Done, and done well...

YAAAHHHOOOOOO!!!

I did it! Yup, I really did it. Ran the River Bank Run 25K and ran it well! I didn't only finish but finished 5th in my division out of 28. I am so pleased. Right from the start of the race I felt awesome. Besides being a bit cold things were good. I finished in 2:29. I am still on a bit of a high from the whole thing. I can't explain the feelings something like this brings. I was a part of a record breaking crowd of 21,000 participants. Too cool. I never could have finished the training without Tracy, so thank you for everything!! And I am so glad we got to share this experience together.

I could go on and on about the race but I think that is probably enough. As for the household, things are good. Things are hectic, but that tends to be the norm these days. We took Nolan into the ER on Sunday and he has pneumonia in his left lung. He is now on two antibiotics and still cranky. Hoping this passes REALLY soon.

What will I do next you ask? NOTHING! haha, just kidding. But I am taking it easy this week and trying to plan out my next runs and training to come. Got any good ones out there, let me know. Thanks for everyone who supported me all along the way. Nothing is ever out of reach. Just remember to...breathe! LOVE.

Says who...

Hello Blog World!

Well the last month has been interesting. I have still been training for the 25K and working at Curves. My training has been up and down. I am tired of being tired. I love running but am very tired of 5am's. It is time to change up my routine.

T-minus 8 days until race day! I am very excited and hope I have done enough to be ready. Josh and I are going to GR Friday and staying the night because Saturday is going to be hectic and early. Josh's race starts at 7:30am.

The boys are doing well. Everett and Winton both started soccer and are doing awesome. It has been so much fun watching them play and progress. We have also added a new family member to our home. We adopted a wonderful loving dog, Bull. He is so sweet and super great with the boys and a bit spoiled already. We went looking for a cat and feel in love with a 75lb dog! Crazy how things work.

Josh is doing great too, still working like a mad man though. We miss him very much but enjoy every minute he is home with us. I had better get some actual work done while Nolan is napping. Good-bye blog world, until next time. LOVE.

Van Osdel/Cook Coffeehouse (7)

MOONday...

Hello Sunshine, I love you! One question, could you please be up at 5:30am and warm me up on my runs? Thanks!

I am so ready to be running in warmer weather, soon though, soon. It is another week and I am feeling pretty good about it. Last week was another 40+ mile week and had my longest run yet, 13.1 miles(half-marathon). This mornings run was chilly but the moon was huge and beautiful.

I finally got to GNC today and picked up some fish oil. Hoping this will be helpful to my knees as well.

Saturday I also got my hair done. Thanks to Barb, I now have less gray!

Got a flyer today for Flipz Tumbling Gym in town and am so excited about signing all three boys up. Just hoping it doesn't interfer with soccer practice. I hear Nolan calling for me, gotta run. This week is going to be awesome! LOVE.

Pee Pee in the Potty...

Hello Friday! Man, it is COLD today. Eventhough Tracy and I have ran in cold weather, today we decided to skip the cold and do our runs inside. Won't be too bad, it is any easy day before our long run tomorrow.

This week I got to the eye doctor. Not much has changed in my vision which is great. I did get some new glasses and am going to try contacts again. The last ones I had just didn't feel right and dried up really fast. But the doc hooked it up with some great contacts. I tried them out last night and they totally felt awesome! YYAAA HOOOOO sunglasses here I come.

I had a great week running and had great workouts at Curves also. So, just seven weeks away from race day, pretty exciting. Also I have looked into a training schedule for an upcoming marathon, and to my surprise the training isn't too far beyond what we are doing now. Of course the longer runs are a bit longer (instead of 13 miles they will be more like 20 miles). That is still all up in the air and the maranthon isn't until October. Right now I am just focusing on finishing the 25K and staying healthy.



My boys are growing way too fast! Last night Nolan got on the potty (which he does often but usually just sits there) and he actually went pee! So we all sang a little song and danced and clapped for him and he was totally excited! We are dorks but we like it that way.

I love saving money! And I have been getting some really great deals with Savingsangels! Last night I went to Plumbs and stocked up on cereal. I now love Chocolate Chex, just the right amount of chocolate to satisfy the sweet tooth, yummy! We also checked out Save a lot this week and it is very nice in there. Our big find is bananas for 33cents a pound.

Everyday I am reminded how awesome of a God I serve! He has truely blessed my life and family. What an awesome provider, healer, and on and on I could go. And no matter how rough we might think life is, He is ALWAYS there! I serve a God who was, is, and is to come. What an amazing thought. I love the LORD and heaven is going to be Fabulous. Sorry guys, you are stuck with me for eternity. LOVE.

No Good Title...

Hello Monday. Another week here and gone. Weekend went very fast.

Had a great run Saturday on the bike trail. It was nice to not have to worry about cars and potholes, we could just run.

Saturday I also was at Curves to lead Power Workout. I had another great attendance. It is so cool to see so many of the ladies coming back. I am thinking I might try to add a couple of night PW during the week and see how many ladies would be interested.

My cousin Andrew was home this weekend from Nashville, so after Josh got off work on Sunday we were going to head to Fremont to see the family. I was getting everyone dressed and ready to go before Josh got home. I had gone into the living room to get the older boys ready and heard a big crash from Nolan's room. I ran into his room to find him pinned under his dresser! It had fallen on top of him. I was totally freaked out and so was he. I got the dresser off of him and then called Josh at work. Thankfully Nolan was not seriously hurt, but we were both pretty shook up by the whole ordeal. He has a bruise above his eye and had some marks on his hand, feet and belly. He was trying to get a pair of socks out of his dresser which are in his top drawer.

We did end up still going to Fremont and we had a great visit with everyone. I am ready for a wonderful week. Back to my coffee and boys! LOVE.

Dirty Bath Tub...

It is Friday!! Which means what exactly?? I am not sure, our weekends are just as packed full as the weekdays..hhmmm. With Josh working so much we really don't seem to have actual weekends to enjoy, but we know this doesn't last forever and we are taking it while we can.

I LOVE the sunshine! I LOVE that the boys can be outside playing and running and not inside!! I LOVE flip-flops too. But with all this playing outside the boys get very very dirty, they are boys. So the bath tub gets very dirty too and we use a lot more water with so many bathes and showers to try and stay clean. But so worth it. The days seem to have less fighting and less tantrums, thank you LORD! I have also been doing a lot of praying in this area so I am sure that is helping also.

Baby Fever is also going on in the house these days. To have or not have another baby? That is the question. Josh and I are both in prayer about this right now and sometimes I just wish God would leave me a little note and let me know.

All the boys got there hair cut and are handsome as can be! I still haven't done Nolan's 2 year pics or Everett's 4 year pics, so I made an appointment to have them done tonight. Taking all the boys without Josh will be interesting but I am sure things will go fine.

Today was a five mile run and it went by really fast and I felt pretty good. Got adjusted again at the Chiropractor today and hoping that tomorrows long run will be just as smooth. Have a wonderful Friday! Pray Today! LOVE.

Heelloooo Blog World...

Good Morning Thursday! Long time, no blog. Not that I haven't had plenty to blog about, it is just getting the time to sit for a few moments and get those thoughts down. So here I am back at it again. I won't be going through the last month, that could take forever.

Things are going well. I finally feel like our house is coming together after 2 years, one room at a time. We got new furniture and the living room looks awesome. My dining room table comes today and I am super excited about that. We have been painting and what a difference that has made.

And yes, I am still running!! Only about 7 weeks left of training before the 25K. Training is going well, feeling good. Also, have gone back to the chiropractor and have started taking the kids too. I am still at Curves on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and recently have started a Saturday Power Workout too. This Saturday will be our fourth week and there has been a huge crowd of new ladies trying it out.

Josh is working like a mad man. Putting in 64 hours a week on average! We are so thankful for the nice weather. The boys have been outside playing and it has been wonderful.

Also I am now officially 10.5 pounds away from my goal weight. It has been hard work and I feel these last pounds are going to be the hardest. So thankful that summer is right around the corner, Farmer's Market here I come!! Have an amazing and blessed Thursday. LOVE.

Hallelujah Wednesday...

Happy Wednesday All! I am having a better week in the sense that I am feeling more motivated. Not a better week in the sense of my brother.

My brother moved in with us because for the thousandth time his wife kicked him out and is sleeping around. I really thought this time was different. I really thought Tyler had had enough and was going to finally move on from her. But yesterday he totally disappointed me and cave in and went back to her. I can't get into the whole story but the things she does to him no one should have to go through. I could never in a million years see my self doing those things to Josh. It breaks my heart that he doesn't think that he deserves any better. Anyway, this is the last time we are helping him, the last time I will be getting involved. It is too emotionally draining and I am tired of seeing him hurt over and over and over again.

Enough of that. I feel like I am getting some energy back this week. My runs have been pretty good, even though we(Tracy and I) have had to trudge through snow. We had a great run yesterday and knocked out 5 miles in about 47 minutes.

We finally decided that it was time to look at furniture for the house. Art Van had some really great deals and we ended up getting some great things. We got a living room set, dining room table and fireplace! I am so excited to actually have things that match and be able to decorate some more! Fireplace comes tomorrow and the rest comes next week. We are moving our upstairs furniture downstairs and organizing down there more. We are going to steam clean the carpets and get things ready for delivery day. We have a lot of work to do, but totally worth it.

Got a diaper to change and laundry and dishes to do. I have a full day ahead of me, I had better get started. Hallelujah Wednesday! LOVE.

Another Week...

This week has been rough. I have been feeling blah all week long. Not sure what is going on but it was even hard to get motivated to run. It will be nice to not have to wake up to an alarm tomorrow. I am just drained.

I do know that this week will bring better things. I am praying for motivation and encouragement. I am ready for a day with Josh even though he still has to work a little bit.

Tracy and I ran nine miles this morning and I could barely get out of bed to meet her but am glad I did. Felt good to get it done.

Today is Nolan's birthday. He is two today. I can hardly believe that he is getting so big. He also had to have a filling yesterday at the dentist, what a bummer. Winton and Everett had great check-ups with no cavities.

I am going to make cupcakes for Nolan today so I had better get at it. Glad it is Friday. Hoping for a relaxing weekend. LOVE.

FFFFAT TUESDAY...

Fat Tuesday! And that is exactly how I feel today. Blah.

It has not been a good couple of weeks. Food is taking over once again. What is going on here? Some days I would do really well and the next I am shoving my face with crap! I am running 5-6 days a week, over 30 miles plus going to Curves twice a week. Agghhh, it has to be the food. Frustrating. So I am getting back on track and limiting my calories.

I am so ready for sunshine and less snow. I don't mind the snow but I am ready to not have to layer to run outside. I haven't gotten my run in today, I need to get on the treadmill. Totally unmotivated today. This is not me. I am in a slump.

I do know God is Good and I am learning to give more things over to Him. It is taking time and lots of prayer on my behalf. Not sure why I am feeling so blah lately. But I do not like it. Time for some R&R with the hubby. LOVE.

Just keep going and going...

No School Friday! It's a four day weekend for the kiddos.

It has been a pretty good week. Have had my ups and downs with the boys but am praying about it. This was Everett's first week of school. He is loving it and loves telling me his stories when he gets home. I think this is a great start for him.

This week has been a pretty good running week too. A bit chilly in the morning but nothing we couldn't handle. Tracy and I did our long run this morning, 11.2 miles. This is the farthest run for the both of us. It felt so good to be able to run for that long.

After my run, I took the boys to the mall to play. Met up with Jen and her boys and Melissa and Amy. It was a good time! I need a girls night out! Jen and I took the boys to have lunch at the Asian Buffet and it was really good and everyone behaved.

Also on a side note, Nolan is addicted to gum. Loves it, chews it everyday. Too funny, he is something else. Oh and I am LOVING the sunshine today, beautiful. Got most of my cleaning done and the last load of laundry is in the washer. Can't wait for Josh to get home. LOVE HIM!! I really am blessed with a great man of God. Thank you LORD! God is Good. Now to decide what's for dinner....hmmm. LOVE.

Trix are for kids...

Hello Tuesday! Today was a Curves day. I work every Tuesday and Thursdays at Curves and lead a power workout. The workout can be a bit intense but well worth it and my ladies hardly ever complain. Today I was getting ready to go out on the circuit and all my ladies were out there wearing shirts with the saying "I Survived Tanya". They also had one made for me which said "Coach Tanya". Just another reason why I love my job.

For some reason today I have had a bit of a sweet tooth, (which rarely happens) I am more of a salty type of girl. So Everett and I are sitting here eating Trix out of the box! We all have our days. I am feeling much better since the weekend. Yesterdays run was a bit cold and I wasn't moving that fast. Today I felt much better and got 4.5 miles done on the treadmill. Tomorrows run should be interesting with all this snow we are suppose to be getting.

Deciding what to do for dinner, thinking it just might be stir-fry. Gotta get going. Blog you later. LOVE.

Priceless...

New running shoes: $100, Running clothes for 8 degree weather: $100, Registration Fee: $25, Running a 10K in blistering wind and hills in under an hour: PRICELESS!

Saturday was the Frostbite Run in Fremont. Tracy and I ran the 10K and Josh ran the 5K. It was soooo cold, the coldest I have ran in by far. Only about 8 degrees and some serious winds. Not fun. But we made it and we made it in under an hour, our goal. Tracy and I ran it in 58:34 and 58:35. Tracy took 3rd in her age class and I took 2nd. We even got medals! Pretty cool, at least my boys thought so. I don't have to tell anyone that there was only two people in my age group. ;)

Oh and Josh did amazing! He ran his 5K in just over 26 minutes and took 5th in his age group out of 12. Pretty good for not being a runner. I think he was pretty proud of himself too.

After the race we came home and I was totally spent. Was so sick to my stomach and had a major headache. Spent the rest of the day in bed. Got up this morning with a headache still but my stomach was feeling a bit better. I actually held some food down today. Took it easy today, got some things together for Josh's birthday while he was at work. Surprised him with his favorite, cheesecake!! Now we are getting ready to enjoy some football together as a family.

Everett starts school tomorrow. He gets to ride the bus! He will be gone in the morning and Winton is gone in the afternoon. What a change for my house. Ready for a nice morning run with Tracy tomorrow. Hope everyone is having a safe weekend. LOVE.

Reader Beware...

I love the Lord! If this offends you, I am not sorry, this is the TRUTH.

He has brought me out of the pit! And I love him for loving me. I love Him because he is my healer, my friend, my comforter, strength, guidance, peace, self-worth, everything. I could go on forever. But you get the picture. Everything I have is because He has given it.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3 (The Message)

1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

I am experiencing God in ways I never thought I could. In places I never thought I would. He does not fit into a box. His power is real. His presence is consuming. I want to seek Him more. I want to hear His voice. Read these lyrics they explain so much.

The Desert Song

Verse 1:
This is my prayer in the desert
And all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is a God who provides

Verse 2:
And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

Chorus:
And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

Verse 3:
And this is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

Bridge:
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

Verse 4:
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow


If you have never experienced God, it isn't too late to turn towards Him. If you have fallen away, it isn't too late to come back to Him. He Loves You. He desires great things for you. Give everything over to Him. Secure your soul for eternity. Heaven is going to be awesome! LOVE.

Clean Eating...

Good Morning! It's Wednesday! It is another beautiful day!

Headed out this morning at 5:30 to meet Tracy and got a beautiful 5.3 mile run in. It was so nice. We took it easy but had a nice run. A bit slippery in some spots but nothing major.

I have come to the conclusion that I really dislike the word "diet". It is not about a diet or quick fix. It is about making better choices and a healthier lifestyle, forever. Does that mean you can NEVER have a cupcake? No. But it probably isn't the best thing to eat one everyday either. I still have a goal to reach so for me I am more strict about what foods or treats I allow myself. Once I do achieve my goal weight then if I want to I am able to be a bit more flexible with food choices. Exercise still needs to be incorporated daily. The good thing is that I have really come to enjoy exercise, whether it be Curves or running.

I am also incorporating this idea of Clean Eating. Something that I have been doing for a while but actually have done some more research on it. It is really getting back to basics. Fresh fruits, veggies, and lean meats. I also eat some light breads, cheeses and yogurts. You don't always have to have fresh fruits and veggies(during the winter they can be pricey), frozen or canned are the next best options. I stick with this as much as I can and have been getting the kids more involved too. Less processed foods, more fresh. Start with small changes, I promise you this will make a difference. I am not perfect, none of us are, but I try my best. One day at a time. See what you can accomplish today and let that motivate you for tomorrow. Remember it is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix.

Everyone has a chance to change their life. Let today be your day. It is never too late and you can accomplish anything, One Day At a Time! Don't forget to pray today. God loves you! LOVE.

Home Sweet Home...

Ok, so blogging on vacation didn't happen. Ooopps. So I won't be blogging about the whole week because I don't have that much time and I am sure you don't want ten pages to read. But all in all, vacation went very well. The boys did great there and back. No one threw up! We had great weather for driving also.

We spent the week with Josh's parents and sisters and their husbands and babies. It was really nice to have everyone together(it had been 3 years). I was still able to get my runs in which was really nice. I did a lot of hill training. There is not much flat land but it was a good change. I did get my long run in yesterday and ended up doing 9.2 miles through the hills. Good stuff. There is this hill down the road from Josh's parents house called Wart Hill. Why? I am not sure but it is major, I mean major and I knew I wanted to try and run it once while we were there. So, Wednesday was the day and I dragged Josh with me. On one side of this hill the incline is one mile long. There were points that it got so steep that I had to walk part of it. If Josh wasn't there pushing me along I probably would have walked the majority of it, but he did and we ran it. My calves and butt were burning! Anyway, it was a great challenge.

Oh and another good thing, I got a call from HeadStart saying that they have an opening for Everett to start preschool!! We have been on the waiting list all year, I sure hope the spot stays open since I didn't get any of the messages until today. They called us three times this past week. I shall find out on Monday.

We are all home, safe and sound. I am ready to be in my own bed. Hope everyone had a wonderful week! God is Good, All the Time!! LOVE.

NINER...

Yup, that's right, niner!

Up at 5am got some breakfast and set out to meet the girls for the longest run of my life. I have only ever gone 7.5 miles and today was my 9 mile day. A bit chilly out but didn't feel too bad. Just towards the end of the first loop(4.5miles) Tracy decided to run the second loop with me. Yeah! I really didn't want to do it alone and plus it is kinda creepy out that early in the morning and in the dark. So we set out for the last half of our long run. Feeling pretty good. Only almost got hit two or three times. I just don't understand how the drivers can't see us, we were both wearing head lamps and flashing red armbands. It is those crazy morning drivers!! Probably texting, talking, drinking coffee, eating breakfast and trying to drive! lol.

But onto the good stuff! We did! And at a good pace. Finished 9.1 miles in 90 minutes flat. I RAN 9.1 MILES...AWESOME! What an outstanding feeling. Now onto finishing cleaning and packing for vacation. I am hoping to get everything done before Josh gets home so we can hit the bed early.

Oh, one more thing. I love seeing how God is working in my family and how the boys pick up on so much. We pray every night with the boys and read Bible stories. This morning Winton and Everett were playing in the hallway and Evie fell and hit his knee. He got a little cut and we put a band aid on it. Winton was telling Everett he was sorry, although it wasn't Wintons fault. Then Winton asked if we could put our hands on Everett and pray for him! How awesome is that?! God is so good and it is really amazing to see Him working through my boys and in their lives. Thank you Lord for continuously showing us your love. May it continue to pour out!! May His love be revealed in your life today! LOVE.

One gray hair...

Good Afternoon!

This week has been a bit crazy trying to get things together for vacation and getting the house cleaned before we leave. Have to be able to come home to a clean house! Also I have had to make time to get all my runs in also this week and so far so good. Got to Curves this morning and wasn't sure if I was going to actually workout because of the knee issue and I still had to do speed work today. But I decided that I would try to and see how I felt. It went pretty well, a few machines I took it easy on and didn't have too much pain. Ended up burning 911 calories. I also started taking a joint supplement for my knee. I still need to get on the treadmill and get my speed work done, shouldn't be too bad.

I love my husband. I do, but he thinks that it is so funny to make fun of my gray hairs(and I have a few). So last night laying in bed I noticed one single gray hair on his head! Sweet. Finally, I am not alone. hehe. Enough of that. Time to get Nolan to bed so I can get things done. I'll be updating on vacation. LOVE.

Three head lamps are better than one...

This will be short but had to tell of my morning run. Tracy called me last night to say that Becky was going to run with us in the morning. Sweet! Got up 5:20am, dressed in my gear, running shoes on, heating pad on my knee, ate a banana and had a half cup of coffee. Did some stretching and checked the weather. 20 degrees! Headed out at 5:45am to meet the girls. Had a problem with my tights falling down but they stayed up for the majority of the run. My shoes felt great, which was one thing I was most worried about. My knee was ok. We revised our route from Monday and hardly hit any traffic, nice. Plus Becky brought an extra head lamp. All three of us had one. We are NOT going to get hit by those crazy morning drivers, who probably think we are those crazy morning runners. It was chilly out but warmed up as we got going. We hit some hills but powered through them. We pushed it today and I ran just over 6.1 miles in 58:53. Wow, that felt great! Our goal for the 10K in February is to finish in under an hour. We are on our way. Tomorrow is speed work and I'll be doing that on the treadmill after I get home from Curves. Friday we are just doing a short run, about 4.5 miles. Saturday is our long run, 9 miles! Praying that my knee heals and pain goes away. I am still icing after and heating before runs. May your Wednesday be Wonderful! LOVE.

Left foot, right foot...

I was just sitting down to collect my thoughts for a blog and heard a thud. Hmm..I'd better check, paused Biggest Loser and found my son, Everett, on the floor. Opps, had to get him back into bed and tucked in tight. It didn't even wake him.

Today was trial day for my shoes. My knee has still been hurting a bit but I did some reading on it and it could mostly be caused by my worn out shoes. I am not sure if my knee is causing my foot pain now or what. Anyway, laced up my shoes and headed down to the treadmill. Luckily I only had to do a short run today. My left shoe felt amazing, just as a good new shoe should probably feel. My right shoe on the other hand, felt tight and just not good. But I got through it and finished 3.5miles. I have been icing my knee after runs and heating before runs. I am hoping this plus having new shoes will help the issue.

Tomorrow morning I am running again with Tracy and Becky is going to join us also. We're going about 6.5 miles at 5:50am. It really starts the day off right. Hopefully I don't have any feet or shoe issues. I am loving this morning run!

I'll let you know how the shoes, feet and knees do after my run. Praying for a pain free run!! LOVE.

A Size What...?

So today was THE day! Yup, got NEW running shoes. Not only got new shoes but got fitted by people that actually know what they are talking about. A friend told me about this place called Running Circles in Grand Haven and when I got there this morning they were closed due to a family emergency. So someone else had told me about Gazelle Sports in Holland so I decided to plug it into my Garmin and be on my way. Although it was more of a drive then I wanted to make for shoes, I knew I needed to be fitted properly. The lady there was great! Spent time getting to know me and my feet. I tried on 6 different pairs and finally picked the Adidas Supernova Glide. Feels amazing. The real test will be my run tomorrow. I sure hope they don't let me down.

The funny part about getting fitted properly was when she measured my feet in socks. I have been wearing a size 10 shoe for as long as I can remember. My feet measured at an 8 1/2. WHAT?? Yea, so my running shoes are a 9 and totally work. Weird though. When you lose weight do your feet change too?? Guess I don't really know, but glad I am in the right size now. Also hit up Kohl's and used my Christmas gift card on some great running gear, which was also on sale, SCORE!

But before any of this happened I had a great, no, pretty awesome run this morning. Got up at 5:30am and met Tracy for a 6.5 mile run. It was awesome being up and out in the fresh air. Sure beats the treadmill. We had a great run, felt relaxed and strong! I was happy that was my last run in those old shoes. Although we hit some traffic and Tracy nearly got her leg taken off by a car, it went well. Going to revise our Wednesday run so we don't hit that traffic. I am sure many of the drivers were not happy to see us running in their way! Oh well.

I get to be at Curves tomorrow to give the ladies a killer Power Workout, they had better be ready. What are you waiting for? Do something good for yourself! You deserve it!! LOVE.

To Run or Not To Run...?

That is the real question. To run the 25K River Bank Run in May. I have been looking at this training schedule for the past couple days and I keep thinking, I could do this! But I get these butterflies just thinking about it and don't want to fail. Aghhh, the decisions. Could my body really run for over 2 hours? Would I be able to finish? The training schedule seems very doable. The runs during the week are no longer than I am already running and then there is one long run a week on Saturdays that would really test me. I have not ran farther than 7.5 miles and Saturdays run is 9 miles. I am sure I could do it, probably not fast, but I would finish. Hmmm....I think I might try the training schedule and see how it goes and then decide in a month or so.

One good thing is that I am going to get fitted Monday for shoes! Totally excited because my knees and feet are really feeling it. Maybe that will get me motivated to actually commit. Oh and also buying running tights, nice. Not hiding anything in those puppies! Going to get some great runs in on vacation. Run, run, run!! LOVE.

This is the best date ever...

Happy Saturday!

Many things have been going on but I'll just hit on a few of them. I have been getting runs in almost every day. Trying not to push too hard, I need new shoes and I can feel it in my feet and knees. Did some incline training today, but only made it just past 4 miles and totally died out..arrgghh, not a good run. Anyway, Tracy has been training for a 25K in May and has me thinking about it. We are going to be running a 10K together in February. Love her! I have also made it into Curves this week, hitting a calorie burn of at least 1000 each workout. We are going to the in-laws in one week so I need to get in as many workouts as I can. Although I have already told myself I am going to get my runs in still while we are down there.

Have had a pretty good week with the boys. Not too many tantrums which is keeping me optimistic about how I have been handling them. The big news of the week is that the boys had their first sleepover on Friday. Our friends Jen and Nick took all three boys overnight. They have two boys 4 & 3 and everyone gets along well. What a blessing to have friends like that! Needless to say the boys had a blast! Josh and I went out to dinner and then couldn't decide on what to do for the remainder of our child free evening. So....we went grocery shopping! Yup, fruits and veggies was the topic. But it didn't matter where we were, we were just happy to be together! Got up this morning and had a quiet morning of coffee. Enjoyed some card playing this morning also.

So tonight everyone is back home together. Watching football with the hubby and then headed to Church to teach the 3&4 year olds. Got a lot to do this week before vacation. Experience God this weekend and forever! LOVE.

Could this be the end?

Tuesday, it's only Tuesday. No, it isn't that bad. Only had one major tantrum today, not me, my son. Thought that I was going to have to deal with another tantrum at bedtime, but God is good and spared me for the evening. Boys were all sleeping by 8! whoo hoo. I actually got to get into the Word and finish up my Bible study papers for tomorrow. Josh is home early, just after 9, this is turning out to be a pretty perfect night.

Got a long run in today. Wanted to go 7 miles but ended up just going for a 10K, did not go full force and ran it in 61:30. I am wanting to shave about a minute and 31 seconds off that time come February. I am doing the 10K Frostbite run in Fremont the first week of February. I know this is a push for me but something I really want to accomplish!

Now onto the real reason for this blog. Could this be the end? The end of my comfort? The end of my baby? Yes, I mean breastfeeding! Today was the first day of no nursing for Nolan. I wanted to go two years but I guess 23 months isn't too bad. It didn't really hit me until bed time rolled around and realized we hadn't nursed all day. Hmmm. So I didn't offer just to see what he would do. Nothing. We will see what tomorrow brings. Now what am I going to do for those extra calories burned while breastfeeding?? Going to have to run farther I guess. LOVE!

How much coffee does it take....

Coffee. Coffee. Coffee! Trying to get motivated for the day. I am pretty sure my boys get crazier the older they get. All this testosterone is out of control sometimes. What have I gotten myself into...? Oh, did I mention I love them though! Craziness and all.

Yesterday, got up after not too good sleep, stepped on the scale(bad idea), and was up 3lbs! Hit the treadmill in the morning, ran for 30 minutes at a 6.5 and higher. I am trying to run a 10K in under an hour. Got the boys to bed, dealt with a tantrum(lasting 45mins) and finally got my second run in. Ran at a 6.6 for 2 miles, a 6.8 for half mile, a 7.0 for 3/4 miles, finished my last couple minutes at 8.0 sprint. Also did some minute and a half sprints through out the run at a 8.0. I am not really sure what I am doing, but I am just trying to push myself. Going to try and go for a long run today, hopefully go at least 7 miles.

Got up this morning with great intentions of getting to Curves, but didn't make it out of the driveway before the guys got here for their Bible study. Guess it will be the treadmill again today. Oh and the scale was much nicer to me this morning. Not going to weigh again until next week.

We got a new computer, a laptop! Awesome. We had a 299.99 voucher to use on an HP and decided to spend a little more and get something nice that will hopefully last a bit. We only have a desktop, which is fine, but it will be nice to take the laptop with us. So now I can blog ANYWHERE! Aren't you guys lucky?! hehe. I mean I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on the tantrum of the day or how many miles I am running. Have an awesome Tuesday! LOVE.

Actually made it through the week....

Blog. blog. blog. Been thinking about you all week. But never got here. I'll try to squeeze in some while the boys are playing with Josh. This week was interesting. Had some major ups and downs with Everett, but got through them. I have been praying a lot about the situation and I see things changing for the better. One day at a time.

I actually got to go to the dentist this week(it had been a couple of years due to no insurance). Thanks again Melissa for watching the boys! Hold up, to be continued. Playing cards, having coffee! OK, back. As I was saying, dentist visit went well, actually have a plan to get all my teeth fixed, awesome.

This week I also got to work at Curves and get some great workouts in. I have been burning a 1000 calories or more each workout. I also have been getting some runs in too. I am going to do the Frostbite run in Fremont in February. First I was thinking just the 5K, now I am thinking it just might have to be the 10K. This would be .4 miles longer than the last race. Not sure if I can convince Josh to run another long one with me, we shall see.

I ventured out last night with the boys and decided to take them to McDonald's so they could play. It was a really good time. Boys listened well and had a great time out of the house. They found some other kids to play with and Winton yelled from the top of the play place, "Mom, we found some friends and they look Chinese!". All in all, it was a good time.

I am going to run today, I am going to run today, I am going to run today. Saying it so I don't forget, I have to find time to get a run in today, probably a long one. I am 13lbs away from my goal weight, can't quit now. I am so blessed! My Savior Lives and He Lives in ME!! Isn't God good?!! Much love to all. LOVE.

Yup, another Monday...

Good Evening! So the race came and went. I finished. Yup I did it. Josh was right by my side. Ran 6 miles outside, in snow, up and down hills. Finished in 60:42. 4th in my age category. Not too shabby. Weekend was good, went fast. We finally got Nolan's baby mullet cut. Super cute.

Josh and I are on a semi-detox from the holidays. Stocked the house with fresh fruits and veggies. Made homemade soup and some turkey chili. Got up early today and headed to Curves, got a great workout in. Got Winton off to school and Nolan down for a nap and decided to run. I hadn't run the past two days so probably in need of one. Ran just over 4 miles in under 38 minutes. I was hauling! Felt awesome. Did some ab work and push ups. You could say I am motivated or maybe the lady today that mention something about my "muffin top" did it. Either way, it was good for me. Or it could have been the lady the week prior that asked when I was due! ahhh, so my problem area happens to be my stomach, I am trying to work on that.

Wish I had more to talk about, and I am sure I do, but my mind is done for the evening. Time to sink into the couch until Josh gets home. LOVE.

A High Of 20 degrees, awesome...

Happy 2010 Everyone!

Over the last couple of days I have been thinking that I really could blog every hour just to keep up with what is happening in my home. Guess that is what comes with having three boys. And even though I would really love to have new carpet, yesterday was one of those days that I know why I shouldn't. Yogurt was spilled and puke was splattered, whatever, I'll take my new van instead.

We finally got a second car. Whoo hooo. So glad to have a van back. We got a 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan with stow and go seats. Awesome! We have never had a car this new, it is beautiful. My hubby is so sweet. And it helped that we got a really really good deal and lifetime warranty.

So today is the day. Big race day. 6 mile run through the snow and a bold high of 20 degrees! What a day to run. I'll just have to run fast to stay warm. Good thing Josh will be right by my side.

As far as the New Year, well I was sleeping by 9. What can I say? I never seem to make it. But I needed the rest and the boys were up early today so it is probably a good thing I hit the bed before 2010 got here.

I am starting my New Year with something I have never done before and am determined to finish it (6 mile race), what are YOU going to do in 2010? Go for it, whatever it may be!! Much love to all!! LOVE.