It's a familiar feeling!

This week and last I have made a huge effort no matter what the time to get to the gym and run and do weights. The key here is no matter what time. For example, last night I went down to the basement to run at 9pm....way past my bedtime when I am usually up at 4am! But boy do I love this feeling. Now if I can just keep this up for a week more I know it will stick!!!

An update on the skinny jeans challenge: I can button the jeans!!! I still would never be caught dead in them in public but progress is progress! The end is in 4 weeks at the end of November. I finally came to the conclusion between trying on the jeans and watching Biggest Loser (GO RUDY!!!). I finally asked myself...WHAT AM I WAITING FOR??? I know that my weight loss is a series of choices...choosing to stay away from crappy food...choosing to spend time on Sunday prepping everything...choosing to run and workout. This weight is doing nothing but bringing me down in so many ways and now is the time. I need to choose to do this for myself! I know I can do it! Now if I could just scoop up Jillian and have her live with me I would be even better!

Now it's thankful time!
1. Emma is just so lovey lately and I can't get enough of it! She gives me a hug when I pick her up at daycare and when she wakes up in the morning. We just look at each other and laugh all the time! She really is such a content little girl and I am just having a blast with her!

2. I'm so thankful for these endorphins! I missed them so much!!!!

3. The Eat-Clean magazine my sister gave me. I made an AWESOME Sloppy Joe recipe tonight for dinner. Sloppy Joes are my all time favorite and these were really great and only 190 calories with cheese! Yum-o!

4. I'm thankful my school has a health clinic inside it....this way all the students can get flu shots. Working in an inner-city school this is a God send! I was also able to get my flu shot from them too saving me lots of time!

5. I'm thankful all the Halloween candy is GONE!!! That friggin stuff haunted me in my sleep!!!

Have a great night!!

Marathons make me antsy!

It was so exciting to watch today's NYC marathon! What was even better was that Emma was actually watching it with me!!! I was explaining to her who everyone was and what they were doing. Who knows maybe one day she'll be the next Paula Radcliffe....ok maybe not but you never know! I couldn't help but begin to feel antsy while watching it wanting to get back out there and do another marathon! Don't worry Mom...I'm not going to any time soon! My life it crazy enough so I am going to stick to halfs, but it was nice to remember how strong my body felt training and how amazing it felt to cross that finish line at Copley Square!!! I get chocked up just thinking about it!

It really made me all but forget the CRUDDY run I had on Saturday(and cruddy is the nice first grade word)! It really set the tone for my whole day. My knee was hurting and my quad was wicked tight. I had to cut it short by 3 miles. I was thankful for getting to run on such a warm October day but I wanted to get much further! The day was all but a wash until I put Emma in her bumble bee costume and I couldn't help but burst out laughing! She was so cute!!! Well another week starts...I have to try on my skinny jeans tomorrow for the half-way point. Yikes!!!

Oh and I can not forget my good friend Carrie...she finished her first half-marathon today!!!! I couldn't be more proud of her!!!!!

Here are some things I am thankful for this weekend:
1. Being able to watch the USA win the NYC marathon with my daughter! It was so exciting!

2. My hubby who woke up early with Emma who forgot we gained an hour sleep!

3. My Mom....seriously I wish my family was much closer but she is always willing to talk with me on the phone whenever! Really cures my lonely days!

4. My Dad's tube in and hooked up! My father has Chrone's Disease and he has been getting his nutrition from TPN and it had come out. He was down to 100lbs. but now he has it back in and is on the rise!

5. My brother-in-laws....they came over on Halloween night just to see Emma. They are both single guys with stuff to do and people to see but they just love her and wouldn't think twice when it came to seeing her!

I hope you all enjoy your extra hour of sleep!

I'm Back!

Ok so I definitely fell off the thankful bandwagon but I am back! Running is still continuing to be a struggle but I know that it is going to get there soon! Starting with tonight! I think that my hubby and I have finally come up with a schedule that works for both of us! I hope that all of you had a great weekend!

1. I am so thankful for Fall evening runs. The colors are beautiful and the air is so nice and crisp! Love it!

2. I'm thankful beyond words for supportive friends! Thank you Carrie! You rock and are going to ROCK your half this Sunday!

3. I'm so thankful that my Mom and sister were able to come to visit yesterday! It was so nice to see them and sit down to a bowl of my Mom's homemade mac and cheese. Not waist friendly but good for the soul! I miss them so much and it was great to see them.

4. Which brings me to this one....I'm thankful I have such a talented sister who took 150 BEAUTIFUL family pictures of my hubby, daughter and I! Seriously it is going to be hard to choose!!!

5. I'm thankful for candy corns! My Mom brought me a huge bag which I really need to bring to school with me tomorrow (can't stop eating them!) but I just love them!

Have a terrific Tuesday!!!

Baby Proof=Empty House

Today we finally baby proofed the house. We have been meaning to for the past month but never had quite enough time or energy to do so! I'm so glad to have it done now even though it looks like we are moving out! The majority of it was done in our living room....tossing the entertainment center, moving the coffee table, and putting the leaning bookcases in the attic! It is so much better now because now Emma can crawl and roam free and not have to hear no a thousand times a day!

Well Monday is upon us again! I am ending this week being thankful yet again! I did a little better this week fitting in workouts and hoping to do even better this coming week. I am really looking forward to Thursday. My gym is having an open house and there is a 75 minute master spin class taught by 3 instructors! Aside from running, I LOVE TO SPIN!!! It makes me feel like a bad ass because I can just cruise along! Either way here are my five things! Congrats to all of the marathoners this weekend!!! Way to go!!!

1. I'm thankful to have Tom Brady back....we are hardcore Patriots fans and were very sad about Tom Brady playing....well...sucky! He kicked butt today and in the snow no less!!

2. I'm thankful for having two runs outside this week! The treadmill is good but nothing beats a great run outside in the Fall!!!

3. I am SO thankful Emma is feeling much better....that equals much more sleep for momma!

4. I'm thankful I get to talk to my Mom every morning! It started when I was getting married. I would call her and give her a list of things to do each day....that was about 4 years ago and I look forward to talking with her every day! She rocks!

5. I'm thankful for an injury free body! This past July I hurt my back to the point where I had to be taken out of the gym by ambulance....very embarrassing! It set me back 4 weeks in training but I am happy to say that it has stayed away since then!

Have a great Sunday night! Those who finished their marathons this weekend...rest easy you did it!!!

Thankful for Hump Day!

Ok so I missed yesterday but today I am back for my 5 more things I am thankful for! Before I start, I am struggling with wanting to reach my sub-2hour goal and the fact that every half costs $50 or more. October in our family means 5 birthdays followed by an anniversary in November followed by Christmas and Emma's birthday in December....WHAT???...back that up...Emma is turning 1 in just 2 months!!!! I just can't believe that! So yeah I may postpone my goal to be a goal for 2010. It is just too tight money wise around here and I have been burdened with being selfish...is it being selfish? If it was just me I would go broke trying to reach my goal but it's not. I have one more in November and then I will just have to wait if I don't make it. What do you all do to balance the high costs of races? Besides waiting a little will allow me to figure out a good running schedule that fits all family member's needs!

So back to thankfulness.....

1. Late night gym workouts. I was able to go last night when Emma went to sleep. I was dreading going so late but the gym was pretty empty and I was able to really get in a great weight workout!!

2. No infections....Emma has been sick lately and this morning she spiked a temperature. Well I am so thankful that she has no infections! My family assured me that everyone in our family spiked a fever when they got teeth.

3. Leading me to my next thing...since Emma has been sick she is the #1 member of my fan club! This mean lots of hugs and cuddles! Since she has morphed into a girl on the run/crawl lately, I am really soaking in all the cuddle time that I can!

4. DVR....this morning I was able to watch The Hills, Rachel Zoe, and Biggest Loser in about 1 1/2 hours! All my gossip and secret indulgences at once!

5. Not having a classroom...This year is my first without a classroom and although I miss my kids I was very thankful this morning to just be able to call the school and tell them I wouldn't be able to come in because Emma had to go to the doctor. Last year I would have had to go in at like 6am to make sure that my sub plans were in and everything was set and ready. Today I made the call and went back to my DVR!

I hope you all are having a good night...if you are in MA, I hope you bundle up tonight...tomorrow is going to be WICKED cold!!! Oh and head on over to Tall Mom on the Run for an AWESOME giveaway!!!

Thankful for swag!

So since I have been having a pity party for one lately, I decided that I am going to let this get the best of me NO longer!!! I WILL NOT be a Debbie Downer just because I have been pressed for time and am unable to run whenever I want. I am going to put on my big girl pants and move along! In light of that I have decided that I need to shed more light for myself, and apparently all of you, as to the things I am thankful for.

Our two 5 year-old nieces (pictured left....aren't they so cute?!) have a tradition they do after they say their prayers at night. They say 5 things they are thankful for. I am going to try to do this every night or so. I figure if I set my sights on the good things in my life then the stressful stuff will not take over! So here are my 5 things:

1. I'm so thankful for my hubby this morning who woke up with Emma at 4am so that I could get a few more hours sleep. She has had a bad stuffy nose this weekend because she is getting her two front top teeth.

2. I'm thankful that I was able to see many old college teammates this weekend including my old roomie who has been living in India for 2 years!








3. I just love any swag and I got swag from just going to the game on Saturday. I didn't play due to really (like trip to the ER) hurting my back this August and not wanting to repeat that! But one of my coaches was so great to have saved me a goodie bag! We got a college mug and a college shirt that says "Welcome to scenic Wenham" with a picture of the student center! Hilarious if you saw our very small school!
4. This picture leads me also to my fourth thing I am thankful for...I fit into a pair of prepregnancy jeans today!! Yippee!!!!! Please ignore the pile of sneakers behind me...this is supposed to be a happy post! :-)
5. I am so thankful today for the family that I have been blessed with! I have an awesome husband and amazing little girl. Plus I get to have an amazing Mom and Dad and sister who support me through everything....not to mention 2 nieces and brother-in-laws!

I hope you are thankful today! I do have a downer with running but I am going to save that for tomorrow...today I am focusing on thankfulness!

Warning-The title should be WAH WAH WAH!

I have been pretty absent from writing on my blog this week. Truth is I have been barely keeping my head above water with work, baby, life, and everything else! My running has been taking a back seat to all of this stress which only makes my stress level higher! My stress level is starting to take a toll on my physical health too making me have chest pains during the day! I do not want to be this kind of mom for Emma!!! I want to be calm and have time for the little things like a walk after school with her.

How can I do this and still have time for me to get in all my running???

I tried to use my jogging stroller and the bolt that keeps the front wheel on is MIA! I only have a few more weeks around here before it will be too cold to run with her in it outside. I have been having to wait until Emma goes to bed to get in a run and by then I am beat. I tried waking up at 4 before she got up but I always seem to find things around the house that need to be done first! This week I am determined to get my runs in! I ran yesterday morning. It was great Fall weather but my legs felt like lead! I could have sworn I wore my lead shoes! I'm sure it is a result of being tired and not running much during the week. I WILL do better this week!