We. Are. Sparta. #ChallengeAccepted

To say I was ecstatic to finish the Color Run a few years ago is an understatement. Running a full 5K was something I never thought I would do because (1) I hate running and (2) I hate working out. It wasn’t until I was coerced into doing a Spartan Race that I realized the Color Runs of the world are just child’s play.

I ran my first Spartan Sprint in 2013. I was the most out of shape I had ever been and was practically dying the whole time BUT I finished. I couldn’t believe it. I even jumped over the fire at the end (which looks a lot scarier than it is). After accomplishing that goal, I was ready to come back for more!

My PIC, Shari, and me crossing the finish line!

The following year I signed up and this time I knew what to expect and was in slightly better shape. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I crushed it. My time was better, my attitude was better. Overall I felt great! However, the trend I was noticing is that once you finish, you just want more!

Once you accomplish something you never ever ever thought you could accomplish, it makes you wonder… what else could I do that I didn’t think I could do? Could I do a Spartan Super? Or even a Spartan Beast?! Maybe I could accomplish the coveted Trifecta?!?!?! Okay… so I’m not there quite yet but I am ready to take it up a notch.

Knowing that I completed this back in 2013, I truly believe anyone could do it. You’re probably thinking, “No way can I do that. It’s scary. There are monkey bars. You get dirty.” My response would be “Yes, it is terrifying at first and there are monkey bars and you will definitely get dirty BUT you will finish. And you will feel like a f^%&ing champion. Plus, you get a free beer at the end.”

So if you’re officially convinced to try it out, now’s your chance! There are upcoming races in the tristate area that you can participate in ASAP! For 10% any race, sign up here and use the discount code SPARTANBLOGGER. I’ll even give one lucky winner a free code to get you started! How? Just comment below telling me you want it and I will select one random winner to become a true Spartan! #LETSGO

*Promo code and coupon code was provided by Reebok Spartan Race.

Recipe: Mini Chicken Pot Pies

There’s nothing I love more than an idiot-proof recipe! Last week I made mini chicken pot pies for a pot luck that I had with some friends. If I can make this… anyone can.

Here’s what you need:

• Pillsbury Grands
• Cream of Chicken Soup
• Frozen peas, corn, carrots combo
• Pre-cooked Perdue chicken

First you want to pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees and you need to microwave your peas, corn, carrots combo so they are cooked and ready to go.

Second, take your pre-cooked chicken and either chop or shred it into smaller pieces. This really depends on preference. Personally, I enjoy pot pies with little chunks of chicken in it but I know others who like it shredded.

Next, place your cream of chicken soup, your veggies, and your chicken into a bowl and mix. This is important because you want them to all be together. The first time I did it, I placed them into the crust one by one and it came out a bit layered.

Time to pull out the Grands! Each of the Grands are already pre-cut so you will see exactly how many pot pies you can make. Cut each of them in half so you have a top and a bottom. Using a cupcake tray make a mini pie crust with one of the halves.

Once lines, you can pour in your pot pie mix. Each pot pie only needs a small amount to fill to the top. Once filled, you can place the other half of the Grands on top of each pie and place in the over.

Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the Grands look golden. Cool off and FEAST! Enjoy the portion-controlled, idiot-proof meal!

Live Reaction To The Game Of Thrones Red Wedding

Spoilers below! Don’t look if you haven’t seen Game of Thrones or if you ever plan to see Game of Thrones!

Yes, I’m late to the Game of Thrones train, but I am now on it and loving it. Believe it or not, I avoided most spoilers and got to experience each episode as a newb should. Here’s my live reaction to watching the Red Wedding:

The Perfect LEGO Wedding Proposal

That typical engagement ring box is SO 2013. What better way to ask someone to build a future together than to build a wedding proposal out of Legos?! My brother proved that Legos aren’t just for kids anymore by proposing to his girlfriend in an elaborate Lego scene.

My brother Danny and his new fiance Stasia share a love for all things nerdy. Everything down to superheroes, comic books. action figures, and yes… Legos. When it came time to pop the question, incorporating all this into the proposal was essential!

After countless hours of searching for the right set and a couple days of building, Danny presented Stasia with an eye-spy she will never forget. Above is the whole set and right in the middle you have Bruce Wayne on bended knee proposing to Poison Ivy. (The kicker: Stasia was Poison Ivy for Halloween their first year of dating. And yes, she has red hair!). Once she saw the ring she said yes and now they are planning to live happily ever after!

Some close ups of the structure below:

Leave your congrats to my brother and future sister-in-law in the comments!

Merry Christmas from 25 Hours!

I’ll call you from the payphone when I need to be picked up… #serial

How To: Make Friends At The Office

Just kidding…

Bridal Shower Game: Who Has The Groom?

My best friend is getting married and a couple of weeks ago we have the bridal shower! Now, I’ve never been to a bridal shower before but I was told that no bridal shower is complete without a slew of fun/silly games. The first game we played was “Who Has The Groom.”

Based on the picture alone, I know you’re excited. The game is simple. All you need to do is find Chris, the groom! As you can see we have our real groom (in the middle) and a ton of imposter grooms such as Christian Bale, Adam Sandler, and Daniel Craig. Let’s start from the beginning…

First I found a picture of our handsome groom-to-be in addition to some pictures of other celebrities. I tried to find celebrities I knew the bride would appreciate. For example, Colleen is a huge Syracuse basketball fan so I made sure to include Carmelo Anthony in the mix. She also likes The Big Bang Theory so we had to make a Jim Parsons groom as well!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure your celebrity heads are all about the same size. This will be important when it comes to the next step…

Once I found the heads I had to get them some bodies! Frankly, I googled some men in suits and found some excellent headless Men’s Warehouse models that worked perfect for my game. I chose one man who was looking left and one who was looking right so no matter which celebrity head I found, it would look right on the body.

A little cutting, a little gluing and voilà! You have a groom and several imposter grooms. Now that you have these adorable cut-outs, what comes next? The game element!

I placed each groom in a sealed envelope. I then taped each envelope under each of the chairs at the shower. Nobody even knew the game existed until we told everyone to check under their chairs to see if they had found Chris. I had made 50 grooms but there were less than 50 guests. In order to make sure Chris’s envelope got selected, I placed a heart sticker over his chest. Not only did this make him clearly standout as the correct groom (in case someone who hasn’t met the groom found him!) but also I could feel the sticker through the envelope even after it was sealed. That way, I guaranteed that Chris wasn’t in the leftover or unused groom pile.

Although the bride-to-be (top left) didn’t find her man, everyone was excited to see who they got and share with the table which groom they ended up with! I even saw some people trying to trade celebrity hubbies.

The game was quick, easy, and something fun to interject into the party. The person who found groom won one of the gift baskets the bridesmaids created. I highly recommend this game to others planning bridal showers. You won’t be disappointed!

Tinder: You’re Doing It Wrong

Can someone let this guy know that I think he missed the point???

*swipes right*

Donate To ALS Or Get Cold. The Choice Is Yours And Yours Alone.

Such a dilemma… You have likely either been nominated for the #ALSIceBucketChallenge or know someone who has. Frankly, if you’ve gone this long without seeing an ALS video, I commend you. As annoying as it is in your newsfeed, it has managed to raise a ton of money for ALS. (yay!) However, it doesn’t mean we aren’t allowed to make fun of it…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lByF18kFEdE]

via Tracy Soren from DIBS: the series.

Donate to ALS here.

Fitness Review: Mister Abs East River Boot Camp

Details: 77th and the East River , New York, NY 10018 – levi@misterabs.com – misterabs.com/

Studio: N/A
Timeliness: 4/5
Instructors: 5/5
Overall class: 5/5

The boyfriend and I bought a Groupon for 4 boot camp classes with Mister Abs. The guy looked ripped, the videos looked legitimate, and the price was right so we figured we had nothing to lose! The first class we signed up for was a rainy day, and bootcamp was outdoors. There was some hesitation, but bootcamp with Mister Abs was rain or shine so we went and we weren’t disappointed.

Levi (“Mister Abs”) is an excellent trainer and does not let you quit. It’s raining? So we won’t lay on the floor, but you’re still going to work your butt off. You think you can’t do anymore? Well, try anyway. He’s not going to just let you off the hook. This was a full 60 minutes (sometimes longer) of unique exercises that build strength and stamina. 

The class is set in the park and uses all the bars and fences available. Levi also brings lots of props such as rings, TRX, resistance bands, and even a trampoline. The class requires that you bring your own 3-in-1 adjustable resistance band but if you forget, one can be provided for you. Levi also provided gloves for us to do some of the floor work.

Honestly, I can’t say enough nice things about Levi and this class. Not only am I exhausted and sore after every class (in the best way), but Levi is also a really nice guy and makes the hour enjoyable… even when you can’t breathe and feel like you want to die.

I highly recommend taking this class. Luckily, the Groupon is still available and you can purchase it here. We purchased the 4 pack and immediately regretted not getting the 8 pack.