Merry Christmas

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas. I took Christmas Eve off which was the first day off (other than weekends) I've had since July when we went on our cruise. I still went to the Y to workout, but got to sleep in!!! YEAH!!

We spent Christmas Eve at my parents' house. My sister, Chris, and her husband and boys were there.

Morgan & Travis

My nephew, Shane, - 4 yrs. old.


My brother-in-law, Mike Huntington, and nephew, Daniel (1 1/2 yrs.)

Scott and my sister, Chris, with Travis giving the "peace" sign

My parents bought the kids Guitar Hero - Rock Star for the Wii and they've been rockin' out ever since.

Now that the holidays are over, with the exception of New Years, I can get back to my normal diet and regime (I hope). I'm planning on running the full marathon in April for the OKC Memorial Marathon - if my body cooperates! I have a full calendar of duathlons & mini-triathlons that I plan to participate in - so it should be a busy year.

We're taking a cruise with the kids and my parents in March so stay tuned for that.

God Bless & I hope 2009 brings much joy, love & success (despite who is in the White House).

Busy Pre-holiday Weekend!!

Morgan and I went to see the movie, Twilight, yesterday which is based on the book series by Stephanie Meyer. Many of our friends said that the movie was pretty bad and not at all like the book; however, I tried to keep an open mind. I loved the books so was looking forward to the movie. I really liked it!!! There is no way to cover every detail in a book, but I thought the movie did a really good job at depicting the story line.

I went to Sheri's house for holiday brunch yesterday - girls only. Sherri is like Martha Stewart. There is nothing she can't cook, sew, create, etc. I am the most uncreative female on the planet so I just watch her in awe. She's my hero!!! It makes me strive for more creativity.

Party!!!

Last Saturday we had a birthday party for our friend, Randy (a.k.a. Lonny), at Gissella's house. The Big 12 game - OU v. Missouri was also on which was why Kim was missing from the picture - she went to the game.

I went to my employee Christmas party for the YMCA last night at Johnny Carinos. I got to sit and chat with a few of the girls that I rarely get to talk to - so it was nice getting to know them a little better. It is nice that the Y takes us out for Christmas, but it is a bummer that we can't include our spouses. I guess that is what happens when you work for a non-profit organization.

Things at the studio have been slow unfortunately. I think everyone is freaking out about the economy and what the new Obama administration will mean for their finances. Tanya, the owner of the studio and the most awesome mentor (a.k.a. Yoda), says things will pick up so I am just teaching my classes and working with my few private clients.

The kids have only one week left in school and they are excited. I don't really think they understand that homeschooling will still be work!!

Daddy-Daughter Nerd Night

Scott & Morgan had a fun activity a few weeks ago. The Young Women at church hosted a Daddy and Daughter Nerd Night. The daddies and daughters did hair (Scott did a great job on Morgan's pony tails), played games, had snacks (of course) and participated in other activities.

It makes me feel so blessed to have a husband who is so involved in the lives of our children - even if it means dressing up like a nerd and acting silly. I know Morgan will always remember these times with her dad.

Let the Holidays Begin!!!!

It's Black Friday - the busiest shopping day of the holiday season. I am proud to say that I was not one of those loonies up at 4 a.m. waiting for the stores to open. Don't get me wrong, I like to shop for my loved ones (and myself) during the holidays, but I don't feel the need to cram myself into an overflowing store, get stampeded by sale-crazed people and wait in line forever.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I started this holiday off with an 8K run called the Turkey Trot out at Lake Hefner. The weather was cool, but not windy which translates into a perfect day to run. I was happy with my time which was 44:53 (chip time) and/or 45:20 (official time). I would've been a little faster, but my first mile was spent weaving in and out of walkers or slow joggers. We went to my mom's house for the big meal. My sister and one of her kids were there. I tried out a new dessert recipe given to me by one of the girls I work with at the YMCA. It was a sopapilla cheesecake - YUM!!! It was awesome! After eating way too much, Scott and I crashed and bid the kids a good night (at 6:30 p.m.). Yes, we know . . .

As the holidays are now underway - try to remember the reason for the holidays and keep a level-headed perspective. It is not about the sales, the stores, etc. It is about our faith, our family and friends.

What a week!!!

TGIF never held so much significance!!! Work was busy this week. I'm trying to get everyone in before the holidays begin; grocery shopping so I can avoid the crowds next week; the weather turning really cold (o.k. so maybe 50 isn't cold to you, but it sure is to me); trying to put together a syllabus for homeschooling the kids (oh yeah, didn't mention that we're pulling the kids out of school at the end of December to home school them).

This month has flown by - I know how cliche that sounds, but it there is truth to most cliches. Thanksgiving is less than a week away and before you know it Christmas will be here. I love the holidays, but I hate the shopping part. I'm not one of those women who loves the thrill of the hunt for sales. If I could do all my shopping (grocery included) online - I would be set! Trying to get all my workouts in is definitely a priority - to keep my weight in check and keep the stress under control. I love the decorations, lights, music and food.

Talk to y'all later!!!

I attended my Reformer Level 3 training this weekend and, boy, am I sore. It was a great workshop; Sarah Malloy was our instructor and she is wonderful. There are many exercises on the reformer that I do not intend to do anytime soon! I still have several more workshops to take before I can take my test which is a little discouraging, but I just need to keep plugging along. If you have never tried pilates on the reformer, you need to try it. You will never want to lift weights again.

I'm back to running a little more lately and so far so good. I ran with Cori yesterday (5 miles) and I felt strong even though it was cold and windy. Hopefully I can get myself geared up to run the half-marathon in April. Many of my friends ran the San Antonio Marathon this weekend & it was sad watching them all train - I wanted to go too!!!

Last night after my workshop, I went to eat at Red Rock Canyon Grill with Scott & Sherri. If you've never eaten there - OMG!! You must! It is my favorite place. The atmosphere is so relaxing and the food is terrific. It is "the" place to go.

An Attitude of Gratitude

Our lesson in Relief Society last Sunday was about gratitude. These are two of the quotes that were shared (they are not scriptures, but still relative) :


Buddha:
Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.

Eric Hoffer:
The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.

During my yoga classes this week, I've challenged my participants to think about three things they are grateful for - not matter how big or small. Sometimes our lives are so challenging that we need to have the perspective (like the Buddha) that at lease we didn't die. Other times, the blessings seem to flow.

The last few months have been very challenging for me spiritually - sometimes only holding on by a thread, but looking to my blessings has made all the difference. I have an incredible husband who supports and loves me despite all my "issues". My kids, though not perfect, are wonderful. I am in a career field that allows me to make a difference (not all the time, but sometimes) in the health and life of others. I belong to a church that promotes the importance of family and faith. My life is rich - I may not always see it that way, but I am blessed.

During this time of year, don't get overwhelmed by gifts, meals, errands, etc. - remember the blessings or gifts in your life. Thanks for being a part of mine!

Cervelo P2 2009 model

Christmas is just around the corner, so for all my "fans" out there - this is what I would like for Christmas. It is a Cervelo P2 (for those of you not familiar with tri bikes - this is the most awesome bike - Chrissie Wellington won three Ironman competitions riding this model). If all my loyal, loving friends would just put a $100 in the pot- then this bike could be mine!!!

Seriously though - I cannot believe that Election Day is tomorrow. Please, please go out and vote (unless you plan to vote for Obama then stay home). Let us pray that Heavenly Father will keep His followers safe - whatever may come. All things happen for a reason - to test us, help us grow, show us His mercy, etc.

God Bless.
(Don't forget - Schlegal's sells the above shown bike & they have layaway.)

Me and Scott- aren't we the cutest couple?!

Travis- he doesn't like having his picture taken so this was as close to a smile as we were going to get.

Morgan - always ready for a photo-op.

Blondie Chronicles

This is my awesome dog, Blondie. She is almost four years old. We adopted her in January 2008 from Sooner Golden Retriever Rescue (www.sgrr.org) when our Golden Retriever, Jake, died. We had Jake for about six years and it was very hard when he died, but we are dog-people. The house felt so empty without a furry friend. (Cats are totally out of the question.)

Well, now that the weather is getting cooler, Blondie seems very happy. She loves to be outside when it is cold (now, rain is another story) and it really revs her up. She will come inside and run laps through the kitchen and living room - very entertaining to watch.

We recently had the opportunity to take her to a "dog reunion" for Sooner Golden Rescue dogs that had been adopted during 2008. It was so cute! There were about 25-30 goldens and they were all so well behaved. There were no fights and they all wanted to be pet and loved.

I highly recommend adopting through a rescue organization. This is our second experience and we've gotten the best dogs and knew what type of dog we were getting (i.e. house trained, crate trained, etc.).

Fall Classic Duathlon

Well, I've just finished the last race of the season. It was great because Scott and I were able to do it together.

It was a 2 mile run, 14 mile bike and then another 2 mile run. My total time was 1:26:26. I am o.k. with it since it was extremely windy. I started the first run off way too fast so I struggled with it, but I redeemed myself on the bike. My first transition was not stellar. Thankfully, I've done my fair share of training in the wind (25-30 mile gusts at Lake Hefner). My last transition was good and I eeked out the last 2 mile run. I thought I was better prepared for the run. It didn't help that the race didn't start until 1:30 p.m. I never run or ride that late in the day. We got to Lake Overholster to get our bikes into transition and get our packets at 11:00 so we were just hanging out for 2 1/2 hours.

OK, maybe I'm being immature, but I finally beat Scott in something!!! You have to understand how he goes about training to really understand my excitement. He will do the bare minimum - and by bare minimum I mean run once a month (maybe) and crank out this excellent time. It is so unfair!!! I beat him by about 4 minutes today. Neener neener neener!!!

Happy Birthday Sheri!!

We tried to surprise Sheri with a birthday party Friday night. She and Cristina were supposed to meet to go riding, but Sheri gummed up the works by trying to cancel to go see a Tuttle football game. We had to spill the beans in order to get her there (there is no way Cristina was going to lie). Sheri is such a great friend and she deserved to have a great birthday. Cristina let us use her house to host a nice sit-down dinner complete with fondue. It was the first time that we'd all seen each other with make-up and "real clothes" since we usually see each other riding bikes or working out at the Y.

I am so grateful to have such wonderful friends!!!

Girls' Night Out

After the craziness of life, training for triathlons, vacations, etc, we were long overdue for a girls' night out!!! The fact that it was Sheri's birthday just gave us an excuse!! Gissella, Cristina, Sheri, me, Linda and Mary - what a crew! Speaking of crew- we took this picture at the OK Regatta. Cristina is trying to convince us to put together a rowing team. I just don't see myself as a rower. I can sit at the front and bark out directions "ROW, ROW". I don't know though . . . I can usually be talked into trying new sports. I guess we'll see.

It is so awesome to have great friends! We all know each other from church or the YMCA. What better ways to bond than over God and exercise!

VP Debate Sound Off

The much anticipated vice presidential debate took place last night and I just had to put in my two cents worth. Sarah Palin did a fabulous job. She did not allow herself to be bullied or dragged into a mudslinging contest with Biden. I believe she represented the middle-class and conservatives in a positive and accurate light. As she said, she is not a Washington insider so doesn't change her view to appease certain interest groups. Biden conveniently changed his views on several key issues since joining the Obama-Biden ticket. Palin knew and understood the issues affecting our nation and effectively conveyed how the McCain-Palin team would address those matters. Everyone wants to hear what their itching ears want to hear - things are not a bed of roses in the country which McCain & Palin know and acknowledge. They have realistic goals to restore our economy and moral standards.

The first day of the rest of my blog . . .

Since even my daughter created a blog, I figured I'd better get on board. I'm not sure how often I will post, but I am sure I'll find my way. I sure wish we had this type of stuff when I was a teenager (sure beats writing in a diary) - I guess that comment shows my age, huh???