Magic Number

3... It's a Magic Number!  Yes, it is!

3 days until I run my 2nd half-marathon AND 3 weeks until David graduates and becomes an M.D.  
= )

Love 3!

13.1 Anniversary!

It was ONE YEAR ago yesterday (April 25) when I conquered my first half-marathon.  Crossing that finish line was a glorious moment and definitely one that I'll never forget. However, my journey was the reward!
 

Here are a couple of photos displaying my victory...

April 25, 2010

April 25, 2010

Here's a photo to help explain why conquering my first half-marathon was and still is such a big accomplishment for me.....

April 2009

...... And this year's HALF-MARATHON photos will be taken this Sunday, May 1.  

Stay tuned! 

Testing

I left school early (my plan time, but still contract hours) yesterday to go to the doc. She checked me out and then immediately sent me to Integeris Hospital for labwork (D-Dimer (looking for blood clots) and a chest X-ray (looking for pneumonia or something else abnormal). I'm positive it's nothing serious, but she wants to be sure. 
I also have to schedule an appointment for spirometry testing (pulmonary function testing) to see if I have asthma. I've gone to see this doc with the same thing 3 times since the end of January and the sad thing is that I don't go in every time I'm sick. Blaaahhhh.....
Wah, wah, wah. ; ) 

I'm ready to stop being sick and start being AWESOME again! lol! 

Week 16

Yesterday was my the final LandRunner training run for the 11th Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.  We started in Nichols Hills Plaza at 6:30am.  It was cool, windy, and RAINY!!!  Yep, I was drenched!  I looked like a wet rat after the run.  It was so bad that I stopped and purchased a new hat just to cover up my awful hair so I would feel more comfortable running a couple of errands. Ha! I really should start keeping a towel in my car. 

6:25am:  Ready to run!

"The few, the proud, .... The tired... Thank God for Starbucks! Like I said.. It is not considered a run without coffee after!"  - Cathy  

Me with some more of my amazing running friends.  There's a good mix of half-marathoners and full-marathoners.  WOW!!!  I am inspired!

We needed a silly shot after all of those serious training runs. = )

I Still Remember

4/19/1995:  I was in my 9th grade Algebra class at Edmond Santa Fe HS.  They were doing construction on our building and we thought there was a construction accident.  It even felt as if maybe a semi ran off 15th Street and into our school.  I looked out the south window that was open and began to see a cloud of smoke fill the air.  We didn't know that the smoke we were seeing was from the very blast that shook our school.  
That very morning my HS Band took off for Stillwater, OK for state solo and ensemble contest.  We were all so confused and heartbroken.  We didn't understand any of it.  That evening we headed to St. Louis, MO for our spring trip.  Little did I know that STL was where I'd end up living for 3 years of my life while married to the nephew of a survivor.

My husband's Aunt Amy is a survivor and a major spokesperson about that day.  I was blessed to run by her side last year in an event for the OKC Memorial Marathon.  As we ran our first half marathon together, she pointed out the names on the banners of everybody she knew.  She told me great memories of those individuals for 13.1 miles.  It was an emotional run.  Seeing her cross that finish line in honor of the 168 lives lost is something I will always remember.  


"We run to give to the Memorial. We run to involve the community, the nation, and perhaps th e world in the continuing process of coping with the tragedy of the past. We run as a step toward a better future."

I run to remember.

Week 15

Today's training run had 8 miles in store for me.  Here are a couple of photos of me with my running friends...

 Our run started out with a very chilly breeze.  Can you tell we were cold?

Enjoying some post-run coffee 

at Starbucks.  YUM!

Last Sunday I ran 7 miles with the Landrunners starting at 6:30am and then went home to do some laundry and eat lunch.  David's Aunt and Uncle picked me up at 12:30 and we headed to the Red Bud Classic.  Amy and I ran the 10k.  It was HOT!  I wasn't quite prepared for the heat that afternoon.  My morning run left me feeling really well, but once I started baking in the afternoon sun that feeling left.  There weren't enough water stops in the 10k.  I really should carry my own water when it's that hot outside.  The post-race food was lame.  They had a guy passing out chocolate milk next to the finish line.  The thought of chocolate milk after running 13.2 miles in the heat makes me want to vomit. Ugh....  Seriously... they had more sugar loaded foods than anything else.  I was disappointed.  I don't eat donuts, yogurt, granola bars, or ice cream shakes.  I ended up getting a banana for the road and ate cottage cheese when I arrived back home.  I've already told myself that I won't be participating in the Red Bud Classic next year.  I would love to volunteer but I'm not running in it.  Hopefully I'll remember that when the time comes.  = )  


Today's run was great.  It was breezy and cool, but I loved it.  I wanted to run 12, but was worried I'd end up getting lost near the official turn around.  So I just followed a few other runners that were taking a shorter route today.  I saw quite a few cops along Britton Rd.  I'm guessing they wanted to make sure we were staying safe out there.  I also saw a couple of firefighters standing outside their station gawking at all of us.  It was kinda funny.  So glad we could provide them with some morning entertainment.  ha.
I made snacks last night to share with my fellow runners today.  I took peanut butter honey oat protein balls and homemade larabars.  My "larabars" were made from dates, almonds, banana, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and oats.  They were sooo good!  My snacks were a real hit!  Mmm....  I'm currently wishing I had saved some for home.  
After making the goodies last night, I was washing the food processor and I sliced my finger open.  It was bleeding everywhere!  The wound looks awful, but it wasn't quite deep enough for stitches.  Oh, and don't worry, the food was prepared and put away before this happened.  ; )  I'm good with cooking, just not with cleaning.  Hehee....

Week 14

As I was driving to the Week 14 Training Run with the OKC LandRunners, I realized another change in my life.  I used to almost never see the sunrise because I couldn't ever get my butt out of bed.  Now I look forward to being on the running trails, listening to some David Crowder or Darlene Zschech, and watching the sun come up over the horizon.  AMAZING!  It really is the best!!!

Me and some of my running buddies.  Ready to conquer some miles on week 14 of the training run in preparation for the 2011 OKC Memorial Marathon.  

Really?

Today would have been pretty amazing if......

• I wouldn't have noticed a nice lil' chunk missing out of a real sapphire on my wedding band.  I just had it cleaned and inspected a few weeks ago too.  Major bummer!  I noticed it today while I was writing a letter of recommendation for a student.  
• My COACH (favorite) watch hadn't broke.  Right before we went for a walk tonight I looked at my watch to check the time and I noticed it looked funny.  Ummm, yeah, the face is cracked and has a nice chip out of it that's now floating inside the watch face.
• I've been experiencing a pain for a couple of days now.  I called David on my lunch break because I was so concerned.  It's looking like my change in medications have lead to another painful complication. 

On a positive note, I made Coconut Chicken Curry for dinner and it was amazing.  

School was also great.  We are super busy and loving all of our units of study.  Kindergarden and 1st grade are doing "Animal Songs" and "Spring Songs"  and playing percussion instruments and kazoos.  My 2nd and 3rd graders are gearing up for their music program in May.  4th grade is really working buckling down so everybody will reach mastery on their next assessment.  5th grade just finished studying everything about instruments and now they're learning about Jazz and Opera.  School is sooo much fun and sooo busy!

On Top Of Spaghetti!

April Fool's Day hasn't ever been something I've participated in or celebrated.  So, I decided to change things up a bit this year.  
We had another teacher luncheon at school where we all bring stuff to share.  I brought spaghetti and meatballs.  Take a look...... 

Okay, okay... It was really spaghetti and meatball cake.  And don't worry, there wasn't any meat involved. 

I used a basic boxed white cake mix (nothing fancy) and baked it in a 9x13 pan.  Once the cake was completely cool, I made my homemade vanilla (sorry, but I think almond frosting is gross) frosting and placed it in a quart-size ziploc and cut off a small corner.  Then, I randomly piped out the frosting to look like noodles.  The "meatballs" were made of peanut butter, honey, and oats.  They were formed into the "meatballs" and placed in the fridge to chill and keep a good shape.  Finally, the meatballs were placed in a bowl of strawberry preserves and then placed on the cake.  

I wasn't sure how the cake would go over at school.  It made for some interesting looks and comments, but was the only cake that was completely demolished.  So, for as "weirded out" as some may have been, it must have tasted pretty good.  hahahaaaa...

Hope you had a Happy April Fool's Day!