**Fitness Friday, Week #17!! & Giveaway Winner**

TGIF and Happy Fitness Friday!!

<center> <a href="http://sweettea-lemonade.blogspot.com"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1uAYw7I8SopyaTFw-WjNGx4Z71i0oPidChSZGfP5vxFstcmMbdXmjY1IYuBSHSQLJEq0GYOGZ3G2pMX6c9ZuQyh8LnOzKIf83ehbNwYjGqqVwsrMJymn6Y46EJVz_vBSgzGjhrMxDgI/s320/running3.jpg" /></a></center>



Most of you probably know that I ran the Color Me Rad 5k last weekend, so much fun!! This week has also been great as far as my workouts go. 

Workout Log:

Saturday - CMR

Sunday - Off

Monday - Body Pump

Tuesday - 3.18 mile run

Wednesday - Body Pump

Thursday - Off, since S is going to be out of town this weekend, we celebrated Easter last night by attending an early Easter service at our church and having a dinner afterward :)

Friday - See below.....

**Update - last night as I was driving home from work, I got rear-ended by some college student who wasn't paying attention ugh. I so saw it coming. Going to get my neck and back checked out this morning although I don't think it's anything serious. Hopefully it won't hold me back too much!**

 I've recently discovered the awesomeness that is the MapMyRun app. I've always had a difficult time measuring out my runs and was never really sure of exactly how far or how fast I was running.

Please disregard my horrible times, I'm not a fast runner.


The MapMyRun app uses GPS to track you while running. It logs things such as time, distance, and splits. When you're through, it even shows you a little map image of your run route. I especially love how it records your splits so you can see how each mile differs.

The app also counts calories burned, but I don't know how accurate that is. I think I will stick to my HRM for now (which I didn't use on this run so I don't really know for sure.)

Speaking of my HRM....

I am loving it! If you recall, I had a little difficulty with it the first couple times out. The instructions direct you to place the chest strap so that the sensor is centered. I was finding that whenever I did this, it would stop picking up my heartbeat within a few minutes of starting my work out, booo. 

I played around with it a little and found that it works much better if I place the sensor over my left ribs (since that is where my heart is duh) and it's been working great ever since. Another tip that I've found helpful is that the strap must be very wet, as in soaked in water before you put it on. I think the water acts like a conductor so that the sensor can more easily pick up your heart beat.

Polar has a website called Polarpersonaltrainer.com where you can upload your workouts from your device for tracking purposes. I have yet to register my HRM and do this, but it sounds pretty cool so I can't wait to check it out!

My last fitness product shout out today goes to MiO Fit. I picked this up last weekend and it's pretty good! I do like Powerade and Gatorade, but I could do without the added sugar.

What are some of your favorite fitness-related products???

Lastly, today is the day that Lindsay and I are announcing the winner of our Fitness Friday Giveaway!

CONGRATS JILL from Joodles Doodles!!!

(I'll be sending you an email to get your info :)

**Gardening**

Hey y'all! So now that we have this house and all, you're probably going to be hearing a lot about it (sorry I'm not sorry.) One thing that I've never really been that interested in, but have discovered a new found excitement for, is gardening. Way back when, in a previous house that I lived in, I had planted some roses once and they actually did very well. I am looking forward to sprucing up the beds in the front of our new house as well as planting some veggies and herbs in the backyard.

S and I were chatting the other day and decided on a few things that we would like to plant including tomatoes, cucumbers, jalapenos, squash, onions, basil, rosemary, etc. For flowers, I would love to plant roses, lavender, hydrangeas, forget-me-nots.  Who knows if and when we'll get to plant all of these things, but we can dream for now, right?

I know 'Oh, How Pinteresting' was yesterday, but as I was scouring Pinterest, I found some great Gardening tips that I'd love to share.

  
Some great tips on growing herbs!

Source: skinnygourmet.blogspot.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Secrets to tomato-growing success. 

Source: organicgardening.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Growing Cucumbers..

Source: transatlanticplantsman.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Herb Garden Planter

Roses

Hydrangeas

Lavender

Sea Holly

Forget-Me-Nots

Do any of you enjoy gardening or have any tips for a beginner???

PS - Don't forget to link-up tomorrow for Fitness Friday! Today is also the last day for our FF Giveaway and we will be announcing the winner tomorrow!

<center> <a href="http://sweettea-lemonade.blogspot.com"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1uAYw7I8SopyaTFw-WjNGx4Z71i0oPidChSZGfP5vxFstcmMbdXmjY1IYuBSHSQLJEq0GYOGZ3G2pMX6c9ZuQyh8LnOzKIf83ehbNwYjGqqVwsrMJymn6Y46EJVz_vBSgzGjhrMxDgI/s320/running3.jpg" /></a></center>

**Oh, How Pinteresting!**

Now that we are going to be moving out of a townhome apartment and into a real, grown-up house, there are sooo many fun projects that I am just dying to get into!

S has already expressed an interest in "building" something and since we'll have the great big two-car garage, he'll have the perfect spot for a workshop. I have already commissioned him to build me a dining room table :p

Pottery Barn better watch out once we move, I cannot wait to start chipping away at all of the pretty things pinned to my 'For the Home' board! Here are some other ideas that I have for the new house.

Source: potterybarn.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: potterybarn.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: potterybarn.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: pbteen.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: potterybarn.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: potterybarn.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: potterybarnkids.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: potterybarn.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: potterybarn.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: potterybarn.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: potterybarn.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: apprenticeextrovert.blogspot.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: rstyle.me viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: somedaycrafts.blogspot.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Source: Kelly on Pinterest

Source: danielleoakeyinteriors.blogspot.com viaKelly on Pinterest

Would someone care to hook me up with some pallets and a Pottery Barn credit card that has no limit??? Kthx. :)    

PS - Don't forget to enter our  Fitness Friday Giveaway! The winner will be announced during Fitness Friday at the end of this week!

 

**New House Update!!**

Although I realize now that I haven't really posted much about it on my blog, over the past couple months I have really been stressing about where S and I were going to be moving to next. S and I will be in Charleston for at least another year, but we just couldn't imagine staying in the tiny townhouse that S originally moved into with his brother over a year ago. His brother has long since moved out and I moved in a little under a year ago, however, we quickly realized that we were growing out of that place and fast. 

I guess that's what happens when you try and combine two fully furnished apartments into one. We both got rid of a bunch of stuff, but we were still having a difficult time with the lack of storage.

S and I both had "must-haves" that we wanted in a new home. S wanted a single family house with a fenced in backyard for Gunner and I wanted a much bigger, open kitchen with lots of cabinets. We both also wanted a guest bedroom and maybe an additional bedroom and/or garage for storage. After about 2 1/2 months of looking, we finally found the perfect place!

It's a single family house with a fenced-in backyard just like S wanted....

And it has a nice big, open kitchen with lots of cabinet space just like I wanted! In addition, it has three bedrooms, two baths, and a two car garage.

Don't mind these terrible pictures, they are the ones that the owner used in the listing of the house, they are not mine nor is any of the stuff in the house ours.

We already put down our security deposit and signed the lease to move in April 15. I cannot wait to decorate, plant flowers, and make this house our home.

More updates and pictures to come!

 

PS - Don't forget to enter our  Fitness Friday Giveaway! The winner will be announced during Fitness Friday at the end of this week!

**Weekend Update & Color Me Rad!!**

Despite the cold and rainy weather, this weekend was a pretty great one. I love a weekend that has the perfect balance of productivity and relaxation and this was definitely one of them.

On Friday, S and I had our weekly sushi date at a local place that we've been loving lately then spent the night in because we had to be up and at 'em the next morning for Color Me Rad!

There was a 40% chance of rain for race day, but I was crossing my fingers and praying that the rain would hold out until the afternoon. I was happy to walk outside that morning and see blue skies! By the time we arrived at the race location, it was a bit chilly and quite overcast, but no sign of rain just yet.

Before:

After!

 

 

We had such a blast doing this event and I highly recommend it! Also, the race isn't timed so there is no need to feel like you are competing with anyone. You'll be surprised how fast 3 miles flies by when you're having that much fun :)

It did rain a little bit later in the day and we were super lazy. We didn't get up and get out until about 9:00 PM when we decided to head to Outback for some din and margaritas.

On Sunday, we met some friends for brunch at the Lost Dog Cafe and I had this delicious Pumpkin Pie Latte, yum!

Follow me on Instagram!

The rest of our Sunday was filled with cleaning, organizing, laundry, and grocery shopping. We ended it with a delicious meal of pizza and salad :)

Hope you all had a great weekend as well!! Don't forget about the Fitness Friday Giveaway that Linsday and I are hosting! We will be announcing the winner this Friday!