balls to the walls weekend.

jenn was in town this past weekend and it was amazeballs!

we started the day at schaffer farms with a 6 mile trail run. scrap run from me and replace it with walk. holy cow. i dont know what happened but i was totally defeated. the run kicked my ass. i am still sore all over and definitely using my rest day! the trail itself was beautiful. we started off running through the woods, then ran along a stream, then ran through a corn field. it was so surreal. it was like running in 3 different worlds!

after our run, chipotle was our sweet reward. we quickly ate our food and got ready for shear madness @ the kennedy center. laugh out loud hilarious. its a must see in the DC area. the kennedy center was beautiful. ulimately classy and amazing views of downtown and VA. i definitely want to try their rooftop restaurant/bar for another event.

our seats were awesome!

after the show, we headed into chinatown for a quick bite to eat (in the car and thats why we're friends) we headed over to the DAR to see Chelsea Handler. ohmygoodness. so funny. i loved all 3 of her books and she is just as funny in person as her books. heather mcdonald was her opening act and i think she was equally as funny as chelsea. it was a really great show and my first time at the DAR. it was really nice inside and pretty cozy.

it was great having jenn back in MD. it just reminded me of all our crazy times we had post college! cant wait for our next reunion!

running outside

i ran outside for the first time in a really really long time (2 years?) on sunday morning. the sun was shining and i was pumping myself for that morning's run. i was really nervous at first. i was so scared to run outside for fear of injuring myself before the race. but i had to do it, i had to experience how different it was to run outside. and now, im addicted.

i mapped out my run beforehand and had a goal of 4miles. i stretched a bit longer and warmed up till i felt comfortable. and then i ran, and ran, and ran. once i got back home, i was in shock. i couldnt believe it. did i really just run 4miles? not sure of myself, i re-mapped my run, and yep, it was 4 miles. this was a big deal to me because just two months ago, i barely could run a mile.

i was on such a high. i ran without my ipod because i wanted to focus on my surroundings. you know, in case someone tried to kidnap me and what not. and i thought it would be difficult to run without music, how would i pass the time? but i found it easier. being outside was motivation for me. passing all the trees and not running in place (via treadmill) was what i needed to further enjoy running.

i havent been able to run outside again due to the rainy weather we get in the afternoons. today i am hopeful. i want to run and breathe in the fresh air. please rain, dont fall till this evening so i can run outside.

today is exactly one month till the half. i got my email this morning with my number and bib color. i got chills when i read it. its almost here, this is what ive been training for. i used to stress myself out nightly about this (will i be able to do this, am i training right for it, will i complete it) but today and moving forward, i feel confident. this will be conquered.

addicted to..

lucky magazine's deal of the day!

it updates at 11AM monday thru friday. amazing 24-hr deals.

i bought this tunic a few days ago when it was half off and i would've bought these rayban wayfarer's if i didnt already have a pair.

its fun, addicting, and thrilling to see what deal they will post next!

i want to shop so badly. i had a taste last week and its enough to send me over the edge.

i was doing so well but spring is here and i cant help but think of all the fun, floral printed dresses, bright colors, sandals, wedges, open-toe flats. ahhhh..

and as much as i dont want to shop, i keep getting coupons in the mail. i mean, thats a sign in its own. im so tempted to go to the mall on my lunch break today.

on a side note, i really want a denim jacket. are those still in? or am i channeling my high school years?

i fell off...

sunday would be my two month mark of the great american apparel diet. but today, i was defeated.

last week, i was paying off my credit cards, high on the feeling of lowering my debt, until i found myself in nordstrom. my ultimate weakness. i didn't look at the clothes, no matter how many little sale signs caught my eye. but i wanted to take a look at the shoes. the GAAD allows you to buy footwear. sure enough, i bought footwear.

my first big footwear splurge was earlier this month. i was getting terrible pain in my arches when i was running, and my brother-in-law had told me about this running store that measures your foot and recommends shoes to support your feet. i bought these. they're awesome. they have definitely improved my running.

so back to nordstrom. they were having a sale, which is so rare. they actually had the racks out. i told myself i was only going to browse not buy. but then i found myself grabbing three pairs of shoes and thrusting them at the saleswoman asking for the matching pairs.

out of the three, i swooned for these:

one problem. they were half a size too small and the last pair. she told me they could stretch them for me. and i was sold.

yesterday, i was picking up my booties, and i did a quick walk around the racks. i swear, they had put out more shoes because i spotted these:

in the right size and perfect color. i bought them. 

today is when i couldnt resist clothes shopping. it had to be the warm, sunny weather, the last few days till spring that were calling my name. i found Spool No. 72 last fall. i love looking at their clothes and rings but have resisted buying clothes online. that is until today. on their facebook fan page, they were offering a 24-hour 50% off deal on this Dakota Tunic. i was driving home from work, sitting in traffic, browsing through facebook when i saw their post. i rushed home, signed on the computer and bought it. it felt so good. 

im hoping these past few purchases will have been my fix. and i can move on strong, and fighting the urge to shop!

running.

im in my 4th week of training for the half and its going smoothly. yesterday i ran 3 mi. yesterday's task was a walk/run of 3mi and at a little over 2 mi, i stopped running for a lap and continued on. it feels so powerful to run. its just me and my thoughts of not giving up. im doing this half for me. well, a little danity kane and day 26 are blaring in the background of my thoughts.

ive been having the hardest time trying to come up with a playlist for my runs. i have to run to fast paced songs because whenever the music starts to slow down, it makes me want to slow down. ive just updated my itunes to have the genius playlist created. and i love it. but sadly, i only have a handful of upbeat, makes me want to pound the treadmill, type songs. and theres only so much beyonce, black eyed peas and mtv making the bands type music i can take.

since my runs are getting longer, i need more music. im going to try and devote an afternoon to dL and creating running playlists. ideally, i want to create at least 3 playlists of 25-50 songs. so that way, i dont get bored and i can mix it up.

music suggestions wanted!

swinga.

on a daily basis, mary and i are each other's saving graces for the 9-5 m-f work day. today, on our daily gchat sesh, this made me realize why we're such good friends.

me: crap, i just ordered my boss' personalized note cards
and i had them shipped to his house instead of work
mary: lol why
me: and im afraid to tell him
mary: hahahaha
me: bc i google searched his address
mary: why not to work?
hahaha
me: bc he gave me his personal credit card and the billing address at work wasn't working
so i figured it was his home address
mary: hahahah
me: hahaha
ok, i just told him
mary: and??
me: he was like you have my home address?
and i was like yah, you gave it to me before, but let me just confirm
hahahha
mary: hahahah

never a dull moment. never any judging on my crazy, stalkeresque ways.

30 minute time limit.

i was at the gym last night and i was trying to get in my 3.5 miles. i got there a little after 5 and was full on running mode and i had beeen running for 36 minutes and this annoying woman taps my screen and says "there is a 30 minute time limit. when are you getting off?"

here i am, drenched in sweat, ipod is on full blast and she's tapping my screen. i look at her and i say i need to get to 3 miles. and she keeps saying "your time is up." i continue to run as i feel her glaring at me and her friend just got on the treadmill next to me and now they are both glaring watching my screen. i continue running. i dont care. i pay just as much as you do to go to the gym and its not my fault that you're here during rush hour time and couldnt get a machine. and out of the other 20 something treadmills we have, i know im not the only one to exceed my 30 minute time limit.

this just made me so annoyed. wait your turn, and i know there is a 30 minute time limit, but everyone goes over the 30 minute time limit. dont wait right next to my treadmill and glare at me and talk to your friend about me in spanish. im going to do as the other treadmill-ers do and put a towel or a magazine over my time so they can't stalk to see how much time ive been on.

im finally on my way...

to becoming debt free! i still have a long and treacherous road ahead of me, but as of today, 2 out of my 4 credit cards have been paid off. holler!!

im a little over a month of my great american apparel diet and a little over 3 weeks of limiting myself to eating out to once a week. i can honestly say, h u g e difference. i have been able to use all the extra money to pay down my credit cards, ive been eating better, im recyling my clothes, and the outcome is amazing. in the words of giuliana rancic "amazeballs!"

new blog!!

My friend Mary and I have created a new blog: 700 Miles of Recipes. We have created this blog because on a daily basis, we find ourselves talking about food, emailing recipes, and more importantly, what's for lunch today?

So please visit and follow our new blog!

desktop backgrounds

i like to change mine monthly. it provides me with an instant memory of where i was and what i was feeling when the photo was taken. i especially love changing my desktop background at work. currently, its a photo i took during our santorini island tour, right after eating the most delicious chicken gyro, stuffed with fries, and washing it down with fanta. trust me when i say, european fanta is way better than american fanta.