Duly Noted

At a favorite Twin Cities Yarn store, photo credits go to my dear friend, Hannah! Dear Misha,  Tomorrow you will be eight months old.  Today, you did a downward dog using your xylophone as a support block for your arms.  You are clearly considering standing up even though you just started to really crawl a couple of weeks ago.  I guess you are a mover and a shaker, just like your mom.  Crawling is good, but standing up and walking?!  Even better!  You are a strong little guy and rather calm.  I think you get that from your dad.  You have this funny habit of throwing your head back, squinting your eyes, and pulling the corners of your mouth back into a goofy grin when you catch my eye before doing something naughty (like playing with a cell phone charger) or between bites of your mouthwatering banana and brown rice cereal.  These days, you smile wide when daddy or mommy comes home.  You pet Rachel The Dog and you look for her when you hear her bark or her collar jingl

You may have noticed that my time spent blogging is negatively correlated to Misha's growth.  I believe I didn't even publish a six month update!  Are you surprised?  Probably not, especially if you're a parent.  It's too bad that Misha can't spell yet or he could blog for me.  He thinks computers are pretty fascinating.   Here's a quick update: Recent Developments: Sitting up...all by himself Interest in other kids! Eating food! Spiky hair Waking up 1x per night Sitting up by himself for the first time.  11/12/13 Misha's favorites:   Activities: Playing piano with dad Watching the records spin Singing and dancing Morning cuddle time Turning pages of books Bath time, splashing! Ipads, computers, cell phones (he knows how to swipe and type.  Kind of disgusting but that's our reality.) Watching Rachel the dog Riding in the stroller with runner mom Books: Puppy Boo Little Blue Truck Little You

Waiting for the start.  All the photos in this post are credit of my running buddy, Rose. Pre-race smiles in the middle of the pack. Morning sunlight pouring down Summit Ave. Another late race report following another satisfying race!  To my good fortune, I was selected to run in the TC 10 mile, the little sister race to the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon.  Runners are chosen through a lottery system for the TC 10 mile so I always feel pretty lucky when my number gets pulled! This year, I started the race with a speedy running buddy of mine (and talented photographer as you can see from this photos!).  After a summer of hardcore hiking and training, Rose was ready to PR.  I didn't know what to expect although I hoped to beat my time from Women Run The Cities 10 mile race without overdoing it.  (I still had a half marathon trail race and the Monster Dash Half marathon ahead of me!) Some of the most memorable moments of this race were before we even arrived at the start line.  The TC

Waiting for the start.  All the photos in this post are credit of my running buddy, Rose. Pre-race smiles in the middle of the pack. Morning sunlight pouring down Summit Ave. Another late race report following another satisfying race!  To my good fortune, I was selected to run in the TC 10 mile, the little sister race to the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon.  Runners are chosen through a lottery system for the TC 10 mile so I always feel pretty lucky when my number gets pulled! This year, I started the race with a speedy running buddy of mine (and talented photographer as you can see from this photos!).  After a summer of hardcore hiking and training, Rose was ready to PR.  I didn't know what to expect although I hoped to beat my time from Women Run The Cities 10 mile race without overdoing it.  (I still had a half marathon trail race and the Monster Dash Half marathon ahead of me!) Some of the most memorable moments of this race were before we even arrived at the

Oh My!  Happy Birthday (Grand)Mary!!!!!! I just can't believe it!  How exciting!!!  Will there be chocolate cake? Who am I kidding?! Grandmary will definitely have cake.  And...DQ too!?  I'm IN! Not so many years ago. Pleased to meet cha, Grandmary! This lady knows how to snuggle. These are my grandparents, you dig?

HA-HA-HA-HAAAAPPPPY BIRTHDAY (GRAND)DAD!!!!!   I love my Grandpa. This is fascinating stuff.  I am riveted. Seriously, are you hearing this?!  Grandpa is hilarious.  

As a teacher, I am a creature of habit.  5:30 alarm, sleep 5:40 alarm, sleep 5:50 wake up Head downstairs, get coffee and oatmeal started. Do 8 minutes of abs while waiting for coffee and oatmeal. Eat breakfast, read emails, check weather, and toodle around feedly and pinterest 6:30 Feed Misha or prep milk, brush teeth, floss, comb hair and get dressed.  Pick out a scarf to wear. 7:15 Bike to work, enjoy the fall colors 7:45 Meet with students about essays, respond to work emails, get ready for classes 8:30-11:30 Teach! 11:30-12:00 Wrap up materials, get ready for tomorrow's classes. 12:00 Bike home, enjoy leaves again! 12:30 Home sweet home!  Cuddle and feed Misha. 1:00 Eat lunch outside on our picnic table and make plans for the afternoon. Unlike my mornings at work, weekday afternoons have yet to fall into a routine.  Although sometimes I yearn for this, I am okay with no routine with one caveat.  I need to spend some time moving, and preferably, outside.  For me, working up a s

As a teacher, I am a creature of habit.  5:30 alarm, sleep 5:40 alarm, sleep 5:50 wake up Head downstairs, get coffee and oatmeal started. Do 8 minutes of abs while waiting for coffee and oatmeal. Eat breakfast, read emails, check weather, and toodle around feedly and pinterest 6:30 Feed Misha or prep milk, brush teeth, floss, comb hair and get dressed.  Pick out a scarf to wear. 7:15 Bike to work, enjoy the fall colors 7:45 Meet with students about essays, respond to work emails, get ready for classes 8:30-11:30 Teach! 11:30-12:00 Wrap up materials, get ready for tomorrow's classes. 12:00 Bike home, enjoy leaves again! 12:30 Home sweet home!  Cuddle and feed Misha. 1:00 Eat lunch outside on our picnic table and make plans for the afternoon. Unlike my mornings at work, weekday afternoons have yet to fall into a routine.  Although sometimes I yearn for this, I am okay with no routine with one caveat.  I need to spend some time moving, and preferably, outside

It is always a treat to be home on the 1st Wednesday of the month.  

I am going to keep this race report brief as it is already overdue and I am running another 10 mile race this Sunday! I signed up for Women Run The Cities for four reasons. 1. One of my favorite local trail races, the surley loppet half marathon, was already full. 2. I love all female events. 3. The start and finish line is only two miles from my house (perfect distance for an easy warm up). 4. Breaking up a training cycle with local distance races keeps me motivated. I didn't have a concrete race plan, but I approached the race as a training run.  This means no PR-ing (unless I feel downright incredible and a PR pace feels like floating on air which is highly   unlikely ).  That said, I wanted to feel tired at the end of the race to mimic the fatigue I should feel during the last stretches of a goal race.  To accomplish this, I left home extra earlier and jogged over to the start line, a nice and easy two mile warm up.  I always love running and biking through the neighborhoods ea

I am going to keep this race report brief as it is already overdue and I am running another 10 mile race this Sunday! I signed up for Women Run The Cities for four reasons. 1. One of my favorite local trail races, the surley loppet half marathon, was already full. 2. I love all female events. 3. The start and finish line is only two miles from my house (perfect distance for an easy warm up). 4. Breaking up a training cycle with local distance races keeps me motivated. I didn't have a concrete race plan, but I approached the race as a training run.  This means no PR-ing (unless I feel downright incredible and a PR pace feels like floating on air which is highly   unlikely ).  That said, I wanted to feel tired at the end of the race to mimic the fatigue I should feel during the last stretches of a goal race.  To accomplish this, I left home extra earlier and jogged over to the start line, a nice and easy two mile warm up.  I always love running and biking through the neighbor

Patiently waiting in line at  Walgreens. Oh hi.  This is my room. 

Saturday I planned to run somewhere around 12 miles for Saturday's long run, but due to the steamy temps and my tired legs, I ended somewhere in the 11 mile range including a few walking intervals.  Saturday's saving grace was a running buddy who kept me entertained with explanations of cultural theory and a goal setting session for our thirties.  We wondered...how to be glamorous thirty year-olds on a budget? We passed a family placing a red wagon and cute blue chair out on the curb.  We confirmed that the goods were free and convinced the family to put the goods in their backyard so we could grab them post-run.  If only folks were leaving little black dresses and kate spade bags curbside... Sunday Sunday was an easy five mile run to stretch out my legs after Saturday's slog.  I like to go out with Misha on Sunday am's since we often aren't together anymore in the mornings.  Misha likes to be my coach, smile at me, and look around as we cruise around River Road. Th

Saturday I planned to run somewhere around 12 miles for Saturday's long run, but due to the steamy temps and my tired legs, I ended somewhere in the 11 mile range including a few walking intervals.  Saturday's saving grace was a running buddy who kept me entertained with explanations of cultural theory and a goal setting session for our thirties.  We wondered...how to be glamorous thirty year-olds on a budget? We passed a family placing a red wagon and cute blue chair out on the curb.  We confirmed that the goods were free and convinced the family to put the goods in their backyard so we could grab them post-run.  If only folks were leaving little black dresses and kate spade bags curbside... Sunday Sunday was an easy five mile run to stretch out my legs after Saturday's slog.  I like to go out with Misha on Sunday am's since we often aren't together anymore in the mornings.  Misha likes to be my coach, smile at me, and look around as we cruise