Might be time to update the name of this Blog

Well, I haven't posted in a while, so if you didn't already know, I got married a little over 2 years ago and we are expecting our first (my second) daughter any day now.  It's been a great two years so far.  I won't lie and tell you it's been sunshine and rainbows everyday, but I can honestly say, that our good days far surpass our tough days.  Having a mutual respect for eachother and what the other is capable of makes a huge difference, as well as the fact that we share many things in common (sadly not running) and except eachother exactly as we are.

Toward the end of 2014 I was picked up by Lackland AFB as a contract Personal Trainer there and have been training a couple of clients over the last few months.  I really love working with people that are ready and willing to make a change and listen when I explain to them why I do things the way I do. I am also working on starting up a group fitness/bootcamp style workout in my neighborhood since we have the space for it.  I will have to wait on that until after I have the baby though.

Sevrine is gearing up for another track season after having two successful Cross Country seasons, qualifying for Nationals, two years in a row.  Hopefully track season will go just as well.

It's the little things

     Even though the day didn't start out that great, we ended up having a really good day. We had to get up early this morning so Sevrine could go to her very first day of league bowling, but the little one did not want to wake up.  Turns out she snuck her nabi into her room and stayed up way too late watching Netflix.  Neither of us is sure what time she actually went to bed.  Thankfully by the time league started, she was in a good mood and was taking instruction from the coaches and trying to apply the coaching they were giving her.  She bowled better and better with every game.  We don't know what her handicap will be yet, but she was bowling pretty well.

After she got done with league, we got another lane so we could bowl together.  She continued to improve and was really happy with how she was doing.  The lanes were pretty dry so neither of us were sliding very well, but we managed to work through it.  After that, we decided to head over to the bowling alley on Lackland to see if the pro shop was open since it seems my shoes really were cheap and that might be part of the reason I'm not sliding as much anymore, and Sevrine decided she wanted to bowl some more.  She didn't bowl as well at lackland, but I think that it can throw you off switching lanes.  There is definitely a difference in the approach as well as how dry the lanes are.  I also think that we were both pretty tired by then.

All in all, Sevrine bowled for about 6 total hours today and I bowled for 4.  Definitely a long day, but we both had a lot of fun.  I was really proud of her attitude and behavior during league today, as well as the rest of the day. During her last few games she put the ipod on and listend to music because the kids next to us were a little distracting.  It was really cute watching her bob her head and dance as she bowled.

My favorite part of the day was after we got home.  Sevrine still wanted to listen to the ipod, but she went straight to her favorite spot in the house (in between the TV and the coffee table on the floor) and layed down and fell asleep.  I had headphones in as well watching a show on the ipad when I started to hear her snore.  It is hilarious how much noise comes out of such a small girl.  When I went over to check on her, she was completely out.  I don't think there is anything cuter to a parent than seeing their child asleep.  Even if the whole day had gone badly, that one moment would have changed everything.  

Here's to enjoying those little moments.

Colleen and Jeff are getting hitched!

Self - Test and other updates

Okay, so I saw a clip from Dr. Oz about Green Coffee Bean Extract and it's weight loss benefits.  Prior to this though I was reading a bunch of information on how regulating your glucose levels will help speed weight loss since sugar turns to fat in the body.  Obviously this takes a lot of preparation and time with the diet, and lets be honest time is precious.  The Green Coffee Bean Extract has Chlorogenic acid in it which helps regulate the glucose levels in the liver so the liver burns fat instead of sugar.  I figure why not try it and check the results for myself.  I weighed myself this morning and will continue to eat, run/bike and strength train the same as I've been doing and see what kind of results I get.

In the study they did participants lost an average of 17 pounds in 12 weeks and Dr. Oz did an audience study where one woman lost 2 pounds in 5 days and the other lost 6 pounds in 5 days.  They didn't change their diets or exercise so I should get results with the amount of running/strength training I do.  Besides I have less than 2 months before Jeff is supposed to be home so I obviously want to look my best.

I will try and get before pictures taken tonight so I have a point of reference to see my progress throughout this little experiment.  Crossing my fingers.

As far as other updates go, things are progressing and I am getting the house ready for the move.  I'm ready for this next chapter of my life to start.

Day 2 of "The Workout" - 65 days

Okay, so I figured you might want to know what workout I'm doing, or maybe you don't..... Either way, this is it.

Mon-Wed-Fri
3x20 Dumbbell bench press
3x60 sec plank
3/12 lunges
3x20 calf raises with 5lb weights
3x25 bicycles
5 roll-ups
30 min stationary bike

Tues-Thurs-Sat
3x7 push ups
3x25 crunches
3x15 squats
3x20 calf raises with 5lb weights
3x20 chest flies
3x25 scissor kicks
3x30 side plank
Run 2 miles during week 3-4 on Saturday

Tonight I had to change my run to the stationary bike since Sevrine was still awake, but the plan is to run in the morning.  Will be tracking my progress beginning yesterday to see where I'm at since I have 65 days until my move to San Antonio and only a matter of a week or so after that until Jeff gets home.  I have a ways to go until I can get back to my ideal race form but I'm working on it.  So far I'm starting to see more definition in my legs and have notices small changes in my core.  Hopefully those changes will become more visible soon.

Getting ready

Well, we turned in our apartment application this weekend and now we wait to hear back to confirm that everything is set.  It's kind of made me realize that I'm really moving to Texas in 2 months.  I have so much to do between now and then.  Sevrine and I started on her room this weekend and should be able to wrap it up tomorrow.  Once the cleaning phase is done, we'll start sorting her toys into Keep, donate and toss.  We'll be doing the same thing with her clothes.  Next weekend I should be able to start on my room.  I'm also hoping to get a picture of my piano and dining room set on Craig's list so I can get them sold before I go.  That will help pay for the u-haul trailer and gas to go out there.  I figure it will cost be about 500 for both.  As part of my ongoing readiness plan I've been doing a home workout.  I've missed a few days here and there because of fatigue and a cold, but I didn't actually go backwards and tonight's workout felt good.  I even feel like I can start adding weight to my dumbbell bench press and my one-arm dumbbell rows.  I did my calf raises holding 5lb weights so that made me feel good.  I've even started to see some results in my abs.  I have a ways to go over the next 8 weeks, but if I watch my diet and keep my fitness level up I should be able to get to where I want to be.  I will probably have to buy a whole new outfit to wear to the airport. :)

80 days and counting

This deployment is starting to wind down.  We have less than 3 months to go now and I am anxious for Jeff to come home so we can start this next phase of our lives together.  It's a good thing too since sending out care packages is pretty pricey. :)  I like sending them though because I know how much he loves getting them.

I started a new workout last week (has nothing to do with him coming home).  Now that school is back in I have less time to hit the gym if Sevrine and I are going to work on her homework and reading when we get home and have her still go to bed on time, so I decided to start a home workout circuit to try and get my workout done without having to take away precious homework time.  So far it's going well.  My only rest day is Sunday and tonight will be my 7th workout.  I set up two different 6 workout routines and I rotate them every day.  I also alternate my cardio.  On non running days I use the stationary bike and Mondays I double up on my run and the bike.  Trying to get back to my race weight.  It's going to take some time as I build up mileage again, but I'm really happy with my consistency so far.

 Happy running!

Half Way There

This week was a milestone for us.  We are half way through Jeff's deployment.  I won't lie and say that the time has flown by, but thankfully it's not dragging either.  We are just taking things one day at a time.  We've been so lucky to have Skype and Skype for Android.  It's probably the only way that I'm surviving this deployment without too much stress.  Before he left we were able to talk on the phone every night and with Skype and the not too crazy time difference we get to talk almost every morning.  I can't think of a better way to start my day than a phone call with my best friend.  It's fun to still be able to talk and make plans for November.  Even though he's not here, I still don't know what I'd do without him.  Here's to hoping that the next 3 months are just as good as the first 3.

Over doing it

I have a tendency to get carried away sometimes.  I've been wanting to add more weight training to my workouts to compliment my running, so I bought a book called Weight Training for Running.  It shows all of the different exercises and has charts for in season, off-season and supplemental training.  Well, I followed the in season training workout yesterday and I did too much.  So much that my legs were way to sore to move let alone run.  I will still be doing the weight training but will have to scale it back a little bit so I don't end up hurting myself. I'll be spending some more time stretching and using the foam roller today in hopes that I'll be able to get my mileage in tonight.

Settling in

Well, Jeff has been gone for a week now, and I have to say it's getting easier (sort of).  We've settled into a routine now with our schedules and we're able to talk on skype from my phone in the morning and instant message in the evening.  The highlight of my week was that Sevrine and I got to Skype with Jeff last night (morning for him).  It was fun for Sevrine to be able to tell him about all of the things she did this week as well as all sorts of other random stuff, but we definitely had fun.  I love technology and that it  makes the distance a little easier to manage.  Today we are taking pictures to send in a care package so should be a fun day.  Hopefully we'll get some really cute ones.

Don't get me wrong I/we still miss him and we're making plans for when he gets home, but being able to talk as often as we want has been really good for us.  Well, off to start the day and start checking things off my list.

"The longer the wait, the sweeter the kiss"

I thought I was prepared. Being that our relationship is a long distance one, you would think that I would be handling this better.  I have come to need him and to hear his voice.  Hear him make fun of my car and talk about our future and what we want to do.  Every weeknight I call him on my way home from work.  It's 1 hour of uninterrupted time that we can catch up on the day or just talk about random stuff, with one or both of us blurting out what cool cars we've seen go by or which idiot is trying to turn into the exit of the Hyatt Resort.  My car ride home the last two nights was silent.  No phone call.

Yesterday when I was out I drove past the Riverview Toyota dealership on the way back from lunch and there was a Red Toyota FJ Trail Team edition sitting out front.  My first inclination was to text him, but I couldn't.  I think that was when it hit me.  I will still be able to talk to him through email and skype periodically, but the delay is killing me.  I didn't think that I had taken those conversations for granted, but I definitely appreciate them more now.

I read a saying "It doesn't get easier, you just get stronger", and I hope that that is true.  By some standards this deployment is a short one, being only 6 months, but at this very moment it seems like forever.  We'll get into a routine soon so it won't seem so bad, and I'll be writing down all of those little things that I wanted to tell him so he won't miss out.

You can try to prepare yourself, to set expectations of how different things will be when the person you love deploys, but no matter how well you think you've prepared, there are moments when you feel the absence more deeply than you could have imagined. Tomorrow I'll be strong, but tonight I just miss him.

Positive things to come

You know how when you get excited about something that will positively effect your life and you can't stop talking about it?  That's where I'm at right now.  I had an opportunity come up this week that previously would have scared me or just immediately dismissing it, but now I'm at a point where I'm finally open to it.  I keep looking at things that I can change to make myself healthier, as well as doing something with my career so I can support myself and Sevrine without having to worry about whether or not someone will pay their child support.  I think that with this opportunity the health changes will be a given, but the career aspect will be something that will take some time to build.  It does have the potential to be something that will allow me to create my own schedule and spend more time with Sevrine instead of having to rely on others.  There are a few things that I need to put into place  before I can start the career journey, but I am so excited and ready for the changes.  Check back in a few weeks!

11/11/11

It's been a while since I posted in this blog.  There is so much to say that really can't be expressed eloquently or in a reasonable amount of space, so I'll just say this.  Thank you.  Thank you for your sacrifices as well as those of your family.  Thank you for the selfless acts you perform daily without any expectation.  Thank you for looking out for the rights of the American people even when there are some that would snub you or not appreciate your efforts.  Thank you for looking past our flaws and serving us anyway.

ARMY*AIR FORCE*NAVY*MARINES*COAST GUARD

Remembering 9/11 5K

Here are the results from my second 5k.  For the record I have no idea what I was thinking or what I was looking at in the picture. lol

Wickenburg, AZ

Sevrine and I had  fun day out in Wickenburg taking pictures.  It was a little hot and we didn't take as many as we would have liked, but I think we got some good ones, and more importantly, we had fun. So here are a few pictures so show you what we did.

Update

Well, here is the update.  There is a little bit of progress on my "take care of me" goals.  Sevrine and I have been walking a few nights a week (depending on whether or not she got her homework done), I'm taking more pictures and I'm running a 5k on the 12th.  I'll also be heading out today to go and take some pictures to see what I come up with.  I did find a really cool editing program online that can do some cool things. So, off to a decent start so far.

New Beginnings

I feel like it's time to make some new goals. I think it goes in cycles for me. I start to take time to work on myself and start to feel really happy, then I get into a relationship and neglect myself a little bit. Not as much this time, but I do know that I started to give up more and more of the things that make me happy. So, it's back to working on me, and hopefully when/if I meet someone, I'll continue to make myself a priority. So, here are the things that I would like to do:

1. Run a 5K every other month (or every month if I can swing it).

2. Take more pictures

3. Go hiking with Sevrine twice a month

I'm sure there will be more things, but those are just a few that I want to do. In light of that, the picture I'm posting is not one that I took, but I did do the editing on it, and was really happy with the way it came out.

I'm kind of a big deal

Or at least my boyfriend thinks so. We live about 3 hours away from eachother so when we see eachother it means one of us spent 6 hours round trip in the car.Next week its my turn to make the drive. Yep, true love. :)

Mesa Temple

Here are a couple of pictures I took while walking around the Mesa Temple on Saturday.

When you least expect it

If you had asked me 2 months ago if I thought I'd be in a serious relationship I would have said no, because at that time I had figured I was going to take a break from dating for a while. But, I am in a serious relationship which feels comfortable and unbelievable at the same time. The best part is that he feels the exact same way.