What if?

(This is part of Fitness Cheerleader's blog challenge.)

Life is filled with "What if?" moments. What if I were born in a different time period? What if I hadn't done this or had done that? But I don't live with regrets and choose not to dwell in the what if's. That being said, the one and only "What if?" I have thought about is "What if I hadn't gone away to college?"

The reason I have pondered that one is because my life would be so much different if I hadn't. If I hadn't left home for college, I wouldn't have met Chandra, my sole sis. I wouldn't have had so many experiences that shaped and defined me. I wouldn't have decided to move back home when I did, where I found a job that ultimately led me to my husband. Not going to Angelo State would have altered the course of my life...and I wouldn't want it any other way than what I have now.

I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. I could have saved myself some homesickness and heartache (not to mention time and money) had I stayed home. However, I wouldn't trade that decision for the world because of where it led me.

Quotable Quotes

This is part of Fitness Cheerleader's blog challenge.

When it comes to quotes, Pinterest is a never-ending supply of motivational sayings and posters. But when I think of quotes that have stuck with me, I have just a few.

The first few come from my family growing up. We often said, "That which does not kill you will make you stronger," "This too shall pass," and "If it can go wrong, it will" far too often to count. These were used when we camped, when we went through rough situations, or when something went wrong around the house (and in an almost-100-year-old house, that was often).

The one I've liked here lately is "The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step." I had this in my classroom last year (until it got painted over at the beginning of summer), and I think it applies to so many situations...training for a half marathon, a life path, a weight loss journey, raising children, changing finances...and the list goes on.

What saying motivates you?

Junk food

(This is part of Fitness Cheerleader's blog challenge.)

I eat pretty well most of the time...really, I do. But I love junk food. We don't keep snack cakes or cookies in the house (although I really do like Oatmeal Creme Pies and Star Crunches). I don't eat a lot of candy (although a Twix sometimes really does hit the spot). I'm not crazy about chips.

For me, when I'm really wanting something "junk," I love cheese in all forms...with my faves being these huge fried cheese sticks and baked potato fries complete with bacon and tons of ooey, gooey melted cheese from a local diner called Parkway Grill. That's my ultimate junk food fix.

My workout crew

(This is part of Fitness Cheerleader's blog challenge.)

If I could put together a group run of some famous people, I'd love for these people to join me...

1. Dimity and SBS from Another Mother Runner and authors of Run Like a Mother and Train Like a Mother. I read their first book two years ago, and it made me feel like such a part of the tribe. I met them in Vegas and would love to run with them.

2. Kristin Armstrong. I follow her blog and love that she is Godly and inspirational, plus I've really enjoyed reading Mile Markers. Her understanding of the ups and downs of a running mom have really been insightful.

Ok, so I don't really keep up with names and famous people, so those three are who I would pick. There are tons of fitness bloggers and friends I would include the group as well. Wouldn't that be some run?!

But today? Today, it was just me. And it felt great. Today was my first long run of the training plan for my third half marathon in October. It was also my first long run post-op after surgery last month. I walked a quarter mile, ran a mile, walked a quarter, ran a mile, walked a quarter, ran a mile and then walked home. It felt really good to be out there, and I enjoyed slightly cooler weather this morning.

Mileage
This week: 10.85 miles
YTD: 384 miles

Just a little odd

(This is part of Fitness Cheerleader's blog challenge.)

Five Weird Things I Like
1. Dill pickles and ketchup. Don't know why or even how I figured this out, but I really do like it.
2. Tuna fish sandwiches with sour cream and onion chips on it.
3. This one goes with #2...but I like sour cream and onion chips with pork 'n' beans, which I like to eat with tuan fish sandwiches.
4. Mayo and saltines...that's from my Mom. She used to eat Miracle Whip and Saltines, and I can remember eating them with her at the dining room table.
5. Ok, here's the oddest...I like a piece of bread, a slice of American cheese and a cold hotdog. Yes, I know that's bad for me. I don't really care. I've eaten it since I was little.

I'm sure there's a lot more about me that's odd, and I sure I like more than just odd foods...but that's what I have for today :)

Lazy days of summer

Yesterday, the kids and I made our own sidewalk chalk (1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup cornstarch and a few drops of food coloring for each color). It was overcast outside, so it wasn't too bad of an afternoon to play outside. The ants decided to join us, and the kids had fun seeing if the ants would cross lines of their sidewalk paint.

My sidewalk chalk fun (I think I'll make this into a poster)

When the little craft paintbrushes weren't working well, I had to create these for the kids...easy peasy...cut up a regular sponge and clipped them with clothespins. How's that for quick thinking?!

The kids were ready for a lazy day today (not that we have done a lot here lately, but we have had to get up and go the past few days). We watched a Tinkerbell movie this morning, complete with this popcorn I found on Pinterest. I didn't use all of the butter mixture, and the kids loved it.

Then we painted rocks...a simple project, but they had so much fun! Ryan made dinosaur snakes (or something like that) and SB is still working on making a hamster and a worry stone. Such fun for a lazy day!

And I've got some crafty things of my own in the works :) More about those later...

Out for the count

I tend to forget my injuries...not while I have them, of course, but in retrospect I can't think of them.

I know after I'd only been running a few months, my IT bands were so bad that I stopped running for a while. Once I got them healthy and strengthened, I was good to go...although I still have to baby them with the foam roller pretty frequently.

I've had the normal aches and pains...shin splints (love compression sleeves for those), a weird pain in my left big toe (my dad has the same pain), a weird pain in my right heel (current problem...worrisome because my mom has battled PF for nine months now and hers ruptured...but it seems to be doing better)...and that's all I can really recall.

On a similar note...I am so sore! It's like starting all over. It's been 3 weeks since surgery, and I had to take most of last week off from walking or running because of my heel. I walked 1.75 and ran 1.75 Monday (broken up into walking/running intervals...longest run was 1 mile). It felt pretty good then...but I'm pretty sore now. I've already used the foam roller today and taken ibuprofen. I think I'll continue with that and hope for the best :)