Girl's Gettaway 2013

Everyone needs a good group of girl friends who you can run away with for the weekend. Luckily I found mine this weekend. We planned this trip months ago and have been counting down the days until 4:30am Friday morning when we finally hit the road. I can honestly say I haven't laughed that hard in a long time....and that was just the car ride there. So thankful for a weekend away to relax, laugh, indulge in good food and just be.


Tylitha, Mandy, KB and Erin

My one request from the trip was to get some good seafood....specifically I wanted raw oysters and crab legs and was willing to pay whatever market price was for them. Mission accomplished!

I can't even begin to explain just how good this feast was. And just when I thought it couldn't be topped we ventured to LuLu's the next night and found a bread pudding on the dessert menu that was made from krispie kreme donuts. God only knows how many calories that bad boy had in it but it was soooooo good! That shouldn't even be legal.


Even though I fully enjoyed my dining experiences this weekend I didn't completely lose sight of my goal. I did something I have never done on vacation...exercised. I got up Saturday morning and did a 5k on the beach...in the rain I might add. It wasn't my best time by far but I felt quite accomplished. And then...I got up Sunday and did it again. Though I am sure the calories I burned in both walks combined didn't touch that bread pudding, I was proud of myself for putting in the miles.

and I took this pic just to use as a screen saver...I like to call it "motivation"


So thankful for these ladies and for a weekend filled with laughter...


...and though I fully enjoyed a weekend with the ladies I am still hoping and praying for a...

ha ha....couldn't resist sharing that picture and didn't know how to transition to it.

Happy Monday!

Training Update

So as the half marathon draws closer, training is in full swing. I have been walking/running consistently for three weeks now. I did two weeks of putting in 3.1 miles (5K) at least 4 days a week. This week it was time to step up my game and put in a few 6.2 mile days. I won't lie...I have been dreading this moment. Monday was the day. And then it rained. I was quite relieved and at the same time had another full day on Tuesday to dread the unknown. Well I can officially say that Amy and I put in 6.5 miles last night like champs. In fact when it was all said and done we both felt we had more in us. Maybe there is something to pushing past the wall. Dread has left the building and a spirit of "this is doable" is taking it's place.

So why a half marathon? Well for a year now I have steadily been chipping away at my weight loss goal of losing 100+ pounds. I have just hit a wall....not gaining, but not losing and that's frustrating. Something had to change. There needed to be a new motivation. I am surrounded by people in my church who are CrossFit crazy, marathon runners, etc. I love my little granola head community but they are living in a world I don't understand and can't compete in. I am so thankful that I have never felt left out because of it and in return a little fire has been lit inside of me that says....why not? Why not try it? Who says you can't do it?

When the Biggest Loser started incorporating a marathon as the final challenege for contestant years ago, it was something that I secretly put on my bucket list of things to do. So this was the year that I decided to prove to myself I could do it. I can be afraid to fail or afraid to try....OR I can conquer that fear and be proud of myself. It won't be easy....it won't be pretty...BUT IT'S POSSIBLE. And the added perk is that while my focus isn't on losing weight right now hopefully it will be a beautiful side note to this challenge.

NOTE: I felt great last night when I finished that 6.5 miles but today I can hardly move and I have been waddling when I walk. No pain. No gain.

Half marathon I am coming at you with a vengeance!!

Mardi Gras Madness

After living in New Orleans I have come to love Mardi Gras! I miss being in NOLA for this great holiday. I know that working for a baptist college means I probably shouldn't enjoy such a pagan holiday...but well...I do. So during our Mardi Gras....I mean "Spring Holiday" I made sure to take in all things MG. I started with my first round of crawfish for the season. 5lbs of absolute yummyness. My only regret is that I didn't grow up eating these bad boys. I am making up for it in adulthood.


Then it was on to the Alexandria Children's Parade. I love parades and had to keep telling myself it was for the kids when everything in me wanted to snatch beads from their little hands. I did manage to get a few good beads and a moonpie. When I lived in Mobile, AL this was the hit of parades and they don't really throw them in LA parades. I had just finished telling Amy about the yummyness of a microwaved moonpie on the way to the parade....and well look how the Lord had favor on me. I was holding a crying, scared Brayden and Amy turned around and held up the moonpie and said "look what I got you"....needless to say Brayden and I devoured it. I love getting to share these moments with the Chandler Family.


After the parade we headed to Raising Cane's....a Louisiana chain that has the best chicken fingers and dipping sauce you'll ever put in your mouth. And then it was on to the Alexandria Zoo. One of the local bakery stores in town was giving out free king cake at the zoo that afternoon. What is Mardi Gras without a king cake and if you're going to eat it then you might as well have the best one in town.


It was quite a fun filled day of taking in all things Louisiana with these cuties....



And in addition to the free king cake, the zoo had one of the Budweiser Clydesdale horses for you to take pictures with and pet. Those animals are massive and beautiful.


I wrapped up the holiday with a Mardi Gras party with dear friends eating more king cake and jambalaya on Fat Tuesday. And on Wednesday I made my first from scratch pot of red beans and rice. I feel like we sufficiently celebrated Mardi Gras 2013 in proper fashion.

Bucket List

Well it is official....I HAVE LOST MY MIND! Somewhere in all my seasons of watching The Biggest Loser I got the idea in mind that one day I wanted to do a marathon. I am a runner by no means. In fact I am pretty sure when I run I look like I am simply walking while having a seizure. It's not pretty and it doesn't happen for long. Even still it has been something on my bucket list for several years now.

This past weekend made one year since I had my world rocked by a doctor who told me it was time to lose weight if I wanted to live to see my 40's. Though I didn't reach my goal I have lost and kept off 35lbs this year. It's time to jump start again and get the next 35lbs off. And what better way to do that???? Well why not register for a half marathon. Seriously?!?! I've lost my mind.

Before you get too worried or too excited...we are taking baby steps here. The Biggest Loser is doing a runwalk marathon tour this year. I figured this is bound to be the most non-intimidating half marathon I could register for. The fact that you have an option to register as a "WALKER" means this is my kind of race!

This past weekend I started training because the big day is coming up APRIL 6th! I'll keep you updated on my progress. Half marathon here we come!