First Workout Of 2013

My last workout of the year was a bodyjam class on December 22. I took a week and a half off because I was on Christmas vacation and I knew it would be the perfect time to give my glute a break so hopefully it would continue to heal - that mess has been going on for far too long! And my knee had started giving me problems the previous week, which caused me to sit out of my Santa Dash 1/2 marathon. That was a sad day for me, but I'm trying to be smarter and listen to my body when it hurts instead of telling it to stop being a little bitch and give me more.

I was really missing Quality Life Fitness and was dying for January 2nd so I could get my workout on! NYE I even dreamed about the gym. It started out with some good cardio and then someone tried to come in between me and my gym love. It was a nightmare.

Anyway, I hit up BodyPump for my first workout of the year. I was so excite! And it was good to see my gym friends Warren, Katie, Katie (crap, now I'm starting to doubt that I know her name correctly), and Bryan.

It was hard. Like IthoughtImighthyperventilateorpassout hard. But it was good. Soooo good! The endorphin high was intoxicating. I was planning on doing extra weights after class, but my back was feeling like a shady B in the muscle that I strained last year, so I opted for responsibility and went home...after stopping at the grocery store for lunch meat and Oreo's.

The next day I was so sore that I wanted to lay on my desk and not move, but it was so satisfying. I love going up in weight. I'm going to try and focus on strength this year...especially since I plan on dirty dance lifting Jess by December 31st.

In conclusion: My workout was awesome. I win. At life. The end.

Grown-up NYE

This was my second NYE with Steven + Jess. And so far my best two NYE yet. Coincidence? Nope, but the power of JesJess!

This years NYE was very different from last.

• We had real food instead of peanut m&m's for dinner
• No tripod dance moves
• Everyone remembers all details
• No one threw up on the table
• Home by 2.
• No hangovers the next day.

Yep, I think we have all entered the grown-up zone.

S+J, Kam+V, a few of their friends, and I all went to dinner at The Grove. I'd only been there once (before the Drake concert), and was excited to go back since this is one of Jess' fave spots, and it happens to be where S proposed to her a few years back. Oh the memories...that I wasn't there for since I hadn't met Jess yet.

Anyway. I met up at S+J's house and we got to watch the boys play some golf game on PS3 while we had couch and computer time. Luckiest girls ever. While Jess (who wore tights in preparation for a crazy evening) and I waited on everyone else we basically had a karaoke and mini jam sesh in the living room. Nothing better than belting out Cosmic Love with my home girl.

When it was time for dinner we were greeted with a tropical storm sized downpour. Great! We had one umbrella and the car was parked at the end of the driveway. Kam took everyone one at a time to the car under the umbrella. It almost felt like a rescue mission. The girls managed all right, but the boys were pretty soaked.

We battle traffic and get to The Grove to discover that they have blocked off valet parking. Steven was nice enough to drop everyone off at the curb and we made a mad dash for the restaurant. One of the guys gave me his jacket that I used as a shield, but Jess refused S' jacket because she thought it wasn't so bad...bad decision. I probably should have removed my shoes because it was pretty tricky running in heels while trying not to fall on the slick concrete.

We make it inside and Jess was having a Lauren Conrad mascara moment. The funny part? We had been joking about that before we left the house. After a trip to the bathroom her makeup really didn't look bad. And if the restaurant had hand dryers, then her hair would have been back to pre rain status too...instead she opted for a topknot that was a good backup plan.

The food was pretty good. I had the house salad, fried shrimp of some sort (the meatballs and quail were def better though), NY Strip w/ truffle macaroni, and the black forest torte (the cheesecake everyone else got was better).

Dinner lasted about 10-1:30...so things didn't get crazy. I joked with Jess that Steven was punishing us for the craziness that happened last year. 

We attempted to hit up a few bars on the way home...but everything was already closed. I thought I lived in a city. I got played.

We went back to S+J's house and popped another bottle of champagne. 

Although it was a good time with great company, I vote we fight the aging process and get crazy next year!

Awesome & Awkward Friday

As you read this I am on my way to NYC. Swoon. Houston has kind of skipped over winter, so I'm a little nervous about the temperatures and potential snow that await me.

This week was great! Started out with a holiday, work didn't make me eye my letter opener while considering a victim, and now I get to head to a wonderful city for the most fun work event of the year!

Linking up with Lauren, per the usj.

source

• I've spent the better part of my evenings on my foam roller trying to get my IT band loose and laying on a tennis ball rubbing out the tightness in my back and glute. I must be internally bruised at this point, but it's not showing on my skin. Win?
• JesJess is back and dominating the front row at QLF. I'm so excited to have Jess back in workout club! My workouts are seriously 200% better when she's there. I made sure to dedicate my curls to her on Wednesday. 

Please excuse us while we victory dance our domination.

• I punched myself in the face during bodyjam on Tuesday.
• After a baking fail two weeks ago I finally got back in the kitchen and made it my bitch! New release jam brownies will be enjoyed by all!

• I'm mildly worried that I won't survive the weekend. My lack of sleep (I'll be up at 3:15a to get ready and head to the airport), low alcohol tolerance, and blizzard conditions are the perfect storm for death. B, Taffy, and I are going to use the #BJvault buddy system in hopes of making it  back alive.

Joint Custody

I feel like my visits home are a joint custody battle between everyone that I want to see. Since I didn't have my own car for the first part of the trip I was having to coordinate with my friends for transportation and shelter.

Luckily I have a few that will take me in, despite what I write about them on here.

I decided to opt out of Kara's dinner with her friends to head over to Lindsey's, but I'll def have to hit them up next year.

Lindsey is preggs and married now. When we were texting to set up our plans I asked if I could come over and just sit and rub her belly. She didn't really acknowledge that, so I tried not to rub it too much.

We chatted and got caught up on work, family, friends, and boys. The boys topic is always the best because I like to make up fake answers to shock Lindsey...I realize that I should probably stop doing that until after she has the baby though. 

I haven't really gotten to know her hubbs since I live across Texas, but he's so nice. The way he treats me you would think that he's known me for years! I'm so happy she found a good one.

Lindsey took off the next day and it was like old times when we roomed together for a semester in college. She was super sweet and made me waffles. What a good wife she would have made me! I even got to see Orion move around in her belly.

She also provided me with much needed advice and perspective. I'm glad she's always got loads of that to share.

I love spending time with Lindsey and can't wait to come back once I can hold Orion in my arms!

That Time That I Used My "I Mean Business Voice" In Front Of My Mom

After assessing my TV watching habits I figured it would be a better idea to cancel my cable and just go with Hulu.

So I called up my cable provider...and that fool told me I had just started a one year contract.

Excuse?

I started out kinda nice when I asked him to explain because I'd been with the company for over a year and a half with my contract ending about 6 months ago. Apparently when I moved my service to my new place they put me into a contract. The lady that set this up for me had failure to share this bit of info.

So things got pretty heated. I don't yell, but my volume does go up and my voice is far more stern. I feel bad that this is the guy that had to help me that day because I don't play nice when I don't get what I want (especially since I didn't sign off on a new contract).

If you frazzle someone, then you are more likely to get things accomplished. I know it sounds bad, but it works. (Sometimes kindness works, but today was not that day).

I may have said some things along the lines of :

• do they have failure to train employees on proper procedure and full disclosure, or do they just train you to be incompetent and lie.
• I should have known better than to continue service with you after the poor service we received with our cell phones.
• What is this, a Merry Christmas you were tricked into a contract present? (I almost started laughing at that one)
• Do you have record of who I spoke with last time because I would love to give her a call and discusses why she gives out contracts like it's candy.

I have yet to get out of my contract, BUT he did give me $100 off of my next bill. I almost told him to keep it because I don't want their money, I just want out of the bogus contract that I didn't agree to. But I figured I'd take it and call back later.

And that fool had the audacity to try and get our cell phone services back. I asked him if he was crazy, told him I'd pass, that I will be ending my service when my trick of a contract expires, but thanks for the credit on my account.

I thought my mom was going to lecture me on how I handled that conversation, but she said I did a good job. Maybe she was afraid I would rage on her next.