A goal a year in the making

One morning last October (2009) Ryan got up early to leave and run the Brigs and Al's 8k run to benefit Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. As I lay in my bed after he left I felt awful about myself. I was terribly out of shape. Here my husband was heading off to run 5 miles and I knew I could not even run a block. I decided right then and there that next October I would be running in that race. I had already begun my weight loss journey but decided to step it up. The winters here are very cold so I didn't start running until spring 2010. At first I could hardly run a block. I felt as though my heart was going to explode. My lungs would hurt and my legs ached. I kept pushing through it and before I knew it I could run 2 miles with out stopping. In July I decided I should run a 5k before trying the 8k in October. I found a 5k I could do when visiting family in Utah. So Aug. 21 we drove up Provo canyon to run my first 5k.

Ryan ran the 5k with me. I was so nervous about the race. I was already running 3 miles a day at that point but the race still made me extremely nervous.

I am ready! I think?

Ryan and I at the starting line. As I stood there waiting for the race to begin tears came to my eyes. I was really proud of my self. At this point I had lost nearly 70 pounds and gone from not even being able to run a block to running 3 miles!

My dad and mom came to see me run along with my mother in law Patty. It was great to have them there.

Ryan is amazing and finished long before me.

Lilly ran across the finish line with me!

I felt so amazing at the end of the race. Yes I was sore but I had done it. I had ran the whole thing. (Which was my personal goal.) The course was more up hill than I anticipated and the altitude did not help but none the less I did it.

October 9 came really fast. I had been trying to keep up with a good running schedule but was falling short. The weather cooled here and Ryan had to go to school earlier in the morning than in the summer. Once again I was really nervous about my race. I kept running though and finally registered for the race. Ryan was going to run the race with me but injured his knee one day while training for it.

The day of the race I was more calm then I thought I would be. My parents had come to town the night before and it was great to have them there to cheer me on and help with the girls. The Brigs and Al run was much bigger than I had anticipated. They had over 15,000 people participating in the events that day with over 3,000 runners. I knew the 8k (just over 5 miles) was going to be hard but I was so determined to do it.

The run was INCREDIBLE!

All those people running through the streets of Milwaukee. It was so great to be apart of it. It turned out to be a really sunny and unseasonably warm day. It was down right hot during the run. There were two small hills that just wore me out. And of course the last mile was the longest mile of my life! But I pressed on and ran the whole thing with out stopping!

Again Lilly ran across the finish line with me. I teared up after crossing the finish line. Not because of the ache in my right shin but because I had accomplished my goal! A goal that I doubted many times.

My cheering squad!

Thanks to Ryan for making me run on so many days when I REALLY did not want to.

To my friend Jaima for checking up on me,

and thanks to my parents for being there!

And thanks to everyone else who supported me along the way!

(I have the most amazing friends and family!)

Summer is over?

Oh where did the summer go? Ryan and I were talking the other night about how much we love summer time here in Wisconsin. We were sad to realize that next summer will be our last here. I never thought I would be sad at the thought of his schooling coming to an end but I am a little. There is a certain sense of safety in school. Now we have to start making some big life changing decisions. But we did have a fabulous summer. Here are some highlights that I have not posted before.

The Ozaukee County Fair is held in our little Cedarburg every every. It is the best! It is free to get into and they have some cute things for the kids to do.

This year they had a sand box full of corn kernels. Lilly could not get enough of it. We visited it several times.

It was hard to get Kate to understand it was not to eat. She finally got it though.

Another higlight at the county fair for Lilly was getting to help the magician with his magic show. She and her friend Macie were picked to help with a special magic trick. The girls were laughing so hard that in the middle of the trick Lilly looked for me and says "Mommy I really have to go pee!" and she ran off stage. We got her to the potty fine but it was so funny! The magician gave her a million dollar bill for helping. Lilly was thrilled!

Bay Beech Park oh how I love thee!

Bay Beech is a small amusement park in Green Bay. The ride are only .25 each and there is no entrance fee. The day we went was a little overcast so it was not busy at all. The girls were able to get on each ride with little to no wait which was perfect! Kate was not so sure about the rides. AT first she would love the ride but then as she went around and could not see us she was a little unsure. It was the cutest thing! Lilly had so much fun with her friend Miles!

The merry go round was the favorite ride for sure!

Our summer also include lots of swimming. Lilly took her first swimming lessons at the local pool. We spent many days playing there.

We also went swimming at a near by lake with our friends Jodee, Brooke and Rachel. I am so glad my girls love the water almost as much as I do!

Oh how I love summer! Of course our summer ended with a trip to Utah. Hopefully I can get to posting that soon.

The Beach

I LOVE summer time and the beach. I am so glad my girls seem to love it as much as I do. This awesome beach is in Sheboygan WI. This was just a great Saturday that we got to spend together at the beach.

Lilly and I

A few weeks ago I was in real need of a pedicure. I hate going by myself to the salon so I decided to take my little buddy Lilly. Lilly was excited to go on a special date with me despite the look on her face. (I think she gets sick of me always taking pictures.)

Lilly loved the bubbles during the foot soak. But the scrub really tickled.

I loved being able to spend a little time with Lilly. I am amazed at how fast she is going up. I pray that we can always be buddies.

4th of July

With the 4th of July being on a Sunday this year we celebrated on the 3rd of July. We went to a fun little parade in the next town over called Grafton. We all love parades!

In the afternoon we took the girls to the movie Toy Story 3 with our friends the Sessions. I was nervous about the girls making it through the show. They did amazing. Lilly thought the show was so funny and Kate even sat and watched it.

After the movie we had a nice BBQ. It is great having good friends. We then headed to lake Michigan to watch fire works with the O'Neills. Milwaukee puts on quite a show. In fact it was almost to long.

We had such a great and long day! My girls are such troopers. Ryan and I love to go, go, go. The girls keep up with us pretty well. Happy 4th of July everyone!

Strawberries

We are lucky to have great farms and orchards so close to us. Lilly saw her favorite cartoon friend "Caillou" go strawberry picking and she has been asking to go ever since. At the end of June I finally took the girls strawberry picking before the season was over. Let me just say we had a blast! Kate thought they looked so good that she just could not resist and kept eating them. She also kept throwing them back almost as fast as I could pick them. Lilly got the vision and was a great little strawberry picker.

Lilly was very proud of our strawberries. Everyone that came by got to see our strawberries. Kate was not so helpful. She was trying to put them back the whole time.

Proud Lilly!

Kates favorite part of the whole thing was the dog that was there. She really loves animals. It was hard to get her to say good bye to the dogie.

High Cliff Triathlon

I am a little back blogged. Back in June Ryan completed his first triathlon. I was so extremely proud of him. Two years ago Ryan started talking about and researching triathlons. Honestly I never thought he would actually do it. Not that I didn't have faith in him but it was a tall order. I just couldn't see it happening. Well June 19 2010 Ryan did it! He completed a 1/4 miles swim. (With the choppy water he ended up running through the water rather than swimming most of it.) Then was a 22 mile bike trek. And he finished things off with a 5k (with a good size hill). What an accomplishment! We stayed the night before the race in Appleton WI. Needless to say the kids did not sleep well in the hotel and we were up most the night. We then got up bright and early because Ryan had to be to the race by 5:30 am.

Here he is after getting painted with his numbers 1082. (I guess this is to be able to identify him).

Supportive and proud family.

Ryan's home teaching companion and friend Nate did the triathlon with him.

Ryan pumped and ready for the swim.

Swim completed now time for a bike ride.

22 mile bike ride done.

Time to start running. They had to run up a huge hill. I would not have made it!

The finish line! I have to say I was nearly in tears when Ryan came across the line. He had been training and working for this for a long time. He has lost 63 pounds. He is so dedicated to his training. It has really helped me lose my weight. He completed the race in 1 hour 46 minutes. (His goal was 2 hours)

Congratulation Ryan! I am so sorry I ever doubted you. You are amazing and dedicated!