Where I'd Like to Be ~ CHBM Photo Friday

Today's Friday Photo Challenge at Crazy Hip Blog Mamas is 'Where I'd Like to Be'. The photos I selected are of the Coquille River Lighthouse and the nearby beach in Bandon.


I grew up here (not far from this beach) and would spend many a summer day there with my friends and family. I participated in a number local running club beach runs - placing well for my age group (I'll have to see if I can't find some old newspaper articles/photos). In the summer evenings, my family would occasionally meet with friends on the beach and we'd build a big fire. We'd roast marshmellows, hotdogs and share stories. On low tides, we explored the tidepools and rocky caves. We would rock climb and build sand castles. And it was here that Scott Lathan (my childhood sweetheart) first kissed me.

I haven't been on this beach for a few years now (as shown in the picture - I was 3 months pregnant with my little buddy the last time I was there - he's 2 now). I am anxious for summer... I'm already planning camping trips to the beach so that my children can experience these same adventures. I'm looking forward to reliving many precious memories and building new ones. :)

Ultra-Conservative or Right-On ??

I met with the personal trainer this morning and for the majority of our conversation, he explained 'Training Zones' and the importance of predominately running w/in Zone 2 (Aerobic Treshold), 70-82% of maximum heart rate (MHR). He briefly touched on the physiology behind this practice... and basically stated that running below 70% MHR is 'junk mileage'. Makes sense. You need to push yourself to get stronger/faster.

I don't have a heart rate monitor so we discussed relative levels of exertion and intensity... One can typically maintain 70-75% MHR for 10min - 2hrs. At 75-82% MHR, interval duration drops to 10min - 1 hr.

Additionally, he stated that he believes training for a marathon is a 2-3 year process. Runners should train to train to train... before they begin the intense 18+ week cycle. Otherwise, they risk hitting a plateau and not seeing continual improvement over time. Hmmmm???

I shared with him my time for the 3.2 miles and the training plan I'm currently using, FIRST. I explained how I had made modifications to the prescribed plan since I broke my wrist. He was skeptical of the program stating that I would certainly see results but that over time, I would begin to stop 'improving'. "One can not train hard all year. There needs to be some down time. Time to allow the body to recover." Hmmmm??? I hadn't intended on continuing 'full-force' year-round.

I also told him that I swim on Mon & Wed (as recommended by the FIRST program, I cross-train hard on my 'non running days'). "If you want to be a better runner, you must simply run. Cross-training is not necessary.... If swimming makes you feel better here (pointing to his head), then great, go for it. But it is basically recovery (Zone 1) and therefore not essential to training." [Joe, I know you'll have some thoughts on this!]

His thoughts on cross-training bug me. I tried running more than 3-4 days a week last year and I struggled with plantars faciitis. Swimming has alleviated that and I no longer have heel pain.

We ended the conversation with the expectation that I'd keep him informed of my progress and that I would continue as I've been doing until the end of April when I run the half marathon in Eugene. At that point, we'd get back together and start some long-range planning to get me to my goal (a Boston qualifying time). I asked when he thought that might be attainable. He said I could potentially do a marathon in the fall (Portland ?) to get a gauge for my progress and see how things look from there.

Following the meeting with the PT, I took the kiddos swimming and then proceeded to Masters as usual. I asked Coach Bob during swim practice what he thought about cross-training and I summarized the PTs thoughts on running... His reply was that he's living proof that cross-training works. He then said, "Let's get together sometime and talk. You see Andrea over there in lane 4? She ran Boston last year. I'm a former track coach... I can help you."

Interesting.

~~~~

Swim Practice - Great!
500m mixed stroke warm-up
7x200m at 4:30 pace (On the 3rd & 5th round, I did just 150m as the others were 25+ meters ahead of me... They kept starting the next round as I touched the wall completing the previous one and as a result I wouldn't get any rest... yes, I'm slow... therefore, I tacked on an additional 100m at the end to make up the difference.)

2100m total (essentially 5.25 running miles according to Bob)

Please Stay Squishy

Sunday night, as DH and I lay in bed chatting about the weekend, he gave me a little squeeze and asked if I was going to get a hard body with all the exercising I'm now doing. "Because you are lifting weights now like Olympians, you're not gonna get hard, are you? I like you toned and in shape but I also like you soft and squishy." I couldn't help but chuckle...cutest thing to say (at least I thought so).

On Monday, I took the kids to the pool for a little parent-toddler swim. My little buddy discovered the joy of jumping into the water from the side of the pool. He also enjoys holding onto the side of the pool and leaning his head back to completely submerge his head. When the water hits his eyes, he lifts his head and giggles. If only I could get him to kick a little more frequently now as he hold my hands. The princess is off practicing her swim moves... she considers herself an 'expert' now. :)

After our playtime, I took the kiddos to the playroom/childcare center and I jumped in with Masters (15 minutes later than I normally do - playing with the kids was just too much fun today).

Mondays workout was one of my favorites... MEDLEY! However, I can't do the butterfly, so I always sub freestyle. :)
Warm-up: 400m freestyle (25m pool), 4th length feet first
Sprints: 3 sets of 4x25m medley
Drill: 200m, 4x75m medley, 200m (should've done another 4x75 but I ran out of time as the childcare closes at 1pm)
Total = 1400 meters

I met with a personal trainer last week and he asked that I run 12 laps on a track so he could get an idea of my speed, lactate threshold, etc. As the loop in front of our house is .32 mile... I elected to run 10 loops there instead while the kids played at a neighbors. :)

I did a short warm-up (and a short cool-down after)... I am elated over my time. 3.2 miles (just .1 farther than a 5K) and I clocked 23.02 !! Sweet! I wonder how fast I could've done it with other competitors and spectators cheering me on?

I meet with the PT again tomorrow - I'll let you know what he has to say.

BTW ~ because I was planning to push myself during the 5K today - I didn't want to be sore, so I opted not to do the CrossFit workout on Monday. I might do one tonight, though?!

The Frustrations of Traveling & Training

The family and I spent a few days at the Running Y Resort near Klamath Falls this weekend. We actually departed on Thursday afternoon and returned yesterday about 2 p.m. I had googled the resort before we departed and was impressed that they had a running trail, a fitness room (with a treadmill, elliptical and numerous weight machines), and a pool (one for the kiddos, too!). Unfortunately, what they lacked was onsite childcare and jogging strollers. Because DH was occupied with meetings all day and their stringent rules didn't allow children in the fitness room - I was unable to do much of anything.

I was very, very sore on Thursday after my first CrossFit workout (the long drive certainly didn't help), so I tried to loosen up by chasing the kiddos up/down the hallway and the 3 floors of stairs for about 20 minutes. It helped a little but certainly wasn't much of a workout.

It is becoming clear that we may wish to actually bring a babysitter along when we travel in the future. Unfortunately, the sitters we use regularly are students and thereby would not be able to accompany us during the school year. Hmm. Stuff to ponder/contemplate for the future.

Today, I was finally able to get out the door and run. The weather was great, sunny and approx.58 degrees. I elected to go for 8 miles at a faster pace than I generally run my long runs. I finished the 2 loops in 1:10.54... an average of 8.51. Not bad.

My original plan was to do CrossFit workouts on my Easy/NonRunning days (as suggested by Lillie). However, I think I'll modify today's WOD and go for it this evening after dinner.

"Michael"

Three rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters *
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups *

* I'm going to substitute the 800 meter run with 50 Wall Push-ups (until my wrist is stronger, I can't yet do a 'standard' push-up & I already ran 8 miles today) and I'll have to do Crunches rather than Sit-ups - my abs aren't that strong yet.

***
Edited after completing the modified WOD:
I wasn't certain how I was going to do the back extensions - I don't exactly have much equipment here at home. I googled 'back extensions, home equipment' and came up with a temporary solution. I used my exercise ball and my kiddos. I laid across the ball with the ball as far under my thighs/hip as I could. I then had the kiddos sit on my feet and calves. Unfortunately, as they moved around, I'd lose balance and tip over. Too bad I didn't videotape this as I'm sure it would have been quite humorous. For the last round, I asked DH to hold my ankles. That worked a lot better. The goal for today's WOD was 3 rounds for time - I completed the WOD in 25.35. Slow. Those back extensions were tough.

Oh - I didn't do the warm-up... I just jumped in... After things were picked up following dinner, I didn't have much time before the kiddos' bedtime. I always read them a story and I didn't want to prolong their bedtime. :)

Olympic Lifts, Martial Arts & Gymnastics

Wow! After discovering Lillie's blog and learning about CrossFit... I decided to check out their website... it is a combination of Olympic style weight lifting, cardio, martial arts training, and gymnastics. I was immediately intrigued and very impressed with the athletic caliber of those that follow the program. So I've decided to jump in and give it a go myself.

However, I've had the cast off my arm for only 9 days and my wrist is still rather tender. I don't yet have full range of motion and I am therefore certain that many of the WODs will not be possible. I'll therefore have to work up to the regular WODs over time... either using modifications or substituting other exercises/moves. Today was my first attempt.

The WOD as prescribed:

"Warm-up"
3 rounds of 10 reps of:
Samson Stretch
Overhead Squat w/stick
Sit-ups
Back Extension
Pull-ups
Dips

"Nasty Girls"
3 rounds for time:
50 squats
7 muscle-ups
65# hang power cleans, 10 reps

My modifications for today:

"Warm-up"
3 rounds of 10 reps of:
Samson Stretch
Overhead Squat w/stick
Sit-ups
Back Extension
Lat/High Row, 50#
Walking Lunges

"Not so Nasty"
3 rounds for time:
50 squats
25 lat/high rows, 50#
15 deadlifts, 30#

I completed the 3 rounds in 13.20. Not bad for the first time ... however, I may have been too easy with the deadlifts?? I'm sore tonight though... particularly my back and my quads. Great workout.

I did the workout at the gym and was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to talk with Murphy - one of the personal trainers. He helped me to devise the modifications for the WOD and was actually impressed that I was even considering a 'hang power clean' - he demonstrated for me and then I attempted it with just the bar (45 lbs) but the movement was uncomfortable on my wrist - too soon.

Anyway, after my workout, we sat down and talked a while about my goals and such. We're going to meet on a more 'formal' basis next week so he can get a better idea of what I'm looking for in a training program. He asked that I first time myself as I run 12 laps "all out". This will enable him to get an idea of where my aerobic treshold is and so forth and thereby better enable him to help develop a more specific program. Cool. I asked if I should get my VO2, max heart rate, etc. tested (I can do so for about $130 at the local community college). He said to wait - to allow that to be a treat, say for a 9-12 months from now, for all my hard work. :)

Speaking of Martial Arts... my little sweetie is now taking Karate and absolutely loves it! My little prince is eager to join her, but he'll have to wait a little longer (he's too young and I doubt he'd stay put on the mat). She has only gone twice but I can already see a dramatic improvement in her willingness to help out around the house and her attitude/respect. Awesome program. I took some pictures today... hope to post a few in this weekend. :)

~~~
Oh! I ran 10 miles on Saturday while we were visiting my inlaws [1:52.20]. Great easy, long run. Comfortable. I should've gone farther or rather, faster, but I just felt like enjoying myself. :)

Sunday - Rest

Monday I returned to the pool! Took it easy though and did just 1400m by the hours end. 600m warmup. 200m. 200m. 4x50 (15sec RI). 200m.

Tuesday I did my tempo run: 1 easy, 5 @ MT (8.15 mile pace), 1 easy. I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to hold pace for 5 miles but ... I was wrong. :)
My splits were 7.25, 8.19, 8.12, 7.46, and 8.22. AWESOME!

I'm opting not to do speed work this week. Hope to do a few more CrossFit WODs through the weekend and some easy runs. Long run for Sat or Sun ??

You Know You're A Marathoner When. . .

~ Your "easy" runs top the weekly mileage of 95% of the general population.
~ You eat like a 400 lb. man, and look like you're starving. (I eat fairly healthy, but I eat constantly.)
~ You miss a run and you're irritable and pissy all day and evening, as well as the next day.
~ People avoid you when you're tapering.
~ Your friends gag when they catch a glimpse of your toes.
~ You roll your eyes when people talk about low carb diets.
~ "18 weeks" becomes your most important unit of time.
~ You start debating about Higdon.
~ You'd rather run a marathon than go on a "real" holiday.
~ You no longer think people who run marathons are crazy.
~ After finishing a really tough 26.2-mile run, your first thought is: "Next race, I'm going to...."
~ You have a pile of shoes in your closet because you feel like you have to have new running shoes every 500 miles.
~ Any run less than 16 miles feels like an easy workout. (Less than 10 for me.)
~ You spend too much time on the Internet reading about other peoples' workouts. (I'm addicted.)
~ You say you're going out for a short run and come back two hours later. (Maybe just one hour later.)
~ You think high 40s/low 50s and overcast sounds like perfect weather.
~ You think it's completely normal to put band-aids on your nipples.
~ When someone mentions that they live in another city, you immediately think, "Oh, I hear that's a good running city" or "Good God! I couldn't live there! Their marathon is cruddy and there's nowhere to run!"
~ You get up earlier on weekends than you do during the work week.
~ You try to negative split mowing your lawn.
~ You wonder if you can get your entire wardrobe made out of Coolmax.
~ Every time you see a runner when you're driving you feel like you too should be running, even if you ran 15 miles earlier in the day.
~ You tell your wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend that you want a marathon entry as a birthday present.
~ You think 40 miles is an easy week. (I'm getting to that point. Would like to increase base mileage to around there - right now I'm at about 30.)
~ When you're driving somewhere and you see a distance to next town sign and automatically calculate how long it would take to run there.
~ You plan your vacations around your training schedule. A trip to Colorado is an opportunity to get some great hill work in. You could never imagine going on a cruise or a small Caribbean island. Trying to map out a 20 miler would be too hard.
~ Actually thought about PowerGel as a dessert topping.
~ When someone asks you how far you are planning to run, you say "I'm ONLY doing 10 today".
~ When your non-running friends stop calling you to hang out the night before you do your long runs.
~ You start planning your training for the next marathon before you even finish the one you're training for now.
~ You wear more electronics on a run than are in the dash of your car. (I wish! GPS & HRM are on my wishlist!)
~ You are excited about an upcoming birthday because it will bump you up to a new age group and make it easier to get into Boston.
~ You tell non-runners you ran 5 miles when you really ran 15. Just so you won't have to sit through the "Wow, that's far!" conversation.
~ You gasp when you see someone running in everyday gym socks.
~ Your best watch is a Timex.
~ Your car smells a little sweaty from your running shoes in the back seat.
~ Your tan line is just above your ankles.

(I saw this on another blog - loved it - deleted those that I didn't relate to in anyway.)

Fun Stuff !

Pole Pedal Paddle 2007

We've registered 2 teams for this years Pole Pedal Paddle. Thus, promising a fun and exciting event as we'll most likely try to outdo the other team. :)

Team A

Darin - alpine
Brooke - nordic
me - bike
me - run
Bar - kayak
Lil Buddy - sprint

Team B

Bud - alpine
Mark - nordic
Mom - bike
AmaKong - run
AmaKong - kayak
Sweetie - sprint

This year, I am participating in two legs... the bike (new for me) and the run (same as last year). It will be a good test of whether a tri is a possibility. However, there is a potential that a wedding reception will take place the same weekend of the Pacific Crest Tri that I had my eyes on... so, I'll potentially have to find another tri to try. :)

Beginning in front of Mt.Bachelor nordic lodge, the bike leg is a beautiful ride along the scenic Century Drive for 35K - the majority being a descent, except one uphill stretch after the Sunriver junction. I'll then proceed to Colorado Ave. where I'll ditch the bike (hopefully, my support team will be there to cheer me on and grab my bike) and begin the run leg. I then head towards the scenic running trail along the Deschutes River. I make contact with the kayaker on the shore after I complete the 10K run. *Same course as last year - and this time around, they state 10K not 8K as they stated in the program last year. I knew it! A sweet PR becomes official a year later!

We're off for the coast this weekend to see family. I'll be back Sunday - hoping to do my long run on Sat to the lakes and back, unless I find a local race. :)

My Favorite Childhood TV Show ~ CHBM Carnival

When I was a child, we lived in a rural area and thereby our television reception was a little poor. I remember we had only a few channels for many years and most had fuzzy reception. We didn't get cable until my brothers and I were older, I think jr. high.

For this reason, our viewing choices were relatively limited. During the day, the only channel that broadcast children's programs was TBS out of Atlanta (the others aired the soaps). To this day, my brother is an Atlanta Braves baseball fan. :)

The daytime programs we watched were:
Little House on the Prairie
I Dream of Genie
Happy Days
Leave it to Beaver
Father Knows Best
The Flintstones
Gilligans Island

In the evening, we rarely watched television. My father generally was home by 3:30 p.m. and would work in the garage or across the street with his portable sawmill until dinner was ready around 5:30. He would then rest comfortably in his easy chair and watch the news while we did our homework or otherwise entertained ourselves. On the rare occasions when we would watch a program, the ones I remember are Grizzly Adams, The Dukes of Hazard, Emergency, and CHiPS.

So... what program would I consider to be my favorite?? I'd have to say 'Little House on the Prairie'. I enjoyed the program so much I even read the books (Grandma V gave me the boxed set one year for Christmas). I thought Laura Ingalls was cool.

This program alng with a number of other things during my childhood really helped to mold the person I am today. I've never been a girlie-girl. Sure I like to get my nails done on occasion, but more frequently I am picking up bugs or the skeletal remains of critters I find when we go for family walks. I am most definately a 'Tom Boy'.

The show also helped instill within me a love of history. My favorite movie and literary genre is without a doubt historical fiction. When we moved to Central Oregon, I jumped at the opportunity to volunteer as a living history interpreter.

Here are photos of the kids and I in character. :)

Land of the Gods

Check out this motivational movie - I actually had a few moments when I had that tingly feeling just before tears begin to fall from ones eyes. Very cool.
Land of the Gods.

**edited 14 Mar 07 to add:
I love running. I originally started running shortly after my son was born in an effort to lose the baby fat. In the midst of a 10K that I hardly trained for, I started to question myself. I realized that I could do better. I could go farther. So I did a little research and set a goal for myself. To run a marathon.

I love a challenge. To me, running a marathon was the ultimate challenge. Besides, I had given birth twice and I reasoned, that it couldn't be more difficult than my first delivery (30+ hours of labor, 4 hours of pushing alone). So, I created a training plan with the help of my 'friend',Furman and off I went. A year later (there were a few setbacks along the way, injuries, etc.) I crossed the finish line at the Portland Marathon.

What an amazing feeling! I felt as proud then as I did the day my two sweeties were born.

From a recent Asics print ad: "I run because it gives me more than I give it. No matter how much energy I burn, it gives me back even more energy. I don't know how it works. I don't want to waste any energy questioning it."

What is Your Favorite Vacation Spot?

When Michelle, at Scribbit, recently asked "What is Your Favorite Vacation Spot?" I knew immediately what my response was. Moloa'a Beach in Kauai.

I first discovered this beach in 1999 when DH and I traveled to the islands for the first time. We had a criptic little map that a local gave us and we used it to beach hop... it had been our goal to investigate every relatively easy to access beach we could. We found Moloa'a in the early morning and we were the only ones there. The shore was covered in small shells, beach glass and other treasures from the sea.

A year ago, we had an opportunity to return to Kauai with our 2 kiddos and our best friend, Bef. Once again, we enjoyed exploring each little alcove we could find. We even discovered a few new gems (Queen's Bath).

When we returned to Moloa'a we were blessed by a relatively low tide. This enabled the kids an opportunity to play in the surf protected by a natural outcropping of rock. There is a freshwater stream flowing into the ocean here so the little ones spent most of their time here, splashing and digging in the sand.

My little princess played football with Bef in the surf. It was so fun to watch her do her 'end-zone' dance. The days spent here on the shores of Kauai will forever be some of my fondest memories of the kids' childhood.

When we return to Kauai, I would love to stay at one of the beach rental houses, at least for a night or two (it would be hard to give up the luxuries of the resorts - I like vacations, in part, because I don't have to do much cooking). :)

I've Deleted Them ...

I decided to go forth and delete my old blogs ("Chaos & Disorder" and "A Run in the High Desert"). Why keep 'em, right? I've saved an archive each month onto my hard drive, so I can look back at my posts & comments, but what is the point in keeping them here on the web? No one else is going to read them.

I like things streamlined and simple. I don't like clutter. Because I wasn't posting to the old blogs anymore, it felt like clutter. Out with the old. In with the new. :)

Your Silly Little Baby Face ~ CHBM Photo Friday

My little princess in the meadow near our home ~ I was amazed to capture her expression after spotting a frog near her feet! Photo taken in Aug 2004.

My little man is always willing to strike a pose for the camera. Photo taken Feb 2007.

Posted for Crazy Hip Blog Mama's Photo Friday Challenge.

Speed. I Am Speed. (FIRST Weeks #9 & #8)

Tue Mar 6th

A great speed workout! The FIRST plan called for specific distances at a specific pace, so I chose to use the treadmill, even though the Dr. has given me the thumbs up for running outdoors once again.

I started out with a 10 min warmup and covered just a little more than 1 mile at a 9.40 pace.

I then started the speed work:
1 mile @ 7.24 followed by 400m RI
2 miles @ 7.35 (should've been 7.24 but after the first mile, I didn't think I would be able to hold out) followed by 800m RI
800 meters @ 3.50 followed by 400m RI (plan called for 800m RI but I was ready to go after 400)
800 meters @ 3.50

Finishing up with a 10 min cool-down.

I covered 6.77 miles and I felt great!

~~~

Sun Mar 4th

Long Run - FIRST Plan Goal: 10 miles

My first day running outdoors since my fall on Jan 28th and I could not have asked for better weather. It was beautiful! Sunny, upper 60s with just a slight breeze. DH elected to accompany me with the kids in tow behind his bike. He wanted to avoid hills (hard to pull the kids uphill) so I mapped out a 2+ loop around our neighborhood.

I started out with the goal of 10-12 miles, but I just felt fatigued and sluggish. I decided to stop at 8 miles... 1:11.30. A pace of 8.56. My planned/goal marathon pace is 8.30. As I haven't re-built my endurance, my long run pace this week should've been about 30 sec slower. Oh well.

~~~

Fri Mar 2nd

Tempo Run - FIRST Plan Goal: 2 miles easy, 3 miles @ 8.0 pace, and 1 mile easy

I did the first 2 at an easy 10.0 pace. I did the 3rd mile (first of 3 at Short Tempo pace) at 8.0. However, I couldn't quite hold the 8.0 pace for next 2 miles... so the 4th mile was actually 9.0 and the 5th was 8.0 for 1/3, 8.5 for 1/3, and 8.0 for 1/3. My last mile (cool-down) was at 9.2.

697 calories burned (I love this feature of treadmills).

~~~

I'm not even certain a 8.30 marathon pace will be attainable for me. I know I want to run a BQ time and so according to pace charts, 8.30 is the pace I need to accomplish that.

Using the FIRST training paces worksheet, I've plugged in my 5K race pace (albeit I used my time at the 3 mile mark of a 15K race). My pace for that race (with a month off following the Portland Marathon) was 8.40. My goal is basically just one minute faster. So, I then plugged in my goal pace to calculate the paces for my training runs. I figure, if I can do all the training runs at that pace, I should be able to achieve a marathon pace at 8.30 - 8.40. Right?

Granted, I was injured and I've had to change my plan a bit. Before my fall, I was doing very well. I was maintaining an average 8.0 pace for 5 miles. However, I have had to take a month off from running and tried to maintain cardio fitness by cycling. When I was given the okay to begin running again, I jumped back into the FIRST training plan right where I would've been had I not stopped. The only change I made was to the long runs .... which I've shortened as noted below:

March 4th ~ Long Run Distance: 18 miles 11
March 11th ~ Long Run Distance: 20 miles 14
March 18th ~ Long Run Distance: 15 miles 17
March 25th ~ Long Run Distance: 20 miles 14
April 1st ~ Long Run Distance: 15 miles 17
April 8th ~ Long Run Distance: 20 miles 20
April 15th ~ Long Run Distance: 13 miles same
April 22nd ~ Long Run Distance: 8-10 miles same
April 29th ~ EUGENE MARATHON Half Marathon

The workouts are enjoyable. I listen to my body and don't overdo it if fatigued, etc. So far, I think all is going well and that I should be able to proceed forth. I'm looking to a fall marathon to strive for a BQ (Portland again? Haulin' Aspen? Seattle?). Any thoughts or words of wisdom ??

Dream Dinners ~ WFMW

In May of last year, a friend invited me to a Dream Dinners 'Sneak Peak'. I booked a session the following week but for some reason, I didn't go back again until January, when I received a little bonus 'Welcome Back' insentive to try again. I booked another session and a week before my scheduled session, I fell and broke my wrist.

Rather than cancel, I sent my husband in on my behalf. Surprisingly, he actually enjoyed his time there and in my opinion, developed a little more appreciation for how much work is involved in meal preparation and cleaning. He returned home with approx. 16 meals for $156 ($9.75 per meal). The fact that the prep work was done was an incredible help to me - particularly these past couple months with my arm in a cast - I was physically unable to cut, dice, slice or otherwise prepare much of anything until a couple weeks ago.

Dream Dinners provides everything you need to assemble delicious dinners for your family, store in your freezer and then serve in the weeks ahead. They supply all the essentials, from easy-to-follow instructions to fresh, pre-cut ingredients and they clean up after you! The menu changes monthly and has seasonal dishes as well as customer favorites.

Best of all, everyone in my family, including the kiddos (4 1/2 and 2 years), has enjoyed the meals. I haven't heard a single complaint yet! I love how quick it is to pull out a dinner and have a fresh, home-cooked meal on the table within 30 minutes...more healthy and less expensive than take-out! Dream Dinners has become a regular part of my 'grocery shopping'.

Unfortunately, Dream Dinners is only available in select locations (check their website for a store nearest you). I know there are competitors as well... but I am not familiar with them.

For more Works-For-Me-Wednesday ideas, please visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer.

Bedtime Stories

I have many fond memories of growing up. Although we didn’t have a lot of money and thereby didn’t go to Disneyland or other vacation resorts, what we did experience was priceless. We shared many experiences as a family and enjoyed many traditions (some of which I've blogged about here - A Knock at the Door & Dinnertime Conversations). There are so many that I have a difficult time determining which memory would be considered the earliest.

However, I would have to say that our nightly ritual bedtime stories is one of the most precious memories that I have as a child growing up. You might assume that my parents would read us a story from a book before they tucked us in for bed. But that isn’t quite accurate. After each of us kids had brushed our teeth and changed into our pajamas, we would all gather together on one of my brothers' beds and Dad would tell stories of what it was like when he was a kid.

He grew up on the outskirts of Portland and his family later moved to Gilchrest, Oregon where he spent his elementary school years. He would describe adventures he shared with his two older brothers and the jaunts he experienced alone. Some of the most memorable tales are when he and his brothers tried to fly by fashioning wings from materials they found around their home and then jumping off the roof of their barn. I remember we tried to emulate them a few times from the roof of Mr. Cole’s garage!

They pestered hives of yellow-jackets. They found an old Model "A" Ford abandoned in the woods and dragged it home in an attempt to repair it. The arrowheads they found while trekking along hunting trails. Many times, he would share the same story over and over. We never tired of hearing about his days as a child. Everything seemed so different back then, so innocent and magical.

Today, I continue this tradition with my own children. My daughter frequently requests stories of when I was a little girl, just as I remember asking my father to share his stories. She's already begun scripting stories of when 'she was a little girl', this brings a smile to my face knowing that she is only four.

Written for March Write-Away Contest at Scribbit.

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

I am a bit behind in scrapbooking our pictures... these photos were taken in the fall at a pumpkin patch in Central Oregon. Enjoy!

Swimming & Snow Angels

G's been taking swim lessons the past couple of months. She has improved dramatically since mid-January. I'm very impressed.

The other day, when we returned home from swimming, we worked together to shovel the snow from the driveway. She did an awesome job ~ and was a huge help seeing as I have only one good arm. When we finished, she wanted to make snow angels on the lawn... this was her first and only attempt this year. I guess, as evident in the video, she wasn't too pleased.

If you listen carefully, you can hear her audibly announce her opinion... proof, once again, that we all must be careful about what we say around children. But let me assure you... this is NOT a word that I use. Not that I'm innocent of ever speaking in foul language... but this is just not one of them. Sh**, most definately... D**n it, on occasion... but never this one. When I shared this story with my dad, even he recognized that this particular word is one that DH is partial to using. You can rest assured that we've had a discussion about this.

What I find even more amusing, however, is that she can use this same word (crappy, if you didn't catch it in the video) in 2 completely different contexts.
#1 - as demonstrated so clearly in the video
#2 - "Why does Grandma have so much crap?" (I was helping my MIL organize some areas of her home recently when this question was posed so inquisitively.)

I tried to inquire about where she originally heard this word but she feined ignorance, claiming, "Oh, I just dreamed about it." I hear this a lot! :)

I've Been Bitten...

by a creative scrapbooking bug, that is. Seemingly, the creative juices are following. Here's a couple of recent ones of my sweeties.



Credits: Both were created w/ PSE 4.0. "Birthday Cake" is a scraplift of Ali Edwards. It is yet unfinished (needs journaling, title, etc.). The metal embellishments are from the "Birthday Bash" kit by Anne Langepap from Designing with Digital . "Four" is a scraplift of Lisa Moorefield, using the first DigiDareYa Collaboration kit.

I'll post more soon. :)