Believe

The winter here has been brutal.  More than 2 years ago, my husband and I bought a snowblower.  Our driveway is long and often the snow comes overnight, so we needed to be able to dig ourselves out quickly.  With 3 kids, we figured it was a good investment.  The last two winters were so mild that we used it twice in 2 years and once was just because we wanted to try it out and there was only 1" of snow!  This year, on the other hand, we have used it at least 3 times per snowstorm.  We have had 3 large storms and we have another on the way this weekend.  At least I'm getting my money's worth.  Come to think of it, I probably shouldn't have complained so much the last two years when it sat in my garage unused!

Today we canceled day #8 of school for the year due to the -26* windchill.  Monday and Tuesday don't look great either- more negative wind chills and lots of snow.

My family finally moved back into our house after the debacle of the flooring company.  Thankfully the insurance paid for all 6, yes 6, nights in the hotel (and all of our dinners out!)  My daughters loved staying in the hotel with a pool to swim in:

and a cool indoor tree to eat under. (or play around.... I think she was using it as a modeling stage.)

The hardwood is looking nice, and then I bought an area rug for under our kitchen table and some new curtains!

   I was home for one night in my own bed and then I left for Columbus for a conference.  I managed to get up early and use the treadmills in the fitness room to keep up with my training.  The walls were an ugly shared of orange though!

I'm  home again, but I leave Sunday night to go back to Columbus (in the SNOWSTORM!) for another conference.  I hope the next hotel has some nice 'mills and better colored walls!  Thankfully this is my last long conference to attend this school year.  

While I was away I read the book, "One Word that will Change Your Life," and reflected on where I am now and where I want to be.  This winter has been a roller coaster and I'm ready to get back to everything.  

Between my foot injury, the floor, and these work conferences, I feel like I need refocus myself.  I know where I want to be, I was getting so close before, and I need to keep working! I had lost 35 pounds before the winter hit, I was strong and I was learning more about triathlons and running.  I felt great, I looked great, and I wanted to keep going in that direction.  

After much reflection, I chose:

For so long, I let others tell me what my limitations were.  I let others define me.  That happens no more!  I believe that my dreams will be my reality!

While digging for something else in my image file, I came across this gem and wanted to share it.

This was taken last August... I actually think I look pretty skinny here, but I know this wasn't my lowest weight!  This is my after my 3rd sprint tri with my sister and part of her family.  They were troopers waiting for me and I had a great race.  I finished 3rd in my AG and I couldn't have been happier.  Though my hair could have looked better!  The slicked back mess that was my hair that day didn't do much for my face in this photo!!!  

The reason I wanted to share the photo is because I finished that race and sat around talking with them and didn't bother to check the instant results.  I figured there was no way I placed in my AG.  When I finally walked past, I couldn't believe it.  I was so surprised.  

The difference this year will be that I plan to believe in myself and my training.

They Say It's Your Birthday

Yes, today is my birthday.  I'm a wonderful 33 years young.  I don't feel 33, so I guess I at least have that going for me.

We are currently living in a hotel, so I should feel like I am celebrating.  Our floors are FINALLY being refinished and we have to stay off of them for 3-5 days.  We moved into the hotel on Wednesday as told and the morons did not show you like they promised.  They did start today though, but didn't seem to get very far.  It will be interesting to see when we are able to move back home.

On New Year Eve, I promised I'd be riding in the new year with a 2 hour ride on the trainer.  I made it.  With my headband on.

I spent time playing Headbands with my kids while riding.  I looked super cool dorky doing it too!

We made it to midnight and celebrated accordingly.  I showered and was in bed by 12:30am. 

And then it started snowing....and snowing..... and snowing.  We got about 11" when the storm cell was all said and done. It started Thursday morning and finally finished up Friday night.

We enjoyed the snow, but got ready to return to school on Monday.  On Sunday it started snowing again.  We got an additional 13" and the wind started blowing.  Our drifts were huge and the roads were a mess.  

So far we've had 4 days off of school and tomorrow is Friday and we are already on a 2 hour delay and expect another closing if we get the freezing rain they are predicting tonight.  

Because we had such dangerous roads, our counties put up a "level 3 emergency" which means that we are unable to go out on the roads.  If you do drive, you could be fined up to $250 and go to jail unless you a emergency/medical worker.  Since I couldn't drive to work, I used my time to sit in on webinars while riding.... SO PRODUCTIVE!  I just need to convince my boss that this could work in my office!  (I just need headphones so I don't have to hold the phone!)

I also helped my oldest make her birthday snack for school- which she may never get to take in!  She has to celebrate her 1/2 birthday since she has a summer birthday.  I also let her celebrate her 1/2 on my actual birthday.   I let her look through Pinterest for ideas- bad idea!  She wanted everything.  I finally got her down to muddy buddy butterflies and rice krispie snakes with fruit roll up tongues.  

So, here we sit, in a hotel, waiting for our floors to be finished.  Our room is beautiful.  There are some really cool icicles outside our room window.

Everything thing was going great until my son managed to get himself stuck between a seat and seat back and I had to call the front desk to have them send someone up to unscrew the seat back to get him out.  Things are never boring in my family!

The kids have been swimming and having a great time.  Me?  I wish I could consider this a vacation, but when you are on vacation, you have an idea of when it ends.  I have no idea how long I'll have to keep up the routine we need from a hotel room!  It's a bit crazy, but it's our family.  

It's extremely hard to exercise here and keep up with any sort of diet.  I hope to have more running and training blog material for you soon!