Excuses

After being on the Google Hangout with some of the other Sweat Pink moms a couple of weeks ago, it actually gave me a lot to think about. Such as, one Mom gets up at 4:30 just to fit her run/workout in because that's the only time that works for her and her family. Interesting. My first thought was, that's insane! But after some thinking, maybe it's not so crazy. Honestly, I wake up tired no matter how much sleep I get. At night, even fitting in the hour for the Hangout was hard. I was tired, hungry, and just wanted to curl up with my Kindle to read, and go to sleep.

But when I'm working out and eating right, I have a ton more energy and I know this! I just suck at putting it into practice when I get overwhelmed. The next few weeks I'm going to meal plan, and get a new planner and write in stuff I have to do. And eating right and working out in whatever form I can will be on there!

So what are my excuses? I started a full time job (~2 months ago). I'm adjusting to living with my boyfriend (again, 2 months ago). We got a dog (1 month ago).  My wrist hurts like crazy. Gyms are expensive (my company will reimburse some of the cost). Just a lot going through my mind. So I've started looking at Groupons and into gyms and places that I pass on my way to work. Excuses excuses.

These are things that go through my head daily.

The images below I need to print out and put it around my desk/apartment and remind myself to get up! 

New puppy!

On top of moving to a new city, starting a new job, and overall craziness, we decided to adopt a puppy! We adopted her from Austin Pets Alive, an amazing no kill animal shelter here in Austin. She's a shelter puppy, so she's having some adjustment issues but we all are. I've never had an indoor dog, she's kind of ornery but super sweet!

She also, clearly, poses for pictures and acts crazy. She's about 10 months old and is an Australian Cattle Dog, blue heeler mix. We named her Dottie! She's happy and active, so we've all been getting more exercise due to all of the walks we go on daily. 

Which brings me to my point. Adjusting to walking with a dog! I've gotten some advice, such as getting a leader since she is adjusting to being leashed as well. I'm enjoying having her, and once she is leashed trained I'm looking forward to running some trails with her. The shelter said she's super smart and bad ha ha. She tugs like crazy, barks at people and other dogs (though if they are willing to come near her, she stops and just wants to play with them). So lots to learn with her but I'm excited. She has decided that my son is her human and she must protect him. If he takes a shower, or goes outside with friends to play,  she pouts outside the door whimpering.

Work/Life Balance

This is something I am being forced to learn and it’s tough! I leave my house for work around 7 a.m., get to work between 7:30 to 7:45, and leave work at 5. Not a horrible schedule, and I live about 12 miles from work. I was a stay at home Mom for most of my child’s life, so not being his main caregiver is really strange! We’re both feeling a little weird about it but trying to adjust. It’s tough, but I’m trying to make the best of it. Right now, the main thing that has taken a back seat has been working out. We adopted a puppy from a shelter, so I end up on a few, very tugging the leash, filled walks, but other than that, not much. I have dumbbells and a barbell at home, but something about being in a gym is much more motivating.

What’s your motivation? Mine, being around other health minded people, and of course, new workout clothes!

I’m looking into a few gyms around here now. Life Time Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness being the main ones. Pros and cons are weighing heavily on my mind!

I posted some Mom meme collages that I definitely have been able to relate to the last few years. Being a single mom for 6 years has been tough, 

Being a working Mom, and trying to balance all of that (plus the new puppy), eating healthy and working out is exhausting! Anyone have any tips for this? 

Relevant meme collages!

Book count 2013...so far

I don't know what has gotten in to me this year. Maybe I feel guilty for the lack of reading the last few years (damn you technology!) but I have been reading up a storm this year in both real book form and on my Kindle. Here is the list I am up to so far in no particular order. It makes it seem like all I do is sit around and read. Ha ha. I don't! I'm actually a speed reader, and therefore I finish books very quickly. I like eclectic reads and will go from fiction, non-fiction, religion, or whatever catches my fancy!

1. Darkly Dreaming Dexter
2. Dearly Devoted Dexter
3. Looking for Alaska
4. The Wedding
5. Bend in the Road
6. Safe Haven
7. The Age of Miracles
8. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents
9. The Descendants
10. Anna Karenina (reread)
11. The Restorer
12. The Abandoned
13. The Kingdom
14. Fall of Giants
15. Messenger
16. Gathering Blue
17. The Giver
18. Dark Places
19. Gone Girl
20. Lady of Ashes
21. All He Ever Wanted
22. The Jezebel
23. Austensibly Ordinary
24. Anansi Boys
25. The Plague of Doves
26. The Peach Keeper
27. The Beautiful and the Damned
28. Half the Sky
29. The Sisterhood
30. The Izu Dancer
31. All Whom I Have Loved
32. Dear John
33. The Girl Who Chased the Moon
34. Miss Peregrine's School for Peculiar Children
35. Sweet Tooth
36. The Devil in the White City
37. Anne Perry: Murder of the Century
38. The Namesake
39. The Time Keeper
40. The Help
41. Have a Little Faith
42. Beyond Ordinary
43. The Vow
44. Four Corners of the Sky
45. Thirteen Reasons Why
46. Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky
47. Dead Until Dark
48. Silver Linings Playbook
49. The Alchemist
50. Brida
51. American Gods
52. Ender's Game
53. Blue Nights
54. The Pillars of the Earth
55. Fables Vol. 1
56. Her Fearful Symmetry
57. Middlesex (reread)
58. Love in the Time of Cholera (reread)
59. Time Traveler's Wife (reread)
60. The Firebird
61. Manuscript Found in Accra
62. An Abundance of Katherine's
63. The Fault in Our Stars
64. Beautiful Creatures
65. Beautiful Darkness
66. The Returned
67. Shakespeare's Landlord
68. Shakespeare's Champion
69. Shakespeare's Christmas
70. No Man is an Island
71. The Engagements
72. The Cave
73. Wintergirls
74. Ready Player One
75. Ocean at the End of the Lane
76. A Matter of Days
77. Beautiful Chaos
78. The Burgess Boys
79. Mariana
80. Night Film
81. The Prophet (Graveyard Queen Series)
82. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
83. Language of Flowers
84. The Dinner
85. This Is How I Find Her
86. Sisterland
87. Oh Dear Sylvia
88. Never Let Me Go
89. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie
90. Beautiful Redemption
91. History of God
92. Sharp Objects
93. The Winter Palace
94. Shadowy Horses

Currently Reading

1. Death by Meeting
2. The Corpse Reader
3. Island Beneath the Sea

Here is my GoodReads link in case anyone is interested! 

Hello everyone!

I have definitely been a stranger to social media lately. I jump on Facebook every once in a while to keep up with friends and family, but even that is only every few days. Nothing like going on there and seeing 54 notifications. Eeeek. But I should be back to regular updates and posts soon. I started a position with a company located in North Austin. It's taking me some serious adjusting getting used to a set schedule, being around people all day, and being away from my son. He's 10, so it's not like he needs me that much anymore but still, I'm used to being the one taking him to school, picking him up, and helping him with his homework. But we're adjusting; albeit he is adjusting better than I am!

Now, to fit fitness activities into my schedule. This has been harder than I thought it would be. When I get home, I just want to zone out and read, or play ridiculous games. But now I'm antsy and miss working out! I generally worked out at home previously but now that we are in a second floor apartment, no running or jumping around allowed.

So I'm going to run the gamut of trying out various gyms! Life Time Fitness is not even a mile down the street, and I pass it each morning on my way to work. Plus it's open 24 hours, so I could go before work which would probably be ideal, though different...

Anyone have experience with Life Time Fitness? And working out in the early morning hours?! Also tips on work/life/fitness balance would be awesome. I need to figure this stuff out.

Places to find me

I'm not so great about broadcasting the other places online that you can find me on here. Oops! So here they are.

Facebook-The Petite Texan

Pinterest

Twitter

If you're on NikePlus, my username is christie177.

MyFitnessPal -I use this sporadically and need to make better use of it. I will try! Maybe if I have some accountability partners? Anyone else use this?

Email! I just created this yesterday to go along with the blog. Also to keep things more organized. petitetexasmama@gmail.com

Accidental hiatus

Oops! Update time. I have been running around like crazy doing interviews. Those things are exhausting! In between filling out the application (pet peeve, why do we have to submit an actual resume, AND fill out every single detail of work history? Grrrr), interviews, emails, phone calls, and assessments, it is absolutely exhausting. A company contacted me about one position, then decided I was a better fit for another position, so as of Tuesday, I will be working in Austin! Completely overwhelmed, and driving back and forth from North Texas to Austin feels like it will never end since we are moving myself and my son in baby steps.

Job has normal hours (very important with a kiddo), full benefits, an amazing break room and everyone was super nice but also dedicated so I loved that atmosphere. Hopefully it works out. Most of you don't know, but I haven't worked in 3 years due to a tough time finding a job, and then just spending time with family so this will be a huge change for me with moving and starting a regular job.

If anyone has any moving tips, or healthy lunch at work tips, I am all ears!!!!!! Please comment or post it on my FB page.

I'm also excited to find new healthy activities to try. My boyfriend will be able to do them with me, along with the kiddo, but I will also be trying some new things on my own.