Fitness Friday - 8/24

Don't you just love a good Friday, especially one that means it's officially vacation time? I certainly do!!

Currently Training For:

• Dopey Challenge 2018 - Walt Disney World
• Rock n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon 2018 - New Orleans, LA 
• Contraband Days 5 Miler 
• 4 on the 4th
• Castaway Cay 5K
  
• Rock n Roll San Antonino Half 
• Fairy Tale Challenge 

Saturday - 5 Mile run with Brayden
Sunday - Rest Day
Monday - Orangetheory ESP Day with Partner Workout
Tuesday - 3 Mile Walk
Wednesday - Orangetheory Run to Row Endurance Day
Thursday - Rest Day and Last Minute Errands Day
Friday - Travel Day!

Looking back over the week, here's how my workouts went!

On Saturday morning, Brayden and I set out on a 5 mile run. Hitting those 5 miles was so hard because I started a bit late and it as already in the "feels like" 90's by 8 a.m. Hello, Fall...you can visit us here anytime!

We made it, though!

Monday's Orangetheory was a partner workout and although it was fun, I still had a hard time keeping my heart rate up because it recovers so quickly. This was a partner workout from start to finish and that was a first for me!

Speaking of Orangetheory, about 6 weeks ago, I noticed that I had gained a bit of weight since starting my workouts with them. Yes, you definitely gain muscle which I've noticed, but I wasn't happy with the way my clothes were fitting. My appetite increased as expected and instead of choosing "good" foods, I most always went for the not so great options. So, I decided that I wasn't working hard for nothing and took a good look at everything I was eating. Now here I am, down 12 pounds and feeling great! I don't deny myself a treat every now and then, but it's not as much as it was before. It's amazing what a little healthier eating and exercise will do for you!

Back to my workouts for the week...

On Tuesday, my friend Melissa and I set out for a 3 mile walk. It was 7 p.m. and I couldn't figure out why I was having such a hard time breathing. Well, it was a freaking "feels like" 106 degrees. Hello!

On Wednesday afternoon, I headed over for my 2nd Orangetheory workout of the week. I was early and treadmill cards were still available, so I decided to try one. Y'all...I picked the right day for starting on the treadmill first, that's for sure.

This workout consisted of all legs with mini bands on the weight floor and I was SO happy I did that last. My entire lower half was on fire when I left!

The run to row felt great, too. I was able to keep my heart rate up and  made it pretty far down the block before time was called!

I do love me some Orangetheory!

As far as other happenings this week, how adorable is this picture of Brayden with my parents?! 

I mean, really. PRECIOUS!

He also had a meet and greet with his new Mother's Day Out teacher on Thursday. He was so excited to see his little friends again!

This class has "big boy" chairs now vs the little table inserts they were sitting in before. It's hard to believe how fast he's growing up!

Well, that's about it for my week! Stay tuned to instagram for updates from our week! We will be in Disney Springs today followed by boarding the Disney Fantasy tomorrow. I plan on running throughout the week on the ship with the Castaway Cay 5K on Friday. I'll also try to post updates to instagram once the cruise begins when I can.

Have a great week! See ya real soon!

Birthday Celebration Number One

If you've been around the blog a while, you know that we like to celebrate birthdays big over here. I feel as if a birthday is a special day and should be celebrated big...sometimes if not the whole month. Whoops. :)

Even though my official birthday isn't until next week, we spent this past weekend celebrating with my friends!

They took me out to Walk Ons for dinner. It seems as if Walk Ons has become a birthday tradition over here lately, because we've eaten there for the past few special occasions!

Prior to leaving for dinner, I took a picture of Brayden in his outfit and he was telling me he was "all done", even though he hadn't yet smiled for a picture. Silly kid!

I decided to stray from my usual and order the ahi tuna salad. It was just ok, but I don't think I'll order it again. Next time, I'll stick with my usual favorite.

Dessert did not disappoint, however! My friends knew my favorite - chocolate cake with peanut butter icing! This. Was. Delicious!

After dinner came gifts!

How adorable is this shirt for my upcoming cruise?! I can't wait to wear it!

Jason and Brayden gifted me with a pair of Fitbit bluetooth headphones and sadly, they didn't work for me. I was debating between the Aftershokz Trekz and the Fitbit ones and I definitely made the wrong decision with the Fitbit Flyers. I think I just have weird shaped ears because they do not stay in place. Thankfully Best Buy allowed Jason to return them and I'll order the other pair soon.

What's a birthday dinner out if the wait staff doesn't sing to you?!

My friends really are the best! We had a blast at dinner as usual!

Along with the shirt, they also gifted me with a certificate to have my nails done before our trip as well as a couple of face masks!

 For my actual birthday, we will celebrate with brunch at Palo on the Disney Fantasy and I cannot wait!!

Do you like to make a big deal about birthdays or is it just another day?

Remaining Summer Running Goals

Although the calendars say that summer is coing to a close soon, that couldn't be farther from the truth for Southwest Louisiana. If this year's weather pattern follows the last, we will have summer like temperatures into October which really makes me sad because I love fall! Oh well, let's hope we at least have a few "fall like" days soon!

Today's Tuesdays on the Run topic is all about our remaining summer running goals.

I have one.
 

My remaining summer running goal is to run the Castaway Cay 5K on Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. Soon and very soon, we will be out in the Caribbean, enjoying the sweet sound of waves crashing on the shore and I'll have the chance to run this 5K once again.

I've mentioned this before, but it's amazing to see how this race has changed and evolved so much over the years. When I first ran it back in 2009, we had maybe 15 fairly hard core runners that met with a cast member on the gangplank and I was the little newbie runner who had no clue what was going on. Now, runners meet in the Walt Disney Theater and there's usually hundreds of runners that take part in this race on each cruise.

We can't wait to board the Disney Fantasy and take part in all the fun the ship has to offer. I also plan on going for a few training runs on the jogging deck on our at sea days.

Do you have a remaining summer running goal?

It's the Tuesdays On The Run Linkup with Erika, Marcia and Patty. 

The Great China Dress Disaster

Happy Friday, friends! Today, I'm sharing something completely off of the running/family topic, but I hope that it can help someone in the long run.

A couple of months ago, I was suckered in by an awesome facebook ad. This ad boasted a gorgeous and flowy pink and lace dress and my mind instantly went to our upcoming cruise. It would be perfect for formal night, right?

I mean really, look how gorgeous!

After reading lots and lots of reviews, I decided to go for it and order the dress. Look! It even received a "5 star" rating with 81 reviews on their website. Combined with that and facebook reviews, I knew it was the perfect dress for our cruise.

I also carefully considered my sizing options and went with the size I thought would be the best fit for me.

After a few weeks of not receiving my order or even an update on tracking, I sent an email to the company who promptly replied to my email, stating they would have the dress shipped out right away.

When the tracking began to move and I saw that the dress was coming from China, I grew worried it would be a disaster.

Sadly, what arrived wasn't the gorgeous, flowy dress you see in the picture. The dress that arrived was very poor quality, SEE THROUGH, way too small, NOT flowy, and didn't fit up to ANY of the measurements on the sizing chart (it is pretty much the equivalent of an XS which isn't even listed).

Somehow, it had a size "L" tag attached to the inside...but none of the measurements matched up to those listed for a size large.

Instead of a 56.5 in long dress, I received a 52.5 in dress.

Instead of a 30 in waist, I received a dress that had a 26 in waist.

I couldn't even zip the dress up all the way and was beyond incredibly disappointed. I fell in love with the image of this dress and could not get over the very very poor quality.

This company (of course) didn't respond to any of my return request emails and pretty much scammed me out of 40 bucks. I'm definitely grateful it wasn't more because it could have been worse, but I want to warn anyone who is considering ordering from them...DON'T DO IT.

After writing a facebook review, I also noticed that this company doesn't allow themselves to be tagged in facebook reviews, hence the reason I couldn't find any negative reviews on my initial search. They also delete negative reviews from their facebook.  It was only after doing a little digging that I discovered the real truth behind Milk and Choco. They product is cheap, fake, and does not add up to what they are advertising.

Interestingly enough, Melissa Rycroft posted a family picture that was taken at the beach and she is wearing something that looks suspiciously like this dress. If it is, I'm glad she was able to make it work because sister, it sure isn't working for me.

Don't do as I did and fall for this ridiculous scam. Stick with your reputable sites and all will be well. Happy shopping! :)

It's FRIDAY!

Link up with Running on Happy & Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 linkup!

How Running Has Changed Me

Running has made so many different impacts on my life and the decision to pick up this running "thing" was one of the best decisions I ever made.

It has changed me physically

This kind of goes without saying, but running has helped me burn calories, lose weight, and shape up!

It has changed my mindset

I love that when I'm slightly anxious (cause that happens sometimes) or overwhelmed, or had a bad day, or just need to clear my mind, I can lace up my running shoes and head out the door for a run. It's amazing the difference a few miles can make!

It has changed my outlook on life

Running has also helped to change my outlook on the world and life. I feel like I've become a more grateful person and can better appreciate the small things in life. I try not to take anything for granted, including a pain free run.

 It has helped me cope

Throughout loss, life changes, and those little curve balls life seems to throw our way sometimes, running has helped me cope.

It has opened new doors and opportunities

If you asked me in 2008 where I thought I would be in 2018, my answer would definitely not have been "running marathons". I was a brand new runner and scared of distance, but running has taught me not to fear those distances and to get out there and just do it. Orangetheory? Never. I'm not a gym class kind of girl, I would have told you. Well, here I am...running marathons and "going to a gym".

Where would I be without this running "thing" I do? I'm not sure, but I'm so grateful I have it and plan to keep on running as long as I'm physically able! Here's to the next 10 years!

How has running changed YOU?

It's the Tuesdays On The Run Linkup with Erika, Marcia and Patty. 

VLOG: Disney Cruise Line Day 7 & 8 (At Sea Day & Castaway Cay)

Here we are, just a few weeks before our next cruise, and I finally finished the video recaps of our previous cruise last October. I would have had these done sooner, but Vlogidays came into play and so did our January Marathon Weekend trip. So, here we are almost a year later and they are finally complete! Better late than never I say!

Our final two days consisted of an at Sea Day where we completely and 100% enjoyed a brunch at Palo. We might have also won a trivia game that day, too!

Last but not least, our final day on the cruise took us to Castaway Cay where we ran the 5K, snorkeled, and spent time at Serenity Bay!

In all, we had a fantastic time and loved our fabulous 10th Anniversary celebration spent at sea!

If you're interested in these recaps and want to see more, stay tuned this fall because more will be coming your way! Also, I'll be in and out of Instagram throughout our cruise posting updates, so be sure to follow along with our adventures there!

Missed a recap? Check them out here:

• Day 1 Animal Kingdom and Epcot & VLOG
• Day 2 Boarding the Disney Fantasy & VLOG
• Day 3 Day at Sea with Remy Brunch & VLOG
• Day 4 Cozumel & Chichen Itza & VLOG
• Day 5 - Grand Cayman & Sting Ray City & VLOG
• Day 6 - Jamaica & Ziplining & VLOG
• Day 7 - Second Day at Sea with Palo Brunch & VLOG
• Day 8 - Castaway Cay Day & VLOG

 Thanks for following along!

Fitness Friday - 8/10

This week seriously flew by. Since I was off work on Monday, I was thrown off all week and couldn't remember which day it was! There were several really stressful days at work too, which led to a really bad headache that didn't let up. An extra unplanned rest day took place because of it but oh well. This week hasn't been the best in terms of working out but that's ok. I'm not technically training for anything anyway, so keeping a base is what's most important to me right now.

Currently Training For:

• Dopey Challenge 2018 - Walt Disney World
• Rock n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon 2018 - New Orleans, LA 
• Contraband Days 5 Miler 
• 4 on the 4th
• Rock n Roll San Antonino Half 

Saturday - Walked 6 miles at the San Marcos outlet malls
Sunday - 2.5 mile hill run plus 7 miles of walking at Sea World
Monday - Orangetheory Endurance Day
Tuesday - Rest Day
Wednesday - Unplanned Rest Day
Thursday - Another Unplanned Rest Day
Friday - Orangetheory

 As mentioned in yesterday's post, we traveled to Texas to visit my brother and sister in law this past weekend. I wasn't sure how many times I would get to lace up my running shoes while there, but it just so happens that it worked out twice for me!

On Sunday morning, my brother asked if I wanted to go for a run with him and I knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity! He literally lives in "hill country" and I was kind of worried about elevation and inclines.

Again, Orangetheory proved to be paying off because I didn't feel near as fatigued or worn out as I expected to feel!

We also saw all kinds of deer that morning. It was so neat to see them out and about as that's not something I'm used to seeing super often around here.

In total, we made it 2.5 miles in the run. I felt great afterwards and was ready to begin our day at Sea World. By the end of the day, I calculated that we walked 7 miles at the park (not including the morning run). Needless to say, our feet and legs were tired by the time it was all said and done!

After discovering that New Braunfels has an Orangetheory, I signed up for a Monday morning workout. This was my first time visiting a different OTF gym and it was really a cool experience! The coach was AMAZING and helped me out a lot with my form and suggestions on ways to tweak things. The class was also super small (only 7 people), so that was pretty cool too.

This workout was an endurance workout and after logging so many miles at Sea World the day before, my legs did NOT want to move on the treadmill. It really was a great workout, though and I left feeling refreshed!

The remainder of the week was a huge bust. Between stressful days at work, headaches that wouldn't let up, and rain, I didn't even manage to step outside for a walk. I'm making up for it this morning with my second Orangetheory workout for the week.

There's no major plans for the weekend here which I'm looking forward to. Our cruise is just around the corner, so I might pull out my suitcase and begin the packing process. Other than that, I plan on keeping it pretty low key and I'm 100% ok with that!

How was your week? Any weekend plans?

San Antonio Weekend

This past weekend, my little family and I took a long weekend trip to New Braunfels, Texas to visit my brother for his birthday.

We left home on Friday afternoon and stayed in Texas until Monday, so our weekend was extended by a day which was nice!

Our fist stop upon arriving in New Braunfels was at In-n-Out Burger. We couldn't pass it up!

Since we were there for Brian's birthday, we celebrated that evening with cake and presents!

This boy LOVES cookie cake - it's his favorite.

On Saturday morning, we spent time shopping at the outlet malls in San Marcos. This area was HUGE and grew packed with people not long after I took this photo. Thankfully they had a Disney Store, so we were able to enjoy that! Oh yes, and a Banana Republic. That one ranks high on my list of favorite stores.

Saturday was my brother's actual birthday and he wanted to celebrate with a little Mexican food at Uncle Julio's in Austin. To be honest, we actually went to this restaurant because we heard so much about their chocolate pinata...

Jason and I split an order of fajitas and they were delicious! The tortillas were thick and homemade and just so so good.

After dinner, we ordered the famous chocolate pinata for dessert.

Y'all.

Oh my goodness this thing was amazing!

Once he busted into it, churros, strawberries, pineapples, and blackberries fell out. The dipping sauces were raspberry, chocolate, some kind of caramel concoction, and whipped cream!

The five of us devoured this thing - let's just say there wasn't much left by the time we were done!

On Sunday morning, Brian asked if I wanted to go for a run and I couldn't pass that up, especially after eating so much chocolate the evening before.

We saw a ton of deer along the way. It was so peaceful and serene!

We completed 2.5 miles, then cleaned up for our trip to Sea World! This was my first time to visit Sea World in San Antonio, although I have visited the one in San Diego and Orlando in the past. I wasn't sure what to expect, but this park was completely different from the others which was really nice.

Brayden loved seeing all of the marine animals!

We also enjoyed riding the roller coasters, too!

This park was so much fun and had so many things for kids to do. Feeding the ducks and flamingos was another favorite.

The kids area was themed after Sesame Street and included a giant splash pad.

Of course we couldn't pass up a ride on the carousel!

Brayden would have stayed in this area for hours had we let him!

We literally spent all day at Sea World. We had such a fun time and I do hope to visit again soon.

On Monday morning, I decided to get my first Orangetheory workout in for the week. I knew the week back home would be busy and wasn't sure when I would be able to get two workouts in, so Monday morning it was!

Visiting a different studio was interesting and fun at the same time. It was neat to see the similarities and differences between this one and my home gym. The coach for this class was amazing and I loved her!

After leaving Orangetheory, I happened to see a Hallmark. If you've been a blog follower for a while, you know I love Hallmark ornaments at Christmas and our store closed down a few years ago. Since the ornaments were out, I could NOT let this opportunity pass me by!

Another favorite of mine that we no longer have is McAlister's. Imagine my delight to see one in New Braunfels. As I'm sure you've guessed by now, McAlister's is what we had for lunch on Monday!

After lunch, we drove home and somehow managed to drive straight through without any stops. In all, it was a great weekend! We had so much fun visiting with my brother and his wife and exploring their new area. We can't wait to visit again!