Mi Casa es Our New Casa

Shouldn’t I be outside running or something? Two weeks away from my Cleveland Half Mary…and I haven’t tracked more than 6 miles. Meh, I’ll take care of that this weekend with a 10-mile run on the towpath. I know, I say this as if it’s a walk down the block. We’ll see how it goes.

Until then, I’m currently in Woody’s Workout mode, a program that I’ve been a part of for a little more than a month now. It began as a strict nutrition and exercise program, and I was kicking some serious ass. Eating (fairly) strict to the plan, working out every morning at 6:45 and chiseling down the flub I had earned all winter long.

Three weeks later, I was down a good 10 pounds and felt amazing.

Then came the break week, to which I caved and ate whatever I wanted, worked out less than usual and gained every. pound. back. Ugh, so discouraging. It started with this blessed Nutter Butter milkshake – meant as a reward but in reality was a total gateway sweet.

Since then, I’ve been off and on with the program. Working out, eating decent, but nowhere near where I was before. I loved being focused on a goal and not stopping until I made it to the finish line. I never thought a week off would set me back three weeks of hard work and extremely good behavior, but it did – and now it’s time to get back on track.

As I was making myself dinner tonight, I really put it together that diet and fitness can’t be a temporary mindset. You have to be able to find what works for your style and stick to it. More importantly, I have to keep looking forward as opposed to kicking myself for a moment of weakness. So what if I messed up a little? I’ll go after my goal again and learn from my mistakes. The same goes for everything else in life – you fall off the horse, you get right back on and hold on tighter next time.

In other news: WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!

Charlie Brown and I made the plunge together to build our first home, and while all the numbers and details and craziness keep my head spinning, I couldn’t be more excited to see this project unfold into something that is truly ours.

Here’s the future yard for Stormasaurus to chase tennis balls, frisbees and forest creatures:

I really, really REALLY want to show you the style of home, but I don’t want to spoil it just yet. The digging begins in a few weeks, so I’ll be sure to have a camera at my side throughout the summer as the walls come up and our little plot of land becomes a homestead.

In the meantime, don’t mind me, I’ll just be swimming in paint chips, curtain options and furniture sets.

When in doubt, use every crayon in the box!

Pumped Up Kicks

If there’s one thing about being an adult that is super-stupid, it is saving money. Especially saving money to pay bills and buy giant things, like houses.

So to make some extra cash this summer, I decided to pick up a side job. Charlie Brown didn’t really want me to pull double duty in the job market, but he said that if I was bound and determined to do it, it had to be something I would have fun doing. Conveniently enough, I work right next door to a baseball stadium, so I started the hunt there, where I found a season gig as a fan photographer. The folks in the green t-shirts who obnoxiously ask you 3 times to get a photo? That’s-a-me!

So far, it’s not too bad! The hours are short and easy and all I really have to do is walk up to families and excited fans and ask for a quick photo. Bing, bang, boom – easy. The only downside I have faced so far is the temperatures, as Ohio hasn’t had the warmest temperatures as of late – typical. That said, I’ll be outside (in a professional ballpark) all summer, so I’m pretty stoked that I’m making cash money just asking people to smile and taking a few photos.

Speaking of photos, I was at the Tough Mudder in South Amherst all weekend to volunteer and grabbed a few shots on the trail. If you’ve never heard of this 11.5 mile monster, you need to check it out. Some of the obstacles included an electroshock pit, crawling in a covered trench in pure blackness, a BFI ice bath, a 4-foot fire and enough mud to send even the spectators home filthy.I saw grandmas hitting the half-pipe, full-grown men in thongs and Santa hats and women drenched to the bone. I saw families competing, best friends taking on a challenge together and individuals pushing themselves to a breaking point.

In a nutshell, it’s an incredible race. And in a second nutshell, it’s something that I need to do sooner than later.

But in the meantime, I have the Cleveland Marathon to get ready for. Yep…the one in a month. Yep…the one I haven’t trained for yet. Color me terrified. I was planning on paying the $20 and downgrading to the half marathon, but after watching thousands of people finish the Mudder this weekend, I know I can at least FINISH a marathon. To be honest, I’m learning to care less and less about my timing anyway – it’s all about having a good time….and a Kenyan is always going to beat these American legs.

On a happier and more colorful note, I ALSO signed up for the less-intimidating Color Run! I saw promotions for it on Pinterest and was so excited to find out that it’s coming to Cleveland this summer. Seriously, how awesome does this look?!

Yikes. A. Bee. Time to get my sass in gear and hit the trail…lots of running to do this summer!

Accio Summer!

I’m not the kind of girl who tosses aside the present and yearns for the future. Two reasons for that:

1. Because  it is never promised

2. Because if I am looking ahead, I’m not completely enjoying what’s around me right now.

That said, I’m really, REALLY excited for summer…cue the heavenly music of long sunsets and bare feet:

Not sure how to transform this into a runner's outfit, but it can be done. Gold running shorts, anyone?

I think those few days of 75 degrees spoiled me a bit, or I’m finally starting to notice how blatantly white my German skin is, but I’ve been daydreaming about how I want to spend the season, and after talking to Sami about her pre-Africa plans, wanted to make a Summer To Do list of my own:

The Cleveland Marathon: I ran the half last year and loved it, and this year I am signed up to do the full. Here’s the catch: I have yet to train for it, minus the few runs I managed to squeeze in when the weather was too nice not to. I really havent decided if I’m going to simply enjoy running the half or push myself to do the 26.2, but either way, I’m going to find a stellar costume to cross that finish line in. Anything Cleveland-esque stick out to anyone? Maybe I’ll dress up like Drew Carey…or the leg lamp.

The Color Run! I just started a team for the Cleveland Color Run, a race were you wear all white and by the end of the race, you’re covered in colored powder. Our team is Color Me Badd (appropriately), so if you’re interested in joining, check it out here: http://thecolorrun.com/cleveland/

Speaking of color, I’m planing on spending many-a-Saturday afternoon soaking up the sun on the apartment rooftop and giving my freckles their time to shine, while Charlie Brown and Storm girl enjoy the air conditioning inside.

She’s gonna jump! I’ve said it a few times, and I haven’t forgotten: I am going to face my fear of falling head-on and skydive this summer. I’m not even sure if it’s on my Master Bucket List, but it’s definitely something that I’ve tossed around for a while now. Needless to say, my brother wasn’t too thrilled when I originally brought it up, and when my mom finds out that I’m serious about it, I expect a bit of hesitance. It’s gonna be great!

Crash Sara’s family picnic – An annual tradition, I haven’t been able to attend her family reunion in a ridiculously long time, and I am bound and determined to make the trip home and relax by the lake with my second family. Plus, their bonfires are the best in the world, hands down.

Say adios to not one, but TWO of my best friends. Not only is Vicky moving to West Virginia to take on a great job opportunity and a heck of an adventure, but Sami is heading to Africa to get a real hands-on experience in International Relations….as well as a kickstart to the post-grad life. Words can’t explain how proud I am of both of them…but I expect postcards from each

Put-In Bay: I have never been to Put-In Bay before…or Kelly’s Island for that matter, and am imagining this mysterious place to be something of a tropical paradise, but either way, we’re going…and I cannot wait. The Yokley Clan was never one to take a family vacation to the beach, so when a chance to kick back and relax for a weekend arises, you must take it!

On top of campfires, runs on the beach, days spent at the office and nights spent at the ballfield, a trip to Cedar Point, bike rides all over Cleveland and enough ice cream to give you a toothache, I really am looking forward to the summer ahead of me…and the many that will follow.

But enough about the future, it’s Easter! Eat ham and be merry, and please, don’t allow your children to get photographs with the Easter Bunny.

And finally…

I rest my case. Happy Easter!

Pack It Up, Pack It In

In September of 2010, a fresh-faced college grad and her 3-month-old puppy moved into a small studio apartment in Lakewood. With nothing more than an air mattress and a helluva lot of faith that this was the right choice, she quickly realized that life after college was a little harder than she thought it would be.

As I finish packing up that tiny apartment, painting over the Tiffany Blue walls (that I don’t think I was ever allowed to paint in the first place) and confessing to my landlord that Storm had chewed a hole (or two…or three…) in the carpet, I can’t help but think about how far I’ve come in this short amount of time.

If I could afford it, I'd move these two up to the Cleveland ASAP - a girl needs her BFFs by her side.

I went from absolutely HATING Cleveland (home of Rock ‘n’ Roll and my first speeding ticket) to…actually kind of loving it. A lot has to do with the friends I have here and the fact that I can finally maneuver my way downtown, but between the unlimited amazing restaurants to the bajillion parks in the area, this place has finally started to feel like home.

I used to be absolutely homesick, Kent-sick, and lonely. My friends were either 100 miles away or studying for mid-terms, so trying to explain the feeling of paying rent, student loans and a broken muffler on a car was impossible. Popcorn for dinner got old super fast, and so did writing my blogs from Starbucks because I didn’t have the internet. Storm, still in puppy terror mode, was eating everything in sight, including my flats. Life wasn’t easy, and $8.50 an hour wasn’t making it easier.

I don’t miss those days one bit – especially because it wasn’t too long ago – but I appreciate the low days I have to push my way through because it taught me that working your ass off creates opportunities that you might not otherwise have. I regained a better relationship with God and my faith has helped to take a massive amount of pressure off my shoulders. I was able to flush out the toxic relationships I had in my life and find the one person who loves me for exactly who I am.

Things always work out the way they’re supposed to, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that your instincts are always spot-on. When an opportunity comes around that you feel is the right one to make, you go for it. Lord knows it’s terrifying, and you may have to spend a few nights crying your eyes out with your puppy cuddled up next to you, but it’s worth it in the long run. I promise.

 

 

When She Was Just A Girl, She Expected the World.

It takes me forever nowadays to get back to this blog. I blame Pinterest and my love affair with hibernating through the winter.

Speaking of hibernating, I took a pretty long hiatus from the treadmill and Lakewood sidewalks. To be absolutely honest, I was so sick of running that I just wanted a break from it.  And it felt amazing to be on my own when it came to which workouts I was doing, but I soon realized that I got really…really lazy. The scale wasn’t lying either, and I knew it was time to get my act together.

So I signed up for the Cleveland Marathon on May 20th, and have about 12 weeks to build those miles back up and break my time from the Disney Marathon. I’ll also be sticking to a training plan this time, since half the battle last time was convincing myself that I was prepared to run that far. Now that I know I can do it, it’s time to do it better. Here’s a link to the Ultimate Marathon Training Plan, courtesy of Runner’s World (aka, my fitness bible)

Furthermore, Sami will be running the half, so I’ll have a buddy for a solid 10 miles until our trails split.

Which leads me to this next thought: There’s a lot to be said for the people who say they’re going to do something, and then actually go out and do it. Even if it’s the smallest of tasks (doing the laundry, paying your taxes, washing your car), you have to admit that it feels DAMN good to cross the To Do list off for the day. The afternoon I  created a savings account and put my tax return in it for safe keeping, I could have high-fived myself for days. Small steps and small victories add up down the road.

So because this week and weekend have been ridonkulously productive, I made a list of things I’m going to get done before winter officially ends:

1. Visit my Kent State stomping grounds for a reunion at Ray’s with my favorite people
2. Date night with Sara and Vicky
3. Eat healthy 6 days a week….and taking a day off because I’m human
4. TRAIN STORM. (I’ve been watching YouTube’s Johnny Tsunami, who trained his dog to open the refrigerator: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRM0LeSBjxA&feature=related)
5. Successfully cook one dinner a week for Charlie Brown and me – I have enough saved on Pinterest for us to eat for years!
6. Sign up for a triathlon…and then learn to swim.
   

OH! And speaking of accomplishments, I’m pretty certain that I’ve successfully broken the habits of biting my nails and drinking pop. I stopped biting my nails when we got home from Disney, and haven’t had pop in at least 5 months, and I feel really good about it. Again, it is really refreshing to put your mind to a task (no matter how insignificant) and knock it out of the ballpark. Time to cross off one more on the Bucket List

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That’s all for now, have a great weekend!

Jenn

Just Got Pinned

So, I’m suddenly really addicted to a social site called Pinterest. Surprising because this fascination should have happened the first time I signed up for it – my Pinterest account was empty for a solid 6 months. I was unPinteresting.

Have you checked it out? For those who have no idea what I’m even talking about, it’s basically the e-version of looking through a magazine and clipping the articles to keep for later. To organize all the awesome stuff you find, you can make your own little folders, called Boards. You can also see what your friends are saving and repin it to your own folder. Like a recipe swap…or something.

And at least for me, this website is going to come in serious handy when I’m planning a wedding, trying to decorate a living room, or cooking dinner for Charlie Brown. I also may have a number of peanut butter recipes on there…

So please, no one shut down the website.

That is all.

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-Eeeek!

Ahem…please excuse me as I remove something from my little To Do Before I Die list…

Much better! After a full week back in the real world, I finally have a few moments to tell you all about the 2012 Disney World Marathon and 26.2 miles that I’ll never forget.

So here’s my story:

A couple days after Christmas with the family and New Years with the best friends (which was an adventure in itself), I packed my bags, kissed Charlie Brown goodbye and hit the road for a week of vacation, anticipation and family time. I was more nervous than I would ever admit to anyone – the farthest I had run was 20 miles, and while it wasn’t awful, it did some serious damage to my stomach and my confidence. But I with a freight ton of support from family and friends back home, away I went to make them proud.

I knew the greatest challenge of this vacation would not be the race itself, but resisting Mickey Mouse ice cream pops, Mickey Mouse waffles and heavy meals everywhere I went leading up to the big day. I learned this lesson last time we went to Disney World and I came back 10 pounds heavier. In the days leading up to the race, I stuck to grilled chicken, veggies and salad at most meals, with the occasional dessert when I felt a little pressure to indulge. What kept me motivated? The fact that I could completely CARBOLOAD the night before – the greatest gift to a runner.

Oh, and the fact that my mom and aunt did a 5K a few days before – my mom’s first! Words cannot explain how proud I am that she worked her butt off and set a goal, only to completely blast it out of the park. The medals that they each received were sweet too – AND as an awesome bonus, Sami and I got our own honorary medals for being the best cheerleaders for all the racers that morning!

That Saturday night, less than 12 hours from go time, I was freaking out…a lot. I was worried I would oversleep, I was worried I’d miss the bus, I was worried the runDisney police would take away my iPod, I was worried I wouldn’t find my family after the race…pretty much everything under the sun was running through my mind.

“Would I finish? Would I quit? Would I cry somewhere along this journey? Am I ready for this kind of challenge?”

Don't let that smile fool you - I was freezing, and scared shitless.

It was at 5 a.m. when I was standing in my corral that I gave myself a real pep talk in the form of:

“You’re here, you don’t have a choice. A marathon is 90% mental, 10% physical. Your legs won’t fall off. You’re going to finish this f***ing race.“  

And I did. 26.2 miles, 4 magical amusement parks and a few running friends later, I ran across a finish line that I had been anticipating for months. It was over…and while my body was completely spent, my mind was itching for more.

“You finished, but you can run that race faster next time.”

Wha-BAM! Mickey bling!

Two words, friends: Redemption run.

 

Oh shoot, the race itself? I guess I didn’t get into that, but in short, I would highly, HIGHLY suggest it to anyone looking to tun their first half or full mary. In addition to a well-staffed and stocked event, there were characters everywhere to stop and meet! Running through Cinderella’s castle bright and early was a huge motivating factor as well, but the REAL highlight of the Disney Marathon would have to be the thousands upon thousands of people who cheered all of us on along the way. Granted, I got called Snow White 99% of the time, but it meant the world to me that complete strangers had faith that I could do this – especially the woman at mile 22 who saved me from a near-panic attack when my legs cramped up. God bless her.

The Most Magical Places on Earth

First things first…

Bad little blogger...bad.

I am pretty bummed that I took an entire month off of here, but to my credit, a lot of stuff has been happening in the JY universe.

For one, Charlie Brown and I are pretty serious, dating even! To protect his safety (as well as mine from his crazy ex-girlfriend), we’ll go ahead and leave his identity in 2D – but just know that in the real world, it’s never been better. Not only do we have a million and one things in common, but we get along as if we’ve known each other for a lifetime. I trust him with everything and have been able to be 100% Jenn around him… something that has never happened before.

He even passed the DJ Test with FLYING COLORS. It’s one thing for your friends to like him and put up with him, but my brother, the guy who has picked on me and protected me since the day I was born, gave two thumbs up. It means the absolute world to me.

I’m happy, comfortable and…dare I say it, in love. At first, I was overwhelmed by the thought of it and terrified that I was getting ahead of myself with the whole L Word, but they’re right – when you know…you know. And this Charlie Brown guy? He’s the real deal.

Enough of that gushy stuff! Let’s talk Disney Marathon, because it’s in 10 days…and I’m kinda freaking out about it. I went out today to pick up a good portion of my costume (I’m going with Snow White – how about that curveball?! I was inspired by checking out this method of creating something simple, adorable and still practical. Thoughts? A little too late if you hate it – I already bought the ribbon!

I’m actually really excited to be hopping on a plane with my mom, aunt and best friend and tackling this big race. It’s something that I’ve been thinking about for a while, this whole travel and race thing, and I think I’m going to keep it up….possibly in the summer when Charlie Brown and I take on a triathlon!

Also, to play a little catch up, I made it back safely from New York City with Sami! It was an amazing mini-vacay – perfect weather, we saw the world famous Macy’s Parade up close and in person (don’t worry, I just checked it off my Bucket List), and we were able to explore the places that we missed last time. BONUS: We even got a free cab ride from Kate Spade in a super amazing, tricked-out ride! Make sure to ask either one of us how we scored that opportunity With thousands of other hidden gems throughout the city that we have yet to find, we have full intentions of hitting the MegaBus and traveling yonder again in the summer.  In the meantime, check out the album from the 2011 adventure here.

And we brought back the NBA while we were up there. Just sayin’.

So there you have it – a short, but sweet glimpse into my past whirlwind of a month. Next up? A recap of the Best of 2011, as well as my resolutions going into the year ahead. Pinky promise it won’t be posted a month from now.

BRB, going to New York City with the best friend for a few days :)

 

Go to Bed, Jennifer Ann.

I don’t even know where to start. All I know is my world has been a-changing lately. Here’s your Sunday rundown:

 

Happiness Is…

Soooo….the reason I haven’t blogged in a few weeks is because I’ve been trying to figure out what the hell is happening around me. Charlie Brown and I have gotten ridiculously close, and I think the world of him. He’s one of the sweetest, most genuine people I’ve ever met. He takes me on surprise dates. Storm adores him. Sami adores him. I can trust him with everything and anything. He’s such a positive influence in my life, and I can feel myself becoming a better person.

Sorry, totally know how gushy I sound right now. Just know that things are really, really good. I’ve never had anything happen to me like this, so pardon my girl moments and fluttering eyelashes – they can’t help themselves and neither can I.

 

Operation: Storm

Also in last week’s episode, Storm Girl is officially all fixed up. I took her to the vet on Monday for her spay, and was probably a nervous wreck for a solid 8 hours. I’m positive the nurse on the phone heard the weight being lifted from my shoulders as she told me that my four-footed friend was doing great after her surgery. Spending the night without her was not a fun time, and I spent a good portion of the evening walking around the Lakewood Library and Target’s Christmas section to get my mind off of it. She is still supposed to be taking it easy, and has a while until she can run with me again, but I think she’s getting used to me spoiling her a little more for good behavior and not licking her stitches.

 

Bright Lights and a Big City

Sami and I are headed to NEW YORK freaking CITY in three days. Cannot wait for two days of walking around the best city in the world with one of my favorite people in the world.

Yup, can’t wait for this trip. In the meantime, I hope everyone has a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving and takes a moment to give thanks to the Big Guy. We’re all pretty freaking blessed.