The Countdown Goes On...and On....

Today is Thursday!!  In a mere 2 days and 7 hours we will be standing at the starting line for the half marathon...

So what am I doing today as part of my countdown you ask....humor me :)

This morning I started my day in amazing, mind blowing bible study...

Talk about receiving a "word!" I am so thankful for Joan (our fearless and God-loving leader) and all of the ladies that make Thursday mornings such a blessing!

After bible study and a couple of errands I came home and thought "hmmmm,what should I be eating these next couple of days....?"  Should I look it up in one of the many books we have collected over the last 10 years?  Seriously, Running Until You're 100...that is definitely a Rich purchase...

Or...should I just go onto the trusty internet and google it?  Internet it is...so after a bit of googling I decided that an apple and a handful of almonds would be a good start (I did eat the whole apple:)

Along with good energy-building food I am doing laundry and packing, charging up the ipad...camera...ipod...and the kindle...so much technology for this old mind haha!!

We leave first thing tomorrow morning and I am looking forward to it!  It's Disney so it will feel like a vacation until Saturday night 9:00 pm!!

The Countdown Continues...

Wow is it Wednesday already? I have continued my countdown for Saturday's Half Marathon...here's what I've been doing (cause I am certain you are wanting to know ha ha)!

Monday 4:40 pm...today was to be the 10 miler. Two of my walking buddies agreed to keep me company and so Bobbie and I set off from my house and headed toward the bridge and then onto KMart on the beach (5 miles from my house).  The good news...she got in her car to go about her evening and I did not.  Which meant I had to walk back home...well, almost.  My other walking buddy, Pam, had met us at NorthStar Church (about a mile into our walk).  So you probably see where this is going.  It was dark by the time we reached where her car was parked.  The first part of the 10th mile was along the highway without sidewalks and I already knew for a fact it was a favorite place for possums to roam as Bobbie and I almost walked right into a lovely dead one earlier in the daylight. So we got into Pam's car...thinking (never good at this point...don't think just plow through) we would drive to Pam's house and walk the last mile through our lovely neighborhood from her house to mine.  Didn't happen.  Once I had stopped all I could think of was the two Taco Bells I had passed...note to self...carry crunchy tacos with me on Saturday night??  So we went instead to get money and then headed to...yep...Taco Bell...a girl's gotta eat!  Can I tell you that I really enjoyed it and I never go to Taco Bell!   I only did 9 miles.  But that's okay.  I wasn't tired at the end of the evening and had done some interesting terrain work...most important, I fed my need for crunchy tacos!!

Tuesday...scheduled down day...went to Sports Authority in the a.m. to get a red shirt (so Rich and I will have on the same color...yea I know).  Couldn't find a woman's red shirt in the store...so I bought yellow ones.  I immediately regretted this when I got them out in the daylight and saw how neon they looked but decided to let Rich decide.  I also got a pedicure....ahhhh bliss!  Tuesday evening back to Sports Authority with Rich...this time we found blue shirts.  I also found the socks that will get me through the half marathon without blisters (remember I got new shoes a couple of weeks ago and I don't trust that they are broken in).

Wednesday 8:00 am...this morning I am going to meet Pam and do 4 miles...actually in twenty minutes...which means I need to get going!!

The Simple Things...

This morning I was rummaging around in one of my big closets in my diningroom and found one of my favorite things...had to share!

When was the last time you used a color pencil to underline something in your bible...color in a coloring book...doodle on your calendar...make a to do list???
It's the simple things...

Training for the Half Marathon...

We are into countdown mode for the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon next Saturday night, October 1st. Ahaaa...some of you are runners and might be thinking...."hmmmm did she mean night?"  Yes my friends I did mean night, as in this race starts at 10:00 pm! The course will take us from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex through Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios...to the finish line at the entrance to Epcot. At Epcot we will attend (yep, it's well after midnight by this time...)the Disney Wine and Dine Finish Line Party.  This alone makes it all worth while (she says with sarcasm).

 Now, before you go getting all impressed about my efforts do realize that all of my training has been walking with the exception of maybe 5 total miles...you see I kinda gave up running several years ago. I took up walking last year as a way to force myself back into the habit of doing something physical several times a week. I intersperse it with going to the gym, yoga, and riding my bike.  I guess I thought it would lead to running but it hasn't yet!  All of this said my husband, my partner in this crime, is a runner!  He has been training by losing 22 pounds in the last 4 months, going to the gym, and RUNNING.  So on Friday morning we had the talk.  You know...the how are we going to approach this race talk.  First of all I told him..."let's just take race out of the vocabulary..." to which he piped back "Not a problem but you know with me the watch is king so how is our time going to go...2 minutes run/3 minutes walk?" Suddenly, I am thinking is it too late to find a new partner? But, I cheerfully answered "How about you tell me how fast I am doing each mile?"  "How about we will start off jogging, walk, run a little, walk, and sprint the last half mile (or 50 feet...whatever)?"

SATURDAY, Sept. 24th:  I started my official countdown by doing 8 miles and then spent 3 hours in the garage cleaning (yes, I do think that counts as training...have you seen my garage).  I wouldn't dare post pictures of the before but let me just put it this way...one side of the garage is full of trash waiting to go to the curb Tuesday morning and Rich took a pickup truck full great stuff that we no longer use and/or need to Goodwill! Here are the results...

This is Rich's workbench room...look there is a floor and tools...on the tool board!

FYI  we have hurricane panels pre-cut and labeled to go on our windows. We have not had to use them since we got them 5 years ago (not complaining...just saying...I hope we can find the bolts...I hope they aren't warped...I hope we can find some strapping youngster to come do it for us)!

This was a shelf of sports disasters, folding chairs, and rain ponchos...let's see there were scooters (check out Chelsea's knee sometime...lovely scar from a very bad spill on gravel in Eufala, Al), about 9 soccer balls...all deflated next to one shin guard and a pair of crutches (check out Chelsea's other leg...no visible scars...but she will tell you the story of the 8 long months of a broken leg her junior year...all because she charged the goalie and neither of them would back down), rain ponchos from an Auburn game...fortunately it didn't rain so they are all still nicely packaged, etc...etc.!  We kept the soccer ball that was autographed and put Claire's stroller where the scooters had been! You might notice the white bag hanging on the front of the shelf...last Christmas Kate wanted to bake cookies for the free world and so we bought cookie tins and all the fixins...the bag of cookie tins are still hanging around...waiting :)

OK...Last picture....my husband's favorite part of the garage...the wall of honor.  This isn't all of it but there is Nicole and David's just married sign that hung on the golf cart they used to escape the wedding reception (just a warning girls...he's keeping it for future use and figuring it will cut down on one expense), a map of Hawaii, some hats of notoriety, Claire's first birthday banner, Kate's graduation decoration...you know, those things that won't fit in a scrapbook!

Back to the training schedule...SUNDAY, Sept. 25th:  I made my play list for my ipod (don't laugh it's mental exercise...thinking my way through this race)!

The list has over 3 hours of music and a couple of famous speeches (in case I need a good talkin to...oh and Rich added 30 minutes of music to it).  There is everything...Elvis Costello, Miley Cyrus, U2, Keith Urban, Tracy Chapman, Dixie Chicks, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Journey, Taylor Swift, Jason Miraz, Lady GaGa, Hootie and the Blowfish, Florence and the Machine, Michael Buble, DC Talk, Etta James, Alfie Boe, Michael Jackson, Cindy Morgan, The Clash, Black-Eyed Peas, The Stones....did I leave anything out....oh yes...my run-across-the-finish-line song (which is my tradition from the only other half marathon I've done...)The Killers...All These Things That I Have Done. Please leave me a comment if you have some great running songs...I am always looking for inspiration!

I wanted to ride my bike today and just sort of loosen up a bit after yesterday's full day.  I got on my bike and headed down the driveway and immediately realized that the rubbing sound I was hearing was the front brake rubbing against the tire...well this will provide some extra work I figured.  By the end of my road I also discovered the crooked wheel and broken spokes...I don't remember a bike wreck... So, instead of the 3 miles I was going to do through the neighborhood I decided to do bicycle sprints on my dead end street (just in case something drastic happened with the brake rubbing the tire...I would be near my house). So I did 10 lengths of the road as fast as I could...that was enough of that! 

Back inside, I hydrated and checked out the Disney site for info about our race...

I think these waivers tell the story...I am the oldest, therefore I rule!

I checked out the map of our race course (we actually pass our hotel RIGHT before we cross the finish line...so maybe if I do a bit more running during the race I can stop off and change clothes... fix the hair, put on makeup...so I will feel human at the party afterwards and look like a human when I cross the finish line...something to ponder haha) but what I really wanted to see...a picture of the medal...it's all about the hardware you know!  No such luck...I guess I'll have to finish the race to see the medal!

Enough training for this Sunday, Rich is back from his biking to the gym...working out...and biking home (show off ;)  We are going to see Moneyball at the Grand and grab some dinner.  More training tomorrow.  One more thing...according to the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon official clock...there are exactly 4 days , 9 hours, and 22 minutes until our adventure begins!!

Thanksgiving Cookbook Tutorial

A couple years ago I decided to make my girls a Thanksgiving cookbook...

They love this holiday and have favorite family recipes that they have come to expect every year.  I put those in the cookbooks and included blank pages for recipes that they will discover in the coming years.

 

I bought kits that included the front and back covers and punch out recipe cards and some stickers.  I then personalized them by deciding on the Thanksgiving theme and embellished with theme-related scrapbook paper and stickers.  Imagine the possibilities...Christmas, 4th of July, Tailgating (college or pro football themed), Kitchen Showers for the bride to be...

I Am Loving...

I am two weeks into our study on Revelation and can I say that I am loving it!!  Really I could go to class every day of the week and do bible study.  My challenge is to do it all the days that I am not in class!!

Whenever the new Garnet Hill Catalog comes in the mail...I save it for a time when I can leisurely peruse the pages...lots of good stuff I am putting on my think about it list!

I have been looking at these for months...I almost bought a necklace and bracelet on three different occasions...so earlier this week I finally took the time to try on a half dozen different styles and....the winner is...

The crystal is actually an orange color which will be perfect for fall!

Last but not least I found these really cute bird pillows in a boutique in Auburn last time I was there...

Kinda reminds me of Chelsea and Kate, my last two little birds to fly the nest...just like the pillows my girls are alike but different!!

Okay so my question for you...what catalog do you love to get in the mail??

Parent's Weekend at Vandy 2011

We just returned from our trip to Vanderbilt...Vandy as it is fondly called!  On the flight up it hit me...my youngest daughter lives in Tennessee...when did this happen? That was my one emotional moment of the three days...okay, I lie!!  I teared up at the football stadium when they sang the alma mater...but I ALWAYS do that!  Okay, and I did actually get a little wistful and maybe a tad bit misty-eyed when we were sitting in the parking lot at Kate's dorm Sunday morning...waiting for her...and we kept witnessing parents saying good bye to their kids.  But other than that I was fine!

 We arrived late Thursday night.  Friday was our day to see and do all things Vandy without Kate...she had 4 classes that day ( Calc, Intro Engineering, Chemistry I, English Lit).  So after a leisurely breakfast we got to it.. I proudly wear my name tag and sometime during the afternoon Kate texted and said..."lots of parents roaming the campus with name tags on...might you and dad be in one of these groups???"  OH Yea!!

During our trip Rich and I tried to follow the advice of the Vandy newspaper The Hustler...I  broke rule #4...Rich rule #3 (though I am fairly certain that wearing name tags with Kate's name on it broke a rule too)!!  We took a historical tour of the campus and learned fascinating stuff that I did not commit to memory concerning the origins of Vanderbilt...it was all very interesting.  We also went to a lecture about the Cognitive Something In Relation to the Leadership Styles of Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King Jr. It was very interesting and thought provoking and not easy listening kind of stuff...as my very smart husband said afterwards..."about 90 seconds into it I realized I needed to engage my brain"...and this is what my Kate does all day!!!

At 4:30 we met Kate at her dorm...just back from classes since 9:00 am!  We got to see her first project for the civil engineering class.  Had to get a picture of dad with the "building" too...since he is actually a civil engineer!

We went out to the Parents Weekend Fall Festival and enjoyed candy apples, peach pie, and grilled corn before going to see The Athenian Sing. 

This "talent show" was started in the 1930's by the actress, singer, Athenian Honor Society member Dinah Shore.  The Sing was originally started to showcase Vandy talent.  Today it also raises money for non-profit organizations within Tennessee.  My favorite of the night was the Dodecaphonics (all male Acapella group) but I also enjoyed Lockwood Barr and the Barrettes...she won the last three Athenian Sings and this year she came as a performer only and announced her upcoming "album" in late fall. 

Check out her music at...

http://youtu.be/cCpJlMrxa78

Saturday morning...game day...Vanderbilt and Ole Miss will face off at 11:21.  First things first...breakfast at Cafe Provence in West End's Hillsboro Village.  A grand breakfast of Vanilla French Toast and Vandy Girl and Vandy Man Coffees were needed to wake us up and gear us up for the walk to the stadium and the afternoon of football!

At the stadium Kate warned us that no one goes into the stadium before the game...it was 20 minutes to kick off...and yes, Kate had to ask someone to wait while mom took the picture of her...in the near empty stadium! 

But alas...football is football no matter how large or small the stadium and when the team gets the job done...the fans are enthusiastic!!

Score at the end of the afternoon...30 - 7 Commodores are victorious!!

After the game we took Kate to Urban Outfitters in The Gulch...She enjoyed her afternoon in the dressing room and came out with some super cutes dresses, etc.  Happy Birthday Kate!!

Saturday evening we went to dinner with the Underhill and Dalence families at Cabanas.  Katelyn was thrilled that Emily flew in from Chicago to spend some time with family at Vandy.  Kate is now good friends with fellow freshman and Murray House resident Isabel Dalence...Emily's cousin...small world!

At dinner with Kathryn Underhill, Genna Dalence, Isabel Dalence, and Emily Underhill (this pic snagged from Kate's fb wall)

On Sunday morning after Rich's run through the Vanderbilt campus (and his major score of finding me acorns...once again he is my hero) we took a ride through Centennial Park...home of the Nashville Parthenon!  We also went to Green Hills Mall and the brand new Nordstroms where we bought Kate's final birthday gift...

A must in Nashville...Frye cowboy boots :)  Now we can go home to quiet little Panama City and continue our lives as empty nesters.  We are tired after our busy weekend, but very happy to know that Kate is enjoying her new life in Nashville...there was only one thing we didn't do this weekend...

Oh well...we have 4 years of Nashville life ahead so we will catch her in concert at some point!!