Friday, July 29, 2011

MilSpouse Friday Fill in!

It's Friday!  The craziness of the next few weeks begins today.  I thought I'd take a moment to breathe, and participate in Wifey's Military Spouse Friday Fill-in before the chaos starts.  Have a great weekend!

1. Facebook or Twitter? 
Facebook for sure.  I've only been on Twitter once or twice, and it kind of confuses me.  I'm not really sure the actual point of Twitter, if I'm being honest.  It's much easier to stalk people on Facebook.  :)
 
2. Hard Tacos or Soft Tacos? 
I prefer hard shells, but inevitably we always have soft shells at home.  The hard shells you can buy at the store always taste stale to me.  But hard shells trump soft shells every time.  Gotta love that crunch!
 
3. Gardening or crafting? 
I like gardening in theory, but not actually in practice.  It's too much daily work for me.  I'm sort of ADD with my hobbies--I like to bounce around between them, doing what feels exciting in the moment.  Gardening doesn't work well with that sporadic attitude.  My poor flowers in my front yard are dead because keeping up watering them when its been 100+ degrees outside for over a month just wasn't in the cards.  So crafting for sure.  Especially sewing!
 
4. Fruit or vegetables?  
Fruit!  I like pretty much every vegetable, especially if eaten raw.  But when I'm hungry for a snack, I'd rather turn to a banana or a bunch of grapes or a bowl of strawberries than baby carrots.  I have to force vegetables into my diet, simply because I forget they exist.

5. Motorcycle or bicycle?
Bicycle, hands down.  I have a motorcycle aversion.  I do not like them.  I will not ride one.  Basically, they scare the tar out of me.  I'd sort of like to get over this phobia, but I don't know anyone that I trust wholeheartedly with my life that owns one.  I guess I'm stuck to pedaling myself around.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

My Crazy Life

What a boring blogger I've been this week! 

I'm been a busy little bee trying to get ready for the crazy shenanigans of the next few weeks.  This weekend a good friend is coming into town to visit.  The day after she leaves, Evie and I are heading down to Texas to visit my cousin for a week.  And when we get home, we'll be preparing for Michael to return.  Only a few weeks left!

Did you get tired reading that?  I got tired reading that.  My life is going to be a whirlwind  for a while.  But that's okay.  I like whirlwinds.  As long as they aren't like...real, tornado kind of whirlwinds.  I thought I better point that out so Mother Nature doesn't get any crazy ideas!

Yesterday I cancelled our family vacation plans for September, and booked our delayed honeymoon plans...for September.  Michael and I are so thankful that my parents offered to take Evie for a week while we take a much needed vacation by ourselves. 

We had originally planned on staying in a cabin outside Sedona, Arizona for a few days as a family, but that trip would have been a nightmare when we tacked on getting Evie to and from Wisconsin to my parents.  So we decided to head out to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.  And the best part about the change of plans is that we got a way better deal for our Colorado trip.

If you're military and you haven't heard of the Armed Forces Vacation Club, you need to check it out.  They have many "Space-A" hotel and resort reservations that are seven nights for $369.  Yeah, you read that right. $369 for seven nights.  And they automatically discount you $20 if you book online.  A-freaking-mazing.

I pretty much can't wait for September now.  Michael and I have never taken a real vacation together before, besides weekend camping trips.  And we haven't had any real alone time since....well, since Evie was born.  Not for more than a day or two at any rate.  Since we never took a honeymoon, I think we're way over due.  Plus, we celebrate a decade together at the end of October.  We have many reasons to celebrate.

So that's my life right now.  Lots of driving is involved in my future.  I'm sure my car will hate me by the end of September. It'll probably refuse to start just out of pure exhaustion.  I wouldn't blame it one bit.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Why I Love the Military

There are a lot of things to love about the military.  A lot of things not to love, too.  But one of the reasons why I love our men and women in uniform so much is because of the goofy ways they entertain me.

Without their humor, their jobs would just suck.  Period. 

Watch these videos for a great laugh, and to remember that underneath those uniforms are people.  People who are often far away from the ones they love, working long hours, and getting paid so very little.  Yet when the long day is done, they can still smile. And make fantabulous videos.  Enjoy!

 

 



Thursday, July 21, 2011

60 Day Results!

I've reached the 60 day mark in P90x.  Two-thirds of the way through the program!!!!

I'm so excited and proud that I've made it this far.  It's no longer even a possibility that I could quit.  Now it's just about pushing my way through these last 30 days, and getting the best results that I can.

I'm already thinking ahead to what I'll do after I finish this round of P90x. Though I've made a ton of progress, I know I won't be where I want to be 30 days from now.  I'm thinking I'll be giving Insanity--a different Beachbody fitness program--a shot.  It's only a 60 day program instead of 90 days like P90x which appeals to me.  90 days with the same program, even one with as many workouts as P90x has, can become a little tedious.  I need to switch things up.

This past month with P90x has gone great.  I didn't end up adding Doubles in like I had originally thought of doing, but that's okay.  I am hoping to do so this round though--at least once or twice a week.  Starting this week, I've been going to a Water Aerobics class on Base two nights a week which is a great way to add in some exercise.  It's more challenging than you would think, and I can definitely tell I'm working it.

Now for the fun stuff.  My numbers!  Drum roll please.....

Since my last check-in, I have lost 6 pounds, 2.5 inches off my waist, 2 inches off my hips, 1 inch off my chest, two inches off my thighs, and 5% body fat.  That brings me up to a grand total overall loss of 6 pounds, 16 inches, and 9% body fat!

I am super excited about my results.  Even though I try to pretend the scale doesn't even exist, I am glad I was finally able to lose weight during Phase 2.  I only gained about 1/2 a pound back after the Cleanse I did over the weekend so I am even happier that I suffered through those three days!

All the little changes I can see in my body keep me pushing play every morning.  Being able to really feel my hip bones, having a little abdominal definition, and slightly toned legs all make me a little giddy. Every time I take my measurements or let myself step on that scale, it feels like Christmas morning.

I am 1000% sure I made the best decision of my life when I started on this P90x journey.  And I am so ready to BRING IT these next 30 days!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse

I'm back from a brief internet hiatus!  Had some computer problems last week that thankfully didn't take too long to fix.  I'm been such a good blogger lately that I'm sure ya'll can forgive me.  :)

Over the weekend I partook in a 3-day Shakeology cleanse.  Shakeology is a meal replacement product available through Beachbody that is awesome.  In my opinion, most meal replacement drinks are not tasty.  And they rarely contain the crazy amount of nutrients and anti-oxidants that Shakeology has.  Beachbody calls it the healthiest meal of the day, and I don't disagree.

I added Chocolate Shakeology to my diet about three weeks ago, and I love it.  I usually use it to replace lunch, and with added peanut butter it tastes a-freaking-mazing.  So yummy.  Since I actually look forward to lunch every day, I thought the cleanse would be an awesome way to boost my metabolism before the next phase of P90x, as well as a great way to help me shed a few pounds.

The clease was crazy hard.

Essentially, it's fasting.  You're eating a bare 1000-1200 calories each day which is the lowest you should ever go.  And not for more than a few days at a time.  You drink Shakeology mixed with water three times a day, as well as a salad with chicken or fish for dinner.  You can also add 1-2 pieces of fruit as well as 1-2 cups of green tea as snacks throughout the day if you need the additional boost. 

I was starving!  I eat closer to 1500 calories each day, and during the cleanse I ate roughly 1000 calories.  That's a big difference.  Plus drinking Shakeology three times a day with the added anti-oxidant boost of Green Tea overloaded my body with so many fantastic nutrients that my body was flushing everything out like crazy. 

For three days, I was pretty tired, a little dizzy, and suffered through a headache or two.  I was able to do Yoga while on the cleanse, but since I started it at the end of my Phase 2 Recovery week, I mostly got to relax.

All in all, I think it was worth it.  I've jump-started my metabolism, gotten rid of a lot of gunk and junk that was clogging up my body, and lost almost four pounds.

And I'm ready to kick off my first day of Phase 3 of P90x this morning!  After I eat a big bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.

Make sure to check back on Thursday for my 60 day P90x results!

Monday, July 11, 2011

How Time Flies

Wow, time flies fast.  Isn't that one of the biggest cliches ever?  But I've come to realize that cliches are usually pretty spot on.  In this case, it surely is.

We've lived in Kansas for a year!

We've been a military family for a year and a half now, but moving to our first base really felt like the start of our military journey.  One year ago, we moved ten hours away from what we've always called "home" to this flat state with it's beautiful sunsets.  

So far, the journey has been great. The best part of Kansas is the people we've met.  We have made amazing friends.  Lifelong friends.  Without these people, Kansas wouldn't be the same.  Honestly, without these friends, Kansas would be boring as hell.

Ha.  Yes, I said it.  I know the commonly used saying "bloom where you are planted" that's always directed at military families.  And I completely agree.  Life is what you make it, and every base is what you make it.  Military life means a lot of your choices are taken away (like where you live) so if you don't make the most of every situation, you will be one unhappy military family.

That being said, Kansas is just not my favorite place in the world.  I love that we hardly get any snow here, but I would be more appreciative of the crazy hot summers if there were say, an ocean, nearby.  It's still the Midwest so we aren't really experiencing a different part of our country or different cultures than we're used to.  It honestly feels just like home except for the weird weather fluctuations and the lack of hills and trees. And there just isn't a lot to do here.  At least, not that I've encountered.  You can only go to the Zoo so many times before you're burnt out. 

Maybe I'm just stir crazy.  The last five years have been so full of major life changes that I think I'm bored with the normalcy we've had in the last year.  Besides deployments, we don't have a lot of life altering changes looming in the horizon at the moment.  That's sort of weird for us. 

Or maybe it's that our main goal is to be stationed overseas.  When you long to live in foreign countries, exploring castles and visiting world famous museums, wheat fields and tornadoes just don't hold a lot of appeal.  It's not Kansas's fault that we were hoping for a little more excitement from our military experience.

All in all though, Kansas has been good to us.  It's close enough to home that we've been able to host visitors as well as travel home a few times to see everyone.  It's been a great way to ease into our new life.  But I would be lying if I said I wasn't crossing my fingers and wishing on every star every star every time the new EQUALS list comes out with overseas assignments. 

Friday, July 8, 2011

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

This week has just flown by! I've been busy working on Evie's new quilt, and basically obsessing over sewing again.  I get so distracted with my hobbies and bounce around a lot so I'm happy to have finally bounced back to sewing.  I'm ending this week like many others with Wifey's weekly Friday Fill-In.  Have a great weekend!

1. Does your Significant Other read your blog?  Why is this a good or a bad thing? submitted by Mrs. Alana’s Miscellany
I think Michael reads it is spurts.  I like when he reads it because writing is such a fun outlet for me, and I like him to see that.  Plus, since he's deployed, he gets an extra peek into what's going on in my life while he's away.

 2. What is one item in your house that holds the most sentimental value and why? submitted by The Albrecht Squad 
Probably my computer.  Yeah, that sounds weird.  But it's sentimental because it holds my life.  All my pictures, my writing projects, etc are on my computer.  If my house was on fire, and I had to grab one thing, it would be my computer.  I'd be lost without it.  I try not to put too much sentimental value into material objects anyway.  It helps keep the clutter of unnecessary items to a minimum.

3. When it comes to water fun in the summer do you prefer the beach, the pool, a lake, or the sprinklers? submitted by The Turvo Times 
As long as there is water, I'm happy.  All of the above have their useful purposes.  Since I've never been to the ocean, all beaches to me mean a lake or a river anyway.  Going to the pool is nice because you know there aren't gross things in it (except probably urine), though I could do without the constant "Marco, Polo" playing of the older kids.  And sprinklers are just fun.

4. What is the one special thing that you do for yourself to get you through the first week of a deployment/separation? submitted by A Creed and a Psalm  
I like to just lay low. I don't want to have any obligations whatsoever so I can get used to the new normal.  That means Evie and I can just lounge around the house if that's what we want to do.

5. What is your biggest guilty pleasure website? submitted by Christine’s Little Blog
Probably Facebook.  Ugh.  I sort of want to go on a Facebook hiatus for awhile because I feel like I waste way too much time on there.  But since I'm so far away from most of my friends and family, I love being able to keep updated on what people are doing.  Facebook and I have a love/hate relationship right now.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day everyone!

I always love this holiday.  It's summer; it's hot; lots of grilling out and other great food; fireworks.  Honestly, what's not to love? 

Remember to thank those people in your life that put their lives on the line to keep this nation FREE!

Friday, July 1, 2011

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

The days and weeks are starting to blur together with Michael gone.  I almost forgot that today was Friday!  Another week with Wifey's MilSpouse Friday Fill-In.  Have a Happy Independence Day everyone!

1.Have you (spouse) ever considered joining the military and what do you think of dual military couples? submitted by Project Army Wife 
I thought about it for like two seconds when Michael first joined.  With a Bachelor's Degree under my belt, I could have tried for Officer.  But I'm not one for taking orders so it would never work out.  I think dual military families must be extremely hard.  Especially with children.  I have no idea how hard it must be to juggle everything, and especially difficult on the kids.  

2. What is your idea of a perfect Sunday afternoon? submitted by A Few of My Favorite Things 
Laying in bed reading a book, no interruptions.  My bed is sort of my home base.  I just like to spread out when I'm on the computer or reading or whatever it is I'm doing.  And reading is my favorite pastime.  I get lost in books, and can seriously sit and read a book cover to cover in one sitting, no problem.  I don't get many Sunday afternoons like that though. 

3. What do you usually do for the 4th of July holiday? submitted by Anchor’s Away 
We usually spend it with family and/or friends, enjoying the outdoors and good  food.  Sounds like that will be the plan again this year.  

4. If they could make an Olympic event JUST for you that you know you’d medal in, what would it be? submitted by Pants are Confusing  
Hmm, good question.  Probably the answer to the second question:  laying in bed, reading a book.  I'm a really fast reader, and can usually finish a book quite a bit faster than the average person.  And I retain it all.  That's pretty much all I can come up with. 

5.  What have you been doing to get yourself bathing suit ready for the summer? submitted by Not Just an Army Wife
P90x, baby!  I'm nowhere near bathing suit ready though.  I'm hoping by the time we take our trip to Arizona in the middle of September, I'll be comfortable in a bathing suit! Guess I should have started a little earlier.