Run, Manda, Run!

So, last night I was really dreading my workout. I had been at school most of the day, moving stuff and organizing my room. I almost considered not doing it because it was a run night and this run was a 30 minute nonstop run.

I'm at the end of the Ease into 5K program and can definitely feel the change. So, I figured I've come this far, no reason to get lazy now. I mustered up the strength, routed out a map, and set out. At first, I was nervous because over the last 7 weeks, I have been using a treadmill to help me pace myself. I am a terrible pacer. I like to punch it right out of the gate and end up exhausting myself.

As I laced up my shoes, I tried to remember the 3 mile map I had charted on Livestrong. I got my iPod strapped on, earbuds on, phone in hand, and a kiss goodbye to my love. As I started my walk/warm-up, I remembered that the last time I had "run" this route was my first week of the Ease into 5K program. At that time, the intervals were very short. At the most, the longest run interval was about 1 minute and I remember wanting to die then.

*Run* chimed the fitness lady in my iPod. Here we go. I found myself trying to get moving but not overdoing it. I had a 30 minute continuous run ahead of me. My goal, especially when i didn't want to run at all, was to run almost all 30 minutes. As I was running I felt really good because I was able to do the entire 3 mile route running, which is such a difference from the first time I did it 8 weeks back.

I know that 3 miles isn't an insane amount of mileage, but for me...it's a huge amount. My goal is to keep it up, working on a better time and then maybe moving into the Bridge to 10K.

It feels good to see that the hard work I put in has made some change! 

Curls! Oh, Pinterest!

Most people who have seen my hair air dry will have also experienced my hair fro. It's a mix of my straight and curly hair...but it's like my hair can't decide so goes with both. However, it's never that beachy wave look, but rather a matted mess.

Often, I like to take a shower before bed to prepare for early school days. So, while perusing on Pinterest, I found a site with tips for keeping the frizz down. With Steve gone this weekend, I decided it might be fun to try. I struggled with just curling my wet hair around my fingers, so I modified and twisted my hair and then rolled it up and secured it.

Surprisingly,  the bobby pins didn't bother me while I slept. I was out like a rock. So, when I woke, the pins and hair were in place.

As I undid it, I was surprised at how curly it was. It looked like that silk doll hair that is in curls. Only not quite as shiny. And it was huge! However, it wasn't as frizzy as it normally is. I'll see if I can make it work!

Here are some pictures. Please don't mind my morning look...glasses, no makeup. It was early!

All pinned up!

Another angle shot of the twists

Front shot with it all pinned up

Whoa, volume!

Very little frizz compared to usual!

Grandparents

As I was going through photo files, I found these pictures of my grandparents. I love them. They are in my house, out for display. I've been thinking about them a lot lately, especially this week. In one of the workshop sessions i was attending, we talked about relationships, as well as emotions. Each of them is special to me for different reasons.

My Mom's side:

Papa John

Papa John is my mom's dad. I remember being young and always a little unsure about Papa John. He reminded me of the cartoon character Crankshaft because his brow always furrowed and he spoke sharply. However, down below that exterior, he was not as tough as he looked. This past November, my Papa passed away. There are things that I will always remember about him.

• Bright-colored pants with a white belt that he always hitched up, one side at a time.
• His hunched stature and crossed legs whenever he was sitting in a chair
• His terrific laugh
• His commitment to staying healthy mentally, physically, and spiritually
• Watching C-SPAN or CNN in my parents' living room during his annual visit
• His hard love for his children
• Handing gifts for him to pass out at our Christmas Eve get togethers

Mama Lu

My MaLu started out as Grandma Louise, but since I was the first grandkid and struggled to say her name, I shortened it. She was a beautiful and gentle woman. Can you see the likeness to my mom? Both beautiful ladies!
She passed away young in May of 1984, after a battle with cancer. She was nearly done raising her nine children and just getting to know her grandkids. I can't even imagine how hard it was for my mom and her siblings to say goodbye. My short time with her still left me with strong memories:

• Her artichokes that you dipped into a bowl of melted butter at every Christmas Eve celebration
• Sitting on the floor next to her and making play-doh bowls and peas on my 3rd birthday
• After a surgery, she could no longer talk, so we would communicate using one of those boards that you write on with a plastic stylus and lift the film to erase it. I have a vivid memory of sitting on her lap and drawing things for her. I remember looking up at her and just thinking she was so pretty. And she was!

Mary is my step-grandma but I consider her my grandma. (I don't know why I don't have a picture of her handy! FAIL on my part!) She has been in our family for approximately 25 years. She lives in Naples and is staying pretty active. I admire and remember the following things about Mary;

• She was a runner and won a lot of different races
• She sold Mary Kay products and would let us look through them like we were at a beauty counter
• One of her passions is painting; their walls serve as a gallery of her artwork
• Her eyes smile when she smiles
• She is a great listener
• Her laugh is contagious

 My Dad's side:

Grandpa Ted

My grandpa Ted had a magical smile. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's when I was at the end of grade school. He worked with my Dad at their family company. Recently, at a Writer's Workshop conference, we discussed relationship and emotions. One of the biggest emotions I attach to my grandpa, beyond pure joy, is regret. I remember being in college and coming home every once in awhile. My dad always suggested I go to visit him at the care facility.  I often chose not to and usually felt okay about it because he didn't know who I was anyhow. Looking back now, I realize it was because I wasn't strong enough to see him. I was scared to see this man, who was always so full of life, withered to a man who knew no one in his family anymore. He didn't smile like he used to and that was scary to me. Here are a few things I remember:

• His smile
• Playing in the basement with him and my brother
• Driving the mini-van with him for the first time when I was 14
• His caps in various colors, with matching plaid pants
• Taking us out to the back corner of their yard and letting us sneak onto the neighbor's bouncy reindeer
• Sitting in his office while he worked on his work and I worked on my Speak n' Spell

Grandma Jean

My Grandma Jean was a debutante when she was young. I remember many sleepovers at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Currently, she lives in an assisted living community. As she gets older, she is repeating herself and tiring out faster. That being said, she is 92! Memories with Grandma:

• Getting to use her whirlpool tub when I would sleep over
• Making malts after our bath
• Layering on her many necklaces to get fancified
• Her little crystal candy dishes filled with sweet treats
• Buying me aqua sunglasses for me when she watched us 
• Helping her get fitted for undergarments, as an adult (had to list it, as it's something I will never forget!)

There are so many more, I'm sure. Every once in awhile I will pop back on here and add to it.

I can't wait until it is time for Steve and I to start our family. Our parents will make many happy memories with our kids as they grow up, I'm sure of it!

Green Thumb

I've never considered myself much of a gardener. My thumb is barely green. Not even a tinge...until this summer, maybe.
Steve and I have our little balcony garden. We are both surprised at how long we've kept our crops alive. In addition to some of the plants I have on here, we also have a rosemary plant and a few little flower plants in mini-pots.  My garden is usually fake plants, so I had to share this summer's victory!

Our pepper plant at the beginning of summer.

First day of our parsley (italian and flat leaf) and our sweet basil. These are about 3 times the size now. Love the fragrance they give off!

This plant was in our planter last summer. We cleaned out the planter after our plants froze this spring when the temperatures plunged. We planted three other plants and last week, look what came sprouting up! Our caladium must have left some roots. I'm so happy because it's one of my favorites!

One of the many peppers our plant is producing. Some of these are a LOT hotter than I expected. We have used most of them in salsas or on sandwiches. Steve likes them more than I do.

Here is the beginning of a pepper. It's still blossoming.

Another caladium sprouts

Keep Your Chin Up!

Meet our bar:

This bar arrived a few weeks ago. Steve bought this for his own use but I saw it as a challenge and decided I should use it too. Although my upper body has always been a little stronger than my lower body, I would in no way say that I am especially strong. (See boot camp post!)

I often worry about getting slapped in the face from my grandma waddle on the bottom half of my arm when I wave. I have felt less of a wiggle as of late, which I think is from hanging onto the treadmill like my life depends on it every once in awhile during my run.  

My goal was to do at least one full chin-up by the end of summer. So, I made it a habit to try it every time I passed by it. The first time I did it, I could barely pull my body up. Even in a few days' time I was getting higher and higher with every pass by.  I was so dedicated to my challenge that there were days I would wait until I absolutely needed something in my room so that I wouldn't have to pass by it.

Well, last Sunday, first thing in the morning, I passed it by while Steve was working on something (it's in the door frame of his office) and didn't try it. He reminded me of my challenge and so, I gripped the sponge around the bar and took in a deep breath.  I can do it, I can do it, I can do it! And then I pulled up, gritting my teeth in a painful smile, and kept going, going, going. From his desk chair, Steve was cheerleading, "You can do it, keep going, keep...you're almost there...come on, you can do it!"

Suddenly, my chin was above the bar and I had done it! It is HARD. It really works your core and you arms.  Here is a picture of me doing another one right afterward. It's blurry, you can still see my flabby triceps, and I didn't get quite as high...but I did it.

And...We're Back!

My view early Monday morning on my way to workout before the day of workshopping began. With a quick 2-3 minute drive to work, I don't encounter too many people in the mornings. I was surprised and had forgotten how many people are out and about on the road at 5:30 in the morning.

I am often awake by this point in the morning, but haven't been out of the house this early since school ended, with the exception of needing to get to the airport for one of our trips. On my way to my parents for a treadmill session (the first time I ran for 20 minutes straight - I survived!), I was still shedding my early morning grogginess when I spotted this beautiful sunrise! I am not sure why, but it put a little extra pep in my step, a smile on my face, and woke me up.

It's hard to believe that the summer is almost over. I've been working on my thesis, wedding stuff, and meetings for school, and have not yet found myself able to sleep past 7! I am relishing these last few days in August that allow me to relax, blog, clean out old stuff, and fix up my office that is currently housing stacks of papers, books, and all things wedding!

Before I know it, I'll be greeting the sun every morning, bright and early!

New Tastes

Leeks waiting for the kale
*AMAZING!*

With another person in the house, our food stock is more diverse than it had been when it was just me alone. I have always been the pickiest of eaters in my own family. I'm not sure how or why. It could be just a long-term case of stubbornness or a true aversion to certain foods.

Here is my list of foods that were on my absolute no list:
Onions
Mushrooms
Seafood
Fish
Hot foods
Olives
Rough greens
Ribs or meat on the bone

I am happy to say that I have changed this to some degree! I am definitely a fan of onions if they are sauteed or chopped very small, if fresh. Steve makes a mean salsa and he always uses a lot of fresh onion and I LOVE it.  In another situation, Steve was sauteeing a bunch of veggies to go with our dinner and it smelled amazing. I asked him what he was cooking up and he had said all that was in the skillet was onion. I was salivating! It adds such a great flavor to dishes!

Mushrooms are still a hard one, but I'm trying! Olives are similar. If they are cut up really small and mixed in right, I'm fine with it!

Ribs was a struggle because I really despise eating meat on the bone. This is odd, especially because when I was little and my dad would grill chicken, I'd always snag the chicken wings. Now, it creeps me out. If I am a guest in someone's home, I usually try to just grin and bear it. There is just something about holding an animal bone and gnawing the meat off of it that puts a grisly image in my head.

Fish and Seafood are still written off for now. I tried some salmon en papillote in our cooking class, but that's about the extent of it. I don't know where this issue came, as the rest of my family loves it!

Hot foods were a change and I credit Steve for this. He puts Sriracha, Chalula, or Tabasco sauce on most foods. He loves hot and spicy food. In fact, he almost swallowed lava hot wings for a wing challenge, but thought better of it after a quick sample of the sauce.  To give you a point of reference, typical buffalo wing sauce is 1,440 Scoville units (Scoville units is the measurement of heat; as it increases so does the heat of the pepper or sauce).  The sauce that Steve and his friend considered eating on wings to get a t-shirt and their picture on the wall was 500,000 Scoville units! Holy crap. When the waiter brought a little dip cup of it, it just smelled like pain.

I'm hardly ready for anything too hot, but I've been handling it more than I ever had before.

Lastly, I have fallen in love with kale. It's so delicious sauteed with a little mist of olive oil and garlic. The other day, though, I was feeling adventurous. We always see leeks nestled in next to the kale at the store. It is such an interesting vegetable, so I wanted to try it. I mixed it in with the kale and let them almost get crisped and browned. It was DELICIOUS. I've been craving it, but haven't found any good looking kale in the last week or so.

I am so fortunate to have someone in my life who challenges me to try new things!  My food spectrum has grown incredibly because I'm testing out recipes to accommodate both my and Steve's tastes.