No Turning Back - Day 1

     Hellllooooooo everyone!!  My apologies, I know its been awhile too long since I last blogged.  Life has been absolutely crazy.  Like head spinning, I can't believe its almost Halloween, where has the freaking time gone CRAZY!!  Still, no excuse for my neglection.  All of my life happenings and extremely interesting busy updates will have to wait just a wee bit longer for another day in lieu of an announcement   

     If any of you are friends with me on Facebook, then I'm sure you're well aware that come next spring I am going to be competing in a bikini competition.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I will be strutting my goods in an itty bitty, ruched butt, sparkly bikini along with sky high clear stilettos, all in hopes that the judges like what they see.  Anyone who knows me personally knows I come from a very competitive and workout oriented obsessed family.  Throughout college and soon after graduating I was always training for something whether it be the starting spot on the UNK volleyball team or being able to successfully complete my first half marathon.  Obviously I've graduated so volleyball is done and unfortunately my bum hip also sidelines and long distance running.  Sigh...  I've still continued to workout like crazy, but lately have found it harder and harder damn near impossible to drag my lazy butt to the gym, all because I'm getting burned out.  Sure, I love the feeling once I get done with my workout and God knows I LOVE the effects working out has on my body, but let's be honest...I'm calling a big ole bullshit on anyone the claims they love to workout.  I'd be willing to bet if doctors invented a pill (praying they do!) that would give you THE SAME EXACT RESULTS that working your ass off in the gym did with no side effects, all those people who claimed they genuinely love to workout would be in line to get one.  Hell, I'd be pushing and shoving my way to the front of that damn line!!  There may be that teeny tiny percentage of people who actually do love working out and I applaud you...while also thinking you're completely insane.  And I mean that in the nicest way possible.
     So, what my ramblings are trying to get at is I need something to train for, set my sights on, some end goal.  That's where the bikini competition comes into play.  Now mind you I've had people tell me I should do them before and I politely told them to go jump off a bridge.  Just kidding.  But, I never, ever in my wildest dreams thought I would be doing a show mainly because of the discipline it takes to get in absolute peak condition.  Well, I'm doing it and I'm pretty damn excited about it!  (Did I really just say that?!)  I've not only decided to compete, but I've also decided to document every step of the journey through my blog.  I'm partially doing it for myself.  If I someday decided to compete again I want to be able to go back and look at the progression.  I'm also doing it for any girls out there who are considering competing.  WARNING:  This will not be all butterflies and rainbows and unicorns.  I will disclose everything, including all the nasty, nitty gritty, horrible deets and trust me..I know there will be!  So there you have it folks!  Welcome to my journey in becoming a Bikini Competitor.  Oh, and I have this awesome, hot, stud of a coach.  

I told you she was a stud!  There is no way in hell I could do this without her help.  And by help I mean I text her close to every hour with questions.  She's amazing.

Day 1
     I got up extra early to prep my meals for the day.  My coach said I need to eat every 2-3 hours in order to keep my metabolism going.  This totally freaks me out!  I normally don't consume that much food throughout the day, so instantly I think holy shit I'm going to pack on the lbs!  I really wasn't too hungry throughout the day, but stuck to my meal plan and got all of my meals in.  Go me!  My workouts are also changing from a circuit type workout to more lifting.  At the end of the day I was feeling overly stuffed and bloated.  I feel as though I gained 10lbs just from eating yesterday, even though it was all extremely healthy!  I'm hoping today goes better!  Here is what my meals consisted of:

     Protein shakes, rolled oats and blueberries, egg white (lots of them!), chicken breast and green beans, greek yogurt with protein, blueberries, and sugar free pudding mix, turkey and zucchini lasagna, and a protein pancake.  

     The zucchini lasagna was auhmazzzingggg!! !  It was simple to make too.  First, brown ground turkey in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.  I also added chopped onions and fresh minced garlic.  In a separate pan I sprayed Pam, threw in thinly sliced zucchini with a bit of garlic powder and pepper and cooked them until they were soft and slightly brown.  Add enough tomato sauce to the turkey just to cover it.  Grab a small loaf pan or casserole dish and spray some Pam around the edges and bottom.  Throw in your zucchini then turkey.  Lightly sprinkle non-fat cheddar cheese on top, stick in the over until it melts, and Voila!  Yummy in my tummy!

     Also, any of you who have not heard of/tried the deliciousness that is Walden Farms, leave now!  Just kidding, but seriously as soon as your are done reading this post drive to your nearest Hy-vee  (other places may carry it, but this is where I've had the best luck) and get yo self some WF!  It's calorie free, sugar free, fat free, carb free, and gluten free heaven in yo mouth!  Seriously.  I love, love, love adding their pancake syrup to my oats and protein pancakes of course and their thick and spicy BBQ sauce is fantastic on veggies and chicken, and prior to my competition diet I would dip my apples in their caramel sauce.  They have soooooo many different choices.  Go. Get. Some.  I'm ending my post now so you can leave.  I promise your taste buds will thank me :)

XOXO,

So much for blogging more...

I know, I know.  I have been absolutely MIA this entire summer!!  I promise I have been busyyyyyy!!  Once things have started to slow down for a bit I will be back with a long post of all my summer shenanigans.  In the mean time here is what I have been up to since my last post...

• July 9th Saw Graffiti6 in concert
• July 14th Ran the Color run and saw Chris Young at the Madison County Fair
• July 15th FINALLY saw Eric Church at the Madison County Fair
• July 21st Ran 5k the Hard Way
• July 28th Had a good friends golden birthday party
• July 31st Left for South Carolina for 5 days for Daniel's graduation from Basic Training!!
• August 10th Left for Colorado for 3 days to go ziplining and climb 2 mountains
• August 18th Ran in the Glow Run
• August 20th Went to the Mumford and Sons concert in Lincoln - It was LIFECHANGING
• August 25th Had my 5 year high school reunion 
• August 28th Celebrated my dad's birthday
• And here I am now getting ready to head back to my old stomping grounds for the Billy Currington concert and the state fair!

     Hellllooooo heat advisory.  Nothing I crave more than a heat advisory until 9 freaking pm!! NOT!  Its days like today I thank God I work in an air conditioned facility.  Hopefully the AC doesn’t go out or we could have big problems.

     Yesterday I had a first.  Yesterday I ran 4 miles.  Straight.  Without stopping once.  

     Now, this isn’t the first time I’ve ever done this, but it is the first time I’ve accomplished this feat since running my half marathon 14 months ago.  Andddd with a bum hip.  Sidenote:  After running my half marathon it was discovered that I have hip dysplasia and an almost completely torn labrum in my right hip.  Shockingly my hip felt pretty damn good throughout the whole run.  Today, well today it’s a different story…

My body does not want to move a single inch.

     Yesterdays run followed an ass-kicking upper body workout on Monday.  I tend to have this problem where whenever Will gives me an exercise to do, my immediate response is “How many reps?”  Monday I tried something different.  I did as many reps as I could possibly manage, then I stopped.  I found that I could push my body much farther than I thought, which gave me the motivation I needed to do it all over again 30 seconds later.  Talk about feeling the burn!  Next time you’re at the gym , try it.  Try not having a number that you’ll quit at.  I promise you will be surprised at what your body can accomplish.

Things I'm currently crushing on...

My oh so fabulous ombre hair.  Seriously, anyone in the Omaha area needs to look up Melody Foster and get your bootay into her chair.  She. Works. Wonders.

My coral colored shellac.  I finally got a mani and pedi for the first time in foreva and thought I went to heaven for a bit. 

Andddddd the fact that its FRIDAY!!!

Happy Weekend Loves!

Well hey there.  Long time no blog, huh?  Don’t you worry I’m still here.  Still alive.  Still kicking.  My blogging world has taken a backseat to reality.  Sigh.  Let me update you on all of the things keeping me utterly busy. 

The next happening since my last post was a fabulous trip to DC.  After initially hearing this is where my work conference would be I was less than excited.  DC?  Meh.  Boy was I wrong.  DC was spectacular.  Will and I spent the majority of our trip (when I wasn’t in meetings) walking around and being typical tourists.  In fact, we were walking so much that my shoe broke.  In the middle. of. downtown. DC.  Trying to hobble around with a broken shoe in the middle of summer = not fun.  Thank goodness for my stud of a boyfriend who worked his handyman skills and glued them back together.  What a lifesaver :)

Dinner on top of the W hotel

The final night at The Museum of American History

After we returned home, any spare time I had was spent studying for the GMAT.  You see, they (as in whoever creates this godforsaken test) decided it would be a great idea to add in an extra section starting June 1^st.  This put my butt into high gear, because who really wants to have to study for and take an extra section when they don’t have to?  Not me!!  Fast forward a few weeks, a couple gallons of coffee, & loads of studying and I PASSED!!  And passed with a good enough score to get me into a top 30 business school.  I was pleased, as is my dad/boss.  The original plan was to start grad school this fall at UNO.  Since I’ll be working full time this was the only option I thought would work.  After doing some research and talking to some family friends, I’ve decided to start grad school next January at ASU.  They have a fabulous online program that only requires me to go out there once.  This will allow me to continue my full time job here in Omaha and still get an education from a great school.  I’m trying to just enjoy my time right now, because once next January hits I will be busy.

We finally received our first phone call and letter from Daniel!!  It was so good to hear from him and to see how everything is going.  We sure miss him and are so proud of what he is doing.  It definitely gave me a whole new perspective on Memorial Day.

Lastly, Will, Maddie and myself (along with 17,000 other people) ran the Warrior Dash.  It was a blast!!  I absolutely cannot wait to do it next year!!  It was also Maddie’s first ever race and I was so happy to be a part of her experience.  We had so much fun that we’re signing up for several other obstacle/mud races this summer and fall.  I highly recommend trying one out if you haven’t before.  There were people from all walks of life and it seemed as though they all enjoyed it…except maybe the girl who broke her leg. She probably didn’t enjoy it as much!

The CWS has officially invaded Omaha!  Will, Maddie, her friend Hil, and myself took in a game last night.  It was my first game in the new TD Ameritrade park and it did not disappoint!  This was also the first game I've been to since my sophomore year in high school.  Definitely an entirely different experience, in a good way!

I’m going to try my hardest to be better at updating this thing.  I know it will be worth it someday when I can look back and read about all my crazy doings.  Sometimes it’s just hard when the pool and a cool drink are calling my name.

Until next time…

XOXO,

     Happy Monday!!  In addition to all of the happenings from my last post, there was one more BIG happening that needed its very own special post.  My little, beloved sister got her first tattoo!!  This may not be a big deal for most of you out there, but growing up in the Carson household we were told if we ever got a tattoo “it would be sand blasted off and we were out of the will.” –Straight from Papa Carson’s mouth.  Being the oldest child I have had to “break-in” my parents to basically anything fun, yes including getting a tattoo.  Even though I may have been the first to venture down that road, I was still scared for Maddie having to break the news to my dad…or so I thought I should be.  Unbeknownst to me he knew about it all along!  Since Maddie came as moral support when I got mine, it was only fitting that I be along her side to hold her hand.  This tattoo was especially important to Maddie.  Over the past 11 months, Maddie has been on a journey to become a healthier and happier young woman.  She has lost an incredible 78 pounds through healthy eating and exercise!!  She has always been an absolutely beautiful person, but now other people are seeing her for who she truly is.  She is such an inspiration to me and drives me to be better and do better with my life.  I love her so much and am so happy I was able to be a part of marking this milestone in her life.  

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

How cute is she?!

     I am so proud of you Maddie and can't wait to see all of the great things you will accomplish in your life!! XOXOXO

     Happy Tuesday Loves! !  I hope your April has been as fabulous as mine so far!  A lot of exciting things have been happening around my neck of the woods, and hopefully more to come!  First off – Arizona!  Let me just start by saying how BADLY I needed a vacation and how utterly AMAZING this vacation turned out to be.  Will and I flew out with my parents the afternoon of the 3^rd.  

Will in the Co-Pilot's seat on the flight.

     Since I was good and xanex’d up, we decided lounging by the pool was the perfect way to start out our vaca.  A little sun, a little music, and a little lot of xanex made for the greatest outdoor nap I’ve ever experienced!  Tuesday was Grant’s birthday, so we all went out to Pomo Pizzeria.  

Grant with his Birthday dessert.

     For you Nebraskan’s, Pomo’s is pretty much like our Pitch – delicious.  The next morning we all got up early (for vacation) and went to a 75min Summits class.  I forgot how much I love Summits and how different {harder} it is from our Summits inspired class we put on here.  A little passing out never hurt anyone, right? J Wednesday afternoon was also spent catching some sun by the pool and catching up on our latest books.  

     The weather was glorious every day we were there.  Wednesday night we went down to the fountain, to our favorite little win bar called Grapeables. 

Night #1 @ Grapeables

     It’s such a quaint little place with live music, cheese & hummus trays, and of course wine to die for!  I’m fairly certain I would be there every night if I lived in Arizona.  We called it an early night, because they next morning we were waking up wayyyyy too early (vacation or not) to climb tower death mountain and watch the sunrise.  What is tower mountain you are probably asking yourself right now?  For those of you who know the Carson Family fairly well, know this mountain is a must anytime we are in Arizona.  For those of you who are less familiar, let me do a little explaining.  When my parents first got a condo and fell in love with Arizona, my dad somehow found this hiking trail on one of his crazy adventures.  Turns out, it’s the highest point in Maricpoa County. So high you can see Mexico on a clear day!  As kids we absolutely hated, loathed, would rather get bit by a rattle snake than have to climb tower mountain – that’s how hard it is.  Don’t believe me?  Will can attest to it!  As I’ve grown older (as has my love for fitness) I have grown to love hiking this mountain.  Not only is it something completely different than anything I can do in Nebraska, but it is an incredible workout, which means I can totally stuff my face with Oregano’s (I’ll explain later) and not feel the least bit guilty about it.  Anywho, back to Thursday morning…we got the great idea to hike the mountain early in the morning, in hopes of making it to the concrete by the time the sun was rising over four peaks.  Although we didn’t make it to the concrete for the sunrise, we were able to get to a good point to sit back, catch our breath, and witness the beauty unfold.  

     It. Was. Spectacular.  Absolutely breathtaking.  We then continued on our trek up the mountain.  I swear it felt 100x steeper than the last time I had climbed it, but we made it to the top!  It is such an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment every time we get to the top, so much so that I keep climbing every time I’m out there.  

Finally made it to the top!

     Thursday afternoon was spent recovering and lounging by the pool.  Of course a few Bud Light Limes aided in our recovery process J  There’s  just something about BLL and warm weather that makes me want to squeal! 

      Thursday night was another early one, but not before consuming a huge amount of wine with one of my dad’s employees and our family’s old neighbors.  Friday morning we got a little caught up on sleep [though not much] and did our own workout at the gym.  Late Friday morning it was time for some golf!  Will and I took on my mom and dad in a little scramble.  I have not touched a golf club (the same goes for my mom) since last summer.  That, in combination with my dad tweaking our every swing = cocktails by 10:30!!  I got an extreme gene for competition from my dear ole dad, so when I play as badly as I was, it gets a tad frustrating.  But, nothing a little cocktail, or 3, can’t fix!  

     After finishing our game, which Will and I only lost by a few strokes (thanks to Will!) we lounged by the pool.  Shocking I know!  This was really our last day to be bums by the pool, because the next day my mom and I were going shopping while Will and my dad went on a 7 hour hike.  Yes, you read that right, 7 hours!  Good bonding time, eh?  Friday night we had to make one more and one last stop at Grapeables. 

Night #2 @ Grapeables

      My goal this summer is to find a place like Grapeables here in Omaha.  After a long day of shopping on Saturday, my mom and I stopped at Oregano’s to pick up dinner for the crew.  Oregano’s is a must-stop every time we are in Arizona.  They have THE BEST Guac-a-tony, Big Rig Pasta, and Cookie dessert you could ever dream of!  Explaining what these are won’t do them justice.  Just make sure you make a pit stop at this restaurant if you are ever in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.  My mom and I were wiped (not to mention a bit cranky) after being in a crowded mall all day, so needless to say we were ready for a cocktail.  Once again, Oregano’s outdid themselves! 

     Don’t they just say “I’ll take all your troubles away?!”  Sunday morning was uber early, being as that Will and I still had to pack and we were leaving the house by 6am.  A hop and a skip over a couple of states and we were back to the Good Life ready for Easter festivities with both of our families.

     Fast forward to last Friday.  This was an incredibly special day.  Daniel (Will’s younger brother) officially got sworn into the army!  He gets shipped off to boot camp May 21^st {tear} and won’t be returning to us in Omaha.  I have grown especially close to Daniel, because it is usually myself, Will and him always hanging out and getting into shenanigans.  We are so proud of him and know he will do great!!  

     I was lucky enough to be able to attend the ceremony, where a few tears were shed, and then celebrate with his family that night.  We will sure miss D, but am so proud of what he is doing!  The rest of the weekend was spent waiting for tornadoes, which NEVER CAME, and throwing Grant a surprise birthday party.  All in all, a fantastic weekend!  Now the countdown is on to Will and I’s trip to D.C. - only 17 days until we leave!  Until next time…XOXOXO