My Own Little Slice of Sunshine

Finally, we have a sunny day!  After seemingly endless days of gray, we have sunshine folks!  The catch that Mother Nature threw at us was this; although, we have beautiful sunshine, it is accompanied by 17-degree days.  Seems, as though, “Mother” and I need to have a talk.  How about this…..we get the 45-degree weather, WITH the sunshine?  Too much to ask?  Must be.  So bundle up, let your lungs expand in the cold, and get out and get some Vitamin D.  Soak it up.  Your body needs it, your soul craves it.  And if you are like me, I just gotta have it!!  It is the automatic recharge that I need for my body!

Even, my sweet little Ava covets the sunshine streaming in through the window. She found a slice all to herself!

**Exposure to sunlight

Exposure to sunlight is an important source of vitamin D. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight trigger vitamin D synthesis in the skin.7,8 Season, latitude, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and suncreens affect UV ray exposure.8 For example, in Boston the average amount of sunlight is insufficient to produce significant vitamin D synthesis in the skin from November through February. Sunscreens with a sun protection factor of 8 or greater will block UV rays that produce vitamin D, but it is still important to routinely use sunscreen whenever sun exposure is longer than 10 to 15 minutes. It is especially important for individuals with limited sun exposure to include good sources of vitamin D in their diet.

January Blah's

Trying to make some sense out of this winter in North Idaho.  One day it’s sunny, one day snowing, and now raining.  It has me on some sort of emotional roller coaster.  I know that this is normal weather for this time of year, but for some crazy reason it is really affecting me this year.  And my workouts.  I have  ZERO desire to do a whole lot.  My workouts are going fine, but I don't like just fine.  6 days a week, swimming, biking, running, and TRX, but hmmmm.  What am I missing?

Looking out the window I am thinking.... blah!  January, move over and make some room for Spring.

Don't like this.

Like this.

And this.

Found this great article I thought I would add from Runners World.

***Lighten Up Your Mood This Winter at Runner's World***

Andrews Adoption Fundraiser

I love when I hear stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in life.  When I hear the loving kindness that people put forth, it strengthens my hope in humanity.
I wanted to pass this on for my sweet cousin, who is doing an amazing thing for a child, and really this World by opening up her family, heart and home and adopting a baby.
Today through Saturday, if you purchase one or more of these fabulous necklaces, a part goes towards fundraising for them.  Check them out, they are so cute, and there are so many to chose from.
Thank you Andrews Family for making a HUGE impact of the life of a child.

~~“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”


Just a reminder that our fundraiser starts TODAY!! You have to mention "Andrews Adoption" in the notes to seller. Please help us bring Aspen home by reposting this or blogging or emailing it. Thank you all so much for helping us!!

Sarah's Treasure Box by sarahstreasurebox on Etsy  (Link for ordering) Etsy - Your place to buy and sell all things handmade, vintage, and supplies www.etsy.com Buy and sell handmade or vintage items, art and supplies on Etsy, the world's most vibrant handmade marketplace. Share stories through millions of items from around the world.

Happy New Year from North Idaho

I have to say that winters in North Idaho and the Pacific North West are nothing short of spectacular.  Starting with that first snow up in the mountains, that looks like God took a small amount of powdered sugar and sprinkled the mountain tops, to our first snow down town, to now, day after day of snow fall.  Piling in the yard, piling powder in the mountains for epic ski days.  I just love it.  Everywhere I look outside my windows I can see white.  My pine trees are heavy-laden and their branches are bowing low.  The mountain I live on and can see from my windows is no longer just sprinkled, but pummeled with snow.  Amazing!

Things in our household are coming back together after taking a nice long break from homeschooling.  The time off was great, and it really recharged us.  We had a fantastic Christmas.  Having family here from California was awesome, and we had a great time hanging out, playing games, and even took a sleigh ride up in Sandpoint, ID at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch.  If you ever get the chance, do it.

We had a blast on New Years ringing in 2011 with our favorite friends.  New Years eve day, we took off and went skiing at Lookout Pass with some friends.  It was a beautiful day.

We came home that night, and prepared for our evening with friends at our house.  LOT’S of food, lot’s of great wine, and any other beverage you could imagine with “bartender Corey” manning the bar, and a lot of laughter and silliness with friends, playing Xbox Kinect  Dance Central. What a fun game.  We danced our butts off.  And, of course, champagne toast at midnight, with lots of poppers, horns and noisemakers.  Just the way the New Year should start.  The next morning, we got up, and Greg made our “slumber partiers” breakfast, and then we headed out for a day of snowshoeing.  Greatest thing is, this snowshoeing trail leaves right from my house…how convenient.  We all figured that we wanted to do something physical with friends, to start the year off right.  Again, an epic day.  Deep, deep snow, crystal sunny blue skies, snow angels (yes, I am referring to us girls) made in the snow along our trek, and again lots of laughter.  Seems to be a pattern with our group. =)

It was the best way to start 2011!

Now we are moving back into school, work, gymnastics, theatre (CYT), carpooling, and of course back to training.  Our first race will be Wildflower ½ Ironman in California.  With maybe a sprinkling of some 5, 10K’s or a ½ marathon early spring. (Still deciding on that), Wildflower just seems to be our kickoff for the season.  So we are hitting the bike (trainer) hitting the pool with our amazing coaches, and hitting the pavement (yes, I still love running outside in all of this white stuff) and now we have added TRX for our strength workouts….WOW!  Great workout! Try it!

As far as New Years resolutions, I don’t really make any.  I think I make resolutions to myself everyday of the year, to be a better Mother, wife, friend.  To train hard, to work on some new recipes, to continue to devour books, to laugh and learn something new every single day, and have an attitude of gratitude towards all things in my life, good and bad. I think waking up everyday, starting with prayer, and setting my mind in motion of how this ONE day will be, makes it simpler than making a grand resolution one night, and trying to play it out for the next 365 days.

Happy New Year!  How about you?  Resolutions? Goals for 2011?