My First Half-Marathon

I want to start off by saying that I have been running for almost three years and never
once have I considered a race. Not a 5k, half-marathon, full marathon, etc.
This past weekend I ran my first half-marathon and it was an experience I’ll never forget.
I am already signed up for my next race…another half marathon – that’s how good this race
made me feel.

I started training for this race about 6 weeks ago. I signed up for it on a whim. I wanted
to not only challenge myself but I wanted to see if I could really do it, to see if the past 3
years had really made me into a true runner.

I know there are tons of training schedules and programs you can buy or find online, but
I knew I wouldn't find one for my situation. I was currently running 5-6 days a week, for
at least 6 miles a day. I had successfully run 9 miles in the past (on multiple occasions),
so I didn't think I needed someone to tell me I needed to run a particular pace, a certain
distance, etc.

I merely added a mile onto my long runs each week, my last being 12 miles and hoped
for the best.

Race morning came and I wasn't so much nervous, just a bit anxious because I didn't
know what was truly going to happen. You know, when will the group of runners break
up, will the roads be blocked off properly, will I out-do myself and have to walk, will I be
last…all of these things were running through my mind.

Then it started and I had my hand on my Garmin waiting to cross the start line to start my
watch and it was an amazing feeling to know what I was about to do. I ended up sticking
with a pacer, which I will always be grateful for. She was pacing to run the race in 2
hours and 10 minutes. I felt like that time would be good for me. I wasn't trying to PR
with this race; I was racing to know that I could.

The race went by in what felt like a flash. I remember every road and every water station
and every volunteer, but when I finally got to the finish line, I couldn't believe it was
over.

After I crossed the finish line, I found Josh and we headed to the car. They had the
announcements for who placed and where, but I knew I didn't fall in line with those
athletes and all I really wanted was to shower and change so we headed home!

When I first got home and showered, I felt fine. A little worn out but considering what I
had just done, I felt great. Then we left to run errands and it was then (while walking to
the car from our apartment) that I felt like I had aged 50 years. I mean – I was walking
slow, clutching my back, moaning…you know, all of the things older people do! It was
funny…to me at least. As the day wore on, I slowly started to feel less sore. And by the
evening time, I felt fine! I was already thinking about when I could run another half-
marathon. I ended up deciding on the half marathon that will be in Melbourne during the
first weekend in February.

I hadn't officially decided if I would run Sunday morning so when I woke up and I lay in
bed, slowly stretching, I realized I felt fine. So, I got up, got dressed, laced up my running
shoes and ran 7.5 miles. I will admit though, around mile 7, I felt sore and my legs felt
heavy, but it was still a great run!

It was also great to know that Josh was there (at the race)…to take pictures, to cheer me
on, to run with me (for a small stint), and to be at the finish line when I finally crossed it.
Thank you Josh!

As far as the weather is concerned, I couldn't have asked for better weather for mid-
October in South Florida. It was in the mid-60’s, humidity was manageable, and it was
cool enough to not make me feel like a chicken in the oven…baking!

While I plan to do more races in the future, I wanted to document this one to the best of
my ability, because, well, I’ll never have another first race.

My official race time was 2 hours and 5 minutes. I placed 7th in my age group (25-29
years old) and 129th out of 271 for the overall race.

It was amazing! Can’t wait for the next!

Christmas & Such

So the holidays have come and gone and the decorations have been put away until next year! I always love when the holidays are upon us…you have the decorations, the Christmas music blasting on the radio and in stores, and the peppermint and gingerbread flavored everything at the  coffee shops and restaurants! But – as much as I love the holidays – when they are over, they’re over. I am, sad to say, one of those people who takes down their decorations and Christmas tree the day after Christmas! I know, I know, some people savor it all until after the New Year has begun, but I prefer to soak up the holidays and then let them go when it’s time.

Anyways, of course I never captured pictures of all of my holiday going-on’s but I did get a few. Here’s a quick re-cap of what my Christmas looked like this year!

Saturday (December 22) : Woke up bright (it’s technically not bright at 4:25 AM) and early to get on the road to Tallahassee. Since Josh was working, it was me and the Bailster making the 5 hour drive North to see my family! I wanted to start early to not only get in as much time as possible with my loved ones, but to also beat any traffic that was going to build up on the highways the weekend before Christmas! Luckily, the traffic wasn’t bad and I made it in good time! As soon as I got to Tallahassee and unloaded Bailey, and the car, I laced my tennis shoes up for a 7 mile jog in my parents neighborhood. Of course, the South Florida weather was a bit warmer when I left, so it took me (and my body) a few minutes to get used to the frigid air. But when I did – I was golden!

After my run, I hit the shower, got dressed, and headed across town to see my brother and sister-in-laws home! They are currently building their first home and it is absolutely gorgeous! We hung around to wait for the appliances be delivered (which were just as pretty as the house) then we went and ate lunch at Genghis Grill, which was absolutely delicious and hate that there isn’t one near us. After lunch we headed back to David and Tamara’s place to freshen up and get ready for Renee and T.J.’s Christmas party! They were so kind to let me tag along with David and Tamara…thank you Renee! They had Chili and other treats for munching and boy was the Chili yummy After we left Renee’s house, David and Tamara dropped me off at my parents where I was snoozing away 30 minutes later.

Sunday (December 23) : I woke up, feeling very rested, the next morning and hit the pavement again! It was so stinkin cold but I got used to it pretty quickly. I got 7.25 miles under my belt before calling it quits! Sunday was much lazier than Saturday. Tamara brought my fur niece (Moose) and fur nephew (Remi) over to play with Bailey and hang out! We had so much fun just having girl talk, gossiping, and catching up!
Monday (December 24) : Again, to beat the traffic, I was up early and ready to get on the road to get back to Josh. I was also responsible for two side dishes for Christmas Eve dinner at my in-laws so I wanted to make it home in time to get those cooked and be on time at my in-laws. Thankfully – traffic wasn’t bad again so I made it home in 5 hours…whew! I was able to relax for an hour or so before Josh had to go into work. Once he left, I cooked corn casserole (thank you Paula Deen) and a roasted broccoli dish for dinner then headed to my in-laws. We had a lovely meal with ham, peas, mashed potatoes, etc. and good company too! After we ate and cleaned up, I hung out with Josh’s mom and dad for about an hour before we headed to Christmas Eve Service at church! This is something we have been doing since I moved down here 4 years ago, and it’s something I will continue to do when I have children. I think it’s so nice to celebrate this time of year with lit candles and singing Silent Night!

After church – we headed back to my in-laws and opened gifts. Unfortunately, Josh was at work this whole time so I was flying solo. I headed home and hit the sack!

Tuesday (December 25) : I woke up the next morning, with Josh still sleeping, and got some mileage in ( I needed it considering the meal I ate the night before) – 8 miles to be exact! Once I got home, I showered, and we enjoyed a lovely Christmas together! I think out of the three of us – Bailey had the best Christmas. After she’d open one gift, she’d play with it, and come for more. This kept happening until she ran out of gifts in which she started to sniff around our gifts!

The rest of the day (Josh had to work 12-6) I cleaned up and relaxed until he got back home – he had a shorter day since it was Christmas! We then decided to go see Les Miserables. We both wanted to see it and we thought…why not?! We were very fortunate when we arrived because as we were walking up to the ticket booth at AMC, a woman stopped us and asked if we were going to see Les Mis at 7, we replied, Yes, and she handed us two tickets…FOR FREE! At first I thought she was trying to scalp them or she was going to rip us off, but no, she handed us two tickets and said Merry Christmas! We kept thanking her profusely for her generosity! Once we got into the theater, I saw her with a large group of people so I think she probably had some no-shows and decided to be a kind-hearted individual and give them away!
So – that was my holiday! It was fun, and so enjoyable! We really wanted to enjoy this Christmas as much as possible – with just the two of us – because who knows, we may have another member of our family (human and fur) next year and celebrating with us!

I hope everyone had a great holiday!

**Since I didn’t take a lot of pictures (something I am trying to get better at) I will end the post with a few things we made this year for decorations and such!

(I got the idea to make this from Bower Power Blog, and The Jolly James)

Our Christmas Tree this year!

      

Chocolate Bark and Gifts for my work Christmas Party

Our Christmas Stockings. Bailey’s is in the middle and mine is the one to the far right which is stuffed with my favorite candy…REECE’S!

That’s all!

Love,

Kimberly

First Christmas Disney Trip…for me!

So, this past weekend was the first time I ever went to Disney during Christmas time! I was so excited to see the decorations, lights, and characters. Here’s a recap of the magical weekend

 Saturday:

We woke up bright and early Saturday morning, packed and loaded up the car to get to the Disney resort before the park opened. We made a quick pit stop for gas and coffee and set on the road!

We arrived at Disney’s Caribbean Brach Resort around 9:15 and immediately parked, took a bathroom break, and headed for the bus stop which was really close to where we parked. We hopped the bus for Hollywood Studios and didn’t get back on the bus until 2:30 to head back to the resort to check-in and take a break before dinner at Downtown Disney and Fireworks and the parade at Magic Kingdom!

TOY STORY RIDE!! (My score is on the left, and Josh’s is on the right! And let me tell you – this ain’t easy! When you get off of Toy Story, your arm aches for the next 30 minutes. If you think I’m exaggerating, ride it – then get back to me!)

We did have a few snafoo’s though

When we first received our check-in information and key, we headed to the room. When we parked Josh suggested we leave everything in the car and check the room out first. Me, being impatient, said no – let’s take everything now. So we filled all of our hands full of stuff, and headed to the room. I unlocked the door and the first thing I noticed were the comforters on the floor. It was then that I realized that the room hadn’t even been cleaned from the last guests that occupied the room. So, annoyed and frustrated, we turned around, put everything back in the car, and headed to the front desk. Fortunately they were really quick about getting us new keys, and a new room (which we ended up loving more than the initial room).

     

After a quick break and semi-nap, we hit the bus stop for DD for dinner! After dinner, we headed back to the room to drop off the ornaments we purchased and take a potty break before hitting MK.

Magic Kingdom was…MAGICAL AND ENCHANTING!

The castle was gorgeous and breath-taking! The parade was festive and fun! And the lights…oh, the lights! WE LOVED EVERYTHING!

Other than dealing with the shut-down of the the new Little Mermaid Ride, MK was a fun and festive night. Unfortunately, we had to leave and hit the sack around midnight!

Sunday:

The next morning, I woke up early, got a nice jog in around the peaceful resort. Afterwards, we got ready to go to the restaurant at the resort so that Josh could get his breakfast, which he said was delicious!

After breakfast, we headed to Animal Kingdom to end our quick weekend trip to Disney! We rode Everest twice, went through the plains of Africa on the Safari right, and rode the Dinosaur ride!

    

(I wasn’t really scared of the animatronic dinosaur and the picture on the right is the Safari we went on)

We ended the trip with a delicious lunch at Rainforest Café and headed home!

 It was a fantastic trip, one we’ll always remember!

Now – time to plan the next one!

Thanksgiving Practice

So this year, I have offered to make a few things for Thanksgiving dinner at my in-laws house! One thing I have decided to make (because it is my absolute favorite) is a pecan pie! The other three things I am making are corn casserole, green bean casserole, and a sweet potato pie (this is my husbands favorite).

 So this evening was my practice run for my sweet potato pie and my corn casserole. Of course I didn't have any patience to stop and take a picture of the corn casserole, but I did get a few pictures of the sweet potato pie (with Josh’s help)!

                      

And might I add…this pie was delicious! Dangerously delicious – and that’s why I have sent it to work with my husband :-)

Two recipes down with two to go!

Happy Birthday!

I just wanted to wish my wonderful sister-in-law, Tamara, a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

(P.S. I totally stole this picture from her blog The Jolly James' )

Love and miss you SIL!!

Recent Life through Pictures

So, while I don’t have many pictures, I do have a few to show what’s been going on in our lives! Or the at least the random capturing of it! Enjoy…

Attempting to Golf

Favorite golfing partner

Ridiculously delicious chicken chile…YUM!

New find from Target

Josh is a retro Nike fan…me – I’m a Toms fan

And to leave you with the most delicious picture of them all…

RITAS!!!

Have a great weekend and and a good week!

The Baking Itch

So yesterday morning one of the representatives that I work with brought with him some pumpkin bars that his wife had made and sent with him. As many know, I have been able to cut certain foods out of my lifestyle, sweets not being one of them. I have, though, been able to cut back on how much of them I eat! So while this post isn’t going to be about how I completely indulged on pumpkin bars, it will be about how I indulged on a different sweet.

Anyways, these pumpkin bars gave me the sudden urge to want to bake and there were two things I was looking to bake. It was either going to be a Blueberry Buckle Cake or it was going to be pumpkin bread. Now I am totally into fall right now, the Pumpkin Spice Latte’s, the smell of the cinnamon brooms walking into Fresh Market, and the jealousy of the cooler states where wearing scarves, and boots would not cause one to sweat profusely. But my husband and I did decide on the Blueberry Buckle cake from Two Peas and their Pod.

Now, I don’t bake often for the main reason that I CAN NOT trust myself with baked goods…it doesn’t work. It’s like telling yourself, I am going to Panera Bread for a soup and salad, and I will not look at their AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS pastry, bread, bagel set up. Yet once you walk through the doors, smell the glorious smell, you decide that you are just obligated to purchase a baked good, I mean bread is in the name of the restaurant folks, come on!

So I decided I was going to bake the cake yet I didn’t have any of the ingredients and I didn’t have the baking pan I needed. So what does a girl do when she needs something yet doesn’t have it – she goes shopping, and shopping on my lunch break I went. I went to Publix then popped over to Fresh Market where I also scored Pumpkin Spice Milk bottled in an old fashion milk jug…LOVE IT!

When I got off work and we had dinner, we got to cookin! I was in charge of the hand mixer (I am not in the awesomely cool baking realm enough to own a stand mixer…yet) and my husband was in charge of alternating the dry and wet ingredients and what is the outcome of two cooks in one small apartment kitchen…

THIS…

This was delicious. So good that I couldn’t and definitely didn’t wait 10 minutes to let it cool. Was it burning my tongue and mouth a little bit, yes, was it completely, and totally worth it, you’re darn right it was!

So, I will end the post with a huge thank you to Two Peas and their Pod for sharing this delicious recipe! I do want to mention though, I did make a slight change in the amount of butter used in the batter (I used 2 tbsps of butter, and 2 tbsps of unsweetened applesauce) and the type of flour for the batter (1 ½ cups all purpose, ½ whole-wheat). I was trying to make myself feel better…after all; we ate half the cake in about 5 minutes

Recipe from Two Peas and their Pod

Blueberry Buckle Cake

Yield: Serves 8-10

ingredients:

For the topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

For the batter: 2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan and set aside.

2. To make the topping: In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Rub in the butter using your finger tips until the mixture is crumbly. Set the topping aside.

3. To make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the egg and vanilla, mix until smooth. Alternately add the buttermilk and the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, ending with flour. Stir only enough to blend. Gently fold in the blueberries.

4. Pour the batter evenly into prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the topping over the batter and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the buckle cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a knife. Holding the cake pan in your left hand, gently tip the cake out onto your right hand, remove the pan, and gently place the cake onto a serving dish.

Recipe slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour