Romantic Weekend in Vegas

After realizing earlier this year that dropping over $1000 on tickets and lodging for Stagecoach this year wasn’t the best use of our resources,  Adam and I decided that we’d do the next best thing- see the one bands that we REALLY wanted to see (practically the only band performing at stagecoach that we haven’t already seen live), the Eli Young Band. 

After perusing their website we realized that they were playing in Vegas the night after they were scheduled to perform at stagecoach, and tickets were cheap- only $45 a piece for VIP tickets! We booked our hotel reservations and bought our concert tickets that night. 

The concert was better than I could have ever anticipated, and we found ourselves enjoying Eli Young Band’s amazing vocal capacity from the very front row! My hands were on the stage (when they weren’t in the air), and it was like they were singing directly to me! To further amp up my excitement, if that was even possible, at the end of the show the lead guitar player and half the band’s namesake James Young reached down and handed me his guitar pick! 

After the concert Adam and I took a cab to Stoney’s for some dancing. It was so much fun to put all of the things we’ve been learning in our lessons to use, and I could tell Adam was super proud of himself as he spun me gracefully around the dance floor! 

We had a great time in Vegas together, a wonderful concert experience, and a romantic weekend alone. What more could a girl ask for?

Rampage

Patience is a virtue that I don’t have a ready command over.  I embark on most endeavors anticipating immediate results, and in the real world, immediate results are few are far between.

This is particularly true of my recent resurgence into the world of mma rooted kickboxing and Muay Thai. This is NOT the same thing as the more dance inspired 24 hour fitness style turbo kickboxing classes, but rather an aggressive, hard hitting workout targeted at building stamina and technique for battle in the cage.  I trained years ago, when I was in much better shape, and I loved it. It helped me tone up and work out all of my muscles in a succinct and high impact format.  It was the perfect outlet for my repressed anger and carnal urges to fight, and I sweated it out at least a couple nights a week. 

I signed up for Rampage Fitness Academy a few weeks ago, eager to reconnect with my inner fighter, and in hopes of shedding the pounds that seem to weigh down every aspect of my life lately.  Boy was I in for a shock.  Not only had my endurance plummeted to an all time low, but my stamina and overall strength might as well have been registering in the negative.

Talk about an epic fail.

I’ll be honest with you- I threw up 45 minutes into my first workout. Pale and flustered, I rejoined my class to finish the last few minutes of the session, but my pride lost more than my stomach did and I was thoroughly embarrassed.  My next few sessions were equally as challenging but since I was (thankfully) able to retain my lunch, so I considered them successful.

Due to the fact that each and every workout leaves me drenched in sweat and exhausted, and that I’m working out nearly every day, I had expected the weight to fall off of me, revealing my old self, pretty much instantaneously.  I mean, even in my heyday I wasn’t sweating this hard, pushing my limits this far, or training this often. So, nearly a month later my impatience is peaking and I’m annoyed at my overall lack of progress as it pertains to the scale. Sure, I feel better, and I can see the definition in my legs and arms beginning to develop, but come on!!! 

As my 10 Year high school reunion looms only a few short months on the horizon, my impatience is rampant. I know that my efforts will pay off, I only wish they would pay off a little quicker…

Spring Cleaning

This has been a whirlwind of a year so far, as evidenced by the fact that it’s the end of April and this is my first post of 2012. Adam and I have been consumed with the struggles of maintaining a two income household, raising a beautiful and rambunctious toddler, finding time to Sneak in some romantic time together, and dedicating time to participate in our own separate hobbies. 

Adam has taken up mountain biking again; he used to ride with his buddy Jordan and he’s really getting into fixing up his bike and taking on new and more challenging rides.  We even got Nixon a bike trailer so that when Adam wants to take on a less rocky route they can cruise together. Nixon absolutely LOVES riding in her trailer, and she can be heard squealing with delight while she’s in tow.  

I’ve taken up kickboxing/Muay Thai again, and although it’s been challenging to work up the momentum and physical endurance, I’m confident that I’ll be able to regain a lot of the strength and fluidity that I possessed when  I trained in 2007.  Kickboxing really works every muscle in my body and I have yet to finish a class not drenched in sweat. Heck, I start sweating within the initial 5 minute warm up period! Hopefully I’ll get my bikini body back in time for summer, especially since my 10 year high school reunion is slated for late June.

Adam and I have also started taking two-step lessons again. We had a ton of fun learning new spins and couples dances before our wedding, but with all of the hustle and bustle of work and parenting, we seldom get out to go dancing. As many of you know we actually met at a country bar, and we’ve been missing our old haunts, the dancing, our bar friends and the laid back ease that helped us connect years ago. We’re going to try to make it out to either The Ranch or In Cahoots at least once a week, most likely Sunday at The Ranch, for some boot scootin’ fun.  All of you are welcome to join us of course!  

This year has also been exciting because so many of my friends are going through big changes! Our close friends Nick and Amanda Valbuena just bout a gorgeous home in Yorba Linda and we were so excited when they finally got their keys! Also, over a dozen of our friends are pregnant, and come summer there will be lots and lots of new friends for Nixon.  Motherhood is the most rewarding and fulfilling experience, and I am eager to see my friends blossom and mature as they bond with and nurture their babies.  I am especially eager to welcome baby Ayers into the world, as her parents Brandon and Azra have been trying for some time now to conceive. I’m hosting Azra’s baby shower in May, and it WILL BE  the most fabulous shower ever! Only the best for my niece!!!!

That’s all for now. I’ll be more committed to updating my blog throughout the remainder of 2012, so you can expect lots of pictures, opinions, recipes and updates! I'll do some Spring cleaning and post some pictures and videos from the past few months. My goal is to check in at least a couple times a week; I’m thinking of dedicating my lunch hour to blogging, since I feel my time is largely wasted sitting around on my break.