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Training Update: Hitting the Pavement

Well training is going pretty well, I think. I have been ramping up my times if not my speed. Honestly, I'm not all that concerned with speed. This is my first event and if I can just complete the whole 9k at a reasonable jog, I'll be ecstatic. So I've been taking time in the evening and running on the treadmill for longer periods. I already get up at the crack of dawn and just can't fit longer runs in early, so I'm doing them in the evening, but our weather has been iffy at best, so me and the treadmill and Tivo have been spending lots of QT. I ran for over 50 minutes last Friday and have done a couple more 40+ minute runs one on Sunday and one yesterday. This of course has ramped up the distance a bit … I ran over 4.25 miles on Friday and over 3.5 the other times.

I feel really good about this, but I need to get more practice with the ups and downs of the real world and with the jogging stroller. I've only been out once since I last reported in. It was a gorgeous 60 degrees when we left the house and we made it a good 2 miles or so. Apparently that entire time the wind was kicking up and the sky was looking ominous behind me (I wasn't looking back) and by the time we hit the midway point and turned around it had gotten pretty nasty … windy and cold … Tabby was pretty ticked at me and screamed the whole way home. I know this sounds kind of weird, but those of you who have spent anytime in CO will know … the weather here can turn on a dime. It's very impressive and a bit obnoxious.

So the running seems to be going well. But I'm a bit disappointed in the rest of my training … I should be hitting weights 2-3x/week, but I cannot find my motivation for this. There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day and I'm honestly quite bored by weights right now. All this, plus the crazy schedule we've been keeping lately and I haven't done weights in 2-3 weeks!! So right now I'm planning to hit the pool a couple of times a week since water adds resistance. I also have a Stroller Time DVD with a weights portion that I can pull out in the evenings for an at home workout. But I know that none of this is as good as a real weights workout, so I am going to make it my mission to fit in one before the end of the week … as well as another road run. Wish me luck!

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Date Night Funnies

As long as I've known Matt, he's loved to go to comedy clubs. Turns out there's one really close to us, about 15 min away called Wits End. It's kind of a random place for a comedy club: sort of in a strip mall, but it turned out to be really great. And we loved the comic we saw. Steve Hofstetter. He's billed as the “thinking man's comic” and I think he pretty much lived up to that title … which is one reason I enjoyed him so much … a little poo humor goes a very long way with me and if that's all a comic's got, they'll lose me quick. But this guy had good topical humor and made us laugh so much we had tears in our eyes.

Here's his channel on YouTube … if he's going to be near you, I really suggest you check him out. He's probably the funniest comic I've seen since Lewis Black.

And of course it was great to hang out with my favorite guy. We got to see the show, get some sushi and pick up baby girl from my parents' house. Boy does she have them wrapped around her little finger. We picked her up at 9 PM. She was sitting on the counter in her diaper getting spoon fed yogurt (or was it applesauce?).

Yep … everyone had a lovely evening.

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Happy Easter

Hi all! Hope your Easter weekend was as lovely as ours was. This was Tabby's second Easter, but she was a bit more interested in the proceedings this year than last. We started the morning off by opening her Easter basket. The Easter bunny left her a bit of candy and some small bits and bobbles: new socks, Dora the Explorer bubbles, chubby crayons, bath coloring tablets, a cinnabon lip balm, etc. She got to eat a chocolate peanut butter bunny … which she enjoyed quite a bit.

While I ran, Matt and Tabby had breakfast and made up some potatoes for lunch. After a little breakfast, a nap, and a shower, we put Tabby's Easter dress on. Lisanne and family had sent her a darling dress for her b'day and I knew right away it woudl be perfect for Easter … and it was! Soon after we headed to my Grandma's. Usually we do an egg hunt with all of the kids, but most everyone was away on spring break and Tabby isn't quite there yet, so we just enjoyed lunch with everyone and had a nice visit.

Despite a very busy day, Ms. Tabby had no notion of napping when we got home (though Matt and I were more than ready). But I got a nap in while Matt and Tabby played and we had a nice quiet evening at home, digging ourselves out from under a pile of laundry.

Shortest weekend ever.

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Au Gratin Potatoes

 

Ingredients

1 sprays cooking spray
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion(s), thinly sliced
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cup fat-free skim milk
2 pound Yukon Gold potato(es), thinly sliced
1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 2-quart covered baking dish with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour; add milk slowly, stirring. Add potatoes and stir to mix. Bring to a boil. Stir in 3/4 cup of cheese, salt and pepper.

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and level out surface. Bake for 1 hour, uncovered. Cover and bake until potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes more.

Change oven temperature to broil. Sprinkle remaining cheese over potatoes. Broil 6 inches from the heating element until the cheese is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing into 8 pieces.

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He… heheh hehe

I have mentioned (indirectly) the employee rewards company that I have contact with in my workday. We use this company to supply rewards for our laborers and carpenters and I interface with them 2-3 times a week. Our relationship with them is only about 4-5 months old and yet in this amount of time we have had 4 representatives. And not to be rude, but they are an incompetent lot. The sorts of people that one has to explain things to. Multiple times. I have to prompt them for updates on our orders. I have to call to make sure they got my emails and everytime we switch people, stuff slips through the cracks. I am basically their babysitter.

But most recently, the events have taken a humorous turn. Because not only are they giving us incompetents to work with, they are now also giving us porn stars (well Bond Girls at least) to work with. Our last two reps have been named (I kid you not): Chl.oe Melo.nson and Chris.tina Ch.erry.

Really, I couldn't make this stuff up.
Have a splendid weekend!

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Updates

* Tabby had her last swim class tonight. She got a certificate saying she passed all of the aspects of the class, which she did, except for blowing bubbles. She did that once, but I'm pretty sure it was accidental. Also, her teacher thought her name was “Jacob” … and then “Devon.” Should have bought the pink swimsuit.
* 9K training is going … err … OK. I sort of took a 4 day hiatus when we went to the mountains. I skiied and stuff, but I don't run on ice. That's just a bad idea. Tuesday I could only run 10 min cuz I got a horrible side stitch (whassup with that?!?). Today was more of the same, but I “ran through the pain.” Doesn't that make me sound athletic? 😛
* Finished In the Woods last night (stayed up too late). I thought it was a good ending, but left a plot line WIDE open, which ticks me off.
* Have decided I hate philosophy. Don't know if I can make it through this book … it isn't funny. At least I have No 1 Ladies' Detctive Agency on hold at the library … but I'm trying to give it a fair shake.
* Still have not managed to cook a meal at home this week. Tonight's dinner was Taco Bell. And I have no leftovers for tomorrow … so Lean Cuisine again, I guess.
* House is a mess. House is always a mess. I need like a solid week off to do some major cleaning.
* Lucy is having a big ol' sale. Must fight urge to spend money on cute clothes.
* Why didn't anyone tell me Easter is THIS WEEKEND?!? The Easter bunny needs to get his act together.

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S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D

I have very little to report. We've been crazy busy. Work. Life. Changes. I'm pretty stressed ATM.

Miss Tabby makes me very happy … keeps me a bit sane. We went to dinner at Sweet Tomatoes tonight. Her absolute favorite thing there are the teeny tiny ice cream cones. We are not allowed to help her eat it either. She does it all on her own … with great zeal, and a few drips.

I'm almost done with In the Woods. Really really good. Up next is a book called Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar … it's the explanation of philosophy through jokes. Which is great, because this is probably the only way I'll ever get interested in philosophy.

I'm hoping for some calmer seas soon.

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Home Again Home Again Jiggity Jig

Is it over already!??! Yikes. Well we had a fab weekend. Loads and loads of skiing. Good eats. Karaoke!! And good friends. My mom and Tabby got a lot of quality time. I took just a few photos, almost all of them this morning.

It was really nice seeing Patrick and Marcella. We hadn't seen them since we went back to Nashville last fall (Sept, I think). We had a lot of good laughs. And oooohh… the snow. It was just gorgeous this weekend. They really lucked out on the whole weather scenario.

Tabby had a great weekend from the standpoint that she had loads of attention throughout the day … but the nights were more problematic. I guess she's gotten to the age where she knows where she is and where she isn't and when she's away from home, the light is different, the noises are different, etc. etc. and so she was NOT going down well and NOT sleeping well. She did pretty much all of her sleeping cuddled up to me or Matt or my mom. Last night when we were doing Karaoke, she would not go to sleep … so she snuggled in my lap while we did karaoke. It was very sweet … and kind of funny.

Now we're going to be happy to settle back into our routine.

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Heading for the Hills

As much as I'm eagerly anticipating spring, there's still some good winter fun to be had. Our lovely friends from college, Patrick and Marcella are in town and we're all heading for the hills to partake in some winter fun in the form of skiing. My parents and sister will be joining us on the morrow. I am very much looking forward to the skiing, the karaoke, and the general goofing around and comradery. Oh yea, and a day off work!!

I'll try to take a few photos this weekend. I've been just horrible about this recently. I did get a few cute ones the other day. Tabby's babysitter got her a picnic table for her b'day and we have it set up in our living room and she's been taking her snacks there. And I've got some really cute photos of her munching happily at her picnic table. Haha. Will upload them some day. Anyhoo, I digress.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.