Moving Day

So, updates for all of you...

I am closing on my house a week from tomorrow, if not sooner.

It has been quite the ordeal to get here... over a year of looking at houses and I feel very confident that this is a great one. The inspection turned up some issues in the garage... after hiring a structural engineer and going back to the sellers asking for repairs we finally have it all worked out.

Here are the stats:
-Sugarhouse/Millcreek area (very close to Downtown Salt Lake City)
-Only 4 (four) minutes from Westminster College -- wahoo!!
-Four bedroom, two bath
-1996 sq feet split evently between two floors
-COMPLETE REMODEL/FLIP -- everything EVERYTHING is brand new
-Did I mention the kitchen and bathrooms are GORGEOUS??
-complete mother-in-law apartment downstairs (great rental possibilities in the future!)
-Parking for 10 cars, not including two car detached garage.
-Porches off front AND back... great entertainment potential
-lots of room for a garden and maybe even a greenhouse and chicken coop
-great hottub pad for future (hopefully soon) hottub
-all the charm of a early 1900s house, but all the upgrades to make it fantastic

So, now I am making lists and trying to get ready to move. I'm realizing that I need to nail down a closing date tomorrow hopefully, I need to be able to give notice of a move date to all of my awesome friends that have volunteered to help.

We start spring break at the college on Monday, so hopefully I can move as early in the week as possible and give me and the pups some time to settle in before we get back to the grind...

Another important note -- I will have a guest room shortly, so everyone is invited/expected to come visit! Sooo much fun!

I will post pictures of the house and upgrades as they happen... stick to facebook for updates!

The Power of Sleep

One night's rest. It's an incredible thing.

Last night I could hardly climb the stairs to my room. I had done a circuit weight-training workout that morning and spinning class that evening. My body was tired, and my legs were worse.

I collapsed into bed and groaned as I had to roll-over. Miraculously this morning I feel fantastic.

I'm proud of my body. I'm proud of everything it's been through and I'm impressed with how well it is keeping up.

We have had our struggles. Just last week we finally got a few answers and started thyroid medication and I am feeling MUCH MUCH better. Before I felt like a walking zombie, and to hear my family talk about it I think that description is about accurate. Today I'm feeling a whole hell of a lot better. I have energy again and that is something I have missed deeply.

I am working out hard and my body is showing the signs. We haven't been losing weight as quickly as we have hoped (we are hoping this thyroid thing is the missing piece) but we have been changing my body, that is for damn sure. I have dropped a pant size. I have lost 23 pounds since last summer. I took measurements the other day and was pleasantly suprised. Since the end of October I have lost 3.5 inches in my shoulders, an inch in my chest, 2.5 inches in my waist, an inch in my hips, an inch in each thigh and an inch in each calf. That's not bad!! Not as much as I would have hoped (especially in the actual pounds coming off), but it tells me that my body is healthier and stronger now than it has been..... and that is the ultimate goal!

I have a lot of big goals for my triathlons this year and my first race is less than three months away... yikes! I need to work harder on my running, I feel my swimming is doing well and I feel like I am busting my ass in spinning class to get a strangle hold on this bike course.... so things are coming together!

The other day during my swim I got to thinking... you can do a lot of thinking when you are face down in a pool for 30 minutes... and I realized that I have an OPEN WATER SWIM in two of my races this year!! I have to wear goggles and swim with my head down in open water!! I don't think I want to see what is under there! LOL... this will be a whole new beast for me. Looks like I have some more training to do, maybe some sports psychology work this time! :)

Bucket List

Just to share with all of you... (from my email this morning)

Bucket list - Please play along...


You would be surprised at the responses.
Whether you've done this before or not, be a good sport. Do it again

(And take a brain break from your job for a minute)!!
Bucket List...Hit forward and place an x by all the things you've done, remove the x from the ones you have not, and send it to at least six of your friends

(Including me).
This is your life:
(X) Shot a gun

(X) Gone on a blind date

(X) Skipped school

(X) Watched someone die

(X) Visited Canada

( ) Visited Hawaii

( ) Visited Cuba

(X) Visited Europe

( ) Visited South America

(X) Visited Africa

(X) Visited Las Vegas

( ) Visited Central America

( ) Visited Asia

(X) Visited Florida

( ) visited Mexico

(X) Seen the Grand Canyon

(X) Flown on a plane

( ) served on a jury

(X) Been lost

(X) Traveled to the opposite side of the country

(X) Visited Washington, DC

(X) Swam in the Ocean

(X) Cried yourself to sleep

(X) Played cops and robbers

(X) Played cowboys and Indians

(X) Recently colored with crayons

(X) Sang karaoke

(X) Sang a solo or duet in church

(X) Paid for a meal with coins only

(X) Made prank phone calls

(X) Laughed until some beverage came out of your nose

(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue

( ) Had children

(X) Had a pet

(X) Been skinny-dipping outdoors

(X) Been fishing

(X) Been boating

(X) Been downhill skiing

(X) Been water skiing

(X) Been camping in a trailer/RV

(X) Been camping in a tent

(X ) Driven a motorcycle/been a passenger

( ) Been bungee-jumping (ripcord jumping)

( ) skydived

(X) Gone to a drive-in movie

(X) Done something that could have killed you

(X) Done something that you will regret for the rest of your life

( )Rode an elephant

(X) Rode a horse

(X) Eaten just cookies or cake for dinner

(X) Been on TV

( ) Stolen any traffic signs

(X) Been in a car accident

( ) Been in Hospital in past 24 months

(X) Donated blood

(X) Gotten a speeding ticket in the past 12 months

(X) Gotten a piercing (ears only)

(X) Gotten a Tattoo

( ) Shaved your head

( ) Met a president

(X) Drive a four door vehicle

(X) Ever owned your dream car

( ) Been Married

( ) Been divorced

(X) Fell in love

(X) Fell out of love

Stumped, Frustrated and Seriously P.O.'d

Well, we don't know what is going on. Three doctors, four rounds of blood tests, three other tests and over four months of treatment and NOTHING.

Here's the big question:

Sara works out like an animal, counts every single calorie, has major calorie deficits and hasn't lost a pound in over 12 weeks. I lost some initially when I RADICALLY changed my diet... but nothing now.

I AM BEYOND FRUSTRATED AND PISSED OFF.

A few years ago I lost over 50 pounds in six months... I am doing the exact same thing this time except working HARDER and yet ... nothing.

I know something isn't right, but I can't figure out what. I'm frustrated that I have years and years and years of education in this area, I have worked with multiple doctors and medical professionals and ALL OF US ARE STUMPED.

Last Thursday I went and gave six more vials of blood for another blood test.

Today I am spitting in vials every couple hours to collect saliva for testing.

Every day I am counting calories, calculating BMRs and calories burned.... resulting in an average of almost 1000 calorie deficit every day.

Mondays I swim for 1.5 hours and dance for 1.5 hours.
Tuesdays I lift weights for 30 minutes and run for 45 minutes.
Wednesdays I do kick boxing for an hour.
Thursdays I lift for 30 minutes and do 75 minutes of spin class.
Friday-Sunday I run (or something else) at least twice.

It's insane. A person my size should not be training for and completing sprint triathlons and not be losing weight.

So, for now I am waiting and trying to have faith in my doctors and all these tests that we can figure out what is wrong. I hate to say it, but I'm getting really frustrated and honestly losing some drive.... which isn't fun at all.