Cold Run

Just a quick note:
I have to remember that when the sun is out in the early morning hours....it is cold outside.
I wore shorts and a long sleeve shirt....should have worn a PARKA!!! Did it make me run faster? You bet it did...but it also made my nose run faster too!!!
Not gonna get too full of myself, as my husband and friends will set me in line quite quickly, but the run today, all be it a cold one, is the best one yet....that must mean something!

Kettlebells Are Cool!!! Yeah...I said Cool!

Well, I am back....Been busy...and I have been playing with Kettlebells. Some of you know what they are and share my love of them,(I can see why)...Some of you want to know what they are (and say "Kettle Balls" rather than Kettlebells) (I smile when you do)and some of you are not fans at all (I won't hold it against you). Regardless of your love - hate relationship, I have decided to follow my heart with much much much more training than I have time for.
Now, I should mention, I am working more than I have in 4 or 5 years (loving it), I am training for a half marathon(will try to love it), want to be with Doug when he is doing his events (every other weekend or so), working out almost everyday (sometimes twice) to lose the last of the lb's hanging around (kettlebells help), and then there is this computer time....At any rate, Now, I will be taking 3 to 5 classes a week in two different places for the next several months. Going to have to tweak my schedule a little in the mornings for classes in Sumner, and drive to Seattle 3 times a week in the evenings and on Saturdays. Along the way, I will be doing homework and study til my eyes pop so that I can earn a certificate in Kettlebell training. Did I mention that I have to do a pull up? Well not a pull up exactly, but I have to hold myself in a pull up position for 15 seconds...Hopekettlebell swinging will help with this and I have to practice and practice some more....so when my girl friends are working out with me and ask me why I want to do more pull ups (couse we did them last time) they, and you will know why.

So Kettlebells are cool and they are light to heavy balls with handles( some even come in pretty colors)...You can do a whole body workout with them and they are great way to lose weight, gain muscle, Get a cardio workout, build core, and stability, and function are key components to kettlebells. I use them a lot and now I am going to learn how to do more and lift more.
Ever want to play with my bells, just let me know, I am always happy to show you what I know.

This is how I spend my ONE day off!!! Lord Help Me!

At the beginning of the year my husband informed me that he will be running a Marathon every month this year. I rolled my eyes and said "of course you are because you don't have enough going on with training for a couple Half Ironman's, events the team wants you to do, oh and that small thing I tend to apreciate...the career"...But anyway, I go along with his plan as I watch him tie his shoes for his first Marathon on Jan. 2nd up in Seattle....really, I thought I was going to poke my eye out with my pen. So I told him to please sign up for events that have shorter events that I can participate in....what was I thinking? So when we got home he signed us up for this one before I could get my coat off.

 Of course I am not ready or even wanting to do a half marathon at this point, so he signs me up for the 5K...and he of course is doing the Marathon. Easy enough but the night before it was pouring down rain and I said "if it rains like this you better run fast and I will not be running in this gross weather" he said "of course"...at least we agree that I had a easy out....rain...cool

 Crazy sun was out all day. No way I was getting out of this one. So put on my number, watched him eat what seemed like an awful lot of food, went to the bathroom 3 times just in case and we took off at the same time....I quickly moved to the back of the pack and he moved to the front and it would be a couple hours before I would see him again.
I did however, run my best 5K to date. I am a sloth and it took me 38 minutes and 5 seconds....I have run several of these things and I am never under 40 minutes so I was thinking I was pretty cool....then I sat in the Truck and watched the runners go by, and then go by again, I saw Doug and gave him more food....he looked hungry....then I proceded to do what I love the most....watch people...and I figured out that noone was ahead of Doug....so the last three miles he has to go he also has to run right by me...so I tell him that I think he is in the lead...he has his headphones in so now I am yelling "I THINK YOUR IN THE LEAD"...he does not hear me...so I get back in the truck for twenty minutes....then I see him...so I ran to the finish line and got this shot.

Not really a big deal til I tell you this is his best time for a Marthon and......HE WON!!!!
So, it ended up being a good day for both of us. Am I signed up for a run in March? Yes, but not if it's raining!

A Few of My Favorite Places to Shop.

They are a trinity in Bellevue. First I go to Pottery Barn, get great ideas and if I do leave there with a good deal, they have wood handles on the bags to help carry the load. (how thoughtful)..then I duck into Crate and Barrel (short cut) on my way to The Paper Source and then as luck would have it, the Container Store happens to be next door. This in my opinion, is a fantastic way to spend a couple hours.

Things Are Changing!

I decided I needed to add lighter and brighter colors to my home decor. I have a nice decor but in our new living space, it seems dark and heavy. So, with that in mind and of course my frugal personality, I decided to re-do a couple pieces and take something I already like and make it something that suits the changes I want to make.

 So I love these mirrors. They were black and thought they might look good white. The painters tape did not work (but I sure like the color of the tape) and I had to scrape off paint from the mirrors for a couple hours.

 But this is what they look like now. Before you say anything, I know I need color on the bed and I have a plan to talk my mom into making me pillows when she comes next month...stay tuned.
But remember that I like the color of the painters tape........

 I decided this cool color would be a part of my bedroom color scheme. I painted the candle sticks white (they were green and orange) and Doug (he loves a good deal) found the vase on clearance at Fredies and decided it was going in the room too.

He also came home with a can of spray paint and painted a brown hanging basket that I had not used n years but could not get rid of (out of character for me if you know me at all) and this is what it looks like. I don't know where it is going yet (maybe the bathroom) or maybe out on the back deck when I re-paint it. Stay tuned and I will let you know.

Jones Design Company

In case you did not check out the people I follow, I am posting a link for this girl. she has the best taste and would love to meet her, go for coffee and pick her brain. So check her out when you have a spare hour and a hot cup of joe. http://jonesdesigncompany.com/giveaway/comment-page-58/#comments

This Is Going to Be Fun.

Alright, I had to stop flim flaming around and just make a post so I could get on with it. I really have more tweaking to do on this page, so please hang in there with me and I will get all my ducks in a row.
I found myself entering the new year with an overwhelming sense of big changes happening. We have already sold a home that no longer suited us after our daughter moved away, and we moved into a nice little condo and got all settled in....No sooner than I got the last box unpacked and the pictures hung on the wall, I started moving things around. I re-organized the garage (pictures will be posted soon) and decided I needed an official craft room for all the things I want to build, paint, print, cut, paste, or wrap. Also, I put my name in the hat for the Seattle Half Marathon in June (training is slow). Booked a fabulous vacation for the family, and started watching my husband kick off his new year and new athletic goals as well as career goals. It is catchy when you live with someone els that is motivated and he keeps me going everyday. That guy can do so much in the same 24 hours I have and he sometimes makes me feel like I am in slow motion. I am sure this is part of what makes us a perfect team. Anyway, I hope you come back for more crazy talk from me and I promise to make most of it interesting some of the time.