I started my “quest to shape up” at the beginning of February, weighing in at about 188 pounds and standing five feet, seven inches tall (on the tall side for Colorado, on the short side for Minnesota.) The intermittent fasting diet began around the same time. Shortly thereafter, I began a free, online, 30-day yoga program and completed a lesson almost every day. Here’s a brief outline of what has happened since:
CONTINUE READINGSoberversary: Four Years Dry
Every year on April Fools Day, Britt and I go out to a nice dinner. During the first of these outings, we got a giant tower full of raw oysters, shrimp, and crab legs at a restaurant we’d been eyeballing since it opened, but on which we had yet to let ourselves splurge. Since then, seafood has tended to be our theme mostly out of tradition. The reason we do this every year is to celebrate the day that I didn’t die.
The Old Homestead
Logan and I fell in love with our house on our first (and only) day of house hunting. We went home after viewing about six homes in total and made an offer that night. We wondered at the time if we were crazy for rushing things. I HATED our temporary apartment and we were so new to the cities, we hadn’t explored enough to commit to a particular neighborhood yet. But, this magical house tucked away on a hidden cul de sac in a close, but small, suburb hit all of our needs as well as many of our desires. Plus, it had a nostalgic quality about it that reminded us both of our grandparents’ homes. It had good juju. It just felt like home.
continue readingOstara 2020: Celebration in Quarantine
Today is March 20, 2020 and it is day 5 of quarantine for Britt and me. Yesterday was the Spring Equinox, the day we celebrate Ostara, and the first day of Spring. It was a perfect Spring day to be home. This is a time of chaos in the world, but more than ever I would like to take a moment to focus on the balance that this time of year embodies, take stock in what I am thankful to have, and what exciting things we’ve been preparing for.
Continue readingSecurian Winter Run 2020: Post Surgery Back to the Basics
Last year my big plans for the running season were dashed by a hernia repair surgery and the drop in motivation I had once that was scheduled. About six weeks after my surgery I started doing some short run/walks with Britt and transitioned those into longer runs of a few miles. I also started a new job around this time, which is conveniently located close to my running store. Right before the holidays I went and bought myself some new running shoes and committed to getting back into enough form to race the Securian Financial Winter Run 10k. (“Race” is here used extremely loosely… I am mostly content as a ‘middle-of-the-pack’ runner.)
Waking Up on the Far Side of the Hill
I am a vain person.
Ever since the awkwardness of puberty has passed, I have been pretty comfortable in my own skin, confident in my personal appearance, and if I’m honest, a little cocky. Historically, the camera loved me and I loved the camera in return. It’s not that I placed all of my self-worth in something as trivial as physical appearance, I had (and still have) a healthy appreciation for my intellect, personality, talent, etc. Not perfect by any means, just generally awesome. But ever so slowly, something has been changing. It’s been such an incremental change, that I almost didn’t notice it happening.
Chanhassen Dinner Theatre
Did you know that the Twin Cities has a vibrant and thriving theater and live music scene? It is definitely a point of pride here in the Cities. From intimate, historic music venues to enormous modern playhouses, there is something to satisfy every taste. Thankfully, musical theater is a love Logan and I both share. In fact, we first ‘bonded’ over our shared love for Jesus Christ Superstar during a house party. We were the only two nerds watching a musical while everyone else was doing tequila shots.
Under the Knife: A Lesson in Procrastination
Over the past year, I finally made a point to take care of some basic adulting that I’ve been putting off, and by adulting I mean doctor appointments. During the move to Minnesota, and the year of finding a home and planning a wedding, we had enough on our plate that it was easy to put off finding a doctor. Afterwards, I no longer had any excuse, so I set up a string of physicals, blood tests, scans and everything that I shouldn’t have put off for over a year. Because I was taking care of business, I decided to finally talk to a doctor about fixing an issue I’ve had on the back burner since high school: a twenty year old hernia.
Like a Virgin: Camping for the Very First Time
I am an ‘indoor’ girl. As much as I like to imagine myself as being one with nature, I have definitely been conditioned (or conditioned myself) to be more in tune with modern comforts and amenities like food delivery, air conditioning, and flushing toilets. So, when our good friends, Dan and Ruthann, broached the subject of a group camping trip last year, I was hesitant to say the least; though, Logan had been slowly priming that pump for years. “Maybe you would like camping…”
CONTINUE READINGKayaking Adventures: The Maiden Voyage
While it is currently 10 degrees outside, and the snow is knee-high, Logan and I can’t help but reflect on warmer times and our amazing summer. Here’s a look back at last spring, when the snow was gone, and we took our newly purchased kayaks on their maiden voyage…
It was late April, the ice was out, we had our gear, and it was 70+ degrees outside.
Let’s do this!
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