A Feminine & Vintage Bridal Shower

Hi everybody! I hope you are having a wonderful day. Today I want to share with you guys the story of the bridal shower I co-hosted over the weekend. Here's a little background first.

Training Week 1

Hi everybody, happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I sure did. This past weekend I hosted a bridal shower for my best friend Hannah and it was SO MUCH FUN!! I'll give you guys the full scoop on that soon, but I wanted to give you an update on how my running has been going. 

I just completed week 1 of my 12 week training program for the half marathon I am running in December, and all in all it was pretty good. I don't think I realized that this is going to be a really huge time commitment before I started however. My only rest day each week is Friday, which means every night after work I have to make time to either work out or run, and the same goes for Saturday and Sunday. That was pretty difficult last week because I was doing so many last minute things for the shower, but hopefully going forward it will be a little easier to maintain. The basic layout for my training program goes like this:

Monday: strength workout

Tuesday: run

Wednesday: run

Thursday: run plus strength

Friday: rest

Saturday: Cross training (biking, swimming, walking, etc)

Sunday: Long run

Over the course of the 12 week program, my runs will get progressively longer so this first week was the shortest of the entire program. Tuesday's run was a 3 miler, and it was a really great run. I finished with a decent time of just over 34 minutes (which for me is a solid pace). I felt really great from beginning to end, and was never tempted to walk. On Wednesday, my run was only 2 miles. I figured it would be a piece of cake considering how well I'd done 3 miles the day before, but I was wrong. That run was hard! It's funny how that happens. I think a lot of things factor into whether a run is good or bad, easy or hard. Here is a short list of what I think some of those factors are:

- the weather

- your outfit

- what you've eaten that day

- how much rest time you've had since your last run

- your mood

- your music

Even though it was a hard two miles, I forced myself through it without walking at all and finished at 21:54. I was surprised I'd managed a 11 minute pace, and was proud of myself for not walking. So, all in all, that run could have been worse. Thursday's run was another 3 miler and it was the hardest run I've had in a long time. First of all, the weather was absolutely terrible. It was super hot and muggy and my clothes were already sticking to me when I walked out the door. Secondly, I think I was already tired from running the past two days in a row. I'm not used to running three consecutive days, so this will definitely be an adjustment for me. Thirdly, my heart just wasn't in it. Usually when I am about to start a run I feel a little dread, but mostly pumped and ready to accomplish something. I was just not feeling it on Thursday and I was totally dreading it before I even started. I had to walk several times and finished in 37:40. Not my best time by any means. I tried not to feel disheartened, but I was getting pretty nervous because I knew my first long run was coming up on Sunday. 

Luckily, by the time Sunday rolled around I was in a new frame of mind. I was feeling rested because I'd had a couple days off and miraculously we had our first cold front of the season so Sunday morning was beautiful and in the mid 70s.  I set off, thinking about how I had just started into my 4 mile long journey. 4 MILES! That is the longest distance I've run in YEARS! I ran 5 miles once when I was in high school, but otherwise I'd never attempted a distance this far before. Instead of feeling overwhelmed or scared, I felt empowered. Who was this woman, brave enough to attempt such a feat? Thoughts of crossing the finish line at the end of my half marathon came into my mind and I ran a little faster. In that moment, I felt alive, like I knew exactly who I was. It was a truly amazing feeling. I thought about the fact that after all these months of training I probably still wouldn't be a size 6, or weigh 130 pounds, and I was okay with that. I was me, with all my imperfections, yet with all my strength too. And in that moment it didn't matter that I wasn't the fastest or the skinniest. What mattered was that I was out there, working, pushing myself and trying my hardest. 

I did have to walk a little bit, but I'm okay with that. I am proud of what I accomplished. And quite honestly, I'm a little bummed that another 4 mile run isn't on my training schedule for tonight. 

Thanks,

Jesse

Fall has arrived!

I am so excited that fall has finally arrived!!! Ok, technically its not fall for another couple of weeks, and its still about 100 degrees here in Houston, but it looks and feels and smells like fall inside our house anyway. I know some people think I'm crazy for decorating for fall this early in the year, but I just can't help myself, I love it so much! 

Our fall wreath and a seasonal door mat greet you as you walk in the door.

Once inside, the smell of pumpkins and crisp autumn leaves will greet you. 

 

 

 

Our living room has been taken over with pumpkins, leaves and a warmer color palette.  

 

 Even our secretary is getting in touch with the spirit of the season. I love how my owl looks perched on top with all my fall decor, too! Even though he is there year round, there is something about owls and autumn that just go hand in hand!

 Our little turkey friend is so excited for Thanksgiving that he just HAD to come out of hiding early too! Don't you just love his tennis shoes? They crack me up! 

What about you? Has fall arrived early in your home too? Please share your comments about how the changing seasons have inspired you to make changes in your own home.

Thanks!

-Jesse