Fun week...

Well, today is my last day in my current job and I am having mixed feelings about it.  I am really going to miss the people I work with and I am going to miss the job I do.  I am still not super excited about the new job, though I am trying to see all the positives.  I am hoping it will be a good path and lead to exciting new opportunities.  I am just cautiously optomistic.  There are definately some pros and cons to the new job and I'm really trying not to think about the cons. 
I am taking tomorrow and Thursday off this week.  Tomorrow Nick and I are going to King's Island.  We are super excited about it and we are PRAYING for no rain!!  The last time we went, we had a bad experience.  We didn't really fit in all the rides and it was kind of a frusterating trip.  I haven't been on a rollar coaster in a long time now and I am really excited to spend the day with Nick!  Thursday he is going to get a new tattoo.  He's getting an Asian dragon on his left arm.  He's excited about it and I can't wait to see it.  It will take a couple of sessions to complete, but I think it will be neat when it's done!
Wish us luck for tomorrow.  NO RAIN!!  :-)

Happy Birthday Nick!!

Today is Nick's 35th birthday!!  We had a really fun party for him on Saturday.  We celebrated with friends and family at Rascal's Fun Zone. Nick had a blast and I am so grateful for all that came to celebrate with us!  Here are some photos from his party...

This was the very yummy fruit basket Kathy got Nick

Here is Nick with his cake

 Isak was "kissing" Nick with a ducky

 Nick and Matt racing on the slick track



Work update

So my biggest news of the day today has to do with work.  I was asked yesterday to do a temporary assignment as a "Subject Matter Expert" for 3 leaders in my office.  Without getting in to too many details, I would basically be an assistant to three different managers.  I will shadow them and as a developmental opportunity for me.  My goal at Allstate is to be a manager and this is a great chance for me to learn a different side of the business.  I have mixed feelings about it becuase it will be a lot of work and probably a bit overwhelming and I am JUST getting ready to start school.  I am struggling to figure out how to keep balance in my life juggling these 2 big changes at the same time while maintaining my workout and weight loss goals, maintaining my social life, maintaining my family commitments, maintaining my marriage and maintaining my SANITY!  LOL! 

I will be curious to see how things go.  It is a great chance for development for me and I am anxious to work with the leaders I have been assigned.  They all have very different leadership styles and personalities and it will be a broad overview.  I will be starting in the next week or 2, so I will keep you posted.

Whew!

It was a BUSY weekend to say the least!  It was a lot of fun, too!  The Indians game was nice.  We had great weather and it was good to catch up! 
Our work picnic went really well!  I am glad it's over.  I worked my tail off!  But it was nice.  Saturday night we went to dinner with Matt and Trina and enjoyed catching up with them.
Yesterday was delightful!  I didn't do anything!  It was lovely!  LOL!

Back to work today and it's a busy Monday!  I am ready to start planning my fall vacation!  :-)

I did lose some this week.  I am at 225.6 as of yesterday.  My mom is joining us for our walk tonight and we may try to push her just a bit.  :-) 

Busy weekend

I am looking forward to this weekend, though it will be busy!  Tonight we are celebrating my cousin, Glen's, birthday at the Indianapolis Indians game.  It should be a great night.  They do fireworks after the game, so it should be a lot of fun. 
Tomorrow is our company picnic.  We are planning on about 300 poeple to come and I am on the committee.  It has taken a lot of time the past few months, but it should be fun.  Nick and I will be there ALL DAY!  Tomorrow evening we are having dinner with Matt and Trina and it will be really nice to catch up with them.
Sunday you will find me at home in my pajamas ALL DAY!  I'm taking a day off!  LOL!
Have a great weekend and pray for NO RAIN!  :-)

Walking...

I was really proud of us last night.  I got home about 8:30 and it was later than we wanted to start our walk.  Plus, neither of us felt great and it was very warm and muggy last night.  We could have found a LOT of excuses not to walk last night.  BUT we did it anyway.  And we trimmed 3 minutes off our time.  We walked a lot faster than normal and we both felt it a bit more last night, but it felt GOOD!  I love our walks! 
Tonight is Stamp Club and I am super excited to see the ladies!  I love our group and being creative with them.  I can't wait to see what Kathy came up with for us!  After club, my Mom and Jenny and I do a date night and I enjoy catching up with them, too. 
Have a great Thursday!

Yummie smoothie!

So when I was at the doctor's Monday, they gave me a smoothie to have for breakfast.  I made it this morning and it is YUMMY and so filling!  It took me about 3 hours to finish 24 ounces. 

It is:
1 scoop vanilla Whey Protein Isolate - 30 g protein (found at Vitamin World in the Greenwood Mall)
1/2 banana
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
6 oz container Yoplait 99% fat free Strawberry Banana yougurt - 5 g protein
12 oz skim milk - 12 g protein
(you can also add 1/4 cup shredded carrots for a veggie serving)
total - 47 grams of protein!  That's over 1/2 the daily recommended dose!  :-)

I have been having trouble getting in enough protein, so I am very excited about this recipe.  It was very quick to make this morning.  It tastes good and it will definately keep me full for a while!  Plus 3 servings of fruit (and good fiber!)  Yay!!