Days 8 & 9

YAY!! Got my custom insoles yesterday...lets just say they are going to take some getting used to. BUT I just ran 3 miles OUTSIDE (since the weather is beautiful today) and it felt great! I started to struggle around mile 2, but pushed through and did it all! My first 5K is looking better and better! Still loving my new shoes, and SOOOO looking forward to a whole week at the lake!

A picture that makes me laugh is...

Definitley this one. Taken last year on our way to LJT...this is a boat with what looks like the frame to an EZ UP tent on top of it. I guess they needed some shade on that boat! Can you say REDNECK?? :)

Another one I have is this...

Seth driving, Tuff looking like he is very focused on the road ahead. Lol love these guys!!

And for day 9, a picture of the person who has gotten me through the most. This one is a tie...

This guy for sure...bad breakup and a move back to the city I left unwillingly, and God put him in my life at the exact moment I needed him!

And of course, this girl. She's my best friend, duh!

NEW running shoes! And day 7

Ok everyone, I give you..........

...my new shoes!! Today's run was fantastic...3 full miles. My
feet feel great, and tomorrow I am getting fitted for custom insoles, so hopefully they will feel even better!

So, Day 7 of the blog challenge is supposed to be my favorite possession. This is a hard one for me. If we are talking about the first thing I would grab if my house was on fire, it would be my dog and photo albums. Pictures from my childhood, high school, and college are priceless in my opinion.

Question: is my dog a possession?I don't consider him an "item", but if he is, then duh, he is my most treasured possession! Love my Tuff!

My car also has to make this list, because it is the first thing that I bought and paid for all by myself. Now that it is getting a little older, I sometimes wish for a new vehicle. Then I think about the extra money I have every month with no car payment...and I realize I can handle the old Explorer for a few more years!

Days 5 and 6

Oops...I skipped a day. It's very hard to plug in to the real world while I'm escaping civilization here at the lake. I will do better, I promise! Day 5...a picture of my favorite memory:

I have A LOT of favorite memories...high school was a blast, Vegas is always an adventure...but if I had to pick one "memory", it would have to be the road trip I took across the country with (guess who) Laci. We drove from Texas all the way to South Dakota, then hopped on a plane and went to Canada for 5 days. I fell in love with the people and the country in general, and cannot wait to go back again! Here are a few pics from the roadtrip of a lifetime. Enjoy!! :)



Somewhere in Colorado, I think

We took a tour of the Coors Brewery. Yes, we were in heaven.

We almost ran out of gas in Wyoming. There is NOTHING for miles and miles

On the balcony of our hotel in Deadwood, South Dakota. One of the coolest places I have ever been!

We had so much fun in Deadwood, our one night stop there turned into 3 nights! This was an awesome bar/casino there, and we met these very cool guys.

We finally DID make it to Canada, and met some amazing wild horse racers.

These guys taught us how to bet on the chuckwagon races and how to drink Canadian rye whiskey!

So there are a few photos from our roadtrip. The best part about it is that the Canadians that we met have invited us back this summer for their hometown rodeo! We are (hopefully!) going back in June to stay with them for a whole week! I can already hear the music from the beer gardens and the carnival rides calling my name!! :)

Day 6...a pic of a person I would love to trade places with for a day. Here it is:

Who wouldn't want to be Carrie Underwood?? Gorgeous, talented, and rich...and married to a hot hockey player. Heck. Yeah.

Fill in the blank Friday AND Day 4

Good news first: I purchased brand new running shoes yesterday! I am SO excited to try them out...picture to come soon, I promise. Bad news: My foot hurts possibly worse today than it did yesterday. I am taking today off, and am also going to change my workout a little this weekend. We are going to the lake, but instead of running, I am going to take my bike and see how that goes. I feel like it will take a lot of pressure off my foot, but still give me a good cardio workout. Hopefully by Monday I will be back to full strength and ready to run in my new Mizunos!

Thanks Danielle!

1. The phrase or punctuation I overuse most is "..." Seriously...I use the ellipsis A LOT. Texting and on here. I often use it in place of a comma.

2. Today I am thankful for the fact that it is Friday and my rest day. I AM enjoying running but my foot hurts, and I need a day off.

3. My best friend is Laci and Seth. Tallie and Nancy run a close second!

4. A quirky thing about me is that I sleep with three pillows. Two under my head and one beside me. My parents used to say I slept with my head in the clouds.

5. This weekend I am going to the lake. A little more work before it gets too hot, and hopefully some resting.

6. Something that worries me is Tuff getting sick or hurt, or something happening to someone close to me.

7. On my night stand you would find my cell phone charger, a half empty glass of water, moisturizer, contact case and solution, etc. It's a mess.

Day 4...a picture of my night. If it is talking about LAST night, this is what was going on:

Minus the flowers and frilly things. I sat on my couch and massaged my own feet, until Seth came home, then he massaged them for me (I'm very lucky, I know).

Tonight, I will be doing some of this:

Not quite the view from the deck of the lakehouse (I wish!) but you get the idea. Swinging and relaxing with a glass of wine...I love the weekends!

Thanks to everyone for the comments, etc! All of you are awesome and I LOVE stalking you!! :)

Running Milestone!! And Day 3...the cast of my favorite show

First things first: I have made the decision to purchase some real running shoes. As a coach, I have 90 gazillion pairs of tennis shoes (sneakers, whatever). I have never in my life purchased a pair of shoes solely for running. This week, my feet have been hurting, so thanks to some great advice from Missredrunner, I'm going to get some experts to evaluate the way I run, and get some good shoes. Yesterday, I ran 25 minutes, which I'm calculating to be a little over 2 1/2 miles. WITHOUT walking. :) That's the run for today also, then tomorrow is a much needed rest day for my feet. Then some more lake running this weekend! Next week I'll attempt 3 miles...and I'm excited about it! I also weigh today...cross your fingers!! :)

Today's challenge is to post a pic of the cast of my favorite TV show. Here's the deal: I lived without cable the entire time I was in college. So when I watched TV, I watched shows that came on all the regular networks. I got into Grey's Anatomy, but now I'm so lost I'm going to have to buy the last 2 seasons to catch up. Also, I don't have a lot of time to watch TV, but when I do, I like these 3 shows...

Pretty Little Liars. Ok, so I just got into this one, thanks to the junior high girls I am surrounded by daily. Confession:  Love. This. Show.



Gossip Girl...yes, I love it. I don't watch it weekly though. I just wait till the next season comes out and buy it!





And this show is awesome. I'm a big fan of the Discovery Channel. Dorky, I know.



Day 2 Challenge!

Thanks to Cait for starting this! Link up and join in the fun!

Today's challenge is a picture of me and the person I have been closest with the longest. Most of these pics are old, but I love them anyway...

Allow me to introduce you to my best friend:



In high school here...

You like my see through shirt? I'm hoping thats a swimsuit under there

Freshmen in college...I think?

Fantastic night...hahaha

In another bar somewhere...

On the slots in Deadwood, SD

A great quote that we love:

And the one that we both take to heart!

I could go on and on about how she is my best friend, I couldn't live without her, and all that jazz. The truth is, we have been through 14 years of friendship. High school, college, and beyond. Countless boyfriends and relationships. Other friends have drifted away and we're still as close as ever. We've traveled to 8 states and 2 countries together. We get on each others nerves and fight like sisters. And I love her possibly more than anyone else in the world. :) Love you LJ!

Picture of me and 10 facts...

Day one of this challenge...I love it! :)

I don't have many pics of just me...the one above is me and an awesome friend of mine, and below is me sporting some serious spirit lol!

1. I have fallen in love with Strawberry Powerade Zero. It's like my cheat for the day...BUT I'm not cheating. Ha.

2. I am a big fan of beer...not so much of my beer GUT that I'm attempting to get rid of.

3. My job makes me wonder if I acted like that when I was a junior high girl. I probably did.

4. My dog is better than your dog. :)  jk all of YOUR dogs are pretty awesome too.

5. I'm trying to cut back on my foul language. It's going pretty well until something REALLY f****** pisses me off.

6. I am a certified lifeguard, and have been since I was a junior in high school. I keep redoing my certification at the beginning of every summer, thinking I may get the chance to jump in the lake and save someone lol.

7. I can't keep plants alive. Ever. I have an ivy on my desk that my best friend sent to me on the first day of my first teaching job. It's barely hanging on. So sad...who kills an ivy??

8. I like to say that I like to drink wine, but the truth is I only like it if it's very sweet and doesn't really taste like wine.

9. I like to dance on the tables at bars. Or on the bar, or whatever there is to dance on. Coyote Ugly is one of my favorite movies!

10. I wear my watch on my right hand. And I'm not left handed.

30 Day Blog Challenge!

Thanks to JENNA for this awesome idea!!

30 Day Blog Challenge

You are to post a picture to go along with the list. This is going to start March 1st so you can link up when we start and share with your friends.

THE LIST:

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with ten facts
Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show
Day 04 - A picture of your night
Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory
Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item
Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh
Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with
Day 11 - A picture of something you hate
Day 12 - A picture of something you love
Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist
Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you
Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity
Day 19 - A picture and a letter
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget
Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at
Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book
Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change
Day 25 - A picture of your day
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you
Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member
Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile
Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss

ABC's of ME!

I've seen this post all over and decided to join in, especially since I don't have anything super exciting to post about. I ran twice this weekend, BOTH outside and both early in the morning. HUGE step for me! And yesterday my run was pretty easy...never thought I would say that about a 22 minute jog! Today I run 10 minutes, walk 2, run 12. And tomorrow and Thursday are both 25 minute jogs. Sounds like fun! Tonight is dog class with Tuff and Red Hot Ruby...yay!! Also some much needed food and drinks with a few friends. Only 8 more school days till spring break!!

 

(A) Age: 25
(B) Bed Size: Queen
(C) Chore You Really Dislike: LAUNDRY. It's never ending...I can't imagine how behind I will get when I have children
(D) Dogs? Tuff!
(E) Essential Start Your Day Item: Toothbrush and toothpaste. And coffee with Sweet Italian Creamer
(F) Favorite Color: pink
(G) Gold or Silver? white gold
(H) Height: 5' 8" ish...I've never really known exactly how tall I am...sports rosters in school exaggerated it A LOT to make me sound more intimidating lol
(I) Instruments You Play: None, unfortunately...
(J) Job Title: Teacher, Coach
(K) Kids: None yet!
(L) Live: The greatest state in the good ol' USA...Texas!
(M) Mom's Name: Karen
(N) Nicknames: I don't really have any...I hate when people call me Meg, and my dad is the only one who gets away with calling me Liz...short for my middle name.
(O) Overnight Hospital Stays? None, ever. Knock on wood!!
(P) Pet Peeve: People who drive slow and won't move over...
(Q) Quote from a Movie: Umm...I can recite the Wizard of Oz word for word. Not kidding. I freakin love that movie.
(R) Right or Left Handed? Right
(S) Siblings: 1 younger brother
(T) Time You Wake Up? The alarm goes off at 6:00, I'm usually not out of bed before 6:45. My snooze button and I are in love.
(U) Underwear: Uh, yes please.
(V) Vegetable You Dislike: Brussels Sprouts. Disgusting.
(W) What Makes You Run Late: I'm usually on time...or I try to be. My dog is also an explorer, and sometimes I lose him and have to go hunt him down before I leave the house.
(X) X-Rays: wrist, when I was 7
(Y) Yummy Food You Make: I like to think I am a pretty good cook.My beef stew is pretty good, and chicken and dumplings. And chocolate caramel cake. Oh, and cheddar bay biscuits (the Red Lobster kind). YUM!
(Z) Zoo, Favorite Animal: I haven't been to a zoo in a very long time, but I always liked the monkeys.

Fill in the blank Friday!

Thanks Danielle!!

1. I am currently obsessed with ...Strawberry Powerade Zero. I discovered it by accident last week and bought our local grocery store out of it 2 nights ago. I've tried to keep it to one per day, and I usually drink it right after I run. I LOVE IT!!
2. Today I am annoyed because...my shoulder is KILLING me. I tried to play with my 8th graders yesterday (I'm a volleyball coach) and hit a few balls and was a little sore last night. THEN I hit at my 6th and 7th graders this morning, thinking I might be able to work the soreness out, but it only made it worse. Getting older SUCKS.
3. The age I am is 25 and the age I feel is ??? If you ask my feet and my shoulder, they will tell you they feel 60. But my energy level has increased drastically since I started running, and I feel great!

4. My favorite place is ...this is a hard one. Probably the lake when we have all of our friends and family there. You just can't beat a glass of wine, guitar playing, and good company while you're sitting on the deck at the lakehouse. In case you can't tell, spring break can't come soon enough!!

5. Something I have been procrastinating is cleaning my car out. I swear my backseat is under all that junk somewhere, I just need to find it! Oh and I could make a very fluffy pillow with all of the Tuff hair that is in there...

6. The last thing I purchased was a red bull this morning...last night was a late night and I knew I would need it sometime today!

7. The thing I love most about my home is that it's always warm and comfortable. It may not be spotless, but I know at the end of the day I can relax on the couch with my 2 favorite boys and enjoy the simple fact of being home... 

8. What are your plans for the weekend?I don't even have a weekend this time...track meet tomorrow, and working for a little while on Sunday. Can March 11th PLEASE hurry up and get here??????? :)

Outdoor Obstacles

So, I will admit it. I was more than a little scared to do my running this weekend while we were at the lake. Literally, as I was driving in on Saturday, I was evaluating the path that I knew I would be jogging and saying things to my dog like, "Well, this hill is gonna be a fun one", and "Maybe I should turn around before I have to run up this small mountain." Eventually, Sunday morning rolled around and I was surprised to find that I was actually looking forward to getting outside and seeing how it was going to be. Or maybe I just wanted to get it over with. Whatever. I was awake before anyone else, so I changed and was lacing up my shoes when Seth drug himself into the living room. This is how the conversation went:

Me: "Good morning!"

Seth: "Why are you awake?" (Grumpy voice)

Me: "I'm going to run. I told you I was going to."

Seth: "Well, I didn't think you were serious. You always talk about relaxing at the lake. Running is the opposite of relaxing. (Still grumpy. Like he's mad because I'm going to run. WTH??)

Me: "I really want to keep up this workout I've been doing. Want to come with me?"

Seth: (Blank stare...) "You are REALLY running right now?

Me: "YES." (I'm hooking Tuff up to his leash, Seth is still staring at me like I'm crazy.)

Seth: "Seriously???"

Me: "I'm going now. If I'm not back in 30 minutes come pick me up off the side of the road."

Seth: "Seriously??"...



So I started my first 8 minutes, and ran in the direction of a cove that is about a mile down the road from the house. With a few hills in between, I actually did better than I expected...Tuff wasn't happy with me because he couldn't stop and pee on every stump and bush though. So during my first walking interval, I unhooked his leash so he could go explore. Bad idea. As we rounded the curve and the cove came into view, I noticed about 8 deer on the bank. Guess who else noticed them? See, Tuff doesn't just start chasing things on a whim. He thinks it's a game if other animals run from him. So they hightailed it for the fence and he ran after them. I yelled and chased until he finally came back to me, tail wagging and tongue hanging out with a big grin on his face. By this time, my 2 minute walking interval had been spent splashing in 45 degree water and jumping over driftwood trying to keep my dog in sight. So we hiked back to the road (leash securely fastened) and started the next 8 minute jog. About halfway through, Tuff was dragging behind me and trying to wriggle out of his collar, so I reached down and unhooked the leash again. I reached the cattle guard, which is about a mile and a half from the house, and turned around. Tuff was keeping up pretty well as we rounded the curve by the cove again. No deer in sight this time, and as I looked at the mist coming off of the water, it occurred to me that I was actually ENJOYING this. I wasn't checking my watch every 30 seconds or thinking about how bad my feet hurt. I felt good!! As I finished and got closer to the house, I felt really good about spending the rest of the day relaxing, and I realized I might actually be looking forward to running again tomorrow morning. What the heck is happening to me????? Monday's run was actually better, because I decided to leave Tuff sleeping so I could focus on nothing else but my running. Here's what I found out:

1. Running downhill is FUN.

2. Running uphill SUCKS.

3. There are LOTS of animals to see...in addition to the deer, I saw turkey and raccoons.

4. Running uphill SUCKS!!

So, I feel like I overcame a little bit of my fear of running outside. I still don't feel like running outside today...maybe it's because there is nothing to look at here in Flatland. I do know, however, that when Spring Break rolls around (12 school days!!), I am now looking forward to running at the lake instead of thinking of excuses to get out of it!

Corgi Camera!

I thought I would share a few pics of my Tuff today...he is such a great dog!!

Tuff relaxing after a hard day! Ha!!

We LOVE the lake...

And the pond...actually any water. Here he is chasing the ducks! Haha

Modeling in front of the fireplace at Christmas

Look at that smile! On the deck at the lakehouse, one of our favorite places to relax!

In the bluebonnets at the lake last spring...

Another lake pic...he likes to explore the bank and see what he can find!

A baking mishap...told you I couldn't bake. I was trying to knead bread dough, and I knocked the spoon with flour on it off of the counter. Luckily, Tuff's head caught most of it! Lol

Chasing more ducks...

Fetching a stick at the lake...

First snow this winter! He's not a big fan...like his mom, he would rather be on the water.

This is his lakehouse bed...it stinks like wet dog and lake water because this is where he passes out after a long day of swimming!

Tuff and one of his best friends, Sadie. This is a GIGANTIC chair that our friends got as a wedding present.

(Sadie May is a Weimaraner...Tuff is in love with her!)



Today's running motivation

Today's run was pretty good. I ran for 22 minutes, walking 90 seconds twice. This is not anywhere near the runs of the other bloggers that I am following, but if you would have told me a month ago I would have been able to do this today, I might have laughed at you. I really want to be able to do a 5k this summer...maybe if I stay on this track I will be able too. Of course, I will have to get over my hatred of the outdoors...actually, I LOVE being outside (especially on a day like today...84 degrees! perfect) as long as I'm not running. Walking my dog, playing sand volleyball, or doing any activity on the lake makes me happy. So WHY does my body go into super stress mode when I try to jog a mile and a half around my school? It's a mental block, I know...but I still hate it.

Speaking of the lake, THAT is my motivation for running for the next 3 1/2 weeks. That's right...16 more school days till Spring Break!! Although I won't be doing any of this...

(Not me...I wish!)

I WILL be doing plenty of this...



At the lakehouse. Reading, sleeping, eating (not too much!) and drinking the week away with these 2



awesome girls!

We might drink some of these...



And we will watch some of this...



Yes, it's Gossip Girl. Don't judge...





So, there's my motivation. I don't want to look like a beached whale while we are laying out on the dock...and I'm determined to keep my running routine up while I'm there. The only problem? There isn't a gym within 20 miles. I will be forced to run outside, and I'm not gonna like it. AND it's not the flat-see everything for 50 miles-watch your dog run away for 3 days terrain of West Texas. Oh no, this is hills and trees and humidity galore. Shoot me now. But I suppose I can sacrifice 30 minutes per day...because the other 23 1/2 hours will be pure bliss!

Tuff at the lake, a couple summers ago. He was asleep in this chair and looked exhausted, so we propped this bottle up next to him!! I love him!!