back from vacation--

good morning. happy thursday!
back from vacation. i went up to montreal to visit the hkyplayer. it was the PERFECT vacation. we spent a lot of time in his backyard by the pool. BBQing good food and he had fires going in the fire pit. it was very relaxing. hkyplayer cannot believe how much i sleep...anytime we are relaxing i would nod off on his chest. i have 2 theories about this...
1. i am not 'fully' relaxed until we are together. it is then when i sleep HARD. we are talking heavy dreams, lines on the face sleep.
2. i was catching up on all the sleep i miss out in NYC with the 2 jobs and busy life.
i believe in both excuses. :) but needless to say, we were really content with laying low and proud of ourselves. typically when i would go up there we would be in the montreal clubs every night. they are a lot of fun & we do enjoy the night life..but we both are at a point now where we would rather save some $ and relax. enjoy our families and friends over a camp fire vs. yelling over club music. his mom gave me these really cute candles from IKEA that hang, a lil housewarming gift for my new place..but i will love them forever! so sweet of her. i couldnt think of what to bring them, so instead i picked up 'American' beer for his dad and some wine for his mom...keeps everyone happy!

we did go out to dinner one night w/ 2 other couples (one we are friends, the other couple were new aquiantances). and had a great time. it was 22$ per person for appetizer and meal.. but w the boys shots, and us girls and our expensive wine/dessert n coffee.. things sure did add up! but again, we thought, its nice to do now and again but it is not our cup of tea for say a wknd basis.

we went to his grandparents, who are from Scotland, and we had some good laughs and yummy 7 layer taco dip. we sat out on their back porch in the sun and their lilac bushes were in bloom. one of my favorite flowers.. so i was a happy girl. hkyplayer was of course holed up in the house watching a hockey game. ha!
it was an amazing trip. the only bittersweet part was being together and then having to say our goodbyes. again. this has been 5 yrs. lots of summer trips. lots of long distance. it is hard on a girl. hkyplayer promises that the end is near. we will not have to be long distance forever. this makes me get butterflies in my belly because i want our relationship to go to the next level. more than i ever ever thoughti would. just a couple of months ago i was telling him how we are still so young and an engagement would be so chaotic..now look..i daydream of being his fiance.every.day. hkyplayer also said he wants me to go with him to Europe earlier than last year.. last year i went in January. Our goal this year is November/December (my goal is to celebrate Christmas together!) usually because of his season we are apart and have never woken up on Christmas morning together. The only glitch- work for me abroad. and subletting my apartment. we shall see...
nothing planned for this wknd. the following wknd i am flying Upstate. hkyplayer might meet me. yay!! and BFF..worlds greats hometown friends..J.H. & K.N. will be there too (they both live in our hometown). not to mention the hot tub and my parents boat! my brothers. and my dog!! heaven on earth.
crumbs cupcake is giving away free cupcakes downstairs in my building. eek. way to sabatosh our bikini bodies folks!!! update you all soon. xx.

monday monday.

i am not going to complain about how terrible this monday is.
1.) i just housed a HUGE cupcake from CRUMBS cupcake - now in my building! dangerous!! (i ate a cupcake called- the good guy- so i got to say, i really want a good guy)
2.) my vacation begins on wednesday!! up to Montreal to visit the hkyplayer & family!!
3.) tonight, after my night job, i will be a very,very happy girl...i then get my "me time" that i cherish so much...to go to the gym, tanning (sorry Momma)...

hkyplayer is on his way back from Boston - wknd trip with the prep school boys. one of his friend's girlfriend was in the city on Friday (see me previous blog). met her for food and many, many drinks. good night had by all. although i think i blabbed about hkyplayer and I too much..turns out her and her bf are not so hot :\...the boys certainly had a good time..very few sober moments it seems. Momma calls these types of wknds, 'reindeer games'..they never do grow up do they!?! same wknd my Dad was in Myrtle Beach for a golfing trip with high school best friends...needless to say...i am absolutely certain i will end up with my father..

&.that.is.perfect....til tuesday xx.

finally fridaaay

yay! as you can see (hopefully!! i hope i didnt lose any viewers as my html has completely changed), i have revamped. spring cleaning if you will. i just didnt love my last blog set up. it is still a work in progess but still..better than that mess. yick.

happy friday= coworkers birthday aka cupcakes!! and then to cancel out the cupcakes...my new workout pants came today! from road runners sports online . i had them to delivered to my office due to the recent unsafe status of my apartment....scroll down the posts... : [...but i digress, the pants are perfect!!!! just what i was looking for. thank God for chic runner! they were the right size (i ordered a small per the comments under the product on the site..they are stretchy and so you want them to be tight..i hate yanking at clothes while running, isnt working out hard enought!!). so saturday i will be so excited to throw them on. yippeeeee!!!! i am also excited to bring them up to montreal on vacation. P*Daisy (hkyplayers Momma) is a work out instructor and we are always sharing tips on cute work out clothes.. Score!!

tonight i am going shopping with co-worker Katie. we are going to a running store & forever21. my goal is to buy cute dresses and flowy-summery tanks for montreal vaca that can also be worn at the office! think, flowery silky guaze dress with a blazer thrown on top... we shall see how good everything is stocked. its always touch n go there. Kate also has a bunch of really good gift cards we may use for dinner! fun!!

hkyplayers prepschool friends girlfriend *jenny* will be here visiting with her friend. hopefully i will get to see her too!

the definition of an amateur runner

morning blog world.
my coworker & fellow katie (who also happens to have her own INSANELY FUNNY blog) were discussing our love for running focused blogs. katie and i both go on runs about 4 x a week, depending on how busy our work schedules are. but we still do not think we are cool, or buff, enough to have blogs strictly for running. i applaud the girls who blog their daily run times and distances. bravo. mine are far too minimal and non-impressive to include on a daily basis. i am inspired and surrounded by different categories of runners..here are some of the runners in my lives (in no particular order) who inspire me!

lil background info...when i was younger i was a competitive gymnast. quite the athlete. i had a 6 pack..now where did that go?!. whole lotta use it was to me then. but anyway, i knew early i like to work out more than the average person, far less then a marathon runner. i partook in organized sports until i graduated high school. as the freshman 15 crept up faster than i ever coule expect..i knew i need to get moving...and here we are.

Katie: she makes an effort to join races in D.C. and N.Y. & for that she gets a whole lotta pts in my book. running in a race setting is completely different then a light jog. she has a running belt and a garmin. tomorrow we are going to a running store together and i am sure she will totally pimp my running uniform out and therefore, inspire me to get my butt moving! she also is a member of the NY runners club- and keeps me up to date on upcoming runs through Central Park.

Steph: a college my bff & running partner-- we happened to run at the same pace, keep in mind i am 5'8" and she is like what...5'2"...so she was hauling! but we enjoyed ourselves and really got bit by the running bug together. without organized sports in our lives we needed SOME outlet to burn frustration and calories from late night college drinking/eating. :)..

AliJ: the hkyplayer's sister & my very good friend. she has ALWAYS been a dedicated runner since i have known her. she runs in the freezing cold canadian winters and in the sweltering heat of montreal summers. she has completed her first marathon. she counts calories, doesn't take days off, and really follows the mantra, "your body is a temple, train accordingly". she is a huge inspiration...to all of us who choose reality tv over a 15 mile run...any day...

fellow bloggers: chic runner & danielle runs. i love hearing about your racing experiences. shuddering about the painful side effects and laughing when i know EXACTLY where your coming from. ie. danielle's post about gagging over fast good smells mid-race on a busy street. been there. smelled that. no thank yooou. chic runner- taught me about this running website. nothing like new snazzy gear to get excited about hitting the pavement.

thank you to you all for getting my butt in gear...i will be poolside in montreal before i know it (eek!)

holding these proverbs close to me today. x

"trust in the Lord with all your heart, & lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight" 3:5-6

"commit to the Lord whatever you do, & your plans will succeed" 16:3

& not sure what passage this is. but i keep it in my blackberry under 'notes'. i refer to it whenever i need to. :) it gives me strength in busy NYC to push on :) "be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your GOD goes with you, he will never leave you or forsake you" - this was particularly helpful after my apartment was broken into.

lastly, here is a picture from our trip to Paris, the Notre Dame Cathedral. the hkyplayer is not confirmed and has long stated he is for the "golden rules" but is not Catholic nor religious. He does not attend church...unless my family makes him. However, we were both blown away by the Cathedral and the vast number of paintings of the Crucifixion and Mary in the Louvre..such a long history.

In France the hkyplayer began asking where my confidence comes from about religion and how I am so sure. Basically, for proof. I know he needed some 'science-based' answers. We spoke about stigmata and the bleeding tears of Catholic statues. I told him my personal anecodote..when visiting Momma's parents in Florida- the image of Mary appeared on a bank. Scientists tested and tested but could not explain any reason on how the image appeared. It had a look of the rainbow prism, every color accounted for and outlining the famous image. I was probably 12. But I still remember this huge glass building in front of me. If you Google..the pic still will come up. I choose not to post it because these are just my anecodotes. I do not mean to preach.

Hkyplayer then asked how my Momma would take questions if he confided in her. *She was my religion teacher, an avid church volunteer, and my mentor when it comes to religion. Of course- she would love discussing with him and was thrilled he was open to it all, but I digress, the following morning, I did a quick search of stigmata pics in case he wanted to see them. I waited for him to ask me. He did..and of course, he was blown away. Regardless, hkyplayer follows the Commandments without even knowing them by heart. He treats others the way he would like to be treated, looks for the good in others and is the most trust worthy, compassionate man. I will get married in a Catholic church, I will continue to expand my religious path and will raise my children in the Catholic church. I hope that I can help provide some education if he wants it. But I love him just the way he is! Hkyplayer's parents sure did a fantastic job with my boy. Cannot wait to see them all on May 21st.

Happy Wednesday. xx

celebrating tuesday workouts. :)

hiii! quizzes are not real posts.
every tuesday i wake up ecstatic for my day. i work at the night job on sunday & monday so tuesday-is my first 'me day' of the week. i am going to the gym directly after work and i am SIKED! i bought new headphones at Apple for runners. $30..just to find them on RunnersWorld online for $8. rats! gotta hunt down that receipt. another reason for the excitement...free tanning & the gym :x dont tell my Momma. today we had a co. (catered) staff meeting....gotta go burn off THREE sugar cookies. Yes. Three. sick. for dinner i will make something my body will thank me for i promise..tuna. no mayo. for some after workout protein. i may even drink soy milk instead of wine. i only have white wine so really not a big sacrifice there. i believe in a lil bit of everything and for cheating every day on the diet some how or another..either with alcohol or a sweet treat. life is too short. and when i try to limit myself i over-indulge. i am not a genius. but it works for me. it is a mathmatical formula in my head. how many calories in, how many are your burning.

...i am trying to think of a pic to slap on this blog. i hate when blogs have no pics and i love when they have a looot of pics. i guess i am visual. i dont want to read essays so to speak of people's day. i need images folks. so i will return the favor. here is a pic of the walk to my gym!! i always want to stop at this lil market (just produce!) but never carry cash and it seems like the migrant workers who picked the produce this morning are the same ones on register. :) least thats what i tell myself!!! enjoy your evenings....

.k.m.n. x

pop quiz.

i have been obsessed with these quizzes since I was what- 13 years old. but i am bringing them back a.) to keep the ball rolling b.) to help familiarize my blog-viewers with moi.
welcome. and enjoy!! :)

CURRENT OBSESSION- new workout clothes! shopping online for upcoming vacation, and the new housewives of NJ premire tonight! TRASH TV @ it's finest.
WEIRDEST OBSESSION-Salads with cranberrys and pine nuts
WEARING TODAY- Target poka-dot dress, blk & gold belt & trusty black tights
FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD- good coffee, fountain soda & swedish fish
YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN TO: FRENCH!
LAST THING YOU BOUGHT- New running tights to inspire longer workouts :)
LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW - Band of Horses, "No Ones Gonna Love You" on repeat.
FAVORITE WEATHER- Summer Days with minimial humidity
MOST CHALLENGING THING RIGHT NOW- missing my hkyplayer & working lots.
ANYWHERE TO LIVE- give me fun in the sun and my toes in the sand and I'm a happy girl.
WANT IN YOUR HANDS RIGHT NOW - the hkyplayer!!:) & lotsa $$$
LIKE TO GET RID OF- negative energy. jealousy.
ANYWHERE FOR AN HOUR- Montreal, watch episodes of LOST & nap on his shoulder
LANGUAGE TO LEARN- See above! FRENCH. necessary!!
MEET IN PERSON- the hkyplayer's sister, Ali J. She is far far away
FAVORITE TYPE OF MUSIC- All. But indie-girly music
FAVORITE CLOTHING OWNED- skinny jeans
DREAM JOB- I am pretty close to living it.
$100 TO SPEND ON - Sundresses! will be this wknd!!
PET-PEEVE- Sneezing, sniffiling, licking fingers & bragging. eek eek eek.
WHO DO YOU ADMIRE- My Momma. She is the greatest. Raised 3 kids. Worked all the way through and is such a great partner to my Dad.
PERSONAL STYLE- Classic. Girly/Preppy
FAVORITE BEAUTY PRODUCT- Sephora Brand Make Up