games...

Feeling the need to post. Not all sentences assured to be perfect. Just a few thoughts.

Why as adults do we forget the pleasure in playing games? I know my mom and Staci opt out of many games as they "lower my self-esteem". But, every now and then I find myself in a place of such joy in the midst of a game. Today, playing volleyball with a former coach and a former teammate, I found myself in such a happy place. I came home and was watching Jon & Kate Plus 8... and they were playing Hide and Go Seek...it brought me back to such a fun, youthful time. Made me wonder why we don't play more games? Maybe back to the "if we had more time...question". Hum. Oh yeah, and my non-playing vball forearms are extra bruised this evening.

My Periferitis (Maili's terminology for my periformis/hamstring issues) has been so so...did a light 30 min run today and it felt pretty good. Spent a good 20 min stretching it tonight, so hopefully it's on the up and up! :)

Speaking of running...I'm officially signed up for my 1st marathon! I can't believe it! It will be in Austin, TX (my birthplace! ) on Feb 15th. Scared, but can't wait! :) More to come on this issue...actually lot's more to come on this issue over the next 4 months! :)

Hugs and peaceful sleep to all my loved ones...:)

so excited...

I am so excited for tomorrow. I am going with my good friend Suzy to a wedding for a photography shoot. Suzy is an absolutely amazing photographer (see her website here www.bohemianperspective.com) and she has, so thoughtfully, given me her time and knowledge in helping me tap into a long-time interest. She just purchased a sweet new camera, so she is letting me take her old one and just see what I come up with at this wedding tomorrow afternoon. Ah- I can't wait! Photos to post later I'm sure!

Off to bed now...getting up early to run with some CRC folk before work.

Happy Friday to all!

lost...

Sometimes I feel my mind is lost...it jumps around from thought to thought, and sometimes I feel like I'm looking for the answers to too many questions. Maybe it's because we focus too much on what's going on around us...the external experiences our mind has to take in, process, then react to. I feel like I don't get enough time to really search for and explore the important stuff...what's going on inside- deep in my heart and mind. Because of this, bits of truth and emotion seep out into my daily life and sneak up unexpected...catch me off guard...and leave me confused on how to deal with them.

Speaking of time...I think about the following questions almost daily: How much happier would we all be if we only had to work four hours everyday. What would we do with the extra time? How would the decrease in stress, the increase in energy, effect our personalities? I believe we would be a whole lot happier, feel more fulfilled, more rested, and more like we were actually living a life rather than surviving one.

robin's wedding...

Such a great time at Robin and Steve's wedding on Saturday...beautiful and real. Some pics to document! :)...

homecoming...

Yesterday couldn't have been a better day off...:). It started with a massage by Tammy, which was absolutely heavenly! Shortly after, I met my grandpa for sushi at Jun's...yummy! Then it was back home for a glorious nap. The evening was the best as I went to the Manitou homecoming football game...it was so much fun! Mom and I first met Amanda, Mike, Sarah, Ben and Lindsey at the Townhouse lodge for a beverage. Then it was to the game where we laughed and visited with Jeanne, Maddy, Erinn and Bridget.

Amanda was making fun of the mustang on the back on my mom's 1972 letter jacket (let's just say it's not like the logo they have now and is kinda weird looking)...my mom snapped back with "It's a bucking horse Amanda...so, buck you!". It was freaking hilarious...we were all crying from the tears of laughter!

Bridget also cracked us up as she shared with us her dad's terminology for today's technologies and new consumer products....Epods, Blueberry's (not Blackberry), and North Stars (aka Rock Star energy drinks). :)

Oh yeah, and the spot where my mom and I parked Suzy Suzuki couldn't have been closer to the dumpster...mom had issues trying to get out of the car (see pic below).

It was such a fun day...full of laughter and love:).

loser...

I'm watching the first episode of the new season of The Biggest Loser (families) tonight...and I just love this show. Makes me think back at how much being a trainer did my heart good. I love watching people fight for something they truly want and need. Bob has 4 sets of married couples, and Jillian has 4 sets of parent/child teams.

There are many great shows getting started this week and next! The Office and Lipstick Jungle start next week-yeah! Oh, and a new show with Molly Shannon, 'Kath and Kim' premiers in 2 weeks...looks to be a funny! :) It's about a younger woman (Kim) who moves back in with her single, but dating, mother (Kath-Molly Shannon) after getting a divorce. All this talk makes me seem like a tv junkie...but in reality I don't have time to watch all that much...just the few I really enjoy:).

Adam is off on tour with A Novel Form and is having a blast. I talked with him today and they are actually traveling through Idaho...he says he is currently in Napoleon Dynamite's world. Cracked me up. Lamas, horses, cows. I asked him if he was going to be judging cow's milk later. I can hear the happiness and pleasure in his voice and it in turn makes me so incredibly happy for him.

Ok...getting ready for bed. Romester and I are off to the gym tomorrow morning, early...then meeting a friend for coffee before work! :)

Goodnight and hugs to all...:)

trouble...

So yeah....butt/hamstring/low back/quads/knee...all still hurting, all still a mess. Poo. Forcing me to take a break, rest and recover...even though i'd love to, seems to be no fighting this one. When dealing with a sharp, pinching pain- I don't really feel like pushing through that sort of pain is worth it. I'd rather return to running sooner than later. It's amazing how much more free time I have without running so many hours on the weekend.

Enjoyed a yummy breakfast at the Olive Branch with Staci this morning...then off to a family get together at Mom and Ken's. I was so spoiled as I got to indulge in some precious baby-holding of 2 month old Autumn Riley.

I so excited...I found our new book club book 'Certain Girls' by Jennifer Weiner on half.com for $8.00 plus shipping! A total steal after seeing it forsale at Barnes & Noble for $24.00! Should be arriving any time now. It's the sequel to our recent read 'Good in Bed'.

one more.

Another fun photo from the skirt chaser, thanks Meg...love it! :) So much fun.

from boo-stick to yum-stick...

What started out to be a bumster of a day- thanks to the sore sciatic and piriformis, keeping me from doing any running, or incline fun:(-...turned into a relaxing, go-with-the-flow-type of day that I probably needed.

M and I plopped ourselves down on the couch this am with coffee in hand, laptops on laps, and Food Network on in the background for additional entertainment. We were hoping Ina Garden-host of Barefoot Contessa, would be on so we could laugh at her popped collar, imitate her words to hubby Jeffery, and talk about her assumed closet eating rituals. But no luck:(. We would have an Ina run-in later in the day however. :)

Cleaned the room...paid the bills (depressing)...talked to mother...then was off to The Hub with Maili so she could get the Jeep beautified! :) While waiting at The Hub, we enjoyed our Route 44-sized Sonic Diet Cherry Limeades...and asked the young gal working there for the remote to the tv. Sure enough to our surprise- Ina! Barefoot Contessa was on! YEah! We really don't watch the show for food tips or recipes...just to poke fun at, who probably is, one nice lady! We are so mean!

After some scrambled eggs...I found myself on the floor, lying on a tennis ball (on the left cheek), watching...surprise surprise...Elton Brown on Feasting on Waves. Yummy Jamaican grub! Then M and I came to an agreement...I'd make zucchini muffins and cookies if she'd start cleaning her room. Ooh...they were yummy! :)

Now winding down for bed...hopefully tomorrow the injured rear will feel better! Thanks to my dear roomie...thanks for the laughs...the listening ear...for simply the time. :)

Ohh...almost forgot...here's some visuals from last night:)

cakes...

My cousin Maddy introduced me to this hilarious blog called "Cake Wrecks". This lady blogs about cakes gone astray...funny stories! Click on the link "Cake Wrecks" on my right side bar!

bunch o' things...

Maddy and I went to my brother's show last night and it was so awesome! :) (Pics to come later...too lazy to upload now). It was the kickoff show to their west coast tour that starts this weekend! I get goosebumps every time I see them live...so proud of him.

I am very upset with my new pain in my rear....literally...my left periformis is killing me! I really think I irritated it after doing a 5k sat night...then 15miles at Rampart on Sunday. It's that numbing feeling that I can feel deep in the butt...down the hamstring...and up to the lower back-rrrrr! I had planned to do the incline today on my day off, but I think that may be the worst thing I could do workout-wise at this point. I'm just annoyed that I up my milage just a tad and this is the result. Boo-stick. So...I slept in this am and ended up relaxing on the couch with roomie and watched the food network while we sneezed and delt with our annoying allergies! Maybe i'll just hit-up the CRC social run this eve instead.

skirts...friends...sun...and fun:)

What a fun, fulfilling weekend! A change of scenery...a change of routine...overall a grand ol' time.

Beth and I left Sat afternoon with friends and headed up to Cherry Creek for the Skirt Chaser 5k. A delayed start 5k where the women start at 5pm...the men at 5:03. Lots of women running in cute skirts, we only saw one guy sportin' one:). After the race we headed to this tavern in Cherry Creek to relax and get some food. It was such a fun event and was just great to get away to someplace different. :)

This morning, Beth, Maili and I headed up to Rampart Reservoir for a long run. 15 miles to be exact...farther than Romester and I have ever run before. It was absolutely beautiful, so enjoyed being by the water...running through the trees! The hills were pretty rough on the leggos...especially due to the soreness from the 5k extreme push the night before! We went clockwise from rainbow gulch, so by the time we were running accross the damn, I was ready to be done. 5 miles more and we were in fact finished...tired, hungry and with even tighter legs:). I hadn't been up to Rampart since my mom, brother and I spread my dad's ashes up there a couple years ago. It was so good for my heart and mind to be someplace remote, meaningful, and so gorgeous!

Romester and I then went to Jimmy John's for a sammie...stopped by mom's to see her, jeanne, maddy, erinn and ken...then to costco...then target...then couch...then oh yeah- sushi...(we were hungry again by dinner time)...then to jeanne's to pick up the season 4 The Office DVD's...then home to couch again. Wow...tired just writing it! :) It was a grand day...oh yeah...and we love diet orange soda...can't get enough.

This eve I am going to bed feeling satisfied...got to see friends and family, travel to different places, eat yummy food! And even though i'm totally wiped out...I enter the work-week knowing I had lots o' fun!


On our way up to Rampart...so pretty!

a few funnies...

Ok...so I find this hilarious...

I would say that about 75% of the time that I answer the phone at work and say "colorado running company, this is Jillian"...the response I get is..."Yes, Joann, I was wondering..." It's like no matter how slowly and clear I say it...for some reason everyone hears Joann or Joanna. Are you kidding me?

Oh yeah...and this one guy I was helping said that because he cross-dresses, he's developed a bad bunion on his foot. He said it so serious, then he laughed and said he was just kidding. But i'm so conditioned to not stick my foot in my mouth in my responses to people's interesting comments at work...I think he may have been shocked in my lack of shock when he said it...anywhoo, funny moment.

one more thing...

Forgot to post this vid...hahah...off to the church we go...a typical departure for us:).




Oh and a few quotes from the weekend...


-"We are not taking you guys to taco bell" (Bri) "Do you guys wanna make tuna sandwiches?" (Ryan)
-"That's right...1750 points...bitches!" (Jillian...and the girls playing Farkle)
-"Oh I get it!" (Dev)
- "Feel the rhythm, feel the ride, get on up...it's bobsled time!" (Farkle gang)
-"What the hell?...My plant is charred...You guys made a fire in my planting pot?" (Bri)
-"Is it bad that I got a cart?" (Bri, Jillian, and Shan at the liquor store)
-"Joey, no...don't try to burn the bug on the wall with a lighter!" (Dev)

as I was saying...

...Continued...
How much do I love these girls. I was thinking on the drive back about all the fun, hard, life-lesson memories we've all shared...absolutely priceless.


Above is another fav pic of mine from the weekend because it's a visual representation of true joy. These smiles are genuine and come directly from the heart.

Speaking of true joy...the happy couple enjoying their first dance. :)

I just want to thank all my friends for such a memorable weekend...you provided me with a such a gift...my heart was definitely fufilled. :)

what a weekend...

Ok...so this weekend will have to be summed up in a number of posts...not just one. Yes, because it was just that fabulous. :)

Going back to Grand Junction this weekend to visit and catch up with college friends was such a blast! It allowed us take a step back in time...a time when our biggest stress may have been the two tests we had back to back the next day...or, whose house the next "group" get together was going to be. Being a part of "the group" has provided me with countless memories...made me feel accepted...and made me feel like I was a part of something great.

Here are some of my favorite pics/memories from this weekend. Again...this will be continued over the next couple of days :).


The picture above just cracks me up...for a number of reasons. First of all is the obvious one...Linz- you are just hilarious and I've seen that look a number of times...it might be the tail end of the "don't worry about it" line the boys just love to say. JFK- the look on your face is so you, it's not even funny. Brian- the yawning...If he only knew how many more hours he would be awake, and that he would be showing up to breakfast 1 of 2 to arrive in the same clothes they wore to the wedding. Micah, Bri, and Katie...you guys just make this pic come together...hahah. I love it!

I believe that Shannon and I took 2 very similar pictures at Linz's and Micah's wedding...hum, that's interesting. I think we are finding the marg's extra tasty! :)

Dancing...us? Na...never. I believe the boys were doing the Vanilla Ice Ninja dance...ooh...I have a video of this!

Ok...again...this post will be continued! :)