Three Thing Thursday

1. After testing for the past two days, I am really dragging. I tested in another teacher's room where he had to cover a lot of posters and things for testing. He used brown packing paper and hung it just about floor to ceiling. It was like being trapped in a brown paper sack. I'm glad it's over! I need a serious break.

2. I'm going to run my Prematurity Sucks virtual run this weekend. Nothing like a little procrastination. I'll run it on March 31. I've bribed the kids with McDonald's to try and get them up and moving Saturday morning. We'll "run" there together. I can't think of a better way to honor and remember preemies everywhere than to run with my own two precious babies.

3. Sunday starts the Jelly Bean! I'll probably run at least a 10K Sunday to kick things off and then the 5K sometime during the week on the treadmill. I would have loved to have done the half, but I'm just not quite ready. I may be able to get the biking in if I can get my bike in shape (or get that new one I've been checking out).

Quick Mileage Update

Last week's miles (counting Sunday's run): 18.15
YTD: 180.3 miles

It doesn't look like I'll hit 200 by the end of March like I'd hoped (unless I really kick it up a notch...but since I don't think I can run Saturday, that may be out), but that's ok. Considering I am not training for any races, I'm happy with my mileage.

I do wish I could have done some of the local races. We even had a half marathon a couple of weeks ago. I had wanted to do it but couldn't because we didn't know the kids' sports schedules or my hubby's umpire load. There are several 5K, 10K or even 15K races coming up, but we just can't fit them in around the soccer games, t-ball games, practices and work schedules.

I am going to work back up to being able to do a ten-miler, and I hope I can do at least one a month, just to stay race-ready (at least closer to it).

Try It Tuesday

Here is something you have to try!

I found the Better Oats brand of oatmeal on clearance at my local grocery store, so I picked up a few boxes. I got the Chai Latte flavor because I love me some chai. It has a very subtle, not-too-sweet flavor. I really haven't been eating a lot of oatmeal lately.

But then, I found this:

Dark Chocolate oatmeal! It is so good! I added just a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk after I had cooked the oatmeal. It didn't feel like a breakfast at all. I can see myself snacking on this stuff before bed.

The Better Oats oatmeal comes in 9 brands, including Oat Revolution, Abundance (includes flax seeds), Lavish (there's the chocolate one!), mmm...Muffins, OatFit (100 calories, no added sugar), Raw Pure and Simple (there's my chai; includes whole grains and seeds).

There are lots of flavors, although my local store doesn't carry all the brands or flavors. I currently have the chocolate, chai latte, peaches and cream, cinnamon roll, and apple cinnamon. Nothing beats the chocolate though!

Three Thing Thursday

1. Sports are in season at our house! SB is playing soccer this season, and Ryan is playing t-ball (and Daddy is umpiring baseball). It makes for busy weeks with practices and games, but it's fun watching the kids learn and improve. We've had a lot of rain here lately, so practices are being shuffled like crazy.

2. We tried the new Kraft Fresh Takes kits (in bacon and monterery jack flavor) tonight. It was really yummy! The kids even ate the chicken, and that's saying something :) I think I'll give the other flavors a try as well as try other recipes using the kits (like meatballs or roasted potatoes).

3. Tomorrow is Friday. Oh, wait...that's the case every Thursday. Still, I'm glad the weekend is almost here. It's going to be another busy one, but I'm hoping to find a few minutes of me time...a long run, some scrapbooking time, painting my toenails...anything will work :)

Try It Tuesday

I'm going to try and post something new I've tried recently each Tuesday (yeah, we'll see how many times I forget that!). Tonight, I tried kale for the first time. I chose to make kale chips.

There are a lot of recipes for different versions and varieties, but I chose to keep it simple.


Kale Chips
1 head of kale, hard stems removed (rinsed and dried)
1 Tbsp. canola oil
sprinkle of kosher salt

Toss kale with oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake on a large baking sheet or pan on 350 for 15-20 minutes, turning frequently.

I sprinkled mine with a little parmesan after it came out of the oven.

I was really surprised at the light texture the kale had when it was done...very potato chip-like. I'll definitely give it a try again.

Challenge 52-9

Today's challenge is easy...just smile!

I tell my junior high speech kids all the time that our nonverbal language can alter our emotions...that's why I also tell them to "Fake it 'til you make it." That holds true for us too. If you smile, whether you feel like it or not, your emotions tend to follow suit.

So, practice smiling this week...
-before you get out of bed
-at yourself in the mirror (we can be so critical when we look at ourselves)
-during a hard run or workout (personal experience shows that this improves my perception of the run)
-at your children
-at your spouse
-at your coworkers
-in the car (let people think you're crazy!)
-when you feel like it
-when you don't feel like it

Not only will this help our own attitudes, but it's contagious! Watch the smiles spread :)

Spring Fever

I'm a little behind, but I ran my Let's Move it Momma's Spring Fever Virtual Run this past Thursday. I had planned on doing 10K, but with the time change, I couldn't get started early enough to get a full 6 in. I managed 4.65, so I guess I did the 5K instead. It was really nice to get to run outside though!

Sent from my Samsung Epic™ 4G Touch

Mileage update...long overdue

Weekly: 10.65 miles
Past weeks: 12 and 3 (so sad to see a week with just three miles)
YTD: 162.15 miles

My mileage is nowhere near where I want it to be, but it is what it is. No really long runs has left me not as ready for long runs. I'm going to have to work my way back up to that ten-miler that never happened. I was hoping that sometime over spring break, I'd have a chance, but here it is Saturday and I couldn't work one in.

I'm thinking I need a race on the horizon so I hmake myself stick to m plan. It seems like my runs are non-negotiable when I'm training versus just running for me.

Sunday: Museum of World Treasures

It was a good thing that we went to the outdoor Cowtown Musuem on Saturday because it was indeed rainy on Sunday. The museum had lots of interesting things, and of course, Ivan the T-Rex was a hit with the boys. The kids enjoyed finding the answers to the scavenger hunt throughout the museum for a little prize.

We ate lunch at Hog Wild, visited a mall, and ate dinner at Carlos O'Kelly's. I'm not a fan ofMexican food, and my food was really disappointing.

I will say I managed to eat somewhat healthily. I didn't really snack a lot, kept my portions in check and made wise choices when I could. I didn't have too many issues with my stomach, so that was good. I've got my sonogram on my gallblader in the morning. I'm hoping that gives me some answers.

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Saturday: Cowtown Museum

I wasn't sure what we were getting into with the Cowtown Museum, but I knew it was outdoors. We decided to visit it on Saturday because the weather was nice, and we were looking at rain on Sunday.

It turned out to be a really neat turn-of-the-century town setup. The kids loved being able to explore somewhat independently and seeing all of the buildings in the town. We saw a church, school, blacksmith, grain elevator, farm, saloon, pharmacy, dentist, hotel, and tailors. Ryan had to tell the guys in the carpentry workshop that the tools weren't like the ones his Poppy has in his workshop. Sarah Beth seemed to like the school the most. It was a beautiful day and nice to get to spend a couple hours walking around.

That was our big event for Saturday. We also went to a Sheplers and ate at a Spangles for a late lunch. That night, we decided to go easy on dinner and picked up McDonald's for the kids and Subway for the rest of us. However, e wait was ridiculous by the time we got to Subway. The kids were staying with Shawn and Chris, so Chad and I actually got to go to a part of Wichita called Oldtown and eat at Old Chicago. It was really nice to get some "us" time.

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Challenge 52-8

This week's challenge sounds fairly simple...be still. Find a few minutes to still your mind and still your body. You can be still while drinking a cup of hot tea (ok, technically, your body is moving a little here...deal with it). You can be still outside in the sunshine. You can be still in your favorite cozy chair. Whatever makes your heart smile...find a spot, be still and enjoy the peace.

On the road again...

We are now in Kansas. We headed out a little later than expected yesterday evening. We decided to try to get to OkC before we stopped for dinner...which meant we had kids complaining they were hungry for about an hour and a half...and that was after granola bars and squeeze fruit.

We made it to the hotel around midnight. The room is tiny...think dorm room, but it's not bad. For a Priceline deal in a city we've never visited, I'm fine with it.

We're just now getting up and around (read: our daughter is still sound asleep despite little brother awake and Phineas and Ferb on TV). I'll post more of our JFO adventure later.

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Three Thing Thursday

1. I'm having a whole new world of issues. Monday night, I had severe abdominal pain that lasted for more than 5 hours. Yes, I realize a normal person would have gone to the ER. I never claimed to be normal. I had soccer practice, t-ball practice and a team mom meeting where another mom was depending on me for a ride. I didn't have time for the ER. And about the time I was ready to give up and go, it stopped. Long story short, I still don't feel great and I'm having heartburn when I run pretty much all the time (which is no fun at all). It's looking like my gallbladder is the issue, and I'll have a sonogram on Tuesday to check it out.

2. We're gearing up for a JFO this weekend...that's a Johnson Family Outing, fyi. We're heading to Wichita, KS for a long weekend. It's the first weekend of spring break, and I'm looking forward to the time away. Traveling with the kids always makes me nervous because we have one that gets carsick pretty frequently. She handles it well, but I spend the whole trip anticipating it.

3. Tomorrow is our 10th wedding anniversary! It seems so long ago and yet, just like yesterday. He is the love of my life and is a wonderful husband. I'm so glad to be on this journey of life with him. Heart smile :)

Timeline of A Typical Morning Run

After reading the Another Mother Runner Anatomy of a Run blog post this morning while I was warming up on the treadmill, I just knew I had to do a similar post today. So, here's what my morning looked like:

1:31 a.m. My littlest wakes me up wanting to sleep on the couch in our room. His nose is stuffy and he's not happy about it.

1:34 a.m. I've convinced him he can breathe through his mouth and climb back into bed.

2:07 a.m. I'm thinking I should just get up and run because I'm not sleeping well at this point anyway.

2:34 a.m. Sleep wins...well, at least the idea of it. I'm tossing and turning. And I just have this thing about running before a 4 is the first number on the clock. That rule used to be that I wouldn't run until a 5 was the first number...my, how things change.

3:57 a.m. Still tossing and turning. I'm thinking maybe maybe I should sleep in and skip the run.

4:01 a.m. Since I'm not sleeping anyway, I figure I might as well run. It's a little before my 4:15 alarm, so I'll get done sooner and can try to catch a nap before work.

4:06 a.m. I've brushed my teeth (yes, I brush my teeth before I run), changed into my running gear and decide I should foam roll a few kinks on the right side of my rear and my hip.

4:07 a.m. I get up from foam rolling and wonder why the heck I don't do that more often. It feels fantastic.

4:09 a.m. I let the dogs in the garage because it seems awfully cold for them to be outside.

4:11 a.m. I have my stuff settled in on the treadmill and begin walking. I read the Bible verse for the day, one I really like (“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6: 6-7). I check my email. And then I read the Another Mother Runner post.

4:14 a.m. I put in my ear buds and start running...slowly.

4:15 a.m. I realize it helps to actually turn the iPod on.

From here on out, I only had my treadmill mileage to look at, so that's what I've got.

.65 miles Is it me or is running slowly harder? Is the whole run going to feel like this?

1 mile I hit 6 mph on the treadmill and try not to think about the distance. Don't look down. Don't look down. Don't look down.

1.13 miles I look down. Only .13 so far? Crap.

1.2 miles Why do I feel like I'm bobbing and bouncing?

1.77 miles I startle one of the dogs when I tell her to go lay back down.



2.12 miles What is that kink in my back? I guess I'll need to foam roll when I'm done.

2.27 The volume on my iPod seems a little low, so I adjust it. But when I put it back in the cup holder, it changes songs. Then I try to figure out what song I was on. I don't keep up with song names. This proves harder than I thought.

2.34 Finally get the iPod on a song (but I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same one I was listening to before it switched on me). Realize the battery is really low.

2.47 miles I'm not even halfway done? Yikes.

2.69 miles The dog startles me when she bumps something.

3.01 miles at 33:01. I love when numbers work like that :)

3.02 miles Well, at least I've run farther than I did last week...total.

3.3 miles My legs feel heavy.

3.32 miles One of my favorite songs comes on and I smile because I needed that boost. (It's "Lay 'Em Down".)

3.33 miles My iPod dies.

3.66 miles I feel like my legs could run forever...if only I could shut off my brain.

4.07 miles I'm feeling good. I'm "supposed" to start cooling down, but I just keep on trucking.

4.25 miles I've run for 4 miles now and consider running to 5.25 then walking another quarter.

4.75 miles I go ahead and cool down. I'd reallly like to run more, but I know that time isn't on my side.

4.77 miles I update Daily Mile with today's run, waiting until I'm done to enter my time.

5:06 a.m. 5 miles in 54:54 (love the numbers again)! What a way to start the day!

5:07 a.m. Chocolate milk. I start to foam roll and realize I can't drink milk and foam roll at the same time. So I foam roll when I'm done.

5:12 a.m. I hit the shower.

5:30 a.m. I crawl back into bed for a few minutes of sleep before the alarm goes off. This is one of my favorite things to do. And I can hear my little guy snoring on the couch...heart smile :)

Challenge 52-7

Ok, ok, so I'm not really consistent with this challenge thing. Oh, well. It's free and the stakes aren't high :)

This week's challenge is to try and reset some of the negative self-talk we give ourselves. Whether this means putting positive Post-Its on the mirror, writing in a journal or changing negative thoughts to positive ones out loud, just give it a try! Be aware of what you tell yourself either directly or indirectly. Then give yourself a positive in its place.

Happy thinking!

Three Thing Thursday

1. Busy, busy, busy day...week, whatever. We've got soccer practice for one kid and a program for my nephew to get to this evening. I'm thinking it sounds like a McDonald's kind of night :)

2. I'm trying out an online calendar program called Cozi. I haven't quite figured out what to do with it...I've entered all our spring time craziness, but unless I log in, I don't see it again. It is cool because it's color-coded for our family, and I love that! I don't know if I can merge it with my phone calendar. That would be awesome. I'm just not that techish.

3. And since I'm thinking of calendars and planning and general busyness, I need to work out some sort of training plan. I don't have anything but virtual races on the agenda, so there's not really any goal out there. I have a vague idea of what I'd like to keep up as far as mileage goes, but that's it. Any ideas? I'm limited on races in the spring because of the kids' soccer and tball schedules. Summer in Texas is crazy hot and races are limited. Fall seems like a long way off to plan a race and training plan around.