taking a break…

oh where has the time gone…

They say “you can’t do it all,” and I think they (whoever ‘they’ are) might have been right. While I am not totally convinced, I’ve have learned the hard way that I can’t have it all at the same time. That sometimes to have it all you need to space out your grand plans so you can give 110% to a few things at a time rather than giving 60% to 10 things at once. So that’s what I plan to do next – re prioritize, re organize my long term goals (both professionally and personally) and make sure I still have ‘me time.’

I had all these grand plans in 2014 to re-commit to this blog; to post regularly, connect with more bloggers, expand my writing skills and build this blog into a brand I would be really proud of. But due to more changes in my work life and some highs and lows I’ve recently experienced in my personal life I have to say I need a break from blogging.

I hate quitting something once I have started, so instead of quitting… I like to think I’ll be back to blog in the future. It may be this summer or it may be a few years down the road. Who knows… but I’ll still be in contact with everyone I’ve met through blogging! If you haven’t already feel free to connect with me via email (ashlykissman@gmail.com), facebook, twitter or instagram (@ashlykissman). And if any of you are coming to Vancouver I would love to meet you.  Until then…  xo Ashly & Monkey

half marathon training: february update

Cadence Cycling Studio in Vancouver

I’ve been really busy. I think I am coming down with something. It’s too late. Cleaning has tired me out. I need downtime.

These are all excuses I’ve used as of late to avoid my weekday runs. I keep my training schedule on my fridge so I can tick off workouts as I complete them but I’ve been avoiding eye contact with it. There are more Xs to mark workouts I’ve missed as opposed to checks to mark the workouts I did.

With that said, I have been good at working out 2-3 days a week, but my goal is workout 4-5 times a week. So what have my 2-3 workouts a week looked like? Well, I have been going to a 6am (yup, you heard me) spin class every Tuesday morning, thanks to some pushy girlfriends who encourage me to get my ass out of bed. And I’ve been good at completing my long runs on the weekend. But its the runs during the work week that I have hard time motivating myself to do. It’s too easy to justify staying in after a long day at work.

My goal for the next couple of weeks is to make my training more of a priority and get in those runs and hill workouts during the weekdays. Like brushing my teeth, eating breakfast or doing dishes I just need to make it into a habit.

How do you motivate yourself to workout during the work week?

go canada go

With Canada winning gold in the Men’s Hockey Final (a game which aired at 4am PST and one that Andrew and I got up at 3:30am to watch with friends!) Andrew and I felt like we glimpsed a part of the Vancouver Olympic spirit that took over this city in 2010. 

anniversary

2 years ago today we eloped… in a park… with an officiant named Rita… and 3 dear friends. Yup, we got married twice. Once on paper and the other in front of 80 family and friends. I know what you’re thinking… what anniversary will we consider our official wedding anniversary moving forward? This one? Or our actual wedding date in June?

Truth be told we haven’t really decided one way or the other. So our indecisive selves decided just to honor the date with dinner at The Flying Pig in Gastown and some Walking Dead episodes (we’re still trying to catch up on season 3).

So what have I learned in the last two years of marriage? Compromise and communication are key, and you can’t always get what you want. It’s about the two of us together. When I asked Andrew what he’s learned in the last two years of marriage all he said was, “to just say yes…”

this is for all the valentine’s day babies

This blog post is dedicated to my dad, my friend Ashlee and everyone else you shares their birthday with Valentine’s Day. These love babies often get their special day taken over by heart shaped balloons, romantic poems and hallmark cards. But today, I’m taking back February 14th!

Who needs chocolate covered strawberries when you can have birthday cake? Who wants stale heart shaped candy and roses when you can receive gift cards and presents! Who needs wine when you can have any type of alcohol you want?! (I actually would still drink wine but that’s just a personal preference) Say no to candle lit dinners. They’re a fire hazard anyway. Mood music? Or dancing music?!! Everyone celebrating each other…? Or everyone celebrating YOU. I think the choice is clear.

Tonight instead of celebrating Valentine’s Day in all its glorious romantic splendor, celebrate a birthday. We’re headed out for a night on the town! Ashlee and I are going to the Miley Cyrus concert where I will attempt to twerk and say “BANGERZ” every 10 seconds (Andrew surprisingly opted out of this experience) and then afterwards he, along with some other friends, are meeting up with us at one of our favorite bars, The Pint, for some dancing.

So go ahead, share this post with anyone you know who has a birthday today. And let them know, not all of us are forgetting their special day… 🙂

our adventures in dog-sitting

Kudos to anyone who is a pet-parent because this weekend Andrew and I learned its harder than it looks. We’ve wanted a puppy of our own for some time now… we’ve even considered moving for it (our current apartment is not dog-friendly). But in the end have always put the reality of pet-parenthood off.

So when Holly and her bf Andy wanted a weekend away, we volunteered to house-sit/dog-sit for them. Their cute pooch is named Kea and she is the sweetest most well behaved dog I have ever encountered. Andrew and I both had dogs growing up but this one is by far the most well trained one we’ve ever took care of.

But even with a polite puppy we soon realized that taking care of a dog is not easy.

have a happy weekend

Is anyone else counting down the days until Scandal is back on tv?? Mark your calendars… Olivia Pope will return February 27th.  Man oh man, she makes a winter coat look fierce. But right now its so cold out I don’t know if I care about looking cute.

Vancouver isn’t exactly experiencing a polar vortex like the Eastern side the country, but it did break a 66 year long record and its supposed to snow on Monday!

Besides staying warm this weekend we’re house sitting/dog sitting for friends and painting our apartment! Should be fun yet productive… Do you have any plans this weekend?

What we could learn from hipsters

Got 10 minutes? Try this

A DIY Valentines gift

Seeking motivation to get your finances in order? The you have to read this blog

One book that’s getting a lot of hype right now. Add it to the kobo wishlist!!

So proud of my friend Cait for getting her first article published on huffpost!

Just another reason why I love Lauren Conrad

I am in a house re-decorating kind of mood, so I love peeking into other people’s homes lately

And of course the Olympics start tomorrow! I’ll be cheering for both the U.S. and Canada naturally… will you be watching the games?

our new weekday rule

February is one tough month. I would argue its a tougher month to get through than January. In January, you’re active with your New Years’ resolutions, you’re taking down all your Christmas decorations, plus giving your place a good early “spring cleaning,” and you’re catching up on all your favorite TV shows you might have missed over the holiday break (I love you PVR).

And then February hits and you realize, I have another month of dark and cold winter! It’s not quite Spring so none of the stores have new warmer weather clothes in stock yet. They’re all still trying to get rid of winter sweaters through sales and discounts but the last thing you want is another winter sweater! You can’t go shopping so instead you come home after work only to sit on the couch and watch hours and hours of TV that you recorded (I hate you PVR).

This winter, Andrew and I realized we were getting into a pretty bad and unhealthy after work routine. We would come home exhausted from our day and sit down only to watch hours and hours of TV. By the time we finally turned the TV off at 10pm or 11pm to go to bed we felt drained and unproductive. It was clear we had to make some drastic changes.

on the subject of… my purple sweatpants

Perhaps this is married life. Perhaps this is what its like to get a little too comfortable with your spouse. Perhaps this is what happens the older you get and the longer you live together. But when I come home from work on a dark cold night, my after 5pm routine usually involves changing out of my work clothes and into the comfiest ensemble ever: my purple sweatpants. 

January according to my iphone

What a month… filled with plenty of fun times with friends, literally no shopping (wuhoo!) and getting back in shape through running and cycling classes.

The fact that it’s January 31st makes me look back and reflect on some of the goals I made for 2014.