Ten Questions

I was tagged by Sweet Southern Prep to answer these questions! 

1. Who is your style icon?

 

Jennifer Aniston always has a good look! Hair, body, clothes and all! 

2.  What is your favorite socialite lit book?

Well, sadly I don't think I have ready any socialite lit!  But, I do love my gossip/style magazines...

 

3.  What is your favorite party theme?

Fourth of July by the lake, beach or pool! Grilling out, playing cards, swimsuits on, cold drinks, and fireworks.

4.  Go-to Halloween costume?

Redneck :) 

5.  Extravagance you cannot live without?

I'm sure I could live without any extravagance, but I really enjoy having DVR and my computer! 

6.  Living person you admire?

Grandparents. Parents. Sisters. Husband. Friends. (Sorry, I can't pick just one!) 

7.  Greatest fear?

Cancer.

8.  Traits you deplore in yourself?

Impatience.

9.  Which talent would you most like to have?

Playing the piano really well.    

10.  Greatest achievement?  

Being a retail manager for a whole year! Ha.  This question really makes me think... what have I achieved? 

Your instructions, if you're tagged, or even if you're not tagged, you can still join in the fun too:

• Paste the picture at the top of this blog onto your blog.
• Tell who tagged you.
• Answer the questions.
• Pass it on to some bloggers of your choice, and let them know they've been tagged.

Carrots 'N' Cake

The Holman Household

Love, Actually

Goody's 500

Goody's 500

Can't feel my toes! And wet. They are drying the track, hoping to start the race. Yeah...I'd rather be watching this on the couch.  :/

Spring into Action 2010

And so it begins... 

8:20 a.m.  Sunny, but 32*!

8:29 a.m.  Covered my ears and zipped up my coat!

Ready to run to get warm...

Somewhere between Mile 1 and 2... happy to see Ray!

The last little stretch was downhill. Sprint time! 

I look like I'm in pain...good thing the cop is nearby!

FINISHED in 30m 27s

(If you zoom in on this pic, I have a really goofy smile on my face)

My support and personal paparazzi!

I cannot wait to run many more 5ks.  It was a tough course with three big hills, but luckily there were also a few downhill slopes.  The weather was frigid!  I think it was great preparation for future races, though.  The top female was also 24 years old and she finished in 20 minutes.  Craziness!  There were only 67 runners and I finished 32nd overall.  Stay tuned for more 5k updates in the future! ;)

Thank you, your honor!

Where I spent my morning...

Prayer & Fasting

Ray and I missed church last Sunday because of work, so we finally watched the sermon online yesterday.  Our pastor, Bruce Frank, posed a challenge to us.  Today and tomorrow we will be praying about what God wants us to do (or not do) for the week before Easter.  If you have half an hour today, you should watch the sermon and explore some of the resources for more insight.  

One extra thing I learned from this sermon is that the sacrifice I chose for the entire season of Lent was a good choice.  However, I did not do it the right way.  It doesn't mean anything to just give something up for whatever reason (in my case, it was a distraction).  I intended to give up Facebook to have more quite time with God, but the quiet time didn't really happen.  I even chose to start this blog so that I could get in the Word some more and blog about what I was learning, but... well, you can see that didn't happen either.  

As I pray over the next couple of days I will listen to God and ask Him what will be the best thing for me to do in the coming week.  I want him to CHANGE ME.  I want to realize my dependence on Him.  I'm so excited to see what comes of this!  As Pastor Bruce says, "He can make things happen immediately what might take us our entire life."  

bad habits...

My appetite was so weird today! I never got hungry, but I ate my breakfast and lunch as normal.  However, after I got home and ate dinner (sandwich thin with pizza sauce and shredded mozzarella) I wanted more! So, I started with saltines and peanut butter...

I probably had about 15... oops!  And I may or may not have added a few pieces of chocolate to a few of them and stuck them in the microwave.  YUM.  

But...... I still wasn't finished. I fixed Ray a bowl of vanilla ice cream with Frosted Flakes because I really wanted him to try it.  He loves fried ice cream and I figured that would taste just like it. (It was a success... he liked it, though he's not a big fan of the low fat ice cream.) While he was eating that, I had to have something to munch on.  Out came the Samoas! I had two.  

I have no idea why I decided to make tonight a splurge night, but I did and that's all I have to say about that! Hope you were a healthier eater than I was today!  

By the way, I picked up my race packet today. I wish I had ordered a size S instead of M because the shirt is really nice (New Balance, mesh) but it is way too big.  I didn't know it was going to be a Men's shirt.  Boo.  Oh and I'm already getting the pre-race jitters.  I don't think that's a good sign.  We shall see on Saturday! 

Sore throat, itchy eyes, sneezing...

All caused by this...

      The teacher with whom I'm working and for whom I will be student teaching in the Fall has a guinea pig in her classroom.  If you know me, you know that the guinea pig is the only thing I'm knowingly allergic to.  I don't even have to touch it...if I'm in the same room, it will affect me.  I just did a little bit of research and found out one interesting fact:  it is the protein in the urine to which I'm allergic.  It's not the hair, although the guinea pig might get some of those proteins on its hair (therefore creating a rash on me if I were to ever touch it).  I never knew that!  Maybe I should tell Ray that I'm allergic to cat pee too, so I won't have to clean out the litter! Haha! TMI?  Anyway, she knows that I'm allergic, so when I'm in there for good next semester, she is going to have the guinea pig moved to another class.  For now, Tuesday after Tuesday I take my generic brand Claritin before I go to the school and take two Benadryl when I leave.  Other than leaving with a sore throat and itchy eyes, I love the school, the teacher and the students! 
        On another note, it snowed here in Asheville yesterday.  Have I mentioned that I'm tired of it?  It came down pretty hard, but the ground wasn't cold enough for it to stick.  I'm just so ready for some heat! 

Liberty of London

Target has launched its Liberty of London collection...and people are going nuts over it!  I love the patterns - lots of floral (they call it flower power) and spring colors. We (@ Target) have tons of clothes, accessories, and home decor.  This is definitely going to be a successful partnership for Target and Liberty.  (Liberty will actually have some of the pieces in its store as well.)  Ray thinks that Target is testing the waters in London! That would be pretty cool... maybe he could get transferred there. ;)  Only temporarily of course...I would miss family and friends too much!

Anyway, check out the real Liberty of London.  It's really expensive!  Then, make sure you check out Target and tell me what you think. There's a swimsuit I really want to try on.  If it looks good, I may have to treat myself! 

For my sisters who are mamas...

 Just click on the picture to go to her blog, follow, and enjoy.  :) 

Kiawah River Course clubhouse fire

The River Course clubhouse at Kiawah Island burned to the ground yesterday.  Firefighters think that it started in the sauna.  Around 3 a.m. on Wednesday, St. John's Fire Department responded to a call.  When they arrived, the sprinklers had done most of the work and the firefighters put out the remaining flames near the men's locker room.  They used heat detectors to try to figure out if there were any more problems, but they didn't seem to find anything. Then, around 8 a.m. they got another call, but this time the clubhouse was up in flames, which could be seen from the Kiawah Parkway.  They got the fire under control around 1 p.m. but it was too late.  It destroyed everything.   They think that the initial fire may have destroyed the sprinkler system, so when the fire began again there was nothing to slow it down.  They also believe it may have started in the sauna.  

My family and I have vacationed at Kiawah Island several summers and Ray and I spent part of our honeymoon at The Sanctuary there.   It is such a nice and peaceful place!  To read the story about the fire, click on the image.

Running!

      Since I'm no longer going to Charleston for the Bridge Run I decided to sign up for a local 5K.  It is a fundraiser to benefit the Junior League of Asheville, a women's organization committed to "promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers."  

        I'm excited to run my first 5k! I hope Ray can be there with me so I at least have some support. :)  I still haven't run outside, so I plan on running everyday next week no matter what the weather.  (Okay, I might not run in the rain.) But, if it's cold, I still have to get out there!  The run is in the same area as the Y we go to, so I can practice running over there.  It's a nice and safe location.  Can't wait to update y'all next Saturday! 

Wear green or get pinched!

Did you know St. Patrick was actually from Scotland?  He was kidnapped by Irish pirates and sold into slavery when he was 16.  After six years of captivity, he escaped to France and later became a priest and then a bishop.  He returned to Ireland to preach against the idolatry going on there.  St. Patrick established over 300 churches and baptized more than 120,000 Irishmen.  Wow!  The Irish have been observing this day as a religious holiday for 1000+ years.  They attend church in the morning and feast in the afternoon.  

   

 "Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me."

Colors of Spring!

Even if I don't win this giveaway from Fresh Brownies I might still have to buy one of these bright colors by OPI.  They are so fun!  What's your favorite?  Go to her blog to enter the giveaway! It ends tomorrow.

 

GBS 5k

So, I made the decision today to cancel my plans for the Bridge Run at the end of March. I was excited about the challenge and getting to spend a weekend with my sisters, but to make a long story short it would be a long drive for such a quick trip.  I wouldn't be able to leave until Friday afternoon and I'd have to come back Sunday.  With the cost of registration and the gas also being factors, I just decided that I'll hang out with my sisters another weekend when I have more time.  Hopefully with better planning and saving I can go next year!  
On a better note... I'm signing up for the GBS 5k and plan on running that with my sisters. :)  I am so looking forward to that weekend because it is Anna's 28th birthday that Friday night and then we'll all get up together and run for a great cause on Saturday!  This is from my sister Ashley's blog (Sweet Southern Prep):

Please come out and support GBS, by running/walking in a 5K on May 1, 2010 near South Park.  It begins and ends in the parking lot of EarthFare.  One of my friends, Hannah, has three children whom I used to babysit a lot, was diagnosed with GBS before her third child.  It started off as a weakness in her joints, and then slowly resulted in paralysis.  With the Lord's help, it took a full year for her to slowly recover and learn how to walk again, but thankfully she conquered it, and is now fully healed.  Praise the Lord!  That woman has some strength, but she definitely couldn't have done it alone.  Some patients that are diagnosed with GBS are never even able to walk again, let alone, have another baby.  To read more about GBS, click here. 

This will be my first race ever!  Hope it starts warming up so I can start running outside.  I know I can get a good time in on the treadmill, but I have no idea how fast I can run outside.  I'm ready for this little challenge and I have over a month to prepare! No excuses!  

another wonderful weekend...

Working every other weekend and going to school/working during the week really makes me appreciate our weekends off.  No matter what we decide to do, we just enjoy our time together!  Well, this weekend I actually worked a short 4-hour shift on Saturday because a friend's aunt passed away and needed someone to cover her shift.  But after that, Ray and I went to Charlotte to spend some time with my parents.  They treated us to a very nice dinner at a new Italian place called Vivace.  On our table: prosciutto di parma and bruschetta to start, margherita pizza for me, and warm bittersweet chocolate cake (made to order!) with vanilla gelato for dessert.  I felt like I was on vacation or celebrating something special because we (Ray and I) never go to places that nice.  And special it was to share an evening out with just my parents.  They are the best! 

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book.

     After a couple of days in Knoxville with my brother-in-law, I came back to Asheville happy to see my cousin Jennifer and looking forward to spending Wednesday with her.  The only bad thing was that I was scheduled to work last night.  Well, I didn't get to work or spend time with JLG!  I was so sick.  I woke up Wednesday morning, made breakfast for Ray around 5:30, he went to work and then it started.  I had a miserable stomach bug.  Fortunately, Jennifer had her friend Cynthia here, so they still got to enjoy their stay in Asheville.  Ray came home from work for half an hour to bring me some medicine and some Ginger Ale and then took care of me the rest of the day once he got home for good.  I slept when I could and started feeling well enough to eat something around dinner time last night.  I went to sleep with a bad headache, but when I got up this morning I felt great! Thank goodness!  I don't want to describe the sickness in too much detail, but I'll say this...I lost 6 pounds in one day!
     I hate being sick.  I don't like wasting days.  I have so much that I need to get done and even more that I want to do!  Though I was happy that it was a gloomy day yesterday--it made it a little easier to know that I wasn't missing any warm sunshine.  Being sick also made me think about all the junk that I've been eating.  I always blame myself when I get sick, but this time I really do think it was the burger and fries (Five Guys) I ate with my brother-in-law the night before; that, plus all the other junk I ate while I was in Knoxville.  After yesterday, I'm back on track.  
     Today has been nice and relaxing though.  Feeling rejuvenated after a good 10 hours of sleep, Ray and I got up and ran some errands.  I did some school work and now we're both sitting on the couch...he's playing MLB2k9 (xbox) and I'm blogging away about nothing you really care about.  ;)  Also, I'm going to discontinue tracking my food on here.  I will continue tracking the activity part and maybe just comment on how I'm doing with eating and things I'm learning.  I need to get ready for the 10k and practice running outside!  Prayers would be appreciated.  :-P          

Just another American [Thursday] Night!

I am so excited about tonight!  For our anniversary (Jan. 31) Ray got us tickets to Brad Paisley's American Saturday Night concert.  We have seen Brad Paisley a few times, but it never gets old because he's such a great entertainer!  Justin Moore and Miranda Lambert are opening. We actually saw Justin Moore at the Grand Ole Opry last year.  Love him! (He sings Small Town USA.) He and his wife just had their first baby, Ella.  Anyway, Brad is always pulling pranks! So, at their last concert during one of Justin's songs, Brad had someone run out on stage in nothing but a giant diaper.  Justin got him back when he ran out during Brad's last song with the same diaper (but over his clothes of course).  Oh, and for Miranda...  while she was singing her song White Liar, Brad had a slideshow going on the big screen behind her of her significant other (Blake Shelton) with a bunch of women! (They were all pictures from meet & greets, but still hilarious!) I wonder what will happen tonight...  

I love how Brad Paisley has songs that are so funny, but then he also has songs that are so powerful.  Like Welcome to the Future: 

I had a friend in school, running back on the football team.  They burned a cross in his front yard for asking out the homecoming queen.  I thought about him today and everybody who'd seen what he'd seen, from a woman on a bus to a man with a dream.  

Anyway, Buncombe County Schools are closed again! Roads are completely fine... but I guess there are a lot of schools at higher elevations, so they have to close them all.  They already have to go to school this Saturday and next Saturday.  UNCA is still open though, but on the late start schedule.  

Happy Thursday! 

Another snow day!

       The snow is finally worth it.  I was supposed to have a midterm exam in History, but classes are canceled again! Now, I won't have it until after Spring Break.   That's a lot of time to study...I better do well. :)  
       The only bad thing is that today the roads really are bad.  I might go a little stir crazy since I was in this little apartment all day yesterday and now today.  I will have to dust off the Wii Fit board and get some activity in!  And I'll probably walk to the work out room at some point today.  And maybe I'll even clean this place! We'll see... 

Have a WONDERFUL Wednesday!     

Procrastination

Can you tell I've had a lot of free time today?  Yeah.  UNCA ended up closing and I didn't go to work because I was afraid that all the slush would freeze tonight.  So, I got to stay home with Ray and we ate dinner together and caught up on our Jeopardy!
They already delayed classes tomorrow for UNCA, so I don't have class until 11:40! The bad thing is that I will be at school until 6:00 because my last class won't start until 4:50. Also, the classes are shortened on the late start schedule so I wonder if my professor will stay have the midterm! Hmmm...
Another highlight of the day is that I decided to do the Cooper River Bridge Run.  It's a 10k! I'm so excited!  Notice the countdown on the sidebar. :)  And I guess it really motivated me, because I ran longer than ever on the treadmill this afternoon! Check out my activity. (It's way down there, since I posted so much today.)
Hope everyone made the best of this snowy or rainy day (depending where you are!)
My mom said it best when I sent her some snow pictures... WHERE IS SPRING?!

Outside of the workout room

Treadmill view of the pool

Camera doesn't do it justice!

It is really coming down! Classes canceled :)

...snow way!

Well, Buncombe County Schools are closed again. This means I don't get to go visit the kindergartners this morning.  Actually, I'm really glad because I have class at 2:30, and then work 4-11.  So, I can use the "free time" this morning to study for my history exam that is tomorrow.    
By the way, the roads are fine... just very wet! The snow is sticking to the grass, but the ground isn't cold enough for it to build up there.  I think that is perfect! Every school kid's dream.  But...every retail manager's nightmare! Ray texted me this morning and told me that his team members have already started calling out because they are too scared to drive.  The schools are closed, but the roads are fine, so everyone has a free day to shop.  This means a crowded store with only a few employees.  I hope for Ray that they can get some more people to come in and work.  Don't people need the money?? I sure do!  

Whew...

My daily time alone with God doesn't unclutter my schedule.  It unclutters my mind and calms my heart even on my busiest days.

That's a tweet from Rick Warren.  I am trying hard to see that at work, but it's hard when it feels like I need to use every minute of every day to:

A) Clean up
B) Get school work finished
C) Work
D) Work Out
E) All of the above! 

I haven't been blogging because of that reason alone.  I have been TOO busy.  I hate to admit that no blogging = NO alone time with God this week.  Although I have been pretty productive, I have realized that I need that God time to put me in a better  mood and to stay focused on the most important things in life.  I can get things done, but it is definitely not my best work unless I am getting my motivation from Him. Plus, it's hard to see the big picture when I'm wrapped up in deadlines and grades.

As far as being healthy goes, I have not done so well this week.  I can tell you that I did stick to my no chocolate candy though! But, I wore myself out mentally that I was exhausted every night and every morning and did not get enough activity in.  And I had a rough weekend on the eating side of things.  

Ray went to the grocery store yesterday and bought stuff for me to make healthy lunches and dinners.  Tonight, it's a salad and vegetable pasta.  Yummy!  He also bought some strawberries (which he never does cause they can be so expensive!) which will make for a yummy dessert.  

I will get back to blogging daily.  It really does make me feel better. 

This week, I'm giving up ALL candy.  I can do this!

I had a great time visiting my sister, Anna, and her husband Blake in Greenwood yesterday.  It was so good to see them and their precious 5-month old, Winston Miles.  I went down for Winston's dedication service, which was wonderful. I LOVE Blake & Anna's house.  It's my dream for a first house! I couldn't stop describing it to Ray.  They deserve everything they have been blessed with! 

And a bonus was that I got to see my parents. I love them so much. :)