So many Blessings!

I cannot believe it's December! Wow.. where does the time go? So much has happened over the last few weeks! Wiggy and I had an incredible time in Vegas. I told many people that I would "die" if I placed in the Top 10 at Fitness America and here I am in 8th Place and still standing. I feel so blessed to have met the many people that have helped me along this journey. I NEVER expected to place so well in my first competition and I'm so very proud of my husband who placed 12th out of 74 men... AMAZING! We were able to meet so many people in the Fitness and/or Modeling industries and got some really useful Feedback! I can't wait for next year!

Thanksgiving was really really nice! We spent the Holiday at Tim and Laurie's house with our friends Michael and Carrie, Christian and Gregg and a 9 months pregnant Tiffany. We had a big smorgasbord buffet with lots of yummy food and then were entertained by Break Dancing children. What fun!

Wiggy and I got in some Black Friday shopping and had a really nice and relaxing weekend. I even saw TWO movies! Our house is cozily decorated for the Holiday and I am looking forward to the arrival of my parents this evening for a weekend of shopping! I feel so blessed for the many wonderful people that I have in my life and for the fact that God has provided us with a beautiful home and the two greatest pets in the World. We have found a wonderful Church and Small group that is made up of amazing people! I miss my family dearly all the time, but Winston-Salem is truly home!

Updates!

Oh my it's been a while since I've updated! I will start back at the October show.. I am very proud of my Jillfit girls all of whom did fantastic in their first competition! I am thrilled that it was a positive experience for all and that they will be competing again! I ended up placing 4th in my class (of about 12 girls if I remember correctly). It was definitely a tough bunch! We all had a wonderful weekend in Charlotte. Wiggy and I met up with my childhood friend Heather on Sunday for brunch then went to see "9 to 5" off broadway.

Shortly after arriving home Wiggy and I started discussing the FAP show in Vegas. We had decided we wouldn't compete this year but instead wait until next... Well... the plans changed. We will be leaving next Thursday for Las Vegas and our first glimpse of the national stage. I must admit I'm a bit nervous but also very excited! We will both be competing in the Fitness Model Division.

In other news, Wiggy's best friend Brian got married last weekend in Nebraska. We had a wonderful time and I am thrilled for Brian and his new wife Kinsey. Brian and Wiggy have been friends forever. They grew up 2 doors down from each other and though they are quite different they couldn't be better friends. Wiggy was Brian's bet Man (and Brian was his at our wedding 5 years ago) and his speech was amazing. Even after hearing it rehearsed many times it still made me teary eyed! We also had a chance to enjoy Wiggy's family while back in NE which is always a nice treat.

Finally, our basement is completed! It looks great and I am so excited to start training clients next week! It is by no means exactly how I want it but the improvements are complete and it looks great!

We leave for Vegas next Thursday... will be back with updates!

The Final Stretch

Here we are in the midst of fall! The weather is still quite warm but I think we've all felt that switch from Summer to the brisk mornings and cool evenings that require long pants and sweaters now and then. Amidst all of this my Jillfit girls and I have been hard at work preparing for the Mid Atlantic Classic that takes place this Saturday! I am so proud of my 3 clients that will be competing in their first fitness competition and am honored to share the stage with them. I have learned a lot from them over the past 3 months and I hope they have learned from me too! It's an exciting yet difficult week... the last dry meals that require immense amounts of self control.... basically they are amazing!

In other news, Wiggy has sold his printing business and will be moving it out this weekend! Our workers will start on finishing our basement next Thursday and I'm super excited!

Wiggy's Mom visited us two weekends ago for a wonderful time. We spent time downtown, enjoyed a play at our new arts center, shopped a bit and enjoyed lots of time chatting. We've also enjoyed WFU football (even though it's kind of a tough year) and lots of activities with our friends. Our new Bible Study group started 3 weeks ago and we have loved the fellowship thus far!

That's all for me... good luck to my girls this weekend!

Fall is in the air!

It's still warm around here, but not nearly as steamy as it was a month ago and a busy month it has been! Wiggy completed Renal, the most dreaded rotation of residency and a celebration was had. It was a very tough month but it's over! September has been busy with the beginning of my Junior League New Member year, becoming more involved in our new church, River Oaks Community Church and keeping up with my own training and training clients. I am competing in the NPC Mid-Atlantic Classic in 3.5 weeks and looking forward to sharing the stage with 3 of my clients! It's been a wonderful experience watching them transform and become more confident in all areas of their lives!

Labor Day weekend was Wiggy's BF Brian's bachelor party in Kansas City and they had a great time. I stayed home and spent some time with the girls then Wiggy joined me for a nice long Labor Day Hike on Monday at Hanging Rock after arriving home. This past weekend was my Uncle's wedding back home in MD and a great time was had by all. My parents hosted the Rehearsal Dinner and although we almost froze I think everyone really enjoyed themselves. I am happy that things will be slowing down this weekend and looking forward to Wiggy's Mom visiting us next weekend!

August Updates

It's HOT in the Twin City! The last few weeks have been really busy but fun! My Grandparents visit really nice and then my parents visited the following weekend. With Meme and Grand we had several yummmy meals and did some shopping. With Mom and Daddy we also had several great meals and went to a musical based on Fishing in the Outer Banks... right up Daddy's alley. Wiggy and I have decided to finish our basement and will probably take our house off the market for a while and just enjoy it as is. We've had lots of showings, but no real interest thus far. But that's fine! Today was my first New Member meeting for the Jr. League of Winston-Salem. I am really excited to be a part of such an amazing group of young, educated and professional women. This year Women's Health/Obesity is a new focus...yay! We've been enjoying as much of Summer as possible... Wiggy is now on a very tough rotation, Renal... he is ready for it to be OVER! Tonight we were able to go to the Meridian Seafood Festival which was quite fun. Work has been crazy busy for both of us...Lots of great stuff going on with Jillfit including my pictures in Family Circle Magazine this month! Yay!

We did it!

I am proud to say that Wiggy and I both won the Fitness Model Division at our recent competition in Roanoake VA! It was a very fun weekend complete with a well-run show and lots of nice people. Following the show they had an Afterparty- FREE for all competitiors! It was really nice to have such special treatment. The next day we hiked up Star Mountain prior to returning home. I am so proud of Wiggy!

In other news, our house is on the market! We found another house that we LOVE nearby that would be a bit of an upgrade for us. We are really happy where we are, but are hoping to take advantage of the market.

My lovely Grandparents are coming to visit tonight! I am very excited to see them as it's been a long time since their last visit.

From the Beach to the Mountains

The last few weeks have been wonderful! I got to spend my 28th birthday with my family at our house in Avon, NC along with all of my Aunts and Uncles, my beautiful Mimi and my cousins. The Moomau's never see a dull moment and it was definitely a full weekend. I returned to beautiful hydrangea bushes that my wonderful husand planted for me. Last Wednesday Wiggy surprised me with a Birthday dinner complete with 12 of our friends at Foothills Brewing. It was a lovely evening and quite a surprise as my husband is not usually a big planner. On Friday evening we left for Asheville where we celebrated our five year anniversary! We rented a tiny cabin which was really quaint and perfect for us. I gave Wiggy his golf lessons and he gave me gorgeous diamond earrings. Another big surprise! On Saturday we hiked up the highest point East of the Mississippi, Mt. Mitchell. It was only 60 degrees at the top compared with Asheville's 85+. That evening we celebrated at The Grove Park Inn with a beautiful view from the terrace. On Sunday we took in Asheville and did a lot of window shopping before heading to the fireworks. It was quite a show! Now we're back and preparing for our next Fitness Competition next weekend! I am so very blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life!

Summer, Summer, Summertime!

I've been really horrible about regularly updating the blog recently! Shame on me! June has been a bit of a crazy month with Wiggy back on call every 4th night. It seems that just when I'm getting used to having him home on a regular basis he's up and gone again! Intern year will be officially over after next week! How exciting! I will also turn 28 next week...awfully close to 30! We've been spending a ton of time outside enjoying life music, World Cup Soccer and steemy southern evenings eating outside. Our garden is even looking amazing because despite the heat we've been getting plenty of rain along with it.

I am looking forward to spending time with the Moomau side at the beach in Avon for my birthday! It will be Jasper's first real trip to the beach (3 years later)and I'm really excited about it. Sadly Wiggy won't be joining us because he's yet again on call. THEN, the next weekend we'll be celebrating our 5 year Anniversary in Asheville! Can't wait for that! Finally 2 weeks later we'll compete in the Fitness America Competition in Roanoake VA! Lots of big things coming up! That's all for now.

Show Time!

Well, he did it! Wiggy competed in his first fitness competition in the Fitness Model Category and WON! He looked incredible and is a true natural on the stage! I also won both Elite Fitness Model and Elite Swimsuit Model! We had a wonderful time and all of the Jillfit team really did well. I will definitely be competing in FAME shows in the future! Following the show we had a big greasy dinner at Natty Greens in Greensboro. On Sunday we met several of our fellow competitors and their spouses at Sanders Ridge Winery in Booneville for Brunch. I highly recommend it as the setting is unmatchable and the food is to die for! Following brunch we headed to Stone Mountain for a nice long hike. Stone Mountain is my favorite hike around Winston Salem. The flat smooth rock is just breathtaking along with the 200 ft. waterfall. The trails are never super-crowded and Jasper loves it! On Monday we met up with an old college friend of mine who is moving back to NC from San Francisco. We are very excited for fellow Deacon fans in Winston!! So, what's next? July 17th- Model America in Roanoake VA... a few weeks of building then back to the cut. The body is an amazing machine and I feel so blessed to be able to do the things I can!

Vacation!

We have returned from our fabulous vacation to Mexico! Wiggy and I left on 5/2 to head to Rivera Maya south of Cancun for a week long trip in the sun at Dreams Rivera Cancun. I was the resident fitness instructor for the week which is a really sweet deal for us! The resort is new and absolutely gorgeous with fantastic food and staff. We are of course preparing for the FAME show on May 29th meaning we couldn't indulge in the All-Inclusive excess, BUT that certainly did not affect our fun times! We really just relaxed by the pool and on the beach and enjoyed each other's company. Each time we return from vacation I miss my husband when we go back to work, so sad! We were certainly NOT ready to come home, but it was definitely a much needed and much enjoyed break. I even read 4 whole books while we were there! I LOVE to read! This weekend I am co-hosting my childhood friend Megan's baby shower with my Mom so it's on an airplane for me again! Then the FAME show is in 2 weeks! My time flies!

Showtime

Where to begin... I keep getting worse about posting updates! Last weekend was the NPC NC State show in High Point and I am proud to say that I placed 4th in Bikini Class A. Moreover, I am very pleased with the changes in my body since January and really like carrying a bit more muscle, even if my glutes are constantly sore! I got to see a lot of old friends and hang out with my two new Jillfit girls Nina and Faizah backstage. I was a mess for the morning show though because I drove all the way to High Point WITHOUT my makeup and had to make a mad dash to Winston to get it an then have Neely put it on before going on-stage, craziness!

Now it's time to prepare for the FAME show in May! I am going to enter Fitness Model and Bikini so we'll see what happens!

Spring into SUMMER

Ahhh... the weather has been gorgeous and in the 80s for the past 5 days or so here in beautiful NC and we have taken absolute advantage of it! Starting with last weekend, Wiggy and I went to Greensboro for our belated Valentines Day and Birthday celebration. We arrived in GSO in the early afternoon and went to the new Civil Rights Museum that opened in February. It was a wonderful experience, yet it's hard to believe that things were so different in this country for African Americans even 50 years ago. The experience was quite eye opening. Next, we checked into the Proximity and took a long nap on the super comfy beds before time to get ready for dinner. We got dressed up and then headed to the Green Valley Grill just up the road for some tasty salmon and farro. Came back to our room and met up with one of Wiggy's fellow interns, Thomas and his girlfriend Katie. We headed out on the town until far too late for dancing (my fave was the rooftop even though it was a bit chilly). Sunday morning was leisurely and we finished with a nice clean brunch of egg white and chicken omlets with steel cut oats at Printworks, the bistro on site. It really was a lovely weekend!

This past weekend was Easter! We spent Friday evening with our good friends, new parents Neil and Ashley Morgan. It was great to catch up and spend time with baby Fletcher! Saturday was a super busy day of "getting the yard cleaned up, flowers planted, and garden ready". It took all day and we were exhausted, yet made it out for my steak and potato dinner! Yesterday was a nice hike at Pilot Mountain and then relaxing for the evening and dinner on the porch. It truly feels like summer in the South and I am a happy lady!

Wiggy is back on inpatient this month so that is an adjustment, but it's not too bad as he works NO Saturdays! I am less than a week out from the NPC State show so a bit carb deprived right now, but overall feeling good!

I'm excited for Church tonight and to celebrate the fact that He has Risen!!!

Florida!

So, it's been a very long while since my last post so I'll try to update things. The most recent excitement is certainly our trip to Florida last week to visit my family. They are staying on Hutchison Island near Stuart very close to the beach and right on the river. We had a great time relaxing and eating lots of seafood (both healthy and not so healthy, love cheat meal). It was really great to catch up with the fam, celebrate Meme's birthday, and watch some good and bad WFU basketball. Meme and Grand were real troopers staying up until at least 1 am to watch the Deacs beat Texas in overtime!

We have really been enjoying Wiggy's outpatient month and sadly it is almost over! At the same time, so is intern year, so it's not so bad! I have gotten really into the Personal Training thing and have a solid handful of clients now. Wiggy found a doctor in Greensboro that practices functional and anti-aging medicine and is thrilled to have found a mentor!

My first spring competition is less than 3 weeks away! Crazy! Wiggy and I are both training hard, but making sure to keep it fun. We have spent some wonderful time with friends as well. I am truly blessed by my Winston-Salem family!

Spring Please

Here we are at the end of February! I must admit that February is my least favorite month. It feels like Spring is too far away to look forward to and is just dreary and cold... especially this year. I am thrilled that it's over for weather reasons, but also the fact that this completes month 8 of intern year. Over the first 8 months Wiggy has had only one outpatient month meaning that he's been on call every fourth night ALL of the other months. Over these final 4 months he has TWO outpatient months which means every other month starting tomorrow! I am estatic to have him home every weekend in March! We will also be traveling to Florida to visit my parents and grandparents in Stuart in 2.5 weeks! Can't wait for that!

I haven't written for a while so some catch up:

Last weekend we went to a Casino Night Fundraiser with four other couples and the entire evening was a blast. We met up at Noma beforehand for dinner and wine and everyone laughed throughout the entire meal, it was a great group. We then headed over to the Nissen building for a Mardi Gras party before going to the Piedmont Club for the party. Fun was had by all and I even won a gift card to Christopher's downtown!

Yesterday Wiggy was on call, but I went to the UNC vs. WFU game with my friends Blake(a UNC fan) and Erin. Unfortunately our team is once again falling apart at the end of the season and it was an absolutely pitiful performance. What will happen in the post season? Let's hope it's better than next year!

Valentines Day

The commercialized day of love has happened yet again. I have never been a huge fan of Valentines Day... I'm more of the camp of.... Wow.. this would mean so much more if it happened any other day of the year.. Of course it's super nice to be showered with flowers and nice meals, but Valentines Day makes it seem like an obligation that I've just never been super crazy about. My husband knows this and because of it he has become an expert in doing a little something nice on Valentines Day and then providing me with an itinerary for an upcoming weekend of fun and true celebration aside from the packed restaurants and super organized events that happen on Valentines Weekend.

This year my itinerary looks like this... and I'm so EXCITED!

March 27th.

9am Workout/teach classes

12pm Lunch at Whole Foods (a Sat. tradition)

2pm Visit the new Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro

4pm Check in to Proximity (Greenest Hotel in America)

6pm Wine on the outside patio

7:30 pm Dinner at Green Valley Grill

9pm Meet friends for drinks (mostly fellow Moses Cone residents who helped him plan this)

11pm Dancing at Much with said friends


Now, I must explain that my husband is not much of a planner. That falls on my plate... all the time. I learned that he had thrown this idea out there at a resident meeting weeks ago and that just made my heart sizzle! To know that he was planning something special for me in advance really makes me melt. I know, this probably sounds absurd, but he works 80 hour weeks and spends every 4th night at the hospital. He is also going through the rigors of training for his first fitness show. The boy doesn't have much free time. This year has been difficult. It has also made us much stronger as a couple and we appreciate each other so much more. I am crazy about my husband after 8 years together and that gives me butterflies!

Happy Valentines Day!

The Winter Blahs

I can say that this is certainly the most "winter" that North Carolina has experienced in the 10 years that I've lived here. I don't mind snow all that much. I'm not allowed really as I grew up in a place that it snows almost daily from November until March every year. I absolutely do not miss snow, ice and frigid temperatures and I do not enjoy them when they come to hang out here in the South for weeks at a time. The problem isn't the snow, it's that everything shuts down for five days over six inches of snow. My early morning classes were cancelled Sat, S,M,T,W this week and are again cancelled tomorrow. I mean really? Is this necessary? I know that it's sometimes best to err on the side of caution, but come on! Ok, enough with that.

We've been quite busy with the daily grind lately. Wiggy is back on an OB rotation that keeps him super worn out all the time. That combined with lots of newsletter printing and fitness competition preparations beginning for both of us has kept us quite busy the past few weeks. Wiggy has gained a full 15 pounds of muscle in about 5 weeks, Wow!!! My first competition will be on April 10th and Wiggy and I will both compete on May 29th... after that who knows?

I am very excited to report that I'll be participating in a Personal Training Certification this weekend. I have been assured that it will go on regardless of weather and that makes me happy. I am very excited to step into a slightly different arena in the fitness world.

Other than that, we've had a wonderful beginning to 2010 with my "real" job and I am oh so very thankful for that! All is well, just busy busy... now, can we just stop the snow?

Basketball and Parties

So here we are well into January and yet again, it's been a while since I posted. We are back in the grind as they say... Wiggy is in inpatient Medicine right now which is a brutal month so it ends up being stressful for both of us. However, he will be finished with his most difficult intern months at the end of January.. woo hoo! My work has also been quite busy which is a blessing!

We have been having a great time with WFU basketball this year! So many buzzer and overtime wins and a big win over Carolina on Wednesday. Wiggy and I gathered with some young alumni friends to watch the game at Bridger Fieldhouse, part of our football stadium. It was very fun!

Last weekend we hosted our "Post New Years Party" after we had to cancel our Christmas party. We had a blast with about twenty five friends who joined us for an evening of food and fun! I thought we were going to have tons of leftovers, but that was not the case at all. The little bit we did have was whisked home in plastic containers with our guests. It was a very fun evening :)

Winston-Salem has a new Independent Film cinema! I was thrilled to hear that it would be opening and last Sunday we went to go see "An Education". The Theaters are super nice and the movie was great. They server beer, wine and cakeballs, definitely not your typical theater!

This weekend will be very low key after a busy week and I'm looking forward to it!

2010!

The New Year has arrived! Not only the New Year, but a new Decade! I find it strange to write x/x/10 as the year. It just doesn't feel right!

Wiggy and I celebrated the New Year with my family at the Fur Ball, a fundraising event for one of our animal rescues in Garrett County. The event was very fun with lots of dancing, great food and a casino complete with our hometown World Series of Poker winner Darvin Moon. My parents and grandparents were both there with us and it was the first time we rang in the New Year together for at least five years if not more. Our visit home was truly memorable. I had a wonderful time just hanging out with my family for a full ten days. Wiggy got to snowboard and have some serious down time. He received a shot gun for Christmas that we learned to shoot and practiced on an old door which we spray painted with target spots. It was super fun! Oh and it snowed... every day... a lot. By the end I was ready to be finished with scraping snow and ice off of my car.

With the New Year comes reflection (why can't we reflect all year long)? It's been a very eventful year with Medical School graduation, the beginning of residency, starting Grad School, my first fitness competitions, placing in the top five in a large half marathon, our first week long vacation together since our honeymoon, Wiggy's induction into AOA honors society, lots and lots of weddings, our 5 year college reunion, my first good friend had a baby, Wiggy and I have gotten further involved with the House of Service and so much more.

I must say that I am really starting to feel like a full fledged grown up. I don't feel like a child anymore or that I need to call my Mom for every little thing. Teenagers are starting to seem very young to me and many of the activities or "ways we did things" when I was in high school and early college are already obsolete. I feel that I have more confidence in my decisions, more direction in my life and am settled into my little "family". It's hard to explain how all of this comes together, but sometimes I feel down right old.

So 2010 is here! What is to come? Well a few things for sure. I will continue Grad School and compete in multiple fitness competitions this year. I would like to branch out with the opportunities that come with competing more aggressively this year. I must say that we've fared rather well considering the immense challenges that intern year of Residency presents and I am quite proud of that, I pray that it continues and for the ability to relish in the moments we'll laugh about later. We plan to go on another "grown up" vacation in May and visit my family in Florida in March. Wiggy's best friend will get married in November and my "Uncle/Brother" Adam will get marriend in September. We have so much to look forward to and I love that we have the opportunity with each New Year to appreciate where we've been and be excited for things to come. I also must remind myself of my life motto... "If You Want to See God Laught Tell Him Your Plans". It's a wild ride.... here's to 2010.