New Puppy!

So here are the pictures of the new puppy!

We decided to name him TOBY!

I am sure there will be lots more pictures to come, but he would not stay still for me!

Now I feel bad I haven't posted any photos of Dakota, uh well maybe another day when I am not so tired.

  

Family

Thanksgiving... is a traditional North American holiday to give thanks at the conclusion of the harvest season. To me Thanksgiving is food, travel, turkey, fall, leaves, orange, and FAMILY.

On Sunday Nate and I went over to Fashion Square mall, if any of you know this mall you know it is a crap mall, but we had to return the tux that Nate wore in our friends wedding this weekend. As we waited out side for the store to open I started up the conversation about thanksgiving (for the millionth time). We haven't decided which family we are going to see and thanksgiving is only a couple days away. As we sat there thinking about it we realized no matter where we were going, it would probably be a depressing day.

We were going to his grandmothers in Seabring because she is not doing very well, but then Nates mom had to go to the emergency room last week and is still in bed receiving antibiotics for a staff infection. His parents told us that they still might be going to seabring, but I really don't think his mom should travel. On the other hand we can go to my grandparents house and have thanksgiving there, which is normally a good time and we can invite Nates parents over. We would still have the stress of seeing his mom, but we would only have to travel an hour and a half not four hours on the busiest travel day of the year. As I sat there, in our crappy mall, I realized that Thanksgiving is about family and how we are giving thanks for the people in our lives. I also realized that growing up kinda sucks and it really sucks when people we love become sick. We both agreed that no matter what we do the most important thing is to spend time with our family! Sometimes this is easier said than done. I love my family they are great people but sometimes I can only take so much of them. Most of the people in my family are very opinionated and mostly about my life. I know they are just helping me out and giving me advice that they wish someone had given them, but when it comes from your family it is different. I guess I just see it that since I am so comfortable with them I can become more agitated and annoyed with them. It even seems that way with really close friends, you feel comfortable with just telling them that you don't want to hear it and they continue to tell you their opinion! For this Thanksgiving, no matter where I end up, I am going to try and just enjoy every ones presence and enjoy the person that they are. I am going to try and take every little quirk and suggestion and just turn them into a positive, this Thanksgiving is just going to be about enjoying my family and the people that they are!

F.F.F

Since I missed Fabulous Finds Friday last week, I knew I had to do it this Friday!

Last night my husband and I got another pup. There will be many pictures up in a couple of days, but just haven't had time. So this F.F.F is all dog inspired!

We will start off with a little humor and this had me cracking up!

It is the Humunga Tongue toy

This will make you go dog wild! It is so funny.

Some of my friends dressed their 3 month old as a hot dog for Halloween, it was so cute!

We got a little boy, but if Dakota (our girl dog) wasn't 75lbs I would try and put her in this adorable thing!

Ok so enough with the out fits. My last Fabulous find is the best yet. Nate and I travel a lot and also love to take picnics when we can. This design makes it super easy to bring your pooch with you on all your trips! It is called the Charlybox and it is design to Carry their food and water and then it turns into dishes for the dog to eat and drink out of! Brilliant!

Working it!

I have been off and on sick for the past 2 weeks now and this means I have been to firefighting training only twice. I am suppose to go at least two times a week, but that has not been possible. I have still been working out, but I am defiantly not up to the push that they give me. I have been doing their work-out that they make us do, but at my own pace. I have also been trying to get as much cardio as possible and I hate running out side. I love the elliptical at my gym so I pretty much stick to that, but I never know how I can mix it up. I found this great work-out for the elliptical on Fit Sugar , they also have many healthful tips that they up date everyday!

So here is the amazing work out!

0-5 min lvl 3, Warm up

5-6 min lvl 5

6-7 lvl 5, back wards

7-9 lvl 7, forward/no hands

9-11 lvl 10, hands/ SPM 135-145

11-13 lvl 6, backwards

13-15 lvl 8, forward/ SPM 145-155

15-17 lvl 6

17-19 lvl 8, forward/ SPM 145-155

19-21 lvl 6, backward

21-22 lvl 6 forward/ no hands

22-24 lvl 10, hands/ SPM 135-145

24-26 lvl 6

26-29 lvl 8, backward

29-31 lvl 8 hands/ SPM 145-155

31-34 lvl 8 forward/ no hands

34-35 lvl 5

35-40 lvl 3, cool- down

I like to print it out and put it in front of me so I can keep up. This schedule really makes the time go fast! A key to doing any cardio is to monitor your heart rate and make sure you are staying in between your target heart rate. Your target is between 65% - 85%. Here is the formula to figure out your target heart rate.

220 - your age = your heart rate at 100%

take that number and multiply it by .65 and that is your heart rate at 65%

take your 100% heart rate again and multiply it by .85 = your heart rate at 85%

example: 220 - 23 = 195 65%=128 85% = 166

so I stay between 128-166when working out, my warm up is usually at 50 - 60% and I try and move up through out my work out.

Staying between your target heart rate can burn the most fat and it is an easy way to track the progress of your work outs.

Go out and challenge your self!

Tag, your it!

So I have been using the Nablopomo randomizer a lot lately and came across this blog, Binary Blonde. She had a fun tag game on her blog that I wanted to start too. So here are the rules:

Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
7 Random and/or Weird Facts About Me

1. I have never been to the west side of the country.

2. When I go shoping I always take things from the back of the shelf.

3. I am an only child

4. Sometimes I wish a hurricane would come so I could sleep for 5 days straight

5. I color cordinate my shirts, that's when I actually hang them up!

6. Grocery shoping stresses me out (there are way to many choices)

7. I want to start a no kill animal shelter one day.
Ok so here are the blogers I am going to tag!

Becka
Alexis
oh how lovely
love is blonde
Fat Free Vegan
[redacted]
Hostess with the mostess
Go out and share the blog love!

Worry Wart

Sorry I haven't written in a couple of days. I feel like my head has been spinning and when I do get a chance to hold it still it isn't for very long. I am totally failing this Nablomo thing but anyways with the holidays coming up there is no way I would be able to catch up, so I will do my best and call it at that! I haven't really been inspired to write lately, maybe it is because I am busy, but the one thing I know it is is stress. I never used to get stressed out at all, as my mom would put it, I was too laid back, I needed to at least worry about my future. I wouldn't worry about anything, I would just let life deal with it's self and that is how it was suppose to end up. Lately in my life I have been such a worry wart I have let the stress in and now it won't go away. It is getting so bad I am starting to have anxiety and get sick over the smallest of things, i.e - going to training, or work, or even out with my friends, I worry worry worry.

So I was reading up on anxiety and wanted to find some statistics about it. This is what I found:

This is the most mild form of anxiety: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

it is found in 6.8 million people

and women are twice as likely to be affected

(there are many forms of anxiety but this is just one)

As I was reading there were many cures most of which just summed up, TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF, and RELAX!

try and find a relaxing out, like bike riding, painting, writing, jogging, or even taking time to watch a movie. Well my week is packed, so that won't be happening anytime soon for me, but maybe someone can relax for me! What helps you relax?

Trust - a guest's perspective

Hello All,

I'd like to introduce myself to you, I'm Nate, the husband of the beautiful girl who's smiling face greets you every day.  a little background as to who i am:  first and foremost i'm a husband, but the roles i play in my life are infinitely eclectic.  i am also a musician(drummer to be specific), a photographer, a student (i graduated from ucf but it took so long to get my B.A. that i'm going to hold on to that title for as long as i'm alive i think), a nerd, a rogue(if you don't get it, don't ask) and i love to rock a feaux-hawk.  I was honored that my wife would ask me to write for her today, and thought i'd share some thoughts that have been on my mind, about a specific and important topic to me: Trust.

what do you put your trust in?

is it possessions, or people, or knowledge, or ideas?

a child clutches his blanket and it brings him warmth and comfort as if he was still being held by his mother's arms.

are we any different? we all have our vices, our comforts, our escapes, our dependencies.  

we have shoulders we cry on, friends we lean on, drugs, hobbies, exercises, and toys we turn to when our insecurities get the best of us.  

what do you turn to when things get hard?  who do you put your faith in when you can't see the best in yourself?

more importantly... who trusts in you?  who do you know that fights everyday of their life to put on a smile, to have hope, to actually find reason to trust in people after so much hurt and a lifetime of pain and abuse and people that have taken advantage of them time and again?  

trust is a funny thing.  putting your life, your hopes, your dreams, your secrets, your vices, and your future into someone else's hands is a great responsibility, one only surpassed when someone places their lives into yours.

trusting someone can be exhilirating, confusing, and terrifying, while at the same time it is pure, comforting, and brilliantly simple.

Take an opportunity to let someone in, or take some extra time to listen when someone tells you what's going on in their life.  you may find that by putting your life into someone else's hands will make you feel alive in a way you'd forgotten was even possible.

What to do?

So last night I couldn't think of anything to write about. I brought up the idea of my husband maybe writing on my blog for one day. This seemed very logical because in the past he has said he has wanted to write a blog and of course he is a way better writer than I am. I asked if he would honor me and be a guest writer on my blog! He was too tired and told me to write what Becka wrote about, I guess I was suppose to re post and didn't know it. And then I read Alexis' blog and she did it so now I really feel like I need to! So here is Lauren's MeMe

I Am...

a lover

strong

weird

hugable

dependant

funny

and sometimes depressed

I Want...

a goal for my life

to be content with what I have

to be truly happy

I Have...

a loving husband

the quirkiest dog alive

I Wish...

too much

I Fear...

death

life

not living to my fullest potential

cancer

I Search...

for better ways to express myself

a new wardrobe whenever possible

buried treasure!

I Wonder...

if my dad thinks about me

what if..

why people do the things they do

how I can do the things I want to do

what our country will be like when I have children

I Regret...

trying so hard then failing

I Love...

the smell of fresh laundry

when little kids laugh

knowing I am loved

I Ache...

for women in Africa

starving families

and tortured animals

I Always...

fall down, but can't always get back up

make people mad

feel judged

I Sometimes...

lie in bed and want to stay forever

wish I had special powers

I Dance...

to forget

to feel like a child again

to impress!

I Sing....

in the car to all the songs even if I don't know the words

too much for Nate

silly

I Never....

care enough

love enough

do enough

I Rarely...

tell people what I am really thinking because they would think I was crazy (just ask Nate)

I Cry...

into my pillow

under the sheets

in my car

I Am Not Always...

there

I Lose...

at everything, except Nert's for some reason

I'm Confused...

by our world and what we have done to it

I Need...

hugs

someone to tell me it will be alright

an exploring partner

I Should...

love myself more

love others more

live in the moment

I'm Thinking...

so now people know me

man this took a long time

Etsy Finds!

So I am just going to feature this amazing artist I found on Etsy.  You can find her at Helloberlin her jewelry is very vintage and her love for metal really shows through her work!

Check it out yourself, here are some of my favorites!

My Drunken Monday!

I randomly got really sick last night and it followed into today.  I am starting to feel better, but not a 100%.  Since I didn't eat at all yesterday and logically thought I should at least try and make myself eat I called my friend Becka and asked if she wanted to go to our new  favorite cafe, The Drunken Monkey, she of course said yes and off we go.  We needed to stop by target first to get the much need items of a sweater dress and heart rate monitors! (which I will probably be writing about again when I have a chance to use mine!)

While at target we had a strange feeling of being stocked and then out of no where Jeremy (Becka's husband) pops around the corner!  We invite him to lunch and now we really are off to lunch!

Before arriving I wanted one of their delicious vegan soups, but none sounded appealing today.  They switch them out day to day so just depends on your flavor.   I decided to go for there homemade turkey panini's!  Becka got their eggplant marinara sandwich and vegan zucchini bread and Jeremy got the turkey panini and a cup of crab bisque!

If this is making your mouth water you need to head over to the drunken monkey and try out all of their delicious sandwich and soup choices. Or you can just go there for a great cup of specialty coffee!

Look for my photography's business card and Becka's Arbonne card which we left today!

Hope you had a great Monday!

Good Morning!

Since I have been working out a lot more than usual I decided to make a hearty and healthy  breakfast for me to eat every morning.
I wanted to share the recipe with you guys. It is super simple and can be frozen and reheated to eat whenever you want it!

Egg, Cheese, and Broccoli casserole

what you will need:
-10 eggs (you can add or subtract from the recipe depending on how much you want to make)
- 1/3 cup of half and half
- 3-4 cups broccoli
- 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese ( use whatever cheese you like the best)
-salt, pepper, and additional seasonings if wanted (I added a little bit of spice, because I love it!)

*Fill pot with broccoli and water and bring to a boil
*pre-heat over to 350
*let broccoli come to a bright green and then drain into a colander. ( Broccoli will be undercooked, but will bake later in over)

                      
*mix eggs, half and half, and add salt and pepper and spicy seasonings if wanted
*Put broccoli in bottom of casserole dish
*add cheese on top
*pour egg mixture over broccoli and mix with a fork so the cheese can mix in
* place in oven and bake for 45 min.
* I let mine come to room temp. before placing in freezer.
*slice and microwave once ready to eat
* ENJOY!!!!!

Woohoo

So I have had over 100 visitors to my blog and I am so excited.(I know I am a dork) It really makes me feel excepted, and that I am not just talking to myself online!
When I started the blog I didn't think anyone would even look at it, or even take time to read it. Thanks guys, makes me motivated to post even more!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I am starting off the weekend right, I am going to the Eisley and Mute math concert tonight! SO EXCITED!

Our Mother

I went to Veg Fest 2007 last weekend with my friend Alexis and my dog Dakota. I wanted to take photos, but trying to hold my 70 lb dog at the same time just wasn't working. On the way back to the car I saw some beautiful trees lining the street, here are a couple of them. There is also a Spicy Sweet potato recipe at the bottom!

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

*Use one sweet potato per person

- pre-heat oven to 430 or 450 for crispier fries

- slice potato into thick wedges (steak fries size)

- put all the slices into a bowl and add some EVOO

-add oregano, cayenne, and chili pepper (or everglades seasoning) to the bowl (season as much as you would like)

- mix with your hands until seasoning is all over potatoes

- put potatoes on a baking sheet until they are evenly spread apart

- sprinkle with a little bit of cinnamon

- bake for 30 to 45 minutes until brown
Then you have some very yummy and health fries!

Happy Holloween?

Lets start off on Tuesday night when a light bulb went off that tomorrow was going to be Halloween. I was astonished that I really forgot about it. Halloween is was one of my favorite holidays. I love, love, love the color orange and pumpkin spices and how the leaves are falling, well in some parts of the country!
I realized that this Halloween was going to pass right by me and I would probably not even eat one piece of candy or carve a pumpkin.
In the morning on Wednesday I decided that I would dress up a little and when I mean a little I just grabbed some cat ears from my closet that I had worn last year. I got to work and come to find out I am not the only one that forgot it was Halloween. It makes me sad because as we grow up our priorities change and some things that were at the top of the list, aren't even on the list any more.

I spent Halloween literally going through hell. I was with the Orange County Firefighters recruitment process. They had us doing push ups, leg lifts, and jumping jacks on the cement road. I was hauling wet fire hoses back and forth in mud that was filled with spiders and ants. Which I have several bites to prove! I was constantly on the verge of throwing up.
As I was washing the grass and dirt from my aching body I realized I have a long way to go to become a Firefighter and right now that is my priority that is at the top of my list, not Halloween. I did get to spend some time with some great friends, even though I probably wasn't very fun to be around! So I hope some of you had a Happy Halloween!

Here is my costume for next year!