Street Cred

This weekend I did something that I never ever do...I ditched my school work that had to be done on the computer, threw the stuff that didn't require my laptop into a bag, and spent the weekend at hubby's races. I had a lot of fun supporting my man and his friends and got to spend a little time working on my photography skills.

Saturdays races were through the streets of downtown Tampa. Watching these guys fly around sharp corners at high speeds was pretty insane. I would be terrified! The weather was gorgeous and an eco-festival was also taking place downtown. We ended the day having dinner and drinks with friends at a little Italian restaurant while watching the last pro race that took place at twilight.

I'm always on the look-out for obscure things that can become something beautiful. I loved the reflection of this historic building caught in the panels of a modern high-rise.

A candid shot of hubby while he is discussing race strategy with another cyclist. It was really fun to see him in his element, doing what he loves.

I couldn't resist these lovely little pansies in various shades of purple and yellow. They reminded me so much of home!

Sunday's races were in a different city and the weather was pretty gloomy. The cloud cover made it easier to get some good action photos. Luckily, hubby's race ended just as the rain started.

Taking the weekend off has left me terribly behind this week, but it was totally worth it to support hubby. I sometimes get so caught up in school, dissertation, and training that I have a tendency to overlook the little things that matter most in a marriage, like how important it is to support your spouse in everything they do. But I'm working on it!

So Yogi isn't just a bear?

As I mentioned in my last post, I sustained a pretty awful injury while training for my half-marathon. While researching how to treat the injury, I kept coming across articles on the benefits of yoga for athletes. I've been wanting to incorporate yoga into my routine for quite a while now, so this seemed like a great opportunity to start. To get myself motivated, I bought a new purple yoga mat and a cute purple yoga block. My schedule doesn't permit me to take yoga classes at a gym or studio, so I purchased the following DVDs after doing a little research:

I really had no idea how messed up my body was until I started doing these DVDs. In addition to my latest injury, I have pretty severe back issues that I sustained in a car accident a couple of years ago. The poses that were supposed to be "relaxing" (like lying on my back) were excruciating due to my injuries. I really should have started doing this years ago! I have to wait 5 more weeks to start running again to give my injury time to heal, so I'm trying to be diligent with the yoga during my time off. I'm anxious to see if the yoga will help prevent future injury like it promises.

Are you into yoga? If so, in what ways has it helped you?

I'm looking forward to becoming a yogini =)

Life, briefly

These past few months have been some the busiest, most stressful, and most rewarding of my life. Would you like to know what I've been up to? Well, even if you don't, I'm going to tell you anyway!

• I took my comprehensive exams for doctor school and PASSED!
• I signed up to go on a mission trip to Guatemala this summer.
• I walked for my master's degree.
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• I finally got to see Wicked (and it was fabulous!).
• I passed another one of my final hurdles for doctor school.
• I started on my dissertation.
• We bought a juicer and I am in love with it.
• I sustained a pretty severe injury only a month before my half marathon.
• I pushed through the pain and ran the half marathon anyway.
  
  
• I saw the Moscow Ballet production of Swan Lake (so lovely).
• I got to see hubby race for the first time since he turned pro.
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• I decided to become vegan!
• I dyed my hair red and had almost 12 inches cut off (you can kinda see in the grad photo but not really well).

So as you can see, a whole lot has been going on lately. It's been a stressful time but I've accomplished a lot in the past few weeks. Now I'm looking forward to things slowing down a bit...and I can't wait to catch up with all of you and see what you have been up to. I feel so out of the loop!

Craziness

I never mean to drop off the face of the earth. I really don't. Doctor school is just kicking my booty right now and leaving me with absolutely no free time. I have a major project that is due next week, so I've been spending every waking hour trying to complete it in time. So hopefully I will be back soon because I miss yall!

xoxo

Studying & Strawberries

{keeping my feet cozy in my Freudian slippers}

I am stuck at home today cramming for one of the most important exams I will ever take. I would say it is second in importance only to the licensing exam I will take in a couple of years to be able to practice on my own. I have my comprehensive exam on Friday morning, which basically covers almost everything I've learned in the past 3 years of doctor school. Fun, huh? Hopefully I will pass with no problems because failing means no more doctor school. If that happens I might as well flee to a deserted island and learn to live on coconut water and bananas because I will never be able to pay back my student loans. So say a little prayer for me if you don't mind!

{studying}

On a much happier note, it's officially STRAWBERRY SEASON in Florida!! Yippeee!! I must confess, the start of strawberry season is one of the things that helps pull me out of the post-Christmas slump. Yesterday I purchased our first package of locally grown fresh strawberries at the market for just over a dollar. I'm planning on slicing these little babies up and serving them over homemade multi-grain waffles for supper tonight. Mmm mmm good.

{Plant City strawberries}

Also, did you know that today is officially the start of King Cake season? In the past, I've had to order king cakes from Louisiana to be shipped to me in Florida. Last year I was determined to make one on my own but was just too busy with school. But this year it's going to happen...I WILL make a homemade authentic king cake on my own! So stay tuned to see how it turns out!

There's no turning back now...

I'm officially registered for the Disney Princess Half Marathon on March 7. Eeek! It's amazing what an expensive entry fee can do for my motivation level. There is definitely no turning back now!

It's Resolution Time!

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There's something so hopeful about starting a new year. People are motivated and anything seems possible. I'm super excited about my resolutions for 2010 and have already started working on them.

1. Grow in my walk with Christ.

- Memorize 2 Scriptures a month

- Read God's Word everyday

- Stay active in church and life group

2. Focus on my health and fitness

- Run a half marathon during the first half of the year

- Run a marathon in the second half of the year

- Compete in a duathlon (run and bike)

- Complete another triathlon and beat my previous time

- Run 700 miles

- Incorporate yoga and meditation into my routine

- Eat healthier, including regular detox and juice fasts

3. Focus on the simple joys in life

- Buy less, make more (including dinners at home instead of eating out so much, sewing instead of shopping, making accessories and gifts)

- Send more snail mail and cards

- Explore more of Florida with hubby

- Learn to budget and stick to it

I've ran the past three days and the trail has been packed with people working on their fitness...I love it! I hope everyone is able to stick with it. Wishing you all the best of luck with your resolutions this year!!

Have you started working on any of your resolutions yet?

Reflecting & Resolving

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Happy New Year!!

I've missed you lovely ladies! I just got back to Florida, so it will take me a few days to catch up, but I'm looking forward to reading about all of your Christmas and holiday fun. I had a great trip home to Louisiana. It was so wonderful to see my family (and experience a little cold weather!). I did tons of cooking while I was there and finally learned to make dressing, which I consider to be the Holy Grail of Southern cooking. Since I just got back into town, hubby and I decided to have a low-key New Year's Eve. We had supper with his family and watched football...it was nice and relaxing. I'm one of those people who is guilty of putting too much pressure on New Year's Eve. I always worry about finding the perfect party and the perfect outfit. So to just chill out and spend time with loved ones was really nice.

I also spent a little time last night reflecting on the blessings of 2009. A few of my favorites...

*We found a church and life group that we loved, which introduced us to a wonderful new group of amazing Christian friends

*We actively made time to study God's Word and bought each other new devotional Bibles for Valentine's Day

*I was able to go home to Louisiana three times (every little break I had from school!)

*I passed my CCE-Diagnostic (kind of a big deal in doctor school)

*The running genes I inherited finally woke up and I discovered I actually love running

*I completed my first triathlon

*I fell in love with sewing

*We celebrated our 2nd anniversary in St. Augustine

*We celebrated my 27th birthday at Disney World

*I attended a conference with some of my girlfriends where we learned from Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, and Kay Arthur

*My best friend came to visit me and we had a blast at Universal Studios and a fancy beach resort

*I experimented with tons of new recipes and even made French macaroons

*I obtained a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology

*We got to explore a frozen Wonderland of ice even though we live in Florida

I also made my resolutions for 2010, so I will share those with you tomorrow.

Hoping 2010 is full of blessings for all of you!

xoxo

Chocolate Christmas

Tonight I celebrated Christmas with hubby's family because I'm about to hop on a plane and head home to Louisiana. We feasted on BBQ and opened presents while Heaven ran around in her Santa outfit. I wanted to make something special for hubby's family, so I decided to spend the day making chocolates.

{Peanut Butter Balls}

{Chocolate Sea Salt Truffles}

{Miss Claus sniffing out one of her presents}

I will be taking a break from blogging while I'm in Louisiana...my schedule is going to be pretty hectic while I'm there. In addition to holiday cooking and spending time with family, I will be studying for my comprehensive exams which are over the Christmas break. Leave it to doctor school to make sure that no "break" is really a break. I will be back on the 30th, so I look forward to catching up with all of you then and starting off a fabulous new year!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!!

xoxo

My baby needs Xanex

Yesterday was an emotionally trying day...our baby got attacked on her morning walk.

While hubby was walking Heaven, a chow broke it's leash and attacked her. The chow picked her up in his mouth and shook her around as she screamed. It happened so fast that hubby wasn't able to intervene in time. It just so happens that a vet lives in our complex and heard Heaven screaming. She was so terrified...she tried biting the vet and hubby. She was seriously traumatized...she was shaky and scared all day. She hid under the couch and wouldn't come out...not even for treats. It broke my heart! We found a puncture wound on her stomach, but it doesn't appear to be anything serious. I am so thankful because it could have been so much worse. When she went on a walk last night, she was even scared of the leaves blowing. She is in better spirits today (she was extremely interested in stalking the McDonald's bag I brought home tonight), so I'm hoping she will be back to herself in no time.

It's so scary how these things happen so fast. Has anything like this ever happened to one of your fur babies? If so, how did you help him/her overcome the fear and anxiety?

{Scared to come out from under the couch after the attack}

Parties & Peppermint

This weekend was rather busy with Christmas activities. We attended Christmas parties on Friday and Saturday night, which meant preparing holiday treats to share. For Friday night's party, I made a peanut butter pie which was quickly devoured. Saturday night's party was a fancy affair, so I wanted to make something that could be nibbled on easily. Peppermint bark turned out to be the perfect option.

{The hardest part was not eating it all before party time!}

{Hubby and I at our friends' Christmas party}

I am also rather disappointed in myself. Friday's party included a Secret Santa exchange, and I made one of my girlfriend's a little retro apron. It was seriously the cutest thing I've ever made, and I forgot to take a picture of it!! I definitely plan to make more of them but the fabric combination I chose for my friend just turned out so freakin' cute.

Have you been making any homemade Christmas treats or gifts this year?

Baby it's cold outside

Well, cold for south Florida. We were blessed with temperatures in the 60's over the weekend...it was pure bliss! I wore a scarf for the first time this year and even a light jacket! It's supposed to be hot again this week, but it was fabulous to get a little cool weather for a few days.

Since we were having a cool front, Heaven's grandparents let her have her Christmas present a little early. Doesn't she look precious in her new little pink Snuggie?

She loved it so much! She pranced around in it and was so proud to show it off. I think it's quite possibly the cutest thing ever.

Ice Ice Baby

I've been longing to go to ICE since moving to Florida a few years ago.

Saturday evening we made the trip inland to check out this holiday favorite.

We had an amazing time...the temperature inside the exhibit was a crisp 9 degrees (I soaked in as much as I could!).

After getting our fill of winter, we warmed up over dinner at a wonderful Mediterranean restaurant at the Gaylord Palms. The hotel was decked out in Christmas decor and tons of people were bustling around drinking hot cocoa and listening to performers sing Christmas songs. It was the perfect way to start the Christmas season.

{The lovely tree at the Gaylord Palms}

What are you doing to get into the Christmas spirit?

Thankful

{Pumpkin cupcakes for Thanksgiving dessert}

I just adore Thanksgiving and the days following the holiday...good food, time with family, Black Friday, the LSU vs. Arkansas game, and the official start of the Christmas season. We had a delicious Thanksgiving steak dinner, then my MIL and I left the boys watching football and went shopping. Michael's opened at 5:00 pm Thanksgiving night, so we hit up the sale and had a blast buying Christmas trees and decorations. Even though things are tough for us right now with the recession and my school stress, I am so thankful for God's blessings in my life.

I am especially thankful for...

Jesus and the gift of salvation that He gave to me

My amazing family

My wonderful friends

{Heaven and I after having Thanksgiving dinner}

I hope you all had a fabulous holiday!!

{And of course I'm dying to know if you had any luck on Black Friday...so how did you do??}