Easter week

Easter is upon us! woo hoo! I love Easter. It's like the Christian's super bowl. And we win every year. This year my husband and I are in our church's Reader's Theater. It's going to be pretty great! And Good Friday will involve the high priest & a goat.....that's gonna be big. 

I also love spring. I didn't realize how much I missed the country in spring until i was in a city. But the scent of rich black dirt in the fields, the sound of running water from the melting snow drifts, the birds singing, the bulbs coming up...ahh. Spring only lasts a couple weeks in Minnesota, so blink and you miss it. But I enjoy it every year!

my beloved Sakatah state trail in the spring;-)

The ice dam that is our front yard is slowly melting as well. I won't miss that at all.

I've been able to get out and run regularly for the last half of march. So that's wonderful. I feel great. I'm also part of a Workout Accountability & kick butt group on Facebook, which has been definitely kicking my butt. (I'm sore all over the place!!)

bring on a run. please:)

I'm trying so hard to not go absolutely crazy. But this winter is really driving me mad! I have cabin fever and want to run so badly, but for some reason I'm having the hardest time getting up to go! when it's icy and slick and cold. I'm such a wuss this year! I usually love winter and the cold, but this year I'm just not into it. Postpartum hot flashes have subsided, so maybe that was my secret weapon...At any rate, I probably don't have an excuse. But spring is coming. sl  o   w   l   y........

Headed to Indiana this weekend for spring break. I hear it's not as icy there:)

                                                           

                                                       I'll bring my Altras & a hat!

well, better late than never.

well i took an awful long time to write again, eh? I've felt like I was just on auto pilot for awhile, just living my life, learning to abide, practicing being a proper wife and mama, and getting runs & yoga/pilates in when it's not stinkin cold or ferociously icy outside.

I'm excited for spring, more than usual, because for the first time in a few years I'm not pregnant or recovering from giving birth, and i'm actually in decent shape! Not that I've arrived at the ideal physical state, or any other state, believe you me, but I'm well on my way and my mind is in the right place. I can't wait to start running on the Sakatah Singing Hills trail again. I've been relegated to snowy side streets that are far from ideal when the sidewalks are full of snow and slick as anything and I get to contend with traffic. Anyway, I also have the goal of getting up and learning to be a MORNING RUNNER!! I decided to set myself up for success rather than continually fail this winter (who wants to get up to run in the cold, icy, snowy dark when your sleep was punctuated by 2 toddlers who have sleep problems and you're currently snuggled up with one of them on the couch?).

Idyllic, no?

 So I'll wait until it's a little lighter in the morning, and my girlies are more apt to sleep for more than 2 hour stretches. It's going to happen!

Andy & I went to the 11th (I think) marriage retreat our church has hosted in the beautiful St. James Hotel in downtown Red Wing.

We had SUCH a nice time, learning a lot, but even more just getting to know other couples & having a date/night away from the gals. I love that hotel and the city, and I think I'm going to plan another getaway in the summer so we can enjoy the area even more.










I'm still involved with the youth group at church and I have grown to really love it:) My sweet guitar skilz are due to using the few I had in the first place and I'm actually giving lessons now. I love the kiddos my husband and I get to be around. We're a part of a team who leads the 7-12th grade in our church. I'm SO looking forward to going up to Camp of the Woods in June with a crew of them to do our mission trip for the summer. I miss the wilderness of northern Minnesota. Canadia will work;-)

oof it's chilly.

fall temps are certainly here. This past Saturday it was over cast and cool, with temps hovering in the mid 40's. Toward my turn around in Morristown, I was actually running in sleet! This by FAR was the most enjoyable long run I've done in the recent past, though. The week before had high, dry winds and was about 82. I was SO dehydrated and tired that I ended up walking a good part of the second half. This Saturday is the Big Woods 10K in Nerstrand State Park.
Looks like it's going to finally rain and be about 60. Should be some good memories:) I love to run in the rain, i just hope it's not freezing!

Then a week from Sunday is finally the Makato Half Marathon. I think I'm ready, but I never really know until afterward. I've been doing pretty well at sticking to the training program, which was also pivotal in my Manage-Your-Depression-And-Anxiety Program;) I think one of the best parts is that I've lost weight, and one of the best parts of that is that I now have a new wardrobe again! I kept all my jeans and pants and now they are starting to fit again. awesome. Plus I feel so much better. if I actually cut out all the sweets I eat, I'd probably lose more weight. But seriously, when your mom makes Pumpkin Bread Pudding with caramel sauce, who's going to pass that up!?

I've got other irons in the fire, if you will, such as leading worship for the church youth group, junior high  youth group, Christmas Dessert Theatre...It's all very satisfying now that I'm starting to manage my self better and with more confidence:)

canning & leaf crunching!

Tomatoes are IN! I had planted a garden at my parent's house at the beginning of the summer, but like most of the country, the heat & dry weather wreaked havoc on the crops. UNTIL I realized
that all was not lost! Those hearty little tomatoes grew anyway, without a lot of lovin. So I'm on batch 2 of tomato sauce. I'm a little sick of peeling tomatoes, my fingers are super dry and a little orange-y, but the house smells So Good. I feel accomplished & happy that I'm canning:)

tomato skins, tomatoes awaiting the stripping, 2 pots in process with herbs, onions, garlic, evoo:)

Running is going so well. I did my 8 miler on Saturday. This picture is me after 5 hours for orphans. I ran to Elysian with Corine in the jogging stroller, then Andy & Carly picked me up. It was a great run, and a great cause! My runs have changed in the matter of the month since this. The trail is full of crunchy leaves already, probably due to the dryness lately. Everything still smells spectacular and will only get better as fall continues. I signed up for the Big Woods Run today. It's a 10K through Big Woods State Park in Faribault on October 13. I wanted to do it last year, but what with a new baby & all...:) I am noticing myself starting to fit into clothes from a couple years ago (!) so I'm pretty happy about that. I'd still love to lose a couple more pounds to be more comfortable in my skin, but progress is progress! I've lost about 22 lbs since the beginning of the year. When I wean Corine, I'll feel better about losing more.

 Now to figure out what to make for supper. It will probably involve tomatoes.

fall is upon us!

Half training is going well! I've been able to keep the distances pretty close to the plan, eventhough I can't get out as often as I'd like. My feet are cooperating and the transition to minimal shoes is for the most part, complete. I say this looking forward to a 7 mile run this weekend, which will be the longest run I've done in the minimus's.
 I'm expecting complete success;)

this could have been painted in my neighborhood;)

On my way to nannying this morning, the sky had the most beautiful pure white clouds outlined with dark grey, the rising sun was shining golden-yellow on the eastern edges. Fog was rising from the fields of corn and grasses surrounded by trees. Corn here has been healthy all spring & summer and is now turning golden. The trees are getting to be that dark green, on the verge of fall colors, looking tired from their summer in the heat. Autumn is right around the corner here in southern Minnesota. I always feel peaceful when the weather changes to fall. I remember fall from when I was little, in high school, at Gustavus Adolphus College, and in Indiana. Mostly though I love the smells fall brings. Especially the pungent sweet smell of wet underbrush & fallen leaves on the trail. That, my friends, is the Best:)

Pumpkin muffins & pea pesto pasta

Since I've been nannying at the new place, I've been looking for recipes and buying the food needed for each recipe at the beginning of the week. This is something I've been trying to do for awhile anyway, but this has really MADE me do it. Last night I made Lemony Pesto Pasta with Edamame, except I used peas  instead of edamame because Waseca HyVee didn't have any:) And I used whole wheat spaghetti and left out the almonds because I was lazy and didn't feel like preparing them...   It. Was. So. Good.

I ate thirds. It was also minimal work & easy ingredients. Going in the recipe box:)

Today I'm making pumpkin oatmeal muffins with raisins.  

 I really can't wait for fall. ahhh......

Running is going well. i still can't bring myself to run in the morning. I really like running at night, and no matter how tired I am, I am usually not too tired for a run. I guess I shouldn't fight it, but it seems like common sense to run in the mornings! My husband says he would like me to do that too, but that means him & I getting up at 5, because my 10 month old can sense when I leave her 10-foot radius. I swear.  So we'll see. I'd love to sometime be able to get up early, run, shower, and still get the ladies ready for the day to leave by 6:45. But this week is not that week. I don't know how people do it. 

Get Ready, Get Set,

Go!

 

On Sunday, my pal and I will start training for the Mankato Half Marathon. I'm SUPER excited too! We're using the Hal Higdon Half Marathon Novice 2 program since she's never run one before and it's been a while for me;) It's going to take a little juggling with my new job as nanny taking up 45-ish hours a week, but I'd love to be able to get up before I leave for the day and get my run in. Regardless, it's going to feel great to commit to something and see it through to the end. I did that with the first marathon I trained for. I was really intentional to stay committed and accountable to the training program with a friend. I really need that accountability!
I also need a new t shirt....I'm debating getting this one:)







On August 11 at 7am, 5 Hours 4 Orphans is again being run through our church and the Children's Opportunity Fund. Right now, we're going to run from Faribault to Waterville on the State Trail. Man oh Man I hope it's not ungodly hot! But it was so much fun last year, even though I was 7 1/2 mo. pregnant and it was raining. I worked an aid station. This year, I'm running it and hoping to raise even more money!

End of July

Whoa! If that wasn't just the most crazy hectic section of my life I don't know what was. I have been working at getting my mental issues under control, all while going off a medication I'd been on for years. that's done. I've been meeting with a psychologist every few weeks and (*pause, for effect) I have a mood disorder. duh. well, she has some good ideas for me to use to manage it, ideas that don't necessarily include medication. That would be awesome! I am still breastfeeding Corine, so that's ideal.


 After a 5 week hiatus due to an injured foot (minimal running injury, see here) I am back to running. Plus, this HEAT is ridiculous! SO I've been modifying my runs, both in intensity & time. Still loving the minimal shoes. Infact I tried to run in running shoes the other day. It was a DEFINITE no-go. It felt like my feet were wrapped in beach towels. Really really tight beach towels.




I was approached a couple weeks ago by a friend who propositioned me to be her nanny. After a lot of thought, prayer, & discussion (and a pizza dinner, to discuss the details) I accepted. So I'm a nanny for 3 kids, plus my 2 girls. It's a good gig:) We're taking some precautions so our friendship isn't weird; we don't want to break up over this;) I just have to get up early. I hate getting up early. But, oddly enough, I asked God a while back to help me become more of a morning person. Huh. Here ya go!

I'm going to leave with a verse from the Good News Bible translation, 2 Cor. 12:9&10. It's been helping me an awful lot:)

But his answer was: 
         My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak. I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ's power over me.¹⁰ I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

oh Suzanne Collins.

All I want to do is finish this series. After I'd read series like The Harry Potter books, or The Circle Books by Ted Dekker, I'd crave more. I'd want more exciting books where I care deeply about the characters & feel like I know them. However, my house is in a shambles, laundry is everywhere, and my firstborn is running around the house in her diaper only...which isn't that bad but is due to the fact that i haven't taken the time to dress her this morning because I want to be reading. constantly.  So now I'm going to go wash dishes. Then i'm going to read another chapter. Then do a load of laundry. Then read another chapter. The best part is I'm only on Catching Fire:) I still have another book to go! 

Mud is in the air!

me & the little ones out for a run a couple of weeks ago, pre-The Sickness. We got hit hard at our house with illness...pneumonia, RSV, puking, wheezing, shots of Rocephin, azithromycin, Urgent Care, ER...and lots & lots of Kleenexes & chicken soup! We are all better now, amazingly, and just in time for spring to hit! I'm so excited for these next few months. I'm pumped for losing some baby weight (down 8 pounds so far!), excited for running with both my girls, training for some races, and being outside:) I think I'm going to sign up for the Mankato Half Marathon on October 21. and the Elysian Rookie Triathlon on July 7, which is also when my brother is getting married! it'll be a busy day...

I have more to write, but mothering is calling...........

the me i want to be;)

This really cracks me up. Though i don't think it's quite this bad, i think it's something along these lines! I went for a great 5 miler yesterday with the double jogging stroller & Tonya and her single jogger. We owned the town's streets;) and the slush. but it was awesome to get out there and sweat on January 31st!

Can't wait for the next run. Now back to crocheting.

running buddy & PPD no more!

I think I've kicked it! for real! 

I think i'm done with postpartum depression. I feel better, my mood swings are no longer in the bipolar category & cycling every 30 minutes, i find joy in things again & I have energy. I can not express how much relief i feel. my husband agrees, for sure. Gosh, there were points where i felt like "what if i never get better? what if this is the new normal?" that really stunk. I can't even write how relieved i am, but if anyone needs to talk about PPD and what worked for me, needs some camaraderie, or whatever, send them my way. (I feel like it's a really taboo topic & you'll get no judgment here. )

Winter has come, a bit anyway, with some snows lately. However, it's supposed to be in the 30's this week so that will melt most of it. right now it's dripping off the roof.  But my pal Tonya & I got in 2 awesome runs this weekend, one each on Saturday & Sunday. Saturday's was about 4.5 miles, and Sunday's was close to 4. I felt so good & tired when i went to bed last night! And today I'm sore. So wonderfully sore. It's been an awfully long time since I've felt sore that didn't involve a c section or body aches from depression. Woohoo! 

just some of the important gear  for winter running.  amazing how much i pile on.
that's gotta add about 5 pounds to my run!

I am hoping to get out today & this week too. The double stroller from the family at my church isn't exactly what I was looking for, but the front wheel does lock so we'll give it a whirl. It might not be ideal for snow (I think a big front wheel would work better-?) but i'm game:)

A Midwinterafternoon's thoughts.

I've got some winter blahs.

("We've got cabin fever...")

 Some days it has been cold out, but not snowy, so that means no pulling the girls on the sled/snowshoeing down the Trail. Some days have been warmer, but not consistently enough for me to gain any steam in running/getting back into shape. I've been trying to do Pilates and that has worked to a certain extent, but my ladies have not been sleeping at the same time. You can insert your advice _here_ but honestly I've tried to be creative and just plain feel defeated. So I'm a little blah-y. I do have some exciting news tho! Some friends from church have a double fixed wheel jogging stroller that they are going to drop off later today. YAY!! I'll be able to clean it up and dream of early morning runs on the lush green Trail with the sun shining through the trees and sparkling off the lake. ahhhh.... Or just run in the reflector vest in the dark slushy streets of Waterville until then;)

Until then, I will continue to read up on postpartum depression & trying to help myself as much as i can. That is one BUGGER of a deal, PPD.

I feel like i could write a book on it myself. Maybe some day, after I have some sort of credentials:)

Monday morning:)

It's a beautiful monday morning, sun shining through the windows (that need to be cleaned, btw), the garbage & recycling trucks have made their way down the streets, carly is watching Finding Nemo while intermittently hopping over to me to get a hug & tell me I Yuv You! Corine is napping in her swing and I'm thinking of things to do today & this week. The only odd thing is that it's January 9th, it's above freezing and there's no snow anywhere around. Yup. Odd. I've been running again, and as foreign as my body has felt running lately, yesterday afternoon I went for a 3 miler and it felt mostly normal! It wasn't a spectacular run, but I did it. During the week though, i have a harder time getting out. With the 2 little ones and only a single jogger, it makes it hard. Corine is growing like a weed and its starting to hurt my back when i have her in the baby bjorn for a really long time, and running is obviously out. So i'm in the market for a double, what with the "non-winter" winter this year.

Here it is: the item I've been looking at getting. It's an InStep Flash. If God would like to bless me with another option, i'm open to that too! So I've been working at saving up/watching Amazon.com for a sale. We'll see what comes up, but I'm hopeful.

I've also been thinking a lot about worship music & playing guitar again. It seems to go in spurts, but the spurts are usually a year or more long. Anyway, it's rising up again! Yay! Gotta do some searches for new worship music...probably matt redman & Charlie Hall to start with.

headaches & rain drops

oh these headaches! If i never had another one, I'd be a happy camper. In my years of headaches, here are some of the "possible" causes:

pressure changes

hormones

mold

yeast

gall bladder issues

lack of sleep

dehydration

pinched nerve

foods such as coffee, chocolate, hotdogs

too much sugar

too much salt

not enough salt

high blood pressure

this is not exhaustive. but it is exhausting. I have an appointment on Friday, again, to try and pursue this.

what a pain in the neck! Yesterday i had a miserable migraine all day. really bad. i tried our insurance's phone nurse number which was NO help, and then i called the local physician which directed me to call the hospital dr's, then I sat on hold after being transferred through the phone system at Mayo Mankato for 17:30. that's ridiculous. i hung up and figured i'd suffer through it. it's back again and i'm frustrated. grr.

it's raining today though, which i would usually like and enjoy, except that it's december!! I'd like some snow for Christmas, but i'm not sure we'll have any this year. I'm still holding on hope, though:)

back into the swing of things!

I'm giving it another go. It's not that I don't want to keep this thing up (it's as fun for me to keep a blog as it is to read them!) but I have really been struggling to find time to keep up with posts. But I think the new little gal is getting scheduled;) she's napping right now, which makes me SO happy because she's napped at the same time each day for about 4 days. She's going on 3 months (December 29th will be.) so i think i can actually start to have things regular again!

I have been knitting and crocheting my little fingers off lately too.

I love making hats, but man it will be nice when i can get creative again and try some new patterns. I have some orders to fill first though. I've also been baking and cooking intentionally, using a strict budget, clipping coupons, & planning the weekly menu. Sounds a little obvious, but I'd never seriously done it before...always just flew by the seat of my pants!

Running has been difficult to get done. It seems to take so much work to get someone to watch the girls (I only have a single jogging stroller so far) and we've had a cold snap here too. When andy gets home from work, it seems so busy until bedtime--hard to tell him he's got the girls while i run. That could be changed, but Corine doesn't take a bottle yet, so the only source of food/comfort she's had SO far is me... But she's getting older! I'm getting [marginally] more sleep at night! I may be able to run with the Dakota in the Dark before too long... We will have to see, but I'm remaining hopeful:) I just need to set realistic goals. Like, regular running starting in January. That's realistic. i think right now anyway!

blech.

It's been awfully hot, and this pregnant lady has NOT been liking it. I don't like the heat to begin with, but add an extra furnace in there and I'm so tired, so sweaty, and moderately grumpy (my husband would say very moody and hormonal and "when can i get my wife back?"). so, needless to say, due to my grouchy attitude, i haven't blogged recently at all. HOWEVER!!

Today it is Gorgeous Outside. Highs in the low-mid 70's. finally!!!! I'm not sweating through my bra & underpants before 9 am. I've never suffered heat stroke, or even heat exhaustion I think due to the fact that my body sweats at any slight discomfort. Which is a blessing and a curse;)

The weather outside really makes me antsy to get out there and run though!! I think i'm going to push the water and go for a good walk tonight with my pal tanya.

In the heat, i've been listening to messages from Granger Community Church in Granger, Indiana. I love this church because it is "modern" in it's music choices (which to me means the worship team plays music and songs that are new--and some old hymns--and not necessarily always on the radio. Songs by Charlie Hall, Matt Redman, and some chart toppers that relate to the messages. Anywho, i like the creativity and the theology of the pastor, Mark Beeson, as well as the other Preachers like professors, authors, and community members. I'd recommend listening to some of them while doing dishes, ironing, and other mundane house tasks that you hate.....:)

The Rogue Chicken.

This morning I saw The Rogue Chicken again. It was wandering across the street into the woods up by the blackberries. Now, I don't live in a really urban area, but it IS a city/town. We live on the edge at the base of a big wooded hill. Apparently a chicken has taken up roost in our neighbors garage, laying eggs in a tarp and hanging out on the front porch. It's just a little weird, however I'd be collecting the eggs if I was my neighbor. Dakota smells its path each time we walk by, and I'm dreading if he ever decides to take off and blast into the woods to "hunt" the chicken. It remains elusive when I head out for a walk with Dakota and my phone, (i.e. camera) but I'm keeping the faith that I will photograph it soon.

Peaches & Cream Pie and cloth diapers

about 2 Sundays ago, the hubs & i were on the way out the door to church and i realized I'd forgotten to refill the diapers in the diaper bag. so i sprinted (haha. fast-shuffled) back into the house and seeing the diaper drawer empty, snagged a cloth diaper. carly was in cloth from about the time she was 3 months old until we moved to minnesota. (my parent's house didn't have a sprayer for the shower. this is important because i do NOT like dunking poop diapers in the toilet and running to the washing machine yelling "get out of my way! NOW!) So. we started up again with BumGenius diapers because it's conducive & money saving. (c'mon people. we're in a recession.)

I really like them. Cute for the summer especially (add a cute dress or tank and no worries about a diaper-cover-booty thingy.)

i think we have about 10 or 11. bunch of colors, but i still do put carly in over night disposables because she'll wake up cold if she pees a ton. here's our partial collection.

Today i also felt like using up some peaches in the fridge that were on sale at Hy-Vee. Peaches & Cream Pie it was:) and it was SO good.............

sliced & ready to go.

baking....

filled the house with good smells:)

ahh... a GOOD dessert!

sitting here I can smell that summer evening smell that's like dew and flowers and cut hay. I'm taking Dakota on a walk just to be in it, and then i'll probably have another piece of pie......