Not every run is a good one

Today, I had a trifecta of *stuff* conspiring against me to having a good run.

-congestion due to allergies
-a core conditioning class yesterday that left me oh so sore
-not enough sleep due to all three kids being AWAKE at some point during the night (WTH was going on there?!)

Believe me, in the beginning of my run, I was trying everything in my mental powers to push through that shit and just get on with it, to ignore every fiber in my being that was screaming at me to stop and rest, to somehow get to through the first 15-20 minutes and hopefully find that Zen place that I find so often on my runs.

It was not meant to be, today.

Once I realized that I was not going to have the great run that I was hoping for, I settled for just muddling through it the best that I could and kept my eye on just finishing the darn thing, regardless of the pace, slow pace and even slower pace that I finished with.

I know that not every run is destined to be a great run- that is one of many things I have learned from running for the past 2.5 years.  I know that runs like today just go into my *bank*, for me to draw strength from at a later date.

And that is OK.

It was not meant to be.

There is always a new day to try again, and I will.

Hopefully, that great run will happen on Sunday, when I run the Cap 10K : ).

I get by with a little help from my friends

This might be a record.

Two posts in one week.

That hasn't happen in a LONG time never.

For the first time in my running life, I am mentoring someone else as they begin their journey into running, as part of the Zooma/HEB Texas Girlfriends Program.  We are nearing the end of our program as the Zooma Half  Marathon race is only weeks away (March 31st to be exact) and I have so many thoughts I want to share with this wonderful, most awesome running group.

Most importantly, YOU are a gift to ME.  I am the blessed one.  You may think I am teaching you about running, but really, it is you teaching me about life......

friendship, 

commitment, 

discipline, 

 picking yourself up when you are feeling down, 

and digging deep even when you don't want to

You have reminded me of WHY I need 

running so badly in my life

an avenue for me to let *things* go

to laugh hysterically on the trail

to cry 

(no, I haven't cried on any group runs *this* year- ha!)

to embrace this body of mine

to sweat

to push

to love what is mine

Ladies, as race day approaches oh so quickly, I want you to let go of what you think race day should look like.  Let go of how fast you think you should go. Let go of the worries of ALL THOSE HILLS on the course.  Let go of how you think you *look*.  Do not let YOU be the one holding you back.

Enjoy this day.  You have earned it and I am so freaking proud of each and every one of you.  As I told Carmen (my mentee), we are going to walk/run and maybe even dance our way to the finish line.  Pinkie promise swear.  You and me baby- I'm not leaving your side!

Thank you Zooma, for allowing ME to be part of this most fantastic program.

Every home needs a good foundation

And we finally have one!

(The kids aare sitting on the front porch, which enters into the foyer and then the Great Room)
An entire year later
AFTER
we closed on the purchase of this lot

(We are standing on the back porch, which wraps on two sides.

The porch will step down into our outdoor kitchen, firepit and hopefully, our pool area. Fingers crossed!)

The lot was cleared

The form boards were put up

The first inspection (of many) was done

And a foundation was poured.

Framing begins on Monday.

Let's get this house par-tay started.

Halla-freaking-lu-ya.
Happy, excited, and ready to move in!

I've been struggling lately

I've been struggling lately with this blog.

I have things to blog, but something is holding me back.

When I started this blog in Spring of 2006 (goodness I've been blogging for a long time), I began as the traditional mommy blogger I didn't have a clue as to what I was doing- ha!.  Over the past few years, I have added posts about Team in Training, running, and fitness.

Now, all I really want to write about is health, fitness, running, exercising, etc.

I still want to write once in a while about the family (we're building a house and wheeee! isn't that exciting?) or the kids (I have a post titled Poop Chronicles in my head right now-  your welcome) or trips we've taken or will take (think Vegas for my 40th birthday).

BUT,

The posts that really come from my core, from my soul, from my innermost thoughts are the posts about running, or trying new fitness things, or races, or exercise clothes, or about mentoring new runners, or about empowering/supporting/motivating women that are nervous/scare/anxious about trying something new etc etc.

I know it's MY blog, but I also understand that I have an audience- YOU.

Do YOU want me to continue down this running/fitness/exercise path that my body and mind are pushing me to write?

Please speak up, I want to hear from you, all of YOU.

Thank you!!!

Six Quick Years

Oh Sam Oh Sam Oh Sam

I look into your eyes and I see myself

Your smile is infectious

Your laugh loud

Your silliness.....FUNNY.

You are beautiful inside and out.

You have the BEST personality.

You are charming, sweet, and endearing.

You are loud, with a voice that has little volume control.

You love with your entire being.

You were born happy and smiling and I think even then

You were laughing at my reaction to the quickness of your birth

You are still happy and smiling.....and laughing, a lot.

Happy Birthday, 6 Year Old.

I love you.

1st and last photograph courtesy of siLove Photography

 PS- for those of you who personally know Sam, 
please feel free to share an adjective that you think describes him : ).

Just give me a few more hours--

I really want to come here and just freaking b!tch about everything I have to b!tch about but really, what purpose would that serve except to allow me to cuss every which way and just look like a big ole whiner baby?

I'm tired ya'll and there is no end in sight.

The other day I wished for a few extra hours every day, in the hopes that I could get done everything that needs to get done and maybe, hopefully have a few hours of fun time for me, with or without the kids.  Then, I realized that if I had a few extra hours a day, I would probably attempt to fill those hours with all the stuff/chores/errands that I don't get done on a daily basis and hell, that would be ZERO fun, wouldn't it?

There are never enough hours in the day. EVER.  And if there magically appears some time that all of a sudden feels free, I then feel the need to fill it with something, anything, or more something that must be done right this very second and well, then, I never truly rest.  This never-ending cycle well, it never ends.

So I want to play a little game with myself, to remind me that there is a life outside of motherhood and wife-hood and family-hood.

If I were given a few extra hours a day, any day or every day, and I could only do things NOT related to a chore or errand or taking care of a kid, WHAT WOULD I DO?

• Surf pinterest to my hearts content with zero guilt
• Read blogs
• Comment on blogs
• Organize my online pictures
• Scrapbook
• Go for a run without having to worry about being back by a certain time
• Drink a cup of coffee, slowly and luxuriously
• Organize my recipe binder
• Paint my nails
• Cook, cook, cook
• Write notes to the people I love dearly to let them know how much they mean to me
• Book that girls weekend to Vegas that we keep talking about
• Blog
• Get a facial
• Read a book 

O.M.G. This sounds like heaven.  Why I can't ONE of these things happen every day?  How hard can it be?

Actually, some days, it can be VERY hard.

What would you do with a few extra hours of ME time?

This post brought to you as part of the Just Write series, created by Heather of The Extraordinary Ordinary. 

Three on the Third

I've committed to post a picture of my three kids on the third of each month.

I know what you are thinking

Wow, she takes such *great* pictures

I KNOW

Don't be a hater

And YES, it was warm enough for my kids to be out 

in shorts and T-shirts

barefoot

sweating

riding scooters, bikes and running crazy

Don't be a hater

Also, someone give me a good caption for this picture

Please

I'll give you a hint

There was something more interesting to them

than my camera lens.