First Snow

What we woke up to on Wednesday morning

When we woke up this morning, Duffer told me had a surprise for me — snow! Of course, moments later, he asked if it was Christmas. I guess he knows what Christmas is this year so we have to celebrate a little more than last year. We are already talking about going to cut down the tree and decorating it. In addition, he keeps talking about speaking to Santa about some things. The plow coming was also a little like Christmas too. Of course, snow signals that the odds of me being able to run get further and further away. Between the contagious virus that has swept our house, me taking on too many jobs, and trying to balance it all, who knows if I will be able to get it all together. My secret is I would love to sign up for the KeyBank marathon in May. I would not be doing it for a PR, but I have deferred for two years and it seems like I should do it. It would mean setting up a training schedule that works and won’t kill me or my family. Anyone know any manageable training schedules for a overworking mom?

Wordless Wednesday

First Cold of Season. Maggie models how I am feeling.

Three Things Thursday

1. It is raining which means NOT getting outside today.  Really was looking forward to a walk today (in an alternative world a run, but I hoping that will happen eventually).

2.  Attempting to find balance today after Day 1 back at work (and I wasn’t even at work I was just practicing being away from Little).  I have a feeling this fall is going to be a ride.

3.  Michael Franti is on the radio and it is hard to feel sad, mad, frustrated, or any other emotion except happy when you find yourself bopping along to the beat.

Motivation Monday

Today, I will attempt to figure out my Garmin.  I want to do my first run on Wednesday (maybe today if I can find a creative way to squeeze it in), but I am having trouble getting going and I think the Garmin will help me get it together.

Gunnar (my new name for the Garmin) will help me to be accountable and allow me to watch progress as I crawl back from my PR in a marathon (4:18:39).  It is hard when your body is carrying extra weight and just doesn’t feel the same.  However, fall is my favorite time to run so maybe just maybe it will kick into gear.

More importantly, I am itching to use the gift certificate C bought me for my birthday to buy something running related, but need to wait until I can fit into something I will be able to wear down the road.

Signing up for two fall races — eRace Irene (local 5K race to help raise money for our town after Hurricane Irene) and Dom’s Dash (5K put on by the school I work at during Homecoming) will also hopefully kick me into gear.  Both have a walking option so if I am not up and ready I can contribute to the cause, but NOT hurt myself in the process.

Overall, I am hoping to FINALLY use my entry to the 2012 Key Bank Marathon since I have had to defer the last two years.  Of course, I am perplexed as to how I will manage to train for a race of that caliber with two children under the age of four.

Thoughts?  How do you train for races when almost ALL of your time is taken already?

Five Things Friday

Well, the whole getting back into writing was a little sidelined by visit from family, etc.  Hopefully, this week will be more promising.

1.  I will figure out how to set the Garmin up by next Friday.

2.  I have my sights on my first race post-baby — Dom’s Donut Dash.  It is October 1st and considering I haven’t run a lick since I was two months pregnant.  I NEED to attempt some kind of running this weekend.  I can’t be embarrassing myself in front of people I work with and the students I teach.  Plus, I plan to push Duffer like last year so maybe some 30-Day Shred to work on the strength factor.

3.  I will conquer the laundry today.

4.  The Italian grandmother in me will find a meal to serve next week to a friend (with certain dietary restrictions) that is SO yummy it will evoke the kind of response given in the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” commercials.

5.  I will pull this weekend off so seamlessly that Monday won’t know what hit it.  C will have time to exercise, work around the yard, and spend time with family.  Duffer will have time spent with us and playing with friends.  Little will keep up her workout of smiling, squirming, etc.  The house will move forward AND I will sneak in a short practice run (or two) to get the body going.

Friday Flashback

In the wake of the last week with all the disaster and devastation that has hit Vermont, including some dear friends at The Alchemist, it seemed appropriate to pull out an old picture of the Duffer sporting their rockin’ bib.

Each day I hear more and more about folks struggling in the wake of Irene; however, in addition, each day I hear of countless volunteer (and other) opportunities to help out this AMAZING state and the WONDERFUL people who live here.

Here are some links to efforts and other information connect to Vermont and Irene:

Revitalizing Waterbury

Vermont Foodbank

Vermont Emergency Management

FEMA Information

I am VERMONT STRONG

I know there are many more links out there.  If you know of one, please add it in a COMMENT.

Sending good thoughts to everyone in the Green Mountain State and beyond who is dealing with the effects of Irene.

 

Three Things Thursday

1.  I haven’t written anything in almost a year, but I after a marathon last fall and a baby this summer I am back!

2.  My Garmin arrived in the mail yesterday and I CANNOT wait to start running and using it — hell maybe I will actually keep better track of miles.  Since starting running at age 22, I have NOT done a good job.  I can’t even tell you my PRs at this point for my races in exact time.  Now is the time to be accountable.

3.  Rumor on the street from Duffer is when his grandparents come to visit he will poop on the potty.  They arrive today.  Odds?

Identity

It is funny when you realize just how much part of you is missing until you start it again.  Having had to stop running in late fall due to gall bladder stuff (and surgery), I didn’t know when I might be able to pick it back up again.  Starting again full force at the end of June to train for the 100 on 100 with friends has been perfect.  In the last couple weeks, I have felt more like myself in a long time.  It was hard to watch the marathon this year knowing I could have been out there if it hadn’t been for surgery, but it has been great being back in the saddle again.  I am even challenging myself to do somethings this time around that I hadn’t done before — early morning runs with my neighbor at a quicker pace than I am used to, trail runs at the Trapp Family Lodge, try a summer race in hot Florida (coming up next week), and looking for other races around the state to try on for size.  In no way would I consider myself a “runner” in the same category as real racers, but I don’t care.  I love being able to run with the duffer and stop halfway for  our “snack and chat” and then run back to the car.  I love that the duffer saw his mom out in the heat running a tough course (while he collected the course markers) and then watch her win the race too.  I love that he ran his first “race” [in the jogger, but still] and earned his first medal.  I love feeling healthier than I have in a long time.  It is great.  I think it is good to remind ourselves every once in a while about pieces of our identity that we have put on the back burner because of one thing or the other and get back out there.  It is a little like a math equation.  The whole is only as great as the sum of its parts.  I am glad that one of my parts is back in the equation.

Spring

A long time ago, I used to think that summer was my favorite season.  Now, I think I enjoy spring much more than summer.  Spring has new life blossoming around you with tulips and crocuses and buds all over the trees.  The weather is soothing like the calm after a big storm.  It say wake up — here I am.  The gray, cold, and snow of winter are behind us and now look the mud is like a spa treatment signaling that outside play and vacations are on the way.  Just yesterday the duffer and I were exploring the woods in front of my house and he tried to pick up the largest stick on the path.  He pulled and pulled for about a minute which is probably like an hour in adult time.  Upon realizing it was too big, he found a smaller stick to play with for the rest of the walk.  The whole walk maybe took twenty minutes, but it was lovely to not know exactly how long we were outside because it was warm enough to frolic with the dogs and soak up the sun.  Officially, spring will not be here for a bit and more than likely we will still get one more doozy of a storm, but I am enjoying feeling like my battery is recharged and ready to move forward with all that is to come.

3:37 a.m.

Once upon a time it was 1:29 a.m. and my little duffer had woke me up with his snarfuls and inability to sleep.  Fast forward two hours and you have now.  I worked hard to try and fall back to sleep, but I kept worrying that the duffer would wake back up again and I’d be dancing to my Grammy Award winning made up songs.  Now, I am just waiting for the idea of sleep to creep back into my brain.  But, while awake, I might a well write since I don’t tend to have a lot of time to do that usually.

The other day before presenting to the school board about communication I sat around the table with some educators having a meal and nervously waiting for our time to present.  The woman next to me with a young son like me was talking about her holiday plans.  Side note, I’ve now realized that from December 1st to December 24th the only conversation people want to have (especially when you have a small child) is what are you doing for holidays?  I am guessing from December 26th until mid-January the conversation focuses on what you actually did.  This woman did get into all the details, but implied from her tone and whatnot that she had a doozy of Thanksgiving with her in-laws in Massachusetts.

My immediate (and to all those who know me) obvious response was have you seen Home for the Holidays? No.  She had not.  So, of course, I recommended it.  I am thinking she will appreciate it.  I mean how can you not appreciate Holly Hunter, as the pathetic protagonist, who has lost her job and is heading home to thanksgiving sans her daughter (played by Claire Danes — pre-My So Called Life) who she finds out is planning to have sex with her boyfriend after she has lost her nice winter jacket and is forced to wear this horrendous jacket her mother just happens to have in the car.  Oh, and I forgot her trying to kiss her not at all attractive boss after he fires her.  Charles Durning as her dad.  Anne Bancroft as her mom.  Robert Downey Jr. as her gay brother who just lives to make life horrible for her perfect sister and husband (the woman I know from other stuff — she is a total character actor and Steve Guttenberg as the husband).  Throw in Dylan McDermott as Robert Downey Jr.’s friend and you’ve got a complete holiday filled with well, holiday goodness.  A must see at any holiday time (Easter, Valentine’s Day — who cares — it’s hilarious!).

In that same vein, what are other good non-syrupy holiday movies?  Forget Miracle on 34th Street or It’s a Wonderful Life – what are the real holiday movies that make you laugh, etc.?

Over Thanksgiving, we saw Four Christmases — Vince Vaughn & Reese Witherspoon — not bad — some good laughs and one-liners.

A Christmas Story — always a good one.  I believe my husband even showed it to a math class once for what reason I can’t tell you, but it is quoted regularly in our house.

I know there are more, but strangely at 3:54 a.m. I beginning to get tired.  So to throw it out to the void — What is your favorite holiday movie and more importantly WHY?