Evenings

I feel soooo tired. When I first was back at FMC I wasn't sure why I complained about evening shift before. You get to sleep in, get all your morning stuff done, have some alone time... Seems pretty great right?

I forgot first of all how lonely evenings can get. It's a treat to do them every once in a while but to be on permanent evenings starts to get tiring. Everyone is working while you are off and then you are working while everyone else is off. My body has slowly switched over to more of a night shift again. At first, I was able to go home and fall asleep right away... Now it's around 230ish before sleep finds me. I was also able to be up at or before 9 to get all my daily chores and errands done, while still finding time to hang out and relax before shift... Now I'm sleepy so it doesn't even faze me that I'm waking around 1030-1100. Such a waste of my day. I then don't have time to get up and get all my errands done. So groceries, gym, and dog walks have taken a back burner to sleep. Terrible. I'm not sure if it is because I picked up a couple extra shifts but I'm really not enjoying this right now. I know I shouldn't complain about work. I make a pretty good living and there are so many people who are far worse off and would be so grateful to have my job so that's all the whining I will be doing.

Motivation

There has been many times in my life that I haven't thought twice about 

working out. Months at a time would go by and it wouldn't even 

cross my mind. It seems like the more you do it, the more you feel

 guilty when you don't. I have been lacking major motivation the last few days.

 I dream of being a runner. 

My mother can back me on that one. For many years I have dabbled here

 and there but have always stopped. RUNNING IS HARD. 

It's hard on the legs, hard on the lungs, hard to get into shape.. It's just hard. 

But man oh man, it feels so good when you can just run.

 It's the getting into shape part that's the worst. It is honestly torture. 

Anyways, I decided last week that I was going to be a runner once and for all.

 So I went... And then I didn't... I need motivation

Hurray for mail

Normally fetching the mail is something I procrastinate. Well I have discovered a whole new world lately.... Online shopping

Now, getting the mail is a treat. I have been getting lots of goodies. Nothing is better than opening "fun" mail and not just bills. I ordered a book online. It's almost as fun as going to the store... Then you anticiapate the purchase for days... I see a real problem developing here. 

I also got our announcement cards. Everything has been shipped out for delivery. Phewf... One more thing down from our wedding. I think that was the last piece of the wedding puzzle. 

Now onto Christmas cards

I'm so excited to get out and take some photos and make our first Christmas card together. 

I'm sure the hubs isn't as excited but these photo cards are so much fun... I have found a new little hobby

Would it be inappropriate to send ALL holiday cards?!?!?!

Hmmm... Think of how much fun it would be to get an Easter card in the mail!!!! 

Yup I think I am onto something.

Have a happy Monday!

Double Time

Gone are the days of being excited for double time shifts. I remember as a new grad being

so excited for getting called in. MONEY!

Now... Not so much.

That excitement from seeing work calling my phone has officially turned to dread.

First of all, you are really looking forward to days off. Sleeping in, lazing about, maybe a little shopping. Then when the phone does ring, you're too guilt ridden not to answer. Then the question gets popped. 

Would you like to come in for over time? 

UGH... Really???

Double time money is WAY too good to turn down but boy oh boy my inner voice screams NOOOOO as the words YES come out of my mouth. 

Anyways, that's what I got stuck with this week. TWICE. 

I guess Rhys might get something pretty for Christmas ;)

Growing Pains

It's easy to forget how hard the first year of living with someone is. A newlywed friend of mine

is just going through that rough stage with her new husband.

Ugh... I seriously feel for her. 

Rhys and I moved in together rather quickly {6 months}. We both have said that probably wasn't the best idea {although it obviously worked out}. 

We were both living with roommates and it was just a rough go all around so we decided to bite the bullet. We both were thinking that we were practically living together anyways.... We were wrong. 

It is a major difference to not be able to go to your separate "spaces" and have alone time or go home from work and have an uninterrupted nap.

That first year at 28 Hartford Rd was filled with laughter, tears{lots of tears}, yelling, learning to compromise, finding the buttons, but also with lots of love.

 I wouldn't change it for the world. Because we weren't married, I think there was always "an out" if we felt things really weren't working.It made it more of a choice to be together. Trust me, there were plenty of times 

I wasn't sure that we would make it but in the end it was just  

growing pains.

Eventually you find a rhythm, and when you 

outgrow that rhythm you find a new one. 

When we first bought our house and moved in, I thought that eventually it would feel like home. What I didn't realize was how much Hartford was a part of us {Rhys doesn't have the same sentiment towards our Hartford house}. Although the first year was a rough one, there are so many great memories.

 

Steep Learning Curve

Well... Christmas is coming. Which means one thing... SWIMSUIT. We were fortunate enough to be invited to Phoenix with Rhys' parents this year. That also means that we will be in shorts and swimsuits for the festive season. Now don't get me wrong, I'm very excited to have a lay around and read and shop and golf kind of Christmas BUT I need to get my tush in gear ASAP.

Rhys and I have been fairly diligent at getting to the gym as of late. But we have also used that as an excuse to make poor food choices. Now I have to do both... EEKS. 

Anyways, I have a friend that is on a weight loss journey right now and she is doing incredible. She has lost 25 pounds by running and eating healthy foods {low carb} and while I'm positive I could not be as strict as she is being, I could definitely be a little more proactive in my calorie count. So, I decided to start using My Fitness Pal app once again. I've used it before and it works like a charm but it also means that I have to be accountable in my slacker ways.

So I decided to break it out this morning from "Page 6" on my phone and it is now on the main user bar. No excuses here. It is in my face EVERYTIME I open my phone. 

Well after breakfast I surprised myself. I have already eaten half my days calories. Oops {hence the accountable part}. Looks like it's gonna be a hungry day after all. 

But... I did get my morning coffee in :)

Impatiently Waiting

I finally got around to ordering thank-you's and announcements from our wedding {better late than never right?} Anyways, we received the thank you's quite quickly {5 days} through regular snail mail. Well... the announcements I ordered a few days later, and decided to pay the expedited shipping rate of $19.99... 

10 days later they still have not arrived. I decided to do some investigating

...they lost them... 

I have no idea if the printer lost them or the delivery company is to blame but here we are. 

Vistaprint has actually been quite helpful. They are printing a new batch, sending them out expedited and refunding the shipping charge. 

Can't complain about the service... Now i'm impatiently waiting once again. 

Since I'm sending all these fun cards out, I also decided I needed a grownup address book {mostly due to the book I saw} . Kinda fun... 

I filled it up last night with the most importants.

Oh and did I mention we had a delish dinner last night. Compliments of the Keg. 

Gotta love date night. 

Who Knew

 Well.... I have to say that bloggerland is WAY more complicated than I ever thought possible. Thankfully my sister Kristin and my friend Laura are whiz kids when it comes to this foreign land called Blogger. After a week getting used to the in's and out's it is finally time to make my first official post! Welcome!

Rhys and I decided that some Vint family time was needed this weekend. My sister Amy is going through something pretty profound in her life and we thought we would make a trip down and try to get some shopping therapy in...

 Is there anything better for the soul then getting in the Christmas spirit?!?!?! 

On our little Christmas adventure my mom said she wanted to check out Green Haven... Well WOWZERS.... Christmas threw up all over this store! But it was the perfect kick to the Christmas season. We purchased cute Christmas buttons... I smell a craft day coming on! 

After that it was a quick pit stop to Chapters and then off to Kristin's place for some kidlet love. Well poor Miss Ellie was sick with the stomach flu. It still amazes me to see Kristin in action. Growing up I would have compared her to the grinch... with a heart a few sizes to small. Well let me tell you, she is the most nurturing mother I have ever seen. 

Rhys being his usual self, had Lucy in stitches while playing the Wii... he is still a 5 year old at heart. Rhys of course(being the high and mighty moral god) decided that there is no point in letting a little kid win just because she is little... Lucy took being beat like a champ. 

Overall, the perfect weekend getaway.