Zoo Run Run-5K

I did it! I completed the Zoo Run Run without passing out, freezing to death, or getting trampled on!

**This gets marked off of the January TO-DO list for my health goals! YIPPEE!**

Check the pictures out below for a bit of the details.  It was very cold but sunshiny and decent outside.  There was a HUGE turnout it seemed so it was great that I wasn't the only one freezing pre-run.  I had to stop my jog a few times due to: bad leg cramps, large crowds of walkers who wouldn't move to the side, and once I got a cramp in my side I massaged out whilst walking up a hill.  BUT-I'd say overall I did well and had a great time doing it!

Welcome to the Nashville Zoo! Pretty and quiet little place.  I didn't get pictures of the (few) animals that were out because the zoo closed early for the run and most of the animals were put away.  I did see a handful of animals (birds, cougar, horse, anteaters) but since Derrick had my camera I didn't stop to check them out...maybe this will be a trip to come in 2011?!

This is me after I got registered and had my bib pinned on! Super excited-if you can't tell.  I opted out of being timed because since I will never call myself a runner (no offense to those who are...I just am not) and I'm not focused on my times (overall or per lap) I didn't want one.

Here's me and the hubs.  He looks miserable, right? Well he kind of was BUT he was being oh-so-sweet and supportive of me doing this so he woke up and trudged up the the Ville to cheer me on and smile at the finish line (and he did WONDERFULLY at both!)  Also, he hates getting pictures taken so this was probably as good as it was going to get, LOL!  He was an ice cube by the time I was done so we got in the car and thawed him out for a bit! Poor guy's got a headache now =(

Here's me with my headphones on trying to warm up and get pumped with some music before the run. (Don't judge my outfit!)

Here's me getting nervous because the race was about to start and there were tons of people there.

Now-here's me 3.1 miles later with a smile on my face at my accomplishment of completing this 5K! Very sweaty and randomly cold but overall felt great!

It's legit-I've trained and completed the Nashville Zoo Run Run 5K!

Now on to a warm bath and some relaxing!

Week 1 down

Well-it's official.  I have officially completed my first full week of graduate school + GA work!  Granted: this technically wouldn't be the case until 9 PM tonight but since my class was cancelled-voila!

It is going to be so much fun.  Sounds weird-right? 

*My GA work is going to be awesome with my research help on coping mechanisms (namely religion) for women with life sentences and with the proctoring and small amounts of lecturing for Marriage and Family as well as Sociological Theory!
*My classes are going to be intense but great.  Social Statistics and the use of SPSS are going to challenge me since I am NOT a math person but when I took it in undergrad I made an A.  My Qualitative Research Methods class is also going to be extremely challenging with the research/focus groups I have to work on as well as my portfolio and application to the faux IRB (Institutional Review Board)...and if the faux IRB denies my proposal to do my research then I have to come up with new topics!  Stressed=yes. Excited=YES x10!

I plan on really sitting down on Sunday and organizing my notes. notebooks, etc. and really getting back in to my school groove.  There's a ton of reading and downloading of files but I wouldn't have it any other way!

MTSU-watch out.  I'm coming to conquer.

XO

My best friend

(At my bridal tea in Chatt)

I can't make a timeline of my best friend and I's friendship because frankly I don't have that many pictures on the computer of it nor do I have the time frame in which to do it in!! Her name is Destiny and she's pretty much my soul mate.

And she is going in to the Navy...on WEDNESDAY (meaning 2 days from RIGHT NOW).  I've known about this for a while and she was actually on the phone with me when she realized that was what she wanted to do with her life for the time being...and I was supportive yet sad.

This past weekend I said good-bye. Now listen: I know she's just going to boot camp for 2 months and then to Florida for the 4 months after that before she's stationed wherever...but you need to understand-me moving to the Boro or when she moved to NC it was a BIG DEAL because we talk on the phone at least 3 times a week and see each other every time I come in to Chattanooga.  So for me to not be able to talk to her for 2 months is going to be gruesome. And then for her to go to Florida (8 hrs+) away will also not settle well...

BUT:

I am so incredibly proud of her.  This is such a wonderful thing she's chosen to do and if that's what she wants then damn it-I'll want it for her!  I have cried off and on over the past week about it-happy tears (mostly).  I am sad and a little selfish in the fact that I want to keep her here and around me as much as possible.  I want to spend hours on the phone in silence because we're laughing so hard you can't hear it.  I want to watch movies and argue about scratching each other's backs before we falls asleep.

BUT:

I won't cry anymore because I know this is what she wants and that our friendship won't bend let alone break.  I know she'll be my same best friend in 2 months or 5 years.

And I am thankful for that and proud to call her my best friend.

My best friend Destiny-the E-3 SN Seaman of the United States Navy.

Proud of you Pete <3

The husband is born!

So-January 10th (Monday) was my husband's 23rd birthday!  He's a "baby" but I still like him ;)

It was 1 day after my nephew Andrew's 3rd birthday so they are literally 20 years apart-so cool! Anyway, we celebrated Der's day by playing in the snow and playing Rock Band 3 with our neighbors.  I couldn't go in to work since it was SO snowy so luckily we got to hang out all day!

This was the view from our patio of my car and the streets-you couldn't even see them! So beautiful and fluffy! 

We tried walking to the restaurant down the street but they were closed due to the weather so we went to Chilis instead! Yummy food and lots of laughs-just what the doctor ordered.  We came back to the house and since I couldn't get Derrick's present we hung out some more with our friends for the evening-very fun, laid back and cold day.

I tried to go Tuesday to get Derrick's surprise gift but because of the ice and snow I still couldn't get there! I let him know and he said it was fine if I got them for him the next day seeing that was his birthday dinner with our friends.

So-Wednesday we go to Red Lobster (which is Der's favorite restaurant) and meet up with a great group of friends to celebrate! Check out the crappy cell phone pics below:

Here's be and the birthday boy! He was being a smart-ass because he didn't want his picture taken, lol.

Der and Elisa (John is right next to her but refused to get a picture!) They're our lovely neighbors you seem to hear so much about.

Mark and Tonya-Mark was the best man at our wedding and Tonya was our attendant who helped so much with everything!

Kelly with precious nephew-by-non-blood Dylan.

Wes-Kelly's husband-and Andrew

And me and Andrew because...I just love this kid!

We all had a really nice night laughing, eating, and just talking.  When the dinner was over Mark, Tonya, John and Elisa came over to play on the Kinect I got Derrick! It is soooo cool! It takes pictures and everything while you play so you can see how much of a nut you look like, LOL!  We had a good time and when they left I crashed! So tired after work, party and then playing on the Kinect. Plus: it was the first day of school the next day so I needed to rest ;)

Unfortunately I wasn't able to get the gift again on Wednesday BUT I was able to put an order in so I could get them Thursday....

May I introduce you to diabetes? Or to a sugar coma? OH. MY. GOD.

This is a GiGi's cupcake-3 delicious layers of butter cream frosting topped with white sprinkles on top of moist and rich white cake?  It really is H.U.G.E. Like...intimidatingly large.

This is called the wedding cake cupcake. Der and I were fortunate enough to have tasted these at our food tasting for the wedding.  He fell in love with them and has always talked about them; then we stumbled across a GiGi's here in the Boro! And we had talked about getting some one day and (lucky Der) a great reason for something this sweet came along!

*Whew!* It's a lot to take in...but oh so good!

And that was the husband's 23rd birthday spanning 4 days long chucked full of friends and food.  

And I don't think he minded a bit!

I LOVE YOU DER! <3

The bedroom table-part 1

Okay-so do any of you remember that over the past 3 months I've been talking about sanding, priming, and painting the white table in our hallway?!  Okay so...I've started it-finally!

These are the pictures of the actual table (without the drawer) before being primed.  It had a crappy coat of paint throw on it and it just looked bad.

This is the top of it-notice the gross stain/scuff on the lower right side? And the paint coat looks sloppy and uneven?

These are the 2 separate angles of it without the drawer-notice on the bottom the untouched-by-paint parts? Ew.

This is the close up without the drawer.

So yeah...it was given to me by a great friend but I really wanted to spruce it up...and now the time has come!

Below are the pics of the table (without the drawer) sanded and with two coats of primer:

The top-it almost looks painted! I can't wait to throw some bright white paint on it-it'll sparkle!

This is the table without the drawer and FULLY sanded and primed!  It looks soooooo much better already! I've got 1 more coat to do on the base board (if you can't tell) but that's it! 

The primer dries so fast so this weekend I should have the WHOLE TABLE done!  I'll still have to sand, prime and paint the drawer but that shouldn't take as long.

Cheers to a good started and half way completed project!

Not Lost

I swear I do remember my blog and domain! I've had a crazy week but think I'll update with a few blogs come Sunday evening.

Stay posted and have a happy weekend!  =]

Andrew's 3rd birthday!

Well it's official: my nephew-by-non-blood Andrew is now 3 years old! It's so crazy because I just sit and think about when Kelly called and told me she was pregnant, about when I moved up to Murfreesboro and saw her little preg belly for the first time, about how I watched him grow and helped them pick out baby names...and now he's 3! Man time sure flys.  I get all mushy sometimes because he knows me-like knows me.  He recognizes my face, my voice, and my scent. He calls me "JoJo" and Derrick "Dot" and knows us like he does his family-and that means a lot. I'm not even all gaga over children and get all mushy with all babies but those Blackwood boys have something over me =]

So, today Der and I traveled to Lebanon to celebrate this grand day with the Blackwood's and family! See pics and details below (excuse the bad picture quality).

Here is the birthday boy-Andrew! He got his party hat on and had pizza all over his face...it was awesome!

This was Andrew's homemade birthday banner-his party was themed from the children's t.v. show Yo Gabba Gabba.

Balloons were EVERYWHERE and the boys loved them!

The Yo Gabba Gabba cake and cupcakes.

Me with Aunt Tonya in our awesome party hats.

Aunt JoJo and Uncle Dot

Sweet baby brother Dylan ready for some cake and ice cream!

The big birthday boy with his cake-getting ready to blow out that big 3 candle!

Andrew was decided if he wanted cake, cupcakes, or both! (FYI-He chose both)

Aunt JoJo with the birthday boy. He loves to play and be the attention but when I get a camera on him he always gets so shy! He'll grow out of it, I'm sure.

All of his loot! He got some awesome toys, clothes, and cards from everyone.  I think this birthday was a success!

And that was that! So much fun, food, and family/friends for this wonderful occasion. 

Glad-in every way-to be a part of it  <3