Getting There

I feel as though I may be making some progress with this getting back into it "stuff".  We started over on the C25K AGAIN... after two runs I hurt my knee and couldn't run for about 3 weeks.  I was really upset, I wanted to get through most of the training before school stuff started again - but that was not to be!  After several rounds of physical therapy for a minor tear to my chondral tendon I was able to complete Week 2 Day 1 of the program.  I ran 2.5 miles in 30:45.  I feel like some progress is being made, slow as it may be.  My focus must remain on taking it very slow and easy.  I don't want to do any more damage to my knee - nor do I want to irritate my back.  I have to remind myself that I am not entering 5K RACES, but for me 5K RUNS...there is a difference.  My goal will simply be to run the 5K and try to improve a little every time.  October is still a ways out there and I have lots of time left to train...I have only just begun!  We run again today at the gym on the treadmill, then I think we are going to take it to White Rock on Saturday... a very short outdoor run just to begin getting a feeling for it again.  I really do miss the early morning quiet peaceful pace and seeing the beauty of the trail.  I am REALLY looking forward to it!

I also wanted to take this opportunity to share some family fun.  On June 29th we flew out to Garden City, Kansas to surprise my Aunt Pat for her 80th birthday.  I hadn't seen her or a lot of my Kansas family in about 7 years so I was really looking forward to this trip!  Thought I'd share a couple of pictures from the get-together!

This is my beautiful Aunt Pat!  Doesn't look 80 now does she?

We were blessed that all Aunt Pat's living siblings were able to attend the party.  In order from right to left (and in birth order):  Aunt Pat, my Dad, Aunt Barbara, Aunt Helen, and Aunt Almeda.

Sadly we had to return home Sunday afternoon after a wonderful visit with family.  Always hard to say goodbye!

Memories

Just a small reminder of one of our fall trips to Lost Maples.  Nice to think about in the heat of the summer don't you think????

Stay cool!

Goal

So....have a couple of anniversaries coming up later this month and it got me thinking a lot about goals.  I joined an on-line community called Walk Across America and began really tracking how much I walk each month.  In April and May I walked between 150 - 175 miles.  I set a goal that in June I would break 200 miles for the month.  So far I am on track for that goal - of course we are only 5 days in to the month, LOL!

Pepaw and I also set a goal of working out more often.  We have been going to the gym more regularly - doing both weights (circuit training) and cardio on alternating days...we actually made it 6 days in a row! I think it helps that we changed gyms and we both really like the new facility - So that goal is going well too.

We are also getting geared up for our run in October.  We are both, as I said above, incorporating more cardio into our workouts - I have started the C25K program...I am currently working on 2/2 run/walk intervals - although right now my runs are more like "speed-walks" than runs!  I am seeing some progress though - and I know I can do this if I stick with it...it just may take longer this time. That is why I'm starting in June to prepare for a 5K in October!

We have changed up our eating habits a little too. We are cutting down on portion sizes, and sticking more closely to fruits and veggies with smaller protein portions as well.  We've cut WAY down on sweets/treats as well as bread.  I am hoping these changes will start to show on the scale REAL soon, although I haven't seen much in that department yet.

Finally, thought I'd share some flowers I saw on my walk yesterday...taken with my iPhone.

White Rock...how I miss you!

We used to run at White Rock Lake...back when we were running...back when we were doing long races...back then.  We are starting over after both of us have had run stopping injuries...so now I am looking forward to the long runs at the lake again.  Came across these pictures we took one weekend at the lake during one of our "photo-walks" and thought I would share...just a few of the reasons I miss it!

These first few are of a bench available in a small garden area next to the pump station.

 The bench

 closer look

The back of the bench latticework

The pump station and some of the lighting (or hints of):

 Flags over the pump station

Shadow of the lamps on the building

Moon between the lamps

The spillway (there used to be a hill here I hated but they graded it down a little and it isn't quite as bad now)

The spillway

Birds playing in another area of the spillway

Some of the beauty of the lake!

 Flowers along the path

 The lake through the cattails

 Men fishing

A serious rower!

We will be back soon...probably after summer when it gets a little cooler!

Dangerfield State Park in November

Last November 9th Pepaw and I took {C} and the kids for a nice trip through the walking paths at Dangerfield State Park.  We wanted to see what the fall foliage would look like.  Here are some of the pictures we took on that trip. Hard to believe there is such colorful foliage so far south here in Texas...we had a great time!

Hollywood's Birthday

If you've ever checked out my blog list you'll notice a blog called "Little Wonders".  This is a blog about my daughter and her family. In the blog they each have aquired nicknames. My oldest grand-daughter is known as MOTS.  After walking 4.0 miles and going to the gym to work out we traveled to the Natatorium to watch her SMASH her previous best in the freestyle, set a new personal best in the backstroke, and participate in her first IM.  It was so much fun to watch her in a meet!

 My middle grand-daughter is known as Hollywood.  Today is her birthday - she is officially in double digits today.  When we were talking to her several weeks ago we asked her what she wanted for her birthday and her reply was, "I want to feed the ducks."  A simple request...so of course one that must be fullfilled!  So....that is what we did today.  Hollywood, Captain Chaos (our grandson), Pepaw and I all went to the park and fed the ducks.

After we finished feeding the ducks she decided on Panda Express for dinner...so off we trecked to the Express.  A quick stop by Kroger to get some cupcakes for dessert (along with a Tinkerbell candle) and the birthday was complete with all wishes fullfilled...Awesome huh?  What a great way to spend the day!

Mr. and Mrs. Cotton Boales

Well, yesterday was the big day!  Cotton and Angel tied the knot! Angel worked so hard on the planning and it REALLY showed.  The ceremony was beautiful, the venue amazing and I honestly think everyone there had FUN!  I did pretty well through the ceremony - teared up just a little, I even did well through their first dance, cutting the cake, the toasts... all of that... BUT I totally lost it for the mother son dance!  I knew I would.  I am so happy for my "little" boy.  The woman he chose is a wonderful partner for him and they are such a match made in heaven - I just cried and cried tears of joy for them both.  It was fun once I got myself composed, LOL.

They did an "anniversary dance" for all the couples there. That was fun too - they played the same song that was played at our wedding.  All the married couples came out to dance, then the DJ dismissed them - first the couples that had been married less than a day, then anyone not married for 5 yrs, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30...until it was just Grandma and Grandpa and Pepaw and I.  They slid right into our favorite song together  "You're My Best Friend" sung by Don Williams so Pepaw and I stayed on the floor a little longer and danced to that one too.

Later they played "The Monster Mash"....that was the one song Pepaw had requested - and we all got out there and just had fun with it!

I don't want to share too much here because I want to tell the story in the pictures we will get...but these were too good not to share!

Here is a picture of the newlyweds they took on their phone during the dinner....

May you have MANY happy years together Cotton and Angel!