Happy Halloween!

In honor of the celebration of the exchange of candy for dressing as any impostor you wish to be, here are a few pictures from a recent crop I held at my place.  First let me say...the haunted house took more time than expected and thank goodness haunted houses look rickety because mine sure did!

First let me introduce you to Sally the Skeleton Scrap Diva.  She believes fashion and function are both important.  She sports a bejeweled crown, high heels, dangling ear rings and a petite crop bag that has her scissors poking out.  She is actually a movable monster from a Cricut Cart.  I cut her at 12 inches on white poster board and pink paper.  I used brads to connect her bones.  Remember, I don't have an original bone in my body. (pun intended).  I actually found this project at the Cricut.com website.  Isn't she darling?

 This is my first year to decorate for Halloween and I wanted to keep the budget reasonable.  I found this cute lighted pumpkin at Walmart for $2.97.  I also bought the small candle wrap. I owned the candle stick already.

I cut way too many bats from Happy Haunting cartridge. But I used some here.  Funny thing, the bats were the easiest to make and yet they had the most impact.  Again, not an original...thank you Pinterest.

 This was my favorite craft project.  I took my daughters mirror and used the Happy Hauntings cartridge to create this scene.  And again...not an original...thank you Cricut.com.

 Ok, this took the longest. It was the 3D Haunted House from the Happy Haunting cartridge.  It took so long to make but I love it. I used black poster board because it had to be sturdy.  I don't know if you can tell but but I put a strobe light in the inside.  It looks better with the lights off.  Did you notice the bats flying around it?

 Here is a larger picture of the bats flying out of the house.  Some were caught in a spider's web.  I love the webbing.

 I didn't want to take apart my vase so I just added webbing and bats. The frames are cut from Happy Hauntings.

 This bouquet of spooky is not from Happy Hauntings, except for the haunted house.  They are actually from Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge.  It is one of the best cartridges. It pretty much covers every holiday and much more.  The house is a flat version of my 3D haunted house. I am impressed at how the Cricut was able to cut all the details at this small scale. I bought moss from dollar store and the pumpkin was a dollar from Walmart.

 This is where the food was going to be displayed.  Initially, I was going to place the food down from the kitchen side of the counter and break through the webbing so that people could get their food. Apparently, this webbing has many of the characteristics of real webbing.  You couldn't make a clean break and get to the food without getting webbing also.  Next time I'll wrap the webbing behind the counter.

This is why I love die cut machines.  It didn't take much money to make most of these decorations.  It took about 10 dollars worth of poster board and 10 pieces of 12X12 cardstock.

Zombies, Run! A review on a running app that makes you part of the action

I have to admit I am not into the Zombie craze like the rest of the world. I tried watching a few movies and two series on TV but I just don't like the look of zombies.  However, I am a ham and I love to act.  I love reenacting scenes from my favorite movies.  That being said, this gadget girl cannot pass up a chance to review an app that takes your run and puts you in the middle of your own series.

Zombie Run2 is a running app that puts you in the middle of the action. You are a survivor of a plane crash in the post zombie apocalypse error.  You come to at the sound of someone talking through a headset and leading you back to base. You are given missions to head to the hospital and get supplies.  As you run you are able to collect supplies for base camp.  They tell you when to speed up and slow down.  It makes for a pretty interesting run if you usually run alone.  The bonus for me is that it starts out in the woods and I run the trails in my near me and they go through woods.

• GPS it does have the capabilities of turning on GPS so that you can track your distance and pace.  You also can upload your runs to the website and see your runs.
• Calories: you have the option to enter some basic information about yourself and when you run you will get an estimate of how many calories you have burned.
• The Story:  If you liked Animal Farm or Snoopy apps that allow you to build townships and maintain them, then you will love this game.  You are Runner 5 and your mission is to help rebuild civilization by collecting supplies and avoiding zombies.  
• Customizable:  You can choose to do speedwork by doing zombie chases.
• Playlist:  You can create a playlist of your favorite songs or import your current playlist.  In between the radio commands you will hear your music. When the radio tower has to share important information, your music will die down until they are finished.
• Screenshots:  The first one is a list of supplies I collected on my run and the second is a view of the base that I am building. I am new to this so my base is pretty basic but you get the idea.
• Website:  Zombies, Run!
• Cost:  The first 30 missions are free.  You are able to sign up for more missions via a subscription.

And just for kicks, here is the official video for the game and a fan video:

Breast Cancer Thank you Cards

Did I mention I love my Gypsy? I made this card using my Gypsy and the George and Basic Shapes cartridge. I cannot take the credit for the shape. JenC, a wonderful member of the Cricut forum, created this cut. She did it on Design Studio. Because DS is not compatible with the Gypsy, I had to recreate the cut in my Gypsy. It took a while but it I like it and I learned a lot about my Gypsy. I used paper from Basic Grey's Valentine line from 2009. The ribbon is from Michael's and the beads are from Paper Studio.

If you want the cut file for Design Studio, go to Jen's blog. If you leave her a comment, she will email you the file. She has some really nice cut files. So grab a coffee, sit back and enjoy her blog.

On a side note: I am in the process of recording Gypsy videos for beginners. I should have them edit ted and up by this weekend.

Running groups do's and don'ts

I am always full of fear the first time I do something. And sometimes I get so scared that I do this thing where I start crying which, for whatever reason, turns into laughing.   Running with a running group was no different.          I would love to say that I took every effort to make sure that I was going to be at my best for this first run.  But I didn't.  I stayed out late with a friend and only slept 4 hours before my run.  Which leads me to my do's and don'ts for your first run with a running group.

Don't stay out late the night before you go on your first run with a group of people you know are faster than you.  You need all the rest you can get.  So if a friend asks you to stay out later, just apologize and let them know that you have made a commitment to become a better you and need to get home for some rest.

Do lay out your clothes the night before.  I had to be in Galveston, about 45 minutes away, by 6:15 AM.  That meant that I had to leave at 5:15 if I wanted to give myself some wiggle time.  Having everything together meant all I had to do was brush my teeth, pull my hair back and put on my clothes.  No hunting through my drawers for matching socks or headbands. No running across the house to the laundry room to find my bottoms and then to the living room for my shoes.  Just do it.

Don't leave the address to the running group at home. Thank goodness I had wiggle room because I made it there at exactly 6:15.  I lost time when I had to Google the store and then GPS the location from downtown Galveston.

Do hydrate the night before and the morning of the run.  It was hot out there and you'll see later on why it was so important for me to hydrate well.

Don't take off on a run without knowing the route.  You see I was slower than the rest of the group and within the first few blocks I was alone on the road. I didn't know the route so I spent alot of time GPSing my location and trying to figure out how to get back to the store where we started.  I wasn't frustrated but I was annoyed with having to stop, pull my phone out of the armband, turn off my Nike+ app and go to Maps.  Eventually I made it back to the store but not on the same route as everyone else.

Don't beat yourself up if you get left behind. I have to admit there were a few times on my run that I felt  a lump in my throat and thought I was going to cry.  It wasn't because I was alone...I run by myself all the time.    I felt defeated.  I felt that my inability to stay up with the slowest group just confirmed my inability to be a part of a group.  Bottom line, I just felt less than. And true to form, what started out as a feeling of wanting to tear up and give up became a feeling of just wanting to laugh. But when I shared how I felt to my husband and daughter, my daughter said something profound, "Stop beating yourself up about how far you have to go and start celebrating how far you've come.  Remember the first time you cried because you couldn't run a minute? Well look at you now.  That is what you need to focus on. "  She is 17 and wise beyond her years.

And yes, if you caught that...I have cried before.  I am a llorona (Spanish for cry baby).  I cry for joy and I cry for sadness.  So don't feel sorry for me because I cried.  The physical expression of the emotion that I am feeling seems to get exaggerated in my body and I know it is ridiculous so I start to laugh.

So this week I am taking on the Kemah Bridge.  Fortunately, I live about a mile from the only safe bridge to train for hill work.  I believe it is 1.9 miles over and back.  Wish me luck.

It's me not you

Dear John,

Let me start by saying that I have always loved you.  You have been there since the beginning.  You are known as comforter and used as an reward.   Have a birthday to celebrate?  You'll be there.  Getting married?  You are one of the most important things at the wedding celebration.  Gathering with fellow Christians for a prayer session, committee meeting, retreat, seminar...heck anytime we gather as a congregation, you are there.  End of school year party for the elementary kids?   Teachers are sure to send a note home with little Tommy or Sally reminding us to bring you to school that day. We would die without you....literally we would die with out you.  But your importance for living has become an obsession and people are dying a slow death because of you.  What was meant for good, has somehow turned to bad.  And that is becoming more apparent now than ever in my life.  

Please don't cry.  It's me not you.  I took advantage of you.  I used you and abused you in my times of need.    I was too clingy.  I wanted you to be my everything.  If I was stressed out during the day, I ran to you to comfort me.  If I was celebrating any occasion, I wanted to do it with you.  I wanted you so much that I found reasons to celebrate.  I smothered you and put you on a pedestal.  It is for that reason that I have to distance myself from you.  We will still see eachother and be good friends but I can't let you consume me.  I want us to have a healthy relationship.  

I can't let you be my joy and my sorrow. I hope you understand. I will always care for you and need you but in a different way.  I hope you understand.

Love,

Rozette

When I read this months challenge for the Fatty Must Run Marathon Challenge, my heart just sank.  I knew  I would have to have the most difficult conversation with my food.  I had to admit that my emotional attachment to food can be unhealthy.  It's not that I don't like healthy food, that's not the issue.  I love vegetables, fruits, chicken etc but I obsess over chocolate, whip cream, flour tortillas.   Remember that song from the 70's Torn Between Two Lovers?  There is a line in there, "torn between two lovers, feeling like a fool.  Loving both of you is breaking every rule"  Well that is me. I don't mind eating healthy food but I want my bad also. And it isn't a hunger thing, its a "I want ______" thing.  No amount of filling health foods is going to satisfy my desire for chocolate.

So this weekend I went to Penzeys's Spice and picked up Fox Point, an amazing blend of herbs and spices that make everything yummy.

Last night we had chicken with a baby spring salad that consisted of Baby Spring mix of lettuce, celery mandarin oranges, cranberries, strawberries, pecans and a raspberry vinaigrette. 

Next time I will probably leave out the strawberries but may put apples. For lunch, I had more chicken on organic corn tortillas, with beans and lettuce.  I really enjoyed that and can't wait to eat more of that.  

I had cherries and grapes for a snack.  They were meh.  I didn't really satisfy my desire for something sweet but they satisfied my need to chew.  I have to come up with something clean to eat that will help with my sweet tooth.  Any suggestion?

I keep telling myself it is only for 30 days but in reality, I am hoping that this 30 day challenge will give me a new perspective on food.  It's fuel...nothing more, nothing less.  I need to grasp that concept. 

Good Form Running

Genevieve from New Balance at Fit Tri Run in Galveston

FitTriRun store in Galveston hosted a running clinic this past Saturday.  It was taught by Genevieve from New Balance. (Gosh I hope I spelled it right.  I know it's not pronounced the way most of us think it should be but I think I have the spelling correctly.)  This was my first time to a running clinic so I went suited up to run or maybe not.  I forgot my water bottle (which is a definite no no in this Texas heat and humidity) and I forgot my strap for my phone.  Fortunately, most of the clinic consisted of doing some exercises inside the AC'd store and doing a very short run in front of the store.  I learned that a running clinic is a class to instruct you on the proper form or technique of running and also record you to humiliate...I mean consult you on how you can better your form.

Now, Genevieve did not humiliate me. It was a joke.  However, she did record each of us running past her, first with shoes and second time barefoot.  Then she hooked her Ipad, the device she used for recording, to a large TV inside the store and proceeded to play each person in slow motion as she critiqued their running.  I have to say it was interesting to see everyone in slow motion. You see alot of minute things you would have missed had you watched at regular speed. For instance, while I was running across the screen, I could clearly see each roll of flab as it jiggled up down with each pounding of my foot and I must say, I discovered that each jiggle comes in waves and not just one big whop! Ok, that is not the only thing I discovered but before I go into my evaluation let me tell you some of the things I learned about good form running.

1. Posture:  Stand tall while you are running (even if you are only 5'1").  Your toes should point forward because...well because you want your toes to point in the direction that you are going. Keep your head up because looking down will cause you to slouch. Unless of course you are running on uneven road or trail and in which case you may want to look down from time to time so that you don't fall flat on your bum.  Your arms should swing freely from your shoulders with your thumbs pointing upwards and elbows at about 90 degrees.  (Another good reason to get the Amphipod hand held mobile phone holder) She suggested you reset your posture during your run by reaching up towards the sky and circling your arms back into correct position.
2. Midfoot:  You should aim to land on your midfoot when running.  Visualize marching in place while your ankles are flexed.  Heel striking can cause plantar fasciitis, over striding and injuries because of the hard landing.  Landing on the forefoot can cause Achilles pain, calf strain and shin splints.  She said shin splints happen because the wrong muscles are being used. Instead of the calf being used, the runner is using their shin.  
3. Cadence:  Ok, this was completely new to me. But when running your cadence should be 175-180 strides per minute.  That is 90 strides per leg.  If you are not sure about what that is and you have a smart phone, look for a free metronome app from Itunes or Googleplay and set it at 180.  Try to match the cadence at home while marching in place. Or click here for an online metronome.  She also mentioned Jogtunes that works on your IPhone or Android phone. To find your current cadence, count the number of right foot strikes you do per 20 seconds and multiply by 6.  Remember to run light.
4. Lean: This was a fun exercise.  She asked us to stand with are toes pointing forward and lean forward from our ankles until we felt the urge to take a step forward. She said that angle just before we fall forward is the optimum angle to utilize gravity to propel you forward rather than excessive muscle force. Some of us did that one over and over again.  I think we just liked the idea of falling forward.

Sounds like a lot to memorize, right?  Well she said one way we could train ourselves to do this naturally would be to barefoot run once a week. (of course make sure the surface is smooth and free of broken glass or loose gravel that may harm your foot.) She also said to march in place prior to your run with ankles flexed to help you strike midfoot.  Also before and even during  your run, reset your posture by swinging arms overhead and bringing them back to your side.   Also, listen to your foot steps.  They should be light. Your goal is to reduce the sound of your footsteps to a minimum because that means you are running light.  

Well when we watched the video of my running, we discovered that I look down instead of forward. One could argue that I am a trail runner and must keep my eyes out for fallen limbs, snakes, rabbits and alligators but that is no excuse. Because I looked like I was looking directly down at my feet.  I am also a heel striker...which could explain why I am having another episode of plantar fasciitis.  I didn't seem to heel strike as badly when I was barefoot so I guess next on my list are some vibrams 5 fingers and incorporating some track work into my running routine so that I have a smooth surface.  (My husband would argue I am just looking for another reason to go shopping.) 

If you want to learn more about good form running, just click here and let me know if there is anything you discovered that you can improve.

LG Tone+ Review

In this video, I review the Lg Tone+ wireless headset.  It works with both iPhone and android phones.  This headset fits comfortably around your neck. It is so comfortable, I forget I have it on.  It has the option to allow it to vibrate when the phone rings.  The ear pieces can be worn in the ear or stored magnetically to the headset.  You have the ability to control your media with it as well as your voice commands on our phone.  It has about  15 hours of talk time per charge and the range is anywhere from 30-50 feet.  It comes in both black and white and can be paired with two devices.  I highly recommend this for anyone on the go who listens to media or wants to use their phone hands free.

Project Life Worthy

I love Project Life. It allows me to record my day to day...no matter how mundane. But even after living in the same house for years,  I have come to realize that my daily routine has changed so dramatically since that first day here.  I want to remember the way it use to be. I want to be able to share with my grandchildren what this house use to look like...better yet, have them judge the old fashion decor that for the time being is fresh and new.

I am a story teller by nature.  Perhaps that is why I blog.  I blog because I see a story in everything.  Unfortunately, what I see in my head doesn't always translate well in pictures.  According to my pictures, my world has dark shadows, is blurred and always tilted to the left or right.  At times it even seems washed out. I thought buying a new camera would help. And it did to some degree. My world isn't so yellow anymore.  But my pictures were still ...eh at best.

So when my daughter asked me to take pictures for her and her boyfriend before prom, well I panicked.  This young man was celebrating his Senior prom and they wanted me to capture that moment in his life. I had seen his Senior pictures and they were great....no, they were better than great. They were amazing.  So when she asked me, I immediately said, "Sure. No problem.  I would love to do it."  with much confidence and no hesitation.  I  had 24  hours to come up with a place and poses.   Again I say thank goodness for Pinterest. I searched Prom, which by the way, will pull up a bunch of celebrity prom pictures.  So after about an hour of looking at their pictures and laughing, I finally searched up prom poses and made mental notes.  And then when I got to Pine Gully Park, a park off the water about 2 minutes from my house, I forgot all that I saw and just winged it.  The only pose I do remember is the one with someone in front and the other in back. (By the way, if you have a DSLR and you don't have a nifty fifty...get one)

I think for once in my Project Life scrapping I will have pictures that reflect the story I see in my head.  I really can't wait to put these in my album.

So this is what my world normally looks like through they eye of the camera:

Awkward picture in front of door

Bit blurry and dark

Then I took a deep breath and calmed my nerves and took some more pictures.  We had to hurry because the sun was setting..well hurry as fast as a girl can go in stilettos in the grass or across a pier.

the gentle kiss on the forehead, he is a good guy in our eyes

One of the poses from Pinterest...and yes he has a funny personality

Asked them both to pose, funny that they look similar

For this moment he is her world

So my story for prom is how it is a magical moment in one's life.  How what we wear speaks volumes about the fashion of your generation.  How that special person in our life at that time seems like the world. That many have their first loves in high school.  The funny pose is a reflection of their lightheartedness towards each other   And the kiss on the forehead speaks volumes about how this young man has been nothing but a gentleman and how he was the first person to court my daughter.  So for this moment, this is her world.

Dirty Girls Run

Picture taken by Ellie's husband

I love it when two of my worlds collide, like they did this Saturday. The two gals with me are scrap buddies. Once a month, about 12-14 women meet to scrap and chat. But on this Saturday, three of us came together to do run, jump, walk and grunt through a 5K mud run.  And of course, being the scrapbookers that we are, we took tons of pictures.

Now if you are new to running or maybe you are doing the Couch25K plan and still within the first weeks of it, you may be hesitant about registering for a 5K.  Don't be.  As a matter of fact, I am going to tell you to get over yourself and I mean it.  Get...over....yourself because you are the only thing holding you back. You see, Monica, the girl with the glasses, has never run a 5K. She has never done a training plan or tracked her pace or joined a running group.  She saw this 5K as a way to have fun with some friends and so she signed up for the joy of it.  Let's face it, if you aren't training to place at the top and earn a trophy, then I hope you are training and yes, running these races for the joy of it.

Did she run the whole course? Nope. Did she have a certain time she wanted to beat? Nope. Was it hard? Yup.  But she has earned the bragging rights to say she has completed a 5K.  She did amazing and never quit.  She got a stitch on her side within the first quarter mile but she stretched it out.  She could feel her calves cramping so she stopped and stretched them.  But she never gave up. She listened to her body and responded to it.  She did the obstacles she could and skipped the obstacles she couldn't.  (As did I)  Ellie and I stayed with her and encouraged her when she needed it.  (Well I must say Ellie was amazing. She always kept an eye on both of us. She can run circles around both Monica and I but she chose to stay with us...more on her in a later post). Monica did her best and I believe when it was all said and done, she realized that she was able to go farther and do more than she ever thought she could.  As a matter of fact...she's looking for her next 5K.  That's right people, this girl gots game!

So you see, you shouldn't over think your first 5K. If you keep asking yourself  "What if..." you will never get out there and miss so many opportunities to see how great you are.  Heck, sign up for a 5K mud run obstacle course, if you are really worried about not being able to run the whole thing.  In a run like this, you are guaranteed to have to take mandatory breaks while you wait your turn to do the next obstacle.

Remember what John Bingham says, "The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."  Are you ready? Do you have the courage?

Dirty Girl in 3...2...1

(Picture from Gritty Goddess Facebook page)

It's 3 days until the Gritty Goddess 5K obstacle run in Galveston!  I can't wait. Two wonderful gals are going with me. No, we aren't running buddies. We are scrapbooking buddies. I love that my two worlds are colliding!  

The last time I did a mud run, I did it with a good friend. I have to confess that when I said yes, I really wanted to say no.  I even think I tried several times to excuse myself from it.  I was scared.  I had not ran in a while and the idea of running through an obstacle course for 5Ks frightened me.  I didn't think I could walk 5K much less run 5K and throw all my fluffiness over a wall or climb a tall rope thingy or huge bouncy thingy (yeah I have no idea what their official names are).    And that day I proved myself right.  My poor friend Mari, I am sure she was ready to strangle me. I admire her. She is tough and independent and confident.  But at the same time she will give you the shirt off her back if she thought you needed it.  She doesn't put up with any crap and is a natural born leader.  She is soo cool she is even part of a roller derby team.  Her name on the team GREEN BEANER ! Love that girl! So she would say, "ok lets just run to spot X" and I was just turn and look at her like she was crazy. You know why I would just look and not say anything?  Because I was out of breadth from just walking!  Half way through, I pretty much convinced myself that I was going to pass out.  Now I am not sure if I was going to pass out because I had no more energy or because I thought once we got round this group of trees we only had on more obstacle and when I got around the trees, I realized we have 5 more obstacles to do and plenty of walking (Uh I mean running) to do in between .   But being the wonderful friend that she has always been, she just encouraged me and stayed with me. Thank you Mari for putting up with my drama.  

Ok, I am pretty sure I still can't run a 5K, much less run a 5K and then some.  But I am not scared.  I want to try.  I want to see what this body can do. I have been running for a few weeks and I want to take this body for a test drive.  I am sure I will get tired. I know that a dozen women are going to grab onto my bum and push me over the 5 foot wall.  I know all this and I am okay with it.  I JUST WANT TO TRY!

So my next run will be Saturday morning at 10:10 in the EIRENE wave at the Gritty Goddess.   I will wear a Tiffany Blue team shirt with ratty old shoes and other clothing that will probably have to be chunked after the run due to all the mud we will encounter.  (thank you Monica for offering to make the t shirts at such a great price) and  (thank you Ellie for having the idea to use a part of my blog name as the team name).  I promise to   nevermind. I make no promises to do anything but do my best, support and encourage my friends and all the women and enjoy every minute of it.

Gadget Girls dream case

 

 

Swarovski Crystal Premium Leather Case

 

I recently converted from an iPhone user to and Android user.  It took me months to decide whether I wanted to change over or not.  My two main concerns were 1.  What will happen to all my music and movies on Itunes? and 2.  Do they offer my apps, especially my running ones, on an Android platform?  I had heard rumors of people switching and finding the Android hard to navigate after having an Iphone.  So when the Galaxy S3 and Note II came out, I was still on the fence.

 

But then I heard the buzz about the Galaxy S4, asked the people at AT&T about converting my music and went to googleplay to see if I could find my apps, I decided to make the jump.  And I am so happy that I did.  I love the screen resolution, it is easy to navigate, love the camera, Smessage, ...I could go on and on.

 

So I pre-ordered it and received days before most retailers could sell it.  That is where I hit a snafu.  I don't like carrying around a naked phone.  I am too clumsy to have unprotected text.  So after spending my first day with new baby going around town looking for a case that existed but was still boxed up until official launch day, I decided to look online. 

 

And that is when I found the above beauty. She is handcrafted out of fine Caterina leather. They don't even start making one until you order because you can customize it to your own specifications.  You have a choice of 24 different colors for the outside and inside of the case.  BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!!!!!  You also have 6 different colored gems to choose from!  Oh my, I am feeling a bit light headed just thinking of all the possiblities.  I had one of these for my first smart phone in 2001.  I loved it.  I don't know how I forgot about this company or it's fabulous cases.  But in any case, I am just drooling over this phone case.  I would love the Capri blue outside with white interior with either red or pink crystals or white.  

 

But alas it is $220.00.  For those that are in the market for a Galaxy S4 or have purchased the 16GB one, you know that the case costs more than the phone.  Yikes!  So I will continue to dream about it until either I win the lotto, find that tree that grows money or look around the house for things that we no longer use and put them on Craigslist to get the money.  Most likely it will just remain a dream but a girl can dream, can't she?

 

 



Marathon?

You ever do something that you regretted but at the same time you are glad you did?  Well that is how I am feeling right now.  I have filled out an application to be part of a one year marathon challenge. Julie at Fatty Must Run, is in the process of starting a one year training program for a marathon.  So what, you say?  Ok, well here is the catch...you have to have a BMI of 25 or more in order to be even considered.

I subscribed to her blog about a month ago and when I read the entry from 4/22 that discusses the challenge, I read it and thought to myself, "That's nice. Crazy but nice."  She wanted us to share the challenge with friends. So being an abiding reader, I went to the Active Community forums and posted a new thread.  Then went to my Facebook and shared it with my friends on Facebook.  I made it known that I was not interested but someone out there might be.  DONE!

But I kept going back to that post and rereading it. And every time I read it, the shock value of it lessened just a bit.  On Friday, I decided to submit my application.  Yikes!  Ever since then I have been on this crazy roller coaster of "gosh I hope I am picked" and "I hope I don't get picked so that I have an excuse to not do it."

There is a huge side of me that wants to be picked.  Somehow I have rationalized that if I am picked that not only will I get a training plan but I would also get super powers.  With these super powers I would be able to train for a marathon and actually run one.  I fantasize about spending my mornings training on the trails. These super powers would give me the ability to cook healthy meals, organize my day to fit in all the training that I would need and my super powers would rub off on my family and they would love the new meal plans and help more around the house so that I would have more time to train.  Man the more I think about these super powers, the greater they become.

Then there is this tiny part of me called fear.  Fear tells me that I am not ready.  That I will lose my enthusiasm early into my training and I will have to hide from everyone out of shame.  Fears says my family will look at me and say, "See we told you, you are trying to do too much."  Fear says that this will just end up in failure and when I think about that failure, it is an infinite thing.  It reaches into all areas of my life.  My home would become messy, I would eat horrible food everyday, stop running and just sit on the couch each day and regret quitting and never forgiving myself for doing so. Fear is horrible and never nice.

I don't let myself stay in that head space for long...too sad.  So I fall back on "Where there is faith, there is no fear."  And faith is belief.  So I have decided to Believe.  My mantra will be She Believed she could, so she did. I'll remind myself that I have walked 20 miles three days in a row, if I can do that, then I can run 26.2 miles in one day.  I will believe that I can do this and remind myself it is not just saying yes and then the next day going out to run 26.2 miles.  No, it means I will start out small and build up miles over time. It is the same concept as couch to 5K and I believe in that concept.

When I received my application, it came with a note about the timeline for training.  She set out dates to run certain types of races. When I compare that to what I have already signed up for, I realize that I am already doing that part.  I am already building my mileage over the next few months.  I am doing a 5K this coming weekend and will sign up for more between now and August.  In September and October I am doing two 10Ks and in December I am doing a half marathon.  All of a sudden this huge task of running a marathon seems attainable.

So the big goal of doing a marathon will be at the back of my mind but I will focus on the task at hand and when it is done, I will check it off and move to the next.  So I will run a marathon, 5K at a time.

Breakfast at Tiffany's Crop

This past weekend I through a Breakfast at Tiffany's crop.  I had so much fun doing the decor for this one!  Of course my first source for ideas was Pinterest.

Source: trinketsinbloom.com via Rozette on Pinterest

Each person received one.  This one is actually in a Tiffany blue box.

Similar to the one I saw here.

I had a family emergency the weekend before so I didn't have time to paint the boxes properly, so at 4 am the morning of the crop, I found some acrylic paint in my scrapbook stash and mixed a few colors to come up with Tiffany blue.. (here's to not throwing anything away even when you haven't used it in years). So here is my version.

The box on the left is an actual box that is Tiffany blue that my husband bought me years ago to go with my scraproom.  ( I have a wonderful husband who buys me things for my birthday that I will actually love and use.)  The box on the right is a box I purchased at Hobby Lobby for $1.49 and painted.  I stuffed the bottoms with the plastic bags from the table liners, then I put tissue paper on top.  Each box had three sizes of bling, a tiara from Party City and either either some of my costume pearl jewelry or some pearl strand I found in the ribbon section at Hobby Lobby.  Here is a close up of the inside.

I also found this cute wedding gown cut on the Silhouette store.  It wasn't quite what I wanted so I tweaked it just a bit.  Once I had it just like I wanted, I was able to cut three per 12x12 black cardstock.  I then used the same technique that I used at the baby shower, to make the dresses stand up.  You can see the how to HERE.

I also pinned this wonderful centerpiece that I had to try. I couldn't find the directions to it and I have not done a floral arrangement before so I did my best.

Source: weddingwire.com via Rozette on Pinteres

Here is my version:

And no, I did not paint my art niche for the party. It just so happens that the color I chose as an accent color throughout my whole house is Tiffany blue (see previous posts).  I took apart a Christmas ornament for the bling on the branches.  I bought the flowers at, you guessed it, Hobby Lobby. And BONUS they were 50% off.  I already had the vase and the branches.

I also made a Tiffany Blue punch.

I used Blue Hawaiian Punch, a large can of pineapple juice and pineapple sherbert....oh and spike with your favorite liquor if you want.   

Everyone was given given a Tiffany blue gift bag for their trash, a Holly Golightly mask, a tiara and a luggage tag.  Cheryl, the creator of our scrapbook group found them at Michaels.  They had Holly Golightly on one side and we decorated the back side with our names.

I look forward to these crops each month. Sadly, I will not be hosting again until July.

Moving Comfort Juno Bra Review

A few weeks ago, I went to a Girls Day Out at Fit Tri Run in Galveston.  If you are ever in Galveston, visit them.  They are on the strand, an area of Old Galveston that has a bunch of quaint shops and restaurants.  I bought two Juno bras during my visit.  I wanted to give them both a good work out before I wrote a review.   They couldn't just take one workout and one washing.  No, they need to take a beating and keep on ticking...wait that is the Energizer Bunny....scratch that.  Let me precede this review with the following.     I do not receive these products for free or at a discount. I am just a normal consumer who buys things out of necessity and I like to share my opinions on it.  Ask my husband, I always give him my opinion. :)

If you are fluffy or just blessed with large bubbies, Moving Comfort has a bra for you.  I am both living large and large breasted.  I discovered there is nothing worse than trying to learn on how to run without being knocked around by my breast friends.  But it is not just that, when they have their own mind, they can really cause some balance issues.  I know people that are very critical about what they put in their hands because what they carry in their hands can throw there rhythm off. Well it is the same with bubbies.  When you leave them unsupported you may find yourself expending more energy to keep balanced than you do moving forward and you may not even realize it.  You have probably done this from the beginning and don't know the difference.  I didn't.  But now that I have seen the light, I will not go back into the darkness.

I am really impressed at the variety of bras they offer.  My first test drive with them was my Maia underwire high impact bra.  It is a back closure and the shoulder straps are adjustable.  My only gripe about them is the lack of variety in color. So these bras come in blah blah blah..I mean black, white and tan.  Sure if your are anti-fluffy and well endowed, the colors are endless with their other styles.  But once you add a layer of fluffy, all of a sudden they, Moving Comfort, seem to think that the layer of fluffiness has somehow smothered your desire for fashion and color.  But barring the lack of color it is a very comfortable bra that offers great comfort and support, without feeling like an underwire bra.

So when I arrived at TriFitRun, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Juno bra comes in a variety of colors for a variety of sizes.   The bra offers great support.  It is a racerback with a back closure, which can make it a bit difficult to put on but once it is on, you will feel locked and loaded.  Your breastfriends are not going anywhere during your run...you have complete control of them. Not only do you have a sense of control but you also have a sense of better posture which helps with your breathing during a run...especially when you are gasping for air because you took off too fast. (Who said that?)

But here is one of the best features of Moving Comfort. If you aren't privileged enough to live near a place to get fitted, Moving Comfort has a superb online guide to help you.  It is called THE FITTING ROOM.  This tool will teach you so much about athletic bras.  If you were not a bra guru before you used it, you will be afterwards.

So I give the Juno two shoelaces up for comfort and style.  And I give the Fitting Room two laces up for ease of use and information.

Boston Marathon I will finish the race

  Tax day.  If you asked me yesterday in the morning what I would have journaled about, I would have said about my dread of the tax day.  But by the end of the day, my focused had changed.  No longer was I worried about taxes.  Now I wondered about the Boston Marathon and all those people injured.  Or worst... those that were killed.  I have feared running...can I finish, did I train enough, am I going to be the last one in?  But never, never in a million years would I have thought "Am I going to die?"

And I still won't.  I am a fighter I am an American and we know no fear but fear of The Lord.  NO other shall control me.  So tomorrow I will run for Boston. I will do my best to represent...no matter how slow or how short...I will run the race that is set before me.

No one will take that from us.  Let the media speak of fear but we speak of hope and strength.   I will run today with Boston on my mind.

Dresser Makeover

Leave it to me to take on more than I can handle.  This is my first real make over of any furniture.  So what did I decide to do?  Well, I decided to take all my bedroom furniture and an armoire out to my garage and paint them all at once.  At the time of the decision, it made sense.  They all needed to be primed and most pieces were being painted the same color.  And on top of it all, I decided to blog about it. I made a promise to myself a few months ago that good or bad, I was going to blog my results of things I tried. Ouch!

One of my  first pins on pinterest was this one from Censational Girl.

I must have pinned it the first time about a year ago. I say the first time because I have pinned it several times since then.  (You know that awkward moment when you just finished pinning 4 or 5 things only to discover that what you were looking at was one of your own boards, so you basically repinned yourself?  yeah been there, done that)
So this is the first piece that is complete.  I know, I know very Martha Stewart like.  I didn't even realize it until I put in the drawers. (You may have noticed that we also painted the walls...finally.  After 7 years of the same builder off white, we committed to Maison Blanche from Sherwin Williams.)

I followed Censational Girls advice and used her technique.

I first removed the handles and filled the holes with Elmers all purpose wood filler and sanded it.

(Yes, I was scared when I saw my drawers in this state). I am not sure if it is suppose to look this bad at this point, but YOLO!!!.    Once I did this I primed my with Zinsser red can (yeah  just look for the red can.  It comes in red, gold and blue and Censational girl prefers gold then red but we only have red in the local stores).

Now, I do not know if they are suppose to look so smooth but there they are. (Can you see all the pieces of furniture back there?  I count eight drawers in this shot alone. I primed each piece twice, sanding between coats.

After priming, I painted the dresser Swimming from Sherwin Williams and I don't remember the white color but it is a pure white. I'll update this post when I find it.  After painting, I used Minwax  Polycrylic in Clear Gloss but my husband didn't think it was glossy enough so we sprayed it Lacquer High Gloss clear from Rustoleum.  It gave it a little shine but not like we wanted it.  After further review and research, ok so one day while mesmerized by Pinterest, I discovered this pin.

Source Apartment Therapy

So my next project will use this paint from Benjamin Moore. It is a water based paint that acts like an oil...who knew?

Then came the scary part....I had to drill holes for the new knobs. I have a tutorial for that also.  I love the knobs I found at Home Depot from Martha Stewart.  They are substantial. That is to say, they are heavy and feel like quality pieces.

And yes, I did discover after I put the drawers in the dresser that the knobs are not center on the vertical but only on the horizontal.  I measured them 6 inches from the bottom of each drawer, per a suggestion in my research. I think they should be center...oh well.

 Maybe it is more Tiffany Blue?  I have more pieces to finish and share.