have i been bitten? #fitfor30

my 30th birthday is exactly 8 weeks away and

i'm feeling like i'm needing all the support i can get.

since i turned 29, i decided that my goal for this year was to

get in the best possible shape before the clock strikes 30.

so as further motivation, the hubs suggested i sign up

for a 5k run which conveniently falls 3 days before my birthday.

so. i've been running.

i hate running. 

at least, i thought i did.

i have been running on my treadmill during lunch breaks

at work or running around the big vacant lots by my work but really

how much running can you do in a half hour..not even?

i swear every time i was gearing up to run i'd have that annoying

inner monologue going. it would sound a lot like this:

"ugh you're just gonna be all gross and sweaty

when you're done and you still have to go back and work"

"there's a pebble in your shoe. didn't you feel that?

that pebble. yeah. it's totally gonna bug you the whole way,

you know you can just stop right?"

"okay one more loop around this bend and then you don't have to keep 

going, it's okay, you're tired"

"my knee is clicking, yep i'm pretty sure it's clicking. great.

just great. i'm getting injured before i can even start"

 i'd press on (of course) but i'm terrible with distances and 

i never actually knew how far i was going in the

time i was running.

finally i went on my first road run a couple of weeks ago

and kind of just ran around my parents neighborhood on 

streets i remember riding my bike on when i was a kid.

after about 30 minutes i made my way home and

mapped out my route.

4.19k

wow. i didn't even think i had it in me! my lungs were burning (no lie)

and my brain would not shut up..but i kept going and when i was done

i felt like a million bucks. 

since then i've been able to get to 5k in around 30 minutes!!

i'm confident that by september 29th i'll be running that 5k in

great time..and i think it just might be safe to say that

i've been bitten by the running bug.

i am so excited to be on this path to a healthier lifestyle 

and incorporating my entire

family to strive to be active and eating good

wholesome food.

the countdown begins!!

why having kids is so cool.

in the midst of our totally awesome summer,

i can't help but gush to myself 

how awesome it is to be a parent.

sure, there can never be enough hours in the day

to squeeze in that 'me' time or that date night

but having the opportunity to teach, create

and well, just be a kid with your kids

is a time that can not be replaced.

here are my top 5 reasons why having kids is so cool:

1. they never judge. they don't care how you dress,

how you look, what you have or don't have, they just want you..

but they may make a comment on your horrendous morning

breath (who wouldn't?)

2. relatively easily pleased. whether it be watching you cook,

helping you garden, or actually engaging in imaginary time,

it doesn't take too much to get your kids out of that bored

state of being. 

3. always around. yep, they sure are! but they're also

your grocery store buddy, or change room pal or somebody

to talk to or croon songs with in the car. they can also be great

movie dates and sometimes dinner dates too. and they are always

waiting for you to come home from work so they can tell you about

their day or ask about yours.

4. incredibly affectionate. i don`t know about you, but affection

is one of the many things my girls crave from us. a simple snuggle,

kisses and tickle monster fights..you can guarantee that your kids

will always have their arms open to you.

5. they make every family outing awesome. after separating the kids

and putting at least one of them in time out there is something more magical

about experiencing outings with our girls. from puttering around our great city

or hopping on a plane to a far away place the memories we have from

doing those things as a family will never be forgotten.

when asking emma why she thought we were so cool, 

here are the things she came up with..verbatim:

you take us somewhere

you are nice to us

you help us

you give us treats

you play with us

you put movies on for us

you help put princess dresses on us

you help wash us

you love us

`nuff said.