Bloggy Friends Forever

This weekend I think I had the most fun I've ever had as a blogger!  I got to meet up with Emily Jane and some of her other bloggy friends downtown.  Emily and I started e-mailing and reading each other's blogs when we found out we both shared a love for The Time Traveler's Wife.  (You know it's my favorite book, so someone else who loves it as much as I do is basically my book soulmate!)    

It was cool to get to meet her in real life and to hang out with new friends, too.  Blogging and e-mailing has been like a new and improved version of having a penpal.  I love the idea of knowing people from other parts of the world and being able to connect with them.  Now though, I realize that it's also a bummer to have friends in other parts of the world who are so far away.  After meeting Emily it's like she's here, but then I have to remember she's not.  It's kind of like when family or friends are in town from far away...it's a blast for a few days...until they leave and then they're just not here any more to hang out with.  I guess if we can't be neighbors at least we can still keep in touch.  Horray for blogs and Facebook and Twitter! 

I have to give a shout-out to Ashley over at Sound of Silent for making Jordan this paper crane!  I somehow managed to keep track of it and not squoosh it on the way home so I could give it to Jordan.  He had fun saying the word "origami"!!!

Cereal Idiosyncracies

Honestly, I never really realized how different two people can be when it comes to eating cereal!  I just have to write about it because it's been cracking me up lately.  I am intrigued by how opposite Chad and I are when it comes to eating cereal and now I'm wondering what other people's tendencies are when they eat cereal.  

Me: I prefer a roundish tall bowl full of cereal.  I then load up on milk, too.  I make sure I start to see the milk coming up over the cereal so the cereal starts to just barely start to float in the milk.  I love a big spoon to eat cereal with.  I gauge how much cereal versus how much milk I have left as I go so when it comes down to the end I usually can finish my cereal at the same time as I finish the milk.  I leave usually a teeny bit of milk in the bottom of the bowl but otherwise (in my opinion) it is cereal-eating perfection.  Waste not, want not.  

Chad: He prefers a wider short bowl full of cereal.  He does load up on cereal but he doesn't like too much milk.  I mean, he barely even wants any milk in his cereal.  He chooses a small spoon.  He doesn't want to really drink the milk, he just wants his cereal to be barely wet from the cereal.  He'll eat the cereal, leaving flakes or krispies or whatever all around the rim of the bowl and a ton of milk in the bowl.  Here's the part that I am most astonished by, he'll use that leftover milk and just add more cereal to his bowl.  (If I'm going back for a second bowl, I need a whole new set of cereal and a whole new pouring of milk.)  

Did you realize it was even possible to cereal so differently?  I honestly, truly, desperately am dying to know how you eat cereal.  Do you eat cereal?  What kind of a bowl do you like?  Big spoon or small spoon?  Lots of milk or some milk...or no milk!!!  (Jordan has been requesting Cocoa Krispies with no milk and he'll use his spoon to eat it but doesn't want milk on it!)  Don't be shy, no judging, I'm just curious about your cereal personality!

Couch to 5k - Day Two!

I just got back from my second workout!  In fact, I should be stretching right now...but I felt more compelled to blog.  I felt great this morning, it might have helped that it was much cooler out and that it was first thing in the morning.  I love working out first thing in the morning, I feel so much stronger.  I'm totally a morning person, though.  Now I can go on with the rest of my day and feel good about having already worked out.  It was drizzling when I went out and raining a tad harder when I got back, but I love running in the rain.  I love even more being able to come home to this sweet boy!  Jordan is off at Papa and Gramma's house being spoiled!  I'm hoping the boys will run with me someday.  Jordan loves to run, I think he could do a kids fun run no problem!

1. Complete the couch to 5k training program 

- one workout at a time!

So far 2 down: 26 to go!

2. Do pilates or strength training on my off days. Love pilates!

3. Register for a 5k on October 31st - I'm going to do one on the 30th, 

I'll post the link soon. 

4. Decide and work on my costume for the race!  Still not sure...ideas?

5. Convince at least one other person to run with me on the 31st! 

Looking good!  So far Laura and Silvia are going to run, too!!!

Couch to 5K

Couch to 5k

Okay, it's been 8 weeks since Danny was born which means it's time for me to get my butt back in gear!  Believe it or not I am actually insanely excited to be able to workout again...weird, maybe, but it's the truth.  It's been over a year since I've been out on a run but I still consider myself a runner.  Anytime I talk about running with anyone I still have the runner mentality within me which has helped me realize that I have truly become a runner at heart.  It still is crazy to me because I would never have said that before college but something in college got me going and I gradually built up how long I could run and here I am telling you (again?) that I am a runner. 

Who else is a runner or wants to be a runner, too?  You know you want to!  Seriously, it's all about slowly building up that ability to run little by little.  That's what I did before and now I'm doing it again.  I found a 9 week training program called a couch to 5k.  I do great if someone tells me what to do and I do it so I'm excited for this.  I'm gonna take my time so I *hopefully* I stay healthy and don't overdo it.  I believe anyone can do it.  I just finished workout number 1 which was a 5 minute walking warmup, and then alternating 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes.  I'm going to run a total of three times this week so I have to do this same workout two more times.

I decided to try and get out and run tonight to kick off this whole couch to 5k thing right.  So many things went through my head before I even got my shoes on...what am I going to wear? ...is it too hot to go out? ...maybe it's too late? ...I probably don't have to start tonight, right?  I told myself I was going to just do it and I did.  Running felt so good at first, and 60 seconds is no problem.  I told myself to take my time running so I could keep it up for the 20 minutes.  It makes a huge difference to be able to stop and walk before starting up again.  I have to say the first ten minutes were easier than the last ten minutes but I just kept going and got it done.  

I've got a few goals for myself, 

here they are:

1. Complete the couch to 5k training program 

- one workout at a time!  

So far: 1 down, 27 to go!

2. Do pilates or strength training on my off days.

3. Register for a 5k on October 31st.

4. Decide and work on my costume for the race!

5. Convince at least one other person 

to run with me on the 31st!

I'm completely ecstatic to get back to running.  I've never felt more healthy than when I have been running.  My breathing is much easier (I have asthma), my body in general feels stronger, and it's such a great cardio workout when it comes to monitoring my weight.  So who's in?  Whether you live nearby or far away you can run with me on October 31st!  If you want to do it, I believe in you.  If you believe in yourself, give this a try.  I'm sending you all my running love!!!

  I'm hoping to pick my race sometime this week and I'll let you know which one I pick.  Any suggestions?  Or if you're not near me, which race did you decide to sign up for?  

Blackhawk Lake Camping 2010

Just to warn you...there are a ton of pictures in this post!!!!  We went camping with my family last weekend up at Blackhawk Lake in Wisconsin.  This was our fourth time going!  I was brave enough to take Danny along!  We left super early in the morning.  We were all in a caravan making our way up to the lake.  Here are my sister and her boyfriend in his car:

And then here you can see my parents up front, my aunt, and our car!

Danny was all settled in for the ride!

Jordan was ready too!  This is a new neck pillow we bought him...but he likes to wear it as a hat!

We made it to the lake no problem this year (last year we had a flat tire and it rained us out!)  Danny had his own little one-baby tent!

One the way to the lake!

Jordan loved hanging out with his cousins all weekend and running around.  Sawyer, Wyatt, and Jordan on the boat!

Danny was even on the boat!

Chad and Jordan in the water!

On Saturday I hung out for most of the day on the shore with my mom.  Danny was just lounging around with us!

Stretch!

We woke up to crazy rain on Sunday morning.  We hung out in the cabin for a little bit and then started to pack up to go home!  Chad and Danny were playing on Papa's iPad.

I was loving the hot chocolate!

On the way home we always have to stop in Madison at Ella's Deli for some food and, of course, ice cream!  It's the coolest place.  Here's Jordan checking out all their cool stuff!

Jordan and I walking around to look at everything!

Papa and Gramma having ice cream!

Chad and Jordan looking at more stuff!

Yum!  Ice cream!!!

Look at this face!  I mean, how can you not stop for ice cream when you see how ecstatic this boy gets!

It was a fun trip but I was happy to be home and not having to climb into the crazy bunk beds in the cabin.  I already can't wait for next year!