I Did It!

Run in a 5K race.


Another one crossed off my "Bucket List". :-) After training for about 2 months, I participated in my first 5K race yesterday morning. Actually, crossing this off my things-to-do-before-I-kick-the-bucket list would be but a dream if it wasn't for my good friend Lynn. She too was training to run in a 5K and told me about this race and challenged me to sign up for this race. I thought it was too soon. I had not planned on running in a 5K until late May/early June at the soonest. But nothing ventured/nothing gained, right? So I signed up and did not look back.

After a crummy day Saturday, weather wise, the day dawned bright and pretty. Although it was freezing! (My friends hubby checked the temperature as we started our race and said it was 29 degrees. Brrrrr!). But I was not thinking of the temperature. I was thinking about finishing this race without going into cardiac arrest. lol!

Here are some pictures.

My friend Lynn and I. She is the tall, skinny one. ;-)

Here we are "crossing" the Finish Line. lol! We needed to have a picture for posterity.

And here we are with the nicest, most inspirational 84-year-young woman. She is a nun and said she did not start running until she was in her 50's and ran ten full marathons in ten years! You go girl! We started out together at the starting line and almost finished at the same time at the finish line. We sat and talked for a while. She won in her age category, hence the medal. She said that at her age, she usually wins before she starts. lol! She was very charming!

Even though I struggled with side stitches and my legs felt like lead, especially during the last mile, it was so worth the effort. I have already signed up for another 5K race and have a couple of more in my sights. In another words, I think I've found a new passion.

So, in closing, I challenge each of you to find your passion and go for it!

Thanks for looking in!

Sunday Inspiration

A New Ride

When it comes to wheels, you have your Mercedes Benz E350. Or you have your Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet. Then there is the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4. Well, these car companies have nothing on my brother's Fuze T50.

My brother Larry has been patiently waiting for his new ride. His old wheelchair had definitely seen it's better days. It was tired and worn. When the call came that his new wheelchair was ready for delivery, I don't know who was more excited. Larry or his family.

When the delivery van pulled up on the curb, we all waited with baited breath. The wheelchair was brought into the house and everything was put in place for the transfer from the old chair to the new. When my brother was placed in his new chair, it fit him like a glove. The technician went over all the details of the chair, but my brother was having none of it. He wanted to ride his new ride. :-)

Doesn't he look handsome? Here he is ready to break speed records and see the world. And check out that cup holder. I want one of those! :-) He says, "That cup holder is a life saver!". Do not mess with his cup holder. lol!

He spent the weekend getting used to it. As with most new models, there are bugs to get out. But it's all good. :-)

Here is hoping that wherever life takes you, you can get there on a smooth ride.

Thanks for looking in!

Sunday Inspiration

Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.

Thoreau

DIY-Body Scrub

The other day, I was in the mood to treat myself to a nice, warm bath and soak for an hour or seven. ;-) (Don't we all?) Actually, it was after I worked out on my treadmill for 45 minutes and was drenched in sweat and was sore. (Sorry TMI) :-/ I looked around in my bathroom vanity and linen closet thinking that I had a body scrub. I usually have dozens of tubes/tubs of various lotions/potions but couldn't find any. So  finding that I had ingredients to make my own, I set to work. 

Without googling to find an actual recipe, I took what I thought would make a decent scrub and did some mixing up. I took epsom salts and baby oil and mixed them in a container with a water tight lid. How easy is that? The epsom salts I used were laced with lavender essential oil, but you could use an oil of your choosing. 

Easy Peasy! Now with these ingredients you can scrub away dry skin or rub some on your feet/legs and let the epsom salts work it's magic and take away muscle soreness from hard work or working out. :-) 

**** Just a word of caution.  When using in a bath/shower, be sure to use a bath mat and clean the tub thoroughly when done. ****

A little factoid:  Did you know that your body absorbs magnesium more effectively through the skin than with a supplement? Source

Thought I would pass on this little DIY project along.

Thanks for looking in!

I Knew I Should Have Bought A Mega-Milllions Lottery Ticket

LOL! Not to brag, but I've been on a winning streak lately. In the last couple of weeks, I've been the lucky winner of not one, but TWO blog give-aways. :-) I love blog give-aways. However, the ones that require you to pat-your-head-while-rubbing-your-tummy (or is that rub-your-head-while-patting-your-tummy?) while reciting the Constitution, well, I pass those by. I'm being sarcastic in that last statement. Sorta. ;-) In all seriousness though, I do not like the give-aways that I see where you have to join them on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Skype etc. Takes too much time and energy in my opinion. Okay, I'm lazy. The only thing these two bloggers asked for was to leave a comment by such-and-such a day and they would pick one. These I love. Because I love leaving comments anyway and if I may win a prize in the process-Bonus! :-)

The first blogger is one that I visit on a regular basis. She is funny, creative and has some awesome recipes. She is Marilyn from Constant Growing Amazement. She also has a cooking blog that she started to keep a journal of her favorite recipes to pass on to her children/grandchildren. Her give-away were a few of her favorite things from her pantry. :-) Here is a pic:

In this package, I have some exotic spices/cooking mix and some handy cooking utensils. Aren't these measuring spoons the cutest?

Almost too cute to use! And they go perfect in my kitchen as a have a "rooster" theme going on in there. :-) 

One item I will admit that I was a little stumped when I opened my package. It was citric acid. I thought, "Hmmm, she must assume that I can tomatoes." Which I did when I had a little garden. Now I do not have a garden spot (so wish I did). In her note congratulating me on winning the giveaway she mentioned that she sprinkles the citric acid in flavored water to add some zing. I like adding a little fruit juice to my water and when I first tried it, she was right! It does add some "zing"!

The second giveaway was from Jessica at Running To Be Skinny. This blogger is a young mom who is chronicling her journey to health and fitness. In my opinion, she has reached her destination. :-) She gives tips on running/working out and diet. She also shares her love of books. For this giveaway, she was sending to the lucky winner the book, Heaven Is Here by Stephanie Nielsen. This book tells the story of young wife/mom Stephanie Nielsen and her experience of going through a terrible ordeal/recovery from a plane crash. It's an inspirational story and I can't wait to dig in to this book!

I ask that you visit these blogs to check out for yourself the talent that is out there. And thanks again for the bloggers that offer their readers the chance to win some fun, useful items!

Thanks for looking in!

I Just Did It

photo source

I know everyone is familiar with the Nike slogan, "Just Do It". Well, I just did it. I signed up for my first 5K. That "kerplunk" sound is the sound of friends and family keeling over from shock.

The girl that was always called last in gym class and on the playground has been doing the Couch to 5K training program for the last couple of months and stickin' to it. I'm in shock myself! Completing a 5K race has been on my "bucket list" for sometime now. It was one of those seemingly unattainable goals like signing up for a mission to outer space. But after finding this podcast, it is motivating me to stick with this plan and I am actually looking forward to my date with the treadmill. :-)

I will admit, it was difficult at first. I couldn't run for 30 seconds without wheezing and just knowing I would need a defibrillator at any given moment. But in the last week or so, I have ran for twenty minutes straight! For me, that is EPIC!


I have a way to go in my training to be ready for my first race at the end of the month. I will admit, I am a nervous wreck and wonder if I can complete it without going into cardiac arrest. But as an experienced runner told me just last week. Remember that I am running for myself and no one else. So with that, what have I got to lose?

So, if there is a goal out there that you just know you can't complete, I say throw your fears and doubts to the winds and just do it!

Thanks for looking in!

Sunday Inspiration

Happy Easter, Everyone!

1940 Census

I'll admit it. I'm a geek when it comes to history and genealogy. I have really been digging the show, "Who Do You Think You Are?". Last night, I found out that you can now view the 1940 census online. I was curious if I could find anything about my hubby's family. Since members of my family share the history/genealogy gene, I'm familiar with my family line going back a few generations.

As far as I know, no one has traced my hubby's family tree. There are bits and pieces of family lore but nothing concrete. So I thought it would be fun to have a peek at the 1940 census and see what I could find out.

When I visited the website, which can be found here, I entered the state and county that my in-laws grew up in. Then you needed to find out the enumeration number to find the location of the home on the map. Oy! That took some homework. When I found the right enumeration number, I couldn't find my in-laws anywhere. A call went out to my brother-in-law who told me that my father-in-law lived in another house that was in a different township. By this time my eyes were crossed. So I decided I would try again another time when I was more rested. In the meantime, I learned some interesting things along the way.

I learned that there was a "home for the aged" in the tiny town that my father-in-law spent some of his growing up years in. I found out that his best friend in 1940 lived right around the corner from where my hubby grew up. I found out the rectory of the nearby Catholic church housed the priest and five nuns. And there was some information that was more sobering. I learned that in one home, a 16 year old girl was listed as "Head of Household" with her 11 and 9 year old sisters. It made me wonder about their story. Were they orphaned? Did their parents have to leave to find jobs elsewhere? Did one of the parents die and the surviving parent abandon them? I knew from listening to my parents/in-laws that that generation had no choice but to grow up quickly. I can only imagine the maturity that those girls possessed to have to be in charge of a home with no adult in site. At least this is how I'm imagining this is how it is as it shows on paper.

So I'm back to, so far, not quite finding one whole branch of this family tree. Maybe in years to come I will be able to dig into some roots.

Thanks for looking in!