Birthday week

This week is the week of birthdays.  First Mike Brother Mathews Birthday is the 12th.  The 13th is a big day.  It was Wyatt's 1st birthday, Jory's birthday and My moms birthday.  Then Mike Srs birthday is the 16th.  And finally Jacobs 2nd birthday in the 18th.  Where did the last 2 years go?

In other news I have started the C25K... again.  I did W2D1 on Saturday and W3D1 on Monday.  Cora has been doing it with me... it really tires her out.   I would also like to start doing Yoga more.. but currently we still have water coming into our bedroom.  I really have no place to do it, unless I push the bed completely again the wall in our room.  So I cannot wait until the water stops and I can start Yoga.  For now I think we have decide to not get a gym membership, walk out side and save money for a house.  But as things have it I injured my foot after 2 days of running.  I had a lump on top of my left foot that hurts... Going to take a few days off and re-evaluate.

I have a to give a HUGE congrats shout out to our friends Hans and Samantha!  They found out last week that Hans got a job in South Dakota!!  So they are packing up and heading out.  They will only be 8 hours away from us :)  Which is amazingly close, considering the other options they had been looking at.  They also had an offer accepted on a house where they are moving to.  Lots of changes for them but I am so happy it is all working out for them.  We only have to find a way to get our wine down with them.

This weekend we are heading to Minneapolis to celebrate all the birthdays.  We headed out Thursday night, and spend the night in Moorhead with my cousins.  Today we got up and are headed for Minneapolis.   Mike took Thursday night off work so we could head out and with Good Friday next week, I would normally have Thursday off, But my boss rocks and is letting me take Monday off instead, so we do not need to rush back as quick. We just have to make it back for Mike to go to work Monday night at 6.  Hopefully I will have some fun picture to post next week.

Shin Splints

Last night, before dinner with Samantha and Hans, Mike and I went on a 3 mile run around the neighborhood.  Lets just say that it did NOT go as planned.   About 1/2 through the run I started getting shin splints on my right.  I was not a happy camper.  I was pissed at my leg for doing this to me.  I would walk and the leg was OK, start to run... not so much.   For those of you have have not had the joy of experiencing Shin splints here is a link to learn more about them -  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shin-splints/DS00271.  Under risk factors here is what Mayo has to say :

"Shin splints are most common among runners, particularly those just starting a running program. If you have flat arches, your feet may have a tendency to roll too far inward (pronate) when running — which can contribute to shin splints."

Basicly I have to ice, rest and maybe get a new pair of shoes.  So I plan to "cross train" until Monday the 25th and then try running again.  This makes me sad. Tonight I walked and did some Yoga.

Just Keep Swimming

This is the phrase I sing to myself when I feel like quiting during a run.  Monday night Mike and I ran this route in about 33 minutes! 
 
This is also how I am feeling about life right now.  Just Keep Swimming!  and you might get somewhere.  Life is just chugging along nothing really exciting going on.  This past weekend we went to our first Aces game of the season on Friday.  Saturday we hung out at home, walked downtown to the 5th Ave Mall, and then had our first Dinner for Nine of the year.  Our dinner for 9 group is great and we had a wonderful meal.  Sunday we went to church and then taught Sunday School to 2 Kindergartner's and 1 2nd grader.  It was a small group but they kept up laughing.  Sunday afternoon we just hung around the house, watching football and baking cookies.  Sunday evening we went to my friend Angela's house for a little while, her 1 year old Olive decided she really liked me, she was so cute bringing me books to look at.
This week is already 1/2 over.
Monday we ran, as I said above and the vegged. 
Tuesday we went to the gym and vegged.
 Tonight we are going out to dinner at Suite 100 (http://www.suite100restaurant.com/) with Samantha and Hans for their 4th Wedding Anniversary!  No big plans for the weekend.  Just looking forward to going to Minnesota soon!

EIGHT MONTHS

I still get struck with grief at random times, 8 months later. For example yesterday I was poking around on blogger and I find a tab that has places your blog is refereed from. I click on a blog that has referenced mine and bam there is a description of Callen service (http://glossary-of-field-work.blogspot.com/2010/02/420.html) and 2 months later here (http://glossary-of-field-work.blogspot.com/2010/04/449-still-thinking-about-him.html). I love that Callen touched so many peoples lives. That his heart was made of Gold. As my mom posted face book Callen was an Angel. And I know he still is up above us.

I recently went out a purchased and read the book "Choosing to SEE" but Mary Beth Chapman. It is about her struggle with grief after loosing her 5 year old daughter, Maria. And how their family has worked through the grief. Always trying to SEE what God had planned for them in the future. Trusting that God had a bigger purpose for Maria's Death, than death alone. The book made me laugh, remember, cry, questions, and grow. I will not lie, I still question why God took Callen. But seeing posts in Facebook about how Callen has taught so many people so many things has allowed me to start to SEE why he was taken when he was. At the same time it as if people have "moved on," with fewer new posts on his memory page and his personal profile but I am guilty of not posting there as well.

This past week I have tried to SEE more. Last Saturday on my first outside run I was nervous and worried about pacing myself, running out of steam and what others would think seeing my red face panting. About 30 seconds before I was supposed to start running 2 Eagles flew over head. I know they flew over right then because if I had started running already no way would have I looked up. Then Monday night I went on another outdoor run a different way. After my run I was walking back to the condo and over head flew another Eagle. 3 eagles in 2 runs not to bad it you ask me. Before reading the book I would say no big deal, wee have eagles around here, but it really spoke to me, like Callen was watching over and tellign me I could do it, plus my mom has a thing with eagles and Callen!

Mike and I are also reaching out and enjoying nature a little more this fall taking a few walks at Kincaid park. It is so pretty out there and  we have to keep our eyes open for moose, porcupine and bear. Tuesday night we drove down there for a walk after dinner. First off it gets cold early in Alaska now, there was frost on the ground. We hiked down into a couple valleys and then back up to this ridge. We made it to the top of the ridge just in time to see the sun disappear behind the mountains, at 7:00 PM. The sky was full of color and it reflected on the water. It was breath taking... and then we turned around and the mountains had an amazing pink glow to them. I really love the colors nature creates.  God true paints the sky and the trees and the mountains.

I miss you Callen.

C25K update

Well I took the leap this weekend.  I decided since it was beautiful outside, think sunny blue sky's and high 30's/ low 40's, I would run outside.  I have not ran outside before simply because I am not good at pacing myself and I like to know how much time I have left.  Any who, I walked from the condo to the bottom of the Minnesota Drive Hill by West Chester Lagoon and started my week 8.1 run.  Which is run for 28 minutes, Yikes. 

I started my run/jog trying to go at a decent pace but not push myself too hard to start with.  I had decided at the start that I would run from the bottom of the hill to mile one and then turn around.  (Mile 0 started about 0.5 miles from where I started running.)  So I am running I see mile marker 0, then look for mile 0.5.  I did not see the 0.5 marker since it was on a bridge but made it to mile 1 feeling pretty good so I decided to keep going to mile 1.5 and then turned around.  After turning around I was just about spent so I paused for a moment to look at how much time I had remaining on the ipod.  Guess what? I had only 3 minutes left!  Holy Cow I was like 3 minutes, I can do 3 minutes, and took off trying to get back to the mile 1 marker.  I got to it and past it before the 28 minutes was up!

I was definitely tired by the time I got done running but I was so excited that I did it!  All on my own including pacing.  I think in total I ran 2.5 miles, so that is a pace of 11 minutes 12 seconds a mile!  While to most "runners" that is slow, that is HUGE for me.  I am supposed to run 28 minutes 2 more times and then up it to 30 minutes for 3 runs and I will complete the C25K program!!!  2 weeks left! Looks like I might make my goal of completing it before I go to Minnesota.

Weekend Fun

This weekend we had a ton of fun.  Mike and I watched Jacob on Friday night for a few hours and then caught up on our DVR list.  Saturday we slept in, and the headed to the gym.  I ran for 25 minutes without stopping!   Mike ran 2 miles without stopping.  After a quick shower we did some shopping Costco, Target, and Kohls.  Then we got ready and headed to the church auction.  There was lots of stuff there.  We did not win anything in the live auction but in the silent auction I won a Cricut!

and a cookie jar!

Mike won a picture of A Cabin with Denali in the background and a Ipod Touch

After the auction we wend to the Wood Shed, a bar down town, to celebrate a friends birthday. 

Today we slept in at little and then taught Sunday school at 11.  After church we just hung out at home.  Mike dorked around on his itouch and I played with the cricut and scrapbooked.  Tonight I am going to make some chocolate chip cookies to put in the cookie jar! 

C25K progress

I am officially farther into the C25k Program than I have ever been before! I did workout 6.1 tonight. I ran for 20 minutes on Saturday for the first time since February 13th. It was a little difficult the last 5 minutes especially but I did it, only stopping for like 10 second to stretch out my right cafe that was cramping up.

Not much else exciting is going on up here. Saturday night I went to a scrapbooking crop and got a few pages done. It snowed a bit yesterday. Nothing stuck to the ground in town but the tops of the mountains still had some on then today. Sunday afternoon I went to a local drum circle... lets just say that Callen got all the rhythm and I got none. It was fun and gave me something to do but it is going to take A LOT of practice for me to sound ok. Mike is working nights, which equals a bored and lazy me until Thursday.

I did do some baking tonight. I made Donut Muffins... and ate two. They are so so yummy. I got the recipe here http://jennifer-elise.blogspot.com/2010/09/donut-muffins.html. I started them at 8:15 and they were eaten before 9:00. I think this is going to be a go to recipe from now on.

WEEK 4 DONE!

Well 5 weeks in and I have finished week 4 of the Couch to 5k. Not to bad if you ask me since we had 2 groups of visitors and I had strep. I am almost to where I was in February. But from what I can remember week 5 is hard, ends with a straight 20 minute run. Yikes!

Not much else is new. Mike went back to work on today and we have zero exciting plans for the weekend, we went grocery shopping last night, so exciting....Today I am making a Rustic Kale and White Bean Soup and some beef burritos for the freezer. Then I am going to treat my self to a movie! Oh and Sunday School starts this weekend!

September

Holy Cow, how is it already September? Where did the summer go? This was the fastest summer ever, I guess that is what happens when you are in Kodiak for the first 6 weeks, move/organize a new place, and have 2.5 full weeks of visitors. Seriously we only went camping twice this summer, have only have the kayak out twice, I have been on very few bike rides and I most certainly do not have tan.
September means that Marja will be here is TODAY!! I am so pumped to see her!
September means we have been married for TWO YEARS! Holy Crap how does that happen?
September also means that in only 2 short months we are going to Minnesota! I cannot wait to see everyone again and under happy circumstances. My mom is planning a family dinner on Halloween and my cousins kids are going to go trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. I was thinking about pulling out my wedding dress (which still needs to be cleaned) and going with them. My grandmother thinks I am crazy but I think it sounds fun. We are also planning to go to my parents cabin in Wisconsin for a couple of nights, to get away. Hopefully it is still kinda warm and we can go out in the kayaks.
September 1st I also ran W4D1 of the C25k with out stopping! I had to slow down a bit for the last 5 minute run but I finished it without quitting!!
Oh and it means that my online class started. I am taking Arctic Engineering at UAA this year. It is required to take the PE test in Alaska so my employer is paying for it! Hopefully I will learn something new.

p.s. have I mentioned lately how much I love my husband. He is freaking awesome. This morning when he got done working a 12 hour overnight shift he came home and made me a beautiful breakfast in bed. I had cheesy eggs, hash browns and toast with a yummy cup of coffee. Seriously how much better does it get.

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.

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.

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.

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.