a post of updates.

I've had a serious lack of posts lately. I just recently received a promotion and I now work at a different location. The new position cut my commute in half – woohoo! And I have my own office and everything. It’s like I’m a grown-up or something! So I thought I’d take this opportunity to give a few updates on recent posts.

First of all, the garden. It started out a little rocky in late May with my tiny little seedlings holding on for dear life. They actually grew to be ridiculously large and healthy plants (thank you homemade compost!), but I didn’t get to harvest anything until early September. Being a veggie garden newbie, I’m not sure if this is normal, but my bell peppers didn’t get a chance to grow to full size before I had to pull them for frost and freezing temperatures. Oh the joys of living in Michigan. Next year I’ll definitely start the garden sooner. Anywho, take a glance at the photo below and you’ll see everything I’ve had to harvest. I’ve already devoured several tomatoes, and have probably given away around 20 of ‘em. Quick! I need tomato recipes! (I did consider chucking a few at a house in my neighborhood sporting an Iowa flag after the Michigan football game last Saturday night… dang Hawkeyes.)

Now for the beloved topic of running. Brad and I still have the goal of completing the Thanksgiving Day 5k in Toledo, however, we’ve been slacking a bit. So starting yesterday we will be hitting the gym hardcore for the next 6 weeks. And if we visit the gym 15 times in the next 6 weeks, we’re going to totally reward ourselves. Maybe some Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream? Mmmmm.

It has also been 6 weeks since my Mom and I decided to halt our shopping for one full year. It actually hasn’t been hard, probably because I’ve been avoiding my favorite stores. Next week I’m traveling to Brooklyn to visit my good friend for a few days. One of my favorite parts of visiting NYC is going to Canal Street and seeing all of the vendors selling great knock-off bags and accessories at bargain prices. No Canal Street shopping on this trip to the big apple. Maybe I’ll just have a looksie… must. be. strong.

Happy Hump Day, y'all!

to be, or not to be.

I have recently found myself at a serious turning point. To be a runner, or not to be a runner. I started running my senior year of college, with the goal of completing a 5k race. In April of 2005, I completed that goal with my best friend, and it felt amazing. But when it was over, running slowly slipped away from my to-do list.

Fast forward 3 years. With the encouragement of my friends and a new gym membership, I decided to give running another shot with a different 5k to look forward to: the Smoke the Turkey Thanksgiving 5k in Toledo, Ohio that several of my friends were participating in. Again, I was able to accomplish my goal of finishing the 5k. And again, I took a serious break from running when it was over.

Then, last spring I agreed to a third 5k with a large group of co-workers. The Race for the Cure was held last May, and I had my best time ever. I was super proud of myself, and it felt amazing to finish the race beating my goal time. But it is currently 5 months later, and I haven’t been running. I’ve replaced pounding the pavement with yoga and elliptical work-outs, and every time I enter the gym I stay away from the treadmill like it’s the plague.

I look at other runners with envy. How did they find the motivation to go for a run? How do people run almost every single day? Is something wrong with me that I have no motivation? Is it normal to not be a consistent runner? I started thinking maybe it’s just not for me. Maybe I’m just not a runner. Maybe I just need to give up, so I can move on and do other activities.

My husband and I were at breakfast Saturday morning, and I started to share my dilemma with him. To my surprise, he announced that he’d like to start running and complete this year’s Smoke the Turkey 5k with me. What a renewed sense of spirit that gave me! Just knowing that he has the desire to run with me makes me want to lace up my sneakers and hit the pavement pronto!

So after all of this, I think I’ve realized it’s okay to have hills and valleys with your desire and motivation to do a certain activity. If you really and truly enjoy it, you’ll find new ways to be motivated and get through those times when you’d rather do the laundry, dishes, and vacuum before stepping on a treadmill. Maybe I’ll go through life not being a consistent I-have-to-run-at-least-3-times-a-week-or-I’ll-die runner. Maybe I’ll go through life running when I want to, and when I don’t, replacing it with other activities I find enjoyable—yoga, bike riding, tennis, or just playing with my dog. So I have my husband to thank for this revelation. Thanksgiving Day 5k—here we come!

challenge.

My mother and I have decided to embark on an interesting challenge – going one full year without purchasing any clothing item for ourselves. That means no clothes, purses, shoes, jewelry, etc. Using inspiration from my Aunt Ellen who just finished her year of frugality, and the idea that less is more, we’ve decided to give it a go.

Because of the current economic condition, we hear a lot about learning to love the stuff we already have, living with less, and realizing that owning expensive stuff doesn’t make us any happier. All around us people are cutting back, from swapping their morning latte for a cup of joe, to having a “staycation” rather than a vacation, to canceling their gym memberships. Frugality runs in my nature, so it hasn’t been difficult for me to always go straight to the sale rack, and to TRY and buy only what I need – a lot easier said than done (for example, I just spend $50 on a pair of Gap jeans I definitely don’t need).

This will be a challenge (and I love a good challenge) because I am one that loves to shop. Whether it’s for a new dress or a new blender, I love going out and looking at all the shiny, new, pretty things. So now I’ll have more time to do other enjoyable things.

One of my favorite blogs, Zen Habits, has an article called “Love Life, Not Stuff.” The author has a great point in saying that at the end of our lives, we’ll remember the people we loved and spent time with and the great experiences we had. We won’t remember what color our couch was, how big our TV was, or how many pair of jeans we had.

So, starting September 1st, we will no longer be purchasing anything for ourselves. I think my willpower will be pretty strong, but we’ll see what happens on Black Friday when I’m usually standing outside the department store with my Mom at 4:00 a.m. in 20 degree weather waiting to raid the sales. Wish us luck!

I'd also like to give a quick shout-out to my grandmother, known to all as Mee Mee. Today is her 90th birthday, and she is an amazing woman who I admire in every way. Happy Birthday and I Love You Mee Mee!

update.

Good gracious it's been so long since I've posted. Didn't mean to neglect... just tied up with holidays, vacations, and other fun summer stuff. We got home Sunday from a week-long road trip to Lake Travis, Texas to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday. Yup, I said 90... and she's frickin' amazing. We had 100+ temps all week, but were blessed with a fabulous air conditioned lakehouse, and lots of games and good food, so we managed to get through just fine.

I got a quick taste of what a bikram yoga class would be like (a class purposfully held in 95-100 degrees). One afternoon I went onto the sun-filled west-facing deck to do yoga. I only lasted 20 minutes, and can only imagine what a 90-minute class would be like! Makes me sweat just thinking about it.

It was such a great get-away, and Lake Travis is beautiful. Definitely a perfect way to celebrate such a monumental event, and to spend quality time with my amazing family. I miss them already!

:)

What a great weekend!

Kicked off Friday night with a movie - Angels & Demons. Saturday morning had the Race for the Cure and I beat my goal time by 16 seconds! Finished in 31:44, which is my best time ever. It was a great experience to share with 30,000 other Michiganders, and it gave me chills to run by all of the pink ribbons with people's names on them. I hung out with my Mom Saturday afternoon in my new favorite place - our finally finished screened in porch. We went to a Cuban restaurant downtown Royal Oak for dinner that we've been wanting to try. I had cornmeal cakes with herbed goat cheese and pico de gaillo, with mashed boniatos and spinach. Wonderful! Friends came over Saturday night for drinks and Red Wings hockey. Today I spent the majority of the day planting my vegetable garden.

I planted tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions, so hopefully I'll get some great veggies. I also met a friend for lunch and now another hockey game. Just an all-around awesome weekend. Looking forward to many more great summer weekends!

cali here we come.

While its 12 degrees with a -2 degree windchill here in my mitten state, I am highly anticipating a trip to Southern California tomorrow with Brad and my in-laws to visit our brother & sister-in-law and nephew, Carter. Thank goodness for beaches and 70 degree weather!

My adorable nephew just turned one, and we plan to celebrate his birthday during our stay. We are also planning a trip to the San Diego zoo, and we’ll get a chance to see old friends who have also moved out west. I’ll be sure to share some pictures from our So Cal adventures this weekend. Have a good weekend!