Busy End to the Summer!

Again, it's been much too long since I've been here. Life hasn't proven to be any less hectic than the last time I checked in. I can't say it isn't creating some issues with my weigh loss progress either! Let me back up a bit...

Our big restructure at work has led to a lot of new pieces of my job that I need to learn, on top of what I've already been doing. We are short handed, so it's been a very busy back to school season for our department (for those who didn't know, I work at a private college). I am beyond thankful that I am not actually in class this semester. I'm not sure how I would do it all! I'm still in school, I just get a mini break since I changed major and already completed the first two courses of my new program. Anyway... with all the overtime and travel for work the past few weeks, I haven't been tracking any food and my workouts have been minimal.

On that note, it's not a bad thing that my workouts are minimal. I pulled my hamstring during my 8 mile run, so I took a week off to try to fix it. It's not all better, but I'm pushing through it. I'm much too close to race day to give up now!!

So, enough complaining!! Here's what's been happening the past few weeks...

I took three pre-teen girls and one little sister to the amusement/water park on a very wet, rainy day. Emmy Lou requested a weekend of camping at the cabin and a trip to the water park for her birthday, so we decided to kick it up a notch and do the water park that's INSIDE a big amusement park just a couple of hours from us. We all had a blast though and there was no such thing as waiting in lines!

I sent my girls off on their final first day at their current school. Emmy Lou is a big kid on campus this year as a 5th grader and is loving it so far! Abbycakes is in 2nd grade is is going through the same growing pains her big sister went through when she moved up to 2nd grade. It's a major adjustment becoming a big kid! Kenziebug started 4th grade and Jack Jack started 1st grade the day after the girls. They weren't with us for a school day since school started, so no school pics of them yet this year.

After two trips to our other campus for work (3 hours one way), the trip to the amusement park for Emmy Lou's birthday with a couple of friends, why not make one more trip for work just a bit more fun? I signed The Hubby and I up to work a table for the college at the Minnesota State Fair. I haven't been there since I was 15 and the girls had never been there. So, we grabbed Nana & Papa and headed to the fair for a day. Holy people, Batman!!! I can honestly say I don't need to go back for several more years!

I wrapped up my first 8-week power lifting challenge. I didn't get as much lifting time as I'd hoped with the change in my work schedule, but the challenge definitely challenged me to step it up! These comparison photos show the difference between my body at the start of the challenge (July 12th) and the end of the challenge (September 7th). I only lost THREE POUND, but obviously the inches found their way off during this challenge. I can thank karate, muay thai and running for the major transformation, although I'm sure the little bit of lifting I was able to work in helped as well! I'm currently in my 2nd challenge and am looking forward to pushing myself even harder! The big race is one month from tomorrow!!!

I returned from my most recent work trip just in time to test for my newest belt with the rest of the family. This was the first time all six of us have tested for a belt!! Emmy Lou is now a brown belt, The Hubby, Kenziebug, and I are all advanced green belts, and Abbycakes and Jack Jack are now yellow belts. What a crazy, fun experience it was!! Emmy Lou is very excited to be in a new class (advanced belt), I'm excited that she and Abbycakes have class at the same time on Tuesday & Thursdays when we only have the two of them, and Abbycakes and Jack Jack are pumped to finally be able to spar! (You have to be a yellow belt to learn how to spar.)

Not even 12 hours later, we loaded up the truck, grabbed our Awesome Foursome and the dogs and hit the road with the kids' four wheeler and the camper along for the ride! No summer is complete without our annual family vacation at the in-law's in the UP of Michigan. The weather was gorgeous and you can't help but unplug and unwind while you're there. It felt amazing to relax! I also ran 9 miles and enjoyed the beautiful Michigan scenery while we were there.

Which brings us to this week and my birthday. I took the day off yesterday and enjoyed a chill day with The Hubby. The girls baked me a birthday cake, the dog and I went for a short run, I got to have lunch with The Hubby and enjoyed the evening with him and my girlies, including a stop at the candy store/ice cream shop in town. I loved every minute of the entire day!!

Tomorrow is Ladies Night Out with my besties, then this girl is getting back on track 100%! I told The Hubby that I am planning to go straight up NO sugar, NO whites, NO alcohol for one month. That will take me right up to race day, which can only help improve how I feel during the race!

I'm actually to the point where I'm looking forward to the structure that comes with eating that way. With everyone being back to school, homework, hockey and karate schedules consuming our evenings, and work lending a good share of extra hours and extra stress/anxiety, I need to focus on the few things I can truly control... what I eat, my workout schedule and how I handle the rest of it. I've been stress eating more than I have in a long, long time and it needs to stop. Now!

With that, I'll be testing for my muay thai belt in the near future. My kru (instructor) said he's just going to surprise me when he decides to test me. Funny guy! *grins* I've got new running shoes and am set for another short run this week and then a 10 mile run this weekend. Like I said, race day is one month from tomorrow. Finally... I am forcing myself to take lunch and hit the gym at least 3 days next week to get my lifting in. I need it, if for no other reason than to just step away from the craziness of the day and unwind for a few minutes. 

Oh, and a friend and I are comparing Tough Mudder and Spartan races with plans to enroll in one next summer. EEK!!! The Hubby and I are also seriously considering registering for one more half marathon - Grandma's Half (Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon) next June. It's a huge race up here and neither of us have done it. It's on my 40 before 40 list, so I figured I might as well just keep on keepin on after Whistlestop next month! I love making plans to do awesomely fun stuff with my rockstar friends and family. It's sad to see the summer end, but that just means we start planning for the next one!!