Bachelorette #1 weekend

Yesterday was my friend Ashleigh's bachelorette party!!  I say bachelorette number one because my best friend Lauren's is next month! (well in May actually).  Ashleigh's fiance, Colin, is in the Navy and is stationed down in Charleston.  They are tying the knot next Friday, April 6, but not throwing the big 'shindig' until later on.  But anyways, yesterday was the last 'fling before the ring' as Lauren put it :)  We had a great girls night that started at our town's local 'hang out' spot, El Cerro.  If you're from Havelock, you know this is THE place to get the best Margaritas.  They are sooo delicious!!!  We then made our way down to Cabana Club in Morehead.  There were not many people there, but we definitely made the most of it.  A few gals rode the mechanical bull, we drank, and danced the night away. 

I have to say, it is pretty darn entertaining just watching other people though.  I mean the things they were doing in public were just........well, gross.  I'll leave it at that :)

Those are just a few pics from the evening.  After looking at those and feeling the way I did last night, I've REALLY realized how much I need to start doing more cardio and dieting.  I am not happy AT ALL with the way I look.  Ya know, I try to come off all confident and poised, but the truth is, I'm so self-conscious that it consumes my thoughts.  I mean, I may not be the biggest girl out there, but I have high expectations for myself and I know what I can achieve and do with my body.  I just need to do it.  SO today I went to the gym and worked my back and did some HIIT on the elliptical.  Tomorrow is going to be leg day and some straight cardio.  I have also been riding my bike everyday I'm in Greenville and that is a great workout (if you make it one).  I will say though, my knees have been absolutely killing me.  I still have no idea what is wrong with them, but they are in so much pain sometimes.

Tomorrow I am baking lots of cupcakes for everybody I work with.  I'm super excited about it!  I love baking!! I hardly eat what I bake, which is perfect for me.  I just love the process and enjoy giving the goodies to other people.  I went to the commissary today to get some of the items and when I got home I wanted to start then and there!  BUT I will wait until tomorrow so that they are as fresh as possible for Monday :)  I will be sure to take pics of the deliciousness that comes out of my kitchen!

Here's some motivation for myself and hopefully for yall!!  It's not perfect, but it's better than where I'm at now!

 

Be blessed yall!

Food Prep Sunday

Hey y'all!!

Not that anyone is reading thissss, but anyways.... =)

Yesterday Lauren and I went to Raleigh to go shopping!!  We went to Crabtree (of course), but on the way I got a speeding ticket!  It was an honest mistake though!  The speed limit changes from 70 to 55 and I just hadn't noticed the change.  Lauren and I were just talking and I said "I think the speed limit changes around here". I slow down and then look in my rear view mirror.  I see a silver Charger and I'm like crap!!!  He turned on his lights and I immediately pulled over.  The State Trooper didn't even give me a chance to speak!  He just wrote up the ticket.

Last night I went with Lauren and some friends to the bowling alley on base.  We mostly drank :P  it was a good time though :)  I've also been working on a lot of schoolwork-quizzes, case studies, homework, etc... May 1 is my last exam for the semester!  Of course then later that month I will be starting summer classes...never ends!

Ok so today, I prepared for my entire week!

Here's a quick list of what I made-
Grilled porkchops with a light, low-sodium seasoning with a bit of chili powder for a kick.
Steamed broccoli
Steamed red bell peppers
Roasted sweet potatoes
Brown rice
Baked asparagus
Lean turkey burgers

Mmmm =) I have them all set to go in the fridge!  Makes eating healthy so much easier when it's ready to grab!!

OK pretty short post but I've got to go to bed!

Be blessed y'all!

Spring is here!!

I know, I'm a day late stating this, but Spring is finally here!  I mean not that we've had much of a winter, but now it's official!! I love the springtime.  Warm weather, flowers blooming, more motivation to get in the gym!  Okay I have consistently been going to the gym, but I need to do more cardio!  I've gained weight like crazy.  It freaking sucks!  But, this morning, I went on another bike ride and plan to do it tomorrow morning as well...nice and early before the roads get too busy. 

So last week, I went to the website Soldiers' Angels (also listed at the top left of the page) and I 'adopted' a soldier.  He is in the Army and is in Afghanistan right now.  I am going to write a letter a week and send a care package once a month.  I've been meaning to do something for the troops and have been putting it off.  This adds a lot more responsibility to my plate though!  It's going to be hard to follow through with this while I finish this semester of school, but I am going to do my very best to let this fella know we are thinking about him and praying for his safe return.  If you can, take a second to browse the website to see if there is something small you can..or BIG!

This past weekend, Asheley and I went on a trip to Myrtle Beach for her birthday!  It was a reallyy good time!!  The weather was beautiful.  We did a lot of shopping, but didn't find a whole lot :(  I was so disappointed! But we did go out on St. Patrick's Day and met up with a few friends of ours.  Overall, it was just a good weekend :)

 

We didn't really take that many pics :( hehe ...So something that's become pretty popular over the past few weeks is the game DrawSomething.  You can get it on most Smartphones I believe.  It's really similar to Pictionary...you draw something and the other person has to guess what it is!  It is hilarious sometimes... Here is what a buddy of mine sent me yesterday :)

 

Alright folks, I hope you go out and enjoy this amazing spring weather!! I would, but I have a test tomorrow :(  Have a blessed day!!!

 

"If you are going through hell, keep going."

What a great quote from Mister Winston Churchill!  I may not be going through hell (it's not that bad!), but I am super stressed out.  Grad school is consuming most of my time and my mind.  It's hard to think about anything else.  I have several assignments due, quizzes, tests, and case studies.  I just can't wait for it to be over!!  I'm ready to start my career and make some real money.

Aside from school, things have been okay...of course there isn't much going on other than school.  The weather has been absolutely gorgeous!  I hadn't got to enjoy it yet this year, but yesterday, I finally took that new bike out that I had told y'all about!  One of my classmates took my brother and I on a bike ride around Greenville.  We went about 14 miles or so.  It was so awesome...first off, I hadn't ridden a bike in what seems like forever!  But it's one of those things you don't forget how to do (thank goodness!).  Secondly, I got a little bit of sun on my face and my arms got a little bit of a tan!  About time...I'm so pale, I probably blind people when I step into the sunlight. 

Tomorrow I am headed to Myrtle Beach with my mom's boyfriends daughter (get that?!).  It is her birthday and we are going to live it up down there!  I need a mini 'vaycay' so this should be fun.  Her name is Asheley...and she is a riot!  we always have a blast together though...she brings out a little bit of my wild side hehehe

 

So don't think I've forgotten about working out, because yes, I still do it at least 5 times a week.  I have been working out with a Corporal who works with me and it's been helping a great deal.  Working out with someone actually motivates me more and he pushes me to do more than I think I can do.  He said he can have me do 10 pushups on my own by April 9...but I don't think he will win that bet.  I did 8 on Monday, but they were on the Assisted Dip/Pull-up machine.  I only had 25 lbs on there, but still.  I'm going to try my best though, so wish me luck!!  I seriously need to get my diet on track though.  I know I keep saying this, but I mean it!  I am completely unhappy with the way my body looks, and I need to do something about it.  I will admit that it is so hard to prepare meals and cook healthy when school is as overwhelming as it is for me.

Can't wait for summer .... :)

Have a blessed day yall!

 

 

Happy February

Well, again, it has been forever and a day since I have written.  I'm not kidding when I say that between school, work, and working out, my time is completely spent.  3 graduate classes are too many for me this semester.  Next semester I am only taking two and working along with that. 

Enough complaining.

So last Wednesday, my best friend Lauren taught her first spinning class!  She is doing her internship at the YMCA in New Bern and after just three weeks, she is teaching.  Her class was really good!  I definitely got a good workout!  It really hurts my knees though :(  the part where you stand and pedal ("jogging") killed me.  I'm not supposed to do stairclimbers or anything because of my knees, and this simulated that.  But that had nothing to do with her teaching or the class overall :)  She did great and I'm so happy for her!  Love ya!

I can't believe it's already Superbowl time!  And it's on my brother's birthday once again!  He is going to be 19 (I can't believe that either!).  Time flies when you're having fun going to school full time!  This Superbowl, I don't really care who wins, but I'd rather it be the Giants.  I just don't care for the Patriots.  My Steelers didn't do so hot this year! 

Whelp, I just wanted to finally get on here and write something, but now I've got to get back to Finance homework!  I hope you all have had a great month!  Y'all be blessed :-)

R.I.P. Casey

Yesterday, my small hometown was rocked with an unexpected death.  I got on Facebook and several friends that I graduated high school with had statuses saying, "RIP.  You will be missed", "Only the good die young", etc.  I kept saying this and was getting pretty scared.  Finally I asked if I was the only 'Havelock-ian' who had no clue what was going on and I got some messages saying that a student we graduated with had committed suicide.

I was shocked, to say the least.  I mean this kid was funny, smart, witty, intelligent, and loved by his friends.  His dad died our sophomore or junior year (I don't quite remember when) and he took it pretty hard.  Casey was his name and we had band together all four years of high school.  We also swam together our freshman year.  I'm not going to act like I was close to him, because I wasn't.  But he was a classmate and we had obviously exchanged many conversations and jokes. 

I have to get something off my chest though.  Suicide is seriously the most selfish and stupid way to go.  It puts your family through more pain than you could ever imagine.  It makes the family and friends feel guilty that they didn't see it coming or that they weren't there when needed.  They will have to live with that the rest of their lives.  Really, that is so selfish.  Sure, I feel bad that he felt like that was the only way to handle things, but you have to be a stand-up person and think about others instead of just yourself.  If I thought that suicide was the best way to go, guess what?  I'd be dead a few times.  2011 was pretty much and awful year.  I had tough times growing up, but I know that there is always more to life and that God will lead us through it.

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

With that said, I have to say that I am very astounded by the way my high school classmates have come together.  Our class of 2008 was quite frankly, awesome.  We weren't focused on material things, we were almost ALL friends.  It didn't matter if you were a 'geek' and were in all AP classes.  It didn't matter if you were in the marching band or wind ensemble.  It didn't matter if you were the all-star on the sports team.  We all communicated in some way.  And now, with this sad death, we have come together once again.  Take a look at some of the statuses on Facebook that have been posted-

"Chin up HHS Class of 08. The memories we shared with him will carry on."

"don't ever feel like no one cares. look around you, you are always going to be surrounded by people that love you. no matter how far away you are or how long its been since youve seen or spoken to them. remember that everyone ♥"

"i just want to tell all my friends in Havelock that i love you, stay strong and we are ALL going to get through this because we're a family, and families stick together! dont forget that ♥"

"Havelock fam we have to stick together. Please remember you're never alone. Rest in peace."

"Wearing HHS tomorrow as we come together for a member of our ram nation who has fallen. Please know that you can call me if you EVER need anything.. I don't even care what time it is. I love you guys like family."

"Havelock may be a small town, but we all got each others back...near or far, we stick together"

There are countless more in support of our small town and our small high school.  It makes me grateful that I came from a place with so many people ready to be supportive and uplifting in difficult times.  As Justin Moore said, "A lot of people called it prison when I was growin' up, but these are my roots and this is what I love...I wouldn't trade one single day here in small town USA".

Look, if things are rough for you, try to find the silver lining.  Talk to your friends and/or your family.  Trust in God that everything will be ok...maybe not now or in the near future, but eventually, you will be okay.  Have a blessed day.

God bless the Gentry family and Casey, may you rest in peace.

So. Much. Work.

Hey everybody!!  Oh my gosh grad school work is overwhelming!!  Especially for me, the procrastinator!  I will push through and make it though.  It will just take a lot of dedication, focus, and will power.  Like most things in life right?  :) 

Today I had another good leg workout.  Last week I did all supersets for my first leg workout of the week and I liked it, so I'm going to try that for a while until my body plateaus!  Supersets always give me a great workout. 

OK so right now, I have to admit, I am watching Khloe and Lamar on E!.  I know, I know...."the Kardashians?!"  yessss...but I do like Khloe more than the others.  She may be a bit more outspoken, but she is also the most down to earth out of the group (I feel).  She hates when her family members get upset about simple things and I love seeing that.  The rest of the Kardashians do tend to get reallyyy upset over some stupid things. 

ANYwayyys!   Yesterday I got my Christmas present from Millie!  I know, a bit late, but it takes a looong time to get stuff from Australia!  She got me a bikini with the Australian flag, 2 bags of Cadbury chocolate filled with caramel, 2 boxes of Kinder chocolate, and something that resembles Nutella.  YUM!!  OH and the card she wrote me was so sweet.  :D

 I found this picture below and I think it is SO funny and SO true!!  Girls are definitely catty and this pretty much sums it up!  :) And with this, I'm OUT!  Have a wonderful and blessed day!