Football Sunday

Hello Monday

~ todaysadventureis ~ Leave a comment

Monday – it is what you make it, so if you think it’s going to be a “typical” Monday, then it probably will be.

I like Monday’s, like to think of them as a new start, a way to get back on the game plan for food, exercise, goals, whatever really.

Here’s to a new week, make it a good one!

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Today is the first day of The Balanced Life Sisterhood activity. I have my workout calendar for the month printed and am going to do my Pilates workout for the day as soon as I’m done posting! Santa Barbara training also starts this month, so I integrated the two schedules into something that will work for me. I won’t be doing every workout on the specified day, but I will do all the workouts for the month.

After my Sunday morning run I had a little back and knee pain, so came home and did the Stretching and Stress Relief workout that was a bonus when I signed up for the membership. I have to say I felt 100% after I did that. I may have found the balance of running and non-running activity to keep me as pain free as possible.

Now to add a few more runs per week…have to be up to 4 a week in two weeks which means adding miles a bit quicker than is recommended.

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I kept things pretty low key this weekend. Still feeling a bit sad missing Bishop, so wanted to give myself time to be calm and not have many social pressures to live up to. Sky had a bowling birthday party Saturday afternoon and she LOVED it! She also loved the shoes and really, really wanted to keep them. I have always thought bowling shoes were sort of cool, so I get it.

I did a lot of this over the weekend…finished the HP series, read some of my cooking magazines and found a ton of new recipes to try, started a new book, and drank some good wine.

Sky and I watched the SB together and danced and sang our way through the half time show. Thank you KP for keeping it kiddo friendly! Mark and Silas were gone as he opted to not watch the SB this year. He did get to spend hours of uninterrupted time at Bass Pro Shop and Cabelas. Between not being fans of either team, and then just not caring after dealing with Bishop neither one of us was all that jazzed about the big game.

I watched though because I love football even when I don’t love the team(s) playing. It was a great game, close which the SB should be, and Sky loved cheering! I won’t say which team she was cheering for, but man she got into it and gave it her all! The more she can scream, jump, clap, and yell the more she enjoys football so I do my best to join her and make it as fun as possible. I really just want her to love the game like I do regardless of which team she decides is her team.

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What was your favorite SB food that you ate?
Guacamole…I could live on that stuff!

Football Sunday’s…I’m Going To Miss You!

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Good Monday Morning everyone.  It’s an especially good morning if you’re a Hawk fan! 

I know Hawk fans loved that game and the decisively lopsided win, as they should.  I found it somewhat boring.  Yeah the Hawks made it exciting with one big play after another, but it was lame from a competition standpoint…because there was no competition.  I really wanted to see a good close game.  

One thing all three of us loved was Bruno Mars!  He is one of Sky’s favorite artist to sing along to and she was singing and dancing the whole time!   Can he just do all the SB Half Time shows forever?!  Maybe add in a little JT as well? 

 Yes that’s a leopard print dress over her Steelers sweatshirt…that’s how she rolls.

I’m super happy for all my friends who have been waiting for a SB victory for a very long time!  It’s pretty amazing to watch your team win, and win so convincingly at that, and I’m excited that all my Hawk loving friends get to experience it!

Now I have to figure out how to spend my Sunday’s for the next 7’ish months.  You would think I had planned it this way (I didn’t), but my last half was right when football season started, and training for this year starts tomorrow, right after football is over!  Looks like Sunday will be the perfect long run day!

I am so excited to be back on a training schedule!  There is a time and place for all types of running, but I have been a little unfocused and willy nilly for a bit too long.  I’m really looking forward to having the next 10 weeks mapped out and knowing exactly what days and how many miles I’m running.  The journey to Whidbey Island Half Marathon starts now!!!  

Elya and I had one last “run before training runs start” run Saturday morning.  While I’m excited to get back to training it was nice to have one last “relaxed” run.  Pace, distance, test running gear and fuel…non of that mattered.  We talked the entire time, and enjoyed it.  Not that we won’t enjoy training, but I tend to be a lot more focused when there is a start line looming!

Sky got a little running in as well.  We took her to the park to spend some time on the trails (more like try to tire her out so she’d take a nap and not be too restless during the game) and let her explore a bit.

Maybe she’ll be a trail runner?  Or a sprinter?  Her favorite thing is to stop and wait for us to count her down so she can take off at a sprint.  She doesn’t get very far before she says, “Let’s walk a while”, but after a short walk she’s ready to do it all again.  We got a 3 mile loop in with her.  She tired out the last little bit and we had to carry back to the car (she is getting way too big for that!) but, overall her little legs take her a long ways!

Who ran/raced this weekend?  Tell me how you did!  

What was your favorite SB commercial?
I have two…I love that Cheerios revisited the bi-racial family.  After all the controversy from last years commercial I’m proud of them for sticking with it.  I also really loved Chevy’s commercial recognizing cancer survivors and caregivers…brought me to tears!

What was the best thing you ate or drank during the game yesterday?    
Trader Joes Margarita!

Who would you like to see do a SB Half Time Show?
 Pink, Daft Punk, JT (I think he deserves a do over!). 
 

  

Running Isn’t Always Amazing

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Today’s run was not amazing at all.  I was slow, my legs were tired, I was dehydrated from only drinking coffee all morning, I hit the trails instead of sticking to the pavement (which is my norm), and I cheated on my adidas with the “other” shoes.  My only goal was to make up the miles I missed Wednesday, so being slower doesn’t bother me.  What does bother me is how hard it felt.  My legs were tired and heavy and it just felt like a struggle the entire time.

I know I’m not going to have an amazing run every time, but it still isn’t fun to slog through a rough one.  Thankfully I have a chance to get back on track tomorrow morning with Elya on my favorite new loop.  

You may or may not be aware that there is a big football game this Sunday.  It’s kind of impossible to escape the fact living in WA!  

While I love football I can’t say I love the Hawks.  It’s not that I don’t like the team it’s more that they aren’t the Steelers so I don’t really care.  But, I do care about all my Hawk loving friends…so for them I hope the Hawks win.  It’s a crazy feeling when your team wins the SB, and I want that elation and excitement for them.  

In a little show of support for the local team I opted not to wear any Steelers gear today, and I stopped by the local coffee shop and ordered the 12th Man Mocha.  It’s a white chocolate mocha with blue raspberry. 

This picture doesn’t even come close to showing off the horrific blue color of my coffee.  It was putrid blue.  But, it did taste good if not a bit too sweet. 

Since everything comes back to the Steelers I should actually cheer for the Hawks since they aren’t playing the Steelers this time.  But, despite being a Steelers Fan For Life, I’m also a Peyton fan and would like to see him win after making an amazing comeback.  Plus, I don’t think he will retire until he has at least one more SB ring, and let’s face it…it will be a little easier for the Steelers to get back to the SB if they don’t have to go through Peyton to get there.  So my plan is to cheer for everybody on Sunday.  Whoever is making the big play on every down it getting my support.  That way at the end of the game I’ll be happy either way.

Mostly I’m looking forward to margaritas and fajitas Sunday!  That’s a good combo right there!

Is anyone running this weekend?  

Shout out to my BIL who is running Surf City Marathon this Sunday.  He will be among the 21,000 runners registered.  That seems like so many people!  I know he’s hoping for a PR and I hope he gets it! 

I may actually run Sunday morning with Sky.  Just to get her out of the house for a run/play time at the park before the game starts.  She likes football, but she has her limits.  

Who’s watching the SB and who do you want to win/think will win?

What are you eating and drinking SB Sunday?

       

Run/Football/Pack/Clean the House Sunday

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So much to do to get ready for all the Christmas fun that I won’t be sitting on the couch watching football all day.  It’s ok though, the games will still be one and I will be watching my FF championship game closely, I simply must win this year!

Before all that though I had to get a run in.  My favorite loop was calling my name, so I laced up and headed out for a quick little 3.85 mile run.  Had to get a last run in before hitting up the east side of the state.  My track record for running over there is bad.  As in doesn’t even exist.  I don’t plan on changing that this visit either.  Not going to lie…it didn’t feel good.  In fact I think an old injury has come back and I’m not happy about it.  The arch of my left foot hurt from start to finish.  My knee and hip hurt too, but after a mid-run walking break (I just couldn’t do the hill…was trying not to vomit by that point) those calmed down and I was able to finish the run with just the arch pain, and tummy trouble.  Too many treats, and too much wine!
Still glad I got out there, and now I can focus on stopping the arch issue before it gets any worse!

 Unless their trail shoes, then they should be dirty.  Shower time for me and my Energy Boost’s!

While I’m sad our unexpected trip to San Fran was cancelled (I won’t get to see my favorite people and Sky and I will miss lunch with Liz) it does free me up to take this week off from running, and focus solely on family time.  Realistically I knew running in San Fran wasn’t going to happen, and two weeks of no running just doesn’t work for me at all…which meant some hilly, windy, painfully cold air runs this week.  I’m kind of glad I can take a break and focus on celebrating time with loved ones and relaxing instead!  Plus, there is something about my Aunt and Uncles house that just makes you want to put on pj’s and snuggle all day while watching classic Christmas movies.  

We had an early Christmas Celebration with friends Friday night.  I didn’t take very many pictures…we were too busy eating and drinking.  Ok, mostly drinking the yummy cocktail Michelle made!  Which is why I didn’t get a run in yesterday!

  

Sky and Abi watching Polar Express

She takes gift opening very seriously! 
Using Pictionary cards makes for a challenging night of charades!

Yesterday after re-hydrating with NUUN (the upside of being a runner is always having hydration on hand) I took Sky to the park for some play time.  Pretty much the only time we go to the playground at Ft. St. is when it rains.  We like having the playground to ourselves.  The reality is it’s usually so overcrowded that it’s way to easy for Sky to get lost in the crowd and give me a panic attack!   
“I balancing!”

She spent a lot of time in this playhouse…out of the rain. 
Once we got home it was time for her first cooking lesson!  She is loving the kiddo sized utensils she got from Bob and Michelle!  She is all about “Look Mommy I Cooking” so it’s exciting for her to have her own utensils and do her own “cooking”.  She chopped up her own lunch and snacks for today with Daddy’s help.
  
I don’t mind that it’s going to be a busy Sunday, with Football as the background noise.  It will make getting all the laundry and packing done so much more enjoyable!  Plus, I love coming home from trips to a clean house.  It’s no fun unpacking in an already messy house!   
It will be limited posting next week…focusing more on enjoying family time than posting. 
Merry Christmas and safe travels to all!   

Snuggles, Sniffles, and Not Much Sleep

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This is what last night looked like.  She is so plugged up and “Mommy, nose hurts” that she couldn’t sleep.  I would hold her until she fell asleep, but every time I put her back in her bed she would wake up crying.
Thankfully I was able to sleep on and off while she slept, so I’m tired today, but not overtired.

I finally realized that in addition to not being able to breath while laying down, she is scared of the humidifier, so I turned it off.  It’s a catch 22 because she is scared of it, but it helps her feel better.  Not sure how to get around that issue.  I also wised up sometime early this morning and put her in her bed, laid on the floor next to her and held her hand until she fell asleep.  That way I didn’t wake her up transferring her, and I was able to sleep for a few hours in my own bed.

Needless to say all of today’s plans are cancelled.  I’m totally ok with that.  We are both tired, she is obviously really sick, and it’s raining.

I was going to stick her in the stroller and get 3 to 4 easy, slow miles in, but my knee has really been hurting, like has me worried hurting, since the race Saturday.  Another day of stretching, foam rolling, and not running is probably a good idea.  Especially since I’m probably too tired to pay attention to form today.  Instead I plan on lining up her favorite movies, and setting up a little playground under the covered entry.  Even though she’s sick, she gets sick of sitting around, and has energy to burn.

A few pictures from our play break between football games yesterday.      

    

I can’t really get her to eat much (she really is sick because this kid eats everything we give her!) so I’m relying on some of her favorites: string cheese, crackers (low sodium), and black olives.  Just trying to keep her hydrated and get some food in her tummy.  She didn’t even eat the chocolate chip pancakes I made yesterday, what kid passes those up?!   
Thankfully it’s a quiet week for the most part.  We are able to lay low and focus on getting better so we can get out of quarantine in time for Christmas!  
Anyone else a fantasy football player?  
I have a 17 point lead, but my opponent has Smith going tonight.  If I can just hold on I’ll be in the championship game!!!  The Steelers not only got it done on the field, they got it done for me in fantasy football.  Bell, Brown, and Big Ben did what I needed them to, ok Ben could have got a few more points, but the other two did great!