Getting the Right Picture

I LOVE Thanksgiving! It is my favorite holiday of the year.  I love everything about it....the food, the traditions of sharing our gratitude formally, the table cloths and napkins, the fancy dishes, and of course the Family!  I love that we have so many people stuffed into my small house.  Everyone is here just to be together and enjoy the present moment.  I love the slowness of it all.  How it takes all morning to cook and prepare and then we eat and eat and eat and play games and watch movies.  An entire day of just piling into one home and slow cooking with the people we love. 

I think one of the things I love the most is the traditions we are setting for our children.  Seeing my kids get so excited yesterday was priceless.  My 5 year old's face was lit up in a huge smile and look of pride when everyone was tearfully sharing their gratitude cards and it was her turn to read.  My sister-in-law and brother came this year for the first time.  My daughters thought it was so special to learn how to fold napkins like Aunt Ninew was teaching them to and they took such joy in helping make the dips (even though they were making the biggest mess ever). 

We even had my mom try to get some good family pictures to use for a Christmas Card this year.  I'll admit, I'm one of those moms that sets her family up in front of a camera every year in hopes of getting a good Christmas Card picture if I don't have one from the year where all of us are together.  I can see the eye rolls even before the first shot.  They know I keep taking them over and over again until I get the perfect one.  By perfect I don't mean we all have to be sitting still and smiling and looking perfectly pretty (just me.  :))...I'm all about REAL.  But I want a shot that captures our family and doesn't make anyone look too distorted or ridiculous.  I mean I'm sending these pictures to many many people that have not seen our family in a long time so this picture is really them seeing us when we can't be there.  I love it when we had the perfect shot during the year that we can use but too often it comes down to squeezing a photo session in right before I look into getting the cards done.  I really am thinking that this year we will just send one of the funnier ones or less than perfect ones because I. Am. Sick. Of. Pictures!  And really, this is my year to start being all about keeping things REAL right?! 

I love that my youngest wanted to wear his new green boots but they are way too big on him and kept falling off every few minutes so half the photo shoot was spent chasing him and putting his boots on!  It made for a fun photo shoot.  Hopefully we'll find one out of the many to use for our card.  Speaking of holiday cards, please don't forget about my Giveaway that ends this Sunday! 

I am really hoping to fit a run in today and burn off some of the copious amounts of food I ate yesterday!  Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

So much for that Blog Burn Out that I mentioned.  I think it came and went. 

Amanda

Running With My Big Bro

There is something about a run with my brother on a cold Thanksgiving morning that is beyond special to me.  So special in fact, that I had to sneak back here and write a quick blog.  Gosh, what has this blog thing done to me?!  But seriously, running with my brother brings with it a huge bag of memories and meanings.  Most my memories of my brother growing up involve him running.  Our dad died when my brother was about six years old (I was 4 and my younger bro was 1) and it was almost as if he grew up instantly.  Instead of doing the normal things that boys his age did, he spent his free time running.  He would run up to 10 miles a day sometimes.  Running was so much a part of his life.  We spent many weekends going to his races in Colorado and once he started track and cross country,  his races became a family event.  When he did something to warrant a grounding from our parents, they had nothing to take away from him but his running.  Ha!  Was that ever funny to watch. Poor kid probably just needed some serious therapy sessions to get to the root of his obsessive compulsive behavior but it was funny to watch him try to do run laps around his small bedroom just to feel like he didn't miss out completely on his daily running.  

It was my big brother that convinced me to join the cross country team when I was a freshman in high school.  Up until then I would make fun of running and say that it took no talent.  I mean all you had to do was move your arms and legs, right?! I think I mostly said that to get his goat but eventually I started believing that running was stupid.  I was motivated to join the cross country team just as a way to have a social life since my mom insisted on having me in homeschool for several years.  I'm so THANKFUL for my brother and his part in helping me discover running.  It has been one of the biggest loves of my life since then! It also was a way for me to feel connected to my dad since he was a runner.  Running was his passion and having it become my passion was like having my dad near me. It was so amazing to discover a talent that I never knew I had.  It was as if it set me free.  Free to mourn the death of my dad, discover myself, express my emotions, and experience a joy that I never knew life had to offer.

My brother eventually grew up to be a normal guy and enjoy life outside of running. Well, I wouldn't exactly say we are normal but we like it that way.   And now here he is with his wonderful wife and unborn child on Thanksgiving day with us! Thank you big brother...for our runs, for our childhood together, and for getting me to join cross country so many years ago! 

Randomness:

*  Having a love/hate relationship with Blogging lately.  Maybe a blog burn out? I realize that I have blogged every single day for about a month now.  I'm an all or nothing girl.  When I decide to pick something up for the first time, I go all out and can get a bit obsessive (runs in the family).  I'm ready to bring it down a notch and remind myself why I started blogging....for ME.  As a way to express myself and have an outlet for my thinking.  I didn't start blogging to collect "followers" like pins on my letter jacket in high school.  I didn't start blogging so other bloggers would comment and "like" me.  I started blogging for ME!  And that is what I have to keep it as...a REAL form of expression of thinking from my Mind.  If I make a few friends in the process, then that is just icing on my blog cake.  :) 

*  Thinking back to August when I ripped up my hamstring from a fall in the forest, I can see how far I've come in such a short amount of time.  It has seemed like forever but really, in the long scheme of things, I am fortunate to have healed so quickly.  So grateful for my legs.  Not just to run, but to be active.  To walk, dance, and skip.  Legs to play with kids on.  So very thankful for these legs!

Happy Thanksgiving,


Amanda

Winter Storm of 2010

SNOW in Portland!
Yes, that's right folks.  Schools are canceled, the meteorologists are getting more action than they've seen in a long time, and the entire city of Portland is moving slower than usual.  All this because of maybe an inch or two of snow!  I remember the first winter I spent in Oregon. I thought it was so funny (and ridiculous that school was canceled because of an inch of snow that melted before noon.  Being a Colorado girl, I was used to walking to school in 3 feet of snow and not being able to see the roads for weeks at a time.  (Disclaimer:  When it snows even a little bit in Portland, it can be dangerous because of all the rain turning to ice on the roads so the "winter freak out" really is warranted.  Just funny.) Here's a picture of our friend Cindy enjoying the early morning snow.

I'm not really quite sure how Cindy came to be part of our family.  I'm pretty sure she was one of the many creations that my husband made with the kids when I was off at the gym or on a run or something.  She's always around now though.  She even helped us pass out candy on Halloween while we went off to trick-or-treat.  She's so excited about the snow!

This weather even makes for some good early morning cross training.  Nothing like some good "sled pulling" intervals to get your heart rate up AND win you brownie points in the mom department!

Gratitude Cards
On another note.  It is great having a daughter that can write now!  My 5 year old was in charge of our gratitude cards this year.  These are the cards everyone will write on before our Thanksgiving feast.  And yes, I make everyone share around the table.  Even though I get some eye rolls and groans of complaint about this, I know that deep down, everyone appreciates this tradition.  This is what happens when you take a teacher out of the classroom.  My traditions only get worse the longer I'm not teaching.

Running to Relieve Stress
I know that lots of blogging runners have written about how running helps to make them feel better and have more to give as a mother, wife, and person, etc.  I think this topic will come up again and again in my life and as I continue to read other blogs about running.  There is really no replacement for what a Run can do for my mood.  Last night I was feeling stressed and overwhelmed with all the noise in the house, the list of things to get done before Thanksgiving, having so many people needing me at once, the puddle of wine all over my floor from the bottle that my 16 month old knocked over....it was all just a little too much at once!  Before going to my book club down the street, I went on a short but fast run around the neighborhood.  It was truly as if I could feel the stress of the day just melt off of me with each step.  Every stride, every breath was making me feel whole again.  I came home, grabbed my book and purse and headed off to book club feeling like a new ME!  I'm so thankful for Running.  There is no better medicine for renewing my spirits, clearing my mind, re-energizing  and refocusing on the important things in life.  Running is definitely at the top of my Gratitude List for Thanksgiving and every day!


Amanda


I know many of you are blogging about Shutterfly Holiday cards, you already have plans for your cards, or you just don't have any interest in holiday cards but if you are interested in getting your Holiday cards for free this year (or know of someone else in your life who would appreciate free custom designed cards or birth announcements), check out my Giveaway!

Tree, Holiday Cards, Art, Thanksgiving and Other Randomness



1.  Okay, so is it too early to put our Christmas Tree up?  We usually wait until after Thanksgiving but  I really have the itch to do it today!  My husband says absolutely not!  But I say Why Not?! 

2.  This Tree topic makes me excited to tell you about my first giveaway that I have in the works for Monday!  I'm so excited because I wanted it to be a giveaway that isn't just for runners but something that will reach the interests of all kinds of people!  I know not everyone celebrates Christmas, but most people either know of someone or they themselves have a use for some kind of announcement, invitation or Holiday Card! And what's better than getting a set of custom made cards, invitations, or announcements for free?! All you'll have to do is send in a picture that you want to use.  I have not ironed out the details yet but I'll have more to say about this giveaway soon! 

3.  Thank you for all your comments and feedback about the Cher Odum art I wrote about in The Beauty of Art, The Essence of a Runner.  She is definitely working on coming up with something new.  I know art is such a personal preference and what one person loves, another might take no interest in.  Such is the beauty of art!

 

4.  I ran 4 miles on the treadmill last night and reached another new level in my recovery!  Today I think I'm going to try to get in 6 at an easy pace. Good news is that I don't feel any pain in my hamstring!  I've been using my kinesio tape and stretching really good so this is helping.   Thinking of all you that are coming back from an injury...I know how hard it can be to not run!  Just keep focusing on the your goal and visualizing yourself running free and strong.  Visualizing and remaining focused on healing and strength help speed up the recovery process!

A shout out to several NW blogger runners who are running in the EWEB Run To Stay Warm .  Good luck ladies:   Elkton Runner, Little Fruit Fly, Laurie, and Kim!

5.  Holiday Traditions.  I'm so excited for Thanksgiving.  It is my favorite holiday.  I love getting out my nice table cloths, dishes, decorations and music and making it a really nice dinner.  I know for some it is a more relaxed day with football and eating on the couch all day but for me it more of a fancy occasion.  I usually have everyone write down what they are thankful for (with some twist) and then we include them in our gratitude album where we can look back to all the past years and see how far we've all come in life. Everyone is so good about humoring me.  They even agree to share their gratitude cards at the table before we eat.  And the only thing that would make it more festive is a decorated TREE!  ;)

What are your Thanksgiving Traditions?

Amanda