The Four J's

Today is National Running Day so get out and run!  Today is a day to get inspired, motivated and to celebrate the reasons why you like to run!! 

The reasons I run are….(1) the way it makes me feel afterwards.  I feel so accomplished and healthy.  Also, as crazy as it sounds, I love the sore feeling after running a half marathon or full marathon.  (2) for the me time.  There are times when I leave the headphones at home and let my mind wander and think about things.  These are my best personal therapy sessions and are good for the soul!  (3) to enjoy food and wine!!  It makes me feel better when I occasionally splurge.  Not that I don’t splurge on non-running days, but it gives me a good reason to have a glass of wine or a smores blizzard from DQ (go try one, they are amazing!). 

Some of my best running moments….(1) Running Big Sur with Jessica.  By far, the most beautiful course that I will EVER run on I’m sure. One side you see mountains, the other side you see the ocean.  Amazing.  Also, my PR (personal record), so that means even more to me.  Also the race Jessica qualified for Boston at! (2) Running Memphis with Jennifer. This was my 3rd marathon and Jennifer’s first.  Weather was amazing (in the upper 30′s) and first time I broke 4 hours.  This was the St. Jude race and we ran through the hospital grounds and were cheered on my many of the young patients (tear).  Also, Jennifer announced she was pregnant just a few weeks after (she was pregnant running it little to my knowledge).  (3) Running with my family in other races.  For the United Way 5K, my sister Jessica and my dad ran it.  Believe it or not, we all got medals (top 3 in our age groups!).  Someone caught on to the last name (before I was married) and commented on how it must be a “family thing”.  Also, my whole family did the Turkey Trot one year.  And another year, Jessica and Jamie ran the full marathon (Jamie’s first) while Jennifer and I ran the half.  Must be in the family .

And here are some more random running pictures of us:

Oh and did you know I was featured on billboards throughout St. Louis promoting the Go! St. Louis race a few years ago….yep, that is me (see pic above)!! 

So many good memories and as you can see, I share most of them with my sisters, my best friends. 

Why do you run?  What are some of your favorite memories?

Happy National Running Day

T-Rex and I had an awesome time in Nashville!  I’ve been to the city for work before, but have never been able to really enjoy myself during the day, so it was fun.  If you are into live (mostly country) music, then you NEED to visit. 

Where did we stay: Brentwood, TN.  Brentwood is about 10 minutes away from downtown and was the perfect place to stay.  I wanted to stay downtown, but it was expensive and you had to pay for parking at most hotels.  Our hotel (a Hyatt) was right off of the highway and extrememly easy to get in and out.  It had a small fitness center (we used once) and an outdoor pool.  Also, complementary breakfast was included.  Rooms were decent and I would give the hotel probably a 6/10. 

Where did we eat: (1) Pub 5 on Friday night (right off the Broadway strip).  We had a blind date with another couple (going to Cabo with them and they are friends with the other couple we are going to Cabo with).  Our blind date went well – the couple were so much fun and we are excited to spend a week with them in Cabo, at the same resort they got married at 2 years ago!  Such a sweet duo.  Pub 5 was really good.  Started with some hummus and I got a salad, Trevor got the hamburger.  (2) Pancake pantry Saturday morning.  This is a staple breakfast place in Nashville (everyone told us to go there).  They are known for their unique pancakes.  I got the carribean pancakes (with coconut shavings and bananas on top) and T-Rex got the sweet potatoe pancakes.  Both VERY good.  We got there around 8:15 and only had to wait about 20 minutes for a table, but when we left a hour later, the line was very long.  If you want to go here and not wait long, go early!!                (3)Sambuca – Dinner Saturday night.  This was more of a lounge type restaurant.  The meal was pricey, but well worth it because the food was great.  Our table was right next to the stage, whch was nice because the singer was great -only country music we didn’t hear as she was more mainstream.  If you go here make reservations. 

What we did: (1) We went to the country music hall of fame and museum on Saturday.  T-Rex and I are big country music fans, so we thought it was neat to see this.  We had to wait in a nice 30 minute line to get tickets (get them online before you go if you can).  Let me tell you that probably 85% of the museum is dedicated to OLDER country.  I didn’t know who the people were, although it was interesting to read their stories.  Out of the 3 stories, I could really only relate to the bottom floor, with the most recent people/memorabilia on it.  I’m glad I went, but not sure that it was worth the $22/person knowing that I couldn’t really related to most of it.  Maybe it’s my age?  Maybe it’s my taste in country (mainly the newer stuff)?  Keep this in mind if you are wanting to go. 

(2) We bar-hopped/listened to live music.  We did this before dinner on Friday night and during the day (after the museum and before sambuca) on Saturday.  I would recommend going during the day if you can.  I feel like it is more laid back and chill during the day.  It’s not as “clubby” as it is at night.  We found a few good spots to sit down and relax/have a cocktail and listen to the live music.  The singers were REALLY good.  They only work for tips and there is no cover charge, so really the tip money is how they make their living.  A few of our favorite spots (most of the places with open-air bars) were Honkey Tonk Central (3 story open-air bar), Rippy’s (2 story open-air bar) and Cadillac Ranch.  We also visited Tootsie’s and Legends, but those bars were SO crowded and not much air movement.  The weather was beautiful, so we didn’t want to sit in a bar that was like a box, would rather sit with the sun shining in and the wind blowing.

To sum it all up, we had an awesome time.  T-Rex and I are big into music (especially country) so we had a great time.  People of all ages frequented the bars we went to and everyone seemed to have a good time.  It’s definitely touristy, but that is what makes it fun.  If you haven’t been to Nashville, GO!! 

So much has been happening in life lately, that hubs and I decided to get out of dodge.  We planned to take Friday off weeks ago, now really knowing that it was memorial day weekend, but oh well.  So….we’ve decided to go to…..

We’ve both been here before, but not together.  I’ve had a client in Nashville and spent a few weeks there about 6 years ago, while T-Rex went there for his bachelor party.  Both of us really didn’t do much “sight-seeing” while there, so we were wondering what we should do.  Here are a few things from trip advisor that are encouraged:

1.  Grand Ole Opry - The Grand Ole Opry, an American Icon and Nashville’s number one attraction, is known for creating one-of-a-kind entertainment.  Travis Tritt is singing/playing there, which actually woudlnt’ be too bad to see. 

2.  Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum – This museum highlights the history of country music from its birthplace in the Music City to present-day.  T-Rex and I are big country fans, so this might be worth seeing. 

3.  Bar/music scene.  We’ve heard that Nashville is the capital of GOOD karaoke, like the kind you don’t get up and sing unless you are good.  Like the kind I will never get up and sing no matter how many drinks I’ve had.  There are a few places that we’ve heard of to go to – Legend’s Corner and Tootsies.  Really, we were just going to walk around downtown and see what we find. 

4.  Homes/museums/tours.  The home of late President Andrew Jackson.  The Johnny Cash museum (The Johnny Cash Museum features the world’s largest collection of Johnny Cash artifacts and memorabilia in the world), Lane Motor Museum (Lane Motor Museum in Nashville features the largest European collection of cars and motorcycles in the United States), Fontanel Mansion (a huge, beautiful log cabin) and others.

5.  Food.  Not what yet, but hopefully we find some good stuff!

Has anyone been to Nashville?  Any suggestions on whether the items mentioned above are worth-while?  Any food/bar/music suggestions?  Honestly, we will just be happy to get away and if we end up just walking around down town, I think I will still be happy.  Also, if all else fails, our hotel has an outdoor pool and I can work on my tan .

Tonight, I’m hosting our monthly book club meeting with friends.  We take turns hosting and the person hosting makes dinner and an appetizer, someone brings dessert and the others bring wine.  It’s a good time to catch up with friends and have a fun evening.  I really enjoy my book club group and so glad we started this a few years ago.  Anyways, I wanted to give you my personal review of the books I’ve read lately (some through book club, some on my own). 

Tonight’s book club book discussion – Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman.  Here is the description:

Rory Hendrix is the least likely of Girl Scouts. She hasn’t got a troop or even a badge to call her own. But she’s checked the Handbook out from the elementary school library so many times that her name fills all the lines on the card, and she pores over its surreal advice (Uniforms, disposing of outgrown; The Right Use of Your Body; Finding Your Way When Lost) for tips to get off the Calle: that is, the Calle de las Flores, the Reno trailer park where she lives with her mother, Jo, the sweet-faced, hard-luck bartender at the Truck Stop.

Rory’s been told that she is one of the “third-generation bastards surely on the road to whoredom.” But she’s determined to prove the county and her own family wrong. Brash, sassy, vulnerable, wise, and terrified, she struggles with her mother’s habit of trusting the wrong men, and the mixed blessing of being too smart for her own good. From diary entries, social workers’ reports, half-recalled memories, arrest records, family lore, Supreme Court opinions, and her grandmother’s letters, Rory crafts a devastating collage that shows us her world even as she searches for the way out of it.

I’ve been reading A LOT of teen lit books (see below) lately and was excited to read something different.  Honestly, this book didn’t live up to the expectations I gave it.  The story jumped around a lot and was sometimes hard to follow and looking back at the book, there wasn’t a really “meaty” story line.  It was made up of a bunch of smaller stories (many insignificant).  I thought I would be cheering for Rory and her trying to prove the county wrong, but there wasn’t much to cheer about I feel like.  The story was a quick read with really short chapters – some of them only 1/2 a page long.  It was also almost depressing to read about people who live that way – little to eat, no parental role model, etc. 

 After I finished up Girlchild, I picked up a recommendation from a friend at work – Pure by Julianna Baggott.  Here is a description:

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .
Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost–how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .
There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked: Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss–maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it’s his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her. When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.This is a teen lit book and like a lot of the other series that I’ve read in the past – Divergent/Insurgent, Hunger Games, Matched, The Maze Runner.  I have about 50 pages left, but it has been a pretty good read.  Definitely “out there” with interesting characters that have survived the detonations and now scarred.  Some of the survivors have mutations, with others are fused to things (like birds, their children, a dollhead, etc.) that have now become a part of them.  The story has taken so many different turns and when you think you know what is going on, a new piece of information arises and you go down another avenue.  If you are into teen lit and sci-fi books, this is a must read.  It’s a trilogy and it looks like the second book, Fuse, is out. I’ve also read Legend by Marie Lu.  Here is a description on this book:What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths – until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.Another teen lit book (and series), I also liked this book.  It had a good balance of action, suspense and romance.  It hasn’t been my all time favorite series (I still think Divergent/Insurgent has been the best), but it is a good and fast read.  The second book, Prodigy, is sitting at home waiting for me to start reading it!!  I know Jessica has also read this book and liked it!

Other books I’m wanting to read: The Dinner by Herman Koch and Scarlet by Marisa Meyer (this is the second book of the Lunar Chronicles, first book was Cinder, which I’ve read and was also good). 

What books have you read lately?  Do you agree with my reviews above? 

Wow…..I wish I had mom friends like this blogger.  I came across her post from someone who posted it in a forum that I visited.  Made me cry and wish I knew people who thought like her.  Unfortunately I have a lot of friends who are so consumed in their own lives/kids lives and would never in a million years think like she does.  Amazing. 

Ironic that this comes after my sister’s post about friendship.

Follow this link:

http://www.heirswithchrist.com/2013/05

My sisters and I are all runners and Jessica ran the Boston Marathon last year.  We are all deeply saddened by what happened yesterday and hope that there will be justice soon. 

I thought President Obama’s speech was very moving.  Here is an excerpt from it:

“….Boston police, firefighters and first responders as well as the National Guard responded heroically, and continue to do so as we speak. It’s a reminder that so many Americans serve and sacrifice on our behalf every single day, without regard to their own safety, in dangerous and difficult circumstances. And we salute all those who assisted in responding so quickly and professionally to this tragedy.

We still do not know who did this or why. And people shouldn’t jump to conclusions before we have all the facts. But make no mistake, we will get to the bottom of this. And we will find out who did this; we’ll find out why they did this. Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice….”

My heart hurts for the people who died, the ones that were injured and their families.

Pray for Boston.

I just wanted to wish my sisters Jessica and Jamie GOOD LUCK as they are both running the Go! St. Louis marathon on Sunday morning.  This is Jessica’s 5th (she’s ran Boston before – she’s that good!!) and Jamie’s second.  You two will kick bootie and I’m actually jealous that you are running another full marathon.  As crazy as it sounds, I kind of miss the extremely sore feeling you get after completing a marathon and not being able to walk the next day!  Luckily Jessica is flying to Florida also on Sunday and can relax those sore legs on the beach.  What a life. 

Just a few motivational/funny quotes and images:

We love you guys and will be praying for you!  I fully expect race recaps next week!  Good luck again!