Wedding Post 02: On Dress Shopping

Let me start by sharing that I LOATHE trying on clothes. I have been known to purchase without trying something on, which works about 85% of the time. Also, I will look for clothes maybe once every two months or so, and grab a ton of things to try on in one visit. I hate the little rooms with the bad lighting and the questionably clean floors and seats. Yuck! Knowing this, I knew wedding dress shopping was going to be somewhat painful. Make that excruciating....

Store number 1: Glamour Bridal of San Antonio.
This place is a family run shop (two sisters and a daughter) in a not-so-fancy strip center. Storefront aside, this store and the service was worth the trip. Fortunately for me, the dressing room was all mine, was clean and not scary. Amongst all the multi-colored quinceniera dressed and accessory pillows were four full racks of dresses. Toni found the three dresses I found in magazines and while all pretty, were definately not me at all. This is where I let Luz, Deanna and Mom pick whatever they wanted for me to try on. (I realized after dress number two that I would have to surrender to the experience and let others help me play dress-up because I was going to fail)
Here are the two that made the favorites list after trying on 9 dresses:

Store Number 2: David's Bridal
After eating and drinking a margarita at Chachos, we went to the default store here in town. Tried on 8 dresses here, one fun one but nothing to post about. Mom and Deanna found dresses for themselves, so this trip was not in vain. Left a little frustrated with myself for being so particular about what I want. I also now know what I don't want.

Store Number 3: Debi's Bridal
I was hesitant to roll into this store having read so many reviews about how bad the service was there. It wasn't terrible, but it was really more of a self-service experience. Found three to try on as one other was too small. For being here thirty minutes, I successfully added another to the list:



Strangely, all three are from the same manufacturer. I'll be heading back to the first store to place my order once I figure out which one to get. Once this is in the bag, half of the planning will be done.

Thankfully, there was wine ready to drink when I got home. Now, time to veg out...

Wedding: Post 01

I am a compulsive planner. I plan grocery lists, daily events, errands to the point that I exhaust myself from planner. I wish I was a compulsive organizer so I wouldn't have to deal with the iles of folded clothes and piles of clipped recipes laying about. Anyway.

Major and I have begun planning our wedding/celebration circus. So far we have:

• Set up an online account to have everyone post their pictures of the day.
• Put a deposit on the reception/ceremony location.
• Found a fantastic photographer and snagged a contract. More of his stuff here.
  

Officiant of Honor D and I are heading out today to hunt for decorations at Garden Ridge - thinking of going for a Christmas theme, but who knows what we'll find.

D & me at RnR San Antonio.

D and I met at work, when I stopped at her desk to admire her tattoos. How much work can I get done before the wedding, I wonder? Anyway, we clicked over our love of ink, hate of stupidity, and similar odd senses of humor (machete or rifle for the zombie apocalypse anyone?). She will be an ordained member of the Angry Chinchillas/Universal Life Church and will be officiating the marriage ceremony for Major and I. I already have things up my sleeves...


It's cold. I'm dilly dallying in the kitchen with my coffee... *sigh*

Gobble Gobble

Thanksgiving rocked.
I had a freakish urge to get up at 6:15 and hit the grocery store for a couple of items. Not many there, bu learned the hard lesson that the store will not sell you wine before 7AM. LAME.

Inn any case, i spend the morning making:

Cranberry cornbread-sage stuffing, Orange-herb Turkey, Corn-leek pudding, Green Beans with caramelized red onions, herbed mashed potatoes and apple pie.




A good time was had by us all, this being the first of many with Major and my ever-growing extended family. Carla, Steve and Deanna joined us and we ended the evening with a wine-fuled bout of Trivial Pursuit - 80s.

Not a bad way to end the night...which for me was passing out at 8:30 on the couch. No black Friday for us today, Major is not up for walking around. XBox, here we come.

rachel rossi, where are you?

Every email I've sent bounces back for the past few months. Your cell is
disconnected. Am debating calling the house number and beginning another
relationship with the answering machine that may or may not be yours. Don't
feel like talking to the assclown, but that may be my only option.

Where, oh where, can you be?

November

Here it is, twelve days to go until the San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon.
I won't give myself a high-five until the end of the race, as I'm rolling
around on the ground.

October pushed me to my absolute limits with some long runs:
8.45 mi/ 1:26
12 mi/ 2:30:55
8 mi/1:30:24

Will have to push myself this week as I missed a run. Well, I didn't
actually <i>miss</i> it, but I was a big baby about the last two runs and
could barely get up the stairs at home. Back on the saddle and on the wagon
now. That's right, detox began this Sunday - no booze, high-fat foods, late
nights. Did I say no booze? Almost regretting that.

Looking forward to saying that I ran an official half-marathon. Is there
really a need to run a full? Wait and see...

Nasty carrots.

Fall and winter weather in Texas could be described as bi-polar. Hot bitch in heat one day, cold nasty ice queen the next. And yet, still poor excuses to not run.

The Major and I ran 8 miles in the neighborhood yesterday. Half of the route was on a road with mo shoulder, which is a ton of fun after having it rain all night. I got my mileage in with little pain and was still somewhat productive around the house.

It's that thought that made me feel like I would have the same productivity at work on a Monday. DENIED. Turns out I didn't turn the cap all the way on my tumbler so it spilled sixteen ounces of coffee in my work bag. Joy. This was followed by much silliness at work which is of little consequence.

By the time I got home, Domestic Girl was in full effect - I would have dinner on the table in no time. Well, an hour to be exact. Reused some meat sauce, added pasta, more sauce, more cheese, and voila! Dinner. Oh, yeah. The meat sauce has tomatoes and carrots. Which The Boy finds nasty. Which led to the game of "We're the Parents, You're the Kid, Eat What We Tell You." Which further led to the realization that I am not on the other side of the Grown-up/Kid fence. Which lead to a beer.

Now, what's the likelyhood that The Boy will like enchiladas...stay tuned.

Not Procrastinating

...but have three unfinished posts in draft.

*sigh*

One full week with Grendel MIA. Sadness, still.

More, later.

New chapter

It's official. I'm all moved in at the major's/my house. Bedroom furniture all set, all my boxes are in the garage, clothes in the closet, pans in the cabinets. *sigh*

Pooped. Excited. Happy.

Heartbreak Hill of Westcreek, the new location.

Ran a new route with the Major in my new neighborhood. OMFG, the hills, the hills! This will be great practice in both directions once I get feeling in my calves back.

After spending the week slacking and moving from one house to another, running two miles seemed daunting. I have better appreciation for my endurance, as I'm sure I could have squeezed those two miles out on a flat route without feeling like my head was going to explode from hyperventilaion.

The move has been fun and nerve-wracking all at once: how will I get all my stuff to fit in the Major's our house? I'm almost a co-parent to a 10-year old boy with Autism, how can I pull that off when I'm a teenager with ADHD most of the time? Wait, I have to make dinner on a regular basis that isn't cereal? Why is the cat afraid to leave the bedroom? What's that smell? And where are the doo-dads that hold up that thing in the garage? *whew* All this and much, much more.

Next up: my two-day bootcamp at the CIA in San Antonio. I have a feeling there's no coming back from that experience...

There once was a girl on the couch...

Not a year goes by without getting a crazy idea.

I started in January, and thought I was going to give myself a stroke from running around the block. I found a 1-mile loop around a nearby school and completed run/walks 2 - 3 times a week for three months, found a couch to 5k training group, and looked for info online (Podcasts are helpful, too).

I keep meaning to keep a better training log on the blog, and Nic may have just kicked my ass to do it.

I joined a group, USAFit, but the only benefit I have seen from that is being able to run in a group. The seminars are handy, and it's nice to meet like minded yahoos who think running is somewhat fun...especially when there's beer or other treats at the end.

To date, I've run approximately 80 miles this year. What I forget to log are my treadmill miles, so I will need to get better at that. Could be the heat.

In summary, I've put on a bib this year for:
Race for the Cure 5K (no chip, I clocked 40 minutes)
Cornyval 5K - 35 minutes
Lavender Hills 10K (with HILLS, damn it!) 1:15
Carraba's Half Marathon relay as the anchor, 5k - 35 minutes
Chupacabra 10k Night Trail - 1:29

When I started the first 10K, I had serious doubts that I would be able to finish. Did I say serious? I meant pit-of-the-stomach who-the-hell-do-I-think-I-am-running-6-miles doubts. It was all fun and games up to mile marker 3 when I had the realization that I would have to turn around and complete 3 miles mostly uphill. The last 100-yards was no party either. Up a narrow rocky hill, I though I was going to collapse until Carla met me at the top and ran in with me. Talk about a friend.

After that, I acquired the "I Can Run 6-Miles" ego that is co-pilot to my obsessive drive to learn about all things running and health. What's the motivation to all this? To make a choice and follow through; to challenge myself in other ways (almost debt free!!!); to know that I can do something physically challenging; to burn off some pesky pounds; to keep pace with Major Triathaon and share the obsession; to prove to myself that I can run 13.1 miles. Perhaps there will be 26.2 in my future.

Two Years Later...

It's my 2 year anniversary at work today. Wow. The only other experience I
have to compare it to is the 6 years I spent at Starbucks. Yay for a job,
yay for a retirement contribution into my account, yay for disposable
income!

Mom has "Officially Moved In." I now live in a room and a half and park on
the street. Seven more weeks, then Paul is back.

Carrabba's Relay this weekend. I anticipate drama, but I'm also
anticipating running in 34 minutes or less. Here's hoping.

Road to Somewhere

Completed the Texas Lavender Hills 10k this past Saturday. In the weeks leading up to this, I kept thinking "Yeah, sure. I can TOTALLY do six miles by then." Who knew that I could ever say that with confidence.



Come yesterday, I had some serious apprehension. "What was I thinking, a 10k. I just graduated to 4 miles! Who do I think I am?"

I'm happy to say that at mile 4, I reminded myself that I had made it that far and two more miles could be cake. Well, uphill cake. I didn't think I could do it, but it's amazing what the mind can convince the body to do.



I should have official results and pictures by the end of the week. I think I completed my 6.4miles in 1 hour and 15 minutes, LOTS of hills but the scenery was beautiful and I could smell the lavender from the fields where the race started.

Along for the ride were Deanna and Sara, girls from work who have become good friends and avid supporters of my madness. They completed the 5k, and I can't remember their times.




So, looks like the half-marathon in November doesn't seem so daunting anymore. And I think Deanna said something about triathlon next year. Yikes!

Dusting off the slack once more...

Since my last post:

I have only $3200 left in debt. Will wait to see how "job eliminations" hash out in June.

I've started a relationship with a wonderful man.

Said man left for Iraq in January and will return in July.

Still Geeking, with another location for me this month.

My beautiful godson is almost two years old.

My mother is preparing to move back to Texas, my step-dad to follow later.

I've begun training for the Rock and Roll Half Marathon.

Progress abound.

Running notes:
04/11/09 - 2 miles, 24 minutes @ Base Camp.
04/12/09 - 1 mile, 14 minutes (damn neighborhood hill)