Lately.....

  Let's just quickly move past the fact that I've failed as a blogger by not posting in a gazillion years, and catch up with what's been going on lately.

  Let's see.....well a lot has been going on in my crazy, busy life. 

  Let's get the unhappy news out first. About five weeks ago T went to the gym on a Saturday morning and while on the way home was hit by another car who decided that they didn't really need to stop at a stop sign, even though T was turning right in front of them. Thankfully, T was not injured at all in the accident! He had driven my car that morning and the poor baby was just crushed. 

 

 

  Everything was settled and we were able to get another car within a few weeks. It's definitely a bigger and different type of vehicle, but we figured since we had to get another car we may as well get the "mommy car" now, rather than later. 

 

 

  On to happier and more exciting news........

  About 5 weeks ago I started taking and am now distributing a very awesome product. It's called Juice Plus. 

 

 

  It's been around for about 20 years and is backed up by over 30 published scientific research studies. It's basically a salad bar in a capsule. 

 

 

  The daily serving is equal to 17 servings of fruits and vegetables. Now, I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, but I know that most days I'm probably not getting the recommended 9-13 servings. Our bodies work best when they're fueled properly.  I'm already noticing positive results after only a few weeks and I'm excited to see what the future holds! If you'd like more info on Juice Plus please contact me under the "Contact Me" tab and I'll be happy to tell you more.

  Now, even more exciting news!

  Over Labor Day weekend T and I went on vacation! We hadn't been anywhere in a long time, so this trip was long overdue. 

  Before we met T took a solo vacation to Sedona, AZ and since the day we met he's been telling me about it and talking about how he wanted to take me there. We began searching for a vacation destination in July and I told him that we needed to make Sedona happen! 

 

 

 

  I completely loved our trip! Sedona and Arizona as a whole is amazing and beautiful. I'd always imagined Arizona to be sand, cactus and HOT! Now, we did experience that in Phoenix when we flew in, but those pre-conceived ideas quickly disappeared as we took the highway north. Arizona was mountains and rivers and gorgeous. 

 

 

 

  We spent the majority of our trip in Sedona, but did take one day to check out the Grand Canyon. We hiked.....A LOT! 11 miles in one day! We returned from our vacation tired, sore and so happy that we'd had the chance to visit Sedona! I would definitely recommend it for anyone who is looking for a beautiful place to visit.

Take a chance

So, did I tell y'all that I'm a softball superstar?! Okay, so maybe not a superstar, but I did manage to make it through my first season without getting kicked off the team. More about that later.

T is a huge baseball fan, and as long as I've known him he's always played softball on various leagues. He joined a new league this spring and was placed on a team with other people that he didn't know. He really liked the league and decided that he wanted to form his own team of friends for the summer season. He convinced me to play, even though I assured him that I wasn't good. I played one season of little league softball and after taking a ball to the head was done, and hadn't played since.

I made T promise that he'd kick me off the team if I was doing too badly and was bringing the team down. I also tried to convince him that I'd play as long as I never had to bat and I didn't have to play catcher, because I was afraid I'd get hit with the bat. He told me I'd have to bat, but we never discussed the catcher request. 

Now, let me tell y'all, I started the season off pretty badly. I struck out pretty much every time I'd go up to bat and I wasn't the best fielder. During our second or third game of the season T stunned me by telling me to go in as the catcher. I about slapped him right there on the field! I did not want to play catcher! I did as my husband/coach said, and went in. Well now you better not try and put me in another position, because I love playing catcher! I have been hit by the bat and have taken several balls to the shoulder, stomach and shins. The shins part is mainly my fault. I've discovered that I tend to stop the ball by kicking it with my shin, rather than holding out my glove. Oh well.....I've got some awesome bruises to show off. 

The batting has been a work in progress. I started the season striking out, and in our last game hit the ball every time I was up to bat. They're not great hits......but a hit's a hit. 

Moral of the story: give something a chance....even if you're scared or don't think you'll be very good at it. 

Our team made it to the playoffs this season and our next season starts this Sunday. I'm excited all ready! Plus, the bruises are only looking good on my left leg. I need to give the right leg some decoration too.

Oh Snap!

  So, I know that I've talked about it before and I'm pretty sure that months ago I promised a post on the subject....and here it is....finally! My hubby is an amazing photographer. I know I'm biased because I kinda like the guy, but he really is awesome! He is completely self taught and I've loved watching his work get better and better over the years.

  I have always loved photography. When I was a little girl I considered looking at pictures to be one of my hobbies. Not sure if that really falls under the category of "Hobbies" but I was kinda a strange little kid. You could often times find me sitting on the living room floor, thumbing through our family photo albums. My Mom took a lot of pictures! I've always wanted to get into taking photos, but just never did....until now! I have no excuse or reason not to be able to pick up the hobby now. T and I have two fancy cameras, so now is the time.

  I've helped T photograph events in the past. He's done several weddings, and it really helps to have two photographers because there's so much going on. However, my photos are not always the best.

  I've really been trying to take a lot more pictures lately. There's no way to get better if I'm not practicing. For the past several posts I've only been using my DSLR versus my cell phone camera. I'm not sure if any of you have noticed a slight improvement in the quality of my pictures, but now I fully expect to receive millions of comments about my awesome skills. I kid, I kid....you don't have to say anything....until I get really good!

  Here's a few of the hubby's awesome pics. Y'all can comment on his skills......

  T recently formed a group here in San Antonio for people that are interested in photography and last week we had our first event. We just spent some time downtown, taking pics. Here's a few of mine....

  I only hope that one day I can be half as good as T, when it comes to my photography.

Tickle me pink...and purple, and blue, and green, and yellow.....

   Several months ago, before the craziness of moving and T traveling for business for the next two weeks popped up, we had signed up to run a 5k that was scheduled for this morning. We've had to change a few of our other plans, but I'm too frugal (cheap) to not do something that I've already paid for. Plus...this was not your typical 5k race. This was the Color Me Rad race.

  Here's our before picture.

   The Color Me Rad is basically a 5k where at various stations throughout the races you run through a little area where people throw colored corn starch all over you! By the time you get to the finish line you look like you've been swimming in a pool filled with melted Skittles. You can also get Color Packs and throw extra color all other each other.

  We got some extra packs, and went a little crazy. Here's T before the race even got started.

 

  I'm usually super competitive when it comes to running in a race, but not today. This was just for fun, and it was a blast!

  Here's a picture of the finish line. No, it wasn't raining.....that's colored corn starch flying around everywhere!

   My friend Callie and I at the finish line! I must say, Callie definitely had the best tie-dyed face out of all of us! It was awesome!

  T and I at the finish line. Definitely a different look from the clean picture at the beginning of this post!

What's that on your arm??

    So, I get several weird looks and stares, given the thing that I wear on my left tricep. A few brave souls have even ventured to ask me what it is. Well, ladies and gentlemen, this is a Bodymedia Fit Armband.

   
  I wear it 24/7 except for when I'm showering, because it doesn't like the water. This little baby has sensors on the inside that press up against my skin and constantly take measurements. With those measurements it's able to determine how many calories I'm burning, how many steps I'm taking, my vigorous and moderate activity, and even my sleep patterns. All of these are very important components to a healthy lifestyle, especially if you're trying to lose weight.

    To get your results you sync your Bodymedia with your computer and it uploads your data to an online management program. If you're like me and you're too curious to wait until you're near your computer to upload your data, they do have a handy dandy display device that you can sync minute-by-minute with, and get the most up to date information. 

 

 

    I will tell you that I have not always had a Bodymedia. I've actually only had my device for about 3-4 months. I mainly got it because I've just always been curious. I wanted to know how many calories I'm burning during the day and during my workouts. 

    I will also tell you that I was not paid to do this blog post, although that would have be awesome, because this is a pretty stellar review! And, just a little secret if you're thinking about getting a device like this.....check out Ebay.....way cheaper than buying directly from the manufacturer. ;-)

   The Bodymedia is an amazing device, especially if you're currently trying to lose weight. It can be very hard to lose weight, especially if you're not sure how many calories you're burning. This device keeps you in check. If you're struggling with meeting your weight loss goals, consider looking into one of these devices. I find that I push myself harder because I want to meet my daily goals that I've set for myself, and this helps me do that!

 

Even T is sporting one!!

 

Motivational Monday-Courtesy of T

Today's Motivational Monday is courtesy of T. He sent it to me last week and told me that it'd be great for today. I agreed and told him I'd use it! 

It's a great reminder to not give up!

Lions, Tigers, and Baby Kisses

  T's sister, Felicia, her husband, Steven and their son, Gus, came to visit us this weekend. They live about 1.5 hours away, but with our crazy schedules we don't always get to see each other as much as we'd like. Gus is 8 months old and is so much fun to be around! They came in late Friday night and we had a fun-filled weekend!

  Saturday morning we headed to the zoo! A nice cold front had rolled in on Friday, so it was definitely chilly, but we all bundled up and were ready to go!

  Gus was super excited to get to the zoo!

 

  But, he woke up soon and was ready to see some exciting animals.

Having a nice little moment with his Aunt Ginger.

 

  Flamingos

  Another gorgeous bird

  And....we're sleeping again. He's too cute! 

   Zebra

  The cheetah. Did you know they can run 70 mph??!! I knew they could run fast, but I didn't know it was that fast! This one...not running so fast. He was mainly soaking up the sun, but I can't blame him....it was pretty cold out there.

  Gus loves fish!

  This huge hippo was just chilling in the water.

 

  Gus with his mommy and daddy, checking out more fish. 

  Back at home, T and I were able to spend some time taking care of Gus in the afternoon while Felicia and Steven got away for a little shopping, sans baby. Before Gus came along, 8 months ago, T had very little experience with babies and it's been awesome to see how much confidence he's gained. The two of them had a lot of fun together. 

  Another member of our family who's not too familiar with babies is Molly. She quickly warmed up to Gus and it was so cute to watch the two of them together! Molly loves to give kisses and she was trying to be sneaky with them, thinking that we wouldn't notice that she was licking the baby. Oh, we noticed. That was fun trying to keep them apart. 

  Gus goes in for some payback. 

   We had such a wonderful time visiting with family this weekend!

Something bit my husband

  I'm going to brag about T a bit, because I'm so proud of him and some recent accomplishments he's had.

  T has always been a little flip-floppy with his weight. He lost about 25 pounds right before we got married and then he gained it back. He says its because he's married to such a great cook, and it was happy weight. He also told me that he thinks a lot of people are kinda depressed when they're overweight, but he never felt  that way. He was always happy. But that's T. He's an extremely happy guy. He doesn't let things bring him down. He stresses about nothing. Me, on the other hand....well, I stress enough for the both of us....and probably half of the neighborhood!

  Anywho....I've always told T that I don't care what he looks like. I just want him to be healthy. As I told you in previous posts, both my mother and grandmother passed away at early ages from cancer, and I want to break that cycle. Well, in T's family, a lot of the men are affected with Type 2 Diabetes. I just always tell him that if I'm going to fight to live forever, I want him living forever with me! 

  In the past, T has gotten serious about his diet and fitness, but the seriousness has fizzled out within a few weeks. But not this time! Some kind of crazy bug has bitten my husband and his results have been amazing! He's been extremely dedicated for the past 10 weeks or so, and he's lost over 25 pounds. Yes girls, let's all have a moment of anger towards men and how quickly they can lose weight! GRRRR!! Ok, we're moving on. 

  This was T last summer during a trip to Colorado.

  T about a year ago.

  T has started working out on a daily basis and he now feels guilty if he doesn't do some type of exercise every day. He's also measuring, weighing and recording everything that he eats. I promise you people, that is the way to do it if you're trying to get results! It's amazing once you start measuring and weighing your food. You gain a perspective of what a true portion is! 

  Here's a recent picture of T, after a 25 pound weight loss. What a studly guy!

  I couldn't be more proud of T and the healthy lifestyle that he has chosen to follow. We've got forever to look forward to!

Take me out to the ball game

  T plays on a co-ed softball league and last night was one of his games. T has always been very athletic and baseball/softball is probably one of his favorite sports to play, and he is very talented! Molly and I like to sit on the sidelines and watch. As I discussed in a previous post....I don't really do sports, although they were about to make me play last night because they were almost short a female player. That would have been cute....me....playing softball....without a glove....wearing a fleece pullover, blue jeans and pink converse tennis shoes. I could totally rock that outfit on the softball field!

  Anyways, so I snapped a few photos from the sidelines, but not too close. Y'all have to understand....there's like this "wife code" when it comes to watching the hubby play sports. I can't sit too close to the fence, which doesn't allow for great pics. And, you better believe I'm not allowed to stand up and get closer when he's at bat to get a picture of the intimidating, swinging thing that he does with the bat while waiting for the pitcher to throw the ball.

  Also part of the code, no yelling or congratulatory remarks! These are reserved for after you and the hubby are in the car, then they can begin. These are embarrassing to the hubby during the game and must be avoided....so I just blog about them instead. Tehehe.

  T, playing Shortstop.

  Talking (yelling) to his teammates.

  Getting ready to go up to bat.

   Woohoo! Made it to first base!

  And, second base!

   Strategizing with his teammate.

  Molly likes to go watch T play softball because there's new things to smell and new dirt to dig in. 

   Molly watching T play Third Base Coach.

Hugs, kisses and then a walk

  T left bright and early this morning for his first business trip with his new job. He took a new job about a month ago and I couldn't be more proud of him! He will be traveling more with this job, but they will be short trips. His previous job also included travel, but it lasted 6-7 weeks! He left this morning and will be getting home Friday night, but I won't actually see him until Saturday evening, because I'll be at a conference with my job Friday-Saturday.

 Here he is, ready for take-off! Look at that handsome smile!

  I went ahead and headed to my office after dropping him off, but got there an hour early. But....being the planner that I am, I'd thrown a pair of walking shoes into my car before I'd left the house. I missed my workout this morning because we had to leave so early for the airport, so I decided I'd go walking on the Riverwalk for some exercise instead. I laced up my walking shoes with my gray dress slacks, black sweater and red pea coat and headed out, because I can totally rock that outfit! Oh, and don't forget the pearl stud earrings. Man, I looked good!

  It was a beautiful and crisp walk along the river this morning.

  I actually really enjoyed my walk. I saw tons of ducks and these pretty white birds, that I have no idea what they were. I normally walk along the river during my lunch break, but this morning I had more time, so I got to explore areas that I've never seen before. I got a total of 2.3 miles in 41 minutes. Not too shabby for a morning stroll.

  Oh, and on another note....Molly and I really miss T when he's away, but Molly's not too upset that she gets to sleep in his spot on the bed while he's gone.