Week 3 Done

(Clip Art from istockphoto.com)
I finished week 3 of the Couch to 5k last night! A little late, because I had strep last week, but none the less I will start week 4 on Wednesday. Week four is run 3 minutes, walk 90 seconds, run 5 minutes, walk 2.5 minutes and repeat. I know I can do the 3 minutes, since I did that week 3 but the 5 minutes concerns me a bit. The first one I will get through but from past experience the second time through the series is a lot more difficult. I will run Wednesday, Friday morning, and Sunday morning. Marja is coming up Thursday night so I will have to force myself out of bed early to get to the gym.

Is it Thursday yet?

I am so looking forward to Thursday Night! One of my best friends, bridesmaids, and my college room mate, Marja, is coming to visit for the weekend. She gets in at 8ish Thursday night and is here through Monday night, a short visit but I am SO EXCITED!!! I really hope that the weather works with us. Not sure what we are going to do yet, but we will see.

Tonight I went on a walk on the Coastal Trail, it is so beautiful out tonight I had to get out, I also stopped by the little coffee hut by West Chester Lagoon and bought myself an ice cream sandwich. It kinda defeats the purpose of the walk but it was so yummy!

Summer

Summer has gone by WAY TOO FAST. I can not believe it is already the end of August. We had an awesome time with Grandpa and Grandma I and Mike Sr. It went by a little fast but we did a lot of stuff. About the time they left both Java and I got sick. Java with her continuing Bladder problems but they have been diagnosed as Feline Interstitial Cystitis (FIC). And is feeling much better after some pain meds to "calm" her bladder. I started getting a sore throat on Tuesday, came home from work on Wednesday at noon. Slept and took my temp... it was 101.4 YIKES! I took so Tylenol, brought Java to her vet appointment, came home temp was down to 100 so I took a nap. Hung out with our visitor and took them to the airport. Mike and I stopped for McDonald's ice cream on the way home and I went to be EARLY. I woke up at 5 and still had a way sore throat and a temp of 99 so I reset the alarm for 8 to call the doctor. Mike was sweet enough to call the doctor for me and drive me there. It turns out I had strep so we got my meds at Target and head home for a day of crappy TV, apple juice and Kraft mac and cheese.

Today, Saturday, I am feeling 100% better. I even went back to the gym and ran week 3 for the 2nd day on my "running" plan, which I was supposed to do on Wednesday. Mike and I have pictures at church tonight for our church directory. I will try to post them later.

Potters Marsh

Potters Marsh

Will Try to post more Pictures Later...

They Made it

Mike Sr, Grandma I and Grandpa I made it to Alaska on Wednesday! Mike took the day off to surprise them at the airport, they thought he had to work all day. We had some yummy Costco pizza for lunch, showed them around our place and since it was nice out we decided to drive up to flat top to show them the view! It was a bit chilly up there. We walked around the lower trails took some pictures, Mike picked a few blue berries and we headed back down. On the way back down there was a moose on the side of the road! They were all really excited to see it but did not get a picture of it since it ran off to fast.
Once back at the condo it was actually SUNNY out! I sat outside in the sun for an hour or so and had tan lines! Yeah that is how white I am. We hung out talked, watched a little TV. Mike Sr and I walked to Moose's Tooth to get some cream soda in a growler, yummy. While Mike started dinner. We had salmon on the grill, asparagus, rice, and blueberry rhubarb pie for dessert. We spent the rest of the night hanging out at the house. Calling it a night early.
Thursday I had to go back to work, bummer. Mike and the crew went to Earth Quake Park and to Potter Marsh. They saw salmon and eagles and Denali! The sun was out and shining again! When I got home form work Mike Sr was making Goulash for dinner. We invited Samantha and Jacob over for dinner and after dinner we loaded up the kayak and headed down to Westchester Lagoon. Mike Sr and I walked. Samantha tried to take Jacob out in the Kayak, but that only lasted about 2 minutes. Mike and I both went out, and Mike Sr decided not to try it. So we loaded up and headed home for the evening. It is so so so nice to have Visitors.

This weeks plan

I finished week one of the couch to 5K on Friday. Week one was pretty easy, but it gets my legs and shins used to running again. Today I did day one of week 2 which is run 90 second, walk 2 minutes, for 20 minutes. A bit more difficult than week one but I did not feel like I was going to die which is always a good feeling.

Wednesday and Friday I will have to get up early to run. Because Mike Sr, and G&G I are coming Wednesday at noon! I am going to pick them up because Mike has to work, but we are going to go see him on his break at 2:30. I am so excited for them to come, see our new place, show them around Anchorage and just hang out!

Saturday night I have a crop night from 5-11 I am so excited, I have not been to a Crop since ohhh MAY! That is way too long. I have so many pictures to scrap.

Sunday Mike and Mike Sr, along with Hans are driving back down to Ninilchik to try to go Halibut Fishing...again. They attempted to go 2x when my dad and mom where here, but the waves were just to big. Cross your fingers they get to go out and they catch some fish. G&G I and I will go to church and probably do some shopping! I hope there is some sun.

By the way I have not mentioned that Anchorage broke its own record the other day... 32 continuous days with rain fall and counting. I think I am going to start building my ark and rounding up animals.

Questions

????????????????????
I am Struggling with life.
What way is up?
What way is down?
Why am I tired.all.the.time?
Why can I not fall asleep at night?
What do I want to do?
How am I going to make a difference in this world?
What am I passionate about?
Why am I not enjoying life to the fullest?
Who do I need to talk to?
What do I need to learn?
What questions do I ask?
Is it me?
Is it the situation am I unhappy with?
Do I need to look at life with "Callen's" eyes?
Who am I?

6 months

Dear Callen,

I cannot believe that you left us six months ago. Where has the time gone? It seems like you were just here but it seems like I have not talked to you in AGES. You made so many people laugh and smile. My new place has pieces of you everywhere. I have your paintings, glass pieces, and the jewelry you made. In addition I have my tattoo to look at all.the.time.

To honor you today I am going to do some yoga, then go get a hot stone massage, and get my artsy side by doing some scrapbooking this evening.

Love you
Megan

Church Activities

Mike and I have been helping with the youth at our church since we moved to Alaska. We primarily help out on Wednesday night but also help out on special events such as retreats. In the past we have helped with Senior high, but this coming year we are going to be helping with Junior High! Last night was the final night of the summer session. We had a Relay night which involved playing all sorts or relay games. The new youth director Robbie had everything planned out including face paint for each of the teams to decorate them selves with. Mike and I were in charge of 20, yes twenty, 7th and 8th graders. 12 girls and 8 boys with a ton of energy. They did the dress up relay, a chariot race, a lego build thingy, and the banana relay, it was a blast watching them work as a team. This school year we will be helping at least every other Wednesday, the weeks Mike does not work. I will most likely be there more often.


We are also excited that we are going to be helping out with the little kids Sunday School this year. We will be teaching the 5&1st grade Sunday school. I am so excited to work with the little kids they are just so darn cute. But also pose their own set of issues. Sunday School starts the 12th of September! I shall be interesting.

Should I attempt this again...C25K

The day before Callen died I blogged about how excited I was that I was able to run for 20 minutes without stopping. It was my 2nd or 3rd attempt at the C25K and I was getting so so close, well to the end of week 5 at least. Well since then I have not so much as stepped on the tread mill, until last night. I will confess I had not been to the gym since BEFORE I went to Kodiak... YIKES! I have been to Yoga a few times and have been on many walks on the coastal trail. So finally last night Mike and I got off our growing butts and made our way to the gym. I did Week 1 Day 1 of the the program for the 3rd or 4th time and Mike just ran. I did OK I was not completely beat by the end of it, but it was no 20 minute jog. Mike on the other hand was able to run 1.25 miles with out stopping, after not running for 3 month. How does this work?

Oh well I will get there. If I have calculated it right I should be able to complete it by October 11th. So my goal is to be able to run for 30 minutes without stopping by the time Mike and I go to Minnesota, which is the 29th of October!! I know I can do it, I just have to force myself to go to the gym and get by butt of the couch. My real goal is to be able to run a 5K race next summer so I will have all winter to work on it.

Camping

Our Camp site

On the Lake Kayaking
Out of the Kayak

Varment

Loons

Packed up and ready to go
Typical Picture

Our Poor Car

Mike changing the tire

Tire in the back of the Car look at the rock.
Here is the rock on my hand, the end by my palm is what you see above
About 80% of it was in the tire...

How does that happen?

Weekend Away

Mike and I decided that we needed a cheap weekend away to camp and relax. We decide to go somewhere fairly close to Anchorage and went to South Rolly Campground near Willow Alaska. We loaded up the camp gear (tent and rain tent borrowed from Samantha and Hans), grill, food, some wood and the Kayak and away we went. There was a 40% chance of rain all weekend but we decided to chance it an go anyway. It rained the entire way to the camp ground but once we pulled into the camp ground it nearly stopped. We got the same camp site we had on Labor day weekend last September, right on the Lake! We set up the tent, rain canopy, Mike got dinner going and I took a cruise around the lake. We had corn, fruit, and brats for dinner and made som'res for dessert. While Kayaking we both saw loons! A family of loons with a baby! we hung around our pitiful fire and went to bed.
Saturday we slept in... it was blissful! Then had yummy french press coffee, eggs, and bacon for breakfast. We each did some Kayaking, walking around the Campground, and I did some reading. After I got back from Kayaking Mike decided we would drive up Hatchers Pass for the afternoon to Independence Mine. I had not been there yet so away we went. We decided to take the back way up the pass from Willow. The road was really windy and had some steep drop offs. For the most part it was well maintained but there were sections of gravel that were a bit rough. Once at the mine we walked around the deteriorating buildings for a while and then went on an "Adventure" up the valley and then down and then back up to this cross thing, in search of a lake that I think I made up in my mind. On our hike back down it started to rain a little. After getting some Gold Fish for a snack we started our drive back to the camp ground.
We decided to take the gravel road back to the campground... be adventurous. About 15 minutes into our drive back the low tire pressure light came on in the Veracruz. We waited until we got to a pull out and stopped. Mike got out and looked at the tires. And informed me that there was a rock stuck in our back drivers side tire, I was like a rock... OK a rock is not going to pop a tire. (Little did I know) I got out and you could here the air coming out of the tire. We decided to change the tire and head back into town. It took about 15-20 minutes to change the tire. In that time about 10 cars drove past, one slowed down to wave and a blue truck stopped to see if we needed help. But Mike had it under control and we drove back into Palmer and then Wasilla and then back to the camp ground, not finding any open tire repair shops. We had a super yummy dinner of hobo packets, played a couple of games of Yahtzee (Mike beat me), Kayaked and read before calling it a night.
Sunday we got up had some coffee, oatmeal, and zucchini bead for breakfast. We both went Kayaking and then started to take down Camp. It took a bit of organizing to get everything back in the car with the addition of a full sized tire but we did it. Our drive home was a bit longer then our drive out because we had to drive 50 mph the entire way, with the little tire on. Once home we unpacked, did a quick trip to Kohl's and Fred Meyers, I did some baking (Hummus, zucchini bread, and rice krispie treats) and then we watched the movie Fools Gold.
Today Mike took the Veracruz to the dealership to try to get the tire fixed... The service department took the spear, I mean rock, out of the tire and told us there was no way to repair it. A "cheap" weekend away turned out to cost us $240 for a new tire, to replace a tire that only had 1,340 miles on it. Oh well so is life.
(I will post pictures soon)

Mr Callen Fuchs

Mr Callen Fuchs

I miss you.

I still hate this, 5.5 months later.

I wish you and Rachel had come up and visited Alaska with Mom and Dad.

I wish I could call and talk to you.

Why did you have to leave this earth so so young?

Why didn't I talk to you more when you were here?

Why didn't I tell you I loved you more?

Why didn't I tell you how glad I was that you were MY brother?

Oh Callen,

How I wish I had your passion for life.

How I wish I had your talent for music.

How I wish I had your ability to see the good in everyone.

Callen

Please send me your love.

Please send my even an ounce of the passion you had.

Please send me a sign that everything will be OK, even without you here.