Amazing Quest & The Guys

Team #9 AKA Lay off my Biscuits (long story...inside joke)

I could hardly believe that we were doing this again.   Last year's amazing quest took us about 3 1/2 hours, involved a trolley ride to an entirely different part of town and had really hard challenges.  This year it was definitely watered down.  It was only about 2 hours, kept us right in downtown and had much easier challenges.  The take off point was a bar called Barley & Mash.  When they yelled GO we opened our first clue and took off running our little hearts out and trying to get through each challenge really fast.  It was in the 80's so we were HOT, sweaty and out of breath. 

They had us break at the half way point back at Barley & Mash.  Big mistake for us because we found out that even with all of our hustling we were still in 13th place!!  How did the #1 team do it so fast?  We couldn't figure it out so we took it easy in the 2nd half.  There was no way we would win or even come in the top 3...or even 5!  We took it so easy we skipped the last challenge because we were already over time and finished dead last.  We were tired, hungry and all we wanted was our free happy hour.  By the time we got back the other teams were probably on their 3rd drink.  The last round of the food was being put out and devoured within minutes.  I got a glass of wine and for the first time ever ate french fries so sloppy they required a fork.  Awesome by the way.  While everyone else was still partying it up in the reserved area downstairs the four of us ordered some food at the bar upstairs.  We were THE losing team so we got ran out of there.  No not really. We just got there so late we didn't get enough food. I was so worn out that night.  By 8:30pm I could barely keep my eyes open.  I felt so bad for Mj because he got busy writing a 10 page paper while I got busy falling asleep on the couch.

One of Mj's good friends L is moving out of the state so we planned a day at the park on Sunday for one last time all together.  It would have been nice if we could have flip flopped Saturday and Sunday's weather but even in California you can't always get the weather you want when you want it.  Saturday was in the 80's while we were running around the city but Sunday at the park the temperature dropped to the 60's.  It was still high 70's where we live but this was closer to the coast.  We ordered Pizza and ate this yummy cake with L's face on it.  I'm not even gonna tell you how many pieces of pizza I ate.  I was freezing for most of the day but I zipped up my hoodie, sucked it up and had fun anyways.  I got some laughs when I busted out the gloves but I didn't care. If I was smart I would have joined in on the volleyball and wiffle ball games so I could burn some calories AND stay warm. 

The Guys (L is the one on the right with the baseball cap)

Mj has a really great group of friends.  They don't just stay in touch on Facebook; they make sure that they hang out and see each other in real life too.  They bike, do dinners and take trips together.  I don't have friends like that.  Gosh, I can remember meeting all of these guys and their wives five years ago and hoping that they would like me and now I feel like part of the group.  L is really the center of the group and so good at bringing everyone together for Bar B Q's and gatherings at his house.  It's a part of life that things change and people move on but it's so sad.  It's going to be a good move for him but he will be missed by everyone.

 
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Confessions for the Week

I confess that my nails are jacked.  I am terrible about maintaining them between mani/pedi's and it's been a while since my last one.  I wish I enjoyed grooming them but I don't.

I confess that I pretty much froze my A** off at Mj's flag football game in 54 degree weather a few weeks ago.  This may not be very cold to some of you poor people who have had your cars buried in snow but it was miserable for me.  After an hour of these dreadful conditions my feet were actually numb in some parts by the time I got home.  Another 30 minutes and I swear I could have gotten frostbite.  When I got in the warm shower I had painful prickly's in my feet.  I'm just not made for any weather below 60.  All that suffering and the pictures turned out awful!  The lighting on the field was terrible and most of the shots were blurry.  I did better at this weeks game and even shot in manual mode!!  Super exciting considering when I first started with that setting all my pictures were black.

Reunited and it feels so good

I confess that I hate being without my wedding rings for even a day.  I finally dropped them at the jeweler to get all polished up and I was only without them for about 7 days but I felt naked without them.

I confess that we don't make our bed.  Ever.  When we first moved to our house we both used to then Mj stopped and it was just me and then I stopped.  During the week I get out of bed and don't come home for 10-12 hours.  By the time I get back it's practically time to get right back in so I don't see the point.  And forget about those decorative pillows.  Even when I was making the bed they were on the floor half the time anyways so I got rid of those a long time ago.

I confess that I am now one of those people who only likes HD and Blue Ray.  I started watching a new show on Oxygen and I was a little put out that they don't have an HD channel.  I can tell the difference in a second.

I confess that I'm terrible at remembering to take my vitamins.  It's not that hard but I have the hardest time sticking with it.  I'll do really good for a few weeks and then start forgetting again.  I was doing good up until last week and then I fell off the wagon again.

I confess that I got another box of Girl Scout Cookies because 6 wasn't enough.  One bite of those Peanut Butter Patties and I knew that 2 boxes wouldn't cut it.  They are soooo good so I had to have one more.  We have gone through about 3 or 4 of them already.  I lost count. 

Link up with Leslie @A Blonde Ambition

I confess that there are certain foods that I literally cannot control myself around.  Cereal is #1.  The serving size is so ridiculously small that I'd rather not bother because if I stop when I'm ready I'll have eaten 2 mixing bowl size servings instead.  My #2 no self control food would have to be chips.  It doesn't matter which kind either.  I will gorge myself equally on any kind that I like.  I have gone through an entire bag of Tortilla chips by myself in less then a week.  

I confess that I've never decorated a cubicle or an office in any place I've ever worked at.  The most I've ever done is put a picture on my desk. I want to but typically the sterile office environment is not at all inspiring.  That should motivate me to spruce it up but it never happens.  I don't get around to it and the next thing I know it's years later.  I guess it's that whole me not being creative thing.

I confess that work has been so crazy this week that I'm about ready to lose my mind.   We were joking that we needed a Margarita to get through yesterday's meeting.  I'm not sure how well that would have actually worked out plus I don't want to get fired so I'm glad we didn't but I definitely plan on having an alcoholic beverage of some kind this weekend.   Maybe two....or three. 

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Click Chicks Photo Challenge // Water

 I live less then 30 minutes from the Pacific ocean so you might think my water photo challenge would be something awesome like the beach with a beautiful sunset in the distance.  I would have loved that but my weekend outings did not quite take me all the way to the coast and with gas prices being just over $4 per gallon and all I went with what was in my own house. My own refrigerator to be exact.  I'm probably going to feel really lame when I check out other awesome water shots on the link up.  Maybe I should have gone back to the archives from our trip to Europe where we spent 7 days on a ship in the middle of the Mediterranean Ocean.  I got plenty of breathtaking water shots but that was last year and this is this year so I'm gonna go with what I got.  And what I got is the water that I strive to guzzle as much of as I can every day in my lovely Tervis Tumbler.  I like my water cold and I love it that these cups don't sweat and leave annoying water rings all over the place and have handy lids for travel.    

60% of the human body is water so I guess it's kind of important that we keep it hydrated.  I used to be terrible about it but about a year ago I made it my mission to drink more and I think I've done pretty well.  It helps a lot that it comes right out of the refrigerator.  I still don't understand how that happens but it's nice not to have to keep running to the store to stock up.  It feels like an unlimited supply so I drink it accordingly.  I do not get in 64 ounces every day.   Sometimes I barely make it to 32 oz but every single day I have a giant water bottle by my side most of the day and have definitely increased my intake a lot.  I'd like to say that I'm experiencing all of these wonderful side benefits from it but I really can't.  Maybe I am internally in ways that I'm not specifically aware of but overall the only side effect has been that I sweat a little more at the gym and to be honest I really could do without that one.  I haven't seen a change in my skin, energy or anything else but if everyone says I'm supposed to drink it up then drink it up I will.

LINK UP HERE

 
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Oh, Monday's

Oh Monday's. I try not to hate you but you just make it so hard. Yesterday was crazy. I felt like I was rushing from one thing to the next all day long. Nobody wants to get out of bed on Monday after a nice weekend of sleeping in to your heart's content.  I hit the road by 7:20am and sat through a 1 hour 40 minute commute to work that normally takes 30 minutes. You know those trucks that carry sheets and sheets of glass? Well one of them got into an accident and there was glass all over the road causing a morning commute nightmare. I got to work about 40 minutes late, rushed around getting my breakfast and coffee, then took a moment to read a few blogs dove headfirst into work.  There is so much work right now with no end in sight that I wanted to cry!  Things are just really busy for us right now and the database that we use to facilitate all this work is perpetually broken so it's a little bit overwhelming.  I barely took a lunch break.  Work, work, work.  Eat a granola bar, drink some water.  More work.  The upside is that the day flew by.  Then I realized I hadn't even taken the time to get up to use the bathroom all day and I had to go BAD.  I rushed to the bathroom then rushed back to my office and locked the door so I could do a quick change into my Pilates gear.  It's always weird taking my clothes off where I work.

At 5:01pm I was running out the door.  I have 30 minutes to get there but if anything goes wrong traffic wise I'd be screwed because there are no refunds on missed classess.  It's Reformer Pilates so it's just a tad bit more rigorous then the regular kind.  It felt good to stretch out those stiff muscles in my back and neck from sitting at a desk all day.  Definitely the highlight of my day.  Fifty minutes later I jumped into the car and headed home.  I rushed into the house and put my things down so I could start making dinner right away.  It was 6:45pm by then so I wanted to get it going.  I'm no chef on a good day but especially on a busy Monday it was just Mexican Pizza on Flatouts.  Tasty and easy.  I popped them in the oven and set the timer for 10 minutes then rushed upstairs to take a quick shower.  No shaving involved so I could get back downstairs and eat while it was still hot.

At 7:45pm I finally got to sit down.  I started watching Teen Mom 2 and everyone except Chelsea was annoying the hell out of me so I found myself talking yelling at the TV.  Which is weird because normally she drives me crazy too.  Maybe I should have picked a different show to watch.  Maybe I should just quit watching this show altogether but we've already discussed my addiction so that's probably not going to happen.  Whew.  There was some cuddle time on the couch with Mj while he watched one of his shows then before too long it was time for bed.  And that was my long busy exhausting crazy Monday. 
 
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Click Chicks Photo Challenge // Nature

I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to find any nature in time for this blog post since there isn't anything all that beautiful and nature like outside my front door.  Then we were driving down the street on the way home from football on Saturday and I saw these beautiful trees all lined up and blooming just waiting for me to snap a picture.  I don't remember seeing them before but then again I don't remember exactly when I last drove down that street.  Wendy's and Save-A-Lot kind of spoil the tone of these pretty trees so I cropped them out. I love the bright blue cloudless sky in the background.  It was a perfect 80 something degree day.

  I have no idea what kind of trees these are but the flowers on it look really pretty up close.  In the immediate area where I live I can see beautiful mountains looming in the distance.  There are trees here and there but not a whole lot of greenery so it was nice surprise to discover these.

Link Up Here

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Four Day Weekend

I heart four day weekends.  I slept in and went to a 10:30 am Yoga class on Friday.  Then I came home, relaxed and started dinner.  I rarely make dinner so this was a big deal and for some reason I actually enjoyed doing it.  It was very strange, but I liked it.  That night we watched a movie (Stolen).

Saturday morning I got up early with Mj and went to his flag football game.  I started out in a sweatshirt drinking coffee and ended up sweating.  The sun was blazing and by the time we left it was in the 80's.  I got some really great action shots of the game using the zoom lens.  He's the organizer for these flag football games and I was unofficially hired with no pay to take shots for his group Facebook page. 

After football we went to an open house in our neighborhood.  We're definitely not in the market but it's still fun to look and pretend like we are on House Hunters.  Then it was time for lunch  and we had to eat outside because the weather was so perfect.  We went to Downtown Cafe because it's in our neighborhood and they have a great outdoor seating area.  That sourdough cheesy bread was so delicious that I'm still thinking about it.  I'm such a carb junkie.  It's an appetizer but I ordered it as my entree.  It was only $4.95 so once again I was a cheap date.  Mj got a juicy burger with fries.  I couldn't believe I was wearing flip flops and shorts in February.  Okay, I can believe it and that's why I love living here so much.  But don't be too jealous because it's supposed to start raining any minute.

My husband's job clearly doesn't care enough about their employees so he didn't get Friday or Monday off.  How sad is that?  Monday I got up and hit the gym by 9am for some cardio.  Since I was in no rush I spent about 30 minutes afterwards stretching and working on my flexibility.  I ran a few errands, did laundry and spent the rest of the afternoon watching TV and blogging.

Not having to go to work is the life, I'm telling you.  I had time to exercise, relax and get stuff done without feeling like a chicken with it's head cut off.  Long weekends are the best.

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