I DID IT!!!!

I started running shortly after Conner was born in hopes of losing the baby weight I gained with him (okay AND his 3 older siblings, but whatever). So I saw all these expensive diet programs and pills and whatever and figured I could spend crazy amounts of money that way and hope it worked, or I could spend $800 on a treadmill and get my ass in gear and have no one to blame but me.

At first I would spend 20 minutes walking and be exhausted. Then I started jogging. I loathed it, but wanted to get my moneys worth out of that damn machine. Slowly I started to enjoy it. It was 30 minutes a day that was for ME. I couldn't take care of anyone while I was running. No one could ask me to get a sippy cup of milk or crackers, change a diaper or do a load of laundry. I could think my own thoughts without being interrupted (for the most part) or even watch TV if I angled it right.

Over the past 4 years I have slowly built up to running 3 miles at a time. I am proud of that because I have never considered myself athletically inclined. I always wanted to be, but circumstances kept me from finding out if I could be when I was younger. But I really think I could've been. Besides being super competitive, I like how good it makes me feel.

So I set a goal for myself last year. i really wanted to run the Capitol 10k here in Austin. I wanted to prove to myself I could do it. Of course life gets in the way and kids schedules, so I didn't get to last March. This past fall when drinking with coworkers, the gauntlet was thrown and I got a little mouthy about how awesome I would do if I really did it. 6.24 miles- a lot of it uphill. So the challenge was accepted and I was signed up for this past Sunday's race.

I have slowly trained myself at home and then on a course in the park with my 13 year old daughter for the past 6 months. Saturday I had to work until 11:30 and didn't get to bed until almost 1am. A lot of people punked out and said they weren't going- I even got the free pass excuse "Don't go- no one will blame you." But I would've blamed myself. So Sunday morning, I got my tired ass out of bed and headed to the race.

If you've never seen photos of the Cap 10k before, please do so. It is an amazing sight to see Austin streets shut down for the parade of over 30,000 runners. It was raining, so my friend B and I felt very hard core.

We ran 10 minute miles for the first 3 miles and then I started backsliding. i told her to go ahead because those hill were kicking my ass. Because oh yeah, I NEVER use the incline on my treadmill for a reason. IT HURTS.

I finished in 1hour, 17 minutes and 5 seconds- an average of 6 12 minute miles. I crossed the finish line with no one taking pictures of me and no one congratulating me. Except the girl inside me who was crying because I was so happy and so proud of myself. And THAT. That is what made it all more than worth it.

I am sore- so sore today. But it's a good kind. Its the kind that keeps reminding me that I did it!

Manny in Japan

You bitches all wish you had someone this good! HA!

Good Morning Sox Fans!

HAPPY OPENING DAY!!!!

According to some sources, it's not really opening day until you play in this country. Or until her team plays. I, however, count any day as opening day when I get up at 5 am to watch my Red Sox play in Japan for the first game of the season that counts!

And of course, you know we KICKED OAKLAND'S ASS! WOOOO!!!

I wish I could've been in Boston with all the die hards at the Cask-n-Flagon. I wish I could turn the guy above around to see how hot he is and make him drop his R's at me. I wish I had someone to give high five's to. I'll settle for being very grateful that ESPN has these games televised for me.

It's a great way to start the season. Sox at 5am, a win by 9am and thoughts of hot boys with accents the rest of the day...

GO SOX!

March 23rd

I have THE best friends ever. Not only are they totally okay to take a night out for me and drink with me, I have some that will take 2. They will play darts with me and laugh with me and even take me to a StripClub. They will eat cake with me, drink wine with me and even buy me prizes. I am surrounded by THE BEST.

I got text messaged with birthday wishes, phone calls and cards. My very own personal father even remembered the ACTUAL day of- which is no small feat. It was awesome. Thank you to everybody that sang a song on the phone, gave me a hug or just made a point to let me know they knew it was my birthday... and Easter. But who cares about stinky Easter anyway? ;-)

*P.s. The above photo was taken at Joe DiMaggio's where they too gave me a treat. And ohhhh... you know this girl has a new favorite restaurant. It was uh-may-zing and totally worth its own blog...coming soon.

Fading to Black

So this is the part where I realize an ending, admit defeat and slowly back away. I'll be there the first few times you look back, just getting smaller and smaller in your rear view. But just when you've kept your eyes on the road in front of you for a while, you'll look up and I'll be gone. And maybe for a minute you'll wonder what could've been...but probably not.

I don't do drama well. And I certainly suck at the game playing of younger girls who've been single and had the luxury of learning those toying nuances. This is just kind of how I do it. But make no mistake, once it's done, it is d-o-n-e. I am too stubborn to make guest appearances. And I damn sure do not crawl back with my tail between my legs.

Enjoyed the movie.... Roll credits.

Weekend Update

Special thanks go out to our friend W.I.O. for acquiring tickets to the Dropkicks show Friday night for ChaCha and I. I freaking love it when a plan comes together- even if it is at the last minute! They are such an awesome group to listen to. You can't NOT have fun when you hear them. And all the Sox attire in the crowd only made the night better. How cool is it that I got to see in person boys who played and danced with Jonathan Papelbon after winning a World Series? For real...

My little man is becoming quite the baseball player, fyi. He played first base for 2 innings at his Tball game Saturday and won the Game Ball! Little League is so much fun- especially when they get to this age where they finally get it! Hell yes, that's MY boy!

Saturday was also the Little Girl's 9th birthday so we had a Slumber Party complete with 9 girls, sleeping bags, nail polish, puffy paint and pizza. I was overwhelmed by the pinkness of it all, but luckily they adore 13 year olds, so Big Girl & Friend got to entertain and be worshiped for awhile.

Jeff still didn't win this weekend (but 5th isn't too shabby), I still have no baseball to watch, so I rented Gone Baby Gone and SuperBad (Hilarious!) and took the tribe out for dinner.

Must continue to keep myself too busy to think....

Breathing...

There are some days that you get out of bed and just know- There is no way that that particular day will end without tequila.

Then there are days where for 24 hours you just have to remind yourself to breathe in... breathe out. And if you can make it a whole 24 hours doing just that... well, than the day was a success.

Of course I am fine. Have you MET me? Fine is my middle name. Along with Bad MutherFucker.

Now... Back to breathing.

Denver

One word...

Wow.

Billy is awesome and I heart him. Just being in his presence kind of had me speechless. He was amazing and funny and heartbreakingly perfect. The show was everything I thought it would be and more. If you ever have the means, I highly recommend going. The dude is no spring chicken and gawd only knows how long he'll be able to blow the roof off the house like that for 3+ hours now that he's pushing 60. But he is a genius. A classic. A-mazing.

Also went to Coors Field and saw the sight of the World Series Massacre of 2007. More than anything I wanted to see if the Visitors locker room was still sticky from Red Sox champagne, but I figured they wouldn't want me to know if it was. I got a glimpse of the corner of the mound that Paps jumped off of to catch Tek and that gave me goosebumps in itself.

It was good to escape reality for a weekend. But damned if reality doesn't have a way of beating the shit out of you when you get back...