My Life Summed Up in a Week (or Two)

It's been two weeks since I've arrived back in Vipiteno.  Slowly, but surely I'm getting back into the swing of things...eating dinner at 9:00, driving a stick, not knowing what anyone is saying, having shitty internet.  Along with getting used to all these things, this is what else I've been doing.  

1. I've caught up on all my episodes of Basketball Wives LA and Chrissy and Mr. Jones (I already know I have horrible taste when it comes to TV so feel free to judge me).  I like to save them all up and watch them back-to-back so I'm not left wanting more. 

2. All Baby Reiter's stuff is unpacked and put away.  I washed everything at home before I came so all I really needed to do was sort, fold, and find room for it once I got here.  Thanks to all my AMAZING family and friends at home, we have some great stuff to get us started. 

3. Things are starting to get real with this pregnancy.  I felt my first kick last Sunday.  At first it scared me (TMI-I thought maybe I was going to poop my pants or something), but then I realized what it was.  And in enough time that Kevin was able to feel it.  My belly button is on the verge of popping.  The top part is slowly making its way out.  I'm not looking forward to this and the only sick and twisted person that is excited about it is my cousin, Steph.  She will be the first person I call when it is fully out for the world to see.  And on a sad note...I went to get dressed on Friday night and my jeans wouldn't button.  I'm using the rubberband trick that my friend, Abbi, told me about for now.  I'm not putting on those maternity jeans until I have to.

4. I'm back to working out.  I took the summer off, which I know I shouldn't have done.  I like to use the excuse that I was pregnant and it was too hot to work out, but, in honesty, it was laziness (don't tell Kevin that I admitted to that).  Napping and watching Law and Order reruns just seemed like a better idea than working out.  But now I'm back in the gym.  My goal for this year is 4 days a week for at least 45 minutes a day.  I'm sticking strictly to riding the bike or walking on the treadmill (no running) for cardio and I'm only working on my arms and chest with weights.  Hopefully this will all help me during labor and when it's time to get my pre-baby body back.  Being back in the gym also gives me a chance to see all my friends and get weird stares from everyone.  

5. I'm actually making an effort to learn German this year.  I feel like I know so many words, but putting it all together is hard work.  I've actually used the Rosetta Stone more in the past two weeks than I did all of last year...so I'll give myself a pat on the back. 

Clean Eating

Italy was not good to my waistline.  While we ate more homemade meals and used natural ingredients, I ate more carbs in the six months I was there than I had in years.  Even with working out 4-5 times a week, I managed to gain 7 pounds.  And these days the pounds don't fall off like they use to when I was 20 years old.

Since getting back to the States about a month ago, I have really tried to clean up my act.  Granted, I have indulged in a few of my American favorites, but overall I've been following a low carb, all-natural diet.  I'm back to my organic foods and really trying to cut down on my sweet intake.  And starting tomorrow, I'm going to try my hand at eating only food you can grow or that come from animals (sorry to all the vegetarians out there).    

Tonight, my parents and I hit up our local Farmer's Market.  It's small, but they have everything you need and a little of the stuff you don't need.  We got a bag of peaches, a basket of tomatoes, a head of cabbage, some zucchini, and organic ground beef.  And since I'm being honest here, we also got a Texas cake and lemon-raspberry coffee cake.  I am going to try my hardest to stay away from the sweets and let my dad take care of those though. 

From now on, I'm going to try to make a weekly trip to the Farmer's Market.  I love the idea of buying local goods and helping out the farmers in our community.  

I Am Officially 30!

Yes, today is my birthday.  I have left my 20's and have entered my 30's.  It's a bit scary, but I'm ready to see what they have to offer.   

Yesterday, I was checking my email and MSN had an article "30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by the Time She's 30" on their homepage.  With my impending birthday, I decided to take a look at it and I have to say I agree with a lot of the author's ideas, but think there are a few important things that have been left off.  I thought about making my own list and posting it.  But instead I will reflect back on my 20's and list the "20 Things I Learned in my 20's."

I've learned...

1. What it means to be in love.

It's hard to believe we've been together for over 12 year already.

2. It is never a good idea to smoke a cigarette on a drunk night out with the girls.  I'm always going to regret it in the morning.

3. Being organized makes life easier.

4. What it feels like to lose some of the most important people in my life. 

5. That the saying "you meet your best friends in college" is true.

My best friends since freshman year of college.  Love these girls! 

6. I'm ready for kids.  I officially have the "baby itch."

7. I cannot stress over things I cannot change.

8. Eating whatever I want and not working out, without gaining a pound doesn't last forever.  Once I hit 25, I got what I like to call my "woman body."

9. All things don't happen for a reason.  I would like to punch the person who first said this in the face. 

10. How to pack up my life and move within a few days...sometimes hours.

Packing really is a skill and I think I've mastered it.

11. How to drink red wine without ice cubes. 

12. Tanning beds are not my friends and nothing good comes from them.  That is unless you think wrinkles, premature aging, skin cancer, and dry skin are good things. 

13. Moisturizers, vitamins, water, and sunblock are my friends. 

14. To live each day with no regrets. 

15. To never buy cheap toilet paper, paper towels, or garbage bags.

16. How to shoot a gun, bait my own hook, drive a golf ball, and drive a manual.  

Don't worry, no animals were injured. 

17. I'm a pretty good cook.  I know Kevin and my Daddy would agree with me.

18. I have to do what makes me happy.  

19. That reading is fun. 

20. McDonalds is not healthy regardless of what I order.   

This is definitely true after having my visitors here. I took ten days off of working out and did nothing but eat and drink alcohol that entire time. My body hates me right now, but it was worth it.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Me

1. I sleep in socks...even in the summer. I can't sleep in wool socks though, only the cotton ones.

I wonder what wearing socks to bed says about a person?
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2. I am obsessive compulsive when it comes to clutter. I think everything has a place. If something doesn't serve me a purpose then I have no need for it. Some people might think that is crazy, but I just think it is being reasonable. Really, what is the point of keeping my notes from middle school or holding on to the certificate I won for my artwork in 3rd grade?

3. My face turns bright red when I run. I honestly look like I am going to have a heart attack or pass out, but I feel fine so I guess it isn't a big deal.

4. I prefer my water at room temperature. While I like all of my other drinks ice-cold, I don't like cold water.

5. I am a crazy food person. I used to eat McDonalds regularly, snack on Swedish Fish, and live off of Hot Pockets, but that all changed a few years ago. I was nannying for a family with extreme food allergies and did a lot of research on the effects of food coloring, preservatives, and additives in food and was shocked at my findings. I cleaned up my diet that summer and haven't looked back. Now I try my best to stay away from all food coloring (I can't tell you the last time I ate something with Red40) and avoid buying anything prepackaged unless it is all-natural or organic. When it comes to fast food, I avoid McDonald's, Burger King, and Taco Bell. Instead I opt for the healthier options like Subway or Chipolte (who using mostly organic and natural ingredients).

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6. I don't use anything on my lips except for Vaseline. I don't like lip gloss, ChapStick, or lip stick. Even on my wedding day, I opted for my trusty Vaseline.

I have a jar in my purse, in the bathroom, and next to my bed.
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7. I wear a sports bra to bed. I'm not sure if it prevents sagging, but I sure hope so. That might be too much information.

8. I cheat when it comes to reading books. I usually get half way through it and then flip to the end to find out what happens. My mom shakes her head at this fact, but I can't help myself. The suspense kills me.

9. I'm a crazy one when it comes to table manners. Chewing with your mouth open, talking with your mouth full, or slurping your soup are like nails on a chalkboard to me. I actually get ill just thinking about it.

10. I have a blankie. It all started about 6 years ago when Kevin and I went on a cruise and I was cold in the airport. I went to Brookstone and bought a small travel blanket and now it goes everywhere with me. I take it on car rides (because Kevin is always hot and I am cold), on airplanes, and now I even sleep with it.

Everyone should own one of these.
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Ouch!

So I think I overdid it at the gym the other day. I usually rotate cross-training and running days and arms and legs days. But since I started working out again (after a few years off), I've really been slacking on the legs. I usually use a couple of the machines to do leg curls and leg presses, but I figure since my cardio is working my legs, I really don't need to do too much more.

Well, the other day Kevin worked out with me and it was a cross-training and leg day. Kevin gave me some new leg exercises using free weights so I thought I'd try them out in addition to using the weight machines. Bad call! I am in pain, I can barely walk, and it hurts to sleep. Kevin's advice to me is to take an ice bath, but I refuse. I don't care how good it feels or how much faster I'll heal, I cannot bring myself to sit in a freezing cold bath full or ice (or in our case, snow).

Nothing about this looks appealing.
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I took yesterday off so I don't want to take today off too, but I think I'm going to have to. Hopefully I'll at least be able to walk on the treadmill tomorrow. And next time I decide to do legs, I'm going to cut the workout in half because walking around looking like an 80-year-old is not a good look for me.

Eww, Gross!

When I got to Italy, I made a few goals and I've done a pretty good job of sticking to them. My driving is 100 times better. I can make it around town no problem and can even drive on the autobahn. I'm getting better with hills and inclines, but I still roll back quite a bit. I'll never understand why the drivers behind me have to get right on my ass though. For the most part, I've covered all the bases and can tackle everything except for driving in new places. I can't concentrate on driving, reading the road signs, and pay attention to the other drivers all while trying to find my way around. I'm hoping by the time we have visitors in March, I'm a pro at driving a stick and can navigate and drive at the same time.

The goal I've paid the least amount of attention to is learning German. I was really putting in a effort early on and was proud of myself. I know most of the common greetings and can count to 100. I'm also pretty good with the colors and food items (fruits/vegetables). But I still just stare at people when they ask me a question. I know I'm not going to be fluent by the end of May, but I still want to be able to order food correctly and ask where something is located. I'm going to get back to my old ways and start doing a lesson everyday. What else do I have to do?

Well, on to the working out goal. I've been going to the gym at least four times a week. When I started going, I could only run for ten minutes and after I was finished, I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. Now I've worked my way up to 40 minutes of running. I try to have two running days and two cross training days. On running days, I also work on my arms and chest and on cross training days, I focus on my legs and abs. We don't have a scale so I have no idea how much I weigh, but my pants are a bit baggier and I like to think I'm looking a little tighter. I always tell Kevin to feel my muscles, but he just laughs at me, but I'm telling you, I can see them.

So, why is this post called "Eww, Gross," you ask? Because this working out bit is really taking its toll on my feet. The nails on my toes (the ones next to my big ones) have really been hurting. I didn't think it was a big deal until today when I decided to take my polish off. I was in for an UGLY surprise! My toenails are black. And if that wasn't enough, one of my big toenails is cracked in half.

These are not my feet (I think they belong to a man), but they give you a pretty good idea of what mine look like.

I did a little research this morning and apparently, this is a common problem with runners. When you run, your feet swell up to a whole size bigger causing your toenails to push against the front of your shoe. Your toenails then become bruised and blistered underneath and eventually, your toenails will fall off. What? I know they say "beauty is pain," but no one ever said anything about losing my toenails. The obvious solution...buy your running shoes a size bigger.

I've decided to take the day off today to give my poor toenails a rest, but I'll be back at it tomorrow and I'm really hoping my toenails hold on a few more days until I can get some new, bigger shoes.

My Goals for this Hockey Season

Kevin has been at the rink for the past five hours and I haven't moved from my computer except for one bathroom break and a quick trip to the snack drawer (I needed a few pieces of biscotti). As I was getting crumbs everywhere, it dawned on me that if I keep this up, I am going to weigh 500 lbs. And that's only if I don't die of boredom first. When Kevin isn't at the rink, things are great and we are out and about exploring new places. It's the other 30 hours or so a week I need to plan for.

In the past when we were overseas, I had school to keep me busy, but as much as I'd like to take some classes, I really don't need any more student loans. Working is obviously out of the question considering I do not speak the language...at all. I thought I had gotten lucky when I interviewed for a nannying job and was offered it, but that all changed when the guy wanted to pay me $100 (American) for 6 days/40 hours of work. That wouldn't even cover my travel expenses for the week. No thank you, Fabio!

So I've decided to set some goals for myself in order to keep busy.

#1 Workout: At one time, I loved working out. I was at the gym 5 days a week, took classes, and really enjoyed myself. The last two years have been horrible though and I can count on one hand how many times I've been to the gym. My goal for the next 6 months is to go to the gym at least 3 times a week. Obviously, it would be great to go more than that, but I'm trying to be realistic. Really, I have no excuse since the gym is directly below our apartment. And when I say directly below, I mean it. I hear the music blasting and the treadmills going as we speak. I wondering if looking like this in the next six months is achievable?

#2 Learn German: Yes, we are in Italy, but they speak German here. Most of the people in the town speak both languages, but I need to stick to learning just one. We have both Rosetta Stone and Drive & Learn. I've also started doing a language course on bbc.co.uk/languages, which is my favorite program. I know I'm not going to become fluent in the next 6 months, but I'd like to be able to at least get by in the town. Right now, I just stare at them when they ask me something and then I speak English. Thank goodness most of the people know what I am saying or are at least patient and let me just point at what I want.

#3 Drive a Manual (Stick Shift): I started the learning process 2 years ago when we were in Sheffield, but then we switched teams and ended up with an automatic so I quit learning. Now, I'm kicking myself for not sticking with it. I had a lesson yesterday in a parking lot and I made it home from the town center, but really all I had to do was drive straight for two minutes and then turn into our apartment building. If I knew how to drive, I could go places when Kevin was at the rink or at games. The only place I would probably go would be to the town center, but at least I could have my coffee and people watch.