In the event that I haven't mentioned this before, I have some of the kindest, coolest, funniest, most wonderful people in my life. I mean it. They're giving, loving, and strong. And today, I'm focusing on four of them.
The marathoners:
As a junior in college, I lived with Teresa and Meredith. Meredith was the only runner of the three of us at that time, but since then, we've all been bitten by the running bug. I ran my first half marathon with (well, in the same race, anyway) Mere and my second half marathon with (well, in the same race, anyway) T. I've been lucky enough to share my enthusiasm for running with both of them. And now, both are training for their first ever full marathons. I was talking to Teresa via email the other day, and she mentioned how her 18-mile run hadn't gone as well as she'd have hoped. But then she said something so profound, it really made me think. Her fiancee (who is also running the marathon) said, "There was a time when you couldn't run a mile. Now you can run 18!" And it's true! That is something to be so proud of! So when she runs the Chicago Marathon in just a few weeks, I'll meet her at mile 20 and cheer her on until mile 26 when she takes the rest of the journey herself. I am so, so proud of both of them!
The Ironwomen:
I have previously written about my aversion to completing a sprint triathlon. Essentially, I am afraid I will be knocked out during the swim by a swift kick to the head and will never get the chance to complete the rest of the race. Also, it's hard! But two of my other favorite people, Krissi and Christa both have the honor of calling themselves Iron(wo)men. The thought of swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and THEN running a full marathon is quite literally more than my brain can comprehend. Working out for 11 or 12 or 17 hours is an INSANE feat, and one these two accomplished with ease... or, maybe not ease, but they made it look easy!
To say I'm proud of my friends would be an extreme understatement. I am more than just proud of them and they are more than just my friends: They are my inspiration to work a little harder and to do a little better.
Marathoners and Ironwomen: Some serious inspiration
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
It is (almost) officially my second favorite season of the year, and I, for one, am getting incredibly excited about fall. I love how the air feels a little crisper on fall mornings. I love going for a run or walk in the evening and not feeling like I could sweat to death. I love how the school supplies are purchased and the students are back in the swing of school. I love seeing gourds for sale in stores, pumpkins on porches, and, of course, the seasonal treats.
It's been awhile since I wrote a food blog, but I am a sucker for a good seasonal treat. In the fall, almost anything with the words apple or pumpkin get my heart pumping a little faster. (This is ironic in that I HATE pumpkin pie, but like other pumpkin flavored foods.)
This year, I've discovered a new fall favorite and an old favorite that I think will make the season even better. The new white chocolate Candy Corn M&Ms have become a permanent fixture in my eating rotation the past few days, which is probably going to do little for my waistline and behind. And my old favorite, the Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino is back too! I'm a sucker for anything sweet and salty in the same bite (or sip, in this case). I plan to consume no less than a dozen of these things over the course of the season.
Try them. Weigh in. And enjoy the season!
It's been awhile since I wrote a food blog, but I am a sucker for a good seasonal treat. In the fall, almost anything with the words apple or pumpkin get my heart pumping a little faster. (This is ironic in that I HATE pumpkin pie, but like other pumpkin flavored foods.)
This year, I've discovered a new fall favorite and an old favorite that I think will make the season even better. The new white chocolate Candy Corn M&Ms have become a permanent fixture in my eating rotation the past few days, which is probably going to do little for my waistline and behind. And my old favorite, the Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino is back too! I'm a sucker for anything sweet and salty in the same bite (or sip, in this case). I plan to consume no less than a dozen of these things over the course of the season.
Try them. Weigh in. And enjoy the season!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Contrary to the title, this blog has nothing to do with the smutty book series or anatomy of any kind. If you've lost interest, you don't need to read any further.
No, friends, this blog is about hair. Ever since I was 18-years-old, I've had gray hair. This is not an exaggeration. In fact, in college, Teresa and I used to yank each others' grays out... especially when we couldn't see them.
Recently, I've noticed an increase in gray hair. I have many thoughts on this, but mostly I think the following:
1. I needed to dye my hair. So, I put in some coppery burgundy highlights. (Still didn't hide all the gray.) (See below.)
2. I'm getting older. Like, almost 30 older. Me and my gray hairs are old.
3. I must be stressed. This thought always leads me to think about all the things I'm involved in including but not limited to:
Teaching
The newspaper
Jazzercise
Writing for The Courier at Saint Mary's
Mentor Committee Member
Public Relations Committee Member
Tattered Pages Book Club
FYI/STAND Club
Delta Kappa Gamma
Volunteering at Ronald McDonald Family Room
Other things I'm forgetting
When I see it all listed, it's shocking I'm not ENTIRELY gray.
So, gray hair it is. I may be getting older, but I can still run like a youngin'!
No, friends, this blog is about hair. Ever since I was 18-years-old, I've had gray hair. This is not an exaggeration. In fact, in college, Teresa and I used to yank each others' grays out... especially when we couldn't see them.
Recently, I've noticed an increase in gray hair. I have many thoughts on this, but mostly I think the following:
2. I'm getting older. Like, almost 30 older. Me and my gray hairs are old.
3. I must be stressed. This thought always leads me to think about all the things I'm involved in including but not limited to:
Teaching
The newspaper
Jazzercise
Writing for The Courier at Saint Mary's
Mentor Committee Member
Public Relations Committee Member
Tattered Pages Book Club
FYI/STAND Club
Delta Kappa Gamma
Volunteering at Ronald McDonald Family Room
Other things I'm forgetting
When I see it all listed, it's shocking I'm not ENTIRELY gray.
So, gray hair it is. I may be getting older, but I can still run like a youngin'!
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| New hair (bangs included!). Note the hideous yellow bathroom lighting. |
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Has it really been over a week since I've written? Shameful. Here's what I've been up to.
Last Thursday, Dan and I, along with his sister Jackie, took off for Two Harbors, Minnesota. It was a long drive after a long day of work, and we rolled in about 2 a.m. local time. After a brief night's sleep, we woke up and got to spend lots of time with Dan's immediate family, as well as his Uncle Reid. We had an absolute blast playing games, going for walks, sight seeing, visiting the train museum (after a train ride, of course), and, naturally, going to see the Two Harbors (and Canada!). It was especially awesome for me because I got to learn a lot about the steel industry, something I'd like to know more about since my dad has worked in since I was born. Dan's grandfather was a train engineer on giant steam engines, so learning about the history of trains was equally entertaining for me.
Some of my favorite moments from the trip, though, came from runs that we took. There is something immensely awesome about running through a totally green and natural landscape. We saw deer MULTIPLE times while running... and a few horses (I was convinced they were bears since we were far away, but Dan got closer to inspect (not bears)). The road that Dan's Uncle Reid's house sits on was washed out by the flooding earlier this year and has yet to be repaired. This, though, makes for EXCELLENT running. The road, which is currently closed, is almost two miles long, which meant wide open space to run. We weren't in a hurry. We just enjoyed our time. And ran. And relaxed. And enjoyed some more.
Good, good weekend.
Last Thursday, Dan and I, along with his sister Jackie, took off for Two Harbors, Minnesota. It was a long drive after a long day of work, and we rolled in about 2 a.m. local time. After a brief night's sleep, we woke up and got to spend lots of time with Dan's immediate family, as well as his Uncle Reid. We had an absolute blast playing games, going for walks, sight seeing, visiting the train museum (after a train ride, of course), and, naturally, going to see the Two Harbors (and Canada!). It was especially awesome for me because I got to learn a lot about the steel industry, something I'd like to know more about since my dad has worked in since I was born. Dan's grandfather was a train engineer on giant steam engines, so learning about the history of trains was equally entertaining for me.
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| Uncle Dan and Coley getting some cuddle time in. |
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| Dan, trying to reach both harbors :) |
Good, good weekend.
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| Dan, Ron, Preston, and Reid, checking out the sights. |
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| Me and Dan doing a little impromptu dancing in the Shop One parking lot. |
Saturday, August 25, 2012
This morning was my third time participating in Tour de LaPorte. I love this race for a lot of reasons.
1. It supports an awesome foundation and an awesome organization.
2. It's a fun race to run with friends and visit with others
3. It's usually a beautiful day (today was no exception!)
4. It's fun to be able to compare my time to previous years
Last year's race was a good one for me. This year's was better!
Dan and I started and stayed together for the first mile and a half or so. I had a pretty good clip going and was really excited to be running and not have my hip talking to me. When Dan started to speed up after the water station, I told him to go, and continued at my own pace. There were about five of us all pacing together, and I even got encouragement from another runner when I slowed down for a walk. I wasn't timing myself, but knew I was booking it. So when I crossed the finish line, I felt really great (in that death-like way). I grabbed a water, found Dan, walked around, and waited for results to go up.
And there it was: my PR. The best time I've ever run a 5K. And that 26:25 time had me grinning from ear to ear. :D I came in second place in my age division, and Dan came in second place in his.
There's something so exciting about nailing a time you've been trying to nail. For YEARS, I've been trying to do a 5K in under 27 minutes. I even put it on my summer bucket list. So to actually do it feels really, really awesome.
It was a good run. And maybe the next one will be even better.
1. It supports an awesome foundation and an awesome organization.
2. It's a fun race to run with friends and visit with others
3. It's usually a beautiful day (today was no exception!)
4. It's fun to be able to compare my time to previous years
Last year's race was a good one for me. This year's was better!
Dan and I started and stayed together for the first mile and a half or so. I had a pretty good clip going and was really excited to be running and not have my hip talking to me. When Dan started to speed up after the water station, I told him to go, and continued at my own pace. There were about five of us all pacing together, and I even got encouragement from another runner when I slowed down for a walk. I wasn't timing myself, but knew I was booking it. So when I crossed the finish line, I felt really great (in that death-like way). I grabbed a water, found Dan, walked around, and waited for results to go up.
And there it was: my PR. The best time I've ever run a 5K. And that 26:25 time had me grinning from ear to ear. :D I came in second place in my age division, and Dan came in second place in his.
There's something so exciting about nailing a time you've been trying to nail. For YEARS, I've been trying to do a 5K in under 27 minutes. I even put it on my summer bucket list. So to actually do it feels really, really awesome.
It was a good run. And maybe the next one will be even better.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
All is well in the world of school right now. Students are good, classes are going smoothly, and I laugh and smile often. I adore the time I'm getting to spend with my coworkers and am actually really exciting about assigning my students their first paper (famous last words, I know).
After school today, I went to Kesling Park to go for a run. I settled on four miles and BEASTED the first one (7:44!). I was feeling incredibly proud of my time. That's when the children showed up. I'm guessing they were middle schoolers, because, well, they came from the direction of KMS and looked small. And that would be when the majority of the children reminded me about my REAL running speed and blew me away. For approximately 30 seconds, I thought, "Hey! I can keep up with them! Look how short their legs are!" I then attempted to match their speed. Hence why 30 seconds later, I rethought my stance and slowed back down to a more comfortable pace.
I think this was a good reminder for me. I'm never too old to get schooled. :)
After school today, I went to Kesling Park to go for a run. I settled on four miles and BEASTED the first one (7:44!). I was feeling incredibly proud of my time. That's when the children showed up. I'm guessing they were middle schoolers, because, well, they came from the direction of KMS and looked small. And that would be when the majority of the children reminded me about my REAL running speed and blew me away. For approximately 30 seconds, I thought, "Hey! I can keep up with them! Look how short their legs are!" I then attempted to match their speed. Hence why 30 seconds later, I rethought my stance and slowed back down to a more comfortable pace.
I think this was a good reminder for me. I'm never too old to get schooled. :)
Sunday, August 19, 2012
The school year kicked off with students on Tuesday. My 100ish sophomores, juniors, and seniors paraded through my classroom introducing themselves to me and asking questions about everything (What do we do in here? When do we get to do something fun? What time is lunch? Are you any fun? The list goes on...). So far, so good. I have really great classes this year and I think first trimester will invoke a lot of thoughtful discussion and hard work from my students. At least, I hope.
My stress level, however, I'm not entirely optimistic about. My back and shoulders feel like someone has surgically implanted a ton of knots in them on purpose. I'm exhausted in the evenings (I forgot how hard it is to be peppy around high school students all day). And, I've been extra emotional due to lack of sleep and the magnificent weight on my shoulders (I take teaching the youth of America pretty seriously!). Case in point, the other night, I attempted to have ice cream for dinner, and when Dan pointed out to me that it wasn't the most nutritionally sound meal, I lost it and cried like a baby. Yeah, that's STRESS talking, people! Additionally, we had a semi-frustrating union meeting on Friday, and learned that with the new teacher evaluation model the state of Indiana has come up with, it could essentially ensure that teachers in our state never get a raise again. So, there's that.
And then there's the whole issue of balance. I know I've written about this a lot, so I won't go into a lot of detail. But between school, a couple of writing gigs in the works, spending time with Dan, my family, and friends, and just trying to stay on top of life, it has been a long and exhausting week. I feel like a lot of the people I'm closest to are going through some really tough things right now, and I just hope I'm doing enough to support them.
The shining light in all of this is that it's a beautiful day today, I've barely been sitting still between school and work outs, I got in some decent runs without too much bursitis hip pain, and I have 100ish really great students that I'm getting to know. (On that note, I miss my morning crew from last year so much, and hope you're all settling in well at college!!!) It's a good life... even with all the stress. :)
My stress level, however, I'm not entirely optimistic about. My back and shoulders feel like someone has surgically implanted a ton of knots in them on purpose. I'm exhausted in the evenings (I forgot how hard it is to be peppy around high school students all day). And, I've been extra emotional due to lack of sleep and the magnificent weight on my shoulders (I take teaching the youth of America pretty seriously!). Case in point, the other night, I attempted to have ice cream for dinner, and when Dan pointed out to me that it wasn't the most nutritionally sound meal, I lost it and cried like a baby. Yeah, that's STRESS talking, people! Additionally, we had a semi-frustrating union meeting on Friday, and learned that with the new teacher evaluation model the state of Indiana has come up with, it could essentially ensure that teachers in our state never get a raise again. So, there's that.
And then there's the whole issue of balance. I know I've written about this a lot, so I won't go into a lot of detail. But between school, a couple of writing gigs in the works, spending time with Dan, my family, and friends, and just trying to stay on top of life, it has been a long and exhausting week. I feel like a lot of the people I'm closest to are going through some really tough things right now, and I just hope I'm doing enough to support them.
The shining light in all of this is that it's a beautiful day today, I've barely been sitting still between school and work outs, I got in some decent runs without too much bursitis hip pain, and I have 100ish really great students that I'm getting to know. (On that note, I miss my morning crew from last year so much, and hope you're all settling in well at college!!!) It's a good life... even with all the stress. :)
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