Pure Barre: Oh What a Feeling

I had planned to do a house update since we have guests coming into town next week and the house is in disarray, but I want to take a few minutes to acknowledge a few events that happened this week at work. I normally don't talk about work, but this week was a really good week. I received a text from my boss/studio owner Tuesday night letting me know she was planning to review me the next morning. Not only did she review me, but she took my first class and reviewed my second - so much for warming up in that first class. Just a month ago, I would have been super nervous and anxious, but I was feeling upbeat and confident, and it showed. She told me I was 1,000 times better than the last time she watched me teach back in January, when I started. I was on the beat of the music, engaging with clients, I had inflection in my voice, and seemed like a natural. What a confidence boost. It was wonderful hearing those comments from her since she did take a chance on me. I've never taught anything before and I'm not one to enjoy public speaking. When I asked about teaching way back when what I did know was I loved the classes and believed in the technique - I still do. I wanted to know how to become even more involved. I think that's just the "student" in me.
Once I started learning the technique on the teaching side I was told there is about a three month learning curve. I can confirm that is true! April begins month four for me and I am REALLY enjoying teaching. Now that I am comfortable in front of the class I've been able to really engage with and get to know the clients. I'm having fun while I am teaching and I think it rubs off on the clients. I can say the wrong word(s) and laugh about it and so can they. The best part of my job is watching the clients advance and change their bodies. I've seen women shrink their waistlines and come out of the dressing room with shocked faces when they try on a pair of pants and the size they use to wear is too big. Just this morning I had a client hand me a thank you card from her wedding. She started Pure Barre the same week I started teaching in January. She wanted to get toned for her February wedding. The thank you card was addressed to the morning instructors, but she handed it to me because I was her first teacher and the one she has had the most. Her card thanked us for giving her a toned body for her wedding. She specifically loves her toned arms! I took class with her later this morning and she told me she loves that she is starting to see definition in her abs. She says they are her "Megan abs". Those two little words put the biggest smile on my face. It's such a wonderful feeling hearing and seeing other women embrace their body and enjoy doing something good and healthy for themselves. That moment resonates with me because I too connected with my first teacher and I got hooked on Pure Barre once I started seeing definition in my arms and a stronger core. My weight hasn't changed a lot, but I feel stronger physically and mentally when I take class. That is a great feeling.

Pinterest Dinner

Good morning everyone. I hope you are staying warm. I can not believe it is snowing on March 24th and a snow storm expected this evening. Is anyone else tired of this weather? I know we don't get horrible weather, but it just seems to be dragging on and on this year. I could use a vacation to the beach! Given the colder than normal circumstances, I thought I would share a warm and flavorful dinner with you, if you are looking for a little comfort food. Drew and I have been trying to eat at home more often. In addition to that goal, I have also been trying to make more fresh meals - not frozen or packaged. Last night I made this delicious Spicy Sausage Pasta. (I substituted gluten-free pasta.)

It was full of flavor and super easy to make. And, the gluten-free pasta turned out fantastic too.

Picture from the recipe's link. I forgot to take my own picture last night

The ingredients aren't hard to find either and it doesn't call for a lot of pre work, if any - just chop and drop the ingredients in the skillet. The only changes I made from the recipe was I started using a skillet then transferred the meal into an oven safe dish and put it in our toaster oven to broil for a couple of minutes. 

I don't cook with sausage much, so it was a nice change of taste for us. Let me know if you try it! I hope you enjoy it.

Update: If you aren't a huge fan of sausage you could always add chicken instead. Or, if you are looking for a "meatless Monday" meal, I think black beans would be really good. You could also add more veggies, such as corn or bell peppers to give it more color and fiber. Those are just some ideas Drew and I were throwing around last night that I forgot to mention this morning.

Basement Blues

We have the basement blues... literally. We have painted the basement twice and still aren't happy with the color. Drew has his heart set on a grey color and both times the walls have looked blue. The first time we painted it turned out a baby blue which was not even close to the color we picked out. I then suggested we paint the basement the same color is our bedroom since we know we like the color. That color still didn't look right. We then tried changing the light bulbs. We picked up some of the reveal light bulbs to get rid of the blue tint. It didn't help. We've discussed a lot of other options including painting all of the wood work white. I think it would help a lot with our color issues as well as make the basement more cohesive with the rest of the house. Unfortunately, I don't think it will be an easy or quick process. I keep dragging my feet because I am not looking forward to sanding all of the wood.

But now, we've reached another road block in our basement plans. Originally, we both envisioned a sports themed basement. Right now it's looking quite patriotic. As Drew's sister is moving and downsizing so we've taken in her red couches - as well as her flag pictures. 

The coloring in this picture is horrible!

Of course, we are a patriotic family, but the red couches against the blue-ish walls and the flag pictures are a little too much. We still aren't sure if we are going to keep the flag pictures. We need to re-envision our basement and take it one step at a time. My current suggestion is to take down the wall paper (on the one wall) and paint all the walls white. The couches add a lot of color and if we put pictures on the walls that will add even more. I think the walls can be neutral. If we do remove the one wall of wallpaper and paint the walls white then we would keep the wood as is. Eventually we could redo the bar top and I think it would be enough of a change to make the basement feel a little more updated. 

Date-iversary!

Today is our date-iversary! Four years ago today Drew and I went out on our first date. Who would have thought dinner at O'Charleys, a trip to Walmart and Jack's Pets store, followed by a movie at the Super Saver (Drew was quite the big spender!) would result in marriage :)
We still laugh about that first date as well as our first couple conversations on the phone. Before that first date, we talked a few times while he was in Georgia. He told me later that he wasn't sure it was going to work because I was very quiet on the phone. Ha! If only he knew. There are days when I know he just wants me to stop talking ;) Luckily, for both of our sakes, he gave me another chance and asked me to dinner -  actually he wanted to do a casual lunch, but I couldn't with my temp job at the time. It's fun thinking back to that night because I didn't think dinner went that well. I remember thinking that he just wasn't that into me - that some of the conversation was awkward. Although, once we headed to Walmart and Jack's Pet store it was a lot more relaxed and fun. Of course, I went home thinking I hope he had a good time, and I hope I see him again.
Obviously, dinner wasn't all that bad and we went on a second, and third date... I can't imagine my life without him... or Lexi.
It does make me grateful to think about how Drew and I met. While we both went to high school together it wasn't until after college and after being laid off in Washington that we connected. It's funny how things work out the way they do. One action/decision leads to another and slowly but surely a new "path of life" is created. Being laid off was devastating, but it gave me the opportunity to move back home and start over.
You never know what each day will bring, but being surrounded by loving and supportive people makes each day that much more exciting.

Amazon Adventure

It's hard to believe Drew has been working for Amazon for six months, and this weekend was the first time I visited. I had planned to visit (hang out with him after work) a couple of other times but it always worked out that he would be here in town before I could make it to him. Well, last night was "Family Fun Night" at the warehouse. It was a chance for family members to go inside and see what their loved ones do all day. I have to say it was fun and interesting. There wasn't a lot going on, but they did give everyone a tour of the facility and explain what happens at each area/station. Afterwards there were snacks and face painting for the kids. I enjoyed the opportunity to put a visual to everything Drew talks about as well as meet the faces behind the names of his co-workers. The one thing that surprised me the most is the organized chaos inside the facility. Unlike a grocery store, the items are not stored together. Items are randomly store throughout the building. The facility could have a thousand golf clubs all in a different spot. Our tour guide, who manages with Drew, says this is found to be more efficient than storing all of the same items in one spot because people order random things at one time. It's easier and faster for the "pickers" to find things when they are all over the place instead of having to go all the way across the facility to get a golf club, only to go all the way to the other side to get the second item. Of course, this means they have to have a very organized cataloguing system. Learning the system gave me a whole new understanding and respect for everything Drew does each day. I can't be more proud of all of the work he does to keep the facility running smoothly.

Outside of visiting the facility I also took some time (I arrived early and Drew was working) to check out the local shops. There is not a lot around that part of town, but on my quest to find the Walmart I found Target. I was very excited to get myself an IU t-shirt or sweatshirt. As I walked around the store to the sport section that each Target has, I caught a glimpse of a red sweatshirt. Of course... I traveled across state lines not to find IU apparel, but this....

and yes, those are Red hats in the far left of the picture. The end cap of the isle had even more Red items! Seriously?!?! The store had to have had quadruple the number of Reds shirts than IU shirts. It's still basketball season! And I was in Indiana! Sadly, I went home with nothing and am very disappointed. Although, I expect that's what I get after IU loses to Wisconsin in the Big 10 Tournament.
Unfortunately, this is the only picture I have from my trip. I was not able to take my phone, or anything for that matter, into the Amazon facility - the company is huge on safety. I'll have to leave it to your imagination to picture all of the crazy items inside a huge warehouse. Drew's apartment isn't anything to take a photo of either. It has an air mattress, TV, desk and lawn chair. Very glamorous lol. As I alluded above, Drew works a lot and doesn't need much once his work day is over.

Back in the Sand

I forgot how much I enjoyed playing sand volleyball - or just volleyball in general! Drew and I used to play on a team together for a couple of years. I eventually had to stop playing because it became too much with my work schedule - I was still working overnights. Every now and then I would fill-in if the team needed a sub. Within the last six months the team switched from playing 6's to 4's. Drew also had to stop because the game times conflicted with his schedule at Amazon.

Last night the team needed an extra player for the tournament and I jumped at the opportunity to fill-in. The only downside... the first game was at 10:20pm and I had been up since 4:30 teaching in the morning. Boy was it a long day! But, it was totally worth it! I had so much fun playing with them again. It was also a lot of fun being able to play quads. We won our first match but lost the second. Considering our team was lacking in the height department I think we did really well. My serving could use a little work (I don't think I've hit a volleyball for over a year), but I was more than pleased with my passing and ball reading.

It could just be wishful thinking, but I think Pure Barre has made a big difference in keeping my legs in shape. I felt extremely comfortable digging balls out of the sand and agile moving side-to-side. My thighs felt strong without being bulky.

I'm crossing my fingers that they need another sub sooner than later. Although, I would prefer not to play so late - but I'll take what I can get. Drew and I have talked about getting into a league on a night he is free, so I will keep you posted on what we decide.

Speaking of keeping you posted, I have some exciting news to share regarding Gayle's photography business. Everything seems to be falling into place! First, the studio, now, she has a family signed to rent her house, with the possibility of the family buying it down the road. The building she is leasing for her studio has an upstairs with a kitchenette. She was planning to live upstairs, but wasn't sure if she wanted to try and sell her house or rent it out for a while to see how things pan out. Long story short she, over the weekend a man she knows came with his family to see her house and they signed a lease! I'm not sure of all of the details, but I think she is planning to be moved into her studio at the beginning of April. It's going to be a busy month!

Worst Blogger Ever

Well I certainly get the award for the worst blogger in February. I can't believe I went nearly the entire month without blogging. Two. Two blogs. That. Is. Horrible. If you are still reading my blog, then please forgive me. Although, I am probably beginning to sound like a broken record.

What's been going on with our lives? Well, we are staying pretty busy between the two of us. Drew is still working for Amazon, and spending the other half of his week handling real estate and Army duties.  Speaking of real estate, Drew's sister Gayle has been dabbling in the photography business (Life Through the Lens) for the last three or four years and just recently found a studio. It's in a great location and it seems to be the perfect size. I had the opportunity to check it out this weekend. In addition, Gayle seems to really like the building's owner. He was planning to do some remodeling and is letting her pick out new carpet, paint colors, and flooring. I'll keep you posted on how things advance. She has started to move some of her props over into storage space, but it will be a bit more time before she totally gets situated.

I am starting to hit my groove. My teaching schedule seems to be set. I'm on the early "shift". All of the classes I teach are in the morning. My latest class is 12:30 on Thursday and Tuesdays and Fridays I don't teach at all, but I am able to sub when needed. One thing that is really nice is I can usually take a class right after mine or within an hour and be on my way. Babysitting has slowed down for the time being due to changes in the parent's work schedules. I am staying busy at home managing the studio's Facebook page and press work. The studio has teamed up with four other locally owned businesses to create a type of loyalty/rewards program. It kicks off this Friday. I have been in charge of all of the documents: press release, pamphlet, brochure, etc. The studio is also switching the company it uses for its newsletters so I am responsible for "attending" the training for it. I've only done one training so far and it was quite interesting. It was a webinar type-training program. Each studio's representative called in to a number via google and while we couldn't talk, we could hear the trainer and then send an instant message that he would read and answer in real-time.

Outside of work related items, I/we are working on getting the house in order. Drew's aunt, uncle, and cousins are coming to visit next month for the annual bake-off and this year they will be staying with us. We've got lots of work to do before then! I would love to have one of the bedrooms repainted, but I realize the room(s) need to be cleaned out first. Not to mention, I have stuff I still need to get from my parents house. Mom, if you are reading this I am planning to come by tomorrow :)

Lexi is doing well. She's not a big fan of the cold though so she spends a lot of time inside. Like most dogs, she doesn't like rain, but she will go out and play in the snow. I think all of the lounging around is starting to effect her weight ;) Drew took her to the dog store the other day and said she is 120lbs. She was hovering around 112 for the longest time!

Well, I think that's a good summary of our lives. I will try to be more mindful this month. Hopefully post three or more times a week with specific details of our lives/days. Don't give up on me! I'm trying!