26 Weeks

Wow look at that belly!  I cannot believe it has been this long since I blogged, but life has been busy.  So much has happened in the last six weeks.  I finished my degree and will soon be applying to the masters program.  And we closed on our house and moved in just two weeks.  Luckily my wonderful husband did all the moving and heavy lifting.  Morgan spent days taking trips to and from the apartment without a single complaint.  I love him so much!  Not only that, but he installed a security system to keep us safe and sound.  We also had lots of help from family and friends, which was truly a blessing.

So what's new with the baby?  Well need less to say...I have grown.  At my last appointment I had barely gained three pounds in a month, but I know will definitely gain at least four this month.  Although I have not been eating a lot more, it seems like every calorie goals straight to growing Liam.  Exercise wise, I have been working out almost daily.  Usually I do Zumba, walk, elliptical, or do spin class.  I am still doing moderate lifting in the gym, plus the occasional swim.  Here is my picture from 23 weeks and now at 26 weeks.  My belly button is going to pop any day now!  Also got some stretch marks...boo....

Morgan sent me flowers at work! I felt so loved and special.  They were beautiful.  Mom also sent me flowers so my house is looking much more colorful.  Thank you! 

Movement:
I have noticed Liam is moving more and more now.  Although they tell you to only sleep on your side, I think he gets uncomfortable because he starts squirming immediately after I turn over.  Also, he really likes to kick me at work, especially in the bladder...As far as my movement, I am getting slower when it comes to getting up and down.  Sometimes Morgan has to push me up off the couch. However, I can still shake it in Zumba class!  
Cravings:
Well I have a confession, the other night Morgan and I split a vanilla milk shake and a donut for dinner.  But I promise most days are not like that!  We eat very healthy and I always include 1-2 servings of fruit and 2-3 servings of veggies daily.  Sometimes I honestly don't have an appetite because my stomach has pressure on it.
Sleep: 
Sleep is often non existent.  I have a hard time getting comfortable and an even harder time waking up in the morning once I do fall asleep.  If anyone has suggestions, send them my way!  I am already using a body pillow.  
Weekly Highlight:

Morgan got to see our adorable nephew, Blake.  I have not seen him since he was a tiny baby so I hope to get to see him again soon.  Two very handsome men in this picture!
Our upcoming events/goals:

• Finish unpacking the house
• Paint the baby's room
• Conquer Babies 'R' Us
• Sign up for birthing class
• Morgan is training for an Ironman in October
• Work on some Pinterest crafts
• I have to take the diabetic screening next week...gotta drink the nasty sweet drink :(

   That's all for now!  Thanks for reading

20.5 weeks! Sorry this has taken so long

I have been a bad blogger lately and have not posted in a while.  I started a new position with the school system that I am loving!  It keeps me very busy!  Morgan has also been training hard for his triathlon.  We have been taking salsa lessons and I have been doing a lot of kickboxing and zumba.  I never thought I would say this, but some days zumba kicks my butt!

BIG NEWS!  Baby William Morgan House III a.k.a Liam will be coming June 15th!  We were very eager to find out if it was a boy or girl.  Last week we decided to do a gender reveal party with our family.  We had the doctor seal the sex of the baby in an envelope and we took it to a bakery.  Secretly they injected the cupcakes with the color that matched the sex of the baby.  Trueloves bakery did a fantastic job!  We could not tell that the icing was blue on the inside.  We all gathered at none other than Mellow Mushroom of course for the big reveal.  As Morgan and I sat surrounded by our loved ones we bit into the delicious cupcakes and saw a blue surprise!  We could not be happier to be having a son.  (Actually he is kicking right now as I type!)

Shout out to my hubby!  Today I have to brag on Morgan who was sweet enough to clean the entire house.  It looks better than they day we moved in!  If you have ever been to our "house" you know it is not a house at all, but a tiny one bedroom apartment.  However, we are closing on our new house on February 14th.

Things I will not miss about living in an apartment:
Smelling last night's dinner for three days straight because the scents get absorbed in the old carpet
Hearing our neighbors conversations at odd hours of the night
Trying to squeeze two full wardrobes into the equivalent of a broom closet
The toilet that always runs and likes to explode at random times

That said, I know that this was a great time for me and Morgan, as we spent our first year of marriage here.  But I am counting down the hours until we move into the new house.

Bump-date:

How far along: 20.5

How are you feeling: Pretty great! I exercise daily and can still do 8 pull ups :)

Stretch marks?:  Not yet!

Weight gain: Normal, on schedule according to doctor

Baby movement: He is very active after I eat and at night, hope that is not an indication of how he will sleep when he is born

Cravings: Not too many, been eating pretty good lately

Mood: Very happy, not too emotional.  Morgan and I are doing great!  Enjoying our new Sunday school class

Looking forward to: birthing classes, shopping for boy stuff, and going swimming in the summer with my belly

Excited about: the fact that my body is not retaining so much fluid.  Check out my pictures from around Christmas time, my face was pretty puffy.  

Thanks for reading! 

- Love Morgan, Emily, and baby Liam!

Week 17.5

It has been too long since I last blogged.  Today I felt the baby move for the first time!  I hope that Morgan can feel him/her in the next few weeks.  Usually you can feel the baby by 21 weeks.  We had a great Christmas and New Year!  I tried to stay as far away from the Christmas cookies as possible, although I did sneak a few.  My sweet tooth has been surprisingly tame but that is partly due to the fact that I have had strep throat for about two weeks.

We have good news...WE FIND OUT THE SEX IN 15 DAYS!  We are so excited and anxious to find out what we are having.  

Baby Mama Staying Fit

I am trying to stay in shape while doing baby-safe exercises.  Group fitness classes have been a great way to keep exercise exciting and keep me from going crazy.

Weekly Highlights

• I got a job promotion
• Morgan brought me flowers!
• I got to attend my first Scouting Camporee 
• We had delicious venison chili for dinner

Bump Update

• Week: 17.5
• Movement: YES!  I felt the baby move for the first time
• Symptoms: Fatigue and back pain
• Cravings: Thai food and fizzy drinks
• Sleep: It has been okay...although I have been having strange dreams
• Baby Brain: This is a real thing.  I cannot seem to remember anything these days.  I seriously need to write things on my forehead to remember them.

Daddy's Corner

I never thought I could be this excited about something! Emily and I are expecting the baby mid June and I can't wait. I am the luckiest guy in the world to be married to such an amazing girl. Emily is going to be the best mom in the world and I can't wait to experience parenthood with her. We have been thinking of names and we have come up with a boy's name but not any girls names so that leads us to believe we will probably have a girl! As cliche as it sounds, we are going to be happy as long as the baby is healthy. I've heard from so many people that having a baby changes your life in countless ways - but they are all for the better. I can't help but think to when Emily and I first started dating and then 8 months later we were engaged and then 16 months later we got married and now here we are - married for a year and now we are 17 weeks pregnant! Time is flying by and I know the baby will be here in no time. I can't wait to see his/her face this summer and show him him/her how much I love him/her. He/she is going to be the love of our lives - we are so excited to have our own little family.

Say Cheese! Its Week 15

Mamma and Baby Make Cheese

 My Dad and Karen got us a cheese making kit for Christmas.  You can make a pound of mozzarella or ricotta from a gallon of milk.  I love this because I can control what goes in my body using lower fat cheese and organic milk.  Baby has me craving cheese all the time!  Tonight I am going to make some bruschetta to go with our cheese.  So here it how you make an easy cheesy treat!

1. First take one gallon of pasteurized milk and add 1/4c dissolved rennet and 1/4c citric acid.  
2. Place the pot on the burner and bring it up to 90 degrees stirring constantly.  
3. After it reaches 90 take it off the burner and cover for 5 minutes.  This is when the whey and curd form.  
4. As you can see in the picture below, you then can cut the curds into blocks.

5.  Place the pot with the cubed curds back on the burner and bring up to 120 degrees stirring gently.

Next comes the fun part!

6.  Here I placed the curds in a microwave safe bowl and strained off as much whey as possible.  

 7.  Microwave the bowl for 1 minute and strain off more whey.  Then press the curds together into a ball.

8.  Next stretch the cheese into long strands until it looks shiny!

9.  Form the cheese into whatever shape you would like.  I chose to do a twist, but next time I will do a braid.  

 10.  Place it in an ice bath for 15 minutes to hold the shape.

Finished product!  Yummy!   Enjoy mozzarella in dishes like lasagna or serve with fresh tomatoes and basil.

Baby Update

How Far Along: 15 weeks, 3 days
Baby's Size: Apple
How am I Feeling: I have been sick for about a week with a sinus cold.  I finally broke down and decided to take approved medicine because I am not getting better.  Morgan has been taking great care of me.
Things I Miss: Wearing my skinny jeans buttoned (right now I have to wear them unbuttoned with an elastic band).  I am going to go get maternity pants before work starts back.
Next Appointment: January 2nd

14.5 Weeks

 Belly Talk

I call this picture "pregnant with a big dinner".  Mom just fed us some lentil soup at her house and I was stuffed before I took this picture.  Needless to say the baby is growing fast!  Already the size of a lemon and soon it will be the size of an apple.  We are at 14.5 weeks...didn't have the time or motivation to blog on Monday but better late than never.  

Morgan and I have been sick for the past few days and I have had a hard time getting to the gym.  Finally got there today for some jogging.  We have been busy buying Christmas gifts and it seems like every store I go in to I want to buy baby things instead of the things I go in there for.  I have noticed a bit of "mommy brain" lately, meaning I forget everything.  My office is covered in sticky notes because I cannot seem to remember a single thing.  

Proud Daddy! - At least one of us will still have their six pack after all of this  :)

Yummy Things

This week we went to Whole Foods and learned how to make homemade marshmallows.  They were delicious and so easy!  The recipe will follow soon.  We make hot chocolate with almond milk and let our giant marshmallows melt on top of them.  I would blame the baby for my sweet tooth, but I have always had it...

Coming Soon

We put an offer on a house!  Hopefully we will have good news in the next few weeks.  If not, then we will continue our search.  We are quickly outgrowing our apartment.

How far along? 14 Weeks, 3 Days
Maternity clothes? I am going to buy them after Christmas.  I am mostly just in need of pants and bras right now

Stretch marks? No
Symptoms: Bloating and sore muscles
Sleep: Great as long as I have my hubby and my body pillow
Best moment this week:  Whole Foods cooking class with my family
Miss Anything?  My abs...
Movement: Hopefully in the next month!
Food cravings: Say Cheese!
Anything making you queasy or sick: I felt sick today when I drove past a chicken truck, but those are just nasty
Have you started to show yet: I think my short waist is making me show kinda early, what do you think?
Belly Button in or out? In
Mood: Mood swings right now, just ask Morgan, he is a champ for putting up with me!
Looking forward to: Starting to look like I am pregnant

13 Weeks

Oh boy my body has changed!  You can see from these two pictures, having a baby will totally change an athlete's body.  Well at least it changed mine!  We are now 13 weeks along and could not be happier!  Although most of my pants no longer fit....I have found the B Band from Target to be very helpful when you have to wear your pants unbuttoned.  I have luckily not been sick (knock on wood), but I have been exhausted.  Finally last week I got some energy back and have been able to workout at least four times a week. Having a baby is already changing our lives and we are currently looking for a new home.  We will keep you posted on that one, but our one bedroom apartment is so small that I had to search for 10 minutes to find a blank wall to take the photo.  My body is hiding the light switch in the picture...

As you can see, I am in an awkward stage of showing, where I look like I had a really big lunch and not like I am pregnant.  Though I am sure it will come soon enough!  I am just trying to enjoy every minute of it.  I could not do it without Morgan and his amazing foot rubs :)

How far along? 13 Weeks, 0 Days
Maternity clothes? Not yet, I don’t know how much longer I can hang on.  I’m having to go with my pants unbuttoned most of the time.
Stretch marks? No
Symptoms: Fatigue, bloating, and constant thirst
Sleep: Great as long as I have my hubby and my body pillow
Best moment this week:  entering the second trimester! and hopefully getting in a workout tomorrow
Miss Anything?  Wine and cheese
Movement: Not yet
Food cravings: No cravings this week.  Last week I really wanted Thai food, which is still lingering.  My craving for sweets has started to diminish.
Anything making you queasy or sick: The smell of hotdogs...ew...
Have you started to show yet: I have a short waist, so I am showing a little
Gender: We will find out in 7 weeks!
Labor Signs: No, just a little stretching and cramping occasionally...Dr. says this is normal
Belly Button in or out? In
Mood: Ecstatic 
Looking forward to: Gaining more energy! and starting to really look pregnant and not just like I ate a huge lunch

Easy Pumpkin Soup

Got These?

Then let's 

make soup!

     

Last night I came home to some yummy sauteed free range chicken breast cooked by my adorable husband!  I thought we could use a side dish so I searched the cabinets for soup ingredients.  I came up with an easy recipe for pumpkin soup using only four main ingredients! (I did not count the spices as ingredients because it is still delicious with pumpkin flavor alone)

 Easy Pumpkin Soup

1 can 100% pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 can lite coconut milk

1/2 yellow onion chopped

1-2 cups unsalted broth (chicken or veggie)

*Note: you can add more or less broth depending on how "soupy" you like your soups

 Spices to suit your taste*, I used:

2 T lime juice

3/4 inch grated ginger root

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 tsp ground corinander

2 tsp cilantro

Dash of curry powder

Dash of cinnamon

Salt and Pepper

  

*Sweet soup option- use pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, maple syrup, and coconut cream!

 

Directions:

      Throw everything in a pot, bring it to a boil and simmer until the onions are soft.  We ended up also throwing some sauteed chicken chunks in our soup for added protein. That's it! Easy as pie!  Mmm speaking of pie, I am having gluten free "Pumpkin Pie Pancakes" for my post training breakfast.  Recipe will be posted soon!

 

Housewife House Tackles a Chicken

  

Last night I decided to surprise my hard working husband with a roasted chicken.  Some of you may know, I have been a vegetarian for the last three years.  This being said, I have never man-handled an entire raw chicken before!  So after a trip to the grocery store I stood over the sink with a 4 pound chicken looking up at me.  To my surprise I roasted the sucker with ease!

Here is my recipe for Simple Southwestern Chicken

What You'll Need

• 1 whole chicken
• Olive oil
• Seasonings (You can really use any seasonings you like, these are some of my faves)
• Lime Juice
• Pepper
• Salt
• Cumin
• Paprika 
• Garlic!  My #1 Spice 
• Onions, garlic cloves, roasting vegetables (optional)
• Preheat your oven to 400 F and find a roasting pan

1. Examine the Rear- You heard me correctly; look up the chicken's rear end and pull out the bag of guts (this was the worst part for me)
2. Give Him a Bath- Rinse the chicken inside and out, make sure the water is not on high unless you like chicken juices splattered all over your clothes and kitchen...mmm...
3. Mix Your Spices and Rub Him Down- I mixed all my spices in a small bowl and added about 1/4 cup of olive oil.  I know some of you hate when people do not post specific quantities, but guessing with these spices won't hurt your chicken.  When in doubt add more garlic!  Next, rub the spices all over your chicken (the spice and oil mixture should resemble a paste).  This was both gross and kinda fun!  I also chose to chop some garlic and place under the skin, as well as some onions and squash in the pan surrounding the chicken.

4. All dressed up and nowhere to go!...except the oven- Place your rubbed down chicken in a roasting pan, breast side down.  *Some roasting vegetables may have to be pulled out of the pan before the chicken.

5. Roast chicken at 400 for 15-20 minutes per pound- The thermometer should register 165-170 when finished.

*It may take longer if you stuffed and onion inside your chicken, which I did :)

 Serve it up!!  I served my chicken with the roasted yellow squash, onions and whole garlic cloves. 

Caramel Apple Crepes

This recipe is not paleo, but it was made with lots of love for my hubby on Valentines Day.  I assume they were delicious because the plate was clean!

Em's Crepes

1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Dash of cinnamon sugar for dessert crepes

Whisk together wet ingredents then slowly sift in flour and salt; beat until smooth.
Lightly butter a large frying pan on  medium heat. Scoop up batter with 1/3c measuring cup and pour into pan, simultaneously swirl batter around the bottom of pan until it is coated in a thin layer of batter.  Return to heat and let crepe cook until sides begin to curl up, then flip the crepe and cook on the other side for 45 sec-1 minute until lightly browned.  Then fill 'em up!

Caramel Apple Filling

2 medium apples peeled and sliced
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 tbsp butter (bad about measuring sometimes)

Cook butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium high heat stirring often until it is reduced; add apples and cook until softened. 

Enjoy!

Raw Vegan "Cream Cheese" Frosting

Recipe adapted from www.healthylivinghowto.com

1 c blanched almond meal
1/3 c water
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
4 tbsp no calorie sweetener (I use granulated stevia or splenda)
Dash of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. 

Pipe onto delicious cookies!

Fluffy Blueberry Cupcakes

           Over the past few weeks I have been trying to eat as Paleo as possible.  Some days all I want to do is sink my teeth into a huge piece of chocolate cake or eat 20 cookies in one sitting.  I have found that Paleo desserts seem to disappear in our house just as fast as non-Paleo, but I don't feel quite as guilty eating them!  :)  Here are some incredible blueberry muffins/cupcakes I made last week.  This was before I bought coconut flour so I will be posting the coconut flour recipe soon, as well as a strawberry and banana recipe.  Banana mufins are great when you add flax seed meal!

Em's Fluffy Paleoberry Cupcakes

3 cups almond meal (I use honeyville brand)

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract 

1/4 cup agave nectar or sweetener of choice

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups blueberries

1/3 cup coconut oil melted

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup or more coconut milk to achieve smooth consistency

 

      Beat the eggs in a bowl and add the vanilla extract, honey, lemon juice and coconut oil. Mix well. Add the almond meal and baking powder and mix well. Add the blueberries and mix gently. I baked them in mini muffin pans for approx. 15 min on 350 F. 

 

Homemade Paleo "Frosting"

1 egg white

1/4 cup maple syrup 

(I only had Smuckers Sugar Free, I think it would have "fluffed" better with the real stuff)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup blueberries

Beat egg white, fold in maple syrup, vanilla, and lemon juice.  Place blueberries in pan over medium-high heat until they reach a jam consistency.  This won't take long, so continuously stir to avoid burning.  Fold blueberry jam in to egg white icing and pipe or dollop on cupcakes.

 

Now share them with your husband and watch them disappear! Yummy!

 

Lake Placid

I am currently in Lake Placid staying at the Olympic Training center.  I am on the US U23 team preparing to race a bunch of Canadians this weekend.  We will also be competing for spots on the World Championship Team, a race which will take place in August in Hungary.  Morgan and the other three K4 men are already qualified for the team and sadly will not be in Lake Placid.  

Let me tell you a few things about how great this trip has been so far. 

Well, two days ago I got my birthday present from Morgan, it was a Canon Rebel camera and it is AWESOME!  I have to say that I was almost as surprised by this gift as I was when he proposed to me last year.  I had no idea!  By the way, I also cannot believe a year has gone by since we got engaged.  Time flies!  

Back to Lake Placid, it has been warm and sunny with off again on again showers and a little bit of a cooler breeze today.  The town is perfect as it surrounds the lake and is filled with little eclectic stores with all kinds of treasures.  This afternoon I will be venturing out into town to find a unique postcard to send Morgan.  Dad and Karen will be visiting this weekend to watch me race and find some good local cuisine.  I am excited!  My birthday is also coming up in a few days, but I am not nearly as stoked about turning 22 as I was about turning 21.  I wish I would be able to spend it with all my family and friends, but Lake Placid is where I traditionally celebrate.

Training has been going great!  I can say that I am in the best shape of my life and only getting fitter.  Guy Wilding's program has helped me make leaps and bounds in both my technique and overall fitness.  I have had people stop me in the gym to ask me what I have been doing different.  I love it!  The only thing that is missing is a coach on the water daily, but my training partners have been very motivational and we have been sending video to Guy on a weekly basis.  I cannot tell you how much I appreciate his support.

After Lake Placid I will head home for one more block of training, followed by Nationals, and then World Championships.  After that its time to buckle down and get the wedding stuff done!  I am so looking forward to 11-11-11!  So that is the well overdue update on my life, I promise to keep updating more often.

Sportin' the Maui Jims

  

I Paddle like a Girl, and I'm FAST!

Thank you USACK for nominating me as Athlete of the Week!

Over the last seven weeks I have been training under Guy Wilding in Honolulu, HI and I must say that I have never been this fit in my life.  I am throwing down personal best times on a weekly basis!  Coming here was what I truly wanted to do all along, but it was not an easy decision to make.  We had to raise enough funds to get here and rely on the constant support of our family and community to keep us afloat.  Things have turned out to be great and we are discovering daily just how many people believe in us.  It truly is a blessing.  


If you are at all familiar with USACK I am sure you have hear what has been going on over the last few months.  With all the drama and politic, I urge all the athletes to keep their heads on straight.  We are here to paddle.  We did not start this sport to make money or become famous; we do it because we love it.  This is something my fiance Morgan reminds me of on a daily basis.  He is a wonderful example of someone in love with the sport.  Trials are in three weeks and its time to buckle down and make these next two weeks of training count.  


I must admit that I am writing this mostly for myself, to remind me to keep my eyes on the prize.  I am so encouraged when people comment on posts or send me messages letting me know how much they believe in me.  We say it all the time, but we could not do it without the support of our family, friends, sponsors and community.  

Speaking of which, I am thoroughly enjoying my new Kula sunglasses from Maui Jim!  

You need a pair!     

Since we are always missing home, I am going to go make some biscuits for a little taste of the South.  (Not exactly athlete food, but we all cheat)  I will post a pic of how they turn out!

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

- Henry David Thoreau

The Pros and Cons of Commercial Gyms

 Here is my pros and cons list for the typical commercial gym, and also a little ranting.

PROS

• You can basically find one anywhere
• Towel Service (because no one likes a sweaty butt print)
• The lady who sports the thong leotard, you can't help but smile!

CONS

• Bench Press Crews (aka the three dudes who swarm the bench press for a minimum of one hour)- only pro is getting a laugh when they rock up in matching outfits
• Easy Listening Music- no one wants to max out to Jack Johnson's "Banana Pancakes"
• Having to wait for a guy to finish eating his Snickers while he sits on a vital piece of equipment and then he doesn't put his weights back
• Where's the squat rack? And the weight belt?
• Useless pieces of cardio equipment
• Personal trainers who just don't have a clue
• People who practice Judo while walking down the hallway 
• "GGGGRRRRAAAAAHHHHHH!!"" Dude stop grunting,  I'm squatting more than you...

We all do it!  Circling the gym for 10 minutes trying to find the closest parking spot even though those 30 extra yards would only add to our workout.

Have any others?  Leave a comment

I'm off to pump some iron and work on my guns ;)

Happy St. Patty's Week!

This week has been pretty fun!  It was recovery week so we had a little more time to rest, but as usual we filled it with activities and got pretty tired.  Last night we went out for St. Patrick's day and the festival took up an entire block.  I had never seen so many people!

Yesterday I went on my very first surfski run.  (They call it a run, but its a paddle)  The waves were big and it was super windy.  Luckily Morgan had the patience to take me out in the double ski and I had a blast.  There were a couple scary moments but I think I will be going out on the ski very soon.  Also, Morgan had a great article in Access North Georgia this week.  It was written by Morgan Lee, and it really shines a light on whats going on with USACK.  Here is the link!

I am missing everyone at home, and I just found out that my Mom is going to coming to trials!  I am so excited!  I only wish I got to see everyone :(

Tomorrow is time trial day with one 500m and one 200m!  I am looking forward to lining up next to the other girls for my first "race" of the season.  Team Trials and World Cups are going to be here sooner than we think!  

Here is a little video from my time trial on Wednesday 

You know its hard week when...

So its hard week and that means killer workouts and pushing  the limits.  I just got halfway through my workout and laid down a personal best!  I have now been in Hawaii for a month and the improvements are incredible.  I have to thank Guy Wilding for always believing in me and reminding me to never settle for less than my best.   Also, my amazing fiance Morgan has been my inspiration through it all.  He has worked with me one-on-one during practices to help perfect my technique.

Yesterday we went to visit Pearl Harbor, it was incredible.  The video they showed before we went to the Arizona really filled you in on what happened and presented it all tastefully.  I thought it was amazing that we could still see massive amounts of oil leaking from the ship.  Here is a picture of me and Morgan at the memorial.

    

Trials are closer than we think, so now is the time to get some serious fundraising done!  I have emailed over ten media outlets and hopefully someone will want to run a big story on us.  As always, I am so thankful to have such a loving and supportive family, I could not do it without them!

Food

I have found that everything revolves around food...I am sitting at a starbucks and it amazes me how happy people get just by sipping on the 500+ calories contained within a venti white chocolate mocha.  So I have set out on a quest to find a website that combines food and fitness...here is what I found! 

http://www.howsweeteats.com/

Guaranteed to make your mouth water and make you wanna hit the gym, it provides sinfully delicious pictures and recipes, along with great workout routines.  StumbleUpon is revolutionizing the way I surf the web!

 

Epic week!

So this week I made some serious gains.  We spoke with a life coach last week and her advice really helped me out..  I used a new Epic full footboard and broke it the first session I used it!  haha but I still made progress and I am looking forward to trials this year.  Hawaii has been amazing with sunshine almost everyday!  We did have one night with a storm that knocked out the power, but other than that things are going great.  Hopefully we will get to visit Pearl Harbor some time soon and I would love to go on a dinner cruise or see a luau.  I am finally starting to figure out how to drive here, as it seems that everything moves much slower here traffic wise.  The "Bomb" as we call our new car is holding up and getting us around so that is all we can ask for.  Missing everyone in Georgia and keeping Grandpa Vic in my prayers as he broke his hip this week. 

As always we are looking for more sponsorship and we can use all the help we can get!

Morgan House and Emily Vinson's Olympic Dream

Morgan House and Emily Vinson's Olympic Dream

Training, training and more training...

So I am now in the full swing of things!  Yesterday we had a 70 minute paddle, followed by weights, followed by yoga.  It felt great, but today I am super sore.  I went for another yoga session this morning to try and work out all the kinks.  Now I am off to paddle and work on some good technique.  Also, sending out donation letters and working on some more sponsorship.  Every dollar helps!  School starts again tomorrow so I am looking forward to two new classes.