This month marks a year!

So a year ago I was border line overweight and felt just plain awful about myself. Not the low depression, want to hurt myself kind, but the kind of feeling that I was just fat and there was nothing in my closet that fit right and I am not going up another size feeling! I know we all have these types of days, but mine seemed to be everyday.

So I decided to take control...I hit the gym and hated it...I tried spinning, step, weights, but nothing stuck. I then meet a couple of great girls (Sarah and Sara) that were training for a marathon and I thought hey I could try running. I always wanted to be a "runner" so what the hell! I found a program on runnersworld.com and took off. It was really hard at first, in fact I pretty much hated it. What kept me going were Sarah and Sara and Little Apple Road Runners Group. LARR is a group of new and veteran runners that are so encouraging and want you to succeed. I continued my program and got to were I could run three miles...what a great feeling that was!

From there I continued to build and late this spring I signed up for my first Marathon in Kansas City. That is right folks I will be running 26.2 miles on October 17th. I am about a month into my training program and have gotten up to 11 miles for my long runs. Next weekend I will break 12 and continue to build up and will run a 20 miler before the big race.

Running has changed me physically and mentally. I have lost 8 lbs and quite a few inches all over. Not really for sure on the inches, but all of my clothes fit me great and I am even back into my skinny jeans with a little room to spare! It has also made me stronger mentally...I feel strong and powerful. I feel that I can pretty much take on about anything if I put my mind to it!

So cheers to all that are runners and supported me and continue to support me and cheers to those that inspire to be runners...you can do it!

Let the Training Begin!

I started my training for the Marathon this week. I was going to wait until June 1, but I think I will go ahead and get started. This way if I get hurt or sick I will have a week or two to recop!

Today it I ran three on a simi-hilly route! Tomorrow is speed and yoga, then four on Wednesday, yoga Thursday, three on Friday and six on Saturday!

I will keep you all posted on how it goes through the summer and into the fall!

Oh and please pray for Arturo this week, he has his final in Bio-Chem on Friday!

Talk to you later.

HAPPY EASTER!

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you all have had a wonderful day.

We are having a great restful drizzly day, here in the Little Apple! We are getting a nice steady rain today! I keep thinking of all the folks that have family in or the little girls in the Easter dresses! However, the rain is wonderful!

Arturo had to go out and check babies this morning and they had six this morning! Six little Easter babies! I stayed here and did my normal Sunday morning stuff, balance our checkbook, pay bills and start laundry. We also made it to the 11:00 Mass at our church this morning. It was a nice service with BEAUTIFUL music. This afternoon Arturo has been watching baseball and I have been working on Accounting I homework. Arturo is cooking us the best smelling pork loin for dinner and my contribution is the corn bread and deviled eggs. You just can not have Easter without deviled eggs.

Well, I have made the leap and registered for my first FULL MARATHON. Can you believe it, I am going to run 26.2 miles on October 17th. Me...the one that made manager for the 8th grade basketball team, the girl that always got picked last. The one that would have been voted most nonathletic in school if that would have been a category. Yes, me...I am going to do it! My training will begin the first week of June, however I am going to continue running my average 12 miles during the work week and then do a longer run on the weekend such as 6-10 miles. Yesterday, I ran 6.67 miles and next weekend I am going to try for 7 and then keep working up until I get to 10 miles, before I start training. I think that this will give me a good base to start training. It is going to be an interesting ride...I plan to keep you all posted on my runs and how I am doing on my training program. So if you care stay tuned!

I am still knitting and still working on Arturo's sweater vest. It is taking FOREVER! It is going to be great once it is all done. I am ready for it to be done, so he will have it, but mainly so I can move on to the next project.

Here is the back of the sweater

And this is the beginning of the front...I still have a long way to go!

We hope you all have a wonderful blessed Easter Day!

LOVE YOU ALL!

Slacked off again!

Sorry guys...I have slacked off on blogging again! We have been busy and I have not had easy access to a computer, but at work and we all know that I should be working not blogging!

Things are really good here, Arturo still has cows on a research trial and they are still calving so he is out at the Cow/Calf Unit seven days a week. He loves being out there and "Playing Cowboy." WE just can not wait until it is our own that he is checking on seven days a week. I will really never see him then!!!

I am still running, ran four this morning! I am so ready for it to warm up...today it is suppose to be 68 and then I think turn cooler tomorrow. I know I will be griping once it is a 100, but I bought some new spring things and I really want to wear them!

Well, I better get back to work...Have a great day everyone.

What is a blog with out a picture and lately I have not posted many pictures...sorry. These where my pansies from last year. My goal this weekend is to plant my cute vintage wheelbarrow with a load of pansies. We are also going to get our seeds started for our garden, the last freeze date is just around the corner!

Running - week 5

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to let you know I ran three and a half this morning. It was a little chilly but we made it through. Tomorrow before I leave for Texas I am going to run four and a half and then hit the gym.

Not much else is going on here, just trying to get through the my short week and Arturo is busy, busy with school and work.

I hope everyone has a great day!

Running eight!

This weekend was pretty exciting! I completed an eight mile run! It was a little tough, but I made it through it! Go me!

This week I am going to run three tomorrow, four on Tuesday and five on Thursday. I leave to head to TX to see my Mom and Robin on Thursday, so there probably will not be much running while I am there. That is ok, it will be great fun! We are headed to the Warrenton Antique Fair. It is acres and acres of cool junk. It will be great!

Sorry, I do not have a picture to share. I did not get many taken this weekend.

I have also finished the back of Arturo's sweater vest. Now I have to get through the front. I will share pictures soon, I promise!

Arturo has been really busy! Baby calves have started hitting the ground at the Cow/Calf Unit, so needless to say he is having to tag babies seven days a week. Spring has really sprung! I just love it!

I hope you all have a great week.

Take care!

Training - Week 4, Day Two

Good morning all!

Just wanted to let you know that I ran four this morning. There was about seven of us that meet this morning! We tackled the Manhattan Hill or the "Gut Buster" as some like to call it. I have run this hill a couple of times and it is a killer every time. This morning was not much different. I am getting stronger though, I could actually make it all the way to the top without having to walk and my heart not feeling like it is about to pound out of my chest! One day I am going to be able to power up the hill with no trouble, like the folks I ran with this morning, one day! I think that I like running hills early in my run, for one you get them over with and for two it gets my legs all warmed up and I feel like I could go forever. This morning was the first morning I felt like I could continue running another mile or two with no trouble! This a milestone for me!

Tomorrow is my early morning, Brew Crew Run! I am going to only run three, because Saturday I am going to try eight.

Well got to hit the shower and get ready for another day with the BCI! I hope everyone has a great day!

Catching up!

Friday night Arturo and I had a date night! Arturo surprised me with tulips. He is so sweet, I am such a lucky girl!



Arturo also brought me home this chair for my Valentines present! Isn't cool?! He got the chair from the cow/calf unit. His bosses picked it up on the side of the road, and it has been sitting out there for a while. I spotted it and Arturo asked if we could have it and lo in behold, it is sitting in our garage waiting to be recovered! Once I get it recovered, I am going to put it in the corner on the left side of the fire place. I just have to find the right fabric and someone to recover it. Once I get it done I will share before and after pictures.



Running - Well I got through my six on Sunday! Yea! My legs did well, but by about 9:00 that evening I could barely hold my eyes open. It wore me out! I did run four this morning, and plan to run four on Thursday, three on Friday and I am going to try to run eight on Saturday. Wish me luck.

Arutro is enjoying his Spring Break, he gets to just work and not have to go to class. He is doing some studying to try to stay on top of the game.

I hope you all have a great week and I promise to keep you updated on this weeks runs and the weekend happenings!

What a great weekend!

Hey everyone! I hope you all had as good as weekend as we did! Our weekend was so relaxing. On Saturday, Arturo made homemade pasta with a Bolognese sauce. The sauce was made with some our tomatos that we canned this past summer. With our lovely dinner we also had a great salad and some yummy bread and of course some red wine!

Wanted to share a picture of our dinner!



Tonight we had some ribs, beans and coleslaw! It was delicious as well! I am so glad I have a husband that likes to cook!

I also ran five miles this weekend and the old shines feel pretty good! This week I have to run three, four, three, six!

Have a great week everyone!

Training has begun!

Hi everyone! Sorry for the deliquesces in not posting... I am making a pack to start posting again, at least once a week. Spring is on its way so there should be a lot to post! We are planning a lot for this spring and summer. The house (outside) needs painting, we are planting a vegetable garden, again this year and we are also going to do a little landscaping! Busy, Busy!

On to the title of this post...

I have started training for my first half marathon! So last week I ran 3 miles, Monday, Wednesday and Friday and I am going to run 4 today. This coming week I plan to run 3 on Monday, 4 on Wednesday, 3 on Friday and then five over the weekend. From there I will continue to build up on mileage! I plan to run the 32nd Annual Lincoln National Guard Marathon & Half-Marathon, in Lincoln, NE on May 3rd! I will keep you all up to date on my progress... Wish me luck!

Stay tuned...I have pictures to post of the kitchen and bedroom up-dating!

Running on Post

Yesterday was such a beautiful day... a tad chilly, but the sun was out! I have two great friends that are both Army wives and runners. They are both marathoners so needless to say, I can barley keep up! They are a great inspiration though, one day I will be classified as a "marathoner" as well. Anyway, I had a chance to run on Fort Riley with them yesterday. It was my first time on an Army post and it was pretty cool. Fort Riley is a fairly old post, so there are some historical homes. They were beautiful, with so much character. There is also a museum there that I would like to visit one day. I do not know much about our armed forces, but I do know that I respect the hell out of the men and women, along with their families, that serve our country.

Thank you Sarah and Sara for letting me slow you down yesterday. Enjoyed it as always!

Pancho the Border Collie

Well we have reach the level of being crazy dog people...we now have two big inside dogs. We would like you to meet Pancho the Border Collie! We got him last weekend from our friends Ty and Nicklyn Williams. Pancho has adapted well, however Max is not so sure of him. He has come in and taken over Max's bed and bone. Pancho seems to be a smart little guy, he has already gotten the going to the door thing down, now we have to work on his sit and stay... We hope that he will be a great help to Arturo in the future here at KSU and later down the road with our own cattle!

What we had for dinner tonight! I made steak pot pies tonight for dinner, they were wonderful and didn't they turn out pretty!

I ran three miles this morning...last week was crazy at work so I did not get to run. It felt great to get out this morning. Plan to try to get in 11-12 miles this week. Wish me luck.

Arturo has a lot going on this week, with school and work. Please say a little prayer for him.

Have a great week everyone!

Catching up

HI everyone! Sorry it has been a while... things here are busy, busy.

I have included a few pictures of us and our lives!

First is Max, he has one big stick that he packed off while we were cutting fire wood!


Us a the Tech/K-State Game! Go Red Raiders!



My baby sweater for little Leah. I have made more progress since this pictures. You are looking at the back of the sweater and the start of the sleeves.



This is my fall display for the front of the porch!

We are good, I am still running and enjoying the heck out of it. Arturo is still working like crazy. Life is busy, but we are loving it!

Take care all.

Wrenn

Fall Harvest

I LOVE FALL!

I think that it is my favorite season. Spring comes in a close second though. I love the smells, the colors and the coolness in the air. The trees have all ready started to turn a little here, I can not wait till about the middle of October. It will be beautiful!

Last weekend I drug out my fall decorations, Mom got me the Fall Harvest door hanger last year and I think it looks pretty cute with the fall wreath behind it! I am dying to hit Hobby Lobby and pick up a couple more things for in the house. Maybe this weekend!

Garden ~
I think that the garden is beginning to slow down. The tomato plants still have green tomatoes on them, but I am afraid they are not going to turn with the cool weather we are having. We may have to have some fried green tomatoes pretty soon!

I picked this bunch on Sunday and Arturo just roasted them in the oven with EVOO and salt and pepper. Then he served it with lamb shanks that had been cooking in a port sauce most of the afternoon and orozo on the side. Oh my word, was it amazing! I love that he his a wonderful cook!
*Side note to Janet and LA we have, no let me correct myself, Arturo has used the pot multiple times, so far. I know that we will use the dog out of it this winter! Thank you again!*




Knitting ~
I am still knitting, I have three projects going on at once, and that is probably why I have not finished any of them! I get board with one and pick up another and just go back and forth. I am working on a Baby Surprise Jacket. It is giving me fits. I will try to take some pictures this week and get them up!

Running~
I am still running...Arturo and I ran three miles yesterday and I plan to run another three today. Then we will run three tomorrow. I am starting to loose some, it is just so slow. However, I really have not changed my diet, I still eat pretty much whatever I please. I do eat pretty good, just sometimes to much on the portion side. I really do need to work on getting that under control. It is just sooooo hard for me though. I LOVE TO EAT!

Well, that is about all I have to ramble about this morning. My car is in the shop so I have been at my desk since about 6:30 AM, so I better eat a bite and I guess do something productive.

Have a great day everyone!

4.5 Miles this morning

This is what I did this morning at 5:30. It had some killer hills, but I made it up them. My calves are tried , but I feel pretty good.

Arturo had an early morning as well this morning. They were processing calves out at the cow/calf unit, so he will be worn out this evening!

Have a great day everyone.

Kansas Flowers

Texas has Blue Bonnets and Kansas has Sunflowers. Being a Texan I have to say the Blue Bonnets are amazing carpeting the hills of Texas, however there is something about the Kansas Sunflower in the late part of Summer. It is like the last little glimpse of summer before it begins to turn miserable cold. I picked an arrangements worth yesterday. As I was picking them Arturo said, "I have been meaning to pick you some of those, but I always get to busy and forget." I hate that our lives are moving at such speeds that we forget to do things out of the way for each other, I am the same way with him though. I mean to pick him up something special at the store or to make him something special, but by the time I have a chance to stop I just want to sit down and rest. I know we both need to try and slow down, but it seems we just can't right now. It means the world to me though that he still thinks of me when he sees pretty wildflowers or just that he thinks of me throughout the day! Man am I a lucky women!

This arrangement is sitting on the kitchen counter by the sink and it it just brightens my day every time I walk into the kitchen. I love fresh flowers!






Our two squash from the garden. I think we are going to try them out tonight!

Also to update you all on my running, I only got in 8 this last week. Not bad, just not my goal.

Have a great week everyone.

Garden Veggies

Just wanted to share some photos from the garden...Arturo thinks that it is petering out due to it is starting to cool off up here! The high is only suppose to be 70 degrees today. Arturo keeps telling me "we better start sharping the chain saw blades, it is going to be a COLD Winter." Last Winter was the worst Winter I have every been though and it was not even that bad compared to like Alaska, I am kind of a wimp when it comes to miserably cold weather.

Anyway, here are some our tasty tomatoes.

Baby Cantaloupe...I need to take another picture he or she is starting to really look like a cantaloupe.

Acron Squash...These are some of my favorite types of squash

Butternut Squash...another favorite

More tomatoes on the vine.

On a side note I ran 3.3 this morning. Go me!

Have a great day everyone.

Running and rock laying

Good morning everyone....

Just wanted to keep you updated on my running again this week. My goal once again is 9-10 miles. I want to stay steady at this for about a month and then start increasing.

This morning I only ran 2 miles due the fact my back was killing me...

We laid rock yesterday morning and some how I got the job of fetching the rocks. The laying part looked pretty hard too, so either way I think my back would still hurt this morning. I am going to rest it tonight and plan to run 3 with a group tomorrow.

Here are some before and after pictures of the rock and the deck.

We are going to line the beds in rock as well, I think that it is going to look pretty cool.

We still have a lot of work to do, but it is coming together. This time next year it is going to be awesome!

Hope you all have a great day!

2.4 miles this morning

Just a quick note... I ran 2.4 miles this morning. So that brings my grand total up to 9.48. Lets just say 9.5! Yeah for me! I am also going to run with my friend Sara Lily on Saturday, she is training for a Marathon and Saturday she is running 20 miles. So I am going to help her out with a measly three or maybe four since I know I can do it! We will see.

I am doing all this running and I really do not feel any slimmer. I feel stronger, but not any trimmer. Arturo says that I am, but he has to say that! I think my metabolism is all ready slowing down...and I am not even 30! I guess I am just going to have to hit the weights, do some dreaded core training, eat better and cut back on my red wine! I might hit the gym and eat a little better, but the wine thing might be hard to give up!

Well got to run. It is lunch time here...hah, hah!

Have a great Thursday.

I took some great pictures of the garden yesterday, I will share them this weekend! Check back soon.

4.4 MILES THIS MORNING

Can you belive it...I ran 4.4 miles this morning! I ran with a diffrent group and was planning on only running 3, but once we had done three I still felt good and decided to go all the way. There were a few killer hills and I slowed WAY down, but I finished!

That puts me to a little over 7 for the week! YEAH!

Got to run....I need to start getting ready for work.

Have a great day!