And then it was 2013

What a whirlwind year!  Erik had a great football season.  We had a houseful for Thanksgiving as always.  We had a very Merry Christmas and a very quiet New Year - I think we were in bed at 10:30.  I had hernia surgery December 14.  We thought that there were 3 hernias and were surprised to learn there were 7.  I'm still recovering.  No lifting over 10 pounds and very limited work outs.  I am going to try water aerobics for the first time since December and it's almost February.

Classes are going well for all three of us and Erik is testing the waters at a small Presbyterian church in Indianola. 

We added a second dog in November - his name is Root (he prefers to be called Roo Roo) and he is all puppy still.  The best part about being released by the surgeon on February 8th is that I will be able to run with Cache and walk with Root and wear them both out a little bit.

Hopefully I can get back to regular posting - it can be hard to keep things interesting on a personal blog when it feels like many of the changes in our life are gradual. 

Working on the Running

It's been a LONG time since my last blog posting.  My training is going well, Erik's college experience is going well. The JV team won their first game yesterday against Wartburg 20 to 19.  He was very excited and all smiles.  This week at work is CRAZY but I guess that really isn't new either =)

I have a large ventral hernia that will require surgery that I have scheduled for December.  Since my cycling is going well, I am planning to spend the next 10 weeks working on my running.  Hopefully it will help detach some of my fat from my body.  I'll plan to post information on my runs and use this to track improvements and goals =)

Muscle Beach

Last night when Brian and I went to lift weights there were SERIOUS weight lifters at the Y - it looked like body building night.  I struggled though my 30 minutes and was sore and tired at the end.

I am meeting with my Bellevue University advisor on Monday afternoon but I think I will be changing colleges.  While I knew that my class would be the "beta" group at Concordia, their lack of communication and difficultly in pre-planning has been frustrating at best.  One of the primary reasons that I chose Concordia was the availability of the program director and his focus on clinical informatics, however, he recently resigned, so at this point, I'm not sure the aggravation is worth it for my future plans especially since it no longer closely matches my goals for an IT focus. 

Saturday has come so fast - Erik will start at Simpson and suffer through a few weeks of football camp before school starts.  Hopefully we have everything he needs, and if we don't - we'll be up to see him in 2 weeks =)

Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle

Saturday afternoon was Erik's Eagle ceremony.  I was certain that I would bawl since I cried reading the script but I made it through just fine.  He had a good turnout and really enjoyed himself. 

Friday after work I did the Bride Ride and didn't realize until I got home and went to take it off that I rode without my helmet.  Thankfully I wasn't injured in any way!  Saturday morning I went to meet Susan for a walk but the weather intervened and we only did 30 minutes.  Later in the morning I took Cache for a walk through the cemetery and Sunday we went for a family bike ride after church.  The bridge has FINALLY re-opened so we rode from our house to the zoo and back.  I had BAD leg cramps on the way home and I'm still a little tight this morning so hopefully a walk with Cache this afternoon and plenty of water will help get things evened out again.

Just Keep Moving

It has been a CRAZY busy week!  Thursday after work I made it through another 30 minutes of swimming laps and Friday I went for a short bike ride with the boys - we did the quick 6, which is slightly shorter at the moment due to bridge construction and then Brian and I took care of grocery shopping. 

Saturday morning I met Susan Z at the trail head for the Jamaica North trail and we walked six miles seeing teeny tiny tree frogs, baby black tree snakes, 8 deer, an indigo bunting and two herds of wild turkey's.  I was sweaty but happy at the end.  That night we went to a shrimp boil and had a fun and enjoyable evening with other band parents and friends.

Sunday morning Brian, Erik and I rode 12 miles before church and then I spent a lot of time napping.

Monday was a long day at work so Cache got a walk and last night I took to the pool for laps and water aerobics.  It was crowded and unbelievably noisy but I was worn out and slept like a rock!  Tonight we go back for weight lifting and this weekend will be another long ride.  Hopefully all of this will help me to be ready for the Tri in June!

Lift Weights to Lose Weight

Last night after a VERY long day at work Erik and I ate a quick dinner and then raced over to the Y to lift weights.  I'm still a little sore this morning and my muscles were steaming hot last night - hopefully all that work will get my metabolism running higher! 

Our house got about a tenth of an inch of rain last night which seems to have increased the humidity but not really helped the dray grass and plants around the city.  Hopefully we'll get a break from the heat soon. 

Six in the Lane

Last night I went for my first training swim.  I was able to swim successfully for the full 30 minutes and I was SUPER red in the face from exertion when I got out.  Unfortunately I went during a VERY popular pool time so there were six of us in the only open lap lane and we all swam with varying levels of skill.  While I was in Brian went for a hot almost 6 mile ride.  I think that the training will be a good thing and I'm hopeful that my body will be willing to drop some fat!