My Path to Travel

Snot Cool Man

2011-04-03T14:15:00.000-05:00

Starting last Saturday, I have had the crap.

Some might give a diagnosis of chronomona.

Its been no fun. Low grade fevers, headaches, cough, stuffy nose, runny nose, malaise.

Needless to say, I slept. For darn near a full week, I slept. Not even TV on in the background, chillin' on the couch kind of sleep. The full on, in bed, hunkered down, afternoon long sleeps. I don't know that I've ever slept that much in a week.

I'm one foot back in land of the living come Friday. And I proceeded to race Rock the Parkway on Saturday.

Smart? Foolish?

Only time will tell!

Group Therapy

2011-03-26T06:42:00.001-05:00

This is nearly a nightly ritual at our house. Pete has something to say, Stella has to chime in too. If only they could speak English!

Stella Cum Laude

2011-03-25T07:53:00.000-05:00

My little baby is a puppy school graduate!

After 8 weeks learning how to pee outside, sit, stay, lay down and come - she passed with flying colors! We'll obviously need to work with her continually throughout her furry little life, but this class was a great start.

Here's our class at the graduation ceremony!

We tried to take individual cap and diploma photos afterwards. Check out this video to see just how successful that was! (The video was inadvertant, the instructor thought she was just taking a still shot!)

Manhattan St Patty's Day 10K

2011-03-24T07:31:00.006-05:00

The Saturday after St Patrick's Day, I roadtripped with some girlfriends to run another festive race in Manhattan, home of the Kansas State Wildcats!!

We were expecting a warm, sunny day, but arrived in Aggieville to a cold and dreary morning. We watched the 2 mile race take off huddle under an awning of an eye doctor, then corralled ourselves inside Kite's to watch the finish and stay warm.

Minutes before the start gun went off, we got in the middle of the starting pack - just in time to take a quick pic! Those are my running buddies, Lynsey, Jennifer and Alli.

The race left Aggieville, went north through campus past the rec and the Bill and the firestation, not to mention the old llama lot. Then turned around back through campus, Aggieville and around city park.

Once we hit the K-State gardens at the 4-mile mark and about 40:42 on the clock, I knew I had a chance to break an hour. Set a PR - no way, I hadn't really even been trying that hard thus far in the race! I was stoked. So I told Alli I was gonna try and she said she'd see me at the finish line. I picked off as many people as I could and sure enough -- I did it!!

Here's the video I'm glad I remembered to take as I turned back onto 12th Street toward Kite's and the finish line.

After we all finished, we were so excited to chow down on some of our Manhattan favorites. Unfortunately, with a combination of the rain and the upcoming St Patty's parade, all our favorite spots were jam packed to the brim. So we ordered to go food.

First, of course, Raspberry Chipolte Black Bean Dip from So Long Saloon.

And the Belly Buster from Rock-A-Belly Deli.

We were happy runners with full tummies for the drive back to KC!

Luckily, its only a short 1:45 drive. Any longer and I would have been exhausted. It poured the entire way home, leaving very little visibility and making it nearly impossible to carry a conversation from the pounding of the raindrops.

I'm still so stoked that I broke an hour and set a PR. Now if only I could figure out whats wrong with my bum leg in time to PR at Rock the Parkway Half Marathon in a few days!!

Green Beer!

2011-03-23T08:03:00.002-05:00

In honor of my Namesake, St. Patrick, we had to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and the most festive Irish holiday around!

BDR & I headed to Waldo with a couple good friends to enjoy some green beer, pub songs, sunshine and fun.

We spent most of the day on the rooftop at the Well. BDR had fun, even though you can't really tell from this photo!

This one turned out way better. Luck o' the Irish! Or as I sometimes say, Luck 'o the Trish!

Erin Go Bragh!

Westport St. Patty's Day 4-Miler

2011-03-22T07:12:00.000-05:00

Besides the warmer weather and sunshine, spring brings one of my favorite holidays! St. Patrick's Day! With a name like mine, you don't get much more Irish, so every year I try to do a few special things to celebrate.

This year, it started with the Westport St. Patrick's Day 4 Mile Run.

I raced with a sorority sister/running buddy last seen in this post about the Kansas City Marathon turned half marathon, and a friend of hers enjoying her first race-day experience!

Here we are waiting at the starting line.

And here we are after we trekked back to the car.

This is one of the most fun and festive events in KC. Everyone gets into it, either wearing green running clothes or busting out some amazing leprechaun costumes. There is a huge group out for the race, evidenced by this photo approaching the start line.

I finished 270th in my AG, 1780 overall with a time of 41:40.2 for 4 hilly miles in midtown/Westport.

Mayan Adventure!

2011-03-21T14:44:00.000-05:00

(Editor's note: I thought I published this a long time ago. I was wrong. Sorry for the delay. Here's the last installment of the Mexico stories!)

After our visit to Tulum, we got into the exciting part of the excursion.

We started out snorkeling in a cenote'.

What an amazing experience. The water was frigid! But it was crystal clear. The stalagmites and stalactites were gorgeous. I expected them to be breakable, but nope, hard as a rock. Fitting, since they are indeed rocks. I can testify to that though after kicking one! There were tiny little catfish near the only spot of sunlight in the cave. It was a very spiritual experience. Really, only God could create something so amazing!

After we dried off, we went ziplining. Holy Cannoli. This was crazy. We climbed up a 100-some-odd foot rickety wooden tower in a tree and jumped off, with only our harness attached to this cable that took us to the next tree several hundred feet away. You can see the tower in the background of this photo. Its way high. So high that you can see the ocean, and we are way inland here.

As you can tell from BDR's face. This was pretty stinkin' cool.

Lastly, we rappelled off this other really high rickety tower in a tree. You had to put your back towards the wild blue yonder, and start to step off the edge. Man, my palms are sweating just thinking about it! Eek! There were three steps that went towards the ground, so it was like you were stepping backwards downstairs but 100 feet in the air with only one little rope holding you up for dear life. It was exhilerating to say the least!!

Some outlandish crazy adventures, but oh so worth it!! Thank you Bob the Cat for biting me so BDR and I could have this amazing vacation!

La Vida Del Noche

2011-03-11T08:39:00.002-06:00

The days may be hot in Mexico, but the nights are hotter!

As part of our all-inclusive package, we got two nights at the "good restaurants" rather than just the normal buffets. The first night was at Le Gourmet, the French cusine place. Wow. I had not at all been impressed with the food at the Sandos, but here it was great. We ordered things that we would not normally order, knowing we could always go fill up at the buffet if it was bad. But no need. It was the perfect amount of food - and the rolls, filled with cheese --mmm!!

I had my first ever Baked Alaska! I didn't even really know what it was, but I know that its one of Daddy Warbucks' favorites so I had to try it. Basically it was ice cream covered in whipped cream with a brandy sauce that was then set on fire. Quite interesting.

After dinner that night, we walked along the beach, cocktail in one hand and my love in the other.

After our long and stressful excursion day, we chowed at the buffet and then lounged on a hammock near the ocean, just relaxing, pondering life and listening to the waves. It was quite a romantic, yet philosophical, moment.

Our other restaurant night was the Mediterranean spot. I had high hopes, but it was not nearly as good as the buffets even, so that was a bummer. But the ambiance was delightful and the service was pretty good, so I still enjoyed myself.

As did BDR.

While at the restaurant the mariachi band went around taking requests. It was super fun. At some point I might post the video I shot, but for now, I'll leave you with a snapshot of the mariachi band and me at the buffet. Guantanamara and De Colores were quite lively tunes!

Tulum

2011-03-10T07:33:00.002-06:00

While in Mexico, we saw the cousin to one of the New 7 Wonders, Chichen Itza, in Tulum, just a ways down the coast from Playa.

Tulum is an ancient Mayan city with walls on 3 sides and the Carribean Sea on the fourth. There are only 5 entrances to the city, and they are all very narrow walkways through the wall - like this one that BDR is modeling with.

We had a muy interesante Mayan Tour Guide, who knew all sorts of tidbits about Mayan history and culture. We learned about their housing, clothing, temples (see photo below) and so much more. The buildings are made of limestone, so this K-Stater felt right at home! Walls and ceiling are built at an angle so that the rain water could slip off easily.

Here's me overlooking the ocean, with Tulum behind me. That's just one small part of the city, but it was gorgeous!

And by gorgeous, I mean - this is not in the slightest bit photoshopped. The sky was really that blue. Absolutely amazing and awe inspiring environment to vacation in.

There is a building that overlooked the ocean, tons of jungly colorful plants, and quite a cute couple if I do say so myself!

It did get a bit warm while we were touring Tulum, 85 going on 110 it seemed like. It was so much different from the gray, blustery days at home in Kansas. But, hey, I am by no means complaining!

Playa Del Carmen

2011-03-09T07:37:00.002-06:00

On Wednesday morning, we decided to go for a run from the resort into the town of Playa del Carmen. There was a beautiful road, with gorgeous palacial resorts on one side and beautiful vacation homes on the other. The concierge told us it was about 3-5K into town, so off we went.

About halfway there, after passing the Playacar Plaza and the first Starbucks, we saw a sign leading us back into the jungle towards some Mayan ruins. We climbed on up and had a nice South African couple take our photo.

Once we hit the edge of town, it was shopping city. The very south edge was filled with Tommy Bahama, Lacoste, Coach, etc, but the further north you got it was only little shops where the salesmen holler at you as you pass by. "Honeymooners, American honeymooners, come see what I have for you!" "Oh, I have a good deal for a pretty American lady!" Ya, buddy, sure you do.

We went in one shop and BDR picked up some sunglasses. The salesman jumped on him immediately. "You like? Great quality, good price for you." Of course BDR asked how much US? The guy said he'd sell the fake Oakleys for $45. Shah, right. BDR said he only had $10. So the guy came down to a $22 sales price. BDR said he only had $10. The sales guy said "Don't lie to me amigo" and then eventually agreed to a $10 sales price. Ya, that's what I thought!

At every cross street to Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue) you could look east and see the ocean. It was gorgeous!

We had a ton of fun walking around, and taking in the different culture and scenery.

Friday morning, we walked back down to the Plaza Playacar for a coffee to enjoy as we walked back on the beach.

There was this cool walkway that took you from the road to the beach that we took. I love this photo!

Get Away to Where the Boat Leaves From

2011-03-08T08:52:00.000-06:00

As Zac Brown suggested, we got away to where the boat leaves from - to take away all of our big problems. All our worries, we could drop them in the blue ocean but we had to get away to where the boat leaves from.

Yep, BDR and I went to Playa del Carmen, Mexico - a little town south of Cancun where the ferry takes people to Cozumel. We took the red eye out last Tuesday, nearly missed our connecting flight through Chicago but made it to the beach by about 2:00. We drug some chairs out toward the water and just relaxed.

It was pretty amazing, to say the least. We left 30s and dreary Kansas City for 85 and sunny Playa. Ah, I want to go back.

We didn't do a ton while we were there, lots of walking on the beach:

Lots of wading the water:, swimming, and body surfing:

And lots of lying around, enjoying the view:

It was a great way for BDR and I to connect and really spend a lot of QT together. That was quite possibly the best part.

We stayed at the Sandos Playacar Beach Resort & Spa. It was the furthest south in Playacar, and probably the biggest. Supposedly it was a 5-star resort, but I'd say 3-star at best. We had to switch rooms a few times, in hopes of finding a room without ant farms, with a working shower and a semi-comfortable bed. We ended up in the building closest to the beach, with a jungle/ocean view. Luckily the resort itself was beautiful and the people, although they didn't always follow through, were very nice and friendly.

One of the coolest things about our trip, besides the amazing environment, was that it was truly an international experience. There were very few other Americans at our resort. Tons of Canadians, lots of Norweigans, and many other Europeans. I got to practice my long-lost Spanish skills and I was suprised at how quickly my "vocabulario" came back! There was tons of great people watching. I mean, people in bathing suits on the beach, of all shapes and sizes - the people and the swim suits!

More to come about other trip highlights... Check back soon!

Stache for Cash!

2011-03-07T20:32:00.000-06:00

So for all of February, BDR grew a moustache.

Day 1:

Day 28:

It was a charity fundraiser for Special Olympics Kansas. And BDR raised $400!!!

Luckily, he shaved it off before vacation! I'm so proud of the department's biggest fundraiser!!!

Pete ate my Valentine's Day chocolates

2011-02-22T07:53:00.000-06:00

Last night, when BDR and I took Stella to puppy class, Peter was pretty upset that he didn't get to go. So upset that he had to eat to hide from his feelings.

That's right, he opened up my box of chocolates and ate every piece!

It's a darn good thing he has an iron stomach, or else he'd be pretty upset right now. Instead he's just laying there licking his tennis ball, happy as a clam.

This is what happened when we got home....

The rest is still unwritten

2011-02-18T14:50:00.000-06:00

So my pal Kmac tagged me in her latest post on her ever-hilarious blog. I figured if I didn't comply, I would be officially defriended and that is not something I'm willing to risk!

So here I am on a Friday afternoon, wishing I had a window to gaze into the sunshine playing a little bloggy game in hopes of rejuvenating my motivation!

Instructions:

Answer the following questions in written format:

1. What's your name/your Blogger name?

2. What's your blog's name/URL?

3. Write "the quick fox jumps over the lazy dog".

4. Favorite quote?

5. Your Favorite song?

6. Your favorite band/singers?

7. Anything else you want to say?

8. Tag 3-5 other people.

Ok, you girls take your turn now. In case my readers want to check them out. Here's their blog url's:

Lipstick Cowgirl: http://chroniclesofawildcat-melissa.blogspot.com/

Grey House Red Dog: http://greyhousereddog.blogspot.com/

Farmer's Daughter: http://msbergkamp.blogspot.com/

The Girl on the Run: http://wanderingthroughnothingness.com/

Famous Parents

2011-02-16T15:40:00.002-06:00

Nanny and Poppy made the I Am A Stuffed Animal .com blog!!

Check it out here:

http://www.iamastuffedanimal.com/?p=1830

I can't wait to hear all about their latest adventures!

Stelly's Belly!

2011-02-15T08:15:00.000-06:00

Stelly's belly will never be the same. You can see the tiny little stitches in the middle of her belly from her surgery last week. They shaved much of her belly too, so not only does it look funny, but it feels all prickly too. Kinda like BDR's moustache.

And due to the stitches, she has to wear the cone of shame. Luckily, she's still really stinkin' cute.

Besides her spay, Stella also had a thumb-ectomy. That is, her dew claws were removed. I had always wished I'd gotten Peter's taken off, so I was sure to get Stella all set up. They shave a good chunk of her hands and she's got several stitches.

She's recovering pretty darn well though. She of course has her bouts with energy and exhaustion, but that's pretty typical of any puppy. We've been trying to keep her pretty calm and make sure she doesn't wrestle with big brother too much. So far so good.

HAPPY Valentines DAY!

2011-02-14T09:05:00.002-06:00

So BDR and I have a hard time waiting to open gifts when holidays come around. I think we both just get so excited, so Valentines Day was no exception! We exchanged gifts last night!

Here's some backstory... Several month's ago there was a prominent Kansas Citian (who has a bigtime jewelry store named after him!) that BDR helped when he wrecked his car, since then BDR has been on the family holiday card list. Shortly after the accident, BDR received a small thank you gift at the station. I was so excited when he told me a package arrived from Mr. Helzberg. I got excited too soon though, it was a box of peanuts!

He got a holiday card and most recently a Valentine's card from the Helzberg family. They have the cutest grandkids by the way! So BDR tells me that another package arrived from Mr. Helzberg, and that he couldn't wait to show it to me.

He brings home a big padded manila envelope from the Helzberg Foundation, with the Valentine's card and some "I am loved" pins inside. I keep telling BDR he needs to leverage this relationship, but of course, BDR being BDR, he says no way.

Anyway, he shows me the envelope from the Helzbergs and says, "Bummer, no Valentine's gift for you from Helzbergs."

I smile and turn around to keep cooking our delcious taco dinner, knowing that's what I should have expected.

"But there is something from Kay!"

Beautiful white gold and blue topaz (my birthstone) bracelet!

He said he wanted to find something to match my new ring...

Am I lucky girl or what?!?!

Seriously, I have got the best man any girl could ask for! I hope all of your sweethearts are just as good to you this year!

Off to the races!

2011-02-10T15:17:00.000-06:00

I'm signed up for 2011 race #2 and #3 of my 11 races of 11.

Diva Dash 5K

Westport St. Patty's Day 4 Miler

I'm pretty stoked.

Diva Dash benefits Girls on the Run, which is always good. And St Patrick is my patron saint, thus one of my favorite holidays and seasons of the year.

Talk of a fall marathon is also brewing... Chicago's been thrown around, but I'd rather do one I haven't done before. Any suggestions for the best marathon out there? Between race, course, and location - we'll turn it into a vacation, so it needs to be an all-around good time!

Every Home Needs A Harvey

2011-02-09T09:13:00.000-06:00

What a super super smart dog!!!

Blizzard of Oz, a doggie's dream!

2011-02-07T08:00:00.002-06:00

This past week half the country experienced what Frankie Avalon might call the Humonga, Cowabunga from Down Unda'... Ok, it wasn't a big honkin' wave like the one that got him in "Back to the Beach" but it was a serious snowstorm. An actual blizzard. I can't remember a time when the weathergirl actually termed it a true blizzard.

So I settled down in my kerchief and readied myself to get a little stircrazy. There was no way I was driving my new ride out in this. Not when Kansans aren't sure how to drive in snow! It was just a little wet and sleety when I woke up Tuesday morning, but then it started coming down in a serious way.

I'd not seen snow accumulate on my windowsills before but it did last week! It looked like a scene from a beautiful Christmas card!

I feel pretty lucky that my dogs love the snow. And when I say love, I MEAN it! They don't care if its 30-below, if there's powder, they want to play! Look at little Belly's face here, covered in flakes after a romp around the yard, She's in heaven!

At one point, I peaked out the window in the downpour and she was just sitting out there, in awe of the flakes. Isn't it amazing how dogs just truly get it!? They can teach us so much about life and how we are just such a small portion of this huge world.

Before we knew it, darn near a foot had accumulated. This is the door to the back deck from the mud room. Its up to Stella's belly, but she doesn't mind!

And when there is that much snow, there is nothing better to do than play chase! They did laps around the yard quite a while before coming in to nap and warm up.

With this much snow, I was so glad I wasn't out working, but poor BDR was. He pushed so many people out of the snow that luckily, his 12-hour shift just flew by! TGFO. In layman's terms, Thank God For Overtime! While he was outside getting chilled, I started to wonder about the chill in the mud room. Sure enough, snow was coming in everywhere! From the doggie door to the back door, we got snow!

But of course, Stella didn't mind. She just wanted a buddy to go out and play in it with her!

As the day came to a close, and the flakes started to lighten up. The dogs and I just waited for BDR to come home! What a view we had out our front door of the silent white night. It was breathtaking.

On Wednesday, after sleeping in, knowing the streets were crap, BDR and I bundled up to shovel my Chevy out of the driveway. This:

is our driveway. Yep, you can't even tell. That could be the lawn for all we know. And there were pretty big drifts in it too! This one is almost up to my knees! I about bit it when I jumped in! Yikes!

About halfway thru I remembered my brother owns a snow blower, duh. Unfortunately, for us and them!, it broke that morning! So we kept shoveling and a few hours later - we had this!

Tada, a clear driveway! Combine that with a romp around the back yard with the pups and a perfect snow angel, it was a pretty good Snow-cation!

Stella's Pedigree

2011-02-04T14:21:00.000-06:00

My awesome birthday present this year was a Doggie DNA test for our new little one, Stella. We recently go the results back and were a little surprised. When we first got her, we were told she was a Mastiff mix. As she grew, she started to look more and more German Shepherd.

Here's the results....

She is half purebred! That's a lot more than any of us American Mutts can claim anymore! I know I'm Irish, English, Norweigan, Indian, German, etc, etc, etc.

She's been living up to her breeds. It seems like anywhere I walk, she's right behind me, nipping at my calves and heels telling me where she wants me to go. What a herder! And just yesterday she popped Peter in the face showcasing her full boxing abilities!

Next week she's set to get spayed. She's losing baby teeth right and left. And she's mastering the skills we learn in her puppy class. She's up to about 25 pounds and its getting hard to lift her!

Sigh, my baby is growin' up!

Delightful Dining

2011-02-03T08:01:00.000-06:00

So one of my besties is a superawesomeradderthanyou blogger. And she recently wrote about an amazing dining experience we had at KC Restaurant Week at the American in Crown Center.

I think you should read it. If this photo doesn't show it enough, I'll just say it. This place was Fahn.Cee.Schman.Cee. We had a great time at a place we wouldn't normally get to go.

I saw my shadow...

2011-02-02T09:54:00.000-06:00

At this year's Groundhog Run!

I think that's a good sign, right?! Although with the Second Coming of the Snowpocalypse, who really knows?!

Sunday was the Groundhog Run in the caves at the Hunt Midwest Subtropolis.

This is one of my all-time favorite events. If you can handle the rotten-egg fart smell at some points on the course, you'd love it to. Its your only chance to run in 70 degrees in the middle of winter in Kansas City.

My race buddy had something come up and wasn't able to race with me, so I was a bit bummed. Luckily with a plea on facebook, I found a buddy to take her bib and join me in the caves!

Pre-race, I ran into my Girls on the Run pal Jackie and got to catch up while we waited for the 5K to end.

Here's my race buddy Mike, me, Jackie and Mike's friend String Bean Dean - pre-race. You can see the cave looking stuff that proves where we were running in the background!

So, the race story. Well, first off, if you've been reading for a while - you know I've been a huge winter slacker and have been doing pretty much Jack for a while now. Needless to say 6.2 miles was going to feel damn near like a marathon!

We started at the back of the pack, just after the gun due to the portapotty line. This is my favorite place to start a race, because then I get to be the passer instead of the passed. I actually felt pretty decent for the first lap, and I knew we were keeping a decent clip. Probably right around 11:00s. I was hoping to negative split, like I usually try to do (though I don't always succeed). We walked the aid stations and in the second lap took a couple other walk breaks. With Mike's encouragement, I kept pushing long after I wanted to.

Keep in mind that Mr. Encouragement is the same guy who on Saturday did the Polar Plunge in a Speedo and a Superman cape. He did raise about $1000 for Special Olympics though. Pretty sweet if you ask me.

Anyway, Superman kept me running and pushing and huffing and puffing around every bend in the caves. Once we hit the 6 mile mark and I could see an end in sight, I picked it up as best I could and tried to out sprint him to the finish line. Maybe that's why my knee hurts a bit today...

Anyway, here's us afterwards, all sweaty, with Gus the Groundhog in the background. I give this race a big thumbs up!

My official time:

95th in my AG

1:06:42 total time
10:44 average pace.

Not too shabby.

Afterwards, I took a rest on the back of the ambulance waiting for the rest of Superman's firefighter crew to pack up and head to the Ameristar for brunch. Here's us with a big Gus on the way out....

So far, a wonderful morning. My favorite way to spend the weekend. That is, until we got to the smoke infested casino and I got sick! I completely cleaned out my system in the casino bathroom and told Mike we needed to hit the road pronto. As we found the on-ramp to the highway, I made him stop so I could continue to puke in the snow. Ugh. Seriously, not a fun way to enjoy your post-race high!

But I got home, showered and cuddled with my puppies for the rest of the day and woke up Monday feeling great! Phew!

Our Winter FUNdraising Efforts!

2011-02-01T07:40:00.001-06:00

Its the middle of winter and we're all bundled up, trying to make it through these brutally cold nights and dreary days. So what do BDR and I do? We give back.

Ok, in all fairness, we ask you to give back! We do the work, you reap the reward aka laughing at us when we look rediculous!

I've written before about my fundraising efforts. I'm training for the Rock the Parkway Half Marathon on April 2 and raising money for my local Girls on the Run Chapter. I need to raise a minimum of $262 by that date. I would be so grateful, if you would visit this site, and make a donation. Any amount is wonderful, appreciated and will be put to good use!

Here's the more entertaining portion of this blog.

BDR is growing a moustache.

Need I really say more?!

I'm hoping that he starts to look like Burt Reynolds, Tom Selleck or George Harrison. But who knows how it will turn out. It could end up being a bit more "Rollie Fingers".

His police department has challenged its officers to grow a moustache for the month of February and raise money for its favorite cause, Special Olympics. They do other regular fundraisers including the Torch Run and the Summer Games. But this one is definitely the most fun!

If you are willing to sponsor BDR in his quest to grow the most righteous stache, please contact him at reedy.us (at) gmail. Any amount counts. And really, if I have to see that flavor savor every day for a month, I hope he can really raise some good money for it! Come on, Its for the Kids!!

Here's your sponsor agreement:

"I agree to Sponsor BDR's Stache in the name of charity for the Special Olympics. I understand that my pledge is only due upon successful completion of the event by said Stache growing participant until February 28^th, 2011. Should the participant shave said Stache, I am released from all Sponsoring liability and will mercilessly ridicule them for bailing out on their fellow participants, not to mention the pledge they just lost for Special Olympics."

I hope you feel you can undertake these responsibilities and help me get through the next whiskery 28 days. I promise to document the growth throughout the month, so you can enjoy it too!

And just for reference, here's the starting point after Day 1.

These boys bowl me over

2011-01-31T10:40:00.000-06:00

Saturday afternoon was my time to babysit my adorable, all-boy-all-the-time, nephews. They can definitely be a handful, and are great birth control, but man do I love them. They are so fun!

We hit up Incredabowl in South OP to knock down some pins. They are such goofballs - and so animated!

Sean was pretty serious about his turns. He'd watch the ball roll down the alley until it could roll no more. And he'd be so nervous seeing where it would end up! See nervous stances in the following photos. At one point he was so focused on the pins that he accidentally let the ball roll backwards towards my toes instead!

Ian is Mr. Crazypants. He'd be rolling on the floor after a bad throw, and doing some serious celebrating after he got a spare!

Little Jacob though, man is he a baller! The only one of us to get a strike and ended up winning by 10 pins!!

This is his game face. Grr. Watch out brothers. I'm comin' for ya!

Highlights of the outing at the bowling alley: playing with the balls and the fan in the ball return.

Making the computer screen beep!

Seeing who can hold on to the most balls at once.

But most importantly, quality time with those we love!!!

After our epic bowling adventure, we went to Petland to see all the animals. Jacob got to hold a one-pound Peagle puppy (pekingese and beagle mix). Ian and Jake held bunny rabbits. They all played with the dwarf hamsters and the hermit crabs. Of course, they wanted to take them all home with them! Luckily, we got an ice cream call from Uncle Timmy that rescued those poor animals from a dubious fate!

Dogs Night Out

2011-01-28T09:34:00.000-06:00

Somehow, I recently found a website and group called Dogs Life KC. They showcase tons of cool stuff for people like me that are crazy about their pups. I heard about this event, Dogs Night Out, and called up another dog-loving buddy to go with me.

Its sponsored by Three Dog Bakery, a local business turned international, and portions of the proceeds went to their charitable foundation. Apparently they do these events regulary, even though this was the first time I attended. Btw, my favorite thing about Three Dog is how they make everything dog-related. You can shop in their "Dogalog" and put items in your shopping "basset", and they have assort"mutts" of treats that are just tasty!

I had to flip a coin to decide which dog to take. Stella won. Next time, I'll find a way to take them both. Here's the menu from our night out.

And this is what Stella thinks when she finds out what she's gotten herself into:

We started off with a Yappatizer Basket. The guy we shared a table with thought these were for the humans, so he had a bite. He said they weren't all that tasty. You'd never have known it though, because Stella and Laila LOVED it!

After the yappatizers, the girls got some good play time in. Of course, they almost tripped Kmac several times, but they were having so much fun!

Course Number 2: Tasty! I love the parsley accent!

It's agood thing Stella has learned to sit and lay down, she was able to work for the food!

Man, did she love it!!

This is our appetizer - crab cakes. Mmm! They were falling apart, but they were pretty tasty.

While we ate, Stella just wanted some more! She was a hit though, being the only puppy among the crowd.

The main course - beef stew! mmmmm. It looks like something that just came out of my crock pot!

Holy cow, did the dogs love this! Lady couldn't get enough, she kept trying to find more and more.

And my favorite course - dessert! This labrador bar was peanut butter, banana and carob. I wanted to eat it myself.

Since BDR had already fed the dogs (oops!) I made sure to bring home leftovers so Stella didn't eat too much, and Peter was able to enjoy some of the goodness as well.

And they sent us home with a pupcake for later. Its so cute - it looks like a little red velvet cupcake, and I want to eat it myself!

I can't wait for another event like this! Peter would've just had a blast and I felt bad I couldn't take them both.

Ooh, I almost forgot! Stella is now famous! Fox 4 News did a story on the event that was on the 10:00 news. You can see the clip here....

Pimp My Ride

2011-01-27T08:14:00.000-06:00

For the past several months, I've been fighting with my long-loved 1999 Jeep Cherokee. We've been through about 100,000 miles together. But lately, its been breaking on me regularly. I had to fix one thing after the other, after the other. Most recently replacing the radiator in December.

On Friday, I was leaving work for the weekend and the Jeep wouldn't start. We jumped the battery and nothing. We got it towed to my mechanic and found out it needed a new starter. Ugh. $450 please.

I just couldn't justify it, so on Saturday I started test driving. I was so not looking forward to car shopping, dreading it, in fact. But on Sunday, I was excited so I got ready to go out. Woops. Car dealers are closed on Sunday. Grr. Frustrating.

I dropped BDR off at work at 6:30 Monday morning and headed in to my office to get some stuff done. At about 10:30 I wrapped up and headed back out to find my new wheels.

Frank Ancona Honda - creepy sales guy. Decent car, CR-V. Moved on pretty quickly.

Olathe Ford - pretty amazing 2008 Escape Limited. White tan leather interior. But it was 2WD. I took it to the aforementioned mechanic and they said it was in great shape.

Van Chevrolet - drove a brand new 2011 Equinox. Pretty much fell in love. A guy I grew up next door to is a bigwig there, so I felt safe. Which is huge when you're investing that much money in a purchase.

I was there for dang near 6 hours and couldn't make up my mind. New, pretty, fancy, decked out ride or great deal on a good used vehicle. It was tough and I was really torn, but I finally bit the bullet.

So here it is: 2011 Chevy Equinox, all wheel drive, sun/moonroof (I still don't know the difference!), remote start, cool back up camera that pops up in the rearview mirror, audio controls on the steering wheel. Its pretty much got everything I could want, sans leather and heat seaters.

And its brand.spanking.new!!! See only 78 miles on it when I drove off the lot!

So even though I will miss the Jeep and our awesome off-road adventures (that I haven't taken in years!) and the ability to load up the dogs and not worry about things getting dirty and hairy and smelly (can't do that anymore!) ...

My ride is now officially Pimped.

I'm alive.

2011-01-26T17:07:00.002-06:00

I know I haven't posted this week. I am alive. I'm just really busy. I bought a new car on Monday and have been crazy catching up on work - Yea! More updates to come when I have a free second to breathe!

TGIF!

2011-01-21T16:07:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday everyone! Here's a quick recap of my week in photos.

1. This is how I woke up on Thursday morning. Totally burritoed in by my babies. We were all so warm and snuggly, it was hard to get up!

2. Luckily, we didn't need to get up because this is what was waiting for us outside.... Yep, inches upon inches of snow. And even more today!

3. Stella's new favorite place to chill out - the bottom of my coffee table. I guess its cozy and safe. Before long she won't be able to fit there anymore. She's already doubled in size since we got her about a month ago!

Trish on the Run

2011-01-20T08:00:00.002-06:00

As many of my faithful readers now, I have a warm place in my heart for an organization called Girls on the Run. I'm on the board for our local council, and give a lot of my time to helping the movement grow in KC.

GOTR is a non-profit after school program for girls in grades 3-8. It teaches self-esteem, nutrition, how to deal with bullies, how to be a good friend.... all those intangible and invaluable lessons that young girls today really need. Here's the cool part - GOTR teaches all these things through RUNNING! Each activity involves getting active and getting out of the "girl box" - being yourself and being proud of who you are!

So, really, its pretty much the coolest program ever.

When I did Ironman Wisconsin in 2009, I was part of the Janus Charity Challenge and raised almost $10,000 for GOTR locally. Its time for me to do some more fundraising.... this time through the GOTR Solemates program while running Rock the Parkway Half Marathon on April 2. Last year at this race, it was freezing rain and just awful weather. But I'm not scared, because I'm out there running so other girls can have their opportunity to get out of the girl box themselves. Running did that for me, and I know it can help them!

Here's your opportunites to help these girls too...

1. Donate to the cause! Visit this website and make a donation to Girls on the Run. I've committed to a minimum of $500 by April 2nd, and I need all the help I can get.

2. Become a Solemate yourself! If you want to run Rock the Parkway with me, and raise money for our council -- I promise you won't regret it. Just leave a comment and I'll get you the info on how to get set up!

3. Volunteer to coach the program. The Johnson County Council has doubled in size this spring, so we are in desperate need of more coaches! Its after school two days a week for head coaches, one day a week for assistant coaches, at sites all across the county. I guarantee this will be one of the most meaningful experiences you'll ever have!

Life Update

2011-01-19T12:04:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a pretty exciting day to be a cop in KC. There was this huge car chase that went all over KCMO and into Leawood. It kept BDR's morning adrenaline-filled! The story: there was a carjacking, and then the guy bolted and wouldn't stop for the cops. At one point he let a lady out of the car in the middle of nowhere. The chase went on for like 30 minutes before the crazy criminal ran into McDonalds looking like he really needed to pee. Of course about 1,000 cops converged from every door and they brought him out seconds later. I'm wondering if this might be up for a dumbest criminal award?!

My day was not quite as exciting... just work after NOT getting up and heading into the gym as planned. I didn't go over lunch or after work either. And I didn't get up this morning like I wanted to. Man, I'm a slacker! But I did have a little jewelry party with a couple girlfriends, some wine and some sparkly things. It was fun to catch up with them, and learn a bit more about an organziation I'm thinking about joining.

We are now preparing for Snowpocalypse 2011, as weathermen across the networks are predicting between 6-10 inches in KC this afternoon and through the night. I'm no good at cold and snowy weather, especially when the Jeep's heater isn't working. Brrr!!!

Favorite Childhood Games

2011-01-18T07:52:00.002-06:00

This week's 10 on Tuesday list... my favorite childhood games! Being the youngest and only girl (by 6 years), I never really had my brothers to play with, luckily there were some neighbor kids that kept me entertained!

1. Colors -- in the pool at the Reheis Country Club, aka my bff's backyard pool. Someone on the diving board is turned around eyes closed, yelling out colors. When your color is called, you have to swim to the other side of the pool as quietly as you can. If the diver hears you, she jumps in and if you get tagged, you're it!

2. Tetris and Zelda on the original NES system. Heck ya! I was never any good at any of the other games (besides Mario that is) but I was lucky if I was ever able to steal some time on the Nintendo from my brothers!

3. Barbies. I had this sweet Barbie dream house, with an elevator and an awesome Jem car that even had a radio in the trunk. It was so rad.

4. Stuck in the Mud. Like tag, but you have to freeze until someone crawls under your legs to unfreeze you!

5. Bombardament. We only played this in Mr. Fink's gym class in grade school. Its dodge ball, but with a way cooler name.

6. Uno. We played all the time around the family table. I was usually the winner. Ooh, and Speed at the Reheis Country Club on our lunch breaks!

7. Heads Up 7 Up. Best school day game when there is a subsitute ever!

8. Red Light Green Light. You have to stop at the red light and can run on the green light. First to the end wins!

9. Pogs. I wasn't very good, but it sure was fun. Gotta love those fads. I think the comparable thing right now is Silly Bandz.

10. And of course my all-time childhood favorite: Basketball! In middle school, I was so sure I was going to play in the newly formed WNBA, marry Raef LaFrentz (I even created a website in his honor in 1997. Who knew there were websites back then!?), star on my high school team as a freshman.... of course all those dreams were slowly brought back to reality by a horrific diaper wearing HS coach who highly preferred the girls that practiced in their sports bras. I played on a travelling summer team for years, the Wichita Chaos later rivaled by the Wichita Elite (sheesh, what brats!) and made some amazing friends from all over town. Ah, memories.

I almost puked this morning.

2011-01-17T09:18:00.000-06:00

During my workout. For the first time in a long while.

It was awesome.

I got my butt out of bed and to the gym at 5:30 this morning. Good thing I packed my bag last night, or it woulda been a LOT harder to be successful this morning.

I got to the gym and busted out my iphone to use my new favorite app that you can buy here. I decided to do the "Hurricane" workout. I figured 45 minutes was a good length. Round about 25 minutes I was almost dead.

The app is awesome. You can play your iPod while the trainer talks you thru what to do, on the clock. Here's what I did.

2 min - light jog
2 min - slide and glide. I did carioka instead.
1 min - straight leg kicks
1 min - recover (I was thinking I don't need this, this workout is probably going to be too easy for me. Ha.)
30 sec - modified pushups
1 min - squats
1 min - step back lunges
2 min - single leg deadlift
2 min - cross back lunge
1 min - plank row
1 min - russian twists
2 min - opposite leg/arm extension
2 min - side lunge
1 min - jump rope (Ok I was way wrong. This is really kicking my butt.)
1 min - toe touch crunches
30 sec - modified pushups
1 min - squats
2 min - step back lunges
2 min - single leg deadlift
2 min - cross back lunge
1 min - plank row
1 min - russian twist
2 min - opp arm/leg extension
1 min - side lunge
1 min - jump rope
2 min - side lunge
1 min - plank row
2 min - cross back lunge
2 min - single leg deadlift
4 min - stretching

It was the last cross back lunges where I thought I might puke. Ugh. It was hard, I was sweaty, and I know I'm going to feel it for a couple days. It was great!

Of course, as I type up this recap, I realize I did a lot of the workout wrong... All the lunges (side and step back) I did as cross back -- I thought I was doing an awful lot of those! Woops. Good thing I've got massive thighs that can handle it.

(Did I ever mention the story of how BDR told me I had 'Massive Thighs' ... he says he meant it as a compliment, like they are really strong... It definitely didn't come across that way. And I don't let him forget it!)

Hopefully I can get myself out of bed in the morning to give it another go! Maybe I'll try to swim more than 100m ....

On a completely unrelated note - We start puppy class with Stelly Belly tonight! Considering she's already mastered "sit" I think she's going to do really well. Our biggest problem with her right now: deciding if her name really fits her. We're not sure that it does, but we haven't come up with anything better yet....

Happy Monday to everyone. I hope your week has started off as great as mine!! (Its a good hair day to boot!!!!)

Pete's Birthday Party!

2011-01-17T07:15:00.001-06:00

My little guy is now 6! I can't believe he's been family for that long!

We had a great birthday party to celebrate. A lot of his furry four-legged friends came over to play and eat cake. Luckily the snow kept the mud off all paws, even if my floors did get a little messy! :-)

We started out playing out back...

Pete says, "C'Mon guys the snow is calling! Let's go wrestle!"

"Or we could play chase!"

"Or we could play follow the leader!"

"Or we could play chicken off the big step on the deck!"

"But really, we can play whatever you guys want. I'm just happy to have you all here with me and my family!"

We had a pretty good turnout, including the boys in blue from the Leawood PD. (Oh, and Brome from the KCMG office!)

Pete's cousin Dixie (the chocolate lab) even brought her brothers over to play, including 4 year old Jacob who is just getting used to my "new dog" and he says he likes Pete a lot better. I think its because Stella tries to play with him in her puppy way, aka biting at him!

BDR and I had some fun with all our friends and their doggie best friends.

Now the story of the cake. I baked a chocolate on chocolate people cake and then picked up a doggie cake at Land of Paws for Peter and some cookies for his friends.

It was a really stinkin' cute cake that fit perfectly on a little plate for Peter. It was a little harder icing than Pete is used to so it took him some time to make a dent in it.

While Pete was trying his cake, Ryno thought he should taste test the cookies for the other dogs. Hey if Poppy tried it over Christmas its only fair right?! He said it tasted like a stale oreo.

This close up just might be my favorite shot of the day.

Hey, I told you it took him a while to get any of the cake. At least he got to enjoy it some!

He was licking his chops when I took the plate away, begging for more.

So were all his buddies!

Here's a few of Pete's friends... Zephyr (with Losee) and Sarge (with Coby). Sarge lives next door and I think will become good friends with Pete and Stella - at least through the pee on the fence wars to see who is really top dog!

Here's me with my babies. You can tell Stella is a typicall toddler - too busy to stay still for even a minute!

BDR and Baby Stella!

Here's the post-party shots.... exhausted!

Oh gym, how I've missed you!

2011-01-16T17:52:00.000-06:00

This past week, I've been restless and itchin' to do something. Its been SOOOOOOOCOLD though, that anything active outdoors is just out of the question. I mean, I'm talking below zero in the mornings and dark and icy in the evenings.

So I was pretty excited when my brother gave me a free week's pass to the new Lifetime Fitness in Lenexa. I got it Saturday and went today.

I did a 1song warmup on the elliptical and then ran on the treadmill. I started out pretty slow since I haven't been running much (I'm talking 13:00 miles here people!) but then every 200m (the dreadmill shows a track on it!) I'd up my speed one push or .1 mph. I ended up sprinting the last 200m at like 8.0 mph. It was tough.

Luckily though, the workout kept things interesting. I didn't get bored and I had fun! I think the optimal people watching at the gym is VERY helpful.

I then got in the pool, swam 100m and thought I was going to die. Literally thought my arms were going to fall off.

Luckily I was rescued by my nephews who just wanted to play in the other pool. Phew.

I've already got my bag packed for the morning, so I can go on my way to work. If I can keep it up this week, I just might think about an actual membership! Man, that would sure make the winter go by quickly!!!

Mo-om, she's picking on me!

2011-01-15T12:39:00.001-06:00

A little winters day poem

2011-01-13T14:39:00.000-06:00

Itching to run.
Hating the cold.
Wanting to be outside.
Jeep heater not working.
Hoping to travel.
LA is warm.
Flights aren't too bad.
Maybe I should go.
Winter. Will you be over soon?

10 TV Shows I've Been Obsessed With

2011-01-11T10:20:00.002-06:00

So even as active as I am, I love me some TV time. The boob tube and I have a sentimental, turn my brain off and relax relationship. Here's the shows I've been most obsessed with and I'm pretty sure I've seen every single episode of the series for each...

1. I had a huge crush on Zach Morris. What girl didn't!? And I wanted to be Kelly Kapowski, even though I was way more Jessi Spanno. And seriously, Zach Attack shoulda been Billboard Top 40.

2. So cheesy and predictable, but a fun mind-numbing reality getaway.

3. Always such great drama, always. You never know who will end up a murderer, liar, cheater, philanderer next!

4. Even though the finale totally sucked, this series was great while it lasted. I didn't get into it until late, but those first seasons were awesome!

5. Got hooked on this in college, seating in the GCA at the Theta house and of course, had to go back and catch up on the earlier seasons. Never really liked Joey, but I was still hooked on her!

6. 90210 the original. Another college run. What else are you supposed to do in the dorms besides watch the SOAP channel!? I was too young to care when it first aired, but I've since seen every episode there's been!

7. 90210 revamped. Super cheesy again, but I still like it! They do talk about some pretty relevant issues in almost every episode.

8. Rewatched a first-season episode recently and WOW a lot has changed. Still going strong though it may be unrealistic. I'm wondering if marriage on a post it can be divorced by a post it?

9. Spin off, schpin hoff. I still love it.

10. My current obsession. I've just begun Season 4 and I can't stop watching!!! Kevin and Scotty are adorable. Nora/Sally Field I just love. Rebecca and Justin - what a story! Not sure about Ally McBeal, but I do enjoy watching Rob Lowe. :-)

Snow Day Update

2011-01-10T21:18:00.000-06:00

So this is what it looked like outside at around noon.

And it kept snowing. All. Day. Long.

So what else could we do?

We had to cuddle on the couch and catch up on DVR.

Then of course, eat lunch and cuddle on the couch some more!

After that, we baked some chocolate chippers and headed out to the back yard for some serious play time. Did you know that a tennis ball is hard to find when it gets covered with snow? It turns into a serious snow ball that the Chuck It can totally handle.

Needless to say, we needed to take a little break after that.

So we did.

Then after a delicious dinner with BDR, we stuck in a movie (The Other Guys, surprisingly not bad after all) and snuggled on the couch some more. Yes, that's Peter on top of me, and Stella wedged between my legs and the cushions.

All in all, a GREAT day. Warm, cozy, and relaxing. Just what the pastor ordered.

What a snow day morning looks like at my house...

2011-01-10T08:30:00.000-06:00

Outside the back window:

In the living room:

Possessed Laundry Basket

2011-01-09T12:25:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday!

2011-01-07T10:20:00.000-06:00

Nothing very exciting to write about today. I ran this morning, but didn't want to. My motivation was pretty darn low. Things around the office have been pretty quiet. BDR's back on the day shift (hooray!). We have friends moving in next door to us this weekend. Stella has been getting into the dirty laundry and moving it all around the house. She now weighs almost 18 lbs!

Not a lot on tap for the weekend. Some running. Some TV. Some reading. Some napping. Some cleaning.

I know, you're jealous.

I'm a Runner

2011-01-06T11:35:00.000-06:00

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."
-John Bingham, Runner and author

O'D Dance Party

2011-01-05T12:43:00.000-06:00

At our Family Christmas/New Years Gathering, we enjoyed the boys' Christmas presents immensely. Namely this awesome game they got for the Wii. Yep, its Kidz Bop Dance Party!!

You get to pick the outfits, the stage, accessories and then you dance along with the game. Of course, I had to rock out to Miley's "Party in the USA" and singing and dancing at the same time is hard work. I was breathless before I knew it!

Here's a few photo highlights of the dance party.

IPOD rocked out first, showing us how to play the game.

Then I took at turn...

And then Poppy! Let me tell you, this was classic! Poppy and the Wii is one thing, but Poppy, the Wii and dancing --- it'll go down in history.

Sorry I can't figure out how to turn the photos right side up. Just tilt your head and you'll see what I'm talking about!

Uncle Timmy took a turn and Ryan decided to not just stand there, bust a move!

Good times, I can't wait to go over and play again. I promise, Ian, I'm coming after your high score!!!

Nanny and Poppy Dolls

2011-01-04T12:41:00.000-06:00

During my Christmas shopping, I discovered one of the most amazing gifts for the people who have everything. A company will take your photos and turn your loved ones into stuffed animals. IAmAStuffedAnimal.com - aka my best gift to my parents in a LONG time!

It won't be long before we start seeing photos of Little Pat and Little Linda be-bopping around town, appearing in blogs across the world! Who knows where they'll travel. They may even see more than Flat Stanley does!

10 Blogs I Love to Read

2011-01-04T09:59:00.000-06:00

So I just joined this group, 20 Something Bloggers. A friend told me about it, and so far it seems like a pretty cool way to connect with other writers and to be entertained by their blogs.

Thus, I figured a good 10 on Tuesday list this week would be my favorite blogs to read. If you think yours should be on the list, be sure to add a comment!

In no particular order....

1. Little Lady. This is one of my best friends, and who told be about 20SB, and she writes just about the crazy incidents of her life. Most of which I'm there to witness, but are even funnier in writing.

2. Steve in a Speedo. He's in MN and does a ton of triathlons and road races. Hilarious stuff here people. If you aren't an athlete you probably won't relate, but if you are - be sure to start reading! He also does a bunch of cool giveaways which is fun!

3. 50 J Dates. She was dating a non-Jewish guy, but her family didn't like it. So she promised to go on 50 dates with Jewish men to see if she could find someone else to be with. She's finally found someone, so she doesn't write as much, but its soooooooooooo entertaining to read the older entries. I've been on the same dates with some of these losers its seems like!

4. Molly on the Run. This is written by the Girls on the Run founder, Molly Barker. Great insight into the program, life of a girl and thoughts of a woman.

5. Walking in Wonder. My cousin and her fiance took the year off to travel the world. Last I knew, they were in Asia somewhere, having the time of their lives. I like to live vicariously through their blog.

6. Erin Leigh Studio and Erin's Thoughts. Another good friend of mine who is establishing her photography and design business. Her photos are great, and just continue to get better. Plus, BDR and I are in the top slideshow from time to time, so that's fun! :-)

7. Mollie Wetta Photography. Speaking of photos, here is another favorite photography site. She does tons of kiddos and her husband pitches in too. Gorgeous, sentimental, story-telling images.

8. Single Dad Laughing. He was made "famous" a while back for his post on bullies and I've come to read it fairly regularly. For a man, what insight on kids! Who knew men were so insightful!? Kidding, boys, I think you're great!

9. Chubby Chicks Run Too. Great runger (that's blogger and runner combined, duh) as well as mother, woman, professional. Check it out!

10. Run Like a Mother. These 2 women have written in Runners World and have their own book, plus they run, parent and make time for themselves. Great inspiration.

What else should be on this list???

A Scar Means I Survived

2011-01-03T09:10:00.000-06:00

I got a message the other day from a friend. It came at just the right time on a tough day. She'd been reading Little Bee by Chris Cleave and a passage reminded her of me. She was referring to my cat attack, but it really reaches me on such a deep level. Goodbye 2010, hello new beginnings!

"On the girl's brown legs there were many small white scars. I was thinking, Do those scars cover the whole of you, like the stars and the moons on your dress? I thought that would be pretty too, and I ask you right here please to agree with em that a scar is never ugly. That is what the scar makers want us to think. But you and I, we must make an agreement to defy them. We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived."

My Coworkers Think They're Funny

2010-12-30T09:32:00.000-06:00

When I showed up to work this morning, my coworkers had decked out my desk in honor of my birthday (tomorrow) and my recent run in with Satan.

Kitty Litter Cake - yes, its even in a litter box (cleaned they tell me) with poop and pee to taste.

Cat toys, a book, Hello Kitty and a birthday kitten toy.

And of course an evil cat card that reads "Birthdays are probably necessary. But every damn year!?"

Good thing I have a sense of humor and my wrist is feeling a bit better today. Still no feeling in my fingers, but I'm starting to get used to it.

Family Fun with the Reedy's

2010-12-29T08:48:00.004-06:00

Christmas Day 2010 at the Reedy's will be the last one as we know it. Next year Baby G will join the family and things will definitely be different! We had a great holiday of food, family and fun. And did I mention food? There was plenty of that.

Between treats and meals, we worked on a puzzle and enjoyed each other's gifts. And of course took the obligatory family photos out front, BRR!!

(Ignore my closed eyes please!)

Since Lacey is adorable with her 7-month preggo baby bump, the whole family decided to see if they could beat her bump, while waving to the passing neighbors and embarassing Nick.

All the kids in front of the tree (Joe, Lacey, Nick, Kristen, me and BDR)

Update: Satan's in Jail

2010-12-28T11:09:00.000-06:00

It's 18 hours post-bite and I still can't feel my fingers. My wrist hurts like a %*&#(! and I can barely move it. The Lortab isn't doing much for me, so I'm a little grouchy.

Its so crazy to think the little punk could cause this much pain. I seriously feel like my wrist is broken, but I know he musta just nicked a nerve or something.

The good news: Satan got caught by Animal Control this morning. I think his real name is Bob. But Satan isjust so much more fitting. He lives across College Blvd in a nice neighborhood, but comes to the office park because people feed him. He's bit at least 2 other people in a neighboring building but they didnt do anything about it. After I ID'd the bastard, the ACO will impound him for 10 days but luckily he's good on his shots. He was also going to go cite the owners for the bite. I'm hoping they didn't know that their cat was evil and now they'll keep him inside once he gets back from prison. Maybe a ticket will motivate them to keep him away from nice animal lovers that just want to help him.

I'm sort of hoping he doesn't make it out of jail though. (Cue evil laugh.) Either that or that someone bites him back so he knows what it feels like.

Ten New Year’s Resolutions

2010-12-28T08:00:00.003-06:00

1. Be Happy.
Have fun. Enjoy life. Enjoy work. Value my relationships. Don't let the man get me down. Take control of my happiness and do everything I can to make the best of each situation.

2. Be Healthy.
Work out. Eat well. Get rid of life's toxins, whatever they may be. Visit the doctor when needed

3. Live for Today.
Quit always looking for something better, something more. Enjoy what is happening in the here and now before its gone.

4. Be Grateful for All my Blessings.
Show my gratitude, inside and out. Remember all the gifts I've been given and take advantage of them at every turn.

5. Live Within my Means.
Don't spend what I don't have. Pay off my debts. Start saving.

6-10. Rinse and Repeat.

I think this video really sums up my feelings. No excuses. No regrets. Take control and be responsible for your own fate.

Satan Bit Me

2010-12-27T21:32:00.003-06:00

Leaving work tonight, I tried to do my good deed for the day. There was a stray cat haning out under the car, so I bent down to see if he was open to getting some help. He immediately came up to me, letting me pet him, purring and nuzzling my legs. He was this sweet animal that looked like he got lost from a family that loved him. He looked like this:

Minutes later he transformed into a Devil Cat that looked like this:

Yep, that SOB bit me!!! For no reason and out of the blue, I ended up with 4 puncture wounds and a scratch. I freaked out, went back in the office to wash it off and then headed straight to Urgent Care, calling Animal Control on the way.

The doc cleaned me up, wrote me a scrip for an antibiotic since cat bites always get infected, and for Lortab for the pain, along with a tetanus shot. They say that protocol is to undergo rabies treatment just in case if the animal can't be observed, so I'm really hoping that OPPD can catch the little punk.

Puncture wounds #1, #2, #3. Right in my wrist, he musta got nerves because its 4.5 hours later and I still can't feel my fingers! Its the weirdest feeling and I'm really surpised I can type ok.

Puncture wounds #3 and #4.

All the bandages.

And the results of my tetanus shot.

Ugh, so not how I was planning to spend my evening!

Check out the loot!

2010-12-27T16:31:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is picking out gifts for my loved ones. Its never been a secret that I'm a shopper, and I always try to find that "just right" gift for those I care about. Its just one way that I show them my love. And of course, there are usually gifts in return - here are a few highlights from 2010...

Santa brought BDR a "Police are my Favorite People" air freshener. Scent: Fresh baked doughnut. MMM. Tasty. On the back it says you can also use it as deodorant or a bowling accessory.

Mr. Nosy the Dokson. When I first opened this I had NO IDEA what it was. I was sure that it served some sort of purpose, but even google couldn't help me. Luckily the giver informed me of its use:

Awesome solid coasters to protect our tables from the sweat of the Blvd Beer.

BDR's new Royals cap. Hopefully he can wear it in spring softball with the boys!

Banana Dan also got "Bananagrams" the game. He's not quite sure of this gift's implications!

Warm and cozy scarf and mittens! (Note, my new hair!)

Hooray a cop nutcracker to add to the collection!

OOH! What could this be???

And of course - my best Christmas gift of all --- Stella!!

Happy Howlidays

2010-12-27T14:44:00.000-06:00

If I ever get reincarnated, I want to come back as one of my dogs especially during the holiday season. We took a short Christmas trip to Wichita and boy were they spoiled!

We all took some naps togther.... (Check out my awesome new Uggs from BDR!)

The boys played and played with them.

With all the smells of the holidays, its easy to get in the Christmas spirit. Cinnamon and apple and meat... Stella even got to smell Uncle Ryan's butt!

They probably liked the car ride down and back the best of all though... Pete slept in the back seat on the way down, and rode birddog on the way back.

Stella got snuggled up with some clothes that are being donated to charity, but was comfy and warm the whole way!

They got some awesome new toys and are learning to play together.

See, Pete will once in a while let Stella play tug with him. If you didn't know him though, you'd think he was the biggest meanie in the entire world. He'd make Cujo look sweet. He just growls and snarls at his little sister, but doesn't tug hard like he does when he plays with us.

Ian loved holding Stella and he was so sweet to her. It won't be long before none of us can pick her up anymore!

Everyone had a great time at Nanny and Poppy's house.

Once we got back to KC, the pups got to enjoy Christmas with our fam. We missed BDR while in Wichita.

Since he worked on Christmas Eve, I went to church with his family and came home to snuggle with the dogs and watch "Miracle on 34th Street". Once he got home from the mean streets of Leawood, it was officially Christmas and we opened presents. Santa even came when I fell asleep on the couch! He stuffed BDR's and the dogs' stockings to the brim!

More Christmas recap to come....

Visions of Sugar Plums Dancing in my Head

2010-12-22T12:04:00.000-06:00

I remember going to the Nutcracker as a little girl and just being absolutely in awe of the performance. I was taking ballet classes then, and loved the girly feeling it gave me. It was so festive, so Christmas, and so grown-up to go to the Ballet at Century II with my mother.

Well, last night I went again, with my girlfriends. We had a tasty dinner at El Patron and it was likely my best Mexican food experience in ages. (I generally disklike most Mexi restaurants.) We get to the Music Hall, settle in, and begin to root against the mouse king, shiver in the Snowflake forest and float off into the Land of Sweets.

Some of these dancers were just amazing. The men could leap like I've never seen. The ladies were so elegant, long and lean, great lines. I've always wanted pointe shoes of my own and a tutu so I could be just like the Sugar Plum Fairy. Maybe some day.

What a great start to the Christmas holiday and a tradition I can't wait to begin with my own daughter someday.

Ten Personal Highlights of 2010

2010-12-21T08:49:00.022-06:00

1. My growing family! I absolutely love our new addition Stella and things with BDR couldn't be better. Plus, Peter is just about as perfect of a pup as you can get!

2. My great job. I started a new position with the Kansas City Mortgage Group in May and have learned a TON over the last 6 months. I've even done pretty well with my sales and am excited about the continued growth in this career.

3. Running the Kansas City Half Marathon with a smile on my face, after I got burnt out and quit training several weeks before the race. This totally proves to me that I can truly do anything I set my mind to.

4. Hosting a successful Thanksgiving dinner at my house for my family. I was a little nervous about it, but it went off without a hitch and without any empty bellies!

5. Getting my photo shown in the Hospital Hill Charity handouts. I ran in a girly cowgirl costume for the 10K in honor of Girls on the Run and now I'm almost a D-list local celebrity. Or not...

6. Regular date nights with my girlfriends. This didn't happen quite as often as we'd all like, but one friend and I had a few quality nights out and each of them helped us grow closer together.

7. Moving in with BDR. I know I sort of covered this in #1, but it deserves a second mention. Our relationship has grown exponentionally, and I'm so happy!

8. My nephews are moving to Kansas City, so I get to be super aunt more often (and in smaller doses!) in the coming months. Big Bro got a job at Hallmark so the move has begun, yesterday actually. I'm excited to have them closer so I can be a bigger part of the boys' lives.

9. Being named to the board of directors for the Overland Park Rotary Club. This is a pretty big deal when you consider all the influential citizens in our group!

10. Enjoying all the little things throughout the year, with no major stressors.

Bling!

2010-12-18T08:44:00.005-06:00

Thursday evening the ladies of Rotary gathered at a local jewelers for some fun and fellowship. Not to mention all the pretty sparkly things! Van Brock opened its doors for us to showcase its jewelry and entertain us ladies. It was delightful.

Of course, I probably think so because I got to try on all sorts of things that I'll never own.

Namely, this: (I mean hello, you can even see the *bling* in the photo!!!)

If I recall correctly, this is a 12 carat tourmaline which is rarer than a diamond. The mine in Brazil where this gem came from is closed, and most of the stones were 2-3 carat. This one is 12! And its surrounded by diamonds, set in platinum. Holy cow, it was heavy!

I thought about buying it, but I figured I'd save my hard earned $1,500,000 for something a little less blue.

The Van Brock lady was telling us that she sold this ring once, and when the man gave it to his wife, she said "I don't want it, I already have a blue ring." Can you believe that!?

Pete's Perspective

2010-12-17T07:53:00.000-06:00

Woof. Hey everybody. Its Pete here. Mom's off doing something so I wanted to share my big news.

Yep, that's right. I'm a big brother! Mom and BDR brought me what I've been begging them for! A little sister and a new friend. It just gets so lonely in the mud room by myself during they day.

Little did we all know that right after Stella joined the family, my cousin Dixie would also temporarily move in while Uncle Ryan and Fam do the big move from the Windy City.

So let me introduce you to my little sister, Stella.

This is Stella on the drive home from Puppy Mill USA, aka southwest Missouri.

Some punk had her in the bed of his pickup and sped away so fast that little Stella tumbled out of the truck and cars had to swerve to miss her on the highway. Luckily some good samaritan picked her up and took her to Faithful Friends animal rescue where Stella got a few days stay with some really nice people. But we're happy that Mom and BDR went to get her out of Missouri and into Kansas.

Little Stella was pretty excited to meet me, very upset to be introduced to my old kennel that I'm sharing with her, but relieved to be snuggled in bed on her first night in the family.

See, doesn't she look happy?!

Mom took her to the doctor and she got a clean bill of health, except for those pesky fleas she brought with her. Luckily those are all gone. Stella told me the doctor's office was no big deal. She just layed there on the counter, got loved on and ate some cookies. She did say they stuck something up her butt and some wet stuff up her nose, but the cookies and love made it all worth while. She said the scale said 12.6 when she jumped on it. I said, so what it says 59 when I'm on. Woop-de-doo.

She tells me she thinks her birth mother was a Mastiff or a Shepherd, and she can't wait til she's big enough to wrestle with me. I was nice and let her think she might even have a chance of beating me. (Yeah, right!) Its a good thing she's pretty cute and Mom and Dad seem to like her or else I'd really have to show her who's boss. If she even thinks that big belly, puppy breath and stumbling paws are going to win me over,she's got something else coming.

Dad says Christmas came early this year, and I couldn't agree more. When Stella got here, I got all sorts of new toys to play with! Its been a pretty sweet deal so far.

In case any of you want to see any other photos of our adventures so far, you can see them here.

Well, that's all for now, I see a squirrel outside I need to go chase, oh, and Stella is trying to take my bone! Better go take care of that!

Woof Love, Pete

Pete's Big News

2010-12-16T20:36:00.000-06:00

Ten Favorite Holiday Songs

2010-12-14T08:00:00.013-06:00

In no particular order, since there is no way I could rank them...

1. Carol of the Bells

2. Oh Holy Night

3. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

4. All I Want for Christmas is You

5. 12 Days of Christmas (only this version by Straight No Chaser though!)

6. Emmanuel (The awesome 80s hair totally makes this video!)

7. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

8. You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch

9. Christmastime is Here

10. Auld Lang Syne - my birthday song!!

Domestic Goddess

2010-12-13T09:59:00.000-06:00

My oldest brother is staying with us for a couple weeks. He starts his new job at Hallmark today and made the 13-hour trek from the Windy City yesterday. Yes, his 9-hour drive was seriously extended due to the horrific midest winter weather. Thank goodness that wasn't me. I would have literally been driven crazy!

To welcome him to KC, and because I like a hearty Sunday dinner, I put a pot roast in the crock pot. His response: "When did you get so domesticated?!"

Really? I've been cooking for quite some time. I've been eating for even longer. Why is it such a surprise that I have a bit of a maternal instinct!?

The rest of the family had a similar reaction at Thanksgiving when I hosted. Who knew that Little Sis could do such things as take care of her family!?

Well guess what world? I've grown up and I actually enjoy taking care of those I care about! No need to be surprised!

Now... what to plan for dinner the rest of the week???

Christmas at COR

2010-12-10T10:47:00.001-06:00

Is it true that love multiplies love?

Like when you love one, it makes it that much easier to love another and the love for the first doesn't diminish? Its such an abstract concept, but one I've been thinking about lately.

To me, that's what the Christmas season is all about: Love.

Besides the fact that I LOVE Christmas music, Christmas cookies, Christmas cards with family photos, I LOVE the sights and sounds and smells of Christmas, I LOVE the family gatherings, the parties, the church services.

Last night, I went with KMac to the Christmas at COR extravaganza. And extravaganza is NOT an understatement. At times, there were more than 200 people on stage, including the huge choir and orchestra, then the "actors" and the crew - the light work was pretty darn cool. I mean seriously, there was a real.live.donkey!!! What a great way to get in the holiday spirit!!!

Hogs

2010-12-08T14:43:00.000-06:00

Between Peter and BDR, my bed isn't really MY bed anymore! Pete hogs the bed and BDR hogs the covers - and it gets COLD in the bedroom! The proof is in the pudding.

My side of the bed:

BDR's side of the bed:

Totally not cool boys.

I'm so jealous

2010-12-08T09:58:00.000-06:00

My cousin is fulfilling the dream of a lifetime. She and her beau quit their jobs, sold their stuff and are seeing the world for a year.

Seriously, how amazing is that?! I wish I had the courage to do it. I think it sounds completely wonderful, life changing, fabulous, I can't think of enough words to describe how jealous I am!

Their Itinerary:
Departure - June 3rd!
Vancouver - four days
Bejing - arrive June 8th.
China - June
Indonesia - July-August
Malaysia, Singapore- August
Southern Thailand - September
Nepal- September-October
India- October-November
Northern Thailand - November
Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam - December
Burma - January
Australia - January
Tazmania - Early February
New Zealand - February-March
Samoa, Fiji, Tahiti, Easter Island - Late March
Patagonia - April
Argentina - Early May
Uruguay - May
Bolivia - Late May
Peru - June
Equador- July
CostaRica - Late July

I've been catching up on their blog. living vicariously through them. Its been awesome. If you want to know anything about their amazing experiences, you can read here. But be forewarned, you're gonna want to go join them.

10 Things You Want, but Wouldn’t Buy for Yourself

2010-12-07T09:52:00.001-06:00

1. Diamonds, duh!!

2. A new car with a working heater! Well, I'll buy that at some point just not yet.

3. Big flat screen TV. It would be super fun to have, but really, is there a true need for that?

4. A sweet European vacation. OK, so this is more a "couldn't" than "wouldn't" but I really hope I can do this someday.

5. More Carolers and Nutcrackers for my holiday decor collection.

6. Health insurance with a lower deductible. Also, wish I could but alas, no can doozville babydoll.

7. Unlimited movie passes so I can go see whatever I want, whenever I want. That or the DVDs I'd see repeatedly to round out my library.

8. A sweet new road bike, tri bike and mountain bike. With awesome carbon fiber trimmings!

9. Subscriptions to People, US Weekly and other mind-numbing publications.

10. Awesome art for my walls. This is something I'd love to have but just can't justify right now. Someday I will have my own house, fully furnished and decorated to my heart's content and that includes some fascinating artwork.

Hide and Seek

2010-12-06T09:56:00.000-06:00

We taught Pete how to play Hide & Seek. In full disclosure, we didn't really teach him - we just learned that he likes to play it!

One day a few weeks ago, BDR was playing with Pete, chasing him around the house, wrestling, doing things boys do and then he hid behind the bedroom door. When he called Pete to come find him, Pete searched high and low.

He ran into the bedroom where he knew BDR's voice was coming from, looked around then ran out to the second bedroom. Then to the living room. Then BDR called him again and he ran back to the bedroom, around the bed, stuffed his head under the bed, stuck his sniffer in the air, then ran out and did the same thing in the spare room.

BDR called him again and he looked under the bed on the other side, hopped on top of the bed and sniffed around, then ran out. He heard BDR's voice one more time and finally found him hiding behind the door. It was a classic moment. Dumb dog turned genius!

We played some more yesterday. BDR would tell Pete to sit and stay in the kitchen then he'd run and hide. BTW, Pete's "Wait" is getting really good. Even with a cookie on the floor in front of him, he'll wait until we tell him its ok. Anyway, BDR hid behind bedroom doors, in the closet, in the shower, behind the couch. Pete would seek high and low, in and out of the rooms, and finally find where we hid. I'm not sure if we had more fun or if Pete did, but his tail was sure waggin' like it was his new favorite game.

Now if only we could teach him to be the hider.

27 Things Your Training Partner Won't Tell You

2010-12-03T15:05:00.001-06:00

27 Things Your Training Partner Won't Tell You - Thanks No Meat Athlete!!

1. You will not lose momentum if you stop moving during a run. So quit jogging in place at the stoplight. You look like an idiot.

2. There are at least two embarrassing songs on everyone's iPod playlist. There is no need to pretend you don't know how they got there. Just own up to your love for N'Sync.

3. Everyone pees in the pool at some point. Everyone. Anyone who says they haven't is lying. The same goes for the mass start of an open-water swim. There's a reason that water feels so warm.

4. Please limit yourself to no more than two electronic devices when we work out together. Anything more and you have more wires coming out of you than an ICU patient.

5. Newton shoes are the Ed Hardy shirt of running.

6. Outside of your running group, no one really cares if you did a brutal 12-miler this morning. No need to try to work it into every conversation you have at work, at school, while shopping, at the bank…

7. It's kind of annoying when you stretch in inappropriate places, like at the checkout aisle of the grocery store.

8. The first open-water swim any swimmer or triathlete does is scary. Almost everyone panics during their first. It's normal. The real champs are the ones who face it and get back in there for a second.

9. If you're on a Century ride and take a break: Eat first. Reapply chamois cream second. Never, ever, ever the other way around.

10. It's not bragging if you can do it. But until you've done it — zip it.

11. You're not the only one who is self-conscious about heavy breathing when training with another person.

12. Don't wear your aero helmet on a group ride unless you want people to know you're a tool.

13. The same goes for head-to-toe color coordination with your bike.

14. "Chariots of Fire" was good. Not great. We can quit pretending now.

15. To get rid of side stiches, take really deep breaths then exhale fully, like you're trying to squeeze all the air out of your lungs with your diaphragm. Repeat.

16. No matter how fit we are, we still suck in our guts when we first take off our shirts during a workout. First impressions count, y'all.

17. In the pool, please wear appropriate swimwear. We don't care how hot you are; no one needs to see all THAT.

18. Ladies – During hot races, dump the cups of ice from the aid station in your sports bra. Life…changing.

19. You're not the only one who checks themselves out in the mirror while running on the treadmill at the gym.

20. Everyone cringes when they see their race photos online. Do you really look like that when you run? Yes. Yes, you do. Sorry.

21. Don't dish out criticism about someone else's diet/lifestyle/training plan unless you're prepared to take criticism about yours in return.

22. If you're with athletes who know more than you, don't bullshit and pretend you know as much (or worse, more) than them. Just listen.

23. Desitin (yes, the diaper rash cream) works just as well on chafed areas as the expensive post-workout creams sold at sporting goods stores.

24. Unless you were trying to qualify for the Olympics and failed, please refrain from throwing a hissy fit at the finish line if you are unhappy with your performance. You embarrass everyone around you when you do that.

25. There are no expiration dates on PR times. But unless you set a world record or replace it with a new PR, your bragging rights expire after 5 years.

26. There is no good reason to ever, ever, EVER buy anything found in the advertising section of your favorite sport magazines. There's a reason electroshock belts and VO2 breathing trainers aren't featured in the actual articles of the magazine.

27. Even if a training partner is faster than you, don't discount yourself. Chances are very good that person admires something about you: Your positive attitude, your ability to make compression shorts look good, your persistence…whatever it is, keep it up. There's a reason they're still training with you, you badass.

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/27-things-your-training-partner-wont-tell-you/

Pete, aka Adam

2010-12-03T07:45:00.000-06:00

Holiday Lights Tour

2010-12-02T07:46:00.004-06:00

Last night, Peter and I enjoyed our first Christmas Light Tour thru Mission Hills. (I know, you're impressed. Say it with me: OOOOH~ AAAAAH!) But really Mission Hills, you disappoint me. Even though the Holiday Homes Tour was in full swing, I hardly saw any Christmas lights. Boo. Hiss.

Luckily, my awesome run and sweet Christmas music (Thanks Straight No Chaser!) made up for it! I thought I was running well, and hardly any walking (yay!), but my Garmin shows a little different story than the way it went in my mind. Oh well. Silly Garmin, my attitude totally trumps your accuracy.

I bundled up when I got home from work, leashed up Pete and took off into the 25-degree windchilled night.

My headlamp proved very useful as there were several cars on the road and they probably wouldn't have seen either Peter or me without the glaring spotlight that shone on Pete (the true star of the show, he wasn't bundled at all!).

Once I got closer to home, I finally found a really festive house. So take that Mission Hills, Fairway is king!

Swim, Bike, Run, ROCK - and help fight the war on ALS!

2010-12-01T21:32:00.000-06:00

I posted the video this morning and now I get this big piece of news...I'm proud to share this with all of you! I've some some awesome friends doing awesome things!!

IRONBAND holiday single released on Blazeman Record Label with 100% of proceeds going to the Blazeman Foundation in support of ALS awareness and research

Jon "Blazeman" Blais

Live...
More than your neighbors.
Unleash yourself upon the world and go places.
Go now.
Giggle, no laugh.
No... stay out past dark,
And bark at the moon like the wild dog that you are.
Understand that this is not a dress rehearsal.
This is it... your life.
Face your fears and live your dreams.
Take it all in.
Yes, every chance you get...
Come close.
And by all means, whatever you do...
Get it on film.
-Jon Blais

It's not often that something that started as a humorous side project intended to simply bring smiles to runners, cyclists, and triathletes evolves into something with a greater purpose. And frankly, despite our being involved in a few modest philanthropic efforts over the past couple of years, you've come to know us as a bunch of semi-musically inclined, middle-of-the pack triathletes who generally don't display a note of seriousness among the off-key notes in our music.

As luck would have it, an opportunity to use our music to help fight the war on ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease) fell into our laps this week and we're both humbled and excited to play a small part in the efforts of a fantastic organization.

An Ironman World Championship to Remember

For those of you who follow Ironman triathlon you will undoubtedly remember the emotional scene as Jon Blais log-rolled across the finish line at the Ironman World Championship in Kona in October, 2005. Jon, a life-long triathlete, was diagnosed earlier that year with ALS. Rather than sit back and wait for the disease to take over his life Jon fought back and set out to achieve his life-long goal of becoming an Ironman by competing in the biggest, and what would be the final, race of his life as he put it, "even if they have to roll me across the finish line."

Already suffering from the debilitating effects of the disease Jon was virtually unable to do the training normally required to compete in an Ironman. Nonetheless, he journeyed to Hawaii and stepped to the starting line as we held our breath and watched as his parents looked on from the sidelines. Along with millions of viewers worldwide we watched him struggle through the 2.4-mile swim, the 112-mile bike, and the 26.2-mile run under the hot sun and Hawaiian winds worrying, hoping, that he would reach the finish line.

Nearly sixteen and a half hours later Jon achieved the seemingly impossible when he approached the finish line, lay down, and rolled right across it. With that triumphant roll across the finish line Jon became the first person with ALS to become an Ironman and simultaneously launched a major battle on the war against ALS. In the two years between his finish in Kona and his passing in 2007, Jon became a key spokesperson and motivator, giving birth to Team Blazeman as athletes worldwide adopted his finish line log-roll, his courage, and his determination to raise awareness and further our research in the search for a cure for ALS.

In fact, that episode of the Ironman World Championship was one that I watched again after my own failed first attempt at an Ironman race landed me in the intensive care unit. Jon's courage and steely determination, his way with words, and his outlook on life are infectious and helped me to return to the same spot a year later to successfully to earn that Ironman medal that had so painfully eluded me, and terrified my family, a year earlier. That infectious nature is what helped launch the Blazeman Foundation and its army of supporters who, with the help of Jon's parents, countless friends and athletes, have raised nearly one million dollars for ALS efforts and research.

Triathlon + Music + Determination = Progress

Music and triathlon recently came together to help raise even more money. Mark Mason was an avid runner himself as a child before becoming the lead singer of the rock band Ampage at age 16. Mark spent the next 30 years living out of a tour bus and rarely getting any exercise other than tuning his guitar, all the while fighting the usual slate of vices and demons faced by many musicians.

Those years took a toll on Mark and it wasn't until years later that he tried running a mile at the pace of his youth and realized that he needed to get back in shape, and fast. He started doing the occasional 5K and 10K race and was eventually talked into signing up for his first triathlon. His triathlon career ramped up quickly and by 2009 Mark was competing in several 70.3/half-Ironman distance triathlons all the while continuing to record and perform as a musician. Along the way Mark met many athletes and eventually started working closely with a coach. In 2009 Mark was fortunate enough to cross the finish line in Kona overcoming a lifetime of odds against such a feat that, in some similar but different ways, parallel those faced by Jon in his effort at Kona just four years earlier.

That year was also this year that Mark wrote a song called "Ironman Sam" that chronicled his journey to becoming an Ironman. While in Kona Mark met Leanda Cave, a pro triathlete and avid supporter of the Blazeman Foundation. As Mark learned more about Jon, about the Foundation, and about ALS he decided to re-write the song in honor of Jon and convinced numerous people in the triathlon community to get involved with his recording efforts.
Several Ironman pros and other high profile names are featured on the recording such as Chrissie Wellington, Leanda Cave, Mirinda Carfrae, Andy Potts, Bryan Rhodes, Scott Tinley, Mike Reilly, Matty Reed, Wingnut, Fiona Docherty, Jasmine Oeinck, Mary Miller, Amanda Hahnn, Holly Bennett and others among the The Blazeman Warriors. Mark also pulled in some big guns in the music business such as Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen, Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, Dramarama guitarist Mark Inglert, and singer Pamela Mason. That single (check out the video) is now available for purchase through your favorite digital music provider and 100% of the proceeds go directly to the Blazeman Foundation.

Ironband Gets Involved

"Please, Please Santa" - the video
Watch

If you've made it this far in my rather lengthy back-story, I thank you for listening. Now here's the part where you can help and make an impact in the lives of those affected by ALS. I had the pleasure earlier this week of talking with Mark Mason and Jon's parents, Mary Ann and Robert Blais, about Jon, about the Blazeman Foundation, and about Mark's efforts to help support the Foundation's efforts through his music.

It wasn't until I read the recent story on ironman.com about Mark and his song that I was even aware of other "triathlete-musicians" out there doing what we do. That is, writing music about the sport and the unique people involved in the triathlon community. Of course we're not doing exactly the same thing; Mark has been a professional musician for 30 years and can pull in A-list musicians to help out at the drop of a hat while we, if we're lucky, can coax my 8-year-old into playing a few bars on the cowbell.

Nevertheless, Mark liked the song that we sent out last week as our holiday video card to our friends and fans and just this week Mark released the song, "Please, Please Santa" on the Blazeman Record Label. Our song, as well as Mark's "Ironman Blazeman" song, are now on sale on iTunes (other providers to follow) - 100% of the proceeds from the sale of these songs will go directly to the Blazeman Foundation! And stay tuned; there is talk of a compilation album involving numerous musicians and athletes as well as rumors of a benefit concert in Kona one of these days. Now that's something I'd pack the guitar, bike, and Chamois Butt'r to be a part of!

So ramp up your holiday playlist, check out our holiday video if you haven't done so already, read up on the Blazeman Foundation, and then visit iTunes to buy the songs and help support the fight against ALS (songs should be available through additional digital music retailers soon). If you want to show your support in an even bigger way, consider making a direct donation to the Foundation, or, for the athletes among you, consider joining Team Blazeman and racing for the team while supporting this worthwhile cause.

And while I cannot promise you that our song will move you to heretofore unattainable musical bliss, I can promise you that your purchase will help fund critical programs that raise awareness about ALS and for cutting-edge scientific research to help find new treatments and an eventual cure.

Now that should be music to your ears.

-David Shultz, Ironband

I heart the holidays.

2010-12-01T15:52:00.000-06:00

Since BDR's folks were in Florida visiting his sister for "Birthgiving", we celebrated both holidays on Sunday evening, and kicked off the Christmas season by trimming the tree. No one warned us we'd be taking pictures for the family Christmas card, but luckily my hair was done. I can't say the same for BDR.

We had a delicious lasagna dinner, vino and of course - birthday cake! Then got to work on the tree. You can only sort of tell from the photos, but I LOVE his dad's house. Its gorgeous, right off the lake, a fun stream/pond in the backyard and plenty of space for us all to gather.

Chris keeps all her ornaments in their original Hallmark boxes so there was almost as much unwrapping as there is on Christmas morning! Both of those huge tubs were full of ornaments, and luckily so because "O Tannenbaum"is huge!

Seriously, BDR is 6-2 and he looks like a shrimp compared to that thing!

Its exciting to be included on the family Christmas card even though I'm not technically a part of the family. It feels like I am - at least to me! I guess they just have to deal with me being around now! :-) Here's a few of the good ones. It doesn't look like the group photos really turned out... I blame Mike and his 2 second shutter speed. Who really can stay perfectly still for that long!?

Kristen and Dusty snuggle while Bo looks on. Bo is the new member of the family, rescued this year from a lady who passed.

This is the fun that preggo sister in Florida is missing out on. Nick couldn't even put on real pants for the photos. Jeans are just so much work when you're 17!

We also took some fun shots. BDR's weapon looks much more dangerous than mine!

Apparently BDR thinks I'm pretty heavy. He was none too thrilled when I told him I was jumping on his back. Oh, and I have "massive thighs" ... way to earn points honey. Glad you think the couch is comfy!

So, all in all, a fun night. I love the holiday season and I can't believe its already here! I know it will go quickly too! Besides a little Christmas shopping, baking, wrapping, etc. I just need to decide my plans for Christmas Eve. Historically thats been the big family evening - church, presents, dinner, cookies and as we grew up - drinks and games by the fire. BDR is working Christmas Eve so as of now, I'm solo. We'll do Christmas Day at his Dad's and I just need to figure out what I want to do for Eve. No matter what - I'm sure this will be my feelings about Christmas 2010:

Dear Santa...

2010-12-01T08:11:00.000-06:00

For all my endurance friends out there...

Ten Things You Want for the Holidays

2010-11-30T08:51:00.027-06:00

1. Fun, festive, fabulous days.

2. Warm, wonderful, wintry nights.

3. Lots of Christmas music!

4. Even more Christmas cookies!

5. A brisk jingle bell holiday lights run with my Pup.

6. A good turnout at our client appreciation showing of "Elf"!

7. On that note, I'd like Candy, Candy Canes, Candy Corns and Syrup!!

8. A visit from Santa would be nice.

9. Fun, family filled holidays, with BDR off the clock and all of us together!

10. And above all - Peace and Happiness - right Poppy?!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-26T08:48:00.001-06:00

Today, I hosted my first Thanksgiving. I also acquired a new appreciation and gratefulness for all my mother does to host us for holidays regularly. This stuff is a lot of work!

I've been baking for about a week... cookies and pies and banana bread, even a test turkey!

The whole crew arrived from Gurnee and Wichita on Weds evening, so we ordered some pizza pies and began the celebration.

Turkey Day morning arrives and I had to finish preparing BDR's birthday breakfast. Yep, lucky guy's birthday is on Thanksgiving this year! Too bad he could only join the family for part of the fun - he had to go to work at 2:00. We had Aunt Kelly's breakfast casserole, blueberry muffins, cinnamon rolls, fruit and fresh squeezed juice! Quite a tasty start to the day if I do say so myself.

Sean was a great help in the kitchen all day!

Vrooom Vrooom! No pit stops at this birthday party!

After breakfast, SIL and I headed to the kitchen to start on our Turkey Dinner. She buttered up the bird while I made the stuffing. I learned from my Test Turkey that my oven definitely cooks slow so we gave it some extra time to roast.

And then of course, nap time began. Hey, the birthday boy gets to do whatever he wants! I am amazed though that he was able to shut his eyes amid all the ruckus!

Peter even found a place to bask and avoid the crazy for a few minutes!

I was really pleased with how all my dishes turned out, but I did warn everyone of the motto around our house:

Here's Poppy admiring the spread. Thank goodness for the bar in the basement, we wouldn't have known what to do otherwise!

This is my plate. Holy cannoli it was good! I'm so excited to enjoy some leftovers for the next few days, and thankful there still are leftovers!

Ian really loved his drumstick - so much so that it was what he was thankful for!

This is how I do things after a delightful meal!

And of course, after dinner, the Festivus Feats of Strength began. Looks like Uncle Timmy is losing this year!

While relaxing after dinner, we had to ask Peter what he was thankful for this year and he had a LOT to say!

All in all, many blessings to count - and I had 12 of them in my home this year!

10 Things You’re Thankful For

2010-11-23T10:42:00.022-06:00

1. My family - Blood relatives of course, but also my friends, BDR, and Peter. Family is a "relative term"!

2. Strength and growth - If we didn't have these, life would be a lot harder and a lot more boring.

3. Food on my table - particularly the delightful Thanksgiving meal I'm going to cook on Thursday!

4. Opportunity to give back to my community - I love the organizations I'm involved in and the way they allow me to help so many other people.

5. Pumpkin flavored almost anything - is there anything better for the season than pumpkin spice!?

6. Health - I'm blessed to be feeling pretty darn good right now and I know not all are so lucky.

7. Work - There's been a few times in the past couple years when I couldn't say this, but my job is wonderful and so are the people I work with.

8.Beary - Yes, the teddy bear I got from my Grandma when I was little still makes the list. He reminds me of all the blessings I had then and still have now. Plus it reminds me of her even after her passing this year.

9. No Ironman training - That was such a huge part of my life then, but I love all the free time I have now to do other things.

10. The holiday season! - I get to put up my Christmas tree and all my decorations in just a couple days!!!

11 ways to stay low-fat in 2011

2010-11-22T15:01:00.000-06:00

I think it might be time to start racing again. That's such a good motivation factor for exercise and eating right. So now, I'm taking recommendations for my 2011 race schedule. What have you done in the past or hope to do in the future?

It would be awesome if NYC 26.2 could work out, but I think I need to bank on local races.

Send me your suggestions!

Holiday Baking Season!

2010-11-20T08:47:00.003-06:00

After the GOTR 5K, I was the lucky winner of a box of leftover apples! MMM, pink ladies are delish! So I've been trying to put them to good use. We defiitely wouldn't want them to go to waste, just to "waist" instead!

1st, a tasty apple crisp. My daddio's recipe. Peeled and sliced apples, topped with a mixture of brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, butter and cinnamom. MMM. It smells so good when its baking!

I also tried my hand at homemade applesauce for the first time! MMM, it filled the house with a phenomenal aroma! So warm and festive, it really put me in the holiday spirit. 8 peeled, cored and chopped apples, a half cup sugar, 1.5 cups water and some cinnamon. In a pot, covered on medium for an hour or so, til they were cooked enough for me to mash.

And whats a day of baking without chocolate chippers? I'm in love with Dr. Mel's recipe that uses vanilla pudding to keep the cookies moist. And luckily enough, BDR ended up taking them to an off duty job and "accidentally" giving them to a fellow officer. At first I was mad, but then I remember those pants that don't fit!

Next up, pies, turkeys, mashed potatoes, cider ... all the Turkey Day fixin's!!

Slightly obsessed

2010-11-19T08:52:00.002-06:00

I can't help it, he's just so cute!

Snug as a bug in a rug.

Watching momma bake some tasty treats!

Why are you down there doing laundry? Come play with me!

I love snuggling!

Chewy? Yes please!!

Its much warmer with your nose under your tail, a little stinky, but well worth the warmth!

NYC 2011

2010-11-18T14:03:00.000-06:00

So I've been having serious fat days lately. Ugh.

My clothes don't fit like I want them to at all.

I just want to eat, sleep, and eat and sleep some more. Guess its that winter hibernation thing.

I've got to get motivated.

So, what did I do? Well, the gym last night sure didn't work too well. I came home and baked and didn't get off my butt to exercise this morning. Instead I had a delightful coffee date and a creamy cheesy bagel.

So I tried to get myself motivated....

Yep, that's right, I registered to get into the 2011 New York City Marathon!! I know that like 100,000+ people apply to get in, so the chances are slim, but if I do - how cool would that be?!?!

I mean running through the five burroughs. Seeing all the sights, sounds, smells of the Big Apple. How much of a great experience would that be? And definitely motivating to get my butt in gear!

Too bad I have to wait until April to find out if I got in...

Girls on the Run 5K

2010-11-18T11:08:00.000-06:00

The season-finale Girls on the Run 5K fun run was last Saturday on the campus of Garmin International in Olathe. What a great day we had!

Forget the frigid temperatures and the serious need for hot coffee (Thanks Jackie at Starbucks!) - things seriously heated up when we saw the look of pride on all of the finishers' faces.

The girls have been going through the GOTR curriculum for 10 weeks, learning all sorts of things about themselves, and how to be the best me they can be. They learn about self-esteem, how to deal with bullies, nutrition and how to stay out of the "girl box."

And then the culmination of the program - they run a 5K race, proving to themselves and to others that they are smart, they are strong - they can run all day long! This fall, we had about hundreds of runners out celebrating with our girls. From coaches and running buddies to proud parents and regular community members, there was a true spirit of fun and accomplishment in the air.

You can't tell from the photo how cold it truly was in the wind tunnel at Garmin. The sun came out right when the race started and we had a gorgeous race.

Here it becomes a bit more evident. The wind is blowing and the seriously pink cheeks show the girls' effort as well as the brisk air. But really how cute are these runners?! Beautiful girls, inside and out!

And this one. She was so proud of her medal. Being the only girl in a family of four boys and a boy dog, she showed them that girl power we all knew she had inside her!

And what blog post would be complete without a photo of my "Dog on the Run"!? Peter and I were the sweepers for the race, making sure no one got lost or left behind. We had a great walk, and Peter even got a finisher's medal. He too was so proud of it that he wore it for 3 days straight!

Taking care of all those girls was sure a lot of hard work though. Between making sure there was coffee for the volunteers and hanging signs and setting up the sound system, Peter was on good mood patrol - ensuring all the runners and spectators had a smile on their face the entire morning. Because, really, that's what Girls on the Run is all about.

Setting the prisoner free

2010-11-16T14:30:00.001-06:00

Its been a long time since I've written about the abusive relationship I was in during 2006. Many of my newer readers may not know anything about it, but it was bad. 8 months of hell. I suffered, my dog suffered, my entire family suffered and my close friends suffered. For those whole 8 months, we all suffered.

But I know I've suffered long since its been over. Its taken a long time to truly come to grips with what happened to me, how I was treated, the emotions I felt. Its taken a lot of therapy, several cocktails with good friends, lots of long talks, many hours of internal reflection, feats of anger, feats of strength, weakness, anger, fear, captivity, did I mention anger?

"Always forgive your enemies, nothing annoys them as much." -Oscar Wilde

As part of my therapy, I speak on behalf of other survivors for Safehome. I've spoken to church groups, criminals, advocates, children, my Rotary Club. Most recently I spoke to a Family and Personal Relationships class at Olathe Northwest High School. Its been over 4 years since I left and I'm just now getting to the point where things aren't so raw.

After speaking and not being engulfed by the emotions, I started to think... Am I getting over this? Am I really as healed as I always wanted to be? I always imagined I'd be held captive by this horrible experience. That it would always define who I was. But now, I can say differently. I've never been so happy as I am right now. So many things in my life are going right, and I don't feel the weight of the world on my shoulders like I used to.

What happened!? Why is it "suddenly" so much easier? Well, first of all - it wasn't sudden. Its been growing for some time now, and I've just grown sick of caring so much about how he made me feel, how he affected my life. And then I realized, he's still had the power and control over me that he worked so desperately for while we were together. I realized I've still been his prisoner. My anger towards him never affected him in the slightest, but it did make a major impact on me.

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and realize the prisoner was you." -Lewis B. Smedes

I had been afraid to forgive him. I was worried that if I truly forgave him, I'd be saying that what he did to me was OK. I never wanted to give him that satisfaction. In speaking with a trusted advisor and a very wise woman who had been through a similar situation, I've begun to realize that forgiving him has nothing to do with him. It has to do with me. With my admitting that life goes on, that I can be free of his grasp, that regardless of what's happened in the past - those feelings don't have to continue in the future. I've become exactly what he never wanted me to be: a strong, self-sufficient, independent, confident, loving, loved woman.

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong." -Mahatma Ghandi

I know that relationship had a major impact on all of my relationships. I struggled to rebuild friendships that had been demolished. I know those women have had to grieve in their own way for how they suffered. And the same goes for my family. I can still hear the worry in the voices of my parents when I told them about BDR. They love me, unconditionally, and all they want is the best for me. I hope they know how far I've come, and I hope each of my family members (my friends are included there!) can find a way to forgive him for the pain and hurt it caused our entire family.

I hope and I pray that we can all forgive, set ourselves free of the pain and the hurt and the anger, but also learn from those experiences. Adjust our expectations of how the world works. Be grateful for what we have. Know that the past can't be changed, but it doesn't have to dictate our future.

I've become so much stronger than I was before, and I also feel so much more loved. Plus carrying the weight of the world around is hard work - letting go is so much easier.

Saturday Night

2010-11-06T20:56:00.000-05:00

Here's the story of my Saturday night. Make note of the name of the wine:

Compiling Thanksgiving menus, complete with a trip to the Hob Lob to make for a fabulous holiday season. I've got my pumpkin spice candle lit and I'm tempted to start planning holiday music.

When I return home from my mani and the Hob, I ask Pete if he behaved...

Who, me?! He asks ever so sweetly...

I would never do anything to disappoint you Mom.

Especially not get into the trash and put a whole in a plastic cake holder that has nothing in it but a used straw and a plants droppings, maybe a couple cake crumbs...

And I would never, never, NEVER eat an entire bag of candy corn that I knew you were looking forward to enjoying yourself. I know its one of your favorite seasonal treats.

What am I to do with you Peter?!

I guess I'll just worry about that later after I enjoy my Broke Ass at home on a Saturday night.

Perfect Autumn Afternoon

2010-10-31T20:05:00.001-05:00

We had a perfect autumn afternoon on the trails at Minor Park. It was the most perfect weather, with perfect company and perfect surroundings. If you haven't been out to Minor Park, I'm hesitant to recommend it. One of the reasons I LOVE THIS PLACE is that there is hardly ever anyone there. Pete doesn't need to be on a leash, and we always have so much fun!

Once you get on the mail trail from the trailhead, there's this weird metal thing that at one time I"m sure served a great purpose. Now, its just a hot spot for graffiti. Fitting graffiti though. :-)

The Blue River runs through the park and there are a few spots that really overlook the water. This is probably 25 feet above the creek and BDR is afraid of heights! Peter would get close to the edge and BDR got so nervous.

This is one of the most scenic spots on the trail, with great rock seats to take in the views.

Needless to say, we love our new iPhones and are really enjoying getting some good use out of them.

I'm obviously in a great mood from a great afternoon!

And Peter is exhausted from the several-mile hike!

While we're at it, this is a taste of something I have to put up with every night. Growing up, we'd have group therapy sessions with our dogs after dinner. Sitting around the table, we'd listen to a similar whine and bark and attribute it to some issues the pups needed to work out. Now, I'm not so sure, but there is definitely something he's trying to communicate!

And one last taste of the dramatic gopher... if you don't think this is funny - watch it a few more times!

An oldie but a goodie

2010-10-27T14:59:00.000-05:00

So I can't believe this was about 6 or so years ago! Sean has gotten so big! He's 7 now, in the 2nd grade, but can still make me smile just as much as he did when this was live.

Enjoy. May your bad day now be made better!

I miss it.

2010-10-27T13:59:00.000-05:00

I miss racing.

Not because I'm any good at it. Not for the PR's. Not for the medals.

But for the sweat.

And the fun.

And the heart-healthy benefits.

And the feeling of accomplishment and pride.

And the bit of soreness afterwards.

So how do I get myself motivated to train, keep training and make the entry fee a little more worthwhile? That is the question. Do I set up a race schedule for next year? A couple half mary's, maybe a half iron? Maybe just some 5ks?

I went to the actual gym this morning. And, let me say, BLAH. A run with Peter is a way better use of my time. A swim would've been good, but the pool was TINY. I've also recently gotten the P90X system, and I've thought about doing that. I'm just worried about my commitment level. Hmm. Things to ponder.

In other news, my new pants are bleeding all over my hands. This dark-washed denim slack ain't sticking where it should!

Mountain Climbers and Frosting Truckers

2010-10-25T09:24:00.000-05:00

Sunday we celebrated BDR's little brother's 17th birthday - at an indoor rock wall!

I had no idea this place existed. Its a huge building, with tons of gymnastics equipment and a monster play area including a rope swing with big foam blocks to fall onto and at the back is this 40-foot rock wall. We took a lesson from this "serious rock climber guy" and everyone else got belay certified. Here's us before we got started... From right to left, BDR, Nick, me, Kristen and Charlie.

Here's me, the first one to go up, feeling like I'm about 95 feet in the air, even though that black line is probably 10-12 feet high. I'm starting to get a bit nervous.

Another step or two later and I decide I can't go any further. That's what happens when you look down! The repelling part was fun, the being up on a wall with only little fake rock protrusions to hold you there - not so fun.

BDR did great, even though he's afraid of heights.

But we were all shown up by the birthday boy. I think he rang the 40 foot high bell more than anyone else. Ah to be so fearless!

BDR's dad was the official photographer for the day. From the looks of this photo, you'd think he was an O'Donnell! Its the official self-portrait!

Afterwards, we all went to Johnny C's Pizza, the Reedy Family hangout, for pizza, onion rings and birthday cake. (Note the awesome toy construction trucks on the cake! It even had a mound of frosting dirt and black sprinkles like soil!) Of course, the competition continued on the side-by-side race car game. All-time winner, BDR, was eventually beaten by the all-time loser Nick.

After pizza and beer, we of course, busted out the cake. On the second round, a big plop of frosting hit the carpet. Hilariety ensued. OK, so maybe you had to be there, but judge for yourself...

It was a fun celebration, and we can't wait to do it again next 'eekend on the 'ween out at 'ake 'ivira. In the meantime, maybe we'll see you on the Fe. (Oh inside jokes are funny, too bad they can't really come across on a blog!)

The best thing about fall...

2010-10-21T11:27:00.000-05:00

...at least in my new neighborhood, is all the crunchy leaves! It's been a B.E.A.Yoo.Tiful autumn in Kansas City. We love our new neighborhood and we love enjoying the days outside. See, here's proof...

Oh ya, and ignore my little flub at the end, I'm still learning how to use the video recorder on my iphone!