you thought i was gone.

so i was gone. for almost two months. i must say - i didn't try hard. i love this body, i love this lifestyle, but i had lost much inspiration to try hard to maintain or perfect it.

i've been caught back into my drive to really pursue this thing... this getting slimmer & beefier for me & for God thing.

step one: starting janurary 1st (oh, that dreaded january 1st) no sweets. none. zip, zilch. awful.

(but come on now people - i have a wedding.)

okay, maybe 1 sweet per week. much more do-able. and like-able. maybe i should start this sooner. how about december 1st?

step two: my journal. i've already been taking this step all novemeber long. i had another sort of february-type fast this month and took time away from facebook and sweets. (the sweets didn't last long)... but my journals, which capture my time with God and keep me accountable and focused, have become so sweet to me. i love to read back upon what's written, seeing God speak to me time and time again about His love, His grace, and what He's calling me to do act upon right now.

step three: with the move to chicago in january things are really going to change. my roommates will no longer be my roommates, but rather strangers who i suddenly share 500 (or less) square feet with. i won't have those tight bonds with my sisters in Christ, no more constant accountability, or someone i can share my heart with - good or bad. therefore, it's up to me to seek out a great church, a great friend that will keep me accountable. 100%.

step four: in chicago, i have to keep my energy up to workout and work at my health. i am not going to want to get up and run in the cold. i'm not going to want to come home and run in the cold. i'm not going to want to go out in the cold. period.

(anyone want to pay for my gym membership, $40/month for 4 months? i would truly, 100% appreciate it.)

and so, you probably guessed it, i will continue to blog into the new year: 2011... as many things in my life change: move to chicago, student teaching, MARRIAGE, new house, new life, new job... it is looking to be a crazy, beautiful year in the life of alyssa kaye. hope you'll join me. :)

wow. just, wow.

first off, an update to my 22 by 22 list...

1. read the Bible in its entirety

getting further and further behind. but God will give me power to keep on.
2. run 500 miles in one year

mileage: 112. but i haven't ran in over a week. :( (pulled hamstring)
3. go horseback riding

i could only dream at this point.
4. save $2500 for my future

you better believe it. i am almost half-way!!!
5. become a 4.5 tennis player

i'm going to have someone rate me during/at the end of this season. i'll find out. =)
6. collect all spare change for missions

this goal might be dropped. but i have picked up a missionary to support for $10/month, which isn't much, but more than i have done in the past!
7. cut down my closet/clothes

i sold some to plato's closet. AND i have given away more than 2 boxes to goodwill. i am down to the clothes that i will actually wear regularly. GREAT success.
8. go to a Ben Folds concert

not yet, but shane wants to hit one up around his birthday
9. read 20 new books

i think i had read 2 before this update, and i'm currenly reading harry potter 3, but i want to finish ALL of them by the time we get married next june. how i will do that during school and student teaching, i'm not sure...
10. find a new favorite band

done. the weepies. amazing. and perfect for my running style.
11. go to a Frontier Ruckus concert (or 5)

unfortunately not. and it's going to a be while until i do. but maybe they will take me up on the house-party offer i had last spring.
12. grow my hair to the middle of my back

it is well past shoulder length. =) and no cutting until thanksgiving. (unless my split ends get unruly.)
13. touch ground in 10 states

michigan, indiana, ohio, pennsylvania, new york, new jersey
14. feel confident in a swimsuit

this has potential to happen soon, except swimsuit season is practically over. doesn't mean i'm done working on my body though.

15. collect pieces from garage sales/flea markets and transform them for my future home

mirror, sconces - done.

16. continue taking piano lessons and perform for church

i took two from dukes this summer and already got significantly better. AND danielle and i have duet music for a christmas piece to play at church. =)
17. memorize a book of the Bible (longer than one chapter)

this has not happened one bit yet. i think that a chapter is good way to start for now. =/
18. memorize that same book of the Bible in Spanish

likewise.
19. ride a new rollercoaster with my hands up for every moment

DONE. =)
20. teach JJ (my niece) how to play tennis

haven't started yet. need to sooooon.
21. teach JJ how to speak 20 meaningful sentences/phrases in Spanish

ive taught her: "dejame en paz" and "hazme azmuerzo" (leave me alone & make me lunch!) =)
22. plan my perfect wedding

my dress - done, photographer - done, girls' dresses - almost, reception look - done, this is all in very good progress.

in other news - tomorrow (today, really) i start pre-season with my tennis girls. it's my last tennis season, my last semester at school, so many lasts that i'm NOT ready for one bit. i'm the type of person that LOVES college - absolutely everything about it. sure, i look forward to the summers - but i am always ready to go back. i love class, i love playing a sport, and i LOVE living with my best friends. PLUS - it's not the real world. i don't have financial issues, i don't deal with job loss, i don't have to worry - because i'm surrounded by goodness and life seems beautiful.

i'm very excited about this tennis season, as i have mentioned in past posts. i'm excited to see what God can do through me as a servant and minister on the team. i'm excited about the new girls and the new chemistry our team is going to have. and how excited the other girls on the team are and how we can feed off each other to really make this year different, to make it great. tomorrow's the day that i present my "lessons from montana trip" to the team and really talk about my objectives for this season and the commitments that i have and want them to have for the team. i'm not ready at all to present this. and it's well, 12:30 am. and i have a million and a half other things to do before that. i need to pray about that meeting, and really have God give me the words and inspiration to help us all to have united spirits and committed minds for this team, for this season.

okay - that paragraph was not at all what you wanted to read. sorry - i just needed to type it out, it helps me.

so i packed up my room these last few days. everything. tomorrow, when i fill up my car (and i mean REALLY full) i will have 95% of my belongings with me, 0% in my room at home, and about 5% in my closet, stacking in neat piles of boxes, crates, and madness (which are mostly teaching supplies and textbooks for my future classroom.) it's so weird to really think that this is the beginning to the rest of my life. i know that everyday is the beginning really, but seriously - this is how shane and i look at it:

today - move to college for preseason.

beginning of september - start 1st semester...thanksgiving break...end of semester.

1 month at home: substitute teaching/working at target.

january 17th: move to chicago for student teaching.

may 6th: finish student teaching.

may: home to substitute teaching, final wedding plans, etc.

june 3: get married and start my life in the real world. (after the honeymoon of course. =))

it's crazy to thing that just 9 months from now i will be married, living in chicago, with the MAN OF MY DREAMS and just being. being together. together. =) boy, does that make me happy.

and with that note - i will blissfully fall asleep, and wake up, teach my last week of sunday school, pack the rest of my car, drive to school, see my fiance, and move into my apartment.

God, You are good. so good. help me to see it and live it at ALL times.

i missed the 1st.

i missed my "august 1st" post yesterday, so here it is.

first of all - my challenge to you (my readers, followers, or guests). my current mileage is... 94 (i think. i don't have the piece of paper right in front of me because i'm not at home, but it is VERY close to that number, if it is not exact.) i challenge you all out there, to beat me in my next 100 miles. who can beat me to 200?

to give you an idea of how fast i will get there - i have been working on my first 100 miles since april 15th. i missed many days, but still managed to get to where i'm at in 3 1/2 months. i am behind schedule to reach 500 in a year however, so i plan to pick up my pace (as i have since my june post, you may have noticed.) also, i do run more miles that i used to, averaging over 2 per day. BUT - do not be discouraged.

here's why. #1: i am about to enter my pre-season/season very soon. 3 weeks to be exact. let's just supposed that i'm not going to want to play tennis for 6-8 hours a day and then go run too much. #2: your rules are a little different. you can run AND/OR walk. now you don't have an excuse. who can turn down a competitive challenge to walk more miles than i run? it's a win/win situation. you'll be getting exercise, probably shedding pounds/inches, AND you'll probably beat me to it.

so, who's in? comment on here (or on the post via facebook) and let me know if you are up to the challenge. at least give it a shot, please. i need some friendly competition to push me on. if you take me on, i will keep in weekly (if not daily) contact with you to let you know how i'm progressing as well to keep you accountable and know how you are doing. please leave me a way to easily and frequently contact you. let's get the race on. :)

in OTHER news... nahh, i think i'll save the rest for another post. coming soon. (NOT in a month... at least i hope.)

EDIT: you probably want more incentive, right? i forgot to mention the prize. if you beat me in the next 100 miles, i will buy you a $15 gift card for the store or restaurant of your choice. (i would prefer to buy you a target gift card, because it would be boosting sales, but i'll leave that to you.) :)

july is almost a goner.

you have been waiting, and here it is. my (only) july post.

i can't believe that i haven't updated since the day shaner got back from china. i really can't believe he's only been back for a month. it has been a GREAT month. i work around 20 hours a week at target in battle creek, teach tennis 3-4 days a week for 3-6 hours each day, and spend my extra time traveling, with my parents, and with shane. i LOVE summer.

tennis has been really good - i've learned SO much about coaching and teaching tennis and i genuinely think that i could not only coach a tennis team (which i did last spring), but teach lessons, and run a summer clinic. this could be some GREAT side income (and joy, since i love the sport.) i'm ready for season to start up, but nervous because this fall is the last time i will be playing competitively until i'm rich enough to join a women's league sometime in my future.

in june, shane came home and we spent time together as much as we could before he had to start his job (on campus at springarbor). i headed right off the montana for a week and it was incredible. i learned so much about how to lead my team this fall and was challenged in every way. i got completely excited about tennis this fall and the difference that i believe i can make on the team. i'm excited to see how God is going to use me in that way.

i also met the most wonderful people on that trip. it is such a weird dynamic to travel with 30 people who are all very athletic and social - something that most people don't experience. it really set in when we were playing kickball (on the side of a BEAUTIFUL mountiain) and i realized - how often is it that this many people are together playing a competitive, yet relaxed, game and everyone is truly enjoying themselves. too often that many people cause for too many personalities and someone isn't having a good time, isn't with the group, or wishes they were doing something else. those other athletes and i have a special relationship after that week that i can't explain, but am truly excited to see this fall back on campus.

after montana i was back to work for a few weeks, then i went to pennsylvania with my whole family to a house in the poconos. it was wonderful to get away for week and reconnect with my family (especially my brother and sister, Brent and Keyla, since i don't get to see them nearly enough). i felt lucky and blessed to have my family to myself for a whole week and just enjoy each other's company. :) we went shopping, golfing, puttputting, to the amusement park, whitewater rafting (floating really), played cards, and much more. it was amazing and i can't wait to do it again.

on the way back (sort of) i met up with the allens (my new family) on their way to new york city. i completely surprised shane with my sneaky arrival to provide him with the best week ever. :) we went to two broadway shoes: up in the heights and promises, promises. both were wonderful. we went shopping... a LOT. (my credit card statement proves that to be true.) and we just enjoyed the city and each other. (PS - i REALLY like my families. and simply spending time with them.) shane and i went on an adventure one day and found a donut shop and ice cream truck that we had read about in sky magazine. (you know - the magazine on the seat back in airplanes?) that was an adventure and we stumbled upon a cute little spot in nyc called union square with the best used-book store ever. i must return. you all must.

since then, i've been back to work and teaching tennis. i started a little more wedding planning and i am getting really excited about it the more the ideas and conversations flow. (which is a definite change from my recent dread.)

i've been reading a little (but am going to really try to do it more) - half way through harry potter #3 right now. and i want to finish the series by our wedding day. (315ish days :).)

i've been running, kind of a lot. my mileage: 87. by the end of july (in 3 days) i want to get to the 100 mark, then i'll be posting a challenge for my readers on august 1st. (remind me on facebook if you don't see it up.) get excited.

i think that's all for now. i really have been slacking on reading my Bible (which is awful because i was doing so well before shane got back and have been doing so horribly since.) please be on me about that. (especially if you see me on facebook - a quick reminder will be welcomed. :).)

thanks so much for reading. and loving me. and supporting me. 2010 is a GREAT year so far. it's flying, but it's wonderful. i'm healthier and so so happy.

junebug.

whoops, the time has passed me again. i hadn't realized that it had been since may since i had last posted.

well, here's the newest update: i'm sticking to the rules. (isn't that WEIRD?!) i've been running a ton lately, trying to run a few miles everyday. i feel lost without it almost. which is great. i was sick the last few days... still have a stuffy nose and head, so running wasn't an option dealing with the flu. but this morning, i got back out there and ran 3.5. felt... amazing. well actually, i didn't get 4 because i was struggling with a side cramp, but it felt amazing to be running again and to run further than my normal 2 miles. oh - and this puts me in the 40's for mileage for my "22 by 22" goals.

my weight, you might ask. (i don't know if anyone actually cares, but i feel like it's a big deal and the only way i can really measure my progress.) 139. blissfully. it feels amazing to be under 140. i don't think i remember the last time i was. i'm working hard, i'm not being harmful to myself, and i'm earning my reward. it's wonderful.

just last week i said to my mom, "do you know what these things are?" (pointing to my sides) for the first time... maybe EVER, i have a curve in my side. my middle is not a straight line from my shoulders to my hips, there's a curve. it's amazing. they're great. and i've earned them. :)

today, i happen to be wearing dress that shows off those nearly earned and arrived curves... for a special celebration - shane's arrival! :) he gets back into detroit in just 2 hours... and man, am i anxious.

summer has been good so far. other than the fact that shane's been in china for 22 days. i've been working almost everyday for a few hours, sleeping in, running, wathcing csi & friends, and spending too much time on facebook. next week i'm off to montana for a leadership conference. i'm excited to spend some time in the mountains (my favorite, if you didn't know). also excited to meet new people - the trip is for next year's team captains for spring arbor. i don't really know anyone well, so i'm excited to see what's in store.

when i get back, i'll continue working at target, start teaching tennis with my high school coach, and spending way too much money on gas driving to jackson to see shaner. (he's working full-time at school this summer.)

that's all for now. leave me encouragement, question, statement, concern, comment, anything really. thanks for reading.

the progress.

remember this list?

22 things I want to do by the time I'm 22:

1. read the Bible in its entirety
2. run 500 miles in one year
3. go horseback riding
4. save $2500 for my future
5. become a 4.5 tennis player
6. collect all spare change for missions
7. cut down my closet/clothes
8. go to a Ben Folds concert
9. read 20 new books
10. find a new favorite band
11. go to a Frontier Ruckus concert (or 5)
12. grow my hair to the middle of my back
13. touch ground in 10 states
14. feel confident in a swimsuit

here's the rest:

15. collect pieces from garage sales/flea markets and transform them for my future home
16. continue taking piano lessons and perform for church
17. memorize a book of the Bible (longer than one chapter)
18. memorize that same book of the Bible in Spanish
19. ride a new rollercoaster with my hands up for every moment
20. teach JJ (my niece) how to play tennis
21. teach JJ how to speak 20 meaningful sentences/phrases in Spanish
22. plan my perfect wedding

the progress thus far:

1. i'm in 2nd samuel & done with psalm
2. i'm done with 23 miles, and quickly reclaiming my mileage. (so far behind)
3. i thought about it - does that count?
4. slowly, but surely it's gaining. i'll let you know when i hit $1000. (should be soon this summer.)
5. i'm teaching tennis this summer, looking for opportunities to play, and might join a women's league
6. i had forgotten about this one, which is weird since i did it last year.
7. a HUGE basket is waiting and ready to go to goodwill. :] (probably time to go shopping now, right?!)
8. i don't know when i will see Ben next.
9. 1 book down: The Borrowers
10. i'm working on this: i downloaded 50 or so new artists last weekend. the weepies aren't really new to me, but i do newly love them. i don't think this counts.
11. i recently gave up a chance to go see fruckus, but soon. but soon.
12. it's PAST my shoulders. and the more i don't do it, the longer it seems the next time.
13. still have only touched michigan. soon to change: montana & pennsylvania trips.
14. i'm getting more confident, still lack that complete security though.

15. i've found a dresser on craig's list for $20 that with a little touch-up paint turned into a BEAUT and i found a completely ugly gold mirror at a garage sale for $5 (that came with some sconces i haven't touched yet) and i painted it red - it's gorgeous now.
16. dukes (my aunt) is giving me lessons this summer and i will continue them in the fall. and danielle has agreed to play a duet with me in church.
17. i haven't started thinking, but i will soon.
18. same.
19. going to two parks in the next week. perfect opportunity.
20. spending some time with her this week, we'll make progress.
21. same.
22. dress: check. photographer: check. bridesmaids' dresses: almost. flowers: started.

doing well.

sunday, monday, tuesday, yesterday (friday), and today (saturday) i ran. success.

thursday, yesterday, & today i ate healthy. success.

this new motivation (whatever it was) sure worked for me.

last night i went running just over 2 miles. came back, took a shower, then did an ab workout that got me sweaty again. :]

this morning i went running 2.5 miles, joined up with dukes (my aunt) and went walking for 2 miles. little did i know we were speed walking and she wanted to "try" running too. let's just say that little hour-long workout kicked my butt... in a great way.

favorite healthy snack lately: plain flavored rice cake (35 calories) with all-natural peanut butter (90 calories) with a little cinnamon&sugar (too few calories to count) on top or last night, i tried 1/4 of a banana (30 calories). delicious, nutritious, and some protein to go: 155 calories. yes please. :]

today's menu:

breakfast: go-lean crunch with yogurt, banana

lunch: chicken salad, corn on the cob, strawberry jello

dinner: who knows, maybe taco bell? i deserve it i think.

let me know how you're doing, little steps make a HUGE difference.

i'll have a big challenge for you all coming up next month sometime. remind me if i forget.