tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90762706958068226612024-03-13T12:23:08.496-07:00Adventure Junkie Mom~~I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is
what inspires me to travel it.
Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-7138638416610326772015-12-31T16:19:00.001-08:002015-12-31T16:19:15.353-08:00Happy New YearThis will be my last EVER post to this blog site. Follow me over to <a href="http://sportymamalife.com/">http://sportymamalife.com</a><br />
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<a href="http://sportymamalife.com/2015/12/31/happy-new-year/" rel="bookmark" style="border: 0px; color: #70a0b2; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Happy New Year</a></h1>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I fell off the wagon.</em></strong> <span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: line-through; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m not quite sure what happened</span>. Actually that’s a total lie, I do know. Passion was lost and a lot of life happened. My hubs, our family and I had a tremendous 2015. <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We lived so full!</em> But somewhere along the lines, this blog took a chair on the sidelines. One day a few months back, my sage-like and wise hubs asked..”Why aren’t you blogging” I milled the answer around in my mind for days…swirling it like the last few sips in a wine glass before I came back to him with my answer. My tap house of creativity had bottomed out. I was too busy “doing” and not taking the downtime I needed and loved, to write. That is a recipe for disaster in a creative brain. Funny thing is<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">; I THOUGHT</em> I was taking down time. Now that I look back over this year, I was full steam ahead. What a great learning lesson.</div>
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I am praying for my <a href="http://sportymamalife.com/2015/01/30/one-word/" style="border: 0px; color: #70a0b2; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One Word for the year</a> (I do not do resolutions, I do a WORD) I am being patient. God always comes through on the word. I wait with great expectation and excitement for what God has in store. My word last year was <a href="http://sportymamalife.com/2015/01/30/one-word/" style="border: 0px; color: #70a0b2; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Risk</a>. Come to find out, that was a heavy word for my world, in so many horribly, wonderful ways. It was a tremendous year of risk. I embraced it, but am happy to moving forward into the New Year. I had a sweet, dear girlfriend tell me a few weeks back, to “Lean In” <to God> I’m leaning, sister. I’m leaning.</div>
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<img alt="Unknown" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1799" src="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/unknown.png?w=599" style="background-color: #e0dfdd; background-image: url(https://s1.wp.com/wp-content/themes/pub/my-life/images/image-bg.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 1px solid rgb(213, 211, 209); height: auto; max-width: 97%; padding: 9px;" />As I go forward into the New Year, here are the <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">things I DID</em> take heart to. Maybe they weren’t’ being spilled out onto the pages of my blog, Facebook or other social media, but they were there. They are still there. They are still resonating inside me. Things I noticed and things I learned for 2015. If nothing else, THIS was an incredible year of learning experiences for me. And that, brings growth!</div>
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There is nothing like family.</div>
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Small things are often the biggest things of all.</div>
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Sacrifice</div>
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Humility and selflessness are key elements to feeling truly fulfilled.</div>
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I <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">need</em> sand in my toes.</div>
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Raising a new puppy is exhilarating, takes patience and makes you belly laugh all within a 10 second period.</div>
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True, authentic friends are everything.</div>
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When life is rough, you learn who is true. And sadly, who isn’t.</div>
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Being sick is NO joke.</div>
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Raising your last senior is heartbreaking.</div>
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There’s true joy in making snow angels.</div>
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Laughter can be a great cure.</div>
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Joy needs to happen. Every. Single. Day.</div>
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Red wine and a girlfriend can bring world peace.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">God is everywhere.</em></strong> Just take the time to stop and take a look.</div>
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Mountains make me feel so small and incredibly enormous at the same time.<img alt="images-1" class=" size-full wp-image-1800 alignright" src="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/images-1.jpeg?w=599" style="background-color: #e0dfdd; background-image: url(https://s1.wp.com/wp-content/themes/pub/my-life/images/image-bg.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 1px solid rgb(213, 211, 209); display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 1.5em; margin-top: 0.75em; max-width: 97%; padding: 9px;" /></div>
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A dog’s love knows no boundaries.</div>
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When you have something good, hold onto it for dear life.</div>
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Cancer sucks.</div>
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Sometimes you just have to cry.</div>
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Having a daily dance party is a <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">necessity.</em></div>
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Being private pushes some people away<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">, unfortunately.</em></div>
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Don’t take yourself too serious.</div>
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Puppy kisses are the BEST.</div>
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My husband is the best human I have ever had the chance to know and love.</div>
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There is nothing like having all of your kids in one place at one time.</div>
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Travel needs to happen. And often.</div>
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Don’t be afraid to do something new.</div>
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The alpine lake is cold; jump in anyway. You certainly won’t regret it.</div>
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Seek out some sort of adventure, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">daily.</em></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Never</strong> allow fear to beat you.</div>
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If you aren’t absolutely happy, change.</div>
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No amount of persuasion can make me do something I chose not to do.</div>
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Giving, really only fills you up.</div>
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Comfort zones; smash them.</div>
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Generosity <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">gives</em> you millions.</div>
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You are WAY stronger than you think.</div>
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My laugh lines are gorgeous; it means I’ve had a lifetime of joy and laughter.</div>
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Taking care of your body is not selfish.</div>
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Doing what you love is not selfish.</div>
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Some people can be so poor that all they have is money.</div>
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You can see a generous heart a mile away. And sadly, vice-versa.</div>
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Love one another fiercely.</div>
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Have a passion.</div>
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Sadly, not everyone is a nice person.</div>
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Want exactly what you have and you will feel rich beyond anything you can imagine.</div>
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There is nothing like a Mama heart.</div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Just when you think your kids have gone off the deep end, they become your best friends</em>.</div>
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Racing, running, triathlon is not who you are.</div>
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Embrace and drink in every second you can with your children.</div>
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Do the things that make your heart beat wildly and bring you happiness.</div>
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That still, small voice..listen…It’s the voice of God.</div>
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Receiving cards from friends can light up your darkness.</div>
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Smile at every stranger. They need it, or they will think you’re weird. Either way, it’s a win.</div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Give to the homeless and less fortunate.</em></div>
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Take the trip of a lifetime. You aren’t guaranteed tomorrow.</div>
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Get into an RV and travel across the country.</div>
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Take your shoes off a walk in the grass.</div>
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Remember, you are raising someone’s husband or wife. Grow your kids accordingly.</div>
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Laugh everyday until you cry.</div>
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Being on a Panamanian island for 2 weeks with teenagers is like wrangling cats.</div>
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Treat people nicely and with respect.</div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Burn the nice candle.</em></div>
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Take lots of photos. You won’t always remember.</div>
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Go out and build the snowman.</div>
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When you’re with friends, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">put your phone down. </em>Don’t waste their time, or yours.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Run </em></strong>in the snow, sunshine and rain.</div>
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Never sit inside on a sunny day.</div>
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You CAN live in a house with 17 people for a week and all get along…in fact, <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">you can have the time of your life.</em></div>
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That thing that you’ve dreamed of doing….<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">do it!</strong></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Your house looks great!</em> Your friends don’t care anyway.</div>
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Really listen to people.</div>
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Drink the expensive wine.</div>
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Act goofy. Who cares?</div>
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Be yourself. Who are you trying to impress?</div>
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Sweat. Every. Single. Day.</div>
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Commuter flights in a foreign country can be an act of insurmountable courage.</div>
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Celebrating 50 years of marriage is a HUGE milestone to be treasured.</div>
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Laugh at yourself.</div>
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When traveling, learn the local language. Even if it’s only a few phrases. <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The locals will love you!</em></div>
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Don’t <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ever</em> go to bed mad at a family member.</div>
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Sing Karaoke and make a fool of yourself.</div>
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Do something this year that you thought you could not.</div>
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Give generously.</div>
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Watch the sunrise and/or sunset. It will WOW you! Always!</div>
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Make people laugh wildly.</div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Risk</strong><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">….it was harder than I thought.</em></div>
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Happy Blessed 2016 <img alt="images" class=" size-full wp-image-1801 aligncenter" src="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/images.jpeg?w=599" style="background-color: #e0dfdd; background-image: url(https://s1.wp.com/wp-content/themes/pub/my-life/images/image-bg.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 1px solid rgb(213, 211, 209); clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0.75em auto; max-width: 97%; padding: 9px;" /></div>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-79665893765018869292014-06-16T20:38:00.000-07:002014-06-16T20:51:15.276-07:00Mumblings of a Crazy Person-Ironman Boulder Training<a data-mce-href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/hill-seeker.png" href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/hill-seeker.png" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="hill-seeker" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1555" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/hill-seeker.png?w=300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/hill-seeker.png?w=300" height="300" style="float: left;" width="300" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Seven weeks out from Ironman Boulder. Training is getting…fun? Enjoyable? Entertaining? Monotonous? Insane? Yep…there it is!! </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">I'm going to give you a little peek into my mind while out on my training ride today. The ride was only 24-miles with a series of hill repeats thrown in on Fernan saddle, which is about a 6% grade, all timed so that my legs had just enough time to start to "turn on" before I'd turn to </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><em>swoosh back down</em></strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> at 34mph.…nothing too crazy about.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Fernan was quiet….2 cars today. I rode from town, and out around the lake taking in its gorgeous beauty. I have to say, that view…</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">never gets old. </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">I love the winding switch backs and the smooth pavement out to the gun range, where the hill starts. It's serene. Peaceful even. I was nice and warmed up by the time I got there. Ready to attack those hill repeats! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 19px;">First repeat….this is feeling pretty easy. I look over the hill to the gun range and take a notice to who's out there…a dad with 2 young kids, an older, graying, gentleman and his wife. He looks like he's teaching her to shoot. "Keep it aimed out towards the target, Mama" I think….OK, I'm started to get warm with my jacket on..that will need to be peeled off when I turn around. Hmmm…is that a bone? Yep! That looks like an ulna. Cat? Dog? Coyote? Oh…theres a pelvis. WOW! Yes there are wild animals out here! Check the time… </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Down…turn around….Kids and Dad still there. Wife and husband still there. She still hasn't taken a shot. There are the bones. "That's gotta be a femur." I continue to climb. A Dairy Queen straw…and the cup. A Blizzard. man, why do people litter. So rude! On this climb, of course, I start my self-talk. Last time I made it to point X..this time, I have to make it a little further. I'm timing 7-minute hill repeats. I am BY FAR my own worst critic. Not the self-hating, self-punishing type of critic…but the kind of critic that gives myself pep-talks that motivate, makes me work harder, makes me pick up my cadence, sweat a little harder. I will never work harder than when I am racing myself. There is something that boils up inside of me, that makes me want to go the extra mile, go a little harder. It's me..against ME! Last time I made it to the snag, this time I blew right by her. Snagatha Christy! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Down, turn around. Dad and kids are loading up to go home….the older couple…she's ready to fire, gun held up..he's out fixing the target. Oh man…that doesn't look good. I say a prayer. The bones…man, what's the story with those bones? And why? are they in the road? There's the DQ straw…oh man! a Blizzard sounds so good right now. Does it though? I haven't had a Blizzard in years! Honestly 2001 was the last Blizzard I had. But this little gem, laying on the side of the road….perfection! Pink toothbrush..Oh that's new. How does a toothbrush find its way to the side of the road? Was it tossed from a car? Fell out from someone's belongings on the way to a camping trip? Hmmm that would make for a weekend of bad-breath. Was that a couch cushion? There's that big, beautiful snag…See Ya Later! Snag! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Down, turn around. It's like a slow dance. Slow it down, turn around, repeat. The older couple…granny is poppin' em off like lightning now. Yeah!! She's got it! It quiets as I head up the hill. Bones, check. Blizzard straw, check. pink toothbrush, check. Yes, that IS a couch cushion, check. Snag….hmmm there you are you broken and gnarly piece of tree…."were you struck by lightning?" </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">I think my legs were just struck by lightning.</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> Dear Paula, you decided to sign up for yet another Ironman….this is part of the pain. Hit it girl! I giggle to myself. It is so quiet now. No cars, no fire arms, no bikes, no wind….silence. Me and my breath. My toosh hurts….(this is another blog-post that needs to be written) </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Oh my BUTT!!</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> "Do I have my pepper spray in my Bento box? Sooo quiet. And beautiful. The mountain and trees are magnificent under the sunshine. I am always so in awe of this place we call home. I feel blessed. </span><br />
<a data-mce-href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/31525_20130124_125818_good_morning_quotes_06.jpg" href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/31525_20130124_125818_good_morning_quotes_06.jpg" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="31525_20130124_125818_good_morning_quotes_06" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1554" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/31525_20130124_125818_good_morning_quotes_06.jpg?w=300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/31525_20130124_125818_good_morning_quotes_06.jpg?w=300" height="180" style="float: right;" width="300" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> Down. And up. Grams & Gramps have left the range now, seemingly satisfied with her firearm prowess. It's just me. Last repeat. Last time to make it outstanding. I am dying to stand up….coach says, "keep the climb in the saddle." Make this strong and remarkable Paula….again, being my own worst judge. Don't think about the fire starting to escape through your muscles, and burning through your shorts. This makes me think of the Fantastic Four and the Human Torch…my legs could quite possibly catch fire! Think of how you'll feel if you give up now. Finish this last repeat like a</span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> boss.</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> Do not look for your distractions on the ground. Look up. See the snag? She's waving you by. She knows that she was a one-time deal and that you would never stop at her again. The sound of my breathing is a great sound. It reminds me how alive I am. It reminds me that my lungs are strong and healthy. Capable and competent. My mind drifts…."your great grace.."</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> I am WAY past my first attempt of this climb.</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> Past my second and third attempt. It feels GREAT to continue up. Further than the last. A silent prayer escapes my lips…."Thank you for this." </span><br />
<a data-mce-href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo4.jpg" href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo4.jpg" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="photo" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1556" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo4.jpg?w=296" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo4.jpg?w=296" height="300" style="float: right;" width="296" /></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Bitstream Charter, Times, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> Time!!!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> Look at that yellow mushroom!!! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">I am</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><strong> WAY</strong></em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> further up the hill!! Nice work Lady!! Take a selfie!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> "Get your butt home before whatever drug those bones to the road, comes out for a visit."</span>Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-51976424879671294472014-06-10T08:52:00.000-07:002014-06-10T08:52:06.368-07:00Looking Up- Ironman Boulder Training<div class="mceTemp" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><a data-mce-href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo3.jpg" href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo3.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><img alt="Picture taken on Fernan" class="wp-image-1546 size-medium" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo3.jpg?w=300" height="295" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo3.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Just LOOK what I may have missed…(Fernan Lake)</dd></dl>
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Trying my hardest at least once a month to catch up on here. It’s easy, when I’m not so busy, or when I’m willing to sit into the wee hours of the night (ahem morning) writing.</div>
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Ironman training is definitely in <em>full</em> swing now. I shouldn't say <now> it has been. It’s exciting and tiring, and time-consuming. It's also a reminder that I need to put into perspective that which is important.</div>
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It’s a constant challenge for anyone when training for a long endurance event. The demanding workouts; literally HOURS in the saddle, or pounding the pavement; added on top of an already full schedule of husband, kid, church, study time, reading, social time with friends, planning events…you name it. Oh, and a little down time thrown in there…</div>
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I have people ask me all the time, how it all seems to work. How do I squeeze it all in? HA… I have friends that train, have husbands and families AND a full-time job! <em>HOW DO THEY DO THAT?</em></div>
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I can’t sweat the small stuff! <a data-mce-href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo1.jpg" href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo1.jpg"><img alt="photo" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1532" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo1.jpg?w=272" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo1.jpg?w=272" style="float: right;" width="272" /></a></div>
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It’s very simple for me...<em>when</em> I keep my priorities in check; God, husband, family …When things get out of whack…well, life gets “out of whack,” and I am quickly reminded into which well I need to be dropping my bucket.</div>
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Last week, was a big week. First century ride (100 miles) for this training season, 4-miles of swimming, and 27 miles of running! <strong>Things are getting fun now!</strong> It all went well albeit my mind making a valiant attempt to sabotage me. Didn’t work! <em>Thank you Jesus for my peace of mind.</em> That long 100-mile ride and the long 15-mile run I did alone. The ride went excellent! I did a little (ok A LOT) of talking with God and myself.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><a data-mce-href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo-copy1.jpg" href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo-copy1.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><img alt="Too much looking at this…." class="size-medium wp-image-1547" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo-copy1.jpg?w=300" height="298" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo-copy1.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Too much looking at this….</dd></dl>
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Here I am, getting frustrated and God shows me how beautiful the mountains and lakes are, if I took a second to <em>look up.</em> Me: getting tired and God reminding me of the strong, capable, body He has given me. Me: sweating and hot, and God reminding me how much I had prayed for sunshine when it was cold and miserable. In the last 10 miles of that 100-mile ride…. I finally understood….it’s not about me! Life throws up all sorts of challenges. Change your perspective. …LOOK UP</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><a data-mce-href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo-copy-21.jpg" href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo-copy-21.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><img alt="….and not enough looking at this." class="wp-image-1548 size-medium" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo-copy-21.jpg?w=300" height="297" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo-copy-21.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">….and not enough looking at this.</dd></dl>
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I was nervous about the run. Having done 13-miles the week prior that was a complete disaster, I was a little uneasy and unsure. A little caveat:<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"> this is why it’s SO important to work with your nutrition early on.</span></div>
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I poured over nutrition all week. Deciding to make a change to something new is SCARY! It is hit or miss and can cost you a great training day like last week and in some cases, it can cost you a race day. It’s hard to change a good thing. But, (BUT) things change. Our bodies change. Nutrition changes with new science and technology. So I went out again with the same nutrition I used the week prior. I understood that last weeks run needed to be <em>let go</em> of. It was a bad day. I was under calories for what I needed, and that’s that! <em>A new day</em>, a new start…. With music in my ears, giving me a new perspective and reminding me of <em>WHO</em> has given me my strength, the run… was quick, easy and flawless.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/unknown.jpeg" href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/unknown.jpeg"><img alt="Unknown" class="alignright wp-image-1539 size-full" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/unknown.jpeg" height="187" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/unknown.jpeg" style="float: right;" width="269" /></a></div>
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I am so grateful that there is a re-start button. I am thankful for a God that allows that! -A new day will dawn on us from above because our God is loving and merciful. Luke 1:78</div>
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He gives me promises for my life that I need to worry over nothing.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo.jpg" href="https://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo.jpg"><img alt="photo" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1531" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/photo.jpg?w=300" style="float: left;" width="300" /></a>What can I do with Him? He doesn't promise a few things..He promises ALL THINGS.</div>
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I simply need to look up!</div>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-22701291444882923432014-05-15T09:59:00.000-07:002014-05-15T09:59:23.541-07:00Enjoying the Journey <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
It has been months since I posted a blog. It’s always in the back of my mind, with the greatest intentions to do so, and then…life. Gets. Moving.</div>
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I have had so much going on and have a lot to catch up on.</div>
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I am about 2.5 months out from Ironman Boulder, and while I’m excited for this inaugural event, I have days of feeling like I wish it were over. I think oftentimes when I read training blogs, whether it be for running marathons, or triathlons, Fondos or 5k’s, all I see is the fun side of training, which is awesome. This is not going to be a blog about the happier, fun, excitable part of training. Not this week.</div>
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This week I rolled into a rest week, which I was looking forward to but ended up having one of the worst weeks since starting this training. I’m not sure if it’s BECAUSE it’s a rest week, and kind of like a taper that makes you a little “off” but wow!! This week I cannot wait to kiss goodbye.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy-3.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy-3.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><img alt="Vietnam" class="wp-image-1523 size-medium" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy-3.jpg?w=300" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy-3.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Vietnam</dd></dl>
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I just got back from Vietnam a few weeks ago (which is a WHOLE other post) just mourned the loss of our beloved Golden Retriever, Tucker and spent this last week with my daughter visiting our son in Los Angeles. It was a blast. Not restful AT ALL, but exactly what this mama was hoping for; a lot of sunshine, shopping, eating, and laughter! My kids are seriously the greatest. It is so exciting and enjoyable to see your kids grow up, get out on their own, and really soar. Our son moved in January and this is the first time I’ve been able to visit. LA is always so fun! I think we slept 10 hours over the period from Thursday-Sunday. And because of the modern miracle of flight, I was able to actually spend Mother’s Day with ALL three of our kids; leaving LA that morning, to come home with our youngest daughter for the afternoon/evening. I can say one thing (well maybe not just one) of my trip; I am SO glad I am in shape!! This thought lingered in my head during this trip. No sleep, over-indulging in food, and literally hitting</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><img alt="Running in Runyon Canyon" class="size-medium wp-image-1520" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Running in Runyon Canyon</dd></dl>
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the ground running…I kept thinking how grateful I was to be in shape. It’s something I will never take for granted, and never let slip. My kids who are in their early 20’s are…well…. in their early 20’s, which means, we WENT HARD!! I was so thankful that I could easily keep up, as we were up early, and going to bed LATE…as in, some nights, we could’ve just stayed up and went straight to breakfast! We also hiked/ran Runyon which was incredible! And again, I thought….I am so happy to be able to do this!! Moral: Keep it up at any age!! You won’t regret it, but will if you let it go.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy1.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy1.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><img alt="My last day with Tucker" class="wp-image-1524 size-medium" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy1.jpg?w=298" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy1.jpg?w=298" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="298" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">My last day with Tucker</dd></dl>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><img alt="photo" class="wp-image-1519" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo.jpg?w=300" height="203" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="271" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">These Kids!!</dd></dl>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo1.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo1.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><img alt="photo" class="wp-image-1521" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo1.jpg?w=298" height="236" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo1.jpg?w=298" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="234" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Days Like This…Zuma Beach/Malibu, CA</dd></dl>
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Onto this week. A rest week for training that I was looking forward to. It’s. Been. Hard. It’s interesting how bad workouts can affect you. I called my training partner bawling on Tuesday. I had just come off of a <strong>horrible</strong> run, and was feeling so defeated. You know the kind of day you are looking forward to and within minutes, all goes south? I felt heavy, and like I was a new runner just starting out. It was an <em>easy run</em>, that was a disaster! She talked me off of the ledge. Only for me to do the same for her that very evening. At one point I thought, “we shouldn’t be training together (<em>kidding</em>) and good thing we have our breakdowns at different parts of the day or we’d never make it to race day ” I literally said to her “what am I doing? I don’t want to do this Ironman!” Hours later she says, “OK, if you’re out I’m out” Thankfully, my sobbing had subsided and I was back in a normal frame of mind at that point.</div>
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And we continued on….</div>
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Great training partners are crucial. No matter what! I have days that I am fine doing workouts alone, and even look forward to them. The solitude of a nice long run is indescribable. But some days….you need a partner, or a few. Because some days…you’re gonna fall without them. You’re going to tail spin unless they are there to set you straight. You’re going to sob, and second-guess yourself, and feel inadequate. You’re going to want to throw in the towel and give up. Hang up the wetsuit and running shoes and sell the bike. But then….in steps these “angels” and all is right with the World.</div>
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Yesterdays ride made up for my week of sadness and defeat. I met my training partner for a ride. She comes over as I’m preparing my bike with a little gift…Enjoy The Journey. She looks at me and says, “this may suck some days, but darn it, we are going to enjoy the crap out of it!” Greatest words ever spoken after a week like this!</div>
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We took off and soon ran into another friend who was out training. We stopped and chatted briefly, and took off on a great ride together! The sun was shining, it was quiet, aside from our chatter, and the woods smelled amazing along our route. We laughed and rode and just had an amazing ride. There is something so magical about training girlfriends. They are invaluable. They are so real. So authentic and solid. They are the ones that know and understand your peril and insecurities. You can be so vulnerable with them, because they GET it! They’ve been there. There’s no judgment. And the frankness you can share is unparalleled. These friends understand your tiredness, moodiness, your aching crotch, your food addictions (eat all the food now!) your blistered feet, your saddle sores, you dilemma with on course nutrition, your fear of open water, your irritability and frustration and they still love you anyway. They help you “embrace the suck.” They make you laugh, hold you up, hold you accountable and hold your bike when you pee. They allow you to wallow…but only for a short time. They allow you to cry it out, then wipe your tears, give you a slap on the butt and get you moving again.</div>
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So out of a bad training week, comes the silver lining. Everyone has bad days/weeks. Chose your friends and training partners wisely and it makes all the difference in the world. Because trust me…. they’re going to need you as much as you need them, and for me, I feel like it’s an integral part of my training. Sometimes, you just need loved on and a little reminder to Enjoy the Journey.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy-2.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy-2.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none;"><img alt="Gift From My Training Partner….great reminder!" class="wp-image-1522 size-medium" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy-2.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/photo-copy-2.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Gift From My Training Partner….great reminder!</dd></dl>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-50324630036800980652014-02-21T02:30:00.000-08:002014-02-21T02:30:00.262-08:00Love….Every Day<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.3em;">
I wanted to write this post-Valentines. When all of the sugar and luscious, </div>
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syrupy, candy-coated goodness of <em>that</em> day had passed. I love Valentines Day as much as anyone (<del style="color: red;">not really</del>) but I can appreciate the 24 hours of outpouring some like to live in. I <em>believe </em>that this should be an ongoing, and every day occurrence if you are in love. To some degree. And not designated to one day a year. When you are with someone that you love and adore, every single day, there should be some sort of "Valentine" going on. It doesn't have to be flowers, chocolates, lattes, cards, gifts, teddybears, butterflies, ladybugs…Oh wait, there I go dreaming about Spring…but...Some. Sort. Of. Shower. Of. Love. Every. Single. Day. Simple as it may be, it goes a million miles. Something selfless. <em>Isn't that what we as Christians get every day? </em>A pouring out of love in our every day lives?</div>
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The week since Valentines has been hectic in every sense of the word for me. Do you ever have "one of those days?" Of course you do! I think that cupid shot an arrow in me that was tied off on the other end of a rocket. I have realized exactly whats been going on from a spiritual aspect, and <em>that</em> has helped tremendously. I don't do "busy" and when things start to spin for me, I always have to sit down, take a step back and look at things through another lens. <em> I need to peel off another layer of me, and put on more armor. </em></div>
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Training is going well, but I am still dealing with a tiny calf issue. Deep water running….(<em>it pains me to even write that</em>) has helped, and I think between that and a slight bike adjustment, I am good to go! I also feel that this itty-bitty injury, was just another aspect in this week that was trying to weigh me down. <em>Peel a layer, put on the armor.</em></div>
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I admit that I am grateful for days and times like this. It makes me realize that I am not in control and <em>Who truly</em> is. It reminds me of Who to cling to. It makes me feel ok, about taking a day to sit. And do absolutely nothing. Sit and listen, only. Especially when the enemy has me busy. It makes me <em><strong>appreciate</strong></em> my husband who dries my tears and takes my hands in his and prays. My kid, who never forgets to make me laugh. And my friends who pray for me and with me. It keeps me grounded and soaking in what's important. It makes me aware of how broken I can be and how right in the midst of that brokeness, there is colossal growth. <em>An outpouring of love,</em> a confirmation of advancement and improvement. A challenge. That…. is love, everyday. That's where we should be living.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/everyday-valentine.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/everyday-valentine.jpg"><img alt="everyday-Valentine" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1515" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/everyday-valentine.jpg?w=300" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/everyday-valentine.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-9437205212369354902014-02-11T16:29:00.003-08:002014-02-14T09:58:20.732-08:00Roasted Cinnamon Vanilla Bean Almond Butter<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.3em;">
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After an absolutely amazing morning with some really extraordinary friends and a workout….ahem…<a data-mce-href="http://triathlon.competitor.com/2013/01/training/injured-give-deep-water-running-a-try_31808" href="http://triathlon.competitor.com/2013/01/training/injured-give-deep-water-running-a-try_31808">.deep water pool run</a>…I decided to come home today and make a comfort food. For me, this is always a favorite, and mixing in some sweet spices was just the icing on the cake. This is a way to get a little sweet treat alongside a little protein.</div>
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<strong><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo1.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo1.jpg"><img alt="photo" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1502" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo1.jpg?w=297" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo1.jpg?w=297" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: left;" width="297" /></a>Roasted Cinnamon Vanilla Bean Almond Butter</strong></div>
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2 Cups of raw almonds roasted</div>
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1 Vanilla Bean, sliced and scraped</div>
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1 tsp of unrefined sugar I used organic cane sugar</div>
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1/2 tsp course sea salt</div>
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1/4 tsp cinnamon (you can add more to taste. I like just a hint)</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-2.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-2.jpg"><img alt="photo 2" class=" wp-image-1498" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-2.jpg?w=300" height="178" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-2.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="180" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Sweet vanilla bean mixed with course sea salt.</dd></dl>
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Preheat oven to 350 and spread almonds on cookie sheet making sure they aren't overlapping. Roast them for 10-12 minutes.</div>
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Remove and allow nuts to cool. They will heat up in the processor, so I allow them to cool about 30 minutes.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-2-copy.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-2-copy.jpg"><img alt="photo 2 copy" class=" wp-image-1500" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-2-copy.jpg?w=300" height="207" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-2-copy.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="210" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Look at that gorgeous roasted color</dd></dl>
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Place almonds into food processor and process until a smooth butter starts to form. (This could take 10-15 minutes depending on your processor) <a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-1-copy.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-1-copy.jpg"><img alt="photo 1 copy" class="alignright wp-image-1501" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-1-copy.jpg?w=298" height="180" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo-1-copy.jpg?w=298" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: right;" width="179" /></a></div>
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Add in sugar (optional) vanilla bean, sea salt and cinnamon. Process until butter is smooth and creamy.</div>
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*Store in an airtight container.</div>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-73988262469904268062014-02-05T08:52:00.000-08:002014-02-05T09:05:05.400-08:00Baby It's Cold Outside<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.3em;">
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/images.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/images.jpeg"><img alt="images" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1485" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/images.jpeg" height="194" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/images.jpeg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="259" /></a></div>
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As a runner I am always looking for ways to hit the pavement EVEN when its <em>cold </em>outside. Today…I woke up to temps that were negative 2 with a wind chill of negative 25. Thats <strong>CHIILY!!</strong> I can run in some pretty cold temps, but today…NO! It's not going to happen!</div>
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Most of us runners L O A T H the treadmill. It's only a necessary evil on the days that you just <em>cannot</em> be outside. Safety first!</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo.jpg"><img alt="photo" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1489" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo.jpg?w=218" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/photo.jpg?w=218" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: left;" width="218" /></a>Here's some great tips for keeping warm on these bitter cold, winter days.</div>
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<strong>LAYER!</strong> Thin, wicking layers are a must. DO NOT wear cotton. Cotton holds in that sweat and will keep you cold and wet. Try 3 layers, a base, middle and outer Gore-text to keep the wind and precip out.</div>
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With forty percent of your body heat being lost through your head, make sure you wear a nice warm <strong>hat.</strong> If it's really cold, cover your face and mouth with a face mask or buff. It warms the air you breathe as well as protecting your face.</div>
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<strong>Gloves.</strong> Protect your hands and feet. Although nice wicking running gloves are great for most days, when it's this cold, mittens are a better choice. They allow your fingers to share heat. Hand warmers are a great choice to slip into mittens to avoid getting frost bitten fingers. Add a wicking sock liner under a warm polar fleece or wool sock, but make sure you have enough room in your running shoes to accommodate these thicker socks. Also Gore-tex shoes are a great idea if you will be running in slush or wet snow.</div>
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Two words: <a data-mce-href="https://www.yaktrax.com" href="https://www.yaktrax.com/"> YakTrax.</a> <a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/images-1.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/images-1.jpeg"><img alt="images-1" class="alignright size-full wp-image-1486" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/images-1.jpeg" height="218" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/images-1.jpeg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: right;" width="231" /></a></div>
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Make sure you let someone know your route and a general idea of your start and finish time.</div>
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Run with a buddy if they are <em>brave</em> enough to head out with you.</div>
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Carry your cell phone. This is a HUGE NO for me usually when I run…but for these temps, its in the Spi Belt.</div>
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Make sure that you are replacing fluids even if you don't feel like it. When it's cold, I am never thirsty, however, you are still sweating, and not drinking can lead to dehydration.</div>
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Have a warm change of clothes and a nice hot beverage to get you warmed up when you finish that bitter cold run.</div>
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Always be safe out there. And remember there are a lot of fun ways to get in that exercise on these cold days if you decide against the run. Skiing; cross country or down hill and snow shoeing are two of my favorites!</div>
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How do you stay warm on these bitter cold days when you're just itching for that outdoor run?</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/quotation-ajahn-brahm-heart-weather-mind-cool-meetville-quotes-267337.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/quotation-ajahn-brahm-heart-weather-mind-cool-meetville-quotes-267337.jpg"><img alt="Quotation-Ajahn-Brahm-heart-weather-mind-cool-Meetville-Quotes-267337" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1484" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/quotation-ajahn-brahm-heart-weather-mind-cool-meetville-quotes-267337.jpg?w=300" height="204" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/quotation-ajahn-brahm-heart-weather-mind-cool-meetville-quotes-267337.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-68958880792975692932014-01-23T10:52:00.000-08:002014-01-23T10:52:10.200-08:00The Reward of it All<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.3em;">
What a week! This has been one of those weeks that I want to hold onto but also let go of. Like a tide sweeping the shore; giving and taking.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/images1.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/images1.jpeg"><img alt="images" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1472" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/images1.jpeg" height="194" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/images1.jpeg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: left;" width="259" /></a>Our son left and made his big move to Los Angeles, CA, which left me breathless and feeling like there was a hole in my chest. I hold on to his excitement for this new adventure, his determination, the look in his eye knowing that something new is coming, and the elation of uncharted waters. We are so proud and excited for him, but as parents, it's<em> so</em> bittersweet. A friend of mine shared a story of when her kids starting leaving home; a dear friend of hers asked, "in raising your kids, what was your goal?" All of us would respond, I'm sure.. that we want to raise, independent, well-adjusted, self-sufficient, kids, with goals, and dreams and extraordinary intensions. That is how she answered. That's exactly how I would answer….her friend then said, "that's exactly what you have done." Such wise words, and something I have thought about for the past week. My job <our job> is done….and this man is on his way to perusing life to the fullest. <em>This</em> I'm holding on to. And the letting go, well that's just what this week has been in it's entirety. Letting go of a child, letting go of tears, letting go of feeling melancholy, letting go of some heartache…and <em>letting</em> <em>God</em> meet me right there. I know as time passes that all of these feeling will be let go of…but maybe not. I am quite sure as a parent, that there will always be that ache for your kids. The hardest best thing I've ever done: Parenting.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/photo-2.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/photo-2.jpg"><img alt="photo 2" class=" wp-image-1476" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/photo-2.jpg?w=293" height="180" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/photo-2.jpg?w=293" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="176" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">John 15:13</dd></dl>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/photo-1.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/photo-1.jpg"><img alt="photo 1" class=" wp-image-1475" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/photo-1.jpg?w=290" height="180" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/photo-1.jpg?w=290" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="174" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">John 15:13</dd></dl>
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On an up-note…can I just raise a glass to my friends? Texts, notes, messages, prayers, fun little "comfort packages" full of <em>all things</em> comfort (Meltz Extreme Grilled Cheese gift card, dark chocolate covered fortune cookies <seriously these things ROCK> even a little hooch in the form of hot, cinnamon-y liquor) <LOL> cards, calls, emails, even a pj's and wine slumber party/sleepover. I have been blessed beyond measure with such incredible friends. They are so giving and thoughtful. Just the essence of true, unadulterated friendship. ~Greater love has no one than this...</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-11.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-11.jpeg"><img alt="Unknown-1" class="size-full wp-image-1473 alignright" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-11.jpeg" height="259" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-11.jpeg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: right;" width="194" /></a>I have also started "officially" into Ironman Boulder training. It has been nice to have a plan and a focus, especially this week. My body has felt great, but I have been tired. I'm sure the upswing in training matched with my emotions has gotten the better of me. I am excited about training, and even about being back in the pool! <surprise> It's been fun to feel my gills responding to the water and meeting friends for training again. I know how this works and that I will be tired. I know that my body will most certainly rebel. I know my mind will wash in all sorts of reasons why I shouldn't do this. I will be cranky, and starving and exhausted. But my heart just gushes a big, YES! Yes, you can! And that's exactly what keeps me going.</div>
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Seeing our son leave, with such great anticipation, reminded me of this: that although parenting, and moving, and Ironman, and <fill in the blank> are hard at times….the end result and the reward of it all is so much better.</div>
Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-55456993530681757182014-01-13T16:58:00.000-08:002014-01-13T16:58:59.160-08:00Starting To Goal-Dream<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1.3em;">
<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/goals20wordle.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/goals20wordle.jpg"><img alt="goals%20wordle" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1464" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/goals20wordle.jpg?w=300" height="139" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/goals20wordle.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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I do not do New Years resolutions. I just don't and never have. I guess maybe I have always missed the point, or have felt like I do not want to set myself up to fail. Statistics are staggering on how many make resolutions and do not follow through. The optimist in me, of course, is overjoyed at the ones that do their best at carrying them out and succeed. I guess it seems silly to me to make these grand decisions instead of micro-decisions throughout the year. I mean, we all change, everyday….so why not make mini decisions throughout your changing, daily life? Why not adapt and learn as life carries you?</div>
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I do, however, set goals. This happens year round, so I don't necessarily feel that it is a "resolution" and being that it is now January 13th, I've kind of missed the window of opportunity in making them resolutions. My goals change. They change often and they make up a myriad of different situations. As I sit and assess this coming year race wise, I have no choice <em>but</em> to make goals. Which races to enter, how to train, do I change running shoes (again) how do I become faster, eat cleaner, and manage my time well during the training season? Do I get a new bike, or is the one I have going to carry me through this race season (she's a <em>great</em> bike)<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-2.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-2.jpeg"><img alt="Unknown-2" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1465" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-2.jpeg?w=300" height="150" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-2.jpeg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: right;" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-1.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-1.jpeg"><img alt="Unknown-1" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1463" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-1.jpeg" height="188" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown-1.jpeg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: left;" width="268" /></a>Speaking of training….I am one week out from "officially" starting the training for my third Ironman. Wow! It's exciting! It makes me get these butterflies in my stomach like I am about to jump off of a cliff. That feeling of exhilaration and nausea. The sweaty palms, the tingly fingers. I will be doing a 27-week training plan for this race. I am hopeful that the cross-training that a triathlon provides through varying swim, bike and run days, will keep me injury free and not have the situation I was in this summer that took me out of my Fall marathon. I am happy that I have learned over the years, that less is really more as far as training goes for me. I mean, I trained for my last Ironman in 9 weeks (not advised) but it worked out, and I have the PR to prove it. I started a sort of "weening into" training last week. My coach gave me a 2-week warm up…."OH hello triathlon body…time to wake up!!" I have to say, it has been nice to be back on a plan. Not that I have been sitting on the couch for months, but I have definitely been more, shall we say, <em>lenient</em>, in my training.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/swimbikerun_0.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/swimbikerun_0.jpg"><img alt="SwimBikeRun_0" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1462" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/swimbikerun_0.jpg?w=300" height="137" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/swimbikerun_0.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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I am once again, looking forward to sweaty feet, tired muscles, stinky running shoes, helmet head, a chaffed bottom side (for a while…ok <em>always</em>) visor hair, living in tri-gear, catching up on every movie on Netflix during trainer rides, napping, falling into bed completely used up physically from a hard training day, blisters, the squeeze of compression socks, a car that looks like I am living out of it, snaps on the head from my swim cap, goggle eyes, the foam roller (ok, that's a<em> lie</em>) the Stick (ok, that's an even <em><strong>bigger</strong></em> lie) and the fabulous perfume of chlorine!<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown.jpeg"><img alt="Unknown" class="size-full wp-image-1461 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown.jpeg" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/unknown.jpeg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="225" /></a></div>
Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-37107215003791891112013-10-16T08:46:00.000-07:002013-10-16T08:46:23.660-07:00Can't Get Enough-Pumpkin French Toast<br />
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I don't know about you, but something comes over me this time of year. It's this crazy force that makes me want to have Pumpkin.....EVERYTHING! Pumpkin coffee, pumpkin creamer (homemade) pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pudding, pumpkin pancakes....I mean lets face it, if I could incorporate pumpkin into every aspect of my life, I most certainly would. I'm obsessed. I have been in the kitchen this week cooking up a whole-lotta pumpkin...</div>
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And how about the beauty outside right now? Wow! I'm just taking in all of this gorgeous weather and extraordinary fall colors right now.</div>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Pumpkin French Toast</span></div>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>1 cup of pureed pumpkin</div>
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1 1/2 cups of almond milk (or your favorite non-dairy milk)</div>
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2 TBSP cornstarch</div>
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2 tsp cinnamon </div>
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1 1/2 tsp ground ginger</div>
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1/2 tsp ground cloves</div>
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1 TBSP dark brown sugar</div>
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1 tsp vanilla</div>
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1 stale Baguette sliced into 1 inch thick slices (I always go into the bakery and ask for a day old, preferably 2 day old baguette, or you can "stale" it yourself in your oven) *If you don't get stale baguette the inside could be mushy after cooking.</div>
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Mix together all ingredients. Place baguette slices into baking dish. Pour pumpkin mixture onto bread and coat evenly. </div>
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Preheat griddle, cook baguette about 5 minutes, flip and cook other side. They should be golden to medium brown when cooked through.</div>
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Serve drizzled with cinnamon non-dairy butter, warm syrup and coconut milk whipped cream.</div>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-44003342082763583342013-10-11T09:12:00.000-07:002013-10-11T09:12:09.217-07:00Splendid Fall<br />
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It’s Friday and I am so happy for that! We have a full weekend with NOTHING on our calendar! Thankful!</div>
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The past 3 weekends I (we) have been on the run, out-of-town. One Canadian adventure to see friends and participate in some fabulous wine events/tastings for 4 days during their Fall wine crush. A quick out-of-town to the Gorge to see Maroon Five with 7 crazy girls, only to have them cancel due to weather. I mean…what’s a little hurricane force winds, right? We had a blast, nonetheless….and last weekend, in Seattle. Seattle was a wind down weekend. After an amazing summer, we wanted a little closeness with our Cub. High school flies by, as we saw with our older kids. They literally step onto the high school campus as freshman, and in the blink of an eye, you are watching them cross that stage, being handed their diploma. The older they get, the harder it is to really have that quality time. I heard the idiom once that trying to have quality time with teenagers is like nailing jello to a wall. That's some truth right there! Now, I’m not a helicopter parent. I don’t hover over my kids and require them to sit on my lap when they would rather be (and should be) out exploring the World, becoming independent, and finding out who they are and their place in this life, but we really felt like we needed some good one-on-one time with her. So off to Seattle we went for along weekend. Everything about it was delectable. We laughed, shopped (that girl can SHOP) indulged in some amazing food, and sought out some sites that we had not visited in a long time.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="In Canada at the Farm to Table event. Gorgeous 6 course dinner, paired beautifully with wines from the Okanagan Valley." class="size-medium wp-image-1152" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo.jpg?w=300" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">In Canada at the Farm to Table event. Gorgeous 6 course dinner, paired beautifully with wines from the Okanagan Valley.</dd></dl>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="What's a trip to Seattle without seeing the Gum Wall?" class="size-medium wp-image-1153" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">What's a trip to Seattle without seeing the Gum Wall?</dd></dl>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy-2.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy-2.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="....and the Fremont Troll?" class="size-medium wp-image-1154" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy-2.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy-2.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">....and the Fremont Troll?</dd></dl>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy-3.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy-3.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="An afternoon in Who-ville. Loved these Sonic Blooms and hearing their symphonic sounds and we walked under them." class="size-medium wp-image-1155" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy-3.jpg?w=300" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo-copy-3.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">An afternoon in Who-ville. Loved these Sonic Blooms and hearing their symphonic sounds and we walked under them.</dd></dl>
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What a great food city Seattle is. We just enjoyed the moment. Really savored our family time. I adore moments like that. When the world stops spinning, the other people around you are faded out into the background of your minds photo, and all that is there is the three. We talked about past trips to Seattle, and had some funny stories of when it was the five. It’s weird being a parent with your last child at home. Thankful are we, that we enjoyed every drop of our kid’s lives growing up. And still do. As our older two are off into the world, gleaning their careers, finishing school, and getting ready to move away, we are still proud parents, watching them, relishing who they are becoming as adults, but it’s still strange, to be on the cusp of an empty nest. We have “trained them up” (Prov 22:6) and now it’s time for them to leap out.</div>
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On another note, I am LOVING this fall running weather. The crispness in the air. The stunning scenery of the changing leaves. This is truly one of my favorite times of the year. The colors here are amazing. God has given us such a beautiful world to live in, and right now, it’s like living in a painting. I think I forget ever year.... I forget what it looked like, and then fall arrives, and I see it again with fresh eyes. I am wowed every year! Hope you are out enjoying it.</div>
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I have been laid up with an injury the past few weeks, which has taken me out of my fall marathon. That saddens me. But I am so thankful, that with a little rest and some therapy, it is starting to feel better. I have been out doing some short 4-5 mile runs. It’s not where I want to be, but it’s where I need to be. And sometimes, after an injury, you come back stronger than ever, right? I’m banking on that. I’m trying to keep a good focus on my form, and trying not to overdo it on the days I feel strong. That’s a hard thing for a runner. I’m on “simmer” which I suppose is just about perfect for Fall. It’s giving me some time for the other things I love. Reading, decorating, cooking new recipes (speaking of simmering) and planning my race season for next year. I have a few races picked out that I am excited about!</div>
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Have you started planning for next season? What races will grace your calendars?</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo1.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo1.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="Driving up my hill to our home and stopped dead in my tracks by the beauty of Fall" class="size-medium wp-image-1156" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo1.jpg?w=297" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/photo1.jpg?w=297" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="297" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Driving up the hill to our home and stopped dead in my tracks by the beauty of Fall</dd></dl>
</div>
Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-35137446305055657532013-09-26T11:07:00.000-07:002013-09-26T11:07:17.151-07:00Antioxidant Power House<br />
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This is one of the top three all-time favorite smoothies that I make. Mainly due to the fact that I am CrAzY about berries!</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-1.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-1.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="photo 1" class="aligncenter wp-image-1147" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-1.jpg?w=225" height="231" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-1.jpg?w=225" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="174" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">Antioxidant Power Smoothie</span></div>
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1 cup coconut milk</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
1 scoop veggie protein powder.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
-I use <a data-mce-href="http://www.lifetimevitamins.com/life-s-basic-plant-protein-vanilla-18-6-oz.html" href="http://www.lifetimevitamins.com/life-s-basic-plant-protein-vanilla-18-6-oz.html" style="color: #3c2bb6;">Life’s Basics Plant Protein. </a> It’s Vegan, non GMO and Gluten Free. Contains Omega 3.6.9 and is made from Pea, Hemp, Rice and Chia seed. Giving you 22 grams of protein per serving. Plus it is DELISH!</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo1.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo1.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="photo" class="aligncenter wp-image-1144" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo1.jpg" height="168" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo1.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="168" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
1 scoop of <a data-mce-href="http://core4nutrition.com/c4fruitnveggie" href="http://core4nutrition.com/c4fruitnveggie" style="color: #3c2bb6;">Core 4 Nutrition’s Fruit N’ Veggie Might</a></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<em>-Packed with a powerful blend of more than 40 different fruits, vegetables and botanicals,<b> Fruit N Veggie Might </b>is specifically formulated to give your body the wide variety of whole food concentrates, micronutrients and antioxidants it needs to function fully. Read more about this here:</em> <a data-mce-href="http://core4nutrition.com" href="http://core4nutrition.com/" style="color: #3c2bb6;">Core 4 Nutrition</a></div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 168px;" id="attachment_1145" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 168px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-21.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-21.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="Core 4 Fruit N' Veggie Might" class=" wp-image-1145 " data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-21.jpg?w=225" height="210" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-21.jpg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="158" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Core 4 Fruit N' Veggie Might</dd></dl>
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Big handful of blueberries</div>
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¼ cup pomegranite kernals</div>
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Handful of raspberries</div>
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Ice</div>
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Blend until smooth and drink up!!</div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 235px;" id="attachment_1148" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 235px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled2.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled2.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="Untitled" class="size-medium wp-image-1148" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled2.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled2.jpg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Look at the amazing color!</dd></dl>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-4914022085591793452013-09-10T08:10:00.000-07:002013-09-10T08:10:16.659-07:00Creamy Avocado Pasta<br />
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It's been a while since I have posted a recipe. So I thought I would post one that I supplied to <a data-mce-href="http://sportymamalife.com/2013/08/14/breaking-all-the-rules/" href="http://sportymamalife.com/2013/08/14/breaking-all-the-rules/" style="color: #3c2bb6;">Runners World </a>for my Vegan article. It is a quick, delicious and nutritious meal.</div>
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It's no secret that I absolutely adore avacados. I put them in smoothies, on vegan burgers, make chocolate pudding from them, mash them and put them in my hair, put them on toast for breakfast, make salad dressing from them.....You name it, for me avo's have a place everywhere.</div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1138" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="Easy ingredients " class="size-medium wp-image-1138" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Easy ingredients</dd></dl>
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<ul style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<li>1 medium sized ripe Avocado, pitted</li>
<li>1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish</li>
<li>1-3 garlic cloves, to taste (I used 3 and it was super garlicky, but if you are not a big fan of garlic use 1 clove)</li>
<li>1/2 tsp sea salt, PLUS salt for the water</li>
<li>~1/4 cup Fresh Basil snipped right from my patio</li>
<li>2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>2 servings/6 oz of your choice of pasta (I used Quinoa curly pasta because that's what I had on hand. I usually use Quinoa spaghetti)</li>
<li>Freshly ground black pepper</li>
</ul>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled1.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled1.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="Untitled" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1139" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled1.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled1.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Bring water to a boil in a pot. (Salt your water as you would normally cooking pasta) Add in your pasta, reduce heat to medium, and cook until Al Dente.</div>
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Meanwhile, make the sauce by adding garlic cloves, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Now add in the pitted avocado, basil, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.</div>
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When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse and place pasta into a bowl. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper.</div>
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Serves 2</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-3.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-3.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="photo copy 3" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1140" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-3.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-3.jpg?w=225" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="225" /></a></div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 235px;" id="attachment_1141" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 235px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-5.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-5.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="I love how green everything is" class="size-medium wp-image-1141 " data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-5.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-5.jpg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">I Love How Fresh and Green Everything Looks</dd></dl>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-42580963669642015262013-09-03T07:13:00.000-07:002013-09-03T07:13:58.205-07:00Soothing It All In Saltwater<br />
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-6.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-6.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="photo copy 6" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1123" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-6.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-6.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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I am thankful for vacations. I am really thankful for vacations that seem to pop up JUST in the right time. Summer is winding down. School is starting back up. The routine and schedule of fall and winter is starting. It's that last little slice of the freedom of summer.</div>
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This came at just the right time for me, because rest was on my bodies mind.</div>
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Training has been going great! Until, it wasn’t. I had a very high mileage week, that started strong, came winding around the mid-week strong, feeling awesome and then….Saturday!! My 10-miler turned into a 6-miler that was 12 minutes <em><strong>S L O W E R</strong></em> than the 7-miler I did the day before. Huh? Scratch your head and do that math! TWELVE minutes slower! I could tell when I left my house that things weren’t feeling “so great” and when it came time for me to turn around, I knew this run was &%$*!!!! I came home completely used up. Sick. In pain. Total bonk! I was irritated. I pouted. I even told the Hubs, “I know why people hate running. If it feels like this I WOULD HATE IT TO” In fact that day…I did. I hated it. Hubs sat dumfounded in hearing my words. This man has been with me for over 19 years, I honestly don’t think he has ever heard those words leave my mouth before.</div>
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I showered, didn’t stretch, never do (hello, we may have a problem here) and sat down for about 30 minutes. In silence. I am a thinker. A contemplate-er. A talk-it-out’er. A resolve-er. And then…my optimism (ya know…the one that’s ALWAYS there) showed up. I immediately thought, hmmm I am bound to have a bad running day here and there.</div>
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I’ll be back out again tomorrow!!! (Dang optimism)</div>
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Didn’t happen.</div>
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**Side note** I am not a “get sore” type of person. It doesn’t matter the sport, the distance, if I’m doing yoga, lifting weights, doing Insanity, running, cycling, swimming….I don’t get sore. Hubs hates this about me. But it’s a fact Jack (yes I just watched an episode Duck Dynasty)</div>
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Well, the next morning when I woke up to run…I was sore. Sore in weird spots like, my ankles. My left hip. My stomach. I actually felt kind of sick. Not the kind of sick you feel as in over training. This was different. This is where the vacay fits in, because we were leaving in 3 days. I think I needed the rest. From what, I have no clue. But a rest none-the-less.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
So off we went. The hubs and I, on a little three state, coastal vacation. It was perfect! It was just the rest that I needed. We left Idaho for Bend, OR on our first day. We love Bend. I could live in Bend, OR. The next day, we headed to California. It was nice being home, and seeing family and friends. Even had a little sneaky-surprise party planned by my <em>oh-so-sneaky</em> best friend. Good thing we have been friends for 100 years or she would’ve NEVER been able to pull it off. And boy, did I make things difficult for her. HAHA! (sorry K, I do love ya)</div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1117" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/2.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/2.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-1117" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/2.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/2.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Sun Dial Bridge in Redding, CA</dd></dl>
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Leaving Redding, we headed for the coast, and just took our time driving the NorCal coast on Highway 101 and into OR and WA. The Oregon coast by far, has some of the most stunning scenery I’ve seen. I love all of the lighthouses. I love just being ON the ocean. There is a huge magnetic draw for me, towards the sea. It's when I am most happy, most at peace. Along the way we stopped where we wanted, when we wanted. Really had no agenda or itinerary, all the way to Seattle. It was fabulous! Life is extraordinary on no schedule. Especially when you are on the coast, in the sand, with your best friend (this time referring to the hubs) We laughed (a lot) prayed (a lot) read, talked, walked, visited breweries, hiked, ate amazing food, visited the memorial of Nirvana’s Curt Cobain, visited several lighthouses, picked sea glass and moon stones and some times, just sat in utter silence. The weather was the best we have ever had driving the coast. It rained one day, but the rest were blue skies and full of sun! I didn’t think about running the whole time. OK…that might have been a white lie…but I didn’t “stress” on the fact that I wasn’t running, and was just enjoying the moment. I <em>did</em> wonder (for a split second) if taking that much time off was going to hinder fitness.</div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 235px;" id="attachment_1118" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 235px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-1118" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled.jpg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Along The Way Cannon Beach, Newport, Yaquina, Patricks Point, Pacific City, Sea Lion Caves, Gold Beach, Bandon, Cood Bay, Seaside, Astoria, Crescent City, Eureka, Arcata</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1119" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-4.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-4.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-1119" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-4.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-4.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">One of my favorite pictures from the whole trip</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1120" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-7.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-7.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="Gorgeous Lift Bridge outside our room in Florence, OR" class="size-medium wp-image-1120" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-7.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-7.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Gorgeous Lift Bridge outside our room in Florence, OR</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1122" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-14.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-14.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="Went to a glass blowing studio and Hubs made me a Glass Float in Lincoln City, OR" class="size-medium wp-image-1122" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-14.jpg?w=300" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-14.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Went to a glass blowing studio and Hubs made me a Glass Float in Lincoln City, OR</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1121" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-17.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-17.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="Visiting the home town and Memorial of Nirvana's Curt Cobain. Aberdeen, WA" class="size-medium wp-image-1121" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-17.jpg?w=300" height="295" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-17.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Visiting the home town and Memorial of Nirvana's Curt Cobain. Aberdeen, WA</dd></dl>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-2.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-2.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="Aracata, CA" class="size-medium wp-image-1124" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-2.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-2.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Aracata, CA</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1127" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-11.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-11.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="Sea Cave" class="size-medium wp-image-1127" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-11.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-11.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Sea Cave</dd></dl>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-16.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-16.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="Saettle" class="size-medium wp-image-1126" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-16.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/photo-copy-16.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default;" width="300" /></a></div>
<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1126" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center; width: 310px;"><dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Seattle</dd></dl>
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So back home today, I went out in this wonderful fall-like rain, and did a nice casual run. Just to see how the body was feeling. It felt incredible.</div>
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I’m glad I listened. Glad I took the rest. Marathon is 8 weeks away. And guess what? I love running! Even when I have a bad day, or sometimes a bad week. It's bound to happen.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/tumblr_mo6c2yrtop1rgjad2o1_400.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/tumblr_mo6c2yrtop1rgjad2o1_400.jpg" style="color: #3c2bb6;"><img alt="tumblr_mo6c2yRToP1rgjad2o1_400" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1125" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/tumblr_mo6c2yrtop1rgjad2o1_400.jpg?w=249" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/tumblr_mo6c2yrtop1rgjad2o1_400.jpg?w=249" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="249" /></a></div>
Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-524206003852518802013-07-22T13:10:00.000-07:002013-07-22T13:10:44.175-07:00I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends<br />
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/unknown.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/unknown.jpeg"><img alt="Unknown" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1094" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/unknown.jpeg?w=300" height="125" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/unknown.jpeg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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I just came off of such and incredibly, inspiring, weekend. A weekend of nervous energy, loads of laughter (LOADS) tired muscles, roadtrippin’, group hugs, high fives, some tears, (from both nerves and happiness), tired aching muscles, a little anxiety, great friends, amazing girl time, new friendships (Hi Jenny and Tomek) Swedish Fish, a Twilight Zone McDonalds stop, toilet sleeping* and Ironman camaraderie.</div>
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Ironman Lake Stevens 70.3. (This is <em>not </em>a race report)</div>
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A few weeks ago I had made the decision to withdraw from racing LS. A decision that was hard, but I knew was in my best interest. A few days after that, the decision was made that I would still attend, with friends and my training group, as support & cheerleader! I had SUCH a great time!</div>
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From the fist 15 minutes of our car ride out of town, I knew this weekend would be amazing (hello Mini Vacation) The energy of a race has a way of oozing onto you, even if you aren’t racing. And of course a car of friends wrapped in laughter on a 4-hour road-trip is always Fab-ulous!!</div>
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We spent our first night in Issaquah, which is such a beautiful part of the Pacific NW (always so grateful that we get to <strong>LIVE</strong> here), at my friend’s sisters. They were great hosts (ummm, hot tub under the stars and a little vodka who can complain? Not this girl!) The next day we set out for a short drive into Lake Stevens, hit the expo, checked in and met other friends that were racing.</div>
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As the one not racing and just /observing it was funny to see my friends rituals of set up. Clothing, shoes, helmets, bags, changes of clothes. I observed, being sure to be <strong>very quiet</strong> as they worked. They talked to themselves, changed things around, walked around the hotel room…. all this, while I sat in silence. I felt like Sigourney Weaver in Gorillas in the Mist, watching…from afar. Taking it all in, but being careful not to “startle anyone!" They asked for advice on things, to which I <em>carefully</em> answered what I would do…but adding, “everyone is different.” A strange breed us Triathletes are. But then again…having something “off” can make or break a race. All joking aside, they were great....I just know how it is when I am in race prep, and let them carry on, not getting into their way.</div>
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After the packing ritual….we hit dinner with our whole group. Italian of course, and again the laughter and wine flowed easily. We toasted everyone, toasted our coach, toasted to the hard work and dedication of this group of athletes. Then…bed!</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams.jpg"><img alt="BAMS" class="size-medium wp-image-1091" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">We don't have ANY fun!</dd></dl>
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Watching and waiting for friends to finish a race, especially a 70.3 distance is a test of patience and sometimes frustration. Not knowing (on a huge course) where people are and trying to keep everyone tracked down is cRaZy! Especially when you know so many racing. Luckily, I had some great friends to keep me company throughout the day that had also made the drive over to support our BAM’s</div>
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For many of them, it was a first at the 70.3 distance. They all trained hard and well during the past few months. But as anyone knows on race morning…you forget all that you have put into training and your mind wanders to the “what if’s” and the “maybe I should’ve.” They have ALL trained, but of course 2 minutes before jumping into a lake with 1500 other athletes for a 1.2-mile swim, you forget that. So again, we spoke softly, but gave lots of hugs, smiles, "go get 'em's" slaps on the butt, quiet whispers (R.T.B.) and sent them on their way.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams2.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams2.jpg"><img alt="BAMS2" class="size-medium wp-image-1092" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams2.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams2.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Lake Stevens 70.3</dd></dl>
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Click to Enlarge Photos</div>
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Watching friends from my training group cross the finish line at a race is amazing! It brings tears to my eyes, and a huge smile to my face. It makes my heart happy to see people accomplishing their goals! To see their families waiting in anticipation is priceless! Their hard work and dedication paid off. And as hard as they worked out there…the minute they cross that finish line it’s all worth it.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams3.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams3.jpg"><img alt="The SWEET success of a Finish Line" class="size-medium wp-image-1093" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams3.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/bams3.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">The SWEET success of a Finish Line</dd></dl>
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Great work BAM’s! You ALL finished! You ALL rocked! <strong>Congratulations on your Ironman 70.3 finishes, Fishes!! </strong> The big one’s next!!</div>
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PS: IM Lake Stevens put on a phenomenal race. It is a GORGEOUS venue to race at. Great support, great seeing the Pro's out (Congrats to <a data-mce-href="http://www.craigalexander.net" href="http://www.craigalexander.net/">Craig "Crowie" Alexander</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://www.meredithkessler.com" href="http://www.meredithkessler.com/">Meredith Kessler</a> on their wins) there, and perfect climate. This 70.3 is definitely on my future race list. No doubt!!</div>
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* I've discovered that this is what happens when you are so sleep deprived and you stop for a potty break. It allows you a 2-minute nap.</div>
Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-80115897974193527442013-07-09T15:46:00.000-07:002013-07-10T10:02:20.471-07:00The Break-Up<br />
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Summer has so far proved to be amazing...<em>as usual.</em> It's my time of year. My season. It never disappoints. Well...OK, I retract that as sometimes living in the Pacific Northwest our summers are more of a quick blip on the calendar in August. I love the hot (sometimes but rarely humid) days. I love waking early, and getting in a run while the sun is rising. And some days like yesterday, absolutely killing it on a six-mile run in the blistering, heat of the afternoon. I love that feeling of sore, tired, muscles. Sweating so much you feel like you've had a complete detox or a good session in the sauna. Finishing off those miles wondering if your legs will give out on you altogether or if when you stop there will be a puke-explosion! Now....six-miles is not a lot to run mileage wise, but when your last mile is entirely uphill, it is 85 degrees, full sun, and you feel like you may collapse....that six-miles can feel like your twenty-sixth.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/394979_168702396605999_1851752270_n.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/394979_168702396605999_1851752270_n.jpg"><img alt="394979_168702396605999_1851752270_n" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1085" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/394979_168702396605999_1851752270_n.jpg?w=300" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/394979_168702396605999_1851752270_n.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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That hill I speak of, some days it's my best friend. It's my "cool down" and I walk that 1-mile hill to my house. Some days it's my worst enemy, as I run it and do <a data-mce-href="http://beta.active.com/running/articles/hill-repeats-to-improve-your-run" href="http://beta.active.com/running/articles/hill-repeats-to-improve-your-run">repeats</a> on it...either way, I live at the top, and what runs down, must run up! Yesterday I felt like calling the Hubs for a pick-up at the bottom. Luckily I didn't have my phone, so it was "tackle this B*tch!" Glad I did. The first thing that came out of my mouth, all exasperated, out of breath, sweating like a dog, used up completely, when I got back to the house, and Hubs was sitting on the front porch, in the shade, was <strong>"WHY ON EARTH DO WE LIVE AT THE <em>TOP</em> OF A GIANT HILL!!!??" </strong>After I grabbed some water, stretched and cooled out...all I had to do was look around. Enough said.<em></em></div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo.jpg"><img alt="Not Such a Bad View Coming Up Our Hill" class="size-medium wp-image-1082" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo.jpg?w=300" height="224" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Not Such a Bad View Coming Up Our Hill</dd></dl>
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I have officially started training for my Fall marathon. I am excited! I of course scoured through different training plans <a data-mce-href="http://sportymamalife.com/2013/06/28/a-little-scratching-a-little-cleaning-a-little-focus/" href="http://sportymamalife.com/2013/06/28/a-little-scratching-a-little-cleaning-a-little-focus/">*see last weeks blog post*</a> and<br />
<del style="color: red;">felt pretty good with my decision.</del> Annnnd.... have since changed my mind. Go figure! Thank goodness we are only 2 weeks in. So switching gears a bit, I decided to use the Hanson Method. Their book, <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/Hansons-Marathon-Method-Renegade-Fastest/dp/1934030856" href="http://www.amazon.com/Hansons-Marathon-Method-Renegade-Fastest/dp/1934030856">Hansons Marathon Method: A Renegade Path to Your Fastest Marathon</a>, just made me laugh. And I thought, how apropos. I like the "renegade" part. Again...Go figure! Those who know me know that this word "renegade" alone would've sucked me in.</div>
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So I am starting this week (yesterday) 3 weeks into their plan. So far, so good, but it's only been 2 days. It will be a completely different approach for me, as far as marathon training goes. My longest run will only be a 16-miler (which I will do 3 times during training) VS a 20 or 22-miler. They say they train you for the last 16 miles of the marathon and not the first 16. It's a 6-day a week plan, that incorporates speed, strength and tempo workouts and trains your body to run on tired legs. From some of my Ultra friends, I hear this is a great approach. I will be putting in anywhere from 46-62 miles per week. The reviews are fantastic! So that's settled....for good this time!</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo1.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo1.jpg"><img alt="photo" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1083" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo1.jpg?w=210" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo1.jpg?w=210" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="210" /></a></div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo.png" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo.png"><img alt="This is What My First 8-weeks Will Look Like (I Started on Week 3)" class="size-medium wp-image-1086" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo.png?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/photo.png?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">This is What My First 8-weeks Will Look Like (I Started on Week 3)</dd></dl>
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On another note, I am sad to say, I am going to be breaking up with my running shoes. This crushes and breaks my heart. I do not understand (well I do) why manufacturers need to change-up their shoe's design. I know as technology and science betters with time, they need to make a change...but OH MY GOSH...do I love my shoes. Unfortunately since they made a small change, my last 2 pairs have been a little lackluster. Including my newest pair. I feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I type, and am now wishing I had been better at hoarding these shoes. As in buying up 25 pairs while they were so great! I would've had shoes for a few years. So now I am left in a quandary, trying to figure out what to switch to. LUCKILY, I am in early training and have some time to get this worked out. The break-up will be hard, and I will go through a mourning process, possibly locking myself in my room and listening to old <a data-mce-href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LatorN4P9aA" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LatorN4P9aA">Journey</a> or some <a data-mce-href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOxhH8N3Bo" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOxhH8N3Bo">Total Eclipse of the Heart</a>s for a few days. But like any other break-up, I know something better will come along.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/images.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/images.jpeg"><img alt="images" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1080" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/images.jpeg" height="171" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/images.jpeg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="295" /></a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/images-1.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/images-1.jpeg"><img alt="images-1" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1081" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/images-1.jpeg" height="199" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/images-1.jpeg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="254" /></a></div>
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I'd love to hear from you about training plans and shoes. Which plans have worked and which have not? Which running shoes have you had a love affair with? Have there been bad break-ups? How did you cope? And what was the "something better" that came along?? Was it hard saying Good-Bye?</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/m223755735.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/m223755735.jpg"><img alt="m223755735" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1084" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/m223755735.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/m223755735.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-67008308901657868172013-06-28T18:12:00.000-07:002013-06-28T18:24:00.591-07:00A Little Scratching. A Little Cleaning. A Little Focus.<br />
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Travel is done for a bit now. Coming off of our Honduras trip was like coming back from the moon. It took time to re-acclimate to life in Idaho. I was in a little bubble for about a week..NOW, it's time to get down to business again. Running business. Training business.</div>
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I decided late last week to officially scratch from Ironman Lake Stevens in July. Tough decision, being I have never missed a race. (I take that back...one sprint Tri several years ago, due to incredible sickness...the kind of sickness that we won't speak of) Here's the deal...life sometimes throws a curve ball, in this case, it was ALOT of travel and fun...and not enough training time. That's fine. I mean...I really can't complain about the travel. Could I have raced Lake Stevens?? Yes! ***But, for me, at the risk of a possible injury. I don't know. It would've been ugly, and I just felt that it was really in my best interest to let it go. I have to be smart, and train smart. So I withdrew and will race it another year.</div>
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I took 4 days this week while my Wiley Coyote of a daughter was at <a data-mce-href="http://www.wsucougars.com/sports/c-track/wast-c-track-body.html" href="http://www.wsucougars.com/sports/c-track/wast-c-track-body.html">Track and Field Camp at WSU</a> to absolutely de-clutter every closet in my house! That's a lot of closets. (You have <em>NO</em> idea) The purging of the closets, was so cleansing for me. In a way that I didn't expect. I was sad and had my head hanging about Lake Stevens....and then as the un-needed stuff <read crap> came out of the closets, and I saw these fresh, clean, organized spaces, I thought....this is JUST what I needed. De-cluttering of the mind. Trip after trip to the trash, Goodwill, the dump....until it was all gone. My closets are clean, my head-space is clear, and I have a fresh, new, outlook for a race plan. I needed to kick that old race away. I have. And I feel good about it. Refreshed!</div>
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So, back to training. Running! With occasional cross-training with my girls. "Occasional" meaning, most swim and bike days. But my focus has tilted and I am ready to start my new training plan for a Fall marathon. If I pick up a few 5 or 10K's along the way, so be it. I am considering a couple different ones, <a data-mce-href="http://portlandmarathon.org/register-now/" href="http://portlandmarathon.org/register-now/">Portland Marathon</a> and <a data-mce-href="https://3rrr.org/events/registration/?ee=61" href="https://3rrr.org/events/registration/?ee=61">Tri Cities Marathon.</a> <strong>Both</strong> in October, <strong>both</strong> look and sound like a great time! <strong>Neither</strong> I have done before! New races make me excited!</div>
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Monday, I am back at it. I have been scouring over training plans. I have done this before, but ya never know what kind of nugget you will pull out of various plans. By Sunday night, the plan will be set, and Monday will be D-Day!</div>
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<em>D-Day |ˈdi ˌdeɪ|noun the day• the day on which an important operation is to begin or a change to take effect: </em></div>
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I'm looking forward to being back on a training plan. I guess I don't function well without one. It's such an internal fight for me...not wanting to be tied down to a "plan" but knowing that I need a <em><strong>focus.</strong></em> That's how I succeed. That's the type of person I am, and how I roll. And I <em>know</em> if I "fail to plan, then I should plan to fail!"</div>
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It was kind of ironic this afternoon when I went to pick up Wiley-Coyote from camp. We had a "end of camp" pow-wow, and one of the coaches addressed the campers and parents. Wow did he have some great stuff to say. Sitting there, I got SO pumped that I wanted to jump out of my chair. It was the final motivation for me. He even talked about Olympic track and field athletes that were set up for greatness and things didn't end up so great, and that sometimes in life, this happens. It's what you do about it after that makes a huge difference. This is so true. I could sit and beat myself up about missing this 70.3 or I could clean and sharpen the lens and <em><strong>Find the focus!</strong></em></div>
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Monday....I Run!!</div>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-68278491471650854522013-06-21T14:04:00.000-07:002013-06-21T15:44:58.322-07:00The Build<br />
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2337.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2337.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2337" class="size-medium wp-image-1043" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2337.jpg?w=300" height="184" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2337.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Our Amazing Build Team</dd></dl>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bfc77a5e8ac24fed22dc3d20b65c4a22.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bfc77a5e8ac24fed22dc3d20b65c4a22.jpg"><img alt="bfc77a5e8ac24fed22dc3d20b65c4a22" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1058" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bfc77a5e8ac24fed22dc3d20b65c4a22.jpg?w=300" height="115" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bfc77a5e8ac24fed22dc3d20b65c4a22.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Tuesday through Friday were dedicated to building. I had no idea how this was going to work…being I have never built a single thing…especially a house!! This amazed me, but I knew that God put us here and would equip us with the needed skills.</div>
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We got to the build site, and it was a flat foundation. We were literally starting from the ground up. Our lumber had not been delivered, so we had a while to chat and get to know our wonderful Honduran builders who were there to help us out. It was interesting to see all of us, so…. flexible, about <em>not</em> having the wood when we got to the job site. We had been prepped for this. Hondurans, and I think the whole of Central America is…shall we say…on their own time. You really have to go with the flow, and if you are a punctual, Type-A person, this might bend your nerves.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/typeapersonality.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/typeapersonality.jpg"><img alt="typeapersonality" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1052" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/typeapersonality.jpg?w=300" height="274" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/typeapersonality.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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As we waited, the kids of the neighborhood started to emerge, checking out the “gringos.” They were precious. So loving and sweet, with huge smiles and hearts to match. We had brought treats to share with them. Candy, gum, bubbles. And they ate it up.</div>
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We had some time to interact with a few ladies living within the neighborhood, and I was amazed at the faith of these people. They have nothing of material means, but are so rich in a million other ways. We heard great stories of how God has provided so much for them. Their smiles and heir thankfulness was astounding! They have faith like I’ve never experienced.</div>
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It was incredible to see and hear of the physical miracles that God has provided for this area of the country. A well that has pure water, when ALL of the surrounding wells are contaminated below the dump. How unbelievable!! But that’s our God! He’s up for the unbelievable!</div>
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As the day went on we started building. It was amazing to see our team move together in unity. Each of us, taking a job, from carrying lumber to the site, learning to use a hammer to nail boards, using a saw for the first time, measuring (NOT my forte') faming doors, windows, putting up siding or playing with the sweet niños who were surrounding us all day. We all tried things we have never done before. Our Honduran friends were great at allowing us to try as they got the giggles a few times watching us.</div>
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On our first day at work, we managed to get up all four walls, framed, and three sided. WOW!! Can you say, we work well together? As the days went on, we felt more and more comfortable in our environment. We laughed a lot, and were so thankful everyday for cooler temperatures (even a little rain) we learned about one another as we worked, and formed an amazing bond with our Honduran friends that will last a lifetime. The kids became more and more familiar with us, as we learned their names. They would come running every morning to see us and the ones that were in school, we looked forward to seeing in the afternoon. Personally for me, this was one of my favorite things. I have such a heart for children, and always have. There were so many conversations with these sweeties, that neither of us had any idea what the other was saying…their English is non-existent, and my Spanish is muy malo!! But somehow, there was this transcendence between us that made it all work out. We laughed, and had the best time taking pictures, blowing bubbles and eating candy. They loved helping us as we built. Helping us carry wood, and sometimes nailing a few nails. They acted goofy, just like kids do, and I was happy that they were so willing to allow us into their lives.</div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1037" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled.jpg"><img alt="Untitled" class="size-medium wp-image-1037" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Great Team Work</dd></dl>
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After that first day, half of our team was ask to go and work on another project in the neighborhood. Building a room for another woman, who needed some extra space for herself and her house full of nephews. Half of the team and half of our Honduran workers left, and I wondered how this would affect the time frame of our house. God knew we could all handle it, and as we worked on two different projects, it all came together, and both projects were completely finished.</div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1056" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled-saw.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled-saw.jpg"><img alt="A Gringa and Her Saw" class="size-medium wp-image-1056" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled-saw.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled-saw.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">A Gringa and Her Saw</dd></dl>
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On our last build day, we were full of anticipation to meet the new owners. We had a few small jobs to finish up on the house, and then were taken down to <a data-mce-href="http://www.afehonduras.org" href="http://www.afehonduras.org/">AFE</a> school for a special treat from the kids…WOW were we surprised to walk into a room full of ALL the students, cheering for us, and embracing us. They all performed songs and dances for us, by grade, and at the end had us all come up, and ran to us in a giant Hug Attack! This made me burst into tears! These kids, who in one short week completely stole my heart, were laughing and hugging every single one of us, all at the same time! It was incredible. My heart was bursting with happiness, love and also sadness at the same time, knowing this was our last day to see them. I took hundreds of pictures, and cannot wait to go back and see as these kids grow year by year.</div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1038" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/kids.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/kids.jpg"><img alt="Kids" class="size-medium wp-image-1038" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/kids.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/kids.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">These Kids Stole our Hearts</dd></dl>
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The time came for us to go back to the house. We were going to meet the family, and dedicate the house. I was full of anticipation and excitement! As this sweet family crested the hill, I saw them for the first time and my heart leaped out of my chest. Thank you, God for allowing me a glimpse that first day at <a data-mce-href="http://www.afehonduras.org" href="http://www.afehonduras.org/">AFE</a>….the little girls running up the hill to us, were the very girls that leaped into my arms that very first day that we visited <a data-mce-href="http://www.afehonduras.org" href="http://www.afehonduras.org/">AFE</a>. Again, little Lucy leaped into my arms, standing outside of her new home. I could hardly believe it! What a blessing to us. We loved on the family as we talked/met their mother, Carmen. We learned of her story of how she and her 4 girls had been abandoned, and they had been living in a hostile environment with her sister alongside the road, 8 in the small shanty. She told us that her oldest daughter had told her sister that they would soon get a house….<em>this was <strong>BEFORE</strong> she actually knew that they were getting a house. </em> Her sister had been mean-spirited and said, "they would never have a house of their own." Her daughter prayed and asked for a house….and that’s where God brought us into the picture. Our team formed to build this house for them. As we presented her with a Bible, prayed over her, her children, and their new house, and handed her the keys, I couldn’t hold back my tears of joy. God is so good to the faithful. It’s amazing to me, to feel at first we were called to go to Honduras to be a blessing to those in need, and as it turns out, I feel that WE were the ones receiving the blessings a hundred times over. God taught us so much while we were in Honduras. Thankfulness in any situation, that He WILL provide exactly what each of us needs, to have giant faith, that He can take any situation and make it extraordinary, that we don’t “need” a lot to be happy and joy-filled, that language and culture are never a barrier if you go in with an open heart, a smile, and God’s love that flows through us.</div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 235px;" id="attachment_1059" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 235px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_7403.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_7403.jpeg"><img alt="Our fearless leader. Thank you for listening to God's prompting to form this team, and your love for Honduras! " class="size-medium wp-image-1059" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_7403.jpeg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_7403.jpeg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Our fearless leader. Thank you for listening to God's prompting to form this team, and your love for Honduras!</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1060" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_7202.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_7202.jpeg"><img alt="Adore this family and their leadership on this mission. " class="size-medium wp-image-1060" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_7202.jpeg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_7202.jpeg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Adore this family and their leadership on this mission.</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 235px;" id="attachment_1061" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 235px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_3114.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_3114.jpg"><img alt="Mama and Daughter....and the blond gringa. " class="size-medium wp-image-1061" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_3114.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_3114.jpg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Mama and Daughter....and the blond gringa.</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1039" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled-house.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled-house.jpg"><img alt="Untitled HOUSE" class="size-medium wp-image-1039" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled-house.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/untitled-house.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">From Framing to House</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 235px;" id="attachment_1040" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 235px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2312.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2312.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2312" class="size-medium wp-image-1040" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2312.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2312.jpg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Our Sweet Family...dedicating her knew house!</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1041" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2316.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2316.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2316" class="size-medium wp-image-1041" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2316.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2316.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Our Honduran Crew....man did they show us patience!</dd></dl>
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Being back home has been tough this week. How do we go back to normal? I have never experienced having culture shock, coming HOME. I am again grateful for the night before we left and the meeting we had on how to come home. We prepare for this trip for a long time, but often don’t think of how it will be coming back home. We learned that when we come home we could have feelings of guilt. That after seeing what we saw, being where we were, the experiences we went through, we come home to the familiarity of home, clean water, flushing toilets, clean clothes, our jobs, house, cars, etc to not allow guilt to take over. We should feel a burden. Not guilt. A burden for what we can do….How to respond. We talked about our emotions, when people say, “How was your trip?” and our reaction when people say, “it looks like a great time” well……..</div>
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I know they will never understand. And that's ok.</div>
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We know that what we have in our country is by God’s design. He has seen us fit to live where we live and have the lives that we have because He <em>knows we can handle it.</em> He put us here.</div>
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I know that He changed me…and all of us, on this trip. He grew us in ways that were unexpected and astounding.</div>
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I have had on my heart for so long, to do a mission trip and was SO thankful that on our very first night in Honduras, as Greg and I sat and prayed together…in the quiet of our room God said, <em><strong>“Paula, I know the desires of your heart. I placed them there.”</strong></em></div>
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Beautiful confirmation.</div>
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So as we take our time, each of us, to get back to "normal life", dealing with the shock of being home, may we never lose sight of the changes that were brought upon us, a burden to help those in need, to think of others and not always put ourselves first, to shine God’s love everyday, to have astounding faith in every circumstance. And to see everyday that we are so blessed.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2163.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2163.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2163" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1042" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2163.jpg?w=300" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2163.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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After our week of hard work and dedication, we had some great down time. To laugh, and play and shop. Eat <a data-mce-href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pupusa" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pupusa">Pupusas</a> and get hopped-up on phenomenal coffee! What an incredible city! What an amazing country. What a sensational team!</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2376.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2376.jpg"><img alt="Sean and Melissa (brother and sister-in-law) after a week of hard work." class="size-medium wp-image-1044" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2376.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2376.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default;" width="300" /></a></div>
<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1044" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center; width: 310px;"><dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Sean and Melissa (brother and sister-in-law) after a week of hard work.</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 235px;" id="attachment_1046" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 235px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2384.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2384.jpg"><img alt="At Valley of the Angels on our day off" class="size-medium wp-image-1046 " data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2384.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2384.jpg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">At Valley of the Angels on our day off. Best coffee EVER! Think I'm still buzzing from it!</dd></dl>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2387.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2387.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2387" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1047" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2387.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2387.jpg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2340.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2340.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2340" class="size-medium wp-image-1049" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2340.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2340.jpg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Girls just wanna have Fun!</dd></dl>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2362.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2362.jpg"><img alt="Having Our First Pupusas" class="size-medium wp-image-1048" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2362.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2362.jpg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Having Our First Pupusas</dd></dl>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2339.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2339.jpg"><img alt="IMG_2339" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1045" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2339.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2339.jpg?w=225" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="225" /></a></div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 235px;" id="attachment_1053" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 235px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/photo.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/photo.jpg"><img alt="Yes, I DID eat this....A Lychee. " class="size-medium wp-image-1053" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/photo.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/photo.jpg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Yes, I DID eat this....A Lychee.</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1050" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2402.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2402.jpg"><img alt="None of us will forget the HUGE military presence keeping us safe in Tegucigalpa." class="size-medium wp-image-1050" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2402.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2402.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">None of us will forget the HUGE military presence keeping us safe in Tegucigalpa.</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 235px;" id="attachment_1051" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 235px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2432.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2432.jpg"><img alt="Leaving for Home" class="size-medium wp-image-1051" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2432.jpg?w=225" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_2432.jpg?w=225" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Leaving for Home</dd><div>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-50549077638057632152013-06-18T12:30:00.000-07:002013-06-18T12:30:20.751-07:00Mission Day One<br />
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-102217.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-102217.jpg"><img alt="20130618-102217.jpg" class="size-full " data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-102217.jpg" height="139" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-102217.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Looking over Tegucigalpa</dd></dl>
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How can one describe the indescribable? Explain a rainbow of color to one who has never had sight? Or the most beautiful of sounds to one who has never heard a single sound?</div>
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Yesterday was our first full day back from Honduras. The sights, sounds and smells of that country and what we experienced is fresh in my mind. My heart is heavy. I have, in a twenty-four hour period, since stepping off of that plane, experienced a hundred different emotions. I feel weighted down and as if someone is sitting on my chest making it difficult to breathe. I have gone from sitting quietly, reflecting, praying, looking at pictures, full of joy, to sobbing, to anger and back again. Having my best friend, the hubster, here to talk with has been my most valuable asset.<br />I loved all of the well wishes from friends and family yesterday, but honestly couldn't bring myself to talk to anyone, but one. Who I longed to talk to was my team. No one will get me and what I feel, but them. And when checking in on one, I heard she had the same sort of feelings. Like refugees, scattered around our small city, I feel out of place and out of sorts. I am glad on our last night, as we met as a team, we were given "pointers" on how to re-enter. I know what I am feeling is normal, and know that it will be a process to work through. How do you come back to this life in the US, so full of abundance after seeing and experiencing what we did? I am excited to share this amazing journey with you.</div>
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On our first day we visited the <a data-mce-href="http://www.afehonduras.org/" href="http://www.afehonduras.org/">AFE</a> school. AFE stands for Amor, Fe y Esperanza (Love, Faith and Hope) We toured AFE and heard about its beginning. It's quite amazing how God can work through the smallest of children to do something so huge in a country. We learned how one visit to the dump in Tegucigalpa prompted a tiny girls heart to help an entire population stricken by incomprehensible poverty.<br />We visited each class at AFE starting with the nursery. Kids can immediately grab your heart, and I knew mine was gone the second we stepped in to play with these sweet cherubs.<br />As we visited each class, we learned their names, favorite colors, favorite subjects and what they would like to be when growing up. Doctors, paralegals, engineers, teachers, soccer players... They asked us questions as well, and it was so fun to hear their laughter as we struggled over our Spanish. We ended in each classroom, with an encouragement, "Te ve en la Universidad!"<br />It was amazing to see this school. To know that these students, not long ago were attending school for the first time, under a make-shift tarp, sitting on old tires, in the dump. Now they have roofs over their heads, sitting at desks and tables. God is good!</div>
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The next part of our day was a visit to the dump. We were educated on this, and were prepared...so we thought, for this visit. We were not allowed to take any photos, out of respect and dignity to those who make the dump their home. And honestly, pictures would've never conveyed what we saw.<br />As we drove up the winding hill, I prayed..."Lord, give me the strength I need for this. Give me eyes to see, and ears to hear these people."<br />We were going up to feed the people of the dump and I thought about how it would have been for Jesus. How the dirty, sick and starving would come to Him and how he loved them all. I continued to pray as we pulled in. I was nervous. I had images of what I thought we would see, but as we approached I realized, quickly, that even my worst minds-image, wasn't even close. We stepped out of the van with our bags of water and food, and the crowds emerged. At first it was hard to wrap my mind around these....people. Broken. Dirty. Emaciated. Their clothes, faces and hair all one color. I grabbed my composer, trying my best to keep my eyes from tearing. Trying my best to...breathe, through the rancid, sour, odor of rot and decomposition that was permeating my nose and mouth. We started a line to hand out water. We were instructed to make three lines, for men, women and children. As they raced into lines to grab whatever they could, I saw their faces for the first time. Their eyes. These people, who were entrenched in the piles of trash, right along with the buzzards and dogs, who seemed almost "un-human" had eyes so tender. Their faces, became real to me. They became, people. Human beings. I watched as smiles emerged from faces, grateful for just the small amount of food and interaction. I left the line with bags of water to hand out. I walked a ways, praying a silent prayer over these people. May God spare them of this. I watched as they scoured through new trash as trucks entered. Frenzied, looking for any tidbit they could find. Grateful for even a chicken carcass that was thrown out, so that they could have a meal for their family.<br />We got back into the van, and I sobbed! I didn't want to leave. I wanted to be able to do more. I wanted for this entire population of people living in the dump to not exist. These men, women, children and infants to have a place to live and work and eat and breathe! To be clean and have fresh water. I wanted to scream. But I sobbed.</div>
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After our dump visit, I was so emotionally drained, I could barely speak. In fact all of us were quiet...each of us processing what we had experienced. Quietly lifting up prayers as the day went on. Praying for AFE and how God is using that ministry. Praying for our strength, as we all knew that the next day we would be out in the neighborhood building a house from the ground up. I was encouraged by this. Was excited to meet the family we were building for and hand the keys over on that last day. Little did I know, that God had given me a little glimpse on this very first day at AFE.</div>
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I changed on that day. Changed in a way that I am still working through and processing. Changed in a way that I cannot convey and may never be able to. A soul change. A shift so strong in me that I know I am a different person. That day at the dump will never leave my mind. The kids at AFE will never leave my prayers. My list of names is long. i know the country of Honduras is on my heart. I know and see that God IS working in this country. I know He is bigger than all of this.</div>
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- to be continued.....</div>
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For more information on AFE and their ministry, go to http://www.afehonduras.org/</div>
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~For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land. -Deuteronomy 15:11</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101248.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101248.jpg"><img alt="20130618-101248.jpg" class="size-full " data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101248.jpg" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101248.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Little Lucy</dd></dl>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101343.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101343.jpg"><img alt="20130618-101343.jpg" class="size-full " data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101343.jpg" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101343.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">They loved the camera!</dd></dl>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101436.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101436.jpg"><img alt="20130618-101436.jpg" class="size-full aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101436.jpg" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101436.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101510.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101510.jpg"><img alt="20130618-101510.jpg" class="size-full aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101510.jpg" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101510.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="225" /></a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-1015531.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-1015531.jpg"><img alt="20130618-101553.jpg" class="size-full aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-1015531.jpg" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-1015531.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101635.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101635.jpg"><img alt="20130618-101635.jpg" class="size-full " data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101635.jpg" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101635.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Hiking to the statue of Jesus</dd></dl>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101750.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101750.jpg"><img alt="20130618-101750.jpg" class="size-full " data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101750.jpg" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-101750.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Below the statue<br />~ When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to Heaven. - Luke 24:50-51</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 235px;" id="" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 235px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-102323.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-102323.jpg"><img alt="20130618-102323.jpg" class="size-full " data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-102323.jpg" height="300" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/20130618-102323.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="225" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Christo el Picacho visible from any point in the city of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.</dd></dl>
</div>
Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-58849222079259020462013-06-07T16:43:00.003-07:002013-06-07T16:45:43.877-07:00....And We're Off<div style="text-align: center;">
** Don't forget I have moved to: www.sportymamalife.com **</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/unknown1.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/unknown1.jpeg"><img alt="Unknown" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1003" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/unknown1.jpeg" height="214" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/unknown1.jpeg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="235" /></a></div>
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It's Friday! Last minute goodies have been picked up, immunizations (OUCH) have been injected, antibiotics have been picked up! In 24 short hours we will be boarding a plane for Honduras! Today is packing day!</div>
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As this trip has been building so has my anticipation, excitement, and elation. I am a complete wad of emotion today. God has a way of doing that to me. And when you know that this is exactly the will of God, and exactly where you should be beyond a shadow of a doubt...that's got some power behind it.</div>
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I have so much fun talking with people about this trip this past week. Here are some things I have heard....</div>
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"Ya know as American's we have so much. But we always want more, always....man, we have so much to be thankful for, and really need nothing more. We really have NOTHING to complain about, do we?"</div>
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So true!</div>
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"This is going to give you such a different perspective on life, as you leave the comforts of home (which we often take for granted) and serve in this desperately poverty-stricken area. You my friend, will never be the same."</div>
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Counting on it!</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
"Be prayerful about the fact that you may feel a little guilt as you leave your job site everyday, knowing what you are doing for this sweet family (and their current situation)...as you go back to your <em><strong>hotel</strong></em>."</div>
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So true!</div>
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"God is going to use you, Greg and your whole team, in such a huge and impactful way."</div>
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So incredibly true!</div>
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"You will be <strong><em>so</em></strong> changed by this experience!"</div>
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Already have been!</div>
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And a quote sent to me by a sweet friend, "No one grows up hoping someday they'll be typical. Get back to leading that inexplicable life you were aiming for."</div>
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As I pack, I find myself a little teary-eyed, overflowing with so much thankfulness and joy. I am grateful that we (our team) are willing to take this incredible leap of faith together. To reach across geographical and cultural boundaries sharing sensitivity, warmth, love, tenderness, kindness....humanity. I am praying...</div>
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God may every single thing we do on this trip be for your glory. May the lives of these Hondurans be forever changed by Your love, care and compassion. And that we are the best representation of that love and compassion. Keep our teams safe, healthy and full of endurance for this job. And Lord, thank you for showing me so long ago, to never, ever, take anything in my life for granted.</div>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1004" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_1-copy.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_1-copy.jpg"><img alt="IMG_1 copy" class="size-medium wp-image-1004" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_1-copy.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_1-copy.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">A Whole Different Kind of "cosmetic bag"</dd></dl>
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<dl class="wp-caption aligncenter" data-mce-style="width: 310px;" id="attachment_1005" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 10px auto; padding-top: 4px; width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_1.jpg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_1.jpg"><img alt="IMG_1" class="size-medium wp-image-1005" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_1.jpg?w=300" height="225" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/img_1.jpg?w=300" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Hammer, check! Tape measure, check! Work gloves, check! Say what.....??</dd></dl>
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~Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. -Galatians 6:9</div>
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~Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. -Hebrews 12:1</div>
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<em>“Christ wants not nibblers of the possible, but grabbers of the impossible.” </em>— C.T. Studd</div>
Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-77696834078081868572013-06-02T19:47:00.001-07:002013-06-02T19:47:38.602-07:00Kind of Like The Oscars....but German<br />
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And what, I'm sure you are wondering, is the Liebster Blog Award? I did some looking around, searching, Googling (YES, I Googled) to find out exactly what is is. Liebser is a German word meaning sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. Basically, it's a "favorite" blog site award. The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. It's a great way to connect with other bloggers and help spread the word about newer bloggers/blogs. A way to "pay it forward"</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/images-2.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/images-2.jpeg"><img alt="images-2" class="aligncenter wp-image-996" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/images-2.jpeg" height="170" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/images-2.jpeg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="146" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Now for the fun part and the rules of this award.</div>
<ul style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<li>Recognizing the awesome blogger that nominated you!</li>
<li>Write 11 things about yourself.</li>
<li>Answer the 11 questions the blogger who nominated you asked.</li>
<li>Nominate new bloggers!</li>
<li>Write 11 questions of your own for the bloggers you nominate.</li>
</ul>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<strong> </strong> Here we go~~ <strong> <span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"> Eleven Things About Me</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></strong></div>
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1. I am a neat freak, like organization and hate being late to anything. (Since being a wife and Mother I have had to pretty much give up on that last one.....ok maybe all of them, but life is so much sweeter since)</div>
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2. I am a window shopaholic and cannot go into a store for<em> only</em> the ONE thing I went in for to begin with.</div>
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3. I have been a runner most of my life. It's my passion. I have done 20-plus 1/2 Marathons, 2 full Marathons, Sprint Tri's, Oly Tri and 2 Ironman Triathlons. I plan on running until I can no longer move.</div>
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4. I always manage to see the positive in every single person I meet, regardless of the situation and circumstance.</div>
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5. Most things can be solved over a box of Swedish Fish or Hot Tamales.</div>
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6. It's impossible for me to take only one picture when photographing something. Kind of like eating a french fry....it is simply impossible to eat just one.</div>
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7. I love reading and at any given time, am usually reading 2-3 books at a time (sometimes more)</div>
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8. I think laughter is the most amazing sound I have ever heard....and thank goodness, because in this family there is NO LACK of it!</div>
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9. Shoes! Enough said!</div>
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10. I may, or may not, have a <em>slight</em> closet video game obsession.</div>
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11. I love traveling and different cultures. This is a huge planet with such diversity. I want to see and experience as much of it as I possibly can.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The 11 Things <a data-mce-href="http://runningunplugged.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/award-season-and-i-didnt-even-buy-a-dress/" href="http://runningunplugged.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/award-season-and-i-didnt-even-buy-a-dress/">Running Unplugged</a> Asked Me</strong></span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
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1. If you were Superman, what would your Kryptonite be?</div>
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~This was an easy one...definitely, without a doubt, Dark Chocolate. Absolutely irresistible!!!</div>
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2. How many pairs of running shoes do you have? Which is your favorite?</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
~Eight pairs. My <a data-mce-href="http://www.newtonrunning.com" href="http://www.newtonrunning.com/">Newtons</a> are by far my faves!</div>
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3. If you were given 2 free plane tickets to anywhere in the world, where would you go and who would you take with you?</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
~Who I woud take is easy. My best friend, and adventure seeking side-kick, Greg, the Hubster. Where would we go? Dubai.</div>
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4. Science Fiction or Romantic Comedy?</div>
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~ Romantic Comedy...not much of a SciFi girl.</div>
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5. What color is your car?</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
~Red</div>
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6. What is the last book you read, and did you like it?</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
~Last book I finished was <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0830843051/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1449701892&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1ZEA5R76NWE0G143G3CS" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0830843051/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1449701892&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1ZEA5R76NWE0G143G3CS">Sensible Shoes</a> by Sharon Garlough Brown. I read it while in Costa Rica. I was fantastic! I am currently reading <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-God-Reversing-Tragic-Neglect/dp/1434767957/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370220937&sr=1-1&keywords=forgotten+god+francis+chan" href="http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-God-Reversing-Tragic-Neglect/dp/1434767957/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370220937&sr=1-1&keywords=forgotten+god+francis+chan">Forgotten God</a> by Francis Chan</div>
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7. If you won the lottery you would…</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
~Honestly I don't think much would change for me (us) Pay off the only bill we have (our mortgage) Travel a little more. Really the biggest thing would be the hundreds of ways to be able to help those in need in our community and around the world.</div>
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8. Who is your favorite superhero?</div>
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~The Man of Steel</div>
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9. Did you grow up in a small town/rural area, suburb/medium sized town, or in a big city?</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
~Small town in NorCal.</div>
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10. What was your favorite thing to do or place to go when you were 10? Would it still be fun if you did it today?</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Probably going to the skating rink. I loved to skate, and would meet my friends (and boys HaHa) and skate all the time. I still think it is a blast now. In fact when I get the chance I still go.</div>
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11. What is one item on your bucket list?</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
~Take a pilgrimage on the <a data-mce-href="http://www.santiago-compostela.net/index.html" href="http://www.santiago-compostela.net/index.html">Camino De Santiago</a> (actually the Hubster and I will be doing this for our 20 year anniversary in a couple short years)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/unknown.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/unknown.jpeg"><img alt="Unknown" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-997" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/unknown.jpeg" height="120" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/unknown.jpeg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>List of Bloggers I am Nominating</strong></span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://moosentoad.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/a-short-run/" href="http://moosentoad.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/a-short-run/">The Queen B</a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://jennzabelle.wordpress.com" href="http://jennzabelle.wordpress.com/">be infinite </a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://projectwhitespace.com" href="http://projectwhitespace.com/">Project Whitespace</a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://jockinaskirtfitness.com" href="http://jockinaskirtfitness.com/">Jock In a Skirt</a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://cherelli.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2014-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=8" href="http://cherelli.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2014-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=8">Cherelli</a></div>
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<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"> <strong>My Questions For You Incredible Bloggers</strong></span></div>
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1. What is your favorite book of ALL time?</div>
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2. What is a new skill or something you have learned to do recently?</div>
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3. If you could travel anywhere in the world and money wasn't an object, where would you go and why?</div>
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4. What is your favorite sport to watch either live or on TV?</div>
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5. Three favorite hobbies?</div>
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6. One thing you hope to pass on to the next generation?</div>
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7. What is your favorite season and why?</div>
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8. Your biggest goal for this year?</div>
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9. How do you un-stress or un-complicate your life?</div>
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10. Where did you grow up and your favorite childhood memory?</div>
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11. Favorite junk food or pig-out food?</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/images-1.jpeg" href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/images-1.jpeg"><img alt="images-1" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-994" data-mce-src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/images-1.jpeg?w=300" height="143" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/images-1.jpeg?w=300" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Have fun!</div>
Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-6300330751107310122013-05-20T13:53:00.000-07:002013-05-20T13:53:52.957-07:00Preparing for Honduras <br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">*** I sincerely hope, that you all have been reading my posts on my new blog at <a href="http://sportymamalife.com/">Sportymamalife.com</a></span></h2>
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<a href="http://sportymamalife.com/2013/05/20/preparing-for-honduras/" rel="bookmark" style="color: #265e15; font-family: Georgia, Verdana, Arial, serif; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Permanent Link to Preparing for Honduras">Preparing for Honduras</a></h2>
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May 20, 2013 by <a href="http://sportymamalife.com/author/sportymama70/" style="color: #265e15; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Posts by sportymama70">sportymama70</a> | <a class="post-edit-link" href="http://sportymamadotme.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=966&action=edit" style="color: #265e15; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Edit Post">Edit</a></div>
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<a href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/unknown.jpeg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 102, 51); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #265e15; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Unknown" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-967" height="150" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/unknown.jpeg?w=300&h=150" style="background-image: url(http://s1.wp.com/wp-content/themes/pub/mistylook/img/shadow.gif); background-position: 100% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-width: 1px; border-style: solid none none solid; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-width: 1px; display: block; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px 10px 10px 4px;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Sometimes things just happen in our lives that are so amazing and so incredible that there are no words to explain. Things that we know…are not about us!</div>
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That’s how I feel right now. Some of you know, but many of you may not, that in June (in 19 days to be exact) Greg and I will be taking our first mission trip to Honduras. My heart races, and my belly fills with butterflies every time I think about it. The closer it gets, and the more I pray and think about it, the more excited I become.</div>
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The hubs and I have always tried to live an unselfish life. This can be a hard thing in this day and age, of compelte selfishness, of everyone wanting what they want, when they want it. In a society of “it’s all about me!” Get what you can get. Get more, get better, get bigger. Trust me, before you think I am being judgmental or goodie-two-shoes…<em style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">I struggle with this as well. </em> Everyday, I have to wake up, and remind myself that it truly “isn’t about me all the time.” There is so much more to life than….me.</div>
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It is SO, not about us!</div>
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As I pray about this journey everyday, I learn more and more about the life God wants me leading. Set-apart. Different. Not hypocritical, not judgmental, but loving, giving and self-<em style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">less.</em> I now realize that LONG ago…. years ago, God was preparing my heart, exactly and precisely, for this trip.</div>
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I have always <em style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">known</em> that someday I would be leaving this country to do this trip. I just had no idea where, what I would be doing, or what it would look like, but knew that God had planted that seed in me. I now see that the many years Greg and I have gone to Costa Rica, and how we fell in love with Central America, was in preparation for this. I see how God changed us from traveling and sitting in resorts, to wanting to “live among locals” on our trips. To go with the flow. To expect the unexpected. To meet, speak and eat with the locals….and not just sit among other American, sipping umbrella drinks.</div>
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I know that God can do extraordinary things. Unexplainable things. He can take this little, blond headed, once shy, type-A, clean freak, that doesn’t know the difference between a hammer and a wrench (joke) and turn me into a <em style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">builder.</em> A girl that can handle a flexible schedule, that isn’t afraid to get dirty. A girl that is strong, reliable, and optimistic, that can wield a hammer, tape measure or pair of tweezers for a splinter. That knows, God can and does change lives, in both, small ways, as well as big. A girl, devoted, humble and completely open to God’s calling. I stand, arms wide open, for what He has in store for us. And I already know, that He will equip each and every one of us, on this trip, for exactly His use, in whatever ways He sees fit. Giving us strength and perseverance to do the work He has called us to do.</div>
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I, with my team, will be building a house while in Honduras. A HOUSE!! <em style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A house. </em> If 10 years ago, someone would’ve told me that I would be doing construction in another country, I would’ve laughed. Like I said, I always <strong style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">KNEW</em></strong> there was a calling to missions for me, but building never crossed my mind. God works like that!! And it’s not about me.</div>
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This house we will be building is for a family that currently lives in the dump in Tegucigalpa. That gives me a lump in my throat the size of a watermelon. This house is in no way, the standard home that we would see in the US. It cost $6000 to build from the ground up. It has no indoor plumping. But to a family, living in a landfill, this will be a mansion. It just shows how really little we need in life, for true happiness.</div>
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When the house is completed, we get to take the family in <em style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">for the first time</em> and be present while the house is blessed. Can you say, halleluiah!</div>
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Sitting in my home, with all of the modern conveniences, the gorgeous view, the abundance, I sit and cry about this. <em style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">I am pre-crying over what this day is going to feel like.</em> Taking this family from the dump, into their own home. My gosh, my heart swells! I am completely over-come by God’s goodness and provisions. I am in total awe of the privilege of getting to go on this trip and share God’s love. To share His compassion. To share His mercy and tenderness. To serve Him in this way is such a pleasure to me. A complete honor and joy.</div>
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We also have a day that we get to serve in the local school. To play soccer. To love on the kids. Bring treats and treasures to them. And once again, share the goodness and love of God with them.</div>
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God has been so faithful in preparing Greg and I for this. Given us such compassion and such soft-hearts for those in need. He has brought us to a place of knowing everything we have, our belongings, our family, our friends are not ours, never were, and never will be. Every “thing” is His. Over the years, He has shown us to just, “let go” and in us doing so, He has blessed us beyond belief! He has shown us how to be bold for Him and how to be the best example of love, relationship, marriage, family and faith that we can for Him. To “be” about Him, and not us! I am so thankful, that God not only planted that seed within me years ago for this trip, but in Greg as well. God knew from the beginning the couple he was bringing together!!</div>
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I already know this trip will be life-changing for all of us. I know we will grow a bond between the people we are traveling with (our team) that will be amazing, and life-long. I know that we will have days while we are there, that will astound us, overcome us, and render us so affected by God’s love, grace and mercy, that we will never be the same.</div>
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I am so excited to share this journey with you and appreciate, incredibly, your prayers and all of the finacial support you have given for our team.</div>
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<a href="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/unknown-1.jpeg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(153, 102, 51); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #265e15; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Unknown-1" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-968" src="http://sportymamadotme.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/unknown-1.jpeg?w=500" style="background-image: url(http://s1.wp.com/wp-content/themes/pub/mistylook/img/shadow.gif); background-position: 100% 100%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-width: 1px; border-style: solid none none solid; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-width: 1px; display: block; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px 10px 10px 4px; width: auto;" /></a></div>
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<em style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">~‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’</strong></em> Matthew 25:40</div>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-72994360990555091662012-10-14T15:58:00.001-07:002012-10-14T15:59:06.528-07:00Chicago Marathon and the Big Move.....Hello readers...I know you don't want to miss any of my crazy adventures, including the last two posts about my 2nd Ironman finish, and my running of the Chicago Marathon last week!<br />
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Please continue to read at: <a href="http://sportymamalife.com/"> http://sportymamalife.com</a> And follow along with me over there!!<br />
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ThanksPaula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-63783319109928472162012-09-30T15:53:00.000-07:002012-09-30T15:53:39.191-07:00Moving Forward. Your Only Option (Ironman Canada Run)
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">One of these days I am going to get this
right! The marathon of the Ironman. Running is my passion. I
have been a runner since I was a young girl. I have always loved it. In
2010, I couldn’t WAIT to get to the marathon of Ironman Coeur d’Alene. That’s
where my magic would happen. We won’t go back and talk about how not <s>magical</s>
that day was was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">Canada…my time to redeem what had happened in
2010.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">My run training was kicking butt! Aside
from the fact that… I trained only 9 weeks for Canada. I almost didn’t
race, and literally at the 11th hour, called a friend and coach of mine, to see
if we could salvage this Ironman in any way. We had 9 weeks, start
to finish. 7 training weeks, and 2 weeks of taper. **Now
(disclaimer) I do not, and would not suggest this training plan to anyone. AND,
I am not coming from a seat on my couch into this training. I had an
incredibly strong base to start with. So, I went into this race thinking “just
finish” and ”what can I push my body to do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">So back to the story~ Off of the bike into
T2, I was feeling great! My bike had been awesome, and I had tons of gas
in the tank, my body feeling awesome! In T2, I talked to myself…..talked
through the fact that even though my training had not been as it should, I was
feeling GREAT! I felt strong, had hit my long runs, but was a little
concerned that my longest run had been 17-miles. HOW. WAS. I.
GOING. TO. PULL. OUT. ANOTHER. NINE. MILES?
But I trusted my training.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">This time in transition, I did have a “personal
attendant” She was sweet, and we talked about Ironman Lake Stevens 70.3. She
was wearing the visor from this years race. I commented and let her know
that I would be racing there next year. (My first 70.3) Yes, I do things
backward! As I changed, she told me her story about her race….that’s all
I remember. Not the story…but that she told me about it….and wanted to
keep telling me about it, as I was trying to leave transition. HAHA! Three
things were going through my mind at this point; 1. I felt GREAT! 2. Don’t
forget to hit the water station on the way out to fill my Napalm flask, and 3.
Ummm….the friend I caught on the bike was probably out of transition (BOYS! They
are so much faster) and there needed to be a little chase down!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">Right out of T2, I saw my friend who was
volunteering. I ran towards her, screaming and fist pumping until I got
to her embrace. We hugged and jumped up and down, screaming! What a
great moment! It’s moments like that during these races that are
unforgettable. It’s something you carry with you. Something, you
dig out of your heart pocket later on when you need a pep-talk, and a reason to
keep moving forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">I rounded the corner back down the Lake
Drive. This part of the course at the beginning of the run is so fantastic.
Lined with spectators, cow bells, horns, kids running all over, people
waving their signs, and one of the best places to see family and friends. It’s
lined with restaurants full of cheering “fans.” This part is also one of
the hardest parts (for me) because when you are finishing, you run RIGHT past
the finishers chute, and have this one-mile loop heading away from the finish,
back out, then turn around to head back to the finish. It’s bittersweet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">Along the first part as I was heading into
this little loop, I saw so many friends. People who had made the drive up
to Canada, JUST to cheer us on. Again, seeing people you know, means the
World. I came up to the turn around, and the first timing mat, and saw my
family. Screaming, and jumping up and down! I stopped for photo
ops, sweaty hugs, and to chit chat for a brief second. I told them, I was
feeling SO great. Running on dead legs (that is to be expected and I know
that goes away) but over-all I was feeling like a million bucks! They
then let me know….that our friend, was right ahead of me. They told me, “you
have to go catch him!” **I love living in this town. There are a
lot of triathletes. All of them our friends (even if you don’t know one
another, there is that bond). It is so nice to have healthy competition! So….with
a little wave, I was off. I caught up to my friend, and chatted for a
minute. We laughed because I think he knew, I was coming to chase him
down. Then, I was off!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">I knew that people had said this run course
was “challenging” I had driven in a few weeks prior when my friends and I
came up to ride the bike course. It was challenging. Some really
good hills! But I like that type of run course. It was also
beautiful, with sections along the lake, that I knew would take my mind off of
any issues that would plague me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">My first 3-4 miles, I felt so good!! I
was keeping a great pace. Smiling, waving and talking to spectators and
people on the course. That is another wonderful thing about racing. The
people you meet along the way. I cannot say this enough! I was, at
this point thinking to myself, that this race was going to be amazing, with the
way I felt. I tried to keep on my target pace, per my coaching and
training, but a few times was having a hard time keeping my pace under control.
I felt THAT good! Then, out of nowhere…pain! Pain, in my
ribs, pain in my lower abdomen. Not sickness, but stabbing. I blew it off
for a few minutes, until it hit again, so hard that it stopped me in my tracks,
and doubled me over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">WHAT THE…..?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">I stood back up, and walked a few steps. I
felt alright, so I started to run again. WHAM! Hit again. Doubled
over. I really could not figure out what was going on. I stood up again,
and walked. Feeling better, I started a slow jog, and again, one after
another after another, these stabbing pains in my ribs and lower belly. I
could tell that they weren’t necessarily from GI distress. I have been
down THAT road before. This was different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">I decided I just needed to walk a while. I
had a young girl (maybe early 20</span><span style="font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; text-shadow: auto;">′</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">s) walk up to me…we talked. This was her first
triathlon. The 2nd woman I had met on this course, that this was their
first, ever triathlon. WOW! She was struggling a bit also with some
leg pain. It’s nice to have someone to commiserate with. We decided
we would try running a bit, but it ended for both of us quickly. We tried
to stay positive and encourage one another. Again, we ran, and stopped. This
continued for probably another mile. A very long, excruciating mile! Then…like
magic, her leg cramps disappeared. She was sweet, and said, she felt bad
to leave me. ”Are you kidding me? GO!!” ”Rock the rest of
this race!” My words to her. I hope, she had a fantastic finish. I
never saw her again. I dropped her story, pain and gratitude into my
heart pocket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">I started to become really down, somewhere
around 10 miles. This was a disaster, and I just could not figure out
what was going on. I kept stopping at aide stations, port-potties
(thinking maybe….that was the problem) but noting was helping. Just
before mile 11ish, I just couldn’t take it. I sat down. I had
literally just passed a man, laying in the dirt, curled up into a tiny ball,
writhing around. I stopped and asked if he was alright, and did I need to
flag down medical. He moaned, and said no. This is the thing about
Ironman, these althletes are some of the toughest people I have met. That
utter will to finish at all cost. That determination, fortitude,
courageousness, bravery, and resolve is like none other. I could tell
this man, in pain and in the dirt, was going to pull it together and finish! As
I sat on the road, everyone that passed me asked about my well-being. Kind,
good-natured, merciful people..all concerned about their fellow racers. My
heart was sinking at this point. I really was uncertain that I would be
able to finish. Tears pricked my eyes. I had COMPLETELY blew my
time! I was sad, angry and unforgiving to myself. Medical came up
to me, and asked how I was and if I was done with my race. ”Paula, are
you done with your race?” Am I? I shook my head, no, and he asked
if I could please stand up and walk with him a few steps. I did, and when
we reached his bike, I didn’t stop. He yelled to me, to have a great rest
of my race. I just kept walking with my head down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">Another aide station…I stopped and went into
the Porta-potty, and just sat there. It was steaming hot in there, and I
just sat. Then….all of a sudden, I hear it…my husbands Scooter!! NO
WAY! He’s out on the course, driving and looking for me. I came
bursting out of the potty to see him disappearing around the corner. I
was about to lose it from sadness. I just needed to see him. My
heart broke! I walked through the rest of the aide station in a fog. I
heard a few people ask if I was ok…I ignored them. I was in misery. Still
in pain, still unable to run, and now…my biggest fan just missed me. I
took a tiny sip of water at this aide station. The 1st one in a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">It seemed like forever before I saw my
husband. He had driven out to the turn around, Run Special Needs, and was
a little concerned he said, when he didn’t see me. Thank goodness he had
to come back. This run is a out and back. He stopped and I told
him, I just wasn’t sure I was going to be able to continue on. I walked
and he rode in the road next to me. I wanted to just hop on the back of
his scooter, and be done with this whole thing. He told me, our friend
who I had passed at the start of our run was not doing well either. Same
issue as me, and was not far behind me, but was struggling as well, and was
considering stopping. I continued walking. Hubs said he was going to ride
up to special needs and wait for me. He left. I wasn’t sure,
truthfully, if I would make it to special needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">I plodded along, meeting another woman
walking who told me this was her 2nd Ironman. After the first one she
said she would never do it again. Then….her best friend developed cancer,
and it was her goal to overcome cancer, and complete an Ironman. She told
me with tears in her eyes of the journey of her friend. Her surgery,
radiation and chemo. About her incredible braveness to be undergoing
chemo, but making the decision to sign up, train and race IM Canada. More
and more of their friends jumped on board, and there were a whole group of them
racing, honoring their friend’s fight to make it to the start, and ultimately
to her first Ironman finish. As we walked, she told me how sore she was,
and that every part of her wanted to give up, but she just couldn’t. ”Look
what my friend has gone through…if she is still out here, we are still out
here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">Again…another story I tucked into my heart
pocket, and continued forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">As I came down the hill towards special
needs, I had that familiar pang of wanting to stop, but then thinking, there
are only 13.1 more miles to go. I had come 127.5 miles….was I really
going to stop, or was I going to will myself on, remembering the stories, not
beat myself up for blowing my run time, for allowing myself to show some grace
to my body and soul for being a “runner” who was not running on this day?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">I got into special needs, and almost to the
timing mat and turn around, when from out of nowhere my friends BOUNDED in
front of me over the mat, and said, “I’m gonna beat you!” And over that
timing mat he went! It made me laugh so hard! And I felt happy, that he
must be feeling better. I saw my hubs and sat down with him with my SN
bag. I took my shoes off and noticed the huge blisters covering the
entire bottom of my right foot, a blister along the right edge of my foot, and
wrapped up around my pinky toe. My last two toes on the right foot
were also red and bleeding at the cuticle. No wonder my feet had started
to hurt. I changed my socks, and put some BioFreeze on my feet. That
stung, but cooled them down, and it felt incredible. I got up, took a sip
of water and told my hubs that I was going to try to make it one more mile to
the next aid station. I handed him my 2nd gel flask, because I knew I
wasn’t going to use it. I wasn’t taking in any nutrition at the time, and
just couldn’t. I had managed in the first 13 miles to down my Napalm, but
barely. He said, “are you sure you want me to take it?” Knowing he
could not give it back to me if I needed it on the course. On course help
during an Ironman (besides the aid they provide) will get you DQ’ed. I
had him take it, and off he went to meet me at mile 14. BIG Mistake!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">As I watched him ride back up the hill out of
special needs, I wanted to bawl!! People cheering me on were not helping.
I was so miserable! I hated ever step I took. I hated
everything about Ironman. I was mad at myself, mad at my body, mad at my
mind, mad that I hadn’t trained harder, mad that I had decided to race at the
last minute, and just irritated about the whole RIDICULOUSNESS of an Ironman
race! And I was sad, for all of the above reasons. Such an
overwhelming stream of emotions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;">And then something dawned on me….I had barely
had any water!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P_0H9jJubzw/UGjM9CIKUpI/AAAAAAAABAY/FON9Aw7-sp8/s1600/photo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P_0H9jJubzw/UGjM9CIKUpI/AAAAAAAABAY/FON9Aw7-sp8/s320/photo+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Beginning of the Run. Feeling great!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RCvGfzCmt6U/UGjNCcV2_MI/AAAAAAAABAg/acjeMOGjzf4/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RCvGfzCmt6U/UGjNCcV2_MI/AAAAAAAABAg/acjeMOGjzf4/s320/photo.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stopping for a photo Op with my friends and family. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; text-shadow: auto;"><br /></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9076270695806822661.post-72208142584433406692012-09-17T10:16:00.000-07:002012-09-17T10:16:39.773-07:00The Bike (Ironman Canada)<br />
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Coming out of the water, I was elated! My swim had been strong and my best time to date. What a way to start my race!</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Coming into T1, I was quickly stripped of my wetsuit (this is the greatest thing ever, and those wetsuit strippers are incredible and efficient) I grabbed my bag and headed into the changing tent. It was busy, and this year, I had no “personal attendant” like in 2010. I took my bag in and sat on a chair. Again, since I pared my nutrition down so much, I didn’t have the bag of food rolling around like I did in 2010. I grabbed the only things in my T1 bag. Helmet, glasses, arm warmers, gloves, race belt, bike shoes. I had decided this year, I was not changing any clothes. What I had on in the swim was staying on me all day. Pearl Izumi Tri shorts, and an Ironman Canada pink tri top. Easy, swimmable, breathable, wicking. My T1 was 5:46. WAY faster than my first IM, where I honestly think I had ordered up a Mani Pedi and a pizza delivery. Wow! (I’m getting better and better at this)</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
I left the tent, and found a “sun-screener,” slathered up, and ran towards my bike. There she was, looking all shiny and ready to be rode hard all day on this tough Canadian bike course.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Leaving through town is like being in a parade. The streets are lined with hundreds of spectators, cheering, yelling, waving signs, ringing cowbells, horns, clappers. It is such a confidence boost, and is something you need to hold onto as you get out on to more remote parts of an IM course. Ironman, can be a lonely sport, and if you don’t have the mental toughness or the ability to store up the cheering and good thoughts from friends, family, and spectators, it can get pretty desolate, and isolated feeling.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
The first part of the course after heading out of town heads along Skaha Lake, its relatively flat, and I think a very pretty part of the course. I had been told from MANY veterans of this race, to keep in control of my speed from the start until Osoyoos. It is easy to go out too hard. This part of the course is flat, with some little rollers. But I knew I needed to keep my legs fresh for what would be hitting me once I got to Osoyoos and beyond. I really tried to watch my speed. It was hard!! I just felt so great, and wanted to make up as much time as I could. I kept hearing the voices of friends who have raced here, telling me to keep it in check. The later part of this course can be brutal. I had to slow myself down more than a few times!</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
I was happy that I had made the trip up to ride the course a few weeks before. I knew what was coming in the passes, and even though we didn’t ride the entire course, riding the passes a few weeks before was a great confidence builder in me. I knew where I needed to conserve energy, and where I could go for it!</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Making the turn in Osoyoos, I knew this meant Richter Pass lay right ahead of me. I still felt strong and really relaxed. I made sure that I was right on with my <a data-mce-href="http://www.infinitnutrition.us" href="http://www.infinitnutrition.us/">nutrition</a>. One bottle an hour. I had my Garmin set to vibe at me every 15 minutes, but for some reason, it never did, or I was too anxious to feel/hear it. No matter, I was still checking and making sure I was taking in exactly what I had planned for. (A big mistake I had made in 2010) I stopped at an aide station right before the Richter Pass climb, and filled up one more bottle with my <a data-mce-href="http://www.infinitnutrition.us" href="http://www.infinitnutrition.us/">Infinit</a>. I had planned 6 bottles total, but had extra powder, and filled one extra, knowing that special needs on this course was not at the half way mark (more like around 70 miles)</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
I started my climb up Richter Pass. This is the first major climb and about 11K long. Richter is about 2300 feet high. I knew to stay relaxed and steady. Not to push this one too hard, because this isn’t even the halfway point yet! I stayed in the saddle, and just enjoyed the climb up, staying very consistent. There were a lot of people along the way cheering/with music and that made it a lot of fun! I steadied it up and felt a tiny bit of rest at the false summit, then made the rest of the climb (the last 1.5K) to the rockin’ party at the summit! I felt great! Strong!</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
The next part of the course was where I knew I needed to pull some inner strength. The rollers, or as they are referred to, the seven sisters, or the seven b*tches, are a series of big rollers right after you descend Richter Pass (there are actually 10 total) They SUCK!! I’m not going to lie. They really put me to the test. The wind picked up a little along this part, which made me nervous because I had heard that the wind can get brutal towards the out and back and towards the Yellow Lake climb. I wondered if it was windy on these rollers, how would the wind be later?</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
I took the rollers one at a time, and just busted them out. I was happy to see that we were coming up to the out and back. I knew I was done with the b*tches, and could carry on to the out and back and Special Needs.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
The out and back. I really have nothing good to say about the out and back. It was quite possibly the most brutal part of the course. The pavement in this part of the ride is horrible. Like old chip seal. It’s bumpy. It is around 20K total with a slight grade. Enough that you can feel it. It was HOT. It goes through a section of orchards, bee farms and grasslands. This is where I started to feel some fatigue. I tried to keep my mind positive. I knew that this would be the ONLY place on the course that I<em> might</em> see someone I knew, since this is all a one loop course. I tried to look for my friends that were racing to keep my mind off the demons that were trying to sneak in. I honestly felt like I was going to burst into tears during this part. I finally made it to Special Needs, and was refilling bottles, when FINALLY…I hear someone call my name. One of my friends was rolling into special needs. It was a nice boost. He came up and stopped as I was filling bottles, and asked how I was feeling. It was a quick chat, and off he went. Seeing him for that split second, cheered me up a bit, and gave me a little motivation having him in front of me to chase down.</div>
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Out of the out and back, I knew I had one more climb up Yellow Lake. This comes at around 90-miles, and things were starting to hurt. My butt, my feet, my neck from being in the aero position for so long. As far as energy, I felt pretty good, I was just SO ready to get off the bike. I don’t care who you are and how much time you spend on your bike, after 112 miles you are ready to get out of that<a data-mce-href="http://www.ismseat.com/saddle/adamo-road" href="http://www.ismseat.com/saddle/adamo-road"> saddle</a>. Yellow Lake is a 20K climb. It feels like it may never end. I prayed a lot going up this climb. I was thankful the wind was calm (which is rare) which made it hot as Hades. I was starting to get really tired and my legs were feeling some fatigue. I kept looking for my family. I hadn’t seen them all day since I left for the swim at the start of my race. I knew they were going to try and see me come through town (they didn’t) and they said they would be up on Yellow Lake. I climbed and climbed looking for them, and could feel myself feeling a little sad. (Again, those demons try to creep in to mess with your state of mind) There were TONS of spectators lining the road. They say it gets like the Tour de France on this part, and it really was. Towards the top, the crowds grew. They had music playing, people were running along side me…this was such a nice pump!! I actually was laughing through part of this because the spectators were crazy and just off the chains! Had this crowd not been there, it would’ve drained me emotionally. It was a sweet boost, and I needed one badly. I passed another friend on the final part of the climb, and we chatted for a brief second. (Sometimes just a few seconds of a friendly face/voice makes a HUGE impact) I finally made it to the top, and knew I had to cut my <a data-mce-href="http://www.infinitnutrition.us" href="http://www.infinitnutrition.us/">nutrition</a> at this point. Keep on water only, so the protein would digest in my stomach before the run.</div>
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I still hadn’t seen my family.</div>
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At the top, I took my last chug of<a data-mce-href="http://www.infinitnutrition.us" href="http://www.infinitnutrition.us/"> Infinit.</a> This nutrition is the BOMB!! After what happened in 2010, I was nervous about GI distress. My Infinit formula was right on! Dialed in just specifically for me and race day. I love this stuff, and cannot say enough about it!! My energy was great all day, and my stomach never suffered on the bike! And not having to take any other supplements (electrolytes, salt, calories, protein, carbs, amios etc) takes the guessing out of the day. Especially in long endurance days, when your body and mind play tricks on you. One bottle an hour...thats all I had to remember.</div>
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I knew the rest of the ride was going to be pretty fast. It’s a long downhill with one little hill, then a 20k decent into Penticton. I was back feeling pretty optimistic after the Yellow climb. I was cooling down a bit, and knew I had a lot of downhill to rest my legs for the marathon.</div>
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FINALLY….As I am making the last little climb, I see my friends and family! They were like an oasis in a desolate desert. Cheering for me! Screaming and yelling! I was so happy to have finally caught up to them!! I rode by, giving fist pumps and high fives. They yelled to me and told me our friend who had caught and passed me through Special Needs wasn’t that far ahead of me…..motivation like a cheetah!! I took off! Screaming downhill into town at 40+mph speeds. My family caught me in the car as I was almost into town, and I felt the last little pump I needed from their cheers to get me back into town! ****And yes, I did catch our friend!!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mUbZGAMg_Ig/UFdZ10riBiI/AAAAAAAAA_w/MtHEFZDpDHk/s1600/IMG_3679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mUbZGAMg_Ig/UFdZ10riBiI/AAAAAAAAA_w/MtHEFZDpDHk/s320/IMG_3679.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friends and family! Like an oasis to my soul!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cr7t9lntQH0/UFdZ-Zujz0I/AAAAAAAAA_4/HWbgxIR5UlY/s1600/IMG_2067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cr7t9lntQH0/UFdZ-Zujz0I/AAAAAAAAA_4/HWbgxIR5UlY/s320/IMG_2067.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost There!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U7b1KJbXYMA/UFdaAGMCcqI/AAAAAAAABAA/aEUU44fxwd0/s1600/IMG_2068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U7b1KJbXYMA/UFdaAGMCcqI/AAAAAAAABAA/aEUU44fxwd0/s320/IMG_2068.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SO Happy to see my Family!!</td></tr>
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Paula (Adventure Junkie Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17861016146052035716noreply@blogger.com0