Hello friends,
My summer has been rolling right along since school got out in early May. Jenny and I took our trip to Jamaica (see last post). Other than that Jenny has been working in Des Moines for a law firm called Whitfield % Eddy P.L.C. She really enjoys it and I think its mostly because she hates school and its nice to be out there working haha. I have been "working" as well. I have been working on my thesis. Some days I get more work done than others. I get a lot of work done when Allen, my supervisor, is around. Its mostly because what I'm working on I can't really get it all done by myself. I'm working on his ideas so I need him around to float the ideas to me so I can figure out how to make it happen. Last week and half of this week Allen has been gone so I haven't even been into the office since. I work on things at home on my laptop. I need the computer program on my personal computer anyways so it works out. Hopefully I can get everything done! My first draft of my thesis is due June 30th. I need to present my material before July 15th and my final printed copy is due July 30th. I have a lot of work to do.
The summer hasn't been all about work though. I have gone to Des Moines a couple times as well as heading home for cousin Kade's high school graduation. Des Moines has been fun. My birthday weekend Jenny and I went to a comedy show (she gets free tickets from her firm). Earlier that day we went to a beer tasting downtown Des Moines. It was a craft beer show with approximately 20 breweries from Iowa and the surrounding states. It was awesome. Other than that I just watched a lot of TV and played with Charlie. Charlie is still a crazy dog. He is three years old and he now can catch a frisbee out of the air. He's very talented. He's kinda needy for attention though haha.
Last weekend Jenny came to Iowa City. We got delivery from Graze and watched the hockey game when she got here. I LOVE hockey. Its an awesome sport. Its physical and its fast. I could have played but I was informed that basketball shoes were cheaper than hockey equipment, even though all my friends played it when we lived in Minot, ND. The Stanley Cup Finals is on. Its the Boston Bruins versus the Vancouver Canucks. There really can't be anything much more USA versus Canada. Jenny wants the Canucks to win because she's a silly Canadian. I don't really have a team in hockey but I just have to go for the Boston Bruins. In celebration, this weekend I drank Sam Adam's Boston Lager while I watched the game and Jenny drank Molson haha. The rest of that weekend we went out for the best sushi ever at Oyama in Iowa City. After that we spent a night on the town with our friends Vanessa and Zach. It was really fun but we probably ate and drank too much.
Well I don't have much else to talk about. I play a lot of video games and watch a lot of TV in order to escape the blazing heat and boiling humidity. I've started another round of P90x. The regular version this time instead of the Lean version. There is just more weight lifting stuff which is good for me. I'm trying to ride my bike more when I actually go anywhere.
Well there's my summer update. The job search continues. I hope something comes up soon. I'll keep you updated.
Have a great summer!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Long Time No See
Hello again finally!
It has been about three weeks since I last wrote anything. A lot has happened since then. Most notably the Jamaica trip!
It was an awesome trip. The kick off wasn't altogether fun but it was a necessary evil. Jenny had to attend a get together in Des Moines for her law firm. The get together was at the Iowa Cubs baseball diamond in which they all got to sit in the press boxes and get served refreshments. Not too shabby. I spent this time taking a nap. After Jenny returned we immediately jumped in the car and took off for Chicago. This is about a 5 hour drive. We arrived with a little bit of time to spare which included parking as far away from the airport as possible where we road a bus to get to the shuttle train to get to the airplane. It was trains, planes, and automobiles haha. The flight took off on time and we spent four hours in Ft. Lauderdale for our layover before heading off to Jamaica.
It took us a little while to navigate through customs on arriving but the waiting area for Sandal's customers was a swank little place that served up cups of beer which was nice. The bus ride was not a Sandal's shuttle which came as a surprise to me. That means that tips were required. Anyways the most shocking aspect of the nearly 2-hour bus ride to Sandal's was that in Jamaica they drive on the left! Also they drive crazy and honk their horns for everything. We made a pit stop at a tiny bar and I had my first red stripe. I was also offered drugs for the first time, which I politely declined. Another thing that struck me on the ride was how poor the country was. The entire countryside was a shanty town with very few places of business. There were rich neighborhoods that were fenced in but for the most part it was very poverty stricken.
Sandal's was very nice though. They served up some Champagne while we checked in. There was an employee who brought our bags up to the room and then quietly and secretly informed us that if we needed anything, and by which anything it was apparent that "anything" was drugs, all we needed to do was find him. After he awkwardly left we decided to have a look around. We walked around and noticed where most things were: garden pool, bar, and restaurants. We ate at main restaurant the first night since we were exhausted from traveling. Our waiter Bruce was quite forgetful and it took us an hour to get all of our food and drink. It was still good though, they even specially made a dinner for Jenny since she's a vegetarian and all. We forgave Bruce because it was a vacation after all. After that we went to bed completely exhausted after a long day of traveling.
Day 1
We slept in until after lunch, again VERY tired. When we finally crawled out of bed we went and grabbed a little lunch and started exploring again. We made it around the entire bottom portion of the resort (there was another section across the road and up the hill that we would explore later). After gathering this knowledge we utilized it by doing a little kayaking along the shoreline. We kayaked out and checked out the neighboring resorts. The wind and current was against us as we were leaving so our return trip was not only quicker but it was easier too. Next we grabbed our stuff and sat by the pool for the rest of the day haha. It was a nice little pool with chairs all around and even some half in the water. I applied sunscreen liberally and made several trips to the swim up bar. Not a bad day at all. That night we ate sushi at the brand new sushi place at the resort. It wasn't too bad, you could tell the people that worked there hadn't really eaten sushi before but neither had I until 2 years ago. It was good and the waiter was awesome. He kept the wine glass full. That night we headed to the bar and had a few drinks. Some of us more than others (hard to believe but it was not me).
Day 2 -- Day of the Sunburn
We decided to more fully enjoy the vacation on the second day. We got up early and headed to breakfast which was a nice big buffet. At this buffet I decided that it would be the best idea if I ate 1 pound of greasy bacon. The truth is that it was the best idea because it was awesome even if my arteries would disagree. Before we started the day of sunbathing we headed down to Jaime's bar on the beach. At that time they were having a mixology fun time. One of the fun coordinators mixed up a drink and poured it into everyone's mouth and you had to guess what was in it. I had no idea because all I tasted was juice. Then when that was over we went back around the bar and everyone got to choose what went into a drink. I can't remember what it was but there were twenty people putting stuff in it. Surprisingly it didn't even taste bad. I thought things would get ugly after I started the show with some Jim Beam. After warming our bellies at the bar we went to pool number two across the road. We rode a shuttle bus to get over there. This pool complex was huge! Jenny has some great pictures when I can get them from her. There we sat for most of the day, reading books and having exotic drinks like the Bob Marley, Uncle Sam, and Dirty Bananna. I was on vacation so it was ok for me to drink those drinks and still feel like a man haha. We had pizza from Dino's pizza for lunch and headed over to the giant chess board. Disaster ensues. Jenny and I were playing a nice little game and I got hot so I took off my shirt. I had been putting sunscreen on all day so I figured I was good. Even though it only took me 20 minutes to dispatch poor Jenny, my only prize was a savage sunburn. I toughed it out the rest of the day but I knew the damage was done. I was a crispy critter for the rest of the evening. We ate dinner at Neptune's which was a seafood restaurant. I had a tuna steak it was purdy tasty. We turned in early because of the sunburns and wine.
Day 3 -- Cole hits the spa
Even though we were both sunburned we decided to get a little exercise. We started off with a little tennis. We played it out to a tie so no one had to be upset haha. In reality I said it was time to quit so I wouldn't lose. I'm a bad loser. After that we hit the gym for a little bit. We just did a few burpees (good multi-move exercise). After that we got even more exercise with the Water Trike. This thing is a ridiculous idea. Its like a paddle boat except its a trike with large paddle tires. This thing was a total pain in the ass. Again we peddled into the wind and the current and were doing a lot more work than was worth it haha. It was a good little morning though. After that we went to the pool for the early afternoon. I wore my shirt on my head like a silly hat and let it fall on my shoulders. Protected my scorched skin a little bit. Then Cole Douglas Prevost got his first spa treatment. I think Jenny was secretly planning this the whole time but it worked out that there was a sunburn treatment available. It was kind of an awkward experience for me. Nobody touches Cole unless they are super special and there's only one special person and thats Jenny. This thing pushed my limits haha. First I had to nude up and take a warm shower to open the poors. Then I slid into a robe and was led to a little room. The lady stepped out and I nuded up again and covered myself up laying face down on the table. Felt weird. It was just a lot of aloe treatment. I felt awkward the whole time especially with the upper leg rubs. I survived and it actually felt ok when I was done. Jenny seemed to enjoy her's as well. That night we ate at Valentino's which was an Italian place. We had tried to get in the night before but that one was usually very busy. We got in Wednesday night though. It was decent food. Just a little pasta action. The wine kind of put us right out again and we went to bed early after walking around on the pier.
Day 4 -- On a Boat!
Day four was the only day that we left the resort. We took an excursion to the Dun's River Falls. We rode out there on a little catamaran (two hulled boat). We stopped once so everyone could snorkel a little bit. There wasn't much to see. We got a few underwater pictures but that was about it. We continued on to the Dun's River Falls. The boat let us out and the crew let us know to be careful of people hassling you to sell you things. We didn't take any money at all. We went through the line and met up with our falls guide. I don't know what I thought this tour would be but what it was was a climb all the way up the waterfall in the water haha. It wasn't like a cliff waterfall but it was a series of small steps that went on for a very long time. It was a cool hike though. We even had to climb a little bit with the water flowing right in our face. It all seemed kinda dangerous though because there was like 200 people climbing up this thing at the same time. Well we survived the climb and avoided the vendors trying to sell us crap and made it back to the boat. When we got on the boat were given a little buffet lunch which was tasty and they opened the bar! On the way back we went out to sea a little bit and they cranked the tunes and served up the booze. It was fun there were people dancing (Jenny did too haha). We even finished the boat trip with a little conga line no problem. We were a little tipsy afterwards and went back to the room and slept it off until dinner time. For dinner we had to make reservations at Kimono's which was a Japanese Hibachi grill place. It was purdy good. We met a few couples from Canada so Jenny was happy haha. It was a nice little dinner. We headed to the bar afterwards and raged a little bit. It was fun. The boat trip however was probably the best time we had the whole trip.
Day 5 -- Last Day
The last full day in Jamaica we spent much like every other day haha. We spent some time by the pool and a little by the beach. Our first beach day if you can believe it. While we were on the beach we saw a little crab side scuttling through the sand. He also dug himself a nice little crab whole haha. We called him Mr. Crabs which probably isn't very imaginative or creative. We kind of just relaxed all day long. That night all the restaurants were closed because they had a big beach party. They had a huge buffet out on the beach. The food was good and they had music and people getting the party started. After the beach party they had a projector set up on the beach and played Cool Runnings. I haven't seen that movie forever. It was just as awesome as I remember. It was a really nice way to end the trip.
Travel Day -- The Return home
Traveling is never fun. This was no exception. After we made the bus trip (which felt way safer and quicker with a new nice bus man) we got some lunch at the airport. We ate at the Cool Running's Cafe. It was really cool. They had pictures from the Jamaican bobsled team up everywhere. We were a little late leaving Jamaica and had to rush through customs and rush to our plane for Chicago. Were were almost 2 hours late getting into Chicago because we had to fly around a storm in Florida. When we got to Chicago it was absolutely pouring an a concert was just getting out so the roads were completely packed. We were tired and crabby until we found a Subway and finally got something to eat. Jenny drove first and got us out of the city and almost to the Mississippi River. We didn't make it to Iowa City until 4am. It was a hellish day of traveling but it was completely worth it because it was:
THE BEST TRIP EVER
pictures will be on the next post no worries
It has been about three weeks since I last wrote anything. A lot has happened since then. Most notably the Jamaica trip!
It was an awesome trip. The kick off wasn't altogether fun but it was a necessary evil. Jenny had to attend a get together in Des Moines for her law firm. The get together was at the Iowa Cubs baseball diamond in which they all got to sit in the press boxes and get served refreshments. Not too shabby. I spent this time taking a nap. After Jenny returned we immediately jumped in the car and took off for Chicago. This is about a 5 hour drive. We arrived with a little bit of time to spare which included parking as far away from the airport as possible where we road a bus to get to the shuttle train to get to the airplane. It was trains, planes, and automobiles haha. The flight took off on time and we spent four hours in Ft. Lauderdale for our layover before heading off to Jamaica.
It took us a little while to navigate through customs on arriving but the waiting area for Sandal's customers was a swank little place that served up cups of beer which was nice. The bus ride was not a Sandal's shuttle which came as a surprise to me. That means that tips were required. Anyways the most shocking aspect of the nearly 2-hour bus ride to Sandal's was that in Jamaica they drive on the left! Also they drive crazy and honk their horns for everything. We made a pit stop at a tiny bar and I had my first red stripe. I was also offered drugs for the first time, which I politely declined. Another thing that struck me on the ride was how poor the country was. The entire countryside was a shanty town with very few places of business. There were rich neighborhoods that were fenced in but for the most part it was very poverty stricken.
Sandal's was very nice though. They served up some Champagne while we checked in. There was an employee who brought our bags up to the room and then quietly and secretly informed us that if we needed anything, and by which anything it was apparent that "anything" was drugs, all we needed to do was find him. After he awkwardly left we decided to have a look around. We walked around and noticed where most things were: garden pool, bar, and restaurants. We ate at main restaurant the first night since we were exhausted from traveling. Our waiter Bruce was quite forgetful and it took us an hour to get all of our food and drink. It was still good though, they even specially made a dinner for Jenny since she's a vegetarian and all. We forgave Bruce because it was a vacation after all. After that we went to bed completely exhausted after a long day of traveling.
Day 1
We slept in until after lunch, again VERY tired. When we finally crawled out of bed we went and grabbed a little lunch and started exploring again. We made it around the entire bottom portion of the resort (there was another section across the road and up the hill that we would explore later). After gathering this knowledge we utilized it by doing a little kayaking along the shoreline. We kayaked out and checked out the neighboring resorts. The wind and current was against us as we were leaving so our return trip was not only quicker but it was easier too. Next we grabbed our stuff and sat by the pool for the rest of the day haha. It was a nice little pool with chairs all around and even some half in the water. I applied sunscreen liberally and made several trips to the swim up bar. Not a bad day at all. That night we ate sushi at the brand new sushi place at the resort. It wasn't too bad, you could tell the people that worked there hadn't really eaten sushi before but neither had I until 2 years ago. It was good and the waiter was awesome. He kept the wine glass full. That night we headed to the bar and had a few drinks. Some of us more than others (hard to believe but it was not me).
Day 2 -- Day of the Sunburn
We decided to more fully enjoy the vacation on the second day. We got up early and headed to breakfast which was a nice big buffet. At this buffet I decided that it would be the best idea if I ate 1 pound of greasy bacon. The truth is that it was the best idea because it was awesome even if my arteries would disagree. Before we started the day of sunbathing we headed down to Jaime's bar on the beach. At that time they were having a mixology fun time. One of the fun coordinators mixed up a drink and poured it into everyone's mouth and you had to guess what was in it. I had no idea because all I tasted was juice. Then when that was over we went back around the bar and everyone got to choose what went into a drink. I can't remember what it was but there were twenty people putting stuff in it. Surprisingly it didn't even taste bad. I thought things would get ugly after I started the show with some Jim Beam. After warming our bellies at the bar we went to pool number two across the road. We rode a shuttle bus to get over there. This pool complex was huge! Jenny has some great pictures when I can get them from her. There we sat for most of the day, reading books and having exotic drinks like the Bob Marley, Uncle Sam, and Dirty Bananna. I was on vacation so it was ok for me to drink those drinks and still feel like a man haha. We had pizza from Dino's pizza for lunch and headed over to the giant chess board. Disaster ensues. Jenny and I were playing a nice little game and I got hot so I took off my shirt. I had been putting sunscreen on all day so I figured I was good. Even though it only took me 20 minutes to dispatch poor Jenny, my only prize was a savage sunburn. I toughed it out the rest of the day but I knew the damage was done. I was a crispy critter for the rest of the evening. We ate dinner at Neptune's which was a seafood restaurant. I had a tuna steak it was purdy tasty. We turned in early because of the sunburns and wine.
Day 3 -- Cole hits the spa
Even though we were both sunburned we decided to get a little exercise. We started off with a little tennis. We played it out to a tie so no one had to be upset haha. In reality I said it was time to quit so I wouldn't lose. I'm a bad loser. After that we hit the gym for a little bit. We just did a few burpees (good multi-move exercise). After that we got even more exercise with the Water Trike. This thing is a ridiculous idea. Its like a paddle boat except its a trike with large paddle tires. This thing was a total pain in the ass. Again we peddled into the wind and the current and were doing a lot more work than was worth it haha. It was a good little morning though. After that we went to the pool for the early afternoon. I wore my shirt on my head like a silly hat and let it fall on my shoulders. Protected my scorched skin a little bit. Then Cole Douglas Prevost got his first spa treatment. I think Jenny was secretly planning this the whole time but it worked out that there was a sunburn treatment available. It was kind of an awkward experience for me. Nobody touches Cole unless they are super special and there's only one special person and thats Jenny. This thing pushed my limits haha. First I had to nude up and take a warm shower to open the poors. Then I slid into a robe and was led to a little room. The lady stepped out and I nuded up again and covered myself up laying face down on the table. Felt weird. It was just a lot of aloe treatment. I felt awkward the whole time especially with the upper leg rubs. I survived and it actually felt ok when I was done. Jenny seemed to enjoy her's as well. That night we ate at Valentino's which was an Italian place. We had tried to get in the night before but that one was usually very busy. We got in Wednesday night though. It was decent food. Just a little pasta action. The wine kind of put us right out again and we went to bed early after walking around on the pier.
Day 4 -- On a Boat!
Day four was the only day that we left the resort. We took an excursion to the Dun's River Falls. We rode out there on a little catamaran (two hulled boat). We stopped once so everyone could snorkel a little bit. There wasn't much to see. We got a few underwater pictures but that was about it. We continued on to the Dun's River Falls. The boat let us out and the crew let us know to be careful of people hassling you to sell you things. We didn't take any money at all. We went through the line and met up with our falls guide. I don't know what I thought this tour would be but what it was was a climb all the way up the waterfall in the water haha. It wasn't like a cliff waterfall but it was a series of small steps that went on for a very long time. It was a cool hike though. We even had to climb a little bit with the water flowing right in our face. It all seemed kinda dangerous though because there was like 200 people climbing up this thing at the same time. Well we survived the climb and avoided the vendors trying to sell us crap and made it back to the boat. When we got on the boat were given a little buffet lunch which was tasty and they opened the bar! On the way back we went out to sea a little bit and they cranked the tunes and served up the booze. It was fun there were people dancing (Jenny did too haha). We even finished the boat trip with a little conga line no problem. We were a little tipsy afterwards and went back to the room and slept it off until dinner time. For dinner we had to make reservations at Kimono's which was a Japanese Hibachi grill place. It was purdy good. We met a few couples from Canada so Jenny was happy haha. It was a nice little dinner. We headed to the bar afterwards and raged a little bit. It was fun. The boat trip however was probably the best time we had the whole trip.
Day 5 -- Last Day
The last full day in Jamaica we spent much like every other day haha. We spent some time by the pool and a little by the beach. Our first beach day if you can believe it. While we were on the beach we saw a little crab side scuttling through the sand. He also dug himself a nice little crab whole haha. We called him Mr. Crabs which probably isn't very imaginative or creative. We kind of just relaxed all day long. That night all the restaurants were closed because they had a big beach party. They had a huge buffet out on the beach. The food was good and they had music and people getting the party started. After the beach party they had a projector set up on the beach and played Cool Runnings. I haven't seen that movie forever. It was just as awesome as I remember. It was a really nice way to end the trip.
Travel Day -- The Return home
Traveling is never fun. This was no exception. After we made the bus trip (which felt way safer and quicker with a new nice bus man) we got some lunch at the airport. We ate at the Cool Running's Cafe. It was really cool. They had pictures from the Jamaican bobsled team up everywhere. We were a little late leaving Jamaica and had to rush through customs and rush to our plane for Chicago. Were were almost 2 hours late getting into Chicago because we had to fly around a storm in Florida. When we got to Chicago it was absolutely pouring an a concert was just getting out so the roads were completely packed. We were tired and crabby until we found a Subway and finally got something to eat. Jenny drove first and got us out of the city and almost to the Mississippi River. We didn't make it to Iowa City until 4am. It was a hellish day of traveling but it was completely worth it because it was:
THE BEST TRIP EVER
pictures will be on the next post no worries
Friday, April 29, 2011
School Year is Ending
Well the end is coming. I've been hiding out in school for the last two years. I've been continuously in school for 18 years. Almost 2 decades! The job hunt goes on but I've enjoyed the extra time that I've spent in college round two. It has been nice to mingle with normal people as well as my meat-head friends haha. I have basically one week left. I have a fifteen page paper due Tuesday and a presentation due Thursday. This class, even though its my only one, has been rewarding and frustrating. I've learned a ton of computer skills that can be used for my thesis and in the job that I hopefully will have soon. The past 2 months have been one computer problem after another. I've been basically working on the same problem the entire time. I figure something out and I go full speed until I run into a wall, then I get help and I'm off to the races again. It's been quite frustrating. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. That light is radiating from the sunny island of Jamaica! That's right, Jenny and I are taking a vacation to the Sandal's resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Jenny wanted to take me to celebrate my getting my Master's Degree. Check out the website. It's awesome! We first scheduled it to happen this January but we needed to move it back. The resorts actually have really good deals if you schedule in January. We got this trip for over 50% off of the regular price. Their are restaurants, pool bars, and outdoor activities all included! I can't wait. Jenny has a get together for her summer internship Saturday night and we are leaving right after and driving from Des Moines to Chicago through the night to make it to our flight early Sunday morning. It's going to be awesome. We'll def take a ton of pictures so you see everything we do!
But I really should get cracking on that term paper and presentation. I'll be done soooon!
But I really should get cracking on that term paper and presentation. I'll be done soooon!
Easter Pigs!!
I know I said I would get these out there last weekend but I'm a little late.
Last Sunday Jenny and I took the Guinea Pigs, Guinness and Peanut, out for their nightly play time. That's the time of night where we take them out in the extra bedroom and let them run around free! The are really funny when they run around. The "popcorn" and chase each other around. I've made a few little obstacles for them and a little cardboard box house for them. Jenny and I usually watch TV on one of our computers or read a book while they play. They think of us as just treat dispensing obstacles. They jump up and run down are legs and back haha. Goofy pigs!
This piggy play time went a little different and they were NOT happy! For Guinness we got him an Easter Bunny costume and Peanut got an Easter Egg. When they don't want to do something they are extremely hard to hold. They wiggle around and its hard to get ahold of them, especially Peanut. Guinness has gotten a lot bigger and he's a bit easier to hold. Jenny did the dressing and I helped by giving them snacks. They even attempted to nip a little bit. We finally got Guinness's costume on but Peanut was just too tiny and he slipped and squirmed his way out. We ended up putting them in an Easter Basket with come Easter eggs and some of that paper fluff grass. We were able to snapped a few pictures before they escaped and slithered out of all their costumes. Afterward we soothed their hurt egos with some carrots. It was really funny though. Enjoy!
Just got the costume on!
Both of them in the basket no egg for nut
Peanut escaped!
No more costumes just pigs in a basket
Last Sunday Jenny and I took the Guinea Pigs, Guinness and Peanut, out for their nightly play time. That's the time of night where we take them out in the extra bedroom and let them run around free! The are really funny when they run around. The "popcorn" and chase each other around. I've made a few little obstacles for them and a little cardboard box house for them. Jenny and I usually watch TV on one of our computers or read a book while they play. They think of us as just treat dispensing obstacles. They jump up and run down are legs and back haha. Goofy pigs!
This piggy play time went a little different and they were NOT happy! For Guinness we got him an Easter Bunny costume and Peanut got an Easter Egg. When they don't want to do something they are extremely hard to hold. They wiggle around and its hard to get ahold of them, especially Peanut. Guinness has gotten a lot bigger and he's a bit easier to hold. Jenny did the dressing and I helped by giving them snacks. They even attempted to nip a little bit. We finally got Guinness's costume on but Peanut was just too tiny and he slipped and squirmed his way out. We ended up putting them in an Easter Basket with come Easter eggs and some of that paper fluff grass. We were able to snapped a few pictures before they escaped and slithered out of all their costumes. Afterward we soothed their hurt egos with some carrots. It was really funny though. Enjoy!
Just got the costume on!
Both of them in the basket no egg for nut
Peanut escaped!
No more costumes just pigs in a basketSaturday, April 23, 2011
Passter or Eastover
Well its time for another holiday! Actually this one has been going on since last Tuesday. That holiday is Passover. It's cool living with Jenny because she grew up different than I did back home in Montana. It's neat to get exposed to different traditions and holidays. Although I'm not Jewish, this year I decided to go along with the diet restrictions of Passover with Jenny. Solidarity haha. The biggest difference in the diet is no gluten. Most wheat products are out, which when you think about it is a huge part of what you eat everyday! It's been tough without bread for sandwiches, wraps, noodles, and oatmeal. The story is that when the Hebrews escaped Egypt with Moses, they didn't have enough time to let their bread rise. Don't quote me because I'm not a biblical scholar but I think that is the gist. You can buy unleavened bread in the grocery stores. It's made by grandpa Doug's new favorite wine maker Manischewitz. Jenny and I bought some the other day. It doesn't have much tastes. It's kind of like a saltine cracker. Thing's are going good though. It is a little hard to figure out what to have for dinner. We've made and gotten a lot of asian food this week. Rice and rice noodles are ok. I had a ton of fried rice and sushi last night. Even though I have newly discovered eating healthy and staying fit, I couldn't stop myself from eating all of the rice in one sitting. I paid for this by having a bulging painful stomach for the rest of the night.
Anyways that is the Passover part of Passter or Eastover whichever you want to call our combined holiday. We are also celebrating the Easter part this weekend. We got an Easter basket, some candy, and of course Guinea Pig costumes haha. I don't have the pictures yet but they should be awesome. The pig costumes are from Cuddly Cavies (cavies are another name for guinea pigs). The costumes were actually shown on a South Park Episode where giant guinea pigs were attacking society. Hopefully that doesn't happen with our guineas. We bought a bunny costume for the big one (Guinness) and an egg costume for the little one (Peanut). It should be entertaining to get those on them. They are going to be purdy mad.
Other than the holidays nothing really is going on. The month started out with great weather but for the last week it has been crappy. It's been cloudy almost everyday and raining a lot. Hopefully this clears up soon. I'm ready for the real spring. I know this doesn't sound to bad for those of you in Montana. I've been hearing horror stories about how much it has been snowing. I don't miss that at all. Spring needs to spring haha
Happy Easter (and Passover)!!
Anyways that is the Passover part of Passter or Eastover whichever you want to call our combined holiday. We are also celebrating the Easter part this weekend. We got an Easter basket, some candy, and of course Guinea Pig costumes haha. I don't have the pictures yet but they should be awesome. The pig costumes are from Cuddly Cavies (cavies are another name for guinea pigs). The costumes were actually shown on a South Park Episode where giant guinea pigs were attacking society. Hopefully that doesn't happen with our guineas. We bought a bunny costume for the big one (Guinness) and an egg costume for the little one (Peanut). It should be entertaining to get those on them. They are going to be purdy mad.
Other than the holidays nothing really is going on. The month started out with great weather but for the last week it has been crappy. It's been cloudy almost everyday and raining a lot. Hopefully this clears up soon. I'm ready for the real spring. I know this doesn't sound to bad for those of you in Montana. I've been hearing horror stories about how much it has been snowing. I don't miss that at all. Spring needs to spring haha
Happy Easter (and Passover)!!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
I thought this was over
Well this morning, April 16th, after a week of 60 to 70 degree weather I awoke to find a ridiculous sight. It was SNOWING!!! It was really wet and heavy and was actually sticking to the ground. As I write this however, it is already starting to melt. That's too crappy days in a row. Yesterday it rained all day and the wind blew pretty hard. I don't know what the rest of the day is going to bring but it's not a good start. Jenny and I as part of our running plan were supposed to run 3-4 miles yesterday and 6-8 miles today. We skipped yesterday and hoped for better weather and this is what we got. We might have to head to the gym and run on the track but that doesn't sound as cool. We'll get it right. Jenny is in good shape. She went on a huge hike and several runs last weekend while with her friends in Denver (you can check out what she did here).
Anyways, I was warned this would happen. Mom and Papa Doug told me that it was ugly back at home and the winter just wouldn't go away. I thought we were immune all the way down here. I guess not. Hopefully next week it will get back to the sixties and seventies that I was enjoying last week.
Here are some pictures I snapped this morning
PS the sun is trying to shine now. The weather can't break my heart like that and expect me to forgive it with a little sunshine
Anyways, I was warned this would happen. Mom and Papa Doug told me that it was ugly back at home and the winter just wouldn't go away. I thought we were immune all the way down here. I guess not. Hopefully next week it will get back to the sixties and seventies that I was enjoying last week.
Here are some pictures I snapped this morning
PS the sun is trying to shine now. The weather can't break my heart like that and expect me to forgive it with a little sunshine
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Hooray for working out
I have great news. After finishing P90x this week (we kind of skipped the last rest week because Jenny went to Denver) I feel great and the good news is that I'm under 220 lbs for the first time in at least 2 years. I hope my scale isn't dying and just showing me lower and lower numbers every time I step on it. Anyways I feel great about it.
I've been trying to eat a lot better and I think that it is working. I snack a lot during the day and don't eat huge lunches and I'm trying to give up pop all together. I've only slipped up a couple times but that might be part of it. I'm trying also to eat out less unless its a sandwich or something. I don't know if they have these sandwich places in Montana but Jimmy John's and Milio's are awesome places. The beat the crap out of Subway. It's all about the bread.
Jenny and I (I may have mentioned it) are training for a half marathon in Des Moines in June. After running 4.25 miles today (with a few short walks) I have to say my goals for this half marathon are fairly limited. I plan on finishing without dying at this point. I've attached the training schedule below. Hopefully after a little train up I can get my mind right. My calves today felt like they were going to explode out of my legs. I can't wait to feel that in the morning. Anyways the moral of the story is that I am under 220 lbs and I feel awesome about it.
As for my previous post, I would also consider a smaller SUV like an Xterra, Forerunner, Escape, GMC Terrain, or a similar Jeep like a Patriot or Compass. I just want a vehicle that a bike can fit into so I can carry it around and such.
In other news. I'm alone this weekend with the pigs. Jenny is in Denver with her friends from high school. Apparently they took a wrong turn while hiking and a three hour hike turned into something yet to be determined as of 8pm central time.
Ok hope everyone is having a great weekend!
I've been trying to eat a lot better and I think that it is working. I snack a lot during the day and don't eat huge lunches and I'm trying to give up pop all together. I've only slipped up a couple times but that might be part of it. I'm trying also to eat out less unless its a sandwich or something. I don't know if they have these sandwich places in Montana but Jimmy John's and Milio's are awesome places. The beat the crap out of Subway. It's all about the bread.
Jenny and I (I may have mentioned it) are training for a half marathon in Des Moines in June. After running 4.25 miles today (with a few short walks) I have to say my goals for this half marathon are fairly limited. I plan on finishing without dying at this point. I've attached the training schedule below. Hopefully after a little train up I can get my mind right. My calves today felt like they were going to explode out of my legs. I can't wait to feel that in the morning. Anyways the moral of the story is that I am under 220 lbs and I feel awesome about it.
| SUN | M | T | W | TH | F | SAT | |
| Wk1 4/10- 4/16 | REST | 1x1200 PI (400) 2x800 CI (200) 4x200 SI (200) | 3-4 miles, or rest | 2x2 miles PI (800) + 4x100 S | REST | 4 miles + 4x100 S | 8-9 miles |
| Wk2 4/17- 4/23 | REST | 1x1200 PI (400) 2x800 CI (200) 4x200 SI (200) | 2 miles | 3 miles PI (800) + 4x100 S | REST | 5K race pace | 6 miles |
| Wk3 4/24- 4/30 | REST | 2x1-mile CI (800) 6x200 SI (200) | 3-4 miles, or rest | 4 miles PI (800) 1 mile CI + 6x100 S | REST | 5 miles + 6x100 S | 10 miles |
| Wk4 5/1- 5/7 | REST | 2x1-mile CI (800) 6x200 SI (200) | 3-4 miles, or rest | 4 miles PI (800) 1 mile CI + 6x100 S | REST | 5 miles + 6x100 S | 11 miles |
| Wk5 5/8- 5/14 | REST | 2x [800 SI (400), 400 SI (200) 200 SI (200) 1200 PI] | 2 miles | 4 miles (incl. 6x1:00 SI) + 4x100 S | REST | 10K race pace | 8 miles |
| Wk6 5/15- 5/21 | REST | 2x1200 CI (600) 4x400 SI (200) 4x200 SI (100) | 3-4 miles, or rest | 4 miles PI (800) 1x800 CI (400) 2 miles PI | REST | 6 miles + 6x100 S | 11-12 miles |
| Wk7 5/22- 5/28 | REST | 2x1200 CI (600) 4x400 SI (200) 4x200 SI (100) | 3-4 miles, or rest | 4 miles PI (800) 1x800 CI (400) 2 miles PI | REST | 6 miles + 6x100 S | 6 miles |
| Wk8 5/29- 6/4 | REST | 4x400 CI (200) 2x200 SI (100) | 2 miles PI + 4x100 S | 2x400 CI (200) 1x 200 SI | REST | 3 miles easy | RACE |
As for my previous post, I would also consider a smaller SUV like an Xterra, Forerunner, Escape, GMC Terrain, or a similar Jeep like a Patriot or Compass. I just want a vehicle that a bike can fit into so I can carry it around and such.
In other news. I'm alone this weekend with the pigs. Jenny is in Denver with her friends from high school. Apparently they took a wrong turn while hiking and a three hour hike turned into something yet to be determined as of 8pm central time.
Ok hope everyone is having a great weekend!
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