Resolution Update!

I'mmmmm BAAACK! Sorry I have not been as good of a blogger as I wish I could be. Truth is, I am nothing but a slacker. Again, sorry. I have been busy, you know, just being as awesome as I can be. :) Just kidding, no, seriously. As of today, I have been 23 days without a single soda! Wooohoooo! I am really doing this. I am actually very proud of myself. I won't lie, it has often been a struggle. However, I am really starting to feel so much better! I have really stopped "wanting" them. Water, chocolate milk, white milk, and juice has been all that I have been drinking. I really can tell a difference in my body. I highly recommend the change to everyone. Most of my friends only drink diet coke. I did some research and diet coke is actually WORSE for you than regular coke. Just make the change, drop them all!

I also have been keeping my word about running! I am currently training for another half marathon. This past weekend I ran a 5K. This 5K was a big deal for me, because I gave up running for more than 7 months. I am just now getting back to being hardcore. :) Plus, this was Dub's first race. He is my faithful running partner, and never misses a day. So, this was his reward for being such a great partner. He was a CHAMP! I'm not sure if it was our extensive training, or the expensive dog training that made him so obedient. But, whatever it was, I was so proud of him. He was by my side the entire time.

Before the race, nice and dry.

Finish Line! 35:30

After the race, soaking wet!

My friend Leslie joined me for this run. This was her first race ever! I could tell that she was a little nervous, BUT she really rocked it. She actually kept me running 2 minutes under my average mile. What do I mean by this? Well, when I run, I am the slowest runner ever. I average about a 13:30 mile. For this race, we averaged an 11 minute mile. That really isn't fast at all, but to me, we were booking it! Thanks Leslie for showing me that I can run fast  faster.



Before you judge from these pictures, let me tell you about the running conditions we were under. First, it was FREEZING. The weather man said it would be about 76. Yeah, it was a balmy 54. Plus, it was a slight MONSOON! I mean POURING. We were covered in mud. Wet, cold, muddy, BUT SO WORTH IT! I mean, we did get a long sleeve t-shirt. Those are the best, right?

 I hope everyone has a blessed and speedy week! I wanna give a quick shout out to my bro-in-law Blair! He is in Kentucky trying out for a college bowling team! WOOOW! GOOD LUCK ABC!

Do you know of any good races in the area?

Love love,
C^2

Just Another Manic Monday!

Monday! Monday! Monday! Don't ya just love em?! 

Look on the bright side, next week is a 4 day week for all of us teachers. (Sorry to all the nonteachers.) 

Anyway, I hope everyone's Monday was super wonderful. 

This blog has a purpose. It is a new super easy recipe that I whipped together this evening to get rid of some bananas that were too ripe. I love bananas. I eat about 2 a day. However, when the weekend comes, I don't eat them as much, so they get too ripe. I despise bananas that are too squishy. So, this quick and easy recipe is sure to be a winner, and get rid of those bananas that are headed toward the trash.Also, you are very likely to have all of the ingredients in the cupboard.

You Will Need: 

3-4 Ripe Bananas

1/3 cup of melted buttercup of sugar (don't tell coach... but I use Splenda.) 

1 egg  beaten

1 teaspoon of vanilla

A pinch of salt

A dash of baking soda..... sorry. I'm not one to measure when I cook. Call me Julia. :/

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

Small amount of walnuts or pecans.

What You Do:  

(I have a Kitchen Aid, so I try to use if for everything!   However, for this, you really only need a wooden spoon and bowl!) 

Preheat the oven to 350.

Mix the butter and bananas. 

Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla.

Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and continue to blend. 

Add the flour and mix well. 

Stir in the nuts. 

Pour the mixture into a buttered loaf pan. Bake for one hour.

This recipe makes one loaf. I must admit, it is pretty good! It turned out the prettiest color too!

I promise my table is clean. That white blob is my just one of my early cooking lessons. You don't put hot pans on the table. :(

Let me know if you make it! 

Do you have any tips to share in the kitchen?

Thankful Thursday #1

Happy Thursday! This past Thanksgiving, Facebook did this really cool thing where you could post something that you were thankful for each day of November. Well, my plan this year is to be thankful for what God has blessed me with. So, this week is the first of many "Thankful Thursday" posts.

I am thankful for: 

1. An AMAZING master teacher. She has taught me so much already! Hello, it is day 3! :)

2. Carmex. Gah, I hate chapped lips. Thank you Carmex.

3. COFFEE! I only have one cup a day. I have it when I get to school. My kiddies know that I must have it, or I will turn into a dragon. Student's words exactly. Plus, I am running on ZERO Cola... coffee is a must!

4. My weimaraner. He is the BEST running partner. Thanks Dub for the 2.5 today!

5. Kyle Mooney. He is one of my awesome friends. I love him like a big brother. I can always count on him to help me when I am in need. It started in high school when I needed my oil in the Tracker checked! DAILY. Today he hooked me up with 10 lbs of ground meat. This will last us about six months, and allow me to cook for the wonderful people of Thomson when they are sick, have babies, need a hand,  etc. Thank you so very much Kyle!

6. 63 degree weather! Yay! I got to run without ten layers on! It was nice after the freezing past few days we have had.

7. Perfect attendance today. Yahooo! Friends "Bee"long in Pre-K! (Our class' garden theme.) I love 22 lil babies. Plus, with the warmth revisiting us, we got to go outside... Double Yahoo!

8.  The return of Grey's! Hot Dawg I am excited. However, it is a bit of a struggle to stay awake past 9pm. Lame. I know.

9. Last. But, absolutely the best... My wonderful husband and his ability to make vegetable soup! It was very delicious and healthy! Now we have lunch for about three days! Thanks BC! You da best!

What are YOU thankful for on this beautiful Thursday?

2012, I WILL Love you!

Hello friends! I am super sorry I am so behind. I need to get my act together. I may add that to my resolution list. Speaking of lists.... I suppose you would like to hear about my plans for 2012. I think I am going to work hard on a true "30 Before 30 List" (thanks to my sweet friend Dana's blog) this year, but for now... Here are some of my plans for 2012. I say PLANS because "New Year's Resolution" sounds like a plan to fail to me. Only to me though. Don't let my Nancy Negative tendencies get you down.

THE PLAN:

1. Follow God's plan for me and my family. I have a slight problem with wanting to know every little thing about every little thing. This is something that I need to "leave at the cross." I know that God has a wonderful plan for me. He is always in control, and to God be the glory. I need to remember this. All year... and really FOREVER! 
2. I really want to PRAY MORE. I pray when I need God's assistance. I would really like to learn to pray to thank him for all that he has already assisted me with. For example, (this is really hard to admit)  If I need help with something, I pray that God will help me. Once the obstacle is over, I often forget to thank God. I am going to get better at saying THANK YOU!
3. Change my eating habits. UGH... El Cent you are my #1. Chicken and cheese nachos with mushrooms and onions, I love you. However, you are really starting to hang around my gut too much. I cannot be having that. I am married now, and Facebook has shown me that folks gain too much weight after their wedding. (again, this is probably not you. I swear!) I really, really, really want to be in good shape my entire life. I am seriously the person that is in a better mood when my clothes fit, and I have my normal amount of energy. Being in shape is good for me. I need to always remember this. Plus, a friend of mine just had a baby. She was in great shape. The 'baby weight' seriously remained in the hospital. She walked out wearing pre-pregnancy jeans. Yeah. 
4. Run another 1/2 marathon. I ran one two weeks before my wedding. I was not ready for the awesomeness that it took. This year, I will be ready, and full of awesomeness. I thought I was training for one in Charleston on March 31. However, I am a goon, and it is really only a 10K. So, hey, now I will have extra time to improve my level of awesomeness. But, this means that I have to run a half in the summer. Woof!
5. Love all of the sweet babies in my life the same.  I love being in education. I cannot wait to be a mommy, but, until then, I get to love 22 babies like they are my own. I get to read to them, teach them, and most of all, teach them how to love. I love love love every single day that I walk into the school. I am not just saying that. I seriously miss my sweet kiddies on the weekend. I would never tell my husband this. He may smack me. Hey, he has the right. He teaches middle school! He loves them too! At dinner every night he asks about each of them by name. :) 
6. THE FINAL NUMBER... No more sodas, or alcohol for the entire 2012. I am seriously addicted to soda. I probably drink 3 cans a day. I know. Horrible. No more. It changes this year. This may mean that I have to stay away from the in law's house because they always have the BEST Coca-Cola. As for alcohol: no more for the year of 2012; and probably beyond. I am a naturally "high" person. No, seriously. I can walk in a room and be super excited about something and folks would swear I have been drinking all day. Nope. It's just my personality.  My body is a temple, and I care what I put in it. Plus, I just want to see the benefits of how my body reacts. Today is January 4, 2012. Milk, chocolate milk, juice, water, and coffee is all that I have had. 4 down, 362 to go. 

WISH ME LUCK! 

Now, I know you want to know what we did to ring in the New Year. Well, we went to hang out with some great cousins of ours. Blake and Julie! We went to Athens and stayed at a beautiful hotel. A group of people went to dinner. Yay! Shokitini! My NEW FAVORITE. I love you, UGA rolls! Then we went to the Melting Point and saw an old school rock band. Seriously, I was the youngest person by 15 years. It was so much fun! Here are some great pictures. 

Me and Blake

My cute shoes that I made!

Julie and I

Happy January everyone! Here is proof that it is finally getting cold!

Love love,
C^2