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Showing posts from May, 2016

Race Report: Fargo Marathon 2016

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Friday, 05/20: 11:00 AM -  My husband got Friday through Sunday off of work and that was the best anniversary present! We drove to Fargo on Friday morning and went to pick up my number (and free goodies) at the race expo. The booths were awesome at the expo and I got a free pair of Wild Hog Marathon Fitsoks, a t-shirt, and a couple Clif Mojo Bars. E was given a toddler Wild Hog t-shirt and a stuffed wallaby from Australia's Best licorice! I guess the free stuff helps to justify paying to run 26 miles. 12 noon - After the expo, we ate at the mall food court and met my parents and youngest brother for some shopping. We stopped at Savers (my all-time favorite thrift store) on the way to the hotel, too. 6:00 PM -  Leo and I went out on an anniversary supper date that night and had some delicious Chicken Alfredo pasta. I really should have taken a picture. We visited, got the kids ready for bed, laid out clothes for the next day, and I wrote 2 Thessalonians 3:16 on my arm

Training Week 20: Marathons & Birthday Cake

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Well hello there and happy Monday! This is my short and sweet update with the #WeeklyWrap crew. Today is my littlest one's first birthday and I'm celebrating my 29th tomorrow! Our birthday cake is baking as I write this. 🎂 My husband and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary last Thursday. We even snuck away for a date without kids! And I completed my 7th full marathon on Saturday! I will share the full recap next week. 😊 I had a tough go at the @fargo.marathon today but was SO blessed by my family cheering section, all the runners I met and the challenge of running 26.2 miles! #fargomarathon By mile 10, I knew this wasn't going to be my day and I crossed the finish at 3:57:16. I still can't explain why I love the marathon... There's just something special about it! 😍 This was my prayer for today: Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 #marathontraining

Training Week 19: Race Week #KeepOnCruzin GIVEAWAY with Santa Cruz Organic #MomsMeet

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Race week has arrived. Eeek!!!  Tapering brings a mix of emotions. I'm excited to return to Fargo, anxious about logistics in a busy city, and just plain happy that training was enjoyable even with a 3-year-old and  almost 1-year-old at home. All nerves aside, toeing the line should be a celebration. Race day is like a gigantic party celebrating the fact that you SURVIVED marathon training! Training is the hard work, isn't it? Racing is the party. Fargo Marathon 2011: Check out those T-Rex running arms! I'm celebrating race week with a Santa Cruz Organic #KeepOnCruzin giveaway! I couldn't have received these Santa Cruz products at a better time. We hit 93°F that week and the Agua Fresca was phenomenal! Santa Cruz Organic is a pioneer organic brand and was the first to have a wide range of organic, 100 percent juices and blends. They currently offer more than 50 organic items ranging from organic fruit juices and sparkling beverages to organic fruit sau

Essential Home Cookin' Recipes {Book Review}

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This week I have been exploring the book "Home Cooked" by Anya Fernald and Jessica Battilana. From a graphic design perspective, I LOVE this book! The photography is wonderful, the spreads are well-designed and the copy isn't just about how to cook the food — each recipe is a story in itself. The recipes vary in difficulty and include the step-by-step process along with beautiful accompanying pictures. For non-gourmet chefs like me, there are simple yet delicious such as the Asado Potatoes, Buttermilk Biscuits, and Buttery Piecrust recipes. Plus, there are plenty of more complicated recipes for the advanced cook. Today my husband made the Asado Potatoes for lunch. Did I mention he's an awesome cook?! The ingredients were simple: potatoes, butter, salt and pepper. After slicing the potatoes, he arranged them in a spiral in our cast-iron pan. He poured half of the butter over the potatoes and then seasoned with salt and pepper before roasting. The

Training Week 18: May is...

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I hope you had a wonderful weekend and your May is off to a good start! All allergy/cold/sniffles/sickness aside, May has been amazing. The kids and I are taking in all of this gorgeous weather, the farmers around here are planting like crazy, and the Fargo Marathon is only TWO WEEKS away! Good news. That means taper starts today. This is our May (so far) in pictures! May is... the smell of fresh laundry drying on the clothes line. May is... watching our tulips bloom. May is... tractor rides with Daddy. Do you think toddler E enjoys the rides just a little? May is... extra outdoor exploration time. May is... when our neighborhood comes alive with runners, bikers and walkers! E said he's training for a race this summer. Him and I may do a 1-mile run/walk in our town this summer. We'll see how his "training" goes :) May is... BIRTHDAY MONTH! We are celebrating W's first birthday on the 23rd, I'm turning 29 on the 24th (and so b

Motivation to Live on Less {Book Review}

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Organizing and re-organizing the same amount of stuff over and over will only get you so far. How much "stuff" do we really need? The More of Less by Joshua Becker has been an eye-opening read about the counter-cultural and often misunderstood concept of "minimalism". He points out that our excessive possessions are not making us happy and, even worse, they are taking us away from the things that do! In this book, Becker explains the misconceptions about minimalism, the benefits of living with less, and the steps to making it your own — because minimalism looks different for each person. "I don't advocate getting rid of everything humanly possible. Instead, I encourage people to get rid of what isn't necessary so they can better pursue their goals." Joshua Becker, The More of Less , p. 20 This book was a great motivator for my family and I to sort through our possessions to determine what we really need. I highly recommend this book fo

Training Week 17: Motherhood Has Changed My Running

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First off, I want to wish a Happy (early) Mother's Day to all of you moms, moms-to-be, and everyone who has a mom! That pretty much covers everyone, right? :) Let me bring you back my first race EVER. It was a 5k and I took off running at who knows what pace (I didn't even know). As I ran passed a couple of women, one yelled to my 22-year-old self, "You won't be running like that after you have kids!" Motherhood often gets a bad rap, as in the little story I shared above. In my very limited experience as a mother, I will say that it is challenging and often exhausting but the joy my husband and I have in raising these precious little ones exceeds it all. Times a million. Joining in for the "Mother & Son" dance at this weekend's wedding Motherhood has taught me to think about myself less, to push myself more, and the capacity to love these little ones so much has completely amazed me. Becoming a mom has made me better empathize with a