16/52

Fall is my favorite season.  Don't get me wrong, I like Spring - I enjoy the flowers and colors after what seems like six months of Winter. And even Winter has it's charms.  When we get our first real snowfall and the sun shines and makes every snowflake dazzle and sparkle - it's mesmerizing!  Summer is good too - the one season when I don't have to wear a jacket.  I'm a chronically cold person - I don't retain body heat, so I like sitting outside enjoying the breeze in the air and warmth of the sun on my skin. 

But Fall?  The apple cider, apple cider donuts, caramel apples, pumpkin muffins, - I even tried Trader Joe's pumpkin flavored Oreos (which really tasted like pumpkin, but were SO sweet!). Everything is delicious!  Yes, I know it means that Winter is coming but before the temperatures dip to sub-zero, we get this amazing display of color.  The leaves on the trees go out with a bang! 

I have a thing for barns. 

It's the time of year when I really appreciate what is around me.  My long drive to work isn't so bad when I see beautiful tree lined streets with brilliant reds, oranges and yellows. It makes me want to be outside to feel the crunch of the leaves under my feet and hear the swish of the leaves as I drag my feet through a pile of them. 

I guess I have a thing for bridges too. 

 
The other reason I really enjoy Fall is that three generations of birthdays are in October - me, Abigail and my mom.  And as I think about my mom, I think of the millions of reasons I appreciate her. 

My mom and Isaac - the end of flag football season.

Like how she is Isaac's biggest cheerleader.  To clarify, she is the biggest cheerleader for ALL her grandkids.  She goes to countless games, recitals, performances, and special events.  I'm sure she's tired after a long day at the law firm.  I'm sure she would love to go home and put on her pajamas and veg out for the night, or get things checked off her to-do list, but she doesn't.  She shows up.  She cheers.  She claps (even when she isn't supposed to).  She's there.

Abbi asked for a Ukulele for her birthday.

Or how she makes a big deal out of every grandchild's birthday.  Every year she mails a birthday card with singles equal to the age of the child.  So Abbi got a very fat envelope this week - with 15 singles in it!  It had to have cost extra in postage.  Birthday children are taken out to dinner - and it's their choice - it can be just with Gramma and Papa, or the whole family can be invited.  Special and unique birthday gifts are requested - and then delivered.  Abigail went to that choir camp this summer and the elective she chose was a class that taught her how to play the ukulele.  Well, once you know how to play the ukulele, you should have one, right?  Abbi did her research and found a great beginner ukulele, sent the link to Gramma and viola, now she has a ukulele.

She puts a priority on family during the holidays.  Every holiday is an occasion to get together and have amazing barbeque. We have traditions - we make a huge mess in her kitchen in early December and bake a ridiculous amount of cookies.  We have our family Christmas celebration in the morning - in our pajamas!  She gives all of us silly string in our stockings so that on New Year's Eve, we can run outside and spray each other and make the yard colorful with neon colored string made of silly (because really, what IS that stuff??).

Mom (because I know you read this), thanks for ALL you (and Papa) do for us.  We don't tell you enough.  Nathan and I know we weren't easy to parent.  And we turned out alright.  Well, I'm more alright than he is, but he's not too bad most of the time.  But we turned out alright because of you.  We appreciate the sacrifices you made for us when we were growing up and the sacrifices you make now.  Your love, support and encouragement has carried us through good times and bad.  Thanks for being the glue that holds us together.  Love you!!

I guess I appreciate this time of year because it's so beautiful, but so short.  The leaves will all have fallen soon, been raked up and put to the curb.  The greens, reds, yellows and oranges will be gone and replaced with brown (and then soon white).  The holidays are right around the corner.  My sister-in-law, Marcy, can probably tell you right now how many weeks, days and minutes until Christmas.  And she's not alone - my friend Julie can too.  And for so long it felt so far away... but not anymore.

So go enjoy and appreciate what you see outside.  It won't be here much longer.  :)

15/52

So after watching Pitch Perfect 2 a few days ago, I'm inspired to do a mash up of my weekend for this week's blog.  Hope you like it. :)

Saturday morning was chilly, but perfect football weather.  Isaac had three flag grabs, caught a pass and ran for about 15 yards (getting their team to the 5 yard line) and then made this play.

The quarterback gave the ball to Isaac.  He got out of this mess and ran it for about 20 yards. 

This morning, I joined my friend Shirley and her daughter Campbell for the This Run's for Jack 5K.  I have participated in other 5Ks before, but I haven't ever been able to run it nonstop.  Brian and I hang our bibs on the extra refrigerator we keep in the garage.  The very muddy #96579 is from the St. Jude Warrior Dash Brian and I did last summer.  It was a 5K, but we didn't run the whole thing (I was totally out of shape!) and there were muddy obstacles.  #378 was the Walk for Wellness (for Wellness House) - that I walked with Shirley, Campbell and a whole bunch of other great people!  Bib #995 was from the Zombie Run Brian and I did a couple weeks ago.  And then #449 was from this morning.  This is the first one I ran from start to finish.  It was a challenge though.  Just as we got started, Shirley informed me that there were hills (listen, I didn't sign up for hills!).  And then we ran past this beautiful barn on a body of water that was bigger than a pond but smaller than a lake.  The sun was shining on the barn and the water was so still you could see a perfect reflection of the barn on the water.  It took everything in me not to stop to take a picture. I had three opportunities to take one.  I had to keep reminding myself that a picture with my iPhone would not do it justice - and hello - you are running a 5K dummy!  So run!

The good news is that I ran my best time ever: 31:37!

All my bibs!

This afternoon we went to Leah's 3rd birthday party.  You know, you really take a chance in October with an outdoor party.  It could be rainy and in the 30's - that's perfectly normal October weather.  But Julie consulted the farmer's almanac (this is legit - and it makes me giggle) and it did not lie when they planned this party two and half months ago.  It predicted sunny and 62.  It was a gorgeous day for an outdoor party.

Love for Leah!

She is a stitch.  Everything that came out of her mouth was hysterical.   Here were some of the things she said today:

(When asked how old she was): twenty-six.
(When I asked her if I could try on her awesome boots): Yes (and then she proceeded to try to take them off)

I mean, look at these cute boots!

(When she would be handed a gift): What's in there?
(As she is unwrapping): Just a minute.
(After it's unwrapped and she figures out she likes it): Let's open it.

But here was the best: 
She opens a 'Frozen' guitar.
Julie: You and Daddy can play with that.
Leah: Yeah, let's open it.
Julie: You and Daddy can play with it later. 
Leah: Daddy wants to play with it now.

There was a lot of love for these My Little Ponies.

So then Julie brought out the cupcakes.  I asked her what bakery she got them from - because they were so beautiful they had to have come from a bakery.  SHE made them.  I couldn't believe it!   And they were beyond delicious!  Jules, these seriously need to be a thing. 

Fox and owl cupcakes!

After all the kids had a crack at the pinata, Emma knocked it off the rope.  It turns out there might be a reason that the pinata said to only fill it with two pounds of candy.  And because Julie lives on the edge, she filled it with four.  So she let Isaac beat it in half and then she dumped it all out for the kids.

  

It's raining candy.

After presents, cupcakes and pinata candy, Aunt Rita and Leah took a walk down to the creek.   Happy happy birthday Leah!  I hope you had a great day!

It was a busy weekend, but an awesome one.  And now I can finally check off the whole "Run a 5K" thing off my goal list.  It makes room for a new, and perhaps better goal - oh, I hope I can think of one that isn't related to running.  :)

14/52

Most people tell me I have my mother's eyes.

You tell me.

Aunt Jackie's Lake House - 2009

Or do I have my father's eyes?

Uncle Grant's House - 2013

(Dad, this is the most recent picture I have of just us together.  And it was taken with a late model iPhone, so it's not even that good.  We have got to get another picture soon!)

(Mom, we have plenty of pictures of us.  Unfortunately your first-born is usually in them with us.  It probably couldn't hurt to take a photo without him sometime soon too!)

When I meet someone that grew up with my parents, even if they have never seen me before, their first words are almost always "You must be Becky's daughter" or "You must be Kim's daughter."

I do look like my mom, I'll agree with that.  But it's nothing like the striking similarities between Brian and his mom (and throw Abigail in there too for good measure). These three could be triplets.

Brian, Abigail and Rosemary

What about my kids?  Who do they look like? Okay, we know... Abigail definitely favors Brian.  But what about Emma and Isaac?  Let's see if we can just narrow it down to their eyes:

Abigail's eyes are a beautiful light brown - they smile even when she doesn't.

Emma's eyes are the richest, darkest brown - shadowed by her very long dark don't-need-mascara eyelashes.

Isaac's doe-like eyes are dramatic here.  He was tired of smiling.

Honestly, I can't say that I would think my kids were siblings if I just saw them on street.  So what do you think?  Do they look alike?  Do they have my eyes?  Brian's eyes? 

I would love for you to comment below! It's simple - you just need to have a google account to do so (and you have to be signed in).  If you don't have one, click here!  Easy peasy. 

13/52

LOL

I wouldn't call myself superstitious, but it does seem slightly coincidental that I am writing about a Zombie Run on the 13th week of my blog. 

Over the summer my brother asked Brian and I if we wanted to do a Zombie Run.  Brian and Nathan did a 5k together in 2010 (and I think I was invited, but politely declined).  It is in my goals to run two 5k races by July 2016, so it seemed like a good idea to get this one on the books right away.  I had just started running and thought that 10 weeks was plenty of time to prepare.  We registered and Brian got started on his Couch to 10k program.  At the time, I was working out in the morning on Tuesdays and Thursdays, ran on Wednesdays and did Pound twice a week. (that's enough, right?)  Shortly after that, my whole world turned upside down with Pound.  I went from taking classes two nights a week with Kim, to no classes at all for about a month, to teaching Pound four days a week.  About two weeks ago, my brother texted me.  His son, Jacob, was going to Homecoming the same night of the Zombie Run and he didn't want to miss it (I will leave out the part where I noticed that he was no longer running).  That made me realize that I hadn't really been doing any running either!  So the next day, I set out to run as far as I could (or run 3.1 miles, whichever came first).  I used my Nike Running app, cranked up OneRepublic's Native album, put in my earbuds and started to run (it's really more of a jog honestly).  Wow, miles are long.  And three of them were almost more than I could handle.  But I did it.  And when I stopped running, it sort of felt like stepping off roller skates.  My legs and feet were very confused.  Fortunately, it didn't last too long.

I ran a few more times after that, but I'm telling you - NONE of it prepared me for this Zombie Run. 

Brian and I - starting the race late. (Photo Credit: Emma Proehl)

First of all, it was 50-some degrees outside and windy!  Anyone who knows me knows that I have no internal body heat whatsoever.  So I have to layer up when the temperature is below 70 degrees.  I had three layers (one Under Armour type top, one fleece jacket and then my "Run! Zombies are Coming!" t-shirt.  With a hat and gloves I looked positively ridiculous.  Secondly, we were late.  There was miscommunication about the start time.  By the time we arrived, runners were at the starting line.  We checked in, got our three flags, our numbers and a quick run down (oh my gosh, no pun intended) of the event.  By the time we got to the starting line, the runners were out of sight.  Then we were told to get started and we would get caught up. 

Unfortunately, I don't have action shots.  The zombies were all over the course, but not at the start/finish line, which is where Emma and Isaac had to stay.  I started running at my usual pace.  But I can tell you that I did not get more than 10 yards after that parking lot ended before the first zombie was apparently so hungry that he sprinted after me.  I should have just given up my flag, but I didn't think that was a good way to start the race, so I sprinted too.  I just barely made it away from him, only to realize that I could barely breathe!  And I would still need to be breathing if I wanted to get to the finish line.  Another zombie tore after me not 50 yards later.  I relinquished my first flag.  The zombies were stationed all along the path, so they didn't have to move far to make a grab for your flag.  Meanwhile, you're just trying to keep air in your lungs!  The event coordinators were right, it wasn't long before Brian and I caught up to the group of runners.  But they weren't running.  They were all walking.  I thought to myself, maybe this is the back of the pack, and they had no intention of running.  And after losing my last two flags in quick succession, I figured out their strategy.  They were doing interval running.  They would sprint when they encountered zombies and walk in between.  And I'll tell you, these zombies were not dragging their leg behind them moving at a snail's pace.  Most of them were young... and fast!!

I watched Brian outwit many of the zombies.  He would jog really slow until they approached him and then he would surprise them by sprinting and dodging them.  He managed to hang on to two of his flags right up until the end.  Once I lost my flags, I tried to run along side him to protect one of his flags whenever we approached zombies.  It worked until my heart felt like it was going to explode and I started walking until the pain subsided.  The next time I saw him, he only had one flag.  And he crossed the finish line with that flag.  He survived! 

We finished!  And Brian survived with one flag remaining! (Photo Credit: Emma Proehl)

A couple of the best zombies we saw.  Look at all the flags she has!  (Photo Credit: Emma Proehl)

After the race, we could see that the zombies' makeup was pretty impressive. (Photo Credit: Emma Proehl)

Aside from the fact that whenever I inhale too deeply or laugh it sends me into a wheezing coughing fit, I feel fine - and it was A LOT of fun! I would definitely do it again (if only to get the whole 5k thing off my goal list).

So listen, we (Brian, me, Nathan and Jacob) also signed up for a Zombie Apocalypse event with the Geneva Park District. I think it's similar to this, but without the 5k distance.  It's Saturday, October 24th.  If you aren't doing anything that night - come out and join us!  It sounds like a riot.  I have three weeks to work on some interval running so I can be more prepared. Because I really want to survive the Zombie Apocalypse.  And you should join us, because I want you to survive too.  Or so you get taken down by the zombies so I can survive.  I mean, join us, I want you to survive.  :)