Cycling Selfie

It took me four months but I FINALLY got the new bike out and went for a ride. My goal when I left the house was to ride at least two miles out and two miles back on the Loveland Bike Trail. Once I got out there and my legs warmed up, I just kept going.

Really, I was trying to find the Foxbower's new house from the trail and I kept going and going until I hit Milford, more than 3.3 miles from the car. As I headed back, I wanted to hit a round 7 miles for the day, so I passed the car and headed for the trailhead in Newtown. 

In the end, I ended up doing 7.54 miles in 47.37 minutes. Thankfully I took this screen grab. Because at this moment, Fit Bit decides to be an asshole and crash and refuse to turn off. I tried resetting my phone and closing the app. But I ended up recording the car ride back to Hyde Park. So, buy the time I got home I had cycled "15 miles" for the day. 

Lessons from the first ride:

1. Bring your inhaler, it does make it easier to breath

2. Sitting on a pew in church after riding equals NO FUN!

Cycling Selfie 

Adventures Into Lent (Part 1)

Each year those of us who grew up Catholic and still practice in some way "give up" something for Lent. I put a lot of thought into this. I really do! I want to pick something that is going to be difficult and make me think about why I am doing it each day. In year's past I have given up Starbucks, eating fast food, and Facebook.

This year I gave up Shopping.

My Amazon and Target excursions had gotten out of control. I have become too accustom to the quick trigger of the "Buy with One-Click", my door step sees an Amazon Prime Box more often than I would care to admit. Twice in a week last month I went to Target for one item and left with over a $100 in stuff I didn't really need. But I have a way of justifying it, ALWAYS. And don't get me started on the RueLaLa.

When you start taking photos of the packages on your porch -
You have a problem!

When a dress is cute and only $20, why not buy it? I needed new workout pants because the others were falling off when I did jumping jacks (it's a good problem to have), they are on sale, why not buy 3 pairs of the ones you really like?

Side note: a very lovely gentleman (I say sarcastically) followed me down several aisles and stopped me on that second Target trip while I was wearing said workout pants and I believe his exacts words were "Now that's what I'm talking about!".....Umm well, thank you kind sir, and now that purchase was totally worth it!

A week into no shopping I decided to chronicle this Adventure! My rules were pretty simple, if I didn't absolutely need it I couldn't buy it. A couple days into this I decided to add take-out and drive-thrus. My exceptions are groceries, other necessities, and the occasional dinner out.

Day 1 of 40 - Also known as Ash Wednesday - My tell tale black cross gives me away at the gym. My trainer tells me he is not a religious guy and only knows people give stuff up. I tell him what I am doing and he laughs at me. Is this a sign?

Day 4 of 40 - A trip home to Louisville- I wanted to stop by the WHY Louisville store on a trip down Bardstown Road after a visit to the Little Clinic to get T-Shirt I had seen on Facebook. Remembered my no shopping for Lent Pledge. Didn't Stop! (added Exception: when sick - eat where ever you want)

Day 7 of 40 - I discover via Instagram and @xublonde that Georgetown Cupcakes Delivers (click here). This will change the course of my existence as I know it. Almost as mush as when I discovered that Carlo's Bakery Delivered (click here). I don't need a dozen cupcakes to eat by myself, yet no one is having an event that I can purchase them for AND reasonably eat half of the cupcakes. This will have to wait until after Lent and I have a "legitimate" excuse to order them!

The remains of the Christmas Lobster Tails
and Canolis from Carlo's Bakery

Assorted Dozen from the Georgetown Cupcake Website

Day 8 of 40 - I have been saving since Christmas to buy a bike. My co-worker/bike expert says that now is the perfect time to purchase, but I'm torn - does this break my Lenten Pledge? It's shopping, but it was something I intended to buy before this 40 days started. I'm going to sit on it for now and see. I found this bike below on the internet ( I couldn't find the link again).

Hybrid Bike Smybrid Bike, I want this freaking horsey bike!

And on that note..... 

LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS

I'm struggling this winter. It's been cold. Beyond Cold. I HATE to be cold. In years past I have been anti-leggings, but after seeing Consciously Foxy rocking a pair of legging with a dress and boots, I thought this would be a suitable alternative to the tights I usually rock in the winter. Reluctantly, I bought one pair of leggings at Target and wore then to work the next day. At lunch time I went back and bought two more pairs. I was a little late to the trend and they only had two pairs left. I probably would have bought more if they had them. I LOVE LEGGINGS. they are so warm and comfy.

So, now that I was rocking leggings I became acutely aware of others wearing them and this one thing became clear quickly - LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS!

Leggings are:

1. Tights substitute 
2. Pantyhose substitute (who wears pantyhose anymore anyway)
3. Acceptable to wear to yoga if purchased at Lululemon

Please ask yourself - "If I take these off will I still be appropriately dressed?" If the Answer is "NO" - Don't leave the house!

Exceptions to this rule:

1. You are under the age of 10.
2. You are pregnant - I am very aware that pregnant women may wear whatever they want whenever they want. AND they always look beautiful! ( To be clear - I am not pregnant - just everyone around me)

At first I thought I was being teeny bit critical. This trend mostly has settled in with the teen crowd, I'm cool with that. I grew up in the 90s when we wore these things called "stirrup pants". That was until I travelled to Denver through Atlanta. I love the Atlanta airport. It's the busiest airport in America. I thought my head was going to explode. GROWN WOMEN wearing leggings as pants. not just one, but many, so many I was compelled to write a blog about it. I wish I wasn't carrying 3 bags because I would have totally taken pictures to prove my point.

I see women my age at bars wearing legging with boots and t-shirts. No ladies. We don't need to see all that. Leggings are not built to wear like that. (This also goes out to the chick at the gym who wears white legging to work out in and full make-up - who are you kidding? If you are not sweating, your not working - stop hogging the elliptical!)

To sum up this blog: LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS. LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS. LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS. LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS.

I can't say it enough.