We're back!

Hello!  We flew in this afternoon and just picked up the pups. We came home (in the pouring rain!! wtf??), ate pizza for dinner and now we're settling in to watch the 'Sons of Guns' season premiere at 9.  We are simple folk, but I love our life! 

We had a great trip.  Please excuse me for a couple of days while I get my shiz together.  In the meantime, please enjoy a few of my favorite photos!

Our entire group- Gishes, Davises, and Peytons

Crossing the finish line of the half marathon!

Mom and I crossing the finish line of the 5k!

"Tangled" Characters- Max, Flynn Rider, Rapunzel, and Mother Gothel

Drinking Around the World in EPCOT

For those following the Half Marathon stuff- I had a great race. Not a PR but it was my 2nd best time ever and 15 minutes faster than I ran on the same course 2 years ago.  So I'd say it was a success!!  I'll fill you in on more details later :)

Our trip was a blast. We are sunburnt, tired, and dreading opening our inboxes at work tomorrow.

The pins are exhausted.  They had a great time on their "vacation" at the vet, but they are completely pooped.

I think that's a good enough update for now. Be back soon!!

~SG

Mushy Survey

Saw this survey on a few blogs over Valentine's Day, but since I'm always behind the curve I'm just getting to it now. I figured it would be a good way to keep you entertained while I'm gallavanting around Orlando ;)

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

We've been together since July of 2007… so… about 4.5 years. Wow.

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

Oh our love story is really classy.  We met in college through mutual friends.  But we didn't really fall in love until we started hanging out after college.  We were still partying like we were IN college, however, and lots of beers aided in our interest in each other.  We started hanging out and eventually went on our first "date"- to the movies to see "Transformers"...haha  That was when I realized I really liked him J

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}

We got hitched on 10-10-10.  This October it will be 2 years.

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding? If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?

We got married in the town where I grew up in Pennsylvania.  We had a medium size wedding with about 150 guests.  It was a gorgeous day and we were married outside under a gazebo. 

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!

Umm we have a bunch of dumb ones, your typical "babe" or "boo", and yes, "Mommy" and "Daddy" in reference to the dogs.  Whatever. This blog is a judge-free zone, FYI!

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

-I mentioned this one before- he is terrible at keeping secrets. Which makes it 10x more adorable when he successfully does this and I end up with a surprise!

-He is so thoughtful and creative.  Always knows how to make me smile.

-He is my protector. He has taught me how to protect myself (with words, not just guns…haha) but I know that he has my back 100% and will always take good care of me, no matter what.

-He LOVES Disney. It's the cutest thing EVER.

-He's my best friend.

-Ok that was 5 things…

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?

He proposed in our apartment, just the two of us, after driving to Pennsylvania and back in one day to ask my parents' permission.  It was private, just the two of us (and his dog, Bandit), and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.  I was working in pro-sports at the time, and I've seen a ton of public proposals.  They all make me so nervous, I told him I'd say no if he did that to me.  (Jokinggg)

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

Apparently he is a surprise-you-at-work-with-roses kind of guy.  And a meet-you-at-the-door-with-champagne kind of guy J

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

I think I am a sunset beer on the beach kind of girl…

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

I already wrote a whole post about this and put up a poll. Nexxxt.

11. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

Take turns doing the dishes.

12. Show us a picture of what love means to you.



I'd like to re-visit this survey in a couple of years to see what things have changed, and what have stayed the same!

Have a magical day!

~SG

 

 

Jaws Theme Song

The Big Day

I have often dreamed
Of a far off place
Where a hero's welcome
Will be waiting for me
Where the crowds will cheer
When they see my face
And a voice keeps saying
This is where I'm meant to be

I'll be there some day
I can go the distance
I will find my way
If I can be strong
I know every mile
Will be worth my whileI will go most anywhere
To feel like I belong

Down an unknown road
To embrace my fate
Though that road may wander
It will lead me to you
And a thousand years
Would be worth the wait
It might take a lifetime
But somehow I'll see it through

And I won't look back
I can go the distance
And I'll stay on track
No I won't accept defeat
It's an uphill slope
But I won't lose hope
Till I go the distance
And my journey is complete

But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part
For a hero's strength is measured by his heart

Like a shooting star
I will go the distance
I will search the world
I will face its harms
I don't care how far
I can go the distance
Till I find my hero's welcome
Waiting in your arms...

I will search the world
I will face its harms
Till I find my hero's welcome
Waiting in your arms

"Chloc"

Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust!

When there's a smile in your heart!

There's no better time to start.....
Think of all the joy you'll find, when you leave the world behind!  

And say your cares good byeeeeeeeeee
You can fly!
You can fly!
You can fly!

 We're all checked in to our flight!  Packing is almost complete! Pins are heading off to their vacation this evening!  One last mile to run! 

Disney World HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Typical Day

This isn’t even the worst I’ve ever seen…

This is just an example of what it’s like living in and around our Nation’s Capital.  I’ve actually changed work locations (still with the same company), so I’m not commuting to the Navy Yard anymore. Thank goodness.  On a good day, it took me an hour and 15 minutes.  Plus another 15-30 to find parking… On a bad day? 2 hours. 

Now I’m in Alexandria, VA.  My commute still takes me up I95, but on a good day it takes 45 minutes.  Coming home it usually takes me about an hour. 

A recent study found that a long commute is bad for your heart health.  While I’m glad my commute has gotten shorter, this study is another reason for me to continue my weekly exercise after the half marathon is over.  Even though I HATE working out, it’s important to do something active to combat the long days of sitting in my car and at my desk.  It’s been especially difficult to exercise during the winter because it gets dark so early.  Running in the dark has become a normal thing, but this hasn’t made me less paranoid.  I run with a reflective vest, my cell phone in hand, and no music whatsoever.  It would be nice if I could work from home and do my workouts in the middle of the day.

The type of job that I have makes it pretty much impossible to telecommute.  It’s possible, but I’m really needed in the office.  I’m kind of curious what others who live in the area (and those who don’t) deal with on a daily basis and how they deal with it.

So tell me, do you have a long commute?  Do you ever work from home?  What do you do for exercise each week?  Do you run in the dark? Do you work out during the day? How do you fit in your weekly exercise?

Please share your tips and tricks!!!

~SG

Beach Bathroom Inspiration

I finally got around to cleaning the master bath, so I took some pictures quickly before we the dogs mess it up again... Here is a quick tour of our beach bathroom/the min pin hideaway, followed by some 'pinspiration' for what we are going to do with it to make it feel more beachy.

The tour:

When you walk in the door... this is what you see

Standing in the middle, looking back at the vanity

Bathtub. To the right is a walk-in closet

Tub and shower. The toilet is around the corner across from the shower.  I didn't think you needed a picture of it...

Another closet, and again, toilet is around that corner there.

Now that you have an idea of what the bathroom looks like, and where the min pins spend their time during the day, you can see what ideas we have come up with using Pinterest, and help give us suggestions about what to do with this room to make our theme realized!

Pinspiration:

We both like the light yellow color on the walls and how it looks next to all that white

Def need a sign like this.  Maybe it will say something else. But you get the idea.

Cute starfish hooks

More decor that I like but have no where to put...

Joey liked this one. I like it but not sure what from this we'd use.

I'm still looking for beach artwork for above the toilet, and some different curtains to hang over the window.  Other plans are to paint the vanity (someday we will replace it), and also get rid of the square medicine cabinets on either side of the sinks and add some shelves or some cute little ditty. 

Feel free to give us some suggestions!!!

~SG

Improvement

I'm planning an entire post-Disney race trip report about my experience with training, what I learned, etc.  But I do want to brag about share one quick little victory that happened over this weekend.

First of all, I am DONE my training.  Well, I have a couple short runs left this week.  But the time has finally come!! Saturday I'm walk/jogging (jalking?) 3.1 miles with my Mom, Joey, and our friend Peyton.  Sunday my sister Laura and I are running in Disney's Princess Half Marathon. 

On New Year's Eve, you will remember that I ran a 10k.  I finished under my goal time of 1:15 at 1:13:38.  I was happy with this time, as it marked both halfway through my training and halfway through the distance of 13.1 miles.  Saturday I ran a 10k as my last "long" training run before the race.  My goal was 1:10.  I finished in 1:06:33!!!

No matter what happens this weekend, what time I get, what my ending pace is, etc. I will be proud of myself for completing my self-made "Couch to Half Marathon" Program...

If you are interested in stalking me this weekend, you can sign up for runner tracking here. 

In closing, I thoroughly enjoyed me pedicure today and am now ready to head to Disney World for a quick 16.2 miles (dressed as a Pirate Princess) and a great family vacation.  ;)


~SG

It's Friday Already?

Whoa! This one flew by! Only a few more days until I’m in DISNEY WORLD. 

Of note: The fabric should be arriving today while I’m at work! I can’t wait to get home and (hopefully) find it on my front porch!

Other updates I owe you:

Valentine’s Day-

Did you know that Popeyes does not do gift cards?? I found out the hard way- by being that girl that walks into the Popeyes and looks totally out of place and asks for a gift card. It was awkward.  But it’s Joey’s FAVE.  I had to at least try.

On Tuesday I was completely surprised by flowers at work from my husband.  And I was one of those obnoxious Facebook posters, yes.  But he is TERRIBLE at keeping secrets (something I actually admire about him) and so I was shocked to find out that he had planned this pretty far in advance, AND enlisted the help of one of my co-workers/bff to make sure it got to the right place.

Since I didn’t have a Popeyes gift card for him, I grabbed a bottle of wine and a cute card that said “You’re the husband, I’m the wife. And together we make a great life. I’m yours, you’re mine. We’re forever Valentines!”  And bonus it had 2 dogs on it so I labeled them Doc and Chloe for dramatic effect.

(Side note: We ended up having Popeyes for dinner last night in place of my 2 mile run, so I feel like we are even now.)

Joey’s Running Shoes-

With the help of a good friend, we figured out what kind of shoes to buy so his feet don’t hurt after running long distances anymore.  They should be arriving MONDAY! Just in time to break them in before the Disney’s Tangled Royal Family 5k next Saturday!

We ordered the Brooks Defyance.  I love my Brooks shoes and I know he will too.

Packing for our trip-

Uhh what’s that?? I did finally unpack my suitcase from our cruise in …October… and threw everything in the wash. But it’s all still downstairs in the dryer waiting to be de-wrinkled and folded.  Look, I’m not trying to sound like Susie Homemaker here. I’m keeping it real.  My clothes sit in the dryer for days at a time sometimes. SO JUDGE ME.

Chloe dares you to judge me.

Welp… there you have it. Another peek into my exciting life!  I started working on my Master Bathroom inspiration post last night, but I realized I don’t have a decent pic of the room, and I sure as heck was not going to post a picture of it in its’ current condition. So you will have to wait until I clean it.  So sorry.

I hope everybody has a GREAT three day weekend!! And let’s just cross our fingers that it waits to snow until Tuesday, k?? ;)

~SG

Fabric Talk

FINALLY.... some sort of house update.  And it has nothing to do with the basement, which I am procrastinating like a 4th grader with a book report due tomorrow.

Our family room/den/great room/whatever has blinds, but no curtains.  We had always planned on making cornices for above the windows, and roman shades for the door(s).  But choosing the right fabric to make said cornices and roman shades has been quite a challenge. 

My color scheme for the entire house has turned out to be earth tones, such as tans, browns, creams, greens, and a splash of red or orange (mostly red).  The inspiration for this color scheme actually comes from a picture we had hanging in our apartment:

So, in searching for the fabric for our family room cornices, my criteria were as follows:

-Nothing too girly

-Something in the earthtone family

-Something with a pop of color (preferrably red)

-Something that matches our current and future furniture

-No gold (or at least not alot of it)

As I was perusing JoAnn Fabrics, I came apon this little beauty:

It met all the criteria, but I wasn't convinced I liked it.  I checked out some more patterns but I kept coming back to this one.  I clicked on it to see a more "up close" picture, and it was then that I decided I really liked it.  So I ordered it. 

Then I printed out a "swatch" so I could see how it would look with our furniture.

With our current couch

Kitchen table, and color of future couch

Success!

So now it's time to envision the fabric on the windows. 

What the family room currently looks like...

W/Cornices, and a red chair, for good measure.

I want.

Hmmm.... I think it will definitely add more color, spice, and personality to the room. Which it desparately. needs.  What are you thinking?  Do you hate it? I won't be mad if you do. I didn't like it at first either. But it's really grown on me, and now I'm excited to start crafting.

Plus, then I can start accessorizing with vases, houseplants, candlesticks, etc.  And who doesn't LOVE accessorizing?!

OK is that enough house talk for one day? I certainly hope so!

Be back later this week for more :)

~SG

Happy Valentine's Day!

Snooze-worthy Update

Do you want the good news or the bad news first??

Ok you chose the good news.

I FINALLY did my 10 mile run!!! Guys... it was really cold out. It snowed Saturday night.  The wind was howling and I honestly thought I was going to have to sheepishly admit that I didn't do it.  But somehow I found several layers of clothes to wear, music to listen to, and guts to get the heck out there.  I have never been more prepared for a half marathon.  My last long run is this weekend, and it's going to be a fun 10k with a girlfriend.

But enough about that...

The bad news is that we didn't do anything on the house this weekend.  I know I KNOW.... a few of you mentioned something to me at homecoming and I realize we haven't done anything cool to the house since oh, December... I'm getting back on the bandwagon slowly, I promise.

I've been looking at decor for the master bath (beach themed! holla!) and fabric for the cornices/roman shades in the family room.  I will share those ideas with you this week.

The real bandwagon we need to jump on is the "let's finish the basement" bandwagon. (Wow, that's 3 4 uses of the word 'bandwagon'...)  I think the plan is for me to post embarassing pictures of it and then hope that the embarassment gets our rears in gear.

What do you think? Good plan?

Other goings-on this week:
Valentines Day
Getting Joey some decent running shoes (what IS this? a running blog?!)
PACKING for Disney (to include finally doing some laundry from the cruise.....)

Hope everyone has as exciting of a week planned.....................

~SG

Who lives near a Jack in the Box?

I need someone who lives near one of these restaurants to conduct an experiment for me.

I need you to try one of these.

Then come back here and tell me your thoughts, reactions, etc.

I'm looking at my southern sister.... JULIE.... don't they have JITB in Texas?!

On a Pedestal

You know what they say about those Southern girls...

Let's Play a Game...

1. 

I used to LOVE doing these surveys on MySpace. Does anybody even use MySpace anymore??  Anyway, I got tagged into this game by Heather, so I decided to give it a shot. Believe it or not, it was really difficult to come up with 11 random things about myself. 

If I tagged you in the bottom of this post, it means YOU get to play the game too!

Rules:
1. Post these rules
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
5. Go to their blog and tell them that you’ve tagged them.
6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

11 Random Facts about Mrs. Gish:

1. I’ve never owned a Mac or other apple product other than ipod.

2. I’ve played a myriad of musical instruments in my lifetime. Mainly piano, viola, and clarinet.

3. I can sing too, but I prefer not to sing solo.  I did, however, sing the National Anthem a lot for basketball games in college. I sang at our homecoming game my senior year.

4. I HATE pruny hands and feet. It gives me chills just thinking about it!!! I’m worried I’m not going to be able to hold my newborn child someday because he/she will be too pruny…

5. I don’t like going to the movies. I need commercials, breaks, and multi-tasking. DH loathes this. 

6. I am very sensitive and take almost everything personally (some would also call this selfish? Ha).

7. I always have to know where the closest bathroom is. Just in case!

8. I am super NON competitive. Why can’t we all just get along?!

9. I like correct grammar.

10. I’m a really messy eater.

11. I have to put on my right shoe first, every time. Except when it’s boots- because the zipper of the left boot is on the right side….

Q and A:

 1. You're singing karaoke. What's your song of choice?

At our engagement party, DH and I sang “Ice Ice Baby” (actually we rapped). We did a damn good job. I’d do it again!

2. What is your most prized possession?

My stuffed animal that I’ve had since I was a baby. His name is “Other Dog”.  There were 2 stuffed dogs. He was the other one.  I guess he is still the "other dog", now that we have Doc and Chloe...

3. What was the worst job you've ever had?

I am completely stumped on this one. Can I count when my Dad used to make us rake all the leaves in the yard onto tarps and drag them across the yard to be dumped in the weeds behind our property? I hate physical labor. I am reallllllly good at sitting at a desk!

4. Do you have any phobias?

It’s cliché but I’m afraid of being afraid.  In any situation.  I hate feeling scared and out of control.  Yes, that’s probably it- losing control is my phobia.

5. You are wearing your favorite outfit. Do you put on heels or flats?

You are lucky to ever find me in heels these days. I am way too lazy. Flats all the way.

6. Have you ever met anyone famous? 

I’ve met a ton of random people working for various pro sports teams. I met James Carville, Dan Jansen, heck I even met Nick Lachey when we went to the Final Four in college… There have been others but I don’t recall any at the moment.

7. Do you have any pet peeves?

When people don’t read the entire e-mail before responding.  It wastes my time, their time, and makes them look dumb.  I also HATE when dancers/cheerleaders leave hair ties around their wrists during performances!

8. Name the best concert you've ever been to and why.

My first country concert- it was Kenny Chesney.  I went with Joey and our friend Christina. We went to McDonalds afterwards and Joey got in an argument with some guy about how Kenny Chesney is NOT GAY.

9. Do you collect anything?

Min Pins? Haha jk… not really anymore. I used to collect patches and smiley faces.  Back in the DAY I collected those mini erasers and stickers, cause it was the cool thing to do. OH and Pogs!!!!

10. Favorite breakfast food to eat?

Cocoa Puffs. Haven’t eaten them in AGES….. must go to grocery store….

11. Let's play "Do, date, dismiss" (hahaha): Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper, Tom Brady :)

I’ve never played this! Ummmm I think Do Bradley Cooper, Date Tom Brady (and secretly sabotage any future potential super bowls) and Dismiss Ryan Reynolds.

OOOH The fun part. I get to come up with 11 questions to make people answer:

1.      If you could live in any country other than America, where would you live?

2.      Trains, Planes, or Automobiles?

3.      If you could change one thing about yourself, it would be ___?

4.      Do you let your gas tank get all the way to empty before filling it up?

5.      Favorite Disney movie?? (Sorry… had to!)

6.      Do you get seasick?

7.      How often do you dust/vacuum your house/apartment/room?

8.      What is your mixed drink of choice?

9.      Favorite pro sport to watch?

10.  Would you rather be hot or cold?

11.   Pick a decade other than 2000s or 2010s to live in. What decade do you choose?

Now, for the tags:

Laura, Rachael, Becky, Lindsay, Teresa, Julie, Kelly, Melissa, Chelsea, Gretchen, Sara

Have fun!

~SG

Wednesday Weekend Round Up

'Cause late is better than never!

Friday night I found myself at George Mason because I had shown up for dance team practice!  Just like the old days, I pulled up to the Field House and walked in to one of the center courts to practice for the big game with my Masonettes.  We were preparing for the first ever alumni reunion performance the following day at the homecoming game!  Everyone had learned the routine already (thanks to YouTube), and we got right to work.  It was fun to see everyone and catch up, but it was also intimidating and I think we all stood up a little straighter when Coach started counting!

Saturday morning I woke up and suited up for my 10 mile run.  My legs were sore from dancing the night before (I'm old) and I hadn't hydrated NEARLY enough.  But I ate my peanut butter/waffle and headed out.  I knew immediately that it was going to be a bad run. My legs were just plain TIRED.  Like I said in my previous post, it turned into a 2.5 mile out-and-back loop (5 miles total) instead of 10.  I was upset but it was time to focus on more important things... like the homecoming game!

I showered, did my hair and make up, and put on my black spandex pants and alumni tee shirt.  There was no way I was going to the tailgate looking like this!! Joey and I headed to campus and while he was tailgating with friends, I attended floor practice, saved the girls from a runaway basketball, and got ready for the game in the cramped little bathroom where I haven't been for YEARS.

The game was a blast!  We watched the first half and then it was time for the performance! It was great to be on the court again!  Can you find me??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMbhDNM2bbg

After the performance it was off to the bars!  It was great to see so many old friends.  Homecoming is always a good time :-)

Sunday morning was nice and lazy.  I cleaned up the house a bit, we took the pins down the street to run off some energy in grandma/grandpa Gish's backyard, and started making treats for the Superbowl game!  We ate a ton of goodies, had a great time watching the game, halftime show, and commercials, and were definitely ready for sleep after such a long weekend.

Well, there you have it!  Now that we are halfway to another weekend, here is the plan for THIS upcoming weekend:

Friday: Going to see a band at a local place with some new friends. Really excited about this!

Saturday: Judging a dance team competition all day

Sunday: Going for 10 miles again. PRAY that I can do it! Then... drumroll.... I think we are finally going to start working on the house again! The basement is still next in the queue. Cross your fingers that both of these things actually happen on Sunday...

And that's all she wrote!

~SG

Looks like we made it!

I completely realize I owe an explanation of this weekend, why I was at Mason on Friday, and what I was doing having dance practice there the night before the homecoming game...  I'm working on that.

To hold you over, I'm including the link to our my favorite Superbowl commercial.  For the simple reason that I now feel confident that buying this truck was a fair investment of our money.

Clearly.

Happy Tuesday!

~SG

"Jealousy"

Patriot Circle

Friday night I found myself on campus at my alma mater… George Mason University.  I had arrived early for dance rehearsal (more on this later!) and had planned ahead of time to complete my week of training runs on campus before practice (just like the old days!).

The campus is set up so that one circular road connects everything together.  It (used to be) a 1.5 mile loop.  Since I’ve graduated, new construction has completely changed the university, so it’s a little more confusing and a little bit longer than it used to be.  But a lot of it is still the same.

I’ve run that loop many times.  First as a freshman, not really “running”, but jogging and walking with friends.  I didn’t really start actually running until I was training for Wizards auditions post-college.  I would run that loop over and over and over in the dead heat of summer, practically starving, trying to get thin for auditions. 

One specific instance stands out in my mind.  I was struggling up a hill on Patriot Circle, in the hot, hot weather, sweating, hungry, and feeling really frustrated, when an old man ran by me.  He looked back, smiled and said “That’s one more mile they can’t take back from you!” 

Well isn’t that true?  For all the miles I’ve run in my life, nobody can ever take them away.  They are completed. History.  And that in itself is a great accomplishment.  I remembered this story when I was running around the circle on Friday night, reminiscing about all the times I’ve run around Patriot Circle, or what I did in various places on campus, or the last time I was in each location.  This memory turned out to be really fitting, because Saturday morning I was scheduled to run 10 miles.  Except I could barely run 2 before my legs were so sore and tired that I had to walk.  It quickly turned into a 5 mile run and I was really upset with myself.

But that old man was right.  Those were 5 miles that NOBODY can take away from me. I still got up and did it.  I am still going to complete this half marathon in 3 weeks. And while I’d love to get an awesome time, the fact of the matter is those are 13.1 miles that nobody can take away from me. Actually…..16.2 miles if you count the 5k I'm doing the day before!  Being fit and healthy doesn’t always mean you run at the front of the pack. It’s something I must constantly remind myself. 

So thank you, old man, for teaching me this valuable lesson. And thank YOU, Patriot Circle, for reminding me of it.

Don’t you feel super inspired?? Like you can go out and run 20 miles right now?!?!?!

….me either.

Happy Monday!!

~SG

Last Friday Night

"Last Friday night
Yeah we danced on tabletops
And we took too many shots
Think we kissed but I forgot

Last Friday night
Yeah we maxed our credit cards
And got kicked out of the bar
So we hit the boulevard"

....Or something like that ;)