Happy Leap Day!

I don't know about you, but I'm super excited about Leap Day.  I think it started because 30 Rock had a whole episode about celebrating Leap Day. And it was really funny.  It's a whole extra day to your year!  What can you accomplish with an extra day?


Me? I got up early and got a swim in before work.  I hope to start (again) on a strength training routine during lunch.  Tonight?  I'm celebrating Leap Day in style with some friends.  There will be lots of leaping throughout the day, guaranteed.  Extra cardio and all that.


And, because leaping is a specialty of my friends and I, here are some leap day greetings to brighten your day. In no particular order.

My first leap picture, ever.

Gee, I hope  I didn't go overboard on the Leap Day pictures.* 

Also, to help you be knowledgeable about Leap Day, here are some facts I found on the WWW.

Why do we have Leap Day?

A leap year occurs every four years to help synchronize the calendar year with the solar year, or the length of time it takes the earth to complete its orbit about the sun, which is about 365¼ days.

The length of the solar year, however, is slightly less than 365¼ days—by about 11 minutes. To compensate for this discrepancy, the leap year is omitted three times every four hundred years.

In other words, a century year cannot be a leap year unless it is divisible by 400. Thus 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years, but 1600, 2000, and 2400 are leap years.

What are your chances of being born on leap day?

About 1 in 1,500.

How many people were born on leap day?

There are about 187,000 people in the US and 4 million people in the world who were born on Leap Day.

Read more: Leap Year Explained — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/spot/leapyear1.html#ixzz1nggTBWit

So, how will you celebrate? I think you should start by standing up right now, and leaping across the room.  Let me know about your Leap Day plans. Or you could just tell me which of the above leap day pictures is your favorite. I would like to know that too.

*My leaping photo selections were somewhat limited by the exodus of my friend Amie from facebook. She is and always has been the true jumping picture instigator.

A Little Pop!

 I went shopping this weekend!  Used a little of that tax refund money to upgrade my wardrobe a bit.
This is both good and bad. Are you a good news first kind of person or a bad news first kind of person?  I guess I'm a bad news first kind of girl , because today we're starting with the bad news.

 It's bad, because I really, really needed to buy new pants that actually fit because I've gained weight this winter.  So it's bad that I gained weight, but the good news is that new clothes, and especially clothes that fit properly, make me feel better about myself. Might be shallow, but it's true.

So tonight, you get a photo blog of my outfit yesterday!

Now, as I was shopping, I tried to channel my inner April G, of the fabulous A Little of This and That blog.  She gives a lot of fashion advice on her blog, and I need all of the help I can get.

I purchased this new shirt and wide belt. I like it a lot. The wide belt gives shape to the waist, giving me more of an hourglass figure...at least I think that's what I learned that on What Not to Wear. (PS ignore all of the flyaways in my hair. It's one of the side effects of having crazy curly hair.  I probably should've checked the hair before I had this little mini-photoshoot.)

But my inner April says, "Jill, where is the color in this outfit?"  (April is a big fan of color)

So I say, "Here it is, Bam! In my shoes!" 

Don't you love the pop of color on the feet!  Now another thing, that I think I will work on for next time, is using the color somewhere else.  I am wearing a necklace that has a coral pendant, which you can't quite see in these pictures. I think if I had a bigger/chunkier necklace in the same color, it would tie the whole thing together a little better. April would say I need a cardigan or belt in the same color, but it's such a weird color that I'm afraid I would not be able to find that.

And now here's a close up of my super-cute new shoes! Hooray for tax refunds.

What do you think? Should I become a fashion blogger? Aren't you oh-so-impressed with my ability to describe my outfit?

Return to Goals of the Week!

It's been awhile since I've set any real goals for myself, so I think that justifies the GotW picture being extra big, right?

Anyway, I'm finally starting to feel better and kick that sickness to the curb. More than that, I'm starting to feel disgusted with myself and how lazy and bad food habity I've been lately. A little bit of self disgust is a good thing, right? Only if it elicits positive change, you say?  Okay, then here's the positive changes I'm making:

1) One diet coke a day.
Seriously, this has gotten out of control.  To the point that last week, when my teeth started hurting from what turned out to be a sinus infection, I thought I had drank so much diet coke that I had rotted out all of my teeth at once. Not okay. Nor is the lecture I'm going to get from my dental hygienist when I go in April.  I'm starting to think about giving it up all together again, but for now, I'm just cutting back.

2) Drink more water.
Goes hand-in-hand with #1.

3) Work out at 7 a.m. five days this week.
What?? Am I crazy?  Didn't I write a whole blog once about how I'm not a morning person, and I will never work out in the morning? I don't know, I just have the feeling I need to try something different.  I've been skipping my lunch time workouts a lot lately. Just not motivated to change clothes, get sweaty and change back mid-day.  Call me crazy.  So this morning, I rose before the sun and made it into the pool by 7 a.m..  I was worked out, showered, dressed and at my desk 10 minutes early. Bonus: I got in extra praying and thinking time while doing laps and I was wide awake at the start of the work day.

4) Purchase no meals outside my home this week.
Another bad food habit I've slipped right back into is eating out a lot. There's just no call for it during the week. I have leftovers in my fridge. I have sandwich-making material.  I have food in my house.  I do not need to purchase meals. This is getting out of control.

I'm not exactly considering this a reboot.  I'm not tracking my calories or trying to eliminate all bad foods from my diet. I'm just trying to make some better choices.  Here goes nothing!

The Body as a Machine

Today marks the third straight week I've been sick. Coughing, sneezing, nasal drainage and pressure, you know, all the typical cold-like symptoms.

I'm sick of being sick, if you know what I mean.

I had not been to the doctor until last night.  I hate going to the doctor, and they don't always give me antibiotics.  I always have the wrong kind of cold (is it viral or bacterial or something? I can't remember) to get the drugs.  I HATE spending money on the doctor, but it makes it worse if they don't even give you a prescription.*

Yesterday when my teeth started hurting, I became convinced that my simple cold had transitioned into a sinus infection (which is typically worthy of antibiotics) so I ventured to the doctor. Now I have medication and will hopefully be feeling better in just a few days.

But first --before I went to the doctor--, I took my car in to get the oil changed.  It made me realize that I'm much more faithful in taking proper care of my car then I am of my body.  I get my oil changed regularly, never going much past 4,000 miles between services (Monica can testify- she usually has to drop me off at the car place to pick it up).  This is partially because I know nothing about cars and partially because I'm over 100,000 miles and trying to ward off replacing GeorgJetta as long as possible.

The point remains, though, that I put off going to the doctor for three weeks just hoping I would get better, but I took my car in on the first available day.  Why would I not treat my body with the same respect and care I give GeorgJetta?

However, even with this realization, I don't expect things to change the next time a sickness comes a'calling.  I will probably still put off going to the doctor. It's just the way I am.  And actually, the doctor did say that it probably was not a sinus infection at first and it morphed into one (morphed is my word, not hers). If I had come earlier, I might not have come away with antibiotics.

What about you? Do you go to the doctor as soon as you get your first symptom or put it off as long as possible?


*Much better to spend money on delicious Moe's or similar.

Thankful Thursdays, February 23

A photo-plentiful Thankful Thursday awaits you.

Today I'm thankful for:

Cara B.I'm so glad to count this girl as one of my friends. 

My two Bon-Bons. (Natalie's wearing a shirt that says "I'm a little Bon-Bon" and posing with my Bon-Bon.) The height of cuteness. Can you handle it?

My pink scarf!  I got it for Christmas, and I love the punch of color it brings.  

(Also this picture shows off my one short tooth, if you look closely.  Not a Thankful Thursday item, but something to note.)

Rock Hill's Cookout. The only hamburger I've ever had that even comes close to comparing to my dad's.

My "excuses" for going to Sky High last week.

My upcoming vacation plans:

Going to see my little sis in the deep South: Jackson, MS

Going to work with Springbreakthrough for the 3rd year in a row. 

Going to see my favorite cousins and my granny.

Today was a beautiful day. Life is good.  Even when you think it's not, there's always something for which to be thankful. Whatcha got this week?

Jumpin' Jill

Guys, I finally made it to Sky High  in Pineville this past weekend. It was everything I hoped it would be.

Turns out jumping for one hour is a good work out, even if you aren't in the aerobics class that they offer. I sweated it up!

If you missed my last post about it, it is basically a warehouse filled with trampolines.  The main floor is about 8 trampolines wide and about 12 trampolines long.  The side walls are also trampolines, so you can literally "bounce off the walls."  Separating each trampoline is some padding (the yellow lines in the pictures below).  The padding is NOT fun to jump on. I don't recommend it at all.

In addition to the main area, they also have a trampoline dodgeball court (we did not partake of this), an awesome trampoline foam pit and trampoline area just for kids 8 and under.

I took my 5-year-old niece Julia and 7-year-old nephew Zach as my "excuse" for going, but I think I loved it more than they did.  I mostly stayed in one spot and tried to do new and creative jumps while getting my heart rate up.  Julia jumped up and down the length of the main area, bouncing from one trampoline to the next with a huge smile on her face the whole time.  Zach worked on mastering the "bouncing off the walls" thing.

We also made several trips to the foam pit.  This was AWESOME.  You bounce off of a trampoline into a giant pit of soft foam.  I only did it twice, because, while it was awesome, it was mega hard for grown ups to pull themselves out it. The foam pit wanted to keep me each time, but I persevered and climbed out.

The audience that Sunday was mostly children, with a few teenagers and a few adults (all of whom had children with them).  There were a lot of people there, but it wasn't crowded.  They only sell a certain number of slots for each hour, so it should never get overcrowded.

Now my goal is to make it to the Airobics class.  Hopefully next week. They have them Tuesday/Thursdays at 6 and 7 p.m. And, they're cheaper (only $7 per class, as opposed to $12 for regular jump times) than jumping for an hour. I can't wait. Who's coming with me?

I tried to think of any questions you might have, but let me know if I didn't cover anything in the comments section below.  If you're in the Charlotte area, you should go check it out for yourself!

 Now's the part where you will envy the prowess of my photography skills.  You will look on these photos and think to yourself, "Gee, why does Jill not write a photography blog instead of this exercise nonsense?" Enjoy.

Posing for a picture

About half of the court.

Photo of me by Zach.

Julia bounces off the side wall into the foam pit

Julia climbs out of the foam pit.

Thankful Thursdays, On Friday

Did I totally forget to write a Thankful Thursday post yesterday? It looks like it and for that I apologize. BUT - Friday is an even better day to be thankful, so I assume you will not mind if I take up the thankfulness mantle today.

Disclaimer: I don't have any pictures to share this week. I know, I'm a lame blogger.  Sorry!  But good news, we get a slightly fresh format for our giving thanks.

So today I'm thankful for:
A Mexican dinner that brings friends together.
A car that runs.
A dog that smells.
A phone that has internet.
A blog that has comments.
A niece and nephew that will hopefully get me to Sky High this weekend.
A pair of pants that fit.
A run that makes me feel alive.
A comfortable desk chair.
A morning fog that makes me feel like I'm living on the moors.
A bed that lets me rest.
A mom that is here for the weekend.
A cold that's maybe going away.

And also, I'm thankful for grammar and cheesy television shows like Jane by Design and Hart of Dixie.  They didn't fit my format, but I'm still thankful for them.


What are you thankful for this week?

And because I was slack and collected no pictures for you this week, I'll leave you with this nugget that my sister found on Pinterest.

Source: tumblr.com via Jill on Pinterest

The Happiness Formula

Last weekend I toured the World of Coke in Atlanta. When you first enter, you're shepherded into the Happiness Factory Theatre*.  Once there, you watch a short film that promises to reveal the secret formula to happiness. 


Naturally, as I am interested in happiness (who isn't?) I took notes, in my phone, on this six minute, animated film that featured a talking creature that closely resembled a thumb.


These are the keys to happification according to the World of Coke, summarized for your benefit :

1. Be active.
2. Spend time with friends and family.
3. Live in the now.
4. Be curious; keep trying new things.
5. Share with others.

I thought it was a pretty good formula for happiness. I can't really even think of a good way to improve on it or additional things to add.  What do you think? Do you have a different formula for happiness?

Meeting a Coca-Cola polar bear in person was everything I
hoped it would be.

 I think the Happiness Factory is a reference to a Coca-Cola commercial a few years back that shows a person putting a quarter in a vending machine and then it shows what is happening inside the vending machine to make that delicious coke pop out.

Love Dare

So last week on one of my sick days, I watched the movie "Fireproof," and I expected to fully hate it.

But I didn't.

For those of you who don't know, Fireproof is a movie made by Christians in Georgia about a couple who are having a hard time in their marriage.  While I do love actual Christians, I wasn't sure about about a Christian movie about people who fight a lot. Sounded cheesy, and I hate watching people fight onscreen (and in person, too, I guess).

And while it maybe did not quite have the polish of a Hollywood movie, it was easy to get engrossed in.  And while it was about showing love in marriage, and I am not married, I still got a lot of good ideas about how to share love with those around me.

From Pinterest.

The same day I was reading the section on Love in this book called "The Happiness Project."  The Happiness Project is a non-fiction book written by a woman who decided to spend a year focusing on 12 different aspects of her life where she wanted to be happier. Coincidence that I read the chapter called "Love" on the same day as I watched "Fireproof"?  Maybe. Or maybe it was just because it was a sick day and I had a lot of time on my hands.

Anywho, with this fortuitous alignment of both movie and book, I got the message that I needed to hear/read/think about love.  After all, love is for more than just couples. What all of that means for this Valentine's Day, is that I'm going to try to be better at loving those around me. Let me count the ways:

Compliments.
Cards.
FB wall posts.*
Phone calls.
Baked goods**.
Listening.
Free babysitting.
Kind speech.

How do you show love?


*I once jokingly told someone that FB was my love language.  But I don't really think its a joke.
**Only occasionally. I'm not  Betty Crocker. Or Meghan Murray.

Sleepy Poet

I could not be more exhausted right now if I tried.

Something about being sick (yes, I'm still sick) makes me crave sleep even more than usual.*  But being sick, cruel mistress that it is, keeps me from sleeping because of the hacking cough waking me up in the middle of the night.  That's some tough stuff.

But sleep is an important part of our health, and should not be overlooked. To that end, I've written a sleep an ode**, in hopes that it will be flattered and will come to me tonight and cradle me in its sweet embrace. (did I take that metaphor too far?)

Sleep can be an enemy or a fast friend
For when it comes easy, everything it mends.
But when it stays far away
I'll be grumpy the next day.
So, Sleep, please, be nice to me tonight
Take me to dreamland when I turn out the light.


Are you and Sleep in love? Or is Sleep more of an elusive enigma for you?  Share your sleepy thoughts in the comments.


*My usual is 9 hours a night on average.
**Ode writing is one of my favorite past times. Did you know?

Thankful Thursdays: February 9

Today, I am most thankful.

I'm thankful for a fabulous weekend with the Fives.
We went to the aquarium and to the World of Coke, but most importantly, we LAUGHED A LOT.  It was wonderful.

Cara- sorry your eyes are closed in this picture. But it was the
best of the fish. AND your hair looks beautiful!

I'm thankful I went swimming last night.
It was my first workout in 10 days.  Last week I had conflicting schedules and no energy. Then I was gone over the weekend and sick at the beginning of the week. I didn't exactly feel like driving back to the gym last night after work, but I'm so glad I did. And when I started and wasn't sure I was going to make it five whole minutes, I'm glad I just kept swimming and made it to 30 minutes. Ten minutes past my goal! I love swimming. That never happens when I'm running.

My beautiful pool. I shot it blurry so it would
look to you, like it does to me when I swim
fast.  Cause I'm that fast. Ha!

I'm thankful my swimsuit still fits.
Even though it is a little worse for wear, I'm glad I can still pull it on.  Spandex (isn't that what suits are made of?)  is an amazing fabric.

I'm thankful that I did my taxes this week.
And that means money is going to be magically bequeathed to me by the federal government in a few weeks.

I'm thankful for Nestle TollHouse cookies.
They've been my treat this week and a wonderful treat they have been. So easy and so good.

I'm thankful for sick days.
I came down with a bad cough this weekend, and I needed a few days on the couch. I'm glad I have more sick days stored up than one could ever use. Judging by the distance my coworkers kept from me and my hacking cough yesterday, I maybe should've spent one more day at home.

I'm thankful that this guy decided to put on a show for us at the aquarium last Saturday.
Seriously, watching this octopus move was mouth-gaping-open amazing. At first I thought he was just a rock in the corner of the tank, then, just as we were about to walk away, he started moving, dancing over to us, waving and dancing back.

Hello, Mr. Octopus!

What are YOU thankful for this week?

You in Six Words

My O* Magazine this month had a section called "You in Six Words."  You may have heard of this mini-biography trend that's been going on. According to the article I read, it started in 2006, when Larry Smith, a magazine writer inspired by Ernest Hemingway, challenged his readers to write their own biographies in six words.

He got so many responses that he has a published a book with his results.

As a word person and a blogger (the latter meaning I'm naturally predisposed to self promotion/exploration), I was intrigued by the idea and started wondering what I would write as my "Six Word Memoir." When you only have six words, you have to choose them carefully, but I also think it's important to go with your gut reactions to this.

At first I thought mine would have to deal with weight loss. Something like:
Lost. Found. Trying to lose again.
But does that serve as a memoir  for my whole life? or just the last two years?

So I tried again with:
Mediocre at most. Great at laughing.

Now I'm not sure that the point is to write more than one six word biography or to pontificate on them when you do, but this is my blog and I'll do what I like here.  To explain: I've tried my hand at a number of things over the years (piano, dancing, saxophone, singing, cooking, running, etc), and I've never really excelled at any of it.  But I am really great at laughing and helping others laugh too.  So I guess what I'm trying to capture in my memoir, is that while I may not be a stand out in many areas, I'm glad to be good at something important in life.

Here are some pictures from the magazine spread so you can see what Oprah's readers sent in (you can also see them more in the link above).  Click on the pictures to make them bigger.  Then (and here's the interactive part), submit your six word biography in the comments section.  I'd love to read your six-word memoirs!

*O stands for Oprah.

Fit and Fat

I've recently read two articles recently that talked about the difference in being fit and being thin.  I'm sorry I can't point you to the articles, but it was the kind of story that you don't take much notice of, until you see the same idea discussed twice in two different publications.  When I start seeing a recurring theme like that, it makes me pay more attention.

Anyway, it said that lots of people who are really fit, are not necessarily thin, and might even be considered fat.  They went on to say that the key to healthy-ness  isn't losing weight, but getting fit. They did a study of older adults and compared those who were thin and not fit to those who were thin and fit, fat and fit and fat and not fit.  Obviously, those in the thin and fit category were the healthiest, but the second healthiest group was those considered "fat and fit." (Gosh, this blog would be a lot better if I could source this for you!)

This is encouraging to me, because, though I have lost weight in the past, I seemed to get to a point where it was very difficult to lose more.  At this point, I'm still considered overweight, with too high of a BMI.  So although I worked very hard to get fit and lose weight, I was still vulnerable.  I would tell myself that I'm wasn't finished, I still had weight to lose, etc, instead of appreciating how my fitness levels have increased. Heck that was even my standard answer when I got a compliment for losing weight, "I've still got a long way to go!"

This time around, while losing weight is still a priority, I think getting fit should be my focus.  I think triathlons are a great way to do that, because between the three sports, I'm working my whole body. I also think strength training is key.  I've completely slacked off in that regard since the Mud Run last October, and I can tell it in the way I look and feel.

So what about you? Would you rather be thin or fit, if you could choose just one? Thin sounds like it would be nice, but fit sounds like it could kick a little butt and that just seems more my style.

Go BANANAS!

I first discovered this delectable dessert at my friend Meghan's house. Meghan always makes fabulous desserts and says they're easy to make, but somehow I never believe her.  But when she told me that what she served was literally just a frozen banana that spent some time in the food processor and came out looking and tasting like soft serve ice cream, I thought I'd give it a try.  I do have a soft spot for ice cream, after all, and a healthier thing might be just the trick.

Turns out she wasn't lying. This is super easy. The worst part is having to clean the food processor when you're finished. But in case you are hesitant to believe me when I say it's easy, here's a step by step tutorial. 1. Chop up a banana and then freeze it.

These bananas have been chopped and frozen.* 

2. Put it in a food processor/ blender and let it work.

Seriously, just turn it on full blast and walk away. It takes several minutes. It always takes longer than I think.  At some point you may have to stir it up, if the blades have pushed all of the bananas to the edge and it's unable to reach them to chop them any further.

When it looks like this, with tiny pebbles of banana, you're not done food processing yet. Let it keep blending until it is as smooth as a baby's you-know-what.

4. If you're afraid it will taste too banana-y,** add a little flavor to it by dropping in a tablespoon or two of peanut butter or Nutella and blend it a bit more. Or wait until you're done with the food processing and stir in a handful of chocolate chips..

Voila! The finished product.  Sweet and cold and just as tasty as ice cream, I'd say. 

Enjoy and let me know if you try it!***

*I am not a food blogger and I do not take fancy/artsy photos of food. These are strictly for demonstration purposes.

**I do not think this tastes too banana-y, personally.  The banana flavor isn't overwhelming, especially if you add peanut butter.  Disclaimer, I do like bananas, though, and if you truly hate the flavor of bananas, you should proceed with caution. If you hate the texture of bananas, then don't worry, because it's completely blended into a whole 'nother texture by the time you're finished.

***YOU MUST TRY THIS.

Thankful Thursdays: February 2

It's Thursday, let's get grateful, people!

I'm thankful that I ran 36.63 miles and read four books in the month of January!
Best miles were probably last Thursday night after work.  Best book was "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

I'm thankful for a weekend road trip!
These lovely ladies, also known as the "fives" because we are each five years apart, are hitting the road this weekend to visit Taylor! She moved a month ago and we've been missing her ever since. I can't wait to see her new life!

I'm thankful for this app that allows me to print and mail cards from my phone.
It's so easy and it makes what I think are pretty cool and unique cards. I have long wanted to be a dedicated snail mail correspondent, writing at least a letter a week, but it just hasn't ever happened.  Maybe with the Cards app, I will be better! If I take a picture that I think you'll like, and I have your address, perhaps I'll send a card your way.  (Disclaimer: I do not know the people in this photo. They are just the sample card that comes with the app.)

I'm thankful for my bed.
It has been so good to me this week that I've had trouble leaving it behind each morning. Doesn't it looks so inviting?

I'm thankful I found this awesome Color Run.
I mean 5ks are great, but fun twists on 5ks like that Moe's Burrito Dash or this Color Run make it exponentially more fun.  You can bet I've got October 27 penciled in on my calendar. I'm already dreaming of the awesome pictures. Who wants to do it with me?

I'm thankful for my rainbow picture.  

My co-worker posted it to the Winthrop Facebook page and that sucker got 120 likes! It's a school record, and that makes me happy. 

What are you thankful for this week?  Tell the world!

Anybody Got a Mood Ring?

I know I am a slack blogger lately.  I never mean to let so many days go by without posts, but it happens before I realize it.  I haven't been particularly inspired this week, but in my down time each day I do spend a bit of time searching my thoughts for viable blog posts.

You know what I realized today?  What and how I'm going to write depends entirely on my current mood. And my current mood changes a lot.

If I had written last night, the post would've had a melancholy tone.  Also, I probably wouldn't have been able to string together three words. I've been exhausted this week, I think because I've had to be extra extroverty with no recharging introvert time at night.

If I'd written this morning, I would've been all, "I can do this! One day at a time! Motivation, motivation, motivation!"

If I'd written tonight when I got home, I would've sounded defeated. (See above explanation about exhaustion and then recall from some previous blog post about a year ago that when I'm exhausted my guard is down, and I eat poorly.)

But then my friend Taylor D. called, and we talked for a long time (See, I can use my phone for something other than a camera and playing Words with Friends!) about her exciting new job and my plans to visit her, and I'm all pepped up again!

Really? Have I really run through such a cycle of emotions in 24 hours? Does all of the down-up-down-up mood swings count as exercise? Cause it should.

You may be wondering if this blog post has a point. Well, yes, I suppose now that I am in once again in what I would consider my rightful happy state, I would say that I need to remember not to let emotions bring me down.  I don't want to let something as fleeting as a mood or emotional state affect how I eat, drink or treat others around me.

But emotions are strong little buggers. So just realizing that now is not enough.  I need to guard those sneaky mood swings, and I'm open for suggestions.  Any ideas?