Weekend = Foiled Plans

Plans change...clearly...thanks to the overcast/rainy/stormy weekend weather we had. So much for enjoying some R&R time outside while basking in the sunshine. Oh well....it was still a weekend with out work....then again...I had to take care of the dog (my bosses dog)....oh nevermind! Argh! That's just life!
Because of said weather, I had to transition to indoor activities like watching movie(s), reading, doing laundry, playing on the computer and hanging out with friends. Not a bad alternative by any means, it's just that I had built up my hopes of pool time and that didn't happen at all! I still managed to get my rear kicked in spin class on Saturday morning despite finding out that the Sat. morning instructor I totally enjoyed has given up that class. What?!?! (this should have been my first indicator that the weekend would not go according to plan) However, the new instructor still taught an hour class (normally they are only 45 minutes), had decent music and did a good job of kicking said rear!

Sandra McCracken Music

Thursday Night Fun

I can't tell you the last time that I had this much fun on a school night and I was so happy to be able to have some quality time with my roomie Jen. We met up in Green Hills after work and started the fun with pedi's at The Venetian. We then headed to El Palinque for a delicious dinner of cheap mexican food. Deliciousness! Then we headed downtown to 3rd & Lindsley to see Sandra McCracken. And despite the late show time of 9:30 pm...I know...but it's late for me on a school night....it was the best way to end the day and kick off the weekend. This was actually her cd release party for her new cd "Live Under Lights and Wires" and if you are a fan of acoustic/singer/songwriter/folk music then this cd is a must have. Sandra, along with fellow musician Derek Webb (her husband and former member of Caedmon's Call) played alongside her on the record and provided BGV. They both played the live show last night which consisted of playing the new record in its entirety. AND along with our admission to the show last night (an inexpensive $10 cover) we also got a free copy of the new record. SCORE!

We actually made it through the 10th song (the record consists of 16 tracks) before having to head home (It was 11:00 pm). Listening to the music was definitely like a breath of fresh air and has rekindled my fire to continue with my guitar lessons (I've taken a summer hiatus from lessons).

Hump Day & Update

I've always wondered why Wednesday was called "Hump Day"....so I did a little online investigation and I absolutely loved this definition that I found at http://www.urbandictionary.com/ . I've listed it below:

Wednesday, or the hump of the week
The absolute BEST day of the week, the day of maximum hope that maybe, you might make it out of this week alive. A particularly good hump day can last you the rest of the week, and by Doomday morning (Monday) you survive by anticipating hump day. Nothing goes wrong on hump day

This week has been fairly uneventful and I am enjoying the quiet before my boss and her husband return next week. It will definitely be "Doomday" Monday when they return and I buckle back up for another crazy busy 4 weeks before they leave again on August 7th.

I had mentioned vaguely that I was dealing with some health issues...but things are starting to get better. When I was 25, I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism...while it's completely manageable by a daily regimen of thyroid replacement drugs, it can still tinker with my metabolism, energy level (for me bouts of extreme fatigue), etc. It's been regulated for a while but I was starting to feel "off" again...sluggish and noticed that weight gain had occurred despite workout efforts...back in April. So I sought out Dr. B (the best doctor in the US...in my opinion) for guidance. The scale confirmed a gain of 20 lbs and she ordered bloodwork. Results led to an increase dosage in my thyroid meds. Three weeks later, I was feeling better energy wise but still stuck with the 20 lbs. Dr. B prescribed me another drug to help jump-start my metabolism along with instructions to workout and eat right. I heeded to her advice, managed to not experience any crazy side effects and had my monthly weigh in today...10 lbs dropped (doing the happy dance). I am holding up my end of the deal by working out 5 days a week (also started training this week for another half marathon in October) and trying to eat better and eating fast food less. Clearly, it's working and it definitely helps me feel better on many levels. I'm feeling very motivated these days and am determined to work hard to lose another 10 lbs by next follow-up on August 6th. Fingers crossed!

4th of July Celebrations

Today we had a family reunion of sorts and celebrated the 4th of July at my Uncle Jeff and Aunt Tammy's house. They have a great place out in the country. We had all of our family in for the holiday weekend and it was great to catch up and see our cousins and their families. Of course, family gatherings means lots of good food, games galore and if your lucky, you can sneak in a nap. Here are a bunch of pictures from the festivities:

Me and Michelle (my cousin)

Michelle and her husband Ron

Amy and Bryan came up from Florida for the weekend

Mom and Dad
Holly, Elaysha and Chanel

Grandma and Grandpa Quirey

My Uncle Jeff and Uncle Mike and Aunt Sandy

Elaysha and other kids enjoyed the pool

Cousins Seth and Sara enjoyed Bocci Ball with Amy and Bryan

Cousin Tiffany and I enjoyed our lollipops before the fireworks began.

Quirey Cousins hanging out waiting for fireworks.

Just being silly....