Boden Chews up Everything

We are on our first official family trip with Boden in tow. He is a pretty good traveler so far, however I keep forgetting about the chewing up factor. We have had a few casualties on this trip, and I feel like after the first casualty, I have been pretty proactive. Obviously, that's not the case! As to date, here's our running list:

1 pair of Ashley's sunglasses
1 Creating Keepsakes magazine
3 colored pencils
1 of Holland's headbands
1 piece of plastic that covers some nuts and bolts in our car
1 sheet of stickers
3 or 4 smiley face stickers from that sheet
1/2 of an abandoned donut
part of a plastic grill cover at a friend's house

and he started to nibble on a pair of the wireless headphones that go to our car DVD player - that would have been big trouble for him! I'm so glad I noticed those when I did.

I think that is all for now. Hopefully, there won't be any additions!

Oh! the joys of dog ownership!

Baby Teigan

We drove over to Yakima this weekend to meet our "gran niece". Can you believe that Jonathan and I have great uncle and great aunt status? Pretty crazy, I know. We are much, much too young for that. However, we are truly delighted to welcome baby Teigan into our family! She is absolutely beautiful! Here are a few of my favorite shots of her.....

I interrupt all this race talk to bring you these.....

Here I am, In ALL My Fairy Glory

runner 10
"costume contest"
fairy costume
4.0 miles for this first leg
streets of spokane
one intersection after another
not another runner in sight
strange looks from drivers
stranger looks from pedestrians i had to pass
construction site - breathing in dust and freshly poured asphalt
onward through the public park
still in fairy costume
ran past a wedding ceremony (hee hee)
still no other runners in site
103 degree weather
no shade, black asphalt trail
scorchin' heat
not enough water
looking for my family to cheer me on
family at starbucks getting a snack
feeling bummed
wondering if there were really other costumes out there

wondering if my family was ever going to show up

wondering how much longer i had to run

wondering: what was i thinking??

seriously, it was a fun, fun race, and i am so glad that i did it.
however, I am way too tired to write a full report at this time!
more to follow....

Race Day

What was I thinking??

It just so happens that "what were we thinking" is the name of our team, and it couldn't feel any more appropriate than it does right now - 4:45 am on race day after a sleepless night. However, I imagine it will ring even more true as we head into our second leg in the middle of the night, and then again on our third leg as we are on the homestretch, but yet still so far away!

I had a very restless night. I'm feeling anxious, excited, overwhelmed, under trained, sleep deprived, and a little bit giddy. A weird surge of emotions. (the 4:45 a.m factor might be partly to blame)

Stay tuned for a full report.

Let the race begin......

Things to Pack

I have spent the last day 1/2 packing my bag for my little adventure that I am about to embark upon. I seriously had no idea what I needed so I have been making a list over the last week or so. Here's a glance as to what all needs to fit into my bag:

*running shoes (complete with flower embellishments for my costume leg)
*2-3 pairs of extra socks
*2 short sleeved running shirts
*1 long sleeved running shirt
* sports bra type running shirt
*2 pairs of running shorts and 1 pair of running pants
*extra "underroos" (as our race director put it in a mass email)
*a little running pouch for carrying my cell phone for my whee hours of the morning leg
*sports watch
*Ipod to listen to during my down time
*reading material (people magazine - brad/angelina family photo shoot! , a novel, catalogs)
*heed enhancement powder, gel, and recoverlite drink
*trail mix, bananas, granola bars, other misc. snacks
*car/travel games to play for when our van is "off" duty
*pillow, blanket, towel
*small grooming kit in case we stop and take a shower
*breath mints and gum, toothpaste and toothbrush
*car cell phone charger
*costume - flower petal tutu, head wreath, fairy wings, fairy flower tattoo, etc
*water bottle
*camera
*cash
*printed directions for each of my legs so I don't get lost (especially in rural Idaho farm land)
*extra comfy clothes for when I'm not running
*pictures of my girls (and probably Jonathan, too!)
*trash bags (because that's what I signed up to bring!)
*race manual

and lastly, I can't forget: energy, lots and lots of energy!

I think that about covers it. I might need a slightly larger bag though!

Midsummer Day's Run

Here is a sneak peek at some of my costume items! The rest of the costume won't be revealed until race day which by the way is in exactly 57 hours and 10 minutes from now!

Hoopla Schmoopla

I had one main complaint about running the Spokane 1/2 marathon - not nearly enough "hoopla" for me. If I'm gonna run 13.4 miles for no real apparent reason, other than putting my body into complete and utter shock after being on bedrest for 5 months, then I want song and dance. I want cheerleaders all along the route. I want costumes. Bands. Dancers. Musicians. People in wigs. People doing jigs. People eating figs.

You get the point.

Hoopla is what I want. Lots and lots of hoopla.

Now what is striking me as sorta funny is that I have this big 190 mile relay race coming up next weekend (exactly one week from today), and from the sound if it - there is going to be lots and lots of hoopla. There are 36 legs for 12 runners to run. One of the legs is a wig contest, one of the legs is a costume contest, one of the legs is a night time leg with a bright lights contest. There are also team spirit awards, and best decorated van awards. Hoopla, I tell ya!

So what's the "funny part?", you ask. The funny part is that my leg got changed a couple of weeks ago to the costume contest leg, and now I'm feeling a little less hoopla might be just fine! Hoopla Schmoopla. I am so stressed out about it, and I don't know why. This is seriously right up my alley. At least it use to be right up my alley.

Something has changed as I have gotten older, and I'm not sure I like it. Years ago, I would have jumped up and down and begged to get the costume leg. I would have been ecstatic about it, so much so that I would have picked out the loudest, craziest, and wackiest costume ever!

So, what happened?

At what point in my life did I make this shift and will there be point in my life in which I make the switch back? I think it all has to do with the whole "comfortable in your own skin" phenomenon. I am totally comfortable in my own skin around my life long friends (meaning the ones that I had years ago who knew me when I would have begged for the costume leg), my family, or in a situation where I can be totally anonymous. The problem is that my every day life doesn't include any of those things. I have dear friends here in Spokane, but they don't really know that side of me. My family isn't close by, and they wouldn't be running the race with me anyway, and of course, I can't be totally anonymous.

So, what am I to do?

I'm thinking this will be a good therapeutic exercise for me. One that will force me to call upon my old self and bring her to the table (or to the race, as the case may be). One that will get me to ask - what would I have worn say 15 or 20 years ago?

Hoopla Schmoopla, my ass! I'm gonna get my groove back.....

Wish me luck.

any ideas?

Poem for Dylan

Dylan Grace
Fair of face,
Rosy lips and dancing hips,
Sparkling eyes,
They tell no lies,
The depth of you, our gift our treasure,
Poems and Wordles try to measure.

Love,

Grandma

14 Months

click to enlarge

A wordle for Dylan,
as she turns 14 months!


Make your own "wordle" here.

New Running Shoes

Apparently, I was in dire need of some new running shoes. I have been complaining about sore feet, tender heels, and tired legs for the last few weeks of my training. I talked with my coach about the heel thing, and she took one look at my shoes and gasped! I immediately went to my local running store, and got fitted for a new pair, because in two weeks these shoes need to take me here, and then three weeks later, they need to take me here, and then about 6 weeks later, they are going to need to take me here (just the 1/2 portion).

That's a lot of running! I have been working towards earning that "runner" title. I probably should have earned it after completing last year's 1/2 marathon, but I still didn't feel confident enough to identify with other runners. I think I am well on way to earning it by now though, what do you think?!

Mary, I think this means I am committed to the Leavenworth 1/2 since I have now written about it. Are you in?