I've got friends in low places....

Last week my daughter, who is 6, got her ears pierced. She had been asking for months so I gave her the necessary information that it hurts, you have to clean them and they might be sensitive or hurt while sleeping. She decided she was ready so that was our Christmas gift to her.

When I grew up we were not allowed to wear jewelry, makeup and my mom was overall pretty strict with clothing. I eventually pierced my ears at age 18 and had to stop wearing them at age 19 due to some strange reaction I get no matter what type of earring I try to put on. I think my mom was laughing on the inside and saying "I told you so!" but I really didn't care. It was one less thing to worry about and I'm not always the most fashion conscious so I didn't have to worry about matching or spending lots of money on earrings.

My daughter was admiring her earrings in the mirror when she told me "I hope Grandma Minnie (her name is Minnie) doesn't see my earrings. She won't like them". While it's true my mom wasn't in favor of my daughter getting her ears pierced that was just her opinion so I went on to explain to Ava that just because someone doesn't like what you might have or wear or say or do it doesn't mean that you need to stop yourself from doing it or being excited about something like getting your ears pierced.

And as I tend to do, I see a good opportunity to talk about certain topics so I probably got a little into lecture mode and went on to say "People aren't always going to like what you do and you might not like something someone else does. That doesn't mean that you can't be friends or get along. If everyone were alike it would be really boring. The key is to be open to new things and be accepting of other people's differences." I'm sure I rambled on for another minute or two because I get excited about sharing with her and I want her to always be open minded.

It led me to think about how happy it makes me that I can equip my daughter and kids for that matter with an open mind. I grew up in quite the opposite environment and always felt my individuality was pushed down and conformity was the way to go in my house. How simple something like getting my daughter's ear's pierced can lead to a bit of a sentimental moment for me. I love being able to share with her information that I wished I had at her age and something I think that will be of value to her in the future.

I wished I had that growing up but I can't change the past. I've accepted it and find it's not useful to dwell on. You can't change it or other people so what you can do is be the best you can be now. I've done alot of hard work to get to where I am today and I'm wasting no time with regrest!

This line of thinking got me reflecting on my friendships over the years and what led me to writing this post. When I was younger, I thought friends were people who all did the same thing, thought the same way and if you didn't like someone your friends would automatically dislike that person too. I thought people and friends fit inside a box and there wasn't much room in that box for anything else.

As I got older, I thought this to a lesser degree but I admit I struggled with it at times. I would talk about other people in order to fit in, I thought as long as my "friends' think the same way, then it's ok. I didn't realize I was insecure and building myself up through tearing others down. I didn't do it in a loud or outwardly way, so I thought it was ok. This period of my life I'm not proud of but it did give me the opportunity to grow and change. I have learned many lessons from this time. While don't like to think of the person I used to be it does help knowing I had the ability to do something and change. I struggled with alot of issues during this time and what it really boiled down to was me not liking myself.

Once I uncovered what I thought were dark parts of my personality and I realized they weren't necessarily so much dark as they were just in need of an adjustment. I formed views and thoughts on this world growing up in a very narrow minded way. I was suppressing my own personality to make others happy and you can only do that for so long before you self destruct. This cycle continued until one day I didn't want to do it anymore.

As I grew and changed so did my friendships. Those true friendships, the kind that even if you haven't talked in a year, you can still pick up where you left off carried on through this time of my life. While I wasn't always as close and I was probably guarded, those friendships still remain.

It was the other friendships that I struggled with. I had one friendship that I particularly struggled with. The person is a nice person but I realized as I was growing, our friendship was not. This came out in negative ways such as that person making backhanded comments that on the surface seem like compliments until a few minutes later you start to question it. It also came out in forms of making snarky comments because I was running longer distances and losing weight. It seemed as long as I was unhappy the friendship was intact and when I started to accomplish goals and become a happier person, the friendship was more strained.

I struggled because I wanted to make sure I was being fair. Was I reading into things? Was I being too sensitive? This person has a good heart but sometimes having a good heart doesn't always translate to good friendships. While I seemed to fill her up, she was draining me and friendships should be something that uplift you and enhance your life. I was feeling frustrated and drained.

The approach I took was to talk with her honestly. I figured it was all or nothing. If there was a chance for the friendship to continue I needed to lay all my cards on the table. Through many conversations I realized there wasn't going to be a friendship. Her perception of friendship and mine were too different. I eventually diminished contact which turned out to be no contact at all.

At that point, I reflected again on the friendship. I found I missed some aspects of the friendship but that it came at too high of a price to my own well being. I was putting far too much effort into maintaining it then what I was getting out of it. At first I thought this was really selfish of me. I didn't know if I had made the right decision or not. Friends should be there for each other in good and bad times.

But I eventually came to terms with my decision. Since this person is someone I work with, I have had many instances where I have been validated. I have witnessed childish behavior which has only reaffirmed my decision to end the friendship.

I am at a point in my life that if it's considered selfish to only surround yourself with those who lift you up then I am ok being selfish. I have the best of friends. The kind of friends that when you get together your bellies ache from laughter, it doesn't matter if you go for days, weeks, months or years without talking, you can always pick right up where you left off and you always feel fulfilled after a night out or a conversation with them.

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." -- Bernard Meltzer.

Huff 50k Report

Well, I'm still a 50k virgin! Finisher anyway. I ran 2 of the 3 loops at the Huff 50k course for a total of about 22 miles. But back to the beginning first....

The week or so before we left I was waking up with a headache every day. At first I thought it might be weather or allergies but since it was persistent I decided to get my blood drawn. My hunch was right and I was under-active or hypo-thyroid. They upped my dosage and within 2 days I was waking up again without headaches. No headache on race day is a good thing!

On Friday, we left after we got out of work. Jason, Jesse, Mark and I were carpooling down to Indiana to run together. I was really excited to start off Christmas break with a road trip and especially one that involved running and these guys! They never disappoint when it comes to entertaining and making me laugh. There is nothing that offends these guys and believe me I've tried!r

We got to packet pickup with plenty of time to spare. I get stressed out not having my bib number the night before so I was happy we made it in time. I can procrastinate on a lot of things but getting my packet the night before is always something I prioritize.

They had great swag!

Jason's chops...I love this look!

We checked into the hotel and headed out to get something to eat. We drove around for a bit, walked into a few establishments that didn't seem to want our business and ended up at a Mexican restaurant. The previous place we walked into immediately fell silent when we walked in. There were many a Christmas sweater vest in sight! I asked if they had a table for 5, seeing 2 empty four top tables I figured there wouldn't be much of a wait. They said it would be a 20 minutes. It's probably for the best because. We can tend to get loud and watching Jesse's belly inflate to the size of a 6 month pregnant lady was a whole lot more fun! That day he ate 2 Jimmy John subs, a bag of chocolate covered popcorn and two plates of delicious Mexican fare!. The food was outstanding and after drinks, laughs and more drinks at the hotel we decided to go to sleep.

Jesse's 15 lbs of food

Race day wake up was at 5 a.m. I was feeling good and ready to run, despite some frigid temperatures. I think it was around 7 degrees at the start of the race.

Getting ready the morning of

We waited in the car as long as we could, not wanting to freeze any sooner than we had to. Race time was 8:00 a.m. so we lined up at 7:50 a.m. I kept a liner from one of my coats on. It was so cold that I couldn't decide if I wanted to commit to wearing it the first loop (around 10.5 miles) or if I would get too hot. I don't like having too many layers on but I also didn't want to be too cold. I ended up wearing it at the start and when we ran by my car I ditched it.

Race day attire

Start time was 8:00 a.m. but an announcer said there were people still registering so they were going to wait for them to finish before we started. That was annoying because by this time I couldn't feel my toes and the lone hand warmer I had in my gloves wasn't doing much to keep me warm. We started at 8:15. That was my only complaint about the race. We shouldn't have to wait because others were registering late.

Waiting for the race to start

It was cold but I think my toes warmed up around mile 3 or 4. I got into a good groove. The trails were pretty flat compared to the summer races I ran. There were also portions of roads to run so it wasn't a tough course in that respect.

The first lap was pretty uneventful. The aid stations had great food including homemade turtles, m&m's, chips, pretzels, sandwiches, soup and hamburgers. At the first aid station, I tried to eat a turtle and struggled with chewing and breathing at the same time because the caramel was frozen. I had to abandon the treat in order to run.

Going into the second loop I started to question my ability to finish. I knew for the first 2 laps I would be able to move fast enough to stay warm but I kept questioning that 3rd lap. If I started it there was no turning back, I would have to finish. If I finished, it would involve some walking and I knew I would be freezing.

I also wasn't doing the greatest job and keeping myself fueled. I normally eat a Gu at every 5 miles but since it was so cold the Gu was frozen so I only at one during that 22 miles. I did eat food at the aid stations but I know it wasn't enough. I think I was subconsciously sabotaging my efforts to finish : )

Around mile 18-20 I kept going back and forth on whether I should finish. I was starting to get that "ultra hurt" as my husband calls it. I was achey my legs were feeling heavy. I also considered that the others would be waiting for me to finish for probably 2-2.5 hours in the cold. I know they would have gladly waited but it was one of the things I considered.

Sometimes I have that fire in my belly and know I will complete the task at hand but on this day I just didn't have it in me. I simply didn't want to continue. For the last 4 miles of that loop I went back and forth, back and forth but ultimately decided I was going to stop.

About a mile and a half from the finish of the second loop, Jesse lapped me. Damn, he's fast! I told him I was going to stop after lap 2 and he graciously asked if I wanted to run to the finish together. I kept up for about a half mile and I knew I was holding him back so I told him to run ahead.

Jesse's frost-bite

I finished my second loop and met Jesse. I was freezing and added layers and waited for the others to finish. It was great seeing Jason, Mark & Rick finish their first 50k. We realized the night before that Jesse was the only person in our group that had ever run that distance before.

I felt a twinge of disappointment watching other people finish the race but ultimately I am ok with my decision. When I think about how far I've come in a year, I'm very pleased. I started running trails last year in the winter and clearly remember the 4 miles I ran being the hardest running I've ever done. To be able to run 4 times that far is a great feeling. I don't have anything to prove to others and I want racing and running to be fun. I want to continue to enjoy the adventure and not do it at the cost of losing that. I did learn some things, however.

#1 Cold is my kryptonite! Ha ha! I feel if it had been warmer I would have had an easier time deciding to continue on. Of course, it's always easier to say that 4 days after the race!

#2 Winter ultras have frozen food at the aid stations, making them impossible to eat. I got brain freeze at one aid station trying to swallow frozen coke.

#3 Mexican food ended up being great carb loading. I thought I might have some stomach issues but I felt great.

#4 Ultra runners are crazy, fun people. One guy ran the race in shorts, gloves and shoes....that's it! What a beast! One other guy ran in a monkey suit (wish I had gotten a picture!)

#5 I learned that I'm ok with not finishing a race. No two races are ever the same and I don't want to beat myself up with second guesses.

All in all, I had an awesome weekend! I'll save the more humorous stories for my husband as he does a much better job of capturing those moments and writing about them. I think I'm humorous in person but that doesn't always come through in my writing.

My only sad point from the trip is knowing our next one isn't until May at Mind the Duck's 12-hour race. I'll just have to plan some fun running (not racing) adventures instead!

We are running a 6 mile race on January 1st to kick off the new year. Last year, Jason and I ran it, and it was my first winter race. I'll just have to talk the others into running it too!

Post-race meal

Getting ready for the Huff!

About a month or so ago I signed up for the Huff 50k. Anything starts sounding good after a glass or two of wine :) I originally signed up for the race in hopes to keep my level of activity up during the winter months. I was hoping a race would help motivate me. It turns out, it didn't. I'm just not motivated much during December. Try as I might to get out and run more or cross train, worrying about this impending date, it did nothing to actually motivate me. I had a handful of longer runs throughout but nothing more than 16-17 miles. A few times I headed out with the intention of running 20 but easily talked myself down. I tried to get up early to work out and planned on swimming more but none of those things happened. I guess my body was ready for a bit of a taper.

December is probably my least favorite month of the year. Mostly because it's the beginning of really cold weather and I can no longer deny that winter is going to happen. It also gets dark by 5:30 pm which is far too depressing. Along with the other holiday parties and gatherings, which I like to a point, but hate feeling rushed or like I have to do something. I hate being too busy in general.

One huge bright side to December is I get two weeks off! That part is really awesome! So what better way to kick off break than by running my first 50k. We head down Friday after work to Huntington, Indiana. I think I'm more excited for the road trip aspect and that I haven't seen these guys in a while due to busy schedules and Mark vacationing in Italy (lucky guy!).

I reviewed the registration materials and cannot be more excited! Ultra food is the best. They are providing homemade candies, in the form of chocolate turtles. Also on the menu is hot soup, grilled stuff, m&m's, sandwiches, chips and an assortment of other foods.

The course is run on a 10.5 mile loop so no drop bag is needed and we'll be able to use our car as our own aid station. I purchased everything I needed not knowing exactly what the temperatures will be like or if we'll have snow that day. So far the forecast models are predicting no snow and 24 degrees, partly sunny.

I have two mantras going through my head. One is modeled after KateK's post that "Training is for suckas" and the second is one of my most favorite quotes of all times from a friend Jason and I work with. He attempted to run a 50 mile race with his sole training base being (2) 5k runs. His rationale was "Anyone can run 50 miles if they train for it" which makes me laugh to this day. His theory was to push his body and see just how much he could give. It turns out 26 miles which is very impressive given the fact he really didn't train at all.

My plan is to run and see what my body can really do. Even if I don't feel the most prepared, I plan on running happy and making the most of my time. I know I will laugh, eat, drink and enjoy myself because I'll be surrounded by my husband and some of the best running buddies I know!

Western State Lottery Drawing Recap

Our original plan was to watch the Western State's lottery at a friend's winery. We had been looking forward to it for months but Jason had some work commitments that couldn't be rearranged so I ended up watching it online by myself.

I found the link and waited with anticipation to see if either he or our friend Jesse would get chosen. Jason entered last year and said he had a 16% chance of winning and this year the chance was of being chosen was down to 10%. Winning? Chosen? I wasn't sure how to phrase it. People asked me what he won in the lottery and had confused looks on their faces when I told them "The chance to run 100 miles in California!"

I found a link online but I wasn't sure if it was the right one, so I texted Jesse who was also listening online. I'm very embarrased to admit that although I teach computers, I find myself unable to perform simple procedures like engine searches. I was not on the right site as per Jesse so I typed in the information and started listening to a live feed.

The audio was really hard to understand and muffled sounding. I have kind of a rag-tag computer system as it is and pressed our pathetically broken headphones to my ear in order to hear. We share the computer with our kids and have already gone through 3 sets of headphones. In our stubbornness to not buy anything new we are sticking with this broken set.

I was still texting Jesse and commenting on the slow process. I was really hungry but afraid to get up fearing I would miss any names being drawn. In one of the lulls, I went back to my original link and saw that it had a feed that showed the computer screen, typed out names and a pie chart telling you what percentage of names to be drawn were left. Jackpot! This was FAR better than trying to listen in and decipher the names.

Somewhere in the middle of the drawing, Jesse texted asking if the site went down. I told him "No, it didn't. I was looking at the pie chart screen and the names were still going." He asked me how to get to that screen so I forwarded him the info.

Jason sent me a text message with a bunch of question marks ???? Oh man! This is not my day. I realized I had been texting him instead of Jesse about the lottery. Ha ha!

A few more texts were sent and I looked back at the screen. That's weird....they called a name from someone I knew that ran Western States last year. I then realized I am a complete idiot! I was watching last year's drawing. I told you I was inept at simple searches : )

I went back to the original site and it was down, just like Jesse said. They had a list of names that wasn't being updated very quickly but I thought I would give it a try. In true computer dorkiness I hit the refresh several times and Wala! A list of names. I scrolled down to the R's and S's to see if either Jason or Jesse's name was chosen.

I saw R-o-b-i.....what? Was that Jason's name? IT WAS! With my previous computer blunder I wasn't sure if I was seeing right but at that moment, Jesse texted me that Jason was in confirming what I was seeing.

Wow, oh, wow! I could not believe it! A million thoughts were swirling around my head but the first was to let Jason know. I tried texting him first because I didn't want to interrupt him. He texted back but he didn't respond to my message about his name being chosen. I thought that was strange but figured he was busy and would read it later. I also called and left a message to ensure he found out as soon as possible. His phone went straight to voicemail so I would have to wait.

In my confusion of mixed up text messages, Jason had received my text but didn't know if I thought I was sending it to him or to Jesse. It was nothing if not suspenseful I guess. That's what happens when you dislike talking on the phone and rely on technology : )

We finally talked and I congratulated him. I'm not sure if it's really sunk in for either of us yet but we are definitely excited!

Last year Jason entered and didn't get chosen. If he had been chosen I would have supported him wholly and done anything in my power to help him with his journey but I think sometimes things happen in your life at the appropriate times. While last year we would have made it work, this year we are in a much better place and in a better position for change.

We have the most awesome support system, the Hobby Joggas (if you've read Jason's blog and his reference to our group of running buddies - basically we eat, drink and run together but most importantly we have fun). Jason will have no shortage of pacers and people willing to help out. As a couple, we have had our ups and downs but are at a point where I think we have never been stronger. I'm not sure who is more excited at this point. Him because he's running it or me because I get the chance to help him realize one of his biggest life goals.

Our lives are changing and we're not sure about all of the how's just yet but I can say it will be the perfect kick off to the beginning of summer and the adventure of a lifetime!

Steps to a better me....

Some of the steps I’ve taken to be more comfortable with myself started with getting to a low point in my life and realizing I wanted change. I was stuck in repeating patterns but didn’t know how to get out. Part of what I did was real change on my part and part was using the guidance of a therapist. Below are some of the steps I took…

The first and probably catalyst for change was standing up to a bully. You know the type. Someone who makes the most noise and as a result gets their way. Someone who says mean things for the sake of tearing someone down for their own benefit. I really dislike confrontation but I was slowly starting to see that not all confrontation is a bad thing. I think it’s worse to turn your head and do nothing, I was formerly one of those people. I didn’t want to make waves. I would ignore that person or situation and do my own thing.

I think that was a huge mistake on my part and one I don’t plan on continuing in the future. If everybody turns their head and does nothing then it gives the bully further fuel to continue because there are no consequences to their behavior.

Without getting into all the details I had a meeting with this person because things were being said about me that were one, personal and two, lies. There was also someone being excluded from events solely because they were my friend. I decided enough was enough. Sometimes you need to take a stand and this was going to be mine.

To say it was easy would be lying. I was nervous, hands shaking but was trying to play it cool. I don’t like when people yell so I was trying to mentally prepare myself for what would likely be said and play it out in my head. I looked at various angles and was ready.

The meeting was held and the person in question tried to dig themselves out of a hole but for every argument that was presented I presented actual facts that couldn’t be argued with. I held my cool and even got in a few subtle jabs. Once I got over the fear of the unknown and started to talk things went very well. I had gotten myself all worked up over perceptions instead of reality.

That person stormed out of the room….a trait they are known for and I laughed out loud. Wow! I did it. Sometimes a noisy wheel is just noise. Sometimes there are structures that cannot be moved and that noisy wheel rolls right out the door.

Facing up to the fear of what that confrontation would be like was far worse than the actual event. I use that memory whenever I’m facing something new or unknown. When I’m scared and second guessing myself I know that my imagination is always worse than the actual thing I’m trying to accomplish.

That was the first thing…..The second was starting to run barefoot. I tease my husband that after I read Born to Run I was intrigued by the idea of trying it even though he had been running barefoot for years. The real story is I don’t think I would have been ready to try it at any other time in my life. I wasn’t open to people’s stares, questions or criticism. When I started, was exactly the time I needed to try it.

The third thing I try to do is trying something that would normally make me uncomfortable. The picture below is a picture of Jason and I on Halloween 2010. I found the most sparkly, attention getting disco-tech outfit I could find and paired it with some pretty tall hair.

Groovy Halloween!

I love Jason's hair in this picture!

This is an outfit I would not have had the courage to wear in the past. I wore it and I loved it! People would either say “Great costumes!” or avert their eyes as to not make conversation. We wore the costume into a bar later that night and were the only people there that had costumes. I didn’t care…it was fun! I like being goofy and it’s a great feeling to be able to have the freedom to do so.

I realized that if other people weren’t comfortable with what I’m wearing or doing that’s a reflection on them and not me. If people are offended or think I’m crazy, that’s just their opinion and an indication that they are not comfortable with themselves or open enough to accept others doing it.

I've found the more I try something that's uncomfortable, the easier it becomes until eventually it doesn't bother you.

The last thing that I’ve done is…..run! Last year I signed up for Mind the Duck’s 2010, a 12 hour endurance race. I signed up at the beginning of January on a whim. Actually, Shelley the race director was very convincing and I’m going to steal her persuasive argument to convince others to run it in 2011 which is “Sign up and run as far as you like. If you want to stop, stop…take a break if you need one. Run as much or as little as you want for 12 hours.”

It’s convincing because there’s always an option to stop and you’re running on a half mile loop so need to pack or carry anything yourself. It’s all there for you. Turns out I didn’t want to stop but it was comforting knowing I had the option to.

That allowed me to push myself further than I thought possible. I signed up for 2 trail marathons after that, GR marathon and a 50k! (Still not sure what I was thinking….or not thinking….lots of wine involved there : )

Those are distances I never thought would be possible for me and now I can’t get enough. I’m continuing to push myself and face up to fears. You never really know what you have in you until you try!

What's that? I run too much?

The other day I had a conversation with my mom. She wanted me to go to the store with her and I said no. It was at the end of a long day and I was ready to relax at home with the family. I like getting errands done earlier in the day and with 3 little ones, night time is my time to decompress.

When I told her no she told me "If you weren't running so much, maybe you wouldn't be so tired." I said it's not the running that makes me tired, that gives me energy. What it probably boiled down to is my mom cannot say no to anyone so she doesn't expect anyone to say no to her. But it did get me thinking about other comments that I or my running buddies have often gotten.

Much go along the lines of "You're obsessed", "You're addicted to running", "Is running the only thing you do?" and the best, but really worst was Jesse had someone that wanted to schedule an intervention for him. Not a funny "ha ha" intervention but an intervention that you would use for drug or alcohol addicts.

Why is it that because I enjoy something I must be obsessed? If I worked really hard to earn a lot of money would people say I'm obsessed with working?

I can work hard when I need to but I can equally lounge around all day in my pajamas. One summer I took 27 college credits to finish my master's degree. I maintained a 3.75 average for that summer....darn math! I could have had a 4.0 : ) The point is I can be a work horse when I need to be but I am also able to let go and do nothing and just enjoy myself.

I do have that constant balance of work, family and running. In my experience, I've found that if I don't run I'm crabby. When I do run I have more energy and my spirits are lifted. Finding that balance can be hard but it's something I put a conscious effort into. I don't run to the detriment of my family or ignoring my spouse. I run because of them. I want to be healthy and the best thing I think I can do for my kids is to be a good role model when it comes to food and exercise.

There was a time I would worry about what others thought but these days I figure it's their own issue. Whether that issue is justifying why they don't have an outlet of some sort and making you feel bad about having one. Or trying to justify why they are too busy to exercise or like my mom who probably doesn't think I run too much but really needs to put herself first.

I want to stay healthy mentally and physically for my family and running allows me to do both. And let's be honest, its just a lot of fun!

One of my new fun things I've tried for cold weather running is spicing up my running clothes with colorful tights (see picture below). I have blue & pink and plan on wearing the pink tights to my next running event. I need another top that has more color though. Right now I only have 2 winter long sleeve shirts I like to wear.....and they're both black. That will have to go on my Santa list!

A busy week and a recap

It’s been a busy past couple of weeks. I had parent/teacher conferences at school which can make for some long nights. This time of year I always struggle with motivation so add in being busy and it means I haven’t done a lot of running or working out. I tell myself every year I will keep up my schedule from the summer and each year I get a little better. But I have missed more workouts than I would have liked.

I did get out for a short run with my husband on Sunday. We went to a nearby trail system. We haven’t been there since last spring because during the summer it’s waytoo buggy. Between gnats and deer flies it’s better to run during cool weather. The gold and yellow leaves provided a beautiful back drop for our run.


It was a good, easy run. I realized the last run I had been on was probably a dehydration issue. I forget how the transition from summer and hot weather to cool weather affects my drinking water. Since I’m not “hot” I don’t think about drinking water. Thanks to Jesse I connected the dots and was much better hydrated this time around.

About halfway through the run, I fell. It’s one of those falls that happens in slow motion. I knew I was going to fall so I weighed the options in my head of how to best fall. I had enough time to throw my water bottle off to the side and brace myself. My left knee landed on a root which stung a little. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to run on it but other than some interesting bruising patterns, it hasn’t caused me any problems. This is the second time I’ve fallen at this park. I’ve ran a fair number of different trail systems and this is the only one I’ve ever biffed it at….and twice!

At the end of the run Jason was eying a hill and said he had to try it out. It wasn’t really a hill but more like an 80% grade climb. I took pictures of him while he was bear climbing his way back up. I didn’t climb it this time but we’re thinking of incorporating it into a future run with our running crew.


At home, the kids are always entertaining. One of my highlights from the older two (6 and 4) was watching them play in the woods. Ava was the mom and Reese was the dad. Reese stayed home and made pasta and lettuce cakes (his idea) while Ava told him she was going to the woods to shoot some animals. She went on to make the appropriate gun shot noises with her branch (rifle.) No typical roles for those two : )

Ty (18 months) is at an age that can be difficult. He can’t quite communicate what he wants and gets frustrated easily. He’s very entertaining but I look forward to when he gets over this hurdle and can communicate more easily. He’s also our little Mr. Independent. He climbed the stairs to a slide at a nearby park and wanted to climb down all by himself. It was too steep to let him actually do it so when Jason held out his hand for help he swatted it away and loudly yelled “uh-uh!”.


I haven’t been swimming in a week and really miss it. I am going to make it a priority to go 2 times this week since my schedule is a little more freed up. No matter how exhausted or crabby I am, my mood instantly brightens when I hit the water.

Thanksgiving break is next week. I’m looking forward to spending more time with the family. I wanted to do something I haven’t done with the kids yet but haven’t figure out what that will be. I was thinking about ice skating, painting ceramics or maybe a day trip somewhere. And I’ll definitely have to get in a long run!