Finishing projects

I am finally finishing the pinwheel quilt for my cousin's baby (who is one) and i began it immediately after hearing she was pregnant.  I did a random free motion style quilting, but not in the traditional stippling fashion.  I was less concerned because I simply quilted the top to the batting and then am attaching minky for the back.  Minky is difficult (for me anyway) to quilt.  With the dots, or lines it seems to catch and/or not move as smoothly and this can result in uneven quilting.  Also, since it is for a baby, I figured the main goal was to adhere the top, less concerned with the actual design.  

Upon surfing on Pinterest, I decided i liked the look of the rick rack peeking out at the edge, especially since I was not doing a binding.  This will still add a unique detail to the edges.

The Minky backing is so soft and cuddly for babies, and with the dots it is also cuter than just plain.  I need to launder and press since i was working on the floor and it is covered in cat hair.  Tubbs is also a huge fan of Amy Butler and Minky fabric!! :)

I hope my cousin and her daughter enjoy the quilt.  It was fun to make and now onto the next one.  I have some super fun Riley Blake fabric to work with for my aunt Kelly's baby girl, Charlee.

Happy New Year!

I hope eveyone had a wonderful Christmas and is looking forward to the New Year!  I have been having a great holiday.  The weekend before Christmas Sunny and I went to Big Sky for the second annual Tony Horton Weekend.  It was a blast.  I loved the workouts and it snowed the entire time we were up there.  If you have been following along, you know I was shocked last year to discover I loved Tony.  He has a great philosophy and is very approachable and inclusive to everyone. 

It was fun to see some of the people from last year and to plan on seeing them again next!  Tony has several "nuggets" and my favorite is "Aging is for idiots."  Having just had a birthday, this one resonates with me.

I had only done one P90X workout with Sunny before we went to this event last year, and I haven't done any since, however I think I am going to invest in P90X3.  This weekends workouts were great.  It incorporated yoga, pilates, martial arts, balance, range of motion, endurance, flexibility, strength, isometrics.  It was fantastic!  We are already looking forward to next year!

We had Christmas at our new house.  It was mellow and quite enjoyable, with Ryan (aka: Sherpa) and the in-laws.  We had brunch, opened presents and then had resties and then had a dinner and played games.  

Tubbs loves meal time... even ours!

The day after christmas is my BIRTHDAY!! :)  We went to Showdown and skied.  It was EXCELLENT!  the snow was amazing and it was sunny and warm.  Then we had a yahtzee tourney!!

Also, the new studio is really coming along.  It is quite exciting!  Hope everyone is enjoying the last few days of '13 and looking forward to '14!

what will 2014 bring?

I am trying to remain low-key on the whole schedule for 2014 races.  The past few years I have been go-go-go and I wanted to get back to the basics, heal (shin still bugs me once in a while) and have the room to try new things and get back at things that were put on the back burner during all the marathon training (Ethyl [name of my mtn bike], i hope you still love me).  I am, however, scheduled to run the Yellowstone Half Marathon in June, and I signed up for the RRCA running coach certification course in May.  I have been wanting to take this course for years but the ones near me filled very quickly. I will also be running Bloomsday again! woohoo!!

My family is supposed to come out for the Missoula half in July, and that would be GREAT! 

What is on your agenda?  Big plans? PR's? 

This year has been a whirlwind of changes with the new house, building new studio (almost done) that I wanted to take a year to slow it down and then get back at it.  

To end off 2013 I am going back to Big Sky for the Tony Horton weekend, with Sunny.  I am very excited for the getaway!  

New FuelBand!!!

I am so ecstatic to be the recipient of a new Fuelband!  The NikeFuel team sent it to me--even my fave color--electric green.  It is charging and I can't wait to get back to making "goal"!!! :)  My old fuelband died while in San Fran so it has been a while since I have worn one and I am glad to be back in the game.

Also, last night was Quilt Guild and Sunny and I are co-chairing the publicity chair for the quilt show.  We really have no idea what that even means/entails but we figured together we can do it.  At quilter's guild everyone must wear a name tag so i made one:

I wish I placed my letters better so my "e" was not overtaken by the blue spiral.  I did it on the machine freehand, and it turned out better than i was expecting.  

Back to the fuelband.  I heard it was more challenging now to reach goal?  Is that true?

A SUPER HUGE THANK YOU to the Nike Fuel Team--so happy to be a part of this family!! :)  

i think i should write a book...

Actually, I think I should write two books.  one book about fitness/wellness/etc.  I would like to call it (now please don't be offended), "Moderfuckingration".  This is one is in the works already.  The other day, however, I heard one of the most oxy-moronic (is that a word? eh, I am good at making this sh*t up apparently!) things.  There was a ton of traffic on our street, which is only two blocks long and only a few residences.  I walked outside to see what the dogs were freaking out about and a lady was parking in my drive way and she began walking across the street.  After convincing her (and yes, i had to convince her) that she couldn't park behind MY vehicle in MY driveway to go to a different house's yard sale.  I called my husband to tell him about it and he says, "oh yeah.  The ESTATE SALE AT THE DOUBLE WIDE."  if you don't find the humor/audacity in this quote, then I do not recommend you read the book, or probably either book.  I was cracking up and running for pencil and paper.  This was precious to me.  

Back to the first book:  I am a personal trainer, pilates instructor and massage therapist and I have heard some of the most asinine excuses from people.  Rubbish.  I am working on a book that is readable, doable and about making appropriate life changes.  

The second book I would like to be an entertaining book of anecdotes.  I have had some random, hilarious events in my years and several friends have mentioned that if they weren't present, they wouldn't believe me and I should be working on a book.  I live in a funky, artsy, western, financially diverse town where they have estate sales at double wides.  I can't make this up people!  And I feel as though it should be documented!!  

staying on track

So we are in full on holiday mode at our house.  We had company for the long weekend and had a fabulous thanksgiving dinner, then a festive fondue birthday party for my mother in law.  To stay on a somewhat healthy track I made sure to get in at least a few miles running and to do NTC.  

Turkey day dinner!

Colleen's bday party!

I have been trying to make the time for exercise--not trying to find it.  I have been putting it in my planner, just like I schedule my clients.  I need it during this time of year more for piece of mind, than to stave off calories.  Today it is a balmy 0 with the windchill making it feel sub 20... i will be hitting the treadmill and doing NTC.  If you have yet to download this FREE App--you must get on it!  You need minimal to no equiptment and minimal space.  For me, it is great to not have to "think" i simply do what they say and keep moving. 

What tips do you have to stay motivated through this hectic time of year?