On The Road Again

Yep - It's Like THIS.
This morning I headed out to begin training for another Marathon.
As I mentioned before I am planning on running another 26.2 miles in the lovely city of Madison, Memorial Day Weekend.

As I tend to my feet...preparing them for the next go round...it is clear that they still bear the mortal wounds from the first race. These are Snaggle Toe's to the extreme. Looking better actually than they have. I spared you the worst of it.

I learned some valuable lessons from the first race, which I will share with you here:
1) I will WILL drink more water. Dehydration is not an option. Hence the stern New Years Resolution.
2) I will not get so caught up in losing weight. I think this was an issue the first time around. I had the weight to lose....and I liked how much better I FELT running lighter and because of this I have the hunch that I didn't fuel myself properly. Now I've lost that weight and then some...I can really focus on getting STRONGER.
3) Spring Marathon? It's GOTTA be cooler than 80 degrees? RIGHT?!!!!
4) Don't settle for shoes you don't really really love. Going to work on that this weekend.

You'll be seeing running goals popping up on the right hand side again! Keeps me honest.
Warmer weather and a less icy Lakeshore path can just not come soon enough.

We are LOVING 20 Months!

FINNEGAN UPDATE

20 months is awesome. I am just loving it. The personality....all of the things he's learning?! He still super snuggly......still laying on the kisses.

He'll kiss me...then he'll ask Nick, "You want one?" - breaks my heart!

He saw Dr. McDermott last week, and everything checked out fine. He is 26 lbs. and still hanging out right in the 50 percentile for height and weight.

When the Dr. was checking all of his vitals....eyes, ears, throat, etc. Finn was totally hamming it up and she was like, "Are you FLIRTING already?!" Finn also informed her that the blood pressure monitor was the shape of a SQUARE. (Show off....)

Our favorite nurse Teri had glowing reviews also....as Finn snuggled on Nick's lap for his shots. He didn't even cry for the first one. Teri: I hope you guys are having 10 children. Nick: Rolls his eyes." :)

Finn has been waking up some in the middle of the night, SCREAMING and CRYING. He has NEVER done that. So we asked her, she said it could be any number of things. A phase maybe.

Let's see...what else. Still a good eater. New these days is PEANUT BUTTER! HOORAY. We finally just bit the bullet and gave him some. OF COURSE it would have to be when all of this salmonella crap is flying around....but so far so good.

Books are still his favorite...with his IDEOS being a close second. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a regular read, There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly.....all good stuff.

Sesame Street videos are on quite a bit! He is OBSESSED with letters right now. He is constantly finding letters in everything.....trying to pick them out....today in the car he wanted to bring a plastic yellow "H" magnet with on the car ride to work. Like a buddy friend or something! My son...the boy with a plastic buddy H. Awesome. :)

So I asked him, What words do you know that start with "H" Finn? Just randomly...and he says, "HORSE!" I just about died. I asked him tonight what he had for lunch, he says, "Grilled Cheese, Orange and CoCo milk" Huh! Really?!

Unbelievable. Everyday it is something new. I can TALK TO HIM. He answers me! We are communicating. It's incredible. Especially since our conversations usually end in him puckering up his lips moochin' for a kiss.

I know Grandpa and Greta are loving the videos so here we are this morning....fresh out of the crib....he's wanting to do his "letters"

THE END!

A Day at the Museum - An Adventure!

So excited were we to have Sunday come around...because we knew with that day brought our dear friend Megan over for brunch and a trip to the Museum of Science & Industry.

Megan was happy to keep Finn company by reading books, snuggling and playing with his toys while Nick and I made eggs and bacon, banana muffins and a fruit salad, which we all devoured.

Finn napped while we ate...and then we were off to the Museum!
It felt really really great to get out of the house yesterday. A heat wave practically at 10 degrees.

I was excited to take Finn because I knew he was going to love the train exhibit and he did. The museum's model train exhibit is HUGE and amazing. It's attention to detail is incredible. They had even added a Smart Car to the downtown Seattle section. So cool! Here are some pictures by the trains.












We also had time to see the Hatching Exhibit! That was packed and hard to see...which I thought might be okay since it kind of even freaks me out to be reminded that a wet little fuzzy chicken pops out of an egg....thought making the connection for Finn could wig him out also. But he certainly loved the other half of the exhibit! The brand new fluffy yellow chicks poppin' around. Terribly cute these little things are. Finn made a buddy. See footage below.



So as we left the museum we had no idea that our adventure was only beginning!!
Due to some technical glitch in the gate that allows people out of the parking ramp....us and hundreds of others were STUCK in the parking ramp for almost an hour and a half.

It was quite the scene. Imagine.....tired parents, strung out kids, mini - vans...SUV's....all stuck in the cold waiting underground. We were at the very bottom level....so of course had the longest to wait.
There was the guy in the cammo coat.....who was out to raise hell...cause a scene. There was some yelling....some fights. Nick was busy devising exit strategies and a list of all of the people he was going to complain to the minute we got out fo there! It was SO funny to me. Thank god Finn was just an angel as always. We had snacks...plenty of books to keep him occupied. I think we were all a little loopy from all of the fumes from the cars exhaust....we had some good laughs! And THEN the honking started. This was about an hour in. HONKING GETS YOU NO WHERE PEOPLE! It is just EXTRA NOISE to freak the kids out! WAY TO GO. I lost it. And documented it. Just. For. You.
Enjoy.

STIR CRAZY

Well it not news to anyone that reads this blog that it has been COLD as hell lately.

Our home has been particularly cold due to someone's brilliant decision to put our heaters in the ceiling. And even I KNOW that heat rises....so um yeah. The ceilings of our condo are real nice and toasty!!

Nick put some plastic up in Finn's room to keep it warmer...we are running the space heaters full blast and sometimes donning our winter garb to hang out in the house.



It seemed like the cabin fever was settling in last night when Finn starting playing with a big coloring sheet. With a little bit of alphabet reciting thrown in for good measure. See footage below :)




I am going to be better about blogging this week! Just you wait and see. I am feeling like a slacker already!
You can look forward to:
A Trip to the Museum of Science and Industry with Megan!
Finnegan's 20 month check up
My Music posts debut
My Reasons Why I Love Chicago posts debut!

Wasn't Going to! Thanks Emily

I am so tired after a long drill weekend and wasn't going to blog.....but because Emily called me out I better get on it!

I am going to blog more about our visit Emily, but for now!
A little question and answer for you.
Q: Five names you go by:

Rebecca

Becca

Mama

Bec

SGT Keaty

Q. Three things you are wearing right now:

ACU (Army Combat Uniform) Pants

Iraq sand colored t-shirt

Iraq sand colored belt

Q. Two things you want very badly at the moment:

Emily's Camera
A new wardrobe

Q. Two things you did last night:
Had my first sake bomb
Experienced some of the worst service at a restaurant ever

Q. Two things you ate today:
Tomato Soup
English Muffin

Q. Two people you last talked to on the phone:
My Mom, Nick

Q. Two things you are going to do tomorrow:
Work and Read 102 Minutes

Q. Two longest car rides:

Can we count bus rides?

Wisconsin to Fort Sill (the trip to this year's Annual Training)
Viroqua to Fort Jackson (the trip to Basic Training)

Q. Two of your favorite beverages:
Coffee and Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi/Cherry Coke Zero (wish I could say water)

Q. The people you’d like to respond:

I would like to hear from Trish! Take a peek into the life of a brand new mother :)

Book Wrap Up for 2008!

I thought I would do a quick and dirty little review list of the books I've read in the last few months. I am also going to start adding in Amazon links so you can see what REAL reviewers have to say..since mine seem to be more of a stream of thought. You can also look up more on what the books are about that way also.
Need to do this more often too I realize.... so here goes it...there are quite a few!

QUIET PLEASE! Dispatches from a Public Librarian by Scott Douglas
I enjoy memoirs for the voyeuristic stalker in me that likes to A) fascinate about what it would be like to live other lives and to B) learn more about how others think, gauge situations and generally live their life.
So with that being said I would say this book was interesting in that it gave me a perspective on what being a librarian is like as a career. How unfortunately libraries are becoming less and less used although they do serve such an important part to the members of any community that do use the library. This book was decently written and had some funny moments but I would say overall it was just so-so.


ALL WE EVER WANTED WAS EVERYTHING - Janelle Brown
This book came out last summer and got pretty good reviews. I like this book. It is a novel about a family that had everything and then falls apart. It's told from different family members perspective and overall it was a pretty quick and engaging read. Some good dynamics shared here about mother/daughter/spouse relationships....good read.


NEVER LET ME GO - KAZUO ISHIGURO
Picked this book up just kind of on a whim...and struggled getting into it. This book is basically about a special group of kids and this camp/school that they attend, and a mysterious "plan" that they have set out for them. Stacy, my boss saw that I was reading it when we were sitting the airport last month and said she had read it. I told her I was having a tough time with it and she told me to stick with it because she had liked it. I am glad I did. At first I felt like...where is this book going....but then I realized it was just because it was so different, and then the plot dropped and I was like...DANG. This books was also a good read, once I gave it a longer chance. Some controversial topics coming out of it. Would be a good book club pick


THEN WE CAME TO THE END - JOSHUA FERRIS
This book I had the pleasure of having chosen for my by my sister's friend Lindsey! Besides Book Over Brooms, my sister also belongs to another book club with her friends. This was their pick for December...of which I was invited to attend as it is "Bring a Friend to Book Club" month. With Greta's diligent monitoring I finished the book just on time. I REALLY liked this book. Not everyone in book club did....but I laughed out loud...found the writing style to be different but great. One of the reviews says it best...the tone of the entire book is as if someone is gossiping to you over a cubicle wall. It has its real moments, outrageous moments and tender moments....If you have been in ANY type of work situation ever...I think you can find a character or moment to identify with.


THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO - JUNOT DIAZ
So this book. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize. A story about an overweight, sweet ghetto nerd as the author puts it, aspires to be writer...starts the story off and it unfolds into an epic tale about his family through the generations and their journeys from the Dominican Republic to the US. Great reviews....and I can totally see where everyone is coming from. But I didn't finish it. I think the writing is amazing. I love the tone...the main character...it's different and compelling. But I couldn't finish it! There are a lot of footnotes?! That I understand is useful to give the history of the of different characters, time periods...the footnotes just break it up for me in a weird way. So! I don't know whether to recommend it or not. Check it out. Up to you ;) Let me know what you think if you do finish it.

TOPIC OF DEBATE
To finish or not finish a book.
I realize I am kind of crazy about this....it's tough. I FEEL BAD when I don't finish a book. Like in the case of Never Let Me Go...I ended up really liking the book and I was ALMOST going to give up on it! But on the other hand I am literally surrounded everyday by other books I am dying to read. So part of me feels like if a book isn't keeping me psyched then I should be on to the next. I am fully aware that this makes me a huge dork.

Boot Camp

At the gym tonight I was very sad to discover that our new instructor (Lisa) teaching PowerFlex, was no longer on the schedule.

About four weeks ago I thoroughly enjoyed her handing me my ass in a 60 minute period. We did sprint drills, jumped some rope, all of these crazy hard and awesome things. And what she said is true, in order to continue losing weight, getting fit, toned, etc. you need to SHOCK THE BODY. Loved that! She continued..."you have to MAKE it uncomfortable" and that is kind of where I am with running. Running 6, 8, 10 miles for me is not hard, it is not uncomfortable. I have built those muscles, etc. but my body is comfortable there.

So it was to my demise that Lisa is no longer there, she was challenging, a no-bullshit kind of woman and I liked that about her.

Now on the schedule, Michael teaching Boot Camp.
(Now I must admit I was having sassy thoughts in my head, really? oh really Michael? Boot Camp, because ummmm yeah, I've been to Boot Camp....and it was really really hard.....so.....yeah... hmm hmmm)

Women of all ages, shapes and size file into the gym....some are still looking at the schedule...thinking hmm! Where's Lisa? In walks Michael.
Tall, Black Man
Shaved Head
Army Regulation Mustache
Cammo Army Pants
Combat Boots
Dog Tags
and a SHIRT with the American flag and I'm sure an eagle, that reads "KILL THEM ALL AND LET GOD SORT EM' OUT"

AWESOME
Of course, (because I could have NEVER gotten away with back talking AT actual boot camp) I was like " SO! This is a boot camp class huh? Because I went to boot camp and am still in the Army! so I hope this is a good workout" (such a snot)
Well he thought that was pretty awesome. And used me as an example of the proper Army push up form, the side straddle hop and the flutter kick.

I liked him because he handed me my ass in a SHOCK YOUR BODY sort of way, but was motivational too...and he also reminded me of parts that I hated and loved about Basic.

I was given the nickname Private Smiles at Basic, because that is how I deal with stressful things. I try to laugh, be funny or find the funniness in things. (One of my better qualities I think!) And I found myself smiling through the entire class...while all of the other women were whining....groaning etc. Albeit much easier to smile, knowing I wasn't 17, a thousand miles from home, and I knew I was coming home to a non chow hall prepared meal. (Thanks Nick)

I remembered what I hated....that you couldn't give up and that they would just make you KEEP pushing until EVERYONE was pushing. Or the drill sergeants and Michael will say. 10 more flutter kicks, you would do more and then they would say, JUST KIDDING. 20 more. OOOH that burns me. But! Life is not fair, so you suck it up and keep flutterin'.

I am looking forward to seeing more of Michael and getting back into Go, Back and Fronts!
HOOAH!!!!????

Resolution

Tomorrow it is back to the grind.
No more eating anything and everything in arm's reach.
No more sleeping in.
No more taking naps.
No more days and nights with Finn and Nick.
No more time with my family (who I miss terribly already!)
Tomorrow begins
More working
More RUNNING
More schedules and routines
More new clothes and other amazing gifts to enjoy

Note: I know I owe you 7 random things about me...it's coming. I also know the holidays have come and gone....and in light (LAME I KNOW) of saving myself a bit of time....and because almost all of the people that read my blog also read my sister's, and because we both have the same photos due to us being DOUBLE DHARMA'S! check out her account of our time together.
Sorry Greta - that is such a cop out I know but hey...at least I didn't start a rumor that you're preggers ;)!

to clarify!
I AM NOT PREGNANT! NO BUN IN THIS OVEN. Although I am looking up the recipe ;)

What I have been taking time to do lately is to think about some New Year's Resolutions!
I am pretty lukewarm on them typically and I am fine with keeping them a little more "general"
Here is my beginning list.
1) Blog more! Seems simple enough. I am going to blog more. And I am going to redesign it.
2) Wash my face and brush my teeth more. I have good personal hygiene friends and family...truly I do. However I am going to just step it up a notch. Flossing...eye make-up remover, toner the whole bit. I have "over 30" skin now. I gotta be careful about these things.
3) Spend more time with friends. This is for obvious reasons. I am happiest when I am with my friends. So I must spend more time with them.
4) RUN! It seems a little anti-climactic after running your first full marathon. But there are more to run I guess! Marathons to run faster....who knows. A travel destination half is up next I think! Madison full marathon in May. I am ruminating on a loose goal of running a marathon in every state. Any thoughts on that? I think it's a cool goal. Whether they are halves or fulls....what a great way to see our fine nation.

Like I said. A nice flexible list.
That's all for now...tonight.
More and more posts coming soon!

AND some Finnegan photos and some of my other favorite shots from the holiday AND an oldy for good measure.