Just keep swimming, just keep swimming

Michael and I started swimming this month as part of our workout routine. We are planning to do a triathlon in July so it's training for that. M was captain of the swim team in HS; I have never taken a swimming lesson in my life. Since I'm such a novice, I wanted to get in the pool early, before we start the training program so that I felt comfortable. Lucky for me, Michael is a great coach.

Day one in the pool sucked. Getting in the water at 5:30 a.m was tough and uncomfortable, as I had no idea what I was doing and thought everyone in the pool knew it. I think I swam about 10 laps total, with lots of breaks. I thought I was going to drown - I'm not kidding. I warned Michael that one of my issues with swimming is that I forget to use my legs. Sure enough, that day, I was all arms. I also really struggled to go more than two strokes without coming up for air. And I mean coming up for air - I couldn't breathe and I was gasping like someone who was drowning. I was exhausted by the time we were done. It was not a good day.

Fast forward to now: after swimming two days a week, I'm feel much more comfortable in the water. Michael has been a tremendous help on everything - form, breathing, pushing my to my limits. My form is improving (still has a ways to go), I'm remember to use my legs most of the time, and my endurance is much, much better. I can alternate breathing sides and am not gasping for breath most of the time. Yesterday, I swam a total of 24 laps, and 10 consecutive laps. I was quite proud of myself.

I wear goggles, a swim cap and a one piece suit so I look like a swimmer, but I actually feel a little like a swimmer now. I have improved a lot over the past month, and I still have 4 more months to continue to improve. I have a long ways to go, and I will definitely need to practice in open water come summer but I actually think I will be able to do this.

If you had asked me at the beginning of the month, I would have said there is no way that I will be able to do the swimming portion of the tri (which makes it hard b/c it is the first part). Now, I don't feel like a poser anymore; I feel like a swimmer. Well, except for the part where Michael helps me put on my swim cap every time. Maybe I should try to learn how to do that myself...

Sunshines and Creeps

Creep to painting half the kitchen and hating it. The color was not what we want - much too blue and much too bright.

Creep to repainting the kitchen tonight. Fun Friday night at our house.

Sunshine to picking a nice neutral (my original pick) that looks great! If you're looking for a great neutral, I recommend Kilim Beige from Sherwin Williams.

Creep to being super busy at work this week.

Sunshine to being approached for a job at my alma mater by two VPs. It was awfully flattering, but the timing is not right. In ten years (or two years ago), it would be my dream job.

Creep to being in a funk this week. Hoping to shake over the weekend.

Sunshine to dinner at our house tomorrow with Lara and Jordan. We are making homemade pizza. Yum!

Sunshine to a hilarious story my aunt shared with me. She works for the MN Orchestra and today, they were interviewing caterers for exclusive contracts for their new concert hall. One of the caterers was Macy's, our wedding caterer. When asked about a recent successful event, they talked about our wedding! My aunt said "Imagine their shock when I told them I was there and my husband still talks about the food, especially the late night snacks." It made me laugh, and also feel good that they considered it a success.

Sunshine to my girlfriends and their exciting baby news. Super happy for all of them!

The joys of choosing a paint color

Michael and I have wanted to paint our kitchen for awhile. It's currently butter yellow and I'm over it. I love the look of a blue kitchen and since our dinnerware is blue, we thought it would be easy to find the color.

WRONG! We have tried several samples on our walls over the past few weeks and our wall basically looked  like this:

That said, I think we've finally decided.

This is Tidewater by Sherwin Willliams. It actually looks a lot greener here than it does on our wall. I'll post pics when we finish!

Sunshines and Creeps

Sunshine to our delicious “red meal” for Valentine’s Day last night. Our tradition continues!

Creep to my total insomnia two nights ago. Waking up for the day at 2:36 am is not very fun.

Sunshine to not having to go to NYC this weekend. 3 day weekend at home with my hubby = happy me!

Sunshine to my good friend Steph, who’s due date for Baby Boy J is fast-approaching. So happy for her and her hubby Ross!

Creep to basically doing two jobs right now and no progress on finding someone to take over my old one. Overwhelmed doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.

Sunshine to Westminster this week. My pick didn’t win but I just love dogs. I really want one :-(

Sunshine to texting with Jessi about Westminster. She LOVES the show (it's her version of Miss America) and it's fun to get the scoop from her on who is supposed to do well, who she likes, etc.

Creep to being totally exhausted after our swimming workouts this week. I feel better after today’s practice than I did on Tuesday but holy cow, swimming is hard!

Creep to the starvation that comes with swimming in the morning. It’s currently 9:13 am and I’m ready for lunch…

Sunshine to trying a new recipe this weekend: Chicken Tikka Masala. I hope it's good b/c I love Indian food.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you celebrate by telling the people you love how much they mean to you. 

Random update

Agh, I'm so sorry that I haven't blogged in more than a week. It's just been crazy at work and at home, and time has not been on my side :-)

Anyways, here's a few random facts about my last week:

• Michael and I celebrated 5 months as a married couple last Friday. Woohoo!

• I've stayed late and/or come in early for work every day. Boo!

• I do not have to go to NYC anymore this weekend and I REALLY excited about that. I hate working on the weekends.

• We might finally hire someone for my job soon. Yay!

• Michael and I went swimming this morning for the first time. I am so tired, not just because we woke up at 5:15am but because swimming is freaking hard. How I will prevent myself from drowning during our triathlon this summer I have yet to figure out...

• We are going on a date night tonight: dinner at Butcher and the Boar and Book of Mormon. We've been excited about this for almost a year!

• Just finished another really good book: The End of Your Life Book Club.

• I made these yummy blueberry muffins this weekend from scratch.

Goals: February 2013

Oh January – you were freaking freezing! And busy! And yet, I didn't do so hot on my goals, especially my work ones. What the heck did I do all month at work???

Purple Bold = complete
Black Bold = incomplete

Professional Goals - January 2013

Learn as much as I can at my conference this month. Done. I actually got some good takeaways.

Invitations out the door to NYC event. Yes. And RSVPs are low, which I knew they would be. I am so over this event.

Invitations out the door to DAA event. If we only had a date…

Send save the dates for Reunion Weekend. They are here but I haven’t sent them yet. Hopefully this month.

Begin transition prep. Trying to get started on it.

Read one of the books I ordered. I’ve read half of one.

Watch one of the webinars I ordered. Bahaha, maybe sometime this summer.

Change that freaking calendar. Nope. Why do I bother this???

Interview people for my job. We have interviews this week.

Personal Goals – January 2013

Run three days a week. Yes, but it was hard b/c I am so bored of a treadmill.

Yoga once a week. I went once. That’s a start.

Celebrate Michael’s birthday with special, fun surprises for him. It was a fun day!

Try at least two new recipes. Yes – I think we tried 6 this month, thanks to a new cookbook. YUM! I've made banana bread two weekends in a row.

Phone dates with Kristen, Steph, Jen, and Caitlin. I even SAW the first three but have failed to connect with Caitlin. 

Hang out with Chad and Michelle. Yes – finally!!!

Watch Miss America and talk with Kristie about it :-) Yes. The woman I wanted to win did not but oh well.

Figure out wedding stuff to sell and get on Craig's List. Nope. Spring Break goal.

Get my wedding dress preserved. Another spring break goal.

Paint the kitchen and guest bathroom. If we could only decide on paint colors. We have 3 1x1 squares in the bathroom and 2 in the kitchen.

Start planning our bathroom project. Not only are we planning, we’ve started! Paint = check! Now on to floor tile!

Take down outside Christmas lights. Done. We had to wait for a day when it wasn’t so cold or snowy so they were up until Jan 24 but we stopped turning them on on Michael’s birthday.

Start thinking about spring planting (yeah, I’m a nerd). Yes. Hydrangea, here I come!

Order wedding photos. Grr…

Read at least three books (I have a plane ride this month so I should be able to knock out one book on that). Yes! And I have so many more to read.

Professional Goals - February 2013

Get through NYC event. Yes. 

Invitations out the door to DAA event. 

Send save the dates for Reunion Weekend. 

Begin transition prep. 

Read one of the books I ordered..

Change that freaking calendar. 

Hire someone for my job so I can start my new one.

Personal Goals – February 2013

Run/spin/swim three days a week. 

Yoga one day a week.

Sign up for the triathlon.

Try a new restaurant.

Try a new recipe. 

Schedule couples dates with Lara and Jordan and Chad and Michelle.

Book plane tickets for Ski Trip 2013.

Go to the cabin for a weekend.

Paint the kitchen and guest bathroom (or at least choose the colors).

Select floor tile.

Order wedding photos. 

Read two books.

Do our taxes. Already done!

Sunshines and Creeps

UGH - LONGEST WEEK EVER!

HUGE CREEP that one of my coworkers just ruined Downtown Abbey for me. In her defense, it was ruined for her (she's on season 2) by her spin instructor this morning, and she thought I already knew the thing she told me. But I'm still super bummed and pissed. I've been avoiding all blogs, entertainment sites, etc. so I wouldn't know anything. But that wasn't enough. I am so incredibly bummed 1. about what happens and 2. that I know. Ok, end rant.

Creep to sleeping like crap last night.

Creep to not working out much this week. I want to run outside! Maybe we should move somewhere warmer...

Creep to the cold weather. My Raynaud's disease is killing my toes.

Sunshine to joining the Y so we can start swimming. I know I'm going to be horrible but it will be fun to do with Michael.

Sunshine to our Super Bowl menu this weekend.

Sunshine to seeing my parents at some point this weekend.