Great Day

So it shaped up to be a great day. After the race, we went to Chick-fil-A for breakfast. On the way home, Tana saw a sign for strawberry picking and was giddy like a girl because she wanted to stop... it was rather cute. So, we did. And we picked our own bucket of strawberries.

Then it was home for a nap, email catch up and Sammy time.

Then we went to Ryan & Tana's for burgers on the grill, Tana's ultimate Guac, and ice cream and strawberries while we sat outside.

Then we went bowling with some people from work. How I'm still awake right now astounds me. I am exhausted and need to hit the hay here shortly.

And.....Yesterday I got my card back from the doctor. After almost 9 years of trying to lower my cholestrol (it was 184 at it's lowest and climbed every year until last year where it peaked at 214).....It was 151 this time!!!! Wooo Yoooo! All the working out and semi-watching my food has worked!

Me, Tana, Hanah before the race

Us with everyone near the start line.

Coming back into the zoo from the park and neighborhood. I guess a quarter of a mile to go here.

Getting closer.

FINISH LINE!

Brad got such a good picture here. The time on the clock is 41:44 (versus our 41:29) because we were not at the start of the start line. And your time doesn't start until you cross the starting line. The clock starts when the gun goes off...so it tooks us a few seconds to get from the back to the start line.

Tana's description of the race is so colorful, there's no way I could top it.

http://onetreefamily.blogspot.com/2008/05/fun-run.html

Me and Bradley

Tana & Hanah

yummy

more yummy

the strawberry "flower" that Bradley found.

Race Day and I wasn't last!

Well, I did it. I actually ran 3.1 miles. Thank you again to everyone who donated to Lee's Friends. They will be receiving a check for $230 to help support people with cancer.

I forgot my camera, but Ryan took some pictures, so when I get them, I'll post them.

Here's why I'm proud:

I have a horrid summer cold that is aggravating my asthma and it's hard to breathe when sitting, let alone when running.

It was was the 2nd or 3rd hottest & most humid day we have had this year.

I haven't trained in much heat or humidity this year.

I have never run more than 1.5 miles outside before in my entire life, since my training got derailed twice by illness.

I only had to walk 2 times for less than a block each time....because I was really having a hard time breathing and wanted to avoid an asthma attack. I think I could have run the entire thing if I wasn't sick!

Tana ran with me and kept me inspired.

Since I haven't run more than 1.5 miles, I thought I would run 15 minute miles and finish in a minimum of 45 minutes and actually finished in 41:29 with 13:23 minute miles.

and most importantly, I raised money for an organization that supports people with cancer. Cindy lost her battle with this disease, Judy is fighting it now, Dave will be monitored every 6 months for the rest of his life because of it, and a co-worker's wife just died this week at age 30 of this disease.

My results:

The official race record says the conditions at were:
mostly sunny
74 degrees
73% humidity
wind 12mph

and that was at 8am -- It's 90 degrees right now.

Thanks to:
Brad for being supportive and proud whenever I get off my butt and run
Tana for signing up and running with me
Ryan for telling me he walked during a race, too
Hanah for being so cute that everyone with cameras took pictures
Mom & Dad, Dad D, Cheryl, Kate, Tim, Nil, Tana & Tiff V for donating
Kate & Roger for coming out to watch us finish
Michael for being supportive, being my run "coach", and for reminding me that no matter the results, the fact that I did this is reason to be proud.
and everyone else who emailed or posted support and encouragement.

2 days and 11 hours, really?!?!

My race is on Saturday morning. My training was going great until I got sick with my fun virus at the beginning of the month. I was derailed for more than 2 weeks. So I got back in the swing and now I'm feeling the allergy invasion...scratchy throat and stuffed up.

I had to talk my palpitation medicine today...they weren't really bad at all, just annoying here and there. I need to find some time to RELAX in each day and I think that will help. Also, eating my 3 meals a day and getting 7 hours of sleep.

The meds helped my run and helped keep my heart rate down and was able to run the full 1.5 miles which I haven't done before.

I can't believe I only have 1 more run tomorrow before the race....I am so not ready!!!

But I'll do it anyway...walk, run, or crawl!

And thanks to everyone who has donated. It's such a great cause.

another hit close to home

A few weeks ago we were the ones with the tornado warnings...last night, it was our hometown and many areas surrounding it. Parkersburg, a town about 15 minutes north of our hometown, was hit hard by a large tornado; they are estimating that 1/3 of the town is destroyed. And the town only has 2000 people to start with. There are 4 people dead (they originally thought 5) and 2 dead in a town over, New Hartford. It's amazing how bad the storms are this year and how all over the country they have hit. Mom and Dad headed over, as they are both EMTs and my dad is a deputy in Grundy County. They were going house to house looking for people. Mom said that the basements didn't even matter in a couple of houses because the houses fell in on people. It sounds like they are gauging it at an F4 or F5 and one fireman said it was a 1/2 mile wide. One of the videos below says that at least 100 homes are destroyed in Parkersburg. We anxiously wait to hear who was killed, as we know friends or friends who have family in both towns. There was very extensive damage in Dunkerton, near Waterloo, where some friends and some of my former co-workers and their families live.

Dad said the destruction in Parkersburg is so bad that they couldn't even pick out some of the places he knew well. They evacuated the entire town last night and searched for people again. Grandpa and Grandma are in the hospital in Waterloo apparently spent part of the night in the hallway at the hospital because of all of the tornado warnings.

It's so scary to think how close we were to being hit here and now how close Mom and Dad were. Looks like we are in for a long summer. At this rate, I really hope the hurricanes stay away this year. Not the kind of Memorial Day we were looking for. It makes me heart sick to think of the tragedy and how close to home it is.

Below is Dad's blog & a few news links. The WHO TV link has good video footage and a lot of pictures. One is of the high school where I played basketball and volleyball while in HS that is almost all destroyed. The map shows our hometown, Grundy Center south of Parkersburg and Waterloo/Cedar Falls off to the east.


View Larger Map


http://theiowans.blogspot.com/

http://www.whotv.com/global/story.asp?s=8378124

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-26587

http://www.kwwl.com/global/Category.asp?c=128862

http://www.wcfcourier.com/

one word

1. Where is your cell phone? downstairs

2. Your significant other? Bradley

3. Your hair? brown

4. Your Skin? pale

5 Your mom? Vicky

6. Your favorite thing? movies

7. Your dream last night? odd

8. Your favorite drink? alcoholic

9. Your dream/goal? Motherhood

10. The room you're in? Bedroom

11. Your ex? Unknown

12. Your fear? drowning

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? debtfree

14. Where were you last night? blockbuster

15. What you're not? pregnant

16. Muffins? blueberry!

17. One of your wish list items? Mexico

18. Where you grew up? Iowa

20. What are you wearing? jeans

21. Your TV? Indianajones

22. Your pet(s)? Sammy

23. Your computer? work's

24. Your life? happy

25. Your mood? content

26. Missing someone? Sammy

27. Your car? Beamer

number 28????

29. Favorite Store? Target

30. Your summer? busy

31. Like someone? many

32. Your favorite color? green

33. When is the last time you laughed? today

34. Last time you cried? skydiving

35. Who will/would re-post this? tiffany

36. Whose Answers are you anxious to see? Becky

:)

Bradley just called and he should be home in about an hour :)

I just finished the 2nd Indiana Jones movie. We're going to see the 4th one in the morning, so I'm off to watch #3 until he gets here.

:)

Bradley just called...he just landed and should be home in about an hour :)

Thursday's random thoughts.

I'm glad tomorrow is Friday.

I'm glad Brad comes home tomorrow.

I love being home with Sammy.

I wish I could find a hotel room in Williamsburg for Saturday.

I am not in shape for my race (thanks stupid virus).

I am becoming addicted to So You Think You Can Dance.

My work is challenging, but I love it.

My house is much messier than I'd like right now.

I can't wait to start our summer of jet setting.

I can't wait until David Cook comes out with an album and goes on tour.

I have 1 season of Sex And The City to watch before next week.

I have 2 Indiana Jones movies to watch before Saturday.

I got my toothache resolved (but have to have 2 more procedures...seriously!?!).

I love having a busy social life that is fun.

I love all of our Virginia friends.

I miss all of my out of Virginia friends.

I need to get back to Yoga.

I love Virginia.

I miss my family.

Yes we want to have kids.

Yes we are trying.

No we are not being obsessive.

When it happens, it happens.

I'm hungry. (I can't believe it's already 10pm...I haven't eaten dinner?!?)

American Idol

I am addicted to this show and David Cook rocks!

Happy.Sad

Last night's girls night in, boys night out was GREAT! Can't wait to do it again.

I slept WAY in today and then we went to see What Happens In Vegas...pretty funny, but it had Ashton Kutcher in it, so I was sold through the whole thing...even when it turned into a chick flick. And then the follow up with Coldstone was yummy as always. (happy, happy, happy)

Then we went to Hell's Kitchen for Dinner (happy), but it was to see Mike and Jes one last time before they move to Houston on Tuesday (sad). When Jes sends me the pics, I'll post them, because I forgot my camera.

And Brad is packing for his week in MN (sad), but Tana and I plan on watching the last season of Sex And The City this week and next week so we are ready to go for the SATC movie on the 30th. (happy)...And Sammy and I will log some quality cuddles this week (happy).

Also, I will get back to step class tomorrow for the 1st time in thrrreee weeks (happy) and I'm getting a massage (even happier).

Until tomorrow, it's time to get ready for bed.

Sweet dreams.
A

side effect...weekend

Well, a side effect to skydiving...I was getting over my lovely "hang on forever virus" when we went skydiving and it made conditions favorable...and I punctured my ear drum. lovely, I know.

It doesn't hurt and I don't have any hearing problems; other than my ear feels kind of plugged up. The doctor says that it will heal in a couple of weeks on it's own and as long as it's not infected, it shouldn't be a problem while it heals.

Nice, I know.

This weekend has been fun already. Friday night I went to volunteer at a relay for life event for work and afterwards met Mike and Lisa and Lisa's mom in downtown Norfolk for a drink. Today Tana and I went walking around at our neighborhood yard sales. Then this afternoon we went to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens.

It was a beautiful 78 degree day today - perfect for the gardens.

Tonight, it's girls night in and guys night out...should be fun!

Shinedown

Tonight we went to see Shinedown at the Norva. A great rock band...This is the 3rd time we have seen them. Nothing like being shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of people jumping up and down, singing as loud as they can.

A night of good heavy metal is exactly what I needed after this week!





And no this is the not the sign of the devil or whatever craziness people say these days...It may have started out with bad intentions a long time ago...Now it simply stands for rock and roll!!

Midweek Fun

HAVE SOME FUN...IF YOU HAVE TIME.... Who are You? Hit forward and place an X by all the things you've done and remove the X from the ones you have not. Answer the 30 questions at the end and send it to your friends including me. This is for your entire life!

Gone on a blind date
X Skipped school
X Watched someone die
X Been to Canada
Been to Mexico
Been to Florida
X Been on a plane
X Been lost
X Been on the opposite side of the country
X Gone to Washington , DC
X Swam in the ocean
X Cried yourself to sleep
Played cops and robber
Recently colored with crayons
X Sang Karaoke
Paid for a meal with coins only?
X Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?
X Made prank phone calls
X Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose.
X Caught a snowflake on your tongue
Danced in the rain
X Written a letter to Santa Claus
Been kissed under the mistletoe
Watched the sunrise with someone you care about
X Blown bubbles
X Gone ice-skating
Been skinny dipping outdoors
X Gone to the movies

1. Any nickname? Dre, Andi, Hey you, and a five letter word that starts with B; of course, this one is used only by my closest friends and family and is always meant as a term of endearment :)
2. Mother's name? Vicky Renee
3. Favorite drink? Starbucks (yum-o!); alcohol, except whiskey, and sweet tea; OH! And Leanne’s pineapple upside down cake martinis…seriously, are you sure you didn’t just blend up the cake?!?!
4,Tattoo? No, but 1 upcoming!
5. Body Piercing : each ear x 2
6. How much do you love your job? Love it most days. This week it’s a challenge
7. Birthplace? Iowa Falls, IA
8. Favorite vacation spot? BEACH and NYC
9. Ever been to Africa ? negative
10. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? Totally…many times.
11. Ever been on tv? Yep
12. Ever steal any traffic sign? negative
13. Ever been in a car accident? Yep
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4 door
15. Favorite salad dressing? Ranch and Kraft Zesty Italian
(where is #16??)
17. Favorite number? 28
18. Favorite movie? Top Gun (I feel the need, the need, for speed! Oww!!!)
19. Favorite holiday? Thanksgiving (the turkey!) and Christmas (the friends and family)
20. Favorite dessert? Flan from Luna Maya and Sopapillas from Casa Bonita
21. Favorite food? Mexican, Japanese, Bread, and Cheese
22. Favorite day of the week? Saturday!!!
23. Favorite brand of body wash? Trader Joes or Bath and Body Works
24. Favorite toothpaste? Mine’s perscription
25. Favorite smell? Fresh flowers, fresh cut grass, clean laundry, Bradley, Sammy, turkey cooking on Thanksgiving.
26. What do you do to relax? Yoga, sing loud to music, watch movies with Bradley, cuddle with Sammy
(hello? Mr 27? Where are you?)
28. How do you see yourself in 10 years? With 2 kids, Bradley, Sammy and still working for Target…somewhere……..
29. Furthest place you will send this message? My aunt is somewhere in the ocean…does that count?
30. Who will respond to this the fastest? Tiffy Jo, Jessica, or Tana

Friends

As I reflect on our life in Virginia and where opportunities with our jobs might take us in the next few years, I feel very sad about the possibility about moving away from here.

My family is extremely important to me and I miss them all of the time. But we have developed another family here in Virginia. I have found it easy to connect with so many people that we have met here. I can't imagine life now without Tana, Ryan, Lisa, Mike, Doug, Greta, Scott, Diane, Leanne, Tony, Kate, Mike, Dawn, Jim, Fran, and everyone else....there are so many. Many people I have met only this year... Can you believe that Leanne and Tony we only met a few months ago? It seems that we have known each other forever and it makes me sad to think that someday would could not easily get together.

As I think about having to consider where jobs will take us, it's makes me almost nauseous to think about consciously making a decision to leave here.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to leave this area, but if I have to move for my job, I would rather move toward my family rather than plop down in the middle of some uninteresting state where I know no one.

I don't know what will happen over the next year, but I do know I am going to cram in as many fun and exciting times as I can. After spending the day at the airport this weekend with our friends, I know that even though Iowa is home, wherever these friends all end up, being with them will always be home, too.

Skydive!

So we did it! Here are a few pics below - There will be more in the days to come...I'll create an album on Snapfish that everyone can view.

We went for Lisa's birthday. She did it 10 years ago when she turned 30 and wanted to go again this year as she turns 40! It was great.


The group that went.
Brad, me, Lisa, Mike, Leanne, Cheryl, Scott


The ground crew who waited for us --- the wait was 5 hours because the clouds kept coming down too low and it was hard for them to see the ground.
Tony (Leanne's husband), Albert (Cheryl's boyfriend), Diane (Scott's wife) and our friend Ricki



Me and my favorite person on Saturday, my jump master, Doug. He was great! The worst part for me was the plane ride up to 13,500 feet. Small plane and plenty of wind...yikes.

My hand says Hi Granpa!

(he wants to sky dive--We couldn't fit the correct spelling on my hand!) Grandma, if you click on the picture, it should be bigger and you can see it more clearly....

Me and Doug falling out of the plane. We did a forward flip and I could see the bottom of the plane --It was entirely cool!

Brad and his jump master, Simon, who was a complete clown.

Happy Mommy's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies in our lives! You have a tough job and you are all fantastic!

Four Things

I think I've done this 5 times, but it never gets old. And it's a little different every time.

"Four things" about me that you may or may not have known, in no particular order.

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Manager (at Target and other companies)
2. Customer Service Rep
3. Movie Theater Concessionist
4. Waitress (my very first job)

Four movies I have watched more than once:
1. Top Gun
2. Pretty Woman
3. Rat Race
4. Just Married

Four places I have lived:
1. Suffolk, VA
2. Portsmouth, VA
3. Waterloo, IA
4. Grundy Center, IA

Four TV shows that I watch:
1. Law & Order
2. The Office
3. Numb3rs
4. The L Word (seriously, you guys got me addicted to this show!)

Four places I have been:
1. San Francisco
2. NYC
3. Washington DC
4. Georgia

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Mexican
2. Japanese
3. Bread
4. Cheese

Four people who email me regularly:
1. Lisa
2. Kate
3. Scott
4. Devona

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Hawaii
2. Vegas
3. NYC
4. Iowa or Georgia ( to be with my family)

Four friends who I think will respond:
1. Devona
2. Boom
3. Jenni
4. Tana

Four things I am looking forward to with in the next year:
1. Baby? (NO 'm not, but maybe any day now)
2. Getting my house organized
3. Traveling
4. Serenity

Today's the day

4 hours and counting....holy crap....I can't believe I'm about to do this.

this week

whew...FINALLY feeling better...my voice is 3/4 of the way back...as my lymph nodes shrink, it comes back more and more. It's been a week today that I lost it...yucko...it's been exhausting to be without a voice.

i am entirely sick and tired of coughing.

i am entirely sick of the film that cough drops leave on your teeth and the feeling of it 18 hours of the day, every day this week.

sammy is seriously the best "mommy i hope you feel better" cuddler ever.

1 + days until skydiving...holy crap

I have FINALLY gotten my work calendar and my delegation skills under control and even though I still have 400 things on my to do list, I feel like I can walk away every day and don't feel like the sky is falling. Now if I can get that feeling about my home to do list....

friday night i'm volunteering to help make food for tornado relief workers after work

saturday morning we might be able to volunteer to help clean up the tornado stricken areas...still waiting for work on that.

saturday - skydive, yikes

i talked to grandpa tonight and he is feeling better. And he said he wanted to skydive, too. So we made a date for his 85th birthday to skydive together!

movies

We went to see Iron Man today...pretty darn good actually. Brad said that he would give it an 8 out of 10. I was skeptical about Robert Downey, Jr. but it turns out he was a perfect fit for his character.

We also saw 21 this weekend...that was good too. Kevin Spacey was great...a real jerk at times, but he did a great job.

2 great ones to see!

(still voiceless today...arg)
(grandpa got to go home from the hospital-yeah!)

birthday present

i forgot to tell everyone yesterday that brad got a new job with Farm Fresh!! He applied for a job back in March and the process took a long time. Then he negotiated on the salary a bit and yesterday he accepted the position.

It's a Six Sigma position with Farm Fresh that he will do out of the same office he works in now...He starts in a couple of weeks and will have to travel 1 week every month for the next 6 months...so Sammy and I will be doing some bonding!

Congratulations, Baby -- what a great birthday present!!


--------------On to other news-------------------
And I still have no voice...I laid on the couch all day and even missed a volunteer event for the tornado victims...I did a few loads of laundry and finally got up at 6....We did go to the baseball game for Brad's birthday; it was good to get out and hang out with people.

Grandpa is also back in the hospital tonight with some pain. The doctors think he's been pushing himself too hard with his 3 cracked ribs-- i'll have to lecture him, as he would me! --- Good news is they think he'll get out tomorrow and will be able to give him his 2nd shingles treatment on Monday..hopefully that will help. Get well soon, Grandpa!

Happy Birthday, Baby

Today is Brad's 32nd birthday and if i'm feeling up to it (see the post before this one) we're heading to a movie (21) tonight. Also to the Tides game tomorrow night and Iron Man movie on Sunday night.

I love you, babe...I hope you have a great birthday weekend!

icky

For a few days now, I have had this crappy spring cold that is taking it's own sweet time in going away...lots of people at work have one.

today i spent almost 3 hours at the dentist to find out that my crowns i was having redone were too far in my gum and were making them inflammed...the doctor will be able to fix it only with another procedure to "raise my gums"...fun...i was tilted upside down in the chair most of the time so i had a huge sinus headache when i got done.

i woke up this morning with my lymph nodes in my neck the size of large grapes so i decided i'd better go in to the doctor. i had to have the lady at the dentist office call for me to make the appt because i have completely lost my voice and can't talk at all. fun again...

turns out i have a viral infection. i was supposed to work 1/2 day at home today..turned out to be a day filled with appointments. so now i'm going to lay down and will make up my 1/2 day on Sunday.

the bright side is that it's 80 degrees and sunny!

I may not be able to talk, but