High Five for Friday

Oh, hey there Friday...I've been waiting on you...

Spring has arrived...which is great, I love Spring.  Everything is green, there is a pop of color everywhere you turn, the birds are playing and singing, the dogs are extra playful, everyone is happy to be outdoors doing things they love...the gorgeous flowers are staring at me saying "plant me, plant me.." 

The one thing I can say that I do not like about Spring (besides snakes) is that I have to put my boots away.  Like, I could cry.  I hope I don't hurt their feelings, but they have to go in the closet until the Fall.  I'm a little sad about it...I probably wore them longer than I should have, but I just love them so much.  I hope they can forgive me.

Out with the boots. In with the Toms.

I can handle that.

Trey tried to teach me how to skateboard.  During this lesson I discovered that Trey does not know how to skateboard.  This could have ended badly.  Well, it did.  For Trey.  Not too badly, just minor scrapes and minimal blood loss.  The next day, while at the store, I noticed a set of knee and elbow pads in my shopping cart.  The kid has determination...I'll give him that.  I, on the other hand, do not...at least when it comes to skateboarding.

Have I mentioned that I have lost 47 pounds in the last 9 months?  Yeah...forty seven..that's right.  I'm kickin this fat to the curb, big time.  Meanwhile, I am finding that last seasons clothes are a few sizes too big.  Which is amazing..I mean who doesn't love losing weight that was the equivalence of a small child?  My clothes are sad.  They're cute, and now they won't get to be worn by me again (ever), and soon they will be leaving my closet to go live with strangers. I think I'm most sad about my Gap jean jacket, which is basically my staple in the Spring/Fall..and now it hangs on me.  I see more shopping in my future...a good jean jacket is a must have.  While out and about trying to update my Spring wardrobe I found this super fantastic shirt dress at Target.  I have the blue and cream striped one, and loved it so when I found this solid color navy dress I had to get it.  

I blogged about this self tanner last season.  I'm blogging about it again.  It's the best I have found, and I'm using it for the third year in a row.  I went to church Sunday with bare legs...it's always nerve racking that first time of the season when you bare your pastey white legs...  as we were walking into church..Trey (oh so kindly) told me that my legs were too white.  Thanks, bud..you know how to make a girl feel really swell.  So, the next morning I was spraying away.  The next day, he says "wow, you're tan!" That's more like it.  I swear by it!  You can find it at any drug store for $8.00

Marcie and I had so much fun during her visit.  We did a little bar hopping Friday night...which I have not done in about 8 years..  I highly recommend not mixing vodka, rum and whiskey.  Just a suggestion. We laughed so much, mainly about the dumbest things...mainly about the genius (or not so genius) ideas we come up with.  

I met Marcie, her Mom and my Mother-in-Law at the marketplace the following day.  I was on a mission to find "gates" for my fruit and vegetable garden.  I found this old metal foot board, and absolutely fell in love with it.  It had a hefty price tag on it, so I didn't exactly leave the store with it.  But I know where it lives, and I haven't forgotten about it.  Don't you think it would be cute?!  I have a vision of several mis-matched random gate-ish type things to put around the perimeter of my garden.  I know that sounds random, but that's how I like stuff.  I like different. 

While I was out and about this week I made a pit stop by Starbucks to get my favorite Passion tea lemonade...they were out of lemonade.  What?! So, the guy suggested I try the Passion tea with orange mango (and sweetener) I'm glad he did.  New fave!  I dropped by the Starbucks closer to my house the next day and ordered it, and they had never heard of that combo before.  It's the stuff!

So, I know I mentioned last week that I was going to begin reading Matched.  I did start reading it, and seriously after reading about 10 pages every evening I literally zonk out.  It started out to be the most boring book I've ever read.  Normally, I would shelf it and move on, but Marcie, aka book club President, assured me that it would get better.   It took me a week just to get to chapter 13..and I was sawing some major logs...Finally last night I managed to stay awake while reading, and almost finished it.  It's not so bad, but it's s.l.o.w..

I was super busy this week, so one day I ended up grabbing a bite to eat on the run.  Normally, I try to stay away from fast food (hence the loss of 47 lbs) but sometimes it's just too convenient, especially when I'm starving and my next meal is light years away. So I at least try to make healthy choices.  My go-to drive through meal is Chick fi la's grilled nuggets (6 count) and (medium) fruit bowl.  It is filling, deelicious, and only 180 calories.  I can't make this stuff up.  Now, if you add a dipping sauce then you're getting on up there in calories, but if you eat it just like I show it here...it's only 1.8.0.  

Alright, so I did what some of you suggested and I put a little more of the Pillow Soft curl cream in my hair than I did the first time. It actually looked decent.  I think it was an accident that it turned out this way.  I mean, I know there is no way I could ever get my hair to do this again, but for one day my naturally dried curls turned out cute enough that I was sorta diggin it.

Since getting rid of all processed dog treats in our house we have settled on apples.  I have tried just about everything under the sun I can think of, or that I have read about that is safe for them, and the only thing they really want is apples.  I can live with that.  They l.o.v.e them!

This dog..I swear.  He gets so emotional sometimes.  I was snuggling with my other two dogs one day, and he sat beside me and stared at me like this the entire time. He must have gone to sad puppy dog eye school to learn how to work it.  What a weirdo. 

(he is pretty much pitiful, and cute)

While at the farm over the weekend I snapped this picture of my cousin's dog, Lucy.  She sat by the fence watching Trey ride in the field.

She also loved sitting in my lap...

Tomorrow is race day...It will be my first race without one of my partners in crime by my side...I'm a little nervous about doing it solo...Like trying not to think about it nervous...yikes!!  Catharina is injured and unable to run..I tried to convince her to power walk beside me.  I guess one of the perks of being a slow runner is that if you walk fast enough you can keep up with me.  haha!

Thanks for stopping by to read about my week.

Hope your weekend is filled with super, amazing randomness!!

xo

Carrie

High Five for Friday

Happy Happy Friday!

Here are the highlights from my week...

I did The Color Run with my people...Two of my girlfriends, my Mother-in-Law and my Aunt-in-Law.  We had a blast.  I love this run because it's just a fun run...they call it the "happiest 5k on earth" and it pretty much is!  Brittney and I ran together the entire time and had so much fun giggling, people watching, and getting our color on.  I loved doing this run last year so I was like jump up and down excited the whole week leading up to doing it with my peeps.

Next weekend I am doing this run for, and also with, my cousin Lynn.  She is amazing and has been an inspiration the last several months while undergoing chemo treatments. Come out and run with me, or walk with Lynn...you still have time to register..  I know it would mean so much to her to see some familiar faces.

Cancer sucks!!

Insurgent was the longest, and the best book ever...I read for eight hours straight over the weekend and couldn't put it down.  The ending was so intense that my heart starting beating out of my chest and I read the last few pages too quickly because I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen..I ended up re-reading the end of it the next morning.  I already miss my favorite guy in the book, and I can't wait for the third one to come out in the Fall. Have you read it?  You should!

The next tril we are reading in our little Tennessee to Ohio book club is "Matched" I just got it in the mail yesterday, and haven't even taken it out of the box yet.  I have no idea what it's about, but Marcie said it's great, and she's already finished so it must be a good one!

My throw back Thursday picture this week is of my middle school/high school friend Meridith and I.  Her family lived on a horse farm, and they went to all the big horse shows. We always had so much fun at the shows, and I loved to see her get dressed up and ride on those big beautiful, majestic horses.  She was a natural!  This picture was taken in our hometown where we were asked to present the awards at a show.  Meridith passed away several years ago, so I'm glad that I have pictures like these to remember all the fun times we had together.  I was in 11th grade here, and she was in 10th.  I don't know why my legs don't look as long now as they did back then...hmmm.  

Several months back I received a sample of Vasanti, Brighten Up in my birchbox.  It's an exfoliate for your face, and it's pretty much the bees knees.  I have only used Arbonne products on my face for the last 8 years, and a few years ago they stopped making their facial exfoliate, so I thought I would give this a try.  It is 99% organic...it contains micro crystals, aloe, coconut oil, vitamin B and E.  It reduces fine lines and wrinkles, evens out your skin tone, and to top it all off it makes your skin feel super soft.  It's good stuff, and inexpensive.

My buddy is finally here!!!  

This is going to be one fun weekend!!!

Thanks for stopping by to read H54F...

I hope your weekend is filled with a ton of amazing things!!

xo

Carrie

High Five for Friday

Happy Good Friday!!

Here are the highlights from my week...

Friday Trey and I packed up and went to the lake.  He fished most of the time we were there..even in the rain.  I sat in this chair most of the time during the day..reading Divergent, watching Trey fish, sea gulls fly..(sea gulls migrate here from Michigan during the winter) ...we even watched a bald eagle scoop a fish out of the lake and perch itself on a tree limb outside the window and eat it...it was pretty awesome...all of this took place while I enjoyed multiple glasses of wine out of a pink solo cup (keepin it classy) and then at night we watched a ton of movies.  Seven movies to be exact.

It was a wonderful, relaxing mini vacation, and exactly what I needed

A few miles down the road from the house a Civil War reenactment was being held.  We heard cannon's being shot at random times of the day.  Each time it would rattle the house, and I thought someone was there.  Trey talked me into taking him to see the last cannon shooting of the night...So, in the rain, in the dark, without a coat (because I didn't pack one..I only packed comfy clothes because I didn't plan to go anywhere or see anyone) in the muddy field...we stood under an umbrella, under a tent, in the cold to have a heart attack every time a cannon went off.  

The things we do for our kids.

I finished the first book of the Divergent trilogy while I was there.  Love it..like a lot of love, loving it!  It's pretty fantastic.  Basic rundown....it's future dystopic Chicago, corrupt government..the state is divided into five factions.  When you turn 16 you take an aptitude test to find which faction you are best suited for, and then you get to choose which faction you want to join..If you leave your current faction you leave everyone you know behind, and cannot see them ever again. Each faction has it's own rules and way of doing things...some are seriously loopy, some are scary.  It's very Hunger Gamish, but I like it a lot better...yeah, I just said that.  It's pretty intense, and leaves you turning the pages while you pry your eyelids open with toothpicks to finish.  I got the second book - Insurgent - in the mail yesterday and had to pull my face out of it just to write this post.  The third book comes out in October, and they are making a movie that will hit theaters March 2014.  It's some good stuff folks, check it out.

Since Marcie and I have been reading together we decided one evening this week that we will begin the Matched tril next.  Last night she sent me this...

Pretty funny, huh!

I have a new (to me) game I've been playing whenever I have absolutely nothing else to do..It's called What's the Word.  It's a free app.  Basically you have four pictures and you have to come up with one word that all four pictures have in common.  Sometimes I have to put it down and walk away for a few days because I can't figure out the word.  It won't let you go to the next picture until you get it right.

Since I didn't go out in public too much this week I decided to try out the sample of curly hair serum I got in a recent Birchbox.  I rarely wear my hair curly if I go out..If it's curly you should go ahead and assume that (a). I was physically incapable of fixing my hair that day, or (b.) That I only had 5 minutes readily available that day to fix my hair.  1. It is completely out of control, and I don't know how to fix it when it's curly  2.  It gets really annoying when people I know ask me if I got a perm, and then in the same breath say you should wear it like that all the time.  My sister is the worst.  She must think I get a perm every few years..I'm always like "How long exactly have you known me?"

  I guess it is really pretty, but it never stays like that.  I'd love to hear suggestions for preventing a major fro from you curly hair people.  I either use too much product, or not enough...it's never just right.  My hair was really soft, and smelled phenomenal.  The packaging says that it is the first fabric softener type styling lotion for your hair leaving your curls clothesline fresh and fluffy soft. All of which is true.  It smells like fabric softener...I'm not making it up.  It was as if I washed my hair with Snuggle.  I would get random whiffs of the scent throughout the day...and it smelled really good.  I think next time I'll try to use a little more of the product, but for the most part it did a nice job.

Every spring break my neighbor bestie leaves me and goes to the beach.  It is not very nice of her to leave me, and then also to not invite me...I'm kidding, but I do miss her...and the beach, so while having a text-convo with her I requested a picture...

So, here's a picture from Brittney to share with all of you (maybe just me) that wish you were at a beach somewhere...

<sigh>

Saturday I will finally get to see Brittney's face again and we, along with three other people, are going down to Nashville to do The Color Run.  I'm the only one out of the five of us that has done a color run before, so I'm super pumped that we are all doing it together.  We are going to have so much fun!

 For the first time in a very long time I have plans almost the entire weekend, and I can't wait.  I was reminded earlier in the week that one of my best buds is coming into town next weekend and we are doing some serious planning...to do a lot of hanging out at the martini bar downtown..and whatever else we want to do. Hopefully next week will fly by because I kinda miss her face too!!

Thanks for stopping by to read about my week...I hope your weekend is amazing!

xo

Carrie

High Five for Friday

Yesterday felt like Friday to me...how about you?  I figured out early on that it was only Thursday. Later in the day my Mom and I had a conversation, and she was talking as if it were Friday, I was like "Mom, today is not Friday.." She said "oh, you're right!" Then let out a really funny laugh.  What a nerd, apparently I get my nerdiness from her. Thursday was a beautiful day...cold, but beautiful.  So, that can only mean that today must be even better, right? Right!

Here are the highlights from my week...

Double denim and old school roller skates...that's how I rolled over the weekend..

(that's so punny)

We went to my Nieces birthday party. I thought she was turning 13, (Aunt fail) my Mom did too (Grandma fail) She made me text my sister to ask. She turned 12.  I can barely keep up with my own age, so I think it's an excusable mishap of judgement...err forgetfulness.

okay, so picture this...

Fifteen..twelve year old girls, and Trey.  

What a stud!

He thought he was a cool dude 

(he pretty much is..he gets his coolness from his Mom)

It was kinda cute to see a few of the girls chasing him around.  

He loved it!

I skated, and skated, and laughed, and sang, and sweat..I had so much fun!
I needed a day like that!  It was very refreshing.

 My brother in law played DJ..he played all old school 80's...even dedicated Carrie, by Europe, to me... so sweet..ha!.  Chris, Lynn and I felt acted like we were teenagers again...we held hands while we skated, pretended we were Olympic speed skaters..raced each other..it was all smiles all day..it was a blast!

I only fell down a few times...still have the bruises to prove it.  One time I got super excited because a good song came on...as I was skating around a turn..I, perhaps a little overzealously, threw both my arms up in the air and screamed "woooooohooo!!!" and umm, then my feet flew straight out from under me and I quickly landed on my butt/back/with a partial twisted knee underneath me.  I.could.not.stop.laughing.  About three little girls skated over to me and were like "omg are you ok?"
I couldn't move..all I could do was laugh.

Skating is great!
Who wants to go skating with me?

So, I guess since Trey and I wear the same size he thinks it's okay to wear my shoes?  After smelling them I don't want them back..little boys have super stinky feet (peee ewww) I have to admit though that he is kinda rockin the my chucks!

I had a great run this week..  I came home, and my husband had my hot water ready for my tea. When it's cold outside my body really appreciates a cup of hot tea and honey after a longish run.  He also cooked dinner that night.  What's going on around here?

Speaking of sweet..I woke up from a nap one day to find that some little boy had snuck into my room and left me a treat.  He sure knows the way to his Mama's heart with hand written notes and Reese cups.
It made my day!

I noticed the birds have been hanging around the house lately, so I decided to give them a treat.  I have been hanging onto these favors that Nicole gave me from her baby shower, so I finally hung one on my tree in the front yard.  I heart my birds..and now they heart me too..

I also heart the Delirium trilogy.  I've mentioned it before.  ;-)  Have you started it yet? Finished it yet? I convinced two of my girlfriends to jump on the bandwagon, and so far they love it.  Here's one of my favorite lines from Pandemonium..(the second book)

Well said.

Do you watch American Horror Story?  If you've been hanging around my blog for a while you already know that I like to watch some really off the wall creepy stuff, so of course I'm a huge AHS fan.  The first season was about ghosts, the second was Nazi's and aliens...the third season...they announced this week will revolve around witches..most of it being filmed in New Orleans.  I love me some witches...more like fascinated, really...and can't wait for this new season to begin in the fall.  Who's with me?

On Wednesday...the first day of Spring I wore my new favorite baseball tee that I scored from the Gap outlet.  1.  It was faahreezing cold in Tennessee on the first day of Spring.  2.  I pretty much dig this shirt.  and 3.  I think this teal (?) turquoise (?) aqua (?) is my new it color for this Spring/Summer.  Yerp.

Old Navy is having a massive dress sale.  what, what!  Look, see..there's my new it color again.  I think I'm gonna have to get that dress, but I don't think I'll make it before the sale is over.  Figures.  

It's called the eyelet dress. It also comes in other colors, but I like this one the best.  You should go shopping this weekend and take advantage of this amazing sale!  I will most definitely be buying a ton of new dresses this season since only one from last season fits me....(whoop) they're all too big!  

This is our "we're super pumped that it's spring break, face!"  Trey and I are packed up, and as soon as school lets out we are heading out of town. We're takin off, we're runnin away... Instead of sitting at home freezing ourselves to death.. we're gonna go hang out by a body of water, snuggle up..watch movies .. and do whatever we want.. for four days! I have several bottles of wine, four pairs of leggings, a handful of soft vintage tee's, my book, and my favorite fluffy blanket.  Trey has a fishing pole and his favorite hat.  I think we're all set.

Quote of the day...

"I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude.  It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position.  Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress.  It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope.  When my attitudes are right, there is no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me."
Charles R. Swindoll

Attitude is everything.
Have a lovely weekend.

xo

Carrie

High Five for Friday

Ever had one of those weeks that you wish you could have a do-over?  That's how I'm feeling about this week. It wasn't the best.  I don't like to be sad or mad.  Normally If I am I just hold everything in and spend a lot of time alone with a bottle of wine, and shut everyone and everything out because I don't want to be a drag.  I like to be positive, I like to find the good in everything..sometimes even the bad stuff.  Sometimes it's hard, but that is the person that I choose to be. I don't like to complain..I'm not perfect. I know there are millions of people in the world that have much bigger problems than I have and I don't want to be ungrateful.  

I was very reluctant to post this blog today. I sent it to Nicole early this morning to see if I sounded like a total debbie downer...that's not how I want to be perceived, and no one likes a debbie downer...especially me.  My goal in life is to make people happy, but often times I forget that the most important person to make happy is myself.  I try my hardest.  Nicole read my blog and told me that nobody expects me to be in a good mood, and optimistic all of the time, and reminded me that my blog is a representation of myself, and sometimes it's nice to see that I am just like everyone else because everyone has bad weeks and days.  She said that my blog shows how awesome I am for still being optimistic even when I don't realize it.  She is so right, and I needed to hear that. Afterall, we are only human, and sometimes the best we can be in that moment is the best we know how to be. Sometimes you've got to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and just get on with it no matter how much it hurts.

In the beginning of my blogging journey the purpose of H54F was to point out the good things about my week..So, here goes nothin...

 I got this bracelet...otherwise known as a bravelet from my Mom and Dad at Christmas.  It's just a leather band, with a stainless steel piece on it that says...be brave....  The proceeds of this bracelet went back to the lupus foundation.  I got my friend Lynn a pink one and the proceeds went to breast cancer research.  On her way to her first chemo treatment I texted her to remember to be brave, and reminded her that she is the bravest person I know.  I smile every time I see her and notice that she is wearing it.  I wear mine no matter what.  All the time.  This week I fiddled with it a lot, looked at it, rolled it around my arm, and remembered to look at it, and read what it says...because this week I needed to remember to be extra brave, and sometimes you forget.

I went to Murfreesboro for a class I needed for work.  I stayed in town until the last day of class.  One evening while getting in the elevator someone caught the door and one after the other these insanely tall boys piled in until there was no more room..They were in town for a basketball tournament.  As they all piled into the elevator I couldn't help but giggle...I've never felt shorter in my life. 

So, I passed my test in my class, and am one step closer to my end goal. It was nice to be able to sit down at my favorite pub and have lunch with my instructor both days I was in the boro.  I love picking her brain, and she always gives me the confidence boost I need for my job. 

  I haven't slept well in days..practically all week I have tossed and turned and had the same bad dream over and over. No fun. It's turning into quite the nightmare. But, while in Murfreesboro, I let myself relax, I spent all of my time alone after class studying, and I slept like a baby..Finally.

 I finished the Delirium trilogy I mentioned in last weeks H54F.  I don't think I could have read those books at a better time in my life.  Through things going on in the book, I was able to see and understand why certain things are happening in my own life.  Right book at the right time.  It was a great tril.  I recommend it to anyone that likes YA fast reads. Got the first book for my new tril in the mail yesterday.  Divergent.  It is also YA and about future dystopia.  I really wanted to start on it last night, but I had a few glasses of wine when I got home, then not even thinking about it I took an ambien.  Huge mistake.  No reading for me, but no nightmares either. Winning..

  Trey told me his reading class is going to do a Harlem shake video at the end of the year.  If you've been on the internet in the last month you know what the Harlem shake is.  It's pretty down right hilariously obnoxious. I asked him if he decided what dance move he will do...he told me what he wanted to do...I won't tell you because well it's inappropriate..  I gave him the look...you know the "mom look" and I said "really?!!  Please don't do that.. that's distasteful...let some other moms kid do it."  So, we brainstormed a few rockin dance moves. The kid has mad dance skills.  He gets that from me.  (poor thing) .It was a funny conversation.  My kid is funny (he also gets that from me)

 I think Nicole has ESP or something because I needed a friend this week, and she didn't even know it.  I got a text, which made me cry, and I'm pretty sure we were talking about finger nail files. (lol)  I was just so happy to hear from her.  Then I got a surprise phone call in the same day.  It's funny how talking about Henry's first Easter basket, birchbox, and breast feeding will make a bad day partially better. 

I got my Birchbox in the mail this week.  I pretty much love everything in it.  Tomorrow I am going roller skating with a bunch of 12 year old girls. This is going to be fun! I'm gonna skate circles around these girls and show em how its done...old school style. Hopefully I haven't forgotten how to roller skate...

One foot in front of the other...

Thanks for stopping by.

The end

xo

Carrie

High Five for Friday

Happy Friday!  I'm finally completely healed from being sick for close to two weeks.  What a hassle.  I don't like being down, and I really dislike taking antibiotics, although I am grateful for them. 

The antibiotics I've been taking make my mouth taste like I've been eating rusty door knobs. Not that I've ever eaten rusty door knobs...I'm just sayin'..  I have been constantly shoving these Listerine strips in my mouth one after the other to mask the nasty taste..  At one point I wondered if you can overdose on them...I'm thinking not. Since I'm still alive.

Since I've had plenty of downtime I finally decided to begin the Delirium Trilogy, by Lauren Oliver. Marcie was telling me all about it on our Mardi Gras trip, so I decided to go ahead and order the first book from Amazon.  I'm glad Amazon can ship as fast as I can read.  I knocked out the first two books in four days, and now I'm a few chapters into the last book.  The picture on Requiem looks just like my friend Catharina.  I told her so, and she said "I hope my check is in the mail because I didn't give them full rights to that photo" She's so funny.  I love her and all, but it's kinda freaky having her staring at me from my bedside table. lol (she's looking at me now) Anyway, the books are soooo super good...hard to put down.  If you liked the Hunger Games you will like this tril.  Marcie and I have been sending random text messages back and forth discussing the book, our views on it, and anticipating what we think will happen next.  Most of the texts start out with an "omg" followed by half a dozen exclamation points.  Kinda like our own little book club from Tennessee to Ohio.  She texted me at 6 something this morning to tell me she finished the last book, and I know she has already chosen what we will read next..Eeek..I guess I better catch up.

This little kitty cat of mine likes to read with me.

My throwback Thursday pic this week is my absolute most favorite picture of my niece and I.  She is so little here, and I find it hard to believe that she will be 13 next weekend. 

You know the drive-in theater I've been talking about periodically for the last year?  Well, it opens today.  All Summer straight into the Fall.  I can't wait to go.. Who wants to go with me??

Check out their website for the deets...

Stardust Drive-In

Yesterday I got a nice surprise in the mail.  Birchbox sent me this key chain and a thank you card for being a loyal customer.  It has a little pouch that allows you to carry a product.  I will probably carry a chap stick, or a gloss.  Did any of you Birchbox-ers receive a gift?

Speaking of bbox...have you heard the news?  Birchbox will team up with Women's Health Magazine for our April boxes.  Your box will feature products hand picked by the editors of Women's Health.  I don't know about you, but I'm pretty pumped about my April box, and my March box hasn't even arrived yet!

Don't forget to spring forward this weekend....I'm really excited for longer days.  Since taking up running last summer I got bored doing the same route over and over in my neighborhood.  Even changing it up a bit eventually became extremely boring. I found a few places in town where I have really enjoyed running.  They all close at dark, and it seems I'm always rushing to get there in time to get a good run in before the sun goes down.  It's kinda creepy finishing up a run in the dark on some of the trails, not to mention potentially dangerous. I say bring on the few extra hours of sunshine..I'm ready!

Speaking of running...to all you ladies on my team - we have 22 days until race day.

Time to get excited...are you ready?

Friday for me means....wine time!!

I will leave you with a few funny punnies I read this week...

What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary?  A thesaurus

A dyslexic man walks into a bra.

How does Moses make his tea?  Hebrews it

This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I'd never met herbivore (lol)

I know, I'm a total nerd.  I hope you all have an amazing weekend...get outside and do something fun!

xo

Carrie

Under the Weather

Have you ever had a flu test?  Trey had one several months back.  As I sat in the hard, metal chair in the corner of the little 10 x 10 examination room I had to pick my mouth up off the floor, and fight back the tears watching in horror at how they test for the flu...on my little boy.  All I could get out of my mouth after they were finished was "are you okay?!"

This past week I was feeling a little under the weather.  Once I would get home from work I would go straight to bed.  I felt terrible.  Dizzy, headache, nausea, chest congestion, hot, cold, night sweats.  All the fun stuff that comes with being sick.  So, Saturday after waking up from a long nap I called the walk in clinic down the road to inquire about their hours.  It was only 5:00, and they were open until 8:00.  I crawled out of bed.  Told Kyle I was going to go ahead and go. Washed my face, brushed my teeth, threw my hair back, put on some clothes, and I was out the door.

On the way to the clinic I had a flashback of the flu test that Trey had.  I was mentally planning my escape route in the event that they said I needed a flu test. I would jump off the examination table, and run out the door as fast as I could.  Throwing elbows at anyone that got in my way.  That was the plan.

Luckily, upon my arrival I was the only one there, so I did not have to wait long.  Once in the room, the two nurses were chatting amongst themselves about how cold it was in the building.  I didn't notice.  The girl taking my temp said she could feel the heat radiating off me, and thought it would be a good idea to hover around me for warmth.  Seriously?  I'm not a campfire, lady!  My temp was super high.

After waiting about 5 minutes or so the doctor came in.  She ran through my symptoms, and after writing everything down that I had just told the nurses she said I think we are going to do a flu test.  I'm not exactly sure what my expression looked like after she said that, but she had a strange look on her face, and she paused for a moment, while staring at me.  With my bottom lip poking out, I said I didn't want a flu test.  I was too tired, too weak to run.  Now I wanted to cry, and I did.

The two nurses came back in the room.  They looked at me with sad faces.  Probably because they know the flu test is no day in the park, and they had already commented on how I looked like I felt terrible.  She said "are you ready?" With my bottom lip sticking out, I could barely speak...I shook my head no, and I started to cry again.  This time the tear flow was uncontrollable.  I didn't want this.  I was deathly afraid of the flu test.  I have given birth via c-section, I have been poked and prodded with countless needles, I have had broken bones, but I absolutely no way.. no how want to stick anything up my nose.  The nurse began to cry with me..which oddly enough was very comforting. She said she knows it's horrible, but it will be over in seconds.  As I held both their hands she did it.  She stuck the extremely long q-tip up my nose and tickled my brain.

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it was still one of the most unpleasant things I have experienced.

Now that I was in the room alone, I was still uncontrollably sobbing.  I felt terrible, I was using up a whole box of tissues blowing my nose and wiping my tears.  I think I cried harder because I was crying.  I was being a big baby, and I knew it.  I couldn't stand it, but I couldn't help it.  My nausea was unbearable. I was scanning the room to figure out the best place to run in the event that I needed to vomit.  All I wanted to do was lay down and close my eyes.

I heard the timer go off outside my room.  I wondered if that was the timer for my flu test.  It must have been because the doctor came in shortly after.  She said, "you tested negative for the flu." I said "well, I'm glad we did all that for nothing."  I followed it up with the sweetest smile I could muster since it sounded pretty mean.

Either way...flu or no flu, I was happy to finally be able to leave, and to have some medicine to make me feel better.  I was grateful for the sweet nurses and the doctor for taking care of me, and being so kind.  Hopefully I am on the mend now, and hopefully I never have to have a flu test again.  Ever.


xo
Carrie