Love is...
Congratulations Hugh and Courtney! You guys make a beautiful couple!
Isn't spring lovely?
Graduations, engagements, family, the Easter Bunny; how could you not LOVE spring? For those of us Texas locals we know this is the moment where if you blink you'll miss the two weeks out of the entire year that we can ride with our tops down and not fear heat stroke. Barely 80 degrees outside, Ashley and I set off around the ever fun and artistic Deep Ellum, Texas to take her graduation portraits. I had so much fun working with her! If "adorable" were a person it would be Ashley. Hopeful optimism and a smile on her face, she radiates confidence (which makes shooting her THAT much better!) Thank you Ash for inviting me to be apart of this special time in your life and CONGRATULATIONS on graduating! YOU DID IT!
Coconut crusted cod w Virginia ham
For those of you who don't know, I love to cook! In fact, the longer and more stressful my days are, the more intricate my meals are at the end of the day. Yesterday was my first day back to work after taking time to travel from San Diego through Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, and back to Dallas. After leaving work yesterday I asked myself, "why didn't I stay in the Grand Canyon?"
So here's my simple, yet WOW delicious dinner. Me and Beetle (my border collie mix) hung out after a good WOD and trip to the dog park, making dinner and listening to good music (The Black Keys of course). This is what I came up with...
Lightly sauteed chopped sweet onion with chopped roasted garlic in olive oil
Whisked 1 cup unsweetened almond milk + 1 whole egg in bowl
2 Cups unsweetened coconut grounds on plate
Dredge the cod in the almond milk egg mixture
Pat both sides of cod in the coconut grounds till completely covered
Place in medium heat skillet with onions and garlic add olive oil as needed
Chop sliced Virginia Ham into bits, toss in with cod
Cook until brown on both sides, plate, and ENJOY!
So here's my simple, yet WOW delicious dinner. Me and Beetle (my border collie mix) hung out after a good WOD and trip to the dog park, making dinner and listening to good music (The Black Keys of course). This is what I came up with...
Lightly sauteed chopped sweet onion with chopped roasted garlic in olive oil
Whisked 1 cup unsweetened almond milk + 1 whole egg in bowl
2 Cups unsweetened coconut grounds on plate
Dredge the cod in the almond milk egg mixture
Pat both sides of cod in the coconut grounds till completely covered
Place in medium heat skillet with onions and garlic add olive oil as needed
Chop sliced Virginia Ham into bits, toss in with cod
Cook until brown on both sides, plate, and ENJOY!
Fittest pd on earth
A big shout out to crossfit heat and the Dallas SWAT. Looks like there's another comp around the corner and this one won't be your average 'strong man'. Police officers will have a chance to show who's the toughest through a fierce battle of strength, tact, and overall skill.. From what I hear; it's to take place in June, so keep an ear out and make sure you try to support those who serve and protect.
Here's my little rant... I was watching the news this weekend and saw stories about the political unrest in Syria taking place. I think that's putting it lightly... what's happening is a country ripping itself apart from the inside out with no one to stop them. I sat back as I watched video footage of a 5 year old little boy running through open fire. He was swept up by a man who risked his life to save that of the little boy. My immediate thought was "whew at least he's safe", but was he really safe? Is he really safe when he's forced to grow up in a world where all he knows is war and fear? My second thought, "we are so blessed to live in a place with so much freedom". I'm reminded daily of how much we take for granted. Having the opportunity to know so many police officers and fire fighters who are good men and women, who truly believe in their calling, who do what is right and don't stand by to watch someone else do what is wrong; I can't help but feel increasingly proud to be called an American. That's right. I said it. "I am proud to be an American!" Cheers to all you who have sacrificed your life or the ones you love to serve and protect our freedom.
Here's my little rant... I was watching the news this weekend and saw stories about the political unrest in Syria taking place. I think that's putting it lightly... what's happening is a country ripping itself apart from the inside out with no one to stop them. I sat back as I watched video footage of a 5 year old little boy running through open fire. He was swept up by a man who risked his life to save that of the little boy. My immediate thought was "whew at least he's safe", but was he really safe? Is he really safe when he's forced to grow up in a world where all he knows is war and fear? My second thought, "we are so blessed to live in a place with so much freedom". I'm reminded daily of how much we take for granted. Having the opportunity to know so many police officers and fire fighters who are good men and women, who truly believe in their calling, who do what is right and don't stand by to watch someone else do what is wrong; I can't help but feel increasingly proud to be called an American. That's right. I said it. "I am proud to be an American!" Cheers to all you who have sacrificed your life or the ones you love to serve and protect our freedom.
me and my tennis ball
_ My new best friend is a
tennis ball. Who needs a boyfriend when a fuzzy, little, yellow ball can take
care of all your aches and pains? As I’m writing this, my little friend is hard
at work “rolling out” all the tension in my feet. Last night at Crossfit Heat
we were finding our thruster max. Warming up with a 45lb bar, I started in rack
position, went into a squat, and as I exploded up so did my knee. POP! Next thing
I know I’m on the ground crying like a baby, grabbing my knee. Hobbling off to
the locker room, to hide my “break down”, I realized I wasn’t in as much pain
as I was completely frustrated with my body that seems to be working against me
these days (especially my right knee… I think it has it out for me). So here I
am today, realizing a couple of things… first, I NEED to do more mobility work.
Once a week is not sufficient for the kind of intensity I put my body through
the other 6 days. Second, I shouldn’t be waiting for an injury to treat my
muscles right. Stretching is absolutely key to staying in peak condition for
all my Olympic lifts. Okay so where does the tennis ball come in? As I was
sitting at work (in a desk), I started pressing around where I thought the
injury occurred last night. Nothing. So I started working my way up my leg.
Finally I stumbled on a muscle right beneath my booty. Got out my trusty tennis
ball, sat it on the spot I could tell was tight and suddenly I felt it, the pain I
had last night but this time it went down to my toes. It’s all connected. My
knee hurt because of my butt? The answer is yes. But let’s face it; I’m no
muscle therapist, doctor, trainer… so I go to resources that are a little more
advanced than my kindergarten understanding. Check out these videos and
hopefully this lends some much needed advice.
"Pressing on to what lies ahead"
_
Philippians 3:13
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
This past week was exhausting, emotionally and physically. After a good friend of mine was admitted to ICU Thursday night and with the stress of work and all the busy schedules at home I really thought I was going to lose it. I feel most ashamed at the way I handled it, the way I allowed my stress to affect the ones I love. I took out my frustration on my best friend and then I went a little overboard on my cheats. Not a great way to end the week is all I’m sayin. So with Monday off from work I resolved to get a few things in order. I apologized to those I wronged, went for a trail run to clear my head, ate healthy, got an oil change (where I’m pretty sure the guy ripped me off but oh well), found a dog I’m fostering a good home, and managed to squeeze a WOD in. I also took some time to really think about where I wanted this Paleo challenge to take me (do I want this to just be another fad, something to keep me entertained for a little while, or do I want to use this time to get to know myself- the strengths and weaknesses that can be improved on). Monday gave me a lot of time to reflect, to take some inventory, and with my friend’s life hanging by a thread in ICU, it made me consider what is really important in this life. This is what my conclusion was drawn to:
#1. I have built my life in fear. I fear not being good enough, skinny enough, strong enough, funny enough, yadie yada. My fear is ultimately selfish no matter how I string it and it takes away from the faith I have in the Lord (who I claim to believe is in total control). So my fear also makes me a liar, because if I can say with one side of my mouth that God is all-powerful and that my faith and hope rest in the cross of Christ alone, but with the other side of my mouth I profess fear and doubt how am I anything BUT a hypocrite? My fear also takes away from the people around me. When I spend all my time thinking about how I’m not good enough or being afraid of possible outcomes, I ignore those around me who deserve so much more recognition and love than I am able to give. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Think about it.
#2. There’s a season for everything. Ecclesiastes 3-
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
The God-Given Task
9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
Okay so here’s what I got so far… when you’re up you can count on the fact that eventually you’ll be down. When it’s light, you can count on the fact that it will eventually be dark. There is a season for everything. Every season has a beginning and an END. This gave me a lot of comfort considering myself and so many I love are in seasons that evoke a lot of pain and frustration. I’ve been here before and I know I’ll be here again one day; but I also know that there is something to be learned in this time. There is something so sweet and valuable in the moments where I am forced to lean on my God. There is something so sweet in the act of humbling myself to ask for help and then to actually see Him come through time and time again. If it weren’t for the seasons of drought, I would never appreciate the rain. I am thankful for the painful moments in life as I am thankful for the moments full of unrelenting joy. Either way, I am so blessed.
Philippians 3:13
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
This past week was exhausting, emotionally and physically. After a good friend of mine was admitted to ICU Thursday night and with the stress of work and all the busy schedules at home I really thought I was going to lose it. I feel most ashamed at the way I handled it, the way I allowed my stress to affect the ones I love. I took out my frustration on my best friend and then I went a little overboard on my cheats. Not a great way to end the week is all I’m sayin. So with Monday off from work I resolved to get a few things in order. I apologized to those I wronged, went for a trail run to clear my head, ate healthy, got an oil change (where I’m pretty sure the guy ripped me off but oh well), found a dog I’m fostering a good home, and managed to squeeze a WOD in. I also took some time to really think about where I wanted this Paleo challenge to take me (do I want this to just be another fad, something to keep me entertained for a little while, or do I want to use this time to get to know myself- the strengths and weaknesses that can be improved on). Monday gave me a lot of time to reflect, to take some inventory, and with my friend’s life hanging by a thread in ICU, it made me consider what is really important in this life. This is what my conclusion was drawn to:
#1. I have built my life in fear. I fear not being good enough, skinny enough, strong enough, funny enough, yadie yada. My fear is ultimately selfish no matter how I string it and it takes away from the faith I have in the Lord (who I claim to believe is in total control). So my fear also makes me a liar, because if I can say with one side of my mouth that God is all-powerful and that my faith and hope rest in the cross of Christ alone, but with the other side of my mouth I profess fear and doubt how am I anything BUT a hypocrite? My fear also takes away from the people around me. When I spend all my time thinking about how I’m not good enough or being afraid of possible outcomes, I ignore those around me who deserve so much more recognition and love than I am able to give. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Think about it.
#2. There’s a season for everything. Ecclesiastes 3-
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
The God-Given Task
9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
Okay so here’s what I got so far… when you’re up you can count on the fact that eventually you’ll be down. When it’s light, you can count on the fact that it will eventually be dark. There is a season for everything. Every season has a beginning and an END. This gave me a lot of comfort considering myself and so many I love are in seasons that evoke a lot of pain and frustration. I’ve been here before and I know I’ll be here again one day; but I also know that there is something to be learned in this time. There is something so sweet and valuable in the moments where I am forced to lean on my God. There is something so sweet in the act of humbling myself to ask for help and then to actually see Him come through time and time again. If it weren’t for the seasons of drought, I would never appreciate the rain. I am thankful for the painful moments in life as I am thankful for the moments full of unrelenting joy. Either way, I am so blessed.
December All Cities Open Dallas, Texas
... is it sad that I'm exhausted and I didn't even compete? Hundreds showed up for what was an all day event of 4 (yes I said 4 not including the "floater") merciless WODs. Imagine, if you will, the most exhausting thing you've ever done, you got it? Are you tired just thinking of it? Okay now times that by 5. From 6 in the not so bright morning to 8:30 in the freezing night I watched the fittest of Texas do overheads, burpees, pullups, kettlebell swings, box jumps, squats, sprints, oh and did I mention lifting 174 pound cement balls over a hurdle? 174 pounds was the female weight by the way. "Impressive" doesn't even begin to cover it; these people are on the verge of being gods in the world of fitness. Performing all these exercises in front of a screaming crowd, if their physical strength doesn't qualify them their bravery certainly does. Watching the games take place I felt like I was in with Roman gladiators or front and center to the original Olympic games. Winding up to the last WOD of the day, the temperature dropped dramatically as the sun set. With steam rising from their bodies and sheer pain emanating from their faces this wasn't the time to give up. With every last push of strength, athlete after athlete attempted the impossible... 100 box jumps 80 kettlebell swings 60 pushups 40 pullups 20 ground to overheads. Only a handful out of hundreds actually finished the 15minute timed workout. The sweetest victory followed the 20th rep of 135lb for men and 95 lbs for women ground to overhead lifts; but every competitor walked away a victor. A big shout out to Crossfit Central. Thank you for letting me be apart of what was an awe-inspiring and just totally awesome experience!
No Mercy November
Crossfit Heat- an up and coming pure bred crossfit gym that has the character and quality of what you'd expect the crossfit founding fathers to be proud of. Walking in to what looks almost like an abandoned building from the outside, I get a rush of excitement as I hear the bass rattle the bar'd up windows and hear the yells of men (and women) ripping through their WODs like there's no tomorrow. Watching a group of 8 or 9 members swing kettlebells, knock out burpees, pushups, pullups, rope climbs, you name it I couldn't help but want to jump in and go hard (camera and everything). With "prison yard" workouts outside (flipping tires and dragging weighted sleds) and the promise of an outdoor obstacle course, members never get bored of visiting the "box". Heat does a great job of making everybody who walks in feel like they belong. They push the line between competitive drive and camaraderie to make you feel like you're back on your high school athletic team training for something worth while, in this case it's life they're training for at Heat. "I feel like the coaches are my brothers and uncles. It feels like home." says Heat crosssfitter Hoylce Caldwell. She's not the only one, Crossfit Heat is like a family of people who just want to get back to the raw idea of working out; no mirrors, no brands, just sweat and unrefined will power. Crossfit Heat, a little rough around the edges in all the best of ways.
THE LATEST
NOT ALL OF TEXAS IS DRIED UP OCTOBER 2
Spent the weekend enjoying one of the few bodies of water we have left in our big ole state. Cedar Hill State Park, where we've made our home away from home. With four dogs to tire out, and a near obsession for the outdoors, we love spending the weekends riding the trails and swimming in the lake. Get out and live your life!
FIGHT GONE BAD September 17
Another exciting WOD...Workout Of the Day for you new to crossfit. Wall Balls, Sumo Dead lift High Pulls, box jumps, push press, and lets not forget...ROWING! 3 intense, non-stop rounds of 1 minute spent in each movement. Words aren't necessary, the look on their faces says it all. Thanks again CFDeep Ellum for letting me be apart of what was more than just another WOD, it was also a benefit to raise funds for fallen soldiers.