Yeee Hawww!

Wow! What a crazy weekend. I could say that I was super-busy getting stuff done and being productive, but I'd be lying. I spent almost the entire weekend spending time with the Hubs, and basically just enjoying myself.

Anyway, can I just say, I think I was a cowgirl or a rodeo queen or something in a former life? I had so much fun horseback riding! I seriously wish I could get away like that every weekend. It was as good as hiking and camping. Plus it was fun to hang out with my co-workers in a non-work setting. It felt good to just be outside, away from TV, and phones and computers and to enjoy the ride. We rode up through the area of Deer Valley ski resort, for a little over an hour. Then we stopped at the cookout spot, where we enjoyed BBQ chicken, shredded beef sandwiches, coleslaw, baked beans, and even some yummy dessert (not sure what it was, but it was cake layered with some type of whip cream, and another layer of something frozen and all covered in cocoa). I had one of the biggest horses- his name was Beau.

And as promised, here are my glamour shots (or something like that).

This is a nice shot, because you can see the reservoir in the background.

Check out that fine cowboy hat! Hey, my horse and I have similar tails!
Don't I look like a natural?

So, it was great fun, and (boss-man's) money well-spent.

Saturday was a total leisurely day. I slept in until 9:00 (not wanting to run, for fear of messing up my knee). Then the Hubs and I headed to the waterpark to enjoy some slides and hanging out in the sun. Don't worry; I made sure we had plenty of sunscreen. When we came home, I did a little bit of shopping (bought a new shirt and a birthday card). We were planning to get cheap tickets to the soccer game, but then Hubs' friend called and had free tickets in the suite again. So, of course we didn't turn that down. But it meant another feast of Famous Dave's, and unfortunately this time, I ended up caving in on the giant Nestle Crunch ice cream bar (but I didn't have any potato salad, and I drank water- yes, I'm grasping here).

Sunday was a fantastic day, too. After church, I took a little nap, then cut up tons of fruit to take to our monthly family dinner. We were celebrating my niece's 7th birthday, and she wanted fruit and dip for her birthday dinner (along with sandwiches on little rolls- how cute). So I was in charge of bringing strawberries, apples and grapes. And I threw in a can of pineapple chunks, too. My mom had made fruit dip (with all sorts of naughty stuff- marshmallow creme, cream cheese, whip cream- so much cream!) and my sister made chicken salad sandwiches and had turkey, ham and cheese set out to put on the little rolls. Plus there was a veggie tray. So all of that wouldn't have been too damaging until my sister brings out the banana birthday cake with homemade cream cheese frosting! And pumpkin pie (that's my niece's favorite)! Ahhhh!

All in all, it was not a very good weekend food wise. Plus, I found out my brother is moving to Denver in less than a month. He got accepted into law school, and will be doing a combined law school/MBA program, so he'll be there for 4 years. Then he's talking about getting a job in Paris, so that he can afford to pay off his student loans. WTH? Just because he did a church mission in France and lived there for 2 years, he thinks he can haul off there to get a job! That dirty badger. See if I let him borrow our tent anymore.

So, I'm kind of sad, but yet happy for him. And at least he'll only be in Denver (I smell a road trip), and not Kansas or New York (the other places he applied). I guess maybe I'm a little jealous because he's actually doing something with his life, when I never lived up to my potential. But I'm happy where I'm at, and I'm a runner, and I have a great husband and a house in an awesome neighborhood (even if it is a little farther from work than we would like), and I'm ready to get pregnant. All of these are things that I have to remind myself to be grateful for, instead of dwelling on my lack of achievements in the career arena. Plus, in a month I'll start earning 4 weeks of paid vacation a year- that's an accomplishment, right?

Okay, enough of that. This week will also be fun-filled, since I will be going to another waterpark on Wednesday (it's my mom's company day, and we get a good discount), then a midnight showing of the new Batman movie Thursday night (Friday morning), then to the rodeo Friday night. Holy crap- when am I going to run/workout? I'm going to have to plan very strategically. I'm only working a half-day Wed, so I can probably work out that night when we get home. Thursday, I will have time to come home, workout, take a nap, eat dinner and head off to the movie. And Friday, I'm debating taking the whole day off after the movie (I am sooo not a night owl), so that would give me plenty of time to workout before we meet my sister and her hubby for the rodeo. Okay, things aren't looking so bad after all.

My weigh-in on Saturday wasn't so hot. I gained a bit, which I totally expected. I mean, the weight that I had lost was essentially from being sick and not really eating anything substantial for a whole day before weighing, so I figured I would gain. I'm up 2 pounds, which means I really need to crack down this week. The Hubs suggested that we go out for Mexican food tonight, and I shot that down pretty quick, reminding him that if he wants me to lose weight, I need to eat out less often. So instead I made tacos for dinner- but at least I'm more in control of the calories. Oh, and on the plus side, I do feel like I am making progress, even if I haven't become a lot smaller. My legs definitely feel stronger and less jiggly. I made a comment the other day about feeling like my legs were tighter, and the Hubs said, "yeah, I noticed". WHAT?! Did I hear that right? He actually noticed. This is huge!! He doesn't notice subtle changes, so if he noticed anything, it must be a little bit obvious. And at least I'm not imagining it. So, that was my victory for the week.

I hope everyone else had as fabulous a weekend as I did. Are you loving summer?