AMEN!

click dots above.

then proceed to commence or keep it up.

Spring Race Season!

I'm so excited to start planning my spring race schedule! The fact that I can do that must mean (insert finger crossing here) that the warm weather is right around the corner! I hope so anyway. I decided to start the season in a really fun way by getting the entire family involved. On Saturday, March 15th, Van Metre is sponsoring a 5 mile run and 1 mile fun run/walk to benefit Childrens Hospital. I'll be running the 5 miler and my husband, two boys, mother-in-law and father-in-law will be participating in the 1 mile fun run. How cool is that?? No one else in my family is a runner which makes this all the more special to get the entire clan involved. I hope you all are starting to see the light at the end of the winter tunnel and finding a few fun spring runs to get involved in.

You can judge a good woman...

...by how many well-dressed children she has and the contentment of of her husband.

Are you ready for a giggle or two? Check out The Good Wife Guide published by Cider Mill Press Book Publishers of Kennebunkport, Maine. I have never seen anything so hilarious in my entire life. It's a, get this, board book that lists 19 rules for keeping a happy husband, and urges the reader to 'be all the wife he needs'.

Now, I did get these rules in a fwded e-mail and I thought the e-mail was cute--right before I deleted it without forwarding it. But the book...

Last night I tried some of the rules out on my husband. When he failed to respond, I chided myself (out loud) for being such a bad wife and resolved to study the rules right then and there. Plopping down on the sofa, I opened my new "study manual". My husband just looked at me like he usually does when strangeness overcomes my senses. After studying the cover for a moment, however, he busted out laughing.

Check out Cider Mills Press, while you're at it. Although the website Cider Mill Press isn't up yet, there is a prompt to email John, the founder, which I did and found him to be a completely decent human being. He'll send you the catalog as a PDF if you ask him. It's worth your time. Great titles. Great line of books. Excellent humor. Which we all need.


https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_/105-8683825-9890001?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Good+Wife+Guide

Sorry, Ladies. I'm trying to get the link to go straight to the book but can't seem to get it done. Maybe crumbs can enlighten me...

this looks fun.....

and far away from me but THATS why they make planes, yes?

is it far from YOU?


YOU feeling motivated after Ms. Andreas amazing race?

In the Motherhood

I came across this site on accident and about pee's myself laughing......hope you like it too. Might want to get some "poise pads" first!

http://inthemotherhood.msn.com/Default.aspx?videoId=14?source=MSN_SL_27Feb

I'm not so computer brilliant to make the link "all cute"...sorry!

Recognizing a Stroke

Neurologists say that if they can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours they can totally reverse the effects of a stroke... totally .

The key is getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

THREE SIMPLE WAYS TO HEP YOU RECOGNIZE A STROKE ---

STR

A bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S * Ask the individual to SMILE.

T * Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (like 'It is sunny out today') coherently.

R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

One new Sign of a Stroke to add to the above:

'Stick out Your Tongue' * Ask the person to 'stick' out her/his tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other , that is also an indication of a stroke.

PLEASE SHARE THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE!

Your Betty and Your Booty

You may find this post a little X-rated -- or you may find it hysterical.
(SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN FOR A SPECIAL SURPRISE ENDING!)

Get ready for some real girl dishing here and now!

I saw two posts today in an email e-newsletter that I felt I must share.

First up is Betty Beauty!

You may or may not not that most of us will GO GRAY —down there!
I'm not talking about the hair on your head, ladies.
Look down
keep looking
down a little further.

Yep, even our va-jay-jay will get older and lose its youthful charm.

Betty Beauty to the rescue! You can dye your "betty" with shades like Black Betty (tee hee), Blonde Betty, Auburn Betty, and a bright pink "Fun Betty."

Click here to see the perfect patch color for http://www.bettybeauty.com/patrick.html">

Check out all the Rockin' shades at - only $19.99.

Next up...
The Wind Breaker! aka Subtle Butt Filters!

My husband always laugh when I use the word "TOOT" instead of fart.
Maybe its a southern thing - little more lady-like.

Ever have one of those "Oh man, I shouldn't have eaten that just before my big meeting!" moments?

Or maybe you've clenching your cheeks (not the ones on your face) in the elevator for fear everyone will need a gas mask.

Rather than prevent the flatulence, why not filter it, with a "Subtle Butt" fart-filter.

Tee-hee-hee!

Adhere a 3.25 x 3.25-inch patch of soft fabric that is impregnated with activated carbon to the inside of your underwear.

Subtle Butt filters the toot, and absorbs and neutralizes the odor.

If you're a bugle tooter you're out of luck - gotta tone down the sound yourself!

http://www.garmentguard.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=8">

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAMsMf6wgdE&feature=related"> - Enjoy!

You never really know

Yesterday I was remembering a fall soccer team my daughter played on two years ago. There was a Mommy there who could make your skin crawl with negative vibes. She was just plain mean and made you want to move away when you were by her. She never had anything good to say about anybody or anything. She had a look on her face that just made you know she was really unhappy inside and was taking it out on the world. One day I had my Bible study materials with me and was hit over the head that God loves her too and I needed to step up and just get human and love on her. Well, she just couldn't stand me at all. I kept asking questions, trying to be cheerful, sitting by her, and she just rebuffed all my attempts at friendship, camaraderie, or living on the same planet. This went on for a couple of months, but damn it, I was not going to let her push me away. She needed something. This woman was probably about 300lbs and could barely walk over to the benches. I really thought she was miserable because of her weight and never talked about running (which I think always comes up in all my other conversations). One day- somehow she let her guard down and it turns out she had walked two marathons in Hawaii. I was floored. Marathon-- our common ground? Who would have ever thought? From then on she was a little less hostile-never really a friend, but there was a calmness and ease that came between us. I loved to bring up her accomplishment so the other Mommies could hear it. At the end of the season her husband divorced her after many years of marriage and she was left out in the cold. She was suffering big time inside that whole time. She's gone now. The husband lives here alone now. I'm not sure why I felt compelled to share this today, but I did. Wonder of wonders

Finally!!

Just wanted to let anyone else who developed an addiction to the Baja Black Bean flavor of Corazonas chips know that they are finally available at Amazon!! I have been waiting and waiting because I can't find them anywhere near me. Today is the day! Happy (and healthy!) snacking!

Pump It Up

I can take the cold, but the precipitation is keeping us in, so what to do? It turns out that my kids love doing aerobics tapes! I prefer STEP aerobics and still have the original STEP Reebok VHS tape circa about 1993. My daughter will choose “yoga” – actually Denise Austin – if given the choice. I am not sure how that miscommunication arose. So, anyway, we have these sets of tiny 1-pound dumbbells and the kids LOVE TO WORKOUT! Sometimes they tire of Kathy Smith’s background music so we mute the volume there and listen to They Might Be Giants ABCs while I follow the visual cues.

The kids pile on my back for push-ups at the end and everybody wins!

The main thing I will caution you about is that you have to keep a really careful eye on where the kids are at all times so you don’t accidentally kick anyone in the head.

When did this happen!?!

I was doing my "long" run yesterday as part of my team's training for the Country Music 1/2 Marathon in April and it hit me.

Holy Crap - I've become a runner!

When did this happen? It literally snuck up on me.

I mean, I know I've been "in training" for several weeks now, but I don't think the realization that I may actually become a runner ever hit me til now.

See, I'm 5'2". I weigh one hundred-mumble-mumble. I would consider myself "athletic" as I've worked out fairly consistently over the years, but I don't have that lean, mean body most runners have. I really shouldn't be a runner. NOTHING about the way I look says "Runner", but - you know what...none of that matters.

I've realized I don't have to have the "look" of a runner to be one. I've realized the fact that I consider myself a runner on the inside is what does matter as that is what keeps me going.

I'm literally AMAZED each week at my long runs that my body can do what I ask it to.

I ran 5 miles yesterday! I know for many of you that is not a long distance at all, but - for me - that is probably the longest I've ever run at one time. And it felt great! I finally realized that I can actually finish the 1/2 marathon. Now - I don't have any high aspirations of winning it, but at least I feel confident enough to cross the starting line and that is half the battle.

Id say Im late to the party BUT

I just got mine.
and I actually LAUGH that Im quite honestly so excited.
Clean Well?

I HEART YOU.

the scent is amazing (please to see above aforementioned laughter. honestly, People, I really dont give a hoot about soap) and AESTHETICALLY there is something I love about it.

clean looking (pun intended) and not obtrusive on the counter.

dont take my word for it:

http://www.cleanwelltoday.com

go to the hand soap and run yer cursor over the containers & you'll see what I mean.

go ahead.


Ill wait.

Snow Days Are Making Me Fat

I feel like my kids have missed so much school these days! Today, despite what the weather man predicted, we have nothing but wet pavement and yet, the schools are closed....again. So what do I do? Bake....again. No running, just baking. Today, I made Outrageous Chocolate Cookies from Everyday Food. Oh. My. Gosh. Do not make these if you have any concern what so ever about the size of your butt because I guarantee you will not be able to stop eating them. To quote my 4-year-old Quinn, "These are the best cookies mommy has ever made in the whole entire world ever!"
You can find the recipe here. Oh, and just a tip, because these cookies are so dang chocolaty, I used good ghirardelli chocolate for both the batter and the chunks.

I am that Ground Hog

Howdy Running Mommys et al;
I'm just waiting for the thaw-- for that weather that MAKES you get out there. The weather where you feel sick inside that you did not get outside and run your heart out instead of oh well another workout canceled due to inclement weather. I'm in confession mode and have to admit that I've been doing 3 mile runs due to weather instead of 5 mile runs. This means I cross the railroad tracks and go to the 2nd pole and turn around instead of running all the way to the tank up on blocks and touch the sign post declaring Fort Knox is where you are. Yesterday I did the normal five and feel like I'm clean again. The guilt is gone. I'm headed to Texas in March for some real runs to feel completely human again and then it will be nice here. I ran more in Texas. It is a good thing we've changed directions and will be headed that way as we retire after 26 years.....

Mall Playground

I was at the mall the other day with a good friend of mine. We'd just set the boys free at the indoor playground. Moms were passing anti-bacterial soap like crazy.
"Hey," I said, all non-chalant and cool. "Look what I have."
I showed her my CleanWell.
"Try it," I told her. "You won't get addicted." He-he-he.
"Oh, I have this. But I'll try that. I mean, if it isn't more expensive..."
I bit my lip and grabbed her antibacterial soap.
"Ah-ha!" I pointed out. "Denatured alcohol."
"Well," she admitted. "My hands are already starting to feel a little dry. Okay, I'll try it."

Loved the smell. To me it smells like my favorite popsicle, the orange kind with the vanilla ice cream inside...
And it didn't dry out her hands.

I should have given her a coupon. Next time I will.

The fact is, I like the packaging and I like the statement the handsoap makes next to the bathroom sink.

Putting the Rat in "Gym Rats"

The National Institute of Health lays out the Body Mass Index (analysis of height & weight) into the following catagories:

• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

That definition is pretty standard. You google Body Mass Index Calculator, you'll find a over two hundred thousand different resources to tell you the same thing. Although there is certainly reason to take one's BMI with a grain of salt, so to speak, it is common knowledge that anything under 18.5% is considered "Underweight" for women.

Which brings me to the point of my post. I train at a well known Fitness Center named after a major city in California. Walking out of my gym today, after what really felt like a break-though in my swim training, I was feeling great....until I saw a message on a dry erase board. I think the author might have fancied it to be inspirational, but I think otherwise.

2008 Summer Goals:

• New Swimsuit
• New Towel
• 16 % Body Fat

Sign up today for your consultation with a trainer.

Bravo, Gym Trainer for trying to gut my self-esteem, rather than aim to inspire. Bravo.

surrounded by superwomen....

I wish I had something new and exciting to add to the mix!

every time I start a post the famous Twain quote of:
Better to stay silent and be thought a slacking runner even if it IS due to illness, than to speak and remove all doubt.
pops into my mind for some reason


I always listen to the voices in my head.
you?

crazy woman

Or so they – my husband, my friends – say. I wake up at 5 a.m. to run (not every morning – other mornings I do a weight routine or a self-created spinning routine, but even then waking at 5 a.m.). After about 6-7 hours of interrupted sleep (my eight-month-old is a lousy sleeper – like his brother before him). So I am probably adding to my chronic sleep deprivation. But when else am I to be alone?

And they think this is crazy. I have told no one of the true running craziness to come.

It all started when I decided to run the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run on April 6. (I have run it a few times before, including after having my first child in 2005 and 2006). From experience, I knew I had to register as soon as registration opened online – on December 12. This race closes fast, usually within a few days.

That day, I had a sick baby and a ton of editing work to do – all of which I dealt with in the morning. So I lost track of registering first thing. Online registration was closed by the time I got online at 1pm – within a few hours, not a few days. Mail-in was open, but I had little hope – though I filled out that form by hand and popped it in the mail.

In a fit of needing to do run something BIG, I registered for other races: The Wirefly National Half-Marathon on March 29 and the George Washington Parkway Classic 10 Miler on April 27.

And then I found out I did indeed get in to the Cherry Blossom. That is three 10+ mile races in a month.

And I intend to run them all. With what will be a four-year-old and a nine-month old in the house. At least my husband is supportive. But I don’t think he yet has the whole picture.

I do have the training under my belt: I can cover 10 miles these days with (some) ease, and I ran the Parks Half-Marathon in September (yes, with a three-month-old at home).

But am I crazy?

What Not to Do

You might not want to take your two-year-old ice skating, increase your miles, throw on a little extra weight on at the gym, repeatedly toss your 35-pound child into the air, climb up and down from your washer and dryer to extract a live chipmunk from your dryer vent, replace said dryer vent, climb a ladder to fix some lightbulbs, and go to aerobics at the gym . . . in the same week . . . if you are pregnant.

You might hurt your back . . .

A day in the life of....

...a Half Marathoner.

10 pm: Double check that: bib number is pinned on shirt; chip is tied onto shoes. Gather socks, shorts, hat, watch, sports bra, mini water bottle, gu & Cliff Shots, diaper rash cream, baby powder, towel, dry clothes, and hair rubber band. Make sure coffee pot is loaded & ready.
10:30 pm: force self to try to sleep
10:40 pm: jump out of bed to print directions to parking lot/start line
10:50 pm: back in bed...for good this time.
10:55 pm: SET ALARM!!!!!
2:45 am: Finally doze off...
3:30 am: Roll out of bed, start coffee brewing, put on clothes.
3:55 am: Sit outside waiting for running buddy to pick you up.
4:55 am: Arrive to race area and pull into the parking spot the bar hoppers just abandoned.
5:15 am: Jump into one of the open, fresh port-a-lets.
5:20 am: Attached necessities to body (gu & shots, water bottle, diaper cream) and bag check the rest.
5:25 am: Stand 8 minutes in line for the port-a-lets and go in the one that has the wet roll of toilet paper.
5:40 am: Run into friends and talk shop about the last race you guys were at.
5:45 am: Try to figure out what the announcer is saying and realize a police officer is yelling at you to get out of the street because the wheelchairs are starting.
5:50 am: Find your spot in the half mile long corral, eventually discover you're near the back.
5:59 am: Realize you REALLY need to pee
6:00 am : Gun goes off! The race is on!

...to be continued...

uhhhh...

...crickets chirping...

Congratulations, Andrea! Seeing your amazing time made me run right to the calculator...I have you clocking in at about 12 minutes a mile! As someone who has never run a marathon, I have to tell you, I am simply in awe!

The daughter stayed home from school today, so I hopped on the treadmill and paced myself at, you got it, 12 minutes a mile. I just wanted to let you know that you are now running right beside me and you are quite the stringent trainer.

I have never been so impressed and so inspired. Someday I hope to run in a marathon beside, or just in front of ;) you.

XOXO

Weather Woes.......

I love the on-line log.....BUT......this weather is not helping meet my goals! I am still hauling my butt to the gym treadmill but that sooooo sucks. Who wants to run in place in front of a huge mirror in front of you so you can contemplate how huge your thighs look? PLUS~~~~those numbers move soooo slow. Three miles feels like an eternity. Then you get someone who gets on the machine RIGHT NEXT TO YOU when there are at least seven others to choose from. Of course, this person usually is breathing super hard, wearing blue jeans and non-running shoes while attempting to run an eight minute mile.......... and then you wonder if your workout will be interupted because you will need to administer CPR to his dumb ***!! You couldn't just call out for help and leave since others there know your occupation..................Can you tell I am also PMSing?

freebies? we all love freebies!

details to follow (ooooh exciting I know. I hope you can make it until then without exploding from excitement!) BUT I have a Friday Freebie Giveaway this week at my site which I adore.

(The freebie I mean. I do adore the site but wouldnt post here to bore you with that :) the freebie? I "made" the company not send it to me to mail out as I would keep it...mine is wearing out!)


swing on by and throw your name (comment :)) in the hat to win.

www.MizFitOnline.com

never know what to reveal...

so lets just say one of our own is running a marathon this weekend and I WISH I could be there to CHEER HER ON!

But duty (aka out of town FAMILY) calls (me, well, OUT OF TOWN) so Im wishing her luck here.

wanna out yourself so we can all chime in?

(*wink*)

Inexperience therefore idiot about wine

OK gals, I keep hearing the positive health benefits of red wine. I also recently learned that purple grape juice is good but NOT AS good as actual wine ( something about the ETOH helping). Problem is, I've never been a fan of wine....(I know.....I can hear the stunned gasps.......) I myself am a martini / gin & tonic /jagermeister kind of lady. (Can one drink Jager and still be a lady?!?)
I need some help. I definately don't like dry wines AT ALL. I can only choke the stuff down if it is sweeter and fruity. Don't gag, but last night I tried a Shiraz......with Splenda in it. I could only get 1/2 a glass down which is 1/2 glass more than if it didn't have Splenda.
All suggestions appreciated!!

Dangers of Fiction

Whatever you do in your efforts to multi-task, DO NOT boil an egg at the same time that you sit down to work on that book you've been writing. I don't care if the baby is sleeping and you're just trying to get as much done at the same time as humanly possible. Just don't do it.

One more thought for Kimberly

I've gone round and round about whether I should put this up, but since I am who I am and cannot change that- I will. I have several people in my life who fit the bill Kimberly describes. I have truly found that praying FOR them helps. I pray for my heart to be softened towards them when they're driving me crazy. I pray for God to change them or me. I once bought the book Power of a Praying wife because I wanted to pray better for my husband. The book actually helped me deal with a long and painful acrimonious relationship with another family member. It still works.

Running for Sanity!

I have been stuck on the couch with a sick 4-year-old glued to me for 3 days now. Fortunately for me, my husband works out of the house so today, I begged him to take a long lunch so I could hit the gym for a quick run. I haven't run since Friday and was feeling the stress of a having a sick kid and being stuck in the house and seriously was ready to explode. Either he felt sorry for me or was terrified at my look of desperation (and it's also possible that I've been a bit of a bitch due to the stress....but I seriously doubt it!) because he happily took my spot on the couch at noon and off I went. I had 1 hour. One glorious hour out of the house! Allowing for the drive up and back, I decided to run for 45 minutes. I jumped on, cranked up the speed, put my head down and just ran. Within 5 minutes, I had forgotten about the fever, the snot, the coughing and the couch and was feeling so much better. Before I knew it, 46 minutes had gone by and it was time to go. But now that I'm back home and have 5 strong miles in, I'm in a much better place to hang out with Quinn. My patience is back and I'm no longer growling. Thank goodness I found running otherwise I'd be a total nut case.

Clean Well!! WOW!!

I received my CleanWell sample box today and LOVE IT!! Now, I don't get spun up easily......but honestly, if after trying this product you aren't fired up......your wood MUST be wet!!!
I love the scents ( I got the orange/vanilla),
I love it has no alcohol,
I LOVE the antibacterial hand spray which is soooo much better than the goopy gels!
As a RN, I was so sick of the goopy, antibacterial gels that really took a toll on my hands.
I love the way CleanWell uses essential oils and I think it is great how they took a personal family need and turned it into this product.
I love they use aloe and anti-oxidant ingredients too!!
I can't wait to try the the Ginger Bergamot!! I plan to switch all my handsoaps at home to CleanWell!
Signing off.....gonna go wash my hands again!!

iFriends

Chit-chatting on my long runs with the folks in my training group invigorates me. It takes my mind off perceived effort and makes the miles seem shorter. Often times, one decent story (say, how my friend's son has given up diapers yet isn't quite potty trained) can last a mile. And once the tears dry up after learning that the little boy just wanted access his penis "so it dodn't faw aff," I can look around and say "Whoa, we're already on Main St!"

A few months ago, I found some iFriends (to coin a phrase), for my solo running days. While searching for free stuff on iTunes, I stumbled upon a podcast called the Extra Mile. It's a bunch of runners from all over the globe that submit stories & running updates, recorded while they are running. Some are advanced, some brand new, but all have that slightly stecato speech that you get when you converse on the trail. I love it. And it trips me out when I hear a car coming, then look around to find an empty street followed by the runner announcing "Hold on, I've got to cross this intersection." Most of the episodes run around 60 minutes (pardon the pun), so I can stretch a 45 workout into an hour with less mental resistance. They accept submission from practically anyone, so if I ever figure out how to carry a recorder in my bra, you might hear my voice one day...and we can advance from being e-friends to iFriends.

Don't Leave Home Without...

You only need a flat tire 4 miles from home once to realize that you ought to bring a spare tire along. So, here’s what I consider the essential items to bring along for every run:

1. Water: some for everyone since the kids will never share when you want them to.
2. House keys
3. Cell phone for emergencies.
4. Road ID because I never remember to put my ID back in my wallet afterwards.
5. Hand pump
6. Spare inner tube* or patch kit
7. Tire levers
8. Extra diaper and wipes, if applicable
9. Optional: accessories for the weather such as blankets, snacks, etc.

*Small stroller wheels are usually 12”, medium are 16” and large are 20”. Your stroller tires and your older child’s bike tires might be the same size.

Yes!!!!!

I couldn't wait for her to read...I just knew she'd be a bookworm, just like I am. (I taught myself to read at the age of four) The love of books was slow to instill itself in her but at long last she can often be found with her nose deep in the pages of a book.
Same thing with running...I couldn't wait. She resisted. But this weekend she signed up for next year's 7th grade classes and guess what? She signed up for Cross Country!!!

YES!!!!

"I wonder how much running stuff you're going to get me, Mom."

"There's this girl, she carries, like, this bag, this big bag with all these logos, and it's full of stuff. She carries it everywhere. Am I going to have to carry one of those bags and like put it in my locker?"

"I hear the coach is mean."

Me: "I'll take care of the coach."

Her: "I don't like it when you do that."

Ah, a wonderful journey has begun.

Win a Free Pair of the new Robeez Tredz

Hiya ladies. Another fun giveaway happening at my site this week. I'll extend the deadline another 24 hours for all you runners too! Just email me at giveaways@classymommy.com to enter - and specify if you want to win a pair for a little girl or a pair for your little guy!

We were able to test out a pair pre-launch and they are definitely Classy Mommy Approved! This brand new and much anticipated line of "Tredz" shoes- is basically an "Outdoor" Robeez. Every Mom loves Robeez and now we can all love them longer as Robeez Tredz offers a durable sole for outdoor wear for little walkers. Robeez Tredz also still has a lightweight flexible sole to support healthy food development. 22 new fashionable designs with 3 sizes available - ranging from 12-24 months. I will be all over this stylish pair of Robeez Tredz for baby Kyle once he is old enough to wear them!

Last, but not least (I think)

I think I may be the very last of this group to give my two-cents worth regarding the Corazonas Tortilla Chips. You see, I'm a bit anal - probably a bit OCD to be honest. I could not just simply try each Corazonas Tortilla Chips flavor myself. I had to set up taste-tests for a few select family and friends. This was quite an interesting experiment and - of course - took a while to complete.

I started off my series of taste-tests when a friend of mine brought over her two children (ages 5 & almost 2) to play with my two girls (5-year-old twins). I put out the chips in individually labeled containers (did I mention I'm anal?) and all of us dove in. BY FAR - the Black Bean Dip flavor won out for all us. In fact, the 1 year old kept chips in each hand the whole time they were here. A close second was the Salsa Picante flavor.

The second taste-test involved my husband and my parents who were in town visiting. Now, my dad is a Ruffles man. He's not into any sort of "health" food and would be just fine never putting anything named "healthy" in his mouth (love ya Dad, but you know I'm right). I truly didn't think he would like any of the chips, because - even though they are good - they are not Ruffles (thank goodness). He actually liked the "Original" flavored ones the best. If nothing else came out of this whole "review" process, at least my Dad now knows some healthy things can actually taste good.

So, after a few more taste-tests involving additional friends and random people off the street (just kidding about that last part), we determined we really like these chips. The most popular flavors were the Black Bean Dip and Original, and we've been on the hunt for them in our local stores ever since.

women helping women

Im so touched by all the people reaching out to help kimberly with advice.
people who are willing to take their time to ponder what she wrote and offer their (asked for) .02

me? I didnt have anything too useful to add to what's already been said but DAMN it made me feel...happy? touched? hopeful for humanity? :) (Im not sure how to phrase it) just being part of a site like this where women work to SUPPORT other women.

every day I witness the other side.

I see women trying to make other women feel WORSE about themselves simply so that they (uh, woman number one :) I think Ive gotten muddled here) feel better about themselves.

I LOVE how we're all helpful supportive and encouraging here.

love.

now Im off to chase my daughter around our yard and DEEM IT A RUN.

hope you are all having good weekends as well.

Advice to Kimberly, cont. POWER

Full disclosure: It wasn't long ago that I was the person described by Kimberly, always negative and energy draining. I was fortunate enough to live somewhere where my inability to communcate forced me to observe my own tendencies in a person, namely my next door neighbor.

Chances are this person you describe is unhappy herself and is drawn to you in an effort to feed off of your positive energy. If this is the case, she deserves your utmost sympathy. My advice is to repeat what she says with a positive spin.
Ex. "The world is coming to an end."
Response. "I feel so fortunate to enjoy life now, while I can."

Also, breathing. Deep breaths, through the nose and into your abdomen, not your chest. Don't flinch and don't give her the power to affect you. This also applies to the very real possibility that she is truly just a mean person and enjoys the power of affecting people. It's hard to accept that some people are just plain old mean, I know. Just don't give her the power. Remember, breathe.

Now's also a good time for a mantra. For years, mine was: And this too shall pass.

You, my friend, are a long distance runner. Nobody's more powerful than that.

Good luck!
Steph

Response to Kimberly

Kimberly asks:

If someone makes you miserable every time you talk to them, and sucks the positive energy right out of your day, should you still talk to them?
What if you are related?
Do you need to offer up an explanation if they don't hear you anyway?
Do you continue to discuss issues with someone, when the person does what she wants to anyway?
Does a time come when you need to write someone off, even if you are related?
If so, how do you do so without guilt?

You've come to the right place. I am the absolute queen of making my own rules.

First of all, don't let other people make your rules. Just because someone has acted one way does not mean that a standard of behavior has been established. You have to then establish the more appropriate standard. I wouldn't suggest ignoring them, but do talk above them, use big words. They scare little people away.
If you are related--this one hurts. But stand your ground. Stand it, stand it, stand it. If you know you are right then that's all there is to it. You don't need to convince anybody of it. Your actions will speak for themselves.

The little guy just woke up. I'll continue this tomorrow.

Move over, Carolyn Hax!!

In Need of Advice...

In the absense of any running buddies (still pregnant), I decided to go the virtual route!

Here's my question:

• If someone makes you miserable every time you talk to them, and sucks the positive energy right out of your day, should you still talk to them?
• What if you are related?
• Do you need to offer up an explanation if they don't hear you anyway?
• Do you continue to discuss issues with someone, when the person does what she wants to anyway?
• Does a time come when you need to write someone off, even if you are related?
• If so, how do you do so without guilt?

Back to Basics

Today I went back to the lake where I first started running last April. I've been having a hard time staying motivated and have been feeling a wee bit sluggish and I thought I could use a fresh perspective on this running thing.
I only did a few laps around so it wasn't a long run by any means, but it was good for the brain. Good for the soul. It was just a nice relaxing run. For the first time in a very long time, I wasn't looking at the clock or the mileage or thinking about the half marathon. I just decided to run for the fun of it and stop whenever I felt like it and most importantly, not to stress about how little miles I had run. I've been spending so much time beating myself up over the mileage. I know I've got to log those miles in order to be prepared for May but sometimes, it seems to do more harm than good to constantly say to yourself "I can't believe you only ran 7 miles today! You'll never be ready!!" Seriously. Chill out woman and try to remind yourself that you started running because you enjoy it!

Run Around

As I've suggested before, I love my Polar running computer. I love analyzing and meditating on the mathematics of running: pace, distance, heart rate. Though an artist at heart, I can't help but be fascinated by the science of improvement & accomplishment...plus I manipulate the mechanics of math as a way to distract myself during the challenge of the last few miles. I never said I was cool.

The watch has played an integral part in me going from a Nervous Inexperienced Neophyte to a Confident Apprentice Spouting Off Random Running Statistics. On my early morning Running Checklist, my Polar running computer is number two (shoes being first). I could go on and on about how and why I like it...

But I'm going to use this post to lament that the Polar company neglected to allocate enough resources to customer service. That's the only explanation I can come up with on why, when I was forced to send it to New York in order to change a battery**, it took them nearly two weeks to acknowledge that they had even received my package. USPS told me it arrived 3 days after I sent it and who signed for it.

And after e-chatting with their Online Help , I learned that I'm apparently utterly ancient because I can't type out a real time conversation when I'm upset, but I didn't find out anything about my repair status.

Nearly two weeks after inquiring, I received a form e-letter promising to look into my case. I'm still waiting and wondering. I'm still trying to find out anything! Will I get it back for the next big race in 2 weeks? I wonder what it will cost (They insisted on authorizing a $75 charge and say that it will cost less than that, but there is no clear pricing). And how can they strong arm me into mailing it off 10 states away for a simple repair?


I love what my Polar watch has done for my running, but I could do without the run around.

**I'm insanely furious about there only being a handful of "authorized dealers" to change a friggin' battery, but that's beside the point.

Hello, My name is Sherry and I am an......

I am an addict to the dang electronic log on SMR. Thanks alot Katy!! Since I started using it nearly a month ago I became obsessed. I knew I had crossed the line today when I still ran. You see, I am VERY allergic to Kiwi and Latex which puts me at risk for other Plant protien allergies. I knew that.....I still ate the dang Mango and I reacted. But STILL, I had to achieve my weekly goal to contribute to my yearly goal (once again....THANKS Katy....yes...I am being a little sarcastic.....) So off I went, baby in stroller, hives and angioedema all over my face and did an easy-go-it 3 miler close to home. The cool wind felt pretty good on my swollen face but the antihistamines make me feel like I was in the 70s..............

Fa: A Long Long Way to Run!

I’ve recently taken to doing nap time runs. My 2-year-old son has given up napping, but could use the break plus it is much warmer than the morning. AND I only have to push a single stroller since his sister is at school!

Without his older sister to distract and entertain him, however, I have come to recall the power of SINGING!

Some examples that my 2-year-old is particularly fond of right now:

“Bumpity, bump, bump. Bumpity, bump, bump. Look at (fill in child(ren)’s name(s) here) go! Bumpity, bump, bump. Bumpity, bump, bump. Over the rocky road!”

“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great FAAAALLLL (tip stroller back). All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again!”

“Old MacDonald” – using an animal for every letter of the alphabet or every animal he can find in his animal crackers, if applicable.

And of course, all the old stand-bys like “ABC” or “I’m a Little Teapot” (you can tip them over for that one too) or any other song that could continue indefinitely…

• What are your favorite songs to sing with your kids?

My first time...

it's still fresh in my mind. The year was 1970-something and the nation had just caught jogging fever. My father, who also became entangled in the pop psychology craze of the day, became an immediate and (briefly) dedicated runner. Every time he donned those blue satin short with gold piping and oh-so-cool Nike jogging shoes, I was right there.
"Can I go? Can I go??"
He would have told me no had it not been for my mother, elbow deep in dinner preparation, who made it clear that I should be allowed to tag along.
And I ran. With my father.
I don't know if he slowed down for me, but I always managed to keep up through the golf course and across the base.
I'd caught the bug. I was a runner.

Tell me about your first time...

shout out

Okay, so y'all have totally inspired me. Here's a shout-out: All running mommies in the historical district, McKinney, Tx...let's traipse these streets together...

HaHa...I just typed the label wrong: SeeMommyRum

HAPPY GROUND HOG DAY!!

I love this holiday and clung to it (and the movie. Phil? Phil Conners?) when I lived in Pennsylvania as I DETESTED WINTER and always prayed for spring.

now that Im a transplanted texan we STILL throw a yearly shindig to celebrate it.

here's to the groundhog and to all of US!

happy spring is around the corner day!

perhaps make these as I did: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/family/cake/cake_grndhog_0203/



edited for pics:

Baby Toes

Hello Running Mommies:

Today I sat in the rocker nursing my 13 month old and spent some time contemplating her beautiful baby feet and toes. They were just perfect. They fit in the palm of my hand and each tiny toe is perfectly formed. I looked at them for a while and caressed them, tickled them, kissed them and was in awe.

The thoughts took me to my size 10 maybe 10 1/2 not so beautiful feet/toes. I've always had big feet - at least the same size as my husband and definitely wider. Insults of all insults these flappers even got bigger with each baby. Size 9 seems petite to me these days. The thing is. I love these feet despite their very unfeminine girth. They have gotten me far. They've done 26.2 twice without complaining. They love to walk, they really love to run and they do not ask much. I'm alawys amazed that my husband never makes fun of them. They really are pretty ugly, but maybe because I love them so much they do not offer themselves up to ridicule. Lace them up and away we go........

Smiles,
Trice

Treadmill Etiquette

Whenever I go to the gym, the treadmills are always set to allow you 60 minutes followed by a 2 (sometimes 3) minute cool down. The time of day that I usually go to the gym is pretty good because there are always free treadmills and I've never seen a wait but I still get off after that hour is up. My question: can I turn it right back on and run more? I really want to keep my mileage up but can only go so far in 60 minutes, obviously. If there is no line, is it still rude to turn that puppy back on? I'm a crazy obsessed rule follower and am convinced that the gym-police are going to come after me if I keep going. Oh, and the gym I go to does not have any sign posted such as ones I've seen that say "There is a 30 minute limit on all cardio equipment"...I saw one like that at a different gym I went to yesterday. That one got to me too because there was no one waiting. Sigh. I obviously need advice because the last thing I want to be is 'that rude woman' at the gym!