Summer Rut

I think I'm in a rut. I have my 100 mile running challenge + Work out challenge and I'm not moving forward fast... This is how pathetically SLOW I'm going!  I'm tracking my progress and my attitude each time but I find it hard to fit a trip to the gym (that takes an hour at the least) for a 30 minute work out and fit it into my already busy day.  Frustrating! And I REFUSE to run outside when it's 95-105 degrees and humidity!!

Help me get to the gym ladies!

MilGirl Live and Learn: Ines

 Thanks for joining us today! 

We are talking to Ines from The Few, the Proud, the Wife!

Tell us a little about you: Ugh! This is the worst thing I hate talking about because I usually don't know where to start and then I just end up talking nonsense. Here it goes: I'm originally from Spain but due to my father's job I have lived abroad my entire life (10 countries in 4 continents and still counting). I went to school in NY, Manhattanville College (a small liberal arts school in Westchester County) and I went on to Major in Communications with a Minor in African Studies and Latin American Studies. After graduation I moved to France and then to Austria, where my parents where living at the time. I did a bunch of internships and got a job and then headed to get my MA in Human Rights at the University of Essex in the UK. My biggest passion in life is Africa, the continent as a whole. I was born in Kenya and lived in Namibia right after it got independence from South Africa and its history basically stuck to me (man, I should've majored in history). The reason I mentioned Africa being my biggest passion is because if you read my blog there will be a random blog on the subject. I was going to major in African Studies but I knew that if I majored in that I would have to teach and to be honest I don't want to so I did Communications and as my thesis a created a magazine of Africa. My thesis for my MA was different, it was based on Argentina's Dirty War (my mother is Argentinean and this subject is so close to home).

Now I'm happily married to love of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way. Like every couple we have dealt with a lot but knowing that we have made it means we can make it through anything.
I guess that's what I can sum up about me in a nutshell, education and all.

The branch of service: USMC

 (Wow. Just wow...)

How long have you been together/married? Almost 4 years together, 6 months married.

How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?:  I met my husband while he was on the MSG (Marine Security Guard) program in Austria. We met through a mutual friend and from then on the rest is history.

Is he career military?: Yes!

How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: To be honest it didn't bother me at all. I had known a few other Marines who where stationed in Austria as MSGs and I got whole different look at the Marines and military. When I met my husband I feel in love for who he was.

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: I won't deny it that he looks amazing in his dress blues, I'm kind of smiling just thinking of it. My husband has a great personality. He gets along with everyone and everyone gets along with him. I envy how a great talker he is and how straightforward he is about things.

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: I think, even though they have never told me, my family feels the same way every family feels when their son/daughter marries a military person, the fear of them getting hurt or worse.

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: The sexy uniforms do help of course, but the most important thing is the sense of pride. He loves the Marine Corps, this is what he does and he's good at it.


Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military?: Oh yes! The MSG program has many ups  and plenty of downs. Curfews, 7 days a week work week, random off days, etc. The program, from my point of views, is a great program. They get to live in 3 different countries for 3 years and the majority go out and visit the neighboring countries. One thing with this program is dealing with long distance relationship,  My husband and I had to deal with long distance relationship from country to country, continent to continent and we made it!

The one thing that got to me was when we were planning our wedding. At the time I was living in the UK and my husband was living in Germany and his sister voluntarily asked if she could help with the wedding and be our wedding planner. We of course jumped to the opportunity knowing that it would be ridiculously hard and expensive to go back and forth from Europe to the US. In the midst of planning my husband tells me that they have changed the dates of when he's leaving the MSG and its sooner than expected. Our wedding was planned for January 9th, 2010, we ended up getting married December 12th, 2009, and he was suppose to get out of MSG December 15th, 2009. Well, apparently he was notified that he had to report to 29 Palms September, 2010. SHIT! So I was stressed and pissed, he was pissed and annoyed and his sister was confused. Hubby worked some magic and got them to move the date later in December where he would start school in January. Perfect!...not so much. We lost our spot of the reception place and had to go for something less...."nicer"?

Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope?
I wish I had eloped but it was more for the reason that I didn't want a wedding. I'm so not a tradition girl :) But my husband wanted one and that was fine with me. Because he was in MSG he could not get married while on the program (they actually sign a contract saying they will not get married) hence as to why we couldn't get married at any time we pleased. ALSO, since I'm not American I was waiting for my fiance visa which I needed in order to marry my husband in the US. So yeah, I was pretty much stressed!

What is one piece of advice you wish you had received PRIOR to getting married or while dating?: Be sure and be strong. Be very sure this is what you want in life. It not easy to being married to someone in the military so be sure. Be strong because you are going to endure a lot and you need to be able to handle it.

Thanks Ines! What a wonderful perspective!

Thank you for sharing your experience of going through the MSG program with us!

It's so inspiring to see couples who make it through such long distances (different continents!)

HELP! Can you see it?

So yesterday's post was a fail.  Blogger decided to not let me show any of the pictures I had put up... I think I fixed the problem. But the issue is, can you see the pictures now?

Here's the link, or just scroll down! Thanks for helping me out!!!

xoxo,

R

DIY Project: Bridesmaids Gift Bag!

I found this project on Ashley Ann's Blog (which is SO super cute and full of wonderful pictures)!!

Deco Canvas Bag!

Here are the materials I purchased:

• Canvass tote
• Fabric paint by Tulip (soft fabric paint) in Night Sky Pearl (pretty dark grey with pearly qualities).
• Craft paint brush (one of 3 that was part of the pack).  I did not buy the brush they sold at the store for fabric crafts (they ran $6, while the pack of 3 that I bought were $4).
• Doilies (I got the Wilton brand, grease proof ones... they worked perfectly.  I was able to use them on multiple bags!)

1) You align the doily on the canvass bag however you'd like the end product to look.  I did mine with less of the "lacy part showing so that it wouldn't be too much detail.

2) Make sure you're meeting the canvas at a 90 degree angle.  If you don't "blot" the doily with just a touch of paint, you'll have goops and it won't look like a doily!!  So, once again: 90 degrees and not too much paint.

3) Go through and blot/paint in all the holes and (if you want) the outline of the doily! I tried to be super careful not to take my non-

This is one of my final products! I made 5 today so they all look a bit different! 

Also, Ashley Ann's version had a stenciled monogram on it but I haven't done that yet...What do you think??

Here are some uses for the bag I came up with:

• I made these for my bridesmaids, as part of their gift.
• You can give it to a teacher as a thank you gift.
• A hostess gift - maybe a wine tote?
• For your beach bag!
• A beloved pet's travel bag!
• Tons more ideas, if you come up with one, please let me know!

I swear the pictures on Ashley Ann's blog are SO much better than mine, but I'm happy with my finished product!

Happy Birthday, my love!

Happy Birthday BEAN!  

I hope this year (again) proved to you that turning a year older isn't scary (even when you meet 17 year old Marines!)! I am so lucky that I am the girl you want to spend the rest of your life with.  I love surprising you with gifts and jet skis because I think you deserve to be pampered sometimes, in return for the way you take care of me...

xox, Love you to the moon and back,

Your R

For the rest of you, here are pics from the weekend when we went to Myrtle Beach and had a BLAST!

I had a handmade military challenge coin case made for him.

Our first stop out in Myrtle beach...

The dessert was AMAZING!

Then we walked around Broadway at the Beach.

We found Mr. Bear.

Dave made me pose with it.

And made me show him my "grrr face." haha.

I'm not sure what's up with all these goofy faces...

He wanted to feed the ugly fishes in the water under the bridge.

Day 2

Isn't Myrtle just GORGeous?

 

Then we went to "celebrate" properly at Margaritaville!!

We went to Ripley's Aquarium to see pretty fishes!

We are SO flippin goofy looking!

We were FIRST in line to see AVATAR in IMAX 3D!

I think out of everything we did that weekend, this was most exciting for Dave.

I'll need to remember this for next year. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)!

Exactly...

Next up: Making Cuppie cakes for my love before he gets home!!!

MilGirl Live and Learn: Karley

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Today we're talking to Karley aka LCpl Princess from Boonie Caps & Tiaras!

 (They just LOOK like a Marine couple. Adorable!)

Tell us a little about you: I am 25 and in my last year of Nursing School to be a RN, I already have my bachelors in Kinesiology but I wanted a job that would move easily with my husband and I since he is a career Marine. We currently live 14 hrs apart and its miserable! We had a JOP May 8 wedding; we are having our "white wedding" when he gets done with the upcoming deployment! We are from the deep south, and I can't wait to move =)

The branch of service: Marine Corps

How long have you been together/married? together 5 and 1/2 yrs- married one month =)

How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?: We met in college, he also has his bachelors in Kinesiology and a bachelors in business. We had class together and sparks flew immediately (which was crazy cause I was engaged to someone else at the time! but I called it off, when I met my husband now we both just knew we were soul mates- i know that may sound dumb to some) My husband had not signed his life away, in fact we dated 3 years before we made the choice to become a military family! Boot camp was terrible cause we are one of those couples that does anything and everything together, it was our first time to be apart much less 13 weeks of not hearing his voice and sitting every day by my mailbox crying my eyes out if there was no letter. but I guess it was getting me ready for all the distance our future would hold!

Is he career military? yes, infantry

How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: Well because we made the choice together I was anxious about change, but excited about our future, nervous,  and bummed about the distance

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: No, not the uniform that didnt come for 3 yrs later! Definitely my husbands wittiness and i thought he was so sexy

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: they hated it when we made the choice and they still hate it! even though I am the daughter of an Army vet, they didnt want their daughter in the position of having to raise my kids alone at times, and having to take on man duties when he is gone, the thought of combat stresses them out. They were under the impression he was going to law school since he got accpepted in our home town, so when we took a different direction they were unhappy!

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: haha no the uniform doesn't do anything for the tears, loneliness & fear. I have gotten used to the uniform by now since he wears it daily! What makes it worth it is- the sense of pride, and the fact that my husband handles things so well, he does his best to not make me feel second or neglected though he stays so busy and on the occasion I do get down he lets me vent and gets me back on track haha!

Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military?: oh gosh yes, our original wedding date was last May (we wound up getting married anyway and doing a JOP) but our big wedding was supposed to be last month and because my husband was supposed to be at Mojave Viper for the upcoming deployment I moved it, but then my husband shattered his ankle in training so due to rehab they moved his deployment date again, so I moved our wedding again, and we still arent sure the exact date of our "white wedding"  because I am sure the Marine Corps will have other things in mind SO thats why we went ahead with our JOP =)

Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope? we did elope, and it was due to shifting deployment dates on top of my wedding date haha

What is one piece of advice you had received PRIOR to getting married or while dating? I got tons of advice on my blog! Communication is key to a military relationship, being patient, and flexible, and keep your own hobbies that make you, you. Dont let becoming a military wife become you, your future husband fell in love with YOU (not DEERS, LINKS,FRG or TRICARE). I know my husband loves that I still have my own identity cause he deals with military ALL day I am a refuge, a breath of fresh air =)

Thanks Karley for being this week's MilGirl!

I hope you loved learning about her today.

Are YOU a MilGirl (wife, fiancee, girlfriend?) and want to be interviewed?

email me at date [dot] a [dot] marine [at] gmail [dot] com!

Is there something else you want to ask the MilGirls? Let me know!

Happy Father's Day!

Remember to wish all the "dads" in your life a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

Lexi's Daddy!

My Daddy! (all of us at my sister's wedding)

Dave's dad!

Have I told you how WONDERFUL my future in-laws are!? AMAZING!

Anyway, what are you doing for the "dad" in your life? Awesome gifts, cards??

My LOVE of Volunteering

These questions are from Mel's Blog at Head in the game. Heart in the Sand. 

1. Have you ever participated in a major volunteer event (Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, United Way, etc...)?

2. Do you volunteer locally on your post (or in your city)? Explain.

3. Have you ever done a charity run/walk/ride/etc...?

4. Do you have a charity or other organization that you support regularly with your time, money or in other ways? Share a little about it.

5. Are there any resources or advice for volunteering in your area so other women can get out there and help too?

MY ANSWERS:

1. I LOVE volunteering.  I have volunteered for the LiveStrong Challenge in Philadelphia 3 years in a row.  I have often volunteered for various events for the USO.  When I lived in DC, I volunteered weekly at the USO lounge at the Reagan National Airport.  I have volunteered for Planned Parenthood (because I'm passionate about Reproductive health).

2. I do volunteer wherever I go.  It's a great opportunity to meet other people who are interested in helping their community and it's super inspiring.

3. I just completed my FIRST 5k and raised money for it (Run for the Warriors)!  But I have also volunteered 3 consecutive years for the Philadelphia LiveStrong Challenge which raises funds for education, awareness and research around cancer.

4. I give with my time. I don't make enough to donate, really.

5. Every non profit that I have volunteered for has been grateful that I have reached out to them.  You can go with a friend, go and help do administrative tasks (pick up phones, file paper work, etc) or you can participate at an event (USO has a beer truck at their summer concerts where volunteers pour beers for attendees).  It's an amazing way to meet people and find people with common interests! Super helpful if you're new to an area. Or if you want new friends... just saying.

I'm about to burst!

With excitement!

This weekend is Father's day, which also means that my Marine love is celebrating his birthday! When I celebrate somebody's birthday, I think it should be ALL OUT! I think they deserve a whole weekend or week of fun!  Rejoice! So, I'm excited to tell you what we're doing for his birthday, but I CAN'T tell you until tomorrow (for fear that he might, for once read my blog)!!!!  But I'm so excited and I'll tell you ALL about it later on.

(LOL we were celebrating... at the inaugural ball, no politics involved.

Just adult beverages and loud music!)

Whee!

Oh and do any of you have a rule about how many posts that you can put up in one day? Because I felt like I was breaking a cardinal rule yesterday when I put up TWO posts! tee hee, I'm such a rebel!

Dave's Birthday Weekend (Part 1)

Hi Bean!  

Happy Birthday weekend!!!!!! 

You've waited so patiently for this weekend! I'm always so amazed by your patience... I couldn't wait as long and hard as you do!

via Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce

So, today, we are headed down to Myrtle Beach for the weekend! Surprise (although I don't know if you're at all surprised!) Yay! I'm so stoked! Our first stop will be this address (make sure you write it down!): 1110 Celebrity Circle, Myrtle Beach, SC.

We have LOTS of stuff planned for the weekend and I hope that you're ready! Oh and I hope you packed your swim gear cuz tomorrow, we'll be doing something fast and wet! Any guesses?

I love you to the moon and back,
R

Wedding Ring!

We took a field trip today to purchase my wedding ring today! It's been a pain to find a perfect ring to match my engagement ring (first because my standards are SUPER high, but also because the base of my engagement ring makes it so that no straight band can fit it...see? pain)... but here's a crappy picture to show you what I purchased! It was also a GREAT deal! They are sizing it and such so I'll have it in a month or so! Wooooo!

I HEART IT!

The real meaning of a wedding

We are officially 15 months out from our wedding.  I know that seems like a "normal" engagement, or even still a bit longer.  Let's just say that we have luxury of time.  In that time though, people like me (read: detail oriented, every detail will be perfect) have a bit of a struggle relaxing... Literally.  I don't have nightmares of my wedding, yet.  But I do have random wedding detail ideas that appear in my dreams... side note, do you have dreams where you have a "good idea" but when you wake up and remember it, it's kind of crazy and would only make sense in your dream? Yeah, I get that a lot.

So, my craze goes in waves.  Some weeks I daydream a bit obsessively about my flowers, then the next I'll be dreaming about my dress.  This week, it's about the actual ceremony.  What on EARTH am I going to say to the man that I love?  in front of all the people we love! I've been going back and forth in my mind about vows.  These are the words that I will say (and him too,) that will bond us as husband and wife.  They are our words of commitment and affection. 

I would love for them to be personal.  Then I remember the "to have and to hold..." time tested vows.  I'll go back to both of us writing separate vows.  But he would struggle writing his.  Maybe we can write ours together, say the same vows...  In the end, this has to be the most thought out detail of our wedding.  Even if the reception food is sucky or the flowers are sort of wilty (WHICH THEY WILL NOT BE! Because those too are up to me!), saying our vows will be the most important part of the wedding.  It has the most depth. 

Sometimes I have to remind myself (and I think it's because of the whole wedding industry,) that the wedding is not the reception, it is not the flowers, the cake, the photographer.  It is a huge day in my life and I want those things... but the reason that people gather is to see us, the couple make a life altering commitment of faith and trust to each other. 

This isn't to say that I won't be planning every detail to a T! Because I will!

Oh and I think I found my wedding ring to go with my gorgeous engagement ring! I love my ring but it's been a pain to find one that fits around the base of the diamond... this ring still makes me smile every time I look down at my hand.

Did you write your vows? 

How did you involve your guests in your wedding? 

Did you do something that was unique to your wedding?

Did you have a memorable reading?

MilGirl Live and Learn: Samantha

Thanks Karissa at Being a Better Wife for my new MilGirl Logo!

Today it's all about Samantha of Navy Doll

(Aren't they just adorable? Nod... yep!)

Tell us a little about you: I'm 23 years old, married to a handsome sailor, stay at home mommy. I love to cook. Hate to clean, but somehow manage to keep the house under control. My favorite scent is cherry blossom and my favorite food is guacamole!!! :)

The branch of service: United States Navy

How long have you been together/married? We have been together for 3 1/2 years, and married for 2 years.

How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?: We met in bootcamp, August 2006. We were interviewing to get stationed in Boston. I thought he was so adorable, and he thought I looked like Dora the Explorer. (I had this awfully short haircut, I'm Hispanic, and I have a pear shape....enough said) We were like bootcamp sweethearts!

Is he career military? He says he isn't, but everytime i ask him where he sees himself in 10 years, he goes straight to being stationed somewhere like Japan or Italy. ha ha! He's definitely a lifer!
How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: I love it! I'm so proud of him and he is such a hard worker. I've had the privilege of working with him. He keeps work as work. There will be plenty of time to play afterward.

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: His smile and personality. He's got a sense of humor that is out of this world. His uniform not so much. When I first met him we were both wearing the same thing...nothing sexy about that! lol! But now, he works a pair of dress blues and whites like no other! :)

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: Nobody seems bothered by it. They are just glad that he has done something great and amazing with his life. My father, a Vietnam Veteran, couldn't be prouder.

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: Although he does look great in his uniform, that will never be the reason to make me feel better about a missed anniversary or birthday. Yet, the sense of pride I feel for him somehow does. I know he does it because he loves his country and he wants his family to have a good life. There's nothing better than that.

Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military? Tell me your horror stories!: He's missed so many holidays and birthdays! It's the pits, but you get used to it. The worst thing that has happened was this past Thanksgiving. He had come home from a 2 week underway a few days before. The week of Thanksgiving they called him to go back out. He came home late on Thanksgiving. Around 8pm. It stunk because last year he had duty on Thanksgiving.....I was more than a little peeved.

Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope? We were lucky enough to get stationed together in Boston and our new Duty Station. We eloped because we couldn't wait any longer! I couldn't wait to become his wife!!!!!

What is one piece of advice you had received PRIOR to getting married or while dating? Never marry a military man....Here's what I say to that: Guess my honest, faithful, and loving husband wasn't the military man you were talking about.

Thanks Samantha for joining us for the 2nd ever MilGirl Live and Learn!

Come back and see us next week when we talk to a Marine Princess.

~

Do you want to talk about your MilGirl experiences?

I'd love to talk to you! Please email me at [date.a.marine@gmail.com] for details!

Happy Birthday FurBabie!

(It was supposed to be published on Friday but Blogger decided to be a butt!!)

Happy birthday, baby girl! Today, you turn ONE!
You have grown right in front of my eyes.

I love that you are so playful.

And you are so curious.

You take direction so well.

You are such a daddy's girl. He loves you so much, you know...

People who don't have FurBabies don't understand sometimes,

how much a FurBabie like you means to me.

It was really love at first sight, darling...

You made me your Momma and I am so lucky!

When we got you, you were only 9 weeks.

So little!

But as soon as we saw you, 

both your Daddy and I were SO excited to take you home!

Now you're a little smaller than a normal Sheltie,

but I'd say you're even more gorgeous!

I love cuddling with you in the morning after your daddy leaves for work.

I love watching you play in the yard....

or just sunbathe.

You're always so full of energy and life!

I love you so much little Lexi.

Here's to many many more years of fun and love.

xoxo,

Momma

Wedding Dress Blues...

If you were a little girl that dreamed of your wedding day, what was the center of that dream? Was it the decorations? the guests? Your groom? For many girls, it was probably the white flowy dress.  I sure as heck didn't know what colors, how many guests or what my groom looked like (sorry Bean, I do now!!) but I knew my dress would be pretty, white and make me feel like a gorgeous woman.

When I got engaged, one of the most common questions was when I was going to go shopping for my dress.  For some reason, I got secretive.  I didn't want ANYBODY to know what my dress was going to look like... not just my groom.  I know that my mom (living an ocean and a continent away) won't see me in my dress until the day of the wedding.  I don't think I'm necessarily bummed about that as you might think... this is why.

I thought she might want to see the styles I was thinking of so I sent her a few links to dresses I had my eye on (I'm ooogling over a few, but have ONE that I'd just love to have...) and she sort of shot all of them down. I think she would be happy if I wore a dress like one my sister wore (think big lacy and princessy).  She was gorgeous in it!  But her wedding was inside a chapel, and it was super fancy smancy...  My mom doesn't get weddings that are less formal than what my sister had.  So, a less FLOUFFY, less princessy, non-ballgown isn't acceptable... It just isn't me, mom! I also don't want to wear 20 lbs of dress or get stepped on!

(All together now, say hi to my gorgeous baby sister!)

So, I'm scared of going shopping with anybody else, for fear that my ideal dress is going to be something that they just pass on.  Or that my crowd wouldn't love it as much as I would.  If I put a dress on and think "this is the ONE!" and the people I bring with me say "ok let's try the next one, I don't think this is it." do I keep going? Or do I trust my gut about this one? Because in the end, it's what I want (obv with consideration of other people's feelings... but I'll be the one wearing the dress!) right?

le sigh...

Button Button Button, grab one!

WHEEE!!! Happy Hump Day!

I am so excited because Karissa made me a button! Don't you just LOVE it? It screams ME! I am so excited.

I haven't grabbed ANYBODY's button because, if you look on my blog's column, it chops everything off so you can't even see it.  (Yes, I know I need a new blog... Maybe my future husband would pay for me to get a new blog layout for my wedding gift?? haha!).





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For those of you who have awesome functioning blogs that don't eat up pretty buttons, please take one of mine! I'll be sure to do the same once I fix my button-eating blog problems!!  If you do take one, please comment so that I can come back to this so I can come back and grab your button later on!

Thank you so much Karissa!!!

Summer 2010 Fitness Tracker

SUMMER 2010 FITNESS TRACKER

I'm going to use this link to track my progress though out the summer!

I'm coloring in my progress. It's really little baby steps!

100 Mile Run Resolution

15 miles in! 85 Miles to go!

6/8/2010 - 1.5 miles (It was hard. I walked a bit so I went until I hit 2 miles...Man, running is hard work!)
6/10/2010 - 1 mile (Yeah yeah I know! But I also did an ab work out AND a kettle bell work out!)
6/14/2010 - 1.5 miles (I split it up. Half before yoga, half after yoga)
6/16/2010 - 1.5 miles (I think it's getting easier to run a bit farther at a time, I only have to walk every .7 miles... It used to be about every .25 miles.  It still is the most BORING sport in my mind)
6/21/2010 - 1 mile (I thought I was doing SO well.  I guess taking the weekend off was a BAD idea!)
6/30/2010 - 2 miles (I didn't die! But I alternated between longer bits of faster running and jogging)
7/5/2010 - 2 miles (I ran outdoors!! I alternated between jogging, running and walking but it felt pretty nice to run outside. Still need to build my stamina at the gym where I can keep track of my pace!)]
7/7/2010 - 2.5 miles (I was a fat-ass and ate fried food last night so I was guilted into running!! It was a longer run/jog!)
7/9/2010 - 1 mile (I did Jillian Michaels' 30 day shred 20 minute work out and that kicked my butt that I could only do 1 mile, I did do strength afterwards though...)
7/10/2010 - 1 mile (I went to a wedding and still ran at the gym. Yep motivated!)

Turbo Jam and Workout Classes

6/7/2010 - 45 minute CARDIO PARTY! (This kicked my butt...)
6/8/2010 - 20 minute AB JAM (Oh feel the burn!)
6/9/2010 - 20 minute WORKOUT (Sweaty but could have gone longer)
                 20 minute AB JAM (feeling the burn from yesterday)
6/10/2010 - 20 minute AB JAM (not as bad as the past 2 days! maybe it's getting easier??)
                   20 minute KETTLE BELL WORK OUT -not turbo jam (kicked my butt...)
6/14/2010 - 45 minute POWER YOGA (who knew yoga could be so darn hard!?)
6/17/2010 - 20 minute TURBO CARDIO (Maybe I wasn't doing it as intensely as before but it wasn't hard...)
                   20 minute TURBO SCULPT (A little resistance training.  5lb weights, squats, arm sculpt)
6/21/2010 - 60 minute POWER YOGA (Seriously kicked my little butt! Who knew I had muscles there!)
6/26/2010 - 20 minute WORKOUT (Sweaty but good!)
                   10 minute AB JAM (Ran out of time, but got a work out in!)
7/9/2010 - 20 minute 30 DAY SHRED (Level 1) (Jillian Michaels is NO joke! I am SWEATY!)
                  30 minutes STRENGTH TRAIN: LIFT WEIGHTS
7/12/2010 - 20 minute 30 DAY SHRED (Level 1) (Still breathless... panting...)

Summer Resolutions

I never do New Year's Resolutions because I KNOW I can't keep them.  I also have never set a Summer Resolution for myself.  But I'm feeling inspired.  My friend, Tiffanie, over at My Domestic Niche is currently doing a Push Up Challenge where she is doing 200 push ups a DAY! (I can't even do ONE good push up).  So clearly that isn't my resolution.

While I was writing my Summer to do list (that list is for another day), I thought of my fitness goals.  I want to try Yoga.  But that seemed too easy so I wrote "run 100 miles."  If you know me, or read my posts around the Run for the Warrior, you know that running is not my forte.  I quite suck at land sports.  I'm a fishie!  Anyway, I'm challenging myself to run 100 miles this summer!

We'll see how I do, but I have an old-school tracking device (that looks like a chart that they used to use in kindergarten where the teacher puts stickers on your paper for every nice thing you do...). 

 I'm also doing Turbo Jam.

 If you have never heard of it, it's by the BeachBody company that does the famous PX90 system.  Turbo Jam is fun though.  It's really my kind of work out.  It combines aerobic exercise with capoeira moves, kick boxing moves and dance! FUN!

This is Charlene Johnson who started it.  She is in her 40's and she is fit! What do you think??

I think Turbo Jam is SUPER fun but it's also exhausting. 

So I'm pumped. I'll be doing my Turbo Jam workout and running a few miles today!

 Do you have any summer resolutions that you want to conquer?