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June Kit...
I was so excited to get my hands on this kit and really enjoyed creating with it last Saturday during the crop at Trish's. I love when things are really flowing! I think it's a combination of awesome kits and having a creative boost that helps me put some of my favorite pages together.
Here's what I did with this months kit...
Recently I added the rolodex die to my favorite sizzix dies from Stampin up! I've made several birthday rolodex's over the years and this die would have made it so much easier!
I used the SEI dill blossom paper I picked up while shopping in NOVI. I could cut two cards out of each 6 X 6 sheet and then using the left overs I would trim strips to decorate the cards.
all of the pictures I matted on chipboard as well as the circles. The stickers are 7 gypsies
Some of the cardstock I ran through embossing templates and sanded...
It's still a work in progress and I have so many more details to add and journaling to add, but so far I'm pretty happy with how its coming along!
Here we are again, another week gone by and another team up thursday with Jill. This week we decided to do blurry photos. Usually blurry photos are not something you want, but sometimes it captures exactly what we want it to.
Jill's photo is of her son running and all blurry, mine is focused on one grandma and blurry with the other grandma and Zach
yesterday we went to Shawn's commencement and celebrated with family afterwards! He still has not decided on his college yet and both schools are still actively pursuing him! Within a few weeks he knows he needs to make his final decision....
unfortunately I had not checked all my camera settings and some of my pictures were over exposed so I had to change them to black and white!
and after spending Saturday with Trish and learning more tips about using Picnik I had to play!
It was a great day with beautiful weather!
The other day I read a book that will not leave me! The book was LIFT by Kelly Corrigan
It's a small book, just over 80 pages. In fact you could probably read it in an hour or so.... but there is so much in this book, especially for mom's! I read this book and laughed and cried and learned so much. It made me want to detail more in my life and made me wish I would have detailed more when my kids were younger. Oh how I loved this book! I want to pick it up for every body I know and I know its going to be going to California to my cousin's daughter who is due with her first child this summer!
If Kelly sounds familiar, that's because she also wrote the book Middle Place, another of which I read and loved!
So where do I begin? On Sunday Chelsea and I ran our first half marathon and I'm having a hard time finding the words to describe the amazing feeling that I had and still have about this accomplishment.
The night before the race I think we fell asleep by 9:45. I remember waking at one point in the evening thinking "Oh no, I'm exhausted don't let it be time to get up". Thank goodness it was only 11:30pm! But it continued like that the rest of the evening, it seemed every hour I woke again and checked the clock and got a drink of water (wanting to be as hydrated as I could be), and I was awake at 5am when we got the wake up call, Chelsea's alarm went off and Ben called.
Time to get ready...
Breakfast consisted of a 1/2 of a bagel with peanut butter and I almost had to force myself to eat that. Funny thing... I didn't even want coffee and that's usually the first thing I run for on any given morning?
We got ourselves dressed, filled our belts with beans and gels and headed out the doors to the line up. While walking over to the start line I couldn't get over the crowd of runners that already filled downtown. and I don't know if it was excitement or nerves or both but we decided we should get in that long line to use the bathroom before getting in line.... and so we did.
All the while my mind is going thinking I need a picture of this to scrapbook, its an amazing moment, an amazing scene. But for now I need to just live in the moment and hope the snapshot in my mind will hold so I can describe it later.
taken the night before
Waiting in line we talked to more people who had run several halfs and we all were concerned for the slow moving line and time to line up for the marathon. Then we were off to line up and at first we jogged over to the start line and then quickly realized it was not going to be easy to get in this line. The crowd was just as thick on the sidewalk as it was lined for the race.... we gently pushed our way through to get farther and farther back in line. There were pace teams holding up numbers and when we saw a pace that Chelsea maintained she stopped there, I kept going as my pace is slower, but worry set in with leaving her packed in such a crowd of people, with the fear of being trampled (as these girls commented to us the night before)
Once I moved farther down the line it was still filled with people, but not quite as thick. I found a spot, adjusted my ipod and got it ready to go. The announcer was loud and the music was exciting.... with Cleveland Rocks playing I hear the starting of the race...
And yet, I'm not moving... not going anywhere for a few minutes. That's how many people there are.... we started out walking not running! I even questioned at one time that I might be in line for the 10k and verified with runners around me that we were all running the half. The clocks and my chip time show that it was over 4 minutes to get to the start and begin running! But once I did....
It was amazing! Starting down E9th street towards the rock and roll hall of fame, the street litered with shirts and gloves that people disposed of once they began running. I had heard of throw aways just the week before, and was now witnessing them up close and personally by stepping around or over them. All the clothing that people wear to keep warm before the race and shed as they begin running. I had over dressed for two 5K's and wasn't going to make that mistake with the half so I chose to go with less than more.
While I was running I was so into the moment, seeing the movement of people all around me and as far ahead as possible made me realize what a memorable event I was a part of. To think I was I heavy smoker just over 7 years ago and here I am running half marathons... my eyes welled with tears! Crossing the bridge was another snapshot I want to remember! As far as I could see there was a sea of people. Another moment that I wish I had my camera!
Through the small towns of Tremont and Ohio City you couldn't help but smile. The people of the town lined the streets with signs and horns and music blasting and cheering everyone on. I read one sign and cracked up it said "stop reading this and get running" and of course picked up my pace after reading...
The first 3 miles I had held onto my own water bottle and even once it was empty I couldn't just throw it down, I held on until there was a water station and I saw a garbage can nearby. Of course the garbage can was just as over flowing as the street which was now a sea of orange from all the discarded cups. But my aim was for toward the garbage can and then continue moving.
Going up the highway you saw people dressed as Ernie and Bert... there to cheer you on. So many happy moments I will never forget. And through the entire race I tried to keep a smile on my face because this truly was a beautiful moment!
During this picture the woman ahead of me saw the cameras and cheered with both hands up in the air. I couldn't help but smile
I truly cannot wait for the next half marathon. Now I just need to decide if its Akron or Columbus... but let the training begin!
This week Jill and I chose white space as our photo for team up Thursday
I love how we are always similar in our ideas. Jill with the medal from this past weekends marathon (where we finally got to meet) and my photo taken later that same day of my nephew on the track.
It's so amazing that a couple similar interests and a blog can introduce you to new people you get to know through blogging and hopefully if your lucky, one day you will meet in person. That's how it was with Jill and I. We've known each other for years through blogging and scrapbooking and photography but then I added running to my interests and went to Jill for advice, knowing she was an avid runner.
I love these hobbies and the wonderful people I have met because of them!
On Saturday we ran a 5K to benefit the Hannah Wernke memorial foundation as a prelude to our half marathon on Sunday. I went into this race with the mindset of it being a warm up, not to push myself and that I was doing it for the fundraiser not to break any personal records. I had spent that last 4 days in pain from a Tuesday two a day work out and a Wednesday training with Milt. I knew I had over done it and was really concerned about the upcoming marathon. I was almost convinced that I shouldn't run the 5k as to not do any more damage. But just before the race Chelsea and I did a couple practice laps around the track and all those places that my body had hurt earlier were not hurting while running, so I decided to go ahead with the 5K and just take it easy.
It was probably my first run that I can actually say was easy. I took it slow and steady and felt good running the entire time. I ended the run at a new unofficial PR of 32:30 and was pleased with my time. Chelsea ended the race at an unofficial 28:10 (we are still awaiting the update on website). Chelsea won 2nd place for her age division! I was so happy for her and of course proud of how far her running has come!
Once downtown our first stop was at the expo to pick up our race packet and then we browsed through all the vendor displays. Chelsea found a pair of shoes and we both got these tanks from One more mile, a site that I ordered her a shirt for her birthday last year from.
Once we got our packet we decided to take the bus tour that would go over our route, and after the bus tour we wondered if that was a good idea because we now realized just what we got ourselves into! :) We returned to the hotel and went to our pasta dinner where we met several other runners doing the half and 10K, carbed up and headed back out to walk around downtown.
After our walk around downtown we decided it was time to head back to our room and rest for the evening. We were both still sore from our work outs earlier in the week, even with taking both Thursday and Friday off to rest. We watched the movie hang over and fell asleep before 10pm.
At 5am we received a wake up call, Chelsea's alarm went off and Ben called.... we were sure to be up in time to get ready!
Race post to follow....
On Thursday Chelsea and I went to the Healthy Women Expo and got to meet and have dinner with Ali Vincent from Season 5 of the Biggest Loser.
She was so inspiring and funny to listen to. She showed clips from her season on the show and how far she has come. She says its not just about losing weight but her attitude shifted and a fire inside her started to burn to where she said Instead of saying not me she began saying why not me. Her message can be used through ever facet of life and I think it was perfect timing to see her right before our first half marathon on Sunday!
