weekly wins.

I'm beginning to wonder if there's any point in our lives where we stop being so hard on ourselves. In middle and high school, people affectionately refer to this behavior as "low self esteem" (right, like you didn't have it). As you get older, the focus shifts from that self-loathing kind of insecurity to this constant need to make things good/right/perfect all the time. This need I have to "fix" things is probably the one and only maternal instinct I have in my entire being.

When I joined Weight Watchers Online in 2009, I established my "weigh in day" as Thursdays - and as a result, I've been thinking of my weeks in "Thursday through Wednesday" form since. So, since I'd like to make blogging a habit (right now, the only habit I really claim is making up new names for my dogs and looking for the perfect wedding dress for my fake wedding on Pinterest), I'd like to start doing "Wednesday Wins." This will [hopefully] also help curb this constant tendency I have to focus on things I could have done better (or as I affectionately refer to them as: FAILS). My life revolves around eating and working out right now (obviously a vicious cycle), so excuse me if my wins reflect it.

Alright, my first weekly wins:

1. The dogs were not mad at me when I picked them up from the kennel Monday. Seriously, you think I'm kidding. Scout (my oldest mutt) is more habitual than anyone I've ever met, and after her first stay at the kennel, she wouldn't speak to me for two days. Yes, I said speak - and you're right, I'm one of those crazy animal people. She spent two days clinging to my boyfriend and acting like he was the coolest thing to hit the planet (ask him, and he'll obviously agree) before she realized that unfortunately for her, I am the one who possesses all holy things like treats, runs and oh, I don't know, feeding her. Luckily, she did not harbor such resentment this time around.

2. I ate half of a "mini pizza" and drank a beer last night, and did not beat myself up over it. BAZINGA.

3. Rob and I got a kickass Groupon deal on Ralphie May tickets for last night downtown. Since we had a credit for Groupon (long story short: don't ever stay at a Ramada), it cost us nothing. We managed to borrow a friend's parking pass and scored happy hour next to the theater and had a wonderful date night for $10 flat. If you live paycheck to paycheck in a dying town, you know damn well that this is seriously a major freaking win.

4. I managed to put in two hours of gym time tonight and had more sweat dripping off me than I have in a long time. Brody (our new pup) was throwing up which sent me into "holy shit" overdrive on my one hour break between classes at the gym, so I came home to check on it. No, of course I was not satisfied with Rob's response that the dog was fine and he would take care of it. After giving everything the stamp of approval (once again, because clearly I trust no one), I actually worked up the courage to take my super sore legs back to the rec for Zumba. Yes, I said Zumba. More on that later.

5. I have successfully recovered from a not so healthy weekend. Despite my weak attempt at tracking my meals, staying on my plan and eating healthy, I managed to be up 5.5 pounds after the weekend. FIVE AND A FREAKING HALF. Really? Maybe it was the sausage gravy my grandmother force fed me or the pizza that Rob force fed me (Ok FINE, I ate them both willingly). Either way, meticulous planning and tracking has allowed me to recover from the damage.

Ok. That's it. I could think of more, but then I'd just be faking it and this is supposed to be a natural process, right? I'm brainstorming ideas to discuss on here, and I really ought to start writing them down. I also want to get some weekly routine posts in here, but I still need to explore other blogs for ideas (what, you thought I had actual ideas of my own? Hogwash) and figure out where I want to go with it. I'm thinking recipe reviews, tons of lists (because I have the attention span of our new puppy), and of course, the trials and tribulations of growing up. I'm also really looking forward to writing a post on how I am completely half-assing adulthood in every way. This post is wonderfully inspired by someone suggesting an easy way to clean floorboards and if I do it this way, I only have to do it "about once a month." News flash: I've never cleaned my floor boards and I've lived here since June 2010.

Hope everyone has a fantastic rest of the week!

beginning of the end.

I turned 26 this month. TWENTY SIX. Anyone over 30 is rolling their eyes at me already, I can feel it. Those of you who aren't though - TWENTY FREAKING SIX. That's cloesr to 30 than 20 (hence my super fancy creative blog title - clever, right?). Those of you who know me know that my previous blog is chalk full of rebellious posts spoken like a true adolescent (in her early 20s). I insisted upon never growing up, living hard for as long as you can and never settling down. Well, you can guess what happened next.

I settled down, damnit.

Last year, I met a super fantastic guy (don't tell him I told you), realized that night after night of margaritas and tequila shots couldn't hide behind a plastic credit card forever, and that empty calories really throw you for a loop when you try to squeeze a pair of jeans on after frolicking all summer in a sundress. Since then, I've been mentally blogging about all the changes I've gone through at my own will - giving up the bar nights, keeping up with the soccer moms in my rec center weights class and trying zumba for the very first time. I realized I love all things cooking (and eating), that yard work isn't so bad, and that mundane evenings are something I actually crave now. My friends are getting married. Hell, half of them already are married. (I'm not at the "friends with kids" stage yet - Lord help us all). Everything I thought I could avoid forever and thought I didn't want now not only sits pleasantly at my front doorstep - I open the damn door and welcome it all in with a Martha Stewart smile.

I catch myself in mid-conversation talking about my dogs (I have two) and the newest low-carb recipe I tried. I think to myself constantly, am I boring now? Who am I? I pray to God I'm not boring - despite the fact that I'm talking about things now that the me from three years ago would have punched me in the face if she heard me talking about.

So, long story short - this blog is a fresh start. It's what happens to you when you're "closer to 30" - when you find yourself growing up when you didn't think it would ever happen. When you realize you have an entire "wedding board" on Pinterest and that (fingers crossed) hopefully will come true one day. When you try to get healthy, try to be fit, try to eat right. When you try new recipes, laugh at life's trials and tribulations of living with your boyfriend and two dogs, and try to get past living paycheck to paycheck.

So, if you're new: Welcome! If you're old: Sorry I'm not still drunk. Hopefully I'm not boring.