Fivesies….. August 13, 2010

Been awhile, eh?

Well, life is catching up with me, and I find that between all that I do, I don’t have the time to regularly blog.  It’s okay though.  Life is more than welcome to get into my way of technology.

Remember those old surveys (shmurveys as I used to say) that everyone, me included, did way too many of back in the old Myspace days?  Well,  I always dug those because it was an insight to many things you didn’t know about people, many of whom were great friends.

So, here, if you think you know all about me… maybe somethings will surprise you.

5 CONCERTS I HAVE BEEN TO (besides the obvious, Tool.)

1.  Ben Harper  2.  Timbaland  3.  Lollapalooza ’03 (J5, Audioslave, APerfect Circle, Jane’s Addiction, Incubus.)  4. Nine Inch Nails  5. Puddle Mountain Ramblers (I think I have been to a bunch of concerts, but I really have just been to a bunch of Tool concerts)

5 CONCERTS I WANT TO SEE (besides more Tool.)

1.  Gorillaz 2. Dave Matthews 3. 311 (I’ve missed them like, 10 times) 4. Jack Johnson (laugh all you haters, he still rules, you just don’t like that he got popular.) 5. Fleetwood Mac

5 BANDS I LOVE BESIDES TOOL AND APC.

1. Fleetwood Mac 2.  Pink Floyd 3. Gorillaz 4. Tom Petty 5. Dave Matthews

5 WEBSITES I CHECK OUT A LOT

1. awkwardfamilyphotos.com 2. Book o’ Face 3. failblog.org 4. dogfunk.com 5. har.com/utahrealestate.com (I’m obsessed with houses.)

5 FAVORITE STORES

1.  NORDSTROM 2. TARGET 3. EXPRESS 4. VICKY’S 5. DOGFUNK.COM (online).

5 QUIRKS

1. fear of ANYTHING around my neck.  2.  My pure hatred of the words moist, wifey, and panties. 3.  car doors must be locked when in motion, otherwise I freak that I’m going to fall out. 4.  I hate treble, give me that funky funky base. 5.  I love hoodies, I hate eating in them.

5 FAVORITE DRINKS

1. the vino rosso 2. champagne 3.  water (LaCroix) 4. peach iced tea 5.  beer

5 FAVORITE MEALS

1. Gma’s pot roast.  2.  A great cut of steak, bloody as hell, with mashed potatoes. 3.  sushi  4.  a great burrito 5. barbecue

5 FAVORITE PASTTIMES

1. pool time with the amigos 2. outdoor activities 3.  going to concerts 4.  watching Moose and his tennis ball 5. traveling

5 TRAVEL DESTINATIONS I HOPE TO GET TO VISIT:

1. all over Europe, including the Nordic countries. 2. St. Lucia 3. British Columbia 4. Buenos Aires 5. Thailand

5 THINGS I REALLY WANT TO DO IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS.

1. attend A&M/TU game at Kyle Field.  2. move to Houston. 3. close some real estate deals, doozie ones. 4.  Get my Associate’s finished 5.  own a Range Rover

Well, there you go.  Some insight.  Hope you enjoyed reading it.  I enjoyed doing it.

Summertime…. and the living’s easy. July 30, 2010

Hola!  Yes, I am back for your reading pleasure, Shannon and Gma! LOL! Thanks Shannon for that lovely comment.  Please, like I have time to blog lately!!!!!!!!!!!

Where did we leave off?  Oh yeah, I was supposed to do the second half of the Vegas trip!!!  Well, let’s just finish that off.  We basically lived it up!  We drank, hit up the pool, walked the strip.  Purchased stuff (ok, mostly M&M stuff.)  My freaking awesome aunt hooked it up with VIP banquette seating, with Goose bottle service for Peepshow!  Lemme just tell ya, Peepshow is really a great show.  And Holly Madison is a little cellulite-y.  The talent of the girls in it is really great.  It’s not just about stripping.

After Peep, my aunt got us tickets to TI, because, well, Rob is basically in love with him.  TI, for those that don’t know is a rapper who sings, “You can have whatever you like.”  Well, basically we did have whatever we like, except for TI actually performing!  Basically it was just him sitting on the couch on stage sipping Goose (note a trend here at Planet Hollywood) with his hoes, while his entourage basically angrily screamed poorly written rhymes into the mic.  And the icing on that cake was while we were waiting for TI, we basically missed the Bellagio water show.  Oh well, we’ll have to make it back to see it.  Cheesy, I know.

Rob felt like death the next day, but it was ok, because we headed to Summerlin to go stay with Aunt Jen, Uncle Joel and Baby V (Happy First, Miss V!), and just relax.  Then we hit up Flight of the Conchords on Saturday night with Joel, and watched one of the best shows I have ever seen.  I love Brit and Jermaine!

I won’t bore you with anymore words.  Here’s pics.

That’s just a small taste of the photos I have, you can check them all out on my book of face.  Vegas was a lot of fun, and it’s nice having family out there so I can just relax in the desert as well.

Since then, what has been going on this summer?!  Well, a lot of fun, and a lot of work.  I’m still at Bohemian, but I am finally working a really awesome job as a commercial real estate assistant.  I have also started getting up in the morning to workout (mostly like, 10 min. of cardio and a weight lifting sesh.) Then a few nights a week, I will go running.   When I’m not working a kajillion hours a week or working out, I’m usually having fun with the friends.  I am kicking myself, because I have NOT been camping yet this summer, and I haven’t been on a hike.  We’re going to make up for that.  Rob and I are probably going to go up to Brighton/Sister Lakes area this Sunday morning.  Unfortunately, we can bring the pup, because of watershed stuff, but I am looking forward to it!

I promise, I will be so much better about my blogging.  I have totally missed it.

Oh, August 15th (16 days!), will have been my 6month anniversary of starting my eating healthier, being fitter challenge.   I will post up some After pictures to show the progress.

I’m committing to writing a blog at least once a week.

I will be back July 29, 2010

I’m actually working on a post tonight.  I promise,  I know it has been wayyyyy too long.  I miss my blog, I miss my 3 readers, and I know they have missed out on this summer!

Wow, let’s finally recap Vegas, a week late. June 8, 2010

Holler, folks.  Yes, I am finally getting around to it.  Yep, Vegas.  Viva, right?  Right!  I’m going to make this pretty snappy, afterall, the main goal of Vegas was what?  Nope, if you guessed win money, you were wrong, buddy, it was to drink.  And, yes, there was a LOTTA drinking. 

We left around 3pm on Wednesday, and got into Vegas at 9pm.  A little too early for the lights to totally wow me from the crest of the hill on I-15, but still it was an epic sight for this Vegas virgin.  I also really enjoyed the sunset that was happening in the west as well.  I must admit, we made pretty great time considering our entirely too long of a drool sesh at Lee’s Discount Liquor in Mesquite, and a completely unnecessary trip to Wally World as well ( my new favorite store, and the latter, my most hated store.)  Let’s examine some visuals now.

Finally, after what seemed like the longest road trip EVER!  And the longest time EVER looking at Vegas from afar, we arrived on the strip.  Yep, we took a right and there is was in all it’s glory and debauchery!  I have to admit, I thought it would be bigger, but I liked that it was completely walkable, since I wouldn’t be working out at all.

We got to the Excalibur with no problems, the valet came with no problems, we checked in with no problems, and we got our bags, ya know it, no problem.  We then got ready, got the mini bar ready, and decided to grub.  Where else would one go?  A burrito bar of course.  Afterall, it’s Rob and me on this trip, and one should know my addiction love for burrito bars.  Mmmm, Baja Fresh, Nom, Nom, Nom!

Well, we spent the rest of the evening drinking walking around the strip…. drinking of course.  I took way too many pictures of all the casinos, and Yellow M&M.  I won’t inundate you with all of those pictures.  Just the top one of the evening of course.  That’s how I roll.

Wow, since my comp crashed right in the middle of this post, it took forever.  Well, that’s a recap of day one…….. Yes, I changed clothes.  I get a little klutzy sometimes.  I will post the rest tomorrow.  PS- check out what running is doing for the calves and the hammies in my pics.  Damn skippy!  The rest tomorrow.

Lala saves Waffles. May 17, 2010

Okay, let me clarify.  I just got home from my great wun (my new term for walking/running intervals).  Awesome warm day, great smell of fresh cut grass, lilacs, and lawn fertilizer.  Yes, I truly do love the smell of lawn fertilizer.  This wun took an hour, and it should have taken 30-35 minutes.  Why, one may ponder?  Because of Waffles.  Waffles is a female pug who was wandering too far from home.  I managed to finally get Waffles over to her house, by running.  If I walked, she wouldn’t chase after me.  I realized this after she finally crossed the street… right in front of a car.  The car stopped, thank heaven.  Waffles parents, the Pancakes (j/k) weren’t home.  So I boldly opened the back gate to let little Eggo in.  Then I went on my merry way running. This isn’t done yet, not five seconds into what I feel will be a finally successful endeavor, I hear the jingling of a coller behind me.  Yep, you guessed it, there’s Waffles, running behind me, grunting and snorting, you know, just how a pug rolls.  Well, I’m about.75 miles away from a busy street that is en route.  This was CLEARLY not going to work.  So I ran through the neighbor’s yard.  Thankfully, it’s a local nursery where the seed and root things for their bigger nursery.  No one was out back, so I was franically knocking on the back door, because Waffles was panting/grunting/snorting so hard, I’m afraid she might have a vein burst.  She needed water.  Finally, the older gentleman answered and took Waffles in.  Apparently Waffles is quite the avid runner, and loves to chase after people in the neighborhood.  Hmmm… maybe she needs to become my running partner and motivate me.  She sure did give me a “run for my money!”  Ha, no pun intended.  And thankfully, these people were cool with me acting like an idiot in their backyards, and no one called the cops because I was trying to find out if there were any doors open in Waffles house so I could just let her in.  Yes, it’s true, I would go to jail to save a dog.

Well, that’s my story for the day.  It was quite the weekend.  There were many many friends, many shots, beer, and a late night breakfast at the Belgian Waffle House.  Yes, that place run by polygamists sure does make yummy food when you are shmammered.  Cruella DeVille served us half the time.  Some creepy guy that my friend, Steph pissed off by asking for coffee that wasn’t 12 hours old took care of us the rest of the time.  I’m surprised I didn’t eat dalmation or get some sort of weird stomach flu.

It was PMR’s CD release.  Great job at the Woodshed guys, ya’ll did great!  And it was Minnie’s birthday, which explains the several shots involved.   Sheesh, I also worked 30 hours between Friday at 5 and yesterday at 10pm.  Yes, quite the weekend, I say!

Enjoy the pictures!

2 days in a row? What? May 14, 2010

Hello to all ten of my readers!  Or all five who read my blog twice!

Well, this is going to be a quickie, since I have to squeeze in a workout before I go to work tonight, and I only have 3.5 hours until I go to work tonight, and since it’s Friday night, I feel compelled to get all cute with the hair and the makeup.

Oh, by the way, I got some interesting news yesterday.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.  I won’t tell you what it is yet, so no bothering to ask.  I won’t spill the beans.  Just wish me luck!  It could be really awesome news.

First off, let me tell you just how proud I am of myself yesterday.  I’m sitting here after writing my blog, and I look in the Swain’s freezer.  What do I see?  A meatball wrap.  If anyone knows me, they know my strong affection for meatballs, be it Swedish, Italian, on a sandwich, a toothpick, or in a pasta.  They are just handsdown BOMB.com.  So, imagine my weakness in seeing these in a wrap.  The day before, the evil devil named Rob convinced me that it would be a brilliant idea to go to Moochie’s, a restaurant here in town that is famous for it’s meatball sandwiches.  I mean, it’s even been on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  It’s just that damn good.  So I went for a cheat day on Wednesday, and we had ourselves a nice little afternoon date of eating at Moochie’s, then heading down to Koi to drool over new gages for me pick out a birthday present for the bestie.

It is really really hard for me to deny the meatballs, but I did.  Just as I had said yes to eating a meatball wrap, I quickly changed my mind, ate a spoonful of peanut butter for fuel, and went running to the gym.  I am so proud of myself for resisting the temptation!!!!! I got in 3.4 miles of walking/running.  I successfully hurt my hip again.  I figured it’s the way I am running.  I will talk to Rob’s sister when she gets into town, and see what she says.  But the best part is that I didn’t eat that tempting meatball, and I ate clean the rest of the day.  I even prepared a lovely rice/veggie/chicken bowl for friends for dinner.  Completely healthy and mighty tasty!  I wish I could say I limited myself to one glass of wine. 

Well, I am off to the gym right now.  I’m just going to do a little bit of a lower body workout.  I’m pretty sore from running yesterday, but need to lift to keep my leg muscles strong!

I don’t know when I will blog again, like I said, it’s a super busy weekend for me.  Hope to be back Sunday night!  Later, Skaters!

Been a minute, Eh? May 13, 2010

Hello Blogland,

It indeed has been awhile.  I know, I’m sorry, sometimes life gets in the way of writing.  I stated this when I first started this.  There have been many things going on, I don’t even know where to begin.  All I know is that when I was on the phone with my Gma the other day, she scoffed at me for not writing on here for a while.

Well, as far as fitness goes, I am making great strides in my running abilities…. yes, it’s true, I can actually run for almost two minutes without feeling like I may very well die.  I also am experiencing a huge problem with my hip…. stretching helps only a little.  And shin splits, oh the shin splits.  I have had them since high school, and boy they are annoying.  I actually am planning on running the 1.7 miles to the gym from the Swain’s house where I am at right now, do an upperbody workout, then run back.

Now, when I say run, I guess I should say intervals.  I am not able to even jog the entire way there, but I am pushing myself further every time I go. 

Hmmm… what else is going on?  Oh yeah, my eating style has drastically changed.  I am eating soooooo much better.  I am able to avoid the fries, the extra cheese, then fatty coffee creamer….. everything!  My primary foods are now fat free greek yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, tons of veggies, fresh organic fruit (killer fruit salads), brown rice, and massive amounts of chicken.  I plan on getting some steak soon, I’m in need of red meat.

Ya wanna know what?  I’m enjoying what I am eating.  I really am.  I feel infinitely better without the junk that I was putting in my body.  Granted, I still use Nutella on my waffles with yogurt, and I still eat spoonfuls of peanut butter.  But chocolate nut butter is ten times better than downing a bag of M&M’s.  Sorry, Yellow, I’ll be seeing you in less than two weeks though.  We will be reunited, however, til then, I have some short shorts I need to fit into for Vegas.  Viva!

Yes, Vegas is in less than two weeks.  Yikes!  My first time going to Vegas!  Where have I been?!  I am busting arse to get the final few pounds off of me.  Let’s Vegas, it’s going to be 90+ there, so short shorts and tank tops are a necessity.  And there are still a few pounds of fat that need to be lost before shimmying into those short shorts (spelling of Shimmy?  Help?)

While in Vegas, top priorities are M&M world, shopping, seeing the lions and tigers, drinking, and perhaps a little gambling.  We are also staying with my Aunt Jenn for a couple of days after the debauchery that we will be partaking in on the strip.  I am meeting my baby cousin, Veronica, for the first time.  Jenn is also hooking us up with tickets to “Peep Show” with Holly Madison, and we are also seeing Flight of the Conchords.  Holler!!!!!!!

So, basically, I am working like crazy to get money for this Vegas trip.  Vegas has killer shopping, I mean, KILLER shopping, plus a Trader Joe’s.  Plus drinking is expensive, and don’t even get me started on food costs.  Oh, did I forget to mention there is a Volcom outlet store there?!  That is like, my mecca! 

I’m getting stoked on the half marathon.  I need to buy an IPOD though to start running with.  They are going to have to start getting longer than 3 miles. 

This weekend is going to be super busy.  I’m working like crazy and have to manage to squeeze in a combo CD realease party/best friend’s birthday party.  All while my other best friend and her girlfriend are staying with us overnight.  Yep, I get to see my Barnsey again.  I love her so much!

I am so stoked and pround of ya’ll PMR!!!!!!!!!!! Great job on the new cd, and I can’t wait for Saturday night at the Woodshed!  Grandma’s Shotgun Stance is the name of the album (at least, 98% sure it’s called Grandma’s Shotgun something.  Stance makes sense.)  I am attending the party with these fine women.

And this guy! 

Oh, hey, Rob is about to be diving into his late 20′s next week.  Yep, Rob will be the big 2-7.  No, I’m not getting him anything, not til Vegas at least.  There’s a Billabong store there with his name ALL OVER IT!

Oh hey, before I go to Vegas, I will be posting up some more after pictures.  I am already skinnier than I was on my birthday, and I’m stoked. 

Well, I’m out like trout!  Later, dudes!

Final Stats April 28, 2010

Okay, three days late.  How the hell am I supposed to blog on my birthday weekend?  Pffttt… I was busy drinking, hanging out with friends, bbqing and in great search of new gages and Asics running shoes.  Found…. and found!  PS- the running shoes, while supportive to my incredibly flat feet, are not my friends yet.  I’m dealing with a major case of blisters all over from not properly breaking them in before feeling a little frisky with some pavement.  What can I say?  I wanted to get out on the beautiful evening last night, and enjoy a walk/run.

I can’t remember if I mentioned before that I have decided to completely torture myself and partake in a half marathon in August.  So, this is the mention of my new training routine that will be mentioned on here…. most of the time… ahahah… well half of the time.  Let’s face it, I barely have time to blog at all with how crazy/beautiful my life is.

But alas, I still do.  Welp, let’s face it, I didn’t quite complete any goal I had planned out on here.  But I can’t say I’m upset with the results.  And well, let’s face it, I also feel quite great with the fact that I completed so much.  I’d say only had 50 or less miles of cardio left…. and was really great on other stats.

Let’s also face facts, I went from weighing 150 lbs to 145lbs.  I dropped a percent in body fat.  I fit into jeans that I haven’t been able to squeeze over my thighs since September.  Granted, they may still be tight, but not uncomfortable.  I can wear them well.

Before and After:  well, I can’t say there’s much of a difference.  It was taken at a different angle and distance, so I’m not sure if one can tell.  But anywhoo….. why the hell not, let’s post up some pictures.

Okay, so maybe there is a bit of a difference here.  I can tell in my waist and a little in my thighs.  The second pictured was taken with a higher angle looking more down, where the other one is  taken more straight on.

Meh…. not the greatest difference, but you can tell a little, or at least I can.  I’ll keep posting up new pictures as time goes on, and when I hit new milestones, like getting rid of the cottage cheese, or developing at least a 4pack.  My arms look a bit more chiseled, which is awesome because I hate my arms….. so bad….. Gross.  Man, this is making me want to hit the gym hardcore now, but my blistery feet.

Hmm… now that I look at it, my legs do look a little thinner.  Am I crazy?  Maybe I should just redo this pictures.  I’ll make it a goal to lose another 2-3 lbs and post up some pictures.  The greatest way to figure it out is to take measurements, but I can’t find my flipping sewer’s measuring tape thingy.

Maybe I’ll go look.

Hey! Found it

Thighs: 22 inches  was 23 inches

Waist: 30.5 inches  was 32 inches I measured around belly button in case one would be interested.)

Arms: 13 inches (boo to this!)

Upper Hip: 35 inches  (same)

Lower Hip: 38 inches  was 40 inches.

So, I lost a total of 5 inches.  Hey, I can’t complain.  Well, this is getting long.  And I better get moving on.  I’ll post some more soon.  <3

Pffffttttt…. April 27, 2010

Yeah, I’ve probably used that post heading before.  And yeah, I’ve said I would write a longer one soon.  Well, just so you know, and don’t feel disappointment… utter disappointment as I do now, just know I had a great blog written out about all my final stats. 

Let me condense it.  Basically the bad news first, I didn’t accomplish one of my goals completely.  I didn’t lose all the inches or the ten pounds I wanted to.  I was fifty miles short of my cardio goal, etc. etc. 

Here’s what’s awesome.  I lost an inch off my thighs, I lost two inches off my lower hip, I lost an inch and a half off my waist.   I lost 5lbs.

Maybe, one day, when I’m not so pissy about losing my awesome post, complete with pictures, I’ll do it again.  Love you, mean it.

Heyo! April 12, 2010

I am MIA-o!!!!

Let’s get the stats mumbo jumbo outta the way first!  Then good news, then, I dunno.  Whatever’s clev, ja know?

I am trying to remember my stuh-tist-icks for this week….. this is why I need to get back on to doing daily short blogs.  Oh well, sometimes life gets in the way.  Last workout posted was for last Tuesday. 

Wednesday- well, let’s just say I kept it to the cardio.  I did 5.5 miles on the bike at level 9, and busted out 1.5 miles of deathstepping, level 8 fatburning.

Thursday was an upperbody day.  I partook (is that correct?) in 5 miles on the bike at level 9, and 1.5 miles of stepping over death level 9 fatburning.  Killer upperbody workout.

60 decline bench situps

40 side crunches

80 oblique crunches

And then I went to work at the Bohemian, with some very dead arms.

Friday….. man, that was a difficult day to go to the gym, especially since I was so damn tired from a 2.5 hour nap I took after work.   Yes, I’m a lame ass and go to the gym at 8:30 on Friday nights.  Sue me, I also work from 7:30 am till past 9:30 all day Saturdays, I deserve to be cool by staying at home and not developing a hangover.  Thanks.

But I conquered the gym, by remembering, I will never regret a workout.  And I never do.  I even told myself I could have ice cream after my workout.  Which is what I’ve been telling myself all week, but guess what?  After my workout, I no longer crave ice cream.  Just a nice glass of the fermented grape juice.

I did 1.5 miles on treadmill, 4.1-4.2mph at level 3.5 incline.  Yes, I did say I was swearing off of treadmill.  But it has been cold and windy here.  Stupid early April weather.  Decide to be warm dammit.

I also did level 8 of STEPMASTERING fatburning for 1.5 miles.  I’m developing skills.

I busted out 40 ball crunches, not much, but I did have a killer ab workout 30 hours before.

110 squats with 15lb barbell.

60 calf raises at 40 lbs.

and a kickass lowerbody workout that included more deadlifts.  I’m so impressed by the definition I am getting in the hammies.

Yesterday (Sunday, funday), I went to Olympus Hills park over yonder, and walked around the perimeter of the park 3 times.  This is no Sunday walk in the park (pun?  Get it?  Sheesh, I hope so!), Olympus has inclines way higher than treadmills, lots of stairs that I lunged up, then a cool down area of declining….. so it ended up being a rather sporadic interval cardio workout.  I would imagine that I did at least 2.5 miles of not just walking, but I’m going to call it “hike training.” and I accomplished at least 70 of those bad ass lunges up the stairs.  Let me tell you, I am SORE today.  Imagine that, no weights either.  That is why I cannot WAIT to go hiking Millcreek this summa!

Well, I haven’t done an update on total stats recently.  And I really need to.  I’m getting down to crunch time.  Do you know the end of my goal, the 23rd of April is 11 days away?!  That’s my 27th birthday.  I will say I am starting to notice a difference.  I have been able to put on jeans that I haven’t been able to wear in over 6 months.  Holler.  Welcome back Volcom denim.  I bought you on sale, you’re a solidly built pair of jeans, and I have missed you.  I’m also just in a ton better shape.  I’m going to incorporate more hiking this summer, which will prove to be great for my legs.  After this challenge is over, I’m going to conduct a better focus on protein in my diet, and doing something about my damn fluffy arms.  I HATE my arms so badly.  I thought they would for sure get toned way easier than my legs.  I’m not so pleased with my less than stellar results thus far.

GRAND TOTAL OF STATS!

54.5 cardio miles.- 77 miles left to complete (hmm….)

800 ab reps- 980 to complete.

300 calf raises- 2140 left.  Oh, hey, by the way, my calf raise number was set at 3000 not 4000 like I previously thought.  Oh well.

180 squats/lunges- 1590 left.

Well, okay, so I really may have overshot some of these.  But I can’t say I’m doing badly.  And I can’t wait to see my final results with the weigh in and measurements…. and the photos.  Ugh…. the photos.  Well, I’m back to work.  <3!