I have a love/hate relationship with the outdoors!!

2 days ago I was happy with the weather.  It was starting to warm up, lots of activities up ahead, I was excited!    Today I am sneezing, congested, and my right eye is leaking.  Not like, "OMG MY EYE IS LEAKING!", but it is watering non stop.  Very annoying.  However I have no one else to blame but myself as I spent the majority of Saturday basically rubbing my face in Mother Natures very essence of all that is involved with allergy's.

Did you know that Dallas has it's very own mini Bellagio dancing fountain?  you read that right.  A dancing fountain!  Saturday afternoon was the 2012 City Arts Festival at Fair Park.  It's not to far from our house so we headed that direction.  After indulging in a wonderful piece of pie from the Pizza Lounge we headed into the festival.  The entrance is the main entrance to Fair Park.  Right away there is a large rectangle pond that has fountains here and there.  As we were walking a very loud booming voice that can only be described as the Fair Park Gods annouced, "Welcome!! To Fair Park, home of the blah blah fountain.  Your feature is about to start." What tha?!  Preston and I both jumped and I was pretty sure the elderly couple we just passed with one of them on the walker almost died.  Scared everyone within ear shot.  The best word to describe it literally is BOOMING.  (had I needed to use the restroom...I might had gone a little it was so startling)  We felt like we were forced to watch the presentation as we weren't going to mess with the Fair Park Gods. Glad we did, it really was cool!  We have our own little Bellagio fountain!!  Below I have posted a little clip, I really do recommend checking it out.

Impressive, right?!

We walked around and saw some great and not so great artworks from local artist.  There was one painting that was so scary Preston and I knew that if we were to take that home with us the little boy would come to life, step out the painting and murder us all.  We turned around and went the other way when we saw that display.  Nice try mister vendor...we are smarting than that.  I do kind of wish I had taken a photo of it, but I know that wouldn't have been a good idea.  You see once I took the photo the little creepy boy would have then been trapped in my phone and then come home with us, etc.  You get where I'm going...just a bad idea.  After we scurred away from scary little boy painting we  wandered into a cute little park/garden area that had Swan Boats!  I really, really wanted to  ride them but Preston said maybe next time.  I'm not going to forget he said that.  We WILL ride those swans.

You can see the swan's in the background. 

Made in Germany 1995-2012 (tour)

A year ago I found out that the band Rammstein was coming to Dallas, TX.  There was no doubt in my mind that I was going.  I don't own any of their CD's and couldn't sing a whole verse of any of their songs, but I do know who they are and I do know how rare it is that they come to US.  We bought tickets in section 108 of the American Airlines Center.  That was summer of 2011.  Last night was finally the night.  May 22nd, 2012...Rammstein was in town.

I started thinking about what I was going to wear about a week before.  I watched some videos on YouTube to get a good idea of what to expect from their concerts.  I had heard many stories of their "events" that have landed them in hot water.  Watching the videos I knew I was in for a treat.  This Garth Brooks, Christina Aguilera, NKOTB regular concert goer was going to a different kind of concert.  I ordered a cute navy women's cut shirt from their fan website that had the logo and then all members of the bands name around the outside.  I don't have a picture of me in it, but this is what it looked like.  Cute, right?!

 
We went to Hooter's for dinner and some friends that were also going to the concert met us for their pre-concert drinks.  We then walked over to the ACC...it was time.  Now there really are no words to describe what actually went on once we got inside.  I could try to explain in, but I know my words wouldn't do it justice.  I have been to many concerts in my life.  Everything from the ones I mentioned above to Dave Matthews.  Up until this night I thought my most "dark" concert was either Rehab or Smile Happy Soul.  Both had taken place at Trees in Deep Ellum.  I would like to start my collection of videos/pictures with how they entered the stage.  This alone was amazing!  Welcome....to the Rammstein Concert: Made in Germany 2012.

I was not expecting them to walk right by us!! So. Cool.

It was then time for their performance!  They do tons of pyrotechnic works and laser lights.  The whole AAC looked like it had been transformed to an old industrial warehouse.

Here is a video to show their style, comical, yet creepy....and artistic.

And to finish the report.  This is how I felt after the whole thing was over.

I know...I look FABULOUS.  Regardless of your music preference, this is a band that if you ever have a chance to go see them...go.  Amazing Show!

Thursday to Thursday

I don't feel like I have stopped since last Thursday!  So many fun events have happened.  Before I go any further I would like to let the 3 people that have been reading my blog know that my 8 week challenge is over.  I don't have the fabulous photos like I said I would.  I failed the posting of the challenge.  The last 3 weeks I was unable to work out on the said Friday...so no photos.  BUT, I did lose a couple of pounds and did loose several inches so I'm happy.  My new app from my previous blog though is still AMAZING and working great for both Preston and myself.  Go. Get it! www.myfitnesspal.com.  So what have I been up too?  Oh' Baseball Games, Birthday Parties, Airports, Wedding, more Airports, and Golf.

 I went to the Rangers game with 3 of my girlfriends.  This photo is the view from our seats and about 5 minutes before the monsoon took out the whole ballpark.

 Kacie got an Above & Beyond for this.  That's 3 drinks AND holding the stall door. 

 Here is the birthday girl Summer with her fancy mason jar wine glass.  It's hard to tell in this photo, but....Summer turned 30!

 We flew to my parents house in Bixby, OK and their front yard is so amazing!  This picture doesn't do much justice.  It is really pretty.  This is one of those photos that if you could smell the photo, you would like it!

It was then breakfast time with the whole family!  My niece and nephew are full of giggles and hugs.  I can't believe how old/big they are getting.  

I took Preston down to Cherry St. in Tulsa and we chilled for awhile on the patio and Full Moon Cafe.  That place has been around as long as I can remember. We were enjoying our sit when we noticed a little problem.  A Ben E. Keith truck hit a telephone pole!!  It was pretty cool to watch them fix the scary close call.  (no, we weren't there when it happened.  The damage was done a couple hours prior to our arrival)

Wedding Time!!  My friend Miranda was getting married which was the real reason of why we were in Oklahoma.  Above is a picture of my beautiful friend Lauren.  Below are pictures of the stunning Bride and her Husband.  The ceremony was absolutely gorgeous.  There was a waterfall in the background and a slight breeze that made her veil fly in the wind like a movie. 

It was then time to head back to Dallas.  We got in around 9am and after quickly changing clothes and a 20min nap...we were off to the golf course.  The Byron Nelson is held at the Four Seasons Hotel every year and every year we go.  Below are photos of our seats viewing the 17th hole.  (in case you were curious, that is Phil Mickelson putting in these photos)

We are obviously back at home and chilling on the sofa.  Exhausted after a week of working and entertainment.  Gotta rest up!  We have a very exciting concert coming up on Tuesday. 

If Every Day Was Like Today...

If every day was like today, dot dot dot.  

I have a new app that I really like on iPhone.  It would be hard to explain on a blog, but the end of the story is that I log everything I eat and all my exercise.  At the end of the day you hit "complete" and it says to you

If Every Day Was Like Today...

You would weigh

(like I would post the number)

In 5 Weeks*

*Your projected weight loss is an estimate based on your total net calories, blah, blah, don't sue us, blah blah. Actual results may vary.

I love it!  It gives me an instant result of what I am working for.  When I have a day that I treat myself it lets me know that if I do a cheat item every day how much it REALLY makes a difference.  Granted I did a 5k today, but if I basically walked/jogged 3 miles every day....and ate the way I did...I would lose 10lbs in 5 weeks.  Are you KIDDING me?!? That is really exciting!  But I know without a doubt that I will not walk/jog 3 miles 7 days a week.  But I think you get my point.

It's fresh. It's new. and gosh darn it I'm going to be in Vegas in June! That equals the pools, shorts, sun dresses, and pretty fun summer clothes.  So my blogging friends, if you too are looking for a new start.  Perhaps a new kick in the calorie counting, I urge you to download the app myfitnesspal.com.  

Go! and remember, If every day was like today, dot dot dot. 

My First Run and Other Things Chicken

I would like to start off this blog to let everyone know that I just grabbed the TV remote to move the curser on my laptop.  For some reason I thought it was a mouse, ugh.

I had knee surgery on January 4th and I haven't actually run since then.  I have done the elliptical and have done some lite jogs across the street when a car is about to hit me, but actually running.  Not at all.  I didn't even get cleared to do the elliptical until a month ago.  In 2 days I am suppose to be running a 5k.  ::gulp:: I whole 3.16 miles....I have to run.  So to make it seem less scary I put in my ear plugs and went to go run around my neighborhood.  I live over by Baylor Hospital so I figured if I can't make it, I have a place to go...right?

Wow was it a little more painful then I had imagined.  I hadn't even gone 2 blocks before I was thinking I wasn't ready.  There were 3 things that made me keep going:

1. In the words of my surgeon, "You can't hurt it, it's healed.  You are just really bruised and can be for almost a year."
2. I wanna wear shorts. (crosses arms and pouts)
3. Um...am I in Deep Ellum now?  I am, I have to keep running.  I don't want to walk in Deep Ellum.

I now have it elevated and iced.  Sure hope Thursday goes a little better.  Pretty sure I only ran about 1 mile before I went back home.  Speaking of home.....look what I have for dinner!

It's a whole roasted chicken! (by no attention to the missing spot...I had to taste test)  I have been wanting to try this for awhile now so I went for it.  I mixed some spices together, rubbed it on a whole chicken, and then put it in the Crock Pot before I went to work today.  When I got home the house smelled wonderful AND dinner is ready.  We won't eat for a couple of hours, but it is just fine and cozy in its little home.  This will be a repeat for sure.  The meat just falls off the bone.  Wonderful and clean.  I will now leave you with a photo of the who this blog is named after...Ashe.  Ashe turned 10 years old yesterday and looks just as young as a kitten.