When to return...

You all know by now that I've started training to run a 5K, what you may not know is that I've been training in these bad boys.  

These also happen to be my painting shoes (notice the big pink smear from when I wasn't paying attention and stepped on the paint can lid) and my workin on trailers shoes.  They are getting pretty gross.  I decided, since these are a year old and they are pretty worn out, I should probably get a new pair for what remains of my training program.  I had to go out of town for a doctors appointment and figured while I was there I'd hit up some Kohls action + 15% off.  

I couldn't help myself...I found two pairs.  First a pair of Adidas and one pair of Avia.  My plan was to try each for a bit and then return the pair I liked least.  I ran 1/3 of my run on Annie's treadmill in the Adidas then switched, ran another 1/3 before I decided I liked neither and put on my old beat up tennis shoes and figured I'd try again later.    

On Thursday I ran my full 2 and 1/2 miles in these. 

They rubbed blisters on both my heels.  Not so great.  

Then I ran Saturday in these

Lighter than the Adidas, but not as much spring, only rubbed one heel, but not to the point of blister, just rubbed a little.  A little tight in the toe box (thanks dad for you wide feet).  Now I am not sure what to do.  The Adidas were $50 and the Avia were $30 so the price is not a huge determining factor.  If I were to return a pair, it would be the Adidas...but is that still ok after I ran in them?  I could keep both, it's $80 for two pairs of shoes, not bad really, but do I really need both.  No. But they are both so much nicer than my old shoes.  There's nothing quite like a new pair of tennis shoes. 

Oh new shoes...what to do, what to do.  Return or keep?  What's a girl to do?

Update

Kendal is stable and doing well!  Just heard that the surgeon thinks Kendal's face will eventually heal AND they may be able to save his leg.  It all depends on what they find in surgery.  These are SO much better outcomes than the doctors first predicted.  Thanks to everyone that's praying!  God is good!

(This is the boy it's all for.)

PRAYERS PLEASE!

Just got word that one of my patients was in a terrible motorcycle accident.  He's lost half of his face and one leg, it's not clear if he will make it.  Please pray.  His name is Kendal and he's just 21 and the sweetest boy.  He works hard and volunteers for the special olympics, he's just a wonderful boy.  Please pray! Thanks!

I love weekends

Zac and I have two days off together.  TWO days! That never happens.  Unfortunately we don't sleep well together.  I know I've mentioned that Zac is a big man before, and I joke about being nearly man-sized often, but I swear we might as well be sleeping in a twin.  This morning Zacman abandoned the bed and decided to sleep on the couch.  It was already close to 9 so I just got up and decided to get my run out of the way.  When I got back he was deep into an episode of Grillin' with Bobby Flay.  Shortly thereafter he was approaching passed out.  This is what he looked like.

Of course I can't not take a picture of my sweetheart sleeping, which woke him up.  Then I needed one of him smiling at me

I just love him.  I'm pumped we have two days off together.  And, he asked if we can have my family over for a cookout tomorrow cause he loves to grill and he loves them.  Which is very nice.  Hope you all enjoy your weekend!

Bedroom Make-over

I have neglected my poor little bedroom. Here it is, almost June and my bedroom is still stuck in the fall.  This was what he looked like before.  The bedding is wonderful, I won't lie.  But not really very spring or summery.  

I switched it to my chenelle peacock bedspread, but it just looked a little dingy.  Then I switched it to a lime green geometric douvet cover that I got at Ikea.  This is the fabric.  Definately more summery.  I had it and then a solid teal pillow and it was not bad.  Not great, but not bad.  Then...mom went shopping!  She had been to my house on Monday and decided with me to change things up.  I told her I needed another solid bright color to go with the geometric and I would be good.  She told me "don't buy anything yet, I'm going to St. Louis on Wednesday and may find something great."  She was right.  

Mom picked up this quilt.  Same colors, but much cuter. 

It's even called spring leaves

I put him on the bed with a couple pillows and it looked great. Now, a dilemma. 

I have to decide.  Orange throw pillow, or green.  I need your help.  

Orange?

Or green?

Oh I just can't decide.  One thing I knew for sure though, I had to change the lamp on the left side of the picture.  If you scroll back to the original, it was a brown base.  Just wouldn't do.  So out came the krylon olive leaf paint.  The only problem....it was night and we have our porch light sucks.  I took my shower last night and couldn't take it anymore.  I just had to paint!  This was me last night. Thanks dear husband for documenting my ridiculousness.  And yes....that is a headlamp so that I can work hands free!

Now for the finishing touches.  Because our bedroom is open to the bathroom, new rugs!

Aren't they great!

This is the view from my bedroom.

I've got the geometric pillows behind the white pillows right now, but I think I should switch them to a solid green or a solid orange, but it's no rush.  It's still so much brighter and I love it!  Whataya think?

How bout that green thumb

You may or may not know that I have 2 blogs.  My second is my 101 goals to accomplish in the next 1001 (minus about 150) days.  One of those goals was to plan spring seedlings for my garden.  I did that....poorly.  I planted them all and they were growing well until I decided to set them on top of the fridge and then forgot about them.  It was kinda sad.  But it's ok now, cause my garden is finally in!  Mom and Dad let me plant it at their house considering my "yard" at the trailer park is little more than 10 ft wide by 80ft long.  Dad tilled it for me which was awesome.  He also told me that he sharpened the mower blades for the first time I let the garden turn into a weed patch.   He is so sweet :)

Zac and I made it out to plant the garden this weekend.  I had high hopes.  I fully expected that this garden would be just beautiful, like the hillside gardens we saw in Italy.   Like this.   

Not so much.  We had lots to plant.  Zac went with me to Menards and I planned on picking up a couple little plants.  Shoulda known better.  He picked like 6 different kinds of peppers and all kinds of herbs, then told me he didn't wanna help plant them.  He's that ridiculous.  I made him anyway.  We started off by re-tilling the whole thing again.  Then we raked it kinda smooth to start.

Zac started on the east side planting peppers and I started making a hill, one big long one, for potatoes.  Then I planted another row of potatoes and a row of yellow, white, and red onions.  Zac finished up the peppers, planted a few tomato plants and then we worked on the middle together.  We planted zucchini, cucumbers, brocolli, squash, and watermelon.  This was when we were done.

Our hills of potato, row of onion, and hill of zucchini/squash.  Then our ridiculous number of pepper plants.

Everything got a good long soak with the sprinkler after this.  I'm excited.  I've not planted my own garden before, well, other than a planter of herbs.  I'm not sure I did it all right.  We had too much and I laughed hard when Zac decided the rest of the seeds should be thrown about the edges of the garden since I had no real plan anyway.  He just loves to make fun of me.  Regardless, I believe that it wall all turn out ok anyway.  Mom kept yelling that my squash was too close to the melons and that the flavors would cross, but oh well.   I am pumped about it!  Here's to hoping that my garden will make enough veggies to be able to feed Zac and I.  If not, I'm only out about $30 and it was fun.  Then again, we will see how much fun I think it is when I have to weed it!

Holy 100!

I can't believe it....this is my 100th post.  Oh how time flies!  Over the past few months you've got to learn a lot about me.  You've learned the story of my husband and I, you've read about my many journeys, you've met my parents, seen my favorite things and even heard about my enemies.  You know about some of the good times, and some of the bad, you know about losing people and finding new interests and the things I would be, if I could be anything other than who/what I am. 

 The last year had been a year full of change and accomplishment.  Zac and I got married (finally).  We moved (3 times).  We bought and renovated 3 trailers.  We finally paid off my car. Our families have had two new babies (4 if you count extended family, I think).  I graduated and started practice. I lost 10lbs, found 15, lost 15.  I gained 5 inches of hair and wish I could gain another inch of height.   I traveled to the Bahamas, Europe, and Portland.  I realized that my best friend will always love me unconditionally, truly, undconditionally.  And, I rediscovered my love of painting.  Zac has gotten 3 promotions and turned down 2 other job opportunities.  Aubrie and Everett have grown up and made that subtle shift from being toddlers to little kids (complete with little girl legs and big boy underpants).  Caroline escaped Maggie womb and now stands and crawls and waves goodbye and shovels eggs into her mouth as fast as possible.  

While my life is remarkably different today than it was a year ago today, it's not the big stand out events that have made me better, that have strengthened me in my relationships or as a person.  It's those small, subtle things.  It's learning that when Zac calls upset or with bad news, it's because he needs me to make it better, not because I need to get worked up and tell him what I think he should do.  It's watching Caroline stand that makes me realize I need to hold her more.    It's accepting disappointment and working to make things better.  It's being appreciative that my husband will get himself ready to go to work in the other bathroom beccause it's early and he wants me to be able to sleep (and not having to ask him to do that).  And it's been celebrating little victories, like seeing 30 patients a week for a month straight, or being able to make a broken down trailer into a nice home.  These are the things I've written my last 99 posts about.  I just hope that they've in some little way made your day, or last 99 days, better.         

Here's to my 100th post!  I just know you will all pop a bottle open over this tonight! (except you Annie, you should not pop open a bottle...you have to work tomorrow and we know you can't handle wine.)

In the words of Jillian...I'm probably a little bit crazy

I have never been fit and trim.  On the contrary, I've been moderately muscled and curvy.  While I do have the distinct benefit of being tall and have been able to carry my weight well (or at least I tell myself that), I'm quite tired of it.  I got down to my lowest weight my senior year of high school.  I basically did the ephedra and mild anorexia diet for a summer and lost 30lbs.  Don't be concerned, I say it all in jest.  Anorexia is a serious problem, my only serious problem was finding time to eat while attending summer school and working 2 jobs.  But, it was still quite an effective diet.  I kept all that off until my second year of college.  Then I slowly put it on, then some.  I don't like weighing over 200 lbs, so it's diet time.  

I'm not a fan of dieting, lets be honest, who is.  I really just want to be healthier and not have a body image complex like so many other girls.  I will say, I'm not modest.  I've never been one to worry or care what others will think of me if I wear a two piece swimsuit.  I say to hell with them.  Plus, for the most part those I wear my swimsuit around are strangers and I'm on vacation so who is gonna tell my mom that she should be embarrased for me (which she would be, even if she says she wouldn't. it's true mom, and it's ok, it doesn't bother me.)  This is me, on vacation, in a (gasp) two piece.  Now, it's not that I look at that picture and think, "oh my, I was out of control," it's that I'm in no way comfortable weighing more than my husband, who's 6'4".  Like I said, it's not others' opinions of me that matter, it's just that I don't wanna hate my legs or arms or whatever.  

Since my birthday, April 10th, I've been making an effort to lose the weight.  Currently I'm down 15lbs and got 40 to go if I want to be back to my fighting weight again.  This has become my goal.   My sister Annie has also been gung-ho lately to get back in shape.  She's worried about her stomach and thighs and whatnot.  She wants to go balls-to-the-wall P90X style.  I've been there, done P90X.  Not interested right now.  (What my sisters seem to forget when worrying about their bodies is that they will never have to hold the title of "fattest sister."  That one's all mine.  Always has been.  Luckily, I also get "most educated" and "tallest" and "funniest" you guys know it, so suck it, ha!)

So, in an effort not to be the fattest sister anymore, cause really, why can't we all just be thin, I've decide to take more action.  Literally.  Physical action.  I signed up for my first 5K and am now "in training" for it.  It is on July 24th in Springfield IL.  I asked Annie and she said she'd train for it too, then I told her my best friend was gonna do it with me and she said, "oh good, that way you've got someone else if I back out." Hahaha.  Oh Annie, you are ridiculous.  But none the less.  I've been inspired to do it.  Somewhat by Annie, and also by Elise and her 5K and by Nancy who puts forth the effort to stay healthy on a regular basis.  I'll need your help to stay motivated, but I'm already registered and committed.  Just imagine, come July 24th, this will be me.  

Well, at less of an awkward upward photo angle.  And with more of an urban background.  And with darker hair.  You get my point.  

Maggie the Kid aka Ninja Maggie

As most of you know, I like to paint.  Not really rooms, though I find myself doing so ridiculously often.  I like to paint pictures of whatnot.  I always say that I don't think people get it, that they think I am just bad and not intentionally making my paintings look the way the do.  This story, while amusing, is not going to change those opinions.

Like I said, I like silly, wonky, odd art which is why I painted these.

In the midst of painting for Ethel Edith Maggie asked me to paint her.  This is what Maggie looked like that night. 

Things started off well.  I've only done realist art with a sketch pad and pencil before, so this was a new one for me...but I decided to try a realistic painting.  All was going well, the hair, the flower, the eyes and brows, then the nose even turned our right.  I finished up her lips then added freckles and this is when things went wrong.  They were too dark. I tried to lighten them and it got worse.  I tried to add a little water and thin them out.  Fail.  So, this is what I ended up doing.  Then I laughed hard. 

This is Maggie in full ninja/wild west gang memeber disguise.  Ladies and Gents, I'd like to introduce you to Maggie the Kid, an infamous Texas gun slinger. 

Hahahahaha!  Like I said, I'm changing no opinions

Oh Zac....

My husband is ridiculous.  He just kills me with the things he says.  We are just wrapping up our first year of marriage and still working out some issues with communication.  We've been together for 4 and 1/2 years, so you think we'd have it down by now but that's not the case.  Of course, we will always have things to work on, this is a marriage after all.  Laziness and apathy can cause big problems.... hence the things we argue about.  It's not that Zac is lazy, cause he's not.  He is very diligent at work (#1 installer in the territory- 6 states, after only 6 months on the job!) but he does slack a little at home.  He, a vast majority of the time, will do everything I ask him to do, which is great.  He does not, however, do the things that need done.  By that I mean, if it's not on a list or explicitly asked he doesn't even acknowledge things need done.  For example, I had to switch the front door knob.  I forgot Zac's drill at Annie's while we were working on Ethel Edith stuff, so I just had a little screw driver.  I got both screws started, drew one tight, then was tightening the other when I realized I had threaded it crooked and it was effectively stuck.  I just left it, planning on fixing it when we got the drill back or for Zac's day off, which was 2 days away.  That stupid knob was like that for 2 weeks!  When I asked Zac why he didn't fix it on one of his 4 days off he said "you didn't tell me I needed to."  YOU COULD SEE IT! Literally one screw sticking out all janky.  Even though it stared at him, he didn't know he should fix it, especially when he was too busy playing the video game he borrowed from his friend.

The best part of this is that when I told him I was frustrated because I feel, at this point, he is old enough and we've been together long enough, he should just take care of things.  I said, "you don't have to ask me to pay your student loan payment or clean the sink, I just do it cause it's what needs done."  He replied, "You never give me any credit.  I'm so much better than I used to be.  You're mad cause I didn't do things you didn't tell me to do.  You used to be pissed cause I didn't do things you specifically asked me to do."  I laughed out loud at the absurdity of that comment but I wasn't mad anymore.

He had a point.  A ridiculous point, but a point nonetheless.  He's right, he is better than he used to be.  The other day he made the bed and swept the floor and I didn't put either on a list.  I just love him.  He's so illogical it almost makes sense.  He cracks me up!  Even when I'm pissed, even when the door knob is broken and the laundry set so long in the washer that it's mildewed, I love that ridiculous husband of mine.

It's done!

Big sigh of relief...the office is painted.  This was the color I started with, a kinda yellowish white.  The lighting in the office does that color no favors.  Now, a reminder....my boss owns the building and we share it with Dollar General.  DG may be expanding into our space, in which case we may build a new office.  This would be in 1-2 years so it's not easy to convince my boss to invest any money at all into revamping the office.  This was my first small victory!

It was ugly, plus you could see into the messy records room and I hated it.  It's dark, but you get the idea.

This was the after.  Where that big wreath was is going to be a big piece of artwork.  I haven't decided if I will use a 4ftx6ft abstract that my cousin Jud painted or if I will spend $30 at Hobby Lobby and do it myself.  I've not painted much abstract art. Mostly I paint intentionally wonky folk art and dabble in some cubism.  This will be outside the box for me, but I think I can do it.  If not, I've still got a big ol' canvas to turn into something wonderful.  

Subtle change but good.  Definately for the better.  Please ignore our sad stained carpet.  Unfortunately, there is nothing to be done about it yet.  We really do have to wait to see if we are moving before we invest in flooring.

A proper grouping of licenses and office policies. 

I just bought a curtain for the doorway between those two bookcases.  Somehow I was able to get curtains that were damn near the same color as the wall.  It's just so much cleaner, so much.  I was worried that if we painted then everything else in the office was gonna seem really outdated, but was thrilled that it seems like the opposite had happened.  Things seem newer and I am just so glad.  Hope you like it...it really is subtle, but it's so much better now.  

I'm trying

I swear, sometimes I can't get any work done for working.  I have had a very busy weekend and this week is not letting up much.  I have to finish work then go to Annie's to work on Ethel Edith stuff tonight, but maybe tomorrow.  Tomorrow is a new, potentially less busy day.  I had fully intended on posting the pictures from my office's makeover but just got the pictures taken yesterday and you can't see the paint color very well....anyway.  I have them and I will post them soon!  It just looks so much cleaner.  To me it's a huge difference, sadly, few patients have even noticed.  Bummer right, it took lots of effort.  Now I just have to get the rest of the rooms updated somehow.  It will happen!  I hope :)

In the beginning...

If you read my last blog you know that i'm repainting my office.  I am not a huge fan of wallpaper, well, unless it looks like this.  Love a damask that's traditional but funky at the same time, but anyway

The office had a border, lots and lots of border.  Its in every room.  Every room.  I decided it must come down and started on it yesterday night because Zac isn't home on Monday nights, so what was the point of rushing home. I started at 5:30 and locked up the place at 8, so about 2 and 1/2 hours to do two rooms.  This was halfway through

I kept on trucking and before I knew it my waiting room was naked...

We (Connie, Bill and I) all decided on a color.  Its called Stonehenge and is a Colorplace sample as Walmart is the only place to get paint in Pana.  Its a greenish grayish taupe.  I think this is a good comparison

It looks good with the green counter top and the wood and not bad with our akward-greenish-teal chairs.  The next problem is what to do with those office chairs?  These are basically what ours look like now

It's an odd color.  What I would love to do is sand and restain the legs and then have each chair recovered in black faux leather.  Really what I want is these

But that's probably not gonna happen. Paint is a start though.  Definately a step in the right direction!  Wish me luck as the paint is going up tonight!