Dora, is that you?

 

I walked in to my dim living room a few mornings ago, and thought that a huge blow up Dora doll was, yes, a person!

I was startled, jumped, and began to think......

What was it like before I had toys in every corner? Or before the time when I cleaned my house once a week, it stayed that way for the most part.
What was it like when I could just up and leave when I needed to. Not waiting for a sleeping baby to awake from her nap, or the night.

Truth be told. I don't know. I don't remember life before my girl!! I can't imagine my life any other way! I'm so blessed to be able to stay home with her so many hours a week and watch her grow. I know that it's time I'll never get back. Ever.

Even when it seems hard. I seem worn down and tired, I would never in a million years trade it for anything in this life! That is pure joy.

So, I try to remind myself when I look around and see a hurricane of toys (and non toys that have become toys) everywhere that it wont be this way for long. I'll blink and she will be in college. I'll be praying for the messy toy days!

If you guys know me well, you know that I like to keep a clean house. I like it to look neat, pretty much all the time. If I kept it neat all the time I would not sleep. Or be a lot more grumpy-- So something I've learned as a mother of a toddler, is this...

I've learned to get on the floor and play with her. Keep my basic cleaning done so that there is dishes in the cabinet, clothes on our back, and clean tubs to bathe in, and let life go on. In 20 years I wont care about a messy house!

I have a lot of mommy (and mommy to be ) friends, who can probably relate. I am just coming in to this understanding with in the last few months. And it's, well it's liberating.

I have a very small amount of time to enjoy this little face

Been dying to blog all weekend!

Well, as most of you know, I set out to run the Tulsa run (9.2 miles) at the beginning of the year? Just a goal that I set for myself to get healthy, to stay in shape, have some time to clear my head, meet new people etc.....

Shortly after I fell in love with running, and became addicted to all the chemicals (endorphins, adrenaline etc...) that my body produces, I learned that the route 66 half marathon is only 4 weeks after the Tulsa run. SO I decided that I would go for the 13.1 miler with a little more training.

Fast forward to this weekend.........

We ran 15 miles. Yes I said FIFTEEN.. it still sounds funny coming from my mouth!

We were scheduled to run 12, which would have been our farthest to date. We got to chatting with our friends. We were in another town. In another frame of mind, where everything to be worried in the world was gone. Our friend ask how we were feeling at our 6 mile turn around, and to our surprise, we felt great! So we went out another mile and half.

We're chalking it up to great weather, lots of GU, sports beans, great company, pretzels, wonderful water and gatorade stops, and a multitude of people doing the same thing we're doing. And looking strong doing it!

I've learned so much about (distance) running, and myself the past few months. I'm so excited to continue. I'm looking forward to the winter when I'm not training quite as much. I'll still be doing 4-5 shorter runs. Can't wait!

To some of you who don't run, or have only run a little, this may be pretty insignifigant to you.... But anyone who has run over 2-3 miles, and has an understanding for how challenging it can be, might appreciate it a little more.

Just know that even if it seems so unattainable it's NOT! If someone had told me in February when I was huffing and puffing through my couch to 5k program, that I would be running 15 miles and liking it, I would have laughed in disbelief!

Whatever your goals may be, stick to them!!!!! They are so rewarding when they are met, and exceeded!

I know, I know, yet another running blog, but this one inspired me......

It's racing season.

We've done a few races in the past few weeks. Now that the weather is cooling off, we are loving all these runs!

3 weekends ago we did the "Skirt Chasers" race. It was a really (( HOT!!!!)) fun race. Just a 5k. The girls got kilt looking running skirts since it was at the Scottish Festival. And they also got a 3 minute head start in front of the men. So... That's why they call it the Skirt Chasers. Such a fun race. We both got a PR on this race, even though it was so hot, and so hard!

Jess and I before the race.

Kat, Me,Chera, and Jess after the race.. They came to cheer us on! (By the way they are ELITE runners!!)

I can see the finish line!!!!!

Jessica and her friend who ran to pace her--

One cute boy, and I before the race.... This is before he killed me in time!

We are comparing bellies. She's 5 months preggo... I just wanted to make a big belly ;-)

The girls acting silly.... Pose!

"Can't catch this"

We also did the Susan G. Komen Race for the cure the following weekend. My friend Melissa works for the Cancer Treatment Center and this is a huge race for her. She also is the daughter in law of a survior....On top of those things, she has been training for her first post baby 5k. 

So I got us some matching shirts...Sparkly and pink of course!

And made us some ribbons for our hair!

I also made Gail (Mel's mother in law) a flower with a sparkly ribbon inside of a pink rose to wear

The girls...And Liam!

Almost to the finish! We can see it.....

Her goal was to finish in 32 minutes. She finished in 30:55.

We had a little "fan" waiting for us at the finish line!

The Punk Sparklers--- That's our team name!

This past weekend, Scott ran the ZOO run! It was a perfect day for a 10k!
I just went and supported him.

He did an amazing job! He ran a 10k (6.3 miles) in 53:30! That's wicked fast!!

Here he comes!!! Looking strong!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So needless to say, we're enjoying the racing season!




-- There are several races coming up in the fall that we are excited to do!

Here are also a few random snap shots (obviously taken with my phone, since I don't carry a CAMERA while running) from some of my runs. Some things take my breathe away, and I know that taking a picture will never portray what I actually see, but it's the memory!

GOOOOOOOOD MORNING!! I beat the sun up.

Sunset. We run this a lot at Melissa's place.

We got a random and SUDDEN down pour one night.. And ended up with this! Which eventually turned in to a double rainbow.

Meeting Jeanean and breaking up her 22 mile run so that she doesn't have to do it alone! We're switching off.

time to pop a bean or 3.

Shelly and I playing in the water fountain! It was a steamy one!!!

 SO if you are a runner. I recommend taking lots of pics for great memories! I love looking back at them. They all have stories. Enjoy being outside before it gets tooooooooooooo cold!

Trip to the ZOO and the FAIR

Dad and Anisten in the petting zoo. She liked to feed the goats but not pet them.

a couple of monkeys!

Anisten and PAW PAW on the train.

LOL.

must....get..... in!!!!!!!! ( waiting, not so patiently for the carousel)

We have a yard stick.. Rockin the wagon, and the piggy tails..

Oh my! We found a Dora, it's her size. We HAD to have it.

Yes, we put her on a leash. Go ahead and judge us, we used to judge others before we were parents of a toddler.

I was crouching to take her picture, and she walked up to me, and was trying to do the same! So cute.

We had a fun filled weekend with Mi Mi and PAW PAW. Did lots of outside activity- right up our alley! The weather was great. Perfect weekend.

just stop.

Every time I get Anisten out of the car, she sees her stroller and wants to go in it. I tell her, " Mommy will take you for a walk later!" Later turns to a few days or even weeks.

I just need to stop.

Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the cares of the world, that we just go go go go until we crash at night and start all over again at 6am.

Between juggling work, the house, Anisten, marathon training, bills... Sometimes just piles up and clutters my brain! I do get some endorphin mind erasing while running, but sometimes it's not enough. We just need to slow down and take time to think!

I decided that today, I wouldn't let the house or running errands keep me on the go. I wanted to just spend time with my girl, and take time for me. And I'm so glad I did.

We woke up, had some banana pancakes. Played out side for a little bit. Turned on some light/inspiring music, and went on a walk (finally!) We walk to the park and  played for about an hour. I don't know the last time that I just sat outside on the ground for an hour in (mostly) quiet. Afterward we just walked around the neighborhood. I had my music going, and she was singing and clapping. Obviously content.

Came home, took a bath ( wash off all that dirt she played in!) and down for a nap she went.

This leaves me with 2 hours of quiet time. What do I usually do with quiet time? I will catch up on bills, or clean the house. Shower, and get ready for the day------ Not today.

I had inquired about doing some Yoga for the purposes of stretching out some muscles and maybe a little strengthening to help me advance in my running!  I did the Jillian Michaels level 1 work out. Anyone who knows her knows she is INTENSE. She is kind of my hero! -- Anyways I popped in the dvd that I borrowed from a friend and pressed play. After the first 5 minutes, I thought, what am I doing, I'm so not flexible enough to do this! And she says " Ok, now that we're warmed up, let's begin!" ....... do whattttt?
 So, I kept doing it, and after my heart rate settled, and I was focusing on rhythmical breathing, I began to understand why one would like this. So 35 minutes later she says goodbye to me, and I wasn't dying like I thought I would.

She also said something that kind of caught my attention, b/c I think she was really talking to me! -- She says not to not do something b/c you think you can't or b/c it's something you've never done before. I've always had a reserved place for yoga in my mind. Like, " that's for so and so, that's not for me " Well, yoga or not, I want to be better about tearing down those mental blocks of " I can't ". So anyways, I was inspired today. I had 35 minutes of unplugged quite, nothing else going on, time to just think. I recommend it! Whatever it may be for you. A book, a bath, sitting on your porch swing, or something active that will throw in some endorphins ( which are the happy juices in our body created by working out!).. JUST STOP.

So do I have those bills to pay, and those dishes to wash? Will my child be up in a little bit working her tornadic skills in my house? Absolutely! But, I now have a fresh out and renewed outlook and motivation for tackling those!

Inspire

Keep doing what you're doing, you never know who you are inspiring!

Now, by all means, I'm NO pro when it comes to running, but I am a learner. And, I started from ground zero, just a short time ago. So, therefore I like to share all my good info with others!  I get emails, and fb messages every so often, wanting to know what I did to get started, or why I like it so much, what kind of shoe(or clothing) I like etc.... And I have people in my life who I turn to for these things, only b/c I am inspired by them, and where they came from- -  I publicly started from ground ZERO   when I decided to start training. I am so happy that I decided to blog about my journey (and will continue to do so) not only for my own sake, to be able to look back at where I started is so great!, But to also know that I've inspired at least one person!

Sometimes I feel a little guilty constantly talking about running, and posting things on facebook about my new PR's. But when someone sends me an email saying that it's an inspiration to know that I was where they are just a few short months ago, it seems attainable to them. So, I will keep doing what I'm doing. ( I promise, I wont post every single run I run, no one cares that much! LOL.)But good runs, or bad runs, inspiring runs, new goals, I will continue to share.

Don't inspire to be like me, inspire to the greatest YOU.


I encourage your to be bold, and to reach out for those goals! ( which are very important to set!) And keep record of it somewhere. It's so great to look back and see your progress. You WILL inspire someone. It may not be a physical activity, but whatever it is that you are passionate about.

Quit comparing yourself to others, and realize how great YOU are!

I'm..... ME.

I'm a mother, a wife, a cook, a stylist, a housekeeper, a sister, a daughter, a friend.... Through out all of this, it's so easy to forget that I'm still    ME!

Being the observant person that I am, and from personal experience, I realize how easy it is to forget that you are you. You the same person that you were before you were married. Before that sweet baby arrived. Before that career that takes most of your time.  Before life went on and you grew up.

I can attest to the fact that having a kid will make you lose all identity. It's so easy to become so immersed in our day to day busy life, that we forget ourselves. We forget our needs, and our (gasps!) wants. Yes it's okay to want.

I just have to remind myself sometimes, that it is okay to take time for myself! I had to learn to find activities that I like to do for me. Not something I like to do because the baby likes it. There are PLENTY of activities that we will do that are kid friendly.

So just a little reminder to all you mommies out there ( or work-o-holics etc....) to take some YOU time. You deserve it. It's your chance to recharge and rejuvenate. Do the things that you enjoy to do, and are good at! We all have special talents and gifts that we were given.

I know that I don't want to be that mom who is always tired, grumpy, over-whelmed and unbearable to be around. I want to have the energy and excitement to do the things my daughter does and will want to do in the future. If this means just taking time to do something for me, like getting my nails done, or going to borders to get a coffee and blog, go shopping alone, or go for a run, then I will do it. I want to be the best ME  I can be for my loved ones!

There will be a time when my babies are out of the house, or I am retired and not working. What then? What will happen when I've spent my whole life placing my self-worth and entire existence in to being these things,and doing nothing for myself. I want to make sure I'm then healthy enough, and happy enough to move on to the next chapter of my life! I want to play ball with my grand-kids, and still be so in love with my husband that we can take 5 week vacations at a time, and still have so many things I love doing. I will then still be ME.

I know that when Anisten was very young, I just wanted to know that it was okay to take some time for myself. Even if it's just going to sit at starbucks with a book. I just wanted to hear that it's normal to want to be away from my baby, and that it's actually healthy.

Now.......... this blog may be misconstrued as " selfish " My child and husband are my #1 priorities! And they always will be. I'm not a neglectful mother or wife. I fulfill those duties to the best of my ability! But I am still working very hard to keep a sense of who I am. Who my core being is. Tapping in to those special talents, gifts, and desires that were placed in me. It's all about finding that healthy balance! Just like anything else.


What do (or have done) you do that helps with keeping your sanity, and your individuality as you balance all the aspects of life?