tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3526376822184363552024-03-13T12:00:11.301-05:00Just Another FridayElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-89128878403441126272012-09-07T07:00:00.000-05:002012-09-07T07:00:15.804-05:00Time For A New TattooSo I've had the urge to get my fourth tattoo for AWHILE now. I've been trying to think of a way to have my kids names made into something cool - and I've been stumped for AWHILE.<br />
<br />
A friend had asked me to design a tattoo for himself involving two words and I thought maybe I could turn it into an ambigram (you read the word one way then turn it upside down and it's another word).<br />
<br />
Here's an example of a very popular ambigram:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCSODztkTBU-A6kwYTA9qBPwCO_Gl3aC8L0M6kh5X_bimB_g82AKhajOUT6x7PVGvPVYucKjukKDTGml7VVCRScOXTeI4jza5iGq6Ml_G3c6uiBveZh4ojjBBou5ZaYGgEdMApXVxBLnv/s1600/REDCHAPTER-DREAM-BELIEVE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCSODztkTBU-A6kwYTA9qBPwCO_Gl3aC8L0M6kh5X_bimB_g82AKhajOUT6x7PVGvPVYucKjukKDTGml7VVCRScOXTeI4jza5iGq6Ml_G3c6uiBveZh4ojjBBou5ZaYGgEdMApXVxBLnv/s320/REDCHAPTER-DREAM-BELIEVE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Dream </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIytlcXI7Q5tZTSoW7D-ZfQrBKcWjUkyc7B0Ft_kCktSECvoTc5w5BK7ICqN7vH5T0c825UZbVyRZQgZOWawUQXL3hyphenhyphenrsoDyNZO-Fivw3d3eS7NZFHHeh7hEUFspzahC6LeuiPvg5513TK/s1600/REDCHAPTER-DREAM-BELIEVE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIytlcXI7Q5tZTSoW7D-ZfQrBKcWjUkyc7B0Ft_kCktSECvoTc5w5BK7ICqN7vH5T0c825UZbVyRZQgZOWawUQXL3hyphenhyphenrsoDyNZO-Fivw3d3eS7NZFHHeh7hEUFspzahC6LeuiPvg5513TK/s320/REDCHAPTER-DREAM-BELIEVE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So it got me thinking and I decided to do this with my kid's names: Andrew & Alyssa</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I researched many words to figure out how to do the letters just right and drafted it up (turn head left then right):</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI_gTGSqj8tqUiLcNBTQPBq06iDKB58a5kgyhPe_y2JWe5uEVQQVapIXMk0aNyJc0sGURnobtxvasKmYTNuscgDIB0v7UfrY7boz0yMxE22islKRKebwOruXzz65biJm_70_lyz8LQV-U/s1600/photo4.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI_gTGSqj8tqUiLcNBTQPBq06iDKB58a5kgyhPe_y2JWe5uEVQQVapIXMk0aNyJc0sGURnobtxvasKmYTNuscgDIB0v7UfrY7boz0yMxE22islKRKebwOruXzz65biJm_70_lyz8LQV-U/s1600/photo4.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
When I showed the hubby, he was amazed and decided he wanted it too. So we decided to go to the tattoo shop the next morning and see if we could get appointments.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Saturday morning we drove there 45 minutes before they opened and we were 3 and 4 in line - sweet!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The first guy in line was 70 and there for his first tattoo - that guy rocked! Here he is:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_lYC8qob1HeFu1YjHuaBUXejCqoREyRLTPQR5X83FuzQPfe3VBfkjlJLIY7rZb2UuRqhYb70Kz0AOE02sJ3X5ThDKXRHFXmWMchcXRx6EvrE_9evwYxPhoC3aHsdb0UJuvkcjRfTt4Hg/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_lYC8qob1HeFu1YjHuaBUXejCqoREyRLTPQR5X83FuzQPfe3VBfkjlJLIY7rZb2UuRqhYb70Kz0AOE02sJ3X5ThDKXRHFXmWMchcXRx6EvrE_9evwYxPhoC3aHsdb0UJuvkcjRfTt4Hg/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I wanted mine on my foot - why? - I don't know but I love it!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I tried to take video with my phone, I hope it works:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzVVCrNIM5r8ZlAAI-6un39gc1o92-HgKeifEw9YOLnf2zEMVwva4Aga9UEi87SxDm4tcj8KQqh4m08uPU' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's the finished tattoo: </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3BAbzaefLXg6_npqSx_5SvUhCb4iwFyFIlL2my6lfRVzCJnRWidfcBrhmU0BboVmH4qMJKzQZ8Vr33yPnTrFSZzNH4kN7X7roXZhC2a0QzEcVBBk5rNWtBjabLR5JNGwIVRSVKSvhatK/s1600/photo2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3BAbzaefLXg6_npqSx_5SvUhCb4iwFyFIlL2my6lfRVzCJnRWidfcBrhmU0BboVmH4qMJKzQZ8Vr33yPnTrFSZzNH4kN7X7roXZhC2a0QzEcVBBk5rNWtBjabLR5JNGwIVRSVKSvhatK/s320/photo2.JPG" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgOA4Ph26fF4mswcs0iFgkVnyK0E2W-NqFb1q1A0ddeLpkO7ifecir759VFF2osuHTviYa3B3daHRlarNWPG_Mnq3D8C1WkbmG1bUqvAnf0aTzzu_3ttaoUOREMkAk61kMVBlyiYTzXv7/s1600/photo2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgOA4Ph26fF4mswcs0iFgkVnyK0E2W-NqFb1q1A0ddeLpkO7ifecir759VFF2osuHTviYa3B3daHRlarNWPG_Mnq3D8C1WkbmG1bUqvAnf0aTzzu_3ttaoUOREMkAk61kMVBlyiYTzXv7/s320/photo2.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's the hubby getting his on his forearm:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgJy8ezuwxDPyW9BOlew2Vc_RunZT2aqjpInyHTmur3o68aplta17NI99ahHksan19aFJ4-w2vcb5peuwhFMWJ4QroGH8EBxb9jMg3dAc37xy5dOYkXjx79ye-fi9b_ibffYFbwMl_nXJ/s1600/photo3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgJy8ezuwxDPyW9BOlew2Vc_RunZT2aqjpInyHTmur3o68aplta17NI99ahHksan19aFJ4-w2vcb5peuwhFMWJ4QroGH8EBxb9jMg3dAc37xy5dOYkXjx79ye-fi9b_ibffYFbwMl_nXJ/s320/photo3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
If you don't have a tattoo I highly recommend you add it to your bucket list!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-74296045634272236322012-09-06T08:54:00.002-05:002012-09-06T09:07:31.349-05:0030 Before I'm 30<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhZFDHUbw-6Gnak-C2DujNA1tnKeLTsmKow96-lEJ-gyfbe6yO8RUOFZrzZyfwcSu8zxNiqw_Qm-jlNP01zudX8ox7DHXv_PVEgtthaxJHwDr4yT7d2HTFihGKOIpc990qkF34hyphenhyphenRjaHx/s1600/c7b06b8a9d762ad78ece3527328ee71d2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhZFDHUbw-6Gnak-C2DujNA1tnKeLTsmKow96-lEJ-gyfbe6yO8RUOFZrzZyfwcSu8zxNiqw_Qm-jlNP01zudX8ox7DHXv_PVEgtthaxJHwDr4yT7d2HTFihGKOIpc990qkF34hyphenhyphenRjaHx/s320/c7b06b8a9d762ad78ece3527328ee71d2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So I was visiting Amanda at <a href="http://www.hookedfromhello.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Hooked From Hello</a> and found a post about <a href="http://www.hookedfromhello.blogspot.com/2012/05/30-before-30.html" target="_blank">30 things you should do before you're 30</a> and it got me to thinking... I only have 5 months before I turn 30!! So here goes, here's my list (some of them I have completed already this year):<br />
<ol style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif;">
<li><strike>Go whale watching</strike></li>
<li>Pay for a stranger's meal behind me while in a drive thru</li>
<li>Run a 5K</li>
<li>Learn to quilt</li>
<li>Buy a matching pair of lace underwear</li>
<li><strike>Ride a subway</strike></li>
<li>Grow a small vegetable garden</li>
<li>Get a bikini wax</li>
<li>Go skydiving</li>
<li><strike>Start a blog</strike></li>
<li>Visit 2 different cities</li>
<li>Lose 30 pounds</li>
<li>Volunteer for a local organization who needs it</li>
<li>Stay at a Bed & Breakfast</li>
<li>Play in a Texas Hold'Em tournament</li>
<li>Write 2 chapters of the book I've been dreaming about</li>
<li>Witness the Northern Lights</li>
<li>Go to the shooting range and shoot a gun</li>
<li>Learn how to paint like Bob Ross</li>
<li><strike>Get up before sunrise to experience the "golden hour" with my camera</strike></li>
<li>Bake goodies for the neighbors</li>
<li><strike>Get the kids involved in church</strike></li>
<li><strike>Start rock climbing</strike></li>
<li><strike>Ride a mechanical bull</strike></li>
<li>Start to learn another language (Italian?)</li>
<li>Learn how to salsa dance</li>
<li>Play in the rain with my kids</li>
<li><strike>Swim with a dolphin, shark or manta ray</strike></li>
<li>Try kayaking</li>
<li><strike>Get another tattoo</strike></li>
</ol>
<br />
Comment me your link to your list so I can check it out!<br />
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-85582447173212470372012-09-05T15:47:00.001-05:002012-09-05T15:49:41.506-05:00Boston Baby!!!I went to Boston last week for a work conference. It's absolutely gorgeous there!! Here's my photos from lovely Boston!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQI7zeWqho0jNld_h0tICELd73F7XO7qHOtPNbeTn14VpcgIhZSBlh-enilx1uCCs_3D74ix77PjNqBg28e7xqY-Cgs8rQIHhk_r-GM8qEJlp2QC-h4-AGiAS0TNtVX6_GtdsnHtmi9XqY/s640/blogger-image-1509207743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQI7zeWqho0jNld_h0tICELd73F7XO7qHOtPNbeTn14VpcgIhZSBlh-enilx1uCCs_3D74ix77PjNqBg28e7xqY-Cgs8rQIHhk_r-GM8qEJlp2QC-h4-AGiAS0TNtVX6_GtdsnHtmi9XqY/s320/blogger-image-1509207743.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xLvF2Qy2oYRdKlO-db-SIUXvrK-ruYD8RTwPJx-IDqI0UnnNeLmmD-AiJYYhVfPn480fGWgK_78tNLSGunCbyoEIRrhy7ZfqDFwigf4DtMna8NNBhsEPunxvhSlPhxQ6Y0IwSgefa377/s640/blogger-image-530291875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xLvF2Qy2oYRdKlO-db-SIUXvrK-ruYD8RTwPJx-IDqI0UnnNeLmmD-AiJYYhVfPn480fGWgK_78tNLSGunCbyoEIRrhy7ZfqDFwigf4DtMna8NNBhsEPunxvhSlPhxQ6Y0IwSgefa377/s320/blogger-image-530291875.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheN1uEN9lO-A-CxNDmCiQfIDbBM2Pd2kZ2s3M2T_-2vJZU2gSTaE2AE1MoArRY0PZ_0VG4gJs6LtZkL6q_hcd3OqqqDAG38T6NrA8YvfxWyGXnkbeDAWBpYqtWjMY72w64d4oykSM8Tnpr/s640/blogger-image--1988251006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheN1uEN9lO-A-CxNDmCiQfIDbBM2Pd2kZ2s3M2T_-2vJZU2gSTaE2AE1MoArRY0PZ_0VG4gJs6LtZkL6q_hcd3OqqqDAG38T6NrA8YvfxWyGXnkbeDAWBpYqtWjMY72w64d4oykSM8Tnpr/s320/blogger-image--1988251006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQ7dOTvOhY4zWtjkw4uuLUKxFNmTciR3Rc7dZgYq6NwLou2AXptmEo4GTS1aJ5n1K05LpS5d3BjAkdRRW0pVZxRmoj23D5IhD8lLyHp3OmG_2K7aTWSOtFmgwbDjjLiy8EDMKLe6KDMUv/s640/blogger-image--1160698259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQ7dOTvOhY4zWtjkw4uuLUKxFNmTciR3Rc7dZgYq6NwLou2AXptmEo4GTS1aJ5n1K05LpS5d3BjAkdRRW0pVZxRmoj23D5IhD8lLyHp3OmG_2K7aTWSOtFmgwbDjjLiy8EDMKLe6KDMUv/s320/blogger-image--1160698259.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Whale watching - we went out far in the ocean!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAlES_IlitUNueoRSYm_5MFxRIqUrkZbwaPuDslIfrtSJcF2KrW2FTBN-9T_0hPHnYbKe5HSPtjPiY9KkNvV2gl7ePNhSLsNEZho030ebB4SwxxeUfJv1Yz-_37Kv64HEa6R6kHYEHqr5/s640/blogger-image--1803867888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAlES_IlitUNueoRSYm_5MFxRIqUrkZbwaPuDslIfrtSJcF2KrW2FTBN-9T_0hPHnYbKe5HSPtjPiY9KkNvV2gl7ePNhSLsNEZho030ebB4SwxxeUfJv1Yz-_37Kv64HEa6R6kHYEHqr5/s320/blogger-image--1803867888.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rANkzJffvClzOfnM05I0rRAnh9n3beKfwpOb9X7254_9Job0CgTZ5FpTs1Bf5vzSY2jlaIcpaKyk114kEYyR1hqziLE8yP6HZLf62aa9JGs-KU-hDKY6Iz-H5P67ulKDTNoTdyq68-B9/s640/blogger-image--481928455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rANkzJffvClzOfnM05I0rRAnh9n3beKfwpOb9X7254_9Job0CgTZ5FpTs1Bf5vzSY2jlaIcpaKyk114kEYyR1hqziLE8yP6HZLf62aa9JGs-KU-hDKY6Iz-H5P67ulKDTNoTdyq68-B9/s320/blogger-image--481928455.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDUhC70VEOBhJAd1JYWKBj8QEjHvSokcv_555pUhstQ_9cd9ViJ9EWJpo7T_9VZkjJGJLL2j-vN0nWRybrMSjTl6iinA4WKwztvyQROjhGozV5L6dI5LBNgeUQxje9mlh0-xZMckLw_D2/s640/blogger-image--1338827301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDUhC70VEOBhJAd1JYWKBj8QEjHvSokcv_555pUhstQ_9cd9ViJ9EWJpo7T_9VZkjJGJLL2j-vN0nWRybrMSjTl6iinA4WKwztvyQROjhGozV5L6dI5LBNgeUQxje9mlh0-xZMckLw_D2/s320/blogger-image--1338827301.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWF8ZSPWO0HzN6ChspjigSZEImK2aBdDomsJ8ETfvu3SjRm1tos_Ujt8A94bf3KvzxCiX4vxQ_RFXEPUlrKh0sHGl8Nf5Ib6Lg-oL28PyIjjKx3GCqT5RC3KWjc4GvrEkzBfhwSniK60g/s640/blogger-image-901247614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWF8ZSPWO0HzN6ChspjigSZEImK2aBdDomsJ8ETfvu3SjRm1tos_Ujt8A94bf3KvzxCiX4vxQ_RFXEPUlrKh0sHGl8Nf5Ib6Lg-oL28PyIjjKx3GCqT5RC3KWjc4GvrEkzBfhwSniK60g/s320/blogger-image-901247614.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii38O6WV2qv4mC8ROb0KYvlSeih5XtNI35r7E42ogXgNIZ9qxU5xIjKzw0aosJ_l8zIlJ2o8LVd6nq4fMqEcMmFcjJCykEoZ9PmXhq4o5n-S1jOUHI2_LmwwZaBxnE7aO-cMVYSLMt8nKy/s640/blogger-image--598970488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii38O6WV2qv4mC8ROb0KYvlSeih5XtNI35r7E42ogXgNIZ9qxU5xIjKzw0aosJ_l8zIlJ2o8LVd6nq4fMqEcMmFcjJCykEoZ9PmXhq4o5n-S1jOUHI2_LmwwZaBxnE7aO-cMVYSLMt8nKy/s320/blogger-image--598970488.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8a4yUDgaSQQVcCLLrl6tsR64mXPqRZhfRyFEVLbcBPSjDk-WfKsUDFJA8rqEYUWx0amh6RC3YIJHDjTrawiEpWsNt_7ODqajZGwMKtHBFqT6I_ETYxo-ragQbvDs1qKd6cmveBnjENbw/s640/blogger-image--1787163458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8a4yUDgaSQQVcCLLrl6tsR64mXPqRZhfRyFEVLbcBPSjDk-WfKsUDFJA8rqEYUWx0amh6RC3YIJHDjTrawiEpWsNt_7ODqajZGwMKtHBFqT6I_ETYxo-ragQbvDs1qKd6cmveBnjENbw/s320/blogger-image--1787163458.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gpI95PyU1J2WPzFIV2_vdVnlonfTkV0E-OItppqTDUT2enzaDqDuzLqDQA5sryeTGC5jEPzKu-GJcfMOhwy7WD7RsD6qt7qUolhn8hnJksJx7TZR_KSZ8fDO2YqY_QIPwfBvre31vnCk/s640/blogger-image-1325417253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gpI95PyU1J2WPzFIV2_vdVnlonfTkV0E-OItppqTDUT2enzaDqDuzLqDQA5sryeTGC5jEPzKu-GJcfMOhwy7WD7RsD6qt7qUolhn8hnJksJx7TZR_KSZ8fDO2YqY_QIPwfBvre31vnCk/s320/blogger-image-1325417253.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57S_GKSft3x9nBSY8qzQ_z0hPcMsWVvV2v7nOnE1xjTSIIl0eZ5e7y2PSN2v2dC7miq3xLOQEva1TCaKdp3kDVPRk1OpPrALZs7Pb5O36upXYWZ89U_H7vkw_HA8Bw-jz1Zc6qfGVuLs4/s640/blogger-image-27867115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57S_GKSft3x9nBSY8qzQ_z0hPcMsWVvV2v7nOnE1xjTSIIl0eZ5e7y2PSN2v2dC7miq3xLOQEva1TCaKdp3kDVPRk1OpPrALZs7Pb5O36upXYWZ89U_H7vkw_HA8Bw-jz1Zc6qfGVuLs4/s320/blogger-image-27867115.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPD5je9jQ9R7Li86hz4VOZiEKItJIAi5urR27ku66SVBithVUX4PK6vMiE84JJLNQ2F1Fs2YAxMW2Ps7fujsRj6wP0orTt2mmVIjcQDCcD9Ag3JLA5IIsGsFrXQVoxbg2P640tZQyTehBD/s640/blogger-image--1233964102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPD5je9jQ9R7Li86hz4VOZiEKItJIAi5urR27ku66SVBithVUX4PK6vMiE84JJLNQ2F1Fs2YAxMW2Ps7fujsRj6wP0orTt2mmVIjcQDCcD9Ag3JLA5IIsGsFrXQVoxbg2P640tZQyTehBD/s320/blogger-image--1233964102.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjauqHDViBMpz_0G6aNhnWl6X35yQvCSnbpHtaP-nen3MFeYagUstWDHw3EnDLbxo7yrBzLtnheXPq7eSYLfsZPjTvp8mxxjOkTPOMRIhgERFm3vFOqNiDiCRqEclQOtxMdnGRVyud4gpHj/s640/blogger-image-732574658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjauqHDViBMpz_0G6aNhnWl6X35yQvCSnbpHtaP-nen3MFeYagUstWDHw3EnDLbxo7yrBzLtnheXPq7eSYLfsZPjTvp8mxxjOkTPOMRIhgERFm3vFOqNiDiCRqEclQOtxMdnGRVyud4gpHj/s320/blogger-image-732574658.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCQr9XOGxv2ZJ3VJ7lRCVz1_OmC55vHsQALAaivvBDJFwJCHV2B20x0ZZk0CxkpNGSaZ4i6FI5XAkySxh1XrwO7mjZh3hir2IAtgcXOISvJAhlyt35qzqSMMVA_ZGhxs-2gCfkK0f9sJ1/s640/blogger-image--589653505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCQr9XOGxv2ZJ3VJ7lRCVz1_OmC55vHsQALAaivvBDJFwJCHV2B20x0ZZk0CxkpNGSaZ4i6FI5XAkySxh1XrwO7mjZh3hir2IAtgcXOISvJAhlyt35qzqSMMVA_ZGhxs-2gCfkK0f9sJ1/s320/blogger-image--589653505.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-79643915009121803712012-08-22T09:37:00.001-05:002012-08-22T09:37:09.880-05:00Birchbox Wednesday!!It's here!! It's finally here!!! I got my August Birchbox!! Here's all the glorious goodies I got!!<br />
<br />
(Sorry for all the !!!!! - I'm excited!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-07PE5-LNF8_EFaDE4wOxXRbHdVu3Nyylf13z9oAPYFVMjqyjxULRzJ0Nnle_AZjcQ14q6IiAxLEHSIY7uzyiGsLxUZ2MzlKypxd1PHTHX0l_nISFr6GEVRMb9eRMGUaE0P9Urji4Zx2d/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-07PE5-LNF8_EFaDE4wOxXRbHdVu3Nyylf13z9oAPYFVMjqyjxULRzJ0Nnle_AZjcQ14q6IiAxLEHSIY7uzyiGsLxUZ2MzlKypxd1PHTHX0l_nISFr6GEVRMb9eRMGUaE0P9Urji4Zx2d/s320/photo+(4).JPG" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sVqRIT9yp6cWZoky5Wz8k8boXv33m5j868a8yx4ZxugIKzoxAN2eX5wFMea46ihFAOSdbpDWgqP8Jftx_sEKm0HfSrC2tfTsS2p2Usn7616jjPILnQhBy7NeOqdmYe2kgKiYDJ3_h8vw/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sVqRIT9yp6cWZoky5Wz8k8boXv33m5j868a8yx4ZxugIKzoxAN2eX5wFMea46ihFAOSdbpDWgqP8Jftx_sEKm0HfSrC2tfTsS2p2Usn7616jjPILnQhBy7NeOqdmYe2kgKiYDJ3_h8vw/s320/photo+(5).JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfLCuwtgN6B8n7cFq5BIslqRikUa_IjyEu5auxirNkq29H7rNy1WwyBYsFmp0XWZJM_786xx7zJRw0l9Vt6V6silXjZztwh2CmZDBZ9533eS6YnjbbnofgUUL5c35AWRqglSMNE2ICIQgN/s1600/photo+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfLCuwtgN6B8n7cFq5BIslqRikUa_IjyEu5auxirNkq29H7rNy1WwyBYsFmp0XWZJM_786xx7zJRw0l9Vt6V6silXjZztwh2CmZDBZ9533eS6YnjbbnofgUUL5c35AWRqglSMNE2ICIQgN/s320/photo+(6).JPG" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRig7JOhKBfDokEJVQDBEWrWnaizGPxn3OfIC6mAC2KvQ442QGvmtpce0co917XJDdfsbsiFpOkJkfIAUHaqTkF7-oaTuI0Y6V9ZhWcqImUI_yoJtdVmuZNoxWT39qSwfm5AjOScSdflz/s1600/photo+(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRig7JOhKBfDokEJVQDBEWrWnaizGPxn3OfIC6mAC2KvQ442QGvmtpce0co917XJDdfsbsiFpOkJkfIAUHaqTkF7-oaTuI0Y6V9ZhWcqImUI_yoJtdVmuZNoxWT39qSwfm5AjOScSdflz/s320/photo+(10).JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxN-C8JCdXNk16DJVlwJjW6VvPL6Dt3bj-ixtzWd21R6-a1x62xkfNkRxGZNAXl0vhDtSPPJSC3mFw2yG38CmRyDKiJqg4cNPHBxVJk2sj1CeAf-a2aHLYeYyCtP_36QA_xz9ZuylzI3M/s1600/photo+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxN-C8JCdXNk16DJVlwJjW6VvPL6Dt3bj-ixtzWd21R6-a1x62xkfNkRxGZNAXl0vhDtSPPJSC3mFw2yG38CmRyDKiJqg4cNPHBxVJk2sj1CeAf-a2aHLYeYyCtP_36QA_xz9ZuylzI3M/s320/photo+(7).JPG" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFzRVAURwbL1bhqtPPeIrMYwLY1HH_ubWZo4K2p22FEMDIW0uKXraBDs3hTImtMW4SAo2We3UyAJIwLjcqhxzcskXHuPdFccFfKr5kJ8rn9jDo7sfsKlG1blyhFxrNrmhiDi8pD2wUCvC/s1600/photo+(8).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieFzRVAURwbL1bhqtPPeIrMYwLY1HH_ubWZo4K2p22FEMDIW0uKXraBDs3hTImtMW4SAo2We3UyAJIwLjcqhxzcskXHuPdFccFfKr5kJ8rn9jDo7sfsKlG1blyhFxrNrmhiDi8pD2wUCvC/s320/photo+(8).JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeR2-10IhZmKXmEkOvBFl4-BUhjcOgZPaNnTFtDMuLhzYsd6mVpmuYyworabc4wdDyEGXW0TQcRsP-Y3PfmucdoV-uig5aQlvOOFJ79u_vmV3HdynrkxvgJZp42BljVvJTFXAqOWi0N2lt/s1600/photo+(9).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeR2-10IhZmKXmEkOvBFl4-BUhjcOgZPaNnTFtDMuLhzYsd6mVpmuYyworabc4wdDyEGXW0TQcRsP-Y3PfmucdoV-uig5aQlvOOFJ79u_vmV3HdynrkxvgJZp42BljVvJTFXAqOWi0N2lt/s320/photo+(9).JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
Happy Wednesday everyone!!!<br />
<br />
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-29888551731071559102012-08-07T10:48:00.001-05:002012-08-07T10:53:55.629-05:00Kindergarten Mommy JittersMy son's soon-to-be Kindergarten class had a picnic yesterday and my son and I walked to his new school to meet his new classmates.<br />
<br />
Here he is walking with his super cool new backpack:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJ-rgXJtRp4ZIxkjEHUBSxOgfyFyjwTaeXKsevzjwL_b7gFZJBU_fcHV23KvIer-j_BiB-MCqsqtfbhJxQd5f-wQb8k334wQBlskkLxK7Q96o4iGLoQGPErp75JvtCv1s6z61vOTEr4K1/s1600/533002_4392318805568_1996076456_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJ-rgXJtRp4ZIxkjEHUBSxOgfyFyjwTaeXKsevzjwL_b7gFZJBU_fcHV23KvIer-j_BiB-MCqsqtfbhJxQd5f-wQb8k334wQBlskkLxK7Q96o4iGLoQGPErp75JvtCv1s6z61vOTEr4K1/s320/533002_4392318805568_1996076456_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
He starts kindergarten next Wednesday and I am freaking out a little bit (ok a lot!). I never thought I would be one of those moms who cried on the first day of school but as the day is fast approaching, I am considering taking the day off from work.<br />
<br />
I don't know what has me panicked. It could be all the news stories about "bullying" and random school shootings. When I was a kid I walked to school alone with no fears of meeting strangers or having anything bad happen. These days I would NEVER let my kids walk to school alone or play in the neighborhood unsupervised. Call me over protective and a freak! But I can't imagine what I would do if something happened to my kids.<br />
<br />
Hopefully this anxiety will cool off after school starts and I sincerely hope so because I hate worrying and I know it's bad for my health.<br />
<br />
I do believe the daily workouts with Jillian have helped some with the stress and I hope to continue on in my journey.<br />
<br />
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-78040230198344665382012-07-31T15:57:00.001-05:002012-07-31T16:22:02.258-05:00Best Day Ever - BirchboxSo today was the day I have been waiting for. I finally got an email that I could sign up for my very own birchbox subscription. There is a waiting list after all and I've been waiting <strike>an eternity</strike> three weeks. Birchbox is $10 a month (only $10!!) and they send you a cute little box with all kinds of samples of beauty and health stuff. Last month they had ear bud headphones and lip stain and a protein bar. Check it out <a href="https://www.birchbox.com/?raf=ljnql" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJt2ljfKpBQzfRRikXBlZBVW0-jM0e07PyiwrlHEdoz6I8roruF-d_phIIckGWVmOLCLaKLlBHrINyBtnIBp5cUtolLUOLGWTKoIQoA_rZg9fO0APh_C-2PE6HGoJBodt-a-hLOr-wciiB/s1600/birchbox-homepage-600x298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJt2ljfKpBQzfRRikXBlZBVW0-jM0e07PyiwrlHEdoz6I8roruF-d_phIIckGWVmOLCLaKLlBHrINyBtnIBp5cUtolLUOLGWTKoIQoA_rZg9fO0APh_C-2PE6HGoJBodt-a-hLOr-wciiB/s320/birchbox-homepage-600x298.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-19450502148109478732012-07-30T14:00:00.000-05:002012-07-31T14:00:50.656-05:00Our Mini VacationWe took the kiddos to Adventureland on Saturday. The weather was gorgeous - 73!! It was even too cold to go swimming - we had a great time.<br />
<br />
Did you know that Adventureland does not sell a single item of food that is not fried or full of fat?! Thank goodness there was a ton of walking! I was able to maintain my weight.<br />
<br />
Here's some photos:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6LXrOyo5SHf29NRYZlMMIX4Kags0P5u06kHEWyxngolDD5lRU_4t15gpifAci_hLl62w6Rr1E23hvyUCbNFc2-8HXCrLs0E7rnJpPErSoxXifOXxSQJB3FKrAtg5VFwCDKyQyE9qcyow/s1600/Summer2012-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6LXrOyo5SHf29NRYZlMMIX4Kags0P5u06kHEWyxngolDD5lRU_4t15gpifAci_hLl62w6Rr1E23hvyUCbNFc2-8HXCrLs0E7rnJpPErSoxXifOXxSQJB3FKrAtg5VFwCDKyQyE9qcyow/s320/Summer2012-002.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqNCP3KqufR9IQyvj4kKdcpOkRJjek-QHQNjAYNpqVRNRPYnZIUZ2flDcvqkH4p7EIa_4yBhTTIc2bavcoXzTmmHE5T1p0xeLZSnlPl_hmqSF0S4g4x8tn8-lF7rkuh_I_rDmXjrfC_WZ/s1600/Summer2012-004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqNCP3KqufR9IQyvj4kKdcpOkRJjek-QHQNjAYNpqVRNRPYnZIUZ2flDcvqkH4p7EIa_4yBhTTIc2bavcoXzTmmHE5T1p0xeLZSnlPl_hmqSF0S4g4x8tn8-lF7rkuh_I_rDmXjrfC_WZ/s320/Summer2012-004.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoWKgeqSskRCc0615MrtxYGfKPo0-p4gC7aDG0dS9Mok3yd4w6JURhDQmlLBNctjN_Rcmg8e5U-hQfi8ILWCmPMX99a66MK2iRoxYi5ra8BfxYHt4JCgORYSt1JR7mfQe4PJjm_FizMNv/s1600/Summer2012-005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoWKgeqSskRCc0615MrtxYGfKPo0-p4gC7aDG0dS9Mok3yd4w6JURhDQmlLBNctjN_Rcmg8e5U-hQfi8ILWCmPMX99a66MK2iRoxYi5ra8BfxYHt4JCgORYSt1JR7mfQe4PJjm_FizMNv/s320/Summer2012-005.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0DTLAI8saIfwjKtxuqvML_3zBrNJr_QEP4TIdITidaBIYAjxrHhymA0P8jgg0Fi2OIJywZ3EVIxrEHTSv9bfif_8NjwWAGKGENAJWpaHY41YmYA9kvUjOzXu2t9e7Zm2OkQ1U2EQBrUH/s1600/Summer2012-006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0DTLAI8saIfwjKtxuqvML_3zBrNJr_QEP4TIdITidaBIYAjxrHhymA0P8jgg0Fi2OIJywZ3EVIxrEHTSv9bfif_8NjwWAGKGENAJWpaHY41YmYA9kvUjOzXu2t9e7Zm2OkQ1U2EQBrUH/s320/Summer2012-006.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PZXfDk0lcYH_mI5oZMqFL-LlSpUi0dAPKQ3KbAGTEZ7PvovnDE-LWNFml3apIRSD08jRq1frw9wgry14BNH2Sv_SaVMu_Mcn-igMqu-S8kQzYkKsB2uz3H6HXo6jWeh_7GTkjzvUyI0L/s1600/Summer2012-009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PZXfDk0lcYH_mI5oZMqFL-LlSpUi0dAPKQ3KbAGTEZ7PvovnDE-LWNFml3apIRSD08jRq1frw9wgry14BNH2Sv_SaVMu_Mcn-igMqu-S8kQzYkKsB2uz3H6HXo6jWeh_7GTkjzvUyI0L/s320/Summer2012-009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfl0r70h8IH96kLvA1a7DN1Z60i0_SLthiYEccB6oB4hJTViwYf6_hZx7F1BJ5i0f2wgeBomsa4ags9PatdTZH2zlipum_0IwEPDE0LIevNCcEaD5rNhO0Wdgr72z9plwXPKXwTqQL2JJ/s1600/Summer2012-013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfl0r70h8IH96kLvA1a7DN1Z60i0_SLthiYEccB6oB4hJTViwYf6_hZx7F1BJ5i0f2wgeBomsa4ags9PatdTZH2zlipum_0IwEPDE0LIevNCcEaD5rNhO0Wdgr72z9plwXPKXwTqQL2JJ/s320/Summer2012-013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuab9VLizNBxgXn9_J7HLuD5ZKLWu8bjUJcL9HX6U5vdzts0Smt-NQv9qVOygKrTY76kWbJ5dKxyjWQbRmOWvP1j22Qdix1UpZPX55QUyHEAccaOwcw4GMKsBnvY6zG6QdW97tuZpYlts/s1600/Summer2012-014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuab9VLizNBxgXn9_J7HLuD5ZKLWu8bjUJcL9HX6U5vdzts0Smt-NQv9qVOygKrTY76kWbJ5dKxyjWQbRmOWvP1j22Qdix1UpZPX55QUyHEAccaOwcw4GMKsBnvY6zG6QdW97tuZpYlts/s320/Summer2012-014.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwW-5ugwc1FiZ5hMeSmS5BvdLGuy_fN6cgFy5-DChPBwWB-fl2rJOOwHuaZetaPeANcDNBkSOBLS9qBrFsq_0eBD7Aw0r_FYpRwf7xOUS34UxBj5mbuGLsNAeUNE9wWZnL7iojj9JvPoh/s1600/Summer2012-019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwW-5ugwc1FiZ5hMeSmS5BvdLGuy_fN6cgFy5-DChPBwWB-fl2rJOOwHuaZetaPeANcDNBkSOBLS9qBrFsq_0eBD7Aw0r_FYpRwf7xOUS34UxBj5mbuGLsNAeUNE9wWZnL7iojj9JvPoh/s320/Summer2012-019.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTjl5j_2Y3LLQnFzw9rAmMF45sUjExMhJzHlp9OCjJkvMt_8SlLrvtVRJwvoxxaisjK8RN-c9u7aORVUjbg9zLOqVTWl8UepP_yTEejWTk68oct6cjrzJ8v7QDK6tmkVYvz2BIrfehDqX/s1600/Summer2012-024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTjl5j_2Y3LLQnFzw9rAmMF45sUjExMhJzHlp9OCjJkvMt_8SlLrvtVRJwvoxxaisjK8RN-c9u7aORVUjbg9zLOqVTWl8UepP_yTEejWTk68oct6cjrzJ8v7QDK6tmkVYvz2BIrfehDqX/s320/Summer2012-024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXA-AnShjMKgUc1DOjOlBu_nj3Z6kXPxxnPdtvZIWC2cEtsfq4VaZYfAG6XCaB6WA3ZtDkMh3v1zOec6wYNa530YSaHL4tJ5u98zkq8Ku_Ia5QlZUXchJtTFEyh36IataoOgL6p-nbmWN/s1600/Summer2012-026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXA-AnShjMKgUc1DOjOlBu_nj3Z6kXPxxnPdtvZIWC2cEtsfq4VaZYfAG6XCaB6WA3ZtDkMh3v1zOec6wYNa530YSaHL4tJ5u98zkq8Ku_Ia5QlZUXchJtTFEyh36IataoOgL6p-nbmWN/s320/Summer2012-026.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgUbmQk_mmYRlJBnFTwJG3bikyNz1fdhSOJ_jRKZMStnv6PQqEKk_lB76GcrUmu0MEirEupkYW-3PKx5amPwiHjFKkDETLM3aL3mAjSKJmKmTxob9NmkkusIUC6Ra52tdM2myFa17twEM/s1600/Summer2012-027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgUbmQk_mmYRlJBnFTwJG3bikyNz1fdhSOJ_jRKZMStnv6PQqEKk_lB76GcrUmu0MEirEupkYW-3PKx5amPwiHjFKkDETLM3aL3mAjSKJmKmTxob9NmkkusIUC6Ra52tdM2myFa17twEM/s320/Summer2012-027.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2TYU2_oqJQXgTt1uuJdNdMFX68SIcAuWS3MuVCati0cVAElzEVNlIxWC2HyKMKSKh7LysCqnJrJzYs77MnBCOn06Rk2sxCqiJfShndwjimR2Pw8OxMv_B6sRJTUNZMBJdyElmUwopzJ2/s1600/Summer2012-029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK2TYU2_oqJQXgTt1uuJdNdMFX68SIcAuWS3MuVCati0cVAElzEVNlIxWC2HyKMKSKh7LysCqnJrJzYs77MnBCOn06Rk2sxCqiJfShndwjimR2Pw8OxMv_B6sRJTUNZMBJdyElmUwopzJ2/s320/Summer2012-029.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbiTC3D4GmNIkap0wEc5d4ZmBoT2KGlnANi_bx4S7aplK1thw6F2vSi1ly9a1i45uDUSnu01W2_HSqepHONTlrZo4WCF3LtO0M1RB0jro0wxPGSWReGjlxc2_xztEkKrL5hQw0bHGyFFZ/s1600/Summer2012-034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbiTC3D4GmNIkap0wEc5d4ZmBoT2KGlnANi_bx4S7aplK1thw6F2vSi1ly9a1i45uDUSnu01W2_HSqepHONTlrZo4WCF3LtO0M1RB0jro0wxPGSWReGjlxc2_xztEkKrL5hQw0bHGyFFZ/s320/Summer2012-034.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtbToKTtOxE8A_z88RL_exs78z0s9UNYEtKiMBPpoxLVAcO1_lJNl1kRirxfWdylYkBTdYS6S6NZCVbuK_QEH2Tbm0CL-aliioU5rTFgUWB7NNPNusS9D7mA5rciyhm_udLyN9gOhDQCV/s1600/Summer2012-036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtbToKTtOxE8A_z88RL_exs78z0s9UNYEtKiMBPpoxLVAcO1_lJNl1kRirxfWdylYkBTdYS6S6NZCVbuK_QEH2Tbm0CL-aliioU5rTFgUWB7NNPNusS9D7mA5rciyhm_udLyN9gOhDQCV/s320/Summer2012-036.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mtU0Pnrms2HWARJShbTxcXZQJVNSOSlEVyeGAWI_HHm4xJYIQlpZRUHr4LqlugMxvHb7YsEOitOp9lLYWt6ffFc0vu_3_mkaCLSPTeJkVNCSYu940-97REIj7XaBUvu75_eJyAwiXMI0/s1600/Summer2012-042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9mtU0Pnrms2HWARJShbTxcXZQJVNSOSlEVyeGAWI_HHm4xJYIQlpZRUHr4LqlugMxvHb7YsEOitOp9lLYWt6ffFc0vu_3_mkaCLSPTeJkVNCSYu940-97REIj7XaBUvu75_eJyAwiXMI0/s320/Summer2012-042.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDYI9lupJXV6YPXI0nozW3s0CV58qaSwq_XQTdHBfD0rM0YGB0b4UNwaCU6v9nU37zSJEaU2LD-9teG2wPjAIXVgbO_KEmGnDL8kFkFfbpxAp8iXq5vfAFxNOt1MODa1oh-pIX3eKBFAu/s1600/Summer2012-047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDYI9lupJXV6YPXI0nozW3s0CV58qaSwq_XQTdHBfD0rM0YGB0b4UNwaCU6v9nU37zSJEaU2LD-9teG2wPjAIXVgbO_KEmGnDL8kFkFfbpxAp8iXq5vfAFxNOt1MODa1oh-pIX3eKBFAu/s320/Summer2012-047.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4H1eg45ccuodD8EXn8UdkygFFay_qYRDcmTqGC3oDYMMRsyDokbj3jwlPxorq_wqP4HXtZoEijtqWBpJnBrlDViA1xOk54Hm2eane1A26T_l_UUHPP0bSw9KC2EM3j7LNLAfmDIcbzoCl/s1600/Summer2012-055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4H1eg45ccuodD8EXn8UdkygFFay_qYRDcmTqGC3oDYMMRsyDokbj3jwlPxorq_wqP4HXtZoEijtqWBpJnBrlDViA1xOk54Hm2eane1A26T_l_UUHPP0bSw9KC2EM3j7LNLAfmDIcbzoCl/s320/Summer2012-055.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdtVax7BEjG9SQuLl-nKMX6Pzl3tiRlouJuJruM0oFU1OYKI4bj_SzAGQHjuxNOBdNQZRqPMs_UxacWyddvTRIKoIr_o_DoBklb_VeoSztBBt9zlD0gDUZXbZs_49283OcZLfGUtkG_R1/s1600/Summer2012-063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdtVax7BEjG9SQuLl-nKMX6Pzl3tiRlouJuJruM0oFU1OYKI4bj_SzAGQHjuxNOBdNQZRqPMs_UxacWyddvTRIKoIr_o_DoBklb_VeoSztBBt9zlD0gDUZXbZs_49283OcZLfGUtkG_R1/s320/Summer2012-063.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnk5C9RWEu0nwWTB59VbSibJK8mvFpwmrUVsXWqvIFrppo9v-G8ERQNfblDno47uBAqrhxL6qxutRBtVS0ZeNYDc7EiprMtmeF8RsbUU1otBhHdQhB6y1n1zvFI8v1Lc-5PMxJZJaguGTw/s1600/Summer2012-067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnk5C9RWEu0nwWTB59VbSibJK8mvFpwmrUVsXWqvIFrppo9v-G8ERQNfblDno47uBAqrhxL6qxutRBtVS0ZeNYDc7EiprMtmeF8RsbUU1otBhHdQhB6y1n1zvFI8v1Lc-5PMxJZJaguGTw/s320/Summer2012-067.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-48560886335738933832012-07-28T13:53:00.000-05:002012-07-31T15:44:13.578-05:00Rock climbing is for boys tooI FINALLY got my hubby to go rock climbing with me last week. Since I had already taken the intro course (click <a href="http://justanotherfriday.blogspot.com/2012/07/rock-climbing-is-for-girls.html">here</a> to read about that), I just needed to "test" again which is where they watch me climb to make sure I remember the class. There was another couple there and the guy was there for his "test" and the girlfriend needed to go through the intro class. SO, we swapped partners and the guy, who is Chad, and I do our tests together while my hubby and his girlfriend go through the class.<br />
<br />
Now, the girlfriend is about 90 pounds soaking wet and my husband is an easy 200 pounds all day long. You are supposed to climb in partners so you can be tethered to the person on the ground and they control the rope and catch you on the rope should you fall. When there is a weight difference between partners of more than 20 pounds things get entertaining.<br />
<br />
My husband let her climb first and she did her unannounced fall no problem. My hubby was able to catch her on the rope and she was lowered to safety without harm. When it was my hubby's turn to climb and the girlfriend was his anchor, Chad and I quit climbing to watch what would happen.<br />
<br />
While they are rigging up the ropes and tying knots, I noticed the instructor pulled a tether cord from the ground mats and tethered her to the floor. When my hubby did his unannounced fall she was completely unprepared. When his 200 pounds came down on the rope it yanked the rope in her hands and she started jogging towards the wall in an uncontrolled fiasco. She hit the end of the tethered cord and it stopped her from breaking her nose on the wall and zinging to the top.<br />
<br />
I almost peed myself!! It was the funniest damn thing I've ever seen: the horror on my husband's face and the complete shock on her face from being thrown towards the wall. Priceless.<br />
<br />
Needless to say the instructor stepped in and helped to control my husband's decent down the wall and the ditzy, weightless girlfriend failed the class. Which proves to me that too skinny will kill people - so eat you twig!!<br />
<br />
Despite the fact that husband almost plummeted to his death, he loves to rock climb with the proper partner (me). Thanks goodness, because I really love rock climbing and now he does too.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's the hubby tying his knot to get ready to climb.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyY1JUkeAzF-RegtUANqpQ7M6PU35Zesga-z_a8_LkezANDYyMt1gkbEHHrqujlrK-wfyUl43e58olU4OMOWjmfUg4HYWDrT3f-mv2nisNfML7hTMhP1kmFRcCMwcO5RtVb5WE0Tctosyk/s1600/544463_4344901340161_1710910694_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyY1JUkeAzF-RegtUANqpQ7M6PU35Zesga-z_a8_LkezANDYyMt1gkbEHHrqujlrK-wfyUl43e58olU4OMOWjmfUg4HYWDrT3f-mv2nisNfML7hTMhP1kmFRcCMwcO5RtVb5WE0Tctosyk/s320/544463_4344901340161_1710910694_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here we are after our climb!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_shYllF-tsKZvP1zao9wEeq3_Irl7dxB0U-rjywhw2P7XdYMaNEZFRbVMTTfDH0ZCagCE8uaO7hqi16NATmWYRk19INEm4zEf_cpA6i9li5ZHoVbaoGxyRTxuu4ViXSgi9WH9qm-GlNDM/s1600/8062_4344960141631_840575540_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_shYllF-tsKZvP1zao9wEeq3_Irl7dxB0U-rjywhw2P7XdYMaNEZFRbVMTTfDH0ZCagCE8uaO7hqi16NATmWYRk19INEm4zEf_cpA6i9li5ZHoVbaoGxyRTxuu4ViXSgi9WH9qm-GlNDM/s320/8062_4344960141631_840575540_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-22412076639048606082012-07-20T10:15:00.000-05:002012-07-20T10:15:32.778-05:00Yummy recipeI just saw a wonderful looking recipe at Mama Laughlin's bog: check it out <a href="http://www.mamalaughlin.com/2012/07/pinspiration-wednesday-skinny-enchilada.html" target="_blank">here</a>.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-54987488115007790782012-07-19T12:46:00.002-05:002012-07-23T14:43:43.168-05:00Rock Climbing Is For GirlsMy wonderful friend, Andrea, joined me for ladies' night at the local rock climbing wall. We thought we would just show up and climb some big ass rock wall - much to our dismay<span style="background-color: white;">, we had to go through a 1-hour training course. <sigh> Fortunately, the instructor kept the mood light and was funny the whole way through.</span><br />
<br />
I'm so glad we took the training coarse because you climb in pairs. One person climbs the rock wall and the other stays on the ground and "belays" (which means pulls the slack in the rope and stops you from plummeting to your death). Without this training, we both would be dead for sure. :)<br />
<br />
At first I was intimidated, but quickly realized that rock climbing is a lot of leg strength and little arm strength. After my first climb to the top, I was hooked. We "practiced" going up and down over and over and switched off. As it turns out, my friend Andrea, is a bit of a screamer.... Every time she got a little higher she would screech and people would look to make sure she wasn't dying. It made for a VERY interesting night and she had the attention of our instructor a little well - he loved her! And it was great to watch them.<br />
<br />
I will definitely be doing this again and really hope to make it a weekly event. Hopefully, I can get the hubby to go soon. It burns 900 calories in an hour and will tone arms like nothing other.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's the climbing walls at UNO:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOdjMvtyIwL6-EKrVWBjVF3BQxa2LrdBgPt8Bjqc6ONjFs05rqE_UMN24JEFD9Gh27GlQIJ8yM67tCHrxnw8lqc4zccYRO52-nZhf99KRAomVvivj1qAMvlDJqNIkUDQRWMxdmmlmRyVK/s1600/wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOdjMvtyIwL6-EKrVWBjVF3BQxa2LrdBgPt8Bjqc6ONjFs05rqE_UMN24JEFD9Gh27GlQIJ8yM67tCHrxnw8lqc4zccYRO52-nZhf99KRAomVvivj1qAMvlDJqNIkUDQRWMxdmmlmRyVK/s320/wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-37653352649083389302012-07-16T13:43:00.004-05:002012-07-23T14:43:53.012-05:00Owl Ride 2012I somehow managed to talk my husband into doing the 2012 Omaha Owl Ride. Basically, it's over 2,000 bicyclists riding a 17-mile coarse from downtown Omaha through midtown and to Aksarben Village and back. It started at 11pm so we rode in the dark with lights on our bikes. It was tough and took us about 2 hours, but it was fun and worth it. Here's the photos:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUp8gCOTZL21iaIPyHIPdSsmGZa2Vmr1MOY3ZBuK7Cnf3qYbgosmk_2rN41A9g0bRI5r_g-VWz-gN3cAA_lgJgBMOWlkE2o7nQ_QC57KsFYkp13_QwslorPneEEIZ8o8CcWEBCnrdeRT3S/s1600/photo4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUp8gCOTZL21iaIPyHIPdSsmGZa2Vmr1MOY3ZBuK7Cnf3qYbgosmk_2rN41A9g0bRI5r_g-VWz-gN3cAA_lgJgBMOWlkE2o7nQ_QC57KsFYkp13_QwslorPneEEIZ8o8CcWEBCnrdeRT3S/s320/photo4.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Here we are getting ready.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOSqnc_ED_W7hOkdHbStCYnIWHqAzPY6yiyRa-4XRc2pDZI3EEiwMm24Qvh5iRNAnSy_U-R8HZgORwK-r3MTL7qGqboMHr-9pp9HARM00oxDw8PmXsghqm_rWd8APsSWarXzgVbcZz7wQ/s1600/photo2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOSqnc_ED_W7hOkdHbStCYnIWHqAzPY6yiyRa-4XRc2pDZI3EEiwMm24Qvh5iRNAnSy_U-R8HZgORwK-r3MTL7qGqboMHr-9pp9HARM00oxDw8PmXsghqm_rWd8APsSWarXzgVbcZz7wQ/s320/photo2.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">They had flame throwers for waiting entertainment.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKa4HVLUhUeH5uSi0y9AtHol5oT2u1uTv5TJV8gxKjHsUqOTfCMV91yNFsRJl4rIX3JfG_RJO3kJGEnR38jcAqbdZUEzw8OehYXe1Q6OSyz2ySNYzSoaeTvpmxCWm_pW0UOdsnnuby6KW/s1600/photo3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKa4HVLUhUeH5uSi0y9AtHol5oT2u1uTv5TJV8gxKjHsUqOTfCMV91yNFsRJl4rIX3JfG_RJO3kJGEnR38jcAqbdZUEzw8OehYXe1Q6OSyz2ySNYzSoaeTvpmxCWm_pW0UOdsnnuby6KW/s320/photo3.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">TONS of people showed up!!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYt0QOJHteONnVYSj-wEuSUiTVuPuhHi5-Ye-Q-r_PAcfehDwlHnxFNdcKc7K2Pj6uQhev1zRaYMTKK3flsk7XtyV-I-iNqq4QcPY4mSg19ZIYn1wzkAAhpwlisqhf0AQXsrx6TDE6Kaiq/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYt0QOJHteONnVYSj-wEuSUiTVuPuhHi5-Ye-Q-r_PAcfehDwlHnxFNdcKc7K2Pj6uQhev1zRaYMTKK3flsk7XtyV-I-iNqq4QcPY4mSg19ZIYn1wzkAAhpwlisqhf0AQXsrx6TDE6Kaiq/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We made it half way!!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioREWD-o5QrAcO2P-DTwWJ-ERoE19Q6zLHXNYGFN9hbDBuzNEC448Y6oDJCicTSla7_JbsIoPtZWgQc8uRefjMiYDt_lmA9zy2lJJXV7QzhMqq54AYB6BIUjyHt1M0Zqdo9lMnwowHyMWf/s1600/bilde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioREWD-o5QrAcO2P-DTwWJ-ERoE19Q6zLHXNYGFN9hbDBuzNEC448Y6oDJCicTSla7_JbsIoPtZWgQc8uRefjMiYDt_lmA9zy2lJJXV7QzhMqq54AYB6BIUjyHt1M0Zqdo9lMnwowHyMWf/s320/bilde.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Some people got really creative!!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-46828813920778780842012-07-16T12:44:00.001-05:002012-07-23T14:44:04.089-05:00How I almost died this weekendSo through the Nebraska Adventurer Group (NAG), I signed up for a beginner course of rappelling Saturday morning. I thought it sounded cool and had thoughts of Mission Impossible in my head. After I rented a harness and geared up with my hydration pack and hiking boots, I met up with the other three <strike>victims</strike> volunteers and we set off to the cliff top to start our training.<br />
<br />
Here I am all geared up and ready to <strike>jump to my potential death</strike> learn to rappel.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzd5ejxu9am4H6tC6s1vjK4MRAaB6cRviXiFo7bU4bOjYjtgbFXvCBA5GiqNB6rEsbRZd6s5yLX_SgKrncFMk1YdcYynmHX_OjuXgxdzJuegt-kprSrmM4PHKo3X4VfsU4jqYEtn9Ie9M/s1600/376455_4286656604079_1809538931_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzd5ejxu9am4H6tC6s1vjK4MRAaB6cRviXiFo7bU4bOjYjtgbFXvCBA5GiqNB6rEsbRZd6s5yLX_SgKrncFMk1YdcYynmHX_OjuXgxdzJuegt-kprSrmM4PHKo3X4VfsU4jqYEtn9Ie9M/s320/376455_4286656604079_1809538931_n.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<br />
We walk over to the edge of the dirt cliff and I'm feeling pretty damn brave until I am about 5 feet from the edge and can see straight down 300 feet. That's when the tunnel vision and nausea started. Now I am not afraid of heights but I am afraid of falling.<br />
<br />
Here's a view from the top:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirz1GIy7k5fkLQO9hLTWz0bOx2TBefgNCNBNaeN2I05_hKpBtogkGqcw4GFuiVV3mzHPNuU-6zaQm1-J85r7ZcFOcrlF3Vnfu5R8YGyMv-uPMkR3WSZwdVnNO9jZcX63JvK9MuiSU4Zuu/s1600/319399_4286670964438_1870204771_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirz1GIy7k5fkLQO9hLTWz0bOx2TBefgNCNBNaeN2I05_hKpBtogkGqcw4GFuiVV3mzHPNuU-6zaQm1-J85r7ZcFOcrlF3Vnfu5R8YGyMv-uPMkR3WSZwdVnNO9jZcX63JvK9MuiSU4Zuu/s320/319399_4286670964438_1870204771_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Our instructor tells us that we have to "scramble" down 20 feet to get to the actual cliff. Translation: We have to climb down 20 feet on our own not hooked to any safety equipment and pray we don't break our necks in the process.<br />
<br />
Here is the "scramble" down section:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUVj_eRLZTr57VFcZdrzV1hsUMFSqLRwrpSyGZ0gN7pu1qaH4IR-84KCgJccjt6A6vNuj4L09xxYn9WgGRR-YaPEDlXbumj71JSmoW1Ujn-UvOg2MXQPaHkxStTH4BwMkWkgl2_DL7L-d/s1600/580745_4286673284496_2083638718_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUVj_eRLZTr57VFcZdrzV1hsUMFSqLRwrpSyGZ0gN7pu1qaH4IR-84KCgJccjt6A6vNuj4L09xxYn9WgGRR-YaPEDlXbumj71JSmoW1Ujn-UvOg2MXQPaHkxStTH4BwMkWkgl2_DL7L-d/s320/580745_4286673284496_2083638718_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
This is when I should have turned around and gone home, but nope, my stubborn pride would not let me. So I "scramble" down the cliff side (quite ungraciously might I add) and make it to the top of the cliff side. I hook on all my ropes and equipment and stand with my back facing the cliff and my toes on the edge. I close my eyes and I can hear the birds and feel the sun beating down on us. I'm already sweating.<br />
<br />
I look over at the instructor and wait for him to tell me this is all a practical joke and we can go home now but instead he mutters, "Now lean back on the rope and let go."<br />
<br />
Now folks, there comes a point in your life when questions pop into your head such as, "Is my life insurance paid up?" and "Did I feed my fish this morning?" and I couldn't control all the thoughts wondering through my brain.<br />
<br />
I take a giant deep breath, secretly hoping I would float away. But instead, I lean back on the rope and let go. I suppose instinct kicked in because I didn't die, instead I slowly let the rope slip through the devices and I started my descent down the cliff.<br />
<br />
Here's a shot looking up 20 feet:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixV9VizQN7iI97sof6IVdftL7p2wwsx704dWXscFRsdeg4BoOhUuQ_i34LSS4M-83FoxFXae-aau2qxKWUiKZhyphenhyphenfX_mK0guC-_8z4mm4VvJfgFA6Xjuuxz7hvIZl31mmZjQlVp1_lOhd8q/s1600/314725_4286677284596_1201541388_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixV9VizQN7iI97sof6IVdftL7p2wwsx704dWXscFRsdeg4BoOhUuQ_i34LSS4M-83FoxFXae-aau2qxKWUiKZhyphenhyphenfX_mK0guC-_8z4mm4VvJfgFA6Xjuuxz7hvIZl31mmZjQlVp1_lOhd8q/s320/314725_4286677284596_1201541388_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
The trip down only lasted about 20 minutes and was really quite enjoyable. When we reached the bottom of the 200 foot rope, and we were still dangling 100 feet from the bottom, the instructor says, "Ok, now it's time to change rigging to prepare for ascent."<br />
<br />
Ascent - as in climbing back up? Shit - why did I not think that we would have to climb back up the damn rope. I look up and I look down, thinking maybe if I tuck and roll I could land the 100 foot drop safely.<br />
<br />
I reluctantly rig up the ascent gear and start to climb with all the upper body strength I have. It's a very slow and tedious process and shreds your arms from the weight. Half way through I am ready to give up. But it dawns on me that there is no quitting when you're suspended from a rope 100 feet from the top. Where could I go? No where but up.<br />
<br />
I believe that when you reach a degree of complete desperation that your body starts survival mode. I glance up the cliff and just decide that this fun little "adventure" is now over and I want to take a shower. I use every last ounce of energy I have to finish my climb to the top.<br />
<br />
Once I reached the cliff top and was safely sitting on the ground, I thought finally it's over and I can limp back to my truck. BUT NO!<br />
<br />
There is still another 20 foot "scramble" to the top. WTF? I'm never leaving my house again!<br />
<br />
With the help of the other <strike>victims</strike> volunteers, I reach the top and fall over gasping for air.<br />
<br />
After my body stops shaking, I assess my wounds. A horrible gash on my left hand from rope burn, 4 more blisters on my hands and a variety of scrapes and small punctures from tree branches. I hike back to my truck and climb in with the AC blasting and take a quick "rest".<br />
<br />
In hindsight, it was something I can cross off my bucket list, but I do not believe it is something I will do again until I am in better shape and all healed up.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352637682218436355.post-66521756503786644662012-07-12T09:00:00.000-05:002012-07-23T14:44:23.801-05:00My first hiking tripI recently joined the Nebraska Adveturers Group through Meetup. I joined two weeks ago and have now gone on two 5-mile hikes through local forestry areas. The first time was not so great as I decided that I should wear long pants (100% cotton) to fend off the ticks and I also wear a large cotton shirt. It was 90 degrees at 8am that morning - what the hell was I thinking for wearing cotton?!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGLY5IwRCsuGAEl2pr_aK5pNRIWfO1fRIGPj3yw-owQMV2_OVPxFZAspDh0dSQI8F8ogrDTpZthxinaRP9XfiOJRW5ADhMWIz8AWpqtpFjdx8QiTdqlFP8Ma8VqV2XSRP9Vuf-RpdvXrD/s1600/389106_4249549876434_1501255042_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGLY5IwRCsuGAEl2pr_aK5pNRIWfO1fRIGPj3yw-owQMV2_OVPxFZAspDh0dSQI8F8ogrDTpZthxinaRP9XfiOJRW5ADhMWIz8AWpqtpFjdx8QiTdqlFP8Ma8VqV2XSRP9Vuf-RpdvXrD/s320/389106_4249549876434_1501255042_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here I am wearing all my cotton! </div>
<br />
After I endured hot, humid weather and my clothes drenched with sweat and clinging to every unappealing crevice, I decided I needed to go shopping for work out clothing. Where you say? Where else - Target, duh?
They have a complete line of Duo Dry clothing which will not drench with sweat and come in some really cool neon colors.
So I bought two outfits and now I'm ready!
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLC3CjLBdhUOmQ8FFdsBMKhicHX02tLp6xn8SOKftiweImq_0f3Yi8-ujqorZyvLVDEisqAcTKhYy5Q_jE6EH7qzH3HYfwOtcPsSojvZ8SqdYNu6K8iQiM46GF1otBOR73AorWhASr0wUo/s1600/561458_4253801942733_377441111_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLC3CjLBdhUOmQ8FFdsBMKhicHX02tLp6xn8SOKftiweImq_0f3Yi8-ujqorZyvLVDEisqAcTKhYy5Q_jE6EH7qzH3HYfwOtcPsSojvZ8SqdYNu6K8iQiM46GF1otBOR73AorWhASr0wUo/s320/561458_4253801942733_377441111_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
That's me in the black.
</div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304122340631403970noreply@blogger.com0