Adventures of Juicing

I've decided to turn over a new leaf recently and start juicing. I've been looking into it for a while and I know a few friends who have ventured into it as well. So today I purchased the Nutribullet and bought some veggies.

I was so excited! I did hear it takes a little of getting used to but I was still game. I got home, ripped open the nutribullet and set it up. Then I ripped open a store bought pizza and stuck it in the oven.

While the pizza was cooking I googled some recipes and was excited to find that I had most of the ingredients. So back into the kitchen I went with my computer in hand.

I followed the recipe to a T and started blender. Once it was all done I took the container off the bullet and just kinda looked at it. It was all green and kinda gross looking. But, Oh well....down the hatch it goes. I closed my eyes and took a big gulp.

Probably a mistake....baby steps. Yep, it was gross...well not gross but definitely not something I could just sit and drink. So I walked over to the sink and down the drain it went.

Then I thought to myself, or maybe I talked to my dogs, "maybe I'm not ready for the greens, I'll just look for recipes with carrots and beets and some other sweet type of veggies". So back the computer and there it was a recipe with carrots, celery and cucumber. Perfect!!!

I throw all that stuff in the bullet and blended away. This time it wasn't so bad. I at least got two good gulps down before I washed it down the drain as well.

That's when I realized I'm going to have to figure out the portions of each item in the recipes because the recipes were made for a normal sized blender. This is about 1/3 of the size of an actual blender.

My buzzed went off for the pizza and decided to call the juicing adventure done for the day and enjoy the heck out of my pizza. I'll save this adventure for another day and stick with fruit smoothies.

In the meantime, I'm going to go buy some spinach and ginger root since most of the recipes out there call for spinach and ginger root.

My First Soccer Game....Ever!!

And the adventures keep on coming......

Last week I was reading some weekly news updates from work and in the updates we something about a soccer league that we starting up for spring. So I clicked on the link, read a little bit about it and thought "hummmm, I could do that!".

So I reached out to the team captain listed in the article and asked a few questions and before I knew it I sent him an email telling him to sign me up!

Luckily this is a recreational league and all skill levels are welcome.

I told the guy I had never played and needed some tips. So he directed me to youtube....didn't learn a whole lot but what the heck. Then I searched for what I needed in clothing and it appears the most important things was cleats and shin guards. Trying to do this cheap I asked him if I needed cleats and sadly he said yes.

So off to the store I went and set myself up with cleats, socks, shin guards and soccer shorts. Then I waited for our first game.

The guy was supposed to meet me early to give me a few tips but didn't show. So I saw three guys kicking the ball around and joined in their circle.

 I wasn't kicking the ball very well and the guy to my left just kinda stared at me. So I quickly introduced myself and let him know I've never played soccer before so i don't know what I'm doing. He was more than happy to give me a few tips. Like how to kick the ball correctly......very helpful:)

Then I saw my team gathering and ventured over their and then for another 15-20 minutes we kicked the ball around. Ok...this is good...I can do this.

Then it was time to pick positions.....yep...people were selecting what they like and I just stood there and the team captain had me out there as one of the midfield runners. So I ran from one side of the field to the other and back and forth and back again.

I just want to say it may not be the best idea for a slightly out of shape women to join a soccer league and the first position she is given is to run back and forth. I think I about had a heart attack out there today.

Luckily we had three women so we kept switching us out to save us from death. Then in the middle of the game it started to rain. So it went from hot and humid to rainy, wet and chilly.

In the end, I had a great time and I'm looking forward to the next game. This is one of those things I wish I would have started sooner. So, who know this may be something I keep doing past the spring season:)

Being Responsible

I was taught as I was growing up to be responsible with my money. You know the saying "money doesn't grow on trees"? Well I learned that lesson at a very young age.

As I grow up, I made some bad choices in life, which I paid dearly for financially and now I'm were I am at today and I'm a freak about money. To be honest I hate that I'm a freak. It goes beyond just being concerned about money...I stress over it.

I have a friend who spends money like it does grow on trees and at one point we talked about it because she was impressed with my ability to save because she doesn't. She made a comment to me that her theory is that you can't take it with you when you die so might as well enjoy it now. In a way I envy that about her...I think she takes it a little far but still she does enjoy the money she makes in multiple ways.

I, on the other hand, don't enjoy the money like I should...I stress over it and save and save and save and plan and save. I'm so worried about money that I'm making car payments for a vehicle I haven't purchased. I wanted to make sure I could afford the car and still save like I've been saving.  Its just twisted!!

I bring this up because this morning I was going to go on a little friendly shopping spree and blindly spend on things for the house and maybe some cloths. Then there was this little voice in my head that said "ummm, hello idiot, don't you remember that bed you just bought and what about that carpet cleaner, all of which was put on your credit card....well you better check out the balance on the credit card before you go spending!!!"

I wanted to push that voice out of my head...I really really did. But the pain in my stomach started and I started to feel ill. Yes, my stomach churns when I know I have credit card debt or any small loan. I'm telling you I'm a freak.

So I opened up my account and sighed. I have a limit of how much I allow on my credit card and sadly it passed that limit...just by a tad. The number made me rethink my whole day:(

So I did what any insane responsible person who is obsessed with money would do. I pull money out of saving to pay it off...ugh! I wish I could be normal about money...I don't want to be so far gone like my friend who doesn't have a savings and spends money willy nilly but I also hate that I get stressed out about not having things payed off.

There's got to be a happy medium somewhere. Maybe I should seek some counseling. Anyway my day is blown and I'm resorting to window shopping. Sad times!!! 

My New Bed Journey

About 5-6 years ago I had to purchase a new bed because the old bed I was sleeping on was hurting my back. So I ran out to the first store I could think of and purchase a rather expensive bed on a whim. The thing I didn’t understand is that the bed you lay on in the store doesn’t have the same feel when it is delivered.

I tried to return it but the store said I had to sleep on it for about 4 weeks before I could return it. Of course as time went on, I got busy and before I knew it the period for when I could exchange it passed. So there I was stuck with a craptastic bed. I might as well been sleeping on the floor it was that firm.

Because I paid as much as I did I refused to spend money on another bed. So I suffered and I mean I SUFFERED. I would wake up 2-3 times a night, then when morning rolled around I was still tired and didn’t want to get out of bed.. 

At one point I was training to do a mini marathon and I was unusually exhausted. I’m talking I would wake up to run my miles, head home and sleep for another hour, get up go to work and at lunch time go to my car and sleep for another hour. I would then finish out the work day and go home and be in bed by 8 or 9. 

So I went to my doctor and then a sleep specialist and there was nothing medically wrong with me. So I stopped training and the extreme exhaustion disappeared eventually. But I was still tired.

Then after I shattered my shoulder skiing and the injury healed I noticed at night my arm would go numb. So I would wake up because of the numbness. Then to top it off I started walking up in the morning with tender spots from where I was sleeping. 

A friend suggested I get a mattress topper and after a few weeks I found one and purchased it. It did help but I was still not getting a good night sleep.

So for the last 6months to a year I’ve been looking for a new mattress. I had a fear of committing to a mattress because of my experience picking the wrong mattress. Then last weekend, Mitch and I ,ended up looking at mattress’s. I finally selected one, I think out of desperation, and luckily it was one of the cheaper ones on the floor. My thought was “well if it doesn’t work out I’m not out that much money”

All I can say is “the mattress is AMAZING!!!” 

For the first time in forever I actually sleep through the night…I’m talking, I shut my eyes and when I open them again it’s time to get up. I don’t have tender spots when I wake up anymore and my arm isn’t going numb. The best thing of all is I’m awake when the alarm goes off. There is no more 30minutes to an hour to roll out of bed and feel groggy for the next hour. 

Nope, I’m up and at um when the sun comes up (Well kinda). I have more energy and have started to run again….2.5 miles last night (really it was a run/walk but still!)and I still had energy to burn. So I played with Jack for a little bit. 

Here I thought there was something wrong with me but all I needed was a good solid night sleep. I’m really lovin my bed!!!

Think I Found It!!

At times I consider myself to be an emotional buyer. If it feels good and makes me happy inside I buy it and then there are times that I research and look and search and research some more until I'm, along with all my family and friends, are exhausted from the search.

Well, I've been obsessed with looking for my next vehicle. I know what I want but I could never find just the right vehicle that made me feel good. Ok....so maybe I am a little bit of an emotional purchaser.

Anyway, I've been looking at vehicle for at least a year. I've only been looking on line and doing research and comparing the vehicles against my list of want/needs/must haves.

After all that online research I've moved to the test drive. I narrowed it down to three or four vehicles and then finally narrowed it down to one. The Chevy Equinox!!!

But I wasn't 100% happy with it...there wasn't anything wrong with the Equinox. It appears to be a really good SUV but it didn't bring my the excitement level I was hoping for.

The the other weekend Mitch told me about the 2014 Cherokee (not the Grand Cherokee!). So I jumped on-line and I felt the excitement build as I took a looked at the previews.

As I read the information I started to check off all the things I wanted in a vehicle and there it was staring right back at me.

Here is a picture of the 2014 Cherokee

I already called the closest Jeep location to find out when I can test drive and it won't be until October. Don't be fooled I still have the Chevy Equinox as a second option until I test drive the Cherokee.

I have to color picked out and everything. I'm getting it in Blue....I can't wait! Will keep you posted on the progress when October rolls around.....ugh, this may be a really long year!