Motivation Monday

My favorite day on the Tone It Up Calendar is Monday. Karena & Katrina always have a motivational challenge that isn't a workout. Last week they asked us to journal goals, this week they asked us to reach out and encourage a friend. What a great way to start the week, right?

So, friends, I want to encourage you. If you are thinking about getting in your workout today, you should just do it. You will never regret working out, but you might have some regret and guilt about not working out. Take it from me, the ultimate procrastinator (as I blog before class starts...) that it is worth your time and effort.

My goodreads quote of the day seemed like a perfect reminder that routine and diligence are what lead us to freedom!

"Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty"
-Frank Herbert (author of Dune)

What's waiting for you today?????

These were waiting for me!

He needs exercise, too!

Head on over to Tone It Up to pick up your own October Calendar!

Sunday Runday

Today was a Sunday Runday!
This was my mantra as I ran today: "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Exercise is a great way to keep your temple in good shape!

 Mack and I headed out from my parent's house (we're in CO for little bro 1's graduation). We were ready to conquer the altitude. The plan was to run out for 15 min and run back for 15 min. This worked great till a little after the half way point when Mack lunged across me at a moving car and we both went down.

Mack is totally okay - I look like a 3rd grader who skinned her knees in a bike accident.

Those knees will look super hot when I wear a dress to little bro's graduation.

Thanks Mack...Here's to hoping they don't hurt too much to run this week - I need to be ready for the Color Run in Denver on Saturday!

Rainy Days are Perfect for Book Nerds and Bloggers!

 Finals are over! I'm free for the semester and I now officially have time to indulge in the nonessential activities that I love. So, here I am - blogging!

I don't know about you, but I love cloudy, drizzly, rainy weather. There is something so wonderful about the smell of rain, the content look that wet plants seem to radiate - especially grass, and sound of rain hitting the roof, walls, windows, and the rhythm that changes with the intensity of the rain.

Days like this make me want to read, drink tea, and lounge in pajamas. Since finals are officially over, Mack and I have decided to do just that!

I hope you're enjoying your Friday as much as I'm enjoying mine!!

P.S. Here's what I'm reading:
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
Visual Communication: Integrating Media, Art, and Science by Rick Williams and Julianne Newton

The last one was a loan from my advisor to help me get comfortable with creativity before I start some visual arts classes in the fall - so friendly of her to loan it to me!

Partial Success - We did not get hit by a car!

That was a great run 4500 ft higher than I've ever done 3.2 miles before!

Mack and I managed to enjoy 2 out of 3 of our success goals:

My leashing skills coupled with an inkling of self control led to Mack not darting at cars - hooray!
We enjoyed being outside!

Unfortunately, after the 2 mile marker Mack was in desperate need of a quick walking break and my heel started to give me shoots of pain like it does when my plantar fasciitis s acts up. So we walked about a quarter of a mile and then ran the rest of the way home!

2 out of 3 isn't bad!

Next weekend we're supposed to run even further! Cannot wait to see how far I can actually go!

Since Mack is super cute and I do not take pics while running, are some after shots of the tired runners.

Enjoy!

One Woman & Dog 5k!

Tomorrow is the day! It is the day that Mack and I test whether our HIIT runs and time in the much higher altitude (in comparison to coastal TX) have gotten us ready to up our milage!

Tomorrow we are embarking on our own personal 5k.
Success will be:
Finishing without Mack's love of cars ending in either of our untimely demise...haha
Running/jogging all of it - except for Mack's pit stops (I usually try to jog in place)
Enjoying some time outside

Hopefully I'll be reporting back that Mack and I had some running success!

Was your Sunday a Runday or a Bumday??

Cobbler - The Healthy Way

Since I began my quest to eat healthy, I have been LOVING my Rocco DiSpirito, "Now Eat This" cook book. All of the dinner, lunch, breakfast, and snack recipes have been amazing! So filling and so healthy. The desserts have been hit or miss for me. The cobbler, with a few tweaks is now a favorite. I thought I'd share it with you guys!

Healthy Cobbler
Ingredients:
5 Golden delicious apples - peeled, cored, and cut into large slices
1 lemon
1 tbsp cornstarch
1" Ginger root
2 tbsp Cinnamon
1/4 c Dried cranberries
1/4 c Agave nectar
3/4 c Whole Wheat baking mix
1/4 c Fat Free milk
2 tbsp turbinado sugar

Method:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a bowl, mix apples, juice of one lemon, cornstarch, 1 tbsp cinnamon, cranberries, and agave. Also grate, using a zester, the 1/2" of ginger into the bowl. Put mixture in pre greased baking sheet.

Using the same bowl (which is now empty), combine baking mix, as much of the remaining ginger (zested) as you'd like, 1 tbsp cinnamon, and milk. Stir until the mixture is well mixed. It should be the consistency of biscuit dough.  Add more milk if necessary. Drop spoonfuls of dough evenly over the fruit. Sprinkle sugar over the dough.

Bake the cobbler until the fruit is tender and the biscuit topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let the cobbler rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Health Facts per serving:
165 calories
1 g fat,
0 mg cholesterol
126 mg sodium
40 g carbohydrate
2 g fiber
1 g protein

For my Weight Watcher friends, 1 serving is 5 points :D

This should serve 8 people. If you'd like to save an additional 23 calories a serving, omit the cranberries and turbinado sugar.

Yum!

Also, if you are looking for an awesome workout, you should check out the Tone It Up Fall Challenge. It's a great way to keep up the motivation! I am loving it and so is Allie over at Teaspoon of Life!

Remember, now that fall is approaching and it's cooling down out there, our furry children love to stay healthy, too! So make sure they're getting outdoor time and exercise (Mack wanted to make sure to get that plug in since our outdoor running has started again).

Thoughts Floating Like Dandelion Seeds in the Wind

Sometimes when I want to blog I have this large thought or event I  want to express, but other times I have lots of random thoughts. This would be one of those more random times and my thought seem to be like dandelion seeds in the wind.

Last weekend at church (we started going to this awesome church with some of our neighbors) the worship leader made this statement that seemed incredibly profound to me. He said, "God loves us so passionately that he pursued us across time and space." I had never really thought of God's love in the context of time. He loves each of us so much that he pursues in every time. Always a great reminder!

This is from the Hubble Space Telescope - What a time and space,  right?

I also wanted to share some literary quote I've stumbled across lately:

"Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs."
~Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

I love this quote because I think it is so relevant in today's society. We live in a country completely controlled by partisan politics where political parties seem more apt to hold grudges and one up each other. If the government spent more time not nursing animosity or registering wrongs they might actually get some work done. Also, if we spent more time in our personal lives not nursing animosity we'd have healthier relationships and happier lives.

"Freedom lies in being bold."
~Robert Frost

So true! To have freedom in our lives we must be bold. That is true for personal freedom, political freedom, and freedom from sin. We have to live boldly!

"Let us accept truth, even when it surprises us and alters our views."
~George Sand

I love this! The truth is surprising!

"Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them."
~Lemony Snicket

I just love this!

Also in our evening walks here on base, WM and I have been observing a family of skunks. There are a mom and three babies (I think they're called kits).  Last week we took some pics of them babies. How cute are they?

Then this week in the yard Mack found some kind of animal hole and decided to investigate. Mack is just so cute!

So intent

Who can resist this face?

On a last note, if you're Shredding you should email your spreadsheet to Allie at Letsshred2011@gmail.com so she can tally up week 1's winners. I'll post a link to her list tomorrow! Get excited and keep on shredding!

I almost forgot - good thing I love CHOCOLATE!

Ever have one of those weeks where you just feel like you don't actually know what day it is. Ever. Well, I have them all the time and today was not exception. I was scanning through the fb news feed and I saw that Lauren over at Idle Hands had a blog about chocolate, so I immediately clicked on it! Then I realized it was her love list on Wednesday which meant that today is love list Wednesday!!! I figured I better get on it!

Thanks for the accidental reminder, Lauren!

Today, I am not feeling so loving. My wonderful flew away on an airplane to go to some AF training. He'll be gone for a whole monthish. I say boo to that! That's life though, so I'm going to push through the bad to embrace the good by reminding myself of things I love!

So, here's what I (chocolate) love (if you didn't get that, you should go back up and read Lauren's blog):

• My hubby! I am so sad he'll be gone, but I will be ecstatic to see him when he's back.
• Keebler Rainbow Chip Cookies - I can eat way too many in one sitting

• Hubby's new Apple Air - so cute and cool
• Silly pop songs that I shouldn't admit to liking

• When actors from shows I like make cameos or early career appearances in other shows

See above video and photo below:

Fisher from Bones also in Katy Perry's video!

Clark from Bones

Early career appearance as a rapper in Numb3rs

Mr. Shue from Glee

Rapist Cop on Numb3rs (awkward)

• Framboise Lambic - So amazing, if you're of age, you should try it

• Mack - (I always list Mack) he's such a great companion, especially when the hubs is gone

On a side note, I hope all the Shredders out there are killing on Day 3 - I know E and I are!!

Love List Wednesday

It's that time again. It's time for Love List Wednesday!

I love

• Beach Biking in Port A with WM
• Mack's pouty faces (I just realized I always love Mack in my love lists...)
• The History of the World in 100 Objects podcast - go here to see how you can check it out
• Podrunner Intervals podcast - free running music! go here to get some sweet tunes of your own
• "Green Eyes" by Coldplay - My hubby told me when we were dating that this song made him think of me. So now it makes me think of him!
• The Secret History of the Pink Carnation series
• Soaking up sunshine by the pool
• The sharp and spicy smell of cinnamon

Swimming Reindeer found in Montastruc, France made about 13,000 years ago - from podcast History of the World in 100 Objects #4

Love List Wednesday

Time to continue the list of things I love!

• Harry Potter books/movies
• Reading
• Cuddling
• Cuddling with Mack
• Coffee
• Watermelon
• Soup
• AC during the TX summer
• dusk
• Anticipating Fall

There are so many things I could list that I think I need to stop!!

Love List Wednesday

Lately I feel like my blog has been getting a little stale. Lots of counting down, a little bit of moving apprehension, and not a lot of recipes or running recaps. I'm not actually sure who really reads my blog, but I'm afraid I've bored everyone away. I was running out of inspiration and then I read the newest blog I've been reading (go here to check it out). It's written by a fellow AF pilot spouse that I met at our last base. I've always loved her sense of humor and her in general, but I never knew she was such a gifted writer. Reading her wonderful words has inspired me to introduce a "Love List Wednesday". To see the specific source of my inspiration, check out her Love List.

Wednesday always seems like such a bummer. The weekend is definitely over, the next weekend is far away, and routines are reaching out to choke us. So, on Wednesdays I'm going to start celebrating the things I love that make life wonderful. Thanks friend for the amazing idea!!

• Lazy Mack Moments
• Pinning wings on WM
• Mornings in pajamas
• Peppermint Mocha creamer being sold year round
• Flowers
• Dixie Chicks
• Hugs
• Bonds of Sisterhood that have nothing to do with being actually related

To illustrate my point:

Who doesn't love the squint?

The Air is Strangling Me In the Dark

I know you're looking at this title and going, "What??? Has she dug up an even stranger 90's country song?" To answer the second question I imagine you're asking, the answer is no.

Basically, my running has stopped. I don't like running on treadmills and down here in TX it has been way too hot for the CO girl to get out there in the day. Tonight I decided to try my luck at running at night. It seemed like it had cooled down a little and there was a nice breeze. So, Mack and I got geared up (He got a collar and I got a headlamp) and headed out. The first quarter mile felt great. It was so breezy I couldn't even hear my music. Then after we warmed up, the humidity kicked in.

I'm sure some of you are thinking, "Wait, I think she likes humidity. She said once she loves the humidity. Something about not having to blow dry her hair..." I still do love humidity, I just don't enjoy strenuous activity in humidity. Tonight running counted as strenuous humidity and I thought the air was strangling me. Mack and I stayed strong; there was no giving up!

Then after we hit the mile mark we had a problem....The headlamp went dead!!!! You might think that street lights would be enough. If you think this, you have clearly never lived in Texas, land of the residential skunks. Yes, skunks.

Don't be deceived by their size or cuteness!

There were skunks all over base in our border town and there are skunks all over base here too. So at night, especially if you have a dog that thinks the skunks might be his long lost lover, you NEED a light to pick up their presence at a distance. So, after the headlamp went out, the last part of the run was aborted. All in all we only did about a mile and quarter. We did it speeding along in 15 minutes, so that was pretty good.

In other news, I managed to end up on my local sorority alumnae club executive board. I thought I just said yes to a project. Apparently I said yes to an exec position. So, that's cool. I think it will be a fantastic experience while we're here.

44 DAYS TILL UPT IS OVER!!!!

On this joyous note, I leave you with a picture of Mack hoarding his dessert...

Yummy Frozen Yogurt - I'm not sharing!

Now I need a nap...

How Many Times Can I Go on Hiatus and Come Back (sitcoms do it all the time)?

Well, it has been many, many, many, many, and many more days since I have posted. I'd like to blame my inactivity on work, but that is only part of it. The fact is that my life got busy and between my new job and all my old commitments, I got a little overwhelmed and climbed into a hole that was filled with instant netflix and lots of books. After almost finishing MI-5 (I'm saving a few episodes because I don't want it to end), constantly adding books to my goodreads account (check out my sidebar to see what I'm reading), and forgetting to ever work out, I have crawled out of my hole and reemerged into civilization. I am so sorry for my absence to those who have missed me. I'm back for good this time (until my next accidental hiatus).

Here is a quick run down of what I have and have not been doing:

#1 - We went an awesome air show hosted at our base. Our favorite event of the day was the Fat Albert demonstration.

Part of a short field take off

#2 - I did not run at all because I was so tired from work. However, I am back on the work out wagon and have my next 5k scheduled for this coming Saturday.

#3 - One of the horses shut me in the feed room last week.

The guilty party who will remain nameless

#4 - I registered for Pi Beta Phi convention!!!!!! So excited!!!!

#5 - I slacked on my siesta verses, but have caught myself back up: since my last entry here are my verses:
*3/1 (I'm not sure if I posted this one): But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
Micah 7:7
*3/15: And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. 
Hebrews 12: 1b & 2a
*4/1: Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58
*4/15: Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
Isaiah 30:18
*5/1: Rely on the Lord! Be strong and confident! Rely on the Lord!
Psalm 27:14
To check out Beth Moore's awesome blog, including the Siesta verses, go here. I have been using her verses as my own because they are awesome!! I have to say that my own Siesta verse partner has been doing much better than me, so props to my awesome Mom!!


#6 - I drank lots of coffee (wait, I always do this).


#7 - My exercise buddy Allie did the most amazing thing ever, which is to run her first half marathon! I think this is sooo cool. I'm so proud of her and her friend Cortney and I wish I could have been in Cincinnati to cheer them on! To read all about the Flying Pig Half Marathon that Allie did, go here.

#8 - Mack got shaved for the summer heat. This was semi traumatic for him. He hopes we'll go somewhere  cold next so he never has to get shaved again. Check out his before and after pics:

Last day of shag!

He's so pouty since the haircut. If he was standing, you'd see no belly or butt feathering and way less hair everywhere else. The goose was his toy for being good at the groomer. He picked it at Petsmart.

#9 - I cooked some. Be on the look out for recipes. For example, go here to check out my newest clam recipe. I have never cooked clams before, so this was a new experience.

Delicious!

#10 - I made sweet wall decorations for my soon to be nephew.

I only took a pic on my phone. Sorry it's fuzzy!

#11 - I made a giant wall countdown chain to countdown the days till pilot training is over. Here is what it looked like when I made it and what it looks like tonight. Tonight it is at 66 days left!

Sooo many links!

There's not many left - Oh my!

All in all, life has been crazy but good. Hopefully I'll be back in another day or so to share lots of pictures, fun times, and food. I also hope to be sharing how much I've been working out. haha!

ABC's of Me!

My friend Alli put this up on her blog and asked if anyone had letters for her, so I thought I'd give her mine. Besides, you guys might want to know more about me. Maybe?

A. Age: unknown

B. Bed size: King. We are too tall for anything else!

C. Chore you dislike: It's probably a tie between vacuuming and putting away laundry

D. Dogs: Mack! My beautiful and sometimes naughty Irish Setter/Golden Retriever mix. He's such a great old man!

Mack's favorite activity

E. Essential start to your day: Coffee with delicious creamer and granola with milk!

F. Favorite color: Pink! I am a super girly girl on some things.

G. Gold or silver: silver

H. Height: 5'9.5" The half inch for real. Someone told me once that people that add the half inch are lying to be taller. My question, what about those of us with the real half inch? It would lying to not add the half inch.

I. Instruments you play(ed): I played the viola in elementary school.

J. Job title: Stable hand and Household Commander

K. Kids: Someday I would like 2, right now I would like none. 

L. Live: Corpus Christi! Living by the beach is fabulous!

M. Mom’s name: unknown

N. Nicknames: I don't really have any. I'm just me :D

O. Overnight hospital stays: None that I know of.

P. Pet peeves: I want to second Alli's pet peeve! Inconsiderate smokers- If I wanted to inhale it, I’d be smoking! My other pet peeve is dishes that get left on the counter when the dishwasher is dirty. It takes seconds to put it in.

Q. Quote from a movie: "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love me." - Notting Hill

R. Righty or lefty: Right

S. Siblings: 2 little brothers!

T. Time you wake up: 7 - 8 am. That may now change since I just got a job.

U. Underwear: Yes. What is this really asking?

V. Vegetables you don’t like: Beets.

GROSS!

W. What makes you run late: Clothing crisis. I always want to change right before I leave.

X. X-rays you’ve had: Occasional dental x rays and once I got xrayed because I thought I had a fractured arm. It was just sprained.

Y. Yummy food you make: All of my food. Try some of my recipes on this blog and it will prove it!

Z. Zoo animal favorites: Penguins! Baby hippos! Otters!

I would like pet penguins, like in "Mr. Popper's Penguins."

Well, those are my ABC's. What are yours?