Friday Favorites!!

It's Friday!! I'm off of work, so it's like a real Friday over here... WHAT WHAT?!? This has been a great week overall.  I survived my first week of Crossfit and loved it, stuck to my meal plans, and logged everything into MFP.  It feels go good to be back on track!

So I figure I will jump on the Friday Favorites band wagon.  It's such a fun and easy post, and I usually end up finding new stuff to lust after.  So here are a few things that I loved this week on the Interwebs!

Firstly, I meant to post this yesterday.  I know this video has been floating around, but it is too great not to share.  I watched this video at work the other night and I truly had tears in my eyes watching it.  I can relate to every single sentence that this woman speaks.  I love her for so many reasons,but especially because of the courage she took to put this out there for the world!

Next is a home project I found on Facebook that I WILL be making!  Like next week... for serious. 

 

I finally decided on my hair inspiration! This chick is adorable in every single way.  I basically want to be her, crazy huge eyes and all!  Plus this show is the shiz-nit!

So we are all about home improvements and organization this year.  To me a garage has always meant more storage space, but to Ryan it is a workspace/playground/mancave... so I have agreed to shovel out some of my hoarding and transform the garage into a shared space for him to work on the camaro and for me to do craft projects... he knows the way to win me is via crafts.  I love this set up for organization and we may just be hitting up Lowes asap!

I hope everyone has a great Friday and weekend!  I am going to try and dig my way out of some laundry, do some meal planning for next week (post to come), and maybe do a little shopping before date night tonight!!!!!  

Lots of Love!!

Where's the Time?!?

So I am quickly realizing that juggling school, working nightshift, maintaining (who am I kidding) trying to get my house clean and organized before we drown in dirty laundry, trying to spend time with my husband and sweet furbabies, making lists of all the books I want to read, and all the things that go into creating a healthy lifestyle... makes blogging regularly just a little bit difficult.  Which I tell myself is fine... for my precious audience of 4, I love you all by the way :), but honestly, I really enjoy the blogging world and want to be a part of it, so I need to put the time and effort into posts and link ups, I just need to find a balance.. and an extra 12 hours in a day, I could work with that.  

In the meantime, I will continue to be random for you're reading enjoyment.  Here is what you missed since I've been away.  It will change your life I know.

I went full on Nerd Girl and became OBSESSED with Game of Thrones... like we have been re-watching all 3 seasons in the evening and then when we go to bed at night I read the books.  When I can't be reading the books I think about how much I want to read the books.  We use Game of Thrones quotes and lingo in conversation... it has really just gone way to far as of late.  I can't wait til the new season starts in April!!!!

Best show EVER!!!!!!!!!!

Effin DRAGONS!!!!

   

School started this week, and I am once again asking myself why I wanted to do this... then I go to work and remember why :)  I'm sure it will all be fine in a couple of weeks once the flood of info stops pouring in and my freaking textbooks arrive!!!! Yea, I don't even have my books yet.  I ordered them on from half.com on December 26 and was told before I purchased that they should arrive by the 8th.  Not so much on the confirmation email, which says it could be anywhere between the 8th and 21st WTF?!?!  I tried contacting my sellers, and of course, no reply.  That's what I get for trying to save money I guess.  Fingers crossed they come in soon or I may have an anxiety attack :)

Preach it, Grumpy Cat!

On a fun note.  My adorable case for my new phone came in and I am in love with it.  I have never had a cute phone case before since I have never had an iPhone and apparently you can only have cute shit for an iPhone? Thank goodness for Etsy!  Now my Galaxy S4 is not only safe, but as precious as a phone can be!

the picture wouldn't rotate..... womp womp

And the best part of my week? I finally started Crossfit!!!!  I have been pumped for a month about starting and Monday was my first 101 class.  I will be in that class for 4 weeks learning all the basics and being that awkward girl with a PVC pipe, and I am so okay with that.  I go 3 times a week and get my ass kicked.  I went Monday morning and then took a nap before work and actually felt pretty good.  I went Tuesday morning after work and when I woke up for work that night I could barely move!  I wanted to cry every time I had to bend down, re-position a patient, pee, or hell even walk.  But I can honestly say it felt AMAZING to be so sore!  I know that I am going to grow to love Crossfit.  I need someone pushing me out of what is comfortable and forcing me to challenge myself.  The coaches and people are so nice and welcoming, and I have not felt judged for my weight once.  I know this is only the first week, but I have a good feeling.

At Crossfit, everyday is leg day!

I also started logging into MFP again.  It worked when I used it in the past, but once I moved away from lean cuisines and other foods that I could easily scan, it kind of became a pain in the ass so I gradually just stopped.  My eating has been on point (is that still a relevant phrase) this week and I really have meal planning to thank for that.... just stop being lazy and DO IT!

I joined a weight loss challenge at work even though I really didn't want to.... peer pressure sucks.  It was a $25 buy in and whoever loses the highest percentage of body weight by March 31st wins.  Most people love a work challenge, but not this girl.  I am too competitive..... I fully support the "If you're not first, you're last" lifestyle.  I was raised that way.  I wasn't even allowed to win Candy Land or Pretty Pretty Princess without earning it.  Therefore I go hardcore at everything competitive.  Also, there are too many penises in the competition and we all know how quick they can drop the pounds... so come March I will likely be thinking about  what I would have bought from Home Goods had I not wasted that $25 

I'm pretty sure this is a direct quote from myself

Welp, I am off to my last Crossfit class for the week!!!  Here's to hoping I can sit down to pee later on!!!

Lots of love!

Welcome 2014!

Yea, I know I am a little late bringing the New Year to blog land, but when you work nights and have a sick husby, things get a little off course.

Speaking of 2014, I have big plans and they are all about ME!!  No wedding planning, no relocating, no major life/career changing decisions just a regular year.  The first one in almost 4 years!!!  Since I graduated from college in 2010 we have been on the move... becoming adults I guess.  I couldn't be happier with where we are in life, but I know I could be a better version of myself.  That is why I have set many goals for myself in 2014, some are not big at all, others are big, and a few are HUGE!  

That's right, that last goal is to RUN A HALF MARATHON!! Obviously this will be towards the end of the year after I have had time to get somewhat fit and train, but it is something I really want to do for me.  Not because it is the trendy thing to do right now, but because if you had asked me 2 years ago if I would ever run a half marathon... I wouldn't even be able to tell you what a half marathon was!  I am researching races for September-October and will keep things up to date as it happens.  

I also want to do things like read more, save money... things that we want to do everyday of our lives, but I think people at work were starting to creep on me while I was making my list plus I ran out of space :) I will keep my progress on some of these goals on the blog... I know you all will be dying to know when I get bangs :)

Now it is time to get back to cleaning my house, because I think I saw the Hoarders van driving down my street, and I'm just not ready for that... plus we are out of new Christmas socks to wear.

All I Want for Christmas

Hello lovlies!

So now that finals are over it is officially CHRISTMAS for me!  Christmas is my favorite time of the year... is there anyone who doesn't love it?  They suck at life... 

With the wedding taking up most of my free time, energy, and money this year Christmas is definitely going to be on a much smaller scale this year presents wise.  Which is nice, because we instead will be focusing on what it should really be about, spending time with the people we love most in the world and enjoying the blessings we have been given.  I do love to buy and wrap Christmas presents though, so it is hard for me at times to not be spending next months house payment of crazy amounts of gifts, but I am dealing.  I am planning on doing some small gifts to hopefully save some money, and baking Christmas cookies to share with neighbors and co-workers.   

The most challenging part about Christmas this year will be how to best combine our family traditions without cutting anyone out.  In our 8 years together we have never spent Christmas with each other's family.  Usually Ryan would come to my parents after everything was over on Christmas night and we would exchange gifts.  We both just were kind of selfish in not wanting to give up time with our own family. Now, we don't have  choice, so I get the lovely task of arranging our Christmas schedule.  We both are only off on Christmas Eve and Day which means a rushed, exhausting, probably irritable 2 days filled with 4 hours round trip driving... sounds like fun doesn't it?!?!?  Yea, NO!  I am just hoping we can get all the families to cooperate with our cramped schedule!

So, even though we aren't doing much as far as gifts go this year, I still have been a very good girl, and all girls come with a wish list so here it goes

Nook HD

I have the original Nook Color, so I feel like it is time for an upgrade, plus these seem to have a few more tablet-like features rather than just being a reader.   AND it is white, which makes it cuter than mine.

Riding boots

I probably want this item more than anything this year!  I have been wanting boots all year, but with saving for the wedding, I have never been able to justify spending the money.  So I am REALLY hoping for a pair for Christmas.

or  

I'd love to have either a Fit Bit zip or a Garmin to help me track my fitness-ness and help me stay motivated

                                                 

     Not really a want, but a need.  We currently have a crappy little bissel vacuum and with 3 pets, I am emptying that bitch constantly!  

I really want to do something like this on a wall in our living room and over our bed when we redecorate our house this year (that is a WHOLE other series of posts) so I will be needing lost of funky frames in a variety of sizes.

I'm sure I could make this a never ending list, but these are the top focuses for Santa this year!  

What are your top wishes for Christmas?

Weigh in Wednesday.... Thursday??

Hey, what day is it?!?!?  

This will NEVER get old to me!!!

Yea, I know it's Thursday now, but I had this post ready going into finals, but with the craziness of the week, I wasn't able to get this posted yesterday, so let's just pretend mmmmkay?

I have always weighed myself on Wednesdays,  I guess because that is when everyone else weighed in and I was too much of a chicken to weigh in on Mondays.  I am really debating moving this to Monday, to help me stay accountable during the weekends since that is when I am usually more likely to derail.

This is my first official weigh in since getting back on track.  Last week I was at 242.6 lbs (and crying on the floor of my closet when I had to try and dig out my fat scrubs for work.. which I sold in a garage sale)  This week I am at 239.2.  So I am down 3.4 lbs!!!  I will definitely take that

Overall, last week was a win.  I was able to eat clean most days and increased my water drinkage, I did have a couple slips, but we all do, and I was able to get right back on track. For me that is a win.  I did not get back into exercise, and I hate that, but these couple of weeks have been a shit storm of work and finals, so while I am disappointed, I am not completely beating myself up over it.  The semester is officially over, and that gives me time to get back into a workout routine, clean my house, and get my life organized and prepared for success!  I am the type of person who does better in a routine, and the past 6 months have been anything but routine!

How did you guys do this week? 

Wedding Photo Dump

Good morning y'all!!

Today is my last day to cram for my last final of the semseter, which means no time to blog.  Lucky for you, I have prepared a photo dump of some of my favorite wedding photos to share with you all.  Hope you enjoy the only day I have EVER appeared  slightly photogenic!

We had the best bridal party!  Ryan has been friends with these guys for over 15 years.  I had my sister, youngest cousin, and two oldest friends.  

We had a "bouquet building" where all the women at the wedding brought a flower up to my parents at the altar and my dad tied it before coming to walk me down the aisle.  My mom met us halfway, and when she handed it to me I said "wow, that's a big ass bouquet" apparently loud enough for several of the guests to hear.  Nothing but class here folks. 

No wedding ceremony of mine would be right without me ugly crying over the last line of my vows, and then saying "shit" once the tears started flowing.

Some of my AMAZING family!

 Cutting the most delicious cakes EVER made!!  And they FINALLY let the fat girl eat!

 During our first dance, we actually talked about how the song I chose was too fast, that we maybe should have taken dancing lessons or at least practiced something other than booty dancing in our kitchen.  Me and my dad basically stood there on the dance floor and cried.  He had chosen a song (There Goes My Life, by Kenny Chesney) and my mom said no way, that was not an appropriate song. FYI- I was neither a teen pregnancy nor an unwanted pregnancy, my mother would want you to know that.   I played it anyways, and he effing lost it.  For the record, it is impossible to see your dad cry and not burst into the ultimate ugly cry yourself.  I couldn't have my mom feeling left out, so I had the DJ surprise her with her favorite song.  We had joked about a mother/daughter dance since we are amazing choreographers... you know in Napoleon Dynamite when they have the signing club? they were inspired by my mom and I, you are welcome.

Just some of our AMAZING decorations!  My grandpa made our cake stand and all the wood for centerpieces.... like the engineer overachiever that he is, it was beyond perfect and way more than I had asked for.  I made the wookie cookies and those sad little things that resemble C3PO.  The C3POs later made a sad robot graveyard in the trash can.... apparently they were too ugly to eat.  Joke's on you, bitches... they were mega stuffed oreos dipped in chocolate.... YUM!  We had an ice cream sundae bar and candy table complete with Yankee Candle Car Jars... they were a hit. 

 So these may need some explanation....  From the top right.  I obviously can't dance without looking at someone else feet.  light sabers for the win. Wrecking Ball is our JAM.  I apparently thought I could snort the cake like a pile of coke.  White people can't dance... What you don't dance with your grandmother while holding a beer?  

 Starting with the big picture.... again, light sabers were the best money spent on this wedding.  What does the fox say? Yes, we have horrible tastes in music... don't you dare judge me. We still line up to dance like in middle school.  And the bouquet toss!!  I accidentally cropped her out of the first pic where she is putting her back in preparation. 

And this guy.... his girlfriend caught the bouquet!! And yes, twerking is our move... again, white people.  Just be happy we weren't licking things. 

So, basically now you were at my wedding!  And if you think you were overwhelmed with pics, just know there were 1,000 so it could have been worse for you.  Thanks for looking at them! 

love,

Jenn

Monday Musings

It's Monday folks!

It may just be me and my crazy work schedule, but the days of the week don't really seem to mean as much as the used to.  Mondays used to mean the end of fun, sitting in class and studying all week, and weekends used to rock.. bonfires, dinner with friends, shopping.... the kind where you actually get to buy shit, staying up past 11, and actually taking off your sweat pants.  Now weekends have kind of just turned into the rest of the week.... damn you adulthood with your full time job, bills, responsibilities, lack of time for naps, and decreased alcohol tolerance!

Story of my life

Speaking of which, How was your weekend?

Mine started off with a bang.  I had to work Friday night, where I was reminded of several things.  Firstly, I was reminded of why I do what I do.  Yes, I do complain about my job a lot, I got into nursing for the medicine aspect, I never claimed to be a big lover of people who know more than I do because they Googled something, whining about how you are "thirsting to death" because you can't have water (even though you just had a massive surgery that saved your life) and other various silly complaints about how we are all trying to destroy you, giving bed baths or cleaning up shit that is literally dripping off the end of the bed (this is real life people).  But when I do actually participate in truly saving a life, my job can't be beat.  Yes, it was a long night.  I literally did not leave my patient's room for over 8 hours (even though I had to pee before I even got to work... damn you water!),  I wanted to yell at people, I didn't eat the entire shift, and I had to report off the the bitchiest nitpicking nurse possible (Hello, bitch, the patient was dead! So what if I forgot to add a new allergy that I discovered to the chart).  But at the end of the night,  a man who would have died without my care (along with some rockin' docs and other nurses) LIVED so that his wife could come sit by him and hold his hand and tell him to keep fighting because she can't be without him.  That is why I do what I do, and why I love it!  It also reminded me to hug everyone just a little tighter, you never know when it will be your last chance/

EXACTLY!

I didn't get my overtime shift on Saturday, so I got to have a low-key evening with the hubs.  YAY!!! We don't even get to talk to each other during my work stretches so entire evenings together are wonderful.

 We ate at Firehouse (bad bad girl) and watched Auburn beat Mizzou and secure a place in the National Championship (with a little help from Michigan St of course).  So here's to hoping for a 5th consecutive National Championship for the STATE of Alabama.  So here's a big War Eagle from this Bama fan! 

 We went to Best Buy where I was hoping to get some realistic Christmas ideas for my husband... he is a big techie/gamer/geek type and I have no clue this year.  Instead I got mixed signals about an Xbox One that I can neither find nor afford, and something about a video card (like I know what that is). What are some good man Christmas ideas for a low budget???  I did find some things to add to my wish list though.... too bad we are so poor this year, thanks wedding!

Then we went home, because we were never going to be able top a trip to Best Buy, so why even bother?  We sat on the couch and watched everyone's favorite Christmas movie.... Love Actually.  Idk why we all have declared this a Christmas movie. It was probably men so that they would only fall incredibly short of these amazing guys once a year (cue swooning over Hugh Grant and Colin Firth).  While You Were Sleeping is the same way.  I just love this movie!  I didn't realize how old it is until last night though, and it is always weird seeing other characters I love out of their element.  You know that guy that is in love with his best friend's wife?  That is Rick from the Walking Dead.  And Betty Draper (Mad Men) is one of those slutty girls in the bar, the porn star stand in guy is Bilbo Baggins, and the guy who cheats on his wife with his secretary is Professor Snape!!  My little mind was blown.  Anyways, I LOVE this movie, and it never fails to make me smile... and hate Ryan a little on the inside for not being romantic enough

I could probably quote every cheesy line in this movie... GAH!

Game of Thrones is my absolute FAVORITE show EVER, so I had to throw this in there

I also made our Christmas Card, but douche bag Walmart won't let me save the image to the desktop even after I pay for it.  I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to use their website and edit my card.  Our card is really cute and I was able to upgrade to a higher quality of paper, and was still about 50% less than on Shutterfly after using their 50% off coupon.  A dolla make me holla, y'all!

Sunday was filled with studying, meal planning, cleaning, prepping for the upcoming crazy week, and being an all around boring, rainy day... except for the hour that I spent catching up on Scandal..... HOLY SHIT!   I work my usual 3 nights, have a final on Tuesday, a possible overtime shift, a planned date night, and a Christmas lunch with my gal pals.  I'm going to try and cram some exercise in there, but I'm not going to kill myself if I don't make it happen.  This is my last week of school so there is plenty of time to get my life back on track in the next month!

So that was my exciting (said with a dripping side of sarcasm) weekend.  Coming up this week I've got my first weekly weigh in, a merging the holiday's crisis post, a wedding photo dump post, and I'll share my Christmas list with you!!

love always
~ jenn