Merry Christmas!

Shhhhhh, I am quietly waiting for my youngest to wake up and start the ruckus!  She promised my teens that she would let them sleep until 7:30.  I am savoring the peace until then.  Once that time arrives a busy day will be heralded in.  Opening Santa gifts, breakfast together, slip in a quick workout, and then off to the in-laws for the day.  AND I am hoping to see Les Miserables tonight!!!
I have some favorite pictures to share from the last week:
Winter Solstice Run with friends

A view on a recent morning run

For some reason, every pic I have of Errin she is making goofy faces!  Hope it is just a stage!

My very adorable nephew!

Macey - I am holding tight because I don't want her to leave me for college next year!!

Kellen, Errin, and my niece, Solveig.  We all wear our pjs for the celebration!

My beautiful sisters

My nephew and I strike a pose after "Just Dance."  Little did we know we were getting photo-bombed!

Kellen and Macey

"Snowlympics 2012"
Snowglobe Trotters

Winter Warriors

What???

 Favorite moment but not recorded in photos - Christmas Eve service at church.  I cry every time! The music, the closeness, the family blessing.  My mind wanders to those who are in need, who have lost someone special, who have had hardship. I reflect on how fortunate I have been - healthy and happy children, a career I love, friends.  This year was good for my family, but much sadness surrounds this holiday.  I pray for peace for EVERYONE!

 Wishing you a very blessed Christmas!

Brooks!!!!

Hooray!!!  I recently found out that I have been invited to be a part of the 2013 Brooks Inspire Daily program!!!  I am so excited for many reasons!!  One - I love my Brooks shoes!!!!!  Two- I really do try to embody their slogan "Run Happy!"  And three - I am super excited to get to know many of the bloggers who are part of the program, too!!!  I can't wait to see what wonderful opportunities this brings!!

We had a little fun at our morning Body Pump Class!!  Tutu Tuesday!!!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Seventeen degrees, "real feel" temp- 6 degrees.  Icy roads, a new layer of snow.  Wind blowing in bitter gusts. Icicles on eyelashes. Frosty buns.
Trees glistening in the morning sun.  A deer bounding on the path ahead of me, a hawk gliding overhead.  Breaths suspended in frosty puffs.  Silence except for the shuffle of my shoes.
I have to admit (but not too loudly) that I love winter running.  I can't wait for the sun to come up so I can get out on the trails.  I love dressing in layers and shedding them as I warm up.  I love being the crazy one that the treadmill runners roll their eyes at, a winter warrior!  I love the clicks my screw shoes make when my path changes from snow to pavement. I love the bright colored clothes in contrast to the white and black landscape! I love the hot showers that follow. I love the way I sleep after a cold run.
Favorite winter gear?  My screw shoes!!  A must-have for safe running!
How to Make Screw Shoes

We have a "shoe limit" at our house - only one pair allowed at the door.  Clearly, this weekend's changing weather (rain, slush, snow) helped me to exceed MY limit!

One more thought on winter running - I need some help coming up with ideas for a winter solstice run that I want to organize for our running club.  I thought we could run at sunset with headlamps and end with a fire.  Any ideas on inexpensive ideas that would make it a fun event?

Bonus Time!

Our school district declared a 2 hour late start due to the weekend's snowfall!!!!

Wahoo!!! Being a teacher, that means I have just gained extra time at home!!!  I was already dressed and ready to head out the door when my daughter texted me (from downstairs) asking me to take off my boots.  They were too loud.  Just to bug her a little I did a tap dance.  Then she texted me to say she was still sleeping because it was a late start.  OOPS!

One reading and eating a candy cane at 7a.m....

One watching TV...

And one in bed - never disturb a teenager who is sleeping!

So now what should I do?  I am tempted to do a workout but am already showered and dressed for school.  My house is already clean (mad cleaning day yesterday!!)  I could catch up on some correcting, but I am against doing anything school-related on snow days!!  :)  So, I think I will finally decorate the house, make some ornaments, and maybe watch a little morning TV.  Even as an adult I love snow days!

What do you do when you find yourself with a rare block of free time?

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

     Sometimes I am an envious person.  I read so many blogs and look at all the great pics of places where you run - mountain trails, seaside boardwalks, canopied forests.  Absolutely beautiful!  I live in a part of MN where the greatest distinction of landscapes is where soybean fields turn to cornfields.  But just when I start to feel whiny something happens - a season changes and I remember how lucky I am to be a runner in the Midwest.  I get to experience the first growth of green in the spring, the oppressive heat of summer that soaks you in perspiration and celebration, the explosion of color when the leaves of autumn begin to fall.  And best of all, I get to run inside a snowglobe.

Perfect Night

Tonight I ran with a group of friends through this

and this

while it was doing thisLoved it!

LOL!!

I don't usually post two days in a row but I had to share this story!  I am still laughing about it.  Last night I went to the local grocery story wearing what I normally wear - running clothes.  (I run, shower, and put clean ones back on!!  Favorite clothes to wear!)  When I was in the checkout line the man behind me started up this conversation:

Man:  You a runner?
Me:  Uuuuh, yep!  (was the stocking cap and tights a dead give-away?)
Man:  I can tell.  You have that muscle in the back of your leg.
Me:  Oh.  (ummmmm, ok?)
Man:  I used to be a runner in Ethiopia.  You know Ethiopian runners?
Me:  Oh yeah?  Cool!
(uncomfortable pause)
Me:  What was your event?
Man: A very fast 1500.
Me:  Do you still run?
Man: (as he pats his large belly) Not any more.
(very uncomfortable pause)
Man: I would like to.  I need a very good coach. (and then he winked at me!!)
(very, VERY uncomfortable pause)
Me:  (stammering) Well, uh, there is a group that meets uh every Saturday at the Y.  You could uh run with them.
Man:  No, I wish to have just one coach. (another wink)
Me:  Well, I hope that you find one!
Then I started to push my cart away.
Man:  Excuse me, you forgot your groceries.
(what????)
Man:  Thank you for your visit.

I walked out of the store quietly giggling to myself- seriously!  I don't know if it was because I was so easily flustered by being "hit on" or that he recognized me as a runner because I LOOKED LIKE A RUNNER!!!!!!

I find that when I am wearing running clothes in public places I am often approached by people wanting to tell their stories or ask advice about running. I think that is pretty cool and I love to talk running!!

Joy to the World!!!

I was very excited to read about the new Brooks Pure Flow models in brand new colors!  I am so excited because I love my Pure Flows and have worn them out!  I have been waiting to get some new ones, you know, add them to my Christmas list.  But now I am going to wait until the new colors are out!!!  Now which color to choose?

I can still find my favorite summer foods in the store and now they look like Christmas foods!!!

My new massage therapist.  I have been dealing with what I thought was a hamstring issue for about three months.  A friend of mine who does many endurance evens told me about this therapist.  Her technique is called "clinical massage."  It is NOT a fluffy feel- good massage at all.  She focuses just on the muscles that are giving me problems.  Ic an't really describe what it is that she does except that it feels like she is holding the muscles and then releasing it.  I am sure it is much more complex that that!!  All I know is that it is giving me relief.  All my runs have felt pretty good for the past two weeks -- up until today.  That's another story!

Online shopping - need I say more?  I do love going to the mall at this time of the year though! I love the feeling, the decorations, the music,

Time with my family!  This time of year magically opens up our schedules and we find more time to be together.  That is actually a pretty big feat!  I have kids in basketball, dance, dance team, and academic teams.  My husband and I both work two jobs.  So to find time together is nothing short of a miracle,  We love decorating the house together and BAKING!!!!!  Every weekend we try to make two or three different treats.  Here is the catch though - my kids would rather share the treats with neighbors than eat them!!!  (I stash a few in the freezer)

What is your joy?