her, we decided that science isn't always right, so we opted for protection for the first year.  Maybe we shouldn't have.  We started trying again when she turned 1.  For a year we tried.  Right after she turned 2yrs old we had another miscarriage and decided that was the end of the road of trying to conceive for us.  Just too much heartache and worry to deal with.  We had our beautiful blessing we prayed so hard for, it was time to turn the page on that chapter.  But I often wonder what it would be like to have two children.  I wonder what Morgan would be like as a big sister.  I wonder what another child of ours would look like.  Should we have kept trying?  Should we have tried right away after we had Morgan.  Who knows.  And really, I love our little family.  I love the dynamics, I love the one on one time, I love the quietness of one child.  Sure she can be loud and crazy at times...but man the neighbors across the street with 4 small children never get the quiet that we get!  :)

So there you have it...what I would change if I could turn back time!      

ten on tuesday

1.  Okay, its not really Tuesday.  But I meant to post this yesterday, that has to count for something! 

2.  Life has been crazy busy all the sudden.  We are getting ready for school to start, trying to get back into a routine.

3.  Morgan is attending a Girl Scout day camp this week and the theme is dancing.  She is loving it!  I can't wait to see the performance at the end of the week!

4.  I love watching Extreme Weightloss.  Such amazing stories each week!

5.  I did it.  I joined the Lean Eating program that I mentioned that week.  I am committed to making this an EPIC year.  I hope to see some serious changes to my body and health in the next year!  Stay tuned!

6.  I had a powerful lesson lately.  I'm not gonna go into the specifics right now, but lets just say...that old saying "don't judge a book by its cover" is so very true.  Once you get to know somebody you might be totally surprised!

7.  The government furlough stinks!  I should be running a 5k race this weekend, the same one I have every August for 3 years.  But I had to skip it this year.  We just can't justify the extra expenses.  Losing $1200 a month for three months stinks!

8.  I've spent the morning planning for this coming girl scout year for our troop.  Can't believe its already time to start thinking about that!

9.  I want to re-do our bedroom...as soon as the furlough is done!  So in October I plan to buy a new bedroom set and no bedding, curtains...the whole 9 yards.  I need some good ideas though.  Help me out!

10.  If you follow me on Pinterest, you might see a lot of Elf On The Shelf pins lately!  Yes, getting ready for that as well.  Next thing you know its doing to be December!

Week 6: If I could be anything in the world..

Darn it!  Late again!



If I could be anything in the world...

I have thought about this question a bit.  Its actually kind of a hard one!  I often say I am unhappy with my job, or that life didn't quite turn out the way I dreamed.  But the more I think about it, I don't think I would have it any other way.  Life is pretty good right now, and I am pretty happy with where I am.

Although, if I could be a SAHM I would be.  I know what you are thinking.  I could be a SAHM if I really wanted to be.  But our lifestyle would change so drastically.  And that's not what I want.  I would want to have the means to be a SAHM with the lifestyle we have now.  I don't want to sit at home all day long because we have to, because we have no money.  I want to be able to get up and go to the gym early before Morgan gets up, to take care of myself and my spirit.  I want to be able to have a membership to a pool, to travel to Denver to see friends at the drop of the hat, to make big lavish meals and bake whenever we want. 

So I guess my ultimate dream for right now would be to be a SAHM, with enough money in the bank to not have t worry about anything, to be able to do whatever we want.

Just because that's my dream right now, doesn't mean it will always be.  And to be honest its more of a pipe dream than any dream I would actually try to work towards.  Its just nice to day dream sometimes!

ten on tuesday

1.  I did it!  I committed to the Precision Nutrition Lean Eating Program!  I have wanted to do it for a couple years now, and finally decided to do it.  I hope to have EPIC results at the end of the year end program! 

 

2.  My friend Sean, otherwise known as the averagesupermom wrote a post about all her cardigans.  I happen to have a ton too, so every time I wear one or buy one I think of her!  This weekend, I bought another one!

 

3.  Speaking of my new cardigan...it was also my first ever Ann Taylor purchase!  I'm cheap, and up until a few years ago I was always over weight.  I never wanted to invest in expensive clothes because I didn't want to be that size for long, and I didn't really feel like wearing beautiful clothes when I felt like I wasn't all that beautiful.  So, this weekend while at an outlet mall, I stumbled on some amazing deals at the Ann Taylor store.  I love their clothes!  And they seem to run kinda big, which means I fit a size small comfortably!  Once I realized that, I had to buy something!!  So I added yet another cardigan to my stash!  A cute beige short sleeve one, with a racy little animal print tank to go under it!

 

4.  I have struggled with migraines for years.  In fact I was almost kicked out of the Air Force because of them.  The past couple years I found a prescription that works for them, and have been able to manage them.  For some reason the past 4 weeks I have been getting them bad and they are nasty.  I had one this morning and one yesterday morning.  I'm really hoping its just a phase.  I'm tired of them!

 

5.  We had an awesome water fight in front of our house this evening.  All the kids on the street were out, the girls were on our driveway, the boys were across the street.  A few moms even joined in the fun!  Summer time is so much fun!

 

6.  Pink lemonade "tea" parties are a regular occurrence in our backyard now.  All the girls love the new playhouse!

 

7.  Am I the only one that doesn't love small kids birthday parties?  We have four of them to go to this weekend.  I don't mind them when I know some of the parents, but they are down right painful when I don't know anybody!  3 of the 4 might be a little painful...I know the parents throwing the parties but nobody else.  Ugh! 

 

8.  A friend of mine shared this video of his friend's first dance at their wedding.  So fun!

 

9.  I finally got caught up on all the Nashville episodes from last season.  I am really loving that show.  Can't wait for the new season to start!

 

10.  School starts in 2 and a half weeks!  I can't believe it!  I don't want summer to come to an end just yet!     

Week 5: If I won the lottery

 

 

Week 5: If I won the lottery:

 

I like this dream!

 

I'd quit my job. If I won the lottery, I would quit my job right away.  Without a doubt.  Most likely the hubby would stay working, or maybe transition to something he likes better.  But I would quit my job without giving it a second thought.  I would volunteer more than I already do.  I would take Morgan to school and pick her up.  I would make a nice home cooked meal every night.  And I would do things that make me happy!

 

I'd go on vacation.  It would become a priority to travel a lot.  We want to go to Ireland, San Diego, Portland, Canada...and I am sure we would add many more locations in the years to come!

 

Buy a second house in Florida. Maybe not on the beach, because lets face it...hurricanes suck!  But I would buy a house in my hometown.  I would make it our second home, to visit whenever we wanted, but mostly to spend time down there in the winter.  Even with the hubby working, we would be able to take lots of long weekends and holidays there because he has gobs of time off with his current job!

 

I'd sell our house and buy something bigger and nicer.  I don't mind our house.  But if we could buy something else a little bigger, a little nicer, a little bit more "us"...then I would do it!  A bigger, awesome kitchen...a beautifully landscaped yard...an exercise room...a large laundry room and mud room...a bonus rooms for crafts...a man cave...oh and a cleaning lady every other week to keep it all clean!  :)

 

Donate to charity.  Everybody says this...but I really would.  A Lot!

 

Adopt a child.  I would love to adopt.  Morgan would love to have a sibling.

 

 

Week 4: My Biggest Weakness

I'm a little late...okay, four days late...

Oh well, better late than never!

 

The theme for this week's edition of

52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose is "My Biggest Weakness".

 

This is a hard one for me.  I could sugar coat it and say something silly like chocolate.  But if I am going to be "blogging with a purpose", I might as well be honest.  I have two big weaknesses that I struggle with constantly.

 

The first is my anger.  Oh man do I have a sharp temper.  Most the time I am pretty happy go lucky and laid back.  But, I can get fired up so fast...about the stupidest things.  Its something I have always struggled with.  Its something I try to improve, but I struggle with it for sure.  I have ZERO patience, and that always gets the best of me.  Luckily, I am very patient with my daughter and always have been.  I'm not sure why that is, but I am very thankful for it. 

 

The other weakness is food.  I don't know how to put it any other way.  I like to eat.  I like food.  I like bad food.  And I like eating unhealthy amounts of food.  I have managed to lose a good deal of weight the past two years.  In total I am 65lbs lighter than the day I gave birth to Morgan six years ago.  Keep in mind, I only gained 18lbs when I was pregnant.  I couldn't blame my weight on baby and pregnancy.  I have the exercise part figured out, and I have managed to control my eating for the most part.  But its a constantly struggle.  I am constantly wanting to eat, constantly making poor choices, and constantly hard on myself for it. 

 

I'm afraid there are no easy "quick fix" cures for either of my weaknesses...just something I have to constantly be mindful of, and constantly try to improve on.  But thats the spice of life I guess.  Nobody is perfect...we all have little irritating things about us that need some work.   

 

So there you have it...the down and dirty on my weaknesses. 

Whats On My DVR

 

The past few years my TV viewing habits have evolved quite a bit.  Prior to having Morgan, I watched every popular show, had all sorts of things recording each week and was a classic couch potato.  But once Miss Morgan arrived, I started watching kids programming only.  I tried to squeeze in my shows at night after she went to bed, but it got harder and hard to keep up with them.  Then I took up working out, and that was pretty much the end of watching TV for me.

 

Now days, I record things with the hopes of watching them.  I do get around to it, eventually!  It just takes a while!

 

For instance...

 

1) Nashville - I have all of the episodes of Nashville that aired from January till the end of the season in May sitting on my DVR waiting to be watched.  The only reason the first half of the season isn't on there is because I had a couple of quiet evenings around Christmas that I was able to catch up on them while Morgan was asleep.

 

2) Parenthood - Again, more episodes than I care to admit that are waiting for me to watch.  I figure, at this point I might as well wait to watch them till the fall season starts.  That way I don't have to get totally engrossed in them, and then have to wait for more!  :)

 

3) The rest is kids programming.

 

That's it.  That's all I have.  Because that's all I have time for!  I used to love Grey's Anatomy, but haven't watched it for 2 years.  Same with Private Practice.

 

Morgan and I do watch a couple of shows together though:

 

- Extreme Weightloss

- Amazing Race

- Biggest Loser

- The Voice

- Big Brother

- House Hunters

 

I love it that we can enjoy some shows together...that aren't cartoons!

 

So, what's on your DVR?

ten on tuesday

1. I'm mourning the death of Google Reader.  I knew it was coming.  I planned to find a replacement.  I poked around a little bit.  I think I was in disbelief.  July 1st rolled around and I logged into Google Reader just like any other day and read all the new blog posts that I follow.  I logged in again today...no more Google Reader.  :(  I tried my Feedly app that I installed a couple weeks ago on my tablet and got an error that it was overloaded.  Not a good sign.  I need to find a good alternative fast!

2. I'm kicking around the idea of breaking up with my gym.  We have been tight for over two years.  The day I toured it, I fell in love instantly.  I thought we were in for a very long relationship.  I got up early every week day morning to go to the gym.  I was hardcore devoted...for almost 2 years anyway.  The past year I have slacked big time.  I'm just not feeling it anymore.  Ugh!  So for now we are on a break.  Its a pricey place, and the idea of having all that money is sounding very nice. 

3.  Morgan and I did a photo scavenger hunt yesterday on Instagram!  We had so much fun that I decided we should do the big one with Clickin Moms too!

4.  I'm taking a month long class at Big Picture Classes called The Phone Photography Project and the first fun challenge was to take a picture with the theme "From Where I Stand", so I took a picture of my feet at work, looking at tile with a designer.  You are welcome to follow me on Instagram if you would like..to see all the challenges this month!

5.  I have already learned about a few new apps thanks to that class...I downloaded Photoshop Express, PicFrame and the SmugMug app this morning to play around with!

6.  I am seriously considering joining the Lean Eating Coaching Program for Women from Precision Nutrition on July 18th.  I know I just said I am on a break with my gym...but maybe this is the jumpstart that I need.  From what I have read, I don't even need a gym to do it.  If I do it, I plan to track my progress along the way here!

7.  Why is it so hard to find an awesome backsplash?  I have searched high and low and just can't seem to find the right one.  I don't want anything too ornate, or too industrial and funky.  So for now, I just have paint on my backsplash!

8.  We officially have 4.5 weeks till school starts.  That's crazy!  It seems like summer just started!

9.  Do you like Pampered Chef?  If so, you should check out their Outlet Sale going on right now.  I am not a consultant, just a cook that loves a good product!  I scored some awesome deals too!   

10.  It was just announced this morning that Fireworks are back for the 4th of July in Colorado Springs and we couldn't be more excited!  The ban was lifted thanks to all the rain we have gotten recently.  We haven't had fireworks for a few years now, so it will be a nice treat! 

Week 3: My Life 5 Years From Now

Hi There!

 

Its Week 3 of 52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose, and the

theme for this week is "My Life 5 Years From Now.

 

That's a tough one for me, because I don't really know what I want to be when I grow up or which direction I want to take my life. 

 

On one hand, I would like to be working less and have more time to devote to my daughter and her activities.  But on the other hand, if I am working, I would like to have more of a leadership role in whatever I am doing.  Yes, I realize those two things don't really line up together that well. 

A girl's gotta dream though, right!

 

I hope I am still in shape.  I hope I am in rockin' a better body in my 40s than I was in my 20s.  I have been able to pull it off so far in my 30s, so here's hoping! 

 

I hope I finally run the Bolder Boulder 10K, that has been on my bucket list for the past 3 years.

 

Yikes, I just realized I will be almost 42 in 5 years.  Gosh that sounds old!

 

Anyway, in 5 years I would like to have less debt and more money.

 

I would like to have all my home projects done...heck maybe even be moved into an even nicer home that doesn't have any projects that need to be done!  :)

 

If I'm really dreaming, then I would like to be an established photographer by then.  But I gotta put in the time and effort to do that, and right now I just don't see that happening.  Maybe someday.  Though I guess that being a photographer might work with my first goal of working less and having a leadership role.  Hmmm....might have to pursue that a little bit harder! 

 

In 5 years, Morgan will be just about to turn 11 yrs old.  Wow.  That sounds old!  She will be starting middle school, which kind of scares me.  Though luckily our school is K-8th, so middle school there is a lot less stressful and scary than a true traditional middle school...at least for Mom anyway! 

 

I hope I have a great relationship with her, and can be her rock as she works her way through the teen years and beyond. 

 

Well there you have it, a glimpse into what I hope is my view of the world in 5 years. 

 

ten on tuesday

1.  Remember yesterday when I said that I love flipflops and I have them on any chance I can get.  Yep...I proved that this morning.  Just as I pulled into the parking lot at work I realized I had flipflops on.  I freaking forgot to change my shoes before I left the house.  Normally I start my day at the gym so that never would have happened, but last night we let Morgan have a sleepover in her playhouse with the girls that live next door...so I was all sorts of out of whack.  I got dressed and ready before they woke up, so I slipped on my flipflops to make a few trips back and forth in the yard serving donuts and milk.  Problem is, I never slipped them back off.  I got the girls situated and off I went out the door! 

2.  Kohls does not have a good selection of plain black flats, or many choices in the "I'm in a pinch, I need cheap shoes" range.  I should have gone to Payless instead!  But I am now sporting a new pair of black flats.

3.  A bit of advice for those of you with kids.  Don't get suckered into having a sleepover during the week.  We slept all night just fine, never heard a peep from the girls...but the morning was craziness!  They had fun though, and that's all that matters! 

4.  I am seriously slacking on my school work.  I am currently working on my MBA from Western Governors University.  I tore through the first 2 classes like nobody's business.  Now I am working on the third, and well...lets just say that using the word "working" was a bit of an exaggeration.  I don't know if its because I am already losing motivation, or if its because the summer is just too busy to throw in online classes on top of the mix. 

5.  This year for Morgan's 6th birthday, we decided to really rock her world and get her a playhouse.  I shopped around for them for quite a while and couldn't find exactly what I wanted in my price range.  Most things were so small, I knew she would grow out of them way too fast.  The big ones that I loved were way out of my price range.  So I kept brainstorming...until I finally scored the most adorable little mansion of a playhouse!  I found it on craigslist.  A nice older couple had it in their backyard for their grandkids.  They had it 7 years and it was in top notch condition.  Their grandkids are teens now and have no interest in it, so they decided it was time to sell it.  Lucky me...I jumped on it!  I bought it for close to the price of those small playhouses,  paid a fraction of what it was new...and it will last her for many years.  Heck I even think it might be fun for a young teenager to hang out in! 

 

6.  I loved the baby and toddler years with Morgan, and I miss them dearly. But this age is pretty darn fun too!  It makes me wish I had summer break! 

 

7.  The fires in Colorado are out of control this year.  We had one practically in our backyard two weeks ago and there are more burning all over the state.  Most nights the smoke is so thick, it smells like a campfire.  It makes my eyes burn and I have had more headaches in the past two weeks than I have the rest of the year.  As much as I love summer, we need a seriously snowy winter next year and we need rain starting now. 

 

8.  I have a constant "To Do" list running in my head.  It seems like just as I cross something off the list, I end up adding three more things.  There is not enough time in the day!

 

9.  Do you ever notice that sometimes you open your mouth and your mom or dad comes out!  I swore I wasn't going to be like them, and I think for the most part I am not...but sometimes I say things that sound just like them!  :)

 

10.  I need a good book to read this weekend at the pool.  We have skipped the pool for two weekends in a row...one because of the fires and air quality and one because we had to put that massive mansion playhouse together!  I will be at the pool this weekend, and that's all there is to it! 

 

Have a good week!



Week 2: 10 Things I Live For

Time for another installment of 52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose


The theme for this week is "10 Things I Live For"

1) My daughters smile and snuggles - I absolutely live for my daughter, for smiles and snuggles from her.  I look forward to being with her every day, I miss her dearly when I am not with her and I count the moments till work is over each afternoon so I can see her again.  Often I feel so guilty just for going to the gym in the morning before work, because its time missed with my daughter.  The moments go so quickly.  I blink and she is already almost 6yrs old.  I want to bottle this time up and savor it longer.  I love each age and stage, but I miss all the previous ones as well.

2) The beach - Oh do I love the beach.  I'm a Florida girl living in Colorado!  My heart is in Florida for sure.  I lived there for 5 years, from age 13-18...but I consider it home.  Its where my dad lives and its where my heart longs for.  Even though it was a relatively short time in my life, it was a very memorable period where I formed great friendships and began to figure out who I was.  I met my husband there as well!  When we go back home for a visit we spend as much time as possible at the beach.  An hour first thing in the morning, a walk after dinner...any time we can get!

3) A nap on the porch - We just recently built a deck on our house.  In the process, we bought some deck furniture, including a loveseat.  My new found love is a quick afternoon nap while reading a book on the loveseat...with the kids laughing and playing in the pool next door for background music. 

4) The best seat in the world - I guess this one kinda goes along with my love for the beach.  My dad lives in Florida.  He has this awesome house that sits on a little lake.  From the front door, you can look all the way through the house, through these huge ceiling to floor windows, past the pool, to the lake.  Out on the porch by the pool he has this swing that is so awesome to sit in.  Its made of rope with a small wood frame and it has a foot rest.  It seats two people, which means you can stretch out on it when you sit on it alone.  Everybody fights for the chair.  Its the most peaceful place on earth...next to the beach.  Its also a place that frequently includes a nap!  With that seat and the beach just 2 miles away, who needs a vacation.  I live for my visits home!

5) A lazy day at the pool - Since I have already established how much of an outdoor, summer lovin' girl I am...of course the pool is my next favorite place to be!  When Morgan was born, it was important to me that she learn to swim, so she was in swim lessons very early on.  As she got older, I began to feel sad that she wouldn't grow up around the water like I did.  This town does not offer a lot of pools or community centers, so we decided to join the ultra luxurious gym down the street that is really more of a country club in a lot of ways.  It is nicer than any gym I have ever been to and its incredibly family friendly.  We spend many hours there each week during the entire year, but nothing is more enjoyable then spending the weekends at the outdoor pool in the summer.  We get there early to claim our spots and we have fun the entire day. We know lots of people that go there, so Morgan always has friends to play with.  I love to swim with her, lay in the sun and read or just gab with the ladies.  All winter long we look forward to it.  And summers always go far too fast!   

6) Sushi - My favorite!  I was introduced to it about 2 years ago.  Prior to that, I swore I would never eat raw fish.  I love fish, but I always thought raw fish sounded so gross!  A good friend finally talked me into trying it, and I love it now!  Yum!  One of my favorite little treats!

7) Time with family - Obviously time with family is high on the priorities.  I love it.  I live for it.  'Nuff said!

8) Chocolate covered...anything! - I love chocolate covered cherries at Christmas time.  I used to eat them all season long.  But now that I have adapted a healthier lifestyle with more fitness and "clean" food, and less junk food I don't eat them much anymore.  In fact, I am lucky if I even buy a box during the holiday season these days.  I love chocolate covered strawberries too, and heck...anything with chocolate on it to be honest.  I don't eat any of it often, but every once in a while, specially at Valentine's day...I give in and have a little!  Yum!

9) Flip flops - There is a sign that says "Life Is Better In Flip Flops".  I believe that to be true!  I wear them year round...yes even in Colorado.  My only requirement is that there is no snow on the ground.  I also do not wear them to work.  But if I am not at work and its not snowing out...its a pretty safe bet that I have them on.  Of course if I am working out I wear sneakers...otherwise, flipflops are the "cats meow" in my book!

10) Working out - Wow, that's one I never thought I would say prior to two years ago.  I often heard people say they loved working out, but I never understood it or believed it.  Something changed in me just over two years ago.  I started working out and I loved it, I craved it.  I work out every weekday morning at the crack of dawn.  Yes that's right, my alarm clock is set for 4:24am.  I am typically pulling into the parking lot at the gym around 5:10am.  Believe it or not, I have lots of company too.  The parking lots is busy, the workout classes are packed and the weight room is full.  I run now, I have completed 6 races in total...one was a 10K, the others 5ks.  I don't know what it was that changed, but I love it!  Its the only "me time" I get all day!

Well there you have it...10 things that I love for. 

Sexy Legs...part one

I've been on a quest for sexy legs lately...a quest involving an IV, a laser and a scalpel.

Yep thats right!

I had some nasty varicose veins on my upper thigh.  I don't remember if I had them before I got pregnant, which makes me think I probably didn't!  But man oh man they sure popped out after pregnancy!  I hated them. 

I had not owned shorts for 14 years.  Mostly because of my weight, but after I lost the weight over the past 2 years, I still refused to wear shorts because of the ugly blue bumps on my left thigh and under my left knee.  At the pool I always covered up with a towel if I left my seat.  I'm not sure how many people actually noticed them, but I sure did and I hated it.  They starting to hurt too.  It wasn't uncommon for my leg to fall asleep if I crossed it too much while sitting at my desk.  After I ran a 10K last summer, I swear I ruined my legs...or my veins.  I'm not sure if thats possible, but I do know that they were never quite the same after.  It took me a week to recover from that run.  My left leg started going numb during workouts, it felt uncomfortable all the time.  It was bad enough that I went from working out 7 days a week early in the morning, to no workouts at all!  I gradually started cutting out workouts after that run.  By the end of last August I wasn't working out at all.  I tried twice in September and both times my left leg felt too uncomfortable so I stopped.   

Last summer while laying at the pool, a friend told me about her friend that had her varicose veins removed.  It was something I had never really considered until that moment.  I didn't even know it was an option.  But I was inspired.  I didn't think it was something I could actually afford but I wanted to look into it.  So I scheduled a consultation with a vein specialist.   

To be continued...

Week 1: Who Am I

I need to blog more.  I want to blog more.

This morning in my google reader feed I read a post from somebody joining in on the "52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose" idea that Mrs. to Mama is doing.  Something clicked.  I instantly thought, wow maybe this is what I need to do to revive my blogging. 

When Morgan was born I was blogging like crazy.  For the first 4 years I have awesome records of her life at www.missmorganhope.blogspot.com.  Its an awesome "baby book" of memories that I hope to one day print out into books.  After a while I decided I wanted somewhere to write about my life, the life that existed and still exists outside of Morgan, who is my world!  So I started this blog.  I had all sorts of ideas for it, and I still often think "oh wow, I should blog about that"...but it never happens!  For whatever reason, I all but abandoned this blog...and hers for that matter.  I even let the domain expire. 

So this morning, after reading that post...I renewed my domain!  I'm going to try to refresh my blog look in the next few weeks and try to post weekly.  Maybe blogging with a purpose will revive my blogging all together!

So anyway...the topic for Week 1 is "Who Am I"

I am so many things. 

I am a mom.  I am a working mom.  I am a wife.  I am a friend.  I am a sister.  I am a daughter.  I am a runner.  I am a photographer.  I am a Daisy/Girl Scout leader.  I am on the PTO.  I am in college.  I am a reader.  I am a sun worshiper.  I am a Veteran.  I am Catholic, but haven't been to church in many years.  I work out every morning.  I don't sleep enough.  I am a thrify bargain shopper.  I live in Colorado but my heart is in Florida!  I love being outside.  I love wearing flipflops.  I do not love the cold or the snow.  I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.  I will be celebrating my 20th anniversary next year.  2014 will also be my 20th high school reunion. 

I am sure there are lots of other ways to describe me...

I guess the role I consider most important is the role of mom.  All others come second at this stage of my life.  But all of the roles are connected and all are important. 

Morgan has pretty much rocked my world since the day I found out I was pregnant with her!  That little girl is my world.  She has changed me for the better and she amazes me every single day!  We struggled to get pregnant, and we prayed so hard for that little girl.  Even with all my hopes and prayers, she is so much more than I ever thought I deserved or wanted.

So there you have it...that's the shortened, condensed version of me!

Time for an update

Wow, its been a while!  Plenty has been going on, I just haven't taken the time to write about any of it!

So anyway, here is a quick little update:

1.  I enrolled in Western Governors University (WGU) and will be starting the MBA - Management and Strategy program on April 1st!  I am super excited.  I have missed school.  I always enjoyed being in college.  So I am looking forward to going back.  It will be very different this time around though.  In the past I always held a full time job while going to school full time, but on top of that I have a 5 year old now!  My husband works evenings and my current job is much higher stress and responsibility than it was back in my college days.  So this time around I am going to do it all online.  I love having that option now.  Back when I was in school the last time, there were a few online courses offered at University of Colorado, where I went, but not enough to complete a degree.  The other awesome aspect of WGU is that its a self paced program.  So I could theoretically finish faster than the typical two years.  Of course, its just my nature to try to speed it up...so my goal is to finish in a year.  Easy for me to say considering I haven't started yet!  We'll see how it goes!

2.  I'm still working out daily, well for the most part.  I try to go every morning before work.  I try to get there at 5am.  I used to be really successful at it.  I started almost exactly two years ago, and for the first year I think I only missed three mornings.  Seriously!  I was hard core!  I was seeing so much progress that I was afraid if I started allowing myself to miss days, that I would miss more and more and pretty soon abandon what I had started.  Plus I had friends meeting me there.  We all depending on each other.  Some days just knowing one of the girls was expecting me was all that got me there!  Then the start of the second year hit.  I started out strong, but gradually fell back.  By Labor Day of last year I was frustrated, burned out and having issues with my legs.  So I pretty much stopped.  It was gradual I guess.  During the summer I was missing one day a week on average.  But sure enough, once I started allowing myself to miss a day, I started missing a bunch of them!  I had an extended break for all of September and October, and half of November.  But as soon as I was able to, I jumped back in the saddle.  I haven't been as strict, but I am still going.  My goal for this week was to go all 5 days.  But this morning I woke up with a migraine.  So this won't be the week I hit my goal either. 

3.  My legs....oh man do I have a lot to say about that.  I will save that for another post or two.  Lets just say, it was a much more drawn out process than I ever imagined.  I'm still not 100%, but I am getting closer.  I am glad I did it, but wow its been quite an ordeal.  I learn a lot about myself and my body though, which is good!

4.  Morgan is still the light of my life, of course!  She is 5.5 yrs old and what an amazing little girl she is turning out to be.  She constantly amazes and wows me.  I can't believe I created that little bundle of joy, imagine, wonder and energy! 

5.  I'm not all that content in my job.  I don't know why, I should be.  I have a ton of responsibility, and even more flexibility.  Its a great fit for my life right now, its just not fullfilling for some reason.  hence the reason I am going back to school I guess.  I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.  I just know that estimating floor covering and being a project manager for commercial construction jobsites does not seem to be it!  :)

6.  Having a school aged child is exhausting.  For some reason I feel this guilt for not being able to help out in the classroom and at the school all the time.  I want to be there, but can't.  So I do as much as I possibly can.  I am the Daisy Troop Leader, I am the Boxtops Committe Chair for the PTO, I am room mom for the Kindergarten class, and a member of the Photography Committe for the PTO.  Yes, it wears me out just thinking about it!  Its been fun though!

7. Photography is still an major interest.  I just don't find myself grabbing my camera as much in the colder months.  Now that its lighter so much later in the evenings, I am itching to take more pictures again!  I am signed up for a really cool photography class in April that involves wine and chocolate and is for ladies only.  Its nothing racy, just a moms night out type photography class.  Should be fun!

8.  I already talked about exercise...lets talk about "eating clean".  Man, who knew that was just an effective diet and why have I not tried that before!  Forget all the fad diets and counting points...eating clean is where its at!  I haven't been able to exercise as much as I used to, or as hard as I would like...but thanks to eating clean, I lost 7lbs in January.  It was all the weight I gained during the surgeries and the holidays!  It wasn't even that hard to do.  It turns out, I actually like healthy food, alot!  I could eat my weight in sushi, and for the most part thats considered clean!  Hooray!

9.  I've been watching The Biggest Loser this season.  I don't watch a whole lot of tv anymore, but thats one show that Morgan and I both love.  Did you see Danni?  She started at 238lbs I believe.  And she is 163lbs as of this week.  She did that in 11 weeks.  When I started out I was 224lbs, so 14lbs lighter than her, and now I am 163lbs as well.  It took me 5 years to do that!  Slow and steady wins the race right!  I can't believe I just mentioned my weight!  But you know what, I am pretty darn proud of what I have achieved, so 163lbs is awesome to me!  I'm not where I want to be yet, though I don't necessarily have an end weight goal in mind either.  I wouldn't mind hiting 147lbs, just because thats the weight I was when I graduated high school.  Or 155lbs, so I can finally hit the "healthy" weight on the BMI chart.  You know, 138lbs wouldn't be bad either...thats the weight I was in basic training.  Any of those would be nice, but ultimately I just want to maintain the weight loss I have had and be phyically healthy.  I would say I am in better physical shape now than I ever was in high school or basic training. 

10.  Running.  Lets just say, I am not where I was.  Last July I ran my first 10K.  And then I didn't run again till two weeks ago.  I started the C25K program over again, and I am running at a faster pace than I was last summer.  I guess thats good.  I wanted to run the St Patricks Day 5K this weekend, but my husband says I shouldn't because of my legs.  He is right, so I won't.  Maybe this summer I can run one though.  I sure hope so!