OVERWHELMED

How I felt this morning, only for me it is extra white hair not losing stripes.

So I will whole-heartedly admit I had a superb moment of complete loss of sanity this morning. Yes, the tears were flowing heavily and I was wondering "what am I doing". I will admit my schedule is VERY full right now and I am juggling a ton. It came down and hit me this morning just how much I am juggling. Why did this happen this morning? Well, it started out with a chat with my hubby and then ended with the fact I picked up my Mac Laptop (my baby) and noticed it only had 20 minutes battery time left on it after being plugged in all night. I literally broke down for a good 30 minutes and the final moment was over a Mac cord that was not working. LOL!! So I headed out the Apple store and got an easy fix, a new cord for free since my Mac is under warranty. Phew!! I literally freaked out because I have so much work to do and without a computer it was bad news. It was the moment when I realized just how much I have to do. So how much do I have to do:

1. I have a statistics homework assignment, chapters to read, and a quiz each week + an exam every month.

2. I have an independent study to write a paper on which will be on safe sex while pregnant and I am doing a literature review on how to best educate the child-bearing women.

3. A big speech due in November and an assignment + discussion board due every week in my nurse leadership class. I also have 4 chapters to read each week for this class.

4. A BIG paper, that I am doing with a partner, due in November + assignments, discussion board, and weekly chapters due in my community nurse class.

5. Studying for the GRE I am taking in November.

6. A big fundraising event coming up for ALSF for my October run, the fundraiser is this Saturday and I just found out more news on it today that I need to organize.

7. Add into this family life with a 4th grader and preschooler, being a wife, full-time RN, and runner....................well you can see where I am going.

So now you see why I had my break down today. I literally felt overwhelmed and I have never felt that bad before. It was a terrible feeling. So now I am blogging about it to make myself see it is not so bad and to hear others stories about moments like this. So please feel free to share with me and make this old lady feel less alone.:)

News Time

So I have mentioned in the past in my blog that my running took on a whole new purpose after my father passed away in 2007. As a nurse I had seen children pass away from cancer in the past, but this is the first time that cancer had truly personally hit me. My father had always been one of my biggest cheerleaders, along with my mom and sister. He was so proud of me on the day I graduated from nursing school and proud of how far my career had taken me. I really dug deep into myself after my father passed away. I took the lessons he taught me, and the lessons of losing a loved one to cancer, and decided to utilize them. I suddenly understood on a personal level how those families who have lost loved ones to cancer felt. So I took all of my emotions and decided to fight back against cancer. That is where my running has taken me. One of my biggest inspirations is Terry Fox and I thought about how he ran many miles while fighting cancer all to raise money for the cause. I decided my running needed to take me in the same direction.

So my next run is taking me on a journey to help fight cancer with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Alex was only 4 when she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma and while fighting cancer she decided she wanted to help other kids. She could easily be compared to Terry Fox for that reason, a person battling cancer yet still getting out there and fighting for others. Incredible!! Truly Terry and Alex amaze me as when I have just a common cold I am busy thinking about myself and feeling sorry for myself, yet those two fought cancer and instead of stopping they jumped forward and fought for others. Completely unselfish and inspiring!! I realized I needed to do the same. I needed to let go of my selfish thoughts, which we all have from time to time, and make my running about others. By making it about others I have found running has been risen to a whole new platform for me. When I put on my running gear I put it on with pride knowing that it is going to make a difference in someone's life. That to me is living!! Now when I run I know each mile is not only helping me be healthy, but most importantly it is going to help someone else. That is what helps me beat the mental games.

So along comes Friday, August the 19th and my first ever experience as an adult running a lemonade stand. Did I mention before I am shy and so not a people person? I probably have. *I am chuckling to myself* Lets just say that ALSF made this lemonade stand easy. Gillian, their media rep, sent letters out to many local stations and Addie, another rep for ALSF, gave me words of wisdom. Truly an incredible foundation to run for. It makes running for them even more important because everyone I have spoke to truly has a passion for their job and for the foundation. I took my daughter along with me to run the stand, which Omega Sports had graciously allowed us to run in front of their store. As I was setting up I hear my cell phone ringing. I look and saw it was a 919 number and I did not recognize, so I did not answer. Then a second later the number calls again. I realized then it must be important. I pick up the phone and on the other line is Mat Mendez, and ABC News 11 reporter from Raleigh. He tells me he loves my story and what I am doing, so he is coming out to hang out for a bit. By then I was literally covered in sweat from being nervous and excited, plus it was hot out. When he arrived I explained to him that I am a "terribly shy person" to which he replied "no problem". I am thinking "Yeah, but you do this everyday". So we chatted for awhile and it is amazing how a reporter can make you feel calm. By the time it was time to tape my piece I was READY!! All of that passion I have for running, for ALSF and the cause it stands for, and for the career I love so much took over. I felt like my dad was right beside me saying "You can do this Jo. Be proud and be strong.". I went in front of that camera and spoke from my heart because that is what I wanted people to see. I wanted them to know that anyone can be out there fighting and that this "average Jo" was doing just that. When it was over I felt like a brand new person. I had beat a big fear and brought Alex's story to North Carolina viewers. I will add the link for you all to see.

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/video?id=8316902

Wacky Wednesday

The Infamous Mickey Mouse Barn.

So every Wednesday I have decided I will ask my blog followers if they have any questions they would like me to answer and I will do it. The sky is the limit!! So this Wednesday I have three questions that were thrown my way and thought I would venture out to answer them.

#1 (From Kristina) So what is the most interesting thing

you have come across while running?

What a great question!! There are so many neat things I come across all the time while running, but sometimes I forget about what I saw. Mommy brain at its best. I think one of my favorite things and one of the most interesting things I enjoy seeing locally is the infamous Mickey Mouse barn. I am not American, but I love the patriotism of this barn. I also love the HUGE hill leading up to it. This barn is out in the country area near Burlington and I like to run up to it, or crawl up to it depending on how I am feeling that day about the big hill, because it reminds me of why I run. Just as Walt Disney had a dream, so do I. It reminds me of how if I keep moving forward and push through it all I can reach my dreams, just as Walt himself did. It also reminds me of the big kid that lives inside of me. Do you know I still cry every time I set foot in Disney World for the first time and see the castle. When I got to run the Disney Princess 1/2 through there it was a dream come true. The barn reminds me that is is okay to be a big kid and it is okay to dream big..............after all dreams do come true.

#2 (From Mom Vs. Marathon) Where in the south is your hubs from? What is your favorite southern dish?

My hubby is from North Carolina and is actually from a very small little area called Cypress Creek which is closer to the Wilmington area than where we are now. We live in Burlington, NC which is a smaller town between Raleigh and Greensboro. My favorite southern dish would have to be sweet potatoes with the marshmallows and stuff on top. My hubby has tried to turn me onto collard greens, black-eyed peas, grits, and okra; but those are not my thing. Southern Fried chicken is good too, but way too greasy for my belly to handle. I think my second favorite southern food would be BBQ pork. It is actually quite funny because before I moved here I had never tried it. While I was pregnant with my daughter, who is now 9, I went to a BBQ at his families home and had no idea what to expect. I was also very nauseous throughout my pregnancy with her. So when I saw that whole pig sitting on the big grill there I just about threw up the entire contents of my stomach. I bet some of the people there got a chuckle out of the Canadian girl standing there pale as a ghost looking at that pig. I swore I would never eat BBQ after that. Low and behold though as long as I do not see the pig I am fine and love the taste of some good southern BBQ.

#3 (From (so not) SuperRunnerMom) What do you find the most challenging part of being and L&D nurse?

Awesome question!! I LOVE MY JOB!! I have been a Registered Nurse for 13 years and truly feel I was guided to this amazing career and now am following the path I feel is set forth for me and going further in it. There are two challenging parts to my job though. One would be the loses. It is devastating to have an fetal loss and there are many times I have cried with a family. I do bring my work home with me sometimes because of this. I give 100% of myself when I am at work because I believe each patient deserves equally good care and the best of myself I can give to them. So when I come home after a more difficult day, and it is still sitting on my shoulders, it can make it very difficult to interact with my family and give the best of me to them. Sometimes I just want to come home and regroup. Those are the times I may go for a run before I come home, even if it is only a couple miles. A run can help me get back on track.

The second most challenging part would be dealing with patients who do things I may not agree with, such as my drug abusers. As I said above I strive to give equally good care to all patients and as a nurse you often have to push your own beliefs aside so that you can give that equal care across the board. I try to walk in the other person's shoes and understand that everyone has a story. I also understand it is not for me to judge others and that is what helps me in circumstances such as the one I mentioned. Often times now I will ask the patient their story and why they may do what they do. It is amazing how many stories I have heard, some that are truly heart breaking. Learning the stories though helps me to see the person behind the issue at hand.

Thanks for these amazing Wacky Wednesday questions!! I really enjoyed answering them!!

Me many moons ago with one of "my babies".

Awkwardorable

Try to say that word 3 times and fast. Well, there is a story behind the word awkwardorable. In my college years I had a friend tell me that it was the perfect word to describe me. Why you may ask? I am a little awkward, especially in social situations or when it comes to making new friends. Some of this I have truly done to myself. For years now I have had a tendency to be a bit of a loner. Partially because I am not a fan of any drama around me and partially because I am actually kind of happy that way. It is funny because I am also the person who loves to introduce people to each other. I love to break those boundaries that as humans we tend to put up. You know the ones I am talking about. I am speaking of social boundaries. As humans we get stuck in our comfort zones. We have a group of friends we hang out with, we have set judgements, or we just place boundaries that at times we may not even notice. I have done this many times myself. So I like to push those boundaries out of the way and introduce people to each other. In a sense "force" them to break past it all and see how many amazing people are out there and how much they can learn from them. So you see "awkward" check number one for me. I am socially awkward, but I enjoy introducing people to each other. I guess in a sense I also enjoy it because I like to see people make the friendships that I have such a hard time making due to my rather lacking social skills. Now does this mean that I do not crave meaningful friendships around me? Absolutely not. I love to have people around me who I can learn from and who love my "awkward" self just they way it is. I just have difficulty breaking through my shy side and pushing myself out there. Although I will admit my social awkwardness is not why I am a loner runner. I am a loner runner because it is my QUIET time. It is my time to focus on my dreams, chat with God, and put everything back into perspective. It is when I work through my thoughts because my brain is constantly in "think" mode. I work in a career where I am focused on giving 100% to other people and at home I am focused on giving the best of me to my family, so when I run alone it is quiet and I can focus on me. I guess we all need a little "me" time.

So now you understand the awkward side of awkwardorable, but what about the "dorable" side. My friend told me I was "adorable" because I am not afraid to make a fool out of myself. It is true. I am not afraid to be the biggest goofball in the world!! If it means wearing my daughter's Chinese rain hat when I am out on a rainy run, refer to the picture of said hat above as I have ran in it on a short and rainy run, or stopping and dancing in the middle of ......well anywhere then I am not afraid. I agree with the old saying that if you can not laugh at yourself, then you can not laugh at others. I laugh at myself a lot. Laughing reminds me that I am alive and it is an amazing life!! Plus it really releases every bit of tension I may have. It is invigorating.

So the word for today is awkwardorable and I think that it describes all of us in some way. How are you awkwardorable?

Get Down and Sparkle!!

My daughter took this picture. My ALSF running outfit!!

Lets talk BOLD!! In fact lets talk FUN!! I love and admire some of the bloggers out there who are moms just like me and love to run. Most importantly I love reading their blogs. Reading their blogs makes me feel a little less alone when it comes to my love for dressing in some funky attire while running. Now this is not to say I always dress this way on every run, but it is to say I enjoy it. My upcoming 1/2 marathon attire for the Inaugural Ramblin' Rose Women's 1/2 in Durham is no different as you can see. In fact this outfit had to be EXTRA bright and sparkly. All that I could think about for this outfit was the children I have met in the past who were pediatric cancer fighters or even those I met who ended up losing the battle. Children with cancer are vibrant and their spirits are so incredible that they can not help but rub off on you. So I wanted my attire to speak for these kids I am going to be running for. I wanted this outfit to speak for Alex who may have lost the fight, but whose determination still lives today through Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. So bright and bold is what I put together. Voila!!

In fact on a daily basis, not just with running, I love for my clothing to speak the words I can not always speak. I am a very quiet person and shy when it comes to being around people I do not know well. I have had many a friend tell me this side of me often can be misinterpreted or I can come off as intimidating. Truth is, I never want people to feel that way around me. So I let my clothing speak for me. Whether it be by wearing a Def Leppard tee, because they still rock, or by wearing bright red shoes I want people to see behind that quiet person there is an outgoing spirit.

I think one thing being a quiet person has taught me, and something my past pediatric patients have taught me, is that we should always shine!! It does not matter what kind of day we are having we should always put one foot in front of the other and let people see us sparkle. Not in the Twilight-style vampire way either, but in the way that how we present ourselves makes others feel comfortable and welcome into our lives to join us on our many adventures. So next time you are thinking about throwing on that black t-shirt, I know I have many myself, think twice and maybe add a little glitter to the attire. Let your personality and the beauty of who you are inside shine.

Time To Bond

So this afternoon I headed out with my 9-year-old daughter for a nice and short 4 mile run. I decided it was the perfect time to test out the new running attire I will be wearing for my 1/2 in October. So I threw on my ALSF (Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation) shirt, my Brooks Infiniti shorts, and my Team Sparkle yellow skirt and headed out. The leg warmers I attempted wearing, but as soon as I hit the 84 degree temps outside I decided against it. My daughter, Bella, took off beside me on her bike and we chatted. I enjoy these moments with my daughter because we get to have some nice conversations and I also feel there is a lot for a child to learn from being outside and being active. We had to take it slow going up some of the bigger hills because even Bella has her limits when it comes to pushing herself on her bike, but she continued to cheer me along the way. One thing I always tell Bella is that running can teach you a great lesson. It can help you dig in within yourself and find your strengths. It teaches you how to work against those mental games that life sometimes throws at you and persevere. It also teaches you that if you see a worm squiggling on the ground it is okay to pick it up and throw it in a damp spot to save it. That is the lesson Bella taught me today, although I did not have the nerve to tell her I already knew that. Sometimes a child needs to teach a parent too. All and all it was a fun run with some laughs and some sweat, after all it was 84 degrees out. It is these moments I cherish most when it comes to being a parent.

The Cape

So as I went into work for a short shift tonight I started thinking about Superman. Yes, I do love comic books!! Superman was always one of my favorite characters. I loved when he would go in the phone booth as Clark and come out as Superman. I guess as moms we often do this as well, although hopefully not in a phone booth. I know I do. I wear many different capes. There is my "mom cape", my "RN cape", my "wife cape", my "runners cape".........well the list goes on. You see where I am going with this analogy? It is funny because most of the time I never even realize when those capes change. They do though. In fact friends of mine, who I have been blessed to be their nurse during their children's deliveries, have told me that the RN me is much different than the everyday me. When I am at work I have heard I hold a very professional demeanor and yet am laid back. In fact I have had a few people tell me that when I walked in the room they immediately felt calm, like everything was going to be okay. It is funny because I've never really noticed this change in my "RN cape" and my "everyday Jolene cape", but it is there. Maybe my scrubs are like my Superman outfit. I thought of that tonight as I headed into work and chuckled to myself.

It is amazing as moms, and as women in general, how many capes we wear on a daily basis. We have so much to learn from each other because our capes are all so different and yet some are also the same. I picture my capes all having lots of bright colors and sparkles!! So how many capes do you wear?

Where I End And You Begin

I titled this blog entry after one of my favorite Radiohead songs. Lately, I have had a lot of people write to me and ask me how I started running and why I love it so much. So I thought I would post an entry on that for today.

I started running in my late-teens to help me deal with a very difficult time in my life and the depression that came with it. A counsellor actually gave me the idea to run because it would "help me deal with my thoughts". It did help me work through some very difficult thoughts. So then jump forward through marriage and two children later, plus the loss of my father in 2007. When I set my mind on a goal I will get there no matter how long it takes. My goals were simple. To get healthy, run to help raise funds for cancer causes, and to run a big race like NYC in honor of my father. Along with this came the realization I needed to set a bigger and better example for my children. So the self cleansing journey began. I needed to alleviate all of those things in my life that had brought a negative aspect to it and go back to the Jolene I knew well. That is the Jolene I was proud of.

Now let me explain briefly a little bit about myself. At this point, after the birth of my son and after the loss of my father, I had been off anti-depressants for over a year. Anti-depressants were great. They helped me stay "numb" through some very difficult times in my life, but they never really "helped me". I was simply a "numb" version of me. After quitting taking medication cold turkey my journey was TOUGH!! It was like someone was performing a full code on me and I was coming back to life. Every emotion and thought came flooding into my soul like a tidal wave. It was overwhelming. I came to realize that I was a "mom", but it is not what defined me. For awhile I had tried fitting into groups with other moms and tried breaking out of my quiet shell, but I was not comfortable. I needed more and I needed to go back to my roots. So thanks to a promise to my father I started running again in 2009.

I started out with walking/running around the block. At that point I still weighed 205 pounds and it was not easy. Then slowly I ventured out even more and was able to walk/run longer lengths. I remember the day I was able to actually run and entire mile without stopping to walk. That was the day I cried because I knew I could keep going. So I kept running and running!!! My diet also took a big change. I rid it of any soda drinks and changed to all whole grains. My favorite sweet food, ice cream, also got cut out. I knew I needed a whole body cleansing.

What has running brought? It has brought me back to who I am. I have come to realize that although I am a mom, I am also so much more. My quiet and shy side is something I now embrace and let people know about. Instead of trying to push myself out of my shell I tell people I am a shy person and that I may be quiet when they meet me the first time. I am not afraid to let people know who I am and what makes me tick. I am proud of who I am and where I have come. I am a survivor!! Running has helped me cope with the stress and overwhelming feelings that come from juggling the lifestyle I am. Between being a student, mom, wife, and employee I do not have much time to "just be". That is one reason I am a loner runner. I have never been a group person in general, so running alone is pretty easy for me. It is also important!! I need that quiet time to myself.

Why do I love running? It gives me that time to embrace this beautiful earth God created and it is like a walking meditation. I get to think through all of those thoughts that are going through my head and focus on those that are important. It makes me a better mom. I feel happier and healthier. The example I am setting for my children is a good one and that is important to me. Running enables me to give back. I have always felt life is not worth the journey unless you are out there making a difference and giving back. I have never enjoyed being the person who says they are going to do something, but never does it. My goal is to do what I set my mind to and stick to it. In my life I have met amazing people who have helped me survive and mold me into who I am today. I want to be able to do the same for others. So my running helps me give to various cancer causes out there. I remember when my father was sick he fought hard and we stood by his side with him. With running I can give to those who are fighting and their families. I want those fighting to know they are never alone and others are out there fighting for them too.

Running will take you on amazing journeys both internally and externally. The road is always open and no one can ever stop you from putting one foot in front of the other. So grab some shoes and hit the road. You will not regret it!!

Lets Talk Barefoot

I often get a lot of questions on barefoot running because I am a Vibram runner and have many times pulled them off as well and run barefoot on a cooler day. How did this journey start? Well, it started back a couple years ago when my family was visiting the local zoo. It is a yearly tradition for us to take the kids there because it is a fun place to visit. So we happened to be walking around when my husband and I noticed these people with the "coolest shoes ever" on. I think when it comes to shoes and clothes my husband and I both like stuff that is a bit "different". So of course we, more my husband really because I am the shy one, asked the couple what they were wearing on their feet. Come to find out they had on Vibrams. Well, it was instant love for both my husband and I. Our mission was to find these Vibram shoes and try them on. My husband has always enjoyed walking around barefoot, but I have always been a shoe girl. We ended up researching them and then going to try them on at Great Outdoor Provisions in Chapel Hill. We both loved them. I have always loved toe socks. In fact lets be honest, I have always loved anything that is a little funky and "off the beaten path" looking. Vibrams definitely live up to that description. In fact when my husband and I first started wearing our Vibrams, I started out with the Sprint, we got stopped at least once a day by someone asking questions about them. To this day I still get asked at least a few times a week what I have on my feet, even get a occasional person who comes up to me laughing at my feet.

My husband was the first to try running in them. We had both read all of the research and heard about the book Born To Run which brought barefoot running even more into the mainstream. I was a bit more leery. I was used to my nice cushion and thought running in my Vibrams would bring more injuries. So I watched with envy as my husband trained regularly last year for the Marine Corp Marathon in his Vibrams. He would come home and tell me how great it felt to run in them. Finally, about a month before he ran his marathon, I thought I would take the chance and try the barefoot thing out. I slapped on my Vibrams and went out for a short run, as my husband had warned me it would take some adjusting due to different muscles being used. The next day my calves burned, but the run itself had felt amazing. I was instantly impressed. So I kept adjusting to running in them by alternating between my handy dandy Saucony Grids and my Vibrams. In October of last year my husband ran the Marine Corp Marathon and I was so impressed with his strength and the fact he ran it in his Vibrams. So that was the kicker for me. I knew I had to keep moving towards the "barefoot" thing.

As soon as I heard about the Bikilas at the beginning of this year I instantly switched from my Sprints to the Bikilas for running. I can honestly say I am glad I switched to Vibrams. I feel like I can run farther, faster, and with less pain.......knock on wood. For almost a year now I have been a Vibram runner and I am also currently testing Saucony's minimalist Hattori, which I have to say is also very comfortable. Now on days when I want to be silly and throw on knee socks, which I have to wear my old standby running shoes with, I actually get pain while running. However, I found a solution to that too thanks to places like Team Sparkle and there awesome calf warmers. Now I can still let my personality shine without worrying about knee socks and running shoes.

If you are thinking about trying out barefoot running or minimalist running I say "GO FOR IT"!! Do not be scared or intimidated by the idea. Trust me it could change the way you look at running. Also I highly recommend reading Born To Run. A fantastic read!! The biggest advice I can give is take baby steps adjusting to it. Alternate minimalist/barefoot running days with your regular old shoe days. Take your time!! If you fall in love with it.....WONDERFUL!! If it is not your thing............YOU ARE STILL AN AWESOME RUNNER!!

Still Sick

Yep, here I am still on resting time. It appears the cold has all moved down into my chest now and I am constantly coughing. Lovely!! Attempted a run this morning, but started coughing so bad I had to stop. I guess it was my bodies way of telling me to rest another day or so. This is bad for a person who runs a lot of miles a week though because I am going on 5 days now without running and my poor body is craving a run. In fact I think I feel even more miserable, mentally at least, because I have not run in 5 days. What is one to do? I think for now I will sit here and indulge in this cup of hot coffee, watch my son and daughter play, and kick my feet up. I guess this running mom needs a rest. As soon as I get better though I may hunt down the person who passed their cooties on to me.

Summer Blah!!

Yep, here I am in the summer time stuck in bed with a nasty sinus cold. It caused me to miss a training run yesterday, but my body told me to "just rest". So I am!! Although, this evening I will hit the treadmill or outside for a short run. I am stubborn after all!! So as I sit here relaxing I thought I would write about something that is not so relaxing. SCHEDULES!! You all are cringing right now, I can tell. Soon the routine of school will be back on board, but I actually kind of look forward to it. I am a routine girl!! I like getting up and knowing what I have to do on a certain day. I also like it for my running schedule. In this house we have 3 in school. My daughter is going into 4th Grade, my son goes to a daycare/preschool, and I drive 20 minutes down the road and go to university. I love being a Registered Nurse. For 13 years I have been in this career and I enjoy it. I have always wanted to go back to school to go even further in my career. So that is what I am doing, working towards my end goal of being a Family Nurse Practitioner. Do I get burnt out juggling this full load? You bet I do!! There are days I get up and think "What am I doing? What day is it?". Then I remember that there is an end goal in sight........3 more years!!
So my schedule starting at the end of August gets BUSY!! Monday to Friday I will be getting up around 5:30 am so I can get ready and then get the kids up and ready. Then I drop them both off at school. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I head to morning classes. On Wednesday and Thursday I have night classes. Then at least one of my free nights a week I head to work for a short shift of 6 hours. Weekends for me are my work days. That is when I work up on Labor and Delivery from 7 am to 7 pm, both Saturday and Sunday. So my free days come fall will be Tuesday and Thursday. WOW!! The good thing is I will do my long runs on one or both of those days. Then the other days I will get in shorter miles around campus. It is all about juggling and to fit my miles in that is what I do. I have to have my family time too, that is a must in my life!! So I always make sure to fit that in whenever I can, even if it means skipping a run from time to time. So family, school, work, and training/running that is what keeps me busy. It is a full plate and it is not an easy one..................again I tell myself "3 more years".
So what are all of your schedules like? How do you juggle your many roles?

Toe Family

As of yesterday we have welcomed one more to our toe family. My daughter, Bella, has been begging for a pair of Vibrams for months. So yesterday I took her out to REI to try some on. The first try the sales associate had to help her get them on and explain and easy way for her to do it. Then I pulled out the big guns on her. I told Bella she had to take them off and put them back on again by herself without complaining. The rule was simple if she could not do it or complained about it I was not buying them for her. She is 9-years-old, so buying these was a big deal!! I wanted to make sure she would actually wear them if I was going to pay for them. Well, what do you know in a matter of 1 minute she had them both on and was smiling big. So lets just say I could not turn her request down. We bought her a pair of those pretty pink/purple Vibrams. She has joined her father and me in our love for feeling barefoot. Funny thing is this morning she put them on about one hour after she woke-up and has not taken them off. Guess she loves them!!

50 Things About a Dork

Am I a dork? Absolutely!! Am I proud of this? FOR SURE!! So what exactly makes this blogging mom tick. Here are 20 things about me:

1. I HATE ONIONS!! I have hated them since I was a kid. Cooked or raw I will not eat them. In fact in a restaurant I will sometimes tell the waiter I am allergic to avoid getting any on my plate.
2. I love to write!! Anything from poetry to writing on this blog. I just enjoy writing. I am not a professional writer, but I do love it!!
3. I have been a Registered Nurse for 13 years. I LOVE MY JOB!! That is why I am back in school now full-time. Working towards becoming an FNP.
4. I DISLIKE MATH!! I actually am intimidated by it. I can do algebra/multiplication/addition/subtraction/and division easily, but if you put geometry or calculus in front of me I am freaked out.
5. My favorite color is green. I love a nice dark green like the an evergreen tree. Green reminds me of the outdoors.
6. I DO NOT LIKE COUNTRY MUSIC!! In fact it takes every ounce of me not to pull my hair out when I hear it. LOL!! You know that I love you if I will listen to country music you play or enter a country bar with you.
7. Long nails.....can not hack them. Maybe it is the nurse in me. If they even get a tiny bit above my fingertip I have to cut them because they irritate me.
8. I love tattoos. I have two, but if I was not in the profession I am I would have a TON more. I love a beautiful and artistic tattoo.
9. Science ROCKS!! Literally, I love anything science based. It is something I could learn about on so many different levels.
10. Coffee is my friend. I need a cup a day to survive.
11. High Blood Pressure is my enemy. Have had it since I was pregnant with my daughter and had preeclampsia. It is in my genes.
12. I love quiet time!! Literally, I am a loner runner for a reason. I need that quiet time to regroup and think.
13. I have depression. Yes, I no longer take medication for it and have not for over 5 years. However, it is always there lingering. It never goes away. I have just learned how to live with it and take control of it. Running is my medication.
14. I love to run in bright colors. In fact I live for those bright colors. It gives me that boost of confidence and makes running fun.
15. I am not a jewelry girl. When it comes to jewelry the smaller the better for me. I like it simple. I do not like big rings or necklaces.
16. I would secretly love to own my own coffee shop. Something very laid back and welcoming. Think Tim Horton's with some couches for comfort.
17. I love peace signs. If it has a peace sign on it I will most likely buy it.
18. I do not like spicy food. YUCK!!!
19. Heat and me are not friends. I prefer cold weather any day!!
20. I would love to go on one of those challenge shows like Wipe Out.