The Weekend Report

This weekend flew by, but I have no complaints, as I am actually ready to start the work week! This will be the last week of summer camp at work, and then I can get back to work being just regular work. Which is good because I'm utterly exhausted.

Saturday morning, I woke up early @ 6:30 a.m! How totally unfair and awful is that? 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday! Adam didn't get up till 10:30 a.m (that was when I decided I could no longer deal with the boredom and woke him up, ha), and I convinced him we had to go out for the day. 

We headed down to a local shopping area, Bridgestreet, and grabbed lunch at a new place that had just opened up, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse. We were excited about this because we had frequented one when we lived in California. I got the honey sriracha brussel sprouts for my whole meal, and they were so good! Adam thought I was crazy for ordering brussel sprouts anyway, it was even worse to him that it was my entree. No regrets.

Next, we hit up Steel City Pops for some dessert. I had been wanting to stop by this place for a bit, but I just hadn't gotten the opportunity to do so. But I'm so glad we did, I got a strawberry shortcake one, and it was AMAZING. Now I must try all the flavors (Adam got nothing, what a party pooper). I had put try Suzy's Pops on my summer manifesto as #8, but I'm substituting Steel City Pops there instead. I'm thinking a gourmet pop is a gourmet pop!

We headed home after that, and spent all day on the couch being lazy with Linky (playing video games and catching up on shows). 

Sunday, I tried to surprise Adam by making him waffles for breakfast. I had to go the dollar store to pick up some stuff we needed. I was going to get his regular chocolate chips, but I decided to get fancy, and try out reeses peanut butter chips.  The breakfast was an epic fail, and not just because I realized we had no syrup after the first trip to the store, so I had to go back (boo). Nope, I went too heavy on the chips, so it was more like eating straight peanut butter than a waffle. But Adam pretended to like it anyway. I guess he loves me.

Now I'm sitting here watching TV with Adam, mentally getting ready for the week ahead. Let's do this thing. 

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Just Keep Swimming

I may have been born a Taurus, but I should have been born a water sign because I've always loved to swim. In fact, I don't remember not knowing how to swim. As a young girl/tween/teen, I would spend all day at the pool at my grandmother's country club every summer. I loved those summers! There was sun bathing and going for dips when it got too hot. I could order whatever I wanted to eat, charge it to grandma's tab, and eat it pool side. It all felt so fancy.

And although I continued to swim throughout the years, as I became overweight, I, of course, started to feel ashamed of how I looked in a swimsuit. Especially the tortuous chore of trying of swimsuits.

This year was the first year I didn't have to go to a plus size clothing store and spend nearly 100 dollars for a swimsuit. I was able to get one off the rack at Target. It wasn't the biggest size available, and it was not in the plus size section. And I feel really good in it, dare I say cute?  Losing 200 lbs will do that for you!

During our summer camp at work, we take the kids swimming every week. For the first two years of the program, I would never get in the pool with the children. I didn't want the children to say anything about my weight. Children have always had a tendency to comment on my weight, which has never bothered me! But when other adults would hear the comment, they would often start lecturing the child, which was mortifying. 

This year I have gotten in the pool with the children, and they love when I do. And this last week, I even jumped off the diving board for the first time in years and years. Now that I'm not scared of people watching me, I wanted to go for it. Jumping off the diving board was exhilarating and slightly terrifying. 

I did it several more times. 

I spend a good deal of my summer time at our local water park, mostly floating on the lazy river for hours and hours (Summer Manifesto #5).  It is so freeing to splash around without a concern about how my body looks, or what people may be thinking about me.

Last Sunday, I decided I wanted to try a slide there, known as the space bowl. A type of ride that I had ridden a few times at a water park close to where I grew up in St.Louis. So I did. I actually ended up not liking the ride, I fell down too hard and water went up my nose in the most miserable way.

But the point is I would (sadly) of never had the courage to go at all, if I wasn't at the weight I am now. I wouldn't want people watching me, I always thought I stood out (although this is probably was just self-absorption).

But I have to say that summer is great this year, and life is pretty good. Small victories are still happening everyday, even a year and a half past my surgery! What more could I ask for?

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Photo Shoot Pictures

Adam and I did a fun little photo shoot a few weeks ago with a lovely, local photographer, Amanda Whitley. I wanted some new shots, because we have had no "fancy" photos since we got married 6 and a half years ago! A lot has changed since then, and I wanted some updated shots.  I love the results, I can't wait to hang them around our home. These are my favorites!

P.S.-Getting photos taken was Summer Manifesto Item #10

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The Weekend Report

I'm pretty sad this week is over, but I'm grateful that we had a nice relaxing weekend. Although the majority of it was spent hanging around the house and playing Lego Jurassic Park with Adam. But I did manage to get out and do a few things on my own.

Saturday morning was my usual Saturday morning Pure Barre class. But I could tell even before class started that it was going to be tough! The instructor insisted we use the 3lb weights instead of the usual 2lbs, and wowsa that made a difference!  We also used the tube for warm up and ab work. I was happy to have gotten though it, and I am so sore today! After class, I went to the bistro next door, and got a Pineapple, Mango, & Pear smoothie.  Yum.

Sometimes I just love wearing those bright yellow work-out pants! And I was really feeling my "What the Tuck" socks, after that HARD work-out.

On my way home from class, I made a stop at the Athens Saturday Market (Summer Manifesto #1), and I got some Piper & Leaf AppleCart Blossom tea in the mason jar. I also got a bag of Macaroons from Oh My Macarons by L.C.! They were both such good treats, I love a good farmers' market.

My mother dropped off  her lab for the week since she will be out of town. So we have been playing fetch, and then going on family walks. Having these two together is always a lot of fun, but a lot of work. So it should be an interesting week, it is such a full house.

I finished two books I was in the middle of Dead Mountain & The Princes in the Tower), and I started a new book that is intriguing me, The Night Circus.

I didn't get my long run in this weekend because it is so freakin' hot! Like over 100 hot, so I'm going to get up super early in the morning and run 7 miles, it's going to suck! I hate getting up early, so I hope I can pull it off, and get my lazy butt out of bed.

Only 3 more weeks left in our summer program! I will be so happy when it is over, I'm so exhausted!

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Garth Brooks World Tour

Before I launch into sharing about my night at the concert, I wanted to talk a little bit of why I love Garth Brooks. Garth Brooks to me represents a major part of my childhood. I grew up in the age of The Thunder Rolls and Friends in Low Places. His songs were always on the radio. My friends and I sang those songs on the play ground, and I remember my babysitter going to a Garth Brooks' concert, and thinking, "I want to do that." This was a 1992 bucket list item, people!

I also feel some of his songs were my first introduction to having a social conscience. I really loved the song We Shall Be Free.  Especially the lyrics, "when we're free to love anyone we choose, when the world's big enough for all different views." And his new song People Lovin' People is amazing too.

I'm not a big concert person, I hate the crowds, and I can feel claustrophobic. So I have to really love the artist to get me to a concert. Garth Brooks was a big enough draw for me.

Friday afternoon, after work, my mother (who I bought a ticket to the concert for her birthday) road tripped the 90 miles down to Birmingham. We stopped by Starbucks for some frappichinos. Now that they have the 6 fan flavors, I'm determined to try them all! So far Lemon Bar has been my favorite! But this red velvet one was pretty awesome too!

We checked into the fancy schmancy Sheraton when we got to Bham, which was adjacent to the concert arena!

I got dressed and ready for the concert, and then we met my friend Anna and her family (who just happened to be going to the concert by coincidence) for dinner. Our service at the restaurant in the hotel was laughably bad, but I'll chalk it up to the hotel being unusually busy, and hey the food was good. So that is all that matters.

When I got to the arena, and saw the big "G" on stage, I became so excited. Karyn Rochelle, a singer/songwriter (she wrote Red High Heels sung by Kellie Pickler), opened the show. She did an excellent job! And I loved that Garth is using little known people for the opening act, considering he could pull in nearly any musical act that he wanted to.

The atmosphere in the arena was electric as Garth made his appearance, I actually felt a little tearful because I was just so overwhelmed by my excitement. Everyone was screaming and hollering and chanting Garth! He immediately launched into his first set of songs Rodeo, Two of a Kind, and the Beaches of Cheyenne. Everyone was singing at the top of their lungs, including yours truly.

For the record, I did cry when he played Unanswered Prayers, and the whole stadium was lit up by people holding up their cellphones. It looked beautiful, and the song has such a special meaning. That sometimes there is a reason we don't get what we desire most. And it's for the best.

Trisha Yearwood joined him on stage for a duet of In Another's Eyes, and then she stuck around and sang X and O's, How Do I Live, and She's in Love with the Boy. She was so sweet and fun, and you could tell how much Garth & Trisha care about each other.

Of course, Garth came back to sing some of his greatest hits, and everyone lost their minds over Friends in Low Places, and his singing of the "secret" third verse. I also want to talk about the energy that man had throughout the whole show. Especially during his performance of the song Calling Baton Rouge, just unreal. He was jumping and dancing around. I hope I can do that when I'm 53!!

Garth did two encores after the "ending" of the show. I stayed for every minute. My mother and I talked all night about how amazing the show was. It was the best concert I've ever seen, and one of the best nights of my life.

I've included some video I took from the concert. I don't necessarily expect anyone to watch these (the first is Friends in Low Places, the second is Shes in Love with the Boy). I'm just including it for my own memories!

Here's to knocking off one goal on my summer manifesto (#4).


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