Race day around the corner

I am over the top excited to run Tinkerbell, seriously, I can't wait. I can hardly believe it is this month and I get to run my first leg of the coast to coast challenge. (I honestly don't think I ever thought I would complete this.) I am SUPER EXCITED. OVER THE TOP. I am already beginning to test out different outfits to decide which one I want to run in (I am a firm believer in the never run a race in an outfit you haven't run in before.) I got a sweet new blue long sleeve that I think is going to win for the top, we'll see. I'll keep you posted, I know you all are on edge wondering what will win (weather is clearly the complicating factor). 

I am having  a hard time getting my runs in due to weather outside and people's renewed commitment to fitness and their desire to also be in the cardio room at the ymca. They have a semi-strict policy on how one person should not be on any given machine for more than 30 minutes to make things fair, and blah blah blah. I am finding that I am having to go run at odd hours when normal people aren't at the gym. Which is okay too I suppose, however I am realizing that evening runs are not my favorite, I am then too wired to go to sleep, I am getting lots done however since I am not sleeping.

Anyone else training for a winter race while not living in amazing weather to run outside?

What shoes to do you like to run outside in during the winter months?

Full House

Or almost full house. I am certain we still have room for dad to arrive tomorrow. I love having my house full of people. My house is wonderfully sized, not too big and not too small. I have three bedrooms and only one bathroom (which is the downfall) and a story and a half (strange concept to me to have a half story). I found the house almost too big with just Dakota and I living there. I am certain when Marc moves in this June we will still find that we have plenty of space. I am thankful that I have a house that is large enough to be able to accommodate a few extra guests. We can figure out how to share the bathroom and not run out of hot water. I love having family around and totally can deal with the mess and other things that come with having extra people in the house.

I love having the noise in the house, I love the way Dakota knows that people are sleeping upstairs and begs to be let upstairs (I have her baby gated out) in order to wish them a good morning and get in a few morning snuggles. I love having a full kitchen table and sharing a meal with those I love. It will be great to have dad here on Monday. YAY for family.

Off to the YMCA for a run. Tinkerbell is around the corner, I am getting more and more excited each and every day, darn ice keeping me from running outside. I suppose since Christmas is now only two days away it is more than time to finish that last Christmas present looming over my head.



Do you have much left to prep for Christmas?
Do you enjoy hosting?
Did you finish all your Christmas projects?
Did you make many Christmas presents? Did you make any Christmas presents?

Another Session in the Books

I have successfully made it through yet another session of swimming lessons. Confession: I love teaching swimming lessons 90% of the time. I am always a little sad when the end of a session comes, it seems like I have just begun to earn the trust of the parents and kids. The kids are finally willing to try something new and different and probably even scary.  This session was a little weird because our aquatics center had to close last week for major improvements and re-tiling and re-painting and all that good jazz. However that means that every class had to be taught in the lap pool, read "really deep and scary pool" to three, four, and five year olds.

I have been prepping the kids for the lap pool day for weeks, and we did it. We survived, there was some weeping and even some gnashing of teeth by the parents, but the kids all made it through and dare I say even had some fun while we were at it. The unfortunate part is that then the kids didn't get to play under the mushroom on the last day like usual. I don't like the end of a session because it means I get all new kids in two weeks when we start again. I don't like the end of a session because it means learning a whole new set of kids and parents, some have graduated past my level of classes (I enjoy the super little kids - I teach a couple classes with older kids but mostly I have the super little kids). I like the end of a session because it does mean I get all new kids when we start again in two weeks. I like the end of a session because it means I get to meet a whole new set of parents and kids. It is a catch 22, I want to hold on to some kids and I want to let others progress. It is always the challenge of teaching, much like normal teaching.

It has been a great session of bubble blowing, jumping in, getting our whole faces wet, and kicking our legs, and much talk of believing in one another. It happens every session and I love watching the transformation of the kids from week one to week eight. Thanks parents for the joy and honor of being able to play a role in teaching your children how to swim. Thanks parents for trusting me with your most prized possession, your child, it is an honor and in light of recent events, I know everyone is holding their kids a little tighter. Thanks for the chance to work with you and your kids. I look forward to another session in January.

Welcome Winter

Dear Winter-
       I think you have finally arrived. I think you are here in Northern Minnesota, about time, I have been anxiously awaiting your arrival. In my opinion you arrived late this year. I always start to get a bit anxious for you come October. Seriously, it seems only a week or so ago it was great running, biking, and dog walking weather, today we register a solid zero degrees, good work. Oh the changes, not to mention we have a solid foot of snow on the ground with a thin sheet of ice below. Truth be told, I LOVE IT! I love having everything covered in that beautiful white layer of snow that just screams to children (and me) come sledding, the ice is getting thick (anticipating the good ice skating and snow shoeing on the lakes), enjoy the snow, play in me.
     You do add a challenge to working out and getting in the appropriate amount of steps. I can do the snow but the ice is the complicating factor. Yes, I know I just go to the ymca and that fixes my problem, however it doesn't help my crazy dog. She needs to be playing outside and when your temperatures drop below zero she doesn't like to stay outside too long nor do I to take her for a walk. Please be kind in terms of ice, it makes it challenging not only for me but also for the older folks who desperately want to get out as well. They like to come to church and go to bingo, be kind to them, their hips can't handle it, a broken bone in their world is quite the tragedy.
     If I can put in a request for the beautiful snow globe looking snow on Christmas Eve that would be fabulous. I love coming out from the candle light serve and to see that you are laying down a new fresh sheet of snow. There is something magical about it. It seems all too appropriate that you would lay down a beautiful light layer of snow for Christmas. If you want the particulars I would prefer that you don't give us a full blizzard that day it seems far too many people travel on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I would hate for them to not be able to get to family. Be kind.
    While I am being demanding and putting in my requests, I would love one massive massive blizzard, the kind that makes it impossible for anyone to get anywhere, school is cancelled for the kids, and I get to work from home (or maybe just stay in my pjs or change into sweatpants) and sip on hot chocolate, curl up on the couch and watch a good movie and read some amazing books, all while napping intermittently and crocheting. Thanks for at least hearing my requests, I know you were deeply concerned about my feelings towards you.
     Keep bringing down the snow, I really don't mind shoveling, seriously. I generally even shovel a few houses down because I just love being outside in the snow. So bring it on. Let's see how much you can dump this year. You are already on the right track with that last snow fall, I hear you brought half as much this past weekend as you did all of last winter. Props to you.
    Don't overstay your welcome, please feel free to start your leaving process about mid-March. I appreciate you, but also welcome your cousin Spring about mid-March early April. Have a wonderful day. I love you being around.

Peace-
   Sarah

Confession

While the ticker on the right hand of my page continues to count down until the Tinkerbell half marathon (super super super jazzed about running this race), my training has slipped in the past couple of weeks for a number of reasons, mostly lame excuses. I have been getting in some runs but not quite the length I want or really I guess I should say need. I have committed to getting back to it, although I am fearing the winter months are going to involve many a long run on a treadmill (I HATE TREADMILLS) I tried to go out running this morning and ended up at the YMCA because everything had a nice layer of ice on it, which complicates running.

So I am back at the ymca trying to figure out how I can work the system and get more than a half hour on any given machine (dumb rules, which I understand but frustrate me when I want/need to run more than a half hour). I also don't love running in a confined public space because somehow people are confused, they don't get the subtle hints when I have my ear phones in, am on the corner treadmill facing the window outside that I don't want to talk to them while I run. Apparently this is a confusing concept. They mean well, they just annoy me.

Totally random unrelated note: last night I cleaned my kitchen [I am embarrassed to say how nasty it was] and for some reason I feel much better about life with a clean kitchen. I put my advent wreath on the table and am jazzed for advent to start Sunday.

Anything random you'd like to share?

Nights without meetings...

I should not be allowed to have lazy evenings when I haven't completely exhausted myself. Last night I came home from the YMCA (working out and teaching a couple swimming lessons) and I walked the sweet little girl and she was happily playing with her orange ball, when I began the project. I was sitting in my kitchen throwing the ball for Dakota when I realized I was fully annoyed with my kitchen tiles, they are ugly, they are dated, they are crooked, I don't like them. So instead of complaining about it or anything else I looked up online to see how to take down tiles. This project is going to be a little more work than I maybe anticipated and I know absolutely NOTHING about laying tiles, so I will learn. I give thanks for an independent spirit that leads me to do things that could potentially go horribly wrong. I give thanks for parents who taught me that it is okay to try things even when you have no clue what you are doing. 

So the project I think will go as follows (or at least this is the plan as of now):

-rip out the tiles (they are everywhere)

-potentially take out the fake brick stuff (debating this still)

-paint the cupboards

-replace the draw pulls and handles on the cupboards

-put up new tile (this is the part that makes me the most nervous)

-Enjoy a new-ish kitchen