Weekend With Dad

This past weekend my dad came to visit me while Dave was up in Boston for what I like to call a "Nerd Convention."  I assumed work would have slowed down a little bit after the 3/15 deadline so I thought this would be the perfect weekend for my dad to visit, but that was not the case.  This busy season has been crazy and it's just going to get crazier; I haven't even done my own taxes!  I cannot wait for a nice celebration on April 16th, which just happens to be my birthday...what a glorious day it will be!

Luckily my boss let me work from home this past weekend so I could spend time with my dad.  We enjoyed a nice dinner out on Friday night, worked out together on Saturday (I did 13.1 miles...getting ready for April 28th), did some errands and relaxed.  It was nice not to having a schedule and to just being able to hang out together and get some things done that I hadn't been able to do during the week.  That night we decided to make homemade pasta.  I thought my dad would enjoy it since he really enjoys to cook.  We had a great time making dinner together and enjoyed a relaxing night in.

Dad with the dough 

Kneading the dough 

Dough! 

The trusty Kitchen Aid  

And the fun starts! 

Getting the hang of it!

Our delicious dinner! 

Sunday consisted of church, kickboxing, work and errands.  The weekend went by so fast - I really enjoyed having some one on one time with my dad.  I'm looking forward to when he and my mom come up at the end of April for my race.  And of course I couldn't wait to pick up my handsome nerd at the airport on Sunday night!  ;)

Pretty tulips for our apartment!  I'm SO ready for Spring!

Thanks dad for such a wonderful weekend!  You are welcomed here anytime!

The Big 3-0

Let me preface this blog post by saying that I'm not here to brag, but to inspire my readers to go after their goals and also to show you that hard work and persistence really does pay off! It also doesn't hurt to have a great support system! :)

As a lot of my family and friends know, I've been working really hard since the beginning of March to lose some weight.  I wasn't feeling good about myself and wanted to do something about it and boost my self-confidence. 

I decided to join Weight Watchers and I couldn't be happier with the program.  By measuring my food,  keeping track of everything I ate and getting back into running, I noticed the pounds just melt-away each week.  It was the greatest feeling in the world to see my hard work really pay off!

I started this in the middle of tax season, which took a lot of willpower since our firm often buys us lunch and has numerous snacks that are available in the kitchen at all times.  I stuck to my plan and with the help of Dave, a lot of willpower and hard work, I can happily say that as of today, I have lost 30 pounds since I started the program back in March.  I am so much happier with my appearance and feel great!  The only problem is that none of my clothes fit me! :)  I'm slowly adding items to my wardrobe and getting a few key pieces tailored. 

I am so thankful for Dave who has been there every step of the way and for my parents who have been there to give me encouragement along the way.  I'm so happy with the results and will continue living this healthy lifestyle.  A big thank you to everyone who has supported me along they way!  I hope this inspires you to go after your goals!

Awesome running watch Dave just bought me b/c I reached my goal!!

Easter Weekend

I had such a wonderful Easter weekend!  Dave was out of town from Thursday night until Sunday morning so I took full advantage by doing some girly things!  Friday after work I decided to stop by the salon for a mani/pedi! I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute to it.  That night I caught up on my DVR and made some Easter chocolate bark for Dave!  It turned out pretty and Dave seemed to like it.  I will never know since I absolutely DESPISE white chocolate! ;)

Homemade Chocolate Bark

Saturday was spent at the office (of course!).  After work I decided to stop by the Leesburg Outlets since I hadn't been there in almost 4 years!  I stopped by Kate Spade and picked up the cutest dress (hoping to wear it on my birthday next week!) and a couple cute tops!  After Kate Spade I went to Vineyard Vines to pick Dave up a few things to put in his Easter basket.  I figured I had done enough damage with just those 2 stores, so I headed home.  After a nice run outside, I was in for the night.  I spent the evening putting together Dave's Easter basket, hiding eggs for him and watching "Foot Loose".  It was a wonderful, relaxing evening...just what I like!

Dave's Easter basket

Hiding Easter Eggs :)

Dave came home Sunday morning and I gave him his Easter basket and he did his Easter egg hunt! :)  We decided to head to Barrel Oak Winery (a favorite of ours) for a fun afternoon in the sun!  We each got a nice glass of white wine, shared an assortment of cheeses, meats, strawberry preserves and bread!  We relaxed and read...the perfect afternoon.  That night I went for a run and we actually ordered in for dinner.  We were planning on cooking a nice meal, but since we both were so exhausted from the week, our afternoon nap ran a little longer than planned!  Even though we didn't have a fancy Easter dinner, sharing a wonderful day with each other made for a perfect Easter!

Afternoon at the winery...perfect!

Dave at the winery in one of his new shirts I got him for Easter! :)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend!

Cherry Blossom Weekend

I had such an amazing weekend this past weekend, besides the whole work thing! ;)

As most of my family and friends know, I had the Cherry Blossom 10 miler on Sunday.  It's been tough to train during the busy tax season, but I fit in runs whenever I could.  I'm so proud of myself for doing the run during such a stressful time.  I actually felt pretty good during the run until about mile 9.  At mile 9, I just wanted the race to be over!  I pushed hard towards the finish line and was just so darn HAPPY!  I did something that a few weeks ago I didn't think I could do!  Thanks Dave, for coming out to support me!! :)

Prior to the race!

I look disgusting, but hey, I did it!! :)

My medal!! :)

After the race, we met up with some friends for a delicious brunch at Liberty Tavern.  Of course I had a Bloody Mary - my newest obsession.

Delicious Bloody Mary

My stuffed Peep Dave got me!

When we got home, Dave and I took a nap and boy was is glorious!  Since we were up at 5am for the race, a nap was definitely in order.  Later that afternoon, we headed to National Harbor to visit one of my favorite places, the Peep Store!  Dave bought me a cute little stuffed Peep that I have at my desk and of course a box of Peeps.  Peeps are definitely a guilty pleasure of mine!  After the Peep store, we walked around outside since it was a beautiful day.  We stopped at a local coffee shop and relaxed on their couch with a nice cup of coffee!

I Heart Peeps!

After a wonderful afternoon spent outside, we decided to go do our weekly grocery shopping.  The evening consisted of a nice dinner, a game of Crokinole, crafting and then we capped the night off by watching Mad Men!  It was a wonderful weekend...I'm still smiling from it!! :)

Weekend Recap

Dyed our own beer in honor of St. Patrick's Day

Another fun weekend has come to an end.  Unfortunately, I had to work all day Saturday but that made me appreciate what I had left of the weekend.  Dave and I were going to go to a bar to get a St. Patrick's Day green beer, but decided we rather not fight the crowds.  We dyed our own beers green at home and had take-out from one of our favorite restaurants in Arlington, Liberty Tavern.  A relaxing movie night at home with my love was just what I needed!

Asparagus and Swiss Cheese Frittata...yummy!!

Yummy breakfast!

Sunday morning I went out for my long run.  There is now less than 2 weeks until the Cherry Blossom 10-miler and I'm doing everything in my power to be ready for it.  After my run, I decided to make this asparagus frittata from Skinny Taste.  It turned out very well and was a nice treat after my long run.  Sunday afternoon we met up with some friends to play Top Golf and some mini-golf.  It was a fun afternoon with great company and beautiful weather!

Now it's back to the grind.  Four weeks from tomorrow is the deadline and I cannot wait for it to get here!  Some-sort of celebration will need to be in order...I guess my birthday will have to do! ;)

Running Update

As I've stated in my previous post, I've decided to get back into running.  I got accepted into the Cherry Blossom 10 miler that takes place April 1, 2012.  So, I've got a few months to get myself in shape!  I had to start from the very beginning, which meant starting at 1 measly mile.  Since it's so dark and cold when I get home from work, I've been forced to run on the treadmill which is so monotonous to me.  Thank goodness for Bravo!  Last night I walked 1/2 a mile, ran 3 miles, walked 1/2 mile.  I know that doesn't seem like much, but it's an improvement from the 1 mile.  Dave has been such a great motivator; I don't think I could do this without him! 

Dave with an after run Christmas cookie!

It's so nice to be training for something again.  After playing sports my whole life and swimming competitively, I feel like there has been something missing....the excitement of competition!  I hope to keep up the running and pick up biking because I would LOVE to do a triathlon one of these days.  I'm so happy that I'm running again; I'm starting to  feel like me again!! :)

Yummy!!!

 

My Goal: To Get Into Running Again

A few years ago I had really gotten into running.  I would run about 4-6 days a week.  Running anywhere from 3-10 miles at a time.  I even ran the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, which was a huge accomplishment for me especially since it was during tax season.  I was happy with my accomplishments, happy with my body and overall, I just felt good.  I've decided to get back into running.  It's going to be hard at first, but I think if I stick to it, I am going to feel great!  To get my butt into gear I have already signed up for the 2012 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler.  Unfortunately, it's a lottery process, but I'm crossing my fingers that I get in!  Hopefully I can keep you up to date on my running accomplishments. 

Any runners in the DC area who belong to running groups and are looking for new members? I would love to join!  I just need to get into shape first!