Take the Reins

Ambition.

2012-01-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

DAY THREE - Ambitions

What are your ambitions? What do you do each day that doesn’tcontribute to/detracts from your ambitions? Can you eliminate it?

I strive to be better everyday. To learn how to be a great leader and follower. To live a healthy life and take care of my body and mind. To develop my professional skills and stand out.

Things that prevent me from doing this:

doubt

uncertainty

procrastination

a tendency to not ask for help when needed

Some of these things I can eliminate, such as procrastination and not asking for help. I accept that doubt/uncertainty will always be in the far back of my mind, but I can choose to be confident. This year I will do everything I can to remain confident in my abilities. :)

Resolutions

2012-01-01T20:59:00.000-08:00

DAY TWO -

What would you do if you had more free time?

Practice yoga.

source

Go on hikes/nature walks.

Snake River (Pullman, WA)

Volunteer at an organic farm (that hopefully has animals for me to play with).

source

READ.

source

blog/journal

~*~*~*~*~*~

RESOLUTIONS!

At first, I had no interest in creating resolutions. Simply because every year since I was 12, I have not reached one of my goals (which is to completely lose all my weight and keep it off!). I go up and down, up and down, up and down.... In the summer I had a really good run. I looked great, felt great, and my confidence was flowing (in a good way)!

Then I started my full time job and completely abandoned all desire to take care of my body and mind. Which lead to extra, uh, baggage.

My 2012 resolutions (more broad than ever before):

PERSONAL

-More friend time (building new and old relationships)

-Spend more time with Pukka (whether that's visiting or calling)

-Be a better sister, daughter, friend, and fiance.

-Save money

-Pray more (express gratitude every single day)

PROFESSIONAL

-Apply to be Senior Corps

-Apply to Red Frog Events

-Look into networking & begin meeting people

-Improve and kick as at being a corps member for the last 6 months!

HEALTH

-Train for 1/2 marathon coming up March 24th!

-Work out to feel beautiful and healthy

-When in doubt, remember you are awesome aaaand that you're the maid of honor in a wedding on March 26th!

-Eat to fuel body, eat what is good for body, eat what you'll be proud of.

During the year I may be tweaking/changing/adjusting this, but for now this feel just right. :)

Reflection.

2012-01-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

Last December I did something called Reverb. Yes, this was supposed to be something I did last month, but I simply forgot. :)

DAY ONE - Oneword.

Encapsulate 2011 in one word. Explain why you’re using thatword.

(Last Year)

Last year this questions was also asked. I also created a word for the coming year, which was 'success'. After re-reading the post, I realized that I accomplished the goals I wrote out.

I graduated college. For most of the year I maintained and improved my health. I was accepted into City Year, where I'm dedicating a year to service tutoring 5th graders and creating after school programs. I have grown as a girlfriend (now fiance!), a woman, a sister, a daughter, and a friend.

Therefore, since I accomplished all of my goals, I would say my word that would encapsulate 2011 is success.

In this moment...

2011-10-22T09:27:00.000-07:00

...I feel,

Far too long

2011-10-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

It amazes me that I haven't written a blog since July! I started my new job with City Year (Americorps) on August 15th, and after going through almost a month of training, we had our first day in school on September 7th!

Weeks have been breezing by. Work has been keeping me so busy! So far I absolutely love working in City Year, it doesn't even feel like works since it has been so fun!

More details coming later, I hope ya'll like the new title/look/feel! :)

<3 Stacy

Today I Feel...

2011-07-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

Today's prompt borrowed from the lovely blog Being Brazen. :)

1. Today I feel... relaxed after an awesome-and-much-needed-power-workout! :)

2. Last night.... I learned a new, hilarious game at camp called "Mafia". It's a murder mystery game, and as simple as it is- it's ridiculously fun!

3. This week I still plan to... work out, visit my boyfriend, see some friends, and RELAX!

4. Right now I would love to have... new music (and now a new iPod since I cracked my screen today), A NEW CAR, all the paper work for my Americorps job filled out (magically), my own gym, more money. (Of course.)

5. Currently my favorite song is... "The Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga

6. Who do you think is cooler/more dateable - Superman or Batman? Batman doesn't have special super powers- he's just a bad ass!

Fill-In-The-Blank Day :)

2011-07-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Sorry for my lack of posts! I am a counselor at a camp right now, and I have finally been able to reach a computer for a fun little update! Lauren from the little things we do writes these adorable 'Fill-In-The-Blank' updates every Friday... While I am aware it's not Friday, I have only a few moments. :)

I am a (morning, evening, middle of the day person) MORNING PERSON. I am definitely not a night person (even though at the moment I am forced into it... since I am a counselor, I'm letting the campers have their fun.)

2. My favorite Pandora stations are I don't have Pandora, but right now I'm really into Bon Iver.

3. 3 of my "must-have" songs for a road trip playlist are : 1) Show Me How You Burlesque by Christina Aguilera, any Bon Iver song, and The Boys of Summer by The Eagles (and/or the remake by The Ataris)

4. My favorite pattern is : Verticle stripes... but I'm not a patter person. I either like solid colors or shirts with pictures on them (not tacky, though) :)

5. My favorite perfume is Nori (or soemthing like that) from Rue 21. I LOVED a perfume called LuLu from PacSun, but they stopped making it :( :( :(

6. Rules are just rules. It's whatever. I'm a good lady.

7. My most overused phrase or punctuation is Recently: "YO." (camp).... or "Yeah"... or simply laughing (all.... the... time.)

Also: Last sunday I did the WARRIOR DASH! I'll write about all that awesome-ness later! :)

What did YOU do last weekend? Any awesome plans for this weekend? :)

The Dirty Dash!

2011-07-10T14:43:00.000-07:00

THE DIRTY DASH

July 9th, 2011

Yup, first at the starting line! (I'm standing in between a girl
wearing a bright pink tank top and a guy in all white.)

Have you ever wanted to run a super awesome obstacle course, complete will walls to jump, tires to climb, mud pits to crawl in, beer (or root beer) to chug in the middle, slip-n-slides to zip down, and swim through more mud to complete a 4 mile course?

Oh please, I know you have. And it was every bit as amazing as I visioned it!

Since I am used to arriving to races extremely early due to many people attending the race, my dad and I were 1 1/2 hours early... which was about 45 minutes too early. We sat and watched as people were still running around, setting up the tents and checking the sound. There was no line for me to get my bib and sweet shirt... so I relaxed and walked around watching people work.

The sky was blue and the weather was pretty warm for 8AM. Seriously, I was extremely excited.

However, after a while of walking around, my feet were starting to scream in pain! I took my shoes off to massage my feet, and with 15 minutes until my flight started (at 9am), I was worried about what to do. My dad picked up and shoe, and discovered why I was in so much pain.

There were no insoles in them.

Thing is, I didn't want to use *my* running shoes since they're so nice. I was helping my friend pack stuff up, and she had a super old pair of shoes she was going to toss... but I asked her if I could have them since they fit me. So she let me have them. Well, I forgot one important detail. She wears orthotics, so she throws the original insoles away. She definitely told me this, but clearly I didn't listen, haha.

So there I am, insole-less and about to run a crazy course. OUCH. But my dad says, "Wait a second." And runs away with my shoes. A minute later he shouts for me to joint him, and we take the stuff and he leads me to this truck:

Yes, we asked if we could have a pair of insoles.

Even better: he fit a pair to my feet, trimmed it to fit the shoe, and gave them to me. For free. All in 5 minutes, with 3 minutes left until my flight would officially start.

AMAZING.

I would *never* have imagined that there would be a tent for insoles here! Aren't I incredibly lucky? Ha, ha!

Trevor Patterson, you saved my feet. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

(So people, if you need insoles, go to Superfeet, great insoles, awesome prices, and the people who work there are super cool. They will save your feet, and I will definitely wont go anywhere else for insoles!!)

Here are bits and pieces of the rest of the race:

Awesome!

Before the race!

Hilarious announcer man.

LOL- I bet they had an incredibly hard time at all of the obstacles!

The slip-n-slid was LONG and AWESOME!

Swimming through the last bit of mud

Race buddy & new friend- Marie! (We were muddier, but the slide cleaned us off pretty good!)

If you ever consider running a mud race, such as The Dirty Dash, Warrior Dash (which I'll be doing on the 17th), Survivor Mud Run, or more bad-ass: Tough Mudder, or INSANE: Spartan Race. JUST. DO. IT.

Marathon #2

2011-06-27T14:03:00.000-07:00

I am so incredibly proud and happy with myself.

The month leading to June 26, 2011 I wasn't able to run. My right knee, which gave me trouble during my first marathon, was in a lot of pain and I could only cycle. This caused me tremendous stress, because I remembered how difficult the marathon was last year, and I wasn't very excited. All I knew was I would try anyway. No matter what.

As I was standing at the starting line, waiting for my corral to begin, my right knee was slightly bothering me. I was almost convinced I wouldn't finish the race.

Then we took off at 7:40 AM, and I was feeling pretty good. I didn't push myself, I ran at what I felt was an easy pace. I figured if I were to actually finish the race, I would have the same or longer time than last year (5:51:09). Surprisingly, I quickly caught up to the 5 hour pace runners, and was very comfortable running with them. So I thought, "Why not stay with them for as long as I can?"

Of course if I had to, I would slow down or drop out if my knee started acting up... but I kept running.

After 34 min & 47 sec, we hit the 5k. No pain.

Around this time I take my headphones out and start talking with the group I'm running with. Which really helped the time and miles pass.

We hit the 10k mark in 1:09:53... slightly ahead of pace, doing really well... No pain.

Here are a few more of my splits:


Stacy crossed the 9 Mile with a time of 01:42:44.
Stacy crossed the 13.1 Mile (Half Way) with a time of 02:29:58.
Stacy crossed the 18.6 Mile (30K) with a time of 03:41:29.

@ mile 14.5. Going strong!

My knee never bothered me! I felt incredibly strong and powerful the entire race. Around mile 16 I became VERY sore and decided to drop behind the pace group, wishing them lots of luck. I walked for 1 mile, then began to lightly jog... which after encountering a few steep hills, I decided to pick up my pace again.

Physically, I was extremely sore (my legs and feet were killing me). It took every ounce of will power I had to make my feet move, but I kept going. Because I knew I could do it. I believed in myself and told myself I would finish this, even if I had to crawl to the finish line.

Even though I run with headphones, I barely listened to it. Most of the time I chatted with other runners, and trust me- this is something you want to do if you run a marathon! It makes the time FLY. Other times, I was lost in thought, focusing on the moment, thinking of happy, positive, and empowering thoughts. That's what kept me going.

All the way to the end! :) :)

Starry-eyed at the finish

Stacy crossed the 24 Mile with a time of 04:53:53.
Stacy crossed the Finish Line with a time of 05:23:06.

My finishers certificate says I actually crossed the finish line at 5:22:58! Which is about 29 minutes better than what I did last year!!!! (SO AWESOME!)

Reflecting. Sara on my right. (She was in the 5 hour pace group, fell behind, I caught
up with her at 24 miles and we jogged to the finish together. It was nice to have
a little extra motivation to run to the end and finish strong! :) )

SO HAPPY!

Here's a shocker: I wasn't even tired at the end of the race! I was sore as hell, could BARELY walk (I had to walk up stairs since an elevator was broken: PAINFUL!!!!) But I was laughing, glowing, swelling with pride, and joking that I am certainly never going to run another on ever again. Which is totally a lie, 'cause since this marathon went so well, I am definitely motivated to do another one... someday. Not soon. Ha, ha!

I met up with my boyfriend and parents, got my free beer, and went home to take an ice ~~bath~~ shower. (As a congratulations, Matt went and bought me a HUGE Cold Stone ice cream waffle bowl!! Holy crapola- it was soooo gooooooood!!!!!!!)

Matt & Me :)

Mom & happy me!

With my dad as well :)

For the next two weeks, I will be doing absolutely nothing. The next time I plan on working out is at The Dirty Dash on July 9! :)

With much love,

Stacy :)

PotterMore!

2011-06-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

This makes me incredibly happy. :)

Getting Over Marathon Nerves

2011-06-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been very nervous about my second marathon this Saturday, June 25. My right knee has been in some pain, so I haven't been running in two weeks. However, I have decided to cycle instead! Which has been very helpful, and I am feeling better about the upcoming event.

Also, I have decided to not wear my garmin during the race.

I feel like the garmin stresses me out, and I feel pressure to run faster/go farther than what my body is currently capable of... which leads to me inflicting doubt, fear, and put-downs on myself. I want to ENJOY the marathon! The course is beautiful, and I want to focus on finishing instead of the time. This way I will simply be proud of finishing, and not be angry about "making my goal", which I don't exactly have. Under 6 hours would be nice, and doing better than my previous time of 5 hours: 51 minutes and 9 seconds would be even better! But I will not subject my body to further injury- if I have to walk, I will. :)

The garmin is wonderful when I just feel like going on a run and monitoring my milage. I am also sure I will feel differently when the pressure of training is off my back and I can start working on my speed (gradually).

After this, I think it would be best for my body to not participate in future marathons. Instead I would like to improve my half marathon times, and save my money to buy a speed bike so I can start cycling! It will save my knees, and I'm sure my body will thank me with age. :)

TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER! :) ENJOY!

Love,

Stacy

Excuses, excuses!

2011-05-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

Workout wise, my week has been alright! Yesterday I ran a strong 5 miles under 50 minutes! Woot woot! Today I was *supposed* to run 8 miles, but somehow I ended up doing a Jillian "30-Day Shred" and Ab Ripper p90x instead. Mind you, I was still DRIPPING sweat by the end of it! I needed to do some strength training (and something is always better than nothing)!

My boyfriend is driving up from his place to see me so I want to clean my room up a bit and make myself look pretty for him. I know I should have gotten up earlier to do it, but I made excuses and did the alternative. Maybe he'll run with me tomorrow? :) :)

Excuses are such an easy trap to fall into. We are our worst manipulators and it's irritating how easy it is for me to change my mind. For example:
"I'm supposed to run 8 miles, but my man will be here in 2 hours and it takes me 1 hour and 15 minutes to run that... then I'll have no time to shower/look nice/clean up... I need to let my food settle in my stomach... blah blah blah."

People also make excuses for eating bad foods, "I'm tired and don't want to cook a healthy meal. Pizza it is!" <-- At first, eating healthy can be challenging because cooking takes time. But this is the sort of thing that needs to become habit! Just try! There are healthy meals that take a short amount of time! Just look for them :)

Excuses need to stop! Commit and do it!

~*~*~*~*~*~

What excuses do you commonly make? Are you going to try and change that?

One Big Update :)

2011-05-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

What a month! I know it has been a long time since I've posted- I've rarely been online!

May 7th: GRADUATION!

Family <3
My parents far left :)

I swear I'm not that huge, those darn unflattering gowns!!!! (And the wind was blowing.)

After graduation, my man and I went to Leavenworth, WA to unwind, completely relax, drink beer, and hike. :)

It's a Bavarian themed town :)

The view of Leavenworth from the top of a mountain! Woot!

On the way back down.

We think the hike was a total of 7 miles. I forgot to bring my awesome garmin, which would have told us EXACTLY how many miles we hiked... and how many calories I burned... darn it! All well, we worked our butt off. The weather was absolutely perfect while we were there. 72 degrees and not a cloud in the sky! It was fantastic to unwind and let the stress of finals/graduating and getting ready to move go away!

Since then we moved out of our much loved apartment. It was SO BIZARRE to see it empty! :(

One-person kitchen

living room (had futon, desk, computer, shelves & tv)

Tiny bedroom. My bed took up most of it.

Little bathroom

It was 405 square feet. It was charming, but in the future we hope to have a bigger place (and minus our little friends- sugar ants. >.<)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So, MARATHON TRAINING.

I have 32 days until my marathon! OH SNAP!

Time has gone by so fast, I can't believe it's almost here! For the past two weeks I've been hiking, walking, lifting, packing, MOVING, cleaning, unpacking... ay yi yi! Some running has been involved, but I need to kick it up this week to be ready for my 20 mile run this Saturday!

:WEEK-O-WORKOUTS:

Today (Monday): Cycling class at the gym. (For cross-training.)

Which was AWESOME! I need to do this more often!

Tuesday: 5 mile run + p90x (strength training)

Wednesday: 8 mile run + pilates/stretching

Thursday: 3 miles + p90x

Friday: 2 mile warm-up

Saturday: 20-flippin'-miles.

Sunday: Um, nothing! ;)

Actually, I will probably do the stretching segment of p90x. Which is always a good idea.

Hm, I think I'll post my weekly plan for workouts every Monday! And review what/how I did on Sundays! I like that idea, I'll do it! :) Because I do plan on writing consistently again, I have missed blogging so much! I haven't even been reading blogs! *tears*

I've been successfully maintaining weight, and have definitely been better at holding myself accountable and eating healthy at home. Although I've been slacking on my h2o intake, which is weird, because I normally drink water like it's the air I breath! Ha, ha! So that wont be difficult to fix. :)

For tonight I leave you with this awesome quote:

"Be brave and be patient. Have faith in yourself; trust in the significance of your life and the purpose of your passion. You are strong enough to sit in the space between spaces and allow divine inspiration to shed some light. When you put positive energy and productive effort into the world it will come back to you. Occasionally in ways you might not immediately understand and on a time frame you didn’t expect. Look. Listen. Learn. Stay open. Your destiny is awaiting you."
— Jillian Michaels (Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life)

Yay for Friday!

2011-05-06T10:18:00.000-07:00

Fill in the blank friday!!

1. What I love most about my home is that I live with my man... for another two weeks. Then we move out. Poopy :(

2. I'm excited because, I GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE AND WALK IN THE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY ON SATURDAY!

3. My preferred method for blowing off steam when I'm frustrated is to go to the gym, run outside, or cry about it.

4. Currently I am craving fresh juice.

5. If I was going to write a book about my life, the title would be oh gosh, I have no idea.

6. If I were to eat one thing for the rest of eternity it would be ice cream or any type of bread/cheese combo.

7. What I love most about my mom is that she is honest, loving, caring and awesome. :)

Fill in the Blank Friday!

2011-04-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

Click on picture for source :)

1. I am looking forward to graduating college! This will be a LONG week! Then VACATION! :)

2. Something kind of embarassing that I still love anyway are DISNEY MOVIES! Specifically Beauty and the Beast. I know all of the songs almost by heart ;) AND I still listen to 90's music. (SPICE GIRLS!!)

3. My favorite car is MY car- Toyota Camry. But if I were to have any car it would be...

source

ROAD TRIPS! :D

4. If I could pick one type of weather to live with for the rest of my life it would be 75 degrees, sunny blue skies and a very light breeze. Sunshine!! Warmth! Yay!

5. My favorite thing to do after a bad/stressful day is take a nap. But I never get to do that :( Simply relax.

6. This weekend will be filled with test studying and essay writing. yaay.

7. If I were a color, I'd be green because, according to a quiz I took, I'm nice and peaceful. Personally, I think yellow. Because I'm usually cheerful and happy.

Wow

2011-04-25T08:45:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is my last day of classes.

Thursday I am going on a fun field trip.

I have one test on Monday, May 2nd.

I walk in a commencement ceremony on May 7th.

Wow.

Happy Friday!

2011-04-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

FILL IN THE BLANK FRIDAY!!!

These lovely daffodils have nothing
to do with today, they're just pretty :)

1. Fridays are meant for doing whatever. Work out, *maybe* grocery shop, relax, take a nap, read, watch a movie, have some wine or beer... free day. :)

2. Love, smiles, hugs, flowers, art, Matt, old people happily in love, family, and friends make me terribly happy.

3. Something that inspires me is seeing or hearing about people who achieve their dreams & overcome obstacles. People that change their life for the better. Runners. Certain songs. Jillian Michaels. "The Secret" & "The Power". Meditation. Flowers. Oatmeal. Random things can inspire me. :)

4. If I had the day off today I would... sleep in, meditate and drink lemon water, eat my favorite breakfast of oatmeal with all my crazy fixin's with tea, work out, read blogs, read books, go for a walk, make a great lunch, walk more and/or read more, make a well-balanced dinner and make room for dessert (of course) :)

5. If I had to put a label on my home decor style, I would say my style is ... I haven't figured that out yet. (I think!) My bedroom at home was very calm and comfortable, my dorm room last year was very bright and full of pictures, and the apartment my boyfriend and I live in now... well... the "main" colors are blue and red... there is a big dragon fan on the wall... um, it's small so I guess I did my best to utilize space. I don't think that's a decor style though, lol!

6. Concerning politics I would say I'm... mostly liberal, but before voting I do my research and never vote for only one side. At the moment I'm not paying much attention. (Not gonna lie.)

7. I'd like to go to Costa Rica and Florida so I could do many crazy fun things like surf, ride horses, zip-line through trees and do yoga on the beach (Costa Rica). And in Florida... HARRY POTTER LAND OF COURSE!

:) :) :)

I AM WORTHY

2011-04-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

source

When my foot hits the pavement I feel free

I am flying away from the homework, responsibilities, and things I have to be

Just me myself and I

The pavement is a friend I can call on anytime

The pavement challenges me, telling me I can go farther and do MORE

I stop, look up

The stretch is long. I can't see the end of the pavement. Just me and the pavement.

It says "Come on- you can do this. Keep going."

This is where the game begins

Can I do this?

What makes me so special?

Why should I?

How am I worthy of the pavement?

What am I worthy of?

Demons swarm around and attack: "I CAN'T I CAN'T" stings my eyes shakes my body punches my face I walk and let myself be attacked by lies doubt hate

Someone save me I beg and plead and look for help

Disappointment swells in my chest I catch my breath and wipe tears away

I am the only one who can help

I am the only one who can save me

I am the only one who can tell myself I am worthy

I AM WORTHY OF THE PAVEMENT

I AM WORTHY OF STRENGTH

I AM WORTHY OF MY DREAMS PASSIONS DESIRES

I AM WORTHY OF LOVE

I AM WORTHY OF THIS LIFE

I.AM.WORTHY.

~*~

As are you.

YOU ARE WORTHY OF YOUR DREAMS PASSIONS DESIRES

YOU ARE WORTHY OF STRENGTH

YOU ARE WORTHY OF LOVE

YOU ARE WORTHY to live a fulfilling, happy and fantastic life.

Happiness means different things to different people. Embrace your happiness, embrace those you love and love you, love yourself, be grateful for the little things. Because you are beautiful and deserving and you are worthy. Tell yourself that, out loud. Right now. "I am worthy."

Watch this awesome video:

Fill in the Blank Friday!

2011-04-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

source

1. Something that makes me a great friend is... according to my boyfriend, it's because I care as much about my friends as I do myself, and I am compassionate. :)

2. I am... a passionate and determined person. If I decided I want to pursue something, I will do everything and anything (ethical) to get there.

3. I am not... good at math. AT ALL.

4. If I had to describe myself in 3 words, they would be... passionate, caring, optimistic.

5. Something I'm really cheap about is... sunglasses and jewelry. Because I lose both ALL THE TIME. Except for one beautiful (and expensive) bracelet. Sad thing is I RARELY wear it because I know I'll lose it if I do! And when I do wear it I constantly hold/touch it so I know it's still there, haha.

6. Something I'm willing to splurge on is... food (quality, REAL food for home). Running shoes.

7. I would trade... my Sociology degree for a Food Science degree so I can become an RD. Although I am very grateful that I am graduating from college (with something).

24 Days

2011-04-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

...until I graduate college!

source

Which is why I have not been around the blogsphere much! It's all about finishing strong for me right now! (But don't worry, over the next 24 days I will pop in and out).

:D

Wish me luck!

Energy Burst!

2011-04-08T10:23:00.000-07:00

I had a lovely 23rd birthday yesterday! I had classes, went home and relaxed, and when Matt got back from his last class (5:30pm!) he took me out to dinner and ice cream. :) Since I've had a crazy week, I really wanted to have a relaxing day. :)

My day started off fantastic! I taught Pilates this morning, and since the weather is absolutely STUNNING today- I had to run outside!

And I ROCKED it! My runs have been so blah lately, my energy came back in full speed and I tackled the hills!! :)

At the moment my goal is to improve my pace per mile, I hope to stop seeing "10's" someday! (For the record: they were big hills!!) ;)

Final time- BAM.

A sweaty picture of me very happy with my time.

Now I am in dire need of a shower!

Have a beautiful day! :)

My Birthday! Yay!

2011-04-07T07:31:00.000-07:00

On this fine April day, I turn 23 years old.

Crazy.

A year can go by so fast! I am so grateful for everything I have experienced and learned. But next year... will be crazy.

I graduate college (exactly one month from today!), start a 10 month commitment to City Year (it will be intense and awesome), and gosh- who knows!

I'll post later- gotta get ready for the day!

MUD RACE

2011-04-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

Even though I will be running my second marathon on June 25th, why not sign up for two fantastical-looking races the very next month? (In fact, for the two weekends following the marathon?!)

First, on Saturday, July 9th- I will be running a 10k (6.2 miles) IN MUD.

I bring you- THE DIRTY DASH!

(Click on the picture to go to the website, which is the source of the picture.)

This will be epic in it's own way. I am so excited for a dirty finish! AND it was only $20 since I got a Groupon for it! NICE!

Doing this race seems to fulfill part of a childhood dream. Yes, completing an obstacle course full of mud was part of my childhood dreams.

And so was THE WARRIOR DASH!

Sunday, July 17th:

source

YES- that is FIRE JUMPING and MUD CRAWLING (under barbed wire), just to name two out of the many things that will take place that day.

Warrior Dash is definitely a bit more exciting than Dirty Dash- since we're not only getting dirty, but doing things like FIRE JUMPING! (Can you tell what I'm most excited for?!)

Even better- my MOM and one of my AUNTS are doing it with me! I also managed to convince a few of my other friends, and oh my gosh am I excited!!!!

While at the Dirty Dash I plan on giving it my all, the Warrior Dash will PURELY be for fun! I don't care about running or being competitive- I just want to have fun with my team!!! :D :D

I am so insanely excited for these races!!!

WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER RUNNING ONE (OR BOTH?) OF THESE RACES?
:) :) :)

Embracing Fear and CAN.

2011-04-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

Many magazines will offer articles on how to "banish fear!" or "overcome your fears!"
Because being afraid is a bad thing. We, as humans, should not live in fear. We should always be brave. ...Right?

I disagree. I believe it is important to embrace fear. We need to look fear in the face and say, "I see you, and I will not let you run my life." While we should not tip-toe through life, we are humans and we all experience fear. Sometimes it fuels us to perform better. Instead of looking at it as a disabling thing, see it as strength.

Was I afraid when I ran my first marathon? Yeah, sure. Especially at mile 7 when I experienced extreme pain in my right knee- I was freaking out! What if I had to quit? Instead of experiencing fear and continually thinking how bad it could have been, I acknowledged my fear and gave it all I got!

Oddly, I feel like I struggle more in my training than the actual race. I hit a "runners wall" so many times in training, during a race I am completely focus on the finish line.

“Most people never get there. They're afraid or unwilling to demand enough of themselves and take the easy road, the path of least resistance. But struggling and suffering, as I now saw it, were the essence of a life worth living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not constantly demanding more from yourself--expanding and learning as you go--you’re choosing a numb existence. You’re denying yourself an extraordinary trip."-Dean Karnazes

I may have posted this quote last week, but it's so inspiring and empowering. We CAN do anything we desire. Do not let anybody diminish your goals and try to stop you from following your heart and your passion. There are people that may criticize your goals, but it's important to not let their words consume you. There are many other people that will be there to support you and encourage you. There are many people that believe in you. I love working out and pushing myself farther than what I think I can do. And guess what? Our bodies can always do more than we think we can. It is our over thinking and self-critisizm that prevent us from really pushing ourselves. Our bodies are strong and powerful, they can do an extra 5 reps, 15 minutes, or few miles.
CAN'T is a poisonous word. CAN must be its replacement. Of course, if you have injuries then those need to be taken care of. :)

You are powerful, and have the ability to achieve your dreams. Go for it.

My Semi-Creepy Inspiration Board

2011-03-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

Some of you may be asking:

"What is a inspiration/vision board?"

It is when a person takes a piece of paper, poster, or bulletin board and stick pictures of things they wish and desire to have on it. It could be a poster about our dream career, ideal body & health, gaining wealth, being happy/positive, being better at yoga, having the dream car or house, anything you truly desire in life can go on the vision board!

The point is that it's something we will look at everyday, close our eyes for a minute and visualize ourselves having these things. Imagining and feeling the feelings of "already having" these things. While looking at the poster we ask ourselves: How will I feel if I have this? How will I feel once I have/use this? What will I look like while using it?

I have made many inspiration boards in my time, and I really love having them. Everyday they inspire me to work towards my goal, and I feel like they have worked! I've made them about finishing a marathon (check), losing weight (check), being healthy (check)... so now mine is themed around gaining muscle, toning, my ideal career of being a business owner, a personal trainer --> fitness expert --> being on the cover or writing for or being in an issue of SELF magazine.

I KNOW, I KNOW. One of those things is extremely ambitious.

Being a fitness expert takes a lot of work!! ;-)

Just kidding! I strongly believe in putting whatever we desire out to the universe, because why can't it happen? These things wont happen overnight, sometimes not for a very long time! The important thing is to keep believing and keep visualizing. It's important to believe in ourselves and the power we possess. The truth is, we can accomplish our goals. We can do anything! Will it be hard? YES. Will it be scary? TERRIFYING.

SO- what is creepy about my vision board? I cut out picture of the ideal body I want. Of course, all these women have faces and they are not my face. I read somewhere it would be a good idea to cut out a picture of your face and tape it over the other faces to help enhance visualization! Therefor, that is what I did:

This:

To this!!!

HA, HA, HA! I can't help but laugh when I see this! I love it, but it looks hilarious! :D :D

There are some things I plan on tweaking, but I've been meaning to make this for months, so I am really glad I finally did it!

I Am Grateful For:

My health

body

mind

Pilates

clothes

sunshine

running

friends

family

college

water

lemon

the people who pick/clean/roast coffee beans

tea

social networking

blogs

books

LOVE

-What are you grateful for?

-Would you consider making a vision board?

- (Do you already have one?)

Berry Swirl + Blue skies

2011-03-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

This week we have seen blue skies and semi-warm weather! How we've missed it.

On Wednesday Matt and I not only got our cap/tassel and gown, but we decided to splurge a bit...

Ferdinand's is Washington State University's Creamery. They make their own (AMAZING) cheese (Cougar Gold being a famous choice) and ice cream! WAY better than Cold Stone Ice Cream!

If you look at the top left of the picture, you might notice Disney's 1938 short film "Ferdinand the Bull" in picture story form! It's part of the reason for the name. Super cute. :)

We both enjoyed the best fruit flavor- Huckleberry Swirl. Very spring like, I think.

It doesn't kill you to enjoy some ice cream and cheese once in a while. Moderation!

Cheese curds might sound weird, but they're sooo good. The REAL version of string cheese!

On this very beautiful and windy morning, I'm enjoying Angela's Sunshine juice minus the Maca Powder and some hot lemon water. Starting my day off wonderfully!

Something else I've been bringing into my routine is taking Vitamin D. We live partially underground and get very little sunlight, so my parents suggested we take this! It's been about a week and I definitely notice a difference! I see it in my skin (clearer) and my mood (consistently good)!

My plan for the day: p90x, run, clean, homework, clean some more. I hope my day goes this way! :)

I think I'm going to throw in about meditation time right now, since Matt is still sleeping (he's a night owl). :)

What is your favorite thing to splurge on?

Reading is Sexy

2011-03-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

Last night I decided to take out some more spring-ish clothes. I found a few that have never fit me (WAY too small), but I always kept them around, waiting for the day to come.

It finally did!

Yes- it says "Reading is Sexy"! :)

I guess I've been losing weight without even noticing, because I've decided to ditch the scale. It does nothing but make make me feel bad., even if my accomplishments are visible. Losing inches is what matters for my body at this point. Apparently hiring a personal trainer was a good choice. Go strength training!

I'm also getting back into calorie counting. Even though I personally hate it, it is a necessary evil. For the past couple months I've been trying to focus on eating whole, REAL food. However, I lost awareness of what I was eating. Such as my carb intake (even though I consume good whole grains) went way up. Writing everything I eat down keeps me conscious of what I am putting into my body. Then I can see if I need to eat more fruit or veggies (because for me, it always comes down to those two). As Jillian Michaels says, it's all about calories in- calories out when it comes to losing (and even maintaining) weight.

Thanks to (a different) Jillian at Reshape Your Life, the book Crazy Sexy Diet has come into my life. I plan on reading the book soon, but for now I've been playing around on the website.

I lay out the fundamentals of the BEST diet and lifestyle on the planet: a low-fat, vegetarian—or better yet, vegan—program that emphasizes balancing your body’s pH and reducing inflammation by eating more lush whole foods, low-glycemic fruits, raw veggies, alkalizing green drinks and green smoothies. YUM! -Crazy Sexy Diet website

Changing our lifestyle and eating patterns to having diet based on EATING REAL FOOD is
one of the best things we can do for our body. I have already read a lot on eating real food, but she has a healthy detox plan in her book I want to try. :)

(In other good news, I picked up my cap and gown on wednesday! I can't believe I will be graduating college in 44 days!)

Early Start!

2011-03-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

This morning, at 5:40 AM, I got my butt out of bed and to the gym! I haven't done that for about a year! Even though I was really tired when my alarm went off, I thought of everything that would motivate me and popped out of bed. I am so glad!

I ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes at 6.5 mph for 22 minutes and 7.0 mph for the rest of the time with 4 extra minutes of cool down. Then I did about 20 minutes of Pilates and stretching. Yesterday I was crammed with school reading, so while I didn't run, I DID do Level 1 of Jillian Michael's "Ripped in 30 Days". I FEEEEL IT!

Tomorrow at 7:30AM I have a session with my personal trainer, so I hope I will feel ready for that!! :)

Today is a full day of classes, then Biggest Loser and (hopefully) Parenthood tonight! Woot woot! I love those shows!

What are your favorite shows?

Time Off

2011-03-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

Last week was spring break! Which is why the blog has been a bit quiet. Time really flies!
And I feel like it came at a great time. I only have 7 weeks (or 47 days including weekends) of school left- yup, the final stretch. FINISH STRONG! Is the motto right now. :)

For break I went back home to the Seattle area to visit my family a few friends. It was really soooo much fun seeing them! And what I found funny was they planned ahead for my birthday (on April 7th! 23- woot woot)!

They did such a beautiful job wrapping! Inside the boxes was a scarf, 7-year pen, a bath spa kit from The Body Shop (LOVE) a few other things for the bath, and a cute "best friends forever" keychain! Everything was very thoughtful and I love it! :) (Also, if you can see the card... a nickname of mine from them is "Mandarin", as in orange. Just because.) :)

It was nice to sleep in, do whatever I want without worrying about homework, and have some fun.

Once Matt and I got back to our apartment, I tried making dutch babies and flourless peanut butter cookies...

both were a fail. The cookies were hard and very crumbly, and the dutch baby... well, it was barely anything it was so thin! We ate them anyway, but I know better for next time. :)

Fill In The Blank Friday!

2011-03-18T09:30:00.000-07:00

source

1. The best deal I've ever gotten is ... I have no idea! Recently I saved a lot of money on my Garmin by buying on Amazon. That's all I can think of! :)

2. If I were hosting a dinner party and could invite people from my fantasy guest list it would include J.K Rowling, because that would be simply amazing. Jillian Michaels, Curtis Stone (just to cook), Ellen DeGeneres, Jason Mraz w/ Tristian Prettyman, Rhonda Byrne (wrote The Secret & The Power). Yeah, that sounds good so far. :)

3. Something that inspires me is many things. I'm inspired by random acts of kindness, witnessing love, great books, bloggers, people who have overcome obstacles, people I want to be like... so many things.

4. If I could only choose to eat one flavor of food for the rest of eternity (sweet, salty, spicy, bitter....) I would have to go with ah! This would be a hard decision. But even though I have a HUGE sweet tooth, I would get sick of it fast, so I guess salty.

5. I dream about the career and life I want.

6. My weekend will be spent working my last two shifts at one of my jobs. (So I can focus on school, yay)! Maybe doing homework... cooking. :)

7. If I could only watch one movie or TV show for the rest of my life, it would be T.V: The Biggest Loser or Ellen DeGeneres. MOVIE: I have no clue!

Just A Typical Thursday Night

2011-03-10T23:41:00.000-08:00

What a week!

Mid-terms are done! I survived!

Partly thanks to this intense/awesome breakfast this morning

(one's for Matt, I can barely eat one bowl!) Ha, ha!

For two:

2 cups oats

2 cups milk (I used soy milk)

2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

3 TBSP ground flaxseed

1 cup pecans (split between us)

1 tbsp adam's natural peanut butter (for Matt)

2 tsp raw agave nectar (for me)

Later, some lovely green monster juice, half a grapefruit, and coffee I didn't drink.

Love. <3

In the juice: lemon, half a grapefruit, celery,

a very tiny piece of ginger,green apple, and spinach.

Yummy!

Tonight I ran 4 miles, did 20 minutes of boxing and core work. Niiiiiice.

Now I'm watching "When Harry Met Sally"

(even though I should sleep since I teach Pilates at 7:45am tomorrow.)

source

What's Stopping You?

2011-03-09T10:49:00.000-08:00

"My boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife/partner wont eat that stuff!"

"I am so busy! There is just no time for that."

"I'll do that when I'm skinnier/healthier."

"WHEN I..."

"LATER"

"BUSY"

"CAN'T"

source

Excuses are just one big ugly wall stopping you from reaching your full potential.

Reaching our goals is a mental game. We are the masters at convincing ourselves whether we should do something or not.

An excuse I tell myself is: "I have so much homework to do! I have to study! I don't have time to workout!" That usually leads me down the path of grump-ville.

So, which would you rather be? Energetic, happy and proud? Or grumpy, pouty, and bummed? Ummmm, the first option sounds so much better!

What about the present moment? What are you going to do right now to make you feel happy? Because guess what? Later is bullshit- affirm positives now.

Life is not about the number sewn into the back of our jeans, it's about loving and embracing everything about ourselves. Enjoy and laugh with every day we're alive. We have a choice to make every morning when we wake up, and a choice every other moment of the day. We can either be positive or negative. Complain or express love. Self-criticize or self-love. Express gratitude or not.
WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE HOW WE FEEL AND WHAT WE DO!

source

I choose gratitude.

I choose to express love.

I choose self-love.

I choose positivity.

I choose to say "thank you" for everything.

I choose health, not a number.

I choose to be happy.

What do you choose?

Cottage Cheese: where it hasn't been before.

2011-03-07T19:42:00.000-08:00

Today didn't end up being a juicing day. That's something I have to plan a bit more for. :)

But today was certainly better than yesterday!

If you don't currently eat oatmeal for breakfast- you need to start doing so A.S.A.P!

First I threw in 1/3 cup oats, soy milk, and water.

After letting it boil a few minutes, I added low fat cottage cheese (sounds weird, but it was surprisingly FANTASTIC), ground flaxseed, pecans, 2 tsp Adam's Chunky Natural Peanut Butter, and carob chips.

How can you look at this and not run to your kitchen now??

Last night I made roasted red pepper hummus...

This is my second attempt at making hummus, and it's just not great without tahini. I'll have to get that next time I'm out. I think I'll just use what I made for sandwich spread.

My week is packed with midterms, so I forgot to go to the gym amidst all my studying. TOMORROW I WILL GO. My mood is directly connected with my workouts. If I don't workout, my mood is sub par. If I do workout- I feel like sunshine! :-)

Speaking of sunshine...

That's right...

FRESH orange/grapefruit juice straight from my juicer!

This was the most delicious part of my day, no lie.

For dinner Matt made taco salad, and I made ~~amazing~~ SUPER SALTY sweet potato chips. :(

Neither of us could eat them, so unfortunate.

But the salad was gooooood!

I've been away from my study notes long enough!

When the Going Gets Tough

2011-03-07T08:59:00.000-08:00

Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
June 26, 2010
Finishing my first Marathon.
My actual time was under 6 hours. :)

“Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” - Lance Armstrong

My Dad's old boss knew an ultramarathoner who ran the first 54 miles of a 56-mile race and then took four hours to crawl on his hands and knees for the last two miles just to be able to say he completed the event.

Even during my worst race, I knew I would never, ever quit. If I ever had to get to the point of crawling, I know I would. Quitting is something I would never forgive myself for. Yet, I do that with food all the time.

"If you can't run, then walk. And if you can't walk, then crawl. Do what you have to do. Just keep moving forward and never, ever give up."

-Dean Karnazes

No joke, more than 50% of what I ate yesterday consisted of carbs (according to my calorie counter on livestrong.com)! I am addicted!

Today may be a juicing day. :)

source

“Most people never get there. They're afraid or unwilling to demand enough of themselves and take the easy road, the path of least resistance. But struggling and suffering, as I now saw it, were the essence of a life worth living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not constantly demanding more from yourself--expanding and learning as you go--you’re choosing a numb existence. You’re denying yourself an extraordinary trip. -Dean karnazes

<-- I especially love this quote. It can be about anything. Races, our bodies, or food. For me, there are days when I fall back drastically. But here I am being hard on myself again. I had one bad day. One. Well, today is a great day. A FANTASTIC DAY.

source
I am grateful for...

being able to choose what I eat.

a strong body.

lemons.

water.

veggies.

oatmeal.

fruit.

blogs.

my fantastic boyfriend.

my family.

my FrIeNdS <3

spring + sunshine.

running shoes.

technology.

my education.

As a running buddy once said to me: Life is a not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: "WOW!! What a ride!" -Dean Karnazes

Today will be another day of project making and studying. While I am grateful for my education, I graduate in 61 days, 1 hour and 7 minutes.
(Approximately) ;-)

Can you see why I'm anxious to be done? Ha, ha! :)

What are you grateful for today?
How will you make your Monday fantastic?

"For those of you who do make it, you will cross that finish line as a different person. You will be forever changed by the experience. You will learn more about yourself in the next day than you have previously known in an entire lifetime." - Dean Karnazes

Blueberry Bliss

2011-03-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

My taste buds are dancing joyously!

I stumbled upon this Blueberry Banana Oat Cake recipe via Love Veggies and Yoga.

It will change your life.

Blueberry Banana Oat Cake
adapted from Love Veggies and Yoga

Ingredients

* 1 banana (mashed)
* 1/2 cup dry oats
* 1 tbsp brown sugar (can add, substitute, or omit)
* 2 tsp cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp nutmeg (sub or omit)
*1/2 tbsp ground flaxseed (optional)
* 1/4 blueberries (frozen or fresh. can also sub with a different fruit! Raspberries would be so good!)

Topping options: unsweetened coconut, natural nut butter, chia seeds, raisins, carob or dark chocolate chips, yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, more fruit, jelly/jam, marmalade... so many options!! :)

Directions

Mash the banana in a microwavable bowl. Add all but the blueberries, mix, then gently fold in berries. Microwave for about 4 minutes. We want our oat cakes to be firm, not "doughy". Then add toppings if desired and enjoy!

I had awesome Moroccan Mint tea on the side.

Of course my camera died at this point, which left a pretty sad pic of my cooked product:

Even though I ran a half marathon yesterday, I still had to teach Pilates this morning!

taken before class. I swear I teach people! Ha, ha.

Matt grabbed this Odwalla bar for me while we were shopping! The ingredients are fantastic: brown rice syrup, organic rolled oats, semisweet chocolate chips, oat bran, organic oat flour... pretty dang good for the first few ingredients!! (The rest was stuff like: date puree, raisin puree... eh, good enough.) I'm impressed, Odwalla! But I can make these myself, so I will get to that sometime this week. :)

Today is all about schoolwork, unfortunately. So I'll be marching my butt to a local coffee shop and put my nose to the books!

What are you up to on this fine Sunday?

Snake River Half-Marathon Recap

2011-03-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

Let me list the reason why I knew today wouldn't be my best HM:

-I've been sick all well (still have a cold)

-Since I've been sick, I haven't ran all week. I worked out twice (with my personal trainer and pilates).

- I was still sore from my two workouts this week (which makes me tire quickly).

- In the middle of my run, I realized I should have eaten more of my fueling oatmeal, or stuck to what I usually eat before a race. (Whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and a banana).

What I did instead was I cooked my oatmeal in whipped banana and 2 tbsp peanut butter. I didn't eat the whole bowl, only about a 1/4 of it aaaaaaaand well, I should of had more. On top of that I only ate half a banana before the race, didn't drink enough water, and didn't pre-test my mid-race fuel (1/4 cup brown rice syrup with 1 tsp agave nector). With all the new things I was testing for the first time, something had to go astray.

What I had with me:

Banana, homemade mid-race fuel, spibelt, chapstick, toilet paper (for my nose), powerade, hat (didn't wear), FOCUS sweat-preventing headband.

The weather conditions were great! Mostly clear, blue skies, mid-to-high 40's, and there was a dusting of rain during the race, which was a nice cool-down.

Isn't Snake River beautiful?

It's called WaWaWaii landing, this is where WSU's rowers come to, well, ROW.

The course was ENTIRELY FLAT. Matt & I ran this race last year, and it was oddly challenging! Running a flat course with the same view can be kinda boring, making it easy to lose pace!

A GUY REGISTERED HIS DOG FOR THE RACE!!!! Isn't that completely adorable?????

With his own number and timing chip! HA HA HA! :)

Even though this is my lucky headband, I am well aware of how strange my head looks. :)

So, this was the first time I used my Garmin. I love how easy it is to use! And I was very surprised to see what my usual pace is! Which is between 8:37 and 9:35 minute miles!

Here is a list of my AVERAGE pace per mile... let me remind you this is my WORST TIME EVERRRR!!!

Mile 1: 8:37

Mile 2: 9:33

Mile 3: 9:48

Mile 4: 11:35 (knee started to hurt)

Mile 5: 9:49

Mile 6: 10:06

Mile 7: 11:04

(My legs began to feel MISERABLE! Thanks to lack of running this week!)

Mile 8: 10:38

Mile 9: 10:46

Mile 10: 12:54

Mile 11: 12:12

Mile 12: 13.11 :-(

Mile 13: 11:42

.1 miles: blink of an eye.

I love knowing my average pace. There were so many things that went wrong with me during this race... I hated seeing my total time of 2:23:17! I finished my first half marathon at 2:13:16! On the flip side, I didn't give up- I finished! I tend to be very hard on myself, and I need to work on giving myself more credit. Maybe I didn't beat my personal record of 2 hours exactly, but I did it. I just need to work really hard to be successful for my upcoming marathon June 25th! :)

a bad pic of my total time. sorry!

What's a goal you are working on accomplishing? :)

Gotta love whipped banana

2011-03-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

What a GORGEOUS morning!

I used a stability ball for Pilates this morning! I love doing core work with those!

My pre-pilates breakfast was a small bowl of cheerios with plain non-fat greek yogurt (about 1/2 cup total).

My REAL breakfast was incredible.

I used a cup of whipped banana (peel bananas, rip into small chunks then place in a small bowl and into the freezer. Let them freeze, then put banana slices in a food processor or good blender and blend for a mintute or two until you get a pudding/ice cream consistency... SO GREAT for dessert or oatmeal!), 2TBS milk and let those warm up, then added a cup of oatmeal and topped with pecans, raisins and cocoa powder!

With a side of earl gray tea. <3

From now on, my Friday will consist of work and homework (due at midnight, so it must be done tonight. Shame on me and my poor planning this week)!

What are you doing tonight?

(Wish me luck!)

-Stacy

Fill In The Blank Friday!

2011-03-04T06:40:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of: thelittlethingswedo

1. The phrase or punctuation I overuse most is commas. I am definitely a comma happy person. As for a phrase? ... Not sure- you tell me, ha, ha!

2. Today I am thankful for Pilates (I'm about to go teach), running, cough syrup, cozy/warm blankets, tea, oatmeal. :)

3. My best friend is my boyfriend and quite a few of my lovely lady friends at home. I love them all!

4. A quirky thing about me is I can be indecisive about very silly things. (Should I roast the brussels sprouts now or later? Ahhh I don't know!)

5. This weekend I _am working, running my 5th (or 6th?) Half-Marathon, grocery shopping, teaching Pilates, studying, sleeping.

6. Something that worries me is a few things, but I'm working on calming down and being worry-free.

7. On my night stand you would find many books for school, paper, lotion, a beautiful wood box my boyfriend (Matt) made me for Christmas a year ago (filled with jewelry).

Have a fantastic weekend! If you want to participate in Fill in the Blank Friday, go to thelittlethingswedo.blogspot.com enter your blog address and have fun!

<3 Stacy

Oatmeal + Strawberries = Happiness

2011-03-03T19:54:00.000-08:00

My friend Lauren knitted/crocheted this headband! Isn't it ADORABLE?!

It may be a strange-ish photo, but I love it!

Breakfast this AM was the usual coffee + oatmeal with whipped banana, applesauce, strawberries and peanut butter!

Hello Oatmeal: I love and need you.

This week I have been feeling quite under the weather, so I haven't been able to run! >.< My half marathon this Saturday will be quite interesting! Obviously time will not be my priority like I was hoping! All well, yesterday I had my first session with my personal trainer! (Sessions are EXTREMELY cheap at my universities recreation center, so I figured why not?!)

I AM SO SORE! But I am very happy with that.

SOOO I will be running with this beautiful new Garmin!

For those who don't know, it's a runners GPS system. It tracks my exact milage, pace per mile, heart rate and calories burned! I am STOKED to use it! :)

And I bought another baby:

I thought about this decision for MONTHS, and decided it had to be done. My other laptop was barely working anymore. So I took a deep breath and bought it! What a fantastic decision.

(Like my teddy bears in the background? Matt (my bf), gave them to me on Valentine's day! An adorable surprise!)

Goal for the month: only buy groceries! Ha, ha.

Snow-Crazy

2011-03-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

It snowed about a foot last night.

This is a pic I took right outside my door:

My bike BURIED.

The snow up to my knee:

My car, buried tire high!!

My neighbors car is in worse condition (up to the mirror!!!!!!):

I have never, EVER seen snow this crazy.

I am very grateful for snow boots.

Fill in the Blank Friday!

2011-02-25T19:25:00.000-08:00

I saw this over at Lauren's blog, the little things we do, and I thought I would give it a shot! Seems fun!

1. I am currently obsessed with reading blogs, especially if they're about vegan cooking! Which leads to my second obsession: veganism. I'm not vegan, but I have been making & baking some vegan dishes and so far so delicious! One day/week I'm going to attempt a 'Be a Vegan for a Day/Week' challenge!

2. Today I am blah because, I am sick! Boo! It's also snowing like mad here, and I'm not a fan of snow. At all. All well, Pullman looks like a big, pretty snow globe!

3. The age I am is 22 and the age I feel is JUST OLD. My back hurts. My head hurts. Everything makes me tired. I think I'm going to take a nice, hot bath. Yay!

4. My favorite place is my apartment with my fantastic boyfriend. It's cozy, warm most of the time, and OUR place.

5. Something I have been procrastinating is homework, studying, cleaning out my desk/corner, transferring all of my music onto my external hard drive (my new computer will be here any day now!), and many things. Oh, and trying to make a nice header for my blog. I have no idea what to do with it. Ha, ha.

6. The last thing I purchased was probably groceries.

7. The thing I love most about my home is sharing it with my love. And I'm simply grateful to have a roof over my head!

Happy Taste Buds

2011-02-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

From last week: Pumpkin oatmeal with whipped banana, carob chips, raisins, and walnuts

This morning was that minus pumpkin& banana + maple syrup. YUMMMMY!

I love oatmeal SO much. It's an extremely healthy breakfast that fills me up for hours.

<3

School has been a little crazy! Lots of work to do, but I'm doing my best and staying positive! I only have 20 more classes to attend, and 74 more days of this (including weekends, days I don't have class, and spring break). To keep me happy I bought some daffodils:

Unfortunately they died by the window because it was too cold. :( They were happy for a little while! Ha, ha. :)

My marathon training has been going well! I've been running 6 days a week pretty consistently. Sometimes I'll take an extra day off if that is what my body is telling me! I want my body to stay happy and healthy!

Source: Google Images

I also FINALLY got my Garmin Forerunner 305 in the mail! Now I have to wait for my new MacBook Pro to arrive so I can download the CD onto my new laptop... makes sense, right? :) :) I'm so excited to use both my new things! If you're wondering, the garmin is a GPS for runners. It tracks exactly how many miles I ran, my PACE PER MILE, and my heart rate/calories burned. IT WILL BE SO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<3

Also, pardon the plain-looking blog. I'm trying to figure out how to make it look better... which is proving difficult, since I'm not "website-decor" savvy.

Today I am grateful for...

cozy, warm beds

tea

oatmeal

maple syrup!

Matt <3

my health

the Garmin!

MAC!

abundance

life

love

joy

What are you grateful for? Where are you experiencing joy?

2011-02-17T08:05:00.000-08:00

Today I feel:

Amazing

Alive

Well-rested

Successful

Happy

Loving

Grateful

Present

Focused

How do you feel?

Passion

2011-02-16T19:12:00.000-08:00

Who and what do I want to be? What is my life plan? What job would fit me best?

What is my passion?

What I do know is that my major (Sociology) isn't my passion. Neither was my first choice major (Communication).

It's so funny how sure people can be sometimes. I planned on being a Communication major since I was 15 years old. Which focus always changed (Director? Radio personality? Producer? Organizational? Journalism? Intercultural?)... but I was so sure of myself. Then tables turn and here I am, a Soc major and Com minor. Do I care about either? Not really. Darn it.

If I were to move back in time to August 2009, right before I started at WSU- what would I have done differently?

I would have listened to the flutter in my heart, the thing that was trying to tell me what I truly wanted. I heard it, I saw it, I talked about it... then I dismissed it. I wanted, in my heart of hearts, to go into Exercise Physiology and Metabolism (which is in the College of Pharmacy. Holy cow.)

My super-ego (the thing in our minds that tells us what we can't do) told me I wasn't smart enough for that, I barely passed math and science in school- what makes me think I can do it now? The College of Pharmacy? No way! Plus, I would have had to go to the Spokane extension of WSU, and I wouldn't have met Matt if I did that! :( Everything happens for a reason. Plus, the important things is just getting a degree. I am so grateful to earn one.

Luckily, I have a job right after college. Since it's just a 10 month program, what on earth should I do after it?

I heard of an online school called The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where they teach you how to be a Health Coach! It's a world famous school with a one year online program! Who knows what will change after a year, but if being a Health Coach and Personal Trainer is still my passion, then I will go for it. Then I will go back to community college and certify in personal training. Maaaaaybe even go to cooking school. We'll see. :)

Tea + Sunshine

2011-01-31T08:30:00.001-08:00

It's nice to wake up and feel completely in control of the day.

This is the first day in a few weeks when I didn't have anything scheduled and set in stone.

Sure, studying is something I have to do today, but I like my classes, so I don't mind.

Today I make my own plan. Run soon, or later. Soon. Coffee, or change it up and choose tea? Tea. Actually write a blog after ___ weeks? Write.

I'll admit something to you.

For a while I lost myself to negativity and self hatred. I gained 8 pounds and fell into the nasty cycle of hateful thoughts- looking in the mirror with disgust. Since I did not sign up for another race after my marathon, mostly because I hurt my knee and I was exhausted from training (it's a huge commitment)... but since I didn't have a race to look forward to, I didn't see the importance of going to the gym. Motivating myself to go "just because" I wanted to lose inches and tone up wasn't enough.

Last semester also took a large toll on me. It was extremely stressful, and I wasn't working out (which is my stress relief), so I placed myself in this rough spot. Let myself soak in misery.

This is my last semester in college. I want to feel like my happy, bubbly self again. So, I signed up for another Half Marathon set for March 5th, and I signed up (again) for the Seattle Rock 'N' Roll Marathon on June 25th.

Ever since, I have felt rejuvenated, free, blissful, care-free, happy and in love with myself.

I have been running, cycling, teaching Pilates, boxing and strength training regularly again.

Of course, breaking the habit of negative self-talk is very hard for me. I am realizing more and more how very hard I am on myself. I am also an emotional eater, which I have known since I was 10 years old, so I need to get a firmer grasp on that.

Here are some affirmations I want to make:

Before I eat, I will take a breath & ask myself two questions:

Am I hungry?

(Is my stomach growling? Am I tired or weak? Has it been longer than 3 or 4 hours?)

Am I depressed/anxious/bored?

(Get in touch with emotions.)

I am committed to training for my races.

I am a strong, confident, beautiful, passionate and powerful woman.

I see the beauty in everything.

I focus on happy thoughts and feelings.

I live in the present moment, and embrace everything with love, openness and bravery.

I eat real food.

I take time to prepare snacks for the day.

I love.

Many times over the past few weeks, I've sat down and tried to write a blog. I have a few in draft, but they did not feel genuine. It didn't feel right to post. So I took a break, and I hope to begin blogging more frequently because writing makes me happy. However, I will not pressure myself. If I feel like I have something to write, I will. :)

With love,

Laughter-Loving Stacy

Better Late Than Never!

2011-01-04T19:28:00.000-08:00

December 31 – Core Story.

What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world? (Bonus: Consider your reflections from this month. Look through them to discover a thread you may not have noticed until today.)

Well, I've already written out My Story.

Looking over my reflections I've seen some topic trends. Which all, of course, have to do with the topics in the name of my blog. Love. Discovery. Gratitude. I love my friends, family, and boyfriend. Through my marathon and other endeavors, I have discovered much about myself. I have also done my best to express gratitude.

However, the last 5 months of school wrung me out and I was left completely exhausted. Emotionally as well as physically. I didn't have much time to care about myself, leaving workouts to a minimum (mainly just training to become a Pilates instructor only at my university's recreation center), and no meditation at all. I seemed to always be in a slump, a bad mood, or sick. The life was drained out of me.

I desperately need this 3 week winter break. A week with my family and friends, a week with his, and a week together. I feel rejuvenated and alive again. We are back on track with healthier eating habits, and dedicate time to the gym. Let me tell you, my body hasn't been this sore for months- and I LOVE it! :) One thing is for sure- for my mental health, I cannot stop working out ever again.

A good workout = a happy Stacy!

Goals for 2011:

Slim down and tone up

Love myself everyday

Be grateful everyday

Show love everyday

Graduate College (in May)!

Move to Seattle

Be optimistic & open-minded

Feel courage instead of fear

Feel secure instead of worried

Run another half marathon

Run another marathon

Love, love, LOVE

What are your 2011 goals/resolutions?

Reverbin'

2010-12-29T22:48:00.000-08:00

source

December 30 – Gift.
This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable.
What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?

I am grateful for everything I receive. I am surrounded by extremely thoughtful people whom always give wonderful and useful gifts. There is not one from this year that stands out. Everything is absolutely brilliant. :)

December 29 – Defining Moment.
Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year.

Well, the only thing I can think of is my marathon. I trained a year for that race, and all my long runs (over 15 miles) were intense emotional struggles. Especially when I ran 20 miles two weeks before race day. I cried most of the time. Yelled. Walked. Kicked flowers. I was a mess. But I ran/jogged 17 out of the 20 miles, so I was proud with that.

I think that was my wall. When I ran my actually marathon, I never hit "a wall". I injured my knee, and that sucked, but I dealt with it and at least jogged the entire time. I only took two 3 minute walk breaks and one 30 second bathroom break.

source

December 28 – Achieve.
What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today.

I want to be at my ideal weight. I want to look toned and trim. The day I stand on the scale and see that I am between 140 and 145 pounds, looking strong and lean, I will be laughing and crying. Feeling complete and total joy, pride, self-love and accomplishment. I will feel rich and worthy. I will feel on top of the world, and nothing can bring me down. I will run to the nearest clothing store and try on a size 6 or -- GASP -- could a 4 be even possible?! I will try on shirts that are sizes small and medium with the sort of material that clings to every curve I have- and I will love every single inch of me. Bathing suits is another section I will surely visit. Bikini's?! Heck yes, BABY! I'm there! New lingerie? Uh, YEAH. That will be one of the best days of my life (so far).

10 Things I Can Do To Experience That Feeling Today:

1. Run at least 10 miles.

2. Have a really intense workout.

3. The above two accompanied by eating flawlessly.

4. Eating exactly what I should be eating.

5. Meditate.

6. Read one of two books my Matthew and Terces Englehart.

7. Run a half marathon or marathon.

8. Tell myself everyday, "I am beautiful. I am worthy. I am smart. I am successful."

9. Catch myself when I say a negative thing about others or myself, and correct it with something positive.

10. Express gratitude all the time.

source

December 27 – Ordinary Joy.

Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year?

Every time he says "I love you." Especially when he unexpectedly touches his hand to my chin, turns my head to look at him in the eyes, and says it with all the love in his being dripping off every word. :)

December 26 – Soul Food.

What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth and touched your soul?

I think every time I cook homemade chili adapted from Jenna's Homestyle Turkey Chili, it's different every time. But you cant go wrong with it, either. It's sooooo dang good. I make sure I am always in the moment to enjoy all the flavors and textures of the chili. Hearty, all the flavors of the various vegetables, like peppers and onions, the turkey and wine or beer and the kidney beans. Always AMAZING. :D

December 25 – Photo.

A present to yourself! Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.

I know I show this photo a lot, but this is definitely the photo that best captures me. Passionate, determined, ambitious. I strive to stay successful in my fitness endeavors, follow my heart, and be proud of all my accomplishments- no matter how big or small.

This was taken in Seattle, WA by a professional photographer at the event. I believe this photo shows one of the most proud moments of my life. I trained a year for this marathon, and even though I injured my knee I did not give up. I kept going and finished! :)