... When No One Else is Watching

Halloween is upon us!

Halloween is here and Avery has had no shortage of activities to keep her entertained. This girl is the busiest little woman in the valley and it has been fun watching her start to understand what halloween is all about. I decided to dress Avery up as a witch but didn't have time to make her costume so I got her a costume from good, old Target. The costume doesn't look so much like a classic witch costume, it's more of a fairy costume, so I call her a fairy witch. Thank goodness for the witch hat because that's the only piece of the costume that links her to being a witch.

We went to Boo at the Zoo on Saturday and Avery had her first look at the phenomenon that is trick or treating. Let's just say it's an activity she's going to need some practice at. When we arrived, we put her in line for her first treat and she was somewhat cooperative at lifting her basket up to have the goodie dropped inside. After she got her first treat we went to the next booth they had set up and when I told Avery to lift up her basket she pulled the basket to her chest, clutching it to her body so protectively I had a hard time freeing it from her to get the next treat put inside. She thought the gentleman handing out candy wanted her basket and she was NOT going to give it to him! It was really funny and we had a few more moments like that but for the most part she started to catch on to this fun tradition.

Today, we had a party for all the kids in a playgroup Avery and I are a part of. We had the party at our friend's clubhouse at her condominium and we had a lot of fun. We decorated cookies, played with new toys, played games and the kids got to eat their weight in sugar! Avery was so wired she didn't go down for her afternoon nap until two hours after it is usually scheduled! No more sugar for her for the month!

It's been a fun halloween week and there is still more that will be happening tomorrow but that will actually be the most low key day. Avery isn't going trick-or-treating around the neighborhood because she's still just too young, and let's face it, that would just bring more candy into our house and I would probably be the one eating it! And anyone who knows me knows I don't need sugar to hype me up! I'm highstrung enough without halloween candy! Happy Halloween!

Okay, so I'm not done yet

Yeah, I haven't finished my post up yet so I figured I will just go ahead and do what Deneen said and post some pictures of Avery. Like she said, it's probably the real reason people come by my blog,,, not to hear me wax philosophical about the ways of the world. Nope, you all just want to see pictures of my growing girl. So,,, here are some newer photos.

Just hanging out with Daddy at the park

Here's Avery teaching Daddy everything about electronics!

Something was very "oooohhhh!" worthy!

I'm working on it.

I'll put up a new post this evening. I just haven't had anything too eventful to write about, but then I realized I did. It's funny how everyday life can be noteworthy, isn't it?

Info

So, I've had a lot of people ask me what I did for training where running the 5k was concerned. I have never been too hip on running, even as a child, so I knew I needed a program that would slowly introduce me to running distances longer than oh, let's say, from my front door to the end of my driveway.

I found this program on the coolrunning website and it worked really well for me. I have to say that the secret to this program was sticking with it and following the training schedule to the letter. The program is very firm on the fact that you should not run more than it says, as well as pushing yourself to run the distance/time listed, as long as you aren't hurting in any severe way. When I first read that the program didn't want you to run more often than was stated or for longer intervals I laughed. Like I would want to run more often or for longer distances!? But the weirdest thing seemed to happen at about week six of the program. I actually DID want to run for longer amounts of time because just to let you all know, the day I realized I could run 25 minutes straight I felt like Forrest Gump, I just wanted to keep runnin' and runnin' and runnin'. You get the point. But,,, I did stick to the program and I feel it really worked for me.

I am now running between three and four miles, five times a week. And?! I LOVE IT! I feel extremely healthy, even though I still have some weight to lose, and my body feels very strong. Sometimes my body still feel out of sorts at the beginning of my runs but I notice once I get through the first half mile, my body finds it's rhythm and my breathing evens out. I've definitely found an activity I love and even more that that, it's an activity I can enjoy outside and not be a slave to the gym. I'm very happy to say I now consider myself a runner and feel it's something I'll continue to do for the rest of my life.

Thanks!

Just wanted to say a big thank you for all the nice comments in regards to my 5k. It really was an exhilerating experience and one I am very proud of. It's been incredible how much the quest to run a 5k has changed my life. I have exercised at least every other day since the last week of July and I'm enjoying it more than ever! My eating habits have also changed naturally to help me in my running. I didn't lose a lot of weight while training but now that I've gotten past the training portion and am just running for fun and not limiting my time - and seriously watching what I put in my mouth - I have started seeing the scale move downwards.

Through this experience, I have become a RUNNER and I love every second I am pounding the pavement. I feel so strong and in control and best of all,,, it gives me an hour alone with my thoughts - or lack there of - and with a toddler who is constantly in motion and wanting attention, it's an hour much needed!

Thanks again for motivating me and cheering me on!