Pick ME! Agree with ME!

Remember when I talked about the new He Said She Said section for the blog? Well, here it is! The very first post! This is something The Boy and I have discussed, like, a bazillion times. He doesn't think sheets are necessary. I can't imagine my bed without them!

HE SAYS:
Sheets? Sheets are stupid. There’s nothing a sheet can do that a good comforter can’t replace. Those of you that like sheets probably enjoy having your shoe laces tied together while you walk, or wedgies. It’s just an unnecessary annoyance that can easily be avoided, like wearing boxers instead of nut-hugging tighty-whiteys to avoid butt flossing. To fully pick up what I’m puttin’ down, ask yourself how many nights you've gone to bed, tucked in all snuggly-wuggly in your sheet and comforter, only to wake up with a) no sheet, because you've kicked it onto the floor at the foot of the bed (probably because your sleep-self realized how stupid sheets are and did what you should have done a long time ago) or b) the sheet covering like maybe one nipple and your left elbow because you've somehow turned it over twice and it now resembles bow-tie pasta. BUT, how many times have you awakened to no comforter (unless your sig. other steals it, which is a totally different post)? NONE! Your trusty comforter is always there!

Poor Justin has to put up with my
mad bed-hogging skills that go
something like this :)

SHE SAYS:

Bed Sheets are a girl’s best friend.

I mean, really, sliding into clean sheets after just shaving your legs is one of the best feelings ever. A bed is not complete without sheets. Sheets are the perfect way to stay warm and cool at the same time. Too hot? Just use the sheet. Too cold? Pull up the sheet.

Can you imagine a world without character sheets? Kids would be so sad. I still remember my awesome Little Mermaid sheets. And what about the day you switch to flannel sheets every year…the first time you snuggle up with the windows open on a crisp fall evening….magical!

Plus – if there were no sheets, how would it be possible to build living room forts? Everyone loves a good living room fort! You know what else you can do with a sheet – Toga party. Enough said. Sheets are awesome.

So what do you think?

Sheets? or No Sheets?

 

Hot Yoga, Mojitos, and Spray Tans

How did I manage to get through the weekend without a blog post? I had more than enough free time. In fact, I spent more time on the couch than I did on my feet! Like, really, I watched 10 episodes of Grey’s Anatomy on Monday…lazy!

It’s all good though because I excelled at barely survived Hot Yoga on Saturday. A few fun facts about me: I’m not flexible, I have no upper body strength, and I have a very short attention span…so a 90 minute hot yoga class was the perfect workout for me on Saturday morning :) I was surprised. It was seriously one of the best workouts I've ever had. I woke up on Sunday and it was all I could do to get myself from my bed to the couch. My arms and shoulders took a beating...bring on tank top season!

On Sunday, I went to a cookout/bonfire/Memorial Day Extravaganza and had a mojito for the first time ever.  It's such a summer drink. Try it, you'll love it. 

All you need is: rum, diet sprite, splenda, lime juice, limes, and mint leaves.

Muddle the mint leaves, lime juice, and splenda. Fill with ice, add the rum, and add the sprite...It's so easy!

Then, after looking at all of the pictures people kept posting on facebook of laying out by the pool, I got super jealous. (It might look summery in that picture, but we were in jeans and hoodies sitting by a bonfire just a few hours later!)  After being jealous for 2.5 seconds, I got the brilliant idea to get a spray tan. According to the internet (and we know it's always right about everything), technologies have advanced over the last couple of years and you can now get a spray tan without looking like an oompa loompa. Count. Me. In. I gotta say, I'm pleasantly surprised at the outcome. For the next five to seven days, I will have the sun kissed look that all ginger kids dream about :) 

....My only issue is that my hands are darker than the rest of my body...so if my hands are in my pockets or you see me wearing gloves when it's 90 degrees out, don't ask questions! Any helpful hints/quick fixes? Fill me in people!

How did you celebrate Memorial Day Weekend?

What's your favorite summer cocktail?

Have you ever gotten a spray tan? Thoughts?

Two Super Cool New Things

Number One:

 Get excited people! Guest posts are coming soon...starting with my cousin Shelby. 

Fun facts about Shelby:

She graduated from nursing school this year, bought a house, and is getting married this summer! 

She really likes giraffes, 

and her fiance

Not necessarily in that order...but maybe...she REALLY likes giraffes :)

Number Two:

Keep your eyes open for is the first installment of He Said/She Said. You know how I told you that The Boy stayed with me for 10 WHOLE DAYS this month? Well, we found ourselves talking about the most randomist bunch of things while we were on our evening walks through the neighborhood. That led to a list of all random things we agree to disagree on.

For example: I love sheets. Justin however, does not think sheets are a necessary bedding item (weirdo). I was so entertained by his reasoning (like, doubled over laughing at the ridiculousness of it), that I told him we had to write a blog post. Since he's a good blog boyfriend, you'll all be able read all about it next week. 

Stay tuned...

Oh - and if you're interested in guest blogging or have an idea for He Said/She Said, let me know!

Weird Things Wednesday

Working in marketing is fun. One of the fun parts is keeping up with all of the ridiculous interesting things other companies are testing to try to win our (the consumers'!) business. Here are a few weird things I found this week………….

First up: DVD’s that smell like Pizza.

Seriously – Brazil has got it goin’ on. Remember the Tweet Pee? The latest to come out of the country that is now on my must visit list is rented DVDs that smell like Domino’s Pizza. The company uses thermal ink to make the DVD look like a pizza and flavored varnish to make your living room smell like pizza when the DVD is ejected from your DVD player!

Check this out:

Numero Dos: You’re Dentist KNOWS 

There’s this new toothbrush, the beam brush,  that syncs with your smartphone and notifies not only your dentist that you didn’t brush for the whole two minutes (or whatever), but your insurance company too! I think I’ll stick to my awesome $1 toothbrush Thank. You. Very. Much.

PS – I’m cool with Coke tracking my every move through their magic machine. I don’t know how much data they get from my random Poweraid mixes though…

They're Watching You!

Last up: I wish I was cool enough to get paid to drink

If someone paid me for every margarita I've consumed in the last four years, I could retire tomorrow. I could retire today if I was also paid for every bud light I drank. After taking this quiz, I want to be friends with Jay-Z and Kenny Chesney in the hopes that I might get to enjoy some free beverages. I also want to be friends with JT because, well, who doesn't?

Well hello to you too :)

How many celeb/beverage matches did you get right?

What’s your favorite combo at the magic Coke machine?

What weird things have you discovered this week?

WWNPP - The First W

When I ran Cross Country in high school my coach used to require us (and still does require his team) to bring WWNPP to every single practice. Pain in the butt? Some days. Beneficial for short-term & long term improvement? Absolutely!

What exactly is WWNPP? You’ll have to keep checking back to find out!

Today, I’m talking about the first W – Water. It is so important to stay hydrated before, during, and after running.

This is Chuck.
Telling people to drink water :)
Source: Facebook (aka Kim's a creeper)

Facts about water:

Water asks as lubricant for your muscles, joints, and organs

Water is the transporter of oxygen and glucose throughout your body

Muscles need water for strength and flexibility

Joints need water to prevent stiffness

Signs of dehydration:

If you think your workout is too difficult

If you think it is too hot outside

If you feel tired or dizzy

If you feel nauseous and/or have chills

How much water should you be drinking?

Before your run

Stay hydrated in the days leading up to a big run

The day of, drink 8-16 ounces of water an hour before your run and drink another 4 right before your run

During your run

Rule of thumb: take in 4-6 ounces of fluid every 20 minutes during your run

If you’re running for longer than an hour make sure you have a Gatorade too!

After your run

You should drink a bottle of water (or more) after your run

Your urine should be the color of lemonade – that is how you know your properly hydrated!

This is mile 15ish of my 30K last year.
Definitely needed a water bottle during that race!

How I remember to drink water:

I have a 32oz water bottle that I fill up in the morning. I don't drink any other delicious beverages until I finish my water (I love sweet tea so this is good encouragement!). I drink one full water bottle before lunch and one after lunch. I try to remember to have a third full water bottle between the time I get home and the time I go to sleep...that one is hit or miss :)

 Read here & here for more info.

Do you drink enough water?

Any tips on how to drink more water during the day?

I ate way too much & NOT THE CHIEF!

Last Thursday The Boy and I had the neighbors up for dinner. Let’s pause for a minute and reflect on why I am destined to be best friends with my neighbor.

• I have a pink microwave, she has a pink DVD player (if we had our way, all of our appliances would be pink!
• I love shoes, she loves shoes
• I love thebachelor, she loves the bachelor
• I love buffalo chicken & brownies, she loves buffalo chicken & brownies

Which brings me back to dinner on Thursday. Justin made an AMAZING buffalo chicken casserole for dinner. This recipe is definitely going in the book for future meals! I meant to take a picture, but we devoured that sucker. For dessert I made Ghirardelli caramel turtle brownies. We topped them with vanilla ice cream. It was fabulous. If I had been wearing jeans, it would have been a pop the top button kind of dinner. Thank goodness for gym shorts!

After dinner I convinced Justin to watch the Grey’s Anatomy season finale with me. Who else was having heart palpitations during the entire episode? Thanks Shonda Rhimes for another stressful/amazing Thursday night! 

By the way, check out this link for a recap of all Grey's Finales. They have all been awesome!

I spent the entire episode making wild guesses and who was going to bite the dust last season. Meredith, Jackson, Bailey? Although, after last season’s finale, I thought for sure everyone would make it through!

My other thoughts:

I thought Lauren would turn out to be a crazy stalker and she would bring Arizona & Callie closer together instead  of tearing them apart :(

I am so glad Bailey is back to being Bailey. I missed her sassiness these past few episodes.

I wish Mer & Der hadn’t named the baby Bailey – I get that it’s a Grey’s tradition, but c’mon, be original!

I really hope Jo and Alex work out. I’ve always liked Alex, even through all of his crazy over the years.

I feel really bad for the hot paramedic, but I hope April & Jackson get together again next season.

Christina annoys me. Always has. Still does. Owen can do much better – let’s hope that relationship is over.

I did like her moment in the ER with Dr. Weber. He is seriously one of the best characters on the show…

…and on that note – THEY CAN’T KILL THE CHIEF! I know his part has been smaller these past few seasons, but I can’t imagine Grey’s without him.

What do you think? Is Richard really dead?

Which shows can you NOT miss an episode of?

Do you get as involved with your TV show characters as I do?

Some days, I feel like they are real people and they are my friends :)          

Hamstring Stretches

During my run earlier this week, my hamstring felt a little tight. I powered through and when I finished my run, I stretched…sorta… I really made an effort to stretch the rest of this week. Like, seriously stretch. Like, twenty minutes of serious stretching. My body feels great all over and I’m ready to log some serious miles this weekend!

Did you know that tight hamstrings are very common, especially in runners. It is crazy important to do hamstring stretches. Did you know tight hamstrings can contribute to back pain, hip pain, and knee pain?

Here are some easy hamstring stretches that you should do to increase your flexibility and improve your running performance. (Disclaimer: I am the least flexible person ever so you should probably Google these stretches to get a better picture of someone doing them properly :))

Hurdler Stretch

Sit on the floor and straighten your  left leg in front of you. Bend your right knee and place the sole of your right foot against your left inner thigh.

Fold over your left leg, keeping your back straight.

Hold for 30 seconds and then switch legs.

Toe Touch

Sit on the floor and extend both legs straight out in front of you.

Bend at the waist and slowly reach down to touch your toes.

Your legs should be flat to the ground (I'm working on this one!)

Make sure you're not bouncing!

Hold for 30 seconds

Reclined Hamstring Stretch

Lie on your back & raise your left leg as high as you can (keeping your pelvis flat on the ground).

Hold your lower thigh and pull your leg towards your head.

Try to keep your leg straight (I struggle with this!)

Flex your foot and stretch your calf too!

Hold for 30 seconds and switch legs. 

Read here & here for more hamstring stretches.

Do you stretch before/after every run?

How many miles do you plan to run this weekend?

What are your non-running plans this weekend?

A Big Kid Purchase & Girls Are Better at FroYo

Over the weekend, The Boy and I made our first big kid purchase together as a couple. Don’t get too excited blog world, it’s just a printer. Although…just a printer does not do it justice. This thing not only prints (double sided, in color), it scans, copies, and faxes. Except we won’t be faxing because I don’t have a land line :)

I was all excited about putting it together and setting it up…quality bonding time. Nope – Justin hauled that thing outta the box, I plugged it in and put the ink in and we were good to go in less than 5 minutes! We are so excited that we can sit on the couch, do our homework, and send our files to the printer (have I mentioned we’re both nerds?) without getting up.  Now, if only we could figure out how to get the papers off the printer and to the couch without getting up…

Now that the printer is set up and Justin has his white board hung up, he has an entire office to work in while he’s here in Pittsburgh!

Such a good blog boyfriend...posing for my millions of pictures!

On to the next topic: One of my classes this summer requires that we write a four page paper every week on topics that we are reading about (Personally, I think I can get my point across in two pages, but whatever…6 more weeks of madness!). Justin promised me that if I finished my paper yesterday he would take me to get FroYo. I haven’t had FroYo since I moved to Pittsburgh…and I don’t think I've ever finished a paper so fast!

We found this place called Yogli Mogli. I am their new #1 customer. I’m sure we've gone for FroYo before, but I’m beginning to doubt that because I’m sure I would have posted about this before. I’d like to take a minute and talk about the fact that my FroYo design is better than Justin’s.

Compare & Contrast

I choose my flavors wisely and give them separate sections in my cup (Cheesecake, Thin Mint, Cookies & Cream). The Boy layers his flavors on top of each other (White Chocolate, Peanut Butter).

 I select my toppings based on the flavors and keep them separate. Plus I always add a sour gummy worm. Everyone knows you can’t have FroYo without a sour gummy worm! The Boy layers his toppings.

Even though I think  we can all agree girls design better FroYo than boys, at the end of the day, they all look the same.

That was 22.5 ounces of pure deliciousness

Have you made any Big Kid purchases lately?

Do you have a land line? Do you use it?

FroYo fan? How do you pick your flavors/toppings?

Fabulous Finds Friday

First of all, I’d like to give everyone a BIG round of applause for making it to Friday. I don’t know about you all, but it has been a LOOONG week. My summer classes started on Monday, and for some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to register for three classes this semester…..

….at least it’s only eight weeks, right? 

Now onto today’s actual post :) These are a few things I discovered this week and just have to share with you.

Greek on the Go

These were an impulse buy at Sam’s Club recently. The bag is really pretty and I’m on Greek Yogurt kick, so I bought them! They take a bit of getting used to…definitely not the fudge dipped chocolate chip granola bar I’m used to, but I like ‘em. They are a great snack and are really filling. I want to try the peanut butter ones next.

Source

Tweet Pee

This is so weird. I was catching up on my ADWEEK newsletters and this caught my eye. Huggies is developing this “thing” (for lack of a better word) that you attach to a baby’s diaper. It sends you a tweet when you need to change the diaper! I don’t know if this qualifies as a fabulous find or a freaky find, but either way…I felt like you should know about it :) The ultimate goal is that the iPhone app reminds you when you need to buy diapers……in a really weird way. Read the article, watch the video. You will laugh – or at the very least crack a smile.

RHONDA

This fabulous find was when I got home from work today and saw Rhonda the Honda parked in front of my house. The Boy is in town for 10 WHOLE DAYS! The car was not the only fabulous find. I also found dinner on the table - Pizza Grilled Cheese. Definitely a stretchy pants meal. I ate way too much. Good thing our only plans for the night are to lounge on the couch and watch Friends :)

What are your weekend plans?

Do you have a favorite go-to snack? Healthy? Unhealthy?

Did you make any fabulous finds this week?

Is it Morning Already?!

I am not a morning person. Never have been. It is just too darn hard to unravel myself from the covers and get out of my warm bed when the alarm goes off! Up until about three weeks ago, it was best to avoid me before 9:30am.

Now, we are officially three weeks into the “get up at 5am and exercise” initiative and I figured I've stuck with it long enough to talk about. I also figure if I talk about it, I will be accountable for sticking to it!

Now that it’s part of my routine, I really do like exercising first thing in the morning. It’s a great way to start the day. I am usually still asleep during my warm-up jog, but by the time I finish my workout, I am wide awake and my energy is flowing! I have had a much more productive first hour these last three weeks. Like I said, I’m not normally functioning until 9:30. Not anymore! I’m all - Hello 8am, I've been waiting for you!

 Here are a few of my helpful hints for waking up early to get your exercise on:

1. Lay out your workout clothes the night before and put your running shoes where you can see them
2. Choose an obnoxious alarm sound and put your phone (or your alarm clock if you still use one J) far enough away that you have to get out of bed to turn it off
3. Time it so your workout ends half way through your favorite TV show so you are eager to get up and finish the episode (Grey’s Anatomy for me!)
4. Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. Not only is it cold & refreshing, your body is dehydrated from sleeping for the past 6 hours (or more if you’re luckier than me)!
5. Get enough sleep & eat breakfast!!! … I’m still working on these two…

I wish I had time to make/eat breakfast in the mornings, but since I don’t think I can possibly convince myself to wake up any earlier, I keep it simple. After my workout, I drink a cup of coffee while I’m getting ready. Then I make an awesome smoothie to take to work with me so I’m not starving by 10am. I make all of my smoothies with greek yogurt, Naked juice, and some combination of fruit. It’s delicious and has 17 grams of protein so it fills me up!   

Do you workout in the morning, afternoon, or evening?

How many hours of sleep do you usually get?

Do you eat breakfast every morning?

What’s this Hockey Thing Ya’ll Keep Talking About?

This past week has been very exciting - Balloon Glow, Mini Marathon, Bed Races, Pegasus Parade, Oaks Day, and of course, the Kentucky Derby (I was rooting for Overanalyzer today, because, well, story of my life!).

In Pittsburgh, people seemed to be excited for a very different reason this week – 
Hockey Playoffs. 

Since I know absolutely nothing about hockey, I thought I would do a little research so I won't look super confused every time someone brings up the topic. I got bored of researching after like, 10 seconds so I decided to look up fun facts instead.

10 fun facts about Hockey:

1. The earliest hockey games were played with chunks of frozen cow dung
2. The average NHL games uses a dozen pucks
3. The first year a formal ice hockey game was played on record was 1855
4. In 1917, the NHL began with the following "original six" teams: Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Redwings, New York Rangers, Montreal Canadians, Toronto Maple Leafs
5. The Stanley Cup was purchased in 1892 by the General Governor of Canada, Lord Frederick Stanley
6. The Stanley Cup is two feet, 11 inches tall and weighs 34.5 pounds
7. It takes 15,000 gallons of water to make a regulation-size rink ready before hockey games are played on them
8. The Montreal Canadians have won the most Stanley Cups in league history (23!)
9. Since 1914, the Stanley Cup has been awarded every year but two (1919 & 2005)
10. The Anaheim Ducks were named after the team in the Disney Movie, The Mighty Ducks

                                                                                                                                                                                Source Source Source

PS - Does anyone else remember when Mr. Potato Head yelled at the Hockey Puck?

PPS - GO PENS!