Seattle

We had another great weekend this weekend! We stayed at our friend's house closer to Seattle again which was a lot of fun. It's nice feeling like we have family here, and getting to go "home" for a little while. Saturday morning I got to do my long training run with my best friend Sarah again which was really fun. It was an 8 mile run which was pretty brutal, but we are almost there! We are less than a month away from the half marathon! Macie had a pretty good weekend hanging out with her friend Tink and getting to play in the backyard.

Sometimes all a girl needs is some sunshine and her squeaky toy

On Saturday afternoon we tried to go to a cuban sandwich place that I had heard a lot about called Paseo. It was terrible trying to get to because there was a craft fair so parking was insane and some streets were blocked. When we finally got parking and walked up to the restaurant they only took cash and of course we didn't have any. So instead of dealing with finding an ATM and driving back, we just went ahead and went to the Space Needle. We even had a nice guy give us his parking stub so we got our parking for free! We did have to wait for two hours before we got to go up to the top though, so we found a good little restaurant with fresh squeezed margaritas. The space needle was amazing! The views are spectacular.

Space Needle

So excited!

Lake Union

We got to watch several sea planes land on Lake Union which was pretty cool.

Seattle and Mt Rainier

Space Needle Selfie!

Elliot Bay, Puget Sound, and the Olympic Mountains

Yes that is a Supersonics shirt. Yes I got lots of complements.

Accidentally wore the wrong color shirt!

It's been warmer than usual here, but don't let the news fool you, it's still not that hot. Braden and I were cracking up at the news report- they kept talking about the "blazing" and "scorching" heat. It was 90. My favorite part was when they said it was hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk- they showed them trying and the egg did nothing. It was pretty funny.
Sunday Braden watched the World Cup final, and I went shopping with my other mom and best friend.
Can't wait to see what this weekend has in store!

Best Friends are the Best

This weekend was so much fun! It was obviously the 4th of July, but that didn't really matter to me because I had to work anyway. But Friday night was pretty fun. We were able to hang out with my other family! It was great seeing my best friend and her two brothers, as well as meeting the two girlfriends. I grew up with her and her brothers and this was the first time in years that we had all been in one place. It was great catching up, and a nice feeling to be around family! We were able to watch some fireworks from the backyard, but we didn't set any fireworks off ourselves. On Saturday morning Sarah and I ran our 6 mile training run. It was a nice cool morning, but there was tons of trash and debris left from the fireworks. After our run, we were able to meet up with our mom's dearest friend and our other mom for a much needed girl's day! We went shopping and then went back to the house to pick fresh raspberries for cobbler and watch a chick flick (Serendipity- one of the best!).

The girls!

Even Macie enjoyed helping!

There were A LOT of raspberries

The cobbler was pretty easy to make, and smelled so yummy. It was just perfect with vanilla ice cream!

Making cobbler

While the girls were having fun, the boys went to the Museum of Flight. Braden said it was impressive and a lot of fun- well worth a visit!

The finished cobbler- yum!

Sunday was a much more relaxing day- we were able to go to the church I had been to as a kid growing up and it was so much fun seeing so many familiar people still there! After lunch we continued an old tradition from growing up...going to Azteca! Yum!

Macie made a new friend- Tinkerbell!

The weather here lately has been GORGEOUS, although people keep complaining it's too hot. This Texan thinks it's just fine. I'm still wearing jackets in the mornings! This weekend the beautiful weather is looking like it will continue, so I'm betting we will be doing something outside.
It's hard to believe that after this week my contract here in Washington will be halfway over!
Hopefully we will find out where we are headed to next sometime soon.
Here's to finishing out the week!

Weekend Shenanigans

This weekend was pretty laid back. Since I am training for my half marathon (which is only 6 weeks away!) I had my first long run Saturday- 5 miles. I hadn't run that far in, oh, about 4 years. It actually went pretty great, although my legs are pretty dead from all the hills. We ran in Priest Point Park which is absolutely beautiful! Everything was so fresh and green. It had also been raining off and on which made everything just feel so clean and peaceful. The natural beauty here is unreal! Here are some beautiful points during our run:

After our run we didn't feel like driving into Seattle to do something, so we just hung around Olympia. We drove down to some outlets in Centralia but they weren't that great so it was kinda disappointing. Braden found this cute local wine bar called Swing which overlooked Capital Lake. They had a great happy hour!

View from our table

My drink: sparkling wine with lavender syrup. YUM!

Today we went to church, watched some soccer, and took Macie on a walk around Capital Lake! It's definitely going to be a new running spot. Macie had fun, and the sun was out which made for a beautiful day.

Capital Lake

Macie and Me!

This work week should be crazy again, AND it's the 4th of July on Friday. I can't believe it's almost July, I need to get cracking on my Christmas shopping!

My other bit of news is that I have made the leap into being a THRIVE promoter! If you had told me a few months ago that I would be a promoter for a brand, I would have laughed and told you that you were crazy. I would NEVER do something like that. But I just love THRIVE so much and am a big believer in what it can do, and I want others to feel better too! If you struggle with exhaustion, feeling tired or sleeplessness, or are just wanting something to give your work outs/healthy lifestyle a boost (it has seriously helped kicked my work outs up a notch!), I encourage you to give THRIVE a try! I can't believe the difference it has made for me, and even my husband Braden has noticed a huge change. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have, or if you want to give THRIVE a try! Also check out my website for more info: melissajoye.Le-Vel.com
Keeping Up With The Joneses just got a little bit more difficult!

Mount Rainier National Park (and other weekend adventures)

This Saturday was beautiful, so we had to spend it outside (it would've been criminal not to!). We decided to make the drive to Mount Rainier National Park to go hiking figuring that since it's almost July the snow would be melted. Jokes on us! There was still several feet of snow in some places, and when we finally found the trailhead, we saw about a foot of trail...and then three feet of snow. Oops! We definitely felt like tourists. Rookie mistake! We were't exactly equipped to go trekking through snow, but there were several points along the way that were absolutely beautiful. The drive was definitely worth it, and we will definitely be returning once the snow really does melt. 

Mountain Selfie!

Mount Rainier

We love the mountains!

Mount Rainier at another scenic overlook

Waterfall

That water was cold!

The trees are so tall and right up close to the road

Sunday, of course, was the US vs Portugal game, so we drove into Seattle to go to our favorite bar and meet some of our friends from LA who just moved to Seattle. Even though it wasn't the best result (in the last 10 seconds!!) we had a great time! The bar was packed and it was a really great environment to watch the game in. It was also so much fun getting to catch up with our friends Chris and Kim!

Downtown Seattle from the road. I love this city!

Yes, we match!

It was certainly a fun weekend! This week at work certainly was pretty busy, but it just makes me more ready for the weekend! Half marathon training has been going well, and I do my first long(er) run tomorrow. I can't believe it's almost July!

We're Practically Locals, Y'all

This past weekend was so much fun! We were able to do some very "Seattle" things. We were going to go to the Space Needle, but in true Seattle fashion it was overcast on Saturday so we decided to delay until another day. We did go to Pike Place Market! It was really cool and the vendors there sell some amazing produce, seafood, flowers, and other items! 

It was pretty crowded

Pike Place Market

The flowers there are gorgeous and really inexpensive! The bouquet Braden bought me was only $10. They still look beautiful on our counter!

View from the market

The first Starbucks is at Pike Place Market! Of course we had to stand in line and get drinks. I felt slightly sacrilegious not getting coffee.

Outside the market

After the market, we went to a German bar called Die Bierstube to watch the World Cup. The food and the beer was really good! Braden was a little disappointed because he didn't get to drink out of the glass boot, but it still was really good, and Braden ended up with his own stein. We will definitely go back again!

Das Boot!

After Die Bierstube, we drove back through Renton where I used to live and saw my old house where I grew up. It looks quite a bit different, but it was fun seeing it! A lot of the area is still pretty close to how I remember it! Then we headed to Kent to see my parents close friends/my other set of parents. It was so great catching up with them! What was supposed to be a quick stop in turned into 4 hours! Sunday was just a relaxing day with church.

Close up of my flowers!

Can't get enough of Washington sunsets! They are beautiful

This week has still been pretty busy at work. I have almost 20 patients on caseload right now so I'm running around all day! This week we are trying small groups from our church and are still on the work out grind. I've been really enjoying working out again! I also signed up to run my first half marathon with my best friend Sarah! It's in August and I started training this week. I haven't run for training in years, but it has felt pretty good. I seem to be picking it back up pretty easily so I'm excited about it, but still a little nervous!
This weekend we might be going up and exploring the peninsula!
Here's to finishing out the week!

Staying Healthy on the Road

Since we are on the road, it's hard to be healthy. It's something we have been trying to figure out since we started traveling, and it's still a work in progress. Here are some of the things I (we) have done to help us live better:

6) Get a gym membership (and actually use it!)
We have had memberships at several different gyms. Find one that fits with what you're wanting to do, and join. Usually even the more premium gyms (such as Lifetime or LA Fitness) will have short term memberships that they can set up for you. A gym that has weight equipment and cardio equipment is what we want, so we have found that basic gyms like Snap Fitness and Anytime Fitness fit our needs really well. It's really awesome being married to a personal trainer so Braden plans all my workouts for me. Even at smaller gyms they have programs that can get you started with a trainer if you don't know where to start. Even if I don't feel like going, I always feel better after I work out!

5) Chia Seeds
My favorite comment that I've gotten about my chia seeds is "are you drinking salad dressing?" A nurse I worked with got me started on them about a year ago, and I've been addicted ever since. They have all sorts of great stuff in them like antioxidants, omega 3's, protein, fiber, etc. You can put them in drinks, smoothies, yogurt, and salads, and they are a great healthy snack! When put in liquid, they form a gel and taste like what you put them in. I usually put them in a bottle of Vitamin Water, let soak for at least 30 minutes, then enjoy!

4) Take care of your skin
I am obsessive with my three step system twice a day.  I love my Clinique! It has made a huge difference in my skin and I have used it for years. I am also obsessed with my Clarisonic. Don't forget to moisturize your neck!

3) Hydrate!
Drinking lots of water during the day has helped my body function better. I have never been a big fan of water- it's boring! But as I have been forcing myself to drink more, I find myself liking it more and more. I have also been playing with infused waters- the night before I will cut up different combinations of fruits and put them in my Nalgene, in the morning I have naturally flavored water that tastes really good, plus has the added benefit of the nutrients from the fruit. I've also been trying to cut out all artificial sweeteners, so that means less soda. I have found a natural soda that is made with stevia that satisfies the soda craving.

2) Eat Well
I think this means something different to everyone. There are so many different diets out there- Paleo, gluten free, Atkins, South Beach, I could keep going! When we started traveling, we were eating a lot of box and frozen meals because they are easy and convenient. Also with living in a hotel, we don't have a lot of storage space, cooking utensils, and may or may not have an oven. When we were in Houston, we discovered a company called My Fit Foods. They prepare fresh, proportioned meals that are made in store that you can keep in your fridge for up to a week. Pop in the microwave for two minutes and you have a yummy meal! The first meal I had I thought "really, this is it?!" But learned quickly that that amount was all I really needed. Having healthy easy meals to go gave us an idea to continue with the My Fit Foods idea of small healthy meals, and now we are making our own pre made meals. Usually we have a serving of meat and some fresh vegetables. Braden cooks the meat early in the week and then we slowly eat it through the week. We don't follow a "diet" per say, but have been trying to eat less processed and more fresh foods. It has really made a difference! Find what works for you!

1) THRIVE
THRIVE has been a game changer for me. For months I was struggling with exhaustion and always feeling tired, and I've had insomnia issues for years. In May, I met another SLP who told me about THRIVE and how it helped her sleep and have more energy. I was pretty skeptical, but at that point I was willing to try anything. I had tried just about everything to help my energy and sleeping issues trying to avoid prescription medications and was just about at the end of my rope. I was back to drinking caffeinated sodas again to make it through the days. Ever since I started taking THRIVE, I have had energy! After drinking sodas consistently just to make it, I don't feel like I need to drink them to get through the day, now I just have a soda if I feel like it. I don't have a "2 o'clock feeling" anymore, and I don't feel like I am dragging through my day (even when I was working for 10+ hours!). When I get home I'm ready to go to the gym instead of being too tired to work out. After about a week of taking THRIVE, I started sleeping through the night. I had gotten to the point where if I wanted a decent nights sleep I had to take Tylenol PM. Now, I am not waking up in the middle of the night anymore and waking up more refreshed in the mornings. I've been taking THRIVE for about a month now, and can't believe the difference that it's made for me!


Like I said, being healthy is a work in progress! We definitely aren't perfect and enjoy eating out on the weekends. I am really proud of how far we've come since we started traveling, and feel so much better! I never thought I would say this, but I guess you could say we are health nuts now.



(If THRIVE sounds like something you might want to try, click here for more info, or ask me!)