Triathlon 2012

So the big day arrived to compete in the Triathlon! I was excited and nervous! I had butterflies in my stomach and just wanted it to be over!

 

Bright and early checking in @ registration!

 

My friends...including fellow blogger, Andrea 

(stole your photo Andrea...in the one I had you eyes were closed)

 

The event was kind of a blur and went by really fast (except when I was on the bike...that seemed to take FOREVER).

 

Right before the swim...with all of our sexiness :)

 

The swim went good! I got tired in my first 2 laps but kept telling myself to not get into 'race' mode (even though I am doing a race) and just pretend I am still training.

 

Getting ready to head out on the bike! So cold...but I brought extra clothes to keep me warm :)

 

Bike was brutal...so put it nicely :) It was very hilly and seemed like it was never going to end! I was so excited to get back after the bike and head out on the run!

 

Battling through...

 

Finishing strong...and feeling so relieved!

 

 I felt great afterwards! I felt accomplished...but I was hoping my time would have been a little better!

 

Swim: 7:59

Bike: 1:08:44

Run: 27:58

 

My swim was GREAT...I couldn't believe I swam that fast! My bike was OK...I could have done better but my body just wouldn't let me! My bike time was better than any of my training times...so I felt good about that! My run...well it's good for having done those other 2 things right before, but of course I would have loved it to be lower!

 

All in all...I feel accomplished and am glad I crossed the finish line! I would LOVE to do it again next year and better my time!

 

My mama and I...love that she cheered me on :)

 

The coordinator, my husband...my number one cheerleader!!!

 

 Anybody else want to do it next year with me?!?! I told the coordinator that the bike route shouldn't have so many hills (if any at all)...he says he will see what he can do ;)

 



I may have more pictures after the 'official' pictures are released!

Friday's Letter

Dear weather,

Please please please be beautiful on Sunday around 8 am. I will be participating in a triathlon and would love it if it wasn't cold!

 

Dear Mom,

I am so excited for you to come visit this weekend. I much needed shopping trip is needed and I am excited for you to cheer me on! You are the best!

 

 

Dear fellow MN bloggers,

I loved seeing you guys again (and meeting some of you for the first time)! I am really excited for the next get together! I can always count on a good time!

 

Dear Dmitry from Project Runway,

You crack me up! You seriously just talk and I laugh because everything that comes out of your mouth is hilarious to me!

 

Source

 

Dear remodel projects,

Please stop consuming my life! I feel like it's all I think about and is all I am doing these days. I love how you are turning out...but I just wish you could do yourself and I can just enjoy the 'after'! Let me now if this can be arranged!

 

Linking up with Ashley from Adventures of Newlyweds...you should to!

 

Painting + wine + MN Bloggers = great times

Another MN Blogger HH..get together...meet up, whatever you want to call it happened this week!

 

This time we met up at The Paint Pub in Maple Grove. I love how this place works. You go to the place, get paint brushes, get a blank canvas, get your drink and paint away. Well...they do have an instructor that gives you a step by step guide on how to paint that painting that was chosen.

 



 

Unlike last time...I was not nervous this time. I had met most of the fellow bloggers and was very excited to see them again!

 

These girls are great...I am so happy to have met them all and can't wait to see them all again!

 

Our instructor...who put up with our chit chat, excessive picture taking and non painting skills!

 

Fellow bloggers Andrea & Jess

 

Everyone is hard @ work...oh and we had to for sure leave our mark!

 

Here is my masterpiece! Tate actually says its 'hang in my office worthy'! haha...I don't think I did a GREAT job...but I think it's ok! Hope everyone @ work and my client thinks it's 'hang in my office worthy' also...:)

 

We were all worried about this...and all of our paintings turned our great!

 

I look forward to the next get together!!!

 

If you are a fellow MN blogger and want to join in on the fun...CLICK HERE!

 

SCSU football weekend

This past weekend Tate and I went back to the 'college' days'! We were very excited to go back to St. Cloud to see friends, attend a football game and make great memories!

We started out the day grilling food and visiting friends!

Boys throwing the football & our best attempt @ an all girl photo

After eating...we headed over to the stadium to watch the game!

It was so fun being back. We have so many great memories there. I miss seeing Tate out their playing!

It was fun seeing Weston love everything...and Alyse enjoy her first football game (well kind of...she did cry everytime we cheered really loud)!

Even though St. Cloud lost...they played really good and it was fun to watch!

After the game, we decided to paint the town red! Our friends had gotten a babysitter for the kids so we were super excited for them to join us!

Our favorite bar is the 'red room' inside the Red Carpet. They play 80's music and we love it! Boys were dancing up a storm!

Kelly took her heels off & I still had mine on...she's only 5' which makes me look like giant!

We stayed out until bar close which is something I haven't done in a LONG time! It then took FOREVER to get a cab...very annoying! I indulged in some ice cream when we got back to our friends place and then hit the hay because I was so excited for the next morning :)

That next morning, I was excited to meet the newest addition to the world...Quintin!

Our friends had given birth on Friday, September 14th and I was so happy that we happened to be up there during that time so we could meet him!

The happy new parents!

We had a really fun weekend! It's always a good time going back to St. Cloud! We look forward to the next time we visit!

Friday Letters


Dear Weekend,

So happy you are here. I am BEYOND excited to head up to the ol' college (St Cloud State) stomping grounds tomorrow to watch some football and hang with great friends!!

Dear Husband,

Thank you for being the fabulous person you are! You are such a hard worker and I thank God everyday that I was chosen to be your wife! We have such a great life ahead that I am so excited to experience with you. Thank you for being you!! Your the BEST!

Dear anybody in Hugo, MN today,
I will be there this afternoon shooting a gun @ some clay disc things...I would leave town if I was you. I have NEVER shot a gun in my life but everyone suggested I shoot today! I will be there for an annual fundraiser for a local club (more on that in a different post)...so it's for a good cause. I am so ready to just embarrass myself with doing this!

Dear Blog friends,
So excited to see you all again (and meet more bloggers) on Tuesday! I am looking forward to it and hope it's a good turn out! If you haven't yet...head over to the MN Blog and check it out and register to attend...I promise you will have fun :)

Dear Kelly,
Thank you for my SUPER CUTE shirt! I can't wait to wear it this weekend!!! You are very talented and inspire me! I now want to buy a sewing machine so I can start making myself some stuff :)

Have a happy weekend everyone!!!!

My celebrity dinner

A fellow MN blogger, Michelle, had posted about which celebrities would be invited to her dinner and when I read it...I knew I wanted to do a post about who would be invited to mine!

 

So let's get right into it...

 

Ellen

There is not a single thing that I don't love about Ellen! She is funny, beautiful and kind! She is a positive person and makes me laugh every day! It is a HUGE dream of mine to attend a taping of her show [if anyone has the secret of how to get picked for tickets...let me know]. Yesterday was the premiere of her 10th season and I am hoping she is going for 10 more!!!

 

Ross Mathews

OMG...can you imagine having Ross at your celebrity dinner!!?!? I would LOVE it! I've been a fan of Ross since he was an intern on Jay Leno's show. He frickin' cracks me up! He has a fabulous personality and is energy is very contagious!!!

*PS...just saw on Twitter this morning that he will be in MN for the next few days...NEED TO MEET HIM!!!!*

 

[sorry for the crappy YouTube video]

This is the first time I was introduced to Ross on TV! I was laughing the whole time and am so glad he is still on TV doing many things!

 

Jared Allen

Well I would love to have the whole team but that would just be a bit much...so I pick one and there is no doubt it would be Jared Allen! The humor @ my dinner with him, Ross & Ellen! Seriously...I would probably be pissing my pants constantly from laughing so hard! I could talk football with him and maybe he would even let me give him a haircut...just for the heck of it  [not because I do hair or know how] :)

 

Bill and Giuliana Rancic [& little Edward Duke]

This would be my 'couple' that I would invite! Love watching their show! I think they are so cute and they make me laugh too [can you tell I like to laugh?!?]. I would also invite their new son they just had! We could talk marriage, shopping, celebrities...you know, important stuff :)

 

I know after I post this that I will think of more people that I would love to invite...but these are the first ones that came to mind when I read Michelle's post. I think my dinner would be AWESOME! Now how do I actually make this happen?!?!

 

 

1/2 relaxation 1/2 productive

This weekend was supposed to be the weekend that my good friend Katie got married and I was to stand by her side while she said her vows...but God had a different plan!

 

Katie called me on my birthday back in June to wish me a Happy Birthday. I asked how wedding planning was going and she informed me that it has been put on hold. I instantly knew it was because she was pregnant. You see...Katie has been in love with kids since I have known her...this didn't surprise me one bit and I was so excited for them! They decided to move the wedding to June 2013.

Since this was supposed to be their wedding weekend, Katie & Mike decided to invite the wedding party up to her cabin for a nice relaxing weekend!

Katie's parents cabin is located in Webster, WI.

 

Katie's nephew, Keegan...Chris (my bestie's husband) and Tate

 

Best part was getting to hang out with these 2 girls...love them to pieces!!!

 

Keegan learning a thing or 2 from Grandpa...Auntie KT and Keegan enjoying lunch

Keegan and Tate looking for shapes in the clouds...Amanda and Chris relaxing

 

Woodpecker decided to join in on our fun

 

Bags was played...intense game of Sequence which the girls WON :)

Tate & Keegan doing some more bonding (he's going to be an AWESOME dad someday...more bags

 

Beautiful sunset was enjoyed

 

Loved every second of spending time with friends and relaxing! It was for sure needed!

 

We got back at on Sunday morning and I spend the day cheering on the VIKES and finishing up the vanity in the upstairs bathroom. Both bathrooms are so close to being finished...I look forward to crossing that off my list and start the kitchen (who am I kidding...I have already 'kind of' started the kitchen)! Too excited to wait...

 

I hope you all had a great weekend as well!

Would you like a counter with your vanity?

Counters are being installed TODAY!!!

 

Tate and I have been living bathroom sink and counter less since Monday! It's very annoying and makes me appreciate even more the convenience of bathroom sinks and counters to get ready and wash your hands and do everything else one does in a bathroom! Our kitchen sink has been getting lots of love though :)

 

Bathroom #1 is getting 'fiesta' granite with white drop down sinks!

 

Source

If I make it any bigger...it's all blurry!

 

Bathroom #2 is getting 'coffee brown' granite with a bisque drop down sink

 

Source

 

Beyond EXCITED to showcase the finished product to you all!!!!