Flipping the Switch

I found myself flipping to a morning workout earlier than planned. I did my 44 minute interval this morning (to make up for not going last night). Tonight I'm at it again with the NEWO (No Excuses Workout) which is pretty much calisthenics followed by cardio.

I must admit, although it was tough dragging my ass out of bed, I feel fantastic today. Endorphins are working overtime: I'm in a great mood and excited about the prospect of the workout being my priority!

I'm also about the pull the trigger on two events: Bike the Drive (30 mile ride) here in Chicago in May and the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Relay in October....IF I can find a partner. Anyone want partner with me? Basically, it a half marathon split by two runners. Runner #1 does 5 miles (through Wide World of Sports and Animal Kingdom) and Runner #2 does 8 miles through the Studios and Epcot. I want to do the second leg. The race starts at 10pm and is followed by access to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival until 3:00 am.

Anyone? Bueller?

6 Changes

With the new year almost upon us, I thought about some resolutions I might make. There have been years that I thought "screw those", I usually become irresolute sometime in late January as the majority of people do. But there is a optimism this time of year that we can start anew. I know that I have been successful some of the time. But I continue to search for a way to make the changes into habits that will last.

I have been following Leo Babauta of Zen Habits for about the last six months via Twitter. I subscribe to how he is attempting to live his life with simplicity. I strive to do the same in my own unique fashion. Leo has started a new site called 6 Changes. It guides you to make 6 changes next year and by following his method, make them stick.

I am excited to work his method! One of the major things that Leo talks about is that you must commit to focusing on each goal for two months and to do it publicly.

So "my" public, here it is. The first of my goals.

1. Exercising regularly. Switching my workouts to mornings, except for classes at the gym that I enjoy.

(A little background for all of you...I span from excellent to very good to making every excuse in the book not to work out. I have come a long way from the couch potato I used to be, but I still lose my focus, lose my routine, etc. So these changes are to prioritize my workouts...making them one of the first things in my day because they are so important...and to set the habit for life!)

Week 1: Spend the first week progressively waking up 20 minutes earlier.
Week 2: Spend that twenty minutes doing my yoga DVD.
Week 3: Add 10 minutes, so I'm up half an hour earlier that I need to get ready.
Week 4: Make it to the gym at least one of those days in the morning.
Week 5: Add an additional day at the gym.
Week 6: Add an additional day at the gym.
Week 7: Add a non-yoga workout at home.
Week 8: Add a non-yoga workout at home.

Habit: Yoga 2 days a week, weight training or NEWO (No Excuse Workout) at home 2 days, gym 3 days. Do not lose Zumba classes in the evenings plus add one spin class a week. Train for Bike the Drive!

Leo's method talks about starting out very simply, which is why you'll see me just getting up earlier the first week. I hope those of you reading this blog will cheer me on and keep me accountable with your comments.

I already have change #2 on paper with a plan and am working on 3 - 6. I hope to have those on paper by the end of the weekend.

Leo also talks about building the anticipation of the start of the habit, sending the message that it is "important and serious". This is so contrary to everything I've been taught. So I must admit it's a bit difficult. But to be honest, I do have my hands full with just writing out the habits and steps at the moment. So you can expect my "launch" date to be Monday, January 4th. Life (post holidays) gets back to normal that day. I figure that is the best time to try and establish a routine.

I hope to see you all here, kicking my butt, helping to keep me in line and focused. Back to report soon...

Remember Me?

I really have to update this thing more often eh? :)

ICE, ICE baby!

The only photos I took while in Orlando this year were at the Gaylord Palms ICE thingy. Basically they take you into a frozen (9 degrees) ballroom after giving you parkas (which keep you nice and toasty) and see ice sculptures. If I go back in the future, I'll remember to bring my gloves.

Unfortunately for my photos, the lighting was very theatrical and my camera is about to bite the dust, so these aren't great shots. But perhaps you'll get the idea.

Here's our group before we got the parkas.















Still pre-parka, getting a bit silly!





















One of the first rooms included giant ornaments...pretty cool (literally lol)!
























Posessed Santa with my parents:






















Fun gingerbready house:






















Ice slides!!! I actually went down one of these.























Ice cavey thing....I liked this a lot!

































Mom and the penguins:






















I liked the colors in this:

































And this just summed it up. They thought of everything...including the tissues.































Fun time for $15 pp. I suggest going on a weekday morning (lot less crowded). By the time we left at around 11 am, there was a line. (Although if you go in the evening they have other stuff going on around the hotel like live shows and light shows.) They give you a coupon for free hot chocolate that you have to walk further into the hotel to get. I suggest taking advantage of it and walking around the hotel. It is beautifully done. They have wonderful gardens and landscaping. The hotel itself is not as well done, IMO as the Opryland in Nashville (their sister resort) but still very nice! Parking is $10 if you get the ICE discount. It was something very different and a relaxing change from Disney and Universal. I'm even considering staying there in the future. They are 5 star-ish and are offering rooms at $139/night...nice!

Mazatlan

When we arrived at Mazatlan, I knew we were in for a treat. The four of us decided to do the "Hike to the Lighthouse" excursion. Even the view at the bottom was nice. There's our ship, along with a RC ship docked.

There was definitely some wild life to be seen:

Here's our goal:

We made it!!

Afterwards, they dropped us off in the town square on the way back to dock so we could look around.

There was a lovely Opera House:

And a gorgeous Catholic church:

...with this HUGE amazing tree on the property:

No one else noticed these signs posted on the street. I HAD to stop and take a photo....

Like the New Look?

I figured since my blog's nickname on other people's blogs has become procrastination station, I thought I would embrace it.

Poor Monica's been waiting for updates! I haven't forgotten, sweetie! More photos are on the way....eventually.

My New Favorite Product

We interrupt this photo blog to bring you a review on a product I just love and I just purchased it about 20 minutes ago.

I hate lipstick. I hate the way it feels on. I hate the way it comes off on straws, on glasses, on people. I hate the stuff that claims it doesn't come off even more. It's drying or it has too many steps.

I finally found a product that I love in one easy step. It is Cover Girl Wet Slicks Fruit Spritzers. It smells fantastic. It goes on easy. It stays moist. They have sophisticated colors that do not make look like I'm trying to be 20. And the gloss part of it isn't too glossy. It's just enough to make my lips look moist but not super shiny. It looks natural. I think I made a good choice of color too...guava splash.

Give it a try. I'm sold. I'll let you know if I like it after a whole day!

Sailing Away and Cabo

No sail away party is complete without Styx "Come Sail Away". (I don't think that song is about what you think it is. Hi Larilyn!) I guess this one wasn't complete. But it was fun just the same.

Here we are all windblown but having a great time. There's something oddly exciting about that first moment you start to move!

Disney gives you silly things to wave. It gives the kids something to do. We didn't leave until we YMCAed.

Terry and Janet's idea of vacation:














And mine:















Despite our differing philosophies on vacation, we enjoyed hanging with each other!! But I guess at the first port of call our differing philosophies caught up with us. Janet and Terry wanted to hit the beach (and go snorkling), Wayne wanted to do a 4x4 tour. I did a Land's End Coastal Cruise. It was short but very beautiful. Mexico is such a juxtaposition of beauty and poverty. It's almost bittersweet, at least for me, to be there.

Here's the famous Arch at Land's End....so pretty.












There were also lots of cool but super smelly sea loins:














I toured the town by myself. I went by the Cabo Wabo Cantina and sang a round of "Stays in Mexico" by Toby Keith. I also listened to a really great rockin' band. I wish that everyone else had been there so I could have someone to hang out and have a margarita with!

























It's okay though, cause I had a fabulous lunch at Taco Inn. I thought this was some sort of chain, but it really looked like an independent restaurant. I was propositioned by the waiter when he found out that my friends weren't with me. He wanted to know if I wanted a Mexican boyfriend. Luckily I was done eating and I thanked him and said no and headed out. Later I found Wayne was offered ganja for sale on the street. Oh the adventure of it all! Anyway, the food was a cheesy goodness with chicken....YUM!

Disneyland

It was so fun to hang with Traci, Perry, Dexter and the Ls!! Here's a few photo opportunities:

I have an obvious and weird obsession with Mr. Toad.

Pop quiz for Terry: How many people do we have?

We all finally find each other and Perry was kind enough to take the photo:

We were all in need of something sweet so we stopped for some dessert. Here Dex is charming all of us!

The next day LaRelle joined us. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this photo of them. Can't you just hear that song going through your head....."Sisters......"

Terry and Janet wait for Roger Rabbit. This photo makes them look like they're "together". They're not. Janet was just turning Terry toward the camera!

This brings back memories of the girls' trip for me!

Come to Chicago. We have Whirlyball.

Monica told me I had to update, so here it is. We have this weird sport here that many of us are obsessed with. It is called Whirlyball. It is played at bumper car ring (?) inside a bar. There are a couple of locations around here. The object is to use the scoopy thing that I envision to be much like a jai ali basket, but I know it is not. Maybe I just like to say jai ali. So the object is to use the scoopy thing to "shoot" the whiffle ball into your goal, (which is a basketball backboard with a hole cut out and a net to cover the hole)

without picking it up with your hands and without crashing your bumper car. There have been many a plays that I was looking behind me and slammed into the wall.

Have I told you that this sport bruises you? I got some huge bruises on my leg where it flew into the bumper car control...which is a joystick type thing between your legs (no comments people!).

Have I told you that this is the goofiest sport ever that makes me giggle, makes me very competive and proves how very uncoordinated I really am?! And I've been playing for about 10 years. Okay, not regularly...but the first time I played was about 10 years ago.

You need to come to Chicago to play this stupid game.

It's Christmastime in the City!

On December 23rd, my friends and I continued our tradition (3 years in the making) of going to breakfast at the Walnut Room at Macy's. We got up way too early and were shocked that when we got there at 7 am there was NO line. We were the second party in line. It was crazy. Either, it was much too cold or the Macy's boycott is working.

Anyway, we had a nice breakfast and then headed off to the Christkindlmarket, at Daley Plaza, which is based on the Christmas markets throughout Germany. There are ornament booths, German food, desserts, etc.

Here we are four frozen people by the city tree. The first thing my mom said to me when she say this photo was "look at how big that coat is on you". I guess next year it goes to good will. (Poor me...such a dilemma eh? :D)














Here are Wayne, Tommy (Mike's son) and Mike in front of the market with the Picasso in the background.


We spent quite a few minutes watch the pigeons burn themselves on the eternal flame (which Mike is blocking in this photo). This photo gives you a bit of perspective on the market and tree.

Universal Studios

To the dismay of many of you, I enjoy Universal Studios. I managed to convince Larilyn to come with us when we went. I'm not sure if she enjoyed it. But we did get some fun photos.

I thought of Amber as I watched the Simpsons pose! They were pretty cool!














On the Studios side (vs the Islands of Adventures side) they had some Macy's balloons. My mom wore her Garfield tee just to get this photo!!

























The gang from Madagascar was eager to take photos. I think I may need to rethink those cargo pants. *roll eyes*














Wayne and Larilyn exit Cat in the Hat via the store. Larilyn thinks Wayne's a nut!














At the Lucy store (Lucille Ball) we played "One of These Things is Fru Fru".

























With all the old people in our group, it was good that we had Larilyn with us. We could never remember where we parked. Dopey 106, Dopey 106.....

Here a little punchy Larilyn demonstrates our section. I had a hard time holding the camera still; she cracks me up!

These Are For The Guys...

One for Chris:















And one for Devin or Braden?!