♣In December I turned 26 and, for the first time in over a decade, I actually had a party!

Was my party just a glorified excuse to rock a birthday tiara and wear an obnoxious amount of sparkles? Probably. Scratch that, definitely. I am nothing if not predictable in my love of sparkles and gaudy accessories.

♥In other news, remember that boy I talked about in my last post? The one that I was smitten with? Well between that post and this one, the boy and I have gone FBO (aka Facebook Official ), watched endless episodes of Power Rangers, and gone on a friend/family meeting spree.

I have a pretty strict no gushing policy in place, but I will admit that he makes me happy and that I like him even though he never laughs at my obviously hilarious jokes. (Um, hello, “Where did George Washington keep his armies?? In his sleevies!” is a total knee slapper! Ok, fine, I do get the majority of my jokes off Laffy Taffy wrappers but that doesn’t mean that they’re not funny, it just means that I need to find the right audience.)

♦My biggest news, however, is that I GOT A NEW JOB! To be honest, I like the job I have now and would have been perfectly content to stay except for one tiny little fact, I want to move. I’ve lived in the same tiny town for basically my entire life and it’s time for me to spread my wings a little. Moving to the “big city” has always been my ultimate goal, and it finally felt like the time was right to make the move.

As of next Thursday, I will officially be a resident of the Twin Cities (aka Minneapolis/St. Paul). The majority of my friends live in the area as does the boyfriend although, please, do not imply that I’m moving just for him because it tends to send me into an hour-long rant. He’s a perk NOT a reason. I have no problems with women (or men) who choose to move for their significant others, but, for me, personally, I had so many other reasons to move that Ryan was just one tiny fish in the sea. I’m looking froward to being able to see my peeps on a more regular basis. I can only imagine the shenanigans that will ensue.  

Also, my move puts me 63.2 miles closer to my bestie, Abby.

♠As if a new boyfriend, a new job, AND an impending move weren’t enough, I’m also going to Vegas in February! I’m not sure if you guys know this, but Vegas is my kind of town, gaudy, flashy, and totally in your face. If I had a city soul mate than Vegas is definitely it.

We meet again, Nevada!

♦My last piece of news is actually health/fitness related (surprise, surprise). My parents bought me TurboFire for Christmas and I’m in love. Any exercise program that encourages booty shaking is okay by me. I sweat like a crazy person, feel like a baller, and have a blast doing it. All wins! I’m just glad that I finally found something that made me excited about exercise again. It’s nice to feel like I’ve got my healthy mojo back.

Why have I been uninspired, you ask? Well it basically comes down to two things…

1. I haven’t done any real exercise since my 5k in October. I keep meaning to get back into the swing of things, but so far my laziness has been winning out. Oddly enough, I’m also at the lowest weight I’ve been in months. No exercise = weight loss?? Counter-intuitive, but I’m willing to take my wins wherever I can get them.

2. I have a new boy in my life. Sighing dreamily has taken precedence to blogging and dieting. I don’t want to talk about him too much on the blog since I want to respect his privacy, but rest assured, I am a smitten kitten. He gives me butterflies.

Even though I’m super happy at the moment, I am less than impressed with how things are going on the health front. I miss exercise and, while I’d love to eat nothing but cheese for the rest of my life, my thighs would prefer if I went back to consuming more fruits and veggies.

My friend Casey gave me P90X to try a few months ago and I think it’s finely time to dust off the DVDs and give the program a try. I need something to kick me in the butt and shove me down the path to the abs of my dreams.

As you can probably tell, the plan is still a work in progress (aka it barely qualifies as a plan at all). I’ll keep you posted as things develop. Until then, keep smiling, kids. I know I will be.

As you may know from reading previous posts, I ran my very first 5k on Saturday morning. And honestly, the entire race was kind of a suckfest. 

At least I looked cute, right?

Basically everything that I could have done wrong before the race on Saturday I ended up doing. Drink beer the night before? Check. Forget to drink water the morning of the race to hydrate myself after the beer dehydration the night before? Check. Eat Subway and drink a cappuccino WAY too close to race time? Check!

If only I would have known what was coming...

The fact that I finished the race without hurling pumpkin spice cappuccino all over my pretty pink shoes is a testament to my iron will and my ingrained sense of decorum that does not permit things like puking on someone’s front lawn.

However, with all of that said, can I just say that I LOVED the experience! I bet that shocked you, didn’t it? Obviously, the race itself wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine but finishing felt amazing and I’m already planning out my next race. I need a redemption run after all. 

First official race shirt. I guess that means I'm legit, huh?

 You know what I realized this weekend? I am a runner. I’ve never felt comfortable calling myself one because it always made me feel like a poser, but you know what? I AM a runner if only because I love it. I love the way running makes me feel physically and I love the way running makes me feel mentally. And hey, it takes a “real” runner to completely blow a race and still love every minute of it.

You know what else makes me feel legit? Bondi bands! Cute, right?

I may have sucked royally at the 5k, but I managed to rock Halloween like it was going out of style.

Ten points to the first person who can figure out what the boys are dressed up as.

 Overall it was a fantastic weekend with fabulous people and I want to relive the entire thing all over again. Total love.

It was disheartening to go from easily running 4+ miles on the treadmill to feeling winded by half a mile outside. I don’t do things publicly unless I can do them well so my compression tights and I stayed on the treadmill where we thought we belonged.

However this 5k I’m running next weekend suddenly made it imperative to train outdoors. I didn’t want to walk into the 5k with a cloud of doom hanging over my head at the idea of running outside. I wanted to feel confident and prepared come race day.

The first few attempts at outdoor running went marginally better than expected. You know, I didn’t die or anything. It’s the little things. I set out on my run on Tuesday expecting more of the same, but something miraculous happened instead. I. Loved. It. Every second of the run felt awesome. My legs felt good, my pacing was spot on, and I never felt like I couldn’t continue. In fact, if it hadn’t been for my raging hunger, I probably would have kept running for a few more miles. It was exactly the run I’ve been waiting for.

I have no idea what was different about this run. Perhaps it was my sweet new Bondi Band?

Or maybe it was my color coordinated outfit? My Paris Hilton shades? The strange way I posed for this picture by staring off to the side pensively? All of the above?

Whatever it was, it happened just in time. Praise the running gods!

Has anyone else had a hard time making the switch from treadmill running to outdoor running?

Anyone else have a Bondi Band? I’ve only had mine for a few days but I already love it. It’s pink, beautiful, and functional. Win-win-win!

Yeah, I know, mini-BFF is too cool for her own good. That kid never fails to keep me entertained. I haven’t seen her as often as I used to since she started kindergarten so I was thrilled to spend the night with her yesterday so that we could catch up. Hey, she may only be six-years-old but she girl talks with the best of them. She is of the firm belief that no man is good enough for me which is a welcome confidence boost on days when I’m feeling like a romantic outcast.

Love you, mini-BFF!

As all of you are probably aware, Halloween is just around the corner. As some of you may know, I’ve been excited about Halloween since November 1 of last year. Oh yeah, kids, you read that right, that’s a solid year of anticipation for a day that is (finally) fast approaching.

I’ve spent the past few months scouring Halloween costume websites for the perfect costume. I wanted something fun, comfortable, slightly original, and a little bit sexy. You only live once, right? 

However, I’ve run into a few people lately who do not approve of sexy Halloween costumes (Hello, Mom ). It’s not that I don’t get why they’d be up in arms about it because I do, but I also think that if I want to wear a short skirt on one night per year then that’s totally my prerogative. Yes, I think that it’s totally clichéd to dress up as a sexy-something-or-other (Sexy Nemo, really?!) and on most days I’d be the first person to argue with you about the objectification of women, but for this one night a year, I like to throw my feminist leanings out the window and just embrace the sleaze factor.

For me, a (semi) revealing costume has nothing to do with being appealing to the opposite sex.  It’s about confidence and feeling good in my own skin which is something that I worked long and hard for. Losing weight wasn’t easy and gaining some much-needed self-confidence was even harder. If I want to celebrate my success by participating in the age-old tradition of looking trash-tastic on Halloween then I’m totally okay with that. Maybe it seems silly to other people, but when I was slogging along on the treadmill, picturing myself doing all of the things that “skinny people” did was enough to keep me pushing on.

Sure, I’m no longer focused on being “skinny,” but I still enjoy doing all of the things that I used to dream about because each one feels like a mini victory. Sometimes the little things end up being the things that make the biggest impression.

Update on Project: Rainbow Tutu: My tutu is complete! And I still have all of my fingers! Trust me, slicing one off is always a legitimate concern when I’m involved with a crafting project. Pictures will be forthcoming either tonight or tomorrow because a successful art project venture deserves a post all of its own. However, here’s a sneak peek of the finished project.

Tutu self portraits are harder than they look!

 I am officially ready for my 5k next weekend! Wish me luck!

This was the closest emotional equivalent of "terrified" that I could find. Cute, yeah? However, my eyelashes look awesome. It's the little things.

Don’t ask me why because I can’t explain it either. I’ve actually spent the last few days repeating the following list of facts to myself in a lame attempt to convince myself to stop being so ridiculous.

1. I’ve been able to run a 5k (and beyond) for months now. I have no worries about being able to complete the distance.

2. I’m not gunning for a PR. Hey, when it’s your first race, any time is a PR. I could crab walk this 5k and still call my time a PR. Automatic win!

3. I’m running in a tutu. Obviously this is not supposed to be a serious business race.

4. I’m running the race with my cousin Kayla and her fiance Cory. If that doesn’t equal fun than I don’t know what does. Plus I’m pretty sure that I can beat Cory in the race with my eyes closed while running backward. With both legs tied together.

You can probably tell from the leg warmer/pajama combo that Kayla and I are rocking that we’re the “serious” athletes around here. The fastest I’ve ever seen Cory move was when he thought I dropped an ice-cube on his hardwood floor. Cory may be sweet, but I’m not sure he has a competitive bone in his body. Unless, of course, there’s a competitive Windex-ing league out there that I don’t know about, Cory would (literally) mop the floor with the competition there.

As you can see, this race is supposed to be about having a good time, acting a little bit ridiculous, and wearing a tutu in public so why am I making it stressful? Total conundrum, friends.

In all honesty, it’s not that big of a conundrum. I have a tendency to turn into a Type A control freak whenever I do something competitive which probably explains why this race has turned me into a stressed out, pace-obsessed monster even though I’m running it strictly for kicks and giggles. I need to be saved from my own worst impulses apparently.

By the time race day comes around, I’m determined to be chilled out and ready to just have fun. I have a feeling that wearing a tutu and my new Bondi Band headband might go a long way to making me feel festive and stress-free.

Anyone else a total competitive monster?  Most people don’t like to lose, but I definitely take that competitive impulse to a whole other level.

P.S. the Champion exercise tanks from Target with the empire waist (see above) are my new favorite thing. I was skeptical of them at first because empire waists rarely work for me, but I fell in love the first time I put one on. They are ridiculously comfortable and super flattering.

If Target/Champion would like to send me one in every color (size medium, please ), I would be more than happy to rave about them on a daily basis here on the blog.

On top of my ramped up mileage, I’m also gearing up to tackle one last 5k project. A tutu!

This video and I will be spending some quality time together tonight as I attempt to create my very own tutu. I’m anticipating a mild tulle disaster because my crafty gene appears to be defective. Some people have the ability (and patience) to create beautiful, artsy items with nothing more than a creative spirit and miscellaneous art supplies, but I am not one of them. I usually end up super gluing my legs together, covering myself with glitter, and leaving streaks of paint in my hair after I attempt a craft project. It’s not pretty.

I’ll keep you posted with how things turn out on the tutu front. If all else fails, I’ve got my mom on standby to swoop in and save me from crafting disaster. That woman has the patience of the saint (which is something I lack) so if anyone can fix my screw-ups, it’s her.

It’s only Monday, but I’m already excited for the weekend. I have a feeling that it’s going to be a good one. Details will be forthcoming, but I’ll leave you with this mini teaser… It will involve fro-yo, a Halloween costume, and cheerleading. Three of my very favorite things!

In typical Joey fashion, she made sure that it would coordinate with her outfit and has turned it into a fashion statement. That’s my girl!

Unfortunately for Joey this isn’t her first experience with a broken bone. A few years ago she had the misfortune of breaking her leg and spent her summer with yet another hot pink cast on. The poor girl does not have very good luck.

Joey’s playground misfortunes aside, I actually have had a relatively busy past few days. Let’s break it down, shall we?

I judged a cheerleading competition on Saturday morning which was a total blast. I was a competitive cheerleader throughout high school so judging felt a lot like returning to my roots. Judging competitions is definitely something that I want to keep pursuing because it felt really good to throw myself back into the cheerleading madness. Plus I got to judge with one of the girls that I cheered with in high school which made the entire experience extra fun. Peng bo! (Long story )

Following the competition, I picked up T and we headed out for some much-needed fro-yo action.

And yes, it was just as magical as I was hoping it would be. Minnesota has been a little slow about jumping on the self-serve fro-yo bandwagon so whenever I stumble upon a store, I feel the immediate urge to eat a bowl of it the size of my face. That bowl of deliciousness held a mix of peanut butter, almond, and red velvet fro-yo plus all sorts of yummy toppings (hello, cheesecake bites!). If possible, I would like to swim through a pool of peanut butter fro-yo with my mouth wide open because it was the stuff that dreams are made of. I may or may not have slipped into a trance just thinking about it.

Last but not least, I helped celebrate my cousin Kayla’s 25th birthday!

It. Was. Awesome. The entire night was one adventure after another and I woke up the next morning still laughing over some of our antics. I’ll say this, we know how to have fun.

Kayla and I also decided to sign up for a 5k run over Halloween weekend. I am always up for anything that allows me to go out in public dressed in a tiara and a tutu, however, I’m kind of nervous for the race. I know that I can run the distance, but the whole idea of actually doing a race (even one that I’m running strictly for fun) is intimidating. *cue shaking in boots now*

In preparation for the 5k, I’ve decided to step up my running game because I want to feel as strong as possible going into the race, but if we’re being totally honest, I should probably just admit that I want to kick a little booty too. I’m taking comfort in the fact that no matter what my time is, it will be an instant PR since I’ve never raced before.   

Somehow I get the feeling that kicking booty or no, I’m going to have a blast running with this girl.

No idea what we're doing here...

Have I mentioned that my family is delightfully insane? Because we are. We really, really are.

Any tips or tricks for doing a race? Obviously a 5k isn’t a marathon or anything, but it’s all totally new to me so let the advice flow. Also, is running in angel wings advisable? Or should I just stick to the tutu/tiara idea? These are the important questions, my friends.

Or, if you don’t want to discuss running, tell me something fun happening in your life!

Shoe shopping.

Spending quality time with my bestie.

Making ridiculous t-shirts (long story).

The t-shirts started out as a joke and yet somehow I ended up spending hours on them. I don’t like to do anything halfway and that includes carrying out my crazy schemes. And yes, real men DO wear fanny packs.

Basically, I’ve been having a blast!

What else have I been up to lately? Enjoying fall, of course! Actually this love of fall that I’ve got going is pretty unusual. Most years I spend fall dreading winter and wishing for summer to come back, but somehow this year I’ve learned to appreciate the changing seasons. In the spirit of my newly kindled love for fall, I thought it might be fun to list all of the things that I’m loving right now.

1. The return of pumpkin! I know, I know, this is totally clichéd since it seems like every blogger out there is a pumpkin freak. Does it help if I admit that the pumpkin thing I’m most excited about is my beloved Coffee-Mate Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer?  

Trans fats will not deter me from loving every sip of this precious liquid.

2. Cold weather clothing. After a summer of rocking nothing but shorts and flip flops, I’m excited to bust out my jeans and boots again now that the weather has cooled off. I’m looking forward to cozy sweaters, scarfs, and mittens.

3. Muk Luks. This goes along slightly with #2, but I’m very excited to be able to wear my muk luks again. Muk Luk slippers are my jam!

4. Halloween! I start getting excited for Halloween in the middle of the summer and my excitement continues to grow until it’s totally out of control by the time October rolls around. I’m planning to shop for a costume in the next few weeks so I finally feel justified in my enthusiasm.

What do you love about fall?