DPP 09: Solace.

DPP 19: GO AWAY SNOW!

Not even 10pm and tomorrow is totally ruined by the "Snowpocalypse". Stupid cancellations. Stupid snow. I am boycotting by refusing to post a picture of it! So here is Chloe, one of my parents cat's posing for their birthday gift a few weeks ago. 

December Photo Project! #11 &11.5 : Cold and Windy City

I'll have a proper Chicago post this week hopefully, but for now, you'll get a sneak peak DPP style.....
DPP #11: Chicago!!!!

DPP #11.5: Ruth Chris Steakhouse. Gluttony at its best. Even for those who didn't have a single ounce of meat!

They throw the pigskin, we eat the pig flesh!

Mother Nature. One of my biggest pet peeves during winter is parking at the rec, so if you could just avoid that parking lot when you preceipitate between October and May, that would rock.
Mom likes the crusties of the pork.

So what if I like watermelon....alot.

It's not a Super Bowl without Sprinkles cupcakes! This year was banana with a maple frosting.

I do miss the Sun.

This time last year, I was about ready to pull my brains out through my ears. I would say eyes, but having a total eye phobia that I do, the mere thought of that cues my gag reflex. But yes, winter had taken it's toll and I would have done anything and everything to escape its bleak misery. That's when I decided to move to New Zealand.

But this year, while I am still nowhere near a fan of the cold icy gray skies, I am not in the depression that I was last year. I am alive and surviving Old Man Winter, and feel like there is an end in sight, spring will eventually be here.

However, my yoga instructor just got back from Aruba. Enter Clare's jealousy. And I am not one of those people that really looks forward to doing nothing. I like to have my vacations planned with activities and stuff. But right now, sitting on a beach for a week doing NOTHING but relaxing sounds amazing.

So I spent my stretchy stretchy time working not only on my ham strings, but on my beach side fantasies. Here's what I came up with between Opening Mountain Pose and Savasana.

- Bike ride around the island
- Walk through the markets
- Yoga class on the beach
- Big bowls of fruit salad with yogurt and granola for EVERY meal
- Adding fresh fish from the ocean to my dinner bowl
- Reading all the books I haven't had time to read in a hammock in the breeze
- Or in a big chaise lounge in order to avoid sandy syndrome
- Sangria watching the sun set

Yesterday it was -9 here. Just sayin.

Is there Working Out Anonymous?

I think I might have a problem. An addiction if you will. So we are in the middle of the snowpocalypse, blizzard, average snowfall for an Iowan February, whatever you want to call it. Schools are closing, people are driving like they were taught by Mr. Magoo, and stores are running out of eggs and milk (because clearly thats all we need to survive the 12 hours we might be stuck inside).

But my phone rang moments ago. Unknown local number. I screen my calls (because I'm deaf and have a hard enough time understanding the people I know and love that call me) but Tim decides that he'll answer it for me. Well, it turns out it was one of my instructors at the rec center (mind you, NOT my personal trainer) calling to let me know that her class was cancelled for tomorrow morning and she just wanted to let me know personally so I wouldn't risk my life coming in thinking I would be able to work my nonexistant (yet still somehow sore) triceps.

Now, it might not seem like its a big deal. But this woman isn't a friend of mine. We don't hang out. We've never hung out. I didn't even know she knew my name, let alone had my phone number to call me at home to let me know that I dont need to come in that early. This is a sign that I might be there a little too much. Instructors know i am there every possible second I can be, and will be there no matter what.

Case in point the fact that I was at the gym three different times today. In the morning for pilates and some biking, in the afternoon for more biking, and then this evening for bootcamp class. Those are Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mondays and Wednesdays are worse though. Upper body class, yoga class, biking, and abs class. Fridays are personal training and biking.

The sad part is that I would be there even more if I didn't have both a treadmill and elliptical in my house....

Winter should end on New Years.

I figured I would throw a few December randoms up for your pleasure. Starting with what should be next year's Christmas card. The actual photos evolved from just Tim trying to bite the back of my head, into this piece of cute anger.

And then the few obligatory winter photos that make you ooh and aah with its peaceful white, until you realize you have to go outside and your skin shrinks a few sizes just thinking about the windchill......

Blog Hop: Surviving Snow?

This was two month's ago already, but I have since stopped taking pictures because now, I really just want to punch snow and winter in the kidneys. Back then, it was still pretty :)

Enjoy!

Three Pieces of Me.

Freedom is just a few frostbitten paws away....
Peekaboo. She looks like I caught her doing something naughty....
Nessa just received her one year chip....Tim did not.

Throwback Thursday: Cheesy Smile for a Cheesy Crowd

These cool cats are on a cruise right now. A cruise that involves Turks and Caicos. While I wake up before the sun and face a gloomy cold day of the dentist, work, and a week night game....they wake up when nature wants them to to a glorious day of sun reflecting off waves, sand in their toes, and endless buffets of gourmet food. Let's envy them together. Hardcore.

Although really, I doubt they have a cooler hat than me...

Dementors Reign.

I am 98% positive that Dementors have taken up residence in Cedar Falls over the past few weeks….and tonight proves it!

Throwback Thursday: Kids like White!

I think yesterday's post makes this more self-explanatory...although what is still perplexing is why I look like I am riding an invisible horse....

Wednesday Whiteout.

These show why everyone in this town is in some desperate need of color in our lives....

Good Morning Weekend.

DPP 11: Snowy Sidewalk Sale.

I've decided to sell snow. Cedar Falls has an abundance, and I think I might be able to make some money selling it to Miami or Nicaragua. I talked about it a few days ago, but we had 16 inches in one night, leading up to a snow day. I took this picture yesterday when I braved the roads for the first time. Needless to say, today people are back to driving 10-15mph over the speed limit. Iowans get over snow fast.

Sidenote: I got an early Christmas present tonight!! The other day I mentioned I wanted a fuzzy steering wheel cover to keep my hands warm. And in the conversation I mentioned that I was going to invent a cover with coils in it to heat it and keep it warm. Well, apparently they already make that, and Tim bought me one. Its glorious.

DPP #9: Leap of Faith/Snow Daze

Last night, I was taking random angle shots of the house, and Nessa was stalking me and my camera as if she was the feline Paris Hilton. Apparently she decided to forgo all the beauty shots that we normally do, and went straight to action hero leaps from the top of her perch to the top of the kitchen cabinets. Its not the first time she's done it, she does it a lot actually, but that first time...I thought she was going to break her face. She better watch out though, those holiday pounds she's packing on, one of these days it's going to be a long way to the bottom.....
Local weatherman Schnacky made the announcement that by 6am this morning, we had 16 inches of that glorious white stuff. So at 7am, when Tim and I were both wide awake for the day, I knew that work was probably not going to happen. Dad called to say it took two hours to get out of their drive way and I was to stay home all day. And with a little delay, Tim also learned he was home for the day. Snow day! We did nothing. I worked on some Christmas cards, wrapped some gifts and Tim played some video games and watched tivo. Oh, I made pumpkin bread, laced with brown sugar...and then proceeded to eat half the loaf....literally. Every Wednesday should be a snow day!

DPP #3: Merry or Misery?

I open the curtains this morning, and what to I see? This sight. This type of dusting isn't enough to make it pretty, or even last until sundown tonight, but it will make people drive like MORONS. Trust me folks, this little flurry is not going to make your car careen down the road uncontrollably into a tree....unless you are Tiger Woods.....

Now, I am a firm believer that it doesn't feel like Christmas season until there's snow, but its been warm recently and yesterday it got killer cold and now this? Can it just be warm AND pretty with white?

Update: Here is an hour later....maybe it will stick afterall...

DPP21: Chaotic Weekend.

Clare's weekend in Pictures:

My parent's trip to Chicago was cancelled due to weather, so we braved the snow down to Cedar Rapids to finish up some shopping.

Other people that braved the snow were not so lucky....ALOT of not so luckies...

Slow traffic on the way back meant I took pictures of melting snow, and then napped.

But not before realizing that I really need new shoes. It's like that on both feet!

Matt wanted Olive Garden. This is his salad. Hi Matt's salad!

We picked up some Cup of Joe for the annual around Cedar Falls Tour de Christmas Lights

This year was disappointing all around, but this house was rather trippy.

Huge snow drifts made our Tour even more adventurous, but this nice GIANT plow tried to help....at the end of the tour....


Long, tiring weekend. It's going to be an even more long and tiring week. But it will be a good one. Full of workouts that cancel out half the cookies I consume, Bridal Showers, Christmas presents, Family time, packing, last minute travel shopping, and just all around insanity :)

DPP 19: Snowy Seduction

Normally. I am a blogger of far too many words and only one picture. Tonight, a little past midnight on Day 19, I am switching it up! Here in the midwest we have quite the blizzard going on. So here's a few night time views of the fluffy white stuff!
Gotta prep for the midnight rendevous!

I just love how aglow it is...


Winter Wonderland Forest


Its a MUST to document the experience!

The snow was pretty much just pelting me...


Now let's just hope it gets me out of work tomorrow....