I don't get it...

I'm trying to change the look/feel of my blog. It is a serious work in progress. I don't know how you all do it, because I consider myself fairly literate in the technology world, but I can't figure out how to make a cute blog. I'll have to fix it later :) In the meantime, feel free to help.

Talking Back...

Okay, I'm on board with Heidi... Her "Tag!" post inspired "Talk To Me Tuesday" posts, and I just think it's fun... And quick! Heidi's question is "What's Your Spouses Best Quality?"

Hands down... It is his diligence. He sets his mind to something and accomplishes it, without a doubt. I use the word diligence because it encompasses passion, drive, and determination - all of his best qualities.

Marathon [Tuesday]

Saturday morning I ran the "Pumpkin Dash" 4K with my MIL, SIL & her husband, amongst other friends. Short race, but I ran it at an official pace of 9:24, and I am excited! It helps to have people running with you that not only encourage you, but that you are bound and determined to keep up with! {Thanks, Jenna!} I did not know I had it in me to run at a 9:24 pace, and if I can do it for 4K, certainly I can do it for 5K! Here's to hitting another running goal! This one was not only physical, it was mental. Now I know I can do it and keep pushing on!

Tag!

Well, I have been without internet access for the last few days. Turns out, I can live without it but I sure don't want to... So in the mean time I fell behind on my daily blog reading, and missed Heidi's tag on her blog. But, I started catching up on blogs today and found that I had been, so here goes nothin'...

Here are the seven questions she asked...
1. Do you prefer email, texting, phone calls, or face to face interaction? Why?

I'm a sucker for e-mail, because I can catch up with people at odd hours of the day which is handy with two little ones tugging on my pant legs all day. But, I certainly would prefer face to face interaction with good friends and family!

2. What are your favorite blogs?

I love Kelly's Korner, Kelle Hampton, and many more (listed on the side of my blog)!

3. If you could go anywhere, where would you go and who would you take with you?

That's a great question. One that I'm not sure of the answer to. I can think of so many places that I want to travel, but I think right now I'd opt for Napa Valley with my husband and close friends.

4. Have you and your husband created any traditions for your family? If so, what are they?

Dang it, Heidi. I don't know. Haha! Nothing yet, I feel like life has just been changing so rapidly that we just take life day by day right now. We're going to have to figure this one out. I'm hoping we have traditions that happen "accidentally" as well.
 
5. What's on the menu for your favorite meal? (Recipes optional....) :)

I love anything and everything Wildtree related... But mostly their pizza crust which we just top with Wal-Mart brand pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, beef, black olives and mushrooms. Then, take the left over sauce and toppings and combine it with some noodles, freeze it and enjoy "Pizza Pasta" next week! 


I also love anything that someone else brings over and doesn't require me to do anything but turn on the oven. Haha! I'm not much for the kitchen.


6. What is your favorite date night?

Anything that allows me to wear something outside of my normal SAHM wardrobe! I love having an excuse to wear heels. But the nights that I enjoy the most are just having friends over for dinner and good conversation. I am not a fan of paying a babysitter.

7. What's your goal right now?

To be more diligent about spending time in the word, to improve my running speed and form, and to be 100% debt free.

Now I am tagging these seven people to answer the questions below:


PennyLovesPeanutButter
Yellow Brick Beauty
I can't live without you
OMG Rachel!? 


Okay, who am I kidding? I don't even have seven blog friends to tag (seeing as Heidi and Ashley have already done this)... So, you get four, maybe. Here are your questions:

1. What is your life verse (or quote)?


2. What is your favorite book, other than the Bible?


3. What is the most frugal thing that you do?


4. What is your favorite tip for staying organized?


5. What is your favorite pair of jeans?


6. What was your first date with your spouse/significant other? How did you meet? {two for one}


7. What was your favorite book when you were a kid?

Marathon Monday - So Fun!

I am so happy to say that I think the half-marathon went well on Sunday morning! The whole weekend was just incredible, actually, minus the fact that I missed my babies SO much!

We left early Friday morning for Des Moines. I took advantage of the opportunity to shop child-free and knocked out a few Christmas presents as well as Matthew's birthday present. I was anxious, however, to move on to my baby visits! I was able to visit two of my dearest friends who each had a little boy within the last month. Snuggling with those little boys was so wonderful. There is such a joy in meeting new life. Unfortunately I was so wrapped up in checking out their sweet faces and talking to their mommy's that I totally forgot to take pictures.

Saturday I went to Farmer's Market with my sister, bright and early. That is by far my favorite way to start out Saturdays! We had a very relaxing day, with an amazing sermon at church that evening, which was perfect for the day before a half-marathon. I was nervous that I would not sleep well before the race, but I fell asleep to a college football game (I think Ohio State versus Arkansas?) and was snoozing soundly in bed by 9 p.m. which made my 6 a.m. wake up call incredibly easy. I NEVER get that much sleep! Here I am ready to head out the door. Don't judge... I see no reason to put on makeup or do my hair before a 13.1 mile race:

 

By the grace of God, I was not nervous, at all! Saturday I was very calm, felt prepared and was just excited! Ashley and her husband came to pick me up at 6:45 a.m. and we made our way downtown. I love race crowds. I people watch. I wonder what each runners story is. If this was their first race? If this was their first full marathon, what were they thinking about? How did they feel? Were they nervous? Excited? What made them decide to take up running? What music do they listen to? What was their training program like?

Isaiah 40:31

The full verse reads "Those who hope [trust] in the Lord will find new strength. They will run and not grow weary, the will walk and not grow faint, the will soar high on wings like eagles." I had decided this past week that I was going to write it on my arm, by my watch, so that when I was tempted to see how long I'd been running or how long I had left, I'd remember to trust the Lord to continuously renew my strength. I think this will be my new race "trademark".

Here are Ashley and I around mile two or three, in good spirits, feeling pretty good and excited to see our fans (my sister, Jon and Travis). Out of thousands of people in the crowd, I am seriously impressed that Travis and Jon ended up standing right next to each other just by coincidence. It was such a gorgeous day that I was already handing off my headband to my sis at this point in the race.

Overall, the race went so well! I was not a fan of the fact that the half-marathon loops around and for a period of time you are running the opposite direction of the people ahead of you and right next to them. It made me a bit dizzy and also gave me this strange sensation that even though my feet were moving, I was going nowhere. I hope to have my pace back down to pre-baby time next time I do a long run like this, but am happy with my time (especially since I had to stand in line for a porta-potty, haha!).

This next photo is of me around mile eleven, where I was excited to run into the fan club again! I have my shirt tied around my waist "backwards" so as to keep my bib number showing. This picture was also taken as I was trying my hardest to keep jogging, but as you can see my form was seriously lacking at this point! My "baby" muscles were aching when I got done, and I could definitely feel that I had just given birth to my sweet baby boy three months ago. I think this momma is definitely going to have to start doing some ab workouts! Wow! (once again... don't judge, haha!)

 One of my favorite things about this race? The sweet tech-shirt! Thanks IMT! Actually, I have never run in a full-marathon setting before, and I was seriously impressed by the whole production. Water stations nearly every mile, nor more than two miles in between. "Gu" stations (yuck, by the way, that is the grossest looking stuff I have ever seen), and food galore at the finish line. Mind you, I grabbed a banana and after a 13.1 mile run, it was the most disgusting thing I had ever tasted. I was hungry, yet nauseous, all at the same time!

I am already thinking about my next goal. I need to keep up my running, but without a goal I know it will start to slide. I am going to sleep on it... But... I think it will be to get my 5K pace back down to at least 10 minute miles and then start re-training for a half (or maybe a full, if I am crazy).

Oh... My favorite spectator sign from the day said "<---crazy, ^insane" (crazy pointing in the direction of the half-marathon and insane pointing in the direction of the full). Second runner up was the spectator sign that said "High Five if you still like running". I gave him a high five.

Marathon Monday

This is it folks, the half-marathon is on Sunday! Three short runs this week and then the big race on Sunday morning. Here's to making proper eating decisions and getting plenty of sleep!

Yesterday I ran my last long training run; a ten-miler. Oh my goodness, my legs felt like lead for most of the run, and I'm not sure what the cause of that was, other than possibly lack of sleep the night before. I went out shortly before 11 a.m. and it was over 80 degrees outside. Did I fall asleep and wake up in Florida? I am not complaining about our GORGEOUS weather, I am just confused as to where this beautiful October weather came from.

{On a side note, friends of ours got married yesterday, and what a perfect day it was for a wedding! Congratulations, Taylor & Andy!}

I am excited for Sunday morning, hoping that there is a good crowd of spectators, supportive runners around me and more beautiful weather! I will admit that I did not keep up with the training program 100%. Most notably the strength training portion. It was all I could do, most weeks, to get the training runs in. But, I have to admit that my weekends are not going to seem normal anymore with out my one-to-two hours of running, just me and my thoughts (and Pandora).

I believe I have learned a lot about myself over these last ten or so weeks of training. I learned that despite terrible lyrics, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry really do make for good running music - seriously though, are lyrics such as theirs really considered talent? I hope my children never want to listen to pop radio, haha! I also learned that Eminem is just all around terrible music and not even useful for a good run.

I also learned that the challenge of running can always be put in to perspective. For example, the week that one of my best friends was preparing for a natural (drug-free) labor and delivery, I got through my training with no problem, because I just kept thinking this was such a small feat compared to what she was mentally gearing up for! Then, my friend (and running buddy on Sunday), Ashley, sent me an e-mail about getting through a run one evening by listening to music sung by a cancer survivor.

I think back to 2007, when I ran my first 20K.  Out on a training run, I passed a younger man in a wheel chair and he yelled "keep it up!" As I came back around, exhausted and out of breath and wondering what the heck I was thinking running a 20K, he said to me "I wish I could do that!". When I see friends' facebook status updates related to running I always find myself a bit envious - everyone always seems to be able to run faster for longer and with more enjoyment. But, I can do it. It doesn't matter if I can do it as fast or as well as a friend, what matters is that I can.

I owe a huge thank you to my husband who would not let me talk myself out of my long runs on the weekends and who held down the fort every Saturday or Sunday as I went out an enjoyed the fresh air for a couple of hours.

As I ran today, I prayed, because ten felt like such a struggle and the thought of thirteen was scaring me. I prayed because I know that running this half-marathon is not of my own doing, but that it is through the Lord I am able to find the physical and mental strength to accomplish this. I prayed that on Sunday morning He will run behind me and push. I am reminded that He is God and that those who trust in the Lord will find new strength, run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31). And, I prayed that I will just go out there and have fun!

My first 20K

To-Do: Blog

Lately, I feel like if my head weren't attached I'd forget it as I walk out the door each morning!

This past week I finally started making one huge to-do list. I even took a photo of it, because it looked monstrous, but then chose not to post it because you would all probably laugh at some of the things I had to write down for myself. I literally put everything except for eating, sleeping, breathing and going to the bathroom on the list. Once I made the list, then I wrote down goal dates for each task. Then I created a daily to-do list from there. Ridiculous? I'm not sure, but it made me feel more sane and certainly more organized.

I have fallen way behind in blogging (well, if that is something you can really fall "behind" on), but today as I was tackling my last long run before the half-marathon, I was conjuring up all of sorts of various blog posts and felt the need to just sit down and write.

We are all busy people. We all have the same 24-hours in the day, and I wonder how all of you organize yours to make the most of them. I am trying to become a more organized person and would love to hear ideas!

.blessed.: Just lookin'

.blessed.: Just lookin': "Owen is three months old! No time to blog today, just wanted to post a picture of Matthew right at three months and a photo of Owen. Just lo..."

Wordless Wednesday