About that race

Hiya!

Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit yall, it's December! (You may have noticed...)

My first day of December was pretty slow. I've been feeling under the weather since we got home yesterday and haven't moved far from the couch. I'll spare you any details, and here's hoping that I'm feeling better tomorrow.

Fortunately for you, N8tr0n has graciously given me his laptop so that I can let you know that I am alive and that we are home from Idaho safe and sound. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Z-cakes was over the moon with attention from both sets of grandparents! The food lovingly prepared by the mothers was so abundant that it runneth over the table. No seriously, we had to bring in stools to hold the excess food that wouldn't fit on the table.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. There are a few of you who would like to know how the Turkey Trot went. I am happy to report that it was fantastic. We finished five minutes faster than I thought we would (and seven minutes faster than Erica thought we would!) and we were both able to run the entire time. Of course "run" is a relative term as we may or may not have been passed by a speed walker during the last third of the race. Ha!

I definitely need to reiterate that Erica is freakin' fantastic. She is the friend I know I can call and say "hey, you wanna do this physically exerting event that we are by no means prepared for?" and I know she'll say..."sure!"

Am coldy

The race started at 8:00 AM (ish) and there was a great turnout.

This picture demonstrates Erica's wicked pace. She was always two steps in front of me, and when I tried to catch up, she would speed up too! The nerve. She said something about thinking that the faster she ran, the sooner she would be done. Nonsense if you ask me.

N8tr0n was our diligent photographer popping up in unexpected places to document the action. Unfortunately, the camera's battery died just before we crossed the finish line! We nabbed this "after" picture through the magic of taking the battery out and putting it back in again.

Looking happier after the race. Always a good sign.

After the race, N8tr0n and I headed home so that I could work on normalizing my body temperature and commence with the eating. I was successful in both endeavors.

Place card design here

Apparently at some point during the day I lost all abilities to take a picture that was both in focus and adequately exposed. This was the only picture of food that turned out half-decent. I suppose it is perfect though...as far as I'm concerned pie is the real star of Thanksgiving. Also, in case you were wondering...pie is better when there are giant globs of butter hidden under the crust.

Apple pie pre-second crust + baking

I've enjoyed reading all of the things that the people of blogland are thankful for this year. I especially enjoyed my sister-in-law's post about being thankful for modern conveniences. A hearty AMEN to that!

And now I'm off to continue convalescing. But I assure you I will be back soon with more pictures from Idaho (Pioneer Woman inspired), sage advice for new knitters, and details about my second favorite winter-time craft. Please do check back often and enjoy December!

For reals...

I finally registered.

I finally registered for the Turkey Trot. It's a 5k race on Thanksgiving morning in Twin Falls, Idaho. ((Shivers)). I would feel a lot better about this upcoming race if I had actually gotten out of bed this morning to run as I had planned. However, I have no recollection of my alarm ever going off before 6:30 AM. None whatsoever.

I have to say the thing I am most looking forward to is running this race with my sweet friend Erica. She's the best race partner a girl could ask for. And I know from experience.

This is a picture of us after our first race together in 2006. I haven't run an actual race since, so I'm happy that Erica will be by my side again for this one. Feel free to wish us luck. Though I'm sure I'll be needing it more than she does.

See you soon Erica!

Unexpected....

I've been slowly but surely getting back into the habit of running. I average about twice a week, which is good considering the fact that the girls I meet up with run three times a week. The part that is unexpected is what exactly I love about running. You may think I love the quiet hours of the morning, when the air is cold and clean, the stars are out, and yet there is light on the horizon.

But that's not it.

You may think it is the feeling I get from my feet pounding on the pavement. The sound of my breath filling and exiting my lungs. The knowledge that my body is doing an amazing thing. The sensation that comes over me (once in a while) about halfway through the run where I believe I could truly run forever. I think to myself, "this is what I do now...I run...maybe I'll just leave the car here and run home."

But that's not it.

The part I like best about running is getting home. When I get home from a run the house is still completely silent. I've left a light on for myself and unlike when I wake up, the house feels warm to me now. When I get home from my run I can take a shower that is as long and as hot as I want (please don't tell mother earth or that dude that pays our power bills). I can curl up with a blanket, some tea, and N8tr0n's laptop to: write a blog! read blogs! collect more projects! plan my day! All without feeling guilty or worrying that Z-cakes is upstairs choking on her pb&j while I sneak a quick check of my email.

You morning people are even more brilliant than I thought.

Some mornings instead of computer time I do something as productive as baking! That is what you morning people do right? Make fresh muffins for your families every morning? I spent one morning putting away the previous night's dishes and was astonished to find how much time that freed up in my morning. The day is mine! The dishes are done! With all this productivity behind me I have time to curl up with Z-cakes (though she's not much of a curler-uper) and watch a little Sesame Street because, man, that show cracks. me. up.

Here's hoping you find some unexpected joys too.


*I'm spending snippets of my day getting ready for an upcoming Cooking Panel Discussion (very excited about this) and a giveaway. Check back tomorrow for our panelists bios and a chance to win a fantastic prize!*

A week worth noting....

Three times last week I got up and ran with my friend April.
I ran in the morning.
I ran at 5:45 in the morning.
Three times.

When I was a little girl my mom decided to put me in afternoon kindergarten. I wasn't much of a morning person. As I grew there were many resolutions to "get up earlier" and "get a good start on my day." These well intentioned endeavors went great at first. The first week of school I made it to every student council meeting on time. I showed up in something other than pajama pants to my Anatomy and Physiology classes for six entire days in college. I had mascara on in the morning when I started a new job. But inevitably I would begin to sleep in...just a few more minutes...then a few minutes more. Mr. Silva wouldn't even notice I wasn't at the meeting. Who's gonna notice a girl in pajamas in a class of 200? I put mascara on yesterday...five more minutes in bed. Or heck...two more hours in bed. NOT A MORNING PERSON.

I even thought that as a new mom, I would HAVE to get up early. Babies love waking up early in the morning right? Not my blessed Z-cakes. She was never one of those babies who wanted a 5:00 AM feeding. And now she's content to sit in her crib and sing until her slothful parents decide to peel themselves out of bed and bring her back to the big bed for some "family time." (I know there are some of you shaking your fists at me right now. A baby who sleeps in--I KNOW. It's like N8tr0n and I made her or something right? Maybe that is the answer. Maybe it's YOUR fault that your baby wakes up to early! Quit yelling at me. You know the next kid I have isn't even going to need sleep of any form...I'll get what's coming to me I'm sure.)

Of course I covet all of you early risers out there. I can't imagine all the things you get done in the hours before I'm even stirring. It's probably why your houses are so clean. Why your scrapbooks are all caught up. Why your carpet is always vacuumed and your dog smells so sweet. You people GET STUFF DONE. And I applaud you. I'm just not willing to join you.

Until now apparently.

April has been running with her friend Lilly for quite some time now. Numerous times she has explained that early in the morning is the ONLY time she has to exercise. Before her husband goes to work, before her three little munchkins are awake, before she's baking and cleaning and driving and saving the world. The morning is the only time she has. And numerous times I've brushed her off and said, -sorry-TOO EARLY-. Finally, two weeks ago when I was complaining about never being able to work out and being unhappy with my body and not being able to afford a jogging stroller April told me in her loving way that "IT WAS TIME TO BUCK UP AND COME RUNNING WITH HER IN THE MORNING ." Of course you know how this story ends.

On Tuesday morning my alarm went off at 5:15. I knew that I would need a buffer in order to make it to Crown Hill by 5:45. I WAS SO TIRED AND QUITE POSSIBLY THE ONLY PERSON AWAKE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD EXCEPT LILLY AND APRIL.

But I got out of bed.
I put on my favorite running shoes.
I stepped out into the perfectly crisp air
And I ran.
And I kind of loved it.

The most miraculous part is that I got up and ran the next two consecutive days! I was so sore after the second day that I thought I would die if Z-cakes jumped onto my lap one more time. But after just one more day of running the soreness had subsided. I was able to run farther than I usually would while running by myself because I couldn't handle the peer pressure and embarrassment of stopping. (Fortunately April wasn't inviting me to smoke early in the morning with her.) (April doesn't smoke, just for the record.) I was starting to feel what it was like to run again.

One week down.
Now all I have to do is keep setting my alarm, and keep getting out of bed.
Morning person: I will be you.
I'm not you yet. But I will be. Might be.
Wish me luck.