Busy Week

I forgot how busy this week was going to be. Meetings, meetings, training, meetings, staff development, presenting, and did I mention meetings?

As long as I try to keep myself organized and pack my gym bag and lunch the night before, I should be able to get all my scheduled workouts in this week. So far so good. However, it is only Tuesday and I switched a few workouts around so I could sleep in this morning (it was a balming 37 degrees and I didn't want to get out of bed) and still have time to gt in a good workout this afternoon prior to the start of the game....

You know. .. THE game...

....Twins vs. the Sox...

....for the AL Central Division Title.

...6:30pm CT.

Let's go Twins!

It's chaotic... and I am trying to enjoy it

September is almost over, and I know that October is going to come and go just as fast, if not faster... and with a bit more chaos.

Why you ask? Because it's already chaotic.

I like to be organized and usually my apartment is quite clean, with everything in it's place. Right now, not so much. One of the first signs that things are crazy busy is a messy apartment (as much as it drives me crazy I can't seem to get on top of keeping it clean), and then I start to lose things. Or I think I lose things, and then they show up later. Sometimes weeks later.

What did I lose recently? My little accessory bag that I usually have in my gym bag. It carries extra ponytails, headbands, bobby pins, chap stick, and then usually the jewelry I was wearing that day or plan to wear that day, depending on the time of day I worked out. I remember the last time I used it and just couldn't figure out where I left it. That was Monday. I found it today... on top of my dryer and under a sports bra. grr. I must have set it there when throwing dirtly clothes in the basket.

Less than 3 weeks until I close on my house! Less than 4 weeks and I will be moving everything in! I spent a good couple hours last night cleaning and packing. 2 cupboards and one drawer empty, as well as a small bookshelf. 10 boxes packed up.

With all those canvas', I am thinking I should really get back into painting. I have been itching, but in this little apartment, there really isn't much room to set anything up and work on something. Hopefully once I am in my place I can get back into that hobby.

This place is still a mess and I feel sorry for any potential renters that have been walking through my apartment. At least it doesn't smell.

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Today's Run: 3.63 miles, 42:00, 11:34/mile

lifted legs/core, worked on abs

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Today's Song: Puddle of Mudd - Blurry

Saturday "Speedy" Swim and Such

In the pool: I am a numbers freak and keep track of everything workout related; time, distance, etc. In the pool, my time is based on how long I was in the pool, including the time I was swimming and the breaks. Thus, my time per 100M is usually around 2:30 average. However, today I was feeling pretty good. I got in, looked at the clock, and swam 800M, and checked the clock. I took a minute break and then did it again. I know the time is still a rough estimate, but I feel my time today is more accurate than it usually is. I was quite pleased with my second 800M. I wanted to go for another round but didn't have time before lap swim was over. (I need to get my heart rate monitor watch battery replaced and then my time will be even more accurate.)

OSN: 1600M, 32:00, 2:00/100M average
800M - 17:00, 2:07/100M
800M - 15:00, 1:52/100M (getting better!!!)

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On the Move: I hope to get some packing done this weekend. I have empty boxes all over my apartment and it only makes sense to start filling them, little by little with things I won't need for the next few weeks. I figure if I do a little here and there, it won't be so overwhelming.

I ran some errands this morning looking for ideas for my master bathroom/bedroom. I am struggling with colors for the walls in both. I would like to kind of tie the two together, but I don't want it to be too matchy matchy. I don't want to have to get new bedding just so it matches my room, so I am trying to make this choice based on the color of my comforter. Right now I have black accents on my bed and in my room, but I am thinking about the paint colors of brown hues or even grey in my bedroom and then what in the bathroom? Thoughts?

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Twins Territory: Last night wasn't too pretty and I am glad I was out and about and not able to watch it. Thankfully Cleveland beat the Sox and the Twins are still up half a game. I'll be watching this afternoon and hoping for them to beat the Royals.

Today's Song: Kate Perry - Hot n' Cold

Once again... they came back!

Is it bad when you are on a date and all you can think about is going home, putting on the pj's, and crawling into bed to watch the Twins do their best to beat the Sox?

Yeah, that was me last night. I got home shortly after 8:30, well into the 5th inning and the score was 6-1 Sox. It wasn't looking to good at that point, but I had a feeling they were going to come back and so did the 43,601 fans.

I made the initiative to can my morning workout not only because I knew I would be up later watching the Twins, but I was sore from my hour of lifting yesterday.

It was so worth staying up.

The Twins were able to tie it up and Casilla finished off the game in the 10th.

One might have thought it was October and this was a playoff game. There was a constant roar of the fans in the metrodome from the 8th inning on ... and the boys persevered to clinch 1st place in the AL Central Division. They still need to pull through and demolish the Royals this weekend.

Have a great weekend, y'all. And good luck to you all who are racing this weekend, whether it be a 5K, half marathon, or Half Iron!! You all rock!

Hump Day Highlights

My kids at school make me smile. Yes, they may give me a few pre-mature gray hairs, mind-numbing headaches, and a rise in blood pressure, but 90% of the time they make me smile and I am constantly reminded how much I love what I do.

This weeks highlights, thus far:

• Two of my 4th graders took it upon themselves to discuss politics today. We were waiting for a couple more students to join our group, I was working at my desk and these two boys took it upon themselves to discuss their thoughts on Obama and Palin. Those were the only two names I heard them throw out, but I couldn't help but smile from behind my computer.
• I was given a compliment of admiration in regards to my job and what kind of work I do ... from a social worker who works in child protection. I was touched. At the same time I thought to myself how I admire her for what kind of work she does, and all the difficult situations she must face.
• A student of mine who is quite low cognitively, has conquered the "b" and "d". She has made leaps and bounds this school year already.... not only is she now able to decipher the two letters independently, but she is able to write them on command, and when she does so .... she grins and giggles. It's wonderful.
• Much to a student's disappointment, I am still single. He continues to tell me I am looking in the wrong places, but does not have any solutions for me as to where I should be looking. Some help he is.
• One of my girls complimented me on my hair... she said it was beautiful. *smile*

I jump started this hump day with a nice long swim in the pool. Geez, I haven't been in the water in over 2 weeks and it sure showed today. Yuck. Despite how slow I was, I pushed through it and did my desired distance.

Today's Swim: 2000M, 51:00, 2:33/100M

Today's Song: Shwayze - Corona and Lime

It said SOLD!

This morning's thunderstorm woke me at 2am and had me laying in bed for almost an hour listening to the cracking of lightening and thunder.... it sounded like gunshots and the lightening was so bright I couldn't sleep.... and I didn't get up at 4:30 to hit the gym.

Instead I went this afternoon. Still, I hate the gym during the day. I couldn't even have the treadmill for the full 30 minutes.... I knew that was the way it was going to be, so I hauled ass on the treadmill and did as much as I could...as fast as I could.

ORN: 2.59 miles, 28:06, 10:50/mile
Lifted lower body

In response to a couple recent comments....

Chad made a comment about how softball can be so hard on the body. He's right. After my 3 games Saturday, on uneven grounds, I was a bit sore yesterday and still forked out a short run. This morning my knees where a bit sore, which hasn't happened since half marathon training last spring. Ouch. As much as I love playing, I am glad to be done for the next 8 months.

Some of you others had made similar comments in reguards to my fear of snow interfering with my Breast Cancer Awareness Ride on October 11. Now, we don't usually get much snow in October, if any, here in North Dakota. None that usually sticks or stays around for more than a day. But, there's always the posibility. Never underestimate the power of Mother Nature in the Midwest. Ever. For reals. Do you want to know how many Halloweens I had to wear layers and layers of clothes under my costume? And they had to be costumes that one would easily be able to add layers and layers of clothes under... like witches, mummies, ghosts.. boring!

This weekend I ended up driving by my soon-to-be-house to show a friend. I was so excited when I noticed the SOLD sign on it... it makes it that much more real! Only 23 more days until I close!

Today's Song: Puff Daddy - Come With Me (Godzilla)

Weekend Recap

Friday night Jill and I headed to Scheel's to see if there were any good sales on cycling attire. While there we ran into our cycling buddy who was working. He told us about the Breast Cancer Awareness Ride in October. It didn't take much effort on his part to talk us into joining him in the 25 mile ride that he will be leading. I hope for nice weather for the ride ... before the snow falls! I can't wait.
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Saturday, our co-ed softball team (and some) participated in a softball tournament. The proceeds go to our district's tennis team. The weather was perfect and I even had a pink face from the sun by the end of the day. I played right field and it was horrible and uneven... I was afraid of injuring myself with every step I took. We didn't play well at all, and ended up losing all 3 games.
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This morning I was hoping to get in a nice ride on my bike since the weather has been so nice this past week. But, the wind picked up this morning (20-30mph gusts) and with my quads/groin muscles being a bit sore from softball yesterday, I decided to head to the gym and take it a bit easy. I ran 15 minutes, biked 30 minutes, and then ran 15 minutes again... breaking up that run I thought would be a bit easier on my legs. However, when I started to run my legs felt pretty strong and I really pushed it at the end of each 15 minutes. Here's the results:
Run 15 min. = 1.31 miles, 11:27/mile
Bike 30 min. = 10.85 miles, 21.7mph
Run 15 min. = 1.34 miles, 11:11/mile
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Now I am going to spend the rest of the afternoon doing a bit of cleaning/organizing/packing, a little football watching, reading and relaxin'!

Today's Song: O.A.R. - Wonderful Day

Living with secrets

I was told by a couple of my cousins this past weekend that the book I was reading was "so last year" ... as well as "very good". I was disappointed that it took me so long to finish it, but once school started, I didn't pick it up again for 3 weeks.

I am terrible at expressing my thoughts and feelings in regards to a book. Mention a part of it and I will tell you how it left me feeling, but organizing all my thoughts and emotions from the 300+ pages is difficult and becomes unorganized and long winded.

This stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964, when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy, but the doctor immediately recognizes that his daughter has Down syndrome. For motives he tells himself are good, he makes a split-second decision that will haunt all their lives forever. He asks his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby away to an institution. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own. Compulsively readable and deeply moving, The Memory Keeper's Daughter is a brilliantly crafted story of parallel lives, familial secrets, and the redemptive power of love.

I really enjoyed reading this story. There were parts of it that made me cringe, parts that made me angry and sad, as well as parts that made me melt. It was a well written thought provoking book that left my heart feeling heavy at times. Overall, I give this book a 9 on a scale of 10. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

Enjoy.

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body."

~ Joseph Addison~