If only I had an infinite supply of $40 dollar bills

This morning was probably my next to last physical therapy appointment. Not only is my knee doing much better (not 100%, but almost there), I have more flexibility in my hamstrings than I have ever had and my core is getting stronger. I would love to go see this guy every week, but considering it's $40 every time I go, that's not going to happen.

I will go again right before the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon on February 13th. He gave me a few more stretches to do between now and then to get me in as best shape as possible to run the whole thing.

And speaking of running, tomorrow we are supposed to be hit with something - snow/rain/freezing rain/sleet - who knows. Regardless, this wimpy girl refuses to run in that. So my only option is the dreadmill at the gym which is GOING TO SUCK to run 9 miles on that. I can barely make it 3 miles on it without getting absolutely bored. I might need vodka in my water bottle instead of water. Just kidding!! Sort of....

I did get some miles in outside this week. It was cool enough were I could run on my lunch hour outside and not really sweat (I use the term "not really" really, really loosely). I went to a local park that has a 2 mile loop on it and got 3 miles in twice this week. I love running outside, and I felt pretty good both times.

I am going to shut my office door now at work and do the "no snow" dance because we all know how much I hate that stuff. Feel free to join me if you want.

Just when you think winter is over

I know, wishful thinking that winter would be over for us the beginning of February. But we have had a bunch of 60 degree days in the last two weeks, and I was kind of hopeful that no snow/sleet/icy rain would return for the season.

But hell, that's just what they are calling for on Friday night/Saturday day. (Of course, this is changing daily as yesterday it was going to start on Friday morning, so they really have no clue.)

And that's just in time to mess up Ashley's basketball breakfast/pictures/game on Saturday morning. And I am supposed to run 9 miles this weekend and as addicted I am to running and getting back in the groove, there is NO WAY I am running outside in freezing rain. I might have to suck it up and do it at the gym. I have already decided I would break it up into 3 mile segments so I don't die of boredom on the treadmill.

So bad weather = bad attitude for me. That and other random stuff that is going on has put both Ray and I in a funk. If we could escape to a tropical island for the weekend, we would.

Advice

I have jet black hair - so black in fact, I have had strangers ask me if it is my real hair color. I also come from a pretty hairy family. My kids call my Dad Grandpa Fuzzy for a reason.

Needless to say, I have been waxing and bleaching the hair on my face for a really, really long time.

I vividly remember being in fourth grade and being made fun of for my uni-brow. I shaved my legs for the first time in second grade.

So I should have been prepared for this.

Ashley and Audrey both have brown hair. Ashley has a darker complexion than Audrey, and as most kids, she has a uni-brow and hair on her upper lip. I just didn't think it was any way noticeable.

Ashley told me this weekend that there are some "older" boys on the bus that call her mustache girl. Seriously? She's six! Am I supposed to start bleaching her hair now? I know that the stuff I use burns sometimes, so I am pretty sure that wouldn't fly with her. Help!

Oh, and luckily, Ashley doesn't really get why they call her that.

It would be nice to have negative splits back...

I am running (or walking) a half marathon on February 13th. So on the schedule this weekend for the long run was 8 miles. Which I have done before obviously, but now with my knees (both IT bands are giving me issues now), 8 miles takes on a new meaning.

My running partner and I headed to the Tobacco Trail here in the Raleigh area. A great trail for running - it's pretty flat, mile markers, real restrooms at a few places along the way. We started at mile 0 and did 4 out, 4 back. It was cold, probably upper 30's low 40's, and I was dressed in my new running tights, two layers of shirts, gloves, and ear warmers.

Mile splits looked like this:

Mile 1: 10:33
Mile 2: 10:42
Mile 3: 9:35 (no idea why that mile was so much faster!)
Mile 4: 10:52
Mile 5: 11:33 (we walked a bit to take some Clif Bloks)
Mile 6: 10:51
Mile 7: 11:00 (IT bands on both legs were getting pretty tight at this point, and I had a stitch)
Mile 8: 11:24

So much for finishing strong! My knees were okay the rest of the day and the next. I actually go back to my ortho doctor tomorrow, and will probably get cortisone shots.

I just want my old running legs back. The ones from my previous training. These legs are no good. If only I could sell them on ebay....

GOOD GRIEF

So it continues today....

Yesterday, I get a few miles from home and realize I had left my cell phone there. I was traveling for work yesterday and definitely needed it, so I backtracked and picked it up. I was already running late, so I had to play catch up on my three hour drive to the coast.

Then I went to the gym last night and it was pouring down rain and I drop my id card to get in and of course it managed to get all the way underneath my van.

And just now? I typed this whole post about Ashley, and I hit publish, and it FREAKING DISAPPEARED. I am not having a good end to my week.

So Ashley. I am wearing an over sized sweater and leggings today as the weather has turned cold and rainy, and Ashley informed me that I was dressed like a teenager. Not sure if that was a compliment or not....

And Ashley has had trouble sleeping the past few nights since her moon crashing into the earth nightmare. Night before last? She was up 6 times. Last night it was 3 times. I feel like I have a newborn again. She is afraid when she closes her eyes that she will have the nightmare again.

So tired Ashley = attitude Ashley. I swear she will argue night and day with you, which isn't fun. She is 6 1/2, and I have always said that the halves are worse than the wholes. And she is proving this with flying colors. I sometimes wonder who replaced my little 6 year old with a 12 year old.

Oh, and for those of you with a Zhu Zhu pet, the warnings about getting them close to your hair? Yea, not fun.

A Few Random Thoughts for Hump Day

Ashley had a bad dream last night and ended up in our bed because she was so afraid. Her dream? The moon fell to the earth. Bizarre. But then she had a "really great" dream (her words) right before she woke up for the day. She was at a Nick Jonas and the Administration concert with her friends. Even weirder.

To echo the words of my good friend, I have a renewed faith in the people of Massachusetts.

Running on the treadmill sucks. And my right IT band is giving me trouble (it's my left that has been causing me the most pain).

It's been in the 60's here for the past few days, but that is ending today. Back into the 40's and rainy.

I had to sit in the dark in my office at work all day yesterday, my overhead light was out. Luckily I am working from home today and traveling tomorrow as working in the dark only made me sleepy.

I was perusing the top applications on the iPhone last night while watching American Idol. Seriously? One of the top free games is a toilet paper roll and you have to see how fast you can unroll it.

Update on running

I think I will have my last physical therapy appointment today. I ran three times last week - two 3 mile runs on the treadmill at the gym, and one 7 mile run outside on Sunday. I was sore yesterday and BOTH knees sort of had twinges of pain throughout the day, but today they are both fine. I think my body was in shock that I ran for more than 3 miles.

I won't say my IT band is completely healed - I still need to stretch multiple times a day at work and at home - but it is 100 times better.

Ashley plays basketball with Upward at a local church, and one of the Moms on the team is the cross country coach at NC State. I of course hit her up Saturday about the IT band, and she summed it up: hurting your IT band sucks.

I will keep strength training during the week as well. Luckily, my friend I am running the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon with on February 13th has absolutely no goal time whatsoever. The other good thing about that race is that it is completely flat, so no hills to hurt myself on.

I haven't decided beyond that race what I will run. Ray wants to do OBX Half in November as he was supposed to do it last year. There are few half marathons in Raleigh in March, and even one in my hometown in Virginia in May. I need to see what I feel like after the one in February, but I guarantee there will be more races in my future!

Four

I still can't grasp the fact that Audrey is four today.

She still lays her head on my shoulders most mornings, hugs me while I lay back down in bed, and falls back asleep.

She asks Ray and I to give her and "Audrey-Sandwich", where we hug her tightly between us.

When she cries, it's a real cry, and you know her feelings have been deeply hurt.

Her laugh is contagious and wild.

She loves all the "men" in her life - her Grandpas, her Uncles, friends.

I really can't compare her to Ashley at this age just because they are so different. And today isn't about how like or unlike Ashley and Audrey are. Today is all about Audrey and how much she has grown in the last year.

She is trying to give up her nap, some days it's successful, other days, not so much.

If her sister is being mean to her, she simply tells her, "I will NOT be your friend."

She is excelling in dance and loves it beyond belief.

Other than dance, dress-up is her life. She has two imaginary friends, Kaka and Sacey (not sure if I am spelling those right!).

She falls asleep every night listening to her iPod - Jonas, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus. She often plays on my computer or plays games on my iPhone. I am sure if she could spell, she would be texting her Grandpas.

She loves school, yet sometimes wakes up and asks if it is a "stay-home" day. Cinnamon rolls are her favorite food, purple her favorite color.

Her will is strong, and her tantrums are stronger. She is learning to put herself in her room and calm down when she gets mad at us.

But in the end? Audrey gives the best hugs on the planet. I hope she always gives me those hugs.

Character Education

Once a month, I go into Ashley's classroom and teach a character trait. This year, I read books relating to the trait and talk about them.

I went to her classroom yesterday, and I actually had to do December and January since she was tracked out of school all of December (and the whole school board voting to end mandatory year round schools, don't even get me started....). December was kindness, January was very appropriately self-discipline.

The book was about a girl named Sophie who got angry and ran away from home to deal with her anger (which I reminded the kids MULTIPLE TIMES not to run away from home if they get angry!!). We discussed different ways to deal with anger, and I told the kids everyone gets angry.

Which one kid promptly spoke up and said, "Even God gets angry."

Um, sure.

25 degrees no longer feels that cold

We are finally going to get out of the 30s as a temp today. But honestly, it's been so cold that when I go to walk the dog in the morning and its 25 degrees, it's not that bad anymore. The 55 degrees it's supposed to be today is going to feel downright balmy. And almost 60 tomorrow? I might have to find my bathing suit...

And Now I Have a Blog Post

I haven't posted anything because it's been the normal crazy January. January has turned into the month of birthdays - between family and friends, it is crazy.

And it all started this weekend. Saturday was a birthday party for a friend's daughter (bowling party that Ashley loved), then Sunday was a brunch for a friend for her birthday and dinner for another friend, my running buddy/college friend. (Other birthdays this month? My sister-in-law, my niece, my Stepdad Ed, and Audrey.)

Happy Belated Birthday Ed!

Anyway, Sunday night we went to Olive Garden. I guess Wendy and I decided to leave our brains at home because she left her purse at the restaurant and I left my debit card. Which sucked because at physical therapy this morning, I couldn't pay my co-pay. I am guessing I need to put a blank check in my purse just in case since I don't have any other credit cards. She realized she left her purse there that night, I of course didn't find out until today that I didn't have my debit card.

The only good news? I am cleared to RUN! WAHOO!!

Weather

Stupid Wake County, North Carolina. We had a two-hour school delay this morning, and guess what it looks like outside?

Sunny and above freezing. No snow, no ice.

They made the call around 9:00pm last night, when it was above freezing and the chance of our "dusting to one inch of snow" was only 30%.

Smart, real smart.

Audrey's school of course opened on time since the owners waited until this morning to make the call. Thanks Rhonda!

What a great start to my Friday.

Found Pictures

My scrapbooking room is finally disaster-free (it had become a dumping ground during the holidays) and I am finally going through pictures and taking advantage of some printing deals on various websites. I had completely forgotten about these pictures I had taken in November at Myrtle Beach during Thanksgiving. We took a stroll on the beach for some fresh air, and I brought my camera.

This last picture is actually from the playground near my parents house. Ashley is brave enough to climb up this thing, but Ray was not brave enough to watch.

PT

Sunday at my deep tissue massage (where the guy worked on my leg for an hour), I was told if I tried to run, he would break my legs. Figuratively of course, but still, reinforcing the fact I shouldn't run.

Then at physical therapy on Monday, I was told no exercising where I would bend my knee - basically ruling out everything except swimming. The only good news is that if I do my stretches 4 times a day until I go back next week, he may let me run again! Wahoo! And the fact that for the first time since November I can walk down the stairs without pain, something is working.

So swimming. I had every intent to go to the gym last night and swim, and then with the temperatures in the 20s, I just didn't want to leave my house. That and honestly I can't really swim that well, so what's the point. Yes, I realize I could get better with practice, but I just don't want to. Stubborn, yes. So pathetically, I have done nothing all week except for the stretches I am doing diligently.

New Year's Goals

I was really worried about this morning. Ashley has been out of school since Thanksgiving (year round schedule), and Audrey and I have been out of work/preschool for almost 2 weeks. We have been staying up late, eating crap, and shockingly sleeping in (which for my children is 7:30-8:00am).

But this morning went very smoothly. I got my butt out of bed on time, showered and was ready for Ashley when her alarm clock went off at 6:45am. Pre-Christmas break, I was getting her up at 7:00am, but having to be out of the door by 7:35am was getting to be a challenge. And Ashley was all for the early wake up time. Both my kids need a little time to veg while eating breakfast in the morning. I got Ashley ready and set up with breakfast just as Audrey was waking up. Perfect. We shall see how long this lasts...

So, I have a few goals for the New Year, some worth sharing here, others not so much.

One goal is to obviously keep running. I would like to run in four 1/2 marathons this year, but that is dependent on my knee and such. So the main goal? To run 500 miles this year. I should really make it more, but I figure with starting the year with an injury, I should make my goal somewhat attainable.

And speaking of said injury, I had a deep tissue massage yesterday and I have a big purple bruise on my leg to show for it. It was a good massage in that painful, I think I want to cry but it sort of kind of is making my leg feel better kind of way. My massage guy (if you live in the Raleigh area, Rob at Massage Envy at Beaver Creek can work miracles!) worked on my IT band on my left leg for an hour. One hour on one part of one leg. At one point I asked him if he often made people cry doing what he was doing to my leg, and he responded that he had never seen an IT band as bad as mine. Um, not good. Physical Therapy starts today, and I am hopeful I will get back to running soon.