tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84517908728072704892024-03-13T16:18:18.273-04:00A is for beautifulCourtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.comBlogger1660125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-30127644872138328712015-07-31T09:06:00.000-04:002015-07-31T09:40:04.310-04:00by the numbers16 days until I go back to work<br />
106 days until my next marathon<br />
6.5 miles run today<br />
100 miles run this month<br />
180 dollars spent at the vet this month<br />
10 days for the dealership to get the part and fix the recall on my car<br />
588 miles run this year<br />
1007.5 (half of 2015) miles pledged to run with my running partner<br />
27 books read this year (goal of 40)<br />
6 books read this month<br />
2 cups of coffee I've had today<br />
239 number of cups my sister probably needs after Jane's first night in her big girl room<br />
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<br />Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-28296283603142615572015-07-29T08:33:00.000-04:002015-07-29T13:05:28.551-04:00links I love<div dir="ltr">
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<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/markhughes/2014/10/15/more-harry-potter-films-on-the-way-from-warner-bros/">More Harry Potter films on the way?</a> Perhaps this is old but it's still exciting news to me.<br />
<a href="http://entertainthis.usatoday.com/2015/06/09/j-k-rowling-harry-potter-fantastic-beasts-american-school/">More on Fantastic Beasts</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikespohr/what-its-like-listening-to-your-kid-talk-about-minecraft#.giy9GNAdV"> What it's like listening to your kids talk about Minecraft</a></div>
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I've lost 16.5 pounds this summer with the help of Diet Bet community to keep me motivated. I'm starting another round tomorrow. Put in $20 and we'll split the total pot if we win. <a href="http://diet.bt/dgZ4IO">Want to join me in losing 4%?</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/giant-waterslide-coming-to-winston-salem/article_531e06f2-2c14-11e5-b7ae-dfe47dc1d273.html">This looks like fun.</a><br />
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<a href="http://misszoot.com/the-night-we-lost-santa/">The Night We Lost Santa</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/262-suprises-a-birthday-party-of-marathon-proportions">26.2 Surprises</a> I'm not gonna lie. It made me tear up a little.<br />
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Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-19789207861428272172015-07-22T17:03:00.001-04:002015-07-22T17:03:38.375-04:00stories<div dir="ltr">
"Mom, remember at Wings at the beach how they had all those little glasses with people's names on them?"</div>
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"Yeah."</div>
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"Well, how did they know who's name to put on there?"</div>
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"There's all these bubbles under water. It's like you're swimming through jello!"</div>
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"Mom, why does the day go by so fast when you're at the beach? Why does it go by so slow when I'm at school?"</div>
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Josh's cousin was crying. He covered his ears and said, "I don't want to hear the mandrakes!"</div>
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"Mom, I've never had a brother. When can I have one?"</div>
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"Probably not ever, Josh."</div>
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"So your tummy isn't feeling weird?"</div>
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"Mom, when I get to be an adult is Jules going to be retired?"</div>
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"How old will Jane be when you're ten?"</div>
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"Six."</div>
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"Good. How old will she be when you're eight?"</div>
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"Four."</div>
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"That's right! Now how old will Jane's baby sister be when you're ten?"</div>
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(thinks a long time) "Four."</div>
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"Good!"</div>
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"How old will I be when you're twenty?"</div>
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"Dead."</div>
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Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-79907795262515425192015-06-21T11:02:00.001-04:002015-07-06T13:03:23.370-04:00stories<p dir="ltr">I handed Josh a tank top to wear on one of the scorching days we've had lately and he said,  "I don't think this is going to be good. "</p>
<p dir="ltr">I said, "It'll be very good. It'll keep you cool today."</p>
<p dir="ltr">His reply? "Like my armpits are pressing on air?"</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Pap kissed me. Josh saw it and said, "Pap, just because you're her dad doesn't mean you get all the kisses."</p>
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<p dir="ltr">We got to the beach and Jane declared to the entire car, "Jane's going to be crazy til midnight!"</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Josh at one point was in the back seat teaching Jane how to say certain words and then I hear, "Can you say Chick-fil-A sauce?"</p>
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<p dir="ltr">(In the car listening to Casting Crowns "Sing Until the Whole World Hears")<br>
Josh: What's a demon?<br>
Jules: That's easy! It's the offspring of chaos, a devil, or such.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">"Mom, there's going to be a party in my bed tonight and I need your help!"</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRkEes7wLaTGuhVUxWddDvKtCWC0RH5rVRvVlFtiN4zeYrdFoj6EF7EQvLm9fDFSVT6g9MV5gescDlDEbHHVXPJfqVNxjTXcwWT3xzBZHP-8nk0Qx9w7TYscInnQh6514cIZldg7KetNU/s1600/20150705_111744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRkEes7wLaTGuhVUxWddDvKtCWC0RH5rVRvVlFtiN4zeYrdFoj6EF7EQvLm9fDFSVT6g9MV5gescDlDEbHHVXPJfqVNxjTXcwWT3xzBZHP-8nk0Qx9w7TYscInnQh6514cIZldg7KetNU/s640/20150705_111744.jpg"> </a> </div>Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-67244922864247896382015-06-16T11:00:00.000-04:002015-06-17T11:02:50.613-04:00then and nowThen<br />
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<br />Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-35398234766080011542015-06-09T09:04:00.000-04:002015-06-09T12:46:21.667-04:00recipes i love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Summer just screams good food to me. Maybe it's because I'm off work and have the extra time and can put more thought into getting dinner on the table in more than twenty minutes. Also, all of the fresh fruits and veggies are delightful. Makes it so much more appealing when you can cook with fresh ingredients. I can't wait to get a chance to go pick blueberries again this summer!<br />
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Anyway, here's some of the recipes I've been loving lately. Give them a try and let me know what you think!<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Creamy Sausage and Spinach Tortellini</b></span><br />
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1/2 lb ground sausage<br />
1 pkg cheese tortellini<br />
1 can diced tomatoes<br />
1/2 cup chicken broth<br />
4 oz cream cheese<br />
1 cup asparagus pieces<br />
roughly chopped bell pepper<br />
chopped zucchini and yellow squash<br />
chopped onion<br />
handful spinach<br />
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Boil tortellini according to package directions. In a separate pot brown the ground sausage. Add vegetables and saute for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, cream cheese, and chicken broth and still until combined. Drain the tortellini and add it to the other dish.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Blueberry Cake With Lemon Glaze</b></span><br />
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1 (15 oz) box yellow cake mix<br />
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese<br />
1/2 cup vegetable oil<br />
3 large eggs<br />
2 cups blueberries<br />
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Glaze:<br />
juice of 1 lemon<br />
1 cup powdered sugar<br />
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />
2. Mix first 4 ingredients well.<br />
3. Fold in blueberries (these may be dusted with flour or powdered sugar to keep them from sinking).<br />
4. Bake for one hour in a tube or bundt pan which has been greased and floured.<br />
5. Allow cake to cool.<br />
6. Mix the glaze and drizzle over cake.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Quick and Easy French Bread Pizzas</b></span><br />
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loaf of French bread<br />
creamy Parmesan Italian dressing<br />
thinly sliced onion and fresh tomato<br />
pepperoni<br />
shredded mozzarella<br />
shredded cheddar (I like Cabot sharp cheddar)<br />
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Slice the bread lengthwise and open up. Spread dressing on both sides. Top with pepperoni and cheese. Broil for 5 minutes.<br />
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In case you need more, here's some old recipes I've posted including <a href="http://aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html">Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Banana Peppers</a>, <a href="http://aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2010/07/giant-birthday-banana-split.html">Giant Birthday Banana Splits</a>, and <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2011/07/top-secret-blog-project-stuffed-summer.html">Stuffed Summer Squash</a>.<br />
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Mmmmmmm, now I'm super hungry!<br />
<br />Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-42772992462966309502015-06-04T10:45:00.000-04:002015-06-05T10:59:21.366-04:00ziplining in north carolina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the things Julianna wanted to do for her birthday was go ziplining or to a ropes course. It was still a little cold around her birthday at the end of March so over Memorial Day weekend we went ziplining. We took both kids. We bought a Groupon for Beanstalk Journey in Morganton, NC. It was only $59 for two so about $120 for all four of us. We called and scheduled an appointment for a Sunday morning at 10 am. It was a gorgeous day and we had a blast.<br />
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We started on the simple ropes course. There was a hanging bridge (that Josh's feet couldn't even reach when he was tethered to the line so he went tandem with Jonathan to push him along from behind). There was a V-shaped net to climb and the guides issued challenges like try walking with your feet up high on the sides. It was a fun way to get acclimated to the height and harness.<br />
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Josh was hilarious. As we were sometimes waiting for the person on the other side of the line to disconnect, one of the tour guides would take Josh's harness and swing him out over the ground and off the platform we were standing on. Josh would just hang there with no expression with his arms drooped down like he had no care in the world. It was so funny to see his crazy amount of courage too. He would sit on the edge of the platforms without hesitation. Sometimes we were fifty or sixty feet in the air.<br />
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Julianna had a great time too but occasionally she would be a bit of a drama queen and say things like, "Oh no!" and "Here we go!" in total dramatic fashion. She was so brave though. One girl we were with was obviously frightened but did it all anyway. I think everyone enjoyed it and although I'm not sure that one little girl would go back, I know we would. In fact, Josh has already asked when we can return and Jules keeps asking questions about how much it cost like she's interested in saving up to go again.<br />
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Here's one of my favorite pictures of Julianna with her arms spread wide. I didn't get any pictures of this but on one of the ziplines we were given beanbags to toss down at a cornhole board as we went zipping by. It was so much fun.<br />
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Love my family and loved sharing this experience with them. I'd highly recommend <a href="http://thebeanstalkjourney.com/">Beanstalk Journey</a>!<br />
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<b>Have you even been on a ropes course? Ziplining? Would you go?</b>Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-66254299827686062492015-05-27T13:52:00.000-04:002015-05-27T13:52:00.307-04:00how to make the most awesome afternoon snack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Get a plate and put some tortilla chips on it. It should be Tostitos Brand tortilla chips but of course that's just my preference....<br />
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Then shred some cheese. Definitely choose Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese if you want it to be the best.<br />
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And add some more cheese.<br />
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I'm a little bit kidding. That's probably a tiny bit too much.<br />
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Now you should melt the cheese in the microwave.<br />
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Add Pace Salsa on top. Of course, it doesn't have to be Pace Salsa but if you want it to be good....<br />
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This is not an ad. I was not paid to write this. It's just taken me several years to perfect the art of the best afternoon snack and I thought I'd save you the trouble.<br />
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There you have it. The Most Awesome Afternoon Snack.<br />
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You're welcome.<br />
<br />Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-62862733417957161622015-05-22T09:37:00.000-04:002015-05-22T10:12:50.218-04:00Overheard<div dir="ltr">
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"Dad, what happens to the clouds at night?"<br />
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-----<br />
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"Dad, there are plants in this Biology book! Hahahaha isn't that funny?!"<br />
"Jules, that's because Biology is the study of living things."<br />
"It is?"<br />
"Yep, it is."<br />
"Ohhhhhhhhh"<br />
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Jonathan on the results of our recent Bath and Body Works shopping trip:<br />
"It smells like a pina colada in here."<br />
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The kids were having a conversation about how to make a baby and Jules told Josh that the girl has to have an egg. Josh's response: "But I wanted to hatch an egg."<br />
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And this one's my favorite... sort of reminds me of the time Julianna blamed her mess on the Pilot Paula Fischer Price Little People figure....<br />
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"Jane, who got the marbles out?"<br />
"Josh did it."<br />
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-----</div>
Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-18734508492297023742015-05-19T08:23:00.000-04:002015-05-19T08:26:25.605-04:00links i love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My name would be Mackenzie if I was born today. <a href="http://time.com/3856405/baby-name-popularity/#">What would yours be?</a><br />
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"Courtney" was the 68th most popular girl's name in 1978. Jonathan would be Dylan, Joshua would be Ethan and Julianna would be Aiyana. <span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: franklin-gothic-urw, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
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<a href="http://www.fleetfeetwinston-salem.com/summer-training-2015">Fleet Feet's Summer Training Program</a> information is posted! I'm signing up for Speed Series and Marathon Training.<br />
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There's a new program as well for beginners. It's called "Make It A Mile" and program information is <a href="https://www.fitvil.com/group/860-spring2015makeitamile/">here</a>.<br />
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I ran this race a couple of weeks ago and it was really well done. It's one I'll definitely be back for and it's good to see things like <a href="http://www.hpenews.com/opinion/x219727896/Letter-to-the-editor-Thanks-for-help-with-Brewsfest">this</a> popping up in my social feeds. High Point officials should get the recognition they deserve for coordinating all of the details of such a large event so well and kudos to Mike Clark of <a href="http://www.junction311.com/">Junction 311</a> Sports too!<br />
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Yes. This.<br />
<a href="http://www.nickmom.com/more-lols/what-you-can-get-done-in-30-minutes-with-without-your-kids/">What You Can Get Done in 30 Minutes Without Your Kids vs. With Your Kids</a><br />
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RaymondBarlowphotography/posts/TPkvm22SHoF">Of all the stunning pictures in this post number 14 is my absolute favorite.</a><br />
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Almost finished with Season 1 of the highly recommended <a href="http://serialpodcast.org/">Serial Podcast</a>.<br />
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<b>What's a link you've been loving lately? Leave me some link love to help me get through the six (6!) teacher work days I have after the students are gone.</b>Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-23398903356743685272015-05-18T08:51:00.000-04:002015-05-18T11:21:23.400-04:00reasons you should never marry a runnerMy husband is a saint. When I started this running gig 3.5 years ago I never imagined that it would stick. I never imagined that I would run countless half marathons, 25k's, 30k's, and a few marathons. I never signed my husband up for all that either, but somehow we did it. This weekend he put in 24 hours of running/camping/running with me and thirteen other people. It's not something he would have signed up for on his own and I'm so thankful he came with me. We did a 24 hour relay called Black Mountain Monster and between ten people we ran almost 140 miles and came in second place in the 24 hour team division. I thought it was a lot of fun and I don't know what my husband would say but in honor of him tagging along with me I thought today I would give you my top reasons why you should never marry a runner.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Reasons Why You Should Never Marry a Runner</span></b><br />
<ul>
<li>They might consider pet and/or baby names based on where they ran their first marathon. Doesn't <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2014/04/marathon-recap-10.html">Raleigh</a> sound like a cute little kitty (and/or little girl) name?</li>
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<li>They're too competitive, sometimes just with themselves and unfortunately sometimes in the plank challenge you do together. Right, booger?</li>
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<li>They can't drink or eat at strange places on Friday nights. Good thing my husband likes Jersey Mike's! We eat it every Friday night during marathon training.</li>
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<li>During peak training season they always go to bed early. Friday after work: "Goodnight, babe! See you Saturday afternoon!"</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2GfljJr0L6Ow2USZ7wHTW5NpMr5km6j6hY4sk_2HvWyTf7jSFBvclShLS5LOTUOlNGCoojfFxyPvQ7fPIilkhCfvN_KB7g-n2nVltdq4blYlpLDNDMs7fMIBJhQCt3Yp-pMyS8QyiFJz/s1600/run4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2GfljJr0L6Ow2USZ7wHTW5NpMr5km6j6hY4sk_2HvWyTf7jSFBvclShLS5LOTUOlNGCoojfFxyPvQ7fPIilkhCfvN_KB7g-n2nVltdq4blYlpLDNDMs7fMIBJhQCt3Yp-pMyS8QyiFJz/s320/run4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<li>You have to listen to them talk about poop entirely too much. This picture is one Jonathan actually saw on Instagram and tagged me in it.</li>
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<li>You'll do a lot of babysitting. I mean A LOT. <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2014/12/my-running-year-in-review-and-2015.html">I ran over 255 hours in 2014</a> and during that time my kids were either with my mom or my husband. That's a whole lot of Go Fish, folks.</li>
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<li>You'll feel a little bit guilty if you don't spend an <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2012/03/things-i-learned-from-training-for-and.html">occasional weekend morning</a> standing on the side of the road holding a ridiculous sign.</li>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wRfep4UJzhU/T3PEirACCqI/AAAAAAACREo/pc_Gmh4zm6M/s1600/DSC_8874_2144x1424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wRfep4UJzhU/T3PEirACCqI/AAAAAAACREo/pc_Gmh4zm6M/s320/DSC_8874_2144x1424.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<li>You'll have to research running routes and hotel gyms before every trip together. Like when we went to Mexico and I made Jonathan run ten miles on a treadmill.</li>
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<li>You'll have no other choice than putting up with their moods when they're injured or otherwise missing a run. When Jonathan looks at me and solemnly says, "You need to go for a run," that's when I know I must be in some kind of mood.</li>
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<li>They obsessively check the weather forecast on Fridays.</li>
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And the number one reason why you should never marry a runner is because<br />
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<li>they'll try to convert you and you'll find yourself signing up for 24 hour relays where you get no sleep, run twelve and a half miles or so, have to smell each other's tired and stinky feet, pack up a whole car load of stuff, drive two hours, feel like you're running through a scene of The Blair Witch Project, lay on the ground with ear plugs so you don't hear the crazy people talking and the trains going by, and then get up to go to work the next day.</li>
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And then they'll want you to do it again next year.<br />
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<b>Anything you want to add? (Anyone except my husband may answer. Ha!)</b></div>
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Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-39909042340056249912015-05-13T10:41:00.000-04:002015-05-13T10:41:33.066-04:00what i love wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWtbHtFpnFLjUKiOhOMv-8TY6A2Q9DD3UTSrFTpBsSMvtmYCg5MnCuZieFegLeHiThIlV-GFioPK_9YEeqQATCvxTnrpGCujixR-wCLg2pzYTA9LRkemJMwa5vGrkMxKVVlIP0-ZHHRuB/s1600/wilw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWtbHtFpnFLjUKiOhOMv-8TY6A2Q9DD3UTSrFTpBsSMvtmYCg5MnCuZieFegLeHiThIlV-GFioPK_9YEeqQATCvxTnrpGCujixR-wCLg2pzYTA9LRkemJMwa5vGrkMxKVVlIP0-ZHHRuB/s320/wilw2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The <a href="https://www.mastgeneralstore.com/winston-salem">Mast General Store in Winston-Salem</a> has officially opened.<br />
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I'm not really loving this but it seems really silly to NOT use it when they give you cash back on items you'd purchase anyway. So have you started using <a href="https://ibotta.com/r/gjeeg">Ibotta</a> yet? It's a lot like Cartwheel and I've already quickly made $5 back on purchases in the last week.<br />
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I read a tip somewhere that you could use hair conditioner to shave your legs and it's so simple and works so well. Try it!<br />
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<a href="http://www.projectrepat.com/">Project Repat T-shirt Quilts</a><br />
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I'm really thinking about getting one of these made with all of my race shirts. I have entirely too many technical tees and this is a good way to make them useful and still keep them. Right now there's an excellent promo going on for May.<br />
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I won a copy of Christy Nockels new album from Jennifer at <a href="http://thesimplepen.com/">The Simple Pen</a> and I am loving the upbeat "Freedom Song." It makes me very happy. Take a listen if you have the chance.<br />
<br />Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-48671775413052541582015-05-07T07:31:00.000-04:002015-05-07T08:09:25.257-04:00dealing with depression and anxiety [part 3]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Alternate title: meme overload</div>
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This is the third and final part in a series of posts I've written on depression and anxiety. <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2015/05/dealing-with-depression-and-anxiety.html">Part 1</a> from last week is <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2015/05/dealing-with-depression-and-anxiety.html">here </a>and <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2015/05/dealing-with-depression-and-anxiety_5.html">Part 2</a> was published earlier in the week and can be found <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2015/05/dealing-with-depression-and-anxiety_5.html">here</a>. I'd love to have your input either in the comments or via email.<br />
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I don't know everything. Not even close. I just want to talk about my experiences. The only things I really know about depression and anxiety I've had to figure out on my own. Since no one really talks about this like it's ordinary mental health, it's hard to share it with people without feeling like you're begging for attention or without feeling judged.<br />
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I first recognized I had some anxiety and depression issues outside of normalcy when I had a 4 month old baby. I had a really, really hard time adjusting to being at home all day putting someone else's needs above my own literally 24 hours a day (86,400 seconds).<br />
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My sister was in graduate school and lived with us during that time. My husband, mom and sister were a terrific support system for me with a newborn baby. They knew I was depressed before I knew. They cried with me, listened and talked with me.<br />
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As a first time mom with breastfeeding issues weighing me down, I was going crazy from the sleep deprivation, alienation from my ordinary life, and adjustment to all of the demands of caring for a child. I cried daily. I counted the hours until Jonathan came home from work. I hardly took care of myself.<br />
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After Julianna was about 5 or 6 months old things finally started getting better. I would say I was back to my normal self by the time she was 9 months.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--ytzJs7qMfk/VUekBawxJBI/AAAAAAACsK0/zs8aZgq5H5w/s1600/Screenshot_2015-05-02-18-06-09.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--ytzJs7qMfk/VUekBawxJBI/AAAAAAACsK0/zs8aZgq5H5w/s1600/Screenshot_2015-05-02-18-06-09.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I struggled for a little bit with trying to find a balance between being a mom and working or staying at home. I decided staying at home wasn't right for me and began looking for a teaching job again. I went through a sad time when I couldn't find the right job.<br />
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When we began planning on having another baby I became really anxious about dealing with PPD again. I was proactive enough to talk with my doctor and get on antidepressants when I became pregnant. When Josh was born I had a much, much, much easier time. Second baby, sure, but the meds helped too. I felt ready to get off of them before he reached six months.<br />
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I got a full time teaching job before Josh was a year old. I've dealt with parenting and working full-time over the last five years pretty well I would say. I've managed most of my emotions and stress with running. I haven't been on antidepressants at all. I've definitely had the usual roller-coaster periods but never been as sad as I was the past couple of weeks.<br />
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All of this being said, I would like to share the few things that have helped me.<br />
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Here are my tips for dealing with depression and anxiety for what they're worth:<br />
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1. Let your closest friends and family know that you're feeling down.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zVjImmY4dnA/VUoHsuj9K3I/AAAAAAACsTQ/dDdig0gyFGk/s1600/Screenshot_2015-04-01-13-14-07.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zVjImmY4dnA/VUoHsuj9K3I/AAAAAAACsTQ/dDdig0gyFGk/s1600/Screenshot_2015-04-01-13-14-07.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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2. Make sure to get outside, sunshine or not, every day.<br />
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3. Make yourself run or do whatever other kind of exercise you typically like to participate in even though you don't feel like it.<br />
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4. Make a point to eat nutritious foods.</div>
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5. Read the Bible and think about what God has done for you.</div>
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6. Take a shower and get dressed in something other than sweatpants. Wear make-up and comb your hair.</div>
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7. Take a picture of something you're thankful for every day. Then flip back through them before you do to sleep.</div>
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8. Do all of these things even when you don't want to. Believe me: you're not going to want to but do them anyway.</div>
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9. Think about doing something kind for someone else. If you feel up to it then do it, but if not at least write it down so that you'll remember to do it later.</div>
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10. Make a conscious effort to rephrase what you say so that it sounds confident and positive. This is a hard one.</div>
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<b>Leave a comment with the last thing you did but add "Like a Boss" to the end of it.</b></div>
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<b>Any tips you want to add?</b></div>
Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-77232763613385101112015-05-06T09:52:00.000-04:002015-05-06T09:52:00.063-04:00my review of Blue Apron meals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'd heard so many good things about Blue Apron that I decided I needed to try it. I got a coupon code for the Family Plan and ordered 2 meals for 4 people which brought the standard price of $69.92 to $49.94<br />
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I received Spiced Pork Chops with Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Garlic Spinach for the first meal and the second meal they sent me was Turkey Meatloaf with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Snap Peas. They both came in one delivery.<br />
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<b>Delivery</b><br />
The website told me I would receive it on a Wednesday and it actually was delivered the day before. That typically wouldn't be a problem for me except that Tuesday was Jonathan's birthday so we were already going out. Plus, I had a fridge full of cake and ice cream and then tons of other leftovers and junk that needed to be thrown out but I didn't have the time to deal with it since we had plans. So fridge space was way tight that day.<br />
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The box was packed pretty well. Everything came packed on ice packs and was still nice and cold when I got home from work. The meat was directly on the ice and there were paper bags with the other ingredients separated by meal. Everything came portioned out in it's own little container and the only problem my delivery contained was that a bit of the ketchup squeezed out of the meatloaf ingredient bag.<br />
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<b>Preparing the Food</b><br />
The dishes were very easy to prepare and they came with step by step illustrated directions. The best part was that the ingredients were already measured.<br />
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<b>Taste</b><br />
I first made the Spiced Pork Chops. You basically put a spice rub on the meat and fried them in a pan. Then you de-glazed the pan with a pork demi-glaze sauce and while the meat was extremely tender, it really didn't have any flavor to it. My family said they liked the usual pork chops I make better than these even though they're not as tender. The Garlic Spinach and Cheesy Mashed Potatoes were easy to make and delicious. I'd definitely jazz my usual up again and make these sides with ingredients I already keep on hand at home.<br />
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The second meal was Turkey Meatloaf, Snap Peas, and Mashed Potatoes. The meatloaf was pretty good. I typically make lean ground beef meatloaf so this turkey loaf was a smidge different for my family. The sugar snap peas were not something I'd usually prepare but I really liked them even though the rest of my family didn't care for them. Finally, the Creamy Mashed Potatoes were fabulous. Julianna asked if I would make my mashed potatoes with heavy cream from now on after she learned why they were so good (Look at that cute little bottle of cream!).<br />
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I wish I had taken pictures of the cooked dishes but I forgot to do that so I'm sorry if you wanted to see the finished product.<br />
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Overall, definitely good eats but in the end I don't think the food was so much better than my usual home cooked dinner that I would have to order from Blue Apron again.<br />
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<b>Bottom Line</b><br />
I think this was a fun experiment and certainly worth trying but I won't order again. With the 2 free meals the cost was reasonable, the food was as easy to prepare as something I would usually fix, and the taste was plenty good enough for us. I just don't think it's a service worth paying for unless you just really don't like to shop, plan and chop/measure. Unfortunately, with Blue Apron meals, the cooking/cleanup part still has to happen and I don't think that's something that's going to change.<br />
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<b>If you've tried it I'd love to hear what you thought!</b>Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-77758107131278795862015-05-05T08:08:00.000-04:002015-05-06T07:04:04.831-04:00dealing with depression and anxiety [part 2]Continued from <a href="http://www.aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2015/05/dealing-with-depression-and-anxiety.html">a post I wrote last week</a>...<br />
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I've long since known that the best way to manage my depression and anxiety is through exercise.<br />
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When I exercise I get enough sleep. I feel good about myself and all other areas of my life have more meaning. I'm more patient with my children, I work harder at work, I work harder at home. I'm not lazy and lethargic. I pay more attention to what I eat and when I eat it. I socialize more when I run. I actually want to bathe and put on decent clothes instead of just sweats. Some of these are crazy sounding, I know. I wrote about a lot of these things when I talked about <a href="http://aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2015/02/incentives-for-grades-etc-why-i-believe.html">why I encourage my children to run</a>.<br />
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As I've been working my way out of the funk that I described a few days ago I started making little lists of what I could do to help. I mentioned that I knew what needed to be done but I just didn't know how to start the climb. Apparently, I just had to think about it for a few days and then just decide to start.<br />
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One of the things I kept thinking about over and over again was running.<br />
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For comparison's sake, the numbers below represent my running miles for the last 9 months beside of a number representing my depression and anxiety level on a scale of 1 (virtually none) to 10 (through the roof level).<br />
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And because I'm a nerd I decided to graph the data to see the real correlation.<br />
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You can see that there's a clear relationship between the ups and the downs in my mileage per month and my level of anxiety and depression.<br />
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Not surprisingly, my weight also has a direct correlation with this information. Naturally, my weight is highest when I'm depressed and not running. My weight is lowest when I care about what I put into my body and when I'm taking care of it with exercise, good sleep and nutrition.<br />
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This is Why I Run.<br />
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My weight is at the highest it's been in a couple of years. (I looked. July of 2012 was the last time I weighed this much and though I weighed ten pounds more than that just a couple of months before that, I refuse to put those ten pounds back on.)<br />
<br />
It is not fun to dislike your body and it is not fun to feel anxious about everything, sensitive, and sad all the time.<br />
<br />
I've started tracking my runs and including notes about weight and nutrition, not just times and distances.<br />
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Just like with dieting and tracking what you eat, I'm finding that simply by being intentional and taking note of this information I'm becoming more aware of it and it's helping me make better choices.<br />
<br />
I'm sure if I listed them all out there would literally be a hundred reasons why I run. (I will save this post for another day because I don't want it to take away from the purpose of this series and Mental Health Awareness month.)<br />
<br />
For now, I'm running for mental health. I'm running to manage my anxiety and depression. I'm running to deal with life.<br />
<br />
<b>Why do you run? What other ways do you cope with emotions? </b><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>To be continued...</i><br />
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<br />Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-46155857724088892302015-05-01T13:32:00.000-04:002015-05-04T12:35:39.214-04:00dealing with depression and anxiety [part 1]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
A whole week goes by. I don't run. I feel bored, stressed, little energy, no motivation.<br />
<br />
I don't sleep well. My back starts to hurt.<br />
<br />
My diet, which had been going so well starts to crumble. My dedication fades. I stop caring about eating right.<br />
<br />
I stop playing with the kids. I have little patience for their stories which seem to take an eternity to finish.<br />
<br />
While I still cook dinner and switch the laundry over it's like everything moves in slow motion now.<br />
<br />
I quit posting my thankful pictures. I just don't care.<br />
<br />
I start feeling a pull to eat something horrible for me. I order a burger and hot chips at a restaurant. The 2000 calorie meal only makes me feel terrible. I sit on the couch later, sad and frustrated. Mostly just mad at myself. Plus, I'm miserable with a stomachache and gerd and don't sleep well because of it.<br />
<br />
Then the stress and tension from no sleep causes a pulled neck muscle. The stiff neck makes me uncomfortable all day... not wanting to run or move or anything.... vicious cycle.<br />
<br />
I go to running practice because I said I would but I don't want to. I'm only there because I said I would be there. That's reason alone to commit to group exercise.<br />
<br />
But now, since I've messed up the beginning of the week in every other way, it's easy to find excuses to miss the rest of my runs.<br />
<br />
I'm about as depressed as I've been since Julianna was five months old.<br />
<br />
I long for the routine of a training schedule. I need the structure of a list and checking off a training run each day on a calendar. I long for a consistent diet and adequate quality sleep.<br />
<br />
I need the exhaustion that comes after a hard workout. I need the physical fatigue that comes from a two hour run, not the fatigue of little sleep, pulled muscles, and couch-sitting.<br />
<br />
I need to get back to eating nutritious meals and not feeding my emotions. At the very least I need to not eat doughnuts for breakfast.<br />
<br />
I know what has to be done. It's could be any of several different things that I know will work. I just don't know how to start the climb.<br />
<br />
<i>To be continued...</i><br />
<br />Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-7365541217339509812015-04-29T11:35:00.000-04:002015-04-29T11:37:16.696-04:00Family Force Five {FF5} review + giveaway<i style="background-color: white; color: #434344; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">I was not paid for this post, however Family Christian did send me a copy of Time Stands Still to listen to and review. Plus they are giving away an appreciation certificate to one reader. The links below are not affiliate links. As always, the opinions expressed below are my own.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOfLVrtga3ZMaQ-aBsVPPYSQZkYcXpLcrFk53-RqwmyG6AnMKc3lnyibrj7NHdOH1U1AfFc8ddSxHK5NZVcdDQjBA89dfBQshdIDAUQ9uuAb5Zts-zM6KlN5_qECopa8UDjVd9bARmpCN/s1600/FamilyForce5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOfLVrtga3ZMaQ-aBsVPPYSQZkYcXpLcrFk53-RqwmyG6AnMKc3lnyibrj7NHdOH1U1AfFc8ddSxHK5NZVcdDQjBA89dfBQshdIDAUQ9uuAb5Zts-zM6KlN5_qECopa8UDjVd9bARmpCN/s1600/FamilyForce5.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://crossroadmagazine.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/FamilyForce5.jpg">image </a><a href="http://crossroadmagazine.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/FamilyForce5.jpg">source</a></td></tr>
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When <a href="http://aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2015/02/winter-jam-2015.html">we took the kids to WinterJam a month or so ago</a> they were totally mesmerized when Family Force Five came out wearing wacked out suits and audience members stood up and started dancing all crazy to "Crank it Like a Chainsaw." The "party" they threw at this show was what my kids talked about in the few days following.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimuuR35YA6GzfsWBTX1fyM8hHr4FRNEDptkPI2j2RwLXI3cZhO7VHpKQLqzXFIiHJi5NRJLa7bFGJRyfiHcFKB_e2BpgkZK-qPjr6SMXjuuQCHZoMmCjSToNa3YyUq5Qajxc2mf0QzCw_5/s1600/time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimuuR35YA6GzfsWBTX1fyM8hHr4FRNEDptkPI2j2RwLXI3cZhO7VHpKQLqzXFIiHJi5NRJLa7bFGJRyfiHcFKB_e2BpgkZK-qPjr6SMXjuuQCHZoMmCjSToNa3YyUq5Qajxc2mf0QzCw_5/s1600/time.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.familychristian.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/300x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/2/8/280627.jpg">source</a></td></tr>
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<br />
When I saw that I had a chance to review their latest album "<a href="http://www.familychristian.com/catalog/product/view/id/295473/">Time Stands Still</a>," I jumped at the chance. This band is considered "crunk rock" which makes me laugh in itself, but I just love the positivity of their music and my kids love the upbeat party songs.<br />
<br />
Josh said, "Mom they're the ones that wore glow-in-the-dark clothes, right?"<br />
<br />
No we go down the road singing B-Z-R-K, B-Z-R-K, Go berserk and bouncing along.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.familyforce5.com/">Family Force Five</a><br />
<br />
<b>Use the widget below for your chance to win a $10 certificate to Family Christian and you can get your own copy. Giveaway ends Sunday 5/3.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b></div>
<a class="e-widget" href="https://gleam.io/uELjT/family-force-five-review-and-giveaway" rel="nofollow">Family Force Five Review and Giveaway</a>
<script async="true" src="https://js.gleam.io/e.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-40921463445079861612015-04-28T22:17:00.000-04:002015-05-04T12:36:25.624-04:00what i love wednesday<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13538873-mr-penumbra-s-24-hour-bookstore">Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.contentreserve.com/ImageType-400/1493-1/FAF/182/E5/%7BFAF182E5-2F05-4729-B2CD-139D6BB0B19E%7DImg400.jpg">source</a></td></tr>
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<br />
I've just finished this book and it was unique. I love when you stumble upon a movie or book that doesn't fit one of the standard formulas. If you like to read, I think you'll enjoy this one.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT0FzJ3c03hnRZ26t9wCY-2VjAiTnFumLEIAsTpr7HJilFPqwQHvA:b.fastcompany.net/multisite_files/fastcompany/imagecache/inline-large/post/inline-image/inline-strong-kind-bar-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT0FzJ3c03hnRZ26t9wCY-2VjAiTnFumLEIAsTpr7HJilFPqwQHvA:b.fastcompany.net/multisite_files/fastcompany/imagecache/inline-large/post/inline-image/inline-strong-kind-bar-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT0FzJ3c03hnRZ26t9wCY-2VjAiTnFumLEIAsTpr7HJilFPqwQHvA:b.fastcompany.net/multisite_files/fastcompany/imagecache/inline-large/post/inline-image/inline-strong-kind-bar-2.jpg">source</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.kindsnacks.com/store/types/strong-kind">Kind Bars STRONG & KIND</a><br />
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Flavors like Hickory Smoked, Roasted Jalapeno, Honey Smoked BBQ, Thai Sweet Chili, and Honey Mustard. Enjoy free shipping with code APRILSHOWERS on all orders over $25 from 4/20 to 4/24. The BBQ and Jalapeno are my favorites.<br />
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<a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/04/21/boston-marathons-final-finisher-an-inspirational-story/">This Boston Marathon story</a><br />
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I remember watching the Boston Marathon two years ago. I did the <a href="http://aisforbeautiful.blogspot.com/2013/04/run-for-boston.html">Boston Strong run</a> one week after the bombing. I watched it this year and read all the news stories after. This was by far my favorite.<br />
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<a href="http://www.jcpenney.com/arizona-bandeaukini-swim-top-or-hipster-bottoms-juniors/prod.jump?ppId=ens6004880076&catId=cat100630334&deptId=dept20023450025&topDim=Brand&topDimvalue=arizona&dimCombo=Brand%7C&dimComboVal=arizona%7C&currentDim=Brand&currentDimVal=arizona&_dyncharset=UTF-8&colorizedImg=DP1027201417082672M.tif&urlState=/juniors-guys/view-all-juniors/shop-clothing/swimsuits-cover-ups/arizona/_/N-1nwuv2Z42/cat.jump">This swimsuit</a><br />
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It's juniors sizing but adorable and there are tons of other cute ones by Arizona from JC Penney not just for juniors.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhKEcQDzfomDMNTzWxNMOF9BKYvNjuyGowx_mJxmzSI1lav6kpQ7gdhNcAsWqasy_YR5Xhtly5iZT7P_Ubv09DYaE1kSl1dl2ysF0QghFfLSTi098sNB9eRa3F7dcaCyZ6bV2u8k9RIlU/s1600/20150221_170337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFhKEcQDzfomDMNTzWxNMOF9BKYvNjuyGowx_mJxmzSI1lav6kpQ7gdhNcAsWqasy_YR5Xhtly5iZT7P_Ubv09DYaE1kSl1dl2ysF0QghFfLSTi098sNB9eRa3F7dcaCyZ6bV2u8k9RIlU/s1600/20150221_170337.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<br />
This man<br />
<br />
I'm not that great at this birthday shout-out thing but there is a certain husband of mine that turned THIRTY-EIGHT yesterday. He's spent 18 of those years with me and for that reason alone he deserves to have the most awesomest of birthdays. Happy birthday, Booger!<br />
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And that's what I love this Wednesday.<br />
<b>What are you loving lately?</b>Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-83424642995070879202015-04-21T09:26:00.000-04:002015-04-21T09:26:00.114-04:00by the numbers<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>38 days of school left</li>
<li>6 teacher work days left</li>
<li>55 days of summer vacation</li>
<li>42.3 miles run in April</li>
<li>312.2 miles run in 2015 (a bit behind schedule for 100/month)</li>
<li>6 days in a row without running last week</li>
<li>2 days until we get to hear Ben Folds</li>
<li>13 books read in 2015 (a bit behind schedule for 1/week)</li>
<li>2 weeks until my next race</li>
<li>9:54 am the time that my chicken salad sandwich was eaten from my lunchbox this morning</li>
<li>1 week until my next giveaway</li>
<li>25 minutes it took me to read JK Rowling's most recent book</li>
<li>25 pounds I'd like to lose (probably related to number 10)</li>
<li>7 episodes watched of Parenthood so far</li>
<li>2 movies we're going to see in the next week (one at RiverRun Film Festival and one pre-screening of War Room)</li>
<li>2:22:02 my best half marathon time which also happens to be Shalane Flanagan's best Boston Marathon time (HA!)</li>
<li>$360 the amount of money it costs to register early for the Goofy Challenge at the Walt Disney World Marathon</li>
<li>38 gifts I've bought for my husband's 38th birthday</li>
<li>4 weekends available <a href="http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p239125">in our condo at the beach</a> during the next month</li>
<li>1,210,033 people in Costco yesterday</li>
</ol>
Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-37015442086162015372015-04-20T09:10:00.000-04:002015-04-20T09:10:00.118-04:00storiesJosh runs in the living room with the Magic 8 ball he hasn't played with in over a year. "Mom!" he says, "What does this thing do?" I explain that you have to ask it a yes or no question and then turn it over to reveal its answer. He steps away from me a few feet and whispers, "Am I ever going to be able to get a gun?" He turns the 8 ball over and brings it to me and asks me to read the answer.<br />
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"My sources say no," I read.<br />
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Stomping his foot he whines, "Mooooommmm, why's it giving me your answers?!"<br />
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Hey dad have you ever seen somebody poot so hard that you saw it turn green?</div>
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I've never seen anybody poot, buddy.</div>
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I just want to take my pants off!</div>
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Well if you take your pants off we're going to bed.</div>
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Ok fine. I'll just take my shirt off then!</div>
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"Mom, when Santa makes toys out of wood, what does he do with the leaves from the tree branches?"<br />
"Maybe he grinds the leaves up and makes paint with them, Josh."<br />
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<br />
Josh and Julianna built a fort with the couch cushions. Julianna knocks on the door and says, "Hi! It's Julianna Tucker. Can I come in?" She goes in and he tells her it's time to order the pizza. So he calls and orders the pizza. Besides telling the pizza person our phone number for our address he also tells them he wants one cheese pizza and one pizza with one pepperoni slice on it. Clearly he's not related to me.<br />
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I was lying on a towel on our deck in the sun and Josh came up to me with a itty bitty handheld fan he'd gotten from somewhere. I had one arm folded in half under my head and one arm down by my side. He takes his time and aims the fan at each of my legs for a few minutes. Then he moves to the arms starting with the one by my side and then moving to the one folded under my head. He takes on look at it and says, "Hey Mom! This arm's a little bit fatter than the other. Did you know that?" "Sure, Josh." "You must use the other one more. Do you?" "I guess so, Josh. It's my right arm and I'm right handed so I do use it more."<br />
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Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-21900108638542931772015-04-15T07:30:00.000-04:002015-04-15T07:30:02.304-04:00inspirational running quotes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sayings to help you get through the miles:<br />
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<b><u><i>Motivational Quotes</i></u></b><br />
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<ul>
<li>A run begins
the moment you forget you are running. Adidas</li>
<li>A hero holds
on one minute longer.</li>
<li>The feeling
you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting
around wishing you’d run.</li>
<li>There is no
one giant step that does it. It is a lot of little steps.</li>
<li>I may not be
the strongest. I may not be the fastest. But I’ll be damned if I’m not trying
my hardest.</li>
<li>When you
feel like quitting think about why you started.</li>
<li>If you wait
for the perfect conditions you’ll never get anything done.</li>
<li>The voice
inside your head that says you can’t do this IS A LIAR.</li>
<li>It’s
supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard everyone would do it. The hard is what
makes it great.</li>
<li>Obsessed is
a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated.</li>
<li>Sometimes
you just have to pull up your big girl panties and do it whether you want to or
not.</li>
<li>Doubt kills
more dreams than failure ever will.</li>
<li>The miracle
isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.</li>
<li>Unless you
puke, faint, or die KEEP GOING.</li>
<li>When someone
tells you “you can’t” turn around and say “watch me.”</li>
<li>Don’t quit.
Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.</li>
<li>Don’t give
up. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.</li>
<li>Tough runs
don’t last. Tough runners do.</li>
<li>Success isn't
give. It’s earned.</li>
<li>Strive for
progress, not perfection.</li>
<li>One day you
will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you've always
wanted. Do it now.</li>
<li>Suffer the
pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret.</li>
<li>Let us fix
our eyes on Jesus and run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews
12:1</li>
<li>No one can
take away your finish line, even if they crossed it first.</li>
<li>“Don’t bite
off more than you can chew.” Id’ rather choke on greatness than nibble on
mediocrity.</li>
<li>Don’t give
up what you want most, for what you want now.</li>
<li>Believe that
you can and you’re hallway there. Theodore Roosevelt</li>
<li>The dream is
free but the hustle is sold separately.</li>
<li>Excuses will
always be there for you. Opportunity won’t.</li>
<li>If you can’t
fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl, but
whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward. MLK Jr.</li>
<li>Remember
that guy that gave up? Neither does anybody else.</li>
<li>Old ways
won’t open new doors.</li>
<li>The man on
top of the mountain didn't fall there.</li>
<li>It’ll feel
better when it stops hurting.</li>
<li>What if this
were your only chance? Sure, it’ll be painful, but what’s pain? Franz Stampfl</li>
<li>Strength
doesn't come from what you CAN do. It comes from overcoming the things you once
thought you COULDN'T.</li>
<li>I don’t stop
when I’m tired. I stop when I’m done.</li>
<li>The only thing you CAN'T do is STOP.</li>
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<b><i><u>Words From Coach</u></i></b></div>
I also copy the last email and pacing strategy from my Fleet Feet coach. <br />
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<o:p>And finally, I make a list of </o:p></div>
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<b><i><u>People
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This really helps me for some reason. It's kind of like praying for that person each mile, but also more like praying "God, help me not let this person down" or "God, thank you for this person and the influence they've had on me" etc. Very helpful!<br />
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<b>I'd love to know:</b><br />
<b>What are your favorite motivational sayings?</b><br />
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Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-10140983766347499682015-04-14T12:55:00.000-04:002015-04-14T12:55:03.057-04:00half marathon recapSome friends and I went to Myrtle Beach this weekend to run the Divas Half Marathon. We left on Friday and spent a couple of days on the beach and getting ready for the race Sunday. We picked up our packets and were shuttled to the expo by men in golf charts.... felt like a total diva...<br />
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We dressed in tutus and took goofy pictures...<br />
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We fixed a delicious spaghetti dinner for our pre-race meal Saturday night...<br />
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We left the condo before sunrise on Sunday morning...<br />
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We got to the starting line and took a quick picture...<br />
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We headed to our corral and had our picture taken by a drone flying overhead. Then the gun went off and we took off. We had to weave in and out of crowds for at least the first 3 miles. Even the 4th mile was too crowded.<br />
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I ran with Kristine and Jessica for the first 3 miles. Jessica pulled away from Kristine and I first and then I caught back up with Jessica later when Kristine stopped to walk through the 4 mile water stop.<br />
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I stayed with Jessica in my line of vision until about mile 10 or 11. She pulled way ahead of me then and finished 5 minutes ahead of me.<br />
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I walked a lot for the last 5k but mostly during miles 12 and 13. I figured Kristine, Laura, Sherri, or Rachel would come running up on me during one of my walk breaks but I never saw them.<br />
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I kept asking myself, "Who walks during the last mile of a half marathon?" and would make myself only walk three or four steps before running again. Still. The last two miles cost me my goal time of 2:20. I finished in 2:22:02<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXv2mLX_XW1e7erAGqnT6DhlRIa0JRCrduyhVRHModNZ2WwpRF1MAphGA5jU3uORTKWHX0ITtNDhfo_OwNRfDyjZX8jwXtSc4OwkbIKTlNu3j0vgJwhlby-s0KoZqwesR6FSlwGi6Pfh2z/s1600/divas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXv2mLX_XW1e7erAGqnT6DhlRIa0JRCrduyhVRHModNZ2WwpRF1MAphGA5jU3uORTKWHX0ITtNDhfo_OwNRfDyjZX8jwXtSc4OwkbIKTlNu3j0vgJwhlby-s0KoZqwesR6FSlwGi6Pfh2z/s1600/divas.png" height="138" width="320" /></a></div>
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I had three goals: 2:20, 2:28, and 2:30. Despite not making the first one, I am pleased. It's a new PR for me and I realized that I haven't run a flat course besides the Richmond Full Marathon in over two years. It was a beautiful race, but too crowded for my liking and too many newbies that didn't know basic race etiquette like when you walk get over to the right or don't run three people across.<br />
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It was a great weekend that we finished off by sitting on the beach and hanging out at Ocean Annie's.<br />
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Next race in less than 3 weeks and looking at the elevation map I can tell you right now that my time won't be nearly as good. Even so, I can guarantee that it will be full of fun!Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-87212881248071984602015-04-09T08:18:00.000-04:002015-04-09T08:43:31.928-04:00what I wore + a question I need help with<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12lp9oByO_jqSmKxFYgmbyTr3aqUYlM2rOe7g1zLreAXO0wnRyd5T1T_N-qUIiGI56XdBk4TQNHQu0Txuw2y-r7yC-J1U6A26FOM8s74ay9SewbZ0tdN_j9xFGmaSwxHldf1TVqUrAtQp/s1600/denimcoral2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12lp9oByO_jqSmKxFYgmbyTr3aqUYlM2rOe7g1zLreAXO0wnRyd5T1T_N-qUIiGI56XdBk4TQNHQu0Txuw2y-r7yC-J1U6A26FOM8s74ay9SewbZ0tdN_j9xFGmaSwxHldf1TVqUrAtQp/s1600/denimcoral2.jpg" height="320" width="188" /></a></div>
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Here are a few of my outfits over the last couple of weeks. I go through spurts where I actually care what I wear and other times when I really don't give a flip. I'm inspired by all of the cute "What I Wore Wednesday" posts I see all over the internet and I decided to document sporadically what I've been wearing. It's actually been making me a little more intentional about choosing better outfits... but admittedly not much. :) And this post makes me pretty uncomfortable so if you leave a comment please be kind.<br />
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You can tell khaki pants are my standard go-to for work and I love the color blue. I'm going to work on wearing more dresses and skirts now that the weather is warming up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-iCI1gf_i8Ky1vFlA4ousM-CU2xR3hyphenhyphendv4Y8gilre-Ih4UfEhgRwqcybdGWlKfe0G3vyHPp-qG2opRocZ7EPG6qzOIvs1p384rV89-YI_AbRS5Tb7mp5yBKvd2GL7y9Ri0Rj7GN6QMfq/s1600/bluekhaki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-iCI1gf_i8Ky1vFlA4ousM-CU2xR3hyphenhyphendv4Y8gilre-Ih4UfEhgRwqcybdGWlKfe0G3vyHPp-qG2opRocZ7EPG6qzOIvs1p384rV89-YI_AbRS5Tb7mp5yBKvd2GL7y9Ri0Rj7GN6QMfq/s1600/bluekhaki.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Finally, here's what I'm wearing today. My question for you is, would you wear white pants before Memorial Day or is that even a thing anymore? Please help a girl out.</b><br />
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<br />Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-61179638094135648442015-04-08T09:48:00.001-04:002015-04-08T09:48:23.239-04:00what i love wednesday {plus a giveaway}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you haven't tried Chick-fil-A's new Frozen Lemonade, you need to get yourself there in a hurry! Mmmmm! It's so good! Many thanks to #ChickfilaMoms for sending me the coupons. I will most certainly be back for this again!<br />
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I picked up <a href="http://www.familychristian.com/the-runners-devotional-inspiration-and-motivation-for-lifes-journey-on-and-off-the-road.html">The Runner's Devotional from Family Christian</a> the other day. So far it's delightful.<br />
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<a href="http://img.familychristian.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/9/7/9781414348124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img.familychristian.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/9/7/9781414348124.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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I won the WBFJ Birthday Bundle a month ago and I received several CDs. My most favorite has quickly become Lauren's Daigle's album How Can It Be. I am in love with the song, "Trust in You" and I play it on repeat in the car most days.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/laurendaiglemusic">Check out her YouTube stuff here.</a><br />
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I'm also loving the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1939189116"></span>Unspoken<span id="goog_1939189117"></span></a> album. One of the kids had already gotten this for Christmas and then I got another copy when I won the birthday prize. I'd love to send the copy to one of you that is interested. Just fill out the widget below to enter. I'll choose a winner this weekend.<br />
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I got <a href="http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=91340&vid=1&pid=344588022">this dress</a> at the <a href="http://www.tangeroutlet.com/">Old Navy Outlet last week in Myrtle Beach</a>. It was only $12 after the coupons I had and the sale that was going on. It's adorable, comfortable, and stylish. I'm average height, not model tall so it comes to the very top of my knee. I love it.<br />
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<br />Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8451790872807270489.post-65549970599227453312015-04-07T11:37:00.000-04:002015-04-07T12:42:59.465-04:00recipe roundup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WD0hT-ade3nvst0eZlGusBULqETWN6wy_Y_L4b99n3M18cuImvNveAMLG0Lx6pM-ZKXZaZNOq3EowpsPdFI7BIWGxyfOFSNiirDPPDo73Kfr9_rAsPTjHp8L018mLbMpybl8BVMadC_j/s1600/recipe_roundup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WD0hT-ade3nvst0eZlGusBULqETWN6wy_Y_L4b99n3M18cuImvNveAMLG0Lx6pM-ZKXZaZNOq3EowpsPdFI7BIWGxyfOFSNiirDPPDo73Kfr9_rAsPTjHp8L018mLbMpybl8BVMadC_j/s1600/recipe_roundup.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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These recipes I made recently are both winners! I'm trying to branch out a little bit from our same-old-same-old and these did the trick.<br />
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<a href="http://www.budgetbytes.com/2012/08/spicy-noodles/">Dragon Noodles</a> from Budget Bytes<br />
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Triple the sauce except for the sriracha, add a smidge of peanut butter, scallions, lime juice, and chopped peanuts. If you want, you can add chicken for some protein. My kids don't like spicy, but they will eat this.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmh-U0IbStaSyEzVRcQLAToVhr9mK9gkC5M4BS55ECe2oDd6cZufZZmOroAc8gX5OP9IlAZxZmoOFGiZBFxFSUAZ2YZaHZFP5WIo6Q05Xqe-IiWMiQzHH_H1YCRBv4P8gmpfjbsqJp1VN/s1600/20150406_175020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwmh-U0IbStaSyEzVRcQLAToVhr9mK9gkC5M4BS55ECe2oDd6cZufZZmOroAc8gX5OP9IlAZxZmoOFGiZBFxFSUAZ2YZaHZFP5WIo6Q05Xqe-IiWMiQzHH_H1YCRBv4P8gmpfjbsqJp1VN/s1600/20150406_175020.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my version</td></tr>
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This one I got from a friend's Facebook status and altered a bit to fit our likes/dislikes. I've never had Korean food, but I've smelled the Korean BBQ food truck and these pork tacos are what I would imagine that Korean BBQ tacos taste like. Delicious and so easy!<br />
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pork tenderloin<br />
2 Tbsp hoisin<br />
2 Tbsp soy sauce<br />
2 cloves chopped fresh garlic<br />
1 inch chopped or grated fresh ginger<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar<br />
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar<br />
1 - 2 Tbsp garlic chili paste (adjust as needed for heat level)<br />
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Dump ingredients in crock pot and cook all day. Serve with soft flour tortillas and slaw.<br />
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<b>I'll definitely make both of these again and I encourage you to try them. What good food have you eaten (or better yet, made) lately?</b><br />
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<b>Leave me some comment love!</b>Courtneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16179877206423085964noreply@blogger.com0