tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64791663477110408852024-03-20T04:18:28.532-05:00The Madness of the RaceMy struggles with parenting twins, managing the corporate rat race, and finding time to run marathons - while staying sane?tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-69916715253605543212012-03-08T13:58:00.000-06:002012-03-08T13:58:28.100-06:00Introducing ALL kids to Science: A reason to BLOG today - STEPPING ON MY SOAP BOX!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO06rPADL-V-ZPlP7RF4k-BFsA6mAaRrBv0y2sW3nn846Gijt-R0an9tmQip8y1v3iEyARKyTgOfX4TqlCFzN1vaz2qnV2RvZevRqx1EIK05u-9S8BwrhID-mzAvDPMe957BIB-5f6Ww/s1600/se_logo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO06rPADL-V-ZPlP7RF4k-BFsA6mAaRrBv0y2sW3nn846Gijt-R0an9tmQip8y1v3iEyARKyTgOfX4TqlCFzN1vaz2qnV2RvZevRqx1EIK05u-9S8BwrhID-mzAvDPMe957BIB-5f6Ww/s1600/se_logo2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<em>Last week I was totally disheartened and felt defeated when I was made aware of this article by one of my colleagues. I stirred about it over the weekend, and finally, yesterday, put pen to paper. I sent it to my bosses to 'vet' before I hit send, and signed my name/company to the bottom of the letter. Well, today I hit send and I instantly feel much better. I have a good feeling that it will probably never be published. In fact, when you respond to an article via a 'letter to the editor', you already know that the said person does not share in your perspective. It is THEIR magazine, not YOURS. And in the end, to protect themselves, they don't really have to respond, acknowledge you, let alone publish your thoughts. However, I'm OK with that. I'm merely satisfied with hitting the 'send button' and sharing my thoughts with them and with my friends. So, In an attempt for someone to hear my thoughts on this, I thought I would finally awake my nearly 'dead' blog, and share this with you.</em><br />
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<em>So, here is the original article: </em><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.gostructural.com/magazine-article-gostructural.com-1-2012-if_my_daughter_told_me_she_wanted_to_be_a_structural_engineer...-8668.html"><em>http://www.gostructural.com/magazine-article-gostructural.com-1-2012-if_my_daughter_told_me_she_wanted_to_be_a_structural_engineer...-8668.html</em></a><br />
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<em>And here is my response below. I encourage you to send your thoughts as well...particularly my teacher friends who should be equally offended.</em><br />
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<em>Enjoy my step 'up on the soapbox' for today :) Below is the letter I wrote (the long winded version - which eventually I also sent a shorter one via a probable word count for publishing).</em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">As a practicing structural engineer, wife and mother of twins with a baby on the way, I was disheartened by Mark Zweig’s column in the January issue of Structural Engineer. Mr. Zweig has managed in one column to do a huge disservice to our profession, civil engineers, teachers, his daughters and women in general. I am extremely disheartened that he has seemed to reverse the efforts that many of us work towards every day to promote and encourage young kids (particularly young girls) to not only enjoy science and math, but to choose it as a career path. Believe me, I know the trials and tribulations of striving to be successful in my career and at home as a wife and mother. However, I do not see how being a woman, in today's age, disqualifies me from working in a profession that purely makes me happy. I have a husband who doesn't just 'expect' me to have dinner ready on the table every night. We ride the train in and out of the city most days and enjoy sharing our daily challenges with our 6 year old 'sponges' at night on the interesting buildings and bridges we are working on or have visited. I spent time two weeks ago in the Kindergarten classroom of my twins - educating 22 five and six year olds that this is a fun job that ANYONE can do...regardless of your age, sex, or background. I was lucky to grow up with a construction background...my father and his brother and my grandfather ran a construction and redi-mix company...many summers of which I worked as a member of the family business. My dad worked 11 or 12 hour days and Saturdays. He took me to work with me, taught me what he knew, and naturally - when I was old enough to think about what I wanted to do with my knowledge for construction and love of math - engineering was the best choice. Yes, it is hard to 'balance' everything in life, of course it is! But how is structural engineering different between a man or a woman - or that of being a teacher? In today's world, my husband and I are in the same profession - working for separate companies. I have continued to work full time and love the fact that I work for a company that appreciates the value that I, and other female structural engineers on staff (where nearly 50% of our engineering staff is female) bring to the table every day. Do I sometimes travel? - yes. Do I sometimes have to work long hours? - absolutely. I also have friends who are teachers who will argue that these requirements also co-exist in their field as well. What we should be doing is not discouraging women - or men- from choosing a career path they feel passionate about, but encouraging companies and the leaders within them to provide an environment for people to be able to have a more successful work/life balance and making it a pivotal part of corporate policy. I work for a company that not only allows me, but encourages me, to be active in my children's lives. I coach T-Ball, I assist as a room mom at the school, and I run full marathons (in which two of my seven races have been while I was pregnant each time). I have pushed my twins in a double stroller thru over forty 5k road races. I'm not just a structural engineer, wife, and mother - but I am involved and active in their lives, and show by example that you can have a fulfilling life outside of your career. If I had to tell my children one day that I had chosen not to follow my dream of being an engineer, and had only chosen a job that kept me at home more, but left me unsatisfied, what type of example would that be to them? My husband and I also educate both her and her brother on the difficulties we both face everyday in the line of work we do. In the end, I hope they marry someone someday who not only appreciates their passions for their career, but is an equal partner in raising their children and managing their home. And I hope when that happens, twenty years from now, the wide spread corporate leadership for structural engineering firms will focus even more on balancing family needs, as they do in bottom dollar. I am happy to say that the place I work has already 'figured it out' and morale is extremely high. Turn over among technical staff is extremely low, and people work hard naturally as a big 'thank you' for having a great job at a place that allows us to pursue our dreams and also be integral cogs of the wheel in our home, raising our children, and managing our home - as partners with our spouses. I invest my time in my profession and family and to imply that I would invest less time in my profession if I were a general civil or teacher is just plain wrong. I grew up in a family construction business – I knew the commitment involved in this profession. My son and daughter are growing up in a structural engineering family – they will both know the cost and rewards of a structural engineering career. And my daughter will know that you can be a structural engineer, a woman, a wife and a mother AND maintain a proper work-life balance.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tabitha S. Stine, S.E., P.E., LEED AP<o:p></o:p></div><br />
Director of Technical Marketing<br />
<br />
American Institute of Steel Construction <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Practicing Structural Engineer for 11 years<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> If you would like to respond in addition to my comments, please email here:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Dan Cuoco</strong></span><br />
Editor<br />
Corporate: 800-466-6275<br />
<a href="mailto:dcuoco@zweigwhite.com"><u>dcuoco@zweigwhite.com</u></a>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-44008055348317061192011-08-26T16:18:00.000-05:002011-08-26T16:18:04.916-05:00Happy Birthday Grandma! Per the experts - it's your 21st!!!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>We couldn't all make it home for the weekend of festivities, so we decided to light our own candles in honor of Grandma's big day! Here's to the big 5-0!!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-picasa-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1sbkq4pMNXo/TlgHKOey1SI/AAAAAAAADXs/VAYRjuZQl7M/s1600/2011-08-26_14-45-55_339.3gp"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http://v7.nonxt2.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3D29d373e42186a952%26itag%3D5%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1314414997%26sparams%3Did,itag,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3DAE0E1C3773662DFDA11CADFFE37E28F99B3FB6BC.BD2E48ED6ADC7197E246ED78741968AD194B6E8F%26key%3Dlh1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http://v7.nonxt2.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3D29d373e42186a952%26itag%3D5%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1314414997%26sparams%3Did,itag,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3DAE0E1C3773662DFDA11CADFFE37E28F99B3FB6BC.BD2E48ED6ADC7197E246ED78741968AD194B6E8F%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-27423634075989353412011-06-21T13:45:00.000-05:002011-06-21T13:45:20.105-05:00Warrior Dash Midwest 2011 - Race Roundup!This past weekend, I succumbed to the new <em>'in thing'</em> of adventure racing.... Yes, five short months ago my running bud and I received an invite email 'enticing' us to <em>'don't miss the chance'</em> at the coolest new type of running and adventure challenge: a mud race. Yes...It was January 20th. Yes, we had <em>X</em> feet of snow on the ground at the time...and yes, swimming in a mud pit only seemed like a blissful wonder. So, what did we do - we signed up for it! Something called the <em>'Warrior Dash'</em>...we were told - that was a combination of running a 5k and conquering some 'obstacles' in a fun costume. The night we both agreed to sign up for the challenge, I think the phrase <em>'How Bad Can it Be?'</em> might have been uttered by one or both of us :)<br />
<br />
Fast forward five months. Two weeks before race day, we start cramming to figure out our costumes and start following the race on Facebook. Each week other 'Warrior Dash' races are happening in various cities around the country. I even long on to <a href="http://www.warriordash.com/">http://www.warriordash.com/</a> and look at some of the obstacles and challenges in the races nationwide. And then I pause. I call my BFF and utter these exact words: <br />
<blockquote>WHAT IN THE WORLD DID WE GET OURSELVES INTO?!?</blockquote><a name='more'></a><br />
As the next two weeks approached, anticipation of the race rose. News articles were covering it, friends were discussing it, and I really started to get nervous. I mean - <em>really</em>. I am in week 2 of marathon training for my fall Full in October, and I'm risking my healthy and safety for a fun time in the mud?!? Seriously? Then, the day before the race I hear that my friend from high school - who fights for the UFC as a PROFESSIONAL mixed martial artist - is coming up from St. Louis to Chicago to participate in the race. Then possibly at that very moment, I knew I was out of my league :)<br />
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Well, not one to leave any registration money on the table or allow any logic, for that fact, stop me from moving forward on something I'm already committed to, I decided no turning back. When the alarm went off at 5:30 Saturday morning, I knew it was time to wake up and run the race.<br />
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I caravaned with two friends over to Channahon - leaving town at 6am sharp. Lucky for us, the I-80 construction wasn't too bad yet, but it still took us about 50 minutes to get there. When we arrived at the Dollinger Farms location - boy were we excited!!!<br />
<br />
After you stomach the $10 parking (yes - in BFE where you expect ample free parking!) - you quickly realize what all the 'Hype' is about. It's worth it - entirely - and we realize this before the race has event started! The costumes, the facilities, the music - it's all part of a transformation. For a split moment, I think anyone in that area thought they could scale any wall or obstacle. Because, we're warriors - DUH!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz17PA8hLoXlKnJWcSxuCd4luQ9VehfQVUyZq1vesktAJAATYxI1xKU8aJP_pSS03RgMuSUgs8n3FHEcKqhug' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
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As we wait at the start line, some amazing costumes are everywhere we look: <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEazfvDIZaIIQ7P9M4f-tto8jCuuJsD2jPbhFF57lg2aDyCeaq10B_lM2Vl0WXCiFACeX1Q2dI5qqX4Wup5edolJN1KLH_MsBS1Ng2-Hw7vC4eS5RbxD6P8PNiMcVEVb6UAr8kBcl4A/s1600/DSCF8390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEazfvDIZaIIQ7P9M4f-tto8jCuuJsD2jPbhFF57lg2aDyCeaq10B_lM2Vl0WXCiFACeX1Q2dI5qqX4Wup5edolJN1KLH_MsBS1Ng2-Hw7vC4eS5RbxD6P8PNiMcVEVb6UAr8kBcl4A/s200/DSCF8390.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TMNT</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCueD84Ds-Szolz9Smd4ArgNfiXDZFFAag4gujXVhmZSvQ3qp5dG4aY0-WPQZZ7d1kS-iLl4luupge6S6yCobc8tihwJGMaQ1HSXfEGSDkCmDraBnjOUP1IrNaGHXdvDj0Lu87HoXoRw/s1600/DSCF8391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCueD84Ds-Szolz9Smd4ArgNfiXDZFFAag4gujXVhmZSvQ3qp5dG4aY0-WPQZZ7d1kS-iLl4luupge6S6yCobc8tihwJGMaQ1HSXfEGSDkCmDraBnjOUP1IrNaGHXdvDj0Lu87HoXoRw/s200/DSCF8391.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpMPK0szVMdyfTXmq-hM_-jyjROJ0J18Kwmx25MfOwMI7rEa9iq0GsxOiwVDgDCc0NUN6HRuu_dOwB30heCGv9DHqHzlqG6nvp0nVThZNGHN6mIPqUB-O2K2r7Z4Jnl8mevObyKkp3qw/s1600/DSCF8468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpMPK0szVMdyfTXmq-hM_-jyjROJ0J18Kwmx25MfOwMI7rEa9iq0GsxOiwVDgDCc0NUN6HRuu_dOwB30heCGv9DHqHzlqG6nvp0nVThZNGHN6mIPqUB-O2K2r7Z4Jnl8mevObyKkp3qw/s200/DSCF8468.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Jolly Green Giant!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sSM4xQ6-38HgUS7B-MKR7753HbmHEQfNMmBStNEuatcv4OcK_r1TJJutdaeXlpZ8ucSATeu-yR8G1fnaBE8v7ONMOlCSvC3hNBcemIsUx48UL1zRVrwsuUzHHYN9qx09ULgO-90mhg/s1600/DSCF8393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sSM4xQ6-38HgUS7B-MKR7753HbmHEQfNMmBStNEuatcv4OcK_r1TJJutdaeXlpZ8ucSATeu-yR8G1fnaBE8v7ONMOlCSvC3hNBcemIsUx48UL1zRVrwsuUzHHYN9qx09ULgO-90mhg/s200/DSCF8393.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mario and Luigi!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The race was nothing less than - AMMMAZZZZING! Of course, I can say that since I did in fact survive and did NOT get hurt. I'm pretty sure this may be an annual event for me - as long as a very important condition exists:<br />
<ul><li>I'm in one of the first groups of day 1.</li>
</ul>First, the mud existed, but I can only imagine how dangerous everything might be after 2 days and another 21,000 people slipping and sliding on the course. Secondly, I'm a structural engineer and throughout the race, I found myself looking at each obstacle quite carefully. Needless to say, many of them seemed to lack some structural '<em>resilience'</em> and I'm not really on board with being the last one to hang from them...if you know what I mean :)<br />
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Here are some great views of the obstacles and events from Saturday:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-AXORuiTyzalHVcqBHqzaDJS1tuYpWj8Un0ErmKPSsqbWQhPzJ3RihlSSadzNpyOjJkZ5IPT6V-13MpnBydGatUvSAeCmyLJo-ZjuS6pvmfedbOjtmcd_NXd3Ld3S32XNSn75TM-gw/s1600/DSCF8406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-AXORuiTyzalHVcqBHqzaDJS1tuYpWj8Un0ErmKPSsqbWQhPzJ3RihlSSadzNpyOjJkZ5IPT6V-13MpnBydGatUvSAeCmyLJo-ZjuS6pvmfedbOjtmcd_NXd3Ld3S32XNSn75TM-gw/s320/DSCF8406.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Car trample and tire run</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTWRtzGlM6XlyPYqANPW8woR_P4W2BcaL8BxqgVw067Jup7u5r68tAtGX4JQ4wK5fKOPgrJPEkchway9FLUiWRAgNTSV8PBnUYcdr4BKay8_YaBZcGT0psjJ6mPVX8J1nXbuDm1Zkcw/s1600/DSCF8454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTWRtzGlM6XlyPYqANPW8woR_P4W2BcaL8BxqgVw067Jup7u5r68tAtGX4JQ4wK5fKOPgrJPEkchway9FLUiWRAgNTSV8PBnUYcdr4BKay8_YaBZcGT0psjJ6mPVX8J1nXbuDm1Zkcw/s320/DSCF8454.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creek Runnin'</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zgA8OiLS2OXmYFMful7HOm5Z01Rg_wRxMKRd-WtSWP2ybFJHqwslqNMKFetU90KHZOXpeXC5HDLAYvXii7r4cnwOyvr78rmVJHiA8PE3v9YdMjU6NgbCGhs_HNJ0PNodKHTLCMJsaA/s1600/DSCF8423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zgA8OiLS2OXmYFMful7HOm5Z01Rg_wRxMKRd-WtSWP2ybFJHqwslqNMKFetU90KHZOXpeXC5HDLAYvXii7r4cnwOyvr78rmVJHiA8PE3v9YdMjU6NgbCGhs_HNJ0PNodKHTLCMJsaA/s320/DSCF8423.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horizontal rope climb.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2MgRFnitwJSxLGhzTPnzPkrcclUaCAzjsvIO4jig3qqqZ_909B0UyjwUNW86UkYySd6LUhpf3VflglZjI6pdQHnEE4SV4PnPhBhCA5f7CaKjhvRtH9lUBPBfz2IXhgKgMNbx6cRHaw/s1600/DSCF8421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2MgRFnitwJSxLGhzTPnzPkrcclUaCAzjsvIO4jig3qqqZ_909B0UyjwUNW86UkYySd6LUhpf3VflglZjI6pdQHnEE4SV4PnPhBhCA5f7CaKjhvRtH9lUBPBfz2IXhgKgMNbx6cRHaw/s320/DSCF8421.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great from the top of the wall...looking down!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Jz1hsA0cyPOTzgaQgDBM4hMZFwjq4s7FiPLjdHJnXciJJM3iI1DUyOuY1SwUyJU-rQLxlt441yaEaMC10XzYu-y88L99TSv1i0fzmB8ch12ze7-yx_UARr6Fsw315tMWr1cI-9T-ew/s1600/DSCF8442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Jz1hsA0cyPOTzgaQgDBM4hMZFwjq4s7FiPLjdHJnXciJJM3iI1DUyOuY1SwUyJU-rQLxlt441yaEaMC10XzYu-y88L99TSv1i0fzmB8ch12ze7-yx_UARr6Fsw315tMWr1cI-9T-ew/s320/DSCF8442.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climb up and over the barn!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After all this...we enjoyed running OVER fire and thru the mud...excellent!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKLVyWrI0C1SXxwWiCedmqKWFDx-eyt8xhCBr91H6jbW8E-IGNHCWMeOm6Kb9QzRYrocvPGWkjMN7azAAKLptX-vJ2q_u5GIizDUVRevrBa8tkEUQZf9sPumeHKjhqUtFvi2nkDFKow/s1600/DSCF8460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKLVyWrI0C1SXxwWiCedmqKWFDx-eyt8xhCBr91H6jbW8E-IGNHCWMeOm6Kb9QzRYrocvPGWkjMN7azAAKLptX-vJ2q_u5GIizDUVRevrBa8tkEUQZf9sPumeHKjhqUtFvi2nkDFKow/s320/DSCF8460.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little 'slippage' while entering the mud pit!</td></tr>
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</div>In the end, all great times were had by all - and we even enjoyed some amazing free beer and a $6 turkey leg...success! We attempted to hose down the mud off of us in a very weak excuse for a water truck, but at least we had some fresh clothes to change into for the drive home. We also donated our running muddy shoes to charity at the end of the race, so that was a nice touch. I'm still wondering how they will clean them all before they ship them to the particular charities!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post Mud - Pre 'hose down'!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So - short run, free beer, turkey legs, and warrior costumes....I call this a successful Saturday morning! Looking forward to Warrior Dash - 2012!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1ELw20oqOAYKgxZlvTmkVz6dNCmEVxiOyFTbgH0HMZm-wv_ohLDBaUo_X6c_555P2tpLi-y4ko75Fqt-Pr4eg0JvQ-DMrkxmPEgXIEdSYqdL2gRz2TKYxJYquCvmPFzVIIIMlr66Dg/s1600/photo1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1ELw20oqOAYKgxZlvTmkVz6dNCmEVxiOyFTbgH0HMZm-wv_ohLDBaUo_X6c_555P2tpLi-y4ko75Fqt-Pr4eg0JvQ-DMrkxmPEgXIEdSYqdL2gRz2TKYxJYquCvmPFzVIIIMlr66Dg/s320/photo1.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVnfT8S_NRE-pSjhkGrYRKjWMXsYzT5c796MkvzvzngFHECa12tJ6rtbIwRmYob6KGwmUgYJRnmSAtQLF3Zif1TIbMow91192oY892x5bjC0YxjWhgW-jS-dH2GlgeqDTbqQe20Qw7w/s1600/DSCF8469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVnfT8S_NRE-pSjhkGrYRKjWMXsYzT5c796MkvzvzngFHECa12tJ6rtbIwRmYob6KGwmUgYJRnmSAtQLF3Zif1TIbMow91192oY892x5bjC0YxjWhgW-jS-dH2GlgeqDTbqQe20Qw7w/s320/DSCF8469.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-53989713483283227142011-06-14T12:07:00.000-05:002011-06-14T12:07:11.607-05:00Long Run Body BlissFor those of you that run - I know you will 'get this'. For those of you that don't, this may add one more peg to your 'Crazy Tab' stick... :)<br />
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Last night I wanted to run. The weather was mid-60s and perfect. I felt great and knew that since my hubby was off work and at home, I wasn't under the normal constraints of being home at a certain time to relieve the babysitter, get dinner going, entertain the kids - etc. I also knew that if I went home to change clothes after work - I <em>wouldn't go</em>. There would be a thousand distractions by the hubby, kids, laundry, shed-building (my hubby's new past time - more on that soon!) to prevent me from even changing into my running clothes, let alone escaping to run.<br />
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So what did I do? - brought my running clothes with me that morning and left them in the car. When I got off work and got off the train....everything was already there for me in the car seat - and no excuse to back out.<br />
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So, in my best 'incognito fashion', I changed in the car. <em>Ok</em>...this wasn't the most 'planned' portion of my day, but it worked! And less than 5 minutes after arriving at my car, I was starting my stopwatch.<br />
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One major downfall of not going home before the run - no cold beverage to carry :( So - at the half mile mark I stopped into the gas station and whipped out my 'emergency $20 bill' that I always carry in my running pack and got a gatorade - perfect!<br />
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Soon nearly 85 minutes had passed and I was in the home stretch heading back to my car. I ordered a half-price pizza to be picked up at 7pm from our local pizzeria (which has half off Mondays!) and I planned to pick some fresh lettuce from our garden to have with it. Dinner was taken care of and I did squeeze in my long week mileage early - 9 miles of it!<br />
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Nothing like sitting down to dinner and really feeling accomplishment. This is week 2 of marathon training and I have to admit I feel great. My body felt alive, strong, and even anxious for more miles. As I laid in bed last night around 10pm, I realized how wonderful it feels to be in that 'post-run-euphorium'. Your legs feel strong, your body feels toned, and you know there is a great night of sleep ahead of you.<br />
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The next morning, my body was still in this 'euphorium'. I walked to the train with my back a little straighter, a little more confidence in my stride, and a good satisfaction of knowing that today I get to rest from my success of yesterday - and eat a great hearty lunch out downtown later....I deserve it :)<br />
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Here's to a continued, injury-free, successful training season :)tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-61014241573551001072011-06-12T22:25:00.000-05:002011-06-12T22:25:15.833-05:00Gardening Success - Six Weeks After Planting<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bumO9adQghA/TfWB_O7zShI/AAAAAAAAC1c/gVOOZ_HsaL4/s1600/2011-06-09_17-02-02_858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bumO9adQghA/TfWB_O7zShI/AAAAAAAAC1c/gVOOZ_HsaL4/s320/2011-06-09_17-02-02_858.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two little gardeners with their pride and joy beds!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>What a fun <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/05/gardening-update-plants-are-in.html">six weeks</a> it has been. Most evenings the twins would join me outside after dinner - to both examine the beds, water the crops, and to answer some of their very perplexing questions, such as:<br />
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- <em>Two days after planting</em> - Why aren't the tomatoes ready yet?<br />
- Do we need a cage to catch the squirrels who eat our strawberries?<br />
- Why can't I I use my spade and garden tools to dig up dirt every night?<br />
- Will I start to like radishes if we grow them at home since I have always hated the ones from the store?<br />
- I promise to try some of our onions IF you please let me water the garden tonight all by myself.... :)<br />
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So, regardless if these plants ever do really survive the summer, in the end, this has been a fun and exciting project for the kids. We have had to replant cucumbers (yes, 6" of raining in one night can snap weak stems) and thin out cauliflower and cabbage. Many lessons of not just focused on hard work and healthy eating, but the circle of life - all at the edge of the raised beds. Pride has grown within their hearts.... and even excitement as we pick lettuce almost 3 nights a week to accompany our dinner. "Our lettuce is growing" is what I overhear them tell their dad when he gets home from work!<br />
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So, all in all, the garden is growing well considering the temperature and rain swings we've experienced this year. Quite a bit of lettuce has been harvested thus far. Radishes are almost ready, and strawberries are producing a couple berries a day. <br />
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Below are some quick images and shots of where we stand - 6 weeks after planting! What fun we are having....I only have to convince my husband to build at least two more beds for next summer :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQeU20PjvLU/TfV-vin11pI/AAAAAAAAC0c/sTJNBitx3v0/s1600/2011-06-09_17-04-50_161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQeU20PjvLU/TfV-vin11pI/AAAAAAAAC0c/sTJNBitx3v0/s320/2011-06-09_17-04-50_161.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lettuce, Lettuce - and MORE Lettuce!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-isxX8JDlhM0/TfV-F8OsgOI/AAAAAAAAC0U/YKRnUCZGThE/s1600/2011-06-09_17-04-59_597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-isxX8JDlhM0/TfV-F8OsgOI/AAAAAAAAC0U/YKRnUCZGThE/s320/2011-06-09_17-04-59_597.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broccoli is getting HUGE. Organic and yummy :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-USw1RfeV1qo/TfV_Zjj9LJI/AAAAAAAAC0s/lHXYD4pEETQ/s1600/2011-06-09_17-04-38_126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-USw1RfeV1qo/TfV_Zjj9LJI/AAAAAAAAC0s/lHXYD4pEETQ/s320/2011-06-09_17-04-38_126.jpg" t8="true" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Peas are Climbing!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VoAy4h0Fpow/TfWAFJr6kLI/AAAAAAAAC08/FMr79NmUFxU/s1600/2011-06-09_17-04-15_293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VoAy4h0Fpow/TfWAFJr6kLI/AAAAAAAAC08/FMr79NmUFxU/s320/2011-06-09_17-04-15_293.jpg" t8="true" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...Pole Beans Too!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WSDMzgWnuYQ/TfWAwSU0IuI/AAAAAAAAC1I/ghZvfpIkYVo/s1600/2011-06-09_17-03-22_191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WSDMzgWnuYQ/TfWAwSU0IuI/AAAAAAAAC1I/ghZvfpIkYVo/s320/2011-06-09_17-03-22_191.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4' Tall Tomato Plants now are blooming! 7 plants compliments of Lincolnwood FFA and 2 from Bloomberg Gardens!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-73008046432007706832011-06-09T14:30:00.001-05:002011-06-09T14:31:27.309-05:00Running in IL Weather - Impossible Task!Why does Illinois weather have to be SO damn dramatic? Seriously....we <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/06/complaining-about-spring-and-national.html">skip spring</a> entirely this year....and go from winter to all time record highs where we haven't seen this type of streak of heat in late May/early June since the 1930s....to then have a 30 degree swing the next day with 5" of rain and people kayaking down the street! Nope...not kidding....here is a great photo my friend took who blocks from her house:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HsqG4LArQzw9QPfMFcFflJAKqFkBrZF5pNPUJBihZqBIe12_h_ThbQ5Msc1zjtwPpX972K6APACmcaK1nma3OcWYNJ3mXXRRR-7N557wc1Z4Hw6tSDSPcThhFvia6mMHI_UheRZogg/s1600/kayakIMG_2812%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HsqG4LArQzw9QPfMFcFflJAKqFkBrZF5pNPUJBihZqBIe12_h_ThbQ5Msc1zjtwPpX972K6APACmcaK1nma3OcWYNJ3mXXRRR-7N557wc1Z4Hw6tSDSPcThhFvia6mMHI_UheRZogg/s320/kayakIMG_2812%255B1%255D.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Do people think that's really 'just rain'.... Come on, I know I'm a Civil Engineer by trade but COME ON PEOPLE....that's POOP WATER! Gross! <br />
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So....as I vent, here are my current problems with IL weather wrecking havoc week 1 of marathon training:<br />
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1. Monday I arrived home at 1:20 and had to run 3 miles over my lunch before my sitter left, and I had to get back to work. It was day one of my 18 week marathon program for the next few months of preparation for the October Chicago Marathon. The day BEFORE this the Chicago Half Marathon had been cancelled early and one man actually DIED. (Tragic....and boy was I glad I wasn't there. Seriously....I swear I<a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/04/most-beautiful-day-to-not-run-marathon.html"> run all those types of races</a>. I kind of have a bad-luck-knack for it!). So....Sunday was literally deathly hot and Monday was not better. When I stepped out of my car to run, it was 98 degrees with a 'feels like' of 105! Yes, that is NOT a typo. I headed out with my water bottle that was empty from my car, with full intentions of filling it at the park I was going to hit at mile 1. I was doing ok with the heat - really - mid day runs are usually my strongest - but obviously, was really looking forward to getting close to the park to get a drink and fill up my bottle. So....I get to the water fountain, stop and guess what - IT IS NOT TURNED ON!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P_UK2iiWexk/TfEXcWXLXwI/AAAAAAAACzw/Fj2ozLtU75w/s1600/2011-06-06_13-48-29_515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P_UK2iiWexk/TfEXcWXLXwI/AAAAAAAACzw/Fj2ozLtU75w/s320/2011-06-06_13-48-29_515.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tease of water at mile 1. A nice fountain, shiny, and dry as can be :(</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Lucky for me, the park district office is 50 yards from this fountain. I jog over there and right next to the front desk was a water fountain, with cold working water! I naturally just assumed the outside one was broke and thought it would be good to inform the desk staff since there were bus loads of kids at the park, runners like me, and 'maybe' they should fix it to avoid a bigger problem later. When I mentioned it to the lady....she said..."Uh, I don't know if parks&rec have turned them on yet".... WHAT!?! The receptionist at the park district office actually thinks that well - it's the first week of June - there are kids everywhere - and temp is 100 degrees - and maybe our town has turned them on from winter yet??? I know we live in weird Illinois and Chicago weather, but come on - it's the hottest day of the year lady! I instantly knew she must not have a clue as to what her department even does - but she did make a note to make me feel better and she would 'let someone know' :) To make myself feel better - and reassure myself that she was crazy and our park district wasn't withholding water from our runners and hot kiddos in June, I stopped at another park water fountain about a half mile down the road. Guess what - WATER WORKED! So.... I have complete faith in our park district, just not people in general :)<br />
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So....day 1 I thought I was going to be the next running fatality - but in the end, I just had to work to get it - in 100 degree weather.<br />
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2. I ran again on Wednesday, after work, before I had to push mow the entire yard. This day I didn't have any water issues as I carried my own from home, but today my music was dead. Yep...no juice in the iPod. So...I was then sucked into the rhythm of my own hyperventilation in the 96 degree weather. I know, I know....'get up at 6am to run and stop complaining'..... I whole heartedly agree, I even set my alarm each day. But, it ain't gonna happen. In the back of my mind I know that it's only 3 miles and I can squeeze it in anytime later in the day, so I never get up. I know it would be 10,000 times better than what I'm doing each day, but I just can't do it :( Historically I've found that once I get into higher mileage as marathon training progresses, I can usually make myself get up and really run at 5 or 5:30 in the morning if it is 8 miles or more. Anything less than that, my internal psyche won't let me roll out of bed for.<br />
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3. And now today... Today I had ambition of running 3-6 miles later this afternoon after work. But....just got off the train and the freaking roads are flooded everywhere...and boy - it's cold outside! So....heat exhaustion yesterday to trekking thru poop water today - <em>no thanks</em>.<br />
<br />
One week is almost done and I have 17 more of these until race day. Seriously - it's gotta get better....it really does! Maybe some nice days in the mid-70s?? Oh...to dream of living anywhere besides <em>dramatic weather Illinois</em>...ahhh to dream :)tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-76762451283163945872011-06-01T14:28:00.001-05:002011-06-01T14:49:54.569-05:0049 Confessions of Why I Run:<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">49 Confessions of Why I Run:</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run because I CAN! </span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 5pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run for peace of mind, body & soul....</span></span></h6><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> I run because it cleans my body and mind. It is my drug used without moderation.</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal;"></span></strong></li>
</ul><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run because it gives me time to escape, time to daydream, time to focus and time to think about what's really important to me... </span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run because I love the adrenalin rush and the satisfying feeling of fitness I feel after I've finished.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run because it empowers me!!!</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run…to find myself.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to change my life for the better.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to say in shape and fit.</span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run so that I can live longer and spend more years with my twins.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run....because it's cheaper than therapy :)</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run because it helps me clear my head! And, it feels great!</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to spend more time with my twins – via pushing them and teaching them exercise.</span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Why I run: My world is colliding at every turn…too much going on at all times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running is my solace…my peace….my recharge to try it all again tomorrow.</span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to prove to my daughter that women are strong and can accomplish their dreams. </span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run for me.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to be challenged.</span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to share time with friends.</span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to see the forests early in the morning and witness the earth’s beauty under the soles of my feet - and before my eyes.</span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to be healthy, to be outside, to teach my kids about fitness, to satisfy my competitive spirit and because while all my minutes are dedicated to being a mommy, my time running is MINE... (even when I'm pushing them in the stroller)</span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to find time in my day to contemplate the life path that I’m on.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run because it keeps me grounded.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run for better health and sexy legs! </span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run because it’s fun.</span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run for my sanity. I have a hubby, kids, a stressful job and a busy household. Running keeps me SANE...oh, and having nice thighs and legs don't hurt either!</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run for health and to show my kids fitness is for a lifetime.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I run because I LOVE to eat.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I run because I LOVE wine.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I run because I LOVE margaritas.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I run to eat and drink even MORE!</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I run for my mental health.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run because it takes me places.... </span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to know myself better, feel my strength, and revel in the joy of surpassing what I thought were my limits.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run because it keeps me sane. And because my husband and kids think I get cranky when I don't get a run in...</span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run because it makes me "ME", and I can teach my twins there is never a finish line, only another race and trail to complete.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run because it's the only alone time I get some days...</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run for respect.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to prove I won't quit on myself.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to help me cope. Running is my Prozac. </span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to enjoy bagel day at the office.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to have a Saturday morning appointment.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to see more places when I travel.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run races for the goodie bags.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to PR against myself at races…not others.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to push my twins and teach them about sitting still for 30 minutes in close proximity – and getting along.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run for the bling…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Big. Shnazzy. Medals.</i></span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run for cool race t-shirts.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to remind myself that this is always easier than given birth to twins.</span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I run to have something to blog about </span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></span><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></span></h6><h6 style="background: white; margin-left: 0.25in;"><span class="messagebody2"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"></span></span> </h6><div style="background: white; margin-left: 0.25in;">....some of these have been inspired by others to me today, National Running Day, and over the years....others are ones that I have engrained into my runs each time someone asks me....<em>Why do YOU run?</em></div>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-38409873533241293872011-06-01T09:20:00.001-05:002011-06-01T09:20:59.571-05:00Complaining about Spring and National Running Day!!!Welcome to June...FINALLY. Talk about the most ill-defined transition from winter to summer EVER. 2011 has been a 'humdinger' thus far. Last Tuesday night at T-Ball we were all freezing our rears off in the dugout, last night - not enough water to go around. Somehow, we missed the transition to warm weather via the past known season as <em>'Spring'</em>. I remember it from my youth but have been struggling to find and witness it in recent years. We have received ample amounts of rain this year that usually accompanies this mysterious season, but none of the transitional temperatures that we all NEED. The reason I say <em>'Need</em>' is because - seriously - I really NEED those temperatures. As much as I'm a fan of super hot weather, we just don't know how to act or respond when it's literally just shoved in our face.<br />
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<strong><u>Example 1:</u></strong> Yesterday I had my kids dress themselves for preschool. They came out of their room in jeans and long sleeved shirts. <strong>THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRESS FOR SPRING!</strong> I told them it was 'super warm' and they needed shorts and t-shirts....they looked at me, cocked their head, and wondered what was I talking about. So, we had to have a brief discussion about somehow God forgetting to bring us Spring....but guess what - Summer came early! To that announcement, jubilee was heard around the neighborhood and they quickly asked, <em>why are we still in school and why aren't we in the pool???</em><br />
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<strong><u>Example 2:</u></strong> My garden. I haven't posted some progress photos recently, but I will soon - I promise! All is looking good - <em>considering.</em> Last week we had temperatures dip to 40 degrees. This has happened multiple times since May 1. We've also had some huge temperature swings from day to day. Needless to say my cucumbers have nearly sliced their own throats and my tomatoes are as ticked as can be. We're all surviving...but COME ONE....<em>Don't Tell Me</em> I have to wait till June to plant my garden!<br />
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<strong><u>Example 3:</u></strong> At lunch, I decided to go out for a 6 mile 'detox run' from the Memorial Day weekend frenzy. Uh....hello - it was over 80 degrees! To my luck I had also forgotten my ipod and found myself running with no music. The 6 miles quickly was reduced as the only rhythm I fell into was the sound of my own near hyperventilation in the agonizing heat. My body was not ready for this horrible transition and now it's revolting. Needless to say, 6 miles quickly turned into 3.5<br />
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This morning I woke up and looked at the weather forecast for the rest of the week: <strong>H O T</strong><br />
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So....guess it's here to stay. I'm also starting my marathon training program soon for the 2011 Chicago Marathon in October and wondering WTF was I thinking signing up for summer training marathon!?! I know...I know....I grumble every spring while training for a spring race in the snow....but 80-90 degree runs are even worse, believe me!<br />
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To help me with this mental transition, I'm going to do my best to take it in stride....as the holiday that it is! How better to handle the stress of running and easily wanting to NOT run due to the weather and instead drink wine and eat cheese after work....than celebrate this National Holiday!<br />
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June 1st is <a href="http://www.runningday.org/site/">National Running Day</a>!<br />
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<strong>You may run alone, but on National Running Day, we celebrate together!</strong> On this day, runners everywhere share their passion for a lifestyle that is one of the best, and simplest, ways to stay fit—and so much more. You can head out solo to clear your mind, gab with your regular running buddies, or turn an unsuspecting friend into a running fiend. This day is for us!<br />
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<img height="196" src="http://www.runningday.org/site/images/main.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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So....this bodes the option quite well: Stay in and complain about the heat and lack of spring...or EMBRACE IT!<br />
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We've all waiting for June for months to get here. It's finally here and we need to relish in it! What will you do today?<br />
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I am working downtown Chicago today. I also have to mow my yard when I get home. AFTER all of that...and feeding my family....I plan to hit the suburban streets. Depending on how late it is, I may only get in a half hour of miles...but that's ok. Something is better than nothing and I plan to celebrate and just be thankful that I CAN RUN!tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-27648645685557962202011-05-26T16:37:00.000-05:002011-05-26T16:37:08.146-05:00Tornadoes and Parenting.... and the 'Crazies'So....I'm tackling a 'current event'....and even put this post on the local online Newspaper: HF Patch. I'm tackling my current parenting conundrum... Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated. Seriously - when did parenting get to be so hard?<br />
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I can't even comprehend this devastation. Click below to read the article in full: <br />
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<a href="http://homewood-flossmoor.patch.com/blog_posts/the-tornado-disaster-in-missouri-my-parenting-conundrum-and-struggle-for-understanding">http://homewood-flossmoor.patch.com/blog_posts/the-tornado-disaster-in-missouri-my-parenting-conundrum-and-struggle-for-understanding</a> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yWg3mstXjXGmbsSMfuMRb479F7qKDquyu2MES9WM4oEmV_Gw4fyxRnPY9rEupIwoyNA6dnZYsMq0qki7m5RwmbbDe1OJc9AKgFFMzatGU1b7n-uHD5IS-DtU6-vCQyIjKOKttefT7g/s1600/alg_joplin_tornado_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yWg3mstXjXGmbsSMfuMRb479F7qKDquyu2MES9WM4oEmV_Gw4fyxRnPY9rEupIwoyNA6dnZYsMq0qki7m5RwmbbDe1OJc9AKgFFMzatGU1b7n-uHD5IS-DtU6-vCQyIjKOKttefT7g/s320/alg_joplin_tornado_1.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Courtesy of: Roger Nomer/AP</td></tr>
</tbody></table>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-63278647430389043972011-05-23T13:16:00.000-05:002011-05-23T13:16:19.768-05:00Weekend Running Views...and Some Great FOOD to Cancel Out the Miles!This past Friday - Sunday resulted in 3 entirely different running experiences! One - at a local forest preserve. Two, run number 43 with my twins (and my hubby joined in!) in our neighborhood. Three: The country roads in Fayette County, IL. All told - 11 miles covered. <br />
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1. Izaak Walton Forest Preserve is located in Homewood, IL and supplies great trail running and fabulous scenes...just a little over 1.4 miles from my house. The current 3.6 mile loop is under construction due to a new waterway at MM 1.7ish that causes a slight detour to the unmarked path. But all in all, a wonderful way to start your day...whether you are running, biking, or walking your dog. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nulBcRQRGBs/Tdp-KHqiSrI/AAAAAAAACvo/DlSEzxytI6k/s1600/2011-05-20_07-42-20_749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nulBcRQRGBs/Tdp-KHqiSrI/AAAAAAAACvo/DlSEzxytI6k/s320/2011-05-20_07-42-20_749.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rH7RGDsuCJU/Tdp90KVaCoI/AAAAAAAACvI/kELAshrqYy4/s1600/2011-05-20_07-34-19_577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rH7RGDsuCJU/Tdp90KVaCoI/AAAAAAAACvI/kELAshrqYy4/s320/2011-05-20_07-34-19_577.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
2. Saturday morning all of us ran the Apollo 5k in Homewood. This race is part of the 3-race circuit in the H-F running community. We are never able to complete the full circuit since race #2 is always over The Fourth of July - so we always try and do this one for sure, along with the Flossmoor 5k mid September. We ran it in approximately 29 minutes and felt great. The twins were great spectators in their stroller - and only told us twice to 'pick up the pace'!. Anyway, this was race #43 that I have pushed them in!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--BzBnk1pAFM/Tdp-CpX2X0I/AAAAAAAACvg/gaM4SMe9EIM/s1600/2011-05-21_09-31-25_412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--BzBnk1pAFM/Tdp-CpX2X0I/AAAAAAAACvg/gaM4SMe9EIM/s320/2011-05-21_09-31-25_412.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br />
3. Sunday morning I stepped outside to not only a warm day - but a WINDY one at that. It was one of those runs where you don't realize how windy it really is, until you turn around at the half way point and head home. My time for the first 2 miles was very fast and I felt pretty proud. But guess what - I quickly realized that HELLO - that's the result of a great tail wind :) So, the way back to the farm took me quite a bit longer than the way out, but considering those sustained gusts, I was just glad to finally make it back and not have to call the house for a ride back. I was also pretty bummed that there was no random farm dogs to run with today. Yep, usually you run past a farm house and the greatest old farm dog joins along and really - it is great company (except for the random stops and cutoffs right in front of you)... But heck, it keeps you on your toes!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-azUaDGOqXqI/Tdp-3adUO1I/AAAAAAAACxo/N_6KPQ_lilk/s1600/2011-05-22_11-41-09_781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-azUaDGOqXqI/Tdp-3adUO1I/AAAAAAAACxo/N_6KPQ_lilk/s320/2011-05-22_11-41-09_781.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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'Why' might you ask did I decide to run 3 days in a row - particularly in such windy conditions. Well, the night before my father-in-law hosted a 'Blooming Luau Party'....yep, lots of good food, beer, and wine. And guess what, my mother-in-law made homemade fried banana fritters! I was able to steer clear of them for about a half hour - until someone twisted my arm for a quick try. Well, 30 minutes later I had consumed five of them....and felt like my stomach was becoming a lunar mass. So, Sunday morning running really seemed like a requirement after this 'incident'.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade banana fritters: Think Banana Bread and Funnel Cake all in one!</td></tr>
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After a good long weekend of some great mileage, I'm really excited about some nice warm weather running this summer. Only more good times ahead!tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-66322461829859483842011-05-19T14:20:00.000-05:002011-05-19T14:20:58.896-05:00Stress Relief At Its Best....Why I Run...The WARM WEATHER running season is just upon us! I was pretty excited this week to use that as my motivation to get others to MOVE. Running is a great way - but really - just to get out and <em>DO SOMETHING!</em> So, this week I'm a guest 'blogger' on the Homewood Flossmoor Patch (<a href="http://homewood-flossmoor.patch.com/">http://homewood-flossmoor.patch.com/</a>) - our local community website for 'All Things Homewood-Flossmoor. If you haven't checked it out yet - DO IT! Or - check out their Facebook Page and 'like it' <a href="http://www.facebook.com/hfpatch">Here</a>. <br />
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Anyway, check out my article <a href="http://homewood-flossmoor.patch.com/blog_posts/a-passion-for-running-health-and-even-more-importantly-sanity">HERE</a> - and yes, I hope to see you at the 5k on Saturday - with my co-runner hubby and our little training partners in tow!tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-2447716948255229962011-05-17T09:35:00.000-05:002011-05-17T09:35:00.104-05:00Destination Run: Pittsburgh Style!As mentioned before <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/04/destination-run-vegas-style.html">HERE</a>, running while on work trips is my necessity. I love to see the 'new city sites' this way...and also attempt to balance out the unending free food and booze that seems to necessitate any work travel. I spent 5 full days in the 'Burgh' and found 3 times to run. When I first arrived in Pittsburgh, the concept of running slightly frightened me - HELLO - MORE HILLS! But then I found this beautiful thing: The Allegheny River! Yes....rivers aren't on hills and what does that mean to me? - seek them out! Usually in any major city there is some type of body of water, with a nice path/sidewalk/road that runs along it. Luckily I stumbled upon a true running path here via a small park that connects all the sites along the river: PNC Park, Heinz Field, the Casino, The Science Museum, and of course....entrances to all the beautiful bridges that span the Allegheny as they approach this area known as the <em>golden triangle</em>. (Here Pittsburgh is nested between two rivers: the Allegheny and the Monongahela rivers - which combined to form the start of the Ohio river that then runs south west towards good ole' southern Illinois!). <br />
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Lucky for me, the weather was perfect most of the week and my first true taste of summer was upon me. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjPYzE6dwQEW_abaq2Pf1iY5y4DdZHCMtmTmLWf7mfqnMKDnsnbKOCYYiGpkDcqArfV08zUUtvYAgFinYlAxtJ24Gu6nNZbshMgORxheK52XW-eF2m_GcW9xSQaYVz3vr0oNxY_67kw/s1600/Pit+run.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjPYzE6dwQEW_abaq2Pf1iY5y4DdZHCMtmTmLWf7mfqnMKDnsnbKOCYYiGpkDcqArfV08zUUtvYAgFinYlAxtJ24Gu6nNZbshMgORxheK52XW-eF2m_GcW9xSQaYVz3vr0oNxY_67kw/s320/Pit+run.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my 6.5 mile routes I ran.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Here are some of the cool 'Pittsburgh Sites' on my Destination Run:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1s94AZrSXSk/TdE-Vl8YC-I/AAAAAAAACmk/KwyOSE9yuj0/s1600/DSCF8333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1s94AZrSXSk/TdE-Vl8YC-I/AAAAAAAACmk/KwyOSE9yuj0/s320/DSCF8333.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OzrM6CAbwAA/TdE-JuLSJUI/AAAAAAAAClI/eR4_iIYVYyo/s1600/DSCF8307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OzrM6CAbwAA/TdE-JuLSJUI/AAAAAAAAClI/eR4_iIYVYyo/s320/DSCF8307.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the great yellow suspension bridges....and for you 'bridge afficionados'....they weren't vertical cables but vertical tension rods. Very cool! Heinz Park (Home of the Pittsburgh Steelers was also over my shoulder)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--KEpNGyVfv0/TdE-EMfgr-I/AAAAAAAACkY/Iijmb-dzS3I/s1600/DSCF8292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--KEpNGyVfv0/TdE-EMfgr-I/AAAAAAAACkY/Iijmb-dzS3I/s320/DSCF8292.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David L. Lawrence Convention Center - the Home of <a href="http://www.aisc.org/nascc">NASCC</a>!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3AvnSU6u3c/TdE-DhfpL3I/AAAAAAAACkU/ptH5OocF35E/s1600/DSCF8291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3AvnSU6u3c/TdE-DhfpL3I/AAAAAAAACkU/ptH5OocF35E/s320/DSCF8291.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PdRLjUQyAAg/TdE-LLebilI/AAAAAAAACnI/KKOl_dkjiow/s1600/DSCF8310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PdRLjUQyAAg/TdE-LLebilI/AAAAAAAACnI/KKOl_dkjiow/s320/DSCF8310.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The epitome of my jealousy - I discovered the Pittsburgh Marathon was being held THIS WEEKEND. Two days after I left. Total. Jealousy. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-onASWlc6qYI/TdE-M59gSQI/AAAAAAAACnM/uAxpFQUf-_s/s1600/DSCF8313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-onASWlc6qYI/TdE-M59gSQI/AAAAAAAACnM/uAxpFQUf-_s/s320/DSCF8313.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luckily, the race expo was also in the same convention center as NASCC. I found time to check it out Friday afternoon and still scrape up some good freebies!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zjI4scBdrj8/TdE-Oawws_I/AAAAAAAAClo/d21wAYHaFv8/s1600/DSCF8317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zjI4scBdrj8/TdE-Oawws_I/AAAAAAAAClo/d21wAYHaFv8/s320/DSCF8317.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fort Pitt at Pointe State Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_N53ZhFEx0M/TdE-S4CTrzI/AAAAAAAACmM/PtvbpD4FSHs/s1600/DSCF8327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_N53ZhFEx0M/TdE-S4CTrzI/AAAAAAAACmM/PtvbpD4FSHs/s320/DSCF8327.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahh....plenty of cute baby geese...and protective/hissing mama geese to keep me back.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aUFg_6BpBDw/TdE-QQ78VPI/AAAAAAAACl4/Pd4klmXZR0s/s1600/DSCF8320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aUFg_6BpBDw/TdE-QQ78VPI/AAAAAAAACl4/Pd4klmXZR0s/s320/DSCF8320.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bad view....but PNC Park (Home of the Pittsburgh Pirates....just over my left shoulder)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zly8tCNWAec/TdE-Rpnq4rI/AAAAAAAACmA/8QmHPowzZ0w/s1600/DSCF8323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zly8tCNWAec/TdE-Rpnq4rI/AAAAAAAACmA/8QmHPowzZ0w/s320/DSCF8323.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tourists rode in 'ducks' everywhere around town....and dipped in the Allegheny River from time to time. Sad to say I missed out on the duck rides :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1BN29Uen-5U/TdE-U-pv4eI/AAAAAAAACmc/WpyaxVWA8CQ/s1600/DSCF8331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1BN29Uen-5U/TdE-U-pv4eI/AAAAAAAACmc/WpyaxVWA8CQ/s320/DSCF8331.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One last run the day I went home. Till we meet again Pittsburgh!</td></tr>
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Outside of running, my 'coolest' Pittsburgh encounter came Wednesday night. I was invited to an equipment vendor dinner where the one and only Terry Bradshaw was the speaker. You know - I'm not a huge football fan and sure don't know many of the greats - but do know of Terry Bradshaw and have come to enjoy his interesting version of 'color commentating' on Fox during football season. Anyway, he took the stage for about 30-45 minutes and had an amazingly funny stand up comedy routine. He was hilarious! And I did get a couple take away nuggets that maybe you football fans should take note of. 1. He detests Ben Roethlisberger. (Note, I did know he was.... yep, the rapist). and 2. His 'go gay' guy....you know...if he ever did 'cross the line for one night' (as he put it), it would definitely be with Tom Brady (yep....who I also know due to his stellar good looks!). So, Terry and I definitely have our love for Tom in common... Ha Ha. He said that little 'nugget' couldn't leave the room, but I thought I'd share it with you fellow readers, all 5 of you :)<br />
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Back to running at home today. Good weather and no rain so far! My next destination run will be this weekend in good ole' Fayette County Illinois. Not quite the sites of Pittsburgh, but enough stray dogs and working farmers in the field to hopefully make an entertaining morning :)tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-74477125515142180732011-05-16T11:13:00.000-05:002011-05-16T11:13:29.382-05:00Foodie Indulgence: The Pittsburgh Attack!After spending five straight days in Pittsburgh, PA, on the company dime and eating out every single meal, I came to a few quick conclusions on Day 1:<br />
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<ul><li>I was going to experience tons of amazing food</li>
<li>All amazing food is only just as good with great amazing wine and beer</li>
<li>When you're with good friends and it's not your dime, zero accountability with eating 'right' ever enters the course of decision making.</li>
<li>Any weight loss I had achieved via winter and spring marathon training would soon be lost</li>
</ul>So...5 days later, how did it all pan out? Well, all four major points were achieved. Success?!? Well, let's just say I can call this rather 'Predicatable!'. Item 4 was somewhat curbed by the fact I did run 15 miles while in town, but anyone who has ever been gone on a week for a work trip can attest to the fact that no amount of miles can undue 5 days or 15 meals of eating like crap. Nope....can't do it. At least it kept me active and not at the buffet or bar longer than I really needed to be there. And no, I haven't stepped on a scale to really see 'how much' the damage is. I'm slightly scared right now and will only step on once I've had a couple of good days back in the office where I'm pretty regimented in my frozen lunches and clementines again :)<br />
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So, in order to not just feel sorry for myself, but to truly enjoy all the great good and beverage, I decided to instead, indulge in my 'Inner Foodie' and just enjoy it! Below are some wonderful samplings of my week in Pittsburgh....and what I have coined to myself as the unhealthiest work trip of my existence. Cheers!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HJsGGz1WePk/TdE-EXDfhOI/AAAAAAAACkc/QQCysfrGAXs/s1600/DSCF8293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HJsGGz1WePk/TdE-EXDfhOI/AAAAAAAACkc/QQCysfrGAXs/s320/DSCF8293.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Pittsburgh-er or the Primanti"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="post_body" hasbox="2" id="post_1542292_content"><div hasbox="2">It had cappicola and salami with melted provolone, french fries, cole slaw and tomato on pugliese bread (yes, cole slaw and french fries actually inside of the sandwich). But seriously....who ever imagined french fries on a sandwich - PURE GENIUS!!!</div><div hasbox="2"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wOkdMKPaELk/TdE-FzCOs2I/AAAAAAAACkk/8o18C5v0Vi8/s1600/DSCF8296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wOkdMKPaELk/TdE-FzCOs2I/AAAAAAAACkk/8o18C5v0Vi8/s320/DSCF8296.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wonderful ballpark hot dog with caramelized balsamic onions on top!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div hasbox="2"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d9qLsBgA9aU/TdE-G9zB_HI/AAAAAAAACkw/9GYblN-FYsU/s1600/DSCF8300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d9qLsBgA9aU/TdE-G9zB_HI/AAAAAAAACkw/9GYblN-FYsU/s320/DSCF8300.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potatoes with blue cheese and bacon!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div hasbox="2"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8TF0ETpiZto/TdE-GG33fJI/AAAAAAAACks/8e-r_BGNjIE/s1600/DSCF8299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8TF0ETpiZto/TdE-GG33fJI/AAAAAAAACks/8e-r_BGNjIE/s320/DSCF8299.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sliders...need I say more? :)<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CbE8vmjRHbg/TdE-H6KRSJI/AAAAAAAACk4/lNqTPkEaVr0/s1600/DSCF8302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CbE8vmjRHbg/TdE-H6KRSJI/AAAAAAAACk4/lNqTPkEaVr0/s320/DSCF8302.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gyros! $5 after the bars....2:30am. Great on the waist!<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div hasbox="2">All in all - this week will be my detox. Yes, fruit, vegetables, and dairy will once again enter my diet. Exercise will ramp up, and I am beginning my first day in one week with no beer or wine. Please be leery of talking/working/socializing with me. To help get thru this transition, I am considering a slow drip IV of beer and beef filet grease to help me get thru the next couple days. Please say a prayer that I make it :)</div><div hasbox="2"><br />
</div><div hasbox="2"><br />
</div></div>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-37474775521607055782011-05-10T20:49:00.002-05:002011-05-10T20:54:05.293-05:00Baseball Night in the Burgh :)<div>Tonight our staff enjoyed a great night out tonight in Pittsburgh....at a Pirates baseball game. As appropriate for any strong Cardinals fan, I wore my shirt - eventhough they were playing the Dodgers...ya know, gotta root against my central division competitors. But...the bonus of a poor team with poot community support on a Tuesaday night: Amazing seats in perfect weather! <br />
We walked here from our hotel....and hello - the bridges here are amazing. My husband will be oozing with jealousy when I tell him about it. <br />
So....I'm enjoying some Bud Light and having a great time....and a little sad I missed my T-ball Salukis tonight. But, again- nachos and beer and baseball makes it all better!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_HNKMz_kjwdM/TcnrMXCOlaI/AAAAAAAACgw/dnnCl_klMVo/2011-05-10_19-48-02_234.png" /><br />
<img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_HNKMz_kjwdM/TcnrNQumG2I/AAAAAAAACg0/FKeWkxwW28c/2011-05-10_19-56-46_693.png" /><br />
<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_HNKMz_kjwdM/TcnrONpSG2I/AAAAAAAACg4/nSY4JBvwAwc/2011-05-10_19-48-53_18.png" /></div>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Boulevard, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States40.445379 -79.99594tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-26516769931942701762011-05-09T16:55:00.000-05:002011-05-09T16:55:21.916-05:00Mother’s Day Ammmazing-ness<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">So….let me just start out this post by first explaining that I THINK much of my husband’s success in pulling off a fabulous Mother’s Day experience for me this year, is mostly in repair and recovery from last year’s Mother’s Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep, last year was the worst.</span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">As is this year, I’m heading to my once a year ‘all week’ work trip for the <a href="http://www.aisc.org/nascc">NASCC: The Steel Conference</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year, we were required to fly out Sunday to arrive prior to Monday morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, this year, we flew out today – Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, last year, my husband was in the midst of one of his ‘crazy’ work deadlines and had to work Sunday in the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent the day alone with two crazies – yes, two ‘just turned 4 – full on crazies’ that were awful that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I picked up Chris at work and he drove us to the airport for my drop off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sulking in the fact I was alone all day, the kids were out of control, and I had to leave for seven days (which I was then blaming their ‘crazy-factor’ on me for not being around more).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I nearly quit my job on the spot that day – curbside at the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember crying thru the airport with sunglasses on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The TSA person made me take off my sunglasses in the security line and guess what – she gave me a hug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">….”I know….It’s Mother’s Day….I wish I was home too.”</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She ‘got’ it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wanted to cry on her shoulder till my flight left, but I knew if I stood there for more than the ‘accepted time’, I’d surely be detained for some random code violation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">So….I went to work and said – NEVER will I travel on Mother’s Day away from my kids again – NEVER.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Well….fast forward 12 months and here we are again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But guess what – NO TRAVEL YESTERDAY!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Woo Hoo!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chris never forgot how bad that day was….and he KNEW how close I was to quitting a job that I love over one crappy day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He got the super-duper Dad ‘Gold Star’ yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From an orchestrated breakfast in bed….to letting me get myself ready for church in a quiet room, to a beautiful lunch at Belagio and nap with my babies – it was fabulous </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">As I mentioned this weekend in my <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-mothers-day-mantra.html">Mother’s Day Mantra</a> post, I was quite nervous the twins would burn down the house at 5am with their secret threat of pancakes and operating the toaster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When my husband first heard them up clanging pans, he immediately went down there and put together something fabulous:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nFxuC4oXtDM/TcdqX3pwVfI/AAAAAAAACek/uaja_8juSeY/s1600/2011-05-08_08-06-22_68.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nFxuC4oXtDM/TcdqX3pwVfI/AAAAAAAACek/uaja_8juSeY/s320/2011-05-08_08-06-22_68.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great food....and a great Quatros's Cup to compliment it! (for all you Salukis!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Seriously – ham, mushroom, and cheese omelet, toast, strawberries and bananas….and two of our shot glasses (which get zero usage these days) outfitted with strawberry jelly and salsa as condiments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A nicely folded napkin and orange juice </span></div><a name='more'></a><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">complemented the tray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The twins were beaming when they walked in the room. SO EXCITED AND PROUD....and of course, he let them take all the credit. </span>And the TRAY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I mentioned this weekend about their discussion on the tray, the twins dug out the tray they had from their Great Grandma’s house….Here it is!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mrdFtUsOM74/TcdqBVfwG_I/AAAAAAAACec/yXODGSlAFGg/s1600/2011-05-08_09-12-11_986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mrdFtUsOM74/TcdqBVfwG_I/AAAAAAAACec/yXODGSlAFGg/s320/2011-05-08_09-12-11_986.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">All in all, it was grand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told my husband how he hit it out of the park today and how he really surprised me and surpassed my expectations – which of course somehow offended him since he says he ‘supposedly’ does stuff like this often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I eventually stopped laughing and kept bestowing the accolades on him…. He did deserve it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">So, a great Mother’s Day has gotten me off the right foot here in <city w:st="on">Pittsburgh</city> for hopefully what will be a great week ahead of exploring a <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">new city</place></city> – and hopefully some great destination runs very soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So – stay tuned for some great ‘Golden Triangle’ and <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Yellow</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Bridge</placetype></place> pictures soon of those runs to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Hope you all had a fabulous Mother’s Day!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T8YhXOohz1Q/TcdoubIUr5I/AAAAAAAACeM/-jBq-bmvCfs/s1600/2011-05-08_09-19-24_852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T8YhXOohz1Q/TcdoubIUr5I/AAAAAAAACeM/-jBq-bmvCfs/s320/2011-05-08_09-19-24_852.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-4988380813577091702011-05-09T09:54:00.003-05:002011-05-09T10:20:33.003-05:00Gardening Update - The Plants are IN!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">This weekend was all about two things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gardening and moms </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Since I’m going to be gone all this coming week for <a href="http://www.aisc.org/content.aspx?id=25212">NASCC: The Steel Conference</a>, in Pittsburgh – and next weekend we’ll be in Dekalb for little Wessie’s college graduation from <a href="http://www.niu.edu/">NIU</a> – and the weather was forecasting extreme warmth and no chance of frost at all – we decided it was time to plant the garden.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Saturday morning I went and visited my local organic gardener:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><place w:st="on"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bloomberg-Gardens/296466351201"><placename w:st="on">Bloomberg</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Gardens</placetype></a></place>, and bought the following plant starts: </span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Cilantro</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Oregano</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Jalapenos</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Chives</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Broccoli</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Lettuce varieties (Merlot, Caesar/Romaine, Green Oak Leaf, Kale, Spinach, Red Leaf)</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Grape and cherry tomatoes.</span></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">As I mentoned <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/05/suburban-gardening-our-first-steps.html">before</a>, I already had green pepper and large tomato plants compliments of the Lincolnwood FFA chapter, so this was a great start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I had all the starts I could find from them, I went to my home-away-from-home, Home Depot, and bought organic plant seeds and a couple more starts to complete the rest of the garden:</span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sweet Corn</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Peas</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Pole Beans</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Cauliflower</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Cabbage</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Asparagus</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Onions</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Radishes</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Carrots</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Cinnamon Basil</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Cucumbers</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Strawberries</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">….which also led to the need for tomato cages, trellises, and garden ties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So…after 4-5 hours of ‘out and about’, we were finally ready to plant!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We decided to mark off 15” x 15” squares on the perimeter frames of our raised beds (we were too scared for a true ‘square foot’ grid our first year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, our only gardening experience prior to this was back home, where land was of the essence and you NEVER compacted your planting….so one small step at a time).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Starting at the north end of the beds with our tallest and cage varieties (sweet corn, pole beans, cucumber, peas, tomatoes) and working south to the smallest of lettuce and root vegetables, we worked square by square to get everything in – both me and my small helpers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qIiPN3_hIAk/Tcds6M3W92I/AAAAAAAACfM/-qjVWHvRjMo/s1600/2011-05-07_18-24-52_216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qIiPN3_hIAk/Tcds6M3W92I/AAAAAAAACfM/-qjVWHvRjMo/s320/2011-05-07_18-24-52_216.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pole Bean Seeds</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-78or7ij8t5s/TcdrYBG4VnI/AAAAAAAACe0/0vpGWGyaRL4/s1600/2011-05-07_18-38-53_639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-78or7ij8t5s/TcdrYBG4VnI/AAAAAAAACe0/0vpGWGyaRL4/s320/2011-05-07_18-38-53_639.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Corn seed planting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i6aCDQX1k8M/TcdtVBEW3AI/AAAAAAAACfU/yz6JYJR2a4Y/s1600/2011-05-07_18-24-37_502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i6aCDQX1k8M/TcdtVBEW3AI/AAAAAAAACfU/yz6JYJR2a4Y/s320/2011-05-07_18-24-37_502.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--oh-SrN4tZY/Tcdt20dCRDI/AAAAAAAACfY/D_0NFajT7Ok/s1600/2011-05-07_17-28-06_812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--oh-SrN4tZY/Tcdt20dCRDI/AAAAAAAACfY/D_0NFajT7Ok/s320/2011-05-07_17-28-06_812.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">By 6pm, all plants and seeds were in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fences had been secured…and watering had commenced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But….as time passed and my ‘precious garden was in the ground’, some big concerns popped up:</span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Squirrels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We love our squirrel neighbors – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right now</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We feed them field corn out our back door and they are as friendly as can be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sometimes just sit about a foot outside our patio door and watch us eat dinner at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Normally, I would think <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘ahhh…cute squirrels!’</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But guess what – now that I’m growing food and really want it to succeed (aka….provide food for us to eat and NOT the animals), I’m really concerned these squirrels will find a way in to feast on these forbidden fruits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chris has deemed himself as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘chief of security’</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep…he did say that </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He spent a couple hours Saturday reinforcing the fence by stapling it to the bed walls and anchoring it even tighter to each vertical pole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, bottom line – nothing is getting in…unless they climb over or chew THRU the fence.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Black birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I eat breakfast in the morning, I look out to see a couple dozen black birds in our 75’x300’ back yard each morning, looking for any type of worms or seeds they can feast on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We even have a bird feeder up by the house, adjacent to where the field corn is at – that the birds love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It almost needs refilled once a day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, what happens with these birds….They can just fly in the top - right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait, doesn’t that mean they will just land on the dirt, sniff out some good sweet corn seeds and peck them out instantly for a good ole’ sweet breakfast?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Rabbit and bunnies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week when I spent more time home than I ever care to - with walking pneumonia, I remember looking out my bedroom window and drooling over the raised beds that were just filled with soil from the previous weekend that I couldn’t go play in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And guess how many large rabbits I counted in our yard from my second story window – 5!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And guess what, rabbits make bunnies!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the cute-factor scale, these little adorables rank pretty high, but I find myself starting to despise their sight – because….guess what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rabbits LOVE: lettuce, carrots, - really anything right!?!</span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HiomjHaUyOA/TcdsahSgbBI/AAAAAAAACfI/3dGI_ZOQyPk/s1600/2011-05-07_18-25-09_256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HiomjHaUyOA/TcdsahSgbBI/AAAAAAAACfI/3dGI_ZOQyPk/s320/2011-05-07_18-25-09_256.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Chief of Secuirty" at work...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0cl-l2ZibgE/TcdrEJ8bL5I/AAAAAAAACew/L8d506KAgck/s1600/2011-05-07_20-07-26_451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0cl-l2ZibgE/TcdrEJ8bL5I/AAAAAAAACew/L8d506KAgck/s320/2011-05-07_20-07-26_451.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zhdKKRU3nM0/TcdqvqnAZXI/AAAAAAAACeo/VhAlWScCA8s/s1600/2011-05-07_20-07-33_109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zhdKKRU3nM0/TcdqvqnAZXI/AAAAAAAACeo/VhAlWScCA8s/s320/2011-05-07_20-07-33_109.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></ul><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">So, as a recent provider of food to small animals to encourage my kids to be able to watch and learn from them, I now find myself in an interesting quandary with these pesky invaders of my property:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Are they smart enough to stay away from 64 square feet of vegetables and only focus on the field corn and bird seed at the front of the house? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Do we need a roof top fence on the bed until the plants get established?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Do we need some ‘clangers’ to keep the birds away?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(You know, my mother-in-laws best trick for this is metal pie pans tied to a stake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I didn’t have any of them but my kids do have pinwheels, I stuck them in the ground Sunday morning next to the fresh planting of sweet corn seeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To me, I don’t think they’re going to intimidate any birds, so, might have to find some pie pans somewhere).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Any organic solutions I can apply to my garden to keep the hungry little folk away?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Since I am gone all this week, till Friday night, my two little protégés and my ‘Chief of Security’ are in charge of watering and maintenance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pretty concerned I’m going to come home this weekend to a fence that maybe – a raccoon ate thru- or baby bunnies found a small hole to infiltrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pretty confident the watering will be handled well – but if anyone knows the watering habits of small 5 year old protégés, you may understand that they are known for high pressure in close distance – which immediately equals drowned, washed away seeds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I’m sure I’m worrying about this too much, but really – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> – I want this to succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure July I’ll be cussing the fact I don’t have not enough tomato eaters in the house and I’ll be giving them away at work by the bucket full.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until then, these veggies and herbs are our babies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But – we might have some faulty expectations built.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I heard the twins on the phone last night with their Grandma wishing her a Happy Mother’s Day, I heard my daughter utter the words “We planted a garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we don’t have to shop at a store anytime”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lord – the pressure is on </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The one great positive I’m already seeing coming out of this is that the kids are so excited to talk about all the things we can make and cook with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last night we got our kids to eat some baked jalapeno poppers in the oven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How – you might ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well – they know we are growing Jalapenos in the garden and were excited to learn how we can prepare them and eat them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not going to assume that by summer’s end they’ll be eating onions like an apple or cucumber salad each night – but I am sure that at least they’ll start to eat more outside of their comfort zone and start to appreciate a little more where their food comes from and how much work it takes to get food from the garden to the table each night!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Happy gardening – from our suburban garden </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-13IVq6hVwOk/TcdpvZ3flBI/AAAAAAAACeU/dkQrX22XIdc/s1600/2011-05-08_09-19-01_678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-13IVq6hVwOk/TcdpvZ3flBI/AAAAAAAACeU/dkQrX22XIdc/s400/2011-05-08_09-19-01_678.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mother's Day Morning....in front of our freshly planted vegetable gardens</td></tr>
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</span></div>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-25651646009128807122011-05-07T13:22:00.001-05:002011-05-09T10:15:18.964-05:00My Mother's Day MantraYesterday, on the way to preschool, my five year old twins told me what they could make me for 'breakfast in bed' on Mother's Day. However, there were many caveats to what was truly available for my 'picking' if they were preparing it on their own.<br />
<ul><li><em>Toast - with strawberry jelly</em>, said my son Kaiden. Madyson piped up and reminded him that Daddy had banned them from using the toaster since the electricity problem - and that it can kill them (I can't even imagine the story that goes with this....I'll have to ask my husband what happened sometime). So they changed their mind - just <em>bread with jelly</em>.</li>
<li><em>A Banana</em></li>
<li><em>Orange Juice</em></li>
<li><em>Cereal...</em>any kind I want! And they both agreed that Madyson had poured milk in the past and that she would not make a mess.</li>
<li>They would hand deliver it on an old metal 'breakfast in bed' tray they had in the basement. It has a fox, bear, and beaver on the front of it that they took from their Great-Grandma's house a couple years ago. One of the little support legs is broke, but they assured me it still worked. <a name='more'></a></li>
</ul>Our twins go to the Governor's State for preschool, so the trek there from Homewood is about 20-25 minutes each way. So, they discussed at length: who could carry the tray it up the stairs, if the entire gallon of milk should be brought up the stairs too in case I'm 'extra thirsty', and then, as if in shock - they both looked at me and said - <em>HEY, STOP LISTENING. This present is a SECRET! </em> They then began whispering in the loudest whisper known to man - where then I heard one of them udder - <em>I think I remember how to make pancakes.</em> <strong>PANCAKES?!?</strong><em> </em>I just kept driving along, pretending I wasn't listening - and starting to feel a little concerned that two small future proteges of Dom DeLuise and Julia Child were going to burn down our house Sunday morning at 5:00am. But, isn't this what Mother's Day is all about? <br />
<br />
To be honest, the twins had heard somewhere, probably at school, that on Mother's Day - that is what you do. Make a homemade card, and surprise your mom with breakfast in bed. This is really the first year in their short five years of existence that the pressure is now off of Dad to produce a <em>real</em> gift. They're conniving on a breakfast plan and sneaking around upstairs with their door shut to make a nice card or 'craft' that I'm sure I'll love. Before this year, my husband would always buy a commercial greeting card for them to scribble their names in, along with lunch out - where I don't have to cook! Don't get me wrong, all of this has been great, and is great. <br />
<br />
This year, the twins really are finally getting 'it'. They are looking at it from the perspective of <em>'we need to do something extra nice for Mommy since she takes care of us every day'</em>, as my son explained to his sister. So, yeah, they get it. For that alone - I really am grateful....if it really is just the thought that counts.<br />
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But - let me let you in on a little known secret that all of us moms know - that many of you dads might be missing out on. (Disclaimer: Many of you great dads probably know the secret....so of course, I'm definitely not speaking to you! :)). While the thoughts, homemade cards, and trashed kitchens from making breakfast in bed are all great, there is still something else that would even make the day - and even the rest of the year - even more special. It's something that we never have enough of, and when we get it - and when we do have it, it's never just for us to use in larger doses that really amount to anything substantial. What is this magic special uber-perfect Mother's Day gift you ask? Well - it's one word....TIME.<br />
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I work full time, of which I'm in the city 3-4 days a week when I'm not working out of the house, I take my kids to multiple lessons throughout the week such as tennis and ballet and basketball, coach T-Ball, run errands for my husband, manage our house, travel for work, mow the yard, and work in our garden. I think that time each day adds up to what feels like 32 hours.. I know....there is supposedly only 24 hours a day and that must include sleep as well. On paper, I agree with you, but somehow I seem to not lead a logical life in this time warp called motherhood. Too much to do - never enough time. <br />
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I have found some success in carving out my own time. When is that might you ask? Well, probably when I would rather be sleeping. I head out to the gym at 5am, or after dark when the kids are asleep, and I run. Running is my escape, my dose of sanity, my only 'me time' each day where I can unwind, escape, re-group, and succeed in convincing myself that I am surviving this rat race called life, my children are growing up to be good people, my house is not as trashed as it could be, and my husband I love each other just as much - or even more - than when we met 14 years ago. Yep, most of the world is sleeping, but I'm carving out some of my own 'me time' at 5am and doing a little 'personal therapy' on the treadmill at the <a href="http://www.hfracquetandfitness.com/">H-F Racquet Club</a>. Don't worry, I'm not on medication, and I'm not drinking heavily to get thru these days. Stop by any preschool drop off on Monday morning and you'll see moms just like me. Ask them if they have free time. Be careful as the laughing and/or slug to the face may not be what you were prepared for.<br />
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So, this Mother's Day - go against the grain of the typical commercial greeting card and an hour out to lunch. Don't get me wrong, that is great too! But also, give the gift that lasts the entire year - the gift of time. Pick one night a week that you will take over the house - alone. Cleaning up from dinner, giving the kids a bath and putting them to bed, doing laundry. Let mom escape - say on Tuesday or Thursday nights from 7:00-10:00. These three hours a week will be amazing. She'll feel transformed, rejuvenated, and re-purposed. We all get in ruts of feeling unappreciated and not-maintained (seriously....how many years has it been since I've known any of my friends to have a manicure/pedicure/massage?). Or we all need a night where we can sit around with other moms and in a 'kumbaya' sort of fashion, re-assure each other that it's gonna be 'all right'. Yes, us mom's - over a nice bottle of wine or half-price margaritas at Grady's or the Brewery, can re-assure each other that we're all 'going thru the same things' and that yeah - 'we'll make it'! <br />
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So, don't worry that it's Friday night, you have 36 hours till Mother's Day - and no idea what type of flower pot or new kitchen utensil to buy your mom or your wife. Sincerely look at your schedule...how can you help out? How can you allow her to 'take a break'? Not just this Sunday, but throughout the year. Give her the TIME she needs for herself - to continue to be a better mom for your family, all year long.<br />
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All I'm hoping for at this point, is that a small four alarm fire doesn't break out at 5am :)tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-16685100099077594792011-05-05T15:55:00.001-05:002011-05-05T15:56:51.275-05:00Race Number 41 with my training partners!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibUFqGAK-7mn6C4siVTUCMXzMKQfqMYuKRJjJprultYmFLdH09DUVZrH0nfwYrf6XbRlUkjr0bTi3BLdNIq9N341k9AT177niC07pDKSLEXYq1dhkAEcA44EKvEzhHZf2NPXiScRGBg/s1600/IL+Marathon+5k.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibUFqGAK-7mn6C4siVTUCMXzMKQfqMYuKRJjJprultYmFLdH09DUVZrH0nfwYrf6XbRlUkjr0bTi3BLdNIq9N341k9AT177niC07pDKSLEXYq1dhkAEcA44EKvEzhHZf2NPXiScRGBg/s1600/IL+Marathon+5k.JPG" /></a></div>As I shared earlier this week, last weekend, I ran a crazy <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/05/racing-success-scournging-up-from.html">running bonanza weekend</a>. A 5k and a Half Marathon - 13 hours apart. Just today the race posted pictures from the 5k. And guess what - I think I've found my favorite :)<br />
<br />
This race was number 41. Yes, over the course of the last couple months, I've done my best to actually determine how many races I have pushed the twins in. Last Friday night, on April 29th, I pushed them in number 41. This is summer number 6 they've been traveling in this exact same stroller. They are now too big for the seat belts, old enough to adjust the sun visor on their own, and ornery enough to sometimes drag their feet on the ground on purpose to get my attention for one of their pressing questions that they might have for me mid-race. <br />
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I found out from my sister-in-law about thirty minutes before the race that the rules said 'No Running with Strollers'. Guess what....I kinda pretended I didn't hear her :) This summer I plan to soak up my last chances to take my little <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/04/start-em-young.html">'training partners'</a> out with me on Saturdays for races.... This is a time in my life I will never get back and I really really do enjoy it. Heck, I ran my second marathon ever when I was pregnant with them. NOT having them with me truly seems un-natural.<br />
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So, of the 4,500 5k runners last weekend, I'm pretty sure I was the only one running while pushing 100 pounds of twins plus an old jalopy stroller at a 29 minute race pace. To the Illinois Marathon staff and volunteers - thanks for not stopping me for a rule that was probably well grounded for the quantity of people in that short race....but I appreciate it :) Running around the inside of Memorial Stadium while pushing my kids to the Black Eyed Peas is a feeling I may never forget :) <br />
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I GOTTA FEELING!tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-11688634164822631292011-05-04T22:56:00.000-05:002011-05-04T22:56:46.484-05:00Surviving our 2011 Illnesses...ALL HOME TOGETHER!Walking Pneumonia has officially struck us all. Yes, all 4 of us ranging in age from 34 to 5 are all on the exact same medication, and all stranded at home. I attempted, after 3 days on antibiotics, to escape back to work in the city today. Well, I only made it 5 hours and headed back south on the train. Too tired, winded, exhausted - all of it. I really tried to battle it out. The thought of being home with 3 other 'sicklies' wasn't very exciting. I was going to <i>will</i> my way back to work and normality. My body was thinking something else. <br />
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Yesterday I felt pretty good, today much worse. Why - I'm not sure. Many people have told me how long it will take us to get over this condition - since it really does weaken our immune system. But you know me...<i>.I'll bounce back quickly</i>....so I thought. Monday when I sat down with my new doctor, he told me - Take care of yourself and <i>Stop Being a Hero</i>. But wait, isn't that what my job is?<br />
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In light of upcoming Mother's Day weekend, I'm pretty sure I could walk into Walgreen's and read many cards that thank our moms for being our Hero...you know, even when we're sick, we still doing EVERYTHING ELSE. Work, clean the house, make dinner, coach T-Ball, give baths....and selfishly get in a few miles for mom's sanity. All of that is what WE DO. Mom's don't take time off for themselves. I take my kids to the doctor multiple times a year, to a variety of specialists. But for me, it takes me 7 years to find a new family practice doctor. So, yeah doc, I get it. <i>Stop Being a Hero</i>.<br />
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Just last night my husband reminisced about life <i>BC</i>...you know, Before Children. When we were sick, we'd just lay around and sleep....and watch movies....and relax. Actually, not be heroes, but just recover. Why did that go away? Somehow taking care of ourselves has become the last thing on the priority list. If I have learned anything in the last 9+ days of being ill....it's that I'm going to do <i>less</i> of Being a Hero....and a little more of taking care of mama and enjoying the moment :)<br />
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So, today, I tried to go back to work. A couple hours after I had been at work, I called Chris to check if he had gotten the twins into the doctor yet that morning. And well, he had. The story that unfolded, <i>guilt-fully</i>, made me smile. You know, you giggle to yourself that your husband has tackled a real life daily crazy disaster, and somehow - they all survived. Well, long story short - on the way to the doctor's office, my son's asthma and coughing spells were getting the best of him....and guess what - he coughed ---> then choked ----> then puked. Yep, after 15 minutes of driving, it happened about two blocks from the doctor's office, with our car looking something like this I'm sure:<br />
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He even told me our daughter chimed in quickly to try and elevate her status, exclaiming with pride - "Daddy, I don't puke in cars when I'm sick!".... Yeah, she's a classy big sister.<br />
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Luckily, the nurses quickly helped him clean our son up....and the doctor diagnosed them and quickly sent them on their way. He then made it home and spent the next few hours scrubbing puke....from inside the seat back driver's pocket, the window switches, the carseats - everywhere. When I called him to just say 'how did the doctor appointment go'....and he sprung this little story on me.... I had to smile. Did I let him know I was smiling - heck no!<br />
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Not because I was glad or happy my son was sick, but really glad my husband not only got to experience this fun that seems like I ONLY get to experience, but also that he survived - and quite well. He didn't seem upset....He didn't explode. He really just took it well and handled it....maybe better than I would of. Do I feel guilty about not being there? Nope. Because you know what, it's <i>good for him.</i><br />
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I've said this about my work travel too. Once a year I have a mandatory work trip where I leave town for 5-7 days each year. And you know what - he is there alone, managing the house alone for one week each year. And -it's<i> good for him</i>. He bonds more with them as they're not hanging over me. He gets to see what I go thru....and It's really good for him. Many dads don't get the fun of what happened today or what he gets to experience when I travel. It's good for him....and you know what, it's really good for the kids. Kids need more good times like this with their dads.<br />
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So for the next few days, we'll all 4 continue to be stranded at home. No work for us...no school for the kids. More stories like this may pop up.... and that's good. How often does a family get to be stranded alone without a thousand things to do.....but just gets to nap together, and catch up on our latest Disney movies, after a great game of Go Fish? I'm not saying I enjoy being sick and worn down, but I couldn't pick better company to enjoy it with.tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-85605049046611034882011-05-03T23:08:00.001-05:002011-05-03T23:24:50.040-05:00Suburban Gardening - Our first stepsNearly two years ago when our townhouse was for sale, I had some pretty specific requirements: Sell this to buy a <em>REAL</em> house....with a yard the kids can run crazy in and I can build gardens and plant flowers wherever I want. This may seem like a standard wish or requirement for most people. BUT, not in a townhouse that is run by a homeowner's association that doesn't allow fences, personal children's playgrounds, or gardens. Really, no customization of any kind. <em>Period.</em> When we were the standard DINKs (Double Income No Kids) in town, it was perfect. We spent most of our time working, playing sports in the city, and didn't want to spend any of our own time actually maintaining our property such as landscaping and snow removal. Again, it was perfect. But....as what normally happens when you have children, our perspective changed.<br />
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As soon as the twins were old enough to crawl and soon run, the exterior of my home became nearly as important as the inside of my home. Inside, we finished our basement and added a toy room. Outside, our hands were tied. There was a large common yard, but no personal space. Our daughter once even fell down a neighbor's window well. Yep, that was the straw that broke the camel's back. No privacy. No security. No safety. And again....no ability to plant a garden and customize anything we wanted. At one time in our lives, this was perfect - but by today, it wasn't for us anymore.<br />
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So luckily, we sold our townhouse and bought a 'real' house. You know, one with our own walls, a yard we and we alone were responsible for, and one in which we owned a yard as far as the eye could see....where we could do whatever we wanted! The first year we owned the home, we closed on it mid summer and didn't have a full growing season to take advantage of. Therefore, 2011 was decided on to be 'our year'.<br />
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I started planning ahead. For Christmas 2010, I asked for a wheelbarrow! And guess what my dad got me - a great 'no flat wheelbarrow'. I'm guessing it was from my ole' alma mater of employment: <a href="http://www.ruralking.com/">Rural King</a>!<br />
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For my birthday, he gave me some great vegetable plants straight from my other alma mater: The <a href="http://www.facebook.com/search.php?q=lincolnwood%20ffa&init=quick&tas=0.6688392777878122&ref=ts#!/LHSFFAAlumni">Lincolnwood FFA Chapter</a>. He also gave me a great new steel rake! So, all I needed was my garden.<br />
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After much deliberation of the type and size of garden, we decided upon raised beds. Both of our neighbors really over-fertilize their yards...ha ha...we're the ones that grow the forest of dandelions! So, if we were going to grow food to sustain our family, fertilizers and pesticides didn't seem like the way we wanted to go. Also, many other benefits of raised beds quickly became apparent. We also started hearing about the concept of SFG, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_foot_gardening">Square Foot Gardening</a>. So, high density farming in tight quarters, essentially. We decided on 2 - 8'x4' beds, or 64 square feet of garden space. <br />
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Chris built each of the beds himself with 8'x2"x12" boards made of a unique type of pressure treated wood that is environmentally friendly and does not contain arsenic....so no chance of leaching into the foods we are growing. We built the boxes 12" deep to allow for deep growth of root vegetable products. Chris worked on these last weekend, and now they are all ready to go! I purchased nearly 75 cubic feet of soil that we then placed in the beds after leveling them in the backyard. We used topsoil, Miracle Gro Garening Soil, Peat moss and Compost for our beds. Chris installed a fence as well to keep out our friendly squirrel and rabbit families. All we need now is to have some decent warm weather to actually get some plants in the ground. <br />
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Here is part of one of my grids for one of the beds I'm considering. We will have an 8x4 grid for each beds....so 32 grids per bed. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Square Foot Gardening....possible layout being considered.</td></tr>
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I hope to utilize a great local organic grower, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bloomberg-Gardens/296466351201">Bloomberg Gardens</a>, to buy most of my plant starts...in addition to the great selection I already have from the Lincolnwood FFA Chapter.<br />
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In the end, I don't plan on using this to sustain our meals for the next year. There will be no canning or freezing most likely....just learning and teaching our children the responsibility and fun, and sharing the food with our friends, family, and co-workers. We will probably lose more to our friendly squirrels and rodents than we consume ourselves. But guess what, we'll be outside with our kiddos, learning and having fun....in our <em>real</em> house's yard! I'm sure by July I'll be regretting the daily watering and over-production of tomatoes that only my son and I enjoy, but that's a challenge I'm willing to take on. <br />
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So, bring on the warm weather mother nature, I'm ready to plant. Stay tuned on this new 'research project' of ours!tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-60129706843759269292011-05-03T11:39:00.000-05:002011-05-03T11:39:56.058-05:00Racing Success & Scournging up from the Depths of Phlem Hell!7 days...12 hours later, and I 'may' be turning the corner. You know when you're sick and you say 'I <em>think I'm turning the corner'</em>. Well, last Wednesday at about 5pm as I was on the train with my husband heading home, I turned to him and said, I REALLY need to turn the corner tomorrow. No....I didn't feel like I was turning the corner, but I NEEDED to turn the corner. Because, well, I had <u>plans</u>. I, like most humans on this planet, don't allow time for getting sick. Heck, I haven't even been on antibiotics for the cold or flu in over 7 years. I haven't been to a family practice doctor in that same amount of time....as I'm a chronic <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/04/doctor-doctorgive-me-news.html">'self diagnoser'</a>. So, Thursday of last week, I didn't turn the corner. Friday afternoon I had REAL PLANS. I was planning to run the <a href="http://illinoismarathon.com/">I-Challenge</a> in Champaign, IL starting that evening: Pushing the twins in a 5k at 6:30pm and running a half marathon 13 hours later at 7:30am. Yep, no time for any little 'phlem' to get in my way! So, turning the corner - or not, I wasn't backing out of my commitments, and my MONEY I had already paid 5 months ago for this event! <br />
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So, we drive down...really I was nearly at death's door, but truly optimistic for this race. I pushed the kids and really felt great. With a time of 29 minutes to push over 100+ pounds of toddlers/stroller, I was really happy! That evening I got nearly no sleep. Up all night with horrible sinus pressure, blowing my nose, soar throat - you name it! Well, 5:30am the alarm went off and I was bound and determined to start the Half - and finish!<br />
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And guess what - I DID! And not only that, I finished strong. Crossing the line at 2:08:47, I finished in only over 9 minutes over my Half PR set at the Calumet Half Marathon in 2007. Today I had to stop every mile and blow my nose and hack on the side of the road so I could breathe. The temperature was a perfect 50 degrees, but the wind gusts at times were nearly 30mph. So, definitely not an ideal situation, but considering I was so sick that I was tempted to not even drive south for the weekend, I was more than ecstatic with the results!<br />
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Here are some great images from the day:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqY9iYODz9GwkacWgNt00v8T2Ka0b9jO4LAwsChK-pvs5NTJrYtMXRHwX7iWlC3BXdXwMUJOpMDCSKorGDV03VvwH_ieDoEuXnK4ANHohQEOzzaAUqAIX2kgCoBtFFdjWKfqfpCkKArg/s1600/il+half+wernsings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqY9iYODz9GwkacWgNt00v8T2Ka0b9jO4LAwsChK-pvs5NTJrYtMXRHwX7iWlC3BXdXwMUJOpMDCSKorGDV03VvwH_ieDoEuXnK4ANHohQEOzzaAUqAIX2kgCoBtFFdjWKfqfpCkKArg/s320/il+half+wernsings.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half of the Wernsing girls were represented in the race and the entire family was there to support us all! What a fun sight twice along the route to see familiar faces cheering us on :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course, we felt like super-heroes by the time we were done. So yes, this is the 'gun show'.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaXL8vizLdEUmTzWXyoljN7-MzrPYsuMtVI9mhyB_hXAea0uWf5RpyVxSiSjuXwGO20bG7RaLngeN0K06-5PB3Ar_Ymcn-xdO45mcMbXuZvKRO0tx5ar3X35XzD5k9b8K2JPAhvqt9Q/s1600/IL+Half+stines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaXL8vizLdEUmTzWXyoljN7-MzrPYsuMtVI9mhyB_hXAea0uWf5RpyVxSiSjuXwGO20bG7RaLngeN0K06-5PB3Ar_Ymcn-xdO45mcMbXuZvKRO0tx5ar3X35XzD5k9b8K2JPAhvqt9Q/s320/IL+Half+stines.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family is GREAT...especially when they let you crash for free at their house the night before the race, and sacrifice their bed for someone who is trying to run two races 13 hours apart, who is near death's door at the time. Thanks guys!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfs_D0O1BmYASg1N9Tz4xgpnnCwO5hqhBFLZAyfZRIwuVmb_FP1oxTsEFgZIsaCEy6setavYOQUW8JiF-FQQ8HIq5eeYzCz8cpmBHGA00jOZX0BUw_Hl8k9EFk-w3IhBwCu_IqNRqzwA/s1600/il+half+barb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfs_D0O1BmYASg1N9Tz4xgpnnCwO5hqhBFLZAyfZRIwuVmb_FP1oxTsEFgZIsaCEy6setavYOQUW8JiF-FQQ8HIq5eeYzCz8cpmBHGA00jOZX0BUw_Hl8k9EFk-w3IhBwCu_IqNRqzwA/s320/il+half+barb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my good friend Barb, from high school....it was her FIRST Half Marathon and she did great! I hadn't seen her in years either, so what a great reunion at the race :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9OGRR_RmJepNzk9EeEsJ5_l3srgy3Nncn8Nn8uefnmILBpKciDF_PP8xpvahyf1zPsw_M7cLTauShdEFR8fDHSqbN931KP9YvExYgvCwK5DlR0jz2-Sg_kZWf4gWRKprsAqouWjWtQ/s1600/il+half+little+fans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9OGRR_RmJepNzk9EeEsJ5_l3srgy3Nncn8Nn8uefnmILBpKciDF_PP8xpvahyf1zPsw_M7cLTauShdEFR8fDHSqbN931KP9YvExYgvCwK5DlR0jz2-Sg_kZWf4gWRKprsAqouWjWtQ/s320/il+half+little+fans.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of my biggest fans...catching me near the end of the half before we headed back towards Memorial Stadium. Two quick hugs and then on I went!. My mom is taking this photo. She is always there to lug the kiddos around and cheer me on too!<br />
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</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">So, Saturday after lunch we headed back home. The twins slept and I put the car on auto pilot north for the next 2 hours. I was feeling still pretty good. I thought I would maybe take a nap once I got home, but well, that didn't happen. I mowed the yard and helped Chris build our new raised garden beds. I noticed myself getting progressively worse throughout the day, and finally at 9pm, had to roll into bed. I took a half hour shower, mostly sitting in hot steam, trying to relieve my lungs which seemed to be getting progressively worse throughout the afternoon. What was happening....I knew it wasn't an asthma attack. I remember telling Chris - <em>I think I have pneumonia</em>. He laughed, I went to bed.... I was pretty sure that by the morning, I would have 'turned the corner'.</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Well - guess what? I didn't. Sunday I didn't have time to 'get sick'. I took 5 trips to Home Depot to buy 77 bags of soil for our new garden beds. While Chris and the twins did the 'carpentry' jobs, I was the 'labor force'. Yes, 5 trips, 77 bags, 45 pounds a piece....you do the math! Almost 800 pounds per trip. I would haul each load home, transplant it into my new wheelbarrow, and push 200 pounds at a time to our back yard. This took me 5 hours and sure didn't help with my cold. I just kept trudging ahead and assuming 'I was turning the corner'.</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Well - Sunday night I hit the wall. Nope, not the running wall. The wall of - I HAVEN'T BEEN TO A DOCTOR FOR A COLD IN 7 YEARS AND IT WAS TIME. So, from my previous post on really <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/04/doctor-doctorgive-me-news.html">NEEDING</a> a new family practice doctor, I decided to call up Shannon's doctor and set up an appointment. And guess what happened:</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><ul><li><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">I called at 8am when they opened.</span></div></li>
<li><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">They gave me an 11am appointment</span></div></li>
<li><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">I was home by 11:30 am with medications!</span></div></li>
<li><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">AND - I NEVER HAD TO WAIT AND HE WAS NICE!</span></div></li>
</ul><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Wow....not at all what I expected. I have healing medications, a nice doctor, and he is walking distance from my house. Score! He diagnosed me tentatively with 'walking pneumonia'. He called it a 'pretty severe' case and drew some blood to be sure. You know it's bad when he asks to look in your throat and actually cringes when he sticks the flashlight in. Yes, quite lovely. </span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Another side note on that. He mentioned we were both 32! I then nearly corrected him and said...oh no, I'm 31. But heck, I had FORGOTTEN I turned 32 last week. Not really, but I did for a split second. The the next question in my mind was - how can I trust a doctor who is so young....only 32?!? ha ha.... You know, SO YOUNG :)</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, it's now Tuesday, I'm still home sick, but very optimistic I am finally 'Turning the Corner'. I have been on prescribed meds for 24 hours, and some great liquid gold of Mucinex-D - in addition to what seems like a constant IV drip of orange juice. And guess what....even better news...</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Today is my husband's 34th birthday. And guess what, he is now home sick too with my contaminants of a version of my 'walking pneumonia'. And you know what, he called at 9am and got an appointment today to also see Dr. Campbell! Yes, home sick on his birthday and he gets to see a friendly doctor to help him get healthy, and check out all the other minor ailments he hasn't talked to a doctor since his last visit, in well over 5 years. </span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">So, it's a good day in the Stine house. We're hopefully on the mend and recovering.... and giving in to western medicine. But he does have a new reservation about visiting the doctor today. I told him the doctor was only 32....needless to say he isn't too jazzed about seeing someone so young on his 34th birthday :)</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table> tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-86232642002015998902011-04-28T17:38:00.000-05:002011-04-28T17:38:46.579-05:00Sleep or Royalty?Am I the ONLY one in this world that does NOT have a DVR? I'm beginning to think so. I've heard so many people today at work and online saying <em>"I have my DVR programmed for the Royal Wedding...Can't Wait!".</em> I also know of people who are taking off work tomorrow, and going to viewing parties at 4:00am to drink tea and eat scones while watching the wedding coverage. Maybe wearing hats too - actually sounds like a lot of fun!<br />
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<img height="249" id="il_fi" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2VOFuIUiJWhxMJIn6ediUOWMn29SslaxVUJPTMhFZSg0iAQMJM6mO5yGTTO9ayckaC-Rdk8q6azXf4Vx6VawWNijZlI1AiICdcdab-EgpjftC09VbEgSGa4BihMiDk8jP7XaldzKJPp0/s320/royal-wedding-papercraft-2011-flag-waver.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="320" /><br />
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I also can't imagine how slow computer servers will be in offices worldwide when the ONLY ones who actually do come to work, decide to stream it live via the web. Our I.T. staff freaks out here when a couple of people stream Hulu and Pandora and it slows down everything. Tomorrow, my best guess is that of our in-house staff of ~50, about 50% are women....and at least 50% of them will want to watch it live, some part during the day. Has anyone thought that this could be so detrimental to our longevity of our servers - AKA not breaking them - that maybe we should all just go in the conference room and watch it on the big screen as a group - and heck, just call it a day? I'm not advocating slacking on the company dime, but I do anticipate most people (at least women) streaming their own connection from their desk. This just avoids the crash of the entire network that may inevitably happen by mid afternoon. Why they're at it in saving some of the many I.T. bills later on on due to fixing a crashed server, they could use some of that saved money to buy tea and scones for the staff! Solution!<br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Disclaimer: I know really NOTHING about I.T. equipment....these are my ignorant comments on a topic I know little about....but still have a pretty strong opinion on!)</span></em><br />
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Well, I won't be there. I'm working remote tomorrow - aka....from 'mi casa'. I will have the benefit of only ME being there and being able to simulcast the nuptials in the background as I diligently promote steel feverishly as I do daily :). Without slowing down any network server....since I have good ole' Comcast at the house with just ME on it. But wait, has Comcast thought about this? Will they guarantee me great Internet connectivity tomorrow? I'm guessing - NADA.<br />
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Anyway, back to the 4AM predicament. I really want to get up and watch it. I mean <em>really</em>. I remember Fergie's wedding....and waking up early to watch Princess Di's funeral in college. I even remember seeing Princess Di's wedding replayed when I was very young and loved watching it. I think every little girl dreams of growing up to be a princess....I know Madyson does....and seeing it in reality is really quite remarkable. Forget all the BS about royalty serving no purpose and it wasting countless tax payer dollars. I know, understand, and agree with all of that. But maybe it's the escape we all need - <em>the world needs</em>. The escape away from the recession, unemployment, natural disasters, and a crappy rainy Spring. Something the whole world can do to think things aren't <em>really</em> that bad. <em>Really</em>.<br />
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Also, I really feel that they are in love. Fergie and Di's weddings ended in divorce, but I find myself continually rooting for this couple. I always felt Prince Charles had hand picked Di and told her she would marry him - and she was a puppet for him as they were married. It always looked strange and uncomfortable - and that she always needed to just escape. I don't see that with Kate....and that also captivates me. I really want to see this marriage succeed, and make it. For the most part, I think many others are watching it as a 'vote for happiness'.... true happiness. I don't think we see that very often in today's society. Definitely not in the celebrity couples here in the States.<br />
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Well, tomorrow is kinda a big day for me on other fronts. I have to drive late afternoon to Champaign for the <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/04/slight-panic-dead-ahead.html">Illinois Marathon weekend</a> that I am not 100% prepared for. I have a 5k to run that evening, and a half marathon to run 12 hours later on Saturday morning. Sleep should be sacred right now, but gosh darn - IT'S A ROYAL WEDDING and I DON'T have a DVR!<br />
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I could just watch it at 7am, or just watch it replayed a thousand times over the upcoming weeks and months, but well - it's not the same. So, tonight I'll keep thinking about it....wondering, weighing my options. Maybe I'll just head to bed at 8pm to wake at 4 full rested?. I don't know, but either way, it should be fabulous - as long as the Internet streaming doesn't crash our world networks and financial systems in the process. <br />
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If it does....I told you so. If not....refer to my early comment (I know nothing about computers and I.T.)<br />
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Last question - what channel/website are you watching it on? In the event the Internet does NOT let us down? :)tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-25710399340939088412011-04-28T11:58:00.000-05:002011-04-28T11:58:34.792-05:00What...Free Cookbook?!?My good friend Shannon's blog is taking off! Her blog, <a href="http://www.sameoldshannon.com/">www.sameoldshannon.com</a> is fabulous! And THIS WEEK she is giving away a FREE cook book. Yes, she's very influential in the blogosphere (I think that's the word?) and all you have to do is go to this link: <a href="http://www.sameoldshannon.com/2011/04/giveaway-kitchenaid-recipe-collection.html">http://www.sameoldshannon.com/2011/04/giveaway-kitchenaid-recipe-collection.html</a> and comment on her post to be entered. So, check it out, and good luck getting a great free gift from Shannon!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdkylOMhzXS5TL3p12ISS4T0HDM8J-RLg7JVDQHQALmdgOMLujiaUQWl9nkgypbaV-Q2MI-HgrkUKN4rZcql41mUat7Lxd2g5_4y_ju69CxiNrSCD1VDzXYumUoPtxImmvjBHCind8ry2/s1600/001+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdkylOMhzXS5TL3p12ISS4T0HDM8J-RLg7JVDQHQALmdgOMLujiaUQWl9nkgypbaV-Q2MI-HgrkUKN4rZcql41mUat7Lxd2g5_4y_ju69CxiNrSCD1VDzXYumUoPtxImmvjBHCind8ry2/s320/001+%25287%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-72718517327851591012011-04-27T23:29:00.001-05:002011-04-27T23:40:51.712-05:00Suds and Science...Moon Hoaxes - OH MY!Tonight was a great fun night in general. Chris and I NEVER get a babysitter....as in a PAID babysitter. Maybe 3 to 4 times a year for the evenings. Mostly due to one simple fact - we spent so much money on childcare during the working hours, why pay for it at night? Also, we don't want to not see our kids at daytime AND at night. So, in essence, activities during the week - that we both need to attend - are not on our radar since we need to get a babysitter.<br />
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Well, something came along that peaked our interest. Last month I saw as article in an <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/hfpatch">H-F Patch Facebook Post </a>about a new Science Pub. This concept of Science Pubs is currently sweeping the nation. A recent <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2011-01-21-sciencepubs21_ST_N.htm">USA Today article </a> by Tracy Loew references how: <br />
<blockquote><div class="inside-copy">Across the country, thousands of people are gathering for monthly science pubs such as this one — informal lectures combined with food and drink that cover everything from the physics of flight to fire ecology to crime forensics. They're part of a loosely coordinated global "science cafe" movement that's been around for a couple of decades but has surged in the past year.</div></blockquote>So guess what... a local professor stumbled across this concept, and Voila...made it happen! Tonight was the second Science Pub and it was a hit. They alternate each month between two local favorites - Grady's Grille in Homewood and the Flossmoor Station Brewery. Last month's topic was on climate change. Tonight's topic was very intriguing for people - <em>"Was the moon landing a hoax?".</em><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Homewood-Flossmoor Science Pub" class="photo img" id="profile_pic" src="https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/211153_212383835454331_5766913_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://homewood-flossmoorsciencepub.blogspot.com/">http://homewood-flossmoorsciencepub.blogspot.com/</a></td></tr>
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I'm guessing there were around 60 people in attendance. What really surprised me was the large number of older people. Many in their 60s and 70s and above....and I'm sure the median age was close to 60. So, Chris and I and Steve helped bring down the average a little :)<br />
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Anyway, for all of you wanting to know - drum roll - the moon landing was NOT a hoax! I know - can you believe it?!? Ok Ok.....just kidding. Most people know it happened, but the presentation was about showing the science behind how it DID happen and did occur. He went through many different MH (Moon Hoax) topics and did his best to 'debunk' them one by one....from the shadows, to the way the flag was flying in images and in the video, and to the amount of radiation and it's forms that the crew was exposed to in each Apollo mission. What I thought was an interesting byproduct facet of research he did share was that of the 36 men who have been to the moon, they have a lower cancer rate than the general population. BUT, 33 of 36 of them have developed early issues with cataracts - which is most likely due to their exposure to cosmic rays.<br />
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He also went into detail explaining the lack of atmospheric pressure and how that translated to cool tidbits on the propulsion of the space modules and the kick up of dirt on the lunar surface. Also, the moon is not on a tilted axis as the earth is. This causes lunar days and nights to be 14 days each.....14 days of sun, 14 days of dark. Temperature swings can be around 250 degrees C between day and night spells. All of these details helped for us to understand how the angle of the sun sources on the moon were effecting the images we were seeing - which could have made it easy for MH'ers who did not understand the moon - which is so different from Earth - and try to validate a Hoax. For example, there are 3 light sources on the moon. 1) the sun 2) the highly reflecting Earth & 3) the sharp reflective elements of the moon's surface which also scatter light once light hits it from the other light sources. Most MH theories only focus on the light source of the sun. All of these light sources have a huge impact on images as shadows can be greatly impacted when lit from multiple lights at various angles. Here is a cool video of some of the moon landings:<br />
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<a href="http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/news/space-technology-news/1969-moonlanding-vin.html">http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/news/space-technology-news/1969-moonlanding-vin.html</a><br />
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So, in the end, I guess I believe :) He also said that if it were a hoax - then how hundreds of thousands of people MUST still be in on it for the cover to not be blown. And what about the Russians? Heck, the Russians really didn't want us to win the space race. If it wasn't true, they would've blown our cover for sure by now.<br />
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The only skeptic in me is the engineer. I know what it takes to put together simple three dimensional models. I understand the complex nature of what I do....and the endless complexities of calculations that must be made beyond what I know and do to even be able to correctly calculate what it takes to get a rocket with humans safely to the moon and back, multiple times. This is what I have a hard time understanding. I work in the year 2011....with the latest computer software known to man. Fifty years ago, everything was designed by hand. Spreadsheets didn't exist. Not a small team, but armies and armies of engineers must of been working on this for years, maybe decades, for this to work successfully. Even in today's world of great software, we all make stupid mistakes. Heck, five years ago we lost a satellite in space due to a metric to English unit conversion error. It's just really hard for me to wrap my head around the concept that most of the calculations were done by engineers, by hand, with literally no simulation technology and computer aided computation to guide them along the way. Maybe engineers were better back then....more careful....not reliant on technology to find the errors. Because in today's world, if they took away our computers and calculators, I can guarantee you I wouldn't be stepping foot on one of those rockets.<br />
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So yes....we ordered appetizers...each drank a couple beers, discussed some lunar science and conspiracy theories, met a few other nerds like us - and had a blast. I hope to put this into our calendar as a monthly or bi-monthly date night. What is actually really exciting for me, is that I'm on the calendar tentatively to be the speaker for June - the last Tuesday of the month. I've done presentations on earthquakes/seismology in the past. I plan to put something together to discuss the safety of our structures we live and work in....and understanding better about the seismic faults in the Midwest in relation to Chicago in particular. So, I plan to put together an outline and a 'catchy title' in the next couple of weeks. Any suggestions....send them my way! Should be a fun challenge...over beer no less!<br />
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So....cheers- to beers and science!tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6479166347711040885.post-30151289769637458492011-04-27T18:40:00.000-05:002011-04-27T18:40:30.587-05:00Slight Panic: Dead AheadWell, today is Wednesday, and that means only two more days until my twelve hour running bonanza begins. Yep, the money was paid months ago and there is <strong><u>NO</u></strong> backing out. <em>Anyways, that's what I've been continually telling myself the last couple of days.</em><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you remember, I'm still recovering from one of those races that....<a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/04/most-beautiful-day-to-not-run-marathon.html">I will never forget</a>. Lucky for me, it ended in a good way - as it <em>didn't</em> for many of the other runners that day. The Go! St. Louis Marathon was quite an amazing race. One that seemed to defy all preconceived thoughts I had about my abilities and strengths. I ran thru it all - and survived - and FINISHED. With a MEDAL! Seriously....it wasn't a day about PRs.....just finishing.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The week after the race, I didn't even run until five days later. Seven days later I ran a 5k and pushed the twins. Last week I ran just twice....slowly building up to 8 miles. And then this week - I've had a cold since Monday and haven't laced up my shoes once - which, normally wouldn't be a big deal. But, HELLO, I have a huge commitment this weekend! I am running the I-Challenge. Friday evening I am doing a 5k and Saturday morning I am doing a half marathon as part of the <a href="http://illinoismarathon.com/">Illinois Marathon</a> weekend. Yep...12 hours apart. </div><a name='more'></a><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">You know...in January, when I signed up for this with my sister-in-law (who since has broken her foot and is unable to run) and it was cold and snowy outside - I thought this was such a GREAT idea. Seriously, on paper, it seemed great. Run a marathon, take off 3 relaxing weeks, and then run the I-Challenge, which includes a Half Marathon. Also...the best part, which really lured me in via the 'Serpent tempting me with an apple' scenario, was - the BLING!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yep....I get to bring home the Half Marathon medal, the 5k medal, AND the whopping I-challenge medal in the center. Seriously - I run 3 more miles and bring home two more medals....Cha-ching!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't wear these medals around, they aren't worth any amount of real money. Heck, the kids mostly use them for dress up. But there is something about overloading my medal rack even more. By the way, right after Christmas I was reading this fabulous blog called <a href="http://runmommarunnews.wordpress.com/">Run Momma Run</a>.... Anyway, she sells this <a href="http://www.runmommarun.com/home/rmr/page_11_1">great medal display rack</a> that I just had to have. I have never had a place to hang my medals. So, I bought it and filled it. It still isn't hung yet (my husband is to blame....I say :)), but here it is, leaning <em>against</em> my wall. Three more after this weekend and I may need to consider getting one more! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk7eAUfudH4/TbipUZdG9gI/AAAAAAAACc4/rvFiwPU0eoc/s1600/2011-04-27_18-37-00_567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jk7eAUfudH4/TbipUZdG9gI/AAAAAAAACc4/rvFiwPU0eoc/s320/2011-04-27_18-37-00_567.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, I was tempted by <em>Bling</em> and signed up. Now, a little over 48 hours away, I'm in foreseeing a small panic attack heading my way. It really hasn't hit yet.... well, actually - it did earlier today. My mom emailed and told me she was coming. Chris can't take off work early on Friday, so I thought it would just be me, the twins, and my brother and sister-in-law....and her bum foot. I love having people there to support me, but wow - NO backing out now! This qualifies as a small fan club now! So, panic is officially here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have ran the full marathon at this event the last two years. I know the course, the expectations of really everything along the route, except - it's only <strong>half </strong>as long! WOO HOO! I will get to be one of <em>those people</em> that I normally hate, who turn around at 11 to head for the finish while all the other poor marathon <em>saps</em> keep dredging west for another 13.1! Horray for me! ....The last two years I've played head games with myself at that turnaround....you know, imagining I had a real injury and needed to quit....or second guessing the warmth and thinking of advising myself to quit early. Well, that voice never one and I mustered out 26.2 each time, once while PR'ing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Maybe that's why I haven't really prepared also for this weekend at all. In my weakened/warped post-marathon mush brain thoughts, I keep saying to myself - "It's ONLY a Half...."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Maybe it is. Maybe after 3 weeks of running little to none, my body will have fully recovered to the point where I will do great...kind of like the pre-marathon taper. I remember running the Palos Half Marathon two years ago, 3 weeks after the Illinois Marathon. I tried to run too often between the two events and ended up injuring my knee in Palos. I still finished, but had to rest about a month after that. So, maybe my slacking now is actually injury prevention? (again, back to some inner <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/04/doctor-doctorgive-me-news.html">medical self-diagnosis</a> in which I am famous for!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So...I think I will do fine in the Half. I ran a 5k a little over a week ago and did fine. I 'should' be fully recovered by now. But, now arises challenge number 2, the 5k. As I mentioned yesterday for one of my "32 years old and I have new goals" <a href="http://madnessoftherace.blogspot.com/2011/04/another-birthday-here-and-gone.html">goals</a>, Goal Number 7 actually, is that I don't want to pass up any opportunities to push the twins in 5ks this year. Yep....I'm prolonging them growing up by pushing them in 5k and 10ks for one more summer :) So, tomorrow night I'm going to spend some time working on my stroller...making sure it is in tip top shape. This will be race number 41 in which I have pushed the twins in this same used jogging stroller. And we'll be coming into Memorial Stadium and crossing the 50-yard line....how cool is that?!?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also know a few people running the race from back home, which should be great too! You know what that means - more people to look for throughout the route for inspiration. The weather also seems to be fabulous for the weekend. Great temps - and since I'm only running for two hours, I should be able to beat any type of heat that may be rolling into town that day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So....T-minus 48 hours. Who else is running? If anyone out there would like to push the twins for a mile or two - you know, an extra hundred pounds of spirit - just let me know :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>tabysu1http://www.blogger.com/profile/01360469441608061850noreply@blogger.com1