If I could make the sound of a bugle call into words that would be the title of this post......

I will have to finish up on my post(s) about my week of vegetarianism later…. Because this is just too freaking fantastic to wait….

It was scheduled to be a “normal” weekend for us, dinner on Friday with an out of town friend, training, baseball, a little lounging, a birthday for Bill’s niece, and celebrating Father’s Day with Bill’s dad.  Busy but typical.  I had a scheduled hair appointment for 9am Saturday morning.  I love going to get my hair did.  It is probably one of my most favorite things to do.  I woke up early on Saturday; refreshed and ready to start the day.  I hopped in the shower, piddled around, got dressed and picked up my friend Laura (who’s in from out of town) and we went to Starbuck’s.  She went with me to get my hair done.

Our plan for after my appointment was to head back to my house, meet up with Karen and her boyfriend, Randy, grab Bill (after his baseball game) and head to lunch before we spent the day getting’ mani/pedi’s and just having a fun girls day.  Laura had never been to the house since I relocated to Bill’s abode so we were going to meet there.

We pulled down my street and up to the house…. I saw my mom’s car in my driveway.  I was very confused; but thought maybe she stopped by b/c she was in the neighborhood or something.  Laura walked in before me as I stepped through my front door I heard “SURPRISE!!!” and about 25 people were standing in my living room!

I had zero idea of what was happening.  

Then I started looking around and saw the 30^th bday decorations, the premade drinks that Bill made; the Happy Birthday plates, cake, and napkins.  It sunk in…. **Yes it took me a while to figure out that this was for me! **

Bill had Cayla hand me a gift wrapped box…. I opened it and inside was a new dress and a HUGE FLOPPY HAT!!! It was so cute…. Then he told me that in about an hour a party bus was picking all of us up and taking us to the horse races.  

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FREAKING KIDDING ME!!!

I was stoked!  I ran upstairs and changed into my new outfit as fast as humanly possible.

When I came down; people kept showing up – and I was definitely brought to tears at one point for how thankful I was and how loved I felt.  I have never been short on words; but all I could say over and over was THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

The party bus arrived and we were off to the races…..

We arrived at the track and I saw this……

And this…..

And then this when we walked into our air conditioned semi-private room (complete with all you can eat buffet….boo ya! And private bar!)

The ponies raced, we laughed, drank, won some, lost some –but it was an epic way to spend celebrating my impending birthday!  I cannot believe Bill went through all this trouble for my birthday.  I know it must have taken him weeks of planning, secret keeping, and all around sneaky-ness and I was nothing but SURPRISED!!!!  

I thought I would share some pics with you…. HOW FUN IS THIS!!!!!?????!!!!!!!!!!



On the party bus!

Little Stinker Laura told me she was in town for her own going away party!

 

Cayla and Amber - best secret keepers ever!
Amber hadn't spoken to me all week b/c she was afraid she would give it away!
Cayla - talked to me everyday and didn't once give me a CLUE that this was happening!




GIRLS!!!



Cayla and me in our Derby hats!




Cousin Sheri, Me and my mom

  

Guy's Wife Stephanie couldn't be there so he pretended to pose with her!



Best boyfriend ever.......

 

Loved his hat!



Even Dave-o loved my hat!

 

Paul (bill's brother) and Alaina - Paul had lasik on Friday and STILL CAME! (hence the weird goggles)

 

Jonas and Cayla




Newly engaged TIm and Claudia!



I had to get one of our new outfits... Bill went all out - ordered his pants at vintagethreads.com, bought the horse shirt and the gambler Fedora hat... all for my Derby themed 30th bday party!



The tickets even had my freakin' name on them!



Precious Della - 22 weeks pregnant!



John, Amber, me and Bill!  LOVE THEM!

 



Bill and Jonas sharing a moment; I mean margarita




Me and Cay

I am so thankful to have so many wonderful friends and family to celebrate turning 30 with.  Wednesday's the big day - for now I'm going to enjoy the last 48 hours of being in my 20's... **Tear**

Tribute Tuesday - Week Three.... Grab a C.A.B.

Sorry for the delay in getting this posted today - no excuse other than I've been busy at work. 

Not sure what this post is about... click HERE... I added a page dedicated to our linky party! Or you can access it from up there at the top of the blog!

Tribute Tuesday - 4/5/2011

I've decided that this post is not meant only to pay tribute to the sweet sweet people in my life who I love and adore or who motivate me, or who put up with my neurotic, borderline straight jacket, ways but to let YOU into my life.  MY REAL LIFE...not my fake, I have a blog and I'm going to pretend like everything is hunky-dory, sunshine and roses, unicorns and candy life.....I mean my REAL it sometimes sucks, most of the time is pretty awesome (you only have one), bad things happen but you can over come them with a smile and a vodka, LIFE - L.I.F.E.  Live It Full Everyday!

"Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans"

So this week...you get to meet C.A.B. Cayla, Quayla, Queef-la (don't ask Bill named her that), Cay Cay, the peanut butter to my jelly, the salt to my pepper, the "pay day" to my "skittles" (more on that later), she's been there through just about every life changing event in my life (including this triathlon stuff)...
Cayla and I met the summer before my junior year of college.  I had decided to go to A&M and her roommate, Kristin, had decided to move home to Houston.  I needed a place to live and through our mutual friend, Karen, we met, sub leased and VOILA – roommate we were!

It was a rough two years when Cayla and I lived together…. We didn’t like each other very much.  In fact, we didn’t talk all that much, except in passing… you wouldn’t know that now considering we talk everyday, usually 2 or 3 times.

I won’t bore you with the details – but we became close in 2003 when Cayla’s fiancée (at the time) was stationed in Killeen.  They were going to a military ball one weekend and a friend needed a date, enter me, the rest is history….

When Cayla’s ex-husband was deployed to Iraq I spent many many days and nights on the road between College Station and Killeen, as did Cayla.  The 12 months that he was deployed was probably when Cayla and I became close.  We spent the summer of 2004 floating the river and trying to kill time until he came home.  It ended up being the best 12 months b/c we grew so close.  It was miserable at times, what she went through while he was away, but I’m thankful we had that time to grow close and develop the friendship we have today.

Cayla is my partner in crime.  Period.  Pretty much any crazy idea either of us have we go with it.  For example, triathlon.

In 2008, after Bill and I had broken up, I was laid off, and absolutely miserable…..I knew I had to do something.  I had to get up off the couch…I had to stop literally lying in my misery day after day …. I couldn’t continue to do laundry, search for jobs, and drink wine during the day…people frown on that.

I decided to start working out.  About this time all my girlfriends from college had decided to start a “biggest loser” type contest.  We had all packed on a few L.B.’s and loosing a few wouldn’t hurt.  The contest started in November 2008.  By the end of November I was job-less, boyfriend-less and fat…. Not a good combination.

While I was searching on the internet one day, and probably a few glasses of wine in I found a link to an event titled “My First Tri” – I immediately called Cayla.  This is how I remember our conversation…

Me: “I found an event – My First Tri”

Cayla” WHAT!” (laughing)

Me: “You know My First Triathlon…swim, bike, run, I think”

Cayla: “and….”

Me: “I want to do it”

Cayla: “I’ll do it with you”

Me: “OK – I’ll sign up”

This tells a lot about us…. She is ALWAYS there for me…no matter what.  Just this weekend she rode with me for 30 miles around downtown Dallas after being in Odessa until like midnight the day before.

She is selfless.

She is loyal.  She is beautiful. She is strong.  She is determined.  She is smart.  She is successful. She is someone to look up to and gives great advice.  I am so proud to call her my friend – and more like a sister.

Cayla – I love you to pieces and just don’t know what I do with out you. You have inspired and motivated me in ways I never thought possible. I remember one day (back in like 2009) we were riding our and I said to her... "Did you ever think 1 year ago we would be riding our bikes around Grapevine lake?" and she said "No, but I love it" and I said "me too"

Something’s are better shared with other people!

And now for your viewing pleasure….. PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!

The weekend before we started our weight loss challenge in 2008.  Me, Jess, Cay

Buying our first tri outfits....mandatory dressing room pic!

last weekend at Tour Dallas

One of my favorite pics of Cayla doing her best Sarah Palin impression

Girls Weekend 2007ish... lots of beer, lots lots of beer!

Cayla's Graduation party when she graduated with her Master's

Being Silly....

One year after our weight loss/active life style beginning

Finishers! My Frist Tri April 2009

In Kona HI for vacay!

She took care of me when I had surgery

Silly girls....

Weekend trip to L.A.

Many o' Ranger's games!

Urban Dare Dallas 2010

White Rock 1/2 - She is always there to support me!

And makes really good birthday cakes!

Tri #2 - Las Colinas, Texas June 2009

I have no idea... I just think this pic is funny

Two peas in a pod - um - I mean photo booth

Pay Day and Skittles....... our rapper names

A hill country weekend and 10 miles

This weekend was very fun!  We celebrated Cayla’s 30^th birthday in Austin as well as Fredericksburg and Luckenbach.  (If you aren’t from Texas - You’ve probably only heard of Austin).  Fredericksburg is a small German settled community in the middle of the Texas Hill Country.  It’s located about an hour and a half outside of Austin and is known for it’s local Texas Wineries (Check out Becker Vineyards if you are ever in the area),  Downtown shopping district, and 15 miles outside of town is Enchanted Rock State Park. The neighboring town, Stonewall is famous for their peaches; Former President Lyndon B. Johnson’s ranch is in Stonewall also, he and Lady Bird are both buried there.  Luckenbach is a tiny (and I mean tiny) town, it’s not even a town really…it’s basically a dance hall, a store and a walk up bar.  It was made famous by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson when they released the song “Luckenbach, Texas” – the town slogan “Everyone’s Somebody in Luckenbach”.

Now that you’ve had your Texas history lesson for the day:

We had a blast….if you know me or have followed me for awhile you will know that my all time favorite band is Reckless Kelly.  In college we used to travel hundreds of miles and probably spent thousands of dollars on tickets (and beer…and merchandise)….although my time traveling to see RK has been drastically reduced since becoming an “adult” – I still try and see them whenever I can including last year on my birthday when I combined my two favorites – The Texas Rangers and a post game concert by RK.  Too bad it was 107 degrees outside…I thought I was going to die….I thought my mom was going to die….

I digress….this was supposed to be about Cayla…

We loaded up Friday after work and headed to Austin where we met up with Cay’s childhood friend McKenzie and Cay’s little sister, Katy.  We ventured downtown and had dinner at Iron Cactus (I actually turned down a margarita…*gasp*!)  Then zig zagged around Sixth Street where we ended up at Pete’s Piano Bar.  No matter how many times I go there, and am fully aware of their shtick…. I have fun.  We sang, danced, got Cayla up on stage and had a great time! 

Saturday we headed to Fredericksburg for an afternoon at the spa, some good German food and Reckless Kelly in Luckenbach. 

It was a great celebration of a great friend and I’m so happy Cayla had a great time for her 30^th bday!

I got home yesterday around 4:30 – took a short nap and headed out for a 10 mile run. 

I laced up my shoes, strapped on my Road ID and Garmin and hit the pavement.  I knew it was going to be tough….I wasn’t properly hydrated (I drank a 40 oz bottle of water on the way home in preparation but knew it wasn’t going to be enough) and I missed my last long run last week b/c of house stuff.  But alas – I was going to push through.

I headed out of our neighborhood and planned to run 4.2 miles to the nature preserve….one loop around the nature preserve ~1.5 miles and then head home for a total 10 miles … (throw in an extra turn to round out the 10).

I started out feeling great….I was averaging about a 9:50 pace for the first 2.5 miles.  I knew I wasn’t going to last at that pace so I backed off…plus the street that takes me from our neighborhood to the nature preserve is pretty hilly…hilly in Texas terms mind you…..at mile 3.5 I saw road kill. EWWWW!

I reached the nature preserve and felt awesome…. This is where I ran my fastest six mile time last week in 1hr flat so I knew I could pick up some time here.  I pushed it…and finished my loop then headed back.  The sky was starting to get dark and I was afraid they were going to open up on me and pour.  Luckily – I missed the rain…I got a few sprinkles but nothing like it appeared was going to happen.

At 7 (and the second dose of road kill) I bonked out.  It felt like I had nothing left in my tank.  Zero…empty….no energy, no water, no fuel.  I blew through my chomps when I hit mile 5 at the preserve and stopped at the water fountain there. (I hate running with water bottles so I try and plan my runs where there is adequate hydration stops…be it fountains, gas stations, friends houses, etc)

I had only about ½ mile to go before I could hit up the 7-11….*high five to me for remembering cash in my belt*

I ran in 7-11 (letting my Garmin track every step until I was in the store) purchased a bottle of water *best purchase ever* and headed home.  3 miles to go.  I knew that even if I had to walk every step of that 3 miles – it could take me 30 minutes, an hour, 3 hours, whatever I was going to finish this run.  Even if f it killed me.

I hit the pavement (water in hand) and started running again.  I pulled off my ipod and just listened to my feet pounding the pavement….my breath *in and out, in and out*, and visualized being three miles from the finish in NOLA.  Then psychosis set in.

I started talking to myself…. I realized too I wasn’t talking to myself in my head but I was ACTUALLY vocalizing my thoughts.  (Hope someone doesn’t hear me and call the looney van to pick me up)

I remember saying…

“You can do this”

“You are going to finish”

“You do this b/c it makes you happy at the end and a better person”

“You do this b/c you want to be healthy and live a long time”

“You do this to give your future kids an active/healthy mom”

“You will do this b/c you love it”

“You will do this b/c you set your mind to it”

“You will do this b/c people believe in you”

“You will do this b/c you believe in yourself”

Then low and freakin’ behold I was around the corner from my house and the run was over

10 miles – 1hr and 48min – 10:48 pace

One last thing – I’m so close to 100 followers!! When I get there I’ll be hosting a giveaway of my favorite things!  I’m so excited – 9 more to go – so tell your friends!!!

Dallas White Rock Half Marathon Race Report

It is finished…… I did it!  I completed my first half marathon!  13.1 miles of smiles, high fives, cheers, and all around goodness!

Sunday morning my alarm went off at 5:15am.  I jumped out of bed anxious to start the day.  I hopped in the shower (to wake up); this has become customary before any race… I always shower.  For triathlons it helps if my hair is wet to braid – for run races I just like to fully wake up in a steamy shower…. I know who showers before a sweaty endurance race?

After my shower I dried my hair and pulled it back into a pretty good ponytail, if I do say so myself….. dressed and headed downstairs to eat breakfast.  Breakfast consisted of some pineapple chunks (about a cup) a medium sized orange, and a Smores Luna Bar. 

It wasn’t much but I knew it would be OK on my stomach and the Port-a-potty God wouldn’t be calling for me come start time.  I peed before we left the house and didn’t pee again until after the race….be jealous of my bladder J (enough icky talk)

Bill was less than bright eyed and bushy tailed on Sunday morning.  He had a late guy’s night out on Saturday and let’s just say I saw a McDonald’s bag in his front seat, he didn’t get home until nearly 2:30am AND there was advil by the bed…… drunk? Yes!  Hungover…. You betcha!  But he was such a trooper – so sweet to me that morning.  He drove me to Fair Park and by this time I may or may not have been a little cranky.  Traffic on I-30 was terrible….traffic tends to make me nauseous (only if I’m not driving) so I kind of snapped at him and said something to the effect of “WE ARE NEVER GOING TO MAKE IT”….his response…. We have an hour and half… which was a true statement.

We made it, as Bill had indicated, with lots of time to kill before the race start.  It was cold and crowded but I was so pumped to be there.

I headed back for the corrals and Bill went to find everyone who was meeting him there.  On my way back to my corral (M) I ran into Jason and Karen and was stoked to have actually found them in the 20,000+ racers.  Jason headed to his corral (just behind the Kenyans…so jealous of his speed) Karen and I stayed back and waited….and waited….and waited…..

I ran into a friend from high school, Kristen, who conveniently I ran into the day I did my nine miler at White Rock.  It was great catching up with her and I was able to meet her boyfriend Garrett.  (He took a pic of us which I will steal from FB and post here).  She is such a sweet sweet girl!  We ran together for the first 2 miles then she took off at her 9:40/mile pace and I set in for the long haul….

So before the start – I took this picture….

The balloons, the fire, the volunteers…all AMAZING.  Seriously this is probably one of the most well organized races I’ve had the pleasure of participating in.  (The Turkey Trot should take some lessons)  As we inched up closer to the start I started my playlist…. Ready for it? 

You know want to know what I listened to …don’t judge….. this is in no particular order…I always hit shuffle right before a run….. BUT I made my own playlist specific to White Rock b/c I knew that the last thing I was going to want to do was to pull out the iphone and try and skip through songs….here we go…

Big and Rich – Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy

Imma Be – Black Eyed Peas

My Humps – Black Eyed Peas

Womizer – Britney Spears

Crazy Bitch – Buck Cherry

American Boy – Estelle and Kanye West

Single Ladies – Beyonce

Undo It – Carrie Underwood

Accidentally in Love – Counting Crows

Like a G6 – Far East Movement

Watcha Say – Jason Derulo

Dirt off Your Shoulder – Jay Z

Leavin’ – Jess McCartney

Natchitoches Blues – Joey Green

Don’t Stop Believein’ – Journey

There it Go (The Whistle Song) – Juelz Santana

California Gurls – Katy Perry

Tik Tok – Ke$ha

Let it Rock –Kevin Rudolf

Shake It – Metro Station

Say Hey – Michael Franti

Party in U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus

Work It – Missy Elliott

Grillz – Nelly

I know you want me – Pitbull

Crazy Eddie’s Last Hurrah – Reckless Kelly

Subterranean Homesick Blues – Reckless Kelly

Disturbia – Rhianna

Shake That Thing – Sean Paul

1234 – Schwayze

Stuck Like Glue – Sugarland

Bring Em Out – T.I.

Semi-Charmed Life – Third Eye Blind

Proud Mary – Tina Turner

That’s Not My Name – The Ting Ting’s

I Do!! – Toya

Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla ICE

Blister in the sun – Violent Femmes

Hey Mickey – Toni Basil

Sexy Back – Justin Timberlake

Holla Back Girl – Gwen Stefani

Hit Play – and set it for a comfy 13.1 mile run…

Miles 1 – 3

I checked my watch for the first time as I crossed the timing mat at the 5K mark….32 min. 46 seconds….. 10 seconds faster than the Turkey Trot…. I’ll take it (10:33 per mile) I was feeling great!!!  My friend Ashley had met me at mile 2 (she’s training for a half in January in Austin).  I was so excited to see her and have her run with me!

Miles 4 - 8

I set in a good pace at mile 4.  I was warmed up my calf/shin wasn’t hurting and it was awesome running through uptown.  At one point we saw a bar, The MAT (McKinney Avenue Tavern) selling $1 jello shots… who on earth would take a $1 jello shot during a half/full marathon is beyond me but perhaps it was more for the spectators.  I was becoming jealous of all the Starbucks cups along the race route…all the warm spectators with their coffee and signs….but then I remembered…. I get to finish under a balloon arch and say I ran a half marathon….what do you get to do with your warm hands, ears and toes……hahah j/k.

At the 10K mark I remember saying “I’m half way through” – I still felt great!  I was high fiving the crowd, I had taken ½ a pack of chomps at mile 4.5 so I was fueled and feeling good.  At mile 8ish we hit an uphill that sucked….but I pushed through and ran it.  It helped to have Ashley there, even though we didn’t talk much I knew she was there next to me and supporting me.

Miles 9 -11

I think this is when I hit the “Runners High” – I don’t really remember them; I remember seeing the 10 mile flag b/c Ash said she was peeling off at 11 to head back to her car.  We hit 11, half-way hugged and said goodbye….. she headed for the car and I headed for the finish….

Miles 12 – 13.1

This 1.1 mile was the hardest mile of my life.  I had come down off any sort of “high” and felt every jarring pound of the pavement.  My knees were hurting, my shoulder was hurting, and I wanted water and a hug from Bill.  Miley Cyrus Party in the U.S.A. brought me into the finish….thank God for Miley!  I think I finished with a smile through my tears…. I was certainly smiling on the inside … I really want a good finishing picture.  Call me vain but I want a fun one for the blog.  I ran the entire 13.1 miles…. I didn’t stop and take a walk break; I didn’t stop b/c I was tired, I didn’t stop just to stop.  I ran and I conquered every fear I’ve ever had of running, every pain I’ve felt for the last 10 weeks was so worth crossing that finish line.

2:20:07 seconds was my official half marathon time. 

STATS:

Overall: 5465 / 9581

Sex: 2704 / 5692

Division (25-29): 536 / 1090

5K Rank and Time:  6018 – 32:46

10K Rank and Time: 5902 – 1:06:08

15K Rank and Time: 5628 – 1:39:32

Runners passed – 238

Runners that passed me – 113

For the fun of it – I was ahead of 29% of men finishers J

At the finish we were escorted into the Automotive building for medals, t-shirts, food/water.  I was so out of it…. I got my medal/shirt from the volunteers and then I think I cut in front of like 10,000 people in line for food and water.  If any of you read this, I’m sorry – I wasn’t trying to be rude; I was seriously disoriented.

I called Bill and met the family and Cayla outside the building.  My stomach was starting to turn and I needed to walk it off.  After a few minutes of walking I felt great again and began to crave pancakes.  I.love.pancakes.

We rode the little sky thing-y at the fair so Shelby and Coop could have some fun and then all of us headed to breakfast/lunch at my favorite Café Brazil.  A classic breakfast with pancakes did it for me!  I was a happy ½ marathon finisher!

Bill and I headed home… he had a work dinner Sunday night at an AMAZING steak house in town…. I was looking forward to rest and relaxation.  I iced on and off for about three hours during the Cowboy game (BOO-YA we won in OT), and oh yes – I showered…a hot hot shower!!

I made Chicken Noodle Soup for dinner which was just what I needed…. I curled up on the couch with soup, hot chocolate and my two ice packs for a night of Sunday television by the light of the Christmas Tree.  The only thing I was missing was Bill……..

What I learned:

1. I can do it – b/c I did
2. I’m a middle of the packer….. not showing off/not falling behind
3. My body is capable of ANYTHING I put my mind to….it’s getting my mind in the place of believing in myself to do it (Bill’s been telling me this for YEARS!)
4. Everything is worth it when I hear Bill say – “I love you Al and I am so proud of you”

Here's today at work:

More pics to follow tonight (I only uploaded the iPhone ones) I'm getting a massage at 6 so we shall see :) If not tomorrow for sure!