Two Pink Lines

It was a cold, rainy day as I drove to meet Jason at the doctor’s office.  We’d been trying to get pregnant for about a year and that meant it was time to talk about fertility.  I really didn’t want to talk about it.  I believed in the core of my being that we were both okay, but I also couldn’t explain why I hadn’t gotten pregnant in a year's time.   

We met and talked with my doctor.  We got all the information about the different tests that would be done and what these tests would tell us.  When the appointment was over, Jason drove to a meeting and I drove to the grocery store to drop off my new prescriptions for prenatal vitamins and folic acid.  Then I went home.   

On a whim I decided to use the last pregnancy test that had been sitting in my bathroom drawer.  I’m not even sure how or why the thought occurred to me, but I did it.  I watched the usual pink line appear as it always did, signaling that I was not pregnant.   I told myself I knew I wasn’t pregnant and that at least I’d be able to run the 50 mile run for which I’d been training.  I gave myself the usual pep talk I'd been giving myself every month, reminding myself of all the things I love about my life without a little one in it.  I glanced at the test before tossing it in the garbage and then I looked closer.  There was a faint second line!  It was very light, but it was there and I knew for a fact I’d never seen even a hint of a second line. 

Jason called after his meeting and I told him about the second pink line.  He said he’d stop and pick up my prescriptions and get more pregnancy tests.  When he got home I took another one.  This time there was no mistaking the second line.  It was just as dark as the first line.  We grinned at each other and I tried to push down the excitement that started to well up inside.  I did not want to believe I was pregnant only to find out it wasn't true.  I’d been disappointed by all the one-lined tests in the past and so as protection, I quit thinking of it as a possibility.   

But there were two pink lines.   

Jason and I discussed the 50 mile and I told him if I was pregnant I would not run it.  He was relieved by this since he felt the same way about it.  I could hardly go to sleep that night for being excited and then arguing with myself about being excited, thanking God for this new blessing and then pleading with Him to let it be so and protect the child that might be forming.  I searched for the balance between having faith and not getting my hopes up, so I prayed about that too. 

The next morning I took another test.  Same result as before.  Two pink lines.   I met my morning crew for a run and thought about it the whole time.  When I got to work later that morning, I looked at my calendar.  I was on day 27 of my cycle which meant I still had a few days before a menstrual cycle was actually missed.  This was going to be another long wait and all I could think about were two pink lines and how badly I wanted them to be right. 

I called the nurse practitioner at my ob/gyn and told her about my three tests.  I told her when I’d taken them and asked her how reliable they were.  She said they were reliable and that I was most likely pregnant.  She congratulated me and told me what to do next.    

I glanced at my calender again and sighed. I refused to feel secure in the two pink lines until I had actually missed my cycle.  The waiting seemed endless as the minutes slowed to a crawl and I wondered how in the world I would make it...

The Half Truth and the Big News

Chance ponders the meaning of the tiny shoe...

I have been waiting what seems like an eternity to share this news and I have already written four posts (to follow in the next few days) on the subject.  I was not entirely truthful with you, dear readers, about the reason for my decision not to run the 50 mile, but I think once I tell you why, you will understand.  Some news cannot be rushed and this is such news.

I'm going to have a baby! 

I did not want to lie, but I did not want to share the news until everything was checked out and an appropriate amount of time had passed with everything going well and right. I have finally reached that point, being now in my 2nd trimester and it is time to share the news.

I'm going to be a mom! 

So there you have it.  The big news.  Stay tuned for the rest of the story - the whens, the whys, the hows... okay, maybe not the how... but you know what I mean.  My focus on health and fitness is even more important now that I'm eating and drinking and running for two, and so my posts about running, eating, working out and all the things in between will have a slight slant toward the pregnant runner, but I hope you will join me as I experience all of this for the first time!

It is time for a whole new adventure!

Making Time

So, in my previous post I wrote about Glennon - the author of "Momastery" and talked about one of her posts titled, "Don't Carpe Diem." One of the things she said that has really stuck with me was her description of the two types of time, Chronos and Kairos.  Here's what she said about Kairos:

"Kairos is God’s time. It’s time outside of time. It’s metaphysical time. Kairos is those magical moments in which time stands still. I have a few of those moments each day, and I cherish them."

Ever since reading that, I have taken special notice of my time.  Or maybe more than that I have had something to call my time, a way to refer to it.  Work time is, of course, mostly Chronos time. Glennon described Chronos time like this:

"Chronos time is what we live in. It’s regular time, it’s one minute at a time, it’s staring down the clock till bedtime time, it’s ten excruciating minutes in the Target line time, it’s four screaming minutes in time out time, it’s two hours till daddy gets home time. Chronos is the hard, slow passing time we parents often live in." 

I don't think Chronos time belongs only parents, but also to girls who like sunshine and running and who are stuck at a desk most of the day.  So I count it as my work time, although I will say that Kairos moments do sneak in from time to time, even at work. 

Still, while at work, while running in the mornings, while spending time with my niece and nephew, while sitting on the couch talking to Jason, while giving my pup a squeeze, while laughing with my sister on the phone, in my mind I am thinking about what type of time it is...like I am on the hunt for Kairos moments.  It doesn't seem so different from the idea in "One Thousand Gifts" where we take special notice of the blessings that fill each moment.  I've been thinking about the idea of Kairos time in tandem with the idea of counting my blessings and actually writing them down.  I think the act of counting and noticing and being aware of all God's gifts to me during the day actually makes for more Kairos time. 

It goes back to that idea of only having room for one feeling at a time.  If I am busy being thankful for whatever gift God has sent my way in this moment, maybe I will not focus on my impatience with the long lasting Chronos time, but on the simple face that I've just had a gift...a Kairos moment. 

Its my way of making time.  Marking time.  Turning Chronos into Kairos as often as possible.

And here's something else I want to say.  I hope that my occasional posts about moms and how they present motherhood to the rest of us are not offensive. That is never my intent, just like I understand that a tired, frazzled mother's intent when she says she is tired and frazzled is not to turn me off to motherhood.  I strive every day to deal with people, their words and actions, with grace, not judgement.  I was reminded this past Sunday from Romans that those who judge convict themselves because they do the same things they are judging others for doing.  It was convicting.  A powerful reminder to seek understanding and grace instead of looking down my nose at other people's wrong doings.  I'm pretty aware of my own and they leave me no room to point fingers.

So, on the occasion that I drift away from the lovely topic of running to other matters of life that I am still learning about and exploring, please, dear reader, deal with me gently as well.

Now, in the words of Glennon, get out there and seize a couple of Kairoses today!

Mom Blogs

Yesterday my friend, Emily, sent me a link to a blog she has been reading.  It is called Momastery (after monastery) and I immediately fell in love with this writer and her blog. She is hilarious, witty and real.  I, like many others, am drawn to people who are real and honest, and maybe in addition to that, people who see (and bring out) the humor in daily life.  I laughed so hard reading one of her posts called "911" that I actually had tears in my eyes and I read another post that brought tears to my eyes for an entirely different reason. 

One of the posts I read was a beautifully written, heartfelt piece called "Don't Carpe Diem" and it received over 2000 responses from readers.  It spread across the internet like wildfire and from what I read, her words were well received.  If you haven't read it, in a nutshell (a much less eloquently put one) she writes about people, namely older women, who look at her with her three young children and tell her she should enjoy every moment with them because time flies.  Receiving this advice, she often feels guilty because in reality she doesn't enjoy every single moment with her children.  She described two types of time, chronos (the slow moving less enjoyable time that makes up most of her days) and kairos (those moments with God, the moments when she really notices how beautiful her children are, etc.).  These moments are short, but there are many of these brief moments each day and she ended her post by saying "Carpe a couple of kairoses a day."

It wasn't until I got home and thought about it that I became sort of bothered.  Not overly so, but just a little. I still LOVE what she had to say and agree. When I hear carpe diem from anyone at any time I think, "Well, drat, the last time I did that was on this morning's run and then I forgot for the next 8+ hours I was at work."

But here's the thing.  I plan to be a mom one day and I do not have delusions that it is going to be all roses, soft, sweet babies, and sunshine.  I know there is teething, crying, colic, endless dirty diapers, lack of sleep etc etc etc (moms post it ALL on facebook so I get a full picture).  And then they become toddlers and there is another set and then they become tweens and have another set and so on and so on...  But as someone who looks forward to being a parent, I WANT to believe that it is better than what I am doing now. 

For now I am a working non-mom and I do not always enjoy my job.  I print endless copies of seemingly meaningless pieces of paper, I deal with countless engineers who don't pay attention or read instructions, I deal with co-workers who sometimes get on my nerves, I sit in a dark room and record instructors talking about things I'm not interested in and when I work over 8 hours I am not always given that time back. And I get really tired of my phone ringing.  I'd rather spend more time running, reading good books, walking in the woods, writing, maintaining a clean and orderly household, and running my new little coaching business.  But right now, this job is something I'm doing.  And I know for a fact that I do not carpe diem when I am there.  I get through it.

Still, I do get a paycheck. And despite how my co-workers sometimes get on my nerves, I love them all and enjoy their company.  I am glad I know them and I believe my life has been enriched by theirs.  The engineers who don't read instructions are very grateful and kind when I help them with their classes, and it always feels nice to help.  I like having a schedule so I get up every morning and run because I know I will need to go to work for 8 hours.  I feel that having that time spoken for makes me more disciplined with my free time than I otherwise might be. And my office is really nice and the toilets in the bathrooms flush automatically.

All of that... the good parts and the bad parts, that is LIFE.  It is just plain life.  Life has good parts and life has bad parts.  Life is hard and life is wonderful. (I like how the Momastery writer calls it "brutiful" which is brutal and beautiful.)  We have an amazing God who stands by our side through it all and in Him is where my hope lies.  Most days.  And while I think parenting is WAY more important than my little job, sometimes I just want to say that (especially when the things they are complaining about sound so lovely to me).   

Now, I'm not bashing moms who reach out to other moms and share their wild and woolly stories of child raising.  I talk to my friends and family about the woes of my job.  I tell Jason and Jason tells me and then we feel better because we've been heard and someone understands how we feel.  And I'm 100% positive I will join the masses of moms and have plenty to say about the challenges I face when raising amazing little people to be amazing bigger people.

But in the meantime, just let me believe.  As I sit in my office printing and pushing paper around and putting numbers into a computer that makes my eyes hurt after 8 hours, let me believe that I will like being a mom better.  Let me look forward to it.  Let me approach it with more hope and excitement and less fear and trepidation.  I know I am the one in control of my thoughts and feelings, but I'd be lying if I did not admit that all of these posts and facebook statuses get to me once in a while and I wonder WHO in their right mind would have a kid after reading that.  And I really don't think that's a mom's intent when she puts her woes into writing.

What I believe is that being a mom will be tough and new and challenging, and there will be days I want to take a leave of absence, just like I feel about work sometimes (or a lot of times if I'm honest).  But here's the other part.  I believe being a mom will be MUCH more rewarding and...dare I say it... fun than pushing paper around, answering phones, and dealing with people I don't want to deal with all day long 5 days a week, countless weeks a year.  And I REALLY hope that on those rough days when I am a mom, I will remember how I feel now.  I really can't imagine wishing for this life over that one, but I've never had that one so I don't really know... But for now...I want to BELIEVE.

And despite all the "woe-is-me" moms, I know a ton of other moms who LOVE what they do.  My sister is one.  She's the reason I was brave enough to take a good look at motherhood in the first place. My friend Shannon is one.  She gets her run and her workout on while being an awesome mom.  My friend Emily inspires me by all she fits into a day and how she makes it all work.  All of my running girls amaze, encourage and inspire me by who they are and how they raise and love their children.  And the author of the Momastery is another.  For her it is real and challenging and wonderful and hopefully as hilarious as she makes it sound.

So I guess all of those women would be the basis for my belief that motherhood, whenever it should come, will be an amazingly challenging and wonderful adventure.

Age Old Running

The other night as we were warming up before a tempo run, a client asked me how long I had been a runner.  I told him I started running when I was 15.  After I thought about it, I realized that my running years outnumbered my non-running years, which means I've been a runner longer than I haven't been.  I kinda like that.  And when I think about all that has changed from the beginning to the middle to now... it is pretty exciting.  I wonder what else I will do, how far will I go, what new adventures are around the corner and I am filled with hope and anticipation.

I see so many women who are a little older and a lot older than I am, and they are doing the most amazing things.  It is so inspiring to see that so many women are still going strong after so many years of running.  Not only that, they are still improving, still pushing their limits to greater heights.

My mom started running when she was 36 and she ran her first marathon when she was 44.  Since then she has run a marathon in all 50 states and 60 before the age of 60.  And at 61, she's still running them!  She's still training her friends to push past their limits and she is a constant inspiration to all who know her.

I work with a lady who is in her late 60s and I see her out running most mornings when I am running with my girls. She also runs the Huntsville Half Marathon every year and I always love seeing her finish.  I hope I am doing that when I am 67.

The oldest member of our morning crew is 49 and she is one of the fastest in our group.  She has qualified and run the Boston Marathon and has also qualified for the New York Marathon.  I call her the "pixie runner" because that is what she looks like when she runs and she shimmies up a hill like it is a flat stretch of road. 

Another of our running crew has a sister on the USA Ultra Marathon team.  I never even knew they had a team until she told me and when I looked them up I discovered that Debra Horn is on the team and she was born in 1959.  If you look at what is listed as her "career highlights" she has done quite a lot in the last few years.  When asked why she runs she said, "Running is a great stress-reliever and keeps me feeling young." I'd say so! The other athlete bios for the team are pretty impressive and inspiring as well.

So there you have it.  You are never too old to start running and you are never too old to try something new and you are never too old to improve.  These are things I hold close to my heart as I dream and hope and plan and look forward to the years and the miles to come.

Mom after her 50th marathon state, Hartford, Connecticut 2008

A Rockin' Running Playlist

While I love running with my girls or enjoying the quiet peacefulness of a morning run with a gorgeous sunrise as my company, sometimes this girl needs a little boost.  Sometimes when the morning is super cold or super windy or super rainy or all three combined, I need a little something extra to make me feel...well...for lack of a better phrase, bad ass.  And in order to get my "bad ass" on, I have a little playlist to help me.

A few friends and clients have requested some songs for their own playlists and so I am including mine here.  May it give you just the boost you need to get you out the door when you are missing that extra bit of motivation!

If you don't see one of your faves on this list, please include it in the comments section!

I'll start with my newest top two.  These are my current faves that get me going.

1. Blackout - Breathe Carolina.  "I'm only getting started!  I won't blackout!" They aren't talking about running but... it fits doesn't it!

"This won't stop till I say so...this won't stop till I say so!"

2. Good Feeling - Flo Rida.  This would be a great pre-race song. 


3. Stronger - Mandisa.  Very powerful lyrics.  I first heard about this song from Katie but it wasn't until I heard it on the radio and really felt the words that I added it to my list.

4. International Love - Pitbull (featuring Chris Brown).  "Don't test me boy...."  See, even if I'm a 32 year old woman with a tiny puff of a pony tail bouncing around behind me, that makes me feel bad ass.

5. Marry the Night - Lady Gaga.  I'm a warrior queen.  And so are you.

6. We Found Love - Rihanna.  Love this beat.

7. Breathing - Jason Derulo.  This is another one with a great beat and I like the chanting in it as well.

8. Turn Me On - Nicki Minaj and David Guetta.  "Make me come alive!"

9. You Make Me Feel - Cobra Starship.  "I'm the baddest baby in the atmosphere."  See, she feels it.

10.  Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes. A very steady beat and I just love this one.

11. Hold Me Together - Royal Tailor.  "I'm getting stronger with You by my side..."

12. Lights (Bassnector Remix) - Ellie Goulding. 

13. Welcome to the Club - Manian.  Dance music with a great beat.

14. Black Betty - Ram Jam.

15. The Story of Us - Taylor Swift.

16. Best Love Song - T-Pain.  This is a good one to start your run.

17. Don't Wanna Go Home - Jason Derulo.  No, you don't wanna go home. You wanna RUN!

18. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO.  "Shake that."

19. Tonight - Toby Mac.  This is one of my all time faves.  Fast and furious, I sometimes have to play it twice.

20. On the Floor - Jennifer Lopez.  "If you're a criminal, kill it on the floor."

21. Blow - Ke$ha.  I know.  Don't judge.

22. Light up the Sky - the Afters. Another powerful one that makes me so thankful to be out running.

23. Take me back - Taio Cruz

24. Higher - Taio Cruz

25. No Other One - Taio Cruz.  As you can see, I like several of his. 

26. Avalanche - Manafest.

27. Club Can't Handle Me - Flo Rida.  The road can't handle me either. 

28. Raise Your Glass - P!nk.  Are you wrong in all the right ways?  You're probably a runner.

29.  DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love - Usher.  This title cracks me up. 

30. Dynamite - Tiao Cruz.  Yep.  Dynamite.

31. La La La - Auburn (featuring Iyaz). 

32. Beautiful Monster - Ne-yo.

33. Monday Morning - Melanie Fiona

34. Awake and Alive - Skillet.  I don't need to explain this one.

35. More - Usher.  "I'm a beast, I'm an animal, I'm that monster in the mirror..."

36. Misled - Kool and the Gang.  An oldie but a goodie!

37. Do You Remember - Jay Sean. 

38. The Olympic Spirit - John Williams & Boston Pops.  This one is amazing.  I feel triumphant every time I hear it.

39. The Battle - Gladiator Soundtrack.  This one is powerful.  Good for those really tough (and triumphant) days.

40.  Russion Privjet - Basshunter.  This is sort of trance, sort of dance and a great beat!

41. Kernkraft 400 (Sport Chant Stadium Remix) - Zombie Nation.  If you've seen a football game lately, you know this one.

42. Desert Rose - Sting

43. Fire Burning - Sean Kingston. "She's fire burning, fire burning on the dance floor..."  Or on the road.

44. Unbreakable - Fireflight.  Need I say more?  This one truly makes you feel it.

45. O...Saya - Slum Dog Millionaire Soundtrack.  "Like a ninja, with speed I'm nifty..."

Cool down Songs

46. Beautiful Ending - Barlow Girl

47. Enchanted - Taylor Swift

48. Not Over You - Gavin DeGraw

49. The One that got Away - Katy Perry

50. Set Fire to Rain - Adele

And for your Bonus Track: Eye of the Tiger - Survivor.  This is a classic. 

Remember to listen responsibly while you run!  Keep the volume reasonable and stay aware of what is going on around you!  Also make sure to check race rules before using headphones in a race.

Happy listening!

Pinteresting

Well, I have joined the newest craze.  I am on pinterest.  At first I had no idea what it was when I heard so many friends talking about it.  They raved about it, actually.  And even when a friend showed me what it was, and then another friend invited me, I still didn't really get it. 

But I tried it anyway.  And oh my word, I get it now.  I'm addicted.  It is GREAT.  It is a way for me to keep all of my favorite things, or simply things I want to remember that I like such as recipes I want to try one day or decorating ideas that I'll never remember if I don't keep them in once place.  And then I get to steal all of my friends ideas too!  I love that.  I've got some seriously cool and creative friends, let me just say. 

I've got some "boxes" on running of course.  And books too, which is a given.  But then I have boxes I never thought I'd have like two I've named "Help in the Kitchen" and "Decorating Ideas."  I could use some serious help in both of these areas, but every time I see something I would like to try, I promptly forget it.  So now I have all these ideas all neat and tidy in a little box and whenever I finally get a moment in the kitchen to try something, I have a place where all my ideas are stashed. 

I love it!  Check out my boxes at http://pinterest.com/runningjane.

Working on Saturday

Today's work was not just any old work, it was the work I love to do!  Today I ran with 4 of my clients, talked with all of them about their training plans and strategies, strengths and weaknesses, the goals they have set for themselves, and their running form.  I listened to their stories whether they were about running or not, and I believe I probably learned just as much from them as they did from me. 

I love this.  As I drove to meet my first client of the day, I could feel the excitement welling up. Finally.  FINALLY.  This is what I have been waiting to do!  I feel like things are really moving forward and the experience so far has been wonderful.

Two clients are working to speed up their marathon time, while two others want to surpass the 5k distance, going to the 10k and their first half marathon this year.  It is exciting to be a part of this.  Some know they can do it and are pumped about the training ahead.  Some are harder on themselves and the challenge before them is somewhat scary.  But that's why its worth it.  It is a challenge.  It is an adventure.  They suspect their limits and then try to push past them on to something they are not even sure they can do.  But deep down...I think they know and that is why they keep running.

When I completed my last training session, I was tired and came home to a long hot shower.  I stayed in until I was pruney and the whole time I thought about Running Start, LLC and where to go from here.   I'm excited about the possibilities and hopeful for the future.  I hope runners continue to come.  Whether they want to try this running thing and see if they can grow to enjoy it or whether they want to race a new distance, going faster or farther than they have before. 

I'm excited about those training with me now and I'm excited about those who haven't even started yet. 

Doing this kind of work makes working on a Saturday sound GREAT!

Old and Sickly

I turned 32 a few days ago, did I tell you that?  I am 32.  That seems so strange.  Everyone is so quick to tell me how young that is and how I am such a baby but... they must have forgotten what it felt like to be in their 30s and still feel like they were just barely old enough to drive.  Which is how I feel.  Not a bad feeling at all.  I hope I always feel young despite the number of my age.  And I don't really think I'm "old."  My parents being in their 60s and almost 70s, doing all the amazing things they do make me see that, Lord willing, I've got some great years ahead.

Still...how did I get to 32 already?  It sounds so... grown up. 

I've also gotten sick in my old but not old age.  Right after my wonderful day of getting back into the swing of things, I woke up the next morning with plans to run in the rain with my girls and I felt awful.  I was grateful that the thunder and lightning canceled our run so that I could stay in bed and I did not go to work that day or the next.  My mom came the second day and I took a hot shower, made some chicken noodle soup and had a buddy to watch romantic comedies with instead of having to watch them alone.  She helped me finish my laundry and dishes and that helped distract me from the fact that my nose had gone rogue.

I am back at work today but... things are not 100% yet.  The thing is, I am never sick.  When I say never, I mean a few years can go by before I catch anything.  I don't get the flu, I don't get colds, I don't get fevers, I don't get whatever is going around the office.  I've started to believe (and this may sound arrogant, but I don't mean it to be) that I am somewhat invincible.  I've gotten so used to feeling good and strong and ready to tackle my run and the day, that when I am actually sick (like now)... it is almost depressing.  Like somehow my superpowers were undermined by some evil force. 

I didn't like missing work because I have so much to do here (I have worked a grand total of 2.5 days since Christmas).  I didn't like feeling bad and not getting to run (even though the weather wasn't exactly conducive to it anyway).  I had to cancel two client meetings with Running Start, LLC (although they may have been relieved as well since it was 30 degrees with gale force winds when we were supposed to meet). 

Goodness. 

My sweet husband returns to me today, finally having finished his work in Florida and he is not 100% either.  So I've sterilized the whole house, saved plenty of chicken noodle soup for us both, stocked up on fruit and orange juice, and told him to take all of his laundry directly to the laundry room when he gets home.  We are getting rid of this evil force right now! 

And just in time too because all of those clients that I postponed... I'm meeting them ALL tomorrow! 

Waves and Relaxation

Last night I got back from a LOVELY trip down to Florida with Jason.  He had to go for work so I tagged along.  We stayed in a condo on the beach and each night we went to sleep to the sound of waves and woke up to them each morning.  While it rained at home, I sat on my balcony in the sun enjoying the peacefulness of reading accompanied by the sound of waves.  I love that sound.  I don't think I ever realized how much I love that sound.  I grew up in Florida, pretty close to the beach so maybe I took it for granted.  But with the view of white sand dunes, a cool breeze blowing through the condo, and that lovely, rhythmic sound of waves... it was just perfect.

I relaxed.  A LOT!  I slept in and even when I did finally wake up, I didn't want to ruin the tranquility of the morning light and crash of waves.  Jason read quietly next to me as I gazed out at the dunes, and it was just so... peaceful. 

The first day it was completely foggy and I thought, Really?  I am on the beach and I can't SEE the beach?!  I ran that morning and when I got done everything was dripping.  Not from sweat, but from the heavy fog!  I had forgotten just how humid and wet it can be down there. I was reminded and it made me smile at the memories. 

The next two days were amazing and that made up for the day when I couldn't see passed my nose.  Warm sunshine, cool breezes and a quiet beach that we seemed to have mostly to ourselves since it is the off season.  We ate seafood, read books in the sunshine, I visited a few friends when Jason was working and enjoyed seeing some of my old stomping grounds.  I did not have time to drive all the way into Panama City...and I had sort of planned to do a run through my old neighborhoods and snap pictures of where I used to live, but I never made it happen.  That was okay, though.  We will go back before long and I can do it then.  I was too busy enjoying my time with Jason on the beach and no responsibility to bother us.

I ran a little here and there but mostly it was about relaxing and listening to the waves.  Soaking it all up.  I thought this mini vacation at the end of Christmas break would make it harder to get back to work and I considered lengthening my stay, but in the end what it made me was ready.  Ready to head back to work, back to my routine, back to my own bed and my own cooties (I have issues with hotels and condos sometimes).  I think it renewed and refreshed me. 

So this morning when the alarm went off at 5:30 signaling it was time to run, I was ready.  I have not dreaded this work day like I thought I would, I've just been ready.  All I needed was a little relaxation and some waves.

Tuesday's Treat

Today's treat is not really new, and you may laugh, but this holiday season was the first time I'd ever tried one.  And then I renamed it.  Today's treat is angeled eggs (also known as deviled eggs).  Yep, I had my very first deviled egg Christmas Eve and I LOVED it!

A while back, Katie shared her treat of boiled eggs.  So this just adds a little zing to that already great treat.  The recipe my sister used is below.

For 6 boiled eggs:

• boil eggs, peel and cut in half
• scoop out yoke and mix with the following ingredients:
• 1/4 cup of mayo (I used light)
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar (VERY good for you)
• 1 tablespoon of mustard
• add mixture back into egg halves and sprinkle with paprika

My mom said she likes to add sweet pickle relish instead of vinegar, so if you like that, there's another option.

So last night I was thinking of healthy things to bring to work for lunch and I decided to make some angeled eggs.  I made 3, which gave me 6 halves.  Three for today and three for tomorrow.  They are currently in the office fridge and I'd better go get them before the whole place smells like eggs (the downside to boiled eggs in the fridge).

If you are like me and somehow missed out on this southern tradition, give it a try.  You may find yourself surprised (as I was) to like it! Also, try floating around the new name as well, if you don't mind.