2013 has been a great year. Feel so truly blessed for so many different reasons. I did my last run of 2013 earlier today and just finished my last book/read of 2013- excellent book- "The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. I look forward to writing recaps of my reading and running of 2013, but for now I keep it simple and short.
Happy New Year- totally loving life and looking forward to making this an upcoming phenomenal year!
Chattynatty: Reading, Recreation and Real Life
Netgalley
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Thursday, December 19, 2013
6 days to Xmas!
I'm ready. I am like a kid. I love Christmas.
I get that excitement that, if I weren't a tired mom/wife/professional, I'd likely not be able to fall asleep due to the anticipation. I love Christmas so I thought what better time to write my reasons for loving the season- so in no particular order here they are:
1. Hanging ornaments on the tree and reliving memories that come with those memories
2. Christmas cookie baking and eating
3. Pulling out the kid's Xmas books for bedtime reading
4. Xmas movies- Holiday Inn, White Christmas, The Bishop's Wife, the Holiday, Love Actually, Family Stone
5. Christmas Eve service when they lower the lights and you hold your candle (aka light stick now), and sing Silent Night
6.Chtistmas music24/7
7. Seeing the look on someone's face Xmas morning when they get that perfect gift
8. Getting xmas cards in the mail
9. Hearing that story- you know the one husband and wife travel to Bethlehem and the search for shelter and of course the end product of a baby in a manger
10. Another excuse to have friends over and eat/drink and be merry
11. Stockings- loved them as kid and big surprise still love it as a big kid
12. Family - it not mattering whose house or what state we are in- just together
What's on your list? Happy Holidays!
I get that excitement that, if I weren't a tired mom/wife/professional, I'd likely not be able to fall asleep due to the anticipation. I love Christmas so I thought what better time to write my reasons for loving the season- so in no particular order here they are:
1. Hanging ornaments on the tree and reliving memories that come with those memories
2. Christmas cookie baking and eating
3. Pulling out the kid's Xmas books for bedtime reading
4. Xmas movies- Holiday Inn, White Christmas, The Bishop's Wife, the Holiday, Love Actually, Family Stone
5. Christmas Eve service when they lower the lights and you hold your candle (aka light stick now), and sing Silent Night
6.Chtistmas music24/7
7. Seeing the look on someone's face Xmas morning when they get that perfect gift
8. Getting xmas cards in the mail
9. Hearing that story- you know the one husband and wife travel to Bethlehem and the search for shelter and of course the end product of a baby in a manger
10. Another excuse to have friends over and eat/drink and be merry
11. Stockings- loved them as kid and big surprise still love it as a big kid
12. Family - it not mattering whose house or what state we are in- just together
What's on your list? Happy Holidays!
Sunday, December 15, 2013
November Reads
This is even later than my running post for November. I think with the move I just told my self that I had to "focus" on the task at hand and couldn't do my multi- project/ideas/thinking while moving. So now it is mid December and I'm finally getting around to writing about what I read in November- again no particular order.
"Maisie Dobbs" by Jacqueline Winspear This was the book club book and I thought it was O.K. It was suppose to be a mystery, but I didn't feel like the mystery started until the last 1/4 of the book. The first part read more like a novel and I enjoyed it, but I kept on thinking "when is this mystery going to start". Some of the bookies liked it so much they went on to read others in this series- don't know that I will be traveling that path.
"How the Light Gets In"- 9th of the Inspector Armand Gamache books by Louise Penny. I love these books, so much, that I really get sad when they end. The mysteries are great, characters are real, and the relationships believable. Read the first and keep on going in the series- you won't regret it.
"Just Grace" by Charise Harper. I've been trying to read some beginner chapter books with son and daughter (daughter wants to learn to read so badly like her big brother). We picked this one because the 2nd Ivy and Bean was out. It was good and funny and enjoyable. It is a series and we already have picked up the next one.
"Ivy and Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go" by Annie Barrows. This is the 2nd one and it was great. Kids and I really enjoyed reading it. Looking forward to the series. It has been good book for my kids- two different ages/grades.
So keeping it short- I need to get reading my current book. It is a good one, but I'm kind of stalling because the plight of the protagonist is going in the wrong direction and I'm kind of scared to find out what is going to happen to her.
"Maisie Dobbs" by Jacqueline Winspear This was the book club book and I thought it was O.K. It was suppose to be a mystery, but I didn't feel like the mystery started until the last 1/4 of the book. The first part read more like a novel and I enjoyed it, but I kept on thinking "when is this mystery going to start". Some of the bookies liked it so much they went on to read others in this series- don't know that I will be traveling that path.
"How the Light Gets In"- 9th of the Inspector Armand Gamache books by Louise Penny. I love these books, so much, that I really get sad when they end. The mysteries are great, characters are real, and the relationships believable. Read the first and keep on going in the series- you won't regret it.
"Just Grace" by Charise Harper. I've been trying to read some beginner chapter books with son and daughter (daughter wants to learn to read so badly like her big brother). We picked this one because the 2nd Ivy and Bean was out. It was good and funny and enjoyable. It is a series and we already have picked up the next one.
"Ivy and Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go" by Annie Barrows. This is the 2nd one and it was great. Kids and I really enjoyed reading it. Looking forward to the series. It has been good book for my kids- two different ages/grades.
So keeping it short- I need to get reading my current book. It is a good one, but I'm kind of stalling because the plight of the protagonist is going in the wrong direction and I'm kind of scared to find out what is going to happen to her.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
November Running
Yep- you read it right- it is almost middle of December and I'm just now getting to posting about my fitness for November. I totally have Xmas Brain so I'm likely forgetting something I wanted to write in this post
My total mileage for November- 40 mi. My year to date miles 733 mi.
I ran 11 times in the month of November.
I did weights 7 days.
I swam 2 and spun 2.
So lower mileage, but pretty active overall. I always seem to struggle to find that "balance" in a lot of things in life, and why should running/fitness be any different? I want to keep up the mileage and yet also do all the other cross training and I just can't seem to put that package together.
I started a new Jamie Eason's LiveFit 12 week trainer. However, I'm not sticking directly to it, because as the weeks increase your days of lifting increase and I want to stay running, swimming and spinning. So I have been through the first 3 weeks and after December will return to week 4 (maybe). No I didn't completely fall off the weight training band wagon for December, instead I'm doing my own 30 day challenge in December- 1 mile or more running daily and 30 Day Challenge
(below is the excerpt from their facebook page). On Wednesday I run 2 or more miles due to my own challenge of 1 mile/day during Dec and their Wed "move a mile challenge". I've really liked it and it is doable! I don't do all 100 push ups at the same time. I spread them out during the day and I also do "women" push ups, because regular ones and me aren't compatible yet (aka not strong enough to do several multiple ones). Here is the Facebook page title: 30 Day Total Body Challenge--2013 Round Up!!
My total mileage for November- 40 mi. My year to date miles 733 mi.
I ran 11 times in the month of November.
I did weights 7 days.
I swam 2 and spun 2.
So lower mileage, but pretty active overall. I always seem to struggle to find that "balance" in a lot of things in life, and why should running/fitness be any different? I want to keep up the mileage and yet also do all the other cross training and I just can't seem to put that package together.
I started a new Jamie Eason's LiveFit 12 week trainer. However, I'm not sticking directly to it, because as the weeks increase your days of lifting increase and I want to stay running, swimming and spinning. So I have been through the first 3 weeks and after December will return to week 4 (maybe). No I didn't completely fall off the weight training band wagon for December, instead I'm doing my own 30 day challenge in December- 1 mile or more running daily and 30 Day Challenge
(below is the excerpt from their facebook page). On Wednesday I run 2 or more miles due to my own challenge of 1 mile/day during Dec and their Wed "move a mile challenge". I've really liked it and it is doable! I don't do all 100 push ups at the same time. I spread them out during the day and I also do "women" push ups, because regular ones and me aren't compatible yet (aka not strong enough to do several multiple ones). Here is the Facebook page title: 30 Day Total Body Challenge--2013 Round Up!!
Welcome to the 30-Day Challenge Series Full Body Challenge!
It's a round up of all the fitness challenges we've done in 2013! Stay tuned for a detailed post with links to all the challenges for refreshers on what each of these moves are and see below for the quick reference cheat sheet for how this will all go down.
Sunday Push-Up Challenge...
--100 Push-Ups anywhere, anyway, as many sets as you need.
Monday Abs Challenge
--20 Crunches, 20 Bicycle Crunches, 20 Scissor Kicks, 20 Leg Raise, 20 Hip Extensions
Tuesday Lunge Challenge
--30 Forward Lunges (15 each leg), 40 Side Lunges (20 each leg ) 30 Reverse Lunges (15 each leg)
Wednesday Move a Mile Challenge
--Run, Walk, Crawl, Bike, Skate, Ski. Just move a mile forward.
Thursday Arms Challenge
--50 Triceps Push-ups, 50 Triceps Dips
Friday Plank Challenge
--Hold Regular and Each Side Plank for as long as you can (Levels 1-4)
Saturday: Repeat, Rest, or Test
--Repeat: Your Favorite! Rest: If you need it! Test: Do them ALL for time
It's a round up of all the fitness challenges we've done in 2013! Stay tuned for a detailed post with links to all the challenges for refreshers on what each of these moves are and see below for the quick reference cheat sheet for how this will all go down.
Sunday Push-Up Challenge...
--100 Push-Ups anywhere, anyway, as many sets as you need.
Monday Abs Challenge
--20 Crunches, 20 Bicycle Crunches, 20 Scissor Kicks, 20 Leg Raise, 20 Hip Extensions
Tuesday Lunge Challenge
--30 Forward Lunges (15 each leg), 40 Side Lunges (20 each leg ) 30 Reverse Lunges (15 each leg)
Wednesday Move a Mile Challenge
--Run, Walk, Crawl, Bike, Skate, Ski. Just move a mile forward.
Thursday Arms Challenge
--50 Triceps Push-ups, 50 Triceps Dips
Friday Plank Challenge
--Hold Regular and Each Side Plank for as long as you can (Levels 1-4)
Saturday: Repeat, Rest, or Test
--Repeat: Your Favorite! Rest: If you need it! Test: Do them ALL for time
My favorite run of November was the FoodRun 5K. My son and I ran it together. He did Awesome! It was a beautiful Saturday morning in November. All proceeds went to the Food bank in our town- win/win run in my book.
I'm not running too long these days- my longest run in November was just under 6 miles. This always gets me down a little, because I feel like if I was a "real runner" I'd still be putting in a "long run" (8 or more) on the weekends, but at the same time it feels good to have a little break, but yet still be running.
I'm looking forward to winter break time to read up on Triathlons and figure out what races I'm going to do next year. Hope you are staying active despite the change in temps, if you are a Midwesterner. Happy Holidays and Happy Running, Crunching, Lunging, Push-Upping, Swimming, Spinning, Tricepping, and Planking (yeah I know some of these aren't really words- but they are for chattynatty).
Sunday, December 1, 2013
December 1st
We spent a great 4 days at home with our family. We tend to pack in the activities- 5K turkey trot walk/run, thanksgiving dinner- followed by games and fun, annual cookie baking day (we bake cookies for friends/family and donate to local food bank/shelter, shopping, watching football, and more family time :).
The time flies... And now hours away from bedtime and the start of a new work week. I like my job and have a very nice work schedule, but sometimes I just want "one more day" to regroup after holiday fun. I want 8 hours of uninterrupted "me time" while kids are at school to start whittling away at my to do list (which at this time of year seems to be even longer and more lofty than normal).
Alas, I will get up tomorrow and head to gym early to start my work week right. The days will fly by and before I know it I will be feeling the same way next Sunday.
So this Xmas/December,more than any other time of the year, I want to enjoy the present and not look far ahead and miss out "on the most wonderful time of the year".
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