Random Facts Friday

I'm baaaaaaack.  Finally.

1)  I am alive and well.  Yes, I know…I’ve been quite absent from this blog for awhile now.  I do plan to resuscitate it this year and post at least once a week.

Earlier this week at the Madonna Concert...see, alive and well!

2)  Work.  A lot has happened since my last post.  As you know, I was laid off the week before Ironman Texas.  Well, I got a job!  The position is part-time, but the hours are wonderful, the company is awesome and I actually have time to see my kids and be a part of their activities.  The part-time budget has taken some getting used to, but after being unemployed you sort of get used to adjusting your budget. Dramatically.  It may mean fewer race entries, less frequent vacations and not so many Starbucks runs, but I am finding that it’s totally worth it!

3)  The Kiddo. So this past year, my Kiddo completed her first season of gymnastics competitions.  Unfortunately, about a month before her next competition, she managed to break her collarbone.  It happened at gymnastics, but she wasn’t actually doing gymnastics (go figure).  She was playing a game, running, tripped over her feet and fell.  To make matters worse, this happened on Christmas Eve!  So, no orthopedic offices were open and it kind of made for a crappy Christmas.  On the other hand, having the distraction of Christmas, presents and family may have helps!

The Kiddo on Christmas Eve with her sling...sad face.

4)  The Munchkin.  My Munchkin is playing Soccer.  While the Kiddo has discovered her love of gymnastics, the Munchkin is still figuring out which sport he really likes the most.  Right now, we’re giving soccer a try.  The fall soccer season was kind of a washout, literally.  It rained almost every single Saturday, so we maybe had 4 practices and a bunch of make-up games.   He wants to play again, so hopefully the winter season will a little drier!

5)  Memphis.  Last November, I found out that I was going to Memphis for a work training. The Hubs and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and went to Memphis for the weekend before the training started.  We went to Graceland, Sun Studios, The National Civil Rights Museum and thoroughly enjoyed the visit!  We even managed to get in a run on the Shelby Farms Greenline! 

Thank you, thankyouverymuch....loving Graceland and these Elvis sunglasses!

6) Disney.  Before the job fiasco in May, we had been planning a trip to Disney World.  We had paid for a majority of the park tickets, dining plan, etc., so we decided to keep our plans and go.  We had an amazing time! Disney at Christmas time is even more magical. And we loved visiting the new Star Wars attractions and Disney Hollywood Studios!  We also visited Universal Studios.  We had a great time there, too.  And the kid's loved the Harry Potter attractions there...the Kiddo was even picked for a special wand selection, which totally made her day!  We also discovered that the Munchkin is a dare devil (like his Mom) and wanted to ride every single roller coaster!

Enjoying that Disney Magic!

The family at Universal!

7) Christmas.  We survived the holidays, even with the collarbone break.  My family takes turns hosting, so this year it was my turn.  We had 32 family members join us for our Christmas celebration.  It was a blast!

The food, OMG the food...so much and so delicious! 

Just one of the Ironman-themed gifts from the Hubs.

8) New Year.  We had a really low-key New Year's Eve celebration at home.  Pajamas, movies, board games and wine.  It was nice to just hang out, especially after all the excitement and work of prepping for the Christmas Day gathering.

Pajamas + a warm fire + fuzzy socks = a perfect NYE!

9) New Year of Running – Aramco Houston 1/2 Marathon.  I am still running.  I've been plagued with issues on my right side - tight quads and hip flexors and hip pain (again). This has really taken it's toll on my training.  I haven't managed to get in as much mileage or intensity as I would have liked in training for the 1/2 marathon. It's a bit depressing.  But, I can run and that makes me happy....even if this might be my slowest Houston 1/2 in 5 or 6 years. I love the Houston race, so being able to do it all is fine by me.  On a happier note, the Hubs has been getting faster and faster!  He's working toward a big PR at the 1/2! 

10) New Year - Triathlon. I do intend to train for some triathlons this year!  However, I am planning to stick with the shorter distances.  Lots of sprints!  I know, it seems a little pansy-ish after finishing an Ironman distance!  But, I want to spend time with my family again.  And, I need to get this hip issue figured out!

The first Tri I've signed up for in 2016

So that's kind of gets you caught up in what's going on in my world.  Be on the lookout for more posts this year!