Shred or Alive

It's all the rave these days. Jillian Michael (from The Biggest Loser) has a workout DVD called the 30 Day Shred. Everyone I know is talking about it and how wonderful it is for your body.


I have, however, heard people mention that they are on death's doorstep after they are done because it is that hard of a 20 minute workout.

Well, I tend to be lacking motivation and time these days, so 20 minutes of a trainer screaming in my face to get my butt of the couch, work harder, run faster? Sign me up!

I bought it on Amazon and it should be here by early next week at the latest. I plan on starting it on a day that I don't need my arms or legs for anything useful like walking or picking things up. Anyone else shredding?

The Plans for the Day

Updated: For those 3 of you out there who did not know this already, oil-based paint most certainly does NOT come off with soap and water. One cup of olive oil and salt and 35 minutes later, my top layer of skin has washed away and I look like I have a total body sunburn. Write that little tip down; it will probably come in handy someday.

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It is supposed to be GORGEOUS today. So it totally stinks that Seth is at work all day and then playing in his school's dodgeball tournament tonight. I'm going to be (semi) productive today:

1. Go to Home Depot and pick out silver fence paint to paint the rusty spots on the fence in the backyard. I realize this sounds risky because it's me picking out the paint, and you'd be right. Because there are no chips of paint I can take with me to match, I am going to memorize the color and then attempt to match. Trust me, I'll take before and after shots. You won't want to miss this.

2. Possibly pick out dark green paint for the shed door and trim around the top, since it faded and has begun to chip. This will also be interesting, since there are chips I can take to match but Seth says he doesn't want that green anymore. He'd prefer that it match the shutters (which I agree). Problem is, he's at work already and I have no idea how to take down a shutter to match the paint. Again, I'll take before and after.

3. Keep reading The Da Vinci Code and continue trying to figure out all the puzzle pieces. It took me approximately 40 minutes to get to page 29 because I was like huh? What is going on? What just happened? But now I'm rockin' and rollin' since I finally figured out--generally--what is going on. I will do this in shorts and a tank top to get some tan on my pasty white legs.

4. Which leads me to this...I thought it would be a great idea if I tried Jergens Gradual Glow lotion with a very gradual (hence the name) self-tanner. I have followed the directions to a tee and it is starting to work, yet somehow the top of my feet look very odd and um, orangish. We'll take care of that this weekend with real sun. Seth laughs everytime he looks at them. A photo will not follow ;)

5. Go to Kohl's to spend a free $10 off coupon (on any purchase, even $10) I got in the mail. I'm going to see what kind of sales are going on to see if I can get something for the house or a pair of earrings totally free.

6. Go out for dinner with one of my bestest friends, Elizabeth! We don't see each other nearly enough so I'm pumped to see her.

What are you planning to do on this gorgeous day?? Will it get to 86 where you live?

A Blessing in Disguise

Back in January, I got a promotion. This was definitely a good thing, as it meant more money, a better title, and another aspect of the industry that would be great for my resume. But it just wasn't marketing, which is what I've always considered my strong point.

In as short of an explanation as possible, some things happened in the department back in December that did not create vacancy in a higher-level marketing position, and I switched from my marketing role to a public relations role. I was sort of bummed, since I wasn't too keen on media relations--mostly because, like I said, I preferred marketing, but also because I didn't have much experience in it.

Well, I ended up doing well in it, and really enjoying it for the most part. HOWEVER, due to a resignation in the department, a marketing position that I really want has become vacant.

And awarded to your's truly.

WOO HOO!!! And on top of it all, I get an office with a window (I've had an interior office for the past 2 years)!!! Rumor has it natural light is a good thing. ;)

The sad part is that it is one of my best friends that is leaving; very bittersweet. We are so happy for her, since she got a great job, but very sad to see her go.

There is a time for everything; a season for every purpose.

Almost Here...

Summer is almost here. Check out the 7-day forecast for our area. I'm sensing a good book, some iced tea, and laying out on the chaise lounge.

Friday night, Michelle and Jason (and their dogs) and my parents are coming down, and we're going to grill out for my dad's birthday. Saturday, I fully intend on planting flowers, taking Bentley on a long walk, reading outside, and enjoying the nice weather.

What are you up to this weekend?

What a shame...

In a pagaent, isn't it a shame that a woman can speak her mind and say something other than "world peace" as an answer and then lose a competition over it?!

She needs to be more politically correct??? How ridiculous. She actually said something normal and truthful, unlike most of the other pathetic textbook answers that come from contestant's mouths.

http://tv.msn.com/miss-california-controversy/?GT1=28103

Preparing to "Camp"--MY Way

This weekend, Seth and I are going camping with 13 of our friends. We are very excited, especially because we haven't seen some of them since our wedding or their weddings in 2007! Because I knew so far in advance, and because we decided to camp during a month in which the constant "showers" bring May flowers (no, not the pilgrims, dad Ran), I was determined to be prepared and camp in what some would call luxury rather than "roughing it."

I precisely measured our tent, and then measured a queen bed. Exact measurements, which means we're off to a good start. My plan was to take our nice double high queen air mattress so that I would be comfortable and warm. So, I (supervising Seth) set up the tent in the basement to test my novel idea. I put the air mattress in and inflated it. I came back 5 minutes later and the top of the air mattress was about 8 inches from the top of the tent. Because we have a backpacking type tent, they are apparently not made for air mattresses. Hmm, Seth says I'm out of my mind and he will not horizontally slide into the tent. Plan fail.

Fine, I thought. I still have a space heater with a battery-operated option. If I can't have an air mattress, the heater will do the trick. I never intended to have it on all night; my plan was to have it in the tent for the 10-15 minutes before I went to bed so that it would be toasty warm, I'd fall asleep, and voila! I'd never even know it was cold all night because I'd be sleeping. So once I deflated the tent-sized air mattress, I began to work on the space heater. I figured I better get the batteries in it and test it out before the trip. I turn it over to open the battery compartment and THERE IS NO BATTERY COMPARTMENT! What?!?! Turns out that battery compartment-looking thing is just the cover to the wires. Plan fail.

So then I go on an all out warmth-finding mission.

I'll need blankets, a down sleeping bag, ear muffs. Seth so graciously offered me his 1/2 inch thermarest. Personally, I'd rather slide into the tent horizontally, but the thermarest is a start.

I'll need long johns, sweatpants, and double socks.

Gloves, scarves, and old blankets.

Or, I can look at the forecast and see that it says sunny and 70.

Here's to another camping trip with friends (and without Bentley, who I so graciously will ship off to my 8 month pregnant-with-twins sister who has two puppies of her own)!

Wing-Eating Contest

Update: Unfortunately, Seth did not win. Some large man did. Boo!!! He came in third, after eating a calorie-topping, throw up-inducing 1.3 pounds of wings in 7 minutes.

As we speak, my gorgeous husband is in Carlisle participating in a wing-eating contest. The mere thought of it grosses me out--men stuffing their faces with messy food for 7 minutes is in no way appealing.

He made it through preliminaries last week and was named one of the top 5 finalists. I'm not surprised at all.

If he wins, he'll win a cash prize, a gift card to the restaurant, a wing sauce named in his honor, and his name on a plaque on the wall.

I looked on the Web site, and it also said "celebrity judges." I have no possible clue who that could be or whose agent (if it is a "real" celebrity) would consider a central Pennsylvania-based food contest as work.

Anyway, I didn't attend because that would make him nervous. Plus, to be quite honest, I don't want to be in a car with him after he eats 4 dozen wings in 7 minutes. I'm just sayin'.

I'll keep you posted....

It's Like a Scary Movie.

[Scene: Home alone at night, watching tv with the dog laying beside me on the couch. I JUST pet him and tell him how cute he is (because, let's face it, he is adorable)]

[instant text message alert sound]

I pick it up and read it.

[From: anonymous]

"So good to hear your voice."

I may or may not have freaked out. Let's just say it better have been a wrong number or God, because there was no reply when I said "who is this?"

Weekend Wrap-Up

We had a busy weekend this weekend. For lack of anything better to post, here is what we did!!

Friday night was our date night. I was super excited all day! Plus, I had my hair cut in the afternoon so I knew I'd have a new hair cut to sport for our date too. My hair cut turned out to be cute, but I definitely didn't have time to relax or style it before we went for dinner. Luckily, the stylist learned that my hair has odd curls and cowlicks (sp??) quickly and compensated for them.

Before

AfterIt doesn't look that much different, but the "before" picture was back at Christmas so add about an inch or so to that in your mind. She said she cut 6 inches...plus layers!

Then we went for dinner. We had a $25 gift card from restaurant.com and we used one of the two we bought back in January. The place was yummy so I was so excited to go back. Well, I'll save you the details. I had an "ew gross" moment and our gift card was apparently a duplicate of the one we used in January so we couldn't use it. Super. I was angry and disappointed but still had fun with the love of my life. And I tried flounder for the first time, which turned out to be great.

Saturday, I went shopping for baby stuff with my mom and sister. Her twins are due in a few weeks so she had to buy the rest of the essentials off the registry. The babies got some SUPER cute clothing, though no bikini for the girls. Darn it! I'll have to keep looking. After I got home, Seth and I made homemade soup and took a long walk.

Today, we went to church. Then we went to a pasta fundraiser that is raising money for Lou Gehrig's disease research at the Medical Center where I work. We came back and rested and then finally went on the hike I've been begging to go on for weeks. Not this kind of hike, though. It was absolutely gorgeous weather for hiking--like 67 degrees. It was sort of muddy though, which you'll see on my Nike Shox. I was not impressed with the mud. I'm more of a...hmm, fair weather/fair conditions hiker.

Here are some pictures of the hike:

We had lots of fun. After some yard work and fajitas, we are RELAXING because it's back to the grind tomorrow--a full week of work for me, but only 3 days for Seth! Then we'll head into NJ for Easter.