I can't stop doing my happy dance!!!

I don't even know where to start so I will just spill it...

WE SOLD OUR HOUSE!


Obviously i's need to be dotted and t's need to be crossed but we have an accepted offer and suddenly life is going to be very different, very soon.

I feel so relieved & happy that we get to move on. Our house was such a wonderful first step for us. We learned so much but having our roots not rooted anymore is so freeing. I am so happy we can concentrate on Jacob & school and not feel the weight and responsibility of a home for awhile.

I think I will get much more emotional about it as we move closer to the closing but for now we have so much more to think about and plan. ALSO, slowly but surely, I cannot wait to share it all with you guys :)

To make this weekend even more amazing, I had the best freaking race on Saturday!!!

My average pace was by far my best yet and I completely destroyed my goal.

I honestly cannot even tell you where the speed came from. I have not been doing anything special or different. Last year I ran this race in a little under 39 minutes. I peeled 6 minutes off my time!!! I can't even believe it.

It was cold, but not windy and I think the perfect mix of that plus the nice downhill at the end helped me really dig deep and hold on in that last mile. 

The party at the end was awesome. You only had one beer ticket but they let us drink till the beer ran out. All of the volunteers were so nice & we knew a lot more people at the end of the race then we usually do which made it even more fun. 

I only ate a banana and peanut butter before the race. It really has become my go to lately. 

I am trying to think of more details but I can't! I think my brain is on overload... Here are some pictures from the race. I hope y'all had a fabulous weekend too!!! 

DID you run this weekend!?!? Tell me about it.

Linking up again---Runner's Tell All :)

This morning needs to be remembered forever.

At 6:45 AM two alarms went off in our house. Mine and Jake's !

I rolled over and asked if we were still on and just like that, before we could even answer each other or talk each other out of it, we were out the door...RUNNING. On a weekday. OUTSIDE.

Can I just tell you this has never happened before in the history of EVER???

My husband was AWAKE and running with me at an hour I am not even sure he has seen before. I don't even know what is happening ??? I think my husband is starting to like running ???

Anyways we knocked out three miles together and then I did three more. I haven't gotten a run in outside BEFORE work since sometime last fall. I honestly cannot tell you how great I feel today at work.

I did a lot of thinking on my run about how I have got to get over this yo-yo-ing of my schedule. Morning workouts are what work for me. They make my whole day better...and yet, I talk myself out of them WAYYY too often. I have to make a new commitment to myself starting ASAP. I am even thinking about seeing if I can try out changing my schedule at work. I know staying an extra hour after everyone else will be hard but I don't know if it is harder to sit all day at work thinking about having to get in my run or workout class. We shall see. Nailing down a good schedule is just so important once marathon training is in full swing. Sorry this is so boring...I am just blabbing all this because I have no where else to!

If you have any ideas or things that work for you I would love to hear em!

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OK! Link up time!!!

This month's Topic: My Favorite Running Gear

or in other words "My Staples"

{SHOES}

I love the Pure Connect line from Brooks. I wear these guys for my races and for shorter distances. I don't think I will be changing that habit any time soon. They feel so light but yet so supportive. 

I tried a few different types of shoes and brands to support me during longer distances over the last year & I don't know why I am saying it this way but I am seriously shocked that Asics is where I found my match. GEL EXALTS. Awesome. They are just wonderful. 

They are also super affordable in comparison to other shoes. 

{GPS}

A Garmin is totally a must have. I really wanted this one so I had the opportunity to link with a heart rate monitor, however it has been a year and I haven't. I also love being a nerd and linking my runs to my online account. It is really fun to look back and track where you have run and your best times. Garmin has a great site by the way too.

{APPAREL}

Nike Tempo Shorts. These are by far my favorite thing to wear while running. I don't need to buy many shirts because of the small collection I have started from races but hitting up Nike outlet for a few pairs of these was probably the smartest thing I have done. They wash so well and hold up like gold. Plus the printed ones are so cute. I love seeing what Nike comes out with every year.

{NUTRITION}

Chocolate Outrage GU= Brownie batter. Need I say more? 

(good tip: buy in bulk on Amazon)

The End.

Short but sweet. 

I can't wait to see what y'all like too!

Link up!!!!

#TBT & a Fabletics Review & a little message

I always have a lot of hope when we get to Thursdays. For one we are SO close to the weekend ...anddd it is more than acceptable to drink tonight. Need I say more?

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I am bringing you a mess of thoughts over here today so hang on...

First I haven't shared a Throw Back Thursday picture in a while so here is a very appropriate one from last year's Lucky Leprechaun Race (my very first race). 

Because of traffic and the madness that surrounds this race, Jacob actually missed my first finish line. SO this is me recreating how I ran AFTER the race for him. I may be leaning over a little dramatically because this is also after a few green beers.

Did I mention that I am running the Lucky Leprechaun again SATURDAY!!! 

That is right people. 

Race recap time. 

My favorite part of blogging :)

Also this year Jake is running it too, which like usual gives me the warm and fuzzies.

moving on......

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Fabletics Review.

I am going to make this short and sweet.

Go sign yourself up. Right now.

This is completely not a sponsored post but if I have one piece of advice for the new runners or even new-to-the-gym peeps out there, GOOD WORKOUT CLOTHES make all the difference. 

I have bought some great pieces at JC Penney and Old Navy but now every month I get a few emails reminding me of new merchandise out on this site and it is all so DANG cute. Now that I have a few outfits including this one...

(which was my first and still my favorite) I am building a great collection, that is also great quality. The materials are wonderful. 

Each outfit on the site is two or three pieces for only 50 dollas, NO SHIPPING & I even had to do one exchange because of size and it was the easiest thing in the world!!! 

My absolute favorite part is that if you don't need an outfit or WANT to spend 50 bucks one month, you just skip the month. No penalties. 

My best friend signed up a few months ago too and she is so happy with her stuff &&& to put the cherry on top of it all, your first outfit is only 25$$$$$$$$$$$!! How can you beat that?!

(Also I am really sorry for the lack of selfies that this review promised. Major Fail.)

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Lastly, thank you so so so much for all the sweet comments and messages about signing up for my first MARATHON. I am still a little in shock that I made the commitment. I have been listening to some doubtful thoughts since pressing that scary submit button SO it is so nice to come here & feel encouragement from you sweet people. 

I have honestly had the best time following other bloggers' journeys to their goals...whether it be crossfit or a 5K, or a bikini competition (y'all are the really the crazy ones). So I am hoping my journey is something you can enjoy too :)

I know some blogs that are bigger feel a lot of pressure and negativity (which sucks & I wish it would stop) but I honestly have only really felt how awesome women can be and love that for the most part we are all cheering each other on. SO thanks for being so great!

GIRL POWER

&&& for some reason I thought it was appropriate to end today with a SPICE GIRL reference. Corny as hell but appropriate.

xoxo

26.2

I have thought long and hard about that distance.

The longest I have ran to date is 14 miles. It was a horrible day of running for me. I was just not feeling it but the second I was at 13.2 miles I knew I couldn't give up. I set out to break my mileage record and I did. I have NOT revisited 14 miles since. I haven't really wanted to.

SO the thing is I didn't want to sign up for a marathon if I felt pressured. I didn't want to run that distance to prove something. I wanted to run it for me and when I felt like I was ready. I also wanted to pick the right race.

I sometimes forget that I have only been running for a year. This Saturday I am running in the local Lucky Leprechaun 7k. This was my very first race last year. I am so excited to run my first race a second time :)

A year ago, I knew that something special happened. I knew I enjoyed running but I don't really think I realized how much it would become a part of me...

For that same reason, I didn't want to rush a marathon. I kept telling myself that there is no reason to. I have years of running ahead of me and there is no reason to push myself. I also wanted to make sure that my passion for running wasn't fleeting (even though I knew it wasn't). I just wanted to get back to this spring season and check back in.

Well I have checked back in and I cannot explain to you how excited I am to start racing again this year. I want that 26.2

I don't want it tomorrow but I want it this fall and SO the money is spent. I pressed submit today. On November 9th of this year I will cross my first marathon off my bucket list.

The race is basically in my hometown. It is big enough to be motivating but not intimidating and I know it will be one of the hardest things I ever do but I cannot wait to share every agonizing second with you all :)

Marathoners??? Why did you run your first Marathon?

I guess you could call this a weekend recap

Gosh I feel like I have so much to tell y'all !!! & instead the days are just flying by and I haven't wrote about a thing that I have wanted to...so hopefully I turn it around this week. 

First this weekend was wonderful. I swear after vacations, I always say I need another vacation to recover from said vacation. When I was younger I never understood why people said that... now I do because I actually like wearing clean underwear the next week and sleeping in my own bed. 

Well anyways, I swear to you, and the blog heavens, that a vacation recap is coming. I swear...

On the same note I have promised a few different posts that I never delivered on so I want to make sure I do that in the next few weeks. First up is a review of Fabletics. Remember when I talked about ordering from them, here???

Oh gosh I just love the stuff I got. I will do a review and show you some awesome selfies of me in the stuff because that is what real bloggers do :)

OK OK so back to the weekend. 

First up, Saturday my Dad and I ran 6 miles together at 7 am!!! He didn't even stop till about 5.5 miles and that was only for a quick walk break. What a freaking stud. 

Seriously. 

No one in my family has ever ran that far with me and he went out totally determined and ended with an 11 min mile average. HE is going to kill his first half on May 3rd !!! We are both doing the Door County Half Marathon (which was my first half last year). 

6 miles. done.

I was actually so happy to take those 6 miles nice and easy because my sleeping husband at home was determined to knock out another 4 with me later on. Saturday was the first day in about 4 months that I ran double digits. Sure I split them up but I feel so hopeful to be back running more. My body kinda hurts today though :(

Anyways after all that I went back to bed for two hours & then woke up, ran to the kitchen, ate peanut butter from a jar and talked to Emma for 20 minutes like she is a real person. I don't know why I find this important to share but it was in that very moment that I found myself ridiculously thankful to not be a parent yet. I absolutely love not having responsibilities and inventing my weekends around whatever the hubs and I want to do. It is just the best. Going back to sleep in the middle of the day and eating straight from jars for a few more years is more than okay with me.

Anyways the rest of the weekend was spent catching up on our DVR because we were really behind since our vacation (first world problems), drinking lots of beer and playing board games. Nothing to write home about but I feel like a million bucks today which is rare on a Monday so I obviously did something right...

early St. Patty's Day celebration

Well this post got weird and pointless quick but basically stay tuned :) I actually have plans this week to post!

XOXO 

It is Tammy Jo's Birthday!!! & I am guest posting!!!

GO Check it out. Right now :)

andddddd I am back.

I am back in business today kids. Hopefully I didn't lose too many of you :(

Thank you for understanding my need for a little break. Now that we are home, I can spill the beans on our vacation. I was worried about sharing too much on the internets before we left.

We were gone for TWO whole weeks. It was beautiful & much needed. We went on a 7 day Caribbean cruise with my parents and grandmas. Then one grandma and my parents left and we got right back in line with the other grandma and went for another 7 days. Back to back cruising they call it. I on the other hand, call it genius.

The trip has been planned forever and since the grandma that did both weeks with us is an avid cruise goer, we get tons of amazing perks and have now made it our life’s goal to be on her privileged cruise level.

I know cruising has gotten a bad rep but honestly I think it is the best way to travel BUT more to come on all that when I do a recap of the vacay.

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Today though I guess I just wanted to talk briefly about the perspective that comes with escaping reality for so many days. Traveling to new places and finding small things like sea shells important again and eating dessert after every meal, slowly without guilt, brings a different kind of perspective or awareness if you will.

Dontcha think?

creme bruleeeee :)

When we walked into our house Sunday night from the airport and when I sat through my first day of work it was like life never changed while I was away, even though I sort of had, and I got really sad. Every vacation changes me in some way or another and then I come back to an unchanged routine or what I would rather just call a rut & I feel determined to not let it get the best of me but it usually does.

Yesterday kind of sucked but today I made it a goal to remind myself all day that the beauty and peace I found on vacation doesn't need to stay on vacation.

Everyday has beautiful and exciting parts of it, you just have to be open and aware of them. No, they won't always include sun or a Pina Colada but there is no happiness in just being miserable with your routine.

Anyways, since I have noticed some other bloggers escaping their lives at home and starting to take vacations this month, I wanted to be sure to ask you to join my challenge of not letting the peace of your vacation leave you as soon as you get home. Hold on to it & if all else fails pour a glass of wine and cry over your pictures, it is almost the same thing : )