-Standard Saturday-

Hello, New World!

Just a typical day in the life...

Went to my sweet nephew Aidan's 4th birthday party this afternoon! He chose a superhero theme... Observe. 

Hims the Green Lantern:) Drew is his "create-your-own-super-hero" and it changed all day:) Alex is the patriotic version of Iron Man. I just want to squeeze them!!!

When Heffe and I got back to Cbus, we hit the gym. Sciato fell off the running wagon. In a big and SICK way! I'm trying to get back on track... I'm GOING to get back on track! Routine is my biggest hurdle!! Here's my progress today...

Not bad, gettin there, gettin it done;) 6 months til our wedding/honeymoon... Sciato gotta look good!!! 

Then, Heffe and I went to Jason's Deli for a quick dinner, then went to Target, Kroger, and.... 

...went to Lowe's to choose some preliminary paint colors for our casa!!! We are looking to repaint the entire first floor, foyer, stairway, upstairs hall, the master bed/bath, office/extra bed, and guest bath. For starters ;) Whew! We may have found some winners on the first try!

Now, we are watching reruns on TV and enjoying a nightcap before we wake up to another mostly-already-planned-out Sunday! It's okay, New World, Janissa got this:)

Until next time:)

This is me, bein me :)

Cheers :)

Happy New Year- 2014!!!

Hello, New World! 

Happy New Year! 2014 is SURE to be the best one yet. :) 

Here's a glimpse of how Heffe and I (or Janissa) spent our NYE and NYD. :) 

Heffe had to work for a bit on NYE, but when he got home, we made it to the gym, and then got ourselves ready for a special dinner at Eddie Merlot.

A little bubbly and cheese plate at home first? But of course!



Tried to take a cute pic, but Janissa made these faces...


So... pretty. :)

We made it to Eddie Merlot, and we were not disappointed!!! Heffe and I got salads, bread, split brussel sprouts, and then for entres, Heffe got bacon wrapped medallions, and I got this New Orleans Grill Mix...nomnomnomnom!



We took some cheesecake to go, and called it a night! Janissa is feeling slightly under the weather, so the early night suited us. We watched 50 First Dates, and fell asleep about 20 minutes in! We woke up in time to see the ball drop at midnight, though. ;)

NYD was complete perfection. We used our new Keurig to make some delicious coffee and then made cinnamon rolls! :)

After breakfast, we got started on some little house projects, and hung up lots of fun things!

One of our guest bedrooms is sports themed, so we wrapped our marathon t-shirts and medals around canvases and hung them up! Who would have ever thought I'd have a spot in the sports room!!! ;)

Next, we hung up some pictures I had developed and framed from my trip abroad to Italy...

In our living room...

And foyer.... 

PS Thanks for the new table, Mama and Papa Sciato!

And in "Amy's" bedroom...

And a very special picture from Amish (while we were living together, she saved flowers that Heffe had given me, and pressed and framed them, and then gave it to me on my birthday!!), that fits perfectly in our master bath... We'll see it everyday!

Janissa then hit the gym, and are currently enjoying an evening of our favorite things...

 

 Like I said, New World, 2014 is going to be the best year yet!!!
Hope your NYE/NYD is just as glorious as ours!!!

Until next time,

This is me, bein me.

Cheers to 2014!!

Lessons and Carols

Hello, New World!

No. I will not be singing Lessons and Carols for you this chilly December evening. You're welcome. :)

I do, however, wish to share some life lessons I've learned along the way in 2013. 

We'll call it... Lessons and Pinterest Quotes. :)

January

No matter how silly your resolution is, you wanted it at some point. Mine was, "stop weekday drinking and hitting snooze." Good try, Sciato. ;) My resolution this year is going to be "When your alarm goes off at 5am, get up and actually go to the gym instead of hitting snooze 9 times until 6:43." :)

February

There's always time for silly behavior and fun. Don't take yourself too seriously. 

(I need to remember that most of all!!!!)

March

I have been blessed with 2 AMAZING sisters-in-law, and can't wait to call my future 5 my sisters. 

LOVE them.

April

Age doesn't define you. Maybe I need this in my life because 2014 marks a milestone old year for Sciato... ruh roh ;)

May

Use reasons (proactive), not excuses (reactive), to drive your decisions and actions.

June

My favorite was when I realized my family are the funniest people I know. Laughter is the best medicine!

July

Even if that dream is just to put together a lawn mower... believe in yourself and your HOME.

August

I know, I can't take myself too seriously... but, ..."The hard is what makes it extraordinary."

September

"And visa versa, I'm sure." :) 

October

Not just for running. Life is a game that you constantly play with yourself, not against others. Coincidentally, it is NOT whether you win or lose. It IS how you play the game.

November

Thank you... Small words that mean so much!

December

The greatest lessons I've learned this year is to just be honest and good to yourself and to those you love, to tell those you love that you love them often, and to show your appreciation and love through your actions. 

Sciato's learned a lot of tough lessons this year, and Sciato's still tryin to make it all work. We all are. But. We are never ever alone. And our life is what we make of it. Call it sublime, naive, optimism. 

Yes, skeptics, vision and passion seem clearer halfway through winter break. ;) 

Hopefully, I can keep this mentality through 2014... I have some pretty big things that are helping me keep my eyes, mind, and heart on the straight and narrow. :)

Until 2014, New World,

This is me, bein me. 

Cheers. :)

30 Days of Thankfulness- Part Fin!

Hello, New World!

For my last installment of #30daysthankful, I've decided to do what I do best... ramble, movie quote, picture narrate, etc., to get my point across. :) 

GO!

Day 21. I'm thankful for my reflexes of a cat and speed of a mongoose... I got my trash out on time!!!

Kudos to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (When Nature Calls) for that glorious start to my #thankful

Anyway. My loving fiance' is.... somewhat OCD. Not that I'm not... we're just OCD about different things. Therefore, we have most things covered ;) Heffe's been very busy with school and a new job lately, so I try to pick up some slack at home (which usually just ends up finishing the bottle of wine instead of cleaning more than my share) and I was really excited to beat the garbage truck. Little things, New World. Little things!!! Our garage did NOT stink that week!

Day 22: I'm thankful for my turd blessings, my sweet nephews, Drew, Alex, and Aidan. OMG. When Drew was in kindergarten, he invited me to his Thanksgiving prayer service at school. Alex invited me to go this year. Cool. No biggie. Um...except that it WAS big deal. "I'm kind of a big deal." They were only allowed to invite one special guest. THEY BOTH PICKED ME. Out of everyone they know. They picked me. :) I am starting to tear up just thinking of  how special this makes me feel. They aren't even my kids! I love them so much, and they have forever changed my life for the better. I hope they read this blog one day (you know, when they are old enough to explore the internet and the internet is obsolete and I'm old and gray) and realize how much they will always mean to me. And AIDAN!!!!  I got to spend an afternoon listening to him talk to me about preschool and Legos and how Uncle Jeff eats food off the floor. :) :) Enough. Sciato's done crying!

Day 23: *crap I'm not done crying* I'm thankful for an impromptu shopping day with Amish (my future but real sister-in-law) and then a Hunger Games outing with Heffe, Amish, CDawg, Michael, and Maddy. 

Once a year, Sciato goes shopping in a BIG way. Sciato had a partner in crime- enter Amy Kent. We have the same fatal flaw- we love to make each other feel warm and fuzzy. Because of this, we have no self control around each other. Amy spent the weekend with me. and heffe I guess. THEN, she did my hairs. THEN we put on new clothes. THEN. we saw the Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Great clothes. Great hair. WONDERFUL company. Not enough caps. ***Perfection***

Day 24: I'm thankful for my job. The best job in the world! 

"Best guitar player in the worllllld! No lessons!!! Look at me pop!!!"-The crazy "best man,better man" in the Wedding Singer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBB6pmixR4Q

Seriously. Just like the crazy "better man"'s guitar skills, my teaching job is my calling. I know everyday when I wake up that I was made to be a teacher. Sure. It frustrates me. I get angry with my peers. I get really bitter that I'm expected to do the job of 8 people in 8 hours.

But. 

Those stinking cute, sweet, loving, smart, amazing kids bring me back every day. 

Every. Single. Day.

Day 25: I'm thankful for my dad's and brothers' patience with me. They helped me buy a new laptop this day!!!!!

"The files are IN the computer?!?!?!?"

I set it up and installed all my programs all by myself!!!! And my dad helped a little. Okay.

 He helped a lot. :)

Day 26: I'm thankful for my Disney coffee mugs!!!

Um..... duh.

If you are reading my blog and don't understand how much I love Disney everything and all the wonderful memories they create for me.... at this point.... you probably should stop reading my blog. K. Bye.

Day 27: I'm thankful for the snowy view out my back window.

"In the meadow we can build a snowman....." 

Except if you're reading this in my voice, you're singing it like a '60's male lounge singer. 

GOULET! (thanks, SNL!)

Day 28: I'm thankful for my future mother-in-law's homemade ChexMix. I got to spend Thanksgiving with Heffe's family this year! We successfully never left Heffe's parents' house. It was amazing. Filled with love, laughs, and Mrs. Kent's chexmix. NOM.NOM.NOM. 

I needed a little of that in my life!!!

Day 29: I'm thankful for my future father-in-law's margarrrrrrrrrrritas

and Mexican night!!!! Too many memories from this night to record... Add all the inside jokes and stories together, and you get one big, loving, happy, and crazy family. And I am in love with them all. :)

Day 30: I'm thankful for family. Since I spent Thanksgiving with the Kents', I was missin on the Sciato's. My immediate family FaceTimed me, texted me, emailed me, you name it. They made me feel like I was there!!! (except when my dad told me TODAY that they had wine leftover from the holiday. PARTY. FOUL.) While I was missing on my fam BIG TIME...I was making some really fond memories with my future (but really real) family. I could not have asked for a more hospitable environment... everyone was so relaxed and just open to listening, laughing, and loving all up on each other. It was so refreshing. I miss them all so much now. Love my family... and Love my new family, too.:) 

Um. Duh.

November was very good for Sciato. Lots of life, love, and laughter. 

Tears were mostly happy ones. 

I am certainly a blessed lady. :) :) :)

December has been good so far... sooooo.....

everyone better....

have a holly jolly, holly jolly, oooooooooooh......

Until next time.

This is me. Bein me. 

Cheers. :)

30 Days of Thankfulness- Part 2

Hello, New World!

As promised, here's more of the explanation of my Facebook #30daysofthankful! 

I'm going to pick up where I left off... except tonight, I've decided to explain my #30daysofthankful through the Christmas ornaments that Heffe and I just put up on our tree! We decided to combine all our mismatched and super personal ornaments for OUR tree, and forego the very traditional balls or beads or the other things that we've used as fillers for our separate trees for the past few years.
I think it looks swell, but that's for another day. :) 

Onto my thankfulness!!

Day 11: Veterans Day. I'm thankful for all my family, friends, and perfect strangers who fight to protect my freedom every day. 'Nuff said. Anyone who knows me knows how deeply I love the United States of America, and how blessed I believe we truly are to have all our freedoms. Freedom is not free, and my fellow Americans prove that daily. We are forever in your gratitude. 

 Day 12: I am thankful for Josh Groban. Heffe made me listen to a song from his "Noel" cd that talks about how (now I'm paraphrasing, duh) even though things suck sometimes, there is so much to be thankful for. True. Dat. This ornament is from the Polar Express- "If you just.... Believe."

Day 13: I'm thankful for the snooze button. Lately, this ornament is pretty representative of why I keep hitting snooze. Continuously. For at least 40 minutes.Whoops. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Day 14: I'm thankful for Marcella's. I know I've mentioned this restaurant in other posts, but it really holds something special for me- It is Heffe's and my "go-to, mid-week, need a date night, I'm tired, I've had a really freaking long day, I need 4 glasses of wine, I want good food that I know and trust" place. <3

**Side note, this made me realize I do not have any "Italiana" ornaments, soooooo if you're looking for a gift for yours truly for Christmas.... give me an ornament that showcases my people. ;)**

Day 15: I'm thankful for good, sweaty, Friday night workouts. And then coming home and doing this all night (with pizza and a beverage) :)

Day 16: I'm thankful for the ridiculous laughs and conversations with Heffe. I think others will get this ornament, but the sarcasm and humor that underlie our inside jokes make me laugh all day long. :)

Day 17: I'm thankful for friendships that are unchanged by time or distance. This is an ornament I received in college. And it just looks mushy and nostalgic, duh!

Day 18: I'm thankful for all the kiddos I teach and have ever taught. I have posted this on Facebook before, but New World, you must know that I truly do hold every child that I've ever taught in my heart forever.

Day 19: I'm thankful that my gym has TVs. And it keeps me distracted when I want to give up. Breathing isn't always necessary, right? :) Ergo, distraction. Or motivation. Whatever.

Day 20: I'm thankful for my big brother, Tony. Tony's birthday is 11/20. :) Sure, he's scary and teases me, and is sometimes mean, but. In SPITE of all that, he is one of my best friends.
I'm SO blessed that I have such a great relationship with both of my brothers. 

Tony and me circa 1990s, and ornament "I" made in 1989. :)

                 

Okay, New World! You got another taste of my #30daysofthankful, and of Heffe's and my Christmas Tree!! (minus the throwback of Tony and me)... that's what I call a 2-fer!

Until next time, New World. :)

This is me. Bein me. 

Cheers. :)

30 Days of Thankfulness- Part 1

Hello, New World! So I joined the club and started my #30daysofthankful on Facebook. I thought, instead of my usual incoherent rambling about how sweet and sour my life has been, I'm just going to keep it simple and explain why I'm so thankful!! :)

Onward!

Day 1: I'm thankful for my heated car seats. Even though it makes me angry and sometimes makes funny noises or funny lights go on that I don't understand, I love my Marty- and all of its bells and whistles!!

Day 2: I'm thankful for a good coffee pot. That one is pretty self-explanatory if you know me at ALL. ;)

Day 3: I'm thankful for #sharktank. Heffe got me hooked on the show- I can't get enough. And I'm so grateful for Heffe's constant patience with me when we have to pause it 7 times throughout the show so he can tell me what certain things mean. :)

Day 4: I'm thankful for Drumsticks- the ice cream kind. I try not to buy sweet treats at the grocery store, simply because I have NO self control, but every once in awhile, we indulge... And it never tasted so good!

Day 5: I'm thankful for Christmas tunes on the radio. Yes. I'm the jerk that starts listening to Christmas music in July. I love Halloween and Thanksgiving, but the spirit of Christmas lasts all year long for me. That's all I have to say about that!!

Dy 6: I'm thankful for Nick at Nite playing Friends and Full House. Yes it makes me feel old. Yes, we have all 10 seasons of Friends at our house. I don't care. It's just comforting after a long, hard day! :)

Day 7: I'm thankful for Taco Bell. Talk about indulgence + zero self control = great decisions at Taco Bell. Making me hungry already!! Nomnomnom!

Day 8: I'm thankful for permpkin sperce lerters. *pumpkin spice lattes* :) I know you can get them all year long, I know they are $4 a pop, I know they are like 500 calories, and I know they rip apart my insides. Really though. Nothing is cozier on a chilly fall day! Thanks, Starbizzle!

Day 9: I'm thankful for a raspy cough that made laughing almost impossible. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in work or to do's or looming tasks at home, that I forget how important it is to just smile and laugh! Do you ever feel that way? Anyway, that cough reminded me most of what great people I work with, and it made me realize I can make it through :)

Day 10: I'm thankful for Heffe's (slightly manic) Sunday routines. This particular Sunday was after a Saturday wedding (Congrats to my Uncle Jimmy and his beautiful bride, Jill!!) in Cincy. We get back to home sweet home and do not stop moving, grocery shopping, errand running, homeworking, schooling, etc., until bedtime. Sucks after such a great weekend with family! But, I know the week is always better when we are a little manic, and a lot prepared!

That's all for now! No pics this time, New World.

Just me. Bein' me. 

Until next time. 

Cheers. :)

26.2 Round 2- Done and done!!!

Hello, New World! I come typing to you 2 weeks after, and fully recovered from, my second full marathon- I completed the Nationwide Columbus Marathon on October 20, 2013!!! 

Yahoo!!!

I need to give shout-outs to my best running buddies and cheerleaders- Marisa, Meredith, Kerri, Erica, Heffe, Mosey, Ryan, and Mama and Papa Sciato. Couldn't have done it without these people- 

you are all an inspiration and my best asset!!!

Meesie, me, Mer, Kerri, and Erica post race- these troopers waited for me in the cold to finish the full!!

PS- how awesome is Meese's headband, it says, "Just don't be last" hahaha! #truth

PPS- Meese and Mer both set PRs this race day!!! ROCK.STARS.

Low points of the race: 

Miles 7ish and 9ish. NEVER in my entire racing life have I had to stop during a race for potty breaks. Anxiety and its related issues got the best of me. 

Miles 17-22. This was the only desolate part of the course. Running through Ohio Stadium at mile 19ish was AWESOME... but it wasn't really spectator friendly. Plus it was miles 17-22. I couldn't really remember who I was, where I was trying to go, or why I had committed to a full marathon at that point. 

Complete desperation. 

High points of the race:

Seeing Mosey and Ryan every 3-4 miles during the first half!! You guys are amazing for chasing everyone around!!! And your signs were seriously the best out there!

Seeing my parents and random familiar faces along the course- I felt a little righteous seeing people I hadn't seen in years, while sporting my blue "marathon" bib (as opposed to the orange "1/2 marathon" bib) 

"Because 26.3 is crazy!" ;)

Seeing Heffe at Mile 22- I really needed a good pep talk and a "Seriously, you only have 4 left." :) 

He's a seasoned marathoner- he knows exactly what to say to bring it all back!

Finishing the race. Did I mention that I PRed?! Even with the potty breaks, walking breaks, 11 minute miles, and Heffe's pep talk... I still knocked 13 minutes and change off my Cleveland time!

My next goal: Cincinnati Flying Pig Full Marathon, May 2015. :)

I'd like to end with a little story. 

Yesterday, my parents and Heffe and I were enjoying a post-wedding-planning cocktail and some apps at Marcella's, when marathons came up. My parents are not the working out types, but anyone's able to read about "runner's highs" and "runner's addictions to running"... However, they've really gotten to see all the blood, sweat, and tears behind my last few races. I think they REALLY get the hype behind running now. ;) 

Anyway, my dad asked either Heffe or me about someone's ability to finish a marathon. 

I got a little peeved. Here's why.

I personally do NOT believe that completing a marathon is about one's ability to do it. Anyone CAN do it. (Have you ever SEEN the Biggest Loser when they ALL run a marathon at the end of the show?!) 

There's so much more that goes into it...

Sure, training schedules are approximately 18 weeks in length, but to become that sort of an athlete takes WAY more than 18 weeks. It takes a few months of physical training before then to work up to the first week of 3 miles, 5 miles, 3 miles, 6 miles, 8 miles. It takes a HUGE mental commitment to cutting out "free time" and other social activities. It takes a creativity to make up mind games with yourself to keep going when you really don't want to wake up at 6am on a Sunday morning to run 18 miles, or when you don't remember why you even started in the first place. It takes passion to constantly want to make yourself better, even if it's just for one day. And yes, all you skeptics- it takes a little bit of crazy to believe that you can cheat all natural instincts, and death, by running 26.2 miles in a single sitting. 

It takes strength in EVERY sense of the word.

So. It's not about ability. It's about you. Are you willing to be physically and mentally tough? Are you willing to give up your personal time and social commitments? Are you willing to be creative, passionate, hopeful, and a little crazy? 

If you answered yes to any of the above, I'll see you in Cincy in May 2015. :) 

Until next time, New World.

This is me. Bein me. 

Cheers. :)