Memorial Day Weekend

This holiday weekend was full of catching up with family and friends. On Saturday night we went to a good-bye dinner for our friends The Dorns, who are moving to Virginia in a month. Our schedules are difficult to merge but over the last 5 years we have come to know their family well and they will be missed! Luckily we will get to see them at VT games in the future, being that they are Hokies too. Yet again, I have no photos of this meeting. I took some but accidentally deleted them off my new iPhone. Not a happy camper about that one. This was us in October 2011 at a VT game.

On Sunday we hung out at the pool with the Stanley family. We went to dinner at their country club and enjoyed the perfect Cleveland weather.

On Monday, J was on call and got paged just as we were walking out the door to go on Dr. Classen's boat. Luckily he finished fixing up two patients in time for us to make it out on the water for a little bit with Dr. Classen, Travis, Tiffany, Ashley and Manny the Dog. 

And as always on Memorial Day we remember. We remember the reason we get the day off work, well most of us. We remember those who have fought for our freedom, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

My husband, The Professor

I've mentioned before that Jared has a new title... Professor. This week he gave his first lecture down at VCOM, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he is now also a professor. So we made a quick trip down to our most favorite place. I wasn't able to see his lecture and even missed getting a photo of him all dressed up at the medical school unfortunately. But we had a great time, like we always do at our favorite place walking around campus and staying out late downtown.

And when we came home we found evidence of our most recent visitors in the most random places... oh how I miss them already!

13.1

This was it! The Cleveland Half Marathon race weekend was here! Which meant my Mom, Dad, Sister and Niece were in town. Training had been going well, that is until the injury. But I was trying to think positively and just enjoy my visitors, the weekend, and the race.

Mom, Julie, and Madison drove up on Thursday. We had a late dinner, where I made salmon and just hung out at home after their long trip.

Dad flew in Friday afternoon and we hit up the race Expo right away. The big surprise was when Julie announced she was going to go look for her name on the list of runners. What? That didn't make sense since she was in town to cheer us on. Little did we know that she had registered without us knowing and would be running too! I was in shock! She had kept it a secret, with Mom who would watch Madison during the run, and hadn't trained much but was going to do what she could. Wow!! So it would be Dad and his girls. How cool!

We toured the race expo, bought new running gear, tried on headbands and hats, and looked at future race schedules. There is just something exciting about these events. All the people, the excitement, anticipation... it is special and I love that we all share it with our Dad.
 
Friday and Saturday were filled with activity. We carbo-loaded for the race at Geraci's and Hot Sauce Williams. We went to quaint little towns of Olmstead Falls (where Jared ran into VT player Lee Suggs!) and Chagrin Falls to look at quilt stores for Mom. We drove the race route and were a little concerned about some of the areas we would be running through and at one point, thought it included running by the beach!

Race day was beautiful, although a little hot. We were up bright and early, with the run starting at 7am. Obviously we are nuts... who looks this happy before running 13.1 miles?

Jared took Mom and Madison to breakfast at the Four Seasons while we were running. The route was too spread out for them to see us at multiple spots along the race so they had time to eat and catch us at the finish line. Mimosas anyone? Mom looks so happy. I love that my husband can take care of things when I'm not around.

I tried to keep to my race plan, which was still a run 5/walk 1. I felt torn holding Dad back and worrying about Julie pushing herself too much but I tried my best to just enjoy the race and listen to my body. I could hear Jared in my head saying not to hurt myself. In hindsight I think I could've gone faster in the beginning but it might have burned me out too fast. I had to leave Julie around mile 5 and Dad would run up with me, then back with Jules to make sure we were A-ok through the shady area of town. (Which, you never would've known during the race there were so many people.)

Running with the sun bearing down on you is not fun and it is very different than all my treadmill training. I was doing a great job with a PR for my 10 miles and then it hit me. After mile 11.5 I was spent. My hands were swollen and it totally freaked me out. My ankle was hurting a lot too. The steep hill right before the 10th mile, which Dad ran up with no problem, had just killed me. So I had to do more walking than I would've liked and at a pretty slow pace.

But I was close, oh so close to my goal. At two hours, thirty-six minutes later Dad and I crossed the finish line. He grabbed my hand for the run down the finish line. It is a great memory. When I look at these photos, it is crazy. Who is this smiley runner girl? I had trained for this, enjoyed this, and completed this. And it was so fun to do with my Dad and sister. Who kicked some major butt for not training. That girl has a natural runner in her!

We did it! Dad and I even signed up for next year. May 19, 2013 here we come! This time, I'm running the whole thing.

Bye Katie!

Our friend Katie is moving away, to Massachusetts and we don't know when we will see her again. So we headed out for some goodbye drinks and conversation over a couple of nights.

Katie was not only a colleague of Jared's but became a friend of mine too... which is tough to find around here. Not only that but she was our kitty sitter too! So we wish her well and hope her new job turns out great!
 

Spring Wedding

This weekend we went to J's boss' daughter's wedding, a little weird that we were going but still fun. I just love weddings and this one was beautiful and the weather was perfect! They had a photo booth too... which I totally should've had at our wedding.

J's Uncle and Aunt were there too (his Uncle and boss went to medical school together) and we had a great night of celebrating and dancing. Seriously, I have never seen so many people dancing to "Shout" before in my life. The whole place was shaking, it was hilarious!

   I even got a photo of Jared, his boss, and the senior fellow Jamie with their serious Italian faces and then smiles. They have too much fun at work. We are so lucky that Jared has had such great people to work with through his residency and fellowship training.

Sunday was Mother's Day and I so wish I had been able to spend it with my mother. Like most moms she looks out for everyone else first and I hate that I can't be there to at least make this day be about her. I hope my Mom and mother-in-law had wonderful days and know how much we love them! So we had some cupcakes and thought of them after all... it was Sunday cupcake happy hour. :)

Injury

I am hurt. My ankle is not good. I am hoping it is just overuse... doing too much too soon. Not sure how that is possible since I have been slowly increasing my mileage and following a training program but I guess I take longer... which shouldn't be a shock since I take forever for everything.

If it isn't overuse... I could've really hurt myself. My ankle hurts when I am just walking. Not bad, I just notice it and when do you notice you actually have an ankle? Jared says worst case it is A STRESS FRACTURE!! OMG!

I am so worried I am not going to be able to run the half marathon. All this work feels like it is for nothing. So annoying... but I am going to think positive. I have done so much, and just for me. Last Sunday I ran 11 miles... 11 miles and another PR! This is a photo from my run stats for my 10 mile last week.

So the race may only be 9 days away. I may not even be able to run. But I know I will finish it. And I have already done so much. I am so proud of me already.

Black Thumb

I am not good with plants. I try, really I do. Last year I bough several cactus and succulent plants that I proceeded to water to death in a matter of weeks. Jared had a plant that was nearly 10 years old... I get a hold of it and well, we don't have it anymore.


So it is something I am working on this year. A few months ago I got 3 new plants and some advice on how to NOT kill my orchid plant. So far, so good. I even have some new growth on the orchid... if only it didn't look like a stick and more like these that I just passed in Whole Foods today.

A girl can dream... perhaps one day.

Margarita Monday!

Margarita Monday... here's to a great week!

iUpdate

There were some changes recently... changes to my most favorite phone. It was time to move on from the "I never knew I always wanted phone." My phone was broken back in January at the Sugar Bowl. And then after filing an insurance claim had been replaced not once but twice. And so, about a week ago Jared convinced me to change to the iPhone.

Verizon was going to start charging an upgrade fee soon and I was eligible to get one now with no added charge.

So... here I go. I miss my Droid. I miss the "back" button. I miss my Google Sky app and my photos automatically updating to my Picasa web folder. But I did really like watching the Kentucky Derby with my Dad over the phone this evening. FaceTime on your phone... pretty cool. 

Just Because

Just because, he got me these today...

Because he knows I love the soft centers.

Just because we went out to dinner at our favorite place...

Because he knows how much I LOVE truffle chips, the view by the window and how I hate cooking the day after traveling.

Also a Happy Birthday to my sister!! Wish I was visiting you to celebrate today.

10 Mile PR

Today I did something pretty cool. I ran 10 miles faster than I ever have before. A PR, personal record for all those who don't know the running slang. ;) I am still run/walking but I am getting better and better.

I have actually been training now for 11 weeks. Seriously training 3-4-5 times a week building each week. I know, I am surprised with myself. And so proud of myself. The only annoying this is, I haven't lost any weight. I have actually gained some. But my clothes fit better, I am happier, and I am enjoying it. The "runners high" if you will. It is pretty cool.

And for the half marathon in a few short weeks, we will be wearing these...

No one will be able to miss us!