Whatever Wednesday.....Weird???

A crazy thing happened at the White House a week ago.

A little background for you:  This story involves my neighbors.  They are new to the neighborhood, I have only visited with them a few times and exchanged phone numbers.  The neighbor's family consist of Mom (Judy), Dad (Gary), and 18 year old daughter, (Katie).   Mind you, this is a "Hi, how are ya" situation, not a come over and eat dinner and hang out for hours, situation.  But, you never know if you are going to need a neighbor, right?  Well, they took the neighborly love a little too far.  (These are made up names).   

It was Saturday night and I was asleep.  I'm not the most chipper of people when I am awakened in the middle of the night.  My cell phone rings at 2am.  After looking at my phone and not recognizing the number, I thought, oh, someone has the wrong number.  Wrong.  They call right back, and I am thinking, WTH?!?!.....Leave me alone, it's 2am and you have awakened a sleeping bear, bad move, ha!  Then, I hear something outside.  There is banging on the front door of the White House.   

At this point, I have sprung out of bed, heart pounding, cell phone in hand, charging at the front door peep hole to see who in the hell is banging on the door.  Cell phone rings again, mystery number calling AGAIN.  It's the neighbor's daughter.  Finally, I answer the phone.  (I didn't recognize the number because I had only exchanged numbers with Judy, not Katie.)

Me:  "Hello?!?!"
Katie:  "(hysterically) Angie, are you home!?!?"
Me:  "Who is this??"
Katie:  "(yelling) This is Katie, the neighbor"
Me:  "What is going on?"
Katie:  "My mom got hurt and she has to go to emergency!  Can I please come to your house?!"
Me:  "Is your mom ok?  What happened to her?  How is she hurt?"
Katie:  "She hurt some ligaments in her leg.....we have called 911, can I please come to your house?"

Stop there.........

Ok, Katie is 18 years old....and yes, she just kept saying "she has to go to emergency!", not emergency room, just emergency.  Judy hurt her leg.  I'm not an insensitive person to someone who is hurt.  But, I hardly know these people, and this is not a life threatening situation like a heart attack or a stroke, and it's 2am.

The saga continues.....

After a few minutes of questions and answers between me and Katie on the phone, about her mother, she has stopped banging on my door, and gone back to her house.  There was no way in hell I was going to open the door, I don't care who it is.  If it's not my parents or best friend at 2am beating the door down, then sorry.  She tells me to hang on and hands the phone to her mother. 

Judy:  "Hi Angie"
Me:  "Judy, are you ok?"
Judy:  "Yes, I'm ok, we're waiting on the ambulance.  This pain in my leg is unbearable, I almost passed out  a minute ago....."
Me:  "I'm so sorry you are hurt, but why did Katie come banging on my door?"
Judy:  "She doesn't want to stay at home alone while we are at the hospital"
Judy:  "Can Katie come and sleep on your couch for a little while?"
Me:  "Why isn't she going to the hospital with you?"
Judy:  "She has been sick, is just now feeling good and isn't allowed to go to the hospital"

Stop again. 

WHAT THE .....?!?!  Are these people delusional?  She's not "allowed" to go to the hospital??  First of all, Katie is 18 years old, not 18 months, 18 YEARS.  Second of all, I've met Katie once, for five minutes and now she wants to sleep on my couch.....wow.  Thirdly,  if my Mom was hurt, I would be at the hospital with her.  Fourth, these people are really starting to piss me off......

Also, if she has been sick, why on earth would I want her on my couch spreading her germs at my house??  Why didn't Gary just scoop her up, throw her in the car and take her to the emergency room??  Why can't their 18 year old daughter go with them to the hospital?  Why isn't she mature enough to stay at home by herself?

The conclusion of the saga.......

Finally, after tons of questions about this whole situation and not too many straight forward answers, Katie has decided she will stay at home alone.  It felt like a surreal situation, why was I involved because she hurt her foot/leg??  And, after asking repeatedly, I still have no clue how Judy really hurt her leg.  She just kept telling me that she hurt it and there were some torn ligaments.  She's not a doctor, how does she know this?.....whatever.

After hanging up with Judy, and watching Gary, out the window, pacing in the driveway, I was not a happy camper.  I tried to lay back down, but it was pointless.  So, I got up and watched out the window, and finally, EMSA arrived.  I decided to lay back down and after watching a little TV, I finally went back to sleep.

Now, to be clear, I am not a bad neighbor.  I would do anything for anyone within reason.  This, in my opinion, was not a reasonable situation, and I should not have been involved.  When your 18 year old, legal adult, offspring goes screaming and banging on the neighbors doors in the middle of the night for a leg injury, I think there might be a problem, call me crazy.  Maybe I am crazy.....I have lived by myself for too long to trust anyone beating at my door, good excuse or not, in the middle of the night.  Lord only knows, there could have been some creeper nearby and had I opened the door, charged in and hurt me and Katie. 

So much about this situation still baffles me......  

 Until next time, peace out!

Weekend Wrap-Up

How is it that Monday comes around so quickly?!?!

This weekend was pretty low key, but I thought I'd recap the exciting happenings from the White House. 

Workouts
Thursday - I tried out the new boot camp I posted about earlier.  That night's workout was all tabata.  Tabata is 20 seconds on, as fast as you can, 10 seconds off, for EIGHT rounds, then switch exercises.  I've done some tabata when I trained with Janae but we never did eight rounds of anything.  I was fine with all of the stations except the push ups.  My chest was jello after that little tabata-o-rama-chest-murderer-workout.  It was hard, but it was good.

Friday - Rest day.

This just cracks me up.......

Saturday - Interval runs on the river.  I went a little different route than normal.  Riverside runs north/south and the wind was wailing out of the south, so I decided to go an east/west route.  This means I went up the Creek turnpike trail.  A LOT of that is uphill.  I'm not a huge fan of uphill but it definitely changes things up and is WAY more challenging.  It was perfect since it was so windy.

Sunday - Weights at the gym.  I did biceps, triceps, step ups on the bench with weights, dead lifts, back extensions and core.  I have been warming up with rowing and am loving it.  It's a total body workout, everything is working and it will raise your heart rate in no time.  Janae challenged me to finish a one mile row in 6 minutes, 31 seconds.  That's the fastest she has ever had anyone (a client) finish.  I'm not there yet.  I finished on Sunday in 6 minutes 41 seconds.  Oh you better believe, my eye is on the prize and I will beat that time!  Stay tuned!

Golf Tournament
This weekend was the Waggles for Wyatt Golf Tournament.  I posted about it previously here.  The turnout for the tournament was amazing.  There were so many friends and family of the Griffith's that came out to show their support.  I volunteered at the barbecue dinner that followed the tournament.  I got to meet little Wyatt.  He is precious.  I am happy to report that he is doing well and was able to stay for the entire dinner and live auction.  He is a little fighter with a long road ahead of him, but he is off to an amazing start.  I didn't want to get all up in his face and start flashing my camera at him, so I didn't get any pictures of him. 

I was excited to present Wyatt's mother with the canvas I painted for him.  I don't know why I painted it, I don't know Wyatt or his family very well, I just wanted to do something small for him.  If nothing else, maybe he will see the bright colors in the canvas and it will make him smile.  She was very appreciative and LOVED it.  Also, his room is baseball theme, so this will fit in perfectly!

And, as a bonus, I got to see my long lost "brother" at the tournament as well.  This is Kenny.  He is totally like my brother.  His mother/family raised me since I was born.  His mother was my "babysitter/daycare" since my Mom worked.  They still remain my "other" family and treat me as such.  I've literally known him since the day I was born! 

1 

I hope everyone else had a great weekend!

Until next time, peace out! 

Workout Update

As I posted last week, I had my last training session with Janae (~sniff~) on Friday (6/17).  It was a lot of hard work and I would LOVE to continue, but I am in need of a sugar daddy or a magic money tree to loan me some jack so I can.  Training at my gym is expensive! 

Anyway, I feel like I have been a slacker.  This week turned out different than planned.  I am a planner....I work out certain days, certain types of workout (cardio or weights) and if those don't happen, then it messes me up!  I ran last Sunday, interval runs, which was normal.  I ran a little further than normal because I had a function to attend on Monday night and wouldn't workout.  Tuesday was supposed to be spin and weights.  But I got the opportunity to go to the Shock game, court side, and was like, oh hell yeah, I'm there.

I know life gets in the way, but I hate feeling like a slacker too.  It's no big deal really, I want to keep focused and improve on the progress I made while personal training.

And, on another important note, when my evenings get out of whack, so do my TV shows.  It's all on DVR, but I haven't even had time to flip through all I've missed this week!   Then, you have to put a blind eye when you open up the internet and see who was kicked off the Bachelorette or The Voice..... Because that stuff is published the nano second after it is announced! 

Last night, I thoroughly enjoyed Lori, my Piyo teacher, kicking my butt in her class.  I was going to throw in some treadmill interval runs after class, but I was dripping sweat from Piyo and was just spent.  Tonight, I am trying a one hour boot camp class with a co-worker.  The trainer that runs it teaches spin at my gym, but she also has small group training at her home for a very reasonable price.  So, this won't break the bank for the short term.       

Does anybody else feel like this when you miss workouts or your plans get all screwed up?

Until next time, peace out!

Whatever Wednesday......Shock!!!!

I had one of the best nights ever on the planet last night! 

The president of my company gave up his COURT SIDE seats at the Tulsa Shock game yesterday and I was the lucky recipient! 

If you don't know what court side seats are, it means court side, ON THE COURT.  As in breathing distance of the players.  I could have reached out and touched Sheryl Swoopes, I was that close to her.  (Insert harps playing, angels singing, here.)

This was from my seat.....look how close I am to Sheryl. 

She couldn't hang out and chat just then, she was a little busy. 

I'm sure she and I will catch up on things later, ha!  

Honestly, I could hardly focus at work after I found out I had scored the tickets.  Then I found out they were court side!!!!!!  I was beyond excited....beyond.....I can't explain to you how pumped I was.  I still am today, right now, and I want to go back, right now, ha!

The Shock just signed a center from Australia named Elizabeth Cambage.  She is tall.  Very, very tall.  She is 6' 8".   Here's a picture of her in real life......

Me and Liz kickin' it.  This is her life size cutout on display at the BOK Center.  I told you, she is tall.
I am almost 5' 10", so I'm not a shorty, but I am definately a shorty next to Liz.....

Volt, the mascot.  He is hilarious....this dude has to be amped up on all kinds of Red Bull or Rockstar.  I mean, he surpasses the average mascot.  He is all over the place.  Climbing on the scorers tables, up the seats, doing back flips and cartwheels, he really puts on a good show. 

The coaches are legends.  Nolan Richardson and Teresa Edwards.....are you kidding me?  I was in the presence of basketball greatness last night.

To say that I enjoyed myself (court side) would be a gross understatement.  I had the time of my life soaking up all that basketball goodness!!!   I CANNOT wait to go back!!!! 

Happy Wednesday Peeps!

Until next time, peace out!

Adorable Blog!

My sweet, new blog friend, Laura Belle, has passed the nomination of Adorable Blog to me!  I am so thankful!  I don't think I've ever been "nominated" for anything in my life, ever!  I've enjoyed so much learning about her, and she is an amazingly talented photographer and graphic artist! 

10 Things about ME......Then...pass it on...

1)  I am an animal lover.  I have two cats and would have tons more (and dogs) if I had a larger home and could house them.  There are lots of animals out there that need good homes.

2)  I heart basketball.  It is the best sport created on the earth, E.V.E.R.  I have played since I can remember.  Although I don't play any longer, because of my back injury, I still LOVE the game.  NCAA March Madness is the best time of the year next to Christmas and my birthday.  In college, I got to play in Allen Fieldhouse at University of Kansas.  This is where the game started and it's founders left their mark on that fieldhouse.  It will forever be a cherished memory.  Also, I have met Coach John Wooden, one of the winning-est coaches in basketball history. 

3)   I am an artsy, creative, type of person.  Painting is like therapy to me.  It's relaxing and it allows me to get all of my ideas out onto a canvas.  Also, I've always like just making "stuff".  From cross stitch, to plastic canvas, to wreath's, bottle caps, wine corks, if you can create with it, I will find a way to do it! 

4)  My degree is in Health & Exercise Science.  My job is natural gas accounting.  Weird, much?  I originally thought I wanted to be a physical therapist.  But obviously, that changed and I was very interested in the physiology aspect of exercise.  As a senior in college and a few years after, I worked as a exercise specialist in a medically based (associated with a hospital) workout facility.  Then I went on to a cardiology clinic, and other areas of the medical field after that.  Then I had the opportunity to go into energy and just went for it!  I have enjoyed my current job for over eight years now and have become very good at it (I think, hehe)!  ;) 

5)  I am good at a lot of things, but cooking is not one of them.   It's just not something that's like a hobby....and I don't enjoy it like most people do.  I'm not totally stupid, I do get by with pretty basic recipes.  But, if it involves tons of technical cooking jargon and mega ingredients, it makes me nervous!  The cooking gene did not take root in this girl.  

6)   I am an accessory-a-holic.  My collection of costume jewelry, hats and purses is ridiculous.  When I say ridiculous, that's putting it mildly.  I would rather leave the house without make up than without some earrings or a necklace.  It's just one of those weirdo things I have going on.  I guess it beats the alternative, like I'm not addicted to drugs or alcohol, ha!   

7)  I have shrunk two inches.  I hurt my back, initially, when I was 16/a junior in high school.  I had a stress fracture in my lumbar spine.  I did rehab to help it and the fracture healed.  But, being the athlete that I am, I kept playing (of course) through college.  I managed to get another stress fracture my junior year in college while playing at ORU.  By the time I was a senior, the damage and pain had gotten much worse.  I had a bulging disc and sciatica.  O.U.C.H.  An MRI showed I had degenerative disc disease and my spine was pretty much bone on bone (lumbar).  Double O.U.C.H.  So, that's where my two inches went.  :(  I used to be 5'11 1/2", now I'm only 5' 9 1/2".  

8)  I was born and raised in Oklahoma.  Went to college in Oklahoma.  I'm not leaving Oklahoma, ha!  I'm Sooner born and Sooner bred, when I die I'll be Sooner dead!  Boomer Sooner!  :)  

9)  I am a snoozer.  Big time.  I have to hit the snooze several times before I actually get out of bed.  My alarm is set to allow for snooze time.  I know, I know, I know, I could sleep however much longer when I am hitting the snooze, but I don't care.  That's how we roll at the White House.  :)        

10)  I am a note taker.  If it doesn't get written down, it doesn't happen.  There are note pads galore on my work desk and at home.  It's gotten a little better since I discovered a new app on my iphone.  It's called Awesome Note or A-Note.  You can make different lists, color code them, and on and on.  When I have a thought for say a blog topic or for the grocery list, I get my phone and add it to my A-Note.  This app is probably helping me save a few trees, hehe.  

Now I am passing this cute award to:

My Sista, Jill @ Team Goolsby

Sarah @ Life Sweet Life

Laura @ Live.Laugh.Photograph

Have a good day peeps!  See ya tomorrow for Whatever Wednesday!

Until next time, peace out!

W-O-R-K-O-U-T

I survived Wednesday's workout with Janae.  I'm sure I am sounding like a broken record here, it was tough, but good.  There was a lot of weights and sweat, end of story, ha!  I have loved someone pushing me and I can tell that I have indeed gotten stronger.....and getting to know Janae has been fun too!  

I did my favorite class on the planet last night for the first time in a few weeks since starting training.  It is Piyo.....it is a mix of pilates and yoga.  It is very strength based and builds lean muscle using your own body weight.  I HEART Piyo.  I am sore today but not bad......not even so much soreness as just physically tired from adding another "strength" workout into my week.  AND, I'm training for the last time today with Janae, ~tear~.  I might not be able to move tomorrow, hehe.

Next week, I will start workouts again on my own......weight workouts, anyway.  I might be mixing it up though......A girl at work does a bootcamp class at a trainer's home.  She says she has the total set up in her garage and her bootcamp workouts are ~so~ good and hard.  The classes are a small group/personal training type atmosphere, from what I understand.  It's not that far away from me, just a few miles past my gym, so I am planning on going to try it out next Thursday with my work pal.  The classes are only $10 each, so throwing one in for awhile won't break the bank like personal training will at the gym!  Um, I will take the $10 per class versus the $62 per class any day. 

Have a good weekend peeps!  :-)

Until next time, peace out!

Cinco De Mayo

Ok, I know, Cinco de Mayo was over a month ago......so sue me for being so late! :)

A little background.....my friends threw a Stella & Dot party at Elote Cafe a few weeks before Cinco de Mayo.  I told my Mom about this party and where it was located.  She said, "Oh, I read in the paper, that's where they have Mexican wrestling and a wrestling ring in the restaurant."  I thought my sweet mother had lost it.....I was like, HUH?!?!  Mexican wrestling and a ring IN the restaurant??  I thought she had a fever, but it turns out she didn't.  She was absolutely right......just to the left when you walk in there's a big ol' wrestling ring. 

Elote goes all out for Cinco....they block off the streets and have a big ol' block party.  The ring is moved out to the street and let the title fights of the Luchadores begin! 

One word....HYSTERICAL. 

All of the "wrestlers" had hilarious outfits and even more outlandish "stage" names.

This is "Pain Fonda" in the zebra leotard.

Everybody gets in the spirit of the Luchadore! 

Here's "Dr. Tetanus" and "Phoenix Blanco" dukin' it out....

Me and my friends had dinner inside Elote.  I guess you could say Elote is a "green" restaurant.

They support local farmers and vendors.  They recycle and compost.  They use all natural ingredients.  Seriously, their food is so good without all of that processed, extra grease junk in it. 

 It makes a huge difference using the freshest food.  

A HUGE Luchadore hanging from the ceiling....I'm sure he's saying, hola chicas!

These are the Fresh Fruit Pico Bites......"Crisp flour tortilla, topped with a sweet jalapeño mousse and fresh seasonal fruit pico de gallo".

At first we all looked at these like, huh, what the heck is that? 

But holy mother of jalapeno's and fresh fruit, they are beyond delicious! 

I mean freakin' awesome. 

Again, you will thank me for this tip.....you're welcome. 

So, get to Elote and enjoy some very fresh, delicious food.....and plan on next Cinco de Mayo watching the Luchadores!!!  :)

Until next time, peace out!

Whatever Wednesday....

Happy Hump Day peeps!  This is all over the place.....

Workout update:  I haven't worked out with Janae since last Thursday, but am working out with her tonight.  I only have one more session with her after today, ~sniff~.  Seriously, I really have enjoyed someone pushing me and showing me new things for my workout. 

Sunday=cardio, I did interval runs on the river.  Three miles, walk a minute, run a minute, etc.

Monday=more cardio....speed intervals on, what I call the gauntlet, or as they call it now the Stairmaster.  You  know, the rotating stairs, evil, pain filled, exercise machine.   A Stairmaster, to me, will always be the machine where you stand on the pedals and your feet just go up and down.....that's a Stairmaster.  Why the gauntlet isn't called the gauntlet any more, I have no idea.  And I finished off Monday's cardio with 20 minutes of interval runs on the treadmill.

Tuesday=rest day.

I'm seriously addicted to quinoa.  I eat it for breakfast every morning.  And sometimes with my lunch and dinner too, depending on what I'm having.  I'll add yogurt to it in the AM, sprinkle it in my steamed veggies, on my salad, in my burrito, etc.  I heart quinoa.  You should too.  :)

My other newest food addiction is Greek yogurt. 

It has such great nutritional value....I mean look at the protein for an 8 oz serving!  That rocks! 

 

I am weirdo though and rarely eat it by itself.  I love to take the plain yogurt and add seasoning to it.  I usually buy the one pound tub of it so I can mix it up in smaller bowls how I want it.  I'll take a little and add some brown sugar and cinnamon and add to my quinoa or eat with an oat bran muffin.  But, my FAVORITE is to take about half of the pound jug, put in a separate bowl and add a half a packet of Hidden Valley Spicy Ranch mix to it.  I add it to my quinoa in the morning, yes, ranch seasoning in your breakfast is delish, trust me.  Also, I use it as a dip with multi grain Tostito scoop chips, and add it to my black bean burrito.

I guess I use the Greek yogurt now as a substitute for what I would have probably used sour cream for in the past.  I'm sure you can make other dip mixes with it as well.  So, go for it!  You're welcome. :)     

Seriously, what has our country come to when this is the headline on a major news website :

Boehner Calls for Weiner Resignation. 

Come on politicians, calm down, do your job, and keep it in your pants!  The American public doesn't elect you to take pictures of your private parts and send them to sleazy women, to have affairs, or to father children out of wedlock.  Please stop it, you're embarrassing yourself and the American people!  I'll stop now.  :)     


Some friends of friends lost their home in the Joplin tornado/storms, which is horrible and must be devastating.  I can't even begin to imagine what they've gone through since the storms.  But the couple and their two small kiddo's have a roof over their heads right now thanks to one of their parents.  The super happy part of this is, they went back one more time to where their home used to be, to look for some more belongings.  They found their cat, 16 days after the storm, alive in the rubble!  I just think that is awesome.  You can read the story from the Joplin Globe here.

Have a good one everybody!!!!!

Until next time, peace out!

Girl Power, Bloody Mary's, & Monkeys

As I posted recently, I have figured out that I heart Bloody Mary's. 

I believe this could be the reason why.  Recently, the gals and I from work had an outing at The Blue Rose.   We needed some "team building" away from the office, hehe.

The Blue Rose has some super deliciously scrumptious BM's!   

Kimmy and Dana heart the BM's too....

Cindy, Kim, & Carrie

Me & the Sisters.....Sallie & Jessica

Jess, Rhonda & Patricia

Kim, Cindy, Carrie, and me

If you are anywhere near The Blue Rose, you should go try a Bloody Mary.  You will thank me for it.  :)

Next, I found a BM to die for up at the lake over Memorial Day weekend. 

I think it was called the Road Hog Saloon....doesn't that look yummy??????  It was, I promise.

Also, on our quick trip to the lake on Memorial Day weekend, I found some monkeys! 

I have grown to heart monkeys, especially the Paul Frank monkey, Julius. 

But remember Monkeys in a Barrel as a kiddo??

Tera Miranda's restaurant/bar had monkeys on all the tables :)

This Miller gal, said "Cheers Y'all!"

 

Until next time, peace out!