Merriest Christmas

From our family to yours!!!

Crossfit vs. Zumba?

This is too funny because of all the Crossfit lingo we learn to love!

I post a lot about Crossfit because 
that's what I love and part of my everyday!!!


*By no means am I making fun of Zumba by posting this as many people I know enjoy it!  When it comes to fitness, I am a huge believer in doing what you love!  Obviously, this is going to vary from person to person.  Take it with a grain of salt.

Jingle Bell Run 2010

For the second year in a row, Pfizer partnered with the Arthritis Foundation as a proud sponsor of the Jingle Bell Run.  It was the 26th annual run/walk in downtown Seattle, and my work colleagues and besties arrived bright and early to participate in all the fun!

We were encouraged to dress in holiday costumes ... 

so festive socks it was!  Thanks Target!

It was a beautiful down-pour kind of day, and rained the entire day.

We looked like drowned RATS!

Although, running in the rain was fun and for a great cause to bring awareness to arthritis!

_______________________

Speaking of working out ... I started my crossfit workout with a 800m sprint and crashed and burned on the gravel/cement as I weaved from the road to the sidewalk, and I do mean COMPLETELY flung forward and fell, almost on my face, but caught my fall thankfully with my right hand.

This little sucker STILL isn't healed and is an opened wound a week later.  Next time, I will get a DNF (did not finish) next to my name on the white board because the fall within the first minutes and continuing with burpees didn't help the injury.  It this has been really difficult trying to keep it clean and covered, so heal faster.  Sadly, I am pretty sure four layers of skin were shed from the palm of my hand.

It's beginning ....

To look a-lot like CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

Online-Shopper

I woke up Monday to my sister-in-law's Facebook message:

Arrie: Just finished all of my Christmas shopping online! 

Love "Cyber Monday!"

It gave me anxiety just reading it .... 

1.  Completed her shopping??

2.  Did it all online??

3.  Cyber Monday??

*I texted her immediately asking what I was missing out on.  I wanted to know exactly what she bought to see if I needed any of it too!  Haha, I can't miss out on a good deal now, so I started just browsing the web.  

Thanks to online shopping and my diligent efforts from the couch, I have created a Christmas list that is obviously one of a married lady who wants practical things for the house!!  Like new home bar furniture :)

Santa, if you're reading this would you please happily bring me this 

Nantucket 3-piece Breakfast Set!

Top Golf w/ fam is the BEST!!

I finally got to experience the hype of Top Golf over Thanksgiving!

Only three locations in the US, if you live in Alexandria, Chicago, or Dallas ... you must check it out if you haven't already.  It's a golf range that has computerized microchips in every ball that track your shots accuracy and distance while awarding points by hitting targets ranging from 20 - 250 yards away.  So, it's competitive AND fun for golfers or people like myself who have never even HIT a ball from a tee!!!!!

Brothers together again!

4 plus hours of hitting balls, blisters, laughter, and competitiveness!

My sweet mother-in-law and sister-in-law

My handsome blue-eyed guy

And if there was a photo to sum up our holiday together ... 

It would be this one!  Lots and lots of fun

Thanksgiving with the Smith's was delightful, of course!!!  I am so very thankful for all the quality time we had as it doesn't happen as often as often as we would like with us all living in separate states.  

The holiday was so special thanks to Ryan and April for hosting us all, 

and Mark and Robin for always being supportive parents!

WA, TX, and TN are just too dang far :)

Seattle's Shut-Down

This is the first snow in 2010, and it created for horrendous commutes, people abandoning their cars on the road/hwy, and even a 747 plane sliding off the runway at Seatac Airport. 

I am so thankful we were able to get out of Seattle before the snow hit, as it has completely shut down our city.  The hardest thing to swallow ... my fellow colleagues are sitting by the fire enjoying their multiple snow days on the company!! 

BUT, I get to spend my days with all my family in Texas - Yeehaw!
*Mi Cocina, Taco Bueno, and Chick Fil A ... check!

Murph, the 7th layer of hell

I set my alarm for my usual Saturday morning crossfit workout and rolled over to grab my cell to check the site to see the workout of the day.  I was not expecting to see Murph ... ahh one of the most difficult workouts that takes for-ever!.  I was all bundled in bed with my sweet family, and it took everything in me to pop out of bed and put my Murph game face on!  Thankfully, I had 30 minutes to prepare for this ;)

Murph

1 Mile Run 

100 Pullups 

200 Pushups 

300 Squats 

1 Mile Run

**Partition the reps however you would like. Start and finish with a mile run. 

The first time I did this workout was a year and a half ago, March 2009 and I blogged about it here.  I remember it like it was yesterday because it was one of the first handful of workouts I completed at crossfit.  It too me 50 or so minutes, and I used one of the bands with the most assistance, did push-ups on my knees, and probably didn't have very great form on my squats.

AND, I am so proud to say I did the WOD prescribed, didn't have an assistance band for my 100 pull-ups (YAYAYA), did 200 legit chest to ground push-ups, and rocked 300 squats below parallel!!!  All 48:38 seconds were like the 7th layer of hell with the only rest catching my breath and resting my hands for the next round.  And my hands didn't even rip - Thank God!

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; 

not only plan, but also believe.”

-Anatole France

Sparkle Marketing

Imagine sparkles .... like on a NYE dress!!!

Love this considering I stared at it and a blue stream came to mind ;) AND, since I have an Advertising degree from SMU, eye catching marketing impresses me!

Happy Friday Readers!
I couldn't be more thankful as I just need a weekend with the hubs :)

Ironing Confession

Gabe and I both wear full suits for work, which creates for lots of acquired costs at the dry cleaner (*insert blah face here).  Our world was changed when Brooks Brothers starting making non-iron shirts that eliminated the $1.99 fee after each and every wear with the convenience of washing them at home.  Then, my checking account LOVED when Arrie told me about the non-iron shirts from Costco!  Great material and shirt designs that Gabe loves and a third of the price!  

It wasn't until a year of being married that I knew I even had an iron.  My aunt was in town and she asked to borrow our iron ... and I said, "Hmm, I know we have one, but not sure where it is."  I found it in THE PANTRY!!  LOL.  After finding the iron, my aunt was polite and used the bed to iron her clothes since I didn't own an ironing board probably thinking to herself ... This girl needs an ironing board!

Then, I started copying my aunt, and it became comfortable to just use the guest bed as an ironing board for the few shirts I attempted to iron myself and not take to the dry cleaners. 

Here's where the confession comes ....

In actuality, I feel like a crazy lady for

never investing (the whopping $20) 

on an ironing board!

SO, Gabe decided randomly last night that he was going to purchase one for the Smith household!  He called on his way home from work and said, "Hey, I am buying an ironing board."  I thought to myself ok ... and asked if I could buy one the following day so I could pick out the cover/pattern.  His response was, "Nope, you've had four years to do that!"  True.Story.

HAHAH -- Good point.

Well, there you have it.  The Smith's now have an ironing board, 

and we have LOVED it!

Lugars Part Dos

This little angel is just the sweetest, most gorgeous girl with a big and beautiful bow!  My girlfriends in Seattle aren't so sure about the bows being bigger the better.  In the south, that's what we find to be true, and I am hoping to start or at least carry on the tradition in the PNW by the time I have one of my own!

I wish I could claim these two as my own!

Gabe is obsessed with Five Guys, so of course he offered to take the Lugar's there.  We might as well invest in a franchise of our own as I have 10 receipts from the last 30 days!  

I am not exaggerating ... 

Gabe teaching Griffin how to order a bacon cheeseburger 

as he has it mastered!

Then, we ventured to Starbucks with full bellies to have Clover Brewed Coffeee -- AKA 3x stronger than normal brewed coffee.  It's the only request my brother had in Seattle as only a few stores carry it ... 

and none in Texas!

***That development was the Clover® brewing system: an innovative design that lets you discover new layers and dimensions within a coffee’s familiar aroma, flavor, body and acidity. The result is a deeper experience – one that’s carefully prepared and made to order, one cup at a time.

Silly guy -- Why is that kids love kennels, hah!

Gabe gave Griffin his very first basketball at 3mths old (trying to influence him right!!), and surprised Griffin this visit with his very own authentic jersey.  Of course, it's a Piston's jersey as that is Gabe's team - Such a special guy I have!

My last photo before my favorite niece and nephew leave town!

Griffin mastered his big smile in Seattle -- love it!

And here is a picture of the sweet artwork hanging on my fridge to remember our perfect trip together and the memories we had!

NOW, if the holidays could be here already so I can see 

ALL MY FAMILY sooner than later, 

that'd be greatttttt!

Lugar's come to WA

Gabe and have been so lucky to have many visitors from the south venture all the way to our part of the world, and it is such a special thing to really show them our life in the Pacific Northwest that we have created for ourselves.  My brother and sister in law are people I LOVE being around, and I am so lucky to feel the same way about Gabe's brother and his wife as well.  

With that being said .... I am still bursting at the seams since Jordan, Arrie, Griffin (2 1/2 yrs), and Gracie (9 wks) came to Seattle!  My brother juggles a career, getting his MBA at SMU, and has a family at home wanting his attention creating a busy busy life.  The only Saturday he didn't have class .... he came to visit little ole' me in Seattle, and I am SOOO appreciative.

Our long weekend could not have been more perfect 

as I got to LOVE over them all!  Meeting Gracie for the first time ... 

Melts my heart.  Isn't the lovely~!!

It's a lot of work to travel with two kids - Love you for it sister!

Gabe teaching Griffin thumbs up!!

*thumbs and pointer finger are almost the same, right?

Griffin thought the world of his Uncle Gabe

Like father ... Like son  ;) 

Waiting for our burger from Redmill - Best burger in Seattle 

Popping over to Bainbridge Island (by ferry) for a mini adventure

Gabe is going to be an INCREDIBLE dad 

as this weekend solidified what I always thought would be true! 

I miss you seeestor (fancy way to say sister!)

Thanks to Google, we found the biggest and fanciest park!

Arrie said she's never seen anything like it -- Look at this face, GB must concur!

Sweet Lugar's 

Heading back to Seattle 

Stunning - Mt. Rainier

The most gorgeous city in the world! 

Our days were filled with lots of laughter and thankfulness for quality time together.  Isn't family the best!

To be continued ....