OUCH

I tried my first group class at my gym last night called Body Pump. Let me tell you that 60 minutes of weight lifting and toning every large muscle group in my body has left me recalling those high school memories of two-a-day practices....ouch! Today my muscles hate me and groan every time I get out of my chair, tomorrow, if I remember correctly, will be even worse.

Tis the season

This time of year brings much happiness around our house. It is football season and Mike isn't just a little bit of a football fan- he is pretty obsessed and very knowledgeable and seriously LOVES the game. Because I have accepted this about him and love him in return, I have also become quite the football fan myself. I even have my own Fantasy Football team- I say it is so that I have something to cheer for while watching all the games (yes we get ALL of them) but really it is because I'm so due to win one of these years and I really can't wait to take all these guys' money and rub it in their face that a girl beat them and their teams that hey spend all year researching and crafting- ha.

We are also looking forward to the first Iowa tailgate this weekend that we'll be able to attend this year and it just so happens to be the biggest and best of in-state rivalry games: IOWA VS. IOWA STATE! Mike & I have a special place in our hearts because we first met at a Hawkeye tailgate! We are both Hawkeye alums and therefore we bleed black & gold (the pic above is us tailgating at the Michigan game in 2005) so needless to say we are so excited to beat the 'Clones and vindicate ourselves for that awful performance last year that we don't like to talk about...can't wait!

Vacation Update

We survived our Mexican vacation and it was amazing as most vacations are- we had a blast! We loved vacationing with a group of up for anything people who neither take each other or themselves too seriously. We lounged, drank many margaritas, played games, frolicked in the ocean, sun-bathed, zip-lined through the canopy of the Sierra Madre mountains, painted pottery on the beach & shopped the flea-market. Sigh. I love vacation- enjoy the pics!

Are You a MexiCAN or are you a MexiCAN'T?

Viva la Vacation! Tomorrow morning Mike & I leave for our 6 day vacation to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! We are meeting up with my sister and bro-in-law as well as two other couples at our all inclusive resort the Royal Decameron. We can't hardly contain our excitement! Adios amigos!

thanks 'rents!

I wanted to shout out another thanks to my awesome Mom & Dad for coming to my house Wednesday night just to cook me a delicious dinner and keep me company during this slightly lonely week that my hubby has been out of town on business. We had a great time as usual and even hit the driving range for a bit of exercise. Dad prepared the most amazing grilled salmon I've ever had (not even kidding it was so good) and along with it grilled veggies and homegrown tomatoes. Yum. Thanks you guys- I love you!

Day With Dad

Last Saturday was our scheduled 'Dad's Day with Daughters' and Jessie & I had a full day of fun planned for our Dad. He's been extremely busy this summer so this was our rain check for Father's Day and his birthday. We enjoyed breakfast, the farmer's market, a tour of Hansen's Dairy Farm whose mascot is a wallaby, ice cream, lunch at Barn Happy, shopping for kitchen gadgets and to cap it all of was salsa making with our fresh ingredients from the farmer's market. We had the most fun time and days like Saturday remind us how lucky we are to have the supportive, fun, hilarious, empathetic, up for anything, adventurous and loving parents that we do!

At the farmer's market

Jessie & Dad feed a wallaby!

Jessie up close & personal with a baby calf

Squeezing fresh lime juice for the salsa

Oh No They Didn't!

I feel the need to share my most recent garden drama. Yes, I said garden (it is drama because I'm obsessed with my garden this summer and have put a lot of time and $$ into it, therefore it counts). Anyhoo, I went to our backyard to check out my garden after work yesterday and to do some trimming on my 6 tomato plants. To my utter surprise and disgust I discovered the top half of my plants completely stripped of all flowers and leaves. "WTF?!?!," I say to myself. These plants did NOT look like this 2 days ago! Then upon further up-close inspection I find gigantic green caterpillars disguising themselves amongst the plants, eating EVERYTHING in site. I was pissed. I still am, actually. Needless to say, I freaked and immediately called Mom. She suggested pulling them off immediately (ew!) and then researching some sort of powdery spray. So I waited til Mike got home and bombarded him with the news (that he had to help) We googled to find out what they were, grabbed garden gloves and an empty coffee can and got to work. These suckers were impossible to see and we found about 10. Mike came up with the idea to feed them to the fish in the pond. They were gobbled up immediately to our delight and I do hope they suffered in their death because like I said before, I'm still pissed. These f'ers are called Tomato Hornworm and they will die and never return if there is anything I have to say about this- that is a green thumbed promise.