Hot Mess Express

See what I did there for you Erin?  Not changing my blog name just yet BUT I will make it the title for today's post.  It fits how I feel today since I'm definitely the hot mess express after binge drinking all weekend. Sorry for the lack of posts last week.  Didn't really have anything great to say and I was prepping for a bachelorette party (where the binge drinking ensued.)  We went to the shore on Friday night and then Atlantic City on Saturday and had an AMAZING time.  I asked about bringing RI30 with me but the bachelorette said that would be weird and since it was her weekend I had to oblige.


Here were last weeks workout goals:
Monday - RI30  - FAIL.  I got home from work at 9 and fell into bed.
Tuesday - Kickboxing - Didn't make it in time.  Did RI30 instead.
Wednesday - Dance & RI30 - DONE
Thursday - RI30 - DONE
Friday -
Saturday -
Sunday - 

I did nothing Friday to Sunday.  We DID go for a walk on Saturday but it was more of a leisurely stroll.  Not something I would count.  However, I usually do not make it past week/level 1 of a Jillian DVD so I'm doing pretty good for myself!  I do need to catch up a bit on it though. I've been slacking on kickboxing but I just haven't been able to make it there in time lately.  I also found out they aren't doing it on any other nights except Tuesdays now.  Hopefully, they don't end up cancelling it all together. I've also been having way too many cheat meals and I need to calm down with that.  No matter how much I workout if I continue to eat the way I did this past week I'm going to gain for sure.

This weeks goals:
Monday - Rest Day.  I work till 9 every Monday and don't get home till 9:30.  Last week I was going to do RI30 after work but was just beyond tired.  It's just easier if I make this my rest day.
Tuesday - RI30 & something else, Kickboxing is cancelled this week.  
Wednesday - Dance & RI30
Thursday - RI30
Friday - RI30 and/or hot yoga with Rachel.  I'm inviting myself.
Saturday - RI30
Sunday - RI30

I'll leave you with a few pictures from the bachelorette weekend:

Funtown Pier - Seaside Heights, NJ, or what's left of it.  

Casino Pier, Seaside Heights, NJ - This was where
the roller coaster was in the ocean.  It's gone now as is
the pier.  Progress not perfection.  The boardwalk
is pretty much ready though!

B&A - Left Saturday night in Atlantic City
 Right: Sunday morning.  Eek!

Birthday Stories

Linking up with three of my favorites today, Chrissy, Lindsey & Holly to share my favorite birthday story.  

From the time I was 21-26 my birthdays rocked.  It usually included me drinking my face off.  I'm not a huge drinker except maybe 4 times a year.  My birthday was always one of those times and all my friends knew it.  It was hard to pick just one birthday from those years but I decided to go with my 22nd birthday.  My friends and I, well we liked to dance on bars.  Pretty much anywhere that had a bar we danced on it.  I'm happy to say now, at 29 I'm retired from dancing on any type of furniture but back then it was a whole different story. Around the time we were 21-23 we frequented the same bar religiously every Thursday night.  It was known for having girls dance on the bar. My 22nd birthday happen to fall on a Thursday. At this particular bar if you took your bra off and left it on the bar they gave you a bottle of champagne or something.  Don't get excited.  I never did that.  I never wanted to leave my bra because well they were normally nice ones and I wasn't about to leave a nice bra there!  They did however, sometimes give out shirts for dancing on the bar. I remember being hell bent in my drunken stupor on getting a damn shirt that was 47 sizes too small for me.  They finally did after me slurring at them a bunch of times "HEYYYYY GIMME A SHIRT!!!  I'm pretty sure they just gave me one to shut me up.  Who knows.  I've never even wore the shirt but I still have it.  I then ended up making out with some guy I knew in high school. HA!  Luckily for you all, the whole experience was documented with pictures.

Double fisting.  Normal.

Me yelling at someone. My BFF (in white) is probably really
annoyed with my antics right now.  

SCREAMING at the bartender to give me a shirt for probably
the 10th  time.

SUCCESS!

Hotness.

Look at my old ass cell phone.  I was probably calling someone to tell
them about the awesome shirt I got.  This is before
camera phones or I definitely would've sent a picture.

And then this happened at the end of the night.
Apparently we thought we were supermodels.

Looking forward to reading everyone's stories.  Hopefully, I'm not the only one who shared a drunken birthday story!

Monday Goals

Good Morning.  Hope all the moms out there had a great Mother's Day.  First things first, the winner of my giveaway last week is Jayden Elizabeth!  I already sent you an email.

Last Week's Goals:
I didn't do as well with last weeks workout goals as I did the week before. 

Monday - Walk/Run & RI30 - No walk/run, did RI30
Tuesday - Kickboxing - Didn't make it in time to kickboxing, did RI30 instead
Wednesday - Tap/Ballet & RI30 - Only Dance. 
Thursday - Rest - working - Easy enough.
Friday - RI30 - Done! Moved onto Week 2
Saturday - RI30 - Went to Flybarre instead
Sunday - RI30 - FAIL - didn't do anything

This Week's Goals:

Monday - RI30
Tuesday - Kickboxing
Wednesday - Dance & RI30
Thursday - RI30
Friday -
Saturday -
Sunday -

I did leave Friday-Sunday blank on purpose.  I'll be attending a bachelorette party for the weekend so there is a likely possibility I won't be able to get a workout in.  I'm leaving it up in the air for now.  Unless I can get my lazy butt up early to do RI30 Friday mornings.  I will aim for that.

How was your weekend?

Some Good Reads

Happy Friday! Just a reminder, please click here to enter my ovarian cancer giveaway that ends tonight.  I think like 5 people (AKA, the 5 people who read my blog) have entered so far, so your chances of winning are REALLY good.

A couple weeks ago, I did a blog post on a couple of books I was waiting on and asked for some suggestions for new ones to read.  I got a chance to read a few of them and here is what I thought.  Still have to wait a few more weeks for Gideon though.

First up, the LAST Sookie Stackhouse novel "Dead Ever After" was released a few days ago and it was a great end to the Sookie series.  I'm sad to see her go but it was a great book to close it out.  I'm not happy with who she ended up with in the end though however.  I'm a big "Team Eric" fan if  that means anything to you.  I just saw on Amazon though that Charlaine Harris is releasing a follow-up "After Dead" on all the characters stories in October.

Next, was "When She Woke" by Hillary Jordan.  I really enjoyed this book.  It was different from books I would normally read.  "When She Woke" tells the story of Hannah a young woman dealing with the consequences of having an abortion.  The separation of church and state no longer apply and she has to learn to deal with with the consequences of her so-called "crime."  The first half of the book was EXCELLENT.  I couldn't stop reading it but the second half was a little disappointing.  The ending left you wanting more.  I'd still recommend it though. Thanks Desiree for the suggestion!

After that was, "The One I Left Behind" by Jennifer McMahon.  I enjoyed this book a lot too.  It is based off a true story.  The story follows Reggie who has learned that her mother has been found alive after she was allegedly killed by a serial killer over 20 years ago.  It flips back and forth between the time Reggie's mother went missing when she was younger and to the present.  Another great read if you're interested in murder mysteries.  With murder mysteries I always try and guess right away who the killer is and I'm sad to say I was wrong in this instance.  Thanks Analisa for the suggestion!

As for the #4Mchallenge, I'm on to Week 2 of Jillian's Ripped in 30 today.  I feel like I'm starting to notice a SLIGHT difference already.  Can't wait to see what the end of the 30 days will bring.  Have a great weekend everyone and Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there!

World Ovarian Cancer Day & My 1st Giveaway

Hello Everyone!  In honor of today being "World Ovarian Cancer Day" and to spread awareness I've decided to do my first giveaway with a few ovarian cancer awareness items.  This is a cause my family and I feel very strongly about.  Back in November we lost my cousin to ovarian cancer after a 6 year long fight.  She was only 41 years old.  On Saturday I particpated in the Revlon Run/Walk for Women's Cancers in my cousin's memory.  For the past 7 years we have done this walk in support of her and this was the first year we did it, in memory of her.  It was one of the main reasons I decided to try and run it instead of just walking like I normally did.  She always ran a good part of it so I figured if she could do it while fighting cancer I could do it while healthy.

Here are the prizes: (ooooooohhhh.....ahhhhhhhhhh)  

• Package of 2 teal and white headbands
• 2 Teal awareness bracelets

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please share the graphic to promote awareness! Giveaway ends on Friday!  Good luck!

That Time I Ran a 5K

Welcome back everyone! Hope you had a great weekend.  I completed the Revlon 5K, which I'll get to in a sec.  Friday night I worked a bit and then saw one of my littlest cousins in her first play.  She was an Oompa Loompa & Squirrel in "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory."  She was so adorable!  Saturday was the 5K and Sunday I had a Communion for another one of my cousins.  (Communion was for a different cousin, I'm Italian, I have a lot of them.)

About that 5K I barely trained for.  I think I did ok.  I used Map My Run and my Polar FT4 HRM to keep the time and they both came in at about 35 minutes.  Considering I only started "running" about two weeks ago I'm pretty proud of that.  I was just hoping to be under 45 minutes.  I did walk some but I did run most of it. I DEFINITELY need to work on pacing myself.  At the first mile, Map My Run called out I ran an 8:18 mile.  The 2nd mile was 11:21 and the 3rd was 13:41.  Definitely need some suggestions on how to pace myself.

Here were last weeks workout goals and how I did with them:

Monday - Rest - working - Well this one was easy
Tuesday - Kickboxing - DONE
Wednesday - Tap/Ballet - Class was cancelled - JM Ripped in 30
Thursday - Flybarre - DONE + JM Ripped in 30
Friday - Rest - working - Again this was easy
Saturday - Revlon Run/Walk 5K - DONE
Sunday - Not sure yet - I have a Communion in the morning but will try and fit something in after. - DONE - Went to the Communion and did JM Ripped in 30 after.

I have intentions of getting up early to get RI30 done for the #4MChallenge but sleep keeps winning out over that one.  I some how workout better at night so I guess I will stick with that. Aiming to get RI30 done 5-6 times a week and so far so good. 

Here are this weeks workout goals:

Monday - Walk/Run & RI30
Tuesday - Kickboxing
Wednesday - Tap/Ballet & RI30
Thursday - Rest - working
Friday - RI30
Saturday - RI30
Sunday - RI30

How was your weekend? How are you doing with the #4Mchallenge?  Be sure to come back on Wednesday for my very first giveaway. I'll give you a hint, I'm wearing them in the above pictures. 

Half Marathon Girls

Friday!  So glad to see you again.  A short and sweet post to wish a few ladies GOOD LUCK on their FIRST half marathons this weekend.

• First, my best friend in real life Rachel from Running in NJ!  She was my first follower on my blog and literally my first follower/friend in life!  She's running the New Jersey Marathon at the Shore on Sunday along with her boyfriend. She's been having some nerve pain lately but I think she is going to power through it and get it done.  Please head over to her blog to wish her good luck!

• Second, Kara & Kristie from the PG Sisters!  Kara was my second follower on the blog! I remember seeing a comment that wasn't from Rachel and was so excited!  They are running the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on Saturday.  Please go show these two sisters some love today!

Run like someone is chasing you ladies!  Can't wait to read the recaps on Monday!