Crazy Town- Week Recap

Ok. So it's been a week since I posted with the blog swap, but honestly it has been crazy over here! I'll catch you up! Don't worry! :)

Last weekend, I went to Chicago to check out a seminar for a company called Symmetry that sells nutritional and weight loss supplements. It was from Fri-Sun. Since I haven't been at my job for a month yet, I hadn't earned a vacation day, so I worked and then flew out of Columbus at 8pm. I got to Chicago at 8:20pm and then had an hour drive ahead of me to get to the hotel where the seminar was at.

I got there about 9:30 when the first presentation was getting over and everyone was very excited and clapping and I was kind of overwhelmed by everyone else's emotion. We went to the room and changed into comfy clothes and came back to the room for a pizza party and a movie - The Guardian.

Saturday was a morning and afternoon full of seminar and then a volleyball tournament between the cities across the street. The Columbus team came in 2nd. Then we were free for the evening and my roommates and I walked about a mile to a grocery store looking for ice cream and famous Chicago popcorn. I found gelato, a cup of tea, a sandwich for dinner and breakfast and a cannoli. The ladies found their popcorn and we had a wonderful gelato filled walk home. I had the lemon flavor!!

Do you know how gelato is different from ice cream?

I got back to the room, ate and crashed hard about 10:30. I was up about 7 the next morning, showered and ate my sandwich for breakfast. We had a seminar in the morning and then we were free to go. We had to wait around a bit b/c some important people had meetings that were traveling home with me. We got going about 2 CST and then there was crazy traffic trying to get out of Chicago. We stopped for food and gas a couple times and finally got home about 10:30. Then I got a ride to my car which was parked at the airport.

I got home and was in bed by midnight.

Monday
I got up at 6 so I could be ready and travel to get Heif in the morning before work. I was at the sitter's door at 7:05am, picked up Heif, took him home and was at work by my regular time of 8am. Go me! Then I had a regular day at work and came home and recovered by being a vegetable.

Tuesday
Normal day at work. Then I had an exciting meeting at 6:30 at the Easton Mall (my new Mecca!). The meeting was with the bigwigs of the Hot Chocolate race people. I got to meet fellow race ambassadors and elite runners! One lady I met named Laura got second place in the Capital City Half!!! Now that's awesome!
I got to meet the one founder of RAM Racing that was there, Paul, and a few of the other guys like Brandon and Adam. Everyone was super nice.
We met at a swanky seafood restaurant and had a private room and had bottomless drinks and amazing appetizers. I'm sad that I didn't take any pictures but didn't in fear of people thinking I was lame. There was a fancy calamari platter, the biggest shrimp I've ever seen, crab cakes, sliders, fruit and cheese and crackers. I admit to having 2 rounds of almost everything! It was goooood!

Wednesday
Normal day at work but I was there at 6:30 so I could leave by 3:30. Today, the Carnival of Madness was in Columbus and I had purchased my ticket before I had left WA. The lineup was: New Medicine, Cavo, Halestorm, Chevelle and Evanescence. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure!

My favorite New Meds boys- Brady and Jake

lead singer of Cavo

Lzzy of Halestorm opening the show

Lzzy and AreJay Hale

Lead singer of Chevelle

Hats off to the Bull - Chevelle

Amy of Evanescence

I didn't stay for all of Evanescence's set b/c my feet hurt and I was tired. I tried to see the New Meds boys but they were hanging out in their new fancy Monster bus they got for the tour. I will see them at the end of September at RockVegas!!

So, that's been my week! If you've noticed to the right, there is a code for a free hat if you'd like to register for the Columbus Hot Chocolate race. I think I've attached the link to it as well.

Also, if you know anyone would would be interested in losing some weight or getting healthier with nutrition, please let me know. Or feel free to check out the products on my website. All questions are welcomed. These products are made from all natural ingredients and extracts and I just wouldn't stick anything in my body. Yes, I'm taking these as well and will let you know about my progress with them!

www.symmetrydirect.com/cohoch

 How was your week? Any fun races coming up? Are you surviving the heat? 

Settling In

Well, it's been about a month since my last post and lots of things have happened in that time. Most importantly, I am starting to feel settled into my new house and my new life. I've been getting a schedule arranged between work and exercise and other things. I'm starting to feel like I'm getting my life back to normal. I miss my friends out west but have enjoyed meeting many new people in Ohio and many more to come.

What have I been up to?

I drove across the country with a packed car with a dog and 2 cats. The AC in my car went out somewhere in Montana on the first day, which lead to a loooong and hot 3.5 days of traveling to Columbus. I did take some pictures in Montana b/c it was so beautiful... Big Sky Country is right!

Along the way, I stayed in Rapid City, SD, Shawnee, KS, Terre Haute, IN and even spent a night in Columbus, OH b/c my house closed a day later than it was supposed to. JERKS!

It was great seeing the country again but stinky that it was so hot in the car for me and my hairy kids. We had to hang out in a park for 2 days in 95+ degree heat and crazy humidity waiting to hear the final ok from the bank on my loan and closing documents. This was a time when being a grown up super sucked!

I was able to get into my house on Thursday night. The next day the movers showed up with my stuff and my cable/ internet was installed and I started my first big girl job on Monday!

I've been working for 3 weeks and even earned my first pay check today!! It was very exciting to see a number more than double what I was used to in grad school. I guess going to school for that long is going to pay off after all! :)

Since I've gotten in the house and my stuff, it's been a full fledged effort to get unpacked and settled. I've purchased many things and am still waiting on my loveseat to be delivered. Other than that, I'd say it's just little things now that my parents brought me a load of furniture from my grandparents' shed which contained end tables, kitchen/ dining room tables, dressers and 2 twin beds for my second spare room upstairs. Once everything looks nice and all unpacked, I'll take pictures for you.

Also, my concert going has started up again. After I was in Columbus for a week, I drove home to Youngstown and saw a concert with my sister! We saw Emphatic, New Medicine and Halestorm at a small venue called The Cellar in Struthers,OH. Here are a few pictures from the night.

Emphatic

Emphatic

Dan of New Medicine

Brady of New Medicine

Jake of New Medicine

Halestorm

Arejay of Halestorm

Lzzy of Halestorm on the piano

Me and bassist of Emphatic

Me and Brady of New Meds...LOVE HIM!

The billboard

Since the concert, there have been lots of hanging out with the kids and I have been posting lots of pictures like the following on facebook and twitter...

My new couch

Kitties enjoying the couch

Heif sacked out on the floor with his new pillow

Oven and microwave

Fridge and baker's rack

Just to give you a bit of insight about my kitchen, I special ordered that fridge to fit in the space where the microwave is and it still wouldn't fit. Turns out that the walls get skinnier as you go up the wall! It was a major bummer but I think it's ok where it's at now. I was just happy to have appliances! :)

Ok. That's enough for now. I think you're pretty much caught up on the craziness that has been my life for the past month. I will be posting more. I PROMISE!

OH!! Another thing that I want to announce is that I have been selected to be a Hot Chocolate Columbus race Ambassador for the race in November. If anyone is interested in coming to town to run, I would recommend it since I did the one in San Diego in March and had an awesome time!! I have a special code for you if you are going to register. Please email me or tweet me @vbace18 and I will send it to you!!

I hope to see many bloggers/ readers/ runners out there!

Would you run for chocolate?!