midnight fun with the kosmo & new camera.

after a fun night out, we tested out the new camera & lens josh bought on wednesday.
first in the snow, then with the kosmo.
i love it already. i can't tell you how excited i am!
{nerdy things like cameras and lenses excite me}
details soon.

p.s. happy friday!

the snow is pretty but i'm still ready for spring.

last night our friend ariel invited us to the last round of the comedy derby competition at the improv. it was fun, minus the fact that it got started almost an hour late and we almost got into a fight with an annoyingly loud couple at the table next to us. thankfully, they got kicked out and since the show started late it was late when we got out so we were able to see the pretty snow fall!

on the way home we stopped and got out and took a few pictures even though it was 11:30pm and we both had to get up early in the morning. had it not been wednesday it would have been a perfect night to walk around forever and take a million beautiful pictures.








i always think the snow is so pretty... but i think i've had enough to hold me over until next winter... hopefully the warm weather will arrive promptly on monday with the 1st of march...

random.

random things that make me smile :o)

Half Marathon Training Update {week something}

So. I've been slacking just a little bit on my HMTU's. Sorry about that, it's just that I'm afraid every update would say the same thing: the runs are hard and the treadmill is boring.

My training has been going pretty well though.
It's exciting to see progress in myself and know that I can push myself and my hard work pays off.
It's starting to freak me out a little that the half marathon is in 2 months and 2 days.
Which is crazy because when I put that little countdown on the side of my blog, there were 5 months and something!!! It's coming up so fast!
I know I've run 10 miles, and the half marathon is only that plus a 5k, but I'm still nervous!!!
And I think I'm getting really tired of running on the treadmill.
THANK GOODNESS it's starting to get a little warmer outside so hopefully my treadmill running days will be over soon!
...at least until next winter.

I'm also trying to get it through my head that my goal is simply to finish the 13.1 miles. I'm not trying to break any speed records or beat anyone, I just want to have fun with it. I think the stress of "competing" and not wanting to let anyone down is what's making the most nervous, not whether or not I can actually do it. But really, the only person I should worry about letting down is myself and I won't let myself down unless I give up. Of course, I do have some goals like I want to finish it in less than 2 and a half hours/before Josh finishes the full marathon and I don't want to come in last, but mostly I just want to have fun.

I've also discovered that I think about my dad a lot when I run. I don't know if it's because I know he'd be the first person there to cheer me on or because this is something I never thought I could/would be able to do and I wish he was here to experience it with me..... but I guess this will just have go down in the books as another one of those life experiences that he won't be here for... along with too many more I'll have to experience in my life... I sure do miss him.

In other work out news, I've been incorporating spin class into my evening workouts on Mondays now since I just can't seem to consistently get up at 5am to do it. I've also started a step class on Thursdays. I love it!

Anyway, April 24th is coming up and will be here before I know it!!! The Triple Crown starts in less than 2 weeks.. can't believe it!

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."

-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

don't cry over spilt milk...

so today.

the weather was awesome...
60 degrees and sunny!
we took the dogs for a walk
and then gave them a bath.
i took tobey home
baked a cake with my mom
then ran some errands.

then.
i tried to carry all 5 bags in at once.
i tried to unlock the door with all 5 bags in my hand.
then i dropped one.
the one with the milk in it.
know what happened?


it busted!!!!
milk went all over the front porch!
i didn't even know that could happen!
i just stared at it like, "seriously?!??!"
who knew the plastic milk jug could bust like that?!
not me.
now i do.

i really wanted to cry
but josh just laughed and hugged me.
luckily he thought it was funny and wasn't mad.
that's why i like him.
because he doesn't cry over spilt milk :)

a friday night date

last night josh and i ventured over to the other side of the river {i know, let's not get crazy now!} for a little shopping and dinner. first we stopped by his doctor's office to pick up his running headband that he had left there and finally tracked down {after he already bought a new one, of course} and ran into a couple of his runner friends who just so happened to be visiting the doctor. random! so it was nice to talk to them for a little bit.

then we did some window shopping at murphy's camera!! which is basically like putting a 5 year old in a candy store.. i love it there. so many different lenses... i want to learn about them all and figure out which ones are best for which occasions and why. i still know so little about photography, but it's fun for me and i love it because there's always something to learn and a way to better yourself. plus it's a great creative outlet. we looked at this lens and this camera... which unfortunately isn't available yet but we're hoping comes out before spring break!!!

then we went to dinner at rafferty's. it was a nice change.. i don't think josh has ever eaten there and i haven't eaten there since i lived in tennessee. dinner included...

kona chicken for josh

a pork chop for me
& sweet potatoes for both of us.

and a coffee drink to share. it may or may not have had alcohol in it and it may or may not have been a little strong.

at the end of the night i told josh thanks for taking me out on a fun date, and he said he didn't realize it was a date.. i guess we are past the "dating" stage now??? hmmm i wonder what that's supposed to mean... ? ;-)

p.s. we saw shutter island today and it was awesome!!!!! definitely recommend it!

Fastest 4 mile race ever!

I almost didn't even feel like re-capping the Snowman Shuffle race we did on Saturday, but I suppose I will for the sake of remembering it. It was pretty un-eventful... I didn't even take any pictures! Luckily, Tom Moran was there again to take some...

Look how fast Josh is!

Me? Not so much. This time I actually saw the photographer so I did my best not look like an idiot like I did last time.

But look how slow I'm going!!! Stupid ice. I look like one of those mall-walkers who speed walk or something. Nothing against speed walkers or mall walkers or anything, but really. That's like barely a jog right there and that old lady's about to pass me up.

They got me again at the end and I guess I look like I'm going a little faster now....

Anyway, here's basically what went down:

• the race course had to be re-routed due to the snow/ice. It went from a 4 mile course to a 3.6 mile course but somehow ended up only actually being 3.2 miles
  
• we almost didn't get our bib numbers because our friends picked them up for us the day before and then we weren't sure where to meet them before the race {which would have meant we could still run but couldn't have crossed the finish line} but we got them right before it started.
  
• Josh couldn't find his headband so he ran the race in 20 degree weather with nothing to keep his ears/head warm. He's hardcore.
  
• it was FREEEEEEZING
• there was ice everywhere - which slowed down my time significantly {I didn't feel like sacrificing my half marathon training at the risk of hurting myself on the ice for a 4 mile race... especially one with huge hills}
• not only was there ice everywhere, I ran the race with a really sore calf muscle. I'm not sure if I actually pulled it or if it was just really sore, but it wasn't too fun. I almost didn't run at all because of it, but I'm glad I did.
  
• Josh originally won his age group but then they re-posted the results and they said some guy who ran the course in 19 seconds beat him. Of course that was a typo and the guy actually ran it in 19 minutes...and Josh still came in 2nd which is still awesome!
  

All that being said, we all made it out alive and without any major injuries! :) The Polar Bear Grand Prix is now over, so we're just looking forward to the Triple Crown starting on March 6th... and then Derby!!!!! I can't believe it's getting so close!!!

Stats:

Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler
February 13, 2010
Distance: 3.2 miles
Time: 34:27 / 10:46 pace

snow day {again}

i had another snow day yesterday. it was kind of nice because, again, i had stuff that i could actually work on so i didn't feel like the day was completely wasted by being stuck inside. at the same time though, i only have one class on mondays and it would have been nice to go because our test in there has been pushed back twice already and i just want to get it over with!!! plus this time the snow interfered with my monday gym classes which are usually my favorite! oh well.

it was all worth it once josh got home and we got to play in the snow. just for a little bit though because it was freeeezing.

the snow is pretty & fun but i am ready for some warmer weather now! come on, spring! :)