Category: healthy lifestyle

5 weeks until school starts

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle, school/studying

And it begins, the countdown to winter quarter starts now. 5 weeks to go.

5 weeks until I start the joyous, interesting, horror that is anatomy and physiology.

Image result for anatomy class memes (image from pinterest)

Currently I am registered the community college I have been going to; near where I live just outside Portland as well as on the waitlist for the class at the community college in Salem. It all depends on what happens over the next 5 weeks. If we are in escrow in the Salem area when school starts (and I get off the waitlist) I will go there but if not or if I don’t get off the waitlist I will take it by my old house and just head there after work and study for a few hours. Maybe get a run in as the weather warms up a bit, we shall see.

Image result for anatomy class memes (image from google)

Everything is up in the air now, which is a little stressful but I am trying to just go with it. I also need to try and put a few dollars into savings to cushion the blow of tuition and books. Anatomy is not cheap, it is 4 credits and has lab fees along with needing supplies.

Be prepared to start hearing a lot about anatomy. I am already using Quizlet to study a bit beforehand.

Where are all the good houses?

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle

Since my last post we have gotten the previous inspection report on one house and would basically have to gut it from the inside out and pay crazy insurance until we got all the electrical fixed in case it suddenly burst into flames…..I am only half kidding.

Image result for house on fire meme (picture from nytimes.com)

so on to the next one. We saw one in the middle lower end of our price range that didn’t jump out at me as amazing but would be fine. The yard was small enough that I probably couldn’t have chickens but could do a halfway decent food garden.

The bf wasn’t feeling too great this weekend so we kept it low key. he emailed the realtor to get some info on the house and we decided to drive by it on Saturday to give us something to do that wouldn’t make it much worse. Don’t worry no one is living in the house right now so we didn’t creep on anyone. When we got there the house was being shown to someone so we drove by, went to lunch and Red Robin then headed back. I kid you now as we pulled into the driveway the realtor replied and said it was not financeable (probably because there is a hole in the roof) so there goes another one. We drove around the block deciding if we just wanted to head back home or what and as we came back around someone else was looking at the house, that is how fast these houses are going. It’s crazy.

Image result for competitive house market meme (image from pinterest)

I think we are going to go back to the bank and try and get preapproved for 25-50k higher so we can get something that is actually livable. We originally asked for a low amount to keep our payments as low as possible but I guess we are going to have to go up a little bit. I will keep you posted, wish us luck!

 

Monday Motivation **December 4, 2017

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

(Image from google)

 

I am trying. This time of year with less light and warmth to go out and do things is a great time to reflect on your life and make any changes that need to be made, so you have time to make them habits before the fun summer comes.

I got in 1 run last week. Here in the pacific northwest we get down to very little sunlight this time of year. We are at about 9 hours of sunlight a day right now (and of course I work 8.5 (when you factor in lunch) hours a day so it is getting tricky to get my runs in when it is still light and not 30degrees or less. I don’t have any actual cold (freezing) weather running gear yet.

If I get caught in traffic or need to stop at the store or something then there is no light left for my run, we still have 2-3 weeks before we hit the solstice so we will lose about another 30 minutes of light before we start getting it back so I think I am going to hit the dollar store for some cheap glow lights (like the kind you wear at a rave hahahaha) so I can start getting in 1 or 2 runs in the dark. I will have to buy some extra for Artemis too, being an almost totally black dog makes her hard to see in the dark. Her collar is reflective but I want more. When I get all decked out for night running ill take a picture for you. Here are some from yesterdays run.

House 1 down the drain + could this be any more confusing?

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle

We thought about making an offer on the cute little house I loved and Brandon asked some friends of his parents that buy investment properties and rentals all the time and they basically told him the land is worth more without the house on it and it’s a piece of crap. They had actually looked at this house to buy months ago and had done all the research on it. It even had leans on the property.

Image result for house buying issues

UGH and they told us that we can buy houses that say cash offer where as the real estate agent said we couldn’t. Also why would you list a property that has leans on it?! No bank will finance that? And why can’t people just be truthful? If you don’t want a piece of crap house what makes you think I will???

Why can’t it be as simple as they make it look on HGTV? Here is a house at the bottom of your budget, one in the middle and one at the top, lets tour all 3, ok now pick which one you would like? And none of them have leans or hidden disasters.

Image result for house buying problems memes

I had totally already started planning our life in that house and oh the yard and the garden and the chickens…… sad face.

Image result for house hunting memes

Oh well, onward and upward. I wallowed last night and now I am ready to start again.

 

This has nothing to do with houses but I saw this and loved it

Image result for house buying problems memes

 

Running report and catch-up

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, training

Good morning! For a little catch-up after the holiday week.

I got out for a run on Monday after work, the rain held off just long enough and I managed to make it out the door just a few minutes after I got home so I got the last bit of sunlight. Pretty sunset huh?

I am pretty happy with my running times lately. I have been trying to push hard during my intervals without totally killing myself.

My bestie in Nevada and I really miss each other so we have decided that 3 times a year we will meet in the middle for a “date night” hahahahahaha basically an all night girly gab fest where we will stay at a cheap AirBnB. Man AirBnB has made doing things like this so much easier, we get a little apartment with a kitchen so we don’t have to eat out and you can read reviews so you know its a nice little place to stay and it is totally easy to find places for $50, 60, or 70. We already have our first date weekend planned, I am so excited! By putting $20/month (or more if I can spare it) in this little jar that will take care of my half of the room and some gas money and a little food money. It is so important to put time and effort into your friendships if you want them to last.

 

My Thanksgiving, I had to work but I got my butt out for a run as soon as I got home!

It was really pretty out!

Artemis was pretty happy we got outside too.


I really enjoyed my last pumpkin spice latte of the year.

Enjoyed this awesome view on my lunch at work, the river looked amazing with the mist all around it.

 

 

We went a little all out for breakfast on Friday hahahaha. I had some apples from the boyfriends grandparents farm so I sautéed them in some butter, brown sugar and maple syrup to make a little fall apple syrup for my pancakes, it tasted like apple pie!

Juice Saturday morning for breakfast to counteract all the bad eating.


All in all I got 3 runs in which is better than last week. Now lets home this week, I can find a few dry moments to get some runs in as well! Wish me luck!

How was your thanksgiving?

Did you get any workouts in over the holidays?

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle

I hope your day is filled with love, light, laughter, friends, family and of course way too much amazing food!!!!

My thanksgiving is not quite what I had hoped. My schedule at work just changed 2 weeks ago so today is my Friday at work and yes, I am working. I was invited to Thanksgiving with the BF’s family but there are eating at 1 and I now work until 3:30pm and wouldn’t even get there until 5 with the drive and needing to go home to let the dogs out first so no Thanksgiving for me this year. I did stop and get a Starbucks though this morning so that is nice.

My idea Thanksgiving would be a turkey trot in the AM then lots of family and food……one day.

What does your Thanksgiving look like?

House Hunting: It’s so much worse than I thought

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle

My boyfriend and I have taken the plunge and decided to buy a house together……YAY!!!! Our monthly rent payments will now go toward mortgage payments and we can do whatever we want decoration wise to the house and really take care of our house and have pride in it, and of course get to see each other every day (we currently live an hour apart). What they don’t tell you is how stressful home buying is and that it can really test your patience and possibly your relationship.

Image result for house buying Image result for house buying memes

First things first, we are both adamant about not only sticking to our budget but trying to be as far under it as possible. We agree 100% on this which is wonderful. What we don’t agree on is patience and mind over emotional. I do not have patience, I try soooo hard then 5 minutes goes by and I am frustrated and he is drag his feet McGee so we are polar opposites. I understand that buying a home is a HUGE step but at some point you have to bite the bullet, no house is going to be perfect (especially not in our price range) and you can never guarantee that something wont go wrong the day after you buy it, the week after, 6 months after and so on.

Image result for house buying memes

I like to think that on this we are balancing each other, I am nudging him forward a little faster and he is reigning me in so I don’t sign papers on day 1.

Mind over emotional……….The 2nd house we saw I was in love. It was cute and charming and on some land and almost 90 years old which brings a whole new set of fun things to deal with, and in a rural area which has much less guidelines on bringing things up to code. All in all I still love this house, it would require a little work but it has charm and character and is on the lower end of our budget, a total win right???? He doesn’t think so. All he can see is the work that needs to go into it and I would sign the papers today if I could. So once again we are balancing each other.

Image result for house buying memes

The other joy we are facing is that months ago when we were still deciding if we were staying in Oregon or going and if we would buy or rent I told my roommates I would be out by the end of January, now here we are in November with limited time and options. This is also causing me to feel a little bit resentful toward my love, he does not have this time constraint so I don’t think he feels this time pressure as much as I do, which means his dragging his feet, examine everything from every angle is driving me more mad than usual. Breath in, breath out.

Image result for house buying memes

And that is just the interpersonal issues! Now factor in the actual houses themselves! More than half of which are sold for cash only because there is so much work to do on them, or the ones that are so gross I am not sure we could even live in them while we slowly fixed them up. It is maddening. Buying houses is maddening, I have a new respect for people who flip houses and don’t know how you don’t all have ulcers; on the other hand I hate you all a little bit because you buy the half way decent ones in our price range, flip them and sell them for 50-100k more and now I can’t afford anything.

Image result for house buying memes Image result for house buying memes

I just need to remember patience, not to take my frustrations out on my partner and to pray we find the right house in time.

Monday Motivation **November 20, 2017

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

(Image from google)

This is so my theme right now. Brandon and I have had pizza hut three weeks in a row and my stomach is so over it. It is time for a revamp. Planning is key more than ever for me, I am on day shift now and nobody wants to get up early to make lunch so prep is huge. We are also looking for a HOUSE!!!!!!! Which means some days I am driving the hour towards him to look at houses in our price range then at the end of the night driving back since I have to be at work by 7am so I need to plan, plan, plan. Hopefully in a few short months I will have my own kitchen to work in! I will keep you posted.

Not gonna lie, winter has hit here in Oregon and that means rain, lots and lots of rain and it is cold rain which has seriously deterred me from running this week. I need a working treadmill really bad for Oregon winters. Hopefully we can get one in the new house.

Hope you have a great week!!!!

How are you with winter running?

Mid week run and Artemis’ birthday!!!

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, training

So I of course don’t know if it is actually Artemis’ birthday but I got her 2 years ago in November so I picked a day and called it her birthday because I don’t remember the exact day I got her. We went for a 2 mile run and they I harassed her all night.

Check out that best time!!!! It was only for a few seconds but that is my fastest time ever!! That is probably when I ran across the street before the cars came hahahaha!

After my run, I was a little sweaty but it felt good!

Artemis had a ball, but at this point she was really ready to get back home. She has a leash on your just can’t see it with my awesome quality of photography hahahaha.

Back to trying to have some juice in the morning!!!! Carrot apple is my jam!

So I just finished season 5 of Grimm last night (I know I am behind like always) and I go to press play on season 6 (on amazon prime) and it costs money!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!! Seasons 1-5 are included with amazing prime but not season 6. I HATE when they do that! Though I guess it makes sense since it just aired this year. But now I either have to buy an episode here and there or wait and see if it drops for free. I will also check the other TV sites we have like Netflix and Hulu. Fingers crossed.

Image result for Grimm(image from Google)

Do you watch Grimm?

What is your fav show right now?

Has winter hit where you are? How are your workouts fairing if it has?

I have a feeling this winter is going to be very difficult for me training wise if I don’t find a cheap gym. I can run in the cold (I don’t love it but I can) but when its cold AND raining its hard for me to get my butt out the door.