Running...

http://bruterunningshoes.com/

I've been relatively quiet about it because, well, I didn't think it was who I am. I'm a mom, musician, wannabe photographer, wannabe baker, wife, etc. But I'm not .... Gasp ..... A runner. 


Runners are ultra thin. They think of nothing but running. They spends hundreds of dollars every year on shoes and appropriate attire and race entry fees. I'm not one of THOSE!


But .... I am. Maybe not an extreme runner, but I have become a runner.


It started 4 years ago when we moved from an apartment with a gym to a house. Lack of money meant we had to be creative with exercising. So we each took up running.


It started as a way to keep the weight off that we had both just spent 6 months losing. And that's all it was for me. Just fitness. I didn't run far, just enough to say I did my 20 min of cardio every day. Then I got pregnant. An excuse to stop running (i kept walking, though).


After Audrey was born I started running again, but had a hard time fitting it in my schedule. Then before I had a chance to get serious and make it a priority, I got pregnant again. Another fantastic excuse not to run.


After Annie was born I found myself uncomfortable with my body. I didn't like the size I was. I didn't like the way clothes fit. I didn't like how I looked. I didn't like how awkward I felt. The only solution was to start running again. No excuses.


Since I was breastfeeding and didn't want to lose too much too fast, I didn't go crazy. Just running for my cardio. Tried to do a Couch to 5K running program. Got almost finished with it and had to go back to work. The only time I could logistically fit in a run was during my lunch.


I never had any real ambitions, just to be able to run and perhaps complete a 5K (our town puts on a great St. Patrick's festival and hosts a 5K fun run as part of it).


So I brought my running gear to work and would go out and run a mile at lunch. That mile turned into 2. Then 2 1/2. Then 3. In October my husband challenged me to run 5 miles with him. I actually did it and continued to run 5 miles with him once a week or so. Then 2 months later he challenged me to run 9 miles when we visited his mom. We did that.


Suddenly it donned on me.

• I think about running all the time. 
• I worry about when I'm going to fit it in. 
• How far am I going to go? 
• What if it's too cold or windy or too hot?
• Did my clothes get clean?
• What am I going to eat to make sure I'm nourished for my run?
• What about strength training? What should I add?
• How am I going to afford new shoes?
• Did I charge my ipod?
• What about my Garmin?  Is that ready to go?

Yep ... I've officially become one of THOSE people.  But I told myself over and over again, I'm not a runner.  I'm not serious.  Shortly after running 9 miles a friend said that the three of us (me, Josh and friend) should run 13.1 together.  He's done it before, it would be great for Josh and me to add it to our running resume.  Yikes!  A half marathon?  OK.  Maybe come fall we can run one.  But I won't be ready for it before then.


Then again ..............


Perusing Active.com (which I do from time to time ... more evidence that I'm one of THOSE) I found a half marathon just 30 miles away in May.  May?  I could do that.  And it's a girls run.  Lots of hot pink.  Boas and tiaras.  Champagne when you cross the finish line.  Oh that is TOTALLY my cup of tea.  I found and printed a training program for beginners.  It only takes 9 weeks to up my mileage to be able to run a half marathon.


Deep in the back of my mind I don't think I can do it because, you see, I'm not a runner.


But I do run.


Beginning next week I shall begin training for a half marathon.

Annie - almost 14 months

It seems like it's been forever since I've done a progress post on either girl. To be totally cliche, I'm just super busy and don't have time to sit at my computer more than I have to for work.


Let's update on Annie.

• She's almost 14 months.
• She's about 20 lbs.
• She is walking about 95% of the time.
• She has enough (blonde) hair to see and get messy, but not enough to style.
• Her eyes are brown.  Real brown.  
• She says "hi," "please," "thank you," "mama," "dada."
• In addition to her words, she also signs "more," please," and waves.  I'm working on adding more signs, but that's all that she really needs right now.  
• For comfort, she likes to grab my hair and pet me.  It can be kinda painful.
• She has 8 teeth.  She didn't get any teeth until the day before her first birthday, and since that time (less than 2 months), she's cut EIGHT.
• She plays with Audrey all the time and, in true little sister fashion, is always curious what her big sister is doing and wants to help or join in.  And if she can't then she'll spoil the fun.
• She plays by herself quite a bit too.  She actually does better with that than Audrey ever has.  It's refreshing, especially since she has been such a fussy baby.

Speaking of playing by herself, I caught her playing with this block-train puzzle.  She saw me with the camera and tried to come see me, but I made her play just a little bit longer for some photos.  








She's my inquisitive one.  People who don't know her always comment on how serious she looks.  Well, she's checking you out.  She's sizing you up.  She's figuring things out.  She gets the low-down on everyone she meets and all her new environments before deciding it's OK to be there or interact with you.  After she does that, she's all smiles.


She's also a problem solver.  She inspects something and gets all the ins-and-outs of it first, before really playing with it. Then she figures out how to open it and how it works.  She takes it apart.  She has engineer written all over her.


It amazes me constantly how different siblings can be from each other.  Annie and Audrey as almost complete opposites.  They were in the womb, as babies, and now as toddlers.

Baking...

Audrey has really taken an interest in my baking projects in the kitchen.  I'm not baking nearly as much as I should be, and not doing anything super fancy; actually, what I'm doing is perfect to have Audrey's help.


Last week I did brownies, this weekend I made cheese crackers (think pretend cheeze-its).  I initially started cutting them out as hearts, but that was very daunting, as I figured it would be.  So mostly they were random.  Some hearts, some the outline of a heart, some scrappy, lots of squares.

She really liked the cutting part of the project

more cutting and shaping

hearts - freestyle

The recipe I found is here ... http://www.missanthropistskitchen.com/2011/06/22/homemade-goldfish-crackers-with-a-homemade-goldfish-cookie-cutter/ (I used jack cheese, so mine are white). They were very yummy and got the approval of every family member.

Mommy and me Monday ... Brownies

Our dessert of the weekend was brownies.  These awesome amazing fantastic ooey-gooey brownies.

Audrey wanted to help, so it was a girls project in the kitchen.

Step 1. Mix the cookies

Step 2. Put oreos on top of cookie batter

Step 3. Mix the brownies

After it's all done .... like the spoon.

Funny ... I didn't even have to teach her to lick the spoon.  She just dug right in after I poured the batter into the pan.

Go check out Krystyn for more Mommy and Me Monday posts.

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

Pop Culture Reflection ...

So I saw this somewhat funny/satirical article posted and read it and was annoyed.  But couldn't put a finger on why.  Then my annoyance went to insulted and offended, but still couldn't put it into words.  It took me a little bit, but I finally figured it out:

Who’s to say that God didn’t intervene in the tornado, or other things that were listed.  We don’t know how God chose to act in each situation – maybe a single baby was saved; someone stayed late at work to finish something up and didn’t get in the tornado’s path; a family had just enough time to get to shelter; etc. 

Look at Job.  Job couldn’t hear the conversations that God and Satan were having.  He just knew that his family was gone, he was sick, his possessions were gone, etc.  But God was there the entire time.  God was protecting Job by talking with Satan first.  By giving Satan boundaries. 

Tebow is praising God and thanking God and recognizing that his athletic ability isn’t his own.  And while God may not have a part in a win or a touchdown, God did give Tebow the talent and he’s giving credit where credit is due.  Tebow is one man doing what God commanded His people to do, to go forth and multiply, baptizing nations.  To spread the word.  To not be ashamed of the gospel.  Tebow has done nothing wrong in his outspoken faith, and I'm constantly offended at the display the media has made of him.  

Hats off to you, Tim Tebow, for being more graceful and gracious and forgiving than I could be in your shoes.  Thank you for being the example of praising God for your gifts and turning the other cheek.