Mamacita's Day

I (yet again) left for the great state of Wyoming this past weekend to help celebrate Mother's Day. Mother's Day also happened to fall on my Nana's 80th birthday this year so a few of the cousins and aunts and uncles all got together for a little shindig. We soaked up the great weather, good company, and celebrated the respective Mamas in our lives. :) It seems as we all get older, we appreciate the random get-togethers more. Maybe because they are few and far between with everyone scattered across the country, or because we are more aware of the presence of time...whatever the reason may be, these are some of my favorite days. 

I don't tend to move from this spot when I am home..le beer garden. 

Me and sissy with the Mama. I swear the woman doesn't age. I am banking on some of her genes. Fingers crossed. 

Daddio. He looks a little grumpy here but he was having a pretty good day. It's pretty rare that the sis and I are home at the same time and he kind of likes us. 

Playing some corn hole. Baby Sammie wanted in on the action and drug a few beanbags away multiple times. She's already started her hunting training, but the "bring it back and drop" thing is still a little difficult.

Nana and the puppers.

Sissy loving up on some puppy. Puppy trying to mutilate her hand with some razor sharp teeth.

Dad probably telling Cousin K some ridiculous joke/story/life lesson. 

One of Nana's birthday presents from Cousin Megs. This is a horrible photo but it turned out beautifully. 

Sammie taking a little post-lunch Nap

Me and the Uncle trying our hand at a little corn hole. This game is so completely addicting, yet, I suck.

Evening drive...my hometown is to the left in this photo, nestled in the trees. I suppose there are worse places to grow up.

Flock of Sandhill Cranes in a field. Huge birds but very fun to watch.

Here's to the freakin' weekend...

This week was really long. Pulling 12-13 hour days is something I do by choice because I love what I do, but man was I feeling it by Friday afternoon. My daddio had a little bit of a health scare this week - don't worry all is ok - he's going to be just fine. But it really shook me up. I'm still a little shaken up to be quite honest. So, as the weekend rolled around, the last thing I wanted to do was the first thing I normally want to do on Cinco de Mayo. No crazy antics for me this weekend. But lots of family time. I lounged on the couch, watched a movie with the 'rents, cheered for the Kentucky Derby, walked my puppers, ate nummy food, and hung out on the beer patio. It was relaxing and perfect. AND, I felt like a rockstar this morning. Here's to zero hangovers on May 6th!

 Walking with my Lily Bean. Call me crazy, but I think she's grinning a little in this pic. 

I did enjoy a Koko Brown on the beer patio in the sun. It was quite lovely. 

Just a pretty field. 

The Budweiser sign I umm..."borrowed" from an ex-boyfriend that spent a good majority of its time at the Pike House at MSU. Don't worry, Daddio gave it a great new home. 

Starbucks and flats on the beer garden.

Lillian taking in the sun. Sweet babe that she is. My little buddy. 

The natural born assassin. I'm not kidding. She kills everything that moves. As my dad says, "I'm just glad I'm bigger than her." Mass amounts of dead fish from the stream in Mom and Dad's front yard have been found from fishing expeditions as well as headless birds and squirrels. That's right...squirrels.

Shrimp cocktail on a sunny Sunday afternoon. 

Mamacita and Daddio. Reassurance that everything is gonna be alright. 

Every once in awhile...

Every once in awhile, I am not happy. Don't get me wrong, I am not depressed, not too blue, not too down in the dumps. But I just don't feel happy 100% of the time. This is a different thing for me. 99.9% of the time, I am a glass-half-full, life is sunshiny and bright, whistling as I stroll into work with my coffee in hand, type of girl.

But there are times that last only a day or two where something is off. Where I miss my family (who I see all the time so it's silly), miss my friends (who are spread over many states and thousands of miles, so that's legit), miss places I used to call home, question my job, hate my apartment, etc. I just get "blah". Lately I've had a few of those days. I love my life. It is amazing and wonderful and I realize how good I have it. However, I had to do something to shake it up. And ASAP. My trip to San Francisco next month is too far away. So I thought smaller.

I packed up the Yaris and headed south for the weekend last Friday. I decided to head to good ol' Casper, Wyoming to see some old friends. Driving in, I felt like I was home. I got to eat at my favorite restaurants, have some good belly laughs, cut a rug at my favorite country bar, and just relax. I wouldn't be surprised if I end up there eventually. It's the perfect location (2.5 hours from my parents - which eventually will only matter 3 months out of the year because they're dangerously close to a) retirement and b) the Arizona real estate market :) , 4 hours from Denver - my favorite city, and 20 minutes from the closest ski hill. Perfect for this girl)

It was perfect. A quick trip, but perfect. More importantly, it made me happy again.

 Jamming at the Beacon. Best huge wooden dance floor and a live band. Right in the middle of Wyoming. Couldn't love it more.

 Megan being silly. This girl is wise beyond her years. She always says things that make me feel better. I should tell her that some time. 

Zach and Meg and their two adorable "babies". Miss Layla and Mr. Murphy. Layla is my buddy. I woke up on Sunday morning to the little cuddle bug sprawled out on my arm. 

Happys

There are some things in my life lately (aside from the obvious) that are making me seriously happy:

- Buying plane tickets (I like to GO!)

- Impending summer

- The country music kick I am in the middle of (Luke Bryan, Jake Owen, Brantley Gilbert, Eric Church...)

- Digging out my golf clubs and my fly rod this weekend!

- SUN! (It's been a little elusive lately, but I will take what I can get)

- COFFEE. ('nuff said)

- Dirt roads in the middle of nowhere

Lastly, making it through Monday and ready to take on Tuesday with what I am praying doesn't turn into some bug I've picked up from one of my jobs (eh.)

Happy 2/5 of the week!

Wanderlust...

Hey, that's me! On the beach in the Galveston, TX last month. One of my favorite spots.

I've been experiencing a severe case of wanderlust lately. Which is strange. I am happy with my life right now. I have great friends, a wonderful family within driving distance that I get to see all the time (yay!), and a great job(s). Yet, I have this problem with "antsiness". Since I got back from the tropics in March, I just can't seem to shake it.

Namely? Texas. I love Texas. I may be one of the few who aren't from there that sing it's praises so loudly. But it is such a FUN state. I love the people (hysterical, and so sweet...mostly), the variety of places, the climate (yes, I love hot and humid)...just everything.

So last week, I did something. Something fairly small with no commitments, but it was a small step. I mailed my transcripts for the program director of OT at Texas Woman's University to review. It would be too late to start the program this fall, and it's not even a real application, but she will be able to tell me if I stand a chance in hell of getting into their bridging masters program NEXT fall (2013).

I realize that's a long time from now. A lot can happen before then. The good thing about the program is that I would only have to be on campus 8 weekends a year, so TECHNICALLY I could complete it from anywhere and travel.

But I don't think I want to travel. I may have glanced at a few jobs in the Dallas and Austin areas just for fun last week to. :) Me and my crazy ideas...

So, there you have it. I may be ready for a new adventure...in about a year. So until then I am going to soak up a Montana summer - hiking, camping, fishing, running, concerts...the good life. :)

My Sunday...

This? Right here? Why I can barely sit this morning. Try it. I dare you. My boss ran me through it yesterday after my run and while it wasn't too bad while you're doing it, it hurts like heck the next day. A good hurt, but still...ouchie!

Back in the Saddle

Post-vacation workouts have been HARD lately. Mostly because it took me a good week and a half to start doing them again. That's right folks, I took a 2.5 week break from the gym. And ate ice cream on the ship almost every.single.day. Ok, actually strawberry Fro Yo (yummy), but still got home feeling sufficiently gorged and noticeably a few "lb"s heavier. Damn vacation weight.

I've been doing better this week, I managed to log 10 miles the last two days. Not super, but starting back again is always a little more work - more rest breaks, shin splints (I think it's time for new running shoes), and some soreness (of the good variety).

My problem lately is that I can be a cardio queen. I can run, get into a routine, and really stop challenging my body. Here's my dirty little secret : I hate weights. Loathe them. I feel awkward in a packed room full of people who look like they are actually enjoying themselves. Before vacation, I managed to do quite a bit of weight training thanks to my boss. She went to Belize a few weeks before I left for my vacay and she kicked my little hinny in the gym. This lady is seriously my hero- professionally she's a rock star business-owner and with a toddler and infant at home she still manages to stay organic, healthy, and strong. She had me doing exercises I hadn't even heard of before (I'm hanging my head in shame right now, Exercise Science degree what?).

I had mentioned earlier I started a new job last week. I accepted a new full time position with a company that I just couldn't say no to. They found me and had such a great opportunity to offer me, I would have been the dumbest person on Earth to turn it down in this economy (so thankful to be in the health field). However, as I said, I love my boss at the pediatric clinic and my clients there. So me being me, I have convinced myself I can do both. I work a full day at new job and see a few of my kiddo clients at the clinic in the evenings. 12 hour days. 5 days a week. I'm tired. So there's the whole "working the gym in" thing there too. It's going to take awhile to get into a routine. This also may explain why I spent all of last weekend in a total phase of exhaustion drooling all over, incoherent. (Ok, not really, but that's what it felt like).

So I have a few options here :

a) tap into my resources, try to find some more time and actually use my knowledge to devise weekly plans to keep my body guessing (and force myself to step into the dang weight room)

b) work out with my boss once a week and have her give me ideas on what she's doing and carry that out through the week or

c) gulp...personal trainer...I know, I know. It's expensive, and silly when I already have the knowledge. But there's something tempting about paying someone to design something entire specific to your body type who will keep track of your stats, hit your target areas, and stand over your shoulder at least once a week and keep you accountable for the other 6 days you don't have a session with them. I have a friend who works out with her trainer three (THREE) days a week and is looking smokin'.

Thoughts anyone?

*disclaimer : I am not looking to lose a ton of weight here, I'm not going to get all crazy on y'all, I just love getting new ideas and toning up at this point is a welcome thing.