Wordless Wednesday

Sometimes, pictures need no words.  

Mean Girl?

 "But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." Colossians 3:8

This is what I read this morning in my women's devotional. Many mornings, I can just skim through my devotional while drinking my coffee and going through my routine. This verse hit me like a ton of bricks.

As you know, I have a daughter. I am also a girl (shocker right?!) so I know all there is to know about growing up as a girl and the pressures that come along with it. I know all about mean girls. Sadly, I fight myself daily to fight the urge to let my tongue slip and say things that are judgemental or just plain mean.
I now see the girls that dress more provocatively or are loose with their decisions as sad. I don't feel any anger towards them. I don't feel judgemental like I used to. I just just feel sad. Something made them turn towards those decisions. We are all a product of our decisions.

Having a daughter made me realize that everyone started out as an innocent child and everyone has a story.

The more I watch my words and show love, kindness and compassion, the more my own daughter will learn from my examples. Because kids are constantly learning.

Whether we like that or not.

I have to rid my life of slander so my daughter will turn from it as well.
Because mean moms often times make mean girls.

That's a lot of pressure for moms to take on, but I think we signed up for that. I pray that Isabelle embraces the people that are "different" and shows love and compassion for the people that are often times forgotten in our society and the people that can't repay her.

Because isn't that was unconditional love and grace is all about?

You didn't honestly think you could get out of here without a Harry Potter quote did you?

I'm sorry Billy Ray Cyrus

But, my daughter is no longer your biggest fan. She lost her mullet this weekend in support of some new pigtails. I hope you'll understand.

Before we found out her hair could sport some crazy, cute pigtails we went out on the town one last night with a little mullet. We went to eat at a new, delicious, BBQ place here in Oklahoma  and then ventured to Bass Pro Shop in order to walk off some of our dinner. Her mullet fit in perfectly with a BBQ and Bass Pro kind of night and there is nothing that cures my winter blues more than a 70 degree day, barbecue, cold beer and some maybe even a little Dateline. ahh be still my heart.

We decided to get our crazy night going at about 4:45 in order to avoid the lines. We were there with all the blue hairs and it was perfect.

 My little lady showing my how to clap. Or she was being passive aggressive and showing me how to clap because she thought it was rude that she did something cute and I didn't clap. Either way....I remembered to clap the next time.

 Mr. T is either doing his famous model face or he's judging our neighbor. Sadly, I think it's the second option. Tisk, tisk, Mr. T. I caught you.

 Eskimo Kisses

Somebody's even more excited than me!



And no night is complete without a trip to Bass Pro Shop. I loathe that place, but Mr. T and Isabelle love it so much that I sacrifice my own happiness for them. I know, I should receive some sort of humanitarian award.

 Them being ridiculously cute partially  makes up for it. The free fudge makes up for the rest.

My marathon training is also going according to plan. I did my 14 miler this weekend around a 7:05 average mile pace and felt great. Mr. T joined me the last 5 miles which helped a lot and I also had a pretty good lineup of music that seemed to pass the time quickly. Do you have anything in particular that you like to workout to? I generally like faster music, but when it's early in the morning I can only listen to country without getting really annoyed. Thank God for Miranda Lambert and Eric Church!

{Random Ramblings}

It's Friday, so you know what that means. My brain is too fried to type a post that actually makes since (like that happens normally or something?) and I am too excited for the weekend to have a coherent thought!

Week one of training for the Boston Marathon is just about done! I have a 14 miler tomorrow that I'm hoping (with a little help from my Pandora playlist) will go smoothly. This week went pretty well, but my legs are starting to feel like they hate the rest of my body so this morning was a perfect morning to sleep in and cuddle with Mr. T. Happy Friday to me!

Today is also supposed to be in the upper 60's! This time last year, we were snowed in with 7 ft snowdrifts....welcome to Oklahoma.
With the weather being so perfect, we will definitely be headed out to the park but maybe not have to bundle up quite as much. Maybe we will though, I love a good marshmallowed kid.

Happy Friday to you!

The runs, runs in our family

You read title correctly. Before you hit the "x" button, let me explain. My mother passed on a terrible gene to my brother, sister and I. All of my aunts and cousins have it as well, so we can sympathize with one another. I wouldn't label it IBS, but I would label it, "the runs" or as most people refer to it here in Oklahoma, "the s#*%$". You know now what I'm talking about?
If we are scared, nervous, excited or eat anything out of the ordinary we have about 5 minutes before it's time to go. It's a terrible, embarrassing gene (especially when you are dating) but it's a family gene. I've inherited it and there's nothing I can do to get rid of it. Believe me.
Sadly, I have passed it on to my sweet, little innocent daughter.

Example: Isabelle LOVES ice cream (she also gets that from me) so about once a week after she has eaten a good dinner, we ask her if she wants to get some ice cream. Of course she gets excited and starts running in place (that means "yes" in her mind).
A few days ago we decided to head out and get some ice cream.  We went to our favorite yogurt bar (because you can't eat REAL ice cream that often without needing insulin) and RIGHT before we get out of the car, Isabelle starts saying "Poop, Poop". We pull her out of her car seat and low and behold she has completely filled her diaper. Since the yogurt place is only about 10 minutes from our house, and she had already pooped for the day, we forgot to bring her diaper bag. We knew it would be cruel (for me and for Isabelle) to just go home empty handed, so I had the brilliant idea of just cleaning her off, putting back on her pants without a diaper and getting our yogurt to go.
Mr. T and I are filling our yogurt cups quickly when I glance at Izzy and see her face (you know "the face"). She notices me staring at her so she starts saying, "Poop, Poop" again. I rush over to her quickly enough to see poop running down her legs and onto the floor. I try not to make things obvious, so I ask Mr T to bring me over some napkins real quick. He notices what's going on and he gets into cleanup mode as quickly as possible. We are cleaning her, she is yelling at us because we are interrupting her flow, all while we are trying to act like everything is normal (I would be devastated if we weren't allowed back there to eat...seriously. Yes, I know I have a problem). We get her to the car, strip her, and drive quickly home in a stinky car to put her in the bath.

I was hoping it was a fluke accident, but no. This has happened more than once, but now we are smart enough to actually BRING the diaper bag with us. Mr. T has pointed out that she obviously has my gene's. She gets super excited for something and then craps. Awesome right? I told you dating wasn't that fun.

P.s. Sorry if this grosses you out. I'm queen of TMI.

SO WHAT! Wednesday

This week, I am saying So What:

To the fact that I was more excited for this season of The Bachelor then I have been for most bachelor's. Ben is such a sweet, normal guy. Poor fella got him a bunch of crazies for Bachelorette's though.

That I don't feel bad for loving Ben, because I'm pretty sure Mr. T has a man crush on him as well. Ben's hilarious and, like I said, a NORMAL guy. Not a goober. Or at least he hasn't proven himself as goober-y yet.

That my daughter is still wearing Christmas PJ's. Around November, I become obsessed with all things Christmas including sleep wear. Now, I feel guilty putting her Christmas jammies in storage when they are still in great condition. They are red so maybe we can pass them off as Valentines PJ's? The reindeer sorta give it away.

I laugh every time the Gossip Magazines say that Katy Perry wouldn't file for divorce because her parents are uber religious and don't believe in divorce so she didn't want to upset them....seriously? Have you seen her outfits? Heard her songs? I'm pretty sure divorce isn't that shocking to them anymore.

I got new Hunter wellies for Christmas and I have lived in them ever since. They are my replacing my old Uggs (thank you Lord I can retire those hideous suckers) as the NEW heaven on my feet.

Every time I type the word Marathon, I add a "G" at the end so it says Marathong. That's just a funny word to me. And a great race idea. Maybe I'm on to something here.

What are you saying So What! to? 



New Year, New Obstacles

This year has already started off with a bang. I set my resolutions and I am not one to not finish what I start....even when there are a few obstacles.
This morning started my new training program for the Boston Marathon. I am really excited to run the race and to have something to actually train for. If you are thinking of running and you want to get motivated..pick a race to run and then train for it. I have tried a million different things and that little tip is the only one I know that is tried and true.
I have been running for what seems like, a million years. I came from a family of runners. My mom ran the Boston Marathon with me when she was pregnant. My dad ran a 2:46 marathon in his glory days, and still runs with my mom about 40 miles a week....they're 62 years old.
My sister has the state record in the half mile in track and ran Division 1 at the University of Oklahoma.
My brother ran a 5:01 mile while he was playing college basketball and on a diet of beer, doritios and pot. Apparently someone forgot to tell him that is not an appropriate athlete's diet. 
So, it's safe to say that running is in my blood.
I grew up playing soccer and then in high school, I ran track and cross country exclusively. I went to the University of Kansas where I also ran cross country and track all 4 years. I ran the New York City Marathon with my sister, mom, and aunt immediately after I graduated college. I ran during my entire pregnancy and I ran my second marathon when Isabelle was 8 months old. I have been blessed enough to have a healthy body that can handle running.
While in college, I averaged around 50-60 miles a week. When we ran, we ran around a 6:45 pace per mile on our "easy" days. We raced every weekend in huge venues against women from around the world that are now running for their countries in the Olympics. I have pushed my body to the point of exhaustion many, many times.
Or at least I thought I did.
Apparently, I didn't know what exhaustion really was until I had a toddler. About a month of not sleeping because of either a cough, an ear infection, teething, or just because she is off her schedule during the holidays, leads to EXTREME exhaustion for me. Last night, I went to bed at 9:30 because I knew my first day of training would take it out of me so I needed the sleep.
Isabelle woke up at 10:30, 1:30,3:00-4:00, and then finally for the last time at 6:15. Since she has been sick, we can't just let her "cry it out". I have a Saint for a husband, who shares the responsibility of getting up with her as well or there is no way I would function.
When my alarm went off at 6:20, I knew my time was up. I didn't have time for excuses. The plane tickets have been bought. I can't put any of the runs off. I only have 15 weeks. It was time to get up and find out the exact definition of extreme exhaustion. 7 miles at a 7:15 per mile pace in 21 degree weather will wake up you pretty quickly.
It was awful, but I finished. Day One.

My Training buddy: The flying golden doodle

My other Training buddy: The old, fast Lab. He has to take a lot of potty stops, but don't let the gray beard fool you. He's a tough ol' fella.

My trusty Best Friends

My lover. Always there for me, and puts me in a much better mood.

 So I guess Nike was onto something when they said, "Just Do it", but good Lord, that's much easier said than done.
Here's to 2012!