Just push Play

The road to Cache Creek Casino, where I got a "staff appreciation" massage!

"Just push play".  It seems simple.  This is Shaun T's favorite phrase, and MAN is it obvious!  That man was in good shape when he put out the Insanity videos, but now?  Wow, he looks amazing!  I have NOT been able to bring myself to push play on my videos, but I FINALLY pushed play on Cto5K.  I did it 4 years ago, I can do it again!  I haven't been able to run since I was about 4 months pregnant.  I slowly dropped down to walking 3 miles, to 2 miles, to 1 mile, to barely able to walk from my car to my living room.  I've successfully completed day 2 of 3, and I have 3 more days to do that 1!

Woo Hoo, an uninterrupted meal!

I set out Monday night at 10:30.  I pulled on my too tight reflective shirt, and laced on my NOT running shoes (David accidentally packed my running shoes), and I pushed play.  Cto5K in a sense is easier this time because "there's an app for that!".  Before, I had to watch my watch :D  But I think being on 100% level ground is actually harder to maintain a consistent pace.  My body felt awkward and fat as I ran at the 'beep', but I pushed and I did it.This unfamiliar shape will slowly wear down to what it used to be, I'm determined to make it happen!  (again)

Sweet, happy boy

Food is my enemy.  My sister is doing a BANG UP job of eating "clean".  I read some of her recipes that call for stevia extract and xylitol and xanthen gum and just get a little overwhelmed so I drink a glass of wine and eat a bowl of icecream.  Kidding a little bit, but I KNOW I have to change things.  Motivation, I'll find it somewhere!

Summer nights

Ok, since all proper notices have been given now, I can finally share my big news!  We are moving back east!  Through a series of events, we will be relocating to Maryville, TN on July the 11th or 12th.  We have an adorable 3BR house with a HUGE fenced in back yard waiting on us :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D  So excited for Mav to finally have his own space, now it's time to figure out how I want to decorate his room and what color scheme to use!

Good sleeper

Yes, I am going to miss CA and the west coast in general terribly.  This state is so dang beautiful and has SO much to offer, but it also is a crappy place to raise a child in my opinion. The school systems suck, the child care sucks, the traffic sucks, and the taxes suck.  Plus, SO many people are just stuck up and self entitled, it's ridonkulous.  I am genuinely going to miss my work peeps and my amazing trainer out here; it's hard for me to make friends, and I'm so grateful for the ones I have.  Making new ones is terrifying, but by moving to within 3 hours of our home town, I can see some of my "old" friends again.  Super excited to go to my favorite hairdresser again too, lol!  My sweet boss said that if I ever find myself back in CA, I have a job here and that means SO much to me coming from her.  She's a tough cookie!  I fought like hell for that job, and it's gratifying to know I'm appreciated.

Do you know they don't make disposable swim diapers that fit an 11 week old?

Our new road trips will be exploring our new home state (can you believe we've never even been to MEMPHIS?) and branching out to KY and WV.  We will 100% fly back out west for epic vacations, but to Oregon/Washington/Idaho/Colorado/Utah before we hit Cali or Nevada again.

Fresh, clean baby!

Speaking of Mav, he's doing great!  We're "breaking protocol" just a teeny tiny bit by giving him 3 hours boot/bar free, but so far so good.  He just smiles this HUGE, adorable gummy smile when he gets his "naked legs" for the day.  His reflux seems to be a little better (no meds, but trying to sit him up a LOT), and he's super strong.  The ped said his tummy time strength is equivalent to a 4 month old.  He's always a little grumpy when I get home, but that's the 'witching hour' time anyway.  He's better in his car seat and actually let us eat an entire meal out last weekend without one of us holding him, literally a FIRST!  He's sleeping GREAT, from around 10/11 to anywhere from 5:30 to 7ish.  I'll take it!  Love that boy, he's such a blessing.  Thank you ALL for your prayers and well wishes, I genuinely believed they've helped.  Thanks for reading, and see (some of) y'all soon!! <3

The News

Well, now that people have been told, leases are being signed, and jobs are being seeked, it's time to tell the tale.  We are moving to California.  Sacramento, to be specific.  Yes, it's crazy.  Yes, it's a HUGE leap of faith.  But what is the title of this blog?  The FIRST day of the rest of your life.  We will be living a dream by moving out of GA and relocating to the west coast.  It's so weird to think that soon we will be southern transplants, but it's a new beginning.  The first thing we've promised our son is to get him signed with a talent agent as soon as we get moved, so hopefully by August 1, he will be on his way to stardom!;)  We leave GA June 27th ... The journey will be documented!

But ... WHERE is God?

In my most favorite place!

So, in my mind, I'm an amazing writer.  I'm witty, articulate, and can weave an amazing blog post at a moment's notice.  Well, we all have to have a fantasy, right?  I've had this blog post rolling around in my mind now for almost a month, but I'm having a tough time putting it out here on the web.  Why?  Because I'm not sure I can truly articulate what it is I'm feeling; I sometimes have a difficult time making a point, but I'm going to try!

Where do you find God?  In church?  Do you go to church faithfully every Sunday/Wednesday?  Do you go both in the morning and evening? Do you feel like a better person for having gone?  Do you tithe?  Or just give offering?  Sunday school?  Now ... how does all that make you FEEL?  Do you cry?  Do you get goosebumps?  Or do you try your hardest not to check your e-mail and try to be discreet when you yawn?

I feel God.  I don't feel Him very often in church.  I HAVE.  But there is some wall inside of me that prevents demonstrative hand raising, voice raising, and a flood of tears.  I'm always grateful when He DOES break through while I'm in church, but I think all the material/obligational distractions prevent my heart from receiving the necessary message.

I feel Him when I stand on the edge of the Smokey Mountains and peer through the mist on a cool Spring morning.  I feel Him when we drive through the Zion National Park, in the amazing rock formations.  I feel Him as I stand on the balcony of a cruise ship and see the frothy waves churning in the wake of the giant ship.  When I'm hiking through the woods, when I'm galloping across a field on my horse, and when I'm nervously leaning over the edge of the Grand Canyon, trying to just take in the vastness of it.  I get tears in my eyes, goosebumps on my arms, and the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand up in electric ecstasy.

Enjoy these moments, embrace them.  My mom recently had a discussion where we were talking about "real life", and she said, "This is all there is.  Get up, go to work, come home, go to bed.  Get up and do it all over again.  Grow up, Honey".  Well, I respectfully disagree.  Do what you have to do to live, to survive.  Then get out there and enjoy the gifts God has to give you.  Do what makes you happy, enjoy those moments when the goosebumps appear, and ALWAYS be thankful when He makes His presence known:)

Titles are overrated ...

Sorry I haven't been very motivated to post.  I have a lot of things going on in my life right now, and it's all I can do to keep up with my horse blog!  I seem to be holding steady at a mostly size 8; My 10's are a little loose, but I can't fit in ALL 8's. It's my darn thighs lol!  I finally stood on a scale and it claims I've lost 40.5 pounds, which does seem about right.  It was the WEIRDEST feeling to be looking at 149.5 lbs on the scale!  Exciting stuff:)  I'm down in a size M in all the sized stuff, cool!

I haven't been working out very much; I've still been averaging 3 days of 'extra' exercise other than my stall cleaning and riding.  I have certainly lost some of the tone I'd started to put on, but none of my smaller clothes are fitting tightly at all, so all is well.  I'm not eating quite as clean as I was, but I'm staying between 1500 and 2000 calories a day, so maintaing my new and smaller size:)

I WILL do another 60 days of Insanity, just got to make it happen.  The rest of this week will be 2 workouts/2 runs (during the GORGEOUS 70 degree weekend days).  Doing some VERY serious purging around here; we're selling pretty much EVERYTHING we don't need/use, and I will be cleaning out my closet/kitchen this weekend.  Feels both good and weird at the same time.  2013 is going to be a VERY crazy and different year for me; in fact, I feel it's going to be pivotal.  TODAY ... is the first day of the rest of my life!