Claiming the Bed During these mornings, I’ve mastered the art of bed-claiming, using my buddy Stitch as a comfy pillow. Just when I’m deep in dreamland, though, I get woken up for photos. Why, pawrents, why? Can’t a girl get some uninterrupted sleep?

Bath Time Ordeal This week also included the dreaded bath time. I’m not a fan, and this time, Dad tried to coax me out of bed at 7:00 pm for a shower – how inconsiderate! In my attempt to escape, I accidentally scratched Dad – sorry, but baths are just not my thing!

Post-Bath Frustrations And then there’s the post-bath photoshoot. Seriously, Mom, do we need pictures every time? I just want to go back to bed. Yes, I know I look fabulous in my towel-dried state, but can we hurry up?

Beauty Sleep Needed Finally, I returned to bed for some much-needed beauty rest. I’ve heard it’s important for a girl like me.

Signing Off with a Selfie Alright, it’s nap time for me. But first, let me try this self-timer for a quick photo – still working on it. Here’s my close-up shot for all my friends!

Until Next Time Stay tuned for more of my adventures, friends! Until then, nap well!

The post Doras Corner Beauty Sleep appeared first on Aj in the Life.

This year, we decided to visit the place where it all began, Disneyland in
Anaheim California.

Disneyland is personally our favorite park.
It is the original, Walt‚’s
park.
There is just something special and charming about Disneyland.
Just
like last year, we decided to go during the holidays.

This year, the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort run from November 9, 2018-
January 6, 2019.
We went during the first weekend, and had a blast!
The Food
Disneyland Resort went all out with their special holiday food and even
prepared a Foodie Guide to 2018 Holidays at Disney Resort! I couldn‚’t believe my eyes when I saw all the options the resort was
offering in 2018.
They also have the Festival of Holidays at Disney
California Adventure and prepared yet another Foodie Guide to 2018 Festival of Holidays.
There was honestly no way for us to eat everything in two days, so we
just enjoyed a few.
Here‚’s a list of what we had:
Disneyland Park
Peppermint Holiday Sundae at Gibson Girl Ice Cream ParlorGingerbread Creme Brulee at Blue BayouChurro with crushed pretzel and peppermint at the churro cart near Big
Thunder MountainCandy Cane Beignets – Mint Julep BarLumps of Coal Beignets – Cafe Orleans
California Adventure
Peppermint Churro at the churro cart near the Redwood Creek Trail
Festival of Holidays
Reuben Potato Tots with Russian Dressing and Rye Toast at Favorite Things
Our ultimate favorites that we would definitely eat again are the
peppermint holiday sundae, gingerbread creme brulee, candy cane beignets,
and the peppermint churro.

The Decor
I‚’ve said it before and I‚’ll say it again‚Äö√Ѭ∂holidays plus Disney is the best
combination.
We simply can‚’t get enough.

I wish we had more time to take it all in.
Disney does it best! I mean just
look at how magical the castle and it‚’s a small world look.
The rest of the
park is decked out too!
If you can, try to visit the parks during the holiday season.
It can get
really crowded, but if you utilize MaxPass and take some time to relax or sit down for a meal, the crowds don‚’t seem
too bad.
Trust us, you won‚’t regret it!
I‚’ll do another post in the coming weeks that shows everything we did eachday! There‚’s simply nothing like walking down Main Street USA toward Sleeping
Beauty Castle during the holidays.
It might even snow on you!

The post Holidays At The Disneyland Resort 2018 appeared first on Aj in the Life.

Festive Preparations at Home At home, the Christmas tree is up, and I’ve noticed my pawrents bringing home intriguing boxes and packages. Naturally, I assume they’re filled with treats for me, their spoiled princess. I’ve been nosily investigating because, after all, Christmas is nearing!

Last Year’s Christmas Memories In anticipation of the upcoming celebrations, let me share what I got last Christmas. There was an attempt to dress me up as a reindeer – quite a mismatch, given that I’m a proud dog. Despite my lack of enthusiasm for the reindeer look, I played along for the sake of more gifts.

Gifts Galore I uncovered a festive collar, a cozy new nap blanket, and a fun toy from my gift bag. Nap blankets are my absolute favorite, especially for nibbling! Then came the posing session – I must say, I’m quite the professional.

Post-Reindeer Joy Once freed from the reindeer attire, I thoroughly enjoyed my gifts. My soft penguin blanket remains a favorite, and the reindeer toy survives in my toy box, albeit with one ear missing. As for the reindeer ears and collar, their whereabouts are unknown, and I hope they stay that way. But, with Christmas approaching, I’m bracing myself for their possible return. I’ll keep you all updated, friends!

The post Doras Corner Week 4 appeared first on Aj in the Life.

My daily routine is all thrown out of whack! Gone are my midmorning naps,
noon naps, and afternoon naps in peace.
I keep getting bothered with
snuggles.
What is happening? I am SO tired!
But, there are a few pawsitives to this situation‚

1.I get to enjoy the air conditioning all day long! Sometimes I just hang
out under Mom‚’s desk (aka the dining table).

I still go outside as I please, of course.

Mom & Dad are my personal door openers at my beck and
call.

2.I am now Dad‚’s supervisor.
I look over his work and make sure he is doing
everything properly.
I also realized that I enjoy being a lap dog!

3. I feel more attached to Mom & Dad than ever! Literally attached.
This way
if they move, I KNOW!

4. We are spending a lot of time in our backyard.
I‚’ve always loved yard
time and sunbathing and now we enjoy it several times a week!
Rolling in the grass is so satisfying!
I don‚’t mind posing for photoshoots as long as I can sunbathe.
Get all my
angles Mom!
Alright, telling Mom what to type is exhausting.
Time for me to take my nap.
Please don‚’t wake me up Dad!
I‚’ll try to keep my posts coming.
Keep bothering Mom to do my typing!
Until next time, friends!

The post Doras Corner Home All Day appeared first on Aj in the Life.

I woke up today with a continued sense of purpose.
I had a great sleep,
with some weird dreams that included a dinosaur made out of a cloud that
screamed and then exploded into rain…glad I survived the dream.
On our morning walk, I paid close attention to some new aches and pains.

Mainly I had some tenderness from my trail run.
What a grand idea that was.

By the end of the walk, my body had woken up a bit and I was ready to go.
The weather was a few degrees warmer than yesterday with a little more
humidity.
I could feel it.
But this is Hawaii, so I just learn to deal with
it.
I got my Tailwind ready to go, and gulped down a SIS gel for good
measure.
If you haven‚’t had one of these gels, they are my personal
favorite, and what I use for all marathons.

I also brought out some new shoes.
It is important to cycle through shoes
when you are running long distances.
I rotate between 7-8 pairs.
It keeps
the foam cushion from getting compressed too much, so they last longer.
At
least that is what I tell Janell.

Music of choice today was Taylor Swift radio, starting with “Blank Space”.

With my headphones on, I was ready to go.
As mentioned, it was warmer today than on day 1.
So I had every intention
to take it easy.
But after doing a new activation drill from Purple Patch
(my new triathlon program), I actually started hot out the gates.
In fact,
I ran today‚’s 10 miles over 2 minutes faster than yesterday‚’s! Whoops.
I did take the same number of breaks, and my heart rate was only 1 bpm
higher on average, but my stride was a little longer (perhaps from the
activation drills).
I guess we will see how bad an idea it was tomorrow.
26 down.
74 to go.
For my second run of the day, I decided to stay on the road vice the
trails.
As much as I would have loved to be back in the mountains, my
ankles were a little stiff today from all the rock and rolls, so I gave
them a rest.
Despite the weather app saying it felt like 72 degrees, the humidity in the
afternoon made it feel like it was 85 degrees.
I got out another new pair
of shoes, or lightly used pair rather, and put on my cool kid glasses.
I
figured that if nothing else, at least I would be running in style.

Since I listened to only Tay Tay this morning, I switched it up with some
old school (for me) All out 90‚’s.
Nothing like running to the beat of “My
Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion…
After another round of activation drills, I was on my way.
Surprisingly, my
legs weren‚’t heavy feeling at this point.
I was however still running a bit
quicker than I planned, so my walk breaks were important.

I was getting more and more drenched in sweat, and tried not to think about
the smells that were going to be ingrained in my shirt after this run.

Again my run was quicker than the previous day, granted, it was an “easier”
run with half the elevation gain.

32 down.
68 to go.
I made sure to have a post run recovery shake, treat, and hydration (Liquid
IV).
That GF banana bread was surely pushing me to finish today!
All in all, I was happy with another day completed.
With some aches from
day 1, it will be interesting how long I last tomorrow on my long 15 mile
run.
I think I will still wake up motivated, knowing that I will be half
way through once it is done.
However, I will probably start to feel the
previous 32 miles with each step.
Some of the tools I have been using for a while now for recovery include
the Hyperice Vyper vibrating roller and the Hyperice Hypervolt massager.

After a good 20 minute session with these bad boys, I am usually feeling a
lot better.
Time will tell.
Two days down.
Four more to go.

Thanks for reading!
PrefaceDay 1: Miles 0-16Day 3: Miles 33-47Day 4: Miles 48-63Day 5: Miles 64-73Day 6: Miles 74-100

The post My First 100 Mile Week Day 2 appeared first on Aj in the Life.

No matter what you think you are capable of, you are forced to toe the line
come race day, and give everything you have.

Sometimes, you are lucky enough to get more out of yourself than you knew
possible.
Other times you don‚’t.

I went into my second Ironman with huge expectations for myself personally.

However, before I even got to the starting line, I was spiraling downward.
Day Before the Race
I can blame it on Chipotle, the lake water, Burmese food, banana bread,
nerves, the airplane, travel, or a million other things.
I‚’ll probably
never know what it actually was.
All that mattered is on Friday before the
race, my stomach wasn‚’t normal.

On Friday I didn‚’t eat breakfast, barely ate lunch, and had leftovers for
dinner.
I was in bed at 6:00 PM, ready to rest up and go to war the next
day.
However, I awoke at 9:00 PM not able to sleep.
My stomach was bloated, full
and uncomfortable.
Probably race nerves I thought.

Race Morning
I tossed and turned until my alarm went off at 1:45 AM, and started my
pre-race routine.
I drank my Zipfizz and Liquid IV, and waited to clear the
system (and the discomfort).
I waited, and waited, and waited.
Nothing.
I was so full and starting to
get nauseous, that I couldn‚’t even eat my pre-race meal, a bowl of oatmeal.
Despite the morning not starting off great, the bus was not going to wait
for me, so we left the room and made our way to the venue at 4:15 AM.

Once we got to the race start, I continued to follow the rest of my
pre-race routine.
I checked my tires, checked my gears, loaded my
nutrition.
Everything was good…except my stomach.
I asked a few EMTs if they had anything for bloat.
They laughed and
dismissed it as nerves and constipation.

I tried one last desperate maneuver a few minutes before the race at the
portapotty, but that didn‚’t help.
The last thing I was in the mood for at this point was 140.6 miles.

Swim
I did my best on the swim, and thought I was getting a pretty good rhythm
at some points.
The water temperature was a perfect 66 degrees, and the
conditions were primed for a big day.
No sun in the eyes, slightly
overcast, light breeze on the water (minimal waves).

I burped a few times, and even threw up a little in my mouth at one point,
but I was trying to focus on swimming and not my stomach.
A mouthful of
lake water cleared the taste, and I continued on (perhaps too much lake
water).

I kept zoning in-and-out, which is fairly normal for me on long swims.
Once
I made the turn to start lap two, I was more focused since I was eager to
get it done.

I made a choice (first time ever) to not have my watch track my swim in a
race.
I figured it usually depresses me anyway, and it gets stuck when
removing my wet-suit.
Swim Time: 1:17:39.
Considering how much I have improved in the pool in the last year, I was
expecting a better time.
However, under the circumstances, I‚’m not too
upset with my time.

Bike
The boat ramp after the swim was the steepest incline we would face all
day.
After an ok swim, and a trek up that ramp, I wanted to stop and call
it a day.

However, I have heard numerous stories of others who find their legs on the
bike, and turn things around.
So I pushed on.

But after exiting the bike area, and hitting my first bump of the day
(there were about 1000), I lost one of my two nutrition bottles.
I had
about 2 seconds to think about stopping.
I thought it was dangerous to stop
at that point, since it was 100 yards after the mount line, so I just kept
going.
My stomach was still bloated, but I thought the bike might help loosen me
up.
Except, my stomach was so distended, that each time I pedaled, I hit my
stomach (not normal for me).
That is 90 times a minute for 5 hours and 47
minutes.

Needless to say, it didn‚’t feel good.
I even felt like throwing up each
time I took a sip of my nutrition.
This led to lots of burps, not a lot of
nutrition, and an underwhelming bike split.

Honestly, I felt pretty good on the bike for about two and a half hours.

Which is about the time I probably hit the “wall”.
So I started to fade on
the bike, and my power dropped.

It was pretty interesting because I had no energy in my legs, and I could
feel it.
The rolling hills were getting tough, and the bumpy roads were
starting to destroy my neck and forearms.
I had to sit up a bunch, which
lost so much free speed.

Then I dropped my chain as I started a climb, my fault.
Somehow I managed
to lose less than a minute of time from that.

I later also had to stop because one of my aero bars came loose from all
the bumps! Lost another 2 minutes for that.

For both issues, looking back, I thought I handled them pretty well.
I
didn‚’t panic, and methodically took care of them.
In the moment it seemed
like I lost 5-7 minutes, but I actually only lost 3!
I saw my family around mile 90, and that helped get me through a few more
miles.
But that was it.
The wheels were falling off (figuratively).
The last 10 miles on the bike seemed like the longest, and I was just
praying I would see the final turn soon.
I drank as much Gatorade as I
could handle, knowing I was screwed once I started the run if I didn‚’t have
more in me (big mistake).
Once I did see the final turn, I unstrapped my shoes, and gracefully
(almost fell down) dismounted.
Only a marathon to go….maybe.
Bike Time: 5:47:49.
This was a PR, but could have been at least 30 minutes faster.
Bittersweet.

Run
I mapped out in my head where my bags were hanging for both T1 and T2.

However, once I got there, I was in such a daze, I just let the volunteers
grab it.
I literally couldn‚’t remember my bag was one of the first ones‚Äö√Ѭ∂.
I grabbed my bag from the volunteer, and slowly made my way into the
changing tent.
As I walked to the very back of the tent, everyone around me
was moving as fast as they possibly could.
I felt like I was moving in slow
motion.

I knew my time goal was beyond repair, so I just wanted to finish, even if
it took me 8 hours (I have run a sub 3 hour marathon before, so 8 hours is
a lot relatively speaking).
I sat in my chair and contemplated quitting.
But I am not a quitter.
I
don‚’t even know what that means.
I knew it would hurt.
I knew I didn‚’t feel
good.
I knew I was so behind on nutrition, I was running on pure guts.
So I
ate my SIS gel, got up, and started to move.

Seeing my family out of T2 was refreshing.
They were so positive.
So
encouraging.
They had no idea what a mess I was.
But there was no way I
could let them down.
No way.

I told them I might have to walk the whole thing, and they responded “That
is fine.
We will be here for you!”.
Are you kidding me! I almost broke down
in tears knowing I have that much support.

So I let my Nike Vaporfly 4%‚’s start to run for me (yes for $250 the shoes
actually do all the work!…I wish).

I set some simple goals so that I wasn‚’t overwhelmed by the entirety of the
marathon.
The course was 3 laps, each about 8.75 miles.
I kept telling
myself that it was just 3 rounds of my typical morning run.
I also figured I would be walking early, so I tried focusing on running for
5 minutes and walking for 1.
Then walking each aid station.
Slowly but
surely I would do it.

After the first aid station, in which I had some magic Coke, Red Bull, and
water, I started to feel a little queasy.
So I leaned over the side of the
trail and had the most projectile vomiting I have ever seen.
It was
something out of the movies.
Three vomits later, I felt amazing…but I
didn‚’t have any more Gatorade in me.
I had a little pep in my step, but was still so low on energy, I was
shuffling along at a pace I never actually run at, a zone 1 pace.
Oh well.

The distant sounds of the volunteers at each aid station were like heaven
to the ears.
Before I knew it, I was finishing lap 1.

I stopped for a conversation with my family, who were waiting near the turn
around, and explained how much “fun” I was having.
They kept cheering me
on.

I later found out that they were able to go eat ice cream and relax in
between each time I saw them.
The entire race, I felt so bad because I
thought they were standing in the same spot for 5 hours! It never donned on
me that they would move!
So I started the next lap, with more walking, encouraging fellow athletes,
drinking Red Bull and Coke and eating my SIS gels.
Trying to keep down
whatever I could (which wasn‚’t much).
I even saw a friend on the run a few
times, and he kept telling me to just keep moving forward.
So I did.
Another lap done…one to go.
This race was far from in the bag.
While I was
physically functioning at 60% effort, I could have very easily shut down
due to lack of nutrition.
But I asked God for one thing before the race
started, and that was to get to the finish line.

So I left for one final lap.
I had no time goals at this point.
I just
wanted to finish.
I knew I was slower than my first Ironman on the run, and
probably overall.
But I just needed to get my medal.
My sister made a sign that read “Remember you paid for this.” That made me
laugh because a major factor of finishing was the fact that I paid so much
for it!
Strava was also running a promotion that said if you finish your
half-marathon or marathon with your last mile being your fastest, they
would give $10 to a charity.
I knew this, and figured that I was running so
slow to start, this should be possible.

So at mile 24.5, I started to empty the tank.
I picked up my stride, and it
felt great.
I was finally running and not jogging in place.
I was actually
following another runner who had also picked up his pace quite a bit.
And
then I passed him.
And then I passed about 20 people who had been in front
of me all race.

As I made the final few turns, I started to look around to see how much
space was between me and the next person behind me.
I knew that if I slowed
down, I would be able to have a small window to cross the finish line
alone.

But that wasn‚’t in the cards this day.
As I found my family cheering me on
one last time, the athlete in front of me tripped on the red carpet and
fell.
I stopped my celebration and helped him to his feet, and we finished
together.
It was the fitting end to a not so perfect day.
But nothing mattered.
It
was over.
I got my medal, gave away my timing chip, took a finisher
picture, and then sat on the curb.

I wept.
I let it out.
It was such a long and mentally exhausting day.
So
many expectations and hours went into the race.
I was heart broken, but
proud I was able to overcome so much.

Run Time: 4:23:35.
My run was still faster than my first stand alone marathon 7 years ago!!!
Final Thoughts
Ironman races are humbling.

I have had every race go so smoothly for me, that Murphy‚’s Law hit me
across the face in this race.

I was humbled to see all the other athletes, old and young, pushing around
me.
I wanted to quit, but then I saw real pain on their faces, and I felt
like my problems were so small.
I knew I couldn‚’t give up because they
weren‚’t giving up.
No matter how bad I thought I didn‚’t want to be there.

I was/am very grateful to have such an amazing support crew for my races,
and for life.
I wouldn‚’t have crossed that finish line without them.
I got to experience a true Ironman race.
Not giving up.
Getting tough when
things are hard.
And realizing anything is possible.

PRs and Kona slots will come, but if it were easy, anyone could do it.
I
know what needs to be done…and mark my words, I will get my revenge on
Ironman Santa Rosa.

The post My Thoughts Ironman Santa Rosa 2019 appeared first on Aj in the Life.

If you are from a country that isn’t Japan, you might not know what a Suica card is. In Japan, there are several different IC cards that are used as debit cards for things such as transportation, convenience store, vending machine, and even some restaurant purchases. Most areas across Japan will accept IC cards from a different region in Japan.

However, with technological advances, you can finally add an IC card to your Apple Wallet on your iPhone and just tap your phone to pay for things!

Before I explain how to do this, let’s explore why this is a game changer for Japan travel.

1. It is convenient. Personally I think it is easier to take out my phone to pay for things rather than my card or ticket at the train stations. A simple tap of my phone and the gate opens (no need for buttons, facial recognition, etc.).
2. You are more likely to misplace your card than your phone, so it is safer (for most of us at least).
3. You can update the balance on your card WHEREEVER you want and WHENEVER you want. Yes, that means when you are not in Japan and your home currency is stronger than the Yen.
4. You can add to your balance with a credit card (if it is set up in your Apple Wallet already).
5. You don’t pay additional Apple fees when you add to the balance.
6. If your credit card doesn’t have foreign transaction fees, you will be adding money to your card at the market rate! Which means reward points/miles and the best exchange rate you can get!
7. You can monitor your balance and see transactions on your phone, easily checking how much money is left.

In order to set up your Suica card (you can do it in your home country), you need to do the following:

1. First, set the region of your iPhone to Japan. Go to Settings > General > Language & Region > Region > Japan (You can leave your iPhone Language in English because that’s not important for this).
2. Next, open the Wallet app, and add a transportation card (there should be a prompt for a Suica card).
3. You can either transfer an existing card or add a new digital card. Just follow the on screen instructions. If you add an existing card, the $5 deposit that was made when you purchased the card will get transferred as a usable balance. Keep in mind that the physical card will no longer work once the balance is transferred.
4. Switch your region back to where you are from following step 1.
5. Enjoy!

If you need more information on the setup process, you can check out the Apple support forums. There are also tips on using Apple pay with the Suica card here. Lastly, there is also a $200 maximum.

There you have it! Our latest and greatest tip for Japan travel. Keep in mind that many people don’t know about this since it only started in April 2019. Rates and fees could always change if they realize how good a deal it is.

We started with a Pasmo card back in 2015, which we will just hold onto. If you are in a similar position, you can return your other IC card to a ticketing office and get your deposit back.

Another thing to note is that the Suica card is linked to your iCloud account and not your phone. So if you get a new phone, you have to remove the card from one phone before adding it to the new phone. I would recommend a screen shot of the balance before the transfer.

Let us know if you have questions! Good luck and enjoy!

The post Use a Suica Card on Your iPhone in Japan appeared first on Aj in the Life.

World of Color Dining Package Experience Last year, we enjoyed the Fantastic Dining Package at Blue Bayou, and this year, we opted for the World of Color dining package at Carthay Circle in Disney’s California Adventure Park. Since our visit was in early November, we were treated to the World of Color Season of Light Holiday Show.

Dining Package Options The World of Color Dining Package includes a multi-course meal and reserved viewing tickets for the show. The participating restaurants in 2019 were:

• Wine Country Trattoria (Lunch/Dinner: $50 for adults, $25 for children)
• Storyteller’s Cafe (Dinner: $50 for adults, $25 for children)
• Carthay Circle Restaurant (Lunch: $56 for adults, Dinner: $74 for adults, $25 for children for both)

We chose the lunch package at Carthay Circle Restaurant for its more affordable pricing and the early show reservation.

Reservations and Menu Reservations are highly recommended and can be made 60 days in advance. The 2019 lunch menu offered a selection of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Our choices included Fairytale pumpkin soup, Baja White Shrimp, Carthay Salad, Pork Chop, and desserts like the Honey Crisp Apple Tart and Triple Chocolate Verrine.

A Relaxing Lunch The meal at Carthay Circle was both delicious and relaxing, providing a nice break during a busy day at the park. They also catered to dietary needs, offering gluten-free bread.

World of Color Viewing Experience For the World of Color Season of Light, we checked into our reserved area at 8:25 PM. Despite being early, we found the central area quite accessible. However, some stage equipment from the Festival of Holidays needed repositioning, slightly affecting our viewing location. Nonetheless, we enjoyed an unobstructed view of the show and got a bit wet due to the wind.

Overall Impressions The World of Color Season of Light show was delightful and definitely got us into the holiday spirit. Though we missed the original World of Color Show, this experience leaves us eager for a return visit. We’re curious to hear from others who’ve experienced the Carthay Circle Dining Package – where was your viewing area?

The post Carthay Circle Lunch World Of Color Dining Package appeared first on Aj in the Life.