OMG!

Officially signed up for the Go St. Louis half marathon!!!!

$75.55 to run 13.1 miles seems CRAY-ZEEE but I am pumped!!!!

Official training begins Jan 14th... not sure how I will fit in all the mileage  but like my brother said "Just sign up, figure that shit out later!" 

Spoken like a great big brother! 

Things are just coming together today... 

I some how convinced Brian's 2 cousins to run with me. 1 cousin, Kaitlin has been running 5ks for a while now and wanted this push to keep going.  The other cousin, Kelly, is using it as a push to start from scratch! Talked to her this morning and she has ran 3 times since Friday night when I talked to her first about it! Go Kelly!!   I think it will be an awesome experience to train together (although we are all pretty far away from each other, we can text!) and then experience this first together! 

And, a neighbor friend told me about a new Eureka Ladies Running club that will be meeting on Saturday mornings around town to run together.  This Saturday, 7:00am, Berry Park... CANNOT WAIT! 

Then this week Leah actually brought home pictures from daycare that I could tell what they were!!!! 

Obviously these are Octopuses   But if you ask her, she will call them Octopuses one minute, and "Squishies" the next.  Maybe she is thinking Squids?  The red one even has 8 tentacles. Smart girl. 

(Side note... Leah can count 1-10 in Spanish way better than she can in English.  It cracks me up!)

And my favorite.... The people!! 

She said they were wearing shirts and pants and shoes. 

Obviously. 

What I Wore Tuesday: Week 6

I am nervous to even post this after it seems all of my blogging friend participated in the "I Wore What?!" Link up yesterday...

But I seriously do not have many clothes that fit me anymore...

I spent a good 25 minutes trying things on to wear today just trying to find things that match & fit.

Someone needs to go shopping!

Todays outfit....

...is 5 years old atleast!

Shirt: H&M

Undershirt: Kohls

Pants: H&M

So today I decided to curl my hair with the straightener again...

I desperatly need a haircut.

(Thurday night!)

I am always torn between loving it and hating it.

I get a lot of compliments on it...

But are they just trying to be nice?

I tried to leave it down, but after taking the above picture I feel like I looked like I stuck my finger in the electric outlet...

So I pulled it back some...

And now looking back at these pictures I feel like I prefer it all down....

Sheesh! I am indecisive!

I really just want my hair longer...

Grow hair, Grow!

Body After Baby: Week 20

First order of business... 

Down another 1.8 lbs this week. 

It still amazes me. 

I forgot to mention before... 

The last 5k I ran... 

The Harvest Moon 5k, at an official time of 28:22.... 

Earned me first place in the female 20-29 year old group. 

(No I was not the only one in my age group!)

Leah loves my medal

I was the 20th finisher over all.  

Besides the under 18 gals that pretty much ran the show, the only women to beat me were a 50 year old and a 52 year old.... 

I hope that's me some day!  

Beating all the youngins! 

My uncle is 52 and runs half marathons. 

He calls himself the fastest fat boy and the only person that can run half marathons and not lose any weight. 

My brother says he does it just so he can drink more beer. 

No problem in that! 

This past week I felt good and got my running back in a place where I want it. 

Twice I did 2 mile runs on the treadmill at work at 8:40 paces. 

Then I did an awesome 10k on Friday, in perfect weather! 

I pretty much stink at pacing myself... 

I remember that 3rd mile, some good songs game on... 

I was so happy with my run and feeling completely confident that I can run a half marathon in the spring! 

I even convinced Brian's cousins, Kaitlin and Kelly to try to do it with me! 

But then Saturday morning hit... 

And OMG the pain in my foot!! 

Its kind of on the outside, middle part of my foot. 

It mainly hurts only when I walk, or go upstairs. 

From my googling I think its either a tendon... 

Or I need new shoes. 

I really want to go get fitted and get nice running shoes but the timing is not the greatest... 

My husband keeps us on a pretty strict budget... 

And right now of course its time to buy Birthday presents for Leah, traveling for Thanksgiving, and Christmas shopping... 

Oh and I really need to go to the eye doctor for new contacts and glasses... 

And I really want to sign up for the half by Wednesday... 

So 100+ dollars on shoes does not seem THAT needed.... 

I bought new insoles for my current shoes to see if it would help a bit... 

I know I tend to walk on the outsides of my feet. 

Thats always were my shoes get worn down. 

So I am hoping just re-cushioning my shoes will make them hurt less. 

I am going to give it a try... with a few days rest. 

Otherwise, Fleet Feet, here I come! 

Also... its kind of killing me to take a few days off to rest my foot... 

I was getting back to good times and only have 3.5 weeks till my big family race!! 

Please feet, stop hurting, and let me run lots starting Wednesday! 

Friday Fun

The other day I "awarded" 2 blogging awards from fellow bloggers.

I thought it would be fun to play along today and answer the questions associated with them to learn some fun facts about me.

First up was the Sunshine Award from Mrs. Mid-Alantic

1. What is your favorite Christmas / Holiday Movie?Favorite Holiday Movie = Hocus Pocus.  Greatest Halloween movie EVER! 

Favorite Christmas Movie = The Santa Claus probably. 

2. What is your favorite flower?Hydrangeas.  The pretty blue ones!  

3. What is your favorite (non-alcoholic) drink?
Since I no longer am drinking soda, I rarely drink anything besides water or coffee.  I guess I can claim my blueberry coffee as my favorite non-alcoholic drink now... Oh or unsweet tea, I do drink that on occasion! 

4. What is your passion?
Passion...I really LOVE math.  Im a really big nerd, but I really like it and all the things that numbers can tell you.  I would do math problems all day long. I love statistics and algebra and calculus.  

5. What is your favorite time of the year?
Probably right now... I  love the cooler weather for its clothing options, I love Halloween, a crisp fall morning, Thanksgiving, Leah's birthday, and the entire Christmas season! 

6. What is your favorite time of the day?
Um, anytime I am up before the rest of the house... the quiet, alone time. 

7. What is your favorite physical activity?
I really miss basketball and everything related to it. I miss practices, shooting drills, the commodity of such a small team (A team of 10 is able to bond so much more than say a team of 18 soccer players) and I even miss the sprints! 11s in 1:06 anyone?

But since that will not be coming back into my life for a bit (I am totally coaching Leah's team, with my bff Kate, who we both were freshmen on Varsity in HS, as soon as she is old enough!)  I am really enjoying running.  I like pushing myself to get better.  I love seeing my time, distance, and pace after a run. 

8. What is your favorite vacation?
Hmmm.  Our Honeymoon to Jamaica was pretty awesome.  All Inclusive resorts are the way to go!!  But also love the trips to the FL beach condo with Brian's family.  A week on the beach is always needed!   Im definitely getting excited to go again this spring! 

Yep, I wanna be there right now! 

And then I was given the Liebster Award from Poisoned Perception

My 11 things:

1. I have a freckle/mole in between my toes.
2. I have a big scar on the side of my leg as a result of working on a 4th grade project of building a house out of cardboard. Do not try to cut cardboard on your lap, with an exacto knife. ... go thru the cardboard, go thru your leg. 
3. My first broken bone, was a bone in my mouth from a fall at Disney World when I was almost 4.  I was running up steps, slipped and hit my mouth on the corner or the step.  Yep, surgery in FL, mid vacation.  I was a 3 year old with braces for a month to pretty much hold my teeth in place.  I then had a month long diet of only soft foods. It began my love of eggs and ketchup. 
4. 2nd broken bone was in 6th grade, I was a pitcher. Threw a wild pitch so a girl tried to steal home. I went to cover home, she did not slide, fell on top of me, my hand, with the ball in my glove were underneath both of us.  She was out, but I crushed my thumb and had 3 pins put in it the next day. 
5. Staying with the random facts about my body... I have Alopecia.  Annoying. Actually 1 in 5 people have it, most just do not know it. My uncle has the extreme form where he has no hair on his entire body.  Hopefully I never get to that point, but if I do, Brian says he will still love me! And hey, I wont have to shave! 
6. When I was in 5th grade I won a year supply of happy meals from a McDonalds Disney trivia contest. My question was ridiculously easy too... 
7. For my senior trip in 2003, I went to Spain with a group of kids, the day after the War on Iraq began. Our first night in Madrid there was a giant riot/protest right outside of our hotel with hundreds of thousands of people.  We just watched from the windows in amazement.  The next day the city was covered in graffiti   It was kind of scary since it was our first night, but the rest of the trip was great. 
8. I took a cryptology class in college and it was awesome! All of our tests were songs that our teacher would encrypt and then we had to decode them. A guy in my class actually works for the government now as a decoder! 
9. People always tell me I have perfect teeth.  They may be pretty, but they are weak. My family does not have very strong teeth. 
10. I had invisalign when I was a sophomore in college.  I had 1 crooked tooth and I guess my dad thought it was related to my accident in Disney and felt bad so he requested that I get braces.  Of course I said only if I can do invisalign! It was when it very first came out so it was WAY expensive. I only had it for 6 months but it was awesome.  Only 1 person ever noticed that I even had it, and he was teeth obsessed. It really is clear.
11. Invisalign is also a great diet. To eat anything you have to take it out... which is GROSS! So I pretty must stopped snacking all together. A bite of something was totally not worth the effort of taking them out.  I only ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and probably was the smallest ever weight wise.  (I weight about 6 lb more than that right now.) 

1. If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? I honestly have no desire as I am not the biggest animal fan. I would much rather be a boy for a day.... 
2. What is your favorite healthy version of an unhealthy meal? Ummm I like to use turkey as an easy substitution for multiple items in dinners.  Or the Pumpkin filling + cake mix muffins.  
3. Think back to when you were a kid. What is your favorite memory?  hmmm I have so many memories of just playing sports and playing with all the neighborhood kids. I just remember being outside all the time, coming home when the sun went down, doing the things kids should do! 
4. Most embarrassing moment. Or at least one that's pretty high up there.  I honestly cannot think of one! I usually just stay stupid things that probably make people question that I have a degree, let alone an Applied Mathematics degree!  I might be great at calculus but I suck a simple addition! 
5. Favorite TV show(s)?  Right now its New Girl. But I barely have the time to catch up on my DVRed episodes! TV with 2 little ones is a rarity! 
6. Explain one of your major goals in life. What, why, how, the works. Becoming a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA).  Basically you can learn about it HERE  I am almost an Associate (ASA) which has to be met before coming an FSA.  To become an ASA you have to take 5 exams, 3 VEE courses, 8 modules, 1 Interim Assessment, 1 Final Assessment, and a professional course.  I am done with 4 exams, 6 modules, waiting on my grade on the Interim Assessment, and currently working on my final VEE course. I hope to get my ASA in early 2014.  (I passed my first exam in  Jan 2009)  Then to go on and get your FSA there are 2 more exams, 3 more modules, and another professional... I hope to get my FSA by the time I am 32, but who knows!   Overall it takes most people 7-10 years to become an FSA.  With all the work I put in I probably should have been a doctor or something!  ... Each exam usually needs 300+ study hours with most people not even passing exams on the first try.  It is VERY SMART people who take these exams, and the pass rate is anywhere between 30-60%! I am smart, but compared to others in the profession.... I feel like I am in the bottom range!  Its alot, but in the end, Actuaries are a very very respected profession.  It always ranks as one of the top 3 careers. Here is a list of articles on it.  It should all help me meet me other goal of making more than my husband! I totally want to be the bread winner! 
7. Favorite room in your house? I love my kitchen.... or my bathroom. But they still need alot of work, AKA tiling.  
8. Would you ever go bungee jumping or sky diving? uh....it really does not interest me. But if the opportunity was given to me, maybe. 
9. What what the first thing you thought about this morning? uh, how I was going to work at home instead of heading to the office.... 
10. Most preferred form of exercise? I really prefer to play some sort of sport/game.  Then I do not even notice that I am working hard or sweating, or exercising.  I am just playing. 
11. If you were a pirate, what would your name be? (Or some other fact about alternate universe pirate you)  I have no idea what pirate names typically are......... 

Well this was fun.... Happy Friday! 

Gilmore Girl's Wordless Wednesday

Leah requested I take a picture of her "leg trick"

Mean big sister!

What I Wore Tuesday: Week 5

I am actually back in the office today!

I kind of have this wonderful new problem where almost all my clothes are too big for me...

Except for some really old items.

Like this dress, it is 6 years old!

And it's fitting me MUCH looser than it ever has. 

Dress: Banana Republic 2006

Belt: Target... also many years old!

Here is my in the dress in Nov 2006 at a friends wedding. I remember the dress being tight to a point of buttons popping open at times!   Definitely no fear of that today!

Rain Coat: Eddie Bauer

I realized that all my coats were also too large so I ventured over to my mom's and asked if she had any older jackets around she would want to donate to me.

(my mom is like me and has a love of coats so I knew she had plenty!) 

This jacket I have always eyed... I was so excited when she actually brought it out for me to try on!! 

Luckily it fit my broad shoulders and long enough for my arms too!! SCORE!!

Earrings: Styled Simplicity on Etsy

I won a $10 credit to the Style Simplicity shop on etsy last week! At $6 dollars, I LOVE these earrings! Im a studs kind of girl, not a big danglie earring wearer so they are right up my alley!  You can pretty much buy them in any color!  ... I also bought a necklace that hopefully I will show you all soon.

And I mentioned before how my mom and I have similar pictures at age 22....

Here we are... both in our black shirt dresses!

Body After Baby: Week 19

Another week.

Another 2.0 lbs down.

I actually saw 3.2 lbs down on Saturday morning, but then Saturday night happened and Sunday's weight was not as friendly.

This whole past week was kind of a weird one...

I had been averaging about 18 miles per week, but this week I only made it a little over 12.

Maybe it was the 3 doctors appointments for me...

(1 blood test, 1 Mirena insertion and removal 1 hr later, and 1 bar inserted into my arm all part of Project: No 3 kids in daycare at once!)

Oh and a health assessment at work.

My body was a little beat up.

And my days were not as flexible as normal.

 Boot Camp started back up on Thursday.

And after 3 weeks off, OMG my legs!

Friday I could barely sit down onto the toilet!

Since then  my runs have been SLOW.

10:30 - 11:00 minute paces, even at shorter distances.

I feel like I am in some sort of funk or something.

And then I ran around Fenton & my parents house yesterday because they wanted to see the girls and I wanted a change of scenery...

The Hills!

They KILLED me!

I only made it 2.78 miles.

With times of walking!

My brother is right...

He will beat me on the hills!

But just my luck, Joplin is FLAT!

1 month till race day...

Hopefully I can get out of this funk and start getting faster!!

This week's action plan...

Monday = 3.34 mile run... this already happened, at a 10:25 minute pace or something crappy like that.
Tuesday = Boot Camp and hopefully a quick 2 mile run on the treadmill at a 8:45 minute pace.
Wednesday = WAH, hopefully a run around the new Eureka City wide trail system! I love my town!
Thursday = Boot Campy and another 2 mile run on the treadmill.
Friday = Office... probably a longer run on the treadmill.  Lets say 5 miles...

Ready.. Go!

Spoon Fed Fail

I decided to attempt Emily's first solid feeding today.

Lately if we have food around her she tries to dive and grab it.

I guess baby cereal is not as enticing.

I do not believe she ate any of it.

It would go in, and come right back out.

Leah was very excited for Emily to get to eat something other than a bottle...

I even caught her pretending to feed Em with a spoon later in the day.

But Leah might have been a little bummed about all the attention being on Emie.

She was drinking a yoohoo juice box when suddenly she spit it out all over her shirt, the wall, and the floor...

I honestly have no idea what happened.

I asked her if her tummy hurt and she spit it up on accident or if it was on purpose.

She said it was on purpose...

I guess she saw Em spitting out her food and thought she would give it a try...

Not how I pictured the first feeding to go....

Let's Talk Tattoos

My fellow STL mommy, Goddard school lover, runner, and blogger, Melanie, is hosting a link up on her blog where we are supposed to discuss Tattoos.

I haven't put my view of tattoos out there in the universe lately so I thought it would be fun to write about...

I have one.

If you noticed from my "What I Wore Tuesday" posts I have a star & moon painted mirror.  Its from old bedroom at my parents.  My room was a star and moon theme. Something I have loved since I was a young teen, and I still love.

Something about a star...

Its my favorite shape.

That sounds ridiculous...

Maybe its the mathematical elements in the shape...

How the angles have to be perfect for the star to be perfect...

I always wanted a simple star tattoo... on my right hip.

The day after I turned 18 I got it.

A few months later, the addiction of tattoos was calling and I added another star to it.

I loved it.

But admit I often, and still do, forget that its there.

A very small glimpse of it on our honeymoon.... 

Then I got pregnant...

First pregnancy, 10 weeks along... already starting to round out. 

 From the picture you can see where this is going...

I carried my babies way out front.

I was giagantic with both.

The star's black outlining now sports some stretch marks thru them.

I will not be showing you pictures of their current state...

I do not regret my tattoo, just maybe the placement.

I even consider getting another.

Something with the girls, and numbers.

Maybe our anniversary and their birthday days in roman numerals...

XXI XVIII VI

(21 18 6)

My favorite days.

On my wrist...

In white, or pale pink.

Something that might not be visible to all, but there.

Marked on my body forever.

There is something about that I really like.

But I want to wait till we are done having kids before I get anything.

People who put their first kids name on their wrist or something crack me up.

What are they going to do when they have more?

Is it going to be a list going down their arm?

I like tattoos.

But I think they should mean something.

Simple is key in my book.

My sister has brought up getting a tattoo many times.

I usually tell her no...

Not because I am against them, but because whatever she is listing as what she wants to get I know is not something important or meaningful to her...

Its something she will probably regret in 5 years.

I tell her she needs to think about it more...

And I will be sure she does not put it on her hip.

What I Wore Tuesday: Week 4

Sorry kids, I am working at home again today.  

And in typical WAH style, I am in my sweats... 

Jacket: Nike - Kohls

Shirt:  Eureka tshirt... supporting our town! Bought my by husband for Christmas last year. My husband is an Eureka graduate while I graduated from the rivaling high school.  He was trying to ensure that I support my kids future school and stop wearing my Summit gear around town. 

Pants: Old Navy... They used to be tight yoga pants... now baggy yoga pants. 

Shoes: Asics

I did take a picture of what I wore to work on Friday though.  

I had these boots for a few years now.  I originally liked them, then hated them, and now I think I am liking them again. They are a bit biker chick, which I am not...  I think the key to wearing them is that I need to be dressed pretty casually. 

Shirt: Eddie Bauer

Under Shirt: Banana Republic... probably my most favorite undershirt ever. I have had it for probably 5 years and I wear it ALOT. 

Jeans: Target. 

Boots: Target

Body After Baby: Week 18

First order of business...

Another 2.4 lbs loss.

Officially below wedding weight!

Officially 55 lbs lots in 18 weeks. 

18 weeks since we brought Miss Emily home from the hospital! 

Holy Moly!

I ate a ridiculous amount of candy corn this week...

I guess running does my body good.

***Update:  My blood test came back normal.  I have started taking a daily vitamin and I have been feeling alot better. ***

It was a goal breaking week...

I ran 6 miles last Monday!

And in 1 hr and 2 minutes!

That goal of running a 10k in under 1 hr 15 minutes pretty much will happen asap!

Ran the Harvest Moon 5k Saturday evening...

In 28:35!!

I was feeling mighy proud of that time...

Dropped 2 minutes in 5 weeks.

Until my brother ran a 5k Sunday morning in 28:08!

That stinker!

So last night I went out and ran 2 miles with Leah, the 41 lb kid, in the stroller.

The first mile was at 10 minutes, and the 2nd mile was around 11!

She's HEAVY!

We will have to do it more often.

I just let my phone play music for us both to enjoy...

She loved dancing along.

And viewing all the neighborhood Halloween decor.  

I also decided to seriously consider running the Go St. Louis half marathon in April.

I already ran 6 miles at once....

What's another 7.1?

This is probably the only time I will be able to put in the effort to train for the next 3-5 years.

I am in the middle of modules, with no exams until October next year.

When its exam season, hours spent running just cannot happen.

This spring is about my only open window.

BUT...

Spring = tax season.

Brian working late nights.

Brian working Saturdays.

Limited family time.

Do I really want to suck up Sundays running rather than actually being a family of 4?

My only option really is to depend on grandparents to watch the girls Saturday mornings while I go for the long runs.

Running around their houses may be a nice change.

I talked to Brian about it and all he said was "I wont tell you yes or no. Just think about it for a bit first."

I want to decide soon since the price of the run goes up Oct 31st...

Oh decisions decisions...