Running - Just Keepin It Real

I had the great idea to run a 5K.

Those of you who know me can pick your jaws up off the floor...

thankyouverymuch.

I've been needing to do "something".

I never gained the Freshman 15,

but I got the I-stopped-nursing-my-second-child-and-didn't-stop-eating-everything-in-sight-15.

So tonight was the night.

I got my Couch to 5K app all ready on my iPhone,

put on my who knows how old sneakers because I never need actual athletic shoes for anything,

found my 15 year old sports bra,

and took off.

And the verdict is in...I still don't like running.

Am I seriously the only person on the planet who does not get energy from exercising?!

All I want to do is sit on the couch with my eyes closed...

not even sleep...

just sit...doing nothing.

Sleeping would actually be more productive...

but no...too tired for sleeping.

I've never liked running.

There's been a few times in my life that I've run.

Like in high school when they made me run the mile in gym class and my friend and I protested and walked half of it and finished in like 16 minutes.

No regrets.

And there was that semester in college when I would go to the fitness center on campus every day with my friend and run on a treadmill while watching reruns of Saved By The Bell.

There was that super cute guy that was there every day at the same time...

that was slightly motivating.

Again no regrets ;-)

So how do I motivate myself to get out there again?!

Like for real...me no likey.

But I want the end result and I'm assuming that if I stick with it then it will get less horrible.

This is where my hubby would point out that I am a negative person and then I would say

"nuh uh...I'm just keepin it real"

(with my best thug face)

But for reals people...how do I get back out there?

Yo quiero advice :-)

On an unrelated note...

this is a pic of my cute babies at the beach :-)

Embrace the Camera - First Haircut!

Anna made it to almost 4 before her first haircut ever!

It's been a long time coming though.

Crazy to think that all that hair on the bottom has been there since the day she was born (in theory).



She felt like such a big girl!

And she was so excited with the results!

So was I!

Mommy got her haircut too :-)

I can't believe my baby is turning 4 on Sunday!

We're celebrating with a ballerina birthday party.

I'll just say there's been a lot of tulle in the house lately ;-)

Hoping to share some of the party details here next week.

Embracing the Camera with Emily

Jumping Across Europe

We had an amazing trip to Spain and Italy!

Spain was warm and sunny and gorgeous.

Italy was butt freezing cold.

Like for real.

We jumped our way across Europe...

and had a marvelous time!

Seville Cathedral

Seville, Spain

A Picture for Anna

Frigiliana, Spain

THE Leaning Tower of Pisa

Pisa, Italy

St. Mark's Square

Venice, Italy

Colosseum

Rome, Italy

St. Peter's Square

technically Vatican City

St. Peter's Basilica

Vatican City

And I will leave you with my favorite.

Pantheon in the Snow

Rome, Italy

Best.Picture.Ever!

Get ready for the best.picture.EVER!



Love how it looks like we actually got some air.

But let's zoom in a bit.

We were told to jump like ninjas.

Steve decided making the ninja sound would help him.

Apparently, I was playing the part of a terrified ninja.

Let's zoom in once more.

best.picture.ever

El Fin

Checking Things Off My Travel To-Do List!

I've been busy checking things off my list!

Here is the view from our hotel room balcony in Nerja, Spain.



Disclaimer: This is after traveling over night and not showering or brushing my teeth or changing my clothes. :-)





Here's a pic I took that is the same vantage point as the one in this post.

And...I've done my share of sampling the local Sangria.  Yummo!

This is where we had lunch the other day.  Ri-dic-u-lous.  I know.

And I plan on getting my paella on today for lunch!

And so far the conference is going great!

Hope to update again soon!

Adios!

Spain and Italy To-Do's

If you don't know...we're headed to Spain today!

Read about it at the bottom of this post.



I wanted to share a few of my to-do's...or must-do's while we're in Europe.

Most of the time we are in Spain we will be working at a conference.

Busy Busy

So I think some of the only things we will see is this...

This is Nerja, Spain...the city the conference is in.
Our hotel is right on the sea.

Source: google.co.uk via Cheryl on Pinterest

 And I am most definitely sampling some of this stuff
...the real authentic kind...

Source: yellowsongbird.blogspot.com via Cheryl on Pinterest

And eating lots of this...
Paella!

Source: snippetandink.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

We have one free day where we might see this...

The Rock of Gibraltar

Source: Uploaded by user via Jan on Pinterest


Or this...
Sevilla, Spain

Source: Uploaded by user via Cheryl on Pinterest


But when the conference is over we are headed to Italy for vacation!
Here is my must-see/do while in Italy!
in no particular order

#1 - I AM doing this.  And I AM making everyone with me do this too!
It's a non-negotiable.

Source: Uploaded by user via Cheryl on Pinterest


#2 - You can thank my Art History class in college for the next 3 must-sees.
This one is David and he's in Florence.

Source: jenlmckenzie.com via Cheryl on Pinterest


#3 - The Pieta in the Vatican in Rome.

Source: google.com via Cheryl on Pinterest


#4 - Ya...I might cry.  The Sistine Chapel.

Source: sculpturegallery.com via Cheryl on Pinterest


#5 - Yes, I will be serenaded in one of these.
If they actually serenade you in real life...maybe that's just in the movies.
Boy will my hubby be embarrassed if I have to do the serenading.
I can do a mean version of "That's Amore"...you know...
"when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie...that's amore."

Source: sunsurfer.tumblr.com via Cheryl on Pinterest


#6 - The Colosseum - Rome

Source: google.com via Cheryl on Pinterest


There's more...but I think this post is long enough already!

Can't wait to share with you all about my travels!

Hasta luego!
Ciao!

Valentine's Cards!

So happy to have Anna's Valentine's cards done before we leave on our trip Wednesday.

More on that later.

I had lots of Pinterest inspiration for these...and I love how they came out.

I love the square retro feel and almost 3D effect of the picture.

And I especially love the cute little girl in the pic!

I used picnik.com to edit the photo with the wording and hearts.

And I also used Instagram to edit the coloring.



And just for fun...I got little sister involved.

That scowl was about as good as I was going to get during our little photoshoot.

I have learned to take what I can get with little ones!

Hubby and I won't be here to celebrate Valentine's Day with our littles.

We will be in Europe!

Wha?

Yes...Europe.

Spain and Italy to be exact.

We are helping with a conference in Spain for about 10 days.

Then we are off to play in Italy for another 10 days or so.

We have some friends that live in Italy and we figured...the time is now!

I'm pretty excited.

Ok...I'm freaking excited.

I'm hoping to post the things I'm looking forward to seeing the most in Italy.

And then I hope I actually get to see them!

My in-laws will be holding down the fort with our littles.

We have great families who love spending time with our kiddos so we can travel the globe.

Literally.

I don't expect opportunities to come up like this all the time...

so we're trying to take advantage while we can!

Buenos Noches Amigas.

Hasta Luego.

sidenote:

I like speaking my "broken-I learned in 4 years of spanish class in high school-I can only speak in present tense" Spanish around my hubby.

He doesn't know what I'm saying most of the time.

I find that amusing.

El Fin.