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Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010

Our adventures of camping

This past weekend, a group of us went camping up by Golden, CO.... it ended up being 7 of us going (turned into 6 of us).

We met at 1 pm, made sure we had everything we needed and then headed up the mountain to the camping location. From the parking lot, it was a 1 mile hike to the site- so seriously loaded up with gear/bedding/food/cooler- we slowly but surely made our way to the camp spot. We had WAAYYY too much to carry, but somehow made it to the site.
We set up camp, got some beers out and just hung out. Adam, Jamie and Luna Smith came along and so did Zach Harmon and his roommate Chad (with his dog Drake) and Chad's friends Laura. The dogs had an absolute BLAST between the three of them. They got along great and just ran and played for hours on end... that is, until I noticed Tyson limping. Poor Tyson, he ripped BOTH of his front paw pads.... and was in pain. It was so sad- but there wasn't anything we could do at that point. Luckily, Chad had some doggie shoes with him, so Tyson wore some on his front paws the rest of the night... .
Depressed...
During the day, we decided to go exploring. So, we were not on any trail and started hiking down the mountain from our campsite. Everything was going fine until Laura, slipped and literally sat into a patch of cacti. ooouuchhh. Jamie and I (just meeting her a few hours ago) had to pull out the needles from her upper thigh, buttocks and upper- inner thigh for the next half hour or so. I mean, she had to take off her pants, bend over a rock and just let us do work on her. She was in pain and thankfully Jamie and I were there to help. She had to walk back to camp with her pants off because there were so many needles stuck in her pants. Poor girl. She ended up calling a friend to come pick her up because she was just in too much pain to stay the night.
The three pups and Laura right before the slip...


After Laura left, Adam Smith whipped up some chili and we just sat around the campfire talking, drinking and having a great time (all except for Tyson). When it was time for bed, all of the boys were pretty good to go and when Adam and I got back to our tent- it was so windy- that one of the stakes had come out of the ground. It is easier said than done to fix this in the darkness and sometime during this period of time, Adam cut his toe fairly bad. Ya... the Griffins just had a rough time and it gets rougher.

We finally get into bed and go to sleep. I wake up with the worst stomach ache. So bad, I end up puking several times. Ya... not cool. And I can promise you all, this was not from drinking. I finally felt ok and slept the rest of the night, but then Adam woke up with the worst hangover. And getting back to the car was not so fun for him, or Tyson. Poor Ty literally limped and whimpered his way back to the car.

We are going again next weekend and the Griffin clan will be much more prepared next weekend!! I just hope Tyson can heal up enough to go. For now, he is limited to short walks to go to the bathroom only and he is bandaged up.

Poor little boy.
Lastly, and totally off topic, but Brian Seacat is living with us for the month of Sept! He arrived yesterday afternoon and started his rotation this morning at the same hospital Courtney was at last month. I think we will have a pretty great time with Brian. He is training for an iron man, so I am hoping some of his workoutness will rub off on me. Oh! And he is helping us get Tyson healed up... I mean, if you are going to be a Doctor, that means you are pretty much a Vet- right?!
Thursday, August 26, 2010

I'm not too proud

Why am I not too proud? Well, as you all know- I have been traveling like insane amounts and not been liking it. So about 2 weeks ago, I got "talked" to by my manager about going back into inside sales.

The fact of the matter is: I was brought in for Florida "backup" and since Massachusetts is kinda a dead market for the time being... it is very expensive to keep me traveling for the company and they know it is not ideal for me anyways.

So, what the heck- I will get demoted. Stay home. And get to keep my same pay. I am actually really excited, I am just glad I closed a few deals before the "demotion" actually happens. That way, I know I don't completely suck.....
Tuesday, August 24, 2010

A Must Read!


"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. This is a three book series with "The Hunger Games" as book #1. I just finished the second book "Catching Fire" and the third book "Mockingjay" was released today. I can hardly wait to go pick it up. Let's just say.... I started book 1 last week and have flown through #1 and #2 in less than a week...... I have not read this quick since the "Twilight" books and actually these are the books that Stephenie Meyer suggests on her site.
Happy reading :)
Monday, August 23, 2010

A Nicholas Sparks kind of day

"I think I have a problem. I only want to watch chick flicks and I want to watch every chick flick out there"- Adam Griffin

Yes, my husband LOVES chick flicks... so after this comment made on Saturday- here is a recap of our Sunday.

*****

Breakfast at Lucilles with Lora, Casey and Courtney.
Followed by the Farmers Market:
Yes, the farmers markets. I have never really taken advantage of the farmers markets offered in my previous zip codes, but Adam and I make it a weekly tradition every weekend we are in town. There is nothing better than fresh fruits and veggies, homemade cheeses and breads, and the atmosphere at these things. Right now, the prices are so ridiculously cheap! Since pretty much everything is in season right now, we get tons of fresh produce for pennies. Not to mention, that Tyson loves these things as well. There are so many dog food stands this year that he gets several treats each visit.
Although Tyson loves the markets, yesterday was a little too hot for him (and me). He spent some quality time on the kitchen floor, trying to cool off after we got home yesterday.
After we got home from the market, we watched Dear John, I cried. Then we went running, worked on BumblePost, went to church and watched The Last Song, in which, I cried again.

Great Sunday!

Am I really in my mid-twenties?

As mentioned in a previous post, I am majorly out of shape. So, since I was back in Denver this weekend, Adam and I went running yesterday. The topics we discussed were: our belly fat, if this is the 1st or 2nd most out of shape we have been, workouts I used to do when I was actually in shape, etc. It was all-around depressing.

It was about 100 degrees yesterday, so this run was HOT. As I was trotting around Wash Park, I was thinking about things and decided I would definitely consider trying out for the Broncos Cheerleaders in the spring. It would not only motivate me now to get in shape, but if I actually made it, I would have access to all sorts of great things like the best trainers in Denver, etc. and have a reason to stay in shape.

Then it hits me.... if I try out next Spring, I will be 26. Most of the girls on these types of teams, try out out of high school or college. This means, there is a great chance, I would be one of the oldest on the team (if not, THE oldest). YIKES!!!!!! Am I really going to be 26 next year? That seems like crazy talk to me.

This leads me to my next point, which is http://www.summertomato.com/. Adam has been into this blog/website for awhile and sent me the link so I could look around. It is basically this girl's website who has struggled with her weight and how farmers markets changed her life. As if fate had it coming for me... I came across this article on the site. It is 30 ways to Slow and Prevent Aging. Here are the 30 reasons, but to read full article, click HERE:

30 Healthstyle Tips To Keep You Young;

1)Be happy The physical damage caused to your body by stress has only recently become appreciated by the scientific community. Fill your life with things you love and get rid of almost everything else. Practice stress relieving activities like meditation and exercise, and learn to appreciate joy when you find it. Happiness does a body good.

2)Eat vegetables There is good evidence that oxidative damage caused by toxins and metabolism contributes to the aging process at a cellular level. Foods (but not supplements) high in antioxidants seem to protect us from oxidative stress.

3)Avoid sugar Sugar is a direct cause of aging and significantly reduces lifespan in organisms from yeast to primates. Not by a small amount either.

4)Moisturize The appearance of your skin is largely dependent upon moisture. Help it out by using moisturizers to keep your skin soft and hydrated. Work with a professional to determine what type is best for you.

5)Don’t raise your eyebrows Credit my mother for teaching me this one, it has been a lifesaver. As a kid she used to warn me about raising my eyebrows, saying it would give me wrinkles and I’d regret it. I thought she was crazy, but still learned to express myself without much forehead crinkling. As a result I have far fewer forehead lines than some people years younger than me.

6)Sleep: For me the most important determinant of how I look (and feel) on a given day is how much sleep I get. Seven hours is my ideal, but everyone is different.

7)Eat fish Some evidence suggests that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are particularly beneficial to the skin.

8)Wear sunscreen I love the sun and spend as much time in it as possible, but I never walk out the door without sunscreen on my face. UV radiation from the sun damages your skin and promotes aging.

9)Don’t smoke Smoking is one of the easiest ways to look older than you really are and shorten your life at the same time. Avoid both primary and secondary smoke like the plague.

10)Step out of your comfort zone Mental exercise seems to be one of the key elements of quality aging, but this doesn’t mean you should sit around all day doing crossword puzzles. Neuroscientist and cognitive aging specialist Dr. Adam Gazzaley suggests going out of your way to challenge yourself mentally, doing things like traveling and learning new languages even over the age of 60.

11)Take vitamin D Some research suggests that vitamin D may be particularly important in slowing the aging process. The jury is still out on the value of vitamin D supplements for aging, but they seem to have enough other benefits that it’s worth the investment.

12)Eat fruit: Like vegetables, fruits have an enormous amount of antioxidants and help with hydration. Vitamin C in particular is thought to benefit skin.

13)No foundation or powder makeup Generally I avoid putting any makeup directly onto my skin. I realize I have a very flexible work environment and this is not possible for every woman, but skipping the makeup does help maintain your skin’s hydration and elasticity. I do wear makeup occasionally, maybe once or twice per week. But in general I find that mascara and lip gloss are enough for most situations.

14)Hydrate Your skin is very sensitive to water levels. Stay hydrated by sipping water and eating fruits and vegetables throughout the day.

15)Whiten teeth I know this isn’t something you can find at the farmers market, but when you drink as much coffee and red wine as I do, minor (and admittedly superficial) fixes like teeth whitening can go a long way. If you don’t believe me, try and remember the last time you saw a 20-year-old with yellow teeth….

16)Wear sunglasses If you’re a happy person (and I know you are), your wrinkles will most likely be caused by smiling and show up predominantly around your eyes. Block out extra sun (and look super cool) by always wearing sunglasses when you go outside.

17)Eat beans and lentils Legumes are a fabulous source of minerals that can help keep your skin hydrated and looking young.

18)Tea Afternoon tea time is one of the greatest discoveries I’ve ever made. Not only is tea full of antioxidants and other cancer-fighting compounds, a midday break can be just what the doctor ordered to sip away stress.

19)Cardio I’m not the biggest believer in cardio exercise for weight loss, but it is still important for vascular health. Not to mention how awesome you feel after a good session. Cardio doesn’t need to kill you, but you should do it regularly.

20)Strength training Building strong, toned muscles is one of the most effective ways to look younger than your years. Ask anyone who looks fabulous and they’ll swear by strength training. A little goes a long way.

21)Eat intact whole grains Intact grains (not fake “whole” grains that are ground into flour) are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and soluble fiber. They are also perfect fuel for those killer workouts.

22)Olive oil It is hard to think of something more versatile, healthy and delicious than olive oil. It breaks my heart that dietary fat got such a bad rap the past few decades, since the benefits of healthy fats like olive oil are innumerable. Fat isn’t just “not bad” for you, it’s essential.

23)Kill your television We all have things we enjoy watching (I’m partial to NBA championship teams), but if it takes up a significant amount of your time each week (>5 hrs) it may be time to reevaluate. How many years of your life do you really want to spend on your couch?

24)Don’t stuff yourself Cutting back on calories is the single most effective way to slow aging and extend life. I don’t advise starving yourself, but it’s a good idea to avoid overeating in any situation.

25)Eat nuts Nuts are the perfect snack food and are filled with anti-aging fats, vitamins and minerals. They are also great for suppressing appetite–just don’t eat more than a handful.

26)Avoid dairy Studies of aging skin have shown that milk and milk products are associated with more aging and wrinkles.

27)Avoid processed meats Processed meats contain high amounts of nitrates and nitrites, which are associated with many different health problems in humans. No need to get too hung up on this, but you may not want to eat deli meat every single day if you want to stay young.

28)No processed carbohydrates Just like sugar, processed carbohydrates are a direct cause of aging and disease. I eat these things occasionally, but don’t let it happen too often.

29)Coconut oil Fats come in all different shapes and sizes, and I try to incorporate a good mix of all of them. Medium-chain fatty acids like those found in coconut oil are starting to be recognized as important by researchers, but the evidence is limited. Coconut oil is also a healthy source of saturated fat for vegetarians. I always use coconut oil when cooking Southeast Asian food.

30)Red wine Red wine has a powerful anti-aging compound in it known as resveratrol. Though it is unlikely that the dosage of resveratrol in red wine is high enough to impact lifespan, drinking alcohol in moderation is also associated with decreased risk of heart disease and other vascular problems. Cheers!
Thursday, August 19, 2010

Busy Bees!!!


Starting a side business is a full time job in itself. I can honestly tell you that Adam, Nick and me have been working on BumblePost.com as if it was a second job. It is crazy how much time/effort this has taken but I am proud to say, we have come a long way and are VERY pumped about this and CANNOT wait to show everyone else!!! It is actually better than I imagined it and I can't wait to share it with you all.

It is amazing how quickly Adam, Nick and I figured out our strengths and weaknesses. For instance, I am WAY more creative than I thought. I have been in charge of the design process for the cards, Adam and is a visionary and Nick brings Adam's vision to reality by figuring out how the process will work and if it is feasible and good business sense.

We are hopefully (fingers crossed) going to be ready to launch in November and if this happens, I really want to have a little party in KC over Thanksgiving..... :) (Haven't told my business partners this yet.) I keep asking Adam if I can post some stuff, but he has forced me to wait.


PS- Who works with Photoshop often? If you do, please comment because I have some questions to ask you on the functionality of it.
Monday, August 16, 2010

Another great CO weekend

Last weekend, the one and only Jan Griffin came into town (aka: best mother-in-law ever).

We had a fabulous weekend. Thursday night we went to this awesome open-air Mexican restaurant in a part of Denver called the Highlands. Adam and I love this place, but have only been there once. Jan loved it (as we knew she would).
Mother/Son love.....




Friday, Adam and I did have to work, but Jan took Tyson on a long walk and we managed a trip to Nordstrom rack in the afternoon. I cooked us dinner (one of my favorite pasta recipes) and then we went to see Eat Pray Love. It was very good and I would recommend it to anyone (it is NOT a total chick flick).

Saturday we had an action-packed day. It started with a trip to the farmer's market. Then we picked up C-Kells and headed up to the mountains. Mt. Evans has the highest paved road in North America and it's where Jordan Mann's memorial is. The views up here are amazing. It literally feels like you are on top of the world.



Happy Dog! In his element...

We saw some of these guys on the way up




And some of these....

Just to put this in perspective. It was about 85 degrees in Denver this day. It was 40 degrees up here with a wind chill in the 30's.

And Courtney and I pretty much dressed alike and I think I could be a third Kelly in these pictures. Adam and Jan kept commenting how from a distance, you literally couldn't tell us apart. Pretty funny!

Then we stopped by this amazing lake on the way down the mountain.

Twins??


Saturday night I made my famous enchiladas and we made some vodka tonics and hung out with some friends for awhile. And Sunday we took a day trip to Golden, CO where we just walked around, listened to some live music and drank a few beers. We rented a movie that night and chillaxed.
It was such a great weekend. Adam and I are blessed to have such great family and freinds!!

I can't believe it is August already!

I feel like this year has flown by. I seriously can't believe school is starting again and Labor Day is just a few weeks away. Where does this time go?
As I think about this year, I have come to 1 conclusion. I have no idea what I want to do with my life, but I need a new job. NOW.
Searching for a job is extremely difficult when I have no idea what I want to target. I keep having these great ideas that last approx. 48 hours at a time. For instance: law school, government, go back into recruiting, quit all together and take a few months rest (not a good idea), etc.

I feel like I am turning into someone who I never wanted to be and it is time to make a change! So.... if anyone has any connections in Denver- PLLEEAASSEE let me know :)

PS- we were supposed to do yoga at the Governor's mansion this morning... but the lady that invited Adam and I had a sick child- so we are rescheduling. Adam and I even bought new yoga mats for the occasion and I practiced some poses last night- ha! We were pretty excited, but I will keep you posted on this. Who knows?! Maybe the 1st lady of CO with just LOVE me and want to offer me a job :)
Monday, August 9, 2010

Get a clue, Emily!

Clue #1:
My jeans don't really fit anymore

Clue #2:
A lot of my shirts are annoyingly tighter than they have ever been...

Clue #3:
My shoes are too small!!!!!!!!!! Almost all of them.

Clue #4:
I feel "soft" to the touch


Conclusion:

I think I am really out of shape. Like the most out of shape I have ever been! This traveling is really catching up with me/processed food/eating out every meal/never working out. And I just came to this serious realization this week... ummm....

I must start working out again! When I get back this weekend, I am planning on buying some new running shoes/work out clothes and hopefully this will motivate me some! The major problem is I have no schedule and I am not going to join a gym, considering I am only in Denver a few days a week. So, Adam, just to tell you before hand. I am going to shopping this weekend and am making a committment to TRY to work out, or at least eat healthier until I can figure out my life... yikes!!!!!!!!!!


Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Approx. Breakdown of my typical week

Airport/Airplane time: 15 hours/wk
Avg. nights in a hotel: 3-4
Avg. nights in Denver: 3-4

I literally don't feel like I have a home. Of course, home is where Adam and Tyson are, but if I was single I would be a bonifide nomad. This sucks , I am not going to lie.

Anyways, enough of the pity party today. I allow myself 1 hour per day to have a hissy fit with myself, then I force myself to snap out of it and realize that there are several people today without jobs and I am truly blessed to have a paycheck every other Friday.

Moving on, I want to formally apologize for my current blog post that have been semi-boring, lacking pizazz. I have NO creativity these days for some reason. (Probably because all of it is being poured into BumblePost.com right now- we have been busy bees!!!).

That is all for now, Toodles!