#jks

LAB. STUDY. CLINICAL. HOTEL ROOM. CLINICAL. WEDDING EMAILS. FAST FOOD. FAST FOOD GUILT. SONGS. CEREMONY. FAMILY. SHUTTLE SCHEDULE. HOTEL. WRITE CHECKS. SPEND MONEY. APPLY FOR JOBS. EDIT RESUME. CAREPLANS. SLEEP. TRY TO SLEEP. HEART RACING. STUDY. FEEL GUILTY. STUDY. JOB APPLICATIONS. THANK YOUS. LAUNDRY. CAFFEINE. SLEEP. STUDY.

 8 more days.

Then all the sleeps during Spring Break.

Thanks for sticking by while I ignore my blog. But I'm am [somewhat] active on insta (@cregan) and twitter (@yfgblog).

xoxo,

Cait

An InLinkz Link-up

pearly whites!

I am supposed to be cleaning my house right now since my bestie is come to visit while B is away at his bachelor weekend but instead I'm snuggling the pups and blogging.  Sorry, Jenni!

Before I get into my Follow Through Friday business, can I ask you all a favor?

Would you please take 30 seconds to send a valentine card to a sick child at Texas Children's Hospital?  It's quick, easy, and free.  You can send as many as you'd like. You can share it on all your social media outlets.

I just wrapped up my pediatric clinical rotation at TCH and it was amazing. Even the floors that didn't really excite me were wonderful. The kids are absolutely inspiring and their families are so strong.  I know now that I want to work there and that is exciting and terrifying.  But in the meantime, consider sending a valentine card or two or ten.

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So what's new in my Follow Through Friday?  Pearly whites, that's what!

I few weeks back I mentioned that I wanted to start taking better care of my teeth and make them whiter.  I began by flossing every most evenings before bed and using a whitening gel a few nights a week.  I was seeing some improvement, and lots of bleeding from flossing, but really wasn't happy with the progress.  In particular I had a tooth that seemed really stained. I put extra whitener on it, flossed more around that tooth, and let my electric toothbrush just hang out on the tooth. But nothing was really doing it.

Today I went to a new dentist.  I hated the dentist I had to see on my old insurance - it was one of those box chain dentist stores.  Ugh.  But a friend who is from Houston recently graduated dental school and gave me a few referrals.  Note: If you're in the Houston area and need a new dentist, check out Dr. McEwen at Richmond Landing Family Dentistry.

I loved Dr. McEwen and his team!

WARNING: Do not judge my crowded bottom teeth! Or my uneven skin tone! I'm working on the skin and I hope to do Invisalign in the near future. (Yes, Mom, I should have worn my retainer. Or the orthodontist should have given me a permanent retainer like everyone else I know.)

Drumroll please......

I still feel like my teeth have room to whiten, but I've got a 2-hour Rembrant whitener kit that I'm going to do closer to the wedding.  But the big news is - LOOK AT THAT TOOTH! It was so stained (or so I thought) and turned out it was tartar that they could clean off.  Thank goodness (and eeew!!)! 

Latte through a straw is my new favorite thing.  And I think it will help keep my teeth nice and bright!

Now... anyone know where I can get one of those scrapey dentist tools? I'm sort of obsessed with having one since that my teeth are so clean!

How is Follow Through Friday going for you ladies? Any updates you want to share? Link up and check out the cohosts :)

xoxo,

Cait

which came first, the chicken or the ... funk?

I've been in a serious funk.  Not in all aspects of my life (wedding and school stuff is swell) but in terms of health... yikes.  Let me paint you an ugly picture: last week was my bachlorette which was amazing but full of booze, food, and no working out.  Then I had a terrible test to study for, which mean lots of Starbucks and fast food but, you guessed it, no working out.  I tried to work out Wednesday after my test but instead drove through Chick-fil-a before falling asleep at 7:30. No joke.  Thursdays are my clinical and guess what is right in the hospital? Damn Chick-fil-a.  And then last night, after a 13 hour day, my lovely beau called and I picked us up some, YOU GUESSED, mother-freaking-Chick-fil-a. AHHH.  Willpower, I don't have any.

But you know what else happened this week? I tried on my wedding dress with the alterations.  I love my dress but I am not happy with my armpit vaginas.

What does this have to do with my weird blog title? I'm getting to that. This is what happens when you blog while catching up on TV shows.  I've been in this funk. And eating lots of fast food... mostly chicken, which is actually a coincidence with this chicken/egg analogy.  So which is causing it? Am I in a funk and that's why I'm allowing myself to slide into such terrible habits? Or did I neglect my healthy habits which caused my funk?

Really though, does it matter?

So I did what any normal person would do. I laid in bed for an hour to debate going to the gym, then dragged myself there and posted a pre-gym seflie.  I won't lie, all those likes and comments certainly kept me going during my workout. Thanks, biatches.

In all seriousness I would love to just tone things up a scoach and slim down a tidge before March 8th gets here.  And it looks like that is going to mean buckling down with my fitness and eating boring (but predictable) meals like plain chicken, veggies without butter, fruit & spinach smoothies, and egg whites.  I also think I'm going to do the 24 day challenge. I ordered it today and will keep you updated when I plan to start. Thinking sometime next week but we'll see.

Gotta love the gym selfies, red face and all!

Alright, I need to write some thank you notes and shower before heading to Pure Barre.  That's right ladies, this chick is getting in TWO workouts today.  Booyah!

Be sure to join the link up with these kickass ladies! If I can link up at 3pm, so can you! Dream big!

Alright, really got to get my ass in gear.  Have a great weekend!!

xoxo,

Cait

Welcome to Follow Through Friday!

It's the inaugural Follow Through Friday! Hip hip hooray!

If you want to stop reading here, then just watch this video. Chick is a bad ass.  It has inspired me and I may watch it everyday for the next 100 days to continue to motivate me.

Alright, onto the #FTF bizz!

I never really made any resolutions for the year so I guess now would be as good a time as any to figure some of those out.  Then, with the help of my lovely co-hosts and you guys, I can maybe stay on track with these bad boys!  I've never been that big on resolutions which is my way of saying I usually make them but haven't ever stuck to them.  But it seems to be a big thing to make "intentions" or find a word to embrace for the year, and those ideas are pretty attractive to me.  Unfortunately, I haven't been too successful at coming up with a word for myself and instead just want to steal everyone else's word.  If I come up with something grand, I'll be sure to let you know.

In no particular order....

(1) Pure Barre 30 in 40 Challenge
Starting on January 1st, I signed up for my studio's new year challenge to take 30 classes in 40 days.  As of today, we are 10 days in and I've taken 6 classes (this includes the I'm signed up for this evening).  I would have taken one Wednesday night but unfortunately couldn't make it there due to horrendous Houston traffic. I love my studio and feel great when I'm consistent about taking class so I know this one will be feasible.  I just to get my nursing schedule figured out!

(2) Run regularly
I don't have an exact meaning figured out yet for what I mean by "regularly" but I do know what it doesn't mean.  For the last 6 months or so, I'll run consistently for a few weeks, run a race, and then stop running for a few weeks.  Then it feels like such a daunting task to go out for that first run after taking so much time off. I don't know why I do it to myself because it is always easier to run when you're in the habit of it.  I've got a 10K coming up on Feb. 8th and I've done this distance enough times now that it doesn't intimidate me.  If I can run 3 times a week between now and then, I'll be content. No real training plan per say, but just getting out there and logging miles consistently.

Photographic evidence of my fastest 5K EVER and my first sub-30 3-miles!! This is after taking a few weeks off from running and it only motivates me more. Plus, it was at my potential new gym.

(3) Take care of myself
This one is so stupid it is embarrassing to admit.  I go to bed more often than I care to admit without brushing my teeth or washing my face or both.  And as a result, I've got zits like a 14 year old and yellow teeth like an 80 year old. HOT. Part of this is vanity for my upcoming wedding, but it's also just time to get my shit together.  I'm 28 years old! It's not like I'm coming home drunk every night and that's why I skip these things. It's generally because I've been blogging/studying/watching TV too late and I'm simply too tired. Well, no more excuses Cait - get it together!

(4) Take care of my house
Speaking of personal hygiene (I really am a clean person!), I need to also start being an adult when it comes to cleaning my home. I wish I had unlimited funds and could hire a housekeeper.  I love to wash dishes (seriously, it's therapeutic) but that's where my Suzie Homemaker skills ends.  Instead, I often neglect little chores for so long that it becomes this overwhelming task to clean my house, which causes me to put it off and then it just gets worse. Again, I'm a clean person! We don't live in a hoarder's house or anything. But I'm pretty sure I should vacuum at least once a week and if I did, then it wouldn't seem so bad.

I'm sure I could find another hundred things to improve on, but then I'd be in the same position as the last 10 years and I'd throw the whole list out the window.  Let's see how I manage on these things before adding anything else into the mix. 

Thanksgiving with my beautiful momma! Can't wait to see her this weekend!

Grab a button and link up to share what you're working on Following Through on and don't forget to share on IG and twitter with #FTF!  My mom's coming into town this weekend for my first dress fitting so I'm sure I'll have lots to share if we're friends on social media!

xoxo,

Cait

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<a href="http://yourfavoritegirlfriend.blogspot.com/" title="YFGB"><img src="http://www.fatchick2fitchickblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/follow-thru-friday.jpg" alt="YFGB" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Aubrey Leigh ALG Uninterrupted

Candra Camo & Lipstick

Jodi Love and Crayons

Mel 4 Kottez Runs It

Val Fabulous Chick Gets Fit

Jacquelyn Just Jacq

Jennifer Fat Chick to Fit Chick

long time no see

Helllllo everybody! I trust everyone has had a wonderful holiday season and happy new year!  While I haven't been very good about blogging lately, I have been fairly active on instagram and twitter.  Give me a follow, why dontcha? Or comment!

Nothing is more entertaining to me than "chatting" with you guys on IG and twitter. Consider this, while you enjoy your snow day or head back to work as I'm heading back to school today!

My break was pretty busy, shuffling back and forth between Austin and Houston to celebrate the holidays and taking care of wedding things.  Note - OH MY GOSH. I thought I was pretty well prepared for our wedding and then all of the sudden the world was like "HEY. You don't have enough going on with the holidays and starting your final semester of nursing school so let's load up the wedding crap, ok??"  I feel a bit like a chicken with my head cut off at the moment and have a sneaking suspicion that this feeling won't go away until March 8th (wedding).  Or April 25th (graduation). Or May whatever when I take my boards. OR EVER.

Breathe, Caitlin.

So you know what I didn't do a lot of over the holidays?  Work out.  I tried, sort of, if walking the dogs to Starbucks with your mom counts as exercise.  And with the exception of roughly 4 bottles of wine per week, my eating wasn't that terrible.

B's newest nickname for me is "lush."  Can't say I'm offended since it seems to be true!

But luckily this amazing blogging world has hooked me up with some pretty fantastic new friends and we're starting a link-up to keep each other (and you!) in check.

Make sure you come back on Friday for Follow Thru Fridays to share how you're staying on top of your goals.  Share your progress training for a race, staying on a diet, keeping your resolutions - whatever! They don't even have to be training related.  And if you're not a blogger you can still join in on the fun. Remember at the beginning of this post when I pimped out graciously shared my IG and twitter accounts? Well post there with the hashtag #FTF and we can check in on each other.  Hell, tag me in your post and then I'll have a little distraction from my mountains of studying!

Alright, time to get my larger-than-I'd-like booty to school.  Wish me luck on my last semester!

xoxo,

Cait

PS - Not quite ready to follow thru on your resolutions? Then just procrastinate a little more by checking out my co-hosts blogs.  Trust me, you'll love these ladies!

Aubrey Leigh http://alguninterrupted.blogspot.com/

Candra http://camoandlipstick.blogspot.com/

Jodi http://www.loveandcrayons.com/

Mel http://www.4kottez.blogspot.com

Val http://www.fabchickgetsfit.com/

Jacquelyn http://www.justjacq.com/

Jennifer http://www.fatchick2fitchickblog.com/