I will be the first to say that I really enjoy running, but it is not always easy to find the time to fit a run in. There are days where I will make excuses to not run: "its too dark", "its too cold", "I'll just hit snooze one more time". Then I will say I will do it after I get off work, and that doesn't happen. Dinner needs to be made, dog need to be taken care of, I am sleepy, whatever the reason, it usually doesn't pan out.
I am sure we have all been there, and it doesn't do anyone any good. There were times towards the end of last year where I would go a few weeks without getting a run in, and I don't want that to happen this year. So, this year I have vowed to stop making up reasons to not get out there, and I am hitting the pavement!
I know people who have no problem getting up and running a few miles at 4am, I am not one of those people. I do no like running when it is pitch black out, mostly for safety reasons. And also because at 4am it is usually well below freezing in my area and that isn't enjoyable for me. Whats the point if you are dreading every step?
So, now I have started running on my lunch break! That is one of the perks of working from home, I can sit in running clothes all day and its doesn't matter (and my husband will attest to the fact that this regularly happens).
I have 30 minutes for lunch, and that is the perfect amount of time to get in some miles and make it back home for work again. I usually come in, decompress for a minute, make some Nuun, and then its back to work for me. That afternoon run makes the rest of the day go by faster and I feel better. I always feel better after a run, so I don't know why I ever make excuses not to do it. Silly me.
Do you have trouble finding the time? When do you fit in your run?
Friday, January 17, 2014
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Jawbone Up24 Review
A while ago I did a post on the FitBit Flex vs the Jawbone Up. I knew I wanted one, but didn't know which was best for me. Well, on Christmas morning my husband surprised me with a Jawbone Up24! This is the newest version, it wasn't even out when I did my comparison. I was so excited and have been wearing it every day since Christmas!
The Up24 comes in two colors, onyx (black) and persimmon (orange). I got the persimmon and love it, I am a bright color kinda girl! They also come in three sizes, so you get just the right fit. I got the large and it is great, a little lose but fits just fine. I think the medium would have been too snug and would bother me throughout the day and night.
That's right, you wear this baby all day and night. During the day it tracks your steps and activity, and also allows your to log your food/drink intake and your mood throughout the day. Then, at night you set it for sleep mode and it tracks yours sleep. I love both modes because it makes me much more aware of what I do during the day and how I sleep. You can also view your trends and see your most active/inactive days and sleep.
Lets talk more about the two modes.
In awake mode your step and fitness get tracked throughout the day (most people should strive to hit at least 10,000 steps a day). It is great because it gives you real time updates since the Up24 made the improvement and it now syncs directly to your phone instead of plugging it in, as long as you have an iPhone. This was one of the drawbacks of the Up so I was excited for this feature. You can set it to vibrate if you have been inactive for too long. I have mine set to buzz me if I have been inactive for an hour. You can also set it for the start and stop of a workout that way you get credit for those more active times (even if it not a walking/running based activity). It is great and it really makes you aware of how active or not you are during the day.
In sleep mode it will tell you when you fell asleep, when you woke up and how you slept. It shows your deep sleep and light sleep along when when and how long you woke up throughout the night. I really like the sleep tracker because I find myself going to bed earlier because I want to hit my goal for the night, which is much better than staying up until midnight watching crappy TV. You need enough sleep to be able to function well the following day (about 8 hours a night for most people) and I want to be able to hit that goal every night (and I usually do!).
Needless to say, I am in love with this little gadget! I think everyone should have one because it helps you live a healthier lifestyle, and who couldn't stand to be a little more healthy? It makes you more aware of the little things throughout the day and makes you want to strive to beat your own goals which is great in my book!
The Up24 comes in two colors, onyx (black) and persimmon (orange). I got the persimmon and love it, I am a bright color kinda girl! They also come in three sizes, so you get just the right fit. I got the large and it is great, a little lose but fits just fine. I think the medium would have been too snug and would bother me throughout the day and night.
That's right, you wear this baby all day and night. During the day it tracks your steps and activity, and also allows your to log your food/drink intake and your mood throughout the day. Then, at night you set it for sleep mode and it tracks yours sleep. I love both modes because it makes me much more aware of what I do during the day and how I sleep. You can also view your trends and see your most active/inactive days and sleep.
Lets talk more about the two modes.
In awake mode your step and fitness get tracked throughout the day (most people should strive to hit at least 10,000 steps a day). It is great because it gives you real time updates since the Up24 made the improvement and it now syncs directly to your phone instead of plugging it in, as long as you have an iPhone. This was one of the drawbacks of the Up so I was excited for this feature. You can set it to vibrate if you have been inactive for too long. I have mine set to buzz me if I have been inactive for an hour. You can also set it for the start and stop of a workout that way you get credit for those more active times (even if it not a walking/running based activity). It is great and it really makes you aware of how active or not you are during the day.
In sleep mode it will tell you when you fell asleep, when you woke up and how you slept. It shows your deep sleep and light sleep along when when and how long you woke up throughout the night. I really like the sleep tracker because I find myself going to bed earlier because I want to hit my goal for the night, which is much better than staying up until midnight watching crappy TV. You need enough sleep to be able to function well the following day (about 8 hours a night for most people) and I want to be able to hit that goal every night (and I usually do!).
Needless to say, I am in love with this little gadget! I think everyone should have one because it helps you live a healthier lifestyle, and who couldn't stand to be a little more healthy? It makes you more aware of the little things throughout the day and makes you want to strive to beat your own goals which is great in my book!
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
The Big Move!
I know in my last few posts I have hinted at a move coming up. When we moved to Oklahoma in June, we knew it would only be for a few months. Andy was sent here for school which would last about 6 months. They started in the middle of July and he will graduate in early February. Then, exactly one month from today we will be on the road again!
Andy received his orders a few months ago, but I didn't want to say anything because the Army changes stuff like that all the time and I didn't want to jinx it. But, now that it is only a month away, I can officially say that we are moving to.... Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, CO!!!!
We are so excited about this next step! When Andy received the list of options for his next post, it was a long one. He asked me where I wanted to go, and I told him I didn't really care, it was whatever was the best opportunity for his career. I am very easy going and would live anywhere. Plus, I work from home and can work from anywhere within the continental US, so I was good with anything. He had to submit is top three choices, and Fort Carson was his number one. We were very happy that he got his first choice!
I am soooo excited that we are moving to Colorado Springs. It is supposed to be beautiful and there is so much to do, between shopping, dining, museums, outdoor fun, and lots of chances for running races! (I have tentatively added a few to the calender for when we get there).
Have you ever been to or lived in the Colorado Springs area? Do you have favorites of the town? I would love to hear from you if you do, or if you just want to say hi!
Andy received his orders a few months ago, but I didn't want to say anything because the Army changes stuff like that all the time and I didn't want to jinx it. But, now that it is only a month away, I can officially say that we are moving to.... Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, CO!!!!
We are so excited about this next step! When Andy received the list of options for his next post, it was a long one. He asked me where I wanted to go, and I told him I didn't really care, it was whatever was the best opportunity for his career. I am very easy going and would live anywhere. Plus, I work from home and can work from anywhere within the continental US, so I was good with anything. He had to submit is top three choices, and Fort Carson was his number one. We were very happy that he got his first choice!
I am soooo excited that we are moving to Colorado Springs. It is supposed to be beautiful and there is so much to do, between shopping, dining, museums, outdoor fun, and lots of chances for running races! (I have tentatively added a few to the calender for when we get there).
Have you ever been to or lived in the Colorado Springs area? Do you have favorites of the town? I would love to hear from you if you do, or if you just want to say hi!
Friday, December 27, 2013
The New Addition!
Wanted to fill you in on a little something that happened in our house about 2 weeks ago, we adopted another puppy!
Meet Murphy, the Schnauzer, Tibetan Terrier and possibly Wolfhound mix. They said he is about a year old, but they aren't sure. We are thinking he is about 8-10 months, and our vet agrees. He is just a big ol' adorable mutt. We did not plan on adopting another dog. We were at lunch at the same shopping center as PetSmart. I told Andy that I wanted to go over to PetSmart after we ate so we could look at Christmas stuff for Jimmy and see the cute dogs they had since they had Stephens County Humane Society (a local shelter) there for adoptions on Saturdays. Just to look at them, not actually take one home. Well, before we even made it to look at Christmas stuff we looked at the dogs and spotted "Sloopy".
He was an adorable mutt just hanging out in this kennel. The woman running the adoptions said we could take him for a walk around the store, so we did. I didn't initially want another dog, but I knew Andy has wanted another for a while. And, we thought it might be good for Jimmy to have a playmate since he has been getting a bit bored and rambunctious when we are gone. So, "Sloopy" came home with us!
We were not fans of the name Sloopy, so at first we renamed him Oscar because I kinda think he looks like Oscar the Grouch, even though he is not a grouchy guy. But, as we thought about it we decided that Oscar wasn't the right fit. So, Andy came up with Murphy and it has stuck!
The two of them seem to be getting along alright so far, clearly these two boys love belly rubs from Daddy.
When Jimmy finally realized that Murphy is not just a visitor and is moving in and he started to pout a bit, which broke our hearts. At first we were going to wait and see how it went with the two of them (which is why I didn't post this post sooner), but they have come to love playing together and hanging out, and Murphy is staying!
We have tried to take the two of them on a long walk almost every night and they are both pretty good walking on a leash. Check out these light on a house around the corner from us!
Murphy has separation anxiety, which we were unaware of, he freaks out when we both leave. We have signed him up for training classes so those start in the new year and hopefully those will help. We have never had to train a dog since Jimmy was trained from the time he was a puppy, so we didn't really know where to start. We figure a class would be a good way to train Murphy.
We hope that the two of them will become best buddies but I will keep you posted!
He was an adorable mutt just hanging out in this kennel. The woman running the adoptions said we could take him for a walk around the store, so we did. I didn't initially want another dog, but I knew Andy has wanted another for a while. And, we thought it might be good for Jimmy to have a playmate since he has been getting a bit bored and rambunctious when we are gone. So, "Sloopy" came home with us!
We were not fans of the name Sloopy, so at first we renamed him Oscar because I kinda think he looks like Oscar the Grouch, even though he is not a grouchy guy. But, as we thought about it we decided that Oscar wasn't the right fit. So, Andy came up with Murphy and it has stuck!
The two of them seem to be getting along alright so far, clearly these two boys love belly rubs from Daddy.
When Jimmy finally realized that Murphy is not just a visitor and is moving in and he started to pout a bit, which broke our hearts. At first we were going to wait and see how it went with the two of them (which is why I didn't post this post sooner), but they have come to love playing together and hanging out, and Murphy is staying!
We have tried to take the two of them on a long walk almost every night and they are both pretty good walking on a leash. Check out these light on a house around the corner from us!
Murphy has separation anxiety, which we were unaware of, he freaks out when we both leave. We have signed him up for training classes so those start in the new year and hopefully those will help. We have never had to train a dog since Jimmy was trained from the time he was a puppy, so we didn't really know where to start. We figure a class would be a good way to train Murphy.
We hope that the two of them will become best buddies but I will keep you posted!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
What a Wonderful Christmas!
Tuesday night we headed to the New Post Chapel for Christmas Eve candlelight service. It was the first time I had been in the chapel and it is beautiful! The service was lovely and a wonderful way to start Christmas. After the service we came home, put on our new Christmas jammies and watched It's A Wonderful Life, just like I have done every Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember.
Christmas morning has arrived! We had set the coffee pot for brew before we went to bed so there was a wonderful pot waiting for us when we woke up (or when the dogs woke us up at 7am). When I was little, I was not allowed to touch a present until my mom had her coffee made, and that was because when she was little, she also had to sit at the top of the stairs and wait for my grandfather to make coffee before they could come down and open presents. I am sure this is something we will also do when we have kids! (it's the little traditions that make the holidays great).
We got our coffees and started the fun of opening presents! We both got eachother some great things, but I won't share every detail with you. I will mention that we both got new running shoes! Great minds think alike, and lets face it, if you know us personally then you know that Andy and I are pretty much the same person! I got a new pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire 9s that I have been wanting and I got Andy the brand new Saucony Guide 7s. Couples that run together stay together, right? haha
I also received the Up24 by Jawbone! A while back I did a post about the FitBit Flex vs. the Jawbone Up. Well someone must have read my blog haha. Andy did even better and got the brand new Up24 by Jawbone. This one is better than the normal Up because the Up24 is bluetooth so it updates in real time instead of having to plug it into your phone. I absolutely love it and I have only been using it for a day! Maybe I will do a post next week and give you the full rundown of all the great things this gadget can do!
It was just me and Andy yesterday since we could not fly home this year and our families had just come out to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving. It was the first time I had not been with my mom on Christmas which was weird, but I had my wonderful husband and our two fur babies and that makes it much better! We did a mini-dinner and just relaxed all day, it was great! I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours!
Christmas morning has arrived! We had set the coffee pot for brew before we went to bed so there was a wonderful pot waiting for us when we woke up (or when the dogs woke us up at 7am). When I was little, I was not allowed to touch a present until my mom had her coffee made, and that was because when she was little, she also had to sit at the top of the stairs and wait for my grandfather to make coffee before they could come down and open presents. I am sure this is something we will also do when we have kids! (it's the little traditions that make the holidays great).
We got our coffees and started the fun of opening presents! We both got eachother some great things, but I won't share every detail with you. I will mention that we both got new running shoes! Great minds think alike, and lets face it, if you know us personally then you know that Andy and I are pretty much the same person! I got a new pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire 9s that I have been wanting and I got Andy the brand new Saucony Guide 7s. Couples that run together stay together, right? haha
I also received the Up24 by Jawbone! A while back I did a post about the FitBit Flex vs. the Jawbone Up. Well someone must have read my blog haha. Andy did even better and got the brand new Up24 by Jawbone. This one is better than the normal Up because the Up24 is bluetooth so it updates in real time instead of having to plug it into your phone. I absolutely love it and I have only been using it for a day! Maybe I will do a post next week and give you the full rundown of all the great things this gadget can do!
It was just me and Andy yesterday since we could not fly home this year and our families had just come out to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving. It was the first time I had not been with my mom on Christmas which was weird, but I had my wonderful husband and our two fur babies and that makes it much better! We did a mini-dinner and just relaxed all day, it was great! I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Tame that Mane
Let me start this post by saying that I have not run in about two weeks!!! Between family being here (though we did the Gobble Wobble!) and us having an ice/snow storm (which the roads are still covered in since the town did nothing to clean up this mess) I just haven't :(
It has been WAY below freezing many mornings and I give more credit to those who can run when the real feel is -13, but I just can't. The weather is going to start getting back to normal human temps which means I will get to run in the mornings again! I can't wait to get back moving and maintaining instead of gaining during this holiday season. It is supposed to be 53 on Saturday, sounds like a perfect day for a run in my book! I suppose the gods are preparing us for our PCS move! (more on that later, but it will be a cold move)
Now, you know I love to share products when they really work for me, so I have one for ya! A few months ago an awesome lady named Melissa started SweatMePretty. She started the brand when other non-slip headbands didn't work for her. Either they would leave a mark in hair for days, or they would say they were one size but would really measure another. What better way to solve a problem then do it yourself! She is so sweet and her customer service is great! They also occasionally do promos. Currently they are running free shipping on purchases $40.00 or more with code CHRISTMAS13.
I tried them out and now I am hooked (clearly, I mean look at my collection from just two or three months haha). They come in tons of styles/colors, stay in place, and are much less expensive than other non-slip headband companies. I also love that she uses contrasting velvet on the inside of the band. Gives it a little something extra!
I always wear one when running/working out because my hair would get insane without it. I don't get those ladies that can run a half marathon with their long hair down and not get crazy sweaty. I also rock them when my hair just gets annoying and needs to be pulled back from my face. They do the trick, and make it look a little more polished than just a ponytail. Needless to say, I love SweatMePretty (and their awesome name), so go check it out!
Do you have a favorite non-slip headband or do you go without? Do you enjoy negative temp running or are a scaredy cat like me? haha.... Have a great day friends!
It has been WAY below freezing many mornings and I give more credit to those who can run when the real feel is -13, but I just can't. The weather is going to start getting back to normal human temps which means I will get to run in the mornings again! I can't wait to get back moving and maintaining instead of gaining during this holiday season. It is supposed to be 53 on Saturday, sounds like a perfect day for a run in my book! I suppose the gods are preparing us for our PCS move! (more on that later, but it will be a cold move)
Now, you know I love to share products when they really work for me, so I have one for ya! A few months ago an awesome lady named Melissa started SweatMePretty. She started the brand when other non-slip headbands didn't work for her. Either they would leave a mark in hair for days, or they would say they were one size but would really measure another. What better way to solve a problem then do it yourself! She is so sweet and her customer service is great! They also occasionally do promos. Currently they are running free shipping on purchases $40.00 or more with code CHRISTMAS13.
I tried them out and now I am hooked (clearly, I mean look at my collection from just two or three months haha). They come in tons of styles/colors, stay in place, and are much less expensive than other non-slip headband companies. I also love that she uses contrasting velvet on the inside of the band. Gives it a little something extra!
I always wear one when running/working out because my hair would get insane without it. I don't get those ladies that can run a half marathon with their long hair down and not get crazy sweaty. I also rock them when my hair just gets annoying and needs to be pulled back from my face. They do the trick, and make it look a little more polished than just a ponytail. Needless to say, I love SweatMePretty (and their awesome name), so go check it out!
Do you have a favorite non-slip headband or do you go without? Do you enjoy negative temp running or are a scaredy cat like me? haha.... Have a great day friends!
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Where Have I Been?!?!
Holy cow, I just realized that it has been about a month since my last post! Goodness, I guess life just starts getting hectic and some things (such as the blog) get put on the back burner. Between work and life and family and the army, it has been busy around here, but I am back! Instead of going though everything that has gone on in the past month, I will just give you the highlights!
The biggest highlight was that our family came to visit for Thanksgiving! My mom, along with Andy's mom, step-dad and sister all came to visit us here in Oklahoma. It was our first time hosting for the holidays and it was great. I give my Aunt Lynn a lot of credit for all of those Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners that she hosted, getting everything in and out of the oven on time is a task!
Also, while they were here we did a Gobble Wobble the morning of Thanksgiving. It was so much fun to have the whole family participate in an event like this and if we were staying here in Oklahoma it would become a yearly tradition! (Side note, we are leaving Oklahoma in February, but that gets a whole post of its own soon!)
The second highlight was that we got our first snow of the season the weekend before Thanksgiving! We went to bed on Saturday night to clean streets and no snow and woke up Sunday morning with 4 inches of snow in our backyard! Clearly the first thing we did when we woke up was put on warm clothes and play in the snow with Jimmy! Then we made our way (through the crappy, un-plowed Lawton streets) to the dog park to play with a friend and his two doggies.
The dogs had a blast in the snow and now we are gearing up for round two, snow and ice today through Friday night. I hope the yucky weather holds off until tomorrow night because it is a big day around here tomorrow, Andy is getting promoted to Captain!
Hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season so far! And I promise, I will be better at posting! Now, I leave you with this cuties snow-covered face from last week!
The biggest highlight was that our family came to visit for Thanksgiving! My mom, along with Andy's mom, step-dad and sister all came to visit us here in Oklahoma. It was our first time hosting for the holidays and it was great. I give my Aunt Lynn a lot of credit for all of those Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners that she hosted, getting everything in and out of the oven on time is a task!
Me and my momma!
Also, while they were here we did a Gobble Wobble the morning of Thanksgiving. It was so much fun to have the whole family participate in an event like this and if we were staying here in Oklahoma it would become a yearly tradition! (Side note, we are leaving Oklahoma in February, but that gets a whole post of its own soon!)
The whole gang!
The second highlight was that we got our first snow of the season the weekend before Thanksgiving! We went to bed on Saturday night to clean streets and no snow and woke up Sunday morning with 4 inches of snow in our backyard! Clearly the first thing we did when we woke up was put on warm clothes and play in the snow with Jimmy! Then we made our way (through the crappy, un-plowed Lawton streets) to the dog park to play with a friend and his two doggies.
Andy and Jimmy playing in the backyard
The dogs had a blast in the snow and now we are gearing up for round two, snow and ice today through Friday night. I hope the yucky weather holds off until tomorrow night because it is a big day around here tomorrow, Andy is getting promoted to Captain!
Hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season so far! And I promise, I will be better at posting! Now, I leave you with this cuties snow-covered face from last week!
Our fur-baby Jimmy, enjoying the snow!
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