My Heart Points West

This week has been an eventful week to say the least. I have loved seeing how American's can come together in a time of crisis. I just hate that it takes a crisis for us to come together.
First, there was the Boston Marathon bombings. I'm not going to lie but this scares the crap outta me. The Hub's does triathalon's. I'll be standing at the finish-line of one in about 2 weeks and then another in July. I'm not going to let it scare me so bad that I won't be there for him though. The moment he crosses that finish line is one of the best moments of his life. No one will scare me from seeing that.

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If these guys were trying to scare The American people, I think it backfired. We will come together and we will find you. And we did just that!

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Then, Wednesday night, we were sitting at home just hanging out when my dad calls. "The fertilizer plant in West exploded. Are RJ's parent's ok?" To be honest, I didn't really think much about it. I told him they live on the other side of town but would text them to make sure they were ok. They were fine but didn't have electricity.

The news interrupted the show we were watching. It was bad. Really, really bad. The first person we thought about was Bradley-my husband's cousin's husband {did you get that? Ha!} He is an EMT and lives 2 minutes from the plant. We got the call they were ok but the windows had been blown out of there house. Bradley was actually on his way to help and when he turned the corner of the road to get to the plant, the explosion happened. It blew his front windshield in his face. Praise God, he wasn't 5 or 10 minutes earlier. We checked on a few other family members and they were all accounted for. Now it was just a waiting game to see whose houses were destroyed. The Hub's was called to help and off he went. This was when they were still talking about a 2nd explosion. The 4 hours he was gone, was the longest of my life.

{This used to be a friend's house. So glad they weren't home}

I don't live in West and you maybe wondering why I was so upset about it on Instagram. That tiny town of West comma Texas changed my life. I had never been to West before I graduated high school. Which means I had never had a real kolache, never been to Westfest, and didn't know what a tight-knit small town looked like. 

Then, I met a West boy.

In the 4 years we were together, that tiny town became a second home. I was accepted and made many friends. 

{Rachel is amazing. Her house was one of the one's destroyed.}

-I learned how to polka and waltz. 

-I figured out that homemade kolaches were better than any gas stations {although Czech Stop's are pretty amazing}. 

-Westfest was the place to be on Labor Day Weekend and if you're parents worked it, Pivo {beer} tickets were easy to come by. 

-You better be in church Sunday. 

-Backroads are the best place to learn to drive a stick-shift {except when a combine is coming around the corner at the same time as you}. 

-On any given day, you knew almost everyone sitting in Pizza House.

-Jak se mas? is How are you and they really want to know and they do care.

-Everyone is invited to the wedding's in town.

The list goes on and on....

There have been some sad stories come from there the past few days. My husband's aunt's cousin, who was a volunteer firefighter, was confirmed dead. A fellow Crossfit Waco's husband was also a volunteer firefighter, who lost his life. So many others lost a loved one or a pet or a home.

There have also been amazing stories like:

-The Boston ER doctor who sent pizzas down to the ER doctor's at Hillcrest.

-The 4 year old who got his 2 year old cousin out of the apartments before they collapsed.

-The 13 year old, who was in the apartments during the explosion and ran directly the nursing home to help evacuate people.

-The Mayor having to ask for monetary donations only because the outpouring of love and support from the surrounding communities, they have received enough material donations.

If you are looking for a way to help, here a few ways:

{Order here}

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A victims’ fund has been set up at Pointwest Bank. Checks can be mailed to the bank at 200 W. Oak, West, 76691 or P.O. Box 279, West, 76691. Call 254-826-5333 for more information

The Salvation Army accepting financial contributions:
• MAIL – please send checks to The Salvation Army, PO Box 36607, Dallas, TX 75235
• PHONE at 1-800-SAL-ARMY
• ONLINE at www.salvationarmytexas.org

Here is a full list if you'd like to donate in some other way.

Random Wednesday

Happy Hump Day Y'all!  I'm going to be totally random today. If you ask my husband, that's an all day occurrence. Maybe one day he can you about my late night rant about Jerry Jones...
Anyways, we are still doing The Whole30. The Hub's cheated and had half a beer Saturday. Am I mad? Nope. I'm jealous, ha! It's really not that hard for me the second go-around but I do miss eating sandwiches. It's just an easy lunch that I don't have to cook at the stove.

Today is my friend Misti's 40th birthday! We had to do a birthday WOD for her Monday. It was Jerry: 1 mile run, 2000 m row, & 1 mile run. 

I was scared to death of this workout. Running is just not my thing. I like to lift weights. I like box jumps. Hell, I'll take a few burpees. Running 2 miles and rowing almost a mile and a half. Screw that. 

I had kept repeating "slow and steady" in my head. I got the first mile done with no walking! 11 weeks ago, I had to walk after 200 m. It took me 14 minutes to run/walk a mile. Monday it took me 10ish {I didn't see the exact time}!! It's crazy to see what you can do in such a short time.

Next was the rowing. I've done 2000 m once before and so I kinda knew the speed I needed to go. So while I'm rowing, a coach walks up to me and says "This isn't a Sunday stroll..." My first thought was "Excuse me, motherfucker?" He has no idea how far I've come in the last 11 weeks. If this would've been on the board when I first walked in that box, I would've walked out. If this was his way of being encouraging, it didn't work. It did nothing but piss me off. Now I will say, this is a coach I've never had. This is a coach who is young and immature. This is a coach I hope I never have again. The rest of the coaches have been nothing but amazing.

I digress.

After hearing someone who had no idea what it took for me not to do the Level One or even the Level Two of this workout, I knew I was going to run that last mile like a mad-woman. I ran almost half of it and my breathing got a little out of control. I walked half a block and took off again. I finished it sprinting. I was not going to let someone's words bring me down.

11 weeks ago I would have. I would've let him win. I'm proud to say that my confidence is back.

On to more amazing news, my good friend Alex over at Skinny Jean Pilgrimage has started CrossFit. She has been doing it for a couple weeks now and loves it. The most amazing part about it, is she said I was her inspiration to start. I couldn't be more excited to know this. I feel like a mama hen! Anyways, if you don't know her, go give her blog a little visit. She is amazing!!

There it is for the day, folks. Hope y'all have a good one!!

Finish This Sentence...

Two posts in one day? You're some lucky bishes today, ha! I love doing these link-ups. They are fun. Go visit Holly and Jake!!!
1. If calories didn't count, I would eat...Brownies all.day.long. They are my weakness. I would also drink Mocha Fraps like they are going out of style.
2. On my Prom night....I got pissed at my boyfriend at the time. He parked in the middle of a hayfield and I had to walk through that shit. By the time, I got to the door I was pissed. I think I ditched him a majority of the night. Then at the after {no drinking} party, he sucked at winning the fake money for the auction. I wanted that damn CHI so bad. Senior prom was not very fun. {We broke up a week later, right before we went to Cancun together...awkward...}
3. When I go to the store, I always buy...honeybuns. My kid's are little psycho's when those things run out. 

"Ma, the honeybuns!!"

4. Family functions typically...involve my dad not showing up because my mom being there {they hate each other. Hate is actually an understatement}. But most of the time, we have a good 'ole time as long as the Miller Lite and wine keeps flowing.
5. I think my blog readers...are amazing. I didn't think anyone would care what I had to say.
6. I'd much rather be.....on a beach with my toes in the water and ass in the sand right now, but instead I'm listening to The Hub's tear up our tile floors...my head hurts.
7. I have an obsession with....expensive purses. It's sad really.
8. My work friends....work friends? Do the kids count as work friends?
9. When I created my Facebook account....I was forced by my college roommate at the time. I didn't want to have to keep up with it. 7 years later, I'm addicted.
10. My least favorite word is...moist. Nobody wants to hear about a moist cake. That shit sounds disgusting. 
11. I really don't remember....any of the nights that involve my bff, Lindsey. We're bad influences on each other. She's my p.i.c.
12. Justin Bieber....is a douche.

Weekend Recap

I realize it's Tuesday. I had one of the busiest weekend's that this girl has had in a while. I had all intentions of giving a weekend update yesterday. It just didn't happen.
Saturday was probably the busiest day I had scheduled in a year. At 12:45, B had his first t-ball game of the season. They did pretty good {as good as t-ball can get}. Baseball is his "thing" and I think I may have a left-handed pro on my hands. {What mom doesn't think their kid is going to go pro in something?}

The kids had a Mickey Mouse birthday party after the game and off they went with Mimi and Papaw for the night. Whoo hoo! Freedom!

We had a wedding to go to. Let me tell you, if you have never been to a Czech wedding, you're missing out. Fried chicken, as much beer as you want, kolaches, {<- none of which I could have} and lots of dancing. We actually didn't get to stay long enough for the dancing. Sad story. Anyways, there were huge bottles of vodka, whiskey, and rum lining tables. You just bring your own and people get shit-faced. It's fun. 

The bride was The Hub's bff throughout high school and college. I now consider her one of my best friends. She has seen me naked {she tagged along to my bouidor shoot} and she has seen me shit-faced drunk. So she's got stuff on me, therefore we're bff's, ha! 

She looked gorgeous! I wish her and her new hub's the best of luck!!

We left the wedding about 7 and headed to Grapevine. It was time to go meet my blogging friends. I must've asked The Hub's a million times on the way up if I was a weirdo for meeting people from the internet. He said "no" but I think he was humoring me...

We got to The Gaylord at about 8:45 and got checked into our room. The Hub's went to the sports bar that was near the room and I took the shuttle over to The Glass Cactus. I was a little nervous. These are girls that I look up to when it comes to blogging. That may not mean much to you but it does to me. I tend to make an asshat out of myself in public situations so I just figured it would happen. 

Had I not been on The Whole30, I would've chugged several drinks at the sports bar with The Hub's first. But I couldn't. I had to go sober. Shit Shelly, don't be awkward. I was awkward. What can I say?

I met Holly and Lindsey first. Holly is seriously the sweetest person! She made me feel a little less awkward about meeting my internet friends, ha! I'm thinking she needs to plan another trip to the Lone Star State stat! Lindsey is hilarious. We clicked right away and hung out all night. 

I think I got introduced to Megan and Mama L after that. They are awesome! I loved how to down to earth they were. I'm sad because somehow I didn't get a picture with the birthday girl! I see another get-together in the future, ha!

{That would be a water in my hand}

Then, there was Becka {and no picture with her either, sucks!}. She is one of my new favorite people. She made sure we all felt included but she is definitely a tell-it-like-it-is kinda girl. Love that about her! 

I hope I get an opportunity to meet-up with everyone again. It was such a fun time! 

Hopefully, sometime this week, I will have a guest post from one of my crossfit friends on being 40 and crossfitting. She is one of my biggest inspirations in the gym. We killed the WOD "Jerry" yesterday just for her birthday. She tell us why she started CrossFit and why she chose Jerry {mile run, 2k meter row, mile run} as her birthday WOD.

Have an amazing day!

Happy, Happy, Happy!

Today has been full of little triumphs and victories. I am as happy as a bird with a french fry right now. 

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Did someone say french fry?
Today was supposed to be an easy workout because tomorrow is the 3rd workout for the Crossfit Games. 
3 Rounds: Row 300 meters 12 walking lunges 9 dead-lifts {135/95} 6 knees to elbows
Because only me and one other guy are signed up for the Open, we set our stuff up and got to moving. He was on this funny looking contraption that helps you with your dead-lift form. He asked if I wanted to try and I did, not even thinking about the weight on the bar. When I got the bar up, I said "Holy shit that's heavy". He was like "You got it? You need some help?" Me, being a stubborn ass, told him I was good and proceeded to do 2 more. I had no idea there was 135 lbs on that bar. 
I dead-lifted 135 lbs. That is 3 lbs lighter than myself at the moment!
Which brings me to my next victory for the day. I weighed in at 138.6 when I woke up this morning. I've lost 20 whopping pounds since January 6th!! I'm so happy right now. I don't let the scale rule me but seeing it move down {especially after eat like shit all weekend} is awesome!
The next victory for the day is not mine. It's The Hub's. He is currently training for 2 triathalon's. One in Austin in May and another here in Waco in July. Running is not really his forte. He'd much rather be biking or swimming. So, he has been working on his running since January. Today he shaved a whole minute and 30 seconds off his mile time. He told me his now a total believer in The Whole30, ha! He said he didn't get as winded as normal and he could run faster. I'm so proud of that man!
My next victory has nothing to do with fitness or eating....so bear with me but I'm so excited for this one.  Little Miss has been letting The Hub's put her in bed still awake for the last few days. I was nervous about nap time today but when I told her it was nap time, she went straight to her bed with all of her Minnies {she has about 10, seriously}. I tucked her in and she was out in 5 minutes. Struggling to get that child to sleep for 2 hours a day was the most frustrating thing. I hope this lasts. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

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What have been your victories this week?

Stuffed Sweet Potato's

My tummy still hurts. It feels better than it did yesterday but dayum, it needs to stop. I get the point. No more brownies {or cupcakes}. This is the last time I bitch about it. Promise.
So, The Whole30 started again for us yesterday. This time The Hub's wanted to do it. I tried to warn him about the "carb flu" but I don't think he believed me...until last night. He was cranky. I guess no beer and bread will do that. He did say this morning that he slept the best he has slept in a long time. Whoo hoo! Win! Now he's truly on board. 
He was also skeptical of the dinner I wanted to make. You see, The Hub's is a control-freak in the kitchen. He likes to stand over your shoulder and "watch" {read: tell you that your using the wrong knife, cutting the wrong way, forgetting the lid while sauteing, etc.}. Most of the time, I eventually give up, hand the knife over, and go sit my arse on the couch and referee the kiddo's. Last night though, I wasn't giving up. I knew what I wanted to cook and didn't want to change it up. He made a few comments and I would give him the go to hell  look. Finally, he gave up and stood with his arms crossed, watching me at the sink...pouting. {He'll totally say he wasn't pouting. He was just bored...my ass}.
Anyways, I got the initial idea from Mama Laughlin. We had leftover fajita meat and I wanted to use that up. So here it is:
I got my veggies all chopped up. I used roasted red peppers {they came from a jar}, green peppers, a little bit of onion, a little bit of garlic, and mushrooms.

I put about a tablespoon of Ghee in the pan and let it melt. Then threw the veggies in. Ghee is clarified butter. There is no dairy in it.

Once, everything was pretty well sauted, I added the steak in to get it warm. 

I then put the lid on {ah hem The Hubs} and cut it down to low. To cook the sweet potatoes, I used Nom Nom Paleo's method. I then sliced them open and put about a teaspoon of ghee and mixed it all up. Then I added the meat and veggie filling. Topped it off with a little homemade salsa and chives.

...and here's the finished product. 

It was delicious. The Hub's loved it too. He said he could eat one every week. Thank goodness The Whole30 has started out good for us! Otherwise, I might have a cranky man on my hands! 

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Have an amazeballs day y'all!!!

A Break-Up Story

Dear Brownies & a cupcake, We need to break-up. It's you. Not me. Love, Shelly
This weekend was my nephews 4th birthday party. It was a pirate bash and we had an awesome time!

You know that saying "too much of a good thing, sucks"...or however the saying goes? Yeah, well after doing The Whole30 and eating pretty clean for a few weeks, I thought what the hell, eat the damn brownie. Enjoy it. Savor it. 
Except me and brownies have issues. Toxic relationship issues. I can't have just one. So I ate 2 & a cupcake. I didn't really feel so bad. We even partied until 11 o'clock. {Hey, that's late for us}. The Hub's was a little schwasted, so I drove home.
Then it happened. I was laying in bed thinking I had really bad gas pains but worse. I finally fell asleep in the fetal position. I woke up at about 8 feeling hungover as hell. I had a wtf moment trying to remember how much I drank. Zero. Nothing. Nada. It was a sugar hangover. Fuck.
I stood up and the pain was almost unbearable. For the last 2 days, it has felt like there are glass shards running through my belly. I'm so bloated, I look pregnant. My belly is hard as a rock. Brownies are not worth it. Alcohol, maybe. Brownies, not.at.all. Therefor, we must break-up until I can have will-power. When will that be? I have no idea. A month? A year? Never? Who knows. 

Eff you brownies & a cupcake

Anyways, I started The Whole30 again today. The Hub's jumped on board this time. Tonight, we are having stuffed sweet potatoes. I'll post it tomorrow. 

See y'all then!