Week 2 - Unicorn of the Week and Recap

Week 2 of Fantasy Football has come to a close. I know you have been waiting in the edge of your seats to see who will be the coveted Sports, Go Sports "Unicorn of the Week" for Week 2!  (If you have no idea what I am talking about and think the Allie you know and love has been abducted by aliens...start here.) 

Just like Week 1, this week's Unicorn of the Week was picked off of points only. He wasn't my highest scoring player but he did come in 12 points over projection. That was the largest percent increase from projection (86% increase to be exact!) of any player this week thus landing DeAngelo Williams top honors as Unicorn of the Week!! Williams has been really good for me the last two weeks so I am bummed that Le'Veon Bell is coming back from his two game suspension so his playing time will be limited. :( 

Overall I had a really great week, scoring 113 points and winning my match up by 75 points! It was my first experience with some benched players doing better than my actual team. Everything I read said to keep Colin Kaepernick on the bench so I stayed with Drew Brees. Well Brees only scored 12 points  where Kaepernick brought in 26.  I also gave my friend Lamar Miller another shot since he pulled through for me in Week 1. Of course he got hurt and didn't return to the game, only bringing in 3 points. All the while benched David Johnson racked up 16 points! ahh! 

And because I am a sweet and wonderful wife, I will publicly admit that this one time Kipper was right. I should have played the Texans D/ST. The Rams were projected nearly 5 points higher than the Texans so I went with the Rams. This resulted in a 2 point loss for me... sigh. 

This coming week I am going to do a little more research on my players so that my only strategy isn't who is projected the highest. I want to keep my winning steak going as I face off with AJ this week! But for now, while I am sure this will be short lived,  I'm going to celebrate the fact that I currently have the highest points in our league!! 

Yay Athleticism!! 

That One Time I Joined A Fantasy Football League

Most of my friends are big football people. I am not. They call it football season. I call it tailgate season. They say halftime. I ask how much longer till intermission.

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE Football Sundays. They are normally my favorite part of the week. Generally it means yummy food and my best friends spending the day together where most everyone happens to be paying attention to football.  My version of Football Sunday looks more like this:

With the gangs love of football there is a natural love of Fantasy Football. Most play in multiple leagues and it can be a little competitive. This year I got a wild hair and decided to join the girls league - Wine Women! The buy in was a bottle of wine and the winner takes all. I know nothing about football or Fantasy Football (I wanted to draft a cheerleader for Kipper's team last year...) but I love wine so why not!

Unfortunately I had something come up and was late to the draft party so Kipper had to draft for me. This could have been good or bad. He knows a lot more about football, but isn't a fan of the NFL. I am pretty sure he tried his hardest to draft only players who were good role models and had never been to jail! Ha. Anyway it was official team Sports, Go Sports was born. (if you don't get them name you must check this song out) And our mascot is a unicorn and I imagine our team wears awesome rhinestone and glittered uniforms.

After that I sort of forgot I had signed up until a few days before Kipper asked if I had checked my team roster to make sure no one was out hurt. What?!?! I sort of thought you drafted and that was it. I didn't realize you had players on bench or that you could trade players. Suddenly my competitiveness set in and I need to know everything there was to know so I could win!!

Lessons of the Week:

1. Projection Numbers  At first I thought if a player had a projection of 1 that meant they were the top pick. Then I realized lots of people had 1's. This isn't golf and the lowest score doesn't win. Glad I figured that out before this week got started or I would have had the lowest score in the history of Fantasy Football. 

2. Player Selection   This might be the most important part of playing Fantasy Football. I started out following in Kipper's footsteps by googling players to see what type of person they appeared to be off the field.  After about 2 players I realized that was a lot of work so I would just go off of projections and if I thought they looked friendly or fun in their profile photo. Overall this did workout pretty well for me except in the case of a Running Back. Originally I had David Johnson from the Arizona Cardinals who was projected at 4 points. I switched him out at the last minute for Alfred Blue of the Texans because he was projected at 9 points and he was extra smiley in his photo. I also thought it he did well I could yell "You're my boy Blue!" which makes me giggle. Well in the long run Mr. Smiley Pants only brought in 4 points and guy on the bench brought in 11. 

3. Follow Your Gut  Kipper told me to keep the Texans as my D/ST (still don't really know what that is) but the Panthers were projected just a little higher. Since it was a team thing I couldn't really use the smiley photo thing as a tie breaker. At the very last minute I made the switch and it paid off big - 20 more points than if I would have kept the Texans! This could be beginners luck, but I'll take it.

Honestly can't believe I had so much fun playing this week and I didn't even have to watch football! I'm sure the fact that I had a good week and racked up 112 points out of a projected 100 didn't hurt. 

I had so much fun I decided I would turn this experience into a fun blog series. It would force me to get back into regular blogging and  I figure something funny has to come out of this - starting with the Week 1 Unicorn of the Week!!!  

For Week 1 the Unicorn of the Week was picked off of points only. He wasn't my highest scoring player but he did come in 11 points over projection. That was the largest percent increase from projection of any player this week thus landing Jason Witten the honor of being the first ever Sports, Go Sports Unicorn of the Week!! 

Here is hoping the beginners luck carries on to week 2! :) 

Sunshine VoxBox Review

I have several friends who are on Influenster and have enjoyed getting VoxBox deliveries. About a month or so ago I decided to sign up and give it a go. It is free so why not!  So what exactly is Influenster anyway?!? 

And what the heck is a VoxBox?!?

Within a few weeks the notification that I had been selected for my first VoxBox hit my email and I was ecstatic!  I got lucky and was selected for the Sunshine VoxBox! It was filled with 6 summer inspired products that I couldn't wait to try out! 

I love that Influenster includes a card with each VoxBox giving a little detail on the product, including what each product retails for. Now that I have tired all of the products out I am ready to share some awesome (and some not so awesome) finds with you - starting with my favorite ones! 

1. Blue Diamond Sriracha Almonds  I really didn't think I would like these. I'm sort of a wimp when it comes to spicy things, so I figured I would have to take Kipper's word on if they were any good. I decided to "just try one" and OMG! These are awesome!!! They have a great flavor and a little heat, but not overbearing at all. This size package retails for $1.59 and the larger cans are on par with other Blue Diamond flavors. We have already gone through one can of these since trying them! 

2. Infusium 23 Moisture Replenisher Leave-In Smoothing Creme Enhanced with Avocado and Olive Oil   Another product I wasn't sure about that ended up being one of my favorites. I have used a similar product for frizz control by Rusk for years...like 10 years! I'm a girl who finds what I like and sticks with it, but since this was free I gave it a whirl. You can actually use this with damp or dry hair, but I have only used on damp hair. It controls the frizz, makes my hair soft and I think helps it hold curl a little longer in the Texas heat - all without being heavy or greasy! The best part? You can find it at Walmart for $6.99!! That is a fraction of the cost of the Rusk product I have been using. 

3. barkThins Snacking Chocolate  This is the only product I had actually had before. We are a big fan of barkThins in our house. A yummy snack to help curb your sweet tooth that comes in interesting flavors. The Dark Chocolate Coconut is my favorite so far so I decided to use my coupon on it. In Fort Worth I have found barkThins at Target, The Fresh Market, and HEB, but according to their website Costco and Whole Foods also sells them. A regular bag will cost you $4.99, just beware that if you are having a moment of weakness - you could put away a whole bag in one sitting! :) 

4. Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe Spray Moisturizer When I got my VoxBox I was recovering from a terrible sunburn. I was so excited to try this product as I was trying really hard not to peel. The product itself is great for the cost - $6.49 for a 6.5 oz. can. It is moisturizing without being heavy or greasy. Similar to spray on sunscreen you do have to rub it is. I also found you need to be careful where you apply it. We have tile floors in our bathroom and the over spray made them very slick! Because I am klutz this makes me wonder if I would by this product again. 

5. Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Refreshingly Clean Cleansing Cloths  When I got picked for this VoxBox this was one of the products I was most excited about. They do a great job and don't leave your skin feeling dry or oily, but I can't get past the smell of them. I know that is the Witch Hazel as I have had issues with other products. It isn't a strong smell, but just enough for it to bother me.  I will keep using them till this pack runs out but at $6.99 I know I can purchase a comparable product that doesn't make me turn up my nose.

6. SinfulColors Nail Polish Part of this product being my least favorite might have to do with I am not a nail polish girl. Don't get me wrong - I love getting pedicures - I just can't paint my own nails/toes to save my soul. I also wasn't crazy about the color I received as I tend to be more traditional than trendy when it comes to nail polish colors.  With all that said it is about what I would expect for a $1.99 bottle of nail polish. It took several coats verses the one or two coats it takes with OPI or China Glaze. SinfulColors comes in hundreds of shades from creams, glitters, shimmers, mattes, specialty textures and eye popping brights. For the price it would be great for the teenager or collage student who like to change their nail colors every few days. 

Overall this was a great VoxBox and I am really glad I joined Influenster. Fingers crossed there will be more fun VoxBoxes in my future! :) If you are interested in getting in on the fun follow this link and get started today! 

{legal stuff: I received all of these products complimentary for testing purposes}

For Richer, For Poorer, In Sickness And Health: Our New Normal?!?

The last month has been sort of rough in the Martin household.  While we sometimes like to be spontaneous, truth be told we (crazy Boston boys included) are very much creatures of habit. We like our routines. And I like my color coded calendar that keeps it all in order.

Over the last few weeks I feel like we have been sent through an extra spin cycle in the washing machine. Kipper started nursing school and a new crazy schedule at work. This also means re-figuring our weekly finances since he is working less hours because of school.  Because that wasn't enough my body decided that it was also a great time for me to get really sick. Then there was Kipper's trip to the ER for a weird growth on his neck (Praise God it isn't life threatening and we are seeing the ENT in a few weeks!) Fenway's allergies were out of control causing him to reverse sneeze and randomly throw up on us in the middle of the night. Oh and he scratched his freaking eye again. And to top it all off I was hard headed and pushed myself too hard, too fast in my workouts after being sick and got really dehydrated. Thus making me sick again.

This was our warm welcome to our new normal or at least for the next 15 months. And as stressful and hectic as those weeks have been they have also been a huge reminder of one of the biggest blessings in my life - my husband.

During these few weeks he has been exhausted from switching to nights at work and stressed out over the fire hydrant of information he has to get down in less than 6 weeks for the first part of the program. He has turned his life upside down with one goal when it is all done - be able to provide for our hopefully growing family. With all that was going on I would understand if he wasn't present like normal or a little more selfish with his time. But it isn't like that at all.

He takes the time to make sure I am eating well and taking care of myself. He makes a point to remind me that I am appreciated. He encourages me to go out and have fun, even when he can't join me. He still tries to help around the house as much as he can (because lets be honest...he is terrified of what our house would look like if I was left solely in charge of all things domestic.) He has taken the time to go fill my car up with gas so I didn't have to. He has brought home flowers, just because. On nights when he needs to stay up late studying, he still makes it a priority to tuck me into bed and say our nightly prayers.  And he even bought a bike trainer so he could ride in the living room and be able to hang out with me, verses spending more time away from the family by riding outside.

I have always thought Kipper hung the moon. Even before I realized I had any romantic feeling for him and we were just friends, I knew he was pretty awesome. Yet over the last 4 or 5 years he has gone through an amazing transformation that has made him an even better husband. The last month has reminded me how blessed I truly am by our marriage.

But if am being honest and painting the whole picture, I feel really guilty. He has put so much pressure on himself and has had a rough few days. Much of my prayer time over the last few weeks has revolved around him and how I wish there was something more (other than being more domestic than normal) that I could do to help shoulder some of the weight he is carrying right now.

Over the course of our relationship I have learned most of the time I believe in him long before he believes in himself and vice versa.  For many years I have believed his calling was in nursing, it just took him a while to realize that is the path he needed to take. When he applied to this accelerated nursing program there was never a doubt in my mind that he would get in. And now he is facing the next big challenge - 1 test that decides if he will be allowed to continue in the accelerated program. And again, I believe with all my heart he can do this.

The closer the test gets, the more his worry has set in. This is where my guilt really comes into play because I know so much of that pressure is because if he knows if doesn't become a nurse we aren't sure how we will make our adoption happen.  He is has carried that stress and worry for the last 6 weeks, so concerned that if he can't do it that I will be heartbroken and disappointed in him.

But how could I be disappointed in him because of that? He has worked so hard, studying hours on end and sacrificing things he loves.  He was brave enough to step up, put himself out there and try. That is more than most people would do. I could never be disappointed in him for that.

Sure I might be heartbroken, but not for the reason he thinks. If I have learned one thing during our long, still winding road to parenthood it is this - God will provide we just have to trust his plan. Every time we thought we were at the end and out of options, he has provided us with new hope and a new way. It might require more discipline or strength, but God will provide. The only reason my heart will be broken is because I don't ever want to see him in pain or upset and I know he would be.

So basically long story long - I do know what I can do to help and that is to continue to feverishly pray for him. And today I am asking our friends and family to do the same.  I normally don't feel comfortable making public asks for prayer but over the last 2 days I have felt in my heart to put this out there. If you don't mind, please join me in praying for clarity and peace of mind as he goes into his test. Pray that he can let go of the stress and have confidence in himself. And pray that no matter the outcome God's will is done.

Here Lately - Making Peace When Things Aren't Perfect

How is it already June?!? Seriously the last 2 months are a crazy blur but here we are the first week

of June. The fact I spent the last week sick as a dog is more than likely a result of those blurry weeks and my body saying enough is enough.

When I wrote about my 100 day progress I set new goals for the next 100 days. Since I'm just over 50 days into that time frame I decided to do a little check in to hold myself accountable.

   1. Eat more protein. Some days are better than others but I still need a lot of work here. What can I say, I'm a carb loving Polish girl! My plan now is to start trying to trick my mind into thinking I am getting tons of carbs while actually getting extra protein with things like protein pancakes! 

   2. Go to bed earlier.  Let's just skip this one for now. Its an area of opportunity to say the least. 

   3. Set a new half marathon PR.  Not yet and honestly it will be a stretch. I was supposed to run a night half at the end of May. A few weeks before I started having knee pain in both knees that I had never had before. Thankfully it wasn't my knees, but in fact extremely tight quads that were pulling on my knees. Silly me thought the tightness in my quads my legs firming up. Apparently it was just my muscles turning into rocks! ha! Since my coach, husband and doctor all encouraged me to sit this race out so I didn't run. As the temps start to rise I'm not going to put the pressure on myself to PR in a June or July race. If it happens, awesome. If it doesn't, that's okay too. I can chase that goal this Fall. 

   4. Prepare more meals.  Does reheating chicken count? 

   5. Keep making myself uncomfortable.  Without a doubt this is the one area I have forced myself to stick with. From taking part in small group discussions I would have normally only listened in on to going sleeveless somewhere other than the gym. I even tired sushi! Alone none of these things are life altering but they are positive growth that I wouldn't have ever imagined a year ago. 

So there it is. Things haven't gone smoothly or at all how I had planned them. Aside from those 5 goals I have struggled with some other areas as well. I've missed entering a few snacks and probably some wine into my food log. I have missed or cut short some workouts. I'm still not a domestic goddess. Things haven't been tied up in a pretty little bow. 

Writing it all out makes the little OCD Allie in my head start to freak out a little bit. She starts telling me that I have failed but for once I know I have made some significant personal growth because I can easily tell her to shove it. I wasn't perfect. I didn't completely stick to the plan. And that's okay. 

This journey is about long term life changes. It is about balance. It is about learning to truly live in the moment. This journey isn't a fad or a chapter of my life. Those are the reminders that give me peace when that nagging little Allie starts in on me. Life is messy, but that is what makes it beautiful and exciting! 

In the last 50 days:

• I watched Kipper complete his second Half Ironman, 
• I met new friends. 
• I deepened my relationship of God. 
• I stayed out way too late with girlfriends. 
• I had incredibly meaningful and heartfelt conversations with my best girlfriends. 
• I gave back to my community.
• I shared treasured moments with family. 
• I learned new things. 
• I had adventures Princess Bryn. 
• I tried new restaurants/food. 
• I enjoyed the simple things. 
• I lost 4 more pounds. 
• I laughed till it hurt.
• I bought new running shoes. 
• I bought smaller pants. 
• I looked in the mirror at the gym and for once the voice in my head didn't get in the way - I didn't completely hate what I saw (so I took a selfie to remember the day! Exhibit A)  

• I danced myself silly. 
• I ate WAY too much sugar. 
• I ran some amazing and some not so amazing miles. 
• I celebrated people I love. 
• I cried both tears of joy and frustration. 
• I fell in love with my job, again. 
• I washed a lot of muddy paws. 
• I made some questionable fashion statements. 
• I found joy in my doodles and painting.
• I have loved deeply.
• I admitted my mistakes. 
• I didn't give up. 

In the last 50 day I truly lived my wonderfully messy life! 

Half Iron Kipper - Round 2

It has been an insane week at work and at home. Actually this whole month has been that way. It is just that time of year. I keep telling myself I just have to make it through the next 10 days and we are home free. Which is sort of a lie since the 2 weeks following that are crazy at work preparing for our first Associate Celebration. But everyone who knows me knows I wouldn't have it any other way. I have been really good about learning to say no and not over scheduling myself, but every so often old, over-committed Allie needs her fill and the spring never disappoints! And it doesn't hurt that I love everything I'm doing and have been having a ton of fun along the way. If it was yard or house work tying me down, that would be a different story!

But the real reason for this post - in roughly 72 hours Mr. Martin will be taking on his second Ironman 70.3, this time in Galveston. It is so hard to believe that it has been 6 months since Round 1 in Austin. 

I'm still not sure I can ever explain the immense pride and happiness I felt for Kipper that day.  To be a witness to him achieving a dream that he would have never imagined just four short years ago was incredible. Watching him cross that finish line made every moment of sacrifice to get him there worth it. Even having to wash all those freaking water bottles - it was worth it! 

This time has been a little different. Life has gotten in the way a little more than I think he would have liked. He has been working more, training for a new job and trying to get into nursing school (which he did by the way!)   Last year I wasn't really committed to my own training, just running as I saw fit. This time around I have been focused on my own goals and in turn not as helpful as I wished I would have been. We had to find a new balance and while it wasn't perfect, we made it work. 

Because I have been so busy, this weekend has sort of snuck up on me. Suddenly all the nervous that I had over the course of a few weeks last time have hit me today. I know he will do a great job, but it is my job to worry about him. :)  I will say the fact that I have nothing packed, that I currently have no shorts that actually fit and that I have done relatively no research on anything regarding this weekend does help me forget about the worry a bit! 

Plus this trip will be a lot of fun. Since he has done it before I think he will be able to relax a bit and there is a huge group going from Trident. We are actually renting beach house with a few other couples which will be a huge step up that our accommodates last go round. (Just be careful when you tell your husband not to spend too much on a hotel room you will never be in. I tend to enjoy a hotel lobby that has simple things like flooring...unlike where we stayed for Austin) 

Now for our friends at home! If you would like to follow along this weekend there are a few ways you can:

1. Follow my Instagram/Facebook posts #halfironkipper 
2. Follow the athlete tracker on the Ironman website. His bib is1362
3. Watch the live feed from the finish line 

I know I speak for both Kipper and I when I say how thankful we are for the love and support we get from our friends and family. We truly couldn't do it without that support. From training friends, to my sweet Momma for staying with the boys and our friends who always encourage and pray - thank you!  As always I ask that you keep Kipper (and the other athletes) in your thoughts and prayers this weekend.  His wave is slated to hit the water at 7:28 a.m. Sunday morning. If you don't mind, please stop and say a prayer at 7:28. Pray for a safe, injury free race. Pray for peace of mind. Pray for endurance. And most of all pray that God is glorified every step of the way. 

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One Hundred Days

Yesterday marked the one hundredth day of this chapter! 100 days of facing fears, pushing the limit on my comfort zone and truly learning to believe in myself. I figured it was the perfect time catch everyone up and reevaluate my goals moving forward.

What have I been up?

1. Tracking my food. As you all know, this was one of the toughest things for me. Tracking my food gave me such anxiety, but somehow I have survived for 100 days without missing a beat. I am talking vacation, busy weeks at work, even days I just didn't want to mess with it - I stuck to my plan! Now I would be lying if I didn't admit that there are some days that it still gives me a little anxiety, especially when I don't have control over what is being served. Yet it isn't nearly as scary as I built it up to be and it is so nice to be able to look at my daily intake with a healthy mindset. 

2. Breaking habits.  I wanted everything I was doing to be a lifestyle change, not just a phase. In order for that to happen I had to break some bad habits. First and foremost the one I am most proud of is my breakup with Diet Dr. Pepper! I gave up regular Dr. Pepper about 5 years ago but was addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper in a bad way. Before I came to work at Pier 1 Imports I would drink at least 1 Route 44 Diet Dr. Pepper a day!! I had finally gotten myself down to one can a day by the end of last year but anytime I tried to go more than a day I would get a terrible headache.  After fighting through that I was able to get down to a half a can a day and then just a can every few days. I am now to the point that I am fine without them. That doesn't mean I won't ever drink another soft drink in my life but I certainly don't depend on them or crave them anymore. 

3. Setting new records. This has honestly been the most exciting part to me. In the last 100 days I have pushed myself harder than I ever thought I could go as a runner. I never thought I would get much faster. When I hired a coach I had a goal but I wasn't sure it was possible in the short time frame I had give myself, especially coming off an injury. Yet somewhere along the way it all clicked (get the full story here) and I have cut nearly 3 minutes off what I used to consider my normal pace. Before my goal was always just to finish because setting anything more aggressive made me feel like I was setting myself up for failure. Don't get me wrong - there will still be plenty of races where the only goal is to have fun and finish. As proud as I am of my the PR's I have sent in the last 2 1/2 months, I am ready to crush them with a new PR! 

4. Victories on and off the scale. While it was very important to me that this NOT only be about a number on a scale, losing weight was part of the goal. Since I have been tracking my food and increased my calories I have lost 25 pounds and nearly 2 pant sizes! What is even more exciting to me though is how my body is changing. I feel stronger than I ever have. When I look in the mirror in my mind I don't look like I have lost 25 pounds, but I love the changes I am seeing. And even more so I love how I feel! 

5. Finding balance. Balance is something that I have been working on for a year or so. Learning to say no and basically stopping the glorification of "busy." Even though I have been running for almost 4 years now I have never been good at balancing working out when life gets in the way. I would either ignore training or just be totally anti-social.  I'm still a work in progress here but I am proud of myself for maintaining some sort of balance between training, work, family, friends and social engagements. So far April has proved to be the biggest challenge. If I can keep some sort of balance the rest of this month I will consider that one for the win column. 

What's in store for the next 100 days? 

1. Eat more protein. Now that I have gotten the hang of tracking my food and eating enough calories I really want to start focusing on increasing my protein intake. 

2. Go to bed earlier.  I'm a night owl, always have been. The last few months I have worked on making myself go to bed earlier, but not consistently. 

3. Set a new half marathon PR.  I have a goal I want to reach by the end May - a 2:45 finish. That would be cutting nearly 14 minutes off my time so I know it will be a stretch in this short of time. Although I keep surprising myself so I know anything is possible. 

4. Prepare more meals.  Kipper is the chef in our family and too often I rely on him to cook my meals. With his work and training schedule it is sometimes hard for him to make that happen. I want make more of an effort to learn how to cook meals that I enjoy so that I can do all of my meal prep myself. 

5. Keep making myself uncomfortable. Either big or small, I don't want to settle. I am challenging myself to do at least one thing outside of my comfort zone each week. 

So what are you going to do with your next 100 days??