Mariah and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

.... or in other words, my birthday last week.

Let's call them birthday surprises.

Started off with a funny one: running out of toilet paper. Lovely.

Then Aunt Flo made her presence known. That bugger is always early for our appointments.

Unfortunately, that skewed things for my body fat test, measurements, etc. later that morning at the gym.

Speaking of the gym, I dropped a 65-pound, loaded bar on my shin. It was pleasant. Note to self: do NOT lose concentration at the bottom of an overhead squat.

It's still pretty painful. But, on a side note, my sweet Adistars were my early birthday present a few months ago. :) I love them.

After the gym, I stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few things. I stepped in a super deep puddle by accident and found out my little suede boots were the opposite of waterproof. Freezing cold, sloshy socks... brr.

And on the way home from the store, I managed to hit a massive pothole on the highway. Literally, there was a chunk of the road missing. Thankfully, I wasn't traveling highway speed because it was a bit snowy/slushy. Regardless, the tire was flat within a quarter mile, or by the time I made it down the offramp of our exit.

Thankfully, I have a hubby that loves me. He was there within 25 minutes, swapped out the snow tire/rim with one of our summer tires/rims in a couple minutes, and I was on my way home. Nothing like eating lunch at 2:30!

We also got the snow tire replaced yet that afternoon, which was great... except for the massive pothole sized dent it left in our checkbook. ;)

The rest of the day went a little bit more smoothly with only a broken lock button on my phone to finish the day off.

I might have done some lounging around in yoga pants that evening. :) And ate bacon. Hey, I'm only human.

Good thing it was my birthday... all the Facebook posts, messages, texts and the few phone calls really brightened my day. :)

And thank goodness my birthday only comes once a year! Phew!

Today's thoughts.

Today was a weird day.

A new PR in the gym.. 235-pound deadlift which is up by 5 from two weeks ago. I had 240 in my grasp, but lost the mental control over it. (Plus I've been "sick," does that count for anything? :D)

That was pretty awesome.

But last night/this morning I had one of those very REAL dreams. All of my dreams are more vivid and lifelike since I've been doing the Whole 30 this month. (Wow, I'm almost done!) But this one involved my brother Justin.

I haven't dreamt about him in awhile, and usually when I do, it's some kind of scenario or situation where we only thought he died. This morning was no different. So we planned the funeral, gathered the family, and then he "woke up," gave bear hugs all around (oh, I loved those bear hugs!!), and thought it preposterous that we were planning his funeral! Then I wake up with a lonely feeling in the pit of my stomach. Every time I dream about him, I always get one of those awesome bear hugs. 

Mom also had a dream last night... and she also got a hug from Justin. These hugs are so real!!

Interesting. Not that this is completely out of the blue.

A few days ago, the 23rd, was the 2nd anniversary of his death which I didn't post about that on here. Sometimes I think the deep workings of our heart cannot really be put into words. We can't communicate the complexity of feelings we have so we sit in silence, unable to talk.

Justin and I when we were much, much younger.

At times, it seems like just yesterday we threw a bag together on that bitter cold Sunday morning and rushed out the door to Rochester, Minnesota. I don't think the car thermometer got above -20* the whole way there.

We dropped the dog off at Joel's mom and dad's, and began the journey to say goodbye.

How do you say goodbye when you weren't there? When he had already had one heart attack and was airlifted to Mayo? When you were expecting to be there for his surgery which was planned for the very next day? When he's only 25 for crying out loud?

It was the longest 4 hour drive I think I have ever sat through. And really, that was probably the longest day of my life. Once we said goodbye, we headed back to our homes.

The next few days were a haze. I know I had a wedding consultation which I booked, amazingly enough. I had lunch with some of our ministers, but the worst part is, I can only remember one of them for sure. I'm pretty sure who the other two were, but that's quite unnerving not to be positive.

The reality set in when we went home for about a week surrounding the funeral. The family, friends, and outpouring of love was astounding. I can't imagine getting through any intensely difficult time by yourself. I can only attribute my survival to the grace of God and the prayers of others for me.

Why these thoughts today? Could it be Mom and I's dreams? The Puff Daddy song on the radio this afternoon - I'll be Missing You - that reduced me to tears?

I am thankful though, that with the passing of time, there seems to be more and more sweetness of memories and les and less of the bitterness and pain of loss.

So today was interesting. Some decent success in the gym. Plus I found out I'm famous.. ;) I was featured in my gym's magazine earlier this month, and then that magazine was printed on a poster! Cool.

I also had a lovely texting conversation with one of my good friends who's like a little sister to me. :)

But then a very sobering and introspective afternoon... 

Some days I really miss my brother. I miss his positive prospective on life, his love for music, and the twinkle in his eye. Some days when I hear a really great song, a new album by Collective Soul, or even a really great singing/playing/jam session, I just stop and think how he would have loved to hear that.

I'm so thankful for the family and friends that I do have, and I love them all dearly.

This general thought has been on my mind lately: 

Source: Uploaded by user via Mariah on Pinterest

Anyway, if I am going to nip this cold in the bud, I better head off to bed. These were just a few thoughts on my mind today. Thanks for listening and have a good week. :)

Meatza. Pizza. You know.

You know you want some.

Pretty much the simplest thing ever.

I fried up some plain turkey breast cutlets the other night with this "meatza" thought in mind. Gotta love that coconut oil!

Anyway, I've been having some serious pizza cravings. Serious. And what's the best part about pizza? The toppings! Obviously.

So, I heated up the turkey breast a bit in the microwave, sprinkled on some Italian seasoning and oregano, slathered on some leftover marinara, threw on some grated cheese, and popped it in the toaster oven for about 5 minutes on broil to heat up the marinara and cheese.

This. was. incredible.

Next time, I'll be using more toppings, like some sausage/pepperoni. However, this gave me the little pizza fix I'd been needing.

Raise your hand if you think I need to get some new plain plates to take pictures of my food on. *raises hand*  Maybe someday I'll ditch the Corelware and use our chipped, square, black wedding plates. Does food look good against black? I'm thinking no, unfortunately...

In other news, our dog as some serious spring fever. She wants to "go outside" about every 20 minutes. Not that I'm complaining too much, seeing as it's beautiful out lately. However, it's a little excessive... And it might be just because she has quite the flirtatious relationship with the dog next door. He's a sweet little Yorkie named "Crash." Isn't that cute?

It's fun to have some nice neighbors that don't freak us out or have dogs that growl at Turbs! They're a young engaged couple that seem about our age.

Finally, a random for you all. I found some contraband items in the gym yesterday, left unattended. There's a long story behind the older gal who carries these around. She may or may not be the one that used to steal all my equipment during the middle of timed workouts. ;)

Speaking of workouts. This week seems to have been another turning point for me. Thank goodness. I'm still having some hip soreness and dealing with some of the fallout from my shoulders being messed up/tendonitis in my arm from the burpees.

However, I feel like I'm getting some of my mojo back. My muscle soreness lately has been "good-workout" sore rather than "oh-my-word,-my-hips-are-going-to-fall-off" pain.

I'm determined to not mess it up again this time. Even if that means taking a few rest days now and then.


I came across this quote the other day, and I love it!

"The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people!" ---Randy Pausch (The Last Lecture)

The other day, I did back squats for the first time since I injured my hips. Well, the first time with any real weight. It was a glorious feeling. Until the next morning. And the morning after that. And then I wondered what I did to myself. ;)

Again, though, my muscles were super sore, but not something-is-wrong sore. Phew.

Another great quote.

Stir fry, updated

Hello, summer!

75*, breezy.. ahh. Beautiful.

Since today was declared a "rest day" from the gym for me (don't get me started...), I made full use of my extra time and the nice weather. Turbs and I went for a walk, met the neighbors after lunch, and just plain sat outside this afternoon. Mmm.

Now, being the pessimist realist that I am, I'm sure summer isn't here to stay. However, it sure hit the spot today!

Anyway...
I thought I would update my post about the homemade HuHot. (Click here for original post.)

I tried a new meat for the stirfry.... chuck roast, which I sliced up. I like the chuck roast because it's super fatty (hello, flavor!) and a bit cheaper. In fact, in the past, I've also used the eye of the chuck roast, which is even cheaper because its considered a lesser quality cut. It works great for this, that's for sure!

Also, I swapped out lemon juice and a squirt or two of plain stevia for the orange juice. Sugar removal, check! Hubby not noticing the difference, check!

In addition to the liquid aminos, I've also started adding "fish sauce" to the marinade. I happened to be waiting at the health food store for them to ring up my order and snagged a bottle of this after reading the description on the back. Apparently it's made from wild black anchovy and sea salt. And it spices up all your Asian-flavored cuisine. And it's ah-mazing. No lie. Here's their website: http://redboatfishsauce.com/

Then, I've started marinating the meat for the entire afternoon, which, oh. my. word. is delicious. Definitely recommend doing that.

And of course, I took new pics. :P

Red Boat Fish sauce. Five stars. And yes, I did just run upstairs and take a picture of it in my fridge. You guessed right. And no, they don't endorse me. Or know who I am.

Chuck roast = fatty goodness. Red meat makes me strong. No lie.

There are many great articles I've read recently disproving that "study" where they "found" that red meat kills you. Sigh. Whatever. These are the same people that tell you to eat grains and take cholesterol meds. And we blindly trust them.

If you're going to only read one, read this one. :) http://www.marksdailyapple.com/will-eating-red-meat-kill-you/#axzz1pDdPGVvc

Ahh, fried veggies. My life is now complete that I've discovered fried sliced cabbage. Complete.

Note to self, don't cut the onions like this. And stick with red onions.

I like to leave it just a tad pink.

I know, I know. I'll probably die because of it.

I'll also hit a new PR on an Olympic lift because of it too. And I'm okay with that. :P

Rice noodles for the hubby...

Ready?

It's go time!

Oh man. This makes me hungry.

So, updated recipe for
Homemade HuHot:

Marinade:
1/4 cup Braggs liquid aminos
1/4 cup Red Boat fish sauce
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
Stevia, a few squirts
2 TB almond oil
Red pepper seasoning

Combine with "thinly-sliced" 2-pound chuck roast. Marinate in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

Saute veggies. I used a couple dashes of the aminos, fish sauce, and coconut oil.
Saute meat until a bit of pink is left.
Saute cooked noodles.

Devour.

Last post... July 28. Hm. Wonder if anyone still checks this thing? :)

I've been busy. The summer flew by amid a flurry of photography, and well, photography. :) This last week was the week for consultations and booking weddings, and I'm happy to say next year is booking up!

The latest and most recent thing/milestone in my life has been weight loss...

These are some awful pictures from last Thanksgiving (2010). Shield your eyes. Leave them small.

Now, less than a year later (well, only since February), 40-lbs lighter, and 14% less body fat, this is me:

Everyone always wants to know what I'm doing... like losing weight is a big secret. It's not. It's the opposite of gaining weight: eating less, working out more, and hard work. I saw this on a bumper sticker last week: Winners find a way. Losers find excuses.

I attribute a lot of the credit to my trainer... lots of hours logged at the gym, 6 days a week. Plus a detailed food log.

Still struggling a little with where to go from here. I'd like to keep losing, but more than anything, I'd like to keep toning and trimming fat. I'd rather gain weight with muscle, so I can keep lifting. Hah, who'd ever think that would come out of my mouth! So my next short-term goal is another -5lbs, which I think is very do-able. Plus I have several lifting goals... one of which is to get some tougher calluses. :)

I firmly believe in rewards.. that don't include ice cream and chocolate! hah! For my -40, I got myself a pair of new boots (withOUT heels, since I'm still not wearing shoes with heels), a new purse, and some new workout clothes. Must have fit me better than my saggy baggy ones, because I had a comment from this sweet gal in the locker room about how great I looked. She's super nice, and I've talked to her a few different times since I've started going to the gym.

In other news, not too ecstatic about the coming of winter... It's getting colder, and the gray, rainy days get pretty long, even though they're short. I used to look forward to winter for a few reasons, but most of those were about eating... turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, apple cider. I guess leather boots don't really have anything to do with eating, thankfully.

However, I am looking forward to the "slow" season of photography... finally going to get caught up on all my album design! Plus, start preparing promo pieces and marketing efforts for next year, reviewing my workflow, and other little projects I've been saving on my master list.

Not a whole lot else going on, really... :)

------------------------

And a little note to self, just because I don't ever want to lose this recipe. These are delicious Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies:

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 5-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Weekend update.

With someone not as funny as Seth Myers. ;)

This was an interesting week.



Monday:
I had an amaaazing wedding consultation on Monday evening.
Also a spell of high blood pressure, from what I can tell. Seemed to be in a fog, hyper yet not motivated, heart seemed to pound funny, dry mouth. Didn't get sick, so I don't really know. I just felt funny throughout the day.

Tuesday:
Turbo started out the day looking like this:

Ended the day looking like this:

Poor thing needed two sweaters to keep warm!

Wednesday was uneventful. The hubby had come home Tuesday night a bit unexpectedly, so that was pretty much awesome. :)

Thursday I had a really awesome session with a darling two-year-old. She's soo sweet! Then it snowed. :) I took some pics. Hubby hit a school bus. These things happen.

Friday, Hubby took my car to work, as the one he took home the night before didn't start. Weird to be stranded at home, even though some days I never leave unless I have errands. Guess it's just nice to have the choice. :) Hubby mentioned it was nice that I have a job where I can stay home in inclement weather... also said he appreciated me being home when he arrives home from work. (Pause for the "awwwww") I agree, sweetheart! :D I love hearing those touching thoughts of his. :)

I also showed the duplex for the first time. Good thing I went over there early... as I found dirty underwear on the bathroom floor and he probably hadn't swept in a year!

Saturday. Hm. A bit random. Included a trip to M&MJ's, and then a night in snuggling on the couch.. waiting for the snowstorm!

Sunday (today). Everyone's meeting was canceled. So we trekked up to M&MJ's for meeting. :) It was a bit hairy on the local roads, but other than that we were fine. Spent the day with them, and came home to this:

Darling Hubby did some shoveling, snowblowing, and made it possible for me to get out in the morning.



One last thing. I thought this series of pictures was adorable!! Our dog is such a bully!

Baily, content, chewing on her bone.

Turbs, on the prowl.

AAAIIIEEEEeeee!

Her indignant look after she's been yelled at.

Have a great new week! :)

Uh, duh!

I lick my lips for the 5th time in a row.

Then I realize that I have chapstick at an arm's reach away.

And that the de-humidifier is still running.

Heh.

Spring.

60 degrees, sunny, and a slight breeze.

It has to be spring, right?

Wait, I have a blog?

Sorry folks.

This May has really kept me busy... I haven't even looked at blogs for a couple weeks... sorry to all of you who depend on me to keep up with your lives... ;)

Here's May: bullet style.

• I finished up my entrepreneurial class on the 10th. We had a mini "graduation" type ceremony. We have until July to turn in our finished business plans.. so of course, mine isn't done yet. I have all the preliminaries done to start working on my financial worksheets, however, that's just not happening yet.

•  The first week of May, Joel started working on our floor. And my really good friend, Cheree, came up from Missouri to experience the worst first week of May ever in Wisconsin history. Freezing cold, windy, rainy, and even snow.

• I started working with an entrepreneurial assistance small business. They've help me set up QuickBooks so far, will train me farther how to use it, work with my taxes, teach me how to pull reports and decipher what's on them, etc... Basically taking the entrepreneurial class a step farther and holding my hand a bit longer. ;) It's nice to feel like someone's on your side, though.

• I've been busy doing things like switching phones, attending sweet Neenah HS Orchestra concerts, taking Turbs to the vet... She has some sort of yeast in her ears, but if you ask me, the ear drops I'm giving her aren't helping, but are making her ears more itchy. She's also deadbeat... don't know if that's from the heat or what. She sleeps the entire day, and has no enthusiasm for anything.Acts like she's 8 years old instead of 8 months.

• We camped out at Don and Karen's making cookies for Iron Bridge with Sarah, Mariah, Monica & Sheldon, and Adam.

• We drove out to Iowa last weekend with Gma and Gpa K. for Blair's graduation. Lots of fun times, hot, muggy weather, and it was great to be with the family again!

• As you probably know, Joel's Grandpa Richard Baseman passed away yesterday: Tuesday the 25th. Another faithful life called home to rest. He was greatly loved by his children, grand-children, and great-grand-children, as well as many friends, neighbors, and others in the community.

• Wedding season begins for me this weekend, photography-wise! I'm so very sorry to miss Grandpa Baseman's funeral, but there's something to be said for sticking to a contract. One of my really good friends from high school is getting married back in Iowa this Friday evening, the 28th.

So that's about all for May that I can think of... it's been busy, and a little crazy without my kitchen! Finally got the stove back in Monday night, so it's been awesome to have that again. :)