I had set P’s last entry to auto post. Largely because- 1. I’m in school and knew I wouldn’t have time to put something thoughtful together the night before I had something due and was about to board a plane and 2. I’m lazy.

I was all geared up to go this whole week. My mind was focused on nothing but P and cupcakes and lots of fun.

And then I got the call Tuesday’s morning.

Will’s grandpa had passed away.

It was a crazy day which included having to rearrange my travel plans. That turned out to be a fun event (ha!). Not only does American Airlines not give benevolence rates, but they also charged me a freaking kidney and first born to change my flight.

Insert expletive here --->

Anyway, I felt so terrible for letting P down, but I also knew I had to be there for Will and our family. I just couldn’t have a good time knowing what was going on back home. I had focused my mind on fun and craziness and had to switch gears to focus on loving Will and just being “there.” Definitely not one of those weeks you plan for.

The funeral was yesterday. I’ve mentioned Will’s Grandma Bea in the past. She died a few years ago and wanted her ashes scattered at a pond where she and Bill went fishing. It was an intimate and special place for both of them.

Grandpa Bill had been sick for several months now, and we all knew he’d be passing soon but it was still sad to hear the news. He had spoken with his daughter the day before he died and had a special message for each of us which she shared yesterday. It was emotional and really special to hear.

After the service we went to the lake and scattered his ashes the same place where they scattered Bea’s. I had never known anyone who had been cremated, so it was a different experience.

It was so weird to see Bill’s ashes in the lake. He had lived 87 years and had so many adventures and stories and at the end was nothing but ashes sinking and falling on the sand below. I know death is something we all know will happen to us, but it’s so visceral to be reminded of it and actually see a life go by and disappear in an instant. It definitely makes me so thankful for the life God has given me. He has blessed me beyond anything I could ever deserve and so often I fail to thankful and truly stop to give myself over to him to have His way in my life. Yesterday was a good reminder of how I need to live my life to please God and not to be so caught up in worries and stressors and the vapor that is life. At the end all we are is a lump of bones, and what we do today is what matters. Life is short.

It’s sad that it takes a funeral to be reminded of what a blessing life is, but I’m thankful for how God spoke to me. I challenge you to do something today to make tomorrow better. I know I will be doing the same.

So- we “take two” on the Chicago trip. I’m headed out later this week. I promise to provide lots of pictures and updates!

Will and I were homebound today and will be tomorrow as well.

Victims of the blizzard.

I use victims very loosely because I sat on the couch in grey sweatpants with my computer on my lap working from home while watching old CSI Miami episodes.

It was rough I tell you.

The bad thing about blizzards, however, is that they make you fat.

I can’t prove it- but I may seek out a grant to do so.

Poor Will. I think I’m ready to go to the gym? Ha-

WILL is ready for me to go to the gym. If I don’t, The Shining could very well manifest itself at my house.

I can’t even begin to tell you all the crap I had while I was at home today. I started strong with oatmeal but before long I was having french bread, and Ruffles, and frosting, and pretzels… It was an out of control carbicide I tell you! It was if I didn’t think I was going to be able to eat for days or something and was trying to all Black Bear myself through the storm incase I had to hibernate.

The trouble with this issue is that:

1. I’m at home tomorrow again

2. It’s Super Bowl weekend which means I needed to save my cheat day for Sunday.

Oh and let’s not forget that later this month I will experience an entire weekend of gluttony when I go see P for her birthday.

It’s official- February is Faturary.

Elliptical, here I come. 

Good: It was icy today so I worked from home.

Bad: I ate pizza for lunch (um a LOT) and cereal for dinner and totally de-railed today’s goal. I really need structure in my life, as you can see.

Good: I left a piece of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory in the fridge all.week.long

Bad: In a moment of weakness this past weekend I ripped it out of the fridge and devoured it like a starving panther in heat.

Let’s not lose sight of the fact that I waited a WEEK to do that though, right? I consider this a small success.

Good: I got a super cute new pair of boots during Christmas.

Bad:It is far too cold to wear them with a pretty skirt and show them off. Pants for now…

Good: Will bought several new shirts and they’re so pretty (ahem- I mean manly) and I always feel happy when he wears them

Bad: They suck to iron.

Good: I found some super cute stuff online at New York & Co and was going to use a gift card I had gotten at Christmas to pay for everything.

Bad: The stupid site will only allow me to apply one gift card and so they keep wanting me to put $75 on against my credit card instead of using another gift card. Seriously people! It’s 2011! Figure a way for me to apply both.

Good: I worked out today- which wasn’t a planned workout day.

Bad: See above for what I ate today.

Good: I’m logging my calories on Lose It with my sister

Bad: I’m now friends with Angela so she knows I went way, way over my calories today.

Good: My doggies snuggled with me on the couch while I worked today.

Bad: Boz woke me up at 2:30 this morning puking. That was fun. I cleaned the carpet with very limited light so I wouldn’t wake Will and went back to bed. When I woke up this morning I saw that Boz had barfed three other places- luckily on the tile.

Good: It’s almost Friday

Bad: Let’s not end on a bad note- it’s almost Friday after all! 

I mentioned I started school already, right?

UGH.

Sorry, but I felt the need to lead with that because it’s all I bloody think about. Why am I willingly inflicting this mental pain on myself!?

...

Get it together woman!

Okay- no more talk of school.

So my goal is to post to my blog once a week now that I’m in school. It felt good to have time to do it during break, but I’m not foolish enough to think I’m going to be able to post every few days now that my life is back to “normal.” So- that’s my goal and I really hope to stick with it.

Let’s not talk about that anymore, okay?

I had a really good weekend.

Will is always so tired when he gets home at night, and we hadn’t made any plans to go out on Friday so I figured it would just be a quiet night in. Plus- let’s not forget we’ve been married almost seven years so there’s pretty much zero spontaneity in our lives.

So I was surprised when he got home, hopped in the shower and told me we were going out. What a fun surprise! We ended up taking a little road trip to Chickasha, Oklahoma. There’s a small little burger joint there called Paw-Paws that’s semi-famous around there. I should have used one of my cheats there, but instead I got a salad, which was a really stupid thing to do at a small town sort of diner. I didn’t even dare ask for vinaigrette. I knew better. I took a bite of Will’s burger and it was DELICIOUS.

Yes- it deserves all caps.

So good. I most definitely should have used one of my cheats for a burger. We’ll definitely be back soon. It was worth the trip.

We ended the evening at Dairy Queen. There’s only a few in the state- one of them being in Chickasha. You can’t go there and not stop, right!? So- I had one of my cheats there- and it was well worth it.

Freaking amazing.

Mind blowing.

Over the top.

Sorry- as you can probably guess, I’ve been sticking to my goals pretty well and really relish my cheats.

Plus it’s DQ. It really is all of those things.

I just had a great night with Will. I know as you read this you’re probably like- wow- he takes her to a dive-y burger joint in small town America and then they go to DQ. Fancy!

(let’s laugh. That sentence seems funny to me.)

But the truth is, it was such a great night. Mostly because we’re so boring and predictable and a random road trip on a Friday night was so great and fun!

Saturday? Saturday was pretty great.

We did the normal shopping, chores and all that other painful boring adult stuff, but Saturday I had my first experience with a pre-workout formula.

I can’t even convey to you how intense and just how… wow… my workout experience was.I realize the rest of this “section” is going to be WAY boring for most of you and even maybe annoying and confusing, but I feel like droning on- so forgive me in advance.

I’ve always been very skeptical of all the weight training supplement “gunk-” and with good reason. A lot of stuff is full of sugar and calories and CRAP that you do not need at all. However, there definitely is good stuff on the market, but I’ve always just never really tried it because I figured what I was doing was good enough.

But then I started thinking- yes, what I’m doing is good, but if I’m serious about meeting my goals I really need to consider supplement options. There’s a reason why some of the most amazing fitness models look the way they do- they eat right, workout hard, and supplement (not to be confused with drugs or steroids!).

Anyway- so I asked around and looked online and it just so happened that a friend had a couple scoops left of the most highly rated all natural pre-workout mix on one of my most favorite fitness sites. So- I was game.

I took it yesterday about 20 minutes before my workout, and had literally one of the best workout experiences I’ve ever had. Yesterday was a leg day and before I knew it I had spent an hour and a half and felt like I was still on my first set. I really wanted to keep going but for the sake of time I had to move on so I ended with some light cardio. It was such an intense workout and even after all the sets I ripped off and the cardio, I was ready to freaking lift a Mini Cooper afterwards. Ha ha- okay now that does sound a little like one of those crazy muscle women sort of things to say. It would be about right -> ____________ there where I would tell you how you don’t have to worry, that I have no ambition of looking like that, but let’s face it- you all know me well enough by now to know that I love frosting enough for that to never, ever happen.

Anyway, pretty freaking amazing workout and I really think this will help me get past where I am right now, a little extra “oomph” to further my progress and where I want to be. It will definitely make my workouts more efficient that’s for sure! Today I did my upper body and used it again and noticed the same difference. I would continue onwward but I realize this is probably very boring.

So let’s move on, yes?

All in all it was a nice weekend, and it was my last weekend of freedom before heading back to school (ha- I thought I said we weren’t going to talk about that anymore!). Everything seems to circle back to school. Ugh- school.

I better get back to reading.

More to come. 

I start school today.

UGH.

The break was so so wonderful.

Remind me again why I’m willingly doing this?

Don’t bother. I have to go read now.

Fluorescent lights should be banned.

They make things stark and raw and wrinkled and highlight all negatives and no positives.

What good are they!?

I know I’m tired. I know my eyes are droopy. I know my skin isn’t always perfect. Must the terrible lighting in my office remind me of such things!?

Seriously.

From now on I say we institute a soft lighting such as those at romantic restaurants. I’m sure in time our eyes will adjust to starting at computer screens in such dim lighting.

And even if they don’t?

Who cares! At least we’ll look fabulous. 

Literally.

Remember just this past week when I said that one of my resolutions was to put away laundry as soon as a load is done?

As you can see, I’m failing.

I will say, however, my dishes have not been left in the sink once this week! So- at least we’re halfway on our way to success.

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

But really, Brittny- putting laundry away isn’t that hard! Here’s to hoping I’m more successful this weekend. 

Do not be alarmed.

This is NOT going to become Brittny’s foodie/fitness blog.

Trust me.

As I mentioned, I’m healthy every single day of the work week, so aside from the weekend pain of not eating a pound of beef and an entire strawberry cake, I’ve pretty much got this thing down. However- I thought a good start to my laundry list would be to tell you guys what my plans are for the day!

Everyone lets out a resounding, “Yay!”

...

Or maybe not.

Anyhow, I’m off work today which is pretty exciting.

I started my morning off right with an egg on whole wheat toast. Chick-Fil-A is giving away their spicy chicken sandwich this week so I printed off my coupon and am going to sit with Will this morning while he eats his breakfast.

After that we’re going to see an early movie which will be fun. We’re going to see True Grit. You may remember it has a special place in my heart (ha). I figure if anything it will give me more material to bug Will with. I told him he should give me five bucks for every time they say “little sister.” I could be rich. 

I’ll have my carrots and hummus during the movie. Lunch is a taco salad with extra lean ground turkey, black beans, tomatoes, spinach, and a couple tablespoons of salsa. I made it yesterday and got everything all sectioned off and measured, since I’ll be having it a couple more times this week.

Later this afternoon I’ll have Greek yogurt.

Around the time I have my afternoon snack is the time that Will and I will have probably started arguing.

I believe I’ve mentioned that Will and I aren’t the best at home improvement projects. I don’t know what it is, but the second you get a hammer and nails out at our house it’s as if we rang the boxing bell to begin the brawl.

“In this corner, weighing (muffled by the microphone) and standing at 5 feet 6 inches tall put your hands together for B-Loooooooove!!”

“And in this corner, weighing whatever grown men weigh these days, and standing 5 feet 10 inches tall put your hands together for Misteeeeeeer B-Loooooove!”

And then the bell rings and Will and I knock our gloves together and go at it.

I even joked with Will yesterday about how we should start fighting (ie- hanging our picture) around 2:00.

I’m not sure he thought it was funny.

Maybe it won’t be so bad?

I mean, it has been a while since we’ve taken a major hanging project on. Maybe it will be easy and we’ll find a stud and everything will be even and perfect and thirty minutes later we’ll be sitting on the couch holding hands and complimenting each other’s picture framing abilities.

But I doubt it.

Way to be optimistic, right?

Eh…

I’m not sure what else is in store for us today. I know for dinner I’ll have tilapia with steamed carrots and then later tonight I’ll bake an apple with a little cinnamon and lemon juice.

I’m hoping to squeeze in a workout before dinner or right after. I usually go on the morning but my alarm failed me today so that didn’t happen. Today is an upper body day. I’ve posted my workout below. I superset so I’m constantly working a different muscle group without stopping. Once I hit all the areas I end the set with an ab and rest for a minute or so and start the next.

Yay for days off! Happy Monday to you!

More to come…

Today’s Workout
Chest
Bench Press
Inverted Row
Decline Barbell Press

Back
Bent Over Row
Pull Up
Row Machine

Shoulders
Bent Over Flyes
Barbell Shoulder Press
Front Raises/Flyes

Triceps
Skull Crushers
Cable Tricep Extension
One Arm Cable Tricep Extension

Biceps
Incline Curls
Hammer curls
Concentration Curl

Pushups

Abs
Plank
Elevated Plank
Side Plank
Bear Crawls
Cable Crunch

Hi!

Happy New Year!

Oh no, be warned- I’ve started this post with back to back exclamation points. I see more in the future of this post. Please do not let the cheeriness deter you. I will try to keep the exclamations to a minimum.

But I make no promises.

I hope you all had a great Christmas, and Saturday, and New Year’s Eve. The random Saturday insertion just seemed like the right thing to do… I have no idea why.

Our Christmas was good. We spent the morning with Will’s family and then travelled home late that afternoon. I took that following Monday off which was nice. We ended up going to the “big town” of El Reno, Oklahoma to eat at Sid’s diner. It was a place featured on Man Versus Food. The place was super tiny but the food was good, as we had expected. It was a nice day.

I had Friday off this week which was nice too. We spent a lot of the day shopping. How two people can spend a small fortune at Sam’s I will never know. We went to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner that night which was nice and spent the entire time reflecting on 2010 and talking about 2011. It was a good day!

Was all that boring?

Because I sort of feel like it was.

Sorry. The truth is- when Will and I were talking last night about some of the highlights of last year I couldn’t remember some of them and I realize I don’t really talk much about my life anymore here. Which is fine and what I have chosen to do, I suppose, but at the same time it’s sort of nice to be able to look back to my 2005 archives and actually recall a day after reading about it. So I was thinking that maybe once or twice a month I will try to capture more about what’s going on in my life. Mostly for me. I apologize in advance for the boringness.

Okay, enough about that.

Happy New Year!

Did I already say that?

Ah- yes. I did. And then went on and on about all! the! exclamation! points!

Are you a big resolution-er?

I’m not really per say. To a degree I suppose but nothing too extreme. Much like Angela , my goal is to never eat again or lose a million pounds. I never really take it seriously though. My other problem? I make about 15 of them and by mid January I’ve forgotten all of them!

“Wait- did I say I was NOT going to drink coffee and was going to drink more tequila?”

“Or was it not eating trans fats and drinking mroe coffee!?… Or was it tequila!? I know it that was in one of my resolutions somewhere...”

“This is so hard!”

I figure now that I’m another year older and wiser I should probably just suck it up and realize that I am going to have to eat. And losing a million pounds? Well that’s just silly, Brittny!

So this year is about sharing my goals and making them realistic. Also- not to make a dozen. Sure it’s nice to want to do things, I mean, I want to save the world! However, I realize I have to start somewhere. So that’s what I want to do.

Here goes.

1. Be a Failure

I want to fail in the gym this year.

Yes, you heard me right.

A big fat F.

For anyone that spends time in the weight room, you will know what I’m talking about. If you don’t- long story short is that in order to really see growth and really make progress you have to lift to failure which means you have to really exert and exhaust your muscles. I do that now… sort of… but I really take it easy on myself. I really want my time at the gym to be worthwhile, and it won’t be unless I put myself to the test mentally and physically.

My plan for meeting my resolution is to do it- to add the extra weight and document my progress. If I can only do four reps, well I can only do four reps. But with time it will grow to six and maybe even eight. Until I really start making things hard on myself, I won’t see the results I want to.

2. Be Squeaky Clean

The other day I was on the elliptical and a guy jumped on beside me and started working out. The second he walked past me, I gagged. No really- I did. And made a disgusting face.
,
The guy smelled as though he had sat in a 4x4 closet where 10 people crammed in there with him and smoked for eight hours straight. And then the 10 people left. But he decided to stay.So he could eat the cigarette butts.

No really- he did.

He ate them.

I’m pretty sure anyway…

As I continued on my second interval set I started to get mad.

Really guy!? Yeah- great plan. Go to the gym and work out but then go smoke six packs a day. That’s a way to be healthy!

How dumb.

I then spent my remaining 20 minutes on the elliptical gagging and turning my head away from The Ash Tray, thinking about how ridiculous this guy was.

I blame the high degree of my irritation on the workout. I think something about having my heart rate up and sweating tends to make me a little more intense than normal."Why bother showing up to the gym?! Your lungs are raisins.”

So as I started my cool down- and started to come back to earth- I realized it was wrong for me to feel the way I did. It’s that guy’s choice to smoke a carton a day. It’s on him. Granted, the second hand smoke is another issue- but let’s stay focused.

The second thing I started to think about was- “Wow pot! You’re calling the kettle black aren’t you!?”

Busted.

Guys- I live in a perpetual state of dissonance. I really do. I emphasize fitness so much in my life, and even go so far to say it’s my passion, yet not all of my lifestyle echos those words. I can go bust my tail at the gym and then go home and eat half a pizza and breadsticks.

And then complain about it for the next 2 hours.

But then repeat the same action the very next weekend.

My point is- I’ll never know how good I can be and what I’m capable of until I put.the.pizza.down!

Just put it down, Brittny.

Down.

I really love food.

I eat healthy just about every week day and then blow it on the weekend. Did I say blow it? What I mean is, calorically I eat enough for two people on the weekends. Maybe even three. Yikes! How awful is that to type!?

I decided that if I want to be my best and see what I’m capable of in the gym, which I claim is my passion, part of my success has to start in the kitchen!

So with all that being said my goal for this year is to eat a clean diet six days a week during 2011 and allow myself one “cheat” day. And when I say cheat day I don’t mean eating an entire box of cereal and washing it down with a double cheeseburger with fries. I mean eating things I enjoy but in much smaller portions.

Moderation Brittny!

So here’s how I plan on meeting this tough goal. I already made my menu for January and February because I know if I write it down and have a plan it will make it a lot easier on my life. I won’t have to spend time thinking about what I’m going to eat- because I’ll already know. This will be particularly handy when I’m start back to school this month.

3. Get Connected

I don’t think I ever told you guys about my funny story of the group we joined at church and then left. It’s too long to tell it here, but trust me, when Will tells the story it has people in tears. Pretty funny.

Anyway, we’re not connected in any sort of small Bible study group and we really need to be. Church is good but it’s also important to be around people our age and have that small group interaction, you know? We’ve become sort of discouraged by our journey in this area, so my hope is that this year we will find a group and get connected.

4. Do well in school.

My plan? Is to just freaking do it, darn it! To read, pay attention, and stay on top of stuff.

5. Be a Better Wife, Friend, and Employee

This girl right here can tell you I’m not always the best at keeping up with communcation. She and Retired Blogger Sarah will have exchanged about five emails to my one sometimes! Granted, there’s going to be times where life is busy, but friends are important and I need to remember that. I have lots of “friends” but very few real true friends and they’re very precious to me and I want them to know that by my actions.

I also want to be the wife to Will that I need to be. We’re a solid team, but I think after almost seven years of marriage (! when did that happen!?) we’ve sort of gotten comfortable with each other and have settled into our life. That’s good and all, but this year I wanted to be mindful of being “nice” and “thoughtful” and more of a “girlfriend” to Will (I have no idea why I put all that in quotations).

You think I’m crazy right?

Trust me, it all makes sense in my head.

Anyway- I went into my calendar and put random things on random days as reminders to do something nice for Will. I know it seems pathetic that I actually have to remind myself to do thoughtful things for Will or surprise him with something, but hey- I’m trying and this is a good way to make sure I’m staying on target!

6. Put it Away: The 2011 Laundry List

I really want to put my laundry away immediately after doing a load. I also don’t want to leave dishes in the sink. I’m pretty sure this is a resolution for me every.single.year. And every.single.year. I don’t follow through. Sure, I do for a few weeks- but before I know it I look at the chest in our bedroom and see a laundry pile the size of a small SUV stacked high. I don’t know why. I also don’t know how two people can generate so much laundry. But it happens. So, let’s hope I actually keep the pile manageable this year. I have a load sitting in there right now- which means I need to get off this computer and start folding! Hey-Rome wasn’t built in a day. I’m on it!

So there you have it. My goals for 2011. Knowing I have an action plan and a goal and am drawing a line in the sand by telling you guys, my friends, makes it seem more real.

Here’s to a solid 2011 for all of us.

If we’re going to be, or stay, friends there are a few things you probably need to know upfront.

1. If you give me a gift, and it’s in a pretty bag, there’s a good chance I’m going to keep it and use it the next time I have to give someone a gift. Yes, I’m a bag recycler. I said it.

2. I can’t go shopping with anyone besides P. Ever. I can have good intentions and really try to shop with friends but I just can’t and I end up wandering aimlessly, totally surrendering to the fact that I will not find something. I have no idea why.

3. I’m pretty sure I have a small degree of ODC. I am always afraid of leaving my straightener plugged in all day so I have to check, and recheck about three times before I can finally walk out the door. If it’s going to be a really long day away from the house, I’ve also been known to take a picture of the outlet to reassure myself that I really did unplug it and will not burn the house down.

Wow.

Pretty sure I divulged just a tad too much there.I’m confident you all think I’m crazy now. Or even crazier?

Moving on…

4. If we ever went on a road trip and we made the joint (AWFUL) decision that I would be the one to drive I would likely definitely get us lost. I’m one of the most spatially challenged people I know. It’s a talent, really. In my defense- unless the sun is rising or setting how in the WORLD are you able to know the cardinal directions!? I mean if it’s high noon and the sun is shining brightly in the “middle” of the sky are you freaking telling me that if I’m stranded in a jungle I’m going to know I’m headed due north!? I think not. Geez. Thankfully, there’s an app for everything.

5. I honestly do not think any dessert could ever be “too rich” and it annoys me when people say it. I’ve finally had to come to grips with the fact that the annoyance is me, because, after all, there are probably desserts that are “too rich.” However, it hasn’t deterred me from rolling my eyes anytime I hear someone say it as we stand over an office birthday cake.

That’s it for now. Happy Monday!

Ooh - wait can I add a freebie number six? It annoys me when people say “Happy Monday!” yet it doesn’t annoy me enough not to do it myself. Because I do. All cheery. And annoying. Such a contradiction.

More to come.