9 more days...

UGH, only 9 more days until I run my VERY FIRST 1/2 marathon!

Last sunday I went out for a 12 mile run and it was horrible! I was VERY tired because of a girlfriends weekend away, and it was VERY hot outside! I walked which isn't normal for me.... and I sweat a ton, and I even threw up at mile 9! What I didn't do is have shin splits which also isn't normal for me... so that part of the run was good!

I have one more longish run, just 5 miles tomorrow morning, then a 4 mile on monday and a 4 mile on wed. and then that is it! ALL bringing me closer to 13.1 miles!

I will of course post any photos and my results!

I decided that I was going to have a party that night in honor of ME! Drinking and Pizza and a Fire, and Smores.... and FRIENDS!!!

After next sundays run, I will decide if there will be more LONG runs in my future! Keep tuned in to find out!

RUNNING RUNNING RUNNING....

So, I have been running! Running most days, Training for a 1/2 marathon on MAY 30th!

I am up to 10 miles this coming sunday for my long run... IF I feel good about it, I will try and do 11 miles!

I have set a goal of doing a 1/2 marathon in 2 1/2 hours...

At first I thought that was very slow... I mean really, I only run at about 5 1/2 MPH on average (sometimes faster, and for sure slower while climbing the hills!)

BUT then I started to remember...

I am NOT a small runner like most... IN FACT,

I am considered an ATHENA! YES, someone that weighs over 150 lbs (no height restrictions) is considered a BIGGER runner! HUH??

Oh well, atleast I have a chance in HELL of winning in something... OK, kidding....

Anyways, a friend of mine quoted a quote to me the other day... it says....

"It's not how fast you finish, but that you had the courage to start!"

Amen sister!!!

SO, I have the courage... now to get to that starting line on the 30th and give it my all!

So far so good....

Remember this way back at the beginning of the year???

THE YEAR OF SIMPLICITY!!!!!
Keep things simply;

use what we have,

borrow what we need,

lend what others can use,

sell what is of value that we no longer want,

and give away all that we can that is just sitting around!

Well, this past weekend I did a garage sale with a friend of mine.... Selling off some things that we NO LONGER needed!
I Made $299.25

The kids all together made $23!

We SOLD some things that were just laying around.... Some bigger toys, but mostly kids books, some clothes, kitchen stuff, JUST STUFF!!!!

The last 2 hours of the sale on Saturday, we decided to give most things away for FREE! It was so fun to see the looks on peoples faces when we told them most stuff was just FREE!!!

NOW, I am not sure I will ever do a garage sale again... I mean the money is great, we plan on adding sides to a small trailer and a crazy looking bike rack to it also, for camping... with the money we made.... BUT I LOVE to give things away!!

AS FOR THE NOT BUYING NEW CLOTHES...

(except for underwear, socks, shoes, and my tank tops)

WE ARE ROCKING IT!!!

No clothes shopping for us! I do have a thrift store list that I plan on getting to in the next couple weeks... the boys need tank tops, and some more shorts... NOT sure what the girls need... and hubby needs more work jeans!

AND THE BEST NEWS...

We have stuck to our budget for almost 4 months now! YEAH!

We have paid off $3440 in debt ($1000 of that to a car we owe my hubby's brother for.) We have put over $2000 into an emergency fund (tax return made this possible!), and we are putting aside EXTRA MONEY from my husbands paychecks (he works commission....)

SO LETS SAY WE NEED $1000 each week to make budget.... and he makes $1123 for the week, we put $123 in savings.... then the following week he makes $925, then we PULL $75 from savings.... So far we are AHEAD... but slow times are coming... but by then hopefully that will be a bigger cushion!

We have even REFINANCED our house to a 15 yr loan... at a lower interest... and the payments only went up $250 a month... NOW TO SCRAP THAT TOGETHER EACH MONTH....LOL!

SO, like the title says....

SO FAR SO GOOD!!!! ALMOST 4 months into the year, and I don't even have a wanting to go shopping!!!! THIS FEELS SO GOOD!!!

EASTER FUN!

Here they are..... all the cousins on my husbands side!!!

Matt: 15

Eric: 12

Trevor: 9 1/2

Lucas: 8

Ahren: 8 1/2

Shayla: 6 1/2

Kaylin: 4

Megan: 5

Alissa: 7

YUCK... guess what the doctor thinks I have....??

OK, so for about 6 weeks or so I have been having stomach pains... which have been getting worse for the past 2 weeks or so!

Anyways, these pains come when I eat... and after I eat just a small serving of something, they get bad and I feel super full and yucky! I am sometimes to sick to my stomach to even get anything done... UGH!

SO, yesterday I went to the doctor, and he thinks I have

FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPSIA!

AKA: TOOOOO much stomach acid working in there.... causing pains!

If you wanna know more.... I read lots online of course and found this site very helpful!

http://www.ayushveda.com/health/dyspepsia.htm

I am not sure if that is it for now... but I will take the meds he gave me and see if it helps...

UPDATE COMING IN THE FUTURE!!! But for now, I will keep eating little meals and hope that the meds help!

Is this why we are getting fat????

(Photo from Food Network)

YES, that is a BURGER on a GLAZED DONUT!!!! UMMM...can you say 1600+ calories???

As you all know...

I am alittle FOOD CRAZY! Always looking to CHANGE what we and others are eating!
I love the heavenly homemakers blog and today she had a great blog about ICE CREAM!!!!!

YOU have to run there and check it out.... If this doesn't gross you out... then maybe you are not human???!!!

the-ice-cream-experiment