Back in the saddle again!

Where did the summer go? This seems to be the question in every teachers' eyes as I walk down the hallways of my school... I long for summer for about 8 months of the year, then it finally gets here, a couple of days later and *poof* it's back to school ads and tax free weekend again! How does that happen?

But somewhere in there I did manage to go to Hilton Head Island with some girl friends, visit Chicago with my parents and also go to the bustling city of Branson, Missouri with my whole family!

The trip to Hilton Head was rather spur of the moment, some of us girls were craving the sand and sleep. We got plenty of both at HHI. It was great, we laid on the beach for 5-6 hours a day, ate, then slept. That is the life, no?

Then there was Chicago (again) because I love it so much. And more so because my parents had never been and I am always raving about it. So I talked them into flying up there for a quick 4 day trip. Just enough time to see the sights and

get a taste of the city. Most of the things we saw I had already visited before, however there were a few new things added in. For one, we went to the Sears Tower (now called the Willis Tower) and there was a new addition there.

They have built a skydeck that juts out from the top floor and is made entirely of glass. So you can walk out and look

straight down to the street in between your feet! I have to say it made me kinda queasy. Check out the picture, we appear to be floating in the sky (and my stomach seemed to agree).

Also note my mom holding on for dear life to my dad (as if that would be a comfort when we went spiraling through the air).

Overall a very fun trip, and also very cram packed with sights!

And the last trip was to Branson with my brother, sister-in-law, nieces, mom, and dad.

What is in Branson, Missouri, you might ask? Well, many, many family shows. Such as the all-talented, mind blowingly amazing Dutton Family Show. Imagine the Partridge family meets the Osmond family. Do you have a good visual? Excellent.

We also visited the outdoor mall which housed a huge Bass Pro store. I know, major excitement(although I will let you guess who was most excited). And the mall also had a fun play place and a water/ light show. Pretty cool, but actually very hot because it was over 100 degrees most days. Above, we are at the show (can you see the sweat streaks?) It was good bonding time...

Half Marathons are quite the adventure...

Months and eons ago, I signed up to participate in the Country Music 1/2 Marathon! 13.1 miles of screaming family and friends and sweaty people. So, in on this adventure with me, my partner in craziness, was the BFF Betsy. Being the cheesy teachers that we are, Betsy printed up a training schedule to post on the fridge. And what is a chart without some incentive stickers? That's right, absolutely no fun! I chose from my extensive selection of stickers and we charted our progress through 16 weeks of various length runs. We were rockin' the training, until my ankle turned into a cankle and swelled up like a balloon! Awesome, three weeks out and my ankle won't fit in some of my shoes!?! This wasn't supposed to happen!

Okay, time for a plan of action, ice and compress, then repeat. Two days later, totally walkable. So we venture to Crockett Park for a 9 mile run with our friend Jennifer. Here we go. Feeling good. Not a care in the world (except the sweat rolling down my back and the thirst that doesn't want to be quenched). Then the ankle starts feeling... well uncomfortable. And there it is back, *poof*, cankle.

So there it is, I'm out, maybe of the whole marathon, hobbling mostly and barely containing my frustration. Three weeks of this, and add a little worry with a side of STILL eating everything in sight despite the fact that I am not active, oops.

Race day comes and we are up at 5 trying to get pumped up. Arrive at the race, people everywhere, music blaring (it is the Rock 'n Roll Marathon Series after all), and long port-a-potty lines. Jump into corral 22 and wait it out. Getting nervous, excited, ready to do this!

And, we're off! And we run, and run, and run, (and walk a little) and sweat, and wave at familiar faces, and drink some Cytomax (how DO they name these things?), even try some Gu. (Disclaimer: while Gu serves it's purpose of giving that extra boost of energy, it feels slightly like trying to swallow jelly, yum!) But it did the trick, we made it, finish line in sight. Sprint for the finish. Done and done. Fun experience, very glad to have had this experience, thanks Betsy for the encouragement along the way!

Now, to get my calves to stop screaming at me... this is what happens when muscles sit idle for three weeks. Who'd a thunk?

Welcome to "twenty-ten"!

It is officially the new year and while I am not totally sure what to call this new year, (twenty-ten, two thousand ten, o-ten) it has definitely begun! I always wonder how many people actually celebrate the new year not sleeping? Sleep was looking like the most appealing option to ringing in the new year, but instead I celebrated in the movie theater watching Sherlock Holmes. Not the worst idea ever, just a little anti-climactic. But on January 1, the new year really got rolling. We (Betsy, Brooke and I) decided to go visit our newly-married friends, Laura and Luke. I was super pumped about this little excursion, especially because they live in Atlanta and there is some major shopping to be done in that city! We made a whirl-wind trip down, visited the Coke Museum and walked around in amazement at IKEA.

So, Atlanta was great, as well as good friends... Can't wait to see what else the new year holds!