Sunday 7: I'm Alive

Looking at my last post, it’s been awhile since I’ve been on the blog sharing. Over 2 months in fact. How’s that for consistency? 

Hmpf.

I could say I’ve been insanely busy (I have), and that I’ve been working a lot (I have) and that I just don’t have time (I don’t), but really- I haven’t been making writing a priority. At least not here.

I’ve been journaling my devotions most days and writing some other stuff here and there, but I haven’t been having a 2 hour coffee shop session a couple times a week and I really miss it. I’ve been to El Salvador and back, I’ve promoted with Arbonne, I ran the Cherry Blossom race in DC (bucket list!) and I’ve changed and grown and learned and thought and pondered and haven’t shared a single bit of that here. 

I will catch you up on ALL of those things. Soon. I promise.

But for today, here’s 7 things that are making me happy.

1. THIS!! Making time in my schedule to pack up my laptop and throw on my golashes and spend a rainy hour on a Sunday writing. I’m back friends.
2. SPRING. You guys- this winter was hard. Like, I spent countless hours being numbed by Netflix, eating snacks and outgrowing my sweatpants while the bitter cold and wind bore down outside. This was probably the most depressing winter I can remember for quite some time- for many reasons- and I spent a large chunk of the beginning of this year in a funk. Quite like the bulbs sprouting up out of the ground, I feel like I just woke up. And I’m ready to get back into life!
3. EATING CLEAN CHALLENGE. Just last week I started a 28 day eating clean challenge with Arbonne. It is almost exactly like a Whole 30 – eliminating allergenic foods and focusing on lean protein and lots of fruits and veggies. Can I tell you that I feel like a million bucks? And I also already lost 4 lbs of winter layer? I’m always surprised at how quickly I can slide back into bad habits and the minute I stop I feel better. I am promising myself to REMEMBER that this time and just stick with it. Also, the camaraderie our little challenge group has is amazing. I love swapping recipes and tips with these ladies and hearing about how great they are feeling.
4. EASTER. A week from today is Easter Sunday. I can hardly believe it’s here! I didn’t give up anything for Lent really, but I am doing a #lentchallenge to read the entire New Testament. It’s been trying. I’m a bit behind. But I’m committed to finishing. It’s been engaging and enlightening to read through the Gospels and about the growth of the early church and I’m learning so much. The Bible is full of so much wisdom and truth and I’m humbled every time I read it and learn something new. God is so good to us.
5. 84 DEGREES. Yesterday it was 84 degrees. I had the moonroof open, windows down and I was sweating. It was glorious. Enough said.
6. RUNNING. I just ran the Cherry Blossom 10 miler last weekend. This weekend I got in about 10 miles between Saturday and Sunday. 2 weeks from now is the 1^st Half- Marathon of the year and I am just stoked it’s racing season. Training has begun!
7. COOKING. I’ve been absent in the kitchen for awhile. I’ve made a lot of omelets, salads and mix of healthy take out items or meals of hummus and veggies these past few months. I’ve also ate out quite a bit. Doing this challenge has pulled me back into the kitchen and I’m loving it. I went grocery shopping this weekend and made some delicious and nutritious meals for lunch. I can’t wait till the farmer’s market starts next month and I can really start experimenting.

Speaking of cooking…tonight I’m making T and I Quinoa Power Bowls with grilled chicken- a challenge recipe that mixes quinoa with various veggies such as kale, carrots, garlic and tomatoes  and topped with grilled chicken. Look for a picture on IG. You know how I like to take pictures of my food. J

How have you been? What have I missed in your life? 

What’s your favorite thing about spring?

December Goals and Updates

Hi there.

It's been awhile since I've written about practical things like food and running and goals.

And I reeeeallly need miss it. 

I've been running on empty the past couple of months and not taking great care of myself and doing a lot of complaining about it and not a lot of doing anything about it.

So before I get down the deep dark rabbit hole of winter blues, I'm making goals and plans. 

Things I'm doing the month of December:

- Running everyday: Regular run schedule with 1-2 mile runs on the 'off' days. Check out #rwrunstreak for more info.

- Lift weights at least 2x a week: I fell off of my weight routine and I miss feeling strong and fit. I'm getting back to pumping iron!

I'm looking forward to trying some of these workouts from Nutrionella

- More time with Jesus: I got out of my daily Bible reading, but Advent is a great time to get back on track. Check out this new plan from the girls at She Reads Truth

- 15 min of yoga a day: My schedule right now doesn't allow for much studio time so I'm going to keep up a steady yogi diet of Iowa Powered Yoga Youtube videos on the purple mat. 

- Building my business: I pick the days I work for Arbonne, but I also do a little bit for my business everyday- sending follow-up emails, calling clients to check in and dropping off samples. This month is a great one to get involved (hello Christmas gifts!) and I want to make sure I share the benefits with the people I care about.

- Eating Healthy: Back to the green smoothies and eating more healthy from home. I got L-A-Z-Y and have been experiencing the effects of bad eating. I want to feel good and energetic this month!

- Enjoying the Christmas season: I don't want to be so overloaded that I don't enjoy this beautiful time of year, but I also want to take advantage of all the fun things- baking, creating, shopping, cooking and just being with the people I love.

Things I'm not doing??

Stressing

Complaining

Rushing

What are your goals this month? What do you most look forward to this season?

For me, it's friends, family and lots of holiday cheer. :D

Real Runners (5/31)

It’s almost 11 AM and I am just now doing my writing for the day. I had grand plans of getting up around 5 to make coffee and sit down at the laptop and pound out some thoughts. Instead, I slept till 6:30, met my running buddies for 10 miles and pounded the pavement. 

The air was crisp and cool this morning, perfect weather for long sleeves and thin stocking caps. There are 6 of us that meet up regularly every Saturday morning to run a few miles. We started last fall when race season was over and we began to get bored and puffy. We ran all winter- in the snow, in the cold, even a few times in the drizzly rain. We talk about our running goals, jobs, family and spouses. Sometimes we don’t talk at all, the only sound being our steady huffs of breath and feet slapping the pavement.

There is something extra special about fall and winter running. While the rest of the world sleeps, we meet up still half-asleep and warm from our evening slumber and head out through neighborhoods and along trails. Often, we won’t see many other people. If we do, they are runners, like us. Quietly pacing along, sounding a ‘Good Morning’ or a silent head nod in acknowledgement. We are alike, us runners. 

Slight extremists. Definite achievers. Mentally and physically strong.

I remember runs where we’ve talked about hard things in life: deaths in the family, broken relationships, and heartaches. I’ve been on runs where someone has cried and we all offered words of comfort but kept pressing on, offering a pat on the back but definitely not stopping. 

Runners don’t give up.

I’ve been on runs where we’ve laughed so hard we had to stop to catch our breath: the story usually involving some kind of bathroom humor or spousal shenanigans. 

Runners find the humor even in the not-so-great situations.

I’ve been on runs where someone was injured or had to slow down and call it for the day. The rest of us saying we’ll check in later and continuing on the route to finish up the mileage for the day.

Runners know that when something causes someone else to stumble, we have to keep going.

Running is therapeutic. It’s the easiest and hardest form of exercise. 

All you need is your body and some shoes (or not shoes for the barefoot runners out there). But what you don’t know until you start running is that you need a strong mind. You need to be disciplined. You need a goal. Sure you can go out and run for 30 minutes a couple times a week when the weather is perfect and you happen to have free time and call yourself a runner. You don’t really have to train for anything or work towards a speed or distance goal. You might even lose a few noticeable pounds and feel better about yourself.

But until you take that leap and sign up for a race, you’re not really a runner. 

You haven’t sat down and charted out your mileage week by week. You haven’t researched gear and techniques. You haven’t’ gotten out of bed at a time no one should be awake and forced yourself out into the night in search of release.

To me, being a runner is a metaphor for life.

Sure I could float along in life not really having a goal in mind or a plan and probably be okay. Make easy decisions involving no risk and generally be happy with my circumstances. I could do all the things society tells me I should do and end up just sort of mediocre. I might even be content with my status.  But what kind of life is that?

What is life without a little bit of adventure?

What is life without taking the path less traveled?

What is life without a little bit of risk?

I’d always wonder what else I could have done. What else I could have seen. What I could have accomplished.

I want to make a mark on the world.

I want to look back and see that I did the hard things. When everyone else quit or walked away or gave up, I dug in. I was consistent. I was disciplined. I set goals and I achieved them. I want to look back and say, ‘Yeah, you know what? It was pretty hard. But when I

…moved across the country

…climbed that mountain

…gave birth

…opened that coffee shop

…finished that Ironman

…forgave that person

It was worth it.

I haven’t had very good runs lately. In fact, they’ve been pretty terrible. My life has been in a bit of turmoil as well. Coincidence? Probably not.

But this week I feel like I turned a corner. I got some clarity. I set some things down at the foot of the cross and just let them go. And today? I had a great run. I felt good. All those crappy runs became a distant memory, all that anxiety and stress rolling off me with each step. I felt strong, focused and sure.

I don’t care how ‘overused’ this verse is, it is and will always be, my life verse:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witness to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)

Real runners endure. 

MAY!!

I felt like this month's recap needed a big title because it was so crazy and busy and fun and beautiful and life-changing....but I couldn't think of anything creative.

So I just went ALL CAPS.
So you know I'm serious.

- Spend time in the word and prayer more.
I kept up with #shereadstruth in May, but I definitely missed a lot of church and small group due to all the out of town trips and races. And also just being exhausted from said trips and races. I realized how important that community is to my spirit. I need to be around people who share my beliefs and remind me of the life I'm called to live- one of service and love to Jesus and my fellow people.

- Stop Overcommitting
I ordered a sweet new planner that I'm absolutely in love with. It feels good to get my calendar back in order. I'm working on being more intentional with my time, but May was NOT the month for that. There was SO MUCH crammed into a short time that I feel like I barely remember it all. Not exactly how I want my summer to go. I'm looking forward to hazy Sunday afternoon bike rides, afternoons at the beach and lots of time relishing in the sunshine with family and friends.

- Get Simple (Fashion & Spending Fast)
Even though I purchased a few things on my out of town trips, I'm going to give this goal a thumbs up. I had planned for spending money in Cincinatti and Colorado so I didn't charge a bunch of stuff. I bought 3 running items at the expo in Cinci which I traded out for old items. In CO, I bought a few brewery t-shirts- which were also exchanged in the rotation with some old concert t's. Normally on an out of town trip, I would hit up an outlet and blow too much money. I tried to be intentional about spending and even ate up all my groceries before going out of town so I wouldn't waste food. I'm not 100% on this goal yet, but I'm definitely on my way.

- Eat (mostly) vegan
The first half of the month was not that great. And I felt it. I was lethargic, tired, puffy and just blah. Before we went to CO, I ate so many dang veggies and decided to start tracking my food again to get back on track. I'm happy to say that by the end of the month, I was back to eating really good whole foods, including green juice daily.

- Give priorities priority (more family, regular volunteering, scheduled writing sessions)
I was out of town a lot in May. But when I was here, I got to spend a ton of time with my family and friends. I wasn't able to volunteer as much as I liked, but it was a busy month. I am trying to have one night a week where I spend doing blog things, but other than that- I'm writing a little every day. But as you can tell from the lack of blog posts...writing here hasn't been happening as much.

-Rest in the big picture.
I spent a LOT of time in May thinking about the big picture. And where I want my life to go. If you missed any of those philosophical ramblings...check them out here and here.

My only goal for May was to ENJOY.
I ran 3 races ( A PR AND a 2nd place group finish!) and took 2 out of town trips...one that brought me back another year older.
It was one heck of a month and I relished every. single. minute. of it.
Even though I SAID I wasn't going to hold myself to many goals...that's just not possible. ACHIEVER is number 3 on my strengthfinders people. It's like a genetic trait, I can't avoid it.

And with birthdays, I always take stock on where my life is headed. And this milestone birthday? Yeah it was definitely one that made me rethink my assumptions about the rules are about work and life. And guess what?

There aren't any.

Seize the day!

Here's a little bit of my May in pictures. Enjoy!

Remember when it snowed in May? yeah I sort of forgot too. 

I spent the night in the Chicago airport. That was fun. 

I got to hang out with my friend Kimberly in Cinci!

Where I ran my fastest 1/2 marathon yet!

We had so much fun running the Flying Pig. 

Plus the metals are pretty cool.

I ran my first relay race with my running buddies!

And...we won 2nd place in our division!! It was awesome. 

And right after the race- my family and friends surprised me with a 30th birthday party...complete with all my favorite candy from my childhood days. Candy cigs & Zotz!

My mom made this amazing montage of pictures from the last 30 years and stuff that came out the year I was born: Hooters and Reading Rainbow....Hmmm.

I got to celebrate my 30th birthday in the biggest way- seeing my favorite band at Red Rocks with my favorite guy and his brother (from another mother)!

We went on a bike and beer tour

Colorado has awesome craft brews!

Also- the mountains. So dang pretty. 

My first MLB game! Go Rockies!

Did I mention the mountains?

Running with the other Nicole in the highest elevation municipality in the US!

Sunshine. And mountains. No filter here. 

And MOUNTAINS. Sky for days. It was really just beautiful the entire time. 

Then we came back to reality. And this girl was happy. 

And I was happy to get this too. Nice kick off to 30. 

I did a 20 days of 20 minutes of yoga challenge. It was so good. 

And I got back to my beloved farmers market. Yaaa for local foods!

And of course, shenanigans with this guy always. 

Man, that was maybe my favorite month of all time.
Except maybe that one epic weekend...It's a toss up.

This is a good life. :)

What have you been up to??

Five Minute Friday: Imagine

It's been awhile since I've participated in Five Minute Friday.

I've missed it.

I've missed the people, and the posts, but most of all I've missed flexing my writing muscles.

So here I am. Ready to write about whatever Lisa has planned for the day.

The rules:

1. Write for 5 minutes straight on the prompt word.
2. No editing- just pure flow.
3. Link back to Lisa's blog.
4. Read, comment and share!

Today's word: IMAGINE

It's morning. 
Brisk, cool and not yet completely light. There is a quiet murmur along the sea of tired faces and athletic shoe clad crowd. Some jump to keep moving or shake their arms out, chatting among those around them. Some stare stoically ahead, concentrating on what comes next. You've had your coffee, your banana with peanut butter and your fifteen bathroom breaks. Shoes are double knotted, hair secured and race chip in place. Your number rustles against the synthetic fabric of your shirt as the breeze kicks up. 
It's a perfect day for a race. 
Everyone crowds a little closer together and gets a little quieter as a quiet voice sings the national anthem. You listen intently, mouthing the words and saying a little prayer of thanks for country, service, community and two healthy legs to run with. 
As the song crescendos, the crowd breaks out in applause and a few shout out in patriotism and excitement. 

You hear the pop of the gun as the crowd starts shuffling forward.
Take a deep breath.

It's time.

Immediately when I saw today's word, I simultaneously thought of 'Imagine' by the Beatles and Imagine Dragons since I recently saw them in concert and I love their music. My favorite song of theirs is called 'It's Time.' I listen to that song before ever race because when the EP first came out, I listened to it on repeat before my first out of town race in Nashville.
Start lines and Imagine Dragons are forever linked in my head and heart.
Also, every time I hear this line:

I don't ever want to let you down
I don't ever want to leave this town

I think about how much I love my city.
Tomorrow, I will run my 5th Dam to Dam 20K. It is the state's best race and a great way to see the city. It will also be the 5th anniversary of me 'officially' being a runner as it was very first race in 2009.
I just turned 30, celebrating 5 years of running and running my 5th big hometown race.
I realize I may be getting weirdly overly emotional about this...

Anyway...I guess you could say I had this on my mind. :)

Happy TGIF writing friends.

What I've Been Up to Lately: April Recap

I fell off the grid there for awhile.
After I gave up social media for two weeks I'm having a harder time getting back on.
I really liked the quiet.

So instead of some lengthy post about all my April goals met and those not met....I'll give you a high level recap and lots of pictures. :)

- Spend time in the word and prayer more
By far, this has been the easiest thing this year. I love starting my day with She Reads Truth and April was no exception. BTW, if you haven't yet joined- you should. The Hosea devotional is sorta blowing my mind. I'm loving this as part of my spring morning routine.

- Stop Overcommitting.
I have a problem. It is not solved. I honestly can't wait for the 'stress' part of the 7 experiment. I think this part of my life is getting MAJOR overhaul soon.

- Get Simple (fashion and spending fast)
I have not bought any more clothes. In fact, I got rid of MORE stuff. But I haven't been good about spending. I have trips and things coming up so some money has been spent there that normally would not be.  And I bought a couple things at the Flying Pig Expo- but all on sale and very minimal!

- Eat (mostly) vegan
Epic fail in April. So. much. dairy. It also reared it's ugly head on me this weekend and I took stock on how my overdoing it (see 'stop overcommitting') ties in directly with my stress and sugar/cheese level. Backed off a little. I cannot stress to you how much better I feel without dairy. Will I ever learn? Dang cheese.

Loving healthy salads in a jar

So good. And so. bad. 

- Give priorities priority (more family, regular volunteering, scheduled writing sessions)
I am loving not working all the time with taxes. I got to spend a whole day with my nieces and meet my grandparents for dinner. I have been volunteering at the shelter at least once a week and it really does make my heart happy. As for scheduled writing sessions....well I had some friend and family time to make up, but expect more of those in May. After all, it is my birthday month!

- Rest in the big picture
I really should read my goals more than 2x a month. Because I forget this one. A lot. Some days I feel so connected to God and what His plan is and how I fit in and how T and I fit in. Other days- it is the farthest thing from my mind. I'm going to try and start journaling 10 minutes a day again (last year goal!) because I feel like it really made me focus on what is happening in my day and organize my thoughts. This year is one of so much change and growth and I don't want to miss the forest for the trees.

April Goals:
#imoversugar- Eh. Definite work to do. May is a new month.
Finish War & Peace- DONE!! Review to come!
Blanket- Uh...sorry baby Gwen. Hopefully it will stay springy and you won't need this till fall?
RELAX: #restisbest- I did get some resting in. And it was glorious. I'm looking forward to a summer full of rest!

Lots of 1sts this month:

1st Track Workout

1st Patio Dinner this season

1st Bike Ride

1st run in Shorts!

1st Iced Coffee of the Spring

Other April happenings:

It's fun getting your hairs did when you can drink wine.

Salon Hair is always the best

It was still cold enough for a stocking cap most days

My women's work group took a tour of a local farm to learn about CSA's. So cool!

Girls night!

Boston Memorial Run with my Saturday girls

Drake Relays Race!

Patio Happy Hours with this guys

Some silly dog has allergies and needed a vet appointment

Dinner to send off one of our running gals!

We will miss you Deena!

Silly Shenanigans with this guy

My goals for May are super simple:

ENJOY.

I turn 30 this month and I run 3 different races and take 2 out of town trips. I just want to have fun and remember every second of my last days in my 20's and my first in my 30's. 

This is my anthem. Expect to hear more of this. 

What have you been up to?

What's your anthem these days?