Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
Manzanita Beach, Oregon


~Lao Tzu





Cheers to a long and relaxing weekend!

Quote of the Day

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,


When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;


Beside the lake, beneath the trees,


Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
~ William Wordsworth

Off to Fredericksburg

California Vineyard (this crazy dude is how I feel today, silly!)

Noah and I started off the day right with our morning walk. I gave myself one rest day on Saturday, but otherwise I've kept to my routine. I even got up BEFORE Josh yesterday to walk... that never happens. :)

Image Courtesy of Wikipedia

Today I'm leaving Austin with a friend of mine and heading to Fredericksburg. It always feels like a mini-vacation when I'm out there, so I'm looking forward to it. We plan to spend the day strolling the main drag while taking in all the lovelies and getting some yummy grub.

Hope you all have a great Monday!!

Enjoying the Breeze

Hiking further up the Skyline Trail at Mt. Rainier National Park

Noah and I went for our walk this morning! Day 2 of my work-out challenge a success. We walked a little further this time just for an added bonus. There was a nice breeze today to push away all the humidity that was left behind after the light show of a thunderstorm that attacked Austin last night. It sure was a crazy night. I got off of work, walked outside to the car and looked up... black filled the sky and then lightning ripped through the blackness. So what did I do? I got in my car and hauled bootie home... the storm on my tail the entire way. At one point I was driving into it... I have to tell you, what an adrenaline rush. Josh and I arrived at the parking garage near our house at the same time and then sprinted to our house down the alley before we got soaked - or hailed on. Thankfully we didn't get any hail, but the lightning was incredible.

So to add to my daily morning walk, I plan to also begin yoga sessions a few times a week. There is a website that offers a free weekly class online (www.yogatoday.com). This website used to be free, but it's something to get started on until I find actual classes here in Austin that aren't too pricey. I won't begin this for another week or so, but it is just another goal I want to add to the challenge.

On a lazier note, Noah got his new bed yesterday and it is a great improvement over his old one. His old bed was the first one I ever got him from Petsmart. The inside stuffing had lumped and clumped and been melted by a dryer at one time (never let Josh dry anything again, hehe) and the cover with its navy colored letters and wrong tone of khaki just didn't go with our bedroom decor. I found his new bed online at an etsy store called Bow Wow Beds. It's just a simple stone canvas with Noah's name printed on it, but it complements our room nicely.

Miss Kitty on Noah's old bed


Doesn't he look so handsome on his new bed?!



Hope you guys have a fantastic weekend!!

Inspiration

So you've heard it a thousand and one times - exercise is good for you, yet why is it sometimes the most mundane moment can kick your butt into gear? I received the latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens yesterday and while flipping through all the fun design goodness, one tiny statement hit home. It mentioned how if you make yourself get up and do some kind of workout for at least thirty minutes each morning, you'll have a better chance of sticking with it than if you try a routine at lunch or after work in the evening. Now I realize that everyone is not a morning person, but I've always tried to be, and what better way than to just get up and go. Noah would love it, I'd benefit from it and I would be able to get more done during the day. So I'm going to try it. I thought it would make it more of a challenge if I let you all know what I was planning on doing so it would be harder to just quit. I know it's not much, but everyone has to start somewhere. Who knows, maybe I can inspire some of you to keep with or start your own work-out program.

So Noah and I already did our thirty minute walk today and it felt great! I got home, took a shower, and we had breakfast. Now it is barely 8:30 AM! I have a full day ahead of me and I've earned a nap! hahaha

The pictures above are when Josh and I climbed the Skyline Trail at Mt. Rainier in Washington. It was the toughest hike we've done so far, and yes, I had old people passing me up, but we climbed nearly 8,000 ft and although it was only about a six mile hike, it was a lot of going up. I remember we were so proud of ourselves after we finished, so I thought these were perfect to give me inspiration to just walk around the neighborhood.

Hope you all have a great day!

Treat Yourself

(sorry the image is blurry, my camera was having issues and I was hungry and wanted to eat!)

I made Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake last night for dessert. Yum! It turned out nice and light and the whip cream was sooo good. The perfect summer treat. If you want to try it, you can click on the link above.

Relax

I never get tired of posting Miss Kitty pictures. She is just so lazy, it's inspiring! Hope you all are enjoying a weekend Miss Kitty style.

Anything for a Treat...

Sorry for the lack of posts. Please forgive me and enjoy this silly photo.

*I bought this dog tank for my sister since she is single... it says, "My Mom is Single" ... but I HAD to try it on Noah just for laughs*