what is a leap year?

The geek in me really likes this...

then and now...I haven't changed.

So, wow. I looked at an old blog post, and it helped me change my perspective on this marathon I am doing Sunday. I stumbled upon a post I wrote about my first half-marathon and how it went.

Go read it here.

First, I had fun with my first half marathon, and I remember that! I remember how fun it was. I goofed off the whole time and let it be an experience. Then, after that, I started working on getting faster, and I did. However, that was the funnest half marathon I did. The only one that even comes close is the one I just did recently in Texarkana. It's because I didn't worry about my time. I just was worried about finishing. After that, I cared about my time. It helped. I cut 40 minutes off my half marathon time in about a year and a half.

So yeah, that's what I need to do. I need to go out there, relax, and have fun with it. Who cares how long it takes. I may just surprise myself. If a kid wants to give me a high five, I will take it. I am for sure going to stop at the lipstick stop towards the end, and maybe even the beer stop. I will still have done a marathon, and it still will have been hard. It's probably going to be the training and sacrifice that was the hardest, and I hope to love every minute of the race.

Then, after this is over, I'll work on my speed. Funny thing, I've been saying that already. I've been saying after this marathon, I'm going to work on getting in shape. ;) Funny thing. I was saying it then too. I mean it ever single time! I checked to see what I said after the Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in 2006.  Here's what I said about it:

So the mini and everything that went along with it is over. It was good times. I beat the goal I had set for myself. That made me happy. It makes me wonder what I actually could do. I mean, I trained, but I didn't train hard. Actually, I'm not sure if you could call it training at all. I would go a week or so with out running. For this reason, I had a good pace for about 9 miles, then I crashed. My time could have been better. It doesn't matter though, because I beat my goal. That's all that matters. Plus, I ran fast enough that next year, I can be seeded. That means I won't have to wade through slow people the first mile. It was a bit ridiculous on Saturday. Ok.

So same thing, what could I do if I trained? Haha. I guess my thought process is always the same. What more could I do...so I trained a little harder...and this is what I said:

Saturday...I ran a mini-marathon in Bloomington, IN. It was the hardest race I have ever done. There was not one single flat part in the whole entire course. It was either uphill or downhill the whole entire way. OUCH!!!! Somehow or the other...I still managed to run my fastest mini time by 10 minutes!!! I can't wait to see what will happen on a flat course!

So there you go, always thinking about the future. Unfortunately, after this, I only ran 1 more half marathon and it went well but not amazing. After that, I basically quit running for five years. Glad to be back.

Ok, one more thing,

What I said in 2005:

*A few years ago...I would have never thought that I could run 13.1 miles. It's kind of funny. I could say I was running a mini-marathon, and I don't think people would believe me. Now, people know I am crazy into running...

Now, let me just re-word this for 2012:

*A year ago, I would have never thought that I would be running a marathon this Spring. It is kind of funny. I could have told people I was going to run a marathon, but they would never believe me because I just didn't really run. Now, people know I am crazy into running...

for the love of the crockpot!

What a wonderful think a crockpot is. It helps make dinner soo easy. Mondays are pretty busy for me. I work all day, and then I have Monday Night Speed Night, so I don't get home until after seven. I try to plan Monday's meal to be something that I can put together early in the day and Andy can finish and have ready when I get home or just be something he cooks.

Tonight, I tried a new recipe that I saw on Carrie's blog. Find it the recipe here.

It was called taco soup. It was easy, pretty cheap, and it makes a lot.

What I used:
1 can crushed tomatos (a big can...28 oz)
about half a bag of frozen corn
1 can of black beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed
almost a full jar of salsa
ground cumin
garlic powder
onion powder
1 lb. ground beef
half a box (or a little more) of whole wheat macaroni
some water

I mixed together everything but the ground beef and water this morning. Then, I had Andy start the crockpot later on in the day. I could have just started it on low and left it all day if Andy wasn't home. Then, when it was close to dinner time, Andy ground the beef and made the macaroni. We mixed it together and it was ready to eat!

To garnish it up a little, we had some cheese, some sour cream, and some tortilla chips to use as we please. 

I thought it was pretty good. I think that next time I made it I would had a can of green chilis and add chili powder to it. Andy said that he thought it was good. He said it tasted like chili just not as good. That being said, I liked having corn in there! I liked having the salsa in there, so why not just try to make it taste a little more like chili? Also, if I had more time, I would have browned some garlic and onion and use fresh ingredients rather than the powder. I didn't have time, nor did I have the ingredients, so powdered did just fine.

Sooo...here it is! It's not so soupy. Carrie's looked a little more soupy, but I think we may have had more macaroni in there.

1 week...

Only one week is left until I run my very first marathon. It will be my very first 26.2 miles. Am I ready? I sure hope so! I feel as though I am, but I've been having some hip problems. The hip probems have taken its tole, but I don't think they will be an issue come race day.

If so, I'll take it in stride. I'll finish, no matter how long it takes me! It's my first one, and there will be more to come for sure. It's all about finishing this time.

I'm nervous, of course! I didn't plan on taking over a week off right before the marathon, but I think it's for the best. If I can walk around pain free, then I might try to get a very short slow run in on Thursday AT THE LATEST!

Other than that though, I'm preparing the best I can. That means I'm drinking the right amount of water. I'm eating ther right amount of carbs. I'm not drinking any alcohol (except maybe a beer the night before...carbs people!). I'm exercising and stretching. I won't be eating ANY fried foods.

Little Rock Marathon, you will be mine!

You want to know what else I need to do?

I need to get my whole marathon playlist taken care of!

GASP! Are you one of those people that does not believe that people should run with music? Do you hate people doing it?

I know, I know! If I was an elite runner, I wouldn't be allowed to have music. Guess what? I'm not!

So, I'll take my music.  It helps me. I put songs on there that remind me of specific people, of specific times, of specific places, etc.  This way, when I run, I can think about those memories it brings to mind.

Of course, some of them are songs that are just rock out fun and always give me a boost in the race. 

Here's some of my favs and why they are:

It's Tricky- I've ended so many races with this song playing. It's upbeat and has a good beat.
Don't Stop Believing- I LOVE running to Journey playing.
Sweet Caroline- I can't help but dance a little when this one is playing, I love dancing with people to this song.
Maggie May- When this song is playing, I imagine that my good friend, Jimmy Brigance is running with me. He's fast so it helps me go a bit faster.
Total Eclipse of the Heart-reminds me of Astrocamp
Where is the Love?- Helps give me a good boost
Let's Go-Reminds me of all the Pacers games I went to
Damn it Feels Good to be a Gangsta-because doesn't it?
Eye of the Tiger-well duh!!!
Hit Me Baby One More Time-Don't hate
Stuck In a Moment- The words to this song ring true when I'm running and it's tough. "You've got to get yourself together..."

There are so many more too...however, I need to add some stuff to my list to make it through a marathon. What are your suggestions? I think that once I have my list all the way done, I'm going to post it up here in all of its glory. I'm open to new amazing song ideas...so give them!

Ladies Room Fashion Show!!!

Alright, I did what I said I'd do. I tried to put a little more thought into my outfits. It turned out all right! Next week, I'm going to try a little harder. I'm actually going to put make up on everyday. I'm sans makeup in every single one of these pictures, so we will see what sort of difference makeup will make. Also, I'm going to work on my hair a little more. I've been wearing it up more because the bangs really bug me. I want them to be gone. This next week, I'll work on finding a solution for this, and I pledge to have better looking hair. I will try and be as fashionable as I possibly can from head to toe. This is very important because I want my employees to be very fashionable. I need to do the same. We will see how this goes!  Also, I'm sorry Thom! I forgot to take any guy pictures.  I'll try again next week.

But for now...

Here's what I wore this week!

Cardigan: Suite One
T-shirt: J. Crew from Plato's Closet
necklace: Plato's Closet
jeggings: Abercrombie from Plato's Closet
boots: Uggs from Plato's Closet

I absolutely LOVE this cardigan! In fact, when I saw a photo of it posted on suite one's facebook page, I went that day in got it. (Thankfully, I had enough of my spending money to get it, and it was very reasonably priced.) I hate that I am wearing the Uggs. I ran a half-marathon the day before and I have been nursing several blisters. It really was the only boot choice that was going to make it through the day for me. If I could have, though, I would have worn a different pair. Overall, I like this outfit, and my hair isn't bad either. 

Dress: Scrapbook from Plato's Closet
Tank: basic layering tank from Plato's Closet
Boots: Minnetonka from Plato's Closet
Necklace: Lucky Brand from Beauty's Boutique

First off, wow! the boots! I love them! Second, I'm wearing this dress because I am celebrating that it is 70 degrees outside.  I like this dress a lot but never wear it because it has a tendency of slipping down and I don't want to be caught in an awkward moment at work. One of my employees suggested wearing a tank top under it and I thought I'd give it a shot. I think it looks alright, you?  My bangs though...yikes!
 




Shirt: Forever 21 (H81) from Plato's Closet
Necklace: Plato's Closet
Tank: American Eagle from at least 5 years ago
Jeans: Abercrombie from American Eagle
Boots: Plato's Closet

This outfit probably is the winner for the week. I think it looks good and is pretty flattering. The necklace spices up an otherwise very plain shirt.  The boots have a slight heel on them so they give me a tiny bit of extra height. Overall, very cute, and very well put together. Also, my hair looks very good, and hopefully this is how my hair will look all next week.



Cardigan: Plato's Closet
Scarf: Plato's Closet
T-Shirt: Junk Food from Plato's Closet
Jeans: Joe's Jeans from Plato's Closet
Shoes: Chacos from Plato's Closet
headband: Plato's Closet

Ok, I went back to my standard look only one day this week...that's pretty good huh?  I can't say enough good things
about Chacos! If you don't own a pair, you need to think seriously about getting a pair. They are comfortable and oh so great! These jeans are my comfy jeans, and I think that on Fridays they are well deserved.  My hair is oh yuck! I love the headband I have on, but in this light, my forehead looks HUGE! Maybe I can try again, but not have my hair so tightly pulled back.

Cardigan: A.N.A. from Plato's Closet
Tank: PINK by Victoria's Secret from Plato's Closet
Belt: from Plato's Closet
leggings: American Eagle from Plato's Closet
Necklace: Lucky Brand from Beauty's Boutique
Shoes: Toms from Warrens
Watch: Fossil

I think this outfit looked better than the picture allows.  At any rate it was super comfy. This belt is an awesome accessory and it can take an otherwise plain outfit and turn it around. It's not amazing, but it's not same old boring. I personally loved wearing it. I love roaming around in leggings. It's like wearing pajamas all day! I think this outfit would wow a little more if I had my hair down or got my bangs trimmed.  Sorry that I'm obsessing over that so much.  Also, I guess the only pose I could up with all week was hands on my hips. Note to self: try harder next week!

  Ok, it's not really part of the fashion show, but I'm throwing it in there anyway.  This is right after the half-marathon I did last Sunday. I haven't even showered yet. I had someone snap this picture of me so I could send it to my friend Jimmy. He's a running legend and I knew he would be proud of my performance and that he would be proud I was rocking his race shirt all the way in Arkansas.  I chose pajama pants for my after race ride home pant of choice.

How did the half-marathon go? Great! I tried to run it like a training run and not push it too hard. I wanted to feel like there was juice left in my tank at the end. I am, after all, running a marathon in a little over a week. No need to wear myself out! I was so proud of myself for having self control and not trying to run faster and faster as I got to the end. Also, I did the half in 2:01 and that's nothing to sneeze at even if you are trying hard. I ran four minutes walked one minute the whole time, and I honestly think that if I had just ran easy for 13 miles, my time would have been slower. It's cool to see that these walk breaks work.

I'm glad I'm doing these along with Carrie .  Go check out her fashion show!

Some motivation...

Before I actually get into the heart of this post, I have a house keeping issue.  I made some changes to how to leave comments, and I hope it makes it easier to do so.  Please try to leave a comment and see if you are able to.

So now...


This is Mary Jo.

This woman is amazing! All I can say about her is wow. I'm not going to tell you how old she is, but let me just say that she is over twice my age. Not only is she  twice my age, but she runs twice as much as me. For example, yesterday we both ran a half marathon. Today, she ran 3 miles this morning and then came out to Monday night speed night and did a little bit of speed work. I didn't run at all because I ran a half marathon yesterday. Wow! She was sore, but she still got out there. She runs weekdays at 5:30 in the morning. Yikes! Let me tell you, she isn't slow either. She beats out many people years younger than her too. She has ran her fair share of marathons. She still is running marathons and plans to run one this Spring (more on that in a post very soon.) She is in spectacular shape. She's humble about it though. She will tell you she's not. She'll tell you she needs to work out more. She'll tell you she wants to get faster.

Crazy girl...she's funny too.  She is also no where close to retiring. She works like crazy. She has her Ph.D.  She's all things a wonderful woman. 

So you don't exercise? She's in this good of shape because she has been running her life? NO!!! She started running when she was 60!!!!  She credits being able to start running at that age because she worked out her whole life.

If you aren't working out, start!  It could be little. It could be something as small as taking a short walk every day. Anything! It's good for your bones. It keeps you strong and healthy. It keeps you from getting brittle.

So you don't like it? Well, I promise, you will be glad you kept exercise a part of your life.

I can't promise it will make you live longer. I can promise that it will make you feel good. I can promise it will make you look good too! 

See??

Now, I have to tell you about this group!  Three of these runners set personal bests in the half marathon yesterday. Everyone had fun.

 See the girl in the Go Get Em, Razorbacks shirt? She hasn't been running super long. She used to smoke about 4 packs a day. She shaved 25 minutes off her last half marathon time yesterday. She is doing a marathon this Spring. She looks AMAZING! Would you believe she has a grown child?

See the girl in the blue hat? She is a fast runner. She also is the fastest walker I have ever met! She walked a marathon in about 5:40 I think. That's a walk I tell you! She is doing her third marathon this Spring, but it will be the first one she actually is going to run. She is doing the Chicago Marathon is October, and she'll probably qualify for Boston. I promise she doesn't look her age. I'm not going to tell you what it is.

See that girl in the red jacket? That's me!  I used to run a lot, then I quit. Now, I'm running again. I'm so glad that I did! I am slowly getting my speed back. I'm doing my first marathon in two weeks. I've never felt better! Oh, and I'm turning 30 this year. :)

Every woman in this picture has their story, and every single story is awesome.  These girls rock my world.

So, if we can...why can't you? Tell me what you are going to do this week. Ride your bike? Walk your dog? Go to the gym? Play Biggest Loser on Xbox (you know who you are :) )? Play Wi Fit? What's it going to be??

Ladies Room Fashion Show

It's time for Ladies Room Fashion Show! For those of you who don't know, I've been doing a post like this every Friday. It's meant to help me pay attention to what I am picking out to wear, plus, it is just fun. I feel like I may disappoint you this week. My outfits are very very casual and just not all that great. I pledge to be better next week. I will wear at least one dress, and I will put some variety into it. I will also take pictures at least five days. For this week, though, you get what you get! (Hey, give me a break! I was sick all week)



So here we go!

Sweatshirt: Pink by Victoria's Secret from Plato's Closet
Jeans: Miss Me from Beauty's Boutique (on sale!)
Shoes: Uggs from Plato's Closet

Could I be ANY more cliche? Seriously! Uggs AND Pink? All that could make it worse is if I had on some North Face! Still, I wore this on Monday. It was the closest thing to a snow day we are going to get this year, and I wanted to be warm. Uggs will do that. I wanted to be comfortable. Pink will do that. I love those jeans too!! They are soo comfy and pretty flattering. This is most definitely not an outfit I wear a lot, but it was appropriate for the day...and it doesn't look all that bad.

Shirt: Obey from Plato's Closet
tank underneath: American Eagle from Plato's Closet
jeans: American Eagle from Plato's Closet
shoes: Toms from Plato's Closet (yep Carrie, they match yours...I got LUCKY!)

Don't mind the ridiculous pose. I wanted to show you my amazing shoes! Once again, this outfit was all about comfort. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the shirt though. Actually, I love the jeans. I love the shoes. I love it all. I tried on a pair of red (yes red) skinny jeans with this shirt. Maybe I will get them and wear this outfit again and you guys will let me know what you think.

cardigan: Ann Taylor LOFT from a couple years ago from my portrait studio days.
t-shirt: Obey from Plato's Closet
capris: Miss Me from Beauty's Boutique ON SALE!
Shoes: Chacos from Plato's Closet (Great score!)

Yep! It's my stanby formula! A cardigan, a t-shirt, and a scarf. Hey! It works. Next week, maybe I will do this combo with a colorful cardigan. I do have a few of those. That will be a way to switch it up. The zebra scarf in this picture rocks my world. Overall, comfort was the word of the day here.

Since I intend to switch it up a little next week, do you have any suggestions. I will take each on into consideration and see what I can come up with.

Things I love.

1. Andy
2. My dogs
3. Running
4. Pasta
5. Sephora
6. Plato's Closet
7. Climbing
8. My hammock
9. Hulu
10. Sushi
11. Beer
12. Wine
13. Mismatched socks
14. Urban Outfitters
15. Jeeps
16. My family
17. Dave Ramsey
18. God
19. Sour Patch Kids
20. Naps
21. More things than I could ever list
22. You! (Now, tell me what you love!)

And...Will you be my Valentine?

Goodbye Oscar!

From the moment I met you, Oscar, I loved you. You were nearly new, you were lovely, and you were Lynsey's.

We had fun riding in you. We LOVED summertime! We LOVED having the top off.

It was sad when someone cut the back window. They didn't have to do that. They could have just unzipped you. I am glad Lynsey fixed you quickly.



It was fun when we went to the zoo in you...I'm sorry that I got red Popsicle juice all over the outside of you.


Then, Oscar, Lynsey needed to get rid of you. She still loved you though, so she sold you to me!


Oh happy day!


We had fun together. We drove around town with the top down and the Hootie and the Blowfish blasting!


You were good to me.


Then, someone stole your radio. Why did they do that??? They didn't even have the face plate. Now you have a gaping hole.


Then, I moved to California, and you were my only companion on that long ride.


Remember when we got stuck in Amarillo because of a snow storm in New Mexico? I know you do. Someone cut the back window while we were there. Again, WHY??? They didn't take anything...and they could have just unzipped you.


Oh finally! We made it to California. It was tough getting your little 4-cylinder self up that mountain! You did it though. You are a trooper.


Wow! There was that time up at Southridge that I slid on the ice and I was scared scared scared.


Guess what? I got you a new radio! Now you don't have a gaping hole.


Remember when you were part of the 4th of July parade at Astrocamp? You were looking good.

Now, oh wow, it was a short time but we are making our way back across the country. Now, we are headed to Kentucky!

Now your life gets a little dark, and I'm sorry for that. Wow! He hit you so hard. I didn't want you to have to go through that. He didn't even have a license. He shouldn't have even been driving! He had a choice between a tree and you, and he picked you.

I thought our time together was over...I told Lynsey about it. She was sad too.

Guess what though??? You were given a new lease on life! However, now you aren't white. You are now green. Your top is no longer black...it's brown. You are back though!!!

Remember the look on Lynsey's face when I showed her my "new jeep" and then told her it was you?

I'm sorry though, I can't find any pictures of you being green.

Now, we are moving again. You made the drive to Arkansas a-ok.

Wow, I took you for a long drive every day didn't I? Work was pretty far away. You were kind of expensive to drive, and paying $100 a week in gas just to get to work was getting old.

Then something happened. Your engine started giving you fits. You had a misfire in cylinder one. Nobody could figure it out. I had to drive you less because you were only getting 10 miles per gallon.

I knew it was time. I knew that I had to let you go. I didn't want to, Oscar, but I had to.

You were bought by someone that plans to give you a new life...yet again! How many lives do you have, Oscar?

Your new owner plans to put a new engine in you...you will be just like new.

Don't worry Oscar, Andy told the new owner what your name is. They won't change it. So, you won't be confused learning a new name. Lynsey was worried about that too...she wanted me to make sure the new owner knew your name.

This post is dedicated to Oscar, a wonderful Jeep Wrangler. May the rest of your life be long and full. You will be missed.

Oscar 1997-present

Ladies Room Fashion Show

So if you have been reading, you know I'm doing this on Fridays. I love it that I got this idea from Carrie. I love her blog! This week, I did something a little different. This week's fashion show includes myself, as well as a few of my employees! This is us today. I have about 16 employees, so this is just a few of them...I have a great crew. I'm not going to use their real names...I'm just giving you their first initial. I don't want any stalkers going after them!


So...here it goes!

This is S1. She is a hoot! She loves to wear stripes and jeans (so do I!). She wanted to look geeky in her picture. Did she succeed? What is she wearing?

shirt-daytrip from Plato's Closet
jeans- Boom Boom Jeans from TJ Maxx. (I'm serious! That's the brand!)
shoes-Adidas

Next, we have S2. She is a newer employee of ours, but she has been a shopper since the beginning!
vest-daytrip from The Buckle (She hasn't been working here that long... :)
cami-soulmates
jeans-underground soul from Plato's Closet (That a girl)
Shoes-Diba from Warren's

Here's K1! She was our very first employee. She was here when we were painting the walls. She likes to keep her hair color unique, and she likes to wear black. I applaud her for almost all her clothes being secondhand. I apologize for the picture being screwy.

scarf-vanity

necklace-hello kitty...not sure where

sweatshirt-plato's closet

tank-Miss Me from Plato's Closet

leggings-Plato's Closet

boots-Uggs from Plato's Closet

Now, here's me! I am decked out in my fav color to wear! Gray! I'm wearing my go to outfit...I know. I can rock many different variations of jeans, t-shirt, toms, scarf and cardigan.

Cardigan-ANA from Plato's Closet

Shirt-Doe from Urban Outfitters

Jeans-Silver from Plato's Closet

Scarf-Plato's Closet

Shoes- Toms from Warrens

This is M! She has been working for us for almost a year now, and she has a great sense of style. She always looks very well put together. Today was vest day at Plato's Closet...this is girl #2 in one.

vest-Plato's Closet

t-shirt-basic one from walmart or some place

jeans-charlotte russe

boots-decree from JCP

This is K2. She is very very new. This was her second day! I think she is going to be a great addition to our team. She needs some Plato's clothes though. Also, she is wearing vest #3.

vest-kohls

shirt-Charlotte Russe

Jeans-Miss Me from Cavenders

Shoes-Toms from Academy

Lastly, we have B! She is acting goofy in this picture. That's why we love her! She doesn't get to work nearly enough. School gets in the way. So we are always happy to see her. She was one of the first 4 employees. I believe she may have been the 2nd one I hired. I'm glad she is still around. She loves to SHOP so she always dresses pretty trendy.

Shirt-Deb

Jeans- A&F (and she didn't get them from Plato's???)

Boots-Plato's Closet

I think this was fun. Did you? I might just do this again.

the running skirt...

I ran a 15k on Saturday and I borrowed a friend's running skirt to try it out. I was curious about these because I think rocking out races in skirts would be kind of neat. I didn't really want to buy one because I wasn't sure I really would like it.

A running skirt? Let me tell you more about it. Underneath the skirt, there is a pair of compression shorts attached.


I usually run in tiny little compression shorts.


First off, what was nice about it was that I wasn't quite showing the world my behind. It was covered by a skirt.



Next off, I ran in it. I wasn't really sure if I loved it or not. There really wasn't a difference in the way they felt. I just thought maybe I didn't need that extra layer of material. I could just stick to my tight little spandex things.


Well then, a photographer snapped a picture of me. I saw it and decided I might just have to ONLY run in running skirts! I just love the way the picture looks with a skirt on. Much more flattering. I also like to run in mismatched socks as you can see. :) Now, pay no attention to my hair or the look on my face. :) haha.


I just think this is how I want to dress. I don't want to be a normal runner. I want to stand out. I want to be unique. I want to make a fashion statement. It just makes running a lot more fun. I like to look silly. Is it a good idea to make this a normal thing for me? Your thoughts?

Ladies Room Fashion Show

Try number 2 with Ladie's Room Fashion Show! I once again forgot to take pics of a couple of my outfits. None of this week's outfits were exactly a hit and a win, but I'm happy to have clothes to put on my back!

I love the dog shirt! The dog on it looks like Jessie Dog (My bro and sis in laws dog). I don't love the silly look on my face...something crazy going on with teeth. Also I LOVE the jeans!
Shirt- Forever 21 from Plato's Closet
Necklace-Plato's Closet
Jeans-Miss Me from Beauty's Boutique
Shoes-Sanuks from Plato's Closet

I like scarves because they take t-shirts and jeans and turn them up a notch. I think the outfit below is my favorite outfit of the week, and that's not saying a lot. (I actually did have 2 better ones that I forget to get pictures of...I know you are thinking yeah right. )
Scarf: Plato's Closet
Shirt: Doe from Urban Outfitters a couple years ago.
Jeans: American Eagle from Plato's Closet
Shoes: Chacos from Plato's Closet.

Ok, this isn't really an outfit I have worn yet this week, but I will be wearing it tomorrow in a 15k I do. It's going to be my first experience wearing a running skirt. We will see how it goes!

Shirt: my running club
Skirt: Vicki's
Socks: Deb

Ok, so that's why you don't wear shorts in in Jan! Oh pale legs! I like the shirt, but I don't think it looks all that great in this pic.
Shirt: forever 21 from Plato's Closet
Shorts: Lucky Brand from Plato's Closet
Shoes: Target from ages ago!

Lastly, it's not so much one of my outfit choices, but I thought I needed to leave you with this.

This is a normal Tuesday night for me. Don't let the penguin get you!

Andy's cakes...

Every year, for the past three years, Andy has demanded that I make him a ridiculous birthday cake. No big deal right? WRONG! I'm no cake decorator! I did learn just a tiny bit about it when I was in 4-H when I was younger.

Three years ago, I asked Andy what kind of cake he wanted, and he said an R2D2 cake. I said ok! I set out to Hobby Lobby and to Wal-Mart to buy supplies to do this. I made a lot of extra cake. My dad happened to be in Arkansas at the time, and he ate a lot of "cake bits" while I was making it. It didn't turn out half bad.

Next, Andy asked for a Boba Fett cake. It's his birthday, so I have to do it! It's part of what we do. Birthdays are a big deal. It's a day where the birthday person gets what they want. So, I set out to do it. Again, it turned out ok. I know, I know, I've heard it already, he is missing his antenna. Give me a break. I'm no professional.

Until now, the cakes were pretty easy to structure. It got a little harder this year. He asked for a Millennium Falcon cake. This was by far the hardest cake of the three. It's a little rough, and it took a looong time to make. It turns out I needed way less cake than I made, so we had a lot of extra. You know what we didn't have extra of??? Frosting! There is a ton of frosting on this cake. At least you can tell what it is supposed to be, right?


What in the world will he ask for next??