A storm pops up, are you ready?

I loved storms until we moved into this house, 2.5 stories on a hill. I guess I still love storms just not those that pop up during the early morning hours... waking us from our sleep with hail, wind, and LOTS of lightning. I woke up but I thought I was still dreaming, sat up and looked at Jake and said, "so do we need to get the kids downstairs?" We popped up and as pre-planned I grabbed Taryn and the dog (in her crate), Jake got the boys up and we took them down the stairs to our safe spot. Sadly, if it had been a real tornado we would not have made it. By the time we got everyone out of bed a down two flights of seven stairs we were at the front door as the hail stopped. We still had to walk through the ping pong room and down one more set of seven stairs to get to a safe place. There is no faster way to get down there.

I had never heard a storm like this one so this morning when I took Alana outside I expected to see wind or hail damage but there was none. The storm shredded green leaves and plastered them to the sides of our house and cars and all over the road and that was it.

I am so glad that nothing really happened but all of this is a great reminder that our home and possessions could be stripped from us at any moment. I always think I am fine with that, as long as the family is safe, but I really don't want to ever have to find out. I think it's time to re-evaluate our priorities and our stuff. Time to purge things in life and possessions that get in our way. I won't go into details of everything that has happened over the last couple of weeks but we have seen and heard to much... sadness, loss, unexpected events. Life on this earth is temporary. Are you ready for what comes next?

Some families have another baby... we got a dog.

We have a new member of our family. She was a birthday present for Taryn's 5th birthday. Everyone meet Alana...

This picture was taken a couple days after we got Alana. We went hiking with my parents to Hemlock Falls near Moccasin Creek State Park, Clarkesville, GA. This trail is a great one for kids our age. My parents said it's a 2 mile trail. My husband thought it was more like 3 round trip. Either way, Taryn, our youngest was able to walk the entire trail without complaining of being tired. This was her dogs first hike and she LOVED it! She wanted to smell and see everything as she pulled us down the trail. When we reached the falls it really looked like she was just standing there admiring it all.

Now about Alana. Alana was Lana but for some reason we were having trouble saying her name. Somehow adding an A to the beginning made it magically easier. She was rescued by the local humane shelter from the pound. She had already been tagged to be put to sleep so the wonderful people from the shelter made it just in time to save her. They told us she is probably a chihuahua/rat terrier mix and around 2 years old. She has very soft fur that does not shed* and she was already housebroken and crate trained. She is a big cuddler. For the first few days that is all she wanted to do. She would barely eat and she was not thrilled with treats or toys. Our first thought was maybe she was never played with before but now I think she was just nervous. She was obviously a very loved, well taken care of, played with dog. According to the shelter her previous owner dropped her off at the pound to be put to sleep. She said that is what people tend to do when they move and can't take their dog. It could have been very bad for cute little Alana but thanks to the Humane Society Alana is now one really happy and well loved dog.

*Edited to add... does not shed... hahaha!!! She sheds, just not in the month of March.

My Boy Runs

Our 9 year old son is training for a 2k.  Jake took him with him for his half-marathon training today. It was a 4 mile run, with hills, and they finished in 45:16!! Jake said he kept the 11 min pace the whole time and then sprinted it out in the end. When Jake asked him about the 2k he replied, "Yea, I should be able to sprint that one." hahaha, we shall see!  It's hard to face the fact that my 9 year old is faster than me but I am SO proud of him!

Eating Healthy

I thought I would share a couple of things that I have been eating since I started this 2012 journey to better health. Last night for dinner we had salad. Yum! I LOVE salad.

Salad:
- Green leaf and iceberg lettuce (I forgot to put my spinach leaves)
- Chopped Carrots
- Just a little shredded cheddar cheese (maybe 1 Tbs)
- About 1/2 Tbs of turkey bacon pieces
- Chickpeas
- Honey Mustard Dressing (I put just enough on my salad for taste)
- My family put grilled chicken on theirs. I opted to leave it off.

A new favorite for me is a green smoothie. I make it in a magic bullet cup so I am not 100% sure on the amount of stuff I add but I will guess for you.
Green Smoothie:
- 2 handfuls of spinach leaves
- 1 banana (peeled of course)
- 1 handful of blueberries
- 2 Tbs plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 Cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 Cup water
Blend until everything is pureed! Super healthy and you can add whatever kind of fruits and veggies you would like.

I will try to remember to take pictures for some of my future posts about food. I love easy recipes and I prefer healthy stuff but you just never know what I might serve up.

But it's to cold...

I knew it was going to be cold so I threw on my sweatpants and a long sleeve t-shirt. I stepped outside and thought this won't be so bad. Then I got out of the car at my daughters school and the wind hit me, burrrr. That's it, I am not running today!! So I get back in my car and start to drive home. But something made me get over in the other lane and pull into the park. I get my mp3 player, ready my watch and off I went. I kept telling myself, "just 1 mile, just 1 mile". I finished my mile and I thought just 2.5 more laps and it's 2 miles, I can do it. So I kept going. The wind chilled my face and made my eyes water. My hamstrings felt like they were burning and for the first time, in a loooog time, I felt my calf muscles (maybe that was muscle forming... because if you have seen my legs I have thighs and then bone down to my feet... it sure would be nice to put some muscle back there!). Feeling my muscles means that my legs are working. I began to think of the pain as something special. The pain means my body is getting stronger.

Feb 28th 2 miles in 26:21:05
Mar  8th 2 miles in 24:40:38
Mar  9th 2 miles in 23:43:05

Do you see what is happening with my time? Yeah!! Even though I took a week off, because I am lazy, my time is still improving. This does not mean that every workout will be faster than the last but it means I am improving. All of these runs have been at the same park with a nice flat surface so when I do get back to my favorite park with the hilly trail run I expect my time to go back up some. Or maybe it won't because I love running on trails... I despise running in circles on a track. So why don't I run on a trail everyday? Good question. The park I run at is convenient. I have to pass it every day after dropping my daughter off so it guilts me into stopping and running. If I can run on this surface then when I do get to run somewhere else it will feel special and fun... right?

Jog.fm

I found this site via Pinterest http://jog.fm/workout-songs/for/10:00/minute-miles . It is a site where you can enter in the pace you want to run and it tells you songs that will help you stay on pace.

The song that kept me going today is called "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts" by T.Pain at sportsmusic.org.

Feel the Burn

I ran yesterday so I thought I might take today off. The more I thought about it the more I realized a little over a mile hardly counts as something that I need a day off from. So around 1:30, when I usually would be ready to take a nap, I put on some shorts and my running shoes... drove to the park and ran 5 laps, which equal 2 miles!! My first mile was 10:10!! Finally under 11 minutes!! I did not time my second mile because I wasn't even planning on running it. Who cares what my time was. I was just happy to go 2!

Ok, so yes I ran the whole first mile. Started walking and then realized I needed to at least try to go a little more. Got to a good beat on my playlist and before I knew it I was finishing up mile two (walked just a tiny bit during mile 2). But I can only get better from here. My next step is to run 2 miles without walking and then push it to 3 miles. I am going to work on a 10 to 11 min mile pace for now. Once I hit 3 miles then I will try to shave off time. I am not looking to run a marathon so 3 miles sounds like a great goal for now. The first 5k I ever ran was finished in about 32 min so I would love to get to the point where I could beat that time.

Running

Jake suggested that we start a running diary so that we can all (Jake, Caleb, and myself) keep up with the miles we run per week. This is a great idea! Then when I remember I can transfer them on to here. I ran today but it was a new course for me and I read the sign wrong. I though I ran 2 miles but it was probably more like 1.5 - 1 3/4.  Whatever it was it took me 20min 31sec. I decided today that my favorite place to run is a wooded, dirt/gravel trail. We have a park not to far from our house that I think is wonderful but it makes Jake nervous for me to go there alone. The park today was nice but most of the path is paved :( However it is much better than the other park I have been running at that is also paved and I have to run 3 laps just to make 1 mile... BORING!!

So how's the weight loss going. Jake is almost under 220 for the first time in several years! I lost 4 pounds since my first post on the 16th and I have been holding steady. I measured myself the other day so I can start keeping up with that as well. Like I said, it's not about the pounds; it's about the inches. I don't even have a goal for how many inches to loose. I just want to see the layer of fat replaced by semi-toned skin with some type of muscle underneath (not looking for a six pack). To me it's very frustrating when people look at me and say you don't need to loose anything... or you don't need to diet. Tall people can hide it better. We look thin until one day "Poof" there is a big ole belly. My family has a history of skinny arms, legs, and no bottom. All of the fat cells collect around the belly and moved towards the back... we don't really get fat in our faces either but just put on water weight. From what I have heard is that belly fat is the worst! So in order to prevent that build-up that can takes years to shed I would like to diet and exercise now.

A couple of products we have used to kick start our diet/exercise:
Slim-Fast Plan: We are trying to follow it but it's not always easy. I have had great success with it before.
5-hour energy and Spark (by AdvoCare): To try to combat my lack of energy I have taken 1 dose of one of the energy supplements around 2pm several days this week. It has helped a lot!! I don't really feel like I have extra energy but it kept me focused and not taking a nap!
Green Tea with Ginger and Ginseng: Instead of drinking one of the above energy supplements today I drank this and it seemed to have the same effect. A whole lot cheaper (and I am sure healthier) so I will stick with this as long as it's working. I will have to update later on to let you know if it's still helping.

Health Assesment

Our insurance requires us to have a yearly physical (we get a discount if we do!). So 2 weeks ago I went. Blood Pressure 104/72, Cholesterol 162, Weight 154... 154 Yikes! So I have definitely put on some pounds. I wish it was muscle, then I would not care. But the fact that I can't fit into any of my summer shorts lets me know that I have to shed a few inches because I can not afford new clothes. I don't care about the number because I know it's in the healthy range for my height. What I do care about is that most of my clothes no longer fit and I am tired all of the time. Key phrase is that I am tired ALL of the time. I had the Dr test my iron, thyroid, and b12 which all came back fine. So maybe it's just laziness? It seems like I was tired even when I was in good shape but I have decided that I have to try again because living the lazy life just makes me feel worse. I don't want to have a goal weight because my goal is to loose inches, not pounds, and add some muscle. I am terrible about keeping up with my blog but I do like to look back and see progress I have made. So I post my weight today hoping that in a few months I will see improvement... and who knows I might be back to blog about it along the way.

Ha Ha

I will begin by laughing because it's that bad. I was all "athletic", did my triathlon, and then... nothing. August 8th, 2010 was my first and only sprint triathlon and I was apparently to tired to even blog about it. I did great, stunk at the swimming but made it through, did awesome on the bike and decent on the run and I finished in the middle of the pack. So why did I just stop everything after that? Maybe it was the fact that it was volleyball season and I had no one to watch the kids so I could continue to train or the fact that I just became straight up lazy. So now Feb, 2012 - almost 20 pounds heavier - I am ready to get active again.

I ran once in January. I ran a mile in a little under 11 minutes. Then I got sick, stayed sick for a month so I did not do anything. A couple days ago I broke out my Billy Blanks and did my 8 min Tae Bo workout. Yesterday morning Jake and I got up early and did the workout together. Then last night we made up our own "Just Move" workout. We joked about posting a how to video online but I think I can explain it. You just get up off your lazy tail and move. As we watched tv we walked laps (big or little living room it does not matter as long as you are moving), then we did some stairs (Now don't laugh because that's not nice). I would like to say we finished it off with some crunches and push-ups but I felt like I was going to fall asleep as I was walking so I will have to add that to todays routine. So far today I ran 1 mile, it took me almost 11 minutes but I was up and moving and that's what matters. I plan to watch my caloric intake today because I am pretty sure the potato chips I ate yesterday minused out any exercise I did.

Calebs first IRON KID

My IRON KID was fun. My favorite part was the run. I got in 87th place. On the bike my shoe lase got stuck around the pedal. But a policeman was there to help me. It was kind of scary. My friend did it to. At the end I got a medal for finishing. Me and my friend played for a little bit. Then we left.

-by Caleb

Walnut Square Scorcher

This morning the boys and I ran the "Walnut Square Scorcher". This is a one mile race around the parking lot of the mall. They broke it down to 3 divisions. Females 11 and up, Males 11 and up, Kids 10 and under. Caleb had a great run. He finished in 8:36 which earned him 3rd place! Taylor finished in 9:18 for a 5th place finish! Way to go boys!! I am so proud of you :)

This was my first time to compete in a 1 mile race. It has been years since I even ran a timed mile so I had no idea how I would do. I did know that I had to beat Caleb's time. Jake had been working on this rivalry for the last few days... mom vs. Caleb! I have to admit, I was nervous. He ran an 8:25 a few weeks ago. As soon as the horn blew I was not thinking about Caleb and his super speedy times. All I could think about was "please don't stop and walk, please don't stop and walk!! It's just 1 mile... I can do it." I feel so silly but for me it has become a mental thing. I think my legs are fine and I think my breathing works ok but my brain says mean things to me while I run... hahaha. Anyway, I started out with the top 5 ladies trying to keep up. They eventually pulled away. Some were just seconds ahead of me but it was a good enough split that I could not catch up in the end. But I didn't care I just wanted to finish without walking! I crossed the line at 8:21... and it felt good. As I filled out my finish card and placed it in the 21-29 basket I got excited! I was the first one in my age group to finish!! I did not expect anything from that. It was just neat to know I finished in what seemed to me to be a good time (for me anyway). So we stood around to hear the results and clap for the winners. Imagine my surprise when they announced my name and I got a medal!! 1st in my age group! Then imagine my laughter when I realized I was the only one in the whole race in my age group :) hahaha. It's still a 1st place finish, I still got a medal and I will be there again next year to try to do it again.

If you are a runner in the area it is worth the fun. They said the past few years there have been about 50 participants. They would really like to see it grow and become a certified event. I don't care about the certified thing and the part of me that won because I was the only one my age makes me like the smallness of it but... it was a lot of fun and I would love to see a large crowd there next year, especially some of my friends who are new or returning to running! I will remind you next year when it's coming up... so be ready... you all know who you are :)

I have pictures on facebook

Trying to be a runner...

Running is definitely my weakest skill in this training. In high school I ran track but was a sprinter. The longest distance I cared to do was 400m. But I always looked up to the girls who could run 1 mile or more with out stopping! Ok runners, laugh... yes 1 mile was something I did not run without stopping until about 1 year after Caleb was born. Then I found out I was pregnant again and did not run for distance (1mile) until Taylor was probably 2 or 3. About 2 years ago I decided to start getting back in shape. We joined the wellness center and I was going to pilates and running twice a week. Then I just lost motivation. I don't remember why but I just stopped exercising. So I spent two years doing nothing! Then something happened. Jake decided he wanted to do a triathlon so he went to sign up for the wellness center again. On his way there we were talking and I decided I wanted him to sign me up. At the time I had no plans to train for anything, I just wanted to get back in shape and stop feeling lazy! As Jake got excited about his training I got excited for him. Then I got to thinking why not try a 5k. So I signed up and started running. I took baby steps into running... ok so I forced myself to run the 3.2 miles on a treadmill and I did it!! I was so excited but my foot was not. Apparently bad shoes and not running for years don't mix well. But I had the 5k to train for so I bought some new shoes and kept running.

Most of my runs have been 1 mile of straight running and then a mix of run/walk for the next 2. Running is hard work!! Some people just get it (Jake) some people don't (me) but I am working on it. I have had many moments of "why am I doing this, this just does not make sense to do this." But I keep on doing it anyway. Signing up for the tri was a way to motivate me to keep trying. Signing up and paying for things such as the 5k or the sprint triathlon are good motivation for me. I want it to be money well spent. I want to have fun and finish so that is why I put myself through the uncomfortableness of running.

I am really excited about something that is about to start at our church. It is called Run for God. It is a 12 week class leading up to the Dalton 5k and Half Marathon.

"The 5K Challenge is a practical guide to running and a 12-week training plan aimed at running a 5K, but with a Christian focus. Although people run for many different reasons, this book is for those who make God the center of their lives—or need to be reminded to do so. The tone is conversational and accessible, and the workout plans, discussion questions, and Bible verses make it both a practical resource and a workbook for individuals and groups, especially beginning runners. From advice about shoes and Christian music for one’s MP3 player, to tips on race etiquette, the book will be useful and inspirational.

Run For God - The 5K Challenge is part bible study and part training program. The primary goal is to learn to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ while understanding the parallels of enduring a sport like running and enduring your faith.

This study is for everyone! In fact, this study is designed for those who have never run, and if you have never ran in your life, there is no better time to start than now.

Be ready for your first 5K road race in just 12 weeks, and learn how this sport relates to our faith in the process." -runforgod.com

Even though a friend of mine thinks I should train like her for the half marathon I think I will pass on that this year. I am just happy to be able to finish a 5k and would love to see my time improve. It will be fun meeting with other runners from church so we can help motivate each other!! If you do not live in Dalton but like the idea of Run for God then check out their web site runforgod.com to find out how to start one in your area. You can also look it up on facebook, to see if there is already a group near you. Rock Bridge Run for God starts July 15th at 6:00, childcare will be provided.

Britt Nicole - Walk On The Water (Slideshow With Lyrics)

1 Month

It is about 1 month until my triathlon. I am beginning to gain more respect for the sport and those who actually can compete to win. I have finally finished all three parts doing the full distances but on separate days. Based on my times... let's just say it will be amazing just to cross the finish line!! I am not worried about the 400 meter swim, I think I will be middle of my age group. I may even shave a few seconds off because I won't have to make the turns like in the swimming pool. The bike will be a little harder. Biking for speed is something new to me. I did 8.2 miles in the SHS parking lots today. The slope of the parking lot started to get to me after 4 miles but I pressed on! Luckily the tri bike will be on flat roads! Either way after swimming my bike time will probably be towards the bottom of my age group. Then comes the running :( It's only 2 miles but after swimming and biking 2 miles it is beginning to sound like a difficult task. I will get out there and try my best! Whatever time I finish with I will know that there is plenty of room for improvement!!

Best times as of today:
Swim 10:33
Bike 34:00
Run 24:40
Including 5 minutes for T1+T2 this would be a 1:13:73 finish time. Based on last years times I would have been 31/36 for females age 25 to 29 and 594/668 overall.

Caleb's first tri is in September. Since he has a broken arm we don't have a swim time for him... only 9 more days until the cast comes off!! The day the cast comes off he will begin swim training. He has had some impressive times for his 2 mile bike and 500 yard run. Here are his times so we can look back and compare when he gets closer to race day!

Best times as of today:
Swim: N/A
Bike: 9:15
Run: 2:28

Let the training continue...

My First Tri

I am signed up!!! My first sprint triathlon is August 8th in Chattanooga. The swim is 1/4 mile open water out and back swim in Lake Chickamauga. It is a flat 8.2 mile bike and a moderately challenging 2 mile run through downtown Chattanooga. This race benefits First Things First. FTF is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening families in the Chattanooga area.
http://www.sportsbarn.net/userfiles/file/popups/sprint/sprinthomepopup.htm

I am pretty excited!!! nervous but excited!!

Bicycle

Today was a very exciting day for Caleb and me. We both got new bikes!! Caleb has joined the tri-train and is planning to compete in his first ironkids in September. He had out grown his old bike so today he got a very nice upgrade! This bike should last him until high school... unless he turns out to be a super giant. I have not had a bike since college. I have not ridden a bike since college. So today was exciting!! At the risk of sounding like a moron (but just to let you know my inexperience)... My last bike had gears but to be honest I never knew which one did what. As I came in from my test drive Jake asked if I had tested the gears. I gave him a strange stare and said how do I do that? I knew which levers to push but which ones do what?? So I took another lap around the building and tried it out... I tested the gears, I could feel them doing something and it felt good. I knew with this bike I could finally figure it all out. So when we got home I took off up the hill... shifting the gears... but wait what's going on... ooops... I was shifting the wrong way!! So I had to get off my bike and push it. Oh well, I am learning. So I go back down the hill, turn around and start back up. Shifting the gears correctly this time and WOW I made it up the hill without having to get off my bike!!

I can't wait to get out and ride some more. My bike is called a Hybrid. It is a mix between a road and a mountain bike. It's tires are made to be fast on the road but they still have traction to handle off road conditions. It also has a coil-sprung fork to make the off road rides a little easier. I was excited to find a bike like this because I will need the road speed for my triathlon but I love the idea that I can take it on trails (Melydia get your bike ready!!). Now Jana, I am not ready for a group ride but at least I have a bike now!!

Jake will be riding with his new clip shoes this weekend. Clip shoes are shoes that clip to the peddles for maximum efficiency. He was already pretty fast without them so I can't wait to see what he can do with his shoes.

5k and 1 Mile Fun Run

Today was my first 5k and I finished better than I expected... 32:53!! The event was hosted by www.savinthegirls.com and was part of the Atlanta 2 Day Walk for Breast Cancer. It was held at Yahoola Creek Park in Dahlonega. This was their first year to host this race and they were very surprised by the turnout; close to 200 participants! Yahoola Creek Park was a great course for my first 5k. It was relatively level and had a nice section that went through a trail in the woods (I wish the whole thing could have been in the woods). I finished my first mile in 9:18 which I am pretty sure that was a record for me. I am not sure about the second mile because the marker was put in the wrong spot but my average was 10:16 per mile... a whole lot better than I expected! As I crossed the finish line I was not even thinking about my time all I could think was "I did it!!". Thankfully I have a coach for a husband who kept an eye and a camera on the timer... and he got me in the picture as well. But this is not all of my story for the day.

While I was running Jake signed the kids up for the 1 mile fun run. We are 2 adult and 3 kids. Caleb wanted to run fast so Jake said he would run with him. I knew Taryn would just run/walk it so I would stay with her. So what about Taylor? Taylor will run in between us and if he needed to stop then he could and then he could finish with Taryn and me. So what happens when Jake and Caleb are at the 1 mile finish line when Taryn and I get there but no sign of Taylor??? It was a pretty easy to follow course so HOW could he just disappear?? The event volunteers got on their phones and started the search. They were thinking they saw him finish with the group of boys who were already done so a nice man drove me and Taryn up to the 5k finish line area. I am thinking how could he finish before Jake and Caleb? We get to the 5k finish area and there he was! I had never been so scared!!! So the relief I felt when I saw him almost brought tears to my eyes but I held back. I had to make sure he was ok and I did not want to scare him. I said "Taylor, did you finish the race?" he shook his head yes, "Were you scared that you did not see us?" he shook his head yes again and then whimpered for like 3 seconds and then said, "Do I get an award or something?". He did not even know he was lost!! He knew the finish line was was across the bridge... what mommy and daddy did not know is that there were 2 bridges! He took the first bridge which took him to the 5k finish line. He was smart enough to find a place to stand and wait for us. He even said, "Mommy I heard them say my name on the microphone." He did not know why they were saying his name so he just waited for mommy and daddy to finish the race. I really think he thought he won the race. Our silly Taylor boy! I am just so glad that he was ok and not scared!!

Since Taylor did not really finish the race we don't have a time for him... but I know he would have been fast! Caleb finished in 8:25!! Since I was in a panic when Taryn finished I did not think to ask for her time but it was probably around 12 or 13 minutes. She won the girls 10 and under division... haha! She really did :) She was the only girl that ran the 1 mile fun run. Caleb was probably 4th out of 8. The other boys were probably around 10 except for Taylor and a baby boy being pushed in a stroller.

Overall it was a GREAT day. I bet you next year they will take the 1 mile a little more seriously with extra volunteers placed to make sure no wrong turns are taken. They were surprised that we came all the way from Dalton but it was an excellent cause to support and it was a beautiful course so I thought it was worth the drive.

Triathlon

Jake competed in his first Sprint Triathlon on June 20th, 2010. I think he did very well. He finished 441 out of 1500! His total time was 1:04:30! I won't tell you the winners time... Jake did awesome! He will compete in his second sprint tri in October at Lake Lanier Islands. I am so excited for him and his new hobby. Here are some pictures from this event on facebook.

He has inspired me! I have been semi training with him... mainly the running and swimming part. I say semi because I have not been as serious about it as him. But I have stepped it up a bit. I have a simple training plan I found online that if I stick to it I will be ready to do a sprint tri in 12 weeks. I have my goal set for a tri in September. I don't know if I will actually do that one but my goal is to be ready for one by then and then I will continue to train all winter for a spring sprint triathlon. Jake and I want to do a triathlon together this spring in Atlanta. It is fun training with my best friend... our jobs are to encourage... never discourage each other from reaching our goals.

Caleb is also thinking about doing a kids triathlon. Yes, they have kids tri's!! It would be so much fun watching Caleb compete and finish his first tri!! He has a friend from school who has already competed in several, his dad is big time into the sport. I watched several moms and dads competing in the Callaway Gardens triathlon with their kids. I guess this is our families new hobby and just a great way to stay in shape!

Just to stop any confusion, right now we are focused on sprint triathlons. These are just a fraction of the distance of the ironman kind, like the one you see on tv in Hawaii. I don't know that I would ever want to compete at that level!! Jake maybe, me no thanks! Jake has his eyes set on a half ironman in two years. This would be awesome!! Hard work but just for him to finish would be a big accomplishment.
Hopefully I will be back on here in September saying I am ready to compete! I have a countdown on the side of the page and I am reminding myself daily that I want to do this and I want to finish!! I think I have myself in an ok routine right now but will try to improve it when school starts. I just have to stay focused and positive!... I am such a beginner and I have a ways to go but I have 94 days to get there! 1/4 mile swim, 9 mile bike, 2 mile run!

How are you living your life?

If I Had My Child to Raise Over Again
By Diane Loomans
If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd model less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.

This is a wonderful poem for parents but it is also true for relationships in general. We get caught up in our daily tasks and forget to show love to those around us. To often we try to control every aspect of our lives that we get upset and even angry if someone does not act how we expect them to or disagrees with us. Life is not all about being in charge, it is about giving God control. We need to slow down and enjoy the life that God has given us. Life is a gift, why would we want to spend our time worrying, criticising, and yelling when God says "The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control" Galatians:5:22,23. How are you living your life?