Work it Out: an update

Last week I posted about a new work out plan that I have started.  On Monday I moved up to the Level 2 workout, and can I just say, "Ouch"?  It didn't seem that much harder when I did it, but Tuesday was painful.  I had not been that sore in a long time.  Finally, Tuesday night around 10 p.m. when I couldn't even get comfortable on the couch I thought- I'll just work out again.  That may help loosen my muscles up... and it sure did.  I went to bed, woke up, and felt like a brand new woman on Wednesday.  Here is what I love most about this yoga workout I have been doing:

1.) I don't have to leave my house to do it
2.) I don't have to put on tennis shoes (you are supposed to practice barefoot)
3.) I don't have to get dressed (see reason 1)
4.) It only takes 30 minutes to do a work out
5.) I can tell a difference in how I feel when I do it.  I have been eating healthier, and I'm even hungry more throughout the day, so maybe I'll gain a little weight! :)

In other news... it's cool enough to leave the back door wide open tonight, and Harley is running back and forth, inside and outside.  She loves it!  We took her on a walk and I put on sweat pants and a jacket.  Crazy, I know!  This cooler weather has given our puppy a new found energy (like she really needs that).  At least we are headed to Dallas this weekend for Shay's wedding and she gets to play with Tegan! :)  Watch out Roush's... here we come!

A Weekend to Remember

I write this blog to be something that JW and I can look back on and remember our journey together.  I also like that it keeps friends and family updated on our lives, and I hope it is entertaining every now and then, but that is not my primary purpose.  So, sorry if this one is a little mushy, lame, or boring, but it's real, and I want to remember the weekend we just had.  Not because of what we did, because it wasn't anything significant, but because it was special in its own way.  Joey and I were able to catch up on some much needed time together and were productive in getting ready for the week ahead. 

Friday night we had date night!  We went out to dinner using a gift card we had to a local restaurant that we had never tried before.  The food was actually quite bad.  We sat there and laughed at the perplexing fact that the restaurant was packed with people who obviously loved it.  We waited in line to put our names on the list, to get a table, and to check out.  Maybe we're the ones with bad taste, but we didn't get it.  Oh well, at least we had a gift card and a good time together. :)  Then, we were off to the movies to see The Debt.  Not quite a great date night pick, but a pretty good movie none the less!

Saturday we slept in, and Joey spent most of the day reading and getting ready for his upcoming week of school.  We took a break to have lunch together and to take Harley to play in the big fenced in yard at the place we board her.  They are so nice to let us use their huge yard anytime to get some of our playful puppy's energy out.  We ran around and chased her until she laid down in exhaustion in the shade, and then brought her home to cool down in her little pool in the backyard.  My legs were a little sore the next day from all the running, and Harley was pretty subdued, so- success!  I did laundry, planned meals, made a grocery list, and picked up around the house while Joey continued on his school work.  We got pizza for dinner and took Har on a walk in the cool-ish evening weather and watched the lighting lit sky before it rained.  Hallelujah!

Sunday we went to church and worshiped together, had lunch with a new friend, and made a grocery run.  Then, we spent the afternoon on the couch watching the Texans game and/or reading and napping if your name is Amanda. :)  I cooked breakfast for dinner and we had 4 law school friends come over for our 4th Homecooked Sunday.  I made bacon-spinach quiche, pigs-in-a-blanket, cinnamon and orange rolls, and fruit salad.  Joey reviewed for quizzes, and I painted my toe nails before we got in bed at the same time for the third night in a row!  After we prayed together, Joey said, "That was a good weekend.  Probably one of the best we've had in awhile."  We have a busy week and upcoming weekend with Shay and Adam's wedding (yea!), so it was nice to relax and refresh together... just what we needed.  We all need a little R&R every now and then.  I hope your weekend was filled with just what you needed too.

Season Premieres

Before you proceed in reading this blog you must promise not to judge...  Promise?  Okay.  It is finally time for the fall TV season to start, and I'm pretty excited!  :)  Over the past couple of years with Joey in law school I have accumulated quite a list of shows that I like to watch, and over the next couple of weeks they all come back into my life!  Alright, here's the list:

Parenthood

Dancing With the Stars

Castle

Body of Proof

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Grey's Anatomy

The Mentalist

CSI: NY

Private Practice

Bones

The Good Wife

The Closer

Woo hoo!  I'm giddy with excitement.  Now the challenge will be getting the DVR programmed so I don't miss any.  Joey has a few shows too, but I definitely rule the TV these days.  Really, he would watch almost anything on the History or Discovery Channels (not that he has much time to occupy with TV lately), but these are his favorites:

Top Shot

Pawn Stars

American Pickers

Of course watching the Texans play every week and Sports Center at any time of the day are high on his list as well.  So, you don't think any less of us now that you know what fills our DVR, do you?  I hope not!  We all have our guilty pleasures, right?  :)

Work it Out

It's Friday, y'all!  I don't know about you, but I am thrilled. :)  So, after being active for most of my life, when I graduated from college, my work out routine pretty much disappeared.  Along with being a cheerleader at Baylor came weekly practices and team workouts with athletic trainers.  I definitely benefitted from the accountability of being a part of a team and mandatory weekly workouts.  It also didn't hurt that we had a trainer running our workouts and watching to make sure we were really "giving it our all". 

So, when I graduated and didn't have that accountability anymore, I didn't really do anything to condition my body... until recently.  My body has been tight and sore, my back always hurts, and I have lost weight, believe it or not.  I am pretty small to begin with, so loosing muscle mass doesn't work in my favor.  I decided I needed to do something.  Maybe not something as extreme as weight training at 5 a.m. like my college days, but something.  And, I came up with yoga.  It is something I can do at home, and since it focuses mostly on body weight training, I don't need much equipment.  This is only the second week I have been doing it, but I already feel a lot better.  I am feeling stronger, more limber, and proud of myself for being healthy. 

This is the video workout I have been using:

Now, my goal is not to loose weight, but to gain muscle strength and flexibility.  These workouts are only 30 minutes, and I don't have to leave my living room to do them.  My goal is to workout 3-5 times a week.  I am still on the level 1 workout, but can already tell it's getting easier- except when a husky puppy tries to lick my ears while I am holding a challenging pose.  I don't know that I can blame her though.  I mean "downward dog"  must look like to her like I am down on her level ready to play. :)  Happy Friday!  I hope you have a great weekend!

Terrible Three's

You are not going to believe the good fortune we've had regarding the lovely hunks of metal that get us from place to place.  It all started last Friday when I got a flat tire on I-35.  I won't rehash that story, but if you missed it you can see that blog post here.  So, I was doing fine with the spare tire on while we did some research about how many and what kind of tires we would replace on my car.  Only, Tuesday morning when I go to turn on my car, on my way to a meeting, it won't start!  It sputters, blinks, and beeps, but will not start.  I remember from another time my car acted crazy like this that it is the battery.  Joey doesn't have afternoon class that day and gets home just in time for me to hop in and take his to my meeting.

We share his car for the rest of the week because I want his help dealing with mine, but he can't mess with it in the middle of a PC week.  So, Friday afternoon we take my car in and get the battery replaced.  Then, Saturday we get my two back tires replaced.  Whew!  I thought surely we were done with car problems...  My mom said, "You know these things happen in 3's.  You still have 1 more to go."  I said, "Well I hope it's a headlight or something easy like that!"

Oh, but wouldn't you know?  Today, Joey calls me from law school to say that the Silver Bullet's (Joey's name for his car) battery is dead!  A friend jumped it in the parking lot, and he was headed to get his battery replaced.  So, that's #3!  Not as easy or inexpensive as a headlight, but surely we are done now!  I don't know if the Hance house can handle much more.  Two car batteries, two tires, and $638 later our cars are in tip-top shape and better not give us more problems any time soon or we may be investing in bikes!

We Remember

10 years ago today our nation was attacked.  10 years ago today we can all remember where we stood when we heard the news.  10 years ago today we stood a nation united against any threat to our freedom.

Today we reflect and remember those who lost their lives.  I cannot imagine what it was like to be in one of the planes or in the World Trade Center.  Moms, dads, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and grandparents were lost that day.  I did not personally know anyone that passed away, but I can only imagine what those families have gone through in enduring the loss of a loved one.  

I am thankful for the heroes that were walking up the stairs when civilians were running down.  9/11 is a part of our nation's history, and I am proud to remember the courage of so many on that day.  It is easy to watch the news and see a world that is lost, but I am encouraged that through a traumatic event like this, so many turn to God.  I am thankful for our God who will never leave us or forsake us.  He is faithful and sovereign, and I am thankful to have the freedom to worship and serve Him freely in my country. 

God, please bless America.  Bless the families that mourn a lost one today.  Bless the soldiers that fight to defend our freedom.  Bless our nation's leaders and guide them with your wisdom.  Give us all courage to stand for what is right and to stand united One Nation Under God.

Summer Reading List

With summer coming to an end, I thought I would share the books that have traveled with me and occupied my time over the last few months.  As you will see, I am on a John Grisham kick.  My grandpa has collected all of Grisham's books since I can remember.  I have memories picking out the newest release with my mom to give Grandpa for Christmas or his birthday.  A few months ago he emailed me and said he was getting rid of his collection and asked if I wanted them.  I was thrilled to accept his offer and have been enjoying them ever since.  Thanks Grandpa!

I enjoy reading a couple of books at a time- usually a non-fiction and a fiction, and choose which to dive into based on the mood I'm in.  I typically fly through the fiction ones because I get hooked and have to know what happens.  I love when I get near to the end of a book and end up staying up way too late because I can't put it down.  I'm sure you can relate!

So, here was my reading list this summer, and I would recommend any of them if you're looking for a good book:

A Love that Multiplies by Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar- I was interested in this book because of this family's show on TLC that I watch, 19 Kids and Counting.  Don't get any crazy ideas... I don't anticipate having 19 kids, but have come to respect and love the way this family loves the Lord and shows it in the way they live as a family.  They have a neat parenting style, and the results certainly support their methods.

Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist- This one was a birthday gift from Shay, and I really enjoyed it.  It's a collection of short stories that Shauna Niequist writes about her life.  It was uplifting and fun to read.  Niequist has a unique writing style that makes you feel like she is sitting with you talking.

The Runaway Jury, The Rainmaker, The Partner, and The Street Lawyer by John Grisham- They are all great legal fiction.  I loved every one. 

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren- Joey and I read this one together while he was out of town working for several weeks.  We learn a lot when we read a book and discuss it together, but I have to admit we only made it about half way through this one so far.

And here is what's next on my reading list:

Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen- I bought this collection of four novels on our trip to Brenham earlier this summer.  It is a beautiful book, for one, and I wanted to read some of these classics.  I read Pride and Prejudice in school and love the movie, but haven't read the others before.  So, I plan to dive into these classics soon.

Desert Gift by Sally John- This is the second book in Sally John's Side Road series.  I have read all of Sally John's books and always enjoy them.  She is a Christian Fiction writer, and her books usually have a little romance in them- which I am a sucker for. 

The Testament by John Grisham- My love affair with Grisham books continues... this is just the next one on my list.  I have been reading them in the order that they were published.  I'm sure that this next one will not disappoint.

Was your summer accompanied with any great reads?  I am always looking to add to my list.  Let me know if you have recommendations.  Lord knows I have plenty of time to occupy during the evenings while Joey is in PC... especially right now.  Summer TV series's have ended and my fall shows haven't started yet!  What's a girl to do?

Belated Bachelorette Post

A couple of weekends ago the women in Shay's wedding party met in Salado for a Bachelorette Party for Shay Bear- the bride-to-be.  Salado is the perfect place for a girl trip, and we had a great time.  The celebration started Saturday at lunch time with an afternoon tea at Adelea’s on Main.  We had a private room and enjoyed tea, finger sandwiches, scones, and little desserts.  It was delicious!

Anna, me, and SM

After lunch we ventured out to visit all the cute shops on Main Street.  Triple digit heat made us appreciate the cool blast of air conditioning when we walked into a store for sure!  After shopping we headed to the Inn at Salado where we were staying that night to check in.  It was precious!  I shared a room with Mary Ellen and Gentry.  We didn't take a room-mate picture unfortunately, but had a good time together. 

After some much needed freshening up, we loaded up and headed to the Vineyard at Florence winery for dinner and Shay's lingerie shower.  This was by far the highlight of the weekend!  We also had our own private room here where we enjoyed dinner, wine, and of course gifts that made Shay giggle.  I was in charge of games for the night, and a little worried about making Shay blush.  She was a hoot though, and totally got into it!  We all had a blast celebrating with Shay and certainly made memories that I will look back on and cherish.

Me, Shay, and Claire

Only a couple of short weeks left until Shay and Adam tie the knot!

Blowout Kind of Day

Since it was the Friday leading into a holiday weekend, March of Dimes offices closed at 12:00.  I called Joey to see if he wanted to meet for a quick lunch before his afternoon classes, and a group of law students were going to Rudy's, so I met them there.  I enjoyed a yummy BBQ Baked Potato and then headed home.  Only I didn't make it very far...

That's me on the shoulder of I-35.  I was driving along, in the left lane of course, and I hear this loud whoosing sound over the song on the radio that I was singing along with.  (This won't be as good as me reenacting with my sound effects and body movements, but I'll try to make you feel like you were there with me.)  Ok, so loud whoosing... and I thought it was some bozo with a loud car around me.  I was looking around annoyed trying to figure out who would drive a car that is so loud.  Not being able to recognize the bozo, I start noticing my car riding a little rougher and decide to get over- thank goodness!  I then decide quite quickly it is my car making the horrendous noise and it sounds like it's going to blow up... not good.  So, I make it to the shoulder, and as I slow down it becomes hard to keep moving further over.  I then noticed my car feeling a bit lob-sided and it dawns on me...  I must have a flat tire!  Before you laugh at me and think I should have realized what it was earlier, let me just say, I have never had a flat before and it all happened so fast.  So anyways, panicked because my car is swaying every time a car zooms by my on the highway, I called Joey.  Thank you Lord that he was not in class yet!  He said that his afternoon class was not part of PC and the students he was with would tell the professor that he had to help me with a flat.  So, he left the law school to be my knight in shining armor on the side of I-35. 

With my car being on the highway, and of course the blown tire being on the side where cars where zooming by, neither one of us felt good about Joey changing it.  Momma Hance has AAA and Joey is still listed on her plan, so we called them.  A nice guy named Cody showed up about an hour later and put on my spare.  I joked with Joey saying that God planned this so that we could spend an hour together in the car.  That's more time than we've gotten together all week! :)

So, after that fiasco I went home and Joey went back up to the school for one more class.  Megan came in town this weekend, so she met me at the house and we chatted for awhile and then headed to Marshall's.  Joey met us there, we finished our shopping, and then headed back to the house to get ready for the Baylor game.  Joey got us tickets from a judge that he clerked with this summer who couldn't make it down for this game.  We had dinner with Meg and then Joey and I headed to Floyd Casey Stadium to watch the Baylor Bears whoop up on TCU.

Let me just say that after being a cheerleader at BU and getting to games hours early and parking for free, getting there with everyone else for a packed game was a mess!  I was a little frazzled by the time we made it to our seats, but it was well worth it.  We got to watch a pretty great game and despite Joey's expression in this picture, he had fun too! :)  Baylor won our first game of the season 50 to 48 against TCU, who happened to have a pretty good season last year!  Sic 'em Bears!