Summer 2015 BEGINS!

Slugger and I have some major plans this summer - primarily, lots and lots of walks with Dad and cousin Tuck!!

Yesterday was the last day of school and graduation. This morning I slept until 10am :) Although I have to go back to school on Monday to sign off on grades and such, and for a stupid all day math meeting on Wednesday, SUMMERTIME IS UPON US!!! And we are SOOOO glad!!!

I decided that we needed to "get out of town" for a bit. If you don't live here or haven't been watching the news, Texas has seen some rain. Okay, A LOT of rain. I saw a graphic this morning that said we have had enough rain to cover Manhattan 4 times, or something like that. Slugger and I have been able to walk - between storms, in the rain, short distances several times a day - but we're getting tired of our neighborhood. Several of our walks entail grassy parts, which are currently just muddy green parts. We haven't been to the Nature Reserve because I can only imagine what those trails look like. They're muddy after a normal, one day storm.

So, we drove out to Weatherford where the Lake Mineral Wells State Park trailway begins. Or ends? I thought that the first two miles were paved, but that's the OTHER end apparently! But it was hard packed gravelly path that was actually mostly dry except in a few places. We went out almost 2 miles and then went back. The best part is that it was sunny-isn and relatively cloud-less. Okay, no storm clouds, so good enough!! We even stopped to take a picture or two, because it was just that beautiful.

 

Slugger had a great time dancing through puddles and chasing lizards. He did very well considering this is the farthest we've gone in almost a year! It was a very slight uphill on the way out, and of course downhill on the way back. Parts of the path had been under running water at one point recently. One stretch was still wet with a very small stream running by it and through it. About halfway back, Slugger was apparently tuckered out. He walked through a puddle and drank from it. And then laid down in it!! He moved around a couple times but seemed to enjoy the refreshing water on his belly. 

I almost had to force him into the running water later. I was hoping it was cleaner and perhaps would make him not quite so dirty and smelly in the new car on the way home! 

Pretty sure this isn't a creek normally!!

 

The knee likes to be in its brace after being iced.
It didn't start to bother me until about mile 3. Progress!
I'd like to point out that puppy is wet lying on top of me.

We've both done a lot of nothing (after baths for everyone) since we got home :) 

So far, summer is off to a FABULOUS start!! 

A New Endeavor?

I have always wanted to run a marathon.  But I'm not a runner. REALLY not a runner! I don't even run to get places faster. I just walk very quickly. My natural walk is pretty fast anyway. Who needs to run?! But, then again, if I don't run, the marathon dream will never happen. I've even thought about how long it'd take to WALK a marathon. Or at least a half. Too long was my conclusion.

As you know, Slugger and I walk. Every day (almost), most days twice. We don't always go far, but we go. If we're lucky, it's a hike on trails somewhere. But usually, it's the streets in our neighborhood. Slugger and I both enjoy this time immensely. He likes to chase after trucks with trailers, motorcycles, bicycles, and joggers. When he tries to go with the jogger, I always tell him that we don't go that fast but we have just as much fun.

Yesterday, the absolute strangest thing happened. I RAN!! We crossed a busy street and jogged a little to beat a car. I kept jogging! I jogged a block and walked a block for several blocks. ON PURPOSE!!! And the whole time I wondered if I was logging extra steps, and marveled at what my heart rate must be :) Indeed, I got into the "cardio" zone according to fitbit, for the first time!! And it seemed to last longer than the amount of time I actually jogged. Interesting. My (surgery/arthritic/patella issue) knee hurt a little when I got home and a little today, but it's probably just shock!

Anyway, running isn't completely foreign to me. My dad was an ultra runner in my formative years. I often ran in with him to the finish line. You know, two hundred yards or so. I even ran track in junior high (late elementary?). In late junior high and early high school, I ran on trails, because I could. They were steps from my house! I enjoyed getting away, into the woods, listening to my Tiffany cassette on my walkman. I honestly don't remember if I enjoyed the actual act of running. I guess not too much since I didn't continue - seems like the end of my running might have coincided with getting a driver's license...

So... am I now a runner? No. Might I try it again? Yes! Do I think I'll ever run that marathon? It's a possibility!! It would give me a goal, that's for sure!!

Oh, also, an update of sorts from my last entry... I have not lost a pound, have not had the best will power (free teacher appreciation lunch, how could I say no?!), but I FEEL fitter!! I have energy, my brain is mostly working, and I'm sleeping. Life is good :)

Not What I'd Planned - Some Healthy Thoughts

I was going to write about something but now I can't remember what! Must be in the part of the brain with the 2nd question I was going to ask my boss on Monday. I remembered as I was falling asleep last night... it had something to do with May... oh well!!

Instead I'm going to put in writing my commitment to being healthier (again). Yesterday I bought myself a fitbit. It's a plastic bracelet that tracks steps taken, sleep patterns, heart rate, among other things. You can challenge and support other people who also have them - like coworkers and friends, across the world! This aspect is what sold me on it. I love a good, healthy competition!! (I'm winning my first challenge so far!)

If you're a regular reader, you know that in the last year or so, I've lost 25 pounds. Yup, still at 25 pounds lost! The good news is that I've maintained my current weight through some stressful weeks recently (prom!). But I really want to go at least 5 more, preferably 10, I think. At this point, it's more about how the clothes fit and such.

Anyway, my recommitment to health, and the vegan lifestyle, is really more about how I feel, and how my brain is working. I am out of it 95% of the time it seems like!! Okay, now that the stress is better and I'm sleeping more and better, it's more like half the time. But it is still bothersome!! I forget words or use the wrong one, can't remember what I need to be doing, forget questions as above, and more. It's annoying.

Oh, and because I am SOOO excited to paddle board as often as possible when I get to Big Bear in 6 weeks :)

So, now that I've written it down, it's real. Healthy, fit, fabulous 40 here I come :)

Whoa! Too long!!

I can't believe it's been over a month since I've blogged!! Seeing as how I wrote pretty regularly since July, that seems like forever. However, if you look at the history, it's not all that strange!!

Since I turned 40, I've been busy. Mostly, recovering from the excitement, and then making prom happen. Prom was last night. It was a HUGE success. Kids actually stayed and danced until it was over and we turned the lights off and made the DJ stop playing music! Last year, they were all gone by about 30-45 minutes before official end time!

The only other notable occurrence was my attempt to get a picture of Slugger in the middle of a field of bluebonnets. Why? Well, we're in Texas! It is a spring thing here. Parents put their kid in a field of bluebonnets (Texas' state flower) and take a bunch of adorable pictures! Bluebonnets pop up everywhere and anywhere it seems so often these pictures are actually on the side of the highway or a random vacant field owned by who knows whom!

We went for a nice hike last weekend. Two and a half miles! I think Slugger's glucosamine is helping his knee!! Or maybe just finally enough time. I haven't seen him do any limping or owie hopping in a couple weeks. YAY!! So, we went out to the Nature Center and I decided to see if we could further. We started on a loop and actually made it all the way!! I was fully prepared to turn around and keep it short.

While there, we found a few bluebonnets :)

There just weren't enough bluebonnets!! So on our  next neighborhood walk, we stopped at the batch by the church up the street. Better. It would probably help, if he'd sit on command...

Love this one!

My new favorite Slugger picture :)

I'm sure we'll find more and I'll keep trying. Why not?! It's fun!! And I'll try to write more. Promise!

40 4 40 Reflections from a 40 year old

I spent over eight months doing new things, counting them, and writing about them. It actually seems like an odd endeavor in hindsight. However, it was far from odd, or easy, or simple.

When asked throughout the journey what I'd done, or what was my favorite, or something, I never had the same answer twice. Even now, if asked, I don't think I could tell you all 40 and certainly not in order! But that doesn't mean any of them weren't worth doing.

I don't think any one really stands out as the coolest or best or most interesting/exciting. I did things that other people did when they were 5 or 16. I did things that people in Texas have been doing their whole lives. I did things that were basically "normal" to me and things that were not. Some things fell into place, others I sought out. There were a few things that I'd always wanted to do and this was my excuse.

Overall, the word that keeps coming to mind is "monumental". It's not like this challenge changed my life drastically. But it did make me see how much we skip or avoid because we can. I'm a lazy girl and these activities made me get off the couch. One friend even commented that they were making me get out mid-week! Yup. I guess you could say they brought me out of my comfort zone and made me more well-balanced. Or something like that.

One of the funnest parts of this journey has been the support from family and friends. I got lots of suggestions on new things to try and many offers to try with me. I tried to incorporate as many friends as possible and ended up getting to know several friends even better along the way!

As part of the "party favor" at my big birthday bash, I challenged my guests to try something new and even gave them 5 of my new things to get them started. One has already invited me to join in on HER new thing :) I hope that everyone will be inspired to try new things and see what's out there in the world!

Would I do it again? YES!!! Will I do 50 new things in the next decade? Probably. I have done several new things already since #40. I keep having to remind myself that I will do new things, I just don't have to count them :)

For those who haven't been reading or who have also forgotten what's on the list, this is the list I kept...

40 4 40 New Things

1. Talk on the Ham radio
2. Paddle Board
3. Build a fence
4. Moonshine
5. Get a celebrity tweet response
6. Sushi
7. Blood moon
8. HS ftbl coach
9. Read Bones book
10. Paint a pumpkin
11. 2000 piece puzzle
12. Make Crème Brule
13. Pay off a student loan
14. Walk a 5k
15. Serve a holiday meal to less fortunate
16. Hang Christmas Lights
17. Race Communications in Texas
18. Amy Grant concert
19. San Antonio
20. glamorshots
21. Try Echolink
22. Watch Bambi
23. Read (& watch) Romeo & Juliet
24. Winstar
25. Farmer’s Branch Rose Garden walk (Cleburne State Park)
26. minor league hockey (on the glass)
27. Kimbell Art Museum
28. Hamfest
29. Spiral Diner
30. Cooking class
31. police ride along
32. Rodeo
33. Shoot a gun
34. Mammogram
35. SNL
36. Buy (& use) a Groupon
37. Lose 30 pounds
38. Spray tan
39. Piano Bar
40. Skydive/Tiara

Dave's #48

For those that don't know, my big brother's birthday is the day after mine. I was his 8th birthday present :) Since he was coming to celebrate my #40, I thought I should do something extra special for him on HIS birthday! Actually, it was very easy to decide what to do - he's a Cowboys fan and he would be in Cowboy country... tour Cowboy Stadium!!!

Turns out that tours are contingent on whatever is happening at the stadium. We HAD to go on Sunday (which conveniently was Dave's actual birthday and when we WANTED to go!) and HAD to get the "VIP" tour - which meant we had a tour guide and got to see more. BUT we didn't get to go on the field. But I figured we'd see enough that the field wouldn't be a big deal.

We met in the Pro Shop, which is an experience in itself - want something, anything with a Cowboy logo - go there! They had it all!! From the store, we went upstairs and ended up in the stadium, at a concession area. Soon, Ted, our tour guide showed up and whisked us off to see many wonderful things.

Ted

We saw several fancy areas for the folks with season tickets and such. We sat in the padded seats :) We stared at the jumbotron. There are actually TVs EVERYWHERE. No matter what you need to do away from your seat, you will NOT miss a moment of the game - that was Jerry's idea!! Even the floor was specially picked out and designed to highlight Cowboy's blue! We even got to sit in a swanky suite. Yup, I need to meet some of THOSE people!!



I was amazed at the attention to detail in the entire place. From the TVs and special tiles, to the pictures in all the hallways. We went down a lot of hallways. The fountain, the lights, and more were shaped like footballs. Other lights and such were stars (as in Cowboy logo star). There were interactive kiosks where you could learn more about the players, cheerleaders, or stadium, or more probably!

Football light

a piece of art I liked

something about "what the boys do"

Dave with his girls (this is one of the kiosks)

 Then we went down the freight elevator (so we'd all fit). We ended up in the basement/dungeon. It was big enough for two semis to pass each other. We know because we actually saw one in it!! This level is where we found the locker rooms (cheerleaders and players) and press conference room.

Ted answering the pressing questions!

The cheerleaders locker room is PINK!!! 

Where the 'Boys head to the field...

It was a great tour! Ted said we'd leave as fans of the building and he was right. We ALL want to go back to a game!!

After the tour, we went to a little hamburger place that one of the stadium people told me about. Airways was really good!! A little tiny place I never would've noticed but with great decor (old plane parts and pics).

At that point we went separate ways for a bit. I took Christy to the airport and the rest went to the Moose Lodge in FW. Well, they tried. It was closed!! So I then met them at the Stockyards. Dad and I decided to go home for a bit to check on dogs and take a nap (I hadn't slept well as a 40 year old yet). We then met back up with Dave and Loni for a steak dinner at Riscky's in the Stockyards. I had catfish but the rest had cow. It was all yummy and we even splurged on dessert!!

Dave said it was his best 48th birthday ever :)

Here are some more pics of the stadium...

They were washing it. The guys in the crane baskets had pressure washers. CRAZY!!

40 4 40 #40 The One that Wasn't

This is the LAST in a series of posts chronicling my journey to try 40 new things before I turned 40. Wow. #40. Didn't think I'd get here. Thanks for following along!

On my 30th birthday, while parasailing, I decided that on my 40th birthday, I would skydive! This entire 40 new thing challenge was leading up to #40 which was to be skydiving. As we got closer and weather was bad, I was faithful that the big day would bring beautiful weather. And it did!! However, the 2 weeks of precipitation left the runway a muddy, wet mess. I probably COULD have jumped late afternoon or Sunday but I want to enjoy it and not have to run off to a party or whatever so I chose to not skydive ON my 40th birthday. Instead I am now working on plans to jump when I am in CA this summer. It WILL happen!!

But since I needed a 40th thing on Saturday, I decided to call #40 "Princess for a Day"! I had already bought myself a pretty tiara to wear at the party that night but I put it on and wore it most of the day :) Out and about, to school (to show Christy around), to Starbucks, etc. WHY NOT?!??!?!

In addition, I threw myself a birthday bash!! There were about 35 people who came out to my church fellowship hall to help me celebrate. They even brought presents!! They played games, worked on puzzles, made bookmarks, took selfies and ate snacks and CAKE :) They all said they had fun. I have heard from folks who didn't make it and they said they heard it was fun, so I guess it was good!!

Dad and big brother Dave trying out the "Selfie Station"

The cake!

The cake after Leslie worked her wonders :)

The birthday princesses :) Mary turned 82!! 

My entourage :)

Cutting the cake :) It was beautiful vegan yumminess!!

The group who helped me celebrate! Love every one of them!!