Countin' Em Down

2016....is hours from being over.  And while certain friends and family have legitimate reason to say, suck it 2016....as well as more than a few celebrities (Stay strong, Betty White, only 9 hours to go!)....2016, for me, was a year not filled with one singular solidarity of hate.  Or love.  More so a mish mosh.

2016 was....emotional.  In good ways and bad.  I started the year with a newborn and a toddler, and ended it with a toddler and a little boy.   They are exhausting.  And hilarious.  And snuggle licious.  And, without a doubt, the two best things I have ever done in my life.  Hands down.  For that, 2016 was amazing.

It also brought the end of a quest I've been pursuing for 5 years.  I finally broke 4 hours in the marathon on my third try.  It was tough, and quite a bit of work.  And I'm super proud of it.  I feel like my running took a turn this year - a turn for the better.  I've been spending more time on the treadmill, getting runs done quicker and more expediently - due to necessity.  And it's paid off in spades.  I can't wait to see what 2017 brings.  I'm thinking of focusing on breaking my half PR and my 5k PR, and perhaps looking at a half iron.  Taking a rest from ultras for a year, for sure!!

Work wise, it was the most stressful, exhausting, yet rewarding year.  Working from home was a whole different animal - I adore the flexibility, but it also consumes more of my overall life.  My choice?  I don't know.  There have been some pretty big changes put into a 3 year plan, for which I'll stay mum until they come to fruition, but it makes me love my job, get stressed about my job, and put way too much emotion into my job than is probably necessary.  Refer to paragraph 3 - thank you, work, for

making me a better runner due to stress :-P

My personal life?  A roller coaster.  I won't lie.  Having two littles, working full time, managing a Saldy, the latter usually refers to things that cannot be crossed off my proverbial "to do" list that I put too much stock into.  (Incidentally, yes, I did finish my 175 mile challenge this morning with a nice, easy 8 mile run).
household, and trying to maintain family, friend, and romance, has been super tough.  There are some things I am proud of accomplishing, some not so much.

Change for 2017?  I'm not sure.  I do resolve to make more time for the things that matter and discard the things that don't.  To be honest with people when they ask my opinion rather than being passive aggressive privately (Hello, I'm a Libra, nice to meet you).  And here's the toughie - to truly remember - not my circus, not my monkeys, is a wonderful motto.  Goodness knows I have enough on my plate and would be a better friend, partner, and mom if I stopped picking up other people's messes.  Hah.  Remind me about that one in a month....

To 2017.  A year to remember what really matters.  And the hell with the rest (sorta).

Whats on your list for 2017?  Are you glad to see this year go?

I wish everyone a happy, healthy, fufilling New Year and as always - thank you for reading my rambling :-)

Making Christmas!

133 miles down. (42 to go!)

Fifteen dozen cookies baked. (No I havent eaten them all!)

Pierogies Made.

Presents wrapped.  (Way. too. many. to. count.)

Crafting, check.

Holiday Cards!

Reindeer Handprints!

Snowman Ornaments!

Bella: Version 1-4 (Yep, they all have the same name.)

Tastes good!

Italian baker in training!

Think we're ready.  Last minute prep, lots of family time, and then a few carrots and cookies for the big guy and his crew....and it's time for Christmas 2016!  I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday - from us to you!

100% Pure....Mom.

And here we are.  With one week left until Christmas, it's time for the hub bub of the usual activities....last minute shopping (I think I am....gasp...done?), cookie baking (only about 10 dozen to make, starting today!), wrapping (try doinng THAT with a 3 year old and 1 year old!) and prep for hosting the holiday (we host Christmas, which I adore, but I definitely have some cleaning and grocery shopping to do!) And the ole mile challenge.

For those of you that don't read every post of mine with baited breath (congrats, you have a life!), I decided to do a run mileage challenge for the 6 weeks of the holidays - I am trying to run 175 miles between Turkey day and 2017.  The logic is convoluted, as always, but 175 miles equates to roughly 5 pounds, which is what the average Jo(sephine) gains during the holiday season.  Rather than follow the 80/20 rule of logic for healthy eating over the holidays, I said screw it, bring on the cookies.  And I'll just do the work.  With two weeks to go, I've run 98 miles and have 77 left to go.  Which is more than I'd like, but since I was sidelined with the plague for a week, I feel pretty good about my progress.  I'm on it.  And what better to pound out holiday frustration than on the pavement?  Yes, please!

So, in the tradition of the season on the blog, I'll be bringing you some Christmas goodies - a kid handprint craft, a recipe or two, and a new thing I'm trying this year - chili in a jar gifts.  How very Martha of me.  Speaking of which, apparently that's my moniker.  Huh.  

A few days ago, I was chatting with a friend, and we started to talk about our weekends.  He's a few

According to Rob, it's actually "foodmaker". 3 year olds...

 years younger and is still very much in the mindset of bar hopping, parties, and drink drank drunk (ok, not so much the last.  He is still somewhat domesticated!).  It's usually fun to hear about his antics, and in some ways I fondly remember my life from 7-10 years ago when I talk to him.  As we were chatting, he basically told me that he just made an assumption that I was being a parent this weekend.  He admitted that it might be off, but it was a natural assumption since I was "100% mom status".  I pretty much laughed it off, as that was really my plan - sledding with the kids, crafting, cookies, and another Kid Christmas party - along with some me time of running, and the usual weekend chores - but, in hindsight, it kind of bugged me.  I mean, do I really go change out of my work clothes (ok, work yoga pants) into my proverbial high waisted mom jeans every weekend?   Have I lost my identity and been channeled into some Carol Brady, waiting with dinner in the crockpot for my Mister Brady to come home to?  Am I that sickening mom with chocolate chip cookies in the oven and my kiddos making reindeer handprint ornaments for Christmas (spoiler- tatlly whats happening right now).

Yeah.  I am.    I'not sure if that makes me old at the ripe age of 34, but it sort of bugged me. As I joked about body shots, I realized that in some ways I really do miss picking out the perfect tight jeans and sexy but not overly sexy top to go to the bar in.  Of ordering a Jack and coke at the bar and not having to share my "ginger ale" with my 3 year old (NO, I do not feed him whiskey.  Although....is that a bad plan?  Perhaps he would sleep!).  Of dancing in a hot guys arms and perhaps getting a phone number....or more?  (Hey, no judgement. I never said I was an angel).  Hmm.

But...I did that last weekend.  In a twist of Christmas magic, I got an awesome night out, complete with hot guy (I married him, it's ok), my drinkin' boots, and even some hot tub thrown in in.  Wooohoo!  So maybe I don't party like I'm 26 anymore.  I'll get over it.  And the next morning, after (gasp) a full nights sleep in a bed I didn't have to make and a hot shower where I threw my towels on the ground (confession, I am so THAT hotel guest)....I came home to my beautiful mess.....two

towheads that gave me sloppy kisses (Biz likes 'em open mouthed...lol) and an afternoon of Rudoph, cookies, and matchbox messes (cars, not fire.  I almost NEVER let them play with fire).  So I threw on my mom jeans (yoga pants) and off I went.  To the rest of my weekend.  Momming.  And....that's ok.  Because somewhere, I know, there's high heels, tight low rise jeans, and even a flat iron in my master suite upstairs.  And I'll use them....when I need to.

Anyone else ever feel they get the "parent" label?  How do you feel about it?

It's been One Week

...or, as Rob would call it, the "chickity china" song.  Cause, you know, classic tunes teach well.  Eye roll.  At least he dances better than Eugune Levy (yes, we taught him that.)

So it's (roughly) one week post Thanksgiving - one week into our 175 challenge!  And it's going pretty darn well!  I'm 42 miles into the challenge, with 6 runs so far:  7-6-10-6-7-6 miles in 9 days.  I was sidelined for a few days (Friday and yesterday) with a touch of the stupidity that's been circling (ugh, who has time to be sick?) so I laid off.  Otherwise it's been a great mix of road a treadmill running, of easy runs and some tempo thrown in, and 5 episodes of "The Crown" to boot (which is shaping up to be an excellent series.  King George dies.  Sorry to ruin that for you).

I've also been keeping well into my promise off cookie eating....only one homemade batch so far, but 4 adults and two kiddos polished off 3 dozen cookies in 4 hours, so we must be doing something right! (You;re welcome, Grandpa and GG!).

Hey, it ain't easy flying a one year old around for a week.  They needed sustenance.  I get it.

Up next - a crazy busy work week, breakfast with Santa, and a 10 mile trail race (yes, in the snow - its 0 degree WTF (that's winter festival, duh)).  And cookies.  All of the cookies.  I bough ingredients for Italian crescents, cut outs, peanut butter and jelly thumbprints, and snickerdoodles.  I'd dust off my elastic waist pants, but, hey, I got 133 miles to run, baby!  

Hows your holiday challenge going?