While in nursing school, I had a blog called Journey of a Nursing Student. While it mainly focused on my journey as a nursing student, it also incorporated my running. After graduating from nursing school, I decided I wanted to start a
new blog that would focus more on my running and life in general. So, I
created this Life of Marathons blog. But, after having issues with
Blogger, I decided to move blog services and imported both blogs over to Wwordpress. So, now you can catch up and follow my life journey -
running, work, and children - over at lifeofmarathons.wordpress.com.
Hope to see y'all over there soon!
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Year of Dates - March
We are still going strong on our Year of Dates! This month was a fun one - a cooking class! Southern Season is a specialty grocery store/cooking school/restaurant from Chapel Hill, NC, and they opened up a store in Richmond this past September. Hubby and I have been in it a few times and really enjoy walking through the isles of hot sauces, drooling over the specialty kitchen equipment, and browsing their international or specialty beer selections.
For March, our date was a cooking class in the Southern Season cooking
school! Both of us love spending time in the kitchen and eating good
food, so this seemed like the perfect way to try something new! Finding
a class that appealed to both of us and worked with Hubby's travel
schedule was a bit of a challenge, but we ended up agreeing on the class
Cooking with Craft Beer. Such a good choice! :)
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| Hubby and I in class |
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| First course - Beer cheese fondue |
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| Second course - Hunter's Stew |
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| Main course - Beer braised beef brisket |
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| Dessert - Chocolate Stout Cake |
While a bit overpriced (I think), it was a very enjoyable hour and a half. We got to taste amazing food created and made by a local Richmond chef, and we got to take home the recipes! I need to find an excuse to make the fondue, Hubby made the stew this past weekend, and that cake will have to be shared at a major chocolate-lover's party.
After the class, Hubby and I browsed the store before going over to the wine bar and enjoyed a stout and a glass of wine, respectively. Twas a very nice way to end our date.
Sneak peek at next month...
Friday, March 6, 2015
Lemon water challenge
I've read about lemon water on Pintrest recently. After fighting frequent colds this winter, I'm looking for anything that will help keep me and the boys healthy!
What are the benefits of lemon water? According to this website, the benefits include:
So, first thing every morning for the next 3 weeks, I'll be drinking a large glass of water with half of a freshly-squeezed lemon.
What are the benefits of lemon water? According to this website, the benefits include:
- Increases hydration
- Boosts immune system
- Improves skin
- Helps with cleansing and detoxing
- Stimulates digestion
So, first thing every morning for the next 3 weeks, I'll be drinking a large glass of water with half of a freshly-squeezed lemon.
I might have to try convincing my 2 year old to drink this instead of buying gummy vitamins... I'll let you know how I feel at the end of the 21 days!
Who wants to join me?
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Year of Dates - February
Oops! So, I totally forgot to mention our February date. Have no fear, it did happen! :)
Wine and chocolate fondue at home on Valentine's weekend!
Unfortunately, we forgot to snap a photo of our date. This pic was taken the first time we did a chocolate fondue at home a year ago. This year, we had some tasty wine, a good stout, and pretzels and strawberries to go with our chocolate. We snuggled on the couch and had a *surprisingly* quiet and child-free evening to ourselves! Only to be woken up at midnight by Baby Thunder... C'est la vie!
Unfortunately, we forgot to snap a photo of our date. This pic was taken the first time we did a chocolate fondue at home a year ago. This year, we had some tasty wine, a good stout, and pretzels and strawberries to go with our chocolate. We snuggled on the couch and had a *surprisingly* quiet and child-free evening to ourselves! Only to be woken up at midnight by Baby Thunder... C'est la vie!
Monday, March 2, 2015
Where is spring?
Here is what my winter has looked like so far...
Yup, my coldest run to date - a 10k in 56 min in 13 degrees. And that was the temperature after the run! It was so cold that the water in my Camelbak tube froze! I was so happy to get this run in though, since I spent all of it with a new running friend of mine! There is no way I would have run that far in that weather on my own. Praise God for best running buddies!
Yes, my sweet Baby Thunder ended up with his own nebulizer mask. In January, he ended up with bronchiolitis, which resulted in multiple visits to the pediatrician and one late night visit to KidMed. After a week of breathing treatments every 4 hours around the clock, he finally kicked the nasty cold and has not had another one since! Little Man and I had a touch of a stomach virus, I had strep at Thanksgiving, Hubby had the flu on our wedding anniversary, and pink eye has gone through our family three times.
But, that's not to say we haven't had some fun this winter...
Bring on spring!
But, that's not to say we haven't had some fun this winter...
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| Happy Baby Thunder! |
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| Date night with Hubby at La Parisienne before watching No BS! Brass Band play at the Richmond Symphony |
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| Sweet snuggles with Little Man |
Sunday, March 1, 2015
A Positive End
This has been a rough month for me. At the beginning of the month, I finally went to my OB to get on medication for postpartum depression and was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Since then, there have been days of complete exhaustion and days of finally feeling like my old self; of brain fog, a bodily weariness that requires rest, and finally - like warm sunshine in winter - a few days of energy.
Speaking of winter...
The fatigue/weariness and winter conditions have made running very difficult, though I did get outside with these two handsome boys after the last snowstorm that left us with 6 inches of snow! In all, I think I ran twice all month. That PR at the Monument 10k is probably not gonna happen this year... But that's okay. I will take what I can get, and be grateful that I can still run at all!
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| Saying goodbye to February with a 5k in 28min on the treadmill |
February is over, and I'm glad to see it go. And I am going to keep running forward towards hopeful energy and a bright future.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Something fishy...
"It's so hard to find good, healthy, from-scratch recipes. I can look on Pintrest for 20 minutes and not find a single recipe that I would want to eat."
My sweet Hubby then recommended that I just publish my own recipes.
And so, without further ado, I give you...
Lemon Rosemary Salmon
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Juice from 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup Olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 servings of salmon, 3-6oz each
Mince rosemary and garlic cloves. Combine with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pour over top of salmon and let rest for 5-10 minutes, flipping salmon once so both sides become seasoned.
Heat some olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the salmon. Pour the remaining marinade on top of the salmon. Cook approximately 5 minutes, then flip and cook another 3 minutes. Occasionally spoon some of the juices/marinade on top of the salmon.
Serve over pearled barley and steamed broccoli for a complete "clean eating" meal.
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| A glass of wine or dark beer would not hurt either... |
What do you think?
Monday, February 23, 2015
Getting there
Within a week of starting an antidepressant and thyroid medication, I was ecstatic to discover I was back to my old self. I could finally go a whole day without having to lie down due to exhaustion. My brain came back! I could critically think again, put full sentences together, and have complete thoughts! I wanted to do things I used to enjoy, like run or knit or bake something new.
And then, it hit again. One Saturday, I stopped functioning. The brain fog came back, I could barely find the energy to move, and all I wanted to do was sleep. Around 2pm, I finally started feeling better. But it made me realize that there is no magic or instant fix. There will be good days, and there will still be bad days. On the good days, I will enjoy spending time with my two boys. On the bad days, I will not feel guilty for sleeping or asking for help.
If I could offer one piece of advice to new moms, it's this: Monitor yourself, and don't be afraid to ask for help. Yes, exhaustion is a part of being a new mom. But it should get better. You may feel unhappy or just not yourself, but it should get better. If it doesn't, please don't be afraid to ask for help or talk with your doctor. When you start losing more and more enjoyment in life or feel like you are just trying to survive the next 12 hours before you can sleep again to escape, something has to give. This life is too short, too unpredictable to just survive each day.
Live your life. Cherish each moment. Recognize that you aren't made to do it all on your own. Ask for help.
And then, it hit again. One Saturday, I stopped functioning. The brain fog came back, I could barely find the energy to move, and all I wanted to do was sleep. Around 2pm, I finally started feeling better. But it made me realize that there is no magic or instant fix. There will be good days, and there will still be bad days. On the good days, I will enjoy spending time with my two boys. On the bad days, I will not feel guilty for sleeping or asking for help.
If I could offer one piece of advice to new moms, it's this: Monitor yourself, and don't be afraid to ask for help. Yes, exhaustion is a part of being a new mom. But it should get better. You may feel unhappy or just not yourself, but it should get better. If it doesn't, please don't be afraid to ask for help or talk with your doctor. When you start losing more and more enjoyment in life or feel like you are just trying to survive the next 12 hours before you can sleep again to escape, something has to give. This life is too short, too unpredictable to just survive each day.
Live your life. Cherish each moment. Recognize that you aren't made to do it all on your own. Ask for help.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Coming Out
Depression.
I feel like there have been times in my life where I've danced around the edges of depression. It runs heavily in my family history, so it's not all that surprising. But, I've always managed. I talk it out, I run, I manage. I might feel glum for a day or two, but I always snap back.
Not anymore.
Overwhelm.
Overwhelmed.
Overwhelming.
In the last 3 weeks, I have experienced this word to it's fullest extent. My house is not clean. I cannot focus on my school work. I want to run away and curl up in a tight ball to go to sleep all at the same time. Bath time for just one kid or even thinking about what's for dinner requires a huge effort on my part. My brain feels like it has taken a vacation for the last few days, to the point that the words coming out of my mouth do not even make sense. And I'm convinced you can't truly appreciate exhaustion until you are a mother.
I've tried counseling, I've been running 2-3 days per week, I (occasionally) do yoga/meditation/deep breathing exercises, I pray, I talk with Hubby, and I socialize with friends. I might get a "break" in the day by hanging out with fellow mommies, but the blues return full force once I pack up the kids in the car. Instead of getting better, I'm getting worse.
It's not like there aren't enough stressors in my life right now. I'm in the last 4 weeks of my last nursing class (to earn my BSN), Hubby has been gone Monday through Friday, family stresses, my insomnia is getting worse, and Baby Thunder has been waking up twice a night.
So today, I have resorted to the last weapon I can think of to combat this Deep Depression - medication. I pray it will be enough to get me through this transition and back on the upswing of things. I'm ready to feel happy. To truly smile. To stop just surviving each day and actually start enjoying spending this time I have with my little ones.
I feel like there have been times in my life where I've danced around the edges of depression. It runs heavily in my family history, so it's not all that surprising. But, I've always managed. I talk it out, I run, I manage. I might feel glum for a day or two, but I always snap back.
Not anymore.
Overwhelm.
Overwhelmed.
Overwhelming.
In the last 3 weeks, I have experienced this word to it's fullest extent. My house is not clean. I cannot focus on my school work. I want to run away and curl up in a tight ball to go to sleep all at the same time. Bath time for just one kid or even thinking about what's for dinner requires a huge effort on my part. My brain feels like it has taken a vacation for the last few days, to the point that the words coming out of my mouth do not even make sense. And I'm convinced you can't truly appreciate exhaustion until you are a mother.
I've tried counseling, I've been running 2-3 days per week, I (occasionally) do yoga/meditation/deep breathing exercises, I pray, I talk with Hubby, and I socialize with friends. I might get a "break" in the day by hanging out with fellow mommies, but the blues return full force once I pack up the kids in the car. Instead of getting better, I'm getting worse.
It's not like there aren't enough stressors in my life right now. I'm in the last 4 weeks of my last nursing class (to earn my BSN), Hubby has been gone Monday through Friday, family stresses, my insomnia is getting worse, and Baby Thunder has been waking up twice a night.
So today, I have resorted to the last weapon I can think of to combat this Deep Depression - medication. I pray it will be enough to get me through this transition and back on the upswing of things. I'm ready to feel happy. To truly smile. To stop just surviving each day and actually start enjoying spending this time I have with my little ones.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
A year in review
Happy New Year's Day! And what a year it's been...
February - I quit my night-shift hospital nursing job to work part time in a Coumadin Clinic at a doctor's office. It was a wonderful opportunity, and I looked forward to going to work every Tuesday and Wednesday.
July - We left our apartment and upgraded to a house rental! I was 8 month pregnant, but praise the Lord for extra space! We also joined the church we had been attending for a year.
Early August - We weren't quite settled into new home when Hubby found out about a new job opportunity that would have us moving to Ohio. He told me about it on a Monday, and after talking about it together and with a few other people, he put the application in that night.
End of August - after 4 weeks of waiting, Hubby was offered a new job! Throughout the entire process, God made His will known to us beyond a shadow of a doubt. But I've already written about that. So, Hubby was offered this job on Monday, August 25, 2014. Baby Thunder was born on Friday, August 29, 2014, and we became a family of four!
September - I celebrated being alive for a quarter of a century!
October - We (painfully) start getting used to Hubby's new job...
November - I ran a half marathon 11 weeks postpartum, decided to accept God's will for me to not return to work but to become a Stay At Home Mom, and celebrated my last known Thanksgiving in Virginia by running the Richmond Turkey Trot.
December - We have finally (mostly) adjusted to Hubby's travel schedule - and by mostly adjusted I mean that Little Man is no longer throwing tantrums every four hours and I am not bursting into tears every time Hubby walks in the door. Baby Thunder has finally started falling asleep for the night between 9 and 10pm and consistently taking 2 naps during the day. We also experienced the normal holiday chaos. I swear the holidays get more stressful the older I get! Hubby came down with the flu the day before our wedding anniversary, but was fully recovered by Christmas. The boys and I remained healthy, and we got to go to the Christmas Eve service at church, celebrate my dad's birthday at my favorite pizza place (if ever in RVA, look up Stuzzi's!), have our own Christmas morning, my siblings' Gift Exchange at our place the day after Christmas, and see my husband's extended family in Maryland the day after Christmas! Yes, the holidays are definitely getting more crazy... But, on the bright side, Hubby has had the last 2 weeks off of work! :)
Phew! What a year. But, 2015 is shaping up to be just as exciting...
Anticipate relocating: Yes, we will be moving to Columbus, Ohio this year. The tentative month is July, since that is when our lease is up in our current house. I'm trying really hard not to start planning (aka stressing!) about the logistics of what all that involves and just enjoy my last 6 to 7 months in my beloved Richmond.
Race schedule: So far, I have registered for the Ukrop's Monument 10k!
Yes, around here, #It'sMonumental! My goal for 2015 is to finish under 50 minutes. Which is gonna mean a lot of stroller runs with the boys... I'm also considering the Historic Half Marathon in Fredericksburg. One last big race before The Big Move. Lastly, I want to train for the Richmond Marathon in November in hopes of qualifying for Boston. That kind of training while I'm in a new state will hopefully help the relocation stress (for me and the boys) and maybe help me connect with a few local runners.
Yup, 2015 is gonna be big! Here's to New Adventures!
February - I quit my night-shift hospital nursing job to work part time in a Coumadin Clinic at a doctor's office. It was a wonderful opportunity, and I looked forward to going to work every Tuesday and Wednesday.
July - We left our apartment and upgraded to a house rental! I was 8 month pregnant, but praise the Lord for extra space! We also joined the church we had been attending for a year.
Early August - We weren't quite settled into new home when Hubby found out about a new job opportunity that would have us moving to Ohio. He told me about it on a Monday, and after talking about it together and with a few other people, he put the application in that night.
End of August - after 4 weeks of waiting, Hubby was offered a new job! Throughout the entire process, God made His will known to us beyond a shadow of a doubt. But I've already written about that. So, Hubby was offered this job on Monday, August 25, 2014. Baby Thunder was born on Friday, August 29, 2014, and we became a family of four!
September - I celebrated being alive for a quarter of a century!
October - We (painfully) start getting used to Hubby's new job...
November - I ran a half marathon 11 weeks postpartum, decided to accept God's will for me to not return to work but to become a Stay At Home Mom, and celebrated my last known Thanksgiving in Virginia by running the Richmond Turkey Trot.
December - We have finally (mostly) adjusted to Hubby's travel schedule - and by mostly adjusted I mean that Little Man is no longer throwing tantrums every four hours and I am not bursting into tears every time Hubby walks in the door. Baby Thunder has finally started falling asleep for the night between 9 and 10pm and consistently taking 2 naps during the day. We also experienced the normal holiday chaos. I swear the holidays get more stressful the older I get! Hubby came down with the flu the day before our wedding anniversary, but was fully recovered by Christmas. The boys and I remained healthy, and we got to go to the Christmas Eve service at church, celebrate my dad's birthday at my favorite pizza place (if ever in RVA, look up Stuzzi's!), have our own Christmas morning, my siblings' Gift Exchange at our place the day after Christmas, and see my husband's extended family in Maryland the day after Christmas! Yes, the holidays are definitely getting more crazy... But, on the bright side, Hubby has had the last 2 weeks off of work! :)
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| Merry Christmas! |
Phew! What a year. But, 2015 is shaping up to be just as exciting...
Anticipate relocating: Yes, we will be moving to Columbus, Ohio this year. The tentative month is July, since that is when our lease is up in our current house. I'm trying really hard not to start planning (aka stressing!) about the logistics of what all that involves and just enjoy my last 6 to 7 months in my beloved Richmond.
Race schedule: So far, I have registered for the Ukrop's Monument 10k!
Yes, around here, #It'sMonumental! My goal for 2015 is to finish under 50 minutes. Which is gonna mean a lot of stroller runs with the boys... I'm also considering the Historic Half Marathon in Fredericksburg. One last big race before The Big Move. Lastly, I want to train for the Richmond Marathon in November in hopes of qualifying for Boston. That kind of training while I'm in a new state will hopefully help the relocation stress (for me and the boys) and maybe help me connect with a few local runners.
Yup, 2015 is gonna be big! Here's to New Adventures!
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