I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness and to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share the silence when they are not and to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Murph

Today my husband and I did the MDM or Memorial Day Murph.  This hero WOD (workout of the day) is named after Navy Lt Michael Murphy.



In memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005.
This workout was one of Mike’s favorites and he’d named it “Body Armor”. From here on it will be referred to as “Murph” in honor of the focused warrior and great American who wanted nothing more in life than to serve this great country and the beautiful people who make it what it is.
Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run. If you’ve got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it.


Murph:

1 Mile Run
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 squats
1 Mile Run

This was my first time doing it since I'm pretty new to crossfit, but my husband did it last year in Afghanistan with his buddies.  It's the longest WOD I've ever done and felt every step, but we did it and even did it together!  I kept pace with him on the first mile run, then we finished within a minute of each other for the calisthenics.  He out-paced me for the last mile, but we still finished within a couple minutes of each other.  You bet he cheered me on too after he was finished.  That's really what I love about crossfit.  You cheer each other on.  You encourage one another to be better, stronger, faster.  Crossfit has definitely strengthened our marriage in ways I never knew existed.  When I crossed the finish line he had a look of astonishment and pride that I finished so closely behind him, and told me how proud he is of me.  Golden.

Kit with vest 45:20, Andie 46:46 (rubber band for pull-ups, RXd the rest)




There's room for improvement for next year, such as I want to ditch the band for the pull-ups!  Nonetheless I'm really proud on how far I've come in just a couple months.  I even did my first real unassisted pull-up today.  GGGGrrrrrrr!

The best part about this was who I did it with.  We're unstoppable.

NOLA 2014

New Orleans has been on our bucket list since we sailed on a cruise out of there my first winter break at OSU with our college friends and soon-to-be fiance.  We didn't have time to take in the sights, but we swore we'd be back again one day.  Five and a half years later we finally got to check it off our bucket list!

Since I got a four day weekend and my husband's subbing was coming to an end being that school is out here, we thought it was now or never.  We have a big trip planned only days after we return from this trip, but it's too hard for us not to take advantage of my free time off work.  Especially being us, you never know when we'll be a part again.  So we packed up the pup and hit the road for New Orleans.

We stayed at the Ambassador Hotel, and we highly recommend it.  The hotel was 6 blocks from the French Quarter, less than $100/night, dog friendly (even for our 60 pounds Golden), beautiful rooms, free breakfast and even has a parking lot across the street so you don't feel pressured into valet parking only.



The first day we walked Zeus, explored the Garden district, rode the town trolley, and fell in love with the French Quarter.



All our feet!

Interview with the Vampire was partly filmed here!





Confederate General's grave
Then came for a walk around the Garden District.  This district has many old, historic homes and beautiful streets.

A famous writer stayed here, but I can't remember who!

Anne Rice's home


Our trolley for the day
Map planning, but first lemme take a selfie!

Zeus loved having a guest bed

Bourbon Str

Bourbon Str


Infamous hurricanes, best in town



Pirate's Alley


Kit just doing a little FDay shopping

Jackson Square






Cafe Du Monde for famous beignets!

So good!
 
LaFitte's Blacksmith Shop, oldest bar in the US

Time to hit Bourbon Str!

Hurricane at Pat O'Brians

Bourbon Str at night, so different


Day #2

Bourbon waking up

Follow me to NOLA

My boys walking the French Quarter

Mom wanted a picture too


Zeus wanted to see Jackson Square too


McFamily Selfie



Most popular cemetery, if that can be such a thing?



What we thought was the Voodoo Queen's tomb



Her REAL tomb, Marie Laveau

Inside Napolean's Bar, built by Lafitte for Napolean to live in, but he died before he could be brought to the US



Their famous drink is the Pimm's Original, yummy!

Bourbon for round #2


Had A Blast!!!!!

Overall we loved NOLA! The town felt old, mysterious, and full of corners and nooks that you felt drawn too.  The food was ah-mazing!  The music was good and the history felt in this place was even better.  We'd definitely go back in a heart beat.  Even though we took this trip on a whim in the midst of a crazy schedule, we wouldn't live life any different.  Good thing I picked a man that will put up with this spontaneous life of ours.