And so it continues . . .

The garage has now been overtaken with boxes.  

There are still plenty left in the house and plenty more to pack and stack!

This weekend we found a refrigerator at roughly 30%, The Fiance found his dream TV (albeit a bit smaller than he hoped), I cracked my head on a canoe, and we did the final walk-through on the house.  

Tomorrow we close on the house, we move in his things from storage, and our refrigerator arrives.  Friday we load a U-Haul with my junk and then Saturday all of our things will be in our house.

Our house - such an odd phrase.

I have never lived with anyone before - said I never would - unless I was engaged with a date set.

We are now three months out from our wedding, I am stressed out and dropping weight from not eating nor sleeping.  And we are moving into our new house.

Just a teaser:

Go team go - aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh

Aaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrggghhhhhhhhhhhh

That is all

Four months! WTF!

How is it that four months have gone by since I last posted here?!

I know that I have lost many readers, by my lack of writing and my dropping out of the runner's field - and for that I am sorry.

I have tried to get into cycling, and I have enjoyed my efforts. The Fiancé and I have done a few rides together.

Our last ride - the 40 mile Donut Ride
(donuts at every water station - yum and ick!)

Mostly the last four months has been an incredible work load and doing a little traveling for my job - conferences and trips to the field, as well as some travels for family and friends.

Some of our trips:

My grandmother's 90th birthday! 

 The small town my mother was born in.

New York City for a friend's wedding and a mini-vacation:

The Statue of Liberty on its 125 anniversary - we climbed to the crown!

Snow! and Gray's Papaya Dogs

My friend's Halloween wedding and our costumes

Top of the Rock and Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark (amazeballs!!!)

Central Park 

 The 9/11 Memorial, Van Gogh's Starry Night, and Love

I have also been trying to pull together the wedding of the century - ours! A bilingual, Catholic full Mass with an additional minister - The Fiancé's uncle!

It has been all quite stressful on top of an already busy life - but so worth it!  And house shopping on top of everything else is just more time and stress - but it's like shopping for the closest of your dreams - so much fun!

However, my brooch bouquet is done. The perfect shoes have arrived - I'd show pictures of both - BUT - I am trying to keep it all a secret for 4 more months!

I can't believe that I will be married in 4 months - holy smokes!

And on top of that I have been dealing with some health issues - nothing major - just feeling exhausted, drained, and ill all around.  I think my doctor has fixed my thyroid medication, so some of that should be going away. But only sleeping 4 hours a night is rough!

I was able to get some Christmas decorations up at the house - but my favorite - the Shrinky Dink Christmas tree!!!

Before and After 

So - to whatever blog buddies I have left - my apologies for leaving you for so long!

I'll try to be better!


Go team go - Merry Christmas!

My Last Few Weeks in Pictures

My first stop before heading into the field - a fisherman's heaven!

My fancy new boots - that'll keep my toes safe from the 8000 pound reefs!

I drove down open highways to the final parts of Texas.

The place where Texas meets Louisiana.  

The part of Texas that I said I would never return to after my Master's research. 

 

Since I had time to kill before the work began I chose to do a good deed.

There was a mobile blood bank at the . . .  wait for it . . . 

local WALMART.

I stayed at a great hotel where the rooms where comfortable and the black-out curtains were very nice!

 However, it looked like this after I left - 11 days later!

 

I got up every morning at 0330 and headed to the building below -

 Then I balanced my way across one of the beams on this "dock" carrying a computer bag, camera, and the rest of my gear - wearing my fancy new boots.

When the sun finally came up, I tried to put a smile on my face - ok a smirk - and focus on the work.

Our newest reefs at SALT Reef Site

After working from 0330 - 1630 everyday, I came back to the hotel room to curl up and sleep - but after a long week in the field - I decided for some retail therapy!

 I'll give ya a hint  - 

I LOVE antique stores!

Go team go - boots!

The Week So Far . . .

Did a little zumba on the Wii -

realized I can't dance - must get better before wedding as his family can SALSA!

Worked out with my trainer - who again kicked my butt with rubber bands and kettlebells -

Actually liked this one.

Rode the bike trainer -

Damn near broke my wrist on the second fall onto the wood floor.  Owie.

Tried another type of bike trainer -

I love how he says at 0:45 that it is "very stable."

Who fell off it???!!!

This gal!

Yesterday on the rollers I was able to crank out about 0.70 miles with my two falls onto the floor before I took my bruised and bleeding body to the couch.

Today I made it just over 13 miles with only 1 fall (I forgot to lock out the support leg - whoops).  It felt great to actually be riding again!

I have missed it.

Go team go - spin

New Torture - New Trainer

With these few tools, my new trainer almost made me pass out and nearly vomit:

 My old trainer has moved away suddenly and I was assigned to a lady.  I shall call her Lady Pain.

She has an infectious laugh, makes sound effects, and is highly motivating.

However, it is insane how much pain could be inflicted upon someone with such simple items.  An entire gym full of equipment and she had me sore and limping around, begging for mercy and my bed about 30 minutes in.

I think I am going to like Lady Pain.


Go team go - owie

The End of Sanity???

Today I actually looked forward to Boot Camp - perhaps because there was only 3 left.

It was insane - squats, lunges, lunges with weights, squats with weights, spinning, jump rope (modified for me), curtsy lunges (ya - I had never heard of them before either), and it went on and on and on.

It hurt and felt good at the same time - mostly because I know that there was only two left after this session.

And then it was 8 hours of work, 2 hours of guest list prepping and trying not to hurt anyone but staying under our predefined number, and laundry.

So not only did I learn about curtsy lunges (with weights), but I also realized that even though Mom tried and tried, I CAN NOT fold sheets - except I can fold a mean pillow case.

Oh well -

Probably how Martha Stewart does it

What mine always looks like - 

but I hide it by putting perfectly folded pillow cases on top

I might have to practice getting it actually right seeing as how I got the whole wedding thing on the horizon.

Go team go - sheet