instafriday3

my week in lovely phone fotos.
is it as exciting as YOUR week was?
probably not.
but here it is, regardless!

smooches with my baby girl.
i was doing a lot of sitting on the couch on monday.
recovering from the half marathon.
luckily baby was in the mood to snuggle too!

happy bday to my sister in law!
i give thanks to her b/c every june we get to eat her favorite cake.
this amazing coconut cake that my mother in law makes.
no lie... it really is T.O. D.I.E. F.O.R.

morning coffee is a must around here.
how 'bout you?

babester feeding raspberries to my omi (grandma).
oh how i love both of these girls!!

these two were actually playing nicely with one another.
at least for part of the time.
and who doesn't like to take a picture on an oversized, obnoxiously large mushroom?
that makes for fun times and fun photo ops!

big K is sure loving her reading.
she read the whole drive to the city to her two sisters.
what a treat to not have to hear the DVD player pumping out the strawberry shortcake music
and just listen to my girl reciting the words she read.
very sweet!

it's science city in our kitchen.
apparently growing an avocado seed is harder than it looks?
it hasn't changed in like 3-4 weeks.
we keep hoping for some change.
but our bean plant is sprouting high into the sky!
time to plant it in the yard.

yes... those are my golf clubs.
yes... you'll see a TON of dust covering them.
yes... they've been in our basement collecting that said dust for at least 7 years.
and finally,
YES... i did go out and play a bit of golf yesterday with my hubby and girls.
he was SO excited.
(so was i when i actually hit my first shot IN the air!!!)

look at this little cutie!
she loves 'em BOOTS!

doing some crafting for a special event this weekend.
i'll do pics of the whole thing next week.

that's it!
link up, people!!

date night

m and i don't get out too often on our own.
honestly, we don't.
maybe 2 times a year.
v-day and our anniversary.
i know...
it's pathetic.
we really should change that.
when we do have a babysitter we feel like we need to really 'utilize' them.
you know,
call friends up.
go out with them.
go to concerts.
go to small group.
go to banquets... weddings... and the like.
that kind of thing.
it's like we feel guilty going out on our own with a babysitter at home with our kids.
i mean, we can spend time alone together at home once the kids are in bed, right?
why do we need someone to watch our kids to go out alone?
these are excuses.
and really, they are poor.
i think married couples need that alone time together once in a while.
so, m and i had an evening out last night.
on a TUESDAY night, no less!
wow, we are daring, aren't we?
first off... dinner at the Keg.
we had gc's, man!
gotta love when you only need to spend $10 on dinner (that's including TIP, yo!)
AND, i had a glass of vino!

free, fresh bread?

yes, please!

and blue cheese steak?

mmmmmmm!

we took in m's big work truck.
wow, did i feel like a lady in that dirty thing.
still, it was kinda fun... sitting on the bench with my man.

what's a date without making a stop at walmart?
really, i don't like that store but i was looking for curly straws for little k's bday party.
and then i found all this other cheap stuff.
you know... the basics...
suntan lotion, big feet candy, diaper pail refills, crackers, whoppers...
those rollbacks!
they're always suckin' you in to spend more moolah.
marketing genius' at walmart, i tell you!

then we caught a movie.
we saw 'source code'.
it was decent.
entertaining.
kind of a 'groundhog day' thriller of sorts.
really... it's like the lead characters are the same person...
in every single way.
check it out:

    

i mean, can't you see the similarities?!
it's like they're the same guy.
those pictures could be interchangeable.
can i compare the legendary bill murray with jake gyllenhaal?
yes, yes i can.
they're like one in the same?
(ok, girls that know me in real life... you know that jakey is one of my favos!  him and hugh jackman. of course.)

oh yeah... our snacks from walmart cost more than the movie.
yay for cheap tuesdays.
for BOTH of us, it was $3.50!
ha!
this could be the cheapest date EVAH!
of course our date night wouldn't be complete without a trip to the MRI office!
yes, i told you.
we don't have date nights unless it's required.
last night's date... m had an MRI appt at 10pm.
you read that right... 10:00PM!
if he wanted a daytime appt, he would have had to wait 'til october or november.
honestly...

see how much fun we're having in the waiting room?!

see how full and entertaining the waiting room is?!

oh, and look what i found?
yesterday's paper.
who is that celebrity in that spread?
i guess i'll just read about it and then leave that page open on the table.
for all to see.
ha ha ha ha ha ha!

have fun, my dear.
hope your experience isn't so bad considering you don't get your drugs to help calm you.
who knew that at 10pm at night there was no medical staff around to get you some valium (he had it last MRI).
sorry sweetie!
hope your claustrophobia doesn't hit an all time high!

waiting for my man, taking pics...
and playing some angry birds.
yikes, that game is addicting.
so very, very addicting!
and check out the time on our way home.
12:01am.
yes, we are rockstars.
remember, it was a tuesday night!

my 2nd half marathon

yesterday marked the day i completed my second half marathon.

(yes, i realize my legs look like man legs.  do i really need to shave before an event?!)

i willingly chose to run 13.1 miles.
i am crazy... yes, i am.

(for reals?  we're gonna do this?!?!?)

and i kept telling myself that through the run.
"why am i doing this again?!"

(B and i before the race began... notice the happy but nervous smiles?  what were we in for?)

whatever the case, i finished and i'm pretty happy with my run.
my left knee was really giving me problems (which isn't normal) and so that was frustrating.
i think i could have pushed harder and faster had i not had knee issues.
but it is what it is.
i'm still thrilled to have finished under 2:00... even if it's just barely, at 1:59:45!  ha ha!

(saw my big brother before the run. that was pretty cool!)

moments along the way, you almost have to pinch yourself.
it is a true battle of the wills.
at mile 3, believe it or not, i felt like giving up.
i was beat, my knee ached, i was hot.
and i still had 10 miles to go!
10 miles!!
you have got to be kidding me!?!
but i pressed forward.
i was just praying, "Lord, please help one foot get in front of the other!"
thankfully i was running with a dear friend and she helped push me forward just by running herself.

(relieved and in shock that we just finished the race!)

at the halfway point i felt a little better.
we split from the full marathoners and i got some sense of renewed energy.
we were on our way back now!
our times/pace were pretty good.
not as fast as i would have hoped (according to my training mileage) but i was still happy with them.
i remember telling her around mile 7 that if we kept up with our pace, we should make it in under 2.
that elevated me to keep pushing forward.
just after mile 8 i decided i had to start using my music.
i purposely didn't use my ipod until i felt the need to use it.
and at mile 8, i needed it.
it was a long boring, wide open section.
not much to look at but all the runners WAY out in front of you.
mentally hard, at least it was for me.
so i grabbed my phone to turn on the music.
lo and behold... there was a text waiting for me.
it read, "U can do it woman"
it was from my best friend, D.

(D and i after the race, celebrating being done! check out her sweet prego belly!!)

she sent it to me while running herself, in the 10k.
and i knew, right then and there, that i could do it.
and i would do it!
it inspired me to press forward.

(feeling emotional after the race, seeing D.  yup, real tears in those eyes!)

ironically though, the music did nothing for me.
the text did way more than the music could.
and seeing my friend also push through her pain (incidentally in her knees too) gave me inspiration.
we walked through 3 water stations and filled up on water and gatorade.
during two walking breaks, i also took my GU gel.
it seemed to help, even if it was just a placebo effect. ;)
we also doused ourselves with water from the wet sponges handed out by volunteers.
seriously... the BEST relief during the race.
at mile 9 i had to tell myself that i was just doing a run around town at home.
we have a 4 mile perimeter in our town that is the most common running "block".
i think i even said it out loud to B.
did it help?
i'm not sure but i think i had to verbally communicate that we had only 4 miles to go.
mile 11.
ugh....
mile 11.
it was brutal.
again, you're in the wide open... running over a long bridge.
actually, two bridges.
you see hundreds of runners in front of you.
instead of willing me forward, it just defeated me.
knowing all those people were THAT much closer to being done...
and i was still so far away.
i think i wanted to give up.
actually, i know i wanted to give up.
but B had this renewed energy.
maybe she felt motivated seeing all the people ahead?
whatever the case, she seemed to be speeding up.
so i kept up with her and we continued on.
it felt like the longest 2 miles of my life.
realistically, they weren't.
we were doing a pretty good pace, probably around a 9 minute mile but i felt like a snail.
everything in me had to keep willing my feet forward.
just about a quarter of a mile to go, we saw D, cheering us on!
wooping it up, on our behalf!
it was great to see her.

(post race... celebrating with two great friends!!)

i knew we were SO close to the end.
still, i had to mentally tell myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
at this point, the only song i really remember was what was playing right then and there.
chris tomlin's, "i will rise."
it was a great ending song since i'd heard it lots in my training and it always made me quicken my stride.
our time was SO close to 2:00:00 that i knew i had to pick it up just a little bit.
we turned the corner and started running onto the track at the stadium.
the people... oh, the spectators.
cheering on a sea of participants to the finish line.
i had one last gust in me...
so i ran full out.
i'm sure it wasn't very fast but to me it felt fast.
"go steph go!"
what was that?!
"go steph go!"
i could hear M!
he was shouting my name!

(my awesome little family and i, post race)

i knew he was near, although i couldn't spot him.
i heard him cheering me on to the finish!!
pushing forward, not looking back, i propelled to the finish line.
tired, beat, spent and done!
it felt awesome!
B came in only 15 seconds after me.

(taken moments after we came in!)

i waited for her and we celebrated our accomplishment together.
an amazing moment.
and an emotional moment.
ahem... emotional enough that we were captured and put in the local paper?!
ha ha ha ha!
almost half page spread, man!

i just have to laugh at that.
afterward, we met up with my family, my racing sister in law, who did her PB (personal best) and my friend D.

(so great to see friends and family after the finish line!! great time M!  you did amazing!)

it was emotional seeing all these people.
and special, because they all played a part in helping me complete this race.
i'm so thankful for all their amazing support!
you all know who you are!!

(2 of my beautiful girls and i, post race.  part of the reason i do this is to inspire them to reach high and set big goals!)

will i do another half marathon?
probably.
anytime soon?
probably not.
i'm looking forward to just leisurely running and enjoying the time outdoors this summer.
cheers to everyone who completed any run yesterday!
it's always a fun event to take part in!
who knows... maybe i can get the big M to participate next year.
i'll keep you posted on that one!

(probably the 100th time i've iced my knee since yesterday.  yowzahs!)

now, to rest up, recuperate and recover.
which means, ICE, ICE and more ICE!!
let's hope this knee heals up nicely so i can start pounding the pavement once again.
i love running!

instafriday II

isn't every day kinda like instafriday?
i guess it is if you always use your iphone to take pics.
yeah, i'm lame.
hopefully it's just a phase and i'll use my bigger camera more often again.

daddy is getting his wish...
his girls are really starting to like golf this summer.
we even got big K brand new clubs!
aren't they so adorable?!

eating buttercups.

did you ever eat these caragana flowers as a child?

i did ALL the time.

and now i'm teaching my girls the same thing.

they love it!

nothing beats the park on a warm summer day.

she agrees!

when big sister is gone at school, her clothes are used too!
little K and her buddy played dress up.
you guessed it... twinsies!
they had a great time.
and big K has no idea that her dress was worn for a few hours.
ha ha!
(hopefully she doesn't read my blog)

did some babysitting this week.

oooh, it was a little tough on baby H having to share my affection and attention.

i can't help it though...

i just LOVE babies!

B, you know it... anytime you need a sitter, call me!

can you guess where i was this morning?
at work.

seeing this precious babe be born.
i love my job!

and last but certainly not least...
check out my awesome new piece of furniture.
i had it custom made using this amazing photograph by my sister in law.
my pal debby did such a fabulous job.
this piece has mucho storage, which is what i was looking for, and mucho style.
notice the mid century lines, the teak (my FAVORITE!!) and the casters?
i'm so thrilled with this piece!!
now i just have to add all the accents on top!
and put more stuff on the wall...

link up, people!!