Are the holidays over YET????

Well...it is New Year's Eve...and I am home from my trip to St. Louis and glad to be here. The drive up and back...400 miles each way....is about the most boring drive you can make. I am sure that I have made that drive a thousand times.....and there is nothing new. Even the JESUS signs, the vasectomy reversal signs and the adult arcade( not sure I want to know what that is) and video store signs do not change. They are literally within yards of one another....I just don't get it.
Tonite, Hillary and I are entering into the New Year by running a 5k race at 11:45 pm. Crazy as it sounds...that is one race I have never done. So...I talked Hillary into it...( I think she is questioning her sanity right now as she is wondering how she will stay awake and actually run at that God awful hour.) You know when you do crazy things....you must have a partner in crime. However...our race numbers start with a 33...and for those of you who know us...that is a great thing!
I am considering a nap for a few hours before I enter into that journey...I keep having to remind myself that I am not 25 years old anymore. (Really? That is such a disappointment! LOL!)
I do hope that all of you enter into this New Year with good health, and a happy heart! Believe it or not...we all have something to be thankful for.
Let me just say...my family gives me that happy heart...and I love them a bunch for that!

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Hope you are all relaxing and ready for Santa to visit your house tonite. I am watching Dr. Phil...( not exactly holiday TV...but what the heck.)..after baking multiple goodies this morning, doing laundry, packing to go to St. Louis, and actually risking my life and going to Wal-mart...I am READY! Everything is wrapped, hidden and ready to put under the tree as soon as all the kids and grandkids are out of the house this evening. I always get a little sentimental when I start putting the packages under the tree....it brings back such wonderful memories of helping out Santa deliver those gifts after the kids went off to bed. Problem was...they did not go to sleep for hours...so the alarm was set for some awful early morning hour to sneak downstairs and do the deed without too much noise. ( I don't know who we thought we were fooling...but we snuck around anyway.) Now the excitement has been rekindled with the grandkids....the shopping, the visits to Santa and those adorable pictures of their holiday antics. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.
I hope you all have a special memory that makes this holiday season a blessed one.

I need the TRAIL!

OK...once again it is freezing, windy and just pretty miserable. The only good thing was that the sun was actually out today.

Kris (my biking partner in crime) and I have been putting the bikes on the trainers in order to make believe we are riding. This morning we rode to the conversation of Sunday morning news shows. Are we total nerds or what?
The shopping and wrapping are complete...Now all I have to do is bake for Christmas Eve...and pack to go to St. Louis. The trip looks interesting as every other day it is either predicted to rain or snow. Can't wait for that long, boring drive....
I continue to laugh at the grandkids...all of them. Abby's sweet little face...disguises a temper like you would not beleive, Quincy has become a chocolate addict and whispers sweetly to grandpa that she needs "chocit." Gabe is full of stories about laying blue eggs in his nest, and Josh now waves to you with his feet while taking swimming lessons..( and then laughs like crazy!)
Stay warm....give the ones you love a great big HUG!

BRRRRRRRRR

Good morning to all of you who may or may not be freezing your butt off. The wind chill here is 2 degrees...and there is ice on the road...so no school today. Last night there was a thunderstorm with pelting sleet...was very strange. Can't say I am too disappointed about staying home . It will give me time to finish wrapping and re-evaluate if I need to do anymore shopping.

On another note...Got the OFFICIAL results from the race I ran the other day. I finished 4 seconds behind the winner. I came in second...so I am still thrilled...REALLY! ( Well, maybe just a little bitter!) Just wish I knew what this woman looked like so I could hunt her down next time.

Can't run or bike today...so it will be time to put the bike on the trainer in the living room and pedal to nowhere. Not exciting...but it helps to work off all those EXTRA calories I have been sucking in. This time of year is tough...I have no will power when it comes to tasty treats!

Hope the sun is shining in your part of the world.

One LITTLE second!

Well I anxiously got our of bed this morning to check the paper to see the results of the Jingle Bell Run. I could not believe it! I missed a FIRST place trophy by ONE LITTLE second! I wanna track the woman down....she had to have finished right in front of me....Where was my competetive spirit? Usually I have an eye out for someone in my age group....Obviouslly I MISSED her! Now don't get me wrong....It is not about winning or losing....but doggone it....I am somewhat disappointed. However...I did run it...I did finish it....and I am not at all sore this morning....so I am thankful for that!
On another note...this wind is gonna be a serious issue before long....I hear the gravel from my shingles on the roof blowing off as I type. Yippee!
I actually did Christmas shop most of the day yesterday! Once you got to the mall it was fine....but coming home...my goodness the traffic! I curled up in bed within 30 minutes of walking in the door and it was lights out by 9. I slept 12 hours....must be getting old!
Hope this day finds all of you feeling well and ready for this holiday season!

First run in like forever!

Well...today marked the beginning of a new running career..I think. I decided..that this old body of mine continually needs a challenge. A physical one. So I decided to start running again in order to join Hillary in the 5k Jingle Bell Run.I am happy to say that I did it in under 10 minute miles which was awesome considering it was windy, cold and a tough, rolling hill course.( Not to mention I had a stomach virus for several days this week.) I had no goal when I started out this morning...except to finish and to still be breathing. However...there was one little catch. I started looking around for people I had competed against in the past...and I mean PAST! Like over a dozen years ago...and lo and behold there was this one lady that I recognized. Now in the PAST we would pass the torch back and forth as to who would beat who in any given race....WELL...I am happy to say that I beat her ass today! WOO HOO! That in itself....was a thrill! So I am now wondering...if this thrill will be replaced by aching bones tomorrow. But for right now...I am going to go shopping for a bit, have lunch with Hillary and then come home and take it easy.
PS to HILLARY...your mom is so proud of you !

Rodent Thoughts...

Ok...Here is what I think the little rodent guy looks like.....as he realizes that Kooka is licking his lips!