Weekend of Indulgences

Friday evening I started craving a burger. I mean really craving a big, greasy cheeseburger. We had even already planned to eat at home but those plans got nixed quickly. After all, that's why I have 49 extra WW points for the week, right? We went to Christian's Tailgaters which I think has the best burger in Houston. I got my fill of red meat along with french fries and a couple of onion rings. Neal and I even split a pitcher of beer since it was on happy hour. It definetley hit the spot. We had such good conversation in the little dive restaurant. Since I had already consumed about 2,000ish calories, I thought "go big, or go home." Sooooo, I talked Neal into going to HEB to get a slice of carrot cake. Not the best I've ever had (that title belongs to my mom) but it hit the spot!

Needless to say, I woke up Saturday feeling a little full. Neal went to ride 40 miles with his team. Mack & I went to Memorial to run a loop. After that, I came home to clean a little. I've got a new system. Clean half the house one weekend and the other half the next weekend. I've tried several things like cleaning one area each day. This seems to work the best. Truth is I hate cleaning and I'm not very good at it. We talk back and forth about getting someone to clean but it just seems silly to pay somebody to do something that I'm very capable of.

We didn't really do a lot of wedding stuff this weekend which was actually kind of nice. We did go to Al's to look at tuxes for the guys but that didn't take long. This was the last weekend that I don't have something planned before the wedding so it was nice to not have much going on.

Today was the Houston Marathon. Storms were forecasted, but God answered some prayers and it didn't rain too much on the runners. I was watching it on TV this morning and its amazing how many run this thing for reasons other than themselves. It was hard not to tear up listening to all of their stories. I am thankful that me and everyone I love are healthy and I pray that we have healthy kids. Neal and I are pretty sure that we're going to Seattle in June to run the half marathon there. I'm looking at it as one last hurrah before I'm hopefully knocked up. I would love to see Seattle in the summertime. Such an awesome part of the country. It was beautiful at Thanksgiving but apparently its in the 60s during the summer. Yes please!

We didn't go to church this morning but went to the gym for a LONG time this morning. Why? Refer back to the first paragragh! But that burger was so worth it. :) I just took Mack for a walk around the neighborhood. We weren't too far from the house and these 2 dauchsands came charging at him. One of them bit him. The lady ran after them to come get them. I told her that aggressive dogs really need to be on a leash. She just looked at me and apologized. I never met a dauchsand that wasn't bitchy. We turned around and continued walking on what turned out to be a beautiful afternoon.

Last 2 Months as a Heiner

Here are a few "fortunes" I've received in the last 9 months or so. The first one about "remember this date 3 months from now" I got not exactly on the 3 month mark but pretty close. Weird, huh? The second one about good things happening this year was in my cookie last night.

These last 2 I got last summer when we really started all the wedding planning stuff. Maybe I should have bought a lottery ticket with numbers on the back because all of these were pretty right on.

Here's an update on the wedding goodness. I took my dress to Ms. J yesterday to start the alterations. It just puts a smile on my face everytime I try it on. I dont' want to take it off! It doesn't need many alterations. I'll go back next Wednesday for a fitting and we'll go from there.

I had an appointment scheduled with a florist yesterday afternoon. I even talked Neal into going with me. We arrived and the lady told us that the person who we were supposed to meet with wasn't there. My first thought was "strike one" for being unprofessional but then we found out the florist's mother had just passed away so of course we said we'd be glad to reschedule. No flowers yet, but there's no need to stress about that yet.

We mailed the invitations late Monday afternoon and I was surprised to find that many people received theirs on Tuesdays. With the website I set up, I get an email everytime someone RSVPs. This is the most giddy feeling in the world. Dorky, I know, but it just makes me smile. I think because it means this is all really happening. Since today is 2 months from W-day, it crossed my mine that my days as a Heiner are numbered. I'm sure once a Heiner, always a Heiner is true, but it will still be weird having a new name.

I'm down another 2.2 lbs for the week. Grand total of 8.8 in 3 weeks. Although, right now my primary reason for going back to weight watchers is to get "wedding skinny", I really am glad I have a healthy lifestyle. It's important to me that I do everything I can to take care of my body now so when the time comes to have babies (sooner that later) I know I will have done my part to have healthy pregnancies.

Invitations....Check!

Mom came over today to help me with invitations. I addressed them this afternoon. We had a system going: she stuffed and I cut the inserts. We had them knocked out in no-time. Neal even helped earlier by printing out all the inserts. I'm excited to take them to the post office on Monday. Earlier, mom and I went to David's to buy a bra and slip. What we encountered was total chaos because it was a Saturday afternoon. When I bought my dress, we went during the week and got the first appointment so pretty much had the store to ourselves. It was a nut house in there. I found what I needed. The first one I tried on was a full piece bra/slip which I didn't find comfortable at all. I ended up with 2 separate pieces and I was thrilled to have an excuse to try on my dress. Score for marking more off the list!

Don't Laugh

Don't laugh at what I'm about to write. I subscribe to Groupon. I haven't bought too many of them, but one caught my eye about a month ago. It was for an infrared body wrap treatment. They wrap you in these bandage-like contraptions and the machine delivers heat. Supposed to "melt inches" and lose water weight. I had my appointment this afternoon. It was actually pretty relaxing for the first 30 minutes and then I was sweating profusely for the next 20. I think you would have to do this A LOT to see results. I'm pretty sure I got suckered with this one. Just another point to show that there are no short-cuts to weight loss. Slow and steady wins the race. And NO, that's not me in the picture!

Neal went to a happy hour tonight so I'm enjoying some quiet time. I even built a fire all by myself in the fireplace. Oh ok, I used a starter log where all you have to do is light the paper and the log begins to burn. About to curl up in a blanket and spend some time with my friend Kindle. Which by the way, I bought a Groupon for a discounted Amazon card so I can buy more books. :)

Artic Blast Go Away!

Just when I was enjoying the mild winter temperatures in Houston, an arctic blast blew through this afternoon. I think the term arctic blast is a little dramatic but that's what the news has been calling it. It's definetely cold and I'm not really an arctic blast kind of girl. Call me crazy but I'll take the heat over this anyday.

I haven't been working out as much this week as I would like. Mostly because I'm exhausted. All this wedding stuff is getting a litle overwhelming. I really didn't think I would be the type to stress over it. Tonight we went paper shopping for programs, rehearsel invitations, and invitation inserts. Not too exciting but needed to be done. My shoes arrived today in the mail. They're the same ones I ordered earlier but in white. They match my dress much better than the ivory ones did. For some reason, I've been procrastinating finding a florist. I think its a mix of not being able to decide what I want and knowing that flowers aren't cheap. Today I contacted someone to set up an appointment to see how much we're looking at.

One Tired Girl

I am tired! Today I was really busy at work and had to work at VTXW afterschool to see one kiddo I missed on Monday. Neal had dinner almost done when I got home. I'm a lucky girl! Today I kept smelling gasoline in my room at school. Not a good sign. They're literally building our new school right outside my boarded up window. I guess the construction workers were using gas powered tools today. Stinky and can't be too healthy. I've also recently learned that the gym is full of asbestos. My room is right next to the gym. Between asbestos and gasoline, maybe I should start wearing a mask to school! Our new school will be so nice!

The guest book I ordered from Shutterfly arrived today. I'm happy with how it turned out. The resolution on some of the large pictures are slightly grainy, but it will serve its purpose. I'm definetely letting Rachel (our awesome photographer) do our wedding album though. Speaking of, we scheduled bridal portraits for February 19. Hopefully the weather will be nice and we won't have to reschedule. I'm starting to feel the stress of getting everything done. Tonight I also worked on inserts for the invitations. It seems when I mark something off "the list", I add 2-3 more things. I need to go run but I think I'm going to bed early tonight. Keeping my eye on the prize!

You are Invited

Our wedding invitations arrived in the mail today. I was a little worried because I ordered them online and didn't get to see a proof. They turned out great and I'm very happy with them. Now begins the daunting task of getting them addressed and mailed. I think Mom is coming to help me this weekend. I've ordered several things online in the last week or two and its been very exciting to get packages.

Today was weigh-in day at Weight Watchers. Down another 1.6 which makes a total of 6.6 lbs for the year. I love the WW approach of slow and steady weight loss. And you can even eat out with the 49 flex points which makes it easier to follow in real life.

We Passed!

Today we went to Beaumont to meet with Pastor to review the results of our pre-marital test. We talked with him for a good 2 hours. I knew we were meant for each other before we did this, but this just put the icing on the cake. We both had to take a LONG test online. It covers everything you can think of. Since we got the results, we've been talking about it but I felt so good after I left the church today. We continue to learn new things about each other every day. One of the things we learned today was that the woman wants to be loved and the man wants to be respected. If you think about it, it really is that simple. I think it was well worth our time to do this little class. And we save money on our marriage license!

Rings and Rain

It's pretty much rained all day today. At least its not freezing cold. We started out the day by going to the gym and then came home to get ready for church. Neal started a beef vegetable soup in crock pot which by the way was delicious for dinner tonight.

We haven't been to church since Christmas Eve. While we were eating breakfast, I was telling Neal that I'm ready to see about joining this church and being more involved instead of just sneaking in and out every Sunday. I was having a hard time explaining why to him. Ask and you shall receive. Today the sermon was about how we become so individualized that we forget how important community is. Life is so much better when you do it with other people instead of just staying in your comfort zone. He challenged us to talk to at least 1 person that we didn't know and not just run out after church was over.

After church, we went back to the jewelry store to buy our wedding rings that we found last night. I knew that was the ring last night but wanted to sleep on it to be sure instead of making a huge purchase spontaneously. I really love the ring but the lady who helped us was awesome. She's the first jeweler we've talked to that has actually listened to what I was saying and didn't try to tell me I wanted something else. Now I really can't wait for March 26! Not for the ring. It's beautiful but that's not what its really all about. I'm excited to be able to call Neal "my husband". I'm excited to see what else God has in store for us. I'm excited to start a family. I'm just excited! I've waited a long time for all of this and it still amazes me that this is all really happening.

Fur Child

He knows how to smile for the camera. This was when we were in downtown Austin waiting for Neal to finish the MS150. Happy go lucky.

When we were contemplating getting the dog, we agreed that there was NO way he would EVER be allowed on the furniture, especially our bed. Well, that didn't last long. He's just so darn cute and cuddly. It means extra sheet washing and couch cleaning but oh well. He usually lays on the floor in the evenings while we're watching TV or doing whatever. The other night, I hadn't seen him in a while. He had gone and snuggled up in our bed. I had left my Kindle on the bed and he had his paws on it like he was "reading" it. I know he's smart but not that smart! I'm easily amused so this cracked me up.

Saturday Schmaturday

We were at the mall today looking for wedding shoes. Its just about impossible to find light colored shoes this year so we left empty handed. This one young guy at a store said "OMG, its way too early for that." Very dramatic but it made me laugh and realize how far I am from Generation Z or whatever letter they're on. Neal tagged along with the promise of Chick-fil-a for lunch. I was stoked to be able to eat at CFA for only 6 points. Grilled chicken sandwich and a fruit cup. It's less than Subway and I'll take CFA over Subway any day! Anyway, the mall was pretty busy since it is Saturday. Seeing a lot of kids there, I started thinking about things my children will NEVER do. Because of course, we'll have these perfect little angels. Right? Here are a few things I vow never to do: put my child on a leash even if it is disguised as a monkey (its still a leash), let them run wild in a store while bumping into innocent passersby without trying to corral them, go out in public with a diaper showing. I'm fully aware that I have absolutely no idea what its like to be a mom, but it doesn't hurt to go in with high hopes, right?

On a side note, I found a pair of wedding shoes online that might work and I think we've found Neal's wedding band. Also bought some picture frames from Hobby Lobby. Home Depot is next to Hobby Lobby so Neal hung out there while I spent about an hour in Hobby Lobby. So much to look at! I did go in with a list of things to check out but I develop ADD in that place.

One Less, One More

Just when I thought I had marked something off the wedding to-do list, it looks like I'm adding it back on. I ordered what I thought were the perfect shoes online from DSW. They arrived today and as soon as I saw them, I knew they were the wrong ivory. It gave me an excuse to try on my dress though. Sure enough, I love the shoes with the dress but the ivory color is much darker than my dress. I thought, no problem, I'll just exchange them for the white pair and see if they match better. Cue the wah-wah-wah sound effect. They only come in silver or champagne which defintely wouldn't work. It's not the end of the world, but I really liked them and they were a good deal. Guess what I'm doing this weekend now?

We have a Menu!

We had an appointment with the WestLake Club tonight to do some more planning. Right when we got there, Jennifer (the wedding coordinator) asked if I wanted a glass of wine because she had something to tell me. Can't be good, right? Well it turns out, she is leaving the club and her last day is next Tuesday. Luckily, Christine (her assistant) is taking over. I'm comfortable with this. She was actually the first one I talked to and she prepared the first quote for us. No worries! I thought it was going to be something bad like the club was closing or the price skyrocketed. She kept commented on how easy going we were. We're not so concerned with all the "stuff" that goes into a wedding, but rather the experience. We want to have a good time and make it a night to remember. Many years from now, I want to have memories of our wedding day. Pretty sure its not gonna matter then what kind of centerpieces we had. So we still have lots of little details to take care of but I know it will all fall into place. The main thing we accomplished tonight was making the menu for our dinner: Green salad/Ceasar Salad, Vegetable tray, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Chicken Piccata, Ribeye Steaks, Green Beans Almondine, Cilantro Mashed Potatoes, and Rolls. Here's a confession: we were super hungry when we left and nothing was taken out for dinner so we went to Pappy's and didn't eat healthy at all. But that's what Weight Watchers flex points were made for. :)

Insanity!

My friend April at school asked me if I wanted to join her to do the INSANITY DVDs. It's this series of DVDs that have workouts which are crazy pylometrics. Lots of jumps and quick movements in short amounts of time. Doesn't look hard until you try to do it. Our plan was to do them together afterschool, but we've yet to find a day when we're both available. So we're doing them at home. I did the pre-test the other night and was so out of breath. Tonight I did the first DVD and struggled through it. But I'm hooked and want to continue. And they make me feel kind of BadAss!

5 lbs and a Whole lot of Squash

Tonight I went to Weight Watchers to weigh. I'm down 5lbs from last week. The meetings I go to are almost entertaining. People sitting around cracking jokes and thinking they're funny. But I guess, at least they're having fun while trying to lose weight. My favorite comment of the night was when this really annoying girl told the leader, "I don't mind being unhealthy as long as I'm skinny." I think she needs to take her money elsewhere because that's definetely not the WW philosophy. Maybe its because I'm not that far over my goal weight (like 10lbs or so), but the plan is really easy to follow. Especially now since fruit is 0 points as well as most vegetables. Which leads me to the squash. I've been wanting to try Spaghetti Squash for a while. We bought one last weekend. I was surprised that the thing was $7.00 but oh well. Seemed a little high to me but what do I know about squash. Tonight was the night to try it. With a little help from Vanessa, I figured out how to cook the thing. It took longer to cook than expected and I had to leave it in the oven with Neal while I went to WW. True to form, dinner was ready for me when I got home. Everything nicely in the microwave waiting to be heated up. Thank God one of us can cook; however I'm pretty sure I couldn't have screwed the squash up. With a little chicken and spaghetti sauce, I thought it was pretty tasty. Neal just thought it was ok. Since it makes a ton, I'll be having it for lunch tomorrow and possibly the next day. Now, time to watch the Biggest Loser. No matter how many seasons they do, I keep watching and the people get bigger and bigger. I think its the most "real" reality TV show on right now. I mean, its hard to fake losing 100+ pounds. I get into and love to hear their stories and how this show changes their life. And to also remind me to continue being healthy. Peace.

Life in the Fast Lane

So we're officially in wedding mode. Well me more than Neal I guess. He gives me his opinion when I ask him. I got a lot accomplished over the weekend. Ordered shoes, invitations, and made a guest book. My mind is constantly "on" these days. Today was a busy one. I worked all day at school, then worked at VTXW, and then went to the gym to run. I was starving when I got home! Too tired to write much more. Last night was one of those "perfect" nights. It was cold outside so had a fire going in the fireplace. Neal was watching football and I was curled up under a blanket reading on my Kindle with Mack curled up on my feet. Life is as it should be!

Just Another Saturday

Boy, was today a busy day! Neal left early to go on a 40 mile bike ride with his triathalon club. I took Mack out for a little run this morning. Since I am way out of the running game, I'm doing the Couch 2 10K program in hopes of being able to run 6 miles again soon. I'm getting there. After the run, I came home and got busy. Ate breakfast, started some laundry, folded the previous 2 loads of clothes, cleaned the kitchen, swept the floors, finished The Girl Who Played with Fire, all before noon! I had a nice little egg white sandwich for lunch and then we went out to finish our wedding registry. We started at Target and spent over an hour there. All that time and only had 18 items on our list. Then the little scanner thing was acting up and they weren't sure if our list would be saved or not but sent us on our way. We then went back to Bed Bath & Beyond to finish there. When I got home, I logged on to Target.com to check our registry. It was there, but there were some duplicates and the website wasn't working with me. I then decided that BB&B had all the 18 items we put on our Target list. The BB&B website is super user friendly and I was able to easily add everything we wished for. I got tickled because it shows that 2 gifts have already been bought and I haven't really told anyone that we registered. My favorite memory of this experience was Neal at Target trying to scan the 52" inch TV to put on our registry. One can dream, right? True to form with the Target registry, it wouldn't scan the barcode.

Tonight we ate at Spaghetti Western. After that, I came home and ordered some wedding shoes online and also ordered our invitations. It feels good to mark things off the list, even if the list keeps growing. Whenever I start getting stressed with all the details, I just remember what this is really all about and it puts me at peace.

Here we Go

2011 has started out pretty good. No complaints from the first week. We arrived back into Galveston on Monday around 8 and I was at work by 10:30. No rest for the weary. With all the days I'm taking for the wedding, I really didn't want to take that day unless I had too.

Since we're less than 3 months away from the wedding and I was in the 160s coming back from the cruise, I decided to go visit my old friend Weight Watchers on Tuesday. They have a new program which includes free fruits. Although I'm not supposed to weigh until next Tuesday, I've cheated and jumped on the scale a few times. As predicted, its working like a charm.

Yesterday afternoon, VTXW invited the staff to go see The King's Speech. The movie is about King George VI who stammered and his speech therapist who helped him. I was the only one that went with Bill & Judy, but I didn't mind since Neal is not a movie person and I jumped at this chance to go. The movie was awesome and made me really proud to be a SLP. Although I think my days in the school setting might be numbered, I really do love the profession and am very thankful that God sent me down that road.

Happy 2011

We spent New Years 2011 on a cruise. Two years ago, we were in New Orleans and last year we were bums and stayed home. I guess this was our year to go all out. We went with 7 other couples and had such a good time with them. The wind was blowing 50mph or so most of the trip which made for a rocky ride. I didn't get too sick but I definetely watched what I ate and drank as to not make it worse. It was really neat to ring in the new year on top of the ship out in the middle of the gulf. We were in Cozumel for New Years Day. The group rented a few jeeps and we drove around the island, stopping every so often at a bar or restaurant. I loved spending new years day sitting on the beach with a cold beer.