The Austin Marathon had a HUGE impact on me! Helped me see ALOT of stuff more clearly and I can't wait to share it all! I have entered a new season of my life so I think it's only appropriate to start up a new blog and say goodbye to Sunday Morning Sauce! It's been great, but I'm ready to move on!!
Check me out over here, but be patient as it's a work in progress!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Menu Plan Monday
I am SO THANKFUL I have a hubby that is okay with cutting meat out and/or trying new things as long as our meals are not "out of the box" (that he's not so keen on, LOL!). I'm trying to focus the kids (Chris and I too) on our daily food pyramid. I love to cook and try new things each week so it's "sunshine meatloaf" for this week! :o)
I think it's SUPER DUPER important to train the kids to have a good palate, to ENJOY eating and trying different foods. Thankfully they do for the most part.
So here we go....this is what's for dinner this week!
Monday: Breakfast for Dinner
Tuesday: Sunshine Meatloaf, edamame, wild rice
Wednesday: Chicken Mango Kabobs, quinoa
Thursday: Black Beans, rice, plantains, fresh fruit
Friday: Pasta Fagioli, homemade bread
Saturday: Veggie Spread with Hummus, pita bread, fresh fruit
Sunday: Stuffed Shells, salad
I think it's SUPER DUPER important to train the kids to have a good palate, to ENJOY eating and trying different foods. Thankfully they do for the most part.
So here we go....this is what's for dinner this week!
Monday: Breakfast for Dinner
Tuesday: Sunshine Meatloaf, edamame, wild rice
Wednesday: Chicken Mango Kabobs, quinoa
Thursday: Black Beans, rice, plantains, fresh fruit
Friday: Pasta Fagioli, homemade bread
Saturday: Veggie Spread with Hummus, pita bread, fresh fruit
Sunday: Stuffed Shells, salad
Thursday, February 24, 2011
*Official* Race Report
LOL! Well, here it goes, my very first MARATHON RACE REPORT!! I've been reflecting SO MUCH this past week about the beast I was up against, and surprise it wasn't the "marathon", it was ME! :o)
This race was a HUGE milestone in my life, one I will never forget for sure. I was able to create a very very very special memory with my best friend and realize just what I am made of!
I was unusually calm Sunday morning. I felt cool, confident and unafraid. Pulled out of the driveway at 4:45, dark, breezy and cool outside, Chris drove Erika and I to the race following friends of ours, one ultra runner and two other first time Marathoners. We were all able to meet up with our running buddies that were doing the half and I just can't express how awesome it has been having the support and sense of community that this group of runners provides. Exceptional Women, for sure.
So we all gathered by the Porta Potties excited that they were NOT full, had a few laughs, took some pics, checked, and double checked to make sure we had everything before Gear Check. I stepped aside for a moment, put my jacket back on (it was chilly) , ate my banana and just took in my surroundings. Here I was checking out the beautiful Capital Building ready to actually run a MARATHON! Chris wrapped his arms around me and told me he knew he didn't have to tell me to not give up since he knew that wouldn't happen, but to enjoy it and how proud he was of me. I adore that man!
Erika and I committed to run the race together. I needed her previous race experience and her ability to pull me back to assure that I wouldn't burn out, and she needed my strong will, optimism and BIG mouth. :o) It was VERY exciting for me.
The weather was not optimal, in fact it was reported to be the hottest Austin Marathon in race history (you know I got that fact from Erika, LOL), my rib flared up on Friday so badly I could not breathe but thankfully the steroid shot my doctor gave to me Saturday morning helped A TON!! No pain. I felt good. No knee pain, no issues. This was going to be a great race!
Aaaaannnnndddd we were off! Water stops about every mile, we skipped the first two and settled in around mile three to what our strategy would be. Walk through the water stops, enjoy the break and then back at it again. Took our first gel at 40 minutes and that's when I decided I would pray for a friend of our family who is going through some health issues at each 5 mile marker since that would be easy for me to remember to do.
Right after I hit the 5 mile point I realized, YEP I DID IT AGAIN!!! I was FREAKING PEEING MY PANTS AGAIN!!!! WTH is my problem?!?!?!!? I kept feeling a drip drip and asking Erika to look behind to see if she saw anything and she said no, but as the miles went on and when we took our first pee break around 7 or 8ish mile over in the bushes (yeah the bushes...no porta potties we were straight up bold and did what needed to be done, LOL) I realized my shorts were soaked, just lovely....whatever I *DID* take 3 actual pee breaks but still managed to be soaked and smell like urine, it was great. (insert a sarcastic tone and sigh please)
I settled into my run, relaxed and just chatted away trying not to be too embarassed when Erika was screaming to people that it was my first marathon, LOL! To be honest one of my highlights was BART YASSO from Runner's World hearing her say that and giving me two guns and a "YEAH"....TOTALLY COMPLETELY AWESOME! I was PUMPED!!! We were screaming OMG and laughing out loud...it was GREATNESS!
I found myself zoning out at times, looking at what the other people were wearing, smiling at the crowd cheering us on, and then we got into the double digits....this was awesome! THIS is when I usually feel good. I don't remember too much about the hills, yes they were there, but I LOVE the hills so I didn't really focus on them, did what I had to do to get up one and used the downhill to recover and settle back in again. I felt strong. Really strong.
As we climbed up in the mileage, our bodies started to ache and our conversations got a little shorter with more time in between them. It was Erika's IT band and my knees. We stretched at water stations best we could and kept moving forward. Knee pain was nothing new to me so I tried not to focus on it, but trust me IT HURT. The humidity was starting to get to us and I for the first time got to experience that "sloshing" in the stomach I've heard everyone talk about. Thankfully Erika gave me some salt pills and they worked!!!! It was getting rough around 17.5 and we started to count down the mileage until we saw Kimmers!!! The chicky who I started my running journey with committed to come on out and join in to keep us going at the 20 mile mark. Having her do that AND seeing different friends along the race made a HUGE difference to me. It was great!!!!! She came in between the 19 and 20 mile mark and I just wanted to cry I was so happy.
She was fresh and ready to go. :o) It renewed my spirit and mind. This was good. I suddenly realized that it was already 21 miles and I hadn't hit a "wall" that I've heard so much talk about but it was TOUGH. I felt myself wince at times when my foot landed on the asphalt. Kim asked at mile 22 why my knees were wobbling and I realized just how bad they were hurting but tuned it right out. Tears were streaming down my face without me realizing I was crying. Then as strange as it sounds, when it occured to me I was crying I began to sob a little. I kept fighting my mind telling myself to knock it off. "Pain is weakness leaving the body. Keep going." I kept looking down at my LiveSTRONG bracelet and am so thankful that the word STRONG was in bold as I repeated to myself over and over...."You ARE strong. You ARE strong." .... "You are NOT a Quitter, you are a Finisher". I was just too close to focus on that pain. I continued saying those same things over and over, shaking my head back and forth trying to get rid of those tears and NOT allow myself to breakdown. I was successful. No breakdown.
Those last few miles were tough. My body hurt. I was hot. I couldn't drink any more of the Gatorade at those last few stops, it was nauseating. But then as we approached that final hill I was recharged, I was READY TO BE A FINISHER!!!!
We turned the corner to see our girls in their purple shirts running out to meet us and run us in. It was absolutely PERFECT!! This was not only a huge moment for me but a moment that will hopefully have an impact on Adrianna as she grows. I told Erika this was it, let's finish this baby strong and go! (after all the girls were running faster than us and were getting too far ahead, LOL!) Passing by all our friends that either stayed after their half marathon or came all the way out just to cheer us on, we were there....we were at the finish line with our girls and heard the announcer say "Here comes Gina and Erika, Marathon Moms" . . . it was pure joy!!! We grabbed each others hands and crossed together getting the exact same time! That sweaty stinky hug was one of the happiest moments of my life!
The race was an absolute SUCCESS!
Total Time: 5 hours, 33 minutes and 9 seconds I will cherish FOREVER!
How I was transformed by this race is an entire separate blog post! :o)
Stay tuned.....
This race was a HUGE milestone in my life, one I will never forget for sure. I was able to create a very very very special memory with my best friend and realize just what I am made of!
I was unusually calm Sunday morning. I felt cool, confident and unafraid. Pulled out of the driveway at 4:45, dark, breezy and cool outside, Chris drove Erika and I to the race following friends of ours, one ultra runner and two other first time Marathoners. We were all able to meet up with our running buddies that were doing the half and I just can't express how awesome it has been having the support and sense of community that this group of runners provides. Exceptional Women, for sure.
So we all gathered by the Porta Potties excited that they were NOT full, had a few laughs, took some pics, checked, and double checked to make sure we had everything before Gear Check. I stepped aside for a moment, put my jacket back on (it was chilly) , ate my banana and just took in my surroundings. Here I was checking out the beautiful Capital Building ready to actually run a MARATHON! Chris wrapped his arms around me and told me he knew he didn't have to tell me to not give up since he knew that wouldn't happen, but to enjoy it and how proud he was of me. I adore that man!Erika and I committed to run the race together. I needed her previous race experience and her ability to pull me back to assure that I wouldn't burn out, and she needed my strong will, optimism and BIG mouth. :o) It was VERY exciting for me.
The weather was not optimal, in fact it was reported to be the hottest Austin Marathon in race history (you know I got that fact from Erika, LOL), my rib flared up on Friday so badly I could not breathe but thankfully the steroid shot my doctor gave to me Saturday morning helped A TON!! No pain. I felt good. No knee pain, no issues. This was going to be a great race!
Aaaaannnnndddd we were off! Water stops about every mile, we skipped the first two and settled in around mile three to what our strategy would be. Walk through the water stops, enjoy the break and then back at it again. Took our first gel at 40 minutes and that's when I decided I would pray for a friend of our family who is going through some health issues at each 5 mile marker since that would be easy for me to remember to do.
Right after I hit the 5 mile point I realized, YEP I DID IT AGAIN!!! I was FREAKING PEEING MY PANTS AGAIN!!!! WTH is my problem?!?!?!!? I kept feeling a drip drip and asking Erika to look behind to see if she saw anything and she said no, but as the miles went on and when we took our first pee break around 7 or 8ish mile over in the bushes (yeah the bushes...no porta potties we were straight up bold and did what needed to be done, LOL) I realized my shorts were soaked, just lovely....whatever I *DID* take 3 actual pee breaks but still managed to be soaked and smell like urine, it was great. (insert a sarcastic tone and sigh please)
I settled into my run, relaxed and just chatted away trying not to be too embarassed when Erika was screaming to people that it was my first marathon, LOL! To be honest one of my highlights was BART YASSO from Runner's World hearing her say that and giving me two guns and a "YEAH"....TOTALLY COMPLETELY AWESOME! I was PUMPED!!! We were screaming OMG and laughing out loud...it was GREATNESS!
I found myself zoning out at times, looking at what the other people were wearing, smiling at the crowd cheering us on, and then we got into the double digits....this was awesome! THIS is when I usually feel good. I don't remember too much about the hills, yes they were there, but I LOVE the hills so I didn't really focus on them, did what I had to do to get up one and used the downhill to recover and settle back in again. I felt strong. Really strong.
As we climbed up in the mileage, our bodies started to ache and our conversations got a little shorter with more time in between them. It was Erika's IT band and my knees. We stretched at water stations best we could and kept moving forward. Knee pain was nothing new to me so I tried not to focus on it, but trust me IT HURT. The humidity was starting to get to us and I for the first time got to experience that "sloshing" in the stomach I've heard everyone talk about. Thankfully Erika gave me some salt pills and they worked!!!! It was getting rough around 17.5 and we started to count down the mileage until we saw Kimmers!!! The chicky who I started my running journey with committed to come on out and join in to keep us going at the 20 mile mark. Having her do that AND seeing different friends along the race made a HUGE difference to me. It was great!!!!! She came in between the 19 and 20 mile mark and I just wanted to cry I was so happy.
She was fresh and ready to go. :o) It renewed my spirit and mind. This was good. I suddenly realized that it was already 21 miles and I hadn't hit a "wall" that I've heard so much talk about but it was TOUGH. I felt myself wince at times when my foot landed on the asphalt. Kim asked at mile 22 why my knees were wobbling and I realized just how bad they were hurting but tuned it right out. Tears were streaming down my face without me realizing I was crying. Then as strange as it sounds, when it occured to me I was crying I began to sob a little. I kept fighting my mind telling myself to knock it off. "Pain is weakness leaving the body. Keep going." I kept looking down at my LiveSTRONG bracelet and am so thankful that the word STRONG was in bold as I repeated to myself over and over...."You ARE strong. You ARE strong." .... "You are NOT a Quitter, you are a Finisher". I was just too close to focus on that pain. I continued saying those same things over and over, shaking my head back and forth trying to get rid of those tears and NOT allow myself to breakdown. I was successful. No breakdown.Sammi snapped this pic between 23 and 24 miles!
Those last few miles were tough. My body hurt. I was hot. I couldn't drink any more of the Gatorade at those last few stops, it was nauseating. But then as we approached that final hill I was recharged, I was READY TO BE A FINISHER!!!!
We turned the corner to see our girls in their purple shirts running out to meet us and run us in. It was absolutely PERFECT!! This was not only a huge moment for me but a moment that will hopefully have an impact on Adrianna as she grows. I told Erika this was it, let's finish this baby strong and go! (after all the girls were running faster than us and were getting too far ahead, LOL!) Passing by all our friends that either stayed after their half marathon or came all the way out just to cheer us on, we were there....we were at the finish line with our girls and heard the announcer say "Here comes Gina and Erika, Marathon Moms" . . . it was pure joy!!! We grabbed each others hands and crossed together getting the exact same time! That sweaty stinky hug was one of the happiest moments of my life!The race was an absolute SUCCESS!
Total Time: 5 hours, 33 minutes and 9 seconds I will cherish FOREVER!
I am a FINISHER!
I am SO BLESSED with so much LOVE and SUPPORT!!
I am SO BLESSED with so much LOVE and SUPPORT!!
How I was transformed by this race is an entire separate blog post! :o)Stay tuned.....
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Tomorrow is the BIG day!!!
Getting ready for one of my biggest achievements yet! I never thought I would EVER be "athletic" and it's been quite a journey I will say! I am REALLY going to run 26.2 miles tomorrow.....REALLY!!! WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!! I've TRAINED for this and am doing it!!!!
I'm so excited and VERY GLAD I went with the yellow shorts to go with the whole Livestrong Theme....this is going to be AWESOME!!!
The training has been tough. My husband is more than patient and is truly my biggest fan (couldn't do it without him!) My babies refer to me as a "runner" all the time and say they want to run when they get bigger. My friends are so supportive and help with accountability a ton. My sister teases me but loves and supports me too of course!
This new season of my life is just simply AMAZING!!!
My marriage (10 years going strong!)
My 3 beautiful babies
My family
My spiritual growth
My community of "healthy and goal minded friends"
A new word to add to the many that describe me: ATHLETIC
All of this and so much more....I feel on track and everything just FEELS good, as it all should be.
I am SO READY to take on the Austin Marathon with a big old smile and heart full of determination and joy!
CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Menu Plan Monday
Monday: Empanadas, spanish rice, plantains
Tuesday: Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers, potatoes, broccoli
Wednesday: Pasta Ceci
Thursday: Pita Pockets...stuff your own!
Friday: Date Night!
Saturday: Artichoke Spinach Lasagna
Sunday: Taco Soup
Tuesday: Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers, potatoes, broccoli
Wednesday: Pasta Ceci
Thursday: Pita Pockets...stuff your own!
Friday: Date Night!
Saturday: Artichoke Spinach Lasagna
Sunday: Taco Soup
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Super Hero? Me? What?
"Running reminds me that there is more to me than what is readily apparent much of the time. I don't always need to see it, but oh how I need to know it's there. Like having an alter ego,
or a super-cool super-hero identity."
~Kristin Armstrong, Author and runner
~Kristin Armstrong, Author and runner
I opened my Gmail this morning to this quote from Runner's World and it just HIT ME! This is the reason I run! Deep down, I've never felt like I was worth much of anything. Not growing up. Not during my teens. Not during my young adulthood. And even as a 35 year old mother of 3, living a WONDERFUL life with healthy children and a loving, supportive husband, I still have my moments of self doubt, self worth. It's my weakness, my thorn.
As I am sitting here thinking about weakness, I remember reading somewhere in the Bible about Paul and his thorn but really couldn't remember it. Thankfully Google saved me, as always! LOL I found this and all sorts of things are just clicking in my head right now so this post will probably be ALL OVER THE PLACE! After all, I am a verbal processor. :o)
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
So now back to the original quote that got me thinking this morning.... running is hard. Training is harder. Having the confidence that I will complete a race and do it well is the HARDEST. Getting out there and completing a run, even if it is only a 3 miler is challenging for me. Scheduling it in, making it part of my lifestyle, the actual "running", achy knees and all, is hard. It's MUCH easier to do nothing at all. It's MUCH easier to talk about the things you want to do, results you want to see, things you *wish* you were doing. Taking action on the other hand really is THE CHALLENGE.
I've never felt like I was "good enough", "strong enough", but running (well post run, LOL) makes me feel those things. It's hard. Not many people can do it. Not many people want to do it. Only 1% of people run marathons and there is a reason for that! I sure as hell never thought I would RUN A 5K, never mind a MARATHON! But I am!!! I really really am!!!! And why? Well, I want to SHUT THOSE voices up in my head that have told me my entire life that I couldn't really do that. I'm not like that other person doing it. Sure, they can , but me? I can't. I will have such a deep satisfaction proving those voices wrong on Sunday. Each time I get out there and succeed, it makes those voices just a little bit fainter.
I can certainly give into my weakness, and stay in a place "believing" that this thorn, my heartache, my past, my insecurities, will keep me from being "special", unique, one of a kind, strong, worthy. Or I can challenge myself. Get out there and PROVE not to everyone else, but to MYSELF that I CAN do it. I AM strong. I AM more than I believe I am.
Call it an alter ego.
Call it my super hero identity.
Whatever it is, it comes out in my running and especially during a race and I LOVE THE WAY IT MAKES ME FEEL!!! :o)
As I am sitting here thinking about weakness, I remember reading somewhere in the Bible about Paul and his thorn but really couldn't remember it. Thankfully Google saved me, as always! LOL I found this and all sorts of things are just clicking in my head right now so this post will probably be ALL OVER THE PLACE! After all, I am a verbal processor. :o)
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
So now back to the original quote that got me thinking this morning.... running is hard. Training is harder. Having the confidence that I will complete a race and do it well is the HARDEST. Getting out there and completing a run, even if it is only a 3 miler is challenging for me. Scheduling it in, making it part of my lifestyle, the actual "running", achy knees and all, is hard. It's MUCH easier to do nothing at all. It's MUCH easier to talk about the things you want to do, results you want to see, things you *wish* you were doing. Taking action on the other hand really is THE CHALLENGE.
I've never felt like I was "good enough", "strong enough", but running (well post run, LOL) makes me feel those things. It's hard. Not many people can do it. Not many people want to do it. Only 1% of people run marathons and there is a reason for that! I sure as hell never thought I would RUN A 5K, never mind a MARATHON! But I am!!! I really really am!!!! And why? Well, I want to SHUT THOSE voices up in my head that have told me my entire life that I couldn't really do that. I'm not like that other person doing it. Sure, they can , but me? I can't. I will have such a deep satisfaction proving those voices wrong on Sunday. Each time I get out there and succeed, it makes those voices just a little bit fainter.
I can certainly give into my weakness, and stay in a place "believing" that this thorn, my heartache, my past, my insecurities, will keep me from being "special", unique, one of a kind, strong, worthy. Or I can challenge myself. Get out there and PROVE not to everyone else, but to MYSELF that I CAN do it. I AM strong. I AM more than I believe I am.
Call it an alter ego.
Call it my super hero identity.
Whatever it is, it comes out in my running and especially during a race and I LOVE THE WAY IT MAKES ME FEEL!!! :o)
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Menu Plan Monday
Monday: VDay Breakfast for Dinner! Heart Pancakes, Heart shaped sausage, home fries, fruit
Tuesday: Turkey Meatloaf, Cauliflower Mashers, veg
Wednesday: Grilled Cheese, Homemade fries, broccoli
Thursday: Chicken Stir Fry over Rice
Friday: Pasta Pesto Bake Spinach Salad
Saturday: Carb Load PreRace Dinner!
Sunday: Order Pizza! (AUSTIN MARATHON!!!)
Tuesday: Turkey Meatloaf, Cauliflower Mashers, veg
Wednesday: Grilled Cheese, Homemade fries, broccoli
Thursday: Chicken Stir Fry over Rice
Friday: Pasta Pesto Bake Spinach Salad
Saturday: Carb Load PreRace Dinner!
Sunday: Order Pizza! (AUSTIN MARATHON!!!)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
8 Beautiful Years....
My BEAUTIFUL 8 year old baby girl!!!
Where does the time go??!!
It seemed like she was JUST born!
I've been trying to get blogging but just have NOT had the time to this week and that's okay. What I did have time for was an amazing birthday party on Saturday that Adrianna simply LOVED along with her special birthday breakfast (thanks Erika for the plate we will cherish forever and for all our birthdays!), mommy, daddy and Sofia eating lunch at school with her, cupcakes at school, her special birthday dinner and an Ice Cream Sundae bar for her birthday dessert! It was all just perfect! (pics to come!)
This birthday was a very important one for me. My whole world seemed to come tumbling down when I was her age since that's when my parents split up and although I don't remember much from my childhood I "do" remember how deeply I felt during her age. It's so important, not only on birthdays of course, but it's so important to make our babies feel like they are SO SPECIAL, SO IMPORTANT, SO LOVED. I live for my family. I will do everything and anything I can for them to love, support, encourage and CELEBRATE them!
Sure, I sometimes go overboard with the parties but until one of them tells me "Enough is enough Mom, I don't like this stuff" I will continue on. Adrianna for one LOVES parties, planning them, fascilitating them, EVERYTHING....ahhh she's my little mini me in so many ways!!! :o)
This entire past week we've celbrated our sweet little Adrianna!
My first born child.
The gentle, patient and EASY baby that helped me figure out how to be a "Mommy". My precious little angel that ALWAYS slept with me, between Chris and I, holding on to my ear lobe and later on searching in her sleep with her tiny little hand for a "cold spot" on our body to touch (and STILL DOES!).
She is smart.
She is sensitive.
She is loving.
She is caring.
She is a natural "Mommy".
She is considerate.
She is responsible.
She is imaginative.
She is always concerned for others.
She has loved dressing up since she was first able to.
She LOVES sweets.
She is a pasta and bread girl for sure.
She loves to laugh.
I love to hear her laugh.
It's contagious.
It's unique.
I treasure our quiet conversations, just her and I.
I love to dream with her.
I adore her.
I will fight for her.
I will protect her.
I will nurture her.
I will ALWAYS make her feel like she is THE BEST!
Thank you God for giving me my sweet Adrianna. She is the first of 3 very special gifts I absolutely treasure!!
I truly am blessed.
Where does the time go??!!
It seemed like she was JUST born!
I've been trying to get blogging but just have NOT had the time to this week and that's okay. What I did have time for was an amazing birthday party on Saturday that Adrianna simply LOVED along with her special birthday breakfast (thanks Erika for the plate we will cherish forever and for all our birthdays!), mommy, daddy and Sofia eating lunch at school with her, cupcakes at school, her special birthday dinner and an Ice Cream Sundae bar for her birthday dessert! It was all just perfect! (pics to come!)
This birthday was a very important one for me. My whole world seemed to come tumbling down when I was her age since that's when my parents split up and although I don't remember much from my childhood I "do" remember how deeply I felt during her age. It's so important, not only on birthdays of course, but it's so important to make our babies feel like they are SO SPECIAL, SO IMPORTANT, SO LOVED. I live for my family. I will do everything and anything I can for them to love, support, encourage and CELEBRATE them!
Sure, I sometimes go overboard with the parties but until one of them tells me "Enough is enough Mom, I don't like this stuff" I will continue on. Adrianna for one LOVES parties, planning them, fascilitating them, EVERYTHING....ahhh she's my little mini me in so many ways!!! :o)
This entire past week we've celbrated our sweet little Adrianna!
My first born child.
The gentle, patient and EASY baby that helped me figure out how to be a "Mommy". My precious little angel that ALWAYS slept with me, between Chris and I, holding on to my ear lobe and later on searching in her sleep with her tiny little hand for a "cold spot" on our body to touch (and STILL DOES!).
She is smart.
She is sensitive.
She is loving.
She is caring.
She is a natural "Mommy".
She is considerate.
She is responsible.
She is imaginative.
She is always concerned for others.
She has loved dressing up since she was first able to.
She LOVES sweets.
She is a pasta and bread girl for sure.
She loves to laugh.
I love to hear her laugh.
It's contagious.
It's unique.
I treasure our quiet conversations, just her and I.
I love to dream with her.
I adore her.
I will fight for her.
I will protect her.
I will nurture her.
I will ALWAYS make her feel like she is THE BEST!
Thank you God for giving me my sweet Adrianna. She is the first of 3 very special gifts I absolutely treasure!!
I truly am blessed.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Menu Plan Monday
Trying 3 new recipes this week! Very excited! Have a great week!!
Monday: Beef Tips over Rice, Yellow Squash
Tuesday: Popcorn Chicken & Curly Fries (Bday Girl's Request!LOL)
Wednesday: Easy Chicken Parm over spaghetti
Thursday: Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Friday: Turkey Picadillo with Fried Plantains
Saturday: Light Chicken Divan (I LOVE the Paula Dean version, thanks to my friend Carrie, but am trying this one to lower the calories! LOL)
Sunday: Turkey Chili, cornbread
Monday: Beef Tips over Rice, Yellow Squash
Tuesday: Popcorn Chicken & Curly Fries (Bday Girl's Request!LOL)
Wednesday: Easy Chicken Parm over spaghetti
Thursday: Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Friday: Turkey Picadillo with Fried Plantains
Saturday: Light Chicken Divan (I LOVE the Paula Dean version, thanks to my friend Carrie, but am trying this one to lower the calories! LOL)
Sunday: Turkey Chili, cornbread
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Menu Plan Monday
This is going to be a BUSY week...Daddy Daughter Dance AND Adrianna's Birthday Party, not to mention a surprise trip to Dallas to take her to the American Girl Store!
Monday: Turkey Chili
Tuesday: Chicken Quesadillas
Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Thursday: Tacos
Friday: Daddy Daughter Dinner
Saturday: Birthday Girl's Choice (will prob. be pizza knowing her!LOL)
Sunday: Baked Cod Fish, Wild Rice, veggies
Monday: Turkey Chili
Tuesday: Chicken Quesadillas
Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Thursday: Tacos
Friday: Daddy Daughter Dinner
Saturday: Birthday Girl's Choice (will prob. be pizza knowing her!LOL)
Sunday: Baked Cod Fish, Wild Rice, veggies
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Truth Tellers . . .
I was expressing to a friend yesterday why I made my running blog private and my fears about sharing too much on facebook and her email I read this morning was JUST WHAT I NEEDED to see before starting this day!!!! I LOVE this lady and NEED my true "FRIENDS" just like her to be the ones I take advice from. She truly loves me, is not jealous, does not say things because of her own "agenda", she is one of my truth tellers in life and I am SO THANKFUL for her!!!!
Here are some parts of it:
Hmmmm this doesn't sound like you at all!
I get the feeling that you are hiding yourself lately so other people don't get upset. That is not how it's supposed to be! If anyone gets upset about your accomplishments then that is a reflection on them, not you. Those people feel insecure about what they are NOT doing. Or are fearful that you will do it better or make it look easier. Screw them Gina. You do not brag you express. You are not boastful you are open and inspiring and God does not want you to hide your light under a bushel!!
Please do not be altered by those people who want to bring you down. Those who love you Bask in the joy of your achievements. Anyone who says you are being boastful needs to go examine the intent & truth behind that.
Again...I LOVE YOU MY FRIEND!!!
Here are some parts of it:
Hmmmm this doesn't sound like you at all!
I get the feeling that you are hiding yourself lately so other people don't get upset. That is not how it's supposed to be! If anyone gets upset about your accomplishments then that is a reflection on them, not you. Those people feel insecure about what they are NOT doing. Or are fearful that you will do it better or make it look easier. Screw them Gina. You do not brag you express. You are not boastful you are open and inspiring and God does not want you to hide your light under a bushel!!
Please do not be altered by those people who want to bring you down. Those who love you Bask in the joy of your achievements. Anyone who says you are being boastful needs to go examine the intent & truth behind that.
Again...I LOVE YOU MY FRIEND!!!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Menu Planning
Oh boy do I need to "Revamp" my menu!!! Going to try a few new things next week!
Monday: Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas: great way to add some extra protein into a classic dish!
Tuesday: Spinach Lasagna Rolls: made these a LONG TIME ago and they were a hit!!! Bringing them back!
Wednesday: Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce: this should be a fun little change from my italian or swedish meatballs! Will serve with rice and snow peas!
Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner!
Friday: Date Night
Saturday: Chili Lime Mango Chicken Skewers, Baked Zucchini Fries (similiar to this recipe but I add kosher salt to the mix)
Sunday: Good Ol Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad
Monday: Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas: great way to add some extra protein into a classic dish!
Tuesday: Spinach Lasagna Rolls: made these a LONG TIME ago and they were a hit!!! Bringing them back!
Wednesday: Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce: this should be a fun little change from my italian or swedish meatballs! Will serve with rice and snow peas!
Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner!
Friday: Date Night
Saturday: Chili Lime Mango Chicken Skewers, Baked Zucchini Fries (similiar to this recipe but I add kosher salt to the mix)
Sunday: Good Ol Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Firework.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlLgvQErn6o
FIREWORK
FIRECRACKER
SPITFIRE
determined
strong
tough
These are a few of the words that have been used to describe me by my family and friends. And today is one of those days that I TRULY BELIEVE it!!
I FREAKING RAN 18 MILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only did I "run" 18 miles, but I did it in THE COLD AND RAIN!!!! It wasn't a downpour but a constant gentle mist. And you know what? I FELT AWESOME! I did wake up with a lower back ache, nothing unusual, I ALWAYS have backpain. I popped a couple of ibuprofen, ate a blueberry crisp Cliff bar, a banana and a cup of coffee and it was ON! When I walked out the door this morning at 5:45 it was raining and I thought "Oh boy, this is going to be tough!". I was freezing (44 degrees this morning, not THAT bad now that I've run in 33 degree weather!LOL) but felt like I had layered appropriately so I told myself I would NOT focus on the weather today but would take it mile by mile. Hey I only had to go 9 and then turn around and come home, right? :o)
I kept thinking about this song when I was pushing uphill, when my back ached or my left hip hurt at mile 16. I kept telling myself I owned this day, I was a firework! Time to shine! No negative talk, and believe me I could have focused on the fatigue I felt from starting maybe a little too fast, or the weather or the stupid semi truck that got all of us wet with a giant puddle at the start of the run, my sopping wet feet that I knew would be all white and wrinkly when I took my shoes off, but instead I just focused on how STRONG I felt today! These lyrics in particular kept going over and over in my mind:
Do you know that there's still a chance for you
Cause there's a spark in youYou just gotta ignite the light And let it shine Just own the night Like the Fourth of July
I NEEDED this today. It was a rough week having Chris and the two little ones sick and me not being able to do the plan exactly the way it said, but I didn't skip a run, yay! I couldn't help but to laugh a little during my last mile. I was by myself, remembering a conversation I had with Erika the other day. It kind of went like this:
"OF COURSE I would pick my first marathon to be in FEBRUARY! The fall would have just made too much sense, right? :o) I had to choose to train during the coldest time in Texas, surrounded by TONS of challenges....holidays, cold and allergy season, etc. But then again, that's me! As with MOST things in my life, I take the toughest road and just have to remind myself that I always get there, somehow, someway."
And to be honest, it has been T-O-U-G-H!!!! If it's not one thing, it's another. I've had to change my expectations for my first marathon since I'm not willing to put into the training plan exactly what it asks of me. I am a runner, an athlete. BUT I am wife and mother FIRST. I put God and my family before the running and it can be VERY EASY to switch that up and get all out of balance. Thankfully I have people close to me that care so much about me that they help me see these things before I allow that to happen. :o)
Today was a test for me. I wanted to see if I could "do it" today, keep a pace that I was "content" with and feel encouraged at the end. Well everyone, Gina gets and A+ for today! I passed my own test with flying colors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so excited to see what those extra 8.2 miles brings me.
I'm ready Austin Marathon, bring it!
FIREWORK
FIRECRACKER
SPITFIRE
determined
strong
tough
These are a few of the words that have been used to describe me by my family and friends. And today is one of those days that I TRULY BELIEVE it!!
I FREAKING RAN 18 MILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only did I "run" 18 miles, but I did it in THE COLD AND RAIN!!!! It wasn't a downpour but a constant gentle mist. And you know what? I FELT AWESOME! I did wake up with a lower back ache, nothing unusual, I ALWAYS have backpain. I popped a couple of ibuprofen, ate a blueberry crisp Cliff bar, a banana and a cup of coffee and it was ON! When I walked out the door this morning at 5:45 it was raining and I thought "Oh boy, this is going to be tough!". I was freezing (44 degrees this morning, not THAT bad now that I've run in 33 degree weather!LOL) but felt like I had layered appropriately so I told myself I would NOT focus on the weather today but would take it mile by mile. Hey I only had to go 9 and then turn around and come home, right? :o)
I kept thinking about this song when I was pushing uphill, when my back ached or my left hip hurt at mile 16. I kept telling myself I owned this day, I was a firework! Time to shine! No negative talk, and believe me I could have focused on the fatigue I felt from starting maybe a little too fast, or the weather or the stupid semi truck that got all of us wet with a giant puddle at the start of the run, my sopping wet feet that I knew would be all white and wrinkly when I took my shoes off, but instead I just focused on how STRONG I felt today! These lyrics in particular kept going over and over in my mind:
Do you know that there's still a chance for you
Cause there's a spark in youYou just gotta ignite the light And let it shine Just own the night Like the Fourth of July
I NEEDED this today. It was a rough week having Chris and the two little ones sick and me not being able to do the plan exactly the way it said, but I didn't skip a run, yay! I couldn't help but to laugh a little during my last mile. I was by myself, remembering a conversation I had with Erika the other day. It kind of went like this:
"OF COURSE I would pick my first marathon to be in FEBRUARY! The fall would have just made too much sense, right? :o) I had to choose to train during the coldest time in Texas, surrounded by TONS of challenges....holidays, cold and allergy season, etc. But then again, that's me! As with MOST things in my life, I take the toughest road and just have to remind myself that I always get there, somehow, someway."
And to be honest, it has been T-O-U-G-H!!!! If it's not one thing, it's another. I've had to change my expectations for my first marathon since I'm not willing to put into the training plan exactly what it asks of me. I am a runner, an athlete. BUT I am wife and mother FIRST. I put God and my family before the running and it can be VERY EASY to switch that up and get all out of balance. Thankfully I have people close to me that care so much about me that they help me see these things before I allow that to happen. :o)
Today was a test for me. I wanted to see if I could "do it" today, keep a pace that I was "content" with and feel encouraged at the end. Well everyone, Gina gets and A+ for today! I passed my own test with flying colors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so excited to see what those extra 8.2 miles brings me.
I'm ready Austin Marathon, bring it!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
FREEDOM!
Ever have someone say something to you that had NOTHING TO DO with Spirituality but you just KNEW it was a "God Moment"?? Ahhhh, those are the BEST and I was so fortunate to have that today!
AfterTorture, ahem, I mean Spin Class, I was sitting with a friend having a cup of coffee and she just poured into me as she always does, overflowing my cup! No, she wasn't telling me how awesome I am, LOL, she spoke TRUTH to me. Truth about just WHO I am, the person others see me as. Her very simple and to the point statements broke some of the chains I feel have been weighing me down lately. THESE are the people you need in your life. THESE are the people I surround myself with. People who LOVE me, not ones that are jealous of me, passive aggressive towards me, or who truly don't have a pure heart when it comes to their feelings/thoughts about me.
Sitting and chatting with her for a bit and then having another friend join us just MADE MY DAY!!! My other girlfriend came over and started to chat, touched my arm while she was talking (I'M HUGE ON the touchy feely stuff....always have been!) to me and in that moment I felt joy. I felt freedom. I felt focused.
I picked Sofia up and jumped in the car to head over and do some coupon deals at Randalls and I had this feeling inside that I just wanted to RUN after God, JUMP into a Bible Study, DIVE into the sea of HIS love. I know it's dramatic but I SERIOUSLY felt that way. I know beginning the new daily prayer here, and getting back into a routine again completely contributed to my sense of balance, hence FREEDOM. But God always, and I do mean ALWAYS communicates to me through other people, always!
Something from this morning's prayer that just struck me, I had to go back and read it as soon as I got home was this:
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
When I walk in darkness, Lord, carry me through.
I'm emotional, I FEEL . . . I'm passionate . . . so yes, sometimes I just have to go over the top to break free. It is quite silly to me though how a very simple conversation can just do that for me.
It's a New Year, a time to focus in on your values, your goals, your relationships and how you are going to live them out, achieve them and nurture them. So as I said before, no I'm not going to put a list of "Resolutions" out there but I will focus on those three elements of my life and try my very best to keep them all in balance.
Values:
My Family
My Church
My Body
Goals for each of the 3 things I value the most:
Invest more individually on each of my babies' needs making adjustments to some of our current routines to do so.
No more slacking on our monthly date night....make it MANDATORY and setup 2 months at a time. :o)
Help others, "feel" God the way I do. Not necessarily "teach" but show if that makes sense.
Complete the Marathon and then just stay on a maintenance running plan. No huge races, just maintaining.
Relationships:
Focus more on having friends and family members over for dinner.
Working on ways to help strengthen my relationships, not really meant for this blog post. No, I don't BLOG everything. :o)
Now is that all I'm resolving to do in the New Year? Of course not! I will get this house organized, closet by closet, room by room, etc. etc. I will craft more, I will finish up my recipe binder, get back into couponing, and so on but if I go into that MY head will spin. LOL
FOCUS.
That's all I need to help maintain BALANCE.
Ahhhhh and that's when I feel FREEDOM.
After
Sitting and chatting with her for a bit and then having another friend join us just MADE MY DAY!!! My other girlfriend came over and started to chat, touched my arm while she was talking (I'M HUGE ON the touchy feely stuff....always have been!) to me and in that moment I felt joy. I felt freedom. I felt focused.
I picked Sofia up and jumped in the car to head over and do some coupon deals at Randalls and I had this feeling inside that I just wanted to RUN after God, JUMP into a Bible Study, DIVE into the sea of HIS love. I know it's dramatic but I SERIOUSLY felt that way. I know beginning the new daily prayer here, and getting back into a routine again completely contributed to my sense of balance, hence FREEDOM. But God always, and I do mean ALWAYS communicates to me through other people, always!
Something from this morning's prayer that just struck me, I had to go back and read it as soon as I got home was this:
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
When I walk in darkness, Lord, carry me through.
I'm emotional, I FEEL . . . I'm passionate . . . so yes, sometimes I just have to go over the top to break free. It is quite silly to me though how a very simple conversation can just do that for me.
It's a New Year, a time to focus in on your values, your goals, your relationships and how you are going to live them out, achieve them and nurture them. So as I said before, no I'm not going to put a list of "Resolutions" out there but I will focus on those three elements of my life and try my very best to keep them all in balance.
Values:
My Family
My Church
My Body
Goals for each of the 3 things I value the most:
Invest more individually on each of my babies' needs making adjustments to some of our current routines to do so.
No more slacking on our monthly date night....make it MANDATORY and setup 2 months at a time. :o)
Help others, "feel" God the way I do. Not necessarily "teach" but show if that makes sense.
Complete the Marathon and then just stay on a maintenance running plan. No huge races, just maintaining.
Relationships:
Focus more on having friends and family members over for dinner.
Working on ways to help strengthen my relationships, not really meant for this blog post. No, I don't BLOG everything. :o)
Now is that all I'm resolving to do in the New Year? Of course not! I will get this house organized, closet by closet, room by room, etc. etc. I will craft more, I will finish up my recipe binder, get back into couponing, and so on but if I go into that MY head will spin. LOL
FOCUS.
That's all I need to help maintain BALANCE.
Ahhhhh and that's when I feel FREEDOM.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
MMXI
WOW!!!! REALLY???? IS IT "REALLY" 2011?!?!?!
Well, 2010 was a GREAT year full of accomplishments, family milestones and relationship building. Am working on a "recap" but just wanted to share something I'm going to try this year. Yes, I did say "try" since I know I'm not the 100% kinda gal.
I read here about coming up with your "THEME WORD" of the year. I just love this blog and get TONS of useful information from her! Simplify was the word she chose and I would say that was my word last year, I EVEN bought the word and it sits on my mantle to remind me everyday! LOL While I've grown in that area A TON over the past year, it is something I have to focus on every single week while I plan out the menu, my home and family responsiblities, my social schedule as well as my ministry. It can get out of balance QUICKLY, especially if I (which is very easy for me to do) OVERCOMPLICATE stuff. Simplify....that's a great one! But this year, I am ALL ABOUT...
Why the word purity? Yeah, I know, it's kind of weird. I didn't put a TON of thought into what my "word" would be but this one came to me when I was running. I was thinking of one of the things I wanted to do this year, recycle, and for some reason this symbol made me think purity. Like I said, random.
When I think about all the areas in my life that I've grown in, I've realized that I usually have to empty out to fill back up. The arrows make me think of that I guess. I can go pretty deep or maybe just very complicated, so I'll keep this light and simple. :o)
How is this word Purity going to be demonstrated in my life to match up with my values and my goals?
I am about LIFECHANGE. I am about GROWTH. I am about JOY. I don't always have it together, but try my absolute hardest most of the time which is all ANY of us can do. :o)
Well, 2010 was a GREAT year full of accomplishments, family milestones and relationship building. Am working on a "recap" but just wanted to share something I'm going to try this year. Yes, I did say "try" since I know I'm not the 100% kinda gal.
I read here about coming up with your "THEME WORD" of the year. I just love this blog and get TONS of useful information from her! Simplify was the word she chose and I would say that was my word last year, I EVEN bought the word and it sits on my mantle to remind me everyday! LOL While I've grown in that area A TON over the past year, it is something I have to focus on every single week while I plan out the menu, my home and family responsiblities, my social schedule as well as my ministry. It can get out of balance QUICKLY, especially if I (which is very easy for me to do) OVERCOMPLICATE stuff. Simplify....that's a great one! But this year, I am ALL ABOUT...
"PURITY"
Why the word purity? Yeah, I know, it's kind of weird. I didn't put a TON of thought into what my "word" would be but this one came to me when I was running. I was thinking of one of the things I wanted to do this year, recycle, and for some reason this symbol made me think purity. Like I said, random.
When I think about all the areas in my life that I've grown in, I've realized that I usually have to empty out to fill back up. The arrows make me think of that I guess. I can go pretty deep or maybe just very complicated, so I'll keep this light and simple. :o)How is this word Purity going to be demonstrated in my life to match up with my values and my goals?
- Recycling (PURIFYING the earth)
- I want to make sure my motivation behind EVERYTHING I do and say comes from a PURE place.
- I want to PURIFY my thoughts, not just about others, but about myself too.
- I want to get back into my daily Bible study....you know there is nothing more PURE than the Lord!
- I want the foods and beverages I put into my body and my family's bodies to be healthy, more PURE.
- I will focus more on the individual needs of each of my babies and what their PURE little hearts need from me.
I am about LIFECHANGE. I am about GROWTH. I am about JOY. I don't always have it together, but try my absolute hardest most of the time which is all ANY of us can do. :o)
So HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!!
HELLO 2011!!
HELLO 2011!!
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