Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway.

Seriously you are the most amazing people ever!

The winner is...

(please ignore my gym outfit and hair, the echo from the bathroom, my shiny nose, and overall nerdiness)

Elesie!

email me at comeflywithme (dot) mari (at) gmail (dot) com to claim your prize!

I will be back with a plethora of blog posts as soon as my end of the semester papers and finals are under control.

Waking Up

I hit the alarm clock when it read 6:08 Am.

I've let it go on already for an extra 38 minutes.

Ugh.

Gym clothes? check

sports bra? check

shoes, phone, ipod? check, check, check

laptop, backpack? check and check

keys? lets go

driving down the 60 in congested traffic is just enough to get me angry this morning

"no, breath, just breath"

I tell myself

''look in the rearview mirror and see the sun rise"

It's not so romantic when you're already late

♥

Late

story of my life

Shit missed the exit

wait no- signal, move, and out

next right, left, right, right, left

park

6:52?

fuck

I'm late

Insert key, turn doorknob

say hi to cats

two stairs at a time

turn doorknob, open door

and there he is

walk over, climb in and enjoy the rest of the morning right where you should be

♥

that is until that 10:45 class of yours just down the street

Happy Monday!

Heres to hoping you're right where you should be.

P.S. don't forget to enter into my custom chucks giveaway!

Be an All Star Giveaway

I live in Converse.

I have about 7 pairs that are more beloved to me than any pair of high heels.

I take mine to concerts, school, work, dates, and if you're gonna walk a mile in a pair of my shoes, you'll be doing it in converse.

♥

might as well be my closet

About two years ago I found out that you could design your own and quickly made these beauties for myself

For my first giveaway I himmed and hawwed over what I wanted to do. I wanted it to be something someone would really enjoy, something that would get use, something that meant a lot to me and something that was near and dear to my heart.

Then it occurred to me: Converse!

So for my first giveaway I am giving away, to one lucky reader, a $75 gift card to Converse.com to make your very own pair of custom chucks.

I love mine dearly and want to pass on the love to one lucky reader.

Here are the rules:

Giveaway open from Friday 4/23 to midnight Thursday 4/29

(I will announce the winner on Friday 4/30)

leave a comment telling me your shoe obsession = 1 entry

be a follower = 1 entry

tweet or blog about this giveaway = 1 entry (please link to your blog post and give me you twitter username)

I hope you all have an amazing weekend. I'll be appropriately dreaming about this:

♥

please make your way to my closet

Rah-Rah-ah-ah-ah-ah

I want your Bad Romance...

are we sure it's "Rah-Rah-ah-ah-ah-ah" though?

could it possibly be

"RRAHHH RRAHHH AHHHHHHHH!"?

The similarities are striking.

Even to the point where I'm positive Lady Gaga breaths fire too.

One more day until my first giveaway! Check in tomorrow to enter!

C

What to Eat Wednesday is brought to you this week by the letter "C"

Things that start with the letter C

Candles

Cars

Castles

Cream

Cookies

Candies

Maybe I've watched a little too much kids TV...

♥

The word I like that starts with C is

CAKE

Today's post is just some cakes I've done in the past couple months and I'm going to use it as a little inspiration to get myself baking this summer.

nothing says "I love you like" like Elmo?

"don't eat the fondant!" "is it edible" "well yeah, duh, why would I put it on a cake if it wasn't? but don't eat it!"

"blow, blow, blow!"

Happy Wednesday lovies...next week I swear I will cook something that isn't as unhealthy as cake is.

p.s. How amazing was Glee last night?? I might have to post on that or at least make good on a promise I might have made on twitter off Brittany's comment.

Fat Kid Syndrome

Surprise, surprise I was a fat kid.

♥

White bread eating, m & m loving, inside staying fat kid.

As a former fat kid now trying to get in shape I feel that I'm now suffering from fat kid syndrome

Fat Kid Syndrome: n; latin, stems from being an over weight child who was not active and now effects activity, energy, and ability when exercising in later life.

I hated going outside in the hot Arizona sun.

I loved arts and crafts and subbing my recess for reading time.

I ate like I needed to build up a layer of fat for hibernation.

I had asthma as a kid and would rather do long division than run.

Cut to the new me that is IITGI and spending more time at the gym then on the couch. I have shreded, yoga-ed, sweated it out on an the elliptical and bike but was still too scared to try to run.

That was until Friday night when I had to make it to that lightrail stop and needed to book it to get to it. I ran. My lungs didn't burn. I didn't want to stop after three steps. I actually felt like I had great form and speed and was really having fun.

♥

I really thought I had something like Fat Kid Syndrome that kept me at the back of the pack or from really trying because I knew I'd just fail. That short Friday sprint was the boost of confidence to keep me going on.

before my hike Sunday

Fat Kid Syndrome can eat it...I'm going for a run.

some things I've learned

Education doesn't just happen in the classroom.

Here are some things I learned this weekend.

#1

That if I get dolled up Mr. Better-Than-Prince-Charming will dress up too and take me out.

#2

Giving a night time tour of ASU can be more fun that Disneyland and that Old Main is beautiful day of night.

#3

The elliptical not only is good for exercise but improves your cardio so much that when you have to run for the light rail you're the first one there.

#4

Even if it is Arizona check, double check, and triple check that the pool isn't freezing if it's 1AM. Shit it felt like jumping into ice water.

#5

A hot shower will cure anything. Especially when there's someone else who can get your back.

Happy Monday everyone! This is post number 100 and I have made it to 53 followers so expect to hear from me everyday this week and for my first giveaway this Friday.

I swear I'm 20

I'm cooking tonight for What to Eat Wednesday this baked pasta that I have made before and these sweet fruit tarts. I'm just linking to them since they are already in cyberland and I'm waiting until I start in on the 5 vegetarian cookbooks in my car to do a full recipe low down on here. I have a date with Ross and he said to do something easy (I tend to not do easy because I really want to impress him) and the baked pasta is just a couple of steps and tastes oh so yummy. I might jump over the easy factor with the tarts but oh well. Sometimes you can't help it!

Yesterday I spent the day with my mom and somehow reverted back to a four year old.

I begged for her to by me stationary at Michael's (and a Hello Kitty notepad)

asked if we could puhhh-lleeeaaase go to out to lunch

(we enjoyed the minestrone soup at Olive Garden)

I almost cried when I saw chalk in the dollar section at Target and yet again begged for it

I dropped something with glass at Target and it shattered all over the place

(thats when I got scared and suddenly started searching for my mommy down the isle)

yeah I swear I felt like a four year old when that happened, but my mom just looked at me and had a long hard laugh and gave me a hug. Even though I'm 20 and I sometimes shoulder a lot of responsibilities, to my mommy I'll always be her baby girl...

even if that means buying me the chalk (which she totally did!)

Have a lovely Wednesday! I'm leaving you with pictures tha

t are inspiring me and my new bucket of chalk.

♥

♥

♥

♥

my plug in baby

note: this post is picture heavy

Muse was insane. There were laser beams galore and an amazing set list. Muse really are in credible artist and they sounded better live than any recording I've heard. It was an amazing night.

waiting in line for shirts

my good friend Sara and I in our seats before the show

huge monitors

Their set up and lights were amazing

starlight ♥

Giant eyeballs filled with confetti

Knights of Cydonia ♥

on the light rail

We got lost on our way back but met friends and told jokes while finding/waiting for the light rail.

After the show I hung out with some girl friends for a bit then ended the night at Ross's place where he had some friends over and where I got some pictures of us =)

I don't know how to avoid running into coffee tables.

I had a great medic to fix me up though =)

our cheesy drinking smiles

I had a fantastic weekend and I hope you all have a lovely Monday and a great start to another week =)

Hope and Expectations

There is only one band I could possibly love more than Queen,

and that would be

Muse

♥

"I'm sick of feeding my soul

to people who will never know

just how purposeless and empty they've grown.

Because their language confuses

like computer refuse

to understand how I am feeling today"

-Map of your head

♥

"I can't find the words to say,

when I'm confused,

I travelled half the world to say

you are my mu-(se)"

-I Belong to You

♥

"And it's time we saw a miracle

Come on it's time for something biblical

to pull us through

and pull us through"

-Apocalypse Please

♥

"Falling down

Now the world is upside down

I'm headed straight for the clouds"

-Falling Down

♥

"I'll never let you go

If you promise not to fade away, never fade away

And our hopes and expectations,

Black holes and revelations, yeah

Our hopes and expectations,

Black holes and revelations

Hold you in my arms

I just wanted to hold you in my arms

I just wanted to hold"

-Starlight

♥

Nothing will even mean as much to me as Muse does.

Tonight at 7 pm I'll be sitting in Section 109, Row 9, Seat 6 and seeing for the first time my most favorite band in the world.

Happy Muse Concert day...or Happy Friday!

Peanut Butter (Apple) Time

♥

I haven't had time to cook anything worth putting up here this week. I've been mostly just eating apples like my name was Johnny Appleseed and downing protein shakes to keep my bootie hopping at the gym and trying hard to stay away from the cheesecake in the fridge. I did, however want to spotlight how Uh-mazing apple and peanut butter is. It has been extra special to me these past couple weeks in the morning while on the run or lat eat night when I really just want to down a pint of Ben and Jerry's. Last night I added raisins into the mix and OMFG was that delicious.

I must be committed when I'm so IITGI that I'm thinking God for the invention of raisins and for the light bulb that went off in my head to add it into the mix.

So thank you apples. Thank you peanut butter. Thank you raisins. You make me like being and eating healthy so much more.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In other thoughts I have some comments to the general public in light of my new found gym addiction.

To the girl with 3% body fat on the next elliptical machine:

Umm yeah don't give me that look that says "eat cake much" when I get on the machine two machines down from you. Yes I ate cake much, that is why I'm at the gym, and no not everyone has just 3% body fat...obviously I don't, that's why I'm sweating like a fat kid at summer camp two machines down from you!

To my fellow classmates:

I just came from the gym. Yes I know I smell. Yes I've been wearing these gym shorts for two days now. Yes I own a hair dryer and make-up but I'm not dating you, so no I'm not gonna use em right now and, yes I'm gonna come looking like hell to class. Sorry.

To Jillian Michaels:

So I bought your yoga DVD looking for something a little more relaxing than the 30 Day Shred but I should have know that with your face on the cover you were gonna turn yoga into something where you want to say "F*** This!" and not "Yamaste"

ps. I still hurt (in places I didn't know existed)

Hope you all have a fantastic Wednesday!

In the ZONE

I just got back from burning 700+ calories off at the gym and I love how good you feel there. I feel like I was left out of the cool kids club because no one ever told me what a high you can get from pumping it out on the elliptical. Don't get me wrong, I hurt right now and I really have to talk myself into going sometimes, but I just get into the zone when I'm there. It feels like it is just me and Lady Gaga leaving our hearts on the dance floor when I get in that zone.

Thank you, everyone for your sweet comments and inspiration on my last post. It means so much that I'm not in this alone. I have a community that holds me accountable. I feel like when it starts to hurt at the gym I can hear this amazing blog community telling me to take just one more stride and go for it.

I have always been the fat girl. Always. I was 5'7" and thick in 5th grade and by 7th grade I wore a size 12/14. In high school I wore a size 18 and at my worst (260 lbs) I should have been getting a size 20. I felt like I didn't deserve to do things that the thinner prettier people got to do or that I should settle on the opportunities I got. Settle on the people who would date me. Settle on the careers that were acceptable for how I looked. Settle for the outings my fat self felt comfortable in.

well fuck that!

This weight loss goal means so much more to me than just a number on my pair of jeans. It's the road to letting me finally be the best me I can be. If I want something, I can strive to be that, to do that, have that and never settle again. I used the way I looked and felt about myself to keep me from doing things that were challenging or from doing things/having things that I felt only belonged to the pretty people.

You know what I have learned these past couple weeks?

That I can finish workouts on the gym equipment.

That I can hold myself accountable for I eat.

That I can have whatever I want, no matter my size or shape.

I really like being in that zone. The gym at ASU has become my second home and boy does it make me happy to work out. Those endorphins are better than any drug out there and are keeping me sane. I just wish I would have found that out before, but the important thing is that I know it now. Thank you again IITGI and amazing fellow bloggers.

I hope your Monday is filled with self-realizations and if anyone in the Mesa/Tempe/Phoenix area wants a workout buddy I'm at the SRC every Monday/Wednesday/Friday. Just drop me a line at comeflywithme (dot) mari (at) gmail (dot) com

I'm gonna be in it.

No I'm not actually "In It" as in the blog but I'm am loving this blog and I'm gonna be in it to lose weight.

Today will be day two at the gym for me, going for 2-2.5 hours on the bike and elliptical (again thank you personal TVs!) and I'm saying it here that for my birthday and possible graduation party that I want to have a Kim Kardashian legs so I can wear a hoochie dress and sky high stilettos and I want visible clavicle bones...not sunk under fat as they are now. I'm gonna be really brave and post my weight on the side of the blog and then you can hold me accountable when I eat a whole box of Dunkin' Donuts and gain 3 pounds...fellow bloggers please tell me I have to get my butt to the gym!

The end goal? 170 or a size 8

(this coming from the girl who has always been a double digit size and at 170 for me that would be Giselle hott)

Together we can do it =)

and thanks In It To Gym It for relly making me want to buckle down and do this for real.

Actually I think that's fabric softener

I worked out yesturday at ASU's gym for about an hour and a a half (thank you TVs on all the equitment and The Colbert Report for helping work it out) and then during my 3 hour night class I started to starve. Ugh agony that is working out and then having pangs of hunger when yu live 40 minutes away from home and free food and don't want to spend moe money and stuff you shouldn't be eating anyway.

*DING* Then the lightbulb went off in my head saying "Hey that oh so sweet guy named Ross gave me a key and open invitiation to come over whenever I want...and HEY I made that pizza on Monday and there has to be at least one slice left!" So I sent him a text hoping I wasn't intruding in his night but that I was going to gnaw off my arm if I didn't get some of that pizza in me. His response? The pizza was long gone but I got an invitiation to come over anyways and we ordered in pizza. Yummm. Such a sweetheart to feed me. =)

Cut to 2 hours later us just hanging out and enjoying each other's compnay and talking about random things when I say to him

"Hey I was gonna wash your sheets when I cleaned on Monday but I didn't find any deteregent"

"I have detergent...It's that blue bottle"

"The Suavitel? You've been using that stuff from the bottle that is in Spanish?"

"Yeah I got it from the corner market down the street"

"They didn't have detergent in English? Because I am almost positive that is fabric softener"

"Really? You sure because I've been washing my clothes in that"

"Yeah...I think so let me grab it"

*running down the stairs to grab the Suavitel*

"Yeah this is totally fabric softener or Aconditionador de Telas. See look for yourself"

*Hand fabric softener over while trying to contain fits of laughter*

"This is awesome. Thank you for letting me be the one to point thing out! Can I blog about this? *snaps picture* You've been softening your laundry!"

"Think of the bacteria!"

*me histerically laughing*

"What would I do without you?"

YES! I am still too scared of wigging him out by making him pose for 20 pictures before a date or something just so I can get a good one up here of us, BUT this situation gave me a quick window to take a picture of Ross (and I really wanted a memeory of how funny its all was). Since the angle is horrendous and he is in his pj's I'm stealing one from his facebook just for the purpose of accuracy so you all can get a good idea. =)

We have a date planned for Kona this Saturday so maybe in my fancy state I can persuade him to model up for a couplde shot...maybe not still don't want to go all paparazzi on him quite yet.