Weekend Update: Mardi Gras and Lent 2013

After much thought... I am giving up bread for lent....

I would also like to note that I wouldnt talk to me until after Easter if I were you... this may get ugly. I LOVE BREAD!!!! But, its not good for you, and having something like lent as a reason to try and better myself should make it easier to do. I gave up chocolate one year, I was not a nice person, but I did it!

 

 

Weekend Update: Mardi Gras 2013

 

Friday night: Hermes, D'etat, and Morpheus

 

 

I got a picture with a Budweiser clydesdale... it even turned to pose for me!!!

 

 

 

my sister and me taking a picture to make a friend jealous of all our Mardi Gras fun! and yes, I am wearing a Hermes headband with light up wings

 

D'etat makes fun of EVERYTHING ... one of the floats this year was CFA

our glow necklaces

 

 

my cousin with some funny ladies by us!!

 

 

another float

 

 

 

a flambo... this one got all dressed up... for those that dont know, some night parades have bums walk around with fire like this and you throw coins for them... now alot of them want cash, not coins, but on principle I still throw coins! 

 

 

Friday night we were up late with my grandma going to the hospital, but were able to make it just in time Saturday for Iris and Tucks.. my sis even went to Endymion that night, but I couldnt last... I was too worn out and wanted to get up early Sunday to go visit my grandma again before leaving...

 

 

 

 

Tucks throws toilet bowls, plungers, toilet paper, and these cool toilet seat glasses:

 

 

 

 

zombie ducks!!!

 

 

 

taking a break during a lul in the action

 

 

great year! great float!

 

 

more parade action

 

 

sisters pic with a guy off the route

 

 

me trying to walk and get my pic with the pony!!

 

 

kath and one of the lazy boy guys.. first year I have seen this, pretty funny... motorized lazy boys!

 

 

 

Other than my grandma it was a good time.. and she is doing much better on the new meds, so thanks for the prayers and support!!!

 

 

If you havent been to Mardi Gras, you HAVE TO GO!!!! Go to St. Charles for the parades and avoid the crazy people and tourists that are in the quarter and on Burbon... I have only missed two Mardi Gras in my life and still have NEVER been to Burbon on one... I have enough fun with my family on St Charles!

Pope Resigns? and Mawmaw Update

My weekend update is going to have to wait until tomorrow. We had fun at parades and then got really freaked out Saturday early morning at 1:30 when my mawmaw woke us up because she couldnt breath, it was horrible... I thought she was going to die, she is stabilized and on new drugs and they released her from the hospital yesterday, long story short they think it was the heart medicine she was on that caused the problem. My sister called 911 and I stayed with her, we increased her oxygen flow and tried to get her to take deep breaths, it sounded like she was gurgling and we were pretty sure she had fluid in her lungs. We took her bp and it was very high 190/176 (she normally has low bp 100/60) and her HR was 146bpm. The doc said her meds caused her heart to beat too fast, which caused the back up of fluid in her lungs and the inability to breath well. We are hoping the new meds will do a better job.

I love this woman... like she is just another mom to me, because she was... I know I am being selfish wanting to keep her around, but I hate that there is nothing they can do to fix her, its just alleviating the symptoms at this point. Congestive heart failure. She is too weak for open heart surgery, but I want her around to meet her great grand babies when we start having them, I want them to know the awesome woman that I know... and I hope she is around long enough to meet them and long enough for me to get more time with her, I know no time is ever enough, but still... I am glad I was there to spend time with her at the hospital this weekend and when it happened.. but this is the third trip to the ER in 3 months... not good.

This morning on the radio I heard that the Pope is resigning.... and that this is the first time since 1415 for a Pope to resign and not keep post til he dies. One of the announcers mentioned that it must be because things are so bad he just cant take it anymore and its too much to handle. Things are really bad, but what state is the world in if religious world leaders cant handle it? Its scary to think about for sure.... if its his health, I hope he is alright as well! I am not Catholic, but its always sad to see religious leaders not doing well.

Weigh In and Workouts... and Mardi Gras Plans

This past week:

Wed- sports conditioning
Thurs-run
Friday-spin
Sat- 5k Color Run
Sun-REST ran 3.31 miles
Mon-spin and weights
Tues-run

I worked out Sunday to make up for missing Thursday and Friday due to hectic scheduling at work, but still missed one day I didnt want to last week... hoping to improve this week:


Wed- rest - worked through lunch yesterday
Thurs-run
Friday-bike and weights
Sat- run
Sun-bike
Mon-spin and weights
Tues-run


I am late posting this morning because I had a doctors appointment for a physical and lab work.... a lot of the women in my family have thyroid issues, and I wanted to get that checked because I wonder if I do too and thats why its so hard for me to get the scale to move... I did weigh in yesterday, and I was up... highest since the wedding, BOO!!! I know I had a few bad meals this weekend, but I was good the rest of the time... I think I am very sensitive to carbs and sugar, I am going to try the plan from "This is Why You are Fat" its basically clean eating, and I had the most sucess when prepping for the wedding by doing that...

My non-scale numbers were good though, BP 118/76 and HR 70 (my HR a year and a half ago was around 90). That makes me happy, because it means I am staying healthier, I just wish the scale and my waist line would show the same thing!


This weekend I am headed to New Orleans to hang with my family and enjoy the mardi gras festivities! I am excited and it will be hard to eat healthy, but I plan to!!!


Here are a few pictures from 2011, I had to miss last year due to limited vacation and getting married and all....

my sister, always serious!

 

 

 

our crew:

 

 

 

my cousins.... they know EVERYONE in Nola... I think they should run for mayor and govenor!

 

my sister and me with a "drunk skunk" LOL

 

 

my boo and my sis

Mardi Gras has ALWAYS been a family affair for us, there is the tourist version of it (bourbon street, boobs, etc....) and then the native New Orleanian way to do it and thats on St Charles... good clean family fun and a few drunks to entertain you!!! I love it and wouldnt have it any other way...I have never been to mardi gras on bourbon, its gross... and not tempting in the least!

Weekend Update

Finally got all the pictures flipped in the right direction so I can post this...

 

 

Thursday night we bought a new truck... I LOVE IT!!!

This weekend Tara and Kath came in from LA, they got in late Friday and Saturday morning was the Color in Motion 5K run.

 

We did side ponytails for good race luck!

 

 

my favorite cheerleader/supporter came out to watch us!

 

 

We also broke out our color bags a little early... we couldnt help ourselves, we waited forever for the race to start!

 

there was alot of powdered color... and it got everywhere...

 

 

my sisters legs after the race

 

 

me and my sis after the race...

 

 

 

 

me and Tara after the race 

me and the hubs...

 

 

 

all three of us, showing all the dusty color!

 

 

After the race we relaxed most of the afternoon and then went to Big Texas Saturday night... after having fun with my sisters IPad

 

 

 

 

pics from the night....

 

 

 

 

my friend Stormy came and met us out

 

 

 

 

 

pic on our way out! my sis curled my hair!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday the girls left to go back home and the fuzzies and Jake and I watched the Super Bowl...

 

 

 

 

hubs made his ribs... they were amazing as always!

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I went for another run... it wasnt great like the one Sunday was, I had a headache, and I was feeling beat down and worn out, so I walked ALOT more than I wanted to, but I still did it, and got in 3 miles in 35 minutes, so not too terrible... but then yesterday afternoon I came across this and its so true... Its painful/tough/rough at times... but I love it!!!

 

 

 

Workout and Weigh In Wednesday is getting pushed to tomorrow, because this is too long already!

Liebster- A Second Time!

A look back at My First Liebster!

 

 

 I was just nominated again by Katie @ KTJ Weighing In

 

 

Her questions were:

Why did you start blogging?  May 31st 2012... about a month after the hubs and I got married, with the intent of making this blog a way to look back on our adventures together, then I started gaining back weight that I had lost for the wedding, so its also got weight loss in it too! I had always been a fan of Megan and Brandi and figured if they could document their weight loss online, I could too!!


What is your dream vacation? The hubs and I went to Hawaii last year for our honeymoon and it was a dream... LOVED it... would love to go back, but have a lot of places I want to see too... I have a MAJOR travel bug, next trip is hopefully Ireland this year!


If you won a million dollars, what is the first thing you'd buy? Property in the hill country, we are already planning to do this, it would just be a bigger piece of land!


What is your favorite meal? favorite fat girl meal: Chuy's creamy and chips and steak fajitas OR Italiano's lasagne and garlic bread knots.... favorite healthy meal: anything grilled by my hubs with steamed veggies and cut up sweet potatoes baked in the oven (a nice fry substitute)


What is the most adventurous thing you've ever done? hiked down into the Grand Canyon a couple summers ago... was within a foot of two wild big horned sheep, I was up against the wall of the canyon when I took that second pic... CRAZY!

Who was the first artist/band you ever saw live in concert?






If you had to pick a trainer would you pick Bob Harper or Jillian Michaels and why?  Jillian- I want a trainer who is going to get in my face and yell at me til I get it done... Bob is too nice! PLUS I like that she used to be heavy, I feel like since she has been through the process of losing weight first hand, she would be better to help you through it... and I only like girl trainers for me personally




What is your favorite clothing store?  New York and Company, Ann Taylor, and Banana



Do you like Broadway musicals, and if so which is your favorite? Yes, Lion King! The costumes are amazing... I also like Wicked as a close second!




Who inspires you the most? My friend Christy, she is an amazing woman who I very much look up to and aspire to be like, she does Olympic distance tris and other fun and challenging things and is almost twice my age!!! She is amazing!! AND she is the kindest most giving person you will ever meet!

Do you have a favorite quote, and if so what is it?
It changes from time to time... but here are a few of my favs... I am a bit of a romantic!!

"Some people are settling down, some people are settling, and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies" ~Carrie Bradshaw


Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:2


Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7



"I'm also just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her" ~ Notting Hill

February Goals and Running

My usual Monday morning weekend update will have to be postponed until tomorrow due to picture editing issues on my part, I am STILL working on my blog editing skills... not at all shocking!


HOWEVER I did want to post today, had a great weekend and was actually very encouraged on the running front. I ran 5 miles (furthest I have ever run in MY LIFE) on Thanksgiving morning last year and after that the holidays took control and travel and hectic schedules caused me to slack off and not keep up with running 3 times a week like I had been, and then last month I tried running a couple of times on and off but was discouraged because I lost the ability to run without walking, so I pushed through and kept trying and started back regularly run/walking and Saturday I ran/walked a 5k color run with my sister and friend Tara, they hadnt been running as much as I had, which wasnt much myself, so there were times when we stopped to walk that I could have kept running, I wanted us all to stay together because they were willing to do this race with me, I couldnt leave them behind, BUT since I felt like I left something out there...

Yesterday before the Super Bowl I ran 3.31 miles, WITHOUT stopping to walk ONCE!!!!! I am super pumped about that because so far this year I havent even run 1 mile without a walk break. It was a much slower pace than I was running, but danget I ran the whole time - it took me over 35 mins, but I didnt stop to walk once. I DID almost cry twice... I was proud, I am getting my running mojo back and I love it and missed it alot!

I do not like the song "Girl on Fire", but for some reason it came on Pandora about 1.8 miles in when I wanted to give up and walk and it pushed me through, it was an "I AM WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR" moment... and I got that runner's high feeling we all know and love and I almost cried... my last 0.31 mile was fast because a) I like to finish strong and b) the new Britney song came on and I love that song... I have run without music before, but it makes me feel stronger and go harder... I LOVE IT!

I was proud of myself yesterday and cant wait to get back to 5 miles AND then surpass it, need to schedule my half marathon so I have a reason to stick with it!


February goals are simple:
1. Eat cleaner
2. get in two strength training workouts a week
3. get in three bike rides a week
4. get in three runs a week

...thats 8 workouts a week, but I am hoping to double up some of the running/biking with weight days... I need to work on my strenth, but also keep up with my running and work on biking since the MS150 is in ELEVEN weeks!!!!

Yesterday and Weekend Plans

Yesterday evening we went to the Ford dealer after work and were there til 10:30, but the hubs got his new truck!

Its really nice, tan leather interior... heated and cooled seats, I hate my base model car now!!!! HAHA I told him the next car I get is going to be loaded as well, because I am totally jealous... actually I just want the truck!


This weekend is the...                            




Two of my FAVORITE girls are visiting me this weekend and we are all doing it together!!!! I CANT WAIT! They were both beautiful bridesmaids at my wedding:

 

 

 

 

Thats all for now folks! :)