R is for Ronnebeck!

This weekend our Relay is "Painting the town Purple". We will be standing on the street corners of Burien getting the word out about our Relay and collecting donations. Feel free to swing by and throw some money at us! Love, Me.

Who really pays attention to elevation near your home? I guarantee you will pay closer attention once you start running! I found a wonderful flat run tonight! Thrilled! Ps: doing week 2 over again was a great idea! 

Me at Christmas, me just last week! 

I decided that I was going to do week 2 over again to work on my running technique, AND because week 2 was hard, and I want to reach the end of this program being able to run 3 miles without struggling.   I wanted to  do the "See Jane Run 5K" in July, but I think I want to run better for longer more than that. So whatever 5K is in my future is there... I'm not going to push it.

  We went over to the Kneeland residence tonight to meet Baby Lucas Harvey... (Baby Harvey).  He's pretty darn cute. I do love to snuggle babies!

Today I finished Week 2... I got my "Running buddy" which is an arm band for my iPod, and unintentionally, I got my first blister. I need better shoes.  Today I ran 2.41 Miles - I think I'm going to do week 2 over again just to get my running technique down, I'm not really against a time frame here, Just training myself to be healthier / better. About half way through my run I need to give myself "pep" talks. I clap for myself, tell myself how awesome I am, you know anything to keep myself at a jog. I really do love this, but some days are harder than others.

Welcome to Earth baby Lucas! We are so excited you are here!  Aunt Christina and Uncle Gene welcomed their newest addition this morning at 9:45 am! We are looking forward to meeting him tomorrow! We love you so much already!

Today was difficult... My interval running was up to 90 minutes jog, 2 minutes walk. Toword the end I had a hard time pushing out the running... Glad I finshed, even if not super strong. I went 1.87 Miles, and completed the circut. That makes me happy.   Also, Check out the awesome run mix I made on my iPod... whatever keeps you moving!

But the numbers on my scale today sing victory! 40 Pounds lost in 5months!!!

I always kind of scoffed at people when they said running helped their mood. The only thing running ever did for me is make me irritated, mostly because I had to run. I came home from a really awful day of work today, and I was irritated, angry and on the verge of tears. I put on my running gear and headed out to my "back yard" which is Des Moines Elementary recess park, and I completed Day two of my C25K. I walked, ran, and cheered myself on when needed... and my anger, melted away with each lap, when I came home I was smiling from ear to ear. I still feel irritated... but the anger is gone. I now know what people mean, and I'll quit scoffing. Day 2 of 24!

So... I'm not sure that I'm turning into Forrest Gump anytime soon, but I went for my first run today.  It sucked.  Mostly because I live in the Pacific Northwest and the weather here is so damn unpredictable. It started out windy, and rainy, but by about halfway through It was POURING. I came home drenched, my legs hurt, my knee hurts but damn it I did it! Day 1 of (many) 24!   I downloaded an app on my cell phone called C25K it helps you train to run 5 K in 8 weeks. The plan is to run 3 times a week until you're running 3 miles in one day.  I look optimistic about it... don't I? I'll check in once a week, and let you know how it's going, but I have to say I ran / walked nearly 2 miles today after zero exercise, and I am feeling it, but I am not dying (yet). An even bigger milestone is that this is the first "Real" hard (i.e. impact) exercise I have had on my knee since I blew it out skating. Ice is wonderful, an...

I walked into Safeway Friday night, and it slapped me right in the face. Mothers Day. I can kind of ignore it when I hear the ad's on TV or see them in the paper, but when the day draws near, and you walk into a grocery store and you can barley see the ceiling for all of the Mothers Day balloons, well then It kind of sends me into a panic.  It's anxiety. It's the anxiety of not having a Mom near by. Mom's are such a safety net, and such a source of loving support that when yours isn't near, it's never MORE apparent then when everyone else is celebrating theirs! Today I celebrate My Mom, albeit in a very different way then everyone else. I bought one of those balloons - a blue one, her favorite, and I took awhile to sit down and write a heart felt note just as if I was filling out  a card to her. Then, this afternoon I walked out to my balcony and let it go up to the heavens, and cried. and cried. and cried. I miss her. I think each day gets...

Jamie, Molly & Noelle!  With the whirlwind that was my Dad's visit, I kind of forgot to post about this! Our Relay for Life team hosted a fundraiser at Mick Kelly's Pub in Burien on April 17th!  Last year, when I disbanded "The Hope Corps" after not having much success in people WANTING to be on my team and fundraise each year, I was asked by Team Simpson to join their team, and let me tell you, it's a whole lot of FUN being on Team Simpson! Their passion for Relay is endless, and I really love putting together fundraisers and helping keep the spirit of Relay alive with them! Adrian, one of the owners of Mick Kelly's Irish Pub in Burien opened his doors to us, and basically let us run his joint for th eday. We hung out all day and hosted a silent auction and collected a $10 cover charge for those coming to eat at Mick Kelly's that night. We raised nearly $5,500 that night - and I think it was in large part to our amazing team. But th...

Leslie & Dad - Lunch at the Athenian in the Market I started to write this post 100 times - each time I get more confused as to when we did what where, and now I know why I blog so quickly after life events. It's easier to remember that way. I also uploaded something like 83 photos here, so I tried to keep them in order, BUT... I failed, so here is our time, in sporadic photo order. My type A side of my brain is freaking out about this, but my type B is enamored by the dysfunction. It's taken me awhile to get it up. Life is crazy right now. So, here's our weekend in Photo captions. Dad asking Leslie when the Ferris Wheel ride is going to be over - No bueno. My View of the Ferris wheel to the West. What Eric's View of the Ferris Wheel was - He liked it even less than Dad. Jump to our walk through Pioneer Square - Headed to the Underground Tour Part of the Underground Tour Rubble. The Light panels from the street above (Underg...