Life on the Runn...

While the outcome of today's football game (I know, too soon!) wasn't what any true Wisconsinite was hoping for, there was certainly good to be found in the day. I got to spend my afternoon with one of my favorite people, my cousin Jenna.  Picture this:  pillows, blankets, comfy clothes, iced tea, laughs.... oh, and that football game that shall not be discussed in detail. Per usual, we chatted about all sorts of things, reminisced, laughed a lot, and had a fabulous time.  Certainly I wish Jenna weren't in the position she is in now, but I am happy to have the time to hunker down with her and make more memories with my beautiful cousin! The championship belt may not have served its purpose in helping the Packers, but Jenna deserves it more than the green and gold, anyhow.  She's the wold champion of determination, and she's going to be better than ever and show that Achilles who is in charge!  One of my favs - it's hard not to love time with JL!...

I spent the past two weeks in Boulder enjoying all the things I miss out on when I'm in Wisconsin -- nature, my kittens, my husband, stuff like that.  It was simple and fabulous, and it went all too quickly. I flew to Colorado on Friday night and by Saturday morning, I was headed outside for day one of our adventures.  I had two weeks to fill, so from then on, I made sure to do something, or often times more than one thing, every day that I wouldn't be able to do back in Wisconsin when break ended.  There were climbing trips, long hikes around town, a Flatiron run, visits with my Colorado cousins, and outings to the Park; I even managed to squeeze in a skiing trip.  I also made it a point to be sure I found time to enjoy simply having no agenda; that meant I found time for nothing but me, the mountains, a cup of tea, and my book.  The past two weeks, this wonderful winter break, were exactly what I needed -- a chance to step away from the pressures of wo...

This year, thanks to an extra long winter break -- two full weeks -- I decided to head west and cut down on the back-and-forth (and save some hard-earned cash) of home for the holidays, to the mountains, and back home again. I'm definitely missing being with the rest of my family today, especially when there wasn't a fantastic breakfast from Dad, setting the table and sharing stories with mom, or jokes with my brother to exchange. I am, however, very much enjoying the one-on-one time with my little family, BR, the girls, and me.   Fur babies count, right?!  a few Christmas goodies, practical, of course!  Road trips, rock climbing, curled up with a good book (or a laptop to tend to some programming), it doesn't matter.  Life with this guy is an absolute blessing and the best adventure I ever could have never planned for! We've spent a lot of good times in the ol' Fit, headed somewhere new to do something fun  May your holiday blessings be as p...

Life - marriage, career, family - is hard work; it's rewarding, meaningful work, but it's hard work.  Today is my parents' 33rd anniversary.  Those years tell the story of two wonderful people, who have dedicated their lives to working hard, building a family, and tirelessly loving one another. Those years together have made for a wonderful life for their family and have helped to shape the people we are today. The fact that I arrived not all that long after my parents were married means I have been present for a lot of their life together.  And though there are certainly years I don't remember, one thing I'll never forget is the example my mom and dad set for my brother and me.  There were never false pretenses, nothing was for show - the life my parents led, the life they continue to lead, is a genuine one.  They have always been a team in the truest sense of the words.  In both the best of time and the worst, they have been a complimentary pair. ...

Truth be told, heading into this run, I wasn't my most excited running self.  Aside from the fact that we were mid-move, I had been sidelined by tendonitis, and I hadn't been running regularly since my half marathon.  For someone like me, someone who thrives on having a routine, a goal, and hates sitting still, it had been torture. Brian and I talked extensively about the fact that I needed to be mindful of my injury; he told me to learn from his past mistakes, to rest when injured and to listen to my body.  In fact, he made me promise that I would consider walking the race if running was too painful.  I hate being wrong, and I hate feeling like I've quit at anything, but I conceded -- he was right.   Bright and early Saturday morning, I was ready to test my limits (or at least see what they were) and was extremely happy to be joined by my run buddy, Jenna, and my friend, Amanda, who decided a 5K was on her bucket list.  We headed to Veteran's Park, ...

Like all big things in life, it doesn't feel real until it's really happening, and on December 17th, we really are turning over the keys to the house and moving on...to where, we're not sure yet, but it's time to say goodbye to Oak Creek and the first house we made our home.   It was a tough decision, like any decision these days seem to be for us, but it ultimately made little sense for us to remain in the OC when I work in Waukesha and have a husband who splits time (though not equally - who can blame him? Colorado is amazing!) between Boulder and wherever I am.   When I got home from my summer adventure in Colorado, we decided to list the house.  That was the beginning of September, and even with a for sale sign in the front yard, it didn't feel like we were really going to sell this house.  As weeks passed, I almost began to ignore the sign and figured life would march on as it had been.  Then, while in Las Vegas for my half marathon, we got the cal...

Though life is complicated, and moving is not for the faint of heart, it's a short work week and lots of family time awaits. I'm looking forward to several quality husband-wife days this week and next.