Trying to balance food, fitness, and fun!
Day 14, Tuesday: Ten things that make you really happy
Day 9, Thursday: A moment in your day (this can be just a photo or both a photo and words)
Found out one of my really good work friends found out what she’s having in October today during our little lunch date!
I am the only one at work who guessed right!
It’s only a few weeks late 
Keeping it short and simple…
Lots of moving, learning, and FOOD!
My favorite salad and the only thing I can eat on Boudin Sourdough’s menu. It’s ok because I LOVE it. I got another one on the way out to take home from the airport. And I got Dan 2 lbs of bread, which is now portion controlled for him in bags in our freezer 
One of my favorite parts of the whole weekend is that they take GOOD care of all of the girls, especially when it comes to food. If you are gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, or all of the above, have no fear. I usually worry a bit when I travel, but at the hotel and at the Clif Co. dinner, I didn’t have to worry either year. It takes a HUGE load off of me. I will go hungry before I cave and eat gluten, ask Dan, he’s learned the hard way.
The food at Clif is excellent. This may be been the first plate of 2 (or 3) 
That’s my team, putting Texas on the map at the Clif headquarters! LOVE my team and I am so proud of them.
The only thing I was really worried about was the run training. I had to quit running in January and had only started back about 1.5 weeks before I flew out to San Francisco. 3 months off of running is the longest i’d ever gone since starting. You also lose almost all of your fitness in anything over 6 weeks.
Our morning of run training was mostly a track workout, which was GREAT for me. The mile warmup at the time was the longest i’d run non-stop. I almost cried I was so happy. I was fine and didn’t really have anything to worry about. My team was really supportive and actually had to reign me in during the speedwork, because I was running my intervals at my old pace. I know too fast too soon is bad, but it felt AWESOME. I behaved and scaled back at the end. And there was yoga and lots of it, which I loved. Sadie, the Clif yogi taught the classes and I adored her!
We got a little silly on our final night of the conference. Had to get a pic on this round Hugh Hefner-esque couch!
The silly may have been the booze and the desserts. Ok for me, it was just desserts. My team devoured everything on the table. Yes, that’s a whole tray of gluten free! There were actually some tables who didn’t touch theirs. My team is obviously meant to be. We all love food.
We spent 2 extra nights, one on the front and one on the end for extra time.
The last day we had Mediterranean food at a cute little dive in a super fancy area. So random and so good! We were famished after we shopped at Athleta. The salmon kabobs really gave Zoe’s a run for their money. I will be back again!
The weekend ended way too soon. But once it was time to leave, boy were we ready to leave! It was a long day traveling home that Monday, lack of sleep, coffee, and own beds was wearing us down. It was an even longer day back at work on Tuesday!
We had a few people over last weekend. 
Ok like 16.
Dan and I hosted our very first party and first house concert, featuring Drew Kennedy. The concert was also used as a kick-start for his new album, which he played in it’s entirety. No, it’s not cheap, but it’s really a neat experience to go to. Small number of people and very intimate. This was the 3rd or 4th i’ve been to, but our first time hosting. It was hard, because we couldn’t invite everyone, in fact, I didn’t have anything to do with the logistics other than being there and getting the massive amount of groceries and helping food prep.
The food was awesome, or at least I thought so. I finally got to use my new Auburn serving platter! That’s homemade jalapeno summer sausage that my dad made.
Dan smoked a bunch of meat (bacon wrapped pork tenderloins, Canecuh sausages from Alabama, and a brisket), made his mom’s potato salad, beans, I made my mom’s famous 7 layer dip. We also had people bring oriental slaw, 7 layer greek dip, brownies, an awesome fruit bowl, and lots of drinks (our whole kitchen table was a bar).
During the first break at the concert, we sang Dan happy birthday
and they dug into his cookie cake (writing in Auburn orange of course!)
I think it’s safe to say, a good time was had by all. The evening ended with a 18 person slumber party! It’s a good thing we have room.
The next morning the yummy bbq was converted into breakfast tacos. I cropped this so you can’t see the disaster my house was on Sunday morning!
It got cleaned up for the most part, but then we all went to the softball benefit and I never finished the job. Not spotless, but it’ll do until the weekend.
Posted in Life
Read about my blog about my oldest running buddy HERE
Posted in Running
Tuesday night Dan and I went to our first showcase of SXSW. I have never started that early in the week. This kid doesn’t play late on school nights anymore. This time of year is an exception.
We hit up the Red11 Showcase at the White Horse. 6 bands, $5 (free if you bought a wristband for SXSW). We’ve never bought bands, you can get by without one for many shows.
Dinner. Bomb Tacos food truck at the White Horse. There are many locations of Bomb Tacos but this one is supposedly the best. Yes, they were the bomb. I had chicken fajita, veggie, and pulled pork. Dan had 2 chicken fajita and beef fajita. They were indeed good. They offer flour and corn tortillas. I got mine on corn, but Dan ate the actual tortillas, because I was pretty sure they weren’t gluten free. So I guess I really had 3 small taco salads. I am sure I could have ordered that. Impressed. I liked the chicken fajita the best, as did Dan. The also offer nachos and quesadillas.
The show. Lincoln Durham, The Crooks, Dirty River Boys, Turnpike Troubadours, American Aquarium, and Jason Eady. We stayed for the first 5. I didn’t know it was inside. I wore a sweater and jeans. I was SO hot. I am never hot. Plus it was SUPER crowded in the bar. I actually, during the last act, bought a band tshirt to change into. Of course, when we went to leave, I was cold again and put the sweater back on. Whatever, I really wanted a Dirty River Boys shirt anyhow.
Apparently there are a ton of tall people in town. I was close for Dirty River, but I couldn’t see much at all. Doesn’t help that most of the guys in the band are also short! I have seen them several times, my first was at SXSW last year. LOVE them.
My first time seeing the Crooks. They had a lot of instruments in their set. 4 different types of guitars, banjo, maracas, tambourine, drums, accordion, trumpet, and some other percussion thing I don’t know the name of. I LOVE accordions! They were fun. I think i’d like them live more than on the radio.
My 2nd time seeing American Aquarium. Last year’s SXSW was my first. Dan LOVES them. That’s why we were so close, he’s a total man-fan.
Turnpike Troubadours. Really like them, but I haven’t seen them much. Good stuff.
I got 3 hours of sleep that night, but it was totally worth it Now looking ahead to see what, if any, other shows I’ll do this year. So far, I have been working so much, that I’ve had 0 time to study. Chronicle is being scoured over now.
Posted in Life
I slept awful Saturday night, but that didn’t stop me from waking up at 6 am on Sunday. Got dressed in my running clothes and went the the Hill Country Running Company post-Austin marathon breakfast. Yes, I am a poser and wore running clothes, because all of my other friends, even if they didn’t run the half or full, were going to be running before breakfast and dressed like runners.
I’d planned afterwards to go to the gym, but I ran out of time. Headed home and got ready to head of out town for the day. Our friend Adam Hood was playing in Luckenbach in a song swap with Courtney Patton and Brian Keane. 
It’s completely worth the 1.5 hour drive to get away, even if just for the afternoon.
They played from 1-5, the weather was nice, and the company was excellent.
Here’s a tour, just in case you’ve never been. If you haven’t, you need to. It’s famous world-wide and not just because of the country song of the same name
Is this not the cutest bathroom you’ve ever seen? It’s covered in license plates from all over the country, as it the outdoor stage.
There is the very tiny Hondo’s bar,
Which is connected to the post office/gift shop
The dancehall was closed, since the weather was so nice out, so they used the outdoor stage. The dancehall is a whole other experience, also enjoyable but I like outdoors better!
The worst part was having to drive home, but I was in such a good mood, I barely minded the time it took to get back to the city. It was so nice to go see a concert, sit at a picnic table, and just chill. It wasn’t late, it wasn’t smokey, and it wasn’t flooded with annoying people.
That’s my kind of Sunday!
Posted in Life
Birthday weekend was a bit disappointing. My dad didn’t really care to be in town, Dan was home for only 24 hours, dinner atmosphere wasn’t great, my parents argued all weekend, blah blah blah. I didn’t feel like I really got a weekend. In fact, I almost took a sick day today for myself. I never do that, but it sure was tempting.
I did enjoy some two yoga classes (2 new ones!) and two Galloway runs over the weekend. As much as I want to run though, I am wondering if Galloway may be still harming my adrenals. I don’t want to further my burnout.
Speaking of burning. Some kids in a hot-rod started an oil fire in the parking lot of Cavendar’s yesterday. I was lucky enough to be parked right next to them. So my car ended up being covered in fire extinguisher chemicals. I needed to wash it anyhow, but I wasn’t planning on running it to the carwash immediately to get all of the chemical crap off of my car! I guess at least my car didn’t catch on fire.
I didn’t find boots at Cavendar’s, but I didn’t find ones I finally loved at Shepler’s. Only $400 with a 25% off coupon. Even with birthday money, I can’t bring myself to buy them. I already have grief spending $140 on running shoes.
Sunday night I threw split chicken breasts on the grill and turned around to take the pan inside and get a clean one. In that amount of time the skin/fat flamed on the grill and charred the heck out of the outside of the chicken. I finished the chicken in the stove, but I was SO mad. All of my seasonings were burned off. The chicken was still good, but not as good as it would have been. Bummer. Plus then I had to peel all of the char off of all of the chicken. I never do that, so mad at myself.
What wasn’t disappointing is that my “nephew” was born on Saturday morning! I talked to my BFF on the phone Friday night, they sent her to the hospital. I talked to her again Saturday morning around 10. 80 minutes later I got a text message with a photo from her husband that he was here! I couldn’t believe it! When I talked to her last, she was saying she was going to take a nap and chill. Pretty sure that never happened, lol! I want to post pics, but didn’t clear that with momma yet I don’t want to be disrespectful and post pics of him everywhere if she doesn’t like that.
I am dying to meet him. I wish I didn’t have commitments all week and through the weekend 
I am hoping Saturday afternoon I can get down to San Antonio to spend some time with them! I didn’t want to stress her out with more visitors and chaos than was already happening over the weekend, nor did I want to interrupt them when they first get home. This was REALLY hard for me, especially seeing family and extended family show up at the hospital, but I kept telling myself it was better to wait to see them.
This is going to be the longest week EVER! I cannot wait until Saturday afternoon.
Had a highly productive but restful weekend last week. With a little extra time, I probably could have tackled my “LUNA/luggage room”. Yes, we have a spare room that has nothing but our tons of luggage and all of my LUNA stuff. I’m actually going to have a workday/happy hour to tackle that in a few weeks.
Finished my spice squares. I love Savory Spice shop and the fact you can buy little “try me” bags of things before you commit to one of the jars. They recommended not storing them together, but on a cork board, so that the oils don’t transfer to other bags.
Got my office area cleaned up. It was a disaster post-baby shower and post-sorority event. My office is part running (left side) and part sorority stuff (right side). I also have photo albums and some mementos like medals, my first marathon’s cheering sign, a card from AK for my first marathon, sorority awards, my new paddle, etc.
Most importantly I moved my laptop upstairs. I have a bad habit of keeping it in the downstairs living room and staying on it while we watch tv in the evenings. 
Hope to get more organization done tonight. Dan is in Canada, my parents are coming at some point tomorrow. Thank goodness this is one of my cleaning lady’s weeks and my house isn’t dirty! (and Dan isn’t there to make it that way)
Posted in Life
Minus Tuesday, which was a super high stress day at work, I have been feeling GREAT! Like I stayed out until 3 am on Saturday morning and I didn’t take a nap Saturday OR Sunday (although for my adrenals, that a nap probably would have been wise). And I have actually slept at night! Granted, I am still waking up at least twice, but once of those is by alarm to take my early morning dose of thyroid.
What have I been doing other than the new supplements, along with my regular medication?
Yoga. I did Yoga, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. My favorite of course is the class at Lululemon. I wish they were having them there in February. I did a small amount of Galloway before yoga on Sunday and it felt fine. But my issue wasn’t always how I felt, it was what my body reacted to on the inside. I haven’t done it again since. Maybe today.
Giving. I took half a day off on Friday, so I could volunteer for the Rogue 10k/30K packet pick-up. I may have played hookie I got to hang out with my gal Jenn and meet some new people.
Fun. Dinner at Garrido’s with Dan and our friend Heather on Friday night.
Is it just me, or does Dan’s steak, over potato cakes with giant roasted jalapeno on top look kind of naughty? Yeah, 90% of their menu is GF, I think he ordered that to keep me paws off of it (the potato cakes aren’t GF).
I got steak too, sorta. We didn’t eat dinner until late, so this was actually a 2nd light dinner for me. There was no way I could wait until 8:30 to eat!
Drive By Truckers show at the new Emo’s east after dinner. If it weren’t for drunk college kids, it would have been the perfect evening. Music heals. This girl doesn’t do front row for ANYONE anymore. But no matter what I say or how crazy the crowd is, I ALWAYS end up in the front row for DBT!
That’s my trying to be artistic pic of my Alabama guy, watching our favorite band from Alabama!
We didn’t get home until 3 am. WHEW! Long Friday was SO worth it. Exactly what we needed.
Saturday and Sunday, I worked on a few projects that were long overdue and did my taxes. Now I am waiting for Dan to do his, to decide who claims the house (depends who benefits more $ from it).
Besides some stress hiccups from work, I am feeling GOOD! Praying this lasts!
Posted in Life
