40

That's a really big number.....Tuesday was my 40th birthday. YIKES! I know everyone says time flies but seriously it's very weird that I'm already 40.

Tuesday I woke up bright & early at 4:45.

4.50 miles was my first run of my 40's.

This is the most awesome combo! So, so good. Try it. You'll love it. I wouldn't lie.

Dean & I went out for birthday dinner #2. We went to Roberto's. You know, home of the best shrimp poboy. They don't serve poboys at dinner so I went with sauteed red fish with shrimp, almonds & a burre blanc sauce with asparagus & mashed potatoes. It was delicious.

Friday after work I went & had a mani.
This is I'll Take The Cake. Love the color. There's a little sparkle to it. Very pretty.

Friday night we had dinner at Caliente with friends. Just our normal Friday night.

Saturday morning I was running in a 5K at St. Joseph's Academy.
Kitzia, Cindy, Me & Sheri. Cindy & I were the only ones running. We stayed together for the first 2 mi. & then I ran ahead.  I finished in 31:26. Not bad for me. The St Joseph run was the very first race I'd ever ran & I really like the course. It's mainly through a residential section & there are lots of pretty houses to look at & then we run around a portion of the LSU lakes. By far, my favorite area of Baton Rouge. If I had an unlimited bank account I'd live on the lakes. It's gorgeous.

Saturday evening Scott & Lydia were running a 5K at Mockler Beverage. They also had a 1/2 mi. Fun Run that Logan was running in. He was so excited!
Logan was being silly. He's always so happy to see us. It makes me feel good!

He was ready to run!

He told Dean he was tired & wanted him to hold him after the race. Scott & Lydia ran the 5K & Dean & I watched Logan.
This pic made me laugh! I don't know what he was looking at.
It's rare that Logan is this still but he loved watching all the people finish the 5K. He had a front row seat to see his mom & dad finish the race.

Once the race was over it was off to Birthday Dinner #3! Allison picked me up & we met Vicki & Wendy at Mansur's. I was suprised. They hadn't told me where they were taking me. I love Mansur's! We shared the char grilled oysters  & had wedge salads. Why is it a wedge salad is soooo good? I'm pretty sure if I chopped a head of iceburg lettuce in half & put blue cheese on it, it wouldn't taste nearly as good. For my entree I had shrimp, crawfish & crab alfredo. It was delicious. I couldn't finish it so I'll be having it tonight.Then they surprised me with a piece of blueberry bread pudding with a candle in it. It was delicious too! It was so fun being able to have a girls night with my friends.

Halloween was a very exciting day for Baton Rouge. It was the day Trader Joe's opened! This is the first Trader Joe's to open in Louisiana! Dean & I went this morning. It's a great store & I'm so happy to have one in town.
My favorite flowers ever! They're a beautiful purple color. TJ's had a lot of really pretty fresh flowers & they're not expensive. I didn't get to try the 2 Buck Chuck because of the most ridiculous law in the history of laws. Our parish (remember we don't have counties in Louisiana) had a law that the only alcohol that could be sold on Sunday's was beer but it couldn't be sold before noon. Well, people realized the ridiculousness of this law & they changed it. You can buy any alcohol you want on Sunday's....AFTER 11:00 am. DUMB, DUMB, DUMB. Sadly, Dean & I were at TJ's around 8:30. We try to do our shopping early to beat the crowds. What a bummer.

My mom came over today & we went to brunch for my birthday at Frankie Marcello's. We had the Eggs Sardou. Soooo good!!  I think that was the last birthday meal I'm getting this year which is probably a good thing. I need to be running more & eating less. I'm only 5 weeks away from my Half Marathon!

How was y'alls weekend?

Toodles!

8

Yes, I'm back to numbers. I did ZERO running last week because of the hell that was the stomach virus. I've already mentioned it was awful. I lost 6.5 pounds. Yeh, happy about that but so not the way I would've like to lose it.

Saturday was a great mail day!

Happy early birthday to me! After lots of research (more by Dean then me), we decided the 110 was what I needed. I only wish the entire watch were pink or green or purple. I was responsible & didn't get carried away spending $100 extra for a cool color with features I didn't need. This watch has everything I need. It has a heart rate monitor, shows calories burned, GPS, pace & all that jazz. It's like I'm a real runner now! I also had a really cool pair of hot pink compression socks in the mail too! Love them! They are so comfortable! They are also warm. I may have to order some more colors to wear in the winter to work because my office is like the North Pole.

I planned to run Sunday because I knew we'd be out a little later than normal Friday night & I didn't want to have to set an alarm. My training plan said to run 8 miles. I didn't think it would happen. I still didn't feel like I had my strength back & I didn't feel like myself until Saturday evening. My plan was to run 5 & if I wasn't dead to run/walk or walk the last 3. Well, when I got to 5 I told myself I could go 1 more mile. When I got to 6 I told myself I could do 2 more. I mean what's 2 when you've done 6?? I did it. I ran the entire 8 mi. & it wasn't awful. The last 3/4 of a mi. was rough but I've figured out that it doesn't matter if I'm running 2 or 7. The end is really hard because I know I'm almost finished. It also didn't help that I ran out of water early because I somehow managed to spill some from my no spill water bottle. Have you ever tried to text & run? That was me as I was approaching a friends house I was asking for water. Sadly, her phone was on silent so I was out of luck. It was in the upper 50's so it wasn't like I was on the verge of dehydrating or anything.

I wore my watch! Y'all this thing is sooo easy to set up. I've mentioned that I hate reading directions. I wasn't looking forward to trying to figure this thing out. It was super super easy. Way easier than the Timex watch I used to wear. I thought that I deleted all my run info but as it turned out I just wasn't looking in the correct place.

It's really cool to be able to look at your watch & see how fast you're running & how far you've ran all at the same time without having to press buttons. When I finished the run I stretched, foam rolled & sat in an ice bath aka my pool. Good Lord it was cold! It made me legs feel good though. I even managed to refrain from taking a nap. Usually, that's my reward for a long run.

Since it's finally cooling off I managed to put my fall wreaths up.

I see that I managed to cut off part of each wreath in the picture. Oh well, you get the idea.

Happy fall y'all!!

Toodles!

In the land of the living....

Monday afternoon I wasn't feeling right. Later Monday evening I was sick as a dog with the dreaded stomach virus. I really thought I was dying. At some point I thought that I don't know how people going through chemo deal with all the sickness. There was a point that I just laid down on my bathroom floor. That didn't last long. Ceramic tile is REALLY hard. It was a rough rough night. Thankfully, at 5:30 am Tuesday Dean was able to go to a neighbors & get Phenergan. It saved me. Although, it's now Saturday & I still feel like I'm drugged. I was back at work Wednesday. I didn't feel like being there at all but I've only been there 2 months. I HATED having to call in sick.

Luckily, this all happened at the beginning of the week because we had plans for Friday night. There were 12 of us for my first birthday dinner of the year. My actual birthday isn't until next week. We went to Ruffino's. I love this place but we don't go often. There was crab meat cheesecake, a wedge salad & some awesome veal parmigiana. Veal led to a very interesting conversation about what veal is & such. It's really amazing I've made to almost 40 years old without knowing these things.

I couldn't take a good picture to save my life last night. The lighting didn't help.

Brad & Cindy, Dave & Kitzia, Jeff & Dawn & Cliff standing up in the back. The rest of the group was sitting by me & the pic is on someone else's phone.

There was really good wine!

Then back to Dave & Kitzia's for cake & gifts! It was such a fun night! I can't wait until next Saturday night & I get to do it over again with different friends. I'm a firm believer in celebrating birthday's for at least a week. Especially, big birthdays!

Toodles!

Monday

You are not my friend. That means we are ignoring you.

Friday while I was having my hair done I had a cup of Raspberry tea. It was delicious! It was the Celestial K cups.

Of course  our Walmart didn't have the K cups. That's another recurring theme in my life, Walmart doesn't have something I need.

I needed a cool drink to balance out the hot tea! HA! Seriously, I had a free drink on my Starbucks card & I was passing right by 2 so I had to stop. I got a Skinny Vanilla Bean Frap with coffee which I learned is actually called a Cafe Vanilla Frap. For whatever reason it's not on the menu. It's my new favorite. It was soooo good!

Saturday morning I had 7 miles to run. It was raining when I got up. Finally I was able to leave about 9:00.

We had another cool front! The humidity at 91% is still a little much but that 61 & 59 dew point helps A LOT. I did my 7 miles in 1:15:33. It's the third time I've ran 7 times & that's my best time. Mile 7 was also my fastest mile EVER!! 9:58! For a lot of people that's no big deal but I didn't know if I'd ever get under a 10 min. mile.

This was my ice bath. The water felt as cold as ice but my legs felt good.

My MIL's birthday was Thursday & she got a coupon in the mail for a little shop in town called Nothing Bundt Cakes. She gave me the coupon & I stopped by the shop after getting my hair done. The coupon was for 2 free mini bundt cakes. Look how cute!

They had a bunch of different flavors. I got the white chocolate raspberry. OMG, it was soooo good! The other one was Pumpkin Spice. It was delicious too.

After Mass Sat. we stopped & ate at Caliente & watched the beginning of the LSU game. Then we went to Jackie & Dennis' to watch the rest. That was one ugly game. There really isn't anything else to say.

Sunday, my parents came over & brought Logan. My brother & sis-in-law were out of town running a half marathon. Logan is an expert at selfies....
We went & got yogurt.

That's Freddy the frog. He's Logan's class "pet" & Logan had to take care of him for the weekend & take pics of everything they did & make a scrapbook.

I love this pic of Logan & Dean. I just wish it was clearer.

It was a great weekend & I'm ready for the next one!!!

Toodles!

It's Friday- Whoo Whooo

I think the Hump Day commercial is really funny, especially when Logan does the Whooo Whooo part. Although, I'm much more excited about Fridays. I'm kinda scared to tell you what our weather's like. I don't want it to go away. I'll show you.
That would be what our weather is like currently. Like, right now, Friday, at 1:00!!  Not sure if you can read it but the humidity is only 54%. WOOOO HOOOO! People this is big!! I've ran twice this week. Monday, 4.5 miles & Wednesday, 4 miles. I had to cut off a half mile because I needed to be at work earlier. My friend Allison & I were discussing this week how you know you're serious about running when you're willing to use some of your hair/makeup time to finish your run. Again, more proof the aliens have taken over. I PROMISE you, never, ever, ever would anyone that knows me well say that I'd spend less time on hair & makeup so I could exercise. Like ever. Tomorrow, my plan calls for a 7 miler. I was very excited about the temperatures & excited that I might can do this without finishing soaking wet. Then I saw this.
That would be the forecast for tomorrow. Here's to hoping the weather people are wrong again!

We don't have any big plans for the weekend. When I leave work today I have a hair appointment & thank goodness for that because this hair is a hot mess & has been for a week! At some point tonight we have to go to a wake. No fun. A friend of the family died. I've said this once & I'll say it again, CANCER SUCKS! 

On to happier things, I do get to see my little Logan this weekend. It's been awhile since I've seen him so I'm excited.

Anyone have fun plans?

Toodles!

6

Since I have such a hard time coming up with titles these days we'll stick with numbers. After running 4 miles on Tuesday & Thursday I was up bright & early for a 6 miler Saturday morning. I was kinda slow but seeing as how my knees were sore a few weeks ago I'm taking it slow. After I finished running I walked an additional mile & then came home & did a ton of stretching & foam rolling. The last thing I want is for something to happen that would cause me not to be able to run the Half. Incidentally, it's exactly 8 weeks from today. It'll be here before I know it.

Dean was up at 4:00 am Saturday to put pork on his grill.

I could smell it from the street when I finished my run. It was our turn to host our friends for the LSU game. The friends we take turns with are our neighbors. We live so close to LSU it's virtually impossible to leave the subdivision unless you leave really early or right at game time. Whoever hosts cooks the main dish & everyone brings other stuff.  The pork Dean cooked was sooo good. We ate it today too.

Look what came in yesterday!

I love the Erin Condren life planner. Love it! I was really excited when I got an email with a  $20 coupon code for returning customers. The coupon is good through the end of the year so if you've ordered from her before make sure to watch your email.

Friday after work I did a little shopping. It's my birthday month so I had a couple of coupons I wanted to use. I got 2 tops & a cardigan. I've never been to Anthropologie before. Yeh, I know some people are completely in love with that store. I wasn't impressed. I did find this

Love a cute coffee cup!! Speaking of coffee, have y'all tried this?

After I drank 32 oz. of Powerade after my run I had a cup. It was really good. I also bought some almond joy creamer. I haven't tried it yet but I thought it would be really good in my coconut mocha coffee.

Remember the cool front I mentioned last week?? I got exactly 1 cold run & 1 somewhat cool run out of the deal. Today the heat index was 89 degrees. REALLY??? Don't get me wrong I don't want it to be 30 but 60 would be great.

Did y'all have a good weekend?

Toodles!

Chicago

A week or so ago I got an email from Kendra Thornton. She was writing a series about where we all live & the fun things to do in each city. Kendra has a background in the travel industry & she lives in Chicago. I don't know about y'all but there are several "big cities" that I'd like to visit & Chicago is pretty high on the list. I want to go to Wrigley, to Bill & Giuliana's restaurant & go shopping!! Here's Kendra's take on her city!

You're Going to Love Chicago!

I have lived here in Chicago for many, many years and still manage to find new and fabulous places to frequent. There are new restaurants, shops, shows to see and places to go popping up all the time. I'm never at a loss of things to do, and there are so many great places to bring my children at any given time here in the windy city. When thinking of places and events I would recommend to someone visiting us here in Chicago, I narrowed down my favorites to this list that I wholeheartedly recommend. So what are we waiting for? Let's get started...

1. Glenn's Diner

Glenn's Diner boasts that they have the best food in the world. After partaking in their fresh seafood catch of the day for the first time, I was instantly a believer! While I personally enjoy the seafood, my children love coming for their large cereal selection (an easy option for any picky eater!). That's right...cereal! They have a full diner menu for you die hard diner fanatics, but the cereal options are endless and so much fun! They have over 25 different kinds of this basic breakfast treat, so you can enjoy a different bowl every time you come.

2. Oak Street

Shoppers, get ready! The Oak Street shopping neighborhood is a block full of fabulous shops, sure to delight a wide variety of shoppers. You can pick up a new pair of Jimmy Choos, a to die for dress at Kate Spade and then still have time to spend browsing at Barneys. This is one of the premier shopping areas in the country, much less in Chicago. Be sure to take in the architecture as you window shop; the shops themselves have a great deal of history and artistry to offer.

3. Enjoy a Spa

The Dana Hotel and Spa is a place of serenity that never fails to impress. I frequent their day spa every so often, and love that they offer dining options ranging from fine dining to afternoon tea. Out of town visitors will be hard pressed to find a place of lodging that offers more amenities or with better guest relations. When I am looking for hotels in Chicago, I use the site gogobot, because it offers user reviews and comprehensive details of the amenities and the areas the hotels are in. There is no shortage of things to do near the Dana: its location near the Magnificent Mile is ideal and will allow you to shop, dine and explore Chicago easily.

4. Broadway in Chicago

My love for a good musical has rubbed of on my children, which makes me incredibly happy! As a family, we often frequent the Broadway in Chicago, and we have enjoyed numerous plays and musicals at the five theaters they offer. Broadway in Chicago allows us local residents and visitors to experience the best touring plays as they stop in our lovely hometown to bring their talent and artistry to the stage. Successful Broadway shows put out national tours to bring Broadway caliber performances to the rest of the country. These national tours boast incredibly talented casts and we have never been disappointed with a BIC show.

So there you have it: the best of the best that Chicago has to offer! I'm sure you'll see that those of us who call Chicago home are very proud of our hometown, and we love to show it off and share it with out-of-towners!

It sounds great! I'm ready to go!

Toodles!