Brownie batter

Brownie batter is an important part of any distance runner's training diet.

Ok, so I can't even continue with that lie, but it was fun to type. I know that food is fuel and you should give your body only the best stuff, blah, blah, blah. On Wednesday, Tucker was at a birthday party and Austin and I were hanging out. Austin suggested playing chess which sounded fine to me. But I wanted something sweet and we had NOTHING in the house. He suggested healthy alternatives like yogurt and toast with jam. Yeah, right! I made barfing sounds. Then we both spotted the brownie mix from Costco. And yep, we made a batch of brownies and didn't cook a single one!!! Our whole family enjoyed the fudgy treat of great spoonfulls of brownie mix -- YUM!

On the distance running front, I ran 10 miles this morning at a 9:00 minute pace. While that's not super fast, it should be noted that there are lots of rolling hills everywhere in Rocklin which makes the running here hard. And also 10 miles is my longest run since the half marathon I ran in November. I think the brownie mix may have had something to do with it...NOT!

A Fun Time Waster

I guess you can tell I have a little too much time on my hands by this admission: I LOVE Homestar Runner! My friend Mike (Tanya's husband) introduced Homestar to our family years ago, and the kids and I just love it. Is it objectionable? At times. But is it fun? You bet! Click here to experience the joy that is Homestar! And if you do decide to check it out, here's what you need to know:

1. It's not exactly designed for kids, so don't let your kids see it if you haven't checked it out first.

2. The game Dancin' Bubs (you can find it under "Old Games") has one of my favorite songs -- it's the third song choice.

3. The best part of Homestar is Teen Girl Squad, especially issues #1 and #10. I crack up at "SO GOOD" "NO FOOD" and "let's get makey-outey!"

Happy birthday, Tim!

Today is my husband's birthday. Tim, if you're out there, I feel so lucky that I get to be your wife. You have the best heart. You are easy on the eyes, my handsome bald man! You are my best friend. And an awesome dad. And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you!

Happy birthday, baby-o-mine!

Running fun and an article

There was a woman at Western States whose husband is an ultra runner. I asked her how he fits in training, since he's married and has kids. She said he does a great job of including his family in training. So for example, if he needs to do 16 miles one day, he'll tell his family that whoever wants to run with him needs to be ready by 8:30. Then he'll go out and do 10 miles alone, timing it so he gets home at 8:30. Then he'll take his son and run another 3 miles, this time at his son's pace. Then he drops his son off, and his wife and daughter come with him. That way, he's done 16, and his family feels included.

So this morning I did 6-1/2 miles (yes, the "1/2" is important to me!) and when I got home at 7:45, Tucker was up and wanting to run with me. So we went out and did a mile together. We jogged, we walked, and at one point he just took off sprinting, and I couldn't catch him! The best part was that he must have told me at least 5 times things like, "Mommy, this is my best thing!" and "I'm having so much fun!" So even though I don't know how to get in touch with her, here's a big thank you to Chris, the ultra marathon guy's wife, for the fantastic suggestion!

From Eating Well

This is the best article I've seen in a long time on how to maintain your weight. Check it out here! Hope you like it.

Whatever's in my head

In no particular order, here's what I'm thinking:

1. I did a 9.5 mile run yesterday and feel GREAT about it. My plan is to build my base miles to 20 - 22 per week, and then start adding long runs to train for endurance.

2. Got some new running shoes -- Mizunos, which I love. It's funny -- Tim buys whatever is on sale for $40 or less. I guess we balance each other out, cuz I spend a fortune (relatively) on running shoes. Also, he cuts his own hair (free) and I -- well, again I spend a fortune by comparison. Ok, so I don't want to think about this one anymore...

3. If you read my old blog, you may remember where a guy at the nail salon asked me an insulting question. Here's the instant replay, for anyone who missed it:

Twenty-something Vietnamese nail guy: How many grandchildren you have?

Me: Excuse me?

T-s V ng: How many GRANDchildren you have?

Me: My kids are 12 and 10 -- I'd better NOT have any grandchildren!

When I see him now, I glare at him.

Ok, so here's a conversation at Costco yesterday:

Guy who checks your receipt at the door: Hello, young lady!

Me: Wow -- thanks!

Guy: How is it that you never age? I've seen you here for years, but you never get any older!

Me: Well, my new best friend (yes, I did say that), you just made my day. Watch me as I skip to my car!

I'm still smiling thinking of that.

4. Went to the gym today and did upper body weights and an intense lower body weight workout. I'm now using 12 pounds weights for shoulders, which is exciting cuz after the injury I could only lift 3 pounds, and it was tough, tough, tough.

Trying to write, but can't

Power was out for a good part of today, so couldn't write about Western States. When power went on, I wrote in detail about the experience, but before I could submit the post, my computer went strange, and I lost what I'd written. Now I don't have time to write what I want to say. So here's the super short version:

• Western States is cool.
• Spending time with Jenny is a blast!
• I will never run Western States.
• Triple digit temps don't help runners (the 1st place man finished more than two hours slower than last year's front runner). And by 8:00 last night, more than 100 runners had been DQd because they hadn't made it to the checkpoints before they closed.
• I am officially in training for CIM!
• Driving the last 3 miles to the aid station is the hardest driving I've ever done. Thank goodness for 4WD, an awesome navigator, and pure dumb luck. Those things kept us for heading off the side of a cliff or getting completely stuck on the tough terrain.
• Ultrarunners are neat and it was fun spending time with some pretty amazing people.
• Seeing Dean Karnazes was very exciting! He looked strong, fast, and handsome (I threw in the "handsome" because Jenny would be mad if I didn't mention it!).

Ok, time to spend some quality time with the whole fam. Long run planned for the morning. Foot is feeling pretty good, due to new shoes, ice, and anti-inflams.

Running notes

1. The Western States runners have been running now for almost 5 hours. It's supposed to get to 108 degrees in Rocklin today. The race takes place in the mountains mostly, which you would think would make it cooler, but there are some wickedly hot canyons that are part of the race, and my understanding is that the still air and the mosquitos are TOUGH! Also you have to take a boat (holds 8 people) to cross the river right before the aid station where I'll be working (heavy snow and late thaws this year mean the river is HIGH), so I'm told that you can lose lots of time in the race just waiting for the boat to come over.

2. My plantar fasciitis (sp?) is back, maybe. Five years ago, this foot condition is what caused me to stop running and gain 20 pounds (well, it was my poor food choices and a childish refusal to do anything but run for fitness that caused the weight gain). But back then I was not as smart as I am now (probably cuz I'm so mature!). I'm doing all the right stuff (ice, ibuprofen, tossing of the worn out running shoes) and I'm convinced I can get it under control.

3. I'm 80% convinced that I'm going to sign up to run CIM (California International Marathon) this year. And even though every marathon book tells you to run your first marathon just to finish, that's not going to work for me, so my goal (if I can get to 100% commitment) will be a 4:00:00 time. I figure I have tons of time to train (5-1/2 months), I have a good base of fitness, and darn it, it's what I want to do! Jenny and I did a 7-1/2 mile loop yesterday, and when we talked about this, she told me that if I can do a 4 hour or faster marathon, the time will qualify me for Boston -- WHAT?!?! I guess all you have to do to run Boston is to stay alive and keep running. (No disrespect meant to those who have qualified for Boston before -- it just cracks me up that something I'm shooting for could allow me to do something that big!)

4. I have a new (old) favorite song. I'm reading The iPod Book by Scott Kelby. If you have an iPod, you should have this book. It has tons of suggestions of ways to optimize the performance/sound/function of your iPod, AND Scott's writing style and sense of humor make it a great read. Anyway, Scott has some playlists in the back of the book (but the links to the playlists are broken -- I've emailed Scott and will let you know if he replies) and the one that looks just great to me is "Scott's All-Around Feel-Good Mix." From that playlist, I found "In The Stone" by Earth Wind & Fire. I already love any band that combines a brass section and funk/soul beats (and EWF reigns in this category) and I must have listened to In The Stone -- let's see, how many times? Well, I listened as I did laundry. I listened as I iced my foot. I listened as I went to pick up the babysitter last night. So a conservative estimate is maybe 25 times or so. And I still love it. It's very syncopated, the words are uplifting, and my heart could just take flight at the opening trumpet measures.

5. Now I must run (not literally -- my foot really hurts right now). I'm making a salad for a BBQ we're going to today, kids need transporting to open gym (they don't get enough gymnastics with their 18 hour and 15 hour practice schedules, I guess), dogs need feeding, house needs cleaning (always!). If you can, please keep those Western States runners in your best thoughts, ok?

Kitchen remodel and some pigs

Thanks to Eileen's prompting, here are some pictures (finally) of our new kitchen:

This photo shows the one cabinet with glass doors -- it's bubble glass and it has a 1920's vibe to it, I think. The dishes are every color and I LOVE them! All the cabinets used to be light oak, with white tile countertops with disgusting grout in between the tiles, and linoleum-made-to-look-like tile floors (which are now beautiful wood!). I'm making the kitchen sound worse than it was -- it was fine, but it's so much prettier now!



Here's the new farmhouse sink and oh-so-sexy faucet. It also shows the honed granite countertops. If you think they look good in the pictures, think again. NEVER get black honed granite countertops -- they show every fingerprint, water ring, and every breath you take! Oh well, live and learn, right?



These pics show kitchen from another vantage point. This photo is taken from the breakfast nook, and gives a great view of the pendant lights which I love. And the next one shows the subway tile design over the cooktop.





Here's a quick peek at the bathroom we redid. We also redid the floors, but you can't see them here. Yes, we intend to have a mirror, but the first one was too small so we returned it. The second one arrived broken (but I refused to accept the bad luck, so it's ok!) and the new one is on order.



Hooray pigs! As long as I had my camera out, I figured I'd treat you to some pig pictures. I painted this pig at Petroglyph (pottery painting place) when Tucker and had a mommy& me night there.



These are just ones I like that live in my office as part of the herd/pack/bacon?



This pig is ready for Mardi Gras, and in case you can't tell, she has wings which makes her extra special.



Ballerina pig is framed and on the wall in the office. It's an image from a calendar called "Precious Piggies" that I get every year. Isn't she adorable?!

And no, these are not all of my pigs, just some of the best ones, but don't tell the others or they'll be sad!

Defluffing

As time goes on, my body is less tolerant of extra calories. And I had a few in Hawaii, for sure. Our last night there, in fact, we had a buffet dinner where I had 3 pieces of cake (I do love cake, you know!).

The sad truth is the calories found their way back to California with me, so I'm now in the process of defluffing. So I'm vigilantly watching my food intake, and increasing workout intensity. In fact, yesterday I ran twice. In the morning I did 4 miles, and would have gone longer, but the kids were home and it just didn't work out. So last night I did an additional 5 while they were at gymnastics.

Speaking of running, I've found two great sources of running music. Initially I found DJ Steve on iTunes under podcasts. His podrunner mixes are really good -- no recognizable songs, but a steady beat for over an hour. Then I checked his website: www.djsteveboy.com, and downloaded some other running mixes. So far I sure like what I've heard.

What I'm doing Saturday night

Jenny and I are working the Rucky Chucky (mile 78) aid station at the Western States 100 mile run this weekend. I have no idea what to expect, but I'm excited about having a (oh-so-small) part in something so big. Here's a description of the event (taken from www.mile78.com):

The Western States Endurance Run is one of the oldest ultra trail events in the world and certainly one of the most challenging.
The Run is conducted along the Western States Trail starting at Squaw Valley, California, and ending in Auburn, California, a total of 100 miles. The trail ascends from the Squaw Valley floor (elevation 6,200 feet) to Emigrant Pass (elevation 8,750 feet), a climb of 2,550 vertical feet in the first 4½ miles. From the pass, following the original trails used by the gold and silver miners of the 1850’s, runners travel west, climbing another 15,540 feet and descending 22,970 feet before reaching Auburn.
Most of the trail passes through remote and rugged territory, accessible only to hikers, horses and helicopters.
Due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the trail, the Western States Endurance Run differs substantially from other organized runs. Adequate mental and physical preparation are of utmost importance to each runner, for the mountains, although beautiful, are relentless in their challenge and unforgiving to the ill-prepared.
The Race begins at 5:00 am on Saturday of the last weekend in June at the west end of Squaw Valley. Runners must reach the finish line no later than 11:00 am the following day in order to be eligible for an award.
Approximately 1,300 dedicated volunteers help out at each Western States Endurance Run. They are truly the life-blood of the Run and will do everything possible to make your day a success. Many spend more hours out on the trail than do the runners themselves.

In preparation for the event, I'm praying for the runners (the temperature on Saturday is supposed to reach 104 - 106 degrees!) and re-reading Ultra-Marathon Man, a fantastic read for anyone who runs!

Jumping

I thought I'd break up my text-heavy blog with some pictures. Here's me considering jumping off the waterfall:



This is me as I get close to the edge and really see what a 25 foot drop looks like:



And here, for all to see, is proof that I jumped:



I still kinda can't believe I did it!

More friends

On Wednesday we ventured to the North side of the island, about an hour away, to see my dad's friends Dick and Noreen. They own a condo in Princeville and stay about 2 or 3 months every year. They fed us lunch, showed us around their place, and then we all ventured on to Ke'e Beach at the very end of the road. It's wild and lovely and everything you would think Hawaii should be. My snorkeling boys -- all three of them -- saw sea turtles, and Tim and Tucker saw 3 reef sharks, about 4 feet long each. Tim wanted to stay and check them out, but sensible Tucker retreated quickly -- good boy! We had dinner at Bubba's Burgers, where they had a picture of Steven Tyler on the wall from his visit to Kauai. I loved Bubba's before seeing Aerosmith's lead singer on the wall of fame, but love it even more now.

Yesterday we stayed close to home, rented surfboards, played in the water, and cooked dinner at our condo. And we decided that Dick and Noreen were our Wednesday and Thursday friends. Today we followed a crude map to Kipu Falls. We didn't have too much trouble finding the spot, and there were many others there to enjoy the falls and the rope swing as well. I'll post pictures when I return, but I have to tell you that I jumped off a 25 foot cliff into the water and I couldn't have been any more scared before I jumped, or more happy after I did it. Of course, the rest of my family jumped off the same cliff with no shaking legs or thumping hearts -- that's my adventurous clan for you. And they all also jumped off the rope swing. But Austin set himself apart from the bunch when he climbed 60 feet up into a banyan tree and jumped into the water. He wanted to do it in the worst way, and being the agile, coordinated boy/man that he is, we decided to let him try. And our friend for today, though he doesn't know it, is the local boy who climbed the tree many times before Austin did and by his successful jumps, assured us that it could be a safe thing to do.

You should have seen Austin's face as he came out of the water. He has a wonderful smile in normal times, but this smile was extraordinary! He told us he was more scared than he's ever been as he looked down from the tree, and that he couldn't breathe as he jumped off the branch. But it was almost like a rite of passage for him, where he faced his fear and did it anyway.

A Friend a Day

We didn't have to pay for airfare or for lodging on this trip. The free airfare came because last year we tried to leave Hawaii on September 11th, and for some reason, there was a whole sequence of errors (airplane backing into stairs, electrical problems, crew problems) that resulted in us having to stay in the airport for 8 hours (not fun) before finding out that we were not leaving Hawaii till the next day. Hawaiian Airlines gave us four free flight vouchers that we used on this trip.

Accomodations are because we own a timeshare at the Marriott in Poipu. So I guess calling lodging free is a misnomer, but for the monthly budget, it feels free.

I wrote all this so you can understand why we decided to upgrade to first class flights for the trip to Hawaii. We did this and kept it secret from the kids till we actually got onto the airplane and started putting our bags in the first class overheads. They were so excited, and it certainly made the 5-1/2 hour flight really comfortable. And our flight attendant, Ryan, was the BEST! He answered every question and was so attentive and nice to the kids, and he was on the 20 minute flight from Maui to Kauai with us. He and Tucker talked nearly the entire flight. When we got off the airplane, Tucker announced, "I think we're going to meet a friend a day on our trip, and Ryan was our first friend!" It's a fun way to look at things on vacation, don't you think?

Katie was our day 2 friend. We went to a boutique called Sand People -- it's darling! -- in the Poipu Shopping Village. The kids were eating ice cream, but the cute girl (Katie) working in the store motioned them inside. Austin offered her his last bit of ice cream which she gratefully accepted. We started talking and found out that she's a surf instructor and so is her boyfriend. And she's just as laid back and good natured as you would expect someone to be in Hawaii. She gave us the number of the surf school where they work. Tucker told her she was our day 2 friend.

On the third day we went kayaking, and although we signed up for a group trip, we were the only people in our group. So it was like a private tour with our guide Mike. Mike is leaving for Ireland on Saturday to teach surf lessons for the summer. It was fascinating talking with him, and really great for the kids to meet someone who's just taking a few years after college to just kind of do what he wants to do before settling down. (Tim and I both agreed that we were in way too big of a hurry to start "real" life after college and didn't even know that you could travel and take your time to figure out what you want to do.)

Day 4 brought us Alvin, Katie's boyfriend, who taught the kids to surf. Katie would have helped, but she'd sliced her arm open the day before when her surfboard came back on her, and the tail fin caught her bicep, so she's on dry land for 7 days. But she hugged the boys when she saw them, then turned them over to Alvin, who could not have been nicer. Both boys got up and were even jumping to switch the feet leads WHILE surfing by the end of the lesson. And when Tucker got tired, Tim got out there and surfed too!

Today is day 5, and who knows what new friend the day will bring. We'll be keeping our eyes open, for sure. And it really is a fun way to spend the day, looking for a new friend!

Wahine on holiday

We've only been here 24 hours, but already it feels like I'm on island time, which means whenever we get there -- wherever "there" happens to be -- it's the right time.

On vacation, I struggle with how much indulgence is enough. When we came to Hawaii last year, I was training for Women's Tri-Fitness, so I was very careful about what I ate. This year that's not the case, and it makes it hard to know when to say when. I'm pretty sure I had a few too many chocolate covered macadamia nuts last night, though. I couldn't bear to look at the actual calorie count, but I did catch sight of the fact that the package I ate -- well the stupid manufacturers of the package -- think there are FIVE servings in that package. Pffffft. Whatever.

Here's what I get fitness brownie points for:
Lifting weights this morning
Doing cardio this afternoon
Smart ordering at dinner tonight

Here are the things that negate any brownie points:
a few chocolate macadamia nuts (ok -- 5 servings! but they were really good!!!)
splitting a huge package of donuts with my husband tonight (YUM!)

I think I'm going to exercise a little more moderation in the next week, cuz it just sucks to have to spend a month working off just a few days of crazy eating. The tradeoff is just not worth it.

COMPLETE CHANGE OF THOUGHT
I felt SO THIN at the airport yesterday, and you can too. Here's how:
Buy some pants when you're at a heavy weight.
Lose weight, but keep pants.
Then wear pants while travelling. The resulting illusion of Nicole Richie-like waifness makes the airport Cinnabon (should that have made it onto a list before, or does it not count, since it was consumed on the mainland?) go down real easy!

Breathtaking, eloquent, wise, true

I got this email today from famous-motivational-quotes.com. It is fab.

CHANGE BEGINS WITH CHOICE
by Jim Rohn

Any day we wish, we can discipline ourselves to change it all.
Any day we wish, we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge.
Any day we wish, we can start a new activity.
Any day we wish, we can start the process of life change.
We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves." We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.

I've printed it an oh-so-cool font, and it's now front and center in my office. Powerful, huh?

A Random List of 10 things

1. iTrain.com has great audio workouts. Yesterday I did a 40 minute treadmill workout, and because I'm incapable of staying on the treadmill longer than 30 minutes, you know there was something different here!

2. I LOVE framed kids art. I got some Pottery Barn frames -- black frames with thick white mats -- and put a couple of my kids' pictures in the office. They look great and they make me smile!

3. We leave for Hawaii in the morning and I can't wait!!!

4. I love pigs, but only ones that look cool and funky, not country and stupid. I especially like Olivia the Pig because of her sassy attitude, which I need more of!

5. My oldest son is now officially in Junior High. He's totally ready. I'm not so sure if I am!

6. Both my sons and I rode our bikes to Starbucks this morning. I always knew there were no flat places in Rocklin, and after riding my bike, most of the time standing up and pedaling hard, I'm sure of it. Nonetheless, it was super fun!

7. I ran with Jenny this morning -- six good miles. And I can tell I'm getting stronger because we ran all the way up some pretty good sized hills.

8. I'm completely, unabashedly addicted to books. I love Barnes and Noble. I think Amazon is the best thing on the planet, especially since I joined Amazon Prime, and now they ship stuff to me fast for free. And every time there's a package from Amazon (and it happens a fair amount), it feels like a present.

9. I tried a Tracie Long workout video the other day and loved it. I'm a huge believer in functional fitness, which if I understand it right, means exercising so that your entire body works better in life (as opposed to simply focusing on getting bigger muscles). She had some really innovative moves that had me laughing at my inability to do them. And when you use a paper plate to do lunges (so your back foot can slide on carpet) -- OMG it's effective!

10. I have a weekend protected so I can do the first coaching class in San Rafael in September. It's intense: 10 - 6 Friday, 9 - 6 Saturday, 9 - 6 Sunday and I'm nervous. But excited.

11. (Bonus) To everyone who emails me or comments on what I write: THANK YOU! Writing is hugely theraputic for me, and I write as though nobody will read my words. But when someone does read what I write, and then offers their insight, or has a suggestion, or says something nice -- well, that makes a WORLD of difference to me. Because I have difficulty making my computer open the Comments window (sometimes I can, sometimes I can't), I don't write back to each comment, but they are super duper appreciated!

Changes in attitude? Changes in attitude!

Warning -- this may be long, cuz I feel like I got a lotta words to get out. And I'm not sure if it's going to be all that cohesive. Or even worth typing. Ok, end of disclaimer -- read on at your own risk...

I have been feeling hopeful, and while I like it, it kinda scares me, because I'm not used to it. When Tim and I visited the Storybook Cottage house on Sunday, the real estate agent asked if I was a designer. I've been asked that before (at furniture stores, mainly) and it thrills me to be asked, cuz I think it would be SO COOL to be an actual designer. (I also think it would be SO COOL to be a chef or a personal trainer or a life coach or a professional organizer ... I have many interests!) Anyway, I said no, then Tim commented "No, she's a student of life." I've been thinking about that for the past few days. What if that's what I am? Someone who gets interested in things and learns about them JUST BECAUSE SHE CAN!

In the past, my practicality (costs money, takes time) would have dismissed the idea of learning about stuff just to learn. But what if I don't have to find a job? What if I don't have to have it all figured out before I take a class? WHAT IF I JUST LEARN ABOUT SOMETHING BECAUSE IT PIQUES MY CURIOSITY? Could I? Should I? (I'm about to break into Dr. Suess-speak here, so I'd better change direction...)

Here are the subjects that interest me: Fitness. Cooking. Organization. Balance. You can tell they interest me because I have a smallish library on each of these topics. (If you want to check a book out, I'm sure we can arrange something!)

Yesterday I did a one-hour information call with the Coaches Training Institute. There were 18 other people on the call, and we had a chance to listen to a short coaching session, then make observations and ask questions about the coaching process. In the call, the coach talked about your inner gremlin or saboteur -- the voice that champions the status quo in an attempt to keep you from risking and from having what you want. So the coach was asking the volunteer (who was being coached) "What are the lies you believe?" Here are my lies:
I have to be just like my parents.
I destroyed my mind with drugs and alcohol, and that's why I can't work or learn.
Anti-depressants make me stupid, and that's why I can't work or learn.
Because I'm a wife and mom, I can't have what I want.

I'm ready to challenge these lies cuz they are so NOT WORKING!

I also have a strong memory of my parents telling me, repeatedly, to slow down, to not get overwhelmed, to not do so much. I heard this a lot when I was a teenager. And you know what? As parents do, I think they were projecting their own issues onto my life, so while I had the energy and passion and everything else to do all I was doing, they were the ones who couldn't have handled it, thus the messages about slowing down.

I don't know what to say to wrap this up neatly. All I know is that I'm willing to risk and to do what it takes to have a life of aliveness and purpose and passion. I'm ready to play a bigger game!

Soccer is a blast!

Just got home from my -- I mean, my kid's -- 6th grade field trip. They went to the sports complex in Rocklin, which includes indoor soccer, and boy oh boy is soccer fun! Because I wore sandals, I had to play barefooted, and I was luckier than my friend who sprained her toe playing barefoot. :( My shins are bruised (6th graders can kick HARD!), but my heart is happy, and it was tremendously fun to feel like a kid. I think it's better than most face creams on the market, in terms of reducing the signs of aging!!!

Another Weekend Update

Exercise
Ok, so I intended to run early, but Tucker suggested family breakfast before church, so the run didn't happen till 11:00 and it was 84 degrees at that time. But I managed to do either 8-1/2 or 9 miles (with a significant amount of walking, but that's fine, cuz my goal right now is to build stamina). The hardest part of my run was my sore butt. I did lunges yesterday in a new way that's shockingly effective, if soreness is your goal. Here's what you do:

Grab 2 12-pound weights.
You'll be doing a four count lunge.
Count 1: step forward with your right leg.
Count 2: nearly straighten right leg as you lift and squeeze left leg and bun.
Count 3: return to lunge position, even deeper than the lunge in count 1.
Count 4: bring left leg forward to meet right leg.
Repeat about 50 or so times.

So anyway, the run was hard cuz your (well, my) butt jiggles when you run and if your (my) butt muscle is sore, IT HURTS!

Open House
Storybook Cottage was less impressive on the inside than on the outside, but one thing was really cool. The countertops were cast concrete (that's what the real estate lady said) and on a small serving countertop, the owner had inlaid pieces of her grandmother's silver flatware. It was a great idea, and a neat way to keep memories of someone you love alive.

Healthy Eating?
I think my insatiable appetite may be gone, which is very good news indeed. We leave for vacation on Saturday and it's way easier to wear a bathing suit when you haven't been eating your entire city out of house and home. :)

Something that gives me hope
I'm reading a book called Co-Active Coaching, by the people who run the Coaches Institute in San Rafael -- the place I'm thinking of taking the coaching training. The reading is fascinating to me. And because of how I read books -- I read the dedication and the forward and every other page that many people skip over -- I read something that encouraged me on the very first page of the book:

"Early one morning a man was walking along the beach, watching the ocean waves breaking on the shore, and he saw a most unusual thing. He saw that the beach was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed up on shore and were dying in the sun. Far down the beach in the distance, he could see a young woman picking up starfish and throwing them back in the ocean, one at a time. When he was close enough to her to be heard above the waves the man said, "You're wasting your time. There are thousands of starfish here. You can't possibly make any difference." The young woman reached down, picked up a starfish, and threw it as far as she could, back into the sea. "I made a difference to that one," she said, and she reached down to pick up another.

Isn't that cool?

Weekend update

The run with Jenny went great. We did about 6 miles with not too much walking, and Jenny let me set the pace, which was hugely appreciated. This morning Jenny did a FIFTEEN MILE trail run. I'm beyond impressed, and amazed that she can stand running with me!

So today we got a TON done. I slept in till 9:00, which shocked me -- I didn't think I was capable of sleeping past 7:00. We hit the gym at 9:45 and both did a quick weight workout. Then we spent the better part of the day working in the yard, including preparing a raised bed for planting, then buying and planting tomatoes and peppers. We're also in the process of getting some new furniture, so we bought a dining room table and chairs, and picked up the chairs, with the table coming in next week.

Tomorrow's plan includes a six-mile run EARLY since it's supposed to hit 95 degrees, putting more knobs on the kitchen cabinets, and general work around the house. Tim's golfing later in the afternoon, and the kids and I are going to check out a cool open house. The house is called the Storybook Cottage and it was part of the Street of Dreams a few years ago. It has chess pieces as chimneys, really cool stained glass and exposed brick on the outside of the house, and I can't wait to see the inside. I think it's going for $1.4M, with a tiny backyard, although it is on a golf course.

Hostage to my Hormones

You'd think with that title that my mood is bad -- it's not. It's just that I have, after over a month of disciplined eating, an uncontrollable appetite and yesterday I ate everything. (Sorry, Rocklin residents, if there's no food left in the city -- it was me.)

I can't wait for things to even out and for the real me, who actually has some self-control, to return! Let's hope that my indulgence of yesterday fuels a good run with Jenny this morning.