We had a  gender reveal BBQ for family and close friends towards the end of June (I know, I am so far behind!) We thought it would be a fun way to reveal if baby Garcia was a boy or girl to everyone at the same time. 

Ricky used this excuse to smoke his very first brisket and was a little giddy about it!

He smoked that thing (17+ lbs) overnight and got up ever 45 minutes to check that the temperature was regulated. That's commitment!

I spent a lot of time on Pinterest before the party trying to come up with fun things to do, but in the end the only "game" we did was an Old Wives Tales questionnaire with my answers. Guests could grab pink or blue beads depending on their guess. 

If you look closely, you see on the last question both options are circled. I circled that Ricky was gaining weight then he saw my answer and got all offended and circled that he was maintaining weight! We also asked guests to wear pink or blue depending on their guesses. 

I will have to say the overwhelming consensus was that baby Garcia was a boy. Ricky had told the doctor earlier on he was 100% sure baby was a boy, and he was so sure in fact that he had me convinced even though I was holding out a tiny sliver of hope for a girl. During the ultrasound, the tech had us close our eyes while she looked for the gender and then took the photo and put it inside and envelope and sealed it. I took the sealed envelope with a giant box to Party City and asked them once I left the store to open the envelope and fill the box with either pink or blue balloons, whatever was in the envelope. 

 

     

Baby Crazy!

I realize I have been silent on this little space of the web for a while. Not intentionally, just busy. One thing I have not shared on here and the main reason for not posting for a while is we are expecting! Most of you who read this already know, but for the few of you that don't .... surprise! :-) This was our "social media" announcement:

Of course we had to include our first love, Bruce Wayne! Obviously, the whole running a half marathon will have to be postponed, I think I'll be a little preoccupied in November this year. I looked up the Disneyland half marathon for 2015, and it happens to fall directly on my 30th birthday! Is it meant to be or what? So I plan to ring in the big 3-0 in 2015 running a half marathon. That will be 9 + months post baby so even if I have to walk it, I'm gonna do it.

We are super excited to be parents but also pretty intimidated!

     

Push Back Harder

Monday’s “run” (I say run because it is more like a walk/jog, it’s just easier to say run) was a difficult one. On my “Couch to 5K – 5k to 10K – 10K to Half Marathon” plan (yes it’s a thing, I made it up) I was scheduled for the following:

• 5 minute warm up walk

• 1 minute intervals alternating jogging and walking for 15 minutes total

• 5 minute cool down walk

Not much for you hard core runners out there, but this chick has to start at the very bottom and work all the way to the top. I’m not a runner, but I want to be. Right now I can walk at a decent pace. Not fast.

I was looking forward to it, as much as you can look forward to a run and then at about 4 pm, the sky’s flood gates opened up and it hailed. It rained. There was thunder and lightning involved. So of course, I complained about it on Facebook. Isn’t that what everyone does when they are annoyed? No, just me? Ok, anyways a friend of mine posted that some of his favorite runs were in the rain, and my brother in law also posted something similar. Huh? After I picked myself up off the floor out of shock that people actually enjoyed running in the rain I realized I am trying to make excuses for myself. Poor me, guess I can’t run cause water is falling from the sky I might melt and die. Get over yourself it’s not acid rain! I decided if I needed to, I would throw my phone in a plastic baggie and just do it. 

After work, some other things (like my husband and his movie theater watching) prevented me from going straight home and just getting it done. By the time I go home and changed clothes, I was battling the sun. It had stopped raining and I had about 20 minutes before the sun would go down so I got dressed as fast as I could and out the door I went.

My warm up I think I took a little fast, but it was cold and I was trying to warm myself up. By my 3^rd jogging interval, I was feeling it. My legs and hips were hurting. I couldn’t suck in enough air because it was so cold. I was struggling. I wanted to walk my jogging intervals but kept telling myself it’s one minute. Just do it. After I hit jogging interval #5, I hit a hill. My minute started at the bottom of the hill and it was all I could do to keep going up it. I was so close to giving up and just walking. That's when I started to cry. I was crying because everything hurt and I couldn’t breathe. I was crying because I was mad at myself because this little hill was defeating me. I was angry that I’d let myself get to a point that this hill was causing me this much difficulty. With my ugly cry going on I tried to listen to the music in my ears and ignore it.

Well it's going to take more, going to take more, going to take more than that to pull me under. This time it's goodbye trouble I feel the light at the end of this tunnel.  I get stronger with every step. Come hell - come high water You push on me I'm going to push back harder. I got a whole lot more than a little bit left. So don't put dirt on my grave just yet.

It was exactly what I needed to hear. It's gonna take a hell of a lot more to stop me from reaching my goals. I wasn't done and sure enough I did get stronger with every step. Maybe it's corny, but the right song can really pull you through so many situations and this one totally hit the mark.

After the push, I was literally on the downhill track back home. Shake Your Tailfeather by Nelly came on and I totally threw my arms up in the air and rapped the whole first half of the song out loud on the way home! I'm pretty sure the chick walking her dog across the street thought I'd totally lost it with mascara already streamed down my face as I am yelling out in my most white girl gangsta voice:

Now real girls get down on the floor.Get that money honey act like you know. Mama I like how you dance. The way you fit in them pants. Enter the floor take it low girl do it again. You know I love that, now where them girls at? Pop something move something. Shake ya tail feather.

     

I am.

It’s been a hot minute since I blogged. Oops. A lot has happened. Seahawks won the NFC Championship, and I was in the stadium when that happened. Dream come true fo'sho.

 I cried. Totally did.

Seahawks went to the Superbowl, and we prepped for the big game like champions.

Then the Seahakws won. Amazing. We got tickets to the homecoming rally and got to see them bring that big beautiful trophy home.

I got glasses.

I got my hurs did which always makes a chick feel fly (yes hurs, not hairs).

But probably the biggest thing that is happened is….I’ve decided this year is the year I run a half marathon. By the end of 2014, I will finish a half marathon, and for those of you who don’t know how long that is – it is thirteen point one freaking miles. When you are done laughing and peeing your pants, let this sink in. I’m SERIOUS.

I read a while back if your dreams and goals don’t scare the %$*@ out of you, you aren’t dreaming big enough. Trust me this dream reaches that level of terror in me, down to my very core. Many people have said I am crazy for wanting to do this, or I get told “why would you even want to run that?!” Well, here’s my answer:

To prove to myself that I can. Simple as that. There is a nasty little chick in my mind who loves to tell me I can’t. You can’t lose weight. You can’t run a mile. You’re not good enough. I’ve listened to her for way too long, pretty much my entire life. That chick is the old me. She is literally sobbing from laughing so hard at my goal of finishing 13.1 miles. She says that I can’t do it and is waiting with bated breath for when I throw my hands up and say it’s too hard. I quit.

At the same time, there is a little tiny voice that says, maybe just maybe, you can. Maybe you can run that mile. It’s not going to be easy, and you might be really slow, but maybe you can. Maybe you can lose the weight after all. It will take a while, and a ton of dedication, but maybe you can lose it. Maybe you ARE good enough. That’s the future me. I know deep down, when I stick to it, those maybes are going to turn into sure things and I will know without a doubt I can lose the weight. I can run a mile. Hell, I can run 13.1 miles!

I AM GOOD ENOUGH. 

     

MNF - Bowl Bound Baby!

I am having a total Monday Night Football hangover. Seriously, did anyone not watch the game last night? My beloved Seahawks decided to take any doubts people had about their team this year and blow them out of the water! 

My mom, brother Eric and I all went to the game. Eric was a little embarrassed and said my mom and I were dressed like idiots cause we were wearing our socks on the outside of our pants. Mine were my DIY Boot Socks, which is basically cutting the legs off some leggings in whatever color/print you want and then wearing them like leg warmers. Works for me!

Eric's 21st birthday was on Sunday, so after hopping the ferry to Seattle our first stop was Cowgirls Inc. We all had a drink together and got out of there cause it was pretty packed and headed out to find somewhere to eat lunch. After waiting almost 2 hours at a restaurant right next to the stadium ( and still not getting a freaking table) we headed into Touchdown City. They always have Seahawks alumni signing and they happened to have Norm Johnson there. He played for the hawks in the 80s. Eric knew who he was and was pretty excited about it. Turns out he also went to high school with his son. Small world!

Every weather forecast I had seen for the game said it would be cold (possibly 28-30 degrees) but dry. When we walked into the stadium and saw the sky, I was not excited. We were in the seats in the Hawks Nest (very center of the photo) about 1/3 of the way up. Eric bee-lined it to the tunnel to try and get autographs on the Seahawks flag we've been collecting signatures on for years, and mom and I headed to the seats. 

Of course, I saw a Starbucks stand and knew I needed to stop because I was already cold and knew I was gonna need some energy. Unfortunately I am pretty sure they made my mocha with half water and half milk. It wasn't very tasty, but it was hot and had caffeine. I'll take it. 

It rained. Not badly, but it still rained. Dear weather prediction people... you were wrong.

After the rain stopped, despite being cold, it was a beautiful night for a game. The 12th Man aka Seahawks fans took back our rightful title as the Guinness World Record's loudest crowd but we also caused a 1-2 magnitude earthquake after the Bennett interception turned touchdown in the first quarter!

We actually registered on the scale a total of 5 times last night! Well done 12th man, well done. 

Here's a little clip I took from last night, featuring my main man Sherman. It's a time out and we are still this loud!

Rain and all it was AWESOME! Go Hawks! Superbowl baby!

     

Cannon Beach Weekend

Disclaimer: This post is going to be super photo heavy!

Last weekend we had a weekend getaway to Cannon Beach, Oregon. My brother -in-law works at the Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center and got us some amazing ocean front rooms for $20/night! 

The purpose of the trip was not only to get away from normal life for a 2 days, but to celebrate an early Thanksgiving with Nico because he had to work and wouldn't be making the drive back home for the holiday. Right after work we all made the 3.5 hour drive down to Cannon Beach. I'd like to say the drive was beautiful, but it was pitch black the entire way.  

After a mediocre night of sleep (king to full bed with 2 fluffy people =no bueno) We wandered around the sleepy little downtown area and I found an amaze coffee shop. Thank you baby Jesus! We wandered a little further down and found breakfast at a Pig n' Pancake joint. 

 

I thought I looked cute, so I took some selfies. Don't judge, I was on vaca and I do what I want! Plus, the Instagram filters were being extra kind to me that day. (if you don't follow me on Instagram yet, you should!)

 

I also found some pickle flavored candy canes ..... almost took those babies home out of sheer curiosity!

After breakfast, the sister in laws and I headed out to the beach to snap some photos, and well just be on the freakin' beach! I am at home when I am on an Oregon beach. Love love love. 

Alex was walking behind me and took this amaze panorama shot with her phone. The one person you see is me walking on the beach. What is crazy awesome, is when you zoom in on the photo, I am see through!

After being throughly wind blown (and loving every single second of it) we all piled back in the car and drove an hour south to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. I was not leaving Oregon without some smoked cheddar. It just wasn't happening.

We needed a picture inside the loaf bus at Tillamook, so I slid in, and waited for Ricky. Out of nowhere, this little girl slid right into the bus with me and was as happy as a clam. Ricky kind of stood there waiting for me to kick her out, but when we looked around to see who she belonged to, no one seemed to be watching her or looking for her. I became a little worried she was lost and didn't want to send her out of the loaf bus to be kidnapped. I told her we'd like to take a picture and if she wanted to slide out of the bus for a quick minute, she could come back in right away. I didn't want her to run off. When I told her that, she looked like I just punched her puppy or something so I asked her if she wanted to stay in the bus and be in the picture. She excitedly nodded her head and slid over next to me so Ricky could get in. She posed and smiled for the picture even. I love it and laugh every time I look at the picture.  I guess we temporarily adopted a small white child while in Oregon! Christmas card photo anyone?!

After the cheese factory, we took the drive a little slower back to Cannon Beach and stopped at several vantage points to take in the view. 

Once we returned back to Cannon Beach, Ricky wanted to take a nap and read. I wanted to head out to Haystack Rock and take some photos at sunset. We all went and did our own separate things for a bit. I was so happy I went down and shot some photos. The time spent down at the beach to just reflect on the last couple months was really nice for me. Plus, there was an amazing sunset in store.

Saturday night was early Thanksgiving. Of course the food was great and we got to meet several of Nico's friends. Late Saturday night was spent in chairs out of the deck, just the hubby and I taking in the beautiful night sky. It's amazing how many stars you can see when you are away from the city lights. We both witnessed a couple shooting stars, which is always a treat for me!

Sunday morning I went for another stroll down the road and tried a different coffee shop Nico had recommended called Insomnia. It wasn't crazy strong, but my almond mocha did the trick! It was pretty wonderful to sit in the chair on patio on sip my coffee in 55 degree weather while the waves crashed on the beach. 

We headed over to the Portland area later on Sunday and got some shopping done (tax free). We found some fantastic outlets complete with a Coach outlet who happened to be running a 50% off the entire store sale. I'm not gonna share what happened there, because I become a raging Coach-a-holic in situations like those. We also hit up a Nordstrom Rack where I almost bought Seahawk color glasses until I realized they were reading glasses. Not cool.

Once we got home around 8 PM, this guy was on me like white on rice. Didn't leave my side the whole night. Glad to know we were missed ;-)