Marathon Update

I finally decided that I will not be doing the full marathon in Maui as originally planned! My leg is really feeling so great, and running has been good (when I have actually been doing it), BUT, I realized how much training I missed out on when I was not running, but going to physical therapy. I have decided to run the half marathon in Maui on January 24th. I have enough time to train hard for it, and still enjoy the race. I loved the 1/2 marathon in Des Moines, so I am sure Maui will be much better! In Des Moines I ran around a couple of very pretty parks and lakes, but I was also wearing gloves and a stocking cap! In Maui, I am planning on sporting my Good 'Ole Hawkeye Black and Gold Running Shorts, and my Black and Gold Sports Bra, absolutely no hat, gloves, or shirt for that matter!!!

I could not let myself abandon a full marathon altogether, afterall it was my goal and dream. So, I have decided to run the Wisconsin Marathon in Kenosha on May 1st! I am super excited to have 2 of my running buddies and great girls, Hollie and Beth, along side of me for this race. It will be the first full marathon for all three of us, hopefully it will be a great first marathon, with many more to follow.

Countdown to 1/2 in Maui -- 44 days! Oh, and that means I will be on the beach in 42 days:)

Countdown to FULL marathon -- 140 days!

Happy Thanksgiving

I remember as a kid in school writing Happy Thanksgiving down the page and then trying to fill in things I was thankful for that began with each letter. I wish I had that paper now to compare, I am sure it would be much different. I have added some commentary where needed:

H - Hubby
A - Affection (from my children and husband)
P - Parents (mine)
P - Priceless moments
Y - You (all the people that have taken time to read this blog, because you are my
friends and family)

T - Ten Ks (or any race for that matter - I just needed a T)
H - Haley and Olivia (there is no O in Thanksgiving, so I have them both listed
here:)
A - Awesome friends!
N - Nieces (all 10 of them)
K - Knowledge (it is power you know)
S - Siblings (My sisters and brothers are the best and I cannot imagine my life
without them)
G - God
I - In-laws (and I have some of the best parents-in-laws, and brother and sister-in-
laws - on both sides)
V - Vacations! MAUI in less than 2 months:)
I - Investments (no I don't mean just $$ here, I mean the time teachers, coaches,
and others invest in my children; the investment I made by spending 3 years in
law school; in friendships; there are so many investments we have made over the
years, for which I am thankful)
N - Nephews
G - Gymnastics (it has been such a great activity for both my girls - they have grown
strong, have met new friends, and have learned discipline)

Happy Thanksgiving All!

Marathon Questionable Depressed:(

For the past month every time I run I had pain in my right knee and right hip area. A week ago I went to a sports massage therapist, who worked out my leg, and it felt pretty good for a day, and then I ran again. The pain was unbearable for a while, but on Sunday it became unbearable, tears in my eyes pain. I was supposed to run 12 according to my training plan, but could barely finish 4.5. After I finished, I was in a lot of pain the rest of the day, and had trouble sleeping Sunday night. On Monday I broke down and called Dr. Dehaan (read orthopedic surgeon), and today was my appointment. I asked Chad to come with me, because I was really afraid to hear the words, "do not run," or "you cannot run."
So here's the news:
Good news: (1) the x-rays looked great; (2) it's not surgical; (3) I can walk, do the elliptical, ride the bike, or swim.

Bad news: I cannot run for a while. He would not say when I could expect to be running again, because he thinks that will be up to the physical therapist to decide when my legs are ready.
I have to go to physical therapy 2-3 times a week for the next month. Hearing that leads me to believe that I will not be back to running for about a month. Given that the marathon is January 24th, and I am in the heart of my training, I doubt I will be able to run the full marathon in Maui. I missed a 12 miler last week, and was scheduled for a 13 this weekend. I just don't think my body will be physically able to run 26.2 after taking a month off. I am just going to work hard at therapy, pray about it, and we'll see what happens! I would be lying if I didn't admit that I am pretty upset about it!

He said there were 3 separate injuries and they are all causing some of the pain. He talked a lot in medical terminology but what I got out of it was (1) bursitis in the hip area (or swelling / irritation in the bursa); (2) patellofemoral problems in both knees, even though the left knee does not hurt at all (basically the knee cap was not tracking where it is supposed to); (3) sacroiliac / pelvic something - causing my gait to be off and my left leg to longer than the right.

HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY OLIVIA!!

Was it really 8 years ago? Where has the time gone? I swear sometimes it seems like only a day or two ago that I rolled over in bed and said, "Honey, I think my water just broke," and Chad casually replied, "Jam, go back to sleep, you are dreaming." I was not dreaming, but my dreams were coming true. That day I became a mom to the most beautiful little brown haired, blue eyed princess! I remember so clearly the doctor telling me that day I was going to have a 9 pound baby, and responding, "oh, no we are not!" Sure enough, after an 16 hours of labor my 8 pound 14 ounce baby was born (just shy of 9 pounds)!

Two days later on Halloween we brought her home in a premie pumpkin sleeper. It was all they had and Chad's mom really wanted her to celebrate her first Halloween! She couldn't really bend her arms because it was pretty tight. As I buckled her into the car seat I cried tremendously, and looked at Chad and commented that now we were responsible for this little tiny human being, and there was no way I could handle it! I think I have done pretty well over the last 8 years, if I do say so myself:)

My princess is so smart, and can be quite funny, loving and inspiring! She loves music just like her Daddy; for her 8th birthday she got her first ipod! Olivia was blessed with natural athletic talent, which we all know she did not get from her mother! In December she will begin her career as a competitive gymnast! She is shy and outgoing all at the same time. She was the lead in the first grade musical last year, even singing a solo! She is a great big sister, and would do absolutely anything for Haley! I am so proud to be her Mom!

P.S. I tried to upload some more pictures, but it is not working. Maybe later!

Happy Birthday, Olivia! I love you!

Back on Track!

88 days! We leave for Maui in 88 short days! So, today I am officially "back on track". I am back to counting points; back to the marathon training plan; back to working out twice a day most days!

I have two goals in mind. The first, to finish my first marathon! I don't want to set a time goal, because I have never ran a marathon and don't want to get discouraged with times. I just want to finish, and feel good about it in the end! I finished my half marathon with a huge smile on my face, and I want to do the same at the full marathon.

My second goal, to be able to wear a bikini on the beach, and feel good about myself doing it! The last time we were in Maui in January 2008, I was near my heaviest weight. I sat on the beach and swam in the ocean, but I did not feel good about the way I looked or felt! This time, I want to be proud of myself as I sit on the beach and swim in the ocean. A couple months ago, I got the motivation I need from my husband! I asked him if he thought I could wear a bikini in Hawaii (at this point I had lost nearly 30 pounds), and he responded with a shrug and a funny face. I was so upset, but then again, thank him for being honest! I would rather have him tell me the truth, then lie, and embarass myself! I guess I will just work that much harder on my core muscles at the gym over the next 88 days!

Here's to "back on track"!!!

Tuesday's Chuckle

I saw a young man in Court today approaching the Judge wearing a t-shirt that said:

"Ain't got no job

Ain't got no money

Ain't got no car....

But at least I'm good looking"

For some reason, I gotta believe his closet had to hold a better choice for Court. But, it did provide me with Tuesday's chuckle!

Have a good Tuesday!

Whirlwind of a Weekend!!!

Friday night we had family fun night! We like to cuddle up on the couch and watch movies or play Wii. So after a quick and easy Taco Bell dinner, Wii it was! We played trivia, yatzee, and battleship! As we played, I couldn't help but smile, and thank God for my beautiful family!

Saturday morning I woke up early, planning to run a 5K in Cary. It was cold, and my kids were sound asleep, so I decided not to, and instead went back to sleep for an hour. I was kicking myself later for not doing the race! But, when I woke up, I had so much energy, and no idea where it came from. Chad was in a 2 day golf tournament, so it was just the girls and I. We went to Walmart to buy a birthday present for a party they were going to. An hour later, they both had new bedding, and had decided to change beds. Olivia would now have Haley's full size bed, and Haley would have the solid oak bunk beds. We got home, and immediately got to work, switching out the beds. The girls were a big help putting the bottom bunk back together. I then dropped them off at the party, and got back to work myself. I did get my middle finger stuck between the plywood and the frame at one point, and thought I was going to be stuck there until Chad got home a few hours later. But luckily I was able to free myself after about 5 minutes. My finger still hurts a little today! So, I digress...my awesome neighbor, Justy, came over and helped me assemble the top bunk. By the time I went to get the girls from the party, both rooms were completely redecorated. We ran to Walmart and picked up a new lamp shade, and curtains before Chad got home. He was surprised to see the new rooms, and the girls were so proud! Chad and I went out for a great date on Saturday night. It was nice to just sit and talk since we have both been going in opposite directions all week long.

Sunday morning, once again, I woke up with such energy! The girls and I went to church, and then made a pit stop at Menards. I decided I want to tear off the wallpaper border in the kitchen, put up new blinds, paint, and put handles on the cabinets. So we were on a mission for those items. I bought a couple handles, but that task is overwhelming, there are WAY too many choices! I didn't buy blinds, because once again I was too indecisive. I did buy a little sample of paint, because buying a whole gallon might be too much! I think I like the color though, so I may just finish it next weekend. I started on removing the wallpaper, but apparently I underestimated the size of the task, so that will have to wait too.

My biggest accomplishment of the weekend, was getting out and running a little over 8 miles. Chad needed a ride home after celebrating his golf tournament victory, so I ran to the bar and drove him home. It was a hilly run, but I kept a 9:23 pace, which felt great. Only two weeks until my 1/2 marathon in Des Moines:)

Overall, it was a busy weekend! Next weekend is looking to be just as exciting. Chad is going to Iowa for the BIG Iowa vs. Michigan football game, while I take the girls to Miley Cyrus in Milwaukee!

Happy Birthday Hubby!

Tomorrow is my beloved husband's 35th Birthday! To him it is just another birthday, but, I gotta feeling that tomorrow's gonna be a good night, a good good night:)

Chad turning 35 reminds me that we have been together 10 years now. In fact, I remember, when my sister, Dani, was trying to get me to go out with him back in 1999. I was about to celebrate my 21st birthday, and she kept telling me, he's 25 and such a great guy. My response, almost every single time, was that 25 is WAY TOO OLD! Finally, I gave in and agreed to just 1 date, wow has time flown by since then!

We have been through so much...law school, a new baby during law school, followed by a move out of state to a town where the most interesting thing is a cow in the center of town, and another new baby....job changes, and a period of time without a job. Many fun times spent with friends and family including trips to Disney World and Maui. I am so looking forward to our next trip to Maui too!

So, anyway Happy Birthday to:

• The biggest Iowa Hawkeye Fan I know!
• The current Plum Tree National Golf Club Champion!
• The best father in the world, even when you are teasing those adorable little girls!
• The love of my life!
• My best friend and biggest supporter!

I love you so much, Babe!

She is just like me!

Last night Haley and Olivia were getting ready to go to a soccer game with our neighbors. Haley took Olivia's money and candy and put it in her pocket. When Chad and I told her to give it back, she threw it across the room. I told her to sit down in time out because she was not going to the soccer game, because of the fit she just threw. Next thing I know, she is completely out of control screaming and hitting every thing in sight including me. At one point she was yelling at Chad (I'm not exactly sure what she was saying, but something along the lines of please let me go!) I was pretty angry, but trying to hold back a laugh, because I distinctly remember having a very similar fit when I was about 10 years old. My parents would not let me go to a basketball game, because I was being mouthy, and I lost it. Chad tells me all the time that she has my attitude, and up until last night, I thought that was a good thing! I ended up holding my ground as the parent and did not let her go to the game, although it would have been so much easier to just let her go, so she would stop yelling. I guess my new prayer is that she will put that "tude" to good use!

Run with Carl Race Recap!

After 5 quick miles yesterday, I realized that I love racing! My sister-in-law, and running buddy, and I ran the Run with Carl 5 mile race in Bettendorf, Iowa yesterday. She warned me the night before that it was going to be a hilly race, but I was feeling pretty good about hills after nearly killing myself on Sunday running near my parents house.

So at 8:15 the race started going UP HILL! I should have known that was a sign of things to come. The "pack" pace was pretty quick in the beginning, and at one point I looked down at my trusty little Garmin and saw that my pace was 8:16. I knew I could not sustain that pace for 5 miles, so I slowed down a little bit and settled in right around 9:00 per mile. In fact at the first mile marker I was at 8:58. I was feeling pretty good, and decided to pick people to pass. At one point, I picked a guy in a red shirt, and just before I finally caught up to him, he stopped and walked off the trail, I have no idea where he went, but I do know that I suceeded in beating him:) The next person I decided, I needed to beat was a women in a black shirt that said STAFF on the back. She had started right near me in the beginning, but was now a little ways ahead of me. Just as I caught up to her, she started to walk! Man, I must be intimidating, every person I chose to "pick off" made it so easy! I even found myself passing 3 or 4 people every time we encountered a hill.

As I passed the 4 mile marker, I realized that I might be able to make a 45 minute total race time, if I kicked it up just a little. The only problem, was that the last mile I was faced with 2 hills. I did okay and even passed a couple people on the first, but man the last 1/2 mile of the race was up a HUGE GIGANTIC hill. I was giving it all I had, and ended up going up the hill next to an older gentleman! Thank God for him! When I started to let up a little he yelled at me, to keep going! And when we got to the top, he telled at me to kick it up and finish strong! Thanks, older man in the yellow shirt (who by the way was not breathing nearly as heavy as I was, and made it look so EASY!)

I crossed the finish line at 44:11. I was super excited for my overall time! Looking forward to next weekend's 9.5 mile race!

.....I've come a long way....

Monday night my awesome husband decided he would like to go for a run with me! Monday is usually one of my rest days in my training, but since he volunteered to go with me, and I know how much he despises running, I didn't want to let this opportunity pass me by. He suggested Harvard Hills Road, which I advised against, but off we went. He told me that he could do no more than 2 miles, so I planned using my Garmin to get us back home right at 2 miles. I had Belle on my arm, who hadn't been on a run in quite a while, and was running pretty fast, even for me. Chad did great. We came back into our neighborhood, and he hit me on the back and said, "I need to cool down, we can't run all the way home." I looked at my Garmin and we were at 1.6 miles - I was proud of him. I couldn't tell who was breathing heavier, Chad or Belle, but they both survived. I then had an amazing revelation....I was not even sweating, nor was I panting like Chad and Belle! I was so excited, looking back to 9 months ago, when I started this journey, I could barely run one mile on my treadmill without dying. Here are a couple pictures from Christmas 2008, when I decided that I needed to lose weight, and get on track. I honestly didn't believe I was very big until I looked at these pictures.

Next Saturday, I will be running a 9.5 mile race! Technically it is 16,726 yards, the distance that Walter Payton ran during his football career, but I've been told it is 9.5 miles. This will be the longest race I have run in my short running career, and I can't wait. Tonight, I head out for the longest run in my short running career, just over 9 miles. Here are two pictures from this summer. I am so happy to see the changes in my body! Not only do I have so much more energy and endurance, but I am only 7 pounds from the goal weight I set back in January. I feel great, and am honestly not working too hard to get to that goal. If I don't reach it, I don't care!

(I'm still new to blogging and can't figure out why it is shrinking my pictures!)

My kids think I'm so cool!

Last weekend, Haley got a package from my dad and step-mom in the mail for her birthday. One of the gifts was a Hannah Montana CD, which Chad and I have heard at least 100 times since Friday. Both girls like to play one particular song over and over and over, but they do like the entire CD.

Driving to work yesterday I heard on the radio Miley Cyrus live in concert October 27th at the United Center. My first thought was, the girls would LOVE to go see Miley Cyrus, and Olivia's birthday is October, so it could be her birthday present. I forgot about it until late in the day, and then decided to log on and see if there were still tickets available. I found out that she is also coming to Milwaukee on Saturday, October 10th. I thought that a Saturday would be better since it will be a late night for the girls. Chad already had plans to go to Iowa that weekend for the Iowa vs. Michigan home game, so I decided it would be a great mom and daughter date night, and went ahead and bought 3 tickets.

I told Chad that I wasn't going to tell them until the day of, but anyone that knows me, knows I have a hard time keeping a secret. I got home from work, and within about 2 minutes told them I had a surprise, but they had to guess what it was. The guesses starting with Haley asking if it was a dance, and Olivia suggesting a play. Haley guessed a Miranda Cosgrove (read iCarly) concert, and I told them they were very close. A few minutes later Haley guessed it, and then started screaming and dancing around the kitchen. Olivia's eyes lit up and she had the hugest smile on her face. If I knew I was going to get that reaction, I would have videotaped it! It was priceless! Needless to say, they are very excited, and I am ONE COOL MOM!

Happy 6th Birthday Haley!

My little pumpkin turns 6 today! Wow, time has certainly flown by! She has grown into such a great little girl. She is strong-willed and sassy at times, but is definitely mommy's little baby. She loves to cuddle on the couch and watch her favorite show Dog Town. She will be starting first grade next week, I can hardly believe it. She is afraid to learn to ride a bike without training wheels, and to go off the diving board at the pool. She is a social butterfly, entertaining every one with her cute jokes and attitude. She is inseparable from her best friend Pieper, and the two of them could not be any more alike. She has my spunk, and Chad's sense of humor. It seems like only yesterday, I sat through the bar exam with her kicking my bladder and making me have to take breaks every hour! I am so proud to call her my baby!

The most amazing experience of my life!!!

Well here it is Thursday, and I am finally getting around to writing about my 3-day experience. I can sum it up with three descriptions: amazing, life changing, and inspiring! We started out with opening ceremonies bright and early Friday morning. There was not a dry eye in sight. As we left Northbrook Court and made our way to the beginning of the walk, we passed the first of the inspiring people. A man, most likely in his 50s, wearing a shirt that said "Team Lisa" and had a photograph of a beautiful YOUNG woman. He was carrying one of the many flags that the 3 day provides. I asked him quite simply how long he was going to carry the flag. He told me only until the first pit stop. I then followed-up with, "how many people do you have on Team Lisa." He responded as many as 17 in the past, but only 3 this year. He looked me in the eye, and smiled, and said, "this is my daughter, she walked last year, before she died, at the age of 34." Needless to say, Dani, Rebecca and I all three LOST IT. 34, really? Reminded me of the Kenny Chesney song with the lyric, "you died much too young, like a story that had just begun." So, the walk began. It was a great morning, and we soon entered the Chicago Botanical Gardens and the crowds spread out. We for whatever reason, decided that this was somehow a race, and we needed to push it, and push it we did! We ended up back at camp about 2:30 in the afternoon, after walking nearly 23 miles. There were many awe-inspiring people along the route, clapping and cheering us on. It started raining about 10:45 in the morning and rained the rest of Day 1 and all through the night. I looked at my teammates when I arrived at camp, and said despite walking in the rain all afternoon, "I'm not even pissy." Which was a huge statement about the amazing people along the route! We got our tents put up and decorated, hit the hot showers and dinner, and we in bed before 8.

Saturday morning we woke up to rain again, but decided to get started again fairly early. We spent the early part of the walk planning our fundraisers and recruiting of new team members for next year. Of course, our competitive attitude took over, and we pushed ourselves again until lunch! The people along Saturday's route were AMAZING. So many supporters including the police and fire departments along the way. In fact, it even made me a rethink my usually not so great attitude about authority figures (I know my job is wearing off on me)! Anyway, we walked another 19.1 miles on Saturday. I developed a horrible hip pain, and a shin splint, but kept right on walking. There is NO way I was going to catch a bus or sweep van! My tent mate, Heather, had horrible blisters, but we kept on moving. When we got back to camp, I went to the medic tent, and met a great chiropractic student named Roy. He stretched out both my hip and my leg, and I felt much better! Thanks Roy! We showered and ate dinner, and later went to the New Balance Tent to play Bingo. Rebecca and I both won "big prizes." She won a bag and I won a visor. Once again we headed to bed around 7:30! Day 2 we met so many great people along the route. I remember one little boy about 4 wearing a shirt that said "Thank you for walking for my mommy!" Of course there were tears! Dani's parents also came out to a cheering station, which was a welcome surprise!

This is the remembrance tent. It was a tear jerker. Inside there is a tent for Chicago, where people write messages to those who did not beat breast cancer. The first note I saw, "Mom, I miss you, Allycat." BROKE MY HEART. All around inside the tent are photos of former walkers male and female, who lost their lives to this horrible disease!

Finally, it was day 3. We got up at 4:45 to get out on the course. Did I mention we were competitive? At every pit stop Dani asked the person keeping track, where we were at. Not bragging or anything, but usually in the top 150 out of 1800!!! Day 3 was so HOT and humid. We walked along the lake front most of the way, it was pretty, and did I mention HOT? There were a lot of different people on the lake front, and not quite as many friendly people cheering us on, but it was still inspiring. We arrived at Soldier Field about 1:30 to an amazing crowd. We cried and laughed as we walked in holding hands. We had just finished 60 miles, and for such an important cause. Our families joined us for the closing ceremonies. I had NO idea there were so many survivors walking along side of us. In the closing ceremonies, when the survivors walk in all the walkers raise a shoe in honor of their strength, courage and devotion. There was not a dry eye in sight!

I know this is getting long, but I have to get serious for just a minute. I'm sure you want to know why we walked 60 miles? Quite frankly, I signed up because 60 miles seemed like a challenge. I have been lucky to never have a family member diagnosed with breast cancer, and I hope there is a cure so that never happens! But about 3 weeks before the walk, I myself found a lump in my right breast. I tried to ignore it, but finally decided that I needed to get it checked out. I went to my doctor, who also felt it and sent me for a mammogram and an ultrasound. I was FREAKED OUT, afterall, I am only 31, and mammograms are for people over 40:) I went to the tests, and a very good friend came with me, for moral support! Thanks, Sara! The radiologist told me that it was dense breast tissue and nothing to worry about. Most people would walk away happy. I was a little concerned. Rebecca tells me its because in my job, we learn too much, and happen to be defending two failure to diagnose breast cancer cases! Anyway, I finally followed up with my own doctor yesterday, and have been reassured that I don't need to worry. So, next year, I will walk so that one day, no one will go through the agony and stress that I went through the past few weeks! I thank my wonderful and awesome, God, that I am healthy!

Now, I ask, will you join us, the "Boobalicious Babes" next year?

I'm new to this and 3 Day here we come!!!

Many of my friends have blogs -- some share their motherhood journey, some share a lot of useless nothing (but I still read it), some share the sadness in their lives, some share a unique journey they are on. I hope this blog will share the major events in my life, as well as my family's lives. I will use it to document my newest journey, becoming a marathon runner. Yep, I said marathon runner. I will be running my first marathon January 24, 2010 in Maui, Hawaii! But for now, I am going to start with blogging about my 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk Journey!

Back in January, two of my closest friends and I on a whim decided that we would walk the 3 day (read 60 mile) walk for Susan G. Komen. Thankfully, none of the 3 of us has ever had breast cancer, or had a close family member with breast cancer, but we thought it was a way to give back. Fast forward to August, and tomorrow we begin our journey.

Well actually, it began quite a while ago, with training, which I am sure we have not done enough of. And raising funds, as we each must raise $2,300 in order to walk. We resorted to begging, borrowing, but not stealing. As of this post, I think we will all have our funds.

Last night, Dani and I dyed some old bras pink, to use as tent decorations. There is a contest, and WE INTEND TO WIN! I'll post pictures of the camp, so you can see how great the pink bras look. We also highlighted our hair pink. I do have a couple pictures, but I didn't get them uploaded this morning. More to come on that... Rebecca has yet to join us, but I am sure she will tonight, if nothing else Dani and I are really good with peer pressure! Tonight, we will be staying in Northbrook, and starting the walk bright and early tomorrow! I am so excited, and can't wait to share this great adventure with you!