I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.

~John Burroughs

Workouts: Week five

I did a decent job during Week 5...but not a great job.  This was hampered a bit by visitors over the weekend...and I'm not sure what else.

I did much better in Week 6 but didn't log my workouts soon enough (we were in Florida for 4 days) to get the fancy picture emailed to me.  I did 3 workouts for 11 miles that week.

Week 7 has already been better...but I'll wait until I get my fancy picture emailed to me tomorrow before I share. :)

Workouts: Week four

Woo!  Another good week.  The miles are lower this week...but I still met my time goal thanks in large part to a work outing at Sky High Sports, a trampoline gym.  (More on that once someone shares pictures with me!)  Last week was finals week for the students at work so it was a long week for me and I missed a couple of my usual workout days...but I made up for it on the weekend!  We shall see how this week goes...no miles yet...but did a great yoga session tonight! 

Valentine's Day baking

This post is a little overdue...but I did some baking for Valentine's Day for the first time ever.  I took sugar cookies and peanut butter kisses to work just before Christmas and the students and staff loved them...and one student requested I make them again sometime...so I made Valentine's cookies.  It's a good thing I sample one at home...I didn't even get one at work!

Peanut butter cookies with Dove heart chocolates

Sugar cookies - My cousin bought me the Valentine's Day cookies cutters!

Ooh, and another batch of pumpkin granola.  So yummy!

Workouts: Week three

Last week was great for working out.  I was able to stick to the training schedule exactly.  This week is not working out so far though...I had to be at work early this morning...and again tomorrow.  But, hopefully I will be home in time to go to yoga tomorrow evening...and then I can resume the morning workouts on Wednesday.  I did get a few good stair workouts today going to all of the different classrooms to set up the final exams though! :)

Success is blocked by concentrating on it and planning for it.  Success is shy...it won't come out while you're watching.

~Tennessee Williams

Little Women

Last Saturday we went up to Oshkosh to watch John's littlest sister, Natalie, perform in her high school musical, Little Women.  Natalie was Meg, the oldest March sister.  She did a great job...they all did!  It was really a wonderful show.  I even had tears in my eyes during the sad scenes...which surprised me.

Here are a few pictures that my mother-in-law sent me...I'm not sure if they're hers or courtesy of the Oshkosh Northwestern. 

Marmee, Meg (Natalie), Amy, and Beth

Mr. John Brooke and Meg (Natalie)

Marmee, Jo, Meg, and Beth

Mr. John Brooke proposing to Meg (Natalie)

Natalie's spot in the program...so cute!

Winter in Chicago

We've had a very mild winter so far this year.  We've only had three significant snowfalls...the first of which I missed.  The storm on January 20th left us with at least 6 inches of snow...and it all melted two days later.  We got a few more inches last Friday but that was gone in just a couple of days as well.  I was kind of hoping for another Snowmageddon this year...but it's not looking like that's going to happen.  I can't really complain...the unseasonably warm temperatures and abnormal number of sunny days certainly have been nice!

On my way to the bus stop during my first snowstorm in Chicago...so glad I decided to take public transportation that day!  1.20.12

Lots of snow!

John and I in the snow

Michigan Ave looked so pretty with the snow!

Brr!  1.21.12

A beautiful, sunny winter day - 1.27.12

Luminous Field at the bean...on another snowy Friday. - 2.10.12

A gorgeous winter evening - 2.12.12

A beautiful winter sunrise - 2.13.12

Alternate reality

A couple of weeks ago Grey's Anatomy did an alternate reality episode.  Most of the characters were still surgeons...but some of the relationships, etc. were very different.  It was an interesting episode...but it didn't feel quite right.  I didn't consciously think of my own alternate reality...but I did dream about it a night or two after watching the show.  It was very interesting.

It's amazing to me how many decisions I've made (and how many things have just happened) for me to get to where I am today.  While I'm sure I would be happy in other situations, I can't imagine being any happier than I am right now.  Life is good!

Workouts: Week two!

 

I didn't do quite as well as the first week...but I blame that on being out of town for the weekend.  I guess I could have tried to work out while out-of-town...but I figured I'd be OK missing that last workout.  :)

To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful.

~Edward R. Murrow

Workouts: Not a routine, exactly...not yet!

Last week I worked out every day but Friday (the rest day on my 8K training program).  I got up early to work out before work Monday through Thursday.  I'm not gonna lie...it wasn't easy.  In fact, on Thursday I really had to talk myself in to getting up that extra 35 minutes early to get my butt down to the gym and run 2 miles.  But, I reminded myself how good I felt all week...and that got me up!  I did a little extra above the training plan on Saturday and Sunday so I could make sure I got in my doctor's recommendation of 3 hours of cardio.

This was a good motivator in my inbox this morning.  It spoke to me...keep it up this week!  We're going to be out of town this weekend so I probably won't work out on Saturday or Sunday (though maybe we'll get home early enough so I can).  This week, I'll be content with working out Monday through Thursday (and Friday if I don't have to go in early to make up for leaving early).

Sports Illustrated(s)

I am finally all caught up!  I got really behind in my Sports Illustrated magazines at the end of 2011.  Another of my resolutions is to keep up with them each week this year.  There were a lot of really good stories in these issues...I even kept the issues so I could blog about my favorites (Now we'll see if I can find them all!).

November 21, 2011 - Hey Sixteen: Lexi Thompson
I absolutely loved this article...and I'm cheering for this girl.  My favorite quote of her from the article: "I want to be sporty and cool. I'm never going to be skinny like a model, and that's fine. I like being portrayed as athletic. If people want to call me powerful, that's great!"  Such awesome self esteem!

November 28, 2011 - Sport in America: In My Tribe
This article was great.  I think the TV series will be really interesting and look forward to reading more stories like this in the magazine too.

December 5, 2011 - Straight Outta Compton
I can't imagine how it must feel to live in an area like this.  His parents are phenomenal.  It's also great to read a story about an awesome high school athlete who's also an excellent student.  I loved reading that his favorite song is Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts.  Good luck to you, Kitam Hamm.

December 12, 2011
Sportsman of the Year: Mike Krzyzewski and Sportswoman of the Year: Pat Summitt
Excellent article about two very deserving coaches.
The Education of Walter Iooss Jr.
Great, great article about one of SI's best photographers.

January 9, 2012 - The Sandusky Effect
So sad, understandable, but sad.  Overall, I really love Phil Taylor's columns and am so glad he replaced my old favorite, Rick Reilly, as full time back-pager.

January 30, 2012 - Joe Paterno 1926-2012
Of course, there were lots of articles about Joe Paterno and the Sandusky scandal throughout the issues I read...and this one was a good ending for Paterno.  "It doesn't matter what people think of me," he said. "I've lived my life. I just hope the truth comes out. And I hope the victims find peace."

Now, I can finally start reading the books my husband has been nagging me to read since Christmas...as long as I keep up on my Sports Illustrateds when they come in the mail!

Update on Mom

Mom's surgery went absolutely fabulously last week.  I guess one of the PAs told her that she was the model patient for this surgery.  We got to the hospital about 5 AM on Tuesday and left about 5 PM...long day!  Dad nominated me to be the spokesperson so I was the one who took the calls from the OR nurse...I was a little anxious each time the phone rang...but everything went great!

We first saw Mom early Tuesday afternoon.  She was still intubated (had a breathing tube) and very sedated.  Once we saw her and met her nurse, we went to get lunch.  By the time we got back, the breathing tube was out and she was alert but in lots of pain.  She actually had tears in her eyes, she hurt so much.  We left after a few minutes and as we walked out, Dad had tears in his eyes and said "She must hurt so much."  That was probably the hardest part of the day.  We saw her a couple of more times before we left...each time she was in pain, but each time she stayed awake and talked to us a little bit more.

We didn't make it back to the hospital until almost 9 AM on Wednesday morning...and Mom was sitting up in the chair wondering where we were!  She was still in quite a bit of pain and was pretty dizzy when she stood up...but she was doing great.  Mom and Dad sent me back to Chicago Wednesday afternoon...and it was so hard to leave them!  She transferred out of the ICU to the regular unit later that day and was discharged home on Friday.

She's gotten better and better each day since...up and doing a little more, eating better, and having less pain.  She is such a trooper.  Oh, and Dad says he's doing a good job playing caretaker too...Mom gave him As yesterday and today.  Keep it up, Dad!  I love you both!

Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are.

~Bernice Johnson Reagon

Mom

My mom, my friend, my hero is having surgery on Tuesday.  Her mitral valve prolapse got worse in the last year and a half and now she needs a mitral valve repair.  I'm a nurse, a nurse practitioner.  I understand all that's going on, most of what's going to happen.  But I'm still scared, maybe even more scared than the average daughter would be.  I know the risks, I've seen the patients who've had complications.  Those were my patients, they weren't my mom.  The surgeon told us that she'll still be intubated the first time we see her after surgery.  I've seen intubated patients, but they weren't my mom. 

I'm scared.  But, I'm praying for the surgeon's hands to be steady, for the nurses' hands to be healing.  I'm praying I can be strong for my mom and my dad.  And, I'm praying all goes well and that Mom recovers quickly.  I love you, Mom.

New year, new resolutions

1.  Keep exercising.  I was doing great until I started working full time again last September.  I've just been doing OK since then.  I went in for my annual exam a couple weeks ago and my doctor told me to try to do 3 hours of cardio every week.  So, that's my new goal.  I cheated a little this week and counted last Sunday through today...3 hours and 10 minutes on the elliptical plus 1 hour of yoga.  Need to keep it going!

2.  Eat more vegetables.  The only other recommendation from my doctor was to eat more veggies.  I haven't really made a conscious effort to do this yet.  I like veggies...but I just don't always make them.  We had chili for supper tonight which was packed full of beans and green peppers...so I definitely got my fill tonight...but need to do it everyday.

3.  Enjoy the moment.  Too often I find myself looking to the future, thinking about the next great thing that life will bring.  I need to take a step back to the present and enjoy it too...not that I don't physically enjoy the present but that I need to mentally enjoy it too without thinking about what comes next so much.

So, these are the three things I'm going to work on this year.  Just being a better me, that's all.  :)

Thoroughly enjoying the snow

BFF

I got to see my best friend, Jamine, on my way back from the funeral last Saturday.  We spent almost 3 hours eating and (mostly) chatting at Panera.  It's always so good to see her.  I'm so lucky to have such an amazing friend...where we can pick right up where we left off even if we haven't seen each other in awhile.

A pic of us from a few years back...2004-2005 in Madison.  Oh, the memories!

RIP Timmer

My cousin Tim died unexpectedly almost exactly two weeks ago today.  It was a horrible accident, one witnessed by quite a few of my family members.  He was only 34 years old.  My heart aches for his family, especially his mom, his sisters, his brothers-in-law, and his nieces and nephews...his uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends.  But mostly, I hope those closest to him find solace.

RIP Timmer, the guy with the easy smile and big heart.

Idaho Trip

2012 started out with a trip out to Idaho with John's family to visit John's uncle, aunt, and cousins and ski at Sun Valley.  We had a really great time...even with the colds that eventually hit all of us.

View of Sun Valley from Seattle Ridge

All of us after lunch on Day 2

Ben and I on the gondola

Annie, John, and Natalie on the gondola

I look like a natural, right?  Haha.

Down to just the "kids" on the last day...another beautiful one!

John and I at lunch at Seattle Ridge

Another gorgeous day!

After skiing at Sun Valley for 4 days, we drove back to Boise to spend the weekend with John's uncle, aunt, and cousins.  They had Saturday all planned out for us...first, lessons at the shooting range, then dinner downtown Boise, and finally, a minor league hockey game.  It was a fun day!

Steve instructing me on the 22 auto pistol.

John shooting the AR15-22 rifle.  Turns out his skills aren't just in video games.

Natalie shooting the AR15-223 rifle.  Quite the sharpshooter!

The whole gang at the shooting range

Ha!  Little Miss Journey being silly with her Dippin' Dots at the hockey game.