Why I run...

Happy Tuesday!
Yesterday I showed you a lovely picture of me...all covered in mud.
It was kind a really huge deal for me. Wanna know why?
Yep....I'm about to tell you why...brace yourself!!!

So...I danced when I was little. I danced and I loved it.
I had the best teachers. I started with tap...then I quit and moved
to ballet...there was one little problem. My knees were KILLING me!
So then I quit. No good. I was sad. They just kept hurting...nothing really
helped. Doc said I would grow out of it. I didn't...I started swimming and that wasn't
too bad. But still there was no running. Because...ouch! All the time!
I just figured I wasn't made for running...it became my mantra...
"you're not a runner...you're not a runner"

I don't know what changed, but one day I decided I wasn't
going to let my body tell me what my limitations were anymore.
So I started running...on our treadmill. I think I started the year
after Shane was born. He will be eight this year. I wouldn't
even run outside...I had visions of Phoebe from friends
running through Central Park...arms waving wildly...gulp!
Last year a great group of gals asked if I would like to join them...
They ran in the wee hours of the morning...when its dark, and nobody can really see you!
I was ridiculous. Could barely make it 100 feet! I would get so frustrated.
When oh when would I be able to run a mile???
One day it finally just clicked. I'm still super slow. But I can do it! Yay!
So thats why I was so nervous about the run. I really didn't want to fail.
Also..my sweet little girl was there watching me. I think that was even more scary.
I really wanted to impress her. I know...I'm ridiculous. She though it was
so funny that I was gonna be tromping through the mud...rolling around in the mud.
Fully submerged in muddy, dirty, nastiness. She was literally dancing around the house
that morning! She used my phone to video me...and I loved seeing her there on the sidelines:)
"Mom, that was awesome!" followed by "Thank you SO much for letting me watch you!"
Yeah. It was pretty much epic. My mommy heart was full...super, super full!

On the running front...we are currently doing interval training...hopefully
I will improve my speed. (crossing fingers) Now I am stalking around
the web...looking for new runs to run. I really can't wait. Really!

And then there is the mommy aside of things...it seems that I have regained my
coolness factor in my daughter's eyes...for now.

Run, runng, ran...

So...I did it. I ran my first official run. I did pretty good...I let myself get super nervous and worked up..

So I almost puked my guts out. Then I decided to stop being a giant baby and get my butt in gear.

I have no idea how long it took me...but, whew! It exhausted me! Here's a little after picture.

I had to shower with my clothes on...I was totally caked in mud. I had mud in my ears.

Can't wait for the next one!

After my mud run...we got ready to go watch one of my very best besties graduate from

Law School. I am beyond proud of her! I took pictures...but they are stuck on my camera...

Hopefully I can share them soon!

I did really good this week...I only messed up once. I'm gonna try to stick with last weeks goals...and add

three new goals this week. Yikes! Kidding...I know I can do it:)

1. Eat breakfast. I never do. I know I need to.

2. Cut down on the sugar intake. The major culprit is my coffee. I love the fancyshmancy creamer...and I love a LOT in my coffee.

3. Double my raw veggie intake. Veggies make my body happy.

Happy Monday! Have a great week!

Grrrrrreat!

I'm sad that my yesterday's post was deleted.

I was beyond witty. Over the top eloquent.

Ok...I have no idea what I said. I know

there was talk of the gorgeous weather...

Some home improvement chatter...

We discussed the changing of a certain

wall color.

And then I told you how I was gonna

make some old lamps over in the

style of these chandeliers...

I LOVE this chandelier. LOVE. I found this picture here...and started searching and searching....till I found a seller on etsy here... But, I still think I'll make them.

Tomorrows the big run....que the nerves. Yikes!

Running...

My goodness. I'm just tired. Tired and sore.

We got back to running yesterday, after a couple weeks off.

And we did intervals. Kicked my you-know-what.

I'm doing a mud run this weekend.

My first run. Ever.

Yes...I am totally nervous.

I have this mental picture of myself

running all cattywompus with my arms

waving all over the place. Picture

Phoebe from Friends. Running through

Central Park. Yikes!

Hopefully it goes well.

After this weekend it will

be time for new shoes. Yay!

I really want to try these shoes...my sister has some. So does my brother.

Now want some of my own...

(source)

Sunny weather is project weather..

Man! What a beautiful day. I just wish rain wasn't in the forecast for the weekend. Boo!

This weather makes me dream up home improvement projects. Yes... That

sound is my Hubs screaming in terror. Don't worry babe...nothing too serious!

I have been threatening to knock down a wall...but I think I will save that

project for later. Right now the most pressing project is our "accent" wall

in the living room. We originally painted it a dark chocolaty brown. I liked

it for a while..but I feel like everything is dark in our house. Time to

lighten it up!!!! Anyway...we have tried a Mediterranean Blue. It was a giant nope!

Next up was a burnt yellowy orange. No number two. So, I decided to

paint it the same color as our dining room wall and the bottom half

of our kitchen cabinets. I can't wait. I wanna do it now! But first

I have to prime...blah!

The other pressing matter is the wall above our couch. It's huge.

And empty. I can hear it mocking me. I have some ideas...but Brad Pitt

was on tv this am...he was fly fishing. I got distracted. Sorry.

I will try to take pictures and share what we come up with.

As soon as I figure out why the PC crashed, or how to work the iPad

more efficiently. Good luck to me!

In the mean time...I am going to try to make these. But, on a smaller scale.

I have two lamps that need to be rewired and painted. We'll see how

it turns out.

I LOVE these chandeliers. LOVE. I found this picture here...and started searching and searching....till I found a seller on etsy here...

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Help wanted!

I found this awesome blog somehow...I don't even remember how. I wish I did. Anyway, I love it.
She is a mommy...and has tattoos. I know...gasp! Kidding! Her blog has helped to inspire me to make some changes.
She has a new project " 8 weeks to a better me" I decided to join. Here is her explanation:

"The idea of this project started off when I realized how much I loved making smaller, more attainable goals every Sunday night that I would work on for the next seven days. I loved having a fresh start and going into my week with a sense of purpose, and ending it with a sense of accomplishment. I made a post on this a month or so ago, and found that you guys loved it too! I think many of us found that it was easier to set goals that were immediately relevant to day-to-day life, and when I started seeing results from this simple goal setting I was hooked. Since I first made that post, I've continued to make small goals every Sunday night that I keep in my mind throughout the week. I usually will write them down in the notebook I always keep with me, or on a small chalkboard in our kitchen. They can be as simple as "eat more green veggies," "workout five times," or even "blog more about my daily life." Anything. And when I starting grouping my goals into categories, I realized that choosing a category and focusing on it was really beneficial for me, kind of like a "theme for the week."  And even though I was only working on each goal for a week at a time, I found that after that week was up, my good habits carried over. "

So at the end of this post are my three goals...I set them on Sunday. I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime...hop over to
Sometimes Sweet. And meet my inspiration.


On another note...we are in a meal slump. We need ideas. SO badly! Please help! Leave your favorite summer recipe in the comments...and we will try it. The only rules are: It can't be a casserole. We don't need it to be hyper healthy...just reasonably healthy. We are big grilling family. So that's always a plus. Ummmm....and there are three youngish kiddos who are only slightly picky. ( we make them try everything though) Maybe I will do something special for our favorite. Yes, I think I will. We have about a week till our next grocery trip. So you have till then. Thank you !!!!!



1. Cut out grains for a week. See if it helps
2. I always put those " H2O to go" things in my water...I'll only use it every other time I fill up the water bottle
3. Walk to the school on the days I pick up kiddos

Oh...and if you have time, I would be oh so pleased if you would follow my blog. Pretty please:)