Scrappy Hearts

Just One Day

"Day, n. A period of twenty-four

hours, mostly misspent."

Ambrose Bierce

And, coincidentally, the amount of time until Spring Break starts. Fingers crossed that I survive the next 24...

Secret Adventure

Beauty is whatever gives joy.

Edna St. Vincent Millay

So excited be a part of a project to create samples for a new online class! I am truly enjoying the process, it warms my soul to engage in the exploration of my surroundings in a thoughtful and reflective way. So today, while feeling a bit sour and bemoaning the start of spring in a very chilly way, I decided to seek the beautiful. I found this quote and this lovely photo in my files. Happy Spring everyone!

Project Life 2013, Week 11

Just thrilled with the way the blue letters look on the title card for this week. I couldn't have found a better match if I had planned it! I found those beauties while perusing my stash and I am definitely in a use it or lose phase! Much better to use I say!Week Eleven was a busy week. I was out of the house two evenings and we had a race on Saturday. Phew, busy! I hve been stressing over my inability to find my smaller page protectors, specifically the 8.5 x 11 size. While perusing my stash I found a big pile of 12 x 12 page protectors that I have had for years. I decided to just cut them down to use for my smaller inserts! Done!

This week I left the back of one of last week's journaling cards visable. I just love the color and the quote. Sunday was a day of cooking while Mark was out enjoying a movie with one of his writer's groups. Monday the Scholastic book order came - I love new books! And of course Tuesday found me at the pool with my tri-buddy!The first insert holds our bibs from Saturday's race. I was 209 and Mark was 210. You can't see it in this photo, but I cut the page protector and sealed the edge with washi tape! I just love washi tape!The back of the first insert is where I placed the emails we both got letting us know our finishing time and place. Opposite the emails is another page protector cut down to hold the actually age group finishers for mine age group, on the front, and Mark's age group on the back.The next insert shows photos that Mark took of the day. This year he focused more on running than taking pictures! I need to write a title on the kraft cardstock I put in the little pocket on the side. Still a work in progress!As you can see, I still have one slot open for a picture - not sure what I will put there but I am happy that I am at least this far along! It was a bit cold on Saturday, but as you can see from the pictures, I was plenty bundled up and really did not feel the cold, which was a very good thing!Wow, back to Wednesday and our "newbie" meeting for the tri club. It was a great time, we learned a bit and met lots of great women! Thursday I met up with Bunkey for our once a month Jo's Little Women Club meeting at the Village Quilter. We had dinner first at The Robin's Nest and then had a great meeting. Really inspirational! Friday was Science Day at school, that's why there is a picture of an albino python in my spread. Jessie received her Girl Scout cookies on Friday. She looks pretty happy!This is the way the spread looks when you first open my Project Life binder. I seem to have more of a routine about completing the spreads each week. I am keeping things really simple just because I can make just a wee bit overwhelming for myself if I over-think the process. The important thing, it gets done and I have successfully recorded the details that make our lives so special.

This week I am again linking up over at The Mom Creative. I have not had a chance to take a look at what everyone has done, but I will do that before the week is out.

And guess what? Lisa Bearnson has teamed up with Becky Higgins to sell two new Project Life kits – Jade and Blush- on HSN this week Monday, the 25th. The kits will include an album, page protectors and either a Blush or Jade edition core kit. The best part is that the kits will be big time “value-priced” and will not be available this cheap anywhere else. Now I remember watching Lisa Berenson on QVC and I believe that is where my addiction started. I will definitely be tuning into HSN at midnight Monday!

There is always so much eye candy out and about in the blog world to inspire. I am doing my best to keep up with everything and have started accumulating pins over on my Pinterest account. Check it out! As always, thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll come back!

Why Run?

I have always wanted to be able to run. Seriously. I have always been envious of people who can go out and run while still managing to breathe. I could never do that. I have always struggled with breathing while exercising.

So it was, that last year, Mark and I made the commitment to run. We started slow and steady using the Couch to 5K program. We signed up for our first race in March for motivation and it worked. I became a runner. Together we ran our first race, the Bordentown St. Patrick's Day 5K.  

We had such fun that we decided to keep going. We ran all spring and summer. And we kept running into the fall. The truth is, around October I got tired. I still ran, but not as often. I think trying to balance work, consulting and exercise became a bit of a challenge. I never achieved a good balance.

So, as I started training again in January, I must say how happy I am that I was still able to run. I really enjoyed the fact that my feet and legs work together to get me from one place to another, quickly. 

And so we keep going, Mark and I, both at our own pace. It feels good. 

So, why run? I guess 'cause it just feels good. Besides, I like getting new t-shirts!

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Now, I have never seen Up, but for some reason this really resonated with me. Too often we say that we want this kind of love. But in all honesty, in order to receive a love of this magnitude, we need to be willing to love in the same manner. I know for me, that was a part of what I didn't understand. 

Last night Mark and I watched "Yours, Mine and Ours" with Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda. The scene below is one that I have always remembered.

 

Today I thought about all of the things that I "thought" love was. Going back all the way to the time I was ten and I saw this scene for the first time. I think Henry did a pretty good job of explaining what "real love" is, although at that time I couldn't have understood. How lucky I am to have found someone that loves me the way that Carl loved Ellie and I hope he knows I love him the same way. How lucky we both are!

2nd Anniversary

Today I was up and out of bed early for my first race of the season. As you can see, I was prepared with my "Kiss Me I'm Irish" socks courtesy of the one-spot, water and bananas. I wasn't sure what to eat prior to the race as I am used to having yogurt. Since I am not eating dairy, I opted for a banana. It worked out fine!

We left home at about 7:49 which allowed for more than enough time for us to get to Bordentown to pick up our bibs and t-shirts. I just love this years' shirt and it fits so much better than last years.

Here we are - the girls who run - after the race. I just gave us that name. Today was the 2nd anniversary of my first 5K, the Bordentown St. Patrick's Day Race. Kelly, Emily and I work together and last year I ran this race for the first time with both these lovely ladies. 

This year my time was eleven seconds slower than last year, I wasn't happy. I still finished in the top 10 for my age group, actually I was number 10. I have learned that I really need to train for running races differently. Training for the tri doesn't require the concentrated focus on running and I really believe that I would do better if I started my training with the Couch to 10K program in January. I will need to think about this.

I also think I need to figure out what is going on with my knees and hips. Today I was able to run without my knee brace, which was a good thing, but I needed it to train this week and that certainly affected my training. Becoming an athlete, over the age of 50, certainly has its challenges. 

As for Mark, he finished with his best time yet and I was so happy for him! I think he was happy also!

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Carb Loading

Not that is usually necessary to carb load for a 5K, but today I felt it essential. Since becoming vegan around January 1st, my weight has dropped and now I am hovering about 8 pounds below the weight I was this time last year. Mind you, we did not make the change in our diets so that I could lose weight, that was not my intention. I am not complaining either. It is just that after 54 years, I have come to know my body.

Tomorrow, after getting up at the crack of dawn (okay, 7am), Mark and I will run our first 5K of the season, the Bordentown St. Patrick's Day 5K. The expected temperature at the time the gun fires, 35 degrees with a wind chill of 31. We are also expecting a wintery mix right about the time I should be crossing the finish line. My body will need some serious fuel to keep me warm and to keep me moving. So tonight we loaded up on carbs. A nice vegan marinara sauce, farfalle pasta, a delicious salad loaded with lots of veggies along with home made bread - made garlic by broiling with a touch of olive oil and garlic. Delish!I guess I am as ready as I will ever be. Here's to staying warm and running a very fast time so that I can return to my heated house and snuggle under the quilts!

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Night Out = No Training

And that's how it should be! My tri-buddy, Jackie, and I headed out to our "newbie" meeting with the Mullica Hill Women's Tri Club. I was an evening filled with lots of great information and the opportunity to network with some really awesome women. Our schedule is being firmed up and our training is well under way. Jackie did her training this morning and me, well, I took the day off. My old lady knees are really causing me some issues so I am icing and slowing down for a couple of days. Mark and I have a 5K on Saturday, it is the anniversary of our first run together. I am hoping to be well rested by then and pain free. Fingers crossed. 

Our meeting tonight was at Carolina Blue, one of my favorite restaurants! I made Jackie take a self portrait with me...

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Project Life 2013, Week 10

Week Ten is here, actually was here, last week. Boy does time fly.

I was feeling really over-whelmed last week and did not do much of anything in terms of Project Life. That left the journaling and photo printing to Sunday and yesterday. I hate when that happens!Week 10 marked the first week of tri training with my first tri scheduled for May 26th. Sunday was a pretty uneventful day at home, on Monday I ran a 5K. And we're off - so to speak. I met my tri buddy for swimming twice and did my first brick of the season, run and bike on Wednesday evening.

Wednesday we were supposed to get snow and I was praying for a delayed opening on Thursday, no such luck. Just some nasty rain and bitter wind.Thursday was my last day of work with students and Friday we had an inservice. The snow finally showed up on Friday. It snowed all day and was very pretty. Too bad I wasn't at home! I traveled over to the quilt shop on Friday for a visit with my BFF and a cupcake to celebrate the shops 11th anniversary. A great night for a visit before settling down to watch a movie with Mark.

Saturday, an outdoor brick, bike to run and then a party. I have not been to a party in ages. It was so much fun. I loved the opportunity to hang with my buddies from work, outside of work. I work with the nicest people, that bottom picture is of the 4 of us teaching second grade. All in all, it was a great week. Tonight I will be linking up over at The Mom Creative. Jessica is posting her Week 7, the week including Valentines' Day, today. I love seeing everyone's creative efforts, but with school, training and everything else, I just can't commit to doing anything too involved. I am keeping it simple, and I like it that way!

I have been wandering around the web looking at other Project Life postings and I am really happy that I started visiting Cathy Zielske's blog again. I love her simple no nonsense style and that comes across through her pages.

Finally, last evening, I stopped by Becky Higgin's blog to check out her post from the Project Life Creative team. I just love seeing what everyone has done with their albums!

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully you will find lots of inspiration among the links that I have included. As for me, I am off to the pool! Have a magical evening everyone!

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Food for Thought

Actually, there is nothing to really think about. Just me learning to appreciate the vegan side of life. Yesterday I cooked up a storm, lots of cabbage and other yummy vegetables. I also was able to bake a fresh loaf of bread thanks to my fabulous bread machine. Yum!

Here is a photo documentary from my cooking Sunday:

It seems as though we eat so much more as vegans so I was cooking again tonight just so that we have a wide variety of foods to choose from. Roasted baby bellas, roasted organic carrots with cinnamon as well as plenty of romaine salad base for the rest of the week. Yummy. I may get the hang of this yet!

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