Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

I just barely made it until midnight to bring in the New Year.  Actually, we were hanging with the neighbors outside until about 10:30 pm, when we came in for snacks and a break.  The Munchkin decided he wanted to sit with me on the couch and he ended up falling asleep in my lap...and I fell asleep with him.  The Hubby and Kiddo headed back outside around 11:15, and I woke up around 11:45...just in time to toast the New Year.  Yeah, we lead such exciting lives!

But,we made up for the calm New Year's Eve by joining a group of our tri peeps for their annual Polar Bear Plunge!  Yep, that's right, we donned our wetsuits and went for a New Year's swim in a local lake.  The air temp was around 58-ish thanks to a little cool front that came through overnight and the water temp was around 56.  Awesome!  Truth be told, we actually talked more than we swam! But, it was fun and the Hubs and I will definitely be back next year!

The entire group before getting in the water...see, we're still smiling here!

Here we are shooting the bull before getting in...it's a lot of "you go first", "no, you go first", ""no, you"

Here's me and the Hubs...we're cold, but still smiling.  Actually, by this time we're starting to feel good...or numb.

Here's the gang after the plunge...our lips are blue and our teeth are chattering, but we all survived!

This tradition began three years ago.  Three of the folks in the picture above are founding members of the Lake's annual polar bear plunge, and a majority of the rest of us were there for the 1st time.  This is an awesome group of folks I actually met for the 1st time on beginnertriathlete.com three years ago.  It's pretty cool how many amazing people I've met on-line either through BT.com or this blog.  Just another thing to be thankful for!

Happy New Year!

So here we are - the start of another new year!



I thought 2006 was amazing with the PHR, GMAT, start of grad school and 3 marathons....but 2007 was amazing in its own way.


Despite the crazy school schedule, I managed to finish four 1/2 marathons and quite a few 5k's (no PRs, but all with respectable finish times). It was another successful school year - all A's and one B...not too shabby for someone who sucks royally at Finance (the B class). And, being a Mom was even more fun this year than last. Everytime the kiddo gets a little older, the hubby and I say, "This is such a fun age!". Then, the kiddo gets a little older and we say it again. In 2007, we finally paid off every bit of debt...that is, until the hubby decided he just had to have a brand new truck. Oh well! Of course, there's also the new job and my new hobby - cycling! I won't count swimming as a new hobby yet, since I haven't done any "laps" since my lessons in June. That will have to wait until grad school is over.


I suspect 2008 will be even better. A baby in May, graduating with a MBA in August, a new house sometime in there and who knows what else. I'm not really one to make resolutions, so I won't go there. I do have a goal though - to enjoy life every day and do what makes me happy. Very cliche', I know. But with so much going on, it's easy to get all wrapped up in the little day-to-day drama. I want to avoid that, because honestly, I have way too much to be thankful for! For the first time since my 1st pregnancy in 2004, I don't think 2008 will be a year of running for me. Hmmmm...I may need to change the name of my blog for a little while. ;-)


Finally, thanks to those who responded to my last post! That's what I have enjoyed most about blogging - learning from others and hearing different perspectives. Thanks a million!