Tuesday, June 15

Sorry it took so long to get to it, but I had to get the pictures onto my computer and sorted for easy access first! So here is day 2 of our Colorado vacation...

After staying in North Platte on Monday night, we packed up early and headed out so that we could reach our destination in Craig by mid-afternoon (we hoped). After crossing out of Nebraska we hit Wyoming...and I should have had the camera out sooner. I missed photographing some of the most beautiful territory between Cheyenne and Laramie. This part of the drive was through Medicine Bow National Forest and I would LOVE to see it again sometime. The pictures that follow are from Laramie, Wyoming into Colorado. Once we hit Craig and found our "home away from home" we chilled out with the Lee's the rest of the evening. Colleen was graciously cooking and it was delicious (and a MUCH welcome break from fast food on the road!). We also did a little hiking in the sandrock dunes behind their home. It was fun, beautiful, and a great way to stretch the legs after the two-day journey to Craig.










Tomorrow, I will post Wednesday's adventures as I now have the pictures ready. Obviously, the photos that are shown here are only a few of those that were taken (keep in mind that MANY of them were taken from the back of a Harley at 70+ mph). I have just completed uploading the rest of our photos to our snapfish account and will include the link here (copy and paste it) if you would like to see more. If for any reason the link doesn't work for you, post a comment or shoot me an email and I'll find another way to get you access!

http://www.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=2293315021/a=154363634_154363634/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Monday, June 14

Yes, I know that's not the date, but that IS the date I'm talking about. I figured that I would talk about our trip one day at a time in order to create more posts, and hopefully more thorough posts about our vacation for you. So, here it is...

Day 1 of our Vacation:

We left Monday morning around 7am. By this time, I'd already gone to Curves for the final booty-camp weigh-in and was welcomed home with chocolate muffins that Duane had picked up for breakfast. Needless to say, we were NOT planning on sticking to the diet this week!

At 7am it was overcast, but dry outside. By 7:20 we'd found drizzle. It stayed like that on/off all the way to Mason City, IA. We stopped there to tank up, return a bad cord for a com. system, and to adjust my ear pieces in my helmet. We were wet, and chilled...and wondering if the whole trip would be that way.

Fortunately for us, after Mason City, things cleared up. The drizzle went away and the sun started peaking out. It was a lovely day for a ride. A long ride. A VERY long ride. We stopped at an Arby's for lunch, and later a McDonald's for supper. The (just over) half-way point to our destination was Kearney, NE at 580 miles. We blew past it. We did another entire jump...all the way to North Platte, NE. 712 miles on Day 1. For those that don't know it, it's not the butt that hurts so much on the back of a Harley...it's the top of the inner thigh.

We stayed at a motel that was a bit of a dive and in a slightly scary part of town, but it was a good location to the interstate and was easy access. The rooms were also clean and there was another rider there that night so the bikes were together in the lot (and right outside our window!). From this point, I stretched out and went for a walk to the gas station to pick up a snack. It was a fairly early crash that night because we wanted to be on the road again early Tuesday.

I don't have any good pictures from this day because...well...because it was spent mostly in Iowa, and Nebraska...there wasn't much to see. Pictures will come with future posts, I promise. Day 2 coming soon, stop back for more!

Just sayin'...

I LOVE BOOTY CAMP!

The 6 week booty camp at Curves is now over. Final weigh-in/measure was today.

In 6 weeks I've lost 14 pounds, 10 inches, and had a 1.9% decrease on the BMI.

Woo Hoo.

Now, CO HERE WE COME!

Spoiled

As many of our few readers already know, Duane and I are taking a vacation. We leave approximately 7 a.m. on Monday morning for a Harley ride to Colorado where we will be visiting the Lee family for a few days. We will taking 2 days to get out there (so we'll get there on Tuesday sometime) and leaving to head home on Saturday...with no plans as to how long it will take us to get actually get home. Duane doesn't have to be back to work until Wednesday so we can lolly gag around as much as 4 days to actually make the return trek.

Tonight, I'm sitting here planning my packing list and editing it down as much as possible (hey, we're riding a motorcycle 1100+ miles...no room for extra "stuff"). I spent Friday spoiling myself by starting my pre-vacation pampering.


It started with a workout at Curves which was followed up with my first Mani/Pedi. (Wendy and I did pedicures together once, so I thought I'd try it again).

Then I had my brows done...they needed it.


After that, I stopped by Body and Sol and spent 30 minutes on a hydro-massage bed. I love this machine because I can adjust the pressure of the water...so it's really quite good.

Now that I'm sufficiently relaxed, I'll put in a few hours at work on Saturday and Sunday, and then take off on Monday with my hubby!

I'm SURE pictures of our vacation will follow once we get home.

Celebrate!

For those who haven't seen or heard:

Update

The Beginning

So about a month ago, I told you I'd joined Curves, was loving it, and was looking forward to the diet class and booty camp. It's now been one month. It's time for an update.

Curves Circuit: This is the actual title of the Curves workout. I am still going 5 times per week. I take off on Thursday's and Sunday's to "recover" but will be going walking or biking on those days soon. I also stretch daily...it's keeping my knees and back in line (as are the Sketchers!). The hardest days are the days I have to work at JCP...on those days I have to go first thing in the morning. I'm not a fan of waking up early like that but I'm getting used to it.

Curves Diet: I elected to wait on April 24 to start the diet for multiple reasons. 1: We were trying to eat relatively healthy meals anyway.
2: We needed to clean out the 'fridge and pantry of foods that "aren't on the menu"
3: I wanted to take some time to actually read the material and prepare for it.
4: I wanted to get used to the Curves routine and time the start of the diet close to the date of the diet class.
5: Booty Camp starts May 2 and I wanted to start before camp but be doing intense levels of both at the same time.

So, on April 23 I did a weeks worth of grocery shopping and on April 24 we dutifully started the diet. The first day involved making breakfast and Duane had to work in the morning...so I had to get up extra early to cook for him and pack his lunch and snack on my day off. I was thinking that this would be the first and last time that happened....but later that day, he offered to wake up in the morning on his days off to have breakfast with me too. Shocker, I know...but it's working!


The First Week's Stash

The first two days were the hardest. I almost wanted to cry. I learned FAST how to adjust meals for the following week in order to get the proper Carb, Fat, Protein, and Calorie numbers...and to make it more budget friendly. By Wednesday, I wasn't so hungry, and by Thursday it was tough to eat everything. Phase two started May 2 (with Booty Camp) and they actually increase you calories by about 300 in order to protect metabolism. I'll update you here after we've gotten into it more, we've just started this phase.

Our "Planning Board" displaying Day 1

Booty Camp: Is a motivational tool that is 6 weeks in length and operated by our club owner. Every week you get points for doing things (like the workout, extra workouts, extra exercises, drinking your water, taking your vitamins, etc...) The list of what scores points grows weekly. Again, updates to follow.

All told: My one month "weigh day" came around on April 30. I've lost 4 inches and 8 pounds (6 of them fat) in the last month. Duane is liking the food and supportive of this whole endeavour so that helps. Brandi...well...I think she's lost a few pounds too. She doesn't have as many leftovers to eat, and no ice cream bowls to lick. She is ALWAYS at my feet in the kitchen just waiting for food to drop!

My Faithful Kitchen Companion

Sick!

The baby got sick. Duane is now going through Harley withdrawl syndrome. She's in the shop in M.C. Something about a pump not functioning with the gas tank (I think). She's better now now, but we gotta go pick her up. That means that I get to work until 5 tomorrow. Get home, make the 2.5 hour trek with my hubby, leave him at a friends for the night (who will bring him to the shop in the morning), and head the 2.5 hours back by myself. Late and lonely night on a school night. Guess who's gonna get a ride for payback?!?

Truth is, it's all good. At least the first half the trip is quality time together...and I'll get to sleep on HIS pillow!

More coming soon about our new challenge we started this week. I just want to get the pic's uploaded first.