There’s a Monster in my Kitchen

I know I'm late to the Green Monster Party.  There are countless blogs out there extolling the virtues of this amazing concoction.  Most notably here, here, and here.  And if you don't know what I'm talking about, well then, please, by all means, head there to learn more.  I'm not here to tell you how awesome the Green Monster Smoothie is.  (Because it is, and a simple Google search will support that fact.)  What I'm here to declare is that I've totally 100% adopted this into my morning routine now.  Well as long as the smoothie cups are already fresh from the dishwasher morning because there is NOTHING WORSE than cleaning out a dried up green monster smoothie by hand.  I just can bring myself to do that and then put it back on the blender stand.  UGH.  (I use the Ninja Blender and LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!)

Gross, right?! 

That’s after a day of work in my car (I usually drink them on the way to work and leave it in the car)

This drink is SUPER filling, CRAZY healthy, there are a million different recipes using just about anything you have in the house, and frankly folks.  I'm fat.

I can't believe I said typed that out loud.

Despite the fact that work out with some regularity.  I’ve just let calories in get out of control compared to the amount I sweat. Super sad face. I went to the doctor before the holiday and they forced me to stand on the scale.  It was traumatic.  I'm serious, so traumatic that when I went back to the doc for a follow-up visit I simply refused to stand on the scale.  My reasoning?  It was four days after they last weighed me.  What on earth could have happened?!  Am I right?  Luckily the nurse took pity on me and let me pass on the weigh-in.

So, here I am, in Jan and I've committed to getting back down to my wedding weight by my anniversary   Let me start by saying, I was NOT crazy skinny bride at my wedding.  But I was about 40 pounds lighter than I am now.  I look back at pictures and I feel like I look like a waif.  (Isn't that always the case you feel fat and then you don't understand what fat is until you put on 40 pounds...eye opener).

It's at this point in my life there is no longer a reason, no excuse that I need to be this heavy.  Before this, for the past almost 5 years, I was working crazy hours every week, barely dragging myself through the day.  Stomaching a workout either in the morning or evening...yea right.

I'm in a new job with significantly less stress and hours.  I chose this job for the balance it would bring to my life.  So now I'm out of excuses.  That's what prompted me adopting the magic of the green monster smoothie.  I'm starting with one these at breakfast because I typically don't eat breakfast (and I think that has been BAAAAAD for my old lady metabolism) and I like to get the point where I can mess with the recipe enough that I can get one at lunch/snack too.  But without a blender at work, I'm kinda not sure how to do this.  I suppose I could get a blender at work.  Would that be obnoxious?  (White girl problems.) Anyway, in addition to my magical new smoothie...

Here is my new workout schedule and I shouting to the world. Starting yesterday.  This is it.  I'm sticking to it.  I'll make sure at the end of every post, I let you know how its going what I completed that week and

Monday: 5am bootcamp class @ my trainer's gym
Tuesday: Run 2-3 miles (either @ Y on the treadmill or outside, weather permitting) after work
Wednesday: 4:30 workout with personal trainer
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 6:00am power ride (spinning) class @ Y
Saturday: Either power ride (spinning) class @ Y or circuit class @ Y
Sunday: rest
*in the event I'm traveling which I sometimes do for work or fun (and have a lot of coming up in Jan).  If I sub out a class or training session for a 2-3 mile run, I'm calling it even.

I will fit into my regular clothes come this summer.  It's my personal goal and I expect everyone to hold me to this.  Seriously.

Now, its the test of commitment because I leave for NC for work today through Thursday.  I packed my workout clothes.  I need to get TWO runs in.  Wish me luck!

Anyone else have a cliche New Year’s Resolution?

The Year of the Blog

Hello no one!  (And I can say that because I know that no one is going to read this first post except me.) I have a declaration.  2013 will be the year of the blog.  Okay so I know, that I’m pretty late to the party on this.  I think the year of the blog has come and gone.  But what I mean is this year is the year of MY blog.  I’m ready to start recording the funny, crazy and ridiculous things B and I do.  For no one other than ourselves.  My goal will be to have a place that we can look back at the end of 2013 and see what we've accomplished, how we grown, and how much fun we've had while we were doing it.   Cheers, to the year of MY blog!

This year’s blogging goals:

• Take (and post?) one picture everyday (let’s see how long this one goes…I am not a photo taker.  But I aspire to be one!)
• Post something of substance 2-3 times a week

Seems pretty simple right?  We’ll its taken me 5 years of reading blogs and countless non-starts to even get the courage to pound out this first post.  (Yea, I know, I’m not really speedy when it comes to make decisions.  Thanks Captain Obvious)

So what do I have to blog about? A lot I suppose. 2013 will be the year to wrap up all the major projects on the house. (Am I seriously smoking something that I think this is going to happen?) I mean as I speak, B is installing Insteon in our living room and kitchen. This is CLEARY not a major construction on the house, does not get us any closer to finishing the basement or upstairs, but frankly its cool as all get out and I am totally supportive of the random tangent we have found ourselves on. So now you know why we've lived here 5 years and still have unpainted walls. 

Well that and my fear of commitment to paint colors—or almost anything furniture related. Maybe this little chronicle will help me conquer that fear too. (Don’t mind the random headboard….this is the only good picture of the terrible paint situation that has been in my living room for 4 years.  And yes, I made that bad boy.  My proudest accomplishment to date.  The headboard not the uber embarrassing wall color situation).

Anyway, that got a little random there.  Where was I? Ah, Insteon (http://www.insteon.net/) is this awesome home automation system that allows you to control basically anything from your smartphone.  Turn the lights off from bed...what?  I got this!

Source

B and I had been eyeing a similar system up before Christmas, but weren't sold.  We went to dinner with B's uncle and he spent about an hour with B showing him the awesomeness.  Nerd alert!  I was sold as soon as B told me I could walk onto our front porch and the lights would sense movement and would turn on both the front porch lights. No big deal, motion sensors do that too, right?   Let me tell you why that is awesome.  1) We do not have a light switch for the porch on the porch.  Yes, the goofy folks of the early 20th century put the light switch for our front porch inside the house.  Now tell me, when its dark outside, how does one see to use their key to get in the house when there is no light? The good thing it its not as annoying as you think (hense we've lived there for 5 years and not done anything about it) but when an awesome solution that doesn't involve re-wiring our house appears...you take it. 2) This system is smarter than the average motion detector.  It recognizes when its dark and only turns on when you need them AND it will also turn on the house lights inside at the same time because they can be linked together. 3) It gets me a much coveted dimmer for the dining room (and kitchen).  So we don't need to eat under what I can only describe as a UFO invasion and we can get some romatical mood lighting up in this joint!  I am so not doing this stuff justice.  You'll have to check it out! (http://www.insteon.net/)

Well, that's the latest update in my world!  Any big plans you have in 2013?