merry christmas and a happy new year!

hey guys! I hope that everyone had a wonderful, very meaningful holiday season filled with laughter and time well spent with friends and family.

 I  am keepin on with the running.. and have been able to be fairly consistent over the holidays and as 2008 draws to a close ( yippee) here is to a brighter tomorrow. A future filled with hope and promise and many, many miles. 

 I found this quote from the RW website very inspiring and wanted to share it:

" the more I run, the more  I want to run, and the more I live a life conditioned and influenced and fashioned by my running. And the more I run, the more certain I am that I am heading for my real goal: to become the person I am."-- George Sheehan MD

running revival take 3....

 hi guys!!

 well, I am making my third attempt at running on a consistent basis since little Todd was born 13 months ago. my running has been very sporadic and erratic in every way imaginable since last November. Words can not express how happy I am to have my family. My kids are everything.. haha but sometimes I think my Achilles heel.. is that my kids are everything. 

 My husband works out of town monday through friday and I am EXTREMELY limited in getting someone to help me watch the kids ( even for an hour or two, come on!) so I can run.. ALSO.. since brock is gone all the time working very long hours.. the last thing he wants to do is babysit when he comes home because he is so tired. SO the past year, in essence I have watched my kids pretty much 24-7 with very little reprieve..

 I have a treadmill and an elliptical, and I kinetic trainer for my road bike. but there is just no comparison to training and running outside. 

 I get so depressed and discouraged because I feel so trapped, tired( constantly tired) and pretty much filled with self loathing in general.  I struggle inwardly because I feel EXTREMELY selfish for wanting things to be the way they were when my first son was small.. my husband, was home every evening. I could go run,  I would race on weekends.. it was a wonderful social outlet, and I was healthy and FELT GREAT about myself.. 

now I just feel sluggish, toxic, tired and old.  I feel like I'm sacrificing myself COMPLETELY to just be perfect supportive unwavering wife, and SUPER MOMMMY and there is zero time to myself or any energy left for me.  and then I feel guilty because I complain that brock works too much, when really in this economy, I should be HAPPY he has so much work..  Brock is sacrificing for us.. He doesn't want to be working out of town week after week after week. 

SO... after months of being in the doldrums of depression..over this, over never getting to really spend that much quality family time with brock and feeling like he is missing out on so much of our kids lives,  over the loss of my brother, I have decided I have GOT to make myself run everyday.. even if its on a treadmill.. I have completely guilted my mom into agreeing to watch the kids for me for 2 hours twice a week for me to get in 10 mi runs--- because I am sliding into a deep dark abyss, I am so afraid I won't be able to pull out of-- I'm afraid I'm going to end up being this tired, haggard shell of myself..  and while I act like everything is all perfect on the exterior, on the inside I'll just be this bitter, resentful person.. ( ALL OVER RUNNING??) 

 I don't know how to describe it, but running really HELPS ME..  it is this detoxifying experience in every sense of the word. It makes me feel better and stronger physically, it makes me calmer mentally.. clears away all the mental clutter and noise... 

ALSO...  I am in the planning phase for next year's CTR 10k!!

 I have it up on state of franklin track club's website. it's listed under EVENTS.. the day is going to be 8-15-09!  www.runtricities.org

 here is a link for the entry form! I am including a 2 mi walk this year as well!

http://www.runtricities.org/asp/racecal_manage.asp?action=view&racecalid=808

 the race truly is something special in my life!!  I can't wait to see how this year's race unfolds..  I do enjoy each phase and aspect of getting it ready!! august will be here before you know it!!

 I am shooting for running MB half- marathon on valentines day as a fun run.. and I am just hoping and praying that  work settles down some for brock so he isn't so overwhelmed..

I'm going to richalnds tomorrow( an hour away) for a 10 mi run, My parents live there and my mom is going to  watch the kids while I go run... so here I go, let's hope I can maintain focus and things will go smoothly for me for here on out..  fingers crossed. 

I'm bAAAAAck..

 hey guys! I have been gone FOREVER it seems! I just got back from a 2 week vacation with the family. We went on a Disney cruise for a week and then the following week we spent in FLA for a couple of days and then North myrtle Beach before heading back home to Bristol. 

I hope Brock got a well deserved rest. I think I definitely came back more rested. 

 I did get several running days in after the cruise.  So that was a nice change to run in some warmer weather... with NO hills:o)

While we were gone it was both my boys birthdays.. jack turned 4  on the 12th and Todd just had his first birthday on the 19th. So that was fun celebrating those milestones. 

 On the trip I read a cool book called "EAT, PRAY, LOVE" by Elizabeth Gilbert.  I enjoyed it.   I had a hard time finding empathy for the protagonist ( which was the author) there at first, but has I got into the book, I found her control freak persona somewhat endearing.

one thing I noticed when I got home was that OMG the catalogs that were in the mail!!  I don't know HOW or WHAT occurred for me to get so many, but I was mortified. Stores that I had never purchased from sent me these HUGE Christmas catalogs. such a waste. I think that perhaps it is because of the economy?  I think it's just major over compensation from retailers to get people to buy things early( all with free shipping)... still I  guess you never realize how much junk mail you get and throw away everyday until you see the  sheer BULK of 2 weeks worth sitting there on your kitchen counter. 

 I have  become a little obsessed with John Hardy Jewelry. I was/ am a big David Yurman fan, and pretty much every birthday/Christmas/anniversary etc for the past 2 yrs that was what I would ask for.. but John Hardy's things are VERY cool indeed.  www.johnhardy.com 

if any of you guys want to check it out. I REALLy want this dragon bracelet.  I guess it's not that big of deal..  but the bracelet itself it very cool..

can you believe this? small world.

 well sorry it's been so long since I last posted.  I have had a week filled with preschool, playdates, and  just non stop childcare because brock has been out of town the majority of the time the past 2 weeks. Rough.  I miss him so much when he has to be gone for work. 

  okay subject change:

 in 2006 I ran leadville trail marathon for the first time. While I was running, I met THE NICEST lady from Georgia who was just AWESOME. very strong athlete.  We ran about 10 miles of the marathon together. Her name is Belinda. Well, that race i ran with a disposable film camera and took pictures. When Belinda and I reached the summit. She was nice enough to take my picture, THEN I made her get beside the flag to take hers.. and she asked "why?" and I told her I would get the picture to her...

   WELL... I kinda lost the camera after I got home, and I kept hoping I would somehow run into Belinda at another marathon or trail race,  and even when I ran leadville this year, i was hoping and hoping she would be there. :o(   she wasn't.

Guess what??   I was fall cleaning in Jack's room this past weekend and I decided to go through his toy box and get rid of any broken toys or cheapo happy meal toys and junk and what did I find? THE CAMERA!! I wondered to myself: could this possibly be the same disposable camera I ran with at leadville??? So I took it to ritz and had it developed, and IT WAS!! The pictures ended up being pretty awesome.. I was in GOOD shape then. I truly hope to get back there soon!! ( life and family responsibilities  has just kinda stood in the way of making time to train the way I used to)

 anyways, I looked up Belinda's name on white pages.. got her number, left a message on her voice mail, and this evening she called back!!! It was SO awesome talking to her again! She ran pikes peak this past summer!! and had actually looked for me through state of franklin track clb, but they didn't have my contact info.  I got all her contact info now, and her picture of her standing 14,000 ft above sea level is now in the mail!! 

So that is awesome I was finally able to come through and get that to her!  We are going to try to plan to run some marathons together next summer!! I really am so looking forward to it because she is just so much fun to run with, and had such a wonderful time talking to her during leadville.

 here are the two pictures from the little crappy film throw way camera!!!

happy first day of fall!

hey I hope everyone is having a great fall equinox! (11:44am) summer comes to a close and it officially becomes fall Hooray!!:o)

here are some of my favorite things about fall:

1. running on cool, crisp fall mornings.. or even frosty late fall mornings! love it!

2. all the pretty leaves! and looking at the mtns! and even just the SMELL of fallen leaves on the creeper trail. 

3.  drinking hot apple cider, apple pie, just eating apples in general. ( nutmeg, ginger, cloves all remind me of fall too)

4. wearing jeans and hooded sweatshirts

5.  fall marathons!!!:o)

 I really hope you guys have a great day today! it's afresh new beginning/new season and I can't wait!

take care!

jenny:o)

sorry it's been so long since my last post!  Things have been fairly busy around here.   Today I just wanted to share a couple of books I find I use every single day! I love reference books!

First I read these Intellectual devotionals every morning: I read both the US History ( love history and the general one.  it kinda just gives my brain a boost, and something to reflect upon while I'm driving jack to school. 

Another book  I love just leafing through, and if I have a question on ANYTHING is the NY times Essential Guide to Knowledge

That book is SO freakin cool. If you are ever just roaming around a bookstore, go to the reference section and check it out, you will see what I mean.  oh if only I knew about this book when I was in high school, I would of been UNSTOPPABLE at model UN!!:o)

and lastly COOKING! I love to cook.  I love GOOD food. I happily and readily admit I listen to "the splendid table" every sunday and podcast it when I miss it.  Williams and Sanoma and Sur la Table are my favorite stores!  I love going to all the little gourmet wine and cheese shops in bristol and abingdon. SO the end of the day when i am preparing my evening meal, I ALWAYS end up looking at 2 books: JOY OF COOKING 

and the FOOD LOVERS COMPANION

well, I know this isn't that much of a post, but I just kinda wanted to share that because although, I read many books through out the year, the past several months ( years for JOY) those books have become a big part of my everyday life.. which I don't know if it's good, or just means I'm incredibly boring:o)

 the picture is one I took of a rainbow last week in my back yard.  It really reminded me of my cousin Amy who has a very entertaining blog I have listed in my "commonly read blogs" section. if you haven't already, CHECK IT OUT!  I love to read about her musings and adventures!

Cheers yall!:o)

what would it be like to live a century?

 I have been asking myself that lately. My grandmother is celebrating her 100th birthday on Saturday.  I am in awe of the "longevity gene" that runs on my mothers side of the family. My grandmother's mother lived to be 108.  I remember attending her 100th birthday party when i was a little girl. It was quite a large event, and here 26 years later her daughter, is celebrating her 100th birthday. wow. 

My grandmother has seen so many changes through out her lifetime, and so many historical events that occured through out the 20th century, it actually blows my mind how she can recount these events and give me her perspective on them through her eyes. She experienced many moments of sheer joy and happiness, and also moments of shattering heartbreak and toiled very hard many years while she raised her family of 11 children.  I asked her if she had any advice for me on how to "make it" through life. She told me to always trust in the Lord, not in people( because they can often disappoint you), and to be able to adapt and deal with change because that is what life is all about. Life is always in motion and always changing. So even when terrible events occur, it's important to just keep going, even when it's hard, even when it's the last thing you want to do, you have to "keep on going". 

such sound advice, from such a spectacular lady. 

  I had the pleasure of living with my grandmother for a summer after I graduated from college in 2001. It was such a positive experience for me to get to know her as a person. She taught me so many things. I am so appreciative to her for teaching me to make gravy, cornbread in a cast iron skillet. She taught me how to make biscuits and fry chicken. We tacked together several quilts that summer.  That summer although it wasn't that exciting to be living day in and day out up in a holler in buchanan co, va. probably taught me more about life in general, than a semester of college. It was time well spent, and an experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.

Happy Birthday Mamaw!! I Love you!

 the picture is one of a sunrise I took this weekend with my new Nikon D60.  I REALLY am starting to like this camera. 

busy week!

 This week has flown by! my oldest started preschool!! AW! It has gone very well. He loves school, and has made all sorts of new little friends. 

The weekend is almost here! HORRAY!  I am planning on going to boone, NC tomorrow. I am so excited. Boone is one of my favorite places to go visit! I love just walking down king st and looking at all the shops. There is a great health foodstore/supermarket, I always go to. Then I always have a delicious lunch either at Melanie's Food Fantasy or Black Cat Burrito. 

 I just love the hustle and bustle of this little mtn college town. There are always many cool things going on!

Saturday, I plan to go on a long run in Damascus, Va. Jump up on the AT for a little off of the creeper trail.  I will bring my camera and take some pictures,and post them on here. 

cheers yall!

May the Force be with you...

Hey! I am having a pretty good weekend so far! I got up this morning and went to the Martha Washington Inn for a deep tissue massage. NICE!!  I literally fell asleep on the table. Then I went to the farmer's market in abingdon. (which was awesome) and one of my favorite gourmet/wine shoppes: Wines of Distinction (also in abingdon) I picked up some cheese, pasta , capers, and some other ingredients for the dinner I had planned. Then I went to "the shouting sprout" health food store in Bristol.  I was somewhat enjoying my new found freedom of navigating the tri-cities sans enfants, when my blackberry started ringing and text messages started coming in all from brock wanting to know when ( if ever) I was planning to return to resume caring for our children. ( I think I learned today 3 hours alone with the kids without me there is about all brock can take:o) SO I returned home, and we took the kids to one of Jack's friends birthday party!! It was So much fun, it was Star Wars themed. Jack dressed up like obi-one and little Todd was dressed as Yoda. So many other kids dressed up too. my personal favorite: this one kid who was like 9 dressed up like boba Fette, and let me tell you this kid made such a great impression on me. He KNEW his stuff!!  I had this 20 min conversation with him how boba fett was my favorite bounty hunter, and how he was cloned from his dad janga fett. and he KNEW it already..( this is star wars stuff that isn't really in the movie but in the books.. and this little 4th grader was VERY knowledgeable!) SO CUTE!!

after the party, I came home and prepared a wonderful dinner of chicken Parmesan. ( all made from scratch except for the pasta itself that I had gotten earlier that day from the wine shop)

 it was SO yummy.  ended the evening hanging out with Brock and the kids on the back porch. sipping espresso watching the sun set.

well, I will post more later. Happy Labor day weekend!!!

completely rough day

 man alive! today was a BEAR of a day.  I am so exhausted I don't know if I can even recount the random events of today!

 it was one of those "when it rains, it pours" type days.

 I had to take my oldest son to get a school physical for preschool ( and had to take the baby with us because I didn't have any childcare) I went to go start the car, and the battery was dead. So then I hopped in my beamer that I had parked in the garage ( to keep it nice and clean) and DING! DING!  a steering malfunction light came on and the "service engine soon" light came on.  I kept it started but was very sketched out about even driving it with my two children with me. Brock is 350 miles away in west VA. USELESS!! THE AGONY! 

 I decided to proceed to the dr's office, on the way there I called the bmw dealership, to see if I could get a loaner and drop the car off because I didn't have anyone to follow me there and take me home.  and They didn't have any loaners or so they said. GRRR. just great. oh, and my mini cooper, it was never an option because it had a flat on the rear passenger tire and I knew it. So three cars and something wrong with each one of them!! why???

but when I thought things couldnt get any worse, and I was just ready to SCREAM!

After the Dr. visit ( which did go surprisingly smooth even though I had to drag two kids in there) The dealership called and someone DID bring in a loaner and it would be ready for me after lunch. That took care of one car. 

 I got a hold of my mom and dad who were EXTREMELY nice enough to drive an hour one way to come to my rescue. Dad helped me hook up the charger to the battery, and then we got out the air compressor and filled the mini tire with air and gauged all of the other tires while we were there. 

SOOO that took care of the other cars. SO THANKS mom and dad!!  I so would do that for my kids too:o)

 I went from NO reliable transportation back to three( although actually my beamer is still being worked on)

So I guess all s well that ends well.  I just hope tomorrow is WAY more calmer.  It wouldn't of been half as stressful, had it not been for the fact on top of dealing with all the automotive issues, I had two little kids depending on me to take care of them. it was just difficult to juggle it all. 

 well, good night yall! I am beat! here is hoping tomorrow will be a MUCH better, brighter day!