Things tissues should NOT be used for:
~a game of speed (how fast can a toddler empty an entire box of tissues)
~confetti ( tossing tissues all over a room)
~food ( toddlers need no more fiber. fiber=poop)
Things WD40 should not be used for:
~febreeze on bed sheets, pillows, comforters, toys, carpet, etc.
~ eye lubricant
~ wood laminate floor shiner
~furniture polish for a dresser or a space heater. (flammable. duh!)
This message brought to you as a result of children. My children. #ilovemychildren #theytakeaftertheirfather
**almost 4 year old eyeball *may* have been harmed in the brainstorming process of this message** #hopehelearnedhislesson
You are welcome. (I know you are laughing. at least someone is. I am not.....yet.)
If you love me or care for me, you will bring me a Red Bull so I can brew my coffee with it & hear noises. (it may prevent these sort of instances)
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Monday, May 26, 2014
Sad Day
Hi Java Followers,
Today has been a sad day for me. My sweet Beanie puppy left to go to his knew forever home. (insert sobbing & tissues)
Some of you may know, he has recently started biting my 3 year old son. As a mom, sometimes we have to make decisions that are tough. Beanie has been a part of our family for almost 3 years. It is hard to see him go. The kids are all pretty attached to him as well. As many times as Isaiah was bit, he still loved & adored Beanie. Now I must point out that Beanie was not just some crazed biting dog, he was 90% of the time provoked. Isaiah would just follow him around & bother him. For instance he would pull his tail, pull his ears, tug on him, poke him.... etc. We know this was expected & while Isaiah may have deserved it, we feel a dog should understand that it is NOT ok to bite. We have another little coming up that will do the same thing I am sure. So, to be safe, we found a new home for him. His new home is where he will be loved & spoiled. He is with his sister, from a litter before him & his mom! This is just absolutely fabulous to me. It did make it so much easier to part with him. While this did make it easier, I still have tears to be shed. I loved that dog. We would snuggle on the couch in the evening & watch TV, in the mornings he would curl up in my lap while I sipped my coffee & read Facebook, he would follow me everywhere I went in the house. This may have gotten on my nerves sometimes, but when he isn't here to do it I miss him terribly. He was always so excited when Faith would get off the buss & he would paw at the door & cry until she would come through the door & greet him. He loved to wag his tail & jump up & down with excitement when we would get home. If you would, just please say a prayer for us. It's so strange not having Beanie. He has been in our home as long as we've had the house. We will miss him so. Also, please pray he adjusts well in his new home & doesn't feel I have abandoned him.
Gonna have an extra cup of java for my Beanie Weenie.......
Today has been a sad day for me. My sweet Beanie puppy left to go to his knew forever home. (insert sobbing & tissues)
Some of you may know, he has recently started biting my 3 year old son. As a mom, sometimes we have to make decisions that are tough. Beanie has been a part of our family for almost 3 years. It is hard to see him go. The kids are all pretty attached to him as well. As many times as Isaiah was bit, he still loved & adored Beanie. Now I must point out that Beanie was not just some crazed biting dog, he was 90% of the time provoked. Isaiah would just follow him around & bother him. For instance he would pull his tail, pull his ears, tug on him, poke him.... etc. We know this was expected & while Isaiah may have deserved it, we feel a dog should understand that it is NOT ok to bite. We have another little coming up that will do the same thing I am sure. So, to be safe, we found a new home for him. His new home is where he will be loved & spoiled. He is with his sister, from a litter before him & his mom! This is just absolutely fabulous to me. It did make it so much easier to part with him. While this did make it easier, I still have tears to be shed. I loved that dog. We would snuggle on the couch in the evening & watch TV, in the mornings he would curl up in my lap while I sipped my coffee & read Facebook, he would follow me everywhere I went in the house. This may have gotten on my nerves sometimes, but when he isn't here to do it I miss him terribly. He was always so excited when Faith would get off the buss & he would paw at the door & cry until she would come through the door & greet him. He loved to wag his tail & jump up & down with excitement when we would get home. If you would, just please say a prayer for us. It's so strange not having Beanie. He has been in our home as long as we've had the house. We will miss him so. Also, please pray he adjusts well in his new home & doesn't feel I have abandoned him.
Gonna have an extra cup of java for my Beanie Weenie.......
Friday, May 23, 2014
Week 2 Update
Good morning bloggers!
So, I have made it a full week. I've had a couple rest days, I've run several miles, I have cross trained, been remembering to take my vitamins & I feel so energized & great!
I love to run what I call the 4 mile loop at the lake. It is full of hill training & it's a beautiful run. I enjoy running by the lake. Last night I had a goose open it wings up at me & opened its beak like it was going to bite me. I told it to not even think about it. LOL
I find that it is hard to get the time to cross train at home. With little ones, they tend to need a lot of attention, so I have just done what I can to incorporate my kids into the workout. My older boy likes to just join me in the workouts. He usually just plays while I workout but once I start grunting & yelling, he comes & joins me. It is super cute to see him sit in the floor & do some exercises with me. Jeremiah, my 10 month old 23 pound baby however is what I "use" in my workouts. I like to hold him for weight when I do squats. He loves it & smiles the whole time like it is a game. Then I like to lift him in the air above me & bring him down for a kiss then lift him back in the air again. I do as many reps as I can. If my arms become tired I stop, I don't want to chance dropping him. Next I lay in the floor, knees bent & feet planted a little ways out from my butt. I sit Jeremiah on my belly facing me & I do crunches. I make faces at him as I come up (not always on purpose) & he just laughs & giggles. It makes the workout seem more like playtime & I am not taking my time away from the kids when I do this. I love it & they seem to as well.
The other day the weather called for storms in the evening. Sadly it always seems to start about the time I have plans to run with my friends in the running club, so that particular morning I decided to take the boys for a walk. I planned to walk right down the road to see the lake & back. I put the boys in the wagon & off we went. On our way I thought, lets got over to the Yacht Club which is about 2.5 miles away. So That's what I did. It is all HILLS the whole way there & back. I had 55 pounds of little boy in a wagon, while I was wearing flip flops! But we did it!! I was so proud of myself. And very soar when we got home. Needless to say, it did not storm that evening & off I went with my running buddies & ran the 4 mile loop around the lake! I had a lot of cardio that day. I took a day of rest & went out for that same 4 mile loop last night. That run felt great! I got just enough of a workout without feeling I over did it.
This morning I concentrated on my belly. I did different types of crunches, burpees, bicycle twists etc. I've got to work off the little muffin top I have. I may be small but 3 kids leaves some extra skin/fat. I just want to take care of that before it gets any bigger. HAHA! Aside from my being slightly vain in wanting to look good, you do use those core ab muscles when you run so it's important to work all other muscles when you aren't running. The stronger my core gets, the better my running form & less I ache while running.
I love to follow-up my workouts with a protein smoothie. I asked a guy at a nutrition store about the best type of protein for me based on what I am doing. He suggested a Whey Protein Isolate. The Isolate he said was key because it is a faster absorbing to help build those muscles & strength. Protein mixes can really add up. I personally have never spent a lot of money on mine. I just buy mine at WalMart.
I also prefer the chocolate flavored. You can either mix it with just milk (not the best taste) or you can make a smoothie. I like to use ice cubes, fresh strawberries or raspberries, 1 scoop of the protein mix, add milk & blend well in a blender. I don't have the measurements, I just do it by sight & go from there. If I had to guess:
1/2C ice cubes
1C milk
1 scoop protein mix
1 handful berries
Blend well & enjoy.
Another smoothie I like:
1/2C ice cubes
1C milk
1 scoop protein
1/2 banana
2-3 TBS peanut butter(optional)
Blend well & enjoy
It's fun to experiment with the smoothies.
Hope you get off the couch & get moving (after you've poked around my blogs of course) :) Don't forget to check out my photography blog here.
Happy blogging!
Going to finish this smoothie & drink some coffee! :)
So, I have made it a full week. I've had a couple rest days, I've run several miles, I have cross trained, been remembering to take my vitamins & I feel so energized & great!
I love to run what I call the 4 mile loop at the lake. It is full of hill training & it's a beautiful run. I enjoy running by the lake. Last night I had a goose open it wings up at me & opened its beak like it was going to bite me. I told it to not even think about it. LOL
I find that it is hard to get the time to cross train at home. With little ones, they tend to need a lot of attention, so I have just done what I can to incorporate my kids into the workout. My older boy likes to just join me in the workouts. He usually just plays while I workout but once I start grunting & yelling, he comes & joins me. It is super cute to see him sit in the floor & do some exercises with me. Jeremiah, my 10 month old 23 pound baby however is what I "use" in my workouts. I like to hold him for weight when I do squats. He loves it & smiles the whole time like it is a game. Then I like to lift him in the air above me & bring him down for a kiss then lift him back in the air again. I do as many reps as I can. If my arms become tired I stop, I don't want to chance dropping him. Next I lay in the floor, knees bent & feet planted a little ways out from my butt. I sit Jeremiah on my belly facing me & I do crunches. I make faces at him as I come up (not always on purpose) & he just laughs & giggles. It makes the workout seem more like playtime & I am not taking my time away from the kids when I do this. I love it & they seem to as well.
The other day the weather called for storms in the evening. Sadly it always seems to start about the time I have plans to run with my friends in the running club, so that particular morning I decided to take the boys for a walk. I planned to walk right down the road to see the lake & back. I put the boys in the wagon & off we went. On our way I thought, lets got over to the Yacht Club which is about 2.5 miles away. So That's what I did. It is all HILLS the whole way there & back. I had 55 pounds of little boy in a wagon, while I was wearing flip flops! But we did it!! I was so proud of myself. And very soar when we got home. Needless to say, it did not storm that evening & off I went with my running buddies & ran the 4 mile loop around the lake! I had a lot of cardio that day. I took a day of rest & went out for that same 4 mile loop last night. That run felt great! I got just enough of a workout without feeling I over did it.
This morning I concentrated on my belly. I did different types of crunches, burpees, bicycle twists etc. I've got to work off the little muffin top I have. I may be small but 3 kids leaves some extra skin/fat. I just want to take care of that before it gets any bigger. HAHA! Aside from my being slightly vain in wanting to look good, you do use those core ab muscles when you run so it's important to work all other muscles when you aren't running. The stronger my core gets, the better my running form & less I ache while running.
I love to follow-up my workouts with a protein smoothie. I asked a guy at a nutrition store about the best type of protein for me based on what I am doing. He suggested a Whey Protein Isolate. The Isolate he said was key because it is a faster absorbing to help build those muscles & strength. Protein mixes can really add up. I personally have never spent a lot of money on mine. I just buy mine at WalMart.
I also prefer the chocolate flavored. You can either mix it with just milk (not the best taste) or you can make a smoothie. I like to use ice cubes, fresh strawberries or raspberries, 1 scoop of the protein mix, add milk & blend well in a blender. I don't have the measurements, I just do it by sight & go from there. If I had to guess:
1/2C ice cubes
1C milk
1 scoop protein mix
1 handful berries
Blend well & enjoy.
Another smoothie I like:
1/2C ice cubes
1C milk
1 scoop protein
1/2 banana
2-3 TBS peanut butter(optional)
Blend well & enjoy
It's fun to experiment with the smoothies.
Hope you get off the couch & get moving (after you've poked around my blogs of course) :) Don't forget to check out my photography blog here.
Happy blogging!
Going to finish this smoothie & drink some coffee! :)
Friday, May 9, 2014
Keep Me Accountable
Hey fellow bloggers,
Today I have decided something. I am lazy. I had been doing so good at running 3 times a week & increasing my distance & after my 10K had come & gone I began to taper my distance & it's been 3 1/2 weeks since I ran last. I am daily telling myself to jump on the treadmill & go or to do my cross training. And with each passing day I get lazy & just think, maybe later. Later comes & later goes. I never start. So, here I am. Challenging myself to get fit & stop making excuses. So, I come to you all to hold me accountable. I had been running every Tuesday & Thursday evening with our local running club. Saturdays I would either run a race or just casually. Sometimes Sunday afternoons. So I've decided. Today is not a running day, so I will cross train. I do not desire losing weight. For me, it's about being fit. I used to have abs of steel. I haven't seen my abs for over a year. So, lets journey on & find them. I will post pics, before, during & after. I will blog about some of the training I am doing & let you know where I find my workout routines or if I just make it up as I go. I am no fitness expert, I don't know what I am doing most days. But any moving has to be better than not. Right?
Now that I have shared my plan with you, it's your job to keep me accountable. Comment on my post asking if I lived up to it or how it's going. It's out here for the whole world to see so I better stick to it!
Here's a pics of day 1:
Today I have decided something. I am lazy. I had been doing so good at running 3 times a week & increasing my distance & after my 10K had come & gone I began to taper my distance & it's been 3 1/2 weeks since I ran last. I am daily telling myself to jump on the treadmill & go or to do my cross training. And with each passing day I get lazy & just think, maybe later. Later comes & later goes. I never start. So, here I am. Challenging myself to get fit & stop making excuses. So, I come to you all to hold me accountable. I had been running every Tuesday & Thursday evening with our local running club. Saturdays I would either run a race or just casually. Sometimes Sunday afternoons. So I've decided. Today is not a running day, so I will cross train. I do not desire losing weight. For me, it's about being fit. I used to have abs of steel. I haven't seen my abs for over a year. So, lets journey on & find them. I will post pics, before, during & after. I will blog about some of the training I am doing & let you know where I find my workout routines or if I just make it up as I go. I am no fitness expert, I don't know what I am doing most days. But any moving has to be better than not. Right?
Now that I have shared my plan with you, it's your job to keep me accountable. Comment on my post asking if I lived up to it or how it's going. It's out here for the whole world to see so I better stick to it!
Here's a pics of day 1:
I began my workout with some brick training. I ran for approx. 12 minutes (3/4mile) then biked for 15minutes (not sure distance since the hubby's computer on the bike isn't working) then finished with almost a 1/2 mile run in 7minutes. I am beat. Note to self: DO NOT EVER TAKE A BREAK FROM TRAINING EVER AGAIN!!!
on a side note, I discovered that if I hold my posture while running & get my pace just right, my ponytail swings from side to side causing it fan my back off which feels most excellent! :)
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Hello Java followers!
This morning I am getting around slowly. I am a little sore. As many of you know I am running a 10K in April. That is 6.2Miles for those that don't know. Each week I have been trying to increase my mileage by 1 mile. This week I am supposed to hit 4miles. The most I've ever run was before my 3rd child, and it was 4.4 miles. Last night I joined up with some of the other members from a running club I belong to & I had a goal set to run 4 as did some of the other runners. Me & one lady, who I will call B to keep it private, were staying together on this run. She asked if I thought I could do 4.5 while we were on our route back. I said sure! So we did & then she asked, think we can do 5? SURE! I think so! So we ran till we hit 5.2 miles!!!! FIVE POINT TWO MILES!!!
Now my goal of this 10K looks so much more achievable. If I had run just one more mile I would have hit it! I cannot wait to go run in my very first 10K race! It's going to be awesome. My friend R will be there & my sister Amanda will be there too.
So as I finish my cup of java, I need to move on to hydrating with water!
Good day followers!
This morning I am getting around slowly. I am a little sore. As many of you know I am running a 10K in April. That is 6.2Miles for those that don't know. Each week I have been trying to increase my mileage by 1 mile. This week I am supposed to hit 4miles. The most I've ever run was before my 3rd child, and it was 4.4 miles. Last night I joined up with some of the other members from a running club I belong to & I had a goal set to run 4 as did some of the other runners. Me & one lady, who I will call B to keep it private, were staying together on this run. She asked if I thought I could do 4.5 while we were on our route back. I said sure! So we did & then she asked, think we can do 5? SURE! I think so! So we ran till we hit 5.2 miles!!!! FIVE POINT TWO MILES!!!
Now my goal of this 10K looks so much more achievable. If I had run just one more mile I would have hit it! I cannot wait to go run in my very first 10K race! It's going to be awesome. My friend R will be there & my sister Amanda will be there too.
So as I finish my cup of java, I need to move on to hydrating with water!
Good day followers!
Monday, March 10, 2014
Polar Plunge
Hi all you Java followers!!
Wow!! What a rush!!! As most of you that know, I had the Polar Plunge this past weekend. It was something I've had on my bucket list & was ecstatic to do it. I would be lying if I didn't admit I was very nervous. I have heard that people have had heart attacks due to the shock their bodies endure jumping/running into such cold water temps. But, even with a warning from my mom, I decided to charge on, er plunge on. :) I am sooooo glad I did! What a blast! I can't wait to dress up next year & do it all over again! They have costume contests, which I did not know about. A friend of mine, Robin, invited me to join her team & I was so worried, because I had 2 weeks to raise the min of $75 in donations. I hit it day 1! So I upped my goal to $150, hit it about a week later I guess it was, & by the night before the plunge I was $5 short of $300! And I am so happy to say, that as I opened my laptop to blog about my experience, another donation came in! I am at $320!!! Awesome!!! If you wanted to donate, & did not get a chance, you may still go here and make a donation until March 15th I believe.
First off, you all are awesome! Those donations just flew in & I am in awe of the outpour of donations. What an awesome thing to see everyone come together to support the Special Olympics of Illinois. Just amazing!
Second, so here it goes. I am registering in a nice warmed tent by the lake & then we line up. Now there was a lot of alcohol for sale for those that wanted to partake. And there were a lot of folks who had a few too many to drink (especially before noon???). I was already nervous. I could hear my mom in the back of my mind "you know, people have been known to have a heart attack doing this". Thanks mom. LOL. And then, there we are standing in line waiting for our flight to go out & 2 men drag a lady totally unconscious through the crowd. Luckily my friend pointed out that she wasn't even wet yet & that the lady probably was really drunk. OK, good. I'm ok. In my mind, I'm thinking "oh man, I hope mom isn't right". It's our flights turn to go out of the warmth of the dry tent & line up on the boardwalk along the lake front. BRR! A large portion of our lake is still frozen over & from my understanding they were out breaking the ice off the beach Friday before the plunge! They announce that the water is a lovely 35degrees!!! BRRR. Only a couple degrees above freezing! Hello? What am I thinking?! I told Robin, I will do it this once but never again. I also announced that I doubt I make it to the rope. (who am I kidding, like my hubby said. I am stubborn, he knew I would go all the way.) After all, I was stubborn & refused to give in to pain meds with my 3rd child until it was too late to get them. I am tougher than I ever dreamt! They announce our team, we line up along the beach & I choose to go on the side where I can run straight out & the rope isn't as far as for everyone else, but I wasn't thinking about how I had the farthest to go to get across the beach to exit the water! oops. They fired the gun & I ran as fast & as hard as I could into that water & after about waist deep I fell forward because my bottom half sorta came to a halt in the water but my top half was going full speed. I was having a really good hair day so I was trying to keep my hair dry. haha. I also had somewhere to go right after & didn't want to go home & wash & dry it & straighten it all over again. I made it all the way to the rope & lifted it. Then turned & went back. judging by the pictures, I didn't realize how cold it was until I let go of the rope & turned around. I got out of the water as fast as could be. It was so much fun! Such a rush. And I do plan to do it again! Every year if possible!
Here are some pictures from the plunge. Some are from my husband, & the rest from my dad!
Thank you guys for taking pictures!
courtesy of Mikel
courtesy of Mikel
courtesy of Mikel
courtesy of Mikel
courtesy of Mikel
courtesy of Mikel
courtesy of Mikel
courtesy of dad
courtesy of dad
courtesy of dad
courtesy of dad
courtesy of dad
Me & my friend Robin, our team captain!
Wow!! What a rush!!! As most of you that know, I had the Polar Plunge this past weekend. It was something I've had on my bucket list & was ecstatic to do it. I would be lying if I didn't admit I was very nervous. I have heard that people have had heart attacks due to the shock their bodies endure jumping/running into such cold water temps. But, even with a warning from my mom, I decided to charge on, er plunge on. :) I am sooooo glad I did! What a blast! I can't wait to dress up next year & do it all over again! They have costume contests, which I did not know about. A friend of mine, Robin, invited me to join her team & I was so worried, because I had 2 weeks to raise the min of $75 in donations. I hit it day 1! So I upped my goal to $150, hit it about a week later I guess it was, & by the night before the plunge I was $5 short of $300! And I am so happy to say, that as I opened my laptop to blog about my experience, another donation came in! I am at $320!!! Awesome!!! If you wanted to donate, & did not get a chance, you may still go here and make a donation until March 15th I believe.
First off, you all are awesome! Those donations just flew in & I am in awe of the outpour of donations. What an awesome thing to see everyone come together to support the Special Olympics of Illinois. Just amazing!
Second, so here it goes. I am registering in a nice warmed tent by the lake & then we line up. Now there was a lot of alcohol for sale for those that wanted to partake. And there were a lot of folks who had a few too many to drink (especially before noon???). I was already nervous. I could hear my mom in the back of my mind "you know, people have been known to have a heart attack doing this". Thanks mom. LOL. And then, there we are standing in line waiting for our flight to go out & 2 men drag a lady totally unconscious through the crowd. Luckily my friend pointed out that she wasn't even wet yet & that the lady probably was really drunk. OK, good. I'm ok. In my mind, I'm thinking "oh man, I hope mom isn't right". It's our flights turn to go out of the warmth of the dry tent & line up on the boardwalk along the lake front. BRR! A large portion of our lake is still frozen over & from my understanding they were out breaking the ice off the beach Friday before the plunge! They announce that the water is a lovely 35degrees!!! BRRR. Only a couple degrees above freezing! Hello? What am I thinking?! I told Robin, I will do it this once but never again. I also announced that I doubt I make it to the rope. (who am I kidding, like my hubby said. I am stubborn, he knew I would go all the way.) After all, I was stubborn & refused to give in to pain meds with my 3rd child until it was too late to get them. I am tougher than I ever dreamt! They announce our team, we line up along the beach & I choose to go on the side where I can run straight out & the rope isn't as far as for everyone else, but I wasn't thinking about how I had the farthest to go to get across the beach to exit the water! oops. They fired the gun & I ran as fast & as hard as I could into that water & after about waist deep I fell forward because my bottom half sorta came to a halt in the water but my top half was going full speed. I was having a really good hair day so I was trying to keep my hair dry. haha. I also had somewhere to go right after & didn't want to go home & wash & dry it & straighten it all over again. I made it all the way to the rope & lifted it. Then turned & went back. judging by the pictures, I didn't realize how cold it was until I let go of the rope & turned around. I got out of the water as fast as could be. It was so much fun! Such a rush. And I do plan to do it again! Every year if possible!
Here are some pictures from the plunge. Some are from my husband, & the rest from my dad!
Thank you guys for taking pictures!
courtesy of Mikelcourtesy of Mikelcourtesy of Mikelcourtesy of Mikelcourtesy of Mikelcourtesy of Mikelcourtesy of Mikel courtesy of dad courtesy of dad courtesy of dad courtesy of dad courtesy of dad Me & my friend Robin, our team captain!
And with that I bid you a HUGE Thank You!!
Another sip of java! Make mine extra hot please!!
Friday, March 7, 2014
Busket List
Hi Java followers!!
How are you this fine morning? I have been crazy busy lately. I have a couple things I am knocking off my "bucket" list year & they are coming up fast! First off I have the Polar Plunge, which raises money for the Special Olympics of Illinois. I cannot wait! This is tomorrow!!!! 3/8/2014. Just over 24hours away!!! I have a goal set to raise $250, of which I have raised $135. I have made an offer that if I can raise $100 more, I will make the final donation of $20 to make that $250! I made the first donation to get it all started. If you are interested in helping me achieve this goal, but more importantly to help the Special Olympics, you may go here.
The next item up for business is to knock off the goal of running a 10K (6.2miles). This will be done at Allerton Park on April 5th. This is why I have been so busy. Aside form taking care of my 3 children & keeping my house in order, I am running almost daily. My wonderful hubby bought me a treadmill so I can train no matter the weather! I have a 5K(3.1miles) on March 29th. I am so excited to be running again. With the running comes the risk of injuries so please pray I don't injure myself. I have a lot of races to sign up for this year as I want to earn the Grand Slam Medal from the running club I am a part of. I have to run in 4 of 5 races that are sponsored by this running club. The 10k I am signed up for is not one of them. I have been having some trouble with my ankle as I have a funny stride/gait. I am hoping to get into a shoe place where professionals can fit me with a proper running shoe. I love my Merrell Barefoot Racegloves ( they are a shoe to train you to run barefoot). They are so comfortable, lightweight, breathable & they bend well.
Coming back into running after having a baby was hard. I believe I posted before about the Run or Dye I did in October last year. It was fun, but would have been better with a running partner. Anyway, I hadn't run again after that until the last couple weeks. Starting over is so very hard. I read somewhere that if you don't like starting over, stop quitting. So, with that, I don't plan to quit anymore. Especially since I have a treadmill so the weather can no longer be an excuse!
My next goal for either this year or next is to complete a duathlon by myself. I have run as part of a team, but I want to do the entire duathlon as an individual. The one I have participated in before was the Mt. Zion Odd Fellows Duathlon. I have participated both years they have done it. It is a 2mile run followed by a 13mile bike ride ending with a 2 mile run. The only thing holding me back is I do not have a bike. I can borrow a bike from my hubby, if he doesn't intend to participate alone this year as well.
Next year for sure I intend to run a 15K (9.3miles).
Wish me the best as I achive some goals of mine!
Another sip of java! ( and a lot of water)
How are you this fine morning? I have been crazy busy lately. I have a couple things I am knocking off my "bucket" list year & they are coming up fast! First off I have the Polar Plunge, which raises money for the Special Olympics of Illinois. I cannot wait! This is tomorrow!!!! 3/8/2014. Just over 24hours away!!! I have a goal set to raise $250, of which I have raised $135. I have made an offer that if I can raise $100 more, I will make the final donation of $20 to make that $250! I made the first donation to get it all started. If you are interested in helping me achieve this goal, but more importantly to help the Special Olympics, you may go here.
The next item up for business is to knock off the goal of running a 10K (6.2miles). This will be done at Allerton Park on April 5th. This is why I have been so busy. Aside form taking care of my 3 children & keeping my house in order, I am running almost daily. My wonderful hubby bought me a treadmill so I can train no matter the weather! I have a 5K(3.1miles) on March 29th. I am so excited to be running again. With the running comes the risk of injuries so please pray I don't injure myself. I have a lot of races to sign up for this year as I want to earn the Grand Slam Medal from the running club I am a part of. I have to run in 4 of 5 races that are sponsored by this running club. The 10k I am signed up for is not one of them. I have been having some trouble with my ankle as I have a funny stride/gait. I am hoping to get into a shoe place where professionals can fit me with a proper running shoe. I love my Merrell Barefoot Racegloves ( they are a shoe to train you to run barefoot). They are so comfortable, lightweight, breathable & they bend well.
Coming back into running after having a baby was hard. I believe I posted before about the Run or Dye I did in October last year. It was fun, but would have been better with a running partner. Anyway, I hadn't run again after that until the last couple weeks. Starting over is so very hard. I read somewhere that if you don't like starting over, stop quitting. So, with that, I don't plan to quit anymore. Especially since I have a treadmill so the weather can no longer be an excuse!
My next goal for either this year or next is to complete a duathlon by myself. I have run as part of a team, but I want to do the entire duathlon as an individual. The one I have participated in before was the Mt. Zion Odd Fellows Duathlon. I have participated both years they have done it. It is a 2mile run followed by a 13mile bike ride ending with a 2 mile run. The only thing holding me back is I do not have a bike. I can borrow a bike from my hubby, if he doesn't intend to participate alone this year as well.
Next year for sure I intend to run a 15K (9.3miles).
Wish me the best as I achive some goals of mine!
Another sip of java! ( and a lot of water)
Friday, February 21, 2014
Polar Plunge
I am going to be participating in the Polar Plunge. One more thing to bump off my bucket list! Would you please donate to the cause?
Thanks so much. Please share as well.
https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/AmyManningBosler/2014-polar-plunge-decatur
Thanks so much. Please share as well.
https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/AmyManningBosler/2014-polar-plunge-decatur
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Contact Info
Hi. Thanks for stopping by to check out my photo blog. I hope you take time to browse all the posts. Along the right hand side you can select from the list of posts or just simply scroll down through them & at the bottom of the page select view older posts.
If you have any feedback, whether it be positive or negative, please don't hesitate to email me. I love good criticism.
Here is my contact info ~
email mafibosler4@gmail.com
phone 217-853-9143
If you have any feedback, whether it be positive or negative, please don't hesitate to email me. I love good criticism.
Here is my contact info ~
email mafibosler4@gmail.com
phone 217-853-9143
Monday, February 10, 2014
DIY Pocket Toy (Like a Polly Pocket)
Hi Java Mama Followers!
How many of you remember these things called Polly Pockets? I loved these things. Dolls that could travel. I always wanted them or even one. Nowadays they are big. Not as "cool" as they were in "my day". They don't travel well.
Another poplar item is the Squinkies. I hate them. They are tiny, squishy things that come in a plastic ball. You find them everywhere. My daughter loves them. (much like I loved the Polly Pocket of my day) She had a ton of them, but if I find them or step on them, I trash them. Her little brother, Isaiah decided to get her an entire set of more for Christmas.
So, now the fun began. I thumbed through my magazines searching for pictures I could cut out & paste into the can to create a "home" for these Squinkies. So, here it is!
How many of you remember these things called Polly Pockets? I loved these things. Dolls that could travel. I always wanted them or even one. Nowadays they are big. Not as "cool" as they were in "my day". They don't travel well.
Another poplar item is the Squinkies. I hate them. They are tiny, squishy things that come in a plastic ball. You find them everywhere. My daughter loves them. (much like I loved the Polly Pocket of my day) She had a ton of them, but if I find them or step on them, I trash them. Her little brother, Isaiah decided to get her an entire set of more for Christmas.
Ok, they are cute and at least they are squishy, so if I step on them it's not like stepping on the hard Polly Pocket toy. She needed to experience a toy like from my day. Faith needed a place to keep these little creatures. She needed something east to take while we wait at the doctors office, easy to play with in the van. So, I created something!
I have this stack of magazines...... ( you never know when you may need them again)
And I needed an item to close shut, something small, something I could glue "scenes" into. AHA! An Altoids canister. I however, do not like altoids. Their "curiously stronger" mints are too strong for my likings. At any rate. I had to find someone who does like them. We have a man at out church who happens to love them. Mike willingly ate a can of them & donated the empty can to us. (This this still smells like cinnamon)
So, now the fun began. I thumbed through my magazines searching for pictures I could cut out & paste into the can to create a "home" for these Squinkies. So, here it is!
A HUGE thank you to Mike for always wanting fresh breath. His fresh breath helped a poor mothers cause! :)
On that note, I'm gonna have another sip of my S'mores Latte
Thursday, February 6, 2014
S'mores!
Hi Java Followers!
It is a super cold yucky morning here in Illinois. I am starting to get cabin fever. (ok, I HAVE had it for some time now.) I was in need of creating something new & something that makes me feel all warm inside. What better "comfort food" than a S'mores?! Problem is, it is too cold to go outside & build a fire & toast marshmallows. Not to mention my fire pit is buried in snow. You get the picture.
So, I decided to pull out my goodies I have on hand in my cabinet & grabbed a pencil & notepad & started creating....... wait for it...... S'mores creamer! Yay!! I accidentally learned a tasty S'mores hot chocolate as well in my trying to create this. Here is what you need:
S'mores Creamer
1 1/2C heavy cream (I only had milk, this is how I accidentally discovered the hot chocolate)
1/2C Chocolate Chips. ( I prefer milk choc.)
1/2C marshmallow cream
1/4C corn syrup (this sweetens the creamer and is optional)
4TBS Biscoff Spread
Over low heat, warm heavy cream (or milk) in pot until bubbling. Not boiling. Put all the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour warmed milk over, cover & let sit for 5min. Stir or whisk together until well combined. Keep in air tight container in fridge. Enjoy!
I'm telling you this stuff is amazing. I had to play with it to get the measurements that I did. I started with half the amounts of the ingredients (other than the milk) and it just wasn't enough for a creamer. Also, I hadn't added the corn syrup at first so it wasn't sweet enough for a creamer to me. So, that's how I came up with the S'mores hot chocolate. Here is the recipe for that. it makes I would guess 2-3 mugs of hot chocolate.
S'mores Hot Chocolate
1 1/2C milk
1/4C Chocolate Chips
1//4C Marshmallow Cream
2TBS Biscoff Spread
Warm milk over low heat in a pot until bubbling. (not boiling) Put all remaining ingredients in a bowl, pour warm milk over, cover & let sit for 5min. Whisk together & pour up in mugs. YUMMY!
There you have it. You can thank me later. Until you get so addicted your scale hates you. I am sure it isn't healthy. But it tastes so good!
Here's to another cup of S'mores Latte! Yummy!
It is a super cold yucky morning here in Illinois. I am starting to get cabin fever. (ok, I HAVE had it for some time now.) I was in need of creating something new & something that makes me feel all warm inside. What better "comfort food" than a S'mores?! Problem is, it is too cold to go outside & build a fire & toast marshmallows. Not to mention my fire pit is buried in snow. You get the picture.
So, I decided to pull out my goodies I have on hand in my cabinet & grabbed a pencil & notepad & started creating....... wait for it...... S'mores creamer! Yay!! I accidentally learned a tasty S'mores hot chocolate as well in my trying to create this. Here is what you need:
S'mores Creamer
1 1/2C heavy cream (I only had milk, this is how I accidentally discovered the hot chocolate)
1/2C Chocolate Chips. ( I prefer milk choc.)
1/2C marshmallow cream
1/4C corn syrup (this sweetens the creamer and is optional)
4TBS Biscoff Spread
Over low heat, warm heavy cream (or milk) in pot until bubbling. Not boiling. Put all the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour warmed milk over, cover & let sit for 5min. Stir or whisk together until well combined. Keep in air tight container in fridge. Enjoy!
I'm telling you this stuff is amazing. I had to play with it to get the measurements that I did. I started with half the amounts of the ingredients (other than the milk) and it just wasn't enough for a creamer. Also, I hadn't added the corn syrup at first so it wasn't sweet enough for a creamer to me. So, that's how I came up with the S'mores hot chocolate. Here is the recipe for that. it makes I would guess 2-3 mugs of hot chocolate.
S'mores Hot Chocolate
1 1/2C milk
1/4C Chocolate Chips
1//4C Marshmallow Cream
2TBS Biscoff Spread
Warm milk over low heat in a pot until bubbling. (not boiling) Put all remaining ingredients in a bowl, pour warm milk over, cover & let sit for 5min. Whisk together & pour up in mugs. YUMMY!
There you have it. You can thank me later. Until you get so addicted your scale hates you. I am sure it isn't healthy. But it tastes so good!
Here's to another cup of S'mores Latte! Yummy!
Monday, February 3, 2014
Contest/Running
Hi Java followers!
How are you on this fine chilly Monday? What did you have in your cup this morning? I fixed myself a yummy strawberry white mocha! Yum!
Over the weekend I did some brainstorming & thinking about how I could get things moving with my new photo business that I am trying to get off the ground & running. Oh running, I miss running!
Anyway, I have decided to TRY and pull off a contest but I need my followers help with prayers, sharing & maybe even booking a session of your own! :) Here are the details.
In other news, I have a friend that invited me to run a 10k with her this spring. I have only run once this year. It hurt so bad. But felt soooo good too. haha. So I have accepted the challenge & will be running a 10K the first part of April. Since my baby sister has moved closer to home, I invited her to join as well. So she is going to join me & my friend R! I cannot wait. I needed a goal set to get me motivated to get back out & run again. Now, if this weather would just cooperate because I do not have a treadmill & cannot afford to get a gym membership, nor the treadmill. So, if you know of anyone that decided they no longer want theirs. Let me know because I would love a free hand me down. :)
Here is to a new year, & new goals!!
mmm. that java is so good!
How are you on this fine chilly Monday? What did you have in your cup this morning? I fixed myself a yummy strawberry white mocha! Yum!
Over the weekend I did some brainstorming & thinking about how I could get things moving with my new photo business that I am trying to get off the ground & running. Oh running, I miss running!
Anyway, I have decided to TRY and pull off a contest but I need my followers help with prayers, sharing & maybe even booking a session of your own! :) Here are the details.
In other news, I have a friend that invited me to run a 10k with her this spring. I have only run once this year. It hurt so bad. But felt soooo good too. haha. So I have accepted the challenge & will be running a 10K the first part of April. Since my baby sister has moved closer to home, I invited her to join as well. So she is going to join me & my friend R! I cannot wait. I needed a goal set to get me motivated to get back out & run again. Now, if this weather would just cooperate because I do not have a treadmill & cannot afford to get a gym membership, nor the treadmill. So, if you know of anyone that decided they no longer want theirs. Let me know because I would love a free hand me down. :)
Here is to a new year, & new goals!!
mmm. that java is so good!
Friday, January 31, 2014
Boogers
Hi all you java followers!
Wow have I been crazy busy lately. I have been working really hard trying to get back into photography & such. If you haven't checked out the new photo blog, you really need to. You can find it at this link.
Anyway, I have a question for all you mommas out there. I have this little 3 year old boy and he LOVES to pick his nose and..... EAT IT!!! Gross!!! Help. How do I correct this behavior. I have tried to tell him no & to get a tissue, I have tried to ignore it, but lets face it. When you are in line at the grocery store or a fast food restaurant & your 3 year old decides that is a great time to dig for a snack with all those spectators, it's hard to ignore. What do I do!?
your fellow java drinker.
(though only 1 cup a day.)
Wow have I been crazy busy lately. I have been working really hard trying to get back into photography & such. If you haven't checked out the new photo blog, you really need to. You can find it at this link.
Anyway, I have a question for all you mommas out there. I have this little 3 year old boy and he LOVES to pick his nose and..... EAT IT!!! Gross!!! Help. How do I correct this behavior. I have tried to tell him no & to get a tissue, I have tried to ignore it, but lets face it. When you are in line at the grocery store or a fast food restaurant & your 3 year old decides that is a great time to dig for a snack with all those spectators, it's hard to ignore. What do I do!?
your fellow java drinker.
(though only 1 cup a day.)
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Hi Java followers!
I am starting up a new "blog" just to get my name out there & have my photos seen. I would really love your help in getting the word around. I have a passion to get my photo business up & going again. Its been far too long since I took photos for anyone else. It will certainly take some time for me to find & upload photos to the blog but I have a few of my most recent photos on there. Help get the word out please!
Thanks so much!
http://amybphotog.blogspot.com/
I am starting up a new "blog" just to get my name out there & have my photos seen. I would really love your help in getting the word around. I have a passion to get my photo business up & going again. Its been far too long since I took photos for anyone else. It will certainly take some time for me to find & upload photos to the blog but I have a few of my most recent photos on there. Help get the word out please!
Thanks so much!
http://amybphotog.blogspot.com/
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