All Alone...

I really need this trip.
So ready to go.

I have all my work done.
BUT have not packed a thing...

Jason brought the kitties to his Mom's house.
They were apparently very shy due to her having another kitten and a dog...
But they will have to adjust..

It is quiet here now..

Max usually snuggled up on my neck constantly..I am his mommy, but there is only so much I can take of constant purring in my ear.  He is such a snuggle bug.

We will be leaving for the airport EARLY to try to catch the 7:30 plane.
In a way I was hoping to leave a little later so I would be able to get a little work out in but...
This trip will be filled with hikes and such..
This will be a trip that is relaxing & adventurous!
I am planning on making this trip a healthy one.
I need a bit of a detox.

Questions:
How do you handle vacations & work outs?
Do you like relaxing trips better or would you rather go on a adventurous trip?

Been super busy the first 3 days of the week.
I am trying to get everything done by tomorrow morning so I do not have to worry about it while traveling.
As you can see from my post on Monday, I jam pack everything in as much as possible.
The last two days have not been quite so intense but I still have been doing a ton of work!!

I wish I could get some more posts in before I leave but this is the best I can do right now.
I will try to get something in tonight, and depending on when we leave tomorrow, maybe something quick. 
I do not know when we are leaving tomorrow because Jason works for an airline and therefore we get to fly basically for free BUT on standby.
So that can mean we hang out a lot and wait.. (I waited all day once when I was heading to Boston) or it can mean you get on the first flight.  Hoping we do not have to wait tooo long!!

I Cannot Move My Face.

I am so glad I canceled my first appointment today.
I had initially planned to run from the dentist to my client.
However, after having a bridge put in, my face is completely numb and my teeth are bloody.
I was tempted to take a picture.. but I think everyone will be completely grossed out...so just be happy I did not. Its quiet gross.
Hopefully this goes away before my clients later today :)

My Day..

it has been a long day.

• woke up at 5 am
• @ gym a little before 5:30
• home to shower, eat breakfast, relax
• began doing some work for an hr & a half
• left at 11 am to head to office
• @ office by 11:45
• work in the office 11:45-1
• meeting with supervisor 1-2pm
• work in the office 2-3:15
• drove to client
• met with 2 clients (siblings) for 1.25 hours
• drove to next client (about 30 minutes)
• quickly met for 30 minutes
• met with next client, nearby, 1.5 hours
• drove home, 45 minutes home
• home by 8:15

My neighbor delayed me a little by chatting up about the neighborhood gossip though I was dying to sit on my couch and watch the Bachelorette..
Ugh what a day...
Exhausted.
Sorry that is it!.. Barely have enough energy to watch this show...

Missing in Action

Sorry I have been absent from blogging lately.
Yesterday I woke up at 4:45 to go to the gym, hurried home to shower, spend an hour in traffic to get to training by 9 am, went to the dentist, came home shortly before going to get to a bbq, to come home late to finish a video for training.
Today I slept in, on my way to training and after to the gym.
Exhaustion.

I know now that my tooth is fractured and need to get a bridge! :( Horrible.

There is a story to this..

While in high school, playing field hockey, the goalie popped up a field hockey ball into my face.  As a result my lower teeth went into my lip.  I was told that if I got hit again, I would loose my front teeth..

Lets fast forward to yes, another field hockey game, but this time in college.
During the corner, I was "flying".  For those of you not familiar with field hockey, and corner's, this means that on the defensive end, the fly is the person that sprints after the ball, after the oppistion hits it out ( this is why I cannot be a coach.   I cannot explain things well)  So here is a video that helps explain what I am talking about...






During this corner, a girl PURPOSELY hit a ball into my face, resulting in my front tooth falling out ( I actually caught it in my hand!).  I got 2 root canals to my two front teeth  as a result.  Makes me think of this...




Fast forward to last summer..actually last July, the same week I was due to graduate with my master's degree.
Jason and I went for a bike ride to the gym.  On the way back, in an attempt to race Jason back home (my compitive side shining through!!), I raced ahead of him and actually went a different way.  While I was attempting to turn on a street, my bike wheel got stuck in a trolley line. My bike tipped over, tipping me off the bike.  My face was destroyed!!  I also managed to crack my front tooth and loosened the other front tooth. This resulted in me having to get a crown on my tooth.

My face did recover in time for graduation and graduation pictures.. Thank god!

Now, yesterday, Jason made grilled corn on the cob.  I love corn on the cob..
But yesterday I bit into it..
 And my tooth is now loose!

It would not be so bad but my dental insurance just ended when my dad went to the Peace Corp and since I am  contracting for work, I do not get my own insurance through work.  I took my own health insurance.

So now I have to pay out of pocket to get this fixed or it WILL fall out!
My step mom told me is should come to Khazakstan because everyone gets gold crowns there..

sorry this picture is not the prettiest...

Definitely an option!!
Anyway.. This is what I trying to do today.
May not be able to go see my clients today.. so another hit to the wallet!
Hopefully I will not be posting a picture of myself with a missing tooth soon!

Questions
 Have you ever lost a tooth?  What happened?

On my own.

Happy 4th!!

I love the 4th of July.  Summer, BBQ's & Fireworks!!

The past couple years have been wonderful.. with everything a 4th of July should be including friends, Boys 2 Men concert, and fun drinks!

BBQ last year!

2008 4th of July with friends & fire works!

Katlin & I

This year is a little different..
This year Jason has to work.. and I am on my own.
All my friends are either away or working.. so I have to find excitement on my own!

This morning we had coffee together and ate some breakfast.

We decided to go and wander around the city until work.
I knew that there was a parade today but thought that it was on the parkway rather than in the olde city section of the city.
We ran into all the crowds of people getting ready to watch the parade as well as all the parade members prepping to get started.
I was getting ready to take some pictures and then realized I had brought my camera without my camera card!!!
I took some pictures with Jason's iPhone and will add them in later!
We wandered around a bit.. a good walk, trying to avoid the crowds of tourists that come to Philly to see all the historic sites!
We ended up grabbing some iced coffee and lunch.
Jason got a tuna sandwich with egg and pepper while I got a pesto, tomato, basil and olive omelet.
YUM!

How to Survive the Holiday on my own:

1. Make a plan: I have made a plan to go for a run later today.. once it cools down a bit.  I have to keep it other wise I will get stuck on the couch watching movies all day 
2. Something special for yourself : Make myself something yummy for dinner.  Sometimes its hard to make dinner for just you, but it helps to do something for you and just you when you are on your own. I also want to paint my toenails in an effort to save some money, instead of getting a pedicure.
3. Relax:  Its not always easy to relax for me.  I always have to keep busy or I find myself eating mindlessly, and being miserable.  I am trying to learn to relax and not worry.
4. Enjoy being Alone: Its peaceful and gives me time to think.  Its quiet and I can do whatever I want to do!!! No having to fight anyone for the remote, and I can watch girly shows and movies!

Enjoy your 4th whatever you do and whoever you are with!
If you aren't celebrating, enjoy your Monday!

What are your plans for the holiday?
What do you do when you are on your own?
Whats your favorite thing about the 4th? or Summer?

Working through the night..

So this post is going to be short and sweet.

This Friday we are heading back to our home town (Jason and I grew up in the same town)
We are heading back for a high school friends birthday, as well as to see Jason's dad, my dog (who is at my dad's house, where a friend is taking care of him and living in the house :( while my dad is in the Peace Corp), and a friend of my family!

In attempt to get everything done, I am working through the night so I do not have much to do later this week...

Yes I was drinking wine while working and eating ice cream (I got two Bryers, but one get one free!  How could I say no?)
Today was pretty uneventful anyway.
Check out my workout log to see my workout!

I do have to say, I was extremely sore today and the run was a struggle!!

Jason grilled me mahi-mahi burgers with avocado, tomato, lettuce, and brie cheese, along with sweet potato fries! YUM! (i did take pictures but I am lacking energy after all that work, wine and ice cream)

Hope you all have a wonderful evening!

Whats your favorite kind of ice cream?
I always say mint chocolate chip because it is so repressing but lately I have also been liking dark cherry chocolate of any kind, soy, coconut, yogurt etc.  and of course CHOCOLATE.  Jason is a pistachio lover! 

Getting a little Psychological

Warning I am going to get a bit psychological!!

This is the result of reading Julie's post (which I must say was really good!!)
I had a little rant because I have so many experiences with kids and how they feel (or don't feel--kids with autism spectrum disorders or asbergers which will be seperate disorders in the new DSM-V) about their appearances. 

Since I have such a psychological background, it is common that during adolescence, you are more egocentric and feel that the whole world sort of revolves around you. Everyone is judging you (that is your belief system, so you want to be liked, meaning cool clothes, looking good, and being accepted by the popular kids.  There are many theories on adolescence.. Here is one that helps explain this. (remember, it is only a theory, therefore it is not proven)!!!!

Erikson's stage's of Development 

Adolescence: 12 to 18 Years 

**(as cited from one of my textbooks, Theories of Personality 9th Ed, Schultz & Schultz, 2009)

Ego Development Outcome: Identity vs. Role Confusion

Basic Strengths: Devotion and Fidelity

Up to this stage, according to Erikson, development mostly depends upon what is done to us. From here on out, development depends primarily upon what we do. And while adolescence is a stage at which we are neither a child nor an adult, life is definitely getting more complex as we attempt to find our own identity, struggle with social interactions, and grapple with moral issues.

Our task is to discover who we are as individuals separate from our family of origin and as members of a wider society. Unfortunately for those around us, in this process many of us go into a period of withdrawing from responsibilities, which Erikson called a "moratorium." And if we are unsuccessful in navigating this stage, we will experience role confusion and upheaval.

A significant task for us is to establish a philosophy of life and in this process we tend to think in terms of ideals, which are conflict free, rather than reality, which is not. The problem is that we don't have much experience and find it easy to substitute ideals for experience. However, we can also develop strong devotion to friends and causes.

It is no surprise that our most significant relationships are with peer groups.

Hope this helps to understand what is really going on during adolescence!  It is also important to remember that social media and parenting play a huge role in how children and adolescence feel about themselves.  Fostering a positive self image and remembering to praise, PRAISE, PRAISE kids for their achievements, and trying not to focus so much on appearances helps.  Also being actively involved in their lives (but not smothering and restricting kids)!  BALANCE IS KEY (just like eating habits & exercise!!!!)  

Like Julie stated, its also just a stage that most kids go through, and at some point you feel more appreciative of the compliments that focus on your accomplishments/personality rather than appearances.  Really I could go on and on about this..But I am going to stop.  If you have questions please email me (kahnh93@gmail.com)!

Now that I got that off my chest.... phew.

Workout

After work,  I headed to the gym.  The clouds were about to burst as I was on my way and the humidity was super duper high!!

Let me say,  I am so glad that I didn't do that spin class last night!  My legs felt so good (though my abs and upper body were super sore!)

I did a little over 4 mile on the treadmill in 34 minutes.  A slower pace but I was increasing the incline while remaining at the same speed (7.2), reaching about 4.0.  Incline is killer and really burns!

I would have done more but one of the new trainers at the gym asked me earlier if he could practice doing an assessment on me for training purposes.  I am always up to help. 

He just had me do some stretches, squats, pushups etc.  The main purpose was for him to learn how to communicate what he wanted me to do.  He also told me that it was evident that my IT Band was sore as well as my lats and tricips (YESS so true)  But he told me at the end that he failed his little test because he was not able to communicate correctly what he wanted me to do.  He asked if later on I would do it again so he could see how far he had advanced.

I did some stretches and abs and then...

Did some intervals between the treadmill and stair climber (similar to last week).

•  half a mile on treadmill, 5 minutes on stair climber.. x 4 times (about, since I kept switching between the two by the time the 4th round came up, all the stair climbers were taken so I didn't do the last one)

 The first half mile and last were slower.. but the two middle ones I did in 3:30 (about 9.0 pace! AHH!  Very tough, and I was dying!)  I am growing to love doing sprints more and more!!!  Definitely feel it afterwords!!  


I also have to admit my competitive edge came out a bit.  A guy hopped on the treadmill next to me, and although I was not planning to sprint the last half miler very fast I increased the speed to 9.2 (i think) just for fun.  Can you tell I really like to race people!!??  I always do this at the gym.. I HATE when other people go faster or farther than me... it really is a downfall because I will push myself to hard.  I am working on it I swear!!


Major stretches and abs after.
The trainer bought me a shake for helping him out.  Though I wasn't in the mood for one.. I took him up and got a matcha green tea smoothie! MM.. tasted like a milkshake!  I drank some and put the rest in the freezer...  Sometimes my stomach can't handle too much after a tough run!


Questions:

Are you competitive with others at the gym or when you are running near others?
YES! 


When you were younger did you feel self concious about appearances or that you were judged?
yes, i always did.  I had curly hair when a lot of other people didn't.  I didn't always have the cool clothes.  I was soo self concious and always wanted to fit in.

Anything else?

A success!.. Sort of!

So after my unhappy, unsuccessful morning..
I went to work..(long and sweaty drive..)

I stopped at Wegman's.. a go to place for me, for bathrooms and to fill up my water bottle.  I sat for about 40 minutes, finishing some paperwork before my next client..

RIGHT BEFORE I went out to my car..  I mean minutes...
Complete down pour...I MEAN COMPLETE.

I had to go,.. and of course I did not bring an umbrella in with me because it was sunny when I went in!!
I sprinted to my car.. only a little wet!-->success!

Traffic on the way home... a problem with drinking water is having to pee all the time--> NOT good when you have to drive everywhere, get stuck in traffic, and no public bathrooms ANYWHERE.. seriously!  This happens to me EVERY DAY and EVERYDAY I sprint into my house, don't say anything to anyone, and sprint up to the bathroom, barely making it to the bathroom..

Off to the Gym..
After sprinting 1/4 of a lap in less than 2 minutes...
I decided to go to a spin class.. haven't been to a spin class for 2 years! It was pretty intense and fun!
All the spin classes that I used to go to lights were on and we saw our selves in the mirror.. this time black light!!!
After I stretched out, did some abs..
Then..
1/4 lap in about 2 minutes
5 minutes stair climber
..repeated 3-4 more times.. I lost count!!!

I was a SWEAT MONSTER!!!

just finished up some work...
watching TV.
Bed very soon!

Veggie Love.

Is it weird that I seriously love veggies.?
I mean, I don't think I could go ONE day without eating them, and when I do.. I am very sad.
Thankfully this is a rare event.

I LOVE veggies.. so much that Jay says I am going to turn into a veggie one day...

Favorite Veggies: (if I have to choose...)

• eggplant
• brussel sprouts
• lima beans
• carrots
• lettuce
• spinach
• celery
• green beans
• tomatoes (though technically a fruit...)
• CUCUMBER!

I don't know why I made a list.  I seriously love all veggies!  Potatoes are probably my least favorite, though recently I have discovered a love for sweet potatoes! What gross veggies are there?

Jay thinks I am weird because I put spinach in my smoothies but it just gives me POWER like Popeye!

I just ate a plateful of eggplant with pesto! Weird I know .. but these are two of my loves mixed together.

Anyway..
I was very much looking forward to a night with Jay tonight..
He made plans...
He went to visit a friend from college, his old room-mate until Thursday!
Bummer..
Oh, well..

So now I am sitting outside, after finishing my plate of eggplant with a glass of wine.
I just got told by one of my neighbors it is not a good sign that I am drinking alone..
...well I am alone, so I will have my glass of wine!

Workout
My workout today was a bit rough!
My legs were sore from the long run yesterday..
I love/hate feeling sore!
I did:
20 mins stairclimber
21 minutes on the treadmill, (5 min. warmup at 7.0, every minute after increased speed to 8.0)--> I struggled..
30 minutes stairclimber
Stretching
Weight lifting.. was kinda random but..
Finished off with a 7:15 mile.. which I also struggled through.
I wanted to run more but my body did not let me.. So, that is that.

Oat bran with protein powder, nutmeg and apples for Bfast
Lunch was kinda on the run-- water, banana, and Luna Bar (which was melty because it had been sitting in the sun!)

Overall today was not so bad..my session was a success, traffic wasn't bad, it turned into a beautiful but sweaty day, and my eval from my school went well!

Hope you had a beautiful Tuesday!  Its almost half way through the week!!

I feel like this is me sometimes.. and I miss those beautiful moments in life..

**source!--> I just found this, and love some of the quotes! Check it out!
This one is great!-- And a good reminder!

Don't forget to enter Blue Eyed Runner's Giveaway!

Monday Exhaustion..

I swear Monday's always exhaust me.
I don't know if its just the it being a Monday but I do think it has something to do with it.

I was sad to skip my 20-20-20 work out at the gym this morning but felt like I had to skip the morning work out to get to a Doctor's appointment for one of my clients.  It generally takes me an hour to get there but there is always traffic.  With the 20-20-20 class I would have had seriously 1/2 hour to shower and get ready to give myself an hour to leave and that would be pushing it.
So.. I nixed it.  I did not work out this morning at all.
I knew that this afternoon I would be done with all my clients generally early in comparison to other days, and Jason works late on Monday's so I would be able to get a work out in after.

I so wished I had gotten it in during the morning.. My energy level was definitely low when I left my last client and I was hungry after not having eaten since 11:30 am. (It was 4ish..)
I decided to stop at home to change, grabbed a Gu and some nuts, and headed off.

I decided to go for a run outside.  Although I initially thought I would go run around my house, I hate the neighborhood and its not really fun to run...
So instead I drove to the Philadelphia Art Museum and Kelly Drive

Its a great running and biking path.  it was super busy due to the good weather (not too hot/not to cold..)  It was perfect because I struggle during very hot or extreme cold..
I did about 12-13 miles?.. no watch or whatever but I know about how long the run was.  There is a loop that is 8.5 miles and I did more than that.  I made a point not to go too fast.  I always push myself too much and then die out.  So I just ran for distance rather than speed.  I ran for about an hour and a half, included some incline up and down.  I usually do the art museum steps but decided to forgo that and headed to the gym to get some much needed stretching and strength training in.  I haven't strength trained for a couple days, only did a little on Saturday...

Dinner included a berry smoothie, some pickles, nuts, cheese and spinach sandwich thin.  Kind of a lot.. possible the reason for my weight gain.. (though I weighed myself again today and it was not as bad as I initially thought, and was probably due to the wedding food from the previous day..)

Currently watching the Bacchelorette-- and angry because of Bentley.

source

Who is everyone rooting for...?

Although I think Ryan is super cute, I really like J.P. and Ames.  I don't think Ames is the most attractive guy but he is super sweet!!! A million times better than Bentley!

J.P.

Ames

Tomorrow is another busy day-
-->have to get an early workout, meet with a client, & meet with my school advisor in the evening...
Cannot wait to relax tomorrow night with Jay!

** Make sure that you enter Blue Eyed Runner's Giveaway for a $100 Home Goods Card!!

The Big Morning Decision...

..to sleep or work out?

I meant to wake up early to get a work out in, but I slept through my alarm.
I still managed to wake up an hour after my alarm was supposed to go off.

I intially thought, well, I already woke up late, maybe I should just skip it..

This happens a lot when I have to wake up early, but  I DID IT!
I figured that its better to at least get some of a workout in..even if it was not what I had originally planned, than not work out at all!

It took me a little bit to get moving..

I did over a 4 mile run in a little over 30 minutes.
13 minutes on the Stair climber..
I definatly needed to stretch.  My left hamstring is feeling pretty tight..

Abs & Push ups.
I finished off with 13 minutes of intervals.
1-8.5, 1.0 incline
2- 4.5, 14 incline
3. 8.5, 2 incline
4-13; 1 minute 4..5, 1.0 incline, 1 minute 9.0, 1.0 incline

ugh boy was I sweaty..

As I was walking out, a cop told me that I had worked out enough for him..so he felt better by himself!

Breakfast
A spinach, raspberry, strawberry smoothie with vanilla protein powder and ice cubes. Yum. Perfect Start to the day along with some espresso coffee and an apple to eat on my way to work..

Work
I have to say, some days are easier than others.
Some of the kids that I work with are a joy, and I leave feeling as if I am helping them as well as their families.  They are sweet, and their smiles go a long way in making me feel as if my long drive to work is worth it.. (despite the crazy traffic)

These last two days have not been those kind of days.  Yesterday, despite working with the cutest kid, I got spit on, kicked, and he swore at me (while laughing)..  oh, by the way.. he is in PRESCHOOL!!  That is when I know it is all due to the home that the child lives in, and the influence the family members has on their child's behaviors.

Today..two of us went to observe a boy in school.  He is a very difficult case.  He was recently diagnosed with seizure disorder but he also has numerous other health problems, including previous feeding tubes, ear plugs, early onset adolescence ( you don't want to know what that mean for him.. it includes feet! :/ )  He is also a big curser, and if I leave a session with him without being sworn at 2 times (called a b****, f*** up a**.. and more) I can call it a success (though it has not happened yet!)
What a joy... This is why I run!

I spent part of the afternoon sitting in Wegman's eating my lunch, with papers spread all over, my computer open, pretty much looking like a mess!

This is my to go spot because there is free Wi-Fi, food!, and I feel better because I am not stuck in our stuffy office!

I am tired! Thank god I do not have any clients the remainder of the week (though this doesn't mean I don't have work to do...)

Although I had planned on writing a post about adrenaline.. I will save it for tomorrow!

Its getting HOT in here!

ANOTHER heat wave..

Today it is supposed to get in the upper 90's.
This morning at 8 am schools were already talking about getting out early due to the heat!
I don't remember that EVER happening to me!
Tomorrow another hot one.. TRIPLE DIGITS.. ugh!
It wouldn't be so bad, but not only does it get hot, but also humid, which makes it unbearable!

I didn't sleep wonderfully last night.
I read for a little and then passed out for about 30 minutes before waking up, and being unable to sleep.
After making some hot almond milk and grabbing a little snack..
I went to bed and was able to sleep for the rest of the night.
I always have difficulty sleeping especially in the heat.  Luckily our room is kept cool for the most part by the AC..

Today I woke up, and hung out a bit.  Reading blogs, watching the Today show.
Then off for a work out.
When I walked  out my door, I realized there was a cracked egg on my back wind shield of my car!!!
EWW!
The neighbor hood that I live in is right next to a school and lots of kids wander around during the evening.. I am a little PO'd but, I guess this will just force me to go get my car cleaned, which it has been needing for a while since it is caked in pollen.

I wasn't in the mood for running but knew that would make me the happiest at the end.
Soo.. I did 3 miles at a 7:30 pace.. then 1.25 miles at about an 8:20 pace.. I was DRIIPPPING.
I climbed on the stairclimber where I did 15 min. of aerobic training program, and then 18 min of intervals. Stretching, weights, and finished up with 1 mile at 7:12.

Made a strawberry, blueberry, spinach smoothie with vanilla protein powder..

Off to work in a bit.
Have to get some papers signed for a treatment plan for one of my clients, and off to another therapy client.

Mismatched Schedules

Waking up this morning was a lot easier today, compared to yesterday..

Feeling a lot more rested from the weekend party.. :)

Off to the Gym..
I decided to take it easier on running today.. well sort of.  Instead of a fast run, I did 6 miles at about 8:30 pace will 2.0-2.5 incline (about 50 minutes).  I was still super sweaty at the end.  I hopped on the stair climber for about 20 min, level 15, but felt like I was struggling through it.. I was dripping sweat!!  I never really care if I am the gross and sweaty girl at the gym.  Atleast I am getting a good work out, instead of trying to look pretty.

Just a tangent off of that.. one of my BIIIIIGGEST pet peeves at the gym is girls who have the hair down while running, with a full face of make up, and girls who aren't wearing sports bras, and have their boobs hanging out.  I would much rather look gross and sweaty than impress anyone at the gym.  Hope I don't offend any one :)

Anyway...I did Gina's Day One of the Summer Shape Up!  (Congrats to Gina by the way..For her Amazing news on her new addition!) Then finished up with about a 7 minute mile before heading home..

A new smoothie today!  Frozen Pineapple, Fresh PEACHES (yum!), Spinach, Ice, Vanilla Protein Powder, and Banana.  I also added water, a little too much making my smoothie a little more watery than I wanted...but still yummy.

Off to work..

In between Clients I had a banana and a Starbucks Ice Lemonade Green Tea.. Not bad.  I was just really looking for some extra energy..and maybe should have just gotten iced coffee.


Trying to Keep it Together

Jason and I haven't been able to spend a lot of time together which has put a bit of a damper on our relationship.  Its pretty hard because our schedules are so different.  He works in the evening (which is not so bad because we usually get home at the same time, and have dinner and relax together for the night), and 2 days a week he works from 3 pm until 11.. not getting home till almost midnight.  Also he occasionally works at 4 am or 5:30 am.

I always find it hard when he works on Sunday and Monday nights, though I usually get home late on Mondays.. I would rather enjoy dinner with someone than by myself.  It makes it even harder when one of us is gone one day during the weekend like this past weekend...
On Friday, he worked at 4 am and worked 2 shifts..And then again on Saturday.
I was off Saturday until Sunday and by the time I came home on Sunday, he was back to work until late.
Then yesterday I got up early for the gym and only saw him for about 30 minutes before heading off to work...
Again he was gone to work until 12 last night..
And I only saw him for about 15 minutes at the gym as he was starting his work out and I was leaving..
Finally tonight, we got to enjoy some homemade pizza together, but he has to get up early again for work tomorrow.
Usually he has off on Thursdays and Fridays, but he has some additional training this week, and then is heading out of town for a friend's birthday on Friday....
Soooooo.. the next time we can really spend some hard core time together is Saturday, AFTER he gets back.. I am hoping he will not be too hung over so that we can actually hang out!
Ahh...
Any advice?
When this initially started I began to make Saturday our night where I would experiment with a new recipe and make him a special dinner, but lately its been a struggle!..

Off to snuggle with him while reading...at least its a little quality time together.

Monday Morning Struggles..

Ugh..
I struggled to get up this morning.
I did it, but I was not happy!

I trudged my butt to the gym.  I had a 20-20-20 class waiting for me.  Its 20 minutes of boot camp, 20 minutes strength training, 20 minutes yoga.  I got there a little before so I did a fast and speedy 2 miles on the treadmill, leaving me sweaty and ready for the class..

The class was horrible.. I mean horribly wonderful. 
It was a good start to the week.  I left feeling a little nauseous after the lack of sleep from the past two nights and lots of food.

I decided to stay a little and go on the stairclimber for 20 minutes before heading home, and getting ready for work.

I made myself a berry and spinach smoothie, YUMMY.  Also grabbed a handful of raw almonds after words because I was still hungry.

Off to work...
Just been sitting on the computer.. ugh, making phone calls, doing paper work.
Had some greek yogurt, a salad with goat cheese, tomotos, cucumber, avocado, and "fake" chicken.  Also had a grape fruit.  I had been craving grape fruit forever...it was yummy.

Still very tired. SO want to go to bed.. 2 more hours until I have to see my first client, probably will not be done till 7?  Its been a long day..

Friday Fun Time!

Ahh I love Fridays!  Its the best feeling in the world!!

Today I woke up and attempted to skype my Dad in Kazakhstan.  The connection was a bit iffy so we didn't really get to talk..So going to try again tomorrow!
Off to the gym.  Did intervals..for about 50+ min.(24 min of 7.0 for 2 min, 8 for a min, which I did again for another 18 min) (12 min of 7.1 for 2 min, 8.5 for a min, and 9.0 for the last min) , also 20 min on the stair climber, and some weights.  At the end, as always did a FAST min at 8.5, with 9.0 for the last min.

A yummy strawberry smoothie.. made from fresh strawberries! :)  It was quite yummy, though the frozen strawberries made my smoothies so much coooler and icy!

Off to work, well sort of. 
Stopped by the office, got some papers, chatted it up with some people in the office.
Off to Wegmans, and got Jay some beer that I had been promising him forever....THEN off to meet with my client.

Afterwords, I met up with a grad school friend at Wegmans where we grabbed some YUMMY food at the food bar.. I got a black bean burger, some asparagus, veggies, mushroom, little quiche.  I was starving and shoveled the food down!  My tummy hurt a little when I was done...

We went off to the outlets.. on a mission to get a dress for the bachelorette party..and maybe some more things?!
I will have to take some pictures but I found a dress I LOVVVE at Banana Republic for $36!!! Such a steal!  Also found some cute shorts!

Came home to finish the cupcakes that I made for the bachelorette /bday party.. Packed up a bit for tomorrow so I can go to my favorite cardio boxing class in the morning before I head down to AC! SO EXCITING!!!

Permenantly Sweaty.

Another hot and sweaty day.
Again I woke up semi-early, and made a trip to the bank then gym.
It was already mid-80's.  I wanted to run outside this morning for National Running Day, but my tummy wasn't really feeling up for it, so decided to head to the gym where I would be safe if any tummy problems occurs :/  So jealous of Bess, & her sweaty run!
I ran for a bit, but my hips were definitely feeling it.. still I managed to run 5 miles in 42 minutes (7.0, 2 incline).
I did 35 min. on the Stair Master, and wanted to do more but I was seriously grossly sweaty and felt like I could not hold on to anything without slipping, or splashing others with sweat!
so.. I just stretched, did some abs, and weights.  Jason came just as I was finishing so I benched a little with him before climbing on the bike for 13 minutes before heading out.
I have recently begun looooving some cardio at the end of my work outs, usually and hot and speedy interval.  I gives me that last little boost to get started with my day...
I decided against running today to give my hips a break.

After a pretty unsuccessful smoothie due to some temporary malfunction from the blender, and headed off for some work in the office, and then a session with a kid.  Nothing to spectacular.  I brought some veggies and hummus, along with an orange to snack on.  (also "taste tested" some little organic nut/fruit bars in the bins at Wegmans when I went to pick up BBQ sauce for dinner.. Everyone does it right??!)

BBQ chicken, shrimp along with some eggplant, spinach and broccoli for dinner tonight while sitting outside on our pathetic little pavement yard... at least we have something outside?!

Now to relax, with the Phillies game in the background, and reading on the couch.  I just began reading Breaking Night.  So far so good..  I love reading but lately haven't had time to because of school.  I recently finished Water for Elephants which I started months ago, along with The Story of a Beautiful Girl both of which I highly recommend (thought i think many people already know about Water for Elephants.  I love reading.  When I was little I would read books in a day.  I still tend to do that a lot but have less time to do so..

One thing that made me really sad today was about this little girl that I am working with.  A report was recently made that her Mom's ex-boyfriend sexually abused her.  She is a cute little 4 year old girl, and her Mom is so upset about it, and I cannot blame her.  There are a lot of signs that it may be true as well. Today she was told that she has to bring her to the doctor to get examined...for scar tissue.  Horrible.  Her mom is super worried because she has always told her that she is the only one that is supposed to touch her down there when she takes a bath, and wonders what will happen when the doctor examines her.. ugh.. horrible.  No one deserves this type of thing to happen to their child!

Congrats to Julie!  I am so jealous and wish I could do that but then realize I am still in school and working to do something more, and I have a lot more to come in the next couple years/months...?

A day in the life..

Today has been a looong, hott day!

I woke up early to get my outta the gym for four days butt-- back into the gym.
Definitely feeling tired, but I knew this was my only chance to get to the gym and not feel rushed.  I walked outside and it was already 80 degrees!! At 5 am!!!.. Its gonna be a HOT one!
It was a tough work out, with almost 9 mile run (split into three parts, first 25 min was fast with low incline, 2nd part was  27 minutes alternating fast, with low incline with slower and higher incline, 3rd part was 20 min 2 min. 7 spd, 1 min. 8.5 spd)  I also did 35 min on the stair climber in between and some strength - mostly legs.  My legs were definitely feeling it after.  My knee was bothering me more which is why I focused on leg/glutes today, since I tend to ignore my leg muscles when I run a lot, which results in a lot of knee and hip problems for me.  Hopefully it won't happen to the degree that it did during training for the marathon.

I came home and made a spinach/strawberry/banana smoothie bowl (inspired by Peanut Butter Fingers) which I have grown to love.  I used to use a little smoothie blender, but the cup broke so now am using the blender, which makes the smoothies a million times better, just a little more annoying to clean..

Off to work.. Had 3 clients today, which wasn't bad.  The worst part of my job is driving.  I have to give extra time between appointments and to get to/from places.  Its exhausting, but I usually am able to avoid the big traffic jams.

Lunch didn't compose of much since I didn't eat breakfast till later.  Its always hard to pack for when you are on the road all day.  I used to make salads for lunch at my old job.  I will still do that if I have a break in between clients or if I am doing work in the office..
Today, lunch was a simple protein shake, yogurt and banana at different times.  Kind of boring.. Nothing exciting but definitely portable and easy..  I am trying to get more protein into my diet and less gluten/wheat products.  I feel as if grains really effect my stomach in a BAD way,, and want to try to experiment with not eating it.  A couple weeks ago I tried part of the Dukan Diet- and did not have ANY stomach problems for a good five days!! I also atone this to my decreased snacking.. which happens a lot when I am bored at night.
I have gotten tested for any food allergies and intolerance before and nothing has turned up...other than the fact that I am missing the enzyme that digests alcohol.  As a result I have what is called the Asian Flush.  This causes my face to get red and blotchy.  I am really self conscious about it.. but that doesn't stop me from enjoying a drink (or two ) on the weekend.

Just home.. its still in the 90's!  I like having my work out done and being able to relax!  Waiting for Jay to get home to take a little walk.  The kitties are cuddling with me..

These next couple days are not extremely busy but I am trying to get ready for a bachelorette party of one of my college friends this weekend..Along with work outs, work.. and everything else that life brings so I do feel a little overwhelmed.  SOOO happy class is over!!


Sorry my posts haven't included pictures... Just trying to get writing again and soon again I will include pictures and all that fun stuff!