I re-checked the distance schedules online. The "alumni" were doing 10. The newer runners were doing 8. I felt like a newer runner, having only been running consistently about two and a half weeks. I could kick myself for letting it all go over the winter! I need to remember this and not drop it all this year! Anyway... I chose to hop into the 8:30per mile group and do 8 miles. I slowed down in the last two miles, but still felt like I was running hard. I finished in 1hour and 11 minutes, which translates into an 8:52 pace. I felt good. I've begun the season! :) It was great to get with the group again, and see faces I hadn't seen since last October! So many more people this year. It's just the beginning, so we'll see how many drop off. :) Today was so stinking humid that it made breathing very difficult.
I got a little nap in, one of my favorite things about long-run day. :) The way your body feels sufficiently tired, like you've earned the nap. :) I will do 10 next week!! :)
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Today
I ran today, a little over 5 miles in 45 min. I felt tired. I'm supposed to do 10 with the group on Saturday. I'm nervous. I haven't been over 5 in months. I think I will hop in with a slower group than normal to make sure I can do it... wimpy?
Today I mailed some of our postcard request letters. We still have 17 states unaccounted for. If we don't find people we know in those states, willing to send us a postcard, I will just write their tourism centers and see if they'll help out. We are happy to have received some already! From a few states and from other countries! I have fellow bloggers sending them from AZ and Toronto, as well as a cousin who was in the middle east for her military work. We got a postcard from Qatar! She had a friend, also in the military, send us one from Djibouti, Africa. Very cool collection of postcards we're putting it up on the fridge, right now. It's been fun to learn a bit about each place. Did you know Djibouti was 515 feet below sea level? Yep, and it is on the horn of Africa. I didn't know that Arizona's state bird is the cactus wren, either. :)
Our neighbor boy got home near midnight after his arm incident. He broke through both bones, but cleanly. They tugged on it at the hospital until everything was in its normal spot, x-rayed it and then casted it. So far, no pins, plates or surgery. He's very lucky. They'll see the doctor again in a week to see how it's healing. He was home from school yesterday and doing pretty well. Thanks for the prayers, friends.
Well, that's all for today. The sun is shining brightly and I must go enjoy it. :) Hope your day is going great! :)
Today I mailed some of our postcard request letters. We still have 17 states unaccounted for. If we don't find people we know in those states, willing to send us a postcard, I will just write their tourism centers and see if they'll help out. We are happy to have received some already! From a few states and from other countries! I have fellow bloggers sending them from AZ and Toronto, as well as a cousin who was in the middle east for her military work. We got a postcard from Qatar! She had a friend, also in the military, send us one from Djibouti, Africa. Very cool collection of postcards we're putting it up on the fridge, right now. It's been fun to learn a bit about each place. Did you know Djibouti was 515 feet below sea level? Yep, and it is on the horn of Africa. I didn't know that Arizona's state bird is the cactus wren, either. :)
Our neighbor boy got home near midnight after his arm incident. He broke through both bones, but cleanly. They tugged on it at the hospital until everything was in its normal spot, x-rayed it and then casted it. So far, no pins, plates or surgery. He's very lucky. They'll see the doctor again in a week to see how it's healing. He was home from school yesterday and doing pretty well. Thanks for the prayers, friends.
Well, that's all for today. The sun is shining brightly and I must go enjoy it. :) Hope your day is going great! :)
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
What else?
I've been running again. Signed up for the October marathon training group. Feeling more chunky, out of shape than ever before, but here's to another 26.2! :)
I've been substitute teaching a lot lately, in a variety of grades. I was in first grade today, in a classroom I've never subbed in before. Tomorrow I'm in fourth grade in a room I've never been in before, also. I enjoy seeing the differences in plans, and information. I love writing down ideas I appreciate, with the vision of "someday". :) Today there was a "Superhero Autograph Board" in the room. I asked the kids about it. They said they hadn't done it in a while, but that the teacher had drawn a name from a hat (all the kids' names were in it). The student whose name was drawn would bring in a book the next day to read to the class. They got to wear a superhero cape while they read and got to "autograph" the board. I thought it was a great way to encourage kids to read, as well as read in front of others.
The teacher also had a big treasure chest filled with books for silent reading time; just another way to encourage kids to read! They all wanted to dig in there and pick out some books they hadn't seen in a while. :)
I've been meaning to post about my two favorite tv shows (which are now in reruns) Psych and Eli Stone. Both great shows, but for different reasons.
Books... I'm planning on trying to read some more classics, and reread some others, but currently my husband and I just finished "Dinner with a Perfect Stranger" on cd, on our car trip, and I am reading another book by Beth Moore.
Well, three posts are enough for tonight. I hope you, reader, are doing well.
I've been substitute teaching a lot lately, in a variety of grades. I was in first grade today, in a classroom I've never subbed in before. Tomorrow I'm in fourth grade in a room I've never been in before, also. I enjoy seeing the differences in plans, and information. I love writing down ideas I appreciate, with the vision of "someday". :) Today there was a "Superhero Autograph Board" in the room. I asked the kids about it. They said they hadn't done it in a while, but that the teacher had drawn a name from a hat (all the kids' names were in it). The student whose name was drawn would bring in a book the next day to read to the class. They got to wear a superhero cape while they read and got to "autograph" the board. I thought it was a great way to encourage kids to read, as well as read in front of others.
The teacher also had a big treasure chest filled with books for silent reading time; just another way to encourage kids to read! They all wanted to dig in there and pick out some books they hadn't seen in a while. :)
I've been meaning to post about my two favorite tv shows (which are now in reruns) Psych and Eli Stone. Both great shows, but for different reasons.
Books... I'm planning on trying to read some more classics, and reread some others, but currently my husband and I just finished "Dinner with a Perfect Stranger" on cd, on our car trip, and I am reading another book by Beth Moore.
Well, three posts are enough for tonight. I hope you, reader, are doing well.
Back
Back to some other thoughts, off the rambling thoughts about time and it's accelerating speed...
Tonight proved more interesting than expected. We were finishing up eating dinner as a family when an unfamiliar scream filled the air. My husband and I listened for a moment more, making sure it wasn't play-screaming. Another scream, and we both headed out the front door. We knew our girls were safe, they were eating with us. We just headed out the door and in the direction of the noise, that instinct that something isn't right leading us. I heard, "Ow, ow, my arm! Help me!" Our neighbor's door was wide open, with kids on the porch. Some neighborhood boys had been playing ball-tag. Our neighbor's boy had climbed their fence to retrieve a ball(at that age, 8 or 9, who has time to use a gate??) His foot slipped and as he tumbled forward he put his arm out. We went in to find his mom calling 911, him pale as a sheet. He wasn't in tears, just a lot of pain. His arm was bent at an atrocious angle-well, two angles that didn't look right... almost cartoonish. No breakage through the skin, though. My husband had our two daughters take the neighbor's youngest son home and play the Wii. Then we waited with them until the rescue got there. Wow. A lot of excitement in a matter of minutes. It's been about 4-5 hours and they're not home yet. Hopefully all is getting fixed up. That boy was so brave. He even told his mom not to cry at one point. A tough, spunky kid, for sure. What a relief to have those EMT's arrive, too. They were great, as well. They made sure they got his name, and when he said the ice made it hurt worse, they were very gentle, removed it and tried to make him as comfortable as possible. They were great. I know it's "their job", but they did it well tonight. He is just still in my thoughts. Keep the boy in your prayers, please. Thanks!
Tonight proved more interesting than expected. We were finishing up eating dinner as a family when an unfamiliar scream filled the air. My husband and I listened for a moment more, making sure it wasn't play-screaming. Another scream, and we both headed out the front door. We knew our girls were safe, they were eating with us. We just headed out the door and in the direction of the noise, that instinct that something isn't right leading us. I heard, "Ow, ow, my arm! Help me!" Our neighbor's door was wide open, with kids on the porch. Some neighborhood boys had been playing ball-tag. Our neighbor's boy had climbed their fence to retrieve a ball(at that age, 8 or 9, who has time to use a gate??) His foot slipped and as he tumbled forward he put his arm out. We went in to find his mom calling 911, him pale as a sheet. He wasn't in tears, just a lot of pain. His arm was bent at an atrocious angle-well, two angles that didn't look right... almost cartoonish. No breakage through the skin, though. My husband had our two daughters take the neighbor's youngest son home and play the Wii. Then we waited with them until the rescue got there. Wow. A lot of excitement in a matter of minutes. It's been about 4-5 hours and they're not home yet. Hopefully all is getting fixed up. That boy was so brave. He even told his mom not to cry at one point. A tough, spunky kid, for sure. What a relief to have those EMT's arrive, too. They were great, as well. They made sure they got his name, and when he said the ice made it hurt worse, they were very gentle, removed it and tried to make him as comfortable as possible. They were great. I know it's "their job", but they did it well tonight. He is just still in my thoughts. Keep the boy in your prayers, please. Thanks!
Life/Rambling
I sit here to write, all these thoughts, the latest going on here, and I am not sure where to start. Time really flies, doesn't it? People tell you, when you're a child, how time passes faster as you get older. As a child, you scoff and think-how long time goes; a long time until summer vacation, can't this clock go any faster? How long until I'm out of this high school, can't this calendar turn any faster? And then your wishes are granted and the clock speeds up, the calendar pages turn faster and faster with every blink... it seems those "older" people were so right. I watch as my oldest daughter becomes more independent... or wants to be more independent with each passing day, and my younger daughter wants to be caught up with her older sister...
We spent the long weekend with my parents and their parents, a long weekend at their cottage. We used to see them every month, but with our kids' schedules our visits are more rare. Seeing them all looking just a bit older, not much, but a bit... hearing them repeat some of their stories, without noticing, retelling memories. I used to be so bored with those retellings of memories, in my middle and high school years. I used to think "not this story again"... now that I'm older, I can't drink up enough of those old stories, knowing time is fleeting and I won't be able to sit and hear their words and stories forever...
And my fears/worries for my children multiply, as they get older, I think. We used to worry that they'd fall, or get hurt as they challenged the world of the playground... now they don't have us around all the time, and it seems to enlarge my fears and thus, my prayer list! My own parents are young, but I worry for them, also, as they face new health challenges. Nothing life threatening (knock on wood!) but new nonetheless.
This was not the path I intended to type down, but this is where I ended up... and, now, where I end this post.
We spent the long weekend with my parents and their parents, a long weekend at their cottage. We used to see them every month, but with our kids' schedules our visits are more rare. Seeing them all looking just a bit older, not much, but a bit... hearing them repeat some of their stories, without noticing, retelling memories. I used to be so bored with those retellings of memories, in my middle and high school years. I used to think "not this story again"... now that I'm older, I can't drink up enough of those old stories, knowing time is fleeting and I won't be able to sit and hear their words and stories forever...
And my fears/worries for my children multiply, as they get older, I think. We used to worry that they'd fall, or get hurt as they challenged the world of the playground... now they don't have us around all the time, and it seems to enlarge my fears and thus, my prayer list! My own parents are young, but I worry for them, also, as they face new health challenges. Nothing life threatening (knock on wood!) but new nonetheless.
This was not the path I intended to type down, but this is where I ended up... and, now, where I end this post.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day to all the readers who are moms! :)
I had a wonderful day! I started the day with breakfast in bed, made and brought to me by my family. It was delicious spinach and bacon quiche, coffee cake and orange juice, as well as my husband ran out and got me Starbucks: a venti, nonfat, 1/2 the vanilla latte. :) I also opened a very nice gift and cards.
Then we headed off to church, my husband and I were greeters at the 8:45am service. We stayed around home, even got in a nap, then the excitement hit: tornado warnings. Usually the news seems like it's just being extra careful, but today it startled me, a bit. There was a funnel cloud touchdown less than 4.9 miles from us. You could see the change in the clouds out our window in that direction and my husband, who ignored the call to "retreat to your basement" said he could hear the train-like wind sound through our open back door. No major injuries in the area, just small debris, thankfully. While all this was going on, the girls and I were hanging out in the basement, watching the news and snuggled up together.
Once all cleared up, except the rain we had all day, we headed out to eat. We enjoyed a nice dinner, then off to the bookstore. We got the girls' "homework" books for over the summer, some fun reading for when they're resting up from tonsil surgery, and the husband got a business book. I wasn't sure what I was in the mood for... Any suggestions for great books you've read lately??
We came home, enjoyed some family time, said family prayers and now the girls are off to bed. I'm sad the weekend (and the day where I got breakfast in bed! :)) is almost over.
I have subbing four days this week, Wed-Fri is part of it, which are my house cleaning days. Bummer, now everyone will have to help on Saturday morning. :))
Hope you had a wonderful day!
I had a wonderful day! I started the day with breakfast in bed, made and brought to me by my family. It was delicious spinach and bacon quiche, coffee cake and orange juice, as well as my husband ran out and got me Starbucks: a venti, nonfat, 1/2 the vanilla latte. :) I also opened a very nice gift and cards.
Then we headed off to church, my husband and I were greeters at the 8:45am service. We stayed around home, even got in a nap, then the excitement hit: tornado warnings. Usually the news seems like it's just being extra careful, but today it startled me, a bit. There was a funnel cloud touchdown less than 4.9 miles from us. You could see the change in the clouds out our window in that direction and my husband, who ignored the call to "retreat to your basement" said he could hear the train-like wind sound through our open back door. No major injuries in the area, just small debris, thankfully. While all this was going on, the girls and I were hanging out in the basement, watching the news and snuggled up together.
Once all cleared up, except the rain we had all day, we headed out to eat. We enjoyed a nice dinner, then off to the bookstore. We got the girls' "homework" books for over the summer, some fun reading for when they're resting up from tonsil surgery, and the husband got a business book. I wasn't sure what I was in the mood for... Any suggestions for great books you've read lately??
We came home, enjoyed some family time, said family prayers and now the girls are off to bed. I'm sad the weekend (and the day where I got breakfast in bed! :)) is almost over.
I have subbing four days this week, Wed-Fri is part of it, which are my house cleaning days. Bummer, now everyone will have to help on Saturday morning. :))
Hope you had a wonderful day!
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Additions
I have also added a few new sites to visit. Please take a look!
And my friend with breast cancer is still very positive, getting more tired, as her chemo treatments are cumulative and tiring her out more than they have in the past. She's doing well, though. 4 down, two more treatments to go!
And my friend with breast cancer is still very positive, getting more tired, as her chemo treatments are cumulative and tiring her out more than they have in the past. She's doing well, though. 4 down, two more treatments to go!
Birthday and Busy Life
I had my 33rd birthday since I last posted. Had a nice morning with the family, opening some very nice gifts, subbed for the class I did the long-term for, and then went to the in-laws' for a wonderful dinner of chicken marsala. The dinner included my favorites: white wine sangria, steamed broccoli and sauteed mushrooms. Yum! My in-laws are wonderful, thoughtful people who made my dinner after working hard all day, themselves!
I finished up the Beth Moore Bible Study and wish, still, that it wasn't over. I enjoy reading the Bible, but Beth gave a better understanding of how verses from different books were linked and gave background I didn't know. I felt like the books/verses/stories I'd heard growing up were always from the same place. I found many new verses and tidbits during this study that I had never heard or read. It was amazing and I enjoyed it tremendously.
My husband and younger daughter are on their last campout with the Y-Tribe. If I haven't mentioned it before, it's Dad-Daughter scouting. Very fun for them, if the weather was nice! :) About 20 dads and 20 daughters in one big cabin=not a lot of sleep! :)
My oldest and I went shopping for a bit last night, after a dinner with the in-laws. :) Then we headed back home to hang out for a bit. She is having a friend over to spend the night tonight and I will get some scrapbooking done, as it is national scrapbooking day! :) I saw this mixed-up mini this week and wished I was so creative... but I will stick to the "years worth of memories and notes" for each daughter. I'm about halfway through the year for the first daughter, so a long way to go...
Things have been hectic with the husband changing jobs, as well... a long story for another day.
We're in the midst of track season: my oldest daughter has been running the mile, started with 7:21. She's been working at getting it down almost every race since and was 6:52 last week. She's shooting for 6:30 next. My youngest has been really enjoying soccer. She's not a scorer, she enjoys defense and defending the goal, better. Several big kicks and stops into the season, now. :)
I had my big week of exercise that I posted about... then nothing. Subbing picked up and I was walking with the husband here and there, but not too much of anything else. I have ran the last three days and felt good. The spring sun and weather have helped to get me out. Today has been storming quite a bit of the day. Not fun to run in! :)
I have two subbing jobs scheduled for next week. One in fifth grade and one in first grade-so different! :) Still busy, but have a few days this week to hopefully get together and catch up with some friends! (Donna?? :))
I do believe that is all that was on my mind... Hope you are enjoying good health and good weather!
I finished up the Beth Moore Bible Study and wish, still, that it wasn't over. I enjoy reading the Bible, but Beth gave a better understanding of how verses from different books were linked and gave background I didn't know. I felt like the books/verses/stories I'd heard growing up were always from the same place. I found many new verses and tidbits during this study that I had never heard or read. It was amazing and I enjoyed it tremendously.
My husband and younger daughter are on their last campout with the Y-Tribe. If I haven't mentioned it before, it's Dad-Daughter scouting. Very fun for them, if the weather was nice! :) About 20 dads and 20 daughters in one big cabin=not a lot of sleep! :)
My oldest and I went shopping for a bit last night, after a dinner with the in-laws. :) Then we headed back home to hang out for a bit. She is having a friend over to spend the night tonight and I will get some scrapbooking done, as it is national scrapbooking day! :) I saw this mixed-up mini this week and wished I was so creative... but I will stick to the "years worth of memories and notes" for each daughter. I'm about halfway through the year for the first daughter, so a long way to go...
Things have been hectic with the husband changing jobs, as well... a long story for another day.
We're in the midst of track season: my oldest daughter has been running the mile, started with 7:21. She's been working at getting it down almost every race since and was 6:52 last week. She's shooting for 6:30 next. My youngest has been really enjoying soccer. She's not a scorer, she enjoys defense and defending the goal, better. Several big kicks and stops into the season, now. :)
I had my big week of exercise that I posted about... then nothing. Subbing picked up and I was walking with the husband here and there, but not too much of anything else. I have ran the last three days and felt good. The spring sun and weather have helped to get me out. Today has been storming quite a bit of the day. Not fun to run in! :)
I have two subbing jobs scheduled for next week. One in fifth grade and one in first grade-so different! :) Still busy, but have a few days this week to hopefully get together and catch up with some friends! (Donna?? :))
I do believe that is all that was on my mind... Hope you are enjoying good health and good weather!
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