New Post!

Today was my day to post on The Skinny. I write for the first and third Mondays each month. Head on over and check out my tips for stretching! Also, check out Polly's awesome recipe for something useful to do with powdered milk.

A Moment for Thanks

     You know how sometimes it just seems like time flies by too quickly? That's been happening to me recently. I barely blink and a week has gone by since I posted here on my little blog. Yes, I've been busy with my new job, but I've also been loving the regularity of life. Sometimes it just feels great to have a routine. I do my daytime things (including running about every other day), then make some dinner and eat it with Eric, and then we just chill out together to some TV or a movie--most recently we have been working our way through the Harry Potter movies (for the who-knows-what-number-th time). Last night we began The Goblet of Fire. Then we hunker down for sleep and I look forward to another regular day filled with similar things.
     I've been reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult and it really makes me appreciate how boring my life is sometimes. That seems strange, but it is a real comfort to not have emergencies and heartbreaking situations surrounding me. I realize things like this are sometimes exaggerated in books, but I also know that lots of families (including my own) go through challenging times that really do seem that bad. The peace comes in knowing that we get through it and the troubles eventually pass. So what I'm really trying to say today is that I am grateful for this peaceful time in my life. I appreciate it now especially because it has not always been so peaceful and because I know that there are inevitable obstacles in my future. However, more than any of these things I know that along with family and friends surrounding me, my Father in Heaven is always helping me. And it is always the right time to stop and thank God for all His blessings.

One Hour at a Time

Today was an endurance test of its own. I started the day at 6:30am with a 2-mile run. Then I cleaned myself up for my first day of a special babysitting job. I get to watch a sweet little 3 month-old baby girl in my home three times a week. I know the family from church and they are wonderful to let me have this opportunity to learn more about caring for a baby. She's a doll. Yes, she cries sometimes and there were a couple times today that I wondered what I was supposed to do to make her happy. Overall, I liked it. I didn't love it quite like I loved my run this morning, but I still really look forward to having my own baby one day. When her daddy picked her up this afternoon, I was ready for my own nap. Whew! Now I'm at the office helping Eric get ready for our guest meeting. It's been a long and exciting day. Tomorrow will be a much needed (since I'm still sore from a Pilates workout I did on Monday night) rest day from running. But I will be back on the track Friday!

My name is Emily and I am a runner.

This morning I ran 3 miles with my friend Aubrie. She has to run early in the mornings while her husband is still home with the kiddos. I usually run whenever I happen to roll out of bed... and that is usually not at 6:30am. However, that is when we met to walk up to the track and get in our miles today. Despite the early hour, the weather was perfect and we had a great run! I love having a good conversation to distract from the work. She helped me think of running tips to write about for The Skinny (you know, that blog full of really intelligent and inspiring people who are reaching for greater heights with their fitness and eating habits). The last two laps we decided to run faster to really make it worth it, though. Great workout. It was wonderful to return home and be ready for the day. It reminded me of all the beautiful summer mornings that we spent running together just months ago. Running helps me to feel energized and ready to conquer whatever comes. I get excited just thinking about it and sometimes I dream about it at night. That's how I know I've become a runner, and that's why I just updated my "About Me" section of my profile.

On a somewhat related note, I want to say hello and welcome to my new followers. I am very excited to become more acquainted with you through my posts and your comments.

A Tiny Step

I have felt so inspired by my great friends at The Skinny that today my lunch contains a banana, carrot sticks, a miniature orange, and a very small bag of Cheez-Its. Plus a lot of water to drink.

I also ran about a mile today, which is sometimes hard to get the motivation to do when it is raining outside.

Feeling so good! I can't wait to try adding fresh lemon juice and cinnamon to more foods. Thanks to Marae for the tips!

Does anybody know of other helpful things to boost metabolism? I am a firm believer that plenty of water (as in about half your body weight # of ounces daily) is a major helper. So what else works?

Levi's 515 SHORT, How I Love Thee!

You are my favorite jeans I have ever owned. With your dark wash and perfect length, you help me to feel beautiful. You hug in the right places and hang in the right places and show off my improved physical fitness. With you, I am the perfect height. With you, I am just the right size in all the right places. No more soggy pant-legs when it rains outside. No more pulling, adjusting, and wishing I had a belt. My only wish is that I had more pairs of jeans exactly like you so I never have to go a day without my Levi's 515 SHORT.

Sincerely,
Renewed Lover of Jeans

Oregonians and Talk of Snow

Oregonians are really funny about snow. If there is even a hint of a chance of snow, everybody becomes obsessed with the weather. Each person takes every opportunity to tell their family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and strangers in passing about the most recent temperatures and expected snow. This began about a week ago when the weather started dipping into the thirties. People proclaimed that a snow day was on its way. Next thing you know, someone has topped that prediction with one of their own and they claim there will be several days of snow. It is a week later and still there is no snow. Of course, the temperatures are low enough and the clouds have moved in. Yet no precipitation! Yesterday all anybody could talk about was event cancellations, getting traction for their cars, purchasing extra water and groceries in case of power outages, and avoiding the roads during the coming storm.
Well, this storm was supposed to arrive at about midnight last night and leave the roads covered in ice and snow this morning. It's quite a shock; Eric and I arrived at the office this morning, as expected, without sighting a single patch of ice on the roads! No troubles with traction, no snow in sight. Someday all our Oregonian hopes will come true and the forecasters will be right. Oh wait... that was last year.