Category: moving forward

moving forward

Weekend wrap

Movin' it with Michelle

I had a great post written in my head, but my laptop won’t connect to the internet and my husband is too busy watching the game to help me. So here’s the short and sweet of the week/weekend.

My youngest tried out for the school play and got a part!!! She’s so excited. We celebrated with seafood at Pinchers since we get a military discount there!

My hubby also got a small promotion at work. He took a pay cut coming down here to Florida so he’s back to where he was in Chicago. Yay! So one last dinner out before we lock down on our budget. My dear friend Kandace helped us celebrate.

Today I ran my 9 mile long run. It started out quite humid but it was cloudy so that helped. My husband was constantly running in front of me and I couldn’t keep up and was getting frustrated so I sent him off to finish on his own at around half way point. I continued to struggle but I at least could settle down and just run my own pace. The sun came out at around mile 7 and I officially boarded the struggle bus. I finished 9 miles at an 11:40 pace and can honestly say that I didn’t have a single “easy” mile.

Since it’s Super bowl Sunday we got a bunch of quick and yummy snacks. Onion dip, spinach dip, meats, cheeses and shrimp with cocktail sauce.

I created a yummy taco dip as well. Brown a lb of hamburger meat, add garlic and low sodium taco seasoning. Add one large jar of Queso cheese and 2 chopped green onions. Yum!!

How was your weekend? Are you watching the Super bowl? What’s your favorite game day food?

Cheers!

Michelle

moving forward

New Month! Welcoming February

Movin' it with Michelle

My year hasn’t started out the greatest. I’ll be honest. Between the bronchitis, work, and lack of running due to said bronchitis I am just plain tired.

When I get tired and/or stressed, I sleep walk. Yup…I’ve been known to wake up in random places of the house and just this past week I woke up twice at 5 am on the couch with no recollection of how I got there. Really?!? Yup…

I blame the lack of running to be honest. While I’ve managed a few runs despite being sick for so long, the whopping 20 miles I logged in for January just don’t cut it. My knee really hasn’t been happy so I’ve been walking vs. running (which I don’t log as miles) so I am praying my half marathon goes ok on the 24th.

I also have been too tired to write the last few days, so wanted to start February out with a short one at least. SO here’s to February, a new month and new opportunities!!!

tired

So today I am thankful for one major thing…IT IS FRIDAY AND I CAN SLEEP IN TOMORROW!!!

What are you thankful for? Have you ever been known to sleepwalk? What is your go-to stress reliever?

Cheers,

Michelle

half marathon training, Keto adventures, moving forward, running, Thankful

Half marathon training, week 9 long run

Movin' it with Michelle

Despite not sleeping well last night, I knew I needed to get my long run done for the 9th week of training as I didn’t get it done over the weekend due to being stuck inside on a very rainy Sunday.

Once I got home from work I immediately changed clothes and headed out for my neighborhood loop/running trails. My plan called for a 10k race pace but I had planned to go a little farther to make up the 3 weeks of training I missed due to bronchitis. (That nasty cough is still lingering but getting a little better every day). The first mile felt surprisingly well, and I couldn’t believe I actually had a 10 mm in the mix, as well as I kept under an 11 mm pace for the entire 6.5 miles. Over all I was thrilled with this run.

Not to shabby for this rusty runner

Splits! Check out that 10 mm!

My cheerleader!

Today’s thankful 5:

  1. Easy commutes. Today’s commute both to and from work were surprisingly quick with no traffic, accidents, or crazy people that haven’t had enough coffee yet.
  2. Smooth days at work. Today was one of the first “good” work days I’ve had this year, and man did I need it.
  3. Left overs. I baked a big batch of chicken thighs yesterday, so all I had to do for dinner was heat them up along with a bag of steamed cauliflower rice.
  4. My daughter being so excited about trying out for her school’s play. We reciting her audition lines about two dozen times tonight, and I pray she gets the part.
  5. Good runs. Man did I ever need tonight’s run. My right knee has always been my bad knee, ever since I popped it back in high school track. And it sure hasn’t been happy with me this month. I just ordered some new knee braces off Amazon.
This brace got me through 3 full marathons! Got two, one for each knee!

How is your commute to work? What’s your favorite thing to have for leftovers? Get any mileage in today?

Cheers!

Michelle

moving forward, Thankful

Saturday unexpected fun and Thankful #9

Movin' it with Michelle

We had no plans this weekend which is sometimes fun. I have been battling bronchitis and now allergies for nearly a month and rest was something I welcomed. I woke up this morning with a cold pill hangover but was told my daughter had made plans to go to the mall with her friend. My husband told me they weren’t leaving for an hour so I quickly made some tea, showered and got ready. I wasn’t going to miss out on some fun. We picked up her friend, and headed to the mall. Once the kids went on their way, we grabbed some lunch and did a little shopping. What a fun day! We also had plans for my friend Kandice that I was stationed with back in Texas to come over for dinner, so we stopped by the store on the way home for some last minute dinner items.

Today I am thankful for:

  1. The fact my daughter is finally making friends here. Middle school age is hard.
  2. Last minute date lunches with my hubby. We don’t get much time just for us, so today was nice.
  3. 65% sales at Dillards. I got two super cute Free People dresses for 65% off. Winning.
  4. Dinner with friends. For the first time since we’ve moved here, we had a friend over for dinner. Steaks, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, bacon wrapped  asparagus and my cauliflower mash were a big hit.
  5. Positive outlooks. While this year may have started out rough, I am hopeful for better days.

Do you make time for date time for your significant other? What’s your favorite dish to cook for others? Are you an “on sale” shopper?

Cheers!

moving forward, Thankful, Thursday

Is it Friday yet…and TF#7

Movin' it with Michelle

 

Anyone else feel like 2019 has been off to a rough start? Between 3 weeks of Bronchitis, getting slammed with a 500/month house payment increase  this year as a result of a mistake in our escrow last year (WTH?), and the never ending debt we have incurred due to moving to Florida (we didn’t get any relocation assistance and moving across country is crazy expensive), and ongoing vet bills for my Sammy (he had two bouts of cancer last year and I just found a couple possible more bumps), we just can’t seem to catch a break. I had hoped at my age I’d finally start to feel “comfortable” but nope…ah such is life. It’ll happen eventually, right?

1.24.19meme

Which is a perfect Segway in to my thankful post…because I do always TRY to look on the bright side. So here goes…

  1. Bacon Cheeseburgers. Yup, this girl that eats healthy 90% of the time has a secret weakness for bacon cheeseburgers. It is my favorite comfort food paired with crispy French fries and after the week I’ve been having, I treated myself to this amazing indulgence today at lunch and had no regrets. Ok, I regretted it a little after I started to fall in to a carb coma an hour after eating it, but hey…it was worth it.
  2. Hot showers/running water. After a long day at work I love to take a hot shower and destress. Sometimes I cry, sometimes I sing, and sometimes I just shut my mind off.
  3. Rest days. My legs aren’t quite as sore today, but that good ole right knee that gives me constant issues still isn’t happy with me.
  4. Friends that check on you when you are quiet. These friends are the best, because they can hear you even when you aren’t talking. They just know.
  5. Rain. We had quite the storm roll in at around 3 am this morning and while I am not thankful for the early morning wake up call, our grass looks greener already.

How has your year started out? What is your greatest weakness in regards to food? Thanks for all of your likes, comments and shares. I love this amazing community!

Cheers,

Michelle

moving forward, Thankful

Thankful #5

Movin' it with Michelle

Today was a pretty hectic day, so this post will be short and sweet.

Today I am thankful for:

  1. The ugliness in my life, for it helps me appreciate the beauty.
  2. Two years ago today my husband returned on U.S. soil after being deployed to Iraq for a year. So I am so thankful he came home safely, again.
  3. Quick dinners for busy nights. I made a large batch of meatballs on Sunday so I didn’t have to cook today! Winning!
  4. My dog. Even after the hardest day at work, he’s there at the door to greet me and he makes all the “yuck” go away.
  5. 70 degree evenings. I’ve my slider opened and am listening to the sand cranes wiz by while they sing their evening songs.
img_5958
My Sammy, begging for food more times than not, LOL

 

What are you thankful for today? Do you have pets? How is the weather where you are at?

Cheers,

Michelle

half marathon training, moving forward, Thankful

Week 8 long run/Thankful #4

Movin' it with Michelle

I have been down for the count for exactly 3 weeks. My last long run was Christmas where I was able to run 5 miles fairly easily as I’ve been running 3-4 miles for quite some time. I’ve only walked/ran a couple of times since then, so decided I either 1. get off my butt and run (even if that meant some walking due to coughing still), or 2. ditch the notion of running the Gasparilla half marathon on February 24th in St. Petersburg FL. My hubby is also running this race, but is three weeks ahead of me in training and I know he didn’t want to slow down to run my slower pace so I sent him off for his long run so I could run solo.

The temps were in the perfect low 60’s and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. There were however, left over winds from the crazy storms we got last night which took my breath away several times. I ran the first loop (3.2 miles) slowly but I felt quite strong. I started to feel a little light headed, so I ran past my house to fuel and take a potty break. I had a HUMA chia gel which are my go-to for long run fueling, some water, and I headed back out. I did ok until I hit mile 5 and this was my “wall” to today’s long run. I slowed to a pace of 11:54 and mile 6 was an 11:53. Thankfully I caught a second wind and my last mile was 11:14 with an average pace of 11:18. I am learning that it’s not always about pace, and that I need to celebrate the distance.

 

Today I am thankful for:

  1. Long runs=therapy sessions. I am thankful for the hour and twenty minutes I had to myself to think, process issues and just enjoy the sunshine.
  2. The ability to run as I get older. My knees have 30+ years of running in their  history and I often struggle with a short run. Thankfully supplements, creams, and knee braces are my saving grace.
  3. Sleeping in. I know, I used this one yesterday but having the extra day to the weekend did wonders for my sleep deprivation.
  4. Sunshine and perfect running weather.
  5. Perspective. I used to always worry about running faster and running farther. Now I simply try my hardest and enjoy every mile.

Did you work today? What’s your favorite way to release stress? Are you training for any races right now?

Cheers,

Michelle

 

moving forward, Thankful

Thankful #2

Movin' it with Michelle

Today was a beautiful day. While not quite “beach” weather for this now transplanted Floridian, the sun was out and the ocean was calling me. We decided to celebrate my 46th birthday today since in fell on a work day last Thursday. Lunch in Tarpon Spring FL, followed by walking around a craft fair and spending an hour on the beach listening to the waves crash completed our afternoon. We finished the day with dinner, at a place called Rooster and the Till in Seminole Hghts FL, which I’ll talk about in a separate post.

Today I am thankful for:

  1. Living within driving distance of the beach. It truly heals what ails me.
  2. Simple things like craft fairs and small towns.
  3. My dog. I swear he loves me more than anyone else on this planet.
  4. My family. We had such a fun day just bumming around, and I wish my oldest could’ve shared it with us.
  5. Sunshine. While it does rain here a lot during the summer months, more days than not the sun is available to soak in the rays and erase any stress even if only temporarly.

What are you thankful for? What’s your favorite place to eat out at?

 

Sunset Beach, Tarpon Springs FL

Cheers,

Michelle

moving forward, Thankful

Thankful #1

Movin' it with Michelle

My friend Maria over @RunningFlaps is posting daily 5 things she is thankful for. While I will be realistic that I won’t post every day, I am going to make a concerted effort to post daily. This will one, help me in my goal of writing more and two, help me appreciate my daily life. Here goes…

  1. I am thankful for my family. They spoiled me with cards and flowers for my birthday yesterday and we have a fun filled weekend planned to celebrate my 46 years on this planet.
  2. I am thankful for my job. While I don’t love it, it helps provide for my family.
  3. I am thankful for living in Florida. Tomorrow I will get my first taste of Vitamin “Sea” in almost 6 months and I really need it.
  4. I am thankful that my almost 3 week cold is finally starting to go away. While I still have my cough, its loosened and lessened and I will celebrate small victories.
  5. I am thankful for the hundreds of Facebook messages, texts, phone calls and messages wishing me a happy birthday yesterday.

What are you thankful for today?

 

Cheers,

Michelle

moving forward

Faith

Movin' it with Michelle

Today was a rough day. Heck, this year has been rough from day one. Between getting bronchitis for New Years, and the relentless work stress I’ve endured over the last year and a half, lets just say STICK A FORK IN ME.

I don’t usually talk about work on here. It’s bit me in the butt before, so I usually keep my work whoas to myself. No, whoas isn’t a word. But a couple of months ago I stood in the middle of my lab and prayed. I am a firm believer in faith, and while I don’t go to a physical church, I pray, and I pray a lot. I asked God for help…was this really it for me in my almost 30 year career? He answered that call literally 15 minutes later with a call from a recruiter about an amazing opportunity. Resume updated, reference list updated, and several phone interviews later and I felt like I was well on my way.

The holidays set things back quite a bit but I remained positive. There HAD to be something better out there for me. Today I had a rough day at work, but since my cough was getting better I headed out for a walk/run. My daughter joined me for the second half of my walk, and shortly after she joined me, I got the text. I wasn’t chosen to move to the next round. My heart dropped.

 

I asked God why on earth he’d tease me with such an opportunity knowing how much I’ve struggled in my current position? Why give me that sort of hope. Why?

I don’t have answers for these questions. I only have to keep the faith that there IS something better out there for me.

 

How do you deal with difficult situations? Have you ever suffered from disappointment like this?

Cheers,

Michelle