National Drink Champagne day, farewell 2014

I am beyond words for 2014 to leave.  I made alot of new friends this past year and that is about all I can say good about it.

How adorable is this?

"Have you ever seen hot chocolate drinking hot chocolate?"  Mrs. Green

I have been nursing a sick guinea pig for the last 24 hours.  This will be the third guinea pig to die on us.  This WILL BE the LAST one we get.  Heartbreaking to watch an 11 year old cry because I do not know how to fix a sick guinea pig.

Today is National Drink Champagne day.  I plan to partake in the festivities!!!!

I need one of these, with Moscato in my home ASAP

Today is my rest day from running which means I will be swimming and doing PIYO.  Tomorrow will be my last run before Sunday.  This will give my body a llittle rest time, still having some minor nagging issues in my right leg.  

I hope everybody has a safe and happy NEW YEAR!!!!

Do you like this blog?  Are you following it?

Are you staying in or going out for NEW YEARS?

I am going to kick depressions ass this in 2015!!!!!

The last couple of days have been extremely exhausting.  I am trying to get back to where I was, running.  2014 was not nice to me.  Started off with a trip to the VA hospital for severe depression New Years day, broke my tailbone March 10, another trip to the VA hospital for a week for major depressive disorder, pulled my hamstring, lost several toenails, and in October an 11 day stay at the VA hospital.

I had a lot to overcome just to get back to running.  It was not easy and it is a struggle everyday.  Yesterday by the grace of God I made it 20 miles, not a great pace, however my ultimate goal was to hit 20 miles and I did.

Rewarded myself with a venti white chocolate mocha.

It was so cold outside, and I was sweaty so the first thing I did when I got home was of course check on Zachary who was still asleep at noon.  Jumped in the hot shower until the hot water ran out.  Then for the rest of the day I sat on a heating pad.  

Got up this morning, no where near as sore as I thought I would be.  Decided to go for a short run three miles at a 758 pace with a one mile walk at the end.  Not too shabby.  I'll take any progress no matter how small.

I am trying to decide how to ring in this new year.  Champagne, wine, Kinky, fireball?  Lol

My first race of the year is on January 3, 2015 it is an 8 mile run in the Shelby Meeman Forest, the Hill and Dale 8 miler.  My goal is to finish in a respectable time.  

Some New Years quotes, and humor.

As I was typing this blog, I witnessed, a hawk swoop down towards my birdfeeder trying to get lunch.  The birds at the birdfeeder sensed his presence and were able to retreat to safety.  

How are you spending your New Years?  I'll be at home, with an adult beverage.

Have you  made any resolutions/goals?

What have you been doing?

New Year excitement

I love it when a new year sets in.  Not because I plan on drastically changing my life, but because I can set new goals.  My goals are always realistic.  So many people set themselves up for failure because they make these resolutions that are unrealistic.  For example a goal of mine right now is to get my running pace down to a 7 minute 55 second mile.  I know people who run about an 8 minute mile who make resolutions to get down to a 6 minute mile.  I am not a professional runner nor will I ever be, but even I know that a six mile minute is out of reach.

Do you celebrate New Years?  I have a hard time staying up that late lol.

How sparkly!!!!

It is still raining, ughh,  it never stops raining.  I have my runs planned a week in advance. Today I am just going to suck it up and run in the rain on a trail away from traffic.  So many athletes get struck by cars, because drivers do not pay attention.  

My motto for the day

My Christmas cactus is in full bloom and so pretty.

What are some of your goals for 2015?

Do you have any plans for New Years?

Do you run in bad weather?

Rain out Saturday

I was extemely motivated to run today.  Got up and out the door I went. Five miles into my planned thirteen mile run, I had to call it.  The rain was so strong that I did not think drivers would be able to see me.  I like to run in the rain, however, my safety was more important.  I came home and did my PIYO workout.

This morning prior to my run, I was looking out the window at my birdfeeder and there were nine male cardinals.  They are so beautiful, and in the field behind the house there was several deer grazing.

I got this picture off the internet, I remember when I lived in Pennsylvania in the winter seeing them like this.  Unfortunately we don't get snow like this in Memphis.

Are you planning on making any New Year resolutions?  I prefer to call them goals. I am working on mine now.  So far I have a couple, to get my run pace to seven minutes and fifty five seconds.  Get back to my goal weight of 125, which seems impossible. Complete a race every month.  

I have a feeling that 2015 is going to be a much better year, with endless possibilities....

One more week before school starts back!!!!!

It is hard to keep a eleven year old occupied for any amount of time, before hearing "I'm bored."  I wish school was all year long. I'm am burnt out from raising children for the last 21 years, I only have ten more years  of parenting.

I am looking forward to the Rock and Roll New Orleans Marathon on January 25, 2015.  I've never been to Louisiana so it will be a first.  I am hoping to qualify for Boston at this race. 

I am going to miss the Christmas season.  It is always so beautiful to see all the sparkling lights. I had a great Christmas and I hope everyone else did to !!!

Have you started your New Year resolution/goal list yet?  I have

Are you going to miss Christmas?

What races do you have planned for 2015?

Post Christmas run, time to relax

Ran a quick 8 miles this morning.

I am loving this new watch, taking a little time to get used to.  But I love this watch.

I have a race on the third, which I would love to place in, however will be happy just finishing it.

Spent Christmas night watching movies and hanging with Zachary.  Went to Eat Well for dinner.  I refused to cook both Christmas eve and Christmas day.  It is becoming a tradition to eat there for Christmas.  I enjoyed the shrimp tempura, and scallops.  

Came home from Eat Well and poured myself a glass of Kinky blue.  It is such a relief for it all to be over.  I always worry if my kids will be satisfied with their gifts. This year was a success.

Have I ever mentioned that I love to clean.  I am a cleanaholic.  I bleached down the kitchen today, cleaned up from the last two days, time to relax.  

I hope everybody had a great Christmas with those they love.  Time to start working on setting goals for 2015.  I will reveal my list next week.  I have a lot planned.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone.  Today has been an awesome day already and it is only nine in morning.  Santa was very good to me this year.  My sons were equally as giving. I never ask them for anything, however I received the most thoughtful gift.  I received a package yesterday from my son, there was a card inside that made me cry.  This is my twenty year old son, picked out a pandora bracelet, with three charms.  Once charm was for having boys, a heart with a blue crystal, one charm was for nature because I love anything outside, and the third was a pearl to signify our birthdays.  I never knew he cared so much.  I am so proud to be a mom to all three of my sons.

Probably the best few days of my life have been the past few days.  I don't know if my medicine is finally working, or maybe I have finally let go of things that were making me feel horrible. I take my good days very seriously, and try to make them last as long as I can.  

I hope everyone is having a great Christmas, and spending time with the people that matter the most to them.

I got up early to make breakfast from scratch.  I made bread dough by hand, yeast packets, etc.  I then tore it apart and made monkey bread.  

Have you ever wondered how plants know when it is Christmas?  I have been patiently waiting for my Christmas Cactus to bloom and what do you know I woke up and it was blooming, so pretty.  

I am going to test out my new Garmin Forerunner 220 today, which I am super excited about.  I feel like this is the training tool I need to perform better.  

After my run I plan on drinking some Kinky, blue in the tub. Sounds like a good plan.

Have a great evening, eat, drink and be merrry

Was Santa good to you?he was good to me

Do you  have a Christmas cactus?  did it bloom yet?

Are you having a good Christmas?  why? or why not?

Christmas Eve, wish list, happy national eggnog day

l First, to all my fellow eggnog lovers, happy national eggnog day!!! I like eggnog plain, but I really like it with buttershots in it.

My Christmas wish list to Santa or anyone else who loves me

Garmin forerunner 220.  I have always used my handy IPhone app to track my runs, and it sucks. I want this watch because it is like a personal trainer.  It will definitely help me with my pace.

Starbucks gift cards, need I say more

A new pair of diamond stud earrings. I had to sell my other ones a few years ago, which I regret now.

I have pretty much everything a person could ask for, health, happy children, lifestyle that allows me to stay home and not work.  

Christmas Eve has always been a big deal to me, because it was my fathers favorite day of the year.  We fill ourselves full of finger foods then relax...wait for Santa.  This year I have made pigs in a blanket, spinach artichoke dip, deviled eggs, meatballs, cheese sticks, Texas fries and miscellaneous dips. Then have an adult eggnog and call it a day.

I wish everybody a happy Christmas!!!!

What traditions does your family have?

What is on your wish list?

Do you like eggnog?

Run, sparkle, and eat: Baking completed and what's up with all the rain?

Run, sparkle, and eat: Baking completed and what's up with all the rain?: Cookies are ok for breakfast, right? I consulted with an expert and he gave me an ok and agreed it was just fine. I ALWAYS over bake, I make...

Baking completed and what's up with all the rain?

Cookies are ok for breakfast, right? I consulted with an expert and he gave me an ok and agreed it was just fine.

I ALWAYS over bake, I make two batches of everything. Just in case a last minute gift is needed.  Plus I just love to bake.

We had movie day yesterday, went to a second run theater which was really nice.  I had won some free movie passes last year at a race and finally got around to using them.  We saw teenage mutant ninja turtles, it was OK. 

Trying to sit out this nonstop rain, it rains here all the time.  I will run in the rain, but not a cold rain.  I guess it is a triple PIYO day.  The sun has not made an appearance here in quite some time.

This is how miserable it looks here.  

I'm getting so excited about Christmas Eve.  My father loved Christmas Eve we always had finger foods and lots of sweets.  I have continued that tradition with my family.  This year will be the first time in over thirty five years that I will attend Christmas Eve services at a church.  

I am feeling really good lately.  I don't suffer from physical pain.  I suffer with depression and it sucks not knowing how you will feel each day.  I hate it when people say just cheer up, because it is not that simple. It is not something that is 100% controllable. Medication, lifestyle changes, and a great support system are necessary in maintaining a status quo. I am not embarrassed to admit that I am depressed!!!!

How many different types of cookies did you make? I'm at 13

Do you or anyone you know suffer from depression?

Are you going to Christmas Eve services? 

Spending some much needed time with Zachary and early running

Most mornings I clean the house do laundry and wake up completely before I head out for a run.  At night I have to take medicine for PTSD so it takes time for me to be completely alert.  This week I have Zachary at home so I have to head out earlier.  Today sucked I'm not even going to put how many miles, not many but under an eight minute mile pace.  Have to just keep telling yourself that good days come from bad days.

The first day of vacation is always fun, then it wears off, the countdown starts at day two. I often wonder why they need such a LONG vacation, they are just kids.  At least I don't have the constant fighting I used to have with my older two. 

We have a lot planned movies, cookie decorating, puzzles and just being lazy. Here are a few of my favorite Christmas movies.

I like funny movies!!!!

I have just a few small gifts to get and I will be done with Christmas shopping.  I dread going anywhere because of the crowds of rude people.

Are you done with your Christmas shopping?

What is your favorite Christmas movie?

Have you baked anything? 

Lots of baking, NUUN ambassador

c Happy first day of winter!!!!

And for my fellow runners

I miss the snow from Pennsylvania, it makes Christmas more fun, just my opinion.  It would be perfect if it snowed from December 21-December 26. That would be just perfect.

Baking was in full swing until the heating element melted, so bummed I was so close to being done, now I have to wait to tomorrow afternoon.  Mind you I have to mail these to family. So far I have made:

  Chocolate chip normal/chocolate white chocolate chips

  Mexican wedding cookies

  Ginger cookies aka "crack cookies"

  Almond sugar cookies

  White chocolate covered pretzel sticks

  Oreo balls

  Peanut brittle 

  Reindeer munch

I have to make vanilla crescents, Italian anise cookies, pfefferneuse and that should be enough!!!!

I was selected by NUUN to be an ambassador. Which basically means I endorse and promote their product and I get free stuff.  I was really praying for this to happen, because I drink LOTS of NUUN. 

This week has been a great week for running, I have surpassed my fifty mile a week goal, by twelve miles.  I am starting to feel confident again, I had seriously doubted if I would ever get back to where I was.  It has not been easy, lots of tears, lots of pain and a lot of kicking my own ass.

I donated so much lately and it makes me feel so good to do it.  First I donated my hair to locks of love, took two bags of puzzles and personal hygiene items to the VA hospital (mental ward)  and last stop was Goodwill with various items.  It makes my heart sparkle when I do nice things. 

Have a great first day of winter!!!!

Do you bake around the holidays? Or all the time?  I bake all the time

How to you donate items?  I do it all the time

Are you ready for Christmas?

Baking, running, and donating

I have a Christmas tradition of baking tons of cookies, and giving them out as gifts.  When I say tons, probably about 15 different types.  It feels bettter to give something that you spent time and love on.  Plus, the easiest way to a persons heart is through the stomach.  I've heard that for years.

After buying all the supplies which took about an hour, I get home and my oven stopped working, it refused to heat up.  I tried switching the breaker.  It was like it knew it was getting ready to be used for an insane amount of time. I had to call the repairman.

They were not able to "fix" it so they rigged it for now.  

The days are just not long enough lately, between cooking, running, blogging, hanging out with Zachary the day is gone.   Did I mention that he will be out of school for two weeks?  I wonder how many times I will be beckoned to the kitchen because he is hungry? I really do not mind though.

I have two weeks before my first race of 2015.  It is an eight mile race called Hill and Dale, which in itself leaves me to wonder what I was thinking registering for a race with the word Hill in it.  I was going to do a race near Nashville, but changed my mind.  

Well today is my long run day 15 miles so have a great Friday.

New York City was awesome

We left for New York on Thursday morning at 0600, which meant a three thirty wake up.  The flight was great.  Really didn't do much but unpack and get settled in. The hotel was gorgeous with a salt water pool so I got a lot of swimming in.

Friday, Zachary and I headed out on the town, after a five mile treadmill run. He was such a great travel buddy.  Took public transportation everywhere which was fun.

He was probably singing he is always singing.  

Went to see the Empire State Building which was amazing.

I wanted to go to Macy's and found these cute ornaments

The first one is an apple bell, too cute to pass up and when I told the cashier it was my first time in New York City she hooked me up!!!!

There were so many people😜 I don't like crowds but managed fine.  Some random pictures Zachary took

Friday evening was the Christmas party at the Astoria!!! All I can say is I ate too much calamari and had way too many piña coladas.  Great food met some really great people.  I won a $250 gift card to Best Buy!!!! Free boxes of chocolates.  This was me before the party

Saturday I got another five mile treadmill run in. After that we headed back out lots of walking which I loved, however Zachary assured me that his legs were going to fall off.  

Of course we had to go to the M&M store smelled so good

Went to the 9/11 memorial. It was somber, the quietest place in the city.  It was windy and cold.  The pools had water spraying everywhere so I could not get any decent pictures.  We chose not to go into the museum because I knew I would break down. I remember that day like it was yesterday.  I immediately went to work, earlier than my shift.  In all my years of law enforcement that was the day where the 911 call volume stopped, people stopped the foolishness.  

Went to Central Park and watched a street show which was amazing.  Unfortunately everything was so packed. We did go to Times Square, and Rockefeller center to see the tree.

Stopped to get a few souvenirs, in keeping with my love of sparkle, I found this cute t-shirt and a pair of Oakley sunglasses that actually fit my face!!! I love it when I score.

Also found this hair product which is the best ever

It is shiny, controlling, anti frizzing and tons of volume. 

We are at a lot of mom and pop places and I stuck to my diet with the exception of the party.

Sunday quick treadmill run, swim, and then headed out.  I didn't pack enough cold weather running gear so my run on Brooklyn Bridge was in boots and jeans lol, but I did it.

I love the bridge locks they symbolize love!!!

Everything was so crowded we made it to Times Square and Rockefeller center.  The tree was unbelievable.

So we headed home on Sunday at what was supposed to be 1800 hrs, the plane was an hour late. After we boarded we sat for an hour. I figured something was wrong.  I went up and asked the flight attendant what was going on her response " something is wrong with the fuel gauge, they are looking in the manual to see how to fix it!!!!"  I grabbed Zachary and unassed that plane in about ten seconds.  Was able to get on a flight to Memphis thirty minutes later.  The first plane lost our luggage.  It was delivered on Monday afternoon.  

It was an awesome time.

Has your luggage ever been lost? 

Do you like crowds? I hate them

Have you ever experienced New York City?  Did you love it?