And you shall receive!
Here are the rest of the answers to the latest “Ask Me Anything” installment. These were some fun ones…have fun reading! :-D
Have you thought about giving Cody a sibling (of the furry variety)?
Haha, thanks for clarifying! Jay and I talk about giving Cody a friend quite often, but because of my already existing allergies, we’re a little leery about adding to the problem. Since I seem to have the allergies & asthma regulated, I would hate to mess with that. Plus, we both agree that Cody sheds enough fur and destroys the litter box enough for about 3 cats worth. ;)
How do you fit working out into your day? You must be so busy with working full time teaching! What does a typical day look like for you?
Some days, busy doesn’t even begin to describe it! BUT, that doesn’t mean it’s an excuse for not working in some exercise. You have to be organized, you have to have a plan, and you have to stick to it. For me, I really enjoy working out in the morning. Sure, nobody wants to get up at 5am to work out (well, maybe they do, but they’re crazy!) but I’d rather do that and know that my workout is done for the day. There are still some classes that I do enjoy taking at my gym, which are after school, but I work them into my daily schedule just like I would anything else. I also really enjoying throwing some yoga and/or Pilates into the mix at least once a week.
I’m still working on figuring out the best schedule for me this year, but last year I had things pretty well in place. On days I didn’t go to the gym for a class after work (which were usually Tuesdays, Fridays, & Sunday mornings for BodyPump), I exercised in the morning at home. Usually, it was a form of cardio on the treadmill or a video from Exercise on Demand; but now that my treadmill is broken, it’s making things a little bit more difficult to figure out! :roll: Typically, I will get some form of exercise in 5-6 days a week.
My boyfriend and I are in a long distance relationship right now. I was wondering if you and Jay ever went through this and if you have any advice for making it work?
Jay and I were fortunate enough to never have to deal with a long distance relationship. We both attended college and proceeded to find work in our local area, so we were always close. I did, however, have numerous friends who did have to deal with long distance relationships, and judging from them, I know it’s not easy. I’d have to say three of the biggest factors that I noticed in their relationships were trust, honesty, and communication. Which really, when you think about it, is equally important in any relationship. Some of their relationships worked, and some of them didn’t; but the ones who wanted to make it work, and made the extra effort, are the ones who are still together today. If your man is worth it, go that extra step! Good luck! :)
How did Jay propose?
Awww, this is such a fun question! When we first got engaged, I actually created a wedding website for ourselves, which includes our proposal story, so feel free to go check it out! http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/pwp2/view/MemberPage.aspx?coupleid=8925749141748920&pid=1832447
If you don’t mind revealing, what is your height and weight?
I am 5’7” and weight approximately 125lbs. Although I do own a scale, it’s super-ancient and I never use it. I actually had to make sure to use the scale at the gym the other day, just so I could have a number to answer this question! I have never been really big on scales. I’m sure my numbers must fluctuate all the time, which could be misleading and unnecessarily discouraging. Rather, I tend to go by how my clothes are fitting to determine when I need to back away from the ice cream. ;)
Do you count calories, and if so about how many calories do you aim to eat daily?
I do not count calories, but I am still very aware of the calories that are in many of the foods that I eat. If I had to guess, I’d say that most of my meals are probably around the 400 calorie mark, with two or three 100-200 calorie snacks throughout the day. That being said, there are always exceptions to the rule; for example, I almost always consume more calories on weekends and on days where I do more intense cardio.
I know that you are about to be doing a home renovation so I am sure that money will become a little tighter, so I was just wondering what you will spend a lot of money on no matter what the cost??
The house that Jay and I currently live in is not the house that we plan to stay in forever, so we aren’t planning on spending a fortune on any of our renovations. Sure, a kitchen definitely isn’t cheap, but we have been looking into ways to cut costs. It’s amazing how much money we can actually save by doing some of the labor ourselves – I’m sure you’ll be seeing me with a sledgehammer sometime soon! We also have some really great friends who have offered to help us out with different areas too. So I really don’t think there’s anything I’m super “gung ho” about – if I can somehow save a few bucks, I’m going to do it!
Do you put dressing on your salad? In this post it doesn’t look like it, so I was just wondering.
Most of the time I do add some sort of dressing to my salads, but it also depends on the toppings. If I’m eating leftover roasted veggies, a little splash of balsamic vinegar usually does the trick for me. But with a fresh veggie salad, some of my favorites are a simple oil & vinegar, Ken’s Light Balsamic Vinaigrette, Kraft Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette, Kraft Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan, & anything by Annie’s Naturals.
Do you think you will stay in NY forever? Do you and Jay see yourselves moving ever?!
Great question! There is a huge part of me that wants to say that I would up and move as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Not being a fan of the cold, I’ve always found some of the southern states to have much appeal; especially North Carolina. I also really like the idea of having the experience of living in another state and being out of my comfort zone. Jay and I talk about it quite often. Then again, we have so many supportive friends and family where we are, and have become a part of so many great communities, that it would probably take a lot to get us to leave.
What are the best and worst things about living in your area of New York?
Best: Living near so many friends and family, watching the seasons change, being able to travel to so many places (Lake George, Vermont, NYC, Massachusetts) in less than three hours!
Worst: Dealing with cold, snowy, icy, nasty winters. I’m not a big fan of the cold, or snow. I would be beyond thrilled if it only snowed on December 24-25th for the rest of my life.
Allison says
Thank you for answering the proposal question…I’m always curious and love to hear the romantic stories! So wonderful and special! :)
Carrie says
Ha, sounds like you should live in Seattle. Well, you’d probably want a little warmer summer, but our winters are severely lacking in snow save for a few days a year if we’re lucky!
Chicago Cuisine Critique says
Cute post. :)
Shayla says
Thanks so much Courtney for answering my questions – I really appreciate it!
You live such a healthy balanced lifestlye and I love reading your blog!! ;)
Shayla
Courtney says
You’re so very welcome! :)
Lin says
I just read your engagement story and it made me tear up (I’m a huge sap) :-).
Courtney says
:-D
Katie says
Aww I love all these questions/answers! Such a good idea to do the “You asked” post. Love your blog!
Courtney says
Thanks Katie!
Shannon says
I love your blog Courtney! So I love my sweet Potatoes a lot of different ways but I love them candied at Thanksgiving- baked in the winter and baked with italian seasoning, sea salt and a little parmesan in the summer.
Your fries looked great! I know what I am eating tomorrow for dinner. :)
Courtney says
Thanks Shannon! All of your sweet potato ideas have me drooling…YUMMM!! :-P