see you in 2010...

i'm not planning on being on here until we get back from arizona.
i'm sure i'll have lots of pictures to share and hopefully some running to report.

hope you have a wonderful christmas with your families!

image from country living.

50 things

50 random things about me:

1. i have 3 kids.
2. i have 3 younger sisters.
3. 2 are identical twins.
4. my parents divorced when i was 3.
5. my mom remarried when i was about 5.
6. they divorced when i was 18.
7. i hope to run for the rest of my life.
8. i accepted Christ when i was 21.
9. anything good in me is because of Him.
10. i love to be around people.
11. i love big dogs.
12. i got my first job when i was 14, at a dog kennel.
    
13. yellow is my favorite color...all shades.
14. i have a degree in elementary education.
15. i think i could be a vegetarian.
16. i'm hoping to run four - 1/2 marathons this year.
17. i want to run a pr in the 1/2 in 2010.
    
18. fall is my favorite season.
19. i used to think homeschooling was weird, and now i do it. ☺
20. i completed my 3rd marathon this year.
    
21. i've lived in 5 states.
22. jcrew is my favorite store.
23. i'm hoping to take a photography class someday.
24. i'm not very competitive.
25. i will be spending my anniversary in cozumel this year!
26. when i was in high school i loved madonna. i had every tape.
27. i like antique stores.
28. i'm not a big fan of chocolate.
29. i love the smell of vanilla.
30. i don't like clutter.
31. i think john piper is a great author and leader.
32. i lost the diamond in my wedding ring this year.
33. i don't like to speak in front of large groups of people.
34. i don't like heights.
35. i don't like to fly, even though i've done it lots of times.
    
36. i don't really like being on boats either.
37. ok, i prefer to be on the ground.
    
38. i generally don't like taking risks.
39. i've been married for almost 14 years.
40. i love polka dots.
41. my longest bike ride was 100 miles.
42. i was once in the k*rk cameron fan club.
43. i love pottery barn.
44. saucony's are my favorite running shoes.
45. i like pillows to be pretty flat.
    
46. i saved my sister from drowning when she was little.
47. i got my first Bible when i was 18.
48. i love camping and being outside.
49. i once met clint eastwood in a bowling alley.
50. 50 is a lot. this is hard. i can't believe you're still reading!

1,000!

ran 4 yesterday and 4 this morning. that makes 1,000 miles for the year!! i'm so happy i made it to my goal.

sunday

walked with my friend carol again today. it was a little warmer this time - 33 degrees. it still took me forever to warm up when i got home, but we had such a good time. we walked for another 2 hours and the time just flew.

i'm hoping to get on the treadmill everyday this week before christmas. just 8 more miles to reach my goal of 1,000 miles for the year!

i miss running outside. i am so excited to be going to arizona this weekend. i'm going to bring my running shoes and hopefully get in some good running!

almost there

6 miles this morning. felt good. my treadmill is still making weird noises. hoping it will hang on awhile longer.

i've been waiting for a package that i don't think i ever ordered. oops! now i need a plan b.
i can see why some people get all of their shopping done really early, i went to run a couple errands today and the stores were a little crazy.
tomorrow is our first christmas w/family. i think i'm ready. i just need to wrap a couple gifts tonight. can't wait to be with everyone. i've been blessed with amazing in-laws.

2009 is almost over. i can't believe it.
what was the best thing that happened to you this year?

yum!

found this recipe here.
i think i will make this for our christmas party on saturday.

time for the treadmill. yesterday was a super busy day, so i didn't have time to run.
hoping to get a good one in today. must.get.to.1,000.miles!

tuesday randomness

brrr! it hasn't even reached double digits here today. not sure if it will...
piano lessons and school are the only things on the agenda. oh, and ironing shirts. i really need
to quit putting that off.

the biggest loser isn't on any more. i liked watching it on tuesday nights. so inspirational. it was one of two shows i watch.

ran 5 miles this morning on the treadmill. it actually went pretty fast today.
yesterday i didn't exercise and i didn't eat the best. the two always seem to go hand in hand!
when i exercise, i am less likely to eat a bunch of junk because i remember how hard i had to
work to burn those calories. anyone else experience the same thing?

i can't remember where i saw this, but i love this. maybe i will do something like this next year.

brrr!

today my friend carol and i decided to walk outside (23 degrees!) together. we ended up walking for 2 hours because we had so much to catch up on. it was so nice, even though we were freezing. we both bundled up, but it was still so cold. it took me about an hour to defrost once i got home. (here's me in the "i'm wearing 5 shirts" look.)she had yaktrax on her shoes. she wasn't sliding around at all. i was just wearing regular shoes and almost wiped out a couple times. i may have to get some of those!

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

thursday

ran 30 minutes on the treadmill today. it was tough today, i just wasn't feeling it. i kept looking to see if i was at 30 minutes. i think tomorrow i'm going to cover the time with a cloth, so i'm not paying attention to it. will i ever just love running on the treadmill? i seriously doubt it, but i am thankful i have it, especially when it's currently 2 degrees outside!

this weekend we're going to start getting things figured out for our trip to phoenix. we'd love to stop at the grand canyon, if the weather cooperates. it would be so much fun to show the kids places that we've been learning about in our schoolwork. i'd also love to go to bryce canyon, the pictures are amazing!

snow!

we got over a foot of snow here. i love a good snowstorm in december! i don't start getting really sick of it until late january, and then i'm ready to be done with it. anyway, we are enjoying being snowed in. today i gave the kids squirt bottles full of water and food coloring, and they had so much fun spraying the snow different colors.

i mailed my christmas cards, and most of my shopping is done and presents are wrapped. my mother-in-law watched the kids this week, so me and my sister-in-law could spend all day shopping and getting everything done. it was so nice! she is wonderful!

we're going to be headed to phoenix for a week after christmas for a nice vacation and time spent with good friends. i'm looking forward to it! it would be great to run outside in shorts again, but we'll see if that happens...

it's friday!

yesterday we got a little bit of snow. it was just enough for the kids to get excited about, but not enough to shovel. good news, because i'm not ready for the shoveling.

my treadmill seems to have more life in it still. i'm hoping it has 9 lives and will keep on going for awhile. i had a great run this morning. a good feeling to have worked out 4/5 days this week and no pop!

the kids are going to be in the christmas program at church on sunday. they are looking forward to it, after months of practice. i'm hoping to be completely done with my christmas shopping by monday. is that possible? i don't know, but i'm really hoping...
i bought this skirt for meg (she only wears dresses or skirts) yesterday on etsy.

i was on a roll...

i've started every day this week with a morning treadmill run, followed by teaching the kids school, cleaning the house, shower, making dinner. a good routine. of course, it all works best when:

• i have a great run...feel like i could just keep on running forever.
  
• the kids don't complain about any of their school work.
• the house isn't in bad shape to begin with, and everyone pitches in to help...without complaining.
• i get a nice uninterrupted shower.
• dinner is easy to make, and tastes great and everyone loves it.

yep, that would be a really good day. and, most days don't turn out that way. that's just life.
take today for example,
i woke up today ready to get on the treadmill and it started making really loud/weird noises. so, no treadmill for me today. hopefully it won't turn out to be anything serious.

perspective makes such a difference doesn't it?! when i dwell on how my day isn't exactly
the way i want it to go, i am crabby and impatient. i am reminded of the many blessings in my life today, and choosing to focus on them today as i go about caring for my family.

tuesday

good morning! here i am ready to tackle the treadmill.
it's in my room. i'm not sure how old it is? probably about 10 years old, but it still does the job. it folds up, so it doesn't take up much space. and, it really is a must have in the winter. gotta have a fan close by too. this morning i actually watched tv while i ran. i usually run w/my ipod, but it was nice to change it up a bit.i'm getting close to 1,000 miles for the year. woo hoo!
have a great tuesday! seize the day!