tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59201156487317905172024-02-19T06:57:23.512-08:00Married Meets HealthyMaking Healthy Choices One Day At A TimeCandidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-44470905895848831272015-02-22T18:17:00.000-08:002015-02-22T18:17:17.360-08:00Henley's Birth StoryHenley's official due date was December 14th. At 36 weeks, I went into my appointment and was 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Considering I was totally convinced that she was going to be early, this made me super excited! I thought that I would for sure make progress each week. Well, I went in each week after that and there was never any progress. Believe me, I was doing absolutely EVERYTHING recommended to go into labor and nothing was working. At 37 weeks, my doctor asked if I wanted to go ahead and schedule an induction. I knew I didn't want Henley to be born too close to Christmas, and she recommended at least getting on the schedule. If I got on the schedule, I guaranteed that my doctor would deliver her and that I wouldn't have to wait until the last possible day to get in. I was a little hesitant because I really wanted to experience the process of going into labor and all that goes with it, but I was also so so ready to meet my baby girl. So, I went ahead and scheduled myself to go into the hospital on the night of the 14th and planned to have Henley on the 15th.<br />
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I continued to do absolutely EVERYTHING to try to get Henley to get here before the 15th! I was convinced that she was going to be early, but she is exactly like her mommy and daddy and is so very stubborn. She has a mind of her own and would not do what I wanted!<br />
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I thought Sunday, the 15th, would be the longest day of my life, but we occupied ourselves pretty well, and the day flew by. We were scheduled to check-in at 8:00 PM, so we left the house around 6:30. We packed up the car (it looked like we were going on vacation) and headed to PetCo to drop off our dog, Baylor. Then, we went to Jason's Deli for dinner. The one near our hospital has the best soft serve, so it was a no brainer that we would go there before I couldn't eat for FOREVER. I cannot say enough about how great our hospital was. We got there a little before 8:00 and they immediately walked us to our room and got everything situated. I changed into my gown, the nurse put the baby's heart monitor and the contraction monitor around my belly and I laid down in my bed. The Cowboys played that night, so we obviously watched the game before calling it a night and trying to get some rest before our big day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me right before we checked in at the hospital. </td></tr>
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I had a bit of a rough night. Nothing horrible, but I felt like I constantly had to pee and in order to do so, Ben had to get up and unplug my IV and the two monitors that were around my belly from the machines, walk me to the bathroom and wait for me to get done. I felt horrible constantly waking him up. I also could not get comfortable. If I finally found a position that I fell asleep in, the nurse would lose Henley's heartbeat and I would have to move. Apparently, Henley was super particular...she hated it if I was not on my left side. I constantly had to move back to it in order for her heartbeat to register well on the monitor. I spent most of the night staring at the clock, hoping that I had fallen asleep for more than 30 minutes and my doctor would be in soon to break my water. You can imagine the night went by pretty slow!<br />
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Finally, around 8:00 AM they came in with Ben's breakfast...total torture for me! This meant that they would be checking me soon and I was just praying that they would break my water. By this time, I felt like I was constantly going to pee on myself. It didn't matter how many times I got up to go to the restroom, I immediately had to go again. My doctor got there around 9:00 AM, checked me, I was at 2 cm and told me that we were going to "commit" to December 15th and break my water. I heard from many people that this would not be a pleasant experience, so I was a bit nervous about the crochet needle! The moment she broke my water, I felt so much relief. It really didn't hurt, but the rush of water was definitely not pleasant. It seemed like she just kept reaching around in there and would break something over and over again. I could not believe the amount of water or whatever it is that flooded my hospital bed. Is it weird to anyone else that they just put towels down and then move them? It seems so unsanitary!<br />
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After she broke my water, I immediately went to 3 cm. My doctor watched my contractions and said they were super intense and close together without Pitocin, so they only did a very small dosage. Apparently I was having contractions all night, but I didn't feel them at all. Once I started having the intense contractions, I could definitely feel them. Holy moly! I don't even know how to explain contractions...it's just like this enormous pressure that takes your breath away. On top of the contractions, I was beyond starving at this point and wasn't allowed to eat anything. All I wanted to do was throw up. Ben had gone out to the waiting room to tell his family hello while I was having a contraction and I had to text him, ask him to come back and hand me the trash can immediately. I never ended up throwing up, but I absolutely hated this feeling. At 4 cm, I decided I was ready for the epidural.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my ice chips...the only thing I could "eat."</td></tr>
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I have gotten so many questions about the epidural. It took about 30 minutes for the anesthesiologist to get to my room. They sat me up on the side of my bed, Ben standing in front of me, holding my hands, and the anesthesiologist behind me. Getting the epidural didn't really bother me. It really wasn't painful, it was just a little bit uncomfortable. I could feel everything that was going on and it was just odd. The weirdest part to me was that you can feel the medicine. It took just a little while, and it was a little stronger on my right side, but once the epidural was going, I felt so much better. It may sound gross, but it was actually kind of nice to have a catheter. I have had one before and I absolutely hated everything about that experience, but this time, it was just nice not to have to get up every 2 seconds to go to the bathroom or feel like I was going to wet myself. I finally got to relax and rest a bit.<br />
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Once I had the epidural, I didn't mind if family came in for a few minutes to say hello. Ben's family came back and said hi and so did my parents once they got there. I got checked about every 45 minutes or so, I was always progressing, but slowly. Ben made a playlist for labor, I napped, we texted people with updates, and we did a Bible study together. The nurse would come in and reposition me in order to help me progress and keep Henley's heartbeat strong. They still struggled to get a strong heartbeat if I was not on my left side. When I got to 8 cm, they sat me straight up, hoping she would really drop. She definitely did! I told the nurse it felt like I had to go to the bathroom and she said that was exactly what they wanted to hear. Ben and I got so excited! We were ready to go. This was at about 3:45 PM. His parents came back one last time and then my parents did too. I loved talking to my mom and dad at this point. I just wanted their comfort and to see their excitement. They both gave me a kiss on the forehead and my mom told me that she hoped Henley would be as beautiful as me. When either of my parents tell me I'm beautiful, it just melts my heart. I hope I make Henley feel this way one day. When they left, I was so ready to meet my little girl.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My parents and me</td></tr>
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The nurse came back in and told us she wouldn't check me for another 30 minutes...ugh! We were so ready! She finally checked me and I was ready to go! She told Ben to grab my foot and she would grab the other. Ben and I both looked at each other and he said, "aren't I supposed to put on the blue stuff?" She told him no, so he said, "I thought this would be more dramatic!" We both did! With just Ben and the nurse in the room, I started pushing.<br />
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After the first push, the nurse noticed that Henley's heart rate dropped dramatically. She put me on oxygen until my next set of pushes and watched the heart rate come back up. After the next set of pushes she looked a bit more concerned. She said that her heart rate was continuing to drop as I pushed, and she wanted to go ahead and call my doctor. She called another nurse in there and while I was taking more oxygen, on my left side of course, the nurse called my doctor. I did one more set of pushes before my doctor got there, then took more oxygen. Once she got there, she told me that I was either going to have to push as hard as I could to get Henley out in no more than 2 more sets, or we were going to have to do a C-section. She also got out the vacuum because she thought we needed it to help. <i>SIDENOTE: When my nurse checked me for the last time, she noticed an increase in swelling and thought that I might be having an allergic reaction to latex. Without getting graphic, lets just say I was incredibly swollen down there and that was also making it harder for Henley to crown. </i><br />
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I was super nervous about using a vacuum, so I pushed as hard as I possibly could for another set, took oxygen and then pushed my heart out one last set. Henley's head came out and my doctor pretty much finagled her out the rest of the way. I was so so grateful for how wonderful she was. I started pushing at 4:35 and at 5:01, Henley was born. Ben and I were immediately in love! Henley looked exactly like she did in her 3D/4D sonogram and was absolutely beautiful! Henley weighed 8 lbs 1 oz and was 21 inches long.<br />
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After a pretty intense delivery, we had one more complication...my placenta wouldn't deliver. Apparently it is supposed to deliver within 30 minutes, but at the 45 minute mark, mine still wouldn't deliver. My doctor kept massaging my belly, but prepared me that we might have to do a D&C. I was sad when she told me we might have to have a C-section only because I had labored all day, and then I was sad again when she said this because I had pushed as hard as I could and it seemed like I just couldn't avoid a surgery. My doctor called the anesthesiologist in and asked about a relaxant to help. He gave me something to relax my uterus and just at about the hour mark, my placenta finally delivered. After this, I felt so weird. I told Ben I felt like a major drug addict because I was shaking so bad. They ended up putting two heated blankets on me, and I had to wait in the room for about another 2 hours. They didn't want to move me to recovery for a while because of how much blood I lost. At this point, I knew our families were dying to see Henley, so I asked if they could come to the delivery room. My nurses allowed them to and they all fell just as much in love with Henley as we did.<br />
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The rest of our hospital stay was great. We stayed until Wednesday due to the blood I lost, Ben and I were both thankful for the extra day there. Again, I cannot say enough amazing things about the hospital where I delivered. My nurses and doctors were amazing! I still cannot believe Henley is here! She is absolutely perfect! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little Christmas present!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Papaw and my mom</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready to head home</td></tr>
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Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-34874309844361062962015-02-03T08:04:00.000-08:002015-02-03T08:04:02.423-08:00i am a mommy!!How is my sweet baby girl 7 weeks old? Time is absolutely flying and I am trying to soak up every second!<br />
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Henley Rae Clark was born on December 15, 2014, at 5:01 PM. She weighed 8 lbs. 1 oz., and was 21 inches long. How in the world was she in my belly?! I'll do another post on her birth story, so for now I just want to tell you all about Miss Henley and show you lots of pictures.<br />
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Henley has been a super easy baby so far. I have told many people that she is either going to surprise us with a growth spurt or we are going to be in big trouble with baby #2! Ben and I were both a little sleep deprived from they day we came home, December 17th, until Christmas Eve. On the night of Christmas Eve, we decided to try swaddling again - do not ask me why we thought she didn't like it, I have NO IDEA! It did the trick! She had been waking herself up throughout the night, but when we took her newborn pictures, I noticed that when she would start crying, if we held her arms down, she would go back to sleep and calm down. Swaddling has done wonders! Henley only woke up once for me to nurse that night, and she has continued to sleep like a champ ever since. I usually nurse her around 10:30 or 11:30 before we go to bed. Then, she'll wake up around 3:30 or 4:30 and again for the day around 8:30 or 9:00. It is glorious!! I'm crossing my fingers that she's like her daddy and nothing will keep her from her precious sleep...not even a growth spurt!<br />
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I am so blessed to be able to stay home with Henley until after Spring Break. I'll head back to teaching and coaching on March 16th, so until then, I am enjoying every second with Henley. The two of us have started to fall into a bit of a routine and I love it. She is usually up in the morning and we play on her mat. She talks and smiles at all of the little critters hanging above her! She stays awake until she needs to nurse again and then takes a great nap. This is when I generally get ready for the day and either do things around the house or we run errands while she sleeps. In the afternoons, I nurse her and then we head to the park or out on a run around the neighborhood. I love taking her to the park and running with her around the trail! Then, we come home and do some things around the house, make dinner and wait for daddy to get home. I love our days together!<br />
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I read that around one month, she would start "talking" and smiling on purpose and getting her own little personality. This all happened right on cue. We have started to spend a lot of time on her mat in the mornings and evenings, because Henley has started to stay awake much longer during these times. A couple of days before she turned one month, she started reacting to all of the hanging toys, their noises and the music playing. She would coo and smile at them, so I started talking to her more and have gotten lots and lots of smiles! It just keeps getting better - now that she is awake more, we get to interact with her and see her sweet personality. I could seriously talk to her all day! Her gummy grin just melts my heart!<br />
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I have always had a deep desire to be a mom and often said that I felt like God truly created me to be a mom. It is everything I hoped for and more! I could not love Henley any more and I am so thankful that she is ours! I am so not ready for her to get any bigger...how in the world is she 7 weeks already?!...but I look forward to every stage of life with my Henley Rae. I already think about the traditions we will create with her and all of the activities I can't wait to watch her be a part of. For now though, I am going to soak up every second with her and do my best to live in the moment. Have I told you that she is the best yet, because she is?! She is just so perfect!<br />
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<br />Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-62297475279676489382014-10-23T19:23:00.002-07:002014-10-23T19:23:42.768-07:00Total HonestyLast week, for what might have been the first time ever, I was completely honest with someone when they asked me "how are you doing?" The past couple of weeks have been the hardest weeks of my life, and when asked this question I couldn't hide behind a fake smile, I simply responded "Okay." Truth is, I'm not even sure I'm "Okay." I feel like my world is falling apart and I may just lay down and crumble right along with it.<br />
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A little over three weeks ago, on Monday, September 29th, my grandma, Mamaw as we like to call her, checked into the hospital for a triple bypass. The surgery went well and throughout that week she was recovering nicely. That Friday, she started to have trouble breathing and after having a CAT scan, the doctors found that they left a sponge behind during the bypass. The sponge was irritating her lung and causing it to fill with fluid as well as causing her diaphragm to be elevated. They had to do emergency surgery that night to remove the sponge and then drain her lung. I was at the hospital when they took her back for surgery and Mamaw was so scared. She didn't think things "looked good." We were all there to reassure her that this was a simple procedure, but we were all scared too. Mamaw has never done well with anesthesia and was finally coming out of the fog from Monday. Not to mention, she had just had a major major surgery and was having to go back under very quickly after. I'm not really sure of all the details, but when they went to put Mamaw under on Friday night, her heart slowed down enough to where they had to administer CPR to get her breathing and her heart beating normal again. It only took a minute or two, but for an 80 year old, this can still be significant. They proceeded with the surgery afterwards.<br />
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On Saturday morning when they took her off all sedation, she would not wake up. We waited and waited all day for her to wake up and although she barely lifted her eyelids, she would not come to. It seemed to us she was just taking a while to come off of all the medication. Then, she started having facial tremors. It seemed her brain was irritated and the tremors would increase as she was stimulated. This was concerning the doctors. On Sunday we were all prepared for the worse. A neurologist came in and did an EEG and found there to be brain activity and no sign of swelling or significant trauma. We were beyond relieved and filled with hope again. They sedated her again, allowing her brain to "rest," with plans to take her off sedation after 24-48 hours. On Tuesday morning she was taken off sedation and we hoped that she would soon wake up. Again, we waited and waited. Come Wednesday, we were told that things were not looking good. We were devastated. This was not supposed to happen. The doctors worried more with each day that passed that she did not wake up.<br />
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We continued to wait and as Mamaw seemed to show little signs of progress everyday, we continued to hope. She might move her toes one day, then finally respond to pain in her hands, then move her arm and begin to open her eyes. Here we are, three weeks after her second surgery and we continue to wait.<br />
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Today, the doctors removed the ventilator. Mamaw is breathing on her own and she is opening her eyes more and more, but has yet to give a cognitive response. No one will ever be able to convince me that she cannot hear us when we are talking to her. I know she knows that we are in the room and talking to her, but she doesn't seem to be able to communicate back. So, we continue to wait.<br />
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I cannot stand the thought of not having my Mamaw around. She has been the hub of our family for so long. Almost all of our traditions revolve around her (and her cooking) and there is no one we want more at every event, every shower, every family function. I have missed talking to her from the moment she went into this self-induced coma. I have listened to her voicemails to hear her voice again and I yearn everyday to hear her sweet giggle. Mostly I think about my sweet Henley. Oh how I want her to meet Mamaw. I want Mamaw to hold her and to poke her nose like she does with every baby. Yes, I selfishly want Mamaw to meet by baby girl, but mostly I want my baby girl to meet Mamaw. I want her to know that Mamaw is one of the most special people that she would ever know. The thought of life going on without Mamaw just seems odd and wrong. How can she not be here? This wasn't supposed to happen.<br />
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Every time I look at Mamaw in her hospital bed I can only think "this is not right." How could we have gone up to her house the Saturday before her surgery and sat and talked with her and now she can't even communicate with us?<br />
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I know I am one of the lucky ones to have gotten to know my Mamaw and to have spent so much time with her. Mamaw taught us all to love so well. She loved us all something fierce and we loved her the same in return. She adored my Papaw and he still adores her. I will miss the days of hearing him call her "Madame." God broke the mold when he made Kitty Ruth Silk.<br />
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As we continue to wait, we continue to pray for a miracle, but are also resting in the fact that Mamaw knows the Lord and we have to trust him. If a miracle is not in his plan, we will hate it, but we will know that she is in a much better place. I can't say that I have a peace about her not being here, but I will trust my God. It would be so easy to praise him if Mamaw came back to us, but we will continue to praise him no matter what.<br />
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I love you Mamaw. I'm not sure I will ever adore or love someone the way I do you. You are the most amazing grandma. I will miss and think of you every single day. You will be the person I talk about for the rest of my life. You will be a part of the stories I tell my children. My heart will ache every single day for you, but I will look forward to seeing you again one day in heaven.<br />
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You call me out upon the waters</div>
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The great unknown where feet may fail </div>
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And there I find You in the mystery</div>
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In oceans deep</div>
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My faith will stand </div>
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And I will call upon Your name </div>
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And keep my eyes above the waves</div>
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When oceans rise</div>
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My soul will rest in Your embrace</div>
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For I am Yours and You are mine</div>
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Your grace abounds in deepest waters </div>
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Your sovereign hand</div>
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Will be my guide</div>
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Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me</div>
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You've never failed and You won't start now</div>
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So I will call upon Your name</div>
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And keep my eyes above the waves </div>
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When oceans rise </div>
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My soul will rest in Your embrace </div>
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For I am Yours and You are mine </div>
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Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders </div>
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Let me walk upon the waters</div>
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Wherever You would call me </div>
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Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander </div>
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And my faith will be made stronger </div>
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In the presence of my Savior</div>
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I will call upon Your name </div>
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Keep my eyes above the waves </div>
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My soul will rest in Your embrace </div>
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I am Yours and You are mine </div>
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-Oceans by Hillsong United-</div>
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<br />Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-72929204121179276042014-08-15T08:24:00.001-07:002014-08-15T08:24:50.662-07:00Windsor and OxfordAfter our detour to Edgeware (aka the middle of nowhere) the day before, we woke up and headed straight to Picadilly Circus to hopefully be the first in line at Golden Tours. This is where we were told we could get a BritRail pass. <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: lime;">Side note: When Ben was in Europe 6 years before, he had a first class BritRail pass, and him and his guy friends would just hop on most days and see where it took them. All of this was done through Baylor, so it was a bit shocking to find out that we couldn't just get one exactly like that (for 25 and younger backpackers), and that it was going to cost a bit more than we expected. </span>Our early start paid off, and we were the first in line. The line started forming pretty quickly behind us. Apparently, Golden Tours is also where you get a London Pass which we heard was great for sightseeing. The BritRail pass was pretty pricey, but it was on our "must" list, so we bit the bullet and got it! It was back to Paddington Station for us to actually head to Windsor this time!! </span><br />
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It was perfect timing! When we arrived in Windsor, everyone was lining the streets around the castle. Turns out it was for the changing of the guards. We got up right next to the castle gates as the guards came out playing a little tune. I was absolutely giddy!!<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Just getting off the train and walking into the town, I felt like a little girl! This town is so so cute! I mean do you see those cute little buildings on the left?! They are everywhere! Windsor was exactly what I was hoping it would be! </span></div>
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After the guards passed and the excitement settled down, they opened up the gates to Windsor Castle and we went in to buy our tour tickets. Ben and I both absolutely loved our tour experience. It's a "self-guided" tour with this little thing that you can punch a number into as you see them throughout the castle and it will tell you what you're looking at. I liked not being with a big group, but still getting lots of information. </div>
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Welcome to Windsor Castle, where the Queen spends her weekends!! I don't think I would mind spending my weekends here! </div>
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First stop - the gardens...oh the gardens!! Please Lord, can I please have a garden like this one day?! These gardens were absolutely incredible! The men working on the lawn actually had to tie themselves to a tree at the top of the hill and then repel down in order weed eat. Crazy! </div>
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After standing in awe of the garden for a while, we headed around to the doll house exhibit and a mini museum. Unfortunately, we weren't able to take pictures, but both of the exhibits were awesome! The doll house was out of control HUGE. I never had a doll house, we mostly made barbie villages every Christmas, but it totally made me want to have one for our little girl one day. </div>
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The rest of the castle tour was of the state rooms. Again, we could not take pictures, but it was so neat to see so many rooms in the castle. Maybe I am just not a history buff, but I had no idea that the king and queen had separate rooms. I thought this was so odd! Each of them had a meeting room, a dressing room, a bedroom, etc. Seemed like they kept things pretty darn separate! </div>
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The tour took us a couple of hours and after we finished in the castle, we walked around a bit more outside and then to St. George's Chapel. </div>
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St. George's Chapel was really neat. They actually open up the services to the public. The chapel seemed like it was very dedicated to the important people surrounding the castle. Kings, queens and many other important people are buried in the chapel. It got Ben and I talking about who is being worshipped in the chapel. It was just something to think about...</div>
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Our tummies were rumbling and we were starting to get a bit hangry once we left the chapel. We turned in our little devices and started walking around the cobblestone streets and alleys to see if anything sounded good. We stopped at a little place called Casavilla where we could eat outside. It was good, but nothing spectacular. I had a chicken caesar salad and Ben had a pizza. Once we finished up with lunch, we thought about wandering around some more, but decided that we still had half a day and could get to Oxford and explore! </div>
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We hopped back on the BritRail and headed to Oxford, both of us taking a bit of a catnap on the way. Once we got off the train, we asked a few people how to get to the Eagle and Child, the pub where J.R.R Tolkien and CS Lewis used to hang out. They pointed us in the right direction, but we took the scenic route and walked all around. </div>
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We saw Christ's Church and walked around the grounds for a little while. There were tons of students roaming around, and the grounds were gorgeous! I think there was some sort of initiation thing going on that night because there were many students that looked like they had been in a crud war and were carrying champagne. It looked like a blast! </div>
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Oxford just had a really neat feel. It's a college town and that is exactly what it felt like. There were students (young people) everywhere. The streets were packed with people walking around or riding around on their bikes. It would be such a neat place to spend some time in college! </div>
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We continued to walk around and head to the Eagle and Child. We saw some other really gorgeous buildings and with our feet about to fall off, we finally made it to the pub! </div>
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There weren't many tables open, but I snagged us one that needed to be cleaned off and crashed while Ben ordered drinks - a beer for him and a much needed diet coke for me. We both decided that we could eat, but weren't super hungry, so we split the pulled pork nachos. They were delicious and definitely hit the spot! I think we enjoyed the company surrounding us even more though! We were flanked by students (a little bit older) getting their masters or PHD, etc. Their discussions were very interesting and totally different than the conversations Ben and I generally have. We had a great time sitting there, people watching, and having discussions of our own. </div>
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Funny story - when we walked out, I asked a lady to take this picture and she seemed to be ignoring me and walking off. She finally turned back around and said, "Oh sorry, I thought you were someone asking for money!" </div>
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After dinner we headed back (the short way) to the train station and made our way back to Paddington Station in London. Our feet were tired and so were we! Our day in Windsor and Oxford was one of my very favorite days! Both Ben and I had a blast and loved all of the sites! </div>
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<br />Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-32960301247980473592014-08-14T11:41:00.000-07:002014-08-14T11:41:40.762-07:00Fitness at 22 Weeks PregnantI have received a lot of questions about my workout routine while being pregnant. Most people know that I was a runner + gym rat pre-pregnancy, and have wondered how, or if I have changed things now that I am growing a human (weird!). The answer is both yes and no. Yes, the intensity of my workouts have changed, but no, I have not stopped working out.<br />
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Before I found out I was pregnant, I was doing some pretty high intensity workouts. For example, a lot of interval running with sprints and weight exercises mixed in. I was also trying some new things like bleacher workouts (in the heat). I absolutely loved the way these workouts challenged me and made me feel, but I was not comfortable continuing them after I saw that "Pregnant 3+" on the stick!<br />
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I'll be honest, I have struggled in the past with body image. Typical stuff like just being concerned with every little thing I eat and feeling guilty on the days I don't go to the gym. I was surprised at how quickly a switch in my brain flipped and all of a sudden it just wasn't worth it. I couldn't justify a tough workout when I didn't know whether or not I was putting the baby at risk. There were a few times in classes when I hated having to modify some moves, but I kept telling myself "my baby is worth it, my body image is not."<br />
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This was all before I really even got to go to the doctor. I mentioned it before, but we did not go to the doctor until I was almost 11 weeks along. We thought I was only about 7 or 8 weeks, but calculations were off, so I was almost through the first trimester before I finally got to talk to her about my workout routine. She told me not to get my heart rate up too high and that a great way to judge it was by making sure I could talk while I was working out. She also simply stated, "listen to your body."<br />
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I have tried my best to do just that, listen to my body. While we were in Europe, this was pretty easy! We walked and walked and walked, and I didn't ever feel the need for a workout (good thing since I didn't bring any workout clothes). Since we've been back, I have continued to workout between 5 and 6 days a week, but my workouts look a little different. I now schedule my trips to the gym around the class schedule and the class instructors. A typical week for me looks like this:<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Monday - afternoon body works </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Tuesday - morning boot camp </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Wednesday - morning body works </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Thursday - morning or afternoon body works </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Friday - morning body works </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Saturday - outdoor run </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Sunday - OFF </span></div>
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Each of the classes above is either preceded or followed by about 30+ steady minutes on the elliptical. This may seem monotonous to some, but I have really enjoyed this routine! Each of these classes pushes me in a different way (they are not all taught by the same person), and each day is perfect for the one it follows. For example, Tuesdays are pretty hard days. Boot camp kicks my booty, but the Wednesday body works class is generally more low key than the others, so it gives me a little break.<br />
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I also participated in a Wednesday night 5K run a few times here in Denton. I absolutely loved it, but our schedule hasn't allowed us to go the past couple of weeks. In terms of running, things are much different. Before we left for Europe I was still easily able to run 4+ miles at a slightly slower pace, but nothing too different than before. I even ran a good 6 miles one morning and felt great! The first time I realized that my pace had definitely slowed was when I thought I allowed myself plenty of time to get ready for breakfast with friends on the 4th of July, but when I returned from my run I only had about 10 minutes to shower and get ready...whoops! On Wednesday nights I have been able to run the entire 3.1 miles at a slower pace, but the past two Saturdays that I have gone out to run have turned into more of a walk/run. If I start to feel crampy at all, I take it to a walk. Also, can we talk about the urge to pee?!?! The moment I start to run I feel like I have to pee, but the moment I start walking it's all good again. So weird!!<br />
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I'm not sure how my fitness routine will go once school starts back up next week. I am really going to miss going to all of my classes. I may be able to make the 5:45 AM body works classes on Tuesday and Thursday, but I think that will probably be it. Due to the volleyball schedule (practice and games), I can't really make any classes after school. I will probably start planning out a weight routine for myself each week plus cardio. We'll see though, I'll keep you updated!<br />
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This is at 22 weeks on Sunday!</div>
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<br />Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-17347325856456703082014-07-28T08:22:00.001-07:002014-07-28T08:22:59.992-07:00More LondonWhen Ben was in London 6 years ago, he saw Phantom of the Opera and he absolutely loved it. One of our "musts" was to see a show, specifically Phantom again because Ben loved seeing it in London and the atmosphere of the theater. One of my very favorite things about New York is the shows, so I was beyond thrilled to know that Ben wanted to go to one too! Since we wanted to pack the front end of our trip with the "musts," our goal for they day was to find tickets.<br />
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First, we walked right down the street from our hotel to a little restaurant called Ruffles. We had seen signs in the window for pretty cheap breakfasts and thought we'd give it a try. It was an adorable little place with mostly locals enjoying breakfast with us. Ben got a delicious bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, while I just went with scrambled eggs and toast. Then, it was off to Leicester Square for tickets. After our trips to Picadilly Circus I researched places for discount tickets and found "TKTS."<br />
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There was a bit of a line, but nothing too bad. While Ben stood in line, I looked at the board posted with show names and prices. We thought about a couple of other shows, but Phantom was definitely what we wanted and we got tickets for just 35 pounds each. Not bad at all! </div>
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Our plan for the rest of the day was to go to Windsor....long story short, I didn't exactly research it enough and we ended up on the tube for about an hour to a place that apparently had nothing. According to the tube workers there was "nothing fancy" in Edgeware (literally the last tube stop we could have possibly gone to). The silver lining was that the tube workers were super friendly and we finally figured out where to go to get a BritRail pass. Everyone else that we had talked to about it before kept telling us all sorts of different places. </div>
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We felt a bit lost for the rest of the day without a plan. We headed back to Covent Garden to walk around the shops and ended up watching a man put on a show in the center of the square. He was pretty funny, and ended up asking Ben, "the man with the viking beard" to help him get on his unicycle. The moment he started looking around for helpers, I knew he'd ask Ben. He's a pretty easy guy to pick out of a crowd considering he stands above everyone else! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How do they do this?!</td></tr>
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You can see in the last picture that there were lots of little kids at the show too. I think this group right in front of us was a group of school kids and it was hilarious to hear their reactions. The show was funny but also a little inappropriate and they kept looking back at their teachers to see what to do! </div>
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Our next stop was a bookstore to make a plan for the rest of the day. Mostly Ben worked on a plan while I looked at the children's books. We found one called <u>My Mummy</u> that we got for sweet baby Clark. Then, we headed over to the National Museum. On our walk, we were literally able to walk however we wanted all over the streets because traffic was so backed up. People were completely stopped and standing outside their cars talking. It was crazy! </div>
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Looking at the art in the National Museum was super interesting to us. It was just so crazy to see how old some of the art was. We walked around most of the museum and then sat on the steps to rest for a little bit. When we walked back out, the traffic was still the same, but we couldn't figure out why. After sitting there for just a little while, Ben looked over at me and said, "I think you need to take a nap." Apparently I looked like I was fading fast! </div>
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After a good nap and some research for restaurants, Ben and I headed back to Picadilly Circus for dinner and the show. We were both so excited! We chose Nonna's Kitchen for dinner and it was awesome! The atmosphere was adorable, the service was great and the food was delicious! </div>
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Ben and I split some bruschetta and a pizza + I got my first diet coke of the trip while Ben had a glass of wine! Ah! It was so amazing! I would totally have gone back to this restaurant. There was just something about it that I adored!</div>
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We double-checked how late the restaurant stayed open before deciding on dessert. Thankfully it was open until 11, so we headed to the show with full stomachs and decided to wait until after to walk back over. </div>
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I was so excited to see the show, but I think I was even more excited to be back there with Ben. His time in London 6 years before was a super special time in our relationship. We weren't necessarily dating yet, but were absolutely smitten and would write letters and emails back and forth. Ben even bought a pink flip phone so he could call every now and then. I loved hearing about all the things he did and the places he saw and was elated to be back with him. It just seemed so special to be doing something that he enjoyed so much while he was there! </div>
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We absolutely loved the show! It's a really neat show to see in Europe where it actually took place. I've always loved the songs and the singing was incredible! After the show we headed back to Nonna's for some gelato and then walked to the center of Picadilly Circus to watch another group of performers. The gelato was amazing and again, I can't say enough about the people at Nonna's. They were so sweet! </div>
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Even though our plans for the whole day didn't go exactly to plan, we had such a fun day! </div>
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Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-9123619234163527492014-07-23T08:02:00.003-07:002014-07-23T08:02:54.441-07:00Day Two in LondonAfter crashing hard the night before, we enjoyed sleeping in and getting ready at a leisurely pace. Once we were ready to go, we walked to the tube station and headed to Somerset House. I had never even heard of Somerset House, but Ben remembered it from being there six years ago and said it was beautiful. It did not disappoint. Of course, we got out our camera and were so excited to start snapping pictures, but it kept telling us that we had no memory card. There was clearly a camera card in the camera and we checked everything to make sure it wasn't locked, etc. We were super frustrated, but hoped to stop by a camera store or something later, so the day's pictures are taken with my phone camera.<br />
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Today was one of my favorite days in London, because we just walked and walked and walked. When we walked out of Somerset House, we went through Victoria Gardens. There were so many people enjoying the beautiful day. They were eating their lunches on the grass and just laying down soaking up the sun. I was super jealous of their lunch breaks! We then walked along the Thames River for a little bit taking in the sites before we started heading to Borough Market. </div>
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It was a bit of a walk to the market...I think Ben wanted to hurt me! I love love love walking and taking in the city, where Ben enjoys walking around when we get to a site, but would prefer to get there by bike or train. I would say it was about a mile and a half to the market. It was actually pretty neat because we walked through areas that were not touristy. We got to see lots of flats/houses (how do you know which is which?), work places and even little shops and cafes that were tucked away. </div>
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By the time we got there, we were famished, so we immediately started looking at all of the carts and shops set-up with food. This was on a Tuesday, so all of them weren't set-up like they would be on a Saturday, but there was still a very impressive selection of food. I was super excited to be adventurous and just try something new! We ended up at the individual carts and Ben settled on Ethiopian food while I got a Falafel wrap. We both enjoyed trying something new while we sat in the middle of the market and listened to a musician play. </div>
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While we were walking around earlier, we saw some incredible dessert carts. One had ginormous chocolate chip cookies...like out of control HUGE! If you know Ben at all, you know this was a must try. We had plans to meet one of my friends from college around 2, so we grabbed a cookie and relaxed on the Borough Market benches in the sun. </div>
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An amazing dessert cart. Their baklava was out of this world! </div>
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After our glorious cookie, we walked to the London Bridge just around the corner to meet my friend, Jena. Ok, can we talk about the London Bridge? Apparently most people think that the London Bridge is really the Tower Bridge, but we were on the for real London Bridge and I was totally unimpressed. There is a great view of the Tower Bridge, but it is literally just like a highway bridge here in the states. Ben thought it was pretty funny that I didn't believe him that we were on the London Bridge at all! </div>
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Once we met up with Jena, we went on a fun walking tour of London. She works for a company as a tour guide and just so happened to be starting a tour the same day we started our tour, but she came over early to enjoy the city for a bit. It was so great to see her and get some suggestions on what to see and where to go! We walked across the Millennium Bridge which is apparently a big part of Harry Potter, and went by the the Globe Theater and St. Paul's Cathedral. I absolutely love the history here! </div>
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After walking by a ton of fun, beautiful sites, we hopped on the tube (in rush hour) to Picadilly Circus. I was for real sandwiched in between so many people. Ben thought it was hilarious, but unfortunately he was too squished to take a picture. We continued a walking tour of Picadilly Circus to Covent Garden. I adored Covent Garden! It was such a cute little part of the city with lots of restaurants, shopping stores, little shops, an outdoor market and outdoor entertainment. I made a mental note to make it back there before we left. We felt like we had walked at least 6 miles for the day, so we were getting a bit hungry and decided to head to a pub for some fish and chips. </div>
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On our way, we passed by a cute little cookie shop called "Ben's Cookies" and had to stop! Apparently it was the day of the cookie! Ben got a chocolate chip (surprise surprise) and I got a peanut butter for an after dinner treat. </div>
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Jena took us to a pub called Marquess and it was delicious! I got the renne pasta because I wasn't sure about fish and chips yet, but I tried Ben's dinner and it was incredible! The fish was so fresh! I am also a fan of the mashed peas...should I admit that?!?! We felt like total partiers because we didn't start heading back to our hotel until almost ten o'clock! </div>
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Day 2 was such a good day in the city, and we went to bed exhausted again! </div>
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<br />Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-32198067848411092402014-07-15T12:31:00.000-07:002014-07-15T12:31:23.522-07:00We're Back + Our Big AnnouncementWE'RE BACK!!!! We've actually been back since July 2nd, but we've been super busy catching up with friends and family and getting everything back in order. We had so much fun in Europe, but we are also so happy to be home! Before I go on and on about all of the places we went and things we saw, we did make a big of a big announcement before we left...<div>
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We had a very small extra carry-on added to our trip! We are expecting our first baby in December, and we could not be more ecstatic! It was pretty neat to watch the baby bump grow and grow while we were in Europe. I took a few "bump pics," but it wasn't until the week we got back that the bump was officially noticeable. I am now a little over 18 weeks, and according to Ben, I am officially pregnant! I absolutely love seeing the bump! </div>
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I will post a pregnancy update soon, probably in between trip updates, but lets get started on our trip. Seeing as we were gone for 23+ days, this could take awhile! </div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><u>June 9th - Take off to London</u></span></div>
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Unfortunately, our air conditioner went out on the 7th, so we spent the night at my in-laws the night before. I woke up bright and early to get in one last run before leaving. I knew it would be a long time before I would be running again, plus there would be a lot of plane sitting. It was a perfect, rainy morning for a run! I was super glad that I got my butt out of bed. After my run, Ben and I headed back to our house to finish packing. I thought I had most of my clothes already laid out, but as always, it took be about 10X longer to pack than I thought it would. I kept overthinking everything. </div>
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I tried to pack everything into two carry-on bags, one Kelty rolling bag a friend let me borrow and a big backpack (see above). All my clothes and shoes (two pair of sandals and a pair of tennis shoes) went into the Kelty and all of my toiletries and carry-on items went in the backpack. If anyone is interested, I am happy to do another post on what I packed, just let me know. </div>
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After we got everything packed, we headed back to my in-laws to relax and plan some things for the trip before we left. I called a friend from college who happens to be a tour guide in Europe. She gave me some awesome tips, one being to download the app Ulmon Map Guides and the Tube Map before we left. These two apps ended up being awesome! They helped us navigate London and every other city/country we visited. She also gave us some awesome recommendations for places to visit while in London. All of this made be so excited to go! </div>
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Our flight was at 7:50 PM, which ended up being amazing. We got to the airport with plenty of time to have dinner before we boarded. The international terminal at DFW has a bunch of options for dinner, but once we saw Cantina Loredo on the list, it was a pretty immediate decision. Of course we had to get our last fill of Tex Mex before we left! </div>
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Having the flight so late was awesome, because we got on the flight, watched a movie (while others were served dinner...we didn't realize they would serve us), and then slept. We definitely did not sleep through the night, but we didn't officially wake up until they were serving breakfast. After that, the captain announced that we were about to land. The flight flew by, no pun intended! :) </div>
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Going through customs and all that at Heathrow was a super easy process, but can we talk about the cankles caused by the flight?! Holy moly, I was so embarrassed! I had a feeling my feet would swell due to the pregnancy and the long flight, but I was not expecting what looked to me like elephantitis!! Ok, I'm being super dramatic, but they were definitely cankles! We quickly hopped on the tube and headed to Paddington Station near our hotel. The tube ride was a bit long and hot, and with not having eaten anything but some yogurt that morning on the flight, I was not feeling so hot. It felt awesome to get back up to street level and head to our hotel! Again, I can not emphasize how wonderful the Ulmon app was for this. It can be used offline, so the map popped right up! </div>
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We stayed at the Park Grand London Hyde Park and I have nothing bad to say about this hotel. It was quiet and although our hotel room was small, everything was very nice. Who cares if your room is small?! We would only be in there to sleep! There was also a bathroom that we forgot to take a picture of, but it was a nice size. I think I was most surprised by the fact that there was no shower curtain, just a small piece of glass by the shower head. Weird!! </div>
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We laid down for about two seconds before my pregnant belly growled and I realized I needed food soon, so we headed back out for the day! By this time, it was around 2:00 PM, so we walked around the corner to find lunch. We stopped at a small pub called Pride of Paddington. It was great! I got a tuna melt and Ben got a chicken caesar salad. I know I know, neither are really "English" food, but we didn't want to ruin our appetite for dinner and dessert! Definitely the highlight of lunch was the man sitting right behind Ben. He ordered the fish and chips and I will just say that from his very loud belches after each bite, I have a feeling they have very yummy fish and chips! Ben and I could not contain our giggles each time he burped. It was OUT OF CONTROL!! </div>
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After our bellies were satisfied, we decided we should go see where Ben stayed when he studied abroad 6 years ago. We got back on the tube and headed to Imperial College. We walked around for a while and ended up in Hyde Park. I think we were both a bit too tired to walk the park, so we parked it under a tree for a while. It was such a nice day and I just laid my head on Ben's stomach and watched all of the families running around. There was a really cute group of kids chasing birds and also a dad teaching his son to skateboard. I loved watching everyone! </div>
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Imperial College is the building on the other side of all the trees</div>
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A ginormous statue in Hyde Park </div>
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We were a bit indecisive on what we wanted to do after Hyde Park, so we first went to South Kensington. There were lots of cute little restaurants and shops. We weren't really hungry yet, so we got back on the tube and went to Picadilly Circus, pretty much the Time Square of London. </div>
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We walked around, went into some fun touristy London souvenir shops, looked at tickets for shows and just sat on the stairs you see above. People watching in Picadilly Circus was pretty awesome! After people watching and talking about plans for the next few days, we again got back on the tube and headed back to South Kensington for dinner. We stopped at a cute little place called Le Pain. Ben got an open-faced club sandwich and I got a quinoa dish. Exactly what I wanted at the end of a long, busy, draining day. We could tell that we were both incredibly tired by the lack of conversation had at dinner, and came to the conclusion that we should probably head back and get some rest. Obviously, this could not happen without getting dessert, so we walked across the street for a scrumptious crepe. </div>
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It started sprinkling while we were in the restaurant, so we sat under a small awning and enjoyed a nutella and banana crepe for Ben and a strawberry, almond and butterscotch crepe for me. They were incredible! How could I not have taken a picture?! I guess the lack of sleep made me have a slight mental lapse... so sorry! </div>
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It was a super early night for us. We went back to the hotel, cleaned up and got in bed. I think we were both probably out no later than 9:30. It was a great first day, and we needed lots of energy for the days to come! </div>
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Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-66744142526905285302014-03-31T19:34:00.002-07:002014-03-31T19:34:58.603-07:00Weekend Workouts Can we just talk about the weather real quick?! OMG! I am in love! I am so in love, that I took my workouts this past weekend outdoors. There was no way I was going to spend my workout indoors at the gym! Lets just hope this weather sticks around for awhile! Well, obviously, it is going to be windy, cloudy and rainy on Thursday, which just so happens to be another track meet. It never fails, each track meet this year, we have had sunny and warm days sandwiching the meet, but the day of the meet it is always windy, cold and rainy. I mean, that just makes sense, right? Middle school coaches dream of late nights spent with twelve and thirteen year olds with our insides shivering! Don't you?!<br />
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I digress...back to those glorious outdoor workouts! We have a fabulous park about half a mile from our house with a couple of different loops around it. The biggest loop is about 2.2 miles long. I always love that there are so many people running, walking their dogs, etc. The loops go around a couple of different ponds. There are also always tons of kids playing. I mean how can you not enjoy a run when you are constantly passing smiling kids and dogs?!<br />
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On Saturday, I decided to go on a run sans Baylor (our dog). As much as I love running with her, mostly because she loves running so much, she does slow me down a bit. As I said before, there are always lots of people and dogs, and Baylor happens to LOVE people and dogs. Our last run, I thought she was going to yank my arm off! I was pretty excited to see that without Baylor, I could run my normal pace! Since I usually take her with me, I had been a bit discouraged to see my pace had slowed down quite a bit. After Saturday, I was pumped to know this girl still has it!!<br />
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Since the biggest loop is only 2.2 or so miles, I ran it twice plus a little extra. I completed all 5(.06) miles at an 8:17 pace. My splits aren't shown above, but I also had negative splits! It was a super motivational, self-esteem boosting run! It also made for a pretty fabulous start to an extra fun day. Ben and I attended the Denton Women's Benefit League Ball later that night and had a blast! I also got to partake in a little bit of chocolate mousse cake guilt free. Double bonus! </div>
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Despite staying out late dancing the night away led by one of my very favorite bands, Emerald City, I was still itching for another good workout outside the next morning. I headed back to Eureka Park and completed one lap around the biggest loop. Oh yeah, I also ran the 2.21 miles at an even faster pace than the day before! </div>
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I then found a picnic bench and completed a short circuit workout three times through. It was perfect! I have shown the circuit below if you are interested in a fun park workout for yourself. Maybe one day I will get a little bit more brave and venture to the actual play area and use the bar for pull-ups and such. </div>
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I was one happy camper after this weekend of outdoor workouts! Got to enjoy the great outdoors before it is scorching outside! </div>
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<br />Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-89337032085887508382014-01-17T08:07:00.000-08:002014-01-17T08:07:42.771-08:00Where Has The Time Gone?Whelp... it's been a while again. Almost a year, actually. I've thought about blogging many times, but lets be honest - my free time has been incredibly limited, and when I did have some free time, I was basking in it (or sleeping).<br />
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Holy cow, my first year of teaching and coaching was a blur! It absolutely flew by, probably because there was rarely a spare second. When I would describe my schedule to most people their jaw would drop, and they usually offered some sort of pity. Yes, there were many tired days, but for the first time since college, I can say that I absolutely love and enjoy my job! Now that the second year is halfway over (that's right, we are just finishing up first semester exams), I am still 100% in love with my job, and way less overwhelmed than I was last year. There are hard days. I mean c'mon...I teach 7th grade! Oh the hormones!! But, even those hard days are made good days by my colleagues, or an athlete or student "getting it," or even just their sweet smile and desire to share parts of their life with me. I finally found my dream job! I am so unbelievably happy and have found true joy in what I do!<br />
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I would love to catch you up on the past year of my life, but that would be one VERY long post. For now, I thought I would catch you up on just a couple of things going on in my life right now. One being a goal and the other a big trip! There are so many things coming up in 2014 that I am super excited about!!<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">#1 - Start caring less about calories and more about total nutrition. </span><br />
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I started eating "healthy" around my senior year in high school. As a teenager, my intentions were definitely not about getting the right nutrition. I was more concerned about fewer calories than nutrients. Obviously, I started making healthier choices in order to cut calories, but my nutrition still lacked in many areas. Throughout college I became more aware of the right kinds of food and educated myself on the proper nutrients, but I also started running and working out a whole lot more. My body was still lacking in proper nutrition. I can say that in the past couple of years, I have done a much better job of consuming better nutrients as a whole, while still eating pretty clean. I follow the 80/20 rule. I will never be able to give up my ice cream/frozen yogurt or my chips and salsa! I still care a lot about how many calories I am consuming in a day and how many calories I am burning in my workouts though. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but I would like to educate myself even more on proper nutrition and fueling, eating clean and getting all of the nutrients that my body needs. Less brain space taken up by my calorie count and more taken up by what my body is lacking that day!<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">#2 - Europe Trip!!!!</span><br />
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Ben and I have always had the goal of going to Europe together, and this is the year! We will be leaving right after school ends and getting back at the beginning of July. A little over 3 weeks! OMG…I am literally counting down the days! I have officially started thinking about how to pack and what all I need to bring with me. I have never been to Europe, but Ben has. I could obviously ask him about some of the things that I need, but he is a man, and men do not think about all of the things women do. So, I need to know, what do I NEED to bring to Europe? We will be hopping from place to place a lot. What do I pack? What kind of luggage do you recommend? What do I need to purchase to make things easier over there? Any advise you have for me, I welcome it! I am so flipping excited!!<br />
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<br />Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-42868732633354671572013-02-13T20:27:00.000-08:002013-02-13T20:27:25.262-08:00Valentine's Day Encouragement Well ladies...I think we are all well aware that tomorrow is Valentine's Day. For some, it may be a fabulous day. For some, it may be a pretty rough day. And for some, it may be a day that you don't even think twice about. Speaking from the perspective of a married woman who 100% loves and adores her husband, it is a day that I both don't really pay all that much attention to, but at the same time, expect it to be abnormally romantic. Funny how that works, huh?<br />
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In all honesty, I love the day because it is a holiday and I love all the decorations and excitement behind any holiday...trust me, I have an insane amount of Valentine's inspired pencils on my desk. What can I say, the Target dollar section just calls to me every time!! Back on track- I love Valentine's Day because I love any holiday, especially a ridiculously adorable holiday filled with fun colors and hearts. But, I have the same feelings about Valentine's Day that I have for New Years Eve. It's a little overrated. Believe me...I enjoy every opportunity I get to spend time with my husband, but without fail, every year I regret the pressure I put on the day. Even more so, I hate the pressure I put on Ben and the strain it can sometimes put on our relationship.<br />
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I am currently participating in a Bible study on Tuesday nights with a fabulous group of women. We are studying Exodus, in particular the 10 Commandments. Last night we went over the last 6 commandments. One in particular was very convicting for me...you shall not commit adultery. Now, before you go jumping to conclusions, no...I have never nor will I ever cheat on my husband. What was so convicting to me was going back to the Sermon on the Mount when Christ talks about lust. I used to think that he meant that a lustful thought is the exact same as adultery. Now, I understand that what Christ is saying is that we have to cut our sin at the root. Lust or wishful thoughts are the root of adultery. They often lead to adultery and that is why we have to capture our thoughts and be careful with not just only our hearts, but our minds as well.<br />
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The reason this was so convicting to me is because I am a total hopeless romantic, and I often have to capture the thoughts I have about life being a fairytale. I want a fairytale, but I have to realize that because of the fall, life is simply not a fairytale. On a large scale, I thought I was pretty good about this. When <i>Fifty Shades of Grey</i> came out, I decided easily not to read it. I viewed, and still view it essentially, as a woman's porn. No, I am not watching anything, but by reading something like that, I am essentially thinking exactly what a man would be watching. When I thought about this, I thought about how devastated I would be if I ever knew that Ben was doing this. That is just the large scale...I am not so good on the smaller scale. All those Nicholas Sparks books do the same thing, just not as graphic. By reading all the fairytales and watching all the fairytales, I am often wishing for the fairytale. Now, don't think that I am saying you can't read those Nicholas Sparks books or watch your chick flicks. I am not at all saying that. I just think you have to be careful not to hold your husband to that standard.<br />
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Cut the sin at the root. I would like to encourage all of you, especially all of the wives, to let your husband love you tomorrow. Let him love you how he loves you best. Don't hold him to expectations that he can never fulfill. Let tomorrow be a fabulous day for love to flourish! That is my goal. To encourage my husband and not to put him down. To let him love me because when I let him, he is so incredibly wonderful at it.Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-52846451088013514952013-02-02T07:45:00.002-08:002013-02-02T07:45:32.336-08:0030 Day Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When 2013 began and we were headed home from vacation, I decided that I would do a 30 day challenge to kick things off on the right foot. I didn't follow any program or anything like that; I simply wrote down goals and strived to meet them. I started on January 2nd and finished up on Thursday, January 31st. I would say my 30 day challenge was a SUCCESS!! I am a fan of challenging myself and setting goals...this year might just be a year full of 30, 60 or however many day challenges! </div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><u>My Goals:</u></span></b></div>
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<li>Consistently add more weights into my workout routine</li>
<li>Push myself everyday with my workouts </li>
<li>Less processed foods, more whole foods</li>
<li>Plan school lunches ahead of time</li>
<li>Quit chewing gum </li>
<li>Drink more (2-3 L) water daily</li>
<li>Be consistent about digging into God's word </li>
<li>Get out of my comfort zone!! </li>
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Lets go through these one-by-one.... </div>
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<li>With the help of my personal trainer, aka my husband, I created a weight routine for each day of the week. <ul><ul>
<li>Monday - Biceps and Triceps </li>
<li>Tuesday - Squats, Lunges, Step-ups, etc. </li>
<li>Wednesday - Back and Shoulders </li>
<li>Thursday - Hamstrings, Quads, Calves, etc. </li>
<li>Friday - Full Body Circuit - Burpees, Planks, Push-ups, Dips, Mountain Climbers </li>
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I used Saturday as a day to run or do a fun workout. Sunday is generally rest day unless it is switched with another day where time ran out. I really really really enjoyed doing this! This cardio queen has now turned into a weights junkie! I find that I look forward to the time I get to spend in the weight room rather than the time I spend on the elliptical, treadmill or stairmaster. There were those few days when I just got in the zone and I went with it. For example, I had a 20 minute HIIT run planned + back and shoulders one day, but when I got on the treadmill, I just zoned out and ran 5.02 miles instead. I love those pleasant surprises! </div>
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2. SUCCESS - I started adding weight, reps and more circuits all on my own! It usually takes Ben going to the gym with me and yelling at me, but I wanted to see results! </div>
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3. I really tried to plan out our meals and get more whole foods in my meals. On the nights when we were both busy and there was no meal planned, I tried to choose better quick meals. I used to choose things like cereal, but this time I went with protein shakes, Amy's frozen meals, etc. There were a couple nights where cereal was just the best option and I didn't beat myself up about it.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvG5FOBPdtXkQevFsjUHva14d1zEFopxzeVHGOmQQgGQ56S84M8rHhQ9jo65WjyfwSyoTGmoyjGlLjb-oESsmRZnzdv7CTvcSESF2TZ4ir7nBiCQ_30_TCD5JpLnut2HjviBK40z-jhwY/s1600/IMG_2747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvG5FOBPdtXkQevFsjUHva14d1zEFopxzeVHGOmQQgGQ56S84M8rHhQ9jo65WjyfwSyoTGmoyjGlLjb-oESsmRZnzdv7CTvcSESF2TZ4ir7nBiCQ_30_TCD5JpLnut2HjviBK40z-jhwY/s320/IMG_2747.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salmon, Quinoa and Roasted Broccoli</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted Kale, Sweet Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts with Feta and Black Beans </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love Amy's!! My favorite is the Black-Eyed Pea Bowl!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zoe's Kitchen Spinach and Chicken Roll-Ups...2 eaten for dinner, 2 wrapped up for lunch</td></tr>
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These are just a few examples of my meals. I tried to make something on Monday's that could be taken for lunch during the week - taco soup, quinoa, etc. I was even proud of the choices I made at some of the events we went to. I stuck to vegetables, salads and things that were not cooked in large amounts of sauce or oil. <div>
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4. Semi-succees. Like I mentioned before, dinners that could be taken in tubberware helped, but frozen meals that could be grabbed in the morning while running out the door did too. </div>
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5. I would say this was an incredible success!! There have been a few days that I have chewed gum, but I no longer want piece after piece after piece. I was able to chew 1 or 2 pieces and then be done for the rest of the day! MAJOR SUCCESS!!!! </div>
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6. Mostly a success - I struggle to drink water during the day while I'm teaching. I find it really annoying when I constantly have to pee during class. I can't exactly just leave my students, plus I am always cold and drinking water constantly doesn't help. I used my big Starbucks Venti cup to help and a 1L water bottle that I tried to fill up at least 2-3 times a day. Still working on this! </div>
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7. Still working on daily quiet times, but I joined a Women's Bible Study that meets on Tuesdays and Ben and I attended Elder Led Prayer on Wednesdays. We also attended church on Sunday, but I would still really like to get into a daily routine. </div>
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8. This, I have done. It was definitely not in my comfort zone to join a Women's Bible Study. I tend to stick with being around people that I am already comfortable around and who know me. I don't exactly open up easily, but I am have so enjoyed the 2 weeks so far that we have met. I just had to get out there and do it!! </div>
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Also going along with getting out of my comfort zone, I am now doing a 30 day, maybe a 60 day if things go well, challenge doing INSANITY. I started yesterday with the Fit Test and already know that this is going to be killer! I am really excited and can't wait to share my results! </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope you have had a fabulous first 32 days of the New Year! Make this your year!! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">PS - Something else that has helped is keeping track of my meals and workouts in this adorable little spiral. I love feeling the accomplishment of writing down the really tough workouts! </span></div>
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Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-79815058503307403512013-01-19T08:35:00.000-08:002013-01-19T08:35:49.316-08:00Bachelor Gulch, CO After our crazy, hectic, go-go-go Christmas, we had a day to recover and put away presents before we were off again to Bachelor Gulch, CO. We left bright and early on the 27th to catch our flight to Denver. We then drove about 2.5 hours to our hotel. We've gone to Colorado with Ben's family every year since we got married. Our first year we went to Bachelor Gulch, last year was Vail and we were back in Bachelor Gulch. Why fix it if it ain't broke?!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the mountain of our hotel </td></tr>
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We got in around 3:00 PM, so we grabbed lunch at the Buffalo Bar, napped a bit...I'm horrible at napping, so after about 30 minutes, I hopped up and hit the gym. When Ben finally woke up, he met me down at the hot tub where my head absolutely froze because it was snowing, but going to the gym and then the hot tub is just something we do on vacation... always. <div>
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We got a late start since we got there so late in the day, so we decided to simply order room service and watch some good TV. I was still full from the black bean burger and sweet potato fries I ordered at lunch, so I just had a bowl of oatmeal with peanut butter and fruit before calling it a night. </div>
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We woke up on Wednesday morning and headed down to breakfast. Ben's dad wasn't feeling very well, so he wasn't going to ski and his mom and sister didn't want to ski without his dad, so they went shopping. Ben and I wanted to get out on the slopes, so we changed, got my skis and boots and hit the slopes! </div>
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After our first run, we had to stop to de-thaw my hands for a little bit. I have HUGE issues with my hands being frozen and I am not one of those people that can just grin and bare it. It hurts so bad when they thaw that I just crumble. There may have been some tears of frustration and pain as I was cuddled up to Ben at the base of the mountain with my hands in his jacket, but after a minor break down, we had a fabulous day on the mountain! We skied for about 2.5 hours before coming in for lunch around 3:00 PM and calling it a day. I thoroughly enjoyed spending a day with Ben on the slopes! We haven't skied by ourselves before and it was so fun! </div>
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This time, after a little rest, we hit the gym together before relaxing in the hot tub and grotto. After getting ready, we headed downstairs to Spago, Wolfgang Puck's restaurant. It was the last night he was there and we enjoyed talking to him once again. He is so so friendly and kind! </div>
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Spago is always absolutely wonderful! I started the night with my favorite pomegranate martini while we waited for our reservation. The lobby is the absolute best, so we had a blast people watching, chatting and reading down there before dinner. I had the scallops at dinner and I obviously had a pretzel roll. Wolfgang Puck's pretzel rolls are to die for!! </div>
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Everyone felt much better the next two days, so we all skied together. The temperatures were almost unbearably cold, so I won't lie and tell you that we skied from lift open to lift close, but we got in some runs and had fun! I'm not exactly a Winter skier...I prefer Spring Break skiing when I can ski without worrying at all that I will get cold. One layer of clothes and I'm good to go!! </div>
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We visited Ben and Tony's favorite restaurant one night, I believe it's called 1800. It's in Beaver Creek at a different hotel and we always enjoy going over there. Ben and Tony always rave about the elk and I tried it last year and loved it, so I went with it again this year. Again, why fix what ain't broke? The hotel was still very festive with Christmas decorations, so while Ben and Tony explored a little to find a restaurant for the next night, Katie, Karen and I enjoyed the tree and fire. </div>
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After the usual routine the next day, we were pretty excited to watch the Cowboys game at a little bar that Tony and Ben found in Beaver Creek. I love watching games with lots of people around, so I absolutely loved it! There was a little drama with a customer, great people watching, and some fun camaraderie with other (about 2 or 3) Cowboys fans! They also had great guacamole and tortilla soup, so it was a win in my books! </div>
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The last day that we were there, New Years Eve, we all took the day off from skiing. Ben's family drove over to Breckenridge to get their favorite calzones. Ben didn't feel like driving the hour, so we had another little date day! We took the shuttle over to Beaver Creek, did some shopping and then holed up in Starbucks. I graded papers and worked while Ben read. Have I mentioned that I love spending time with my husband?!?! I love date days! </div>
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We spent New Years Eve at the hotel in the Buffalo Bar. We had a bit of an interesting dinner where our waitress forgot to put our order in before her shift was over. We ended up with a free, but very late dinner. It was probably a good thing, because no one other than me was planning on staying up until midnight, but we finished dinner about an hour before the big countdown, so Katie stayed up as well! </div>
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We had a great time in the lobby with our little blowers! We had fun doing the countdown and then about 12:05, we headed upstairs and put on our pjs! Yes, we are lame!! We blame it on the altitude! </div>
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Bachelor Gulch 2012-2013 was a successful trip! We had a lot of fun while getting a lot of relaxing done. I know this sounds so dumb, but one of my very favorite things about vacation is the workouts. Ben usually works out with me and I love it! I think he just likes seeing me in pain, so I employ him as my trainer and he puts me through killer weights workouts. I LOVE IT!! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warming up by the fire after a day of skiing! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So in love with this man! </td></tr>
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Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-84211756690679422022013-01-02T20:07:00.002-08:002013-01-02T20:07:46.206-08:00Merry Christmas and Happy New Year <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our little family to yours!! </div>
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I have been ready for Christmas Break since the moment I went back to work after Thanksgiving Break. I was more than ready to head home from school on the 21st, and could not wait for some free time to really get into the Christmas/Holiday spirit. When I was thinking about it, it seemed like I had a lot of time off. I was in for a rude awakening...it has been go go go from the moment I walked out the door on the 21st til I woke up this morning. I am beyond excited to spend the next 4 days catching up and cleaning up before school starts again!! </div>
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Yes, we've been busy, but we also had a fabulous Christmas and New Years! We got back late last night from a trip with Ben's family to Bachelor Gulch, CO. I will take some time to recap our trip tomorrow, but here are a few pictures from before Christmas up to our trip. I am truly blessed with two fabulous families to celebrate Christmas with!!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZrxQOQE123M3fljv9trIsjmuWST5RPmba05JHQ3ZnYfWr0_skwE4N2Nk3doaogBpaeGh5ifUdMFXQCOgymFdGkuAtBzbBthkAgs4m7dmRl0CH2xIOdCyU7DjMToYwpX3Zi-1Ne-YcMFZ/s1600/IMG_2604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZrxQOQE123M3fljv9trIsjmuWST5RPmba05JHQ3ZnYfWr0_skwE4N2Nk3doaogBpaeGh5ifUdMFXQCOgymFdGkuAtBzbBthkAgs4m7dmRl0CH2xIOdCyU7DjMToYwpX3Zi-1Ne-YcMFZ/s400/IMG_2604.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Ben and I made The Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls for co-workers together...Holy Yum! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Co-worker's wedding with another coach and my principal - I love my school! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two cutest nieces you did ever see! - we met my whole family for a Christmas Eve breakfast at Northpark </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Might be my favorite picture ever! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before Christmas Eve church service - we celebrate on Christmas Eve with Ben's family</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very Berry (my maiden name) Christmas! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My crazy mom and her fabulous Baylor pom-pom gloves! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjian_nPoIGeqC0LUfQigw4a6pv_DuFWxtiehyphenhyphen4uHuCn1RjnBnpMHQYOGR16mRGdX9HX5ZPgc4mf7sk87oiYcvlePFxqc0A48lICMo1mx__1mkvCtzT0Q2bgs1BELopmhjt2LF6tw8CqOT5/s1600/IMG_2671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjian_nPoIGeqC0LUfQigw4a6pv_DuFWxtiehyphenhyphen4uHuCn1RjnBnpMHQYOGR16mRGdX9HX5ZPgc4mf7sk87oiYcvlePFxqc0A48lICMo1mx__1mkvCtzT0Q2bgs1BELopmhjt2LF6tw8CqOT5/s400/IMG_2671.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Dance" aka jump on the bed party! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baylor's first Christmas and first snow! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready to play in the snow! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting early - her first Mercedes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben got an Xbox and immediately started playing! </td></tr>
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I love getting to look back on our Christmas and realizing how blessed we are! I am so thankful my Savior was born so that I might be saved and get to be reunited with him one day! All of the festivities during Christmas are wonderful reminders of all that Christ has given us and how thankful I am for my faith! </div>
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Merry (late) Christmas and Happy New Year!! </div>
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Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-65245623899987496522012-12-03T19:43:00.001-08:002012-12-03T19:43:25.097-08:00Quarter of a Century As of Friday, November 30th, I am officially a quarter of a century old!! For those that have no idea what that means...I am the big 2-5! For the first time when people were asking "so do you feel older," I could actually say yes. There just seems to be something about 25...it kind of feels like I should start acting like an adult!<br />
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I have had the most fabulous birthday weekend! Everything really started on Thursday and concluded with a wonderful family lunch yesterday. It also trickled a little bit over to today with some birthday treats that were brought to school by colleagues and students. I feel so blessed by everyone in my life and would like to say a big THANK YOU for making me feel so loved!<br />
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When I walked into school on Thursday morning, I had an adorable surprise waiting for me at my door. Some of my sweet students decorated my door and came bearing balloons, hats and Nothing Bundt Cake Bundlets. Yummy! There was a party in my classroom on Thursday! I know I've said it before, but I will say it again - I absolutely love my students! They are seriously the greatest! </div>
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On Tuesday I was convinced by a couple of my teacher friends that I should take the day off on Friday. It was so not like me, but I decided that I needed the personal day! Ben wanted to bring me lunch one day, so with me not being there Friday, he brought it to me on Thursday. A Zoe's Kitchen just opened in Flower Mound and I have been so excited to go. I love the one in Dallas, but still hadn't made it to the new one. Ben brought me the delicious Spinach Roll Ups. He also got to meet some of my students and co-workers which was super fun! The kids were so amazed at how big he is. One even asked me "can we call your husband Big Ben?" It was pretty cute! </div>
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With all of our family and friend celebrations throughout the weekend, I told Ben that I would just love to go to breakfast on Friday morning. Ben had the grand idea that he should make me a special dinner on Thursday. I requested my absolute favorite - Miso Glazed Salmon! It was incredible...probably what I would request for my last meal! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious edamame on the side - I could eat edamame all day long</td></tr>
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Friday morning, aka birthday morning, I slept in a little (8:00 AM) before Ben decided he was ready to give me my present. He did AMAZING!! I have been asking for a necklace that I can wear all the time and Ben definitely delivered. I haven't taken it off since. He even told me he didn't want me to wear it to the gym (I have since convinced him otherwise), so I took Baylor on a 4.2 mile walk instead. After presents were opened/I jumped on the bed with excitement for a little while, we got ready for breakfast. <div>
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There is an adorable little place in Denton called Seven Mile Cafe. I absolutely love the atmosphere and the food is delicious! What is it about breakfast dates?! I love them! Maybe it's just that the day has just started and it's too early for anything to have started stressing you out or for something to have gone wrong. I just think they're perfect! This one was no exception. It was the perfect kick-off to my actual birthday. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My plate of egg whites with avocado, mushrooms and feta + an english muffin and fruit</td></tr>
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I spent the rest of the day getting things done. Mostly getting all of the decorations in order for the Clark Christmas! Ohmygoodness I love Christmas so much! I was thrilled to craft and get lots of our decorations under my belt. <div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our fabulous mantle - the ginormous stockings are the BEST!</td></tr>
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I don't usually ask for everyone to get together, but I thought it would be fun to get together with friends for the big 2-5. Unfortunately, most of our friends were busy. Our best friends, Landon and Brenda were still free, so we got to enjoy a fabulous dinner at Brio in Southlake. If you haven't been to Brio, you need to find one. It is incredible! <div>
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The rest of the weekend was absolutely amazing! I went with a group to see the Rockettes in Dallas and do a little shopping with my mother and sister-in-law. Then, Ben and I went with our friends Brenda and Landon to see Shane & Shane and Phil Wickham in concert. We went to this same concert last year and it is always absolutely incredible! Their voices are even better in person than they are on their CDs. It is un-flippin-believable!! </div>
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Sunday's lunch with our families was also amazing. I love having everyone in my family around me! I guess you could say that this birthday was FABULOUS! I think this is going to be an incredible year! Thanks again to everyone who made my day special! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece, Charlotte, wishing me a Happy Birthday! </td></tr>
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Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-79728806320914420222012-11-23T09:23:00.000-08:002012-11-23T09:23:39.110-08:00Back from the Dead (Happier Than Ever) Almost three months since my last post...WOW!! Isn't a blog supposed to keep people updated on life?! Apparently I have failed there. My sincerest apologies.<br />
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In all honesty, the last three months have been a total blur. I have had the entire week off for Thanksgiving and still could not believe that it was already Thanksgiving Break. Volleyball season definitely made things absolutely fly by. They say time flies when you're having fun and I can say that the statement is absolutely, positively true.<br />
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They told us, the first year teachers, not to pack our weekends full of stuff during our first year. Tell that to all of our friends getting married and all of the events going on in town or through Ben's company. My schedule has been completely booked and I have been completely exhausted!<br />
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Lets start with my new job - aka my dream job.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first game - I can't believe it's over</td></tr>
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Although my week nights were booked - Monday for 7th grade (3 games), Tuesday working high school games and Thursday for 8th grade (2 games) - I loved coaching my girls. It was incredible seeing them improve from the beginning of the season to the end and falling more and more in love with the game. It is true what they say - coaches develop a special relationship with their athletes/students. I have had to limit lunches in my room to once a week, but I won't lie I love that my girls come to my room to eat with me. Or that they wait to walk down to the gym with me after class. There hasn't been a day yet that has been so bad it hasn't turned around once I walk into the gym. Playing volleyball or running with them at the end of the day doesn't hurt either! <div>
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Now for teaching...my classroom is filled with <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">rambunctious</span> boys the majority of my day. They say girls like to talk, well boys LOVE to talk. There are definitely days that I want to pull my hair out, but I still love being in the classroom. I won't lie, the classroom aspect was tough to get a handle on during volleyball season. The majority of my time was spent in the gym or at games, which didn't leave for a lot of lesson planning time. All grading and lesson planning was done at home, so my days were super long. Thankfully, I am at an incredible school with incredible teachers. My partner teacher(s) have been a ginormous help. I am getting a handle on lesson planning thanks to them and just like coaching, love to see my students "get it." </div>
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Just when I thought I was completely failing my students - this feeling crept in quite a bit due to feeling very unprepared most days - we had a pep rally and at the end our Vice Principal announced the Teacher of the Month for both September and October. I was completely surprised when he announced my name for October. Yes, I cried. It totally gave me a new perspective and renewed my energy in the classroom. </div>
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Moral of the story: I LOVE MY JOB!! I am exactly where I should be and am unbelievably thankful to finally be doing what I know I should have been doing all along. </div>
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Other happenings in the Clark family - weddings, volleyball tournaments, baby showers, Cattle Baron's Ball, birthdays, engagements, company parties, Baylor Homecoming and trying to get together with our families plus have a little time to ourselves in between. Ben also started his own real estate company on top of everything, so needless to say, we are in a season that is very busy, but full of joy and excitement at the same time. Our lives are full and I am enjoying every minute! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cattle Baron's Ball </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUESTxXjHgP4OAUBa3n6peV_e9jIhFSfdPTS9uM3cwFKxdj00g0JbeJfsc6XI9MWqdP4pOhZ2WX92pDCni6hKdOn2X44fWfTnh7TNFCrUFsKzPBHI4o63lhHVELHYVrIQSrQczAKjr3nV/s1600/Dove+Season.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUESTxXjHgP4OAUBa3n6peV_e9jIhFSfdPTS9uM3cwFKxdj00g0JbeJfsc6XI9MWqdP4pOhZ2WX92pDCni6hKdOn2X44fWfTnh7TNFCrUFsKzPBHI4o63lhHVELHYVrIQSrQczAKjr3nV/s400/Dove+Season.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening Day of Dove Season</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNjzeUxxtOtq6qyH9IfPLiNMQCd7WBjENHxUqeKB94hStp6zmacbrbWtZi6n0kwEka0_VUyS7jqfvQ0iDK5OzOgOWYMSTRAXEZHCS5ZxJPISjGFRYiSejVkHW4GJ_y8v66zg_dEuYLcEk/s1600/Twilight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNjzeUxxtOtq6qyH9IfPLiNMQCd7WBjENHxUqeKB94hStp6zmacbrbWtZi6n0kwEka0_VUyS7jqfvQ0iDK5OzOgOWYMSTRAXEZHCS5ZxJPISjGFRYiSejVkHW4GJ_y8v66zg_dEuYLcEk/s400/Twilight.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, my husband is fabulous and took me to see Twilight! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mv5386wGTq9c6ffK4bU10VpC95qMJ-22oPHpo2ZGQMkoWvM4buZttWFc-F7X5Xn5daFW-T_o1mzBsGBFymfavLTF6t6k5klGwG6GHq4FzUCO6HsZWQVMjWXQzStIdO4MN1xBt2mtVxVB/s1600/5K.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mv5386wGTq9c6ffK4bU10VpC95qMJ-22oPHpo2ZGQMkoWvM4buZttWFc-F7X5Xn5daFW-T_o1mzBsGBFymfavLTF6t6k5klGwG6GHq4FzUCO6HsZWQVMjWXQzStIdO4MN1xBt2mtVxVB/s400/5K.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coaches at our feeder school 5K trying to raise money for iPads</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLclXSYRRxE0aco6dINOivV_gSJ4EjVi7GV_9yl9TTirClAkoJ4WdcwThOWLtaBQRtYEB4N9GETK0JhNbHB4DH4sDVdo6PZuSKxRsiC00ApCN67AVXBV-hT6mVaiUEEnpluE6C88Qvpwp/s1600/baby+shower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLclXSYRRxE0aco6dINOivV_gSJ4EjVi7GV_9yl9TTirClAkoJ4WdcwThOWLtaBQRtYEB4N9GETK0JhNbHB4DH4sDVdo6PZuSKxRsiC00ApCN67AVXBV-hT6mVaiUEEnpluE6C88Qvpwp/s400/baby+shower.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby shower for some of our best friends - ps. we have like 10 friends who are pregnant right now</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkqUAsfj9RX-PpGzVHwlkLnDKHGv22L9atDgKJXzqI8Jjr2JPhqulMkTTjFq_lRiAk1Qh4Hf6lAyAwd9v9aAaM6BY7owGLaq7lDzqpiRgCc-MumIvbxoHchhncIwVgA-JKZBpeyDiI7d8/s1600/BU+HC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkqUAsfj9RX-PpGzVHwlkLnDKHGv22L9atDgKJXzqI8Jjr2JPhqulMkTTjFq_lRiAk1Qh4Hf6lAyAwd9v9aAaM6BY7owGLaq7lDzqpiRgCc-MumIvbxoHchhncIwVgA-JKZBpeyDiI7d8/s400/BU+HC.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baylor Homecoming with my BFF</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_szd6nYjOkT48SGTsGklTa9jKBBSbrYnLtrBTgv3CBZz-AJWDUys5L6QCIrb4mkVyAwlvuCOAvp5YGazAub7QDOSXcByk3N95vB44xkmd5UDhKn3pZoFtomidmIRRyjhfVnSFiJ_py1qI/s1600/Megs+Wed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_szd6nYjOkT48SGTsGklTa9jKBBSbrYnLtrBTgv3CBZz-AJWDUys5L6QCIrb4mkVyAwlvuCOAvp5YGazAub7QDOSXcByk3N95vB44xkmd5UDhKn3pZoFtomidmIRRyjhfVnSFiJ_py1qI/s400/Megs+Wed.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Megan's wedding</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot</td></tr>
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Like I said, lots going on and I am loving it!!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kisses from me and my fabulous girls!! </td></tr>
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Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-42304601429322992142012-09-01T08:09:00.000-07:002012-09-01T08:09:27.335-07:00I Survived I not only survived my first week of school as a teacher/coach, but I absolutely loved it!! That's not to say I wasn't completely exhausted by the end of the week, okay maybe it hit me on Tuesday, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have the weekend to rest! I'm also a little sick. I think it's just from lack of sleep and constantly going going going, and possibly from a lack of nutrition as well. Nothing serious, just a sore throat and some drainage that I'm sure will clear up with rest.<br />
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I have now taught a couple of real lessons (not just school policies) and have all 3 of my volleyball teams set and ready to go. We had our volleyball parent meeting last night and it could not have gone better. The girls have made me feel so welcomed and the parents were incredibly sweet. I am so excited to kick off volleyball season on Wednesday!<br />
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It wouldn't be a first week of school without a little chaos, so lets start with Monday....I left my house at 6:20 AM, with way more than enough time to get there before our 8th graders got there for try outs at 7:00. We only live about 15 minutes away from my school, so I wasn't worried at all. I pull out of our neighborhood, go through the light to get to the on ramp and am pretty much at a dead stop. Of course, I panicked and may have illegally maneuvered my way onto the highway. I still got there in time, but it wasn't how I wanted to start the day. Then, after a great first day of tryouts, I went to get dressed for my classes and realized I had forgotten my clothes at home. Thank goodness I don't have a 2nd period class because I was able to run home. Just my luck...there was another wreck on the highway and I was again at a dead stop. I was a little frazzled, but I got back to school just in time!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OGicfJG6zYI1T41TNgG0evZKDakSmzvCsG0ZVaEWWwpobI5nN1-YMQ9k5VhUKN2cU0qEuJDN0ZPsjM5JaXG6efiX8gwuq0jcF7eDRHstpfLRV7o6zgB5IFvbPq0K4jdbadRurFG8x6ql/s1600/IMG_1835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OGicfJG6zYI1T41TNgG0evZKDakSmzvCsG0ZVaEWWwpobI5nN1-YMQ9k5VhUKN2cU0qEuJDN0ZPsjM5JaXG6efiX8gwuq0jcF7eDRHstpfLRV7o6zgB5IFvbPq0K4jdbadRurFG8x6ql/s400/IMG_1835.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for Volleyball Tryouts</td></tr>
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The rest of the day went really well! I left school around 6:30 PM full of energy and surprised myself by doing a walk/run workout covering a little over 4 miles! Plus, my wonderful friend, Chelsi, texted me on my way home from the gym and said she had a casserole in the oven and would love for Ben and I to come over. Total life saver!! I didn't plan a single dinner for this week, knowing that I wouldn't get home until 8:30 or 9:00 PM every night. She's amazing!! <div>
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This workout flew by and was exactly what I needed. Below is the breakdown of the 42 minutes. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">0-4: 4.0 @ 7.5% incline </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">4-8: 6.5 @ 1% incline </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Repeat minutes 0-8 2X (to 24 minutes)</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">24-26: 7.0 @ 1% incline </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">26-27: 8.0 @ 1% incline </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">27-28: 6.0 @ 1% incline </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Repeat minutes 24-28 3X (to 40 minutes)</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">40-42: 4.0 @ 5% incline </span></div>
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The rest of the week went semi-smoothly. There was probably one hiccup each day, but all were minor. Tuesday I forgot my lunch and was pretty much hungry all day long. Wednesday I was getting ready in our athletic office and had to unplug an air freshener in order to plug my curling iron in. Little did I know that it was a scentsy and when I unplugged it I spilled the contents all over myself, the sink and bathroom floor. It's a lot harder than you think to clean up candle wax...not fun! On Thursday we had our first pep rally and it was so fun! I love the atmosphere of being back in school and athletics! I did forget to do something in the pep rally but it just made it all the more fun and frantic. On Friday we made our final cuts for volleyball which is always super hard. I also had on my lesson plans to show a couple videos in class about mood/tone, but unfortunately the district has not provided me with a computer yet and I couldn't show the videos without being on the network. My classes had to join another class which was fun, but I'm pretty frustrated about the computer situation. Oh well!! I'd say it was a pretty fantabulous week! </div>
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I'm still trying to figure out how I am going to continue working out with my schedule and also need to figure out how to get the proper nutrition required to fuel me through my long days. This week I went to the gym after tryouts in the evening, but I don't want to get home at 9:00 every night. That's not fun for me or for Ben and is really not practical with our schedule. Hopefully I can start going to the gym before I get to morning tryouts. I think we're going to start having them at 7:30 or 7:45 instead of 7:00 which may not sound like a lot of extra time, but that would be enough for me to get in a workout and shower before getting to school without having to get up at 4:00 AM. </div>
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I'm going to try and make a meal plan again this week and stick to it. The majority of my dinners this week consisted of some sort of bar and an apple or a bowl of cereal. Not exactly healthy for someone that is constantly moving throughout the day, going through volleyball tryouts and practice and working out on top of it all. I don't want to be sick all year. </div>
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I am really enjoying my classes, my teams and all of my co-workers and cannot wait to see what the rest of this year has in store!!!! I am so happy to have found what I am supposed to be doing!! </div>
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Some classroom pics:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little corner - still needs some wall decor </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCl1M3wQ0r6Da7nlmOwSL4FcEvu71b67VkSFV7162x9Wlpk4vrE9IWi-A01Fm9mUw7joFnxlfhS-_4VT6QtbslARCYecaHBsinZD5C-JU9zDvw8Bg0UQa6npQZ0Ws7_fxW2CPOz6w8hye/s1600/IMG_1828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCl1M3wQ0r6Da7nlmOwSL4FcEvu71b67VkSFV7162x9Wlpk4vrE9IWi-A01Fm9mUw7joFnxlfhS-_4VT6QtbslARCYecaHBsinZD5C-JU9zDvw8Bg0UQa6npQZ0Ws7_fxW2CPOz6w8hye/s400/IMG_1828.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Computer and supply wall - hoping for more posters soon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My "About Me" bulletin board and Baylor wall </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall with Literary Terms </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Library Corner </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGVx7ZXNM6ICUj0rVD456OiuciqQgdpP-vSiPWM6NCfC8D9f83LJbNNqAdbMcwtvfpVc4hRwY0prwcDtpDdwd15h2RK4dWA6cG84CjjyB9aDMHp1vw8F9uI9L9oFBHEe-unvfJAXgYRhI/s1600/IMG_1832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGVx7ZXNM6ICUj0rVD456OiuciqQgdpP-vSiPWM6NCfC8D9f83LJbNNqAdbMcwtvfpVc4hRwY0prwcDtpDdwd15h2RK4dWA6cG84CjjyB9aDMHp1vw8F9uI9L9oFBHEe-unvfJAXgYRhI/s400/IMG_1832.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Reading is a Hoot," "Tweet Up," and "Show Off" bulletin boards </td></tr>
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<br />I am loving my room so far! I still hope to continue decorating it throughout the year, but I am thinking I'd like a paycheck first! Who knew decorating your room cost so much money?? And I'm not even an elementary teacher...I feel for them!<br /><div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><b>Any teachers our there have ideas for meals or workouts? I'd love any suggestions!! </b></span><br /><div>
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Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-37528412539827384382012-08-08T08:33:00.001-07:002012-08-08T08:33:05.763-07:00Punta Cana, Dominican Republic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This vacation is never ending! I'm gonna try to jam our four days in Punta Cana into one post since I can't seem to find time to post lately. I have been busy busy busy with teaching stuff and the best part is I can't complain about a thing! I am having so much fun getting my classroom all set-up and meeting lots of other teachers. Now that I think about it, maybe I should do this post in the middle of the year so I can re-live vacation. My schedule is packed until November with lots and lots of volleyball! I can't wait! </div>
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Back to Punta Cana...Ben and I got up bright and early on Tuesday to leave Grand Cayman and catch our flight to Miami and then to Punta Cana. I don't know what it is about traveling with your husband, but I love it! I feel so grown up! We arrived in Punta Cana a little after 2:00 and had arranged for the resort to pick us up from the airport. We were a little nervous about how the trip would go because we purchased it from LivingSocial, and although we did do lots of research, you just never know until you get there. Well, let me just say that Punta Cana Resort and Club sure knows how to make you feel special when they pick you up. We met our pick-up girl right after getting off the plane and were literally out of the airport within 4 minutes. She took us right through all of the lines, including customs and got us out of there and onto our resort. The VIP treatment is always all right with me!!<br />
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I still have no idea how Punta Cana is set-up, but it felt like Punta Cana Resort and Club was the entire town. It only took about 5 minutes to get to our destination. We were very impressed when we arrived. The views were absolutely gorgeous and we immediately made a friend in our bell hop, Jehnris!<br />
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After taking our bags to the room, we went straight to the restaurant by the pool for some lunch. We were STARVING!! While we were walking, we saw someone calling us over, so we made a little detour and it ended up being someone who was selling jewelry at their table. This may be my only complaint because they make me super uncomfortable, but they are only at the resort on Tuesday in a particular spot, so it wasn't that bad. Ben ended up buying me a beautiful blue necklace and then we practically ran to find some food. </div>
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Our LivingSocial package was all-inclusive, so I was a little nervous about how the food would be, but everything we ate was delicious. We spent a little time at the beach before going on a tour of the resort with Jehnris. He was the biggest blessing! If he hadn't taken us on a tour we would have had no idea all of the places we could go in the resort or all the things we could do. Thank heavens for Jehnris! Plus, our tour took about 2 hours and we were able to talk to him about some awesome things that really made us fabulous friends even after our trip. </div>
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We always enjoy late dinners on vacation and I love it! We headed back to the pool restaurant for some friend calamari and pizza. Doesn't really go together does it? Oh well, it was delicious! We also enjoyed some Amaretto Diet Cokes...my favorite!! </div>
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On Wednesday, we enjoyed breakfast before heading to the beach to stake out a spot for beach volleyball that was supposed to happen around 11:30. We laid out and waited and waited for people to show up, but no one every showed up to play volleyball. I guess no one gets as excited as we do for a little competition on vacation! We went to Plan B and decided to go explore the lagoons! </div>
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There's a long path you can take to get to the lagoons and to lots of other things within the resort, but we stuck to the first three lagoons. Holy cow...they are beautiful!! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lagoon #1</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpusebdJO0XToL96w-UL2TjL__f-MLtKPTsr_xVAce-c6PzJOcKzGiNVDo_4tXtrdl8LRPq-mRPXa_A_K6KP9uhbjCXHLYzE1re79x_DHQ-Xb0mzgoohTgpksUuuzJ9Hsh0gNXAugPvf_-/s1600/IMG_2449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpusebdJO0XToL96w-UL2TjL__f-MLtKPTsr_xVAce-c6PzJOcKzGiNVDo_4tXtrdl8LRPq-mRPXa_A_K6KP9uhbjCXHLYzE1re79x_DHQ-Xb0mzgoohTgpksUuuzJ9Hsh0gNXAugPvf_-/s400/IMG_2449.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lagoon #2</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyOktxM0Hvsvvt_MZUKebIGcZDRwUAAvvl9HBACeQTCR9W4l81cwnP22v7JzNCL4prfRxIBlIJGKQAe8B1TyRRzEiLRb7ghHedEbjSQCyiwbiQAhhEebGMZIQ46Ry_4FLd2jPnr7rUNOR/s1600/IMG_1605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyOktxM0Hvsvvt_MZUKebIGcZDRwUAAvvl9HBACeQTCR9W4l81cwnP22v7JzNCL4prfRxIBlIJGKQAe8B1TyRRzEiLRb7ghHedEbjSQCyiwbiQAhhEebGMZIQ46Ry_4FLd2jPnr7rUNOR/s400/IMG_1605.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lagoon #3</td></tr>
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At Lagoon #3, there was a platform where you could jump off into the water. It was the only lagoon that you could jump into because it was about 25 feet deep. There was also a ginormous tree branch sticking out in the middle where I sat for a long time soaking up the sun. The lagoons were beyond beautiful! </div>
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After spending a little time in Lagoon #3, we made our way back through the path and headed to the pool for lunch and some afternoon sun and drinks. The food was seriously so fresh! I absolutely loved everything that I had! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mango Shrimp Salad<br /><br /></td></tr>
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Oh, and I surprised/made Ben really happy by eating just a few french fries off his plate! He had to capture the moment! <div>
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We also had a daily tradition of heading to our room about an hour or so before dinner and lounging while watching TV. We didn't want to get too crispy, so we would always head in around 5:00 and watch a movie or my personal favorite of the trip, Dance Moms. Holy crazy moms and dance instructor! So entertaining! </div>
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Dinner on Wednesday night was at Playa Blanca, a restaurant on the other side of the resort on the beach. We took a quick shuttle ride over and loved the views, the food and the wine for me and beer for Ben. Apparently the Presidente beer in Punta Cana is amazing! </div>
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Can we just discuss these "chips" real quick?!?! How do they make these? They were like dessert! They were so thick and flakey...I had to close up the napkin to cut myself off before I ate every single one of them. </div>
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After breakfast on Thursday we headed, on foot, to the La Cana Golf Club. I went immediately to a free private yoga lesson that was incredible. The spa holds yoga every Thursday morning, but again, I was the only one to show up, so I got a private lesson that gave me back my passion for yoga! I'm pretty sure the instructor got some pretty good giggles from my lack of flexibility, but I didn't mind one bit! </div>
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I found Ben on the beach and we laid there for a while before having my favorite lunch of the trip at La Cana! Of course, I didn't take a picture, but it was a Tex Mex Wrap that was to die for! </div>
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After lunch, we were ready for tee time! Well, Ben was ready to golf. I was ready to drive the cart! The La Cana golf course was the most beautiful golf course I have ever seen! I was kind of nervous that I would get bored during 18 holes of golf, but the time flew by with the incredible views. The houses surrounding the course are alone incredible, but there are also holes literally on the ocean as well. We were blown away by this course. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driving Range</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben drove the first 2 holes before I decided to take over! </td></tr>
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We had so much fun playing golf and then watching soccer in the bar afterwards that I didn't want to go back, but of course, my stomach convinced me otherwise. This time, we took the shuttle back to the resort before lounging and then heading to dinner at La Choza. Another open air restaurant located on the beach. This one was just a short walk from our room. </div>
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It rained on us a little as we walked there and was pretty windy when we first arrived, but the weather settled down and we had an amazing dinner. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Appetizers - fried calamari and fish tacos </td></tr>
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After the amazing appetizers, I decided to finish my meal with something light and went with the black bean soup. Again, the food was incredible! </div>
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I woke up early Friday morning to try and schedule a couple activities for us, but only had luck with one. We wanted to go horseback riding and on the segway tour, but horseback riding was full, so we went with the afternoon segway tour. </div>
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We spent the morning at the beach and pool before heading to the segway place around 2:30. We were in a group with another family that was so sweet and we had a ton of fun with them and our hilarious guides. </div>
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We went through the gardens that provide the greens, vegetables and some produce for the resort and the farm before heading to the beach. One of our guides took tons and tons of pictures and when we stopped on the beach he decided to have a photo session with Ben and me. Unfortunately, we didn't purchase any of the pictures, but it was pretty hilarious! After the beach we headed to the opposite end of the lagoons that we took on our first day. Our guide in the lagoons spoke 14 languages and was really funny! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben showing off his back flip!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben and me jumping together!</td></tr>
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After the lagoons, we headed over to the iguanas. I still cannot get over these creatures. They are just so weird to me! </div>
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We absolutely loved the segway tour! In Ben's words, "we should get one of these!" They were super fun and our guides were fabulous! They were all from Haiti and absolutely loved Ben. They thought he played "futbol americano." </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben with our guide, Daniel </td></tr>
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We finished out the trip with a fabulous dinner at La Jolla on our last night. It was a restaurant that literally sat on the water and had incredible views. Ben and I decided to go out with a bang and since we hadn't really taken much advantage of the all-inclusive drinks this trip, we had a few margaritas at dinner. I decided to branch out and tried some conch! So so good!! We were also serenaded by a fabulous mariachi band that I called over a few extra times after my margarita and I'm pretty sure gave a fabulous tip! Needless to say, this dinner was so so fun! I am so lucky to be married to Ben and truly love our vacations together! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our friend Jehnris!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_F-PiC87hBltQ0bp-PHeQodH8al6pLxLCwlC-zSsdR0MxJZcWZokRVg2Cm9pkIvSxG5WcSbL_QVpFxZw6pPJQWd8JYEluPeyZTK-vArk0qjHgkYIYdvSOL1n4V6iGkv646oVWTjH5Imj/s1600/IMG_2498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_F-PiC87hBltQ0bp-PHeQodH8al6pLxLCwlC-zSsdR0MxJZcWZokRVg2Cm9pkIvSxG5WcSbL_QVpFxZw6pPJQWd8JYEluPeyZTK-vArk0qjHgkYIYdvSOL1n4V6iGkv646oVWTjH5Imj/s400/IMG_2498.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was nervous about this conch, but it was incredible! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My handsome man! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My delicious couscous with conch, octopus and squid! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben's yummy tuna</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW75CkqGlN18vUSBZutWtjHpJajMtXF28BqVqmWGWHTsraoTgYq-sknj6riAle24gvf-QjmBlqUhoLugybs2F2YG9QvThtOSa6kdmItwidQCeNNFaOv7sdHEey-uueplCEqGbsL6HRr7Wi/s1600/IMG_2501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW75CkqGlN18vUSBZutWtjHpJajMtXF28BqVqmWGWHTsraoTgYq-sknj6riAle24gvf-QjmBlqUhoLugybs2F2YG9QvThtOSa6kdmItwidQCeNNFaOv7sdHEey-uueplCEqGbsL6HRr7Wi/s400/IMG_2501.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love of my life!! </td></tr>
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</div>Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-73226778186630629462012-07-31T12:24:00.001-07:002012-07-31T12:24:37.209-07:00Last Day in CaymanThings have been nuts between decorating my classroom, signing my contract and just life in general, so I apologize for how long it has taken me to get our vacation recap wrapped up. After this I will try and lump our trip to Punta Cana into one or two posts. I am actually out of commission on the couch for a little while, so I hope to have plenty of time to hash it all out.<br />
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Our last day in Cayman may have been my favorite. At least a tie with our scuba day. We got started semi early and hopped in a van to head to our boat. For some reason, boat days are always my favorite! We recently got a boat and I could live on the lake. Ben tells me I look like a natural "lake rat." I hope that's a compliment!<br />
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First stop of the trip was Stingray City. I'm sure most of you have heard about Stingray City and if you've never been to Cayman you HAVE to visit. It's a little intimidating getting into the water, but once you're in, it's absolutely incredible. Being in the ocean this trip, scuba diving and at Stingray City left me in awe of God's creation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQjXSbOBYl4oNo7kvOJLnZ2sByPYu7DZZotRcEJiFuWSfKcOXe_AxyJCZAC-JRrAxLiEcvcKlVYwvVXobJ-lCUiy_7XilIbHn6QltqyRu5KaEf22XZ8MrYOxrBSgTgyuto0Y_j1OOg-Jx/s1600/IMG_6545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQjXSbOBYl4oNo7kvOJLnZ2sByPYu7DZZotRcEJiFuWSfKcOXe_AxyJCZAC-JRrAxLiEcvcKlVYwvVXobJ-lCUiy_7XilIbHn6QltqyRu5KaEf22XZ8MrYOxrBSgTgyuto0Y_j1OOg-Jx/s400/IMG_6545.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My stud of a husband</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7 years good luck! </td></tr>
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After makin' besties with the stingrays, we headed further out to sea for some snorkeling and jumping off the boat. I wasn't that into snorkeling, but did enjoy jumping off the boat and some time in the sun on the boat. </div>
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Our third and last destination was Starfish Point. We set anchor in a place where we could all stand and hold the starfish or swim to shore. </div>
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On our way back in we saw tons of iguanas up close and personal. They're totally creepy but awesome at the same time! </div>
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We ended a fabulous day with a beautiful night and delicious dinner at Casanova, a little old school Italian restaurant with incredible food. I highly recommend Casanova if you're visiting Grand Cayman. </div>
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We were serenaded by this harp player who we saw EVERYWHERE we went and who also had a total crush on Haley!! </div>
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No complaints about this trip to Cayman....next stop, Punta Cana! </div>
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</div>Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-6393529133984002652012-07-18T08:39:00.000-07:002012-07-18T08:39:23.082-07:00Grand Cayman, Day 3Have I made you fall in love with Grand Cayman yet?! It is seriously one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I would highly recommend it for any vacations, especially scuba-diving vacations. There is lots to do, lots to see, but on day 3 of our vacation I was happy to finally have a day to simply relax.<br />
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Ben and some of the other boys played golf in the morning, so the women ate homemade omelets and hit the beach. The beach is always better in the morning because it seems to be hotter on the beach than at the pool. We save the pool for the afternoon heat. We had the same guy from the Ritz as two years ago helping us get chairs and all set-up on the beach. We ended up talking to him for a very long time and learned tons about him. He actually has a law degree in his country and came to Grand Cayman to save up before working for himself. How cool is that?!<br />
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Anywho, we spent all morning on the beach before taking a lunch break and then hitting up the pool for the remainder of the day. I generally aim for a shaded spot at the pool at least for a little while. I don't want to get crunchy!<br />
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I am horrible at sitting down at home and reading or just doing nothing, but by the pool or on the beach, I could read all day long! I finished <i>Still Missing </i>by Chevy Stevens on the first day and read <i>Little Earthquakes </i>by Jennifer Weiner for the remainder of the trip. I absolutely loved both of these books. <i>Still Missing </i>was very interesting, semi-disturbing plot-line and story, but still a very good page turner. I adored <i>Little Earthquakes! </i>After my first read, it was such a fun, sweet, cute read with such fun characters. I definitely recommend both. </div>
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Our 3rd day was actually the only day that I worked out on my 8 day trip. Surprised?! You should be! I usually try to cram a workout in everyday, but I decided that this trip I would be active everyday in some way and just enjoy the trip. It was glorious! After doing this in Vail and on this vacation, I think this will be my philosophy for every vacation. I was always walking, swimming, scuba-diving, etc., but I never had to schedule a workout. Since we didn't have dinner planned until 7:30, I went to the gym around 5:30 and ran a fabulous 4.5 miles. It felt so good to get my heart rate up, although I barely sweat. It was so weird...I don't know if it was because of how much I sweat all day or what, but I barely had any sweat on me after this run...a miracle! </div>
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We had a special private dinner planned in one of the suites for tonight. We were celebrating a lot of things and tonight was also Brittany's birthday. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The birthday girl and her family!</td></tr>
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Dinner was delicious but absolutely ginormous. I think the chefs thought we wanted a whole serving of everything, when we said we just wanted a little bit of everything (tastes or choices) because we had a very eclectic group of people who don't all like the same things. We ended up with everything for everyone! I paced myself and didn't eat everything, so I was pretty satisfied by the end, but some people were definitely hurting by the end of dinner! </div>
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Do you see that spread?? Holy Moly! I'll just highlight my favorite parts of the meal. If I showed you everything you might fall asleep! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crab Cake</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salads - I'm not a fan of Caesar Salad, but the Strawberry Spinach and Cayman Coleslaw were delicious</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dessert! - I opted out of the cake and am so glad I did after hearing how uncomfortable some people were</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday Brittany!! </td></tr>
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No, you did not see much meat because for some reason it's just not all that appetizing right now. I enjoyed the smaller, more unique parts of the meal rather than the meat options. I did have a few bites of Ben's steak and it was amazing. Maybe I just like red meat and should start having little pieces of it rather than chicken. Chicken kind of grosses me out! I am always a fan of fish though! </div>
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Our night and dinner was amazing! We shared lots of laughs and obviously tons of good food. There is nothing better than time spent with friends and family! </div>
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</div>Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-45222072283704749142012-07-16T19:10:00.000-07:002012-07-16T19:10:22.171-07:00Grand Cayman, Day 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I got a pretty interesting start on day 2. Haley and I forgot to check in on our first day for our scuba certification course, so we needed to be up a little earlier to make sure all the paper work was filled out. Well, I just assumed that my phone was on the right time...little did I know that it was an hour ahead. Keep in mind that I woke up at 3:00 AM the previous morning and didn't get in bed until close to midnight. So, I was waiting by the stairs for Haley at 6:45 AM thinking that it was 7:45. Whoops! After calling her room and the front desk and being told that I was on the wrong time, I went back up to my room and took a 30 minute cat nap in a chair (Ben looked far too comfortable to get back in bed). </div>
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Finally, at 7:45 AM, Haley and I headed over to the Westin for our certification course. We both took the same one 2 years ago and I think we're both ready to get for real certified. We did two back-to-back dives and it made me feel a lot more comfortable in the water. We passed with flying colors, but we didn't leave without some excitement. I was attacked by a bird!! I HATE BIRDS!! Apparently there is an angry bird at the Westin in Grand Cayman. First, he attacked my head. Then, he came back for more and dive bombed my back while I was turned the other way. Later, while we were being instructed he attacked another girl in our class. Eventually, one of the workers took a broom and threatened the bird and I guess he got the picture, because he didn't come back. </div>
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Right after we finished, Haley and I hurried back to the Ritz to catch our boat with the rest of our party for two dives.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haley and I walking to our boat </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed out to sea</td></tr>
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<br />Our first dive was at Kittyhawk, a sunken submarine rescue boat. It was amazing! I was in awe of how big everything was on the boat. It was so cool getting to go through a couple of the rooms and see where people got ready, where the captain stood, etc. Haley and I were only out on one thing...the baracuda! Apparently, it hangs out by the boat all the time and I wanted nothing to do with it! I kind of confused it with a piranha and thought it would eat me, but our guides cleared that up for me when we got back on our boat. Whoops!! Our second dive was at Burger Reef and we swam with lots and lots of Tarpon. Who knew they were so pretty!<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About to go under! The scariest part of the first dive was getting in the water because the water was so rough. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After dive #1</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before dive #2 - our guide hit Haley in the face with one of the tubes on my tank and I could not stop laughing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And...I'm off! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hunny and me after our dives! </td></tr>
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<br />After a fabulous day of diving, we laid by the pool for the rest of the afternoon before heading to dinner at The Wharf. I don't think most people really enjoyed The Wharf this time around (we went 2 years ago too), but I always love it. The menu is a little sophisticated/slightly limited, but I adore all things seafood, so I absolutely loved my dinner. I ordered the Pistachio Crusted Sea Bass and it was amazing! <div>
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Day 2 was a fabulous day! It ended with me badgering Ben and telling him he acts way too old and we needed to go do something. He prefers to go to bed when we get back to the hotel. We compromised and went to our friend's room for drinks and lots of fun conversation! Day 3 up next! </div>
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</div>Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-29234561303661735972012-07-12T09:22:00.000-07:002012-07-12T09:22:35.384-07:00Hello Stranger!We've been back from the islands for over a week now, so I figure it's about time I update you on our fabulous vacation! Our trip was split into two parts. First, we went to Grand Cayman with Ben's family along with a few other families. For the second part, Ben and I left for some time on our own in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic! Lets start with Grand Cayman, shall we?!?!<br />
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Welcome to the Ritz in Grand Cayman! We woke up bright and early for our 5:45 flight to Miami and arrived in Grand Cayman around 11:30. As hard as it was to get up at 3:00 AM, I will always choose an early flight over a later one, because I love having the day to enjoy our destination! </div>
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Last time we were in Grand Cayman, two years ago, we discovered Sunshine Grill. It is this amazing little restaurant off of a hotel/motel, Sunshine Suites. The owner is from the states and has perfected his menu! About half of us immediately headed over to grab some lunch before soaking up some sun. I had to go with my favorite lunch, the Asian Chicken Wrap with fruit. </div>
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We laid out on the beach for the rest of the day and were even guests at a beach wedding early in the evening. Ok, so we weren't really guests, but they don't clear the beach for weddings, so we decided (about 8 of us) to continue laying out on our beach chairs, only about 10 feet away from the ceremony and take pictures and enjoy the love! It was pretty comical to see the people that would float behind the wedding in the ocean and couples walking on the beach that would walk right behind the altar. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was another wedding the next day, but we left that one alone!<br /><br /></td></tr>
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We finally headed up to the room about 6:30 PM and got all freshened up for dinner. The first night in Grand Cayman is always one of my very favorites! We go to one of the restaurants at the Ritz called Seven and it is so so good! Plus, it's a dress up night and there is absolutely nothing better in my book than laying out on the beach all day and getting dressed up at night for a nice dinner. <div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Clark Family</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Scuba Buddy, Haley</td></tr>
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I can't go to Seven without getting their tuna...it is absolutely amazing! Ben and I haven't had the best luck with tuna lately, so this was one of our favorite dinners ever! We were so happy to find a perfect filet of tuna. I think the key is to ask for it to be "rare plus" instead of medium rare. I like my tuna to be pretty pink, just a little more cooked than rare. We also enjoyed wine, many sides (I'm not much of a side person, so I only had the sweet potato wedges) and many toasts. All in all it was an amazing dinner!! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy Sweet Potato Wedges</td></tr>
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One of the very best parts to this dinner was the people we shared it with. I adore Ben's family and all of the other families that came with us on the trip, the Pattersons, Keys and Ansels. We were celebrating a lot of amazing things, one of them being that....DRUM ROLL PLEASE....</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>I GOT A JOB!!!!!!</b></span></div>
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The Thursday before we left, I received an email from Lewisville ISD offering me the 7th grade English position at Lamar Middle School. I will also be coaching volleyball, track and soccer. I cannot even tell you how beyond thrilled I am!! I went up to the school on Tuesday and got to see my classroom, my office and meet my head coach and a few other 7th grade teachers! I have already purchased my planner, my grade book and some posters for my room. Who knew that middle school classrooms were so cute?!?! My classes in junior high were not decorated at all, but the classrooms at Lamar are adorable. I have lots of work to do, but I am so excited! </div>
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Vacation day one was a success! Stay tuned for more vacation posts!</div>
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</div>Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-67835924196261279842012-06-16T07:45:00.000-07:002012-06-16T07:45:50.650-07:00Smoothie QueenLately I been absolutely obsessed with smoothies. I have been purchasing lots and lots of frozen fruit and experimenting with different combinations of flavors. They hit the spot every time! My very favorite is mango chunks. They make it into the smoothie mix every single time! So delicious!<br />
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I've also used frozen peaches and frozen pineapples and have absolutely loved those as well. I woke up starving this morning but had no idea what I wanted. After mulling around the kitchen for a bit I had the fabulous revelation of a smoothie. Into the mix went: </div>
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- 1 cup almond milk</div>
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- 5 ice cubes</div>
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- 1 Chobani Passion Fruit </div>
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- a pinch of chia seeds </div>
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- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder </div>
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- 1 cup frozen mango chunks </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHJigbrSv3TtIaBHxbwdHZ7aHIVTYixKBAdSHy20C2-Yq22V0myp6CXdPFoS-i2hhZSnaRsl5QBRh18C-xiwwAr3emXu_TC4vNmLaPGaiqs0Ch0yoXMMxK0r3_Nd1b1UhaOwTKBAN2xG6/s1600/IMG_1597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHJigbrSv3TtIaBHxbwdHZ7aHIVTYixKBAdSHy20C2-Yq22V0myp6CXdPFoS-i2hhZSnaRsl5QBRh18C-xiwwAr3emXu_TC4vNmLaPGaiqs0Ch0yoXMMxK0r3_Nd1b1UhaOwTKBAN2xG6/s400/IMG_1597.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This one was definitely one of my favorites! And yes, I eat my smoothies out of a bowl with a spoon. It makes them last longer for me. If I drink mine, they are gone in about 5 seconds and I am left feeling ridiculously full and sad that it is already gone. </div>
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I'm kind of panicking right now because we leave this weekend for vacation and have agreed not to buy groceries. Well, I'm out of my smoothie makings and am really gonna miss them this week. Drink or eat some smoothies for me!! </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>Do you have a favorite flavor of smoothie? Do you usually make your own smoothies or buy them?</b></span></div>
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<i>I would MUCH rather make my own smoothies. I have a hard time paying $6-$8 for smoothies when I can make them at home for next to nothing. </i></div>
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<br />Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-85119350548072083672012-06-14T08:50:00.000-07:002012-06-14T08:50:03.059-07:00Meals and Projects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's been almost two weeks since I started this staying at home thing and I have had many mixed emotions, but I'm starting to get used to it and really enjoy my time off. I found a pretty good groove the first week, but had a hard time at the beginning of this week. I have a huge list of projects that I'd like to do around the house and really just want to get our lives more organized, but every time I thought about doing a project, I then thought that I should be doing something for teaching. After lots of prayers and emails/calls, I am feeling much much better. I actually had an interview Tuesday afternoon and yesterday morning and have one on Monday morning. I am super excited to have the ball rolling and feel like I can relax a little now. </div>
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One rainy morning I accomplished two exciting things - first, I made a calendar for our kitchen out of a picture frame and then, I went on a 6 mile run! I'm still debating whether or not to decorate the outside of the frame, right now it is a pretty gray color, but love seeing it every time I walk into the kitchen. Project #1 down, about 100 more to go! The 6 mile run was also pretty exciting because it was my second one in less than a week and my knee didn't bother me at all. My knee has been really bothering me even when I'm not running or working out, so I've been trying to play it safe, but these runs really made me happy!! </div>
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Another thing that I am truly loving is the meals! I love being able to cook dinner when we're home and actually take my time. I don't feel rushed and I actually want to be in the kitchen again. It wasn't my favorite thing after a long day at work, but I am loving it again. Even the breakfasts and lunches are fabulous! I love being home and making whatever I want! </div>
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I meal plan on Sundays and have been including lots of new recipes on the agenda. The first recipe that I was excited about was stuffed peppers. The <a href="http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/11/turkey-stuffed-peppers-45-pts.html">recipe</a> I used was for turkey stuffed peppers, but we have a lot of venison (deer) in our freezer, so I made great use of that. I wasn't sure whether I actually liked peppers, I always remove them from wraps and salads, but I really liked these. I wouldn't say that peppers will be making an appearance in my typical diet, but these were delicious. The stuffing was amazing!! I actually ate it in a salad the next day for lunch. </div>
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Probably my favorite recipe so far was this <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-cilantro-lime-chicken/">Crock Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken</a> and the <a href="http://www.edibleperspective.com/2012/02/stuffed-peppers-with-black-bean-crema/">Black Bean Crema</a> I made to go alongside it. Holy smokes - black bean crema will be making a big appearance in my diet from now on! It is absolutely amazing! Ben thought that this was one of the best meals that I have ever made. </div>
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This last recipe was also deemed "a keeper" by Ben. Broccoli grape salad has been one of my favorite recipes for a long time and this one is just kicked up a notch. I still have some in my refrigerator that I have been picking away at all week for lunches. It is so so good with tons of flavor! I added craisins and sunflower seeds to this <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/broccoli-grape-pasta-salad-50400000115388/">recipe</a> that I used. </div>
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One of my new all-time favorite breakfasts is waffles with Greek yogurt and berries. I am obsessed! This was my first time buying Vans waffles and I have to say I don't think that I am a fan. Is it weird that I really like my Eggo waffles way way better?! I always toast my waffles, layer the yogurt and berries and throw them in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds. I just like everything to be warm instead of warm waffles and cold yogurt. </div>
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I am so enjoying trying many of the flavors of Chobani. I used to not buy it because it was more expensive than the regular yogurt, but I'm trying hard to add more protein in my diet and greek yogurt is a great way. I am absolutely loving Chobani! I'm still dying to try the new Orange Vanilla flavor, but haven't found it yet. Anyone know where I can find it? </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple Cinnamon is absolutey delicious! </td></tr>
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It sounds kind of silly, but I love not having to pack my lunches! They are 10X better now! I used to wait until the morning when I was typically running late to throw a lunch together, so they were inevitably a little lackluster. Being able to genuinely decide what I want to eat is so fabulous! One of my new favorites it a bagel with turkey, cheese, sprouts and chive and onion cream cheese. The cream cheese makes this sandwich! I was trying to think what would make a turkey sandwich better and thought about one of my favorites from Einsteins. They always use cream cheese and are to die for! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I could seriously eat pickles all day long!</td></tr>
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I'm looking forward to many more good meals and finishing lots and lots of projects! </div>
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<br /></div>Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5920115648731790517.post-36636258090743051622012-06-06T12:26:00.000-07:002012-06-06T12:26:05.527-07:00Life UpdateThings have changed for me over the past couple of weeks/months and I feel like it's time I let you in on it. I graduated from Baylor in May 2010 and ever since then have had in the back of my head that one day I would really like to coach and teach. My major was in Sports, Sponsorships and Sales and I had some great internships and jobs in the sports/sports marketing world and although I enjoyed it, I can't really say it's for me. I don't really consider myself a sales person. I leave that up to my husband who could sell glasses to a blind man...but seriously! I knew growing up that I would enjoy teaching and coaching, but I didn't want me be like everyone else (my 2 older sisters also went to Baylor and are teachers) and was too stubborn to admit it to myself.<br />
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I found it frustrating for a while that I didn't listen to what I felt like I was called to do, but instead of letting it get me down, I finally did something about it. I started my classes to get my 4-8 Generalist teaching certificate back in December. I finished those up in February and passed my test at the beginning of April. I could not have been more excited the day I got my test results back! I wasn't positive how I would go about leaving my job and pursuing teaching, but at the beginning of May, Ben and I made the decision that I would leave my job starting June 1st to actively pursue teaching. With my job, our crazy lives, our involvement in our church, etc., I didn't feel like I had enough time to do what I needed to do in order to job search, make contacts, etc.<br />
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This is my first week without a job and to be quite honest I am scared to death. I am definitely not a risk-taker, again I leave that up to my husband, and this is a huge risk for me. It is the first time I feel like I am really stepping out there and completely trusting the Lord in following his plan for my life. Generally, I have to be in control. I hate not having a plan or some sort of security, but I am taking this risk and yes, I am incredibly nervous, but I am also so excited to see where it takes me.<br />
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I would love your prayers in my search for a job. I am hoping to teach and coach middle school, but am also very open to any other opportunities that are out there. It is only my second day of staying at home and I am already anxious. I am definitely being taught to seek God in these times and am enjoying my time with him every morning and throughout the day. I will keep you updated and hopefully be posting here more often!<br />
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One thing I have to say is that I am so thankful for such a supportive husband. Ben always encourages me to follow my heart and has encouraged me since the moment I mentioned this to pursue it. I have found a lot of courage through him and feel very blessed and comforted by his trust and confidence not only in me, but in the Lord as well.<br />
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<br />Candidly Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15086431077677223046noreply@blogger.com4