it's the holiday season

Next week is Thanksgiving, and I begin to wonder at this point of the year, "Where did the year go?" It seems like time flies, and then "whoop-dee-doo, and dickory dock...it's the holiday season." I love this time of year, but it seems like time flies too quickly gearing up for it. And in a week and a half from now, it's time to get ready for Christmas!

I have known what I am buying Steven for Christmas for about two months already, and have I gone shopping? No. Color me crazy, but I like to go out shopping between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I still find everything I want to get people, and I know I'll have to deal with crowds/lines, so I don't mind the extra time it takes. I plan for it.

How do I plan? I scour the ads on Thanksgiving Day, already having brainstormed potential gift ideas for the people I'm shopping for. I have a list of names and gifts, and then I look for good deals or new ideas. I write down where to purchase said gift ideas next to the names. Then I take my list, break the list down by store with the specific items under each store. With this list, I plot out a path, and I only have to spend about 3 hours total shopping for Christmas. I buy everything I need to get for everyone on my list in one trip. I'm done shopping for Christmas before the tryptophan wears off from Thanksgiving. I usually have all the gifts before I put up the tree. It takes me longer to wrap the gifts than to buy them. Voila! No stress Christmas shopping.

Are you ready for the holidays?

for the love of exercise

Two posts in one day....what will my poor little blog do?!

About a year ago, Steven and I joined a gym with his parents. We started to go and work out on the elliptical machines (my fave) about 2-3 time a week. Then my first full time job started and I was trying to finish my master's degree. Needless to say, exercise became a low priority. After a few more months of inconsistent attendance, Steven and I decided to start going to classes. We read the descriptions and chose Body Attack. It's a 55 minute, high impact cardio workout. You seriously never stop moving, unless you are getting a drink. Despite running out of the class about 2/3 of the way through because I thought I was going to throw up, we kept going back. And I haven't run out of the classes since. In July, Steven's dad invited us to go to Body Combat, another 55 minute class, but this one is a mixed martial arts cardio workout. It was SO MUCH FUN! I even started going to this class at 5:15 am every Tuesday. You would laugh if you saw me in these classes because I yell and get excited and have a great time working out.

So here I am three months after I started going to 3-4 classes a week, and I have dropped 2 pant sizes. I feel great and I think I am starting to look great. I am seriously hooked on being fit. I want to teach Body Combat. So I am going to instructor training in January. Wish me luck!

a week in the life...

The past week since Halloween has seemed like basically a lifetime! Halloween night I worked a carnival booth at the local Trunk or Treat event (good times). Then came election day. I voted early so I didn't have to stand in line. We all know how the election turned out....now on to the next four years. Early release for schools on Wednesday, which meant a hello long afternoon. This was followed by the final night of lessons for the 8th grade girls bible study I lead, but we still have two more weeks of fun ahead of us before the small group semester ends. First night of Crown Bible Study came Thursday night with the "grown up" small group I attend (amazing study of biblical financial management). Yesterday was a really eventful day, too. Started off early with a trip to the gym (Body Attack is a great workout...I should really blog about my love of exercise....), then home for housecleaning. I was so proud of myself yesterday because I was thorough and got a lot accomplished. The home office is now clean! After a boat load of housework and many, many loads of laundry (seriously, how do 2 people create 7 loads of laundry in one week!), I got dressed to go to "work" at the Bids for Kids auction and dinner that benefits the organization I work for. It was a $300 a plate benefit dinner (black tie and everything) with a live and silent auction. The dinner, at last count, raised a heck of a lot of money. I don't even remember at this point. I got to talk to a friend from high school that I haven't seen in about...oh....6 years last night, too. I didn't get to talk for long, but it is always nice to reconnect with people from the past. Despite getting home after midnight last night, I got up to go to the gym again this morning. I was told after the class today that instructor training for my favorite class starts again in January. I am so going to do this! My gym obsession is seriously a post all unto itself.

All that to say, it feels like life FLEW this past week.