I have a problem...

Whenever my husband goes out of town I decorate the house.

Its like a horrible, bad, addictive, habit.

I am not sure what comes over me.

He leaves me and I am all..

"I must hang something on the walls!"

Seriously.

He is not surprised when he comes home to something new up.

He usually complains when I hang anything so maybe I do it while hes gone as a way of not having to hear him complain for a few days?

Im not really sure...

Either way...

He has been gone all week and I have been busy!

New chalkboard for the mudroom!  I freaking LOVE it! 

Oh and it was FREE!   I used chalkboard paint that I have had for probably 2 years sitting around on top of an old picture and frame that was just sitting in the basement... I was worried about the paint on top of the slick "glass" but a few coats and its good to go! 

Ok, I had Monday off and finally went SHOPPING all alone. It was fabulous!  I hit up ROSS, which might be my new go to place for little house items!  Seriously.... I got this for $4.99!   Our laundry room has absolutely nothing in it right now besides laundry and the washing machines, but this little diddy makes it a happier place. .... and explains why there is laundry sitting around! 

Monday I also won big with finding this table/cabinet thingy at Goodwill for $25!!!!  The handles were originally gold but I quickly spray painted them silver and bam!  LOVING it! 

 I originally contemplated painting it a light blue... but changed my mind for a dark blue... just not sure when I will get around to doing it.  Untill then, loving the current state too! 

The Love sign is new too... also a ROSS find for $4.99! Needed a little V-day decor.

And I had to get this one too... its sitting in the window sill in the family room now.  $5.99... not sure why it was an extra dollar... but whatever. 

These are pateeks (I have NO idea how to spell that word) that my mom did.  She does them with her class (she's an art teacher) as examples and gave them to me.  I have had them for months but just have never hung them up... 

They are in Leah's room... hung up with the scotch tap thingys so no holes in the walls. Brian will be happy there... Leah loves them but wants them over her bed... mostly she so can touch them.  I know better than that! 

Last by not least... more picture frames!  These frames were $4.99 a piece at ROSS.  

They fit 5x7s with the mats.  I love the look of mats.   Now I just need to print off some more pictures.... 

So total house projects... $61.00

Brian wont complain when he comes home tonight right!?! 

Work Out Gear Link Up

Melanie & Laura are doing a work out attire link up today and I am pretty excited!


I was just doing some shopping for some new gear yesterday and didnt find anything I liked so I am excited to get some new ideas....

I have some great pieces already...

Like an older version of this Nike Running Jacket.

This thing keeps you WARM!

It has great pockets too.

I found it on clearance for $20 dollars!

It was a major deal!

But sadly... its pretty big on my now.

Its a size XL!

And I am fitting into alot of Mediums now...

So since its not as tight fitting, its gets airy and does not keep me as warm....

My brother and Sister n law bought me these awesome Livestrong gloves for Christmas.

They are pretty light weight but really do keep me warm.

And they do not make me all hot and want to rip them off after 15 minutes...

As for shirts I typically wear one of my 2 nike thermals...

As for pants...

This is where I desperately am needing new ideas....

I have a couple pair of under armor running compression pants and then a few other pants I sometimes run in that are not compression.

As I am shrinking, I am needing smaller pants bc what I have keeps falling down for the first 20  minutes until I start sweating enough that they just stick to my body...

Or that they are too lose and not so compression-ie anymore.

I have this weird problem...

Since I was 12 or 13... my inside of my right leg goes NUMB!

It does it pretty much when I go from being warm, to being cold all of a sudden, and moving... aka working out.

And it goes numb to a point where I seriously cannot feel my knee bending.

I just have to keep trusting that my legs are doing what they usually do and are moving correctly!

It used to happen ALL THE TIME in soccer. I would be nice and warm in the car and then have to get outside in the cold and play...

My mom took me to the doctor for it...

He said without doing lots of tests.... his guess was it was either nerve damage or blood flow issues.

Then I started hearing all about "compression" and how it is supposed to help with blood flow...

And then I started noticing that I do not really have the problem when I am wearing my full length compression pants!

Compression capris... do not help.

They do not cover my calf area which also goes numb...

So... I will be spending the rest of my cold weather running days in running compression tights!

So... which do you suggest!?

Body After Baby: Half Marathon Training Week 1

Before we get to the running...

The other day I was in my purple tank top and blank pants...

And down another 12-13 lbs from the last time I compared so I thought it would be fun to compare some more...

1 to 2 = 27 lb difference. 2 to 3 = 12ish lb difference

HOLY COW! 

Thats 40 lbs! 

I think I am starting to look buffer! 

Well that was fun.... 

...

This week marked Official Week 1 of half marathon training. 

Day 1 - 4 miles

It was on the treadmill at work...

It was boring... 

But kept a 9 minute pace. 

Day 2 - 4 miles

Again, treadmill at work...

(OMG I went to the office 2 days in a row!)

I just wanted to get it over with so I actually ended the run at a 7:30 pace!

It kind of felt awesome!

And then I went to boot camp class immediately following it...

And I was spent.

Day 3 -  5 miles

Finally got back outside and had a great, relaxing run. 

Day 4 -  Rest

And I did.. 

But I still went to boot camp. 

Day 5 - 3 miles

I really tried to keep it at a nice and easy pace but with it only being 3 miles I booked it back home. 

Day 6 - 6 miles

I dropped the girls off at my in laws house and ran around their area. 

It was beautiful out! 

I ran thru the shopping center and then thru some super nice neighborhoods... 

A bit hilly, but I need that. 

I had a pain in my side most of the run but kept a pretty good pace. 

Day 7 - 4 miles

Yeah... that doesn't say 4 miles. 

The night before my running group had a night out. 

Momma was out on the town for the first time in FOREVER. 

I woke up a little hung over and wasnt even sure if I would run at all. 

But Brian was about to head out of town. 

I was in a pretty crappy mood because I was tired and Brian was leaving so I needed to go run to clear my head before he left. 

I immediately had a horrible side cramp. 

Maybe it was because all I had eaten before was coffee, oatmeal, cadburry creme egg, and marshmallows. 

I had to end it early... 

Yes, I was bummed... 

But the plan says to adjust as needed... 

And Sunday it was needed! 

Im nervous about the training plan I choose and beginning to feel like it might be too much.

I really like the schedule of the long runs, but the weekly runs are ALOT.

I currently cannot decide if I want to find a new plan all together  or just scale back some of the weekly runs.

I just ran 24.6 miles in week 1...

I do not want to get burnt out.

Weekly roundup: 3 of 52

Monday 1/14

I usually have leftovers for lunch but today was a hodge podge of food... 

Afterwork I dropped of my car at the shop and picked up my new rental... After driving a van & cross over being in a car seems WEIRD! 

Oh you're wondering what was wrong with my car?! ... A few days after Christmas Brian's cousin stayed the night on their way home from his parents. 5 minutes after they arrived I realized I did not have enough pasta sauce and needed to run to get more... and backed out of the garage into Lukes car!  Hate those idiot moments!  .... and let me add... Brian never told me Luke and his wife were coming over or even staying the night! Luke called me 2 hours before they arrived only because Brian did not answer the phone and he wanted to get a hold of someone... Boys and their lack of communication!

Brian does consulting work for a local gourmet popcorn company called Poptions.   Whenever he visits he brings home free bags of the yummy goodness!  This stuff is the devil... You cannot stop eating it!  Luckily Brian does not visit them too frequently or I would be 800 lbs! They often have groupons... BUY IT! Seriously, so good! 

Tuesday: 1/15

Brian had a work happy hour (he was the man of honor for being promoted to Manager!) and wouldnt be home for dinner.... I of course called my parents and told them I was bringing the girls over for dinner.  I then had to check out my sisters closet... sadly she took most things with her back to college but I snagged these items. ... can you tell I am a bit taller than my baby sis?

Wednesday 1/16:

Emily finally "discovered" her feet. She loves to hold her feet right now.  I admit its my favorite baby position.       She does not put them in her mouth though. Leah never did it either... 

Thursday: 1/17

Morning playtime before school... 

Friday: 1/18

Picked up our first Produce Basket from the local Co-Op program. 

The only mail received Friday... My brother and sister n law bought me a subscription for Christmas.  Its a great gift since I never would have bought it for myself. Reading definitely gets you motivated. 

Saturday: 1/19

Most weekends Leah refuses a nap... her bean bag chair must be too comfy though because we found her passed out around 4:15pm. ... she did it again the next day! ... oh and the blue around her mouth in this picture is from drinking koolaid. We made it for the first time with Leah with the old fashion quarter powder packet, cup of sugar and water... Leah was AMAZED!  She thinks its total magic! 

The Co-Op gave us 2 egg plants. I made Eggplant Parmesan for the first time using THIS martha stewart recipe.  It was SUPER easy! 

And delicious  Like seriously, I was impressed!  I honestly have never eaten eggplant so I had no idea what to expect! I was really hoping it was semi-edible and we wouldn't be putting in a urgent call to Dominos...  Brian was a little hesitant to take a bite. He kept asking what it was and asking where the meat was... but he ate it all and did not complain at all! I definitely think I will make it again... I am even anxious to go out and order it at a restaurant so I know how it really is supposed to taste! 

Sunday: 1/21

The Co-Op yumminess can be seen again with my lunch.  Mixed leafy greens(Co-Op), blue cheese, sliced almonds, cranberries & raspberry pecan salad dressing... with the most amazing grape tomatoes(Co-Op) I have ever eaten! Im pretty sure this will be my lunch for the rest of the week... 

Wordless Wednesday

Emily loves baths now that she can sit in the big tub alone.

... She also always must have a toy in her mouth.

House Tour Part 3

No, you did not miss part 2.

I am just going a little out of order.

You can catch the before photos of Part 3's House Tour here.

The most changes to the house can definitely be seen in the upstairs of the house.

The Loft from the top of the stairs...

The pictures above the couch were originally wine pictures. They did not fit in anywhere in this house so I painted over them and used a stencil... I dont LOVE them, but its something.  Someday I will do lots of fun things up here... 

Emily's room...

During the original post this room was just a jumbled mess of stuff... Now its a working nursery. 

The fact that the curtains are all goofy in this picture drives me crazy... 

Leaving Emily's room...

 Leah's Room.

Previously we were transitioning Leah into a big girl bed and she was sleeping on just a mattress on the floor.  She now has a real bed! ... but she still will fall out of it occasionally. I usually hear the thud, run up the stairs, and she is sitting half asleep on the floor, not really sure what happened.

I hung some of Leah's art work... art work I had to purchase back from a benefit... The mirror is also a mirror that Brian has hanging over his fireplace in the old house when he was living as a bachelor. I spray painted it purple and love it now! 

This bookshelf is also a shelf I painted white and modge podged some scrapbook paper to the background. 

Another loft picture... the stars were originally brown but I spray painted a blue color.... have you noticed a trend? I love to repaint anything... 

The Guest Bedroom...

aka the room Leah moves to in the middle of the night if she wets the bed.... that is after we change clothes. I hate making beds as it is.  There is no way I am doing it in the middle of the night! 

Not much changed here except we removed the table & chair that headed downstairs.  ... and the addition of the dressed. 

More loft pictures... 

Of course I still have more I want to do up here... its all a beige blob... but its better than before.  Hopefully we can do a few more things this year.