HOME and a Quick Note on the Bender Ball

So, I'm home! Back in San Diego where it is dreary, rainy and cold. Ryan and I just came back from a rainy run. I can hardly believe I might be missing Indiana weather right now. Note: In San Diego, we have Gray May and June Gloom. The rest of the year is awesome though. Anywho, I'll post about my trip soon, but for now, I want to tell you about using my mom's Bender Ball.

I'm not sure you could call this a review, because it's not very scientific. BUT, I tried my mom's bender ball while I was in Indiana visiting since they don't grow gyms out here in the sticks.

The bender ball is basically the size of a volleyball, rather than those large swiss balls. I'd seen them on tv, maybe on an infomercial or something, and I was interested in the backward motion it allows you to do, supposedly working a different part of your abs. Well, as it turns out, I don't think it does anything I can't do on a regular swiss ball. However, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that it does work my abs in a very similar way to the swiss ball and would be just as good for much of my abs workout. It also allows you to do lower abs in a way you can't do with a swiss ball. Plus, it's the perfect size for storing in my small apartment. I've always had to go to the gym to use the swiss ball, since San Diego apartments are the size of most people's living rooms. So, suffice it to say, I think the Bender Ball makers have a new customer.

What do you think? Anyone have any great ab workout products? I'd love to hear.

P.S. I didn't use the bender ball video or even look at the materials that come with the ball (hence, this isn't a real review).

We are Family...

Memorial Day weekend was full of fun and family. We got together at Ryan's Uncle Herbert's house. And when I say "we," I mean EVERYbody. Ryan's mom's family, Ryan's dad's family and my family all together, including some cherished family friends. We had a cookout: hamburger, hotdogs and some little fried chicken wings along with the usual fixins, baked beans, salad, potato chips. AND the weather completely cooperated, so we were grateful. The party really got into full swing when the family started playing dodgeball. And, let me tell you, my husband took that game SERIOUSLY and he had the sore muscles to prove it. :)

All in all, a fantastic weekend spent with wonderful family.

Many blessings your way,
-JM

Pics from Mandy's Going Away Party... Sigh

Hip Hop and an Eggplant

Today, I am completely bummed about a situation I'm dealing with at work. All I can say is life is not fair. So, right now I'm taking a quick break so I don't go crazy or get too down in the dumps.

Last night, I took a hip hop class at our new gym. I also took a 30 minute abs class right before it, but that wasn't all that memorable. I've been doing the kickboxing class at my old gym for a while now, but I decided its time to at least try a class at the new gym. Plus, I've toyed with the idea of potentially training to teach a class, so I figure taking as many as I can is a good idea. So, about that hip hop class. What incredible fun! It was not at all a challenging workout, rather it was like a real-life dance class, taught count by excruciating count. However, the result was that by the time class was through, I'd learned an entire dance and it was super fun. Of course, I immediately had to go home and perform my new hip hop routine for Ryan, who of course thought I was absolutely wonderful. :) I'm considering going back tonight for a second round. I'd love to convince my handsome hubby to join me in a hip hop class, but somehow I doubt it. We shall see.

As for the aforementioned eggplant, I have one.



I bring it up because I have this cute little purple guy in my fridge and I have no idea what to do with it. I bought it on a whim. Curious if anyone has any ideas?... Recipes welcome.

Ok, so I've now covered both of my favorite topics (food and exercise) in one post, so I will go back to the madness perhaps a little less mad.

xoxo
-j

Las Vegas and Weekend Wonderful

So, I'm back from Vegas. The first picture above is my hotel. I was on floor 25. The second set of pictures is from Lavo, the nightclub where the party was I had to attend on behalf of my company. It was a cool place, strange theme. Bathroom themed. There were sinks of running water all over the place and glowing golden towel racks all over the wall. Free drinks, dancing, the whole bit. Too bad I was there for work. It was fine, completely wiped me out as always. When I left the tradeshow Friday, I went right to the airport and immediately changed into my sweats and sneakers. It's tough doing heels for two days straight (day and night). I arrive home in SD completely excited to enjoy a wonderful RELAXING weekend. I get in the car with my amazing husband and he says, "Why are you dressed like that?! We're going to dinner with friends! Surprise!" My response was, "huh? what?" So, I hopped in the back seat of his car (tinted windows, thankfully) and dolled myself up yet again. Considering I had been dressing to work in Vegas for two days, my attire was a bit dressy for Rock Bottom, but regardless, better than sweats.

Saturday was my day of rest. I was completely wiped out. We went up to Ashley's and bought the table I pictured in my last post. It was on mega sale, like half off! AWESOME! He requested a Thai Chicken/Rice dish I make, so I threw that together and we sat down (on the couch, since as yet we have no table) to watch Into the Wild. Nice, relaxing. Just what the doctor ordered.

Today is Sunday. I'm just now feeling like a human again. Not sure why that happens to me when I travel. Luckily I seemed to have left my gigantic appetite in Vegas, so I'm back to eating well, which is great. This morning, I cleaned the house and went to the grocery store. We had a light lunch. I made Chicken Ceasar Wraps. I had mine with a side of steamed cauliflower. Ry had a side of grapes and a strawberry yogurt. Yes, back to healthy eating - woohoo! We watched the Lakers win (YAY!) and ever since I've been sitting here working on my upcoming Consulting Endeavor (sigh - complicated). Once I'm done with this post, I'm heading over to the gym for a swim. Making tuna noodle casserole for dinner tonight, and I think we have The Mist on DVD from NetFlix, so should be another easy night rolling into a short week (going home to Indiana on Friday). Hoping you're enjoying weekend wonderful, too.

xoxo
-j

Next Purchase... What think?

I'm a posting fiend lately. Oh well. I have a lot to say.

So, check this table out. We're considering it as our next purchase. Our small, rickety kitchen table went to Washington DC with Amanda, so right now we're table-less.

What do you think?

You are what you eat

If you are what you eat, then today I'm a very scrumptious can of Trader Joe's Lentil and Vegetable Soup. This was very nearly the best soup ever in the history of soups. If you have a Trader Joe's nearby, go get some! :)

In other news, we're coming home next week and I'm very excited. To be honest, I'm nearly as happy about the week away from work as I am about seeing you guys! Sorry, have to be real. Ryan's family is having a get together the Saturday after we come home that I cannot wait for. Plus, I happen to be home the week before my birthday, so I think my family has something planned for that too. If it involves cake, especially chocolate cake, this is a very good thing. Good times, to be sure.

Today, I heard some really sad news about an acquaintance's mother passing, and so I want to wish everyone a happy, healthy and beautiful day. I have so much to be thankful for, and I love you all.

-J

Quote of the day

I need to remember this when I'm finding all the excuses in the world why I don't want to go to the gym in the mornings.

Mmmmm Heart Disease....

This was in SparkPeople news. About red meat. I do think in moderation, very lean red meat is probably ok, but not having it is way better, in my opinion. :) xoxo -j

If red meat is a staple of your diet, you might want to reconsider how much of it you're eating. A new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine looked at the diet of more than 500,000 Americans over a span of 10 years. It found that (other things being equal), men and women who consumed the most red and processed meat were likely to die sooner, especially from heart disease and cancer, than those who consumed much less. The increased mortality risk from consuming higher levels of red meat ranged from 20 to 40 percent.

Read the whole article here.

Happy Cinco de Mayo... Almost Friday

Randomly found this quote, and thought I'd post it. It makes me think of the ongoing joke I have here at work with my buddy Ricardo. Sometimes we have a language barrier, but a phrase he knows for sure is "Almost Friday." We say it even on Monday mornings. It's like our private joke that requires no real interpretation. I'm always tripping, scrambling my way like a mad chicken toward the weekend, the only time I feel like the "real me." I wonder what would happen if I just stopped, put aside whatever the crap is that I'm trying so hard to trip and stumble over and just learned to accept how great it is to be alive and well (as so many aren't right now) on this random Tuesday afternoon. What would happen if I just accepted that "old nonsense" for what it is and just simply let it go. What would happen if I put down my constant quest to do something bolder and more amazing and instead tried to find the bold and amazing in what I'm already doing?...

Food for thought.

-j

Roses, Shopping and Midnight Meat Train

This is a picture of a rose in the courtyard of our apartment building. I told my mom all about them when we moved in, and she told me to take a picture. Huge!

So, this weekend is dedicated to getting my office together for my upcoming work transition. Things have been coming together for that, a few bumps, but all the same, things're moving forward. JMyers Consulting is on its way. My office will actually take up one wall of our dining room. There should be room for a small, bar style table in addition.



Today, we started the day by having lunch at the Rhinoceros Cafe in Coronado. It was a beautiful, warm day here in sunny SD. On our way back, we went to Ikea and bought shelves for the wall above my desk. We absolutely love our apartment, but we've had to be creative with storage solutions. Our desk is small, no drawers really, so that makes for an ever more complicated challenge with a home-based business.


These are the shelves I will put above my desk. Three, askew.

Afterwards, we went to one of Ryan's favorite stores, Best Buy, where we bought a new computer and printer. My computer was out of date and getting slower by the day. Time for an upgrade.


My cool new HP is bronze/chrome. It has a really large screen too. Awesomeness!

We spent like an hour and a half at Best Buy (a long story which ended with us getting like a 15% discount). By that time, we were starving and I knew I had nothing thawed, so we stopped at a little Italian place near our house. It turned out to be this adorable cafe that offers free dance lessons several days a week. We picked up a pizza (which was really good - even though I usually hate pizza) and we came home to crash. (No worries. I paired it with a salad, so I'd feel atleast somewhat healthy.) Now, I'm sitting here typing this blog and he's working on our new computer and printer. Oh, and we're watching one of the grossest movies I've ever seen. Midnight Meat Train. If you ever want to rent it, don't. It's gross, stupid and what's with that name?!?!

Ok, that's it for today's rambling. I hope life is good for you all.

xoxo -j