What Does It Take?

Im falling down a slippery slope again. Ive been down this road before, many many times before. I knew it was coming, but still didnt prepare for it. I was doing so well, and feeling so great...that I knew it was going to hit me soon. What does it take to get back on track? What does it take to stay on track?

I would say that I feel off the wagon probably about two weeks ago. Right around Valentines Day. It was the monthly anniversary of my dads passing, which Im noticing hits me a few days after that actual day. And Valentines day reminded me of him since the Dirty Show was in town. Its this art show he would go to every year. Grant and I have been going through a rough patch as well, and things were pretty tense in the household. Im also finding it really hard to fall into a schedule that works for me. With school, studying, work, lia sophia shows, dogs, Grant, and my social life...I just cant fit everything in. I need to re-evaluate that as well...

So of course what did I do? Eat whatever the hell I wanted. Stopped exercising. Because that will always help my situation right? *smacks myself upside the head* Exercising and eating healthy are positives in any situation, especially in situations like Ive recently been having. I know that, but why cant I get it? Its like I love to self sabotage myself because I dont think I dont deserve it or something.

So now my weight is right back up to where I was January 1st. Nice. Im still eating fast food daily, drinking way to much pop, and eating sweets like they are going out of style. I need to stop this madness. Now. I think about going wedding dress shopping (I even found my dream dress!), yet that is still not a motivator to me? Its in 7 months which is not a long time! Is anything a motivator? Doesnt seem like it.

My plan to run in the half marathon flying pig is thrown out the window. I just dont want the stress of the training plan right now, and not sure if I could fit in runs as often as Id like. Im on the look for another race, maybe just a 10k? I need the accountability, and running is the one cardio I stick with. Im hoping once this LA Fitness opens that will help to, but the date keeps getting moved back. Which is pretty frustrating. Now the open date is March 7th. Originally it was February 16th.

This is my cry for help.

Save The Dates

Our Save The Dates came in the mail today, and we love them! Well almost. We realized we should have gotten glossy for the invite instead of matte. So we are re-ordering glossy. The matte looks like we printed them at home.

Grant and I designed our STD's ourselves. We made an invitation with a personalized poem that the two of us made up. It took us weeks to come up with a final draft. LOL But are pretty pleased with our cheesy poem. :) We are cheesy, we will admit it. We than created a postcard that will be mailed back. This is so we can get a general idea of how many people plan on attending. Of course we know its hard to commit this early with the economy the way it is, and things may come up by October, but its just an estimate for us. Im sure our wedding planner would appreciate a close guesstimate to find a reception spot! We also made magnets, although I told myself when I get married I wouldn't do the magnets. I am finding myself doing a lot of things I said I wouldnt do. :p We figured they could use the magnet to hold up the invite on their fridge. Or just toss the invite (all our hard work on that poem!), and just use the magnet. We used vistaprint for all the printing, so got everything done fairly cheap. I wasnt sure if I should post them before I mail them, but I dont think anyone really reads this blog (except you Meg, XO). So here is the finished product...(you can click on the pictures to see a bigger version)

Magnet:

Invite:

Postcard RSVP Front:

Postcard RSVP Back:

If you want to see them larger all on one page, you can click on this link.... http://melissaandgrant.com/savethedate.html

So we re-ordered the invite portion, as well as the postcard RSVP (to change the date to RSVP by), and should hopefully get them in the mail by next weekend! We are still working on the guest list, so I guess we will have to have that complete by next weekend eh? As well as with our website since we are advertising it. LOL

Have I mentioned how I love that Grant is so into the planning? He goes through phases, just like me. But when we are working together, we get so much accomplished. The poem was his idea...hes to cute!

Happy Valentines Day!

Phew, time is flying by! Valentines Day already? It will be October before I know it. :)

Ive had a nice Valentines Day. I got to sleep in till 11am, which is the first time Ive slept in on a Saturday in months! Due to the TV repair man always coming. No the TV still isnt fixed, but he will be back on February 28th to try to fix it, for hopefully the last time! When I woke up I had two cute cards sitting on my laptop, one from the dogs and one from Grant. I also had 4 roses sitting in a glass. 2 yellow and 2 red crepe paper roses. Grant made them! How cute is that. It made my heart melt. He said, when I was home sick all last week I learned how to make them on Martha Stewart. Hes to cute. I love this man!


Most of the day we were just being lazy, and caught up on some tivo for a few hours. Big Love and Greys Anatomy episodes. Oh how Ive missed Big Love, soooo happy its on again! After that I went to go cuddle with the doggies in the bed, and ended up taking a 2 hour nap. Guess I needed a lot of sleep eh? LOL

Grant was cooking dinner tonight, his steak dinners that I LOVE so much. He made steaks, green beans, and redskin potatoes. A man after my own heart. tee hee It was delicious. Probably one of the best steaks he has made. It was so good I almost didnt save any for the dogs. I dont do well with sharing, I did grow up as the only child in the house. :p But I saved a few bites for the 3 of them, and they enjoyed it very much to!


Its been a nice day :) Now time for some more TV time and cuddling, and hope that my weigh in tomorrow doesnt go off the charts! Its been a challenging week for me eating and exercise wise.

Hope your having a great Valentines Day! XO

Hatha Yoga

I started going to a yoga class on Monday nights. Its held at a nearby church, and the cost is just a donation. It is Hatha Yoga, and is a 90 minute class. Now Ive dabbled in a few Yoga classes here and there, but never stuck with it. I always felt like I wasn't "getting it". But lately Ive really been wanting to get into Yoga, and some sort of mediation. I think it would help my stress levels, and Yoga is just so good overall for your entire health. I hear so many runners talk about how they do Yoga. The flexibility to the joints and spine, improving balance, helps prevent injuries by strengthening muscles, improving concentration and endurance, etc. So many positive things! I can only imagine how those things would make my running so much more enjoyable!

Hatha Yoga concentrates on physical health and mental well being. It has slow movements, more like stretch movements combined with breathing techniques, and mediation. The setting is very calm, serene, and safe. All the lights are out, and a few night lights, and candles are on. And of course there is very calm instrumental music playing. With the slow movements, you really do focus on stretching out all the muscles. When I get done stretching one muscle, it feels good. Literally. Like wow that was so tight! Its weird how I can feel the strengthening with the stretching. The strengthening is already showing some good progress, my body aren't shaking as much as they use to. I think this style is good to start off, since the movements are slow I really am learning the proper breathing technique to. Where in other classes I took I was focusing on how to do the moves so not really paying attention on the breathing. Learning how and when to breath deep, and shallow really makes a difference on the poses!

Through most of the class there is mediation. The instructor recommends keeping your eyes shut through the entire class. Focusing on mediating. Finding your center, focusing on yourself, letting all the days worries go away, etc. Its really interesting. Closing my eyes can be tricky on some standing up moves, but if you focus on your breathing, and being in that moment, it really isn't as hard. Its a good way to mediate for someone like me, who wants to mediate, but never would take the time. When I'm mediating on these poses, I'm noticing where the stretch feels, and how its feeling. Its like I'm just in that moment, and feels good to be focusing on my body, and just me. For the last 15-20 minutes of the class we focus solely on mediating without poses or stretches. We are laying down and let our entire body relax. The instructor makes the music louder, and has you focus on that. Listening to the different instruments and vibrations. My mind truly relaxes. Something I thought it never could do. (I'm one of those people whose mind doesn't shut off when I try to go to sleep) The music takes your mind away! After 10 minutes or so he has us feel our body, part by part, from the toes all the way to the head. The feeling of each body part is pretty intense actually. We than awake each body party, and roll on each side, and eventually roll up into our comfortable position with one last deep breath in and out.

I really, really like this class. When I'm done with class I just have this awesome stress free, relaxed, I have no worries in the world feeling. My body feels loose, but strengthened at the same time. I definitely will be keeping Yoga as part of my workout routine. Not only am I getting a great workout, I'm also taking 90 minutes to just focus on me. Which is something I think everyone should do daily!

80's Night! Totally Tublar!

So on Friday some friends and I had an 80's party. It was a blast! We made it into a slumber party to. It was like we were teenagers again!

We all got decked out in our 80's finest, and jammed to 80's music all night. We did those great activities from back in the day, like MASH, Pop Rocks, Dip n Sticks, made cootie catchers (remember those?!), painted our nails neon colors, and all that fun stuff :)

We of course busted out the 80's movies...my favorite Valley Girls. Oh Nicholas Cage, how I loved him in that movie. And we also watched 16 candles and Girls Just Want To Have Fun. hehe As the night went on we did a game of Truth and Dare, although not to many people would pick dares. Except Wendi of course! Once dare we gave her was to send her hubby dirty text messages. :p

We than put a twist on the I never game, by making it into a drinking game. What whores we are! LOL We found out everyones dirty little secrets. tee hee I think Ill lay off the pucker for a long time now. 15 shots of that and I felt like I might toss my cookies! LOL

6 of us turned it into a slumber party. Busted out the air mattresses and snuggled in to one last movie. A much needed girl time! And we woke up to our wonderful hostesses cooking us breakfast. Thanks Wendi :)

I got voted best 80's costume :) I was loving my leg warmers. We are going to see the Mega 80's next weekend (a cover band), and I think I might just have to bust them out again. :) (To bad Im never smiling in any pictures! I so unphotogentic)





LOL Good Times. Good Times. Heres a link to the pictures if you want to see the rest of them :)

http://picasaweb.google.com/sgtpepperette/80SSlumberParty#