I'm a Fit Nut

Today I'm being featured as a Fit Nut on Run With Kate.

Heh, I know what you're thinkin'... I should just be featured as a nut. :)

I know Kate from the Twitter scene. She asked us to fill out some questions on her blog, which I did, and now me and my answers get the spotlight. (Gosh, that's been a while. I hope my answers are good.)

So Hi to any new visitors today! I'm glad you popped over. Leave a comment to tell me about yourself.

My blog is about more than running. It falls more under the life/family category, I guess. It's a smattering of snippets of my life; you won't find it thorough and complete in any one particular area. Want a good recipe you know will be a hit? Try the tastes like... section. Want a crash course in dirt bikes? Check the boys and bikes tag. (And if you're a rider yourself, definitely leave me a comment. I'm desperate to find some other dirt bike mom blogs out there. I still have questions- esp. about laundry!) Looking for an example of living out God's Words? Shine Like Stars is a favorite section of mine.

But if your sole purpose here today is to curb your curiosity about my running, then run is your starting line. If you have more questions than answers about me and my running or health questions or any kind of question, #imnoexpertbut I'd love to answer them if you leave them in the comments section or email me. I'll answer them right here on the blog for you! For FREEEEE! (I love Adam Sandler's Bedtime Stories.)

Catch me on Twitter, too. I'm like, so awesome at tweeting. Okay, no I'm not. If you want to read random stuff about being a #barefootaccompanist and follow my awkward answers to #runchat and #ultrachat questions then that's where you'll find all that goodness. 

Once again, thanks for stopping by and don't forget to say hi!

The Fab Mum Award

Today's post is because I haven't yet time to figure out the picture/Picasa thingy, so no pictures,  no Missouri vacation updates, and because I was given an award from Jill from Frugal Plus. 
I have to answer ten questions Jill asked me. Then I get to ask ten of my own questions to some of my fellow bloggers. You know, just for fun.

1. What’s the best/worst gift you’ve ever given/received?
I'd say one of my most favorite gifts I've given was the year I gave all the cousins Whoopee cushions. The belly laughs were too much!
I give out a lot of scones. That's pretty much a favorite.


2. What is your favorite food?
Not a fair question. Kind of like asking which kid is your favorite. So I'm going with either a rib-eye steak or a really good hamburger.

3. What was the last movie or TV show that made you cry or tear up?
I've been catching up with all the Parenthood episodes via Netflix when doing laundry but I can't say I've teared up or cried because there aren't any commercial breaks to heighten the dramatic pause. We've been watching Mythbusters, so no tears there and over Thanksgiving the condo we stayed at had cable (we don't) and I caught Duck Dynasty for the first time, so again no tears. I think the last movie I saw was Wimpy Kid 3 and that was awful. Oh, maybe Billy Elliot because I definitely cried watching that movie. Thanks for letting me think that out loud.

4. If you had to pick one hero, who would it be?
I can't think of a modern day person I would pick as a hero, so I'm goin' with David of the Bible. He grew up knowing God, overcame many trials and enemies, was completely humbled through his sins and always sought/turned back to God, never once doubting God's faithfulness to him. It is said that David had a whole heart for God. I want that!
 
5. When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time?
Catching up on blog reading ;)

6. What is your favorite outfit to wear?
Really comfortable workout clothes, clean, of course, for all day wear at home.
 
7. If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
I might pray for wisdom in how to handle the money. 

8. What do you miss most about being a kid?
Pretending the hay rack was a stage and singing "The Sound of Music" out loud with all my heart!

9. Do you or would you have a Dog or a Cat for a pet?
We have a dog, Lucy. We are dog people. Our first dog together was a Dalmatian named Clara, who was high energy and once jumped in a tree. We also have a Beta fish named Swimmy, who is technically Luke's.

10. What is your goal for 2013?
To not spend all of the Saturday before a race prepping food. I'm always waiting until the last minute to make breakfast burritos, egg/sausage sandwiches, chocolate milk, cookies, pasta salads, etc. Most of that stuff can be done ahead of time. 

I can't copy the award picture probably because of the Picasa thing- argh! So if you want it, visit Jill. She's always on top of that stuff and her blog is awesome!

Okee-doke. So there are my answers. 
Now six of my blog friends have a chance to answer my questions. That's the deal. Answer my questions on your blog. Ask ten of your own questions to six other bloggers (but you can't include me). Copy the Fab Mum award to your post. (sort of like those chain recipe/book exchanges) OR just answer my questions and call it good. 

Now a little note about my questions. I thought of these throughout the day as I was going about my life, but not all are a direct correlation of that particular day. I couldn't handle the pressure of coming up with something profound (or normal). Feel free to not answer anything. In this time of extra preparations, I think larger doses of laughter is good.

1. Which Meg Ryan movie is your favorite?
2. Would you call yourself a crafter, a craft collector, or a pinner?
3. What is one commercial that always gets you even though you tell yourself to be strong or that you already know the punchline? (ah- Cedric and Bruce, you were a light moment in touching Olympic commercials.)
4. What's your favorite room in your house?
5. Are you boxers or briefs; red wine or white; lover or fighter?
6. Are you really going to answer all of #5?
7. What is something you've rescued from the trash that you now need to confess to the whole world?
8. Are you a good spray painter? Explain- craft, graffiti or other.
9. If you saw a billboard advertising eggs for your holiday baking, would that be enough to inspire you to go home and bake some cookies?
10. What wedding gift did you receive that you still use?

Here are the blogs I'm linking to in hopes to see their answers.

Sunshine in the House
Conversations at the Clothesline
Permission to Be Real
In These Shoes
Farmgirl Chaos
My View From the Mountains


Thanks, Jill, for the award and a chance to have some fun!

Why Do You Read?

It's going to take me a few days to figure out the whole Picasa storage limit thing. Picasa's basic answer is to buy more storage space for a monthly fee. Well, I'm not sure about that yet and am looking into options.

Which leads me to today's post.

Why do you read my blog? 

Let me just answer for the grandparents- the grandkids. 
Let me answer for my sister- her kids and only when I tell her her kids are on my blog.
Let me answer for my husband- 'cause I'm his wife and he'd better. Actually he told me he really likes my blog. Unsolicited. LOVE him!

But I can't answer for you. Why do you read my blog? Is it the kids? The dog? My running escapades? The recipes? The scones? Do you come for the story God is weaving in my life? Is it encouragement to you? 

What do you want me to write more of? It's silly to think I blog my whole life. There are LOTS of parts I don't share. One simply can't. And many parts I will if/when God allows. The deeper ones are harder to write but I'm willing to if you'd like to hear more on something.

Oke-doke. Here's your part. Please leave a comment telling me why you read my blog? It doesn't have to be deep. If you've been reading for sometime, I've somehow connected with you and I'd love to know how. 

Thanks so much for being a reader of mine. I always wonder what you think as I'm tap-tap-tapping away.

We Built a Shed

I'm interrupting the vacation highlights to bring you a picture filled "What We Did This Summer." I have to interrupt because Google says my free 1G of photo storage is full and I can't upload anymore pictures to Blogger until I somehow clear some of my free storage or buy more. Grr.  

So without further ado... We Built a Shed

I already had this pictures uploaded in a draft but never finished writing the post so that's how I can publish this one and not my other one.

We've had a cement slab poured for a shed since the first year we built. This summer I pretty much threatened within inches of boots, Camelbaks, extra motor fluid, spare parts all the way to motorized two-wheel vehicles that bring us lots of fun that I was going to be parking in our garage this winter but really the sooner, the better.

Ok, I implored nicely that I thought this needed to be the summer of the shed.

Bill had the plans already figured out, the material was dropped off and work began. Our friend Darin, whom we have remodeled and built every one of our homes with, stopped by to drop off some tools. No serious building project can go on without at least day of help from Darin.

Bill finished the evening solo framing up the rest of the walls because the next day would be shed raising day. Sort of like a barn raising, except on a smaller scale and with shorter help and this would house motorcycles and not animals and hay. 
So, yep, pretty much like a barn raising.

Next day the temps are setting records but a shed needs to get up. Our helpers have been enlisted in various degrees of enthusiasm. Luke is given the job of manning the camera. It was the easiest way to keep him busy and from getting him possibly squished.

Besides my daughter, notice our garden. It's growing well. You can see tomatoes, cucumbers climbing up a metal headboard (found at my uncle's farm in a manure spreader!), the tops of green beans and a few leaves of broccoli. Perhaps next year I'll chronicle the garden better.

Lucy kept watch over the power tools and scraps of wood.

That would be one wall up.

Don't panic and call 911. Nothing happened here except for teenager fatigue. The condition that occurs when growing teens exert themselves for, like, 30 minutes. 

See? She has enough strength to shoo away the paparazzi.

Serious stuff this shed building business.

Um, just how much help are you going to be?

Wow, apparently enough to get the other walls up!

And there you have it, folks. Next Bill started working on framing the roof and I lost interest in taking pictures. Forward a few weeks and the roof is on and shingled. Windows and siding are installed. Paint is slapped up (the kids did help with that but I was very busy refilling paint pans and inspecting work to take pictures). Wiring, drywall, all that stuff- done.
When I'm allowed to add more pictures to Blogger I'll try to get a finished shot in. The really good news is that I can now park in my garage and we kept all the bikes and gear!

Firing Range- MO style

We went to MO over Thanksgiving week to be with Bill's family to celebrate Thanksgiving/Christmas. Part of the family had already arrived and we met up with them at a firing range.

That's right. A firing range. I have little no gun experience and this whole experience was completely new to us. The guns we used are Bill's brother's. I cannot even tell you what kinds of guns we shot. Semi-automatic has no meaning to me whatsoever. But if you can figure it out from the photos, then good for you.

Steve and Bill

Because we made Audrey try it, I also had to try it. I was actually more concerned that the gun would hurt my shoulder and I wouldn't be able to run (I know, I'm a nerd) but that didn't happen. What did happen is that the bullets that were in the gun were tracers, meaning you could watch them. What did happen is that I have no idea if I actually hit any target other than the hill behind the target and provide plenty of entertainment for everyone. You're welcome.

That would be me.

Nephew Jabin is into guns like Ben is into dirt bikes. He could have sat there forever. 

We watched Steve and Tia fire off some more rounds and Bill tried out other guns, too. 

And with a bang, our Missouri vacation was off! 

November IG

Thought I'd share some IG pics. 

Discovered my IG was hacked by this girl, her smile and her cup of tea.

Poor kid. I just mug him every time. Who can blame me?

Ay Yi Yi! Our driveway. The mud. 

It was a little chilly one morn for a run. Just call me the pink ninja.

Giant puppy is what we call her. She's slowly getting back house privileges.   That makes at least two happy.

Living History Farms, '12

This past Saturday was the 34th running of the Living History Farms Off Road Race. Our friends, Joe and Jacqui and their girls, came down for Joe to run with Bill and I. 
*note- If you want to run in this race, you have to sign up pretty much the night the registrations begin. Last year it was filled in 3 days. This year- 1 1/2 days!!*

*another note- Don't wait 'til the last minute to hit the toilet. With 7500 runners, there isn't enough time. If you are a guy- great, here's a tree. If you are a girl- hold it in. I guess you could squat, but I squat so infrequently that I decided not to test it out. *

*another, another note- If you really want to run the whole thing, not walk because the crowd won't let you run, start towards the front.*

On to the running. It was super gorgeous weather. Just slight wind, sunny and about 42 degrees. That is kind of cold for onlookers standing still- but just right for a good run without needing to shed layers.

The tunnel was not congested when Joe and I passed through, though some nice teens decided to stomp through the puddles ahead of us. Joe called it "roost". Soon after that, Joe and I split. I wanted to kill my time and Joe didn't want to be killed. Bill had blazed way ahead of us at the start, so now we were running singularly (if you can call 7,500 runners singularly).

Also running singularly was a buck in the field next to me. I saw it racing pass me, it's eyes orbs of terror. I don't know how to count the points on a buck's rack, but he was older-ish and I'm sure he considered that morning to be the worst morning of his life, short of actually being hunted. I kept going, but wondered how he and the crowd were going to work out.

The first creek crossing was fun. Last year, I had time to decide when and how I want to cross. This year, I just wanted to get across as fast a possible. So I chose a straight, steep line, which proved a little too steep for my 5'4" frame. After a few attempts, I got a boost from the rear (literally) from another runner and pulled/slightly dragged up from a runner on top. That's the only crossing that is a little difficult. The rest, you can pull yourself up with a rope or climb, etc. After the reaching the top of a couple crossing by almost climbing with my hands and crouched down body, it reminded me of my worst running dreams. The dreams where I literally can't run- but somehow I can crawl.

Five miles in, I spotted a portable. I decided I should empty my bladder. My time was good and if I stopped here I could press on full speed for the last two without worries of warming myself. Plus, there was no line! Guess what? When your heart rate is at about 75% max and you suddenly decide to stop, it takes a while for other functions to happen. That over and done with, I felt much lighter and pressed on. I caught up to the pack of jailbirds that I wanted to pass and kept up with the high school boys who dragged me up the creek bank. The only guy I couldn't keep up with was a swift-footed, smooth as butter barefoot runner. The sombrero donning, maraca carrying, poncho clad group made for a nice swish swish sound in cadence to our tromping and labored breathing.

Right here, I'll admit I had to stop again. This time because I had to catch my breath. I was so mad about it. I had to step to the side and suck in some big breaths because I couldn't focus, I couldn't pull myself together and I couldn't force myself up a hill that was the last hill before the home stretch. Next year, I WILL NOT STOP ON THAT HILL!! That's all I can do about it now. 

I looked a terrible, painful fright. Last year, I smiled for every camera I saw. This year, I hoped they never took my picture. I forgot to focus on my form when I got tired, though I did manage to tell myself to open up a little on the last hill, once I got going. The focus thing again, got me.

Despite two breaks of about 2 1/2 minutes, I stepped across the finish line with over a minute to spare from my goal time. I finished 28th in my age division, just a little over a minute from breaking the top 25 which was another goal of mine.

I grabbed some water, chocolate milk and a donut and directed my weary self back to the race course to find my cheering section. Thankful for Erin and Molly's coats, I wrapped my chilling body up in them and watched the costumed and non-costumed runners go past. 
After Joe and Bill returned from the car, we headed back up the hill to slurp down some beef stew and warm drinks. 

Here are some pics Audrey took. Unfortunately the white balance mode was off (she didn't know it) and so all the pictures have a blueish tint to them. Let's just call it artistic photography 'cause I'm really glad she came to the race and took pictures.

Mustard beat Bill

But not by much!! Bill in his lucky green shirt. No worries, I wash it in between races.

No one knew Sponge Bob had secret running abilities

Audrey's friend, Abby (in the white shirt) and her dad (in the hat) tearin' up the race course, as usual.

Those are the best legs I've ever seen on Dorothy. The flying monkey- wait- does Dorothy bring back one from Oz? Did he sneak in her basket with Toto? Is there are sequel to the story I don't know about? Is this the next Broadway musical? 

Me. I don't even look like I'm running. Should have been driving my knees forward. I guess I really was in one of my nightmares.
But when Luke saw this pic, he said I was the best. He's my favorite kid now.

I overheard him say "Pbth, Blh! Hombres, my mustache is in my mouth!"

Is green face paint more aerodynamic? 

Under his shirt and tie it should say Super Dad

How do the runners around him feel? A crab is beating me.

His sign says- Will run for stew. Whatever it takes, buddy.

Joe proving that the color of your legs, his being MN white, has nothing to do with performance. :)

You may want to seriously consider taking that costume off once you cross the finish line. Post-race runners are ravenous!

Was he really running or just pretending?

06 and 12 are the daughters of my friend, Tori!

Joe, me and Bill smiling much bigger post-race than pre-race!

This is my favorite runner in the whole wide world!

Come join us next year!

Shoebox Gifts

Pack a shoebox or two

Watch a video or two

Drop them off

Cornerstone Church is available

or Find a location close to you

Do much with your little