I DID IT! 12 down and I'm finished!

I did it! I did it! I did it!  12 5K's in 12 months.  This is probably one of the first resolutions I've actually kept in the last…forever….!!
Brenna, Zack and I ran the Frigid 5K in Occoquan Regional Forest.  I was a HELLacious run!  The first 1.5 miles was all up hill!!  I mean ALL up hill!  But that meant it was all down hill on the way home.  I had to stop and walk, but only for 20 secs.  I was actually really happy with my time - 29.41.  I wanted to keep it under 30mins and I did.  Zack was waiting at the end and help motivate me to sprint for the finish.
We all did really well!  Zack came in 3rd overall in the race, I came in 2nd for the women and Brenna came in 3rd for the women!  Now, granted it was not a huge race, but there were probably at least 30-40 people.  Hyzy's sweep the medal stands!!!

#12 in the bag

Hyzy bling!

Now I'm working on my plan for 2014.  I think I'll continue to run a 5K every month, why stop a good thing.  But I've got to come up with a new challenge.  A few things on my mind, but I'm still mulling it over.

Christmas 2013

Christmas came and went and it was very nice.  I still don't have my gifts to the family mailed yet, nor do I have our "christmas" letter written, but we enjoyed our family Christmas.  John and I were up at 615am, sitting around waiting for the kids to come down.  My how times have changed.  They did end up getting up about 715am, so we didn't have to wait to long for them.
We did all our traditional things, stockings first - then yummy breakfast pizza and finally the presents under the tree.  I think everyone enjoyed most of their presents.

Christmas Eve - traditional pajama presents

Waiting patiently for the kids to get up

This was the year of clothes for Zack.  Who would have thought that a 15 year old boy number one gift request would be clothes.  The boy has turned into quite the fashionista, he's very much into the swathers with button-down shirts under them.  Khaki flat front pants in different colors.  Even Brenna asked where he got his fashion style.. implying that I couldn't give him that ability?  Whatever… :o)  Truth be told, he is his own fashion man…  

Christmasy Cooper

Best Christmas present ever… Mr. Spock Bobble-head!  Because nothing says Merry Christmas like Mr. Spock!  Now he is sitting on my desk watching over my calendar and To Do list with all his Star Trek logic!

Christmas can wear a boy out!

Christmas can wear a Dad out!

We ended the day with our traditional Cul-de-sac Christmas.  I think this is the 3rd year at least that we've done Cul-de-sac Christmas.  This year we brought Honey Baked Ham, cornbread stuffing, glazed carrots and bite-sized apple pies.  There was so much food it was almost embarrassing.  The Prices made 2 turkeys.  We also had mashed potatoes, salad, zucchini casserole, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, chocolate pie, christmas cookies and it goes on and on and on!  I swear I was carrying around a 9lb food baby!   The kids including the big boys were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. The grownups hung out in the kitchen eating and laughing and gabbling.  It was a great way to end the night.   I'm just so thankful for our neighbors.  We were able to celebrate a "family" Christmas when none of us could be with our families.

Wow!

I ran 8 miles today!!  I was aiming for 10, but I just couldn't do it.  I think my residual Christmas food baby was dragging me down!  But I did it - and I hope it helped to negate everything I ate yesterday.  When I say everything, I literally mean - anything I could get my hands on.  Rice crispy treats, christmas cookies, chocolate bark, ham, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, apple pie, chocolate pie, ice cream… it was a gluttonous feast!  And it was good!

I almost forgot to mention, John and I went to his office work Christmas party.  I really hate going to these things, mingling with people I don't know, making small talk… yuck!  But I went trying to be a good wife, and it wasn't that bad.  The food was good and it was fun to watch John flitting around in his element.  Socializing and schmoozing all the folks.  We also won two door prizes, which John donated back to the party and made him quite the hero!  But to top it all off… We looked GOOD!!

Nothing says Christmas like an Ugly Sweater

On the last day of school they had an Ugly Sweater competition and while neither Zack or I won, it was great fun and I was pretty excited that Zack wanted to do it with me.  I ended up borrowing my sweater from the Tatums, but Zack and Brenna created his.  It was like a mini episode of Project Runway, but without any talented designers….

A work in progress

Somehow Zack missed out on the embarrassment gene, and just does whatever he wants and doesn't worry about it.  I love that about him.  I also love that he doesn't mind if I tag along or do something equally crazy.  

It's finally starting to look a bit like Christmas...

Last week I sadly had to send out this email to all our family….

Good Morning,
Just a quick note to let everyone know that not only will I most likely be sending out a MLK day letter instead of my annual Christmas letter, but the chances of any of you getting your Christmas gifts in time for Christmas are about the same as a snowball's chance in hell.   I actually have most of them down in the basement, but somehow my time keeps slipping away from me.   Let's just look at it this way... I am helping to extend the fun and excitement of Christmas just a little beyond the traditional time frame!  Yeah me!!

Know that we love you all and miss you all... and will eventually lift our heads out of the craziness that has become our lives and get to the post office!

Merry Christmas!
Julie

This is the first year that I've absolutely been so far behind the ball that I actually didn't get things done on time.  I always complain that I'm behind, but I've always found a way to make it all work.  This year, frankly I just gave up.  Between my new copy girl job and going to Crew practice everyday from 4-6pm, I just couldn't get it all done and I'm finally okay with it.

We did get the tree decorated, although it spent it's first week naked with only lights on it.  And actually I sorta liked it that way.  I think everyone has been so freaking worn out,  Brenna with finals and school, Zack with school and winter conditioning, me with work, winter conditioning, and house stuff and John with work - that none of us could summon the energy to get anything done.   We ended up doing a family vote - #1 - leave the tree naked with lights. #2 - naked with lights and add the beads, #3 - each pick out a few of our favorite ornaments and do minimal decorating.  #3 won and the tree looks just great.

The winner

Decorating the tree skirt

Zack - so excited about decorating

More decorating?

Finally…

Despite much lollygagging, and foot dragging we got the tree decorated and it looks beautiful.  I actually just finished wrapping all the gifts today, and I'm hoping to get some chocolate bark gifts made tomorrow and then  I'll be done.  We're doing Cul-De-Sac Christmas so all I need to make is stuffing, carrots and warm up the honey baked ham, piece of cake.  I have managed to work in some runs, but I'm ready for Christmas to be here and to be able to relax.  And I guess at some point work on my Martin Luther King Letter! :o)

I very well might need an Intervention

I don't seem to be able to stop myself… I guess there could be a lot worse things to be addicted to….

These are whole baskets of awesome!  And apparently they are highly reflective so if I run in the dark, cars will be able to see my feet flashing by!  They were my birthday present to myself.  Asics Gel Nimbus 15 - Light Shows!!  I just know I'm going to run like the wind in these.  Now I just need the snow, sleet and ice to go away so I can get out there and try them out!

November Recap!

It's been a crazy busy November!  I can't believe it's almost done and December is right around the corner.  Virtually every night I look at my To Do list and there is BLOG right at the top… and still I don't sit down and write.  So, maybe a few highlights with some pics to recap!

#1 - On Nov 2nd, I ran 10miles… 10 freaking miles all at one time.  I wanted to do it, just to see if I could and I did.  It wasn't pretty and it wasn't fast, but I flipping did it!!

#2 - Zack and I ran my 11th 5K race on Nov 10th.   It was the Robinson Crew's 5K fundraiser.  I actually ran a PR - 28:59.  I was pretty happy with my performance and it was really nice running with Zack.

#3 - Zacky ran his first 10K on Nov 17th!  It was sort of an accident.  I was volunteering to help at the Lake Ridge Runners Turkey Trot since I'd already run my Nov 5K.  Coach Cox was running it and wanted me to see if we could get some of the Crew kids to run it.  When I went to sign them up I thought it was a 5K run, but it was a 5K walk and a 10K run…. Coach Cox and Stephanie ( the race director) insisted that "those Crew Boys" had to do the 10K!  So, then I had to text Zack and the rest of them and say…"oops, I guess you guys are actually running a 10K!"  But, you know what I love most about those kids… every single one of them, just shrugged their shoulders and said "Okay."  Like it was no big deal!  Me… I would have been whiney like a little girl baby!  We got about 6-7 kids out to run with Coach Cox and I think they all had a good time.  They didn't run to kill themselves, they all stuck together and ran as a group.  I just love those kids!!  

#4 - Zack took his test to get his driver's permit… say it ain't so… it ain't… he failed it!  You could only miss 6 and he missed 7!  I couldn't freaking believe it.  My smartypants baby boy, failed his first permit test.  Probably because he was just a little too arrogant and over confident.  Then when I told him he should probably study the driver's manual… he acted like I was crazy!  I think his exact words were… "you want me to read THE WHOLE book???"  What does he frigging think… he's just magically going to know how to drive a car.  Now he has to wait 15 days before he can try again.  Hmmm… I wonder if he'll try reading "the whole book" this time?

#5 - Job is going great.  I still love it.  Not sure what that says about me, but I love the copy center.  Zack rides to school with me every morning, he stops by to see me during the day (mainly for the candy) and hangs out in the morning to finish homework etc… it's great.  Everyone seems to love me and they say the copy center has never run so efficiently.  It sure doesn't seem like it's that complicated, so I'm not sure what the guy before me was doing?  Especially since he worked full time in there??!!!

#6 - Crew is up and running.  Winter Conditioning has started and we're going full bore.  Lots of changes going on, which means lots of drama.  But, that's okay.  I love Coach Cox and the vision he has for the team, so I don't mind dealing with all the hoopla!  Our fearless leader, David Tatum, is being deployed to Korea for a year, so guess who gets to step up and be "Interim President" while he's gone.  It's fine.  He'll still be available via email, text and possible Skype!  I really don't mind, I love this team, the parents (mostly) and the kids.  It gives me a great sense of satisfaction to be helping the team.  Zack is doing amazing and really seems to enjoy it.  I think he has a really good chance of being in a Varsity boat this season if he keeps up the hard work.  I'm working out with team during winter conditioning and I'm loving it.  Getting some Erg lessons and learning all sorts of stuff.

#7 - Back to running at least 3 times a week when at all possible, more if I can, but I haven't quite gotten my routine in order with the new job.  It's a juggle to work, walk the dogs, run and do whatever errands need to be taken care of.  Winter conditioning helps, but I still don't have it quite down yet.  My foot is 95% healed!  The plantar facsitis is virtually gone, so I'm trying not to overdo it too much with the running and build back up to running everyday.  I'm also thinking of getting a bike for Christmas and giving that a try just as a different way to work out.

All in all, November has been crazy busy, but good!  Bring it December!!