Red Pencils and Running Shoes

One thing “they” forget to mention when it comes to busy season is how behind you feel with not just the cleaning, cooking, and sleep; but the little things like getting a haircut and taking care of your appearance.  I know these are silly, superficial things, but it just makes you feel really out of control.  Lately I haven’t been able to wear my hair 100% down because my bangs are atrocious, I’ve had two caterpillars crawling above my eyes, and my nails have taken the brunt of my stress.

Luckily today as we were walking back from breakfast, I found a salon in Ardmore that was open on Sunday.  I couldn’t believe it – this place has been sitting right under my nose and I never even knew it existed.  Huge props to Coco Blue for helping me feel more like a girl today!

The salon was gorgeous and the store owner was so sweet and helpful.  The salon was busy too – I guess I’m not the only one who needed a pick-me-up today

(Clearly this picture is from the website and NOT from my trip today!  I promise it was packed!)

I feel so much better now!  Check out the fun color I picked – I wanted something happy and spring-y.  Do you like it?

I also channeled my inner girlie-girl today by picking out a dress for some bridal showers and events I have coming up.   I have gotten into the habit of buying one quality dress that I will wear over and over instead of 3-4 cheaper dresses that might only get one wear.  I saw this dress in the window of  Styche in Ardmore last weekend, and the dress has been on my mind ever since.  The owner of the shop was so lovely, and even personally helped another customer pick out a great blouse for an upcoming party.  I loved the great service – and all of the beautiful clothes.  Most of them were out of my price range, but luckily this little girl fit the budget perfectly

I tried on two different sizes, and noticed that each dress was different – the patterns and colors were not identical on both dresses.  This makes it so special to me – it’s virtually one of a kind.  It will be so pretty for all the spring and summer events I have coming up, and I can dress it up or down with flats, heels, and cardigans.  Let the celebrations begin!
What’s your favorite way to channel your inner girlie-girl?  I love shopping, even if it’s only window shopping!

What’s good, blogdizzles?

How’s March turning out for you guys?  I’m happy as a clam over here!  I officially kicked off my Team Philly training for the Broad Street run last week, and I’m proud to report that I haven’t missed a run yet.  It’s only been four runs – and I haven’t gotten to run with the group at all courtesy of busy season, but this is HUGE for me!  No matter what the running plan is, I have a hard time sticking to it.  I guess the investment is my motivation this time!

Anyway, my yoga challenge hasn’t been too hot.  After my outside run yesterday, I did 20 minutes of hip-opening flow from yoga download, but that’s been it so far for the month.  It felt darn good though!  I’m hoping to do more yoga this week – I’m shooting for Thursday and Saturday?  Or Friday + Saturday?  I’ve been eyeing a Total Body Conditioning class at the gym for the past few weeks.  I am hoping it’s like the Body Pump I’ve heard so much about!  It’s the only class offered in the mornings before work, so I’d like to see what it’s like.  I’m going to go tomorrow – and if I’m not dead from soreness on Thursday maybe I’ll go again.  If not – yoga

I feel like I have so much to catch you guys up on.  Robert and I had a fantastic weekend with great friends+beer on friday, an impromptu date night on Saturday, and an amazing dinner that helped us decide on our wedding venue last night.  I can’t wait to catch you all up on it… but for now – back to work!

For as much as I talk about surviving busy season, I have to admit that it’s been so difficult.  While I’ve managed to survive physically, it’s really taking a toll on my mental health.  I’m grouchy, irritable, and when I’m home all I want to do is sleep.  Not to mention that my apartment was a mess until this weekend, which in turn makes me more irritable when I get home.  I haven’t talked to my grandparents since Christmas, despite any new years resolutions that I’ve made.  I am falling out of touch with my friends and family members, and I miss them!  This isn’t how anyone “survives” busy season!  Quite the opposite actually!

When I woke up this morning and realized it was March, it felt like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.  A new Monday, a new month, a new start.  The end of busy season is near, and dammit it’s going to be the best month that I can make it.  I am going to make more time for my loved ones, make more time for myself, and I’m not going to let other people get to me the way I have in the past. 

No goals really work without a plan, so let’s give this a shot.

1)  This morning on Carrots N Cake, I read about Tina’s yoga challenge.  She’s making it a goal for herself to practice yoga at least twice per week for 20 minutes.  While she invited us to choose the schedule that worked best for us, I think that her proposed schedule is perfect for me.  I would love to incorporate a longer podcast or class at some point, but for the time being, this will help my yoga practice – in strength, flexibility, and mind.

2)  Take time every night to talk to Robert.  I spend so much time on my computer all day, but when I get home – what do I grab?  The computer.  Now that our back office is nicely straightened, I’m moving the computer out of the living room!  It would be so nice to have tea time (once a nightly tradition) back in our lives. 

3)  Try to remember that people are just doing the best they have with what they’ve got.  I get so irritated by people who don’t know they’re actually doing anything wrong.  Maybe the old lady is just scared to drive faster than 23 miles per hour on the highway.  As Heather said, “it’s not my trip.”  Who cares why she’s going slow.  Maybe I shouldn’t be in such a rush anyway. By staying mindful of this, I will stay more calm, and hopefully this will carry into all other aspects of my life as well. 

So that’s the plan.  Hopefully this will keep me sane through these last few weeks of busy season.  We are so close to the end – I can almost taste it! 

How are you all surviving this winter?

Guys.  I had the BEST lunch today.  And I’ve been thinking about writing this post for a long time, but this lunch finally gave me the proper motivation.

My senior and I are working in the city today instead of out at the client site.  Since I’ve already been going through withdrawl from the food I got used to while being out here on my last client, I decided to make the most of my lunch.  I was CRAVING veggies again, and headed down to the deli in our building.  They have this sandwich – grilled eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, and provolone cheese.  And in case I didn’t have enough veggies – I got some grilled asparagus on the side!  It was amazing!  I washed it all down with my favorite Honest Tea – Moroccan Mint Green Tea.  I could drink this stuff by the gallon – and I would if it wasn’t so expensive   It was worth the splurge for one day in the office though!

Anyway, I’d been meaning to write this post for a while and my lunch just inspired me.  I’ve noticed that a lot of my meals this busy season have been vegetarian.   I know that part of this is thanks to the blog world for letting me know how creative you can be as a veggie, and part of it is thanks to one of my bestest work friends who is a veggie for religious purposes.  Being around her makes me feel more like being vegetarian is just normal.  Anyway, I’m not gonna lie – I know that the biggest motivation for going partially vegetarian is for the ease of preparation.

As I’ve been packing my lunches and dinners for the week, I’ve tried to make things as easy as possible for myself.  This includes not having to cook chicken or beef or pork any more than I have to.  Instead, I try to incorporate my nutrients elsewhere.  I am a big fan of canned beans – they provide protein without any additional prep work.  I throw as many different veggies in my soups and meals as I can so that the fiber will fill me up.  And if I think it won’t be enough, I just add some grains.

Going veggie for most of my meals has also encouraged me to be more creative.  Instead of just chopping some chicken over rice, I have to think about the individual flavor of the beans, veggies, and any condiments.  Will carrots change the taste of my butternut squash soup?  Hardly.  But will it add additional beta carotene, and vitamin A?!  Certainly.  They were well worth the addition to the soup.  So far my two favorite meals so far have been the above mentioned butternut squash soup – and this little scrumptious number… adapted from trader joe’s “polka dot mac and cheese.”  I prepared one box of Annie’s mac and cheese, and added frozen broccoli, and shelled edamame.  Edamame and cheese?  Don’t knock it til you try it. And the protein content is out of this world!  It kept me full for hours.

I grew up in a veggie-starch-protein family.  Prior to this busy season, I’ve never appreciated a vegetarian diet before – but I’m slowly coming to find that it can be just as delectable as eating meat based dinners.  Vegetarian recipes can be so simple, and if cooked properly are missing the grease and fat which are so frequently a side dish of meat entrees.  While I don’t think I am in a proper mindset to appreciate a full veggie diet, I strongly consider giving it a shot – even if it’s just for a few days.  Your tummy and mind will appreciate your creative veggies dishes!  Godspeed

Happy Monday friends! 

I don’t know about you guys, but this week feels like a fresh start.  I had a fantastic weekend relaxing with all of my girls… both from work, and from SJU.  On Friday, my best girls from work and I went to dinner at California Pizza Kitchen, and then we saw VALENTINE’S DAY!  I checked out the menu before hand, and decided to go with asparagus soup and half of a grilled vegetable salad for dinner.  Not only was it one of the healthier options, but I was craving vegetables!  It was so delicious… just like the cast of Valentine’s Day!  I don’t know what it is lately, but I have been boy crazy!  First my crush on King Henrik (so dreamy), then all of these gorgeous actors!  Robert’s been making fun of me like crazy because I never ever have celebrity crushes!  And the movie was so cute.  Very predictable, but quite charming.  It was just what I needed after a stressful week at work.

Saturday was almost (almost!) my perfect day.  I had to go to work in the morning, but left and went to watch a surprisingly competitive SJU game vs Temple.  Some of you might not know how fierce the inter-city rivalries are in Philadelphia, but SJU v Temple is always a scrappy game.  We held it close – even pushed it into overtime, but it just didn’t cut the mustard.  Anyway, there was no time to be sad over the loss – I had a bridesmaid’s dress fitting to attend!  My friend Georgia picked me up right after the game, and fitting with the theme of the day – I asked her to be my bridesmaid!  My bridal party is starting to come together – one girl left to ask

The dress we tried on for Kirsten was beautiful!  It was a shimmery blueish gray, with a sweetheart neckline and a big bow in the back.  It looked so good on everyone!  After the fitting, we headed up the street to StoneRose, a new restaurant in Conshohocken.  I had almost the same dinner as the night before – this time with potato soup and duck salad.  Paired perfectly with two glasses of wine

The girls and I had so much fun catching up on all things wedding related (3 of us are getting married in the next year or so!) and baby related (Georgia’s going to be an aunt!)  and house related (Mariola just bought a house!).  We had so much fun!

Anyway, back to business!  As you might have noticed, I have not gone for a run for almost two weeks now!  Yesterday, we had beyond gorgeous weather here in Philly.  I got home from running errands, and immediately set out for my first run outside in… months!  It felt so nice to have some fresh air in my lungs… until the cold started burning whenever I took a breath!  I had to take some walk breaks, but I still made pretty good time (for me), so I am happy!

Being able to run outside made me feel a lot better about the Broad Street Run – so much better in fact, that I took the plunge… and plunked down $75 to join a training group.  Mildly freaking out over here!  This is the biggest commitment I’ve taken towards a race, and I really don’t know what to expect.  So far I think that it’s sorta like Team in Training… without the fundraising part (a portion of our registration fee goes to charity, but I don’t have to raise any additional $), and the training plan is specifically tailored for the Broad Street Run.  I think there are a lot of other runners who are just starting out, so I think it will be good for me to meet people and hopefully force me to get out there and actually run!  I’m so excited, and even a little proud of myself for finally making the commitment!   It’s time to get back in the saddle!  I’ve already started off the week with healthy meals, and a little yoga this morning… so I feel like I’ve got this now.  I’m excited to challenge myself and bring my running and health to the next level!

Have any of you ever run with a training group?  What was your experience?

Will you check this out – a real post!   I wanted to share with you guys the fun times Robert and I had last weekend.  As I mentioned, Robert is a HUGE New York Rangers fan, so for his birthday I surprised him with tickets to a game at Madison Square Garden!  (wait, is it still a surprise if I get it for him every year…?)  We stayed with his mom in Queens on Saturday night, and headed into the city just in time for the game. on Sunday afternoon

I love going to MSG because the fans and the city are so passionate about their team.  The whole building was full of Rangers jerseys!  Robert didn’t want me to feel left out, so he bought me a Marc Staal t-shirt!  I love the Staal brothers – they are so good and Marc is about my age.  I wish I had a picture of me modeling my sweet t-shirt

Before the game, they had an awesome tribute to the NHL players on the Rangers and the opposing team (Tampa Bay Lightning).  They brought out the cutest little kids holding the flags of the countries represented by the players.

Gotta love King Henrik – they adore him at the Garden!  He’s on the Swedish team, and they won the gold medal at the last Olympics.  And whoa is he hot too!  (It’s ok,  Robert knows my hockey crush!)  Ow ow!

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Phew, ok, back to the game.  It was so intense, with the Lightning going up 2-0 first, and then the Rangers answering with 4 goals in the second period!  We were hoping that one of the players would score a hat trick, but alas the game ended 5-2 with no hat trick

The crowd was going crazy!  Everyone was on their feet.

Considering it was Valentine’s Day, we weren’t surprised when we saw the makings of a jumbotron proposal.  We were all shocked to see that the girlfriend actually turned down the hopeful groom-to-be!  The woman looked so angry, and stormed out of the arena.  My jaw was ON THE FLOOR!  I had always joked with Robert that I’d say no if he proposed at a sporting event, but when this happened I had to reassure him that I wouldn’t have actually said no!  (Of course this is easier to say after he already proposed!)  Check out the video though – once you get over feeling bad for the poor guy, it’s pretty funny.  Besides, I’ve heard from more than one source that the whole thing was a hoax, so don’t feel too bad

Unlike these guys, Robert and I had a great time!  I can’t wait to see the Rangers again  when they come to Philadelphia in April!

We topped off the night with a feast of BBQ at a nearby restaurant.

We shared a platter of all sorts of goodness: ribs (my favorite!), brisket, pulled pork, and bbq chicken.  We were in heaven!  There need to be more bbq places in Philly!  The restaurant was a little dead because it was Valentine’s Day – but that’s how we like it!  I’ve never really been into the whole fancy dinner and flowers thing for V-day.  Robert spoils me enough during the rest of the year!  But it’s always fun to do something we love, and this day was perfect.

What is your idea of a perfect day?

Hey guys!

So obviously I fibbed a little bit in my last post – clearly I have not posted since Saturday.  I’m not going to lie – I feel like I’ve gotten hit by a mack truck.  We worked until 11 on Monday and 930 last night, and I’ve been using every extra minute to sleep and catch up with robert (oh and maybe read a few chapters of twilight!).  I hope you all understand!

I have so many pictures to share with you all, but I haven’t even had time to load them to the computer.  I’ve gotta get one of those new fangled card reader devices

Hang tight – I hear tonight is supposed to be an early one.  So hopefully I’ll talk to you all later!

In the mean time, what is your best tip for getting back into the swing of healthy habits?  Since the snowstorm last Tuesday, I haven’t gone to the gym once.  And BYOD is on the outs… I’ve brought soup the past few nights, but wraps and pasta just sounded so much better.  Maybe if I take care of myself better I won’t feel so exhausted?

Hey guys!  Sorry posting is still sporadic.  We’ve been swamped at work [still!] and haven’t even had time to get a post up at lunchtime.  Robert and I are going up to New York right after work today, so I’m pretty excited about that.  We are spending time with his mom and sister tonight, and then tomorrow we’re going to see the NY Rangers play the Tampa Bay Lightening at Madison Square Garden!  Robert’s a HUGE Rangers fan, and I bought him these tickets for Christmas… the game just happened to fall on Valentine’s Day!  I’ve never been much for the holiday itself, but we always manage to do something fun anyway! 

Anywho, I hope you all enjoy your weekend!  I’ll be back tomorrow – hopefully posting more regularly after that.  In the meantime, please aquaint yourself with this fellow.   We met yesterday morning while I was stuck in traffic on the way to work.  I loved how the kids made a snowman even though they don’t have a backyard in the city.  I miss being a kid!

Oy vey! 

I have been neglecting you bloggies again, and I really apologize!  We got hit AGAIN with snowmaggedon v 2.0, and my life has been a whirlwind of snow!  But first let’s back up…

Remember this…?

Yesterday morning I brought my car to the body shop to get the repair process started.  Showing how much of a novice I am at this whole car-accident thing, I totally thought the repairs wouldn’t be more than a few hundred dollars.  I couldn’t believe it when I saw the estimate!  We’ll put it this way… I’ll need a rental car for TWO WEEKS.  Whoa!  Thankfully the insurance company will be taking care of it. 

Since I had my estimate appointment before work in the morning, I opted against the gym to save time.  I chose to do the “Yoga for Runners” podcast from yogadownload.com.  I was floored by the routine - it wasn’t overly hard, but felt kinda tough at 6am   I was even a little sore when I woke up today… I guess I need to pump up that lower body strength!

Work was rush rush rush so that we could get home before the snow.  We left “early” at 7ish, and I high-tailed it to the SJU basketball game.  Who cares about a little snow?!  Plus I got to park right on campus, and I had flashbacks to night classes on campus.  I grabbed this shot of my favorite building in the snow…

This morning I woke up to a whole new fresh blanket of snow, and the decision was made to work from home.  Gotta love having work-issued laptops, right?  Ugh.  Robert was home too, and we worked together in our pj’s.  It was a fun day as far as work days could go – but I wouldn’t have minded being able to go play in the snow again!  We had big plans to walk to the gym at lunchtime, but they were closed   I couldn’t sit still anymore, and busted out another yoga podcast to shake out my limbs.  I settled on the Gentle Hatha Flow #2 from yogadownload.com, as I didn’t really want a full blown workout, I just needed to open up and relax.  You guys - I love yoga.  I feel silly doing it sometimes, but once I actually get down to it, it’s always worth it.  I love how loose and calm I feel afterwards, and I think I’ll sleep well tonight as a result! 

Anyway, thats really all that’s gone on for the past few days.  yoga + snow, snow + yoga… hopefully the snow is still a nuisance in the morning so we can crash in our pj’s again!  Even if I have to work from home, it’s still better than working from the office!

Gratitude Journal 2.10.10

1)  I am so thankful that I made it home from the game safely last night.  There were a few hairy encounters with a hill and the curb, but somehow I made it.

2) I am eternally grateful for my fiance for digging my car out (as I type!) just in case we have to go into work tomorrow.

3) I am thankful for the homemade strawberry pancakes Robert made this morning!  Perfect work-from-home breakfast