Workout Wednesday

In Junior High School every Wednesday in gym class was known as 'Workout Wednesday'.  The gymnasium was set up with a different workout at each station with running in the center.  I hated workout Wednesday passionately!  It isn't that I didn't like the stations and I didn't even really mind the running but at that time I liked sports with friends rather than gym class without my friends.  Looking back now I almost wish that my high school required us to do Workout Wednesday each week instead of one quarter physical education and one quarter of health education.

Derek and I signed up for a relay race in August for St. Jude Runs in honor of one of my friends who is a cancer survivor.  Well... we have yet to start training and are having a hard time finding the motivation to start training at least I am.  So today I decided I was going to search for inspirational photos to help me get going and this is what I found!

I love the saying on this photo!  When I run I typically have all my hair up but some of the time it is just nice to have it all down for a fun run.  Plus I have this sports bra and it is the MOST comfortable one I have ever purchased!

Anybody who has tried plank pose knows that it is a fantastic workout!  It is one of my top 5 yoga poses.

This one is just for fun because throughout high school and after if I was bored I would just do this to entertain myself and to stretch out my legs!

The handstand!  It has been years since I was in gymnastics but I always LOVED doing handstands.  Ever since my back surgery I've been a little apprehensive of doing certain things and the handstand is one of them.  It is one of my goals to work up the strength to do this again!

This is a photo of Jamie Eason a fitness model/writer.  I believe one of her friends created this "ad" with a wonderful and inspiring saying.  She is a true to heart person and wants her fans to know that she is real.  Jamie is a breast cancer survivor and is often featured in Oxygen Magazine, she also has a Facebook page where she sometimes posts healthy recipes such as her Cinnamon Swirl Protein Bread.

After finding some inspiration I'm off to create a training plan to hang on my front door and do some yoga!

A House Isn't Clean Until...

Something I  learned from my mom growing up (by just watching) is that a house is never fully clean until there are fresh cut flowers on the kitchen counter or dinner table.  Now my mom has a great green thumb so she is able to go out to her garden and cut fresh tulips, peonies, lilacs, and irises which I miss greatly.  Since Derek and I moved in with each other this is something that I have found very comforting and calming.  Unfortunately, I don't have a garden to get my fresh cut flowersso I get semi-fresh cut flowers from Wal*Mart or Sam's Club.  I have found that for the price they generally last a week to two weeks with changing the water regularly and adding the flower food.  The pictures below are just some of the beautiful flowers that have adorned my kitchen counters (and my moms)!

I just bought these today to complete our clean house! (Half price too!)

Derek picked this beautiful peony from his neighbors garden for me.

Birthday flowers!

I gave Derek a hard time for never buying me flowers and  he then had some delivered with a card, "Missy, You deserve flowers!  I love you!!! Derek".

I loved these birthday flowers from Derek's Dad and Barbara!

Halloween flowers at our old place.

Valentine's Day flowers anticipating Derek's return to Illinois from Oklahoma!