Thoughts, Pictures, Wyatt's bday party and Whatever else

Last night was a rough night.  I started feeling extremely tired at work and then the migraine symptoms started... spotted vision, things sounding weird, looking weird, extreme exhaustion, etc.

It was a good thing Wyatt's game was cancelled because I needed to just do nothing.  I asked Dale if he could handle dinner.  No problem.  I laid down on the couch and was out.  I'm thankful it didn't turn into a full blown migraine.  I haven't had issues with that in a really long time.  I'm not really sure what's up but I need to get this out of my system.  I got up to eat and go to bed and that was about it.  I did throw some laundry in the washer and actually got a load completed even dried and folded AND put away with very little fuss.  Dale took care of dinner, baths, and the clean up.  So thankful for having such a great husband. 

I feel better today but still a little on the tired side.  I really need to fuel up for Saturday!  I'm excited and I'm ready to just run it.  No pressure about time.  I want to push my limits a little but not too early.  I want to go with the flow as much as possible.  I might even turn the sound on my app off of and only look when I feel like I need to.  We'll see how it goes.  

I did my last run on Monday.  It was around 12 miles with an 8:20 pace in the rain.  I did have to take a break at mile 5 because of the storm and lightning that was getting too close, but at the end of my 12 I still felt like I could keep going.  I have no worries of surviving Saturday.  I'm totally in this to run off of how I feel.  Of course I want a good time, but I'm not breaking any records or anything.  I'm totally in this for the experience.  No negative thoughts.  Nothing but self love and praise!   

This is my friend/might as well be sister Lyndsey.  Can you believe that is her natural eye color?  Beautiful!  I love this picture of her.  She married one of my husband's best friends from college and we've been in each other's lives ever since.  They came to support me for the show and I had Wyatt's bday party kind of short notice to make sure they would be here for it. 

My brother, my soon to be sister-in-law, T, Stacyyyyyy

Billy is up next on that WBFF stage.  LOL!  He'd never!

I whined because I didn't have shades and they thought this was a good solution.

Siblings... there when you need them.

Totally related and totally all squint our noses the same when we are cracking up apparently. 

We don't feel like we get enough pictures together.

This is about all I have of party pics.  My dad was playing photographer.  These 2 are the only ones I have with my good camera.  And, of course Wyatt's face would be hidden!

Found these on my phone...

I threw this one in there because I forgot I took these early this spring.  It was cold but they wouldn't stop playing in the muddy water. 

Wyatt's field day - blast!

The girls beat them twice. 

This one... well, that's my son and his "friend" Kyra.  He's talked about her since the beginning of school and they will be having an ice cream "date" this Friday for his birthday.  I haven't told him yet. 

I'm excited about this summer.  I'm excited about not having an official plans or goals until the end of August as far as running and lifting goes.  I haven't worked out at all this week and I miss it bad.  Hopefully I can work it out to go to the gym with Dale during the week and run in between.  Who knows, I might get up early for a few early morning runs just because I miss it. 

I want to get stronger though.  I want more muscle bulk, like 5 to 7 pounds.  I don't want to get ripped and I know this will be hard with running so much, but I want more mass.  So, I'm thinking about things like that and how to get there.  I'm also thinking that next week I will get something moving around a Saturday morning get together with a bunch of people who want to get in shape and learn some things.  I'm no expert but I'm here to help where I can. 

I'm excited to hang out with super heroes in little clothes who steal my high heels. 

 

I'm excited about good times with good friends.

I'm excited about tanned skin and keeping my DIVA on. 

I'm excited about what this summer and next year will bring after I come down off the high of living so fully so far this year.  Who knows what all there is to come, but it's exciting!

Until I Read These Posts

Ya know, last night I had a bad night.  I've been in training all day at work, which is exhausting, I haven't planned meals this week, so my drive home is stressful trying to think of what we have and what I could get fixed and give myself time to workout before dinner is served at an extremely late hour.  I had a pity party.  My life was stressful, debt collectors call my house at 9pm desperately trying to get their money from someone else all the while waking up my kids I just threw in bed early because I couldn't take the fact that they just flooded the bathroom AGAIN.  Poor, poor me.  Today it was more of the same.  I'm getting a headache, I'm exhausted, I still can't fully hear out of my ear, blah, blah, blah. 

I put up this big talk sometimes about never quitting, about living your life to the fullest, about being your best self.  It can't happen 100% of the time and we all have to be ok with that.  Pull your big girl pants back up, lace up your shoes, throw a hair tie in your hair and be better tomorrow. 

I was sitting here getting that pissed off at the world thought again for no good reason when I decided to catch up on some blogs I've been missing over lunch.

Wow!  I know I refer you all to Amanda a lot, but there is good reason for that.  She is a great writer, inspirer, and friend.  She wrote about Superheros.  Her superhero son and superheros in life.  Such a great, great read that I can really relate to. 

And then I flipped over to Kristen's.  My goodness, what an inspiration.  Talk about a SUPERHERO.  Anything I write about it won't do it justice.  I had goosebumps the entire time I read it.  Watch the video too.  Talk about someone being their best self in times when it was hard to be the BEST at anything at all. 

I'm ashamed.  Ashamed that at times I let myself get too wrapped up in my own thoughts, observations that I turn into stories, and thoughts.  I make it all about me and how fed up I am at this and that.  A lot of times I write here and I'm speaking mainly to myself because it is what I need to hear.  Today was going to be one of those days where I just lay it out there and I was going to let you validate how we all have it hard some days and how you feel me and let me know I'm not alone.  Until I read these posts, got out of my own head a little bit, and set myself straight.

We all have it hard from time to time.  We all need to give ourselves a break when we aren't feeling our best self.  We need to let the mountains and the valleys rise and fall so that we can do the same.  We will never be our best self if we don't learn to take the steps to make it so.  To turn that bad day into the best tomorrow your child has lived.  To ask God for forgiveness for the poor girl you chewed out last night just for doing her job and plea that he gives her a big blessing today.  To let your sons jump from the coffee table to the couch more times than you can possibly count because in their minds they are being their best self and saving lives with every superhero noise they are surprisingly good at making.  They are practicing for their tomorrows as we are preparing for ours. 

There is no coincidence that I read Amanda's first.  There is no coincidence that Amanda's led right into Kristen's and there is no coincidence that I needed to read and hear both of them today, right now, in this moment.  And there is no coincidence as to why you are reading this now. 

Listen. Think. Apply - maybe this is my motto for 2013!  It's becoming a pattern.
Happy thoughts, friends and happy weekend.

Dreams To Memories

You know when you write things down on your bucket list and then immediately think, “there’s no way in hell I will ever get to doing this” but you write it down anyway thinking there is a slim chance you might get a wild hair and book the trip or say “To hell with it, I’m DOING it” and just DO IT? People, I can barely contain the excitement in my chest for this one.

I will be on a team running … HOOD TO COAST this year!!! I really can’t be more excited about it. I just wish it was sooner than later. I wrote this item down on my bucket list shortly after I started running last year. I’ve always wanted to travel up north because the beauty of it all. Then following several of you runners out there who blog, I fell in love with wanting to run this race. To have this fun, to experience life in a whole new way. And now, it is happening.

It’s been over a year since I made the decision to start living my best life and there have been setbacks and disappointments. There have been times where I wondered what I was doing it all for. There have been times I’ve taken breaks. But, it always comes back; that thrill, that motivation, the drive and determination to keep going, it always comes back. I see little benefits, payoffs, rewards ever so often that keep reminding me to keep going. I see my boys want to do push-ups, or want to get their workout clothes on and step down to the basement for a workout. Weston, at 23 1/2 months, even joined me for a few push-ups the other day. It means the world to me that they are seeing it. That it is becoming part of their growing up, part of them, to live healthy, to move, to work for what they want.

I’ve seen my husband get back into running more, maybe not because of me, but because he is finally healthy enough to do so. I’ve seen my booty come back, but not the old booty. This booty’s solid. The payoffs have been priceless and life-changing. Sure, I have to make adjustments in my life to make it all work out, but that’s the beauty of it. It’s a challenge to see what I can do to get things to fall into place. Sometimes I’m completely up for it and sometimes I’m just not.

I was bummed about the timing. My biggest source of inspiration is having her big weekend the same weekend. World’s for the WBFF Championships are that same weekend in Vegas and I wanted to be there for my sister this year in person. I want to see her win that title. I couldn’t make my decision until I talked to 2 people, her being one of them. As always she was just about as excited as I was and told me to absolutely go for it. We will be training for the same weekend to kick some serious butt and making more dreams that sit nicely on our pillow tops made into lifelong memories.

I was thrilled when Dale gave me the go-ahead, so, short of buying my plane ticket, this is happening! And, I couldn’t be happier! I’m hoping to meet up with some of you that will be running or will be in the area. Please let me know. Anyone that wants to throw any awesome running gear my way, I would be happy to wear it, too. Ha!

I’m not really sure what all I just got myself into, but I’m ready for the experience. Bring it, August!!
Thank you so much, Molly and Jason for the opportunity.  I can't wait to experience this with you all!