Follow Through Friday - Week 2

Friday (Rest Day)

I actually took it as a rest day!

Saturday (Rest Day)

Switched Saturday and Sunday since I had time on Saturday and knew I'd want to be lazier on Sunday. I ran 3/1 intervals and increased each run interval by .1mph starting with 5.5 mph and ending around 6.8 I think (had to reduce few of the later ones to around 6.3ish though because I was getting exhausted. And because I can't not run a 5k when close to 3 miles I ended up running 3.1 miles in 34:21. It was a nice run!

Sunday (3 miles)

See above, became a rest day! 

Monday (Stretch & Strength)
I finished two circuits of my strength training plan. I wore my heart rate monitor that goes with my Garmin Forerunner and it said in my 17:32 workout that my average heat rate was 121 bpm with a max of 148 bpm. According to the two different calculators I found (here and here) I burned 111 calories. Since they both said the same thing, I'm going with that. 

Tuesday (2.5 Mile Run)

I came home from work with a bad headache so I didn't run but I did walk the 2.5 miles with a few minutes jogging while catching up on some Ravenswood. Finished in 39:25 (15:46)

Wednesday (Cross Training)
By the time I got home from work it was 7pm and I had a massive headache plus had to pack for the cruise so I had to skip.


Thursday (Rest Day)
Planned to make up for Wednesday but never did with the excitement of the cruise so this was a rest day as well.

Friday (2 Mile Run + Strength) 

Actually ended up doing 2.5 miles in 30:15 and realized I can actually hold a conversation at 5.5mph. Chatted with a nice lady from MN while in the cruise ship gym. I did about 1 circuit of stength before I was too hungry and had to go get breakfast. Just glad I made it at all!

 

Bachelor Recap / Fantasy Standings: Week 5

Per usual, just a few comments about the Week 5 Episode... 

• ABOUT FREAKING TIME RENEE! I never thought it was going to happen, especially since it didn't happen on her 1-on-1 date!  I still think she's too good for him. 

• NIkki needs to realize this is not the guy for her. She hasn't enjoyed ANY of the events on the dates which are clearly all things he likes to do (maybe not that extreme all the time, but same idea)

• If he's going to keep stealing Clare away during group dates for long periods of time then he needs to just take her on 1-on-1 dates. It's so not fair to the other girls. And then that rendezvous (which was worth a ton of points in the Fantasy League) in the ocean in the middle of the night. "Hey Camilla, don't worry, Daddy's such a good guy I won't kiss the single mom but I'll pretty much do the sexy blonde"

• And because of the reaction during the rose ceremony, that pretty much confirms what we all thought happened in the ocean. She's a mess and is now stealing time away from the other girls. She's my least favorite of the girls and I hope she doesn't make it much further! (and she's a freaking terrible liar "my allergies" suuuuure and then goes and sits next to Juan Pablo like no big deal)

• And the little Ocean Rendezvous got me thinking, we all know sex is being had on this show, how funny would it be if someone got pregnant (and even funnier if they weren't the one selected because they obviously wouldn't know until after the show was over). I know it wouldn't actually be "funny" - rather sad, the poor kid but something like THAT would be a crazy twist. I bet they probably have something written into their contracts like "must use condom" or something. Especially with all the sex that is reportedly going on in some seasons. 

And now its's time for the Bachelor Fantasy League Standings:

Money League Standings after Week 5

DS: 1160
LL: 1090
JL: 960
JR: 900
ME: 565
KW: 530
SR: 430

The Teams:

JL:  Elise, Lucy, Lauren H, Christine, Victoria

JR: Amy L, Christi, Elise, Kat, Victoria

LL: Alli, Cassandra, Elise, Lucy, Valerie

DS: Victoria, Sharleen, Nikki, Kat, Andi

ME: Alexis, Christi, Kat, Lacy, Valerie

SR: Alexis, Amy L, Chelsie, Kat, Lauren S

KW: Alexis, Ashley, Chelsie, Lauren H, Valerie

Received a Rose:

Andi, Cassandra, Chelsie, Clare, Kat, Nikki, Renee, Sharleen

Sent Packing:

Alli, Danielle, Kelly

Points Earned:

Involved in a real kiss: Sharleen (20), Clare (20), Andi (20), Renee (20), Nikki (20)

Swears: Nikki (20)

Cries: Clare (20), Danielle (20)

Says something like “I’m Not Here to Make Friends”, "I'm Here for Him", or “I’m Not Here for the Other Girls”
: Clare (20)
Alone in Hot Tub or Bath Tub with Juan Pablo: Clare (20)

Receives a rose on group date: Clare (30)

Gets a 1-on-1 Date: Renee (30), Nikki (30)

Reads a Date Card: Renee (50), Kat (50), Clare (50)

Receives first given rose at Ceremony: Sharleen (50) 

Eliminations Points:

JL:  100/each: Danielle, Kelly - 200 earned

JR: 200/each: Danielle 200 earned

LL: 100/each: Danielle, Kelly - 200 earned

DS: 50/each:  Alli, Cassandra, Kelly, Danielle - 100 earned

ME: 100/each:  Danielle, Kelly - 200 Earned

KW: 200/each:  Danielle - 200 earned

SR: 100/each: Sharleen, Clare - ZERO earned

Totally Posted Tuesday

Remember how I was talking about my sister was doing a gender reveal this weekend, well they did it, and they are having a boy!! She was a little disappointed because she wanted a girl but overall happy that she's having a healthy baby. There hasn't been a girl born on his side in over 20 years and even then they were a few and far between all the boys. EM is super excited to meet her new baby boy cousin in July! Plus two more friends just told me, in the last two days, that they are pregnant too! So many babies in 2014!!! 

the happy parents to be

EM enjoying time with her Grandma at the party

Leaving on my first (and probably only) cruise of 2014 on Thursday Morning. We're going on Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Sea - leaving from Tampa and going to Cozumel and back. I've never been on this ship before so I'm excited to check out a new one. It's an older ship but has recently been refurbished (May 2013). It is in the same Class of Ships as the one we got engaged on (Radiance of the Sea) and I loved that one. Full recap to come next week.

Tomorrow is our scheduled date night. (If you remember two weeks ago I mentioned G and I were going to go out every other Wednesday) We ended up switching it to next week though since we have a double date scheduled to see the Solar Bears (hockey) game anyways next week and we need to spend tomorrow night packing for the cruise anyways. 

We also booked a summer vacation to a cabin in North Georgia! It's a gorgeous cabin and there will be 9 of us (G's family plus our good friends) sharing it and enjoying the mountains!  Can't wait to relax on the porch swings, hang out by the fire pit, maybe go white water rafting!

Cabin pictures from http://www.escapetoblueridge.com/ 

Bachelor Recap / Fantasy Standings: Week 4

Ok so I'm totally delayed on posting this considering the next episode is on tonight!!

A few comments from the Week 4 Episode

Nikki is super whiny. She used to be my fave, not anymore. I also don't think she's be good for him because she's clearly not into the same things as him (dancing being one of them). Although I think she'll make it pretty far. 

Sharleen is still super awkward. She also is too smart and introverted for him (IMO). And the not wanting kids thing, it wasn't exactlly clear if she meant now or ever, but I'm glad she admitted it to JP but knowing he has a daughter why would she stick around? Maybe she's open to the idea just never was before. Regardless they are awkward together but he really likes her and that's obvious! 

Who is Danielle and how does she keep advancing to the next week when we NEVER see her interact with Juan Pablo? She's gotta be going home soon! I'm betting on her this week.

I thought it was pretty crappy of JP to talk about not wanting to kiss a lot of the girls and then to go make out with Clare. He could has justified it by saying "well it wasn't someone NEW" but he didn't even say that. Granted he ended up sending Lauren home so maybe that had something to do with not kissing her but he also didn't kiss Renee and she clearly said she wanted too. Plus I'm sure if they didn't see Clare and him kiss, that she at least mentioned it at some point in conversation and how would that make some of the non-kissed girls feel? He obviously likes Clare though that's for sure!

 And now its's time for the Bachelor Fantasy Leauge Standings:

Money League Standings after Week 4

LL: 890

DS: 860

JL: 760

JR: 650

SR: 380 

KW: 330 

ME: 315

The Teams:

JL:  Elise, Lucy, Lauren H, Christine, Victoria

JR: Amy L, Christi, Elise, Kat, Victoria

LL: Alli, Cassandra, Elise, Lucy, Valerie

DS: Victoria, Sharleen, Nikki, Kat, Andi

ME: Alexis, Christi, Kat, Lacy, Valerie

SR: Alexis, Amy L, Chelsie, Kat, Lauren S

KW: Alexis, Ashley, Chelsie, Lauren H, Valerie

Received a Rose:

Alli, Andi, Cassandra, Chelsie, Clare, Danielle, Kat, Kelly, Nikki, Renee, Sharleen

Sent Packing:

Elise, Lauren S

Points Earned:

Involved in a real kiss: Sharleen (20), Clare (20)

Swears: Lauren (20), Kelly (20)

Cries: Kat (20), Lauren (20), Elise (20)

Says something like “I’m Not Here to Make Friends”, "I'm Here for Him", or “I’m Not Here for the Other Girls”
: Nikki (20)

Sings JP a Song: Sharleen (100 for FIRST + 30 for episode)

Receives a rose on group date: Nikki (30), Andi (30)

Gets a 1-on-1 Date: Sharleen (30)

Reads a Date Card: Alli (50), Kelly (50)

Receives first given rose at Ceremony: Renee (50) 

Eliminations Points:

JL:  50/each: Danielle, Lauren S, Alli, Kelly - 50 earned

JR: 100/each: Danielle, Lauren S - 100 earned

LL: 50/each: Danielle, Lauren S, Alli, Kelly - 50 earned

DS: 50/each:  Alli, Cassandra, Kelly, Lauren S - 50 earned

ME: 50/each:  Alli, Christy, Danielle, Alli - ZERO Earned

KW: 200/each:  Danielle - ZERO earned

SR: 200/each: Sharleen - ZERO earned

#2014BloggerChallenge - Books

Topic # 3 for the #2014BloggerChallenge is about books... either your most loved, or most hated. One you read yesterday or as a kid.

This is tough. I don't think I have a favorite book (or a most hated book). I LOVE to read. As you may recall, I read 5 books on our weeklong road trip in December. I just kept going. If books weren't so expensive, I'd probably even read more. I used to buy them used and sell them on half.ebay.com but ever since I started using my G's Kindle I spend a TON of money on books because I can't make the money back by selling them after the fact. I know you can borrow electronic copies from the public library and I really need to figure that out because lately I've been reading a lot again and it's adding up.

Anyways, getting off topic. Since I can't pick my favorite book, I'll talk about my two favorite authors and all of their books are on my "must read" list.

 

 Jodi Picoult  and Diane Chamberlain

In my opinion, they both have similar styles of writing; writing each chapter in first person from a different character's perspective and then switching between the characters to tell the story. I absolutely love that style of writing. Jodi Picoult's are usually more "controversial subject based" - where there really isn't necessarily an absolute right or wrong and the way she had the characters interact and the outcome almost always blows my mind. Diane Chamberlain's stories are usually more "love-story" based but always with a twist and usually some sort of "what would you do in this situation" question to be asked. Both keep me wanting to turn the pages and I can't put the books down! I've read MOST of their books published, and just started The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult.

 One of my favorites for each author are: 

My Sister's Keeper (Jodi Picoult) Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate - a life and a role that she has never questioned… until now. 

Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister - and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable… a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves. My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life… even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less? (from the website description) ** This one was turned into a movie, the movie was good, but the ending was different. The book is always better than the movie, and this is NO exception! and according to Wikipedia there is a TV Series coming in 2015, I wonder if that is true*

Summer's Child (Diane Chamberlain) Early one morning, on the beach beside her North Carolina home, eleven-year-old Daria Cato receives an unbelievable gift from the sea–an abandoned newborn baby. When the infant’s identity cannot be uncovered, she is adopted by Daria’s loving family. But her silent secrets continue to haunt Daria and her family.

Now, twenty years later, Shelly has grown into an unusual, ethereal woman whom Daria continues to protect. But when Rory Taylor, a friend from Daria’s past and now a television producer, returns to do a story on the mystery of Shelly’s birth, something precarious shifts in the small village of Kill Devil Hills.

The more questions Rory asks, the more unsettled the tiny community becomes, as dark sins and closely guarded secrets begin to surface. Piece by piece, the mystery of summer’s child is being exposed, and it’s a mystery that no one involved is prepared to solve. (from the website synopsis)

Who are your favorite authors? What is your all time favorite book?