"I'd Rather" - Luther Vandross

Today's post idea COMPLETELY hijacked from Jess.

yep, JBP. 

The Ninja, Yoga, Nuun runner!  YAY!

So here we go . . . .

WOULD YOU RATHER . . . .

1.  Put away 24 bags of groceries [seriously, there are 24]

          OR

    Clean the bathroom toilet?

2.  Sleep in your car? [dude, this is a grocery store parking lot --- go home]

     OR
    
     Sleep on an airplane?

3.  Run 20 miles on a treadmill?

     OR

    Run 2.5 miles outside [after you already ran 10.25 on TM or outside] with your dog? [because you know he'll get zero exercise while you are away]  Ya, um.....I was pointing to my pit sweat.

4.  Be engaged for a year and have your "dream" wedding?

OR

   Be engaged for 3 months?

**My nephew Troy and his soon-to-be-bride Julia**

Engaged. LAST. night!! 

We love you T & J!!

5.  Text your hubby for needed info?

 OR

    Call him knowing .......  he  ........   can't .......    complete ..... a....proper.....sentences.....while.....at.....work.


My Answers:

1.  toilet
2.  airplane
3.  TM x 444
4.  3 months
5.  t e x t  - then I have it in writing too! ;)

Happy Wednesday!

Guest post[s] by Peanut - while I'm in Seattle!
Ya. have. fun. with. that!

"Round Here" - Counting Crows

What's been going on "Round Here" [in numbers] .

41 - minutes had to wait for Peanut's v-ball game to start Saturday.
30 - minutes I spent figuring out my 2011 mileage while I waited.
7 - times the Pita shook his head like, "seriously cannot believe you are doing that"
2 - times he actually said the above mentioned "thought".
1,523.5 - miles I have run in 2011.  I rounded down to make sure I was legit.

[I actually coame up with 1,524 - prior to my 15.5 today but. . . .I'd rather error on the side of caution]

4 - times I smiled thinking ----- I like that number.
1 - girls who's mom uses good laundry detergent.  Seriously. Cheer Color Guard people!

2 - times I went to Costco over the weekend.
4 - times I went to Costco during the week [last week]
6 - pounds of blueberries we I went through in 5 days.
2 - people in my family that had birthday's over the weekend!!
1 - number of marathons I signed up for since Friday. SAN FRAN here I come!
14 - number of marathons I will have run [after I finish SF]
3 - # of songs I downloaded over the weekend, "Edge of Glory", "Through The Fire" & "stupid" .
5 - times I iced my knee while driving around doing errands.  Awwww. yaaaaa. multi-tasking. rocks.

1 - number of iPad's purchased
1 - date night.
68 - dollar amount spent on sushi.
7 - times I thought ---- seriously, can I get this man a "starter bowl" of noodles?!
5 - number of accessories needed for above mentioned purchase [when the Pita shops with you].
112 - number of texts I sent to Dawn on Friday. wesodonothaveaproblem.
50 - minutes it took me to make Father's Day Breakfast yesterday!!  Holy crap.  My Dad used to get cereal & toast! [Sorry Dad]
51 - minutes I spent with MY Dad yesterday.  [I'm coming back for more today though!!]
5 - Days until Seattle Rock N' Roll!

**Numbers Please!!**

Tell me at least two things that happened to YOU over the weekend [in numbers].

H a p p y   M o n d a y !

"My Friends" - Red Hot Chili Peppers

are
f r e a k i n g
amazing.

Truth be told . . . .

Some of my most favorite ones . . . I've never even met [not yet, anyway].

Call that "creepy", "weird" and or "not normal".  I'm perfectly fine with that.

Then, once I do . . . . . it rocks.  I have left every blogger meet-up thinking . . . Yep, exactly as awesome as I thought him or her would be.  [And most of the time, some how even AWESOME-R]

One of the bloggers. . . . I am dying to meet . . . .

C a r o l i n e.

You can find her speaking pig-latin  French [here]. 

And seriously . . . I had to CALL her after I saw this post:

http://journeytoahalfmaraton.blogspot.com/2011/05/for-my-arizona-friend.html

So. freaking. thoughtful.

So after my 24 hour run. 

I received an email [with a freaking awesome attachment].

She had put all my posts from my 24 hour treadmill run into a book. 

Like a book I can keep forever. 

Like a book, I'd have NEVER gotten around to / MADE time to make.

She sent me the link [plus a coupon, this lady is a thinker]

And now I have this:

pureawesomeness.
The book that can make me cry by page two. Actually 2.4.

I love the last page too.  Dawn, Mandi, my old 2nd grade boyfriend interviewing my Peanut . . . . ;)

I truly don't have the words Caroline.
And after that email yesterday [which, by the way . . . .is the best email I have ever received on that/explaining {that} topic].

I.  must.  meet.  you. [we'll throw in the abs showdown with CK as needed].

Thoughtful people rock.  Are you are one of the most thoughtful people I have ever meet/not met. ;)

Thank you. [x 4,444,444]

Who has been thoughtful to you lately?
Give them a shout out HERE!!!

And
Also
PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE check out Walk a Mile in My Boots; she is hosting a freaking HUGE giveaway to kick Cancer!

Happy Weekend!

"Legs" - ZZ Top

So the whole idea of a "brick" workout excited me.

Did I know what it really was?  No.

Did I know the right people to ask?  Heck ya.

I mentioned Jason yesterday [tri-guy + awesome cook].
Now there's Jeff.  Yep, IRONMAN Jeff.

a-FREAKING-mazing.

So they helped me sort out the details.

I understood.

Bike THEN run.

but that wasn't going to work with today's schedule sooooooo.......

The "reverse brick" was born.

So I jumped on the treadmill for 9 miles at a 7:30 pace.

literally, threw on dry clothes . . . . Nascar'd my way down Shea Boulevard . . . . parked at the gym . . . . set up my bike . . . .

 . . . . and waited all 3.44 minutes for class to start.
[omgosh there's a foot in this photo?!....gross . . .you bet cha I'm using the . . . RUN EMZ towels from 24 hour TM run!]

Yep. same. freaking. awesome. spin. instructor. from Tuesday. night.

Yep. . . . she got in my sweaty little face again [ yelling, clapping & saying GO EMILY THIS IS YOUR FINISH!] 

totalandcompleteawesomeness [that's for you Dawn].

So as soon as we "finish" the one hour class.  I put my bike up and race up the stairs for a bit.  Figured I could get one mile in before I needed to be showered and presentable.

HOLY.
f r e a k i n g .
Noodle.
Legs.

So lesson learned.

Took me almost 1/2 mile to "find" my legs. Did one mile at 9:30 pace.

Brick and reverse Emz-style brick do NOT equal the same thing.

but the best freaking workout I've had in a Loooooooooooooong time.

Nothing but MAD respect for you triathletes out there.

you. guys. rock.

Do you brick?
Do you bonk?
Do you noodle?

"Bless The Broken Road" - Rascal Flatts

Is our life plotted out ahead of time, or do we get to call some of the shots along the way?

Forgive the brief religious discussion, I'm familiar with the philosophy of free will - the idea that God gives us the road map but we have the choice to veer away [positive or negative] from the plan and make our own way from time to time.

This internal discussion on life comes to mind after a conversation we had at the dining room table last night.

Peanut: Mom, how do you think life would be if you hadn't miscarried and I had a 2 year old brother or sister?

whoa. didn't see that coming.

Me: [silent - tears filled my eyes instantly]

Peanut: sorry mom

Me: no, no. Don't be. I'm just thinking for a second.

Peanut: [looking down at her spaghetti]

Me: Peanut. I love you.

P: [smile]

Me: well . . . . I'd hope it be a lot like it is here today. I like today. Do you?

P: ya Mom, I really do.

Me: There would be a lot less marathons, I'd imagine. Probably would not have been a 24 TM run. I'd still be working from home . . .we may have moved?! I don't truly know kid.

P: [grin]

Me: [I could see her brain was working over time]

P: Do parents really love their kids the same?

Me: yes, for the most part but we all know I'm Nana & Papa's favorite. [I kid. I kid.] Yes, Peanut.

P: but I want to be YOUR favorite. I don't ever want to "share" you.

We continued for another 5 minutes.

It. was. awesome.

Awesomeparentingmoment.

Loved discussing how some things we get to decide/choose . . . . other things we freaking "get" to go through.

For

A

Reason.

The choices we make, the places we go and the people we meet - they all truly make a significant impact on the life we live.

It's fun to dream about the future, and how it's being impacted by the people and activities we/I am focusing on today.

I have no idea what [EXACTLY] tomorrow holds, but I know I'm going to freaking love it.

Happy Thursday, My Friends.

"I'm On One" - DJ Khaled

A team. That is.

Let me explain . . . . .

So years [and years & years ago . . . not like Chris K years but. . . ] I was on a "team".

A. freaking. awesome. team. [a couple of different ones, actually]

[yep, see that "4"]

And

I
played
and
played
and
played

on a team for 6 years.

then [long story short]

no volleyball
but
add running, marriage & my Peanut.

And waaaaaa laaaaaaa  . . . . the "SOLO" athlete was born.

in a BIG way . . . . I freaking loved it.

if I won = because of me.

if I lost/sucked = because of me.

I. controlled. the. outcome.

And being that I'm maybekindasorta a control freak.  I.  loved. this.

L O V E D . it.

But as I sent out this message yesterday:  "To go OR not to go to spin class, THAT IS the question!"

I mean come on . . I had run 13 miles the day before and 12 miles on this day.  I was a little tired.

But then the replies came in:

From Mandi with an "I" : "Don't make excuses that's what normal people do."

From Jason at "Cook Train Eat Race" : "No question at all.  Just go."

So I sent this back to Jason.

The bike that was about to be my female dog for the next 59 minutes.
It doesn't come in argyle, [sad face] uggg.

This is when I realized.  I am a part of a team.

call it what you want:

teamblogger
teamwordpress
teamofpeopleivenevermet
teamtweet
teamyouvefreakinggotthis

And. I. smiled.

Completely. zoned out for the next 57 minutes.  At which time the freaking awesome trainer [who came to see me at my 24 hour treadmill run] came up right beside me telling me . . . .

in a not quiet voice . . . and with her hands clapping [what felt/sounded like a mere 4" from my face"

"Run up THAT hill"
"is this all you have?"
"are you giving me YOUR best?"
"you've got this!" [You KNOW, I loved that]
"this is YOUR finish"

awwww.  freaking.  ya.

I. have. a. team.

The freaking best team ever.

You guys rock.  I thank YOU.

"All My Loving" - The Beatles

What I'm loving [and maybe a few things I'm not] . . .

Lovin':

* I got my 12 mile run this morning completed by 6:45am.  Who "tapers" anyway?  ;)

* This photo of Nelly sporting his RUN EMZ shirt at San Diego Marathon Expo.

Awwwww yaaaaaaa.  You know who he's next to!  Happy. Emz.

* This photo my sister "happy" sent me from the day after my 24 hour treadmill run.  That's me and my uber ugly "oh my gosh those are MY toes" face.

* Loved this photo from Date Night Party Night.

* Loved this message from eBay.  I totally bought things so it'd total $4.44.  Wait . . . I think I should earn more . . $44.44 is right around the corner.

* Finished my run . . . off to the shower and saw this in the bathroom. 

I. freaking. love. the. little. things.  [please notice how it's on a towel.  he knows me.  he knows me & my germaphobe ways VERY well.]

* The home I am wanting at the moment.  Once it drops another 100k.  I'm all over it.

The inside is freaking INSANE!  And it has a "skull" mat at the entry way.  Which pretty much means . . . . it's mine.

* I am sooooooooooooooooooo still loving my Gotein.

Awwwww. yaaaaaa.  Addicted?  why yes, thank you.

* Still loving that the HEAT lost.

Freaking. loving. that.
Dawn can I please get one of these with Lebron wearing one too.  Thank you.

Not Lovin':

* My car battery died.  But seriously.  Seriously. $450?
 
Are they high? 

I say,  "yes" and "they must be grouchy HEAT fans too".

What are you lovin' and or NOT lovin' today?