I want to blog...

Hello!
I have been wanting to get back to blogging! And make it into something more than it was before. I wish I would have used it during my pregnancy and all of my daughter's first year.

She is now 14 months old! How did that happen? 

She's such a sweetie and quite the HAM!

The time is going by so fast! I want to enjoy each moment... even the challenging moments (especially when it comes to parenting).

I'd like to blog about the things I am passionate about and what I enjoy in life. I like cooking and baking and sharing recipes! I want need to be healthy! I love to run, but it has been very hard as a new mom. My schedule is kind of crazy running a before and after school program. We have been very lucky though since my husband works weekends, he has taken care of our daughter during the day. I can also come home and spend time with her on my breaks since I work a split shift. But we hardly ever have a day off together. So my husband misses out on so much on the weekends. He doesn't get to see friends or family very much. We also don't get much done around our house! He may be switching to working during the week again. So our little Reese may be starting to go to the baby sitter that I went to when I was younger. She offers daily rates and we will only need a couple days a week, because my mother in law can watch her one or two days and Evan would be off every Friday and every other Thursday! Not a bad schedule!
I know that it will give us more time as a family and more time to get things done! It will also be great for Reese to go somewhere and spend time with other kids! So I'm crossing my fingers that it all works out for the best!
I'd like to blog about things we do together as a family, holidays, my journey to be healthy and run again, and different crafts I do at home and with my kids at school, as well as new recipes I try out!
I will share lots of pictures! And the stories that go along with it! I don't want to forget all of these events going on... the time is passing quickly and there is always so much to do!

I hope everyone enjoys!

Wonderful Half Marathon Experience!

When I signed up for the half marathon I was thinking I might be a little crazy (well half crazy as they say). When it came time to actually begin the 12 week training plan I found, I was still working a weekend job and it just took everything out of me to work 7 days a week. I was tired all the time and I was not happy. I was especially not motivated to run a whole lot! The first three weeks I was just not doing everything right. I had heard about running for 3 minutes and then walking 1 minute. That seemed ok at first. I'm sure it's a great way for anyone to run a race especially a very long distance. But I just felt like I wasn't really getting much out of it. Since I had skipped the first 3 weeks of actual training I looked to see how you train in 8 or 9 weeks. I found this training schedule from Fitness Magazine. I followed it pretty closely. I really enjoyed swimming for cross training.

While I was not really into the training, I thought how in the heck am I going to complete this 13.1 miles?? After I ran 5 miles I was getting more confidence. I met two girls at a 10k that were running a half marathon the same weekend as mine. We did our long runs together. It helped so much! I don't know how I would have stuck with it on my own! The 8 mile run was the hardest as crazy as that sounds! I was sore all over my body for about 3 days! After that it was my knees and ankles that would be very sore and my body would get stiff after sitting for too long. Before the 5 miles and meeting friends to run with I really had my doubts. But I continued to tell myself I could do it!

Some things that helped along the way especially for long runs

Garmin forerunner gives pace, time, miles and heart rate

energy shot bloks (the black cherry flavor is my favorite) there are other types of chews or gels at dick's sporting goods by the registers

I really like running in shorts, but for the long distance unfortunately chafing is something many people experience. These little pants are great for running, light weight and nothing rubbing together lol! These are by Champion at Target-Cardio Capris.

Preparing for the big day!

I constantly thought positively about the race and envisioned myself finishing! I looked up tips and what to eat and all that jazz. It got exciting each weekend after my long runs. The higher the miles got the better I felt and I knew I could do it! Based on my training for the long runs I thought a good goal was 2 hours and 30 minutes. I ran slower with the girls I met for the long runs, I also wanted to be able to last the whole time. But I almost thought 2 hours and 30 minutes was a little too ambitious after some of my long runs!

here's a great blog with tips and another woman's experience

I tried to eat very healthy carbs for my carb loading the night before

I also drank powerade and plenty of water throughout the day

penne with white beans and spinach

grilled veggies in a foil pack

Finally the day of the race came!
 In the morning I had oatmeal and half a banana with dab of peanut butter on each slice. I sipped on a half a glass of water the whole ride there... which was about an hour and ten minutes! We got there pretty early because I had to pick up my packet since it was so far away (the line was long!). After I got my packet and got ready I only had about 20 minutes before the race started. I thought I would try to use the restroom, but there were about 30 porta potty's with lines of over 50 people at each one. I didn't feel like I really had to go. Luckily there were stops along the way. I waited til I was about halfway through and there was no line before I went to the potty! (didn't want to add too much time to the clock!!)

 All ready to go! I barely grabbed that jacket before we left.I knew it was cold before we left, but it was so cold and windy when we got there!!!

And after I crossed the finish line! I look a little different... very tired looking. But I was so happy!!
The little clif shot bloks helped! I had 2 before the race, 1 between mile 4-5 and 2 more around miles 9-10!

2 hours and 23 minutes was my time!!! My pace stayed between 10-11 minutes/mile. I was so surprised! For a while I was running right at 10 minutes/mile!
The time seemed to go by really fast, but when I thought back to the beginning it seemed like forever ago!
{I ditched the jacket around mile 10 thinking it would be easy to find, but I didn't know my way around the course or the town... so it's gone forever}

Since we were in downtown Lawrence we went looking for a good restaurant. We stopped at a breakfast/brunch/lunch type of place. Nothing really sounded good to anyone so we waited until 11 for some other places to open. I had plenty of drinks (:

 coffee and mimosa were good!

 {cheers to me!}

we wanted pizza but the place still wasn't open so we went to a burger place and then had a cupcake at a little bakery! we looked at lots of little shops and kept me moving for a while. I got really stiff after the long ride home! then I laid down for a nap and when I was barely able to move when I got up!

I'm ready for some 13.1 gear!

 

stamped metal necklace {from etsy}

run like a girl! 13.1 {from cafepress} 

I will definitely run another half marathon.. it made me feel like I can accomplish anything I set my mind to
so maybe... just maybe I can do a full marathon someday!

Thanks to all for the well wishes and support!!! This has made me feel very empowered!

Support for Drumm Farm

I started a fundraiser for the Drumm Run to support the children in foster care at Drumm Farm. I have worked with many children in foster care. It can be very difficult especially when kids go to different homes or are separated from their siblings. Drumm Farm provides a wonderful place for children while they are unfortunately in foster care. I will be running the 10k. Please help with any amount of money you can donate! Here is a link and there is a badge right here on my blog that makes it easy to donate! Thank you very much!
http://drummfarm.givezooks.com/grassroots_fundraisers/stephanie-miller

 Drumm Farm's Commitment

Mission Statement

To provide family-style homes for foster children and be a center for services to foster families.

Our Goals

To provide stable, nurturing family life and opportunities for personal growth.

To keep siblings together.

To stop the cycle of frequent and disruptive placement changes.

To leverage our resources and maximize our impact on foster children's lives through alliances with like-minded organizations.

Lent

I have been eyeing this NO JUNK FOOD CHALLENGE for a while...

and you know I just haven't done it. I always say I'll start on another day or that would just be way too hard.

I would like to see the difference though. And Instead of just 21 days I would like to do it for Lent. Last year for Lent I gave up sweets... very general. But I did it! Most of the things on the list were things included in the "sweets" that I gave up. I already decided not to eat fast food at the beginning of last year, and man I wish I would have kept up with that. At the end of 2010 I noticed I was picking up fast food pretty often. I'm fine without it, but after you eat it once a week or a few times a month the habit becomes easy to get it a couple times a week. Fast food just has so many calories and fat... and sodium and everything that is bad for you. There are better choices than others but when you're at McDonald's you would probably pick the fries over apple slices as your side. And pop just tastes so good with that food. I love pop and that was another thing I had just given up at the beginning of last year. But before Lent I still ate candy all the time. There were no changes in my body. When I drink pop I have one, when I eat candy I consume so many more calories than I would in one pop. Pop still isn't that good for you, but it was just silly that I thought oh I gave up fast food and pop (which are way easier for me to give up than candy) but continued to eat candy. Candy is like a drug for me. I am seriously like a crack addict when I say I'll quit and don't even get halfway through the day without caving in.

We always seem to have a reason why we can't quit eating bad food. Our lives' seem to revolve around food. Holidays... any celebration... stress... even sad events. We always have to have food! It's one of the things we can afford to enjoy ourselves. It's how we think we are showing love, it's what brings us together often.

But I can change all that for myself. Being healthy takes a little more preparation. And you have to say no. Or make the best choices you can in certain situations.

"Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock."

When I gave up sweets for Lent last year it was more of a commitment. Someone recently asked me why not do it for myself. Which I do want to do it for myself... but it felt like I could give up sweets for Jesus because he gave up so much more for us. This year I would also like to learn more about Lent. I have been trying to find a church as well. I don't know that much about religion and the stories in the bible.

From some of the things I am reading on the internet it seems that some people don't understand why Christians give something up for Lent. It is about self-discipline and the abstinence of something should be a sacrifice. It isn't supposed to be easy.

The quote above is important to me and what I would like to give up because I do feel that I have an addiction to sweets and I don't understand why I eat so much candy and always want it. I know it tastes good and everything. A lot of people eat sweets.

• Sometimes I eat and eat candy because I think it tastes so good.
• Sometimes I eat and eat candy because I say I'm not going to eat it anymore and I need to get rid of it.
•  (I have more recently thrown candy away when I say I'm not going to eat it anymore, but then the next day or so I'm getting more)
• I have noticed that sometimes when I'm just eating and eating the candy I feel bad/ashamed that I did it, and I know I am eating a feeling of stress or unhappiness. Knowing that I ate so much candy along with how it effects my weight makes me feel so bad and so mad at myself.

It really is a habit as well. Once I completely stop I am okay. If I give myself enough time to make not eating candy a habit I can think about it more if I crave it and say no. Lately I just haven't given myself enough of a chance. Candy is something I need to just stop. I haven't found the happy medium or any kind of balance with it. I always eat too much.

But for Lent I will be soul-searching and reflecting.. why I can't control myself with candy and what really makes me happy. I want to explore what I would like to do in life. I will be focusing on my half marathon and getting fit. There are many things I would like to do to organize my house and projects I would like to complete. There are many things I need to focus on in my life and maybe candy has been an escape. I may need to accept the fact that I may not be able to eat candy. I love cookies, cake, brownies and ice cream as well. But I just don't over do it as much with those as I do with candy. Candy is small and easy to access.

Sundays are skipped in the Lent season and not counted in the 40 days. So I may have ice cream with my husband on Sundays or choose one thing that I cannot have. But probably not candy. I'm definitely not strong enough and I don't think I'll find that happy medium or balance any time soon. I haven't seemed to find that balance for the past 26 years!

Anyone giving anything up for Lent?

No More Excuses!

So I pin a bunch of fitness things... quotes... exercises... ideas galore. And what exactly do I do about it?

Ugh....NOTHING!

You would think a weight loss challenge at work and training for a half marathon would be motivation enough. But for some reason I'm just not doing what I need to do. I have lost weight before and I know how to do it. I lost a few pounds at the beginning of the challenge at work and just stopped doing things that aide in weight loss! Sometimes I just don't want to eat healthy (in a whiny voice)

WELL...GET OVER IT!

I am the only one that can do something about it. I am changing some things in my life that I see as obstacles for my weight loss goals and half marathon training.

I also need to get in a different mindset

and that mind set is...

pretty simple...

I always look at the fitness section of pinterest and I think looking at those pins, instead of the extremely delicious looking treat pins, that it will give me motivation. But I decided to follow up on some of my pins. I noticed that I pinned the same thing twice (an ab workout) I guess I didn't ever try it! I thought if I put some of the images together on a blog it would help me organize all of my fitness goals.

I know everyone says... it's important to be healthy not just skinny. I want to be both. I want to feel good about myself and not be out of control with eating and not exercising. I want to be healthy and make these habits for the rest of my life. But I want to like the way I look as well... I'm probably pretty healthy right now, but I'm not happy with my body and I don't want to be saying "I need to lose weight... exercise.. eat better" all my life. I don't want to be a broken record. It probably sounds negative to some, even though many people also say it all the time. I don't want to always have this to complain about.

I like exercising. I want to be active all my life. I don't know why I let being tired or the time of day stop me from exercising... I waste an hour a day on a TV show that I don't care about or surfing the internet. I have the time... pretty much every day!



I REALLY LOVE THIS QUOTE!

so here's to the habit!

I know what to eat... and definitely what I shouldn't eat. I love sweets in general, but I'm a candy addict... I think weight watchers is a rehab for people addicted to food. I just don't want to go to weight watchers. I know I can do it... It's just mind over matter. When I set my mind to something I DO IT! I just need to get serious again.

Sometimes I think I'm doing good and can have the things I shouldn't...

FRUIT

it's sweet right?

100 healthy snacks!

I NEED TO EAT MY VEGGIES!

How simple is a salad?

I'm doing this mainly for me... it's not that I'm doing it for someone else in particular. But for my future and for the family I hope to have some day. I want to be healthy for them. I hope I can be a good example for others and be a partner for anyone else wanting to reach similar goals.

I'm doing this blog for my own inspiration and hopefully I can inspire others.

This is a great visual for me. All my goals for health and fitness are right here!

GO ME!

I appreciate the support I do have from friends and family.. but it's ultimately up to me.

Here are a few more motivational images for my personal goals

Color Run—Happiest 5K on the Planet!!!

I can't believe something this cool is coming to Kansas City!!!

June 16th

http://thecolorrun.com/kansascity/

Registration opens today $30/person for a team of 4+ people or $35 as an individual. I think this would be a blast with a team. I don't know who may be interested, but if you like running 5k's or want to do one please let me know! This would be really fun to do in general! Check it out!

Someone please run (or walk) this with me (:

Half Marathon Training!

Am I crazy?? Apparently I'm only half crazy for doing only half of a marathon! I only know one person that has done one and she gave me some great advice. There's a method to the madness of running that many miles! Run three minutes and walk one minute. I have been training that way for the past few weeks and I feel like I could just keep on running. I have already ran my longest distance (6 miles) and felt like I could continue both times! I am running a steady pace of a 8-10 minute mile. I wondered if the walk breaks would slow me down.. but nope!

I also thought since I only knew one person that had ran a half marathon that maybe there weren't that many crazies out there! But when I first went to register for the Rock The Parkway half marathon in Kansas City... it was at capacity. I couldn't register, 4,500 people already registered! I also see the bumper stickers now 13.1 or 26.2! Look for them! There are plenty of crazies out there!

I might like to have this one!

I luckily found another half marathon just a week after the Rock The Parkway one. I signed up for the Kansas Half Marathon (a benefit for health care access clinic). It's in Lawrence.. not too far. I really wanted to sign up for it, because I was afraid if I didn't do it when I planned to that I might not end up doing it.

 I've got about 12 weeks to get ready!

I have always wanted to be a runner. I like how I can always get better at running. I'm not very sporty/athletic or coordinated... so I feel like I'm good at something as a runner. In the past I would run pretty regularly for a while, but then I would hurt my ankles or my shins. Sometimes I would just get out of the habit of it for one reason or another and it would be hard to get back into. For the past year I have been running pretty much routinely (and I haven't hurt myself!). I haven't felt like I have gotten out of the habit of it for very long periods of time. I have been able to get right back to the distance I was last running pretty quickly. I ran my first 5k last June and did another one in September. In December I was looking for some runs to do again in 2012. I wondered how long it would take to train for a half marathon, I found some 12 week training schedules. I was like ok.. maybe I can do it. I have put my mind to it and it may just become a new hobby and something that really helps me stay in shape and keep up with the running! I know there was a half marathon last October in Kansas City, so maybe in April and October I can run half marathons. I see that the next step up is a marathon (26.2 miles) and then tri athalon... but I don't know if I'll get that crazy!

I just got this super cute hand stamped metal cuff bracelet.

http://www.etsy.com/people/Running4Linda

What I need!!!

my cute little stop watch

two really great pairs of running shoes! I like my Adidas and Asics!

A TRAINING SCHEDULE

http://running.about.com/od/halfmarathonracetraining/a/runwalkhalfmarathon.htm

I need a case with a clip for my ipod!!!
AND a music play list! I'll take any suggestions!

places to run!

I really like running at Railroad Park, and I run at the school tracks, and if it's too cold.. too hot I run at the indoor track at my gym. I'm glad the weather has been so decent. I have been able to run outside for most of my training already (in January!) I enjoy a summer run in the rain or at sunset. I only run at night if my hubby watches me (:

SUPER CUTE T-SHIRTS!

I would like this shirt for my training

this is the shirt I want for the race!

I would proudly wear this shirt after the race!

http://www.cafepress.com/

I'm pretty sure running 13.1 miles is the perfect excuse to be able to eat some of these cookies 'n cream oreo fudge brownies I've been wanting to try forever! I just know if I made something like this I would eat way too many of them! I burn about 820 calories running for an hour... let's multiply that by 2.5! I think running for 2 1/2 hours will burn about 2000 calories! So I can have more than one brownie if I want (:

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/new-recipes/cookies-n-cream-oreo-fudge-brownies.html

Wish me luck! I know it's crazy but I'm super excited!