Arizona Vacation Recap

My vacation is coming to an end and here I am spending the day at the Tucson airport waiting to get on our delayed plane home.  The trip was incredible.  First it started out with Bisbee, then a day trip to Sedona and ended with a birthday bash/Halloween party.  Charlie and I slept in the trailer with weather that dropped down to the 50’s every night.  We slept with the windows open.  It was bliss.

So when I arrived, I picked up the girls and headed out to Bisbee.  I have not hung out with just the girls in so long that I did not realize how much I missed it.  We had a wonderful meal at the Bisbee Grille and then headed out to try and map out our route.  Unfortunately, we got lost too many times and did not make it even a quarter of the way.  We decided to at least tackle the “Ice Man” stairs and were breathing so hard with the altitude I thought we were going to pass out.  I thought to myself “Dear Lord, what have I signed us up for?!”  Me and my great ideas….

We took a nap and then headed out for dinner and the Bisbee Ghost Tour.  I had the best tacos at Santiagos.  Oh and let me just say, the hotel we stayed at, the San Ramon, was just awesome!  A historic hotel with modern furnishings and so much CHARM.  The owner, Tamara, was super sweet and kind.  In fact everyone in Bisbee was just so friendly.  The hotel only had 6 rooms.  A definite place to stay again.  So we met for the ghost tour at 7pm.  Renee was our ghost host and we walked around the town.  She told us stories of the history of Bisbee.  Half of a street  burned down in 1908 so the town is filled with haunted hotels, bars, art gallerys and even the city park.  The city park used to be a cemetary so sightings of children have been seen playing on the stairs. One of my favorite ghosts stories was about a Calico cat.  I am not going to spoil it for you in case you are ever in Bisbee…you may want to take the tour.

SO the next morning we are up and at ‘em.  The race is 1034 stairs and 4.3 miles.  The stairs are broken up in 9 stairwells, ranging from 80 to over 200 steps.  Jil and Jennifer are nervous.  I have it in my head that I am going to walk the whole thing if I have to.  We grabbed our t-shirts and strapped on our monster timing chips to our ankles.  It is not until we corralled at the starting line waiting for the gun to go off when the butterflies start to flutter in my tummy.  Finally, we are off.  Jenn and Jil start out  ahead of me but I am determined to go slow.  We reach the first set of stairs when I noticed everyone lined up to walk the stairs.  Well, at this rate, the stairs are somewhat a rest from running.  I am able to catch up to Jil but Jenn is long gone.  Jil and I run together the rest of the race and finish in 1 hour and 13 minutes.  The toughest stairwell was #8.  After you complete that set you have to run up a steep hill.  That knocked me out.  I had to walk to catch my breath, actually, I had to do that several times.  Once I did though, I was able to start running again.  But overall it was not so bad…and I definitely want to do it again next year.  It looks like we have a new tradition.  But at least next year we will know what to expect and we will dominate.

Next stop Sedona.  I have always wanted to go and now I definitely want to go back. This was a day trip. My aunt Lourdes drove us all up in her van with her four children, me and her sister Coyo.  It was breathtakingly beautiful.  Sedona is a small town with red, orange and yellow rocks, but within 10 miles, the land completely changes.  Soon you feel like you are in Colorado, with the smell of wood surrounded by mountains, the sound of a trickling streams in the background, and the changing color of the leaves.  I would love to camp and explore the trails by foot.  I am now going to have to add that to my list of 1001 goals.

The rest of the week was spent getting ready for the party.  I loved seeing the happiness on my mom’s face.  It was so worth it to make the trek here.  What a way to celebrate a milestone!  Coyo and I saw a cute movie called the “Ugly Truth” and I discovered close hiking trails within walking distance of where I slept.  I managed to get my running done although I did not get my 9 mile long run in.  I was hoping to do that today when I get back to Houston..but it looks like it will be a short run at the rate we are going.  Que sera! At least  I will have one more day to recover from such a fabulous trip.  I am already looking forward to doing it again next year, but hopefully next time I can add the camping trip in Sedona.

July Fly By

Wow, didn’t this month go by in a blink of an eye?  It has been a busy one.  Kingwood Fit is up and running (no pun intended).  I have enjoyed being a coach so much that I am starting to research options on obtaining a personal trainer certificate.  It is one thing to learn on your own by reading all you can, but when people start asking you questions, then you really want to know your stuff.  Weight training is also going well.  Charlie put together a workout plan for me and a friend of mine.  We have been going religiously at 6am to the gym, on Monday,Wednesday and Fridays.  Although I still have my sore days (like last week), we are really making progress.  The hardest exercise for me is the military press, where you take a set of barbells (or just the bar in my case) and lift it to the sky.  You do this standing, and you are supposed to lift from the chest.  Just like you see on weightlifting contests or in cartoons.  Kicked my butt last month, but now I can do it without shaking.  Go me!

So since my interest in raw food has been mentioned in previous posts, here is my latest hair-brained idea.  Last Thursday, we had a fierce thunderstorm come through our area which forced me to do my weekly run on an indoor track.  So while I am forced to run in little bitty circles, I thought it would be a good time to listen to a podcast from Revvell’s radio Web site, www.Letstalkraw.com, and listen to her interview of Sunshine Boatright.  Sunshine Boatright is a raw food activist who promotes raw food for autistic children.  In fact, she has her own raw food site called www.rawtism.com. Anyway, when she was asked about where she learned about her raw food techniques she mentioned taking all of Alisa Cohen’s raw chef classes.  Of course, that piqued my interest and I went home and devoured any information I could find on Alisa’s classes.  I found a 4 day retreat but the cost is $2400.  Needless to say, the idea has been shot down, unless I can come up with a way to scrape up that kind of money by September 18.  I am still thinking about it. The classes will enable me to teach classes under her name in my area.  That potentially could pay for the initial cost of her class.

The triathlon training has been put on hold until next year.  Still need to work on my swimming technique.  After the half marathon training I will tackle that swimming by signing up for a Masters swimming group.  I am ready for the next challenge.

I went to the Houston Symphony on Friday night and saw The Blue Planet.   Talk about amazing.  It was edited scenes of Discovery Series Blue Planet synchronized to the amazing sounds of the Houston Symphony. Ocean footage of the deep abyss.  The seas of the North and South poles.  Penguins. Dolphins. Jellyfish. Killer Whales. Blue Whales.  If it ever comes back to Houston…it is a must see and a definite highlight of my weekend.

Finally, to top off the weekend, I started drawing again.  I am still bummed that I will not make it to another artist retreat in August, because we have to work an extra day each month at the training center starting next month.  But at least I have picked up the pencil again.  I am working on a pencil drawing for an anniversary present (1st year) of the hands of a husband and wife wearing wedding rings over a bouquet of roses.  I will post a picture when completed.

My Best Holiday

The Fourth of July is my favorite holiday and it is due to a combination of things. It is the one holiday that does not have the pressures of buying a gift.  You get to hang out with friends or family…swimming….barbecuing…or just sitting around the back porch.  The day usually ends with a gorgeous, hazy, hot summer day sunset.  Topped off with a display of fireworks.  A celebration telling  you have made it mid-summer.  If you get the patriotic music while the fireworks shoot off, that is only an added bonus.  Always sends chills down my spine. The music always makes me  feel so blessed to live in this beautiful country.

I always wanted a first kiss on Fourth of July.  Call me cheesy…but I always thought it would be cool to kiss while the fireworks went off .  I had one date back in the day with a firework kiss.  We went to an Astros game (talk about American pie) and then went to a picnic with fireworks.  It was so dreamy but it wasn’t my happily ever after. Just another happy memory in my book.

Another memorable Fourth was also at a baseball game.  Astros vs. Phillies at Veteran’s Stadium.  Best firework display in my life.  I think I was 11.  American flag caugh on fire from one of the fireworks.  I will never forget that ending.

In fact, we went to New Jersey quite often for the Fourth.  As a family, we would walk to the banks of the Deleware river and compare Philly fireworks to Wilmington, DE fireworks.  We could see both shows from the riverside.  I lived for those days.

South Padre Island. Louie’s Backyard. Sunset. Fireworks. Best friends. Need I say more?

South Padre Island, take 2. Coconuts. My first Fourth of July with Charlie, my happily-ever-after.

Fourth of July is the only holiday I have never had to work.  Even when I was on reserve…I never had to fly. My lucky day I tell ya!  LUCKY!

Some years, it is just watching fireworks from our local Metro parking lot…speeding away as the finale ends so we do not get stuck in traffic.

Last year we were in New Braunfels and I watched the fireworks from the balcony of the condo. Friends. Swimming (Toobing down the river for some of us).  And of course, BBQ.

This year, we do not have any plans.  Just a quiet day at home.  Maybe we will go swimming. Or for a bike ride.  Eat some BBQ and of course, I will not miss those fireworks!

It makes my summer simply majestic. Best holiday ever!

New Beginnings.

Well, lately, within the past week, I have been gently nudged by two friends of mine to write in the blog.  I see I may have been gone but not forgotten.  Thank you for the nudges  (you know who you are) and you know it is what I needed.

Tonight is the night for change.  After not having a drop of rain for the month of June, it is raining cats and dogs in some parts of the city.  Except I am hoping we can make it without a drop.  We have a hole in our roof…and Charlie and I are petrified of heights.  Especially on the roof of a 3 story. Someone needs to go up and put a tarp on the roof.  And I would rather that person be a professional roofer than one of us become a lovely Picasso painting on our front lawn.

I have been busy this year of 2009.  I joined Toastmasters. The Kingwood Art Society. Started weight training.  Painted. (Yes, would you believe I have painted?)  And I am going to coach this year for the half marathon.  Exciting stuff, I know.  Finally making some progress with some goals too.  Maybe this is the start of a new beginning…

Hiatus.

Yes, I know.  I dropped off the face of the earth.  But I am ready to come back.

I am on the computer way too much.  But I can not seem to break away.  This is how I spend my Friday nights.

I am still reading about RAW foods. And listening to podcasts of RAW food pioneers.  My diet is slowly improving.  And I am slowly losing the taste and cravings for cooked foods.  Green smoothies ROCK.  I think I am going to go make one after I write this entry.

I attempted another wake-up early trial and failed miserably.  Should I give up or keep trying?  Will I eventually get it?  I am at a crossroad.

I signed up for a tower race.  Cool huh?  It will be a first and I do not know what to expect.  Maybe one day I will run the Empire State building.  May 16, 2009.

Art.  At another standstill.  Damn computer takes up my time and I let it.

Well that green smoothie is calling my name.  I will be back.  Promise.  And I wont take 4 months either….

Vices

Holy schmolly!  Has is really been 3 weeks since I last posted??  Where does the time go?  It felt like I had only skipped one week.  It is almost December.  It is almost 2009.  Where am I?  Where do I stand?  What is it about this time of year that makes me so damn reflective?

I met with nutrition lady today.  Her name is Melissa.  Finally.  The day I have been waiting for…not to sound cheesy or anything but she is the one that lit that fire under my butt the day I met her (which was about a month ago).  We talked about all kinds of interesting facts about nutrition.  I have been reading about RAW food nutrition like crazy.  She gave me books and books.  I do not know yet where this is going.  I mean, I do not know if I am ready to run out and start my own nutrition and fitness consulting business.  What I do know is I am ready to make a huge change in my diet.  I want the energy benefits with the added bonus of lovely skin.  Plus, it has been described as going raw as the most amazing experience in the world.  Now, I wouldn’t go extreme (100% RAW) but I would like to try going 75-80% RAW.  I am sponge right now learning as much as I can, but eventually I am going to have to pull the plug and take the plunge.

Anyone who really knows me, knows I have a strange love affair with cereal.  I eat the lovely stuff for breakfast and quite frequently have it again for dinner.  Well, I have started by cutting that out.  Since I love cheese…I am going to try goat cheese (since supposedly it is easier for the body to break down that cow’s milk).  I was also trying to make changes this week by eating fruit for breakfast and having an avocado/tomato sandwich for lunch but THEN someone brought this scrumptious chocolate birthday cake to work and I broke down and had a piece.  A  BIG piece too. Damn sugar.  AND then, on the same day, I had Wendy’s quarter pounder with french fries for dinner.  I just had to go an cancel my hard work out. But hey, at least the french fries tasted like crap.  That should teach me from rebelling again.  After the way I felt afterward, I shouldn’t be craving fast food again like that for a long time.

So like the rest of the world, I have vices. Shopping and sugar definitely have to be my top two.  Whenever I am alone…I want to shop.  Charlie is out tonight bottling beer with my brother and what is my strongest urge?  TO GO SHOPPING!!  It is so weird.  I do not need anything.  But just because I am free to do whatever I want, I want to go do the one thing that is most forbidden in my little world.  My brain starts thinking of all kinds of things I want and think I have to have right now.  But the truth is…I do not need it now.  I think it is a good thing that I am conscious of this now.  Because now I can consciously control this energy.  So far, I am not shopping.  I am sitting on my couch blogging with my cutie little dog curled up beside me.  Life is good.

Running is still going well.  I am supposed to run 9 miles tomorrow.  I have this amazing little running group.  They help to push me farther than I ever thought I could go.  I am trying to decide if I should run the Turkey Trot Thursday morning.  I did it last year and although I was alone-I liked it.  But it isn’t easy getting up at 6am when the rest of the world is sleeping.  Do I really want to go through that again?  Sigh.  Decisions.

Happy Halloween!

Last weekend was the Halloween party.  We went as Mummy and Deady.  It was a hit.  We didnt win the prize though.  We were jipped by Dawg, the bounty hunter and his lovely wife.  Oh well.  Maybe next year!

I slacked off quite a bit this  week.  But I am gearing up for another intense 2 months starting tomorrow: Nov. 1.  The weekly mileage will be increasing to double digits.  Holidays are coming up.  I am going to start going to painting classes (I joined the Kingwood Art Society).  Paint a nursery. Bootcamps.  And I have this insane notion that I will always stay in control.  Stay on top.  I know. Definitely insane.

Back on Track

I feel like I am back in a groove again. I have a renewed interest in fitness and nutrition. I went to a birthday party 2 weeks ago and my friend is working on obtaining her license to become a personal trainer. I checked out her book and my interest is peaked. The thick book actually looked interesting. But I dismissed the thought as another Jenny fad, and after researching it some more, I decided not to pursue it.

Since that party, I have been reading about different nutrition plans and I found one on adding green smoothies to the diet. Now what is a “green smoothie”? It is a blended drink with spinach, banana and any fruit of your choice. Although it may look gross, it tastes just like the fruit you added to it. I drank it all week and boy did I get looks at work. I found it entertaining.

Tonight, at boot camp we had a substitute instructor. She was so cool. She is what I envision fitness trainers to be. She was very fit and knowledgeable. She teaches classes to pre-teen girls to boost their self esteem and educate them on nutrition and taking care of themselves. What an amazing way to make a difference. Especially with the high pressures of growing up in Kingwood. I am definitely inspired.

So I had an inkling to go for the personal training path but then I talked myself out of it (after the birthday party 2 weeks ago). Then tonight happened again, I meet Melissa (the boot camp sub), and now I have another strong urge to go for it again. Is this the universe giving me a nudge? I feel all lit up inside. Now seriously, if I am going to do this, I have to keep up the work outs. I can not be a trainer and be out of shape. If I am going to preach what I teach, I have to be the example to follow. If I really want this, I will do this all the way.

And speaking of signs, a lady at work wants to hire me to paint her daughter’s nursery. The art always keeps coming. Even when one door opens, like the day care project (I was laid off so to say), another one always opens. I still need to start the drawing of the little boy. I hope to start this weekend. I need to start this weekend. I have to get back on track. I can do this.

Top 10 Things I Learned from IKE

Well, another long hiatus.  Hurricane Ike really knocked me off my rhythm. But I am slowly coming back.  Here is what I learned while being out of power for 13 days.

1. You really can live without technology.  I did not miss TV at night.  Playing scrabble and board games at night was fun.  We would eat outside until dark and then play games by candle light. I will miss that.
2. Kids do play outside.  I went for a run one night and I was amazed at all the parking lots filled with kids playing soccer, or football.  And many just riding bikes.  And the people on the greenbelts.  Everyone was outside.  It was beautiful.
3. Fans are a wonderful invention.  I actually did not mind sleeping with the window open with no air conditioning.  But the hard part was not having air move.  I sweat buckets.  And the night I had with the little fan, was such a happy night’s rest.  Since we have recovered, I went out to buy battery operated fans.  It will be the one thing I will not go without next time.
4. Hubby turns into a bear during power outages.  My happy-go-lucky husband is a force to be reckoned with no power over 3 days.  I will be shipping him off to his family in New Jersey the next time a hurricane threatens Houston but he does not know this yet.  Hee hee.
5. Family is a beautiful blessing.  Charlie’s family pitched in to buy us a generator.  They blew me away with their kindness and generosity.  I will always be grateful for their sweet thoughtfulness.
6. Go easy on the freezer.  We threw away so MUCH food.  It was ridiculous how much we hoarded.
7. Our house did not flood.  Our complex had over 2 feet of water, but not a drop touched our building.  And the river crested to 25 feet.  I need to buy rubber boots.
8. Next time we go bike riding after a storm, I need to bring a camera to document the adventure.  It was so much fun dodging trees and jumping branches.  Like a video game!
9. Gizzy can bark all night long at Mom’s.  I have never been so embarrassed  of the behavior of our baby.
10. I missed sleeping with Charlie and having connection.  Since the power went out, it was too hot to sleep next to each other.  I thrashed and flopped to cool off.  Charlie had to sleep downstairs to find the coolest part of the house.   So we had to sleep separately.  I missed his little butt in our own comfy bed. I only appreciated him more once we were back in the townhome again.

So, yes, we are spoiled.  We have a new appreciation for power.  Now the economy is crashing.  But slowly the world is coming back together again.  I am still running and doing the boot camp.  Getting up at 4:55am isnt happening anymore though.  I am just going to the 6:30pm one instead.  Which I enjoy because I get to work out with the Continental group and they are a hoot.  Still gotta work on the eating though.  One of these days, I will be ready to focus on diet.  And I will start by longer eat Taco Bell.

Raining in the Living Room

Yes, for real. I came home from work today and found it raining in our living room. Our toilet cracked. How does a 30 year old toilet just crack? Beats the heck out of us, but it can and it has happened. Oh, and what a mess it brings. Sigh. Fun stuff. So tomorrow, I get to go shopping for a toilet. I should do a photo documentary of our toilet adventure.

We found out this week that Charlie will not be graduating until December 2010. 2 more years. I am happy that there finally is an end date. It feels good to know. Like the light at the end of a tunnel. Too bad Charlie does not feel that way. I believe 2 years will come and go before we know it and I will enjoy this time as time I will get to spend with him.

Ah, and politics war has begun. It is tough to be so liberal in a conservative state. I am definitely a minority here. I try to be open minded and hear the Repubican’s point of view. I watched the Republican convention last night and it didnt do anything for me. All I heard was, military, military and more military. Sigh. It is going to be a long road to the election.

I joined a boot camp this month. Been getting up at 4:55am, 3 times a week. So now I am working out 5-6 times a week since I still have to keep up with my running training. Besides for a small injury that crept up 2 days ago. The working out part is not so bad. Now the diet part, oh, the diet part. That is hard. I get on the wagon, fall off the wagon, jump back on the wagon again. I am not giving up though. I did like the energy I had this week when I ate rabbit food. So there is hope for me yet.