Happy Birthday to MEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

So today is my birthday….the big 2-8.  Goodness this year has FLOWN by. For the past 6 years on my birthday I have made a point to reflect on the past year.  Some years are super great lots of fun and laughter…some years leave a lot to be desired, like the year I broke my foot 4 times (no that is not an exaggeration, the year of the 24 was a painful year for so many reasons.)  However, since I started the reflection of my life, I can honestly say, regardless of the events that happen life is always amazingly good.  Amazing friends, amazing family make this life worth living for sure. 

So as I think about the past year it was been a rollercoaster ride for sure.  Some heart ache, loss of a wonderful grandfather, loved ones having health issues, etc.  But in the big picture there was a beautiful wedding that officially made Trent and I a family.  Such an amazing moment in my life and will forever go down as BEST DAY EVER.  I have never felt so much love in my life.  An amazing collection of people all there sharing in our special day.  I gained a fantastic family that I could not have asked for better people to share this life with.  My amazing mama graduated with her BSN!  She made a promise to her dad over 30 years ago after she graduated with her associates in nursing that she would return one day and get her bachelors.  I love that she fulfilled that promise.  So inspiring.

Life isn’t just made up of big events but mostly day to day life and thankfully those days have also made this year great…movies with friends, dinner club, family gatherings, lots of running, little trips here and there but every single day LOTS of laughter, it is a requirement.  The good by far outweighs the bad (thank GOD).  One last thing on the bad (because who the heck wants to focus on that?), it has taught me so many lessons and without it I wouldn’t be who I am today….so I am grateful for the hard times too.  I guess, it also helps to make this a fantastic life…who would’ve thought?

As I think about the upcoming YOT 28, I plan to spend more time with friends, have more patience with my sweet dog, continue my commitment to documenting this lovely life and sharing it all here both the good and bad.

Here’s to 60 some more years…I think there will be MANY amazing times on the road ahead.  I am excited to see where this adventure leads.

xoxo

open minded always wins out! (or at least sometimes does:))

So I have never been a fan of racing.  I don’t understand the the idea of watching cars circle around a track for hours.  HOWEVER at work we were given free suite tickets for bump day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway…not one to pass up a new opportunity (and that Trent wanted to go) we jumped at the chance. 

Aren't the new shades lovely?  $9.99 and you could have a pair just like them:)

We started the day with a lovely breakfast for Erik’s birthday (Happy Birthday, BIL).  I really just love my family in law.  They are funny funny people  I had a lovely breakfast of breakfast potatoes ANDDDDDD hash browns.  Yes, I was completely made fun of, but goodness were they good.  Anyways, it was a lovely start to the day and off to the track we went…after we stopped at walgreens for sunglasses (I forgot mine, OOPS!) 

We easily got to the track, got a GREAT parking spot (thank you, free parking pass!!)  We wandered around looking at all of the booths and such before heading up to the suite.  The suite was amazing!  We were high enough to see all of the happenings and we were right up from the pits.  We sat up in the stands drinking our free water (we were in a suite so there was plenty of other things to drink, but it was like 1000 degrees so we went the smart route and choose water, aren't you proud mom?), people watching and watching cars qualify for the Indy 500.  My boss said we had passes to go down the the pits and into the garages for the cars, WOAH.  It was awesome to see behind the scenes and be that close to the cars flying by.  It was very impressive.  We also were VERY close to some of the drivers…although I don’t know any of them. Don't worry I made sure to take pictures of each one, just in case one wins the race...I did pick out my favorite driver....Simona de Silvestro.  For one she has an awesome accent, she drives for an eco-friendly company and her last name is very similar to my maiden name.  For those very important reasons, I think she is an obvious contender to win the race.  You are going to be so impressed if she does win won't you?!

Happy guy:)

It was a fun day all around.  We had perfect weather, great company, good (free) food, and excellent seats.  I am not about to go out and buy an Indy 500 t-shirt or anything, but I am a tad more interested than I was last week:)  Maybe next year we will go to the actual race, who knows!

Hope you had a lovely weekend as well!  Here's to another great week:)

xoxo

humbled…

Yesterday was the most fulfilling day I have ever had at work.  Each year we have a day of service where statewide everyone does a project within their community.  We are helping the local Boys and Girls Club to update computers, deep clean and organize.  We also did a mobile food drive.  Say what?!  Yeah, I had NO idea this even existed until this project came up.  A mobile food pantry is exactly what it sounds like.  A truck pulls up with tons of food in it for those in need.  This is not a normal truck, it is a super truck, if you will.  Several  compartments and hatches, some refrigerated so they can give frozen food as well.  There is a HUGE variety of food…canned, frozen soup, bread, pastries, fresh fruit and veggies.

The company is Food Finders, they were amazing!  So easy to work with, and had this down to a science.  The whole event went great. They do 3-4 events a week, which is a LOT of food they give out to the 16 counties they serve.  By the end of 2011, Food Finders had distributed over 500,000 lbs. of food to over 50,000 individuals.  SERIOUSLY AMAZING. 

There was a clear need for the food, and everyone was so appreciative.   It is so very humbling that there are that many people who need food in our little community.  It is easy to think that everyone has what they need.  All ages were represented which was hard to see.  I have been so very blessed to never know  what hunger is.  My family has been very lucky.  As I think about this now, I would like to hope that we were able to help all of the people who needed assistance, but I am pretty sure there are still people in need.  I plan to keep volunteering with Food Finders, they are doing such great work and I am a better person to have been a part of this.

Hope you can say a prayer for them too…
xoxo

shoes tied tight!

I have a gross problem.  I have had it for years now...get excited.  I get black toes.  WHAT?!  I know you are shocked, disgusted...confused.  Well during that lovely running of mine, mainly LONG runs, my feet slide in my shoes and hit the front of my shoe.  SO painful for about a week.  Thankfully the pain goes away quickly but results in some black toenails for months...until the nail falls off!  WHAT?!?!  I know, I know, super gross right?!  So is there a solution to the problem?  Glad you asked!  One school of thought is to buy shoes one size too big.  This will give you more room in the toe box (you know where your toes are).  This works great for many people.  I, unfortunately, have VERY narrow feet and a too big shoe means lots of sliding.  This worked pretty well for shorter runs but during anything over 5 miles I would have sore toes and then a half marathon BLACK TOENAILS!  So I got on my trusty laptop and started doing research (please don't judge that it took losing 5 toenails to do more research).  It was a lovely discovery though...

Runners World has a great article.  In the article it has a video and explanation for how to lace your shoes to prevent this problem.  Do you have issues with your shoes?  Check the article out, solutions for:

• shoes too tight
• heal moving up and down
• rubbing on the top of your foot
• toes feel cramped

Simple solutions to try that won't cost you a new pair of shoes!  I did have issues getting the videos to play, but the explanation and picture allows you to figure out what you need to do.  Changing the way you lace the shoes adds extra room in the toe box (remember we just learned that term) and helps prevent the bruising.

So far this has worked for me, I know it looks strange but who cares?!  Not this girl!  Hope this helps you:)
xoxo

we ran the good race!

A list (you know I am sucker for a good list) of the 500 Festival’s Mini Marathon…

13.1 miles

13ish weeks of training

11 miles was the furthest we trained for this time

1 race this year before this one

Monday was our long run training day…until MJ changed it to Tuesdays

2 hours 27 min (not record setting, but we were quite happy with the time)

2 homemade granola bars during the race

many many cups of water

2 people recruited to run the mini next year (YAY Trent and Mike)

5 people we knew along the race

0 is the number of people dad threw Gatorade at this year (2 years ago at mile 12.5 he threw a nearly full cup of Gatorade at some young man)

50-ish pictures taken during the run

0 times did we stop and walk! (yay for no knee pain or extreme heat)

3 running buddies

6 minis ran by my papa

5 minis ran by me

3 minis ran by MJ

Countless moments of laughing

 

0 bathroom breaks (new record!!)

2 bathroom breaks before the race (ew port-a-pots)

2 5k-ers we cheered on (really 4, but we just rode down with 2) (sorry no picture of my lovely stepmom before the race)

1 first time 500 festival 5k runner!!!!  So proud of my guy!!!

1 sore foot (this girl had a small tendinitis issue)

1 sore toe (daddio)

1 not really sore at all (mj)

3 red hats for our cheering section to easily see us

14.5 miles what my ipod nike + censor said we ran

1 person needing their gall bladder out but was still a trooper (good work MJ)

1 famous track to run around

2 corny jokes to keep us going

1 adorable husband who is so very supportive of all the things I do

Thanks for following along

xoxo

I am one of those people....

So in March Trent and I got up early (truth: he was up at like 5am, I got up at 8ish, we left the house at 10.  Early just made the story sound more dramatic) and went to get new cell phones!  We were so very excited and were all ready for the updated technology.  Now my old phone was still fine, it's not like a Zack Morris phone or anything but it is just a phone.  I could text just fine with it, it would take decent pictures and would allow me to call if such an event would arise.  I even had  facebooking capabilities from it but it is a SLOW process and more of a hassle than anything.  So new cell phone day was EXCITING!  We get there, put Trent and I on the same account (yay for merging of the assets) and then the bad news hit like a ton of bricks....Trent you are ready for an upgrade, Danielle you are due in April. NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  However, I am an adult so no crying in public or at least not loud sobbing in public (unless it is a super sad movie, or a beautifully sweet movie, or something in a movie that reminds me of a happy and/or sad time in my life...ok I cry in public a lot)....poor verizon girl...jk there was no crying.

MOVING ON....Trent got an iPhone and goodness was I happy for him, after i dried my tears.  So I waited about a month and learned the ins and outs of Trent's insanely awesome phone.  He was very sweet to share things about the phone with me and pointed out apps that I would fall in love with...he was so right!

Finally April 21st arrived, the big day!!!  I was so super excited and the day lived up to the hype!  iPhone is AMAZZZZZZZING!  It all worked out nicely honorable mention to everyone I know who sent me "oh you will love this app" updates.  I was super prepared!!!  I am now a words with friends, scramble with friends, draw something junkie.

Totally worth the wait...although had it happened in March it would have been awesome then too!

xoxox

Truth: There were no tears.  I know you were worried.

renewed commitment to this blog of mine...

So I haven't blogged in over a month!  I am going to do better.  I realize I have let you down so today is the day.  I am recommitted to documenting this silly (but beautiful) life of ours.  So get excited future me (in the event that I am the only person who will ever read this)!!!  What is the point, you ask?  Good question, this is a lovely life and I want to always be able to remember it or at least read about it.

Things to look forward to...
1. The mini marathon recap
2.  So many wedding festivities
3.  CHICAGO (not the musical, although it is a delight)
4.  The darling niece and nephew are coming for a sleepover
5.  Garden update!  I know you have been worried!!!
6.  Whatever lovelies happen along the way:)

To insure that I keep blogging, I will bring in my sister, Mary Jane.  She used to lock her keys in her car ALL of the time.  To stop her from doing this, I told her next time she did it, I was going to punch her in the face.  Voila!  She was cured!!!!  So I am hoping she will be committed to the same arrangement for me.  She is pretty lovely, so I think she will go for it...plus who the heck wants to turn down the opportunity to punch someone in the face.  I should have prefaced all of this with that I have NEVER punched anyone in the face EVER.  Don't you worry:)

So I will see you tomorrow pals, I am not about to get punched...especially on a Tuesday!

xoxoxo
No real picture today but I think you will enjoy this....