Birthday Weekend!

 I had Thursday and Friday off last week for my birthday, making it a spectacular long birthday weekend!

I enjoyed my birthday breakfast with the boys and then finished off this book for church book club- Where the Fire Falls. LOVED IT!

Then I took them for a walk and Bruno and I did get that run in a Green Lakes.  It was his first excursion there and he was super duper excited.

 It was a darn near perfect day for a run. The trails nearly empty.

We very much enjoyed our time.

My running shoes make me so happy! Especially now that they are slightly dirty and getting broken in. <3 

Hannah made me a super delicious birthday dinner and cake!

The girls got me a pop it because I always seem to mindlessly play with the nephew's when its within reach or at the store :P   And its OLAF.

Coffee. Always. <3

The mister got me two books off my wish list.

Puppy buddy

Friday was pretty low key Friday. I drove the girls to school per usual.  Ryan assisted me in the super frustrating process of activating my new phone.  I took the dogs for a walk and Rhett and I went out for lunch to Heritage Hill Brewery- super yummy.  We both got fried haddock and were so stuffed I didn't have to make dinner :P

Saturday the youth group was having a spaghetti dinner fundraiser.  I walked the dogs, short ish run with Bruno and then dropped Hannah off to help set up. Did some grocery shopping, read some more.  We met Mikayla at church for the dinner and then ended up sitting with my parents too.  <3 The kids did a great job with the dinner! And I won the coffee basket raffle! =D

Sunday was church of course. I made an every plate recipe for dinner- Turkish Chicken  & Rice Bowls- which were super tasty! I made a chickpea version for Mikayla.

*stock photo from EveryPlate

More reading in the afternoon- I am loving this book!

The boys were feeling extra snuggly. Also Chance was snoring :P

And THEN!!! 

It was soooooooo good! We had such a great time! It lived up to all our expectations.  There are no words. We each got an over priced Hamilton T-shirt to commemorate the occasion.  *Totally worth it* Hamilton will once again being playing on repeat.  As we got in the car Hannah laughed and said- So is it too soon to listen to Hamilton? 😂

When we walked out of the theatre to discover it began blizzarding during the show.  The streets were not plowed and it was treacherous.  We made it safely to Mikayla's apartment which is only 10 minutes or so in normal driving conditions.  I called the mister.  He came and rescued Hannah and me, we have to go back tonight and pick up my car.  While we waited I pet her roommate's dog for a while to lower my blood pressure and anxiety.  We got home around midnight, I had trouble falling asleep and morning came far too soon. But I am alive, the sun is out, last night's anxiety is fading and my heart is happy.

Looking forward to seeing what God has for me in the coming year.  Here's to 42...

Catching up.

 Friday after work I went for my first run since New Years Day.  It was so hard! I feel like I am totally back to square one. But it felt great to get back out there.

Saturday I had a headache and just walked the dogs.  

We made these amazing burgers for dinner from my March Tastebuds

And also Loaded Potato Wedges-  so good!

I found a new training plan hopefully to get me back up to 5K fitness. Calling myself active is a bit of a stretch these days but hopefully it will start getting easier!

Monday night I made Weelicious, Catherine McCord's Pressure Cooker Spring Risotto in Bruce 2.  

So yummy! 

Also I was too cheap to buy arborio rice and just use regular white rice... turned out fine.

Last night my 2nd run back- first official training run...

saw some geese...

listened to some Hamilton...

...in preparation for going to see Hamilton on Sunday!!  We are soooo excited!

I tried to make taquitos last night for dinner but my corn tortillas kept breaking so I gave up and made sheet pan nachos instead.

I capped off the evening watching the virtual book launch of Kendra's book The Lazy Genius Kitchen.  Yesterday was supposed to be the actual book launch but some of the first printing ended up at the bottom of the ocean and the book is now coming out May 3.  I preordered just so I could get invited to this virtual party last night and it was delightful!

I came to the end of my list of titles I had planned out for book club.  Which led me to perusing book lists etc to plan more selections. Which in turn added about 50 books to my TBR and now I am feeling completely overwhelmed by it.... but have book club tentatively planned through January of 23- subject to change at my whim of course! :P 

Looking forward to turning 42 tomorrow. NOT being at work! Taking the dogs for a walk, taking Bruno for a run...maybe at the lake depending on if the rain comes or not and curling up with a book for at least part of the day!

Good Samaritan 5K

Just under a couple weeks ago my Mom texted me to see if I was interested in running a 5K (this would be her FIRST!!) with her the following Saturday.  After much debate, I finally conceded. :-)  After all... All I had to do was show up and run ;) How could I refuse?  Mom & Dad even picked up my race packet, and picked me up for the race.

I was super impressed with the Tshirt and other swag, shocked we even got a T since we  registered so late. (Mom is wearing hers in the photos below).  I declared it totally worth it-- just for the race swag as I looked through my loot on the drive there.  There was the long sleeve T, a cinch bag backpack, chap stick, breakfast cookies, pens, notepads, bandaids, sunscreen, all kinds of goodies...all packed in a Wegmans Shopping Bag.

On the way to the race we joked about Mom having just finished the C25K program the day before. Its GRADUATION DAY! :-)

Despite the fact I was on Day 2 of a crippling headache, I still went to the race.  I forced a smile and tried to forget the nausea and my aching head.

Pre Race~~

The race was great.  I stayed by Mom's side, sometimes trailing behind her.  It was a bit of a struggle at points given the way I was feeling that morning... It was beautiful though.  I couldn't help but get lost in the beauty of the day and the run.

Finish Line in our Sights...We were so focused on our goal we didn't even see Dad and Laura.  I did hear them though just before we crossed the Finish.


I couldn't believe the clock was on 31 minutes...Could it be I got a PR?? Even as rotten as I felt!?!


Post Run...Oh So Worth it!

On a whim we went to the awards ceremony.  Mom won a MEDAL! 2nd in her age group.

I came in 7th in my age group (out of 21) and 191 overall (out of 418). Our official race time was 31:59, average pace of 10:40!

It was a great little race.  It was very organized.  Everything from the swag, to the post race snacks were awesome.  Its definitely on my list for next year.  Well done Good Samaritan 5K, well done indeed.

year of running... 2013

I came across this blog link up this morning. How was your year of running?  Right now I am feeling like a fake and a fraud.  My running this week as been nonexistent. :/  At best it has been once a week lately. It makes me sad and grumpy to think about it.

I feel like {at times} the Christmas season is swallowing me whole.  But today is a new day.  I am seeking His joy and not going to get bogged down with the details.

I started running in June.  So really I have only been "a runner", for 6 months.  Not the whole year.  And if you told me last January that I would start running, and run a 5K this year, I would have laughed out loud.  But I did!

Here are my 2013 answers...

What was your:

• Best race experience? I ran my first 5K (and only race to date) August 17 in Erie, PA with my sister and some cousins :) It was fantastic, we had so much fun. And hope to make it an annual tradition.
• Best run? This random November Run; it was snowing {kinda}.  There was nothing super incredible about it, but its the first one that came to mind.  I remember it vividly and it still makes me smile.
• Best new piece of gear?  I was ridiculously excited to find my fleece lined running pants/leggings whatever at Marshall's  =) A bargain and have got me out running the handful of times I have made it outside this season.
• Best piece of running advice you received? Don't give up.  Even now, I am feeling like a fake and fraud, as I previously stated.  But I am not going to quit. I am going to get out there and run some more. A lot of times I don't feel like a real runner.  Especially when I find myself reading and following marathoners.  Those girls are "real runners".  But am learning that it doesn't matter.  Running can be a solitary thing.  I don't need to compete against anyone but me.  As long as I am out there, I am moving forward.  Getting stronger and healthier everyday (I hope).
• Most inspirational runner(s)? My cousin, Kelly and my sister, Laura.  I could not have run the race without my sister by my side.  Learning my cousin was running a half marathon was what truly got me started on my running journey.  I figured if Kelly could run a half, I could at least attempt a 5K.  And even the day of the race as I was huffing and puffing along beside my sister, I kept thinking Kelly is running 13 miles right now...surely I can do 3! 
  Also drew a lot of inspiration from Kelly over at I am running this, hers was the first running blog I started reading :)  I still read it religiously every time I see a new post.
• If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be? Press On.  This has not been an easy year in any way, shape or form.  It has stretched me, I have grown stronger.  I have learned sometimes you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Press on, don't give up, keep moving forward.  You  will get there. ;-)

I was excited this morning to find a new challenge starting in January.  I think I am going to start again with the Couch to 5K program.  I have been such a slacker.  Winter is doing me in and it hasn't even really started yet!  Hopefully I won't be totally back at square one.  I am going to sign up as a "beginner", which is a challenge to do 10 miles per week. Which at this point will be a huge jump.  But I can do it. ;-)


 

wondering...

Has anyone out there done a Virutal Race?

Would it be cool or queer?  Basically paying to run a race by myself? But I'd get a tshirt, and a medal and part of the entry fee goes to Breast Cancer...

Would anyone out there be up for running with me? If I were to decide to do it?  It would be Sunday Oct 27, and I would do it in the afternoon.

I came across this one this morning, and I am having trouble finding a "real" race I can do this fall, given my schedule... You can click on the picture belong to see all the info.

 I want to do the Run or Dye run too, Oct 5th. Just not sure if I can fit it in. And I don't want to run it alone.

This has been a rotten week as far as running goes.  I have not gone out at all.  But this afternoon I will.  I am determined.  I have a 4 pm date with my shoes and the pavement and hopefully-- my son. ;)

better days

Yesterday really was one of those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.  Really it was bad.  And it wasn't really one thing.  It just felt like the weight of my life was crushing me.  That I was suffocating.  Usually when I am at work I can shake it off, focus on the task at hand.  Enjoy the playful banter of my co-workers.  Last night I couldn't.  Part way through the evening my shoulders actually started aching from the weight I felt like I was carrying.  Two of my co-workers actually asked me if I was OK.  The second time, it was past closing, I almost started crying and could not speak.  I had two items in my hand to re-shelve.  DA immediately took one from me, going into a monologue about how it would get better, that things never stay bad.  He kept talking in his cheerful, you just have to love him voice, while I struggled not to break down in tears in front of him.  I succeeded.  And I made it home.  The day was done.  I was done.  I laid motionless on the couch praying for a better day.

And so it shall be.  I will not give into the darkness.  I will not be defeated.

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  Romans 8:31

I finally downloaded race photos today.  As I said previously I was less than thrilled with how they came out.  My bff was quick to point out part of the problem was my giant race shirt.  It was huge.  So probably I don't look my best, never mind that I was in the midst of running over 3 miles and kinda felt like I was dying.  But here's one that isn't too bad.  I think it shows a little determination. And it almost looks like maybe we were running.  Most of our pictures came out looking like we were speed walking instead of running.  I am pretty sure we were running. ;P I even asked my sister, just to be sure when the race photos were posted. "We really were running, right???"

 

But for now I am pushing ahead.  With a better attitude. I only have to work one job today, that's a plus.  I am also taking Mikayla to Freshmen orientation at the High School! How is that even possible, seems like just yesterday it was her first day of Kindergarten!! See...

 

I get to have dinner with my Family tonight, bonus-- it's PIZZA nite!

I DID IT!

I actually did!  I RAN a 5k.  And really ran the whole thing.  I am so thankful for my sister.  Without her by my side I am sure I would have taken a walking break or six.  But even though she could have done way better if she ditched me, she stayed right by my side.  Encouraging me, telling me I could do it! That I would do it!  Later I found it amazing that she could talk to me in a conversational tone throughout the whole run, while during the last mile I was definitely gasping for breath.  Answering with one word or less.  I think I shall add that to my bucket list-- getting to the point where I can talk through a 5K ;P

Friday the Mister and I headed for PA.  The kids had gone ahead with my mom and dad.  My sister and her guy leaving around the same time.  We planned to meet up with my cousins at the convention center around 6 to pick up our race packets.   We arrived pretty much on schedule.  The pack pick up turned out to be a breeze.  We went out to dinner afterwards, at Applebees around the corner from our hotel.  We had such a lovely time.  Laughing, chatting, generally enjoying be together again before heading back to our hotel to catch some shut eye.  Personally though I barely slept a wink.  I always have trouble sleeping in hotels, add to that my race anxiety.  Ugh.

Saturday we left before dawn to head to the race.   We met up on the beach.  Excitement was high.  We were anxious to begin.

My lovely family there to cheer me on. I am so thrilled even my hubby could make this trip with us.



The cousins :) Four of us ran the 5K, Eric and Kelly ran the half marathon.  It was Kelly's first time, she did amazing!


The back of our shirts- "If found on the ground please drag to the finish line"




Our colorful running shoes. :D Well, except for Albert's :P

We stood on the side lines and cheered as Eric and Kelly lined up for the half marathon.

And then it was our turn and we were off and running.  I got such a thrill when we came around a bend, probably somewhere around the first mile and saw my mister and son standing there cheering us on.

I will never forget coming around a bend, hearing the music at the finishing line, seeing the flags and balloons drawing closer.  Searching the crowd for my family.  Feeling triumphant as I crossed the finish line and realized I had done it!

It was hard. It really was.  I am eager to train some more and be able to more confidently run next time.  But I did it! I can't even express how awesome it felt.  I can hardly wait to do my next race.

The cousins and I have pledged to make it an annual event to run a race together.  I am definitely hooked.  I am infinitely grateful that Eric just happened to mention the race at dinner that night almost 3 months ago.  I am thankful for the encouragement from my sister that we could do it!  That it wasn't a crazy idea.