Running After 3

Slow year..

2011-11-09T15:12:00.000-05:00

Slow year for blogging...busy year f or family. We have spent the past year with a little sick one & swimming fish for the other. Hospitals & doctors with one & the swimsuits & pools for the other. I am hoping to get back on track!! Making my goals for the new year. I figure if I start now maybe they will be close to being finished by then!!

Working towards a few goals....

2011-02-12T00:15:00.001-05:00

One of my goals this year was a reading goal. I've been spending too much time on the laptop or watching tv & not reading. I used to be a voracious reader but like a lot of things in the past few months, it's on the back burner. So today I came up with a tentative list of books I want to read this year & hooked up with my Goodreads app to join the challenge. My goal is 12 which is easily do-able. Unfortunately - I need to complete the list. But I am off to a healthy start.

My list is as below but I will not be reading them in this order necessarily.

The Gift - J. Patterson
The Alchemist - P. Coelho
A Good Man is Hard to Find - F. O'Connor
The Violent Bear it Away - F. O'Connor
Pillars of the Earth - K. Follett
The Happiness Project - G. Rubin
Decision Points - G. Bush
Last Lecture - R. Pausch
Mansfield Park - J. Austen
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies - J. Austen & S. Smith

I need to fill the rest of the list in due time. I bought a bunch of books from our local Books 4 Less - more Patterson & such, but I am looking for variety. More than that, I am looking to expand myself. I read the same thing, same style over & over. Let's see how this goes.

A month in & still no goals

2011-02-01T00:08:00.000-05:00

I've started out 2011 already in a slump. Usually every year I get myself going & come up with the ole' resolutions & then I am off & running. For it least a month or so. This year is different. I have no goals. And worse yet, I really don't want to make any. I feel a general malaise in my life for the past 6 months or so. I know what needs to be done, I know what direction I need to go in but I just don't care about getting there. To me this is bothersome.

For instance, the health issue. I have gained a bit in the last 6 months since I stopped running after my last half marathon in May. I have a general plan to get things into motion but I just cannot find any motivation to do it. No - I'm not depressed, quite the opposite I've been very happy, happier than I have been in awhile. I just lost my focus along the way.

So I guess for my 1st goal: make a list of goals for the year. I think I shall start out quite simple. I can't afford to overload my fragile self at this point in the game.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-08T14:28:00.001-05:00

Pine Cone Toile Christmas Card

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Changing my eating plan

2010-09-21T09:40:00.000-04:00

So last night I attended a workshop that is running out of my chiropractor. It is called Turning Points. Led by an actual nutritionist who, so far, I like. Today was the first day for the eating plan - no fruit & no carbs. This will be a tough 2 weeks. She considers it a detox. Oh... did I mention no caffeine?!?! Yikes!!
I am going to do my best to stick with this. I honestly think my metabolism has been on hiatus for eons. I need to get it back on track. With all the exercising I have been doing I should be looking svelte!! But that has not been the case. So we shall see where this goes!!

Menu Plan Monday

2010-09-12T22:59:00.000-04:00

It's been quite awhile since I have Menu Planned but here it is!!

Monday - Beer Butt Chicken
Tuesday - Corn Beef Crockpot-style
Wednesday - Macaroni & Cheese (ala Top Secret recipe Style)
Thursday - 40 cloves & a Chicken
Friday - Grandma's Favorite Chicken
Saturday & Sunday - Freebie days!!

Weekends are on the fly in our home. If I work hubby orders out & if I don't we grill. So no need to plan!!

Now I bought some apples & peaches......need to make a pie & some muffins. Will post recipes.

Ode to a slow metabolism

2010-08-09T21:42:00.000-04:00

I really dislike exercising. Really I do. Which may owe to the fact that hips, butt and thighs are yea wide. I love to plan for it and I'm really great at it. I enter the days in my Outlook calendar which syncs to my Google calendar which can text me reminders & emails. The Google then syncs to my iphone which I have push notifications that are 2 & 1 hour prior to event reminders. I'm awesome at planning for exercise. But executing the plan never goes off too smoothly. I see the reminders & close them. Finding another lame excuse not to do it. For instance, a few weeks back I bought the Chalean Extreme DVDs. Made it through the 1st week & loved it. But stopped. Why? Who knows? I mean - it is 35 freaking minutes!! I can do this!! Self sabotage it is. So - I started back up again this week & vow to make it through the 90 days. Once again - it is 35 minutes or so for each session unlike the hour + of P90x. I have Day 1 completed and will begin to plan for the rest of the week.

I'm also working on my eating habits. Like my exercising - I PLAN to eat well. Then i see the "Light" ice cream. Yes it is only 140 cal per serving - that I agree with. but when you sit & eat 1/2 the container watching "Leverage" with all kinds of caramel topping all over - it no longer becomes "Light" it becomes a meal. So I told my husband we can no longer have ice cream in the house. I am weak and if he loves me he will deal with it.
With the summer garden it has been pretty eating to incorporate more veggies. We have tomatoes, green beans, tomatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini and did I mention tomatoes?? So I bought a bag of salad and a few mushrooms and wha-la! Dinner!! I'm going to go crazy tonight and add some shrimp to the mix. I know... I'm wild.

Dinner from the garden...

2010-08-07T18:59:00.000-04:00

Tomatoes are in full swing now. The cherry tomatoes are ripening so quickly that we are giving them away. My neighbors are very happy about this. On my own this evening so I must whip up what I harvested from the garden. Tons of tomatoes, beans & zucchini to work with. Weeks ago I saw a recipe which involved tomatoes & almond slivers - unable to find anywhere on the internet now. Usually I save everything in Delicious but for some reason I didn't. Going insane - so I had to wing it.

I just mixed the almonds & tomatoes - amazing. Also made onions with green beans then some sesame parmesan zucchini. It was pretty tasty!!

Now tomorrow will be eggplant!! I love summer!!

Our sunflowers are finally blooming also...... I forgot how beautiful they are.

Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes

2010-08-03T22:17:00.000-04:00

First it was zucchini. TONS of it. I have in my freezer 40+ 2 cup ziplock bags of shredded zucchini that I will have on hand to make bread whenever it is needed. Which, come winter, will be alot. Now we have tomatoes coming out of our ears.
See - I got real ambitious at the start of the season. I initially had started all my plants from seed but they ended up dying prior to transplant. So I went to a local nursery which had beautiful plants for super cheap prices! Like 50 cents a plant - I went crazy. Buying 14 tomatoes plants, 8 eggplant, tons of cucumber & zucchini plants. Keep in mind there are 3 people in our family. And my husband, who loves the conquest of harvesting, really doesn't eat that many veggies.

So now we have 14 tomatoes plants in our garden(s) and of course they are all ripening at once.
We have 2 gardens - our lower garden has the majority of tomatoes with corn, eggplant and a few zucchini plants. The upper garden only has 2 tomato plants but has the core of cucumber & zucchini plants with a bit of corn also. Our cucumbers turned out mostly yellow. Which initially bothered me since I had read that if they turned yellow they were over ripe & bitter. Turns out I had bought "Lemon" cucumbers. Very tasty!! We did try lettuce & carrots but I think the soil is too tight for them. On our porch I have 3 - 18 gallon bins with 2 plants each - those have tons of green tomatoes a present time - but of course they will ripen all at once. I am looking at canning recipes for them since we will not be able to eat of all them. Next... beans. We have it least 6 pole bean plants climbing up different parts of our deck. What was I thinking!!

End of summer

2010-08-02T18:18:00.000-04:00

Wow - so this summer has flown by so quickly. I vowed at the beginning of summer to blog more. I was wrong. Our schedule with Emily & swim team proved to be very busy. But we loved it!!
Emily did so well this year!! This was her first season in rec swimming and by the end of the season she has dramatically decreased her times. So much in backstroke that she won an award at the end of the season!! She took 3rd place in freestyle at "B" championships - out of 76 other swimmers. I can begin to express how darn proud of her I am!! She has the month of August off and then will start back up in Sept.
Sarah has her last week of school at the BCIU. Then we will have about 3 weeks off and then she starts kindergarten. I'm so excited for her. She will be in fuill day school - 5 days a week. This is going to be great for her!! Things are going well for her. She is tolerating her bolus feedings so much better than she has before. Though i still wish she would be able to take more in.
So on my wish list... blog more. I know... it's been said before. :)

Been awhile

2010-06-28T16:22:00.000-04:00

Oh my - last post was over 3 months ago. I've been bad! But things have been so busy in this home of ours. School is finally out & I'm actually glad to have my Emily home with me. She's busy & gets bored so easy but she's so funny. Sarah has been off for 2 weeks or so now for her school break. I love having her home too. She, once again, has made major leaps in development. She is now "talking" more which is making more sounds. We are in heaven!! And she smiles so easily now. This is going to be a great summer!!

Apps I love when I run....

2010-03-24T13:25:00.000-04:00

I have an iPod touch previously & loved using it for my runs - the Nike+ as built in and it was great!!. Not that I have a 3G iPhone, I noticed that it does not have the Nike+ & from the posts that I have read it will never be. Annoying but it is what it is. Nike's loss for not have Apple implement in the 3G. I have since moved on to other app's. And here are a few below.

When it comes to running, now that I have a GPS I have tried the vast app's that are offered.

1.) TrailGuru
I am presently using TrailGuru. I like this app - quick & straightforward. And so far have had no problems with the GPS tracking. Everything is uploaded to the site. Unfortunately, you cannot see your past runs via the app - only online. And the app must be running for tracking. So I have to start my music 1st then start the app. Therefore - I better have a playlist of songs I like - no changing. I do like the fact that you can "lock" the app - so no accidentally shutting it down. A major plus when your iphone is jostling in your pocket. Plus I can take pictures along my route - which I think is very cool. Sometimes out on those runs you see some very interesting stuff.

Free

2.) Runmeter
I tried this one before TrailGuru. It was 4 - 4 1/2 stars so I thought it would be a great deal for $4.99. Problem was the GPS dropped out a mile into my run. I was so irritated that I immediately downloaded TrailGuru. This does have a remote control via headphones/mic, twitter postings, google maps & exports. You can also see your progress in the calendar section, which I like. I like being able to see my progress. Regarding the twitter, it will also update you on what people post to you via text to voice (hear your tweets!). You also have to have this opened for tracking. Not too many program run in the background so I guess this is not that big of a deal. I think I may have to try this again & see how it goes. Will update after a few uses. No camera - :(

$4.99

3.) RunsToGo
This is essentially a countdown program. I set my goal to run 40 miles in a month. Each time I run, I enter the total miles & it counts down. It has a badge that shows how many miles are left for quick review. It's a simple program and the $2 I paid I think we worth it. It's $2 & I use it everytime I run so I don't think it was a waste.

$1.99

These of course are my 3 main running apps. I have others that I use off & on but these are my primary since the Nike+ is pretty much obsolete to me. Don't think I want to carry a secondipod just for that.

Next up.... apps I use for diet/nutrition....

My new iPhone..part 1

2010-03-16T16:32:00.001-04:00

My cell phone FINALLY died recently. Not wanting to speak ill of the dead, but THANK GOODNESS!! In the beginning it was a trusty ole thing, but as time went on....well put it this way - I do not want to age like my cell phone. You couldn't hear anything, the ringer seemed to die down, the screen dimmed & it was to the point you couldn't charge it at all. Oh gosh...I really do not want to age like my cell..... it sounds so human! The day eventually came when the charge in my phone was no more - so instead of getting a new one my hubby gave me his. Drats.... not according to plan but I rolled with it.

My husband is predictable in some ways. He did not mind giving me his phone since he had his work phone, but my husband respects the line between work & personal property. He absolutely does not like to make personal calls on his work phone... to him it is almost an ethical dilemma. I could hear a cringe over the phone one time I asked him to bring home a few paper clips for a bunch of files that needed to be mailed out. To him a personal call on his work phone is tantamount to company theft. So the 2 weeks without his personal cell phone was a killer for him and he finally caved!!

I had informed him that our next phone should be an iphone. I mean come on - look at the commercials!! How more practical can you get!! He did not seem to understand that I craved the accessibility of the 'net that he took for granted on his little Blackberry. I wanted to be able to use my Weight Watcher app other than in my own house or in the produce section of our local Giant. Finding free wi-fi for my ipod touch was like a quest for the Holy Grail. Silly... but true. If you have an ipod touch you understand.

So he gave in to me & granted me my wish. This only came after we realized that his company offers a discount with AT&T. So for the with the discount (25%) on our phone plan AND data plan, we would be paying pretty much the same amount as we are now. (yes this info would have been handy to know for the last 4 years we've been with AT&T). The day I downloaded my 1st app and used the "3G" network...I was in love. If you have never experienced the iphone.... oh my. Apps....they are addictive. I mean they seriously have one for everything. And I need to try them. I have a new organizer every other week and have yet to settle on one. (Though I have found Springpad and think it is the coolest thing..)

Next post I will talk about the many exercise apps I have & use on my iphone. I have found this to be the most useful thing in my war in losing weight.

By the way, since I was getting an iPhone my husband felt he needed to get one too. He did not understand the big deal in the beginning but after 20 minutes on his iphone he was hooked. Though it is a bit concerning when we are out in public and he decides to bowl to pass the time..

Giveaway #3

2010-02-09T18:09:00.002-05:00

Simple Organic giveaway - so many great things here!! Check it out!!

Simple Organic

Giveaway #2

2010-02-09T18:05:00.000-05:00

Another great giveaway. Once again - anything associated with Simple Mom has got to be good!!

Simple Kids

Giveaway!!!

2010-02-09T17:17:00.000-05:00

Great giveaway here!!! I'm so excited - go on over & check it out. Plus the site itself looks to be amazing. I follow Simple Mom so these site HAVE to be good!!

Simple Bites

Still trying to make it thru the stages of grief

2010-02-04T00:37:00.000-05:00

I spoke with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia dept. of genetics & they told me that there is a new test for WHS. It's called a SNP. (http://www.illumina.com/Documents/products/appnotes/appnote_cytogenetics.pdf ) From my understanding it may help show a relationship between size of deletion of degree disease. There is a correlation from my understanding between seizures & size. She also gave us the site - clinicaltrials.gov to follow. Presently none are in effect. Not sure if this site is specifically for the states or not. Either way need to chat with neuro about it.

We've seen our genetic MD once in person & then spoke on phone with results of diagnose. Then that was it. She was on the money though when she did her initial eval of Sarah. I told my hubby he didn't need to go since it was just a consult - what a fool I was. She had Sarah diagnosed within 5 min - no lie. Based upon things you never would see in YOUR child. Now I notice them more when I see other children with WHS - wide spaced eyes, large forehead (so glad when her bangs grew in ;), small chin, over all teeniness. I was hysterical leaving the office (mind you pushing a stroller & toting a 4 yr. old & all in inner city Philly at 5pm AND had only lived in the area for less than 3 months)

Since both hubby & I are ICU nurses - we felt that we would handle the info at home better than in her office (we knew the lingo & such). She was great when she told us "It is not anyone's fault - this happens in nature blah, blah" (though my hubby insists it's me..."Hon - I've seen your family...they are crazy at times!!! he's so bad!! but it makes me laugh) But most importantly she said that though she will have gross developmental delays, she will always continue to learn. Just because at 1 1/2 yrs. old - developmentally she was at most 6 months - it didn't mean she would be like that forever. She would always be able to learn from new experiences. And it is true. We never thought that she would be walking! Now she's trying to verbalize!!

She told us all her care was supportive. Specialists soon took over & we haven't spoken with her since. But she was the first to give us hope. This - after coming home & getting on the net to look it up. If one person would have told me not to do that I would have been so thankful. If you know someone who has a child with a new diagnoses of WHS - talk to them or try to steer to a support group before letting them do their own research. I went into a depression for about 6 month post dx. & I blame it on the studies on the internet. There are not studies that show our children can not only grow up to be teens but crazy FB creating 20-somethings. I realized that my child is not that "bad" (medically speaking). I get down sometimes & it seems to always be around the time a MD appt. is due. I start the "pity thing" for my Sarah (me). But the along the way I see a child in a WC who cannot move & is so contracted that he cant move his arms (but is arguing with mom about schoolwork), I see babies with trach's & O2, I see some that have no hair or eyebrows due to chemo but a smile that is a mile wide.I see various degrees of heartbreaking bad intertwined with normalcy. I realize that it is all relative. Sarah's seizures are bad but she can walk, she can smile & she can show interest in things. Some children cannot do these things. Yes I wish she would feed herself or eat by mouth for that matter. But it will come...it will happen. I remember all this and that's when I realize I'm being silly.

I have a friend who has a child with ADD. She of course knows all about Sarah & she says to me. I don't know who you do it, I couldn't!" And my reply is, "Are you kidding me? I don't know how you do it, I don't think I'd have the patience" But he's such a sweet boy too!! We realized it's what you are given - we all adapt to life as humans. But mothers - this is where we shine!! We learn how to do things that we never would have thought we could do or much less would WANT too. Insert an ngt, replace a peg, access ports. We are hardcore!!

Though the only other worry we have is for our daughter Emily to see if she is a carrier. We know we will need to be tested for her - she is only 7 so we have time. *sign*

And speaking of my Emily - one of the things I love most about her? She understands all her problems (she gets the O2 & turns it on with seizures, heck she's even witnessed one before we had, she had helped change her peg tube & removed granulation tissue. (though vomit & poop are still out of her league...can't blame her) She truly is amazing. Emily knowing all this still thinks that Sarah will be riding the bus with her when she goes to Kindergarten next year. To Emily Sarah is normal. THAT is what make my Emily such an amazing girl. That is what I want everyone to see when they look at my Sarah - no she doesn't talk (but she's a great listener...as she's walking around the dragging things off counters) but if you need a smile? She's the one to go to. Always happy.

So in someways I am a bit bitter about the path we have gone down - I really don't think I've made it through all the stages of grief but I'm trying to get through them. But with each day I see the potential my daughter has and the goals that she kicked to the curb to move on & I am so proud of her. She has made me a more patient person. Honestly...if you would have know me gosh 5-6 years ago....I was a b***h. Negative - Negative-Nasty. No I try to find the good in everyone (yes it is hard sometimes) but everyone has bad days/decades. I still need to get more patience with my Em. She is so strong willed & high spirited and stubborn......*sign* this trait she got from both of us. doom.doom.doom :)

Bottom line - looks for the best in everything. When I think how it sucks that I have a daughter who has a genetic disorder & how unfair it is - I see another child who seems a bit worse off. My daughter has this & seizures, the inability to talk (oh I yearn to hear mom come from her) but she can smile And do you what her best gift is - her snuggle. I look forward to those every evening from her as she winds down. My other 2 "normal" girls never wanted to have snuggle time so I enjoy them & hope they are for awhile.

Life is good.....and I really do believe God brought Sarah my way. Not in the way some would say that I was being punished - because my God is not cruel. He knew that a child need a special mom & he knew that I could use some practice on a few things, like having patience with others & to learn how to empathize. So he sent Sarah my way... what a Godsend she has been.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-02-01T06:00:00.002-05:00

Ok - it has been forever since I've participated in the MPM. Though I've actually menu planned at home - I haven't posted which has in the past held me accountable. Mentally menu planning & actually writing it down makes a difference. Especially on those days when I really do not feel like cooking. When I write it down, it seems I am more prepare to cook. Totally works for me!!

So here we go!! The previous weekend I made a turkey - like Thanksgiving size that has been in my freeaer since Thanksgiving. I had an oven fiasco then (the window cracked 2 days before the big cook day!!) so I had to buy a roaster which meant buying a smaller bird. *sigh* very stressful. So I felt I needed to cook that thing before it went bad & that means a week of leftovers....yea!!!

Monday: Leftover Turkey Casserole

Tuesday: Crockpot Cabbage Rolls

Wednesday: Slow-Cooked Creamy Parmesan Chicken & Rice

Thursday: Chicken Carbonara

Friday: Pizza (bread machine)

Saturday: Stuffed Shells

Breakfast ideas: Baked Oatmeal (absolutley the best!!!), pancakes, cereal & bread machine cinnamon rolls

Lunch ideas: salads - this is a weak spot. I end up buying WW Smart Ones. Need to get creative!

Desserts: Brooke's Bombshell Brownies., Apple Pie Hungry Girl Style, Jello

Motherhood... Rewards & the Pain

2010-02-01T00:34:00.000-05:00

As I am preparing for bed, I have a ritual with my girls.. Almost OCD like. I feel the need to check on them. Well I'm sure all moms do this, but I do it at least 3 times. But not for the manic reasons that popped into your head from that Psych 101 course you once took.

I do it because my daughter's sleep so beautifully. Take my Sarah, she sleeps sometimes with her eyes half open. In the right light you can see her gorgeous blue eyes. And she always has a serene look on her face. Once in awhile you can see her little lips pucker & she gives an eyebrow raise. Which always makes me smile, because what has she seen to make her think that sarcastic liitle "wow that was interesting"
And then there is my Emily. Now she is a snorer, but the type that could put most people to sleep. It is droning in nature. And let's not leave out the fact that she takes an entourage to bed with her every night. By these I mean her trolls & nutcrackers. At a minimum 8 trolls keeping her company & they are alway snuggled in with her & under the covers. To keep them warm.
I enjoy peeking in on my girls because it has the most calming effect on a mother. When I stand over my daughters crib and listen to her soft even breath and then stroke her soft sweet cheek - I know that there is good in this world. I know that when I sit or snuggle with Em while she sleeps, sometimes through her garbled chitchats in her sleep to Noone I get a reminder that in a flurry q chaos, peace always pulls through.
These checkins with my daughters are the happiest parts of my day. I realize that yes, Sarah is disabled. But I have a daughter who has nothing but love for me. When I look at my now, finally she's sleeping - Emily. I realize how much laughter she adds to my day. Especially as she is trying to solve the mystery on "Bones" with in the 1 at 5 minutes. (but mom it has to be XXXX man... He looked mad)
Yes they get on my nerves at times - and daily at that- but nothing make me feel more whole than they do.
Do not look for world peace - look for it in a smaller way. Once we find those things that truly with make us happy, I think it will all fall in line then. :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Great giveaway!!

2010-01-29T08:56:00.000-05:00

New Life on a Homestead is giving away DVD's called Homestead Blessing. The titles include: The Art of Gardening, The Art of Bread Making, The Art of Canning, The Art of Candle Making, The Art of Soap Making, and The Art of Herbs. The canning series really interests me!! Hope I win one!! Check out the site!!
Homestead Blessing DVD giveaway

A fresh start

2010-01-15T17:20:00.001-05:00

So it has been eons since I have done 2 things. Blogged & exercised. Thank goodness a new year has begun - this is always the mental renewal time of year.
Each year I have the same resolutions. Lose weight, exercise more & quit smoking. I have one of those resolutions accomplished - I have been smoke free for over 2 years now! Yeah!!! Now the other 2 are a bit more tiresome. Tiresome in the sense that I am so over putting them on a list each year. I was hoping by this time things would have been a"habit" and not wishful thinking. But as it is we are at square one once again.
My plan is pretty simple. I am going to follow Weight Watchers for my nutrition plan. I've done WW before with great results so I'm pretty hopeful. As for the fitness part of it all, I've signed up for Pilates twice a week & plan on running a minimum of 3 times/wk.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Best Mile

2010-01-15T17:20:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited! I rsn my fastest mile tonight - 11:23. woo-hoo! Not sure where I'm getting the speed but it works for me!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Training

2010-01-13T01:09:00.000-05:00

I seriously need to get on the ball here. Maybe I need to listen to more podcasts & read more blogs for inspiration. Reading tweets of those who run in this humid muck is very inspiring (crazy too). I had all intentions of getting up early & running. Honest! But the comfy-ness of my bed prove to be stronger than the Force. *sigh* maybe tomorrow.

-- Post From My iPhone

Trying to get a groove going....

2009-12-02T22:00:00.000-05:00

I think the hardest part of running is finding the groove. I think I am almost there, maybe. A bit ambivalent about this I am. You see I haven't hit the opensroads yet. I'm still the hamster on the treadmill.... For now. I will soon run outdors because this is my favorite time to run. But I am preparing for the inevitable setback of mileage & paces. I think I am doing pretty okay now, but *sigh* once I go to road - it's going to be a new mode. Meaning I'm starting over again.
New often unstable in areas,
loose gravel, slippy* grass, uneven roads & bonehead drivers. Must I go on? I never encur this while on a treadmill. I need to make my transistion soon. I'm tired of read tweets of everyones quick runs "oh it was so cold out" or "ran a fast 2 miler in the pouring rain" I feel. so wimpy *sigh* needs to
End! So tommorrow I will have my plan!!!!! (hopfully ;))

For those of you not from Pittsburgh - slippy means slippery :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Great Lisa Leonard Giveaway at Simple Mom!!

2009-11-20T08:24:00.000-05:00

I really love to enter this giveaway - hoping to win one day. She has the most unique and beautiful jewelry items I have seen in awhile. Mind you I am not a jewelry person either. I love the "Be Still" necklace under the Inspired section. Stop on over to Simple Mom - check it out & enter!!

I'm back to the gym..

2009-11-13T15:08:00.000-05:00

Well I've finally got a schedule down...sort of.. for the gym. My youngest has school 3 days a week for I have 3 "no excuse" days to get there. Today was my 3rd day this week & I spent over an hour and a half there. I KNOW!! That's just crazy!!! But I am learning to warm up for my runs - so I walk it least a half mile then I run for about 40 minutes. I down loaded the Lance Armstrong Nike+ mix & love it. 4 min run - 4 min walk kinda deal. I almost had my 5K under 40 minutes. I am working towards less than 35 minutes. I need to get back in shape for the "Shiver by the River" series next month. My goals are to get in 30 miles this month.
Plus I have added strength training to my routine. I have a feeling I am going to be sore tomorrow. And OMG I have NO upoper body strength whatsoever. Weakling here!! But I like that feeling - a bit of soreness. It's a reminder that I am doing something.
Beginning Monday I am going to take a yoga class at 6 freaking clock in the morning. I hope this works out, I really want to do learn yoga. So I am getting up early enough to hit up Planet Fitness to run first & then get to the Y for the class. And for Wednesday I signed up for a pilates class - I'll run before the class that day. Wish me luck all!!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-11-09T16:25:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit late on this...but here we go!! If you can tell, I have a chicken theme going on this week. I have a bunch in the freezer so I need to use it now. That is before Thanksgiving comes & we have turkey for a week!!

Monday: Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

Tuesday: Stuffed Shells & Homemade Garlic Bread

Wednesday: Cheesy Chicken Meatballs with Broccoli & Cheese

Thursday: Sweet & Sour Chicken

Friday: Rotisserie-Style Crockpot Chicken with Mashed Potatoes

Have a great week all!!!

Friend Makin Monday

2009-11-09T09:46:00.002-05:00

Friend Makin' Monday

What are your favorite candles/scents?

When it comes to candles, Yankee has it!!

Autumn Lodge

Which they do not make anymore (very sad about this) but rumor is that they are

bringing it back ext year for a limited run. We'll see - if so need to save & stock up!!

My all time favorite scent has to be my little ones. You know that smell... and I'm talking when they are clean out of the tub & before the lotion & powder. Not so much after they have been rolling around in cod knows what outside. That fresh baby innocence smell that my girls always seem to have. I love it!!

I love rain on hot pavement, the smell of snow in the air just before it falls, the scent of fall when the leaves are turning, fresh cut grass in the spring, baking bread and a fireplace.

Friday Fill-In....

2009-11-06T14:53:00.001-05:00

A weekly meme hosted by Janet at Friday Fill-Ins

1. Plans and schedules are wishful thinking! Though I enjoy making them!!

2. I'm happy when things go as planned but also when things are unexpected. Like my kids actually cleaning up after themselves - my husband is within this category too.

3. The last thing I drank was chocolate chip tea.

4. One of the most valuable things in my life is my family. It is THE most valuable thing.

5. I like nothing on my pizza. I usually take all the cheese off.

6. Dear November, please bring me some snow!!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to taking my nap before working, tomorrow my plans include watching my daughter try to rollerskate, if I m not working and Sunday, I want to relax!

Thursday Thunks

2009-11-05T11:02:00.001-05:00

Not sure if we are to answer all the questions or not but here we go!!!

Sesame Street turns 40 this month. If you were to be on Sesame Street, which character would you want to be in a scene with?

Elmo - just because my daughter, who is 7, still loves him. Makes me happy to see that Sesame Street is just not for "babies" - heck I still love to watch it!!! She gets so excited when we see him at Sesame Place!! (And wow - I'm a year older than Sesame... :0)

We are out shopping for a new laptop. Which one do you pick and why?

I love my Dell - but I'd considering going over to the "dark side" & tryong a Mac. I'm tired of listening to my 19 yr. old brag about it. I'd like to see what the hubaloo is all about!! Plus the idea of not having continuous updates to clog the memory of my computer....that is heaven.

Have you ever walked out of a movie at the theater? What was the movie, how much was the ticket and why did you walk out?

Yes - my hubby & I went ot see "The Weatherman" with N. Cage. We like him but the movie was awful!!! I couldn't take it & he was sleeping so we left & went shopping instead. It irked me since we rarely get "date" nights & this movie was such a stinker.

If your neighbor is having a baby would you buy a baby gift for them?

Yes & I have. I think it was a plot - we had 3 of them pregnant at the same time!!

I Want....Wednesday

2009-11-04T13:33:00.001-05:00

What do you want in a PERFECT bedroom?

I'd love huge windows, hardwood floors and a fireplace. A sitting area would be nice also. Sparsely furnished to give it an airy feeling. Just give me something from Country Living!! I'd want it to be a place I could lounge & read for hours.

Friend Makin' Monday - Halloween

2009-11-02T15:33:00.001-05:00

Oh, you know you ate some. At least a little right? If you didn't, you know you wanted to. Whether you ate it or just drooled over it, what is your favorite Halloween candy?

I love - just LOVE Almond Joy's. And 100 Grand bars.....OMG!!

What about you?

Menu Plan Monday

2009-11-02T10:59:00.011-05:00

Well I am pretty excited about this weeks meal plan. I'm doing a whole bunch of crockpot meals. With it chilly outside the crockpot keeps my kitchen nice & warm. No need to turn the heat on in the house yet!!! So green isn't it? (Or kooky if you ask my husband when I tell him this!!) Plus it is time for homemade chicken soup!! MMMM. My mother-in-law has passed onto me her M-I-L's recipe & it is so tasty!!! Add some matzo ball's & it's a great meal. Yum!!

Monday:

Grandma Ruth's Homemade Chicken Soup with Rice
Matzo Balls

Broccoli & Cauliflower Casserole
Homemade Bread

Tuesday:

Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff with Noodles

Homemade Bread

Wednesday:

Stuffed Shells

Homemade Garlic Bread

Thursday:

Crockpot Pepper Steak over Rice

Homemade Bread

Friday:

Pizza

Saturday:

Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

Homemade Bread

Sunday:

Leftovers (aka You're On Your own!)

Breakfasts:

I'm going to make batches of pancakes & waffles & freeze them.

Lunches:

Mainly sandwiches & salads. Though I do have some chicken leftover from a roasted chicken dinner this weekend. I need a good recipe for Chicken Salad. Any ideas welcome!!

Desserts:

I am going to try my hand a Bakalva & Rugelach
Wish me luck on these!!

Monday Menu Plan ....for Tuesday..

2009-10-27T12:36:00.003-04:00

Ok - so I am a bit behind. I was going to stay up & post last night but I found a brief moment of time to spend with my hubby. So I took that instead. He's been so busy lately - to actually spend some time with him is rare. So onto my menu!! This week is pasta week. Eric will be working late 2 evenings this week & with my eldest working evening shift - pasta is an easy dinner for 2.

Monday: Tacos
Tuesday: Crockpot Ravioli
Wednesday: Chicken Parmesan
Thursday: Rachael Ray's Carbonara Recipe
Friday: Pizza

I am actually trying to use what I have in my pantry for these meals. Plus I am looking for a good veggie soup for the crockpot for next week. I have tons of frozen veggies that need to be used up before they have a higher ice to veggie ratio. So today is going to be spent scouring through my pantry to determine what I have on hand for next weeks meals. Wish me luck!!

Baking...Baking....Baking

2009-10-23T11:28:00.003-04:00

I have been on a baking/cooking frenzy lately. Fall does this to me. I love when the air gets cool enough that you can actually bake in your kitchen without melting. Plus there is something about the scent of the crisp fall air that makes you want to bake.Apples, pumpkins, squash oh my!

Since I have been menu planning for the past month or so I have come across some wonderful recipes that I have been dying to try. I'm also following alot of "frugal/money saving" blogs that have given some great ideas for commercial foods that you can make at home. Breakfast, for instance, is the most trying meal for us. Eric usually stops at Wawa in the morning & gets a breakfast sandwich because he would rather sleep the extra 10 minutes than make a bowl of cereal. (I'm for that line of thinking too). So I went out & bought sausage rounds & 2 packages of Pillsbury biscuits. I had some eggs & cheese mini omelets from the Market Day fundraiser at my daughters school on hand too. I baked the biscuits & then assembled & froze them. Eric loved it!! And it came down to about 60 cents per sandwich.Though next time I will make the biscuits - just need to find a good recipe. And good ones - please leave a comment!!

I then made some Pumpkin waffles. I just love the website Smitten Kitchen. They have the most wonderful recipes and are in English. By that I mean - easy to read understand & uncomplicated. The pumkin waffles were a hit with Emily - who was my taste tester. They have a hint of pumpkiny-goodness without being over-powering which is what I was worried about. I couldn't imagine eating a waffle that tasted like a Pumpkin Latte. It was perfect. I made a batch & frozen them too. I recommend trying the recipe - Pumpkin waffles from Smitten Kitchen.

Another Smitten Kitchen favorite of mine is the Cold Brewed coffee. I've made this with pumpkin flavored coffee & it was terrific!! If you liked iced coffee - this is how you make it without it tasting bitter.

I also baked 2 dozen "Brain" cupcakes for Emily's Harvest Day for school. Nothing from scratch here. Just Duncan Hines Halloween mix (orange with brown swirl) & frosting that is piped on to look like a brain. I made 2 batches of buttercream frosting & they both turned out horrible!! I am suspecting it was because I used margerine & not butter. I ended up running to the store at 8pm to grab frosting. I was exhausted!!.

My last cooking job was Potato Chowder in the crockpot. This was wonderful. Here's the recipe - Slow Cooked Potato Chowder.

I made my chunks a bit small for easy eating and used shredded carrots.

I really liked this recipe. Tasty & filling . Though I added some Herbs De Provence for a little added flavor. In a way I was expecting a more creamy soup so I thickened it just a bit. But overall a nice filling meal on a chilly night. Too bad Eric does not like soups - I'd make this for dinner. I put a few servings in freezer bags & froze them. I love tossing stuff in the crockpot!!

Next topic....tea. I found a place to buy tea & I love it!! Have a great day!!

Menu Planning Monday

2009-10-19T14:25:00.009-04:00

Okay here's is my first blog into menu planning. I've actually been planning for the past few weeks & it is working out great. It really is so convenient! I'm trying to following some guidelines from different blogs & I'm posting to the Organized Junkie to try & keep some accountability to myself (as well as get menu ideas). Geeky I know.

Monday: Fettuccine Alfredo w/Broccoli

Tuesday: Take-out Chicken

Wednesday: Crockpot Ravioli

Thursday: Tacos

Friday: Pizza (along with the homemade sauce)

Saturday: Leftovers

I also have Peanut Butter pie, pizza bread & Breakfast apple granola crisp on the menu for snacks/lunches & breakfasts. I'll try to rate the meals as I go also.

I made the pizza bread yesterday and was able to get 3 large loaves from the recipe. And it was fantastic!! The peanut butter pie was good too. Nice & fast dessert, though Eric would have liked the Oreo recipe instead. I'm going to make the Apple granola crisp this afternoon. I am excited about this one - I have been waiting to try something from this website, Smitten Kitchen. Every recipe I have seen here looks so easy and they have so many great recipes to boot!!

_______
Meal update....

The fettucini alfredo was very good, though I added more parmesan than it called for. The Take-Out Chicken did not go well - I used chicken breast instead of thighs. It was a bit tough. And the flavor was a bit spicy. Hubby was not crazy about it at all.

Now the Breakfast Apple Granola Crisp is awesome!!! Love it and highly recommend it.

Long but successful day!

2009-10-18T23:59:00.001-04:00

It's been a whirlwind day of baking today. I was able to make about 4 dozen choc chip cookies, 3 rolls of pizza bread & dinner. I made Bruschetta chicken - very good & easy. More importantly my 7 year old ate it! The hamburger rolls I was making did not do so well- the dough "exploded" in my bread maker. I salvaged what I could so I'll find put how it did with Eric's lunch tomorrow.
Tomorrow I have a job interview *yikes!* and then I am going to make Breakfast Apple Crisp. It is from the Smitten Kitchen website (will get link later). Pretty excited about this one!!
Plus tomorrow is Meal Plan Monday. (That really needs an audio link to make it so so much cooler ha!)
Well off to read a bit. I've borrow this book twice & I am determined to finish it. It about the Centralia mine fire. Tragic thing - more bothersome if you came from coal mining area as I did in West. Pa & had a few members of my family that were miners. We're all now blood, guts & steel and so proud of it!!!
Night all~
-- Posted from my iPhone

Starting anew

2009-10-15T12:19:00.002-04:00

Okay now. Got a new blog theme....check. Got ideas to blog about.....check. Have the motivation....check. Need to actually blog.......hmmm, ummm partial check?

I initially started this blog to talk about my running and so forth. Though this has gone by the wayside - both the running and the blogging. I'm more upset with the first one though. I keep making the same excuse that I do not have the time - but as you can see by this - I do. My youngest daughter starts school next week - 3 days for about 4 hours - so I am hoping to get out of the rut and just do it. Considering that I have been registered for the Philly Half next month I really need to get running. I hate the way I feel too. I feel old & creaky. Ugh and not to mention very, very jiggly.

So on top of that I have been meal planning too (need a better segue than that). Which I find has been very helpful in my day-to-day routine. Beginning this coming Monday I will be posting my meal plans too along with the recipes links in case you too (my 2 followers ha!) are interested. We shall see how this goes...wish me luck!!

Smoke Free

2009-08-12T00:52:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting here thinking about the guy I saw taking a walk during his lunch hour. I was quite impressed with him for taking up the task. I mean - it was hot today. No really hot. - like 92 degrees with the heat index of "Sweet Jesus!" he was wearing his dress slacks, a long sleeved shirt & tie. He had a nice little pace going too - whatever was on the iPod was doing it's job in keeping it cardio. Like I said before, I was impressed. Then the wave of disgust rolled through me as he flicked his cigarette butt in the street infront of my car.
No - the littering isn't what bothered me (though that is a major peeve I will address one day). It was the combination of the 2 acts together that did - walking & smoking. Some out there may give him credit -"hey it least he's exercising!" Those of you that are thinking this are smokers most likely & if you are not then you are oblivious to the bigger picture.
See - I now have been smoke free for 2 years. This simple act (not so simple at the time) has given me so much of a payback. No more seasonal hacking, no more stressed out mornings wondering where my lighter is - though many a time I could have used a Non-Smokers glare. Respiratory wise I'm good - true my ass has gotten a lot bigger too. A trade I'll gladly accept.
More importantly - this act of quitting has given me the right to bitch too. I smoked for 20 years. Started because a boyfriend did, another stupid move - I married the boyfriend - another blog entry at a later time about that! I would wake up in the morning & light up...... BEFORE peeing. That's just insane! Now I can't stand being near a heavy smoker - the stale smell of tobacco nauseates me. I can't breathe. - it's a mess. But a nice mess. To all the smokers out there. - quit. It's really easier than the alternative... Death.

-- Post From My iPhone

Need to blog more.....

2009-07-31T14:54:00.000-04:00

So... It's been awhile. But I have a new iPod touch & I downloaded an app in hopes of blogging more. We'll see though.
My running has been non-existent since the Pgh. Half Marathon. I took the rest period a bit too serious. But now I am back at it so keep tuned!

-- Post From My iPhone

Tea...Tea...Tea...

2009-05-22T11:19:00.007-04:00

I just got my shipment from Mountain Rose Herbs the other day. I love this place!! They have the best tea in the world & at such great prices!!! I bought a pound of tea for about $20. Trust me - this will last me for about a month or 2. It is huge!! Plus I am trying a few smaller sizes too. I've had Moon Ease (wonderful) and Dream Tea (love it - next big buy!!). Recent purchase included Lemon tea & one called Fidnemed Nighttime Tea. This one was a bit bitter for me - I think I will have to mix it with another tea.

Plus they sell herbs too. I bought a bag of Stevia leaf to add to my loose tea and the price was reasonable. Only $9.00 for a pound bag. Stevia, if you did not know, is twice as sweet as sugar. No need to add to my tea anymore!! No more extra calories there!!

Take a look at the site, there is something for everyone!!. Also - if you do decide to order, please go through my site for I am now an affiliate with them. Enjoy!!!

Kicking & Screaming

2009-05-19T16:01:00.008-04:00

Today has been a very crazy day. First off, my peanut Sarah has decided to wake up at the ungodly hour of 2am. This would not have been so bad if she hadn't woke up the previous night at 4am & the night before that at 3:30 am. I have no idea what has gotten into her. I turn Blue on for her & attempt to sleep on the couch - but she doesn't take that too well. Soon enough she is whimpering for me. Thank goodness she is so cute.

Then Emily comes home from gymnastics this afternoon preparing to go out to enjoy a beautiful day. She forgets that she was "grounded" for an hour for her sassy mouth last night. To add to that I find that she & her buddies gave the basement a "post-war" makeover. (this after swearing everything was nice & clean...."pinky-promise") So for the next 2 hours the drama unfolded within our house. Needless to say for all the tears that she shed I think she only cleaned 1/8 of the area. I was not going to break today. I did give her a break to calm down - in which she went straight to her sister's room & promptly fell asleep on the bed. This bites!!

On a more positive note. We finally got our tomato plants today. We decided to order our plants from Burpee this year. Eric is pretty excited to get them in the ground. He has this silent competition with our next door neighbors for the most productive garden. They kicked our a$* last year!! Huge zucchini's - amazing. So this year he started early prepping the gardens (we have 2). Today I got some manure & peat moss for him to get planting when he gets home. I'll some before & after shots & post them.

The lower garden is strictly tomatoes this year. We will have about 7 plants in there & a few patio plants also. The upper garden will be for cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant & peppers. I decided to plant pole beans around our deck in the hopes that they will grow up onto the deck. We'll see. Well off to get the little one up!!

Thank you for your support!!

2009-05-18T16:08:00.006-04:00

I wanted to thank all of you who had donated to my fundraiser. The Children's Hospital of Philly is such a deserving place for your donations.

Since the diagnosis of Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome for my youngest daughter Sarah, we have been there often. All of her specialists are at CHOP and I wouldn't think of going anywhere else. The doctors & nurses are the best & this is coming from parents who are both ICU nurses. (By this I mean we are more aware of procedure & can therefore be more of a PIA. Fellow nurses know what I mean!!)

So once again we thank you for your support & encouragement during my training!!

I did it!!

2009-05-18T15:54:00.006-04:00

Well - on May 3rd I finished my 1st half marathon. It was awesome too!! So great that I signed up for the Philly Half in November.

We arrived in the 'Burgh Friday afternoon & visited with family. It was a great visit, though I think we needed more time. Saturday Eric & I went downtown with Sarah & Emily stayed with her cousin to play for the day. We hit up the expo & got my goodie bag & tag. The tech shirt is so nice (wore for the race) but they ran out of Dick's Sporting Good bags. A bit of a downer!! Eric & I decided to get Sarah in the stroller & explore the Strip District. Poor decision on my part. First thing was I wore my Croc flip-flops - by the end of the evening I had the makings of a blister on both of my feet. Plus I think we walked about 5 miles!! Though it was so nice to see the area again!! We had corned beef sandwhiches (probably not a good idea pre-race but oh so good!!) and headed back to the hotel.
We stayed at the Hampton Inn which literally was the start line. So travel to the race was easy. I was near the end of the line due to my turtle-like pace. Only complaint was that I waited in line for 40 - 45 min for the porta-potty pre-race.

Once I got started I immediately dropped to the back of the pack!! ha! All I needed to see was that the ambulance was BEHIND me!! And I kept ahead of it all of the race.

Crossing 3 of Pittsburgh's bridges was a breath-taking event for me. I always tell people that we have the before skyline & that morning set in stone for me!!

I finally crossed the finish line at 3:13:32. And I didn't want to vomit, which impressed me the most!!! My only real complaint was that I was told they ran out of Half Marathon medals which was not the case so I had to have mine mailed ( & they mailed me a Dick's duffel bag, the nicer one that they gave out to the full marathoners!!)

The next day I was lucky enough to be able to stand. To make matters worse I had to sit in a car for 5 hours to get home. But it was worth it & look forward to doing it again!!

Pictures to follow later!!

20 days to go

2009-04-14T11:28:00.002-04:00

I have 20 days to go for my half marathon & I am very nervous. I haven't been running like I have been - got into a rut. I know - how could you get in a rut with such a big race - not sure myself. But once again - I am not a professional so I'm not going to sweat it. I'm sure I'll feel it May 3rd though.

We have to start planning our trip. We have the hotel, but now I need to plan activities for the chitlin's to keep them busy. Pittsburgh is such a beautiful city & so much to do so I must choose wisely. Definitely a trip on the incline & the ducky bat ride. Any ideas pass them my way!!

Shiver series completed

2009-03-17T10:53:00.010-04:00

Well I finished the Shiver by the River series a few weeks back. I'm pretty happy that I ran all 4 races this time. In the past I've wussed out due to weather, but each month it has been wonderful. The Pagoda Pacers have a banquet at the end for those who ran 3 out of 4 races and it is always so nice. This year they had a Celtic band and Bart Yasso. He gave away a few of his books, My Life on the Run, and was available for anyone to chat with - very nice guy. Spoke with him re: the Pittsburgh Marathon and just very mellow & laid back. Below is a video of the band - very good one at that too. It was such a nice event!!

The "art" of training....huh?

2009-02-22T18:19:00.008-05:00

Now that I am trying to get serious about my training for my half marathon in May & I am starting to get to the loooonnnnng runs. Ok to some of you these are jaunts, but for me - 6 miles is like...wow. Today I ran 6.6 in 1 hr & 19 min. This is a 1/2 mile longer than my previous time (1 hr 17 min) which I was so happy! And hell - I even "braved" the elements! (it was sprinkling & was spitting some snow).

Today was the 1st time I tried a gel. It was a Hammer gel - espresso. Very tasty. Honestly - I'm not sure if I noticed a difference. See - I swear I am a better long distance runner than a shorter distance runner. It takes me it least 2 miles to "warm" up - hell, by the time I warm up in a 5K it's over!! After the 1st 2 miles - I feel great! I'm breathing better, my legs don't feel like bricks & I don't want to cry anymore. I could have ran longer today if there wasn't a time constraint.

With this training - I have bought tons of books, bookmarked many websites, perused plans & yet I really haven't learned a thing. So I am reaching out to anyone to maybe answer a few of my questions.

1.) How do you determine when to use your fuel? Is there a guideline out there? Do I drink water with it & how much?

2.) How do you determine your "half-marathon" pace etc. I've been to the McMillian website (which I love - geek heaven! crunchin' numbers ha!) & calculated things. But if I actually ran the "long run pace" given - I might as well walk!!

3.) When training, do I actually need to run all these types of runs (tempo, hills, s peed work) or can I just "run". I a m not a competitive runner - nor do I want to be. I just want to accomplish a goal doing what I like.

4.) When do I need to get a "belt" to run with. I know this sounds so silly but I need to plan on these things :)

5.) Can I run everyday? I'm not looking to do hard, long runs everyday, but can I run a mile or 2 instead of the elliptical?

6.) What type of strength training is recommended while training?

7.) Is it better to focus your runs around distance or time?

8.) For a half-marathon, what "tools" w ill I need for the race?

9.) Most importantly - how in the hell do you all drink water when you run/walk? I am breathing a bit to deeply to make it to my mouth. Nicole from 4Feetrunning (great site & awesome podcasts - check them out!! http://4feetrunning.blogspot.com/ ) says it gets easier in time. I'm being patient...thirsty....but patient.

Now keep in mind I am not your typical runner - sleek & compact. I am let's face it....husky. I check the Clydesdale section whenever available since I need whatever edge I can get. I am averaging now 10-14 miles per week & still am not losing weight. No - my eating patterns have not changed (increased/decreased) & no please do not suggest that I am packing on more muscle - my BMI hasn't changed. It sucks! But I trod on.

Any insightful answers a re greatly appreciated!! Thanks all!!

I really need to run..

2009-02-06T20:40:00.009-05:00

This was such a bad week for training. 1st Emily was sick. Poor thing, she never gets ill but when she does...wow - she goes full force! Then Sarah got the sniffles - I thought she was relatively safe but....she went downhill. She coughed so hard she lost her little voice & on more than one occasion made her nosebleed. Finally took her to the doctor to find out that she has a raging ear infection. We've finished day 1 of antibiotics & she still so tired. Now Daddy is not feeling well. I'd rather have a brood of sick kids whining all day long than have one Daddy sick :)

Tonight was the Daisy/Girl Scout Father/Daughter Dance. Emily looks so beautiful!! And Daddy wasn't too shabby either. Looking forward to hearing all about it. Will post a photo soon.

Hopefully I will be able to run tomorrow. Hopefully I work tomorrow. I haven't worked for about a month. Hospitals are probably starting to cut back on agency nurses due to economy. People are still getting sick - there's just less nurses to take care of them now to save money. Such a shame.

Run safe~

Training begins....

2009-02-01T20:32:00.002-05:00

Well, I think I have about 92 days left until the Pgh. half. I'm pretty excited but nervous at the same time. I have been reviewing different plans & I've decided on Hal Higdon's Novice Half plan. It givens me plenty of time for it so it works for me. I really just need to get outside & run. I've been doing too much on the treadmill due to weather. Maybe after the winter season I'll find Yax trax on sale. And I've been of a wuss when it comes to running in the cold. So sad I know.

Part of my training plan is to include blogging more - it least twice a week on my progress. I'vebeen such a slacker with this blog. I keep looking at the link on my favorite bar everyday & keep putting it off. Got to work on that.

Well going to get back to the Superbowl. (Weird time to blog eh?)

Registered!!!

2009-01-10T20:34:00.002-05:00

Well - I've registered for the Pgh. 1/2 Marathon so there is no going back now. I'm pretty excited about - now wondering whether or not to get a room downtown. Will talk to hubby regarding that. I seriously have to start training more. I've been slacking.

Have to do my situps & pushups!!

New Year's Resolute's

2009-01-02T11:58:00.008-05:00

Once again it is that time of year to "try" to make a resolution that you will not break within 2 weeks. This year I am going for the very broad ones. In other words - I want resolutions that will actually make a difference in my life and those around me.

Be more polite to those around me.
I tend to be a very "bitchy" person - those of you who have worked with me know this as a fact, almost a law of nature. I have mellowed a lot since I have gone agency nursing. My former co-workers would have a major coronary to see me so nice to people in general, smile as much as I do & actually bend rules (i.e. let family members in anytime - yes that used to be a cardinal sin). But now that I am agency - the stress of a staff position is no longer there & I do not have to deal with the politics of therefore being a staff member. I now love what I do more than ever.

I want to extend this basic human friendliness onto others - mainly my family. I've posted this before but with my family I want to be like Mother Bear. Anything that could go wrong - she maintains total control of herself. I am by nature - a yeller. That needs to stop. It really has no effect on my kids anyways - they look at me like I'm weird.

I plan on saying "hello", "thank you", "Have a great day" to total strangers. They give that look like you are on crack or something but it makes me feel good. The random acts of kindness deal does work for the soul. It's like exercising in the morning - you have that "high" all day.

Live Healthier
Usually I do the "lose 10 lbs.", blah, blah blah deal. This year, I want to eat, live & work healthier. Eating foods that are better for me, i.e. more fruits & veggies & less ....well less crap. Our home has gotten into a processed food rut. I find it amazing how cheap processed food is compared to fresh whole foods. To buy an item without added growth hormones, preservatives etc - you pay MORE for it. Don't get it. But this I will be doing. I think my 6 yr. old bounces off the walls due to some of the food we feed her than she's just a rambunctious 6 yr. old.

I want to get to the gym more. Not so much to thin down (which I want) but to get cardio healthy. If I can quit smoking - hell I can exercise for 30 minutes a day!! If it means running, elliptical or swimming with my kids. Something to get the metabolism going.

Lastly - getting more sleep. I am up entirely too late & get up early due to my kids. I think we are going to watch a lot less TV & get to be earlier to accomplish this goal. Though we do have priorities - Lost, Heroes.... thank God for DVR!!

Well - that's it. 2 major resolutions which require many changes & fine tuning of my life along the way. Even if I stick to one or two of them - I think that I shall be a better person because of it.

New Year's Resolutions..

2008-12-20T21:33:00.002-05:00

Once again it is that time of year to choose my resolutions. I think they will most likely be some of the same - get in shape, eat healthier etc.

But I want to add more meaningful ones this year.Mainly spend more time with my family and become a more patient person. I want to become more like Mother Bear. For those of you that have children, I am sure you all have watched "Little Bear" before. Mother Bear has the patience of Job and more. That is what I am striving for.

New PR...somewhat

2008-12-14T22:48:00.004-05:00

Well today began the "Shiver by the River" series in Reading, Pa. I really like this race - you get 4 races for $25. Can't beat that! And it is 1 race each month until March, so you can really see your improvement (if there is any).

It was a good run for me - time not the greatest but I shaved about 2 minutes off my time since I first ran this race 2 yrs. ago. And I really didn't tired as fast as I thought I would. The first part of the race is pretty much uphill & I ran most of the hill - which shocked me. The part of the race I found most humorous was when the leader of the 10K (it's a double loop for 10k) passed me BEFORE my 2nd mile. Cracked me up! He made the course record of 31.03 for a 10k. Wow! He had time to eat, shower AND take a nap before I crossed the finish line. What an awesome time!!

The best part of the race undoubtedly is the post race chicken soup. It is to die for - seriously. I need that recipe. Plus of course the bagels & M&M's. It really is my favorite race. Though I have to find warmer socks for the next month or so. I have my Cold Gear Under Armour pants (nothing like a husky girl in spandex eh? ;} ) but my toes were chilly. My body warmed up while running except for them. Will worked on that.

I can't wait till next month!!

Another day

2008-12-11T10:12:00.002-05:00

So we're still here. She's finally sleeping..again. Her grand total of seizures yesterday was 15. Crazy - I know. We always noticed that when she had one her lips would turn blue briefly but I finally got to see how low her oxygen actually went. Yikes!! For those of us that have normal lung function, on room air our oxygen saturation (Sp02%) should be between 93% - 100%. When Sarah had her seizures her lowest was 45%. I almost died!! I mean - on the unit we intubate for that!! (though her's was brief).

For awhile yesterday she was quite punctual. By that I mean she was have one pretty much every 15 minutes after the hour. Finally I think the Doc's got enough of their info & gave her a medicine called Tranzene, which is a cousin to Ativan. That worked for 2 hours. Then she only had seizures every 2 or so hrs. Finally they gave her Ativan. I should've got some too - you know like a bonus thing. :)

Since the Ativan she has been seizure free that we know of. She did have one episode of "staring" which is called an absence seizure (pronounced "ab-sonse" - more french like. ) But we have to wait for the EEG to be read. She's napping like a lamb now.

As for me - I am bored. And getting nothing done!!! I though maybe I could get a bunch of reading done, but I'm getting entirely ADD about it. And to make it worse I am just gnoshing on crap. I swear I gained 5#'s since Tues. I really wanted to read J. Galloway's Half Marathon book & get a plan going. Maybe today. Hoefully I am not here another night. Ugh!!

More later....

A few days in the hospital

2008-12-10T19:15:00.008-05:00

Well, Sarah & I (my youngest) are spending a few day in Children's Hospital of Philly (awesome place btw) for testing. She has Wolf-Hirshhorn Syndrome, a genetic disorder, in which about 50% of those affected with it have seizures. She was in the unlucky 50% column. Sarah was to have a 24 hour video EEG but it has turned into a 48 hour EEG. The test is to monitor her brainwaves if & when she has a seizure. Needless to say, she is a team player & has given them 13 seizures to choose from. They have started her on new meds & unfortunately they will not kick in for a week or two until they are at therapeutic levels. But as always, she's so pleasant about everything. Not irritable or crabby. She really is such a little angel.

They have her head all wrapped up to protect the leads on her head. She looks like either she's had major head trauma or she's a new character in the Star Trek series. You decide.

More updates as they are available.

Exhausted but glad I ran

2008-12-07T14:37:00.002-05:00

I worked the night shift last night. Not my favorite shift in the world - it really drains the life out of you. And I mean that literally. There are studies out there that show that people who work night shift have shorter life spans & more health problems. It takes me forever to equilibrate.

But anyways - after work I decide to hit the gym up. I was to go yesterday but didn't due to some hardcore Christmas decorating. The drive home was almost an hour & I ran for 45 minutes at a nice slow pace. I was so tired I really didn't want to push myself & then I did some strength training - okay I did 3 lousy upper body machines & the ab machine. I did it though. And I really do feel good. My legs are a bit sore but a kind of healthy sore. Which reminds me - gotto check buckeye out for hte BGOR vs.BBOR challenge. Gosh I hope we are winning!

Then I came home & crammed the family in the minivan for the trip to Target and then I had a hair appt. Wow - that was an expensive cut. I thought I'd be frugal & go on the "discount" day. Needless to say - you need to ask for a stylist who offers that price. $42 for a cut!! Crazy!! Though I do like it.....

Now I am making tacos. Who knew my 6 year old w ould devour 5 the last time I made them. My 19 yr. old was not pleased condidering this is her favorite meal. So I made a double batch just in case.

Well I am off to sweep up the dog hair that has been accumulating in my house. It's like the wild west here - tumbleweeds & all :}

Have a great one!!

Very sore..

2008-11-29T22:54:00.004-05:00

After running the 2 5K's - I was quite sore today. Since the in-laws are visiting, I took up the couch while hubby is having sleepover with Emily. So cute - she has all her stuffed animals laid out on the floor all covered up & "sleeping". Though Eric is unsure when he is suppose to sleep since she is hogging the bed. Anyways - I woke up at about 3 am last night & could barely get off the couch. I literally had to roll off & crawl to get up. I limped over & grabbed the Excedrin & by morning felt a bit better. Though not one for pain - I do like that sore feeling after working out. It reminds me that I actually did something that my body is not used to but likes.

We went to the outlets today with the in-laws. Had a great time. I needed new jeans but as usual was not in the mood to try any on. To my surprise - I went down 2 jean sizes!!! I am so happy! All this running is starting to pay off - though I still see my huge ass as being just that - huge. Guess I need more mileage.

Runners are really a different breed

2008-11-28T23:44:00.004-05:00

I ran my "turkey burner" today - or also called the Stuffed Pig Prediction run. I was off by about 1 1/2 minutes in my time - which isn't too bad. A bit disappointed that Keith Straw wasn't wearing his tutu though. :) But what I am most amazed with is how genuinely nice runners are for the most part. I really don't think I've ever met a "cranky" runner. Please do not think of me as naive - I am sure there are plenty. But every race I run I see so many runners chatting it up with strangers, giving tips in re: races or training and passing out the humor when it's needed most. Mainly to us new runners who are wondering why the hell we are doing this! To see the passion I see in these people is so inspiring.

I have to say the passion I hear in these people too. I love listening to my running podcasts - 4 feet Running, Runner's Roundtable, Zen Runner etc. I love to hear that even when it is cold outside, they still get their butt's out the door & do it because that is what they love. An if they can do it - so can I. My favorite though is 4 Feet Running. Here you have a somewhat new(not sure if he can be classified as this anymore?) runner & his wife chugging along their runs & taking us with them. And some of the things they talk about just crack me up (Favorite line - "a crack sternum?!? Wow - that's hardcore.") Plus the chemistry is perfect between them - talk about a perfect match - and once again....so freakin' funny!!

My husband can not understand how I can listen to people talk about running. I tell him that it is my time of inspiration. I am looking forward to that day when running because so woven into my life that it is almost like breathing. He doesn't get it. But anyone reading this just might.

Turkey Trot

2008-11-27T14:56:00.002-05:00

Well -I ran my Turkey trot today at about 40:27. Which I w as hoping for a better time. Oh well - considering that I was up late, cooking& cleaning. (any other excuses?) I am looking forward to the Shiver by the River series in Dec. That way I can really judge if I a m getting better. I ran a 38 - 39 5K last year when I was totally out of shape(as compared to "just out of shape"). Well - getting ready to get the bird out of the oven. Happy Thanksgiving all!

I hate working nights!!

2008-11-22T21:41:00.002-05:00

I dislike working nights - so very much. I enjoy the afternoon nap I get to take & the shift is okay too - but the next day. Ugh! It's like a having the worst hangover you've ever had in your life - but you didn't even enjoy the drinking part of it. I feel like a slug!!!I had such good intentions for the day - ahh but none of it came to fruition. Tomorrow is another day!!!

Thanks to all!

2008-11-21T12:36:00.002-05:00

I'm sorry it's been so long - but thank you to all who have donated to my World Run Day. I went above my goal - so thank you so much!!

It's also been so long since I've posted. It's been very busy in this household. My youngest peanut spent a few days in Children's Hospital for a UTI. Gosh she was so sick & then we've just been doing the "doctor circuit" with follow-ups & testing. Very non-interesting. But I have to say - I love CHOP (Children's of Philly) - everyone is so wonderful there. I love being s nursing - but those are some special nurses - Peds nurses. I could never do it!!

So I've started back up on my running. I've decided to run the Pgh. 1/2 marathon in May. So I've got to get training! I just want to finish. Then maybe I'll try the Marine Corp. Marathon at the end of next year. I hear it is a good one to start with. We'll see.

Join the Bad Girls of Running challenges on Buckeye - that will motivate me to keep on track. Plus we chicks need to stick together after the last debacle. :) More later guys - off to Target I go!!

Dry spell...blah

2008-10-30T19:13:00.002-04:00

Well my running is not going as well as I wanted it too. Not in part of myself but of other things - mainly a sick little peanut of mine. My Sarah has been out of sorts for months - can't wait to see neuro. The past week or so her seizures have been on the rise again (they've increased dramatically over the last 4 months) and tonight she had a fever. Poor thing - usually she's so perky but lately - not the case.

I ran yesterday though. Got myself a pair of Under Armour cold wear pants. God - I probably look so silly in them. Yeah - it's like the husky girl wearing spandex. I wear a pair of shorts over them & a long shirt. I mean seriously - why frighten people so early in the day. ha! And I don;t want those "what were you thinking" looks. But I love them!! I ran my fastest 5k - 36 minutes!! I was shocked! And I ran a mile without stopping for the 1st time! Amazing!!

I'm hoping to get a run in tomorrow. Wish me luck!!

1st 5K of the season

2008-10-21T11:31:00.002-04:00

Ok - Sunday I had my 1st 5k of the season for me. I didn't do as well as I would have like though. I started out rough. I was good this time I even actually ran around a bit to warm up. And I stretched really well. (BTW - anyone with tips of "how" you should warm up prior to running would be greatly appreciate. Sounds lame but it's NTK info for me).

Well within the 1st 5 minutes or so, you would've thought I was breathing in liquid nitrogen. It was so hard to breathe, my heart was pounding like I couldn't catch me breath. Weird considering it was a flat course in the beginning. Nothing exciting. It cleared up after awhile but it was annoying. I am wondering if I ran at too fast a pace out of the gate. Though I finished 75 out 79. I wasn't last & I wasn't next to last like I usually am. Though the 70 yr. old woman who came in a minute or 2 after me cheated. I know I shouldn't care - but come on guys! It's a 3.1 mile race - don't cut across the course & act like you are sooo surprised when they congrats you on a good time. Grrrrr. There are some things in life I am very black & white with.

I wasn't able to run yesterday. My oldest daughter decided she wanted to start running again - damn her so selfish! ha! I could go to the gym, but with my peanut Sarah, putting her in the child care is getting more difficult. I think I am actually going to have to get up early & run while my husband is getting ready for work. God the idea of that really, really sucks!

Well all the twittering & blogging by Nik & Dan have inspired me to repaint my family room & start my dining room. Right now my family room is yellow. But I think I want to go with a nice blue with a chair rail. And my dining room will be like my living room I just did - a gark olive green on bottom with a lighter green on top. This room was my test room for chair rail. It came out so nice!!

So I figure that my husband is going out of town tomorrow & won't b back till Turs. night. I think I can get the family room done & top half of the dining room. We'll see. Just gotta get the masking mojo going here!! Wish me luck!!

Any thoughts - greatly appreciated!

A bit warm today

2008-10-16T15:21:00.003-04:00

I wasn't able to go for my run until this afternoon (I prefer morning). Well, I really didn't want to go. I was out of my groove by then but I did it - like a good newbie. This time I decide to run the route the I ran the other day in reverse. Hmmmm - not going to do that again. I'd rather run flat then uphill when I am warm than the hill first. Ugh - I was so tired 3/4 into the run I ending up walking so much. The crazy thing though is, my Nike+ plus comes on with TigerWoods (yeah - we're tight) & he congrats me on my fastest mile yet (he's soo sweet!) Weird!! Ok - it's only 11:30 or so - but it my personal best.

It was a bit warm starting out, but 1/2 into my run the breeze started to pick up. It would've been nicer if it was at my back but still - it felt great. It's strange my legs aren't tired too much anymore & my breathing is getting better (by that I mean I'm not trying heave my internal organs out with each breath) - but I still feel this need to walk. I need to somehow mentally push myself. I am sure this comes with time though. One thing I have to work on is my warm-up. If I go into a 5k with the way I run now - nasty times are coming my way. I need to take 20 minutes or so & do a light jog or something. But I'm afraid that I'll waste what little energy I'll have at that time of day! :)

Great day!

2008-10-14T16:21:00.004-04:00

I had such a nice run today. Cool & foggy. I love fall, though I think the leaves are turning too soon. The air needs to more "crisp" to view the lovely colors. But that just means winters around the corner - YIPEE!! I love snow!!!

As for my run - much better than last night. I took a new course & it has a bit more hills to it. Which I need to start working on. The Shiver by the River has this one hill that, for a new runner, is just too daunting. I get tired thinking about it now. It was almost 3 miles, which is good for me. Took a few pictures with my camera phone, mainly for landscaping ideas. Gosh - I hope people don't think I was casing their homes. Yikes. I think I may take my camera tomorrow for pictures of the trees.

I have to start adding more miles. I am going to run 5 miles for the World Run Day. Then again that is - oh no. It's in about 3 weeks or so. Oops - better get cracking!! I'm dedicating my run to my youngest daughter Sarah. She has a genetic disorder. If you are interested in learning about it - check out this link - http://www.firstgiving.com/kellyringle.

Well hope everyone had a great run day!

Not so good run

2008-10-13T19:32:00.001-04:00

Mental note - don't run after dinner. God - like I don't feel like a slug as it is running. Now add dinner to it. I couldn't wait just to get the mile in! Better luck tomorrow. I just created a Facebook page - we'll see how this works out. In the meantime, I'm going crazy with my internet network. I'm ready to scream!!! Ugh!!!

Rough day!

2008-10-12T18:34:00.004-04:00

Today was a rough one. I feel like I am in my early 20's again. You know that feeling of the "day after" a really fun party. But the problem is - I haven't had a drink. Night shift is getting harder & harder to work. I can't bounce back like I used too. I was able to catch a nap though this afternoon. I listen to this podcast called Daily Power Nap. It is awesome - check it out on itunes sometime. I am trying to get it on my little widget. But it is only 20 minutes long & it does the trick.

I'm a RN, critical care by specialty and last night started out with a bang!! My poor little patient, all whopping 120 lbs. of him threw up all over me - literally 15 minutes into my shift. Thank goodness for my scrub jacket - it took all nastiness. Well - some got on my arm - but otherwise the rest of my clothes were untouched. It would've been a grueling 8 hours if it had been otherwise. Then evening ended much better than it started - for which I am thankful.

I'm looking forward to going to bed, but True Blood is on tonight (HBO) & I can't miss it!!

World Wide Festival of Races

2008-10-11T16:02:00.004-04:00

I've completed my first WWFoR. Yippee!!! I worked the night shift last night, got about 4-5 hours of sleep. Wasn't sure how I'd feel - but I feel great now. Though I washed my shoes yesterday & am wondering if they were not completely dry when I went to work. It feels like a blister is brewing on one on my toes. So that hurt a bit while I ran. Not that it had anything to do with my sluggish time. ha!

So next week is another 5k. I work the night before that too - I'll just go to that race right after work. And then I have to go apple picking with my daughter Daisy Girl Scout group. (hmmm looking forward to cookie time!!! yeah like my fat butt needs them!! ha!)

Well - I'm going now - we're getting chinese for dinner. Yea!!! For all those who haven't run yet - good luck!!!

Rest day

2008-10-10T11:39:00.002-04:00

Today I am going to rest. My ankles/knees have been a bit sore. This I know due to the fact that my pre-run stretching is, well I don't. This weekend is the World Wide Festival of Races (http://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.com/cgi-bin/home) so I need to be ready for that too. I have to figure out a route to use since the are not any local races.

Plus I work nightshift this evening. Sad isn't it when you are happy to go to work! Ha! I'm a SAHM so when I do get to work I am soooo excited. BTW - I'm an RN - critical care by specialty. Love it! My hubby is one too - well he is no longer bedside. He creates the work systems that I would use at the bedside. And let me tell ya - he's damn good at what he does. Very brilliant man my husband!!

Well - to all that are running this weekend - good luck!!

Charity

2008-10-08T13:09:00.002-04:00

I have decided to do a 5 mile run for World Run Day. For me this will be a stretch since I can barely get a 3.1 miler down. But it will be worth it - check out my sidebar re: the charity I'm running for. My daughter has Wolf-Hirshorn Syndrome (a genetic disorder) so I am raising $$$ for the support group.

Today's run was a very short run - only about 1.2 miles. I spent more time than I should have searching for crap on the net & Katie (my oldest) reminded me I only have 30 min. left. Drats! I like running in this type of weather, but it seems to take a bit longer to loosen up. Though I still am not stretching pre-run. Not a good thing I know!!

Started to listen to the Runner's Round Table during my run today. I like it too - can't wait to finish it! I have to finish putting up my fav blogs/podcasts today too! Well - little missy (Sarah) is having therapy now & throwing a tantrum. She's soooo cute but sooooo lazy! ha!

Nike+ crashed....grrrrrr

2008-10-07T12:20:00.003-04:00

So I had an decent run today. Was shooting for a 3 mile - 5K-ish run. A bit chilly this morn - so I have to get used to that. Breathing cold air in doesn't feel so great. But it got better after awhile. I really need to stretch more than I do. I hate stretching - I just want to run & get it over with I guess. I shouldn't have that mentality because I am really starting to enjoy it.

So I am down to the last 400 meters when I went to rewind a bit on my ipod (the podcast I was listening to) & wouldn't you believe it crashed. I couldn't believe it!! I waited to get home so I could write the info down - spent about 2 hours searching for a way to manually iput info into the Nike+. And yes I found a way. Now to get it to work. Very frustrating!! It loads into my ipod as a history but not onto the site. Oh well - it least I can manually place it into Runner+.

I'm trying to spiff up my blog site here. Trying to find a way to load in my run info to it. Any ideas please leave me a message.

Oh - BTW - the birthday cake was a disaster!! I trashed it & went to the local store & snagged a Hannah Montana one. Tasty & cheap!

Busy day!!!

2008-10-02T11:35:00.002-04:00

Well I ran another "5K" today. 3.26 mi today on the treadmill. I prefer to run outside now that I am used to it, but I was to have a weight lifting class - missed it. So the treadmill did fine. It actually was calibrated close to my Nike/Ipod - the Precor they have is way off. I need to get to a track to calibrate my ipod better though.

After my run, I was going to strength train, but the "Tyke Time" (child watch) came & got me because my youngest peanut had a seizure. Those poor ladies down there!!! They are the greatest bunch of women!!! But I think it freaks them out. Sarah's seizures have become increasingly more frequent over the past few months - much to our dismay. It's really affected her affect too. She's not as perky as she used to be. Neuro appt. in Dec. Thank goodness!!.

Emily's birthday party is Sunday. I've got to get crackin' on her cake. Have the 2 layers done & frosted. Now I have to make the fondant. We are going for a gymnastics theme this year. So I am going to attempt to make a vault & balance beam out of rice krispie treats & decorate it. But hey - let's face it. I'm no Geof!! (Ace of Cakes - love the show!!!!)

I'll upload pics when I'm done!! Got to go - if my oldest Kate gets home & sees me on the computer she'll kill me. She was kind enough to take Emily to gymnastics lessons (she's 18). Well - kind enough to take my $10 bribe to take her!!!

Just started..

2008-10-01T11:26:00.002-04:00

Well, I've just started this blog. Not real great with these things but we'll see how it goes.

Well - I am starting to run again. Yeah - my neighbors are soooo thrill to see the husky girl clomping through the development. Woo-hoo!! Hell with them - I'll just consider myself their reason for skipping that candy bar. ha! Seriously though - I am getting much better. I've actually upped my route to 3.1 (5K). So I am so wickedly impressed with myself.

I normally listen to music but I've found a new podcast that I love. CHeck it out on itunes. It's called 4feetrunning. Or check their website out -http://4feetrunning.blogspot.com/. I haven't laughed so hard in such a long time. It was great - plus they seem like real down to earth people. Hmmm - should I feel sorry for this Nigel fellow or not? Things to ponder today!! CHeck it out if you can - I'm gonna stop over to the podcast place to nominate them.

Well - I'll keep younz (a "Burgh thang) up to date on my progress. Have a great one!