what i'm loving wednesday:::: alex and ani bracelets

i cannot tell y'all how much i love these bangles that alex and ani make! i originally saw these when dorothy at mile posts shared them and i seriously fell in love. i love the idea of charm bracelets, but i don't like the traditional ones and brad hooked me up for valentines day last year and got me the B, C,  a dog paw (that also has the NYC skyline in the paw), and a black beaded one.

then after my full he got me this one:

i love how they look when you layer them! i think it's fair to say that i'm obsessed now. i gave some as Christmas gifts and they were a big hit!

you should definitely check them out! they do specials and put new bangles out all the time!

i really want a feather one next (just like cecilia at mommies run!):

17 weeks pregnant...

late again! posting this the day before i'll be 18 weeks. hopefully the baby will not take after it's mommy and be late ;)

my symptoms:  this has been a great week for me, nothing too noticeable!

weight:  i don't really want to talk about it this week ;)

gender:  hopefully we'll find out on february 5th.

maternity clothes: still in a mixture of regular and maternity clothes. i'm in maternity clothes in my picture. they're so comfy!

movement:  i didn't feel a lot this week. i have had a lot of pressure in my lower abdomen this week so that's where i feel like the baby is. but that could be all in my head. 

sleep:  i finally broke down and ordered a pregnancy pillow, and i swear it might be the best $65 i've ever spent. i can't sleep through the night, but i feel supported and my body doesn't ache when i wake up. 

cravings:  grilled cheese, watermelon, sweet tarts

what i miss:  nothing yet. 

appointments:  none this week

questions/concerns:  none this week

goals for the week:  workout 5 days

16 weeks pregnant...

my symptoms:  i'm still pretty tired in the evenings, especially if it's a work day. the thought of certain foods don't make me queasy, but they just don't sound appealing. there are a handful of things that are my standard fare and i stick to them to avoid stomach upset. my depth perception is WAY OFF. i've been bumping into things, knocking things over, etc. i'm a good driver/parker in general, but lately i've come back to my car and noticed i'm parked on the line or over it. so i've really had to start paying more attention!

weight:  i've been weighing myself every week and i'd been holding strong at +3 until last week. now i'm at +5, so i'd say that wonderful metabolism boost i'd been experiencing in the first trimester is starting to fizzle. like i mentioned here, healthy weight gain for me  is 15-25 pounds, so i'm trying to be mindful of what i'm putting in my body (trying is the operative word here). 

gender:  hopefully we'll find out on february 5th.

maternity clothes:  at work i'm getting away with scrubs and when i'm off i am mostly in workout clothes. my regular pants still fit, but sometimes they're just uncomfortable. i have two pairs of maternity jeans that i've started wearing when i feel really big (food baby + my baby). they're comfy but i hate the feeling that i always need to pull them up! my wonderful momma took me shopping while she was here and got me two beautiful dresses. thanks mom! oh, and those are maternity clothes in the picture (thanks Lauren for the shirt!). 

movement:  this week i felt a flutter in the same place three different times, while i was driving down the road. i'm pretty sure this was the baby, but not totally sure ;)

sleep:  i still can't sleep past 9 am at the latest. my back gets sore and i'm waking up once or twice a night. this wasn't helped by the crazy head cold i've had this week. i added two pillows (one to either side of my body) and that seems to help a little. 

cravings:  Sonic diet cherry limeades, sherbet ice cream, cheese sticks, Arby's roast beef sandwiches, pineapple and watermelon. 

what i miss:  i'm alright so far :)

appointments:  last appointment (15w6d) got to hear the heartbeat, and also heard the baby kick as the doctor was feeling around with the doppler! she said everything looked and sounded good. 

questions/concerns:  did any of you all fly when you were pregnant? we're hoping to fly to STL for brad's brother's match day and i'll be about 25 weeks. from what i've read it's fine, but i forgot to run it by my MD. 

goals for the week:  workout 5 days, walk the dogs on my days off, make healthier food choices. 

what i'm loving wednesday : the pact app

today i want to share an app with you all that i'm LOVING. it just got a makeover in january and it's called Pact (the app formerly known as gym pact).

basically, the pact period begins on monday and runs through sunday at midnight. you make a pact that you'll work out x number of times during that time period and pledge a dollar amount that you will pay per missed workout.

for instance, i do a 5 workout a week pact, so anytime between monday and sunday i have to complete 5 workouts. if i make 5 of 5 workouts i get paid (yes, real money) per workout. if i only work out 4 days a week, i don't get paid, i actually get charged the whatever amount i've agreed to pay per missed workout.

where does the money come from? each week, pact totals the amount of money from missed workouts and puts that money into a pot. it's then divided between everyone who makes their pact. some weeks i get paid 0.25 a workout, others i get 0.50. totally depends on how many people hit or miss their pacts.

how do they verify if you're actually working out? there are several ways... you can check in at a gym and stay there at least 30 minutes (they are also great about allowing you to add gyms), you can do a run or walk via run keeper and it will sync to pact, or you can use their motion tracker for home workouts (i usually just wear my phone in an armband and it picks up the motion while i workout).

it's definitely not a get rich quick scheme or anything, but it motivates me! i started using this app a little over a year ago and i've already taken out $85 (and used it to buy some lululemon workout gear!).  now i'm back up to over $60. yes it took a while, but free money is free money!

every once in a while (like 2 or 3 times throughout the whole time i've used it) the app has a glitch or something. customer service has always resolved my issues quickly and efficiently. i recommend this app to everyone (unless you're just really forgetful and would forget to check in). if you have any questions let me know!



i am not affiliated with pact in anyway, i'm just a satisfied user and wanted to share it with y'all!

goals for 2014 and the zone perfect blog forward challenge

it's that time again! time to make some goals for 2014!

this year i've joined up with zone perfect for their 2014 blog forward challenge. i love a good challenge, so i'll be posting throughout the year as the challenge progresses. our first challenge is to share our resolutions and also post a letter to ourselves, so let's get to it!

.: fitness :.

• join the 100 club at pure barre by the end of march. 
• continue to work out at least 5 times a week until the big day. 
• i don't want to make a bunch of post pregnancy goals as far as this category goes. i've never had a baby before, and i'm not going to pretend i know how i'll feel afterwards. i hope to get my butt back into pure barre for the bounce back after baby program. and i hope to run some races in the fall. but we'll see. 

.: health :.

• stay within a healthy weight gain range for me (15-25 pounds). 
• join weight watchers after the baby is born.
• aim for 100 ounces of water a day. 
• keep a healthy snack on me at all times!

.:  spiritual :.

• finish reading the Bible. 
• join another connect group at church.
• begin volunteering at church.
• find a book about praying for your children and put it to good use. 

.:  everything else :.

• date my husband. life gets crazy, we get into routines, not all of them good. i want to make more of an effort to make him feel special and loved. 
• journal about my pregnancy and then the baby's life at least once a week. i might do it on the blog, i might just type it in a word document, i might just write it down in my planner... but i want to write it down. 

dear future self,

whatup!?! this is your january self. you know, the all excited, ready to make lots of goals self? so wherever you are in 2014 when you read this, remember how important these goals are to you. you spent a lot of time thinking them through, and they are extremely realistic. so when you want to get lazy and quit, suck it up, buttercup!

disclosure:  as a part of the blog forward challenge i will be receiving free product and other promotional items from zone perfect. but as always, all my opinions are my own, like them or not ;)

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looking back at my 2013 goals...

.: 2013 goals :.

.: running :.

• finish a 30k to celebrate turning the dirty thirty [completed 1.13.13]
• run a sub 2 hour half marathon
• run a sub hour 10k 
• finish a full marathon [completed 3.3.13]
• maintain my mileage around 15-20 miles per week after the full. 
• find my happy place again. [added 7.2013]
• run consistently. [added 7.2013]

well, running in 2013 was a hit and a miss for me. i started strong, coming thisclose to my sub 1 hour 10k (seriously, i finished in 1:00:00), completing two 30k trail races and my first full. but while i finished that full with a smile on my face, it marked a huge change for me. i didn't crave the run like usual. i found myself dreading the run. so i made a choice... i took a step back. i hope that i'll find that desire again soon, but it's just not there right now. it is what it is. 

.: weight training :.

• after the marathon, get back to a full out weight training plan [i've been doing a modified plan while my mileage has been increasing]. [back on track july]
• i don't really care about lifting PRs, i mostly want to get back to the consistent schedule that i was in before i started bumping up my mileage. 

i started a new plan (with the same people i'd worked with before) in july (a back injury kept me out for a while). it sucked a big one. brad did the plan with me and we went to the gym at night. there were too many people there. there were too many weirdos that were super chatty that would not leave us alone. and beyond that, i didn't see the results i wanted. i wanted to lose weight and gain lean muscle, not compete in a figure competition. my coach wasn't helpful at all. just like he wasn't helpful when i started stepping up my mileage for marathon training earlier in the year. when i got frustrated i got some really a-hole type emails back from him. and i was done. that's not how i do things. 

.: reading :.

• read at least 12 books from  the Modern Library's Top 100 Novels list.
• finish reading the Bible [in daniel now]
• read at least 10 non fiction books. 

it's almost laughable how terribly i failed at this whole category. i didn't read a single book from the top 100 novels list. i'm still not through the old testament of the Bible. i did read 10 non fiction books, so there's one :)

.: spiritual :.

• join a connect group at chuch [sunday school class] [we're connected!]
• finish beth moore's 'john:  90 days with the beloved disciple' [completed in april]
• pay more attention to where God's leading me. 
• make spending time in the Word a priority. [added 7.2013]

we joined a connect group in january and it was great. then our teachers moved and we went without a consistent teacher for over 3 months. it kinda sucked.  hopefully we can find a new group in 2014. 

but i was really happy with everything else in this category. not all of the goals were measurable, but i feel like i made a lot of progress. 

.: everything else :.

• limit computer time to 30 minutes a day on work days, an hour on any other days. [i'm doing pretty good on work days, but with blogging and other responsibilities, an hour just isn't cutting it when i'm off]
• lose the last 5 pounds... then MAINTAIN. 
• get my butt back to where i was last december. [added 7.2013]

the computer things was a good idea, but was a LITTLE extreme. on the days i worked, it was good though. i just want to find a goal that helps me balance the time i spend on my laptop. any ideas? 

i managed to get within 5 pounds of where i was last december. i found something that worked for me, and that was a combination of weight watchers and pure barre. obviously, i couldn't continue weight watchers once i realized i was pregnant, but i was really happy with the progress i made in this area. yes, i wish i'd gotten my sh*t together sooner, but i didn't. 




all in all, i don't feel like i accomplished all that much in 2013. which is weird, because i did do a lot of things. either way, i'm pumped and ready for 2014. and that post will be up and ready to go tomorrow :)

five things friday

what better way to ease back into blogging than an easy list? :) i've missed posting, but let me just tell you, falling asleep between 830-930 every night is not conducive to blogging!


first….
this has been a crazy week at our house. on saturday i was on my way home from work when brad called and asked if our vet's office was open (side note… isn't this such a guy thing? call me to see if the office is open rather than just calling the office. ahh, i digress). immediately i'm ask what was wrong. long story short, lyla had ripped off an accessory pad on her front paw while playing with riley in the back yard and was bleeding like crazy.

we took her to our local emergency vet and they stitched her up, good as new. she got a cute little leg bandage that brad claimed make her look like a filly ready for the races (can you tell we're from KY?). 

unfortunately, for her and her mischievous ways, she also came home the owner of a brand new cone of shame. it's been a big old pain in the you know what, but oh how we've laughed at her. (keep all your comments about what horrible parents we're going to be to yourselves ;) )

i mean, come on. that's funny. 

second…

we're doing a challenge at pure barre asheville: 20 classes in 30 days. just what i needed to give me some extra motivation to get my butt to the barre. my inner teacher's pet loves getting to put a star by my name before every class. yes, i'm weird. 

i've completed 5 so far (it was my on week at work), and am hoping to complete 7 in the next 7 days, wish me luck!

third…

i celebrated my 31st birthday on monday! brad totally spoiled me and even sent me these beautiful flowers:

my awesome brother sent me some super comfortable socks and a gift card to sonic (he knows of my major addiction to diet cherry limeades). i know i brag on him all the time, but truly, he's the best. i'm so proud to call him my brother  :) i'd love the show you the picture, but my computer is being STUPID and won't let me upload it.

my friend shannon also sent me these awesome forever stamps:

LOVE them.

fourth...
i'm still in love with pure barre. it rocks my sticky socks. and speaking of sticky socks, check out the ones that brad put in my stocking:

fifth and final...

aren't they the cutest??