I ALMOST FORGOT!

So, I took these pictures a couple weeks ago and forgot to post them on here! Sweet little Zak helped me start this garden in our backyard at the very beginning of summer and I have spent all summer trying to save it from this crazy heat! Some of my little babies have been eatin by bugs (they loved the basil, bastards!) but for the most part all the plants are doing really well! Zak's tomato plant has just started making little baby tomatoes and they are so cute! Here are a few pictures!

Monday Afternoon Update: my life as of recently

running.about.com has come to my aid once again. if you are not a close friend/family member of mine the following info may be too disgusting and revealing for you. if you are a close friend/family member then you already know this is happening to me and will probably laugh your ass off while reading this. enjoy.


Embarrassing Running Problem #3: Runner's Trots (Diarrhea)
Running is good for maintaining regular bowel movements but, of course, sometimes it happens at inopportune moments. Many runners experience bouts of diarrhea and GI distress during and after running, so if you've ever dealt with it, you're definitely not alone.
Symptoms: You may experience cramping, flatulence, diarrhea during or after running.

Causes: The cause may be dietary in nature or due to lack of blood flow during digestion (since the blood is being pulled to your muscles). You may also have irritable bowel syndrome or lactose intolerance, the effects of which are enhanced by exercise. Dehydration and low electrolyte levels may also lead to diarrhea.

Prevention: This issue is more common in novice runners, so it may disappear as you become more fit. The following strategies may also help:

Avoid high-fiber foods (fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains) and coffee/tea before working out, stay hydrated.
Consume a sports drink (like Gatorade) during long runs to maintain electrolyte levels.
Choose foods that are naturally constipating, such as bananas, plain bagels, rice, oatmeal and pasta.
Make sure you don't eat at least two hours before running, so you have time to digest.
Try to keep track of what you eat before your runs, so you can figure out possible triggers. For example, some people find that dairy products cause diarrhea.
Plan your long runs along routes where you know bathrooms are accessible. If you face this problem on race day, don't worry. Most races, especially longer ones such as marathons, offer plenty of port-a-johns at the start and along the race course. In most cases, you can find them near the water stops.
If you try different tactics and nothing seems to work, you may want to consider a medical check-up for irritable bowel syndrome.

BOOKMARK

Who's luckier - me, or the book that gets
to cuddle with this little treasure?
love. love. love

It's that time again...

Of course, my favorite show in the world is back! Which, funny enough, is Zak's least favorite show, (but this is MY blog so his vote doesnt count!) I get so much joy watching people turn their lives around and win back a part of themselves that they thought they would never get back. As pretty much everyone knows, I have struggled with my weight since I can remember. In highschool I was up and down and after Zak and I started dating it was all down hill! We ate out all the time, which usually ended up being at like nine when I would get off work, and would always want to just hang out and cuddle and watch tv. Well, this is a horrible recipe for getting a case of the chubs and before I knew it, I was there. I guess you could say it kind of snuck up on me, I knew I was gaining weight but i didnt pay too much attention to it because I was happy and in love! But when I saw this picture- wow- I was in shock..


After we got home I decided I was going to make a change and take responsibility for my health and for my body.The last three years have been hard!! And slow! I have had a few set backs, mainly my two herniated discs last summer which really put a damper on working out and losing weight! But slowly and surely the weight has been coming off..

This is me in 2006

This is me now. Please excuse my lack of makeup! I was trying to find the most recent pictures of me but my camera has been broken so this will have to do for now! I am now less than a month away from my half-marathon and I am getting so excited!! I have lost over 35 lbs in the last three years and have about 10 more until I hit my ultimate goal!!! This is the last leg of this part of my journey, and after that I will move into the maintanance phase, which is an exciting and scary transition. I have learned so much over the last couple of years about how to eat healthier and I actually love working out now because I feel so great when I do!

I have to give a million thanks to Zak for always being so sweet and uplifting and swearing that he never even noticed when I gained the weight (this is why I love him so much!)
Corinne for being my gym buddy this last year since we have been living together and waking my ass up to go, even when I was pissed and didnt want to get out of bed!
My mom for helping me get the ball rolling, and walking with me all the time when I first started!
And everyone of my friends and family who have been so supportive of my journey and who are so sweet to tell me how great I look when they see me! Also to my friends who have run/walked/danced and sweat beside me, THANK YOU!!!!
I dont know how I would have done it without all the encouragment and love and support!

My little munchkin, well.. sort of...

This is Ella - my precious little fantasy daughter. I bet you are wondering why on earth I would call her that, but the truth is that she is not mine. (Insert sad face) Her mom Kristen, who is the sweetest, (incase you were wondering) hired me almost a year and a half ago to watch Ella while she and her son went to Mommy & Me classes. After that I have continued to watch them on an almost weekly basis..

Since I started watching her when she was about three months old, you can imagine how attached I have grown to both her and her big brother, but more than that it has been amazing to watch her in her first year of life!



I felt like a little mommy changing her diapers, helping her to eat solids, and holding onto her little hands as she learned to sit up, crawl, and even walk! I have always wanted to have a baby so it has been such good training and also such a good learning experience. I definitely know now how much work it is and I have so much admiration for moms!!


It's mind blowing how many changes babies go through in the first year and until now I had only seen them from a distance with my friend's and family's kids. When she was little she would sleep on me all the time and I loved have a little body to cuddle up with on the couch!


Then as she started to grow I realized how much fun it was that I got to be part of such a special time in her life. Literally, in a matter of months she changed so much! Another funny thing that happened was that her hair changed from brown to blonde! Total southern california girl! It's so much fun now watching her interact with her brother and start to talk and mimic everything I say!


I guess I am just having a sentimental day but I can't believe how big she is already and how fast the time has gone by! I am always telling Kristen how I still see her as the little baby I would rock to sleep and how I wish she would stay small forever! But the older she gets, the more funny and crazy she gets so I think its only going to keep getting better!

<3 k

hmm

(this is jack's pondering face)

why must everything in life be so damn complicated?
why does it feel like some grown-ups are less grown up than me?
why do i always want to eat del taco tacos when i am stressed?
it's all too perplexing for me to think about.
i need a diet coke.
and a taco.

Bucket List, per say.

So a few months ago a friend of mine wrote a blog entry
about her bucket list and what she might put on it.
I have been thinking about mine alot and I have to
say, its pretty short and sweet. I am lucky also because
much of what I want to accomplish I have already done.
I'm sure this will change and grow but for now I will leave it as-is.
The ones with stars are things I have already done, or started to do.

1. fall in love*
2. say up all night and watch the sun rise*
3. be published*
4. work for a magazine/publishing company
5. get married
6. have babies (one would be nice, two would be sweet!)
7. travel around America*
8. read as many books as possible*
9. have an amazing library in my house (this has begun and will only get better!)*
9. own a house
10. get a tattoo*
11. own my own pet*
12. have a 50th wedding anniversary party
13. go to Africa*
14. Obtain a college degree*
15. move out of orange county*
16. start a blog*
17. set a crazy fitness goal for myself that I normally would think I could never do (My half marathon is in a month!*

thats all I can think of for now <3

Target Love

Case and point why I love target so much.
Who wouldn't love these presh heels?
Especially when they are only $29.99?
Speaking of Target, Meg and I went there
tonight only to find out that they will soon
be expanding to have a full on produce and
frozen food section! My dream of being able
to live in target is finally coming true!

Crackberry

It's true what they say.
I am obsessed already.
Thank you verizon <3

I left my heart in Austin, Texas..

but seriously, i miss it.
i check craigslist all the time
for my future residence.
i need to go back, soon...

BUBBA

This lovely name is what has replaced my boyfriend's real name in my vocabulary. I am not sure how it started, but this morning I was watching Saved By the Bell and started laughing so hard when Jessie called Slater Bubba! This post has no other purpose than to let you know, 1. Zak has a silly embarassing pet-name & 2. I still seek out and enjoy re-runs of Saved by the Bell!

Happy Labor Day Weekend
<3 K

PS:

While looking for pictures of my little Butters I found these.
Two Words:
DEVIL CAT.

Butter's has a problem.

Do not be fooled by how angelic she looks in this picture...for some reason she feels the need to chew anything and everything that she comes into contact with. Unfortunatly for me (and for my cords) I have spent wayyyy too much money replacing my computer cord, camera cord, usb cord, headphone cord, tv cord... well you get the idea.




Here she is in action.


The latest victim of Butter Abuse was my camera cord that charged my camera. Due to this event I have not been able to use my camera since like June. As you who know me well know, I ALWAYS have my camera and am ALWAYS taking pictures. So you can imagine how tramatized I have been! As usual, Zak has come to the rescue, tracked down a new charger on-line, and had it sent straight to our front door!





All of this to say- My camera is now back to it's original working order and I am happier than a three year old at disneyland!
Now I can get back to my regularly scheduled photo shoots of "cats in places they shouldn't be" (See above Images for examples!)

YAY! HAPPY THURSDAY EVERYONE!

xo K

Speaking of Rachel Zoe-isms...

These rings are BANANAS!
(Erin, this post is for you:
1. because I love you.
2. because you love rachel zoe
3. because you would look super fab
in this white gold/aquamarine solitaire!)





Dear Nordstrom,
mearly looking at your rose de france and rose gold ring
has brought a bucket of joy to my life.
Please promptly send a size six to my address
and all will be well with the world.

Love,
Kristen

O.M. (long pause...) G.

ok, Seriously!?!? I saw this today, and I almost peed myself.
Sugar covered lemons!?!?!? In the words of Rachel Zoe, I die!!.
Thank you A. HANA DESIGNS for making my wednesday such a gem.