Christmas is coming. :)

3 more days of work, then two weeks off.... I couldn't be happier. :)

1. Travis' littlest bro came down to visit for Thanksgiving. That was a very nice weekend filled with: tons of cooking/baking, eating, going out for beverage (he's newly 21), visiting the Nelson-Atkins Meusuem of Art (and using the headphone guides), a little Black Friday shopping, a new fake Christmas tree, and putting up Christmas decorations. It was great to have Phillip visit, and we did a lot of fun things. I enjoyed hosting.

2. As noted in #1, I made a lot of food for Thanksgiving. Here are some of the included recipes:

Chocolate Cream Pie  - AMAZING!
Cornbread & Sausage Dressing - delicious, although highly involved to make

3. Since the last post, I ran another half marathon. I ran the Gobbler Grind half, which was the first race Travis has not watched me at (which is why it was not my best). Travis was in South Dakota hunting with his dad for the weekend, while I went to run the final half of the season with Lauren. It was way too busy and there wasn't nearly enough post-race food or beverage. Overall it was a disappointment, but you never feel bad after running 13.1 miles, which is why I went out for breakfast afterward. :)

4. Travis has now run with me enough times that I am checking it off the list! He has also committed to running the Brew to Brew race (44 miles in a team effort) in April, he will be running at least 3.3 miles then. :) It makes me so happy when he runs with me.

5. I have sucked at taking pictures, reading books, and having girl's nights. I will work on improving.

Until then... Merry Christmas!

Michigan brought the Fall with them...

So, what has happened in the past month (I have to check my GoogleCalendar to see the recap of my life):

1) We went to see Saved! the musical at KC Rep Theatre! I thought it was really good and funny, but my fellow show goers thought it was "eh." Mark & Julie had seen the movie and said it didn't live up to the movie, and Travis was just "eh." I think part of it was because it was a Rep production the cast was small and so was the set, so there was no wow factor. However, I highly enjoyed it. Thus completing #49 for yet another time this year.

2) We did our 5k with the Tomahawk Trailblazin' Runners club! It was fantastic! It was great weather, and we had nearly 60 students, parents, and staff from Tomahawk participate. It is so great to see kids get excited about running. I LOVE this part of my job. :)

3)  I ran the KC Half Marathon, in personal half marathon record time. It was once again lovely running weather and I finished in 1:54:49. I was very proud of my time and felt very happy the rest of the weekend. Travis and I celebrated with a delicious brunch at the City Diner. Thus beginning completion of #2.

4) We have been ridiculously busy with things with the church. This month has included a continuing Young Adults Book Study, a new 32 week Bible study (not my favorite so far), and running the silent auction at the Community Treasures church event. Needless to say, I've been keeping up on #17.

5) Last weekend Travis' parents and aunt & uncle visited us in KC. They spent 10-11 hours crammed in a pick up just to haul their motorcycles all the way down here to ride with us! The original plan was to do an overnight trip to the Lake of the Ozarks, but with a high chance of rain, we decided to do day trips around KC. It worked out very well. The first day we went up to Weston where we got $0.25 shots of delicious flavored things, such as: Tequila Strawberry Rose, Double Chocolate Vodka, Concord Grape Vodka, Eggnog, Peach Margarita, etc. Then we made our way through Atchinson and down to Lawrence (where KU is). The second day we went through teeny-tiny towns all the way up to Osbourn, where none other than the Shatto Farm is! Leading me to...

6) Visited the Shatto Farm! This is an amazing little local dairy farm that is marketing genius. I have been wanting to visit for awhile, and this was the perfect motorcycle stop (other than the fact that we couldn't transport milk back home)! While there I milked a cow, which was much easier than expected by the way. We also were given a tour and samples of all their milk, including: banana, strawberry, orange dream, root beer, chocolate, egg nog, and pumpkin spice egg nog. Mind you, I don't ever just drink milk, but I would this! And my favorites were root beer (yes, it tastes like a root beer float!) and banana (I don't even like bananas!). My least favorite was actually chocolate, if you can believe it. It was a fantastic stop and just re-affirmed my love for Shatto. :) You will love them too, one of their ice cream containers reads: "I scream, You scream, The police come, It's awkward" You can't get better than milk, cheese, cows, country and a saying like that. :) Thus, I have completed both #44 and #45.

7) Hence the title of this post... ever since the company from Michigan visited, it has been noticebly fall like weather. Fall has arrived. I have mixed feelings on this.

8) This past weekend I ran another half marathon in Warrensburg, MO with my faithful friend Lauren. It's a small town race in the middle of MO, and we were expecting a mostly flat couse. Well, it was almost all hills, rolling hills. It was probably the hardest half marathon course I have ever done. There were lots of aid stations, but not volunteers at every turn, which resulted in Lauren getting lost on the course, running at least an extra mile. It was also windy. All in all, it wasn't the best and I didn't get a personal record like I was hoping. However, I did get second in my age group (although I have nothing to show for it - no awards, no finisher's medal even!), so I was happy over all, finishing with a time of 1:56:40. Thus, I have completed #13. Oh, and Scott came to watch me! And afterwards we went out for a spectacular brunch at Eggtc. It was delicious!

9) I have made all kinds of delicious things this past month. But one worth noting in particular is Banana Peanut Butter Granola. Delicious! Thank you again http://www.annies-eats.com/!

10) And this month, I am thankful for a warm place to sleep, living where it isn't currently snowing (as in MI), and blankets in which to cuddle.

As requested... another picture of the new paint (and curtains now!) in the dining area.

October is here!

October has officially arrived! Everyone seems to love October, and it is a great month. Filled with plesant weather - perfect for running, delicious fall foods, and the desire to savor every last minute of outdoor time. I am beginning to realize I am also a big fan of October.

So as of late:

We went back to Michigan for my mother-in-law's 50th birthday party. It was a huge surprise. No one knew we were coming, and I think it was a successful weekend. We got to see Justin & Kelsey's house in progress, so that was pretty cool. They are going to have a great place! We also stopped on the way and had lunch with Dave & Julie in Normal (check off the list!). We had delicious chicken salad (prepared by Dave) and enjoyed seeing their place there. The trip was not without drama, as right before making it to their house, Avery successfully locked us out of the car while it was running with all keys inside. :) But, we got in without spending hundreds of dollars or several hours. Thanks Avery!

I have been a cooking fiend lately! Trying several new recipes including: Spicy Shredded Pork, Shredded Chicken Tacos, Homemade Salsa, Pollo Rosa Maria, and Cherry Coke Cupcakes.

 Cherry Coke Cupcakes

They have all been delicious! I am thoroughly enjoying this new found hobby and I believe we are eating great!

We have been painting like crazy! We also got a new rug, pillow, and new curtains are being made as we speak! I am successfully beginning the transformation of my home decor. :) Gift certificates to World Market or Pier 1 for Christmas please. :)

We have started a young adults book study at church, and a 30 week intense Bible study. While this is a big time committment, I am excited about the opportunity for relationships with others and the opportunity to grow through this study. 

Last night we made it out to another Royals game, and the Royals won! This weekend looks like it is going to hold some gorgeous weather. Possibly some apple picking (and following apple baking/cooking) in our near future. Two weeks until my first half marathon of the fall! Oh, and I find out if I've been accepted to the London Marathon next week!!!! I am so excited to hear and will post when I find out. Until then....

Long Awaited Return

I'm back. I'm back, and I'm busy!

I apologize for the great delay in posting. I have been very busy with work lately, and outside of work too!

7- Not sure if I already posted about this, but I think I can officially "like" salad! I had one the other day that was delicious: spring mix, Gorgonzola, grapes, golden raisins, apples, and a vinaigrette.

11 - I have found a great breakfast option: Smoothies. I make them with either frozen or fresh fruit (strawberries, mixed berries, blueberries, pineapple, etc.) then I mix with either banana or yogurt to thicken and milk. (I know Gina, you think this isn't a smoothie, but I don't care.) It is delicious, healthy, and portable!  I like to drive to work thinking about all the fruit I am eating in a delicious smoothie form!

25 - On Avery's birthday (yes, she has a birthday, and yes, we forgot to get her a present) we went to the park for a family picnic. We packed up our awesome picnic backpack (thanks Grandma!) and the grill and headed out for a beautiful evening! We had burgers on the grill, salad and pineapple. Avery played, and enjoyed time chasing her ball. I think she had a good birthday, and we really enjoyed the little trip. Would really like to do it more often!

We also had our anniversary last month.We enjoyed dinner out, a long motorcycle ride through/to Atichison, Parkville, and Weston, and Travis even bought me flowers!

Monthly and weekly to-do's are going well, and I've been improving on reading the news article one.

All items relating to cooking have been going spectacularly thanks to Annie's Eats, this food blog Gina shared with me! I have tried several new recipes this month, but here are the ones I got pictures of:

 Chicken Enchiladas and Mexican Rice

Chocolate Kahlua Cupcakes

And here is the recipe for the best pork loin Travis or I have ever had! Island Spice Pork Tenderloin

Other exciting news: Travis has finished his last class for his MBA! He is now officially a Master! We just have to wait until December for the graduation ceremony.

I'll be back sooner next month... or so I hope! :)

Florida!

My recent trip to Florida helped me cross several items off my list!

31 - Go para sailing! We went down to Key West with David & Gina for four days and spent one day doing a large amount of water sports, one of which was para sailing! Since David refused to go, Gina, Travis, and I went as a triple. This meant we got a bit higher than the other pairs. It was really fun and not at all "adventurous" or scary. The transitions of taking off and landing were incredibly smooth, and it was very peaceful and beautiful from the top! I would definitely do it again!

32 - Go snorkeling! On this same day, we went snorkeling on a barrier reef out in the keys. The trip out there made me slightly sea sick, but once I got in the water I was okay. There were hundreds of fish, and very beautiful ones. It was really fun. Unfortunately for David, he was wearing the mouth piece incorrectly until about one minute prior to being called in to leave. :) He was snorkeling, not snorkeling!

42 - Visit David & Gina's house in Sarasota! On our trip to Florida, we spent the majority of the time back at David & Gina's beautiful home. My favorite part is their high ceilings and their laniani for sitting and grilling. Gina has done a fabulous job decorating, and we have decided she will eventually be my interior decorator. :) They are very lucky to have such a beautiful place!

oh, Gina and I won at mini golf versus the boys :)

48 - Travel to Key West! Clearly, we went there as previously discussed. Other than the water sports day, we spent one day renting scooters and scootering around the island. Mid-day I decided I wanted my own scooter. :) I love scooters!

51 - Stay at a bed & breakfast! We stayed a the Old Town Manor Inn in Key West. Each couple had our own room, with a shared balcony. I have always been a bit weary of the B&B, as I sometimes feel like it's so small everyone knows what you're doing, or I feel weird eating in someone else's house. I have to say, this experience changed my mind! I thoroughly enjoyed the help provided my the hosts regarding things to do/places to go, the breakfast was a welcome treat, and the charm provided was exquisite! I would highly recommend B&B over a hotel any time!

83 - Clean all the baseboards! Before leaving for FL, I cleaned immensely! I even did all the baseboards. :)

62 - Try at least one new recipe/month! Recipe of the month (courtesy of Gina):
Turkey Florentine Meatballs
1 box frozen spinach (thawed)
1 1/3 pound ground turkey
3 garlic cloves
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 medium onion, chopped
salt & pepper
EVOO

Wring out spinach. Place turkey in bowl and add spinach, onion, garlic, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt & pepper. Mix together. Form 16 balls and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with EVOO. Roast about twenty minutes. Serve with any kind of sauce.
 
*This was delicious! I loved the spinach, and you can also make this recipe using oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs to remain gluten free! Thanks Gina!
 
19 - Run at least once/week! Running at least once a week is being maintained. In fact, I even ran twice with Gina while on vacation, and once on Key West. This I really enjoyed, as I felt I got to see parts of the area I wouldn't have otherwise (and we were able to stop and look at restaurant menus as needed). I think from now on I will make it a point to run at each place we vacation!

7 - Learn to like salads! This is going spectacularly! Yesterday I even ordered a salad from Panera for lunch. It was the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad. I can't say I was a huge fan, mainly due to the fact that the "apples" were dried apple chips. But I ate it, and am continuing on this road. I have a salad with me for lunch today. :)

10 - Wear sunscreen! Well, I did. A lot. And I still got super burnt in Key West. However, I maintain this was not my fault, it was the sun and the water. I am healing now and peeling now.

64 - Take more pictures! I did a great job on our vacation!

thanks for the memo about the model like pose Gina

In other news, I now also like eggs. Gina made some delicious ones with chorizo and cheese, and then the following weekend I ordered an omelet for breakfast! I am also back at work starting yesterday. I am not really sad about this. I had a great summer, and am actually looking forward to having a daily purpose again! :)

Mid July Update?

Since last post I have checked many items off my list:

#7 - I am beginning to like salads.
Which leads me to #62, my recipe of the month:

• baby spring lettuce mix
• walnuts
• feta cheese
• dried cranberries
• raspberry vinaigrette

I ate this last night, by choice, and enjoyed it. However, I'm still not a fan of "iceberg" lettuce. Not sure that will be changing.

#18 - Tomorrow will be my last day working my Saturday job. I called today to put in my two week notice. This means August 2010 will begin the "at least 6 months with only two jobs." I am looking forward to my Saturdays always being free!

#52 - Check

#53 - We were in Michigan for a week around 4th of July. We spent many a night at the beach and even went up to a cottage at Pentwater Lake (which connects to Lake Michigan). It was gorgeous weather, and we thoroughly enjoyed the trip. This provided us with the opportunity to swim in Lake Michigan, which was a remarkably warm 72 degrees. It was really, really great.

#54 - We tried to watch a couple sunsets, but usually it got cloudy right at the setting time. But it was still many enjoyable evenings at the lake.

That pier on the other side is where Travis and I got engaged almost 5 years ago!

#69 - I filed ALL the papers in the guest bedroom. This was a huge feat!

#70 - In conjunction with #69, I cleaned out the filing cabinet! Between these two tasks I spent an entire day sorting and shredding, resulting in at least 7 sacks of shredded paper. Phew. I was not looking forward to this, but it feels good to have it done. Now I just have to keep up the filing. :)

#90 - I wrote my times on all of my running medals, including that date and distance.

#93 - I am happy to say Avery is now out in our house every day, all day, even when I am not home. She is a total star. Oh, and she got stung by a bee in Michigan, but seemed to only be a little disturbed.

#99 - Travis' awesome Grandma Elzinga altered all of my clothes that no longer fit. I am happy to say, this gained me four dresses in my closet!

In Michigan, we had a memorial service for my Grandpa. It was a great day to celebrate a great man's successful life. He truly was and is an inspiration for his children and grandchildren. And ALL of the grandchildren made it back for this occasion. We also had a family wedding (same side of the family) the following weekend. It was very warm, but the site for the wedding and reception was beautiful. We had a great time with family, I only wish Matt & Jess could have been there for the wedding.

The groom and my beautiful Grandma Estella

The beautiful bride (my cousin) and her dad (my uncle)

The cousins photo, minus Dan and Matt this time

Our table mates and "the married cousins"

Also, congratulations to Travis' cousin Kelli and her husband Steve, who welcomed baby Brant James into the world on Tuesday, July 13th! Unfortunately, a few days after we left Michigan. :(

Less and one week and we will be in Florida! Woo hoo! Looking forward to another great trip to see great people. And, I get to check many things off my list there too. :) See you next month.

Check. Check. Check!

101 UPDATE

1)This month's new recipe:

Garlic-Roasted Chicken Breasts

Yield: 4 servings

Active Time: 15 min.

Total Time: 40 min.

Ingredients:

• 
  
  3 large garlic cloves
• 
  
  1 tsp dried oregano
• 
  
  Scant 1/2 tsp dried hot red-pepper flakes
• 
  
  2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
• 
  
  4 chicken breast halves (with skin & bone - optional, as noted by myself)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 tsp salt, then transfer to bowl. Stir in oregano, red-pepper flakes, oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cut a 2-inch-long pocket (about 1 1/2 inches deep) horizontally in side of each breast half and spread 1/2 tsp garlic mixture into each pocket. Coat chicken with remaining mixture. Roast chicken 20-25 minutes until just cooked through.

Here is a picture of my preparation of this dish, pre-roasting. I improvised to some degree. :) I used boneless-skinless chicken breasts (which made cutting the breast more difficult). I also don't own a garlic press, so I just had to chop. Despite these changes, this was an excellent dish, full of flavor. The garlic and red-pepper flakes left my lips tingling, and it was fabulous. It has officially been added to my favorites.

I also tried the following new recipes this month (without pictures, sadly): Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro, Caramelized Corn with Onions and Red Bell Peppers, and a Garlic-Lime-Beer marinade for pork loin. All of these recipes have been brought to you by one of the best iPhone Apps ever: Epicurious! It is free, and has thousands of search-able recipes (including a whole category of Gluten Free!). It has been a great addition, helping me have easy recipes on hand.

2) Weekly 101's have been going great. Below, I am dressed for our 4th wedding of the summer. I am loving my hair that evening! It could not have turned out better!

The running has been going well, although it continues to be exceptionally hot here. I am keeping up the 5:30AM runs, which makes me very tired. Luckily, I have afternoons off to nap if needed. :)

3) We went to a Royals game last Tuesday. It was a fabulous evening for a game, and we got to sit in the shade, which made it even more perfect. I had a great time with my friend Mary (back in town from being in Texas for months). The night included: excessive amounts of chicken fingers and fries, lots of doing the wave (and researching the wave: did you know the average audience wave moves at a rate of 22 ft/second and is approximately 15 seats wide at any given time?), catching free hot dogs, and almost winning an Evo (not really, but I like to think so).

4) I finished reading What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, by Haruki Murakami (a birthday gift from Gina). It was really good. It was so incredibly accurate to what runners actually think about, do, and work for. I highly suggest this book to any distance runner. It was inspiring, made me laugh, smile, and was entirely relate-able.

Here are some highlights that illustrate many of the same feelings I have had:

Around mile 23 of a marathon, he states, "I need a drink, but if I stopped here to drink some water I don't think I could get running again. I'm dying of thirst but lack the strength to even drink water anymore."

While running his first marathon, the author was thinking about how great a beer would be. Afterward, he did get that beer and summed it up this way, "It tastes fantastic, but not nearly as great a the beer I'd been imagining as I ran. Nothing in the real world is as beautiful as the illusions of a person about to lose consciousness." Haha!

This line sums up my feelings for running (granted, I am much younger than the author, although I like to think I'll still feel this way in 20 years): "Long-distance running (more or less, for better or worse) has molded me into the person I am today, and I'm hoping it will remain a part of my life for as long as possible. I'll be happy if running and I can grow old together."

5) I am thankful for summers off! Even though I am currently working summer school, I am aware of how lucky I am to have time off (and still get paid). It is great to have relaxing time, travel time, and not have to worry about vacation days during the summer. I am lucky to have a job that allows me all of these great opportunities! I will be rejoicing throughout the summer!

In non-101 related to news: this weekend we enjoyed two motorcycle rides (one in which we got caught in the rain/thunderstorm) totaling well over 100 miles, we now have functioning carports to park in, and we have a new track light in the kitchen. I suppose it's been a rather productive month!

The season of weddings and sweat.

Progress on 101 in 1001: (Note: due to some demanding readers and technical problems, I do not have as many photos as originally planned.)

1) I beat Gina in Words with Friends

2) Had a girl's night for Judith's bachelorette party. It was a great night that consisted of dinner at a seafood restaurant (which involved chicken for me :)), drinks at one of our favorite destinations, and topped off with some good dancing time! Judith enjoyed a surprise visit from her mom, and I met her niece Lillie for the first time (who is adorable). It was a great time all around!

3) Up to this point in the summer, we have attended three weddings, making it easy to stick to the dress/week item. We have three weddings remaining this summer, June, July and September.

Other updates:

Looking at the calendar, we have only 3 weekends in Kansas City the rest of the summer (by summer I mean until I start work again, August 2nd). That is crazy, we have a busy summer, but with lots of exciting events planned.

I recently booked our Bed & Breakfast in Key West for the end of July. This trip will cross many items off my list! :) I am looking forward to something so exciting.

Not much news in the running world. I'm still doing it, but feel like I have lost a lot of ground. As of now, I'm just trying to maintain, which is difficult due to the fact that the 90 degree days make me run at 5:30 AM, or not at all. :( For now, I'm sticking with 5:30AM.

Half Marathon PR

This weekend I ran the Runnning with the Cows Half Marathon in rural Bucyrus, KS. Lauren ran with me. Naturally, it was cold-ish and rainy the morning of. We had plans to leave around 6:15 AM. I awoke in a panic at 6:26 and immediately called Lauren. I got ready very quickly, but did not have time for a sufficient oatmeal breakfast as planned. Our official race taxi driver and supporter, Travis, drove us rapidly all the way out to 223rd street. (Props to Travis for coming out to support after a bachelor party, and only 4 hours of sleep.) Our arrival time was actually just perfect. We had time for a quick trip to the restroom, and not too much time to stand in the rain before the start.

It rained. And we ran, and ran. We saw running cows, cheering high schoolers, heard cow bells, had really annoying people running near us (whom we later passed in amazing victor), and saw people going to the bathroom in the wide open. Lauren and I split at about mile 8 and I kept her in my very close sights the rest of the way. The second half we really kicked it on and were passing people the whole way (which felt really amazing!). In the last 1.5 miles, Lauren passed our nemesis "man lady," and I rejoiced for her! About a half mile later, I passed man lady! We both beat man lady! And, I ran a personal record by almost 5 minutes. 5 minutes! Not only that, but Lauren and I both placed first in our age group! First! Overall, it was a huge celebration, here are the results. We celebrated our victory over man lady with a trip to the only Dunkin' Donuts within at least 100 miles, where we order 25 little munchkins and devoured them.

Oh, did I mention the finishers medal is a cow bell! Here we are post race, in the rain.

From here I proceeded to shower and re-warm myself, eat, and nap. Later in the day Judith and I went for a shopping spree (which was really that, a spree of about 6 hours of shopping). It was really great to have some girl time and buy some well fitting clothes. And we topped it off with a fabulous girl's night out, full of dancing and fun until the wee hours of the morning. It was a true slumber party weekend since Judith was staying at our place.

Lauren wants me to run another half with her in June, and I am considering. I'll keep you updated. This weekend we are off to MI yet again, for a family wedding this time. I am really looking forward to seeing so many fun people!

101 in 1001

So my great friend Gina made this list of 101 things she would like to accomplish in the next 1001 days. At first I thought it was another one of those silly "I'm bored, let me make a list" things that sometimes occur. But as she has been blogging monthly and crossing items off her list, it has started me thinking. What better way to actually accomplish those things you've been putting off or are too busy to do, than to make yourself accountable? So that is just what I'm going to do. I'm going to take my life in my own hands, and make my 101 in 1001 list. I will update on the list monthly. Here it goes....

Dates: May 18, 2010 through February 12, 2013

BODY
1. Run at least two marathons (completed 3/17/13)
2. Run at least four half marathons
3. Begin consistently using 12 pound weights at the gym
4. Drop a dress size
5. Stop eating food in the teacher's lounge
6. Buy gluten free flour and use it
7. Learn to like salads
8. Be better about actually eating Gluten Free
9. Split meals (or bring half home) when eating out
10. Wear sunscreen
11. Find a reliable healthy breakfast option
12. No soda for at least one month
13. Place in another half marathon
14. Get shorts for spinning (not spinning anymore)
15. Buy new running shoes every 300-500 miles

MIND
16. Have further insight into my future career path (PhD?)
17. Stay involved in church opportunities
18. Work only two jobs for at least six months (August 2010-present)
19. Run at least once a week
20. Read a book every quarter (10/12)
21. Beat Gina in Words With Friends
22. Have a girls day/night at least once/quarter (5/12)
23. Camp in at least one more National Park
24. Have at least one counseling group each school year
25. Have a picnic
26. Read at least one news article/day (not going well, changing to one/week)
27. Start running with Travis
28. Give up facebook for a month

ADVENTURE
29. Know where we want to live next and/or be living there
30. Travel overseas
31. Go para sailing
32. Go snorkeling
33. Continue applying annually for The Amazing Race
34. Go to a MLB game each summer
35. Go to a Wizards/KC Sporting game
36. Travel to Chicago
37. Travel to Minneapolis
38. Visit Jamin in Madison
39. Travel to Austin
40. Go skiing in Colorado
41. Visit Dave & Julie in Normal
42. Visit Dave & Gina's new house in Sarasota
43. Travel to California (Completed 3/16/13)
44. Go to the Shatto Farm
45. Milk a cow
46. Visit the wineries in Weston (visited wineries in Hermann, calling complete)
47. NP once/month (34/34)
48. Travel to Key West
49. See at least one musical/year (3/4) - by 4/2013
50. Travel by train
51. Stay at a bed & breakfast
52. Night swimming
53. Swim in Lake Michigan
54. Watch a sunset on Lake Michigan
55. Go to a drive-in theater
56. SC
57. Go to a corn maze (haunted or otherwise)
58. Go to the ballet
59. Go to a high school football game
60. Go to an NCAA basketball game
61. SH once/month (34/34)
62. Try at least new recipe each month (34/34)
63. Attend a Parade of Homes or Urban Living Tour
64. Take more pictures (thank you instagram!)

PERSONAL
65. Take an anniversary trip every year (3/3)
66. Get a full body massage
67. Find a way to live closer to family (Phillip lives here now, so I'm calling that done!)
68. Wear a skirt or dress at least once/week
69. File all the papers in the guest room
70. Clean out the filing cabinet
71. Get rid of the desk in the guest room
72. Get a tattoo
73. Get my haircut every 4 months (12/12)
74. Get to MS+60 on the pay scale
75. Have at least one planned meal per week
76. Give blood (success, nearly passed out twice)
77. Get wedding dress cleaned (possibly preserved)
78. Return books to the library on time
79. Learn how to pick out a ripe pineapple
80. Host an annual party at our house (Earth Day)
81. Blog about each item I complete
82. Buy closet organizers
83. Clean all the baseboards
84. Get rid of clothes/shoes that a) I don't wear, b) don't fit, or c) are falling apart
85. Start changing my home style to eclectic (a la Anthropologie - only hopefully less expensive)
86. Send a secret to PostSecret
87. Don't complain about anything for a week
88. Call people by their name whenever possible
89. Send holiday cards each year (2/3) - fail Christmas 2011
90. Write my time on all of my running medals
91. Go a month with no unnecessary purchases (no eating out, no clothes, etc.)
92. Make an effort to send cards and gifts before birthdays
93. Have Avery able to stay out in the house any time we leave
94. Become an auntie
95. Keep a journal for one month
96. Send a “just because” gift
97. BW
98. Call people back within one day
99. Get my clothes that don't fit altered
100. Stay in touch with friends that move
101. Find something to be thankful for each day, and rejoice!

We did it!

This last week has been an amazing, overwhelming, whirlwind experience. I think this post needs chapters, a la Jess.

I. DEPARTURE & PRE-MARATHON
Friday was a crazy day in which we both worked until almost 5, took Avery away to her play place resort, and were on the road to the airport by 5:30. We had a direct flight to Boston (which was the best idea ever), in which things went exactly as planned, even arriving a little early.

Friday night we stayed with Matt & Jess and slept on an air mattress (blah). I woke up with a slightly sore neck. Saturday consisted of our last pre-marathon run - in the rain of course!

Then we trekked down to Hynes Convention Center with many others of the BPE team, to pick up our bib numbers and check out the finish line (that we would be crossing in just over 48 hours!).

Picking up #23011

Laurelin 23011, Jess 23018

Finish line pre-marathon craziness

Sunday consisted of getting our nails done (to match the crazy colors of our marathon jackets we would be wearing Monday night), and an early dinner of pre-marathon carbo loading.

Meanwhile, our amazing fans were hard at work poster-making. :)

II. MARATHON DAY

I woke up at 5:30 AM. Had some oatmeal, and Travis drove me to the commons for the buses to Hopkinton. Of course the drive to the commons was not without drama. Travis almost got a $150 ticket for stopping to let me out, but alas, we made it, ticket free. We then proceeded to walk about .75 miles in a huge circle to find a line to get on the bus. A nice lady pointed us to the fountain, where there were six lines, all of which were about 100 yards from where we began out little jaunt. Once in the correct line it was only a matter of minutes before we boarded the bus to Hopkinton.

The bus ride seemed ridiculously long, and was less than pleasant for someone who tends toward car sickness (myself). But when we got out, we were greeted by great lengthy lines for the porta-potties.

From there we made our way into Athlete's Village which was full of more porta-potties and lots, and lots of people. We found our way to the Boston Partners banner and made our way to a near-by porta-potty line. :)

Photo courtesy of Meghan Malloy.

Photo courtesy of Meghan Malloy.

Information from Coach Rick indicated we bring comfortable things to sit on, music to listen to, etc., for while we wait to begin the race. As it turned out we had minimal time in Athlete's Village, and most of the time consisted of waiting for a bathroom. Here is one group photo, snapped before walking the .7 miles to the start line.

From here we walked our way to the start and made it into the 23000 bib corral. If this gives you any indication of the number of runners, it took us 13 minutes to cross the start from there, and this was the second of two start waves.

Photo courtesy of Meghan Malloy.

Just before the start line, Jess and I hugged, and the first tears of the day were shed (happy tears!). And we started out on the best trek of my life. It was amazing. Jess made the decision to run with me that morning, and having a companion could not have been better. The miles just seemed to melt away and before we knew it was time for gel number one, then we made a quick stop at a porta-potty (with no lines!) around mile 10. My friend, fellow Boston Marathoner (two times), and former BPE co-worker, Meghan described the towns run through best:

Thank you Hopkinton for your hospitality, Ashland for the multiple people blasting Sweet Caroline, Framingham for being ugly and making me run faster, Natick for your ice pops, Wellesley for your screams, Newton for your kick ass hills, Brookline for your BC Superfans and Boston for being maybe not the biggest but certainly the best.

While I did not partake in ice pops or hear all the Sweet Caroline blasting, I thought this was a very fitting description. Jess and I split right after our first very own superfans around mile 17. From there we encountered those very same superfans at mile 21, and even more at mile 23. I cannot describe how amazing it is to see people you know cheering for you on the course. Just the pick up needed, especially at mile 23. Throughout the course, there were people cheering everywhere. People had set up their own water stations, were handing out orange slices, tissues, jelly beans, allowing people into their home to use the bathroom! The generosity and encouragement of the spectators was amazing. Between miles 22-23 I began really feeling the run. I had conquered Heartbreak Hill, and had the mindset I was almost there. That was the longest, hardest three miles of my entire life. In fact, running those three miles is the hardest thing I have done my entire life. This picture was probably taken about then.

But as I made a "right on Hereford, left on Boylston" I had a the first glimpse of the finish line! And a slight burst of energy. I made my way down the stretch and across the finish line, with a time of 4:25:23!

I ran the Boston Marathon! The following steps were barely existent, and the wheelchairs across the finish looked oh so tempting. But I kept walking, received some water, my Mylar blanket, and my medal!

I had run the Boston Marathon! My emotions were overwhelming: pain, excitement, celebration, exhaustion, hunger, pain, thanks, etc. I made my way to the Westin, in what seemed like the longest walk ever. There I met some of my very own superfans and celebrated my finish. Jess came in about 23 minutes behind me, with a time of 4:48:27.

Celebratory dinner

For your viewing pleasure, you can see my official time and splits, or the professional photos. This was one of my best days ever.

III. THANK YOUS

I have some final individual thank yous to:

Aunt Shelley

Carrie Brueck

Abby Gaghen

Melissa St. Clair

Rob & Judith (again!)

Laura Lintz

David & Gina (again!)

Thank you to everyone for your support over the past 6 months. This has been one big journey. Not only did I complete the marathon, but we also raised $4,000 to benefit students through Boston Partners in Education. The entire BPE marathon team has raised over $73,000 in support of the organization. I could not have done the fundraising or the running without your support. Whether you have asked about my runs, run with me, sent me emails, posted on my facebook, "liked" my status or link, donated, listened to me talk about running, read this blog, commented on this blog, or tracked me on race day, I have appreciated it all. Thank you for being the best support group ever. Sincerely, thank you!

Special thank yous to my superfans who traveled hundreds of miles to support me: Travis, Mom & Dad Barkel, Mom, Dad & Barb. Thanks to my Boston-based superfans who came out to support me: Matt, Nikki, & Rachel. Special thanks to Jess for doing this all with me, and listening to my non-stop running banter, worries, accomplishments, and fears. Thanks for being the most amazing person ever. And great thanks to Lauren for being my KC running partner. I really could not have done all of this running without you! Thank you for agreeing to run with me, and thanks to your parents for their running advice through you. Training with someone who has marathon experience has been extremely helpful. Thank you to everyone! Your support and generosity has been overwhelming. Thank you!

IV. POST MARATHON

I will likely continue blogging, although probably not as frequently. I will definitely continue running. I have a half marathon on May 15, and Jess and I have already discussed some possible marathon plans for next year (it's an addiction!). This whole experience has inspired me to do more, be more, help more, and do my part to inspire others. We are all capable of so much more than we believe. You never know what might happen from here! If you are inspired to help Boston Partners, you can check out their website or sign up to volunteer. Thank you for being a faithful reader.