Busy Busy Busy!!!!

Wow, has it been a busy week!!  I knew this week would be busy but I figured I'd still have some free time, and I'm finding that isn't true. 

My husband and I are in the process of opening a new restaurant.  It's a small sandwich shop, and we have been planning on doing a soft open (basically, opening the doors without actually telling anyone we were open) this weekend, Friday-Monday, and then taking Tuesday off and opening for real on Wednesday. Wednesday was the advertised opening date, so we figured the weekend would give us some practice before we (hopefully) get really busy Wednesday. 

Monday was the first day that we got all of the new employees together.  There is only 5, so we decided to do a team building day, and we took them out to one of our favorite sandwich shops, and then to Dave and Busters for some games.  It was a lot of fun and I feel like it really set a great dynamic for the team. 

Tuesday was spent trying to get the outside of the building cleaned up. The old tenant didn't do a great job at keeping up with the landscaping, so there were a lot of weeds to pull, and the whole place just needed a clean up.  Wednesday, I spent the day shopping.  We needed to get last minute stuff. A vacuum, some more wall décor, fruit bowl, baskets, pens, etc. Cody was at the restaurant, training the employees and prepping stuff like sauces, soups, portioning meats, etc.

Yesterday was more training, and around 6pm, we decided we were ready, and we opened the doors.  In about an hour, we did about 15 orders.  It was great practice for the cooks, and we got nothing but great feedback from everyone. It was great!

Yesterday was also our 4 year wedding anniversary!!  So, tonight, my parents are taking E for the night, and Cody and I are going to go out to dinner and a movie to celebrate.  And then, the weekend will be filled with more working! 

I am enjoying this whole process, but I feel like I really need to figure out a way to help out at the restaurant when needed, and be able to get my work outs in, all while making sure I am spending plenty of time with E.  I feel like I haven't seen her much, I miss her like crazy!!!

Starting Over

If you read my last post, you know that I have been debating on whether or not to put our baby plans on hold, in order to run a half marathon in May.  Cody and I sat down and had a serious heart to heart about it, and we decided that I will be putting my race plans on hold.  The race will always be there, but putting off baby plans can change the number of kids we have, and we both feel like now is the time to have another baby.  And if we were to wait, the option of having a third baby would be less likely, because we will both be older and we don't really want to have kids after we're 35.  

I am planning to start training now, and train as far into the pregnancy as I can, so that once the baby is born, it isn't so hard to get back on track and hopefully be able to do a race soon after!!  

So, yesterday I decided to start the Couch to 5K program again.  The first day is a 5 minute brisk warm up walk, then 1 minute running and 1.5 walking.  This was the first run that I'd be doing while pushing Ellie in the jogging stroller, so I was a bit nervous at how much harder it would be.  Surprisingly, it was quite easy! I bought the jogging stroller used, and wasn't quite sure how it would be to push while running.  I ran in the afternoon, and it was quite warm, but nothing too terrible. I was dripping sweat when I was done, though!  

I did a 17:17 minute mile, which isn't too bad, but not quite as fast as I need it to be.  But considering I walked much more than I ran, it makes sense. For a disney race, you need to train for a 15 minute mile, so that you can make budget in some time to stop for pictures and such.  

I am taking today off, since I am  having a Norwex party at my house tonight and my house was in major need of cleaning.  I plan on getting in Week 1 Day 2 tomorrow!  

To Race or Not to Race?

Back when I started this blog (2011?  I think), the whole thing was based on my journey into running, and my goal was to do the Disney Princess Half Marathon.  I was SO excited about it, and had started training.  I did 2 5k's and I was really loving running (even if I was doing more run/walk intervals than actual running).  Then, I ended up getting pregnant, and stopped running all together, because I was afraid that the stress on my body would put too much stress on the baby and I was worried about hurting the baby.

I ended up not getting back into running after the baby was born, like I had planned. And suddenly, here it is, 2 years later, and I still haven't gotten back into running.  I am trying to be more active, and lose some weight, but running just hasn't been on my radar.

My BFF just finished the Disneyland Half Marathon this weekend, and I am finding myself so incredibly jealous about it.  I look back at how determined I was to do the Princess Half Marathon before I got pregnant, and I am kind of sad that I never finished what I had started.

So, we started discussing the Tinkerbell Half Marathon and how we'd love to do it together in May of 2016.

The only problem is, we have been planning on starting to try and get pregnant with our second baby after our trip to Walt Disney World in October.

I know that it's absolutely possible to do a Half Marathon while pregnant, but it's not something that I want to do.  Especially because I am already not in shape or ready to do a half marathon.  So, now I am stuck with the decision - Do I put our baby plans on hold for another 6-8 months and train to do a half marathon?  Or do I put my half marathon plans on hold until we have another baby?

Why does life give us such hard decisions?!

Birthday Craziness

My baby turned 2 on Sunday!  :)

This last week has been crazy for us.  My daughter turned 2 on Sunday, so we had a big party at our house for her.  We had about 30 people over to our house.  This is only the 2nd time I've hosted a party, and the first time I hosted a party at the new house. So I went a little crazy trying to make sure the house was clean and things were packed away, making sure we had enough food and decorations and presents.  I had family come from out of town.  And, to top it all off, both E and I were sick all week.  So, it was tough getting everything ready, but we did it!  Her birthday was great, she had so much fun.  She was so surrounded by love, I hope she felt just how special she is!!

Because of the craziness of getting ready for her birthday, my eating and work out schedule have been all screwed up.  I made it to the gym once last week.  We had a taco bar at her birthday party, and I ended up with a TON of food left over, so I've been eating more tacos than I ever thought possible.  I am so ready to get back on track.

My goal a while back was to be down one pants size by the time we went to Disney in October.  Looking at that goal now, I'm pretty sure it's not going to be possible.  But I'd still like to be down a few pounds by the time we go.  We are going towards the end of October, so I've got about a month and a half to do what I can.

So, my September Goals are:

*Do not drink any pop for the whole month (only water and coffee)
*Eat Breakfast every morning
*Go to the gym at least twice a week, and do a home work out twice a week
*Meal Plan!!!

Here is hoping to a very successful September!!!

Rainy Day Blues

So as I previously mentioned, I spend yesterday up north at the campground with my Mother in Law.  The weather was perfect and it was a really relaxing day!  I made a bad choice to stop and get a donut for Ellie (I swear, that was my intention when we stopped!), but I ended up getting one too.  I felt guilty all day, since that obviously isn't on my meal plan!  I made up for it by having a pretty healthy dinner (pork kabobs with lots and lots of veggies!).  Cody ended up taking the evening off and was able to come hang out with us for a few hours.  I always love when he gets to take some time to just get away from work stuff and relax!

Have you ever had one of those days when one thing just spirals into another and before you know it, your whole day is out of whack?  That was my day today.  The plan was to wake up, have breakfast and head to the grocery store.  Then we'd come home, I'd put Ellie down for her nap, and I'd do an at home workout.  Well, I woke up and realized that we really had nothing for breakfast nothing we had sounded good for breakfast.  So, I called my parents to see if they wanted to go out.  They agreed, so we met at Bob Evans. I ended up ordering eggs, sausage, hash browns, and a pancake.  Way more food than I needed, but it sure was tasty!

After breakfast, I decided to go to the grocery store.  When we were at breakfast, it started storming, so we kind of hung out until the rain slowed down. We left and made a quick stop at the grocery store.  We went home, and once I got Ellie down for a nap, I just felt like I had no energy.  I'm sure it was a mix between the rain and the fact that I didn't really eat very healthy yesterday.  But I just couldn't pull myself off the couch. As the day went on, and I kept getting busy doing other things, my workout just didn't happen. I'm so sad because I was doing so good at keeping my workout plan.

I keep reminding myself that tomorrow is a new day, and I can't let myself fall completely off the wagon, just because I had a bad day.  Bad days are bound to happen throughout this journey.  How I choose to get back up from those bad days are what really matter, and I plan to make tomorrow count!!

New Neighborhood and Change of Plans

Tonight we got invited to our first ever neighborhood picnic.  It was a small gathering of all the people on our street.  We had hot dogs and hamburgers, everyone brought a dish to pass, there was door prizes. It was so much fun!  We lived in our last neighborhood for 3 years, and we only knew the lady that lived across the street, and that's because we bought our house from her.  Just about everyone who lives on our street has lived there for 15+ years.  I can't even tell you how comforted that makes me.  I love that people feel like our neighborhood is safe and comfortable enough to stay here for many, many years.  I love the feeling that we picked a great, safe, friendly neighborhood to raise our family in.  Tonight was a good night. :)

I did have a change of plans today, though.  Our sitter was coming this morning so I could go to the gym, but I ended up having a bunch of errands to run instead.  I hated skipping the gym, and normally I would just say "oh well, I'll go tomorrow".  But, because I am trying to work out more, I knew that by skipping the gym this morning, I'd have to do an at home workout.  So, when I got home and got Elliot down for her nap, I did a workout video. I had done the 30 Day Shred on Tuesday, but decided today to switch it up and do the sculpt and build workout from one of my Biggest Loser DVDs.  It was a good work out, and I'm sore, which is always a good thing!

I am going to the gym again tomorrow, and taking Saturday off.  I will be visiting my Mother in law up at the campground that she camps at during the summer on Saturday, so hopefully I can get a good walk in!

At Home Workouts

I'm not even sure if there is anyone reading this anymore.  If you're reading, please say hello! :)

Today I decided that I want to start doing at home workouts on the days that I'm not going to the gym.  We only have the babysitter come to the house 2-3 times a week and on the days that she doesn't come, it's hard for me to get to the gym due to Cody's schedule.  I'd like to work out 5-6 times a week, so I am going to start researching different at home workouts that I can find on Netflix, or on demand.  My work out schedule this week is looking like this:

Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Gym (25 minute Elliptical, 45 Minute Strength)
Friday: Gym (35 Minute Elliptical, 45 Minute Strength)
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: At Home Workout (30 Day Shred)

I'm hoping that by keeping up with working out when I'm at home, it will help with my workouts at the gym.  I am very sore today, but honestly, I like being sore. It makes me feel like I'm doing something right!!

Cody went to the grocery store today to get some essentials before we go on our weekly grocery shopping trip.  While he was there, he bought some great stuff, but he also bought some not so great stuff.  We've been talking about how we both really want mac and cheese. So, he bought a box of Organic Mac and Cheese, thinking that he was doing something good.  His heart was in the right place, and I appreciate him thinking of me.  But I have told him before that I can't have that kind of stuff in the house. We cut out boxed meals a long time ago.  I've tried making things from scratch for at least the last 6 months, because of all the crap that is added to boxed meals.  I get too tempted when we have stuff like that in the house, so I have just stopped buying it.  He also bought a bag of tortilla chips, because we bought a new salsa at the farmers market.  Once again, I appreciate the thought, but when it comes down to it, I don't have the self control yet to be able to keep those things in the house.  I am hoping that he starts seeing some results in himself, as well as some results in me, to where his first instinct isn't to buy the stuff that isn't great for his body.