As another great weekend draws to conclusion, I am finding myself mentally and physically preparing myself for Monday.  To do that, I am taking time to reflect and appreciate this weekend.  This was one of the first weekends in a while that Tyre and I were at home the entire weekend!  We are always traveling to visit our parents and/or friends on the weekends, and sometimes it is nice to just stay at home.  I actually had time to clean and organize our closet, file papers and tidy up the office.  I’m a huge fan or decluttering and keeping things nice and organized!

In my previous blog post, I talked about my work out regimen.  I discussed running and doing the #BBG program (I just finished the 600 rep leg challenge – go me!)  After I published the blog, a good running buddy of mine commented and encouraged me to join the group she is currently running with.  It didn’t take long, and before I had even eaten breakfast Thursday morning, I’d signed up for Katy Area Running Club, or KARC.  My first run with the group was Saturday morning at 6 am.  It’s been about a year since I’ve done long runs with a group on Saturday mornings.  I was trying to remember my routine for Friday night and for the morning of.  It’s a little different driving to go run versus walking out your front door and hitting the pavement.  And with the Houston heat, it was crucial to bring plenty of hydration and electrolyte replacements.  Once I got to the park, I recognized several faces which was very comforting.  And right at 6:00 am on the dot, we took off!  Before I knew it, we were at the 4 mile turnaround.  I was feeling pretty good until around mile 6.  I had to stop and walk for a minute or two, and then picked it back up and finished strong.  It felt amazing to finish that 8 mile run.  It’s kind of like a love/hate relationship, and in that moment, I was loving it.  I finished in 1 hour and 15 minutes, which comes out to about a 9:23 min/mile pace.  It feels good to be a part of something, especially when everyone is so positive and motivational.  One thing I’ve come to realize about running is that everyone has their own goal.  You cannot compare yourself to others, or you simply won’t make it.  With all that said, I had a great first experience running with KARC!

I also had a few other fun events this weekend.  One of my cousins had a 1st birthday party for her son.  He is the cutest little chunk ever! 28 lbs of love!  The theme was “Wild One” and it was just adorable.  He had a good ol’ time with his smash cake – one of the best I’ve seen!  He loved the icing and was really getting into the “smashing” part of it.  We had good food and drinks, and most importantly, I was able to see many members of my family, including my mom, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and second cousins.  It was a great time!  My husband and I live about 10 minutes from my cousin, so after the party, we came home, hung out on the back porch, and had some good vino.  We don’t have many weekends where we get to enjoy nights together on our back porch, so we definitely took advantage of it.  Lola was chasing frogs, Tex was playing with his tennis ball thrower, and I somehow ended up doing handstands!  Who knows…….

Also this weekend, I attended a Sprinkle Shower for one of my best friends from college.  She is expecting her second child, a girl, at the end of August.  It was a nice turn out and I got to see several friends I hadn’t seen in a while.  We enjoyed chips and queso, mimosas, fajitas, and of course, cake.  I guess you could say I kind of strayed away from my @fitnesscarli meal plan this weekend.  I have to work on finding a way to eat socially while attending events without over indulging and without feeling guilty.

After this fabulous weekend of family and friends and getting to enjoy being at home, I now have to start thinking about the work week.  Every Sunday, I try to set goals for myself for the upcoming week.  This week, my goals are to get get back on track with eating healthy and follow the Fitness Carli meal plan, do BBG work outs on Mon, Wed, and Fri, and run on Tues, Thurs, and long run with the group on Saturday morning.  One thing Tyre and I always have to work on is communicating better.  I think any relationship you are in, no matter how long or short, will always benefit from effective communication.  I won’t bore you with my work goals, but I definitely have those, too.

Well, that about wraps up this weekend, so go out and there and Slay this Monday!  Instead of dreading the week, be grateful you have it!

Cheers – MP