Joy to the Fishes

I've begun the training. I've swam some laps. You forget how hard swimming can be compared to any other kind of exercise. Breathing is the biggest challenge, running I can breathe as much and as often as I want. Not the case in swimming. Just trying to swim a couple laps was ridiculous the first day. I could barely swim 50m (that's down and back across the pool at my gym one time, once) without needing a good 30 second breather. Last week I managed to swim 400m straight in 8:16 and thought I was doing good, that's 1/4 mile. Only a mile and a quarter more to go to feel ready to break out of Azkaban, I mean Alcatraz. Well here it is a week and a bit later, I've got a few more swims under my belt and I swam 1000m straight in 22:48. That's just 200m shy of 3/4 mile! And I didn't drown! Granted I can touch the bottom in the pool I was swimming in but that doesn't matter right?

Have I ever mentioned that I'm a MUCH happier person when I exercise and achieve something? If only I could turn housework into such a happy experience and get more joy out of it. If you have any ideas please share them!

My dad just completed another swim from Alcatraz this weekend to continue to inspire me. He even dropped his time by 10 minutes from last year! Talk about some amazing time droppage! Way to go Dad!! I'm looking forward to many more laps, many more miles, and probably lots more surprises in my swimming achievements.

Brooklynism's & Sadieism's

Wearing Brooklyn's old Cinderella ballerina costume Sadie says "maybe I can go to the ball in this dress. Maybe I can go to the Dancing with the Stars in this dress."

"Mom can you do a fabor for me?" Sadie

Brooklyn "Mom can you do a big favor for me, well it's not a really big favor its just a medium favor. Will you wake me up in the morning, wrap me up in my blankie so my legs will be warm, and get me some breakfast?"

Simple Prayer Simple Faith

If anyone knows my kids, we NEVER go anywhere without their blankies. They usually go with us in the car even for the quickest of rides. If blankies could get sky miles, ours would have free flights. My girls are inseparable from them, Brooklyn especially she has to have her blankie. Yesterday we were all exhausted and wanted to take a nap. Sadie tucked herself into bed. Eric was already zonked out on the couch, and I was left trying to convince Brooklyn to climb into bed so I could rest. The only problem was Brooklyn couldn't find her blankie. She looked all over the upstairs and downstairs with no luck. I had looked all over upstairs and couldn't find it. I had given up and was lying in my bed while Brooklyn continued her search. Finally she came in and said she still hadn't found it. I began wondering if it truly was really lost and if I needed to call my mom and have her start crocheting another one and QUICK! I then asked her if she had prayed for help to find it. She said no and promptly went in her room to pray. She knelt down by her bed and I could hear her talking. Not more than 20 seconds later she came back into my room with a big grin on her face and her blankie over her shoulder. She told me that as she started her prayer she opened her eyes and saw something white sticking out from under her bed. Sure enough there was her blankie! She truly had looked all over the house. She was greatly relieved, as was I. I told her how much Heavenly Father loves her and told her how He had just answered her prayer. I then asked if she had remembered to say another prayer to tell Him thank you. She said she hadn't yet and promptly turned to go back into her room to say her prayer of thanks and afterwards climbed into bed for a nap. Now content to snuggle with her ribbon and her rose. I too was thankful and drifted off for a much needed nap!

My Journey Towards My Great Escape

Maybe I'm crazy, but maybe I'm not. I am now officially signed up for Sharkfest 2011. I plan to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco. Last year I went to San Fran to watch my dad do it. It was amazing. Having visited Alcatraz and seeing the distance to swim, the sea lions in the water, and the people rushing out of the water after completing their swim it truly was inspiring. Standing on the shore the morning of the race at the finish line you can feel the sense of accomplishment. The best was trying to recognize my dad's arms as he swam the last 100 yards or so. There is something about the thrill of any kind of individual race or sporting event that just gets my heart pumping and my emotions on the surface. I LOVE IT! I watched swimmer after swimmer finish and thought to myself, I want to do this. I have 11 months to train and am feeling nervous already. I'm going to do it!

I've been in an exercise slump ever since I finished the half marathon last August 2009. Yes that's right 2009. I really haven't exercised since then, I haven't been able to. Since the knee had had enough there wasn't much I could do. Now almost a year later since my last big race, recovered from surgery, the knee's doing quite well. Now I've just needed some external motivation to get me going on the exercise wagon. I do so much better if I'm training for something. I need to feel that sense of accomplishment. I need that extra pat on the back that I can give myself after I've completed something hard like that. Finishing the marathon back in 2005 was an unforgettable experience, probably even more so since I was 6 weeks pregnant at the time I ran. I couldn't have finished without Kelly and Katie. That was HARD. Staring at their backs the final few miles, willing and forcing myself to put one foot in front of the next, so wanting to be running beside them, not behind them, but lacking the strength. I never considered quitting or even not finishing. But having those two in front knowing they were going to make it encouraged me and gave me hope. Good times! Good race!

Running the half marathon last year by myself was an interesting experience. I will admit I was quite upset and disappointed. I was supposed to run with a couple of my cousins, but they didn't train well enough to feel like they could do it and they pulled out. That left me running alone. Here I'd trained all year, fighting knee pain, flew across the country to run with them and there I was alone. I was glad to see them at the starting line to try some of it, but I knew deep down I was alone, and was fighting back tears and my disappointment. So I ran. I ran with a purpose almost to prove that I could do it, and do it alone. The race felt great, well, after the first 3 miles and the knee stopped hurting, it felt great while I ran. Though it was good to prove to myself that I could do it, it's so much more fun to be able to share the blood, sweat, and tears with someone else and share in the joy of the huge accomplishment. I wish they could have run it with me just because I love them so much!!! I just wanted to share that time together.

That's another reason I've signed up for Sharkfest. My dad's hooked now. He's going to swim it again next week and he's signed up for Sharkfest 2011. I know he'll be there. We'll do it together and then I can share in that accomplishment, in that moment of triumph with him. I can't wait until it's over! :)

So for now I'll be hitting the pool.

Going "Nuts" with Family

After my exhausting NY trip, I brought my parents and youngest brother home with me for more Michigan fun. Here are a few pics of our adventures at the Lugnut's game and a shot at the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit.

Here's Chris and I riding in a Model T Ford at the Henry Ford Museum's Greenfield Village. Who would have thought there'd be a Ford at the Henry Ford Museum?Grandma sporting her many pairs of shades. You gotta be cool at the Lugnuts game, because they sure aren't this year...
Grandpa and Brooklyn just being themselves. :)
Sadie I believe is the one who started the whole sunglasses thing. I think she got the idea from looking at a few pictures of her aunts' Val and Alli. I love my Dad. He cracks me up!
Sadie wouldn't quite sit by Chris. She was quite content to sit behind Chris. Notice the huge sold out crowd supporting the lugnuts tonight. Double header and a double loss. I think the most exciting thing was Chris had an opportunity to be in a hot dog eating contest but declined. It was eat the number of hot dogs correlating to the inning being played. One hot dog the first inning, two the second, and so on. I think we had more fun eating popcorn and cotton candy.
Go Nuts!