I'm going to Vegas!

And I'm so excited! We need to get away, badly! I'm sick of crying dogs, rainy days, a cold house, etc. Although it's not going to be very warm on the mountain, the thought of having to do nothing but play with kids sounds great! :)

I had a great run yesterday and I need to brag a little. Prior to signing up for the Ironman, Tom and I usually ran 10 minute miles. We didn't try to go faster, point blank. Well I've really been working on my speed and yesterday I had the best results to date. We enjoyed the warmer temps and got to run outside. We did 6 miles and averaged 8:36 minute miles! YIPPIE! I think my goal of a sub 2 half marathon is definitely within reach. I have one in March and one in April to see if I can achieve that! I'm so happy and feel so great about how far I've already come!

Who's my daddy?

So the other day Tom and I went in to pick up our Chinese food that we ordered from the very yummy local Chinese restaurant. This isn't any ordinary Chinese place though - it's AWESOME! We don't eat there often, only when we really want a treat. For $15 you can come out with a box full of food (usually the box is one that used to carry a case of Bud Light but they don't sell alcohol here - hum...) oh, and there's a giant mural of horses frolicking in a field with Chinese writing that Tom swears says "we make our food with nothing but the best horse". BUT, none the less, it's our favorite place and they have the health inspection things posted so we know that it's all good. Anyway, so we go in on Saturday night. We're standing in line to tell the lady our phone number (that's how they recognize your order, probably because they would BUTCHER your name if you had to spell it) and there's a little girl, maybe 5, behind the counter. She looks at Tom and I and starts giggle. I look back thinking that there is something behind me, but nothing. She starts talking to the lady at the register (in the same screaming manner that the people cooking the food talk) and both start laughing. When we get up to the counter, the older lady says to me "she think you looked Chinese, what you phone number". Um, okay. I've never heard that before!

A good week

I feel like I had a good week. I lost a pound which is always nice, but I just felt good. We went on a fabulous run yesterday - a hilly 5.7 miles and ran it in an 8:56 pace. I love knowing that I'm becoming a better runner and it's only January! Just goes to show that my hard work in the gym is paying off and I have high expectations for the coming race year! I also love my resistance training workout and Tom has even started incorporating it into his routine. I keep saying "do my arms look different" and God bless him, but we both know they don't yet, but I definitely feel stronger. I can't wait to go to the pool and test my new strength out! :)

We're off to Tonia's this week. I'm so excited to spend some time with her. I feel like each time we get to see each other, our relationship gets just a little stronger and that means a lot to me. And of course we can't wait to see Spence and Em! I'll definitely have to post some pictures when I get home (which happens to be my birthday! YEA!) No, I'm not really that excited about my birthday - it's just another day closer to being old! HA!

Have a great week!

Just an update -

Not that I have too much to post. A few highlights:

1. We head to Vegas in a week and a half to see Tonia and the kids. We're so excited. We'll spend 6 days with them and are very much looking forward to seeing the little monsters (and Tonia too of course!)
2. I leave for Tahiti in about 45 days. I'm excited, nervous, anxious, happy, sad, and everything else! I'll be gone 15 days total and am already laying in bed nightly thinking of everything I need to bring for 15 days and how I'm ever going to get it all in carry on! :) That in itself is going to be an adventure!
3. Heard today that more people are thinking about coming to IMFL this year. I'm so excited at the prospect of having my family, the Brzezicki's and the Landis's all down there. Of course I've already started thinking of what fun we can all have (and what motivation to keep going through all the hard parts I'll have getting to see all of them throughout the trip!) Yeah - I'm SUPER excited!
4. I got my Self magazine on Saturday and am holding it for the Vegas flight, although I'm intrigued by the whole issue - it's "finding your happy weight". I've just read a teaser about your happy weight being the one where you don't have to fight to stay there! I love it and know that's what I'm aiming for.
5. It's cold... like really cold, but the sun is shining. We have our heat on (duh) and set at 67 (that's what it's always at), and 3 radiator portable heaters downstairs. Our indoor/outdoor house thermometer which is sitting next to me downstairs says that it's 31.4 degrees outside and 60.2 degrees inside. Welcome to the life of a 100+ year old house! :( I can't wait to move!

That's all for my update today. :)

Ugh...

I gained a pound this week. I feel like I've just gotten back on the roller coaster. Up and down... up and down... the story of my life! I had some good parts to the week, and some not so good. Maybe I'll have better luck this week? One can only hope right? :)

Okay... I apologize

Maybe my post the other day was a little bit of a downer. :) I'm not as crazy as I come across! I stupidly wrote a post when I was feeling down. It's funny to read now because wow, I'm a nut case sometimes! It helps that I write these things though, because to look back on them, I know that I'm not as neurotic as I sound! It really made me take a step back and ask myself if I really thought what I was writing that day... and I don't! The power of your emotions!!!

I know that I wrote about being perfect and the struggle that I'm going to have to be perfect. Such a hard word to define because I don't believe that there is such thing as perfection. I mean, my husband is as close as they come for me, but who I am kidding - he has flaws just like the rest of us. hehehe! When it comes to my lifestyle, I can be "perfect" in my eyes by making better choices and being happy with the life I live. That's it... it's a simple answer. And on days when I question this, maybe I need to come back to that post.

Too often we all strive for perfection. I guess in the "perfect" world, people would realize that perfection is only what you perceive as being perfect. Does that make any sense? So for me, perfection will only come when I stop being silly! :)

Is it working?

Last night on our run (which was a good one by the way!), Tom and I had a very hard but interesting talk about my weight. It's one of those things where I have good weeks and bad, and this one seems like a bad one. We've been house sitting and I have just been completely knocked out of my grove. I find myself snacking a lot more, not watching my portions, etc. Although I work out for an hour to and hour and a half each night, it just doesn't seem to be doing anything. I have been writing everything in my journal, although not portions and I think it's killing me. So our talk last night - it was that for me to lose 15 pounds I have to be PERFECT - no cheating ANYWHERE until I'm there. I got really upset about it because I'm torn. Should I work on accepting myself and my body for what it is now and be happy enjoying the foods I enjoy, or should I put myself on a very strict eating regiment to hopefully get to a weight that I *think* might make me happy. And when I do reach that *happy* weight, will I fall back into my old life and gain it all back, or will I have to live every day for the rest of my life knowing that I have to be perfect. I'm mean truly, what is perfect? No sweets? No soda and chips? No eating out? Small portions? I don't know. I'm so up and down with it and I just hope that I can find some answers within myself.

Tom loves me for me and that's a great gift. He just wants to be happy and that's an even greater gift. Now I just need to give myself the gift of happiness...