I have been busy! Busy with work, busy with the snow, busy preparing for the Glass Slipper Challenge and busy preparing for my #DisneySide @Home Celebration But it’s all good busy. It’s been a creative busy. I have been working on my costumes for the races, decorations for the party, recipes and crafts.
I started to decorate the candy bowls, goodie bags, made some chocolate lollipops and rice krispy treats. I have games prepared and invitations have been sent. So I am looking forward to setting up everything on party day! Stay tuned to see what happens on the night of the party!
I received free products in order to host the Disney Side @Home Celebration. The opinions expressed here are my own.
The second day of the Marathon weekend was filled with two events for us. The Inaugural Minnie 10K and the Kids Races. I was up at 2:00 a.m. to get ready and catch a bus to meet up with Mandy and Diana. I got there early, met a nice guy named Matt from Alabama on my bus and wandered around the gathering area for a while to try and find everyone. While there Danielle Nardi spotted me. So I hung out with her for a few minutes, then went over to Corral A area to wish Kim, her daughter Katherine and Alison good luck on the race. I found Mandy and Diana and in our Corral and we waited for the race to start. The race ran through the outside of the parking lot of Epcot for the first 2 miles and then goes through the back of Test Track, through World Showcase and into the Boardwalk and Beach Club area. You could smell the foods from around the area and we were starving! It was just 7:30 by the time we finished!
I really enjoyed the 10K course. We didn’t stop for character pictures, but we did take pictures along the world showcase. After the race was finished we took pictures outside the Finish area and then I had to rush back and shower, eat and get the kids over to the Kids races.
The Kids races were fun. The kids were excited to participate but were very anxious to wait for the start of the race. We got there early enough so that they were in the beginning of the corral. They had to wait about 15 minutes for the race to start, so I kept them cool with cold water to drink and Kevin waited with them while I scoped out a place at the finish line to get video and photos of them.
When it was time to go, my son took of quick. My husband Kevin ran with Adrienne. My son went by so fast I didn’t even see him! Thankfully I took video so I could find him afterwards. He came in around 8th place. I spotted my husband and Adrienne coming along and in the video recap I was able to see her give Mickey a high five on her way by him!
The kid races were a lot of fun and something we will definitely take part of in the future. View a video of Day 2 of our trip including the 10K race and the kid races along with a few other surprises at the end of the day!
That sounds like a crazy title huh? Well I like to listen to podcasts, especially when I am running or at work. I listen to one called Laugh or Go Crazy. One episode I listened to recently was called “Guilty Pleasures”. Steve and Michele were talking about a friend who had a talent and decided to make a business out of his talent of remodeling. Do you like to paint, knit, sew, take pictures or bake? Do you do any of the things you like or does life get in your way?
Think about what brings your joy and start doing that thing. You don’t have to do it and turn it into a business, but start doing the things that bring you joy. Set aside some time during your day or week or weekend to dedicate to that one thing.
I know that my mother enjoys sewing, quilting and knitting, and as she is getting close to the end of her career and will be retiring in June, she has started to do more of the things that she enjoys and started putting together these great items to start selling them at craft fairs after she retires.
I went to my mailbox yesterday and there was a surprise in there for me. I saw the address of where it was from and couldn’t imagine why I was getting mail from her. I opened it up and found this!
It totally made my day! My friend Shannon is someone I knew since I was a teenager. She moved away and then I found her through another friend on Facebook in 2008. What an amazing thing social media is. We both have 2 young children and love running. We have busy lives but we stay in touch with each other every day. We try to meet up when I come down to Florida for the races and saw each other briefly during marathon weekend this past January, but it wasn’t long enough!
Friends are so great to have! I didn’t realize how much I mean to her so I am so glad she took a minute to find that card and send it along my way! Something as little as mailing a card to someone can really add to their day. Take some time to do something nice for someone! You have no idea how much it can help them.
Has anyone done a random act of kindness for you lately? Have you done something for someone else? If not, do you plan to?
I love running, I really do, but lately I have been having trouble. My mind is willing, but my body is not as able. I feel like my runs are missing something. I feel like I am not performing as best as I could be. I have been blaming it on the cold weather and tired legs still recovering from the marathon, but is that really it? Do I have a nagging injury that requires more time to heal?
I have been keeping up with my goal to incorporate strength training into my weekly routine. And with the Princess Half Marathon coming up in three weeks I wanted to get some more miles under my belt before the race. This past weekend I got in an 8 mile run and enjoyed it, but my hip was really hurting afterwards. I would like to get a least a 10+ mile run in by February 15th.
We had some snow on Monday so I am hoping to get in a run on Tuesday before another storm comes on Wednesday dumping 6-10 inches on us. I think I will take the opportunity to take a break until Saturday and let my legs heal some more and I will work on more strength training and physical therapy exercises and sled riding! I just miss that time alone listening to my pod casts. I may have to turn my run time into a walk time. How can I miss out on getting out into this beautiful scenery?!
Have you ever been in a rut? What do you do to get out of it?
