My First Race, Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon!

Even though this race was a few weekends ago, I wanted to wait until I received my race photos before I posted about my first race!

This was right after crossing the finish line, I was very sweaty as you can see!

It has been on my "bucket list" to run a half marathon. After meeting all of my health and fitness goals last deployment, I decided to attempt my first race during this deployment. I wanted to run a 5k during the summer, but instead I pulled my quad a week before the race so needless to say I didn't run that one. 

After getting back into my workout routine after Hubs went back on deployment after his emergency leave, I saw a flyer at my gym for the Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach and I knew I wanted to run it. I had 10 weeks and even though I hadn't been running, I was doing alot of cardio already so I hoped endurance wouldn't be an issue. I talked to my marathon-pro buddy and she suggested I find a routine online for my running. Sure enough, I found one that suited my needs: running 4 days a week, only 2 days consecutively and gradually building up mileage every week. 

At the beginning of my training, I did really well. I still managed to do a few of my other classes at the gym as well. But as I added more mileage, my body wasn't too happy with me so I stopped doing the gym classes and concentrated just on running. I also went to a running shoe store in town and they were AMAZING! I felt like Cinderella, I must have tried on and jogged in a dozen different shoes before I found the perfect pair. Apparently, I run funny and need high stability shoes. The guy at the shoe store asks me, "Do you notice your knees occasionally colliding while you run?". My response is typical me, "Yah, but I figured its because I am a complete klutz and I was distracted by the TVs while I was on the treadmill." So it turns out I'm not a complete klutz, I just run funny (great excuse, right?). 

I would like to say I stuck to the running training schedule. Well if you have been a follower of my blog, you noticed that my life has been anything but predictable lately. In the middle of training, I began dealing with the problems concerning my niece and her custody situation. That took about 2 weeks out of my training. I was tempted to quit after that setback to my running, but I decided to go through with the race because I had already spent almost $100 on the registration for it (money is a good motivator, isn't it?). 

I did 90% of my training on the treadmill and while I was home visiting my family in Louisiana, I ran outside. 

The day before the race, I met up with 2 of my race experienced friends who held my hand and showed me what to do. We had the race expo to pick up our race packet and number. It was quite the experience and we picked up lots of free goodies. The race shirt was pretty awesome this year too!

The night before the race, I left Little Miss with a friend overnight because I had to be up at 4:30am! I met up with my friends and we took a shuttle to the start of the race. There were these very peppy racers next to us on the bus taking photos and stuff before 6am while I am still trying to figure out what in the world possessed me to think that running half marathon was a good idea...

The first pointer I got was to use the port-o-potty as soon as we got off the bus before the wait was bad. Then we walked around, dropped of my bag, and ate a hot banana. Yup, a hot banana. Apparently your body uses less calories digesting the banana when it is hot. Makes sense. But it also makes the banana taste like crap. After another trip to the port-o-potty, it was time to get into our corral!

The start of the race is pretty exciting, you see the first group of people start as they race in wheelchairs then the "professional" runners take off. Each corral starts cheering as we edge closer to the starting line, then we are off!

The first 4 miles, I had to keep reminding myself to slow down! Looking at my time, I can see I was really pushing myself the first part of the race. I just had so much adrenaline going, there were crowds gathered at the beginning of the race holding up signs and cheering!

On the advice from my friend, I stopped at the water/gatorade stations and drank only half of what was in the cups. The rest of the water I would splash on myself. It was over 80 degrees with high humidity during the race. I was so afraid of getting dehydrated I drank too much because I definitely had to stop at the halfway point to use the port-o-potty! I also had some energy jelly beans that I snacked on throughout the race to make sure my electrolytes weren't getting low or anything. They gave out the energy gels or goos along the race, but my friend told me how they felt in your mouth and she compared it to something that most women don't find appealing so it kind of scared me from using those...

I am very happy to say I ran most of the race. I only walked 3 times, the first time was at mile 7. I only walked about a half mile that time, then started running again. I stopped again to pee between miles 8-9. Then I walked again at mile 11, only for a quarter of a mile though. It was a nice race though, my favorite part was the people that had homes along the race path had their sprinklers set so they could spray us as we ran by. That was very very VERY nice of them :)

Almost finished!

By the end of the race, I was exhausted. As soon as you cross the finish line, I felt like I was on the red carpet or something because there are photogs EVERYWHERE. They hand you your race medal, then you take a photo with a backdrop, then you collect your goodies: sponges sitting in ice water, bottled water, chocolate milk, bananas, snickers energy bars, and popsicles! You could also get a free Michelob Ultra if you were 21, but that was the last thing I wanted after that race. My marathon pro friend finished about 10 minutes before me and my other friend wasn't too far behind me. 

The race ended at the oceanfront, and that is where we stayed for almost an hour after the race just relaxing. There were parts of my body that hurt that I didn't know could hurt! My lower back in particular, that hurt for a few days afterward too. After finally getting back home, I instantly regretted renting a 2 story townhome. Stairs are evil. 

The race was on a Sunday so on Tuesday I was back at the gym, but I only walked for a few miles on the treadmill. By the end of the week, I was surprised that I was back to normal and could work out like I did before the race. I cannot describe how sore I was after running 13.1 miles. 

Now that my first race is out of the way, I want to run another! I registered for a shorter race, the Wicked 10k, at the end of October. It is only 6 miles so that will be much easier than the half marathon I just ran. I am still running 3-4 days a week but I am working back in my gym classes.

Quite a few people have told me that they could never run a half marathon, but I beg to differ! With the proper training and the right mindset, you can do anything especially a race. Okay so maybe you aren't as crazy as me and don't want your first race to be a half-marathon. I don't blame you, that was kind of insane on my part. So start small, do a 5k. Just search online for free training programs for running a 5k and find one that works for you. Who knows, you may even start to like running! I know I sure do, its one of the only ways I can clear my head and just reset. I tend to let my mind go crazy and over-think situations, over-analyze everything. When I run, I just forget about all that stuff. 

I am so excited about the Wicked 10k! I am hoping I can get another friend to run with me, it will be her first race :)

Unintentional To-Do List

I am a big fan of "To-Do" lists. On my laptop's home-screen I have two of them: A weekly list and an overall list. I find the lists help keep me on track and it feels really good to take items off the list once they are completed. 

"To-Do" lists are especially popular amongst the milispouse community when you s/o is deployed. I learned this last deployment. It seems to help time pass quicker when you are busy! As this final deployment is coming to an end, my list is getting very short. I look back at my list, I am very excited to have been able to accomplish so much. I am proud to say that during both of these deployment I was able to complete my lists each time. 

However, this deployment there is another list. This one I refer to as my Unintentional To-Do List. Its not aptly named because its not as if this was some sort of list I was hoping to accomplish, rather its a list of things I accomplished that I didn't set out to do. 

This deployment has been a lot harder personally than the last one. Quite a few mishaps and unfortunate life events happened in the last 6 months. Some are serious and some a downright hilarious:

Pulled my right quadricep muscle and was on crutches. I had to stay away from the gym for 4 weeks!
 
Replaced 10 light bulbs, I guess there was a power surge? We even use those light bulbs that are supposed to last 7 years!

Dealt with grown women spreading lies and attacking me personally, gossiping like teenagers. I am accustomed to the occasional gossip, but this was ridiculous. I had to learn the best way to deal with these irrational people is to ignore them which is much harder than it seems. I desperately wanted to fight back and defend myself, but when you are dealing with unreasonable people it is useless to try and reason with them. I am glad to report that ignoring them truly did work. They may not have totally quit talking about me, but its gone back to a tolerable level. My friends say these gossipers are just jealous. I don't see what they have to be jealous of, I'm a pretty average person. I just don't see how anything I do can be fabulous enough to gossip about.  

I have utilized my emergency roadside assistance 6 times in 6 months, mostly to jump start Hubs car. His car stays parked in the garage but I have to move it in order to take out the garbage every week. I've left his car door open a few times too many... 

Learned to jump start a car myself as a result.

Dealt with the death of a close family member for the first time, my father-in-law.

I had to send my first Red Cross message. I tell people how to do this all the time, but this was my first time experiencing it first hand.

Learned the procedure for emergency leave. Let me rephrase, I understood the procedure but I believe you don't truly know something until you have lived it. Yes, I was able to see my husband in the midst of a deployment but I would rather Hubs been deployed for a year and his father still be alive than have him come home early because his father died.

Have put over 8,000 miles on my car as a result of emergency family situations across the country. I wish airline tickets weren't so darned expensive.

Took my first solo road trip with Little Miss. We even managed to get into our first car accident in my new car, it wasn't my fault!

Attempted a solo emergency road trip for an emergency custody hearing for my niece, but an hour from home a piece of tire retread was thrown at my windshield at 60mph causing it to shatter. Scariest. Thing. Ever!

So that means my car was in the repair shop twice in a 2 week period. Go ahead and laugh, I do!

Took my first emergency road trip for the emergency custody hearing for my niece with a friend and two 2 year olds. I now HATE tolls and thank the heavens for portable DVD players.

Learned new acronyms like ICPC and DCF. I have seen firsthand how harsh drug addiction can be, how people love the drugs more than they care about the well-being of their own children. Drugs Addiction really does warp someone's mind and their sense of reality.

Learned how to keep my emotions in check. I am generally a very emotional person and will cry at the drop of a hat. I had to my husband's rock when his dad died and I have to be rational & reasonable when it comes to dealing with the on-going situation with my niece (and future niece/nephew).

I have twice potty trained a toddler! I only intended on potty training her once...

I had to say good-bye to a close friend who PTS'd overseas. So now I'm learning how to keep up with a friend that is so far away for so long :(

I had to conquer my fear of spiders to exterminate all of them outside my house. I had one the size of my hand in our back yard that laid 2 huge egg sacs. I was constantly seeing massive spider webs in the front yard. It was so bad I didn't let Little Miss go outside and I was afraid to go out there as well. I had to suck it up and spray down the house *twice* and knock down all the webs. It gives me the creepy crawlies thinking about it!

Through the ups and downs of this deployment, I have discovered who my true friends are. They are the ones that call or text or email to check up on me (and really mean it!), offer to watch Little Miss so I can take care of things, and drop everything to drive me 10 hours to a court hearing. Because of a select group of people, I have not been alone in dealing with anything this deployment. I thought I had already learned who my friends were, but this deployment has reminded me that friendships change over time. Some friendships get stronger while some start to fade away. There are certain people that are meant to be in your life for a long time, while others are only meant to be there for a brief time.

I hope the remaining sliver of this deployment goes by uneventfully. But I have to remind myself that everything in life happens for a reason (or so I believe!). All of the issues that I've endured in the last 6 months is in preparation for what lies ahead in my life.

Wanna Run?

I decided this week to do something that I have always wanted to do, but I have been too chicken sh*t to do: I WILL run a half-marathon! 

I don't know exactly what inspired me to finally take the leap; maybe because I'm in the best shape I have ever been in and I figured, why the hell not?

I have been pestering my friends for all sorts of advice. I found a 10 week plan to prep for the big run. So far, I have ran twice. Each time was 3 miles and I had no problems with it. Hooray!

2 years ago when I was 65lbs heavier, I never imagined I could be training to run a half-marathon. I can't wait to share my journey to the half-marathon with everyone!

While I was online searching for a training plan, I came across some inspiration I wanted to share:

Cleaning Out My Closet

No, I'm not talking about the Eminem song (even though it is now stuck in my head, doh!). I am talking about literally cleaning out my closet.

My closet! It has 2 sliding mirrors for doors, so I did my best to get both halves.

About twice a year my closet gets out of control and I either run out of space or notice I have too many clothes I don't wear. Its been over a year since I last tackled these issues. Oops. I guess between back-to-back deployments and raising a kid I put off this chore. I mean its a closet, all I have to do is shut the doors and POOF! the problem disappears. 

So I decided that since I couldn't walk into my walk-in closet, it was time to tidy it up. The last time I did this, I remember having more fun: I had lost most of my baby weight so I was cheerfully taking out all the clothes that were too big for me. That was fun. This time, not so much. This time, I realized I may have a problem.

Hello, my name is Shannon and I think I may have a slight addiction to cute clothes. 

I have waaay too many clothes and though I eliminated about a dozen pieces, I still have more than I need. The bar my clothes are hanging on is starting to sag. The shelf above my clothes that holds MORE clothes in bins is starting to sag. Drastic times call for drastic measures folks, it is time for me to make a change.

For the rest of the summer, I will buy NO MORE clothes! 

*With one exception: If I need to replace a damaged piece of clothing, like my sole pair of khaki shorts with the huge mystery stain.*


I called my mom and told her my resolution. She laughed. I emailed Hubby to tell him, he was indifferent. I told my friends, they want to "shop" in my closet!

From here on out, I will try my best to NOT buy anymore clothes. This includes workout clothing, bathing suits, and shoes!

I am actually excited about reaching this goal. Quite a few of the blogs I follow show photos and talk about how versatile clothing can be. So I can start trying out new outfit combinations, who knows I might be good at it! Plus, my bank account will probably thank me too :)

Finding My Motivation

My first Monday back home, the beginning of a new week, time to start taking care of stuff around the house! Except that didn't happen today. I came home from errands this morning and ended up taking a 2 hour nap with Little Miss, when we woke up my motivation was no where to be found.

So as incentive to take care of things around the house, I've decided that once I complete my to-do list I will finally make the curtains to match my new comforter! I know, I am super-nerdy. Most people would reward themselves with a shopping spree, a massage, or even chocolate. Nope, my reward is crafting. I am so frickin excited about making these dang curtains I am determined to complete my to-do list to tomorrow. I think I am more excited about the end result, completing the facelift in our master bedroom.

This is the *NEW* comforter set, there are more pillowcases I just need to buy pillows for them!

Okay I have 2 windows in my master bedroom I need to coordinate with the comforter. I don't want to do the same thing on both windows though. I also don't want to do anything super-girlie since I do occasionally share the bedroom with Hubs :)

I desperately want to make these ruffle curtains, in navy blue of course. I found the tutorial thanks to Pinterest, and it costs less than $10 to make! I want to add the black-out lining to the back because I don't like the sun, haha! My only concern: Is this too girlie? I am thinking about doing these on the window that my craft desk sits under, so only the top half of the curtains would be visible. 

I want to do the stenciling (see how it matches the comforter?!) on the largest window. I would only do the stenciling on the top third of navy blue curtains though, I think the pattern would be too overwhelming on full length curtains AND on a king-sized comforter. Of course I would add black-out lining too. You can find the stenciling curtain tutorial here. 


So those are the rewards! And I can get to them as soon as I go to the gym, organize my closet, unpack my final suitcase, hang up the pile of clean clothes, and bug spray the inside/outside of the townhouse....

Reintegration? Preparing for Deployment? What is Going On Here?!

Hubs came home this week after a 5 week underway and now the next event on the horizon is the dreaded deployment. While it is so great to have him home, it is tough not to think about having him be away for so long again. I feel like we just got off the deployment roller-coaster, I mean July wasn't that long ago right? Our relationship survived the deployment like a champ; we didn't get into any arguments and we were able to make the most of emails, care packages, Skype, and phone calls. Reintegration was rough, I am not going to sugar coat it. To be honest, I don't feel like we were able to complete the reintegration process before Hubs left again in December (or was it November?). We still have issues we are working through and it almost seems like a waste of energy to worry about them because we will have to go through this whole process again at the end of the year.

I am trying my hardest not to be frustrated and just focus on making the most of the time we have left together. I have a few good things going for me: I have a few trips home planned, I have a few visitors coming to see me, I have a smart plan for the extra money we will make, and most importantly THIS IS QUITE POSSIBLY OUR LAST DEPLOYMENT! I learned a few things on the last deployment so I know what to do to make it through this one. For one, I think I kept myself too busy last time. I need to spend more time at home and crafting is a great excuse for me to do that! I have discovered I really enjoy making things like baby blankets, clothes, and wreaths. My big plan for the deployment is to make Little Miss a bedding set for her "big girl" bed! I plan on focusing more on Little Miss: I want to start doing some home-schooling activities with her once or twice a week. Not to brag, but she can count to 15, recite the alphabet, and she even recognizes the letters & numbers now. She is showing me how eager she is to learn and I need to nurture that. I am not one of those pushy mommas, but if she hows an interest in something I want to do all that I can to indulge it. In January, I started a new workout routine where I am working on building muscle and getting lean. With the help of my trainer, my body fat is in the ideal range for my age and now I want to look as strong as I feel. In 2 years, I have lost 65 lbs. I think I look better than I did in my high school/college years. I want to keep heading in a positive direction and see just how much I can improve my body and health. It really helps me get past the frustration I feel about deployment when I think of all the things I can accomplish. This is an opportunity for me to learn and grow as a person, how many times in your life do you get that chance?

I am also very fortunate to have a great group of friends here to support me. You ladies know who you are and I cannot ever thank you enough for helping me maintain my sanity!

Its that time again to put on my big girl panties, plaster a smile on my face, and fake it until I make it! For the next few week, I will do my best to ignore that little voice in the back of my mind reminding me of the inevitable. It does no good for me to worry and stress about events that cannot be changed. We've made it through one deployment, we will make it through another. We didn't quite ace the reintegration but luckily we will have another shot at it.


Don't forget to check out the Giveaway I have going on right now!

How I Started Out 2011

Since New Year Resolutions are still on people's minds, I've been asked by some friends how I started out on my weight loss journey. I thought maybe writing a blog about it would be a good idea, then I came across another blog that did the job for me! Check out the blog post here. I figured putting my experience out there was a little overdue.

Last year when Hubs went on deployment (January 2011), I started going back to the gym and seeing a personal trainer once a month. But what I soon realized was that I could no longer just work out and loose the weight, I needed to change my diet. I will admit, I was TOTALLY clueless on how  to count calories and what was healthy to  eat other than a salad. I went to GNC to check out some of their meal replacement shakes and  got to talking to the salesperson. Normally I am very cautious about what they have to say because I know they have quotas to meet. I told the salesperson my concerns and he pointed out the Total Lean 7 Day Fast Loss Kit. It included the shakes I was looking at plus it was on sale. I am sensitive to diet pills that have crazy stimulants in them and I didn't want any of that stuff. The salesperson assured me and even encouraged me to read the label. In the Burn 60 pill, the stimulant was caffeine, as much as a cup or so of coffee. I figured I would give it a shot since the ingredients seemed legit.

I brought the kit home, opened it up, and read the pamphlet from cover to cover. It included packets of pills (Burn 60-energy pill, Waterex-a water pill, and a green tea pill-meant to enhance metabolism) packets of chocolate & vanilla shakes, cleanse drinks, and a comprehensive meal plan. The next day I went to the grocery store and bought everything that was on the included meal plan. So 2 days after I bought the kit I finally was able to start using it. I followed the meal plan exactly, I measured out all the food to get it right. For the first day or two, I will admit I was hungry but I wasn't starving or famished. But I totally expected that because my body was used to a fatty diet. The cleanse drink didn't taste bad at all and it was very gentle. I was never worried I wasn't going to make it to the bathroom LOL.

I was working out in conjunction with the kit. I had more energy and actually felt really good. Granted, I was sore from the workout but I started to feel more energized. The Burn 60 pills really helped me push through my time at the gym. I had more energy throughout the day, I actually had friends notice that I was peppier and happier. I never had the jitters or any crazy side effects from the kit, overall I was very pleased.

When the kit ran out I continued with the Lean Shakes, the Burn 60 pills, and the meal plan. When you buy the Lean Shake it comes with another 14 day meal plan so I had tons of options for my meals. Which is a plus because nothing is worse than eating the same food day in and day out. I like variety in my meals!

I am happy to report that a year later, I have been able to maintain my fitness goals! I still use the Lean Shakes (now they have bars that I can stash in my purse!) and instead of the Burn 60 I am using Be Energized right before I workout. It is basically the same thing as Burn 60, I was just able to get it for cheaper. I only take the Be Energized before I go to the gym, if I am not hitting the gym that day I don't take it.

So that is how I started out my healthier, more active lifestyle. I want to reiterate that there is NO quick fix for weight loss. It takes time, dedication, and change. Good luck on your weight loss journey and don't give up, remember nothing good every came easy!

 

Upcoming Sewing Projects!

Instead of letting this freezing cold day spent inside be a waste, I've been searching the internet all morning compiling a list of things I want to make! Santa brought me a new sewing machine that I am anxious to try out. Payday can't come soon enough so I can buy some fabric!

1. Silk Flower Clip
I have one flower clip that I bought for Little Miss when she was first born and I promised myself I would never do that again! 

2. Monogram Letters
During the Monster Sale at The Children's Place last week, we bought Little Miss 4 solid colored long sleeve shirts that I would LOVE to embellish with a monogram letter. I figure as long as I have a tutorial, I can create other things like flowers & hearts too! I plan on using the monograms on the baby blankets and bibs that I will make (see #'s 3,4).

 3. Minky Baby Blanket
Baby blankets make for a perfect shower gift, especially a personalized one. Since quite a few people I know are preggers right now and I am sure there will be a baby boom after deployment, I'd better start stock piling these for gifts!

4. Ruffled Baby Bibs
Once again, another great baby shower gift! Plus it looks super easy to make and I could coordinate it with the baby blanket.

5. Onesie Dress
Onesies was all that Little Miss wore for the first 6 months so I figured any way to jazz them up would be fun. It looks easy enough to make! I don't care for the ruffle around the neck on the picture though.

6. Felt Hair Clips

 
7. Pillowcase Dress
I love dresses, especially since we will be hard core potty training!

Looks like I have quite a bit already to keep me busy! Though I should find something to make for myself, guess I'll just have to keep searching.

Getting Back on Track

Today is the official end of our holiday vacation; No more overindulging on yummy food and time to get ready for what lies ahead in 2012. I went to my first spin class on the new year. We went to the NEX to buy Hubs undershirts, socks, and boxers for deployment. Went to GNC to stock up on work-out supplements for him as well to make sure he has enough to last until I can send care packages. I made a "honey-do" list a while back and he is slowly crossing things off that list. All of these preparations just remind me that he'll be leaving soon and not only do I need to keep physically preparing, I need to mentally too. Last time, I just pretended that he wasn't leaving. Then after the ship left I just pretended he was on an underway and that slowly turned into me adjusting to him being gone. This time it won't be so easy though because Little Miss notices when Daddy is away.

My plan is to spend quality time with Hubs when we have the chance, but keeping that balance where it doesn't feel like I am smothering him. Because when that happens I get angry, he gets angry, so we are both pissed off and we end up spending our time mad at one another. I have to allow him to have his time to himself (since Lord knows he won't have much of that on the ship!) to play video games or watch the History channel. He does that while I am facebook stalking or cooking or cleaning so it is not like I am standing idly by waiting for his attention.

For me, the hardest thing has been disconnecting from my phones, the computer, and the millions of other things that keep me occupied. I have to make the time for him as well, I've gotten accustomed to doing my own thing on my own schedule. I will admit it bothers me that I have to drop whatever I am doing whenever Hubs has the time for me; that I have to work around his schedule. But it is totally unrealistic of me to expect my schedule and the ship's schedule to coincide. What kind of LaLa Land am I dreaming of, right? This is just one of those sacrifices I have to make, not that I am happy about it one bit. But being pouty and pissed off isn't going to change the situation. In fact, it will only be a bigger waste of time.

 Other than gathering deployment essentials, I started back on track with healthier eating. I definitely indulged during the holidays. I like to eat healthy 80% of the time and as long as I make it to the gym often this doesn't present a problem. I am a huge fan of the Lean Shakes from GNC. They are so yummy, I use them as a meal when I am eating 5 small meals a day otherwise they are a snack. I also picked up the Lean Bars, I love having one in my purse at all times. When I am on the go and suddenly realize I am hungry and home is no where in sight, the bars are a good meal replacement for me so my blood sugar doesn't get too low. What I like best is both of these actually fill me up, especially when I eat a piece of fruit too. I don't feel famished and they don't have any ingredients that make me jittery. They aren't too expensive either when I catch them on sale!

What did you do today to prepare for what is coming in the year ahead?

My resolution to make NO resolutions this year!

It is the FINAL day of 2011! All this week I have seen people talking about New Years Resolutions. While having a "resolution" is a grand idea, I am not a fan. In general, people take resolutions too lightly. The resolution lasts maybe a month or two then people fall into their old ways. Like at my gym, it is crowded and the classes are full for the first 2 months of the year. Which makes things kind of annoying for me since my favorite classes have a limited number of spots available. But come March I won't have that problem because people somehow forget their resolution to work out more. Instead of making a "resolution" this New Year, I propose you make a "LIFE CHANGE". That just sounds more permanent and serious. Maybe by starting to take the phrase more seriously, people will be more serious about their commitments in 2012. 

Looking back at 2011, this year was full of new life experiences for my family. To name just a few: At the beginning of the year we started our first deployment (and it looks like we will start another one in early 2012). I actually committed myself to a gym and personal trainer. I am back down to my pre-baby size and I am in better shape! I was also a little brave this year, I took boudoir photos for Hubs and got a tattoo (which I plan on adding to this upcoming year!).

These are our Christmas card photos from 2009 & 2011 
(2011 photo courtesy of Rusella Photography!)

Boudoir photo of my new tattoo, thanks La Mia Bella Photography!

So today I have been thinking about what challenges and experiences 2012 will bring for us. As I stated earlier, we have another deployment. Since I have one under my belt already (especially one as tough as the last one!) I know I will be better prepared for this upcoming one. My goal during this deployment will be to save more money. We didn't do too bad last time, but I know I can do better. One idea I have is to cut back on eating out while Hubs is away. Since I was eating healthy food while I was out, it was even more expensive! Why is it that healthy food is never cheap & convenient? I'm starting to love cooking more so eating out less should be easy enough. This deployment will be a different experience in some ways, Little Miss is getting older and she realizes when Daddy is gone for a long time. I will also be dealing with this deployment from the Ombudsman perspective. So far I am LOVING being ombudsman, it is so satisfying to help out the families in this way.

I also plan on continuing putting in time at the gym. Even though I have hit my goal, now is not the time to slack off. I only have one body in this life and I need to keep taking care of it. In the next year I am also hoping to get pregnant and I would like to keep active during that pregnancy in hopes that I won't gain 60+ lbs. or if I do, I am hoping it will come off easier if I keep active.

We are also talking about taking our first family vacation to Disney World and Universal Studios! Once I gather all the information I will be sharing the planning experience on my blog. I've already visited the ITT office at Dam Neck for some information but I'll need to visit the ITT office at Little Creek to get the info. about lodging at the resort. I know Little Miss is still so young, but for Hubs and I this trip will be about the family time together. I know Little Miss will not remember this trip, but I will. For example, this week we went to Busch Gardens Christmas Town with my parents and saw the Sesame Street Christmas Show. Little Miss was so in awe when she saw her favorite characters right in front of her. She was so excited I teared up just watching her. I know Disney World will be like that for her as well. Plus, since she is under 3 years old we don't have to pay for admission or meal plans for her.

So for now those are all the "LIFE CHANGES" I have planned for 2012. I am sure I'll come up with more as the year progresses. I hope everyone has a safe and happy NYE. Remember, please don't drink & drive. Before you head out, please look online for ways to get home safely. In the Hampton Roads area AAA is offering services to get you home safely! Happy 2012 Ya'll!

Is he really leaving?

Today I allowed myself to sit around in my sweats and just be lazy. Yesterday kind of made me re-evaluate how truly ready I am for this deployment so I wanted a day to just take it easy. It hit me like a ton of bricks last night. We were sitting on the couch watching Merlin on the laptop (remember that I am a nerd!) and Hubs was holding Little Miss as she was falling asleep. He loves holding her while she falls asleep. For the first time he mentioned his deployment: "You know when I come back she'll probably be too big for me to hold her like this anymore." Now I seriously doubt she'll grow that much, but it made me realize something. Not only is he leaving me behind, he's leaving her behind. I felt like a 10 ton weight fell on my chest. I know my whole world would end if I had to go 6+ months without Little Miss. I knew all along he was leaving us, but I guess I never put myself in his shoes when it came to being away from Little Miss. A part of me wishes I wouldn't have realized this. Now I know there is nothing I can do to help alleviate that hollowness he is going to feel because he is going to apart from his daughter. As much as Hubs loves me, I know his love for Little Miss is different and deeper just like mine is for her. So I will be praying extra hard for Hubs as he goes through this. Because even though I will not have him around, at least I will have Little Miss. Who will he have? 

So I tried to cross some things off my pre-deployment checklist today. Looks like I won't be getting a storage unit for the truck. Its going to cost as much as the insurance each month to store the truck. Now I get to play car shuffle or park the truck in the road for a couple of months...hooray. The Hubs managed to get new decals for his truck, but get this: The base is out of decals. Yah, crazy right? So it looks like I'll be taking care of the decals for my car while he's gone. No biggie.

I have been a bad friend lately. I am afraid I've been neglecting my friends because I've been preparing for this damn deployment. I feel like my life has been revolving around it and its all that I can talk about! Ughh. I hope none of them hold it against me, I've just been cramming every spare moment with stuff that we've put off until the last minute to get taken care of. I have been brainstorming though about what I can do with my friends to make the time the guys are gone pass quicker. I am thinking maybe once a week we all get together and do a pot-luck sort of thing. Each week we do it at someone else's house too. That'll make sure we all eat at least one good meal a week! 

I promise my blog isn't going to revolve around the deployment, it just happens to be the biggest thing in my life right now. I have lots planned for the months ahead. I start training for a half-marathon this month. I am going to run in the "Run for the Dream" on May 22nd and possibly the "Raleigh Rocks" half marathon on April 10th. I am also going to WIN the food wars with Little Miss. I have a very good book to help me out and I haven't opened it up since she started eating finger foods. Speaking of books, I already have 3 books sitting on my nightstand that I need to read. I have lots on my plate and no worries I'll be sharing it all. The Hubs says I have a daily word limit that I have to get in each day and he worries that once he's gone I'm not going to meet my quota!

Project Gratitude Day 4:
I am so gracious for my little angel that keeps me smiling. Little Miss did the funniest thing today. Today was bath day so I was running her bubble bath like I normally do. She was standing at the bath tub dancing around like always because she was so excited. I turned my back for just a moment then I heard a big splash. Little Miss was fully clothed and sitting in the bubbles giggling! She was so proud of herself that she figured out how to get into the tub. I love that little girl so much. 

Snowed In!

I've been spending quite a bit of quality time with my family in the past few days. It was much needed! I am so glad my parents are here to help out too. Even though they are only staying a week, having an extra set of hands is spoiling me! Kailyn is getting pretty spoiled too with all the non-stop attention, she is eating it up. I wish I could give her the same constant attention when it is just her and I. They need to invent some sort of energy pill that doesn't have all the crazy side effects so I can be supermom!

We had a pretty memorable Christmas. This was Little Miss's first time opening gifts. Last Christmas she was barely 2 months old so she slept through Christmas morning gifts. It was so much fun to watch her face as she was opening her presents. I am so thankful the Hubs was able to come home for a few hours so we could open gifts as a family. I love being able to share memorable moments like that with him. My mom prepared an amazing Christmas dinner that night: turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potato crunch, cranberries, mashed potatoes, and fruit salad. My Bestie and her husband came over and she cooked pies for us. It was a great holiday! 

I woke up the day after Christmas to a snowstorm going on outside and was sad that another Christmas managed to creep up on me then pass too quickly. Its just that this is the last major holiday before deployment (I don't count New Years Eve as a holiday). The next big holiday will be Valentine's Day which has never gone well for me in the past so this year it looks like it will be following that trend. I am starting to make a list of things I want to do with my new year and first deployment in no particular order:

1. Organize my closets! I am going to invest in some plastic bins to replace all the cardboard that is falling apart. I am starting out with the Christmas decorations and then moving onto my closet. I have all of my clothes from right after Little Miss was born still hanging up. While I can no longer fit them, I don't want to get rid of them just in case. So I want to put those in containers for my "fat days". I also need to do something with all my shoes! I have a walk-in closet I can't walk in because all my shoes are on the floor. Again, I am going to get the plastic shoe box size containers for them so they can be stacked. I have a nice big shelf that is full of crap too that needs to be boxed up. 
2. Train to run a half marathon! I was hoping to run in the Shamrock Marathon but then I found out it was $200 per person and its already sold out so maybe I'll find another one to run in. I was a distance runner in jr. high and high school so I'd love to get back into it. Running also is one of my favorite ways to work out, especially running outside or on an indoor track. It really helps to clear my head which doesn't happen very often!
3. Get back into Yoga! I have a gym membership and they offer lots of yoga classes yet my lazy butt is sitting here at home. Before the Navy life I took yoga classes at least once a week. I love how it mellows me out and how it calms me down. I can just let my mind go and it gets quiet. I've let myself get sloth-like and I've been using Little Miss as my excuse for not going lately: I hate leaving her crying in childcare at the gym. The staff is great with her, but hearing her cry as I'm walking away breaks my heart. I need to toughen up though because I am going to need some ME time and the gym will probably be my only refuge since they offer childcare. 
4. Paint the guest bedroom! Right now it is the white color they have on the walls when you buy a house. All of the other rooms are painted. I just have to get approval from the property management. Its not going to be anything crazy or exciting, probably just some sort of off white or cream color. Just something other than the current flat white!
5. Maybe get a tattoo?! I've been sketching and contemplating one for over 3 years now. I have a sketch I really like now that has all of the elements I want in it. My thoughts on body art: if you are going to have something permanent on your body it better be something meaningful. It should also be something personal you do for yourself since you'll be wearing it forever. I haven't decided if I want color yet or not. I also need to figure out who I want to do the tattoo. I will probably end up getting it done back home where I know I can get lots of references from friends. I haven't decided where to get it on my body yet. I have it narrowed down to my hip, either the front or back. I should also probably run this by the Hubs too...

So far that is it for my personal "to do list". I can't even begin to make a list of all my emotional goals or what I hope to accomplish with Little Miss in the upcoming year. 

What I am excited about this week: Shopping after Christmas sales with my mom! I finally got out to WalMart today and got a sweet deal on a new Christmas tree. Ours is pretty sad and looks like Charlie Brown's tree. I also went to Pier One and found some new home decor at amazing prices. I love shopping there but hate how pricey it can be, last year I discovered the crazy cheap prices after Christmas so I went back this year again. I also got quite a few gift cards this year so I'm hoping to hit up the mall this week too, whoever said gift cards are crappy gifts is crazy!