To run is fun!

My running cousin said those words to me!

If you would have told me that a year ago I would have laughed.  I've gone to running a lot for exercise, but I wouldn't say I have always thought it was fun.  Healthy, yes, invigorating, yes, but fun. Not so much.

Today though, it was fun.

Or at least the feeling after was fun!

If it had been a beautiful spring/fall day, I would have LOVED it, but instead is was cold, dreary and a little humid.  Not ideal, but still, I got out and did it!

And shock of all shocks, I wasn't even tired after it.  Not one bit.

Even with running 9:20 miles for 3.1 miles.  Nope. Not tired.

So today, I can honestly say...

To run if FUN!

Running Buddies!

I have rarely ever run with people.  I have to admit, I enjoy a nice quiet run by myself sometimes and to be perfectly honest have always been a little insecure about running with others.  Am I breathing too hard, am I holding them back, am I talking too much, etc.

But lately I have been running more with other people and I have really enjoyed it!  It doesn't matter how hard you are breathing, or if you are holding them back or if you are talking too much, its all about getting that run in no matter how you get there!  And it is truly motivating to get out the door.  When training for my half  I decided to run my 10 mi with other people, and let me just tell you if I hadn't been with other people, I wouldn't have finished.  And today, I DID NOT want to run.  Just was tired and not in the mood, but I had committed to running with friends and I am SO glad I went!  We had a great 5.2mi run!  Slower than lately for me, but it was easy.  I never thought I would actually say 5 mi was EASY!  Yay for training!  It was also fun to be with a friend on her first 5 miles!  We were only scheduled to do 4 but the first 3 miles flew by and we were on a loop, so instead of turning around and going back we kept going just to see how far she could get and we did the whole thing!  Very awesome to be part of someone's accomplishment!  Yay Leah!!  Our friend Lisa also ran with us and she is just getting back at it, but did a great 2.5 miles too!  Fun run all around!!

Another day down!  Thanks girls!!

Weigh in and a messy workout!

Today was weigh in morning (as if I don't get on the scale every day because I'm obsessed) and I lost 2lbs this week!  Good week for me, the only disappointing thing is that yesterday it said -3.  Water weight?  Guess I'll check again tomorrow, but for now -2 is GREAT!

Exciting times!

Missed a workout yesterday because I had gotten a workout in other ways. Like being up from 2:30-5am cleaning up after a certain little boy who woke up screaming and the proceeded to puke from his room to the bathroom (all over my back by the way) So cleaning up said mess then took over.  Did the essentials at night, then took most of yesterday to clean Clorox the bathroom.  Cleaned the carpets (for the 4th time) to get the stink out and cleaned most of the walls and baseboards of little drops of the mess and I had missed in the middle of the night.

So all of that counted as my workout for yesterday!

Thankfully, it looks like it was only something he ate and he only "lost it" one time!

At least this face is easy to love!!

Along with the rest of the world!

So along with most of the world, I made a new years resolution.  However, my resolution is a continuation of last years!  Lose weight.  I have been in a battle with my weight for MANY years.  Pretty much since high school. When I stopped playing 2 sports a year and continued eating junk food I could always eat because of said sports. 

I have learned (slowly) since then how to eat healthy.  I don't always do it...its hard.  Healthy food just doesn't taste as good.  But I have learned (only in this last year) that I feel 100% better when I eat that healthy food, and, gasp, have even lost the taste for a lot of that junk food!  I still have my vices....cheese fries, french fries in general, pizza, chips....but I have lost my taste for fast food almost all together. (with the exception of Chick-fil-A, but hey, I can eat relatively healthy there) 

Over the last year I have lost only 35lbs.  I know, one year only 35lbs. But for me that's HUGE!  However with that weight loss, I have lost 2 sizes and plenty of inches.  In the last month I have lost lost 4 inches total on my body.  SOO, while the weight may not be coming off qutie as quickly as I'd like, I am "losing" weight.  Last year I logged just shy of 500 running miles...and that was since March...and that included a 5k, a half marathon, and a 10k. (yeah that's right, I did a half marathon)  Before that I did wii fit and some cardio videos.  So far since the beginning of December I have only missed 3 days of scheduled workouts and that was between Christmas and New Years.



So goals, 30 lbs by May.  Its a tall order and almost as much as I lost last year, but most of that year I wasn't counting calories.  Heck, I was running 20-25 miles a week, I couldn't think about restricting what I was eating)  I have been tracking since November and have lost 8lbs since then.  (don't forget that included Thanksgiving, New Years and Christmas x2 because of celebrating with 2 sides of family) 

So my resolution is to keep going!  I am COMMITTED!!  I have decided to use this blog to keep me accountable.  I have a GREAT  accountability partner. She has helped me stay motivated and eat right, mostly because I email her everything I eat in the day...Yikes!  Love her!!  (this is her finishing her first 5K that's me in the background in the orange encouraging her, I had done my 10k earlier in the morning, and since seeing the pictures of the race, I no longer run in a hat!)

Leah, you know what they say about payback :)

The funny part...hopefully if I reach my goal in May, we'd like try for another baby, so in a few years I'll be right back on the weight train....hopefully in MUCH better control this time!

I promise this will not only be about me...I promise to write about my kids more too!  Even include pictures of their cute cute faces!!



Perspective

There are things that happen in your life that change you.  Things you never expect will ever happen to you or anyone you know.

My life has forever been changed by Graham.  Graham was a little boy who only lived 14 week on this earth but will live on forever in our hearts.  His mom Shelly was a friend of mine in high school.  Shelly is one of those people you love instantly!  Beautiful on the inside and out!  Her world has obviously been rocked by this, her outlook forever changed.  Throughout this year, through her blog, I have watched her grieve.  And the only thing I can think about her is strength.  She gets up everyday and takes care of her precious family. She has two beautiful older children and from the sounds of it a great husband.  I once wrote to her that I was/am always shocked when I see pictures of her and she is smiling.  Really, truly amazing that throughout this whole terrible ordeal she can smile, obviously not always, but God gives her grace and moments of joy.

Shelly has been raw with her emotions and feelings and I have been blown away by it.  She hasn't 'put a smile on' and pretended that this was ok.  She has shown us the bottom but is also showing us that with Christ's strength she is starting to climb her way out of the pit!  She will never forget her precious boy, but trusting that God will use this for his glory.  She wrote this in her blog today....the anniversary of Graham's homegoing

"Losing Graham has changed me, it has changed our family and it has changed many people around us. Right now it feels like most of it is for the bad and yet I have a hope of heaven unlike I had before. I have even more of an appreciation of the little things in life and when my kids are throwing tantrums, it's easier for me to know that it won't last forever and at least I have the opportunity to discipline and teach them. The head sheriff talked to us several weeks after losing Graham and told us he had never seen his men affected by a tragedy as they had ours. Most times I still wonder, "Why us, Lord? How is this part of your plan?" I will never have an answer and even if Jesus himself told me the "plan," I'm sure it would not make the pain any less. I will continue praying that in time Graham will live up to his name and reach thousands for Jesus just as we had prayed. Again, this wasn't the plan....it wasn't the way it was supposed to be, but I pray that we will embrace our hurt and loss as well as our healing and point other's to Jesus."

Please continue to pray with me for this family!  They are truly amazing people!  Love you Shelly! This has changed me!