Back from Boston!

Well, technically I've been back since Wednesday...but honestly haven't really felt like I've been back until today. I was soooo tired Wednesday night that I pretty much feel asleep as soon as I got home. Then I had to drag myself through two days of work before the long weekend could begin. Then Saturday it was off to Mom and Dad's house for dinner and some much needed family time. Yesterday we got the sailboat in the lake and got the mast up...gets a little easier every year with all of us in better shape and much stronger.

So, my trip to Boston! Boston was the location this year for the HOW design conference. The same one that I attended in ATL last year. It was a BLAST! Always so great to be back with my friends from the listserve and get to see everyone and share some laughs. It's great to have such an amazing group of support and love, even if you only get to see them once a year. Hard to explain unless you are part of a similar group. But nothing is worse than sharing so many wonderful days together, only to be thrown back into reality while driving home. The second I said goodbye and got into my car I literally wanted to cry. It made me sad to realize I was driving home to an empty apartment without these wonderful friends to surround me like they had the past few days. But it's okay, I know I'll see them all again.

There is so much to share from the week, so I'll break it down bullet list style for you, and I won't include everything:

1. Malibu and pineapple juice "breakfast cocktails"
2. Red Sox game
3. Studio Tours
4. Bar 10 VIP curtain room
5. My new BFF Amy
6. Palm restaurant with Scott, Joanne, Dawn, Kim, Sarah and Kathleen
7. Representing New England with Ali V.
8. Pub crawl and dancing at Sissy K's
9. B&W Party
10. South Street Diner @ 2:30am
11. Inspirational keynote speaker for the closing

I'm sure I'll be sharing stories of these various events over the next couple of days...but here were some of the pictures to accompany the list!

My Happiness Today

1.Going running for the third time this week. I can't believe my next 5K is a week from today!

2.Coming home to a bed that I made this morning...and pillows, I LOVE lots of pillows!

3.Remembering to turn the dishwasher on last night before going to bed, so my dishes are all clean today

4.A vanilla scented candle

5.Having to restock the fridge with Dasani because my "roomie" Miss Jenn will be here tomorrow and Friday!

6.Taking my camera out today and FINALLY snapping some pics! Thanks for the inspiration Derek!

Things That Boggle Me

I have decided to do a regular post about things that boggle me. Hahaha, I know what you're all saying..."regular post, she hasn't been updating on a regular basis in FOREVER!" But hear me out, I find myself seeing or hearing something on pretty much a weekly basis that I do not understand at all. Sometimes it makes me shake my head, sometimes it makes me laugh, sometimes it just leaves me with a clueless look on my face. So, from now on, I'll share the things that boggle me most, as they happen. Maybe you'll share in my confusion or maybe you'll relate to the randomness, but my hope is that it can at least let you take a moment from your daily life to share in mine. Heck, that's what this blog is for, right?

Boggle Me Topic #1- Paying for a new car, only to put stickers on it that make it look like it's been shot up with bullets or had a baseball smash through the windshield.







Seriously? You really WANT your car to look like it's been shot at? We live in freaking NH people...this is NOT the hood! Or damaged by a stray baseball? I think you'd be pretty pissed off if this had really happened to your window. I have seen this at least three times in the last week, I kid you not. And on very new looking cars. Yup, totally boggles me!

Goals

So as most of you know, I've been trying to reach my original weight loss goal (30lbs.) that I set for myself last fall. I still haven't been able to reach it, but I keep getting between five to seven pounds of it. I just keep fluctuating up and down every week for about two months now. It has become so frustrating being so close, but not being able to break past these last few pounds. And of course, now that I've come so close, I've been tempted to increase my goal by an additional five or ten pounds by summertime. Because as we all know, everyone can stand to lose a few extra pounds before squeezing into those bathing suits!

Anyway, I started my running routine a few months ago now, in an effort to set some new goals for myself to focus on...goals that have nothing to do with weight, but instead with my abilities to challenge myself and push myself beyond what I think I am capable of. I'm happy to say that I am getting stronger as each week passes and I'm seeing so many results that I'm proud of, besides a silly number on a scale! Here are a few goals that I have been able to meet recently:

1. Staying steady at a size 10! It was fun to go through my summer clothes when I started spring cleaning only to find that clothes from last year that were too small are now falling off. Doesn't help my budget, but it sure does feel good to reach for the smaller size in the store and feel great about the person looking back at me in the mirror!

2. Increasing my .5 mile runs to 2 miles and going from an average of a 15 minute mile to a 10-11 minute mile. Also going from running once a week to three or four times a week, even after my regular workouts.

3. Getting up to 300lbs on the leg press at the gym! Thanks to my buddy Kevin, I'm increasing my weights every week and improving so quickly. Finally starting to get some definition in these legs of mine. Perhaps I might even get some shorts this summer...then again, we'll have to wait and see on that one.

4. Increasing my strength training and finally getting my arms and upper body in shape. I've always struggled with this, but have really begun enjoying lifting weights and working out on Friday mornings before work.

5. Finally starting to see some toning in my abs and obliques. This is such a trouble area for me and no matter how many crunches or ab exercises I've done in the past, I have never been able to flatten my stomach. Mind you, I'll never be someone with a flat stomach, but it has been nice to see this area tightening and shaping up a bit too. I can't believe what a difference running has been making to my entire body.

So, those are just some of the goals I have been reaching lately. I'm still aiming for the weight loss goal as well, but it's becoming less and less important to me. My next 5K is May 21, so I'll report back and let you know how I do with that one. Even if my time doesn't decrease, I'm so happy to look back and see how far I've come since beginning this new journey. Thanks for all the support, it means the world to me!