Weekend in Review- David Nail, Pitchers of Margaritas, Volleyball and Shopping!

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FRIDAY

Friday in a nutshell included copious amounts of Vodka Red Bull, Friends, Lot’s of Laughing and Killer Music by David Nail at the Whiskey Roadhouse in Council Bluffs, IA.

Is he not just adorable?

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My favorite songs of his right now include Catch You While I Can and Strangers on a Train

Us gals met for pre-drinks and dinner around 5:30 before heading over to the concert venue at 6:30.  It was already PACKED and he didn’t go on stage until after 9.  Didn’t bother us.  We scored a table thanks to a couple splitting early and we kept the drinks a coming.

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ImageTyree and I

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Carrie and Tyree

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Before we had too many drinks

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After too many drinks. 

Camera couldn’t even keep up with those stellar moves.

Cheers to a pretty fantastic Friday Night!

 

Saturday

Shopping.  I started off shopping for a couple of new workout shirts as I desperately needed to add a few to my rotation.  I walked away with some shirts.   And some shoes.  

Do I dare say a couple pair?

#nikeairmaxprobs   #bestillmyheart

One could say Nike and I have quite a great working relationship.

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I think I have a fair representation in my closet of every year of Nike Air Max starting with the 2005’s.  No shame in admitting that.   They have been the best shoe for all my high impact exercise and activities.  There is just enough cushion with the perfect arch support and room in the toe box. 

Yesterday I added another 2013 pair to my collection (grey and lime green) because they were on sale.  

And I just couldn’t take my eyes off the 2014’s.  OH. MY!

Nike.  You have figured it out.   The Flyknit and cushioning.  Seriously, best yet.  I can’t wait to try these babies out tomorrow while I teach my Turbo Class!  (Check out The 2014’s <——–).

Nike… seriously.  We should form a real live working deal. 

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Saturday night we went to dinner with Clint’s mom and family at Maria’s Mexican Restaurant.   If you are ever in the Ralston, NE area, this is a MUST.   We went at 5:30pm and it was already packed with a wait.  Such a popular place to eat.  For good reason as well!

The taco’s are hands-down my favorite.

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We shared two pitchers of margaritas as well.   Ya, we know how to do it up.

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We capped off the night watching The Great Gatsby.   I don’t really know what I thought of the movie.  It was different.  Eccentric?  Can I describe it using that word?  Ya.  Works for me.

 

Sunday

Spent the morning with my Goecker family watching my cousin play volleyball and the afternoon talking on the phone (not kidding), editing photos, lesson planning and Grammy watching. 

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Cheers to a GREAT week my friends!

 

Weekend in Review

Friday Recap:

An evening with my Biker B!tch Crew for some good eats and drinks at The Classic Cafe in Malvern, Iowa.   Was so good to see these beautiful women and have a night of laid back conversation and a few good belly laughs.

ImageAshley, Kayla, Regeana, Liz, Lara, Anna, Tyree, Me, Baby Kaeleen (future Biker girl) and Sara

 

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Thanks Hy-Vee!  Frosting = the best part of the entire cookie

 

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Liz doubling it up.  How else do you numb the pain of a recent tooth extraction? 

 

Saturday:

Spent the good part of the morning and afternoon at the Med Center visiting my brother.  You know what is absolutely fantastic about the below photo?  The fact that Gabe isn’t in that bed but rather sitting in the chair next to me.  Pretty phenomenal considering 24 hours prior to that he took it upon himself to pull out his ventilation tube while he was still half sedated.  Talk about panic mode for the nurses, but he was clearly done with it and ready to fight on his own.  Simply AWESOME! 

ImageGabe managed to stay awake from 10-2pm that day.  He had a packed room with mom, Dave, me, Grandma and her friend, Pat, as well as our Uncle and Aunt Kam and Sarah.  A little after 2 hit and he was ready to lay down again.  Can’t say I blame him. 

It was so very good to see him awake, talking, laughing and eating.  The kid is a fighter and a half!

 

Sunday:

Today I was able to watch my cousin, Megan, play league volleyball.  She is a powerhouse!  Awesome to see her play!

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This afternoon I went for an easy jog around Zorinsky lake thanks to the fantastic weather we had around here.  I am absolutely LOVING my new Asics Kayano’s.  They are a dream to run in.

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I came up with a new recipe tonight using ground Turkey.  I have been hesitant to cook with Turkey for a while now (lack of flavor) but these turned out great.  Recipe coming soon!

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And, the best part of the day!? 

GABRIEL IS HOME!  

The doctors are truly amazed by his recovery.  Considering we damn near lost him last week, it is a miracle he is doing so well less than 48 hours after leaving the ICU.  Thank you all so much for the thoughts, prayers and well wishes.  They were all felt.

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Finding the Good Things

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Celebrating the Good!

1) My brother Gabriel is making significant progress!! Completely off nitric oxide (which was helping to inflate lungs) and today they have been reducing his reliance on the ventilator. Also trying to dial back the amount of sedation, however, he keeps trying to pull the vent out when he’s in the magical world of half reality and half twilight zone, so this step is proving to be tricky. Makes me wonder… If he is so good at getting his hands out of restraints while sedated, how many times did he sneak out of the house in high school?

Ya, I’ve got ya figured out brother.

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2) I made it through a week of teaching SIX fitness classes, training my predecessor at my 8-4, teaching my university students at night and visiting the hospital all with only a minor cold. SCORE!

3) My new boss’ boss bringing me flowers and chocolate. Because “that’s the only proper way to cope”. I’ll take it since it would probably be inappropriate for her to give me alcohol?

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4) Absolutely hysterical car stickers in the hospital parking lot. Mildly inappropriate? You bet!! #sorrynotsorry

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5) A fabulous friend who made us Chicken Lasagna to help out this week. Oh my. This stuff was so good! And my mom and step dad sure appreciated a hot, home cooked meal!

6) New faces in my fitness classes!! As of tonight I have now had 30 new people just THIS week! I’m over 50 people attending my TurboKick classes consistently! Sure am loving my FIT family and their energy!

7) A husband who can work on my Jeep. Even though said 2012 Jeep SHOULDN’T be having issues since I just bought it in August. Grrrr
Oh wait, this post is about finding the good. Yes, yes. Glad he can work on the piece of crap awesomeness.

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8) Friday. Tomorrow! Ya buddy! A day off for some pampering, an afternoon with two of my best friends and an evening with my Biker B!tches!!

Did you find the good in your day?

Cheers.

The Making of the Biker B!tch Crew

Allow me to introduce you to some of the coolest chicks you will ever meet.

Image2013 Biker B!tch Crew

Some of these girls I have known for years while others only for a short time, but what I can tell you about this particular group is that we share a unique and special bond that only female bikers can truly understand.

Let me take you through the making of this pretty fantastic group.

Background

Fall 2004 I bought my first Harley.

Summer 2005 I started riding with a crew I had only met a couple of times (including my now bestie, Sara).  They welcomed me with open arms, and I am eternally thankful for that being a new rider at the time.  Sara and I quickly became close friends.   She is one sassy lady with the kindest, most caring heart.  Sara and I have been by each others side through some pretty major life events and I am forever thankful for her friendship.

Summer of 2006 Sara and I officially formed the Biker B!tch Crew…. or Duo I guess we should have called it at the time.

Even with just the two of us, we knew we were on to something pretty great. 🙂

ImageSara and I: Summer 2006

Each year we started to recruit a few more girls to our Crew.

There is something pretty darn awesome about being a woman in control of your own bike.

Sara’s sister, Liz, joined us next.  Liz cracks me up with her sense of humor and say it like it is personality.   You know where you stand with these two sisters and I love that about the both of them.  Good people.  Good hearts.

ImageSara, Me, Liz

Then came Tammy; Sara and Liz’s step-sister.  Tammy actually bought my Harley-Davidson Sportster which was fun for me to see it passed on to another kick ass chick!  Loads of fun the four of us gals had that summer, let me tell you.

Soon after Tammy joined us, my friend Heidi came aboard.  Heidi and I met in 2006 when we both started working for the same company.  We bonded and survived that nightmare of a job, quickly became great friends and a few years later I had the privilege of helping her search for her first Harley.

And, this is where the years get a little blurry and I have no photos.

Sad affair, but we won’t dwell.  The best is yet to come!

Fast forward to 2010.

ImageHeidi, Sara, Tammy, Jordan and Liz

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The photos above were taken at Heron Bay in Louisville, NE.  Fun little dive bar on the river.  Highly recommend for a summer pit stop.  Don’t expect fanciness.  It is definitely a dive.

ImageLiz, Sara, me, Heidi, Tammy Chrome Lounge, Omaha, NE

Bottoms Up, Ladies!

2011 Biker Bitch Ride we added my girl, Tyree.  Tyree and I met in ’07, a year after I moved to Omaha, and she quickly became one of my closest friends and confidants.   We have some pretty wild things in common that helped us bond in just a few short weeks.  Tyree didn’t have a Harley when I first met her, but she invested a few years after.  I also had the privilege of joining Tyree while she made her first Harley purchase!  So much fun.

I can’t help feeling like a proud momma when my friends purchase new bikes!

In true B Ride fashion, it rained the day of our 2011 ride.  It always seems to rain on us, but usually passes through pretty quickly.

NOT. THAT. YEAR.

Seriously….

We were poured on.  But, we didn’t let it damper our spirits.  Nor were we going to be called fair weather riders, so off we went!

2011 biker bitch

Me, Tyree, Liz, Heidi and Sara

Shiddle-E Dee – Clarinda, IA

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ImageEssex, IA.  We started a tradition of chalking the tables in 2011.  😉

2012 we added CB, Lara and Kayla to our crew.

CB is an old friend/step-mother figure of Sara and Liz and is such a caring and kind woman.

Kayla is one of my very best friends since our High School Days.  She and I were often up to no good, but we have some of the best memories together and I am forever thankful that we have remained besties in our adult years.  The shenanigans just don’t stop, especially since her husband and mine are inseparable.  They honestly should just move in together and Kayla and I could just pay them a visit every now and then. 🙂

Lara is one of Kayla’s close friends and is an absolute ball of fun.  I love this woman’s humor, compassion and zest for life.

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ImageNever truer words.

The day of our 2012 Ride a few of the gals were just meeting each other for the first time.  I was the only one that knew all of them, a couple of the others knew all but maybe one or two and then there were a couple other gals that didn’t know but only one.   By an hour or two into the day it was as if we had known each other for years.

This is the kind of friendship that can’t be explained.  I can say it until I am blue in the face, but there really is something about bonding over two wheels.  We share the danger, the excitement, the adrenaline and the enhanced sense of caution.  We look out for one another, we never leave someone behind, we encourage, poke fun and genuinely care for each other.

But don’t let all that fool ya…. We are often up to no good. 🙂

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ImageBottom Right – Clockwise – Kayla, Me, CB, Sara, Lara, Heidi, Liz and Tyree

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No shame in saying it how it is…. 😉

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For the record, it did rain that day.  Why would you think any different?

2013- 8th Annual B!tch Ride

Our largest group yet!  We added three new ones this year!

Regeana- Tyree and I met her at the Holstein’s 2013 All Women’s Run about a month prior to the Bitch Run.   She showed up to the run by herself in hopes of meeting a few other ladies to ride with.   We started chatting her up at the first bar stop and we have shared the open road with her ever since.  Regeana has two kids and a husband overseas.  She is a rockstar of a woman.

Ashley – a friend of my husband’s who I reached out to and invited her on the B!tch Run spur of the moment.   Remember that talk about building fast friendships on 2 wheels?  Ashley didn’t know a single one of us until this day.  I was even just meeting her for the first time!  So glad she stepped out of her comfort zone and joined us.  She is an absolute sweetheart and we all loved her from the get-go.

And Katina, didn’t know anyone but me (she grew up with my husband), but the gals literally took her under their wings within minutes.  Katina is such a quiet, sweet soul with a sneaky side to her (um, she just up and moved to Colorado for goodness sakes).   Thankful Katina was able to join our rowdy bunch and didn’t run away thinking we were all too crazy.

I am blessed to know such strong, kick ass, beautiful, fun loving women that I can call dear friends.

ImageHeidi, Regeana, Me, Kayla, Sara, Katina, Tyree, Liz, Ashley, Lara

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Our first stop on the 8th Annual B!tch Ride landed us in Macedonia, IA for lunch.  Our second stop (above) landed us in Griswold.  And this is where we remained for longer than anticipated due to…… you’ve got it…

Rain.

That’s ok though.  We had more then enough fun while stranded.

ImageOur attempt at recreating our 2012 hand in pocket photo.

Can we say, FAIL?

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Stop 3- Red Oak, IA

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Stop 4 and 5 – Essex, IA (chalk table) and Imogene, IA for none other then Little Beer Shots.

So. Good.

       So. Lethal.

                You’ve been warned.

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Case In Point – You may end up in a kiddie pool….

ImageTyree and Yours Truly

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And that my friends, is the History of the Biker B!tch Crew.

Awesome Girlfriends, Crazy Shenanigans, Lots of Laughs, Forever Memories.