2013 gonna be lean

I've been running for almost 3 years and I love it. My intention was never to loose weight (although that became a welcome side effect) I just needed something in my life that I had control over, a goal I could set, reach, even excel. Infertility is hard, it takes away all sense of control and damages your feelings of self worth and confidence as a woman, that's our whole purpose in life is to bear children and when that's taken away.....then what? For a month during the IVF process I wasn't allowed to do any high impact activity, raise my heart rate or body temp. I had to be on bedrest and when I wasn't on bedrest I just lied around and watched TV. Then we found out that it didn't work and I sank into a depression and didn't do anything for weeks. I became a fat lazy slug! Oh how I missed running and being active, I promised myself that I would never let myself become inactive.

In Sept I started doing CROSSFIT

I had heard from my sister (who introduced it to me) that it was crazy hard but I figured I was in pretty good shape from running- boy was I wrong! Crossfit optimizes fitness by doing constantly varied functional movements at high intensity, basically it's cardio and weights combined to make a workout that kicks your butt! I LOVED IT! I've had a personal trainer in the past but this was unlike anything I've ever done before. After time I found myself lifting weights I never thought possible ( I can bench press 75lbs, deadlift 85lbs) and finishing WODs (Workout Of the Day) that seemed impossible. Not to mention the "side effect" of a better looking body. I lost 3.5% body fat in 3 months! Two years ago I was a size 8, I'm now a size 4!!

150 wall balls with 14lb medicine ball in under 20 minutes!

150 Overhead walking lunges 15lb plate

My butt was soooo sore!

I'm still running (that will always be my first love) and crossfit has helped me be a better runner. 4 months til my first half marathon of 2013 and I'm excited to set a new PR!

Yep...pretty much sums up 2013

The end is near

2012 is coming to a close only a few hours left.  Thought I would squeeze one last blog post about our Christmas. 

BAKEFEST 2012 with my sisters

It's just not Christmas without matching PJs. 

Yes most of us are all adults but when your mom makes you Christmas jammies you have to wear them....

Dad looking classy in his Christmas sweater

lots and lots and LOTS of snow..... the hospital has been CRAZY busy

Whiting Family dinner at Tucanos yummy!

Final run of 2012!! 

Looking forward to running a few more half marathons and Ragnar next year!

Merry Christmas.....

from The Happiest Place on Earth!!

The weekend after Thanksgiving we took a quick little trip to my most favorite place. I found super cheap flights to Long Beach (which BTW is super ghetto fab small and low key, we LOVED it and will only fly to Long Beach now) I reminded Nick that he had promised me that if we didn't have a baby by now we could go to Disneyland (yes it was a guilt trip and yes I played that card). Two of my sisters and my BFF Julie came along. It's been 20 years since I've been at Disneyland during Christmas and it was absolutely magical! 

My Prince Charming

 New Star Tours ride is EPIC! 

He's a wookie (hehe) 

it RAINED all day Fri which meant no lines 

but we were SOAKING WET

no worries though we were in the Happiest Place on Earth where you 

can buy dry soaks and starbucks hot cocoa

The Christmas Carolers were great!

Sat was dry (thank goodness!) I love this girl!

What do you do while waiting in line?

Read your book

Nick + 4 women....it was a little "sister wives" hehe

Bless his heart he was a champ the entire time

Ragnar sisters waiting in line

You do ugly faces really well....

Maybe we won't get wet on splash mountain....

Nope

We found Mickey!!

and Santa 

Grateful

So Thanksgiving has come and gone. I kinda missed the gratitude bandwagon, everyone blogging or posting on facebook about everything they're grateful for.  I will say it was sooo nice to get on facebook and see posts about gratitude rather than politics.

I had to work on Thanksgiving (boo!) it was unfortunately pretty busy, the floor was full of a lot of sick people. But this is a post about gratitude and I am grateful that both Nick and I are employed. I'm grateful that I don't just have a job but a career that I love, I love being a Nurse! I'm grateful that I get to work with some pretty awesome coworkers and Dr's. 

Thanksgiving dinner from the cafeteria.....yummo  k not really but at least it was free

I am so grateful for my stud muffin, totally amazing, patient, kind, loving husband!

I don't have a baby to gush about so I get to brag about my wonderful hubby. About a month and half ago Nick was released from Young Men Pres. and called to be the ward executive secretary. I am so grateful to have a husband who is willing to serve and is a righteous priesthood holder. Even when I'm struggling and don't want to pray, he reads our scriptures and prays every night. He is the rock in our relationship.  I will come home from work exhausted and he's picked up the house and made dinner, this happens on a regular basis- I am one lucky girl!! 

I'm grateful for our health. Nick is healthy, he beat cancer and that's something I'll always be grateful for. I'm in better shape at 30 than I was at 20! I still run every week and started doing CROSSFIT in Sept. I'll have to blog about crossfit sometime, it's crazy and whips your booty into shape! 

I ran to the top of squaw peak over Conference weekend with my sister. It was an intense uphill run but it felt amazing to reach the top! 

I'm grateful to have wonderful supportive friends and family, they're pretty awesome!

Family Pictures

It's almost been 4 years since we've had our pictures taken (professional). I love our engagement and wedding pics but  was ready for a change. It's still just the 2 of us, I was holding out hoping that it might be the 3 of us.....oh well, I'm happy we did them.  My good friend from work took our pictures and she did a AMAZING job. 
Check out her blog Kat Warner Photography

We had gorgeous fall weather that day, enjoy!

 Just being Silly. He loves me :)