[LONG TIME, NO POST!]

SORRY FOLKS... WE ALL KNOW 'LIFE HAPPENS' ... BUT WOW, ITS ALMOST BEEN A MONTH SINCE IVE POSTED! SORRY!

ALRIGHTY... THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED... WEEKS AGO... I RAN 4 MILES!!! I WAS ECSTATIC (AS YOU COULD IMAGINE!). THEN TRIED RUNNING AGAIN THE FOLLOWING WEEK, AND MY KNEE WAS NOT HAVING IT, AND ONLY LET ME DO 2 MILES. ITS BEING SO TEMPERAMENTAL. ARG. SO I HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN RUNNING, BUT I HAVE BEEN CONTINUING WITH THE GYM! GOT A LITTLE BEHIND LAST WEEK DUE TO BEING UBER BUSY... BUT WE ALL KNOW THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE, SO IM SHAPING UP AND KICKING IT UP A NOTCH THIS WEEK.

[RANDOM NEWS...]
I GOT A NEW CAR! SO RELIEVED TO BE DONE WITH MY JEEP! I LOVE FILLING UP AT THE GAS STATION! $40! SO NICE COMPARED TO $70! HAHA. SO ITS THE SAME YEAR AS MY JEEP (2006) AND HAS 10K MORE MILES, BUT IT SERIOUSLY FEELS BRAND NEW. JOSH DID SOME MATH AND FIGURED ID SAVE ABOUT $700 A YEAR (WITHOUT COUNTING GAS! AND I DOUBLED MY MPG! 16 TO ABOUT 27!) AND THE LENGTH OF MY LOAN IS CUT DOWN BY 2 YEARS! SO ILL BE DONE IN 36 MO. SO STOKED!

DID I MENTION IT IS A STICK? DID I MENTION I DIDNT KNOW HOW TO DRIVE STICK? SO SAD TO NOTTTT DRIVE YOUR NEW CAR HOME! HAHA. SO JOSH AND I WENT DRIVING THE DAY AFTER AND I DID PRETTY GOOD. THEN HAD TO BE A BIG GIRL AND DRIVE IT 30 MILES TO WORK ALL BY MYSELF WITH NO JOSH SUPPORT! AY CARUMBA. I DEFINITELY FREAKED MYSELF OUT... WELL, I SHOULD SAY PSYCHED MYSELF OUT. I JUST GOT SO NERVOUS WITH CARS AROUND ME! I HATE LEARNING NEW THINGS AND NOT GETTING IT RIGHT AWAY. IM TERRIBLE, I HAVE NO FAITH IN MYSELF, AND GET WAY TOO NERVOUS FOR MY OWN GOOD. WHICH IS NEVER GOOD WHEN YOU ARE LEARNING SOMETHING NEW. OBVIOUSLY I JUST HAVE TO PICK MYSELF BACK UP EVERYTIME I STALL OR BURNOUT... IM STUCK WITH THE CAR, I CAN'T QUIT OR RUN AWAY LIKE A USUALLY DO. THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT FOR ME. I LOVE SHOWING MYSELF THAT I CANNNN DO STUFF. ITS A GOOD CONFIDENCE BOOST (I NEED ALL THE BOOST I CAN!). IM CONFIDENT IN THE THINGS I KNOW HOW TO DO... BUT THE THINGS THAT ARE NEW. HA! NO WAY. STILL WORKING ON IT.

I PUT THIS LIL NOTE ON MY CAR TO WARN EVERYONE... FOR STALLING AND BURNING OUT... HAHA. IF YOU CAN'T READ IT, IT SAYS "CHICK LEARNING STICK." WHAT CAN YA DO? MANY PEOPLE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE ME, IM SURE THERE HAVE BEEN WORST LEARNERS OUT THERE.... AT LEAST I HOPE.

SO YESTERDAY I HAD TO DRIVE A 60 MILE ROUND TRIP TO WORK, AND THEN I WANTED TO GO TO THE GYM AND ALMOST DIDN'T BECAUSE I WAS TOO SCARED TO BE ON EL CAMINO REAL WITH ALL THE TRAFFIC (5PM MIND YOU) AND ALL THE STOP LIGHTS. THEN I HEAR JOSH'S WORDS IN MY HEAD AND DECIDED THAT HE'D KICK MY BUTT IF I LET MY CAR STOP ME FROM GOING PLACES. ITS THE NEW ME. DOING NEW THINGS... GETTING OVER MY FEARS AND SELF CONFIDENT ISSUES... BRING IT ON.

IM ACTUALLY DOING MUCH BETTER EVERY TIME I GET INTO THE CAR. HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE WEEK, ILL BE A PRO. UNTIL THEN, IM GOING TO AVOID HILLS. :D

[OTHER RANDOM NEWS]
SATURDAY AFTER BUYING MY CAR... JOSH AND I WENT TO A 70S WHITE TRASH PARTY FOR HIS NEIGHBORS (AND MY SOON TO BE NEIGHBORS) 40TH BIRTHDAY. WE HAD AN ABSOLUTE BLAST! AND MY TWO WONDERFUL FRIENDS, RHIANA AND VICTORIA, JOINED. WE SERIOUSLY HAD SO MUCH FUN! JOSH AND I DID PRETTY DAMN GOOD WITH THE CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT (MUST HAVE BEEN THE BEER MUA HA HA). HERES SOME PICTURES...

 WE SERIOUSLY HAD SO MUCH FUN. CHRIS AND LISA WENT ALL OUT. THE HAD A HILLBILLY HOT TUB... PICKUP TRUCK WITH A TARP FILLED WITH WATER (HAHA :D) AND THEY EVEN HAD A BAND, KFC CATERED (WHATS MORE WHITE TRASH THAN THAT!?), TWO KEGS, AND AN ENTIRE CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT (3 COURTS) AND ABOUT 24 TEAMS! EVERYTHING WAS PRETTY FREAKIN EPIC. I HAVEN'T  BEEN TO TONS OF THEME PARTIES, BUT HOLY MOLY THIS WAS SERIOUSLY EPIC!

ALRIGHTY, BACK TO THE BLOG...
WELL, I DID SAY IT IS A BLOG ABOUT MY LIFE... SO I GUESS I DONT HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR MY CAR RANT ;D

[FOOD]
IVE BEEN SLACKING ON MY GOOD FOOD LATELY... PROBABLY BECAUSE I SLACKED ON EXERCISE THE LATTER PART OF LAST WEEK. I FEEL LIKE THEY REALLY DO GO HAND AND HAND. SO IM GOING TO IMPROVE THAT THIS WEEK.

[GYM]
WENT TO YOGA YESTERDAY, AND I HAVE TO SAY IT KINDA KICKED MY BUTT. WE DID MORE 'FLOW' YOGA AND I DEFINITELY BROKE A SWEAT! WOOT! IT WAS AWESOME! YOGA ALWAYS MAKES ME FEEL SO GREAT! EVEN IF ITS JUST MENTALLY. I THINK IT PUT ME IN A GOOD STATE OF MIND ON MY WAY HOME... THE 10 MILES WITH MY NEW CAR WAS PRETTY DANG FLAWLESS! LOL. MORE YOGA BEFORE DRIVING. :D TODAY IS A NEW DAY... I THINK I MIGHT ATTEMPT A RUN. WISH ME LUCK! MY LAST ONE DID NOT GO WELL AT ALL. I THINK I MIGHT JUST STICK TO TWO MILES FOR A WEEK OR TWO AND WORK UP TO A NEW GOAL... NEED TO BE NICE TO MY KNEES SO THEY WILL RETURN THE FAVOR AND BE NICE TO ME :D


ALRIGHTY FOLKS... I THINK THATS ABOUT ALL I HAVE TO SAY THIS MORNING....
HOPE ALL IS WELL!

OXOX
J

[QUICKY]

SO I RAN YESTERDAY. I DID A LITTLE OVER 2 MILES!!! BUT WHOS COUNTING RIGHT? HAHA. ME! SO STOKED! HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE MONTH I HOPE TO BE BACK UP TO 3-4 MILES AND UP FROM THERE! SO EXCITED! IT WAS RATHER WARM YESTERDAY, BUT I DID PRETTY DARN GOOD! I WAS SO SAD THAT I WAS SO TIRED DURING/AFTER... BUT I HAVE TO REMEMBER IM STARTING FROM THE BEGINNING AND TO BE PATIENT. SO ILL TRY TO STICK TO MY EXCITEMENT! YAYYYY!
I ALSO FORGOT ABOUT HOW MUCH BEING OUTDOORS MEANS TO ME! I WAS ON CLOUD NINE RUNNING IN THE SUNSHINE, WIND, WATCHING THE OCEAN.... AWWW ITS GOOD TO BE ALIVE!

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND.... (YES YOU DO HAVE TWO)
I WENT TO THE GYM TODAY AND REALIZED I HAD MISSED IT! SO BETWEEN MISSING RUNNING OUTSIDE, AND MISSING THE GYM AFTER A BUSY NO WORKOUT WEEKEND... I FEEL AS IF I AM FINALLY IN A ROUTINE AND IM HOOKED AGAIN ;D I KNEW ID COME AROUND MUA HA HA
SO AT THE GYM I DID ABOUT 12 MINUTES ON THE ROW MACHINE (CAN'T BELIEVE I USE TO DO 20 MIN! MY ARMS ARE ALREADY SORE!) THEN I MOVED ON TO FREE WEIGHTS. IM TRYING TO STRAY AWAY FROM THE MACHINES AT THE GYM BECAUSE THEY ONLY WORK CERTAIN MUSCLES. WHEN YOU USE FREE WEIGHTS YOU USE ALL OF THOSE STABILIZER MUSCLES THAT NORMALLY WOULDN'T GET USED ON A MACHINE. I DID BICEPS, TRICEPS, AND DELTOIDS. MY ARMS ALREADY FEEL IT. ITS A GOOD SORE, AT LEAST I KNOW IM ACCOMPLISHING SOMETHING! HAHA. THEN I MOVED ONTO MY SWIMMING. THIS IS WHERE I FELT IT THE MOST. BETWEEN MY RUN YESTERDAY, ROWING, AND FREE WEIGHTS... MY ARMS AND LEGS WERE MADE OF LEAD. I LOOKED AND FELT LIKE A DROWNING FISH (DO FISH DROWN?), BUT STILL MANAGED 20 MIN.

I KNOW THIS STRENGTH TRAINING WILL GET EASIER.... BUT WOWWY! APPARENTLY LIFTING A 25LB TODDLER MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY WAS ENOUGH OF A WORKOUT. APPARENTLY NOT!

SPEAKING OF TODDLERS.... GUESSSSSS WHAT?! I HAVE GREAT NEWS! I DROPPED CAE OFF AT THE GYM DAYCARE FOR THE SECOND TIME AND WHEN I WENT TO GO GET HIM ABOUT AN HOUR 15 MIN LATER.... THE LADY SAID HE DIDN'T CRY AT ALL AND PLAYED THE WHOLE TIME!!!! YAYAYYAYAYAYYYYYYY! I LOVE IT! IM SO EXCITED! I KNEW REGARDLESS OR NOT OF CRYING, I WAS GOING TO DO MY WORKOUT AND CONTINUE TO BRING HIM. I CAN'T LET HAVING A CHILD GIVE ME AN EXCUSE TO NOT WORKOUT. BUT! THE FACT THAT HE HAS FUN TOO! IS AMAZING! I DON'T HAVE TO FEEL GUILTY ABOUT LEAVING HIM AND WE BOTH GET A WORKOUT!

IM GETTING EXCITED :D I FEEL LIKE MYSELF AGAIN. HOPEFULLY AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS ILL BE A MORE TONED VERSION OF MYSELF (ONE CAN HOPE!).

SORRY FOR THE SHORT ENTRY!
HOPE ALL IS WELL!
J

[ITS GROOVY, BABY]

[LAST WEEK]
CAE DID GREAT WHEN I DROPPED HIM OFF AT THE KIDS CLUB AT LA FITNESS. I THOUGH HE WOULD HAVE FREAKED WHEN I LEFT, BUT HE DID GREAT. THE LADY SAID HE FREAKED IN THE MIDDLE AND CRIED, SO SHE WALKED AROUND WITH HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE. BUT WHEN I WENT TO GET HIM AN HOUR LATER HE WAS BUSY AT THE JUNGLE GYM HAHA. ALAS, HE DID RUN TO ME CRYING LIKE 'WHY DID YOU LEAVEEEE MEEE?!' IM HOPING IT WAS JUST THE TIMING OF EVERYTHING (TIRED/DINNER TIME COMBO MAKES FOR ONE GRUMPY IRRITABLE BOY).

[FITNESS ASSESSMENT]
WENT AWESOME . THE LITTLE BODY FAT MACHINE SAID I WAS 19%, NOT THE 27% IT SAID LAST WEEK... I WOULD LOVE TO DO IT AGAIN TO SEE IF ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS WAS A FLUKE... BUTTTT I DONT WANT TO PRESS MY CHANCES. 19% SOUNDS AWESOME HAHA. THE WORKOUT I GOT FROM THE TRAINER WAS AWESOME. A REAL EYE  OPENER ON HOW MUCH I NEED TO WORK ON STRENGTH TRAINING. THE TWO DAYS AFTER I COULDN'T LAUGH, COUGH, SNEEZE, OR LIFT MY ARMS WITHOUT BEING IN PAIN HAHA. SOOOO YES, NEW GOALS IN THAT AREA FOR SURE!

[WEEKEND]
I HAD AN AWESOME WORKOUT GROOVE GOING LAST WEEK. I DEFINITELY SLACKED FROM FRIDAY ON. BAD JEN!
I WAS SOOOOO SORE FROM THURSDAY THAT I SLACKED FRIDAY AFTER WORK. AND THIS WEEKEND WAS JUST TOO BUSY : / (I ALWAYS MESS UP ON WEEKENDS! ARG!)
I KNOW. I KNOW. I DIDN'T HAVE AN EXCUSE. I NEED TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT THIS WEEK TO GET BACK INTO MY GROOVE. ITS HARD BECAUSE JOSH'S CAR ISN'T RUNNING SO ONE CAR BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE WITH TWO SCHEDULES SOMETIMES MAKES THINGS DIFFICULT. SO TODAY I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO RUN INSTEAD OF THE GYM BECAUSE HE HAS TO TUTOR. GYM DEFINITELY TOMORROW. NO GYM THURSDAY... ARG (WHICH IM SUPER SAD ABOUT BECAUSE THAT WAS A YOGA DAY! I MISSED IT THURSDAY BECAUSE OF MY FITNESS ASSESSMENT, THEN NO CLASS MONDAY BECAUSE OF LABOR DAY.... NEXT MONDAY IT IS!).

[IN OTHER NEWS...]
JOSH AND I LOOKED AT MY FINANCES. NEVER FUN, BUT DEFINITELY NECESSARY. ITS HARD BECAUSE I DONT FEEL LIKE IM A CRAZY SHOPPER OR SPEND MY MONEY ON DRUGS OR ANYTHING.... ITS REALLY JUST THAT I HAVE A LOT OF BILLS, IM FEEDING 3 PEOPLE, AND MY CAR SUCKS GAS.

THE PLAN...
I LITERALLY CANNOT EAT OUT. I USUALLY DO ABOUT 3 TIMES A MONTH... BUT I REALLY SHOULD JUST HAVE A "BROKE" MENTALITY (WHICH I ALREADY DO.... HAHA.)
NEXT STEP:
GET RID OF MY CAR :o(  I STILL OWE QUITE A HANDFUL ON IT, IT USES WAY TOO MUCH GAS FOR THE AMT I DRIVE IT. AND A LOT OF MY LIGHTS HAVE BEEN COMING ON (TRACTION CONTROL, CHECK ENGINE, AIRBAG...) AND I STILL HAVE MY UNSOLVED VACUUM LEAK (WHICH IN THEORY SHOULD BE CHEAP TO FIX... BUT EXPENSIVE IN LABOR TO FINDDD IT). JOSH THINKS IT MIGHT JUST GO DOWN HILL FAST. I BELIEVE HIM. WHICH SUCKS BECAUSE I LOVEEE MY JEEP.
SO YEAH. YOU KNOW ME AND CARS. IM QUITE OBSESSED. SO OF COURSE IT IS ALL I AM THINKING OF LATELY. I WANT SOMETHING PRETTY CHEAP (IF I WANT TO SAVE ON A CAR I MIGHT AS WELL CUT COST IN THREE AREAS: AMT FINANCED, GAS, AND INSURANCE, INSTEAD OF JUST CUTTING COST IN GAS.
IM THINKING SUBARU IMPREZA WAGON. WE SHALL SEE, DEPENDING IF I FIND ONE I LIKE IN MY PRICE RANGE WITH A DECENT AMOUNT OF MILES. (WISH ME LUCK!).

ALRIGHTY I GUESS THATS ALL I HAVE FOLKS. ILL LET YOU KNOW HOW THIS WEEK STARTS OFF. I THINK BY THE END OF THE WEEK I MIGHT WEIGH MYSELF TO SEE IF IVE MADE ANY PROGRESS...

THANKS FOR LISTENING,
J