1:365

i decided to share 365 pictures this year. ideally, it would happen everyday, but that's not very realistic for me. i'm hoping this will keep me behind the lens - taking more pictures, making memories, and recording things i don't want to forget. as well as, capturing some of the more mundane everyday life things. i'm also hoping it will motivate me to learn more about my camera. i know it is capable of much more than i use it for.this is the snow pile at the end of our road. we've had more snow already this year than we usually have for an entire winter.

blah, blah, blah

the belt on my treadmill is looking pretty bad. thankfully, there is a replacement belt. we ordered it this weekend, and i am anxiously awaiting being able to run again. i'm hoping to surpass my 1,000 miles from 2009, but i'm not off to a very good start so far.

we're back to school here today after 2 1/2 weeks off. i expect some resistance.

i can't get this out of my head, some of the things she said have stuck with me. i am especially wanting to focus on serving with joy.

worth listening to

i should have been doing more laundry and unpacking today, but instead i spent some time listening to this, it was time well spent. go listen, it is worth listening to.

4,000 miles and home!

long time no talk, huh.
we're back from a great 2 week vacation. 4,000 miles later. we came home to an "arctic blast" and a blizzard. needless to say, we weren't too excited to be back to that. our driveway had about a foot of snow when we got home. thankfully, our neighbor came over with his snow blower. he did that on christmas day for us too. so awesome how God uses people to bless us!

ok, on to the trip:
monument valleywhite sands national monument in new mexico. this place was amazing! white sand everywhere. we slid down the huge hills on our bottoms, it was so much fun!
it looks like snow in this picture, but it's all white sand. so amazing!
carlsbad caverns in new mexico

the grand canyon - such an amazing place, pictures don't do it justice.

arches national park in utah - my first time there. i loved it. we're definitely going back to do some more hiking when the weather is warmer. i could spend days there!

hiking in arizona on new year's day - 70 degrees! we loved it!! the kids said, "Happy New Year" to everyone we passed. it made me smile.

ended the day with this sunset. ♥
another picture at white sands national monument. me with my greatest gifts. thank you, God.
"Watch out for falling rocks" - when we were driving through the mountains near flagstaff, a rock hit our windshield. it was really scary. thankfully, it hit my side and we were able to keep going. thankfully, it wasn't a bigger rock. God protected us in so many ways on our trip.


in arizona, i also got to meet up with my blogger friend stacey. she is just as amazing as i expected. it was so much fun to spend time with her and her daughter! our girls hit it off right away too.

it took us several days to get home. we drove through a blizzard and my legs were shaking for much of the ride home. it was awful. here is what it looked like when it was clear enough that my camera could focus and take a picture. it was much worse for most of the way home. we ended up stopping one night and getting a hotel because visibility was so bad. we're thankful to be home and thankful to have had such a great time together as a family. btw, i didn't run once. i really wanted to, but we were always so busy. hoping to get back to normal this week after not much exercise and not the greatest eating.

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.