Just a minute of my time...

Thanksgiving

Always a lot to be thankful for...

I feel very blessed with my family, and this year I'm feeling especially blessed with my husband. A man who does so much and asks for so little! It seems, the past few years that I have been running, he has picked up the slack in other areas, including that of Thanksgiving.

When we started making plans for the turkey trot there were 8 of us, and by the time the date arrived, everyone was concerned about how much they had to do for Thanksgiving, and in the end only 3 of us ran. For me, getting the turkey in the oven wasn't a concern.  I had made my stuffing the night before, and I already knew my husband would take care of the preparing and getting the turkey in the oven so that I could go run!

and once I returned I was able to get everything else ready....

So amongst other things, this year I am thankful for my considerate husband!

Candy Canes

On Sunday I spent my entire day hauling up totes and covering every flat surface available throughout my kitchen, dining room and family room until every tote was empty. This alone is an overwhelming experience, not knowing where to start to make sense of it all... but somehow, every year, I go through the same thing, and know as I plug along, it will all come together.

As things started taking shape, I kept noticing a pile of candy canes, and knew I wanted to put together something special with them... not knowing what it was I was going for, I decided to check out Pinterest and do a search on Candy Canes...

And as I scrolled through all the candy cane images, I knew imediately when I found this picture and link to this site... I had found my idea!

and so I began gathering the supplies that I had to create my candy cane bouquet 

 

I was so excited as my creation began to take shape

 

have you started your decorating yet?

Joining another challenge

We have a wedding on New Year's Eve, and I plan to be the best that I can be by continuing my running, eating well and finding motivation through others, so I decided to join another challenge along with my running goals.

With 30 miles till I reach my 2011 goal of 1000 miles, yes, I ran another 6 miles yesterday! I may increase that goal and try and make it to 1100 mile for twenty-eleven.

There are days when I run when I don't feel like running at all, but I know its good for me, then there are those days when I'm running and there is no place I would rather be. I feel strong and privilaged that I can do this and run with a smile, that was my run in Hinckley on Friday - it was the best feeling, and since I went there feeling a bit sad and depressed, it reminded me how important my running is, because I left there feeling happy, accomplished and ready to face the world again!

 

Turkey trot

Ran the turkey trot on Thanksgiving morning with Milt and Kristen. We met over at Milts gym and headed over so those two could get registered, I had already registered online a few days prior. With Milt having smashed his left foot, leaving it bruised and my left foot bothering me, we thought we would make one good runner out of the two of us.

So many people throughout Hinckley knew Milt and Kristen and I continued walking towards the start, knowing we had the car keys and Milt would catch up, and that he did.

It was actually quite comical as we joked the entire way there, while there and at the start.  Including up the the time where Milt was going to lose his running pants and just wear shorts. He started taking off shoes and the start gun went off... he got his shoe back on and we were off... running pants and all...

Milt can usually run 3 miles in 21 minutes, but with his sore foot, and hanging with us he finished in 27, Kristen was 30 and I was 32... not bad since I haven't run those hills since training for Chicago! And it felt so good I headed back out the next day to run another 6!

That leaves 36 miles to reach 1000 miles for year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

Book of lists

Another one of the creative classes at the Bertram was the Book of lists!

Trish taught this class and I just love it and the concept! The book is wrapped in felt and filled with pockets, envelopes, tags and more!

Its just as the name says... a book of lists

But you know how those lists change over time...

Lists like:

tv shows I miss

people you  miss the most

favorite reads

goals for month

people I love

and so much more!

I can't wait to fill this mini throughout the months...

as we come to the final months of 2011, reviewing our  year, goals and achievments, and begin planning for 2012...

 

Gratitude...

I was lucky enough to do several classes while at the Bertram besides for the December daily, one of my favorites is:

The gratitude journal made with Jamie Pate...

from the moment we started, I was inspired. The package alone was gorgeous and the ideas were infinite!

All the details, the butterflies and pockets... oh yes, just perfect!

Every page has a pocket with journaling pages in between

A wonderful place to acknowledge my blessings in this season of gratefulness!

Bertram Weekend

How lucky am I to spend another weekend at the Bertram Crop. The anticipation of the event is like counting down to a vacation and just like a vacation, its over before you know it and the countdown begins again for another year!

A weekend to be creative, silly and social with a great group of women. Time to catch up on each others lives, on our scrapbook pages, and do what we do best, celebrate each other. 

Inspiration is all around, and this year inspiration sat right next to me with Jamie Pate!  Oh my goodness, I was so glad I took her class, as well as got to watch her work on several projects from Spark!  Many thoughts spinning through my head from all I learned!

Every day there is something special at your seat, the first day these adorable owls filled with Reese's cups, the second day a gorgeous, giant, chocolate leaf! And then the trail mix Deb and I made was passed out on the last day...

The food... always amazing! Including the ice cream bar and candy bar!

Hanging out with my friends is a huge part of the weekend, sharing thoughts, ideas and just plain laughter is what makes it so special

trying to get a picture with Amy and Jen, but Jen kept disappearing!

love the relationship I share with both my sister and my cousin... feeling blessed!

sisters...need I say more?

these two crack me up during and after all the classes

Feeling so thankful for having this opportunity, knowing these girls and spending this creative time away.  Who knew that years ago when I went out of my comfort zone and drove to a scrapbook store to meet Becky Higgins, I would end up with this amazing group of friends!

Now its time for me to unpack what I've made, and keep the creativity going through the holidays!

Can't wait to share my projects!

Running goals

99 miles until I reach my goal of 1000 miles in 2011, and at this point I'm even thinking about getting to 1100 for 2011 and setting a goal of 1200 for 2012? We will see how November shapes up, and then I will know how much I can get in December?

Also, I am working on 12 half marathons for 2012.  Jill has put together this list, and even got us a sponsor!  Chelsea and I are planning on for 2012 at least one out of state, my aunt wants us back in California and how can I refuse, so we are also looking for a race there, preferably the Nike Womens half in October, but you get in by a lottery, so we will see?

January

• 1/15/2012 Run for Regis Half Cuyahoga National Park, OH 

February

• 2/11/2012 Cedars Frost Bite Lebanon, TN 
• 2/11/2012 Strawberry Plains Half Strawberry Plains, TN 
• 2/27/2012 Last Chance for Boston Dublin, OH 

March

• 3/18/2012 Mercy Heart Half Cincinnati, OH 

April

• 4/15/2012 Gulf Coast Half Pensacola, FL 
• 4/28/2011 Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon Lousisville, KY 

May

• 5/20/2012 Rite Aid Cleveland Half Cleveland, OH 
• 5/16/2012 Cincinnati Flying Pig Cincinnati, OH 

June

• 6/10/2012 Lake Health Distance Classic Concord, OH 
• 6/17/2012 Canton Marathon Canton, OH 

July

• 7/21/2012 Alexian Brothers Sports Festival Hoffman Estates, IL 

August

• 8/13/2012 Columbus Half* Columbus, OH 
• 8/21/2012 Little Miami Half Cincinnati, OH 

September 

• 9/15/2012 USAF Half Dayton, OH 

October

• 10/15/2012 Indianapolis Marathon Indianapolis, IN 
• 10/16/2012 Nationwide Columbus Marathon Columbus, OH 

November

• 11/5/2012 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Indianapolis, IN 
• 11/5/2012 Mason Half Marathon Mason, OH 
• 11/12/2012 Louisville Sports Commission Half Louisville, KY 

December

• 12/2/2012 Tour de Ashland* Ashland, OH 

 

You can find more fitness Friday blogs here

 

Crop weekend

Counting down to the once a year crop with Work in Progress kits and planning my projects to get the most accomplished in my time away.

In the last few weeks I have pre planned some layouts, took vacation pictures and used divided protectors to plan out which pictures are going into layouts and which pictures are added to protectors, and most recently, I decided to take my year and put it into wallet sized photos, using several pictures to document each month, and put together a year in review album...

I had totally forgotten about this picture taken in early January of a lunch date with my mom and sister at Red Robin... too bad Deb's eyes are closed!

seems like we just got together for lunch, but here I am with my highschool girlfriends in January

I don't think I'll ever forget celebrating Shawn's birthday at Cheesecake factory

and waking the next morning for our flight to Florida and finding this

Just a few of the pictures I plan to reminice about, document and enjoy during my weekend away with friends!

Running, parties and vacations seemed to dominate 2011, as well as milestones like Chelsea turning 21, my mother in law 70, Zach's braces coming off and oh yeah, running my first marathon!

pedicures in Michigan and so much to be thankful for!